Israel rejects ceasefire proposal, dithers on ground move

[Israel Insider]

In apparent indecision reminiscent of the 2006 Lebanon War fiasco, Israel cannot seem to decide whether to stay or whether to go, hesitating to initiate a ground offensive even as the Air Force runs out of targets.

Israeli fighter pilots have flown more than 500 sorties, and chopper pilots hundreds more. They have reportedly hit more than 95% of the targets on their lists.

The focus in recent days has been the Philadelphi route along the Gaza-Egypt border, government buildings, a rocket development facility at the Islamic University and a weapons silo concealed inside a mosque.

In all, nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed, more than half of them uniformed Hamas men. Palestinians claim that about 10% are women or children.

No Israelis have been killed or seriously hurt since Monday, despite scores of rockets that have pounded the western Negev and southern coastal region, reaching as far north as Yavne and as far east as Beersheva, a range of some 25 miles (40km) from Gaza.

Two armored divisions are reportedly poised on the Gaza border awaiting a government decision. After rejecting a French-initiated idea for a two-day trial ceasefire, the government reiterated its determination to continue with the "Cast Lead" operation until its goals are realized.

Those goals have been defined vaguely, but there are indications that the objective is nothing less than the overthrow of the Hamas regime. Certainly something that fell short of that would have little chance of enduring.

[sheba]

""...nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed.." it should be written ".... nearly 400 terrorist savages have been killed...." hopefully more to come..... "
Hey Tal, I think they're more afraid that you might drop 400 sticks of deodorant on their villages...or even worse, perhaps 400 books of history which proves who lived their 2000+ years ago (i.e. Jews)...

[Andrew]

I think the IDFs objective should be to keep the war going until Gilad Shalit has been freed and Haniyah's head is on a spike.

[James Rowntree]

Question...
How do we KNOW that 'hundreds have been killed' in Gaza?
From Hamas? From the pro-Hamas mainstream media?
The facts are unknown.
Can anyone trust sources in Gaza?
Can we believe the same anti-Israel media which reported widely on the (non-existent) Jenin massacre?
The same media which accused Israel of war crimes in Lebanon?
The world media blindly repeat the figures given by Hamas,
and nobody questions the accuracy and objectivity of the sources.
Small war in Gaza... not many killed...
See www.israel-betrayed.com

[Tal]

"...nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed.." it should be written ".... nearly 400 terrorist savages have been killed...." hopefully more to come.....

[Robert Bernier]

Hamas isn't a Western-style pragmatic organization.
Peace and quiet is its enemy not only because of its ideology—the deity commands it to destroy Israel—or its self-image—as heroic martyrs—but also because battle is needed to recruit the masses for permanent war and unite the population around it. Hamas has no program of improving the well-being of the people or educating children to be doctors, teachers, and engineers. Its platform has but one plank: war, war, endless war, sacrifice, heroism, and martyrdom until total victory is achieved. Consult : http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/2008/11/hamas-is-staging-gaza-blackouts.html

[mlj]

My heart goes out to the innocent people in Israel. The Israelites are God's chosen people, I pray that God will come for all the Christians very soon, until then I am praying for my fellow believers in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour!