Israeli Ground Forces Enter Gaza

In the clearest sign that Israel may actually be attempting to break Hamas' control of Gaza, instead of engaging in pre-election posturing, the IDF has sent tanks and infantry across the border.  At this time there is no word as to how deep into Gaza these forces will go, though the stated objective, according to the Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs, is to seize control of the area of Gaza from which rockets are being launched.

In a statement released Friday, Hamas leader Khaled Masaal stated Israel would face a "black destiny" if it were to invade.

Sheikh Abdel-Rahman al-Jamal stated, "I call on the resistance to continue pounding Jewish settlements and cities.  We will remain on the path of jihad."

Ehud Olmert has said that any truce talks must come with the provision that international monitors will police the border to maintain a cessation of rocket fire into Israel (and that Israelis don't try to get macho in the face of such a cessation).  It has been reported to me that such monitors would be unarmed.  A ludicrous notion, but the fact that Olmert is demanding monitors at all is a major step for the psyche of the Israeli government, which has traditionally objected to monitors of any kind.

For its part Hamas is not high on the monitors idea, presumably because this would piss on their Qassam Rocket Parade and they might actually have to stop trying to scare and kill Israelis.  Sorry assholes, play time is over.  Palestinians and Israelis want peace and you fuckers have been standing in the way for far too long.  Let's hope that sanity prevails.  If a truce is not reached, and Hamas rockets continue to fall, the American Left's worst nightmare, a Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Ministership (well really, their worst nightmare is Israel continues to exist), with all the rightwing bullshit it would entail, will most assuredly happen.

Let's get this over with.  Someone broker the truce, get effective, and interested monitors in place, and get Hamas off the world stage.  There can be no tolerating radical Islamist genocidal bullshit in Gaza, or anywhere else for that matter.  And Israel, you need to get on the good foot in the West Bank.  It's time for the Israeli government to start cultivating atzei z'atim (olive trees) instead of tearing them down.

Jerusalem belongs to God, not Jews, Muslims, or Christians, and it's about fucking time the Israelis and Arabs started acting that way.

Here is Defense Minister, and candidate for Prime Minister, Ehud Barak's statement regarding the ground invasion.  It is true that Israel showed restraint by not launching massive retaliation sooner, and must take military action to thwart Hamas rocket attacks, regardless of the types of weapons used (katyusha and grad rockets are explosive, Hamas is in possession of them, and is now using them), this press conference is election theater.

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I am reserving judgement on all this until I see the results. In spite of the body count, which is remarkably low considering the tonnage being dropped by Israel, the international community did not respond to the repeated complaints filed by Israel to the United Nations regarding the rocket attacks from Gaza, which have been going on for seven years. Had the international community stepped in, and stopped Hamas we would not be here. So while the Left wrings its hands over Israel's supposed bloodlust, it's darling, the UN, is very much responsible for things going this far, and for the deaths of every man, woman, and child on both sides of the border since the time the first complaint was filed.

The fact that the UN is a worthless piece of shit is another story. But we'll play the NQ game that Israel must complain to the UN, just for shits and giggles.