Israeli drone fires on Refugee Convoy Fleeing S. Lebanon

A convoy of vehicles snakes along a road toward the southern village of Marj el-Khokh, near the southern town of Marjayoun, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 11, 2006, as smoke rises in the town of Jdeidet Marjayoun, background, following an Israeli bombardment. U.N. peacekeepers were dispatched Friday to evacuate about 350 Lebanese soldiers and police detained by Israeli forces in Marjayoun a day after Israeli soldiers swept into the southern Lebanese town, security officials said. (AP Photo/Lotfallah Daher)


<snip>

BEIRUT, Lebanon - An Israeli drone fired at a convoy fleeing attacks in southern Lebanon, killing at least one refugee and wounding others, witnesses and hospital officials said.

The state-run National News Agency said at least four people were killed.

The convoy — more than 100 civilian vehicles in addition to vehicles carrying Lebanese soldiers and police — was hit near the town of Chtaura in the Bekaa Valley.

Security officials in the Bekaa said at least nine rockets were fired on the convoy.

Two U.N. peacekeeping armored vehicles led the convoy out of the Israeli-occupied town of Marjayoun; it was not know if they were still with the convoy at the time of the attack.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_convoy_attack

dubious military targets, indiscriminate attacks, disproportional force, not enough care about the lives of Lebanese civilians . . .

it sure appears much more sinister than that to me. Wanton slaughter seems much more fitting

:(

indiscriminate attacks . . .

The 'care' is my attempt to reach out to those who insist their actions are a necessary defense. 'Care' as defined within the UN Protocol 1, Articles, 50, 51, and 57, specifically.

I am just plain outraged at the slaughter.

barracks that Israel captured earlier
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2ADF6DBF-3D20-4496-8CD3-AB117746A3B2.htm
<snip>
Ahmad Fatfat, the acting Lebanese interior minister, said: "It appears from the ongoing contacts, which included the US secretary of state and senior French officials ... there is a big hope they will leave the barracks without harming any of the security personnel."
------------------
It appears that there was no big hope.

I thought it was limited to doors.

:cry:

in that convoy. :eyes: "Kill 'em all and let god sort 'em out", seems to be the strategy here. A strategy that would make any bush supporter proud. :grr:

:sarcasm:

flash-in-the-pan "war" story is now lost in the weekend blackout of US media.

This attack has hardly even registered a blip on the brains of America.

"appalling"

I mean, Israel is right with its "better safe than sorry" war strategy, no? (Sarcasm intended...)

CNN.

The UN flag bearers split 10 kil back from the site of the attack

Israel warned the UN they were going to strike and they left the convoy? That is brokered? I have no clue what that means.

It was originally dispatched under UN flags. The UN escort broke off about 10k back from where they were attacked. (per CNN report w/Blitzer)

they knew they were going to be attacked? This is so very weird. And wrong and awful.

who knows? I'm like you, I suspect the worst.

this one is really freaking me out. AP reporters and Michael Ware from CNN were in the convoy as well. I am certain Hezbollah was there too. :sarcasm:

Michael Ware of CNN is with it...he is breathless and not sure if another strike is coming or not. Total chaos just half an hour ago, four dead, one a Lebanese soldier, over 40 wounded, hundreds of evacuees with nowhere to take cover, sitting ducks on the road, with white flags flying.

This is war crime, without doubt, so where is the UN, ICC, ICJ?

all I am seeing is that warmonger eagleburger trying to convince wolf Israel needs to keep bombig.

Michael Ware huh? Now I am scared. If there is one journalist they would target it would be him. Now this makes sense in a truly horrible way. :(

You're not serious! This is Wolfie's war - he wants more bombs.

I should have said convince the CNN audience. I know he is ex-AIPAC and Ex-Jerusalem Post. He is right at home and cheering on there in Jerusalem tonight. :grr:

it was a terrifying report and I doubt Wolfie was prepared to air it, considering what was said...he told him to catch his breath and get back with them.

Nothing heard since...nothing but typical situation room blather.

The carnage is horrifying enough, but the smokescreens are absolutely despicable. I'm beyond sadness and the outrage over all the complicity is practically overwhelming me.

None of us are safe from these types of policies, unchecked and uncontrolled attacks and carnage on anyone and everyone who disagrees.

C:puke:ndi is spewing her bullshit, as I type.

Imagine the hue and cry if Hizb'allah did it. :eyes:

some people here make me question my sanity.

