[timel]

As the tanks withdrew Monday, the full scope of the destruction began to come into focus.

In the village of Fukhari, outside Khan Yunis, it seemed as if a powerful earthquake had struck, flattening a collection of 15 homes belonging to a single extended family, a swath of destruction the size of a city block. Israeli tanks and bulldozers rolled through this agricultural patch last week, destroying every building in sight.

Stunned residents picked through the wreckage among muddy, thigh-high tread marks, salvaging clothing, blankets and undamaged cinder blocks, hauling anything usable away on tractors and donkey carts.

"They even killed the chickens and the turkeys!" shouted Faour Atteya, a 50-year-old high school teacher. "They killed the cats!"

At Atteya's feet, his 2-year-old-son, Yasser, sat wailing atop a small pile of muddied clothes.

Colorful bits of debris jutted out of a nearby pile of rubble: a small plastic chair, bits of construction paper and a coloring book.

"This was the neighborhood nursery school run by a charitable organization," Atteya said.

A short drive away in the village of Khozaa, residents pointed cautiously at the lone Israeli tank still visible in the distance. A fierce thrust by the vehicles had destroyed at least a dozen homes, killing at least 13 people.

Residents alleged that Israeli soldiers had ordered people out of their homes, then shot a 47-year-old woman in the head as she led a procession of women and children to supposed safety while waving a pair of white flags.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 9725.story


I also heard at radio-Canada yesterday of soldiers who stole Gazan Jewelry and burnt sofas with cigarettes and of squats into buildings that were done in the biggest disrespect.

[sploop!]

Now the media is in there and able to report freely on Israeli atrocities, I have no doubt we will hear much more of this sort of stuff. In the end, it all strengthens the hand of organisations like Hamas.

[Sephardi]

Now the media is in there and able to report freely on Israeli atrocities, I have no doubt we will hear much more of this sort of stuff. In the end, it all strengthens the hand of organisations like Hamas.

Yes, because if there is anything we can trust, it's the media.

[sploop!]

Yes, because if there is anything we can trust, it's the media.

I guess some media sources might be more trustworthy than others - wouldn't you agree?

[Ter]

Sploop:

Now the media is in there and able to report freely on Israeli atrocities

I am sure you consider everything Israel does an atrocity.

I have no doubt we will hear much more of this sort of stuff

Of course, If you believe everything Al Jazeera and the like says.

In the end, it all strengthens the hand of organisations like Hamas.

That's an assumption. I doubt very much that the terrorist organisation Hamas will allow honest elections to take place but in case those are held, let's just wait for the results.

Ter

[MVictorP]

I am sure you consider everything Israel does an atrocity

Oh, enough with the inferiority complex violins already. Please use rational argumentation instead.

Of course, If you believe everything Al Jazeera and the like says.

What's wrong with Al Jazeera?

That's an assumption. I doubt very much that the terrorist organisation Hamas will allow honest elections to take place but in case those are held, let's just wait for the results.

Hamas will emerge victorious from the conflict, in many ways, considering the beast they face. As for the IDF, all of its goals were forgotten but oh, the rapture. The only real losers were the Palestinians of Gaza.

[sploop!]

strengthens the hand of organisations like Hamas.

I just thought I'd point out the 'like' in what I said. Hamas my be weakened, it may not - I don't know. But I do believe that the cause Hamas stands for has been strengthened. And a cause might be supported by any number of individuals or organisations.

[Tailz]

Of course, If you believe everything Al Jazeera and the like says.

It is not a case of what only Al Jazeera says, but the fact that the more news agencies that cover an event, the more the story is expanded and the bogus media reports can be fathomed and debunked. Israel screwed up the media campaign by restricting the press. Now the press is getting into Gaza and there is a flood of bad publicity coming out all of a sudden and there is no confirmation about what happened other than bloody hospital scenes combined with video of weeping civilians besides the rubble of their homes. Plus excluding the media is a great big flashing warning signal to any group because it shows intent by the military to “not be seen” committing actions, be they legitimate actions of war, or war crimes.

I don’t doubt for a moment that Hamas fighters broke the Geneva conventions and used civilian buildings as cover, nor do I doubt that juiced up IDF soldiers feed on a healthy diet of Zionist rhetoric committed crimes ether.

I doubt very much that the terrorist organisation Hamas will allow honest elections to take place but in case those are held, let's just wait for the results.

Why? Just so Israel can boycott them again? Hamas won the elections we forced them to have, and Israel & the Quartet boycotted them from day one! Do you really think their going to be that foolish to try and go down that road again after how Israel locked up their politicians while campaigning the first time? Followed by a political and economic embargo?!

What's wrong with Al Jazeera?

It is as biased in its reporting as CNN.

[SouthBeirut]

It is as biased in its reporting as CNN.

Why do you say that ? I never had any complaints about Al Jazeera. Did you ever watch a coverage done by them ?

[MVictorP]

Why do you say that ? I never had any complaints about Al Jazeera. Did you ever watch a coverage done by them ?

Eerr, you might want to check your sarcasm-o-meter here, SamirKuntar: I think Tailz said that, in fact, Al-Jazeera is no worse than CNN.

[SouthBeirut]

Eerr, you might want to check your sarcasm-o-meter here, SamirKuntar: I think Tailz said that, in fact, Al-Jazeera is no worse than CNN.

That was not sarcasm. If you have anything to say about Al Jazeera, let me know.

[Ter]

Why do you say that ? I never had any complaints about Al Jazeera. Did you ever watch a coverage done by them ?

Yes I did. And if you like them, that means they are biased against Israel. QED.

Ter

[Tailz]

Why do you say that ? I never had any complaints about Al Jazeera. Did you ever watch a coverage done by them ?

Yes I do, I even pay attention to CNN at times, even Fox, and the BBC, and a few others. By comparing them all you can see how the story changes across the national spectrum of media. Al Jazeera is certainly not presenting the news in an unbiased way, it certainly tries very hard to be unbiased – and at times it can be quite balanced. But ultimately its target audience and authors/writers are themselves biased. The same as CNN leans towards an Americanised version of news reporting.

Eerr, you might want to check your sarcasm-o-meter here, SamirKuntar: I think Tailz said that, in fact, Al-Jazeera is no worse than CNN.

Correct.

Yes I did. And if you like them, that means they are biased against Israel. QED.

Ter

Stop being a Troll. Your not adding to the discussion, your just making accusations and pointing fingers.

You only watch pro-Israeli news, QED!

[Bosnjak]

They even killed the chickens and the turkeys

According to Torah is this O.K. :

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (I Samuel 15:2-3)

"And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword." (Joshua 6:21)

[Tailz]

According to Torah is this O.K. :

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (I Samuel 15:2-3)

"And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword." (Joshua 6:21)

Yes, and if we looked hard enough we could cherry pick verses from the Koran that say much the same.

So what is your point? They did this as some sort of religious revenge?

Maybe, maybe not.

[Bosnjak]

They did this as some sort of religious revenge?

Exactly. Some Jews also put Quran Verses out of context, after each al Qaeda attack.

[Tailz]

Exactly. Some Jews also put Quran Verses out of context, after each al Qaeda attack.

The problem is, Al Qaeda uses those very verses to legitimise the Islamic nature of their activities.

[Bosnjak]

O.K. but Islamic verses have no orders to rape to kill women and children. Our Verses justify only the violence against other Soldiers.

[Tailz]

O.K. but Islamic verses have no orders to rape to kill women and children. Our Verses justify only the violence against other Soldiers.

Oh come on Bosnjak, people can and do cherry pick verses from the Koran, Bible, and Torah to legitimise all that stuff. Those texts are contradictory, where you find a vese telling the faithful not to kill innocents, a few pages later you will find another verse that is used as an excuse to do just that. It is this very conflicted nature of these texts that is used by Al Qaeda to legitimise its Jihad agaisnt the West and the killing of innocent people, used by the religious radicals to blow up girls schools in Pakastan, used by Crusaders to get away with the sacking of towns during the crusades, or the religious Jews attacking Arabs to reclaim Israel. Because these people can find a verse or two in their holy books to claim anything that they desire - be it peaceful, or agressive.

[SouthBeirut]

It is this very conflicted nature of these texts that is used by Al Qaeda to legitimise its Jihad agaisnt the West and the killing of innocent people,

Al-Qaeda is a US creation and a US financed group. Those Wahabis blow up innocent Afghan and Pakistani civilians. Wahabism is the only extreme faction of Muslims, considered by us as non-Muslims.