- 2,506
- 109
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2005
FREE Palestine! END the Occupation! STOP the Bombings! EDIT: BEGIN THE BOYCOTTS! PLEASE READ
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by praise the x i,
- Start date
- 9,946
- 7,138
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2005
smh in disgust at the u.s. govt for basically supporting this. smh at the surrounding govts in the region for doing nothing.
- 7,322
- 112
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2006
They cant do ANYTHING.
Everyone is afraid of the U.S.
Also, even if all the Arab countries united in waging war against Israel, they would get destroyed by the U.S./Israel.
I predict that this mission will ultimately be detrimental to Israeli state security. With every passing day they are breeding more hatrid amongst thePalestinians and this will only lead to more retaliation against Israelis. Sitting down and negotiating with Hamas would've been far more beneficial toIsrael than bombing the he.ll out of the Gaza Strip.
It's sad that if any other country in the world was taking similar action they would've been pressured into stopping immediately. Since the U.S. isbacking Israel, no one can do +*%# to stop these unnecessary attacks.
If you are an Israeli supporter, that is fine. However, I do not see how you can be so naive in thinking that crippling Hamas will decrease the violencedirected at Israelis. Sure, Hamas might get crippled but new organizations/factions will be formed and once they get some funding they'll be carrying outattacks similar to those committed by Hamas in the past.
- 6,379
- 4,140
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2007
Wow.
Well they can't stop them all.
9 Minute video of a Gaza marketplace after being hit with a clusterbomb:
I couldn't watch all of it.
There is no hope for mankind.
- 805
- 78
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2004
Those pictures are disgusting...it's amazing how in this day and age, there are still atrocities happening across the globe.
Really, to see fellow human brothers and sisters destroyed by weapons is something that should really be thought over.
Like it's already been said, with each passing day, more and more (as if there aren't enough already) people will use this as means of justificationfor retaliation against Israel.
It's good to see there are Israeli human rights group sticking up for what's right and not what the majority of their people agree with.
Really, to see fellow human brothers and sisters destroyed by weapons is something that should really be thought over.
Like it's already been said, with each passing day, more and more (as if there aren't enough already) people will use this as means of justificationfor retaliation against Israel.
It's good to see there are Israeli human rights group sticking up for what's right and not what the majority of their people agree with.
- 3,130
- 10
- Joined
- May 21, 2005
Exactly.
Hamas was not created out of nowhere. If there was no occupation, no ethnic cleansing and mistreatment of Palestinians, you think groups like Hamas wouldthrive or even come about? Let us remember like how I mentioned before Israeli intelligence was complicit and helped, funded, and supported the creation ofHamas in the 1980s as to be a nemesis to the secular PLO.
It is the Palestinians who are being occupied and Israel are the occupiers. You have a powerful state oppressing a people, taking away their freedoms, theirland and their basic human rights. They are mostly defenceless while Israel has one of the most fancy weaponry and machinery in the world . You do not thinkthat maybe that will create a violent and resistance movement to arise out of their ashes? How do you think throughout history there has been all these violentresistance movements that come about due to opression and injustice?
What about the ANC in South Africa? How about the Black Panthers during the civil rights movement? The IRA in Norther Ireland? The Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka?The resistance and rebellion movements in Darfur? All of these groups ended up using violent means to fight their oppressors. There is so much a certain kindof people will take of so much oppression and persecution, they will take up arms and fight to their death to fight off the occupation and to fight for theirfreedoms.
It is only tiny minority within the Palestinian community responds to this dead-end situation of the occupation with suicide bombings and rocket attacks aimedat Israeli civilians. Palestinians have and mostly use NON-VIOLENT means to fight the occupation. When Palestinians get a fence built out on their farm landsto cut off access to it, but the Palestinian farmer finds his way around the fence to grow his seeds, that is non-violence. When the fence cuts offPalestinians from being able to go out, and children can at first not find ways to go to school to get their education, but they take a ladder and jump overthe wall, that is means of non-violence. When Palestinians go out to the streets and protest peacefully but only get shot at by the IDF, that is means ofnon-violence. Palestinians have used many ways of non-violence, despite the fact that their acts of nonviolence have met at times with brutal violentresponses.
