Juan Cole: Israel Guilty Of War Crime
But can Israel be blamed for what it deems self-defense? Aljazeera English says the death toll is nearly 300, as Israel is calling up reservists, and the UN is urging an end to the escalation.
Juan Cole writes that it was the Israeli occupation of the Palestinians that led to 9/11 and that Egypt, which has partnered with Israel in blockading Gaza, is calling this murder. White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe is branding those Israeli is targeting as “thugs”, while French President Nicolas Sarkozy is asking both sides to stop and exercise self-restraint.
Israel blames Hamas for primitive homemade rocket attacks on the nearby Israeli city of Sederot. In 2001-2008, these rockets killed about 15 Israelis and injured 433, and they have damaged property. In the same period, Gazan mortar attacks on Israel have killed 8 Israelis.
Since the Second Intifada broke out in 2000, Israelis have killed nearly 5000 Palestinians, nearly a thousand of them minors. Since fall of 2007, Israel has kept the 1.5 million Gazans under a blockade, interdicting food, fuel and medical supplies to one degree or another. Wreaking collective punishment on civilian populations such as hospital patients denied needed electricity is a crime of war.
The Israelis on Saturday killed 5% of all the Palestinians they have killed since the beginning of 2001! 230 people were slaughtered in a day, over 70 of them innocent civilians. In contrast, from the ceasefire Hamas announced in June, 2008 until Saturday, no Israelis had been killed by Hamas. The infliction of this sort of death toll is known in the law of war as a disproportionate response, and it is a war crime.
Alan,
Even from Vietnam, you’re still such an asshole. There’s plenty more ’suffering’ pictures from Gaza you can show. Just do it. You’re such an asshole. Didn’t you used to be on tv?
Cj
Ps- Of course, I mean ‘you’re an asshole’ in the nicest of ways. Asshole!
December 28th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Oh how constructive Cj
December 28th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Yes, Gaza is like the Getho in Hitler Germany. The germanic jews seem to forget what it is like to live in a confined Getho.
December 28th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Hello Pierre – wow an anti-semitic Frenchman – who would have thunk it?
December 28th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
It’s not antisemetic to be against genocide.How many palestinians do the germanic jews need to kill to get revenge(6 millions killed by Hitler). By the way hebrews as well as palestinians are descendants of Semites; germans are not.
December 28th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
PIERRE—My understanding is that while anyone may have the beliefs of Judaism and follow its practices, to truly be Jewish, one must be born of it. Jews are a race or ethnicity who also have a particular religious belief, not just a regilion.
As such, as long as the people are born of a Jewish lineage, then it doesn’t matter if they are born in Germany, the US, France, England, Japan, etc. They are still Jewish.
Also, my understanding seems to be the same as yours in that Hebrews and Palestians can be traced back to a common beginning, that of Abraham. The Hebrews (Jews) through Isaac and the Palestians (Arabs) through Ishmael.
The claim of genocide is far-fetched at best. Ever since Israel was re-established as a nation for the Jews to live in, they have been under constant attack. To defend themselves is their right. That they have a better organized and funded force, and are therefore able to carry out lethal and effective attacks does not in anyway make their actions genocide.
The Jews (Israelis) are not trying to wipe out an entire race or ethnicity of people. They are simply trying to get said people to quit lobbing bombs and rockets at them. Particularly the rockets that are just indiscriminately fired at no particular target, but are instead just to do any damage they can.
And, I have read a couple of articles that seem to condemn the Israelis for killing civilians. Two reponses to that. One, everything read can’t be believed. While I have not doubt there have been civilian casualities caused by Israel, I suspect the numbers are overblown.
Two, if the Palestinians don’t want their civilians killed, then maybe they should insist that Hamas quit putting its assets in civilian areas.
December 28th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
While we are defining who is and who isn’t a Jew, maybe it would be useful to define who is and who isn;t a Palestinian! One thing is for sure – the Arabs of the West Banka and Gaza strip are not, never have been and never could be Palestinians. They are Arabs and rabs are not Palestinians.
The Palestinians (Philistines in the bible) were from the Island of Crete. They were brought to the Holy land by the Greeks to administer the territory while the Greeks set off on other conquests. They were chosen to do this because they accepted the Greek panoply of Gods – where the Jews belived inb only one God. When the Greeks were supplanted by the Romans – again the Jews were offered administrative control on the condition they accepted the Roman panoply. Again teh Jews rtefused and the Philistines accepted – this time converting to the Roman religion – and gaining the reputation that defines Philistinism. As an additional bonus the Romans renamed Judea for the Philistines calling it Filistina – which was Anglicised to Palestine. No Arabs were in the Holy Land at that time save for a few traders no doubt – and there is not a single reference to an Arab of any desription in the Bible. In fact if you want to talk about taking peoples land you might explain to me the Arab-isation of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan and the rest of North Africa – these are not historically Arab countires – where are the original inhabitants? Either dead or they were sold into slavery to the New World. Of course we can’t talk about that can we?
