Israel Presses Forward With Offensive

ap on Yahoo ^ | 9/28/05 | Ravi Nessmam - ap

[NormsRevenge]

JERUSALEM - Israel shut down charities with ties to Hamas across the West Bank on Wednesday as it widened a five-day offensive against Palestinian militants despite their pledges to stop firing rockets at Israel.

Moving to stop the violence from escalating, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas traveled to Cairo to try to enlist the aid of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, while Palestinian officials said he would meet later this month with President Bush in Washington.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the Bush administration had talked to both the Palestinians and Israel about "the responsibilities they have" in defusing the situation in Gaza.

"On the Palestinian side, that responsibility is to act to stop any terrorism, to act to dismantle terrorist networks," McCormack said in Washington. "On the Israeli side ... they take steps to ease the daily plight of the Palestinian people as well as to take into account the effect of their actions upon what all share as the ulti mate goal of bringing peace and stability to the region."

But a meeting between Sharon and Abbas, tentatively set for Sunday, was postponed, apparently because of the flare-up. The meeting with Bush was set for Oct. 20, said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Early Thursday, Israeli soldiers raided the West Bank town of Jenin, sparking shootouts with local militants that left three militants dead, according to witnesses and Palestinian security officials.

Two of those killed were from the Islamic Jihad group and the third was from Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a militant group with loose ties to Abbas' ruling Fatah movement, according to Palestinian officials. The army had no immediate comment.

On Wednesday, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at several Gaza targets, knocking out power in Gaza City for most of the night, damaging several buildings and destroying an overpass.

Troops also fired live artillery shells into northern Gaza for the first time, hitting an area the army said was used to fire rockets.

A senior army officer said Israel might shell Palestinian towns — after first giving warning — and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Israel was trying to teach the militants it will not tolerate any more attacks from Gaza following its recent pullout from the area.

"It needs to be clear to them that we mean every word we say," Mofaz said.

In a new phase of its offensive, Israel closed down 15 offices across the West Bank, including those of charities linked to local mosques. Israel said the offices were used to distribute money to the families of suicide bombers and militants jailed by Israel.

Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas commentator, said the group has a support network extending from east Asia through the Persian Gulf to Europe, and that Israel would not be able to stop the flow of money and donations. "Israel is monitoring, but it can't monitor every channel," he said, suggesting some of the money is brought in through smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.

In addition to its militant wing, which is responsible for hundreds of attacks on Israel in recent years, Hamas also runs soup kitchens, clinics and other charities that have helped make it popular among poor Palestinians.

In one raid Wednesday, Israeli troops took computers and documents from the Tulkarem office of Zaka, a charity network that has been linked to Hamas and collects donations from mosques.

"This is a war against the groups that work to help the needy, those who need food, the orphans," said Bilal Abu Omar, the head of the Zaka office.

The Israeli offensive was triggered by a rocket barrage launched by Gaza militants at Israel, including the border town of Sderot, over the weekend. Since then, militant groups said they would halt attacks and renewed their commitment to a 7-month-old truce, but Israel said it would press ahead with the campaign.

"We will step up our operations and our response until they stop the rocket fire," Mofaz said in an interview with Channel Two TV. "So long as there is no quiet in Sderot, there will be no quiet in Gaza."

Mofaz said that since Israel pulled out of Gaza after 38 years of occupation, the nation would no longer tolerate any attacks from there.

Hamas accused Israel of trying to weaken it politically before Palestinian parliamentary elections in January. Israel arrested 24 more suspected militants in the West Bank overnight, bringing the number detained since the weekend to more than 400, including dozens of Hamas candidates.

Hamas is expected to make a strong showing in the parliament vote and in local elections to be held in more than 100 towns and villages Thursday.

[NormsRevenge]

Israeli bride Reut Unger poses for a wedding photographer next to an Israeli army mobile artillery piece at a staging area near Kibbutz Nahal Oz, just outside the northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday Sept. 28, 2005. Widening its five-day campaign against Palestinian militants, Israel for the first time fired artillery shells into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and shut down 15 West Bank offices suspected of distributing money to families of suicide bombers from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

---

I've heard of shotgun weddings ,, but...

[Nipplemancer]

it's better than cheezey scuba-diving wedding pictures

[js1138]

It was a common opinion on FR tghat when Isreal left Gaza, they would feel free to level anyone who fired rockets at them.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[Israel shut down charities with ties to Hamas ...]

Why were these "ties" open in the first place? Israel seems as willing to die on the alter of political correctness as are we. In the end, the second amendment will set us free. L&L.

[American in Israel]

(Israel) widened a five-day offensive against Palestinian militants despite their pledges to stop firing rockets at Israel.

Perhaps Hamas might try actually not shooting rockets, instead of just firing their mouths off with the rockets.

[thulldud]

The Israeli offensive was triggered by a rocket barrage launched by Gaza militants at Israel, including the border town of Sderot, over the weekend. Since then, militant groups said they would halt attacks and renewed their commitment to a 7-month-old truce, but Israel said it would press ahead with the campaign.

I always told my kids that once I have to get up out of my chair, it's too late to avoid the spanking....

