Israel pounds Gaza, death toll well over 100 and climbing

[earth_as_one]

This war isn't just being fought with bombs and missiles. Its also an information war. Control what people know and you control what they think and who they support.

Israel and their supporters in the US are trying to manipulate American Taxpayers/Voters by controlling what they know. The rest of the world is trying to break through this censorship and misinformation and make the American people realize that they are being manipulated into supporting Israel's war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel has been using food and medicine as a weapon. As a result 1.5 million Gazans are threatened by Israeli created famine and disease. That is a crime against humanity.

Israel repeatedly broke a six month truce while Hamas essentially respected it (with a few exceptions in response to Israeli violence.)

Youtube and similar websites are being used to bypass the American news media and inform the American people directly.

For example: Contrary to what is being reported in the news, UN Observers have stated that Israel and not Hamas broke the 6 month ceasefire:
YouTube - NO! Hamas is NOT to Blame! Karen Abuzayd United Nations (Short Version) (REQUEST)

Gaza: secondary war being fought on the internet

The Israeli Army's YouTube channel



Image :1 of 2





David Byers


As fighting rages in the Gaza Strip an unprecedented 'virtual war' is being joined in cyberspace.

A furious public information battle is taking place on sites ranging from YouTube to Facebook between the Israeli state and Hamas.
It is part of an attempt by Israel's political leaders to use the internet to spread their message and has seen the country's Army, the IDF, becoming the first ever national force to set up their own YouTube channel.

More than 4,000 people have already subscribed to the IDF channel, launched on December 29, which shows constantly updated video footage of bombing raids from drones targeting Hamas infrastructure.

The Israeli consulate in New York has also hosted what is likely to be the world's first ever press conference on Twitter.
Meanwhile, on social networking site Facebook, a battle has emerged between quasi-official pro and anti-Israeli posters. One group, 'I Support the Israel Defence Forces In Preventing Terror Attacks From Gaza,' set up on Monday by a former Israeli Army veteran, has so far accumulated 22,964 members. Counter-groups have been set up opposing it.

The Hamas web operation has also sprung into action online. The group has relied on shocking images of civilian casualties taken by local media workers to rally people to its cause...

Gaza: secondary war being fought on the internet - Times Online

 

[MHz]

You embarrass yourself every time you hit the 'post button' .

Date: 05 / 11 / 2008 Time: 01:27

[Ma'anImages]​

Gaza – Ma’an – The death toll in the Gaza Strip rose to six on Wednesday morning after another Al-Qassam Brigades fighter died of wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis.

Five Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades activists were killed earlier on Tuesday evening by Israeli fire in the Al-Qarara area of Khan Younis and at Juhr Ad-Dik, in central Gaza.

An Al-Qassam Brigades leader, Mazin Sa’da, who is also a police officer, was killed and four civilians were injured including a woman as Israeli forces invaded Juhr Ad-Dik and clashed with Palestinian fighters, according to Muawiya Hassanein, director of ambulance and emergency service in the Palestinian health ministry.

Separately, an Israeli drone launched a missile at a group of Al-Qassam activists in Al-Qarara, killing four of them. Mu’awiya Hassanein identified the victims as Muhammad Ba’lusha, Omar Al-Alami, Muhammad Awad and Wajdi Muharib.

Israeli sources announced that one soldier was slightly injured in Deir Al-Balah.

Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a statement that it launched eight mortar shells at Israeli forces in the central Gaza Strip near the military post of Kissufim. They affirmed they would block any Israeli attempt to invade the Gaza Strip regardless of the ceasefire, which would not prevent them from defending the Palestinian people. The statement warned of a tough retaliation to any invasion attempt.

Witnesses told Ma’an that they saw large numbers of Israeli tanks near the abandoned Israeli settlement of Dugit near Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, as well as helicopters overhead.

An Israeli military spokesperson claimed that the incursion in the central Gaza Strip came after Israeli intelligence received reports about Hamas plans to abduct an Israeli soldier using a tunnel under the border.

“The Palestinians detonated the tunnel after Israeli forces besieged the building,” he claimed.

