News of Palestinian children killed in crash met with racism

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Ten Palestinians were killed today (Thursday) – nine of which were children – and dozens more injured when a bus crashed into a truck on the road between Qalandiya and the Adam settlement, near the northern border between Jerusalem and the West Bank.

The bus – which was carrying kids from the “Nour Al-Huda” kindergarten in the Shuafat refugee camp (East Jerusalem) on their way for a day of fun in Ramallah – collided with a truck, rolled over and burst into flames. The reasons for the collision have not been determined yet.

While no one can deny that this is truly a tragedy, some found their inner-racist and it guided them through this impossible task.

The tragic story was covered by a lot of Israeli news websites, which all have comment pages (called talkbacks in Hebrew) open for readers to comment on articles. Most of these websites also have a Facebook page where they share their news and readers – who are identified by their profiles – are able to openly comment on them.

One of these websites is “Walla News” which posted a report about the accident on its Facebook page. Most of the readers were shocked and horrified by the fact that children were killed, but a bunch of them were not as horrified when they found out who the victims were. Take a look:

It is important to point out that there were a lot of readers who condemned these and other racist comments.

I decided to bring these comments to the fore for one reason. Israelis tend to accuse Palestinians of being immoral because again and again the Israeli media shows Palestinians gloating and celebrating over the death of innocent Israelis. The reaction of these ordinary Israelis to the death of Palestinian children shows that the “moral” party in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not so moral after all.

...

http://972mag.com/news-of-palestinian-children-killed-in-crash-met-with-racism/35543/

After Jerusalem crash, racist comments appear on Netanyahu's Facebook page

Racist comments appeared on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Facebook page after the school bus crash near Jerusalem on Thursday in which 10 children died and more than 40 were injured.

Satisfaction that "only Palestinians" were the victims and slogans such as "Death to Arabs, why do we help them?" were posted on the Facebook pages of Netanyahu, Wallah and the Israel Police.

Other comments included "Can we send another truck?" and "I'd send a double-trailer to wipe out all those sh!ts" after the bus overturned when it crashed into a truck

Netanyahu expressed sorrow over the accident, but his aides did not remove the racist comments from his Facebook page or denounce them.

"Relax, it's Palestinian children," someone wrote on Wallah's Facebook page. Others wrote "Great! Fewer terrorists" and "May there be such buses every day." Similar comments were posted on the police's Facebook page, including "When they grew up they'd be terrorists .... God nipped them in the bud."

Netanyahu's aides declined to comment. Wallah site editor Gadi Lahav said "we monitor the page every few minutes and delete unworthy comments like these."

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/after-jerusalem-crash-racist-comments-appear-on-netanyahu-s-facebook-page-1.413370

[ready4ONE 5,400]

While it is pathetic anyone would make such comments, the real story is Israeli and Palestinian emergency aid both responded to the crash and worked together to help the victims. Neither here nor there, the driver of the truck that crashed with the bus was an Arab Israeli. Just a tragic accident, but with a brighter side than focusing on the online comments of uninvolved Jewish racists.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

And this happened on the internet? And Facebook at that? Stop the presses!!!!

[Dakine10 5,452]

And this happened on the internet? And Facebook at that? Stop the presses!!!!

Are there other facebook pages you know of where people are cheering the death of 6 year olds?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Are there other facebook pages you know of where people are cheering the death of 6 year olds?

It's the internet.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

While it is pathetic anyone would make such comments, the real story is Israeli and Palestinian emergency aid both responded to the crash and worked together to help the victims. Neither here nor there, the driver of the truck that crashed with the bus was an Arab Israeli. Just a tragic accident, but with a brighter side than focusing on the online comments of uninvolved Jewish racists.

As the first article says:

It is important to point out that there were a lot of readers who condemned these and other racist comments.

I decided to bring these comments to the fore for one reason. Israelis tend to accuse Palestinians of being immoral because again and again the Israeli media shows Palestinians gloating and celebrating over the death of innocent Israelis. The reaction of these ordinary Israelis to the death of Palestinian children shows that the “moral” party in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not so moral after all.

As you know, accusations have been repeatedly levied on this very board (not by you) that Palestinians in general (as well as others who support Palestinian rights) are allegedly "happy" about the deaths of Israeli civilians. Just some food for thought....

[luckytxn 2,264]

Always pathetic people anywhere they can be anonymous. One can peruse youtube and see the most racist stuff imaginable that Israelis say.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Always pathetic people anywhere they can be anonymous. One can peruse youtube and see the most racist stuff imaginable that Israelis say.

Only many of these commenters were not anonymous - they apparently felt comfortable enough to post from their Facebook accounts which included their real names (that's why they have been blacked out in the image I posted.) I've seen the uncensored images where the names are not disguised.

[Dakine10 5,452]

It's the internet.

OK let me rephrase, have you seen people cheering the death of 6 year olds anywhere else on the internet?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

OK let me rephrase, have you seen people cheering the death of 6 year olds anywhere else on the internet?

Click on any yahoo news article and read the comments down below. It's not like you have a bunch of highly educated and motivated rocket scientist posting on those articles.

And to your question, yes I have on both sides...yahoo articles and topix. com forums. Better yet I saw thousands of Muslims on TV celebrating 9-11 along with no word from said Muslims when Arab missiles were and are being fired at Israeli schools, buses, and random targets.

I'm guessing your new to all of this?

[Dakine10 5,452]

Click on any yahoo news article and read the comments down below. It's not like you have a bunch of highly educated and motivated rocket scientist posting on those articles.

And to your question, yes I have on both sides...yahoo articles and topix. com forums. Better yet I saw thousands of Muslims on TV celebrating 9-11 along with no word from said Muslims when Arab missiles were and are being fired at Israeli schools, buses, and random targets.

I'm guessing your new to all of this?

Got nothing huh? That's what I thought.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Those poor families. I cant say that I'm surprised by the comments. There are sick people all over the world...even just reading the comments section on my local newspapers website...I wish it were a little more shocking to see, but people just seem to think that the internet is a great place to spew their venom and sickness.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

**** Several posts removed for profanity, personal attacks, or quoting same. If you cannot make your point without swearing, it is probably not worth making. ****

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

one post removed - said post was removed previously by vj moderation. please do not repost info that was removed.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

This is the part that's most disturbing:

Netanyahu expressed sorrow over the accident, but his aides did not remove the racist comments from his Facebook page or denounce them.

Edited February 18, 2012 by wife_of_mahmoud