Israel ignores attacks on Palestinians

[Iangould]

Amnesty International is reporting that "Israeli soldiers, police and settlers who committed unlawful killings, ill-treatment and other attacks against Palestinians and their property commonly did so with impunity,"

Let's note that many such illegal killings are almost definitely not included the official body-counts of the current conflcit - which already show the Israelis killing about three times as many Palestinians as the Palestinians are killing Israelis.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060523/wl_mideast_afp/amnestyrightsmideastisrael

Remember Palestinians who live in squalor; are regularly abused and assaulted by IDF troops; see their property destroyed by settlers and see friengs and relatives killed with impunity aren't responding to any of that when they attack Israelis - they do it because they're religious fanatics. (Except the Palestinian Christians, of course, only a bigot would suggest THEIR religion had any influence on their actions.)

[Shellhead]

Sadly, the only thing surprising about this news is that there isn't any official war going on over there right now. The violence has become too much a part of normal life to be accorded any special recognition.

[Iangould]

Actually the Amnesty report notes that violence has declined significantly in the past year.

Presumably that doesn't take into account the current in-fighting between Palestinian factions.

[latuff]

Thanks for this thread, Iangould.

[Tages]

Remember Palestinians who live in squalor; are regularly abused and assaulted by IDF troops; see their property destroyed by settlers and see friengs and relatives killed with impunity aren't responding to any of that when they attack Israelis - they do it because they're religious fanatics. (Except the Palestinian Christians, of course, only a bigot would suggest THEIR religion had any influence on their actions.)
Silly Ian, everyone knows there are no Palestinian Christians. All of them are Islamic fanatics dedicated to seeing every last Jew alive ground into meal and fed to live stock with their very last breath.

Otherwise Israel's Christian amen corner might be accused of rationalizing the mistreatment of their coreligionists. Best to deny they even exist.

[Calybos]

Of course there aren't any fairy-tale "sane Christians" among the Palestinians! We've been fed the story, and it's our job to stick to it no matter what the facts say.

It's so much easier once you understand that 1) All Palestinians are Muslim terrorists; and 2) All Muslims are part of a global conspiracy to wage holy war on white middle-class Americans, slaughter the infidels, and Conquer the World Bwa-ha-ha-ha!

[Typo Lad]

Sigh.

You know what's sad?

That I know that somewhere, some of my fellow Jews are reading this and saying "Anti-Semetic lies! All lies!"

Many of us have blinders on. Yes, there are terroists within the Palestinian Community. That doesn't mean Palestinian=Terrorist. By treating all Palestinians as blood enemies, all you do is create a rational for the actual terrorists and drive supporters into their hands.

[Drew Van T.]

Amnesty International is reporting that "Israeli soldiers, police and settlers who committed unlawful killings, ill-treatment and other attacks against Palestinians and their property commonly did so with impunity,"


To be precise and fair: the Israelli courts do pursue certain killings...just rarely. Only when a westerner is affected (like when they shoot a Brit) or when a single act makes the international press in a big away (little Palestinian girl walking in open space picked off by sniper) do they investigate, and that's no guarantee of any convictions of course.

[Typo Lad]

Well, part of the problem is some of the attacks (like the property attacks, by which I assume they mean the razzing of houses) are goverment sanctioned.

[Iangould]

Well, part of the problem is some of the attacks (like the property attacks, by which I assume they mean the razzing of houses) are goverment sanctioned.

The other example they give is the deliberate torching of olive groves to make room for further settlements.

[Typo Lad]

Wait... what further settlements? I thought expansion was essentially halted while the Wall was going up?

[Charles RB]

That I know that somewhere, some of my fellow Jews are reading this and saying "Anti-Semetic lies! All lies!"

Someone wrote in to Private Eye magazine recently accusing them of being anti-Semitic for describing Rachel Corrie as a peace activist. I don't think they were actually Jewish themselves; unfortunately they were British, and it's always depressing finding out our country is full of stupid-heads.

