An eye for an eye

~ susie

Look, I know that there are also attacks on Israelis originating in Gaza – but not like this cold-blooding shooting of children:

At least 10 Palestinian children have been shot and wounded by Israeli troops in the past three months while collecting rubble in or near the “buffer zone” created by Israel along the Gaza border, in a low-intensity offensive on the fringes of the blockaded Palestinian territory.

Israeli soldiers are routinely shooting at Gazans well beyond the unmarked boundary of the official 300 metre-wide no-go area, rights groups say.

According to Bassam Masri, head of orthopaedics at the Kamal Odwan hospital in Beit Lahiya in the north of Gaza, about 50 people have been treated for gunshot wounds suffered in or near the buffer zone while collecting rubble in the past three months; about five have been killed.

He estimates that 30% of the injured are boys under 18.

Defence for Children International (DCI) has documented 10 cases of children aged 13 to 17 being shot in a three-month period between 50 and 800 metres from the border. Nine were shot in a leg or arm; one was shot in the stomach.

The creation of the no-go area has forced farmers to abandon land and residents to leave homes for fear of coming under fire. Last month a 91-year-old man and two teenage boys were killed while harvesting olives outside the official zone when Israeli troops fired shells. Forty-three goats also died in the attack.

In another case a mother of five was killed by a shell outside her home near the zone in July.

Israel declared the buffer zone inside Gaza after the three-week war in 2008-9, saying it was intended to prevent militants firing rockets. It has dropped leaflets from planes several times warning local people not to venture within 300 metres of the fence that marks the border or risk being shot.

However, the UN, aid agencies and rights groups say that Israel has unofficially and without warning extended the zone to up to 1km from the fence, leaving residents and farmers uncertain whether it is safe to access their land or property.

“The army knows the kids are there to collect. They watch them every day and they know they have no weapons,” said Mohammed Abu Rukbi, a fieldworker with DCI. “They usually fire warning shots but the kids don’t take much notice.”

Mohammed Sobboh, 17, was shot just above the knee on August 25 when he was 800 metres from the border, he said. The 12 people in his family have no other income and are not entitled to aid from the UN as they are not refugees.

Published by susie

16 thoughts on “An eye for an eye”

  1. This happens because the Israelis have become the Nazis and the Palestinians have become the Jews. The Israelis consider the Palestinian kids to be animals or subhuman; just like the Nazis treated the Jews in Germany. Irony, yes. Projection is a biatch, but it’s much easier with $3 billion a year of American taxpayer money that lands in their bank accounts by direct deposit. The bullets they’re using to kill the kids were probably made in Oklahoma by Americans.

  2. Look, I know that there are also attacks on Israelis originating in Gaza – but not like this cold-blooding shooting of children:

    Not commenting on the shooting by the Israelis, because I don’t have all the facts..

    But, the attacks on Israelis originating from Gaza are EXACTLY like this alleged “cold blooded shooting of children”..

    Shall I point to all the suicide bombings and the children killed in those bombings??

    No matter HOW one tries to spin things, the simple fact is, until the terrorism against Israel stops, Israel will ALWAYS have the legal, ethical and moral high ground.

    These are the facts that no amount of spin can erase.

    Michale32086

  3. Nice job conflating rocket attacks with suicide bombers, Michale.

    The buffer zone is to protect against ROCKET attacks: “Israel declared the buffer zone inside Gaza after the three-week war in 2008-9, saying it was intended to prevent militants firing rockets.”

    How many Israelis have been killed or injured by those rockets? How does a buffer zone IN GAZA prevent suicide bombings IN ISRAEL.

    Of course, if you attitude is “Israel is right about everything always, no matter what the facts” then it really doesn’t matter.

  4. The fact is that only bloodthirsty pigs shoot kids.
    Does it really matter who started it? No.
    I say we nuke it from space. It’s the only way to be sure.

  5. Marvelously perverted logic: To beat terrorists, you have to be worse than the terrorists. Excellent “moral high ground.” Hope you enjoy it up there, alone, with your American-made weapons keeping you safe from yourselves. Can you build a settlement on that high ground? Or will your fortunes fall on the wind, as ever, as the Chosen Ones? The wind will blow and the worm will turn and the world will grow weary of your narcissistic pathologies, then it will end, thank god.

  6. Snarki,

    Nice job conflating rocket attacks with suicide bombers, Michale.

    What exactly are you saying? That Israelis haven’t been killed by suicide bombers out of Gaza??

    How many Israelis have been killed or injured by those rockets? How does a buffer zone IN GAZA prevent suicide bombings IN ISRAEL.

    Allow me to give you an analogy…

    You have this group of rednecks who, at odd hours of the day or not, drive by your house and shoot at your house with you and your family inside..

    Would it really matter to you that these scumbags were only using outdated muskets and unreliable guns???

    Of course it wouldn’t….

    Of course, if you attitude is “Israel is right about everything always, no matter what the facts” then it really doesn’t matter.

