Update: Arab Parties Back in the Race

Supreme Court: Arab Parties Back in the Race

"The Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned a decision to disqualify two Arab parties from running for the Knesset."

I guess free and liberal democracies can overcome hiccups every now and then.

Arab Parties Banned From Israeli Elections

"The Central Elections Committee on Monday banned Arab political parties from running in next month's parliamentary elections, drawing accusations of racism by an Arab lawmaker who said he would challenge the decision in the country's Supreme Court."

Israel bans Arab parties from running in upcoming elections - Haaretz

Israel has always attempted to remain three things which frequently conflict with each other: Jewish, Democratic, and Moral. The CEC has clearly made its decision to forgo democracy and ban the Arab parties within the Knesset from participating in the government. The only other party that this has ever been done to is the Kach party of Rav Meir Kehanne, a certifiable terrorist organization. These political parties are now being banned and placed on the same level as a terrorist group. In this election will be a majijuana legalization party, a male supremicist party, and countless other Israeli minorities with the right to their own political parties. One glaring omission: a specific party to represent the 20% of the state of Israel that is Arab.

Opinions & Thoughts

Natan Sharansky: How the U.N. Perpetuates the 'Refugee' Problem - WSJ.com
"Nowhere on earth do terrorists get so much help from the Free World."

Opinion: An Endgame for Israel - WSJ.com
"If Israel is going to achieve a strategic victory in this war, it will have to stand firm against this global wave of hypocrisy and cant."

Hamas & The Palestinians - Khaled Abu Toameh

Operation Cast Lead - Day 11

At least 30 Gazans killed in IDF strike on UN school - Haaretz
- Olmert to Haaretz: The sooner Israel can end its Gaza offensive, the better
- Sixth Israeli soldier killed in ground op, as IDF closes in on Gaza cities
- Hospitalized but defiant, Israeli soldiers eager to return to Gaza battle
- Israeli general: Never knew I was evacuating my wounded soldier son from Gaza

'We're fed up with empty gestures' | Confronting Hamas | Jerusalem Post
- Peres: Europe needs to open its eyes
- An open letter to the world: Sorry, no apologies | Op-Ed Contributors |

Richard Cohen - A War Hamas Caused - washingtonpost.com
"It took no genius to see the imminence of the Israel-Gaza war. It takes real stupidity to blame it on Israel."

Anne Applebaum - Fighting to the End - washingtonpost.com
"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a peace process; it's a war."

Op-Ed Columnist - The Confidence War - NYTimes.com
"This isn’t a war of attrition between Israelis and Palestinians. It’s a series of psychological exchanges designed to shift the balance of morale."

Operation Cast Lead - Day 10

Israeli troops trade heavy fire with Hamas gunmen in northern Gaza - Haaretz
- Sarkozy tells Peres: IDF Gaza operation does not strengthen Abbas
- Demonstrators cry 'nuke Israel,' carry Hezbollah flags at U.S. anti-Israel rallies
- Gaza War Diary III: If Mexico shelled Texas, like Hamas shells Israel
- Iran: We have 70,000 suicide bombers ready to strike Israel
- ANALYSIS / Egypt emerges as big winner from Gaza crisis

Golani soldier escapes hijacking attempt | Israel | Jerusalem Post
- IDC students work to win media war

John R. Bolton - The Three-State Option - washingtonpost.com
"Gaza would be returned to Egyptian control and the West Bank would revert to Jordanian sovereignty."

Op-Ed Columnist - Why Israel Fights - NYTimes.com
"An Israeli success in Gaza would be a victory in the war on terror — and in the broader struggle for the future of the Middle East."

Escaping Hamas: Son of Hassan Yousef Converts to Christianity

Escaping Hamas: Part I
Escaping Hamas: Part II
Escaping Hamas: Part III
Escaping Hamas: Part IV
Escaping Hamas: Part V
Escaping Hamas: Part VI

Op-Eds & Dershowitz Speaks Out

JPost.com | BlogCentral - Alan Dershowitz
"Israel's military actions in Gaza are entirely justified under international law, and Israel should be commended for its act of self-defense against international terrorism. Article 51 of the United Nations Charter reserves to every nation the right to engage in self-defense against armed attacks."

Israel, Hamas, and moral idiocy | csmonitor.com
"Much of the world's response is a false moral equivalence that simply encourages the terrorists."

As My Son Goes to War, I Am Fully Israeli At Last - washingtonpost.com
JERUSALEM "I just heard on the news that Gavriel's base has been shelled," my wife, Sarah, said to me last Tuesday, referring to our 19-year-old son, a member of an Israeli army tank unit waiting on the Gaza border for the order to enter.

Jim Hoagland - Countering Iran in Gaza and Beyond - washingtonpost.com

Below is an article in the Washington Post, one I expect as a contrast to the one I listed above, presenting the point of view of a Palestinian currently in Gaza. It is interesting and provides a personal perspective from inside the war-zone. However, I am skeptical whether this individual is a supporter of Hamas or not.

As the Troops Enter, We Fear the Worst - washingtonpost.com

Operation Cast Lead - Day 9

ISRAELI GROUND TROOPS BISECT GAZA STRIP - Palestinians: 19 killed in Gaza since midnight - Haaretz
- Olmert: Ground invasion of Gaza Strip was 'unavoidable'
- Woman lightly wounded by Qassam strike in Sderot
- ANALYSIS / Israel's aim in Gaza is to break Hamas resistance
- ANALYSIS / International community giving Israel time to weaken Hamas in Gaza
- ANALYSIS / Solution to Gaza crisis requires pan-Arab effort

Two senior Hamas terrorists killed in IAF strike | Israel | Jerusalem Post
- Hamas moves on Fatah 'collaborators'
- IDF wary of Hizbullah attacks in North

NY1 | 24 Hour Local News | Top Stories | Bloomberg Shows Continued Support During Trip To Israel

Before I Return to the US: A Perspective on Operation Cast Lead

Before I fly back to the United States tomorrow I wanted to take a few minutes to share my thoughts about the last week, specifically the aura here in Tel Aviv as well as the mindset of the many people I have spoken to personally.

Nearly one week ago no one expected a full assault n Gaza by Israeli military forces. The status quo of the region had Hamas continue to reign rockets down on innocent civilians in the Negev while the Israeli government debated what the proper action or response would be to these unrelenting attacks. Yet not only was Hamas surprised by the wave of attacks the IAF launched last Saturday but the world was as well. No one saw it coming and the tatic of "shock and awe" proved to be the most rewarding of all for Israel.

As the death toll in Gaza rises due to the Israeli strikes, one cannot forget that although innocent lives are casualties of this conflict, the blame lies solely with Hamas. The analysts and apologists of the Iranian puppet in Gaza will have you believe that Hamas is the victim and Israel the aggressor once again, however the truth has always been that the victims are the innocent Israelis and Palestinians that fall under the true aggression of the terrorist regime in the Strip. Yes, Hamas was the "elected government", having won popularity in Gaza and favor among the Palestinian citizens there. However, where Hamas truly failed the Palestinians that elected it was taking the responsibility for caring for those Palestinians. Hamas had countless opportunities to broker peace with Israel, yet decided to fire rockets at innocent civilians instead. Hamas had the opportunity to give its citizens passage to and from Israel, provide new outlets for medical care, aid and job opportunities but instead decided to manipulate that ability to smuggle illegal arms and weapons from Iran through underground tunnels and across the Egyptian border. Finally, Hamas captured one of Israel's soldiers, and instead of sticking to agreements and promises, it used and continues to milk Gilad Schalit as a bargaining chip to free its own captured militants, extremists, and fellow terrorists. One exchange of prisoner's even I can understand to get our boy back home, but continued demands one after another is unacceptable. Where are the apologists when the subject of this kidnapped soldier is brought up? Where are the defenders of the Geneva convention and human rights advocates here? Answer: not a word to say and no where to be found.

So the Israeli government and the IDF sprung a tremendous and absolutely stellar surprise assault on the terrorist infrastructure of Hamas. One scholar and expert I spoke with personally described the strikes as "strategic genius", with the timing of the attacks and the focus on limiting civilian casualties as foremost in the initial planning. He went on to describe one of the major goals of this campaign in "setting Hamas back over 20 years in both command and military power", supplementing his explanation by stating that this goal had now been achieved. On one train ride this past week I spoke with a "lone soldier" in one of Israel's top infantry units. He described to me the atmosphere of his base as well as the morale of the troops stationed currently around Gaza. He told me that the IDF had made sure that this time (referring in contrast to the 2nd Lebanon War), things were going to go according to plan and there would be no confusion, at least not on the part of Israel. He also said that his unit and many others were being issued some of the newest high tech weapons, for higher precision attacks and once again to limit civilian casualties.

One thing I not only respect and admire but also (from a strictly military perspective) am totally baffled by, is Israel's dedication to the innocent victims of its enemies. No other country to my knowledge has dropped thousands if not millions of pamphlets and notices in civilian populated areas about when and where attacks will take place. Israel has done both in the 2nd Lebanon War and in this conflict as well. No other country ever calls the inhabitants of a building or house and tell them to vacate immediately because that structure would be targeted. As I've said before, the loss of life in Gaza is tragic, but no one cares more or weeps more than Israel when there are innocent victims of war. Clearly Hamas doesn't, or else the number of rockets raining down on innocent civilians would be zero. Hamas does the opposite, the latter of what any moral human being would do. It rejoices when innocent Israelis are murdered, it tries to profit when its own innocent people are killed, and furthermore it uses women and children as human shields and suicide bombers. Again, where are the human rights activists when these awful events occur? Where are the apologists then and where are they now?

So what of the possible ground operation? Well what I will say now, at 1:15 AM Friday January 3rd here in Tel Aviv is that in less than ten short hours I believe that ground incursion will begin. I also believe it is the right move to do, because the air strikes are not enough. Although the air assault dealt a massive blow to Hamas it did not defeat the terrorist regime entirely. However, unlike many hard rightists I do not believe a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip will get rid of the Hamas problem for Israel, nor will it be beneficial for Israel to remain in Gaza. Been there, done that, and paid for it. What Israel must do is use its tactical forces in Gaza as a means of creating a buffer between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza, making it clear to the regime that rocket attacks will not be tolerated ever again and that if Hamas wants peace, it will have to go through a proxy to do so. Despite my many misgivings about the UN, I still believe this buffer zone must be patrolled and monitored by a neutral UN peacekeeping force, similar to the one in southern Lebanon today. UN buffers are not the answer to Israel's problems but they are a step in the right direction. They might be the true means to finding solutions to Israel's "aggressive neighbor" problems.

As I leave Israel today I am confident Operation Cast Lead will be seen as a positive one for the people of Israel and ultimately for the innocent Palestinians victims of Hamas in Gaza as well. The status quo had to be changed, and this option was the only one Hamas would understand. My hope is that the leaders of Hamas finally realize their messages of terror and death have not worked in the past, do not work now, and will never work. Hamas MUST put down its arms, MUST relinquish military control of Gaza, and MUST give up its hate-filled, fundamentalist agenda for any possibility of peace. Too many innocent Israelis and Palestinians have already died because of it, and too many more may yet suffer the same fate.

Washington Post Makes A Turn Around

Charles Krauthammer - Moral Clarity in Gaza - washingtonpost.com
"Some geopolitical conflicts are morally complicated. The Israel-Gaza war is not. "

Michael Gerson - Defining Victory for Israel - washingtonpost.com
"The objectives are an end of rocket and mortar attacks on Israel and an end of large-scale arms smuggling to Hamas."

Operation Cast Lead - Day 7

ANALYSIS / IDF sending Hamas a message: Now it's personal - Haaretz
- On seventh day of Gaza op, IAF hits more than 20 Hamas targets
- Israel lets Palestinians with foreign passports flee Gaza
- Egypt FM: Hamas gave Israel the excuse to launch Gaza attacks

2 lightly hurt as Gaza terrorists continue to attack South | Israel | Jerusalem Post
- IAF hits cell that fired at Ashkelon
- Police raise level of alert nationwide
- 'Let us help you fight Israel in Gaza'

Hamas plans to defeat Israeli force with epic "last stand" at Gaza City - DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

The Middle East: 2008 Goes Out With a Bang – Quite Literally - Middle East Times
- Divided Arabs Talk While Israeli Assault on Gaza Goes On
- What is the End Game in Gaza?
- Consequences of the Gaza War
- Iran Activating Its Proxies

Twisted Logic - Would Hamas ever do the same...

12 Palestinians hurt in Gaza fighting being treated in Israeli hopsitals - Haaretz
"Twelve Palestinians have been evacuated to Israel for medical treatment since Operation "Cast Lead" began last Saturday in the Gaza Strip, as the hospitals in Gaza strain to accommodate the hundreds of wounded. For one Gaza boy, being treated in an Israeli hospital should increase his chances of making a full recovery. "

Neil Lazarus debates Manuel Hassassian & International Law

Sky TV News - 30th December 2008 - A debate over Operation Cast Lead:
Watch Neil dish it out to this Palestinian sympathizer

NEW VIDEO: How does International Law factor into this conflict?

Finally, someone with a brain steps up: A Former Israeli Deputy Defense-Minister Speaks Out

Ephraim Sneh - Why Israel Is Bombing Gaza - washingtonpost.com
"When demands are made of Israel to halt its military activities in Gaza, a brief historical reminder is in order."

What Ephraim Sneh does best in this op-ed for the Washington Post is not simply provide a thorough record of what has led up to Operation Cast Lead, but more important he outlines what needs to be done to ultimately remove the terrorist regime of Hamas from power. Sneh's explanation of Israel's purpose in initiating Operation Cast Lead is the best I have read anywhere thusfar. He writes, "No sovereign state would have resigned itself to having its cities -- cities such as Houston or Atlanta -- bombarded. No sovereign state would allow itself to be hit by even a single missile. That is the reason for the military campaign that Israel launched this week in a series of aerial strikes." Sneh is positively correct in his assesment that no free and democratic state would tolerate a barrage of terrorist rockets on its civilian popualtion, let alone cope with such conditions for years on end. The fact of the matter remains that the Israeli government has finally made the right move in actually defending its citizens. Yes, whenever civilians die in Gaza it is tragic and no one weeps more than those in Israel for the loss of innocent life. But when your enemy uses its own innocent population as human shields, hides behind innocent women and children, and sends its own people on suicide missions of terror there is no possibility of negotiation. The problem is not "occupation" as so many Political Scientists and analysists will have you believe, the problem is the fundamental and extreme nature of this form of Islam and the rule of a terrorist regime such as Hamas over innocent Palestinians. Sneh goes on in his excellently written piece about a possible solution to this conflict and the "siege" of Gaza, as some may call it. What he is most succesful in outlining however is the single most important objective of such a solution, the complete and total dismantling of the Hamas military infrastructure. The Palestinians of Gaza must realize that Israel is not their enemy, that we have seeked peace in the past time and time again, and still seek such peace. Hamas as a terrorist organization and as the current "elected" representation of the people of Gaza only seeks to detriment that possibility of peace. Put down your arms, cease the hostile firing of rockets on innocent Israelis, and perhaps such peace can finally be achieved.

Operation Cast Lead - Day 6

JUST ADDED: Nizar Rayyan considered successor of Ahmed Yassin | Israel | Jerusalem Post

IDF recommends major, but brief Gaza ground offensive - Haaretz
- Gaza rocket barrage hits Negev; direct strike on 8-floor Ashdod residence
- On sixth day of op, IAF destroys 3 Gaza government buildings
- Israelis who blame Israel are not helping the Palestinians
- Poll: Most Israelis support continuing Gaza military op
- U.S. balks at Arab push for Security Council resolution imposing Gaza cease-fire

Draft UNSC resolution on Gaza rejected | International | Jerusalem Post
- Latest rockets manufactured in China
- 'US media see Al-Jazeera as biased'

Striking Deep Into Israel, Hamas Employs an Upgraded Rocket Arsenal - NYTimes.com
- Divisions Deep at Arab League Meeting

Gaza Assault Worsens Rift Between Palestinian Factions - washingtonpost.com