Palestinians deliberately harrassed by sonic booms

http://www.arutzsheva.org/news.php3?id=92946

This reports a current court case in Israel where medics are trying to stop the Israeli airforce deliberately creating maximum strength sonic booms over Gaza.

Children are being terrified and made ill. The booms are claimed necessary, since loud enough to disorient and terrify terrorists, incapacitating them so that they cannot fire rockets. If so, what must these gigantic bangs do to the civilian population? Gaza is tiny.

This is at present deliberate continuing policy, and the military are in court defending their right to keep on doing it.

*groan*
There should be a big world-mommy to give these two country-kids a good spanking.

Hey Ellie, did you see this report?

It is interesting to see how the world responds to violence, but more so to anarchy...

This article contrasts the coverage of "muslim riots" in Paris etc, with coverage of Iraeli actions against the Palestinians, as though perhaps there was some sort of moral equivalence.

I just think there is a difference, or should be, between the actions of mobs and the actions of highly disciplined, highly armed military forces under the full control of an elected government. Particularly any government largely funded from the taxes of the USA, and claiming membership of the civilised western nations.

I think a standard of behaviour is due from a government which is lightyears away from that to be expected from a resentful unruly mob.

No single person can control, and terminate, mob violence. The Israeli forces could, and would, totally desist at a single order.

Terrorising little chidren in their own homes is not an acceptable thing for a western government to do. Period.

Perhaps the most concerning aspect is that this "noise warfare" is so little reported. Maybe some people might think it ok, but at least we should all know about it. Curious that most of us simply dont get the chance to form an opinion, because we don't know it's happening.

Sorry Ellie, I did not mean to contrast the Noise war with this column, morally or otherwise... It was however, a lot more in depth than just the current Paris situation.

My point was that some of the problems the world sees with the Israeli stand against terrorism is exactly what they do when they are faced with the same on their home soil.

Sorry that I did not make this clear initially.

I am not clear on the lasting effects of these 'noises', but I would assume that it is better than bombs (debatable I am sure).


But the real question stems into, how does said government get a handle on an unruly mob? I am not clearing Israel or the Palestinians of past offenses, I am going from where the problem lies now.

But is truly better than dropping bombs, would you not agree?

I'm more worried about suicide bombers and mortar shells than I am about sonic booms.

Kurgan, you make me feel like someone complaining of having been raped, who gets the response "Yes, but murder is worse, don't you agree ?"

That's probably because you don't happen to have your own darling little 4-yr-old daughter living in Gaza, Roland.

Being civilised is all about being able to empathise with those in a different situation from oneself, and with those beyond one's immediate family/tribal/religious group.

It's a big difference between us and animals.

It's why we don't all just punch each other in the face if we are big enough and strong enough.

Like being raped is truly better than being murdered, you mean, Kurgan ?
So ? Is any crime ok so long as you can point to one worse ?

I think that if I had a 4 year old girl, I'd prefer that she be scared by a sonic boom, than blown up by a suicide bomber.

More apartide from Israel. The South Africans did the same thing to the African population in the 1960's and 1970's

Ellie, since I do not know your tone, I will give you the benefit of the doubt here... No crimes are good. But, bad things happen, because people do bad things. If you can stop the bad people, bad things won't happen. How do you stop the bad people?

But the question you should ask is, are the suicide bombings and rocket launches stopping from the Gaza Strip? And, if they are, is it better (for both Israel and the Palestinian Authority)?

You tell me:
- Is it better to be injured or murdered?
- Is it better to be murdered than to live with a past injury (mental or physical)?
- Is it good for the opposition to see murdered or injured of themselves or the enemy?
- Is it better to be raped or murdered?
- Is it better for a son, daughter, father, mother, husband, wife, sibling, or any number of relations of a person, if the person is raped or murdered?
- Is it better to murder or live in constant fear of being murdered?
- Is it better to maim or live in constant fear of being murdered?

Hum, Israeli National News... And of course no mention of Israel's Apartide policies toward the Arabs.

