How the PA Blamed Israel for the Deaths on the Beach

Israel National News ^ | June 12, 2006 | Hillel Fendel

[Alouette]

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) released a report on Saturday full of inaccuracies about the incident - and has not yet released a correction or apology.

The organization, whose reports are widely relied upon by the United Nations and other organizations, announced the following:

"PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that the attack which killed seven members of the same family took place at approximately 16:40 on Friday, 9 June 2006. An Israeli naval boat stationed off the coast of Beit Lahya fired seven successive artillery shells at civilians on the beach in the Waha area, north of Beit Lahya. The shells landed on the beach, which had been crowded with civilian men, women and children at the time. Seven civilians from the same family (father, mother and five children) were killed. A sixth child from the same family escaped death but was seen on television crying hysterically beside her father’s body. A further 32 civilians, including 13 children, were injured... Israeli television Channel 2 broadcast footage of the Israeli boat firing the shells at the beach, with one of the navy soldiers scanning the beach with binoculars; thus indicating that the crime had been perpetrated with a premeditated intent to kill."

An indication of PCHR's bias is the fact that it consistently refers to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as the IOF - the Israeli Occupation Forces. The organization gathered data that led to the issuing of an arrest warrant in Great Britain against Gen. (ret.) Doron Almog in 2005 for "war crimes." He was to be charged with overseeing the dropping of a one-ton bomb in Gaza that killed Hamas arch-murderer Salah Shehadeh and several children in July 2002.

Despite the PCHR claim that the explosion occurred at 16:40, the IDF investigation showed that the explosion did not occur before 16:58. IDF Southern Command O.C. Gen. Yoav Galant said that the IDF artillery in the area stopped firing at 16:51, and that at 16:58, "the IDF's electronic surveillance did not show any unusual activity on the beach."

Arab affairs expert Yonatan D. HaLevy writes, "The PCHR version has turned rumors into 'facts' which then become 'proof' for PCHR to determine that Israeli naval soldiers 'meant to kill' the family."

Writing for the NFC Hebrew news site, HaLevy adds, "The IDF fires 155mm artillery shells towards open areas in order to thwart the Kassam launchers, and often warns the locals not to be there. In the present case, it is very doubtful as to whether the family was hit by a 155mm shell. I carefully reviewed the video clips disseminated by the PA television, and the documentation of [Channel Two], and I did not find the large hole that a 155mm shell [would have made]."

HaLevy said that for their part, the Arabs of the PA "made sure to exhibit the bodies of the dead, but refrained from showing the crater and the shrapnel as proof of their claims."

Gen. (ret.) Yom Tov Samiyeh said, "It is almost certain that the incident [in which seven members of one family on a Gaza beach were killed in an explosion] was an accident caused by the Palestinians, and that the Palestinians took advantage of the situation to besmirch Israel."

"I can imagine," Samiyeh said, "that there was some sort of mine, or at worst, even a set-up that the Palestinians arranged." He added that during his years of army service as IDF Southern District Commander, he experienced a number of incidents in which the Arabs set up attacks on citizens.

The IDF investigation has so far shown that Israeli Navy ships definitely did not fire towards the beach at that time, based on the type of wounds and other evidence. HaLevy notes that video clips of navy sailors firing and scanning the beach were photographed at an earlier hour.

HonestReporting.com, in a detailed review of the topic, notes that "many in the international media [rushed] to conclusions in the immediate aftermath of the terrible incident. For example, despite suggestions that a single artillery shell was responsible, the Guardian claimed that "a barrage of Israeli artillery shells rained down on a busy Gaza beach...", while the Independent, without waiting for confirmation or otherwise, attributed the incident to "Israeli naval gunboats". In fact, while the most likely explanation is a single stray artillery shell, the possibility of a Qassam missile fired from Gaza itself has not yet been discounted and has been made more difficult to ascertain due to Palestinian refusals to cooperate with Israeli investigators."

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

[roses of sharon]

Wasn't there a video of this incident where the "dead" father accidentally turned over at the end?

[mad puppy]

Well someone is clearly lying and the question becomes who do you believe? Hmmm. Not exactly a tough choice for me. Those running Palestine are some sick, violent thugs who kill their own so they can blame others. Mind numbing:

Gen. (ret.) Yom Tov Samiyeh said, "It is almost certain that the incident [in which seven members of one family on a Gaza beach were killed in an explosion] was an accident caused by the Palestinians, and that the Palestinians took advantage of the situation to besmirch Israel."

[white trash redneck]

Being a Palesimian means never having to say you're sorry.

