Can you say, “First Amendment”? Apparently, they can’t: Houston city attorneys subpoena five pastors’ sermons, asking for anything that discusses “HERO, the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity”. Eugene Volokh explains how it’s done if you actually need to subpoena speech that might, you know, actually be valid in a lawsuit, like, say, a libel suit. As opposed to intimidating pastors who don’t agree with you. Really? Really? Going after people for their religious beliefs? Really?

AWESOME work, CDC: It’s not enough that the Dallas hospital staff did not use hazmat clothing for the first two days they were treating an Ebola patient. The CDC told a nurse reporting a low fever that it was okay to fly with it. Because it’s not, like, she was a nurse treating an Ebola patient who just came down with a fever–one of the symptoms of Ebola. Fucking unbelievable. And oh, the president is finally doing something. The optics must finally be polling poorly. He canceled a couple of campaigning trips to make a speech, or something.

Something is terribly wrong when that hospital in Dallas exposed its staff to Ebola, but the one in Atlanta treated patients without any transmission of the disease. They’re supposed to have been trained in this. Great work, CDC! But hey, it’s really important to spend money on why chimpanzees throw objects.

Well, then you’re going to be living in tents for a long time: The new propaganda line is out. The Palestinians are now saying that they can’t rebuild Gaza until the blockade is lifted. Uh-huh. That little detail about Hamas importing weapons? Pshaw. It’s much more important to give the Palestinians money without making sure that terrorists don’t profit from it.

Never too old to learn: An 86-year-old Jewish man who didn’t get a chance to go to high school because he was too busy hiding from the Nazis finally got his high school diploma in the U.S. Mazel tov!

That tired, old “cycle of violence”: Israel attacked terror sites in Gaza in response to rocket fire–again. And CNN is “picking up” the habit of using “scare quotes” from the Brits, I think.

Israeli warplanes struck five targets in Gaza on Saturday evening in “retaliation” for what a military spokesman called “terrorist aggression.”

Four of the “targeted … terror sites” were in northern Gaza while one was in southern Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said the strikes were “precision” and “intelligence-based.”

Way to go, “news” reporting site.

This is why there will not be peace: Saab Erekat, who lies just about every time he opens his mouth, says that Hamas is not, and has not ever been, a terror group.

“I hereby declare, in the make of President Mahmoud Abbas and the directorate of Fatah, that Hamas is a Palestinian movement, and is not and never was a terror group,” Erekat added.

This is actually not a lie–for him. The Palestinians believe that what we call terror is their “resistance”–even to the murdering of children.

Which is why there will not be peace.

Oh, that will stop them: Amnesty thinks it has some kind of power over how Israel deals with violent protestors. It’s warning Israel. Yes, really. The exact wording? “Israel must not use violence to quash Land Day demonstrations on Sunday.” It should totally be peaceful.

Last year protesters around the country numbered in the thousands with many carrying Palestinian flags and chanting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “with blood and fire, we will liberate al-Aksa,” among other chants.

In other words, Amnesty has already written the report and will be filling in the blanks where the names and incidents should be.

Gee, no way this goes wrong: Israel is working with Turkey to hammer out a deal to enable building materials into Gaza for a hospital. Because it’s not like terrorists from Turkey don’t work with Hamas, or anthing (Mavi Marvara, anyone?). And it’s not like Hamas is building giant tunnels that would enable a squad of terrorists to rush into Israel and murder civilians and kidnap soldiers, or anything.

This is why.

“The tunnels we are inaugurating today are the new Hamas strategy in the war against Israel—the strategy of the tunnels,” Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya announced on Sunday at a rally marking the ten-year anniversary of Israel’s assassination of Sheik Ahmed Yassin.”From below ground and above ground, you, the Occupiers, will be dismissed. You have no place in the land of Palestine… What the resistance forces are preparing secretly for the next confrontation with Israel is beyond imagination for Israel.”

Hamas is preparing for war, not peace. And they are, of course, committing war crimes even in the planning.

The official says the tunnel typically starts a few hundred meters from the fence, inside a house or chicken coop owned by Hamas supporters, who give their consent and receive compensation. (The Israeli military located a tunnel originating in the side room of a mosque, apparently on the assumption that Israeli forces would not attack a holy place.) The depth at the entrance runs to a depth of 18 to 20 meters. As the diggers proceed, engineers follow pouring concrete to reinforce the walls and the ceiling. The electricians follow later, installing lights, and ventilation. Communication lines are also spread along side the tunnel in order to enable communication between the various parts of the tunnel, in the absence of a cellular reception, which at any rate, would be vulnerable to interception by Israeli’s signal-intelligence services.

