Friday, February 5, 2010

Gazans Denied Justice as Rights Take a Beating

Gazans Denied Justice as Rights Take a Beating

By Mel Frykberg

"RAMALLAH, Feb 5, 2010 (IPS) - Gazans hoping for a modicum of justice following Israel’s indiscriminate military assault on the coastal territory during December 2008 and January 2009 - which left 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, dead - could be waiting in vain.

The Israeli government has taken the offensive in the propaganda battle and attacked United Nations-appointed Justice Richard Goldstone’s report into war crimes committed during the war.....

During 'Operation Cast Lead' foreign correspondents were briefed by the IDF that excessive military firepower was used against homes where soldiers merely assumed a gunman could be taking refuge.

A house where they suspected the presence of a fighter would be hit with an aerial missile, two tank shells and then a bulldozer before even considering the presence of civilian families.

Critics argue that if Israel can justify this indiscriminate shelling of predominantly Palestinian civilian targets, on the pretext of the alleged presence of a military person, then Palestinian military organisations could likewise justify the bombing of Israeli buses or restaurants which are regularly patronised by Israeli military personnel......."

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