GENEVA, Oct. 31 – “On a day when Palestinians continued firing rockets against Israeli civilian centers,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer, in reaction to the vote by UNECO to admit the non-existent state of Palestine as a member, “the United Nations sent the wrong message about state privileges and responsibilities.”
A week-long assault from armed groups based in Gaza, part of the territory claimed by President Mahmoud Abbas to be under his jurisdiction, has injured 20 Israelis, and killed Moshe Ami, 56, who was mortally injured by flying shrapnel from a rocket fired Saturday at a residential neighborhood in the southern city of Ashkelon.“The long-sought peace that the Palestinian and Israeli peoples so rightly deserve cannot be achieved by unilateral actions at the UN, but only by face-to-face talks,” said Neuer.
“The UNESCO decision may be a victory for rhetorical point-scoring on the international stage, but it does nothing to help Palestinians resolve the real issues on the ground. It’s time for Abbas and the Palestinians to choose the path of Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Jordan’s King Hussein and return to the negotiating table.”
Out of 173 countries voting, 107 voted in favor of the Palestinian request, sufficing under UNECO rules but falling short of the two-thirds support that many expected. There were 14 opposed, including the US, Germany and Canada, and 52 abstentions, including the UK.
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ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES - UPDATE
Updating: Rockets in the South (Last update on 19:17 PM, 31.10)
More than 45 mortars and rockets were fired over the past three days from the Gaza Strip at southern Israeli communities including Ashdod (population of over 200,000), Ashkelon (population of 113,000), Gan Yavne (population of 19,000) and Be’er Sheva (population of 195,000), causing light to moderate injuries to at least three people and damaging several buildings, including a school. Moshe Ami, father of four from Ashkelon, was killed from sharpnel wounds.
Updates
Follow the IDF Spokesperson’s Twitter account for real time updates.
Monday:
19:17 - Rockets launched from the Gaza strip, hit the Sderot city area. No injuries reported.
19:08 - The Iron Dome Air Defense System intercepted a Grad missile launched from Gaza at the Be’er Sheva area.
18:36 – Two more rockets launched from the Gaza Strip and hit Sdot Negev Regional Council.
15:55 – Short while ago, another rocket fired from Gaza hit Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.
05:30 - Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council has suffered a direct hit. No injuries reported.
00:43 - Hof Ashkelon Regional Council was hit a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. No injuries were reported.
00:36 - Short while ago, two more rockets fired from Gaza hit southern Israeli communities. No injuries or damage were reported.
00:27 - Israel Air Force targeted a terrorist squad moments after firing a rocket at southern Israel.
Sunday:
23:47 - Short while ago, two more rockets fired from the Gaza strip hit Hof Ashkelon Regional Council and Eshcol Regional Council.
21:43 – Another rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
19:51 - Short while ago, another rocket fired from the Gaza strip hit southern Israel.
17:16 - Short while ago, another Gaza rocket hit southern Israeli community. No injuries or damage were reported.
07:50 – This morning, Iron Dome intercepted two rockets near the Ashdod area in southern Israel.
07:30 - Since midnight 10 rockets and mortar shells hits southern Israel. Over 30 rockets were launched into Israel from the Gaza strip since yesterday.
06:25 - IAF aircraft targeted six terror activity sites in the Gaza Strip. Three rocket launching sites and one terror tunnel were targeted in the northern Gaza Strip, and in the southern Gaza Strip two terror activity sites were targeted. Secondary explosions were observed in certain sites. Hits were confirmed.
Saturday:
00:20 - Mortar shell hits southern Israel.
23:50 – Mortar shell hits near Sha’ar Ha’Negev Regional Council.
22:50 - IAF aircraft targeted a terrorist squad in the northern Gaza strip that was preparing to launch rockets at Israeli communities. Additionally IAF aircraft targeted two armed rocket launchers in the southern Gaza Strip. Hits were confirmed.
22:15 - IAF aircraft target a terrorist preparing to launch rockets at Israel in the southern Gaza Strip. Hits were confirmed.
22:13 – Video of a terrorist squad preparing to launch rocket from Gaza toward Israel.
21:35 - Over 15 rockets were fired at southern Israel today, including many Grad rockets fired at Ashdod and Ashkelon.
Firemen extinguishing fire after a rocket hits Ashdod (Photo: Israel Police)
21:00 - School is cancelled for tomorrow in many cities in southern Israel.
20:40 - Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz held a situation assessment in response to the renewed rocket fire from Gaza. The assessment was held with the operational general staff including representatives from the Intelligence Corps, the Southern Command, the Home Front Command, the IAF and the Operations Directorate.
20:03 – 3 more mortars hits southern Israel.
19:10 - 3 more rockets hits southern Israel near Ashdod.
19:00 – another rocket hits southern Israel.
17:50 - Mortar shell hits southern Israel.
17:20 – 2 rockets hit Ashdod, threatening 230,000 civilians. Another rocket hit Gan Yavne, one person was lightly injured.
14:15 - In a joint IDF and the Israel Security Agency, IAF aircraft attacked a cell of terrorists preparing to fire long-range rockets from the southern Gaza Strip.. Hits were confirmed and the launching attempt was thwarted.