[Diogenesis]

"Shortly after we stopped defensive firing at Hamas rocket launch pads
which were deployed behind Palestinian human shields,
members of Hamas scrambled to fire more rockets at our positions," said Col. M.
"We have eyes on every meter of Gaza, from the sky, from the ground and from the sea.
One of their rocket tripods collapsed inadvertently setting off
an explosion of a stockpile of Qassam rockets. The Palestinians killed their own children.
And this was not the first time."

Supporting that, Israel Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant said that the Israel Defense Forces
has additional evidence that it wasn't Israel artillery that hit the beach in Gaza.
Galant, who commands Israel's southern command, said Israel stopped firing 15 minutes before the explosion.
It all on secure videotape from both sides of the conflict.

Furthermore, Israel (IDF) at the time of incident released this picture. Any "human shields" on the beach?
It supports the fact that these causalties were caused directly from the terrorists'
rockets misfiring, and were created directly by the terrorists
to incite their MSM "fifth column".

[Waco]

Hamas fired many rockets into Is. aiming for civilians in general, but HEY! that's entertainment! The NYT says so!!!

[Sabramerican]

There are despicable people in this World who take advantage of Retards.

The Arabs and their allies are such despicable people.

The Israelis lately have prove themselves to be retarded.

You would think after the El Aura incident Israel would not jump out to apologize for things they have not done.

But the Israelis are retarded.

And by the way, would the US have apologized if the house where Zarqawi was targeted had a working nursery in the basement?

Israel is a war but only the Arabs seem to appreciate that fact.

Because Israel is retarded.

[Sabramerican]

Typo= Muhamad el-Dura incident

[sgtbono2002]

Looks like Pa. setup to me. Haditha is looking more and more like a set-up too. Especially since Murtha the faux marine jumped on it with both feet.

[Old Grumpy]

" . . . the incident [in which seven members of one family on a Gaza beach were killed in an explosion] was an accident caused by the Palestinians, and that the Palestinians took advantage of the situation to besmirch Israel."

I saw the film clip on the news yesterday and it was indeed wrenching. Israel was being blamed for it and I was saddened to know that. NOW this is an altogether different story.

[VeniVidiVici]

Didn't the Palis also blow-up a truck full of people when one of their bombs detonated in the bed of the truck?

[robertpaulsen]

"Israel was being blamed for it and I was saddened to know that."

You were probably the only one. On another thread, posters were saying that the Palestinians deserved it.

One has to wonder what difference the truth makes to some people. They don't seem to care.

Israel did this? So what. Israel didn't do it? See, we told you the Palestinians lie.

[Sabramerican]

I think you got it.

If it had been an accident by Israel, it would have been caused by a response from Israel to stop daily rocket attacks on its cities. The fault would have been by those firing on Israel and by them firing from their own population centers.

If it was, as it seems to have been, caused by the "Palestinians", then it is their fault.

Israel left Gaza. Why are the barbarians you champion daily firing on Israeli schools from Gaza?

[robertpaulsen]

"Israel left Gaza. Why are the barbarians you champion daily firing on Israeli schools from Gaza?"

What made you believe that an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would change anything? What did you read or hear to make you think that? Did the Palestinians promise peace? Was some kind of treaty signed?

[Sabramerican]

What made me think? LOL

I didn't think is would change anything and wrote that here every day.

Barbarians stay barbarians no matter how much you attempt to appease them.

The real question is why don't you sign your posts. Freepers would want to know that they are reading the opinions of the Hamas representative to FreeRepublic.

[HardStarboard]

>>>Wasn't there a video of this incident where the "dead" father accidentally turned over at the end? <<<

Didn't see that one; but I did see the IDF video from a helo that shows a dead Palestinian falling off his bier as he was being carried to the cemetery, whereupon he jumps up, climbs back up on the bier - pulls the shroud over his face and the procession resumes.

Absolutely laughable - except for the fact that MSM takes every one of these charades at face value without question.

[strategofr]

"has been made more difficult to ascertain due to Palestinian refusals to cooperate with Israeli investigators.""

There it is--open and shut. If the Israelis did it, the Pallies would have representatives from every news organization in the Western world over there by now. But they close off the scene and show the world nothing but dead bodies.

It was, apparently, one of the number of mines the Palestinians planted on the beach to thwart a possible Israeli commando attack.

[strategofr]

"Because Israel is retarded." [repeated]

You sound somewhat retarded yourself.

[goldstategop]

Just like with Haditha - the Drive By Media plays fast and loose with the truth.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")