Hamas: Grad Missiles Entered Gaza via the Mediterranean

[Lithos]

A Hamas source in Gaza said the Russian-made Grad missiles that militants in Gaza fired at southern Israel were smuggled in via the Mediterranean Sea.

The Grad-type Katyusha rockets did not enter the Hamas run-Gaza Strip through the underground tunnels on the borders with Egypt, the source said.

Israeli Intelligence sources revealed that militants in Gaza fired 20 Grad-type missiles at southern Israel over the past few weeks, adding that Israel believed these rockets had entered Gaza via the Rafah tunnels.

...

http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?NewsID=20873

[MaryCeleste]

1. Does it really matter?

Those sending in military grade rockets instead of food, medicine etc are as guilty anyone in the IDF for the deaths of Palestinians, including innocents. Grads are a serious escalation and pose a major threat to the Palestinians in Gaza. If Hamas uses them, the IDF will respond with more vehemence than previously seen (yes, that is quite possible). The claim that they came in via the sea is an open invitation for a coastal blockade. Not that Gaza needs any more grief.

Those who supply heavy weapons to Hamas are true enemies of the Palestinians.

[Lithos]

2. Border crossings

One of the main complaints about opening up Egyptian crossings is that it provides a supply route in for weapons. This suggests the supply line is already there.

L-

[Tom Joad]

3. also a supply line for food and medicine.

Israel is also known to import weapons from terrorist-supporting states.
Such as the US.

[MaryCeleste]

9. Gaza has no need of weapons

Everything that is brought in is just that much less needed items that are not received.

The Arab and Muslim states clearly have no love for the Palestinians, condeming them to short lives as their proxies in attacking Israel.

[MaryCeleste]

8. If its true...it could just as easily be a planted false story

I would tend to go with the opinion of the Israelis on this...its their skins on the line and its in Hamas' interest to be able to blame more on Israel. Another way to look at it is why would Hamas disclose what is working for them?

Its also interesting to note that Egypt has completed another fence on their border with Gaza. Any tunnels are going to have to go a long way.

[Tom Joad]

4. the sea has been under a blockade since Israel removed the illegal settlements

and those who supply heavy weapons to Israel are true enemies of humanity.

[Lithos]

5. Tom

and those who supply heavy weapons to Israel are true enemies of humanity.

Those that condone violence either by action or inaction are true enemies of humanity. Your unilateral statement is absurd and cognitively dissonant.

[Tom Joad]

6. so by that standard anyone who supports weapons for any nation

are enemies of humanity. your saying you oppose the supply of weapons for either side. I can agree with that.

[Lithos]

7. I am a bit pragmatic

I do support some defensive things more along the lines of a Swiss model, but certainly not the massive armaments in play world wide and tendencies to use violence at a drop of a hat in lieu of pursuing politics through peaceful means. I consider the actions and tendencies of Israel, Hamas, Fatah and others to be lazy/slothful politics.

[Tom Joad]

10. so we both oppose US arm shipments to Israel and/or Palestine

sounds good to me.

[Lithos]

11. Why just US arms?

Russia, China, Iran all make arms.

L-

[Tom Joad]

19. This forum is about Israel/Palestine, no?

so for that reason i focus on Israel/Palestine.

If there were a forum on Colombia, i might focus on ending US military aid to Colombia. I think that makes sense.

I also think it makes sense often times to talk about particular issues. Not just generalize. Though i do oppose the madness of militarism everywhere and anywhere, in every place on the globe.

But people should not create their own reality --- because i did not mention Iran, Japan, Canada or Russia arms, that i have no concern for Russian or Iranian or Japanese arms.

I think often when a human rights group or peace group (or individuals with these concerns) starts detailing opposition to US support for Israeli policies, they are attacked by those who seek to preserve the status quo by saying "What aren't they talking about Darfur!" or some such diversion Interestingly, Sudan also attacks those who question its policies by saying "Why aren't you talking about Israel!"

People will make up the strangest things.

I honestly don't think that was your intention here, but we have seen that gimmick being used time and time again.

[Tom Joad]

20. It should be noted, i do live in the US

so think i may be able to change US policy more than anywhere else.

[MaryCeleste]

12. Are you aware of the level of domestic arms production in Israel and that they are

a major arms exporter? Close to 80% for their defense industry as I recall.

Check out http://www.israeli-weapons.com/

[MaryCeleste]

13. The Israelis put their own people at risk while the Muslim and Arab nations use

the people of Gaza as proxies.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

14. Where do you get the notion that the people of Palestine are used in a proxy war?

Can you supply links that support your idea?

I'd be interested in reading them.

[Looking4Light]

17. It might not strictly be a proxy war,

rather cooperation in their commong goal.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2A62C583-E1C7-454E-B0B3-16DB56E3C4FD.htm

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president has urged visiting Meshaal on Tuesday to keep fighting Israel, state television said.

"The government should use its brave and pious forces to continue resistance against the Zionist regime ", Ahmadinejad told Mashaal at the start of his two-day visit to Iran.

Iran refuses to recognise Israel and Ahmadinejad has called the Israeli state a "tumour" which must be "wiped off the map".

[Vegasaurus]

18. What would the Arab nations do without Israel

to use as their scapegoat? Then the attention would be on their many internal problems.

Better to keep that hate and war going!

[MaryCeleste]

21. When you use others to do your dirty work, they are your proxies

Syria, Iran and others have declared eternal war against Israel
Syria, Iran and others funnel weapons to Gaza
The people of Gaza who are just scraping by, take the weapons provided by Syria, Iran, and others and attack Israel
Thats a classic proxy situation.

The downside is that it will not be successful. It hasn't been so far, so Syria, Iran and others upped the stakes by supplying bigger weapons (Grads). The result is the Gaza will bleed more profusely.

Clearly Syria, Iran, and others don't give a damn about the people of Gaza as long as they are doing their fighting for them by proxy. So much for Arab and Muslim solidarity.

[Vegasaurus]

15. Of course they are Tom

Not the terrorists who aim to kill as many civilians as possible. They certainly are not the true enemies of humanity.

:sarcasm:

[Looking4Light]

16. Weapons shipments to Gaza via the Med

are not new. Remember the Karine A, an entire freighter with 50 tons of weapons intercepted by Israel during Arafat's reign?

Yet some whine about Israel's blockade. Sheesh.

[rockymountaindem]

22. Good point n.t.