Israel under attack, hither and yon

18 Mortars Hit Israel (Tuesday)

Palestinians in Gaza fired 18 mortar shells at Israel at noon Tuesday. Shortly after the attacks Palestinian sources reported that three Hamas operatives were killed and a number of others were wounded in an Israel Air Force strike in the Gaza City neighborhood of Sajaiya. Earlier Tuesday, four Kassam rockets and four mortars were fired at Israel. (Ynet News)

Palestinian Mortars Hit Kibbutz Factory for Second Time in Week, One Wounded

A week after the deadly attack on the Nirlat factory in Kibbutz Nir Oz, two mortars fired by Palestinians in Gaza landed at the site Wednesday morning, leaving one person wounded from shrapnel. (Ynet News)

Al-Qaeda Groups Active in Gaza after Year under Hamas

Analysts believe al-Qaeda-allied radical groups like Jaysh al-Ummah (Army of the Nation) have benefited from the Hamas takeover in Gaza to expand their membership.

In addition, there has been an increase in attacks on Christians in the past year, apparently by Islamists not content with the extent of Hamas' "Islamization" of Gaza.

Among the outward signs have been a proliferation of beards on men and headscarves on women, along with the virtual disappearance of alcohol.

Market stalls do brisk business in selling recordings of speeches of al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri and the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, as well as videos of beheadings of U.S. and foreign soldiers and personnel in Iraq.

One Gaza political analyst noted: "Hamas is keen not to be seen as an Islamic state, so they've refrained from passing laws or forcing people to follow what they believe. They have not taken action to Islamize the community. But allowing extremist thinking to breed armed cells is much more dangerous."

But keep talking about "trapped" Hamastinian "scholars."

Blair offers support to 'trapped' Gaza student

The campaign to get Palestinian students out of Gaza to take up university places abroad gathered momentum yesterday after one received a letter of support from Tony Blair, the international Middle East envoy.

Mr Blair told Wissam Abuajwa, who has been denied Israeli permission to leave Gaza, that he had passed his case to the British Government, which had promised to raise it with the Israeli authorities "at the highest level".

The case of Mr Abuajwa 30, who wrote to Mr Blair, was first highlighted by The Independent. He has a place, a full scholarship and a British visa to pursue a Master's degree in environmental sciences at Nottingham University.

Mr Blair told him that he saw improved facilities for Palestinian students "as crucial in laying the foundations for a Palestinian state". The former prime minister added: "I hope this can be resolved."

Questioned about Mr Abuajwa by the Labour MP Richard Burden at a Commons committee hearing last week, Mr Blair said the plight of such students was "tragic" and added: "Both this case and others we will raise with the Israelis and try and get the situation changed."

Tony Blair at "Palestine" Investment Conference May 21-23 2008

Welcome to the "Palestine" Investment Conference