Eight hours of terror in southern Israel

[scandal 951]

Timeline / Eight hours of terror in southern Israel

A series of terrorist attacks took place near Eilat on Thursday, killing at least six people and wounding dozens.

By Haaretz

* 12:00 P.M. - Terror cell fires at Egged bus from a private vehicle, 7 hurt

* 12:30 P.M. – IDF forces called to the scene of the attack hurt by explosive device

* 12:35 P.M. – Mortar shells fired from Egypt into Israel, no one hurt

* 13:10 P.M. – Terror cell fires anti-tank missile toward private vehicle near border, 7 hurt

* 13:11 P.M. – Another anti-tank missile fired toward private vehicle, six people killed

Bus attack - Channel 2

Egged bus which was damaged in the shooting attack, August 18, 2011.

Photo by: Channel 2

* 18:00 P.M. – IDF begins military strike on Gaza, killing at least six Palestinians

* 19:00 P.M. – Fresh firefights erupt in southern Israel, 2 people gravely injured

Mubarak falls, Sinai terror rises

The series of terror attacks near Eilat on Thursday indicate that the Egyptians are losing their grip on Sinai.

By Anshel Pfeffer

The series of terror attacks that took place early Thursday afternoon on the road leading from the Israeli-Egyptian border to Eilat did not come as a surprise to Israel's senior security officials. They had expected it would occur at some stage or another.

The escalating security situation in the Sinai Peninsula, continuous work on the new border barrier and the frustration of terror groups within the Gaza Strip who - for some time now - have not managed to successfully carry out a terror attack from within the Strip, all pointed at the likelihood of an attempt to attack via the Egyptian border.

It is still too early to tell whether the terrorists who carried out Thursday's attacks exited Egypt, passed through Sinai and headed south toward the region of Eilat, or if this was the action of a terrorist cell of Islamic origins, acting for some time already in Sinai. In any case, it is clear that the Egyptian revolution that began in Tahrir Square and spread through other Arab states has now made its way into Israel.

Over the past few months, Israel has allowed the Egyptian army to increase its forces in Sinai a number of times, allowing much larger Egyptian forces there than the Camp David Accords allowed for, including the entry of thousands of Egyptian soldiers and tanks in the El Arish region and northern Sinai, within the framework of a widespread mission against al-Qaida. It is now evident that the Egyptian efforts alone are not enough, and that the Israel Defense Forces – who over the past three decades has been able to reduce its forces along the Egyptian border, focusing instead on reinforcing the northern border, West Bank and Gaza Strip – will now have-to strengthen its presence in the south.

This is not just a case of transferring security forces. There is a far greater need to complete the construction of the southern border and its fortification via advanced observation posts, which requires hundreds of millions of shekels in increased funding for the security budget. The Finance Ministry's spin two days ago about halving the security budget ended within 48 hours, as the gunmen opened fire near Eilat.

Beyond the financial aspect, Israel's security heads will need to get used to a state in which, as it seems, they cannot depend on its ally, the Egyptian army, to protect its southern front.

[Pooky 3,827]

But ... don't Hamas only fire guided anti-tank missiles at possible military vehicles on known military transport routes near the Gaza border?

Oh, my bad. That was a school bus.

Today gives the lie to all the Hamas excuses over that attack.

Now we know, clear as day. Any target, anywhere. Military, non-military, it really doesn't matter. All that matters is the indiscriminate terror.

Look for Israel to retaliate and take some of the media focus off Syria.

Edited August 18, 2011 by Pooky

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

But ... don't Hamas only fire guided anti-tank missiles at possible military vehicles on known military transport routes near the Gaza border?

Oh, my bad. That was a school bus.

Today gives the lie to all the Hamas excuses over that attack.

Now we know, clear as day. Any target, anywhere. Military, non-military, it really doesn't matter. All that matters is the indiscriminate terror.

Look for Israel to retaliate and take some of the media focus off Syria.

Israelis would never bomb a school bus, a schoolhouse? Absolutely!!!! Terror? Seriously? WOW!!! Just plain WOW!!!!! Seeing how Israel attacked alleged Hamas (PRC not Hamas actually) targets in Gaza (that six year old kid was dreaming of growing up to be a human being) before any of the facts were in, proves the point that Women and Children first is indeed the motto of the IDF. Bomb, baby, Bomb!!!!! A good Palestinian is a dead one!!!!! This whole thing sounds like a setup to me. People died, that's the problem in my eyes.