If the digging goes well, without cave-ins from the sandy soil or flooding from groundwater, a 1,500 meter (nine-tenths of a mile) tunnel can be dug in nine to ten months. That said, the Israeli sources noted that one of the tunnels discovered was dug over two years. The final third, perhaps 500 meters, extends into Israel, but stops several meters short of the surface, in order to be breached when the order is given for offensive action.

I think I’m going to hope for some localized earthquakes on the Gaza-Israel border. That would take care of the tunnels.

While no weapons were found in the tunnel, the military source claimed “it has more advanced branching than previous tunnels.” He further added: “The tunnel is of high quality and it seems much thought was put into it and it was designed for a significant attack, such as kidnapping or any other major attack.”

Most of the tunnel parts are between eight and nine meters underground, however some part of the tunnel are deeper and reach 20 meters under the surface.

In addition to a generator, the Hamas activists who dug the tunnel also left in it tools used to line the tunnel with cement as well as shielding gear, and the IDF estimates that the tunnel was constructed for months on end.

This is why Israel doesn’t let cement through the crossing. And this is why Israel’s enemies want to end the Gaza blockade–to make it easier for Hamas to conduct war.

Hamas’ military wing issued a warning to the IDF, saying the Palestinian resistance knows how to claim a heavy price from Israel. Qassam Brigades’ spokesman Abu Ubaidah stressed that the preparedness of the resistance organizations in Gaza is a part of the protection of the Palestinian people from “repeated Israeli aggression.”

The IDF told Israel Radio on Thursday evening that Hamas was preparing underground outposts and command centers ahead of the possibility of an Israel ground invasion into the Gaza Strip.

Let us not forget that the terrorists that captured Gilad Shalit went through a tunnel from Gaza. This is what Hamas wants, because they got over a thousand terrorists in exchange for one Israeli soldier.

Remember this the next time you hear another claim about Gaza’s horrible humanitarian crisis. Hamas steals the cement that is supposed to go to Palestinians to rebuild their homes, and creates terror tunnels with it.

The title:

Israel: Gaza Militants Fire More Rockets on Israel

Because if Israel says it, we must cast doubt on it.

The lead:

Gaza militants resumed their rocket fire toward Israel on Thursday, striking the outskirts of two major cities a day after launching the largest barrage since an eight-day Israeli offensive in late 2012.

Thursday’s attacks set off air-raid sirens in the southern cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. The rockets landed in open areas, but flew deeper into Israel than Wednesday’s attacks on southern Israeli border towns. There have been no casualties in the latest flare-up.

Gaza militant groups said they resumed their rocket fire in response to what they say are Israeli “provocations” and violations of a cease-fire, including an airstrike that killed three Islamic Jihad militants earlier this week.

And the laugh-lines:

Both sides have largely observed a cease-fire that ended the Israeli offensive against rocket launchers in November 2012, in which Israel and Gaza militants engaged in eight days of heavy fighting.

That “largely observed” cease fire? 71 rockets and mortars have been fired since then, not counting the latest outburst.

CNN’s article has this lovely touch in a pullquote under the story highlights:

A militant wing of Islamic Jihad in Gaza claimed responsibility for the rocket fire

Lovely, CNN. Pretend that PIJ is anything but a terrorist group. The U.S. Government has declared them so, but CNN has to cater to its international anti-Israel audience, I suppose.

Meantime, Hamas continues with the stale old “It’s self-defense” excuse.

“The Israeli occupation is fully responsible for the escalation taking place. This escalation started off with the execution of three members of the Islamic Jihad and we assure you that the Palestinian resistance is defending itself when confronting these crimes,” Zurhi said.

That would be the three terrorists killed for firing mortars into Israel.

And of course, the UN tells Israel to “exercise restraint” even while condemning PIJ for the rocket fire.

By the way, I can’t find a word uttered by our Secretary of State about the rocket fire from Gaza. Apparently, he just ignores things that don’t fit in with his peace plans.

Play it down, media, play it down: The New York Times does not disappoint in its mealy-mouthed coverage of Israel’s seizure of hundreds of missiles and thousands of rounds of ammunition heading from Iran to Gaza.

Israel Displays Arms It Says Were Headed to Gaza

Right. Because “Made in Iran” stamped on them wasn’t proof enough they were Iranina. And always, always question Israeli spokespeople and never question Palestinians.

Jews, out of Europe: It continues. Nazi graffiti was painted on a Jewish school in Sweden.

Because it’s not the number one reason for negotiating with the Palestinians: Two-thirds of Israelis don’t trust John Kerry on Israel’s security. I think I’ve figured it out. Kerry thinks he can run for president if he gets a peace plan signed, and he thinks it will be enough to overcome the Hillary machine. (Why, oh why did I dream about her last night? Ugh. At least I made her pay for dinner.)

CNN:

The Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday it intercepted an Iranian shipment of “advanced” weapons bound for “terrorist organizations” operating in Gaza.

