Top Hamas figure killed in Israeli airstrike (IDF says, "Happy New Year, Hamas!")

MSNBC ^ | 1 Jan 09 | N/A

[elhombrelibre]

Israel assassinated a Hamas strongman Thursday in its first assault on the top leadership of Gaza's rulers, escalating a crushing aerial offensive even as it declared it was ready to launch a ground invasion.

The airstrike targeted the eight-story apartment building in the Jebaliya refugee camp that was home to Nizar Rayan, 52, ranked among Hamas' top five decision-makers in Gaza. The attack killed 12 other people including two of Rayan's four wives and four of his 12 children, Palestinian health officials said. The Muslim faith allows men to have up to four wives.

While escalating its 6-day-old military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, Israel also appeared to be sounding out a possible diplomatic exit from its campaign by demanding international monitors as a key term of any future truce.

[elhombrelibre]

Pro-IDF ping.

[SolidWood]

Have fun in hell Nazi Rayyan...

[Mojave]

Israel assassinated

MSNBC starting off the year with its usual bias.

[csvset]

Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust.

And so on..

[xcamel]

Ham-A$$ gets porked.

[elhombrelibre]

I guess it's an assassination when you knowingly kill a mass murderer and its an insurgency when you randomly fire rockets into populated areas intending to kill whomever and whatever you can. The latter deserving less opprobrium by the MSM than the former. Plus, the Israelis suffer from the unfortunate circumstance of being an American ally in the “minds” of our Left Wing MSM.

[abclily]

Go Israel! Israel does the whole world a favor each time she kills a murdering barbarian in Gaza. Go Israel!

[Munz]

Wow, you mean he was actually near danger?
he was one in a million terrorists who would actually subject himself to potential danger. Must have been strapping bombs to some child or something to send them out to fight.

[JudyinCanada]

Nice start to the new year....

Godspeed, Israel.

[elhombrelibre]

Kill just one “Top Hamas” figure per day, IDF. That’s all we ask.

[astounded]

Candygram...

[MarkL]

This line:

eight-story apartment building in the Jebaliya refugee camp

shows a part of the decades long media propaganda campaign against Israel. When one hears the term "refugee camp," one thinks of "tent cities" where huddled masses line up for food and water while waiting to be taken somewhere. The so called "refugee camps" that the palis have are better known as "cities," complete with utilities (when they haven't been shut off by Hamas, or Israel due to repeated attacks), businesses, schools, and government offices.

Mark

[El Gato]

Wow, you mean he was actually near danger?

It is surprising that he was in Gaza and not Syria. He likely thought that the Israelis either did not know where he lived, or would never go after him personally.

WRONG!

[Publius6961]

Israel assassinated a Hamas strongman Thursday in its first ...

What is it with MSNBC and the MSM doofuses?

They can't have it both ways.
Either hamas is at war with Israel, or it isn't; it is either lobbing explosives at Israel, or it isn't. Israel, certainly thinks the killers in the Gaza strip are at war.

Since when does killing terrorists or enemy military units of any name assassination?
Where are the headlines announcing the assassination of Israeli citizens?

That stupid headline should read,

Israel Pest Control Campaign Kills Hamas Strongman.

It's not rocket science.

[jws3sticks]

'In šāʾ Allāh' (إن شاء الله)

[samtheman]

Later in the article it mentions Israel’s demand for international monitoring before any ceasefire. Smart of them. Make the stinking global socialists have a stake in keeping the peace.

[Publius6961]

I suppose they could have characterized the death as a fatal mugging by the insensitive joos and demanded a UN investigation and bombings a la First Rapist in Serbia...

[synbad600]

Western Union

[A CA Guy]

A good start.

[dbz77]

Another good sand Nazi.

[elhombrelibre]

It also says to all of those cheap moral exhibitionists who denounce Israel for protecting its citizens this. “What are you prepared to do besides pontificate?”

[twister881]

"Israel assassinated brought rough justice to a Hamas strongman @$$hole..."

There, fixed it.

[astounded]

Landshark...LOL...

[Munz]

OOPS!
Guess he won’t make that mistake again now will he!

[Allegra]

GOOD. A terrorist wiped out and the added benefit of angering the MSM because of it.

Happy New Year!

[RC2]

Who would want four wives? I had enough trouble training one.........OOPS.

[elhombrelibre]

Hey, Allegra, I didn't know you were back from your vacation.

Yes, it's great to see the forces of civilization protecting humanity and upsetting their cheering section in the media.

[elhombrelibre]

Be careful. Mrs. RC2 might turn in and see that post. :-)

[Allegra]

Yep, I got back to the Sandbox almost two weeks ago.

And today, the IZ officially became Iraq's territory. :)

[gidget7]

His family Was warned, told to leave the home, they refused, saying they were human shields. According to FOXNEWS.

[Ancient Drive]

oh man.. landshark rofl

[Publius6961]

His family Was warned, told to leave the home, they refused, saying they were human shields. According to FOXNEWS.

I wonder how that worked out for them?

Can someone point out for me the sections of the Geneva Conventions that legitimizes the use of non-combatant human shields?

[Lurker]

His family Was warned, told to leave the home, they refused, saying they were human shields.

Now go back and kill the rest of them.

L

[elhombrelibre]

I saw that in the news, but I thought you were there to conqueror and exploit the Arab. How can it be that the Iraqis control this bastion of gringo Imperialism, young lady?

[Batman11]

“The attack killed 12 other people including two of Rayan’s four wives”

Hey, they killed 50% of his wives. How many goats did he have in that apartment?

[elhombrelibre]

Israel is the neighborhood bully according to the MSM:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC_60b2NR1I

[Enchante]

re: “human shields”

Just another reminder of the incredible double-standards that prevail throughout the world

No one would even think of having “human shields” against the Islamo-fascist scum who DESIRE to kill as many innocent people as possible.

Only Israel, the USA, and a few other civilized countries could be expected to concern themselves with not harming “human shields” — yet the same people who expect unlimited respect for their use of “human shields” are the one who would never care how many they kill in pursuit of their own cause.

[Publius6961]

Hey, they killed 50% of his wives. How many goats did he have in that apartment?

They're all "martyrs," so it's cool.

[dpwiener]

"Israel assassinated"
MSNBC starting off the year with its usual bias.

It's interesting to read the comments on this thread, because the word "assassinated" had no negative connotations for me. Assassination of enemy leaders is an excellent thing, far preferable to killing grunt soldiers who are often just following orders. The ideal war would consist of "cutting off the enemy's head" while leaving everyone else unharmed. True, that makes your own leaders prime targets for the enemy in response, but that should be part of the risk and price of achieving leadership of a nation at war.

[Tigercap]

Praise Allah!!!

...I mean: YAY!!!

[maryz]

Israel’s demand for international monitoring before any ceasefire. Smart of them.

Would that be international as in U.N. monitors? IIRC, they didn't work out too well for Israel in the Lebanon incursion . . . am I missing something?

[Dilbert56]

Israel should up the ante. Whenever a rocket is fired into Israel, the entire block from whence it came will be destroyed. No need for civilian casualties. The residents will have one hour to evacuate between the rocket's launch and the retaliation. How many residents will permit their neighborhoods to be used as launch bases after that?

[Mojave]

Assassination
n.
The act of assassinating; a killing by treacherous violence.

http://www.answers.com/assassination

[Drill Thrawl]

I agree completely.

Start at the top and keep working down the command chain until whoever is left in-charge surrenders.

Either that or Sherman-esque total war. Any other methods prolongs the time and pain and increases the death toll.

[jveritas]

Excellent news.

[NormsRevenge]

Sounds like they nailed a ‘breeder’.. 4 wives?

ap has it

Israel kills top Hamas figure, escalating campaign
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090101/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

[NormsRevenge]

excerpt from above ap link

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israel dropped a one-ton bomb on the home of a Hamas strongman Thursday, killing him along with two wives and four children in the first attack on the top leadership of Gaza’s rulers. As the aerial bombardment escalated, the army said it was also poised to launch a ground invasion. Israel also appeared to be sounding out a possible diplomatic exit from the 6-day-old military offensive against Hamas by demanding international monitors as a key term of any future truce.

The bombing targeted 49-year-old Nizar Rayan, ranked among Hamas’ top five decision-makers in Gaza. ...

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Yep. New year. Same old MSM BS.
Some things never change.
And they call themselves “progressive.”

[calex59]

It's interesting to read the comments on this thread, because the word "assassinated" had no negative connotations for me. Assassination of enemy leaders is an excellent thing, far preferable to killing grunt soldiers who are often just following orders. The ideal war would consist of "cutting off the enemy's head" while leaving everyone else unharmed. True, that makes your own leaders prime targets for the enemy in response, but that should be part of the risk and price of achieving leadership of a nation at war.

If the MSM didn't have the intention of painting the IDF as murderers then why use the word assassinate? Why not say the IDF killed a terrorist leader? The MSM deliberately used the assassinate word to bring up negative images in the minds of their readers in order to vilify Israel. THAT is why people are commenting on their use of the word.