Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by HRoestBot (talk | contribs) at 01:20, 15 November 2012 (r2.6.5) (Robot: Adding ru:Операция «Облачный столп»; modifying es:Operación Pilar Defensivo). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Feel free to improve this article or discuss changes on the talk page, but please note that updates without valid and reliable references will be removed. (November 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Operation Pillar of Cloud
Part of Gaza–Israel conflict
Map of Gaza Strip and Israel border
Date 14 November 2012 – present Location Southern Israel and Gaza Strip30°40′N 34°50′E / 30.667°N 34.833°E / 30.667; 34.833 Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Israel	Hamas PIJ
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister Ehud Barak Minister of Defense Benny Gantz Chief of General Staff	Ismail Haniyeh (Prime Minister of the Hamas Authority) Ahmed Jabari  †
Casualties and losses
5 injured	9 killed

Operation Pillar of Cloud(Template:Lang-he, Amúd Anán; or Pillar/Column of Defense) is an ongoing Israel Defense Forces operation in the Gaza Strip, launched on 14 November 2012. It was in response to Palestinian militants firing over a hundred rockets from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel over a four day period. The operation began with the targeted killing of Ahmed Jabari, chief of the Hamas military wing in Gaza.

Background

An uneasy truce between Gaza's Palestinian factions and Israel was interrupted in November when Palestinian militants fired on IDF jeeps and planted roadside bombs, injuring several soldiers. On 10 November, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF Jeep carrying out a routine patrol on the Israeli side of the border. The attack injured four soldiers, one critically. The Israeli Air Force responded with airstrikes, killing four Palestinians.

The sides continued to exchange fire for several days after the incident. Palestinian militants fired more than 100 rockets, striking homes in Israeli cities, one landing near a school. Several Israelis were wounded by shrapnel, including two whose car sustained a direct hit. Schools across southern Israel were closed, the Beersheba Mayor, Ruvik Danilovich, explaining, "we have experienced hits on our education institutions in the past ... 40,000 children will remain at home today because of the attack that hit us out of the blue."

Israel responded with further airstrikes in Gaza. Six Palestinian militants were killed, including one militant belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The days before the operation, Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak made statements that "Israel's reaction will come at the appropriate time". However following a cabinet meeting in the morning prior to the air strike, Minister Benny Begin spoke on the radio to the effect that "the current exchange of hostilities seem to be over". This mixed messages; according to one Israeli analyst, the expected diplomatic repercussions from Egypt and the risks of a war on the eve of the Israeli elections are three factors designed to foster a laissez-faire atmosphere for Gaza's Palestinian leaders.

Operation

The operation began about 16:00 (Israel Time) with an airstrike targeting Ahmed Jabari, chief of Hamas's military wing. Osama Hamdan, a Hamas representative in Lebanon, said the airstrike also killed Jabari's son.

This was followed by Israeli strikes against 20 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, including underground rocket launchers and an ammunition warehouse stocking Iranian-made, long-range Fajr-5 missiles. The IDF said that many of the targeted weapon stashes were in residential areas and evidenced "the pattern of Hamas to use the population in Gaza as human shields." Israel claims to have destroyed most of this long-range capability.

An IDF spokesman said that the goal of the operation is to "bring back quiet to southern Israel, and ... to strike at terror organizations."

Gazan militants continued to fire rockets towards the Israeli cities of Beersheba, Ashdod, Ofakim and the Shaar Hanegev and Eshkol Regional Council. The Iron Dome missile defense system made 17 interceptions. About 55 rockets were launched on the evening of 14 November, including a Grad rocket fired in the direction of the Negev Nuclear Research Center near Dimona.

On the night of 14 November, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israeli cabinet had authorized a partial call-up of reservists in case they were needed for a large ground-based operation.

Reactions

Israel

On the first day of the operation, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said "Today we sent a clear message to Hamas and other terrorist organisations, and if it becomes necessary we are prepared to expand the operation".

According to Haaretz, President Shimon Peres updated U.S. President Barack Obama by phone and told him "Israel does not want an escalation but for the last five days we were under nonstop bombardment, mothers and children cannot sleep in peace at night. There is a limit to what Israel can withstand. Ahmed Jabari was behind many terror activities".

The Israeli Foreign Ministry went into semi-emergency mode, canceling all vacations for its Jerusalem staffers.

