Arab League Condemns Gaza 'Massacre'; EU Concerned About Latest Gaza Violence

[Purveyor]

(AFP) – 34 minutes ago

CAIRO — The Arab League on Saturday condemned Israeli air strikes on Gaza that killed 15 Palestinians, calling it a "massacre" and urging an international tough stance against the Jewish state.

Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo slammed Israel's "dangerous escalation on the blockaded Gaza Strip which led to 15 deaths, left dozens injured and destroyed property and houses."

The 22-member Arab body called on the international community to "take a firm stance to dissuade Israel from its continued massacres and violations of the rights of the Palestinian people."

It also said "Israel bears the responsibility, as an occupying force, to end the illegitimate blockade on Gaza and to protect the Palestinian people."

MORE...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ho9LDkfRuuyNadVq8HpugtztLLdA?docId=CNG.021643a1997cfcf12caab6cd2135bf41.fc1


EU Concerned About Latest Gaza Violence

By Agence France-Presse
Saturday, March 10, 2012 11:16 EST

The European Union on Saturday expressed concern at the worst Israeli-Palestinian violence in three years which left 14 Palestinians dead, calling on both sides to restore calm.

A statement from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the bloc “is following with concern the recent escalation of violence in Gaza and in the south of Israel”.

“I very much deplore the loss of civilian life. It is essential to avoid further escalation and I urge all sides to re-establish calm.”

Medics said Saturday that Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed 14 Palestinians, including a militant group chief, after Palestinian militants fired at least 90 rockets and mortar rounds into southern Israel, according to an army spokeswoman.

MORE...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/10/eu-concerned-about-latest-gaza-violence/

[marybourg]

1. No mention of course of the 90

rockets shot into Israel in recent days which finally precipitated this response. (I know, I know , I shouldn't even bother bringing these issues up to our home grown anti-zionists here on DU, but all my "ignore" directives went away and I'm seeing this one sided agitprop again)

[azurnoir]

2. actually I've read that it is more than 100 rockets

and the rockets were in response to what I've seen proudly touted as an Israeli targeted assassination against a militant leader in Gaza, one report yesterday in Ynet also claimed it against one of prisoners released in the Schalit deal

none of this justifies the violence used by either side

[pelsar]

6. of course there is justification...

the last attack via Egypt came from gaza. The IDF knew there would be an attack as hamas had been observing, and noting the border patrols for over a month....but since they were in Egypt, there was nothing that could be done.

result, they had the initiative- 8 israeli dead;....no good

this time as far as i know the planner was spotted in gaza and instead of waiting to be attacked and have israelis killed in a cross border attack, he gets killed in gaza, attack plan is foiled before it gets put in to action, israelis lives saved...and the usual tit for tat rockets/bombers
____

......its better then being "sitting ducks" and just waiting to get attacked.

[azurnoir]

10. yes I know it doesn't matter how many or how old or young Arabs die

so Israeli Jews can feel safe is that it?

IMO everyone involved is a "sitting duck" except one side allows themselves to have shelters something the other-side isn't allowed the materials to build because they may build just that shelters termed bunkers when its the enemy

[shira]

11. so you prefer israel sitting on its hands waiting for the attack to happen...

...or are you calling bullshit on IDF intel that knew a terror attack was imminent?

[marybourg]

5. Actually, I've never been to Israel in my long

life. And that "go back to. . . " meme is old and ugly.

[shira]

13. Also, no mention that 500,000 Israelis are forced to live in bomb shelters...

...and that out of those 15 Palestinians killed, 0 were civilians.

An honest omission by the journalist?



Please.

[azurnoir]

19. JPost and Arutz Sheva seem to omit that too

perhaps you should inform them

[Swede]

7. They should worry about this guy killing thousands instead.

[King_David]

8. They 'say' they do worry .. lol

[azurnoir]

9. "they"? they who be specific please ?

[oberliner]

15. Did you read the prior post?

"They" is the Arab League.

[azurnoir]

16. oh good save thanks

Last edited Sun Mar 11, 2012, 02:02 AM - Edit history (2)

however if it actually was the Arab League that makes very little sense now does it?

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/arab-league-discusses-future-of-syria-28571648.html

and

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, on a two-day peace mission to Damascus, is due to hold a second round of talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

On the first day of talks, President Assad rejected any political dialogue while "armed terrorist groups" were operating in the country.

Mr Annan is trying to arrange a ceasefire and gain greater access for humanitarian aid agencies.

He will later travel on to neighbouring countries, the UN says.

Diplomatic sources say his first port of call may well be Turkey, which has taken a tough line against President Assad's deadly crackdown.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17330105

the Arab League has been quite busy with Syria

[shira]

12. The EU's more concerned about not upsetting their oil masters...

The Arab league is against intervention.

