Top Hamas figure killed in Israeli airstrike (IDF says, "Happy New Year, Hamas!")

MSNBC ^ | 1 Jan 09 | N/A

[elhombrelibre]

Israel assassinated a Hamas strongman Thursday in its first assault on the top leadership of Gaza's rulers, escalating a crushing aerial offensive even as it declared it was ready to launch a ground invasion.

The airstrike targeted the eight-story apartment building in the Jebaliya refugee camp that was home to Nizar Rayan, 52, ranked among Hamas' top five decision-makers in Gaza. The attack killed 12 other people including two of Rayan's four wives and four of his 12 children, Palestinian health officials said. The Muslim faith allows men to have up to four wives.

While escalating its 6-day-old military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, Israel also appeared to be sounding out a possible diplomatic exit from its campaign by demanding international monitors as a key term of any future truce.

[Tigercap]

Praise Allah!!!

...I mean: YAY!!!

[maryz]

Israel’s demand for international monitoring before any ceasefire. Smart of them.

Would that be international as in U.N. monitors? IIRC, they didn't work out too well for Israel in the Lebanon incursion . . . am I missing something?

[Dilbert56]

Israel should up the ante. Whenever a rocket is fired into Israel, the entire block from whence it came will be destroyed. No need for civilian casualties. The residents will have one hour to evacuate between the rocket's launch and the retaliation. How many residents will permit their neighborhoods to be used as launch bases after that?

[Mojave]

Assassination
n.
The act of assassinating; a killing by treacherous violence.

http://www.answers.com/assassination

[Drill Thrawl]

I agree completely.

Start at the top and keep working down the command chain until whoever is left in-charge surrenders.

Either that or Sherman-esque total war. Any other methods prolongs the time and pain and increases the death toll.

[jveritas]

Excellent news.

[NormsRevenge]

Sounds like they nailed a ‘breeder’.. 4 wives?

ap has it

Israel kills top Hamas figure, escalating campaign
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090101/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

[NormsRevenge]

excerpt from above ap link

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israel dropped a one-ton bomb on the home of a Hamas strongman Thursday, killing him along with two wives and four children in the first attack on the top leadership of Gaza’s rulers. As the aerial bombardment escalated, the army said it was also poised to launch a ground invasion. Israel also appeared to be sounding out a possible diplomatic exit from the 6-day-old military offensive against Hamas by demanding international monitors as a key term of any future truce.

The bombing targeted 49-year-old Nizar Rayan, ranked among Hamas’ top five decision-makers in Gaza. ...

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Yep. New year. Same old MSM BS.
Some things never change.
And they call themselves “progressive.”

[calex59]

It's interesting to read the comments on this thread, because the word "assassinated" had no negative connotations for me. Assassination of enemy leaders is an excellent thing, far preferable to killing grunt soldiers who are often just following orders. The ideal war would consist of "cutting off the enemy's head" while leaving everyone else unharmed. True, that makes your own leaders prime targets for the enemy in response, but that should be part of the risk and price of achieving leadership of a nation at war.

If the MSM didn't have the intention of painting the IDF as murderers then why use the word assassinate? Why not say the IDF killed a terrorist leader? The MSM deliberately used the assassinate word to bring up negative images in the minds of their readers in order to vilify Israel. THAT is why people are commenting on their use of the word.

[Mojave]

"THE day before a powerful blast sent his headless body flying out of his Gaza home, senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayan predicted that the Islamist movement would defeat Israel."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24864540-12377,00.html

[elhombrelibre]

I guess he spoke too soon. ;-)

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

["including two of Rayan's four wives "]

Brood mares for producing more trrorists. Too bad something culdn't be put in the food supply to handle the entire problem...

[G8 Diplomat]

Woo! Nice to start off 2009 with some good news!

Happy New Year, Hamas!

السنة الجديدة السعيدة يا حمس

[bert]

I have been writing it incorrectly all these years..... Inshallah or Enshallah rather than your 'In šāʾ Allāh' (إن شاء الله)

Ironic isn't it. Alla ahkbar....... has brought 'In šāʾ Allāh' (إن شاء الله) raining freom the sky

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Israel should declare Gaza to be a sovereign country and should immediately cease the delivery of ALL goods to that sovereign country until all hostilities (i.e. rocket firings, etc. cease and desist). Let their Muslim “brothers” take care of them. It makes absolutely no sense to be conducting air strikes while shipping petroleum, food, medicine, etc. to their adversaries each and every day.

Afterward, a full artillery barrage should follow every rocket attack. Flame throwers should be deployed along the border as well.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

["The day before a powerful blast sent his headless body flying out of his Gaza home, senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayan predicted that the Islamist movement would defeat Israel."]

Maybe he wanted to get a head start on the project.

[romanesq]

Gaza residents have about as much influence/control over their “government” as a resident of Taliban controlled Pakistan/Afghanistan.

As in zero. So why give the propaganda advantage. Right now the IDF is using smart guided munitions of various kinds to great affect.

And Hamas has not even shown any indication of wanting a ceasefire. So let the IDF do what they need to do as they deem necessary. They are applying the US precision capability very well.

They need to take out the heart of Hamas and those fundamentalists don’t exactly view this level of death as problematic. When they do, you will hear the crying secondhand in the press.

But even then, the IDF should not slow their impact until they certify satisfaction with the operation. Otherwise, the situation will be repeated in less than a year.

One also has to consider what is an effective disruption of the Iranian plans. And right now those plans are being disrupted. Best to let it continue.

[dbacks]

“Israel assassinated a Hamas strongman”

And this just in, Hamas has been assassinating Israeli school children and other civilians for years and the world couldn’t care less. Hypocritical bastards!

[goldstategop]

"International monitors?" Oh wait - you mean the same EU monitors that fled when Hamas took over Gaza? If this is what Israel is fighting for, I'd rather have the war called off now, if its not serious about winning. Gaza is not worth the life of a single Israeli soldier if Israel has no intention of returning there to stay for good!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus