By Joseph Massad, The Electronic Intifada, 20 January 2009

The logic goes as follows: Israel has the right to occupy Palestinian land, lay siege to Palestinian populations in Bantustans surrounded by an apartheid wall, starve the population, cut them off from fuel and electricity, uproot their trees and crops, and launch periodic raids and targeted assassinations against them and their elected leadership, and if this population resists these massive Israeli attacks against their lives and the fabric of their society and Israel responds by slaughtering them en masse, then Israel would simply be “defending” itself as it must and should.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10221.shtml

“Not even high intelligence and a sensitive spirit are of any help once the facts of a situation are deduced from a political theory, rather than vice versa.” — Robert Conquest, author of The Great Terror, the first authority on Stalin’s Great Purge, 1936-1938.

“Might it be possible that Hamas placed white phosphorous in harm’s way to further ignite anger against the IDF?”

Well, it’s a legitimate question. After all, we’ve all seen accusations from Israel that Hamas actually killed the 350 children to spark outrage from the international community.

The answer is NO. An unqualified NO. Hamas couldn’t do it, and Hamas wouldn’t do it. Hamas doesn’t have access to White Phosphorous bombs in the first place, and Hamas knows full well that it’s future depends on support from Palestinians, who are no fools, let me tell you. They are shut off from the world, starving, and brutally oppressed; but they get information, they survive, and they would not stand for their children to be slaughtered by Hamas for political gain. They are not fools. The demonization of Palestinians by Israel is one of the most offensive parts of the entire history. Palestinians are a wonderful people; they love their children; they are warm, hospitable, and if you are visiting them, you wouldn’t believe the warmth you’d see from them.

Israel is a rogue state. Only a rogue state would do what Israel does in the Territories. Even Israelis admit it. The problem is, Americans largely don’t know that fact. But, I do. And so do many, many others.

We will continue to speak out, and to highlight Israeli voices that dissent, because Israel will not survive without their reason, without their voices.

hmmmmm…as to the depleted uranium, that is
possible. They did get much in the way of arms
from the U.S. But the far left/right nexus is well-armed with rumor and disinformation to make its case. And they have militated against Israel since its inception. I have never fully understood the abject hate or ire tiny little
Israel engenders in opponents. It’s as if
Hitlerites vow to go to their grave seeking revenge.

The ultimate revenge is survival and Jews are famous for that affront against other ethnic groups. Just musing.

God help us. How much did he pay for this piece of drivel?

You know, kinda like Saddam Hussein was forced to comply with same.

There are multiple international organizations condemning Israel this time, including the United Nations itself, over UN workers killed by out-of-control IDF members, and the many lies the Israeli political leadership tried to tell, but later changed their stories.

It’s quite different now. Israel’s “unilateral ceasefire, declaring victory” is being laughed at around the world , this time.

Not a good outcome for Israel, especially since Americans threw the neocons out of office, in favor of even-handed diplomacy.

Thanks for all your rational, factual articles you bring to the board.

THIS time, though, even Turkey has turned against them.

Depends on how one defines “success” and “defeat,” doesn’t it?

I guess for people like Julie, shooting children in the head is ok.

Disgusting, aren’t they?

“Clear and undeniable evidence” of Israeli use of White Phosphorous in Gaza

http://news.antiwar.com/2009/01/19/israels-use-of-white-phosphorus-in-civilian-areas-clear-and-undeniable/

The Geneva Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons prohibits the use of White Phosphorous against civilian populations, or against military forces co-located with civilians.

In addition a letter from several ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) asked the agency to investigate reports that the Israeli military had been using depleted uranium weapons during the war.

Even Turkey, a non-secular Muslim nation–a democracy—is calling for an international arms embargo against Israel.

Egypt has refused to allow international troops on their sovereign soil to watch the border, as Israel has tried to push the United States to force them to do.

The worm has turned, Julie.

And that’s not a good outcome for Israel.

Maybe the United Nations will now force Israel to comply with the 65 UN Resolutions they have completely ignored , given that they think they’re ABOVE international law, and that they think Palestinian children are worth LESS than Israeli children.

Perhaps the rest of the world will see the brutality of the Israeli nation, and converge in holding them to international standards of common decency.

Good outcome for the United States , of course.

NOT a good outcome for Israel.

Due respect.