UPDATE: Rocket Attacks Were Cover for Kidnap Try

In the early morning hours of Israel's independence in 1948 missiles from the Arab League states fired on the infant nation with the intent of driving her into the sea. Fifty-nine years later, In the early morning hours of Israel's Independence day missiles paid for by the Arab league state, but fired by terrorist groups fell upon Israel with the intent of weakening Israel's resolve so she will sign an agreement that will put her in a precarious defensive situation and lead to driving the Jewish nation into the sea.

In a statement issued from Gaza City, the Izz a-Din al-Kassam Brigades, said it had fired up to 30 rockets and 50 mortar shells at Israel. The terror group said the attack was a “reaction to the continued Zionist crimes against our people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.” Izz a-Din al-Kassam is a military unit in the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Hamas faction Arutzsheva

Over the last few weeks the number of rocket sent into Israel has increased and the total number of rockets since the "moderate" terrorist declared it just a few month ago is well over a two hundred.

The volleys of Kassam rockets and mortar shells fired at Israel early Tuesday morning were meant to be a "clear message to the Zionist enemy," Hamas spokesman Abu Obeideh said Tuesday in an interview to a Palestinian radio station" The cease-fire has been over for a long time, and Israel is responsible for that," Abu Obeida, told the Voice of Palestine radio station. Obeideh also said that the organization had not exhausted all its resources, and reminded Israel that Hamas was still holding Cpl. Gilad Schalit captive.

I guess those 200+ missiles fired since the cease fire was declared five months ago were a peace offering? Yes we know that Hamas didn't fire those, but we also know that there is coordination between the terrorists. Most of the other rockets were fired by groups associated with Hamas' moderate partner Abbas.

IDF: Rocket attacks were a cover for kidnapping attempt

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Yaakov Katz, THE JERUSALEM POST

Apr. 24, 2007

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The barrages of Kassam rockets and mortar shells Hamas fired at Israel on Tuesday morning were meant to provide cover for and distract attention from an attempted infiltration by a terror cell, whose members intended to kidnap IDF soldiers deployed along the Gaza border, IDF sources reported Tuesday afternoon.

The sources said that the army's heightened alert, as well as a quick response by ground troops and IAF helicopters that had been hovering over Gaza, foiled the attempt. According to preliminary reports, no cell managed to cross into Israel.

The IDF has been on high alert in recent weeks, ever since receiving intelligence that Hamas was planning to abduct soldiers in a raid similar to the one near Kerem Shalom in June, 2006 in which Cpl. Gilad Schalit was captured.

According to an IDF source, Tuesday's attack was "Hizbullah-style," in that the group launched rockets to distract the troops on patrol and provide cover for the cell members' movements.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert held urgent meetings with security officials to discuss a possible response to the morning's attacks, but the IDF sources said that while the army viewed both the rocket and mortar attacks and the attempted infiltration and kidnapping plan "severely," there were at the moment no plans for a large-scale IDF retaliation inside the Gaza Strip.

Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz spoke by phone to discuss a possible response. More security consultations were planned for Wednesday, government officials said.

Depite the rocket and mortar attacks Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said that his government had dedicated efforts to convince the Palestinian factions to maintain the truce with Israel.

Haniyeh went on to say that the Palestinian factions had adopted a "positive position" on this issue.

The PA prime minister added that the Palestinians were surprised by the aggression Israel was showing towards them.

Meanwhile, PA government spokesman Ghazi Hamed reiterated that the PA government was interested in maintaining the truce, stressing that the calm would collapse if Israel continued with its aggression.

Hamed called on Israel to stop threatening an incursion into the Gaza Strip.

Earlier Tuesday, a spokesman for Hamas's military wing declared that the truce with Israel was not longer binding, Israel Radio report

When Moses lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt, G-d had them take the long way around for fear that the Philistines would attack the new people. Four hundred years later a shepard with a rock and a slingshot defeated the Philistines greatest warrior, to finally turn the tide toward Israel. Four hundred years is a long time. But now, just as then the Jewish people are resolved to live in this land, peacefully but we will fight if necessary to protect ourselves.

On this Independence Day let us have comfort that Goliath couldn't kick us out of the holy land, and neither will these cowards who hide behind their children, to launch bombs at our children.

AM YISRAEL CHAI