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Inside the Middle East
August 5, 2011
Posted: 1511 GMT
The Abu Hajjaj family home in Gaza
The Abu Hajjaj family home in Gaza

This week, Israel's Defense Ministry agreed to make an extraordinary payment – an award of almost $150,000 to a Palestinian family in Gaza.

It is the first pay-out to any party claiming harm during the course of Operation Cast Lead – Israel's three-week offensive in Gaza that began at the end of 2008, according to the Ministry and human rights organizations

The settlement was negotiated by the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) on behalf of the family of a mother and daughter killed by Israeli soldiers during Cast Lead. The payment is to be made to the family in return for their dropping the claim against the Israeli military.

The family of Riyeh and Majda Abu Hajjaj filed their claim against the Israeli military two years ago – with the help of the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem The family claimed that on January 4th, 2009 the mother and daughter were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers as they and other civilians evacuated a house in a Gaza city neighbourhood while carrying white flags. The family said they were not able to retrieve the bodies from the scene until two weeks later because of continued fighting in the area.

In a statement to CNN the Israeli Ministry of Defense said the claim was settled out of court "because the Defense Ministry believes that it was exceptional (not reflecting at all on the norm) and justifies the granting of reparation."

The Israeli military said after the complaint was filed by the family military police opened an investigation, but that as of yet no indictment against any Israeli soldiers has been filed in the case. In a separate statement to CNN on the case the Israeli military said:

"Following this complaint a military police investigation was opened. Subsequently the Military prosecutor received information about the killing of a woman during the operation, and following on from this information another investigation was opened. The indictment letter which was presented does not relate to the incident in which the two girls from the Hajjaj family were killed, because there is doubt as to whether the shooting incident and the incident in which the two were killed is the same incident."

PCHR called the award a "judicial precedent" and said it was pursuing "hundreds of claims" on behalf of alleged Palestinian victims of Israel's military operation.

Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in late December 2008 to stop Hamas and other militant groups from firing rockets into the southern parts of the country. Conflicting death tolls from the operation have fueled debate and controversy.

More than 1,400 Palestinians died in Israel's incursion, according to officials in Gaza. The Israeli military has maintained 1,166 people were killed, 60 percent of whom were "terror operatives."

Sarit Michaeli, the spokeswoman for B'Tselem said reparation payments to Palestinians injured or killed in Israeli military operations were "pretty rare," citing various legal and bureaucratic hurdles plaintiffs must clear and speculated that the fact that the military settled was a reflection of the "blatant" and "exceptional" nature of the case.

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Filed under: Gaza •Hamas •Human Rights •Israel •Palestinians


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wwsd   August 5th, 2011 5:26 pm ET

Be a good time for israel to take some more land from the arabs. The syrian people would probably bless the israeli soldiers because the killing from the shia government would stop

mike cohen   August 5th, 2011 6:17 pm ET

Israel is so disgusting... always murdering women and children. Makes me really wonder about Norway.

Shlomo the Homo   August 5th, 2011 7:17 pm ET

Don't fall for this trick. Its the same way they had to pay the UN for blowing up their schools in the Gaza! Its just a distraction to be like see we are doing the right thing. Israel owes the Palestinians more money and land!

zoglet   August 5th, 2011 9:40 pm ET

Thats a good move by Israel- respect for doing the right thing.

bernard ross   August 6th, 2011 3:49 pm ET

Is bet tselem also seeking redress for israeli victims?

miriam   August 7th, 2011 12:28 pm ET

Kevin Flower,

You seem to be behind the times.
Last November, Hamas officials admitted that casualty figures from the Gaza War were, in fact, close to those declared by Israel and that the majority of them were Hamas operatives. (See al Hayat interview with Fathi Hamad, also printed in Felesteen).

In wars and conflict innocent people are unfortunately injured and killed whether collaterally, by mistake or deliberately. This has been the reality for time immemorial and is evident in many regions of the world today. Fortunately Israel investigates such events and if necessary pays compensation as in this case and others over the years.
There are far too few other examples of such reparations today or in history.

proud zionist   August 7th, 2011 1:53 pm ET

Did Hamas offer compensation to the family of the pregnant woman and her four daughters they bragged about butchering? Did Hamas offer compensation for the massacre of the Fogel family, including slitting the throat of a 3 months old baby, they breagged about?
Did all the Israel bashers and antisemites on this blog say anything about these and hundreds of terror acts by the Palestinians? NO. because your are lower back hole hypocrites who celebrate the death of any Jew murdered by your Palestinian friends.

Isaac Brajtman   August 7th, 2011 2:27 pm ET

How much has B'Tsalem suggested from Hamas for imprisoning Gilat with not even RedCross being allowed to see him. Is he still alive ?
And how much did Brittain pay for carpet bombing Dresden?America for dropping 2 atom bombs on Japan?
Israel is mad. They should use their money to house and feed the poor in Israel, and not be the only country in the world to do "the right thing" in a war .

Steve   August 7th, 2011 6:52 pm ET

Almost $150,000 for the murder of two innocent people, no charges filed against those who murdered these people.

Is that what honor, justice is costs in Israel? How many others died in the same manner?

miriam   August 7th, 2011 8:56 pm ET

bernard ross,

Of course not.

For B'Tselem, along with Hamas, many Arabs and a not a small number of Scandinavian officials, Israeli women and children killed by Gazan or Hizbollah rockets are not victims but deserved targets.

And the rest of the bigoted world believe them.

Billy Spudd   August 9th, 2011 5:18 am ET

$150,000???!!! I always heard Jews were parsimonious, now we have the evidence....and this is THE ONLY payment of its kind ever made. And Israelis wonder WHY the rest of the world thinks they are pigs.

dan   August 9th, 2011 9:41 am ET

Thats right, keep looking at Israel, the distraction for the arab world. Syria killed more people then cast lead in 2 weeks.. and continues every day unstopped by the world community.. and only NOW has arab countries begun to pull their diplomatic cords..

the double standard will come back to haunt us all.

joe p   August 9th, 2011 12:30 pm ET

how do you like your precious Israel now dumb Americans
1.all time unempoyment
2.jewish financial terrorists suckin you dry..
3.never ending wars
4.high gas prices
5.s&p downgrade

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR PRECIOUS ISRAEL NOW AMERICAN IDIOTS?????
ISRAEL. THE WORST INVESTMENT IN U.S. HISTORY..

Jason   August 10th, 2011 12:59 am ET

miriam

Are you on crack? Israel doesnt investigate anything.. but you sure drink the propaganda koolaid.

joe d   August 10th, 2011 12:27 pm ET

Israel is the worst investment in U.S. history..what a wate of blood and treasure. time to get AIPAC out of our politics. they are like vampire leaches and would love to see every last american die for the failed experiment called israel

miriam   August 11th, 2011 2:30 pm ET

joe p/d,

It appears you belong to an ages-old club who blame the Jews for all their own ills.

And there are several well known adjectives to describe you.

Jason,

Just shows how little you know about Israel, and for that matter anything other than when you can find the opportunity to disseminate anti-Israel disinformation.
With the most lawyers per capita and rampant self-criticism, investigations are par for the course as are investigations into investigations.

Shukri mahamed yusuf   August 12th, 2011 10:52 am ET

Its not wonder the looting and riots of britain , but its their time to teste the acid.

Pam Siegel Zarte   August 12th, 2011 4:26 pm ET

I would also like to know what reparations are being offered to the Fogel family who were butchered inside their home in their sleep by hamas. Hamas should also foot a large payment(millions) when they finally release a kidnapped Gilad Shalit kept imprisoned illegally without benefit of the Red Cross for over 5 yrs.
The venom expressed by many of the commenters is so out of proportion to what is being discussed, that you may say you hate Israel not Jews, but I do not believe you.

proud zionist   August 12th, 2011 10:47 pm ET

to all of you antisemites here, drop dead

Miriam (the non hasbaRat)   August 13th, 2011 7:51 pm ET

I hate it when a hasbaRat uses my name.... A few comments refer to Israel doing the 'right thing'. but I need to correct that misstatement....israel has NOT done the right thing...(for a change?)..only the out of court settlement seems to be a step in the right direction...however as has been mentioned on various blogs...(h/t to jerry h)...it is likely that the rabid extremist knesset/parliament will "pass a bill denying reparations. they've done it before".
@JASON....we all wonder what these hasbaRats are taking to keep them so addicted to deceipt and disinformation at best. This is SOP.

@Joe D....ditto on getting aipac OUT of our (US) politics...did u know they are the third largest PAC (laundered/washed thru many small PACS with innocuous names like Northern Californians for good govt,)...they do not make public their secret member lists but were TOLD back in the 60s by Congress to register as a FOREIGN lobby...the 2 larger US PACs are Nat.Assoc of Realtors, Honeywell Intl and a smidge behind them is Nat Been Wholesalers. That is exactly why u read about relatively 'sane" elected officials (like Steny Hoyer) spouting 'reassurances' to Israeli govt that "despite US economic crises, Israel will continue to get her $8.5 Million DAILY injection of tax money"....forget the millions of American homeless, jobless, hungry...etc...Israel is GUARANTEED to get theirs upfront and in cash first.!! No matter what...got people to kill and wars to pre-emptively start...ya know?.... /salaams.

Travellerrrr   August 15th, 2011 11:09 am ET

Put it this way, the only reason the Zionist criminal illegal government decided to settle for a miserly $150,000 is because they knew the U.N was going to come down real hard on them along with the world community opion which is sinking lower by the day.
I wish the Palestinians would smarten up.

Danny   August 15th, 2011 12:45 pm ET

Maybe the UK can also ask for compensation for the Israeli terrorists whose families now sit in office in israel for the terrorist bombing of King David Hotel killing 90 british servicemen, and maybe because of that event it had shown teh Arab world how to win a country!

Janet   August 16th, 2011 1:54 am ET

Hamas did not take responsibility for the Fogel family murders; and the two boys accused were tortured and held without legal aid while their village was terrorized. Stop lying, they don't know who carried out the murders. The settlement was so well guarded it was probably a settler..but it suited Israel to use these murders to grab more land from the village of Awarta nearby. Two high security fences with cameras and one of the boys was recovering from surgery... ludicrous. The photos published by the family indicate it was a professional job- someone who had served in the military and knew how to kill quickly and efficiently.

Ayval   August 16th, 2011 11:26 am ET

Please read. Only facts. No opinions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_casualties_of_war#Palestinian_violence

jersus   August 16th, 2011 3:36 pm ET

why does critisizing israel make you an antisemite?

i would love to see the UN get tough on all the illegal settlements, illegal blockades, and end the occupation.

forgive me for trying to hold a democratic country to a higher standard than it's backward, and primitive neighbours.

Shay   August 16th, 2011 4:02 pm ET

What with a compensation the boy's family that killed in school bus near Gaza, and those wounded children from this bus? Do school-children a legal target to attack? Do a civilians a legal target?
I wander what U.S. would do if town in U.S territoty were attacked? I doubed if the GREAT HUMANITARIAN AMERICANS would act different in such a situation. So don't see the one side story, try to see the whole picture.

p41   August 16th, 2011 5:08 pm ET

This is chump-change, and an insult to the MANY INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN RUTHLESSLY MURDERED by new-israeli terrorists. How can the world sit back and allow hundreds of thousands of innocent people to be massacrerd?!!? If they were blonde, blue-eyed caucasians, this would never stand. This miserable world is racist, and proud of it.

p41   August 16th, 2011 5:15 pm ET

And...Please stop calling people ANTI-SEMITE! All of the ORIGINAL SEMITES ARE LONG DEAD. Caucasians cannot be Semites!! Whether they (caucasians) CONVERTED TO JUDAISM or not. Caucasian "Jews" are descendants of the ancient troglodites, not the Ancient Israelites. Stop creating your own history caucasian-jews.

miriam   August 16th, 2011 10:09 pm ET

Janet,

BTW, you forgot the Thai worker claims of the conspiracists.

