Feinstein calls for resignation of Iraq's Al-Maliki PALMDALE, California (Press Release) – In response to a question during a press availability at a Northrop Grumman plant here, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, California) today called for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to resign as head of the Iraqi government.The following is a transcript of Senator Feinstein’s remarks: “My own view is that he should resign. The problem is who would replace him, what does that mean, and what are the implications?
Lieberman, without mentioning Feinstein by name, defends
Al-Maliki; says Al Qaeda waiting in wings
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Israel releases a
chronology of rocket firings, During July, rockets continued to be fired at western Negev communities from the Gaza Strip. There were 55 identified rocket hits in Israeli territory. Noteworthy are the following rocket attacks: July 22: A rocket hit the Sapir College near Sderot, slightly wounding an Israeli woman. July 23: There was a direct rocket hit on a house in Kibbutz Carmia. An eight-month-old baby girl was slightly wounded and her mother and grandmother had to be treated for shock; considerable damage was done to the building. July 26: A rocket hit a house in Sderot, slightly wounding a woman and causing considerable property damage. July 27: A rocket was fired and struck a community in the western Negev, Palestinians fired two mortar shells which hit close to security fence in central Gaza, and two additional mortar shells hit in a community in the western Negev. Following the incident a fire erupted at the site. There was also a marked increase in the number of mortar shells fired at IDF forces – during the first half of July, 42 mortar shells were fired, compared with 37 in June. The mortar shells were fired at IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip, at the crossings and at Israeli towns and farms close to the border fence. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah elements (which continue operating under Hamas aegis) claimed responsibility for most of the attacks, yet on July 7, Hamas itself began claiming responsibility for rocket fire, the first time since the beginning of June. During August, rocket fire aimed at the western Negev settlements continued at an even higher rate. During the first two weeks of August, 34 rockets were fired, compared with 23 during the first half of July. One of the rockets hit a kindergarten in Sderot, which was empty at the time due to the summer vacation. Since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in mid-June, there has been an average of 13 rockets a week . (Jump to continuation)
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(Editor's Note:
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded today to
criticism about its policy to accept no more Darfur
refugees with the following statement) The preceding article was provided by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE—Sussita,
the ancient site of Hippos, looks down on the Sea of
Galilee from the east. Pictured are the site from above,
some glassware found there, and the impression of an
ancient Roman sandal.
The print, made by a hobnailed sandal called caliga, the sandal worn by Roman soldiers, is one of the only finds of this type. The discovery of the print in the cement led archaeologists to presume that legionnaires participated in construction of the walls. The excavations of this section of the southern city walls also revealed towers and well-protected structures for positioning weapons such as catapults and ballistae built into the wall.
The ancient city of
Hippos (Sussita), at 350 meters above sea level,
overlooks the Sea of Galilee. The city was established
during the period of Seleucid rule. It flourished during
the Roman and Byzantine periods until it was destroyed
by an earthquake in the year 749.
This season's excavations
have uncovered additional, important finds: the city's
colonnaded street, some 240 meters long; a magnificent,
marble-paneled bathhouse; and a glass bottle with an
embossed face. On the final day of the dig another
unusual find was uncovered: part of a white marble
statue, a hand holding a staff, apparently part of a
Greek god. The archaeologists are hopeful that during
the next digging season they will find other pieces of
the statue which is estimated to be 2 meters high.
