Israel orders ground offensive in Gaza; heavy shelling on border

[cali]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday instructed the military to begin a ground offensive in Gaza, an official statement from his office said.

Reuters witnesses and Gaza residents reported heavy artillery and naval shelling and helicopter fire along the Gaza border.

"The prime minister and defense minister have instructed the IDF (Israel Defence Force) to begin a ground operation tonight in order to hit the terror tunnels from Gaza into Israel," the statement said.

Israel and Palestinian militants in the densely populated enclave have been fighting a cross border war for 10 days.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/17/us-palestinians-israel-idUSKBN0FI04420140717

I just want to say this: Hamas is responsible for its actions. Israel is responsible for its. This is typical overkill from Israel (no pun at all intended). This will bring more civilian deaths, more trauma, more destruction of a degraded infrastructure and more hate and opposition. This will not make Israel safer. The argument that Israel can't just pause because of the rockets is now truly bullshit- and very ugly bullshit at that. Iron Dome is almost startlingly effective. Israel has an extensive bomb shelter system and warning system. As the only military party in this debacle, Israel has the greater responsibility. All this leads to the unfortunate but inexorable question: What does Israel hope to achieve with these heavy handed tactics?

Israel is practicing collective punishment. That conclusion is rooted in their actions in the light of very little threat actually being posed to the Israeli populace- due to Iron Dome. (Please note that I'm not making light of Hamas firing rockets)

Anyone defending what Israel has done over the last few days, is defending the morally indefensible.

[arcane1]

1. This is the first I've heard about terror tunnels. Is that something new?

I assume they're looking for entrances on both sides, otherwise it wouldn't make sense

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

8. I don't know who added 'terror' to them, but

Palestinians have been using tunnels for a long time to try and ameliorate the effects of the blocked borders. One of the news shows did a segment on them a couple of years back, mentioning that the particular one they were being shown was used mainly to transport civilian goods, including small livestock and medical supplies. It is highly likely that some of the tunnels are run by militants who smuggle weapons as well.

[Jefferson23]

2. Frightening. n/t

[Fozzledick]

3. Your proposal that Israel should just let Hamas keep firing rockets at them is ludicrous

and morally repulsive.

[cali]

4. why? first of all I suggested that they pause. see what happens.

secondly, do you deny Iron Dome is highly effective? - something I'm glad about btw. In Buddhist philosophy there is the concept of making the first move; creating an opening by not acting with aggression. Israel is by far the stronger of the parties.

and for the record, not that it really matters, but I've never seen you write anything on this subject that isn't highly morally vile and blind and utterly devoid of compassion. Hyperpartisanship is a sickness, fozz.

[Fozzledick]

5. Your claim of moral authority is too absurd for words

but I can't help noting your willful ignorance of the two cease fires that Israel just observed while Hamas showed their contempt for peace by continuing to attack.
That's just the kind of "first move" you describe but you choose to ignore it.

Thanks for the gratuitous personal attack though. I'd be wondering what happened to you if you left it out.

[cali]

6. not at all, dick. I actually come down on bigoted bullshit from both sides

as is easily seen. YOU, btw, started the attack. Don't like it when you get it back? tough. You so richly deserve to be called on your, er, bias.

[Fozzledick]

7. I can always tell someone is losing it when they start with the "dick" jokes.

It's nice that you draw the line at "genocide" rhetoric and don't go totally insane, but you don't seem to realize that your accusations that Israel deliberately targets civilians and practices collective punishment are nearly as ridiculous.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. you could change your name. But, I suspect

this is deliberate, in an effort to elicit some response, allowing you to challenge them, especially if they dare criticize Israel.

[shira]

10. You didn't respond to the fact Israel paused twice while Hamas kept attacking. n/t

[King_David]

9. Yep

Their solution is for the Jewish state to go like lambs...

[shira]

12. Same shit, different millennia. n/t

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

13. K/R.