Forces demolish Amona homes amid clashes

[eyl]

Security forces razed the nine houses slated for demolition in the illegal West Bank outpost of Amona on Wednesday, where at least 200 people were wounded, among them a youth listed in serious condition and dozens of policemen, during fierce clashes between right-wing protesters and security forces.

Nine people were moderately wounded and the rest were lightly hurt in the violent clashed.

All the buildings were evacuated by the afternoon, after opposition on the part of the demonstrators had substantially weakened. Police used more force during the Amona evacuation than employed even at the height of last summer's disengagement from the Gaza Strip.


During the evacuation of the last building one the settlers holed up in the house drew a gun, but police over-powered and arrested him. Police detained over 45 of the people holed up in the outpost.

And, in the running for "stupid* comment of the week"

They are relating to human beings here like they wouldn't relate to Arabs," Eldad told Army Radio while undergoing treatment in an IDF field first aid station.

Haaretz

*Well, maybe "stupid" isn't the right word, but I'm tired and, in any event, given to understatement

[Selatius]

1. They believe God gave them the land. It's okay to take the land

I don't see it much different than the divine philosophy of Manifest Destiny.

[pelsar]

2. eyl....

you just got to "love" their comments.......I think they're getting the idea that god really isnt helping them out a whole lot over here......

[Tom Joad]

3. How come no helicopter gunships are being used to "protect

the IDF"? Not a F-15 in sight?

Get a few hundred Palestinians on the street, even when the occupation army is no where near them, and that can be the response.

[pelsar]

5. minor detail?

perhaps becuase the settlers arentblowing up themselves or sending their kids out with bombs on their backs.....funny those little differences

[Tom Joad]

4. Elad, knesset member, makes a clear distinction between humans and Arabs

"They are relating to human beings here like they wouldn't relate to Arabs,"

Cut the freakin' US aid until they get rid of these "crackpots" in the government.

[tatertop]

6. Excellent website you have there

http://www.tomjoad.org

[Tom Joad]

8. Thanks Tatertop!

Everyone stop by for a visit.
Don't miss the "Tractored out by the Cats" story.
Steinbeck's description of the man in the machine (becoming the machine) and destroying homes is so similar to the story of the man in the giant Cat' bulldozer who destroyed homes in Jenin. It's what happens when people become too obedient to illegitimate authority, and lose their humanity.
http://tomjoad.org/Homes.htm

[tatertop]

9. Excellent story. And thank you for remembering Rachel Corrie

[bemildred]

10. You ought to read Orwell's "Shooting an elephant"

If you have not yet, it's all the same.

http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/887/

[eyl]

11. Elad isn't in the government

see also below

[Scurrilous]

7. 'Amona clashes most violent in years'

Police officer tells Ynet following evacuation of illegal West Bank outpost, ‘I have been targeted by more rocks today than anywhere in Gaza or the West Bank’; IDF official: What we saw today was exaggerated, severe, and very worrying

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3209509,00.html

<snip>

"Hundreds of evacuees, dozens of injured, and nine demolished buildings. The struggle over the Amona outpost has been marked by unprecedented violence.

It can certainly be described as the most severe and violent clash between the State and right-wing activists, with more violence seen in Amona than in all of the incidents of the disengagement.

One police officer told Ynet: "I have been targeted by more rocks today than anywhere in Gaza or the West Bank."

<snip>

"Police Commander Ronny Ohana, who presided over a police force which isolated the area, told Ynet, "Protest is legitimate, but boulders, concrete blocks, and rocks on the heads of police and citizens is atrocious irresponsibility. The forces showed determination despite their lives being in danger."

[eyl]

12. Upon reflection

I was doing Elad a (slight) disservice when I pointed that phrase out in the OP - the translation sounds (a bit) worse than what he said in Hebrew, due to overliteralness. Don't get me wrong, what he actually said was objectionable enough as it is - but it didn't call the Arabs' humanity into question*.

*A better translation would have been "they are relating to us here like they wouldn't...." because the Hebrew phrase bnei adam - which means "humans" - is generally used to refer to "people" in a specific context or group, or sometimes to behavior - hence the phrase tihye ben adam, which literally would be translated "be a human being", does not call your conversant's humanity into question.