The two murderers proudly admitted their crimes.

There's so much hate included in Palestinian education and kids' TV, it's as cool to murder Jewish children as it is to riot and loot on the streets of London.

After all, in a couple of years there will be town squares and sports teams named for these terrorists.

miriam   August 16th, 2011 10:19 pm ET

Danny,

Of the victims killed, 28 were British, 13 of whom were soldiers.

You ought to be asking why they ignored the repeated warnings telephoned to the hotel.

Perhaps the families of the many Jews killed by the British Mandatory authorities should be seeking reparations, those killed on land and at sea, as well as those they sent back to Nazi concentration camps.

proud zionist   August 17th, 2011 9:28 pm ET

Danny,

In contrast to what Arab terrorists do, the Brits in the King David did get an advance warning. They chose to ignore it, the conceited lot.

W.G.   August 18th, 2011 6:20 pm ET

I´ll bet you that these families get very little of the money hamas
will come along and take most of it .

Amazed at the stupidity level of responding..   August 18th, 2011 8:28 pm ET

There is an intensive and most idiotic propaganda for radical Muslims, which by their statements and actions rather die from there hatred of Israel and that go with festive joy on the "success" to brutally murdered Israeli citizens or any others "adulterers" .There should put here a sign: "Welcome to the era of Islam" and require "treatment" cutting half of the brain to favor the Muslim terror (physical, psychological, intellectual and economic)

Riggan   August 19th, 2011 1:53 pm ET

It seems that the real story here is not the reparations, but the venom and hatred expressed in the comments here. When everyone is concerned with taking sides and blaming others, solutions are impossible. Every single person – Israel or Arab, Jewish, Muslim or Christian – has the same basic desires. Desires for a way to make a living, to raise a family, and to be safe. It is the chase for power, the desire to "be right" at all costs and to be superior to others that separates us and causes such hatred. This is the enemy we need to be tackling.

Abu lafia the Just   August 20th, 2011 3:44 pm ET

Iran should pay compensation for both Arab and Israeli victims of this conflict. This payment reeks of politics and has nothing to do with justice .

Perrie   August 25th, 2011 6:12 pm ET

Riggan – right on!!

As Goldestone saw enough reason to mention to Times magazine, Israel investigated each and every wrong doing that may have gone on in that operation.

Please you must understand that Israel was under an intolerable attack, with 5-6 cities and whole areas of villages paralized and awaiting for everything to stop in shelters. The people were furious and felt their naviete exploited. When claimimg we were in truce, Hammas on used the spare time to buy and make better launchers and rockets to fire on innocent civilians, when they should have sat and talked to our government and settling an agreement.

Soldiers are taught to keep the arms "pure" and never intiate fire if not threatened. It is a crime to taje anything, even basic food, from a Palestinian house, even if owned by a terrorist. Unfortunately not all of our soldiers were strong enough to keep their heads streight and there has been a few incidents of war crimes revealed. Panelties have been taken by those who committed them and the investigation was theral. This story is about one and very exceptional incident in which a woman was killed unintentionally with no reason. There was no penalty because it was done unintentionally, but the family does deserve compensation.

Hammas is a terrorist organization. The strongest out of many in Gaza. Life in Gaza are very hard, mainly because these organizations need it to be for their support. WB is growing much better when no terrorism is coming out of it. Ramallah has become a nice city to visit. IDF action then and now are meant to keep the population of Israel (Jewish, Muslim or Chrustian) safe.

Mistakes happen, and bad apples grow everywhere. The Israeli government takes resposibility where it has to. (An importent message in days like these when Hammas refuses to take responsibility for any other organization operating under their 'elected government").

Nice weekend to you all!

Ron   August 29th, 2011 4:07 pm ET

So, does that mean that Israelis can get repairs as well from the PLO and Hamas through B'Tselem as well? Or will B'Tselem stick to its self hating policies of aiding Arabs and spit on the Jews? Apart from that, I guess that there are thousands Israelis that should claim repairs from these terror groups, even though their blood is still cheap on the world market.

mkeey   August 29th, 2011 4:09 pm ET

Some Israelis do not like the habit of arguing objectively. Israel has the right to self-defense no doubt so does Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen and so many others. But the world has denied any country the right to misuse the right of self-defense just like in Libya, Syria and Iraq to killing innocent people. If you ask Gadhafi he calls the rebels terrorist, if you ask Al-Assad he calls his own people terrorist and Sadam Hussein did that by calling the Kurds terrorist and by killing whole lots of them. Israel is calling Hamas terrorist what sure many agrees with but the killing of innocent people in a disproportional manner by Israel government should also be denied by us all and the UN. should take action against Israel just like it did against Libya, and Syria just to mention few. Why is nobody condemning the building of settlement in Palestine owned area by the Israel? The media like cnn should not fool the world, today there are many other means to fetch reliable news or information unlike the past we therefore ask of you to broadcast objectively and effectively just like everywhere else in Israel, we want you to make the government of Israel carry responsibilities just like Gadhafi and others. If anything has gone wrong with the peace settlement agreement then we should ask ourselves, why is Israel still insisting to continue the settlement building in West-bank!? West-bank is Palestine and not Israel. Am I getting something wrong!?I want any Israeli to give me simple reasons why that should be acceptable. If you call Hamas terrorist what should then world we call settlement building inside Westbank!? To me personally Benjamine Natajahu is no way different from Sadam Hussein, Gadhafi and Al-Assad. Period
Why has the median not been pounding on this specific issue to educate the people about what is really happening I that Area. If UN see's reasons in questioning Al-Assad's action and reasons to defend the civilian population in Libya, then there is 20 times more reasons to defend innocent Palestine people!

nigel   September 9th, 2011 3:46 am ET

how much did Hamas pay for the bible Christian worker Palestinian killed in Gazza by Moslem extremist ? not even an arrest!!