With regard to the ceasefire, the spokesperson said the Israeli incursion intended to protect ceasefire.

The de facto government in the Gaza Strip held the Israeli government responsible for all the consequences of their "aggression," describing it as the most serious violation of the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire since it went into effect in June.

***Updated 9:15 Bethlehem time
Maan News Agency


SNIP
Now, let me refer you -- it's not just us. We've checked in other periodicals. Johnny (ph), go over my shoulder, if you can. Here we go. "The six-month ceasefire started coming apart at the beginning of November after Israeli commandos killed a team of Hamas fighters during a raid on a tunnel they suspected was being dug for kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. That raid set off more Palestinian rocketing." That's "U.S. News and World Report."

I got another one for you, I believe, here. OK, this is "The Guardian" -- questionable, but nonetheless. "A four-month ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza was in jeopardy today" -- this was actually reported when it happened -- "after Israeli troops killed six gunmen in a raid in the territory." That's important to report.

And here we go, as well, from the Economist.com, and the point of contention here is this one. Johnny, one more. "The last straw came in November, when Israelis killed six gunmen it said were digging tunnels to launch a raid onto Israel, spurring Hamas to respond with a barrage of rockets."

So the question as to who started this -- and we've been hearing that the Israelis say they had to do this because, suddenly, the ceasefire had been broken in Gaza by the Hamas and the Palestinians. Is this now a little more in question?

CLANCY: You know, that is absolutely true. But just as true is the fact that if Israel hadn't started shooting first in this case -- and Israel said, We had security reasons, imminent security reasons. There was no real deal here between Hamas and Israel. Israel still reserved the right to go in to do any attack where there was a primary security interest there. And they said, Our soldiers were going to be kidnapped. We had to do it.
SNIP
CNN.com - Transcripts

Of course no proof of any allegations was ever offered, no big surprise there.

BTW the video the IDF put out saying they took out some rockets in the back of a truck were actually welding tanks.
Al Jazeera English - News
Probably got their training in the US. LOL
66Stage : Free Movies Online

 

[Zzarchov]

It is surely an information war. But it is the Palestinian cause who is more Media savvy and better at manipulating the news and information.

Very little information about Israel leaks out, a lot about Palestine and their hardship gets out.

Have you ever read the BBC? I mean, honestly it doesn't even cover anything about Israel except as a blurb before describing the suffering of Palestinians, like the "massive increase in cigarette and chocolate prices" with a tag line at the bottom of the article "several more rockets were fired into Israel today".

Do you really think that Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the most powerful political organizations in the world.

Doesn't know how to control PR? Do you have any idea how much money they have?

The sheer naivete in this situation, my god, do you know how many billions of dollars armed combat against Israel nets?


The sheer naivete of the situation baffles me on your end.


Honestly stop viewing such blatant propaganda and do some critical thinking. Do you not think that if every video of the situation you see is a carefully cut montage with sappy music that maybe, just MAYBE its a form of propaganda? Being the literal definition and all?

 

[lone wolf]

...Well they claim to be God's people, let them start acting like they are under Christ dominion....

Christ dominion? Umm... you know we are speaking of non-Christians here don't you? Christ and God are not the same....

 

[Unforgiven]

What did Israel import in that same period, a billion or two in weapons? See if you can wrap your brain around this not-to-hard-to-understand fact. In early November Israel killed 6 people in an unprovoked attack. That means it was not a retaliatory strike it was the 1st strike in the 6 month truce. Have you got that fact inside your head yet?

I have no idea what Israel imported in the same period. Neither do you. As well I have no problem wrapping my brain around anything you can come up with. I disagree with what you seem to consider a fact though. Much like I disagree with what you call an unprovoked attack. Much like what you call fire crackers, same problem.

Let's start with this unprovoked attack you claim resulted in the "murder of innocents". These guys were in a tunnel that was to be used for abducting IDF soldiers. Upon discovery of this by an IDF patrol, those innocent men started shooting at the IDF patrol as they approached the structure wounding a number of them two seriously.

