Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza by Jeremy R. Hammond
Lie #1) Israel is only targeting legitimate military sites and is seeking to protect innocent lives. Israel never targets civilians.
The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated pieces of property in the world. The presence of militants within a civilian population does not, under international law, deprive that population of their protected status, and hence any assault upon that population under the guise of targeting militants is, in fact, a war crime.
Moreover, the people Israel claims are legitimate targets are members of Hamas, which Israel says is a terrorist organization. Hamas has been responsible for firing rockets into Israel. These rockets are extremely inaccurate and thus, even if Hamas intended to hit military targets within Israel, are indiscriminate by nature. When rockets from Gaza kill Israeli civilians, it is a war crime.
Hamas has a military wing. However, it is not entirely a military organization, but a political one. Members of Hamas are the democratically elected representatives of the Palestinian people. Dozens of these elected leaders have been kidnapped and held in Israeli prisons without charge. Others have been targeted for assassination, such as Nizar Rayan, a top Hamas official. To kill Rayan, Israel targeted a residential apartment building. The strike not only killed Rayan but two of his wives and four of his children, along with six others. There is no justification for such an attack under international law. This was a war crime.
Other of Israel’s bombardment with protected status under international law have included a mosque, a prison, police stations, and a university, in addition to residential buildings.
Moreover, Israel has long held Gaza under siege, allowing only the most minimal amounts of humanitarian supplies to enter. Israel is bombing and killing Palestinian civilians. Countless more have been wounded, and cannot receive medical attention. Hospitals running on generators have little or no fuel. Doctors have no proper equipment or medical supplies to treat the injured. These people, too, are the victims of Israeli policies targeted not at Hamas or legitimate military targets, but directly designed to punish the civilian population.
Lie #2) Hamas violated the cease-fire. The Israeli bombardment is a response to Palestinian rocket fire and is designed to end such rocket attacks.
Israel never observed the cease-fire to begin with. From the beginning, it announced a “special security zone” within the Gaza Strip and announced that Palestinians who enter this zone will be fired upon. In other words, Israel announced its intention that Israeli soldiers would shoot at farmers and other individuals attempting to reach their own land in direct violation of not only the cease-fire but international law.
Despite shooting incidents, including ones resulting in Palestinians getting injured, Hamas still held to the cease-fire from the time it went into effect on June 19 until Israel effectively ended the truce on November 4 by launching an airstrike into Gaza that killed five and injured several others.
Israel’s violation of the cease-fire predictably resulted in retaliation from militants in Gaza who fired rockets into Israel in response. The increased barrage of rocket fire at the end of December is being used as justification for the continued Israeli bombardment, but is a direct response by militants to the Israeli attacks.
Israel’s actions, including its violation of the cease-fire, predictably resulted in an escalation of rocket attacks against its own population.
Lie #3) Hamas is using human shields, a war crime.
There has been no evidence that Hamas has used human shields. The fact is, as previously noted, Gaza is a small piece of property that is densely populated. Israel engages in indiscriminate warfare such as the assassination of Nizar Rayan, in which members of his family were also murdered. It is victims like his dead children that Israel defines as “human shields” in its propaganda. There is no legitimacy for this interpretation under international law. In circumstances such as these, Hamas is not using human shields, Israel is committing war crimes in violation of the Geneva Conventions and other applicable international law.
Lie #4) Arab nations have not condemned Israel’s actions because they understand Israel’s justification for its assault.
The populations of those Arab countries are outraged at Israel’s actions and at their own governments for not condemning Israel’s assault and acting to end the violence. Simply stated, the Arab governments do not represent their respective Arab populations. The populations of the Arab nations have staged mass protests in opposition to not only Israel’s actions but also the inaction of their own governments and what they view as either complacency or complicity in Israel’s crimes.
Moreover, the refusal of Arab nations to take action to come to the aid of the Palestinians is not because they agree with Israel’s actions, but because they are submissive to the will of the US, which fully supports Israel. Egypt, for instance, which refused to open the border to allow Palestinians wounded in the attacks to get medical treatment in Egyptian hospitals, is heavily dependent upon US aid, and is being widely criticized within the population of the Arab countries for what is viewed as an absolute betrayal of the Gaza Palestinians.
