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Israeli Soldiers Admit to Deliberate Killing of Gaza Civilians
JERUSALEM - The Israeli army has been forced to open an investigation into the conduct of its troops in Gaza after damning testimony from its own front line soldiers revealed the killing of civilians and rules of engagement so lax that one combatant said that they amounted on occasion to "cold-blooded murder".
Yousef Attar stands in the doorway of his house after it was badly damaged during Israel's January offensive in Gaza in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, March 11, 2009. The war destroyed or damaged some 15,000 houses.
(AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill) The revelations, compiled by the head of an Israel military academy who declared that he was "shocked" at the findings, come as international rights groups are calling for independent inquiries into the conduct of both sides in the three-week Israeli offensive against Palestinian Islamists.
The soldiers' testimonies include accounts of an unarmed old woman being shot at a distance of 100 yards, a woman and her two children being killed after Israeli soldiers ordered them from their house into the line of fire of a sniper and soldiers clearing houses by shooting anyone they encountered on sight.
"That's the beauty of Gaza. You see a man walking, he doesn't have to have a weapon, and you can shoot him," one soldier told Danny Zamir, the head of the Rabin pre-military academy, who asked him why a company commander ordered an elderly woman to be shot.
"I gathered the graduate students of the course who fought in Gaza, to hear their impressions from the fighting. I wasn't prepared for any of the stuff I heard there. I was shocked," Mr Zamir said. "I think that the writing was on the wall, but we just didn't want to see it, we didn't want to face it."
One non-commissioned officer told Mr Zamir, himself a deputy battalion commander in the reserves, that the army "fired a lot of rounds and killed a lot of people in order for us not to be injured or shot at.
"When we entered a house, we were supposed to bust down the door and start shooting inside and just go up storey by storey... I call that murder. Each storey, if we identify a person, we shoot them. I asked myself - how is this reasonable?"
The same unnamed NCO said that his commanding officer ordered soldiers on to a rooftop to shoot an old woman crossing a main street during the fighting, which a Palestinian rights groups said left 1,434 people dead, 960 of them civilians.
"I don't know whether she was suspicious, not suspicious, I don't know her story," the NCO said. "I do know that my officer sent people to the roof in order to take her out... It was cold-blooded murder."
Another NCO recounted a military blunder that led to a mother and her two children being shot dead by an Israeli sniper. "We had taken over the house... and the family was released and told to go right. A mother and two children got confused and went left... The sniper on the roof wasn't told that this was okay and that he shouldn't shoot... you can say he just did what he was told... he was told not to let anyone approach the left flank and he shot at them.
"I don't know whether he first shot at their feet or not, but he killed them," the soldier said.
The soldiers' accounts were submitted anonymously at a meeting at the academy around a month ago. The Israel army said that it had started an investigation, but that this was the first time it had heard such testimony, despite having debriefed troops itself.
Breaking The Silence, an organisation of former soldiers who gather witness accounts from troops in the Palestinian territories, said that its own investigation into Operation Cast Lead, as the war was known in Israel, had revealed a similar picture of the fighting.
"It's definitely in line with what we are hearing," said one of the researchers.
Another disturbing element reported by the soldiers was the role of military rabbis in distributing booklets that framed the fighting as a religious war. "All these articles had a clear message: we are the Jewish people, we have come to the land by miraculous means, and now we have to fight to remove the Gentiles who are getting in our way and preventing us from occupying the Holy Land... a great many soldiers had a feeling throughout this operation of a religious war," said one soldier.
There were also accounts of soldiers being ordered to throw all the furniture out of Palestinians' homes as they were taken over.
"We simply threw everything out the windows to make room and order. The entire contents of the house flew out the windows: refrigerator, plates, furniture. The order was to remove the entire contents of the house."
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93 Comments so far
Show AllIf there is a differnce between the actions described in the article and NAZI atrocities before and during WWII then I wish that someone would explain what that difference is . . . in detail.
