Operation pillar of cloud. Israeli assault on Gaza

[Treacle Toes]

MPACUK ‏@MPACUK
UPDATE - Israeli government are paying Facebook to show their propaganda. http://twitpic.com/be8hir - #GazaUnderAttack

 

[catinthehat]

Reports that two media sites have been targeted (a war crime under Geneva Conventions and Rome Statute of International Criminal Court).

 

[Treacle Toes]

Reports that two media sites have been targeted (a war crime under Geneva Conventions and Rome Statute of International Criminal Court).

Israel struck 2 media buildings (mentioned earlier): 'Al Shorouq' & 'Al Housary' on Palestine Street, al-Remal area, Gaza City #WarCrimes

RT @harryfear: Israel agents phone Gaza media threatening to flatten their buildings to the ground unless they evacuate http://on.rt.com/1d6yjw

 

[nino_savatte]

Using Facebook to spread the lies and sign up as many American Xtian Zionists as they can.
https://www.facebook.com/IsraelMFA?fref=ts

 

[Old Gergl]

 

[weepiper]

Reports that two media sites have been targeted (a war crime under Geneva Conventions and Rome Statute of International Criminal Court).

ITV have put up a video of the damage in one of these buildings

 

[weepiper]

1047: Paul Danahar BBC Middle East bureau chief
The IDF has told BBC it knew foreign media were in at least one of the buildings in Gaza when it was hit. Says they were not the target.

from the BBC live feed

 

[CNT36]

BBC news have mentioned the 'Hamas health ministry'. Is that something like the conservative ministry of defence or liberal democratic NHS.

 

[Frumious B.]

I'm convinced that Netanyahu's game plan is to bomb Iran imminently. The assassination was intended to stoke up this current conflict. He will escalate it in the hope of a massacre of his own civilians by Iranian-supplied weapons and/or a modest loss of territory to a Hamas "invasion" in order to get public support in the US and force Obama's hand. The accuracy of the rockets will be linked to the story that Iran has advanced delivery systems. Plenty of Israelis sincerely believe they must do this to defend against annihilation. They are panicking about the instability resulting from Mubarak's departure and the war in Syria. They feel they have no choice. Iran understands all this which is why it's gone quiet.

 

[elbows]

I think you have overcooked that point but there may be a kernel of truth in there somewhere.

Specifically I would not go overboard about 'imminently', the idea of them losing territory to Hamas seems far fetched, and the Iranians have not gone quiet.

Some of what Iran is saying right now is as much about Syria as anything:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/af...ocId=CNG.5dcadd78d05879dd83ed3092a594cfa0.3f1

​

Iran expects regional countries to send weapons to the Palestinians to help them fight Israel, parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday.​

"Although political measures taken by the regional countries are admirable, they are definitely not sufficient," Larijani said in remarks reported by the official IRNA news agency.​

"It is expected of them that they send serious military aid to the Palestinians... why should Islamic countries not send weapons to Palestine?" he asked, saying Israel receives such aid from the US and Western countries.​

Larijani also said regional states sending weapons to Syrian rebels should redirect that aid, without naming any countries.​

​

 

[elbows]

Meanwhile the likes of the UK are making warning noises about a ground invasion, saying it will cost Israel international support.

 

[teqniq]

@AsaWinstanley: As if I needed another reason to despite Toby Young: on murdered Palestinian babies in today's Sun: "that is always collateral damage"

 

[nino_savatte]

Has anyone noticed how "Operation Pillar of Cloud" suddenly became "Operation Pillar of Defence"?

 

[dylanredefined]

Reports that two media sites have been targeted (a war crime under Geneva Conventions and Rome Statute of International Criminal Court).

I don't think the media get special protection under geneva. So no more criminal than any other building being hit. Not that anyone really cares about war crimes to stop doing them

 

[weltweit]

Has anyone noticed how "Operation Pillar of Cloud" suddenly became "Operation Pillar of Defence"?

yes .. should the thread be renamed?

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Has anyone noticed how "Operation Pillar of Cloud" suddenly became "Operation Pillar of Defence"?

Perhaps the Israeli government thought that the original was too nebulous. Of course the word 'Defence' is always used in war to describe attack - nothing cloudy there.

 

[nino_savatte]

yes .. should the thread be renamed?

Dunno. What do you think?

 

[weltweit]

Dunno. What do you think?

Not really bothered here.

 

[weltweit]

If Israel wants to involve Iran, I think it has to get evidence that these new longer range missiles are coming from Iran. It might be possible to prove that from their wreckage in Israel but perhaps might better be discovered by a ground invasion into Gaza to get some pre firing.

If Israel agrees to a ceasefire now, what has it achieved? Gaza will still have missiles (some of which are long range), assuming they have not fired them all. I suppose it has proved the value of Iron Dome.

 

[smmudge]

@AsaWinstanley: As if I needed another reason to despite Toby Young: on murdered Palestinian babies in today's Sun: "that is always collateral damage"

I've seen that a lot. The death of three Israelis makes headline news for a day, but civilian casualities in Palestine are 'inevitable'. This guy is so sure of that he has to say it twice in the same sentence:

Almost inevitably in such a crowded area, however "surgical" Israel can claim its strikes are, there will almost always be civilian casualties.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20378064

 

[littlebabyjesus]

If Israel agrees to a ceasefire now, what has it achieved? .

As dylans said earlier, it may have achieved the reelection of Likud in January.

 

[Frumious B.]

I think you have overcooked that point but there may be a kernel of truth in there somewhere.

Specifically I would not go overboard about 'imminently', the idea of them losing territory to Hamas seems far fetched, and the Iranians have not gone quiet.

I was trying to put myself in Netanyahu's shoes - I think his endgame here is not just about re-election, but about saving Israel. To be honest if I were in his shoes I would sacrifice some civilians and territory to get the green light from the Americans. If Hamas and their supporters do not respond with enough aggression it would be easy for Israel to set something up. If you were Netanyahu, what would you do?

 

[Balbi]

Back the fuck off before Egypt and everyone else get their shit together.

 

[elbows]

If I were in his shoes I would have much better access to information than I have, so I cant do that exercise.

I dont think its just about the election, thats for sure.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

That should be checkable. Is there a history of action by Likud just before elections?

 

[elbows]

That doesnt prove anything though. It may be a motivating factor but I really dont think it can be the only one, that makes the mistake of thinking that party interests are allowed to trump wider interests. To keep all the important sections of the establishment on-side you cant go that far, action must be sold on the basis of a wider state interest.

 

[Treacle Toes]

Has anyone noticed how "Operation Pillar of Cloud" suddenly became "Operation Pillar of Defence"?

Yeah, reminds me of how sadam's face morphed into Bin laden's face and then back again. Depending on who we were supposed to be most scared of at the time.

 

[Balbi]

I think it's a translation issue.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I think some of this is a big fuck you to obama who wasnt terribly keen on bomb the fuck out of iran well not nearly as keen as mitt.

But its probably in the IDF year planner its November time to bomb Hamas again shoot a few pals until somebody lobs some rockets at you test the new iron dome interceptors and then get back to good old fashioned smiting

Cynical to belive maybe somebody has links with islamic jihad to replace hamas as hamas not really scary enough anymore
See everyone for op big smoking crater nov 13 except for those who are dead

Apparently Israel told Obama on Friday they have no plans for a ground invasion but declined to make the same assurance for not attacking Iran. I'm wondering if this is a big bait and switch. Shout about Hamas, do a week of attacks while you ready your military for a bigger campaign, do a 'We've god credible evidence about Iran doing xyz' and go for an attack on sites in Iran...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Not much of a surprise tbh, they have a well worked up social media plan in action, paid advertising on key channels like Facebook would be a big part of that.