Israel will continue to pummel Gaza with rockets after a 48-hour cease fire proposal was rejected by the security cabinet Wednesday, the New York Times reports.
“We cannot give them a respite to rearm and regroup” said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. “We need a real, sustainable solution, not a Band-Aid.” Olmert said Israel would continue to fire until Hamas stopped launching rockets.
Currently, the death toll stands at about 390 Palestinians and four Israelis.
Olmert told President Bush early Wednesday that Israel would continue to look for ways to help aid wounded and threatened Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the New York Times reports. Olmert has repeatedly told media that the civilians are not the target of the attacks.
He told Bush that Hamas operatives and militants are the sole target, and it is them who are endangering the lives of Palestinian civilians.
Aides close to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak say that a ground operation may be forthcoming. Several ground troops are on pins and needles, waiting for the go ahead.
According to the UN, several thousands in Gaza have been without power since Dec. 26, after Israel cut a fuel pipeline that helped power parts of Gaza. UN humanitarian efforts are currently under way.
Governments and officials all over the world are attempting to come up with any solution that will put a halt to this conflict. The Arab League, the European Union and the United States are currently exploring several options that would see both Hamas and Israel cease firing, not temporarily, but permanently.
Israel’s attack in Gaza and massacre of almost 400 defenseless, Palestinian civilians should be a war crime. Israel did not attack 1.5 million Palestinian civilians because of rockets being fired into Israeli cities. Israel attacked the Palestinians to slaughter them, terrorize them, and drive them out of Gaza for good. This is Israel’s solution to its palestinian problem and to expand its border boundaries, as well as to stop the US and UN from pressuring it about a peace process which would require Israel to give up land. For over a year, Israel has been blockading Gaza to commit genocide on the Palestinians via starvation, lack of medical care, and contaminated water. This final attempt by Israel is to prevent a return to pre-1967 border boundaries. Israel is trying desperately to drive Palestinians out of Gaza, and using Hamas and the firing of rockets into Israel as a smoke screem for its attack on the Palestinians. The US is a willing partner in Israel’s conspiracy. Hopefully, the Palestinians will stay on their land and Hamas will survive Israel. If Israel destroy the Hamas organization, it will hopefully be replaced by a more miltant group that will spares no violence and give the Israeli Zionist Jews the violence they deserve.
The US is the real obstacle to getting a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinian. The US gives Israel cover for its lies and crimes, and protects Israel from any action against it by the UN. The US should be removed from its position of Mediator on grounds of being a dishonest broker.