http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/explosion-near-bus-in-central-jerusalem-25-reportedly-wounded-1.351377 Explosion near bus in central Jerusalem; 25 reportedly wounded Rescue services say no fatalities, but four people seriously hurt; entrance to the city has been closed, and ambulances and police forces were arriving at the scene. By Haaretz Service An apparent bomb exploded next to two public buses on Wednesday afternoon outside the International Convention Center, just opposite the central station in Jerusalem. At least 25 people were wounded in the incident, four of them seriously. The casualties were being evacuated to the Hadassah Hospital in Ein Karem. The Magen David Adom emergency services said that there were no fatalities. It was not yet clear whether a suicide bomber was behind the attack. Bus No. 74 and No. 14 were reported as being hit. The entrance to the city has been closed, and ambulances and police forces were arriving at the scene.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/grad-rocket-explodes-near-ashdod-as-gaza-tensions-spiral-1.351207 Grad rocket explodes near Ashdod as Gaza tensions spiral No injuries or damage reported as result of rocket; at least 7 Palestinians, including 4 civilians, were killed during heavy exchanges of fire between IDF and Gaza militant groups. A Grad rocket fired from Gaza exploded south of Ashdod on Tuesday after a day of escalation along the border. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. At least seven Palestinians, including four civilians, were killed earlier Tuesday during heavy exchanges of fire between the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian terror groups in the Gaza Strip, in one of the most serious rounds of fighting near the Strip since the end of Operation Cast Lead in January 2009. At around 4 P.M., four mortars were fired at kibbutzim Alumim and Sa'ad, landing in open areas and causing no injuries. The IDF fired mortars at the launching point, apparently hitting the Palestinians behind the launches but also hitting 12 Palestinian civilians, killing at least four. Later in the evening, a few more mortars and a Grad rocket were fired at Ashkelon. There were no injuries. An investigation by the IDF's Gaza Division showed anIDF radar identified that mortars had been launched. Based on the events of the weekend, when Israel was hit by over 50 rockets, it was believed that another barrage was on the way that could hit Israeli homes. The order was given to fire at the source of the Palestinian mortar fire. One of the four mortars the IDF fired at the launch point in an olive grove strayed and hit a house about 80 meters away. The IDF said in response that it only fires at populated areas to prevent immediate fire at Israeli communities. At around 8 P.M., the IAF struck a vehicle in the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza, killing four Islamic Jihad militants who were preparing to fire Grad missiles. The IDF believes this was the same group that fired a Grad missile at Be'er Sheva about a month ago.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/two-grad-rockets-hit-be-er-sheva-iaf-strikes-gaza-launching-squad-1.351301 Two Grad rockets hit Be'er Sheva; IAF strikes Gaza launching squad Eight mortar shells hit western Negev between the two attacks on Be'er Sheva, and within hours of another strike on Ashdod; on Israeli lightly wounded, at least eight Palestinians killed over course of Tuesday. By Haaretz Service Tensions continued along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, as Gaza militants fired two Grad-type Katyusha rocket at the southern city of Be'er Sheva and a barrage of mortar shells on the western Negev. The first rocket struck a street in the middle of a residential area in the city, damaging buildings including a synagogue. A piece of shrapnel penetrated a nearby third-floor apartment upon impact, lightly wounding one man. The second hit an open area in the city. A number of people were treated for shock in both incidents. Gaza militants also fired seven mortar shells at the Eshkol region of the western Negev and another at the Sha'ar Hanegev area. The attacks on Wednesday morning came a mere hours after another Grad fired from Gaza exploded south of the coastal city of Ashdod. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for each of the attacks. The Ashdod school district announced that classes would be canceled on Thursday and Friday in the wake of the rocket fire. An Israel Air Force craft retaliated for the attack on Be'er Sheva shortly after the second attack; the Israel Defense Forces said the squad responsible for launching the rocket was hit. The IAF also attacked Ashdod early Wednesday by firing at figures in a suspected rocket launching zone in Gaza; one person was reportedly killed in that incident. At least eight Palestinians, including four civilians, were killed over the course of Tuesday during heavy exchanges of fire between the Israel Defense Forces and militants in the Gaza Strip. The exchanges were some of the most serious rounds of fighting near the Strip since the end of Operation Cast Lead in January 2009. On Tuesday afternoon, Gaza militants fired four mortars at Kibbutz Alumim and Kibbutz Sa'ad. The rockets landed in open areas and caused no injuries. In response, the IDF fired mortars at the suspected launching point. The IDF mortars targeted the Palestinians behind the rockets, but also hit 12 civilians. One of the four mortars fired by the IDF at a launching pad in a Gaza olive grove strayed and hit a house about 80 meters away.
above continued... Militants continued to fire mortar shells and a Grad rocket at Ashkelon as the evening progressed. There were no injuries. Israel was hit by more than 50 rockets over the weekend, leading the military to believe that militants may be planning another barrage to target Israeli neighborhoods. Senior IDF officers have said this week that neither side is interested in escalation. However, Hamas and the other armed Palestinian factions appear to be trying to hit IDF forces patrolling the border fence as well as increasing missile and mortar attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip threatened Tuesday to retaliate for the civilian deaths. "The brutal crime of today will not pass without a response by the resistance," Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said. "Israel is escalating against our people and the whole world should show their responsibility to stop this escalation." Be'er Sheva was hit last month by two Grad rockets, one of which hit a home in a residential area. Those rockets marked the first time that Be'er Sheva was hit since the Gaza war ended in 2009.
Attacking during the holiday of Purim was a HUGE mistake... way to rile up the warhawks. http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/mess-report/a-small-war-is-starting-along-gaza-border-1.351223 A small war is starting along Gaza border What began as a local escalation is steadily transforming into a broader conflict that the sides will apparently have difficulty stopping. While the headlines are focusing on the Katsav trial, the protests in Syria and the implications of the earthquake in Japan, a small war has been going on for a week now along the Gaza border. Israeli communities near the border are receiving a daily dose of mortars and rockets, and the Israel Air Force has been attacking Gaza. What began as a local escalation is steadily transforming into a broader conflict that the sides will apparently have difficulty stopping, though it's doubtful either side has an interest in reaching that point. 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Yehoshua Nir Zalik Tomer Zarchin Benny Ziffer Avi Zilberberg Zvi Zrahiya From date: To date: MESS Report by Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff | Last Update: 23.03.2011 Published 00:56 23.03.11 Latest update 00:56 23.03.11 A small war is starting along Gaza border What began as a local escalation is steadily transforming into a broader conflict that the sides will apparently have difficulty stopping. By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff While the headlines are focusing on the Katsav trial, the protests in Syria and the implications of the earthquake in Japan, a small war has been going on for a week now along the Gaza border. Israeli communities near the border are receiving a daily dose of mortars and rockets, and the Israel Air Force has been attacking Gaza. What began as a local escalation is steadily transforming into a broader conflict that the sides will apparently have difficulty stopping, though it's doubtful either side has an interest in reaching that point. The current tensions began exactly a week ago when Israel launched an air attack on a Hamas base in the ruins of the settlement of Netzarim, killing two Hamas men. That attack came in response to a Qassam fired from Gaza that landed in an open area. Hamas then responded with a barrage of 50 mortars on communities south of the Gaza Strip. Israel delayed its response so as not to disrupt the Purim festivities in the Sderot area. But on Monday evening Israel launched a series of air attacks in which a number of Hamas militants were wounded. Things worsened yesterday afternoon. After a round of mortar fire on kibbutzim east of Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces fired its own mortars right back at the source of the firing - at the Sajaiyeh neighborhood east of Gaza City, killing four members of a family, including two children. Southern Command's initial investigation indicates that the mortars' launching point, an olive grove on the edge of a residential quarter, had been clearly identified. It seems that a number of the IDF's mortars went off course and hit a house in Sajaiyeh, a few dozen meters from the grove. The IDF says armed Hamas men who had fired mortars at Israel were also hit in the strike, and has expressed regret about innocent casualties. The IDF says it fired to stop the firing in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. The commander of the sector used mortars of a type known as keshet for lack of more precise weapons, which were not available quickly enough due to the urgency of stopping the Palestinian mortar fire at the kibbutzim. Military officials said yesterday that Israel has no interest in an escalation, which echoed precisely Hamas' statements from the day before. Until the Sajaiyeh incident, it seemed that Hamas was again trying to enforce calm. Now the picture is once again more complicated. Hamas TV repeatedly showed close-ups last night of the body of an 11-year-old boy, Mohammed Jihad al-Halu, who was killed by IDF fire. Hamas' military wing released a relatively cautious statement, but the other factions have vowed revenge. The more time that passes and the larger the number of casualties, the harder it will be to stop the escalation.
