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[GameAddict411]

WTF.... really?

the US media is doing what it can to spread lies and protect israel, and the american government is doing nothing but "it has rights to defend its land" bullshit, because the zionist rich and powerful got them by the balls. all of europe is acting like nothing is happening, the same for the all the arabic countries. i don't think anyone will give a damn even if israel level gaza and kill everyone there.

 

[King_Moc]

WTF.... really?

I'm not sure about the first part of what he said, but the second seems pretty clear cut from what we've seen already.

 

[AnathemicOne]

Are you just surprised or are you genuinely questioning this? If the latter, I don't see why you would as the US media voiding any negative mention of Israel is continued.

 

[KingK]

It's lovely how so much American taxmoney and american foreign policy is dictated to us by an outside country whom no one seems to want to stand up to.

Just imagine the outrage if there was a well funded lobbying group that funded/had influence over nearly all prominent politicians to enforce objectives and interests of the Chinese government.

I mean fuck, Netanyahu himself was meddling in our Presidential election last time, doing everything short of endorsing Mitt Romney. If any other leader of a supposed "ally" did that there would be justifiable outrage all over the news.

People already accuse Obama of being Muslim, he's already a lame duck who's party is turning on him on some FP issues, Israel has repeatedly tried to torpedo Obama's nuke negotiations with Iran to push the US into war, and Netanyahu seems to have plenty of disdain for the President. I wish he would just say "fuck it," and come out very critical of Israel's government. Of course that's just a fantasy, as there's nothing he could actually do. Even if he tried to veto further funding for Israel or something, there is easily enough Congressmen to override any veto regarding Israel, so anything he could do/say would merely be symbolic, but at least he'd be on the right side of history.

 

[Chumly]

If this is true and it's part of their excuse they need to be immediately investigated for criminal war crimes for those involved.

 

[werks]

If this is true and it's part of their excuse they need to be immediately investigated for criminal war crimes for those involved.

If? It's been true all day. Through all the denials and victim blaming and spinning.

 

[Jake.]

And the worst thing is nothing will change. UN will shake it's head and condemn the events and then sit right back down and continue to let this happen.

yep, the UN continue to be completely useless and inept.

 

[Toxi]

They fired upon a UN shelter.

They fired upon a UN shelter.

I'm seriously in shock at how much of a piece of garbage you have to be to do this.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

yep, the UN continue to be completely useless and inept.

Not really the UN's fault. It runs on a consensual basis because it has to, so if the US doesn't play ball, nothing the UN can do.

 

[RedHotChimiChanga]

If this is true and it's part of their excuse they need to be immediately investigated for criminal war crimes for those involved.

Uh it just sounds like the UN didn't tell Israeli forces in time that they're in that area.

 

[Toxi]

Uh it just sounds like the UN didn't tell Israeli forces in time that they're in that area.

are you serious

 

[Kusagari]

Uh it just sounds like the UN didn't tell Israeli forces in time that they're in that area.

Even though the UN has said the exact opposite.

 

[DragonSworne]

So why exactly does Israel have so many allies?

 

[Deleted member 231381]

So why exactly does Israel have so many allies?

It doesn't. It has one.

 

[Kurdel]

So why exactly does Israel have so many allies?

Because they are a democracy, albeit with an ultra nationalist right wing government.

 

[LNBL]

For the ones that don't know, the IDF also attaked an UN Observation post during the 2006 Lebanon war.

On 25 July 2006 four unarmed United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) peacekeepers from Austria, China, Finland and Canada were killed in an Israeli air strike on a UN observation post in southern Lebanon. According to the UN, the four had taken shelter in a bunker under the post, which was a three story building inside a patrol base in Khiyam.[4] It had been shelled 14 times by Israeli artillery over a period of 6 hours. An Israeli plane then dropped a bomb, destroying the post. During the bombardment, the post called an Israeli liaison officer ten times to call off the bombardment. According to a UN official who had seen the preliminary report, an Israeli official promised to halt the bombing each time.[5] UN military personnel on the ground along the Israel-Lebanon border reported that the munitions hitting the UNTSO position were precision-guided.[6]

A UNIFIL rescue team was immediately dispatched to the scene. They recovered the bodies of three observers from the rubble under artillery fire from the IDF.[7] Attack in the vicinity continued as rescuers tried to reach those killed or injured, UNIFIL said. UNIFIL said there had been at least 14 incidents of fire close to the post since afternoon. Daniel Ayalon, Israel's ambassador to the United States, said that "UNIFIL obviously got caught in the middle" of a gunfight between Hezbollah guerillas and Israeli troops."We do not have yet confirmation what caused these deaths. It could be (Israel Defense Forces). It could be Hezbollah," he said.[8]