Alternative energy from the sea is goal
of new School of Marine Sciences at University of Haifa "One of the primary goals of the school is to evaluate the possibility of turning gas lying at the sea floor into a valuable economic resource in order to eliminate dependence on oil and change the geo-political reality in the world," said Mr. Charney, who donated an initial $8 million for the establishment of the School of Marine Sciences which will bear his name. Mr. Charney envisions turning this School at the University of Haifa into a world leader in research in this field. "At a time when the entire world is concerned about the future of the planet, the University of Haifa is spearheading new research on the subjects of water and energy, where all of our futures lie. Our research will focus on producing alternative energy from water instead of oil – a revolution in the field. We are pleased that Stanford University is cooperating with us in this important research," added Charney, who stressed that this source of energy exists all over the planet and its production will eliminate the dependence on oil that is concentrated in a number of Middle Eastern countries. Heading the Stanford research team will be Prof. Amos Nur, renowned as a leading researcher in the field of energy studies. Stanford University announced that they will provide access to all of their laboratories to the research team, which includes University of Haifa faculty, in order to advance the joint research project. The School of Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa will focus on interdisciplinary research on a variety of subjects in the field of marine studies – from geology, geophysics and biology to marine strategy and archaeology. The School of Marine Sciences will include a course for naval officers studying for a B.A. at the University of Haifa. The school will purchase new equipment which will enable marine research projects that will examine the intrinsic possibilities for producing alternative energy from the sea.
President of the
University of Haifa, Prof. Aaron Ben-Ze'ev, thanked Mr.
Charney for his generous donation and stated that the
School for Marine Sciences will cooperate with other
leading academic institutes around the world. "This new
school embodies the two main focuses of the University
of Haifa – interdisciplinary research and international
cooperation with academic institutions worldwide," he
said. Hartzi Halevi takes command of Israel's paratroopers BEIT LID, Israel (Press Release)—In a ceremony held today at the Paratroopers Brigade base here, and attended by the GOC Central Command, Major General Gadi Shamni, and the "Fire" Formation Commander, Brigadier General Eyal Eizenberg, a new commander was appointed to lead the Paratroops Brigade.
The
appointed Paratroops Brigade Commander, Colonel Hartzi
Halevi, former commander of the "Sayeret Matkal" General
Staff elite unit, spoke about the magnificent heritage
of the brigade. "The challenges and techniques have
greatly changed since (I completed my latest position in
the brigade, as the commander of the "Orev" Special
Forces Company, 14 years ago) but the spirit of the
brigade remains; it is the same spirit that lead Hannah
Szenes to jump out from the plane onto the dark skies of
a cruel and gloomy Europe, the same spirit that
accompanied the brigade's fighters in the Sinai
Campaign, in the Six Day War, and in warfare in Lebanon
last summer," said the entering Paratroops commander.
Colonel Hartzi, 40, holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy and business management and a master's degree in national resource management, enlisted to the IDF in 1985. in the beginning of his service he filled a variety of positions in the Paratroops Brigade; at the prime of his service in the brigade he held the position of "Orev" Special Forces Company. In 1993 he served in the "Sayeret Matkal" General Staff elite unit, and in 2001 was appointed to command the unit. Colonel Halevi has also served as commander of the Menashe Territorial Brigade. When he reached the conclusion of his speech, Colonel Halevi addressed the exiting brigade commander, Colonel Hagai Mordechai: "I allow myself, in the name of all the brigade's soldiers and commanders, to express a deep appreciation and respect for the way in which you have lead the brigade, for what you have implanted in these people; it will be a challenge for me to continue and to develop what you created. In the name of us all, I wish you the best of luck in the future." "We the paratroops volunteered to continue in the path of those who preceded us- combatants who fought and sacrificed themselves all through history out of their feeling of devotion and commitment to their country and people," said the exiting commander Colonel Hagai Mordechai. "We raised the protective sword to bring security to the State of Israel and its citizens and to promise the existence of future generations in this country." Colonel Mordechai referred to his replacement as: "A partner for the journey and a companion in the struggle, a man of great stature, a combat soldier and commander of the best that the brigade and the IDF have known." Colonel Mordechai added: "I transfer the command to you with confidence that you will know how to lead the brigade in future challenges, and will march it to new records with the modesty and quiet that you are known for." "I bid farewell with much sadness, but with great pride that I was given the opportunity to be your commander," the departing commander concluded his farewell speech. The preceding story was provided by the Israel Defense Forces
Mideast rhetoric has little or no sense of proportion JERUSALEM—Every soldier's death is a tragedy, especially when it is one of ours. "Collateral damages," or the deaths of civilians, are even more regrettable, especially when they include children. That having been said, it is appropriate to take account of numbers. In this small country, and even smaller Palestine, individuals use the term "slaughter" in ways that are not appropriate. Mahmoud Abbas says that the deaths of 13 Palestinians over the course of several days in Gaza is a slaughter, and represents the likelihood that Israel's actions will end any chance for peace. Among the dead are two boys, who were among a number of children drawn to a fight on a field used by Palestinians to fire rockets into Israel. It was not easy finding a report about recent Palestinian deaths in the international media. The New York Times put it in the shadow of 14 American soldiers killed when a helicopter crashed, and the 37 Iraqis counted dead the next morning. When our hiking group happened on the site of a battle during the Six-Day War, our leader described the "slaughter" of 8 Israeli soldiers. That evening I looked up some comparable numbers: 53,000 allied troops killed at Normandy in 1944, 20,000 British at the Somme in 1916, and a total of 620,000 Americans dead on both sides of the Civil War. So far some 1,100 Israelis have died in the intifada that began in September, 2000, and perhaps 4,000 Palestinians. It has been a while since a bus or a coffee house has blown up. While close to 900 Israelis died as the result of Palestinian violence during 2001-03, only 54 died in 2005 and 32 in 2006. The fall-off has something to do with the 11,000 or so Palestinians confined to Israeli prisons. Each night the IDF picks off a few more on its lists. The 13 deaths represent one of the occasional responses to information coming from informants or Israeli high-tech. We saw the film of Palestinians who had fired on Israel and then entered a vehicle for what was to be their last ride. Analysts say that the IDF is capturing or killing Palestinian technicians and fighters faster than they can be replaced . Why the hyperbole about our little war? I will not buy into the claim that Jews are more concerned about life than others. The wailing of Palestinian mothers strikes me as serious mourning. Josef Stalin said that one death is a tragedy, while one million is a statistic. He contributed many more than a million to the statistics. There is also the world's sensitivity to the Holy Land, conflict between religions, as well as the drawing power of Jews and Muslims. A Palestinian student once told me he thought it fortunate that his national struggle was with the Jews. He said that no one would care if his was just another African tribe. He also credited the substantial support for Palestinian interests among Jews of Israel and elsewhere. I responded that I thought the Jews were unfortunate that we were struggling with Arabs. Without their power of numbers, oil and gas, we could have finished with this long ago. The historical period is important. The land grab of the Americas is a done deal, as are the historical onslaughts of one tribe over others throughout Africa, central Asia, the Arabian peninsula, and the Americas before the Europeans arrived to begin their plunder. Zionism began during the heyday of colonialism, but did not finish its work before the revulsions against the Holocaust and other horrors of World War II, the rise of the United Nations, the economic and voting power of Arab and Muslim states. When Libya and the Sudan are powers in international humanitarian forums, Israel has trouble navigating the upside-down. Again, it seems too bad that we continue killing and incarcerating one another. I have been listening to folk songs from my undergraduate days: Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and others. Aside from an occasional ditty in what sounds like Hebrew, the sentiments are not those that we can use to cement our control on Palestine. But here we are. We have tried several times to offer a reasonable deal, and got ourselves bombed in thanks. We will continue what we are doing as long as they keep aiming at our civilians with whatever weapons they can obtain. The lack of support for Mahmoud Abbas and his senior colleagues in the West Bank, and their quick loss of Gaza are not good signs for any Israelis willing to try serious negotiations. Aside from Abbas' appearance as a congenial grandfather, he does not seem to offer what it takes to make demands that are realistic, and to control those of his countryfolk who will not agree to anything.
Sharkansky is a
professor emeritus of
political science at
Hebrew University
WASHINGTON, DC (Press
Release)—The US
government has said that
an Iranian agreement
with the UN’s atomic
energy watchdog to
clarify its contested
nuclear program had
"real limitations" and
it accused Tehran of
employing delaying
tactics to avoid further
UN sanctions.
The UN Security Council
has imposed two rounds
of sanctions on Iran to
get it to stop enriching
uranium, which can be
used as nuclear power
reactor fuel but also as
atomic bomb material,
and to cooperate fully
with IAEA inspectors.
Schulte insisted that
the United States would
continue pushing for a
third round of
sanctions. Iran "is
clearly trying to
distract attention from
its continued
development of
bomb-making capability.
I don't think the
Security Council will be
distracted," Schulte
said. Iranian president
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said
in Azerbaijan that
sanctions would not
deter the Islamic
Republic from developing
what Tehran insists is
nuclear technology for
peaceful purposes. (Return to top)
Hungary's PM Gyurcsány orders chief prosecutor BUDAPEST (Press Release)—Spurred by protests from the World Jewish Congress (WJC), the European Jewish Congress (EJC) and the Hungarian Jewish umbrella group Mazsihisz, Hungary's prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány has asked the country's chief prosecutor to “closely monitor” the extreme-right ‘Jobbik’ party and the ‘Magyar Garda’ [Hungarian Guard], recently formed by ‘Jobbik’ as its paramilitary arm. Gyurcsány asked chief prosecutor Tamas Kovacs to monitor the group "with special attention ... and act without delay in case of acts counter to the laws in force or the Hungarian constitution." "I share the opinion of those who say that the creation of the ‘Magyar Garda,' based upon the facts and statements known so far, carries with it the direct danger that our most important common values may be harmed – the respect for human dignity, the right to everyday life without fear and the respect for each other's culture, descent and world view," Gyurcsány said in a letter sent to Kovacs on Wednesday. Following reports about the WJC/EJC letter in the Hungarian press, Ferenc Gyurcsány the president of the main opposition party ‘Fidesz’ and former prime minister Viktor Orbán wrote to Lauder, saying that his party was “committed to the liberties and emancipation of individuals and their communities, including the Jewish community in Hungary, and the inviolable nature of their basic rights and freedoms,” although the letter does not specifically mention the ‘Magyar Garda’. In a letter to Gyurcsány earlier this week, WJC president Ronald S. Lauder and EJC president Moshe Kantor had called the guard formation an “extremely alarming development.” They wrote that the “impending creation of an armed guard, under the false guise of ‘sporting and shooting clubs’, with uniforms resembling those worn by fascists in World War II,” was a danger to democracy and had to be stopped. The WJC and EJC presidents urged Gyurcsány to do his “urgent utmost to see to it that any political party which manifests expressions of hatred and bigotry, whether by speech, threats to arm, and other incitements to racial violence, is stopped.” The ‘Magyar Garda’ is to be showcased publicly at a swearing-in ceremony at Buda Castle on Saturday. The guard’s founder, Gabor Vona, has claimed that 300 people have applied to join the group. The uniforms of the guards will reportedly carry the red and white Arpad stripes used by the pro-Nazi ‘Arrow Cross’ movement during World War II, whose members murdered thousands of Jews and were involved in the deportation of hundreds of thousands to the Nazi death camps. Lauder and Kantor wrote that as a member of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the Hungarian government should “immediately take all the necessary steps to ban this threat.” Jobbik is not represented in the national parliament but has representatives on several local councils.
The preceding story was provided by the World Jewish
Congress
DERBENT,
Dagestan, Russia (Press Release)—Police in the Russian
city of Derbent have detained a 36-year-old man on
suspicion of involvement in the desecration of a Jewish
cemetery, according to a report by the ‘RIA-Novosti’
news agency. The preceding story was provided by the World Jewish Congress
Right-wing Christians sought to include
video featuring killing of non-Christians in military
kits (Return to top) Communal debate intensifies over whether to label massacre of Armenians in 1914-15 a 'genocide'
NEW YORK (Press Release)—American Jewish organizations
are discussing whether the Ottoman Empire's slaughter of
Armenians in 1914/15 should be called a ‘genocide.’ An
important Jewish umbrella body in the United States, the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations, is debating whether or not to take a
position on the issue and a related congressional
resolution.
Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-chairman of the
Conference of Presidents, confirmed that member
organizations were discussing the matter. Sources said
that during the conference call, the ADL's national
director, Abraham Foxman, defended his organization's
new position. Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, told JTA that his organization thought it was "imperative for Jews to acknowledge the truth of the Turkish genocide against Armenians, notwithstanding Turkey's relationship with Israel." He also voiced support for the congressional resolution. "Acknowledging that truth of a century ago does not indict the present Turkish people or the present Turkish government, just like acknowledging the Holocaust does not indict the present German people or the present German government," Klein said. He added: "It's high time for Turkey to acknowledge that truth of history and move on."
Meanwhile, an Armenian cleric in Jerusalem said that the
State of Israel and Jewish organizations around the
world should take the moral high ground and recognize
the World War I-era killing of Armenians by Turks as a
genocide regardless of the political ramifications with
Turkey. "Israel understands the issue better than anyone
else... [but] its judgment is impaired by the
politicizing of the issue," said Father Samuel Aghoyan,
66, a priest at the Armenian Patriarchate in the Old
City of Jerusalem and a superior at the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre. He noted that politics alone had
prevented Israel from recognizing the killing as a
genocide. "When you politicize the issue, you kill the
spirit upon which both the US and Israel were founded,"
Aghoyan said. "If you don't want to recognize it openly
at least say that it happened," he added. (Return to top) ADL says Jewish community should promote talks between Armenia and Turkey, not take sides in dispute
Glen S. Lewy, ADL National Chair and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement: "We must encourage steps to create an atmosphere in which Armenia will respond favorably to the several recent overtures of Turkey to convene a joint commission to assist the parties in achieving a resolution of their profound differences. We believe there are many renowned historians, human rights activists and distinguished world leaders who are willing to lend their knowledge, experience and judgment to this cause. We know that earlier this year, Professor Elie Wiesel and more than 50 of his fellow Nobel Laureates called for concrete steps to be taken by Turkey and Armenia to find a way forward to reach the goal of reconciliation, and that, last week, Professor Wiesel reaffirmed his support for efforts to create a body in which both Turkish and Armenian experts can come together to work cooperatively in re-examining the shared past of both peoples.
"The force and
passion of the debate today leaves us more convinced
than ever that this issue does not belong in a forum
such as the United States Congress. "ADL and the American Jewish community should focus their attention on supporting efforts to urge Turkey and Armenia to make this happen. "
The preceding story
was provided by the Anti-Defamation League American Zionist Movement launches campaign demanding captors show 'sign of life' of Israelis Goldwasser and Regev NEW YORK (Press Release)—American Zionist Movement (AZM) has launched a new postcard campaign calling on United Nations representatives from Lebanon, Syria and Iran to produce a sign of life from abducted Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. After one entire year of silence from and about these men, AZM's new campaign shows a commitment to exhaust all options on their behalf and never give up on restoring them to their families and country. This campaign was inspired by the words of Karnit Goldwasser, wife of abducted reservist Ehud Goldwasser. At the July 16th "Free the Soldiers" rally, sponsored in part by AZM, she called upon more the 5,000 attendees to demand that those who have information about her husband and his colleague be compelled to release it: "Ask for a sign of life and ask for help from the ambassadors of Lebanon, Syria, and Iran here at the United Nations. They need to know that you are standing with us and demanding with us a sign of life." In addition to calling for a sign of life, AZM's postcards express outrage over the terrorists' clear violations of international law, including UN resolution 1701, which calls for the soldiers' unconditional release, and the Geneva conventions, which give prisoners the right to treatment by the International Red Cross and communication with their families. AZM "Sign of Life" Postcards can be purchased online here or by calling (212)-318-6100. The preceding story was provided by the American Zionist Movement (Return to top) NCJW announces campaign to preserve women's access to contraception, including 'morning-after' Plan B remedy WASHINGTON, DC – On the first anniversary of the FDA's decision to allow over-the-counter sales of the emergency contraceptive pill, Plan B, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) has called for a renewed commitment to secure and protect access to contraceptive information and options for women. NCJW President Phyllis Snyder released the following statement:
NCJW is a volunteer organization,
inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the
quality of life for women, children, and families and to
ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through
its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and
volunteers nationwide. Plan A: NCJW's Campaign for
Contraceptive Access aims to secure and protect
access to contraceptive information and options.
● American Israel Public Affairs Committee has released a briefing paper on the many ways Israel and the United States cooperate in the military and intelligence spheres. Here is a link. ● Dan Bloom of Taiwan did a double take when he saw the headline in the Sydney Morning Herald: "Fancy a Nice Shmuck Quickie?" It turned out to be a story about a business that turns out jewelry (schmuck in German) in rapid order. Here's the link. ●Israel's Consulate General passes on a story on YNET news about how Iran has been given a prominent position on a U.N. committee fighting racism—notwithstanding its leaders denial of the Holocaust and threat to eliminate Israel from the face of the map. ●United Jewish Communities draws attention to an Associated Press report that Israel is willing to allow the Palestinians to control a road connecting the West Bank and Gaza across Israel, but only after the government of Mahmoud Abbas regains control of Gaza from Hamas. Here is the link.
JEWISH POLITICAL FIGURES—Elected officials from the Jewish community find themselves dealing with a great variety of issues. We'll try to post you on some of their wide ranging activities in this section of this column.
J ewish Family Service provides programming for people who suffer from different mood disordersSAN DIEGO (Press Release)—One in 14 Americans suffers from a mood disorder. Recent studies show that people who are Jewish have a higher incidence of this mental illness. Many people suffering from a mood disorder feel shame and don’t come forward to seek help—resulting in only a third of those with this medical condition getting treatment. Jewish Family Service can help. The preceding story was provided by Jewish Family Service
{Marc Kligman, who combines being a sports agent with his life as an observant Jew, invites you to listen. Click on the ad above for more information}.
LA JOLLA, California —Is your life out of control? Mine often is. By this I mean there is more to do than time to do it, and I end up frantic about what’s left undone. I have papers overflowing on the dining room table which I hastily put away in disarray when company comes. The average person spends three-quarters of a year in the course of a lifetime just opening junk mail and wastes half an hour a day looking for lost papers on their desks. Paper-management skills should be taught in high school or certainly in college. So let’s try to figure out a system that will help us all to deal with the ever-increasing pieces of paper that come across our desks everyday. I always sigh with relief that there is no mail on Sundays, although this is compensated by the Sunday paper and the e-mails that know not of evenings and weekends. I bought one of those plastic or metal racks in a stationery store that holds a four-shelf vertical stack of papers. So now when I have a piece of paper in my hand—there are five choices. If I think (in the vague distant future) this may be useful someday, or some, as yet unknown, person might want it I toss it. If it is important to keep but of not immediate use I file it. I have a tickler file (with a section for each month) for invitations, events, tickets, whatever has a timeline attached to it—so if I have tickets for a show in August—it will go in my August tickler. I also write in my calendar in red ink the birthdays I need to remember; you can also put those names in your tickler file. Then there are the bills and all the “do this week” items. There are also “do this month” pile and “do at leisure” pile—the magazines and articles cut out of newspapers, catalog items to be ordered and whatever can be dealt with when there is time and also can be tossed when too much time has gone by and nothing has happened to diminish that pile. With every piece of paper that you plan to file away ask yourself these five questions: 1. What category does it fit into? 2. Why would I want to keep it? (A precise answer is needed here.) 3. When would I use it, need it? (Give a time-specific answer.) 4. Where would I look for it? (This is important; I have a miscellaneous file I never look at—bad idea.)5. Can this information be found elsewhere? (Will be available at the click of a mouse, with a phone call or at the library?)
