Posted on 03/09/2006 9:15:44 AM PST by NormsRevenge
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - An Israeli missile obliterated a vehicle in crowded Gaza City, killing two Palestinian militants inside — a common sight these days. But the attack also killed three boys, provoking grief and rage among Palestinians and criticism from Israelis.
Israel's air force commander defended the strikes against Islamic Jihad, which has carried out daily rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel as well as all six suicide attacks since February 2005.
On Wednesday, Islamic Jihad threatened to hit Israeli leaders in retaliation for Monday's killing of its militants. "The Zionist enemy leaders should know that they definitely are targets," it said in an Internet statement.
An Israeli human rights group called for the military to investigate whether Monday's raid involved the use of "disproportionate" force.
In its inquiry, the Israeli air force said the ice cream truck carrying the militants had turned onto a crowded street after the missiles were launched Monday and it was too late to divert them. Drone aircraft photographing the scene did not pick up the civilians in time, the Maariv daily reported.
The boys' mother said it was too late for explanations or apologies, recalling her anguished search for her boys after the attack.
"I ran to the window when I heard the strike. The window shattered, and I saw a man carrying Mahmoud's lifeless body," said Somaya al-Batsh, mother of 8-year-old Raed and 16-year-old Mahmoud.
"But I couldn't see Raed. I asked everyone, 'Where is Raed? Where is Raed?' A neighbor later told me that he flew through the air from the force of the blast."
Receiving condolence callers in Raed's bedroom in Gaza City, al-Batsh did not mask her anger at Israel.
"This was a street full of people and children. How can they fire a missile? Who is the terrorist here?" she said bitterly
Then she added, "My sons are in heaven now."
The small room was decorated with the dead 8-year-old's drawings — a winter scene, his gray unpainted house.
Raed was the studious type, she said, and was already saving to buy a house. His red piggy bank rested near his bed, close to pictures of leaders of the militant group Hamas.
Mahmoud was a handyman, and kept people laughing around the house, she said. He picked fights with his sisters and cracked jokes about their living conditions.
Islamic Jihad has ignored an informal truce with Israel being observed by the Islamic militant Hamas, and on Wednesday it again rejected the cease-fire. In recent months, Israel has stepped up its airstrikes in Gaza, aiming at militants it says are involved in the daily rocket barrages at Israel. Civilians are often caught in the crossfire.
Another boy, 14-year-old Ahmed Sweisi, also was killed in Monday's strike.
Air force commander Eliezer Shkedy, speaking at a conference at Tel Aviv University on Tuesday, offered statistics showing the air force is getting better at targeted strikes. In 2002, as many bystanders were killed in the airstrikes as terror suspects. Last year, Shkedy said, 28 militants were killed for every civilian in the raids.
It's not the first time Israel has killed children in airstrikes targeting militants.
Some 514 Palestinians age 16 and younger were killed between September 2000 and March 2005, according to an Associated Press count. During the same period, 97 Israeli children were killed in Palestinian suicide bombings and other attacks.
The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem called for the military to investigate whether Monday's raid involved the use of "disproportionate" force, "which is defined as a war crime," it said in a statement.
The suffering is not over for the al-Batsh family. Of the seven children wounded in the airstrike, four were relatives of the dead brothers, including their 18-year-old brother and a 4-year-old cousin who lost an eye. The dead boys' father, Ahmed, was hospitalized for two days.
Their mother looked to her faith for consolation. "God chose them to be with him," she said, holding her breath as she spoke of the boys. "And only he can take revenge for us."
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Tell that to your "leaders", Mom.
Wow, I had no idea that the arabs had so much compassion for some murdered Jewish kids.
Palestinian Somaya al-Batsh, 29, holds a picture of three of her sons, from left: Raed, Rami and Ramez, in her house in Gaza city Wednesday, March 8, 2006. al-Batsh is the mother of eight-year-old Raed, and step mother of 16-year old Mahmoud, who were killed Monday when an Israeli missile slammed into a nearby truck carrying two Islamic Jihad gunmen. Mahmoud is not seen in the picture. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
"An Israeli human rights group called for the military to investigate whether Monday's raid involved the use of "disproportionate" force."
Must be the ICLU - the Israeli equivalent of the traitorous, terrorist-sympathizing ACLU.
But of course Jews never get angry about their own kids who get killed by Islamobombers.
This is what they want! Why else use a icrcream truck to haul their terrorists around.
The author has an Arab name. How is it that AP chooses Arab reporters to write stories on Israel and the Arabs? What about conflict of interest?
Maybe the little kids can get their 72 white raisins (virgins?, too.
Hmmm. The Palis DELIBERATELY target Israeli innocents.
The Israelis carefully target terrorist leaders and techs.
Somehow, I have zippo, nada, nil, sympathy for the Palis or the two budding terrorists.
Yeah, well, the Jewish folks get pixled off too when Hamed blows himself up in a crowded restaurant.
When you are a mass murderer, and hide behind or among children, that is certain to happen.
Heck, even the absurd Geneva conventions allow that it's unavoidable!
Maybe she should tell it to the guys who think an ICE CREAM TRUCK should be used as a military vehicle!
Of course, the Palestinians NEVER get unhappy when their children are blown up by one of their own: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1490360/posts
The average Palestinian is really in a no win here... the rabid radicals attack and hide among them.. Israel defends itself.... they are caught directly in the middle.
Combine this with the fact that the rest of the Arab world incites them to violence against the Jews as their surrogates because they are ill educated and have no strong leader or leadership... its just a cycle I don't see ending anytime soon.
Fact is, Israel treats the Palestinians better than they are treated in ANY ARAB COUNTRY!!!!... The other Arabs don't want them, they view them as basically trailer trash, but they will gladly manipulate them to be cannon fodder in order to kill Jews.
I am sorry these children got killed, but adult Pal "logic" beats everything. They glorify suicide bomber "martyrs" who are also their children, teach their children to hate and carry out jihad against the Jews, and carry on endless war and terror against the Israelis, then cry foul when they suffer casualties amongst their children in said never-ending war. Does it ever occur to these idiots to make peace and give up terror once and for all?
No. Never.
Palestinian children...they blow up so fast these days!
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