Witnesses: Israel strikes Reuters car

[ECH1969]

An Israeli airstrike hit a car belonging to journalists from the Reuters news agency, witnesses said Sunday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060826/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gaza_air_strike

[mike_c]

1. WTF-- that is the ENTIRE story as it currently stands...

...on Yahoo. One sentence. The AP adds this (still pretty skimpy on details):

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Two missiles fired by Israeli aircraft early Sunday morning hit an armored car belonging to the Reuters news agency and wounded a television cameraman inside, Palestinian witnesses said.

The Israeli army said it was checking the report.

According to witnesses, the cameraman was filming an Israeli raid in Gaza near the Karni crossing when the vehicle was hit.

[IndianaGreen]

2. CNN is reporting several wounded, 13

Israel hates the media as much as the Pentagon. The IDF was probably aiming at the Al-Jazeera car but hit the Reuters one by mistake.

[regnaD kciN]

10. I don't know if that's a fair assumption...

Israel hates the media as much as the Pentagon. The IDF was probably aiming at the Al-Jazeera car but hit the Reuters one by mistake.

...but a lot of these reporters are Palestinian or at least Arab, and I could imagine that there are many in the IDF and/or government who see them as part of "the enemy."

[lumpy]

20. Makes no difference to the IDF.

The journalists happen to have Arabic names, however. The Israeli 'terrorists' also targeted the rescue ambulance. Apparently the SOBs consider anything that moves fair game.

[The Stranger]

3. Will they supplement the report later?

[Fredda Weinberg]

5. Israel warns civilians to stay away - is that why Reuters was there?

I wonder if this is the same incident

Both the witnesses and an IDF spokeswoman said the residents had been notified of the attack, and warned to leave the area before the attack.

Witnesses said the resident of the home is a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a militant arm of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction.

The army spokeswoman said the building had been used to store weapons.

Israel has often used air strikes against the homes of militants and other buildings it said had been used for storing weapons, and has in recent months adopted a policy of calling residents to leave the buildings before the attacks.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/754955.html

[951-Riverside]

7. Two things could have happened

One they never warned the residents and the IDF Spokesperson and the witnesses are simply lying, Two some journalists still operate under the pre-iraq assumption that they have some sort of immunity and won't be attacked because they are journalists.

[Fredda Weinberg]

11. The article cites witnesses ... plural n/t

[951-Riverside]

12. Corrected.

[IndianaGreen]

4. BBC: 'Israeli rockets' hit Reuters car

'Israeli rockets' hit Reuters car

An Israeli air strike on a car in the Gaza Strip has injured a Reuters news agency cameraman and a local journalist, Palestinian witnesses say.

It was hit by Israeli rockets as the cameraman was filming from inside near the Karni crossing, the Associated Press was told.

The Israeli military said they were checking the reports.

Doctors told Reuters its cameraman had been lightly injured but the other journalist was seriously wounded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5289984.stm

[ShockediSay]

13. "clearly labelled as a media vehicle"

Witnesses told Reuters that a missile struck the armoured car despite the fact it was clearly labelled as a media vehicle with signs on all sides, including the roof.

AP said the cameraman was recording an Israeli raid at the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5289984.stm
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
kind of reminds me of the USS Liberty

w/ allies like these, who needs enemies?

[lumpy]

19. The Reuters vehicle was clearly marked

top and sides contrary to Israeli reports that it was an unmarked vehicle. The rescue ambulance/workers were also attacked. The arrogance of the IDF is reprehensible. Israel uses ruthless and vicious tactics against any and all who stand in their way.

[Solo_in_MD]

25. The IDF has repeatedly claimed the Hamas/Fatah/Hezbollah etc

Have used vehicles marked as Press/UN/Red Cross/Emergency to move people and weapons. Those logos alone will not protect a vehicle from the IDF, though it might give them pause.

I am not supporting the IDF claim, but its clearly what they believe.

[breakaleg]

27. If that's their position, then they should say that....

instead of stating it was unmarked. Why bother to lie? The obvious answer is they can't be bothered to come up with a reasonable explanation so they make any response and then close the book.

[Solo_in_MD]

28. The claim seems to be that they did not know there was a press vehicle

operating in the area. My read of that is that signs alone are not enough for them, precoordination is required (sound familiar?) and without it, the press are risking becoing the star attaction in a TOO attack.

Again, not agreeing with the IDF position, but they are being consistent.

[ShockediSay]

31. who can believe a country whose motto is do war "by way of deception"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22by+way+of+deception%22&btnG=Google+Search

[daleo]

35. Technically, that is Mossad's motto

Not the motto of the entire state apparatus of Israel.

[daleo]

34. It's what they say they believe, anyway

Both things could be true - Hamas/etc may be cheating with marking of cars, and Israel may want to discourage journalists anyway by firing at them (regardless of whether they really think the markings are fake).

[Englander]

40. Is there an echo in here?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=146030&mesg_id=146095

[Andrushka]

42. It certainly was:

Maybe they didn't like the font.

[tocqueville]

6. Haaretz reports

Two journalists wounded in IAF attack near Gaza City

By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, Service and Agencies

........................

