truth about qana, no hezbollah rocket launches Add to Watch List Options

[Bosco]

from an Israeli newspaper
link


Last update - 21:04 01/08/2006
Livni: Qana attack led to turning point in support for Israel
By Yoav Stern, Yuval Yoaz and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents

The deaths of dozens of civilians in an Israel Air Force attack on the southern Lebanese village of Qana marked a significant diplomatic turning point against Israel, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Tuesday.

The foreign minister said that following the events in Qana, Israel's scope for political maneuvering had been reduced, as was the amount of European support Israel is receiving for its operation in Lebanese soil.

Livni said this change was exemplified in the "problematic" Russian and French stance towards Israel.

She said that despite the pictures of civilian casualties coming from Qana of it was important not to stray from implementing UN decision 1559.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to establish a state commission of inquiry into the killings at Qana.

As the Israel Air Force continues to investigate the air strike, questions have been raised over military accounts of the incident.

It now appears that the military had no information on rockets launched from the site of the building, or the presence of Hezbollah men at the time.

The Israel Defense Forces had said after the deadly air-strike that many rockets had been launched from Qana. However, it changed its version on Monday.

The site was included in an IAF plan to strike at several buildings in proximity to a previous launching site. Similar strikes were carried out in the past. However, there were no rocket launches from Qana on the day of the strike.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Red Cross workers reported on Monday that 28 bodies, 19 of them children, were removed from the rubble.

The count is lower than the some 60 bodies reported by news agencies, quoting Lebanese security officials. Survivors say 60 people were in the building at the time of the strike.

Additional bodies are expected to be found in rescue operations.

Elsewhere in southern Lebanon, 49 bodies were removed Monday from the ruins of buildings in ten villages. Medical sources in Lebanon say dozens more are buried in the rubble.

IDF sources said the warning pamphlets the IAF disseminated to residents, calling on them to leave the area, were dropped several days before the strike, and not over the weekend.

The IAF does not have a way to verify whether villages have been vacated, or whether civilians remain hidden in bomb-shelters in locations otherwise believed to have been vacated, the sources said.

Paratroopers who fought in Bint Jbail last week said they noticed civilians hiding in the rubble while the fierce battle with Hezbollah militants was taking place.

The IDF account and those of survivors present contradictory versions of the Qana deaths. The IDF said that there is an unexplained gap of about seven hours between the IAF strike and the first report that the building had collapsed. Residents' accounts say only 10 minutes went by between the strike and the collapse.

The survivors say rescue teams arrived only in the morning, as night conditions made the rescue mission difficult. The Red Cross in Tyre received a call for help only in the morning, explaining their late arrival.

Sami Yazbek, chief of the Tyre department of the Red Cross, said his office received a call only at 7 A.M. The ambulances were further slowed by the bombed roads leading to Qana.

The media first heard of the bombing at 8 A.M. The foreign press quoted Lebanese sources explaining the late announcement, saying the electricity and phones in the village of Qana were almost entirely cut-off by IAF attacks.

An IAF investigation into the bombing is underway.

The IAF admits the village was struck three times between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Two bombs were dropped on the building in the first strike. Channel 10, however, said on Monday that the initial investigation shows the bombs did not immediately explode, and an explosion in the early morning caused the casualties.

The IDF provided no explanation for the second explosion, and it is not clear whether the bomb was moved, or whether Hezbollah ammunition stored in the building caused the explosion.

Civilians continued to leave their homes en masse in southern Lebanon on Monday, taking advantage of the temporary slow-down in the fighting, imposed by the IAF after the Qana attack.

The United Nations and the Red Cross delivered emergency assistance to villages in the south on Monday. The UN also delivered food and medical equipment to Qana residents.

[jordanianprinces...]

This is an interesting story Rebecaa, do you have a link?

Nevermind...I just saw it. boy do I feel sheepish now.

This post has been edited by jordanianprincess: Aug 1 2006, 08:11 PM

[PlatyPius]

http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/188571.php

Thoughts?

[jordanianprinces...]

http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/188571.php

Thoughts?

Thoughts on...which one is a more reputable source for news? Geez people just love conspiracy theories.

[Bosco]

http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/188571.php

Thoughts?

Thoughts? This is racist garbage that implies Arabs do not care about their dead daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers and would keep their bodies some place to "plant" in a building that Israeli just happens to bomb. They are still digging people out and you post this crap?

[PlatyPius]

My bad. I thought this was "Off Topic", not "The Mean Sisters' Tea Room". I posted this "crap" to get rational opinions about it. I posted it in this thread as an "opposing view" sorta thing. I don't know what to think of it, and haven't really had any kind of opinion about this issue, since I am not there and don't know much about either side.

However, based on the responses I've seen around here, and the intolerance to any sort of opposing viewpoint, I can easily understand how someone COULD become racist.

[Bosco]

You seem to really enjoy the "mean sisters" label when anyone woman from the MENA forum replies to your posts.

You don't think there is something wrong with implying that Arabs would not care about their caring for the bodies of their dead children or parents? That they would rather use them as tools. Despite your claims that you "don't know what to think about it", you posted in another thread "They have a point" and "I don't find it outside the realm of possibility however, that the bodies were planted after the fact". So you believe that Arabs would store away their loved ones in a building, somehow entice Israel to drop a bomb and plant their loved ones there for more destruction to their bodies. Is that a view point or is that bigotry?

