Without mercy: Israelis execute Arafat's elite guards

The Observer (U.K.) ^ | 03/31/2002 | Peter Beaumont

[Pokey78]

The ambulancemen were carrying the first body out of the Cairo-Amman bank in the centre of Ramallah when I came across them.

His knees were doubled up in rigor mortis. One of the legs of his green parachute jumpsuit had been burned through to the skin by a round fired at such close quarters that the muzzle flash had ignited the fabric. A gaping wound was visible in his chest - also apparently from a burst of fire from close range. What killed him, however, was the gunshot to his temple.

A few minutes later, the paramedics brought the second body, that of a young man, also in Yasser Arafat's elite guard unit, Force 17.

Someone had taken off his boots, revealing his blue socks. The wounds that he had obviously been clutching when he died were also to his upper body. But what must have killed him, like his colleague, was a shot fired at close range to his temple that had demolished the back of his head.

The third body was of an older man, in his forties, grey-haired with a moustache. Someone had pulled his parachute suit above his head to hide the wound. When the stretcher-bearers put him down, the covering was pulled back. The wound was to the head.

What happened on the third floor of the Cairo-Amman bank at midnight on Friday during Israel's occupation of the Palestinian city of Ramallah can only be surmised. But in the few minutes after Israeli soldiers stormed the Palestinian position, five men were wounded and five men were put to death by the Israelis, each with a single coup de grace administered to the head or throat.

Maher Shalabi, bureau chief of Abu Dhabi television in Ramallah, was in his office in the same building when he heard several bursts of heavy shooting on the floors below. 'I heard heavy shooting; maybe it was an exchange of fire. But I believe this was an execution.'

Hassan Asfour, a senior Palestinian negotiator, added: 'They were executed in cold blood. This is a clear example of the collective execution policy adopted by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people.'

According to local residents, the dead men were part of a large group of Palestinian policemen who had taken shelter in the building, which also houses the offices of the British council, when the Israeli army entered Ramallah.

The men had taken shelter in the foyer area on the third floor next to a dentist's surgery. Yesterday bullet holes spattered the walls and the floor was flecked with blood. On one wall were large splashes of blood. Elsewhere several bloody trails had been marked along the floor where someone had pulled the bodies towards the lift.

An Israeli army spokesman said soldiers entered the building after Palestinians opened fire from inside and threw a grenade at the force outside.

The coups des graces administered for these five men are a metaphor for what the Israeli incursion is hoping to achieve inside Ramallah. By isolating Arafat within his headquarters, Sharon hopes to decapitate the Palestinian Authority.

Yesterday, inside Arafat's compound, it was clear that, for all the claims of Ariel Sharon, Arafat was neither under threat nor under arrest. Arafat, simply, was surrounded by the Israelis.

As we approached the compound we could see the tanks and armoured personnel carriers ringing his sprawl of offices and barracks. On every side were soldiers taking positions and aiming their weapons.

Approaching closer the Israeli army tried to prevent us following a delegation from the Palestinian solidarity movement into the compound, led by José Bové, the French farmers leader and anti-globalisation protester.

In a surreal touch Bové and his colleagues had marched through the ruins of the town, even as fighting continued. With hands above their heads, and carrying palm fronds as Easter symbols of peace, they approached Arafat's compound with two columns of heavily armed Israeli infantry jogging the last few hundred metres behind.

Seeing Bové, who had marched through the town with a small group of fellow protesters bearing a tray of medicines for those still injured inside Arafat's compound, the soldiers relented and let us enter with him and approach the offices where Arafat was holed up.

Crossing a large car park we could see a three-storey block, its walls splattered with tank fire, two windows blackened by fire with sheets hanging where the occupants had tried to escape the flames.

I followed Bové to the entrance to the offices where Arafat was hiding but was grabbed from behind by an Israeli soldier and pulled away. Arafat may not be a prisoner but it is the Israelis who choose who goes to see the Palestinian chairman.

On every corner yesterday stood Israeli tanks. The devastation that these tanks have wrought inside the Palestinians' most attractive city has to be seen to be believed.

Roads have been dynamited or torn up by tanks. Buildings are burned and shattered. Everywhere there is rubble, spent ammunition and broken glass.

A little later, I met Hossam Sharkawi and Mohamed Awad, two senior officials in the Palestinian Red Crescent who I had met before.

Sharkawi, a co-ordinator for emergency services, told me the Israelis had arrested five of his drivers.

'They have them blindfolded and handcuffed. I cannot understand what the Israelis are thinking. They also used one of our ambulances today as a human shield. They sandwiched it inside a convoy.'

Sharkawi was able to reveal something of life inside Arafat's compound. 'We know there are injured inside,' he said. 'But they have been blocking ambulances entering to give treatment.' How many injured he could not say.

'All that we hear is that there may be between 50 and 100 people trapped with Arafat inside the building, without food, or water or any electricity and no telephone communication.' He shook his head and walked away.

[sinkspur]

Please--do me a favor as one Freeper to another--let us all know what you think about the article that you posted. You certainly have been around long enough to know that's the way it's played here.

Nope. I frequently post articles and don't comment on them. So does JohnHuang2, as does Pokey78.