The worst atrocity of all - and the one that should have Jews everywhere screaming in protest - is the behavior of the "military rabbis" (not sure what that means) in trying to make this offensive a holy war.
q
The Nazis made the trains on time and the Israelis do not have gas chambers yet.
In Peace
6 million dead is the difference you racist moron!
"6 million dead is the difference you racist moron!"
Oh? So if the Nazi's only killed 4 million that would have been OK? What about those non-Jews that died in the war? Is it only Jewish deaths that count?
I thought the idea of genocide memorials was to do something before you had to count skulls and thighbones to keep tabs? That's why we defined genocide as something other than "killing lots and lots of Jews." That's why we don't count the 20 million Chinese deaths, the 4 million dead in Indonesia, the 1 million dead in Indochina, the 2.6 million non-Jewish Poles, the 22 million non-Jewish people from the Soviet Union.
Only a racist would count ONLY the 6 million Jewish deaths and dismiss the others. Weren't they equally dead? Didn't THEIR families grieve?
Anyone who uses the 6 million figure for WWII deaths must be a racist. Seventy-two million people died; what's wrong with counting the majority of deaths?
It didn't take long for Joe Hopeless to come to the rescue of poor Israel and the 60 year old justification for any and all ruthless behavior on their part.
"The worst atrocity of all - and the one that should have Jews everywhere screaming in protest - is the behavior of the "military rabbis" (not sure what that means) in trying to make this offensive a holy war."
You're probably right. Don't forget however, Christianity has suffered through this a thousand years ago...and Islam still is plagued by this problem today. Religion can really suck.
So, Israel is going to investigate? What a laugh that is! Same deal as when the Bush White House used to investigate themselves! What's needed is an independent intenational investigation-and nothing less will do! Anything else won't pass the stink test!
If we can get away with such crimes Iraq so can the Israelis in Gaza. Even if investigations confirm what the rest of the world already knows about the Gaza war crimes ... so what! Nobody can dare indict or arrest them. Only war criminals from weaker states are indicted.
The real question is whether the American and Israeli publics now begin to understand the inaction of those WWII-era German civilians who witnessed the camp construction, saw the trains go by, smelled the burning protein and still steadfastly maintained their ignorant innocence.
R J M A R T 0 1
An excellent observation, that the stench of burning flesh is only ALIVE for those with the willingness and noses to smell.
The facts are CLEARLY in evidence regardless of complicity of "our leaders" and jacka$$ $ewer Main $tream Media -- siding with the perpetrators.
O U R _ Societal conscience is vacuously diminished, as we AMERICANs are without SHAME in supplying money and armaments used in these atrocities, AS IF this were the "same" war of terror perpetrated upon the US ( and AS IF that were even real )
S h a m e _ on AMERICA & ISRAEL for having no sense of proportionality, humanity, nor reason.
S h a m e _ on ISRAEL for illegally responding in extreme EXCESS of the irritant
( B T W, that's called a war crime ) .
S h a m e _ ISRAEL you for illegally waging war on a captive incarcerated people
( that's also called a war crime ) .
S h a m e _ on ISRAEL for illegal Apartheid blockage and collective punishment
( that's also called a war crime ) .
¿ _ H a v e _ W E _ N O _ S H A M E _ ?
Namaste
npwr.luv, aka Namaste, aka other banned nicks,
Your fancy text formatting really doesn't improve the readability of your typing. They end up just looking like so much self-aggrandizing behavior.
---USAn---
Although I cannot dispute your feelings, and perhaps you are correct ( about another's readability ), I persevere regardless.
¿ What is your purpose in commenting in this manner ?
You are right, it is the same thing but for one huge difference--the people in Germany, Poland etc. had reason to fear the safety of themselves and their families if they spoke up, what's our excuse?
Not a valid excuse for AMERICANs,
but the _ W A R _ O F _ T E R R O R _ has been used by " our " _ p a t h o c r a c y _ ( govt of psychopaths )
to make us feel as though we have been attacked
as well as that our acceptance of that belief is required for us not to become labeled as TERRORISTS ourselves
IF WE CHOSE to deny that pseudo-reality, WE CAN BE sent to GITMO
We have been HAD by an immensely powerful and targeted propaganda and PSYOPS campaign, over a period of decades,
to nudge the majority of our critical thinking into the RED ZONE of fear, hate, scarcity, and the appeal to authoritative ( fatherly ) handling of the problem.
