E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
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.
Leave a Comment:
Imagine a massive meteor breaking up over the Middle East and flattening the entire area from Morocco to Pakistan, killing everyone.
Suddenly, the world is looking like a much better place to live in.
Pagan. Not going to happen! Jehova/Yaweh would shield the Israelis and Allah would shield the Muslims. Remember, this world is to be enjoyed only from the context that it exists as a backdrop for the great morality play that is organized religion.....
headline should read after stealing their country starving blockading them poisoning well bulldozing houses shooting little girls etc pals fire garage made bottle rockets
Hey, uka, I'm glad you're so full of hate. It means you're going to die soon. ;-)
I will not die I will buy organs ripped out of little pal girls from rabbis in NJ I will live forever and piss on your grave ahahah demigod you hate anyone that isnt a jew just like your inbred satatnic rabbi told you
Not at all. I'm not jewish.
I just hate retarded children that, somehow, are allowed to vote. I know you won't be eligible for another 15 years or so, but still... it's possible.
but in 15 years I will be drafted to fight pissraels wars and you are a liar and a jew sorry for repeating myself
uka. I guess you better watch out. mossad is threatening you. but I %100 agree with you
God. we know you are not jewish. you are an isreali zionist which is nothing close to being a jew.
rameshim I fear no man especially satanic inbred jews if they want a war they will get it from me
You two are forming a Mutual Masturbation Society. How cute!
Like I said earlier: You're a legend in your own mind. You may continue farting patriotically now.
want to give us a hand demigod?? i fear no man and do not fear the joossad
god. look who is talking. it seems to me that there are alot more zionist here than a few of us who disagree with you. personally I believe that all the wars in middle east are product of isreal. look at iraq. false information by mossad made us. attack and bring down saddam. he was not a saint, but now we got isreali's oil pipeline from both end of iraq to isreal with hifa1,2 and 3 u,s millitary bases paid by u.s tax payer protecting the pipelines. people are notincing all these and it won't be long before your kind of people have to look for a sewer hole to hide.
Yes, it's me, Einstein! Who the hell are you to question me?
I condemn you both to Hell for sheer stupidity!
god.. can't take the truth? so you tag people with stupid remarks . yes einstein was a briliant jew and i have nothing against jews who believe in equality. But not your kind of jew/zionist who under the name of jew trying to take over the world i have problem with. If you had a fraction of einstein brain, you would not be commenting this kind of @!$%#.
If Egypt wants a war with Israel have at it, but they will get their Egyptian asses kicked!
Now, here is a genius who thinks war is the equivalent of Monday Night Football. Gotta be a RW redneck. You do realize that small children wind up homeless, limbless or lifeless in wars, right? It's a little worse than the 1st string RB pulling a hammy.
gee that is funny being lebanon kicked the s hit out of baby killin IDF
speaking of baby killing... hear what your friends did to the Fogel family?
NBC let an impartial correspondant write an article on their main page. While I was reading through it made me think the writer was biased against Israel, turns out he is an Arab with a palestinian mother. I think NBC should vet their articles before they post. Very unprofessional on their part.
I guess msnbc is pissing off a lot of isreali's here. but this assult by isreal is not going to go un noticed in the eye of the world. you guys who compare the palestinian rocket attack to cluster bombs by isreal are so full of it. it compares to palestinian sling shot vs automatic riffle. I am not arab , nor a muslim, but if someone came to grab my land , I would do whatever in my power to fight them. I guess the isreali's thought after bulldozing the farms, and houses and stores that once belong to palestinian, they would have nothing to go back to, and eventually they would forget that they ever lived there. but I quess they were wrong.
and prior to roman emperor hadran invading and kicking the Jews out of Judea and Samaria, (prior to the founding of Islam even) the land belonged to the Jewish folk.
rameshim they are inbred israeli settlers paid by israel with stolen US tax money to spout their demonic propaganda archeimy one of the greatest acts in history is when the Romans destroyed the temple and scattered the jews AND NAMED THE LAND PALESTINE
That's part of the problem, the land was given to Abraham, the father of both nations, and he gave it to Isaac, not Ishmael. So, learn your history before spewing hatered toward the Jews that are rightfully defending themselves from those that seek to destroy them. Honestly, let the racial muslims keep it up, they will get the chance to meet satan PDQ.
Uka... so you think that it's totally fair to boot the Jews out, change the name of the land... have other people take it... but when the owners come back and try to co-exist... suddenly that's not cool?
@ American Soldier-1929698. So you are defending Isreals crimes simply because of something you read in a book written by jews thousands of years ago? You sir are an idiot. First of all the jews wrote the bible in an attempt to control all of Europe through religion. Then they set out to control the world banks. Control a nation's currency and you control the nation. I suggest you do a google search of the Mithras and or watch the Zeitgeist video.
Poltergiest, when you have something that can stand up to the scrutiny of eyewitness accounts, collaboration by other writers (third pary collaboration) and shortest time between orginal manuscripts and copies, you should just take notes and learn something ...and your sir are a closet pork eating turd! How about doing us all a favor, remove the head from the a$$, the brain is oxygen starved.
american soldier. suppose that god gave jews this land"which is bs all by itself"then according to the same fact, god exiled them out of this land"took the land away . told them they don't deserve it" have you seen any notice from god that the jews are now allowed to go back? that is the argument that many orthodox jews make. they were expelled from isreal by god, and the only way they can go back is by god and not by some british /french/u.s. mandate.
I guess MSNBC has driven everyone to a couple of places to post. And judging by the tone of the posts on those couple of places, I can see why Romney was so absolutely sure he was going to be the winner. Overloading the circuits might give the appearance that there's a great groundswell taking place when in actuality, it really isn't.
this is what you need to know from Henry Ford a great american: corral the 50 richest jews AND THERE WILL BE NO MORE WAR
i'm pretty sure that sunni and shia Islam would still be killing eachother for ford's sake... (brave new world reference for the win)
Once again the islamist supporting lemming leftys come to the support of a terrorist organization -hamas . No surprise there . liberalism is a mental illness .You guys are a bunch a wackadoos .
deleted
once again paid inbred israeli settlers defending satanic israel
Islam is the most satanic "religion " ever concocted . hence all the continous never ending killings by muslims the whole world over. You lefty sheople just refuse to see the truth , even when it's staring you straight in the face .You know what? Check out your hero bill mahers take on muslims , at least HE has his eyes open.
SOMEDUDE. we are not talking about islam and muslims. we are talking about the right and the wrong. put religion aside. how would you like to be kicked out of your house, have your neighborhood leveled just because some so called jews who supposedly god gave them the land decide after 3000 years to come back. this is not about jews. there are many jews who oppose this as well.
Obama and congress kissed the radicals ass and now they'll kick ours on the world stage. We need to get the hell out of the UN and the Middle East. We'll only get what we deserve as a nation.
We already know, nothing to see or worry about. This is all some type of spontaneous demonstration over a Youtube Video. President Obama knows what is going on & will apologize for it after his appearance on Pimp With A Limp.
What everyone seems to forget is that Isreal has been annexing Palistinian land for decades. They move into Palistinian territory and set up villages that they call settlements. Then they annex the land and the Palistinian neighbors get evicted. How would we like it that was happening to us. The Isrealis get a billion dollar a year in American Taxpayer money so they can buy bombs and bulldozers. Giving American taxpayer money to foreign countries is actually illigal under constitutional law. Taxpayer money can only be spent to benefit Americans and Americans only. Money that should be used to rebuild our infrastructure and creat good jobs. Isreal recently shot down a an Iranian drone, fired missles into Syria and now they are killing innocent people in Palastine. It seems to me that Isreal is spoiling for a fight because they know they have the worlds biggest bully (U.S.) by their side. They also control half of our congress and half of our senate. Oh and let's not forget that the Jews own all our major media networks and control our banks. Who's the real threat here? Ask yourselves and don't be blinded by Biblical bs.
the "innocent " people who are firing all those rockets you mean ? What kind of dumbass logic do you have ? That's ok ? The israelis should just sit there and take it ?Where do you live ? In the US ? Have you returned your land to the natives yet ?
Polt - what was the land called directly prior to being named "Palestine?"
who were the inhabitants that the invading romans kicked out?
At 68 years old, with a bad heart, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, and they can't decide what's wrong with my liver, I wish there was something, ANYTHING, I could do to help the Israelis in their strugle to survive being surrounded by a people that don't know how to live in peace. They have been at war for centuries. Their religious leaders haven't got a clue. They all BELIEVE this is what Muhammed wants. They all believe they have a right to use Israel for target practice without worrying about anybody shooting back in defense. I've got news for them all. Keep screwing around and your countries will be turned into glass.
If I could be assured it would find it's way directly to Israel I would donate platelets and/or whole blood as often as possible. My fear is it would somehow find it's way to the wrong people and I couldn't live with the thought I helped save the life of a Muslim fenatic bent on destroying everything they touch. Maybe if I can find a Jewish hospital they can help me?
at 68 I would think that you might be a bit smarter. this assult is nothing but a strategic manouver for the likud prty and the nut case pm. he wants to stenghten his re election. this basterd will do anything to get re elected. Isreali government is the most deceiving government on earth. I thought the Iranian government was bad, Iraq war , afghan war don't look far and look around and see who is profitting. they are the devil themselves. you at 68 either are naive or hiding your head in sand.
DNA shows that Hitler was a Jew. The AshkeNAZI's are actually related to Turks, as the DNA shows. The Palestinians on the other hand are the ones related(DNA again) to the ancient Hebrews. It is high time to end this NAZI occupation of Palestine.
When islam was first invented they took over hundreds of countires slaughtering as they went . Most of the lands they currently reside in were obtained from conqureing and pillaging . When do they plan on returning it ?
BP... please provide sources to back up your incorrect propaganda.
ALLAH Kills - Jesus Saves
Jesus Came to Save The World Not to Condemn The World............
Muhammad Is A False Prophet Who Does nothing But Exsaserbate DEMONIC HATRED Of Peoples and Races.
