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Subscribe to RSSIsrael and Gaza enter a second day of deadly exchanges that erupted after a Hamas military leader was killed in an Israeli missile attack. Israelis maintain that deadly strike was in retaliation for Palestinian rocket attacks. ITV's Paul Davies reports.
News analysis
TEL AVIV, Israel - Unilateral Israeli military attacks are not unexpected in this part of the world, as the wars with Gaza in 2008 and Lebanon in 2006 show.
In the past, Israel, with help from the United States, could rely on the acquiescence of the Egyptian government to do nothing. This week's attacks, the first large-scale Israeli operation since Arab Spring revolts erupted and toppled governments throughout the region, will seriously test whether the United States and Israel can still depend on Egypt's new government to hold the line.
Egypt's reaction to Israel's bombing was swift.
Baz Ratner / Reuters
Israeli soldiers watch as an Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket near the southern city of Beersheba on Thursday.
"The Israelis must realize that this aggression is unacceptable and would only lead to instability in the region and would negatively and greatly impact the security of the region," Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi said in a televised address on Thursday.
In a post-revolutionary Egypt, one where the country's foreign policy is expected to be more closely aligned with the will of the people, the latest round of Israeli strikes is sure to test Egypt's willingness go along with Israel and the United States. More importantly, it will test whether the United States' international priorities still hold sway in Egypt.
ANALYSIS: Israel, Gaza slide closer to war neither side wants
But whether or not the Israeli strikes on Hamas anger the Egyptian government, the key question is, what can Egypt actually do?
Egypt, which has acted as a mediator between Hamas and Israel since 2007, recalled its ambassador in protest to what it called Israel's aggression on the people of Gaza. It has summoned the Israeli ambassador to Cairo for a diplomatic dress down. It has also pushed for a United Nations Security Council meeting and will convene an Arab League gathering.
Egypt's ruling Freedom and Justice Party, and by extension the Muslim Brotherhood, has condemned the attacks and called for a strong international response. Already there are protest rallies and marches in solidarity with the people of Gaza being organized in Cairo.
Israel: Three civilians killed by rockets fired from Gaza as violence escalates
Many in Egypt aren't sure what any of these moves will amount to. At the end of the day, any international measure condemning Israel will have to go through the U.N. and will most likely be vetoed by the United States.
So Israeli actions in Gaza will test the United States' evolving relationship with Egypt post-Hosni Mubarak, the U.S.-backed dictator who was deposed in 2011.
Three Israelis were killed when their apartment building was struck by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, an attack that intensified tensions between Israel and Palestinian militants. The incident came after Hamas' top military commander and seven others were killed in a series of airstrikes by the Jewish state. NBC's Martin Fletcher reports.
The White House said on Wednesday that Obama had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egypt's Morsi, and reiterated U.S. support for Israel's right to self-defense in light of rocket attacks from Gaza.
"The president urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to make every effort to avoid civilian casualties. The two agreed that Hamas needs to stop its attacks on Israel to allow the situation to de-escalate," the statement said. "The president also spoke with President Morsi given Egypt's central role in preserving regional security. In their conversation, President Obama condemned the rocket fire from Gaza into Israel and reiterated Israel's right to self-defense."
These and other initial statements out of Washington have been received with great disappointment on the Arab street. Unlike in the past, the Arab street increasingly matters to more responsive Arab governments.
Hatem Moussa / AP
Palestinian mourners carry the body of Hamas' top military commander Ahmed Jabari, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Wednesday, during his funeral in Gaza City, on Thursday,
Many in Egypt blame Palestinians for a week of rocket fire into southern Israel, but not the Israeli strikes on Gaza over the past week that have killed civilians, including young children. On Arab talk shows, news programs and press, many are denouncing Obama for failing to live up to the promise he made when he traveled to Cairo in 2009 and offered Muslims "a new beginning" and "mutual respect.
Four years ago, under the same pretext it used in carrying out Operation Pillars of Defense, Israel carried out Operation Cast Lead to stop Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel. It is hard to say that the operation succeeded -- Hamas not only remains firmly in power and it has grown stronger in Gaza.
Israel acknowledged that since Cast Lead, Palestinian militant groups have acquired new longer-range rockets and missiles and Hamas has not been weakened operationally to the point its not a threat.
If Israel's military operation failed to stop rocket fire four years ago, why would it succeed this time around?
Nir Elias / Reuters
Two sides exchange deadly airstrikes, rocket attacks.
