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Seven Palestinian Children Killed in Strawberry Fields by Israeli Anti-Personnel Shells

by Palestine Monitor, Human Rights,
Israeli anti-personnel shells, which throw out thousands of metal darts in a deadly cloud that rips apart everything it encounters, killed seven children between the ages of ten and 17 in a strawberry field in northern Gaza yesterday. Dr. Mohamed Sultan of the Beit Lahiya hospital said eleven were also wounded, four critically. Two of the survivors had double leg amputations, another a single leg amputation.
According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupation military posts between the illegal Israeli settlements of Elei Sinai and Nisanit, located north of the Palestinian town of Beit Lahiya, fired a tank shell at a Palestinian agricultural area south of the fence that separates the two settlements from Beit Lahiya. The shell directly hit a number of Palestinian children who were farming their land.

Six of the boys who were killed were from the same family, and three were brothers. The names of the dead children are: Hani Mohammed Ghaben (17), and his brothers Bassam (14) and Mohammed (12); their cousins Rajeh Ghassan Ghaben (10), Jaber Abdullah Ghaben (15), Mohammed Hassan Ghaben (17); and a neighbor named Jibril Abdul Fattah al-Kaseeh (16).

The father of the three dead brothers was among the villagers who came to see the effects of the shelling. When he reached the site, he was shocked to see the scattered and bloody remains of his dead children. Medical staff and family members gathered the shredded body part of the children from the grass and clay.

Israeli violence has intensified in the run-up to the first Palestinian presidential elections in eight years. Since Yasser Arafat died, during a much-vaunted ‘window of opportunity for peace’, more than 75 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, many of them children. In the same period, no Israeli civilians have been killed by Palestinians.

http://www.ramallahonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2072
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by Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
While Palestinians have continued their preparations for holding the Palestinian presidential elections on 9 January 2005, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) killed 7 Palestinian children, including 2 brothers, by a tank shell in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia on Tuesday morning, 4 January 2005. Six of the children are from the Ghaben family. This latest attack is further evidence of the disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians and the excessive and indiscriminate use of force by IOF. Following the attack, IOF claimed that they targeted a number of members of the Palestinian resistance, but preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR refute this claim as all victims of the attack were children working on their agricultural land.

According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 07:45 on Tuesday, 4 January 2005, IOF positioned in military posts between "Elli Sinai" and "Nissanit" settlements to the north of Beit Lahia fired a tank shell at Palestinian agricultural areas located to the south of the fence separating the two settlements and Beit Lahia. The shell directly hit a number of Palestinian children who were farming their land. Seven children, including 2 brothers, were killed:

1. Hani Mohammed Kamel Ghaben, 17;
2. Mohammed Hassan Mousa Ghaben, 17;
3. Rajeh Ghassan Kamel Ghaben, 10;
4. Jaber 'Abdullah Ghaben, 16;
5. Bassam Kamel Mohammed Ghaben, 17;
6. Mahmoud Kamel Mohammed Ghaben, 12; and
7. Jibril 'Abdul Fattah al-Kaseeh, 16.

In addition, 7 civilians, mostly children, were injured. Four children are presently undergoing surgeries at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Parts of their bodied were cut by shrapnel and they have not been so far identified.

PCHR has been able to obtain names of three of those injured:

1. Islam Ahmed al-'Eila, 17;
2. Tha'er 'Ali Abu Banat, 41; and
3. Hussein Abu Banat, 15.

This latest attack came five days before the date of the Palestinian presidential election, to be added to other attacks which IOF have continued to launch against Palestinian civilians. Such attacks, including the latest one, have impacted on the election campaign that has started on 25 December 2004.

PCHR is gravely concerned at this latest escalation by the Israeli government and its occupation forces, and strongly condemns this latest attack. PCHR calls upon the international community to stop its silence and immediately intervene to stop such attacks and take necessary steps to allow Palestinians to exercise their electoral right. PCHR reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations and ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

http://www.ramallahonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2069
by Al Ahram
Israel greeted the new year by killing seven children in the Gaza Strip, reports Khaled Amayreh from Ramallah

On 4 January an Israeli Abrams tank stationed in Beit Lahya in northern Gaza fired one or two huge artillery shells at a group of Palestinian children harvesting strawberry crops. The shells killed six children from the same family, three brothers and three cousins, all aged between 10 and 14. A seventh boy, aged 19, was also killed in the shelling. The bodies of the victims were mutilated beyond recognition.

The Israeli army immediately switched into "hasbara mode", concocting lies aimed at absolving itself of blame for the hideous crime.

Initially, Israeli radio and TV stations, as well as newspaper websites, declared that "the IDF killed between six and seven terrorists who were trying to plant bombs."

An hour or so later, the army spokesman modified his tone, saying that "it appeared that a Hamas cell was operating in the area."

Then, after it became clear that the victims were children and that no "terrorists were operating in the area" the spokesman resorted to the ultimate defensive tactic, blaming the victims for their own death.

It is all too familiar to the Palestinians of the area.

Mohamed Sultan, who lives not far from the site where the killings occurred, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the Israeli army would never condemn itself by telling the truth.

