Israel – Palestinian Rocket Aimed At Jerusalem For 1st Time

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    Israeli military reservists arrive at a gathering point in Mishmar Hanegev, southern Israel, Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. The Israeli government approved on Thursday the mobilization of up to 30,000 reservists for a possible ground incursion into Gaza. Photo by Uri Lenz/Flash90 Israel – Palestinian militants fired a rocket aimed at Jerusalem on Friday, setting off air raid sirens throughout the city and opening a new front in three days of fierce fighting between Israel and armed groups in the Gaza Strip.

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    The Israeli campaign has been limited to airstrikes so far. But military officials say they are considering expanding it to a ground campaign.

    Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich, a military spokeswoman, said the military had called 16,000 reservists to duty on Friday as it geared up for a possible ground offensive.

    She said the army had authority to draft an additional 14,000 soldiers. She would not say where the troops were deployed.

    As air-raid sirens went off in Jerusalem, witnesses said they saw a stream of smoke in Mevasseret Zion, a Jerusalem suburb.

    Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the rocket landed in an open area near Gush Ezion, a collection of Jewish settlements in the West Bank southeast of the city.

    An attack on Israel’s self-declared capital marks a major escalation by Gaza militants, both for its symbolism and its distance from the Palestinian territory. Located roughly 75 kilometers (50 miles) away from the Gaza border, Jerusalem had been thought to be beyond the range of Gaza rocket squads.

    Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Hamas militant wing, said the group had fired a long-range rocket at Jerusalem.

    “We are sending a short and simple message: There is no security for any Zionist on any single inch of Palestine and we plan more surprises,” he said. Hamas officials said the rocket was a homemade “M-75” rocket, a weapon that has never been fired before.

    It also marks a bit of a gamble for the militants. Gush Ezion is close to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem and just a few kilometers (miles) from the revered Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, one of Islam’s holiest sites. Jews call the compound the Temple Mount because of the biblical Jewish temples that once stood there.

    Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in Jerusalem and nearby areas of the West Bank.

    Militants already have fired rockets into the southern outskirts of Tel Aviv, another unprecedented achievement, on Thursday. The rocket attacks have not hurt anyone in the bustling metropolis, but have caused panic and jitters.

    Just a few years ago, Palestinian rockets were limited to crude, homemade devices manufactured in Gaza. But in recent years, Hamas and other armed groups have smuggled in sophisticated, longer-range rockets from Iran and Libya, which has been flush with weapons since Moammar Gadhafi was ousted last year. Most of the rockets do not have guided systems, limiting their accuracy, though Israeli officials believe the militants may have a small number of guided missiles that have not yet been deployed.

    The strike occurred on the third day of an Israeli offensive in Gaza meant to halt rocket fire from the crowded seaside strip. Israel began the offensive Wednesday by assassinating Hamas’ military chief and striking dozens of rocket launchers. But militants have continued to rain rockets across Israel.

    The military spokeswoman said no decision has been made on whether to send ground troops or how long the Israeli offensive will last. Leibovich said all options are open, “including a ground operation.”

    Along the border Friday, tanks, armored vehicles and military bulldozers were parked in neat rows. Soldiers milled about, while buses filled with soldiers moved in the area.

    Hamas militants have vowed to resist the Israeli offensive. They received a boost of solidarity on Friday with a visit by Egypt’s prime minister, Hesham Kandil, who called on Israel to end its operation.

    In all, 23 Palestinians have been killed, including 11 civilians, according to Gaza health officials, and 250 people wounded. Three Israelis were killed when a rocket hit an apartment building in southern Israel.


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    15 Comments
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    FinVeeNemtMenSeichel
    FinVeeNemtMenSeichel
    11 years ago

    oh no (gasp) i heard that the rocket hit al aksa mosque accidentally (wink) …

    How can a muslim attack islam’s purported “third holiest site, al quds?”

    could it be that this claim is full of, shall we say, kakapoopy, hmm?

    11 years ago

    hineh lo yunim v’lo yishun Shomer Yisroel – May Hashem guard and help all Yiden in Eretz Yisroel and surrounding countries

    11 years ago

    I know they wait for shabbos to do their biggest tricks ever. My heart goes out for all these people. But make no mistake about it we are just as much in as they are and sooner or later we will be running for cover too. Hashem yishmor moshiach is on the way!!

    PrettyBoyFloyd
    PrettyBoyFloyd
    11 years ago

    Had the Israeli government listened to R’ Meir Kahane many moons ago, none of this would of been happening. Allot of Jewish blood would have been spared.

    TimewillTell
    TimewillTell
    11 years ago

    Just bomb the gold dome temple and say it was a missle from chammas

    cocoaman
    cocoaman
    11 years ago

    and they want yerushalayim to be their capital?!?!
    most normal people don’t destroy a city that’s “sacred” to them

    ikleinit
    ikleinit
    11 years ago

    Kill em all let god sort out the rest…..for too long the tribe of Israel descents of the mighty 12 tribes have been slaughtered beaten and annihilated ….. No more ! Let the world know we are not meek sheep to the slaughterhouse.. we will fight ..we will die … We will prevail ….let our blood be avenged seven fold!

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    11 years ago

    If they loved Jerusalem so much NOT one missile would fall on it!! LIARS!! ALL OF THEM!!

    DRE53
    DRE53
    11 years ago

    Looks like Chamas managed to obtain rockets that can be fired with great accuracy. It’s not by accident that it landed in a jewish neighborhood in east jerusalem.
    It could have easily fallen in an arab neighborhood or in west jerusalem, if not for its accuracy.
    Israel has to reconsider their whole strategy since they’re no longer at war with militants but rather with a sophisticated army.
    I suggest they consider serious negotiations

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    11 years ago

    These rockets are of Iranian origin. The Neturei Karta at a meeting in N.Y. with Ahminijad wished that the “almighty” should hlep him to be successful. You worry about Barak Hussein Obama.

    Godol-Hador
    Godol-Hador
    11 years ago

    Tragedy is Israel will wage a limited offensive, be roundly criticized the world over, stop their offensive without accomplishing much.
    Everybody knows what’s needed. Gaza must be flattened. Like the US would do if missles rained on texas or California from Mexico. However the liberal, fearful,looney left leaning, political Israeli govt don’t have the guts to do it.
    So they will go in kill 1000, and go out. Big deal.
    It’s like killing a few cockaroaches in a tenenment bldg. Next day there’s more and the only thing accomplished was wasted time

    11 years ago

    just wished the IAF would carpert bomb gaza make it into one big parking lot…..