Olmert: Gaza op to continue, UNSC resolution not practical

[Fozzledick]

By HERB KEINON, AP AND JPOST.COM STAFF

Despite the UN Security Council resolution calling for a Gaza cease-fire, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Friday afternoon that the IDF operation in the Strip would continue.

"Israel has never agreed to external forces determining its right to defend its citizens," Olmert said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office following the Security Cabinet discussion on the UNSC resolution.

"The IDF will continue to work to defend Israeli citizens and will carry out all the objectives it was given in the operation," he continued.

Olmert said that the rocket fire from Gaza Friday morning "only proves that the UN resolution is not practical and will not be honored by the murderous Palestinian organizations."

Gaza terrorists fired over 30 rockets into Israel on Friday.

Osama Hamdan, a Hamas envoy to Lebanon, also rejected the UNSC call for a cease-fire, telling the al-Arabiya satellite channel that the group "is not interested in it because it does not meet the demands of the movement."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424898949&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Scurrilous]

1. White House 'behind' US volte-face on ceasefire call

Intense Israeli pressure on White House led to the surprise US abstention in UN ceasefire resolution, say diplomatic sources

<snip>

"Last minute intervention from the White House, under intense pressure from Israel, led to the surprise US abstention in last night's UN security council vote calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to diplomatic sources.

The resolution calling for a truce was passed by a vote of 14-0, but the US abstention will weaken its impact in Israel, where signals sent from Washington are taken very seriously and where an election is approaching. The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, issued a statement this morning saying that the security council resolution was "not practical" and that the Gaza offensive would continue.

"The will continue to act in order to protect the citizens of Israel and will achieve the goals that were set for the operation," said a statement issued by Olmert's media adviser. Israeli air strikes continued overnight and this morning, while Hamas launched at least 14 rockets on Fridaytoday.

America's volte-face over the UN resoltion stunned British and the French diplomats as the US had helped draft its text. The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, had fiercely defended the draft in the face of heavy lobbying from Israel which was adamant it would not accept any proposal that treated it on an equal footing with Hamas, and might limit its right of self-defence against Hamas rockets."

more

[Scurrilous]

2. Hamas says US is giving Israel more time in Gaza

Exiled Islamist group leader Abu Marzouk tells Hizbullah TV 'by not voting for UN truce resolution and by not vetoing it, US sending clear signal that it supports initiative but wants to give the enemy more time'

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3653507,00.htm

<snip>

"An exiled Hamas leader said on Friday the United States appeared to want to give Israel more time to persist with the Gaza offensive.

On Thursday the UN Security Council voted on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but the United States unexpectedly abstained in the vote, saying talks on a truce were still under way through Egyptian mediation.

"By not voting for the resolution and by not vetoing it, the United States is sending a clear signal that it supports the resolution but after a while," deputy political leader Moussa Abu Marzouk told Hizbullah's Al Manar television from Damascus.

"Therefore they want... to give the enemy more time. But I assure you that they will not achieve any of their goals and they will withdraw in disappointment and they will be defeated."

[Fozzledick]

3. Mortar shells fired at Kerem Shalom

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Gaza terrorists on Friday afternoon broke the three-hour humanitarian truce, during which Israel was let in vital aid to the Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

While the supplies were being transferred, Gaza gunmen fired several mortar shells at the terminal. No one was wounded.

Earlier, just after 1 p.m., when the temporary truce was supposed to have already begun, terrorists fired three Grad rockets at Ashdod. Just before 5 p.m., terrorists fired two rockets at the Eshkol region.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424898375&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Vegasaurus]

4. Sick ***holes

Never waste an opportunity to try to kill some Jews; even while it is THEIR food and aid being delivered.

That is why the crossings had to be closed so often too, because those GD terrorists wanted to bomb the crossings bringing THEIR OWN FOOD AND AID.

They are the sickest bunch of people around, and the whole region will breathe a sigh of relief when Hamas is taken out completely.