Israellycool

UNRWA have sprung into action, calling for an investigation into the death of one of their palestinian teachers.

No, not that one.

A United Nations agency called on Israel on Sunday to investigate the death of a Palestinian teacher employed by the agency who was killed in her home during an Israeli raid last week in the Gaza Strip.

“We’re calling on the Israelis for an impartial investigation,” said Christopher Gunness, spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), for which Wafa al-Daghma worked as a teacher at an elementary school for refugee children.

‘We want to see accountability’

A spokesman for the Israeli armed forces said they were looking into the matter. Dozens of civilians have been killed in Gaza this year in air and ground attacks that Israel says are directed against militants who fire rockets into its territory.

Immediately after the violence near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the army said troops attacked militants. Islamic Jihad said one of its fighters was killed and six were wounded in an Israeli air strike in the area.

Palestinian medics and relatives at Abassan, a village east of Khan Younis, said Daghma, 32, was at home with three of her children when Israeli troops with tanks approached.

Gunness said inquiries by UNRWA suggested Daghma was killed when troops blasted open the door of her home in order to take the building as an observation post.

Meanwhile, it begs to be asked why haven’t we heard any more about UNRWA’s promised investigation into their terrorist teacher?

Firas Press reports that an Algerian town has started naming daughters “Gaza” in solidarity with Palestinian Arabs who live there.

Given the sewage problems there, let’s hope that the babies don’t suffer from severe diarrhea.

Another day, another palestinian massacre story proven entirely false.

An Israel Defense Forces investigation into Monday’s incident in Gaza, which left a mother and her four children dead, confirmed Friday that the family was not hit by Israel Air Force fire, but rather by a detonation of weapons carried out by a nearby gunman who was targeted by an IAF missile.

The IDF released footage caught by an unmanned aerial vehicle, proving its claims. The gunman’s weapons exploded as a result of the residual blast, which in turn caused the ricochets which apparently hit the family.

The inquiry revolved around a report claiming that an IDF shell hit a house in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, killing five members of the Abu Meatak family.

IDF officials noted that the missile fired at the gunman is considered accurate and with a small amount of explosives.

The IDF inquiry presents the following picture:

• At around 8 am, a cell of four terrorists was spotted firing at Givati troops operating in the Beit Hanoun area. IDF officials in the command room followed the cell, confirmed that they were terrorists carrying explosives, and for attempted to determine the place where they would be attacked by an IAF aircraft.
• The cell members were spotted moving 400 meters away from the forces. At 8:13 am, an aircraft fired at two of the cell members, hitting them. One of the terrorists was killed and his friend was wounded. The army continued to follow the injured terrorist, and about a munite later the aircraft fired another missile at him, identifying an accurate hit.
• Footage released by the IDF on Friday shows that civilians standing several meters away from the terrorist were not hurt. As the missile used to target him was accurate. The location selected by the IDF for targeting the second terrorist is close to a grape orchard, where not every civilian can be seen, and about three meters away from the gate of the Palestinian family’s home.
• Seven minutes after the second missile was fired, reports were received about civilians being hit, and several hours later it turned out that the family members were killed. The family was hit after the second missile was fired, and according to estimates, weapons carried by the terrorist led to greater damage. The house’s gate apparently flew at the family members, who were at the time outside the house, inside the grape orchard.

This was already foreshadowed in my first post on the subject, but now it has been confirmed by the investigation.

Now let’s see the mainstream media report these findings with the same speed and enthusiasm it reported Israel’s supposed blame.

Yeah, I’m not hopeful either.

Updates (Israel time):

5:20PM: Why hasn’t the IDF released this footage, so bloggers like myself can post it? I cannot find it even on the IDF website.

If you ask me, this is another example of the Israeli PR machine failing.

5:35PM: This is the best I can do for now (Jerusalem Post, via the IDF)

Saturday, 10:15PM: Looks like I was wrong on two counts:

1. The IDF released a video, as shown in this Ha’aretz report. My excuse? It did not appear on Firefox when I first saw this report.
2. At least CNN reported the results of the IDF investigation the same day. Thanks to reader Robert S for pointing this out.

