Rights of a Palestine civilian

“Can Israel survive?”

This was the title of a article that was published in Time magazine.

And one reader wrote back in another issue:
“I propose that the US say, “Israel, we love and support you but not your unethical occupation of Palestinian territory. If you really recognize the right to the existence of a Palestinian state, prove it by getting out of the occupied territories and dismantling the remaining settlements. You might say, ‘Well, we did, in Gaza and look how that turned out!’ but the moral high ground would be yours- it is decidedly not after you kill more than 1000 Palestinians. And you would certainly have more worldwide sympathy and support as some Palestinians continue to bad-mouth your right to exist.

It wrote: 'Israel's Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, has promised a 'war to the bitter end.' But after 60 years of struggle to defend their existence against foreign threats and enemies within, many Israelis maybe wondering, where does that end lie? The threat posed by Hamas is only the most immediate of the many interlocking challenges facing Israel, some of which cast dark shadows over the long term viability of a democratic Jewish state.'

As much as any other nation on earth, Israel is based on a dream: the aspiration to establish a home for the Jews in the birth place of their ancestors. To a remarkable extent, that dream has been fulfilled, as Israek has grown into the most modern and democratic country in the Middle East and a dependable Ameriacan ally. A strong, confident Israel is in America's interest, but so is one that can find peace with its neighbors, cooperate with the Arabs to comtain common threats and, most important, reach a just and lasting solution with the Palestinians. But accomplishing all that will require Israel and its defenders to confront excruciating dilemmas: How do you make peace with those who don't seem to want it? How do you win a war when the other side believes time is on its side? And what would true security, in a hostile neighborhood populated with enemies, actually look like? As is always true in the Middle East, there are no easy ansers. But it's never been more vital that Israel start looking for them.

And Time reported: The most immediate challenge facing Israel is that posed by Hamas. Gaza's tradegy has for days been playing out on the world's TV sets. By 7 Jan, more than 700 Palestinians, many of them noncombatants, had been killed.

(From 2000, at least 6,000 Palestinians had been killed compared to the 1,000 odd Israelis. Can you tell who is innocent here?)

This is a bias report. Clearly, the Time correspondent is siding Israel. Against the people of Palestine. Against the civilians (innocent children and their families)

And this is a story of an innocent civilian, with his family:
Khaled Abed Rabu lost his 2 daughters Amal and Suwad on 7 Jan 09, the day Israeli tanks churned across the strawberry fields and knocked their way into a little park about 18m from their home. After the warning over the loudspeaker, Abed Rabu herded his wife, mother and 3 young daughters to the door and gave the children a white flag to wave. He saw 2 Israelis soldiers eating chocolate and potato chips beside their tank. Suddenly, a third Israeli soldier then popped out of the tank with an M-16 and fired a single shot. The next thing was, his 2 year old daughter was lying there with her insides spilling out. He started screaming at the soldiers, and then the soldier shot his 2 other girls. His wife fainted. His mother tried to drag Suwad inside the house, but the soldier shot his mother in the chest, shoulder and leg.

It was unclear whether the Israeli troops were under threat when they opened fire. Most of the residents there claimed that there were no Hamas fighters in the area at the time of the alleged incident. After the shootings, Abed Rabu said that he dragged his wounded children and mother into the doorway and shouted for help. The ambulance who was nearby, was driven by Samiyeh al-Sheikh said that he heard shots and screams coming from Abed Rabu's house. But when he tried to go toward them, the Israeli soldiers beat him up. Then, with a bulldozer, the soldiers backed the ambulance against my house and crushed it like sand.

He tried calling the Red Crescent, or friends with cars who could help his family reach a hospital. His daughter who was shot in the stomach was demanding for water. So for 2 hours, Abed Rabu was unable to summon help or move from the house despite pleading with the soldiers. Finally, his aged father picked up Samar in in his arms and stood in the doorway, risking or exchanging his life for his grandchildren. The soldiers finally relented and let them go. Even while walking, the soldiers did not lose grip on them as they fired at the dirt around their feet.

Abed Rabu walked and carried his daughters for more than a mile. But by the time they reached the hospital, the girls were dead. He sat alone beside his blasted home and cried out:
" I don't understand. I'm not Hamas. My girls weren't Hamas. Why did they do this to us?"

Isn't it sad?

Let us continue to pray for our Muslim brethen in Palestine and Gaza, may Allah swt have mercy and keep them safe from such terrorist acts against the civilians. amin.