But, Palesinian non-violence has not helped them, but they still do continue to use it. Yes, Hamas' use of violence is unjustified, but then how can Israel's violence and terrorism which is more powerful, destructive, and damaging than Palestinian terrorism be justified? If Israel treated thePalestinians humanely, give them the piece of their land, and stopped the occupation, the persecution and oppression towards Palestinians, groups like Hamaswould not exist. It is what Israel does that creates and breeds and makes groups like Hamas more powerful. I do not know how anyone can just deny that logic.
- 2,168
- 10
- Joined
- May 27, 2008
WOW!!
There are no words to describe the mix of anger and disgust I felt watching that. Unbelievable.
There are no words to describe the mix of anger and disgust I felt watching that. Unbelievable.
- 3,667
- 11
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2007
[font=Arial,Helvetica]Since 1948 Arab leaders have approached the Palestine problem[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]in an irresponsible manner.... they have used the Palestine[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]people for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and,[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]I could say, even criminal.[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]-- King Hussein of Jordan, 1960
[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica]Since 1948 it is we who demanded the return of the refugees... while it is we who made them leave.... We broughtdisaster upon ... Arab refugees, by inviting them and bringing pressure to bear upon them to leave.... We have rendered them dispossessed.... We haveaccustomed them to begging.... We have participated in lowering their moral and social level.... Then we exploited them in executing crimes of murder, arson,and throwing bombs upon ... men, women and children-all this in the service of political purposes .... [36][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]-- Khaled Al-Azm, Syria's Prime Minister after the 1948 war[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]
[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Near East Arabic Radio, April 3, 1948: "It must not be forgotten that the Arab Higher Committeeencouraged the refugees to flee from their homes in Jaffa, Haifa and Jerusalem, and that certain leaders . . . make political capital out of their miserablesituation . . ."
Copy of a excerpt of the British Report.
[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]in an irresponsible manner.... they have used the Palestine[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]people for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and,[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]I could say, even criminal.[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]-- King Hussein of Jordan, 1960
[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica]Since 1948 it is we who demanded the return of the refugees... while it is we who made them leave.... We broughtdisaster upon ... Arab refugees, by inviting them and bringing pressure to bear upon them to leave.... We have rendered them dispossessed.... We haveaccustomed them to begging.... We have participated in lowering their moral and social level.... Then we exploited them in executing crimes of murder, arson,and throwing bombs upon ... men, women and children-all this in the service of political purposes .... [36][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]-- Khaled Al-Azm, Syria's Prime Minister after the 1948 war[/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica]
[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Near East Arabic Radio, April 3, 1948: "It must not be forgotten that the Arab Higher Committeeencouraged the refugees to flee from their homes in Jaffa, Haifa and Jerusalem, and that certain leaders . . . make political capital out of their miserablesituation . . ."
Copy of a excerpt of the British Report.
[/size][/font]
- 3,130
- 10
- Joined
- May 21, 2005
Isn't it true that Palestinians left their homes during the 1948 war because their leaders asked them to do so?
For the moment, let's assume that the Palestinian refugees were not terrorized out of their homes, but left based on their free will. The questions thatmany Palestinians ask:
Neither the Israeli Army boot camps, nor the Israeli schools dares to disclose the truth to its subjects. The truth is most Palestinians were terrorized outof their homes, farms, and businesses. PalestineRemembered.com is fortunate to receive pictures portraying the terror that came upon the Palestinian people,click here to witness the ethnic cleansing and destruction of 'Imwas. Itshould be noted that what happened to 'Imwas by the Israeli Army was a copycat war crime to what already happened to other 450 Palestinian towns during the1948 war.