Even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been regarded as a traitor to his own people for blaming Hamas for the suffering of the people of Gaza. Palestinians are also well aware of Abbas’ past perceived betrayals in conniving with Israel and the US to sideline the democratically elected Hamas government, culminating in a counter-coup by Hamas in which it expelled Fatah (the military wing of Abbas’ Palestine Authority) from the Gaza Strip. While his apparent goal was to weaken Hamas and strengthen his own position, the Palestinians and other Arabs in the Middle East are so outraged at Abbas that it is unlikely he will be able to govern effectively.
Lie #5) Israel is not responsible for civilian deaths because it warned the Palestinians of Gaza to flee areas that might be targeted.
Israel claims it sent radio and telephone text messages to residents of Gaza warning them to flee from the coming bombardment. But the people of Gaza have nowhere to flee to. They are trapped within the Gaza Strip. It is by Israeli design that they cannot escape across the border. It is by Israeli design that they have no food, water, or fuel by which to survive. It is by Israeli design that hospitals in Gaza have no electricity and few medical supplies with which to treat the injured and save lives. And Israel has bombed vast areas of Gaza, targeting civilian infrastructure and other sites with protected status under international law. No place is safe within the Gaza Strip.
Israel is Using Their Families and Children as Human Shields.
Israelis invade Palestine, drive off the Palestinians with Tanks, machine guns and Bulldozers, Steal the Palestinians Land…, then build houses and bring in Women and Children as Human Shields.
Robert
5 Jan 09 at 10:34 am
Hey my fellow new yorker. Im a web developer in brooklyn. We should exchange emails and maybe discuss working together.
Tarek
Tarek
5 Jan 09 at 10:49 am
Great article. Sadly, totally correct.
And
5 Jan 09 at 11:54 am
This was an excellent post — very helpful for the debate. Thank you!
Brian
5 Jan 09 at 11:56 am
Limiting the debate to israel’s justified actions is dishonnest. The author must undersatnd why Hamas is launching missiles in Israel. Being jews does not give you the right to force people out of their lands in the name of your God’s promise. That’s the real root of the conflict. By the way, if Hamas had Israels weapons , It will target military sites only but Palestinian do not have that arsenal. Please stop thinking that Israel is right., because taking people’s lands has never been right.
regis
5 Jan 09 at 12:10 pm
After all the atrocities Muslims have commited worldwide over the centuries I say let Israel wipe out every last one of them that they can.
Johnny Reb
5 Jan 09 at 12:17 pm
Hamas routinely targets civilians. If Israel’s intention was to target civilians, you won’t have a situation where 80% of the dead (even by Palestinian estimates) are Hamas operatives.
Israel gives advance notice to civilians to leave an area before the attack begins. Hamas fires rockets into civilian areas of Israel (about 300 of these rockets have been fired over the past couple of weeks) with no warnings. Also, Hamas specifically targets civilians when they bomb school buses, public transportation etc using their suicide bombers. You cannot argue that the bomber set of the bomb among civilians by mistake.
For the most part (it hasn’t always been true) Israel targets the militant wing of Hamas, while Hamas has for the most part targeted civilians.
While the cease fire was on, Hamas utilized the opportunity to stock pile even more long range missiles and started using them the moment the cease fire ended.
I don’t know about you, but if you are going to be throwing stones at me and if I retaliate by coming across there are knocking you out, it isn’t my fault.
Prem
5 Jan 09 at 12:26 pm
Hamas violated the cease fire multiple times including rocket attacks on June 20, less than 24 hours after the start of the cease fire.
Wikipedia has a list of rocket attacks that includes multiople attacks from Hamas in the month after the cease fire was supposed to have started.
nebby
5 Jan 09 at 12:28 pm
#6
Committed worldwide? Over the centuries? Pretty damning statements, however I think you must be referring to Christians (btw I am a Christian).