Note the New York Times headline:

Israel Says It Seized Ship in Red Sea With Load of Iranian Rockets Headed to Gaza

Wapo:

Israel says it stopped Iranian arms shipment destined for Gaza Strip

And deep inside the article:

It is not the first time that Israel has claimed to have intercepted a weapons shipment from Iran. In 2011, Israeli commandos discovered 50 tons of concealed weaponry being transported from Syria to the Egyptian port of Alexandria. Two years earlier, the military uncovered 500 tons of Iranian-made weapons on a ship traveling to Latakia in Syria.

Each time, reporters were supplied photographic and video evidence that the weapons were Iranian made. And yet, they continue to pretend that they don’t have all the facts yet. This BBC news brief is my favorite so far. It utterly drips with charges that Israel is making it all up.

Israel says it has seized a ship carrying advanced Iranian weapons made in Syria that was heading towards Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has released pictures of weapons, which they say were onboard a Panamanian-flagged vessel boarded by Israeli naval commandos in the Red Sea off the coast of Sudan.

They improved their update slightly. But of course, they can’t allow Israel to do anything unquestioned.

The BBC’s Yolande Knell in Jerusalem says Israeli television is showing footage of what appear to be commandos inspecting a large rocket in a ship’s hold.

And they absolutely must present the Iran and Hamas side of the issue. Because then they get to accuse Israel of lying, evidence be damned.

Once again, Reuters is showing almost even-handedness. A

And then there’s the AP, on Fox News. I’m betting the headline was written by a Fox News editor. But the lead is pretty good, for a change.

Israeli naval raid nabs Gaza-bound arms from Iran
Israeli naval forces raided a ship in the Red Sea early Wednesday, capturing a shipment of dozens of advanced rockets from Iran destined to Palestinian militants in Gaza that would have given them greater reach to strike much of Israel, the military said.

The M-302 rockets were on route in an elaborate smuggling operation orchestrated by Iran, the military said. Manufactured in Syria, the rockets were flown to Iran, then shipped from its Bandar Abbas port to Iraq to cover their tracks and loaded onto the civilian cargo ship destined for Sudan. From there, they were to be smuggled overland through Egypt to the Gaza Strip, military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner told reporters.

What’s interesting is that nowhere is there a protest that Israel seized the ship in international waters–remember, that was the big thing about Israel stopping the Mavi Marmara from breaking the Gaza blockade. Looks like the anti-Israel crowd only cry foul when their precious victims aren’t caught red-handed trying to smuggle weapons through the blockade.

But hey. They’ll find a way to do it, I’m sure. Meantime, here is the evidence the IDF is sending ’round the world.

Even as a top Hamas official warned Monday against Palestinian acceptance of an American “framework” peace agreement, West Bank leaders were asserting that the Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip would in fact back a peace deal with Israel based on “national principles.”

They’re not even willing to allow Jews on the Temple Mount. Why should we believe this bullshit?

Oh, that’s rich: Mahmoud Abbas is now in the tenth year of his four-year term as president, and he wants Hamas to hold elections before they can continue unity talks. Pot, say hello to kettle, will you?

Coward speaking from undisclosed location: We’re not afraid of Israel. In his annual Groundhog’s Day speech (full credit to Lair Simon), which means six more weeks of terrorism, Chipmunk Cheeks Nasrallah announced that he is not afraid of Israel–while in hiding for fear of his life. Have a nice life, Nazzy. The one where you keep going from one hiding place to another. So glad you’re not scared. That would really suck.

More proof Hamas wants all of Israel: They insist that if NATO forces were to patrol Israel’s borders, they’d be treated just like Hamas treats Israelis. Really, they really, REALLY want the two-state solution. Just ask the Palestinian spokesliars. But don’t worry, the media will glom ont that article and ignore the ones like this.

Yeah, it’s a little late for me: My grandfather thought that my family was descended from Spanish Jews, but I have no desire whatsoever to find out and apply for Spanish citizenship. Lots of Israeli Sephardic Jews are doing just that. Whatever. I’m pretty happy with my American citizenship, thank you.

Of course they are: Hamas is going to let more rockets fall, because the IDF retaliated for the rocket fire. I think they think they can get world opinion in an uproar. I wouldn’t count on that much anymore. We may be seeing Middle East fatigue in the world media.

Oh, who am I kidding? If it’s Jews, it’s news. Syria can kill over 100,000 civilians not problem. Israel can’t even kill terrorists without the world getting its panties in a twist.

Here’s hoping: Hamas is expecting a horrible year in 2014. Their funding is down due to the tunnel closures, and Egypt has them in its sights. So yeah, it may be an awful year for them. We can but hope. Mahmoud Abbas, on top of things as always, has decided this is the time for another attempt to make nice with them. Something has to be done. They’re building up their presence in the West Bank.