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Last update - 08:57 21/12/2008
Hamas mulls renewal of suicide bombings in Israel
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff , Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Qassam, Israel News, Hamas 

The Israel Defense Forces is preparing to escalate its activities at the Gaza Strip border in response to continuing Qassam rocket and mortar fire into the western Negev.

On Saturday alone 13 rockets and 20 mortar rounds were fired into Israel. No one was injured, but one rocket damaged a kibbutz building. The violence came after Hamas' official announcement that it would not extend its six-month cease-fire with Israel.

The Israel Air Force staged a number of operations over the Strip in the past two days in an effort to weaken the rocket launchers.
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An air force strike in Beit Lahia Saturday killed Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades militant Ali Hijazi, 25, while he was trying to launch rockets. Two others were wounded. Though affiliated with Fatah, the organization's branch in Gaza does not operate under the instruction of the movement's leadership in the West Bank.

Security sources on Saturday told Haaretz that a new policy would be drafted in the coming days for dealing with rocket fire from the Strip. Israel will ratchet up air force strikes, which will no longer be limited to rocket-launching cells themselves. They will also target weapons stores and workshops, as well as the heads of networks involved in rocket launching.

"We will have to take an aggressive line," a security official said. "Israel gave Hamas an opportunity to gradually pull back the rocket strikes, but it didn't respond. This level of violence, with close to 10 rockets fired a day, is unacceptable."

Israel is taking into account that a military escalation could lead militants firing the Qassams from Gaza to expand their range of targets. Sources at Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet security service believe rockets launched from the Strip can now reach Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malakhi and the suburbs of Ashdod and Be'er Sheva.

Hamas representatives are also not ruling out a renewal of suicide bombings in Israel. Ayman Taha, a Hamas representative in Gaza, told Haaretz that under the current conditions, no cease-fire is in effect whatsoever.

"Rocket fire is in the hands of the military wing. It will decide how to react," he said. "Resistance must continue in every way and by every means, as long as the occupation continues."

Until now, Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for the majority of rockets fired into Israel, and a number of smaller militant groups have claimed the rest.

A Qassam rocket fell Saturday next to a factory in Sderot, and a mortar shell fell on a cosmetics institute in Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

Kibbutz residents strongly criticized Defense Minister Ehud Barak. "The number-one security official has failed us. From the moment the entered into the cease-fire from a position of inferiority, he surrendered to them," said one.


