November 7, 2005: One Palestinian terrorist organization, the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, has, in effect, resumed the war against Israel. In response Israel has resumed attacks on terrorist leaders, and key technical people (especially those who build bombs). In the West Bank, this involves raids to capture terrorists, bomb workshops, weapons and bomb making materials. In Gaza, missiles are used to attack terrorist leaders located by the still-active Israeli informer network.
November 2, 2005: An Israeli soldier was killed during a West Bank raid, which sought to arrest Palestinian terrorists. Hamas took credit for killing the Israeli soldier, even though most of the fighting is instigated by the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades.
November 1, 2005: In Gaza, an Israeli missile killed Hasan al-Madhoun, team leader in the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, and responsible for several terrorist bombings inside Israel. He used to be a commander in the Palestinian police. In addition, Israeli artillery is being used to shell rocket launching sites in Gaza. Israel is using a radar system, and other sensors, to spot the rocket launches, and identify the launch sites.
October 31, 2005: The Palestinian Authority tries to stop Palestinian terrorists from attacking Israel, and is attacked by the Moslem media (throughout the Middle East) for being collaborators (with the Israelis). The Moslem world, especially the media, takes the side of the Palestinian terrorists, who believe that the only solution to the "Palestinian Problem," is the destruction of Israel. According to this line, Israel has no right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, and can only satisfy Moslem demands by disappearing.
October 29, 2005: While for years, Israel worried about Lebanon again collapsing into chaos, that danger now applies to Syria. The corrupt dictatorship in Syria is at odds with itself. Some members of the Syrian government have long-time business relationships with members of the former Saddam Hussein government. That?s why so many former Saddam era big shots have a safe haven in Syria. But it gets worse, as other members of the Syrian ruling class have close political and business ties with the Islamic radicals of Iran. For two decades, Iran has been a major economic supporter of Syria, and expects to get its way in Syrian politics. That?s where things get sticky. Iran is obsessed with punishing the Iraqis responsible for the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Many of those guilty Iraqis are now taking refuge in Syria. Thus there is something of a civil war at the top in Syria, with a few reports of gunfire, and a lot of staring and grumbling. Complicating the situation is Syria?s economic prospects, which are bleak. Moreover, most of the population are Sunni Moslems, and these people resent domination by minority Alawites (a sect of Shia Islam). If the disagreements grow into a shoot out, Israel is concerned about who would come out on top. A new Syrian government might be a democracy, but would more likely be a new dictatorship, a new bunch of hard men who are even more hostile to Israel.