Since the inception of Zionism, its leaders have been keen on creating a "Jewish State" based on a "Jewish majority" by mass immigrationof Jews to Palestine, primarily European Jews fleeing from anti-Semitic Tsarist Russia and Nazi Germany. When a "Jewish majority" was impossible toachieve, based on Jewish immigration and natural growth, Zionist leaders (such as Ben Gurion, Moshe Sharett, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, and Chaim Weizmann)concluded that "population transfer" was the only solution to what they referred to as the "Arab Problem." Year after year, the plan tocleanse Palestine away from its indigenous people became known as the "transfer solution." David Ben-Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister, eloquently articulatedthe "transfer solution" as the following:
For the moment, let's assume that the Palestinian refugees were not terrorized out of their homes, but left based on their free will. The questions thatmany Palestinians ask:
- Is that a good reason to confiscate their homes, farms, and business?
- Is that a good reason to block their return to their homes?
- Is that a good reason to nullify their citizenship in the country they were born?
- Is that a good reason to confiscate their homes, farms, and business in their respective countries?
- Is that a good reason to block their return to their homes if they choose to do so?
- Is that a good reason to nullify their citizenship in the countries they were born?
Neither the Israeli Army boot camps, nor the Israeli schools dares to disclose the truth to its subjects. The truth is most Palestinians were terrorized outof their homes, farms, and businesses. PalestineRemembered.com is fortunate to receive pictures portraying the terror that came upon the Palestinian people,click here to witness the ethnic cleansing and destruction of 'Imwas. Itshould be noted that what happened to 'Imwas by the Israeli Army was a copycat war crime to what already happened to other 450 Palestinian towns during the1948 war.
Since the inception of Zionism, its leaders have been keen on creating a "Jewish State" based on a "Jewish majority" by mass immigrationof Jews to Palestine, primarily European Jews fleeing from anti-Semitic Tsarist Russia and Nazi Germany. When a "Jewish majority" was impossible toachieve, based on Jewish immigration and natural growth, Zionist leaders (such as Ben Gurion, Moshe Sharett, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, and Chaim Weizmann)concluded that "population transfer" was the only solution to what they referred to as the "Arab Problem." Year after year, the plan tocleanse Palestine away from its indigenous people became known as the "transfer solution." David Ben-Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister, eloquently articulatedthe "transfer solution" as the following:
- In a joint meeting between the Jewish Agency Executive and Zionist Action Committee on June 12th, 1938:
"With compulsory transfer we [would] have a vast area [for settlement] .... I support compulsory transfer. I don't see anything immoral in it." (Righteous Victims p. 144).
- In a speech addressing the Central Committee of the Histadrut on December 30, 1947:
"In the area allocated to the Jewish State there are not more than 520,000 Jews and about 350,000 non-Jews, mostly Arabs. Together with the Jews of Jerusalem, the total population of the Jewish State at the time of its establishment, will be about one million, including almost 40% non-Jews. such a [population] composition does not provide a stable basis for a Jewish State. This [demographic] fact must be viewed in all its clarity and acuteness. With such a [population] composition, there cannot even be absolute certainty that control will remain in the hands of the Jewish majority .... There can be no stable and strong Jewish state so long as it has a Jewish majority of only 60%." (Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 176 & Benny Morris p. 2
- And on February 8th, 1948, Ben-Gurion also stated to the Mapai Council:
"From your entry into Jerusalem, through Lifta, Romema [East Jerusalem Palestinian neighborhood]. . . there are no [Palestinian] Arabs. One hundred percent Jews. Since Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, it has not been Jewish as it is now. In many [Palestinian] Arab neighborhoods in the west one sees not a single [Palestinian] Arab. I do not assume that this will change. . . . What had happened in Jerusalem. . . . is likely to happen in many parts of the country. . . in the six, eight, or ten months of the campaign there will certainly be great changes in the composition of the population in the country." (Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 180-181)
- In a speech addressing the Zionist Action Committee on April 6th, 1948:
"We will not be able to win the war if we do not, during the war, populate upper and lower, eastern and western Galilee, the Negev and Jerusalem area ..... I believe that war will also bring in its wake a great change in the distribution of Arab population." (Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 181)
- In speech to the Jewish Agency on June 12, 1948, Ben-Gurion stated:
"I am for compulsory transfer; I don't see anything immoral in it." For tactical reasons, he was against proposing it at the moment, but "we have to state the principle of compulsory transfer without insisting on its immediate implementation." (Simha Flapan, p. 103)
- Click here for more "Transfer" (Ethnic Cleansing) quotes from Zionist leaders.
