Tag: Hamas

ABC Middle East correspondent Eric Tlozek’s reporting of Israel’s Nov. 12 targeted killing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander Baha Abu al-Ata carried an overpowering sub-text that Israeli political narrow-mindedness is the cause of the violence emanating from Gaza. 

Back in Israel, the fighting quickly impacted the ongoing complex political situation created by September’s inconclusive election. 

The political deadlock in Israel since its September election is continuing and it looks probable that Israel will head to an unprecedented third election in 12 months. This is particularly unfortunate because Israel’s strategic environment is becoming more unpredictable than ever

This Update deals with the Israeli conflict with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organisation in Gaza over the past few days, which saw 450 rockets and mortar shells fired into Israel from Gaza after Israel killed Baha Abu al Atta, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander responsible for multiple rocket and border attacks against Israel in recent months.

In the wake of around 200 rockets fired into Israel since yesterday, injuring several Israelis, the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today condemned Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for their “blatant war crimes” and  “callous contempt for human life”

Thus far, Israeli intelligence has managed to thwart several Iranian drone attack plans and Israel is also seeking to deter such attacks by signalling Iranian forces responsible will pay a heavy price given Israeli command of the air.

The chilling words by veteran Hamas official Fathi Hammad at a rally in Gaza last July urging Palestinians to kill Jews, not Israelis, is easily found on YouTube. I don’t know if these words appear in the Palestinian Film Festival that Greg Barns encouraged readers to attend in his recent piece blaming Israel for poverty in Gaza.

  Rocket and terror report The informal ceasefire understanding reached between Israel and Hamas under Egyptian auspices in May largely continues to hold, though with signs...

If reports of deepening Iranian involvement and increasing financial support for Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank are accurate, it can’t mean anything good for the future of either the Palestinian territories or Israel.

Israel has begun constructing a new water pipeline which will increase the amount of water it supplies to the Gaza Strip by 200%. Israel already exceeds the amount of water it is required to deliver to Gaza under the Oslo Accords, but Gaza is suffering from severe water shortages due to mismanagement of the local water catchment