Maybe it's just me but I think someone starts shooting at you, it's a provocation. Shooting at you from the fresh tunnel they made to abduct soldiers. Also rather provocative. Returning fire resulted in Palestinian casualties. In response 60 some odd rockets were fired at Israel, 16 of them landing in Gaza.

So calling this an unprovoked attack on some innocent men a fact, is not in the least bit accurate.

So it takes billions/year to defend against some rockets that aren't any more powerful than a hand-grenade. Why are the complaining to Russia about the sale of S-400 (not S-300) air defence systems to Iran, it is none of their business now is it? How many firecrackers went off before those murders in early November?
When has anybody ever sanctioned Israel for all her unlawful deeds in the last 60 years. Must have been a real shock for Israel to lose those 30 rockets they planted in souther Lebanon just days before this slaughter began.

It takes what it takes. When you shoot at someone you don't get to choose the calibre of returning fire. If that is bothersom I would say it's best not to shoot at anyone at all.

That Iran has vowed to push Israel back into the sea, I would say that any weapon imports to Iran would fall under the interests of Israel.

Did you also know the US is not allowed under their own laws to ship arms to any Nation that has a nuclear power plant but is not allowing IAEA inspections. That makes weapons sales to them illegal under their own laws.

That merits more investigation.

When does somebody get to complain about Israel getting weapons and then using them? All they do is bitch about Iran supplying those tiny rockets to Hamas (the plans are probablly on the internet). They did the same when they were bombing Lebanon. Apparently they are the only ones allowed any weapons. A mentally unbalanced as they are (expulsion from countries being the deciding factor on mental stability on how well they can get along with others) why should they have any.

Once they stop attacking other countries. Didn't we cover this already? I would say that any peaceful nation should be allowed arms to protect it's soverngty. But that is tempered with them being used for defence rather than agression and an escalation to existing wars and exportation of terrorism.

Israel won't stand for any peace that establishes borders, it will only when they control every square inch they want to claim as theirs. As soon as Hamas was elected Israel went to war to dislodge them, they want a government of their choice running Gaza. They got the puppet gov in the West Bank and it hasn't slowed Jewish expansion into that area in the least.

I suppose we need to have a time when Israel isn't under attack from someone. Israel established it's borders in 47 when the British left. Since then alsorts have stepped up to have a go. After the beat down, most found it best to agree to peace and have found as much in the ensueing years. Those who choose to continue the agression have consistantly done poorly with that policy. What's more, lost ground due to the spoils of war.

Well they claim to be God's people, let them start acting like they are under Christ dominion. Even OT Law didn't allow them to do the kind of things they have been doing for the last 2,000 years. Try importing 2 billion in usable products instead of weapons of war. That would mean adhering to international law, like this one.
"The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer
parts of its own civilian population into the
territory it occupies." —Article 49 of the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949

"We consider these settlements to be contrary to
the Geneva Convention, that occupied territory
should not be changed by establishment of permanent
settlements by the occupying power".

Oh sorry what does that include targetting civilians? Yeah rules and regulations for some eh?

 

[MHz]

Christ dominion? Umm... you know we are speaking of non-Christians here don't you? Christ and God are not the same....

Yes I'm quite aware of both those facts.

 

[Shia]

um here is my 2 cent. What israel is doing is more of geneocide. It is what hitler did to them..by a systematic mean!

For those people that are educated and aren't jews please take a moment to think about these war attacks in the right proportion.

I'll break down the figures to the lowest values for better understanding of the scope of this situation. Say 1 crazy hot headed arab guy from gaza launches a rocket launcher from the great china wall that jews have constructed between the border. It probably won't be in range or accurate to even harm any civilians from the other side. In return for the pride of israel, their military will send 5-10 jets that will drop of bombs throughout the city that is heavily populated.

Whatever happened to human rights? Jews say, they are afraid of terrorist that are launching rockets along the border, which don't even touch them..while arabs in gaza that are dieing in large sums are not afraid of jewish planes dropping bombs at innocent civilians? I believe if there is any humainity left in the world, they would see who the real victim is..

