Terrorist take their Aim at a school bus
I hope EVERYONE here can condem such a terrorist act without an explinations or comparisions or saying " I condem all attacks on civillians"... Just condem this hideous act of terrorism and demand that it ends...
Two people were wounded Thursday after an anti-tank missile exploded into a bus traveling in one of the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip.
Following the attack, 16 additional mortar shells were fired at Israeli towns in the western Negev, most of them hitting open areas.
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Bus damaged by missile strike from Gaza which wounded two people, April 7, 2011. |
| Photo by: Ilan Assayag |
Magen David Adom crew who arrived at the scene said that a 16-year-old boy was critically wounded as a result of the attack, and that the bus driver was moderately hurt by shrapnel wounds in his leg.
"The boy was lying on the ground bleeding. The bus driver was conscious and hysterical. The entire bus destroyed – it was a horrifying sight," said a member of the rescue service.
MDA said that the rescue services resuscitated the boy and later transferred him to the hospital. MDA also said the bus was nearly empty after dropping off school children and was carrying only the driver and the 16-year-old boy at the time of the attack.
Residents of communities near the site of attack were instructed by authorities to stay inside their homes in case the strikes at Israeli towns will continue.
Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces quickly retaliated and launched both land and air strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF spokesperson said, killing a 50-year-old man and wounding five others.
Defense Minister, Ehud Barak ordered the army to respond quickly and said he held the Hamas militant group, which rules Gaza, responsible for the violence. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.
The strike came following several weeks of tension and mutual attacks along Israel's border with the Hamas-ruled Strip, with Israel Defense Forces aircraft striking smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza earlier Thursday.
On Tuesday, IDF tanks fired at and killed an armed Palestinian approaching the Gaza Strip's border with Israel on Tuesday, as three mortar bombs exploded in Israeli soil.
The incident took place after an IDF force spotted an armed Palestinian near the Erez crossing at the Strip's north, later directing tank fire to the spot. No injuries were reported from among the soldiers.
On Saturday, IDF planes struck a vehicle travelling at the south of the Gaza Strip, killing three Hamas operatives, one of them a top commander in Hamas' military wing.
An IDF Spokesperson stated that the three men were members of a terrorist cell that was "planning to kidnap Israelis over the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover" in Israel and in the Sinai Peninsula, a popular spring tourist destination for Israelis.
The Palestinian Ma'an news agency identified the three as Isma’il Labad and his brother Abdullah from Ash-Shati' refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, and military commander Muhammad Ad-Dayah from the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City.
Ad-Dayah, 33, is considered to be a top Hamas military official. As a child he participated in the first intifada, later serving as the bodyguard of former Hamas chief Abdel Aziz Rantisi. Ad-Dayah also lost one of his eyes during an attempted mortar attack on a nearby settlement.
Hamas vowed vengeance against Israel in a statement Saturday, describing the strike as a crime and "serious escalation" of the recent violence, and vowed that Israel would "bear all the consequences." The militant group also called on the U.S. to stop the flow of financial aid to Israel.
Prior to the attack, Palestinian militants have fired rocket salvos into Israel, reaching as far as the major southern city Be'er Sheva, and Israel has carried out a series of air strikes.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeff stern on -
Susan,
I am not sure what to tell you, these are pretty horrible statistics
37% support attacks on Israeli civilians
Can you imagine people can think this - makes me wonder if there can ever be peace.
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Permalink Reply by Neri Bar-On on -
Neri: What do you suggest the Palestinian to do?" -
Jeff: Simple - stop shooting missles at civilians from homes, schools etc....
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Neri: So from your prespective the Palestinians need to surander to the Jewish power suprimacy and accept the conditions so the Israelis will let them self govern?
But the israelis decided more then that, they selected
Jeff: Reality is that Israel has given the Palestinians what no other country has given them - authority over their own people and land
Neri : Fatah movement and grant it the control and ownership on the Palestinian society.
So you suggest the palestinian to accept it, because otherwise the Israelis will drop bombs on them?
Jeff: if they really wanted to live in peace, they would empty the refugee camps
Neri : Where too? they do not have a state nor any territory to empty the refugee camps, and when they build a city .... Israel disable them from creating road to that city.... So how will they do that magic? will they through the Refugees into the sea?
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Permalink Reply by Basil Keilani on -
The basis of peace between the Arabs and Israelis is UN Resolution 242 and a two state solution. Syria will sign a peace treaty when Israel agrees to return the Golan Heights in its entirety.