It is sad that you are a proponent of genocide (“let IS wipe every last one…”).
Actually, looking back over Israel’s history (and conflicts leading to formation IS), this country is certainly among the top offenders of human rights in the world.
Patriot
5 Jan 09 at 12:37 pm
Yes, usually governments use propaganda to justify their actions, especially military actions. Lets look below the surface a bit.
Israel is attempting to remove/severely weaken a section of the Palestinian government that they can not make any progress with.
They want to kill Hamas, not civilians. Hamas is more dangerous to them than children. As you said, it is densely populated, so civilian casualties are unfortunately inevitable. They prefer to use airstrikes to take out leaders than to send in ground troops…..DUH, why have your own soldiers killed when you can use an air strike.
Yes, they are responsible for civilian deaths… Guess what? They don’t care. They (just like Hamas and any other government) would rather have their enemy suffer civilian losses than their own troops. Does this surprise you?
Face the fact that Hamas is too radical to make any progress. Yes they were elected peacefully, but so was GW Bush and that was also a giant mistake.
mike
5 Jan 09 at 12:45 pm
No matter what you say, Israel is fighting for the good cause. It’s war. And we are on different sides. Israel will be stronger and crash hamas and their supporters. G-d bless Israel!
You can spill your lies all you want. Israel is doing the right thing. The victory will be ours.
David
5 Jan 09 at 12:46 pm
To set record straight on who did what, when the following link is very helpful.
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=11&ar=2348
#8 – Look before you leap, or are you trying to mislead the American public…….it was a Israeli settler who fired rocket (see Wiki entry below). The moron should’ve taken some rocketry lessons. It must be noted that post signing of C-Fire agreement, IS had started its seige of Gaza (closing/severely entries). That wasn’t very nice.
June 20, 2008
Gilad Herman, an Israeli settler in the West Bank settlement of Yashif, unintentionally fires upon an Israeli when he launches a home-made rocket towards Palestinian West Bank. The rocket lands “meters away from a Breslov hassid who was praying in the area.” No one is hurt.[49]
Patriot
5 Jan 09 at 12:50 pm
Do you think that when US and Allies bombed Dresden during WWII there were no civilian casualties?
Or when Russians stormed Berlin no child was killed? …
The evil should be punished! Enough of 9/11, Mumbai, Bali … the list goes on.
Our cause is just. The victory will be ours!
David
5 Jan 09 at 12:59 pm
So.. nice post, but no sources other than someones random opinions. No thanks.
Andrew Benton
5 Jan 09 at 1:14 pm
David, your seriously fucked in the head my friend. I think you need to reexamine the facts you delusional fuck.
Matt
5 Jan 09 at 1:16 pm
David,
Your “Victory will be ours” is same as Nazi’s “sieg heil.” Your Dresden/Berlin examples happened 65yrs ago in the midst of a world war between more or less equal side/capabilities.
As you know enhancements in reporting, news, media outlet, there has been increased global intolerance of crimes against humanity. I would like to think there is an aspect of evolution of human civilization.
What’s being done in Gaza is hideous, and disproportionate – a large step backwards in this evolution. My concern is that this may be the beginning of Israel’s last chapter (its Gotterdamerung). And of course, next comes the “Nuremberg Trials.”
Peace!
Patriot
5 Jan 09 at 1:24 pm
Wow, David. You voted for Bush at LEAST the second time, didn’t you? I agree with Matt. You need help. I suggest books and a tall glass of thought.
Jim Jones
5 Jan 09 at 1:39 pm
The times are always the same.
65 or 2000 years back and they will be same in centuries to come. It is sad, but true. There always will be us and them.
“… beginning of Israel’s last chapter” — I doubt it.
David
5 Jan 09 at 1:42 pm
When will people get that BOTH sides are in the wrong.
Muslim’s, Jews and Christians are all holding each others Holy relics and monuments hostage at the expense of their own religions.
