Israeli Army assassinates string of Palestinians

The Guardian ^ | December 28 2002 | By Chris McGreal

[freeforall]

Israeli Army assassinates string of Palestinians

By Chris McGreal

December 28 2002

The Israeli Army has killed at least seven Palestinians in a series of "targeted assassinations" as it emerged the Government had quietly begun establishing new measures to provide services for civilians in the West Bank and Gaza.

Under the plan, Israel would take back 41 areas of administration that had been turned over to the Palestinian Authority, CNN reported.

Israeli government documents obtained by the network said the plan would provide Palestinians with better educational services, health care and social welfare services. Israeli administrators would also grant, for example, travel and building permits.

Much of the Palestinan Authority's infrastructure has been destroyed by Israeli incursions in the past two years of unrest in the occupied territories.

A Palestinian cabinet member, Saeb Erakat, told CNN: "I think the endgame of the Government is obvious: destroy the Palestinian Authority, resume occupation and resume the old means."

Israel said the moves are temporary but necessary to ease the lives of ordinary Palestinians.

Among the Palestinians killed on Thursday were a senior member of Islamic Jihad, the alleged head of a suicide bombing cell and three teenagers.

The killings came as Israeli troops returned to Bethlehem, after withdrawing briefly over Christmas, firing teargas at Palestinians shopping near the town centre and ordering them by loudspeakers to return home. Troops resumed patrols in front of the ancient Church of the Nativity, which Christians revere as Jesus's birthplace.

The most prominent Palestinian to die was Hamsa Abu Roub, the Islamic Jihad leader in Qabatiyah, near Jenin. The army said he was shot when he opened fire after soldiers tried to arrest him. Palestinian witnesses said he died after troops threw a grenade into his home and then stormed through the door. A few hours later the army blew up the house.

An undercover army unit also killed Jamal Yehi, who the Israelis said headed an Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade suicide squad in Tulkarm. He was unarmed when he was shot.

A similar army squad killed a Palestinian described as a Hamas activist in Ramallah. Palestinian sources said Israeli soldiers, disguised as Arabs, shot Bassam al-Ashkar, who was unarmed, on the street and then dragged his body into a military vehicle.

A 19-year-old bystander was also killed when, according to the army, Palestinians began stoning the undercover troops.

In Nablus, two members of the Fatah militia Tanzim, one of them 16, were shot dead by an army patrol searching for "wanted Palestinians".

The Guardian

[bluester]

Hey, at least you say it loud and clear.

[sheik yerbouty]

Funny. You never had a comment when Israeli schoolkids were being blown to bits.

[sofaman]

well said, sheik!

[bluester]

Actually I did, the only thing is I do not advocate any of the killings, especially when civilians (children, women and other non-armed) are involved. One thing I don't like is hypocrisy and double standards. I certainly never cheered at innocents being killed as was the case here. Where Palestinian children are called pre-terrorists (Minority report comes to mind, what a wonderful world would that be) and thus the killings are justified. Really? Even if they were not endangering anyone and were not armed?

[Republic of Texas]

Actually the Pali's call them shields, not pre-terrorists. If the kids live through that, then they brainwash them into being full-fledged terrorists. 'Cause they care so much.

[sheik yerbouty]

One wonders why pallie parents willfully send their kids into active live fire areas. They simply don't care about their children; they only care about Yasser's car money and their promised "virgins".

[Pukka Puck]

You are on the right track.

Load them all up on trucks and take them to Palestine (Jordan).

[Republic of Texas]

The only problem with that is...Jordan already executed many Pali's, and sent the rest packing because they were...TERRORISTS! Even their "brother" Arabs don't like them. (Except as pawns to use against Israel) How stupid can a group of people be?

[Cinnamon Girl]

When the IDF kills innocent Palestinian children, it is an accident, and is investigated. Does that happen with the PLO? Are you hearing about any PA investigation into the murder of four Jewish boys sitting down for a Sabbath meal? Let me know when Arafat or anyone apologizes for my friend, who was four months pregnant, being murdered while eating a slice of pizza. Let me know when someone in the Arab world expresses remorse for shooting Rabbi Aramah in his car, in front of his wife and six children.