December 28th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
[...] Israel is in the middle of a wonderful “conversation” right [...]
December 28th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hey! Jake for nearly 300 years your descendants/ you have lived in America.Please, name one country/land which you can reclaim by force based on your faith at the expense the current inhabitants.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
For those of you who continually want to beat up on Israel and the Jews you need to get a life and the facts and history of the area. Would you live with the constant lobbing of bombs at you day after day week after week year after year and just sit there? It is kind like a fight where you just let someone beat up on you and never defend yourself.
For those of you who know the history of the Middle East continue to be strong. For those who do not, you need a serious study on it. As one of the commentors said there are no Palestinians and after all the people of Gaza who are being held hostage would turn on anyone who helped them in a minute. But of course, at some point help will come. I say do whatever is necessary to eliminate the Hamas thugs and let the average citizen of Gaza live their lives. Hamas, Hezbollah, and others who are intent on disrupting and killing others will NOT succeed. They will be dealt with by the man upstairs in his own time. These scriptures are written in the bible if you just look for them and are interested in reading them. I suggest you do before you start passing judgment on Israel.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Hey! Pierre say hello to my “descendants” in America for me – I’d love to go and meet them one day – I had no idea I had any descendants and especially in the U.S. One other point – are you telling me there were no Jews in Israel prior to the recognition of the State of Israel? If you are – say hello to your descendants in cloud cuckoo land.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
For thousands of years, we have used the bible as an excuse to shed human blood.From Mesopotenia to Canaan, blood was shed for a promised land.The samething happened from Egypt back to Canaan. Today, it’s from Germany to the same promised land.Why is that God so blood- thirsty?Or maybe, why do we only use our reptilian-part of our brain ? People, there are enough natural ressources, only and only if we are willing to share as Jesus told us.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
The jewish people were enslaved in Biblical times and were forced to live everywhere except their home. Why does everyone want to take that from them? When you blame the jewish people for the entire conflict you sound ignorant.
Try living in a country the size of New Jersey with people who hate you all around you. You get up everyday and wonder if you children will make it home, or if a homocide bomber will decide to disrupt their trek to school.
Anti-semitism is alive and well. I only hope the U.S. will continue to support Israel.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Jake, for thousands years native indians were part of this land.Now, would you allow them to reclaim that land in the name of their God- Massapequa.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Native Indians were part of Scotland? And I thought the God of Massapequa was Jerry Seinfield!
December 28th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Jake,
You need to go have a wee dram.
December 28th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Hey, TMAS, it’s not anti-semetic to reject and denounce injustice.If somebody were to take over your new house and only allow you to reside at the maide-quarters , how would you feel/ act?
December 28th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
The God, named Massapequa,is of no importance.But, answer the question in the name of your own God : what would you do if someone were to take over your house?
December 28th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I don’t have my own God – if I gave you the wool could you knit me one?
December 28th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Pierre,
YOUR version of injustice is blaming one side. Pose what you asked me to yourself.
How would you feel if your people had been persecuted for thousands of years and you finally have a home, but bombs are launched there daily. Oh, and you can’t buy groceries without wondering if a homocide bomber is going to take your life and the life of your family.
You don’t seem to have any sympathy for the plight of the Israelis from what I read.
December 28th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
The saga of the jewish people for its birth to its emmergence in history is fantastic.My only problem is the tale of a promised land ,given by God.Nobody gave them anything, but everything was created by force: form Abraham to Moses, form Germany to Palestine.It’s oke to be the most powerfull nation on earth.And don’t equate power with divinity.
December 29th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Lets put this into perspective. China owns a good portion of California’s mortgages. Imagine China telling everyone in San Francisco to gather what possessions they can carry on their back and leave town within 48 hours because China is repatriating the land to the native American Indians who occupied it (not 1500 years ago, but 150 years ago). Would the happy San Francisco residents sit idly by in Nevada and observe their palatial and not-so palatial residences be taken over by a race whose “God” had promised them the land (for the previous 3,000 + years) Or would they, conversely, lob rockets of protest toward the new (”legal” because China says so) inhabitants. Just wondering.
December 29th, 2008 at 11:11 am
“You don’t seem to have any sympathy for the plight of the Israelis from what I read.”
You don’t seem to have any sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians. They have been run out of their homes and are forced to live in squalor.