And finally, (assuming you’ve
printed it out) toss this column
after you have organized your
papers, and, if you have not
done so in a month, toss it
anyway. You won’t ever do it and
will continue to live in your
paper jungle, always hoping for
a time when you’ll be better
organized. If that is your fate,
accept it and be happy
anyway—you obviously feel you
have better things to do with
your time and you just might be
right. Good luck! The preceding column also appears in the current issue of La Jolla Light.
Gaza Chronology... (Continued from above) II. Terrorist Attacks and Israeli Counter-Terrorist Operations While Hamas has mostly refrained from claiming direct responsibility for attacking Israel with rockets, it has taken credit for mortar attacks, sniper fire and launching anti-tank rockets at the IDF forces operating around the Gaza Strip or near the security fence. The following are prominent terrorist attacks carried out from the Hamas controlled Gaza strip since the mid-June takeover, and the Israeli defensive reaction to these attacks: June 18: Terrorists tossed hand grenades and fired light arms at an IDF force near the Erez Crossing, killing one Palestinian civilian in the crossing area and wounding 12 others. The IDF soldiers returned fire at the terrorists. June 19: Shots were fired at IDF forces searching the area around Kissufim, across from the central Gaza Strip. During the exchange of fire an IDF soldier was wounded and an armed Palestinian was killed. June 24: After terrorists launched rockets at Negev settlements, the IDF carried out an air-strike against the terrorists’ vehicle in the area of Sheikh Radwan. One terrorist was killed and two wounded in the strike. The killed terrorist was Husam Harb, an operative of the Islamic Jihad’s rocket launching unit, responsible for the rocket attacks carried out on the morning of the same day. June 27: A firefight broke out between an IDF force engaged in counter-terrorist operations and Hamas terrorist operatives, who shot at the Israeli soldiers with light arms and anti -tank missiles. According to Palestinian reports, at least 12 Palestinians were killed. Two IDF soldiers were slightly wounded. July 5: An IDF force operating deep in the Gaza Strip encountered armed Hamas terrorists. In the exchange of fire that followed, a number of terrorists were killed, including three Hamas operatives. July 12: 21-year-old Staff Sergeant Arbel Raich, from Yuvalim in the Galilee, was killed when his unit, the Givati Brigade Reconnaissance Battalion, was attacked near the al-Bureij refugee camp during a counter-terrorist operation in the central Gaza Strip. Two additional soldiers were wounded. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack on the IDF force. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum praised the killing (Al-Aqsa TV, July 12). July 22: Two terrorist operatives threw a hand grenade at an IDF force near the Erez crossing. The soldiers returned fire and killed the terrorists. Both belonged to Hamas' terrorist operative wing and had been planning to ambush the security forces operating in the area (Hamas/Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades Website, July 22, 2007). July 26: Two terrorists threw hand grenades at an IDF force near the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip. The force returned fire and killed them. Both terrorists belonged to a Fatah cell, and were involved in laying charges in the area. August 4: The Israeli Air Force struck two vehicles carrying several PIJ operatives near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. One of the terrorists and a civilian in a passing car were killed. Five other people were injured. August 8: Two armed Palestinians, Hamas operatives, were killed in an exchange of fire with IDF soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip.
August 14-15: The IDF carried
out counter-terrorist operations
in the Gaza Strip in the north
(near Beit Lahiya) and the south
(near Abasan).
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