Saturday, January 03, 2009
The Situation in Israel and Gaza
As editor of OBRL-News I am getting a lot of unsolicited propaganda emails about the situation in the Middle East. About 90% of it is thinly disguised, or openly rabid Jew-hatred, reformulated as "criticism of Israeli policies" ad nauseum, outrageous lies making a completely distorted and deliberate misportrayals of the situation. Meanwhile, out on the street, around the world, the peace advocates, being herded about by clever Red Fascist and Islamo-fascist agents provocateurs, are whipping up violent confrontations. A friend in Germany reported to me as follows:
When I looked out of the window then, I realized that the noise came from a huge demonstration which moved along across the market place in front ....
It consisted of several thousands (sic! - this is pretty muich for such a small city) of *militant* left-winged people, all of them loudly shouting with megaphones and carrying signs with them like: "KILL ISRAEL!!!", "SET PALESTINE FREE!!!", "STOP FASCIST JEWS", "ISRAEL = HITLER", "STOP JEWISH IMPERIALISM!". and so forth.
They were very aggressive, threw stones, and so on.
The same creeps and useful idiots who back when Hezbollah was rocketing Israelis from Lebanon were screeching such slogans as "We Support Hamas and Hezbollah" in San Francisco, are today making physical assaults upon Jews and Israel supporters in that "city of tolerance". Palestinians and leftists with masked faces are leading the assaults, hopping mad, attacking authentically peaceful demonstrators in support of Israel. With all this multicultural tolerance, importing the Spirit of Damascus and Tehran right into the USA, you can kiss freedom of speech good-bye. You can view one disturbing video here:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/32348_Bad_Craziness_in_San_Francisco
An immense quantity of Red Fascist and Islamo-fascist propaganda is circulating, whipping these people up into self-righteous justifications for violent actions. Some of it creeps into the mainstream news, or at least sets the tone of that news. Palestinians = Innocent Victims. Israelis = Wicked Aggressors. The problem is, it is completely backwards and upside down. The overall pattern is distressingly similar to what has existed for decades: Ignore the murderous actions of terrorist factions, and continually blame the victims of terrorism for their own deaths. Then, when the targets of terrorism dare to fight back against those who have been trying to kill them, severely and loudly denounce them as "the aggressors". And abuse the rights of free speech in the West, which certainly does not exist in Gaza, to spread hate-propaganda and disinfo.
Below are some items which set the record straight, including facts about the background to the current crisis. The Muslim fanatics have since the year 2001, been spraying southern Israel cities and towns with potent anti-personnel shrapnel rocket-bombs and mortar rounds, military weapons designed for killing infantry on an open battle-field, deliberately aiming to kill civilians, and often doing so. While some scream the Israeli actions amount to "collective punishment" in fact the majority of people in Gaza have supported the terrorism, firstly spitting on the Jews when they voluntarily gave back Gaza to the PA in a peace gesture. Gunfire and shooting, with mortar attacks started on the very day of that hand-over, and several large agricultural facilities given to the Palestinians to give them productive jobs were instead destroyed and looted by the happy-angry mobs, who by their Islamic mind-set cannot comprehend "peace gestures", and only view such gestures as foolish bowing down to a Superior Islam. So they are encouraged by such gestures, not touched or made humble by them. And so, homes and synagogues left intact to allow Palestinians more and better places to live were also looted, burned, with swastikas painted on them, or turned into command posts for sniper and mortar attacks against neighboring Jewish villages. Then, the Gaza citizens happily elected Hamas, in large measure because unlike the problematic PA under Abbas, Hamas declared they would make open war. They enthusiastically celebrated the rocket-shooters as "heroes". They danced wildly in the streets whenever a rocket or a sniper killed some Jews. Thousands of Gaza Muslims recently attended an open-air rally, where a play mocked the screams of a captured and butchered Israeli soldier, who cried out for his mother while being tortured to death. The crowd laughed and screamed for more. "Death to the Jews" was the open screech of the Mullahs and the Mob. "We love death just as you love life", they openly proclaim, as more shrapnel bombs are strapped onto their own hated children. The Hamas leaders, all bearded pedophile fanatic mullahs, and the TV and radio propaganda journalists, kept whipping up the crowds with horror-stories and lies of every sort imaginable. Rockets and mortars continued to fly, provided through smuggling tunnels into Egypt, and massive support also from Iran. Billions of money given by the EU, USA, UN and Arab League for construction projects and infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank has meanwhile disappeared down the rat-hole pockets of the Palestinian leadership, into Swiss bank accounts, as recently revealed with the nearly $2 Billion stolen by the now-dead Arafat, and presently held by his wife Suha Arafat living the life of luxury in Paris. The Hamas and Hezbollah mulla-butchers are no different. But Israel and the West will be blamed for everything.