The writers of the Koran, Torah and Bible would be horrified by what is going on under the guises of these religions.
trev
5 Jan 09 at 1:54 pm
Jim,
I did not vote for Bush, I’m not in US. Rest assured I’m not an Israeli either.
Believe me, I have read enough books and I don’t need no help. In fact it’s you, people and western society as a whole who needs help. Barbarians, like hamas , hisballa and other islamic evil are succeeding in filling your brains with their manure. Sad. This is what will bring our civilization to end.
David
5 Jan 09 at 1:56 pm
David, sorry to break it to you, but 9/11, Mumbai and Bali were all false-flag operations carried out by the Mossad, CIA and their assets.
Frank Castle
5 Jan 09 at 1:56 pm
I am Jewish and I find comment n. 6 from Johnny Reb, the most idiotic thing ever written on the internet.
Now to your aricle:
#1 – Israel does not TARGET civilians.
#2 – Rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza during the cease-fire.
#3 – Hamas stations it’s high ranking members and buildings in the most populated areas of Gaza City.
#4 – Condemning the attacks from either side has little or no effect. So it doesn’t matter.
#5 – See my reply to #3
David
5 Jan 09 at 1:58 pm
In 2006 we saw more or Israel “protecting” itself, when after 2 of it’s soldiers were captured in Lebanon, they invaded that country in violation of international law and killed over 1000 civilians. It was also widely reported that Israel was actually targeting civilians. It is an undisputed fact that they used cluster bombs, a barbaric weapon that is also against international law. In other news it is being reported that they are using cluster bombs again. This is not surprising as it is no secret that many if not most Israelis are racists and consider the palestinians to be no better than cockroaches.
All decent, informed people can see what is going on here, the weak pathetic attempts of the palestinians to fight back against the brutal occupation of an apartheid state are used as a pretext by Israelis to kill on a mass scale.
jake
5 Jan 09 at 2:06 pm
Many of my friends are Jewish; I respect and care about all of them. The leaders of Israel — not so much. Mass murdering war criminals on a sick jaunt of slaughter are not my bag.
For all their many positive traits, my Jewish friends are not strong of the concept of “karma” — why should they be, it’s not part of their religion (as far as I know) — and this may come back to bite them in the end. The horrendous Karma that the Israelis are building up now with their Gaza mass murder campaign, added to that of the Lebanon mass murder campaign of 2005, may well end up getting Israel turned into green glass — what a nuke turns sand into. Surely, the Palestinians, being the poorest people on earth, have no means of getting a nuke themselves, but not all Arabs/Islamics are desperately poor. In fact, some are fabulously wealthy — think: Saudi Arabians. Recall that according to the official 911 conspiracy fable, Saudi Arabians made up 15 of the 19 “hijackers.” (Of course that is utter hogwash, but that is another post).
My point: war criminal terrorists in Israel — along with the biggest benefactors here in the U. S. — are playing with nuclear fire by upping the ante with their vicious over-the-top mass murder campaign in Gaza. They may well reap what they sow. I hope they don’t; and I also hope they come to their senses soon and cease acting in a sick and evil way.
You can only murder and mutilate so long before the reaper comes to ruin your day.
patriot
5 Jan 09 at 2:08 pm
Nizar Rayan’s family was warned by the IDF before their home was destroyed. They chose their fate, the blood is on their own hands. To use it as an excuse to say Israel committed “war crimes” is pathetic.
#21, well said!
Nizar Rayan
5 Jan 09 at 2:14 pm
to Frank
… as well as Global Warming, Titanic sinking, collapse of Roman Empire.
David
5 Jan 09 at 2:15 pm
1) Moot Point: If you admit that Hamas indiscriminately targets civilians with its missiles, you forfeit any higher ground when complaining about Palestinian civilian casualties. In essence, Israel is replying to Hamas’ war crimes with war crimes of their own.
2) I love how you left out the details of Israel’s “truce-ending” airstrike of Nov. 4 (the four militants killed were preparing to fire a rocket). That same day, Israel was criticized for a cross-border incursion which killed six Hamas militants (who were planning their own cross-border incursion to kidnap an Israeli soldier). Sorry, but any unbiased observer can see that both sides are to blame.