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      1.   IDF Says they will respond............ 04:07  |  GloomBoom.com 21/12/08
      2.   Disengagment 04:30  |  Ariel Sharon 21/12/08
      3.   time to leave 04:51  |  Calvin Grinder 21/12/08
      4.   Hamas considers renewing suicide bombings in Israel 05:24  |  apl 21/12/08
      5.   The programme 05:39  |  Colin Wright 21/12/08
      6.   No winners 05:44  |  Baz Mann 21/12/08
      7.   10 rockets a day unacceptable 06:38  |  judith 21/12/08
      8.   Baz Mann, how`s the weather on Mars? 06:39  |  Dan 21/12/08
      9.   Doesn`t Olmert & Barak, the 2 fools realize this is War 06:47  |  Judea 21/12/08
      10.   Barak needs to be replaced NOW 06:54  |  THE WARRIOR 21/12/08
      11.   Suicide attacks 07:13  |  Bruce 21/12/08
      12.   Are we there yet? 07:28  |  Stephen in New York 21/12/08
      13.   Gideon Levy and Amira Hass will support Hamas homicide bombers 07:30  |  Ken Jurist 21/12/08
      14.   Destroy Hamas now! 07:32  |  Jean Van Daem 21/12/08
      15.   Zahar: `We will persecute the Zionists` 07:34  |  David Stoler 21/12/08
      16.   When did they stop trying??? 07:57  |  Yehudah 21/12/08
      17.   Suicide bombers? 08:01  |  Yaacob 21/12/08
      18.   AN EASY SOLUTION TO THIS MADNESS! 08:01  |  Samy 21/12/08
      19.   I Wish It Was Only Suicide & Not Homicide That The Bombers Commit 08:03  |  Lavi 21/12/08
      20.   Let them. The world will have no sympathy 08:11  |  Craig 21/12/08
      21.   it being the ONLY "effective" weapon it`s ever deployed 08:15  |  eric 21/12/08
      22.   Abbas must make an effort to stop Qassam. 09:09  |  Akram Zekaria 21/12/08
      23.   Baz & Colin dont understand 09:13  |  rich 21/12/08
      24.   Gaza friend 09:14  |  M Smith 21/12/08
      25.   Samy 13 09:36  |  George 21/12/08
      26.   #12 "Easy Solution"? Hardly 09:39  |  DesMnsDave 21/12/08
      27.   Olmert is the Maydoff of Defense 09:43  |  Fred 21/12/08
      28.   to hamas 09:53  |  Daniela 21/12/08
      29.   Rockets 10:06  |  ATLAS 21/12/08
      30.   I`m afraid if right-wing Israel wins in February....... 10:12  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/12/08
      31.   What suicide bombings? 10:17  |  BBSNews 21/12/08
      32.   Hamas The Enemy Of Mankind 10:28  |  Yosemite 21/12/08
      33.   Hamas mulls 10:32  |  DT 21/12/08
      34.   Think about Northern Ireland, "Jean Van Daem" 10:40  |  Clickfool 21/12/08
      35.   M. Smith 10:54  |  Daniela 21/12/08
      36.   hamas and suicide bombs 11:26  |  hermonit 21/12/08
      37.   Coorect headline: "Hamas mulls adding to their war crimes" 12:27  |  Joe Sittizen 21/12/08
      38.   #34 clickfool 12:28  |  Joe W 21/12/08
      39.   Read and understand, Daniela # 35 12:29  |  Clickfool 21/12/08
      40.   30# Dinimartin, compatriot wrong again 12:47  |  Daniel 21/12/08
      41.   You miss the point, Joe W # 38 12:54  |  Clickfool 21/12/08
      42.   WRIGHT The Qassems never stopped 13:01  |  PETER SM 21/12/08
      43.   Clickfool 13:01  |  Daniela 21/12/08
      44.   Very Brave Warrior in USA will you be here to pick up the pieces 13:09  |  lilly 21/12/08
      45.   Clickfool 13:10  |  Daniela 21/12/08
      46.   Mulling 13:18  |  Ben 21/12/08
      47.   the wall prevents suicide bombing 13:22  |  how the jew haters 21/12/08
      48.   real hunger in Darfur 13:26  |  in zimbabwe 21/12/08
      49.   get real mr smith 13:31  |  sydney 21/12/08
      50.   CFOOL" Moderate" means PEACE as the option not "long term hudna" 13:49  |  PETER SM 21/12/08
      51.   clickfool there is this question for you 13:50  |  israel granit 21/12/08
      52.   For Israel Granit # 51 14:10  |  Clickfool 21/12/08
      53.   # 40 Daniel, you probably don`t remember anymore..... 14:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/12/08
      54.   CFOOL Why is it you have so much to say except- 14:24  |  PETER SM 21/12/08
      55.   Clickfool 14:43  |  Daniela 21/12/08
      56.   #41 Clickfool 14:43  |  Joe W 21/12/08
      57.   Well, Hamas Can Try Alright, But... 14:43  |  Jeff Northridge 21/12/08
      58.   clickfool egypt is a free arab country 14:48  |  israel granit 21/12/08
      59.   Dinomartin, if you mean a Israeli "domestic" problem... 14:59  |  Daniel 21/12/08
      60.   and give hamas leaders israeli citizenship and the right to vote 15:31  |  Samy 21/12/08
      61.   "grannit No Egypt is not a free society--it is bought and paid fo 15:32  |  Labhras 21/12/08
