Posted on 12/30/2005 3:18:20 AM PST by beaversmom
GAZA, Dec. 29, 2005 - It's Israel's latest weapon: Without notice, an Israeli jet fighter flies low over the densely populated Gaza strip, breaking the sound barrier.
The massive sonic boom often breaks windows, shakes entire apartment buildings and terrifies the people of Gaza.
Just about every night for the last five months, 10-year-old Basma Abid Adiam has had trouble sleeping.
Her father says during the day she often seems distant. Basma's problems started when the Israeli air force began breaking the sound barrier almost nightly over her home.
On the fourth floor of her family's apartment building, surrounded by her brothers and sisters, Basma said shyly, "We are afraid when we hear the boom. I wet my bed. During the day when we go to school, we are afraid and try to hide."
Responding to Rocket Attacks Against Israelis
Since Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip last September, a small group of Palestinian militants have been using the Northern Gaza area to launch homemade rockets at Israel.
The Palestinian authority has either been unable or unwilling to stop the attacks. The Israel army says it has to take action.
The almost nightly sonic booms are the Israeli air force's attempt to turn the Palestinian population against the militants in Gaza and help stop the attacks.
Targeting innocent civilians violates the Geneva Conventions. Both Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups have asked Israeli High Court to stop the air force from this practice.
Dr. Eyad Sarraj, a psychiatrist in Gaza, says it is the children who are harmed the most.
"For children under the age of 6, large noise means danger, a danger to life," he said. "This is definitely a form of collective punishment, which under international law is prohibited and considered a war crime."
But Rannan Gissim, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, defends the tactic. "The inconvenience that it causes the Palestinian population cannot be measured against the question of life or death for Israelis on the other side."
Is there anything, anything at all that they haven't attacked Israel for??
"Holocaust? Hah! The Israelis slaughtered every man, woman and child in the occupied territories! (Well, some of us got better...)"
palestine deserves it.
Israel gets bombed on a day to day basis by something or other hat some palastinian whipps out his rear end...
Israel Gives them land, then they give MORE land, they PULL OUT leaving them at peace, they have PEACE TALKS, and still Palastinians want to destroy Israel.
Well I say Israel has put their honest peace effort forth, the Palastinians rejected, they should get what they are asking for - their own personal war.
Israel is already lobbing rockets here & there back at them (well actually missiles to be correct). Personally I say they should just gear up & go for an all-out invasion.
Reducing it to eye for an eye Israel could wipe out a percentage of Palestine for all of their people killed.
My thoughts exactly - it doesn't add up to a heap of beans. My guess is there is some truth (noisy nights?) which has been overcooked.
This story is a fabrication. I can not believe a 10 year old would admit to a perfect stranger that she wet the bed.
Awwwwwwwwwwww!
The poor, poor Palis.
Hey Pailis - if you don't like it, move back to your country - JORDAN!
L
When I was a kid the USAF routinely broke the sound barrier on the East Coast. Sometimes it would startle you and sometimes it would be cause for laughter. I never remember it "terrifying" anybody.
They should be getting to real booms by now.
Collateral racket?
Zackly.
I was going to offer an alternative headline..."Booms from Palestinian homicide bombings terrify Israeli children."
Well, the Palistinian Air Force should respond in kind. What? No planes. Nevermind.
LOL
I hope Beltone doesn't get any funny ideas from this.....
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