It didn't take long for the Palestinians to live down to my predictions. While I had expected a few days for the newly-minted cease-fire to settle in, Hamas had already set a major mortar attack into action. The Jerusalem Post reports on the hail of mortars and Kassam rockets that hit Israeli targets in Gaza:

At least twenty-five mortar shells and Kassam rockets have landed on Gaza Strip settlements since 2:00 a.m. Thursday, hitting settlements in Gush Katif, southern Gaza, and northern Gaza, according to the IDF. ... Meanwhile, the settlers are claiming a total of 38 Kassam rockets and mortar shells have been fired at settlements. ...

No wounded have been reported, but early Thursday damage was caused to one building and to the electrical system in one of the settlements.

The Abbas government couldn't even hold a truce for twenty-four hours without Hamas demonstrating its power to disrupt events. In retaliation, Abbas fired his Gaza commanders for their failure to prevent the attacks, but Abbas may well run out of field officers by next week if that's the mission they must accomplish. Palestinians, especially in Gaza, overwhelmingly support Hamas over Fatah and Hamas now controls two-thirds of the electable offices in both territories. Abbas can't put Hamas out of business when the Palestinians so openly support the terrorists rather than the peacemakers. If he did, a civil war would erupt, or Fatah would simply put Abbas out of his misery to prevent one.

I give this cease-fire another week of attacks, and then I predict it will crumble under the same old Palestinian triangle offense, just like all the others. When the Palestinians want peace, they can have it. Right now they're choosing murder and misery, and they will get that instead.

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» Abbas Fires Officials after Gaza Violence from Outside The Beltway
Abbas takes action after Gaza violence (CNN) One top Palestinian security officer was fired, another resigned and a third was asked to step down after Palestinian militants fired mortars at Israeli communities in Gaza, security officials said Thursd... [Read More]

Tracked on February 10, 2005 1:53 PM

» What a great strategy the Palestinians have come up with from ThoughtsOnline
The nominal head of the Palestinians pursues a cease-fire with Israel, publicly saying all the right words, while others within the Palestinian movement continue to attack Israelis. The world unites in praise of Abbas. The world unites in opposition to... [Read More]

Tracked on February 10, 2005 6:48 PM