Yesterday I reported how the Israeli government was upset about the plans of PA President “moderate” Mahmoud Abbas to honor 2 terrorists responsible for murdering Israelis. At the time, a senior government official said if the reports were true, it would be a “grave development”, and Israel would have to consider the consequences.

For my part, I voiced my cynicism about Israel doing anything, since it was unlikely that the Israeli government would admit it has been wrong in supporting the PA and considering them as serious partners of peace.

Well, you all know how I hate saying told you so.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed that plans to present two female Palestinian terrorists with a medal of honor have been withdrawn.

Abbas informed Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik of the decision in a telephone call from Moscow late Wednesday.

The Al Kuds Mark of Honor, the PLO’s highest medal, was meant be awarded in a ceremony in Ramallah Thursday to two female terrorists who helped kill Israelis. The terrorists’ families were slated to receive the honors in their stead.

Abbas informed Itzik that the awards for the two terrorists, as well as for other Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, had been revoked.

Itzik said that the plan had caused outrage among the Israeli public and MKs, adding that it certainly would not have been not conducive to peace negotiations.

Abbas’ decision to now not confer the honor does not alter the fact he intended on doing it, despite knowing about their murderous deeds (and, in fact, because of them). Nothing has changed.

And by talking Abbas out of the public honoring of terrorists, the Israeli government has saved face, which seems to have been their primarily goal. As opposed to - you, know - doing what is best for the state and her citizens.

Today we lost 3 soldiers, killed after falling into a well-planned ambush from Hamas terrorists. No word yet from Jimmy Carter on whether this was Hamas’ way of crying out for dialog with Israel, although Hamas were typically subtle about their intentions:

“We will continue to conduct many operations against the occupation, and continue to set ambushes of death against its cowardly soldiers,” Hamas said in a flier which was published following Wednesday morning’s attack. “IDF soldiers going into Gaza have four choices: to be killed, captured, seriously wounded, or become psychologically traumatized.”

The fallen soldiers were:

• Sgt. Matan Ovdati, 19, from Patish
• Sgt. Menhash Albaniat, 20, a tracker from Kuseife in the Negev
• Sgt. David Papian, 21, from Tel Aviv

May their blood be avenged.

He might be foolish and decrepit, but Jimmy Carter also happens to be an ex President of the United States. So when he decides to meet up with a terrorist group dedicated to Israel’s destruction, said terrorist group feels legitimized.

But don’t take my word for it.

A Hamas delegation crossed into Egypt from Gaza on Wednesday for talks with Jimmy Carter after Israel barred the former US president from visiting the Palestinian territory.

—-

Carter and his wife Rosalynn flew to Cairo from Tel Aviv in a private jet, an airport official said.

Hardline Hamas leader Zahar hailed the prospective meeting with Carter, although Carter Centre officials would neither confirm nor deny plans for the encounter.

“President Carter can break all the Israeli retraints that they want to place between him and Hamas and so we and our brothers in Damascus are determined to meet with him,” Zahar told reporters at the Rafah border crossing.

The former president is expected to meet exiled Hamas political chief Khaled Meshaal in Damascus on Friday, despite strong opposition from Israel and the US administration.

Carter “affirmed the legitimacy of Hamas and that it is a national liberation movement despite the fact that he did not say so officially,” Zahar added.

I have to agree with Shimon Peres on this one. Carter has caused great damage to Israel and the peace process, and continues to do so.

Yesterday, I posted some disturbing statements by a representative of our peace partners, the PA.

Today, the Israeli government is shocked - shocked, I tell you - at reports PA President “Moderate” Mahmoud Abbas plans to honor two female terrorists.

If reports that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to present two female terrorists with a medal of honor are found to be true, it will be a grave development, the consequences of which Israel will need to consider, senior government officials told Israel Radio on Wednesday.

However, the unnamed officials said the accuracy of the reports had not yet been confirmed.

The radio station reported earlier in the day that the Al Kuds Mark of Honor, the PLO’s highest medal, would be given to two female terrorists who helped kill Israelis.

The two were Ahlam Tamimi, a Hamas affiliate serving a life sentence for driving the suicide bomber who exploded himself in the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem, killing at least half a dozen people, and Amra Muna, who seduced Ophir Rahum over the Internet and then lured him to Ramallah where he was murdered.

