Segacs's World I Know

Posts Tagged ‘islamic jihad’

Today is the Israeli referendum on Ariel Sharon’s disengagement plan. Sadly, the occasion will be marked not just by ballots, but by violence, as terrorists coldly murdered a pregnant mother and her four daughters as she went to vote:

A pregnant mother and her four daughters were shot dead Sunday after two terrorists opened fire at Israeli cars traveling near the Kissufim Crossing at the entrance to the Gush Katif settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip.

The dead were identified as Tali Hatuel, 34, eight months pregnant and her daughters Hila, 11, Hadar, 9, Roni, 7, Merav, 2 all from the settlement of Katif. Details of the funerals have yet to be finalized

Two soldiers and an Israeli civilian were also wounded in the attack and were evacuated to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheba.

The IDF said that both of the gunmen, who arrived at the area by car, were killed in an ensuing firefight.

The Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and Popular Resistance Committees claimed joint responsibility for the attack, saying it was to avenge the assassinations of Hamas leaders Sheikh Yassin and Rantisi.

The newspapers are all discussing the strategic implications, speculating that Sharon’s plan will be defeated and that this latest attack will only help widen the margin of defeat. From the perspective of the Palestinian terrorists, they’d love to see the plan shot down and Sharon’s government embarrassed, so their motivation isn’t so hard to question.

But for an innocent woman and her children, none of that matters now. They were just the latest victims of disgusting terrorism… and though everyone seems to have a different idea on how to react to the terror, no vote or political plan can bring them back to life.

The headline of this Haaretz story, about a thwarted attack on Netzarim, says a lot more than it lets on:

Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad claim foiled attack on Netzarim

Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed at least two gunmen in the pre-dawn hours Monday as the Palestinians sought to attack the Gaza Strip flashpoint settlement of Netzarim, military sources said.

[ . . . ]

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement, claimed joint responsibility for the operation. The three groups have increasingly cooperated in attacks on Israelis.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad… and Fatah.

The article later says that it’s the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade wing of Fatah that was involved. But this is Haaretz – not the Jerusalem Post – now clarifying that the distinction between Arafat’s Fatah and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is so irrelevant, it doesn’t even need to be specified in a headline.

Finally, we get a little closer to the truth: Arafat directs and supports terrorism, and has no more legitimacy as a leader than any terrorist dictator thug – despite the West’s attempt to legitimatize him as the “moderate” alternative to Hamas.

That’s just BS. Hamas believes itself driven by religious purposes. Fatah is more strategic and pays lip service to secularism. But they’re both after the exact same thing: no more Israel. Hence all this “cooperation”, which the Western media is making out to be such a big deal, but, when you think about it, isn’t really all that much of a stretch.

It’s about time we called a terrorist a terrorist.

LGF has the scoop on the latest Palestinian opinion poll, which says, among other things, that nearly 60% of Palestinians would want to continue the armed intifada even after being granted a state, and that almost two-thirds don’t think that the 9-11 pilots were terrorists:

Fifty-nine percent of Palestinians believe that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad should continue their armed struggle against Israel even if Israel leaves all of the West Bank and Gaza, including East Jerusalem, and a Palestinian state is created, a new survey shows.

Similarly, 80 percent of Palestinians say that, under those circumstances, the Palestinians should not give up the “right of return.”

The poll of Palestinians, Israeli Jews, and Israeli Arabs was released in Washington on Wednesday by Itamar Marcus, founder of Palestinian Media Watch and written by pollster Frank Luntz. It was conducted by two polling firms, the Public Opinion Research of Israel and The Palestinian Center for Public Opinion.

The poll also examined Israeli and Palestinian attitudes towards the US and towards terrorism.

Nintey-six percent of Israeli Jews say the people who piloted the planes on September 11 were terrorists, while 37 percent of Palestinians share that view.

Slightly more than one in four – 26 percent – of Palestinians believe Israelis planned the 9-11 attacks.

Forty-two percent of Palestinians and 61 percent of Israeli-Arabs stated that they support the people who are attacking Americans in Iraq. Zero percent of Israeli Jews said they did.

The next time someone starts ranting about how the Palestinians would be peaceful if only they had a state, I suggest they consult the opinion polls.

Israel has bombed a terrorist camp inside Syria in retaliation for yesterday’s Haifa bombing:

Palestinian sources in Beirut said Israeli warplanes raided a facility belonging to Ahmed Jibril’s Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), injuring one man. In addition to PFLP members, terrorists from Islamic Jihad, Hamas and al Qaeda also utilized the camp for training. Among the buildings hit in the raid was a weapons workshop used by Islamic Jihad.

Military sources said that the base was selected as a target because of the central role that Islamic Jihad played in the Haifa bombing. The decision to carry out the raid was made in response to the bombing 12 hours earlier in Haifa.

“The Islamic Jihad, like other terror organisations … enjoys the support and backing of countries in the region – foremost Iran and Syria,” the army statement said.

