An Iranian-supplied Grad rocket struck a shopping center in Ashkelon, a city in southern Israel 11 miles north of the Gaza Strip. The only way a Palestinian rocket can hit Ashkelon is if it isn’t one of those “crude, homemade” rockets—it has to be an Iranian-supplied and Hamas-approved Grad rocket.

The rocket struck a women’s clinic in a shopping center. Fifteen people were hurt, including infants. People—mostly women and their children—were trapped under the rubble.

The rocket crashed into a women’s health clinic on the second floor of a busy shopping mall in central Ashkelon just before 6:00 pm, wounding 15 people and burying several shoppers under piles of rubble. MDA paramedics dispatched to the scene fought to extract those trapped under large pieces of debris, including four people who were evacuated in serious condition, including a mother and her 2-year-old daughter, and 11 more who suffered from moderate wounds.

You would think that this would be the angle that the AP chooses to concentrate on: Women at a health clinic and their children were nearly killed today due to a long-range rocket fired from the Gaza Strip by terrorists, with the full cooperation of Hamas, the democratically-elected government of the Palestinians.

You would, of course, be wrong. This is the AP spin on the incident. Note the second graf of the lede:

A rocket fired from Gaza exploded in a shopping center in this southern Israeli city Wednesday, wounding at least 14 people, as President Bush wrapped up talks in Jerusalem with Israel’s prime minister.

The attack raised the chances that Israel will send large numbers of ground forces into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip - something the army chief has reportedly decided he wants to do.

Once again, the rocket hit a women’s health clinic in a shopping center. The victims were nearly all women and children. Imagine the media outrage if a tank shell went astray in Gaza and landed on a women’s health clinic. Oh, let’s be honest: You don’t have to imagine it. We’ve already seen the media blitz every time Palestinian civilians get hit. We saw it just a couple of weeks ago, when terrorists carrying explosives caused the deaths of a Palestinian family, yet the world blamed Israel for it.

Reuters took its time focusing on Israelis getting hurt by random rocket fire. But then they made up for it in style. Note the second graf of the lede here, too:

A rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip injured more than 30 people at a shopping mall in the Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday, the Israeli army and emergency service officials said.

The strike came as U.S. President George W. Bush met Israeli leaders in Jerusalem to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of their state — an event Palestinians commemorate as the “Nakba”, or catastrophe, for their people.

This is the new Reuters boilerplate going out on all the Israel stories. See how Reuters manages to spin even the 1948 Arab-Israeli war as a reason behind the bombardment of civilian areas by terrorists:

Hamas and its fellow Islamists say they fire rockets as part of a campaign to destroy Israel and take the land from where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were driven out when Israel was established as a state on May 14, 1948. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza, Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

One simply has to sit back in awe and wonder at the yellow journalism practiced today by so-called objective, so-called mainstream media players. And of course, there is never a word of the equal number of Jewish refugees from Arab and Muslim lands during the same time period, driven out by Muslims “infuriated” by the establishment of the Jewish state. The fact that the bulk of these refugees landed in Israel and now make up a substantial part of the Israeli population is one of the world’s best-kept secrets. Because it would harm the narrative to point out that there were Jewish refugees from Arab lands whose goods were stolen from them by Arabs. Can’t have two victims in one narrative, can we?

But look at the common threads in both stories. The first paragraph of the lede describes the attack. The second graf then goes immediately into the Palestinian point of view. The attack will cause Israel to invade Gaza. The attack happened during Palestinian “nakba” commemorations. Israeli infants, victims of terrorist rockets? Unimportant. They’re not Palestinian infants, victims of a stray tank shell/terrorist exploding/kassam rocket falling short of its target and hitting Palestinians—all of which are blamed on Israel. The narrative, always the narrative—that of Palestinian victim and Israeli aggressor—must be maintained.

Watch for that narrative when the IDF finally goes into Gaza to clean out the terrorists. Hamas has learned a great deal from Hezbullah. Here’s hoping that the IDF learned a great deal as well.

Counting the days until President Bush leaves Israel and the IDF goes into Gaza. Because the IDF needs to go in to stop these rocket attacks.

Palestinian terror groups launched a Grad rocket towards Israel late Wednesday afternoon, as US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were meeting in Jerusalem.

The rocket crashed into the top floor of a crowded shopping mall in central Asheklon. Rescue services dispatched to the scene managed to extract three people who were trapped in the debris. MDA paramedics have confirmed eleven people were wounded in the attack, three of them are in serious condition. Several other people are being treated for shock at the scene.

A baby girl who was evacuated to the Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon is said to be in moderate condition.

The IDF said the rocket was launched from the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, a frequent base for rocket attacks. The army said it was looking into reports from local residents who said the alert sirens had not sounded prior to the attack.

The AP has noticed the attack, even mentioning that babies were hurt:

A rocket fired from Gaza exploded in a shopping center in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday, wounding at least three people and leaving two trapped under rubble, officials said.

Rescue service spokesman Eli Bean said two babies were among the wounded. Witnesses told Israeli radio stations that the rocket caused considerable damage and Bean said at least two people were trapped.

Two dead and 15 wounded in the last week alone by Gaza rocket attacks. When will Olmert decide that it’s time for something to be done?

Last month, it was all over the news how the evil Israelis are killing Palestinians by refusing to allow them to enter Israel even for medical reasons. From Ynet:

A Palestinian father of six who was diagnosed with a brain cancer died at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital on Wednesday while waiting for an entry permit to Israel, where he was set to undergo brain surgery and receive chemotherapy treatment at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.

Three weeks ago, at the request of Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel), Dr Elsalam Abria of Haifa’s Rambam Hospital wrote an opinion saying that Muhammad el-Harani would die within a few days or weeks unless he receives proper treatment in Israel.

Ran Yaron, co-director of PHR-Israel’s Occupied Territories Project, said that after el-Harani was diagnosed with cancer last February he was referred to Ichilov Hospital to undergo brain surgery and chemotherapy treatment, which are not conducted in any medical center in Gaza.

El-Harani’s request was rejected for security reasons, prompting PHR-Israel to file an urgent appeal on his behalf to the IDF’s District Coordination Office. El-Harani’s hearing, which was scheduled to take place at the Erez Crossing at the beginning of the week, was postponed by the army.

“The Shin Bet is continuing its harmful policy against cancer patients,” Yaron said, “we are very concerned for the fate of 12 others who have requested entry to Israel for treatment.”

Wow, that sounds horrible, doesn’t it? Except for the fact that it’s a lie. el-Harani isn’t dead. And Physicians for Human Rights knew about it the day after those stories were published.

Muhammad al-Harrani, a father of six from Gaza diagnosed with cancer who reportedly died while waiting for a permit to enter Israel, miraculously “came back to life.” This was not the result of a miracle, but rather, just part of the tactics used by al-Harrani’s family in a bid to secure a permit for him.

Al-Harrani is currently awaiting an entry permit into Israel, so that he can undergo head surgery at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and receive radiation and chemotherapy treatment. At the end of April he was summoned to a questioning session at the Erez Crossing as part of the permit process, but the session was postponed by a week.

On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, al-Harrani’s story was published. His family reported to the “Physicians for Human Rights” organization that he died. “The sick man could not withstand the wait for the permit,” claimed Ran Yaron, Director of the Occupied Territories Department who blamed the Shin Bet for adopting cruel policies against cancer patients.

However, the next day, the organization discovered that al-Harrani was still alive. Members of group estimated that his brother, who reported the death, “killed” him so he does not report to the questioning session.

So what does PHR have to say for itself? Gee, this never happens.

“This is a rare case where a family member knowingly provided false information to the organization,” Physicians for Human Rights said. “Usually, the organization receives information from the families and from the hospitals, but in this case the information was received from the family and was not confirmed by the hospital.”

So, effectively, PHR just admitted that they took the words of Palestinians, who have every incentive to lie to portray Israel in as evil light as possible, and did no due diligence themselves. Needless to say, the Shin bet is pissed.

“We view these harsh accusations on your part with great severity; not even a minimal inquiry into the facts was conducted.” The Shin Bet noted that due to the suspicion of his involvement in terror activities, al-Harrani was indeed called in for a security check, and it was indeed postponed by a week.

In other words, the Palestinian cancer patient tried to duck out on the Shin Bet interview. Why is that, we wonder? Could have have something to hide?

Not that that would matter to PHR. Even terrorists dying of brian cancer should be allowed into Israel in their worldview.

Not in mine.

Say, Jimmy Carter, would you mind responding to these words by Mahmoud al-Zahar, whom you said only last week wants peace of a sorts with Israel?

“The Palestinians and the Arabs have crushed the Jews’ assumption of supremacy… The Zionist legend of invincibility has been destroyed.

“Now more than ever I tell you – will never recognize Israel… We will form the Palestinian state on all of Palestine’s territories and the sun of liberty will burn the Zionists. To them I say – you will lose. You will leave and we will keep hounding you. The blood of our slain sons will haunt you forever,” he said.

Carter wrote in op-eds around the world only last week:

Hamas has agreed to accept any negotiated peace settlement between the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israel’s prime minister, Ehud Olmert, provided it is approved in a referendum of the Palestinian people.

Compare and contrast these words, Mr. Carter. Tell me how Hamas wants peace. And oh yeah—there’s also the matter of flooding Israel with millions of third- and fourth-generation Palestinian “refugees”:

Senior Hamas member Mahmoud al-Zahar spoke Wednesday at a Gaza Strip event marking the 60th anniversary of the Nakba – the anniversary of the 1948 events which led to the induction of the State of Israel – and promised his listeners that “the right of return in closer than ever.”

Yep. Those are the words of a group that is willing to accept a peace with Israel. Uh-huh. Sure.

I’m anxiously awaiting the Carter spin on this one.

Is anyone truly surprised that Egypt will not stand by its Gaza agreement with Israel? Really? You may recall that when the Gaza agreements were being ironed out, and Condi Rice forced Israel to give up the Philadelphi corridor and cede control to European monitors (who fled at the first signs of violence from Hamas), Egypt also agreed to keep the terrorists from smuggling in arms and bombs. Yeah, that’s working out so well, Hamas blew up the border wall and imported thousands of rockets (and Iranian trainers) while they were at it. Now, Egypt isn’t even pretending to keep its agreements with Israel anymore. And of course, no one in the media makes so much as a peep when Egypt violates its agreements. Just as the world manages to ignore the fact that the “blockade” on Gaza is also being perpetrated by Egypt.

Egypt will reopen the Rafah crossing to Palestinians even if Cairo’s initiative to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas fails, according to assessments by Israeli defense officials. The Israel Defense Forces, meanwhile, is taking steps to be able to limit mass marches to the fence separating Gaza and Israel.

Although Egypt denies it, evidence is mounting that Cairo and Hamas recently reached an understanding to open the crossing regardless of the outcome of the negotiations.

Israeli officials on Monday told Suleiman during his visit to Israel that Jerusalem would not agree to a cease-fire unless substantial progress is made in negotiations for the release of Gilad Shalit, the IDF soldier abducted by Hamas in June 2006.

Defense officials also told Suleiman that Israel would not agree to open the Rafah crossing without such progress, conditioning their consent on Shalit’s release to Egypt. Suleiman expressed reservations about the demand, arguing that a cease-fire would help facilitate the deal for Shalit’s release.

However, Egypt could reopen the crossing without Israel’s consent as part of Cairo’s negotiations with Hamas. If Egypt does that, it would be violating understandings on the crossing it undertook under American pressure in November 2005.

The agreement Egypt signed then put the crossing under European supervision under security requirements demanded by Israel. The crossing has remained all but sealed since Hamas’ seizure of power in the Gaza Strip last June, after which Israel imposed a strict blockade on the enclave.

By the way, the PA also wants the crossings closed.

The Palestinian Authority firmly objects to the prospect of reopening the crossing. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is insisting on the presence of PA security forces at the site.

Of course, Hamas would blow through the PA forces in a flash, like they did to take over Gaza last year, but hey, that’s beside the point. The point here is that in violation of agreements, and against the wishes of everyone but Hamas, a terrorist group, Egypt is going to open the Rafah border crossing—which will allow Hamas to import more weapons, more bombs, more rockets, and more Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Iran is planning for the next war, too. It will be a war on at least three fronts, and all three fronts will have thousands of rockets bombarding Israel. Many people are going to die if this one comes to pass. Pray that it doesn’t. The Iranian proxy army buildup continues, aided and abetted by the lack of will by neighboring countries to stop it—as well as by the rest of the world. Hell, even Tom Friedman has noticed the Iranian threat.

For now, Team America is losing on just about every front. How come? The short answer is that Iran is smart and ruthless, America is dumb and weak, and the Sunni Arab world is feckless and divided.

Of course, he doesn’t advocate that we actually do anything about it.

When you have leverage, talk. When you don’t have leverage, get some — by creating economic, diplomatic or military incentives and pressures that the other side finds too tempting or frightening to ignore. That is where the Bush team has been so incompetent vis-à-vis Iran.

The only weaker party is the Sunni Arab world, which is either so drunk on oil it thinks it can buy its way out of any Iranian challenge or is so divided it can’t make a fist to protect its own interests — or both.

We’re not going to war with Iran, nor should we. But it is sad to see America and its Arab friends so weak they can’t prevent one of the last corners of decency, pluralism and openness in the Arab world from being snuffed out by Iran and Syria.

Yes, that would be the world that is unwilling to go along with sanctions. Friedman is ignoring the fact that effective sanctions keep getting shot down by Europe, Russia, and China, no matter what the Bush Administration proposes. You can’t get leverage if you’re the only kid on the block willing to do something about the local bully, but every other kid refuses to help. I’m not saying the U.S. isn’t helpless. But the world bodies refuse to act in anything other than their own short-term self-interest. Switzerland signs natural gas deals with Iran. China and Russia sign major trade agreements and send arms and weapons technology—including nuclear technology—to aid Iran in getting atomic bombs.

The only thing the world is ever in agreement on is its condemnation of Israel. Or aggressive American actions. So watch for the world to ignore Egypt’s violation of its agreement with Israel, and then scream when Israel tries to do something in response to an attack by a newly-supplied Hamas.

Writing about an industrial zone on the border of Gaza set to open nearly ten years ago, William Orme of the New York Times reported:

Now, hailed by all sides as the first tangible achievement of the current phase of the tortuous Israeli-Palestinian negotiating process, the Gaza Industrial Estate is expected to be operating before the end of the year. It will employ up to a thousand Palestinians, and eventually more, in several small-scale manufacturing ventures.What was hailed here as a diplomatic and economic breakthrough would almost anywhere else in the world be an unexceptional, small step in industrial development.

Still, it is a measure of the Gaza Strip’s isolation and economic desperation that this tentative, modest project looms so large for Palestinian planners.

Orme, of course, notes how Israel was likely to render the success of such a project unviable.

Gaza’s exports are routinely obstructed by border closings and security checks, further skewing a chronic trade imbalance. For every five trucks that arrive here from Israel, only one goes out, and it typically goes out very slowly.On a recent afternoon at the border checkpoint next to the industrial park, six Israeli customs inspectors examined a truckload of Gaza potatoes for hours, pallet by pallet, bag by bag, with hand-held metal detectors.

Unfortunately, one of the industrial zones bordering Gaza, Karni, was often the focus of terrorism.

In 2004 after Israel arrested an organizer of a terrorist attack in Ashdod where the terrorists were transported through Karni, Israel released some relevant information about the suspect:

Atallah noted that in the weeks prior to his arrest, the Hamas and Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades tried to carry out another double suicide bombing into Israel, using the Karni crossing as the route for smuggling the suicide bombers. Atallah was responsible for arranging the release of the containers from the crossing; the suicide bombers were to be hidden under a double floor within a container. Atallah said that the terrorist organizations view the Karni crossing as a weak point, lacking full security checks, and providing an attractive route for smuggling terrorists into Israel. For that matter, the Hamas, assisted by Atallah, was planning to purchase trucks and establish a company for transporting containers from the Gaza Strip into Israel and use it as a guise for smuggling terrorists into Israel.

(emphasis mine)

In a 2006 briefing a UNRWA official said:

Recent incursions into the Karni industrial zone have left the infrastructure severely damaged. This usually vibrant area is now empty and quiet. Many of the companies will struggle to get started again. Some of them might not survive. Last month the offices of many Karni based Gazan companies were demolished, even the motherboards of their computers were taken away.”If violence stops there are other things to be done. This industrial zone has to be working again. Otherwise reconstruction will be unsustainable in Gaza”, Mr Grandi said.

The problem is that Karni became a focal point for attack because of its vulnerability. In fact the idea - logical on the face - that facilitating commerce and economic opportunity between the Palestinians and Israel would cement peace between them, has worked out quite the opposite so far.

I bring you this background because Tony Blair knows that he can bring peace to the Middle East by following this path right now.

Mr. Blair, a former British prime minister and now the representative of the so-called quartet of Middle East peacemakers — the United States, the United Nations, Russia and the European Union — announced plans for economic, social and security measures at a news conference. He said it would be “a mistake to think” that the political negotiations could work without changing the reality on the ground.That, he said, meant easing conditions for Palestinians in their daily lives while assuring Israelis their security.

Among the measures, which Mr. Blair said he had been discussing with Israeli defense officials, were efforts to ease the movement of Palestinian people and goods; the development of two industrial parks; approval for new building in Palestinian villages in areas under Israeli control; and the creation of a special Palestinian economic and security zone in and around Jenin, in the north, as a testing ground for the rest of the West Bank.

Will Mr. Blair’s initiatives pay off? The experience in Gaza shows that rather improving the lives of the Palestinians, the economic zones may well become targets for opportunistic terrorists. This is not to say that his effort will fail. Still past experience tells us that Mr. Blair’s good intentions notwithstanding, the implementation of his plan may well make matters worse.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.