IAF Pilots Kill Shalit Kidnappers

[notfullofit]

(IsraelNN.com)

The Israel Air Force struck terrorist groups in Gaza in three separate attacks Tuesday afternoon killing at least six operatives, including a terror cell responsible for the 2006 kidnapping of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

snip...

One of the missiles struck a vehicle carrying the Army of Islam terrorist cell, which included the group's second-in-command, Muataz Dughmush. Five terrorists were killed, including Dughmush, and three others were wounded, one critically. The vehicle was completely destroyed.

Two other Army of Islam terrorists were wounded in the second strike, which occurred in the same area a short time later.

Later in the afternoon, a sixth terrorist was killed in the third strike, which took place in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, another favorite site from which terrorists launch rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli civilians in the western Negev.

snip...

Army of Islam Linked to Al-Qaeda
The Army of Islam group is run by the Dughmush clan, which is reportedly linked to the international Al-Qaeda terrorist organization and is sometimes referred to as "the organization of Al-Qaeda in Palestine."

The group is also known for having kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston from his Gaza City bureau offices in March 2007, holding him hostage for almost four months before finally letting him go.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126532

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. I dont believe the crap coming from them

anymore than I believe the crap propaganda coming out of this administration.

www.wearableartnow.com

[Hangingon]

2. Go IAF!

[bemildred]

3. I wonder if Hamas ratted them out?

If we are to have a truce, these weasels will have to be stopped. What better way than to inform the IAF where they might be located? It all seems awfully convenient right before the truce, if in fact it's true.

[eyl]

5. I doubt it

It's not like the attack in question was unsanctioned by Hamas, and I haven't seen much indication that Hamas is having the internal discipline problems which would make it do that.

[bemildred]

6. LOL. So you get daily reports on which attacks Hamas has sanctioned?

And you think "al Qaeda in Gaza" is good buddies with Hamas?

[eyl]

8. ???

They were boasting of the attack - even Haniyeh approved of it. So at the very least it was sanctioned post facto.

And WTH does al Qaeda have to do with this?

[bemildred]

7. Olmert gambles with the 'devil'

---

All the same, the ceasefire is not expected to last. Certainly that is the mood among people from all walks of life in Israel's capital Jerusalem, and it is clearly the expectation of Olmert himself. "I have no illusions," he said in a recent speech. "What is called 'calm' is fragile and short-lived. Hamas has not changed its skin. These are blood-thirsty and despicable terrorists who even today are doing everything they can to harm Israeli civilians. Hamas ... will be responsible for any violation of the 'quiet'."

This last condition effectively sets Hamas up for a fall, for, contrary to perceptions, Hamas is itself not in full control of the Gaza Strip, which is home to numerous other militant groups which do not answer blindly to Hamas' commands. Olmert is effectively making Hamas responsible for the actions of people over whom they have little control; and by enforcing such a restrictive condition will greatly increase the chances of a violation of the ceasefire.

The depth of Hamas' lack of control was illustrated by the death on Tuesday of Army of Islam leader Muataz Durmush, killed in a targeted Israeli strike. According to The Jerusalem Post, Durmush had survived assassination attempts by both Fatah and Hamas over the past two years, and was considered by both parties to be "a thug and a murderer". In a rare alignment of interests, the Palestinians were just as happy as the Israelis to see him go.

Palestine is not a unified state, and Gaza not a unified territory; the chances are good that, however genuine the intentions of Hamas are, some other group will be responsible for violating the ceasefire. And should this happen in a dramatic enough fashion - should an Israeli be killed - then Olmert will find himself with plenty of justification in the eyes of those that matter (Israelis and the US government) to launch a full-scale assault on the Gaza Strip.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JF21Ak01.html

[subsuelo]

4. I love the ad that says "Jews offering new alternatives to Homosexuality"

Great site you've linked everyone to thanks

[notfullofit]

9. I do believe

the message is more important than the messenger.

[LeftishBrit]

10. The problem however

is that a messenger with a strong agenda can distort the message. I would never fully trust the factual accuracy of a report from either Israel National News or Electronic Intifada - or for that matter from Fox News, or a right-wing British tabloid.

I am not really questioning this particular news item; it's just that I have so much experience in Britain with right-wing media distorting even the basic facts, that I think that one always needs to check on the nature of the messenger.

[notfullofit]

11. After I read the

article from the source quoted I did check to see if there were other 'messengers' reporting the same 'message'.

[Violet_Crumble]

12. That's not what you said about The Guardian when I posted a Seth Freedman article n/t