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Published on Sunday, February 8, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
What We Found in Gaza
Strong Indications of Violations of the Laws of War, U.S. Law, and War Crimes Found in the Gaza Strip
GAZA CITY - We are a delegation of 8 American lawyers, members of the National Lawyers Guild in the United States, who have come here to the Gaza Strip to assess the effects of the recent attacks on the people, and to determine what, if any, violations of international law occurred and whether U.S. domestic law has been violated as a consequence. We have spent the last five days interviewing communities particularly impacted by the recent Israeli offensive, including medical personnel, humanitarian aid workers and United Nations representatives. In particular, the delegation examined three issues: 1) targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure; 2) illegal use of weapons and 3) blocking of medical and humanitarian assistance to civilians.
Targeting of Civilians and Civilian Infrastructure
Much of the debate surrounding Israel's aerial and ground offensive against Gaza has centered on whether or not Israel observed principles of proportionality and distinction. The debate suggests that Israel targeted Hamas i.e., its military installations, its leaders, and its militants, and in the process of its discrete military exercise it inadvertently killed Palestinian civilians. While we have found evidence that Palestinian civilians were victims of excessive force and collateral damage, we have also found troubling instances of Palestinian civilians being targets themselves.
The delegation recorded numerous accounts of Israeli soldiers shooting civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, in the head, chest, and stomach. Another common narrative described Israeli forces rounding civilians into a single location i.e., homes, schools which Israeli tanks or warplanes then shelled. Israeli forces continued to shoot at civilians fleeing the targeted structures.
We spoke to Khaled Abed Rabbo, who witnessed an Israeli soldier execute his 2-year-old and 7-year-old daughters, and critically injure a third daughter, Samar, 4-years old, on a sunny afternoon outside his home. Two other Israeli soldiers were standing nearby eating chips and chocolates at the time on January 7, 2009. Abed Rabbo recounts standing in front of the Israeli soldiers with his mother, wife and daughters for 5 - 7 minutes before one of the soldiers opened fire on his family.
We spoke to Ibtisam al-Sammouni, 31, and a resident of Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City. On January 4th, the Israeli army forced approximately 110 of Zaytoun's residents into Ibtisam's home. At approximately 7 am on January 5th, the Israeli military launched two tank shells at the house without warning killing two of Ibtisam's children: Rizka, 14 and Faris, 12. When the survivors attempted to flee Israeli forces shot at them. Her son Abdullah, 7, was injured in the shelling and remained in the home among his deceased siblings for four days before Israeli forces permitted medical personnel into Zaytoun to rescue them. After medical personnel removed the injured persons, an Israeli war plane destroyed the house and it crumbled over the lifeless bodies. The dead remained beneath the rubble for 17 days before the Israeli Army permitted medical personnel to remove their bodies for burial.
We spoke to the family of Rouhiya al-Najjar, 47, who lived in Khoza'a, Khan Younis. Israeli forces ordered her neighborhoods residents to march to the city center. Rouhiya led 20 women out of her home and into the alley. They all carried white scarves. Upon entering the alley, an Israeli sniper shot Rouhiya in her left temple killing her instantly. Israeli forces prevented medical personnel from reaching her body for twelve hours. These are only some of the accounts that we've collected.
Israeli forces also destroyed numerous buildings throughout the Gaza Strip during the recent incursion. Guild delegates viewed the remains of hundreds of demolished homes and businesses - in addition to the remains of the American School in Gaza, damaged medical centers, and the charred innards of UNRWA warehouses. While in situations of armed conflict, collateral damage and mistakes can occur, the circumstances surrounding the cases that the delegation investigated indicate deliberate targeting rather than collateral damage or mistake. Specifically:
The American School at Gaza, which was hit with two F-16 missiles on January 3, 2009, killing the watch guard on duty. According to Ribhi Salem, the school's director, the Israelis gave no warnings. Mr. Salem stated that the school had come to an agreement with resistance groups not to use school grounds and there had never been resistance activity on the property.
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
John Ging, the Director of Gaza Operations for UNRWA reported that Israeli forces fired missiles at UNRWA schools in Gaza City, Jabalyia and Bet Lahiya. The United Nation compound in Gaza city was also hit with white phosphorous shells and missiles. Ging noted that al United Nations buildings and vehicles all fly UN flags, are marked in blue paint from the top, and that during hostilities the UN personnel remained in constant contact with Israeli authorities.
Misuse of Weapons
Our delegation has heard allegations of the use of DIME (Dense Inert Metal Explosive) weaponry, white phosphorus and other possible weapons whose use in civilian areas is prohibited. We have also heard of the use of prohibited weapons, such as flachettes. We have found our own evidence of the use of flachette shells, which we will combine with evidence collected by Amnesty International to push for further investigation. We have not found any conclusive evidence of the use of DIME, though we believe that this warrants further investigation and disclosure by the Israeli military.
