WHEN THE VIPERS AND RATTLESNAKES GET TOGETHER

By Schmoel Yitzhak

What happens when the Vipers and Rattlesnakes get together?

For the answer, check out the latest "peace" burlesque being played out these days by Hamas and Fatah.

Act One is titled -- at least for the moment -- "Show of Unity."

In this case "Unity" is defined by the major terrorist group, Hamas, It has "allowed" its somewhat less-bloody foe (Fatah) the right to hold a rally in Gaza.

Mind you, each of the two Hate-Israel groups have something immediate to gain by this symbolic act of unity:

* FATAH: It has gained a United Nations toehold and will exploit that bizarre development to the hilt. A tenuous form of acceptance by the group (Hamas) that unceremoniously -- and with accompanying massacres -- booted it out of Gaza adds another modicum of confidence to Mahmoud Abbas & Company.

* HAMAS: Hellbent on destroying Israel in any way, it's political chief Khaled Meshal knows that he'll never let Fatah gain control of Gaza. But such an unlikely reconciliation with the Vipers does give the Rattlesnakes the belief that it has a chance to eventually achieve its goal of conquering Judea and Samaria.

Meanwhile there's a confounding chapter unfolding as Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi attempts to couple the Vipers and Rattlesnakes by means of mediation in Cairo. 

This could be a useful political-public relations move for Morsi whose popularity has see-sawed between plus and minus, depending on how he manages to mangle his country's constitution on any given week; Also, how the opposition feels about another anti-Morsi big-time rally in Beautiful Downtown Cairo.

Let's not forget that Morsi remains the Muslim Brotherhood's main man. Furthermore it now has been revealed that he's responsible for more and more deviously sinister anti-Israel comments. It's patently obvious that Morsi and Hamas are joined at the hip.

What has saved Morsi's hide in the past could work again if he successfully arranges even a brief Fatah-Hamas marriage. After all, the Egyptian leader just barely survived his most recent crises thanks to his involvement in the Hamas-Israel truce.

But when it comes to Hamas and Fatah, rest assured that neither of the Arab groups want anything remotely close to the two-state "solution," which reality has shown is no "solution" at all. Only graduates of Naive University -- that includes Barack Obama and members of European Union -- would dare believe that Arab-Israeli peace is possible.

"They (Hamas and Fatah) have already solidly demonstrated that they have no interest in the most flexible peace that Israel could hope to offer," writes Dan Margalit in Israel Hayom. "Meshal and Gaza's leadership have conditioned Palestinian national unity on the annulment of any hint of an agreement offered by Abbas, which he has no intention of honoring in any case.

"When Meshal (recently) made a murderous anti-Jewish speech, Mahmoud Abbas remained silent. The central obstacles to peace in the Middle East are the Palestinians, not Israel.":

I fully agree with Margalit who seeks an Israel whose borders include the large -- too-often mis-named "settlement" blocks.

That's the only way to achieve Israeli security when the Vipers and the Rattlesnakes get together!

A BLOOD RED SKY

By Aleph

I am waiting, I have been waiting the whole day.

Unable to move, stuck in one position, watching and waiting.

Sweat has covered my face making it harder for me to see. The heat and the Humidity of Gaza is overwhelming.

I cannot be seen, I moved into my position in the sand dunes outside of Beit Hanoun early in the morning after crossing into Gaza from Israel.

I am here for one reason only, to stop killers in their tracks.

Finally, a pickup moves to the outskirts of the city and the rocket team gets out.

First they set up their homemade launcher. I could easily call in the strike now, but I wait.

It is my duty to wait, I must make sure I see them ready the rocket.

For a second I look west, the sun is setting, creating a blood-red sky.

In a few moments I will be both prosecutor and judge.

Today I will be the angel of death.

It is no easy task, knowing you will take someones life. 

Then I remember they are attempting to kill my children and I must protect my children and the citizens of my country.

They carry the rockets from the pickup and set them down next to the launcher.

They calibrate the launcher.

As they prepare to load the rocket, I call in the strike.

No one can here the Tammuz launch, no one can here it coming, but it is.

They rocketeers prepare to fire.

Then.....

A thunderous bang and a cloud of dust.

I wait and make sure my job is done.

Night has fallen and it is dark, I approach the cavernous hole at contact point. 

My job is done.

I have protected my nation, my children and my fellow citizens. 

I have no second thoughts, I know this anti-Semitic world has no place for the weak Jew.

I have done my duty and won a small victory for Israel in her battle against terrorism.