RAMALLAH: Late Friday night hackers successfully infiltrated the website of Israel's Kadima party. The operation, executed by hackers belonging to or affiliated with the loose knit hacking organization Anonymous, was announced on Twitter. Kadima is headed by Knesset opposition leader and former military chief of staff Shaul Mofaz, who earlier this week suggested that a campaign of targeted assassinations against Hamas leaders would more effectively end rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel than a full scale ground invasion suggested by others. Among many Palestinians, Mofaz is particularly reviled for his role in overseeing Israeli military offensives during the Second Intifada. The hackers posted an Arabic language song on the page as well as a video of Israeli troops running and crying during rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. They signed off as “Anti-Zionists". Shortly after the hacking, Kadima's website was taken offline (presumably for repair). The hacking took place following the announcement of “OpIsrael", an Anonymous campaign targeting a number of Israeli websites in response to the ongoing offensive, Operation Pillar of Defense, on the Gaza Strip and threats to close down the telecommunications in the besieged territory. On Thursday morning, Anonymous issued a statement and called on hackers and followers to help bring down and deface websites associated or belonging to the Israeli government or military. “For far too long, Anonymous has stood by with the rest of the world and watched in despair the barbaric, brutal and despicable treatment of the Palestinian people in the so called ‘Occupied Territories' by the Israel Defense Force," the statement began. The statement also offered advice to Palestinians in the case that Israeli military forces cut internet servers, detailing in Arabic and English how to stay online. “To the oppressors of the innocent Palestinian people, it is too late to EXPECT US," it concluded. Friday marked the third day of fighting since Israeli military forces launched an offensive on Gaza. The Palestinian death toll exceeded 25, with injuries in the hundreds. Three Israelis died on Thursday morning after their home was struck by a rocket fired from Gaza.