Robert Makoi (aka - proffit mukamad)   September 10th, 2011 12:30 am ET

B'Tselem and PCHR are leeches, they pray on Israeli army honest mistakes knowing that Israel is a Democratic State and will investigate any credible claim of claims of injury.

B'Tselem and PCHR, why can't you lodge similar claims for Jews and Christians who lost all their belongings in Iran and Iraq??

Why are palestinians in Gaza very good at human reproduction, propaganda, human shields, ranning away to hide?? Why do hamas leaders broadcast messages from hidden bunkers??

P41 is a monkey in disquise, very big brian full of trash. he is good at re-inventing history!

DaTrust2   September 11th, 2011 9:54 am ET

The Zionists imperialists are now paying for their rediculous and obnoxious actions psycologically and financialy.

miriam   September 12th, 2011 11:30 am ET

DaTrust2,

There is no such concept as "Zionist imperialism". Instead that is an anti-Zionist objective psychologically projected onto Israel.

While many countries are panicking over their financial down-falls and reduced credit rating, Israel has just had its rating improved and has weathered the current financial crisis better than most.

It appears that your propaganda sources have been playing with your mind and possibly your pocket.

Alan   September 13th, 2011 6:56 pm ET

How come Israelis cant file a claim against Hamas. Oh yeah, because it is a lawless group.

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ggoole   September 16th, 2011 8:36 am ET

–Almost $150,000 for the murder of two innocent people, no charges filed against those who murdered these people.

Is that what honor, justice is costs in Israel? How many others died in the same manner?
-------------------------–

Yes this is not acceptable. Dont they know who killed them? Yes they do.
Israel is also responsible for Norway bombing I heard.

miriam   September 18th, 2011 1:55 pm ET

ggoole,

You've been listening too hard.

It's called propaganda.

And they are lies.

Levi   September 20th, 2011 1:16 am ET

basic questions about that country of Palestine:

When was it founded and by whom?

What were its borders?

What was its capital?

What were its major cities?

What constituted the basis of its economy?

What was its form of government?

Can you name at least one Palestinian leader before Arafat?

Was Palestine ever recognized by a country whose existence, at that time or now, leaves no room for interpretation?

What was the language of the country of Palestine?

What was the prevalent religion of the country of Palestine?

What was the name of its currency? Choose any date in history and tell what was the approximate exchange rate of the Palestinian monetary unit against the US dollar, German mark, GB pound, Japanese yen, or Chinese yuan on that date.

Have they left any artifacts behind?

Do you know of a library where one could find a work of Palestinian literature produced before 1967?

And, finally, since there is no such country today, what caused its demise and when did it occur?

You are lamenting the "low sinking" of "once proud" nation. Please tell me, when exactly was that "nation" proud and what was it so proud of?

Joe   September 20th, 2011 1:17 pm ET

150K for 2 Palestineans. When will they learn that their requests only devalue their own lives. Gilad for 1000. 150K for 2. You can't have peace when only one party values their own life. The Israelis do, the Pallies ....well...

Murray of Montreal   September 20th, 2011 10:12 pm ET

And will Hamas now be giving compensation to the Israeli civilians blown up in buses, in restaurants, at a Passover Sedar, at a university, in schools, etc., etc?

DoesNotMatter   September 23rd, 2011 5:54 pm ET

"on January 4th, 2009 the mother and daughter were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers as they and other civilians evacuated a house in a Gaza city neighbourhood while carrying white flags." – More like MURDERED carrying WHITE FLAGS... Says it ALL about the Israeli Military and Israeli Government... $150K... dude, YOU KILL my family like THAT, I will spend the rest of my life fighting you hence the PALESTINIANS will FIGHT FOREVER as long as Israel MURDERS innocent people... Come and defend this one boys ;-)

Yusil   September 27th, 2011 7:49 am ET

Miriam
If Israel is doing so well, why is it the recipient of the largest foreign aid package from the US in the world? Billions of US dollars, year after year?

miriam   October 2nd, 2011 9:20 am ET

Yusil,

If you studied the real figures you would see that Israel is way down the list as far as US aid is concerned.

Aid to Israel is only military and not economic.
80% is repaid back into the US economy in the form of equipment, research, development, intelligence and thousands of jobs.

The US spends far more to protect the security of its other allies with the aid coming out of the defense budget rather than the foreign aid budget largely because US troops are on the ground.

Consequently, South Korea receives the same amount of money as Israel.
Afghanistan receives $75bn, Iraq received $65bn in 2010 and Pakistan over $3bn.

miriam   October 2nd, 2011 10:04 am ET

DoesNotMatter,

This incident has been thoroughly investigated and it is unclear what actually happened.
However, in war, innocent civilians are killed.
The IDF investigates its actions, a process which is independent and if necessary passed onto non-military courts.
The degree to which the IDF investigates itself is most likely unprecedented and it would be Interesting to see a Hamas or Fatah investigation into the murder of Israeli civilians.

So far, the only response has been the naming of schools, youth clubs and town squares after the glorified terrorists who commit such acts.
Such honor is one of the leading incentives to kill Jews.

Tony   October 4th, 2011 7:02 pm ET

Why haven't people been arrested for war crimes here yet? Who is turning the blind eye here?

Fred Brun   October 5th, 2011 8:14 am ET

Murray of Montreal

Just maybe if Israel would not occupy Palestine and brutalize the Palestinians, your scenario would not exist?

Levi   October 5th, 2011 11:31 pm ET

Mr mike Cohen Which I doubt this is your real name. Israeli soldiers do not hide behind woman and children they do not provokes battle then go hide within the general public. There is allot of open space is they would like to face us Head on which I doubt they would ever try again. You may now find a tall bridge and step off please.

shai   October 7th, 2011 9:38 pm ET

Dear Yusil,

Israel is not the largest foreign aid package receipent. Egypt is. along with Iraq and the African continent.

Israel is being helped for keeping the only democracy in the middle east.

Egypt is being helped to be able to buy food for its 85M hungry people which will become hungrier due to the mis-management and the Muslim brother subversion which creates havok there.

Now, one question for you dear Yusil, if there were no jews in the world, who would you complain against?
the Suni? The Druz? Armenian? Cherquesi? Maybe christian people would be hated by the muslim and then a jihad declated against the infidels?

Sorry – I forgot – there is already a jihad against them – the bombs in London and Madrid let alone the events of 9/11 demonstrate it so clearly.

Its just that the arab/muslim cant see someone smart, actually creating something where nothing was before.

You would expect a rich country like Iran to develop the country and try to revive its long forgotten heritage, however you see the acrid mulla's and leaders sead terror and reap fear among their own people.

As an Israeli – I am teaching my children that all people are equal under god, but when someone wants to kill them ( read the Hamas manifest) than they must be the ones to pull the trigger first.

When Muhammad will stop administering its justice by the sword – then my kids will be able to relax, but just a little.

I dont think it will ever happen.

mo   October 8th, 2011 3:09 pm ET

Yusil ,

Israel is the only true friend of USA in the region , whom can be trust to serve their interest in the middle east.
No one gives presents for nothing, America has good interests
to give this aid.

And for your knowledge , the largest contributer to the Palestinians , is America.

And yes Israel is doing good in this time of collapsing economic markets, like greece , spain and italy.

Because we have a responsibles leaders , and hard labour people.

And BTW , many of this money is not given directly , but it given by supplying American products which are manufactured in America and gives employment to America citizens.

daniel   October 9th, 2011 8:18 am ET

Why Israel should pay compensation to the Arabs?
This is war, they shoot at us no end of rockets, need to kill the Arab family that did not give compensation !!!!!!!!
What Israel receives in return for its help to Gaza? Qassam rockets!
No other country in the world would give compensation to any family damaged by the war !!!!!!

daniel   October 9th, 2011 8:31 am ET

israel must stop the aid to gaza and give money to the israeli families that damaged from endless qassams rockets israel are not Committed to the arabs nothing

daniel   October 9th, 2011 8:38 am ET

Come to my city, Ashkelon and you will understand why we hate Arabs, they themselves cause to hate them, by firing rockets, terrorist attacks that they do, if there were no Arabs, Israel had no problems , no attacks, no wars, we would live like kings because did not have to spend so much money from the state coffers in security
Why Israel should pay compensation to the Arabs?
This is war, they shoot at us no end of rockets, need to kill the Arab family that did not give compensation !!!!!!!!
What Israel receives in return for its help to Gaza? Qassam rockets!
No other country in the world would give compensation to any family damaged by the war !!!!!!

daniel   October 10th, 2011 5:08 pm ET

Why Israel should pay compensation to the Arabs?
This is war, they shoot at us no end of rockets, need to kill the Arab family that did not give compensation !!!!!!!!
What Israel receives in return for its help to? Qassam rockets!
No other country in the world would give compensation to any family damaged by the war !!!!!!

jbm66   October 14th, 2011 6:24 pm ET

650,000 jews were kicked out of their homes in 1948 with no compensation from ARAB LANDS. Not in Europe, Not in Russia but in ARAB LANDS thatey were living in for thousands of years. That is the big secret the Arabs have been trying to hide from the rest of the world and with great success I might add.. They went and settled in land Not settled by Arabs. Remember there was no such thing as a country called Palistine, only Arab villages as part of the Ottoman Empire. The Arabs could have kept those villages and created a country of their own called Palstine like the Jews did in Israel and could have lived side by side in peace. But their genocidal racism got in the way and tried to throw the Jews into the sea. Well guess what they lost. Since then after Israel built a successful country from the ground up the arabs have been living with their lies, jealousy and hatred all these years... Facts can be very annoying

Stephen369   October 18th, 2011 1:43 pm ET

TO PROUD ZIONIST:
WHO EVER INVITED YOU TO PALESTINE? Go the hell back to where you came from!
Suppose a moslim arrives with his Koran in N.Y. claiming that to be moslim country according to his holy book; how would N.Y.'ers react?
You zionists have no sense of decency! The funniest part is that you even got the audacity to have American politics back you up all along. Obama like his predecessors sold his very soul to the devil!

Dave E   October 19th, 2011 5:27 am ET

I often wonder if the ignorant and offensive words used in so many of these comments reflect the true beliefs of the writer; or are they simply the efforts of a bored and simple mind to find entertainment.....