Refering to BorisG’s post above, I’m sure you would sit idly by and let China take your home. I’m sure your response to the Chinese would be “Well, they were enslaved at one time, so they have a right to my house”.
December 29th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Why do you think we are fighting against immigrants crossing the southern borders? Well, they are claiming it’s their promised land.Are you willing to give it back without any resistance?
December 29th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Where do you expect the Israeli’s to go? They have been run out, murdered, pillaged, enslaved one way or the other for over 3000 years.
I don’t hear about Israeli’s strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up a market.
December 29th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Where do you expect the palestinians to go? They are in a Ghetto(remember germany); they are control by sea , air and on land. They are invaded at will.Where is the military threat that can wipe out Israel? And that’s why the Iranians need their their” Nukes”.
December 29th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Pierre,
You certainly sound anti-semitic to me. You sound like the crazy guy in charge in Iran. NO THEY DON”T NEED NUKES.
December 29th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Why do other nations need Nukes? Is it to protect themselves or to invade others at will?
December 29th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Please, name one country/land which you can reclaim by force based on your faith at the expense the current inhabitants. Pierre
The jews did not reclaim Israel by force. The UN partitioned Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state in 1948. No force there.
The Arabs however, were not satisfied with their portions and attempted to ‘force Israel into the Ocean’. Israel fought back and kicked ass. In 1967, the Arab states mounted their armies on the Israel borders and in a pre-emptive strike, Israel again kicked ass and took the Gaza strip, Golan Heights, Sinai peninsula. The jewish refugees from those wars were accpted in to Isreal with open arms. The Arab refugees were forced into refugee camps because Syria, Jordan, nor any other Arab country would take them in. They have been there for 40 years! Most of them were born there – they don’t remember anyplace to return to. Why is it Israel’s responsibility to take them in, when their own side won’t?
December 29th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Who bombed the British headquaters? and why!The 1967 war was won by US planes coming from Germany, not by the hand of an angel.And the way, there is a big difference between European Jews and Middle East Jews.
December 29th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Utterly ridiculous, you are absurd to lay blame on Bush as though he is in Israel bombing Israeli’s or terrorist Hamas. Are you really that stupid?
Bush (The American Military fighting man) helped set 50 million Iraqis free from tyranny, but it is his fault that the Israeli’s are tired of being bombed. Yes it is disproportionate, the Israeli’s have lost many civilians, and Hamas however are terrorists. Do you take any responsibility for the filth that spews from your mouth?
By the way all of the weapons of mass destruction that Bush (Not his Intelligence agencies but him personally, I might add) lied about… They are processing yellow cake in Canada as of today that didn’t really exist in Iraq. It was just a lie. Alan you are utterly absurd to believe the things that you yourself say.
No wonder they want to kill us all. We have the freedom to believe in any lie that comes along.
Big Government is coming our way and we will all lose our voice soon. Fear not , Liberal and Conservative alike will not stop the machine once we unleash the Beast that is… Government.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Read Alan’s numbers about the 5000 Palestinians that have been brutally murdered by the terrorist Israelis. Now those terrorist Israelis have only lost about 23 casualties according to his numbers. Do you really believe that? I suspect Alan Colmes is not only anti-Semitic but harbors terrorist sympathies.
I was in Israel for seven days in 1996 and the bus bombings in downtown Jerusalem killed more than 23 alone in that week alone. He is a bald faced liar.
I can’t for the life of me understand how Hannity endured your blissfull arrogance and ingorance for seven years now.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:34 am
For the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone in their right mind could call Israel a terrorist country.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Willy,
You just answered your own question. Anyone in their right mind wouldn’t. The only ones who would call Israel a terrorist nation are hezbollah and hamas sympathizers who don’t care that Israel is a democracy and our ally.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
You didn’t read my comment and assume I was calling the Israelis terrorists did you ? I hope you understood the irony, and Alan is suppose to be a Jew ? I am saying that Alan’s numbers (23) would only be believed by an idiot. I worked for a Contractor supporting Israel manned American designed fighting equipment and would do it again in a second if they called me.
January 1st, 2009 at 2:05 am
Dear Jake
400 Palestinians dead!!!
110 civilians!!!
76 children!!!
Long Live Israel!!!
I will tell you one thing…today Israel is powerful and has got powerful friends…
But history is a strange thing..things can reverse in a matter of years or decades or let’s wait even a century…
and if they do and it’s a BIG if…My dear man…remember the financial crisis caused due to all the splurging…even worse would be the fate of your people…
I don’t hate Jews nor do I oppose the existence of Israel but this is too much…
no matter how long it takes…a decade,a century, a millenium but for your actions you will pay…
Allah will make you pay!!!
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm