TA-ATTACKS: Five Israelis die in Gaza Attack

Four Israeli children and a woman have been killed in the latest terrorist attack in the Middle East.

news.bbc.co.uk...

"A mother and four Israeli children have been killed after two Palestinian gunmen attacked a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Army said.
The attack near the Gush Katif bloc came as Israel's ruling Likud Party voted on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza.
Army Radio said the militants had opened fire on a vehicle, and detonated a bomb at an army post."

I would think that this act is going to attract a massive retaliation from Israel judging on their past history.

Questions though. Will we see the outrage worldwide over the killings of these children, as we have seen recently over atrocities (some unproven) that have been perpetrated against Arabs?
Will our newspapers give this front page headlines? Only hours after this story has broken it already merits no space on headline BBC news. Instead the BBC is still concentrating on the dubious UK torture allegations in Iraq.

Militarily, Israel is highly unlikely to take this act of terror lying down - especially as they are preparing for a full pull out from Gaza. The vote for a pullout of Gaza is taking place in the Likud today and this act may have been aimed at influencing it.
Rather than forcing the Israelis out though, I see this giving Jewish hardline settlers more fuel for their grievances against the move. It is doubtful that Likud themselves will be swayed in any way by such an action but it will affect military operations and grass-root opinion.

[Edited on 2-5-2004 by Leveller]

[Edited on 5-2-2004 by Valhall]

Originally posted by Leveller
Four Israeli children and a woman have been killed in the latest terrorist attack in the Middle East.

Will our newspapers give this front page headlines?

It is true the Media seems to focus on one or maybe 2 big stories, and all others get little space or time.

This terrorist attack in Israel will be over shadowed by the news of the escaped american hostage in Iraq.. I would bet that is all we see or hear about in the news media on Television.

They follow the 'big story' not the important ones.

Maybe the terrorists should plan these attacks on a slow news day?

Gazz

In America, where only the Americans matter (seriously, you go to any European newspaper and you get reams of paper on global problems, you can barely FIND the international section in almost ALL American papers), we only see the PROBLEMS perpetuated against US Citizens and Porblems CAUSED by Us citizens.

Also, the newspapers are decidedly Deomcrat and the Republican in office Called for this war--never mind that Democrats voted for this war, they just want the rpublican out of office. Israilis dying will not effect whether or not he gets elected. These damn fools demoralising what may be innocent Iraqis could keep some people from voting Bush again. Most news is just too much about politics--the reason why I dislike reading the papers.

IMO, the timing of the attacks have nothing to do with the US being in Iraq. The killing of the five in Gaza is much more about the Likud party referendum vote being hels today on withdrawing from Gaza.

It's a very strange situation. The Palestinians want them out - but only on the Palestinian timetable - because the Palestinians aren't capable of taking control. Most Israelis want out of Gaza but they can't vote for anything that may make Israeli look weak or backtracking in the eyes of the Palestinians.

I go back to my old fall back position, there will never be peace while either Sharon or Arafat is still alive. There's too much history and bad blood. The only good news is - they're both getting old and neither looks too healthy.

As a followup. News services are reporting light turnout in the referendum vote and a likely defeat of Sharon's position. It looks like he'll push ahead with the paln anyways which may cause his Likud Party government to fall.