simon   October 20th, 2011 7:46 am ET

Between 2000 and 2005, a full four years before "Cast Lead", 1000 Israeli civilians were murdered in suicide bombings and shootings in restaurants, on buses, in cafes, and in their homes. 17,000 were maimed or otherwise severely wounded. Women and children were deliberately targeted, as recounted by some of the female suicide bombers and their cohorts, for example, who were released in the Shalit swap. Elderly folks, including Holocaust survivors, at festive holiday meals at hotels, were blown to pieces deliberately by suicide bombers maneuvering to maximize casualties. Many of the perpetrators of these atrocities were released and have been greeted as heroes in Gaza and the West Bank. One Hamas site glorifies the planner of the Park Hotel bombing, in which 30 passover worshippers were murdered, by saying he did a "courageous" deed in attacking "Zionist settlers" (never mind that the attack was inside Israel's pre-1967 borders). Most of the victims were elderly and couples. Do you find anything "courageous" about that? It's absolutely depraved and revolting. To even begin to justify it as a "legitimate reaction to occupation", as many on these comments have, is sickening, and morally repugnant and indefensible. Even in their darkest days during the Holocaust, when all of European Jewry was facing utter and complete extermination, there was not a single case of Jews seeking revenge or "resisting" the Nazis by deliberately targeting German women and children. This would have been considered an abomination by Jews of the day, something completely beyond the pale. The plight of the Palestinians bears no comparison to that of the Jews during World War 2. Yet they support a group, Hamas, en masse (they voted to put Hamas in power in Gaza), which not only states directly that it's goal is the elimination of Israel altogether, but which is directly responsible for hundreds of suicide bombings directly targeting women and children, and which glorifies the perpetrators of those heinous crimes. There is a difference in values here, that is clear as day. To ignore it is to be willfully blind.

PLEASE READ EVERYONE THAT POSTED   October 21st, 2011 3:24 pm ET

DoesNotMatter:

okay, ill gladly defend this one.

first ill give you some background. i am an american, born and raised. when i was 19 i went to serve in a special forces commando unit for 3 years in the IDF.

now, im ready to "defend"

unlike ANY of you, i will be talking from PERSONAL EXPERIANCE.

in my 3+ years of service, doing things that do not even happen in movies, i have seen the good and the bad.

Palistine is not perfect. Israel is not perfect. we are people. we ALL make mistakes.

i have seen with my own eyes one of my first commanders being thrown homemade ACID at him, making him blind in one eye for the rest of his life, melting the plastic butt of his gun, and burning his tactical vest and bulletproof vest. what was the reason for all of this? ill let YOU decide. all he was doing was checking arab ID's to let them into Israel to go to work. nothing more nothing less.

was there any reason for this? NO.

please tell me a time where an Israeli person did such a thing with ABSOLUTLY NO CAUSE WHATSOEVER.

THATS RIGHT, YOU CANT, BECAUSE ISRAELIS WILL NOT HARM ANYONE UNLESS THEY ARE DEFENDING THEIR OWN COUNTRY.

the ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES has the word DEFENSE for a reason. no other "army" or "military" in the world has the word DEFENSE. why is that? lets take america for example. americans military does not defend the land. america acts as the worlds police. and as an american i am EMBARRASSED for what the military does on a daily basis. israel however, is defending their land DIRECTLY. it does not go in to other countries if they are not at war. israel is always DEFENDING the land.

as per the story with my commander. this happened by a seamingly "innocent" older arab woman. even if people wave a white flag for peace, how are the soldiers to know that this is not just a distraction, so when u bring the arabs to safety the soldiers will not be hit by sniper fire.

I WAS IN GAZA FOR THREE WEEKS STRAIGHT, WITHOUT CHANGING MY CLOTHES, SHOWERING, BRUSHING MY TEETH. I CANNOT SAY WHAT I HAVE DONE OR DID NOT DO. ALL I AM SAYING IS THAT IN A TIME OF WAR, THERE ARE SNIPERS EVERYWHERE, AND WE HAD TO ASSUME THAT EVERY MOOD WE MADE WE WERE BEING WATCHED BY A SNIPER. THEY FIRED MORTERS AT US, SNIPERS FIRED AT US, ETC.

i think you get the point... that being said, did i "defend this one boys"

YES, I THINK I DID

AND PLEASE REMEMBER THAT MY COMMENTS WERE MADE AS A PERSON WHO HAS LIVED IN THIS TIME, HAS SEEN EVERYTHING, AND AM TELLING YOU FROM THE POINT OF VIEW THAT NO NEWS REPORTER CAN. BECAUSE I WAS THERE. I GET MY INFORMATION FROM MY MEMORIES, NOT THE ARTICLES..

I WISH FOR PEACE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. I DO NOT CARE WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE, WHAT COLOR YOU ARE, ETC. THIS SHOULD BE OUR GOAL AS HUMAN BEINGS OF THE WORLD. NOTHING SHOULD MATTER, JUST GOING ABOUT OUR DAY IN PEACE. I MIGHT BE STUPID TO THINK THAT THIS WILL WORK ONE DAY, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TERRORISTS AND MURDERORS AND BAD PEOPLE. WE AS GOOD PEOPLE HAVE TO RISE ABOVE THESE BAD PEOPLE AND STICK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS WORLD A PEACEFUL PLACE.

Julia   October 21st, 2011 6:18 pm ET

We killed a familes mother and daughter, Lets bride them so they dont say anything to the media. YAY

Michael Cohen   October 22nd, 2011 3:37 pm ET

Joe P:

Are you Nuts!

In answer to your statement:
1.all time unempoyment Just how is this related to the jewish people?

2.jewish financial terrorists suckin you dry What Jewish terriorist are you talking about?
3.never ending wars Hamas is the one that wants to distroy Israel who is a country and they have the right to defend themselves.

4.high gas prices The oil is controlled by the Arabs not the Jewish.

5.s&p downgrade Just how is this related to the jewish people?

Maybe if you had an education past 2 grade you would have never made this outrageous comment.

Did you know that there are more companies on the stock exchange from Israel that any other country including the United States.

Again you comment is without merit.

LOL   October 24th, 2011 1:10 pm ET

This is comedy,

You idiots are unable to answer even the most basic questions about Palestine.

Levi's questions were too hard for you so you simply ignore them and keep spewing barely legible and insufferable messages of hate. All you need is a "members only" jacket from the 1980's and you might be able to run for president in Iran.