Our findings overwhelmingly point to the use of conventional weapons in a prohibited manner, specifically, the use of battlefield weaponry in densely populated civilian areas. Customary international law forbids the use of weapons calculated to cause unnecessary suffering. We found evidence that Israel used white phosphorus in extensively throughout its three-week offensive in a manner that led to numerous deaths and injuries. For example, Sabah Abu Halima, 45, lived in Beit Lahiya with her husband, seven boys, and one girl. It was midday and she and her entire family was home. Within minutes she felt her home shaking and missiles fell through the rooftop. She fell to the ground upon impact. When she looked up she saw her children burning.
Preventing Access to Medical and Humanitarian Aid
Under customary international humanitarian law, the wounded are protected persons and must receive the medical care and attention required by their conditions, to the fullest extent practicable and with the least possible delay. Parties to a conflict are required to ensure the unhindered movement of medical personnel and ambulances to carry out their duties and of wounded persons to access medical care. Speaking to medical workers and the family of victims, NLG delegates documented serious violations of this provision. Among the stories documented include:
Zaytoun neighborhood, which came under attack and invasion by ground foces on January 3, 2009. The Palestinian Red Crescent received 145 calls from Zaytoun for help, but were denied entry by Israel. Bashar Ahmed Murad, Director of Emergency Medical Services for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society told us that "a lot of people could have been saved, but hey weren't given medical care by the Israelis, nor did the Israeli army allow Palestinian medical services in." When paramedics were finally allowed to enter on January 7, Israeli forces only gave them a 3-hour "lull" to work and prohibited ambulances into the area. Instead they forced paramedics park the ambulances 2 kilometers away and enter the area on foot. Murad told delegation members how they had to pile the wounded on donkey carts and have the medical workers pull the carts in order to help the most people possible in the short time they were given. After the 3 hours were over, the
Israeli army started shooting toward the ambulances. The Red Crescent was not able to reach that area again to evacuate the dead until January 17, 2009 when the Israeli army pulled out.
Al-Shurrab Family
On January 16th, Israeli forces shot at the jeep of Mohammed Shurrab, 64 years of age, and two of his sons, Kassab and Ibrahim, aged 28 and 18 as they were returning from their fields. Mohammad was shot in the left arm and Ibrahim was shot in the leg. The elder son, Kassab, sustained a fatal bullet wound to the chest, being shot multiple times after being ordered out of the car. Mohammad, bleeding from his wound, contacted the media, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a number of NGOs via mobile phone in order to acquire medical assistance. Israeli forces denied medical relief agencies clearance to reach them until almost 24 hours after Mohammad, Ibrahim and Kassab had been shot. Earlier that morning, Ibrahim had succumbed to his wound and died. Mohammad Shurrab and his sons were shot during a so-called "lull" in Israeli ground operations, which Israeli forces had agreed to in order to allow humanitarian relief to enter and be
distributed in the Gaza Strip. As such NLG delegates fail to see how this denial of medical access to the wounded Shurrab family could have been absolutely necessary and not simply arbitrary.
International humanitarian law also prohibits attacks on medical personnel, medical units and medical transports exclusively assigned to carry out medical functions. Delegate members saw ambulances seriously damaged and destroyed, some apparenly deliberately crushed by Israeli tanks. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Palestinian Ministry of Health informed delegates that 15 Palestinian medics were killed and 21 injured in the course of Israel's assualt.
Conclusions
This delegation is seriously concerned by our initial findings. We have found strong indications of violations of the laws of war and possible war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip. We are particularly concerned that most of the weapons that were found used in the December 27 assualt on Gaza are US-made and supplied. We believe that Israel's use of these weapons may constitute a violation of US law, and particularly the Foreign Assistance Act and the US Arms Export Control Act.
A report of our initial findings will be compiled and submitted to, among others, members of the United States Congress. We intend to push for an investigation by the United States government into possible violations by Israel of US law. We also hope to contribute our finding and efforts to other efforts by local and international lawyers to push for accountability against those found responsible for the egregious crimes that we have documented.
Targeting of Civilians and Civilian Infrastructure
Much of the debate surrounding Israel's aerial and ground offensive against Gaza has centered on whether or not Israel observed principles of proportionality and distinction. The debate suggests that Israel targeted Hamas i.e., its military installations, its leaders, and its militants, and in the process of its discrete military exercise it inadvertently killed Palestinian civilians. While we have found evidence that Palestinian civilians were victims of excessive force and collateral damage, we have also found troubling instances of Palestinian civilians being targets themselves.
The delegation recorded numerous accounts of Israeli soldiers shooting civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, in the head, chest, and stomach. Another common narrative described Israeli forces rounding civilians into a single location i.e., homes, schools which Israeli tanks or warplanes then shelled. Israeli forces continued to shoot at civilians fleeing the targeted structures.
We spoke to Khaled Abed Rabbo, who witnessed an Israeli soldier execute his 2-year-old and 7-year-old daughters, and critically injure a third daughter, Samar, 4-years old, on a sunny afternoon outside his home. Two other Israeli soldiers were standing nearby eating chips and chocolates at the time on January 7, 2009. Abed Rabbo recounts standing in front of the Israeli soldiers with his mother, wife and daughters for 5 - 7 minutes before one of the soldiers opened fire on his family.
We spoke to Ibtisam al-Sammouni, 31, and a resident of Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City. On January 4th, the Israeli army forced approximately 110 of Zaytoun's residents into Ibtisam's home. At approximately 7 am on January 5th, the Israeli military launched two tank shells at the house without warning killing two of Ibtisam's children: Rizka, 14 and Faris, 12. When the survivors attempted to flee Israeli forces shot at them. Her son Abdullah, 7, was injured in the shelling and remained in the home among his deceased siblings for four days before Israeli forces permitted medical personnel into Zaytoun to rescue them. After medical personnel removed the injured persons, an Israeli war plane destroyed the house and it crumbled over the lifeless bodies. The dead remained beneath the rubble for 17 days before the Israeli Army permitted medical personnel to remove their bodies for burial.
We spoke to the family of Rouhiya al-Najjar, 47, who lived in Khoza'a, Khan Younis. Israeli forces ordered her neighborhoods residents to march to the city center. Rouhiya led 20 women out of her home and into the alley. They all carried white scarves. Upon entering the alley, an Israeli sniper shot Rouhiya in her left temple killing her instantly. Israeli forces prevented medical personnel from reaching her body for twelve hours. These are only some of the accounts that we've collected.
Israeli forces also destroyed numerous buildings throughout the Gaza Strip during the recent incursion. Guild delegates viewed the remains of hundreds of demolished homes and businesses - in addition to the remains of the American School in Gaza, damaged medical centers, and the charred innards of UNRWA warehouses. While in situations of armed conflict, collateral damage and mistakes can occur, the circumstances surrounding the cases that the delegation investigated indicate deliberate targeting rather than collateral damage or mistake. Specifically:
The American School at Gaza, which was hit with two F-16 missiles on January 3, 2009, killing the watch guard on duty. According to Ribhi Salem, the school's director, the Israelis gave no warnings. Mr. Salem stated that the school had come to an agreement with resistance groups not to use school grounds and there had never been resistance activity on the property.
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
John Ging, the Director of Gaza Operations for UNRWA reported that Israeli forces fired missiles at UNRWA schools in Gaza City, Jabalyia and Bet Lahiya. The United Nation compound in Gaza city was also hit with white phosphorous shells and missiles. Ging noted that al United Nations buildings and vehicles all fly UN flags, are marked in blue paint from the top, and that during hostilities the UN personnel remained in constant contact with Israeli authorities.
Misuse of Weapons
Our delegation has heard allegations of the use of DIME (Dense Inert Metal Explosive) weaponry, white phosphorus and other possible weapons whose use in civilian areas is prohibited. We have also heard of the use of prohibited weapons, such as flachettes. We have found our own evidence of the use of flachette shells, which we will combine with evidence collected by Amnesty International to push for further investigation. We have not found any conclusive evidence of the use of DIME, though we believe that this warrants further investigation and disclosure by the Israeli military.
Our findings overwhelmingly point to the use of conventional weapons in a prohibited manner, specifically, the use of battlefield weaponry in densely populated civilian areas. Customary international law forbids the use of weapons calculated to cause unnecessary suffering. We found evidence that Israel used white phosphorus in extensively throughout its three-week offensive in a manner that led to numerous deaths and injuries. For example, Sabah Abu Halima, 45, lived in Beit Lahiya with her husband, seven boys, and one girl. It was midday and she and her entire family was home. Within minutes she felt her home shaking and missiles fell through the rooftop. She fell to the ground upon impact. When she looked up she saw her children burning.
Preventing Access to Medical and Humanitarian Aid
Under customary international humanitarian law, the wounded are protected persons and must receive the medical care and attention required by their conditions, to the fullest extent practicable and with the least possible delay. Parties to a conflict are required to ensure the unhindered movement of medical personnel and ambulances to carry out their duties and of wounded persons to access medical care. Speaking to medical workers and the family of victims, NLG delegates documented serious violations of this provision. Among the stories documented include:
Zaytoun neighborhood, which came under attack and invasion by ground foces on January 3, 2009. The Palestinian Red Crescent received 145 calls from Zaytoun for help, but were denied entry by Israel. Bashar Ahmed Murad, Director of Emergency Medical Services for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society told us that "a lot of people could have been saved, but hey weren't given medical care by the Israelis, nor did the Israeli army allow Palestinian medical services in." When paramedics were finally allowed to enter on January 7, Israeli forces only gave them a 3-hour "lull" to work and prohibited ambulances into the area. Instead they forced paramedics park the ambulances 2 kilometers away and enter the area on foot. Murad told delegation members how they had to pile the wounded on donkey carts and have the medical workers pull the carts in order to help the most people possible in the short time they were given. After the 3 hours were over, the
Israeli army started shooting toward the ambulances. The Red Crescent was not able to reach that area again to evacuate the dead until January 17, 2009 when the Israeli army pulled out.
