Hamas's New Army of Children

[shira]

If Hamas has the resources to fund and arm a new "Liberation Army" consisting of 17,000 fighters, why does it continue to demand that the international community allocate billions of dollars for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip?

Hamas has turned the Gaza Strip into a huge training camp for jihadis and militiamen affiliated not only with it, but also with the Islamic State.

Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar declared that some of the boys would be recruited to fire mortars and rockets at Israel. And of course, he reiterated Hamas's true goal, namely the destruction of Israel. When Hamas talks about "liberation," it means it wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and replace it with an Islamic state.

Obviously, the Palestinian Authority and its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, do not see Hamas's cynical exploitation and abuse of Palestinian children as a war crime.

If and when the International Criminal Court convenes to consider "war crimes" in the Middle East, the first thing the judges should consider is how Hamas sent thousands of Palestinian teenagers to their deaths, and, as this was happening, how Abbas and the Palestinian Authority looked the other way.

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5230/hamas-army-children

[shira]

1. Is a BBC documentary on Hamas child militants forthcoming?

[Fred Sanders]

2. Since the IDF recently gently killed 500 Palestinian children without an ounce of remorse, maybe the remaining ones

are a tad upset?

There are already "documentaries" about that documenting the slaughter, in detail.

Maybe they should go to school rather than do this.....are there any schools left in the hell left behind in Gaza by thousands of bombs dropped by jets and artillery of the IDF on a helpess and caged population?

[shira]

4. It's a shame Hamas uses children as militants, isn't it? n/t

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

8. It's a shame Israel radicalizes them

with, shots to the back, deadly door knocks and outright murder.

[shira]

12. Do u support Hamas' use of child militants? n/t

[Fred Sanders]

35. As much as anyone would support strawmen, I wager.

[shira]

39. I don't see anyone on Team Palestine objecting to Hamas' war crimes...

Looks to me all of Team Palestine is on board with Arafat...

[Fred Sanders]

43. One strawman down, another is erected...some folks only have strawmen to play with...sad.

Pretty much everyone one of the responses on the thread is a clone of the same strawman, anyone else notice that?

[shira]

44. It would really help to see Team Palestine come out against evil like that.

I never see it, however.

So what other conclusion can I make about Team Palestine, other than that they're 100% onboard with Hamas & Arafat, defending their war crimes against Palestinian children?

[Fred Sanders]

45. All evil is equal...some evil some folks refuse to see. Like 500 Gaza children dead....invisible?

I could easily set up 500 strawmen...but they are all buried in the ground.

There is evil on both sides....500 little ghost voices tell me that.

[shira]

46. And still no condemnation as you keep deflecting.

Obviously, this isn't evil enough for you.

[Fred Sanders]

47. Ditto. Obvious each time you post. 500 dead children. Zero empathy?

[shira]

48. Another deflection. You've made yourself clear running cover for this evil. n/t

[azurnoir]

53. The deflection here is this OP which attempts quite lamely IMO to excuse 500 children killed by IDF

in Gaza alone last summer by placing blame on Hamas or it yet again 'the devil made us do it" excuse but Hamas did not shell or bomb their homes and shelters

[guillaumeb]

56. yes

Am I now on Team Palestine for rejecting the simplistic and history avoiding posts of Team Israel?

Seems to me that the Israeli government is the prime cause of the instability that surrounds the country. But my opinion, even though history supports me, brands me as a Team Palestine member and thus my words can be rejected without refuting any of my points. Interesting, very interesting.

[leftynyc]

3. Precisely why

the vast majority of Americans support Israel. They know what Israel is up against every single day and perhaps wonder what they would do if a terrorist organization were their neighbors.

[shaayecanaan]

33. Yeah

you definitely wouldnt see Israel considering fifteen year olds to be adults.

Ahem.

[shira]

40. You're defending Hamas' war crimes & Arafat's dictum

[leftynyc]

68. Let me know when they're

being encouraged to be martyrs and the killers families get PAID for martyring their children. Then you'll have a point. I think it's adorable that you seem to be defending a terrorist organization by trying to deflect to something completely different.

[shaayecanaan]

69. so they're old enough to be shot, beaten and jailed

by the Israelis, but not old enough to shoot back. Figures.

You probably should have a look at the Haganah Youth Corps, if you really think that employing child soldiers is a war crime.

[leftynyc]

70. And once again

you try and shove words into my mouth. Lousy habit you should probably at least try and break.

[azurnoir]

71. the Israeli judicial system doesn't consider Palestinians aged 15-21 to be children

but yet we see this induced hysteria, moreover this isn't much different from US military academies, except that the terrorism label can be pinned on it

[leftynyc]

75. Do you not consider hamas

a terrorist organization?

[azurnoir]

76. what does that have to do with my comment? as I pointed out Israel itself would not

consider these young Palestinians to be children as the OP title states



http://www.unicef.org/oPt/UNICEF_oPt_Children_in_Israeli_Military_Detention_Observations_and_Recommendations_-_6_March_2013.pdf

[leftynyc]

77. And the US

has put 12 year olds on trial as an adult. If you think it's gone past my notice you didn't answer my very simple question and you respond with a chart that is elsewhere in the thread to deflect, you're wrong.

[azurnoir]

78. again that makes little sense no where did I deflect anything

you did not address my initial comment to you and I posted the chart to illustrate that

as to the US yes we do horible things too and putting 12 year olds on trial as adults is but one of them

[leftynyc]

79. Asked you a simple question

about whether you consider hamas a terrorist organization. It was the only thing in my comment so unless you answered it directly (which you didn't), you were merely trying to deflect (which you tried).

[azurnoir]

80. Hamas is being terrorist in it's attacks on Israeli civilians but why do you not address the graph

but FWiW any military that attacks civilians is committing terrorist acts but in any event here is the graph again



http://www.unicef.org/oPt/UNICEF_oPt_Children_in_Israeli_Military_Detention_Observations_and_Recommendations_-_6_March_2013.pdf

[shaayecanaan]

73. People can read the thread and decide for themselves

You don't seem to object to the Israelis considering these teenagers to be adults. Nor do you have a problem with the Jewish militias having fielded teenagers during the 1948 war.

Hypocrisy really is mother's milk to some around here.

[leftynyc]

74. Yes, they can decide for themselves

and know comparisons of Israel to a terrorist organization that SENDS children with bombs attached to them to blow up civilians SPECIFICALLY is ridiculous. This is why Americans STILL support Israelis over the Palestinians - even with the odious bibi in office.

[shaayecanaan]

81. Of course, they should probably base those decisions on the appropriate information

such as, that according to Israeli military experts, Hamas has adapted its tactics to target soldiers rather than civilians:-

So what is the purpose of the tunnels?

Most likely to hurt IDF forces and capture soldiers. Little by little we are starting to hear military reporters saying this explicitly. Maybe not on Channel 2, but after militants infiltrated a pillbox near Nahal Oz, Channel 10′s defense correspondent Alon Ben-David explicitly said that “there is no doubt their goal is to hurt and capture soldiers – not civilians” [Hebrew]. A senior military source told Israel’s Army Radio that “all tunnels were aimed towards military targets and not Gaza-perimeter communities” [Hebrew]. Furthermore, in a voice recording by the leader of the Qassam Brigade, Mohammed Deif, he is heard saying: “we prefer to fight the soldiers of the enemy’s elite units and kill them, and not the civilians in the villages adjacent to Gaza.”

http://972mag.com/were-gaza-tunnels-built-to-harm-israeli-civilians/95279/

[leftynyc]

82. Americans are NEVER

going to side with hamas (or Palestinians for that matter) over Israel. NEVER. You seem to think this story about tunnels is important although I have no idea why.

[shaayecanaan]

83. I think that others will figure it out

Meanwhile:-

The poll found that respondents considering themselves conservative Republicans supported Israel by 77 percent, compared to 68 percent of moderate Republicans. Among Democrats, 48 percent of moderate Democrats supported Israel, compared to 39 percent of liberal Democrats.

http://www.jpost.com/Experts/No-home-for-Israel-inside-the-Democratic-Party-369599

[leftynyc]

84. It appears YOU didn't read the gallup poll

With the (frankly startling) 16% approval rating for the Palestinians. And you want to hang your hat on not just Democrats, but liberal Democrats. What percent do you think they make up? 10% of Americans? Less I suspect considering only around 30% consider themselves Democrats at all. Any falloff in support for Israel among Democrats is more than made up for by Republicans and Independents who also live in the districts and states that Democrats represent. You think they're going to take up the banner on a group with a 16% approval rating? Well, I've always wanted a pony. Maybe someday.

[azurnoir]

85. That number includes Republicans who's view of Israel has risen sharply recently for some reason

personally I don't give a fig about what non Democratic rank and file think



http://www.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx?utm_source=POLITICS&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

[leftynyc]

86. Well obviously

if YOU don't care about others, the administration is going to turn around decades of support just to satisfy YOU. Because that 10% of liberal Democrats (frankly, I'd be surprised if it was even 10% - I'm being generous) is going to turn the tide. I'll bet the mortgage that those that sympathize with the Palestinians OVER Israel (and don't have a plague on both their houses attitude) runs about 20%. That would be 48% over (I think I'm being generous here also) 20%. But you don't care about the 70% of Americans that disagree with you (and that includes Democrats) so obviously you're right and they're wrong. Whatever. I'm going to get that pony any day now because I really REALLY want it.

[azurnoir]

87. It's not about "satisfying" me it's about the how the rank and file of the Democratic party feel

[leftynyc]

89. The rank and file

also disagree with you. The numbers are all out there. It's your choice whether to believe them or not. I couldn't possibly care less.

[azurnoir]

91. it's not a fantasy here's the numbers again

http://www.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx?utm_source=POLITICS&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

[leftynyc]

92. I see you wish to keep your head in the sand

16 PERCENT. That's what supports the Palestinians. 16 PERCENT. You want to ignore the 90% of Americans that aren't liberal Democrats, that's your problem but there will be no motion away from Israel to satisfy 10%. You will continue to be disappointed.

[leftynyc]

88. And here are the numbers backing up MY argument

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/are-the-democrats-getting-too-liberal/2014/02/28/c0d42d7c-8d26-11e3-95dd-36ff657a4dae_story.html

And that’s where comparisons with polarization on the right begin to break down. Although liberal Democrats have swelled in number, the advantage within the party still rests with moderates and conservatives. In Pew’s nationwide survey in January, only 34 percent of Democrats called themselves liberal, compared with 63 percent identifying as moderate or conservative. In contrast, conservatives are a clear majority (67 percent) in the GOP, while self-described moderate and liberal Republicans make up just 32 percent of the party.

So 34% of the Democrats (which make up 30% of Americans) agree with you. I was obviously being VERY generous with that 20% figure that supports your position.

[azurnoir]

90. spin all you wish to it doesn't change a single thing here's the graph again

http://www.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx?utm_source=POLITICS&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

[leftynyc]

93. LOL

You focus on 10% of the American public and you accuse me of spinning? You're hilarious. I guess I should thank you, laughter is very healthy but I don't think you've clogged up this thread with that same graphic enough times - post it again so everyone can see that the MAJORITY of Americans - and strong majorities of Republicans and Independents - disagree with you.

[shaayecanaan]

94. Its a good job that you're posting on a discussion board

that really cares what Republicans think.

[leftynyc]

95. By all means

Focus 100% of your energy on the 10% of Americans that consider themselves liberal Democrats. That's a sure fire way to get what you're looking for. You may not like it but the fact is we're all Americans so everybody who gets their asses out to the voting booths votes. Frankly, after the disgusting display of non-voting I saw in 2014 among Democrats, we'll be lucky if we're able to get anything done at all. But really, by all means, that tunnel vision thing has worked out so well for you so far, don't change a thing.

[shaayecanaan]

96. Any reason why you call yourself "leftynyc"

besides the obvious NYC reference?

[leftynyc]

97. Because I'm firmly

on the left side of the aisle - pro-choice, pro gay rights, pro union, universal health care, universal background checks on guns. That you don't consider me a liberal because of my strong support for a country that has been a strong US ally for decades is entirely your problem.

[shaayecanaan]

98. So are supporters of the Palestinians

in fact, the profile of public support for almost all the issues you mentioned either currently or at one time resembled the profile of support for the Palestinians.

[leftynyc]

99. Gee

So very sorry I don't live up to some anonymous internet liberal's cartoon version of a liberal. By the way, who the fuck elected you judge of who is and who is not a liberal? I missed that memo.

[King_David]

102. Palestinians are pro Gay ( rights) ??

You kidding ? Right ?

[leftynyc]

103. And pro-choice

according to that poster. Yeah, right.

[azurnoir]

100. why is this so difficult for you? why is being concerned with what Democrats think on a Democratic

Party board such laughable thing, and I wonder were those %'s reversed Democrats vs Republicans would you be so unconcerned? Why is it so very difficult to grasp?

[leftynyc]

101. This isn't difficult for me at all

and I have no idea why you would think that. There are plenty of liberals who disagree with what you consider liberal thinking. There are pro-gun and anti-choice liberals. I'm simply pointing out that I stand with the (clear) majority of Americans on this issue.

[azurnoir]

104. Much like in 2003 I am good with not "standing with the majority of Americans"

especially when that majority is so overwhelmingly made up of Republicans



http://www.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx?utm_source=POLITICS&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

[leftynyc]

105. Not sure what you're hoping

to accomplish by clogging up a thread with the same graph so many times. You're not changing anyone's mind.

[azurnoir]

106. not sure what your going on about I'm not hoping to change minds the number are quite plain

and as I said much like in 2003 I'm happy to not be in the majority of Americans especially when that majority is being created largely by Republicans

and again here are the numbers just so we can keep track of what's being discussed here without having to look anywhere else on the thread or fo ease of reading-hope that doesn't offend



http://www.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx?utm_source=POLITICS&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

[leftynyc]

109. YAWWWWWWN

More clogging with saying the same thing over and over again which only shows how small the minority opinion is. That you don't care you're part of that minority is irrelevant. You don't get points or your way for pride.

[msongs]

5. palestinians have a terrorist organization that steals their lands for a neighbor. nt

[King_David]

6. A Palestinian terrorist organization is stealing land and giving it to a neighbor?

That makes no sense to me.

[shira]

7. So in other words, bad Zionists are making poor Hamas use children...

....in their war against the Jews.

You probably believe Jews living on their ancestral lands in Judea/Samaria is as bad or worse than Hamas using children in war.

Correct?

[bravenak]

9. My Uncle went to Vietnam at 16.

[Mosby]

10. you're defending the use of children soldiers?

Wow.

[bravenak]

11. Me? I thought it was horrible, but the US government sent him anyway.

Must be terrorists.

[shira]

13. They only care if these child militants are killed in battle as martyrs to the cause....

That way, they can cry that Israel murders babies.

They support Hamas in all they do. Watching them defend & support Hamas is quite the spectacle, BTW.

[shira]

14. Hamas has money to train 17,000 kids to be militants but claims...

....no money to rebuild Gaza.

What do you think about that?

[bravenak]

15. How Old are the kids?

We train them starting at 18 now, but we used to oet 12 year olds fight during the war of Independence. I hope they're not learing from our history, else there's going to be a world of hurt.
I don't think anything about it really. Be hypocritical of me to be too dramatic when we ourselves have done so much harm. Napalm. White Phosporous (that was recently btw). Killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. Yep. I think I'll pass on saying too much as it may end up being hypocritical of me, with all of the dirt our nation does to Arabs.

[shira]

16. At least 15. So lemme get this straight...

1. You won't condemn Hamas for using child militants (a war crime as well as a crime against humanity) and yet you say you care for Palestinian kids.

2. You don't really mind that Hamas is using their money for these purposes rather than on rebuilding or the welfare of Gaza's poor and needy.

[bravenak]

17. Nope. Just saying I never believe anything you write anymore.

And I hate hypocrisy.

[shira]

18. Here's an article from May 2013...

Hamas training 37,000 teens, 15-17, in urban warfare
http://www.worldtribune.com/2013/05/17/hamas-training-37000-teens-15-17-in-urban-warfare/

You deny that too?

[shira]

19. A video interview of an Australian aid worker re: child suicide bombers

For those who say they care about Palestinian children.

Of course I don't expect fascist supporters of Hamas to do anything but yawn at the following, deny, or deflect from it:

[bravenak]

20. I see you called me a fascist supporter of Hamas today.

Nice to see you too.

[shira]

21. I'm sure you care about the child victims of Hamas. n/t

[bravenak]

22. I'm sure you do as well.

[azurnoir]

52. so when will that channels video that claims the REAL Nakba was Arab Jews being

'expelled' from Yemen ect be posted?

[shira]

60. So what do u think about Hamas using children as suicide bombers....

....or militants?

You don't think enough about it to be outraged, correct?

[azurnoir]

61. I think the video is an incomprehensible pile

[shira]

62. Of course you do. Anything to deflect, deny... n/t

[Dick Dastardly]

25. Maybe you should learn history before making

erroneous claims along with ridiculous comparisons.

The Continental army minimum age was 16 and 15 with parental consent not 12 years old as you falsely stated. Considering it was almost 250 years ago especially with the average lifespan being in the 30s, it makes your attempted comparison even more asinine.

After Independence until around ww1 the age of consent was 21 and 18 with parental consent, eexcept for the period between 1864-1899 when parental consent was lowered to 16 for some services. Since then consent was lowered to 18 and 17 with parental consent.

[bravenak]

27. Drummer boys were 12 and yes they did have to fight.

Your condesention means absolutely nothing.
And many joined the contenental army and were under age. There were also women dressed as men fighting and that was also illegal. Just because there were rules on paper doesn't mean we followed them.
And our military has no problem killing children. Our military would call a 15 year old Arab they killed an 'enemy combatant' even if they were just tending their field. Or going t school.
Maybe you need to read the history as written by this who lived everyday lives in the past. Yes. We had 12 year olds fighting in the Contental Army. During the Civil War we had children fighting. Even up to Vietnam we had teenagers fighting. Till this day we kill children in our wars. We are no better. We killed thousands of Arab children. Not surprised they want to fight. Not surprised at all.

The IDF kills children whether they are holding a gun ir not. They fire missiles at children on the beach and call them 'photognic dead'. Unarmed children playing soccer. Nobody answered for that. Nobody apologizes for the killing of children. Not surprised that Arab kids feel fearful and want guns.

[shira]

42. What's your excuse for the 160 kids killed digging tunnels for Hamas?

Last edited Sun Feb 22, 2015, 09:14 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/At-least-160-children-died-digging-tunnels-for-Hamas-369138

Others do something comparable in some form or another, so therefore it's okay for Hamas?

[bravenak]

49. I don't need an excuse.

What's your excuse for all of the kids we kill in the middle east?

[Dick Dastardly]

23. Well he somehow got away with lying about his age if its true.

During Vietnam the minimum enlistment age was 18 and 17 with parental consent. If you enlisted rather than be drafted, it also entitled you to choose where you served.
Your attempted comparison is ridiculous.

[bravenak]

24. He did lie. He used his brother's ID.

The comparison is not rudiculous. Shira says they are 15. My uncle was not the only 16 year old in Vietnam, and he is 5'4" and 115 pound on a good day. He looked 12. They took him out of the line of fire and put him in Okinawa at the high school the navy used.
Our nation has killed tens of thousands of middle eastern children in the last decade or so. I'm kinda suprised there are not more teenage fighters in the region trying to fight. We use drone and bombs and WP to kill them, so how are we better? Because we don't use children anymore? We may not use them but we kill the fuck out of some Arab children. I remember us droning the 15 year old son of a 'terrorist'.
You live life in a bubble if you think we are so much better.

[marym625]

26. my cousin was 17 when he went to Fallujah

His grandfather, his guardian, signed the papers so he could join.

We do send kids to fight as long as they have their parents/guardians permission.

[bravenak]

28. I think some people think that it's okay for us but not for others.

Not much difference between a 15 and a 17 year old. Some look grown, some look fragile.
If we could just get rid of war, I'd be happy.

[marym625]

29. Until people and corporations stop profiting from war

It'll never stop.

Why it's OK for us and not them

Because we are allowed to look down on them. They're not allowed to judge us.

Seems that the religious zealots in the USA have forgotten to lay down their sword and shield.

OK, can't think of another reason to

[bravenak]

31. !

American Exceptionalism!!!!

[shira]

37. It's evil defending Hamas' war crimes against Palestinian kids

It's Arafat's sick mentality....

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

65. Shira, you should really be careful posting these videos.

How do we know they are verifiable, or are they like that Hitler crank video where he is having a fit and you can type in any subtitle that you want?



No need to get back to me on this any time soon, but please think twice.

[sabbat hunter]

107. if your uncle was in the military at

the age of 16 either he lied about his age or you are wrong about his age (or he is not remembering correctly how old he was). You have to be 18 to join the military in the US (or 17 with parental consent.). It has been that way since at least WW2.

in any case if he joined (not drafted) before the age of 18, he knew exactly what he was getting in to and had his parents support on it.

[bravenak]

108. We already went through this.

Yes, he lied. But, he was less that 100 pounds and never git taller than me. I'm 5'2". He looked like a child. Thats how I know they didn't give a fuck. By the time basic ended he was 17. We still train our kids for military action starting in 7 grade with the stupid rotc. You remember the kids with the rifles at school? They always had them marching and shit like that. So i just don't see what is the difference between us training our kids to kill and them training theirs.

[guillaumeb]

30. Israeli myth masquerading as history yet again

The foundation of the Israeli state was the dispossession of the Palestinians from their ancestral homeland. The expulsion was facilitated and encouraged by the Israeli terror gangs Irgun and Stern. These two terror gangs massacred nearly 600 innocent villagers at Dier Yassin in 1948. That set the tone for a series of terror attacks against the Palestinians that resulted in the wholesale flight of Palestinians to the relative safety of Jordan.

You write that:
Hamas has turned the Gaza Strip into a huge training camp for jihadis and militiamen affiliated not only with it, but also with the Islamic State.

What you do not write is that Israel has turned Gaza into a gigantic open air prison where the Israelis control every aspect of life, including access to food, water, and electricity. Gaza is a Bantustan much like the Afrikaaners established for the non-white population in South Africa.

You also write:
If and when the International Criminal Court convenes to consider "war crimes" in the Middle East, the first thing the judges should consider is how Hamas sent thousands of Palestinian teenagers to their deaths, and, as this was happening, how Abbas and the Palestinian Authority looked the other way.

Unless the International Court first decides to ask the U.N. to actually uphold International Law and remove the Israeli settlers who illegally occupy Palestine. But the U.N. would have to confront the Israeli protectors in the US.

When you talk about ancestral homelands, do you support the expulsion of European colonialists from the US so that the First Peoples here can reclaim THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS?

[shira]

38. You're excusing Hamas' evil against Palestinian children. How classy.

I'm pretty certain you have absolutely no problem either with the way Arafat saw Palestinian children...

[guillaumeb]

50. I excuse no evil, nor do I ignore it.

But you ignore all of my points, all the easily verifiable history that I present, because that history does not support the myth of "Innocent Israel vs. the Monstrous Arabs".