Most Israeli political leaders, including Tzipi Livni, Shelly Yachimovich, Shaul Mofaz, and Naftali Bennett applauded the operation. However, leaders of the left-wing Meretz party voiced opposition on the radio and online.

Gaza Strip

A statement from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said "The occupation has opened the gates of hell on itself" and vowed that its militants would "continue the path of resistance".

International

 Egypt - The Foreign Ministry of Egypt berated the operation and called on Israel to halt its attacks. According to The Guardian, the chairman of the Freedom and Justice party, Saad El-Katatni, said: "The Egyptian people revolted against injustice and will not accept an attack on Gaza. The brutal aggression on Gaza proves that Israel has not yet learned that Egypt has changed".

The recently appointed Egyptian ambassador to Israel, Yasser Ridha, has been summoned back to his capital, for briefing, in reaction to the strikes.

 Iran - Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast berated the Israeli strikes, saying that they were a ""sign of the regime's brutal nature".

 Qatar - After a meeting in the Saudi capital between Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign Ministers and their Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss Syrian Civil War, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani told journalists "I condemn in the name of Qatar... This filthy crime must not pass without a punishment. The UN Security Council must shoulder its responsibilities in preserving peace and security in the world."

 Russia - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for end to the violence after a meeting held with Gulf Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh.

 Syria - The Syrian Government called Israel's actions "barbaric, reprehensible crimes" and called on the international community to pressure Israel into halting its strikes.

 USA - The U.S. Department of State issued a press release stating, "We strongly condemn the barrage of rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel, and we regret the death and injury of innocent Israeli and Palestinian civilians caused by the ensuing violence." The statement offered support for Israel's right to self-defense and urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in its military operations.

References

1. "Medio Oriente: 9 muertos en Gaza, según militante italiana". Ansa Latina. 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
2. ^ Israel National News. 14 November 2012 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/254767. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. "Israel Launches "Pillar of Defense" Operation in Gaza, "Decapitation Wave" Against Hamas Terror Leadership". Algemeiner. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
4. "Israeli air strike kills top Hamas commander Jabari". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
5. ^ Lappin, Yaacov (12 November 2012). "Gaza groups pound Israel with over 100 rockets". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 November 2012. Cite error: The named reference "Lappin" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
6. ^ Barzak, Ibrahim (10 November 2012). "After attack on jeep, Israeli army kills 4 in Gaza". Associated Press. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
7. "Rockets hit homes in south as fire continues for second day". Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
8. "Schools closed after rockets hit Israel". Israel Today. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
9. Segal, Udi (15/11/12 00:08). "Under the surface: The Israeli deception that preceeded the operation in the Gaza Strip" (in Hebrew). Israel. Channel 2 News. Retrieved November 15, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
10. Henderson, Barney (14 November 2012). "Hamas military chief killed in Gaza air strike". The Daily Teleraph.
11. ^ "Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari killed by Israeli strike". Haaretz. 14 November 2012.
12. "Iron Dome intercepts 13 Gaza rockets; 6 land near Beersheba". The Jerusalem Post. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
13. Ben Zion, Ilan (14 November 2012). "Wider offensive and possible ground operation on the table, as cabinet okays reserves call-up". Times of Israel. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
14. "Hamas military chief killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza", FRANCE 24
15. "Israel launches diplomatic blitz to explain its Gaza offensive"
16. "Politicians voice support for Jabari assassination". The Jerusalem Post. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
17. "Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari killed by Israeli air strike, Israel launches Gaza op", Voice of Russia
18. "Egypt condemns Israeli air strikes in Gaza and demands ceasefire"
19. Kais, Roi (14 November 2012). "Egypt recalls ambassador after Jabari hit". Ynetnews. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
20. "Iran Condemns Israel's Fresh Strikes on Gaza". Fars News Agency. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
21. "Qatar wants Israel punished for Gaza attacks", Reuters
22. "Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Wednesday for an end to violence in the Gaza Strip after Israeli air strikes killed the military commander of Hamas's armed wing and six other Palestinians". Reuters. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
23. Sabbagh, H. (14 November 2012). "Syrian Government Denounces Barbaric Israeli Crimes against Palestinian People in Gaza". Syrian Arab News Agency. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
24. "Gaza Rocket Attacks" (Press release). U.S. Department of State. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.

• Current events from November 2012
• Use dmy dates from November 2012
• Conflicts in 2012
• 2012 in Israel
• Israeli–Palestinian conflict
• Gaza Strip
• Israeli Air Force