Hamas: Stop rocket attacks against Israel: Unless we approve it

Ireland Online reports that Hamas is trying to stop unsanctioned rocket attacks against Israel from Gaza Strip.

The new Hamas-led Palestinian government is quietly working to end an upsurge in violence, urging rival militant groups in the Gaza Strip to refrain from launching rockets at Israel without official permission, officials on both sides confirmed today.

Although the rocket attacks have not stopped and Hamas says it still supports violent resistance against Israel, its subtle efforts at persuasion look like an attempt to stabilise a chaotic situation so that it can focus on governing the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

No, they are trying to consolidate their dominant position among the other terrorist groups.

“We want resistance to be arranged and organised,” said government spokesman Ghazi Hamad, adding that Hamas would try to get control over the rocket fire by negotiating with other militant factions. Hamas has not been participating in the rocket attacks.

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The fighting with Israel has escalated in recent days, with militants repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and the army responding with airstrikes, artillery fire and attacks from naval gunboats.

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“Without a cease-fire, Hamas can’t build anything in Gaza. It can’t get anything done while F-16s and Apache helicopters are flying overhead, Israeli artillery is being fired and rocket attacks are going on,” [a senior Palestinian security official in Gaza said] said.

Ain't that a crying shame.

Islamic Jihad, which has been behind much of the rocket fire, said it would continue the attacks.

“It is time to be united against the occupation aggression and not to talk about a new period of calm,” Mohammed al-Hindi, an Islamic Jihad leader, said in a radio interview.