UN expert: Jewish settlers 'terrorize' Palestinians

[bemildred]

Jewish settlers are able to "terrorize" Palestinians with impunity, intimidating children on their way to school and destroying farmers' trees and crops, a UN expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict said in a report.

---

He called the Gaza withdrawal a positive step, but said Israel's military still exercised effective control over the region and was obliged as an occupying power to ensure protection of civilians.

"Sonic booms, which terrorize and traumatize the population (and constitute a form of collective punishment) and the targeted assassination of militants (and innocent bystanders) by rockets fired from the skies, serve as a constant reminder to the people of Gaza that they remain occupied," he said.

---

A seperate United Nations report says that the IDF has increased the number of roadblocks and barriers in the West Bank by 25 percent since last summer, tightening travel restrictions for Palestinians and making it harder for them to reach properties, markets and medical services.

Haaretz

[Violet_Crumble]

1. The 'misinformed and inaccurate' cry kicked in pretty quick...

'Itzhak Levanon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, rejected Dugard's allegations as "misinformed and inaccurate."'

That's a pretty brave call, seeing as how human rights organisations would be documenting the very things Dugard is talking about...

Violet...

[Behind the Aegis]

2. "I giveth and taketh away."

He called the Gaza withdrawal a positive step, but said Israel's military still exercised effective control over the region and was obliged as an occupying power to ensure protection of civilians.

"Sonic booms, which terrorize and traumatize the population (and constitute a form of collective punishment) and the targeted assassination of militants (and innocent bystanders) by rockets fired from the skies, serve as a constant reminder to the people of Gaza that they remain occupied," he said.

Dugard is showing his "but." What looks like praise for a correct action, is quickly disregarded by his next statement. This is the way of the UN.

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Sorry, it still looks like praise...

I didn't realise it had to be 110% slavish and unthinking praise. A positive move such as that can have its problems that don't detract from the fact that it's still a positive move...

Violet...

[Behind the Aegis]

4. OK...

"That dress looks great on you, but it makes you butt look big." It is a negation of the "dress looking good on you." Unless you think having a big butt is OK.

No where did I say praise had to be "110% slavish and unthinking praise." But, if you 'praise' something, why negate it so quickly? His "praise" was false. He may think the withdrawal was a good thing, but because of the "sonic booms," he feels the withdrawal wasn't complete. So, why say it was good, when he clearly thinks it hasn't happened completely?

[Violet_Crumble]

5. No, yr still getting it wrong...

What he said wasn't anything like the nice dress, big butt thing. And he's not negating saying that the withdrawal was a positive mood by pointing out that things are still happening that aren't so great. And yr confusing the withdrawal (which is what he praises) with the occupation (which is what he talks about after that). That's why yr comments come across very much as acting as though it has to be 110% slavish praise or nothing at all...

Violet...

[pelsar]

6. what he should have said

the withdrawl from gaza was a very positive step in breaking the cycle of violence....its now up to the palestenains to take the next step which is to stop terrorizine israelis accross the border with rockets, stop trying to blow up the karmi terminal, that exports their goods.

if the palestenains would do that, there would be no need for israel to attempt to defend itself with both violent and non violent means which affect all palestenains.

THATS what he should have said.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. Yes, it is.

"And he's not negating saying that the withdrawal was a positive mood by pointing out that things are still happening that aren't so great. And yr confusing the withdrawal (which is what he praises) with the occupation (which is what he talks about after that)."

No, I think he is pretty clear when....

He called the Gaza withdrawal a positive step, but said Israel's military still exercised effective control over the region and was obliged as an occupying power to ensure protection of civilians.

"Sonic booms, which terrorize and traumatize the population (and constitute a form of collective punishment) and the targeted assassination of militants (and innocent bystanders) by rockets fired from the skies, serve as a constant reminder to the people of Gaza that they remain occupied," he said.

In the first three months after the Gaza withdrawal, targeted killings by Israel Defense Forces killed - in addition to 15 militants - at least 18 civilians and wounded 81, he said.

Saying that Israel still has "...effective control over the region and was obliged as an occupying power to ensure protection of civilians," implies he thinks Israel still is "...an occupying power..." The "occupying" he is talking about is in Gaza, not just the West Bank.