[Schwartz] Is/Pal - Gaza troubles

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The fragile truce in Gaza is teetering on the brink. Palestinian militants fired more qassam rockets into nearby Israeli towns. In response, Israel launched an air strike in the Strip, the first in three months. There were also gunfire exchanges between Palestinian militants and "Israeli civilians" (the American news description), i.e., settlers.

See:
Palestinians fire rockets into Israel (check out the photograph; yikes!) -- Haaretz
Israel to aim for 'restraint' in response to shelling -- al-Jazeera
Israel carries out first airstrike, in Gaza, in 3 months of truce -- New York Times

The Disengagement:
Nitzanim offer extended for one week, 430 families said interested -- Haaretz

The test has already begun -- Haaretz editorial

But when the disengagement's opponents feel that they are winning in their struggle against the police and the court authorities, when they feel they can break the law, beat police, block roads and come out of it all unharmed, they will only become more extreme, and raise the stakes. Others might understand that it is possible to get away with the murder of a prime minister or blowing up the mosques of the Temple Mount.

Three months before the disengagement, the police, courts and the other authorities must turn their policies around completely, to show us that the rule of law has not been bankrupted and will not be defeated in the upcoming fateful test.

In other news:
New Palestinian electoral law passed -- al-Jazeera

Under the new electoral law passed on Wednesday, two-thirds of the legislators would be chosen in district voting, but Abbas wants all lawmakers to be chosen from party slates.

(The Palestinian electoral system -- al-Jazeera)

Coming soon: a note on news sources.