Article: "Hamas: Israel Has Legitimised The Killing of its Children"

The Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5454204.ece

" “They have legitimised the murder of their own children by killing the children of Palestine,” Mahmoud Zahar said in a televised broadcast recorded at a secret location. “They have legitimised the killing of their people all over the world by killing our people.” "

A few questions are in order here: First, is it allowable under the conventions of warfare to hide or place war materiel in residential (civilian) areas? The obvious answer, of course, is it's not. Placing war materiel inside residential areas is a direct violation of the rules of warfare.

But not, apparently, if you're Hamas or another terrorist group or individual. They have placed - deliberately placed - rocket launchers and other materiel inside residential areas. Of course, this was also done in the former Yugoslavia, and resulted in the "International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia." *1

But these are the "...poor, disenfranchised, Palestinians..." that we're talking about. Never mind that their "refugee camps" were actually self-imposed. *2

Here's the next question: Given that the Palestinians and the groups Hamas and Hezbollah voluntarily and purposfully place war materiel inside residential (civilian) areas - in direct violation of International Law - how does this justify purposfully attacking residential (civilian) areas?

The answer, of course, is that it doesn't. You're not allowed to wantonly attack residential areas. You are, however, permitted to return fire if fired upon from assets within the residential areas.

But that doesn't matter if you're Hezbollah. Remember what their three main goals as listed in its 1985 Manifesto were? *3

1) "putting an end to any colonialist entity" in Lebanon, and
2) bring the Phalangists to justice for "the crimes they [had] perpetrated," and
3) "the establishment of an Islamic regime in Lebanon."

Oops. But it gets worse: "Hezbollah leaders have also made numerous statements calling for the destruction of Israel, which they refer to as a "Zionist entity... built on lands wrested from their owners."[12][13] " (*3 - same source. Links left intact and come from Wikipedia.)

But that's actually quite telling ... that Israel, again according to the Palestinians was "...built on lands wrested from their owners." But what, pray tell, does wrested mean? Well, we go to the dictionary for that. There are four definitions given for this, but let's use the second. Wrested:

2) "To usurp forcefully: wrested power from the monarchy." *4

To "...usurp forcefully." So what on Earth does usurp mean?!? Again, let's go right to the dictionary for the definition. This time, there are seven definitions given, but for our purposes, we're going to use the first one. Usurp:

1) "to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right: The pretender tried to usurp the throne." *5

Ok...so now let's rewrite that sentence. Here it is again, before the rewrite. "...built on lands wrested from their owners." Now for the rewrite: "built on lands taken by force and without legal right by their owners."

Except, of course, that that's not what happened. The United Nations gave part of the land to form the State of Israel, and gave the other half to the Palestinians. The Jewish people said yes, and the Palestinians said no ... that the Jewish people didn't have a right to any of the land. So the Palestinians left! They self-imposed their "refugee camps" upon themselves!

As Glenn Beck said, "Wah ha ha! If I can't have all of it, I don't want any of it!" *2

So that's where we stand. The Palestinians broke International Law when the refused the lands that were offered them by the United Nations. They break International Law by deliberately placing war materiel inside residential (civilian) areas.

And we believe their propaganda ... why, exactly? Remember, we have gun-camera footage of rockets being fired from within residential areas! *6

The simple truth is that the Israelis have been going out of their way to reduce civilian deaths. The simple truth is that according to International Law, you are permitted to return fire if fired upon ... and this includes from places within residential areas.

The simple truth is that the Palestinians have doctored and staged photographs and entire scenes to be used as propaganda tools. *7

And we believe them, why? To be honest, the Israelis have undoubtedly done the same thing on occassion...doctoring photos.


*1 - link: http://www.un.org/icty/transe29-1/070111IT.htm
*2 - Source: Glenn Beck Programme: "Glenn Beck Explains the Middle East" Copyright 2002.
*3 - Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah
*4 - Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wrested
*5 - Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/usurp
*6 - Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/Page/VideoPlayer&cid=1194419829128&videoId=1230456496945
*7 - Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallywood