Was the invasion of Gaza happenstance or opportunistic?

[kentuck]

For a few days, the number one story in all the media was the shoot down of the civilian Malaysian plane and who did it?

Whether planned or not, Israel invaded Gaza just at that moment. One would have to be rather cynical, I suppose, to think they saw an opportunity and took it? It was just coincidence, I am sure.

Lest we confuse the reality, Israel did invade Gaza - Gaza did not invade Israel.

We are told, and there is no reason to believe it is not true, that Hamas "terrorists" had a tunnel network in which they were infiltrating the country of Israel? It must be true - it was on TV.

Also, we were told, as we have been told every time in the past, that Hamas was shooting hundreds and thousands of rockets into Israel. We have no way of verifying but why would we believe it is not true?

And we were informed on the television that the Hamas terrorists were hiding their guns in the schools and hospitals and that is why Israel attacked those places and that is why innocent women and children were killed. Hamas was hiding its weapons behind their children. Why should we not believe that?

After all, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Right?

[geek tragedy]

1. It was planned for a while, just waiting for the right pretext nt

[Corgigal]

3. ding ding ding

After the kidnapping and murder of the 3 Israel boys, who didn't know this would happen?

[kentuck]

6. Interesting synopsis:

From Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/National-News/LIVE-BLOG-The-search-for-the-kidnapped-teens-359360

6:37 P.M. The recording of Gil-Ad Shear's emergency call to police saying that he had been kidnapped was released on Tuesday.

At the beginning of the alleged emergency call, a voice can be heard whispering "they kidnapped me." Afterward, voices apparently belonging to the kidnappers are heard saying in Hebrew , "heads down, heads down."

This is followed by unclear loud noises and Hebrew-language radio in the background.

Only part of the emergency call was cleared for publication , while the remainder of the recording remains under the media gag order.


....more

[BillZBubb]

2. The Israeli right wing has been waiting for an excuse to attack.

They wanted to stop any chance of a coalition government of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. They also know any time they murder Palestinians, their re-election chances go through the roof.

[KG]

4. inevitable.

[hack89]

5. Hamas was increasingly isolated

When they feel ignored they shoot rockets. Israel took the opportunity handed to them.

[RobertEarl]

7. What about this, hack?

A report issued by the authoritative the “Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center” (ITIC), a private Israeli think tank that “has close ties with the country’s military leadership,” unintentionally debunked the Senate resolution more than a week before its unanimous consent vote in the Senate. The weekly ITIC reports regarding rocket fire are frequently quoted on the Israeli government’s own web site.

The ITIC July 8, 2014 report, “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 2 – 8, 2014),” states: “For the first time since Operation Pillar of Defense , Hamas participated in and claimed responsibility for rocket fire .”

The July 8 ITIC report also divulged why Hamas launched its first rocket fire at Israel in more than 19 months on July 7: On that night Israeli forces had bombed and killed 6 Hamas members in Gaza. The ITIC report includes a picture of the six Hamas members. Thus, a report from an authoritative Israeli source described the provocation for the resumption of rocket fire: Hamas rocket fire began only after Israeli forces had engaged in nearly a month of military operations in violation of the ceasefire agreement and had killed 6 Hamas members in Gaza.

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DU link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025287123