Bad news for Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon just underwent emergency neurosurgery after he suffered from a severe stroke and cerebral hemorrhaging late Wednesday night. Judith at Kesher Talk is live-blogging. Last few entries:

MOST CURRENT UPDATES:

07:33am (Israel Time) Peretz to Olmert: I am at your disposal, I will do all I can to help (Israel Radio)

07:29 IDF arrests eight wanted militants across West Bank overnight Wednesday (Itim)

06:55 Doctor: Sharon still under anesthesia, on respirator, in very serious condition (Haaretz)

06:54 Doctor: We expect surgery to continue for a few more hours (Haaretz)

06:44 Sharon returned to surgery after undergoing CT scan (Channel 1)

It is now about 8:15 AM in Israel so Judith's reports are very timely. (Israel is ten hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time) What might be interesting is if Sharon dies, Bibi Netanyahu would be in a very good position to return. Next to him, Ronald Regan looks like a moonbat liberal. (grin) Here is a June 2005 interview of him at World Net Daily talking about Gaza:

Netanyahu: Gaza evacuation a reward for terror
Former PM sounds off regarding plan to withdraw Jewish communities

WND: In short, why are you opposed to Sharon's plan to evacuate the Jewish communities of Gaza and parts of the West Bank?
BN: Well, I voted against the government with regard to the withdrawal and presumably I will vote against it when it comes up in another vote before the plan is actually carried out. I won't change my vote. This is because the Palestinian terrorists don't view our departure as a reasonable move but as a flight from terror and a sign that terrorism works. If you flee from terror, then terror continues to chase you. This plan simply emboldens the terrorists to continue their tactics until the completion of their ultimate goal: the destruction of Israel.

And these words:

WND: Israel has said it wants Egypt to take over security of the Gaza/Egypt border. Meanwhile, IDF officials at the border tell me Egypt has done nothing to stop the weapons-smuggling tunnels, and media monitors say Egypt continues to demonize Israel in its state-run press. What are your thoughts on Egypt assuming security control?
BN: I opposed this from the start. Egyptians won't die for us. Furthermore, in order for them to even do it, it means Israel will have to allow an even stronger Egyptian force along the border, and this is in direct violation to our peace treaty with Egypt – which means we have to manipulate a treaty that has held up for decades. Regardless and quite apart from the problems we have with a cold peace with Egypt, such as the propaganda you describe and the failure to stop the weapons smuggling, this cold peace is better than a hot war. I am not saying there will be a war, just that with the treaty, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Well, here is what is happening on the ground today -- from Yahoo/AP:

Palestinians Enter Egypt After Border Smash
Hundreds of angry Palestinians streamed into Egypt on Wednesday after militants with stolen bulldozers broke through a border wall, and two Egyptian troops were killed and 30 were wounded by gunfire in the rampage.

About 3,000 Egyptian Interior Ministry troops who initially had no orders to fire swarmed the border but were forced to withdraw about a half-mile, said security forces Lt. Sameh el-Antablyan, who announced the casualties.

Gen. Essam el-Sheikh said Egyptian forces later began firing back.

The scene was one of utter chaos. An Egyptian armored vehicle was burning and hundreds of Palestinians could be seen crouched in farm fields just inside Egypt.

The militants' rampage through the southern Gaza town of Rafah underscored the growing lawlessness in Palestinian towns, especially in Gaza, and represented the most brazen challenge to the authority of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

As my beloved Wife says: And they want a state? Fine. Give them one.

P L A S M A

Posted by DaveH at January 4, 2006 9:42 PM