I see the similarities with the current attack. "It could be Hezbollah" "It could be Hamas" "Caught in the middle of the fighting"

srael has launched an investigation into the bombing and has concluded that the incident was an error.[citation needed] The report says flawed military maps meant the post was wrongly targeted.[citation needed] Israel's foreign ministry spokesman, Mark Regev, told that the report concludes the attack was an error.[citation needed] Israeli aircraft attacked the post in the belief it was a Hezbollah position.[citation needed]

In 2008, the Canadian Forces released a report on the inquiry of the attack. The report blamed the Israeli Defence Forces for the incident. It also stated that both the Israeli military and the UN refused to provide requested documents for the investigation.[28]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...non_War#25_July_attack_on_UN_observation_post

 

[Dai101]

Uh it just sounds like the UN didn't tell Israeli forces in time that they're in that area.

Read this

http://www.idfblog.com/blog/2014/07/24/hamas/

In recent days, Hamas has fired rockets from an area of Beit Hanoun where an UNRWA shelter is located. Last night, the Israel Defense Forces told the Red Cross to evacuate civilians from UNRWA’s shelter in Beit Hanoun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today. UNRWA and the Red Cross received the message.

Hamas prevented civilians from evacuating the area during the window that the IDF gave them.

Today, July 24, Hamas continued firing from Beit Hanoun. The IDF responded by targeting the source of the fire. Also today, several rockets launched from Gaza toward Israel fell short and hit Beit Hanoun.

So according to the IDF, civilians could evacuate from 10 AM to 2 PM. Hamas prevented the evacuation. IDF and Hamas fired at each other and something happened.

One slight fucking problem. The IDF attack on the shelter happened at 9:45 AM. and UNRWA clearly states that the IDF prevented evacuation. If we believe that the IDF told them to evacuate at 10 AM, it makes it even worse. It means the IDF deliberately attacked before civilians could evacuate.

And for those that are questioning the fact that IDF has attacked the shelter.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=122500117&postcount=318

 

[curlyfriski]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/sheerafrenkel/at-least-13-palestinians-were-killed-inside-the-un-school-wh

Eagerly awaiting whitechocolatekrispies' take on this

 

[bigboss370]

any other circumstance and the western world would be descending upon the aggressors.

 

[nib95]

yep, the UN continue to be completely useless and inept.

Blame the US for the UN not being able to do more in retaliatory and prevention measures, not the UN. If it weren't for those sole US veto's on countless UN resolutions regarding Israel over the last half a century, I've no doubt the situation would have been different today.

And how you can say the UN are completely useless when they are one of the few successful organisations providing food, water and shelter for thousands upon thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians, scrub that, refugees and civilians from around the world. Your comment is beyond me. Hundreds of thousands more around the world would have died as a result of brutality and aggression, had there not being a sufficiently equipped, funded or politically backed organisation to take care of the displaced or affected the way the UN has.

 

[zer0blivion]

‘Appalled’ by attack on UN-run school in Gaza, Ban urges halt to all fighting
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48341#.U9FIRrF5B6k

24 July 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he is “appalled” by the news of an attack on a United Nations-run school in Gaza where hundreds of people had taken refuge from the ongoing hostilities, adding that the incident underscores the need to stop all fighting immediately.

 

[m_shortpants]

Eagerly awaiting whitechocolatekrispies' take on this

Human shields. Rockets on premises.

Take your pic.

edit: just to clarify, I don't mean any one person. I'm commenting on apologists in general.

 

[zer0blivion]

Human shields. Rockets on premises.

Take your pic.

edit: just to clarify, I don't mean any one person. I'm commenting on apologists in general.

They all seem have the same talking points.

 

[zer0blivion]

STATEMENT BY THE UNRWA COMMISSIONER-GENERAL PIERRE KRÄHENBÜHL
http://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/offic...-unrwa-commissioner-general-pierre-krähenbühl

The scenes of carnage and human suffering that we witnessed today at our elementary school in Beit Hanoun were so appalling and intolerable, that it is difficult to find the words to convey adequately my indignation. As has happened so many times in this pitiless conflict, civilians are paying the highest price of the current military escalation. I condemn this callous shelling and the extensive loss of life in the strongest possible terms and call for an immediate investigation to ensure that circumstances and responsibilities are comprehensively and irrefutably established.

