"Hamas' most ambitious attempt to target Israelis since Israel's pullout from Gaza in 2005."
What say you, Dhimmi Carter? By Yaniv Zohar for the Associated Press:
KEREM SHALOM, Israel - Hamas suicide bombers detonated two booby-trapped jeeps at an Israeli border crossing Saturday in what a top army commander said was Hamas' most ambitious attempt to target Israelis since Israel's pullout from Gaza in 2005.
Thirteen soldiers were wounded and four Hamas assailants killed in the attack on the Kerem Shalom crossing, just hours before the start of the Jewish Passover holiday, said the commander, Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant.
Hamas also dispatched an armored vehicle to another crossing, but that vehicle was struck by an Israeli tank shell.
Hamas said it would carry out more attacks to break the blockade of Gaza, imposed after Hamas' violent takeover of the territory nearly a year ago. Saturday's bombing at Kerem Shalom was the fifth attack on Israelis at Gaza passages since last week.
The attack on Kerem Shalom started at about 6 a.m. Saturday, Galant said. Hamas militants drove an armored personnel carrier and two jeeps — made to look like Israeli army vehicles — toward the crossing under the cover of morning fog and heavy Hamas mortar fire toward the border area.
The armored personnel carrier broke through the perimeter fence, enabling the two jeeps to enter the crossing. One jeep was detonated near an army watchtower and the second near a patrol, security officials said. Thirteen soldiers were wounded in the second blast, including eight who were hospitalized.
Galant said Hamas apparently tried to cause a large number of casualties and to kidnap soldiers.
"This is an attack the likes of which we have not seen since disengagement," Galant said, referring to Israel's pullout from Gaza in September 2005. "It (the attack) was orchestrated along the border."
Later Saturday, an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a car near Kerem Shalom, killing a mechanic for the Hamas police and wounding four people, Palestinian security officials and medics said.
Hamas said three of its gunmen were killed Saturday, but released a farewell video of four attackers. One of the faces was blocked out, suggesting he is still at large.
The video showed the three vehicles, an armored personnel carrier, an military-style jeep and a small sedan. The video showed the three vehicles driving off into the morning fog. The assailants posed for the camera, smiling and toting rifles.
Breaking the blockade, huh? Oh, now I see their game plan: break through at the border crossings until they reach Jordan and Lebanon. So elemental. Never mind abandoning eternal cosmic warfare against their neighbors, building peace, opening a seaport and international airport; never mind cooperating on an ambitious project like building a transnational highway from Gaza, Rafah to Aqaba and on other regionaly enriching schemes that flow from real peace!
"Hamas said it would carry out more attacks to break the blockade of Gaza,"
more weasel words from AP. Israel's closure of its border with Gaza is a "blockade". Well, what about Egypt's closure of its border with Gaza? And just who is blockading the Gaza coast-line?
The day will come when Obadiah will be fulfilled, and the world will remember how proud Hamas is that the word of their name means "Violence". (check the lone chapter of that book of the Old Testament for that reference)
I have no doubt that Jimmy Carter will be numbered as one who stands WITH Hamas, against Israel, the Apple of God's Eye.
As a Sunday School teacher, he will stand before God without any extenuating circumstances or ability to plead ignorance.
I stand in need of prayer for my cold cold heart - I confess, my eye has no pity for the man.
Yeah, Egypt's blockade is against their own fellow countrymen and brothers!
Remembering they were forced to confess that even Arafat was born and raised in Cairo, and NOT in JERUSALEM as he lied the last half of his life.
"but that vehicle was struck by an Israeli tank shell."
TallyHO!!..that is how you protect the crossing (which should no longer be called a crossing)..it is the border and it should be closed.
If there is to be any peace, it must be supported by the people. Therefore before the USA or the EU wastes more precious resources attempting to impose a peace not desired by the people there should be an open referendum in Israel, in Gaza, and in the west bank giving the choices, Peace, or war.
If the people want war, nobody no law, no government is going to stop them from attacking. From what I have learned of the Israeli-palestinain Arab conflict, the Israelis wish peace, and the arabs want war, I would love to be proven wrong with a referendum where the arab population votes for peace with Israel.
If the Israelis vote for peace and the arabs vote for war, then the Isrealis are doing right by isolating and turning away from those mongerring for jihad war.