Besides the constant, indiscriminate rocket fire on civilians, which hurt yet another Israeli yesterday—and which will continue hurting and murdering Israelis, because Hamas was allowed to import weapons unchecked after the IDF left the Philadelphi Corridor—the use of civilians as human shields has gone utterly uncriticized by world bodies.
Because, of course, the palestinians can never be anything but victims. And victims can’t commit war crimes, right?
BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip Nov 19, 2006 (AP)— Hundreds of Palestinians serving as human shields guarded the homes of two top militants Sunday, a new tactic that forced Israel to call off missile strikes on the buildings and re-evaluate a mainstay of its aerial campaign in Gaza.
[..] The standoff over the homes of the militants began late Saturday when Mohammed Baroud, local leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, was informed by the army that his house would be hit. The three-story building is home to 17 people from Baroud’s family. Another militant from Hamas also received a warning.
Instead of fleeing, though, the two decided to stay in their homes and called in reinforcements. They were quickly joined by crowds of supporters, including dozens of armed men, who gathered on balconies, rooftops and in the streets outside.
“Death to Israel. Death to America,” the crowds chanted. Local mosques and Palestinian TV and radio stations also mobilized supporters.
They have learned their lesson from last week’s human shield of women. So, palestinian terrorists hide behind the skirts of women and the bodies of civilians, while launching kassam rockets that murder Israelis from those very areas.
Will the world condemn the palestinians’ use of human shields?
Of course not. The most you will get is a lukewarm condemnation from rights organizations, but only coupled with condemnation of Israel—like we saw with Hezbullah’s firing of cluster bombs into Israel.
By the way, Reuters called this new tactic a “protest.”
Israel calls off raid after Gaza Protest
Nov 19, 2006 — GAZA (Reuters) – Israel’s air force cancelled a planned raid on the home of a Gaza militant on Sunday after hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the building, an Israeli military spokesman and witnesses said.Hours after the “human shield” protest, an Israeli aircraft attacked a car carrying Hamas militants on a crowded Gaza City street. Hospital officials said an elderly passerby died of his wounds after being hit in the strike.
And, of course, Reuters spins it as anti-Israel as they can. No mention of the latest kassam attacks in the Reuters article, and it’s buried deep in the middle of the AP story.
And still, the words “homemade” and “crude” will be used in conjunction with “that rarely kill.”
Mark my words: The terrorists have improved the grade of explosives that they use, and they have improved the range and effect of the kassams. There will soon be serious wounding and deaths for every kassam launched—because that is what the terrorists have been working toward.
Ehud Olmert has finally woken up and begun targeted assassination of terrorists again. It’s about time.
There’s a rather distressing item in the above story, though:
The controversial change in tactics has been driven by Peretz, who broke down in tears when one of his bodyguards was badly injured in Sderot, his home village.
Yeah, that’s who you want as Minister of Defense: A man who breaks down under stressful situations. Dump the bum. Geez, Israel, can’t you find any decent leaders to dump your current bums?
What do you mean, human shields? A place where people fire missiles is a military base. There is a word for people who protect military bases. They are called soldiers, not human shields. That they use propaganda rather than rifles is irrelevant. In war, you can blow the hell out them. So they are women? Tough. No one ever says the Palestinians can’t shoot at women soldiers.
It is an outrage and a disgrace that the press and the international community refuses to recognize the depravity of the Palestinians’ tactics. If they think they can save themselves by throwing Israel to the wolves, they have a grave lesson coming – unfortunately, as usual, at the expense of the Jews.
I don’t get the governments change of policy at all. I don’t give a flying fig for what the world thinks of us because no matter what they do they condemn us. So why are we holding back and protecting these “human shields”. Your previous poster, WS has it right. They are soldiers. They don’t want to be in the war, let them get out of it. Otherwise, they die they die. By allowing them to win this progagada war we only create more violence for everyone.
But I’m talking to the converted of course.