Israel is so sorry for yet another hit on the UN.
Right and I have land on Mars for sale. I have a bit of real-estate on Pluto too any buyers? So we are all suppose to swallow their propaganda are wee. Crying “wolf” is becoming a real pass time for Israeli leaders.
I guess we all have ” Really %$#@@$@ stupid” written across our foreheads too.
Smoke rises from the United Nations headquarters after it was hit during Israeli bombardment of Gaza City, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009. Photo: AP / Hatem Moussa
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologized Thursday for the shelling of a UN compound that brought “very sad” consequences, but he insisted that Israeli forces were firing back at militants who shot at them first.
“It is absolutely true that we were attacked from that place, but the consequences are very sad and we apologize for it,” he said.
“I don’t think it should have happened and I’m very sorry.”
A senior Israeli commander, who spoke to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity prior to Olmert’s public remarks, said militants shot anti-tank weapons and machine guns from inside the UN compound on Thursday.
Israel’s apparent counter-attack set the compound on fire, destroyed food supplies and forced hundreds of refugees to flee the area.
UN officials said it was “nonsense” that militants had been firing from inside the compound.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is meeting with Israeli officials in Israel Thursday, has demanded an investigation into the incident.
“I conveyed my strong protest and outrage to the defense minister and foreign minister and demanded a full explanation,” Ban said.
During a meeting with Ban on Thursday, Olmert said the shelling was a “sad incident,” but he blamed the militants.
Earlier Thursday, the UN chief said that Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told him the attack on the UN compound was a “grave mistake.”
Barak also reportedly said Israel would pay extra attention to protecting UN facilities.
A UN employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said 700 Palestinians had just sought shelter in the compound Thursday morning.
“These were people who were scared. They rushed into the nearest UN facility,” he told The Associated Press.
UN spokesman Chris Gunness says at least three people were wounded.
The compound houses the UN Works and Relief Agency, which distributes food aid to hundreds of thousands of Gazans.
Meanwhile, Israeli ground troops have moved deep into Gaza City, engaging in close-combat fighting with Hamas.
“People are very, very nervous, there is very heavy fighting,” CTV’s Tom Kennedy reported Thursday from Jerusalem.
Israeli forces kill Hamas leader
Israeli forces also killed the top Hamas security official in the Gaza Strip on Thursday.
Hamas interior minister Said Siam died when Israeli forces attacked his brother’s home after receiving word that he was inside.
The raid killed Siam, his brother, and his brother’s family.
Both Hamas and Israeli military officials confirmed his death.
Siam is believed to have presided over thousands of Gaza Strip security agents and to be among Hamas’ top five leaders in the region.
Raids put media at risk
Also on Thursday, Israeli shells struck a hospital, five high-rise apartment buildings and a building used by media outlets.
“The feed point that we at CTV use to get images out of Gaza, that is now burning,” Kennedy said.
Several reporters were reported injured.
The Foreign Press Association demanded that Israel stop its attacks on buildings housing reporters.
Amani Abu Ramadan, a Canadian who lives in Gaza, said the situation is really bad.
“It’s absolutely crazy in Gaza right now,” Ramadan told CTV’s Canada AM on Thursday.
“I can’t get in contact with many of my family members in Gaza because of the phones that are down.”
She said getting to the Erez border crossing, where many Canadians were evacuated from Gaza Strip earlier this month, is “near fatal.”
“The Israelis are shooting at anything that is moving on the main highways or even on the side streets that might be like a small mini-bus, or a micro-bus, or a taxi,” she said.
“Even they’re shooting at ambulances and television crews.”
Since the Israeli offensive began on Dec. 27, about 1,100 Palestinians have been killed, including about 550 civilians.
Thirteen Israelis have also died. Israeli military reported 14 firings of rockets into Israel on Thursday.
Truce negotiation
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said his country has sent an envoy to Cairo for truce talks with Egyptian mediators.
Regev says envoy Amos Gilad will be negotiating the “parameters of the end game” with the mediators.
“The Israeli government is saying that diplomatic efforts pushing towards a ceasefire now have momentum,” Kennedy said.
Israel, which launched the offensive against Hamas in Gaza on Dec. 27, wants a total stoppage of Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israeli towns.
Regev said Gilad will not be meeting with Hamas envoys in Egypt.
Egypt is pushing both Israel and Hamas to accept a 10-day truce to allow time for a more comprehensive accord to be negotiated.
Israel has also dispatched a senior diplomat to Washington to discuss international guarantees that Hamas will not rearm its militia, reports The Associated Press.
In Israel, Ban met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday.
“We have some elements now in place which may allow a cease fire to come fairly soon,” he told a news conference. “I hope so, but that depends on the political will of the Israeli government.”
He said a complete truce agreement was not necessary to halt the fighting.
“You can discuss terms and conditions later, my demand is to cease firing immediately,” he said.
“I’m well aware that rockets have been fired at Israeli civilians for years from Gaza,” he said. “I have always condemned these as acts of terrorism and said they must cease.”
United Nations workers and Palestinian firefighters work to try and put out a fire and save bags of food aid at the United Nations headquarters after it was hit in an Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009. Photo: AP / Hatem Moussa
Egypt is pushing both Israel and Hamas to accept a 10-day truce to allow time for a more comprehensive accord to be negotiated.
Or is it it will take that long for the “Weapons of Mass
Destruction” to be delivered to Israel. They may be running short after
all. The US is in the process of sending them more.
Israel is lieing as usual. They broke the ceasefire on “November 4 2008″. That is when the war really began. Seems the media failed to inform people of that fact. I guess they were too busy with the Financial Crisis to mention it.
Israel has “Weapons of Mass Destruction” supplied by the US. They are targeting anything and everything. They are totally destroying Gaza for Natural Gas no less. They should be treated, as the war criminals they are. When some say bombs are raining down, they are coming down like rain. Pouring rain. Like a Tsunami.
The after math will also hit the Israelis, as the pollution, from the Weapons will also make them sick and die as well. Nothing like murdering your own for Natural Gas and Bloodthirsty Power over others, weaker then yourself. Those in Gaza one in a massive “Gas Chamber” of death. The wind blows and it goes right next door to Israel . Their soldiers will die from it too. How stupid they are not to foresee the after math of death. Cancers and other illness, will run ramped. That I can guarantee.
How blind are those who live in Israel?
Israelis shell hospitals and UN HQ
Bin Laden urges jihad against Israel
January 15 2009: CAIRO - Osama bin Laden urged Muslims to launch a jihad against Israel, seeking to harness anger over the Gaza offensive with a new message posted on the Internet yesterday. The Al Qaeda chief vowed to open “new fronts” against the United States and its allies beyond Iraq and Afghanistan and also criticized Arab leaders, accusing most of them of being allies of the United States and Israel. The White House dismissed the call to jihad, saying it reflects bin Laden’s isolation and shows he is trying to remain relevant at a time when his ideology and mission are being challenged. Bin Laden spoke in a 22-minute audiotape posted on Islamic militant websites where Al Qaeda usually issues messages. The authenticity of the tape, bin Laden’s first since May, could not be independently confirmed. Source
How George W Bush, is that “Bull Shit”.
They could at least get a new Script.
This tells me the Americans are of course, behind this attacks on Gaza.
Bin Laden is in all likelihood, dead. He had a kidney disease, for which he needed dialysis. Odds of him still even being alive, are extremely, small to say the least.
There have been a number of times the Americans, have fabricated videos or tapes of him.
This too is probably BS. Seems Bin Laden pops up when the US is looking for “support” and to instill “fear” in people. What propaganda. They have beat this to death more times then not. To a point of nausea. They should put their Bin Laden, propaganda in a Museum where it belongs.
It is an antique scenario after all.
Bush defends foreign policy in final legacy tour
January 15 2009: “The war, launched without UN authorization, undercut US credibility abroad and contributed to a resounding victory by Obama against John McCain”.
“Bush also made clear that he sees his failed effort to broker peace between Israeli and the Palestinians in his final year as not completely in vain, despite a 3-week-old Israel-Hamas war in Gaza with no end in sight.” Source
He is also the one supplying “Weapons of Mass Destruction” to Israel.
Broker peace my foot. Broker more war, would be more like it. Bush loves war, as does his weapons making, profiteering, friends and those who invest in Weapons companies, who also stand to make a tidy profit. The more war the more Profit. $$$$$$$$$$$. Daddy must be so proud of his Son.
Israel will do anything for the US. Heaven forbid they didn’t get all that Aid money and “Weapons of Mass Destruction”.
The US and Israel are worse then Saddam could ever imagine being.
Bush is a war criminal like his Israeli counter parts are and both should be treated as such. Exterminating, over a million people in Iraq is a crime.
Israel is doing the same thing.
