GAZA TURMOIL:
- Danny Rubinstein noting that “recent events we have been witnessing in Gaza are actually the disbanding of Palestinian ruleâ€? says that this self-disbanding is “PA’s only weapon against Israel, which will be forced to invade and fill the vacuum which the PA’s disappearance will leave.â€? (Haaretz)
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu said that those the killings of 19 Beit Hanun civilians in a November 2006 Israel Defense Forces artillery barrage should be prosecuted. “The lack of accountability for those firing Qassam rockets indiscriminately … as well as a lack of accountability for civilian deaths caused by Israeli military activity … resulted in a culture of impunity on both sides.” Tutu also complained that Israel repeatedly refused to give his team a visa and refued to give them a copy of the IDF’s report on the Beit Hanun shelling. (Haaretz)
- Human Rights Watch says that Palestinian combatant have committed serious violations of international humanitarian law: “The murder of civilians not engaged in hostilities and the willful killing of captives are war crimes, pure and simple.” (The Jerusalem Post)
IDF:
- The IDF, it is said, is much rougher on settlers than on other Jews. (Ynet)
- Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, one of the notable religious Zionist rabbis, praises and supports the women who decided to do military service. But, he says, they are violating Halakha in joining the IDF. And, he adds: “in certain cases, girls are even permitted to evade service by making false declarations to the IDF about their religious beliefs.� (Ynet)
- Nehemia Shtrasler says that the IDF is getting too much money. (Haaretz)
- A look at one of the “modern-day Ruths …Lone soldiers (without family in the country) who are not halachically Jewish but are nevertheless passionately dedicated to Israel� (The Jerusalem Post)
