Friday August 17, 2012, 7:13 pm
thanks

Saturday August 18, 2012, 4:31 am
This is like a B grade movie Thanks John

Sunday August 19, 2012, 5:08 am
"no matter how much Israel's oppression escalates, their plans are bound to fail. Their inhumanity does nothing but increase our humanity. We're ready to take the challenge and fight for what we have always deserved: justice, freedom, and equality."
Shahd Abu Salama ( a Palestinian citizen"

Sunday August 19, 2012, 5:09 am
According to the Israeli human rights organisation B'tselem, 344 minors were killed by the Israeli military during "Operation Cast Lead" from a total of 1,390. But the abuses toward children have continued since then, with the NGO Defence for Children International documenting another 30 cases of minors shot "whilst collecting building material or working near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel" in the period 26 March 2010 to 27 December 2011.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 6:06 am
This is iniquitous! Vile and disgusting beyond belief!

Sunday August 19, 2012, 6:35 am
One of the biggest Sale in Israel.Don't kill only ONE woman > Kill two and you get only 42 days in jail.A major incentive for IDF forces.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 6:38 am
Thanks Rose,thanks Patricia. I wonder where are those who are worried about women's rights ?

Sunday August 19, 2012, 7:07 am
that's disgusting. I wish I was surprised, though. They do seem to like shooting children and young girls.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 8:23 am

Israeli Ex-Soldier Cleared of Gaza Manslaughter Charge
13 August 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19243246

Israeli prosecutors have dropped a manslaughter charge against a former soldier in connection with the deaths of a Palestinian woman and her daughter during the offensive on Gaza in 2009.

But the sergeant was jailed for 45 days after being convicted of unlawful use of a firearm in a separate incident as part of a plea deal, his lawyer said.

He was the only soldier to be charged with manslaughter after the offensive.

The women were reportedly shot as they fled their home carrying a white flag.

Israel said it launched Operation Cast Lead in response to repeated rocket attacks on its territory. Some 1,400 Palestinians were killed during the three-week conflict, including hundreds of civilians, as well as 13 Israelis.

'White flags'

In July 2010, Sergeant "S", a sniper in the Israeli army's Givati Brigade, was charged with the manslaughter of Rayah Abu Hajaj, 64, and her 37-year-old daughter, Majda.

According to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, the women were shot dead as they tried to escape fighting in the Juhar al-Dik district of Gaza City on 4 January 2009.

They had been among a group of about 30 people, some holding white flags, who had walked out of a house after being informed that Israeli soldiers had ordered them to walk towards the city centre, witnesses said.

When they saw Israeli tanks about 150m (500ft) away, the two men at the front of the group reportedly waved their flags, and the children in the group sat on the ground. Then suddenly, and without warning, shots were fired at the group, killing Majda Abu Hajaj and her mother, the witnesses alleged.

The sergeant was accused of opening fire without having received orders to do so from an officer who had been by his side at the time.

Read more at above link.
*****

If the article is factual, and from BBC who is very open to International scrutiny, I would think it probably would be fact based. Then the soldier involved made a decision to fire on civilians without direct authority from a higher ranked officer. In most armies that would gain a soldier more than a Manslaughter charge, in most armies he would face a murder charge. Now that Israel has removed the possibility of manslaughter charges, may it is because the prosecution was not sound, I can only go by what I read. It does, however, cast the Israeli army (IDF) again, as the aggressor when their own soldiers are allowed to decide who lives and who dies. That's a far cry from the plea of the victim position, so often heralded.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 9:37 am
So Israel is sending the message that the two women who were murdered was worth nothing more than 45 days ?? Im sorry but Israel really needs to realize what they are doing. They are the first ones to stick their thumb in thier mouth and cry like a baby for help when they feel wronged in one way or another. Im sorry but the the Israeli Military is not an organized military fighting for the rights of "all: people like they would have one believe but a bought and paid for militant group who goes to the highest bidder. One fact that proves these two womens were not freedom fighting tryig to escape as the isreali solder staed, was that the women were found with NO weapons escaping the gun fire that was being raned down on their village.
We must look beyond the curtain that Israel is holding up and see that behind it is nothing more than an organized drive for genocide.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 9:39 am
Sorry for the type-o's..Care-2 is acting up, and my comment submitted all on it's own. oh geez Sorry guys

Sunday August 19, 2012, 10:06 am
Israelis are bullies when it comes to civilians. We are all born equally with the same rights. We are all God's children. Universal & karmic laws are in place & one will reap what they have sown. Humanity world wide must work on the respect of all human life regardless of where you are! Thanks for posting John & Abdessalam for the forward.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 10:28 am
Thank you John, and special thankX to Abdlessalam for the forward. I am not educated enough about the facts (as Kit) so I cannot comment. I can say that it is a tragedy no matter what the laws may be.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 12:34 pm
Is sending a clear message, they do not value the human life of another that is not whom they consider their own. For a people that had horrific acts done to them, one would think that they would understand more, seems that is not the case. I know people in the usa that has had stiffer sentences imposed upon them for stealing a little food to feed their hungry families.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 2:24 pm

What a tragedy

Sunday August 19, 2012, 7:18 pm
This is so outrageous, Thanks John.

Sunday August 19, 2012, 7:25 pm
There would probably be a more severe penalty for killing someones dog. This is truly nauseating.

Monday August 20, 2012, 2:49 am
as it so happens, I had this bookmarked for archiving:

WATCHTOWER:
'It's a little girl, She's running defensively eastward.'
OPERATIONS ROOM:
'Are we talking about a girl under the age of 10?'
WATCHTOWER:
'A girl about 10, she's behind the embankment, scared to death.'
CAPTAIN R. (AFTER KILLING THE GIRL):
'Anything moving in the zone, even a three-year old, needs to be killed.'

-- Comversation between Israeli soldiers. A 13-year old Palestinian girl was killed by a soldier on her way to school in Gaza. Twenty bullets were found in the girl's body, the soldier having emptied his magazine into her body to "confirm the kill."

-- -- ADBUSTERS #59, 05/2005

Monday August 20, 2012, 4:13 am
Despicable and appalling value for life. Why do I feel that one way or another, at some point, somewhere in another realm, the tragic events of the murder of two innocent women will play out for the murders and they will be confronted with their deeds. Everything in our spiritual journey counts, of that I am sure. Having said that though, life was stolen from these women, a gift given to them by God. Simply sickening. One more call for the rest of us to help end aggression and bring peace and justice.

Monday August 20, 2012, 7:02 am
Did I miss something here?

The "defense" was there was no "proof" that he was the one that killed the women? Hard to believe. BUT, when he fired his weapon in this situation he violated orders/rules of engagement. That alone would call for his court marshal.

Notice that there is no reference as to whether of not this psychopath is still in the IDF?

Monday August 20, 2012, 8:13 am
In a message from my friend Angelika she asked me to post this comment on her behalf as she is facing some technical problems posting on here by herself.Therefore I am posting her comment.
"Thanks John and Abdessalam for the promotion of this post.
I agree, this stands as an open invitation to kill, supported by Israeli attorneys who simply state " that there was no conclusive proof that his client killed either of the women." as in this case.
No big deal, 6 weeks in jail for" illegal use of weapon", huh?"

Monday August 20, 2012, 11:45 am
the message is plain that Isreal is above the law and supported by both rightwing nut jobs and the american left it is past time that this country is held accountable

Monday August 20, 2012, 11:47 am
Thanks John for the post, Henriette for the fwd. Also Abdessalam. This IS an open invitation to kill. 42 days for the murder of two women? I'm a at a loss. I guess human life is cheap, if you are not from the "right group".

Tuesday August 21, 2012, 9:07 am
Barbaric!! Life has little meaning to them. Noted.

Tuesday August 21, 2012, 10:26 am
I'm not surprised. If it was the other way round it would have been years in jail, I bet. I know why I don't support Israel.

