Posted on 07/24/2014 7:11:39 AM PDT by Star Traveler
Speaking ahead of special cabinet meeting, prime minister says IDF has made substantial gains against Hamas terror infrastructure in Gaza and will continue the operation in "full strength." Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel will continue Operation Protective Edge in Gaza with full force, giving no indication that a cease-fire was in the offing.
Speaking ahead of a special cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that the IDF has delivered a powerful blow to Hamas infrastructure over the course of the 17 day operation.
"We are continuing the operation in full strength," he said, adding that the IDF was making big gains in Gaza.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
United Nations to launch probe into Gaza operation [Israel and Hamas]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3184424/posts
http://www.timesofisrael.com/united-nations-to-launch-probe-into-gaza-operation/
Netanyahu calls human rights forum decision a ‘travesty’; US envoy says it lacks ‘balance’ and may undermine ceasefire efforts.
The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday launched a probe into the conflict in Gaza, backing calls by the Palestinians to hold Israel to account despite fierce opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu’s media office slammed the decision as a “travesty” that ignored human rights violations by Hamas terrorists. “This investigation by a kangaroo court is a foregone conclusion,” his office said.
The United States was the sole member to vote against. The 17 abstentions were by the council’s European members, plus Japan and South Korea.
Manor, the Israeli ambassador, vowed that Israel would “destroy” Hamas’s military infrastructure.
“However, the Gaza residents are not our enemies. Israel is fully committed to international law,” he said.
Israel singles out Qatar as key Hamas terror sponsor
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3184241/posts
http://www.timesofisrael.com/as-it-battles-hamas-israel-singles-out-its-sponsor-qatar/
Gulf emirate is branded the villain behind Hamas belligerence, with PM’s former security adviser saying it funds tunnel diggers and rocket launchers.
President Shimon Peres accused Qatar on Wednesday of becoming “the world’s largest funder of terror” due to its financial support for Hamas in Gaza.
“Qatar does not have the right to send money for rockets and tunnels which are fired at innocent civilians,” the outgoing statesman told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Jerusalem. “Their funding of terror must stop. If they want to build then they should, but they must not be allowed to destroy.”
Qatar’s recently attempted to transfer funds for the salaries of Hamas civil servants in Gaza, following the formation of a Palestinian unity government, but was blocked by the United States, which pressured the Arab Bank not to process them. But former national security adviser Maj. Gen. (res) Yaakov Amidror told The Times of Israel that the emirate’s funding for the organization’s terror apparatus, including tunnel diggers and rocket launchers, has continued unabated.
I assume that most of the Hamas weaponry including their rockets are hidden in mosques and elementary schools and hospitals and such.
Who knows: Are the Israelis going to go after these Hamas assets?
US blocked Qatari funds intended for Hamas employee
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3180818/posts
http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-blocked-qatari-funds-intended-for-hamas-employees/
The United States has blocked the transfer of Qatari funds earmarked for the salaries of civil servants hired by Hamas in Gaza, The Times of Israel has learned.
A diplomatic source in the Gulf state, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Qatar had transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to Arab Bank for the salaries of some 44,000 Hamas civil servants. Those civil servants — employed by Hamas in Gaza since its takeover of the Strip in 2007 – were rendered jobless by the unity agreement with Fatah last month.
But the money was never processed by Arab Bank and delivered to Hamas, the source told The Times of Israel, due to pressure from the Americans, who consider Hamas a terror organization.
“This is strange, since funds from Qatar have never been blocked in the past,” the source said, referring to the $400 million aid package pledged by Qatari ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa during his visit to Gaza in October 2012.
Hamas’s deputy political bureau chief Moussa Abu Marzouk lambasted Arab Bank for neglecting to process the funds in comments posted on his Facebook page June 28.
Israel has already gone after two hospitals that I read about so far ... so apparently they are.
I should also mention that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that their main focus, when they started were the tunnels, and I do believe they’re still on that task.
Israel considers those tunnels more dangerous than the rockets.
Probably meant to say "significant force." If it were actually "full force," there would be evidence of green glass covering a large hole, which used to be called Gaza.
Yo Bibi, Just Ignore That Horse-Faced A-Hole When He Shows Up!
Today’s meeting of Israel’s political leadership is a special meeting during war.
I anticipate that this is designed to gain consensus, before launching a major operation - the assault on Hamas HQ under Gaza City.
If they get the go ahead, we could see decisive combat operations launched within hours or possibly a day or two.
If it is a no go, there is a big risk that things will bog down and be inconclusive. Iran will simply rebuild and rearm Hamas over the course of a year or two.
Seize the day.
"Thus saith the Lord God; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; Therefore, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut of the Cherethim, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them."
Ezek. (25:15-17)
Fortunately, Netanyahu has the domestic support in Israel to thumb his nose at Kerry and the Obama/Kerry efforts to isolate Israel and push it into defeat.
The US population seems to be very understanding of Israel’s position as well.
The US is one of the world’s biggest sponsors of Hamas. It gave them $900 million in 2009 and just this week committed another $47 million to them in Gaza.
All of this is in flagrant violation of US law.
The Israelis have been going after those assets.
I am not aware of anyone in Israel’s government who is advocating holding back. Even Lapid and Livni have endorsed the Israeli war effort and oppose Kerry/Obama’s efforts to force the Muslim Brotherhood’s cease-fire down Israel’s throat.
God Bless Israel...and help stop it’s abortion racket.
And just how do you think those rockets got there???
They were brought in through the tunnels not by Fed Ex.
So you get the one and you get the other.
That’s true in general, but the tunnels they are concentrating on - are the ones in which Hamas can launch operations into Israeli villages and cause great harm - an absolute disaster, in fact, something that rockets can’t do.
There are other tunnels, but they don’t represent the same kind of threat to any villages.
That’s why they consider “certain tunnels” to be more dangerous than the rockets.
It's so freaking weird, a cease fire would only benefit the weaker of the two adversaries. They regroup, resupply, have a "lessons learned" meeting and begin again in 2 weeks or a month.
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