"After attacking Lydda [later called Lod] and then Ramla, .... What would they do with the 50,000 civilians living in the two cities ..... Not even Ben-Gurion could offer a solution .... and during the discussion at operation headquarters, he [Ben-Gurion] remained silent, as was his habit in such situations. Clearly, we could not leave [Lydda's] hostile and armed populace in our rear, where it could endangered the supply route [to the troops who were] advancing eastward.
Ben-Gurion would repeat the question: What is to be done with the population?, waving his hand in a gesture which said: Drive them out! [garesh otem in Hebrew]. 'Driving out' is a term with a harsh ring, .... Psychologically, this was on of the most difficult actions we undertook". (Soldier Of Peace, p. 140-141 & Benny Morris, p. 207) .
Later, Rabin underlined the cruelty of the operation as mirrored in the reaction of his soldiers. He stated during an interview (which is still censored inIsraeli publications to this day) with David Shipler from the New York Times on October 22, 1979:
"Great Suffering was inflicted upon the men taking part in the eviction action. [They] included youth-movement graduates who had been inculcated with values such as international brotherhood and humaneness. The eviction action went beyond the concepts they were used to. There were some fellows who refused to take part. . . Prolonged propaganda activities were required after the action . . . to explain why we were obliged to undertake such a harsh and cruel action." (Simha Flapan, p. 101)
Just before the 1948 war, the residents of the twin cities, Lydda and al-Ramla, almost constituted 20% of the total urban population incentral Palestine, inclusive of Tel-Aviv. Currently, the former residents and their descendents number at least a half a million, who mostly live in deplorablerefugee camps in and around Amman (Jordan) and Ramallah (the occupied West Bank). According to Rabin, the decision to ethnically cleanse the twin cities was anagonizing decision, however, his guilty conscious did not stop him from placing a similar order against three nearby villages ('Imwas, Yalu, and Bayt Nuba) 19 years later. The exodus from Lydda and al- Ramla was portrayed firsthand by Ismail Shammout, the renownedPalestinians artist from Lydda itself, click here to view his exodus gallery. To learn more about theethnic cleansing of Lydda and al-Ramla based on declassified Israeli archives, we suggest clicking here as well .
