A Kassam rocket launched from Gaza smashed into an Israeli army base, wounding at least 69 Israeli soldiers. The rocket was launched from Beit Hanoun in Northern Gaza and struck the Zikim Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) training base near Kibbutz Zikkim in the western Negev desert at around 1:30 am. From AFP:

Israel issued a warning to Gaza militants on Tuesday after a rocket smashed into an army base, wounding dozens of sleeping conscripts and heightening pressure on the government to hit the Hamas-run territory.

At least 69 soldiers sleeping in tents were wounded in when the homemade rocket crashed in the dead of night into the Zikim base in southern Israel not far from the border with Gaza, an army spokesman and medics said.

It was the bloodiest Palestinian rocket strike from Gaza in months and came ahead of the start of the Jewish New Year, increasing the pressure on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s cabinet to take action to stop the fire.

The premier met senior ministers and military chiefs to decide on a response to the attack which Hamas — a group sworn to Israel’s destruction — said was an act of “legitimate resistance.”

“Those who carry out these types of attacks, as well as those who support them should know that they are not safe,” Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin told AFP.

No formal announcement was made after the meeting, but Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told reporters that “we have not only military tools that we can use in the face of what’s happening in Gaza.”

It appeared to be an allusion to earlier calls by ministers for Israel to cut electricity, fuel and water supplies into Gaza, measures that Olmert had rejected up to now.

Many of the wounded troops were young conscripts due to complete their basic training on Tuesday. The vast majority of the troops received only light injuries, one was wounded critically and four seriously, the army said.

…

 “The time may be approaching where it will necessary to launch a major ground operation to stop the rocket fire,” Defence Minister Ehud Barak warned recently.

Israel has been unable to stamp out the rocket fire, despite launching regular strikes and incursions into the crowded and impoverished territory since it withdrew settlers and soldiers in 2005 after a 38-year occupation.

Israel needs to get rid of Prime Minister Olmert immediately. His waffling and his refusal to down terrorists has only empowered Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran. He is willing to give away huge portions of Israel, including much of Jerusalem, for a peace that he will never get. His enemies do not want peace — they want Israel to be annihilated.

 Israel’s enemies are baiting Israeli to strike back. There are two reasons for this:

1. A strike by Israel into Gaza, the West Bank, or Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon would give Syria and possibly Iran an excuse to declare all-out war on Israel.
2. A major strike by Israel or even cutting off electricity, fuel, and water supplies to its enemies in Gaza would give the mainstream media and countries hostile to Israel (just about every country except the United States) to condemn Israel’s actions as excessive. The UN would pass anti-Israel resolutions and possibly seek economic embargos on Israel. Bush would never go for that, of course, but you can bet that if a Democrat wins in 2008, they will join with the UN.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.