The IDF will be unarmed during the upcoming removal of settlers from Gaza in an attempt to defuse conflict, despite the fact that a small minority of right-wing extremists may well use force in resisting. Yigal Serena is a regular Yedioth Ahronoth commentator and writes that IDF thinking on this matter is morally bankrupt:
"Had the IDF banned live ammunition and restrained itself in the first days of fire in 2000, and had soldiers used innovative non-lethal weapons that frighten and hurt, but do not kill, hundreds of Israelis would still be with us today - hundreds of Israelis who were later killed by the flames that were fanned into a mutual massacre."
"However, Chief-of-Staff Mofaz’s IDF hit back as powerfully as it knew how to, firing two million bullets in the intifadah’s early stages and maintaining a 10 to 1 casualty ratio."
Thousands of Palestinians would still be with us, too. During the second intifadah, the number of Palestinians and Jews slaughtered was in the thousands. The facts, however, speak for themselves. 3164 Palestinians were murdered between 2000 and 2005 (including 639 minors) and hundreds of Israelis.
"Had the IDF banned live ammunition and restrained itself in the first days of fire in 2000, and had soldiers used innovative non-lethal weapons that frighten and hurt, but do not kill, hundreds of Israelis would still be with us today - hundreds of Israelis who were later killed by the flames that were fanned into a mutual massacre."
"However, Chief-of-Staff Mofaz’s IDF hit back as powerfully as it knew how to, firing two million bullets in the intifadah’s early stages and maintaining a 10 to 1 casualty ratio."
Thousands of Palestinians would still be with us, too. During the second intifadah, the number of Palestinians and Jews slaughtered was in the thousands. The facts, however, speak for themselves. 3164 Palestinians were murdered between 2000 and 2005 (including 639 minors) and hundreds of Israelis.
5 Comments:
Or, for Ant(h)ony, they're only Jewish settlers, after all...
As usual, avoid the issue. The fact issue is that the Jewish state treats Jews one way and Arabs/Palestinians in another, more discriminatory way. Deny this and ignore reality.
Do I have sympathy for the settlers? Little. Get them off Palestinian land and then we'll talk.
I feel the IDF should be armed when taking on the settlers.
But there's nothing intrinsically wrong with thinking armies should point their weapons on non-citizens rather than on citizens.
(I'm not going to go into the issue of whether Palestinians should be regarded for now as citizens of Israel, but I think many people on both sides of the debate don't regard them as citizens of Israel)
someone's been censoring free debate, i see...
Censoring free debate? Que? Say or write anything, though try to avoid abuse, I know it's hard.
I reckon the IDF should armed with removing settlers. A small minority are a menace and as fundamentalist as an active al-Qaeda member. It's hard for Sharon and the Israeli establishment to accept that they're born and bred such nutters....
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