In order to excuse themselves from any responsibility of war crimes, Zionists have concocted a myth that Palestinians were ordered by their leaders toabandon their homes. As it will be proven below, this version of events was conclusively proven wrong based on Israeli declassified documents. According to theIsraeli historian Benny Morris:
Farther proof of ethnic cleansing (as if more evidence is needed) comes from Glubb Pasha, the British officer of the Jordanian army during the1948 war, was on the spot at the time and therefore was in a position to know what is going on. He said:
- 'In general, during the first months of the war until April 1948 the Palestinian leadership struggled, if not very manfully, against the exodus: "The AHC [Arab Higher Committee] decided .... to adopt measures to weaken the exodus by imposing restrictions, penalties, threats, propaganda in the press [and] on the radio .... [The AHC] tried to obtain the help of neighboring countries in this context ..... [The AHC] especially tried to prevent the flight of army-age young males," according to IDF intelligence'. (Benny Morris, p. 60)
- 'Whatever the reasoning and attitude of the Arab states' leaders, I have found no contemporary evidence to show that either the leaders of the Arab states or the Mufti [Hajj Amin al-Husseini] ordered or directly encouraged the mass exodus during April [1948]. It may be worth noting that for decades the policy of the Palestinian Arab leaders had been to hold fast to the soil of Palestine and to resist the eviction and displacement of Arab communities'. (Benny Morris, p. 66)
- 'In Kafr Saba [early May 1948], the locals, under threat from Haganah attack, wanted to leave, but were ordered to stay by the ALA [Arab Liberation Army] garrison. According to Haganah sources, the ALA, with the population of Ramallah about to take flight, blocked all roads into the Triangle: "The Arab military leaders are trying to stem the flood of refugees and taking stern and ruthless measures against them." Arab radio broadcast, picked up by the Haganah, conveyed orders from the ALA to all Arabs who had left their homes to "return within three days. The commander of Ramallah assembled the mukhtars [official leaders] from the area" and demanded they strengthen morale in the their villages. The local ALA commanders turned back trucks which were coming to take families out of Ramallah. .... Haganah intelligence on May 6 reported that "Radio Jerusalem in its Arabic broadcast (14:00 hours, 5 May) and Damascus [Radio] (19:45 hours, 5 May) announced in the name of the Supreme Headquarters: 'Every Arab must defend his home and property .... Those who leave their places will be punished and their homes will be destroyed.'. The announcement was signed by [Fawzi al-]Qawukji.' (Benny Morris, p. 68-69)
Similarly, Simha Flapan (the Israeli writer and politician) stated according to declassified Israeli document and to the November 6th, 1948 edition of the Israeli newspaper Davar:
". . . after April 1948, the flight acquired massive dimensions. Abd al-Rahman Azzam Pasha, secretary general of the Arab League, and King Abdullah both issued public calls to the Arabs not to leave their homes. Fawzi al-Qawukji, commander of the Arab Liberation Army, was give instructions to stop the flight by force and to requisition transport for this purpose. The Arab government decided to allow entry only to women and children and to send back all men of military age (between eighteen and fifty). Mohammad Adib al-Umri, deputy director of Ramallah broadcasting station, appealed to the Arabs to stop the flight from Jenin, Tulkarm, and other towns in the Triangle that were bombed by the Israelis. On May 10, Radio Jerusalem broadcasted orders on its Arab program from Arab commanders and AHC to stop the mass flight from Jerusalem and the vicinity." (Simha Flapan, p. 86-87)
Click here to view the original letter sent by the Arab Higher Committee [AHC] on March 8, 1948 urging the Egyptian government to deny entry for the Palestinian refugees unless in emergency situations.
- 'The various National Committees issued bans on flight. The Ramle National Committee set up pickets at the exits to the town to prevent Arabs departing. The inhabitants of the villages east of Majdal (Beit Daras, the Sawafirs, ..etc) were warned not to allow in with their belongings. On 15 May [1948], Faiz Idris, AHC's "inspector for public safety," issued ordered to militiamen to help the invading Arab armies and to fight against " the Fifth column and the rumor-mongers, who are causing the flight of the Arab population' (Benny Morris, p. 69)
- 'On 10-11 May [1948], the AHC [Arab Higher Committee] called on officials, doctors, and engineers who had left the country to return on 14-15 May, repeating the call, warned the the officials who did not return would lose their " moral right to hold these administrative jobs in the future." Arab governments began to bar entry to the refugee -as happened, for example, on the Lebanese border in the middle of May'. (Benny Morris, p. 69)
- 'The fall of Safad and the flight of its inhabitants shocked the [Palestinian] Arab villagers of the Hula Valley, to the north. [Yegal] Allon launched a psychological warfare campaign ("If you don't flee immediately, you will all be slaughtered, your daughters will be raped," are the like), and almost all the villagers fled to Lebanon and Syria.' (Righteous Victims, p. 213)
- According to a Jewish Agency's Arab section report from January 3, 1948, at the beginning of the flight:
"The Arab exodus from Palestine continues, mainly to the countries of the West. Of late, the Arab Higher Executive has succeeded in imposing close scrutiny on those leaving for Arab countries in the Middle East." Prior to the declaration of the "Jewish state," the Arab League's political committee, meeting in Sofar, Lebanon, recommended that the Arab states " the doors to . . . women and children and old people if events in Palestine make it necessary." (Simha Flapan, p. 85)
- 3,130
- 10
- Joined
- May 21, 2005
Israeli forces split Gaza in two
Fighting is raging into the night in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli ground forces and heavy armour have effectively cut the territory intwo.