"The Israeli army lies as mush as it breathes. When they murder children, knowingly and deliberately, they concoct a narrative about Hamas or terror groups. The truth of the matter is that the Israeli army embodies terror in its ugliest form. Israel is terror placed between two mirrors, it is infinitely evil."

The seven victims follow 12 Palestinians murdered by Israel since the beginning of 2005, all of them in the Gaza Strip. In Khan Yunis Israeli occupation forces have over two weeks left more than 27 dead and destroyed hundreds of homes and farms.

According to the annual report released on 1 January by the Israeli human rights organisation B'tselem, which monitors human rights violations in the occupied territories, the majority of Palestinians killed and maimed by the Israeli occupation army in the past 12 months played no part in the resistance. B'tselem said it was not clear if 19 additional victims killed in the same period were involved in the resistance.

According to the report, the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army and paramilitary settlers since the outbreak of the second Intifada in September 2000 stands at 3,185, including 626 children. Of these, the report said, 1,712 were not involved in the resistance.

The latest killings in Gaza, suggest some Palestinian and Israeli observers, might have been intended to appease the Jewish settlers' camp whose messianic followers are putting up stiff resistance to Ariel Sharon's unilateral plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

Settler leaders have been demanding the Israeli government "kill the terrorists" instead of uprooting Jews from "their land".

On 3 January, the government ordered the army to vacate an outpost near the "troublesome" settlement of Yetshar in the northern West Bank after local settler leaders issued an ultimatum to the soldiers to leave or else they would be removed by force. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has been carrying out a wave of arrests among Palestinian civic and community leaders in the southern West Bank, apparently in order to disrupt plans by Islamic opposition groups to participate in the upcoming legislative and municipal elections. During the past two weeks, Israeli troops rounded up scores of community leaders and Islamic activists, many associated with the political leadership of Hamas.

Read More
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/724/re2.htm
by Zionism = racism
To "allow the Palestinians to have their tiny State" is to accept the ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of Arabs from Israel "proper" and to accept the apartheid occupation of half of Palestine.

What is the so called "Two State Solution"?

It is apartheid, nothing less. To divide land among ethnic groups is racist by defintion. The *only* just solution is a single, secular, egalitarian society from the river to the sea.
by ANGEL
>>The father of the three dead brothers was among the villagers who came to see the effects of the shelling. When he reached the site, he was shocked to see the scattered and bloody remains of his dead children. Medical staff and family members gathered the shredded body part of the children from the grass and clay.<<

What, a disgrace?

These and other atrocities could end if the Palestinians would allow the Israeli People to have their State's Border's somewhat into the West Bank (only 15% of what is Today Israel, Jordan, West Bank and Gaza).

Over 1030 Israelis have died in this latest struggle for Palestinian murder and destruction and over 115 of these deaths are innocent children.

Over 3000 Palestinian deaths have occurred and over 500 of these death are children, not always innocent.

Over 3000 deaths out of some 4,000,000 Palestinians is a far greater percentage then Over 1030 deaths out of some 5,000,000 Israelis, but it is not the whole story.

So the whole Idea is to end the Conflict so there need not be any deaths.

To do that we have to recognize Israel somewhat beyond the pre 1967 (green line) Borders.

But we may have to also allow the Palestinians to have their tiny State in Part of the West Bank and Gaza so that they can live in Peace and go on with their lives, if they want that.

CLICK HERE > http://www.ifamericansknew.org/misleadingstats/deaths.html

Another musty site:

CLICK HERE > http://www.rememberthesechildren.org/remember2004.html
>>>What is the so called "Two State Solution"?

It is apartheid, nothing less. To divide land among ethnic groups is racist by defintion. The *only* just solution is a single, secular, egalitarian society from the river to the sea.<<<

But the Israelis do not wish to be ruled by the Palestinians in the case of a Palestinian majority and the Palestinians do not want to be ruled by the Israelis (just one of the reason for the Palestinian election, the Palestinians want their own leader).

They just want to be free from the brutal Israeli Occupation and Oppression.
They just do not want their land confiscated and their homes demolished. So put the Israeli military on the border instead of committing atrocities in the West Bank and Gaza.

Just like it would be outrages to try and ethnic cleanse some 5,000,000 Jews from the area.
It would also be an equal outrage to try and ethnic cleanse some 4,000,000 Palestinians from the area.

So let Israel have its Country in its pre 1967 Borders and let the Palestinians have their Country in the Whole of the West Bank and Gaza.

If you believe that it is wrong, to say to the Jews that even though they were born and have lived in Israel all their lives they had to move to the U.S. and Europe because there are Jews living in the U.S. and Europe.

It would be just as wrong to say to the Palestinian who were born and have lived all their lives in the West Bank and Gaza that they had to move to Jordan just because some Palestinians happen to live in Jordan.

A Palestinian State now, in the Whole of the West Bank and Gaza would go a long way into ending this conflict.

The Jews who do not like living in Palestine can move to Israel inside its pre 1967 (Green Line) borders, and the Arabs who do not like living inside Israel Proper can move to the New Palestinian State.

What is happening right now is not working to well. Is it?



by Zionism = anti-racism
To "allow the Palestinians to have their tiny State" is to accept the ethnic cleansing of thousands of Jews from "the West Bank and Gaza" and to accept the apartheid occupation of that tiny part of Palestine.

What is the so called "One State Solution"?

It is Muslim apartheid, nothing less. To divide land among ethnic groups is not racist by defintion. The *only* just solution is a two-state solution between the river and the sea: one Israeli and one Palestinian, if the Palestinians are willing to take it.
>>>What is the so called "Two State Solution"?

It is apartheid, nothing less. To divide land among ethnic groups is racist by defintion. The *only* just solution is a single, secular, egalitarian society from the river to the sea.<<<

But the Israelis do not wish to be ruled by the Palestinians in the case of a Palestinian majority and the Palestinians do not want to be ruled by the Israelis (just one of the reasons for the Palestinian election, the Palestinians want their own leader).

The Israelis just want to be free from the brutal Palestinian murder and destruction.
The Palestinians do not want their land confiscated and their homes demolished. So lock away the Palestinian Terrorists in prison instead of committing atrocities in Israel proper, the West Bank and Gaza.

Just like it would be outrageous to try and ethnic cleanse some 5,000,000 Jews from the area.
It would not necessarily be an equal outrage to try and ethnic cleanse some 4,000,000 Palestinians from the area.

So let Israel have its Country somewhat beyond its pre 1967 Borders and let the Palestinians have their Country in Part of the West Bank and Gaza.

If you believe that it is wrong, to say to the Palestinians that even though they were born and have lived in the West Bank and Gaza all their lives they had to move to Jordan because so many Palestinians live in Jordan.

It would be just as wrong to say to the Jews who were born and have lived all their lives in Israel that they had to move to the US and Europe just because Jews happen to live there.


A Palestinian State eventually, in Part of the West Bank and Gaza would go a long way into ending this conflict if the Palestinians settle for it.

The Jews who do not like living in Palestine can move to Israel inside its new Borders, and the Arab settlers who do not like living inside Israel Proper should move to the New Palestinian State.

What is happening right now is not working too well. Is it?
by wrong
1.) And then the Jews do *not* disappear. Then Jews can live in peace as equals with the other Palestinians. Those Jews who do not wish to abandon their evil ideology of ethnic supremacy can leave, or if they prefer, die. Arab supremacists can leave or die with them. The future holds no place for ethnic supremacists, no matter what their ethnicity.

(2.) It is racist to speak of "the" Jews as if they are all the same. Jews are individuals and should be judged as such. Only a racist would confuse a Gilad Atzmon with a Benny Morris or a Uri Averny with an Arik Sharon. That's how Nazis think. Get over it.
by right
1.) And then the Jews *do* disappear. Then Jews would be under Palestinian oppression, at best. Those Jews who do not get oppressed will be murdered. Arab supremacists will murder them. The future holds no place for ethnic supremacists such as these, no matter what their ethnicity.

(2.) It is racist to speak only of the "Land of Palestine" and never the Land of Israel, and of "the Zionists" as if they're all rabid evil racists. Zionists are individuals and should be judged as such. Only a racist would confuse a Yossi Sarid with a Benny Elon or a Zehava Gal'on with a Ge'ula Cohen. That's how Nazis think. Get over it.
by heard it before
>It is racist to speak only of the "Land of Palestine" and never the Land of Israel,

Palestine is a geographic region. Israel is a nation state. They are not just different things, they are of different categories of things. Chalk and cheese have more in common.

>and of "the Zionists" as if they're all rabid evil racists.

What are you saying here, that *some* racists aren’t evil, but others are? Zionism is racism. Period. End of story. ‘Nuff said
by get your facts straight
>It is racist to speak only of the "Land of Palestine" and never the Land of Israel,

Palestine is a geographic region. Israel is a nation state. Palestine is synonymous with and territorially overlaps the Land of Israel.

>and of "the Zionists" as if they're all rabid evil racists.

What are you saying here, that *some* rabid anti-Zionists aren’t evil, but others are? Zionism is progress and anti-racism. Zealous anti-Zionism thwarts progress and anti-racism. Period. End of story. ‘Nuff said.
by putting words into my mouth (again)
>Palestine is synonymous with and territorially overlaps the Land of Israel."

I didn't say that. he lies. All Zionists lie. They have to. There is no honest defense for ethnic cleansing.
by ANGEL
>>>So let Israel have its Country somewhat beyond its pre 1967 Borders and let the Palestinians have their Country in Part of the West Bank and Gaza<<<ANGEL imposter>

Gaza and West Bank is already only 22% of what is today Israel, West Bank and Gaza.

22% for some 4,000,000 Palestinians.
78% for some 5,00,000 or so Israelis.

Do the Math....Who gets the most land per person.

Any thing less then that small 22% would be unfair and unjust.

And it would not allow for a Viable Palestinian State called for in the Road map to Peace.

ANGEL imposter if you are so sure about what you have to say, then why do you fear posting it in your own name or handle? The Posters here would like to know or do you even fear answering that?
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