The Press on Gaza War
December 30th, 2008 at 2:00 pm by David FarrarThe Press editorial says:
Hamas said several days ago that it would not extend a ceasefire that was due to expire about now and rocket attacks on more or less defenceless Israeli towns had been stepped up considerably in the last few days. But the fact that the escalation of violence in the region had an air of inevitability about it does not make it any the less depressing.
It’s not two steps forward and one step back but 1.01 steps forward and one step back, in terms of making progress in the Middle East.
With more than 1.5 million Palestinians crammed into an area the geographical size of a small city civilian casualties would be impossible to avoid no matter how carefully targeted the raids were. The Palestinian gunmen make those casualties all the greater by placing their military units and equipment in civilian areas.
Sad but true.
Even if the casualty numbers are exaggerated for propaganda purposes, as there is little doubt they are, the air raids undoubtedly kill and injure many innocent people.
Also sad and true.
The immediate aim is to stop the missile fire from Gaza. According to Israel, hundreds of rockets had been fired into the southern areas of the country near Gaza in the last few days, adding to the thousands that have rained on to the country in the last eight years. Only one death from the missile fire has been reported recently but the fear of the residents of the towns under attack, and of the Israeli Government, is that if left to carry on unhindered the militants will acquire longer-range, more accurate weapons along with greater expertise in their deployment, leaving ever-larger areas vulnerable to random bombardment.
I find it amusing that some argue Israel should not try and stop the missile attacks, because few of them actually hit their targets. I suggest they try living in a neighbourhood where rockets explode about them every day, and then re-evaluate their stance. Also worth remembering that they are firing these rockets into territory that is not disputed (such as the West Bank, Jerusalem).
This military action will no doubt end at some point, after much death and destruction, leaving a few Israeli towns perhaps a little more secure than before but with a longer-term peace for the region as far off as ever.
And this is why I regret Israel has responded this way, even though I understand why. It does make the longer-term peace harder.
But Hamas will continue to hold sway over a more or less lawless militia-run land and will refuse even to recognise Israel’s basic right to exist. The militiamen will continue to be armed and financed by Iran, which also refuses to recognise Israel’s legitimacy in the area indeed, both the present military engagements in Gaza, and the earlier one on the radical Hizbollah militia in southern Lebanon, may be seen as part of a wider proxy war between Israel and Iran.
While Israel’s actions in the region are hardly blameless, and are often unnecessarily brutal and provocative, so long as that situation continues to prevail it is hard to see any longer-term improvement at all.
What has been nice is to see a balanced response from the new Government, instead of just blaming Israel.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully describes the attacks as “a day of tragedy”.
Mr McCully says it is pointless to fingerpoint about who is responsible, or debate what is proportionate versus disproportionate response.
He has endorsed a call by the United Nations for an immediate ceasefire and says that could provide the breathing space that’s needed to broker a solution.
The ceasefire needs both sides to agree to it. That may be difficult.
December 30th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Given the level of funding, arms and political cover the US provides, the crucial question is what’s Obama going to do?
This is encouraging:
“Barack Obama links Israel peace plan to 1967 borders deal”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5162537.ece
Barack Obama is to pursue an ambitious peace plan in the Middle East involving the recognition of Israel by the Arab world in exchange for its withdrawal to pre-1967 borders, according to sources close to America’s president-elect.
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
DPF said “The ceasefire needs both sides to agree to it. That may be difficult.”
Ever the master of understatement DPF! The chances of the Palestinian authorities getting the lunatic fringe of Hamas to lay down its arms somewhere between zero and non-existant!
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
If Israel withdraws to its 1967 borders nothing will change. Rockets and bombs will still be fired into Israel. They could withdraw to a boat in haifa harbour and would still be shelled. The Muslims want to wipe them out. What is so hard to understand about that. They make no bones about what they want to do to any Jew they catch. Look at the poor bastard and his wife in Mumbai. Not just shot but sexually tortured and mutilated. Why do lefties and so forth have so much trouble accepting what the Arabs and Persians say at face value.
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I think that is an oversimplification.
That seems to be a recurring theme in these discussions. The people identifying themselves as right-wing see the situation in very clear-cut terms – Israel good, Hamas bad; it is war; God gave the land to the Jewish people; Muslims want to wipe out Jews; etc. (Obviously some of those will not apply to everyone.) The strength of the perspective is that it makes it possible to give very complete and succinct answers to questions and judgements on events.
The people identifying themselves as left-wing see the situation in less clear-cut terms, with a great number of interacting factors, often quite abstract – such as the effect that poverty has on the ability of terrorist organisations to recruit new members, or the attempt to understand the motivations of the terrorist beyond being evil or insane. The weakness of that perspective is that it makes it almost impossible to give complete and succinct answers to questions and judgements on events.
To the left-winger, the right-wing view seems oversimplified. To the right-winger, the left-wing view seems soft, overly sympathetic and especially impractically academic.
[DPF: I don't see it as anything to do with God or even religions (even though I recognise for others this is important. I simply look at what concessions both sides will make for peace. Israel has and is willing to trade land. Hamas is unprepared to give up its goal of destroying Israel. Pretty obvious where the problem is]
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Pic of a protester holding a sign saying “Death to All Juice”
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20081229NYDeathJuice.jpg
(not just an LGF Photoshop…larger version here
http://news.webshots.com/photo/2298296970103726530OBKYUv )
Says a lot..
Seems to me that if the Hamas loonies stopped firing rockets into Israel, then they would not continue to have the shit bombed out of them. But it’s not only spelling ability that these idiots lack. It’s any kind of sense at all.
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
the 1.5 million hamas supporters dont live in a ghetto now, i would say with 200+strikes i would say its a demolition site.
Vote:Goggle earth islamic university gaza, they will have to update these pictures
December 30th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Hamas,who run the government in Gaza do not recognise Israel’s right to exist. It is as simple as that.
Israel must fight to survive. If it did not fight the Arabs would destroy them.
Gaza has a common border with Egypt. Why don’t they become more friendly with them? Why does Israel have to provide medical care and food and aid to a people who want to destroy them?
Why does the media fret about Israel closing its borders to the Palestinians? Of course they have closed their borders. Their neighbour is attacking them!
Also this dispute is not about land. The Israelis do not have any part of Gaza. They have withdrawn as part of the peace process. But the palestinians don’t want peace. They want all of the land and they want Israel destroyed. Surely even a leftist can see that?
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Peace is won through war, after one side undeniably has greater strength than the other. Talk of peace before there has been a war is a wasted effort. Hamas is the stone in Israel’s shoe, though they’re too scared that should they bend down to pick it out, not only will Iran kick them up the jaxie, but the US will suddenly run away until the fighting dies down. The reasons for the US involvment in the middle east are fairly obvious. Two warring tribes in Africa would just be left to it. It gives both parties a measure of legitimacy in the western world that they don’t deserve, and from there the intellectualising and waffling begins, as if people had never warred before, never skirmished, never died, never been horrified, never been betrayed. It’s the greatest show of vanity humankind has to offer. There is no complexity to it – it must escalate to full scale war if the situation is ever to return to the peaceful stage of the cycle.
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Scott,
This intifada has been going on since early 2000, and it is about land. It’s always been about land, for BOTH sides.
If Israel was just defending itself within its own legitimate, recogised borders then it would have the moral high ground.
And if occupation of the West bank is about defense, then what are Israeli civilian settlements doing there?
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Ryan – i wil make it even more simple for you. We live next door to each other. every day I chuck rocks at your house. Sometimes they hit the grass, sometimes a window gets broken, and sometimes your kids gets one in the head. The cops don’t want to know and say that you are in the wrong. All our neighbours egg me on, so I chuck more rocks. What do you do? You decide that you don’t need your driveway so cede that bit to me. We calla truce, but instead of me chucking rocks, I get my kids to do it and then say “hey, I am not responsible’. You know I am talking shit. more rocks hit your place. You are bigger than me and have been restraining yourself. You hose the kids down a few times but that just prompts more rocks.
Here is your choice. Tell me how you deal with me, the neighbour from hell.
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Brian,
Were you living in my house a few years ago? Am I bulldozing rooms of your house and building ones for my kids to live in? When I hose down your kids, do they drown? If they drown, does that make the other kids madder?
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Just what the fuck do we owe either Israel or the Arab countries ?
If a bunch of Semites believe it is fun to kill each others children should
they not be left to it ?
But Israel does have a choice, a democratic country for all religions.
Vote:Or, they can be an apartheid Jewish state, because they will not be able to
remain a Jewish state without religious cleansing.
Or will they allow those Israeli Arab Muslims to out breed them ?
December 30th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Read HAMAS charter read ARTICLE 7 at the bottom about killing jews , these fuckers think they are fighting with saladen in the crusades. BOMB HEAVIER ISRAEL
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
The RSA have beaten the baggy green caps , if ownly the slack caps had the skill level and pride and BALLS a commitment to NZ , a strong backbone would help also . GOOD ONE SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA WEEPS
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
It is all just about the evil Juice. They are the ones who caused all this. This mujahadeen knows his enemy and what should be done to them. Especially (apparently) the Zionist Juice.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9Bx0L3n3uAo/SVmBIm7w6KI/AAAAAAAAEoc/hjpjcX0poLE/s1600-h/deathtoalljuice.jpg
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Has anyone noticed the bbc should be called BBC THE VOICE OF ISLAM , remember when IT WAS THE NEWS (good evening this is the BBC)fuck they are nearly crying for hamas,PC shitters
boy he loves his arabs some one from some institude wound him up and he lost it (SHUT UP I WANT TO SPEAK)etc etc., JUST LIKE HAMAS, is he a pisshead or is he suffering stress SHIT he looked terrible , blotchy red face with rashes
Vote:also on AL Jazeera this morning in a debate,Robert Fisk spat the dumby
December 30th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
The strategy of Israel, thinking it can alienate Hamas’ supporters via this tactic, hasn’t worked in the past and it won’t work this time either.
Vote:I have no idea what the answer is, but this isn’t it.
December 30th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Change of topic ,the fuckwit pacifica boatowner who caused a large rescue in the B of P due to getting lost in HIGH seas and RUNNING OUT OF PETROL and giving a high 5 to his women after the country has saved the idiots.This costing megabucks for saving the idiot and the others Fuck why should god look after fuckwits,and we have to pay for it(SELL HIS BOAT) his women wanted to burn it
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Balanced response from the new government DPF?
God sakes man.
They said what they needed to to have wiggle room!
Totally unprincipled, Mccully said what Key wanted him to say.
How do the terrorists get the chemicals, explosives and other armaments?
Because the Egyptian security forces let them move it into Gaza.
Intermittently bomb ground area between Egypt and Gaza to destroy the tunnels and all within them.
Start targeted killings of all HAMAS officer corps and other leaders.
Allow no armed congregation of people within 5km of Northern border.
Make flat zone for 1 Km of fence, kill everything that enters it with robot gun & missel sensors.
Then set a date to cut the electricity by cutting the cables, close the border between Israel and Gaza completely and keep the tax in an interest bearing acct, allow NO interzone transfer between West bank (Israel) and Gaza accept through Egypt.
Vote:Make this the state of play until there has been NO rocket fire for 1 year.
Let the whole world know the date that Egypt is going to take humanitarian responsibility for Gaza.
then stick to it.
December 30th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
“DPF said “The ceasefire needs both sides to agree to it. That may be difficult.”
Come on DPF and Ryan.
Name a time when the Arabs, Islamics or whatever you want to call them, ever honoured a cease fire with Israel or kept their side of any treaty or agreement.
Camp David, Oslo all of them, come on, name which one they kept!
You won’t find one.
Not one.
Israel does but the Arabs don’t.
what’s the first thing they sign up for. Stop the terrorism.
What do they not do?
Go on, Go and read the agreements of the web, what both sides agree to.
Vote:show me I’m incorrect.
The only way you can, is to lie and you won’t do that.
December 30th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
“DPF you say you don’t think it is about religion, though you can understand others thinking that.”
Are you taking the piss or is that truly part of your worldview?
Surely you know all of the established Islamic schools consider the existence of Israel to be an affront to Islam and the prophet’s words.
The fact that they were beaten militarily 3 times led to a change in tactics that’s all, the Goal is still the same, the strategy is different, aided by useful idiots in the West.
The ultimate aim has always and will always be a world wide caliphate, the Dar al Islam overcoming the Dar al Harb, which includes good old NZ at some point.
That’s why they never agreed to any of the partition plans and that’s why they will NEVER agree to Israel existing, a hudna is a temporary ceasefire to regroup, rearm and reform.
They weren’t around to disagree like they are now, when the GB mandate was setup in 1922 as the whole area had been controlled by the Ottomans (Turkey) for 400 years.
If you want a good source as you don’t speak and read Arabic Google, memri, read what the religious and political leaders say in Arabic not what the Western media quote.
But then if that really is your worldview it won’t matter because you won’t accept what you’ll read.
Vote:December 30th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Dhimmitude
Vote:Google it.
That will tell you the heart of Islam and what Muslims really believe about you.
December 30th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Arabs honouring anything at all?
“In 1948, Jewish Community in Israel under the leadership of David Ben-Gurion reestablished sovereignty over their ancient homeland. Declaration of independence of the modern State of Israel was announced on the day that the last British forces left Israel (May 14, 1948).
A day after the declaration of independence of the State of Israel, armies of Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq, invaded Israel. This marked the beginning of the War of Independence. Arab states have jointly waged four full scale wars against Israel:
· 1948 War of Independence
· 1956 Sinai War
· 1967 Six Day War
· 1973 Yom Kippur War
now they just resort to wholesale terrorism
Vote:December 31st, 2008 at 12:12 am
I’ll put this into my perspective rather than directly with a little anecdote.
I spent several months on a Kibbutz around 1990, as many young people do.
There was a wonderful mix of NZ, Aus, European and US volunteers. A number of the ‘newbies’ would mumble about Israel and Arabs and fairness etc….. until we had our missile drill and briefing, during which among other things it was pointed out to us the Kibbutz a few kilometres down the road was called Maalot, a number of years back some terrorists came over the boarder ( 1 km or so away) and evaded the soldiers. They succeeded in their mission when they broke into the nursery and machine gunned the infants there.
That really changed the mood from there on.
Who here wouldn’t blast the fuckers away if they came after your family?
Vote:On the other hand most decent people would leave be if they didn’t threaten you.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:28 am
Articles below are from the Israel report written from within Jerusalem.
1. HAMAS TERROR INDUSTRY CRUMBLES BUT ITS THREATS INCREASE
The operation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza has caused Hamas a severe blow. During the three first days of the operation “Lead Cast,” more than 350 targets have been hit. The targets have been selected based on months of intelligence gathering and include Hamas facilities such as command centers, Kassam rocket workshops and storages, rocket launching positions and bunkers, laboratories for weapon development, weapons smuggling tunnels, and administrative buildings used to plan terrorism. The targets also include the Islamic University, where weapon development took place, and a mosque that was used as an important meeting place for Hamas members.
The Israeli operation came following Hamas’ refusal to renew the fragile cease fire that ended on December 19 and which was followed by a rocket rain on the Israeli cities of Sderot, Ashkelon, Netivot, and surrounding areas. On Christmas Eve alone, approximately 80 rockets were launched against Israeli civilian targets. The last week’s attacks have caused four Israeli deaths and wounded dozens. Since the start of the Israeli operation around 250 rockets have been fired at Israel, far less than originally estimated by the IDF. Israeli analysts believe this is a result of the success of the Israeli attacks against the terror infrastructure, but they also warn that Hamas still has the capability to launch hundreds of rockets on a daily basis.
According to reports from Gaza, the fighting thus far has taken around 350 lives. Human rights activists in the area say around 50 of the casualties are civilians. Hamas spokesmen have promised revenge and call for renewed suicide bombings inside Israel and for assassination of Israel’s political leaders. On Hamas TV the terror organization continues to portray itself as the heroic killer of Israelis. A text accompanying pictures of skulls dripping with blood states: “Send them to Hell! Tear them to pieces! Send them to Hell Kassam missile.”
Defense Minister Ehud Barak has declared that a main goal of the operations is to bring security to the south, and has indicated this might take some time. So far the operation has consisted of aerial attacks only, but Barak stated that if boots are needed on the ground they will be there. Preparations are being made for a ground invasion, but it is still uncertain if such a move will be implemented. An IDF’s spokesman said the IDF will continue, expand, and intensify its operations against terror as much as is needed. He added: “The Hamas government leaders and operatives, which activate terror from within civilian population centers, are the sole bearers of responsibility for Israel’s military response.”
2. IN DEFENSE OF ISRAEL
Many media channels, humanitarian and ideological organizations, and politicians are already criticizing Israel – while conveniently overlooking the terrorism that caused Israel’s response. The accusation of excessive use of force and the demand for proportionality are heard as are the claims of collective punishment. The hypocrisy of this attitude is revealed by pointing out the silence from the same actors when rockets rained down on Israeli towns prior to the operation. While acknowledging that there is suffering on the Arab, as well as the Jewish side, much can be said in defense of Israel’s actions. A very important remark is already made above by the IDF spokesman – Hamas is to blame for the suffering – but additional observations can be added.
First, prior to the IDF operation, Israel did everything in their power to prevent an escalation. In spite of dozens of cease-fire violations from Hamas, such as rocket attacks, bomb planting, abduction attempts and weapon smuggling, Israel did not engage earlier. Ehud Barak was severely criticized for abandoning the citizens of Sderot by not acting against Hamas. Israel tried through diplomacy and in the end through very concrete warnings to force Hamas to back off, but Hamas chose its own way.
Secondly, if the number of 350 dead is correct and not inflated as usually is the case when the Palestinian Arabs control the news sources, it is still a remarkably small number of people when taking into consideration that 350 targets have been hit. This is all the more true when taking into consideration that Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Moreover, the report that 80-90% of the casualties are Hamas members, is proof that the Israeli intelligence information is reliable and accurate. The civilian casualties that undeniably exist, are the responsibility of Hamas who has made the decision to expose its civilians to attack by operating from populated areas.
One more word on casualties and numbers: In June, 2006 Hamas claimed the IDF killed 20 persons on the beach of Gaza. It later turned out that seven were killed – and that the explosion was caused by a Hamas booby trap. In March 2002, almost every international news channel and a number of foreign diplomatic representatives in Israel claimed the IDF had performed a massacre in Jenin. Chief PA negotiator said on CNN that as many as 500 were killed. The actual numbers turned out to be 54. Similar things happened in Lebanon in 2006. A word of warning is therefore in order: At the moment, there is almost no foreign press in Gaza, and it is extremely difficult to verify the numbers.
Thirdly, there can be no comparison of the actions of the IDF and the terrorism of Hamas. The expression “cycle of violence” is used again and again in the media, but is totally misleading. There is no cycle of violence in the Middle East. This expression places the two parties on the same moral level and indicates that one is not better than the other. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
Hamas is built on an ideology that demands Israel’s destruction and permits all means to achieve this. The organization excels in murdering civilians. Hamas is not responsible and does not answer to anyone except for its own corrupted doctrines. The organization uses its own civilian population as shields, and during recent days it even prevents people who are injured from receiving help from Egypt. The reason for this behavior, according to Israel’s former ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman, is that Hamas “needs” civilian casualties in its fight for media attention and world sympathy. The above is only a partial list of Hamas atrocities. In short, Hamas is a prime example of a human rights violator – and it prides itself in it.
The army of a functioning democratic state can not sink to such moral standards. There are checks and balances that guarantee this. Moreover, Israel knows that whenever they perform a military operation, the eyes of the world – not to mention the TV cameras – are investigating every move. Partly for this reason, but also because of the Jewish-Christian tradition that values life, the IDF does its utmost to avoid civilian casualties. One example that proves this, but has probably not made it to the foreign news channels, is that the IDF keeps sending SMS to Arabs in Gaza to warn of incoming attacks, and requesting them to leave the areas to be targeted. IDF even interrupts local Arab TV channels to send their warnings.
The image that the Arab world and much of the media wants to present is one where the Kassam rocket is put up against Israeli fighter planes. The message is that one should support the Arab David against the Jewish Goliath. As proven above, this is an oversimplification and a twisting of facts. Those interested in preserving human rights would do well in looking beyond the façade of events. It is hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy to fight a nation that does its utmost to honor human rights and instead defend a terror organization that openly and willingly defies them.
Vote:December 31st, 2008 at 8:36 am
I keep hearing on the TV news talk about how the “truce” ended and Hamas started firing rockets and mortars into Israel, prompting Israeli retaliation. They make no mention of the fact that the “truce” was broken practically every day by Hamas since it’s inception. They also fail to note what a truce actually means. To most people it is a cesation of fighting, to find some common ground to resolve differences. To an Islamist, a Truce (hudna) is a pause that you take when fighting a superior foe, to allow you to gather more forces to crush and destroy him. Mohammed and the example he set with the Quraysh of Mecca is part of Islamic jurisprudence. There is no peace with Hamas and there never will be. They don’t want it.
Vote:December 31st, 2008 at 9:00 am
Hamas said several days ago that it would not extend a ceasefire that was due to expire about now and rocket attacks on more or less defenseless Israeli towns.
So they don’t want to renew a ceasefire, then i guess it is war so lets cut the crap and let Israel finish it … oh but we can’t have that as more money is to be made selling weapons to both sides.
Vote:December 31st, 2008 at 9:41 am
“This marked the beginning of the War of Independence. Arab states have jointly waged four full scale wars against Israel:
· 1948 War of Independence
· 1956 Sinai War
· 1967 Six Day War
· 1973 Yom Kippur War”
1948:
“In December 1947, the British announced that they would withdraw from Palestine by May 15, 1948. Palestinians in Jerusalem and Jaffa called a general strike against the partition. Fighting broke out in Jerusalem’s streets almost immediately…Violent incidents mushroomed into all-out war…During that fateful April of 1948, eight out of thirteen major Zionist military attacks on Palestinians occurred in the territory granted to the Arab state.” “Our Roots Are Still Alive” by the People Press Palestine Book Project.
“Before the end of the mandate and, therefore before any possible intervention by Arab states, the Jews, taking advantage of their superior military preparation and organization, had occupied…most of the Arab cities in Palestine before May 15, 1948. Tiberias was occupied on April 19, 1948, Haifa on April 22, Jaffa on April 28, the Arab quarters in the New City of Jerusalem on April 30, Beisan on May 8, Safad on May 10 and Acre on May 14, 1948…In contrast, the Palestine Arabs did not seize any of the territories reserved for the Jewish state under the partition resolution.” British author, Henry Cattan, “Palestine, The Arabs and Israel.”
“Menahem Begin, the Leader of the Irgun, tells how ‘in Jerusalem, as elsewhere, we were the first to pass from the defensive to the offensive…Arabs began to flee in terror…Hagana was carrying out successful attacks on other fronts, while all the Jewish forces proceeded to advance through Haifa like a knife through butter’…The Israelis now allege that the Palestine war began with the entry of the Arab armies into Palestine after 15 May 1948. But that was the second phase of the war; they overlook the massacres, expulsions and dispossessions which took place prior to that date and which necessitated Arab states’ intervention.” Sami Hadawi, “Bitter Harvest.”
“For the entire day of April 9, 1948, Irgun and LEHI soldiers carried out the slaughter in a cold and premeditated fashion…The attackers ‘lined men, women and children up against the walls and shot them,’…The ruthlessness of the attack on Deir Yassin shocked Jewish and world opinion alike, drove fear and panic into the Arab population, and led to the flight of unarmed civilians from their homes all over the country.” Israeli author, Simha Flapan, “The Birth of Israel.”
“By 1948, the Jew was not only able to ‘defend himself’ but to commit massive atrocities as well. Indeed, according to the former director of the Israeli army archives, ‘in almost every village occupied by us during the War of Independence, acts were committed which are defined as war crimes, such as murders, massacres, and rapes’…Uri Milstein, the authoritative Israeli military historian of the 1948 war, goes one step further, maintaining that ‘every skirmish ended in a massacre of Arabs.’” Norman Finkelstein, “Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict.”
http://www.cactus48.com/partition.html
While it is widely and correctly reported that the resulting war eventually included five Arab armies, less well known is the fact that throughout this war Zionist forces outnumbered all Arab and Palestinian combatants combined – often by a factor of two to three. Also contrary to popular belief, Arab armies did not invade Israel – virtually all battles were fought on land that was to have been the Palestinian state.
Finally, it is significant to note that Arab armies entered the conflict only after Zionist forces had committed 16 massacres, including the grisly massacre of over 100 men, women, and children at Deir Yassin. Future Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, head of one of the Jewish terrorist groups, called this a “splendid act of conquest,” and stated: “As in Deir Yassin, so everywhere, we will attack and smite the enemy. God, God, Thou has chosen us for conquest.” Zionist/Israeli forces committed 33 massacres altogether.
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/
1956
“The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression was a military attack on Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel beginning on 29 October 1956″
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis
1967
Prime Minister Menachem Begin, in a speech delivered at the Israeli National Defense College, clearly stated that: “The Egyptian army concentrations in the Sinai approaches do not prove that Nasser was really about to attack us. We must be honest with ourselves. We decided to attack him” (Jerusalem Post, 20 August 1982).
1973
Upon becoming the president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat sought to regain through diplomacy, the territories lost to Israel in the 1967 war. He launched a charm offensive in which he indicated that he was willing to come to terms with Israel. In February of 1971, he offered a formal peace treaty, on the terms suggested by the United States, but Israel turned it down, in spite of both U.S. support and a general international consensus that it was fair. Plea after plea, offer after offer were turned down, until finally the Egyptians had had enough. The rapidly proliferating Israeli settlements throughout the occupied territories, including Egyptian land in the Sinai were creating facts on the ground that required action.(Kimche)
http://www.bidstrup.com/zionism.htm
On the 6th of October, 1973, the Egyptians, with the Syrians, launched a coordinated attack on Israel. It caught the Israelis completely by surprise, and almost succeeded. But in the end, superior firepower, greater determination and prompt and massive materiel aid airlifted from the United States won the day – one general commented that bullets being shot by Israel on Wednesday had been sitting in American warehouses the previous Sunday. The Yom Kippur war ended in a few days, and the stalemate resumed, almost unchanged.
Vote:December 31st, 2008 at 9:50 am
If you tease a tiger, don’t be surprised if it bites you.
Vote:December 31st, 2008 at 10:00 am
1920 Palestine Riots
1921 Jaffa Riots
1929 Palestine Riots
1938 Tiberias Massacre
And somecasualty statistics
Vote:from The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
December 31st, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Funny how the Lefties are prepared to deny the Holocaust ever happened, despite Physical evidence, Written accounts, Witness Statements, Films etc. etc.
Yet they expect us to believe in AGW, despite evidence that we are entering a coolin phase.
Poseurs, control merchants, and all round gobshites.
Get a proper job, or go into business yourselves!
Vote:January 1st, 2009 at 4:50 pm
The following might be of interest:
Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza
“A convoy of 109 trucks carrying international humanitarian aid was authorized to pass on Tuesday (30th) through the Kerem Shalom crossing,” an Israeli military spokesman said. On Monday (29th) Israel allowed more than 80 trucks filled with aid to pass through the same crossing. Israel allowed additional trucks with humanitarian aid into Gaza on Wednesday (31st), despite the fact that at least 45 rockets were fired at Israel Wednesday morning.
Col. Moshe Levi, head of the IDF District Coordination Office in Gaza, said Wednesday (31st) that since the start of the IDF operation, unprecedented amounts of medical equipment have been allowed into Gaza, including medicine and blood units. In addition, ambulances sent from other countries were allowed in. Levi accused Palestinian Health Ministry officials of preventing the injured from leaving Gaza to receive medical treatment in Israel. “Gaza hospitals have not collapsed, and international organizations have not reported a collapse and even point out that the medical equipment sent there is improving the hospitals’ efficient activity. Regarding food as well, we have not received official complaints; there are large amounts of food in the Gaza Strip and there is no crisis in this regard,” Levi said. Israeli defense sources said Gazan officials are trying to create a false picture of a humanitarian crisis.
(AFP, Ynet, 12/31)
Somehow this doesn’t really seem to be the actions of a state determined to destroy and remove another from the face of the earth – which is of course exactly what Hamas is trying to do to Israel.
Equally, I have severe doubts that Hamas would ever even contemplate sending medical and food aid to those who were attacking it.
And should we be surprised that the MSM have not mentioned anything about the aid and food?
No? I wasn’t either. After all, why let facts get in the way of a perfectly good story – especially on the Six O’clock news.
As I said, I thought it might be of interest.
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