PM: IDF offensive in Gaza will end when Qassam fire curbed

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday refused to say exactly when the Israel Defense Forces offensive in the Gaza Strip would end, confirming only that the operation would continue until Palestinian rocket attacks significantly decrease.

"We have declared that we will never accept the ongoing Qassam fire and that we would take any steps needed to considerably reduce the fire and prevent terror activity," Olmert told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. "The operation is limited in time but we have no intention of announcing when it will end."

"When we reach the conclusion that the effectiveness of the operation is bringing us closer to reaching the goals, we will definitely pull our forces out of Gaza," he added. "We have no intention to occupy Gaza."

Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh, turning aside fierce Palestinian criticism of the current IDF operation, said Sunday that Hamas and not Israel bore responsibility for the bloodshed.

Haaretz

These foreign policy dictates are sounding increasingly funny.
Well, almost funny. This is actually tragic.

you can tell me...why after israel left gaza the palestenains in gaza kept on trying to kill israelis across the 67 border (and if were there, why was Hizballa doing the same?)


many israelis would love to know why?...and who knows, maybe the gazans, might want to try NOT trying to kill israelis for a change?.....who knows, it might actually work..after all the tactic of killing israelis doesnt seem to be working out to well.

They ought to give you a good, straightforward answer.

hamas is response is straightforward as is hizballa....they want the jews gone...and killing them, anyway possible (western morality not being an issue), until the rest leaves is fine.....they've made that clear in words, in media and deeds.

it's not just a poor comparison, it's hurtful and offensive.

The victim is not you....the victims are palestinians.

Your glib attempt at humor is hurtful and offensive to all Palestinians and Israelis trying to seek meaningful solutions to the conflict.

The accuracy of the statement completely escaped you. That phrase is just good old american sarcasm - teammates remarking on a coach's style. It is also used in offices, when faced with stupid, authoritarian and shortsighted bosses.

The beatings will continue till morale improves.

Ever seen 'Paths of Glory,' a movie directed by Stanley Kubrick? A general wants several of his soldiers executed for cowardice. They weren't cowards, but the General wanted them set as an example, so that the surviving soldiers would be more 'brave' in the battlefield. They were being beaten, so that their morale would improve.

The israeli policy is similar to this, and as such it merits a similarly sarcastic retort.

The GOI is making it clear what the consequences are for continuing rocket attacks on Israel. The phrase you used is not at all similar in meaning.

The context can be easily extrapolated into a joke, which is what it actually is.

"Qassam rocket fire will stop when the IDF offensive in Gaza stops"

Step 1: Israel leaves Gaza

Step 2: Palestinian militants fire Qassam rockets from Gaza into Israel - aimed at civilian areas and filled with ball bearings to kill and maim as many innocent civilians as possible. They cheer when they hear that any of them find their Israeli targets.

Step 3: Repeat step 2 for a few months

Step 4: Israel sends in IDF to find perps and stop the missiles

Step 5: A DU poster says that "Qassam rocket fire will stop when the IDF offensive in Gaza stops"

Sometimes there's not much to do but shake one's head in disbelief at some of the comments I read here.

Posts like these cause me to really question what it means to be a "progressive" - if that means I have to be even partially associated with such anti-democratic, pro-war views.

PS - Accept my apologies if you were commenting on the absurdity of what you thought would be the Palestinian response. In that case consider my post in complete agreement with your sentiments.

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Israel will find no peace so long as it keeps demanding Palestinians allow themselves to be cornholed "for peace"
Palestine will find no peace so long as it keeps trying to deliver a reciporcating cornholing.

One of these two factions is going to have to someday, grow the fuck up and stop the "MY dead people are so much more important than YOUR dead people" revenge cycle. It's goddamned retarded. They are both guilty in this game.

. . for making it necessary for the leftists of the world to expose their moral hypocrisy.

Five Kassam Rockets Hit Ashkelon (update)
18:08 Nov 07, '06 / 16 Cheshvan 5767

(IsraelNN.com) The southern coastal city of Ashkelon was attacked by terrorists from northern Gaza on Tuesday. Five Kassam rockets slammed into various targets in and around the city.

One rocket hit a school and two others slammed into the city’s industrial zone. Two residents were treated for shock by Magen David Adom medics and subsequently evacuated to Barzilai hospital, located in Ashkelon.

In addition, one rocket landed outside the city near the community of Netiv Ha’asara; the other crashed in an open area.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=115028

Those are the facts as I know them. There were no injuries and a school was hit, things seemed to still be unclear when I read about it.