Gaza has become a self-created madhouse of life-hatred, sex-repression, scapegoating and butchery, led by criminal religious fanatic haters as bad or worse than anything one might drag up from the deepest cesspools of history. What surprises me is that Israel waited so long -- certainly the liberals under Olmert, who gave them Gaza in the first place, bears some responsibility. One would think, the first thousand missiles would have been sufficient to prompt this clearly defensive action.
And, no, I don't care to debate it with anyone. If the MSM was doing its job and reporting fairly and comprehensively on this matter, I would not feel compelled to present this information. And surely, this is not over. Welcome to 2009.
James DeMeo
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Here is documentation detailing the recent Causus Belli and Acts of War by the Islamofascists, which led to the current situation:
Summary of rocket fire and mortar shelling in 2008
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From: "The Israel Project" <press@theisraelproject.org>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 2, 2009
Fiction vs. Fact: Israel and the Situation in Gaza
6 Common Fabrications
(Go to the website http://www.theisraelproject.org for links to these subjects.)
Gaza by the Numbers
Humanitarian Aid into Gaza (video)
Photos: Israel Under Fire
Sderot and Area Contacts Available for Comment
Israeli Govt. Spokesman Mark Regev transcript and MP3 recording (Dec. 29 conf call)
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Sallai Meridor transcript and MP3 recording
Video: Palestinian girl says Hamas responsible for war
Videos from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
IDF YouTube Channel
Iran Press Kit
Since Israel began "Operation Cast Lead" in Gaza Dec. 27 in an attempt to stop Iran-backed Hamas from its years-long campaign to kill and injure civilians in Israel, some have used the opportunity to spread misinformation about Israel's actions, intentions and the overall situation in Gaza. Following are examples of fabrications - refuted by factual accounts provided by international aid organizations, Arab leaders, and Palestinian journalists.
"While there is real suffering in Gaza, it is important to sort fact from fiction and understand that Hamas is responsible for this sad situation," said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, founder and president of The Israel Project. "The important thing now is to defeat terror so that there can be a two-state solution and lasting peace. Both sides need a better future."
1) Fiction: There's no food in Gaza and people are starving.
News reports, including one produced by TV station France 2 on Dec. 29, showed a Gaza resident in a food store saying:
"Apparently, there is nothing, as you can see. There are no natural products for the kids. There is no milk. There is nothing here."[1]
Fact: Warehouses in Gaza are filled to capacity, according to international aid groups. In the same France 2 TV clip referenced above, upon closer inspection, shelves filled with food can be seen in the reflection of a refrigerated door in the store. To see clip: click on http://jt.france2.fr/20h/; click on "Lundi 29" - below the small screen; to the right of the new screen, click "Vie dans la bande de Gaza" The World Food Program informed Israel that it would cease shipment of food to Gaza because the warehouses there are at full capacity, with enough food to last two weeks.[2]
During a one-day period alone - Dec. 31- Israel facilitated the transport of 29 truckloads of food, including 15 truckloads of flour, into Gaza.[3] And even as Hamas was firing rockets and mortars during Israel during the ceasefire, Israel facilitated the delivery of 2,500 tons (delivered on 93 trucks) of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and medication through the Kerem Shalom cargo terminal.[4]
Since the beginning of the operation, about 6,500 tons of aid have been transferred into Gaza at the request of the international organizations, the Palestinian Authority and various governments. Preparations are underway to facilitate further shipments.[5]
2) Fiction: Gaza has no medical and other aid supplies to help the injured.
