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Article Source: AL JAZEERAAt least one Palestinian has been killed after a UN relief agency convoy came under fire from Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, officials say.
The attack took place on Thursday as the lorries travelled to the Erez crossing to pick up supplies that were to have been allowed in during a three-hour ceasefire.
Thursday's pause in the 13-day Israeli offensive to allow humanitarian aid into the strip was scheduled to last from 1pm (11:00 GMT) to 4pm (14:00 GMT).
The sad and ironic part is that the convoy was attacked during an agreed three hours pause of the bombing, specifically negociated to let aid convoys in.
#1 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 11:14 AM ESTspecifically negociated to let aid convoys in.
May be they meant to trap him. They have a record in shooting at UN humanitarians and peace activists. A message of bullying to the world
BTW, there was also this report:
It was at least the second time in recent days that Palestinian relief workers contracted by the U.N. had been killed. On Monday, Israeli shells landed near the parking lot of a Palestinian company contracted by the U.N. World Food Program to deliver food supplies in Gaza. Two employees were killed and three severely wounded, according to WFP spokeswomen Barbara Conte, who said that the relief workers were not the target of the Israeli strike.
#3 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 12:08 PM ESTWhat are we suggesting here? That Israel would deliberately be targeting an aid convoy? Why would they be doing that? It makes no sense.
If the report is true then it needs investigating, but might well be an unfortunate accident. These do happen in war situations.
Yes, sad, but also criminal.
You have special knowledge of the details of the incident, Eric? Already? When no-one else does?
Enough to be able to pronounce a verdict? Do pray tell us all about it so we can share in the logic which brought you to this considered, thoughtful conclusion.
#4 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 12:38 PM ESTIt's all so clear cut to you Eric, isn't it. No need for facts or confirmation. Israel is always "criminal" or "genocidal" or otherwise guilty.
Maybe it's not as clear cut.
Dennis M. Wright: Whie you yawn women and children are being massacred by the IDF but you just can't deal with that fact so what do you do yawn. You will not see that the disproportionate acts of violence being perpetrated by the IDF is collective punishment and before this invasion their decade plus blockade of Gaza is collective punishment. Continue to yawn and spout the IDF's talking points/excuses for their criminal conduct as defined in Article 33 of the Geneva Convention. Have you no shame?
Shame for what? For challenging cynical demonization of Israel based on no facts? Hell no!
Shame for what? For challenging cynical demonization of Israel based on no facts? Hell no!
In general, there is cynical and silly demonization of both Israel and the Palestinian case (or the 'muslim case' in general) where facts and fiction, facts and feelings are all mixed up.
Concentrating on the fact, though, it looks obvious that Israel's response to Hamas' rocket attacks is disproportional by any standards, and through their 'response' the civilian and humanitarian casualties as "collateral damage" significantly outweigh their actual military goal. That, in my book is totally unjust and unjustified.
The only foreseeable results of the Israeli (over-)response is a further polarization of both sides, and giving extremists (on both ends) even more fuel.
The UN coordinates their movements with Israel, so Israel knew where they were and what they were doing, yet they were still fired upon, by ground forces. This plus the three UN schools, it's disgusting. Over 200 innocent children killed so far. How much longer can you justify this brutality?
Again, this isn't a war. Israel calls it that to justify their actions, but Palestine isn't recognized as an independent country, just an occupied territory. It's not like you have Hamas bulldozing houses and having air raids over Israel.
763-8. And Israel is still the victim?
#5 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 1:24 PM ESTSee #4.1
763-8. And Israel is still the victim?
What has "who's the victim" got to do with it? It's "who won't stop firing missiles at civilians as a direct provocation?"
IDF is targeting ambulances and medical aid workers, left wounded and starved children from receiving attention for 4 days. On top of this, today the IDF admitted that there were no militants inside the UN school. Just give it time, the truth will come out. Or, as the old saying goes :
"Lies have very short legs"
#6 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 2:41 PM ESTI believe nothing purported by either side. I understand they are fighting, as they have been since 1948 and beyond. What I hear from both sides sounds like propaganda to me. Both Israel and Palestine are guilty of inhumane treatment of each other.
#7 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 2:52 PM ESTThere is a minor aspect here of course that cannot be ignored.
Israel is the only modern nation on record whose military pilots refused direct target orders to bomb clearly marked civilian targets and were sacked from aereal forces for refusing to willfully massacre civillian refugees.
Israel is also the only developed nation to ever have deliberately targeted UN installations in the past and ever have bombed UN refugee camps.
UN/IRCR claims about war crimes in 2006 proved correct and Israel's denials proved wrong.
All this is really not happening in a vacuum and on a clean slate. There is a clearly distinct track record on either side when it comes to the claims they do. No rational person can consider as equal the both in this regard.
I wouldn't believe it if it was either Palestine or Israel, but since the UN is suspending relief after losing two workers (source), obviously something happened. Irael blames Palestine, Palestine says it was the israelies.
The unfortunate thing is that either way, Palestine loses. The UN is not going to risk its people if they are going to get shot at.
You maybe, but you know, there are some who consider the UN a Palestinian mouthpiece.
Conrad clearly seems to me to be among them because he works on the assumption of symmetry between UN and Israel straightaway.
You're right on the factual basis of course. But if you dicuss with an apologist you better get used to this kind of thinking. All this mindset about "bomb the UN headquarters" is still very much alive.
Israel is also the only developed nation to ever have deliberately targeted UN installations in the past and ever have bombed UN refugee camps.
UN/IRCR claims about war crimes in 2006 proved correct and Israel's denials proved wrong.
That is correct.
There is also the UN review of Israel's shelling of Beit Hanoun in Gaza almost two years ago where Mr Tutu finds evidence of a disproportionate and reckless disregard for Palestinian civilian life, contrary to international humanitarian law, which raises concerns that a war crime may have been committed.
The UN is not going to risk its people if they are going to get shot at.
The UN is only temporarily suspending food deliveries until proper protection can be assured.
Unfortunately, the UN will take risks, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by this conflict is now going beyond any acceptable level. Four of my colleagues, of which one of my team, left this evening for Gaza, to try and open up a humanitarian aid corridor through the Gaza/Egypt border crossing.
As a side remark, and a personal remark, but related to this.. This is something we have to keep in mind when (in other discussions) all the UN bashing goes on... There is one arm of the UN, the humanitarian arm, that many confuse with the political (e.g. security council) or the military (peacekeeping arm). The UN humanitarian arm, all unarmed civilians, go to any length possible to provide assistance. Often with dramatic consequences. Only in the last three days, I lost two colleagues (see this post. Not in Gaza, but in Somalia.
Related to this discussion:
On Tuesday, troops reported rocket fire from a U.N.-operated school that was being used as a shelter in the center of the Jabalya refugee camp. They returned fire, and killed 40 people. Israel has said Hamas operatives were among the dead; Palestinian medical officials say the majority were women, children and male civilians.
John Ging, the top U.N. Relief and Works Agency official in Gaza, on Wednesday challenged Israeli reports that fire came from the school. He said the U.N. staff at the facility assured him that "there were no militants in the school. . . . I'm very confident that there was no militant activity in the school, and if anybody has evidence to the contrary, we would be very anxious to have it."
(article)
#8 - Thu Jan 8, 2009 6:07 PM ESTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
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