:hug:

defy their leaflets and move in convoy. This was just one more war crime.

there is no need for the United States citizens to continue to support Israel.........let them support there own country............
enough is enough

There is somebody on a computer terminal somewhere, right? WTF were they thinking?

Hmmmm something like they dared to disobey our leaflets and seek safety -then they opened fire. This is sickening and I am truly disgusted.

...on in South Lebanon. This included refugees in cars with white flags, any vehicle.

  From this thread which links to an AP article:


  This is a pre-stated intent to kill civilians as well as combatants and they have followed through on their threat.

  Their message to the Lebanese, as one poster commented: "Stay and we will kill you. Move and we will kill you." That's not an oversimplification in this case- it's a fact both in word and deed. This behavior is abhorrent. It is not even remotely representative behavior of "The only democracy in the Middle East", "America's ally" or any other line of bullshit the Israeli propaganda machine attempts to force-feed the American public to keep the dole cheques coming.

  Call your Representative and ask them why they are likely applauding this behavior which is an intentional and heinous crime against innocents.

PB

but bigtree has pointed out that there was some sort of agreement between the UN and Israel to proceed. Then everything went all to hell.

now the smoke and mirrors begin, practically before any news agency has any verified story up...they are now stating that the UN escort part of the convoy broke off from the main body, to head for another village needing evacuation, leaving the bulk of vehicles to make their way out of the valley without the UN marked cars...so now we're essentially being told of two convoys. The Israeli government and the IDF is saying there was no brokering or allowing of any convoys, at all, before the evacuees began their long trek out of Marjayoun and the surrounding villages.

Guess that makes 1500 vehicles full of Lebanese soldiers & police, Druze, Christian, and Muslim refugees, displaying the white flag in order to make it to safety, fair game, eh?

I can see Israel doing this then denying it and shooting the fish in a barrel.

sick MFers. :(

Chapter III: Civilian Objects
Article 52: General Protection of Civilian Objects

1. Civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or of reprisals. Civilian objects are all objects which are not military objectives as defined in paragraph 2.

2. Attacks shall be limited strictly to military objectives. In so far as objects are concerned, military objectives are limited to those objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose total or partial destruction, capture or neutralization, in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage.

3. In case of doubt whether an object which is normally dedicated to civilian purposes, such as a place of worship, a house or other dwelling or a school, is being used to make an effective contribution to military action, it shall be presumed not to be so used. Article 53 Protection of cultural objects and of places of worship without prejudice to the provisions of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 14 May 1954, and of other relevant international instruments, it is prohibited:


Article 57: Precautions in Attack

1. In the conduct of military operations, constant care shall be taken to spare the civilian population, civilians and civilian objects.
2. With respect to attacks, the following precautions shall be taken:
1. those who plan or decide upon an attack shall:

1. do everything feasible to verify that the objectives to be attacked are neither civilians nor civilian objects and are not subject to special protection but are military objectives within the meaning of paragraph 2 of Article 52 and that it is not prohibited by the provisions of this Protocol to attack them;
2. take all feasible precautions in the choice of means and methods of attack with a view to avoiding, and in any event to minimizing, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects;

3. refrain from deciding to launch any attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated;

2. an attack shall be canceled or suspended if it becomes apparent that the objective is not a military one or is subject to special protection or that the attack may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated;

3. effective advance warning shall be given of attacks which may affect the civilian population, unless circumstances do not pemmit.

3. When a choice is possible between several military objectives for obtaining a similar military advantage, the objective to be selected shall be that the attack on which may be expected to cause the least danger to civilian lives and to civilian objects.

4. In the conduct of military operations at sea or in the air, each Party to the conflict shall, in conformity with its rights and duties under the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict, take all reasonable precautions to avoid losses of civilian lives and damage to civilian objects

5. No provision of this article may be construed as authorizing any attacks against the civilian population, civilians or civilian objects.

OMG, please see this!

PB

NOT! :grr:



Injured Lebanese man Afif Jamil, 66, is seen in the operation room at the Bekaa Hospital in the town of Zahle in the eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006. An Israeli drone fired Friday at a convoy of more than 100 civilian vehicles as well as vehicles carrying a detachment of 350 Lebanese soldiers and police fleeing the Israeli-occupied town of Marjayoun, killing at least one man and wounding others, witnesses and hospital officials said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

An injured Lebanese police officer talks to his family on a mobile phone in the Mais Hospital in the town of Zahle in the eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006. An Israeli drone fired Friday at a convoy of more than 100 civilian vehicles as well as vehicles carrying a detachment of 350 Lebanese soldiers and police fleeing the Israeli-occupied town of Marjayoun, killing at least one man and wounding others, witnesses and hospital officials said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