Fact: During the first 5 days alone of Operation Cast Lead, Israel has facilitated the delivery of 6,500 tons of aid - 179 truckoads -- into Gaza at the request of international organizations, the Palestinian Authority and various governments. The deliveries include basic food commodities, medication, medical supplies and blood units. Another 106 truckloads of humanitarian aid are expected to arrive in Gaza on Jan. 31.[6] [7] The crossings to Gaza are open for the transfer of humanitarian aid from all international organizations, in full cooperation with the Israeli authorities and without restriction.[8] In a one-day period - Dec. 31 - Israel enabled the transport of 9 truckloads of medicine and medical supplies, along with 10 ambulances, into Gaza.[9]
3) Fiction: Israel is refusing to allow injured Gazans into Israeli and Egyptian hospitals for treatment.
Fact: Israel has allowed a number of Palestinians into Israel for medical treatment they couldn't receive in Gaza. On Dec. 31, for example, 12 Palestinians accessed Israel for medical treatment in Israeli hospitals. Two of those evacuated were injured children; the remaining were chronically sick people, and their escorts, who were allowed into Israel for treatment not available in Gaza.[10]
Further, Hamas - in an effort to exploit the suffering of innocent civilians - has refused to allow injured Palestinians to leave Gaza to go to Egypt for treatment.[11] Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu al-Gheit said earlier this week that Hamas was not allowing wounded Palestinians to cross the border into Egypt for treatment: "We are waiting for the wounded Palestinians to cross. They are not being allowed to cross." Asked who was to blame, he referred to Gaza by saying, "Ask the party in control on the ground in Gaza."[12]
Fact: Israel has allowed a number of Palestinians into Israel for medical treatment they couldn't receive in Gaza. On Dec. 31, for example, 12 Palestinians accessed Israel for medical treatment in Israeli hospitals. Two of those evacuated were injured children; the remaining were chronically sick people, and their escorts, who were allowed into Israel for treatment not available in Gaza.[10]
Further, Hamas - in an effort to exploit the suffering of innocent civilians - has refused to allow injured Palestinians to leave Gaza to go to Egypt for treatment.[11] Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu al-Gheit said earlier this week that Hamas was not allowing wounded Palestinians to cross the border into Egypt for treatment: "We are waiting for the wounded Palestinians to cross. They are not being allowed to cross." Asked who was to blame, he referred to Gaza by saying, "Ask the party in control on the ground in Gaza."[12]
4) Fiction: Israel is purposely targeting civilians.
Fact: While Israel goes out of its way to minimize civilian casualties, Hamas actually places civilians in harm's way and uses them as shields. Because Hamas is known to use civilian residences to hide their weapons, on Dec. 27, the Israeli military - before launching an attack on such storehouses - called thousands of civilians in Gaza on their cell phones and left Arabic-language messages urging them to leave homes being used for weapons storage.[13]
Fact: While Israel goes out of its way to minimize civilian casualties, Hamas actually places civilians in harm's way and uses them as shields. Because Hamas is known to use civilian residences to hide their weapons, on Dec. 27, the Israeli military - before launching an attack on such storehouses - called thousands of civilians in Gaza on their cell phones and left Arabic-language messages urging them to leave homes being used for weapons storage.[13]
On Dec. 30, a reformist Iranian newspaper published a statement by a student organization that criticized Hamas for risking civilian lives, including children, by hiding its forces in nurseries and hospitals. The Iranian Culture Ministry shut down the newspaper after it printed the statements.[14]
Israel has publicly stated time and again that it regrets the loss of any civilian life and considers each one a tragedy. However, both Iran-backed Hamas and Iran-backed Hezbollah have a history of faking deaths and funerals. For example, in Spring 2002, Palestinians were filmed as they attempted to stage a fake funeral as part of a gross exaggeration of the number of people killed in Jenin. The film shows Palestinians wrapping, then carrying a 'corpse' on a funeral pier; the 'corpse' falls off several times and gets back on - including in front of a large and surprised crowd.[15] Click here for video of faked funeral. Although some reports say a quarter of the deaths during "Operation Cast Lead" have been civilians, Palestinian terrorists' history of deceptions and false claims require reporters to work to verify such information.
During Israel's defensive war against Hezbollah two years ago, the phenomenon was so common that it became known as "Hezbollywood."[16] One of the best-known instances was when a man purporting to be a rescue worker at the site of a bombed village appeared in various photos in the international media, repeatedly displaying the same child's dead body at different times - and in different poses - throughout the day. The man, identified as Salam Daher, wore a green helmet in all of the photos, earning himself the nickname "green helmet guy." Daher was also found to have directed a camera shooting the scene.[17]
For experts available to comment on these and similar deceptions, please contact:
Richard Landes: e-mail: rlandes@bu.edu
Philippe Karsenty: e-mail: pk@M-R.fr
Richard Landes: e-mail: rlandes@bu.edu
Philippe Karsenty: e-mail: pk@M-R.fr
5) Fiction: Israel has cut off electricity to Gaza.
Fact: In the past, Hamas officials have committed deceptions such as pulling dark curtains in mid-day while holding a meeting to make it look as though they were being forced to work by candlelight - a sham exposed by journalists who showed that it was actually daylight outside at the time.[18] The ruse was carried out with the complicity of some Arab satellite TV stations. More recent such deceptions have come to light as recently as November 2008, when Palestinian Authority officials said Hamas staged new blackouts to try to get sympathy from the international community and provoke civilian violence against the Palestinian Authority and Israel.[19] Further, terrorists in Gaza have fired rockets at - and hit - the power station in the Israeli city of Ashkelon that provides Gaza the majority of its electricity.[20] The terrorists also have fired on Israeli workers at a depot that provides fuel to Gaza and a suicide bomber destroyed lines providing electricity from Israel into Gaza. [21]
Fact: In the past, Hamas officials have committed deceptions such as pulling dark curtains in mid-day while holding a meeting to make it look as though they were being forced to work by candlelight - a sham exposed by journalists who showed that it was actually daylight outside at the time.[18] The ruse was carried out with the complicity of some Arab satellite TV stations. More recent such deceptions have come to light as recently as November 2008, when Palestinian Authority officials said Hamas staged new blackouts to try to get sympathy from the international community and provoke civilian violence against the Palestinian Authority and Israel.[19] Further, terrorists in Gaza have fired rockets at - and hit - the power station in the Israeli city of Ashkelon that provides Gaza the majority of its electricity.[20] The terrorists also have fired on Israeli workers at a depot that provides fuel to Gaza and a suicide bomber destroyed lines providing electricity from Israel into Gaza. [21]
"There's no shortage of fuel in the Gaza Strip and the Electricity Company is continuing to function normally," a PA official said in November. "Our people in the Gaza Strip have told us that the blackouts are all staged as part of the Hamas propagandaŠThere's enough fuel in the Gaza Strip," he said. "Even when Israel reduces the fuel supplies, Hamas continues to smuggle tens of thousands of liters through the underground tunnels."[22]
6) Fiction: Palestinian journalists are unbiased and show what's 'really' happening in Gaza.
Fact: Some Palestinian journalists are manipulating and exploiting unintended victims of the Israeli strikes. Said one Palestinian journalist, members of the Palestinian media are 'directing' civilians to cry and telling them what to say in interviews: "A mother of one of the martyrs stood by the door of the intensive care unit while crying... relatives and those around her were telling her what she should say to the television cameras: 'Say your son [before he died] prayed and went out.' Another tells her: 'Curse the Arab leaders'... The journalists [in the hospitals] are going overboard in their insensitivity and taking advantage of the [difficult] moments, with the explanation that they are showing this to the world. One cameraman told a mourning mother: 'Hit your face, cry, do some action.'"[23]
Fact: Some Palestinian journalists are manipulating and exploiting unintended victims of the Israeli strikes. Said one Palestinian journalist, members of the Palestinian media are 'directing' civilians to cry and telling them what to say in interviews: "A mother of one of the martyrs stood by the door of the intensive care unit while crying... relatives and those around her were telling her what she should say to the television cameras: 'Say your son [before he died] prayed and went out.' Another tells her: 'Curse the Arab leaders'... The journalists [in the hospitals] are going overboard in their insensitivity and taking advantage of the [difficult] moments, with the explanation that they are showing this to the world. One cameraman told a mourning mother: 'Hit your face, cry, do some action.'"[23]
Footnotes:
[1] "Vie dans la bande de Gaza," France 2, Dec. 29, http://jt.france2.fr/20h/ [to see clip: click on http://jt.france2.fr/20h/; click on "Lundi 29" - below the small screen; to the right of the new screen, click "Vie dans la bande de Gaza")
[2] "12 Palestinians from Gaza transferred to Israeli hospitals for assistance and 2500 tons of humanitarian aid transferred to Gaza," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dec. 31, 2008
[3] "Presentation to Military Attaches," Ministry of Defense, Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, December 2008
[4] "12 Palestinians from Gaza transferred to Israeli hospitals for assistance and 2500 tons of humanitarian aid transferred to Gaza," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dec. 31, 2008
[5] Ibid.