Al-Shurrab Family
On January 16th, Israeli forces shot at the jeep of Mohammed Shurrab, 64 years of age, and two of his sons, Kassab and Ibrahim, aged 28 and 18 as they were returning from their fields. Mohammad was shot in the left arm and Ibrahim was shot in the leg. The elder son, Kassab, sustained a fatal bullet wound to the chest, being shot multiple times after being ordered out of the car. Mohammad, bleeding from his wound, contacted the media, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a number of NGOs via mobile phone in order to acquire medical assistance. Israeli forces denied medical relief agencies clearance to reach them until almost 24 hours after Mohammad, Ibrahim and Kassab had been shot. Earlier that morning, Ibrahim had succumbed to his wound and died. Mohammad Shurrab and his sons were shot during a so-called "lull" in Israeli ground operations, which Israeli forces had agreed to in order to allow humanitarian relief to enter and be
distributed in the Gaza Strip. As such NLG delegates fail to see how this denial of medical access to the wounded Shurrab family could have been absolutely necessary and not simply arbitrary.
International humanitarian law also prohibits attacks on medical personnel, medical units and medical transports exclusively assigned to carry out medical functions. Delegate members saw ambulances seriously damaged and destroyed, some apparenly deliberately crushed by Israeli tanks. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Palestinian Ministry of Health informed delegates that 15 Palestinian medics were killed and 21 injured in the course of Israel's assualt.
Conclusions
This delegation is seriously concerned by our initial findings. We have found strong indications of violations of the laws of war and possible war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip. We are particularly concerned that most of the weapons that were found used in the December 27 assualt on Gaza are US-made and supplied. We believe that Israel's use of these weapons may constitute a violation of US law, and particularly the Foreign Assistance Act and the US Arms Export Control Act.
A report of our initial findings will be compiled and submitted to, among others, members of the United States Congress. We intend to push for an investigation by the United States government into possible violations by Israel of US law. We also hope to contribute our finding and efforts to other efforts by local and international lawyers to push for accountability against those found responsible for the egregious crimes that we have documented.
Members of the Legal Delegation
Huwaida Arraf (New York, Washington DC)
huwaida.arraf@gmail.com
Palestine: 0599-130-426
USA: 1-202-294-8813
Noura Erekat (Washington DC)
noo194@yahoo.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-510-847-4239
James Marc Leas (Vermont)
jolly39@gmail.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-802 864-1575 and 1-802 734-8811(cell)
Linda Mansour (Ohio)
Lindamansour@aol.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-419-535-7100 and 1-419-283-8281 (cell)
Rose Mishaan (California)
roseindigo7@gmail.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-917-803-2201
Thomas Nelson (Oregon)
nelson@thnelson.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-503-709-6397
Radhika Sainath (California)
radhika.sainath@gmail.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-917-669-6903
Reem Salahi (California)
reemos@gmail.com
Palestine:
USA: 1-510-225-8880
Posted in free gaza, Israel/Palestine
52 Comments so far
Show AllFrom the beginning, the Israel occupation in Palestine on 1948 is a big mistake because they do that by killing thousand of Palestinians on 1948 and continued on 1982 in Lebanon. And now, Israel invading Gaza.Israel in invading Gaza not only destroy UN school and warehouses, but they also use white phosporus in their invasion.Human Rights Watch said that White phosphorus has a significant, incidental, incendiary effect that can severely burn people and set structures, fields, and other civilian objects in the vicinity on fire. Human Right Watch statement proves to the world that what the israel do in Gaza is not a self defence but a form of GENOCIDE to the moslem and christian who live in Gaza. Are you willing your tax that you paid used to kill them? For your information,the american government always obey what the israel government want. Like when the America attack Iraq who causes more than 3000 innocent American soldiers die,they do that in order the get rid of Saddam who is one the Israel biggest enemy. Are all American are just do nothing but only see the patriotic American soldiers die only to protect Israel, not the American citizen. If that so then perhaps it is true that America is Israel slave who will do anything to please their master. Now is the time for ALL AMERICAN CITIZXEN to show that we, America is ARE FREEDOM COUNTRY from Israel and not under control of Israel.
