Holocaust II

How are the human rights violations being committed by "Israel" in "Gaza" , really much different than the first holocaust? Civilians , women and especially children are being starved, maimed & killed in mass numbers. At this point in time 1,193 people have been killed, including 410 children and 108 women since the conflict began on 27 December. There were 5,300 people wounded, including 1,600 children. True these numbers pale in comparison to the six + million Jew's exterminated in the first Holocaust. But murder is murder! Israel says it is operating totally within humanitarian law? International law’s rules on keeping civilian casualties to a minimum are based on the distinction between "combatants" and "non-combatants". As Israel launched the first air strikes, outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said: "You - the citizens of Gaza - are not our enemies. Hamas, Jihad and the other terrorist organisations are your enemies, as they are our enemies."

The International Committee of the Red Cross - guardian of the Geneva Conventions on which international humanitarian law is based - defines a combatant as a person "directly engaged in hostilities".

But Israeli Defence Forces spokesman Captain Benjamin Rutland said: "Our definition is that anyone who is involved with terrorism within Hamas is a valid target. This ranges from the strictly military institutions and includes the political institutions that provide the logistical funding and human resources for the terrorist arm."

Now paramedics are struggling to secure safe access to the wounded. Hospitals are short of medical supplies and intensive care patients' lives are dependent on ageing back-up generators.

Much of the population is without electricity, about half are without running water, and food deliveries to 750,000 have been seriously disrupted.

But the UN said a daily three-hour window would make "no difference" to its operations, because of the scale of the needs.

Some 750,000 people - half Gaza's population - are dependent on food hand-outs from the UN relief agency, Unrwa.

Distribution has been hampered by security problems and was suspended for a day on Friday 9 January after a truck driver for the UN was killed. The UN blamed Israeli fire, which the Israeli military later denied.

Save the Children says it fears newborn and sick babies may be dying because their parents are unable to reach hospitals.

Palestinian medical officials said they had treated large numbers of casualties with unusual burns that were extremely painful to treat and could be consistent with exposure to white phosphorus (WP).

White phosphorus sticks to human skin and will burn right through to the bone, causing death or leaving survivors with painful wounds which are slow to heal.

The international convention on the use of incendiary weapons says it should not be used where there is a possibility of hitting civilians. An Israeli military spokesman said it was investigating the reports, but reiterated earlier assurances about the legality of its weaponry.

White phosphorus is permitted on the battlefield to make smoke screens to allow troops to move undetected, and also to impede infrared anti-tank weapons.

But its use in the densely populated areas of central Gaza City would be "unlawful", as it dispersal would be indiscriminate and could put civilians at risk, says Human Rights Watch military analyst Marc Garlasco.

"The Israeli military may be using legal weapons, but it is using the weapons in an illegal manner," says Mr Garlasco .

He said he had observed dozens and dozens WP shells used by the Israeli army over Gaza since 27 December, both ground-burst shells and air-burst, scattering distinctive burning lumps of phosphorus which left white smoke trails.

"We are absolutely certain this is white phosphorus, this is the singular, unique visual signature of white phosphorus on the battlefield. Not only have I seen it for myself but I have checked with US artillery," Mr Garlasco added.

So tell me how are Israels war crimes any less offensive than the "Nazi's" ?? Are we seeing the second Holocaust delivered by the victims of the first one?

And why??

"The question that has to be asked is for all those children and all those innocent people who have been killed in this conflict. Were they war crimes? Were they war crimes that resulted in the deaths of the innocents during this conflict? That question has to be answered." We as Americans should also be asking " Why are we supplying the weapons to Israel that are causing all these casualties? Why are we backing mass murder by Israel?" Is it not "enough" we sat by and let our own leaders commit international crimes torturing combatants ?