    No, my attitude is exactly as I stated it above..

    As long as Israel and Israelis are the victims of terrorist attacks, then Israel will always hold the legal, ethical and moral high ground.

    ALWAYS..

    Because nothing justifies terrorism…

    NOTHING….

    Captain Fantastic

    I say we nuke it from space. It’s the only way to be sure.

    Anyone that can apply a Movie/TV quote to a discussion is all right in my book!! 😀

    Marvelously perverted logic: To beat terrorists, you have to be worse than the terrorists.

    Using your logic, the cop who kills a scumbag is no different than the scumbag hitman who kills for fun and profit…

    As with most things in life, intent is the determining factor…

    Michale32086

  7. Using your logic, the cop who kills a scumbag is no different than the scumbag hitman who kills for fun and profit…

    That should read…

    Using your logic, the cop who kills a scumbag in defense of others is no different than the scumbag hitman who kills for fun and profit…

    Got ahead of myself there. My bust….

    Michale32086

  8. It’s really quite simple..

    The Palestinians could live in peace side by side with the Israelis if they would just be content to live in peace side by side with the Israelis.

    The Palestinians could have peace tomorrow if they would just agree to three simple conditions.

    1. Release Cpl Schalit..

    2. Stop the terrorism..

    3. Agree to Israel’s right to exist.

    None of these conditions are unfair or extreme or impossible.

    They are very simple conditions and, if accomplished, would put the onus on Israel to put up or shut up..

    By agreeing to and following thru with those 3 simple conditions, the Palestinians would immediately put Israel in the position to make a real and honest commitment to peace.

    If the Palestinians agreed to and followed thru with those 3 conditions and Israel did NOT uphold their end, then the world would make sure that it was Israel who paid the price..

    And I would be right there, adding my voice against Israel..

    But, until the Palestinians satisfy those conditions, then Israel will have carte blanche in dealing with the issue…

    This is the reality, regardless of the wishes of the Palestinians and their supporters..

    Michale32086

  9. Arguing with yourself again, I see.
    If that’s what it takes to assuage your guilty soul, that’s fine.
    Knock yourself out, gomer.
    (And did I read your words? No.)

  10. CF,

    (And did I read your words? No.)

    So, in other words, you respond off the cuff without actually reading what you are responding to..

    You don’t actually want to discuss the issue, you simply want to impose your point of view…

    Color me surprised… 😀

    That was sarcasm, in case you missed it…

    Michale32086

  12. Dan Hill,

    What is the point of the article? That Palestinians have it rough…

    No one disputes that..

    Yet, the Palestinians are more often than not, their own worst enemy. The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity..

    Their biggest problem is believing that things can be decided with violence and bloodshed and terrorism.

    Michale32086

  13. The point taken? That Palestinians lived in–you know, Palestine–for generations, got kicked out of many lands, and current Israeli government continues to at least tacitly support illegal settlements in East Jerusalem and Hebron.

    Although my cynicism abounds, still hope and pray both branches of Abraham’s family learn to get along.

    Funny cartoon with this post: http://empireofdirt77.blogspot.com/2010/09/agnostoc-geopgrapher.html

    peace

    PS: Also by implication, my point has something to do with the whole “Blessed are the pecemaekers thing.

  14. Dan,

    For better or for worse, fair or unfair, the Palestinians were conquered.

    They have no more right to have their land back as American Indians have the right to have their land back in the United States.

    If a person living and owning property in the US believes that Israel should simply give back the land of Israel to the Palestinians, then that person must also be ready to give all their property and possessions to the American Indians.

    Anything less is simply hypocrisy..

    Regardless of the afore, even if the Palestinians do have a right to their land back, they certainly do not have the right to commit terrorism to acquire it.

    I said it before and I’ll say it again. As long as Palestinians commit, support and condone terrorism, Israel will always have the legal, ethical and moral high ground. Because nothing justifies, mitigates or explains terrorism..

    PS: Also by implication, my point has something to do with the whole “Blessed are the pecemaekers thing.

    I completely and unequivocally agree with you on this..

    Please point them out to me if you see any.. Peacemakers, I mean 😀

    Michale32086

  16. Susie,

    The attack on the King David Hotel was not an act of terrorism, but rather an attack on a legitimate military target.

    Most of the accounts of “terrorism” in the early days of Israel were also against legitimate military targets.

    Which isn’t to say that many of the attacks perpetrated by the Irgun et al weren’t brutal, sadistic and sometimes wholly without reason. They were.

    But one must differentiate between acts of warfare or criminal acts and acts of terrorism.

    I realize it’s an emotional topic. But one must discard emotions and look at the facts in the cold light of objectivity.

    Having said that, I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to terrorism and terrorists, I am as biased as they come. As I have pointed out here on SG on many occasions. 😀

    But I try not to let my personal animosity towards terrorism and terrorists color my analysis of the facts…

    Michale32086

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