Syria is screaming of course, and issued a statement denying that the target was a terrorist camp, calling it a “civilian target” – which is a bit hard to swallow, considering the video footage released by the IDF showing a tour of the camp . . . and the fact that the Palestinians also claim it’s a training camp. Considering terror-sponsoring Syria is on the UN Security Council, we can probably expect another resolution in short order, condemning Israel without making any mention of the terrorist attack that killed 20 innocent Israelis.

30 years ago today was the start of the Yom Kippur war. But it seems unlikely that Syria will attack militarily. 2003 is not 1973 and even the Syrians aren’t that dumb.

This may have been a risky move for Israel . . . but it’s probably a necessary one, to expose to the world that the so-called “underdog” is really backed and sponsored by some of the world’s strongest countries.

Climbed out of a long black hole today – fever’s come down (mostly) and I’m finally feeling more like a human being than flattened truck remains. Pop quiz: which of these things don’t belong? Bed rest, chicken soup, fluids, blogging. Yeah, you guessed it.

So even though tons has happened this week, I have no intention of recapping all of it – heck, I probably don’t even know about most of it. So please refrain from the irate comments about my failure to mention such-and-such, k? Thanks a bunch.

I did catch a few interesting headlines, this week, though, and made somewhat fuzzy mental notes to blog them later. Israel marked Rosh Hashanah with the senseless murders of two people, including a 7-month old baby, by Islamic Jihad terrorists. The Palestinians have assembled a new Arafat puppet cabinet that is sure to make zero progress towards eradication of terrorism. Nigerian Amina Lawal, who faced death by stoning on charges of adultery and became an international symbol of oppression of women, was cleared.

Bush and Blair came out singing No Regrets about the war on Iraq, (though I don’t think to the same tune as Tom Cochrane). Speaking of musical legends, singer Robert Palmer passed away of a heart attack.

Closer to home, a local private French high school put in its bid for a stupid discriminatory act of the week award by expelling a Muslim girl for wearing a hijab. The Alouettes clinched first place in the East. And the Hell’s Angels mega-trial ended with a bunch of guilty pleas.

Onto next week.

Martin Wasserman writes that Israel has been in denial about the nature of this war (via Israpundit). He claims that:

Israel’s goal must not be peace, but victory, because without victory there can never be peace.

So far, so good. But then he goes on to say that:

The Palestinians and their supporters seek a war of annihilation against us. We must deal with them as they deal with us. We must stop trying to differentiate between good and bad Palestinians, just as they don’t make that distinction among Jews.

I couldn’t disagree more.

Because you see, that’s letting them win. That’s letting those who preach hatred and intolerance and racism vanquish those who would seek peace.

There’s no way out of this mess by simply trying to destroy the terrorist evil. Destroy it, yes. By all means. But the effort must be two-pronged. There needs to be a simultaneous development of a new movement on the Palestinian side – a peace movement. You simply can’t trap three and a half million people in a lousy situation and not present them with a way out – your way out. Because they’ll simply gravitate towards the way out that is the worst possible way for you.

Wasserman claims that we must stop saying that the Arabs want to live in peace, because each terrorist bombing proves that they don’t. And I agree with him that the current Palestinian leadership is corrupt and supporting terrorism, the terrorist groups are gaining popularity, and Israel’s in for a big mess. The percentages of Palestinians who support suicide bombings, who think the intifada should continue, and who don’t see an option of ever living in peace with Israel are far too high. They hate us. They hate not just Israelis, but Jews. And there is no excuse for terror, and the world is in serious denial about the so-called “root causes” of Palestinian terrorism. Israel is fighting a war and the ultimate aim of war must be victory. On these points, no disagreement from me.

But the aim of victory must be peace. It may not be right or fair that Israel has to concern itself with the aftermath of smashing the infrastructures of Hamas or the Islamic Jihad. But it’s certainly in Israel’s best interest to be concerned. We must continue to make individual distinctions, even if they won’t. We must continue to reach out our hands to anyone brave enough to speak out for peace, in hopes that these tiny seedling movements will grow. We have to encourage the emergence of another way out for the Palestinians. We mustn’t become like them – those who would kill all hope – because that lets them win.

France claims: “No proof” that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are terror groups:

France voices objections to placing Hamas and Islamic Jihad on the European Union’s list of terror organizations, ynet reported Monday.

Diplomatic advisor to President Chirac, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, is quoted to have said to the Israeli ambassador in France, Nissim Zvilli, that there is no proof that these two organizations are terror groups. “If we find that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are indeed terror groups opposed to peace, we may have to change the EU’s stand,” said Gourdault-Montagne. “However, we mustn’t limit ourselves to one, clear cut, position.”

Let’s recap, shall we? Hundreds of suicide attacks launched by these groups. Thousands of innocent civilians murdered by them in cold blood. The first line of their charters stating an unequivocal opposition to peace.

“No proof”??? What on earth more could France possibly need?

Hamas and Islamic Jihad both announce that they are ending the cease-fire with Israel “in response” to Israeli actions against their leadership. Hamas has also called upon Palestinian PM Mahmoud Abbas to resign.

Point #1: You can’t “end” a cease-fire that never existed in the first place. Throughout the so-called hudna, both terrorist groups continued to carry out attacks against Israel civilians. This announcement only recognizes the actual state that has been in place all along.

Point #2: The statement that the ending of the cease-fire is “in response” to Israel’s assassinations of a Hamas leader is hypocricy at its core. Of course, the world has a short memory. The Palestinians know that they can murder 20 innocent Jews on a Jersualem bus one day, including small children, and the next day claim that they’re ending a cease-fire “in response” to Israel’s retaliation, and that the world will blame Israel. As usual.

Point #3: Anyone who thinks Hamas’s statement against Abbas will result in civil war is kidding themselves. Abbas won’t fight back against Hamas. He hasn’t shown the slighest bit of power or courage in taking on the terrorist groups since assuming his leadership role. He’s been propped up by the US and the international community until now, but he’s got no real power. And things can only get worse, as the inevitable showdown that Abbas has been avoiding is finally called by Hamas.

Sometimes I get so angry while writing this stuff up that I can barely find the right keys to type.

Oh my god.

A suicide bombing on a Jerusalem bus has killed at least 20 people – including small children – and wounded over 80 others:

The bomb exploded aboard a double-length city bus in the crowded, largely ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Mea Shearim near the border between east and west Jerusalem. The explosion damaged a second bus, Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said. The bus was mainly filled with religious Jews on their way home from praying at the Kotel.

Ambulance services said at least 30 people had been carried away from the scene. An Israeli spokesman said 26 people were seriously and critically injured in the bombing. Another 43 people sustained minor injuries.

Fifteen children between 2 weeks and 15 years old were taken to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital, according to Mor Yosef, the hospital’s director-general.

They’re killing our children again. And gloating about it. Hamas and Islamic Jihad were falling all over each other to claim “responsibility” for this attack.

The news media are all focusing on the death of the (fictional) truce. But a lot more died than an agreement that was never honoured in the first place. Innocent men, women, and children had their lives stolen.

The world was feeling pretty relaxed lately – quiet on the Mideast front and all that. The Israelis knew better. Their news media was warning people to expect the worst in the coming days. The Israelis knew that this so-called cease-fire was just an excuse for these guys to regroup and plan their next attack.

I almost don’t know what to say anymore. All the screaming about how bad an idea it is to keep making “concessions” that will encourage terror fall on deaf ears. I can’t say I’m disappointed, either.

Just saddened. And angry as hell.

Less than two days after two terrorist bombings in Israel elicited a response from Sharon not to make any more gestures until the violence stops, Israel has done a 180 and is releasing more prisoners:

Israel began releasing more Palestinian prisoners Friday, but Palestinian leaders have said such releases in small numbers fall far short of their demands of a mass release.

A van believed to be carrying five prisoners emerged from the Damum Prison just outside the coastal city of Haifa early Friday.

They were among 68 Palestinian prisoners expected to be freed Friday.

Prison officials said others were released during the night, though it was unclear how many.

The 68 were held on criminal charges like illegal entry into Israel or car theft.

Palestinians demand that instead, Israel must free many of the 7,000 other prisoners it is holding, including uprising leaders, but Israel refuses to release Palestinians involved in terror attacks.

Excuse me, Palestinian demands for release??? Since when is Israel bound to uphold Palestinian demands for anything?

There have been no steps taken to stop the terrorism. None. It continues daily – truce or no truce. It is only due to Israel’s security measures that there haven’t been more fatal attacks lately.

There is no mention of prisoner release in the road map. Especially those arrested for terrorism. In fact, this isn’t a main issue at all. It’s being used to divert attention from the Palestinian non-compliance to the road map.

Israel is playing right into this strategy. It is clear that the prisoners released would have been freed soon anyway. So maybe it is using this as an attempted means to put off revenge attacks for the death of Islamic Jihad leader Muhammed Sidar. But if Israel really thinks that will work, then they really ought to know their enemy better than that.

Only in this twisted world can the death of innocent Israeli civilians be equated to the death of a Palestinian terrorist mastermind. And Israel keeps backpedaling, trying to frantically make further “gestures” to an enemy that wants nothing more nor less than its annihilation.

When will people learn?

Update: In even more “gestures”, Israel has agreed to hand over control of 4 West Bank towns to the Palestinian Authority. Israel has also agreed to temporarily lift the siege of Yasser Arafat, allowing him to travel from his Ramallah compound to visit the grave of his sister, who died this week.

While the latter is a humanitarian gesture that probably will do little to alter Arafat’s isolation from the so-called “peace process”, the handing over control is one of the worst moves Israel can make right now.

Israel has set conditions on the transfer of control of Jericho, Qalqiliya, Tulkarem, and Ramallah:

She said the conditions include: “No terrorist attacks, the Palestinians begin to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and the Palestinians create an apparatus for dealing with wanted people.”

But the world media will ignore the conditions, which are certain in advance to not be met by the Palestinians. Terror will contine and increase, Israel will be forced to re-enter the towns, and the world will cry foul at Israel when they do so.