Witnesses said the missile struck the Reuters armored car despite the fact it was clearly labeled as a media vehicle, with signs on all sides, including the roof.

Sabbah Hmaida, who works for a local news Web site, was seriously wounded in the legs.

Fadel Shana, a Reuters cameraman, was lightly wounded in the
blast.

According to witnesses, the cameraman was filming an Israeli raid in Gaza near the Karni crossing when the vehicle was hit.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/754955.html

[Karenina]

8. Dead men tell no tales...

[Behind the Aegis]

9. And yet they aren't dead.

[breakaleg]

when you hit a car with a missile, the intention is to kill the occupants.

the intent was there in Israel's part.

[breakaleg]

14. when you hit a car with a missile, the intention is to kill the occupants.

the intent was there in Israel's part.

[Karenina]

17. No it wasn't!!!

If they had REALLY wanted them dead, they'd be dead. If Israel had really wanted to target civilians there wouldn't be a live Lebanese man, woman or child to tell the tale! (Did I get that right?)

[Behind the Aegis]

26. Or stop it.

Yet, they still aren't dead. Interesting though that no one seems to find this a "laugh riot." I guess if the Israelis had just kidnapped them, we'd all be enjoying a good guffaw. :sarcasm:

[Karenina]

16. If the Israelis had REALLY wanted them dead

they would be dead. (Did I get that one right?)

[lumpy]

21. Too bad, eh?

x

[Karenina]

23. Mebbe someone wanted someone

to tell the tale? :shrug:

[w4rma]

24. The web developer is going to need prosthetic legs. (nt)

[dionysus]

37. rah rah rah

keep your pom-poms dude, you'll need em

[Behind the Aegis]

43. .

:eyes:

I see...those of us who don't trash and hate Israel are "cheerleaders" for war. Clever "meme." :eyes:

[bvar22]

15. Gaza....

The "Warsaw Ghetto" of the Middle East.

[lumpy]

22. If the the vehicle hadn't been an armoured

vehicle, tbe occupants would be dead.

[krispos42]

39. Rocket or missile?

If it was a rocket, that term usually refers to an unguided munition with a rocket motor. If it was a missile, that usually refers to a guided rocket. Rockets fired from aircraft are usually the 2.75" unguided kind like the Hydra 70, and have fairly small warheads, ten pounds or so. Missiles such as the Maverick pack 125-pound warheads.

The rocket hits might not have been dead-on hits since they were unguided.

[lumpy]

41. The inside of the vehicle was ripped up

by shrapnel, blood all over inside and a bulletproof window was completely destroyed.

[Dover]

18. U.S. and Israel share the same tactic with the press - shoot to kill

rather than allow the press to shoot first.....shoot the the eyewitness footage, that is.

No one is buying their excuses for striking at the press. If they can't own and control information, they will kill it.

[ckramer]

29. Israelis will kill Americans if they are on their way

It's nothing new here.

[IndianaGreen]

30. And they have done so in the past

like when Israeli torpedo boats machine gunned the USS Libety's life boats, they really meant to kill the crew.

[dionysus]

38. DON'T SAY THAT

you... you.. you antisemite!!!!! ;)

[Behind the Aegis]

46. .

:eyes:

Because anti-Semitism is soooo funny...:puke:

[breakaleg]

47. no.

but calling criticism of Israel anti-Semitic is a joke.

[Behind the Aegis]

48. except when it is....

[Behind the Aegis]

45. Yeah...you have the whole story.

Is there any instance when Israel was correct?

[4freethinking]

49. Don't forget the SS Patria

Terrorism done to their own people to make it look like the British did it.

[eccles12]

32. OK when will the world finally say "enough" to Israel and name them a

terrorist state?

[Tarc]

33. It'll never happen

Too many politicians (of both parties) have had their palms greased for years by AIPAC.

[grassfed]

36. Question re Israeli war tactics

I know there's a lot of paranoia about Rovian tricks but has anyone considered that we could be being led into a trap regarding Israel? These provocative Israeli actions seem designed to trigger left wing outrage that will drive Jews to the right and give Republicans anti-Semitism and spin-off issues about terror as platforms to broaden their base from rapture fundies to middle of the road types who get most of their news from the MSM.

[Behind the Aegis]

44. .

:tinfoilhat:

Ever thought that some of the anti-Semitism you see is actually real on the "left?" Perhaps you think that Jews are too stupid to realize what is really happening? "Rapture folks" already vote to the "right." The radical "right" and the "radical" left are the same thing....stop thinking linear, and think cyclic. They are the same points on the circle.

[grassfed]

50. cyclic? linear? I'm getting dizzy

I'm sure there are real anti-Semites on the left but what is that? Guess there are weirdos everywhere. Be that as it may, I adore my Jewish friends and family beyond words and am attracted to and inspired by Jewish culture. That doesn't mean I have to overlook the reality of Palestine. And the hamhanded censorship, arrogance and base intimidation choking the story is intolerably obnoxious. If you haven't already, you may want to explore your personal investment in the Israeli narrative to see if sentimental nationalism or other emotional biases factor in the picture. Just saying. No offense intended.






......
We miss you.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/19190