I say 2/3 of the so-called terrorist attacks on Israel were staged by the Israeli Secret Service. And that all of this is just Apartide policies of the evil Israeli Government.

ummmm... Yea.

Israel has never been a victim of violence and there just a bunch of bullies I suppose.

Excluding World War Two and all history before 1948 , I agree with you

Seems after the Israeli's got their own nation, they became very power hungry.

Are you saying jews are greedy? OMG HATE SPEECH!

Your serious?

Have a look at this long read: The Logic of Suicide Terrorism. See how the IDF shovels the bombs onto these people, or see suicide bombings for what they are.

Do you understand what Apartheid is really about? Would Israel allow the Palestinians full citizenship? Would they allow Palestinians a chance to vote (the ability to vote them out of office even)? Do you find it incredulous that other Arab countries will not let Palestinians into their own borders while Israeli law demands that Palestinians not only are full citizens, but they have the right to vote in all elections?

The history of the establishment of Israel is quite interesting. You can read about it here: Hank Roth

Do you think the Israeli government installed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as well?

The other 1/3 is staged by the alien invasion force from Mars.

Oh, and unicorns.

No My comments are directed at the Israeli Government

You forgot Godzilla

Palestinians were there first. And they were forced out of their homes by what we would call today, Terrorist.

And yes, I am very sure the Israeli Government would attack its own citizens if the result was what the Israeli Government wanted. I mean, after all, Boy George, knew about the terrorist attacks and allowed them to happen on 9-11

And that was part of why he was elected President in 2004. (The other being he started a useless, needless and illegal war in Iraq just to get elected President in 2004)

And where, pray tell, do you get this idea?

Did you take a look at the site? Either of them? Things are NOT black and white, no matter how we try to paint the picture.

So you truly believe that Israel is behind the suicide bombings? Do you know, that if Israel wanted to, they could confiscate almost all of Israeli land, legally? The government can impose whatever tax structure they desire on Israeli residents. Did you know that most land in Israel is owned by the government? Most Israeli residents do NOT own their own land (whether Jewish or non). So, why go to all the elaborate lengths and loss of life? The power is already in the governments hands.

I make no amends for what Bush has done, but that is certainly not what is being discussed here, so please don't try to bring the current US political climate into it. Thanks.

I just got a bit more background.

"The stress is phenomenal," said Eyad El Sarraj, a psychologist and director of Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, one of the groups filing the petition. "The Israelis do it after midnight and then every one or two hours. You try to go to sleep and then there's another one. When it happens night after night you become exhausted. You get a heightened sense of alert, waiting continuously for it to happen. People suffer hypertension, fatigue, sleeplessness.

"For children, the loud noise means danger. Adults may know it's only a sound but small children feel threatened. They are crying and clinging to their parents. Afterwards they are dazed and fearful, waiting for something to happen."

Do a google search on "sonic booms gaza".

I didn't realise that it was deliberately timed for the small hours of the morning. One recent week there were 29 such low-level booms. ie on everage four each night. Deliberate complete destruction of sleep.

It started once the settlers had withdrawn.

Seriously - put aside all our prejudices and partisanship. can anyone really see any honest justification for this ?

Oh - and Magnum - your suggestion that the Israelis keep suicide bombing their own people. Are you sure you aren't an Israeli trying to discredit those of us showing concern for palestinian children, by pretending to stand next to us, and shouting ridiculous accusations ? Is that any less likely than what you are suggesting ?

I'm not saying such double-dealing by secret services never happens, but not on the scale you imply. I think you are getting carried away. The bald facts are appalling enough. You weaken the case by exaggerating them and sinking into the extremes of conspiracy theory.

The Israelis are doing this appalling thing . They openly admit and defend it. They are fighting in court for the right to keep on doing it.

Stick with known facts. Nothing more is needed. They are horrific enough.

Can anyone here really defend this? Without pointing out how much better it is than blowing the children to pieces, as though that is the other option ?

I don't think such a defense would get a paedophile very far in court.