 

[RustyNails]

Because they are a democracy, albeit with an ultra nationalist right wing government.

Hamas was elected in a democratic election, fair and square.

 

[Aaron]

Hamas was elected in a democratic election, fair and square.

Doesn't count if the US says it doesn't. These countries need to accept the corrupt leaders the US forces on them, and continues to do so in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

[KingK]

Blame the US for the UN not being able to do more in retaliatory and prevention measures, not the UN. If it weren't for those sole US veto's on countless UN resolutions regarding Israel over the last half a century, I've no doubt the situation would have been different today.

And how you can say the UN are completely useless when they are one of the few successful organisations providing food, water and shelter for thousands upon thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians, scrub that, refugees and civilians from around the world. Your comment is beyond me. Hundreds of thousands more around the world would have died as a result of brutality and aggression, had there not being a sufficiently equipped, funded or politically backed organisation to take care of the displaced or affected the way the UN has.

Well said. I get tired of seeing people bash the UN as being useless. The UN Security Council is not the entirety of the organization. Countless lives have been saved over decades due to UN humanitarian efforts around the globe, and I've no doubt that the world would be much worse off right now if the UN did not exist. It's far from perfect, but I very much view the UN as a force for good throughout the world.

 

[kmag]

They fired upon a UN shelter.

They fired upon a UN shelter.

I'm seriously in shock at how much of a piece of garbage you have to be to do this.

They've fired upon a UN shelter pretty much in every recent conflict, normally coincidentally straight after the UN actually mutter something about Israeli warcrimes.
Remember the fun times back in 2009 when they shelled a UN shelter with White Phosphorous then immediately denied it happened until photographic evidence came out?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/world/africa/15iht-mideast.4.19405860.html

 

[Wolves Evolve]

"Hamas are using people as human shields!"

Israel was blowing up civilian areas before Hamas was fully militant.

"Hamas hide weapons underneath schools and hospitals!"

Israel was blowing up schools and hospitals before Hamas was fully militant.

http://www.spiegel.de/international...eli-security-chief-yuval-diskin-a-982094.html

In an interview with SPIEGEL, Yuval Diskin, former director of Israel's internal security service Shin Bet, speaks of the current clash between Israel and the Palestinians, what must be done to achieve peace and the lack of leadership in the Middle East.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Diskin, following 10 days of airstrikes, the Israeli army launched a ground invasion in the Gaza Strip last week. Why now? And what is the goal of the operation?

Diskin: Israel didn't have any other choice than to increase the pressure, which explains the deployment of ground troops. All attempts at negotiation have failed thus far. The army is now trying to destroy the tunnels between Israel and the Gaza Strip with a kind of mini-invasion, also so that the government can show that it is doing something. Its voters have been increasingly vehement in demanding an invasion. The army hopes the invasion will finally force Hamas into a cease-fire. It is in equal parts action for the sake of action and aggressive posturing. They are saying: We aren't operating in residential areas; we are just destroying the tunnel entrances. But that won't, of course, change much in the disastrous situation. Rockets are stored in residential areas and shot from there as well.

SPIEGEL: You are saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressured to act by the right?

Diskin: The good news for Israel is the fact that Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Army Chief of Staff Benny Gantz are not very adventurous. None of them really wanted to go in. None of them is really enthusiastic about reoccupying the Gaza Strip. Israel didn't plan this operation at all. Israel was dragged into this crisis. We can only hope that it doesn't go beyond this limited invasion and we won't be forced to expand into the populated areas.

SPIEGEL: So what happens next?

Diskin: Israel is now an instrument in the hands of Hamas, not the opposite. Hamas doesn't care if its population suffers under the attacks or not, because the population is suffering anyway. Hamas doesn't really care about their own casualties either. They want to achieve something that will change the situation in Gaza. This is a really complicated situation for Israel. It would take one to two years to take over the Gaza Strip and get rid of the tunnels, the weapons depots and the ammunition stashes step-by-step. It would take time, but from the military point of view, it is possible. But then we would have 2 million people, most of them refugees, under our control and would be faced with criticism from the international community.

