Scientists from Nasa say that Mars has warmed by about 0.5C since the 1970s. This is similar to the warming experienced on Earth over approximately the same period.Since there is no known life on Mars it suggests rapid changes in planetary climates could be natural phenomena.

The mechanism at work on Mars appears, however, to be different from that on Earth. One of the researchers, Lori Fenton, believes variations in radiation and temperature across the surface of the Red Planet are generating strong winds.In a paper published in the journal Nature, she suggests that such winds can stir up giant dust storms, trapping heat and raising the planet's temperature.

Fenton's team unearthed heat maps of the Martian surface from Nasa's Viking mission in the 1970s and compared them with maps gathered more than two decades later by Mars Global Surveyor. They found there had been widespread changes, with some areas becoming darker.

When a surface darkens it absorbs more heat, eventually radiating that heat back to warm the thin Martian atmosphere: lighter surfaces have the opposite effect. The temperature differences between the two are thought to be stirring up more winds, and dust, creating a cycle that is warming the planet.

Recent indicators from the financial sector show the U.S. economy is taking a beating, with a possible bursting of the stock market looming on the horizon. On Friday, April 27, the dollar hit an all-time low of $1.3682 against the euro, before closing at $1.3651.

The Commerce Department announced the same day the first quarter 2007 gross domestic product grew at only a 1.3 percent annual rate, the slowest reported in four years during the first quarter. The GDP decline is a second down quarter, following the 2.5 percent rate reported by the Commerce Department for the fourth quarter 2006. The economy has slowed considerably from the 4.8 percent GDP growth reported for the first quarter of 2006.

WND previously reported the economy may have entered a recession in February 2006, a conclusion further supported by Friday's sluggish GDP growth report. The AP has reported former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has put the chance of recession this year at one at three. Economists widely credited the national collapse in the sub-prime housing market as a primary cause of the GDP slowdown.

Meanwhile, the stock market hit an all-time high of 13,000 last Wednesday, setting a new trading high of 13,148 on Friday, before closing at 13,120.94. WND previously attributed the continued rise of the stock market to an excess of liquidity in world markets.

Bob Chapman, who publishes a biweekly Internet newsletter, The International Forecaster, http://www.theinternationalforecaster.com/ told his 100,000 worldwide subscribers that, "We are facing the biggest decline in housing values since the 1930s and nobody gets it yet. In former hot markets, prices will fall 15 percent to 25 percent this year and more next year as the tragedy plays out."

Chapman continued to predict a collapse in the heavily leveraged $1.4 trillion dollar unregulated hedge fund market and in the little-understood derivative market where leveraged exposure may be as high as $500 trillion. Chapman advised his subscribers that gold was one of the few secure asset classes he was recommending for investors.

An article in TheStreet.com credited legendary value investor, Jeremy Grantham "the man Dick Cheney, plus a lot of other rich people, trusts with his money" as saying we are experiencing "the first worldwide bubble in history covering all asset classes."

Democratic presidential hopefuls flashing their anti-war credentials last night at a national debate by stating they would immediately withdraw from Iraq, encouraged Palestinian terrorist leaders here, who labeled the debate a victory for Iraqi insurgents and "resistance movements" throughout the world. The debate was widely covered today by the Palestinian and pan-Arab media.

"We see Hillary (Clinton) and other candidates are competing on who will withdraw from Iraq and who is guilty of supporting the Iraqi invasion. This is a moment of glory for the revolutionary movements in the Arab world in general and for the Iraqi resistance movement specifically," said Abu Jihad, one of the overall leaders of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror organization. I think democrats will do good if they will withdraw as soon as they are in power," he said.

At the televised primary debate last night, Democrat presidential hopefuls heaped criticism on President Bush's Iraq war policy. "The first day, I would get us out of Iraq by diplomacy," said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, one of eight rivals on the debate stage. "If this president does not get us out of Iraq, when I am president, I will," pledged Sen. Clinton. "We are one signature away from ending this war," declared Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. He said if Bush won't change his mind about vetoing a bill requiring troop withdrawal, Democrats need to work on rounding up enough Republican votes to override him.

I think democrats will do good if they will withdraw as soon as they are in power," he said. The terrorists told WND an electoral win for the Democrats would prove to them Americans are "tired." They rejected statements from some prominent Democrats in the U.S. that a withdrawal from Iraq would end the insurgency, explaining AN EVACUATION WOULD PROVE RESISTANCE WORKS AND WOULD COMPEL JIHADISTS TO CONTINUE FIGHTING UNTIL AMERICA IS DESTROYED.

A nationally distributed training video produced by a "gay" advocacy group, which claims it's been shown on more than 100 public television stations, advises teachers to promote homosexuality as normal and healthy to children as young as kindergarten age, regardless of what values the child has been taught at home.

"We are asking kids to believe this [homosexuality] is right. Not as a matter of moral principle, but as a matter of, we're educating them and this is part of what we consider to be a healthy education," one unidentified teacher said during the videotaped meeting of educators preparing to teach, or as their critics charge, "brainwash", their students.

"Although 'It's Elementary' was made over a decade ago, it's still a major training film for homosexual activists, is still being shown in schools across the country, and has become a standard feature at homosexual teachers' conferences," the Mass Resistance site says. "How much further has that agenda reached since then? How many more young children are being desensitized to homosexuality in their young years by these sophisticated techniques. And more importantly, when are you going to get involved to do something about it?"

"Although 'It's Elementary' was made over a decade ago, it's still a major training film for homosexual activists, is still being shown in schools across the country, and has become a standard feature at homosexual teachers' conferences," the Mass Resistance site says. "How much further has that agenda reached since then? How many more young children are being desensitized to homosexuality in their young years by these sophisticated techniques. And more importantly, when are you going to get involved to do something about it?"

The homosexual activist strategy is stated plainly in the film's promotion. "Waiting to teach children to accept differences of all kinds until middle school or high school is too late; statistics show that by sixth, seventh and eight grades, harmful stereotypes already have begun to take hold "

There is no date scheduled for the visit just yet, but the United Nations confirmed that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with the Pope and extended an invitation for the visit, to which the Pope agreed.

Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. made the announcement Friday. "The Pope," said Fr. Lombardi, "has accepted the invitation in general terms, and has expressed his willingness to visit the U.N. headquarters, although as yet there is no date or program for the trip."

John Paul II visited the U.N. headquarters in 1979, and again in 1995 for the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the organization.

The corpse of the decapitated animal was the centrepiece of a party to celebrate the launch of the God Of War II game for the company's PlayStation 2 console. Guests at the event were even invited to reach inside the goat's still-warm carcass to eat offal from its stomach.

Sickening images of the party have appeared in the company's official PlayStation magazine, but after being contacted by The Mail on Sunday, Sony issued an apology for the gruesome stunt and promised to recall the entire print run. Critics condemned the entertainment giant, which produces scores of Hollywood blockbusters each year, for its "blood lust" and said the grotesque "sacrifice" highlighted increasing concerns over the content of video games and the lengths to which the industry will go to exploit youngsters.

It asks readers how far they would go to get hold of Sony's next-generation console, the PlayStation 3. "How about eating still warm intestines uncoiled from the carcass of a freshly slaughtered goat? At the party to celebrate God Of War II's European release, members of the Press were invited to do just that . . ."

In God Of War II, which is so violent it has been given an 18 certificate, players follow Kratos into battle against a series of fearsome characters from Greek mythology. Sony describes it as "an adult-rated, fast-paced bloodbath and enormous fun to boot", adding that it is "bigger, better and as brutal as ever". One reviewer said the title featured "the most brutal, visceral combat of any action game".

Former Minister Keith Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester East and a long-time campaigner against violent computer games, branded the stunt "distasteful and irresponsible". He said: "The slaughter of animals is not something that should be done to advertise a product. "Sony as a global entertainment company has a social responsibility. At this event it failed in that responsibility. "I think people should think very carefully before bringing games like this into their homes.

"I would understand if customers wanted to boycott other Sony products such as their televisions because of this controversy." It is not the first time Sony has been involved in controversy over its games. In 2004, the PlayStation 2 game Manhunt was banned by High Street stores in the UK after it was linked to the murder of a 14-year-old Leicester boy.

Last September the relatives of a family massacred by a New Mexico teenager addicted to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City launched a £317million lawsuit against the entertainment company. And in November, Europe's justice commissioner Franco Frattini was so shocked by the "obscene cruelty and brutality" of Sony's Rule Of Rose PlayStation game that he wrote to all EU governments urging tighter controls on the "dreadful game".