I missed him again. :(

Can you give a recap?

that the front of the convoy was attacked, so cars far in the rear began turning around to try and go back...they were hit, and total chaos broke out as drivers scrambled to find safety. Another strike on those from the convoy who had almost made it to a nearby village and reports that a Red Cross group rushing to the site of the attack had been hit, also. "Total carnage" is how he worded it. He said nothing about the convoy splitting up before the attack, just that the UN had gone to evacuate all those villagers seeking relief, their convoy of 1500 vehicles was struck by IDF drones and planes, and many were trapped, terrified, dead and wounded.

Condi is spewing again, now. One minute of actual reporting and 45 minutes of total warmongering garbage.

:nuke:

that was an excellent recap. I will turn to CNNI and hope they are off of that dreadful "terra, terra" sideshow.

Be safe Michael.

He said that what they found was a convoy of mostly civilian vehicles, led by some Lebanese army trucks and jeeps, which had clearly been struck by some kind of airstrike.

From the evidence that they saw, and from speaking to some of the rescue workers and the locals, it appeared that this convoy had broken off from the main body of the 1,500 civilian vehicles, who, this evening, were trying to make their way north.

They had been given safe passage in a U.N. brokered deal to escape the fighting around the besieged city of Marjayoun. When they reached the north, in the Bekaa Valley, there were many bottlenecks and traffic jams. It appears this is one of many that broke off and created a different stream.

When they were hit, the military vehicles in the lead were struck first. The civilian vehicles behind them then did a U-turn, trying to escape. They, too, were hit. At least four are dead and over 20 injured, seven of whom are Lebanese soldiers.



PAULA ZAHN NOW
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0608/11/pzn.01.html

ZAHN: I understand that many of the civilians had been trapped there for many weeks. What condition were they in before this strike?

WARE: Listen, Paula, watching this convoy roll out as it was leaving the free-fire zone, we have been tracking it all day down there in southern Lebanon.

The bombing was just relentless. Even as the convoy was moving, there were bombs falling all about, even with this supposed U.N. safe passage. And, as the vehicles moved up the road, the bombing continued up the road behind them, as if to close it.

When these people came out, they had been trapped in there for weeks and weeks. It was old men, old women, fathers, mothers, little children, all crammed into any vehicle that would move. There were daughters driving old mothers. It really was heartbreaking to see the condition of these people.

As we were heading north with this convoy -- we ourselves traveled with them -- the people here in the villages, as they passed, stepped out onto the street, to clap, to wave, to cheer, to hand out water to the desperate. That's what it was like. It was a stream of these people who were hit -- Paula.

ZAHN: And that's something that we hope to talk to Israeli officials about a little bit later on.

Michael Ware, once again, the pictures graphically showing what Michael is talking about.

Michael is a true hero for bringing this story, on of the many horrors of this war, to the fore front.

from fleeing civlians, and anyone who is trying to help them, correct? Drippping :sarcasm:

A convoy of hundreds of cars carries people fleeing Marjayoun in south Lebanon August 11, 2006. Israeli aircraft fired rockets at the convoy in the eastern Bekaa Valley on Friday, killing at least six people and wounding 30, witnesses and rescue workers said. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher (LEBANON)

I think it's sad their armed forces are acting just like the fucking Nazis they are allways complaining about, but this attack on a convoy of refugees reminds me of the US war crime that occurred when US forces attacked and slaughtered the fleeing column of Iraqis and other refugees out of Kuwait after Saddam agreed to comply with UN resolution 660 calling for a complete Iraqi withdraw from Kuwait.



Just thought I would post this so the Israeli/Zionist supporters don't get on this thread to complain their war crimes get airplay on DU while the war crimes of others are overlooked.

thank you for the reminder.

This was happening at the exact same time as that resolution was being decided on...getting their last licks in.

that the idf isn't deliberately targeting civilians.

we all need to grasp reality here. thank you!

I am soooo relieved. :sarcasm:



Injured Lebanese woman Abir Abla is seen after receiving medical treatment at the Farahat hospital, in Jobb Jannine, southern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, after her family's car was attacked during an Israeli air raid near the town of Chtaura in the western Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006. An Israeli drone fired at a convoy of refugees fleeing southern Lebanon town of Marjayoun on Friday night, killing at least seven people and wounding 22, an Associated Press photographer said. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

the fact that we're terrorists with advanced weaponry"