The legal ramification is that the U.S. Congress and its' members have colluded in war crimes. It is necessary that charges are levied against the (Bush/Obama) regime and the members of the congress and our military procurement people for war crimes. The carnage and immoral and illegal activities of the Israel Government will not cease till this is done. They supply many of the weapons which were and continue to be used in these war crimes.
You got it right.
ZiyadInSeattle
Peace in the Middle East will never be materialized until the American people wake up from centuries of ignorance and idiocy. The Israeli Government cannot do what it has been doing since 1947 without the full support of the USA. Forget AIPAC, it is OUR Congress 99.9% of them who are fully supporting the Zionist Entity. In 1988 Patrick Buchanan said; "Capitol Hill is an Israeli occupied Territory", Yes the right winger Buchanan said that. It is still true to this day.
We Americans have dripping blood on our hands, not just in the Middle East but all over the world. Wake up America, we have war criminals leading our nation.
"Wars are never fought for altruistic reasons. They're usually fought for hegemony, for business. And then of course there's the business of war."
Why are you stealing/occupying land in Washington state?
Another completely inane post. Please go back in your hole until you have something intelligent to offer this discussion.
Peggy
The US people are in denial--a deliberate state of refusing to face the facts in front of their faces.
You also need to be really clear on this: If war criminals are leading your nation, you are one of them.
So what choice does Israel have? They are illegally squatting on someone elses land and simply do not want to give it back. They can continue with apartheid, they can ask for forgiveness and move to a single state encompassing all or they can regress into fascism.
Flechettes eh? That would be the high tech version of grape shot. Used against a civilian population constitutes a crime against all, crime against humanity. Past time to boycott, embargo and blockade Israel, is what I say.
The smart ones are already leaving in droves.
Sophie Scholl-The Final Days
It is ethnic cleansing pure and simple. The average Palestinian woman has five children to the Israeli woman's two. israel just likes to try to even the score every chance it gets, every little bit counts. To think we give ten million dollars a day to these filthy, ugly, genocidal war criminals.
Kik AIPAC out of the us, denied them legal existence. cut all funding to Israel and do an economic embargo to Israel, that is one good solution.
AldoinSF
Report states: "Another common narrative described Israeli forces rounding civilians into a single location i.e., homes, schools which Israeli tanks or warplanes then shelled. Israeli forces continued to shoot at civilians fleeing the targeted structures."
Another Waco, soon to be followed by a Waco response, and the cycle of violence continues. And people wonder why.
While there may be powerful people who are non-violent, most people and countries become powerful because they are willing to use unjust force against innocent victims, because they can. Not because of justice, but because of an desire for selfish greedy goals regardless of who gets hurt.
Collective punishment will never bring peace and justice, especially when it is based on unjust purposes.
The idea of a religious state, whether jewish, christian, or muslim, is contrary to basic human rights, including the UN's definition.
Violence against innocent civilians in the name of religion, democracy, or whatever else reason you have, is the problem.
Collateral damage is bad enough, but this is cold blooded murder.
I usually don't feel comfortable with comparisons between Nazi Germany and Israel, but corraling men ,women and children together and then gunning them down--if that doen't smack of "Final Solution" then I don' know what does.
Ambulance-chasers in Gaza. Great!
Soon, we'll be hearing about all those cases of whiplash the Israelis have given the Palestinians.
This is undoubtedly one of the most moronic posts I've seen on CD in a long time.
Peggy
What a cold hearted prick you are, I hope I never meet you in person.
Justina
This is a despicable response to the heart-rending conditions described in the, very mild, report. Only by denying humanity to Palestinians/Arabs can Israel's abuses be condoned. As others, like Bubbasouth, point out, the mainstream media cannot be relied on to report the atrocities that have been committed by Israel against Palestinians, so many of them children. The Red Cross, Amnesty International and others have made reports that have mostly been ignored by US leaders and media. Israel's use of white phosphorous alone warrants prosecution, even if all other abuses were ignored. Look up white phosphorous an see how it works; it should not be used against living things, not even military, much less civilians.
What good are these lawyers or political organizations when they completely ignore the crimes of Hamas and relentlessly demonize Israel?
Sure both sides commit "crimes" but Israel's numbers are about 1000:1 versus Hamas.
I think if you look at it objectively that Israel with its vast propaganda machine demonizes all Palestinians along with Iran, as does the USA, although the latter is quiet on Iran right now because it needs their help.
Palestinians don't have the propaganda machine or the media ownership that stifles, tilts and understates anything that Israel does.
Israel has become what it fears.
"Sure both sides commit "crimes" but Israel's numbers are about 1000:1 versus Hamas."
There is a difference between killing in self defense and murder.
This isn't a numbers game. Israel has stated that it's goal is to live in peace with it's neighbors, yet Hamas refuses to renounce it's mission statement which is to destroy Israel.
There is no doubt that Hamas is 1000 times weaker than Israel. Just as there is no doubt that if Hamas was 1000 times more powerful than Israel, they would destroy Israel.
