Western Civilization and Culture: Holding Fire: IDF Withdraws From Gaza

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Holding Fire: IDF Withdraws From Gaza

From Honest Reporting - Check out more exposed media bias, lying and journalistic dishonesty on their website.

WHY BELIEVE HAMAS CASUALTY FIGURES?

The media has, so far, reported Palestinian casualty figures provided by Hamas controlled sources such as the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. Hamas operatives have dressed in civilian clothing and hidden behind Palestinian civilians. Hamas has prevented details of its casualties to prevent a total collapse of morale within the organization and the international media has acquiesced by failing to acknowledge that a significant number of Hamas terrorists have died during Israel's offensive.

Now, if further proof were needed as to the reliability of Hamas's figures, it has arrived as Hamas claims that it has lost only 48 of its operatives in 22 days, the rest of the Palestinian casualties made up of civilians. This claim is so absurd and laughable, how can anyone take this or anything that Hamas says seriously?

TAKING ON WHITE PHOSPHORUS ALLEGATIONS

Writing in The Jerusalem Post, Gerald Steinberg admonishes Human Rights Watch for its white phosphorus allegations against Israel:

HRW's "evidence" was based entirely on innuendo and unverifiable "eyewitness" reports. One report states that "[o]n January 9, Human Rights Watch researchers on a ridge overlooking Gaza from the northwest observed multiple air-bursts of artillery-fired WP that appeared to be over the Gaza City/Jabalya area. In addition, Human Rights Watch has analyzed photographs taken by the media on the Israel-Gaza border." HRW does not name its researchers; it does not provide a detailed location of its observation, nor does it identify the photos it "analyzed" making independent verification of this "evidence" impossible.

Indeed, two days later, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which certainly cannot be accused of a pro-Israeli bias, issued a statement that backed the IDF statements. "Using phosphorus to illuminate a target or create smoke is legitimate under international law," it said, adding that there was no evidence that Israel was "using phosphorus in a questionable way, such as burning down buildings or consciously putting civilians at risk." (Flares assist search and rescue forces in saving the lives of wounded soldiers and preventing Hamas from snatching the bodies of dead soldiers. To claim that such operations are illegitimate is, in and of itself, immoral.)

Read the full op-ed here.

VIDEO: FROM DISENGAGEMENT TO OPERATION CAST LEAD

As the IDF holds its fire and begins withdrawing its troops from Gaza, this video gives an overview of the events that lead to the current crisis.

MORE VIDEOS: HAMAS ABUSES CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE + ISRAEL OPENS FIELD CLINIC

Click on the images below to view the following videos:

Hamas Fires from Gaza TV Building - view out-takes of Al-Alarabiya TV's Hannan al-Masri learning of a Hamas missile being fired from the ground floor of the Gaza TV complex housing the Al-Arabiya Studio. (For English, turn on CC captions.)
Hamas Arms Caches Destroy Homes - this IDF video documents how Hamas arms caches, intentionally hidden in residential areas, cause extensive destruction to civilian homes.
Israel Opens Field Clinic on Gaza Border - see this short film about the field clinic opened by Israel for Gaza residents at the Erez crossing.

ISRAELI TV SATIRIZES FOREIGN MEDIA COVERAGE

Click on the image below to view a sketch from Israeli Channel 2's popular Eretz Nehederet comedy show satirizing foreign media coverage of the Gaza conflict. While we do not wish to minimize or belittle the seriousness of the situation in Gaza, this clip offers an insight into how Israel views the foreign press.

HR USA NATIONAL DIRECTOR ON THE ROAD

With the rise in media bias as a result of the Gaza war, Gary Kenzer our National USA Executive Director will be visiting communities across the USA to discuss Media Bias issues. Gary will be in the following locations and is still available for additional meetings: