U.S. Sees Rafah Demolitions as 'Self - Defense'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday that Israeli house demolitions in a Gaza Strip refugee camp was self-defense against ``terrorism'' and that the Israeli courts had dealt with cases of homeless Palestinians.

Israeli forces have flattened at least 114 homes in the Rafah camp near the Egyptian border, making more than 1,000 Palestinian refugees homeless, U.N. officials say. Israel says the operation is to find tunnels used for smuggling arms.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, asked to comment on Israeli operations at Rafah, said: ``We continue to be very concerned about terrorism. We understand Israel's need to defend itself. We've always said that Israel needs to consider the consequences of its actions and that's all we have to say about those particular events.''

``This is part of defending themselves,'' added a senior State Department official, who asked not to be identified.

more..............

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-mideast-usa.html

``This is part of defending themselves,'' added a senior State Department official, who asked not to be identified.


My money is on John Bolton.

Remember, the Trail of Tears, Wounded Knee, and scores of broken treaties were also self defense. ;-)

I wonder whether the U.S. considers the Holocaust to be German self-defense.

UNWAR reports that the Rafah operation (so far) has left 2000 Palestinians homeless.

That doesn't seem like "self-defense" to me. Rather, it looks like a great way to spawn a new generation of anti-Israel militants, which is probably Sharon's goal, insofar as every "terrorist" act gives the IDF the excuse it needs for more ethnic cleansing and "redemption of the land."

... that the Mayor of Rafah has declared the area a disaster zone. The number of homeless cited by Reuters does not include the number of people living in partially destroyed homes. All electric and phone lines have been cut, water and sewer lines are being plowed up. There are no more available beds in the hospital and patients are sleeping on the floor. Ten people killed in the last week, and a "significant" number in ICU. The hospital is running short of supplies.

Describes many people being forced from their homes due to "heavy gunfire from tanks and Apache helicopters."

If this is a search for tunnels, it seems rather indiscriminate.

Count the number of people killed by Saddam, al-qaeda, and the Palestinians combined and then count the number the US and Israel have killed.

smuggling the weapons. they know who they are.

When asked about Palestinian homes being destroyed, that's all that comes out of his mouth: "Israel... Israel... Israel". Of course, there is no one else, really.

This kind of speaking surpasses anything the Soviets accomplished after WW-II. Astounding.

not even in ancient times. Gaza may be poor, but it has some dynamite beach front property that is coveted by the newly arrived settlers there.

I don't know why we are supposed to suspend our liberalism whenever the subject of Israel's occupation of Palestine comes up.