[6] Martin, Patrick, "Israel shoots down ceasefire proposal," Globeandmail.com, Dec. 30, 2008, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081230.wgaza_main31/BNStory/International/home; "FACTBOX-Countries pledge aid to Palestinians in Gaza," Reuters, Dec. 31, 2008, http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSLV538165; "Israel increases humanitarian effort to the Gaza Strip," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dec. 30, 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2008/Israel_increases_humanitarian_effort_Gaza_Strip_30-Dec-2008.htm
[7] "FACTBOX-Countries pledge aid to Palestinians in Gaza," Reuters, Dec. 31, 2008, http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSLV538165; "Israel increases humanitarian effort to the Gaza Strip," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dec. 30, 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2008/Israel_increases_humanitarian_effort_Gaza_Strip_30-Dec-2008.htm
[8] "Humanitarian aid to Gaza following the 6-month calm," Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jan. 1, 2009, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Hamas+war+against+Israel/Humanitarian_aid_to_Gaza_following_6_month_calm.htm
[9] "Presentation to Military Attaches," Ministry of Defense, Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, December 2008
[10] "Israeli Humanitarian Aid to Gaza," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dec. 31, 2008, Communicated by the Ministry of Defense - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories
[11] Shahine, Alaa, "Egypt: Hamas denying Gaza wounded treatment in Egypt," Reuters, Dec. 28, 2008, http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4BR0QP20081228
[12] Ibid.
[13] Barzak, Ibrahim and Teibel, Amy, "Israeli assault on Hamas kills more than 200," Associated Press, Dec. 27, 2008. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioi_0jtO9RjMwPNRoXNCndRPRq3gD95BFQCG0
[14] Al-Ayyam, Jan. 1, 2009 via Palestinian Media Watch: Gaza Update 8, Jan. 1, 2009, "Hamas hiding forces in nurseries and hospitals."
[15] Lerner, Aaron, "Israel screens fake Palestinian funeral for reporters," Independent Media Review Analysis (IMRA), May 2, 2002, http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=11784
[16] Lyons, Andrew Ford, "Digitally Erasing a Massacre: Why Hezbollywood Was Born," Counterpunch, Aug. 15, 2006, http://www.counterpunch.org/lyons08152006.html
[17] Kalb, Marvin and Saivetz, Carol, "THE ISRAELI-HEZBOLLAH WAR OF 2006: The Media as a Weapon in Asymmetrical Conflict," research paper prepared at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, for presentation at the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 18, 2007, http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/events/2007/0217islamic%20world/2007islamforum_israel%20hezb%20war.pdf; "'Green Helmet Man' accused of staging pix," Fox News Channel, Aug. 15, 2006
[18] Soltis, Andy, "Hamas Dim Bulbs in Fake-Blackout Ruse," The New York Post, Jan. 30, 2008, http://www.nypost.com/seven/01302008/news/worldnews/it_was_obvious_that_the_whole_thing_was__688294.htm
[19] Abu Toameh, Khaled, "PA: 'Hamas is staging Gaza blackouts,' The Jerusalem Post, Nov. 19, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1226404771503&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
[20] Coughlin, Con, "Gazans should make the most of their liberation - it won't last," The Daily Telegraph, Jan. 25, 2008
[21] "Terror in Gaza: 12 months since the Hamas takeover," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 16, 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Terror+in+Gaza-+Two+months+since+the+Hamas+takeover+16-Aug-2007.htm
[22]Abu Toameh, Khaled, "PA: 'Hamas is staging Gaza blackouts,' The Jerusalem Post, Nov. 19, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1226404771503&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull.
[23] "A Palestinian girl whose family members were killed yesterday in Gaza," Palestinian Media Watch Bulletin, Dec. 2008, http://www.pmw.org.il/Bulletins_Dec2008.htm#b2912083
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