Sunday
Jan042009
Urgent Update on Israeli Invasion of Gaza (4 January)
Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 0:26
Latest Update: The Israeli Invasion
3:15 a.m. We're going to get some downtime. Back later this morning to update on military developments and Security Council discussions.
2:50 a.m. Spain issues balanced statement calling on Israel to end ground operations and Hamas to cease firing of rockets.
2:38 a.m. Quick question: how many Hamas spokesmen do you think have been interviewed by CNN, BBC, Fox, and even Al Jazeera this evening?
2:36 a.m. CNN's Jim Clancy, who is usually notable for his simplistic parroting of US Government "received wisdom", actually has a wise comment about the Security Council meeting: "People shouldn't expect too much."
CNN then goes back to normal service, putting Israeli Government spokesman Mark Regev on screen for several meetings, knocking softball questions from Christiane Amanpour out of the park.
2:27 a.m. I don't believe it. Al Jazeera has turned for analysis to Meyrav Wurmser. Along with husband David, who was a Bush Administration official in both the Vice President's office and the State Department, Wurmser has been one of the most vocal advocates of an expanded Israeli power, not only shattering Hamas and Hezbollah but also negotiating only with the Palestinian Authority from a clear position of strength. See, for example, the Wurmsers' role in the "Clean Break" blueprint submitted to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu in 1996.
2:20 a.m. Israel/Gaza time: Six hours after the news first broke, coverage of the Israeli ground assault has slowed. Attention is now turning to the UN Security Council emergency session in New York. While the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called for an immediate cease-fire, US support of Israel almost guarantees that there will be no resolution. At most, there will be a bland statement by the President of the Security Council expressing concern about both Israeli military action and Hamas' rocket attacks.
3:15 a.m. We're going to get some downtime. Back later this morning to update on military developments and Security Council discussions.
2:50 a.m. Spain issues balanced statement calling on Israel to end ground operations and Hamas to cease firing of rockets.
2:38 a.m. Quick question: how many Hamas spokesmen do you think have been interviewed by CNN, BBC, Fox, and even Al Jazeera this evening?
2:36 a.m. CNN's Jim Clancy, who is usually notable for his simplistic parroting of US Government "received wisdom", actually has a wise comment about the Security Council meeting: "People shouldn't expect too much."
CNN then goes back to normal service, putting Israeli Government spokesman Mark Regev on screen for several meetings, knocking softball questions from Christiane Amanpour out of the park.
2:27 a.m. I don't believe it. Al Jazeera has turned for analysis to Meyrav Wurmser. Along with husband David, who was a Bush Administration official in both the Vice President's office and the State Department, Wurmser has been one of the most vocal advocates of an expanded Israeli power, not only shattering Hamas and Hezbollah but also negotiating only with the Palestinian Authority from a clear position of strength. See, for example, the Wurmsers' role in the "Clean Break" blueprint submitted to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu in 1996.
2:20 a.m. Israel/Gaza time: Six hours after the news first broke, coverage of the Israeli ground assault has slowed. Attention is now turning to the UN Security Council emergency session in New York. While the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called for an immediate cease-fire, US support of Israel almost guarantees that there will be no resolution. At most, there will be a bland statement by the President of the Security Council expressing concern about both Israeli military action and Hamas' rocket attacks.