Supported by a naval, air and land bombardment, they have taken up positions on either side of Gaza City and along a major east-west road.
About 40 tanks were moving towards Khan Younis in the south, reports say.
Palestinian officials say 70 people have been killed in the ground assault. One Israeli soldier has been killed.
Earlier, US Vice-President @%!% Cheney defended the Israeli ground offensive, saying air attacks were not enough to destroy rocket sites. He also said Israel had not sought US approval launching it.
Israeli President Shimon Peres rejected calls for a ceasefire, but said his country did not intend to re-occupy Gaza or crush Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, said he was doing all he could to stop Israel's "vicious aggression".
An EU mission has flown to the region. The bloc's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said the crisis represented a failure of diplomacy.
At least 32 missiles were fired into southern Israel from Gaza on Sunday. Two people were lightly wounded in the Eshkol region, while one woman was slightly injured in Sderot.
'Face-to-face battles'
As night fell, blackouts plunged much of Gaza into darkness. However, the flashes of explosions could be seen from the northern border, and the regular sounds of gun and artillery fire heard.
During the day, the fighting appeared to move away from the northern end of the territory, towards more populous areas in the west, correspondents say.
Later, Israeli military sources and witnesses said Israeli tanks and heavy armour had taken up positions on either side of Gaza City, in effect cutting Gaza into two parts, from the Karni crossing to the Mediterranean Sea.
The town of Beit Hanoun was also reportedly surrounded.
Hamas officials and witnesses report major fighting in five areas: east of the Jabaliya refugee camp; in the Zeitoun area; near the site of the former Jewish settlement of Netzarim; in the centre of Gaza; and on the outskirts of Khan Younis.
Hamas said its fighters were in some cases engaged in "face-to-face battles" with Israeli soldiers.
Earlier, the Israeli military said the militants were not engaging its troops in close combat but using mortars and improvised bombs.
The Palestinian health ministry says 509 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the Israelis began their assault on Gaza eight days ago.
It says 21 of the 70 people killed since the beginning of the ground offensive were children. Some 2,500 people have reportedly also been wounded.
The figures could not be independently verified. Israel is refusing to let international journalists into Gaza despite a ruling by its a supreme court to admit a limited number of reporters.
Hamas officials say that 10 of its fighters have so far been killed.
The Israeli military says one of its soldiers has been killed and 34 wounded in the ground offensive, three of them seriously. It believes about 80% of the Palestinians killed were Hamas members.
'Trickle of aid'
The BBC's Rushdi Abu Alouf in Gaza City says the fighting and Israeli positions have stopped desperately needed medical supplies getting through to hospitals that are struggling to cope with the casualties.
The aid agency Oxfam said a paramedic working for a partner organisation had been killed and two others injured by an Israeli shell.
Oxfam said it had been forced to suspend its work, apart from emergency medical aid, because the "trickle of humanitarian aid that Israel has sometimes allowed in" had dried up since the start of the ground offensive.
The Israeli government says 400 truckloads of humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza since the operation began.
Many agencies say deliveries have been insufficient, and that it is difficult to get supplies to where they are most needed.
The main aid crossing point at Rafah has also been closed while Israel troops attempt to destroy tunnels under the border with Egypt.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/...i/middle_east/7810804.stm
Published: 2009/01/05 00:35:43 GMT
[emoji]169[/emoji] BBC MMIX
Print Sponsor
Fighting is raging into the night in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli ground forces and heavy armour have effectively cut the territory intwo.