3) Your “no evidence of human shields” comment is so stupefyingly untrue, it defies belief. There are numerous examples of Hamas using human shields as a tactic. For example, in November 2006, Gazan women were used as human shields to allow besieged Hamas gunmen to flee from Israeli forces in Beit Hanun. Armed terrorists barricaded themselves in a mosque that was surrounded by IDF troops and tanks. Women gathered outside in response to an appeal on the local radio station for females to protect Hamas fighters. The terrorists managed to escape in women’s garb by blending in among those they knew Israeli soldiers wouldn’t attack.
That same month, the IAF warned Muhammad Weil Baroud, responsible for firing Kassam rockets at Israel, to evacuate his home in Beit Lahiya in advance of an air strike. Instead, hundreds of locals, mostly women and children, were recruited to Baroud’s house. Israel suspended the air strike, lest these human shields be harmed. In response to the incident, Hamas crowed: “We won. From now on we will form human chains around every house threatened with demolition.”
4) I hadn’t heard this one… perhaps it’s because I have such low regard for the opinion of “Arab Nations.” Wake me up when they condemn Hamas for indescriminately firing missiles at civilians. In the meantime, maybe some of your energies could be directed towards helping those Arab civilians overthrow their oppressive rulers.
5) The fact that Israel gives civilians any warning at all puts it above Hamas, which as you readily admit, fires missiles indiscriminately.
Here’s an idea… instead of smuggling in rockets to fire at Israel, maybe smuggle in some food and water? Oh, wait, Iran isn’t in the humanitarian aid business.
Tzipi Livni
5 Jan 09 at 2:25 pm
Should have eleminated all the jews when we had the chance then, there would’ve been less greed, corruption and wars in the world.
Hilter
5 Jan 09 at 2:45 pm
not saying israel arent doing it but, wheres the proof besides this guys word against the israels?
harry
5 Jan 09 at 3:12 pm
1. HAMAS has every right to fire at Israel. Israel ILELGALLY occupies Palestinean land (and has done so for decades), thus any attack on Israel is self-defence.
2. Israel broke the truce. Both sides to blame? No. Israel occupies their land illegally. And because of this, whether there is a truce or not, Israel SHOULDNT BE ON THAT LAND IN THE FIRST PLACE.
3. I’ve seen the pictures of Israeli troops hiding behind Palestinean children, aiming their American-supplied rifles over the kid’s shoulders. I’ve seen nothing of HAMAS using shields, but if they were to do so, they wouldn’t have to. Gaza has over 1 million residents crammed into a tiny area. There is nowhere to hide in gaza in the first place.
4. The Arab governments are either puppets of Western powers (Egypt, Saudi Arabia) or unable to attack Israel (Lebanon, Iran, Syria) due to Israel’s all-powerful military. Not only do they have state-of-the-art weapons, vehicles and satellites, they even have hundreds of ILLEGAL nuclear weapons, which to this day they continue to deny they have. Help Arabs overthrow they oppressive rulers? Palestineans did that when they voted for HAMAS. And what happened? Israel kidnaps hundreds of HAMAS government officials, and the USA and EU crippled them with economic sanctions. Arabs will never have an upper hand. They have the oil, and must be kept under control.
5. Warnings are useless. There is nowhere to hide in Gaza. It’s like telling Brazilian prisoners that the Death Squads are coming in, so they better duck. Oh wait…that’s exactly what it is! Gaza is literally a prison. Smuggle in some food and water? You think they dont? Since Israel’s blockade stops a humanitarian amount of water, food and medicine coming in, how else do they get what they have? But hey, them Israelis just bomb the smuggling tunnels anyways.
In closing, shut up. Israel illegally occupies Palestinean land, so until Israel pulls out of ALL land they ILLEGALLY occupy and ONLY exists on what the UN Partiton Plan of 1947 clearly stateed, you shouldn’t even bother defending this apartheid state because it’s useless. The whole world is protesting against the Israeli attacks, yet there are still idiots who defend this criminal nation.