-- AMERICA collectively is INSANE --
AS IF we no longer have the mature brains to think for ourselves, and responsibly chose the appropriate moral respoinses to LIES and distortions surrounding our ( too little critical ) perceptions.
Namaste
That potential of extreme repression looms ever larger on the Homeland's horizon. The incremental militarization of local, county and state agencies did not end with the Bush administration. There is an ongoing campaign by Homeland Security and various law enforcement elements to increase the perception of the growing "terrorist threat" from those on the domestic front who oppose the fascist takeover of the U.S. government. Simultaneously with the total destruction of the U.S. economy, and world ecomomy as well, is the food-as-weapon assault on family and independent agriculture. (Stalin anyone?) With control of the food supply, it would be a much simpler matter of gaining complete control over the "herd". Construction and installation of the (FEMA) prison camp infrastructure continues unabated. Whatever your opinion of Alex Jones might be, I would recommend his latest film, "The Obama Deception" (Youtube), as well Infowars and Prison Planet websites. (also, Global Research, Online Journal, What Really Happened, to name a few)
It really does send a great message. I hope they get a recue dog also.
What the? that was supposed to be my response to the White House starting a garden on the front lawn. How did that happen?
I am beginning to feel physically ill reading these articles.
Let's just say I picked up a pair of Naot sandals the other day, looked at the "made in Israel" label, and put them back down.
N.M.
Thank you _ N E L L E _ M A S O N
for that choice, as walking every step with Palestinian blood between you and the ground -- would have ultimately been to your ( and ALL of our ) detriment .
Namaste
You have to be careful about out-of-season organic produce too. In the winter and spring months, I have seen the food co-op in my town stock organic red and green peppers from Israel.
---USAn---
In other news:
In a speech at a New York synagogue Wednesday night, Nadia Matar, a leader of the Israeli settlers' group "Women in Green," called for the assassination of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, as a way of bringing peace to Israel.
www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2009/03/nadia-matar-recording.html
Before we had US VP Cheney's personal death squad(disbanded after twenty missions killed many innocent bystanders in various countries), added to the million dead in Iraq,
and before we had Israel's "targeted" assasinations, killing, after the last bloodbath in Gaza, three to four hundred children, with American weapons, provided at no charge by US tax payers, no less,
Does anyone remember the Nazis?
Your closing rhetorical question is taboo. Don't ask me how I know... just trust me on this.
· Yr Obd't Servant
Yup, they struck again! Think it was the nazi reference that did it, or the other statement, reggarding a tree?
---USAn---
I really couldn't say.
And at the moment I won't speculate, lest I end up having to sneak in through proxy sites again.
· Yr Obd't Servant
Yeah, I had to do the same thing. My response to your remark went also. I assume with the presidential elections over, that other approach to banning is gone for now...
---USAn---
Appropriate name - "Matar" for this killer woman.
---USAn---
the whole 'debacle' of the latest invasion was 'cold blooded murder'........
Odd that this gets so watered down in the MSM. Take Canada's Globe and mail for instance -and you have to dig deep to even find its AP article:
"The military said it was not aware of the reported incidents but that its top lawyer has ordered military police to investigate"
"Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Israel “has the most ethical army in the world”"
"In fact we risked our own lives in order to protect civilians and their property. Even when Palestinians had rigged buildings with explosives or attacked us from homes we did our best not to harm civilians."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090319.wisrael0319/BNStory/International/home
Methinks there is considerable pressure from certain sources.
The NYT posted it, it's a little watered down, but it has the link to the full story right at the beginning. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/world/middleeast/21gaza.html?_r=2&ref=world
Easy come, easy go.
· Yr Obd't Servant
"The revelations, compiled by the head of an Israel military academy who declared that he was "shocked" at the findings..."
Shocked, shocked I tell you!
---USAn---
The story omits the despicable behavior of IDF soldiers who took the time to urinate on clothes and other material as well as defecating in pans and on dishes.
This behavior was documented elsewhere - but I can't 'refind'
Israel is a giant shitstain on the planet.
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Racist antisemitic hate-monger!
Define "semite".
Who is killing semites in Palestine?
Who then is racist?
Perhaps the IDF "Brass" has gone "Col. Kurtz" (Movie: Apocalypse Now). The "storekeepers" (US, MIC enablers,) ought to be getting a shipment of innocent Palestinian civilian "ears" pretty soon.
"Your closing rhetorical question is taboo. Don't ask me how I know... just trust me on this."
I noticed BUT...I find it confusing since, I learned back in the day, That the Nazis were wicked people, and they were. They were scum, not because of their rediculous mustaches and outfits, but because of what they did. Now look in the mirror USA. Wouldn't Hitler fit right into the US/Israeli government today, comfortably.
The genuine Nazis were pretty much people who wanted power at any cost, believed what they were doing was right no matter what others thought, and had absolutely no objection to the killing of those they viewed as their enemies. Under that definition, yeah, plenty of people in the American and Israeli governments would have fit into the Nazi party just fine. Especially Bush, despite his rather severe lack of intelligence, would rank up pretty high...quotes such as "Bring 'em on!" or "Let's put it this way: they are no longer a problem to the United States and our allies" come to mind. As for the military, hell, of course the military is going to have some people who simply love combat and/or killing, it's the perfect place for people like that. And Joehope, I'm Jewish, so don't bother calling me a racist anti-Semitic hatemonger.
Fine, you are a self-hating (like Chomsky) racist anti-Semitic hatemonger.
Can we please, for the sake of decency and decorum, stop the comparisons to Nazis? Is that too much to ask?
No one ever compares Israel to better examples (though still wrong and offensive) of Algeria or South Africa. Instead, it's always the Nazis. Why? Because the Jewish People were nearly wiped off the face of the earth by the Nazis. People compare Zionism to Nazism only because it is the ultimate insult. It's disgusting.
It's not disgusting; it's accurate. Why would killing people in Warsaw be any different than killing people in Gaza? Surround them with a wall and drop bombs on them. Restrict their food supply. Use civilians as casual targets for rifle practice.
If the IDF does these things how is it different than when the Nazi's did them? Or are you just racist?
If it all sounds familiar that's because it IS. Israeli's should be shunned by other Jews as having become consumed by the evil that spawned them.
Admit it; the Zionist perspective is that Jews are people and non-jews are cattle to be used, stolen from, tortured and killed without remorse. There are no apologies here because they see NOTHING to apologize for.
Define "semite".
Who is killing semites in Palestine?
Hint: It ain't the Nazis.
"decency and decorum" in relation to Israel's conduct with the Palestinians does not compute...sorry.
Arabs are Semites too, you idiot.
Another news flash for Joe Hopeless. People compare Zionism to Nazism because they see the obvious resemblance. Only a fool, blinded by his own Racism and Nationalism, (as you are) could miss this simple truth.
Israel is a state forced on humanity by the dispossession of another people and only maintained ever since through war, genocide, repression, ethnic cleansing and discrimination. Such state has no right to exist in peace. It will never.
The sooner it returns all the land that it stole, the sooner Arabs (and Jews) will finally have peace.
Before the establishment of the present-day state of Israel, Arabs and Jews used to get along just fine.
q
That was before the anti-semitic Jewish Khazars arrived.
The US Army has officially confirmed what we all already knew: Israel has nuclear weapons
http://www.dodbuzz.com/2009/03/17/us-army-confirms-israeli-nukes
The IDF apologist trolls are strangely silent on this one today. I fully expected them to carry on and say something psychopathic like they're just putting 'dogs' out of their misery. Are you guys having a hard time coming up with an angle to spin IDF admissions of 'cold blooded murder', hmm? Too hard to refute first person soldiers testimonials? I know you're reading this chinesedemocracy...