Salafists keep up missile fire after most Palestinian Gaza groups buy a truce

DEBKAfile Special Report November 12, 2012, 10:41 PM (GMT+02:00) Tags:

Most Palestinians organizations led by Hamas convened in Gaza City Monday night, Nov. 12, to approve the cessation of their three-day rocket offensive against Israel brokered by Egypt. The meeting was shunned by the Salafists, who instead signaled their repudiation of a truce by firing 5 heavy Grad rockets against the Israeli towns of Netivot, Beersheba and Ofakim.

DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that the Salafist extremists, some affiliated with al Qaeda, were behind most of the missile attacks during Monday, topping up the 300 assorted rockets fired against the southern Israeli population from Saturday.

Yet Israel, Egypt and even Hamas continued to delude themselves that an effective ceasefire was feasible.

So while, the IDF refrained from striking the rocket teams during the day in expectation of a ceasefire – and instead scattered leaflets reminding Gazans to stay 300 meters back from the Israeli border fence – the Salafists were busier than ever taking delivery of a fresh load of Grad rockets through the smuggling tunnels from Sinai to sustain their continuous barrage against Israel.

The easternmost point of those tunnels, the intersection of the Israeli, Egyptian and the Gaza Strip borders, is just out of reach of the Israeli army. For a strike to effectively stop the flow of smuggled hardware, Israel would have to hit the key section which runs through Egyptian territory.
Hamas can’t reach those tunnels either, because the Salafist groups which control the southern section of the Gaza Strip bar their access.

But the Jihad Islam is a different matter. This Iranian proxy does play ball with the Salafists and in fact shares with them some of its own Grad supplies. The Jihad thus plays both sides against the middle – cooperating with Hamas and Egypt to enforce a ceasefire, on the one hand, and helping the Salafists scupper it, with the other.

Gaza’s Palestinian terrorist organizations, including the ruling Hamas, have never upheld any truce for long, only reducing rocket fire to a trickle for long enough to stall a major Israeli attack, and reviving it full blast after a few weeks, The difference this time is that Jihad Islami holds the key to the truce. If Tehran, Damascus and Hizballah wanted a ceasefire to hold up, they would order Jihad to withhold its assistance from the Salafists. But this has not happened.

The view in the high IDF command, which handed its recommendations to the defense minister and prime minister Monday, is that even if the Salafists play along with the Egyptian truce bid for a couple of days to keep the Israeli military off their backs, when things quiet down, they will go back to shooting rockets.Their purpose is to keep Israel on the hop and its Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the horns of a dilemma.

November 13, 2012 | 20 Comments »

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  1. @ clinton:
    Mr Clinton, i think Yidvocate’s comment was meant to deplore Israel’s lack of decisiveness in retaliating, not to justify the Musloids’ terrorism.

  2. @ dionissis mitropoulos:

    “At least, now that Israel has made that concession, she has conclusively proved her bona fides to the international community. No one unprejudiced Westerner will be able to blame Israel for rejecting the concession of the West bank…”

    Yes, but this was hardly the ‘first’ time Israel had proved her bona fides.

    Yet it didn’t stop the West from continuing its long-standing pattern of ‘jewing-down’ the Jews to give up their patrimony.

    “So, unwise as the disengagement has been, it has set up a precedent that constitutes a weapon for diplomatic (and PR) warfare.”

    Your lips to God’s ears. . . .

    We’ll see.

  3. @ dweller:
    dweller Said:

    On 14 June 04, Mazuz elected to close the case without criminal proceedings, for “lack of evidence.”

    Dweller that was news to me. Thank you.

    At least, now that Israel has made that concession, she has conclusively proved her bona fides to the international community. No one unprejudiced Westerner will be able to blame Israel for rejecting the concession of the West bank, since there are no guarantees whatsoever that Israel will not face the same situation with the rocket (or artillery) fire from Gaza, if she retreats from the West Bank.

    To whomever i have posed this question (why should Israel surrender the West bank in light of what happened with the Gaza disengagement), i drew a blank: nobody could offer a counterargument. So, unwise as the disengagement has been, it has set up a precedent that constitutes a weapon for diplomatic (and PR) warfare.

    I just hope you take out as many Hamastinians as possible in the current military operation.

  4. @ dweller:
    Thank you for this reminder. It’s not unthinkable that the left will try to apply this formula again – for further withdrawals, or to influence other important government decisions. It’s stunning how a minority managed to move all those pieces simultaneously to produce the result it wanted – against the will of the majority.

    Let’s not forget how the left used local leadership to betray the defenders of Gush Katif. Masses of very determined opponents were neutralized by the duplicity of community and religious leaders. Leftist planning did not leave anything to chance. The left is an extremely powerful enemy that must never be underestimated. It will stop at nothing to get what it wants. It builds its complex web over time, and waits, like a spider.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Something must be done to prevent these maneuverings from happening again. It’s a fact that people with influence are vulnerable. Even if they’ve led impeccable lives, maybe a loved one hasn’t. Or they can be framed. Or have something planted on their computer. There are so many old tricks to gain power over someone. These frightening prospects keeps many good people from even attempting to go into politics. The personal cost is too high.