BTW, the attack was via bomb and machine gun not Iron Dome missile. Somebody else uses those. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Edited August 18, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[Pooky 3,827]

Israelis would never bomb a school bus, a schoolhouse? Absolutely!!!! Terror? Seriously? WOW!!! Just plain WOW!!!!! Seeing how Israel attacked alleged Hamas (PRC not Hamas actually) targets in Gaza (that six year old kid was dreaming of growing up to be a human being) before any of the facts were in, proves the point that Women and Children first is indeed the motto of the IDF. Bomb, baby, Bomb!!!!! A good Palestinian is a dead one!!!!! This whole thing sounds like a setup to me. People died, that's the problem in my eyes.

BTW, the attack was via bomb and machine gun not Iron Dome missile. Somebody else uses those. Sorry to burst your bubble.

I never tried to excuse the Israeli response. Nothing good was ever going to follow the attacks near Eilat. I was merely pointing out the lie, used a number of times in another post, that Hamas did not deliberately target a school bus with a guided anti-tank missile.

It wasn't recognizable as a school bus. It was on a known route used by military transports. It shouldn't have been travelling so close to the dangerous border with Gaza. All came up as excuses for Hamas. None were true.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Zionists created Israel through deception and terror. Nothing new since.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

I never tried to excuse the Israeli response. Nothing good was ever going to follow the attacks near Eilat. I was merely pointing out the lie, used a number of times in another post, that Hamas did not deliberately target a school bus with a guided anti-tank missile.

It wasn't recognizable as a school bus. It was on a known route used by military transports. It shouldn't have been travelling so close to the dangerous border with Gaza. All came up as excuses for Hamas. None were true.

They were PRC not Hamas. Hamas doesn't have anti-tank missiles, mortars and other improvised devices but not TOWs. This whole thing makes me wonder how this is happening, all the Israelis troops, the technology, all the checkpoints, something is very fishy. I smell a false flag operation of some sort. Hamas is a Mossad puppet so ???? None of this makes sense to me. People are dying, that's all I know.

Edited August 18, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[Pooky 3,827]

They were PRC not Hamas. Hamas doesn't have anti-tank missiles, mortars and other improvised devices but not TOWs. This whole thing makes me wonder how this is happening, all the Israelis troops, the technology, all the checkpoints, something is very fishy. I smell a false flag operation of some sort. Hamas is a Mossad puppet so ???? None of this makes sense to me. People are dying, that's all I know.

For a start, Hamas has Russian-made anti-tank missiles. And they have used them.

Also, Hamas is not a Mossad puppet. But they, and the other Palestinian terrorist groups, are supported, supplied and financially supported by Syria, who have a very good reason to distract the focus of the international media, with today seeing, for a change, loud and very public calls for President Assad to go, from a number of world leaders (and Hilary Clinton). For Syria, the Israeli reaction will be a welcome diversion for the media from their focus on the continued suppression of the Syrian protesters and it couldn't have happened at a more opportune moment. If you're looking for a guiding hand in today's events, look a bit further North than Israel.

As for the Israelis, the smartest thing they could have done was nothing. That way, the world would have seen seven innocent Israelis killed by Palestinian terrorists, using some quite advanced weaponry (i.e. the anti-tank guided missiles). But that was never going to happen, the Palestinians may have been counting on their reaction, the Israelis did what they usually do and the body count rose anyway.

Business as usual in the Middle East

Edited August 19, 2011 by Pooky

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

For a start, Hamas has Russian-made anti-tank missiles. And they have used them.

Also, Hamas is not a Mossad puppet. But they, and the other Palestinian terrorist groups, are supported, supplied and financially supported by Syria, who have a very good reason to distract the focus of the international media, with today seeing, for a change, loud and very public calls for President Assad to go, from a number of world leaders (and Hilary Clinton). For Syria, the Israeli reaction will be a welcome diversion for the media from their focus on the continued suppression of the Syrian protesters and it couldn't have happened at a more opportune moment. If you're looking for a guiding hand in today's events, look a bit further North than Israel.

As for the Israelis, the smartest thing they could have done was nothing. That way, the world would have seen seven innocent Israelis killed by Palestinian terrorists, using some quite advanced weaponry (i.e. the anti-tank guided missiles). But that was never going to happen, the Palestinians may have been counting on their reaction, the Israelis did what they usually do and the body count rose anyway.

Business as usual in the Middle East

Let's get some things straight. Golda Meir and Ariel Sharon started financing Sheikh Yassin (spiritual head of Hamas) through the Village Leagues program in the 1970s in an effort to destabilize Fatah. Yassin was a member/supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and a NUT. Mossad kept financing him because, unlike Fatah, Hamas wasn't corrupt. Fatah and similar groups were repressed by Israelis authorities. The Israeli Army chief of staff thought that it was a bad idea, wonder why? Fast forward, Hamas has built up lots of nice hospitals and schools and the like, something that Fatah never could do. People voted Hamas in because of this. There are now more mainstream elements of Hamas, i.e. political as opposed to military. Do the Syrains control Hamas, that's very doubtful. Syrians are predominantly Sunni, Al-Assad and the ruling junta are Alawi. Syria is a Marxist/Ba'athist state and religion is not much of a factor in the running of the country. Hamas is 100% Sunni and so are its supporters so that makes things tense at the best of times. Hamas is also calling for freedom in Syria, so...

