Sharon Praises Israeli Gaza Strike GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Undeterred by U.S. criticism, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) on Tuesday praised a deadly Israeli military strike in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) as a success and said there would be more such operations. Israel said Monday's raid in Gaza, which left 14 Palestinians dead and more than 100 wounded in the town of Khan Younis, was meant to put members of the Islamic militant group Hamas on notice that they could no longer feel safe in the crowded neighborhoods of Gaza. The Palestinians said all the dead and nearly all the wounded were civilians, while Sharon and the Israeli military said most of the dead were armed men killed in battle. The U.S. State Department, while reaffirming Israel's right to self defense, said it was "deeply troubled" by raids on Palestinian areas that killed civilians. The operation was also criticized by Russia, the United Nations (news - web sites) and the European Union (news - web sites) — which along with the United States, make up the quartet of Mideast mediators. Sharon expressed sorrow at the civilian deaths, but brushed off the international condemnation. "There is a need to be certain that terrorist organizations will not have the freedom to carry out intentional murder," Sharon said after a meeting with Israeli President Moshe Katsav. "The operation was a successful operation," Sharon added. "This operation was complicated, it was a difficult operation ... There will be more operations in Gaza." The Israeli commander of Monday's raid, Brig. Gen. Israel Ziv, acknowledged that none of those killed were wanted by Israel. He said the main objective was to shake up the group which has carried out dozens of bombing attacks in Israel. "Hamas is under a lot of stress lately because of our operations," Ziv said. "The main goal (of the Khan Younis operation) was to ... interfere with their self-confidence." Both Hamas and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s Fatah (news - web sites) faction have threatened to avenge those killed Monday. "Everyone should know that as our people were not safe in Khan Younis, so Israelis will not be safe in Tel Aviv," said Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a Hamas leader. "We will strike everywhere." With Israel threatening more raids, Hamas was also embroiled in a blood feud with the Palestinian police that left five people dead Monday — a Palestinian police colonel and four Hamas supporters. In the funeral for two of the Hamas supporters Tuesday, dozens among the 1,500 mourners hurled stones and bottles at a police station in Gaza City. Officers posted on the roof fired in the air. The colonel, who headed the Palestinian riot police, was kidnapped and shot dead Monday by about 20 Hamas gunmen. The main suspect is Emad Akel, a Hamas activist from the Nusseirat refugee camp, whose brother Raed, was killed a year ago, along with two other students, by Palestinian riot police dispersing protests at a Gaza City campus. Later Monday, a battle erupted between Hamas gunmen and police trying to arrest two suspects in Gaza City. Two Hamas supporters were killed and 10 bystanders wounded in the fighting. Police eventually withdrew and the suspects were whisked away by Hamas gunmen. A few hours later, Emad Akel demonstratively set up a mourning tent for his brother — something the family had sworn it would only do once revenge had been taken. The tent was erected on a main road near the Nusseirat refugee camp. Police arrived to disperse the crowd at the tent, and another gun battle ensued. Two more Hamas supporters were killed and 18 people were wounded, including two who were in critical condition Tuesday. On Tuesday, Akel's mother, Aisheh, confirmed that her son Emad killed the colonel. "If we had not killed him (the officer), the other families (of the other slain students) would have done so," she told The Associated Press. Hamas leaders portrayed the feud as a personal matter of several activists, but the clashes threatened to spiral into a full-blown confrontation between Hamas and the Palestinian security services. Arafat in the past has resisted calls by Israel and the United States to crack down on Hamas militants in order to prevent attacks on Israelis. However, security forces have taken tough measures in the past when they felt their authority was challenged by the militants. In other developments Tuesday, gunmen wounded four people, two of them seriously, in a West Bank shooting attack on an Israeli car. The army initially said one of the four was killed, but later corrected its report. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but Palestinian militants have targeted Jewish settlers on West Bank roads throughout the two years of Mideast fighting. In the West Bank town of Jenin, about 200 school children threw stones at two Israeli tanks enforcing a curfew in the West Bank town of Jenin. Soldiers opened fire, wounding two adults and two teen-agers, including a 17-year-old boy who was in serious condition with a bullet in the chest, doctors said.