Perhaps you just missed the questions he asked... allow me to repeat them:

1. When was it founded and by whom?

2. What were its borders?

3. What was its capital?

4. What were its major cities?

5. What constituted the basis of its economy?

6. What was its form of government?

7. Can you name at least one Palestinian leader before Arafat?

8. Was Palestine ever recognized by a country whose existence, at that time or now, leaves no room for interpretation?

9. What was the language of the country of Palestine?

10. What was the prevalent religion of the country of Palestine?

11. What was the name of its currency?

12. Choose any date in history and tell what was the approximate exchange rate of the Palestinian monetary unit against the US dollar, German mark, GB pound, Japanese yen, or Chinese yuan on that date.

13. Have they left any artifacts behind?

14. Do you know of a library where one could find a work of Palestinian literature produced before 1967?

15. And, finally, since there is no such country today, what caused its demise and when did it occur?

Anyone????

Can you hear me in the back?

SPAM   October 26th, 2011 3:13 pm ET

Stop your hate and work on your own problems. You should modernize your countries and government. Maybe then you can have democracy for everyone and not only Muslim men. Please don’t forget that Jews were there before Muslims and will be thereafter. The only way for Muslim world to better itself is to stop hatting on Israel and read Quran. Quran will teach you peace and love and show you that Jews are there but Palestinians are not. Muslim world is young and still needs to learn from Jews. Jews are the original people that served G-d, as per history and every holy book including Quran. Just remember that every empire that killed Jews had been wiped out….Romans, Babylonians, Egyptians….Nazi Germany, USSR and list goes on and on……

potatohead566   October 28th, 2011 3:05 pm ET

that 150k to those victims came right out of the American tax payer's pockets. everything israel does is paid for by us.

Jason   October 30th, 2011 3:48 pm ET

How about Hamas pay damage civilian population in Israel it self.

Freelance   November 1st, 2011 1:11 am ET

for years Amercians have been prasing Jews, inventers inteligent scholars briliant sceintist, etc, which has raised unnessary, jelousy hate dislike,etc. in various comunities to the extente of nations. this very fact is being used by various leaders to condemn Jews and Jewish(Israeli) activities,claiming that the jews are blood thisty selfish egoistic money minded "race" which is perpetuating American Culture (sex drugs and crime. etc) in their midst (Middle-East). so what better opium for the masses,"get rid of Israeli, its A threat ot our culture andway of life we dont want decaying western culture on our doorstep"
that is the underlined induced thought, while they will take of land grab and occupation.
I think Israelis know how the Americans are influencing the Knesset, by loans and grants and how some I sraeli industries have to take a back step due to the conditions of the loans & aid agreement
in The "60s" people fled from Zanzibar due to the revoution,( many muslims were killed) to Gulf countries. where the oil boom took place The Sheik of Zanzibar too, fled and(Correct me if I am wrong) he gave financial aid to the anyone who could prove they were "Zanzibarians" so they could live in Dubai. they have settled there, why should the kill themselves trying to take back an undeveloped and suffer there in Zanzibar, now or then? They have a good life in their host country. unless they are paid to do so, decieved, forced by circumstances!!
which of the above reasons are the palestinans in the Middle-East?
Paid,deceived,forced by circumstances?
Forced by circumstansces? then why, when millions are poured in, they were not assimilated in the Middle-East? they were not welcomed by their brotherswho recieved aid, their brothers used it to decieve them to believe it is their cause?
to get rid of Israelis and take over what the Jews toiled and built.
Many forget that the State of Israel was built due to the blood sweat & tears shed by the Jews. So if Israeli is today what it is it is the credit of the Israelis, If there is envy, jealousy and hate. You know who is responsible. THE MASS MEDIA. Israelis must open their eyes. and see that the war of propoganda doesnt continue against them.
AMERICA is too busy trying to save its sinking economy to set straight the record, and that too! Would be BAD TIMMING

JD   November 2nd, 2011 10:58 pm ET

ITS VERY SAD AND SERIOUSLY FRIGHTENING WHEN THE JEWS PEOPLE HERE COMMENTING TURN TO WILD WOLVES WHO JUST WANT TO ATTACK ANYONE FOR ANY CRITISICISM, ANY!
MY GOD ! DONT YOU PEOPLE HAVE FAITH? IF YOU DO, SERIOUSLY ARE YOU NOT AFRIAD OF GOD WHEN YOU DIE??

WE, OUR PEOPLE HAVE AND ARE KILLING A LOT OF INNOCENT PEOPLE IN PALESTINE... AND I DONT CARE WHAT RELIGION THEY ARE... THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS AS WAS MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER IN GERMANY WHEN SHE WAS GASED.

KILLING AN INNOCENT PERSON IS WRONG!!! NO MATTER THE CAUSE, NO MATTER THEIR RELIGION OR NATIONALITY.
I AM ASHAMED... THIS IS NOT WHAT GOD WANTED FOR US.

Miriam 2   November 3rd, 2011 5:43 am ET

Yusil

The US Aid is for military supplies only. it's not cash, it's weapons.

And for all of the others **** here –

didn't you wander why Arabs all over the world are uprising and Palestinians don't? that's because the Arab leaders are using them, just like they are abusing there people.

John RD Kidd, London   November 6th, 2011 5:36 pm ET

10 Possible Consequences of an Israeli Attack upon Iran

1. Heavy Iranian civilian casualties sustained as a result of Israeli bombing strikes against multiple targets, could run into many thousands being killed and injured with thousands more homeless as the infrastructure is deliberately destroyed.

2. Long-term, secondary, radiation injuries are possible arising from bombed nuclear facilities.

3. Counter-attacks by Iranian long-range missiles against Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv, might mean hundreds of casualties, dependent on the number of missiles successfully penetrating security screens.

