Mikolot Mayim Rabbim

Yesterday and today (4th & 5th of November), after several months of relative quiet, 20-30 Qassams were fired from the Gaza Strip over the Green Line, towards Ashkelon and the Negev (the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports). [UPDATE 2008-11-14: the shelling continues, now in its ninth day!]

Qassams are crude, imprecise rockets, which the news media do not fail to mention. However, some descriptions do tend to arouse in the reader a feeling that Qassams aren’t really all that dangerous, they are merely some kind of glorified firework, such as in the following quote:

Qassam rockets are simple weapons that lack guidance systems and so are very inaccurate, though in recent years militants have produced ones with longer ranges able to penetrate deeper inside Israel.
(Source: CNN)

Technically, the quote is correct, but crucial background information is lacking. Last August, I visited Sderot on a joint mission of the leaderships of the Rabbinical Council of America and of Tzohar, an Israeli rabbinical organization. Below are some thoughts and two pictures that can bring some perspective to the Qassams threat. Read the rest of this entry »