West Asia News and Discussions

[Mahendra]

200 pages of this thread and still no turkey shoot pah!

[RamaY]

Kuwait according to Debka will allow Israel to pass through its airspace to attack iranian nuclear targets.

1. Iran is so stupid that it can't make the bum even after 4yrs of refinement
2. Israel's war preparedness is worse than that of Pakistan
3. Debka is worse than undieTV
4. Kuwait will lick the jewish bottoms for perpetuity

[Mahendra]

I vehemently disagree with point 4 Israel is finished don't ask me why

[pentaiah]

@nytimes: In Syria, Missteps by Rebels Erode Their Support http://t.co/6UASr7ou
Israel: http://t.co/YW2Beteo

-------
Reports of UK intelligence have informed Bahrain qatar and Kuwait of a large terror cell planning attacks in these countries

the amazing thing is everything about Israel is amazing
fighting a war
not fighting a war
avoiding a war
threatening a war

finally
the most amazing thing
Israel neither confirms nor denies

[brihaspati]

For the sake of a "nuanced" even-sided representation of views on this thread - where typically onlee the anti-Assad side gets to be represented- here is one from Assad himself, given to RT:
http://rt.com/news/assad-exclusive-interview-syria-240/

[pentaiah]

BJ ji sir ji

Assad is tall even in his patriotism no?

[Gagan]

Israelis complaining about US dragging its feet on nuclear proliferation in the case od Pakistan, NoKo, and now Iran.
One diplomat caustically called the US policy as, "Too early, too early, oops - too late"

[pentaiah]

In case of TSP it was not dragging feet but driving TSP to gates of Nuke power state and Israel played no insignificant role at minimum it did not oppose the driving. It was profitable then to do now its not
Karma is biatch it catches up sooner or later
TSP by getting Iran and later KSA as well into Nuke Club will ensure that all it's potential adversaries
Israel, India, US, EU are all deterred by Islamic Bum
I for one will not regret a bit if it happens because we all will be in the same boat or planet

TSP is now a monster problem for everyone sabash

[Mahendra]

Do we know for sure that the AQ Kejriwal designs work?

[RamaY]

Do we know for sure that the AQ Kejriwal designs work?

Since we do not know if it is AQKejriwals design or Hu-al-bin-communisti's pre-fabricated bum that the Islamic brothers got, we should not doubt it.

Given its atim-bum, jihardi-infrastructure and Islamic-foundations, Pakistan is a true/pure leader of Ummah. We should help it realize that dream by nudging GCC in giving control of Mecca and medina to pakis. That will make pakis feel more secure thus solving the nuclear flashpoint in south Asia.

[Mahendra]

Ha so if the new-clear flash point shifts more westward, AQKejriwal's designs or Hu's prefabricated el cheapo stuff becomes the West's headache. The Pakeez become the more predominant dog of the region and all GCC worship will have to become Pakee worship.
India's pre determined march towards superpower dom ( thanks to GCC) will more than likely never happen given that the Pakeeez are calling the shots
All in all interesting times ahead, pop corn and beer will more than likely be stocked up, BRF might just save the crown jewels of Victory Branson Mallya and his twit(ter) hungry mongrel Son.
Dippy turned out more smarter than most sources and sooth-sayers, saw the writing in the wall and dumped Sid the twit, if there was anyone ahead of the curve, it was her

[RamaY]

Zexi-Dippy is a better source for this thread

[pentaiah]

They have Chinese maal that has been proofed
And the NP Ayatollahs are unanimous on their working no?

[brihaspati]

BJ ji sir ji

Assad is tall even in his patriotism no?

Well the anti-Assad front's reaction simply supports what I surmised was the jihadi intent - they threatened to do to him what was done to Qaddafi. The jihadis are always driven by sexual violence, homosexuality, and desire to rape while inflicting maximum possible pain. They would try to do as musch sadism as possible on his family - and if possible try to make him watch - a standard Islamist practice throughtout history. They would also try to torture to death the children - so that no heirs turn up.

Once Islamist jihad goes into the brain - the resulting being is perhaps no longer human, but a deranged, cunning, blood thirsty and twistedly perverse in sexuality - animal.

[Surya]

I am disappointed in (ahead of curve) BRF and GCC super power intel????

They had no clue about Petraeus????

where will I go for predictions now?

[Mahendra]

^
Try Bejan Daruwala or Bekaar Sourcewala?

