113 comments from readers

Jim
16 August 2010 at 17:30

Mehdi,

what's your take on the images of Kurds gassed by Turkey?

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,711536,00.h...

orderfromcha0s
16 August 2010 at 17:33

What else did you expect from Israel?

Mehdi Hasan
16 August 2010 at 17:35

@Jim

If true, horrible and despicable.

Adam
16 August 2010 at 17:37

Dear Jim, how is a possible Turkey gassing Kurds a justification for the pictured Israeli soldier's behaviour? Go figure

Jim
16 August 2010 at 17:45

Not a justification, Adam.

I just think the fact that Mehdi rarely posts on abuses by Islamists and comparatively often on abuses by Israel is worth pointing out.

The NS used to be a fair-minded publication.

Elin
16 August 2010 at 17:52

I agree with you, Jim. This is cheap journalism which offers very little in terms of engaging the audience and stimulating constructive debate.

It's a shame that the NS is heading in such a direction.

Sean
16 August 2010 at 17:54

Jim,

Please explain the reference to the Turkish government/army as "Islamists"?

Alex
16 August 2010 at 17:56

The last time I checked, Turkey was a secular state. Mostly populated by Muslims, but the state itself is secular.

Sha
16 August 2010 at 17:59

@Jim: Check Fox News, CNN or any Israeli news channel. I think you'll get your fair share there.

Elin: Cheap journalism, because the OP posted a picture of an Israeli soldier mocking prisoners. Yes, how cheap of the NS. To lighten the world, the golly-gosh other races are not so high and mighty.

He posted a picture, which paints a thousand words. Those who take the name of Islam and do the same deeds are just as guilty. But don't sit there and say the OP needs to justify himself for posting a picture. But then again, any article that isn't anti-Islam tends to bring out the cry babies from the wood works.

Leon
16 August 2010 at 18:01

She's smirking?

@leon
16 August 2010 at 18:07

Smirking? No, looks like she is about to spit.

Sean
16 August 2010 at 18:07

@Alex

I thought so too. Just wondering if Jim knows something we don't or if he's just a racist trying to deflect criticism of Israel. I wonder.

Elin
16 August 2010 at 18:17

Sha: I have no wish to see articles of an 'anti-Islam' nature. I'm currently researching Islamophobia in the British media and am fully aware of how damaging such portrayals can be.

It's a shame that so many people seem to view this conflict in dichotmous terms. Unless we attempt to understand legitimate grievances which exist on both sides, rather than futile demonisation, nothing will be resolved.

demonax
16 August 2010 at 18:34

She put these on her website . The Israeli army always denies that this happens despite hundreds of claims.

This is proof. Tsahal claims it is a respectable army so the activities of others that are not respectable are irrelevant

felix
16 August 2010 at 18:43

Elin

thanks for a rational post,

"I'm currently researching Islamophobia"

I believe that Islamophobia is an irrational concept. It confuses hatred of, and discrimination against, Muslims on the one hand with criticism of Islam on the other. The charge of 'Islamophobia' is all too often used not to highlight racism but to silence critics of Islam.

see

http://www.kenanmalik.com/essays/weltwoche_islamophobia.html

Elin
16 August 2010 at 18:49

Thank you Felix, I too have a few problems with the term, it sweeps a lot of issues under the carpet and is often exploited. Very interesting though!

felix
16 August 2010 at 18:56

Mehdi Hasan

"@Jim .If true, horrible and

despicable"

Please note the 'IF' Mehdi does not admit that this happens.

Just for balance could we post some picture of the Taliban child soldiers decapitating their prisoners.

Far more offensive than a smirk wouldn't you say? or maybe you wouldn't.

"The commander pronounces his death sentence, in the name of Islam. He says we are spies, that we must die. I see Ahjmal cry. I don’t understand and I ask him what they said. He answers, sobbing: “They’re killing us.” I straighten up on my knees and see the driver grabbed by four young men. They push his face into the sand, cut his throat, and then they go on and cut off his whole head. He doesn’t manage to make even the sound of a wheeze.

They clean the knife on his tunic, tie the severed head to the body, carry it to the edge of the river and let him go."

SEE

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1563...

AND

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-450564/Taliban-conde...

I do not support this web site but

they do show the pictures,

12-YEAR OLD TALIBAN BOY’S FIRST BEHEADING (WARNING: Extremely graphic images)

and he smiles too when he is finished.

http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/12-year-old-t...

Sharia in action Mehdi?

felix
16 August 2010 at 19:03

@demonax

"She put these on her website . The Israeli army always denies that this happens despite hundreds of claims.This is proof."

This is proof.That this happens?

that Israeli soldiers smirk?

is smirking a war crime?

Talk about a lot of fuss over nothing.

See my previous post.I await a response.

speakhearseenoevil
16 August 2010 at 19:12

she's hot

Max
16 August 2010 at 19:36

''Shocking photo from Israel, via Facebook ''

Ho Hum !! Next !!

Max
16 August 2010 at 19:42

'' Israeli soldier protects Palestinian prisoners.''

Those palestinians should be damn grateful that they are under the protection of Israel to safe guard them.

Dr. P. Sword
16 August 2010 at 19:51

She's beautiful!

Buckskins
16 August 2010 at 20:06

That beautiful Israeli girl can’t smile at the camera without someone adding a stupid caption to it. How about a picture of Muslims beheading a prisoner in Islamic righteousness.

EdWelthorpe
16 August 2010 at 20:21

This is intensely unshocking. Is it because she's a woman and we can see her face?

Laurie Penny
16 August 2010 at 20:52

As a Jewish woman whose family live in Israel and whose cousins are soon to join the IDF, can I say: this is horrible, and disgusting, and thank you for posting it.

As a feminist, EdWelthorpe: fuck off and die.

felix
16 August 2010 at 20:54

@BuckskinS,

See my post.

@EdWelthorpe

"This is intensely unshocking. Is it because she's a woman and we can see her face?"

I was thinking the same,an unveiled Jewish women with Muslim detainees A women,how humiliating,doesn't she know her place and smiling when they cant see.

What a despicable form of torture.How truly cunning.Smirking a new form of Zionist torture.

Imagine a nice photo of Israeli prisoners and a Palestinian women wearing a niqab,we would of course not be able see her expression and that would of course make it fine maybe that would restore Muslim honour.

With thousands of children in Pakistan in need of aid he raises this non issue,what a Muppet.

Max
16 August 2010 at 20:55

''Shocking photo from Israel .''

Yeah, she aint in a burqua, is she, Medhi ?

felix
16 August 2010 at 20:58

Laurie Penny

see

felix

16 August 2010 at 18:56

care to comment?

Max
16 August 2010 at 21:16

Laurie Penny

''As a feminist, fuck off and die.''

Why do all these leftist women have Tourettes, for F**k sake ?

jeremiah
16 August 2010 at 21:21

Lynndie England's Isreali cousin.

John
16 August 2010 at 21:30

what countries are engaged in ilegal occupation? who carved up the middle east after the fall of the ottoman empire? Oh yeah so some countries like saudi force woman to wear piece of cloth on their face but hey america and UK force their citizens to pay tax to pay for war that kill people! GO FIGURE! We Westerns find it so hard to criticize our governments pro war pro zionist pro bankers foreign policy! people will try to find double standard and hypocrisy in my words but its out of love for humanity and true patriotism is to criticize our own governments faults not others!

thinkov
16 August 2010 at 22:01

not shocking enough come on Piers doctor it a bit

Matt
16 August 2010 at 22:27

Get a grip Mehdi

felix
16 August 2010 at 23:34

@John

Ottoman empire good ,British empire bad?

GO FIGURE!

"We Westerns find it so hard to criticize our governments"

Are you living in a cave?

YOUR OWN POST PROVES YOUR ARGUMENT FALSE

For the love of humanity please catch the next plane to Saudi Arabia.

EdWelthorpe
17 August 2010 at 00:34

Choke. Mehdi - kindly read Laurie Quran 004.034 please. She is exhibiting ill-conduct.

John
17 August 2010 at 00:35

@Felix

Try learning history, infact maybe you should try reading some Noam Choamsky and George Orwell and maybe add some howard Zinn and oh by the way i do not support saudi arabia but they dont occupy other countries ilegally. If you support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the zionist occupation then maybe you should engage in such oppressive activities. Oh no but you wouldnt..would you? Try reading more! i dont hate you though Felix, you have a nice name and i love you and im saying this because i care about the people of this nation. But the truth does hurt and i myself know this. Maybe you should go to uni and study a bit more, dont let that brain go to waste my friend.

Doody
17 August 2010 at 00:43

More whataboutery on this thread. It never ends.