Let me repeat, for the record there has been much talk about the presence of TOWs but precious little EVIDENCE. Bloviation not fact. They can claim anything they want, it doesn't make it so. Hamas has 200 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles according to an Israeli Military Spokesman and Hamas confirmed it. Do you believe it? You are tergiversating, the current attack was a roadside bomb and machine gun attack not a TOW, if it had been I'm sure we would all be seeing pictures of it. People are dead, many more people will die. Mostly Palestinians die but there are too many of them anyways. Peace is within reach but only if someone says enough is enough. No more mindless retaliation, only negotiation and reconciliation. It will happen in my lifetime, I know it will.

[Pooky 3,827]

Let me repeat, for the record there has been much talk about the presence of TOWs but precious little EVIDENCE.

Do some basic research on the school bus attack.

TOW is an American anti-tank missile. The one used on the bus was a Russian-made Kornet guided anti-tank missile. Virtually every report included that fact, the Washington Post for instance. Why the disbelief?

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Do some basic research on the school bus attack.

TOW is an American anti-tank missile. The one used on the bus was a Russian-made Kornet guided anti-tank missile. Virtually every report included that fact, the Washington Post for instance. Why the disbelief?

I know what a TOW is and Hamas is supposed to have the Russian-made Kornet, so you need not school me on such things. I have stated that Hamas has denied the attack, another group, PRC, is the one ISRAEL claims did it. They never claimed that Hamas had anything to do with the attack. I'll do your research for you since you want to ignore the facts.

My link

CALEV BEN-DAVID: No.

What Israel -- Israel's retaliation was against a group called the Palestinian Resistance Committees, which is a militant group in Gaza that does not -- actually is not under direct control of Hamas.

But the Israeli policy is that Hamas is responsible for all terrorist attacks emanating from the territory. Hamas is in control of the Gaza Strip. It's shown that, when it wants to crack down on these groups when they threaten Hamas' own control, Hamas does take action.

So it's more a case of Israel holding them responsible, rather seeing Hamas being directly involved in this attack.

In the end people are dying that's all I see. Palestinians, Israelis, people are dying but why no talk of peace?

Edited August 19, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[웃 910]

Zionists created Israel through deception and terror. Nothing new since.

Is this the proper pronunciation of Al-Qaeda?

Edited August 19, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Is this the proper pronunciation of Al-Qaeda?

I think so, Fareed Zakaria pronounces it that way.

Edited August 19, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[Pooky 3,827]

I know what a TOW is and Hamas is supposed to have the Russian-made Kornet, so you need not school me on such things.

Then why basically deny it in Post #8?

No matter. Be it Hamas, the PRC , or any other Palestinian terror group, the damage is done. The body count rose on both sides, Israel and the Gaza Strip are once again front and centre and the basic intransigence of both sides is fully on display. All that has changed is that the terrorists can no longer hide the fact they are indiscriminately targeting Israelis, rather than using their guided missiles only on possible military targets (that look like school buses, or cars, etc.). Whereas the Israelis target known militants and live with the condemnation for killing innocent people who got caught in their attack.

Makes no difference either way. Innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis are dead tonight.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Then why basically deny it in Post #8?

No matter. Be it Hamas, the PRC , or any other Palestinian terror group, the damage is done. The body count rose on both sides, Israel and the Gaza Strip are once again front and centre and the basic intransigence of both sides is fully on display. All that has changed is that the terrorists can no longer hide the fact they are indiscriminately targeting Israelis, rather than using their guided missiles only on possible military targets (that look like school buses, or cars, etc.). Whereas the Israelis target known militants and live with the condemnation for killing innocent people who got caught in their attack.

Makes no difference either way. Innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis are dead tonight.

I didn't deny it but all I stated was that there are so many stories about this that no one is really sure what is what. Now, based on what L.I. posted that there is another player on the scene: Al-Qaeda. Israelis "target" houses with missiles or drop phospohorus munitions, depraved indifference or willful blindness, as you state it doesn't matter. Innocent people are dead, peace is so close but innocent people are dead. :(

[웃 910]

I didn't deny it but all I stated was that there are so many stories about this that no one is really sure what is what. Now, based on what L.I. posted that there is another player on the scene: Al-Qaeda. Israelis "target" houses with missiles or drop phospohorus munitions, depraved indifference or willful blindness, as you state it doesn't matter. Innocent people are dead, peace is so close but innocent people are dead. :(

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