Supported by a naval, air and land bombardment, they have taken up positions on either side of Gaza City and along a major east-west road.
About 40 tanks were moving towards Khan Younis in the south, reports say.
Palestinian officials say 70 people have been killed in the ground assault. One Israeli soldier has been killed.
Earlier, US Vice-President @%!% Cheney defended the Israeli ground offensive, saying air attacks were not enough to destroy rocket sites. He also said Israel had not sought US approval launching it.
Israeli President Shimon Peres rejected calls for a ceasefire, but said his country did not intend to re-occupy Gaza or crush Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, said he was doing all he could to stop Israel's "vicious aggression".
An EU mission has flown to the region. The bloc's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said the crisis represented a failure of diplomacy.
At least 32 missiles were fired into southern Israel from Gaza on Sunday. Two people were lightly wounded in the Eshkol region, while one woman was slightly injured in Sderot.
'Face-to-face battles'
As night fell, blackouts plunged much of Gaza into darkness. However, the flashes of explosions could be seen from the northern border, and the regular sounds of gun and artillery fire heard.
During the day, the fighting appeared to move away from the northern end of the territory, towards more populous areas in the west, correspondents say.
Later, Israeli military sources and witnesses said Israeli tanks and heavy armour had taken up positions on either side of Gaza City, in effect cutting Gaza into two parts, from the Karni crossing to the Mediterranean Sea.
The town of Beit Hanoun was also reportedly surrounded.
Hamas officials and witnesses report major fighting in five areas: east of the Jabaliya refugee camp; in the Zeitoun area; near the site of the former Jewish settlement of Netzarim; in the centre of Gaza; and on the outskirts of Khan Younis.
Hamas said its fighters were in some cases engaged in "face-to-face battles" with Israeli soldiers.
Earlier, the Israeli military said the militants were not engaging its troops in close combat but using mortars and improvised bombs.
The Palestinian health ministry says 509 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the Israelis began their assault on Gaza eight days ago.
It says 21 of the 70 people killed since the beginning of the ground offensive were children. Some 2,500 people have reportedly also been wounded.
The figures could not be independently verified. Israel is refusing to let international journalists into Gaza despite a ruling by its a supreme court to admit a limited number of reporters.
Hamas officials say that 10 of its fighters have so far been killed.
The Israeli military says one of its soldiers has been killed and 34 wounded in the ground offensive, three of them seriously. It believes about 80% of the Palestinians killed were Hamas members.
'Trickle of aid'
The BBC's Rushdi Abu Alouf in Gaza City says the fighting and Israeli positions have stopped desperately needed medical supplies getting through to hospitals that are struggling to cope with the casualties.
The aid agency Oxfam said a paramedic working for a partner organisation had been killed and two others injured by an Israeli shell.
Oxfam said it had been forced to suspend its work, apart from emergency medical aid, because the "trickle of humanitarian aid that Israel has sometimes allowed in" had dried up since the start of the ground offensive.
The Israeli government says 400 truckloads of humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza since the operation began.
Many agencies say deliveries have been insufficient, and that it is difficult to get supplies to where they are most needed.
The main aid crossing point at Rafah has also been closed while Israel troops attempt to destroy tunnels under the border with Egypt.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/...i/middle_east/7810804.stm
Published: 2009/01/05 00:35:43 GMT
[emoji]169[/emoji] BBC MMIX
Print Sponsor
- 2,406
- 10
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2007
- 628
- 10
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2006
MCDONALDS
BURGER KING
COKE
PEPSI
STARBUCKS
KFC
FUDD RUCKERS
PIZZA HUT
CHILIES
THEY ARE GIVING 100% OF PROFIT TO ISRAEL TO CONTINUE THE ASSAULT ON PALESTINE! 100% PROFIT!!!!!
BOYCOTTTTTT!
