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Gaza Tag

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 05, 2014 13 Comments
We've been here before. The Jenin Massacre that wasn't. The Pallywood industry of deception. And a Western media that laps it all up without question when hostilities are active, and only in some cases bothers to look back later as the facts come out. In the current Gaza conflict, one of the biggest talking points, repeated endlessly by the media, anti-Israel groups, "human rights" groups, and the U.N., is that only a tiny portion, maybe 15% of deaths, were Palestinian combatants. That numbers game was put into play not by Israel, but by those against Israel. It's morbid to engage in these body counts, but it is the Palestinians and their advocates who put them in issue by claiming that the ratio of civilian to combatant deaths constitutes proof of a war crime. It doesn't, as disproportionate force is more than a number count, but in the public relations realm it matters. Slowly, as in past conflicts (including in Lebanon 2006), that statistic will be revealed to be a lie. That civilian deaths are a result of rockets launched from civilian areas is only part of the story. The Washington Post, to its credit, has two articles at least presenting the possibility that the media has been manipulated. In Reporters grapple with politics, erratic sources in reporting Israeli/Gaza death toll, WaPo examines the questionable civilian-to-combatant statistics used by Palestinians:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 04, 2014 7 Comments
Once again we return to writing about Malmö, Sweden. Malmö, for us, has become something of the poster-child for Islamist anti-Semitic violence in Europe coupled with leftist tolerance and indifference, all in the name of hating Israel. From our archives: Recently there have been anti-Israel rallies in Malmö: It is not surprising that the anti-Semitic shame of Malmö egged on by anti-Israel hate in the streets has resulted in violence, from JTA via Haaretz, Rabbi attacked in Sweden, days after synagogue vandalized
A rabbi from the Swedish city of Malmo was attacked by men who hurled objects at him from a car and used anti-Semitic pejoratives. Rabbi Shneur Kesselman was assaulted on Saturday night along with a member of his congregation, the Sydsvenskan daily reported Sunday. The attack, which resulted in no physical injuries, came on the heels of vandalism against the southern city’s main synagogue on July 31, when unidentified individuals smashed three of the building’s windows by hurling objects at them.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 04, 2014 13 Comments
Live Video and Twitter feed at bottom of post Breaking reports out of Egypt indicate that the various "Palestinian factions" have agreed to a 72-hour unconditional truce. This was the original Egyptian proposal which was rejected by Hamas more than two weeks and over 1000 lives ago. Israel reportedly will agree, as it has multiple times before. Let's see if Hamas again uses the truce as an opportunity to launch more surprise attacks.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 03, 2014 19 Comments
You can add this to the growing list of grossly anti-Semitic, pro-Nazi outbursts around the world, as we noted in Just more “pro-Palestinian” protests: Nazi salutes in Paris, “death to all Jews” in the Hague In Calgary, pro-Palestinian protesters confronted pro-Israel protesters. After some shouting back and forth, the pro-Palestinian protesters started chanting (at 0:40) "Heil, Heil Hitler." (h/t @EzraLevant) More on the protest at Sun News. This is part of an extensive pattern in which neo-Nazi symbolism, chants and other anti-Semitic slogans are used. It's not isolated, but pervasive. And it is something, we have noted, that anti-Israel activists have tried to blame on Zionism itself: Twitter - @SteveSalaita - Zionists partly responsible for antisemitic shit Yet the anti-Semitism reflects ages-old blood libels, actively being pushed by top Hamas leaders:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 03, 2014 21 Comments
We reported on the Finnish reporter who disclosed that there was rocket fire from just behind Gaza's main hospital, Hamas hides in, under and around Gaza’s main hospital, and the media covers it up (Video):
Also, a rocket attack was conducted from the “backyard” of the hospital at 2 o’clock in the morning. It (the rocket launch), in fact, happened somewhere close by because the noise right here at the hospital area was really loud. Indeed, these rockets launched here from the Gazan side (of the border) are headed into Israel.
Now, as reported by Sharona Schwartz at The Blaze, the reporter (name Aishi Zidan) has taken to Facebook to complain her words are being used as pro-Israel propaganda. She doesn't deny, however, the accuracy of her report: Aishi Zidan Facebook Banner
Don’t use me as your propaganda weapon I spent a night at the Shifa hospital in Gaza two weeks ago. I was covering the situation in Gaza for my newspaper. My story was about the Palestinian civilians who were victims of war. My article started with a story of four little boys who were killed on the beach the same day. They were playing on the beach when Israeli army hit them without any clear reason or warning. I interviewed a boy who survived from the attack. The Shifa hospital was full of women and children who were victims of this ugly war. I described their stories in detail. During the night someone launched a rocket somewhere behind the hospital. Now this sentence from my article is spreading in the pro-Israeli medias. I mentioned this in my article because I’m a professional journalist. I try to cover the events truthfully as I see them and I strongly condemn these kind of actions.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 02, 2014 5 Comments
The IDF has declared kidnapped soldier Hadar Goldin dead. Haaretz reports:
A special panel headed by Chief Military Rabbi Brig. Gen. Rafi Peretz announced the death of Goldin, an infantry officer in the Givati Brigade. The conclusion was based on forensic evidence from the scene of the attack,a statement by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said. It added that prior to the decision, religious, medical and other relevant issues were taken under consideration. Goldin's family was notified of the decision by the Head of the IDF Personnel Directorate Maj. Gen. Orna Barbivai, and the Chief Military Rabbi Brig. Gen. Rafi Peretz. Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon accompanied the two officers.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 02, 2014 6 Comments
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just gave a major speech. It was predicted that he would announce an end to operations, but his actual speech was much less clear on that point. Repeatedly Netanyahu said that the operation would continue as needed.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 01, 2014 5 Comments
There have been reports for years that Hamas uses the main hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa, as a headquarters. It reportedly has bunkers underneath, and uses the hospital itself. There have been tidbits of media reporting on Hamas' use of Al-Shifa as a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices. But mostly it has been covered up by reporters in Gaza, as I detailed in Media cover-up of Hamas crimes starting to unravel. Tweets have been deleted and articles taken down by reporters for major publications. One Italian reporter who left Gaza blew the whistle on the fact that it was Hamas or Islamic Jihad misfired rockets that cause a large number of deaths in a refugee camps. The victims were transported to Al-Shifa, where another rocket had already hit. A Wall Street Journal reporter tweeted, then deleted, his observation that it was a Hamas rocket that hit the hospital. Once the evidence became clear that Israel was not responsible, the media moved on, as if it never happened. The media has a narrative it wants to tell, and that narrative does not include the deaths, injuries and damage Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and others are causing. Here is a good example of how the media played up an Israeli missile striking near Western reporters:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on August 01, 2014 81 Comments
[This post will be "sticky" most of the day] Live Video and Twitter feed at bottom of post. The U.N. and U.S. sponsored 72-hour ceasefire only lasted barely hours, as Hamas used the lull to launch an attack in which IDF soldiers were killed and one is missing and believed kidnapped. This has led to Israeli retaliation and renewed fightings.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on July 31, 2014 8 Comments
UPDATE 8-1-2014: The ceasefire lasted just a few hours as Hamas used the lull to launch an attack in which Israeli soldiers were killed and one is believed kidnapped. More to follow in separate post. --------------- John Kerry and Ban Ki Moon just announced that all sides have agreed to a 72-hour "humanitarian truce" starting 8 a.m. tomorrow (Israel time, about 7 hours from the time this post goes live). CNN reports that Hamas and other terrorist groups have accepted. The negotiations apparently were held in Egypt, which had proposed a ceasefire two weeks ago that Israel accepted and Hamas rejected. It appears that all forces stay in place. It's unclear whether and to what extend Israel can continue to search out new tunnels or blow up ones already located. Here is the statement: Joint Statement of Gaza Ceasefire US State Department Details to follow below.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on July 29, 2014 24 Comments
Yesterday one of the stories thrust into the mainstream media was nearly simultaneous explosions in a Palestinian neighborhood and at al-Shifa hospital. The media immediately took the Hamas line that it was Israeli missiles. Later, the IDF stated that it had not fired on those locations, and that the explosions were misfired Hamas or Islamic Jihad missiles. The media played it as he said, he said. But an Italian journalist has just left Gaza and is telling the truth about what happened now that he needs not fear Hamas retaliation -- Israel was right (h/t Israelly Cool): How many more of the civilian casualties have been cause by Hamas and Islamic rockets that fell short or misfired? Like Israel says happened at a U.N. school and shelter. We likely never will know because Hamas is so fast to cover up the scene and intimidates reporters:
The Times of Israel confirmed several incidents in which journalists were questioned and threatened. These included cases involving photographers who had taken pictures of Hamas operatives in compromising circumstances — gunmen preparing to shoot rockets from within civilian structures, and/or fighting in civilian clothing — and who were then approached by Hamas men, bullied and had their equipment taken away.
CAMERA discovered a Wall Street Journal reporter coming to the same conclusion as the Italian reporters, but then deleting the tweet:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on July 29, 2014 28 Comments
Just think what could have been. Israel left Gaza in 2005. The vast international aid that flowed to Gaza could have been used to build the foundation of a nation. Instead it was put to building tunnels and rocket infrastructure. Rather than forging economic ties with the world, it forged military ties with Iran and Hezbollah to achieve the goal of the Hamas charter -- the destruction of Israel. Meanwhile, Israel continued to build a nation, becoming one of the high tech capitals of the world. That could have been Gaza, where the people obviously have tremendous skills and ingenuity. But it was a choice that was not made. The NY Times has a good story about the nature of the vast Hamas tunnel network into Israel, designed specifically for kidnapping and attacks, Tunnels Lead Right to the Heart of Israeli Fear:
An Israeli military spokesman said that in the tunnels uncovered so far, soldiers have found more than 70 side shafts. Inside the Ein Hashlosha tunnel, they picked up potato-chip bags dated as late as February. Elsewhere, there were dates, water and crackers; rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles; small rooms for sleeping or hiding; a kidnapping kit of tranquilizers and plastic handcuffs; Israeli Army uniforms; and a Bosch drill used for digging the tunnels that Colonel Azulai described as “a very good one.” “It’s like a subway under Gaza,” he said. Israeli experts said each tunnel would take up to a year and cost up to $2 million to build, involving dozens of diggers working by hand and with small electric tools. The military has known about the tunnels since at least 2003 and had a task force studying them for a year, but was nonetheless stunned at the sophisticated network they found.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on July 28, 2014 7 Comments
Live Video and Twitter feed at bottom of post Last night the United Nations Security Council issued a Presidential Statement (less than a Resolution) demanding an immediate Gaza ceasefire. Hamas kept firing missiles, and Israel now is responding. Israel has rejected a ceasefire that does not include security guarantees. A devastating critique of John Kerry's botched ceasefire attempt, from left-wing Israeli author Ari Shavit:
If Israel is forced to ultimately undertake an expanded ground operation in which dozens of young Israelis and hundreds of Palestinian civilians could lose their lives, it would be appropriate to name the offensive after the person who caused it: John Kerry. But if the escalation does not happen, instead we should remember that those who prevented it are three people the Obama administration loathes: Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi, Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Ya’alon.
There was an explosion at Shifa Hospital (used by Hamas as a safe haven) which immediately was blamed on Israel, but now appears likely to have been a Hamas rocket misfire. We will update as the day goes on.
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