Bush Refuses To Interrupt His Final Vacation As Middle East Crisis Escalates  —  In an effort to “prevent Palestinians from attacking towns in southern Israel” with rockets, Israel today undertook its third day of offensive military airstrikes in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, raising the death toll to more than 300.

The Gaza War  —  If someone was sending rockets on my house where my daughters were sleeping at night, I would do everything to stop it, and I would expect Israelis to do the same thing.  —  These aren't my words — they're Barack Obama's.  But I attach myself to this sentiment.

Ghetto Blasters  —  In angry retaliation for the house arrest of Bernie Madoff, Israel has launched a hellacious air assault against Hamas in Gaza that errs so far on the side of disproportionality that its running up the fatality score may become self-defeating.  Johann Hari in The Independent:

David Grossman / Is Israel too imprisoned in the familiar ceremony of war?  —  After its severe strike on Gaza, Israel would do well to stop, turn to Hamas' leaders and say: Until Saturday Israel held its fire in the face of thousands of Qassams from the Gaza Strip.  Now you know how harsh its response can be.

No Free Vacation for Greenwald: Glenn Greenwald, I take it, will not take me up on my offer of a free vacation to Sderot.  My offer was specifically in response to his claim that Israel is engaging in a “massively disproportionate response” to the shelling of southern Israel from Gaza.

World rallies around Palestinians amid Gaza offensive  —  LONDON, England (CNN) — Israeli attacks on suspected Hamas strongholds in Gaza have triggered protests in more than a dozen countries.  —  The attacks entered their third day Monday, with more than 300 people in Gaza reported killed and hundreds more wounded.

Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol has a son, Tripp Easton Mitchell  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol Palin and her boyfriend Levi Johnston are proud new parents of a baby boy, according to People.  —  His name is Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, says Colleen Jones, Bristol's grandmother's sister.

Bristol Palin gives birth to healthy son  —  Gov. Sarah Palin is a grandmother.  The baby's name is Tripp, and he was born Sunday, People magazine is reporting.  —  Palin's daughter Bristol gave birth to the healthy 7-pound, 4-ounce baby in Palmer, the magazine reports on its Web site.