BURGER KING
COKE
PEPSI
STARBUCKS
KFC
FUDD RUCKERS
PIZZA HUT
CHILIES
THEY ARE GIVING 100% OF PROFIT TO ISRAEL TO CONTINUE THE ASSAULT ON PALESTINE! 100% PROFIT!!!!!
BOYCOTTTTTT!
- 2,168
- 10
- Joined
- May 27, 2008
Originally Posted by TBONE95860
RAIN OF FIRE ON GAZA...
ISRAELI TANKS, TROOPS SLICE THROUGH CITY...
Heavy blow against Hamas ...
Underground tunnel in sights of warplanes...
I'm sure those are all precisely guided missiles with surgical accuracy to only take out the militants.
- 2,406
- 10
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2007
- 628
- 10
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2006
- 2,168
- 10
- Joined
- May 27, 2008
Obviously, Israel has the state of the art anti-terror technology.
TSM, Terrorist Seeking Missiles.
- 12,885
- 2,739
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2001
ISRAEL IS STILL KILLING INNOCENTS!!!
HOW IS THIS FAIR!!????
THATS TERRORISM!!!!!!!!
HOW IS THIS FAIR!!????
THATS TERRORISM!!!!!!!!
- 146
- 10
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
this is NOT a one sided issue like most of you would like to make it, Hamas uses their citizens as a media outlet. When you fire missiles from civilian areaswhat do you expect.
please stop blaming Israel for everything.
please stop blaming Israel for everything.
- 19,391
- 899
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2007
If true, you just ruined my lunch tomorrow.
I call ducktales. Proof ? How can they possibly be giving 100% of the profit ? and for what gain ?
I don't know bout all that but it's well know the man who runs Starbucks is a Zionist and some profits do go to Israel
- 2,670
- 10
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2006
1. This is 100% false, and you should seriously be banned for posting this garbage. I'm in no way supporting Israel, but let's at least attempt tostick to the facts instead of forcing propaganda down our throats. Do you honestly believe these organizations are going to publicly give their profits to acontroversial invasion in which civilians are being killed? Do you know what this would do to their images and sales? Get real.
2. If FuddRucker's is even open anymore, and actually recording profits, they're not going to give it to the Israeli government.
3. Again, you should be banned.
- 2,670
- 10
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2006
^Until I see a decent source make those claims, I'm not believing it. Not to mention, there's no way in hell they're donating 100% profits. And allthe other companies he listed? Again, no way in hell. If you believe this...it's past your bedtime.
- 628
- 10
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2006
I am sorry I had 1 part wrong. I grilled my mom for emailing the wrong info. its not 100% profit. but they are still funding.
- 416
- 10
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2006
The fight against terrorism is not a game played by gallant rules...
In direct contravention of international law, Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, utilizing homes, schools and community centers as launchingpads, content in the knowledge that if innocent Palestinian civilians are caught in the cross-fire, it will be Israel that is criticized.
In direct contravention of international law, Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, utilizing homes, schools and community centers as launchingpads, content in the knowledge that if innocent Palestinian civilians are caught in the cross-fire, it will be Israel that is criticized.
- 3,130
- 10
- Joined
- May 21, 2005
The Israeli army are known for using civilians are human shields to the point the Israeli government had to ban it, but they still do it.
Hamas militants do not "hide" amongst civilians, they are located in civilian communities and operate from there because they live there. It is likenot an official army like the IDF where there are military bases, training camps, and they have army reserves where they can operate from.
As how to stop Palestinian terrorism? Simple...Take diplomatic means to settle with Hamas, stop putting a deadly embargoon Palestinian civilians andassassinating Hamas leadersand politicians during the supposed "truce" which is why Hamas reacted with rockets in the first place. This Gazaincursion is not effective in stopping the rocket launchers at all. Infact, it has created a whole new generation of suicide bombers, it will only strengthenthe support for Hamas. They have promised to open the gates of hell and now the innocent Israeli civilians will be victims of deadly reprisals.