Yes. Very much so. But firing a missle into a crowded area, with even their Government recognizing that no one in that area was even wanted is just a horrible act. I think its just as bad as a suicide bomber, but worse in the fact that its probably a US missle that killed 14 people and injured close to one hundred. I am willing to admit when the Palestinians are wrong, which they are very often, yet I will point it out when Israel is wrong. I was talking with House Representative Riddle from NW Houston last week and she was telling us about her trip to Israel and how wonderful it is there. She stated how the country was so modern and clean that they didn't re-use water that was sanitized and purified. And I thought to myself, they won't use water that we use in the US, when in the occupied territories children are drinking from the ground.
Actually it does not say no one in the area was wanted. It says the Palestinians say no one killed was wanted. And the Israelis dispute that. And if the terrorists hide among civilians, as in both examples, you cannot give them immunity. The civilians could expell them, instead they hide them. That makes them tragic targets by their own actions. Besides, in every war there is a point where the civilian population pays a price for those they support. This one is no different than bombing Germans or Serbs or Afghanis.
Sharon stated that none of the people were "specifically" wanted. But that some were militants. I'll find the quote later. But how can you justify something of this nature HayesStreet? A despicable action such as this will cause more Palestinians to resort to violence and will make them sympathize with the likes of a Hamas group. I am not averse to civilians perishing in battle, I know it is a fact of war. But there was not one Palestinian attack for a six week period and the Palestinian groups came to Israel for a peace settlement. Within these six weeks there were dozens of "targeted" killings or assasinations and several military actions in which children were killed. Then Israel denied the peace initiative and there were three attacks, then for a while there has been nothing and again Israel acts like this. My opinion: Israel doesn't want peace. Sharon knows that as long as their is violence he can keep his foothold in power and that he can continue to make settlements and push more and more palestinians out of Israel. I think they eventually want all the occupied territories. The Palestianians are already the largest refugee group in the world, and Israel simply wishes to expand on that figure.
Israel has military bases outside of poulated areas, the Palestinians attack the populated areas, civilians are killed. Palestinian terrorists have their military concentrated inside pop;ulated areas, Israel attacks the militants, civilians are killed. Yes, in both cases civilians are killed, but surely you are smart enough to recognize the difference. Palestinians are targetting civilinans while Israelis are hitting civilians that Palestinians are using as human shields. Your's FD is exactly the reaction the Palestinians are looking for when they use this tactic, sadly, they are able to convince far too many.
It was the act of the military of a recognized state. If it is anything it is a war crime..not terrorism.
Whether it's terrorism or not is debatable. I believe it was a clearly an unjust, and improper use of force. I think the UN may eventually have to step up enforcement of it's resolutions that Israel is in violation of. Perhaps they will impose an embargo, and the U.S. will be prevented from supplying them with arms.
All I think of when I see the subject of US arms shipments is that the most menacing handgun I have ever seen had written on the barrel : Product of the Israeli Military.
That would be the one. It reminds me of the gun with the really long barrel in the old TV series "Sledgehammer."
Don't recall Sledgehammer, but I know a little bit about IMI and their weapons. After all, who can forget the Uzi? (weird, I feel like I'm filling in for ROXRAN)
I believe it. They've come up with some real serious handguns, and let's not forget everyone's favorite, the Uzi. It's not the handguns that are at issue with me at least, it's the missles, aircraft, helicopters and larger weaponry that I wish we could change our policy on. We don't have to stop supplying totally but at least tie their shipment to curbs in Israeli violations of geneva convention agreements, UN resolutions etc. Also since both sides are clearly wrong, the UN might also be able to send observers in, to deal with the Palestinian terrorist groups. Of course these things would just be first steps unless they sufficed to bring about sufficient change.
The problem is that if you weaken the Israeli military, what will the Palestinians do? I doubt that they'd decrease the number and intensity of their bombings. They would know that the Israelis would have a diminished capacity to retaliate and it would be all systems go for a Palestinian field day.
More news. More tanks rolling back in today. 10-year old Palestinian girl killed. Maybe she was militant? October 8
Its unfortunate the White House doesn't hold the Palestinians in the same regard as the Israelis. After the Palestinians defy the Israelis they are called 'terrorists' by the White House. But when the Israelis defy the UN and blow up a few Palestinians the White House likes to refer to this action as 'not helpful'. I'm not going to defend the manner in which the Palestinians use to combat the Israeli occupation because it is indeed wrong but the Israelis can't continue sending organized military personnel into Gaza to slaughter children with other oppressed and less fortunate Palestinians. Two wrongs don't make a right. When will the White House step up and be fair?
