At least twenty rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel by Palestinian murderers yesterday, with more no doubt to come before the firing is stopped. Many of them landed in Ashdod, a major Israeli city in the country's south, including one that hit an empty school. There have been many injuries, one man has died to date and property damage has been extensive. There could easily have been mass casualties and there may indeed be when the attacks continue. The rocket attacks on Israel yesterday followed other unprovoked rocket attacks last Thursday. Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades has taken full responsibility for all of the attacks.
Israel bombed an Islamic Jihad training camp in Gaza in retaliation, killing five people including a Palestinian commander and four murderers. Later on Israel also attacked a cell involved in firing some of the rockets, killing an additional two murderers.
The mayor of Ashdod has said his city is under attack, which is indisputably true. It isn’t only Ashdod which is under attack however. The whole country is under attack as well and saying that it isn’t is like saying the United States isn’t under attack because rockets are only falling on Miami or some other southern U.S. city.
Israel has no choice but to respond in force because that is the only thing that will stop the rocket attacks on Ashdod and prevent further attacks on other Israeli cities as well. Bombing training camps and taking out individual cells won’t do it. Palestinians have to be shown that they will pay a very heavy price for attacks like this and only a massive and overwhelming Israeli military response will do that. Strength and force are the only things they understand and respect and strength and force are the only things that will prevent further attacks.
If Israel doesn’t respond in force it will be perceived as weakness on its part and only lead to more attacks on Israeli cities and civilians. Israeli weakness means Israeli destruction and death and unless Israelis want to commit national suicide they will attack in force very soon and let the Palestinians know in no uncertain terms why they are doing it.
They should also let the rest of the world know exactly why they are responding in force and place the blame exactly where it belongs, on the Palestinians.
Its no coincidence that rocket attacks are happening now. Events at the United Nations, the lopsided prisoner exchange, the rise of Islamists and Islamism throughout the Middle East, American intransigence and stupidity, an influx of weapons from Libya into Gaza, the ongoing situation in Syria and the inability of the West to reign in Iran and curb her nuclear ambitions, among other things, have made Israel weak and vulnerable in Palestinian eyes. That perceived weakness and vulnerability is why these attacks are happening now. Palestinians are carrying them out because they think they can get away with them. Israelis have to make it clear that they cannot.
If they want to survive that is. Kill or be killed. That’s the way it is in the Middle East and Israel will die the minute it forgets that.
Waiting isn’t an option and neither is diplomacy or a small scale, limited response. You can thank the Palestinians and their Arab/Islamic brethren for that.