In the End times God has prophesied how Israel will be bombarded by the North and eventually all sides and this is in the Holy Bible. The evil will endure for a period, but our Lord Jesus Christ will return to Earth and the evil will spend Eternity in the depths of Hell.... and those covered by faith, that our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and nothing that we have done on this earth will transpire into total Revelation and eternity with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit thru His Grace. Amen
The OBAMANAZIs Will Follow Their Leader.......... ISLAM !
Is that kinda like when your brain follows your thumb up your a$$?
There is no point posting what I am about to post. People just spew hate at each other or being propagandist. No compassion or trying to understand why thing the way they are.
To the Palistinian sympathizers. Does anybody REALLY believe that if the Palistinians had a brain larger than a pigs they would have developed rockets with a guidance system and programmed them to hit TelAviv and all other major Israeli cities killing God only knows how many CIVILIANS. Right now their ignorance is Israels only salvation.
pizzedoff. you are a ignorant zionist who has the mentality of the jews who think they are the chosen race and the rest of us were created as gentiles to serve the jews. the palestinian are choaked by isreali's in every regard that you can think of. how do you expect them to florish when they can't even have normal commodities. they are cut off from the world by air, land and water by isreali's.civilian?bs. the rockets that palestinian shoot are as effective as sling shots to compare with clustered boms that isreal shoots in gaza.
Eyman - are you kidding us all???? NBC News - how can you allow an article on a serious subject like this to start with the words: "Unilateral Israeli military attacks"???? you just lost all credibilty, by allowing this insane and anti-semitic writer a space on your site as an "expert"!!!!! how stupid of the NBC News editor??? it is incredible that you allow such bias, ignorant and plain idiotic reporting, SHAME on you NBC News!!!!
And you leftys wonder why we keep accusing o'hussein of being a muslim . Is it any coincidence that NO MATTER waht the islamists do , you guys will make escuses up for them or take their side on every issue ? Of course you have to think like that . because your o'fuhrer told you to take the muslim side on everything and you couldn't disobey orders or you'd be disbarred from your obammunist cult .Why don't one of you respond and say what it is YOU would do when someone is firing hundreds of rockets at YOU ?
What are you talking about, you dumb sh!t?
You'd call me a lefty and I support Israel 100%, along with most other "lefties" here, but you're too god damned stupid to see beyond your own stereotypes. You'd rather just talk like an idiot.
And Obama didn't tell us to take any side. That's the idiot in you talking again. The right may work that way, because you follow orders, but the left can think for itself.
And... the best part is... YOU LOST!!!
You may continue bitching and moaning now.
No it can't, you guys are nothing more than bots . You do as you're told . You belive whatever your lefty spin doctors come up with .Hence all the hysteria over retarded and useless hope and change slogans . As far as the election goes . I didn't like either . Both idiots .At least conservatives can admit when their candidate is a dumbass. You guys can't . You'd worship o'hussein no matter what he did . If he personally killed your kid you'd still think he was a hero .You guys have to side with muslims. It's in your handbook .
deleted
How could you possibly have gotten so stupid?
Did you breast-feed into your 40's while your mother smoked crack?
Never mind, you don't have to answer. It's enough knowing that you're so full of hate you're going to ruin your health. Then you'll be on your knees, thanking Obama for Obamacare. Or maybe you'll die first. Either way is fine. ;-)
Look guys-I am a long time supporter of Israel, but we all know what Obama will do if Israel is attacked. He will sternly call a meeting of the UN Security Council. Most of the jewish voters in this country voted for Obama, so whatever happens to Israel is on their heads. Obama talked tough on little Libya and then led from behind. He did nothing on Syria even though the human atrocities there were worse. He just talks and tags along with the winning side. I am OK with the Monroe Doctrine, but we better be prepared to use our nukes when we need to.
Obama will be working on dismantling all our nukes soon enough .
And thus it ends.
That means no more erections for you!
STOP ALL USA Foreign AID The ISLAMIC Nations Including The GAZA Strip................
Israel Will Have To Re-Occupy GAZA for its own national security !
That is certainly no way to make friends with the Iranians; or the Syrians; or the Libyans; or the Egyptians; or the Jordanians; or the Iraquis; well, you know where this is going.
yes, we know where this is going.but i do agree we should not be giving hostile countries the means to be hostile.
Israel is right to defend itself against the rocket attacks and kick Hamas's butt for doing so, but they also need to stop building settlements and threatening Iran. Israel could do a great deal to build better relations with Arab nations who realize that a nuclearly armed Israel (backed up by the US) isn't going anywhere. If these Arab nations had some real signals on land for peace from Israel, they might be willing to bring pressure to bear on the Hamas's, Hezbollah's and Iran's of the region to stop this pointless terrorist crap and concentrate on nationbuilding and improving the lot of the people in their respective territories and countries. Yes Israel is under threat and must defend itself but even with nuclear weapons they cannot establish a Pax Israel based on that alone. Trying to dictate the terms of this Pax Israel to the Palestinians and all the other countries in the region only insures that they will escalate and eventually seek nuclear weapons themselves (see Iran).