Gaza Civilians

Jen Psaki, the State Department Spokesperson, at her Daily Press Briefing in Washington, DC on July 9, 2014 was asked:

QUESTION: Okay...I asked you about the Palestinians’ right to self-defense. Let me ask you this: The population in Gaza, is it largely Hamas operatives or largely innocent civilians? And if there are larger Hamas operatives, then an argument can be made that they could be targets. But if they are largely civilians, then they should have, certainly, the right to self-defense—

Before I record Ms. Psaki's response, let me point out that never have we heard of any demand for new elections to be held.  Or a request for independent international humanitarian intervention other than the simple handouts without any meddling like we in Israel permit.  Or a call for a free press. Or the right to assemle and demonstarte for rights.

Is it possible that indeed the population wholeheartedly supports the aims and goals and actions of Hamas?  That they afford protection and assistance to the terror?  They applaud and dance in the streets and allow their mosquers to serve as warehouses and when Israeli teenagers are murdered by Hamas operatives from Hebron, they hand out candies and make the three-fingered salute.

MS. PSAKI: Well, Said, I would simply say there’s a—
QUESTION:—or to protection.
MS. PSAKI:—strong difference between attacks—
QUESTION: Right, I understand.
MS. PSAKI:—rocket attacks launched by a terrorist organization that is based in Gaza and the right of Israel to defend itself. At the same time, as you know, we work closely with the Palestinians. We work closely with the Israelis. And it’s important at this point in time to see if all sides can take steps to de-escalate.

What do we really owe them?

^ 

UN As 'Protector' of Civilians (No Jews Need Apply)

Every week, the UN publishes, through its United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [address: Mac House, P.O.Box 38712, Jerusalem] a weekly report entitled

Protection of Civilians Weekly Report

Here is the one for the week 5-11 March this year. 

I have asked them in the past  -

a.  do they have a mechanism of on-site confirmation of claims?

b.  do they periodically review the claims?

c.  why are no Jewish injuries or property damage reports included?

No response.

Not even an acknowledgement.

Maybe you'll also write and after a few hundred request for information, they'll respond?


Contact info:

Tel:++ 972-2-5829962/5853
Fax:++972-2-5825841
email:ochaopt@un.org
www.ochaopt.org

 
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How Many Jews Across-the-Green-Line in Jerusalem?

From this 2011 report on Jerusalem:

At the end of 2009....Of the Jewish population, 193,700 lived in areas added to the city in 1967, representing 42% of the total number of residents of those areas and 39% of the total Jewish population of the city. Population figures for the larger Jewish neighborhoods constructed after 1967 were as follows: 40,400 in Ramot Alon; 39,800 in Pisgat Ze’ev; 29,000 in Gilo; 18,600 in Neve Ya’acov; 14,200 in Ramat Shlomo (Rekhes Shu’afat); and 13,700 in East Talpiot.

I checked more recent date from here, the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies Statistical yearbook 2012 edition with figures from end of 2010 (two years ago):

Neve Yaakov                  19,700
Pisgat Ze'ev                   40,400
Ramat Shlomo                14,560
Ramot Allon                   41,400
Ramot Eshkol,
Givat Mivtar, Sanhedria   15,600
Givat Shapira                  8,600
East Talpiyot                 14,000
Har Homa                      40,000
Gilo                              29,535
Jewish Quarter                3,100

which all adds up to 227,000 more or less (I didn't count Jews living in the Muslim Quarter).

That's an increase of 33,300.

But there are almost two more years of growth to include.

"Almost a quarter of a million Jews in across-the-Green-Line Jerusalem" sound okay?

Anybody want to check my calculations?

^

Population Figures for Judea and Samaria

Note 4 indicates that the figures relate to "Israeli localities" only.

Source


Almost 25,000 up from last year.

And those figures are a year old almost. 

^

A Demographic 'Problem'

Reported:

The growth of the settler Jewish revenant population slowed slightly in the first five months of 2010, but the numbers still rose at almost three times the national average, according to Central Bureau of Statistics data released this week. This despite the government’s efforts to dramatically curb construction in settlements communities.

Based on the figures for January 1- June 1, the CBS projected a 4.8 percent rise in the settlers’ numbers of revenants for 2010 as a whole, down slightly from 5.3% in 2009. The projected rise for 2009 was similarly down to 4.9% when measured in September of that year, but the rate had risen by the year’s end.

