That picture on the sidebar is from a terrific facebook group I joined earlier called "Blame Israel" (http://hs.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2223538689). On it's wall it has all kinds of lunacies like "I fell and broke my arm today. Blame Israel!" and, "I failed my biology test today. Damn Israel!"
Today on the wall, I was going to post something like "I've had to stare into this screen for two days straight trying to import this slower-than-snails (sorry for the cliche) data. Damn you Israel!" but then this comment was at the bottom of the page, and I just couldn't bring myself to remove it from site:
"Blame Israel for global warming!!- their nuclear weapons are making the temperature increase and the Canadian polar bears' life expectancy to decrease by 0.3% over the last decade! Act now before it's too late! savecutebearsfromzionists.com"
For the sake of your sanity, I hope you're laughing - because that was good.
ANYWAY.
So here's the cliffnotes version of what happened in Eilat yesterday. I won't include my references because I must have read from twenty or so different sources, but in case you are interested, ask me and I'll be happy to provide you with some.
So here goes:
a) I won't dignify the bomber by posting its name. According to its family, it had just recently turned religious (Muslim as opposed to secular) and apparently, fanatically religious at that.
b)Something like three-five months after 'becoming religious' it wound up on an Israeli road (I understand, having crossed the barely protected Egypt/Israel border) dressed in red, with a backpack.
c) The now infamous Yossi Voltinsky picked the hitch-hiker on, assuming that it is a hotel worker, as many people he helped drive around (of his good will) were
d) Growing suspicious as the character was very uncomfortable, kept its hands in its pockets, and always kept the red jacket and backpack tightly strapped on, Yossi drove away from the city, preparing to flip the car over, or take some kind of similar measure. He wanted to stop the terrorist, of whom he was almost positive, but wanted to avoid 1) the slight, sliver of a chance that this wasn't a terrorist and 2) the bomber to just blow up
e) Yossi repeadetly asked the terrorist about his destination. After many silences, the response: "Haifa"
f) Yossi kicked it out about a km from Eilat, and informd the police, trying to also keep track, unsuccessfuly
g) Three people inside a bakery in Eilat were killed, and five injured by an explosion by the suicide bomber within a short period of time.
h) There is a plan to build a wall along the extensive Egypt/Israel border. Finally.
What were some reactions to the attack? Officals say, "DUH!"
The Egypt/Israel border remains an incredibly vulnerable, a tremendous territory, with minimal protection. Obviously, leave a spot, add a bunch of people who are screaming "why are we fighting each other, we're being distracted from attacking Israel!", and some funding from Iran and Hizbulla...molotov cocktails are less deadly.
Look, we can talk all we like, but throughout, the country is in danger. We are in danger.
Reacting after attacks is ok, but you know what is really needed is the action that's going to prevent the next attempt. We already know there will be many more attempts.
I must accredit the following to having been posted by the much admired Boker Tov, Boulder! blog, whose link can be found on the sidebar:
DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that the next wave of suicide attacks is expected to be mounted from Gaza and Sinai by the Palestinian Jihad Islami in conjunction with local al Qaeda cells with funding from Tehran and Damascus.
Although two Palestinian groups – Jihad Islami and Fatah-al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed the attack, DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources disclosed it was in fact the first joint operation of the third group, the Army of Believers – an al Qaeda cover name – and Jihad Islami of the new anti-Israel terror offensive.
A senior Israeli officer familiar with the Israeli-Egyptian Sinai border region told DEBKAfile after the Eilat attack: “Olmert and Peretz have missed the train. Their policy of military restraint in the face of Qassam missile attacks and a terrorist build-up has given the most violent elements free rein to get set for a fresh, well-organized assault.” Some attacks may also come from the sea.
He stressed: “It’s no use expecting the Egyptians to secure the Sinai border. Since Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip 15 months ago, the Egyptian-Gazan-Israeli borders are a highway for smugglers of terrorists, missiles, explosives and traffickers of every kind. The IDF is the only force capable of putting a stop to this traffic and suppressing the collaboration between Hamas, Jihad Islami, Fatah-al Aqsa Brigades and al Qaeda. Unfortunately, its hands are tied by the government.”
Although two Palestinian groups – Jihad Islami and Fatah-al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed the attack, DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources disclosed it was in fact the first joint operation of the third group, the Army of Believers – an al Qaeda cover name – and Jihad Islami of the new anti-Israel terror offensive.
A senior Israeli officer familiar with the Israeli-Egyptian Sinai border region told DEBKAfile after the Eilat attack: “Olmert and Peretz have missed the train. Their policy of military restraint in the face of Qassam missile attacks and a terrorist build-up has given the most violent elements free rein to get set for a fresh, well-organized assault.” Some attacks may also come from the sea.
He stressed: “It’s no use expecting the Egyptians to secure the Sinai border. Since Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip 15 months ago, the Egyptian-Gazan-Israeli borders are a highway for smugglers of terrorists, missiles, explosives and traffickers of every kind. The IDF is the only force capable of putting a stop to this traffic and suppressing the collaboration between Hamas, Jihad Islami, Fatah-al Aqsa Brigades and al Qaeda. Unfortunately, its hands are tied by the government.”
P.S. About the picture - EEEEK.
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