July 15, 2007:
The Arab League is having a lively
debate over whether to send a delegation to Israel. That would be a first, the
result of many Arab countries no longer considering Israel a
"problem," but rather more of an asset. Islamic radicalism is
generally accepted to be a problem, even though, or perhaps because, it is so
popular with many Arabs. There are problems in the Middle East, and many Arabs
now recognize that the cause is not Israel. The Arab Reform Movement is pretty
blunt about blaming Arabs for the lack of good government, or economic and
scientific progress in the region. Many Arabs note that over half of Israel's
population is "Arab" (either Israeli Arab or Israelis of Middle
Eastern origin), and that has not prevented Israel from building a working
democracy and thriving economy. An increasing number of Arabs ask, "why
not us?" The Palestinians are increasingly seen as a bunch of self-destructive
screw-ups who can't do anything right. Arab support for Palestinians is
increasingly just for show, and the show is coming to an end.
July 14, 2007: In Lebanon, the siege of Islamic
terrorists in a northern Palestinian refugee camp continues, with 219 dead so
far (98 soldiers, the rest terrorists and a few civilians). The terrorists
insist they will fight to the death, and there are at least a few dozen still
holding out. Iran and Syria are trying to organize a popular uprising that
would put a Shia dominated government in power. But this would trigger another
civil war, and France is sponsoring negotiations to try and find another way.
Iranian radicals, however, are obsessed with destroying Israel and want to
start another attack via southern Israel. Syria wants to regain control of
Lebanon, which it sees as "stolen" after World War I, when France
created Lebanon as a Christian majority state. Many of the Christians have
since fled (to get away from religious persecution from Moslems), and are no
longer a majority. Between the Sunnis, Shia, Druze and Christians, no one is,
and everyone cannot agree on how to share power.
July 13, 2007: Hundreds of Fatah affiliated
Islamic terrorists are signing amnesty deals that require them to stop
attacking Israel. In return, Israeli counter-terror forces would stop hunting
them. While many of the terrorists won't sign, this effort by Fatah will
greatly reduce the strength of the terrorists. Cooperation between Fatah and
Israeli intelligence and police would further hinder terrorist efforts against
Israel. However, the security wall would continue to be built between the West
Bank and Israel.
July 12, 2007: Hamas has sent its police to
arrest al Qaeda sympathizers, particularly those who have been attacking video
stores and cafes, and trying to force Palestinians to adopt a more Islamic
conservative lifestyle. Hamas does not want to be viewed as providing sanctuary
for Islamic terrorists, except those who concentrate their efforts against
Israel, which Hamas is still pledged to destroy.
July 11, 2007: Fatah is calling on the UN to
put peacekeepers in charge of Gaza. But no one in the West, or the Arab world,
wants to send their soldiers to Gaza to battle Hamas.
July 10, 2007: Israel is changing its
strategy towards Gaza and Hamas. Noting that a "hands off" policy
simply led to more Hamas attacks, Israel is now using the same tactics that
worked so well in the West Bank. Frequent raids will now be the norm in Gaza,
which will collect information, destroy terrorist facilities, and keep Hamas
off balance.
July 9, 2007: After several days of Israeli
army operations in Gaza, the Kassam rockets continue to land in southern
Israel. However, it's now down to 2-5 a day. The army did find, and destroy
Kassam launchers and workshops, and killed eleven Hamas gunmen who tried to
oppose the troops. Meanwhile, it became public that Israeli intelligence has
warned Morocco that eleven al Qaeda operatives have recently headed their way,
with orders to make some attacks, particularly on foreigners. Israel and
Morocco have long maintained good relations.
July 8, 2007: Israel refuses to allow anything but
basic food and medical supplies to enter Gaza, in the belief that the
resumption of normal imports would lead to smuggling weapons in. Hamas is
appealing to its leftist allies in Europe to attack the Israelis on
humanitarian grounds. Many European leftists consider terror attacks on Israel
as "legitimate resistance" and no excuse for anything. But most
Europeans, and Egypt, fear Hamas will allow Gaza to become a sanctuary for
Islamic terrorists. For that reason. Egypt supports the Israeli demand that
Palestinians must enter and leave Gaza (into Egypt) via checkpoints controlled
by Israel. Hamas refuses to allow this, stranding 4,000 Palestinians in Egypt.
Hamas wants to use checkpoints controlled by Palestinians and Egyptians (who
can be bribed to allow terrorists and cash in).
July 7, 2007: Hamas is going after the
pro-Fatah clan based gangs in Gaza, one at a time. Some of the gangs are
considered useful allies by Hamas, but others are deemed too closely connected
to Fatah, or simply too evil, and unreliable, to deal with.