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.

[goldstategop]

Nizar Rayyan's death was a righteous deed. Israel needs to eliminate the Hamas leadership and make them understand they are not safe anywhere!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[teletech]

The MSM is pure EVIL!

[dbacks]

“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.”

Not insurgents, rather Guerrillas fighting for their freedom....NOT!

[ksm1]

This guy Rayyan wasn’t the boss, but it’s still a big fish. Good hunting IDF.

Now if we get Ismail Haniyah and Khaled Mashal, break out the champagne.

[kaehurowing]

Hopefully the first of many to come.

[elhombrelibre]

Maybe it's just a way to smoke out the moral grand standers by pointing out the obvious. That is, that their critics in Europe will gladly engage in tawdry moral exhibitionism, but put their soldiers on the line is politically impossible. If you don't think the Israelis should lose a life to in Gaza in a war that isn't worth winning just to have EU monitors, would the Germans, Italians, French, or any others in Europe take the risk of losing young citizens against the Iranian-sponsored suicide bombing maniacs? Besides, Hamas would never agree to this idea. But I do think the current regime in Israel is scared they'll lose the election if they wimp out.

[GVnana]

Israel Pest Control Campaign Kills Hamas Strongman

You could start a thread...

[rigelkentaurus]

“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.”

Frankly, I am disappointed. Where was the followup strike? There are still 2 “wives” and 8 evil spawn left crawling around?

[LayoutGuru2]

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

According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary.

Assassinate:

1: To injure or destroy unexpectedly and treacherously

2: To murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons

< sarc > This poor man was murdered for political reasons. Since the Israeli victims of the rocket attacks are not prominent people, they are not being assassinated. < /sarc >

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks....learned a new word....

*********************************

Noun

1.	opprobrium - state of disgrace resulting from public abuse obloquy disgrace, ignominy, shame - a state of dishonor; "one mistake brought shame to all his family"; "suffered the ignominy of being sent to prison"
	2.	opprobrium - a state of extreme dishonor; "a date which will live in infamy"- F.D.Roosevelt; "the name was a by-word of scorn and opprobrium throughout the city" infamy dishonor, dishonour - a state of shame or disgrace; "he was resigned to a life of dishonor"

[mkjessup]

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.

What a great day for Rayan! He not only gets his 72 virgins for being martyred for 'allah', he can meet up with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and ask him why he let his parking permit expire a few years ago:

[doug from upland]

Well, those two remaining lonely wives are going to have to get back into circulation.

[wastedyears]

Happy New Year, Israel.

[Lancey Howard]

The Muslim faith allows men to have up to four wives.

Hm.... hmmmm.

[AliVeritas]

Happy New Year fellow watchers.

I just had a mountaintop meeting with God for New Year’s... and various interesting individuals.

This will indeed be a good year, in spite of future leadership.

Underway.

[bigheadfred]

MSNBC: “We put the ‘ass’ in assassinated...

[bigheadfred]

Well, those two remaining lonely wives are going to have to get back into circulation

Rejoin the herd, you mean...

[bigheadfred]

The Muslim faith allows men to have up to four wives.

Hm.... hmmmm.

NOW you know why they are so apesh!+ crazy...

[Mojave]

Well, those two remaining lonely wives are going to have to get back into circulation.

They'll find men to rape them and stone them in no time.

[pharmamom]

There goes the MSM again...it wasn’t an “assassination;” it was a successful military strike against a legitimate target. By using the word “assassinated,” MSNBC is trying to make Israel’s action appear immoral and out of the bounds of the rules of warfare.