When it comes the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the UN resolution is interpreted that some of the 1967 lands may be ceded to Israel with the consent of the Arabs. However, that would entail a land exchange. Simply having an Arab state where the Arabs live and according UN Resolution 242 makes no sense since it is not part of 242. The acceptance of the idea of an Israel is based on 242 and 338 and not Israeli ignoring of the UN resolutions. I do not mind some Jews living in a Palestinian state, but the equivalent of the 1967 borders with a viable Palestinian state, East Jerusalem while ensuring the religious needs of all three faiths are taken care of regarding the holy sites as the capital and a just settlement of the refugee question is needed, and Jews should have easy access to holy areas to them in the West Bank.
Recently, an Israeli peace plan was issued by ex-intelligence officers basically mirroring the Arab League plan in many respects, and the Arab League plan was accepted by even Hamas and the PLO and all Arab states and the Islamic states. Israel should accept the plan instead of insisting on annexing large parts of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It violates the spirit of the UN resolutions.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff stern on
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I do not remember where 242 or 338 mentions anything about a Palestinian state, that is in 181... It was actually refering to give the land back to Egypt and Jordan, no mention of Palestinains anywhere... so what are you talking about?
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Permalink Reply by Jeff stern on
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From my perspective they should stop shooting from homes i.e. using human sheilds - maybe protect the innocents instead of puttingthem in harms way. I think that if Israel feel secure then peace negotiations can start and maybe will lead to peace. But first you must stop shoot civilians from civilian areas.
Look how prosperous some of the West Bank cities have become like Ramallah, Beit Lechem and others... Peace is met with peace and prosperity.. Checkpoints have been opened their economy is growing now all we have to do is sit around the table and hammer out a peace.
Gaza is a diffrent story. It is run by an orginization that is hell bent on destroying Israel and killing civilians. Thereisno way that Israel can simply allow its civilians to be shot at. So lie I said before stop shooting first and foremost.
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Permalink Reply by Stewart Mills on -
Mohammad Badwan (Bidou, West Bank) April 2004
“Rabbis for Human Rights say that Mohammed Badwan was tied by police to a jeep during a recent demonstration in the West Bank village of Bidou. The police apparently hoped this would stop Palestinians from throwing stones during a protest against Israel's West Bank barrier. Israel's Supreme Court banned the use of human shields in 2002. Rabbis for Human Rights also say that the boy was beaten by Israeli police before being arrested. Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said: "It's unclear what happened, we do not expose civilians to physical damage willingly." The case is to be investigated by the Israeli Justice Ministry.”
“Rabbis for Human Rights director Rabbi Arik Ascherman was detained by police when he tried to intervene to help Mohammed. "It is very sad to see that we have come to this position. There is disbelief," Rabbi Ascherman said.”http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3650791.stm
Jihan Daadush, 11 yrs old, Nablus
Israel Defense Forces soldiers used an 11-year-old Palestinian girl as a "human shield" during an operation against militants in the West Bank town of Nablus last week, an Israeli human rights group said on Thursday. [The operation ended on the 1 March 2007].[1]
Video testimony[2]
[1] Reuters, “ B'Tselem: IDF used Palestinian girl as human shield in Nablus”, 8 July 2007
http://www.haaretz.com/news/b-tselem-idf-used-palestinian-girl-as-h... (Accessed 22 April 2011).
[2] Afilmspalestine, “Nablus: Operation "Hot Winter" - Interview with Human Shield” Uploaded 7 March 2007. Interview conducted 2 March 2007 by RJI ripplescross@yahoo.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiO0GYsyR4A (Accessed 22 April 2011). Also see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTRA85ph9C4
Palestinians who testified to B’TSelem their being taken as Human S...Adham ‘Abd a-Rahim Zaweita
Soldiers beat Adham Zaweita at his place of work, a chicken coop in Zawata, Feb. '09
'Izzat 'Omar Muhammad Kasab
Soldiers occupy the Kasab family’s house, beat family members and detain the father and three sons, Jan. '09
Maysa' Fawzi a-Samuni
Soldiers Killed and injured dozens of persons from a-Samuni family in a-Zeitun neighborhood, Gaza, 4 Jan. '09
'Abd al-Mu'ti 'Abd Rabo
Army forces neighborhood residents from their homes, Jan. '09
'Abd al-'Aziz 'Araf Suliman 'Arafat
‘Arafat family flees from their home in 'Abasan al-Jadida following Israeli air force bombing, 1 Jan. '09
Majd Mufid Abd al-'Aziz Ghanem
A Palestinian youth injured in crossfire in the course of being used as a human shield by IDF soldiers, May 2007
Jihan Nimer Shahir D'adush
Israeli soldiers use Jihan D'adush, 11, as human shield, Nablus, February 2007
'Amid 'Iz a-Din Ahmad 'Amirah
Israeli soldiers use 'Amid 'Amirah, 15, as human shield, Nablus, February 2007
Khaled Ahmad Khaled al-Kafarneh
Hazem 'Othman Qassem 'Ali
'Azza Qassem Kafarneh
Israeli Soldiers Use Palestinians as Human Shields during Incursion into Beit Hanun, July 2006
Suleiman Ahmad Muhammad Qasrawi
Tayil Muhammad Al-Bazur
Suspected execution of Mahmud Kmel and use of Palestianians as human shields by IDF soldiers in Raba, Jenin District, December 2004
Ahmad Abd al-Qader Ahmad 'Asaf
Tulkarm Refugee Camp: IDF soldiers use Ahmad 'Asaf as a human shield, January 2004
'Ula Kamal Shafik 'Awad
Nablus: IDF use 'Ula 'Awad, as a human shield, March, 2003
Nabhan Tawfiq 'Ali Najar
Nablus: IDF soldiers use Nabhan Najar as a human shield, December 2002
Muhammad Jibril Jamil a-Rajbi
Bassem Yasser Khalf Maswadeh
Wa'il Mahmoud Muhammad Abu Rumeileh
Bilal Ma'adi Daud a-Rajbi
Hebron: IDF soldiers beat and abuse Palestinians in barbershop, December 2002
Khaled Ibrahim Muhammad Kamil
Jenin: IDF soldiers use Khaled Kamil as a human shield, November 2002
Husam Salim Ahmad Ahmad Subuh
Tawfiq Zaqi Yusef Salah
IDF uses Husam Subuh and Tawfiq Salah as human shields, September 2002
Mahmoud Narmi Hamed Abu 'Arara
IDF use Palestinian man, Mahmud Abu 'Arara, as a human shield, September 2002
Israeli response
Amos Harel, “Top IDF Officer censured over use of ‘human shields in Nablus”,18 October 2007 http://www.haaretz.com/news/top-idf-officer-censured-over-use-of-hu... (Accessed 22 April 2011).
The question is - since the practice continues - is enough being done to stop it?
Israeli troops demoted over Gaza 'human shield' boy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11807152
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Permalink Reply by Jeff stern on
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Firstly, I condem all use of human sheilds and al those wh do such a thing should be put on trial and punished That being said, Israel is a country ofd Law and all such cases, if accurate, are sent to miliraty police and courts in accordance with teh supreme court ruling By definision these are acts of inividuals not those of the government.... You did find a good dozen accusationsover the last ten years but you neglected to mention one case ofPleastinans using their own people as sheilds.. I am not talking beating up or putting in front of a truck , but actually using homes as launching pads of terror.
Hamas is responsible fo hundreds if not thousands of deaths dude to their use of teh local population as human sheilds. This in no way justify the individual use by soldiers but this is not in the same catagory. Hamas as an orginization systematical uses civilians as sheild...
Funny you would think B'teselem woudl care about the death of innocents even when it does ot help with their politics... I wouldthink you would as well.....
Check this out, might just e an eye opener..
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Hamas+war+ag...
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Permalink Reply by Stewart Mills on
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Jeff, there is a difference between voluntary offering yourself as a human shield and threatening someone to be a human shield or face prison or death.
1000 internationals voluntarily offered themselves to go as human shields to Iraq.
A friend of mine, Donna Mulheran, was such a human shield
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2005/s1404292.htm
http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/03/nov/2/19.html
http://www.pilgrimstoryteller.com/
Donna has written about her experience as a human shield in Iraq.
http://www.ordinarycourage.org/
The video footage that the MFA showed was of civilians voluntarily offering themselves to protect loved ones. There is no crime in voluntarily offering yourself to be a deterrent from military attack.
The IDF attacks on their houses was not because of an immediate threat posed by those individuals but as retribution. Any decision to bomb those houses was not to gain a military advantage but to assassinate wanted persons. Therefore, the IDF is responsible for those killed.
