Israeli City Shocked As Rockets Hit

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

ASHKELON, Israel (AP) - Residents of this beachside city are still coming to terms with being on the front lines of Israel's battle against Hamas militants.

A dozen long-range rockets slammed into Ashkelon over the weekend, marking a significant turning point in the conflict and compelling Israel to strike back hard.

"Until yesterday, I never would have believed that I would see the things I saw," said Rachel Shimoni, 66, as she stood amid shards of glass, blown out of the front window of her clothing store. "All of a sudden, the reality has changed."

Palestinian militants fire rockets nearly daily at Sderot and other Israeli border towns near Gaza. But by reaching Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 people about 11 miles north of Gaza, Hamas raised the stakes considerably. It is one of the largest cities in southern Israel, home to Mediterranean beaches, a college and strategic installations like an electric plant and a water purification plant.

Gaza militants have managed to hit the outskirts of Ashkelon in rare instances in the past, but the latest fighting was the first time they've been able to do it on a regular basis.

Since the first rocket hit Ashkelon on Wednesday in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed five militants, Israel's military has killed more than 100 Palestinians, according to Palestinian medical officials and militant groups. Three Israelis have also died in the violence.

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the need not to divulge internal strategy, said the harsh Israeli reaction was intended as a clear signal to Hamas that hitting Ashkelon will not be tolerated. The official said Israel was willing to go all the way to stress its point - including a large-scale ground invasion into Gaza and the assassination of Hamas' political leadership.

Six people were wounded in Ashkelon on Saturday after one rocket landed next to City Hall and another in the marina area. Another rocket struck Ashkelon on Sunday, slightly wounding one person, medics said.

Ashkelon's mayor said he would not accept the rockets becoming a normal reality.

"This is a state of war, I know no other definition for it," said Roni Mahatzri, from his makeshift office in an underground bunker. "If it lasts a week or two, we can handle that, but we have no intention of allowing this to become part of our daily routine."

That seemed to be the major concern for most residents.

"We will not turn into Sderot," Shimoni said, referring to the town that has suffered most of the rocket attacks over the past seven years. The rockets have killed 13 people, wounded dozens more, caused millions of dollars in damage and made daily life unbearable.

Ashkelon residents took to the street on Saturday night urging government action against the Gaza militants. On Sunday, the city was relatively calm, with foreign dignitaries visiting to convey support, and maintenance crews diligently collecting debris and paving over craters left by rockets hitting parking lots. The mayor said attendance in schools was nearly perfect, and, though it was the talk of the town, residents didn't seem too panicked by the weekend attacks.

Still, there was clearly a new reality. The army over the weekend installed its "Code Red" siren system in Ashkelon to alert of any future incoming rockets and on Sunday, Israeli emergency services began providing first-aid courses to instruct residents how to act in an attack.

"Life has changed," said Yafa Nachum, 47. "No one knows what will come next ... I'm considering leaving."

The government, however, is determined not to let militants scare people away from Ashkelon.

"The fact that more than a dozen rockets have targeted the major population center of Ashkelon is a sign that the terrorists have broken through a new threshold in their war against the Israeli civilian population," said Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "We will have to act to protect our people."

Maj. Avital Leibovich, an army spokeswoman, said that Ashkelon being targeted marked "a new state of violence," adding that Hamas has improved its rocket-firing capabilities dramatically.

Israeli officials assume that new and improved rockets, along with Iranian-trained rocket-launchers, were smuggled into Gaza when its border with Egypt was breached in January, bringing Ashkelon into its range.

Ephraim Kam, a research associate at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, said hitting Ashkelon simply brought too many civilians into rocket range and was unacceptable to Israel's leaders.

"Ashkelon is much more significant than the places that have been hit so far," he said

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080302/D8V5I2I00.html

[mawilson 2,133]

Yep. Targetting Ashkelon was a big mistake.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

death to terrorists!!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Seems like "Death to Terrorists" would be presumptuous when Death To Everyone appears to be the policy of response.