The nationwide population rose by 1.8% in each of the two years.

The new CBS figures are the first official population data to be published since the 10-moratorium on new construction went into force in November 2009, and the first to provide a picture of the impact it had on the number of people who live in or chose to move to West Bank settlements communities.

Settlers Yesha leaders said Thursday they were pleased by their region’s growth...

In 2009, the settler Jewish population grew by 15,000, out of which 10,600 represented births and the remaining 4,400 people who moved to Judea and Samaria.

As of June 2010, 303,900 Jews lived in Judea and Samaria, a rise of 7,200 from 296,700 on December 31, 2009, according to the CBS...

Yes, that was my editing in italics.

Someone may have a demographic problem with this.

^

Those Gazan Civilian Casualties?

Someone I know was wounded yesterday and took some shrapnel in an alley from a improvised explosive device.

He should be fine soon.

But one thing I heard was that a significant number of those "civilian casualties" we're being berated over, you know, Israel's "war crimes", are actually Arabs who have had Hamas mortar shells land on them.

That's right, "collateral damage", from their own side.

How many, I don't know. But it is occurring and our soldiers have become aware of it because they have been instructed to avoid harming, unnecessarily, civilians.

Of course, exactly how to tell a civilian from a Hamasnik is no mean feat.

But we're trying.

Unlike what the media is reporting.

I Ask You: Is He Stupid, Or What?

What would you do?

Leaflets were dropped addressed to “the residents of Gaza,” saying that the Israeli military had in recent days warned residents of the southern city of Rafah of “an imminent operation” and asking them to evacuate their homes for their safety.

“The fact that the residents of Rafah abided by the orders,” the leaflets continued, “has protected those who had nothing to do with the fight. The Israel Defense Forces will intensify shortly its directed operation against tunnels, weapon storehouses and members of terrorist groups all over Gaza. For your safety and that of your family you are asked to stay away from terrorist elements and from places where terrorist operations occur. Please continue abiding by our orders.”

Red Cross workers said their telephones were flooded with calls from residents of the Beach refugee camp who had received large numbers of the calls and leaflets. The callers wanted to know if they should evacuate their homes and if so to where.

A Beach camp car mechanic named Hamdi Eki, 47, was asked why he did not leave after receiving such a call. “I have nine children,” he said. “Where can I go? I prefer to die at my own house.”

Source

And so, some of those civilian casualties are whose fault?

No, Not Israel

Eight civilians have been killed in an air strike by US military helicopters north of Baghdad, Iraqi police say.

Two children were among those who died in the attack on Wednesday evening near the town of Baiji, the police said.

Baiji's police chief said the attack targeted a group of shepherds in a farming area. The US military said the incident was under investigation.

Oops, There Goes Another Civiian Target

An air strike levels a house.

No, not in Gaza.

In Basra.

And not the Israel Air Force. But that of America.

An air strike in the southern Iraqi city of Basra has destroyed a house and killed at least one occupant.

The US military said a militant died, but would not confirm reports from Iraqi sources that up to six civilians may also have been killed.

The house is in a militia stronghold of which witnessed fierce clashes during a recent government crackdown in Basra.

Civilian Casualties are Regrettable - Always

On February 13 and 14, 1945, some 796 RAF Lancasters and 311 USAAF Flying Fortresses dropped over 4,500 tons of high explosives and incendiary devices on Dresden, which had until then hardly been damaged.

On Striking Civilian Population

Is it moral and ethical to target a civilian population in response to terror and violence?

Should an entire population, including women and children, be held to blame?

Like in Gaza?

No, like somewhere else and by someone else:-

“One of our great aims,” Churchill wrote in July 1941, “is the delivery on German towns of the largest possible quantity of bombs per night.” Soon afterward, he said publicly: “It is time that the Germans should be made to suffer in their own homeland and cities something of the torments they have let loose upon their neighbors and upon the world.”

...the writer Gerald Brenan: “Every German woman and child killed is a contribution to the future safety and happiness of Europe.” Or David Garnett (the author of the novel “Aspects of Love,” on which the musical is based), who wrote in 1941: “By butchering the German population indiscriminately it might be possible to goad them into a desperate rising in which every member of the Nazi Party would have his throat cut.”