This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/world/middleeast/gaza-militants-fire-rockets-and-mortars-into-southern-israel.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Four Palestinian Militants Killed in Israeli Airstrikes | Four Palestinian Militants Killed in Israeli Airstrikes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| JERUSALEM — A surge in violence on Wednesday across the Israel-Gaza border prompted strong warnings from Israeli leaders that if pushed, Israel would act more forcefully against militants in Gaza, the Palestinian coastal enclave. | JERUSALEM — A surge in violence on Wednesday across the Israel-Gaza border prompted strong warnings from Israeli leaders that if pushed, Israel would act more forcefully against militants in Gaza, the Palestinian coastal enclave. |
| Palestinian militants fired more than 60 rockets from Gaza into southern Israel overnight and early Wednesday, hitting several houses and wounding three Thai workers, two critically, in an Israeli border community, according to the Israeli military. Israel carried out several airstrikes against rocket-launching squads, killing four militants, Palestinian officials said. Three of the four belonged to Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza. | Palestinian militants fired more than 60 rockets from Gaza into southern Israel overnight and early Wednesday, hitting several houses and wounding three Thai workers, two critically, in an Israeli border community, according to the Israeli military. Israel carried out several airstrikes against rocket-launching squads, killing four militants, Palestinian officials said. Three of the four belonged to Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza. |
| The rocket fire began hours after a landmark visit to Gaza by the emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the first head of state to visit Gaza since Hamas took full control there in 2007. It also came as a major American-Israeli joint military exercise was under way in Israel, underlining the volatility in the area at a delicate time before the American elections, in less than two weeks, and Israeli elections, scheduled for January. | The rocket fire began hours after a landmark visit to Gaza by the emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the first head of state to visit Gaza since Hamas took full control there in 2007. It also came as a major American-Israeli joint military exercise was under way in Israel, underlining the volatility in the area at a delicate time before the American elections, in less than two weeks, and Israeli elections, scheduled for January. |
| The Israeli government has come under increasing criticism from residents of southern Israel who have been forced into protected spaces and bomb shelters during repeated bouts of cross-border violence. | The Israeli government has come under increasing criticism from residents of southern Israel who have been forced into protected spaces and bomb shelters during repeated bouts of cross-border violence. |
| Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, paid separate visits to the south on Wednesday. | Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, paid separate visits to the south on Wednesday. |
| “We neither chose nor initiated this escalation,” Mr. Netanyahu said during a visit to a battery of Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket missile system near the southern city of Ashkelon. “But if it continues we are prepared for much more extensive and deeper action.” | “We neither chose nor initiated this escalation,” Mr. Netanyahu said during a visit to a battery of Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket missile system near the southern city of Ashkelon. “But if it continues we are prepared for much more extensive and deeper action.” |
| Mr. Barak said, “Hamas will receive its punishment for what has happened here.” He added, “We do not intend to allow the continued violation of normal life in the south of Israel.” | Mr. Barak said, “Hamas will receive its punishment for what has happened here.” He added, “We do not intend to allow the continued violation of normal life in the south of Israel.” |
| But Israeli analysts said that neither side seemed to want a major conflict. Mr. Barak also said that Israel would “continue to work with patience and levelheadedness.” | But Israeli analysts said that neither side seemed to want a major conflict. Mr. Barak also said that Israel would “continue to work with patience and levelheadedness.” |
| In recent years Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, has largely adhered to an informal cease-fire, raising questions on both sides about the timing of the latest escalation. | In recent years Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, has largely adhered to an informal cease-fire, raising questions on both sides about the timing of the latest escalation. |
| Both Israel and Hamas refrained from any actions during the hours of the emir’s visit, but on Tuesday morning, hours before his arrival in Gaza, an Israeli officer was severely wounded in a blast from an explosive device placed by militants along the border. A leftist Palestinian group claimed responsibility for that attack on Tuesday. Later the military wing of Hamas also took credit. | Both Israel and Hamas refrained from any actions during the hours of the emir’s visit, but on Tuesday morning, hours before his arrival in Gaza, an Israeli officer was severely wounded in a blast from an explosive device placed by militants along the border. A leftist Palestinian group claimed responsibility for that attack on Tuesday. Later the military wing of Hamas also took credit. |
| The military wing of Hamas then claimed responsibility for firing rockets into Israel “as a response to the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.” Hamas has been under local pressure from more radical groups in recent months and may be eager to show that it has not abandoned what it calls the resistance against Israel. | The military wing of Hamas then claimed responsibility for firing rockets into Israel “as a response to the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.” Hamas has been under local pressure from more radical groups in recent months and may be eager to show that it has not abandoned what it calls the resistance against Israel. |
| There was also some speculation in Israel that Hamas might also have wanted to retaliate for the destruction of a weapons factory in Sudan in the early hours of Wednesday. Sudan blamed Israel for bombing the factory from the air, presumably to prevent the factory’s weapons from reaching Gaza. Neither Israel nor Hamas have commented officially on the Sudanese accusations. | |
| Mkhaimar Abusada, a professor of political science at al-Azhar University in Gaza, said that Israel wanted to preserve its deterrence as the Palestinian factions appeared to be building up their arms, including with weapons smuggled from Libya. | Mkhaimar Abusada, a professor of political science at al-Azhar University in Gaza, said that Israel wanted to preserve its deterrence as the Palestinian factions appeared to be building up their arms, including with weapons smuggled from Libya. |
| Israel carried out a three-week military offensive in Gaza in the winter of 2008-09, with the stated purpose of curbing persistent rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel. Israeli officials say that more than 600 rockets have struck southern Israel this year. | |
| But the introduction of the Iron Dome system, developed with financing from the United States, has allowed Israel more room for maneuver, intercepting longer-range rockets from Gaza that were headed toward Israeli cities, avoiding mass casualties and the subsequent imperative for a stronger Israeli response. The military said that on Wednesday Iron Dome intercepted seven rockets. | |
| The success of the Iron Dome system is also an important boost for President Obama as he seeks in his campaign to emphasize his administration’s military and security commitment to Israel. In Monday’s foreign policy debate between Mr. Obama and the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, Mr. Obama told how he had visited the Israeli town of Sderot, near the Gaza border, during his last campaign. Noting that the town “had experienced missiles raining down from Hamas,” he said his administration had financed the Iron Dome program “to stop those missiles.” | |
| Israel announced on Wednesday that it would finance anti-rocket fortifications of 1,700 Israeli homes in the Gaza border area. | Israel announced on Wednesday that it would finance anti-rocket fortifications of 1,700 Israeli homes in the Gaza border area. |
| But residents of southern Israel said their patience was wearing thin. | But residents of southern Israel said their patience was wearing thin. |
| “It is absurd that we live like this,” said Yael Sadin, 49, a resident of a kibbutz, or communal farm, which was struck by five rockets on Wednesday morning. Speaking by telephone, she said, “We are like in a war, a kind of hell, while the other half of the country is living in heaven.” | “It is absurd that we live like this,” said Yael Sadin, 49, a resident of a kibbutz, or communal farm, which was struck by five rockets on Wednesday morning. Speaking by telephone, she said, “We are like in a war, a kind of hell, while the other half of the country is living in heaven.” |
Fares Akram contributed reporting from Gaza. | Fares Akram contributed reporting from Gaza. |