I wasn’t surprised when news flash announced that an Israeli air strike killed 4 unarmed UN observers. The unfortunate dead were military officers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland, part of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as Unifil. The 2,000 strong Unifil has been operational in the border area since 1978.
There could be a number of reasons for the killing – (1) an unfortunate accident which the Israelis have claimed, accompanied with profound regrets by the Israeli PM; (2) gungho-ism in striking at unconfirmed or unverified targets by the Israeli pilot; or (3) deliberate targeting of the UN observation post to remove an independent source of observation, from witnessing planned Israeli atrocities in the area.
I wasn’t surprised because UN observers had complained of reason No 3 before, at least a couple of times in the last 30 years. The Israelis are not above such cold blooded slaughter to remove independent observers from sighting their actions.
The BBC reported that the UN observers had taken shelter in a bunker under their base because there had already been 14 Israeli artillery attacks on their position, causing the French general who commands Unifil to call Israel's military asking them to desist.
However, as they sought sheltered in the UN bunker, the post was hit by a single heavy bomb from an Israeli war plane, killing the four unarmed observers. Worse, a UN rescue team also came under fire as it searched the rubble for survivors.
UN Sec-Gen Kofi Annan was furious with the Israeli repetitive murderous actions, and said the attack was the result of deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces. He demanded a full investigation, and so did China.
New report just flashed by the BBC World said that an initial UN investigation into the incident revealed the observers were subjected to a six-hour bomb attack by Israeli forces during which they called Israel's military 10 times, not once or twice but 10 times to tell them to stop.
We know that the Israelis didn’t, but instead went ahead with the murder. We may expect that with the removal of the independent observers, there will be further Israeli atrocities, probably amounting to war crimes.
At least the Nazis observed international conventions on the conduct of war. The Israelis are worse. Well, Heil Hitler and F**k the Israelis.
Well, I wouldn't go as far as that, even though I have grown to dislike those Israelis more and more each day for their cruel atrocities and racist conduct. The Heil Hitler is a mock salute to them, to remind them they are doing to the Arabs in a manner worse than what the Nazis did to their forefathers.
ReplyDelete