We're all right, they're all wrong. We have callous young people lording over elderly blindfolded civilians, with little other than their upbringing to inform them? Yeah, whatabout Saudi/Turkey/Pakistan/whatever.

Yes, horrible extremist Islamists are horrible. I look forward to picking holes in their martyr complexes at another time. However when we were children, Israel seemed to have moral superiority. Those days are long gone. Now the armed people of Israel behave like armed forces of all nations: thuggish, sometimes not very bright and acting to the detriment of their own cause, full of righteousness, and what it has it holds by force of arms, and now they have camera-phones with which to take rather nauseating souvenirs. That's it. No justice, no morality, just one tribe with better guns, taking the land from another.

But moral superiority ? That ship sailed long ago.

Alexandra
17 August 2010 at 00:46

Well said Laurie. I'm sick of the dumb and dumber (aka felix and max)and their sexist moronic claptrap too.

As for the picture, I am disgusted.

Max
17 August 2010 at 02:38

''I am disgusted.''

Is it because Alesandra you're jealous of the young Israel lady's beauty ? because you've got a face like a bag of spanners.

Alexandra
17 August 2010 at 02:59

Max my derriere is prettier than that womans face

felix
17 August 2010 at 03:27

Alexandra

"As for the picture, I am disgusted."

see my post

felix

16 August 2010 at 18:56

lets all hear what you have to say about these picture as someone who claim to work in AE you should be able to comment.

He smiles too when he is finished.

http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/12-year-old-t...

felix
17 August 2010 at 03:35

@ Doody

"full of righteousness,rather nauseating souvenirs,No justice, no morality, just one tribe with better guns."

He smiles too when he is finished.

Lets me know if your disgusted.

http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/12-year-old-t...

Max
17 August 2010 at 06:27

Alesandra says ''my derriere is prettier.''

And you speak out of it too.

Ishmael Melville
17 August 2010 at 07:42

Sadistic. racist zionist bitch gets her kicks! Down with Zionism!!!!

demonax
17 August 2010 at 08:03

In a communique the Israeli Army describes the photos as ugly and inhuman.

Is this why Felix defends them? Is he sure where his passport is?

felix
17 August 2010 at 09:03

@demonax

"In a communique the Israeli Army describes the photos as ugly and inhuman."

Strange that what I found was a little different.

The IDF Spokesman's Unit said in response: "This is shameless behavior by the soldier. In light of the fact that she was discharged last year, all of the details have been turned over to the commanders for further attention."

Post your link at least we may get a bit of context.

I was not defending this adolescent behavior.

I JUST FEEL THAT ITS TRIVIAL.IF YOU THINK THIS CONSTITUTES A FORM OF TORTURE YOU CAN'T BE USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

No comment on my other posts I notice,so I must conclude that smirking at detainees is evil if your an Israeli whilst decapitating your prisoners is just dandy if your an Afghan.

Must be a new form of socialist morality.

I must be very old fashioned I can handle a smirk and even my photo being published on the internet but decapitation,No,I am very attached to my head.

But we won't comment on that issue just the smirking that's far worse.

Blanco
17 August 2010 at 09:47

War is wrong, especially in the names of religions... war is not holy. Land struggles in the names of religions is wrong... No matter how you look at things, it's all wrong, and getting wronger by the day!! Meanwhile, fat cat disaster capitalists are reaping the wealth, and getting much richer from all of this, who are what is spurring on all wars.

Bill Corr
17 August 2010 at 09:58

This is vile and despicable; these poor fellows ought to be fast-tracked into the UK, put on every benefit going, kitted out with citizenship and made into local councillors - and maybe even MPs - as soon as possible.

See?

That was easy!

Dave C
17 August 2010 at 10:39

Given the furore surrounding the photos of Lynndie England at at Abu Ghraib prison, Eden Abergil was extraordinarily foolish posting these pictures on Facebook.

Mondoweiss states:

an Israeli army spokesman commented, "This is shameless behavior by the soldier. In light of the fact that she was discharged last year, all of the details have been turned over to the commanders for further attention."

Not Funny.
17 August 2010 at 10:58

I'm actually ashamed and angry that so many retarded morons now read the New Statesman.

Some of you fools are so quick to justify the actions of Israel that you forgot what's taking place in THIS picture and start spitting out drivel about something else! Morons.

felix
17 August 2010 at 11:06

I am sure this will compared to Abu Ghraib by those interested in hyping up this non story.

