The "Wish It Wasn't True, But It Probably Is" Department

From today's Jerusalem Post, two articles of note about our Palestinian "Peace Partners" for this Christmas ("Peace on Earth, Good Will to All Men") Eve and Hanukah season:

Palestinian terrorists bombard Ashkelon with Grad rockets
Dec. 24, 2008JPost.com staff, yaakov katz and AP , THE JERUSALEM POST
Palestinian terrorists on Wednesday morning fired over 60 rockets and mortar shells from the Gaza Strip at Ashkelon and the western Negev, prompting Israel to hold up a shipment of aid scheduled to pass through to the Strip later Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Security Cabinet scrambled Defense Minister Ehud Barak to a special discussion on the massive rocket fire against western Negev Israeli communities.
A number of Grad-type rockets were fired at Ashkelon throughout the morning. One of them struck outside the home of Benny Gueta, sending several people into shock.
"We heard the alarm and the whistling as it approached, and then we heard a big explosion," which destroyed a storage shed and shattered some of the house's windows, Gueta said.
"We can't live this way," Gueta told Israel Radio. "It's no way to live."
A house in the Sdot Negev region sustained a direct hit from a rocket just before noon on Wednesday. No one was wounded in the attack but the rocket caused extensive damage.
Earlier, two people were treated for shock when a volley of rockets was fired at Netivot, landing in an industrial zone. Several rockets landed in the agricultural areas outlying the town.
Early Wednesday morning, two rockets landed in an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev region and another Grad-type rocket hit the coastal area south of Ashkelon. A fourth rocket failed to clear the border and landed within Hamas territory. Gaza health officials said that two Palestinian civilians were lightly hurt when the rocket landed on a house in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya.
The Security Cabinet convened on Wednesday morning for a meeting that was scheduled in advance, but in view of the hike in rocket attacks over the last 24 hours, Barak was called in and the meeting focused on the Gaza Strip.
Most ministers voiced strong opposition to extending the truce with Hamas and demanded that Barak order the IDF to react forcefully. Kadima leader and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Vice Premier Haim Ramon and Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai advocated a strong military response.
Responding to the incessant Kassam fire, Barak announced earlier Wednesday that Israel would hold up a shipment of food and humanitarian supplies that was due to be delivered to residents of the Gaza Strip during the day.
Barak had made an initial decision to allow the shipment following calls from the international community regarding the humanitarian situation in the Strip.
Basic food, medicine, gasoline and cooking gas were to be transferred to Gaza through the Karni and Kerem Shalom crossings.
Five Egyptian trucks containing humanitarian supplies were also to be allowed passage into the Strip, an initiative of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's wife, Suzanne Mubarak.
Meanwhile, Hamas announced Wednesday that two of its operatives were killed in a blast in the southern Gaza Strip. The terror group said that the men were killed on a "holy mission." That's the euphemism Hamas uses when gunmen are killed by explosives that go off inadvertently.
Eight mortar shells and two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel overnight Tuesday. One of the shells hit a house in a western Negev kibbutz. There were no casualties but the house sustained damage.
On Tuesday night, IDF troops killed three Palestinian terrorists near Netiv Ha'asara, just north of Gaza.
The terrorists were spotted during an attempt to plant an explosive device near the Gaza perimeter fence, and were shot and killed in the ensuing exchange of fire.
A grenade was thrown at IDF troops by the terrorists, but no soldiers were wounded.

Watch Hamas accuse Israel of breaking the "truce" (they have been breaking from day one, but you see, firing rockets at civilian centers isn't in their view a violation. If Israel takes out a rocket launcher which has been deliberately sited in an urban area, that is a violation. Them dirty Jews is always up to tricks, doncha know?)

Hamas pushes for Sharia punishments
Dec. 24, 2008JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POST
The Hamas parliament in the Gaza Strip voted in favor of a law allowing courts to mete out sentences in the spirit of Islam, the London-based Arab daily Al Hayat reported Wednesday.
According to the bill, approved in its second reading and awaiting a third reading before the signature of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as the Palestinian constitution demands, courts will be able to condemn offenders to a plethora of violent punitive measures.
Such punishments include whipping, severing hands, crucifixion and hanging. The bill reserves death sentences to people who negotiate with a foreign government "against Palestinian interests" and engage in any activity that can "hurt Palestinian morale."
According to the report, any Palestinian caught drinking or selling wine would suffer 40 lashes at the whipping post if the bill passes. Thieves caught red-handed would lose their right hand.
The Jerusalem Post could not verify the veracity of the Al Hayat report.

In other words, life as usual. Want an Alka-Seltzer? I've got heartburn, and not from too many latkes.