Topic: Israeli bombing of Gaza Strip.
China Journal website global online news: On December 31st, Israel continued its air raid on Gaza, and the Israeli ground troops assembled on the border of Gaza for two days were already anxiously waiting for Prime Minister Olmert to issue an invasion order. Their eagerness was completely disrupted by France’s 48-hour "humanitarian" ceasefire proposal. Faced with the pressure of the international community, the Israeli cabinet continued to meet on the 31st to discuss the proposal of a 48-hour ceasefire after failing to negotiate on the evening of the 30th. What they considered more was to achieve a permanent ceasefire with harsh conditions.
Iranian support for Hamas has reached an unprecedented height, claiming to establish a special court to try Israeli personnel involved in air strikes against Gaza.
Israeli air strikes have increased.
Witnesses said that in the early morning of December 31st, local time, some Israeli warplanes bombed the underground passage on the Gaza-Egyptian border intensively, while others continued to attack the Hamas target in Gaza City. Israeli forces say the office of Hamas’s Prime Minister Haniyeh was hit.
According to the IDF, Haniyeh’s office is not only "the office building in Hamas, but also the planning and support center for terrorist acts". According to reports, an ammunition depot in Hamas, a military camp and a rocket launching point were also attacked on the 31st.
On the evening of December 30th, Israeli Defense Minister Barak sent a letter to Cabinet Secretary Yehezkel, asking him to hold a telephone poll among cabinet members to vote on the request of the IDF to urgently mobilize 2,500 reserve soldiers again. On December 28th, the Cabinet just approved the request of the National Defence Force to mobilize 6,500 reserve soldiers.
Israeli Defense Ministry officials said that Israel may launch ground operations in the next few days to consolidate the achievements of air strikes and continue to maintain strong pressure on Hamas.
Hamas rocket range increased.
The rockets fired by Hamas flew farther and farther. On the night of December 30th, two Katyusha rockets landed in the Israeli city of Beersheba. One of the rockets hit a kindergarten in the city and some facilities were damaged. Another rocket exploded in an open space outside the city.
Beersheba is about 40 kilometers from the border of Gaza. Earlier, Israeli Defense Ministry officials warned that Hamas had the ability to launch rockets reaching Beersheba, but the rockets launched by Hamas had never "patronized" this city with a population of 200,000. After the kindergarten was attacked, the authorities in Beersheba decided to close all schools in the city on December 31.
On December 30th, southern Israel was attacked by more than 50 rockets, one of which directly hit a residential building in the Israeli border town of Sderot. Fortunately, no casualties were caused. The family has been taking refuge in a safe place nearby since the Israeli air strikes began.
The Israeli army made all preparations for the invasion.
Just as the Israeli ground forces were ready to move, French Foreign Minister Kouchner proposed a 48-hour ceasefire to Israel for "humanitarian" assistance, and the Israeli cabinet suddenly lost its mind. According to reports, Israeli Defense Minister Barak is in favor of a 48-hour ceasefire, arguing that a short-term ceasefire will test whether Hamas will achieve a long-term ceasefire, and at the same time, it will facilitate the relevant parties to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza civilians.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni have little interest in the French ceasefire proposal. Ha ‘aretz quoted Olmert as saying: "The attack on Gaza has begun and will not stop … until we achieve our goal, we will continue to act according to the plan."
Ha ‘aretz said that when Olmert visited the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces in Beersheba on December 30, all the Israeli generals he met urged him to immediately authorize the military to launch ground operations. Participants said that Olmert seemed to agree to a ground attack.
It is reported that Israeli ground forces have been assembled on the border of Gaza for two days, and these targets are exposed to the fire of rockets and mortars from Hamas. The longer the time, the greater the security threat to Israeli forces. In fact, on the 29th, an Israeli soldier was killed by a mortar. In addition, the clouds over Gaza are thick this season, and it is more difficult for Israeli warplanes to clear targets in Hamas, so it seems imperative to take ground action.
To set five conditions for a ceasefire.
However, war is only a means, and permanent peace and security are the ultimate goal of Israel. According to the Jerusalem Post, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Defense Ministry officials are busy drawing up a blueprint for a long-term ceasefire. Israel believes that a permanent ceasefire can only be achieved if the following conditions are met.
First, all Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza have completely stopped firing rockets and mortars at Israel. Second, it is forbidden for Palestinian militants to approach the security wall on the Israeli border. Thirdly, all border crossings in Gaza are under Israeli control. Fourth, Egypt must cut off all arms smuggling from Sinai Peninsula to Gaza. Fifth, establish an effective mechanism to monitor Hamas’s ceasefire obligations.
Recently, the international community has also stepped up diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire between Palestine and Israel. The Quartet of the Middle East peace process, composed of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia, held a teleconference on the 30th, urging Israel and Hamas to cease fire immediately and fully abide by their ceasefire commitments.
In addition, Turkey, France and the United Nations urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to use his influence to urge a ceasefire in Hamas. In this regard, Assad refused. He said that Israeli military operations in Gaza must be stopped first. Turkish Foreign Minister Erdogan plans to go to Syria for persuasion on the 31st. Since Hamas’s headquarters is in Damascus, the capital of Syria, Syria is considered to be able to effectively influence Hamas’s behavior.
Foreign ministers of Arab League member countries also plan to meet in Cairo later on 31st to discuss the situation in Gaza.
Iran ad hoc tribunal tries Israel
Iranian judicial officials revealed on December 30th that Iran has set up a special court to try Israelis who committed crimes against Gaza. Iranian officials say they will try any Israeli who took part in air strikes against Gaza in absentia.
Jamshidi, spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Justice, said: "The task of this special court is to try the planners, executors and relevant officials of the crimes committed by the Israeli regime." He said that the court was established on the basis of the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and Iran is one of the signatories.
Jamshidi called on all Palestinians affected by Israeli air strikes in Gaza to sue Israel in the Iranian special court. He said that the court can try Israeli officials in absentia. It is reported that Iranian judicial director Mahmoud Hashmi Shahrudi will send a letter to senior officials of the Ministry of Justice of all Muslim countries, calling on them to support this special court in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki accused the Israelis of committing "crimes against humanity" in Gaza on the 30th. He made the remarks during talks with foreign envoys in Tehran. Iranian English TV channel translated and broadcast Mottaki’s speech.
After Israel’s air strikes on Gaza, Iran accused some Arab countries and western countries of sitting idly by and doing nothing. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Muslims all over the world to do their utmost to defend Palestine. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on the 30th that Iran is urging the International Criminal Court to try the war crimes committed by Israeli leaders in Gaza in recent days.
Editor: Wei Yu