I read a humorous post here a little while back..where someone said..israel is 'defending' themselves. lmao :lol: where do these nutcases come from.. haha

 

[Zzarchov]

um here is my 2 cent. What israel is doing is more of geneocide. It is what hitler did to them..by a systematic mean!

For those people that are educated and aren't jews please take a moment to think about these war attacks in the right proportion.

I'll break down the figures to the lowest values for better understanding of the scope of this situation. Say 1 crazy hot headed arab guy from gaza launches a rocket launcher from the great china wall that jews have constructed between the border. It probably won't be in range or accurate to even harm any civilians from the other side. In return for the pride of israel, their military will send 5-10 jets that will drop of bombs throughout the city that is heavily populated.

Whatever happened to human rights? Jews say, they are afraid of terrorist that are launching rockets along the border, which don't even touch them..while arabs in gaza that are dieing in large sums are not afraid of jewish planes dropping bombs at innocent civilians? I believe if there is any humainity left in the world, they would see who the real victim is..

I read a humorous post here a little while back..where someone said..israel is 'defending' themselves. lmao :lol: where do these nutcases come from.. haha

Ah the voice of pure ignorance.

1, there is no way anyone, could pretend that this is genocide.

Israel is a nuclear armed nation, if genocide was the goal it would be over by now, no more Palestine, the end. Bye bye.

2.) There is no way one can claim this is systematic, especially compared to the holocaust, which (putting aside its sheer evil) was a feat of beurocracy and engineering to ensure it went so orderly.

3.) If by one crazy headed guy you mean an entire militant wing with full support of the government, sure.

So why isn't the government cracking down on them? Why when Israel raided JUST the militants back in I believe it was june (killing 6) did Hamas threaten to end the "Ceasefire" that still had thousands of rockets streaming into Israel?

4.) Attempted Murder is still a crime, If I fire a rocket at your house, or throw a molotov cocktail, or shoot several bullets into your living room window, even if you don't die I am still going to jail for a long time. And If I refuse to surrender to police, they will shoot me.

But I guess Jews aren't allowed the same legal protections every other human being on the planet has, even Palestinian Muslims claim that right and exercise it (see current blame game in the region).


If you think Israeli warplanes are targetting civilians you are also daft. As you said, Gaza is a densely populated urban environment.

Do you know how much devestation aerial bombardment could do in a week if they were targetting civilians?

Do you know what kind of devestation they would cause even if they just didn't care if civilians were caught in the crossfire?

The casualty numbers are a sure indication that Israel is not targetting civilians. If you want to see what kind of civilian deaths result from genocide, read up on Rwanda and remember: That was done with Machetes, imagine the deathtoll with airplanes dropping bombs able to level an entire apartment building , killing everyone inside, with a single volley..and thousands of planes doing that 24/7.

 

[Cliffy]

After 60 years of fighting, these latest bombings and who's to blame is a chicken and egg question.

 

[earth_as_one]

Many people in Canada and the US believe Israel is defending themselves because that's what Canadian and US news and our leaders tell us. Our news lets Israel defend their actions, but we don't hear information from objective sources or the other side of the conflict. As a result of just hearing pro-Israel propaganda perceptions have been skewed and are not based on the facts.

UN observers are responsible for informing the world objectively about the facts regarding this conflict. In the press conference below, they claim that Hamas respected the terms of ceasefire, more or less, while Israel violated it repeatedly. Hamas only fired rockets at Israel in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire terms. They point out that 80% of Gazans dependent on food aid which has been mostly blockaded by Israel. They decribe the effects of electricty outages caused by Israel's fuel blockade on hospitals and potable water. They respond to leading questions that accuse Hamas of using civilians as human shields and make a clear statement regarding Israel's violations of, and Hamas's respect for, the ceasefire.

YouTube - NO! Hamas is NOT to Blame! Karen Abuzayd United Nations

Now compare UN Observer statements with these statements made by Tzipi Livni.