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People must stop thinking in terms of countries, if they want to understand the ME. This is not about Palestinian refugees, or the right to a Palestinian state. This is a conventional Muslim response dictated by their core teachings. The Arab Spring has followed Muslim sensibilities by electings leaders who promote Sharia Law. In short, countries must act according to Muslim law, not man's law. So no peace with Israel can ever be considered. It is their duty to eradicate non Muslims from any territory that was occupied and controlled by Muslims at any point in history. These victories were granted by Allah, losing them was deemed contrary to his will. A good Muslim must strive to enforce Allahs will. Bombing trains in Spain was a perfect example. They refuse to acknowledge Spain, call it Andalusia because they at one time had conquered and controlled it. Their prophet, the founder of their religion was one of history's most successful conquerors. They are merely following his teachings. Peace treaty with a devout Muslim is synonomous with unconditional surrender and conversion.
What is with our Presidents? From 1976 on, telling other countries to be careful not to hurt "civilians". That is the most ignorant thing any U.S. President can say after we Nuked over 100,000 women and children in Japan.
Everything in Gaza needs to be exterminated. The majority, voted for these INSAINE fools who launch missles at Israel. They want to die, they want all arabs to die It's what they are you know, arabs. It's like the whole Arab people got together and put most of their NUT JOBS, in the loony bin-Gaza. And when these Nuts go on a rampage and start killing just to get attention, the Arabs' defend the Loonies. It makes one wonder if, they kept some of the nuts out to run their countries?
I know people born in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and a person born in Kuwait. (all are American now) I have family that were born here, but at least one uncle was born in Lebanon. He is dead now. (I also have a friend, born and raised in Morroco, came here for collage and stayed=now a American. However, he, like most from his country, along with the people of Turkey and the people of Iran...ARE NOT ARAB.)
Each of these people has at one time or another, had a problem with what Israel was doing at a given time, but they all think Israel should exist, and be in Israel with Jerusalem as it's capitol. So being Arab, does not make you crazy, nor does following ISLAM. (the one uncle I knew was Arab and one friend from Jordan, were Christians. The one Uncle I never met, died before I was born, came from Lebanon, his children are christian, and, I don't think he was born in Lebanon, and I don't think he was Arab. You have to pay for such stuff. So I only know where he came here, from.)
If the "P" people had a brain in their heads, they would ask Israel to let the west bank BE Israel, but as a semi-independent area. (sorry cant't spell) That other than the vote, they would be treated like equals, I think Israel would go for it.
All I know is Hamas has been firing rockets on civilians in Israel for years, and it's time someone put a stop to it.
Someone sent me this video from Youtube of the Israeli IRON DOME intercepting about a dozen Hamas rockets over an Israeli town.
THIS IS SIMPLY AMAZING!!!
h t t p : / / www . youtube . com / watch?v=9VlJRU-tXbo
.
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This is just what some person in Israel caught on their camera while they were waiting near a bus stop.
But you can clearly see about a dozen interceptors fired at incoming missiles and you can hear the explosions. It's crazy! You can hear that the girl who was standing next to the guy was freaking out.
Just imagine what would've happened to that young man and that girl in the video (and many other people in that town/neighborhood) if all those rockets would have landed near them, instead of being intercepted by that anti-missile system.
The only reason there are not more casualties on the Israeli side, is that all the people in Israel know they have to seek shelter if they hear a siren. Or in the case of these young people in this video, they were lucky to be protected by Iron Dome.
jesus is coming soon
Near the end, this article states that Israel's actions are a "pretext." A pretext is an excuse that is made up to hide the truth. Israel's actions are intended to stop the Hamas terrorists from firing rockets at Israel.
Israel should just blow their camel jockey ass into next year...screw them.And we should have turned Afghanistan into a radioactive fog and burned Iraq into the ground.As well as threatened the existence of the entire middle east.Islam is a faux religion and their prophet is a sick pedophile bastard.Could we wipe out Islam...yes.However if most of them want to live in peace and join the freakin 21st century fine.But do not use your religion as a basis to declare war on Christians,Jews or Americans period.If your poor it isnt Americas fault.Its your own for being so freakin stupid yourself.Except some damn responsibility for a freakin change.Keep it up followers of radical Islam and one day we will just annihilate your ass off the planet.
Why is America in love with Israel? And who really runs New York: Is it JZ or the Jews? And if it is the Jews, are these Jews related to the Jews in Israel???
With financial power comes political power.