[brihaspati]

The Syrian rebels have managed to find a unifying leader - an Islamic cleric who was once an Imam in Damascus. Oops - maybe I should have waited for the sources to deliver advance notice on a post-dated bill.

[Agnimitra]

The Syrian rebels have managed to find a unifying leader - an Islamic cleric who was once an Imam in Damascus. Oops - maybe I should have waited for the sources to deliver advance notice on a post-dated bill.

This cleric had fled Syria and is currently located in Qatar. His name is Mu'aadh al-Khateeb, the ex-Imam of the Bani Umayyah mosque in Damascus. The BBC report below wants you to know that he is considered a "moderate" face (not sure by whom). Today in Doha for the first time the different rebel groups came under one command when he was entrusted their leadership.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/world/2012 ... tion.shtml

[anmol]

Women assault, cut hair of Christian woman on metro

Two niqab-wearing women assaulted and forcefully cut the hair of a Christian woman on the metro Sunday, the third such reported incident in two months, raising fears of a growing vigilante movement to punish Egyptian women for not wearing the veil in public.

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights said in a statement that the assaulters called the Christian woman, who is 28 years old, an “infidel" and pushed her off the train, breaking her arm.

The Christian woman reported the incident to the police and filed a medical report to confirm the assault.

EOHR Director Naguib Gabriel urged the interior minister to address the recurring attacks on unveiled women before it becomes a common practice.

Last week, a woman wearing the niqab cut the hair of a 13-year-old Christian girl, Maggie Milad Fayez, in the metro. That same week, an Egyptian court gave a female teacher in Luxor with a six-month suspended prison sentence for cutting the hair of two 12-year-old girls after they refused to cover their heads.

Mainstream religious scholars say wearing the veil is compulsory for Muslims, but that no one can be forced to wear it. Muslim Brotherhood leaders have repeatedly said they will not apply a strict interpretation of Sharia with regard to women’s dress.

Opponents of President Mohamed Morsy, who resigned from the Muslim Brotherhood when he took office, say these incidents prove that Islamists are attempting to impose strict Sharia laws under his rule.

Egypt is home to more than 8 million Christians, the largest such national community in the Middle East.

A redditor from Egypt posted following comment on this story :-

This is not an isolated incident. This is reality now. If you don't cover your head in Egypt you are in danger of being harassed, groped, raped or kidnapped. No, you could say there is officially no law mandating covering your head but as long as society and the gov't allows vigilantes to do this, there is no need for a law. This goes back before the revolution and the rise of the Brotherhood and Salafists just reinforced it.

Egypt is so quickly becoming radicalised, it is ridiculous, neither I nor my parents recognize it anymore. The people have changed for the worst and the country is quickly becoming another Pakistan. A completely failed state where the failures of Islam is remedied with more Islam like a bad drug addiction. There will be no more Copts within 1-2 generations at most and all the moderate Muslims will either be radicalised or gone.
source: http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comme ... nd/c6zvyxh

[RoyG]

^^The fellow should rejoice. They are only practicing the true Islam.

[anmol]

^^The fellow should rejoice. They are only practicing the true Islam.

I think the fellow is Christian.

[Surya]

So when will the ahead of curve BRF predict the demolition of the pyramids

aha brihaspati sometimes sources are not in right time zone to read the advanced ticker information

[RamaY]

So when will the ahead of curve BRF predict the demolition of the pyramids

Actually I support this 'demolish pyramids' movement along with 'demolish kaba' movement. Islam prohibits idol worship.

Both these idols/icons provide good source of tourism income to the respective countries.

[nachiket]

Hamas military leader Ahmed Jaabari assassinated in IAF airstrike


People look at the wreckage of the car in which Ahmed Jabari, head of the Hamas military wing, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Gaza City, Wednesday, November 14, 2012 (photo credit: AP/Adel Hana)


Great work by the Israelis. How I wish Half-a$$ saeed ends up like this one day.

[Charlie]

Video of the air strike by Israeli Air Force.....

[youtube]P6U2ZQ0EhN4&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[RamaY]

Good work Israelis!

It works for them because they control palastine skies. India cannot do that w.r.t hafeez the pig.

[nachiket]

It works for them because they control palastine skies. India cannot do that w.r.t hafeez the pig.

Oh, it need not be an airstrike. There are simpler ways to blow up a car. The most difficult thing is to get accurate intelligence on the movement and whereabouts of the target, especially if he is heavily guarded.

[brihaspati]

What about Jordanian clashes over fuel hike and other stuff?

[Philip]

"Sow the wind,reap the whirlwind...",but tragically it looks like another round of tit-for-tat violence is inevitable.Hamas has threatened to "open the gates of hell".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle- ... linton-30m

Hamas: killing of military chief by Israel has 'opened gates of hell' - live

Live• Israel strike kills Hamas military chief Ahmed al-Jaabari
• Strikes to go on until 'peace and quiet' is enforced
• Hamas says Israel attack has 'opened gates of hell'
• Egypt withdraws ambassador to Israel in protest
• Washington: 'We will stand by our Israeli partners'
• Read our latest summary | news story

Paul Owen and Tom McCarthy
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 14 November 2012

• Israel killed Hamas military leader Ahmed al-Jaabari in an airstrike on his car in Gaza. Israel followed the assassination with sustained air and naval strikes across Gaza, concentrating in the north.

• Israeli officials said the offensive, called "Pillar of Defense," was meant to stop the launch of hundreds of rockets on civilian populations in southern Israel in recent months.

• At least nine Palestinians have been killed in the strikes, including women and children, according to the Palestinian envoy to the UN. That number was expected to climb, possibly significantly. Dozens of Palestinians were reported injured.

• Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, "We are still at the beginning of the event, not at the end, and we expect some complicated tests ahead." He said that increased deterrence, as well as taking out Hamas' rocket-launching capability, is a primary goal of the offensive.

• Egypt recalled its ambassador to Israel, condemning the attack. President Morsi called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. The Arab League announced a meeting on the crisis to take place Saturday.

• The assault is the widest offensive against Gaza since the Israeli invasion of 2008-2009, known as Cast Lead, in which at least 1,100 Palestinians and 13 Israelis died.

• At least 90 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel Wednesday. There were no reports of casualties.

• The United States pledged its support to Israel, asking that it "take every effort to avoid civilian casualties." President Obama did not mention the conflict in an hourlong news conference today, and he was not asked by reporters about it.

• The Syrian government denounced the "barbaric crimes" in Gaza. Obama said the United States had no plans to grant official recognition to the Syrian opposition.

• The IDF and the Al-Qassam brigades engaged in a Twitter spat.
4m ago

Al-Jazeera has compiled a list of Hamas leaders assassinated by Israel.

The list runs from the January 1996 attack on bombmaker Yahya Ayyash, killed by a mobile phone packed with explosives, to the January 2010 attack on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, senior Hamas military commander, suffocated in a five-star hotel in Dubai.

Full list here.
40m ago

The bombardment of Gaza continues. Strikes appear to be concentrated in the north. Multiple observers on the ground report near-continuous strikes, apparently a combination of air strikes and naval fire.

Haaretz puts the number of rockets fired from Gaza today at 83. The IDF says 25 rockets have been intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
55m ago

The Al-Qassam Brigades has reported launching rockets at Israel "military bases." There are multiple reports of Hamas rockets landing around the Israeli city of Ashkelon north of Gaza and Be'er Sheva to the east. The number of rockets launched on Israel from Gaza is unknown, as are figures for any casualties.
1h 28m ago

Haaretz columnists Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff write that the current attack is "far beyond the amplitude of the friction between the sides in recent days" and is likely to produce a protracted conflict:

[brihaspati]

On the flip-side, the Islamists everywhere hold non-Muslim majority country's govs hostage - by threate of rioting or violence. Indian govs for example cracks down or penalizes any protest against any Islamist atrocity on the excuse that "law and order situation will deteriorate" - thereby implying that gov knows and fears the islamist propensity to create public violence or violence on commons. In Palestine they face a regime - which does give a damn about that nuisance value. Here Islam's celebrated strategy fails and knocks out usual islamist thinking - which goes along alternative deceptive good-will and violent provocation route.

Israel keeps the Islamist more on the edge and hence more prone to errors. Perhaps not copy-able but worth drawing lessons from.

[devesh]

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2 ... t_in_chief

Islamist-In-Chief

Even as opponents of President Bashar al-Assad have gained ground inside Syria, the political opposition in exile has remained famously divided. The Syrian National Council, a body formed more than a year ago with the goal of uniting all opposition groups, was the poster child for these failures: Many of its most prominent members resigned in anger over the Muslim Brotherhood's domination of its top ranks and the council's detachment from groups inside the country.

However, recent developments have prompted a burst of optimism about the state of Syria's opposition. On Nov. 11, anti-Assad groups met in Doha, Qatar, where they hashed out an agreement, under U.S. and Qatari auspices, to form the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. The new rebel coalition was hailed as the first truly representative opposition body -- and its new leader, Sheikh Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, was widely praised as the perfect figure to represent the opposition to the world.

