Operation Cast Lead (Day Seventeen)

Iran has told Hamas not to accept a truce with Israel. It threatened to cut off weapons supplies and funding. Though if Hamas was serious about a lasting truce with Israel then it would not need the weapons. This shows a clear rift in the Arab world as Egypt was the country that was putting fourth the cease-fire Iran is fighting against. This is not the first indication of the rift, and it showed up in the way in which some in the Arab world were looking at the conflict. Some even want Israel to win. The fault line seems to be a split between predominantly Shiite and predominantly Sunni countries. The reason that Iran apposed the truce has three strong contenders. The first is just the unbridled hatred of Israel and the desire to see as much damage done to it as possible. The second goes along with the first, but an added component of wanting to see more of a return on it's investment in terms of money and weapons killing, injuring, and doing general damage to Israel. The third and most frighting is that Iran is close to completing a nuclear weapon and wants Israel distracted tied up in Gaza making it unable to stop Iran. I think one and two are more likely. While thousands of missiles are obviously something Israel wants to stop, a single nuke will kill more and do more damage then everything else that has happened to Israel combined. It seems inconceivable that Israel would take it's eye off the nuclear ball, and/or that it would not be able to spare a few planes and/or operatives (or what ever they have planned) for the operation against Iran. (Read more at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424929369&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull, http://hotair.com/archives/2009/01/12/iran-warns-hamas-not-to-waver, and http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/01/022527.php)

There are strong indications that some of the leaders of Hamas are hiding out in the basement of Gaza's largest hospital. The Shifa Hospital complex was build while the land was under Egyptian rule and refurbished by Israel. The reason they are hiding in the hospital is because Israel can not attack them without risking, and likely killing, the patients above them that they are using as human shields. The international outrage over Hamas using a hospital as a base and the patients as human shields is ... no where to be found. (More at http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054569.html)

A Hamas leader located in Gaza has said that they would deal positively with a cease-fire initiative. This is in direct contradiction with Hamas leadership located outside of Gaza. At the same time, the leader promised to continue to fight against the occupations and that they were confident they would win (as in defeat Israel) eventually. This is being seen by many as an admission of defeat, including members of Fatah. Some suggest that the move is an attempt to ensure that Hamas will remain in power after the operation comes to an end. This as the current phase of the operation is being officially dubbed phase 2.5. (More at http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3654508,00.html and http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231774432114&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull).

In other news, the UN Human Rights Council condemns Israel for for "grave violations" of the human rights of the people of Gaza ... Sigh. More balance and showing the comprehensive understanding of the situation by the United Nations. (More at http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054843.html and http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231760642835&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has called on government leaders around the world to prevent and curtail the outbreak of anti-Semitic attacks against Jews which have been on the rise since the beginning of the Gaza operation. Such attacks against Jews, and the vandalism of holy buildings, has been on the rise. Only a select few have been referenced in the daily updates here at the Berman Post because there have been to many for me to cover them all. This does go back to my point about the theory that you can be anti-Israel without being anti-Semitic does not play out in reality far to frequently. (More at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231774431735&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

Please note that unlike the news stories above, not all the videos are from today. That does not mean that they are not worth watching, which indeed they are.

Here you can see Hamas firing rockets from a schoolyard during the "Humanitarian Cease Fire" on the eighth (1/8/2009). Hat tip http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/32425_Video-_Hamas_Rockets_Fired_from_Schoolyard_During_Humanitarian_Cease_Fire.

Video embedded below.



Pro-Hamas supporters in Oslo put fake blood on their children and used them as human shields placing them between the adult protesters and the police. Then they hurled firecracker or some other sort of explosive at the cops. You can see the police doing what the parents should have, getting the children out of harms way despite the danger to them selves. Like terrorist, like terrorist supporter. Hat tip http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/01/oslo-children-used-as-shields.html.

Video embedded below.



Here is some more "balance" at the United Nations courtesy of the General Assembly President. Hat tip http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/outrage-after-un-general-assembly.html.

Video embedded below.



In Denmark, Pro-Hamas supporters chant "We want to kill all the Jews" (first video), and in Canada one yelled "Jewish child, you're gonna f****n die. Hamas is coming for you" (second video). Both videos have more gems for those with time to watch them. Hat tip http://ibloga.blogspot.com/2009/01/denmark-pro-jihad-demo-we-want-to-kill.html.

Videos embedded below.





Here is another video from Denmark. It is mostly in Arabic, so unless you understand the language you should head over to http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/024366.php for the translation. Some of the chants include "Heil Hitler" and "We must just kill all those Jews, man!".




Over in England Pro-Hamas supporters attacked the police with near impunity. Hat tip http://ibloga.blogspot.com/2009/01/video-muslim-protesters-in-central.html.

Video embedded below.


Here is the latest from ZombieTime.com, a Anti-Israel rally in San Francisco (1/10/2009) which can be seen at http://zombietime.com/gaza_war_protest.