Britain is in danger of "committing slow social suicide" as such Big Brother techniques as surveillance cameras and recording equipment spread into every aspect of our lives, the nation's information watchdog will warn this week.A new report from Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, will say that the public needs to be made more aware of the "creeping encroachment" on civil liberties created by email monitoring, CCTV and computer tracking of our buying habits.

It is understood that one of the concerns in Mr Thomas's report is the use of special listening devices which can be placed in lamp posts, street furniture and offices. These are already widely used in the Netherlands to combat crime and anti-social behaviour. More than 300 of the cameras with built-in microphones have been fitted in benefit offices and city centres. The equipment can pick up aggressive tones on the basis of decibel level, pitch and speed at which words are spoken.

Westminster council has already started piloting the listening devices, but experts say the use of these microphones raises questions about how surveillance can be used to intrude into the private lives of citizens. His warning comes as MPs launch their first inquiry into the impact of surveillance in Britain. The Home Affairs Select Committee will investigate the use of video cameras to monitor high streets and residential areas as well as the holding of personal information on both government and commercial databases.

On Tuesday, Mr Thomas, who last year warned that Britain was "sleepwalking into a surveillance society", will tell the committee at its first hearing that new safeguards must be introduced to protect the public from the increasing intrusion of surveillance into their daily lives.

Civil liberty campaigners have already warned that Britain is becoming a Big Brother society where its citizens are increasingly being watched. There are more than four million CCTV cameras in this country, one for every 14 people, and the national DNA database which was set up by police to combat crime now holds 3.5 million profiles.

Congress has yet to investigate the role of psychiatric drugs relating to school shootings despite international drug regulators warning these drugs can cause mania, psychosis, hallucinations, suicide and homicidal ideation.

At least eight of the recent school shooters were under the influence of such drugs, and according to media reports, investigators working on the Virginia Tech school shootings claim Cho Seung-Hui may also have been taking drugs for "depression."

Their call came after the UN said livestock emissions were a bigger threat to the planet than transport. The MEPs have asked the European Commission to "look again at the livestock question in direct connection with global warming."

The official EU declaration demands changes to animals' diets, to capture gas emissions and recycle manure
They warned," The livestock sector presents the greatest threat to the planet." The proposal will be looked at by the 27 member states. The UN says livestock farming generates 18 per cent of greenhouse gases while transport accounts for 14 per cent.

The kingdom's police arrested 172 terrorist suspects, seized large quantities of weapons and netted more than $30 million in cash from the conspirators. The ambitious plot that was thwarted bore chilling echoes to the 11 September attacks. Most of those hijackers were Saudi-born.

Saudi officials said some of the terrorists had taken advantage of the chaos in neighbouring Iraq to train - reinforcing fears among western intelligence officials that the war-torn country is spawning a new generation of deadly and battle-hardened terrorists.

"One of their main targets was to carry out suicide attacks against public figures and oil installations and to target military bases inside and outside [the country]," the Saudi interior ministry said in a statement. It added: "Some had begun training on the use of weapons, and some were sent to other countries to study aviation in preparation to use them to carry out terrorist operations inside the country."

Any airborne terror attack from the oil-rich kingdom would put British warships in the Gulf at risk as well as the 7,100 British forces in the nearby southern Iraqi city of Basra. The Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, of the US, also makes a major target for a terrorist spectacular. Al-Qaeda has long called for attacks on key Saudi oil installations to undermine the kingdom's economy and hit western energy supplies.

Suicide car-bombers in February last year targeted the world's biggest oil processing plant at the heavily-fortified Abqaiq facility in the country's eastern province. They rammed the facility's outer gates but were killed by specialised units of the Army and National Guard well before they reached the heart of the complex.

Virtually impenetrable security measures are in place at all the kingdom's key oil installations now, making a suicide air attack the only way to inflict damage. Saudi Arabia - home to 25,000 British expatriates - suffered its own 9/11 in May 2003 when al-Qaeda suicide bombers attacked three western compounds in the capital Riyadh.

Terrorists committed to overthrowing the western-backed Saudi monarchy went on to kill some 144 foreigners and Saudis over the next few years. But since those first attacks, Saudi security forces have hit back with great determination, breaking the back of the al-Qaeda threat by killing scores of terrorists and arresting hundreds more.

Al-Qaeda also miscalculated badly by killing Saudi officials - leading to a backlash by the Saudi public which has provided invaluable tip-offs. "It's fair to say the Saudis get huge intelligence from the public - far greater than in most western countries," a British security consultant in Riyadh told The Scotsman.