[Cindy]

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Google Search Term: "HAMAS"

Google Search Term: "HAMASONLINE"

WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS VOWS MORE ATTACKS Terror Leader Taunts Israel for Vulnerability to Rockets" by Aaron Klein (September 30, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS GETS INTO THE SNUFF VIDEO BUSINESS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "After they kidnapped 51 year old Jerusalem resident Sasson Nuriel, and before they murdered him, Hamas videotaped the man in the manner made popular by Al Qaida in Iraq.") (September 28, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (HAARETZ): "ASSAD SAID TO HAVE GIVEN HAMAS, JIHAD GREEN LIGHT FOR TERRORISM" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Syrian President Bashar Assad earlier this month gave Hamas and Islamic Jihad representatives in Damascus a green light to carry out terror attacks and escalate fighting against Israel, Israel Radio said Wednesday, quoting a high-level Palestinian Authority intelligence dispatch, which was reportedly passed on to Egypt and Israel. Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim said Wednesday that Israel was aquainted with the dispatch.") (September 28, 2005)

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "HAMAS HQ OFFICE IN SAUDI ARABIA" by Matthew Levitt (September 27, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE PAX HAMAS" (September 27, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS SAYS THEY WANT A WAR" (September 23, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE WEBSITES OF HAMAS, THE COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THEM SERVICES AND THE THE COUNTRIES THAT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN" (September 25, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS" (September 24, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE MOTHER OF ALL 'WORK ACCIDENTS'" (September 24, 2005)

LittleGreenFootballs.com - Weblog (NY SUN.com): "HAMAS TO CONVERT SYNAGOGUE TO WEAPONS MUSEUM" (September 22, 2005)

INTERNET HAGANAH.US (IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA-ITALIAN, 13Sep 05 - via DailyAlert.org): "HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER: 'AL-QAEDA HAS ALREADY ARRIVED IN GAZA'" (September 18, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (NATIONAL POST): "A STUDENT OF TERROR: HOW A CANADA MAN WAS RECRUITED BY HAMAS" (September 10, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 983: "COMMANDER OF HAMAS MILITARY WING WOMEN'S UNIT: 'Our Members Yearn for Martyrdom'" (September 9, 2005) (Read More...)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US (YnetNews.com): "HAMAS DEVELOPS IMPROVED ROCKET" (September 6, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS REVEALS 'SECRET' COMMAND SETUP" (September 4, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "SHADOWY HAMAS LEADER RESURFACES IN VIDEO" (August 27, 2005)

JNEWSWIRE.com: "HAMAS: CHRISTIAN ZIONISM IS OUR ENEMY" by Jerusalem Newswire Editiorial Staff (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Hamas terrorist organization has singled out Christian supporters of Israel, putting them on notice that it views their actions as "criminal," making them enemies of the Palestinian Arabs.") (August 22, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (News.TELEGRAPH.co.uk): "HAMAS CLAIMS EVACUATION IS VICTORY FOR THE SUICIDE BOMBERS" (August 21, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS RADIO: Jaffa is the Same as Gaza, Tel Aviv the Same as Rafah" (August 21, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 964: "AN INTERVIEW WITH HAMAS LEADER DR. MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The following are excerpts from an interview with Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar that appeared in Asharq Al-Awsat on August 18, 2005.") (August 19, 2005)

INTELLIGENCE.org.il - INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER AT THE CENTER FOR SPECIAL STUDIES (C.S.S.): "DISENGAGEMENT NEWS UPDATE NO. 2" (August 17, 2005)

MEMRI.ORG: "AN INTERNVIEW WITH HAMAS LEADER DR. MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR" (August 19, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=17135_Hamas_Will_Keep_On_Killin&only" (August 20, 2005)

FrontPageMagazine.com: "GOODBYE GAZA, HELLO HAMAS" by John Perazzo (August 24, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): Gaza Strip - "HAMAS VOWS TO CONTINUE FIGHT AFTER PULLOUT" (August 13, 2005)

WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS LAUNCHING ROCKET WAR AFTER GAZA EVACUATION Terrorist Group Foresees Massive Attacks as Next Stage of 'Conflict'" (August 6, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=16950_Netanyahu-_Pullout_Will_Endanger_West&only" (August 5, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "ABBAS INVITES HAMAS TO JOIN CABINET" (July 2, 2005)

MEMRITV.org - Transcript - Clip No. 731: "HAMAS REPRESENTATIVE IN LEBANON OSAMA HAMDAN: THERE IS A BEGINNING OF EUROPEAN UNDERSTANDING TOWARDS ARMED RESISTANCE" (TRANSCRIPT SNIPPET: "The following are excerpts from an interview with Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on June 24, 2005") (June 27, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (WASHINGTON TIMES.com): "RICE REJECTS HAMAS CONTACT" (June 19, 2005) (Read More...)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "SO, WAS IT A 'WORK ACCIDENT' OR WAS HE THE TARGET OF AN ATTACK?" (June 15, 2005)

"www.palestine-info.net/english/publish/article_12681.shtml"

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "mojahedun.com: Hamas/Al Qaida joint venture: live and online in the Netherlands" (June 13, 2005)

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ALTAVISTA.com - Search Term: "mojahedun"

DANIEL PIPES.org - Weblog: "EUROPE ACCEPTS HAMAS" (June 7, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=16018_Palestinian_Work_Accident_Watch&only" (May 29, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "A POLITICAL PARTY JUST LIKE ANY OTHER..." (May 10, 2005)

DANIELPIPES.org (NEW YORK SUN): "HAMAS vs. AMERICA" (May 3, 2005)

SEATTLE TIMES.com: "BELLEVUE FIRM TIED TO PRO-HAMAS WEB SITE" by Peter Lewis (April 23, 2005)

DANIELPIPES.org (JERUSALEM POST): "SHARING JOKES WITH HAMAS" by Daniel Pipes (April 20, 2005) (Read More...)

AMERICAN DAILY.com: "CANADIAN HOSTED HAMAS INTERNET SITE ADVOCATES KILLING ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER" by Jeremy Reynalds (April 18, 2005)

ARUTZ SHEVA.com: "HAMAS BOMB-MAKER STAR OF SYRIAN PRODUCED TV SERIES A 12-part series on the life of the “father of suicide bombings,” Hamas bomb-maker Yihye Ayyash is set to be aired on the Lebanese-based Hizbullah satellite television station al-Manar." (April 18, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (YNET): "PALESTINIAN GIRL HIDES GUN IN UNDIES" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The soldiers in the Balata refugee camp, a terrorist hotbed, found the gunman inside his house and ordered him to surrender his weapon. He refused, saying he didn't have it. After questioning, they found the man's sister had hidden it her underwear. Troops then arrested the Hamas terrorist. They also found a gun holster and bullets inside the building.") (April 16, 2005) (Read More...)

JPOST.com - THE JERUSALEM POST: "WOMAN WALKING WITH FIANCE MURDERED" (Updated April 12, 2005)

WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS TERROR MALL IN WEST BANK Nablus shopping center profits going to violent Palestinian group" by Aaron Klein (April 12, 2005)

INTELLIGENCE.org.il - Special Information Bulletin - INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER AT THE CENTER FOR SPECIAL STUDIES (C.S.S.): "SYRIAN REGIME - PALESTINIAN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: ""The Tunnels of Hell," a movie produced by Hamas' information department and which appeared in a Hamas forum on the Internet on March 24, 2005. The movie praises and glorifies the explosive-packed tunnels.") (April 4, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15405_Hamas_Islamic_Honor_Killings&only=yes"

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15250_Hamas_Burning_More_Stuff&only=yes"

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INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS/TURKEY CONNECTION: AQSAVOICE.NET" (March 26, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS SITE IN THE NETHERLANDS: ALKOTLA.COM" (December 25, 2004)

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WorldNetDaily.com: "DOCUMENTS SHOW ARAFAT PAID FOR DISCO BOMBING Sent Thank-You Note to Family of Terrorist Who Killed 21, Injured 120" by Aaron Klein (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The attack on the Dolphinarium was one of the most brutal massacres of the Palestinian intifadah, killing 21 people, mostly teens, on a Friday night in June 2001. More than 120 people were injured in the powerful blast carried out by Hamas terrorist Hassan Khutari.") (September 15, 2004)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE OF HAMAS" (September 5, 2004)

INTELLIGENCE.org.il - Special Bulletin: "HAMAS Portrait of a Terrorist Organization" (Updated September 1, 2004)

CNS NEWS.com: "MORE ALLEGED HAMAS OPERATIVES LINKED TO DC-AREA THINK TANK" by Scott Wheeler (August 26, 2004)

E-PRISM.ORG - Special Dispatch No. 4-2 (pdf): "HAMAS' SOLIDARITY WITH MUQTADA AL-SADR: Does the Movement fall under the Control of Hizballah and Iran?" by Reuven Paz (August 23, 2004)

E-PRISM.ORG - Special Dispatch No. 4-2 (pdf): "HAMAS' SOLIDARITY WITH MUQTADA AL-SADR: Does the Movement fall under the Control of Hizballah and Iran?" by Reuven Paz (August 23, 2004)

CNS NEWS.com: "ALLEGED TERROR THREAT OPERATES IN DC SUBURB" by Scott Wheeler (July 12, 2004)

INTERNET HAGANAH: "HAMAS LEADER THREATENS USA WITH 'THE SPANISH EXAMPLE'" (April 27, 2004)

WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "HAMAS LINKED TO AREA HOUSING" by Jerry Seper (March 26, 2004)

IACSP.com: "ABDULLAH ASSAM: THE MAN BEFORE BIN LADEN" by Steve Emerson (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Those who met Azzam were dazzled by his spellbinding oratorical skills, his capabilities as a military strategist, his religious leadership, and his interminable energy. Azzam helped bring about the mobilization of the Muslim Brotherhood movement more than any other leader. Today, the military wing of Hamas in the West Bank is called the Abdellah Azzam Brigades.")

GOOGLE Search Term: "QASSAM BRIGADES"

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