U.N. school blast in Gaza
By Ted Belman
First of all we shouldn’t accept what Arabs say what the number of deaths were. We know better.
But more important, we shouldn’t accept that the IDF is responsible. It is more likely that Hamas blew up the school and blamed it on the IDF.
Arutz Sheva headlined this story inappropriately.
Hamas Appeals to UN after IDF Bombs Gaza School Building
Haaretz did likewise.
40 Palestinians killed in IDF strike on UN school
JPOST gets it right.
30 reported killed in blast at UN school
At least thirty people were reported killed in an explosion in a UN-run school in the refugee camp of Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinians. There were reportedly also scores of wounded on the scene. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports and was probing to find out the source of the explosion.
UPDATE from jpost
The IDF issued a statement saying the school grounds were used by terrorists to fire mortar shells at the troops. According to the IDF, among the dead were members of a Hamas launching cell, including operatives Immad Abu Askar and Hassan Abu Askar.
The infantrymen returned mortar shell fire into the school grounds, the army said. Defense officials told The Associated Press that booby-trapped bombs in the school triggered the secondary explosions which killed scores of Palestinians on the site.
The IDF released a video taken by a UAV in the end of 2007 showing terrorists firing mortar shells from right outside the school.
It appears now Israel was NOT responsible for what happened at the UN school. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was Hamas stockpiled explosives that went off in it. What bears reminder here that is this is not Qana and the deaths were almost certainly not caused by an Israeli military attack.
Comment by NormanF — January 6, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
The explosives that the United Nations concealed at the school (or allowed Hamas to conceal at the school) apparently detonated prematurely. I recall that the United Nations has previously allowed its vehicles, including ambulances, to be used by terrorists for the transportation of munitions and personnel. The destruction of the UN school is a desirable outcome, although I am sorry that innocent people died because of the United Nations’ complicity with terrorists.
Hmmm, here is a new headline for the story in question: “United Nations’ complicity with Hamas terrorists kills 30 Palestinians.”
Comment by Bill Levinson — January 6, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
Yes, but the truth won’t matter one bit to the untold numbers of miscreants around the world who are actually waiting with anticipation for large scores of civilians to be killed in order to have an excuse to vent their rage at Israel. Not that they ever need an excuse, mind you. But the hope for them is to turn those who are neutral against Israel. Therefore it is not Israel who wishes civilians to be killed, but the international community certainly does want them to be killed, most notably the media, the left, muslims and Arabs the world over. I say that with conviction, that yes, these haters of Israel around the world WANT Palestinian civilians to be killed just as hamas does and therefore facilitates that outcome. The palestinians are nothing more than political pawns to the worldwide enemies of Israel.
Comment by Laura — January 6, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
If the UN runs it , it’s a terrorist training camp. It doesn’t matter where the terrorists are or who they hide behind shoot them and everyone that shields them with an iron will and ignore their whining. When there are none left, the problem is solved.
Comment by Max — January 6, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
As far as I am concerned, after the UN was complicit in the kidnapping and murder (and probably paid off) by Hezbullah of two Israeli soldiers near the UN border any UN facility in a zone hostile to Israel is a legitimate military target.
Comment by i_am_me — January 6, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
The UN collaborates with Israel’s enemies. That makes them a legitimate target in my eyes. Why should Israel feel sorry for them? When it comes to peace, they’re worse than useless. They are the enemy of peace, justice and all that is good in the world.
Comment by NormanF — January 6, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
We should take the position that the United Nations knowingly and willfully set up the civilians to be killed so Hamas could make propaganda from their blood. If the UN encouraged or allowed the civilians to take refuge in the school while knowing that Hamas was using it as a combat position, then the UN is an accessory to murder, and that is the language that should be used as widely and publicly as possible. Instead of cringing on the defensive by saying that Israel had a right to return the terrorists’ fire, we should use this as an opportunity to destroy the United Nations’ credibility by telling a highly credible story to the effect that the UN helped Hamas kill civilians to make Israel look bad.
Comment by Bill Levinson — January 7, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2m4HbiIKKA&feature=channel_page
IDF video from IDF youtube channel showing mortar bombs being shot from the school by terrorists.
So the MSM are just outright LYING. Here is the proof positive which they ignore.
I’d like to see the executives of Western pro-terrorist news channels charged on war crimes, aiding and abetting terrorism, charged under the homeland security act and Canada’s similar acts.
Then they should be tried and hung just like Saddam and the war criminals at Nuremberg. They are no less guilty and no less evil. One day I hope the people will demand an accounting from these smug fascist overlords of propaganda.
Comment by Max — January 7, 2009 @ 9:09 pm