Rather than destroy Palestine (which the Israelis clearly have no desire to do) Israel is seeking the less violent alternative of containment. It is Israel, and not Hamas, who acknowledges that the ultimate solution to this crisis will not be a military one, but instead will be a diplomatically settled two-state solution.
"I think if you look at it objectively that Israel with its vast propaganda machine demonizes all Palestinians along with Iran, as does the USA, although the latter is quiet on Iran right now because it needs their help."
I really don't think this is true, in fact, it comes very close to the old racist claim that "the Jews control the media". I've seen a number of stories that were critical of Israel on the mainstream media. If they do happen to run more pro-Israeli stories perhaps that is because most Americans support Israel.
"Palestinians don't have the propaganda machine or the media ownership that stifles, tilts and understates anything that Israel does."
They have the comment section of CD.
alwaysamazed
Most people have limited imaginations and/or consciences. Some simply
have to see it to believe it. Perhaps you would like to take a fact-finding mission to Gaza yourself. To make your observations especially accurate, disguise yourself as a doctor, grave-digger, or philanthropist.
"There is a difference between killing in self defense and murder.
This isn't a numbers game. Israel has stated that it's goal is to live in peace with it's neighbors, yet Hamas refuses to renounce it's mission statement which is to destroy Israel."
Israel may say its goal is to live in peace, but its actions have belied its words. We have seen from Israel's actions that its real goal is to seize as much Palestinian land and resources as possible. The illegal settlement building has accelerated during each set of "peace" talks. The "security" wall is annexing more Palestinian land away from its rightful owners. Finally, the world community is calling Israel on their lies and war crimes.
Israel refuses to define its borders, and refuses to recognize a Palestinian state. Even the head of Israel's security apparatus told the Israeli government before Nov. 4, when Israel violated the truce, that Hamas's rockets would stop if Israel lifted the siege that was slowly killing the people of Gaza.
It IS a war crime for Hamas to shoot rockets at civilians. Unfortunately, Hamas doesn't have good weapons, having to rely on home-made rockets without guidance systems. We should give the Palestinians guided missiles and other up-to-date weaponry so that they can target the IDF forces and bases accurately, as is their right under international law, as an occupied people.
Similarly, Israel has hundreds of illegal nuclear weapons. Iran and the other countries of the middle east should be given nuclear weapons, too, to provide a deterence against Israel's aggression. If Iraq and Afganistan had only had nuclear weapons, the U.S. would have left them alone, and the world would be a much better place.
"We have seen from Israel's actions that its real goal is to seize as much Palestinian land and resources as possible. "
Don't you think that if that was really Israel's goal they could have taken over all of Palestine by now?
"Unfortunately, Hamas doesn't have good weapons, having to rely on home-made rockets without guidance systems. "
Reply on them for what? They can't even hit a target. They have one use only: to inflict terror on every man woman and child in Israel.
"We should give the Palestinians guided missiles and other up-to-date weaponry so that they can target the IDF forces and bases accurately,"
At least you're being honest. You support Hamas and wish to murder Israel civilians. At least you don't deny it.
But I should warn you, if you hapen to be a US citizen then you should know that Hamas is officially designated as a terrorist group, and your suggestion is highly illegal (even in print) on a number of levels. You might want to take back what you've said.
Why do I think that you will be one of the first to sign up for Obama's and Emanuel's National Domestic Security Force?? You seem to be so well suited when it comes to naming the "terrorists" and so quick to report. "Join us. Join Obama!", you say. Hell no!!!
JoeHope, impersonating a lawyer is a crime. You might want to take back your statement.
JoeHopelesslawyer: "But I should warn you, if you hapen to be a US citizen then you should know that Hamas is officially designated as a terrorist group, and your suggestion is highly illegal (even in print) on a number of levels"
Give it a break with your specious legal advice and learn to spell before the Grammar and Spelling Police haul you off. "hapen" is spelt "happen"
Oops, you're right. Thanks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelt
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spelled
Either spelt or spelled is correct depending on where you are living. Unless there is only your way or you have insufficient cultural latitude to allow anything but American spelling.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spelt
See items 2 and 3
So JoeHope who is paying you to post at 5PM, 9PM, 12AM, 1AM, 5AM etc.? Seems like you are all hours on CD onlike most of us who choose to sleep. Inquiring minds want to know.
Wait me thinks I figured it out...........
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1056648.html
But it is ok to ignore the crimes of the zionists bastards? What planet have you been living on? Zion? You not been paying attention to your zionist controlled media? Still a buffoon?
I was thinking the same thing. It's apparently impossible to throw a pebble out of a window in (completely cut off, isolated, prison-like) Gaza without wounding a member of an NGO. And none of them, ever, detect any governmental corruption or coercion or violence or sexism or stifling of free speech or oppression of unpopular social groups. Clearly, Gaza is a lot like Heaven.
So, what are they bitching about?
Well you got Alan Dershowitz.
Thanks for this information, Common Dreams. I don't recall seeing this report discussed on Robin Meade, Nancy Grace, Katie Couric, Howard Kurtz, Tweety Matthews...or anywhere else.
Really, you mean the mainstream media isn't giving us information that might make Israel look bad? Shocking!
Israeli soccer matches were suspended during the assault on Gaza. When the games resumed last week, the fans had come up with a new chant: "Why have the schools in Gaza been shut down?" sang the crowd. "Because all the children were gunned down!" came the answer.
Aside from its sheer barbarism, this chant reflects the widespread belief among Israeli Jews that Israel scored an impressive victory in Gaza – a victory measured, not least, by the death toll...
...Every child has a story. A Bedouin friend recently called to tell us about his relatives in Gaza. One cousin allowed her five-year-old daughter to walk to the adjacent house to see whether the neighbours had something left to eat. The girl had been crying from hunger. The moment she began crossing the street a missile exploded nearby and the flying shrapnel killed her. The mother has since been bedridden, weeping and screaming, "I have let my girl die hungry". neve gordon/gael bronner
While I agree with what most of the posters here have said--i.e., that such deliberate violence towards civilians is nothing new for Israeli soldiers--I do think that Israel has reached a new threshold in the savagery of her attacks. And far less effort than in the past is made to cover up the brutality, except through bald-face lying and twisting of the facts. What is interesting about this increase in one-sided violence and its concomitant shift in Israeli PR with the outside world is that it comes at a time when there have been no suicide bombing attacks within Israel for a good while and when such European nations formerly critical of Israel's actions, such as France, Germany, and Italy, have been bending over backwards to include her into the European fold. Thus what I think it all means is that Israel is feeling more cocky than ever--specially after the murky attacks of 911 made all of the West more leery of the Muslims in their midst--and that they will try to get away with as much as they think they possibly can at any given moment. They have been pushing the envelope ever further into the unthinkable since their founding, and, short of a severe turnaround in official American support, there is no reason to think they will let up any time soon. The only faint ray of hope is that more and more educated Americans, at the very least, seem to have become wise to this game. Before our elected "representatives" translate this change of attitude into policy, however, World War III may have already come and gone...
Israeli soccer matches were suspended during the assault on Gaza. When the games resumed last week, the fans had come up with a new chant: "Why have the schools in Gaza been shut down?" sang the crowd. "Because all the children were gunned down!" came the answer.
Aside from its sheer barbarism, this chant reflects the widespread belief among Israeli Jews that Israel scored an impressive victory in Gaza – a victory measured, not least, by the death toll...
...Every child has a story. A Bedouin friend recently called to tell us about his relatives in Gaza. One cousin allowed her five-year-old daughter to walk to the adjacent house to see whether the neighbours had something left to eat. The girl had been crying from hunger. The moment she began crossing the street a missile exploded nearby and the flying shrapnel killed her. The mother has since been bedridden, weeping and screaming, "I have let my girl die hungry". neve gordon/gael bronner
Israeli soccer matches were suspended during the assault on Gaza. When the games resumed last week, the fans had come up with a new chant: "Why have the schools in Gaza been shut down?" sang the crowd. "Because all the children were gunned down!" came the answer.
Aside from its sheer barbarism, this chant reflects the widespread belief among Israeli Jews that Israel scored an impressive victory in Gaza – a victory measured, not least, by the death toll...
...Every child has a story. A Bedouin friend recently called to tell us about his relatives in Gaza. One cousin allowed her five-year-old daughter to walk to the adjacent house to see whether the neighbours had something left to eat. The girl had been crying from hunger. The moment she began crossing the street a missile exploded nearby and the flying shrapnel killed her. The mother has since been bedridden, weeping and screaming, "I have let my girl die hungry". neve gordon/gael bronner
I don't want to seem like The Boy Who Cried Foxman, but I'm sure that the likes of Foxman, Dershowitz, and the would-be Hasbarists who spew rationalizations and disinformation here like squids squirting clouds of ink will simply characterize this report as another vile assault on the noble State of Israel by anti-Semites with axes to grind.
· Yr Obd't Servant
A referendum would show without a doubt that Americans want an even handed policy towards Israel/Palestine. Do our "representatives" care?
I think our treasonous "representatives" sold us out to AIPAC and the Zionists long ago.
How much our tax money spent to support that terrorist state returns under the table?
I didn't know that you had elected representatives in Yemen.
Here in America, our Congress reflects the general public preference for long-term US allied bourgeois democracies, over anti-American belligerent police states.You wouldn't understand.
Haven't a clue what you mean here.
Peggy
That would be ten million a day.
Just wondering where you got your figure of ten million dollars a day in U.S. tax dollars to Israel?
The information below makes me think it may be more:
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stats/cost_of_israel.html
"Recently Americans have begun to read and hear that “Israel receives $3 billion in annual U.S. foreign aid.” That's true. But it's still a lie. The problem is that in fiscal 1997 alone, Israel received from a variety of other U.S. federal budgets at least $525.8 million above and beyond its $3 billion from the foreign aid budget, and yet another $2 billion in federal loan guarantees. So the complete total of U.S. grants and loan guarantees to Israel for fiscal 1997 was $5,525,800,000."
$5,525,800,000/365 days= $15,139,178/day, i.e. $15 million/day in 1997. I think it's unlikely that the total aid to Israel is less today--please share your sources! With our economy in the tank, this is a good time for people to think about ending the free lunch for Israel, a richer country than Spain and Ireland.
Many thanks!
This is the history of Israel: 60 years of theft and murder, with the full support and encouragement of the U.S. government.
Will Congress pay any attention to this report from the NLG delegation to Gaza? The whole world has seen, on our tvs and computer screens, Israel's war crimes in real time for the past month; this report is eloquent in its understatement.
But what has changed since 1967, when the U.S.S. Liberty was attacked by the Israeli airforce, who then also strafed our sailors as they struggled in the water? U.S. fighter planes in the area were not allowed to go to the U.S.S. Liberty's aid: "... fighters were put in the air not once, but twice. They were ordered to stand down by Secretary of Defense McNamara and President Johnson for reasons the American public deserves to know." --Admiral Thomas H. Moorer. Here's the website maintained by the U.S.S. Liberty families: http://www.gtr5.com/
"...the board of inquiry (concluded) that the Israelis knew exactly what they were doing in attacking the Liberty."
-- CIA Director Richard Helms
What happened in response to the 2005 report submitted to the Secretary of Defense detailing Israeli's war crimes in attacking the U.S.S. Liberty? (USS Liberty Veteran’s Association Announces War Crime Report Filed Against Israel http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0607-24.htm )
Nothing. The families of the U.S. sailors murdered in 1967 by Israel are still waiting for Israel to be held accountable, just as the families in Palestine have been waiting for 60 years for justice. Who will hear the cries of the families in Gaza? Israel wags the U.S. dog.
Don't they know, Israel is above the law, they have been violating international law for decades. They get away with this because of their "get out of jail free card" given them by the US.
What other country can operate above the law with impunity? Then they make claim to being the victim.
Its time for the US citizens to say enough is enough and force Washington to start looking out for the interests of Americans instead of Israel. Look at all the people loosing their homes while the US administration sends billions of US taxpayer money per year to subsidize Israel.
You got you US taxpayers working to subsidize Israeli citizens. I think that is crazy, but it tells us how much control the Israeli lobby has in Washington. Its time to make lobbying illegal.
one thing is clear in the posts i read from cd
lots of the people who post don't have much of an understanding of the situations on which they post
9/11 is one of the glaring ones
but issues like the geo-political posture of the west - the us, eu and the rothschild banking cartel - the military realities, the energy realities and the water realities that drive policy - seem beyond the comprehension of the readers here, if they even know they exist
most americans for example do not have a sophomoric understanding of the country in which they live
the country is a testament to illiteracy
that a group of lawyers has "confirmed" israeli war crimes in gaza is not exactly a revelation
the state of israel has been conducting an unmitigated genocide of the palestinians for 80 years.
it is/has been COMMON practice for the jews to rape and murder civilian populations
hundreds of villages have been murdered and then bulldozed
every prime minister of israel has committed war crimes falling under the heading of genocide
thanks to the us and the rothschild banking cartel and their total control of the media this genocide has never been discussed in the mainstream but it is hardly news.
most jewish historians acknowledge this with no reservation
there has been a pr campaign to characterize the genocide as self-defense but this is laughable
it is the same argument used by the us in attacking countries and regimes all over the world
security is the cover for imperialism and world enslavement
war crimes indeed
sad to say this is a revelation for the deep thinkers and arm chair historians at cd
cheers, b
bligh4
I think you meant that "Americans have a sophomoric knowledge of the country they live in." The way you wrote it, they have a mature understanding.
hope this helps
Israeli government to stand trial for crimes against humanity sounds great, but what about their accomplices/apologists in the US and Europe? Not actively supporting Israel, but turning a blind eye, blaming it all on Hamas.
These findings, from and AMERICAN group of lawyers are the confirmation of what we have long suspected.
Israel commits crimes against humanity.
There is no longer ANY doubt.
It is time for a multi-national UN peacekeeping force to enter Israel and administer it, ala Cyprus.
It is time for the ENTIRE Israeli government to stand trial for crimes against humanity.
Anything less is an abdication of our humanity.
Walk in peace.
We could say the same for the United States, could we not?
We certainly could...
Walk in peace.