Syria's opposition received an immediate diplomatic boost after the formation of the new coalition. France recognized it as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people, and pledged to reexamine the possibility of shipping arms to the rebels. The Arab League also recognized the body, with Secretary General Nabil al-Araby hailing it as a "glimmer of hope." By dispelling Western fears of growing jihadist influence within the Free Syrian Army, the rebels hope, the new coalition can open the door to increased financial and military assistance from the international community.

The election of the Cairo-based Khatib, a former imam of Damascus's historic Umayyad Mosque who was imprisoned under Assad, is a crucial part of this strategy. Western media outlets such as the BBC were quick to declare him "a respected figure within Syria" who holds "moderate" political views, citing his trips to Britain and the United States, as well as his teaching experience at the Dutch Institute in Damascus, as evidence. However, public statements posted on the clergyman's website, darbuna.net, paint a different picture.

Khatib's website features numerous instances of anti-Semitic rhetoric. In one of his own articles, he writes that one of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's positive legacies was "terrifying the Jews." He has also published others' anti-Semitic observations on his site: In one article, written by Abdul Salam Basiouni, Jews are described as "gold worshipers." Finally, in an obituary of a Gaza sheikh copied from IslamSyria, Jews are dubbed "the enemies of God."

While Khatib used his post-election speech to call for equal rights for "all parts of the harmonious Syrian people," his previous rhetoric toward his country's minorities has been nothing short of virulent. One of his articles describes Shiite using the slur rawafid, or "rejectionists"; he even goes further, criticizing Shiites' ability to "establish lies and follow them." Such language, needless to say, will hardly reassure the country's Alawite community, a Shiite offshoot to which Assad belongs.

Khatib's animosity toward the West is similarly evident in his writing. In one article, written in 2011, the new coalition leader speaks of "stupid American, cunning British, and malignant French diplomacy." He also accuses Western powers of propping up the old Egyptian regime and working to weaken the country for their own ends. "The collapse of the Egyptian regime is the beginning of the international regional system's descent," he writes. "The collapse of Egypt itself is an enormous Israeli desire [emanating] from its frightening project to split the region into repugnant sectarian entities."

The new Syrian opposition leader doesn't hesitate to stoke Muslims' fears of persecution at the hands of the West. He posted on his website a flamboyant Dutch Radio report on the imminent ethnic cleansing of Europe's Muslim minorities, based on statements by right-wing European figures and Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the Tunisia's Islamist Al-Nahda party, which is now a major partner in the country's coalition government.

Khatib is also a fan of Qatar-based Egyptian televangelist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi. His website places Qaradawi on equal footing with Tunisia's Mohamed Bouazizi, whose self-immolation set off the Arab revolutions, and praised the Egyptian preacher as "our great Imam." Qaradawi is a controversial figure who has been denied entry to France and Britain for his support of suicide bombings -- he has described such attacks, when used against Israel civilians, as "evidence of God's justice." Given Qaradawi's Qatari connections, Khatib's praise of the cleric may be an indication of where his loyalties lie.

In certain instances, Khatib's conspiratorial language even mimics the regime's own rhetoric. In an article titled "Facebook, is it an American-Israeli intelligence website?" he claims that users of the social networking website involuntarily become Israeli or American spies through information-sharing. Khatib warns against the potential use of exchanges of a sexual nature on Facebook, which he says could be "weak spots" used to recruit spies. The Assad regime previously used the same logic when it banned Facebook, arguing that the site allowed Israel to make contact with Syrian youth.

Taken as a whole, these statements raise disturbing questions about whether Syria's new opposition leader is truly as "moderate" as he has been described in the press. His religious and political views appear divisive and at odds with the reassuring image Syria's opposition is trying to present -- both domestically and on the international front. Rather than a positive step forward, Khatib's leadership suggests that Syria's opposition is poised to repeat the same mistakes that have bedeviled it since the beginning of the revolt.

[RamaY]

"Sow the wind,reap the whirlwind...",but tragically it looks like another round of tit-for-tat violence is inevitable.Hamas has threatened to "open the gates of hell".

May be that is what they want. They want to pull out one of their enemies from their holes so they can usurp them one at a time.

Time will tell.

[RajeshA]

Islamist-In-Chief

The fault-line in Syria would deepen. Perhaps it is good! Perhaps it would lead to the Alawites and Christians digging in and demanding their own state on the Mediterranean. Perhaps the Kurds may like to go their own way!