4. Iranian sleeper-cells in western capitals such as London, Chicago, New York and Paris would be activated to carry out reprisal attacks against prominent targets.

5. Iran would almost certainly block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz causing a cessation of global oil exports. This would lead to a battle in the Gulf embroiling the US navy and possible long-term damage to navigation. All GCC states could be seriously affected.

6. Israel could deploy its arsenal of nuclear warheads, and other WMD, if its civilian casualties became great enough to warrant it.

7. Economies worldwide would be severely damaged by lack of oil and global commodity prices could double or treble as a result.

8. Stock markets would collapse as international trade plummets. The cost of living everywhere would rocket together with unemployment.

9. Global economic and political uncertainty could bring about serious social unrest.

10. There would also be the danger of a nuclear- armed Pakistan entering the conflict in the event that Israel deployed its weapons of mass destruction against a Muslim population.

Israeli casualties would depend entirely on how many Iranian long-range missiles get through its US supplied missile screen. Israel is well aware that it is vulnerable which is why it has not instigated a pre-emptive attack to date. Now is probably too late for Israel to succeed but not too late for it too fail. The main problem is that Israel has never in its history had to fight any war against a real army that is trained and equipped. It has been successful in destroying aircraft on the ground in Egypt, a nuclear facility site in Syria and civilian targets in Gaza or anywhere where there is no opposition. That is why it is trying so hard to get either the US or the UK, with strong, well-trained armies to do the job for them. Iran has no nuclear weapons, Israel has an estimated 200 plus. Iran is subject to IAEA inspection, Israel is not.

agent8027   November 7th, 2011 7:33 pm ET

The US needs israel to provoke iran into a fight , then us will stomp iran use the territory between iraq, afgan, and iran to build a supper military complex to engage china , then russia

Zuni Lan   November 12th, 2011 2:26 pm ET

Most of the stuff written here is rubbish but I haven't the space nor need to prove anything. Obviously the Palestinians have no choice but to use propaganda against our sophisticated army. And cleverly use you left/right guys as carriers, forgetting all the other conflicts (5 million dead in Africa, Kurds being massacred right now, Syrians – etc etc). Has anyone here read the protocols of Hamas – anybody?

50% of Israelis are directly connected to the holocaust. I came here to create a small strong country to defend me and my kids from people like you. And we are.
I believe we should leave the West Bank before morning coffee – yes they will probably start shooting at us by lunch time but I am willing to take the chance. I will do anything for peace for us and for the ashes of family still sinking in the stinking forests of Lithuania

I be the first Israeli to pull down our beloved flag – BUT IT MUST BE THE LAST FLAG TO BE PULLED DOWN!
BTW No one fights for us but us and America provides with about %15 of our defence budget – to be spent in America – about half Egytpt gets.
One final question – if 1400 people were killed in Gaza at the lowest proportion there should have been 5000 wounded – Gaza hospitals don't have this capacity – did any of you see any amazing photo=op pictures of 1000's of wounded even taking into account many were moved to Israeli hospitals.

the real   November 13th, 2011 4:16 pm ET

zionist entity!!!!

unreal   November 13th, 2011 8:45 pm ET

i dont understand the berlin walll was soo bad n down how com it got torn down an come they now have ,,, the biggist wall with gun towers taking out civillians ,,bulldozing palistinians house then it becoums isrally land

Steve   November 16th, 2011 1:55 pm ET

$150,00 for the murder of a mother and daughter holding white flags trying to escape fighting iduring an IDF incursion. I expect the legal cost of prosecution to receive "justice" is far greater.

miriam   November 17th, 2011 1:19 pm ET

John RD Kidd, London,

Has Israel bombed Iranian nuclear facilities? No.

Do you think Israel is oblivious to the potential consequences? You obviously don't follow the varied Israeli media.

Similarly, you seem to be clueless when it comes to the battles fought in Israel's various wars, forced upon her by her neighbours.

You do not seem to be aware of IAEA visits to Israel nor the country's representation at the agency.

IF Israel has any nuclear weapons I expect you are not one of the few who might know. It seems more likely that you mostly interested in digging up any dirt you can on Israel even if it comes out of dishonest regimes such as Iran.

michael26432   November 18th, 2011 4:34 pm ET

it's amazing how those terror supporters can never get enough
Israel is willing to pay for the loss of people, who it did not murder, but partially responsible to the death of.
I don't see Hamas paying palestinian families for hiding among them

Hispanic Christian Jew Supporter   November 25th, 2011 6:35 pm ET

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Amen. (Genesis 12:3 NLT)

Ty Bailey   January 9th, 2012 5:25 pm ET

If I go into your home and smack your grandmother, can I hold you responsible if you wish to do me harm? Israel never admits the truth of its founding. Groups such as Irgun Leumi wrote the book on terrorist acts and Israel has yet to admit to the hundreds of thousands who were killed and dispossessed so that you could have a "home". The old testament injunction of an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth can will never be nullified so long as Israel continues to deny its past. Until that happens the children of those whose homes were taken and families killed on your behalf will always bear you malice. It is only human nature. The victim has become the victimizer. How sad.

miriam   January 15th, 2012 3:10 pm ET

Ty,

The Irgun was created in 1931, was unpopular amongst the Jews and was disbanded as soon as Israel gained independence and self-rule.

It was created in response to the massacres by Arabs against Jewish communities, especially those of 1929 which targeted communities that had been existent for centuries apart from periods of earlier massacres and dispossession.

Jewish interpretation of "an eye for an eye" does not appear to be the same as yours, since the it does not involve retribution in kind, but financial.

Israel does not deny its past, nor events of the early 20th century. Unfortunately, the other side to the conflict does and not only denies, but fabricates the story.

Your knowledge, or lack of it, wrt the Old Testament ought to prove your own denial of the past.
Dispossession isn't restricted to the Arab Palestinians or to the mid 20th century.


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