  5. @ steven l:

    “Why Sharon gave-up Gaza in exchange of NOTHING!!!”

    But he didn’t give it up in exchange for ‘NOTHING.’

    Sharon, who had led his Likud party to victory over his electoral opponent, the Labor Party’s Amram Mitzna (who had campaigned on a promise to evacuate the Jews from Gaza)

    — Sharon’s own platform incorporating a plank explicitly rejecting unilateral withdrawal

    proceeded to reverse himself 180 degrees within 10 months of his victory, and instead embrace his defeated opponent’s position.

    This was apparently intended to relieve pressure on Mr Sharon from his ruling coalition’s leftish Attorney General, Menachem Mazuz — who favored the hitnatkut [an impersonal designation for the self-expulsion, that translates as “disengagement”], and who was targeting Mr Sharon (and his son, Gil’ad) for investigation on charges of financial corruption, bribery & influence peddling [the “Greek Island Affair”] — this amidst persistent rumors of impertinent tampering by the US State Dept.

    On 14 June 04, Mazuz elected to close the case without criminal proceedings, for “lack of evidence.”

    Suddenly now — with, in fact, the most curious abruptness — the PM was startlingly hell-bent on evacuating all Jews from Gaza (and northern Samaria), by-gum-&-by-golly, and by-hook-or-by-crook: indeed by any means necessary, and without a moment’s delay. A referendum of his own party revealed 65 percent rejection of the proposition. So, undaunted, Mr Sharon simply proceeded to dismiss enough opposed cabinet ministers & committee members to end up with a parliamentary majority of supporters.

    Batta bing, batta boong.

    The overwhelmingly left-leaning, Israeli news media promptly went into overdrive cranking out pronouncements assuring all-&-sundry that there was now “massive” popular support for giving the gentle, dignified revenants the bum’s rush — while Mr Sharon insisted that there was just “no time available” for a popular plebiscite on such a matter of existential national import.

    Nor, incidentally, has there ever been a plebiscite to this day — 7 yrs hence — in regard to any other proposed withdrawals; though we’re constantly told that the Israeli populace ‘favors’ such further self-banishments.

    All of which just goes to show that there’s never time “available” to do it right — but there’s always time available to do it over.

    It also goes to show that there’s corruption — and then there’s corruption.

    And that Arab culture (notorious though it be for the phenomenon) hardly has the market ‘cornered’ in that department.

    Anyway, that was the ‘NOTHING’ for which Sharon gave up Gaza.

    Curiously too, no sooner did Sharon make the announcement of his dramatic turnabout than the relentless media stories about his suspected corruption ceased.

    — Fancy that.

    The media had plainly made a decision that, at least until the disgraceful withdrawal was complete, the PM would be, in the words of TV commentator Amnon Abramovich, protected “like an etrog” (for the uninitiate: a citron fruit native to the Holy Land, whose fitness for ceremonial use on the holiday of Sukkot/Tabernacles requires that it be cushioned from blemish or bruise).

    Then, too, as Martin Sherman has argued, there is a pattern to be noted in Israeli politics, wherein such reversals as Sharon’s have resulted from:

    “a brutal, unrestrained assault on those elected to office, along with a coordinated common front embracing legal, media and academic related components, designed to subvert the will of the people as expressed at the polls. It was an assault that distorted the facts, suppressed the truth, silenced dissent and ridiculed dissenters.”

  6. Does anyone ever ask the PM the obvious question?

    If Sinai and Gaza surrenders resulted in such FAILURE – why is the PM still advocating for another partition?

    The much touted peace treaty with the Egyptians is gone, while Gaza became a terrorism launch pad. And all that precious land is gone.

    Why does he want to expose ALL of Israel to rockets and worse – making life for everyone pure hell – indefinitely?

    A simple question, really. But does anyone ever ask him why he insists on repeating experiences that resulted in utter failure and tragedy for Israelis?

  7. @ yamit82:

    BB wants a lot of dead Jews preferably children to justify Israel attacking the maggots in Gaza.

    The first rocket to hit Israel from Hamas (Gaza) is justification in itself.

    Again, you once said:

    Israel should shut off all utilities to Gaza, also not to allow goods to enter Gaza from land or sea.

    To citizens of Gaza, you want to restore services, GET RID OF HAMAS.

    If not, suck it up.

  8. When we were powerless for the last 2,000 years, one could understand.

    But now. Today?

    When we can literally press a button and send these animals to their blessed, dark-eyed virgins and instead take their daily punishment with pitiful retaliation.

    Simply disgusting!

