I, Meowza, am hosting this weekend’s Weekend Cat Blogging so leave your links in the comments and I’ll add you in.

“Enjoying yourself, Izzy?”

Post is getting a bit long so you know what to do.

(more…)

Things are getting out of hand, guessing this puts the kabosh on prospects for peace as if there were any.

A senior Israeli defense official said on Friday that Palestinians firing rockets from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip would bring upon themselves what he termed a “shoah,” the Hebrew word for holocaust or disaster.

The word is rarely used in Israel outside discussions of the Nazi Holocaust of Jews. Many Israelis are loath to countenance its use to describe other contemporary events. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the Palestinians faced “new Nazis.”

Israeli air strikes have killed at least 33 Gazans, including five children, in the past two days. The army, which carried out additional air strikes on Friday, said most of those killed were militants.

Israeli leaders said cross-border rocket fire may leave them no choice but to launch a broader military offensive against Hamas, which seized Gaza in June after routing forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Well, if it’s to be “shoah,” it’s Hamas’ fault. FYI:

Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Arye Mekel, said: “Deputy defense Minister Matan Vilnai used the Hebrew phrase that included the term ’shoah’ in Hebrew in the sense of a disaster or a catastrophe, and not in the sense of a holocaust.”

Bet the Palis spin it the other way and the Leftards follow suit. This is just dumb.

Leading Israeli commentators urged caution on Friday over any major military offensive. Many said there are no easy options, which range from an all-out ground invasion to targeted strikes on Hamas leaders. Some suggested that only negotiations with Hamas could bring a halt to the rocket barrages.

One doesn’t negotiate with those committed to Israel’s destruction. Abbas remains true to form.

Although Abbas and his secular Fatah faction remain deeply hostile to Hamas, the president’s office said Israel’s military actions were aimed at destroying the peace process.

How come Hamas’ rocket attacks aren’t blamed? They started it. Israel is just planning to respond. Guessing defending one’s country isn’t an approved activity. Israel gets blamed for everything irregardless.