Hamas has officially ended its so-called `ceasefire' with a barrage of rockets and mortar shells fired at Sderot's Hadar district and as far north as Ashkelon this morning.
The Hamas military arm, Ezz-e-Din announced that it had shot 80 missiles and mortar rounds at Israeli targets in retaliation for IDF operations. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said later: “This is a message to the Zionist enemy that our strikes will continue. We have the means and we hold Gilead Shalit.”
The Fatah-al Aqsa Brigades and Jihad Islami also took part.
Meanwhile, IDF troops arrested six Palestinian terrorists in Judea and Samria(the West Bank ) over the last two days, including a cell five Islamic Jihad members in Hebron.
Near Jenin, the Palestinians tried to ambush an IDF patrol and opened fire them, while in Nablus, the IDF found a 20-kg. bomb that was probably being readied for another homicide bombing attempt..which IDF sappers detonated in a controlled explosion.
As for the rocket and mortar attacks coming from Gaza, the IDF disclosed that the rocket attacks were a cover for another attempted kidnapping of Israeli soldiers.
In reality, of course, there never was a `ceasefire' as on going attacks continued to take place against Israel, including a massive bombing planned for Tel Aviv..though they were mostly foiled by the IDF and Shin Bet.
The rocket fire was slightly curtailed, but this ended because of three factors. One, the re-arming of Hamas' arsenal by Iran and Syria - two, the successful completion of the unity government brokered by Mecca - and three, their increased funding the Palestinians have received from the US, The EU, Iran, and the Arabs.
This, of course was not an arbitrary decision by Hamas, but done in coordination with its Saudi, Syrian and Iranian allies, and in conjunction with Hezbollah, who we can probably also expect to ramp up their attacks as time goes on.
Significantly, Hamas' real leader Khalid Meshaal is meeting with Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo, Egypt this weekend to plot strategy.
In response, the Olmert government has already ruled out any major retaliation, but said it will concentrate on a `targeted response'...which probably means some more empty buildings will be expensively detonated, or a few Hamas cockroaches will be incinerated in a car-BQ.
The Olmert government is doing virtually nothing to combat the military buildup by the Palestinians in Gaza or Judea and Samaria ( the West Bank)whichincludes massive arms smuggling through Egypt and virtually easy access by Hamas and Hezbollah troops to Iran and Syria for training.As a matter of fact, my sources tell me that iranian revolutionary Guards instructors are openly working with Hamas and Fatah in Gaza...and perhaps in the West Bank as well.
Originally, you'll recall, part of the deal brokered by the US and EU with the Palestinians for Israel's retreat from Gaza was firm monitoring of the Rafah crossing to stop any arms smuggling. Like Resolution 1701 in Lebanon, this has become a grim joke as the Philadelphi Corridor and Gaza have been wide open for over two years now.
It's also obvious that the attempts by Israel, the EU and the US to deal with `non-Hamas' ministers of the new Unity Palestinian government simply took the pressure off them, gave them legitimacy and allowed them the time and opportunity to build up their forces and arsenals and prepare for war.
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