  9. Israel deserves every single bomb, rocket, missile and mortar fired at it!

    It sends food and medicine and supplies water and electricity to these “people” that in return sends back death and devastation while the entire world laughs at the stupid, spineless Jews.

    It’s just simply – pathetic.

    Makes we want to vomit.

    Worst of all it makes me ashamed to call myself a Jew.


  10. Subdue the enemy
    by Zvi Fogel IDF brigadier-general (res.) and former chief of staff GOC Southern Commnand.

    The Israeli homefront will continue to be strong, but only on the condition that it knows there is someone willing to subdue the enemy. Those who have forgotten the way the north was abandoned before Operation Accountability (July 25-31, 1993) or the “exodus” from Gush Dan during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 could one day soon find Israel’s southern residents sleeping in public parks in Tel Aviv or tent camps built by tycoons like Arkady Gaydamak.

    BB is not worthy to remain as PM of Israel. He needs to be brought down in the coming elections if not sooner.

  11. @ rongrand:

    Please tell me what any nation would do if it’s neighbor would start firing rockets on their land and people.———

    You want a reason here is the truth: BB wants a lot of dead Jews preferably children to justify Israel attacking the maggots in Gaza.

    He is waist deep in his own urine from fear of Obama and the EU.

    Maariv reported that Egypt had threatened to recall its new ambassador in Tel Aviv, Atef Salem, if Israel embarked on a ground operation in Gaza.

    As of Tuesday morning, over 160 rockets and mortar shells had hit Israel since Saturday. More than 40 Israelis were reported lightly injured, mostly suffering from shock and light shrapnel injuries. No dead Kids yet so no serious response.

    Pathetic, cowardly BB On Monday, started taking steps to shore up international support for a possible military ground operation into Gaza that would aim to quell the ongoing rocket fire from the strip.

    “The world must understand that Israel has the right and obligation to defend its citizens,” he told some 50 ambassadors in Ashkelon. “We will not sit idly in front of recurrent attacks that occur almost daily, against our citizens and our children. More than one million citizens have to live in a reality where within 15 or 30 seconds they need to find shelter against terrorists who shoot at civilians, while the terrorists themselves hide behind civilians. That’s a double war crime.

    “None of your governments would accept such a situation,” he said. “We do not accept such a situation, and I, as prime minister of Israel, am not prepared to accept this situation, and we will act to stop it.”

  12. @ rongrand:

    Please tell me what any nation would do if it’s neighbor would start firing rockets on their land and people.———

    You want a reason here is the truth: BB wants a lot of dead Jews preferably children to justify Israel attacking the maggots in Gaza.

    He is waist deep in his own urine from fear of Obama and the EU.

    Maariv reported that Egypt had threatened to recall its new ambassador in Tel Aviv, Atef Salem, if Israel embarked on a ground operation in Gaza.

    As of Tuesday morning, over 160 rockets and mortar shells had hit Israel since Saturday. More than 40 Israelis were reported lightly injured, mostly suffering from shock and light shrapnel injuries. No dead Kids yet so no serious response.

    Pathetic, cowardly BB On Monday, started taking steps to shore up international support for a possible military ground operation into Gaza that would aim to quell the ongoing rocket fire from the strip.

    “The world must understand that Israel has the right and obligation to defend its citizens,” he told some 50 ambassadors in Ashkelon. “We will not sit idly in front of recurrent attacks that occur almost daily, against our citizens and our children. More than one million citizens have to live in a reality where within 15 or 30 seconds they need to find shelter against terrorists who shoot at civilians, while the terrorists themselves hide behind civilians. That’s a double war crime.

    “None of your governments would accept such a situation,” he said. “We do not accept such a situation, and I, as prime minister of Israel, am not prepared to accept this situation, and we will act to stop it.”


    Subdue the enemy
    by Zvi Fogel IDF brigadier-general (res.) and former chief of staff GOC Southern Commnand.

    The Israeli homefront will continue to be strong, but only on the condition that it knows there is someone willing to subdue the enemy. Those who have forgotten the way the north was abandoned before Operation Accountability (July 25-31, 1993) or the “exodus” from Gush Dan during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 could one day soon find Israel’s southern residents sleeping in public parks in Tel Aviv or tent camps built by tycoons like Arkady Gaydamak.

    BB is not worthy to remain as PM of Israel. He needs to be brought down n the coming elections i not sooner.

  13. Here’s moderation gone astray again. With all the new editing tools, the old moderation is stuck in the mud. Time to get rid of it once and for all. It serves no purpose other than assonance.

  14. Over 120 rockets fired in the south of Israel in the last 3 days.

    This should never be allowed. ————–

    Children are not safe—————

    Israel must reclaim Gaza and the Sinai and clean out Hamas top down.——

    The world should not bitch as it remains silent.—————

    Please tell me what any nation would do if it’s neighbor would start firing rockets on their land and people.———

    Israel, the retaliation needs to be devastating, only message they will understand.