YouTube - Israel "Minimizing civilian casualties", targeting Hamas terrorists to defend itself

Since our news only gives us the Israeli version of this conflict, people think Israel is defending itself when an objective look at the facts as laid out by UN Observers tells a completely different story.

What Israel has been doing is using food and medicine as a weapon. Most Gaza children suffer some form of malnutrition and/or vitamin deficiency and most Gazans depend on food aid:

YouTube - Gaza children suffer from malnutrition due to Israeli siege

Using food and medicine as a weapon is a war crime:

UNITED NATIONS

Press Release

Gaza: Silence is not an option​

9 December 2008​

...Last week, Karen AbyZayd, who heads the UN relief effort in Gaza, offered first-hand confirmation of the desperate urgency and unacceptable conditions facing the civilian population of Gaza. Although many leaders have commented on the cruelty and unlawfulness of the Gaza blockade imposed by Israel, such a flurry of denunciations by normally cautious UN officials has not occurred on a global level since the heyday of South African apartheid.

And still Israel maintains its Gaza siege in its full fury, allowing only barely enough food and fuel to enter to stave off mass famine and disease. Such a policy of collective punishment, initiated by Israel to punish Gazans for political developments within the Gaza Strip, constitutes a continuing flagrant and massive violation of international humanitarian law as laid down in Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention....

....an urgent effort should be made at the United Nations to implement the agreed norm of a 'responsibility to protect' a civilian population being collectively punished by policies that amount to a Crime Against Humanity.

In a similar vein, it would seem mandatory for the International Criminal Court to investigate the situation, and determine whether the Israeli civilian leaders and military commanders responsible for the Gaza siege should be indicted and prosecuted for violations of international criminal law. As AbuZayd has declared, "This is a humanitarian crisis deliberately imposed by political actors."...

Situation in Gaza - UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in OPT (Falk) - Statement (9 December 2008)

The next time our news tells us about Israelis allowing humanitarian food aid into Gaza, consider how much food it would take to feed 80% of 1.5 million people.

 

[Zzarchov]

Actually, we hear mostly Pro-Palestinian news sources telling us how they are freedom fighters, or the response is "disproportianate".

The little bit they can't squash where we notice "Hey, they are shooting rockets into Israel, even if they don't hit anyone they are trying to maim and murder" is enough to convince us that no amount of recut generic funeral images with sappy music makes their actions of attempted murder Ok.

You are like the right wing news sources in the USA whining about the "left wing media" or "The medias liberal bias", even though most media is incredibley right wing and owned by those same newscasters parent company.

There is no "Pro-israel media" just like there is no "left wing media conspiracy".

 

[Just the Facts]

You embarrass yourself every time you hit the 'post button' .

Links? :lol:

At least you did some reading. Now that you have one side of the story from those who only want you to have one side of the story, here's what I found in under 10 minutes regarding the "first strike during the truce".

Unless of course, I misunderstood and what you were really saying is that it took Israel almost 5 months to respond to contant truce violations by the Gazans. But somehow I don't think that was your point.


From June 24
Hamas: We want truce, despite rocket attacks - CNN.com
Hamas leaders in Gaza are still committed to a cease-fire agreement with Israel despite numerous rocket and mortar strikes Tuesday, a Hamas spokesman said.

From June 26
The rocket hit the Sderot industrial area on Thursday afternoon, exploding near a gas station and shattering the truce for a fourth time this week.
Livni: Israel should respond militarily | Israel | Jerusalem Post

From July 10
Two Qassam rockets were fired from northern Gaza towards Israel on Thursday afternoon, one of them landed near a kibbutz in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council.
:::Hacked By JURM-TEAM:::

 

[Socrates the Greek]

The harsh realty facing Israel is, the Iranians will do the unthinkable against Israel and as we see bellow it is fact, that Iran is the manipulator as well financial and military support for Hamas on this war. Iran is not to be trusted with Nuclear capability in the Middle East. The extrem right wing fundamentalists of Iran are the cause of this stupid escalation of violence in Gaza. Glad they took the Hamas scum bag of a leader down, he belongs 6' under ground.



