There is no leadership in DC regarding any Middle East policy. Russia has prudently entered the diplomatic frey to limit any escalation. I believe Russia is more concerned about the USA 'using' this to escalate tensions throughout the region.
This is the kind of disaster that Bush/Cheney propagates with their lack of leadership. When are these men going to be impeached? They haven't got a policy that works and they are killing people without cause in Iraq.
Russia needs to be aggressive in whatever diplomatic initiatives they can establish, including immediately moving to the United Nations. IF there is an al Qaeda presence in Gaza it needs to be proven with intelligence. Israel is very capable of 'targeted strikes' against militants. They took down "The Sheik" without spilling an ounce of civilian blood. They need to put all this into context and realize Abbas may be escalating tensions between Hamas in Gaza and Israel based on 'fear' alone.
Palestinian Hamas militants take position next to a burning barricade during an Israeli army operation east of Jebaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, March 1, 2008. Twenty-one Palestinians, including at least eight civilians, were killed late Friday and early Saturday in escalating Israeli-Palestinian fighting that renewed threats of an Israeli invasion of Gaza and clouded peace efforts. A baby and two teenagers were among the dead, and dozens of people were wounded, Palestinian medical sources said.(AP Photo/Ashraf Amra)
Hamas is going to strike Israel with anything it can. This is escalation. As each incident deploys the higher the price to pay and the increasing danger to all in Israel and Palestine. Abbas should be sharing 'intelligence' with Israel, not using it as propaganda in the press. There are 'real' lives in danger at Abbas's political and public comments, he needs to be ridiculed for his politics !
5 hurt in Ashkelon as close to 50 rockets hit southern Israel (click here)
By Mijal Grinberg and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Tags: Qassams, Sderot, Avi Dichter
Five Israelis were wounded in two separate strikes on the southern port town of Ashkelon on Saturday, as Palestinian militants in Gaza launched some 50 rockets at southern Israel over the course of the day. Meanwhile the Palestinian death toll in clashes with Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip climbed to 34, since the operation to halt rocket fire began in the morning hours. On Saturday afternoon, three people were wounded when rockets hit the marina in Ashkelon, some 15 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. One of the three sustained moderate wounds, while the other two were lightly hurt. A number of people at the scene of the attack were treated for shock....
