Operation Pillar of Defense: What You Need to Know
November 15, 2012 14:05 by Simon Plosker
Israel is not interested in stoking the flames, but for the past five days there has been constant missile fire at Israel and mothers and children cannot sleep quietly at night … There is a limit to what Israel can absorb.
President Shimon Peres to President Barack Obama, 14 November 2012
Once again, Israel finds itself engaged in a military operation to end rocket fire from Gaza. The predictable media frenzy has begun. In this primer we will give you the background and information you need to respond to media bias against Israel.
BACKGROUND
For the third time in a month, the civilians of southern Israel are under continuous rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.
The current attacks began on Saturday night (Nov.10) when Palestinian terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at an army jeep traveling on the Israeli side of the border fence. Four IDF soldiers were injured. Since then, over 120 rockets have been fired at Israeli civilians.
The lives of 1 million Israeli civilians are being threatened and daily life in southern Israel has been totally disrupted.
The residents of communities near the Gaza border suffer constantly from rocket and mortar shell attacks. These attacks occur almost on a routine basis, as do escalations of other types of terrorist activities carried out by Hamas and the other terrorist organizations that operate under Hamas’ protection.
The pauses between the waves of rocket attacks are shortening. In the past month, Israel has been subjected to three separate periods of escalation. Since the beginning of the year, more than 800 rockets and mortar shells have been fired at Israel, a record amount since the end of Operation Cast Lead (January 2009). This peak is similar to the attacks that occurred in 2007-8.
HOW TO ANSWER ISRAEL’S CRITICS
Claim: “Israel rather than Hamas is responsible for this latest outbreak of violence.”
Response: The media have short memories. Rocket attacks have been a feature of everyday life for Israelis in the south for many years despite the lack of coverage in the international media. Israel has acted with enormous restraint but there is a limit to how much any country should be expected to tolerate.
It is Hamas and other Gaza terror organizations that have chosen to escalate the violence in the past few days, beginning with the attack on the IDF jeep, not to mention the many incidents that have occurred over the past month, virtually ignored by the mainstream media.
Below is a timeline summary of the past month’s events courtesy of the Jerusalem Post:
- October 23
An IDF officer is critically wounded by an explosive device while on patrol near the Gaza border fence. PFLP takes responsibility.
- November 6
An explosion along the Gaza border fence injures three IDF soldiers. Palestinians later fire a Kassam rocket into southern Israel. The same day, Palestinians detonate a massive tunnel along the border, causing no injuries but knocking an IDF jeep sideways.
- November 8
In a firefight with Palestinians, apparent IDF fire kills a 13-year-old Palestinian boy. Palestinian mortar shells lightly injure an IDF soldier along the border later in the day.
- November 9
Palestinians fire an anti-tank missile at an IDF jeep on patrol along the Gaza border, wounding four soldiers. Immediately afterwards, IDF tanks return fire into Gaza, killing five Palestinians and wounding at least 25. Palestinians later fire a number of Qassam rockets into southern Israel.
- November 10-12
Palestinian terror groups fire upwards of 100 rockets and mortars into southern Israel. Islamic Jihad and a Salafi Jihadist group claim responsibility for a majority of the rockets. At least eight Israelis are injured in the attacks.
- November 13
An apparent cease-fire is mediated between Israel and Hamas, with both sides conditioning their silence on the other side’s halting attacks. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warns of future strikes, saying “I am responsible for choosing the right time to exact the highest possible price – and so it will be.”
- November 14
Four rockets hit southern Israel in the morning; the IDF says it is looking into the possibility the rockets were fired from Sinai.
Later Wednesday, the IAF assassinates Ahmed Jabari, head of Hamas’s armed wing, the Izzadin Qassam Brigades in the central strip. The IAF hits an additional 20 targets throughout Gaza, mostly targeting long-range rocket storage sites and reportedly assassinating a regional Hamas commander.
Claim: “Israel’s response is disproportionate to the threat.”
Response: Palestinian rockets are not “home made” projectiles – they are deadly and threaten a large number of Israeli population centers. Gaza’s status as a terror base has also been enhanced as a result of quantities of upgraded weaponry smuggled from Sudan, Libya and Iran, which pose an even greater threat to the Israeli civilian population.