"The target of these operations are governing structures of Hamas in Gaza.

"The fact that Hamas, for a year and half, controlled Gaza and turned it into a Iranian base at the gates of Israel is a situation that is inconceivable and unacceptable to us.
"The blame is on Hamas ... When they took over, they didn't bring in investors, they brought in instructors from the Revolutionary Guards of Iran."
"Gaza will not be governed by Hamas in the long-run. It is inconceivable as far as we are concerned."
"There is no single country in the world that for several years accept their citizens will be under permanent fire of rocket missiles."

 

[TenPenny]

After 60 years of fighting, these latest bombings and who's to blame is a chicken and egg question.

You're right, and quite frankly, I don't know why the North American press bothers to cover this at all.I don't care anymore, because there's little desire on either side to end this in any reasonable way. Yawn - Irsael and the Palestinians are killing each other. Is it 1977, or 2009? Dunno, don't care, doesn't matter, because it's not going to stop, and nothing we say or do will make any difference.

 

[Cliffy]

You're right, and quite frankly, I don't know why the North American press bothers to cover this at all.I don't care anymore, because there's little desire on either side to end this in any reasonable way. Yawn - Irsael and the Palestinians are killing each other. Is it 1977, or 2009? Dunno, don't care, doesn't matter, because it's not going to stop, and nothing we say or do will make any difference.

Yup! I can't figure out why so many on here have their panties all in a knot either.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Iranian backed scum bag, one less heat-full sum bull walking the surface of the earth.

No tears for Hamas leader in Ramallah

Nizar Rayyan, the Hamas military commander who was killed in Thursday's air raid on his home in the Jabalya refugee camp, was a sworn enemy not only of Israel, but also of the Palestinian Authority and its president, Mahmoud Abbas.


View attachment 964

 

[Zzarchov]

I've come to a conclusion. Im not gonna bother commenting on Israel anymore. People just preach revisionist history. Its refuted. Time goes by, the same stuff is posted by the same people hoping no one will notice it before its buried in the pages and it will go unrefuted this time.

I'll just sit back and take notice that, really it doesn't matter how much people whine about Israel. The people in Israel will continue to protect themselves, as we would, and seeing as how we are preaching that they should kill themselves and their children, they will never listen to a damn bit of idiocy any masses in Canada preach.

They don't require any US aid, the US aid is more a way to ensure the Israeli arms Industry doesn't compete internationally with American, which it could. Plenty of nations in the world would love to buy Israeli missiles, let alone nuclear technology. If America stops funding them China will, or Russia or anyone who wants a powerful ally in a crucial theatre and a source of high technology innovations to enrich their own economy.

 

[lone wolf]

I've come to a conclusion. Im not gonna bother commenting on Israel anymore. People just preach revisionist history....

...and you are one of the offenders.

 

[Zzarchov]

...and you are one of the offenders.

Whine whine whine, I know how snippy you get that verifiable facts don't support your viewpoint. Its a real shame, don't worry though, you can keep relying on hearsay and opinions for the basis of your thought. Im sure they work almost as good as hard facts.

I debated whether or not to respond to that , but its not a comment on Israel. Its a comment on accuracy of information.

 

[lone wolf]

Whine whine whine, I know how snippy you get that verifiable facts don't support your viewpoint. Its a real shame, don't worry though, you can keep relying on hearsay and opinions for the basis of your thought. Im sure they work almost as good as hard facts.

I debated whether or not to respond to that , but its not a comment on Israel. Its a comment on accuracy of information.

You don't debate. You deny and propagandize. We established that long ago.

Hearsay and opinion? We spoke of that about my posting on the Golan Heights from August to November 1973, where you attempted to tell me I didn't see ordnance-laden Phantoms and Mirages (more properly, Nassers - technology stolen from another nation who was silly enough to trust in the integrity of Israel)headed across the no-fly zone to attack targets in Syria thus violating the cease fire. Ratio? 70+ Israeli aircraft versus NOT EVEN ONE Syrian MiG in all that time.