Gaza Rocket Kills First Civilian Since Cast Lead

by Eric on March 18, 2010

A rocket fired by the Ansar al-Suna terrorist group in Gaza has killed a foreign worker from Thailand on a farm in South Israel.  While the number of rockets has decreased dramatically, it is far from zero as well.

The rocket attack coincided with a visit to Gaza from the European Union, and is proof that Hamas either does not care or does not have the ability to stop rocket attacks into Israel.  According to the “international law” that anti-Israel activists often quote, a rocket attack from Gaza can be considered a declaration of war.

VOA News wrote the following about the attack:

Police say the rocket hit an Israeli agricultural community Thursday near the Gaza border, killing a Thai farm worker. The attack happened as EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was making a brief visit to Gaza as part of a regional tour to promote peace efforts.

A little-known militant group calling itself Ansar al-Suna claimed responsibility for the rocket strike. Israel carried out a three-week offensive against Hamas militants who rule Gaza from December 2008 to January 2009 to try to end years of rocket fire on Israeli communities.

The number of rocket attacks from Gaza has dropped significantly since then. But, rocket strikes have continued intermittently, prompting Israel to retaliate with air strikes on Gaza militants, smuggling tunnels and suspected weapons-production facilities.

So, what does this mean?  If past performance is any indication, the IDF will likely fly into Gaza and strike smuggling tunnels and terrorist sites.  The government will say little, as it is dealing with the “Jerusalem housing debacle.”  It is sad when someone has to die for such a worthless cause: anti-Semitism and hatred.

About the author

Eric Eric is the founder and editor of IsraelSituation.com. He has been to Israel many times including a semester at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the former president of the Israel advocacy group at the University of Colorado and teaches about Israel and the Media at a local religious school.

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  • Tom_W

    “According to the “international law” that anti-Israel activists often quote, a rocket attack from Gaza can be considered a declaration of war.”

    A typical selective rendering of the facts. You fail to mention that Israel’s blockade of Gaza is also an act of war.

    • http://www.israelsituation.com/ Eric

      What blockade? Nearly a million tons of aid and goods were transfered to Gaza from Israel in 2009. Just last week, about 500 Gazans were allowed into Israel through the border crossings for medical treatment.

      The Syrian and Lebanese borders are closed due to continued hostilities, but Israel constantly allows people, goods, and even cash into the Gaza Strip through its borders.

  • Tom_W

    “What blockade? Nearly a million tons of aid and goods were transfered to Gaza from Israel in 2009. ”

    The fact that some goods get through does not mean it is not a blockade. Virtually every organization who has voiced an opinion on the matter agrees

    For example, the UN

    “The blockade of Gaza has not weakened Hamas, Mr Holmes said
    The UN’s top humanitarian official, John Holmes, has criticised Israel for linking the 2006 capture of an Israeli soldier to the blockade of Gaza.”

    or 80 NGO’s

    “The health of 1.4 million people is being put at risk by the ongoing Israeli and Egyptian blockade of Gaza, a report by more than 80 humanitarian organisations warned today”

    You said

    “The Syrian and Lebanese borders are closed due to continued hostilities”

    This is not a blockade. Israel has a perfect right to control it’s borders with Syria and Lebanon. It does not have a right to shut down the Gaza coast line…which it does.

    • http://www.israelsituation.com/ Eric

      I can’t say that Israel is wrong in stopping many of the shipments into Gaza. You missed a very important part of your analysis: Why is Israel *partially* preventing shipments into the Gaza Strip?

      If Hamas were only trying to bring food, clothing, and medications into Gaza there would be no reason for any type of intervention. Those constant acts of war, the rocket attacks, prompt a well deserved response.

  • Tom_W

    “Israel has a perfect right to control it’s borders…”

    Of course in it’s expansionistic zeal, Israel hesitates to even specify where its own borders even are.

    • http://www.israelsituation.com/ Eric

      I’ll give you that one Tom. But we both know that there is a very complicated history behind that.

      • Tom_W

        “You missed a very important part of your analysis: Why is Israel *partially* preventing shipments into the Gaza Strip?”

        Because otherwise the Gazans would be able to better defend themselves from Israeli colonialism?

        • http://www.israelsituation.com/ Eric

          Colonialism is not very accurate term. We left in August, 2005. The government uprooted thousands of people from their homes and took every Israeli citizen out of the entire territory.

          • Tom_W

            “Colonialism is not very accurate term. We left in August, 2005. The government uprooted thousands of people from their homes and took every Israeli citizen out of the entire territory.”

            It is an accurate term. You didn’t leave and you didn’t uproot every Israeli. There are upwards of a quarter million living in the West Bank in contravention of international law.

    • http://www.israelsituation.com/ Anthony Reich

      I don’t give you that one Tom. “Expansionist zeal” is an exaggeration of facts. All that Israel wishes is to have peace and security. Having lived under rocket fire for over 60 years, the attempts to ensure that bombs are not falling on our children in their kindergartens can hardly be called “expansionist zeal”.

  • Tom_W

    “All that Israel wishes is to have peace and security.”

    Given the Israel penchant for building settlements its hard to believe any rational person believes that.

  • Tom_W

    ” Having lived under rocket fire for over 60 years…”

    Resistance to occupation is the right of every people. Besides the Palestinians live under a much greater threat from Israel.

    • http://www.israelsituation.com/ Anthony Reich

      Tom,

      You seem to have forgotten some of the facts. It was Israel who was attacked when the UN partition plan was lawfully implemented in 1948. The Arab nations then, as now, made clear that their aim was the destruction of the Jewish state. With a start like that, it is hardly surprising that Israel has spent much of its energy and resources finding ways to secure its borders and its people. This includes building settlements to secure more of the land that will allow Israel to protect itself and its people.

      The “occupation” is a misnomer that people throw around to lay blame at Israel’s door without really explaining what this means. Please look out for my next blog over the weekend where I plan to write about the so-called “occupation” in more detail.

      Who knows what the Palestinians have already achieved if it were not for the numerous attempts over the years to destroy the Jewish state.

      Anthony

  • Tom_W

    “You seem to have forgotten some of the facts. It was Israel who was attacked when the UN partition plan was lawfully implemented in 1948. ”

    Not surprising given that Palestine was only 33% Jewish at the time and Jews got the majority of the territory.

    Also I find it rather hypocritical when Israelophiles speak about law when it is in their favour while ignoring it when convenient. The acquisition of territory by force and the movement of population into occupied areas are both clearly violations of international law.

    Israel has nothing to teach the Palestinians about ‘lawful’.

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