Palestinian Missile Hits Jerusalem's Outskirts

[mania]

As far as I recall, most routinely used explosives got a noticeable odor after they blow.

Correct

They do have an odor mainly that of powder

But we never described them as chemical odor

I wonder/hope that was just a bad translation

[kblaze]

Looking at the beginning of the escalation of attacks between the two sides, there are 4 events of significance;

Oct 7th; IDF air strike kills 1 terrorist, badly injures other, as well as 11 civilians, including 5 children.

Oct 8th; Hamas responds by firing 30-50 rockets/mortars into Israel, killing two goats and injuring 9 others at a petting zoo.

Oct 24th; Hamas shot 80 rockets into Israel, injuring 5. (this is the attack that injured 3 Thai workers)

Nov 5th; Israeli forces shoot and kill unarmed, mentally-handicapped man was approaching border. Medics who were kept from reaching the man, claimed he died from injuries that could have been treated.

Nov 6th; 13 year old Palestinian youth is shot in the head and killed playing football.

Nov 10th; Militants fire anti tank missle at IDF, injuring 4 soldiers. In response, IDF fires tank rounds at football playground killing 4 teenagers and wounding 38 others.

From then on...escalation on both sides.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2012

Ok now for my view on this;

Israel has the right to defend themselves. Their problem is proportionality.

For example, yes they had the right to take out the terrorist on Oct 7th, but their problem was how they did it. Rather than employing the tactics they use in Iran and other middle east countries, a la covert assasination (remember the Bond/Bourne-like hits on the Iranian scientists, attaching plastic bombs to cars that kill the scientist with no collateral damage?), the IDF tends to resort to overpowered air strikes in commercial zones with Palestinian militants.

The Oct 7th hit followed this path and what was the result? 1.5 terrorists taken out at the cost of 10 civilian injuries. All those civilians have families, whose anger toward Israel is thereafter fueled. Hamas feels the need to respond to save face and show their populace that they are big tough guys and thus the rockets. Israel then responds to the rockets with air strikes, takes out 2 or 3 militants, injures/kills 10+ innocents....and the cycle continues...

How can it be stopped? Egypt traditionally is the favorite peace broker, but now with the MB in charge, Israel is understandably more wary of engaging them as a mediator. Hamas needs to stop its rockets, first and foremost. Its problem is that there are 20+ militant factions, and many won't listen to them. They need to get them under control.

[OZEMADE]

Israeli, U.S. Elections and Gaza Strikes - More Than Coincidence

Hardly. The US election is over, PM Netanyahu's preferred candidate lost. If anything, he doesn't have a close friend in President Obama. Nor does he have many friends in the EU. Yes, the Israelis, might be going to the polls in January. Democratic governments do have elections. (There has not been an election in Gaza since January 2006, when Hamas won a majority in the election. Unfortunately, Hamas will not allow new parliamentary elections.What country doesn't have parliaentary elections after almost 7 years?)

Israel has been under a barrage of rockets over the past year. It came to head two weeks ago and Israel warned Hamas it would no longer show restraint. If you think that the response to Gaza is an election ploy you are mistaken. Former Lt. Gen Mofaz leads Kadima, the bloc with the most seats in the Israeli Parliament. He would have responded in the same fashion. A broad agreement must be reached between the various political parties before Israel commits to military action. Do you know why? Because everyone has a family member who can be called up or is at risk. It is the one issue where Israeli decision making crosses party lines and aims for a consensus. In Israel, every life matters and a politician that sends the IDF to war risks getting his/her head removed by the electorate if the casualties, both civilian and military, are significant.

The President of the United States said the US are backing and supporting Israel. Channel 7 news tonight in OZ.

Of course this was also a warning to the Arab Nations and especially the Egyptians, who have been supplying the weaponry and cash to purchase the weaponry from other countries. It is also a warning to that ratbag in Iran not to do too much sabre rattling as the Israelis have warned him already and the yanks on their side.

Edited November 19, 2012 by OZEMADE

[Scott]

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