Arab-Israeli Conflict

(Newser) - Israel's push to wipe out Hamas via military action "is understandable, but stupid," writes Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of the Jewish progressive magazine Tikkun . While Israel clearly must defend itself, "the kind of response matters"—and the killing of Gazan civilians is "a crime against humanity" as much as Hamas rocket fire. In an op-ed for the Times of London, Lerner calls for an immediate ceasefire and a new path forward. More »

(Newser) - Barack Obama's studied silence on the Gaza attacks—there’s only one president at a time, and so on—isn’t playing well in the Middle East, writes Simon Tisdall in the Guardian . “Foreign wars don't wait for Washington inaugurations,” Tisdall notes. Many Arabs and Muslims “cannot understand why, given his promise of change, he has not spoken out.” More »

(Newser) - Leaders of the Islamic group Hezbollah have been plenty vocal about the situation in Gaza, but Hassan Nasrallah hasn’t ordered his Lebanon-based militia into action or fired any missiles. And he’s unlikely to do so, analysts tell the New York Times , because Hezbollah believes Palestinian ally Hamas can win, and because it doesn’t want to risk another devastating Israeli assault on Lebanon. More »

(Newser) - The Israeli army moved into Gaza City for the first time this morning, fighting gun battles in the streets with Hamas militants. The Guardian reports that Israeli soldiers were making house-by-house sweeps for fighters associated with Hamas. This morning Ehud Barak, the defense minister, said that Israel would continue to fight until it had achieved "peace and tranquility" in the country's south, which is still enduring daily rocket and mortar attacks. More »

(Newser) - As Israeli soldiers approached the limits of Gaza City, reports have suggested they are using controversial white phosphorus shells to cover their advance. Although the shells are not illegal if used as a smokescreen, they can cause severe burns among bystanders, says the Times of London. An international treaty says they should not be used during a war in civilian areas—and Gaza is among the world's most densely populated. More »

(Newser) - A European peace and humanitarian team and French President Nicolas Sarkozy headed to the region today as Israeli ground-assault tanks pushed further into Palestinian territory, and edged the death toll close to 530, Reuters reports. Hamas militants have retaliated by firing rocket-propelled grenades at tanks in eastern Gaza, and at least one missile today into the Jewish state. The European delegation plans to work toward reestablishing a ceasefire, and deliver aid to the region. More »

(AP) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had to take a break from expressing solidarity with Israelis threatened by Hamas rockets today after a missile warning sent him and his party scurrying into a bomb shelter. The daylong trip to Israel that included visits to two towns targeted by the Islamic militant movement in recent weeks, and the threat came in the embattled town of Sderot. More »