German authorities have told a lawyer for a teenager who was confined in a psychiatric hospital because she was homeschooled she can remain with her family for now, a new report has confirmed.

Joel Thornton, president of the International Human Rights Group told WND that the authorities' letter to the lawyer said they plan to "de-escalate" the case so that Melissa Busekros could remain in her home.
WND earlier reported that the teen, who was removed from her home by a team of police officers at the beginning of February and then was held in various psychiatric wards and foster home situations, fled government custody on April 23, her 16th birthday.

"At 3 a.m., in Erlangen, Germany, Melissa reached her home to the surprise of her entire family," Thornton told WND then. "Earlier in the morning Melissa left a note with the foster family where she was being held and began the journey to her family. She left of her own volition." He said Melissa left government custody and was in contact with her lawyer, Johannese Hildebrandt, because in Germany different laws are applicable depending on whether a child is 15 or 16.

"The nightmare faced by the Busekros family for the past two months may be finally over," Thornton told WND. "In a letter to the family's attorney, the youth welfare agency responsible for taking her from her home affirmed that they were going to 'de-escalate' the situation and allow her to remain with her family as long as they would continue to dialogue with authorities."

"This is a great victory for the Busekros family," Thornton said, "but the situation is not completely resolved. We are considering it a significant half-time lead, but not the final win." Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, said he believes the German treatment of Christian homeschoolers is the "edge of the night that's coming" for believers.

"Germany is the only Western democracy taking this incredibly hard-line approach, but there are growing clouds on a number of national horizons," Farris told WND. "The philosophy that the government knows best how to raise children is really becoming a worldwide phenomenon," Farris said. "I think Germany represents the edge of the night that's coming."

For the U.S., Farris has called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect the right of parents to educate their children at home.

Emergency services have received reports of structural damage such as cracked walls and fallen chimneys.
The earthquake was felt as far afield as Essex, East Sussex and Suffolk. The British Geological Survey said the tremor, which occurred at 0818 BST, was the largest British earthquake since one in Dudley, West Midlands, in 2002.

Emergency services have received reports of structural damage such as cracked walls and fallen chimneys.
The earthquake was felt as far afield as Essex, East Sussex and Suffolk. The British Geological Survey said the tremor, which occurred at 0818 BST, was the largest British earthquake since one in Dudley, West Midlands, in 2002.

David Booth of the British Geological Survey said the tremor, which lasted a few seconds, was of a sizeable magnitude. "It's certainly the largest in the UK since an earthquake in Dudley in the West Midlands in 2002 and that also caused damage. So this is a very significant tremor."

Dr Brian Baptie, also of the British Geological Survey, told BBC News 24 that the epicentre was seven miles (12km) south of Dover, out in the English Channel. Randy Baldwin from the US Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes, said the tremor had a preliminary magnitude of 4.7.

A Eurostar spokesman said everything was running normally in the Channel Tunnel.

The chief carnival barker for the concept was Alan Greenspan, even as its proponents labeled the crutch the name "Bretton Woods II" in pure heretical fashion. The Bretton Woods Accord, linking the US Dollar to gold, was real and valid and enforced. It is about as far in function, meaning, and validity as gold (real & tangible) is from the US Dollar (paper & counterfeit). Thus the HERESY. In the last several months, a painfully clear trend is the ABSENCE of Asian recycled funds. On a net basis, led by Japan and China, the Asian group has shown flat US Tbond purchases from their central banks, a radical departure from yesteryears. The US exports its inflation to Asia in order to pay for its bill for finished products, but Asia has RESISTED the temptation to put good money after bad into US Tbonds. Implications concerning the faulty and stripped mythological premise are huge.

The US Dollar is exposed, soon to be hung out to dry, with the kick over the edge being upcoming Euro Central Bank rate hikes. The busted Bretton Woods II myth represents a missing crucial support pillar for the broken US Dollar. No BW2 means no prevailing ideology to serve as intellectual support. Asians will next be purchasing gold & energy, both refined and raw ore, both securities tied to gold & energy and related companies, alongside stockpiles of commodities, as they eschew the US$-based system. China has already tipped off the world powers on their intention.

What does the death of Bretton Woods II mean? Many things, all good for gold and bad for the US Dollar. IT MEANS THE US DOLLAR IS IN FOR A POTENTIAL FREE FALL, as support from guy wires is missing, and control is being lost among principal partners. The DX dollar index now stands below 82, in the DANGER ZONE.