Best to attack the scapegoat as there's nothing happening in Syria.

[shira]

14. It's not a massacre or loss of any civilian life...

The Arab League defines an Israeli massacre as 16 dead terrorists and 0 civilians. Media goes along for the ride.

Catherine Ashton of the EU didn't even bother to learn of the facts before her statement aimed at reckless/evil Israel deploring civilian losses. Media reports that too. Facts be damned.

And still nothing about 500,000 Israelis forced to be in bomb shelters.

One word for this:

Propaganda

Israel Responds To Rocket Fire, Kills 16 Terrorists & No Civilians
http://challahhuakbar.blogspot.com/2012/03/israel-responds-to-rocket-fire-kills-15.html

Since Friday, Israel has killed 15 16 terrorists and not a single civilian.

Below is the list of those killed in Gaza since Friday. Not a single one of those listed below was a civilian; all were active members in either the Popular Resistance Committees or Islamic Jihad.

Popular Resistance Committees:
Ahmed Hanani
Zuhir al-Qaisi
Mahdi Abu Shawish
Mansour Kamal Abu Nuseira
Hussein Barham Al-Breim
Ahmad Deeb Salem

Islamic Jihad:
Fayiq Saad
Muatasim Hajjaj
Ahmad Hajjaj
Shadi Sayqali
Ubeid Gharabli
Muhammad Maghari
Hazim Qureiqi
Muhammad al-Ghamry
Muhammad Hararah
Mahmoud Najim

[azurnoir]

17. thanks for the list which of course makes the killings just a okay right?

BTW your site doesn't list how many children in Gaza are at risk.......oh wait I understand

[shira]

20. Killing terrorists and 0 civilians is okay. What problem do you have with that?

I think you're just disappointed that no Palestinian civilians were killed. It'd be far easier to then dehumanize and delgitimize the IDF and Israel, implying neither has the right to defend or exist.

[azurnoir]

18. BTW where are you getting this half a million Israelis in shelters from? wait I found it

it is not in your link. The link says 200,000children will stay HOME from school

found where your claim comes from IDF's blog

http://www.idfblog.com/

why do you not link to that

[oberliner]

21. How about CNN?

A barrage of 83 rockets have hit southern Israel since Friday, injuring eight and forcing some 500,000 Israelis behind shelters, Israeli military and emergency services said.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/11/world/meast/gaza-israel-airstrike/index.html

[azurnoir]

22. oh thanks for the update your article was time stamped for 2 hours after my post

so thanks oh BTW isn't IDF Israel military?

if in fact one Googles "500,000 Israelis in bomb shelters" one finds its a pretty standard announcement from the Israeli government sources and the articles go back at least 6 years

[shira]

23. If you don't believe it, ask Pelsar...

It might be all over radio, TV, and Israeli internet. He may even know people in those bomb shelters.

Unless you don't trust Pelsar either.

[shira]

24. J-Street, oblivious to the facts, joins the demonization campain vs. Israel

J Street is deeply concerned about the most recent spate of violence between the Israel Defense Forces and militants in Gaza, which, in three days, has already resulted in over one hundred rockets fired on Israeli cities and towns and airstrikes on Gaza that have killed over a dozen Palestinian civilians.

http://jstreet.org/uncategorized/j-street-responds-to-recent-violence-between-israel-gaza/

Someone must've told Jeremy Ben-Ami no civilians were killed as of their statement on Friday, so it's now revised. Funny how a "pro-Israel" organization like J-Street rushes to make public statements of concern/condemnation WRT make-believe IDF wrongdoing before getting the facts from genuine pro-Israel sources, or honest J-Streeters.

Of course, J-Street being as "honorable" as they are, didn't mention why the article was later revised. Making up Israeli wrongdoing in the ongoing delegitimization campain vs. Israel means never having to apologize for making one false statement after another.

[shira]

25. CNN: Israel kills people, US and Yemen target militants

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2012/03/cnn-israel-kills-people-us-and-yemen.html

They've changed the headline twice now.

It started out as seen below...

They changed it to:

Officials: Israel airstrike targets Gaza, at least 11 killed

And now they changed it back again to its original, as seen below...

From CNN as of 4:48pm EST....

TOP MIDDLE EAST STORIES
[font color = "red"]Officials: Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills 17
Yemen: Militant hideouts hit; 36 killed[/font]
Al Qaeda announces death of Yemeni commander
Emirates berates Airbus over superjumbo cracks
[font color = "red"]Suspected drone attack kills 8 militants in Pakistan[/font]
Pakistan starts legal proceedings against bin Laden widows
Iran dismisses speculation on nuclear weapons
Iranian leader: It's good that Obama's not thinking war
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for Yemen attacks
Biden: Iran will not threaten U.S. security through Latin America

http://edition.cnn.com/MIDDLEEAST/index.html