This article is continued on Page 2
martin
6:48 pm
Nov 17, 2012
The established churches are campaigning and pushing BDS, at the forefront in fact, especially of goods emating from Judea and Shomron.
Israel is castigated because the Arabs continually moan about Isarel clearing out mess from the Arabs near the Wall in Jerusalem, They intend to destroy all Jewish artifacts, and the play football on the Temple Mount and leave there litter there.
Yet Muslim and Christian decry any attempts to allow Jews live in Jerusalem, because of its holiness, also claiming that Jerusalem should be under UN control. As if that would help the Jews.
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Chach
10:58 am
Nov 18, 2012
I live in South Africa and the most of the domestic workers (aka maids) of my friends and I belong to the ZCC – the Zionist Christian Church. I think they are the biggest church in South Africa among the Africans, yet I am not certain. The Members of the ZCC are Pro Israel and in fact had protests over some government anti-Israel policies. The SAZF (South African Zionist Federation) is involved with them
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kalari
1:09 am
Nov 21, 2012
Please do not lump all ‘Christians’ together – many of us are very much pro-Zionist, and are praying for Israel.
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martin
6:52 pm
Nov 17, 2012
We now learn that Hamas fired their military hardware to hit Jerusalem the holy city to 3 religions. Is it really 3, or is it just holy for the Jews? Wher is the outrgight condemnation of these missile attacks against Jerusalem from Churches, Mosques, Clerics, Governments etc?
The silence is appalling!
This is not the first time. During the 6 Day War in 1967, after Jordan used artillery and tanks to blast the Jews away from the Old Town, in east Jerusalem, the Jews, Israelisd lost many men in their commitment NOT to use artillery etc in their taking of Jerusalem. Hard hand to hand combat, while the Arab scum used artillery. Where were the condemnations then?
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CW Orange
3:07 am
Nov 18, 2012
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Allan Sidio
3:25 am
Nov 18, 2012
Martin, I agree with a lot of your points. You seem to be a man of reason. Nobody should have to put up with the constant threat of rockets being fired at them. And no my government would not tolerate it. However, to many outsiders, the Gaza Strip appears to be the largest prison/concentration camp in the modern world. When an entire group of people are left with no hope or dreams like I (and I’m certain you) want for your children, they are bound to turn desperate. They have nothing to lose. Anyone who would rather die by blowing themselves up in a crowded marketplace, or on a bus, must have a miserable existence. All they want is to kill Jews, (women, children, anyone) who they feel are responsible for their miserable lives. It’s a bad situation all around. We are a civilized people and I believe our children learn their behavior from us. So if Palestinian parents grow up hating Jews and wanting to kill them, that’s what the children grow up feeling. Then of course if Isreali children grow up hating Arabs/Palestinians that’s what they learn. How and when can this cycle be broken. You would have to kill them all for them to go away. Remember the last time a leader tried to wipe out a race of people. The leaders of Isreal and the Palestinians, and the people of Isreal and Palestine need to really make some hard concessions and figure out how to get along or get used to living on the edge of war. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
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Allan Sidio
3:38 am
Nov 18, 2012
Martin, I just realized I repeated myself in some of my last post. Disregard it. I also noticed I try to speak out for peace and against death and human suffering, both Jews, and Palestinians. Well I see more thumbs down on my posts. That show you most folks don’t care about a life unless its a life on their side of the border. Most folks don’t recognize there are innocent lives on both sides of the border. There in lies the problem.
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SueFuller
7:15 am
Nov 18, 2012
Allan, what you and the western world are doing is seeing the Extremist Arab mentality as a westernised one, that they think in the same way as westerners do. I live in the Middle East and can assure you that this is not the case, fundamentalist Arabs do not think like we do, and therein lies the problem. Unfortunately the ME through the so-called “Arab Spring” is becoming daily more radically fundamentalised. Hamas has become more and more hated by the Gazans through their corruption and greed. This latest onslaught on Israel has turned things around for them, they are again the “Heroes”, exactly why they started this last round of attacks. Gazans are expendable “Cannon Fodder” for Hamas
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Sad
5:25 am
Nov 21, 2012
Consider this, the hero’s of the muslin world, the Palestinians with all Allah’s fury fire rockets into Jerusalem. its at night and hard to see and then suddenly the Dome of the rock blows and disppears.
Sady and with tears in their eyes the house of Israel clears out the rubble and begins building the Third Temple of Solomon. The Palestinians will celebrate for a week before the truth sinks in.
I would think at that point it would be known worldwide that once again (ITS THE AMERICANS FAULT)
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Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense: What You Need to Know | The Conservative Papers
10:51 am
Nov 18, 2012
[...] November 15, 2012 14:05 by Simon Plosker [...]
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?????? | ????
12:13 pm
Nov 18, 2012
[...] Reporting???????Elder of [...]
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Frank Adam
2:21 pm
Nov 18, 2012
The Germans started 1914 knowing they would lose first strike capacity when the Russia’s railway update completed in 1917. Iran started this shindig to save its Syrian base and ally.
This week The Guardian – usually pro-Arab – had two pages on the USA is or becomes the world’s biggest gas producer, including liquid varieties for vehicle fuels.
So the Gulf petro-sheikhs will take in belts and have less to spend on promoting Moslem authoritarianism. US might revert to isolationism or least not be so touchy for the Saudis. Europe and China will follow the US on own fracked gas pending the end of the fossil era.
All this frees margin for Israel as kibbitzers worry less for their Arab oil.
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21st Century Israel Seen through the Psalms! :: Yeshua
5:27 pm
Nov 18, 2012
[...] that is far greater that the undeniable military might of IDF. For the last few days, Operation Pillar of Defense has been under way, emphasis on the word “defense”. As the launching of rockets on [...]
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Allan Sidio
5:45 pm
Nov 18, 2012
Sue, you make a good point. I don’t think anyone felt good when Hamas took control in Gaza. Anyone could have predicted what would happen. They make the PLO and Abbas look like Boy Scouts. They are nothing more than a bunch of gangsters. Unfortunately many governments are corrupt also. So that’s no big surprise. Arab governments are no exception. Probably more corrupt than most. Hopefully, soon Hamas will be ousted, but by who is the question. More thugs and murderers, maybe even worse. I hope not. Pray for peace!
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Allan Sidio
6:31 pm
Nov 18, 2012
I noticed a lot of thumbs up for Eddiej suggestion to “smoke all Palestinians”. Mmmmm when was the last time a government tried to wipe out a race of people??? How quickly we forget. We have a place here in Los Angeles called “Museum of Tolerance”. Do any of you know what the message that place is trying to send?? Genocide of any kind is wrong. If people don’t learn from history, then it is bound to repeat itself. All the talk about killing an entire race makes you more enemies than friends in the world.
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Charles
1:43 am
Nov 19, 2012
Surely the ultimate refuge of anti-Zionists in the light of these attacks is to say that this is all a result of the unjust creation of the nation of Israel. Surely this is the last piece of the puzzle that holds back the mainstream press and indeed a majority of the world from decrying this situation – that the land was taken from these poor people.
Which is the organisation that most invests in further investigating, documenting and showing the fuller story of the people Israel in the land of Israel?
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martin
1:17 pm
Nov 19, 2012
Alan, you, like many on these pages want what is best for all. However, 1 point I disagree with is this; Jews, unlike many in christendom and the majority in Islam today are not brought up to hate people period. That is not the Jewish way. The very wordst scenario is when a bomb has blown up killing loads of Jewis hchildren/people at a pizza bar, on a bus etc, and yes, some will call out “Death to the Arabs.” However, that is all it is, in a fit of temper, frustration that this killing is allowed to continue without any attmepts by the outside world to condemn or even to stop it.
Western governments double speak when it comes to Israel, sure enough when Arab deaths increse,condemnation
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martin
1:21 pm
Nov 19, 2012
Those in Gaza and refugee camps elsewhere should blame their leaders, western governments, too, for their plight. Years ago, Israel was told by the UK not to build any further apartments for thos in Gaza, as it change their status!
Those Arabs who left were told by their own to leave , so as not to get in the way of the marauding Arab hordes intent in adding to the holocaust. The numbers were at the time considered to be abpout 350,000. The number of Jewish refuugees forced to leave their homes in north Africa and middle east was nearly 1 million, most, but not all going to Israel.
The Arab nations keep their own people in a prison camp as a means of propaganda against Israe..
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martin
1:27 pm
Nov 19, 2012
So Alan, the problem is trhat after WWII, millions of refugees were cast adrift in Europe, Africa and Asia. There was very little effort to help these people by the UN, the Marshall Plan helped Europe, but not Israel. So why just the Fakestinains have so much sympathy and support, especially by the fascist/communists and “well meaning” people? Many do so as an act out of contempt and hate for the Jews and Israel, which is seen as a bastion of the USA. Let’s be honest here, many countries, incl the west have contempt for the USA, and therefore pick on Israel as an easier target.
The established churches show their hate for Israel and the Jews, 2000 years of persecution is hard to stop!
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martin
1:35 pm
Nov 19, 2012
Charles, I just noticed your comments. Try reading some historical facts prior to your allegations.
If that is too difficult for you, try Mark Twain’s “Innocents Abroad.” Then ask yourself where all the Arabs come from? They never wanted to live there under Turkish domination., as it was, like the bible prophesied, a desolation. Many came to work for the ZionistJews who had bought useless land att exorbitant prices in order to settle there. Ask where all these latter day Arab countries came from? There are no Jews in Gaza, ethnic cleansing of Jews (see above) from where they had lived thousand of years prior to Islam or Christianity ensured that.
You are just a recognised Jew hater.
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Frank Adam
2:07 pm
Nov 19, 2012
More importantly if the problem is a state for the Palestine Arabs, then the fact they have not erected one when Ireland, India, the USA and Israel all did so even before the British left, then it is because the Palestine Arabs are incompetent and impotent; or do not want a state but to get rid of Israel; and to accept a state would deprive them of their “robbed Cossack” pose to continue annoying Israel.
This whole brouhaha is Iran cashing cheques with Hamas it financed and trained, to divert the West from the Syrian mess, but it will not stop Iran losing its Syrian base and ally.
Meanwhile the 1948 refugees can return when the US Irish and volksdeutsch do so.
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Allan Sidio
3:20 am
Nov 20, 2012
Frank, my mother is Russian. Her grandfather was the Charge De Affairs of the Russian Mission in Jerusalem in the early 1900s. Her Birth Certificate states she was born Sept.14 1929 in Jerusalem, Palestine. They were kicked out in 1948 her brother locked up and beaten by the “new owners of the land”. My father was with the UN married my mother and got her brother released (no charges were ever filed) and brought them to the US. She saw the true actions of the Jews who came to Israel in 1948 and says they were no different than what we now call Terrorists. Have you heard about the bombing of the King David Hotel, 91 killed? Check out the following link http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/kd.html or just google “king David Hotel Bombing”
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Frank Adam
1:39 pm
Nov 20, 2012
I have known of the King David bombing since I was a 50′s teenager. Like the Easter Rebellion it aimed at the sites and personnel of the actual government – one reason for being resentfully remembered – the rebels were disputing but not at the civil population on principle as is the Hamas rocket campaign, the Nasser fedayeen campaign, the Allied Bomber Offensive, and the German bombing of Coventry, Guernica, Warsaw and Rotterdam.
I do not know the Russian [religious?] Mission your mother’s people were involved with; but I wish people would lay off inferring Jews ought to, “turn the other cheek,” when Christians do not. Between Rome and maritime Europe, Arabs are the imperialists.
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Frank Adam
1:43 pm
Nov 20, 2012
I have known of the King David bombing since I was a 50′s teenager. Like Irish Easter Rebels it aimed at sites and personnel of the government – one reason for being resentfully remembered – the rebels were disputing, but not at the civil population on principle as is the Hamas rocket campaign, the Nasser fedayeen campaign, the Allied Bomber Offensive, and the German bombing of Coventry, Guernica, Warsaw and Rotterdam.
I do not know the Russian [religious?] Mission your mother’s people were involved with; but people should lay off inferring Jews ought to, “turn the other cheek,” when Christians don’t.
Between Rome & maritime Europe, Arabs are the imperialists – & still are.
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