CEASEFIRE FAILS AND ROCKET BARRAGE INTENSIFIES AS THE ISRAELI-GAZA CONFLICT SHOWS NO SIGNS OF ENDING!

July 21-25, 2014 Ceasefire Fails, Rocket Barrage Intensifies The Toll in Gaza and Israel Sources: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Palestinian deaths); Israel Defense Forces (Palestinian rocket attacks, Israeli airstrikes, Israeli deaths) The brief ceasefire proposed by Egypt was accepted by Israel, but rejected by Hamas. In the six hours Israel ceased firing on Gaza, Hamas launched at least 50 rockets. After the six hours the rocket barrage continued with Hamas launching at least 140 rockets from the Gaza Strip. This in turn drew dozens of Israeli air strikes. In the new barrage, Hamas hammered Tel Aviv with the heaviest bombardment yet (Debkafile July 16). Perhaps Hamas leaders saw themselves losing (with Egypt also against them), and opened up with new vigor. In the new bombardment, one Israeli was killed. Israel bombed 60 targets, most of them in northern Gaza, after warning 100,000 residents to evacuate their homes by 8 a.m. via leaflets, text messages, and automated telephone calls. Thousands in Israel have been subjected to trauma as sirens wailed again and again, sending people to their bomb shelters. I personally know the trauma, remembering the First Gulf War and how we had to run for our sealed rooms multiple times. Much has been made of the suffering of the Palestinians. Now and then an Arab musters his courage and tells the truth about what is really happening. In a recent interview Dr. Tawfik Hamid, an Egyptian freethinker who opposes Islamic extremism, explained the real source of Palestinian suffering: “You asked me what I think about the Palestinians and their situation now. I have no doubt, and I don’t disagree, that the Palestinians are suffering, but what is the cause of their suffering? It is not Israel—it is Hamas. If Hamas tomorrow said ‘We accept the existence of the State of Israel, we will not allow terrorist attacks against them, we accept our previous agreements and commitments’ - the suffering of the Palestinians [would] stop. So who is to blame here? “You have one million Israeli Arabs living in Israel with the Jews, and they are not suffering like the Arabs who are actually controlled by Arabs. So now you deal with the situation where there is suffering—you can’t deny there is suffering, but to be honest, you have to say that the suffering of the Palestinians is because of the leadership and the wrong decisions of leaders like Hamas—not because of Israel. “The moment the Palestinian leadership stops its arrogance and its barbaric attitude toward the Jews, then things will change, and you will see no Palestinian will be suffering there. So I think the solution is in the hands of the Palestinians now. They have to take the decision to stop the suffering of their own people, by giving a handful [sic] of peace to the Israelis. You remember President Sadat? President Sadat wanted Sinai back. He gave a handful of peace and love to the Israelis and he got Sinai back. “But the Palestinians didn’t do this. Hamas just wants to kill every Jew—they promote this—I’m asking them to stop this and give a handful of peace to the Israelis, and try it for once and be sincere about it, and they will see the results. “I have been to Israel twice, and I’m telling you—the Jews do not hate the Arabs. It’s us—we’re causing the problem and we have to change.” That pretty much sums it up. “Palestine” at one time was a part of Islam. That being the case, as I have noted before, Islamic doctrine is adamant that the whole of it must be regained for Islam; it must again come into the Dar Islam—or House of Islam. That keeps the fighting going. But Dr. Hamid believes Islam must undergo a reformation based upon modern, peaceful interpretations of classical Islamic core texts. If it does, it will have to include a re-thinking of the classical Islamic doctrine of world dominance by military force, and  they will also have to come to the realization that God has given Israel this land, and they are here to stay. BREAKING NEWS: IDF Ground Invasion of Gaza has begun. IDF Spokesperson Moti Almoz said that the IDF has entered the second phase of the operation, which will last for however long is necessary. “Large ground forces, assisted by massive backing from the air force and the navy, are currently taking over areas in the Gaza Strip and acting against tunnels and other targets,” he said. Almoz addressed Gaza Strip residents and called on them to evacuate the areas where the IDF is operating. (Reported by Gili Cohen, Amos Harel, Live Updates, July 17, 2014) “I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land. Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel…the remnant of my people will…inherit their land” Zephaniah 2:8-9 Reporting for CFI Jerusalem, Lonnie C. Mings