Tag Archives: Operation Protective Edge

Israeli President, Prime Minister Mark Anniversary of Operation Protective Edge

Israeli leaders held an official ceremony marking a year since the beginning of the 50 day war with Gaza.

Both Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to the 67 soldiers who died during Operation Protective Edge and warned that the next battle could be even more difficult and costly to the nation of Israel.

“The next conflict will be even more difficult than the last. It is clear that such a conflict will require a decisive and difficult decision,” Rivlin said. “When there is no fire towards Sderot, Nahal Oz, Nir Banim, Ashdod or Ashkelon — then there will be no fire towards the Gaza Strip.”

“We are not a people of war, but if forced to take up arms to defend our borders and our existence, we will not hesitate to do so,” the president added.

The remembrance comes as the United Nation’s Human Rights Council voted to condemn Israel for alleged war crimes during the conflict.

Netanyahu, however, appeared to be unmoved the opinion of the United Nations in his comments.

“I say to all enemies of Israel — Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and the Islamic State, too — whoever tries to harm us, their blood is upon their heads,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also spoke directly to the families of those who perished saying that each one saved lives.

“There isn’t any remedy for your pain,” Netanyahu said. “But with all that pain, you truly understand that your loved ones saved lives… for the sake of Israel.”

“Life is a flowing river that takes us forward and you will eventually know days of hope and happiness,” he continued. “There will always be pain, but your loved ones died as heroes.”

Netanyahu’s brother Yoni died during a 1976 Israeli military action.

Israeli Student Attacked In New York Synagogue

An Israeli rabbinical student is in critical condition at a New York hospital after a man yelling “kill the Jews” attacked him in a Brooklyn synagogue.

“Levi had his hands up, trying to block the individual with his arms,” Mendy Notik, 22, told the New York Daily News. “He was saying. ‘I will kill you.’ And after Levi, he went towards another young student and he said ‘I will kill the Jews!'”

Peters was approached by members of the NYPD who told him to put down his knife.  Initially, Peters put down the knife and before he picked it up again and charged toward officer Roberto Pagan.  Pagan shot Peters in the stomach.

Rosenblat, 22, was rushed to trauma unit at Kings County Hospital and initially reported in stable condition before it was revealed he was transferred to Bellevue Hospital where he was in critical condition with bleeding on the brain according to police sources.

NYPD officials were quick to dismiss the attack as an act of terrorism, saying that the attacker was only mentally ill.

“We are very, very confident it’s not a terrorist-related act at this stage,” Bratton said. “There’s no indication that the subject … had any affiliation with any terrorist organization.”

Evan Bernstein, New York director of the Anti Defamation League, told USA Headline News that anti-Semitism has been on the rise around the world.

“We have definitely seen a surge in global anti-Semitism really since Operation Protective Edge, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians,” Bernstein said.  “We’ve seen a dramatic uptick, especially in Europe, where instances over previous years is incredibly high.”

The NYPD announced they will have a greater security presence around synagogues with Hanukkah approaching next week.

Netanyahu Says No More Prisoner Releases

Israel’s Channel 2 is reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew a line before the start of Operation Protective Edge regarding the release of prisoners in peace deals with the terrorist group Hamas or anyone negotiating on their behalf.

Netanyahu said anyone convicted of terrorist acts would not be eligible for release from prison in any negotiation.

Netanyahu’s reasoning said despite the public statements by Palestinian leaders condemning the killing of three kidnapped Israeli teens, the celebratory welcome given to terrorists released as part of a previous peace deal conflict with the words.

The edict of the Prime Minister is expected to make peace negotiations more difficult over the next few months.  Prisoner releases along with a freeze on construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank were demands of Palestinians for peace talks.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly is going to seek approval from the Arab League to offer a nine-month negotiation process to create a Palestinian state.

Israeli Defense Forces Launch Website For Operation Protective Edge

The Israeli Defense Forces have launched a website for those around the world to stay informed about the ongoing conflict with the Hamas terrorists.

The website, called “Special Report Operation Protective Edge”, shows a history of the conflict, tactics used by Hamas and other information regarding the IDF, their operation and the impact the terror attacks are having on Israeli citizens.

IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner announced the site on Twitter Wednesday when he updated the daily total of rockets fired into Israel in the last 24 hours.  (137 rockets launched, only 24 intercepted by Iron Dome.)

The site provides photo and video proof of Hamas using different terror tactics and “cowardly defensive actions” such as using women and children as human shields to protect their male terrorists or weapons.

The site also outlines how Hamas violates international law on a consistent basis and their flaunting of ceasefires.

The site is available at http://www.idfblog.com/operationgaza2014

Hamas Plot To Overthrow Palestinian Authority Thwarted

Israeli’s Shin Bet security service has released the details of a shocking Hamas plot that would have combined terror attacks on Israeli citizens with the overthrow of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The goal was to have a “third intifada uprising.”  The plot would have opened a second front against Israel during Operation Protective Edge.

Shin Bet said that 90 Hamas operatives have been arrested in connection to the plot.  Hundreds of weapons were seized along with $170,000 that was designated to fund the attack either through payments to security officials or payments to homicide bombers.

The attack within Israel was to have a centerpiece of the Temple Mount.  The plan was so detailed that it had a flowchart of Hamas operatives who were in charge of the operation and those directly under them as if it was some kind of corporate organization.

The plot also focused on recruiting students, especially those who had been studying chemistry or engineering, for plotting bomb attacks on structures aimed to cause building collapse.

The mastermind of the plot is Hamas terrorist Salah al-Arouri who is in hiding in Turkey.  According to the Times of Israel, authorities within the IDF have evidence that al-Arouri plotted the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers before the current Hamas-Israel conflict.

Hamas Terrorist Drone Shot Down Over Israel

The terrorist campaign against Israel took a surprising turn on Sunday when the Israeli Defense Forces shot down a drone as it approached the city of Ashdod.

The IDF would not say what was on the drone, only that they had shot it down with a Patriot missile and it clearly originated from the Gaza Strip.

It marks the first time that a drone has been confirmed in the terror attacks against Israel.

The IDF reported that almost 1,000 rockets have been fired into Israel by the terrorists in the first six days of “Operation Protective Edge”, the Israeli response to the provocations of the terrorist group.

Israeli analysts say that the bombardment is likely to continue well into the future because of Iranian shipments of arms that have been brought into Gaza for years.  The analysts estimate over 10,000 rockets, including some longer range weapons that could strike anywhere in Israel, are under the control of the terrorists.

Israeli ground forces continue to muster on the border with Gaza.

Israeli Carries Out Over 100 Air Strikes

Israeli military officials reported carrying out over 100 airstrikes in the last 24 hours at Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip.

The new offensive is part of a potential offensive into the Gaza Strip. Israel has called up over 40,000 troops to the border along the Gaza Strip as military officials continue to meet with senior Israeli ministers.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the Israeli leadership has had enough of dealing with terrorists.

“We have repeatedly warned Hamas that this must stop and Israel’s defense forces are currently acting to put an end of this once and for all,” spokesman Mark Regev told Fox News.

The movements and air strikes, called “Operation Protective Edge”, reportedly plans to continue air strikes at Hamas positions over the next several weeks.

Hamas has fired nearly 300 rockets into Israel over the last few weeks including 100 on Monday.  The attacks come amid increased tensions after the terrorist group kidnapped and murdered three Israeli teenagers.