I hope both sides do whatever possible to stop this, but I really really wish nothing happens to civilians on either side. F.
No excuse for terrorism. There is plenty of excuse to attack Israel for the their continued oppression, occupation and expansion of settlements. Despite long periods of peace in the past Israel has never stopped the expansion of settlements. At this point Israel should look at it as a matter of making themselves and their citizens safer. It isn't a matter of right or wrong (though there is that as well.) Israel should stop the oppressive policies that help to fuel the terrorism. I hate to see what's happening there. It's too bad the Palestinian's don't have the strength to resist and not take the bait. The need to make a very public show of not responding to Israel's baiting with terrorism or violence at all even if attacking Israel would be justified. Non-violent protests along the lines of Gandhi is what they need. The need to the strength to not use violence and show the oppression and occupation for what it is.
Agreed. Unfortunately, I don't see it happening in this case. You had the murder of the family in the settlements (including the stabbing of a 3 month old) and now rocket fire on purim. If you wanted to piss off the religious extremists in Israel... that's EXACTLY what you do. This is about to explode.
What long periods of peace? It's the terrorist attacks that prop up the settlers even more. Unfortunately, non-violence has not been programmed into Palestinian culture. This makes me think of the movie Lord of War. Too much money being made by countries that sell arms (look at the recent seizure of Iranian arms by Israel). Brainwash the culture to fight, drain them of money.
I live in Jerusalem near the area that this explosion happen. I usually ride the 74 bus which is one that had the windows blown out. Very scary stuff, hope this doesn't lead to a wave of violence.
Everyday their are rockets sent from Gaza into the Negev, there has never been a true peace. Since 2008 the town Sderot which is the border town to Gaza has had over 500 rocket explode in it. Not to be a debbie downer but their might never be peace. What needs to happen is the West Bank and Gaza need to be recognized as their own state, with strong leaders. They need to have leaders who don't use humanitarian aid money for their own use. They need leaders who can run the state and make it a good place to live.
And so it continues... http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-israel-will-react-forcefully-to-recent-wave-of-palestinian-violence-1.351431 Netanyahu: Israel will react forcefully to recent wave of Palestinian violence PM responds to Wednesday's bombing in Jerusalem in which one woman was killed and over 30 wounded, says government, IDF has 'iron will' to defend the country. By News Agencies Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel will react forcefully, responsibly and wisely to a recent wave of Palestinian violence. "Israel will act forcefully, responsibly and wisely to preserve the quiet and security that prevailed here over the past two years," Netanyahu assured before boarding a flight to Russia. Benjamin Netanyahu issued his statement just hours after a bomb killed a 59-year-old woman at a crowded bus stop in Jerusalem. Earlier Wednesday, southern Israel was bombarded by Palestinian rocket and mortar fire. "The government, the Israel Defense Forces, and the Israeli public has an iron will to defend the country and its citizens," said Netanyahu. "We have established a clear policy regarding security issues – a resolute reaction to every attempt to hurt our citizens and systematic, resolute preventative steps against terror." Netanyahu said he spent the evening huddled with top security officials to discuss the situation. He spoke to reporters just before boarding a flight to Russia, where he said he would discuss Israel's security situation with that country's leaders.
Red Crescent in the West Bank offered support and offered to send ambulances as soon as it happened. Don't have a link..just got it from a FB status from Bradley Burston, a Haaretz writer I "friended." It should also be noted that Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad condemned the attacks and offered his condolences. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diploma...r-plan-for-freedom-by-peaceful-means-1.351399 That probably isn't being reported as much as it should.
a couple of days ago, israel killed 4 men in gaza. I think this might be response to that. Tbh...nothing new to see here.
No, they are only occupied and unjustly oppressed by Israel. They are justified in going to war to drive out the oppressors and gain independence against a government that is unjust and unfair to them. Going to war isn't the best means to reach their ends, and it isn't anything I would recommend. But it would be justified.
Illegally occupying lands that aren't part of your nation and destroying homes of Palestinians who are guilty of no crimes is an act of war as well. I never recommended that the Palestinians go to war against Israel. But they are justified. The Palestinians are treated far worse and more unjustly than the U.S. founding fathers were when they started the American Revolution. I've said in this thread what I believe the Palestinians should do. Attacking Israel in any way isn't going to help. But attacking their military and command centers would be justified.