Or maybe you should just shut up about it.

[Nachum]

Even if they were not endangering anyone and were not armed?

Are you suggesting the IDF targets innocent children for assissination?

[litehaus]

How come they got all the oil????? LOL...........

[f.Christian]

When the one trade tower was hit all three stairwalls were destroyed and one man called his mother on his cell phone because he was trapped---the mother asked him to try the exit again...blocked!

[Idlewise]

Unfortunately, I believe this to be true and not because it concerns Palestinian children. Other groups/radicals have used innocents to advance their cause, view them as expendable pawns or useful tools.
Americans are innocent too in that we project our values onto others and assume all cultures have a similiar baseline of right and wrong.
It isn't so and our media is misleading us into viewing all conflicts as being led by moral people who are passionate in their cause. Some people with causes actually just want to kill you/me and our families. The goal is not necessarily to advance a moral cause, just their own cause and for their own gain however they define it.
Please provide additional insight from your perspective and current location.

[Thinkin' Gal]

[xJones]

There are only so many retarded people in a society, I think the Palestinians are running out of people stupid enough to strap a bomb on themselves.

You should never underestimate the retardancy rate when speaking of Palestinians. But maybe part of it is that their *loving* parents realize they'll have to use that $25,000 bonus check on a new home, once the Israeli bulldozers come through afterwards. It's almost not worth sending Mohammed Jr. out to blow himself up. Send out the little rock-throwers and hide behind them, it's not as costly.

Two such very different societies; the Israelis love and cherish their children and the Palestinian parents shove their kids out the door. "Daddy needs a new pair of shoes, go stone an Israeli. You'll get a nice loud funeral and the PR will be just wonderful! Of course, Daddy and Mommy will stay home a mile or so away while you're doing this, but we have your brothers and sisters to sacrifice later."

[freedumb2003]

>>Even their "brother" Arabs don't like them. (Except as pawns to use against Israel) How stupid can a group of people be? <<

A whole back an article in WSJ (I believe by George Will) compared the 50 MILLION displaced and homeless individuals in Europe after WWII that were absorbed into Europe overall in about 20-30 years to the Pals (a few million?) that COULD have EASILY been absorbed by their "brethren" except they serve a useful purpose as a constant irritant. Talk about "useful idiots," in this case we have an entire culture of millions of them.

[American in Israel]

How come they got all the oil????? LOL...........

We have all we need under our soil, we just do not have a thousand years worth. We don't need a thousand years worth, we will invent a replacement in a generation. They will not in a thousand generations...

[MHGinTN]

A culture that raises suicide murder to a near sacred act has its eyes firmly fixed on the past, with nothing to be brought to a future. So be it. Some peoples cannot be brought into a civilized future; some people cannot be restrained from creating a civilized future. We have historical examples of both types: the Nazis thought theirs was the civilized future and made war the means to achieve it; America waged war to stop the fanatical murder-based Nazi vision, and we won it decisively.

We will again prevail, but following defeat of totalitarian Islamic maniacs, will the 'lieberal' forces festering in the democrat party make it possible to win the next assault on our vision for the future? Sadly, too many Americans are asleep at the helm of their Republic and the lies and deceit will likely corrode our nation beyond recovery. When the despotic democrat party finally takes control again, over what will they rule? Not much ... you see, the despotic democrat party cannot afford to allow this administration to succeed in this campaign because it will keep the democrats from power for several election cycles. The worst enemies of American civilization are within America, lusting after power they've lost hold on. The worst enemies of Israel are within Israel's borders, and as Israelis abort thier posterity, the Palestinian maniacs reproduce like rabbits, with thousands of 'martyrs' to sacrifice killing Israelis indescriminately.

[hunter112]

A Palestinian cabinet member, Saeb Erakat, told CNN: "I think the endgame of the Government is obvious: destroy the Palestinian Authority, resume occupation and resume the old means."

You forgot one, Pali boy, the endgame includes ridding Israel of raghead scum like you!