Conferring the Al Kuds Mark of Honor is decided at the discretion of the Palestinian Authority’s president, and he alone has the final say when choosing the Palestinians to be honored with the medal.

Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs Ashraf el Ajami told Israel Radio that his ministry gave PA President Mahmoud Abbas a comprehensive list of prisoners and his office chose the nominees from this list.

Ajami refused to confirm that the medal would be given to Tamimi and Muna, saying that he didn’t want to “ruin the surprise” for the families attending the ceremony scheduled for Thursday.

Abbas himself was en route to Russia and his staff refused to comment on the report.

Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar said the report was “troubling and severe” news, but added that if the report were true, it would continue a recent history of doublespeak from Abbas, which, Sa’ar said, presented different Palestinian intentions and narratives when speaking to Arab crowds and when addressing Western diplomats.

Sa’ar mentioned a recent article where Abbas - Israel’s Palestinian peace partner - hinted that a return to armed struggle might be in the benefit of the Palestinian cause.

The real worrying thing is not what we are seeing and hearing from Abbas and the PA - this is already known - but rather the likely Israeli inaction.

Sure, the Israeli government official quoted in the report said Israel would need to “consider the consequences” if it is found that Abbas did indeed honor the terrorists. But really, what will Israel do? This is not the first time Abbas and the PA have rewarded terrorists or promoted violence against Israel, yet Israel has continued with the “peace process”, including supplying the PA with funds, weapons, and training. Furthermore, could we really expect the Israeli government to admit it has been wrong in supporting the PA and considering them as serious partners of peace?

Of course not.

And that, my friends, is depressing.

Former US President and Chief Elder of Moron Jimmy Carter, having already reserved his place in hell, now seems to be confirming his booking.

His “achievements” today included a warm meeting with a Hamas official…

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter met an ex-minister in Hamas’ government on Tuesday, defying Israeli leaders who shunned the Nobel Peace Prize laureate over his contacts with the Islamist group.

Naser Shaer, who served as deputy prime minister in the Hamas-led government that the United States and other Western powers boycotted, was greeted by Carter with a hug and kisses to both cheeks, a member of Carter’s delegation said.

..not to mention a visit to the grave of an arch terrorist who appreciated a kiss to both of his cheeks (the other ones).

Yasser Arafat fought for the advancement of the Palestinians and other just causes in the world, former US president Jimmy Carter said after laying a wreath Tuesday on the grave of the deceased Palestinian Authority chairman in Ramallah.

Carter was greeted at the gravesite by Abed Elrahim, general secretary of the Palestinian presidency, who said the Palestinians hope to transfer Arafat’s bones to Jerusalem.

—-

During a visit to the Muqata’a compound in the West Bank city, Carter said Israel was dodging the implementation of the agreements reached during last year’s Annapolis peace conference and criticized the Jewish state for not taking the negotiations seriously enough.

There’s no doubt in my mind that where Jimmy Carter is heading, it won’t be the peanuts roasting.

Many bloggers, such as Little Green Footballs, are linking to a broadcast on official Hamas television (Al Aqsa TV) - brought to us by MEMRI - in which Hamas member of Parliament Yunis Al-Astal explains that the destruction of the Jews is just a precursor to Islam’s conquest of the entire world.

While this is interesting, and certainly supports what I’ve been saying for years (that our war is not just our war, but your war as well), I prefer to highlight this broadcast - also brought to us by MEMRI - which shows a representative of our so-called peace partners talking openly about their real goals.

And I’ll give you a clue: it ain’t peace with Israel.

Palestinian Authority representative in Lebanon Abbas Zaki gave an interview to NBN TV on April 9, 2008. Zaki, aka Sharif Mash’al, is a former Palestinian Legislative Council member for Hebron, former Fatah operations head, and current PLO Central Council member. He headed the PLO Lebanon Committee and the Palestine National Liberation Army’s political commissariat, and was an opponent of the Oslo Accords.

The following are excerpts from the interview.

Abbas Zaki: “We believe wholeheartedly that the Right of Return is guaranteed by our will, by our weapons, and by our faith.”

Interviewer: “Do you still believe in weapons, not just in negotiations?”

Abbas Zaki: “The use of weapons alone will not bring results, and the use of politics without weapons will not bring results. We act on the basis of our extensive experience. We analyze our situation carefully. We know what climate leads to victory and what climate leads to suicide. We talk politics, but our principles are clear. It was our pioneering leader, Yasser Arafat, who persevered with this revolution, when empires collapsed. Our armed struggle has been going on for 43 years, and the political struggle, on all levels, has been going on for 50 years. We harvest U.N. resolutions, and we shame the world so that it doesn’t gang up on us, because the world is led by people who have given their brains a vacation - the American administration and the neocons.”

[...]

Young Palestinian: “As I recall, the invasion of 1982 and the destruction of South Lebanon was not just in response to missile attacks, but in response to operations as well. Israel does not use only the missiles as a pretext. It uses any activity of the resistance as a pretext.”

Abbas Zaki: “The important thing is that in any operation, Israel will pay a price. We don’t want cases in which you don’t kill even a chicken, but Israel kills 20 of you. I salute any operation that makes Israel pay a heavy price.

[...]

“The PLO is the sole legitimate representative [of the Palestinian people], and it has not changed its platform even one iota. In light of the weakness of the Arab nation and the lack of values, and in light of the American control over the world, the PLO proceeds through phases, without changing its strategy. Let me tell you, when the ideology of Israel collapses, and we take, at least, Jerusalem, the Israeli ideology will collapse in its entirety, and we will begin to progress with our own ideology, Allah willing, and drive them out of all of Palestine.”

You can also view it by clicking on the below:

Now it’s time for a poll:

I’m not the biggest fan of Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, but a good comeback is a good comeback.

In a question and answer session following [her] speech, Tibi (United Arab List-Ta’al) requested to respond to livni’s comments, and told her “Israel is an apartheid state. How can you speak about democracy when you speak about a Jewish state?”

From the stage, Livni said in response that, “If we return to ‘47, a Jewish state and an Arab Palestinian state [were on the agenda]. Do you also not agree to this? The fact is that you are an MK in Israel, and represent 20 percent of the public, and can say whatever you please. This is the proof that Israel is a democratic state.”

Former US President Jimmy Carter, in Israel on the way to his meeting with the terrorist group Hamas, visited the Qassam-battered town of Sderot…

“You mean these do actually kill you dirty J..err, your innocent citizens?”

Wow, Khaled and the boys have really come a long way!

“You want me to shove it where?”

Followed by a visit to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon..

“So how would you characterize your treatment in this hospital? Would you say it’s ..err.. Apartheid-like?”

From the Department of Too Much Information:

“The Palestinian reproduction machine works 24 hours a day,” Hamas’ political leader Khaled Mashaal declared this week during his daughter’s wedding in Syria.

London-based newspaper al-Hayat reported extensively Sunday on the wedding of Mashaal’s daughter, Fatma to Tarek Irshid, a Palestinian residing in Syria. The event, which was schedule to take place in Damascus, was moved to a secret location at the last minute due to security concerns.

The wedding was reportedly attended by many high-ranking Syrian officials, including Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, senior army officers, head of the Palestinian factions residing in Damascus, Islamic Jihad head Ramadan Salah and Arab countries’ ambassadors.

According to al-Hayat, the bride’s happy father entertained his guests with a “cheerful and amusing” speech. The Hamas leader claimed that the fact that his daughter, the offspring of 1967 refugees, was marrying his brother-in-law Tarek, whose family left Israel in 1948, meant that their children would be able to return to Israel, because “the sacred right of return includes the return of refugees to all the territories occupied in 1948.”

Mashaal also expressed his hope that the couple would soon create a “new generation of liberation” that would succeed the old “generation of resistance.”

The “Palestinian reproduction machine,” Mashaal continued, “works 24 hours a day.” To prove his point, he noted that he himself had seven children, while Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh had no fewer than 18 children, “who could form a government all of their own.”

Meanwhile, I have a tip for the IDF. If you want to take out Mashaal, aim the apache missile at the van with this bumper sticker: