BBC World News & Mahmoud El-Yousseph / IViews.com – 2011-01-09 22:16:27
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12133918
West Bank Civilian Dies in Israel Army Raid in Hebron
BBC World News
HEBRON, West Bank (January 7, 2011) — Israeli troops have shot dead a 67-year-old Palestinian man by mistake in an operation to arrest members of the Islamist militant organization, Hamas.
The pre-dawn raid happened in Hebron, in the West Bank, a day after six supporters of Hamas had been released from jail by the Palestinian Authority.
The man who died was a neighbour of one of the Hamas men. Hamas has said it holds the Palestinian Authority and Israel responsible.
Reports from the scene of the shooting said it took place in a bedroom on the building’s first floor.
The Reuters news agency has reported that the man, Amr Qawasme, was shot and killed in his bed when soldiers broke into his home before dawn.
His wife, Sobheye, said she heard several shots fired and later saw her husband lying in a pool of blood.
“I was praying when they entered. I do not know how they opened the door. They put their hand to my mouth and a rifle to my head,” she told Reuters.
“I was shocked. They did not allow me to talk. I asked them, “What did you do?” They asked me to shut up.”
The IDF said in a statement: “A Palestinian man who was present in one of the terrorist’s homes was killed. The IDF regrets the outcome of the incident.” The army has ordered an investigation.
Reports say Israeli forces carried out a number of raids across the city, rounding up five men.
On Thursday Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas ordered the release of six Hamas prisoners who had been on hunger strike. Five were being held in a Hebron jail, while the sixth was imprisoned in Bethlehem.
The Palestinian Authority exercises limited control over parts of the West Bank. The territory is under overall Israeli security control.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, settling close to 500,000 Jews in more than 100 settlements. There are about 2.5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank.
With Death From Gaza 

Commentary by Mahmoud El-Yousseph / IViews.com
(January 4, 2011) — When you do not distinguish between combatants and unarmed civilians during war, then you deserve to be named a “terrorist.” It makes no difference what your religion is! Yes, even if you are Jewish!


That is exactly what happened thousands of miles away and two days before last Christmas, when Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian shepherd in the back and injured two others. A 14-year-old suffered a serious head injury and another 19-year-old was injured in his hand.

The shooting took place in the Northern part of Gaza near the town of Beit Lahia.
Israel considered the area a war zone, Palestinians called it home.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the shooting, adding “The soldiers fired warning shot and aimed at the lower body.” Not only was that unprovoked and cold blooded murder, but rather a naked lie by the Israeli spin machine.


It took a quick search on the story to find out what the so-called “most moral army” actually did to the 22-year-old Palestinian shepherd, Salamah Abu Hashish. My search reveals shocking and inhumane details. After the Palestinian medics arrived at the scene, they were denied permission by the Israeli soldiers to aid or remove the victims.

A nearby metal scraper was able to move Abu Hashish on the back of his donkey into the Kamal Udwan Hospital in Gaza where he died.
Hospital officials said, one bullet went through his kidney.

The sad truth is: Abu Hashish’s wife gave birth to their first child the night before, and the couple have not even chosen a name to their child. 

He was the 13th Gazan to be killed by Israeli soldiers since last November and the 35th to suffer injuries near the border.
The shooting was condemned by Robert Serry, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. Mr. Serry urged Israel to show “maximum restriant,Ó” andding “I am distressed that incidents such as these continue in the perimeter area of Gaza, and deplore the killing of one apparently unarmed Palestinian civilian and the injuring of a number of others, by Israel.
“

Despite the UN official appeal, 48 hours later, Israeli troops once again shot a 26-year-old Gaza fisherman twice, once in each foot. He was identified as AZ, and his injures were described by Palestinian medical officials as light.
Now you have a young lady who suddenly became a widow, with an orphan to care for and whose child will never know his/her father, a 14-year-old boy with his life in the balance and a disabled fisherman who will no longer be able to stand on his feet or help feed his family. If these stories do not make you sick to your stomach, you are not a normal person.

Keep in mind, Israel was able and continues to commit these crimes with our tax-dollars and our government’s total silence. Israel knows exactly who butters her bread!
Just when your children abuse their spending money, you will certainly lecture them about how to be responsible and act wisely. Not US officials, who fear Israel more than they fear death itself.


It is therefore vital that readers who are incensed by the aforementioned atrocities by Israeli soldiers against unarmed Palestinians to express their concern to the embassy of Israel at our national capitol via email at info [at] washington.mfa.gov.il or by telephone:202-364-5500

I.
Israel should cease its war crimes against Palestinians, obey the rules that the rest of the world’s civilized nations follow and end the illegal and inhumane siege of Gaza.
Mahmoud El-Yousseph, he is a retired USAF veteran. He can be reached at elyousseph6 [at] yahoo.com
