On the spot: Gaza mosque siege

[mawilson 2,133]

Stephen Farrell, The Times's Middle East Correspondent, has spoken

to Palestinians returning from the protest outside a mosque in Beit Hanoun,

who said they saw women injured and killed by gunfire from Israeli troops.

"The town is completely sealed off from the outside world. Last night I drove

round and it was incredibly tense. Palestinian youths, many armed, were

running around the outskirts. I could see Israeli tanks in total control of the

town centre. Israeli observation drones also flew overhead throughout the

night to monitor the town.

"What appears to have happened is that a group of Palestinian gunmen were

trapped by Israeli troops inside the al-Nassr mosque overnight.

"After appeals from Hamas on radio throughout the night for people to go to

the mosque to get the gunmen out, women marched from neighbouring towns

to gather round the mosque and get the fighters out.

"Both the Israelis and Palestinians agree there was siege that was lifted by the

crowd of women. Both sides agree there were shots fired into the crowd. But,

after this the stories start to differ.

"Israel said there were half a dozen Palestinian militants in the crowds and

they say that they have no knowledge of hitting any women. The Palestinians

say that many of the women were injured and two were shot dead.

"An Israeli army source told me: 'The forces identified a number of gunmen

hiding between the crowd and they did fire at these armed gunmen, specifically

six armed gunmen. I don't have anymore information of women that were hit.

The men were walking with these demonstrators.'

"I spoke to Palestinian women as they filed back out of the town and they

confirmed that they marched to the mosque to get the gunmen out. They say

the Israelis opened fire and many women were injured and two were killed.

A Palestinian hospital confirmed that two women have died.

"Palestinians have hailed the women for releasing the fighters trapped by an

overwhelming military force that had helicopter gunships and tanks against a

few dozen fighters armed with Kalashnikovs with ammunition running out.

"The Israelis are saying that the women were used as a 'human shield' to get

the fighters out."

An Israeli soldier sits on top of an army personnel carrier on the border with the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun at a staging point near Kibbutz Mefalsim, Israel, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006.

Photograph by : Associated Press

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Par for the course.

[PlatyPius 5]

From an article about the "new" fighting in Israel/Palestine:

"A spokesman for the group, using the alias Abu Abir, also said Israel would face a wave of suicide bombings if the offensive was not halted within two days."

You gotta love the logic of these morons. "If you kill any more of our people, some of our people will come to you and blow themselves up!"

Hell, Thermite vests for everyone, I say.

[Hornet 2]

"You gotta love the logic of these morons. "If you kill any more of our people, some of our people will come to you and blow themselves up!""

It's desperation caused by decades of occupation and oppression!

Suicide bombings didn't start til the 1990's !! 25 years of occupation, oppression, land confiscation, and NO Hope does that to people. That doesn't make it right, but if you want to understand and fix the problems you better learn the reasons that have brought it about.

Israel thinks they can do anything they want becoz they have the USA in their back pocket, our politicians kiss their azz. And we'll veto any resolution in the UN to stop what's been going on there. But we want the world to pass whatever we want???

Our foreign policy has sucked since LBJ!!!!!!

http://www.miftah.org/

Edited November 5, 2006 by Hornet

[Hornet 2]

See, just as I figured. Not many Americans give a shiit about what is going on in the West Bank and Gaza.

Yet what happened there after WWII and the whole of the Middle East is what has brought about the problems we are facing today.

We criticize South African aparteid(and helped end it) but support Israel with the vast majority of our foreign aid $$$ when they have the same policies in place.

Desmond Tutu quote, taken from and describing the book -- "Speaking

the Truth About Zionism and Israel" (edited by Michael Prior,

Melisende, 2004):

"In our struggle for justice and peace in South Africa we had to

learn to speak - and listen to - hard truths. Our experience should

encourage all who strive for justice and peace in the Holy Land. My

visits to the Holy Land remind me so much of South Africa: apartheid

is back, complete with the "Separation Wall" and bantustans. History,

it seems, repeats itself. Yet, if peace could come to South Africa,

surely it can come also to the Holy Land.

I think he should know! and we should listen.

[mawilson 2,133]

See, just as I figured. Not many Americans give a shiit about what is going on in the West Bank and Gaza.

Really, who would give a shiit about the Arabs after 9/11?

Anyway, the goal is to eventually control the entire Middle East - or at least control

them long enough to drain their oil. We're mostly done, too -- the only countries

we don't control yet are Syria and Iran -- and they are next! Bwaaahahaha.