Vittorio Arrigoni - Hero of the People of Gaza

Vittorio Arrigoni's body was found last night. His murder in an internecine, Palestinian struggle is a loss to Westerners who support Palestinian liberation. More importantly, his murder is a heavy blow to the people of Gaza.
I hope that Vittorio Arigoni's death gives greater weight to his commitment to the Palestinian people.
Solidarity with the Palestinian people draws together the children of Jews who suffered under the Nazis with Italians who fought Mussolini's fascism.
Phil Weiss at Monodweiss posted this moving video footage.

Free Vittorio Arrigoni!

Salafi Jihadis, perhaps based in Saudi Arabia, have kidnapped Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni in Gaza. As far as we know, Vittorio is alive. His kidnappers posted a video of him blindfolded and bleeding in the face with one of his captors holding up his head by his hair. They are demanding that Hamas release one of their members in return for Vittorio.

This is deeply troubling as the Gazan people have few conduits to the outside world. If international activists are chased out of Gaza, this will be a terrible disservice to the people of Gaza.

Tomorrow morning at 10am in Al Manara Square in Ramallah and at 12 in Bethlehem, Nablus and Gaza Palestinian and international associations and NGOs will demonstrate for the immediate liberation of Vittorio Arrigoni, Italian ISM volunteer kidnapped today in Gaza.

David's Slingshot

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu showing off the new Iron Dome system

Israeli defense officials just ordered four new "Iron Dome" missile defense system. Israel is planning to export the system to other countries.
I'm happy Israelis from Ashdod to Beersheba and Tel Aviv will sleep easier under the protection of this system, but I have some questions:
1) Defense Minister Ehud Barak agreed to fund the system with the understanding that it will destroy "90% of all incoming missiles." This has not yet been demonstrated. Even if that high number is achieved, what then? Won't the Gazans who do this kind of thing just find another violent way to vent their anger and desperation?
2) Israeli military types have a penchant for cuteness. Such was the murderous onslaught on Gaza's population that was given the name "Cast Lead." This, as has been pointed out many times, was lifted from a classic, Zionist Hanukka song. In the song it's a dreidl - not a missile - that is made of cast lead.
Now, the missiles in the Iron Dome system have been named "David's Slingshot." Nothing illustrates the Israeli establishment's warped grasp of reality than to cast itself as David and Gaza as the Goliath.
In dollar amounts, each of the Gazan rockets costs several hundred dollars. That explains why they are so wildly inaccurate. By contrast, the Israeli missiles cost upwards of $70,000 each. The system itself costs in the tens of millions.
The next four batteries will cost $205m. All paid for by the US taxpayer, in addition to the regular annual $3b military payments to the Israeli military.