Unlike the Coptic Christians in Egypt, the minority Alawis in Syria are armed.

[Agnimitra]

Hamas says it rocket shelled a business district in Tel Aviv this morning. Will this escalate?

[RamaY]

I wish. At least we can use the popcorn and beer we pulled up for I-ran

What happens if Israel takes out say top 3 layers of Hamas leadership (say top 100 people)?

[Nandu]

On how the IDF has teamed the current operation with a social media offensive.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11 ... s-youtube/

[Vayutuvan]

I got the following in email from Stratfor

Israel: Tel Aviv Targeted by Rockets
...
Two projectiles, which Stratfor believes to be Fajr-5 rockets due to their range, landed near Tel Aviv -- one just south of the municipal line and one in the water just outside of the southern suburb of Bat Yam. No injuries have been reported. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces denied that a rocket had landed in Tel Aviv, although this statement conflicts with eyewitness reports and may reflect the fact that projectiles have landed in areas just south of the actual Tel Aviv municipal boundary.

Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have claimed responsibility for the attack. This strike is the furthest Hamas has ever struck into Israeli territory and signals a major escalation. Hamas has moved beyond retaliation for yesterday's airstrikes or provocative bombings and instead is engaged in war. An Israeli ground offensive is now almost assured.

Central Israel is now under rocket fire for the first time since Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles into Tel Aviv during the first Gulf War. This escalation follows a spike in Israeli airstrikes over the Gaza Strip in the last 12 hours. The Israeli air force has hit more than 200 targets and Palestinian casualty numbers have risen to 15 fatalities and dozens injured.

The targeting of Israel's largest population center raises the specter of a ground operation. While limited rocket fire directed at small towns in the areas surrounding the Gaza Strip have been tolerated by the Israelis for the better part of the last decade, Stratfor expects rocket fire into the area where nearly 40 percent of the country's population resides -- and extending rocket fire to an area that now includes over half of the country -- to result in firmer action taken by the Israeli military to remove this threat.

Regardless of where the missile hit, the incident indicates that Gaza still has Fajr-5 rockets despite Israel's efforts yesterday to eliminate those stockpiles. The revelation that Gaza militants still have Fajr-5 missiles in their arsenals means that the airstrikes yesterday were incomplete. As Israeli intelligence continues to collect information on missile sites in Gaza, we can expect to see more airstrikes to eliminate them.

The IDF's official website and multiple media sources have already reported that paratroopers and soldiers from the IDF's Givati infantry brigade are beginning to prepare staging areas on the Gaza border for a ground offensive.

While this alone does not make a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip imminent, the fire on central Israel now makes this possibility all the more likely. However, if airstrikes do not prove sufficient to eliminate the long-range missile threat, Israel will need to be more methodical in finding and destroying those missile sites. That increases the likelihood of an Israeli ground operation, as that is the only way to secure the missile sites and prevent their further deploy....

[Kati]

So the current situation in Gaza serves the Iranian and Syrian govts well.
Won't be surprised if this has been instigated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp.

[Philip]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/

Gaza militants' missiles target Tel Aviv in revenge attack
11-month-old son of BBC picture editor is killed in air strike on Gaza City
Three Israelis killed in Gaza rocket strike as violence escalates

Massed Israeli troops poised for invasion of Gaza

Air strike assassination of Hamas military chief signals start of major operation

Matthew Kalman
Jerusalem

Thursday 15 November 2012
From air strikes to hit squads: how Israel disposes of its enemies
Editorial: A killing that will rebound on Israel

Israeli troops massed on the Gaza border last night, poised for a possible ground invasion as Israel launched a major military operation it said was designed “to severely impair the command and control chain of the Hamas leadership, as well as its terrorist infrastructure.”

Military sources told The Independent that a ground invasion was "a distinct possibility". The army has deployed extra infantry units near the Gaza border, halted major exercises, cancelled soldiers' leave and mobilised some reserve forces.

The opening salvo of Operation Pillar of Cloud was the pinpoint assassination by missile of the Hamas military commander, Ahmed al-Jabari, as he drove through Gaza City, followed by aerial attacks against targets throughout the Hamas-controlled enclave. At least 10 Palestinians, including civilians, were reported dead.

Gaza residents ran for cover as Israeli aircraft pounded targets across the Gaza Strip. It was the most extensive assault since Israel's ill-starred ground invasion ended in January 2009.

Eyewitnesses reported widespread panic as darkness fell, with people rushing to stock up with food. Israel struck 25 separate targets, including Hamas storage sites, some of them hidden in residential buildings. Israel said it bombed stockpiles of long-range rockets – including the Iranian Fajr-5, with a range of more than 25 miles, used to devastating effect by Hezbollah in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War. Hamas warned that Israel "had opened the gates of hell upon themselves."

The Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, said last night that Operation Pillar of Defence had "taken out" most of Hamas's rockets and other infrastructure.

"Israel is not interested in engaging in war, but Hamas's provocation in the past days has made it imperative that we act sharply and decisively," he said. "The operation's goals are to deal a harsh blow to the rocket firing capabilities... It won't happen at once, but we will achieve the goals of this operation. We are at the start of the events and not at the end... In the long run, I believe this will lead to deterrence and the restoration of quiet in the south."

The IDF Spokesman, Brigadier- General Yoav Mordechai said: "Were I a Hamas operative, I would now opt to shelter underground."

Several days of tough talk by Israeli leaders and Egyptian mediation seemed to have ended a massive Palestinian rocket barrage that confined more than a million Israelis to their homes for more than three days.

Then, shortly after 3.30pm yesterday, came the Israeli strike at the heart of the shadowy Hamas armed wing.

Mr Jabari, 52, was commander of the Hamas military wing. He made a rare public appearance just over a year ago, escorting Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit – whose kidnapping he planned – to freedom, but otherwise lived like a hunted man at the top of Israel's wanted list.

He was driving with his bodyguard in Gaza City when the vehicle was torn apart by a single Israeli missile. Both men appear to have died instantly.

Hamas leaders rushed to identify Al-Jabari's body and announce his death. They threatened swift retaliation.

"The Israelis thought they could break Hamas resistance by killing al-Jabari. They are wrong. The Palestinian resistance is still strong. We will co-ordinate our reply to this crime committed by the Israelis," said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. "Two days ago there was a ceasefire agreement prepared through Egyptian mediation. The Israelis did not commit to it and now they will pay the price."

Palestinian officials from the rival Fatah party also denounced the killing. "We condemn in the strongest terms this new Israeli assassination which aims to initiate a bloody escalation," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. "This exposes that Israel has an agenda for war but not for peace."

In Israel, police and home-front command officers were placed on full alert as rockets began falling. Israeli vice-premier Silvan Shalom hailed Mr Jabari's killing as a fitting end for a man who had masterminded some of Hamas's bloodiest attacks against Israel. "These guys like sending other people to martyrdom, but they don't like martyrdom for themselves," Mr Shalom said.

Israeli leaders may have satisfied recent calls for a tough response to the recent violence, but they are likely to come under diplomatic fire for launching an offensive when an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire seemed to be holding after 24 hours of relative calm. The Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi recalled his ambassador to Israel in protest, while the Arab League said it would meet to discuss the situation on Sunday.

"I am responsible for us choosing the right time to exact the heaviest price, and so be it," the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told residents of Beersheba, which had been targeted by Gaza rockets, just before the assassination. "Whoever thinks they can damage the daily lives of residents of the south, and that they won't pay a heavy price for this – they are mistaken."

Israel's last ground invasion of Gaza killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including many children and other civilians, and destroyed hundreds of homes. Even though Hamas has allowed the launching of more than 750 rockets into Israel this year alone, Israeli leaders already facing the prospect of diplomatic isolation over a Palestinian bid for UN recognition on 29 November, will be hard-pressed to maintain international support for a repeat performance.

Profile - Ahmed Al-Jabari: Commander was blamed for rocket strikes

Ahmed al-Jabari was one of Hamas's leading figures and head of its military wing.

His death yesterday was the first of a senior Hamas figure at the hands of Israel since Operation Cast Lead in 2008, when Israel launched a full-scale attack on the Gaza Strip.

He had nonetheless been at the top of the Israel Defence Forces' target list for some time. The Israelis held him responsible for the Qassam rocket strikes that have almost continually hit southern Israel – attacks that have escalated in recent days.

It is believed that Mr Jabari had responsibility for overseeing the imprisonment of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Hamas in 2006 and held until last year. The deal saw hundreds of Palestinians released from Israeli prisons.

Within hours of Mr Jabari's death yesterday, Israel's internal intelligence agency, Shin Bet, said that it had killed him.

Alistair Dawber

[Gagan]

Meanwhile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDohNq9BORo