This whole interview - linked a couple of times before - is absolutely crucial to understanding the current Israeli government's cynicism, and the chaotic disorganisation within Hamas. Tragically, racist zealots are taking control of Israel's democratic process, and the racist zealots in Hamas are becoming more and more powerful. Either someone is done about Israel or we'll see a full scale attempted genocide in our lifetime. You don't just have a few people asking for one, you have *multiple* people in power asking for it. Israel's turn to the right, and a cynical Netenyahu, are the bigges threats to Israel - according to the last head of it's secret service. Nobody can read the above interview and not be given pause. Still think Hamas need to be 'wiped out at all cost' after reading it? Don't believe you. You didn't read it.

 

[zer0blivion]

"Hamas are using people as human shields!"

Israel was blowing up civilian areas before Hamas was fully militant.

"Hamas hide weapons underneath schools and hospitals!"

Israel was blowing up schools and hospitals before Hamas was fully militant.

http://www.spiegel.de/international...eli-security-chief-yuval-diskin-a-982094.html



This whole interview - linked a couple of times before - is absolutely crucial to understanding the current Israeli government's cynicism, and the chaotic disorganisation within Hamas. Tragically, racist zealots are taking control of Israel's democratic process, and the racist zealots in Hamas are becoming more and more powerful. Either someone is done about Israel or we'll see a full scale attempted genocide in our lifetime. You don't just have a few people asking for one, you have *multiple* people in power asking for it. Israel's turn to the right, and a cynical Netenyahu, are the bigges threats to Israel - according to the last head of it's secret service. Nobody can read the above interview and not be given pause. Still think Hamas need to be 'wiped out at all cost' after reading it? Don't believe you. You didn't read it.

I feel sick, just reading the part you quoted.

 

[Zen]

"Hamas are using people as human shields!"

Israel was blowing up civilian areas before Hamas was fully militant.

"Hamas hide weapons underneath schools and hospitals!"

Israel was blowing up schools and hospitals before Hamas was fully militant.

http://www.spiegel.de/international...eli-security-chief-yuval-diskin-a-982094.html



This whole interview - linked a couple of times before - is absolutely crucial to understanding the current Israeli government's cynicism, and the chaotic disorganisation within Hamas. Tragically, racist zealots are taking control of Israel's democratic process, and the racist zealots in Hamas are becoming more and more powerful. Either someone is done about Israel or we'll see a full scale attempted genocide in our lifetime. You don't just have a few people asking for one, you have *multiple* people in power asking for it. Israel's turn to the right, and a cynical Netenyahu, are the bigges threats to Israel - according to the last head of it's secret service. Nobody can read the above interview and not be given pause. Still think Hamas need to be 'wiped out at all cost' after reading it? Don't believe you. You didn't read it.

Is the bolded contained within the interview? Sources?

EDIT: Worth noting that the former head of Israeli Security confirms and corroborates that Hamas abided by 2 year cease fire and worked to stop splinter groups from launching rockets during this time.

 

[michaelius]

South Africa was wealthy and powerful and, like Israel, possessed nuclear weapons. The western world/media didnt give a damn about the black people living in squalor in the Bantustans. But the South African government's time still ran out. The apartheid regime crumbled.

Were Mandela "freedom fighters" shooting rockets at any target they can find on enemy territory ?

 

[CoolOff]

Were Mandela "freedom fighters" shooting rockets at any target they can find on enemy territory ?

They killed 80 people in "terrorist acts" between -76 and -86 so... yes?

 

[RustyNails]

Were Mandela "freedom fighters" shooting rockets at any target they can find on enemy territory ?

Umm, ever heard of MK, a violent reactionary, armed wing of ANC founded by Nelson Mandela?

 

[Timedog]

Hell of a pinpoint operation. Hell of a pinpoint operation.

 

[kmag]

The American led ceasefire proposal is interesting to say the least. Basically, Hamas stops firing while the IDF remain in Gaza to destroy the tunnels. Which is obviously unacceptable to Hamas yet they'll get the blame when they reject the ceasefire giving Israel the media cover to continue their slaughter.

 

[Discotheque]

i hope one day people look back at the media and the government's handling of these atrocities as embarrassing periods in history.

 

[TrojanBlade]

It's hilarious to me that when Malaysian airline was shot down by rebels (which by a remote chance might have been an accident in case someone screwed up) the uproar from US and EU can be heard all around the globe and they want to hold Russia accoutable. But here when Israel bombs a refugee shelter without an ounce of guilt, despite been told that it is a shelter, despite knowing civilian presence, it gets a free pass as usual from US,EU and even the Arab league. The hypocrisy of this world is sickening. I blame the Muslim country leaders even more for watching these atrocities and turning a deaf ear. They are worse than US and EU. They are cowards. None have the guts to counter Israel. Shame on all of them.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

The Guardian have a pretty good live updates page of the events happening in Gaza and elsewhere in Israel if anyone's interested.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/li...palestinian-protesters-west-bank-live-updates

 

[Meus Renaissance]

"Hamas are using people as human shields!"

Israel was blowing up civilian areas before Hamas was fully militant.

"Hamas hide weapons underneath schools and hospitals!"

Israel was blowing up schools and hospitals before Hamas was fully militant.

http://www.spiegel.de/international...eli-security-chief-yuval-diskin-a-982094.html

Nothing in there is particularly new or surprising other than having a former Israeli official speaking so frankly about it. Good interview

 

[Femmeworth]

I wonder what it would take for an international intervention. Israel executing Palestinian children with firing squads?

 

[Miles Quaritch]

I wonder what it would take for an international intervention. Israel executing Palestinian children with firing squads?

If the video of a guy being murdered by a sniper while he was looking for his family as well the bombing of an UN shelter didn't stir some reaction, it's hard to imagine what will.

 

[TheContact]

Like my college professor in my middle eastern history class said back in 2005: it's political suicide to talk bad about Israel. No one will elect you into anything

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Like my college professor in my middle eastern history class said back in 2005: it's political suicide to talk bad about Israel. No one will elect you into anything

It seems you can't say anything even after you've been elected.

 

[kmag]

I wonder what it would take for an international intervention. Israel executing Palestinian children with firing squads?

It'll take the US going on holiday from the UN for a couple of weeks. At the moment no real pressure is put on Israel thanks to the US veto shield. The Europeans tend to abstain but the US actively blocks any security council resolutions that are even mildly critical of Israel.

 

[lenos16]

It'll take the US going on holiday from the UN for a couple of weeks. At the moment no real pressure is put on Israel thanks to the US veto shield. The Europeans tend to abstain but the US actively blocks any security council resolutions that are even mildly critical of Israel.

Or a dramatic shift in the worldwide power balance.

 

[Buzzati]

Like my college professor in my middle eastern history class said back in 2005: it's political suicide to talk bad about Israel. No one will elect you into anything

Way after his presidency, Jimmy Carter was denounced as an anti-semite in the Jewish community for sympathizing with subjugated Palestinians. The guy was slammed to hell and back for his book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid".


in other news: Good 'ol Alan Dershowitz: https://twitter.com/AlanDersh/status/492368028676288512 Don't count the dead bodies, guys. Fuck off.

 

[Kenshin001]

It'll take the US going on holiday from the UN for a couple of weeks. At the moment no real pressure is put on Israel thanks to the US veto shield. The Europeans tend to abstain but the US actively blocks any security council resolutions that are even mildly critical of Israel.

Lol. The US is the UN. The US funds the UN more than any other country. I know, maybe Russia can lead the UN, that country that just annexed Crimea. Europe is useless, they couldn't even sort out their own problems in the Balkans.

The only thing left is tinpot dictatorships, theocracies and other assorted corrupt dysfunctional basket cases who don't even afford their own citizens human rights.

 

[theignoramus]

CNN is making sure the headline says its unclear who was behind the attack. I am sure they will update it once its no longer the headline. Gah US media makes me so mad.

they in fact havnt updated it to reflect Israel's admission of responsibility.
look at the contrast in due diligence between CNN and the Guardian

While Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an Israeli military spokesman, told The Washington Post on Thursday night that "there was a possibility" shells from Israeli forces struck the shelter, the Israeli military also said it could have been a rocket fired from Gaza that fell short of Israel and exploded. An investigation was underway.

The Israeli military first claimed, in a text sent to journalists, that the school could have been hit by Hamas missiles that fell short. Later, a series of tweets from the Israel Defence Forces appeared to confirm the deaths were the result of an Israeli strike.

"Today Hamas continued firing from Beit Hanoun. The IDF responded by targeting the source of the fire."

"Last night, we told Red Cross to evacuate civilians from UNRWA's shelter in Beit Hanoun btw 10am & 2pm. UNRWA & Red Cross got the message. Hamas prevented civilians from evacuating the area during the window that we gave them."

 

[Zaph]

That Jon Snow Channel 4 interview basically confirmed the worst suspicions about Israel - they do not distinguish between "firing rockets from a hospital" and "firing rockets from near a hospital". When you've corralled an entire nation into tiny urban areas, then do not have the intention and/or ability to make that differentiation when striking, you may as well just admit you're enjoying a terror campaign.