The actions of the Israeli Government demonstrate that they see Palestinians of any age as nothing more than subhuman vermin to be cleansed out of their own ancestral homelands so that the Israeli Government can continue stealing Palestinian land. A theft that is supported by the US and a theft that violates International Law.

When the Israelis attack schools and hospitals, when they use white phosphorous against children, when they crush protesters with tanks, (Rachel Corrie anyone?) they show their true face to the world.

Genocide against one group of Semites does not excuse genocide against another group of Semites.

[shira]

54. You just did, again. n/t

[guillaumeb]

55. and again

you choose not to respond to my points because you cannot refute them.

I had a Professor at school for a class on philosophy. He was fond of reminding us that during a debate, if your opponent resorts to name calling or tries to avoid the point raised it is a sure sign that the opponent has no response to the argument.

Shall we talk about any specifics about my posts?

[shira]

57. Again you deflected from the OP. Hamas continues to commit war crimes....

...against the kids of Gaza, making them into child soldiers. Killing more than 160 of them while they dug tunnels....

Not once have u demonstrated one bit of disgust about it.

It's okay, you're not alone with the utter silence.

I've learned that Team Palestine actually supports what Hamas does; all under the guise of freedom-fighting or self-defense.

[guillaumeb]

58. I suggest that you read my post, #50

I do not excuse war crimes whether they are committed by Israelis or Palestinians, or Americans or Russians, etc.

What I do not excuse are attempts to rewrite the history of the Middle East to show Israel as the always innocent victim of the monstrous subhuman Arabs.

The history of Israel is filled with terrorist acts committed against the Palestinians. There have also been many terror attacks committed against Israel by the Palestinians. The difference is in scale and in context.

Scale: Israeli terror is state terror. It is a deliberate state policy that started from even before Israel was a state. (I can debate history with you if you wish and can footnote my claims.)

Context: The Palestinian violence committed against Israel was triggered by the violence committed by Israel prior to setting up a state and continued by Israel during the entire history of the Israeli state. (Again, I can provide sources and footnotes if you wish.)

I did not know I had joined Team Palestine. Do I get a shirt or something?

[shira]

59. Did I miss your outrage at Hamas' war crimes against children?

All I see is that you deflected from the OP - once again - in order to take a swipe at Israel.

You've run interference for Hamas at least 3-4 times in this thread alone.

[guillaumeb]

63. war crimes are crimes, and as such, deserve sanctions.

That is my view, as clearly as I can state it. The aggressor deserves criminal sanctions, whether the aggressor is a state or an individual. If a country commits war crimes or acts contrary to International Law, that country deserves to suffer the consequences of their actions.

If Hamas targets civilians than they are guilty of war crimes. If Israel targets civilians they are also guilty of war crimes.

If the US targets civilians in Iraq, it is guilty of war crimes. If Russia targets civilians in Ukraine, it is guilty of war crimes.

All four of the above named entities are guilty of war crimes. What is the proper response? What is your response?

As to your last comment, it is totally unsupported by any reasonable reading of my posts.

[shaayecanaan]

32. Israel considers Palestinian children older than fourteen to be adults

and tries them accordingly in military courts. Until 2009 all Palestinian children were tried and sentenced as adults, some as young as ten.

Jewish settler children are not, of course, considered to be adults, and no Jews of any kind are tried in military courts, only in civilian courts. But that's apartheid for you.



http://www.unicef.org/oPt/UNICEF_oPt_Children_in_Israeli_Military_Detention_Observations_and_Recommendations_-_6_March_2013.pdf

[leveymg]

51. Excuses all the IDF civilian overkill. Just kill them all, along with the bunnies, right shira?

They were going to get out of that locked trunk and attack us, some day. Isn't that obvious?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

64. You won't get a reply.

Shira just racked up a 5th hide, and won't be back for a month or two.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

66. Who would have expected that?

[Israeli]

67. Hallelujah......

[shaayecanaan]

72. it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

the minor chord and the major lift

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113447689#post41