More Deaths as Gaza Rocket Tally Breaks 1,200 Mark Since Disengagement

More than 1,201 Qassam rockets have been launched by the Palestinians from Gaza since disengagement in August 2005. Israel relocated nearly 9,000 residents from Gaza in late August, granting the Palestinians independence to govern themselves. In return, the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority has permitted terror groups to stockpile weapons, launch Qassam rocket attacks and to intentionally target innocent Israeli civilians.

Since Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza, terror from the strip has increased. Within the last eight months four civilians have died and dozens wounded as a result of Qassam and mortar fire. A total of ten civilians have died as a result of Qassam and mortar fire launched from Gaza into Israel. An additional seven were killed prior to disengagement by rockets and mortars in Jewish communities within Gaza, including a foreign worker and two Palestinians. In the last week alone, almost 70 Qassam rockets were launched from northern Gaza killing two Israeli civilians.

Under the control of the Hamas government, Palestinians are now capable of launching Qassam rockets into the coastal town of Ashkelon, which lies 8 miles from northern Gaza. Qassams usually can travel up to 1.8-6 miles, but Hamas' green light for continued terror against Israel has resulted in the creation of a new double-engine Qassam rocket by Hamas and the build up of Grad-style Katyusha rockets that can reach targets within 11-19 miles. In March 2006, Islamic Jihad launched a Grad-type Katyusha rocket into Israel for the first time. Four Grad-type rockets in total have been fired into Israeli territory.

All the Katyusha rockets that have been fired from Gaza were 122 mm, the same as those found on the Karin-A ship captured by Israeli authorities in 2002. The ship was carrying a supply of weapons and munitions delivered by Hezbollah and paid for by Iran. The 122-mm Katyusha rocket was widely used by Hezbollah to attack Israeli civilians in northern Israel during the Israel-Hezbollah war.

In a briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on November 14, Israel Security Agency Director Yuval Diskin outlined that following Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Palestinian terrorist groups have smuggled into Gaza:

• 33 tons of military-grade high explosives
• 20,000 assault rifles
• 3,000 pistols
• 6,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition
• 38 long-range Qassam missiles
• 12 shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft guided missiles
• 95 anti-tank rocket launchers
• 410 anti-tank rockets
• 20 precision-guided anti-tank missiles

Hamas and Islamic Jihad have taken a large percentage of responsibility for firing the barrage of Qassam rockets that have struck southern Israeli towns in recent weeks. Abu Obaida, spokesman for the Hamas-affiliated Izz Eddeen al-Qassam Brigades, said "It is not a secret that we are developing our military capabilities as we indeed have upgraded our Qassam rockets to the extent that it makes it easy for them to accurately hit their targets."

Terror remains rampant in Gaza to the extent that the Red Cross has temporarily ceased all Gaza activities. After two Italian Red Cross aid workers were kidnapped this week, one of which was traveling with a Canadian passport, a spokesman said that the Red Cross would only work in Gaza "in matters of life and death."

Louise Arbour, former Supreme Court of Canada and the new UN high commissioner for human rights, witnessed Qassam rocket strikes firsthand when visiting Sderot on November 21. During her tour of the western Negev four Qassams were fired from Gaza into Sderot, hitting a poultry processing plant and severely wounding Yaakov Yaakobovich. He later died of his wounds. According to UN spokesman Christopher Gunness, Arbour stated that "Qassams are illegal under international law," and that Israel "has a responsibility to defend its citizens" as long as legal measures are employed.

The imminent threat of Qassam fire originating from Gaza led the Knesset Finance Committee this week to delay increasing defense budget funds in order to allocate a sufficient amount of resources to ensure that Sderot schools are protected against the bombardment of rockets. Some classes in Sderot are currently being held in bomb shelters. One of the Qassam rockets launched from Gaza on Wednesday morning landed near the courtyard of a Sderot school before classes were slated to begin. Students at the scene were treated for shock.

Comments

[Dr. Scott McVittie]

Palestine does not exist, has never existed and never will. Palestinian people are nonentities save they hold grudges and even when given autonomy use such freedom to stockpile weapons of destruction, harm and death.
So you clowns want to blow yourselves up? Great idea. Charter some ships, herd yourselves onto to the ships to the last man woman and child then sail oh say a thousand miles from any shore and gleefully blow yourselves up.
Do that and the rest of the world can return to peace, understanding and respect for fellow men.
To paraphrase Will Rodgers: "I never met a Palestinian radical I liked." Furthermore, like a disease the sooner they are irradicated the happier I will be.