Magoichi Saika
5 Jan 09 at 3:17 pm
Yes, it is awful. War is awful.
Blood, death, tears.
So Israel get pissed, shits hit the fan and Gaza is leveled with the sand.
One thing I don’t understand: I have been to Israel many times as a part of my work at Intel. I saw the beautiful country build in the desert, people who love their land and work hard to make it even better.
What prevents arabs from doing the same on their land? No money? Sure they have enough cash to get rockets and explosives. Would that prevent today’s war?
Sam
5 Jan 09 at 3:19 pm
In response to “20 David” and “Islamic evil” I would say that this is one of the most annoying and blanket statements I have heard. I am not a muslim myself but am angered when someone calls the worlds second largest religion (1.8 Billion people) “evil” with no explaination.
David
5 Jan 09 at 3:26 pm
What is happening over there is a travesty. People like “David” are the problem, because you can read all you want , but if you’re getting propaganda then it’s useless. I am absolutely a Jew who is against the actions Israel has taken.
Avi J.
5 Jan 09 at 3:35 pm
I’m not sure who is telling the truth, but I can accept the facts of histroy.
US,Britian, and France were all irresponsible in dividing Palistine to carve out Israel.
For what reasons?
Because they could do so, and Jews were/are influential in poiltics.
Isiah Bradley
5 Jan 09 at 3:39 pm
The fact that Hamas was voted in by an overwhelming majority of Palestinians doesn’t legitimize Hamas, it makes the Palestinians culpable for the crimes of this terrorist organization.
People who lie down with dogs can expect to get fleas. People who lie down with terrorists can expect to be collateral damage when those terrorists are targeted. Boo fucking hoo.
Israel gave up the Gaza Strip in an effort to gain peace. Before they were even settled in the Palestinians started firing rockets into Israel.
I hope Israel finishes the job by taking back the Gaza Strip. They should offer safe passage to any Palestinian and provide them with transport to any Arab nation that will have them. (Good luck with that, though. The Arab world hated the Palestinians until they became convenient pawns.) Then they should turn off the electricity and water, block any supplies coming in, and wait.
If they have the balls to do this, they can expect that a new volley of rockets will come from the West Bank. They should take that back too. And then systematically remove every single Palestinian from Israel.
The Palestinians have had plenty of chances. They were squatters when Israel was established, the Gypsies of the Arab world. They turned down an offer for their own nation, preferring to attack Israel instead. Israel offered them 98% of the terrirory they asked for in the Oslo accords. The 2% they couldn’t agree on was Jeruselum. Israel offered half of the city to them. They insisted on all of it, knowing full well it was a deal breaker. They then began the most intense wave of sucucide bombings Israel had ever seen.
Israel has literally made the desert bloom. Palestinians have chosen, instead, to concentrate all their resources on killing Jews, resulting in widespread poverty and dispar, which they, of course, blame on the Jews.
The death cult of Islam has proven it cannot peacefully co-exist with Israel (or anyone else, for that matter.) Israel’s survival depends on them taking decisive action to cut this cancer out of their nation.
Go, Israel, Go!
Hittman
5 Jan 09 at 4:23 pm
[...] Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza by Jeremy R. Hammond | Amir M. Sahib (tags: israel palestine) [...]
links for 2009-01-05 « Paolo Gabrielli’s Blog
5 Jan 09 at 8:03 pm
As a British Jew, I really do enjoy reading your pathetic attempts to sugar-coat the actions of the terrorist organisation Hamas and the way you so slyly spin your own “truth” based on speculation and false reports. On what I believe to be the major issue (the breaking of the cease-fire), I would like to give you a lesson in simple English… cease-fire: two words, two seperate meanings.
Definition of Cease: To put an end to; discontinue.
Definition of Fire: The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon/The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.
Now here’s the amazing bit: The hyphen in the middle of the words makes another word simply meaning “Stop shooting missiles”.
Hamas claims Israel was breaking the cease-fire by closing borders to Israel… Did they close the borders by firing missiles directly at the borders? Or did Hamas fire upon Israel first?
Sam
6 Jan 09 at 8:25 am
From what I understand of the situation, many of the original post’s points are not verified.
as to your first claim, the fact that civilians are killed in combat is just that: a fact. no matter the conflict, every time there has been a clash of arms innocents are killed. the reports that i personally have heard are that there is in fact a 70% (roughly) kill rate of hamas militants. this ratio is nearly unheard of in conflict. (heard from a report on NPR, station 89.1 in pennsylvania whilst on a cross-country trip)
now, i’ve seen the other responses to your third claim, but let me just say this. go ahead and google hamas human shields. i’m pretty sure you’ll find your mistake pretty quickly.
these are simply examples of how easy it was for someone to come along and render your argument completely useless. i’m sure given time i could find examples of credible sources to disprove your other “lies”.
my point is not that you’re a fool. my point is that discussion benefits more people when sources are cited. if people would only take the time to find factual information, then we could have meaningful discussion and perhaps do something to change issues we feel strongly about. however, here we are, many bright individuals bickering back and forth.
my overall point is this. obviously, both sides are at fault in this conflict. i know that most likely, you are severely left-leaning and have an underdog complex, so you have to root for the little guy, so here’s the big secret. israel’s surrounded by arab states, and most of them want it wiped from the map. hamas is a terrorist organization that uses human shields. which ones are the underdogs, and which ones are the spineless cowards?
the conflict shows once again the desparate need for an overarching world power, independant of any nation, and including every nation, which can stop such atrocities from happening. but, i get ahead of myself. that’s a topic for a different time.
Insight
6 Jan 09 at 9:43 am
For those of you who believe that the atrocities of 9/11 were committed by the CIA, Mossad, 6, and their affiliates, here’s a few facts you might like to know.
The American people are not such cowards that they would allow their government the power to do such things.
The American government, flawed though it may be, still maintains the principles upon which it was founded; a government by the people, of the people, and for the people. We do not turn on our own, and we do not put people in power who would do such things.
As a final statement, I ask you what these organizations would gain by doing such things. In case you haven’t noticed, no one has profited from the war on terror. It’s hurt everyone, and people who think that it was created by these shadow organizations in an attempt to give themselves more power, or some other asinine theory, then I invite you to investigate how well off these organizations are years later. Go ahead. Take a look. If you opened your eyes before you opened your mouth, you fools may begin to see the truth instead of simply trying to incite panic. Go back to reading 1984, you fools. Leave the real world to those who are intelligent enough to take it as it is, instead of adding fanciful lies in the spirit of self-importance.
Fury
6 Jan 09 at 9:52 am
All of you anti – Semites should just burn in hell. First of all, #30 (you fuckhead) Israel accepted the partition plan. It was the Arabs that didn’t – and they all attacked Israel. Hamas attacks from schools and hospitals – everyone knows it, so don’t deny it. While Israeli’s attack when attacked upon – Arabs infest the lands everywhere and just destroy them. Everywhere Arabs kill people, in England, India, Israel, NY (9/11), and even in thier own countries – Iraq, Lebanon… All of you people are so fucked up. “Israel is greedy and corrupt”? “Hitler should have wiped out Israel”? BTW Islam and Christianity both came for Judaism. Israel legally occupies the land. Yes, maybe they do kill Palestinians – but that’s because Arabs are savages who kidnapp 20 year olds and torture them in unimaginable ways. Deep down, everyone hates these fucked up arabs, but they just scapegoat their hate on the Jews. Even the son of a top hamas official realized how idiotic islam is and converted, calling Islam idiotic and “a drug”. All of you sons of bitches – go back to the hellhole u came from. Israel will win and will rid the world of evil (A.K.A – Arabs). Go Israel!
GUY
6 Jan 09 at 10:05 am
Oh yah – maybe if arabs stop hiding behind the (innocent?…no they all hate israel and shoot at soldiers) kids they wont die. bitches
. BTW all you good people out there (A.K.A – Jews) there is no point responding to this as they are all arabs (the people who are posting) and hate israel because they know that it is better then them. they are all retarted brainwashed sons of bitches who don’t deserve humanitarian supplies. they should just rot and die out. Too bad they breed like rodents… oh wait, their not “like” rodents, they ARE rodents. Rodents that infest everything, kill it, and then say “we didn’t do anything, why r u hurting us?”
GUY
6 Jan 09 at 10:21 am
The moment you start the rhetoric of dehumanization your argument has lost all value, Guy.
‘Too bad they breed like rodents… oh wait, their not “like” rodents, they ARE rodents. Rodents that infest everything, kill it, and then say “we didn’t do anything, why r u hurting us?”’
Those are the arguments of genocide. Framing the debate as good people “(A.K.A – Jews)” versus everyone else “as they are all arabs” and by implication all bad people, does nothing but fan the fire of racist hate and genocide which you are supporting.
I am neither a Jew nor an Arab, am I neither good nor bad?. At this point I have to say… while violence in general is wrong, what the IDF is up to is called genocide and what the Palestinians are up to is called desperate self defense.
WTF
8 Jan 09 at 4:37 pm
I don’t entirely agree that Israel is targeting civilians. I just don’t think they particularly care. As far the leadership is concerned, the more Palestinians dead the better.
I’ve worked in Gaza and I know that it would be difficult to throw a baseball there at random without hitting someone. The notion that one could launch artillery shells, rockets or bombs into one of the most densely populated areas on the planet is simply absurd. Any one who’s ever been there couldn’t help but agree. The place struck me as nothing more than a huge beachfront concentration camp. I think everyone shares a part of the blame for this festering sore on the conscience of the world. It degrades the Israelis as much as it dehumanizes the Palestinians.
Yes, I know Hamas are thugs and terrorists and I can’t support them. They do, however, provide functions in Gaza that no one else does, like schools, clinics and food and medicine for people who have no money or means to get them. That doesn’t excuse their campaign of terror with rockets but it does make their support among the population more understandable.
That’s my two cents. I hope it’s less pointless, offensive and more informed that most of what I’ve read above. All I can add is that after my six trips to the so-called “holy land” I’m left with and intense desire to choke anyone who tells me god told them to do something.
Steve Anderson
12 Jan 09 at 8:24 pm
Religion can be hazardous to your health. In the case of the Muslim extremists, it can be hazardous to everyone’s health!
“The Region was under the control of Brittan. Brittan gave Israel a portion with the full approval of the U.N. Israel didn’t STEAL anything. Land was given to the Israelis by the country who had control over it. The Six Days War was not initiated by Israel…. but, “To the Victors go the spoils.” Even so, most of the land gained, has been negotiated to the Palestinians. Most lands taken by the victor in war are never again released.
If 190 rockets were fired into my neighborhood over a 6 week period, I would certainly want to put a SERIOUS stop to it. My son-in-law was in Askelon prior to Thanksgiving, working for Intel- he finally was able to move after more than 15 rocket attacks in his neighborhood.
The Dogs & ticks analogy is absolutely correct. Gaza chose to connect themselves with Hammas.. Israel has every right to secure it’s borders, as does every nation in the world. Many Israeli citizens were forced, crying, to leave the homes they had lived in for years, to fulfull the Palestinians demands.
Be careful what you wish for- you may get it… It didnt work out so well for Gaza. I HOPE the people have enough intelligence to see that they are gaining nothing by continuing to shell Israel… Perhaps if they conduct themselves as better neighbors, they will benefit from better neighbors, and perhaps spend their money to benefit their people, rather than continue to wage war.
Shirley
17 Jan 09 at 1:09 am
Boycott israeli web 2.0 apps:
Jajah
Aniboom
Metacafe
Speedbit
Foxytunes
MySupermarket
Zlango
MyHeritage
WeFi
eSnips
PicApp
Sorry young entrepreneurs but blame your government.
AliBaba
17 Jan 09 at 1:19 pm