We are not allowed to oppose your viewpoints without being labeled "intolerant". That isn't intolerance of viewpoints - it is us expressing ours - and if that punches holes in your "viewpoint" so be it. Calling us intolerant for doing so is more name calling. You go as far as to blame us for your prejudice toward Islam and Muslims by responding to your messages.

It is POSSIBLE to views fervently and uncompromisingly without resorting to name calling, insults to a person or religion, or outright bigotry.

You said "I can easily understand how someone COULD become racist." That is where we are different. I don't understand how people become racists although I understand they do.

[lostinlove228]

Stages. Was the Massacre in 1996 also staged bodies. That is disgusting.

These people didn't leave because they couldn't. It is basically take your chances in the south. You stay, you can get killed in your house. You try to leave, your car gets bombed. This is happening again and again. Another issue is that these people don't even have Gas anymore to be able to get out. The roads are shot and a trip out will take at least 5 hours when it usually takes an hour. Imagine being a sitting duck in a car for 5 hours. Praying for a gastation to still have gas to be able to get out of harms way.

A third issue, Is that the elderly that are up there, it is dangerous for them to travel. My Mother in law, had a heart Attack about 6 months ago. The doctor told here she is not allowd to leave the house. Imagine here trying to make that long trip down. At best she would arrive to breirut straight to the Hospital. It is not as easy as evacutating everyone. Some people litterly cannot leave.

And Cian, will call you the idiot racist dumb off topic person. Mean? Your Hearless.

[PlatyPius]

I implied nothing. The site I linked to implied that the bodies were planted after the building was bombed.

I expected that maybe someone would reply and explain why this was unlikely, or point out errors in the views of the site. Instead I just have you taking your little digs at me, not the "crap" I posted.

I didn't label you intolerant, I said that you have an intolerance for opposing viewpoints. I'd never actually call someone "intolerant", as I thoroughly detest that term.

I have another thread going on about islam and the middle east. As of this reply, you haven't posted to it, and I'm actually getting intelligent answers to my questions. I expect that to change if you discover it.

And Cian, will call you the idiot racist dumb off topic person. Mean? Your Hearless.

Was that even in English? What is that supposed to mean?

[lostinlove228]

Sorry that's heartless.

[PlatyPius]

Sorry that's heartless.

So, I'M the "idiot racist dumb off topic person"? By using my name and then a comma followed by "will call you", that is the meaning of the sentence.

Idiot? No.
Racist? Kinda funny, really, if you knew me.
Dumb? Sometimes.
Off Topic? Always.

[charles!]

You don't think there is something wrong with implying that Arabs would not care about their caring for the bodies of their dead children or parents? That they would rather use them as tools.

perhaps the real reason for your outrage over his previous remarks is that there might be a bit of truth to that.

We are not allowed to oppose your viewpoints without being labeled "intolerant".

ditto

[Bosco]

I expected that maybe someone would reply and explain why this was unlikely, or point out errors in the views of the site. Instead I just have you taking your little digs at me, not the "crap" I posted.

I explained that the very premise is racist, why explain more? The whole article is based on the premise that Arabs have so little regard for their dead families that they would do something like this.

Oh, and the part comparing the dust of the trade center to an apartment building is hysterical.

You don't think there is something wrong with implying that Arabs would not care about their caring for the bodies of their dead children or parents? That they would rather use them as tools.

perhaps the real reason for your outrage over his previous remarks is that there might be a bit of truth to that.

Have you ever been around when an Arab passes away?

[charles!]

I expected that maybe someone would reply and explain why this was unlikely, or point out errors in the views of the site. Instead I just have you taking your little digs at me, not the "crap" I posted.

I explained that the very premise is racist, why explain more? The whole article is based on the premise that Arabs have so little regard for their dead families that they would do something like this.

Oh, and the part comparing the dust of the trade center to an apartment building is hysterical.

so it's racist because you say so, without any other logic or proof of such. nice - play that race card sista!

Have you ever been around when an Arab passes away?

yes, been the cause of a few to do that too. so what's your point?

[Gene Hunt]

I expected that maybe someone would reply and explain why this was unlikely, or point out errors in the views of the site. Instead I just have you taking your little digs at me, not the "crap" I posted.

I explained that the very premise is racist, why explain more? The whole article is based on the premise that Arabs have so little regard for their dead families that they would do something like this.

Oh, and the part comparing the dust of the trade center to an apartment building is hysterical.

You don't think there is something wrong with implying that Arabs would not care about their caring for the bodies of their dead children or parents? That they would rather use them as tools.

perhaps the real reason for your outrage over his previous remarks is that there might be a bit of truth to that.

Have you ever been around when an Arab passes away?

There are certainly double standards being applied here - from many of the posts on VJ it seems the only 'valid' opinion is either to be on the side of Israel and against the entire middle eastern and islamic world.

I agree. There is a degree of racialism being put about.

Anyone who was interested in a real debate, would respect its participants. Posting links to racially offensive websites says a lot more about the person posting them than it does about the point they're trying to make.