The calm before....

Friday night a Kassam rocket hit one of the flimsy caravan homes in Carmiya, a
kibbutz housing some of the evacuees from Gush Kativ. It badly injured a seven
month old baby in the head and lightly injured two adults. Since there is no
shelter or reinforced concrete roofs there, most of the population has fled to
other locations, mainly to an Army Base nearby, south of Ashkelon. The
problem is that the Government, knowing the danger of living close to the Gaza
border, has done nothing to protect these people, who have already suffered
from being forcibly evicted. The baby is recovering in Soroka Hospital in
Beersheva.
In retaliation, the IDF bombarded roads and destroyed bridges in northern Gaza
from where the rockets are fired, and they also attacked several sites from
the air, killing three al Aksa Martyrs Brigades terrorists and wounding five
others attending a meeting. Two other Kassam rockets were fired but caused no
damage. The Israeli Government is afraid to retaliate with force because of
the world response at this critical juncture of Hamas forming a PA Government.
They don't want to accused of escalating the military situation and providing
Hamas with an excuse not to recognize Israel.
For the same reason the Cabinet today voted to pay the m$50 taxes owed to
the PA rather than delay or cancel the payment, mainly because the Head of the
Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, said that he had signed an agreement to do
so, and Israel should keep its signed commitments. Also, Hamas is not yet in
power in Gaza, and this is seen as a way of bolstering Pres. Abbas, who needs
the funds to pay salaries. Also, this decision is in line with that of the US
and Quartet who want to be seen supporting Abbas, until Hamas actually forms
the Government. But, PM Olmert stated that this will be the last such payment
if Hamas does take over.
Several Hamas representatives have spoken recently, Khaled Mashaal, the Head
of Hamas located in Damascus, stated categorically that Hamas will never
recognize Israel's right to exist. In Gaza, during the funerals of the three
terrorists, there were threats to expand the attacks on Israel, and Hamas
representatives vowed to exact revenge on Israel.
Sunday a 20 year old Palestinian from Nablus, carrying an Israeli id card,
stabbed several passengers in a mini-bus in Petah Tikva. He sat between other
passengers and suddenly took out a knife and stabbed them. One woman died of
her wounds and five others were badly injured, until the driver stopped and
passers-by were able to help subdue the man. He was protected from an angry
crowd by an Israeli. It was said that they think that he acted alone.
Two Palestinian youths were arrested at a road block near Nablus carrying bags
containing two suicide bomb belts, that they were supposed to deliver to
someone on the other side of the road block. They appeared to act
suspiciously to the IDF soldiers and so they were taken aside and the road
block was cleared and closed down. They were arrested and turned over to the
Shin Bet security police, and the bombs were safely detonated. They said that
the bombs were intended to be delivered in Tel Aviv.
Officially there is a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But, Hamas
spokesmen keep uttering threats about what will happen once they are in power
and take over the security services. So, notwithstanding these events, this
is the calm before the storm! Those expecting that Hamas will be "moderated"
by being the Government in power are deluding themselves. I am hoping that the
first terrorist action of Hamas will not be so severe that many Israelis die
before the Government decides to retaliate in force.