[Typo Lad]

But... she was a Peace Activist. A martyr? Maybe not, but she was protesting what she saw as an injustice. That shouldn't be belittled.

Oh and I thought more about the topic (http://chaverai.blogspot.com/2006/05/amnesty-international-gives-out-human.html)

[Iangould]

Typo: "I thought expansion was essentially halted while the Wall was going up?"

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1148287851300&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Peretz to accelerate outpost removals

Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Tuesday he would activate all legal means to accelerate the removal of unauthorized Jewish outposts in the West Bank, which he said were "disgracing" Israel's image around the world.
...
Peretz was accompanied by Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz and Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh during his first visit to Central Command as defense minister. He inspected a traditional honor guard and was briefed for two hours on the daily challenges faced by the Central Command, whose West Bank jurisdiction covers areas where Jewish settlements border a large Palestinian population.

Peretz's comments came after news agencies reported Sunday that Naveh had recently signed expansion orders for three West Bank settlements at the request of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The approval for expanding the three settlements had been initially authorized by former defense minister Shaul Mofaz. On Sunday, a spokesman for Peretz said the Defense Ministry was currently "reexamining" the approvals made under the previous administration.

[Iangould]

From the same J Post article:

During his visit, Peretz commended the Central Command's crucial role in the fight against terror - including preventing attacks perpetrated by Jewish extremists - saying, "We will not tolerate a situation where Israeli citizens attack Palestinians and their children and disgrace the name of Israel." He also announced the reopening of the Karni goods crossing for trading in both directions and other plans aimed to alleviate economic distress among innocent Palestinian civilians.

So at least the incoming government is admitting there's a problem.

[Charles RB]

But... she was a Peace Activist.

I know! But apparently that's a big lie because, I quote, "she was killed whilst attempting to block an IDF bulldozer which was attempting to uncover tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle weapons", even though AFAIK no such tunnels were ever found there and that I really doubt Corrie herself thought there were Hamas tunnels there.

The letter made my brain hurt.

Oh and I thought more about the topic (http://chaverai.blogspot.com/2006/05/amnesty-international-gives-out-human.html)

The US response to Amnesty was very, very worrying. And dumb.

[Typo Lad]

Those Jpost articles are fascinating. Wish I knew about them before I wrote what I did. The latter one you quote makes my point stronger.

As for Rachel Corrie and tunnels... you know, while I understand the rationall for it, it seems like the best way to ensure that you've got an angry homeless kid who'll grow up to strap a bomb under his shirt one day.

[Michael P]

Is it bad that my reaction to the first post was "Well, duh?"

[Iangould]

Typo, in your blog you say: "As they're also calling Hamas to the carpet for their inability to manage the chaos, I don't think one can accuse Amnesty of partisanship here. It would be easier for me to decide that if I had access to both reports for a fair comparison."

The full report is "The State of the World's Human Rights 2005" so its section on the Palestinian Authority predates HAMAs' election win.

From the section on the PA:

"Inter-factional violence within the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its security forces, and between political factions and armed groups, caused a further deterioration in security in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Armed confrontations, attacks and abductions by Palestinian armed groups increased, and scores of Palestinians were killed amid growing lawlessness. Killings of Israelis by Palestinian armed groups diminished significantly compared to previous years. Impunity remained widespread as PA security forces were unable or unwilling to prevent killings and attacks or to apprehend the perpetrators. Members of PA security forces also participated in attacks, abductions and other abuses. Five Palestinians convicted of murder were executed, ending a three-year de facto moratorium on executions. "

http://web.amnesty.org/report2006/pse-summary-eng

[Typo Lad]

Can you make that comment in the blog? I'm at work and can't edit.

[Iangould]

Can you make that comment in the blog? I'm at work and can't edit.

Done.

I don;t have a blogger ID so it's down as "anonymous"