Israel soldiers speak out on Gaza

[malaise]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8149464.stm
<snip>
group of soldiers who took part in Israel's assault in Gaza say widespread abuses were committed against civilians under "permissive" rules of engagement.

The troops said they had been urged to fire on any building or person that seemed suspicious and said civilians were sometimes used as human shields.

Breaking the Silence, a campaign group made up of Israeli soldiers, gathered anonymous accounts from 26 soldiers.

Israel denies breaking the laws of war and dismissed the report as hearsay.

"We were told soldiers were to be secured by fire-power. The soldiers were made to understand that their lives were the most important, and that there was no way our soldiers would get killed for the sake of leaving civilians the benefit of the doubt," said one soldier in the report.

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Watching a rep from Breaking the Silence on BBC Int. now.

[Chemisse]

1. What happened in Gaza was horrifying and brutal

And all with US (Bush's) support. I'm glad the UN is looking into it and that now some of these soldiers are speaking out.

[armyowalgreens]

2. Disgusting, but not surprising at all.

The Israeli government is a terrorist organization.

[cali]

3. that's such a meaningless charge.

it changes nothing. it signifies nothing.

[armyowalgreens]

4. Neither meaningless nor insignificant.

It changes everything about the situation in the ME.

[malaise]

5. Absolutely

I agree with you.

[cali]

6. what? you actually think that your opinion changes everything about the ME?

wow. look, the U.S. is not going to treat Israel as a terrorist organization, no European country will. Japan won't, nor will China. Your opinion in this matter, really doesn't matter. I'm awfully sorry to break it to you. The same holds true about people who say that the U.S. is a terrorist organization. Those opinions don't change the reality of how nations relate to other nations.

[armyowalgreens]

7. When did I ever say that my opinion matters? Facts matter.

The US government, at least under the Bush admin, was a terrorist organization.

I agree, it doesn't change what people do. But it changes what people SHOULD do.

The worlds indifference to the US and Israels terrorism does not in any way make the terrorism less real.

[cali]

9. that's an opinion, not an objective fact. nothing wrong with opinions

but there is something wrong with mistaking opinion for fact.

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. KICK AND RECOMMEND!!!

[LeftishBrit]

10. hoping their testimony can make a difference!