In the case of Abu bilal al-Ja'aber his wife and 5 children were killed. The IDF eventually succeeded in assassinating him again by an aircraft bomb on 30 July 2010.
'Senior Hamas man killed in Gaza strike'
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3927502,00.html
The video footage purportedly showing rockets being fired from Gaza show it to be outside the city.
The one shot that shows a built up area does not provide conclusive evidence of the immediate location where the rockets were fired from. We don't know what is behind the hill. We don't know the authenticity of the video footage.
In terms of my previous reply on human shields.
You will note that you raised the question of human shields and made no reference to Palestinians being used as coerced/involuntary human shields.
My response was to establish this is not a one way street. ie not only did the IDF use PAlestinian human shields but they compelled their human shields at the threat of death or imprisonment.
I will concede that certain PAlestinian groups may also compel human shields eg the example of a boy being picked up. However, the examples given on the MFA website are not of this category human shield, but of voluntary human shields. There is no crime in voluntarily offering yourself as a human shield.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff stern on
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Just to understand, shooting from a civilian home is not using the home/neigbors and everyone around a human sheild? Are you saying that people allow the rocket shot from their home? seriously?
If somone volinteers to be a human sheild then as far as I am concerned they are not civilians, they have elected to be part of teh combatants, etremist or terrorists and they can not be counted as civilian deaths...
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Permalink Reply by Sussan on -
Jeff, in a normal war (I don’t really believe ‘war’ is normal), so instead, I will say, in a ‘usual’ war, the civilians scatter in every direction, and then return to their homes, in the aftermath of the fighting.
The fact that the civilians in Gaza are trapped by the attacking country (and therefore unable to flee) is an issue that calls into question the ethics of any kind of Israeli attack, no matter how many rockets, no matter how effective those rockets might be.
The people of Gaza are not used as human shields, they are deliberately trapped by the opposing forces. This is the point at which, in a 'normal' war, it would be considered that the war was 'won', and it would be time to negotiate a peace deal.
Here is an interesting article:
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/04/20114171159204...
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Permalink Reply by Jeff stern on
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In a normal war missles are not launched from homes of civilians at other civilians. Not sure if you have seen a map of Gaza lately butif you really want to kill civilians there is enough free space to attack from that would not require the use of civilian facilities.
http://electusunus26.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/_41868874_gaza_str...
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Permalink Reply by Stewart Mills on
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Losing sight of humanity - you are either with us or you are a terrorist!
Jeff, such a definition of a terrorist is deeply disturbing and dangerous. Certainly the Israeli Army would not even endorse such a definition. Although the Israeli Armed Forces would permit soldiers to kill non-combatants, it is only officially condoned on the pretext at least of a military target (ie a combatant who poses an immediate threat or who has deemed to be a target for assassination). Either way the IAF still distinguish combatants from non-combatants. This is in deep contrast to the definition you have proposed.
The term terrorist is a pejorative term that is meant to help soldiers move on from the unnatural act of killing fellow human beings.
Attempts to expand the definition in such a crude fashion as you have proposed only leads to the further devaluing of human life. It is one thing to try and justify the killing of a person who poses an immediate threat to another human being, but what is the threat posed by a 23 year old American girl standing in front of a home that is about to be bulldozed? What is the threat of an Australian woman staying at a power plant in Bagdad?
Is this what we have come to? Is this the end result of 6 decades of brainwashing about the moral righteousness of forcibly retaking land.
Are you seriously equating such actions with someone who intentionally kills civilians for political ends?
What can we learn from the lessons of Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi?
What can we learn from: 'Neither shall you stand aside when mischief befalls your neighbor.' (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:16)."
What was Gandhi's principles of Satyagraha?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyagraha
Persons who have sacrificed their life to make a broader social and political message
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Quảng_Đức
The example of Estonia
Estonia finally won their freedom following the 1987-1991 Singing Revolution, in which Estonians gathered night after night, singing national songs and hymns banned by the Soviets and listening to rock music. When the Soviets attempted to quell the revolution, the Estonians used their bodies to shield radio and TV stations from being attacked by tanks. The revolution ended without any bloodshed, with 1/5th of the population having participated at some point. It marks one of the greatest triumphs of the power of liberty over authoritarianism in history.
http://www.stateofworldliberty.org/report/results.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Revolution
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