Tuesday August 21, 2012, 11:16 am
This is an other crime committed by Israel.It is the attack of Israel against USS Liberty in June 1976.The survivors of this attack are asking for an investigation in that crime.Here is a letter one of my friends has received.Will you please read the letter,sign the petition and spread the word among your friend,families and neighbors in order to press the American authorities to open an investigation according to the request of the survivors of that attack?Here is the letter and the link to the petition.It is open for all.

Thank you for signing INVESTIGATE THE ATTACK ON THE USS LIBERTY petition. With your help, we've reached 1396 signers. But if we are going to have an impact, it's critical that more people contact The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Barack Obama.

Can you please forward this email to five of your friend right now? With your help we can reach our goal! Share this link:
http://signon.org/sign/investigate-the-attack?source=s.em.cr&r_by=131474&mailing_id=5494

DoD and Congress seem to be oblibious to the fact that their decision to participate in the cover-up of the War Crimes that were committe against us has consequences. It has destroyed USS Liberty lives. It has destroyed USS Liberty marriages. It has destroyed USS Liberty families.

But DoD and Congress simply don't care what the effect of their action has on US military lives.

You can also subscribe to our mailing list and get email alerts at http://www.usslibertyveterans.org/email_alerts.html
and read my latest letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at http://www.usslibertyveterans.org/files/Response%20to%20Ray%20Mabus%2008022012.pdf.



Thank you for taking a stand on this important issue.



Joe Meadors
USS Liberty Survivor

Tuesday August 21, 2012, 8:36 pm
Not a copacetic resolution. This opens a door to crime rather than closes it. Signed the sign on petition Abdessalam.

Tuesday September 4, 2012, 3:48 am
As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular.
Oscar Wilde

Monday September 17, 2012, 9:22 pm
John thanks for posting, Abdessalam and Henriette for forwarding.
No surprize of what the IDF do ....if a palestinian , an Arab man did the same as this IDF soldier will be judged by the IDF court for ever .
Anyhow he is jailled but the condition in prison is 100% different from what is done with palestinin children, women, men in prison ... this IDF soldier sur will be as if he is in a jurney not as a prisoner..
Zionest is zionest and IDF IS IDF.
Noted

Thursday September 27, 2012, 5:23 pm
The BBC is biased and I would not accept the pixels that they waste. I did some research and it seems that the truth is of no interest to anyone on this board or the author.

The soldier's indictment is considered the most significant case handled by the MAG in relation to Operation Cast Lead. S' was originally accused of killing a woman and daughter whose names were mentioned in the UN Goldstone Report. Ria Abu Hajaj, 64, and her daughter Majda, 37, were killed as they were waving a white flag on the first day of the Israel Defense Force's ground operation in Gaza, on January 4, 2009.

The indictment was one of several indictments submitted by Maj. Gen. Avichai Mandelblit, former chief military advocate general following the accusations in the Goldstone Report concerning alleged war crimes committed by IDF soldiers.

At the time, IDF forces received warnings that an armed fighter hiding among fleeing women might try to shoot at soldiers. According to the evidence in the case, Staff Sgt. S' deliberately shot at a figure among the group of civilians, in contradiction to orders.

S' has long since completed his army service. His attorneys claimed that there was no proven connection between his shooting and the death of the two women, and that the two events occurred in different times. They further argued that indicting a soldier for the killing of an anonymous victim, when no body was found, is questionable.

In other words there is no proof that anyone was murdered but it doesn't stop anyone spouting anti-Semitism. And not the Egyptian Muslim with a country which is now bringing in paedophilia (9 year old girls) and making their slavery public, over 200 million slaves.3 year old camel jockeys raped and abused having been stolen from their parents. And you condemn a soldier for phantom murders, nice one!

Thursday September 27, 2012, 8:35 pm
"In other words there is no proof that anyone was murdered" - Pull your head out of the sand Gillian. Your comment is valued no matter how wrong it is. One idiot is born every day.