      62.   Clickfool # 52 That Is False 15:33  |  Jeff Northridge 21/12/08
      63.   israel granit # 51 What New Israel-Gaza Border? 16:20  |  Jeff Northridge 21/12/08
      64.   #21 eric 16:31  |  in der Tat 21/12/08
      65.   well mr northridge i should have said agreed borders 16:41  |  israel granit 21/12/08
      66.   #8 Dan/Haifa 16:43  |  Observer 21/12/08
      67.   # 31 BBS...Just proves how utterly 16:54  |  Lynn 21/12/08
      68.   #8 Dan of Haifa 16:55  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/12/08
      69.   Just the mere mention of considering 17:02  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/12/08
      70.   #30 Swiss , I`m afraid if right-wing Israel wins in February. 17:21  |  TOMY 21/12/08
      71.   #53 Swiss 17:31  |  TOMY 21/12/08
      72.   #21 eric continued 17:37  |  in der Tat 21/12/08
      73.   For Daniela # 55 18:01  |  Clickfool 21/12/08
      74.   For Israel Granit again # 58 18:06  |  Clickfool 21/12/08
      75.   israel granit # 62 It`s Not A Serious Dispute 18:20  |  Jeff Northridge 21/12/08
      76.   Clickfool -Why don`t you also note Egyptian cruelty 18:20  |  Lee (the real one) 21/12/08
      77.   The only means that everyone is ruling out 19:01  |  Tzfonit 21/12/08
      78.   Eric "the obtuse" at it again 19:37  |  SDHD 21/12/08
      79.   Preparing the escalation 19:41  |  KUTW 21/12/08
      80.   Were hamas peace people? 19:44  |  KUTW 21/12/08
      81.   Click Fool`s Irish Whiskey 19:46  |  Jasper 21/12/08
      82.   Chris Linthwaite would survive a suicide bombing he`s certain 20:07  |  x-ray 21/12/08
      83.   N. Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia.. No difference 20:43  |  Seamus 21/12/08
      84.   Clickfool as long as either the West Bank or Gaza 20:57  |  Labhras 21/12/08
      85.   73Clickfool Time you know difference between Blockade & Occupatio 21:06  |  Rob 21/12/08
      86.   Clickfool and Linthwaite have no answer for this: 22:57  |  Joe Sittizen 21/12/08
      87.   HAMAS KNOWS ISRAEL`S THREATS NOT SERIOUS;RECLAIM GAZA,UNDO HAMAS! 23:55  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 21/12/08
      88.   The Israel Supreme Court says you`re wrong, Jeff # 62 00:11  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
      89.   This is what Israel gets for refusing to talk 00:16  |  peacelover 22/12/08
      90.   Selective Joe Sitizen # 86 00:19  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
      91.   i accuse haaretz of censoring all posts that say 00:43  |  harzion 22/12/08
      92.   Me thikns Hamas doeth want Likud 00:53  |  Jozef 22/12/08
      93.   The answer is simple Joe Sittizen... 01:30  |  BBSNews 22/12/08
      94.   # 64 to in der tat re: hypocrisy 02:27  |  eric 22/12/08
      95.   # 59 Daniel, you are wrong, it has a lot to do with...... 02:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/12/08
      96.   Clickfool`s Apples And Oranges 02:40  |  Eric C 22/12/08
      97.   Labhras # 84 That Is False 02:46  |  Jeff Northridge 22/12/08
      98.   Hamas might as well start checking 03:19  |  Mark Lincoln 22/12/08
      99.   # 72 to ni der tat re: continuations 03:25  |  eric 22/12/08
      100.   BSNews simple answers for simpletons 04:21  |  Stephen in New York 22/12/08
      101.   Your response is that of a simpleton, BSNews 04:41  |  SDHD 22/12/08
      102.   # 72 to ni der tat re: continuations (2nd try) 07:06  |  eric 22/12/08
      103.   # 78 to sdhd re: "one way" thinking 07:06  |  eric 22/12/08
      104.   240000000 dollar nukeproof bunker in jerusalem 07:13  |  david pearsall 22/12/08
      105.   Hamas Never Chose To Stop Bombings, Israel Did! 07:54  |  Baruch Gold 22/12/08
      106.   eric 62 08:39  |  S 22/12/08
      107.   Suicide Attack Will Finally Give Lame Polticians An Out 08:56  |  Baruch Gold 22/12/08
      108.   #21, Eric on "suicide bombings" 09:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
      109.   Too many weekend deletions by the Moderator # 62 09:24  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
      110.   no relation between headline and article 10:02  |  Carol SCHELLER 22/12/08
      111.   Clickfool/Labhras 10:15  |  Daniela 22/12/08
      112.   For Daniela # 107 11:20  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
      113.   # 108 sorry cipora, but i`m NOT an apologist for ANYONE 12:03  |  eric 22/12/08
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