THE ONLY WAY THE UNITED STATES IS CAPABLE OF KEEPING THEIR MUSICAL DEBT MERRY-GO-ROUND TURNING MIGHT BE THROUGH FORCE, NAMELY A WIDER WAR AND TRADE PROTECTION. The war will keep the pressure on the Persian Gulf nations to continue both US Tbond support and weapons outlay purchases. A higher oil price will win their consent. The trade protection effort will backfire. Those in deep debt cannot threaten their creditors.

The principle argument was that in order to sustain a fallacious economic system, whose foundation is but shifting sands whipped by the ebb & flow of monetary inflation, that system needs an utterly absurd sequence of myths to be widely accepted as ideology, promoted by a trusted harlot.

The myth which purports that the manufacturing base is unnecessary, that the service sector can replace it, is total absurd. History shows that the service sector follows the manufacturing base in its path. Furthermore, the service sector pays lower wages, offers worse benefits, and can offer little security when the mfg base and its capital base provide the foundation for business investment and economic structure.

The continued trade gap reads like a medical haemorrhage, whose retreat would testify to the grand systemic liquidation underway. The continued federal deficit is not so much a myth, but evidence of basic lies. The US Govt talks of declining deficits, yet the crash course toward the next spending limit set by Congress approaches the next $ trillion with fewer months each time.

The conclusion of that past article in Sept 2004 on Mythology seems appropriate here. In order to keep the charade going, the nation, its trading partners, and investors worldwide must be fooled, tricked, and deceived by myths. Without such myths, we would be forced to endure a painful correction to inflated assets, and be subjected to a severe debt downgrade.

The consequence would be a grand decline in the standard of living for most American households and citizens. The world economy depends too much on our spending, even if that spending is led by evermore debt in an overly burdened debt environment. In all likelihood, the world economy would enter a deep recession, or worse. So maintaining and perpetuating myths is essential What will the next economic myth be, sold to the world ?

The entire body of economic statistics represent false shadows cast against the wall, each to support the current empty mythology. The US Gross Domestic Product is running at minus 1.5%, not in the 3% range. The US Consumer Price Index is running at 10%, not in the 3% range. The US jobless rate is running at 12%, not in the 5% range. Check the Shadow Govt Statistics for a snapshot of reality, whose calculations are divorced from mythology and rooted in unwanted reality. These guys remove gimmicks, otherwise known as accounting fraud, or more simply lies. The statistical lies took root in the early 1990 decade. If the word 'is' cannot be defined, then the statistics cannot be trusted.

The next solution will very possibly be to enable a much higher crude oil price. Since the summer of 2005, the Persian Gulf nations have replaced the absent Asians in credit supply. . England might not offer much troop assistance in the Iraqi War, but the nation surely comes through with assistance in banking. Besides, banking is where the real power is anyway. Military deployment is often to support the banking enterprises. A higher crude oil price, in my opinion, was one of the primary objectives in the Iraq War.

Law means much less anymore than sheer power. Look for a higher crude oil price, like one to hit $80 per barrel, and a higher gold price, like one to hit $750 per ounce, in the coming months. Look for mindboggling creation of new money to come also, under the cover of darkness, to paper over the mortgage bond black hole, to avert associated credit derivative accidents underway.

We are in the Weimar Age of modern money. Good prefers light; evil embraces darkness. In full light, the gold rally would be afforded greater tailwind. Even in darkness, gold will thrive since confidence erodes in darkness. DARKNESS IS THE CONSTANT THEME TO BOTH THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SYSTEM WHICH MANAGES THE US DOLLAR, AND TO A LOT MORE OF THE NATIONAL DRUMBEATS.

Due to space, this article has been edited. The full article is available at :- http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/willie/2007/0426.html

In a disgraceful debate in the European Parliament (EP) yesterday, Members of the European Parliament from France, the Netherlands and Italy, among others, vilified Poland as "hateful" and "repulsive" for refusing to allow promotion of homosexuality in schools.

A vote was held today to approve an EP resolution chastising Poland for 'homophobia.' The resolution - adopted by 325 votes to 124, with 150 abstentions - calls for a fact-finding mission to be sent to Poland, for "worldwide de-criminalisation of homosexuality" and for the Commission to take Member States to court if they breach their EU obligations.

At issue was a proposed law in Poland which would forbid "homosexual propaganda" in schools. Explaining the legislation earlier this year, Roman Giertych, Poland's minister of education: "One must limit homosexual propaganda so that children won't have an improper view of family"

Beginning the debate in the EP France's MEP Rour Martine called statements in defense of the traditional family by Polish parliamentarians, "diatribes" and noted that they "must stop", adding that they were "repulsive" and "hateful". "THESE ARE NOT EUROPE'S VALUES," SHE PROCLAIMED.

The statements from France were supported by Sophia in't Veld of the Netherlands who also accused the Polish government of "hatred" and demanded action rather than words from the EU governing body. Italy's Giusto Catania joined in the attack on Poland adding an attack on the church as well which he said never stopped in expressing hatred toward homosexuals.

Some of the MEPs from Poland and Northern Ireland walked out of the debate as a protest, however those who remained gave a strong defence of their positions. Poland's Konrad Szymanski said that the debate was evidence that THE "EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CAN BE LED BY THE NOSE BY A GROUP OF EXTREMIST POLITICIANS."

In the resolution passed today, MEPs urge the Polish authorities "to refrain from proposing or adopting a law as described by the Vice Prime Minister and Polish Minister of education". They demand a fact-finding mission into Poland regarding 'homophobia', and threaten court action on Poland or any other member nation unwilling to submit to EU rights conventions which they have interpreted to disallow a government from forbidding homosexual promotion in schools.

In Warsaw, Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski commented on the EP resolution saying: "Nobody is limiting gay rights in Poland. However, if we're talking about not having homosexual propaganda in Polish schools, I fully agree with those who feel this way - such propaganda should not be in schools; it definitely doesn't serve youth well."

A massive Hamas rocket attack earlier this week was coordinated directly with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and members of his Fatah party, according to Hamas sources speaking to WND.

In the first rocket attack it claimed responsibility for in five months, Hamas Tuesday fired 39 Qassam rockets and 79 mortars from the Gaza Strip aimed at nearby Jewish communities. The projectiles were meant to serve as a diversion as the group attempted to storm an Israeli military base on the Gaza border to kidnap Israeli soldiers. The attacks occurred as Israelis nationwide celebrated the country's Independence Day.

Last night, Israel's major television newscasts quoted Israeli security officials stating the Hamas attack was carried out with the approval of Abbas, other Fatah members and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, the declared military wing of Fatah. Hamas political sources and militants from Hamas' so-called military wing said the attack was indeed coordinated directly with Abbas and his Fatah party.

The Israel Defense Forces thwarted Tuesday's kidnap attempt and dispatched helicopters to intercept the gunmen behind it. Missiles were fired at Qassam launch pads in Gaza that had fired the large barrage of rockets.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided to only authorize the IDF to carry out a limited response to the Hamas attack despite mounting evidence, defense officials say, that indicates Hamas in Gaza is preparing for a large-scale conflict with Israel. But Hamas political sources and militants from Hamas' so-called military wing said the attack was indeed coordinated directly with Abbas and his Fatah party.

The Israel Defense Forces thwarted Tuesday's kidnap attempt and dispatched helicopters to intercept the gunmen behind it. Missiles were fired at Qassam launch pads in Gaza that had fired the large barrage of rockets.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided to only authorize the IDF to carry out a limited response to the Hamas attack despite mounting evidence, defense officials say, that indicates Hamas in Gaza is preparing for a large-scale conflict with Israel. "We don't recognize Israel's right to exist. We will never allow Jews to remain in our lands. Today's attack was only a sample of what we can do. We have thousands of rockets ready to be shot. The cease-fire is officially over," said Abu Abdullah.

In January, a spokesman for Olmert said the Al Aqsa Brigades members firing the missiles from Gaza are not affiliated with Fatah and don't take orders from Abbas. She said the militants are directed by the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah militia.

But in a WND interview following the spokeman's remarks, Brigades commander Abu Ahmed said his group, including the militants launching rockets, is loyal to Abbas and coordinates "resistance operations" with the Fatah party.

"The Al Aqsa Brigades is the military wing of the Fatah and the President Abu Mazen (Abbas) is the chairman of the movement," Abu Ahmed said. "We are committed to our leadership, to Abu Mazen. All our activity is in accordance with the political line of Fatah, which consists of fighting the occupation until the creation of a Palestinian state. The rocket-shooting is part of this vision."