I'll ask you to leave Pokey78 alone. He's my source for Mark Steyn articles (he doesn't comment on those either), and for many other interesting articles.

Are you drinking?

[Icthus]

Where was the article about the wounded and killed civilians in the market? YELLOW JOURNALISM

[Southern Federalist]

Yasser Arafat's elite guard unit, Force 17

I guess the Observer would consider it bad taste to mention that just by having an "elite guard unit" Arafat is violating the Oslo accords. But I suppose at this stage that is like pointing out in early 1940 that Hitler was violating League of Nations rules.

[SBprone]

You certainly have been around long enough to know that's the way it's played here.

Well I haven't been around very long myself.......... just long enough to recognize Mr. Pokey as a respected brand name.

Take it easy.

[jwalsh07]

Why do you need somebody to tell you when to retch? Do you also need a "urinate" alert? :-}

[Lion's Cub]

If I believed this were true, I'd feel heartened. Unfortunately, Israel appears to have as many uncomprehending, addle-brained fools as we do.

I can only wonder how it is that the majority of people in this world seem to have lost their God-given instinct for self defense.

[TopQuark]

His knees were doubled up in rigor mortis. One of the legs of his green parachute jumpsuit had been burned through to the skin by a round fired at such close quarters that the muzzle flash had ignited the fabric. A gaping wound was visible in his chest - also apparently from a burst of fire from close range.

When was the last time you read in The Observer -- or any other British newspaper, for that matter --- such a compassionate description of a terror victim? You know: those Bar Mitzva boys, the brides, the teenagers in a cafe.

Well, we know the excuse: so much sympathy, so little space in the newspaper...

[PhilDragoo]

An Israeli army spokesman said soldiers entered the building after Palestinians opened fire from inside and threw a grenade at the force outside.

So, Peter Beaumont, Jose Bove, the UK Observer and various Pali propagandists to the contrary notwithstanding, these Pali soldiers "opened fire and threw a grenade"--and, hey, those mean Israelis finished what the Palis started.

In more ways than one the Israelis are finishing what the Palis started--listen up, Peter Beaumont, Pali bleeding bleater:

Barak offered more than ever before, offered more than he could safely or wisely offer--yet Arafat spat on the dove and exhorted his women and children to go murder Israeli civilians in cold blood.

That's where the cold blood comes in, Peter Beaumont of the UK Observer. (Peter, you can observe nothing with your head up your arse like that.)

"Without mercy"? You bet: every Pali attack with strap-on bomb and automatic weapon fire on unarmed civilians--that's without mercy.

America is sending New York first-grade teacher Steve Quester to take out Arafat--HIV positive homosexual--oh the humanity. Wrap them in bacon, stick a cello-pick in them--they're done.

[Reactionary]

You won't read it. The Euroswine are much too socialist to side with Israel.

[ASA Vet]

Who would he be replaced with?

Maybe a prepostion? ;>)

[LarryLied]

Since Arafat and his people can't seem to keep their word or refrain from disguising murderers as police what would you all suggest ?

If this is true, and I have no idea if it is, I suggest the IDF not employ anymore idiots who don't have the sense to keep reporters away from what they do.

One of three things happened here and two of them are bad. First, it didn't happen. Second it did occur (as it often does in war) and the shooters were too stupid to keep it quiet. Third, Sharon wanted this to be known.

The latter is the worst scenario. Executing Palestinians isn't going to scare people who strap bombs to themselves and blow up women and kids. All it does is feed into the moral equivalency argument against Israel.

[virgil]

The purpose of this article is to inflame emotions and try to gain sympathy for the Palestinians. Its heresay at this point. Theres been a lot of inflammatory language being used by the Arab states. It makes me think that Arabs can't think or speak rationally. Its their own fault if people don't understand them.

[TopQuark]

My G-d --- I can only imagine how you felt on that dark, rainy night when you chose that screen name!

[Pharmboy]

Sinky, I have been here a while and I cannot remember seeing absolute leftwing propaganda posted without barf alert or comment by poster. This article was infuriating, and to just post and run on something like this was, at best, in extremely poor taste. Some other posters shared my feelings, as some shared yours.

But, I see that you certainly are consistent and have reverted to silly accusations. You were brought up better than that, weren't you?

[11B3]

Here's what SHOULD be burned into the minds of this generation of Arabs which you obviously side with:

With weapons like these, that we have used in combat before, what makes you Arabs think that we will spare you? The only death that your Jihad will bring is yours. The world will not miss you.

Note: This photo was taken nearly 50 years ago, not long after your tribes organized into thrid world nations.
Resistance is futile.

[Irene Adler]

"They also used one of our ambulances today as a human shield. They sandwiched it inside a convoy."

Doesn't sound as if it was being used as a shield, exactly. I mean most people keep their shields on the OUTSIDE.

[aruanan]

Someone had taken off his boots, revealing his blue socks.

Boo-effing-hoo. He had blue socks--sniff!!--he was so noble. If he had been evil, he would have worn black socks--wait, no, he would have worn no socks--wait, no, he would have had cloven hooves. But since he had blue socks, he must have been, therefore, a sensitive guardian of Palestinian virtues against the Evil Israeli Death Machine. Bury the dude with a pack of Loo-eesiana Bar-B-Que pork rinds.