Tough crowd --- I started by refuting the post of T-F with evidence of how the money flows into the coffers of the palestinians through various channels (an actual pea-and shell game they play in the Palestinian Authority)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satell...01442523010&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
and in the course of that explanation I happened to mention something that I was made aware of by some friends of mine in the IDF. Rather than focus on the basic truths within my post offered (how HAMAS is bypassing the ban on monetary transactions by the EU, World Bank, Bank Leumi of Israel, etc...) all of a sudden, the shift of attention happens here just to see "sources" about the HAMAS taking advantage of the complete breakdown at Rafah in order to do some heavy-duty smuggling! As if they
couldn't be doing that!
"No, web, you must be making that up! I'm skeptical of HAMAS bringing in heavy artillery."
"HAMAS smuggling Katyushas and other weaponry? Ridiculous!"
"Cranes? Why would they use cranes? The wall is down! Liar, Liar!"
Let me tell you folks here something, and don't ever forget it:
Stuff happens that doesn't make it onto the Internet. Not every aspect of reality has to be linked to some story on the Internet, in order for it to have happened.
At some point, you have to use your own brains, and say to yourselves:
"Hmmmmmm, that makes sense. I wish it was on wiki, but I can accept when I am told about something which seems logical, which appears true on its face, and I really don't require independent verification for me to accept the veracity of a specific event happening just as it was related to me."
For the record ----
I know some highly-placed people in the IAF, and they told me about the cranes. There was some discussion within the IDF top brass about sending Apache helicopter gunships to literally blow these cranes up right then and there with Hellfire guided missiles.
The HAMAS was using the masses of people in the area to cover their activities with the cranes, and the IAF decided to avoid the resulting 'collateral' deaths that would invariably occur by targeting them.
HAMAS is in full control of the breached Philadelphi Lanes, and they are carefully and meticulously orchestrating exactly what journalists see and photograph, and are regulating how the entire episode of the breakthrough is reported.
T-F says:
Remember, I'm not asking for a page long lecture on other things...just cranes crates and katyushas....can you do that?
"January 25,2008: Cranes lifted camels, cows and motorcycles into the Gaza Strip from Egypt on Friday " --- Sami Abu Salem (RNA)
http://english.ramattan.com/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=37550
Decide for yourselves if the HAMAS used their newly-erected cranes to bring across more than just "livestock and motorcycles" -- personally, I'm OK with believing what my IDF friends told me. I'm not skeptical about that at all. It simply just follows to reason.
Now, if Reuters, AP and Ha'aretz aren't reporting it, does that mean it wasn't happening?
Most likely the Katyushas were lifted over into gaza by these same cranes, hidden in "motorcycle" crates, at night while the reporters were asleep!
Anyway, when the Katyushas start flying at Israeli cities from gaza, I'm not going to be wondering where they got 'em!