[mawilson 2,133]

Seems like "Death to Terrorists" would be presumptuous when Death To Everyone appears to be the policy of response.

What exactly did they expect when they aimed their rockets at Ashkelon? Peace talks? Seriously.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Seems like "Death to Terrorists" would be presumptuous when Death To Everyone appears to be the policy of response.

What exactly did they expect when they aimed their rockets at Ashkelon? Peace talks? Seriously.

Predictable "he said, they said". Noone attacks a densely populated civilian area without some reasonable expectation as to the "collateral damage" thats going to result.

I could care less about the political back and forth - noone really seems to give a two shits about the people caught in the middle.

[Jesse and Hema 2]

Yep. Targetting Ashkelon was a big mistake.

Yup...

[Niels Bohr 72]

I'm surprised those two countries are not annihilated yet.

[simple_male 1]

Seems like "Death to Terrorists" would be presumptuous when Death To Everyone appears to be the policy of response.

That's what it seems to be. Their military operation killed children too. UN Chief Ban Ki Moon has comdemned firing rockets into Israel from Gaza and disproportionate Israeli military action. Now some would say, who cares what UN Chief says? But he is right. I emphasize those idiots should stop firing rockets into Israel. Seriously, this cycle won't bring peace to anyone and I am afraid it will continue. The peace talk is nothing but talk, as it is not bearing any fruits.

Edited March 4, 2008 by simple_male

[wishbone 0]

"The fact that more than a dozen rockets have targeted the major population center of Ashkelon is a sign that the terrorists have broken through a new threshold in their war against the Israeli civilian population," said Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "We will have to act to protect our people."

What a terrorist desperate move.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Oi.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Seems like "Death to Terrorists" would be presumptuous when Death To Everyone appears to be the policy of response.

That's what it seems to be. Their military operation killed children too. UN Chief Ban Ki Moon has comdemned firing rockets into Israel from Gaza and disproportionate Israeli military action. Now some would say, who cares what UN Chief says? But he is right. I emphasize those idiots should stop firing rockets into Israel. Seriously, this cycle won't bring peace to anyone and I am afraid it will continue. The peace talk is nothing but talk, as it is not bearing any fruits.

That does seem to be about the size of it.

Still picking a side appears to be fashionable - I wonder how much of that has to do with genuine empathy towards the civilian population. Its easy to have judgemental attitudes when you have a direct investment in the situation - but for folks outside of that situation.... I wonder what their excuse is.

[dalegg 143]

Seriously, this cycle won't bring peace to anyone and I am afraid it will continue. The peace talk is nothing but talk, as it is not bearing any fruits.

You are assuming that both sides want peace.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Seems like "Death to Terrorists" would be presumptuous when Death To Everyone appears to be the policy of response.

That's what it seems to be. Their military operation killed children too. UN Chief Ban Ki Moon has comdemned firing rockets into Israel from Gaza and disproportionate Israeli military action. Now some would say, who cares what UN Chief says? But he is right. I emphasize those idiots should stop firing rockets into Israel. Seriously, this cycle won't bring peace to anyone and I am afraid it will continue. The peace talk is nothing but talk, as it is not bearing any fruits.

That does seem to be about the size of it.

Still picking a side appears to be fashionable - I wonder how much of that has to do with genuine empathy towards the civilian population. Its easy to have judgemental attitudes when you have a direct investment in the situation - but for folks outside of that situation.... I wonder what their excuse is.

Half the time, I think people just like a cause (any cause, really) to rally behind. This one probably seems as good as any to a lot of folks.

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

If the Palestinian people really cared about their children, they wouldn't strap bombs to them or fire the rockets into Israel. Israel wants peace, But the Palestinians won't agree to it. Hamas will be the end of the Palestinians eventually. When they put them in charge they really signed their own death warrant. IMO