December 11, 2007:
Israel made another raid into Gaza, attacking militant organizations
responsible for the continued rocket attacks. Similar police operations
continue in the West Bank. The Palestinian leadership, of both Fatah and Gaza,
are unable to control their militant elements. This lack of effective
leadership, and general lack of discipline, has long been a problem with the
Palestinians.
For the eighth time since the Lebanese president
resigned on November 23rd, the Lebanese parliament failed to select another.
There is a deadlock between pro and anti-Syrian/Iranian factions. Most Lebanese
want to be free of foreign influence, but Syria and Iran have allies inside
Lebanon (Hizbollah, mainly) and the large Syrian army on the border. The
Lebanese do not want another civil war, but neither faction will give any
ground, either.
December 10, 2007:
Hamas does not have control over it's military organizations. The
"military wing" has refused orders to stop firing rockets into
Israel. The Hamas leadership has decided that a cease fire with Israel, and a
rebuilding of the Palestinian economy, is the best thing to do right now. That
would allow Hamas to build up its military strength, for a more powerful attack
in the future. But the Hamas militants refuse to go along. Hamas must now
either discipline (and in some cases kill) some of its best fighters, or
continue to suffer from the Israeli blockade. Hamas popularity continues to
sink, the longer the blockade goes on. Economic conditions are very important
for most Palestinians.
December 9, 2007: Palestinians, both moderate Fatah
and radical Hamas, want to make peace, or at least arrange a cease fire, with
Israel. That's mainly because the Palestinians have run out of ideas, and admit
that their war against Israel has been a failure. The terror campaign, which
began in late 2000, peaked in 2002, with 28 attacks inside Israel, and 173
killed. Year by year since, new Israeli counter-terror tactics have shut down
Palestinian operations. Last year, there were only two terrorist attacks inside
Israel, leaving fifteen dead. So far this year, there has been one attack, and
three dead. With the terrorist operations shut down by Israeli police and
commandoes, the Palestinians shifted to home made rockets and mortars three
years ago. But these attacks, often over a thousand a year (and over 2,000 this
year), never killed more than seven Israelis a year. That was in 2004. Last
year, two Israelis died, and so far this year, another two have died. Israeli
counter-measures against the Palestinian rocket and mortar crews have left
hundreds of Palestinians dead or wounded. Since late 2000, nearly 4,000 Palestinians
have died because of the Palestinian terror campaign against Israel. The
Palestinian economy has been crippled because of the Israeli counter-terror
measures (keeping Palestinians out of Israel) and most Palestinians have been
reduced to poverty, and dependence on foreign food aid.
December 5, 2007:
Hamas is willing to negotiate with Fatah, but Fatah won't talk until
Hamas gives up control of Gaza. Hamas refuses to do that, and nothing seems
likely to change there any time soon.