This in no way can be compared to Abu Ghraib the comparison is totally false and misleading.

What this does shows is a frankly a naive and immature girl behaving like an idiot.

Still no response to my links?!

Dan
17 August 2010 at 11:11

@Felix - Thankyou for highlighting the beheading incident in Afghanistan. You are trying to suggest that this example polarizes the original post with that and makes it equal.

I think nobody has commented on it yet because they are rational and intelligent to know the difference between a digusting incident happening within a modern military and one happening within a backwards regime.

I think you harbour anti islam sentiments.

Shame on you.

felix
17 August 2010 at 11:19

'Not Funny'

Who justified it?

What is taking place in this picture?

Is she torturing anyone is she brutalizing them or beating them,is she decapitating anyone?Is she holding up her bloody hands for all the world to see?

NO

I wonder who is really spitting drivel you should be ashamed and angry at yourself for being such a moron.

But you are right,it's not funny.

felix
17 August 2010 at 11:36

Dan

"within a modern military and one happening within a backwards regime."

This comment is a form of racism what it says in effect is that they are a bunch of pre-modern primitives and that we should not expect civilized,moral or human behavior from them,is an Afghan Muslim any less of a human being than an Israeli Jew?

If that is not racists I don't know what is.

So much for being rational and intelligent.

As for Islam is Islamophilia now compulsory?

I am sure you feel that criticizing Christianity is just fine but Islam is some kind of protected species of religion that transcends rational criticism.

Shame on you for trying to suppress free speech with your emotive put downs.

Islam is not a race in case you had been led to think otherwise.

felix
17 August 2010 at 11:40

Dan

"are trying to suggest that this example polarizes the original post with that and makes it equal."

Far from it.

What I am saying is that these to act are in fact light-years apart, that you could even consider them to be moral equivalents beggars belief.

Dave C
17 August 2010 at 11:45

The Daily Mail have covered this story: http://bit.ly/9P8Caq

'These are disgraceful photos,' said Capt. Barak Raz, an Israeli military spokesman.

'Aside from matters of information security, we are talking about a serious violation of our morals and our ethical code and should this soldier be serving in active duty today, I would imagine that no doubt she would be court-martialed immediately,' he told Associated Press Television News.

frank
17 August 2010 at 12:39

-> Elin

Where are you from Elin? If I may ask? :)

guy_debord
17 August 2010 at 13:46

@Felix

Seriously mate, any time anything related to Islam is posted on this site, you're on here playing the keyboard warrior for hours. Do you not have a job? Anything better to do?

Max
17 August 2010 at 14:17

The 14 rules of How dopey, nutty, leftist muslim lovers debate:

1. Deny.

2. Lie.

3. Accuse the other side of something irrelevant.

4. Accuse the other side of something from another century.

5. Blame America.

6. Blame the Jews.

7. Blame Nick Clegg.

8. You made me do it.

9. Use Obscenity.

10. Insult.

11. Threaten.

12. Murder.

13. Use the F word, see nutty muslim Alesandra

14. Declares himself/herself the winner.

kingfelix
17 August 2010 at 15:19

Those Jews.

Brian
17 August 2010 at 16:54

Disgusting pics but hardly surprising from Israel. Has anyone ever investigated Israeli prisons?

felix
17 August 2010 at 17:22

61 comments and still no condemnation from anyone else of the summary beheading of prisoners.

No wonder islamist and the new left get on so well together.

what a strange world we live in.

2yyiam
17 August 2010 at 17:38

Of course it's condemned, but what's that got to do with this post?

The picture and another has been making headlines across all the News networks, so why does the author here continue to get abuse?

Double-standards.

felix
17 August 2010 at 18:04

2yyiam

"Of course it's condemned"

Who bye?

You?

I see no condemnation.

The NS has never condemned it.

Double-standards.

Frank Lansbury
17 August 2010 at 18:22

Felix...

Do you really have nothing else to do? Shouldn;t you be in school?

Frank

Doody
17 August 2010 at 18:34

@felix : Whataboutery personified.

Oh course, silly me. A truly revolting act in Afghanistan trumps anything that we can manage. If our moral, ethical soldiers blindfold elderly men in the streets where they live and then smoulder at the camera-phone in plain view, so we can then put these images on Facebook and discuss with our buddies how "hot" these guys are, this is clearly a not worth bothering about. The woman herself says so. We can take the land because clearly we don't go beheading those we oppress on videotape, and (hello @bodek_tzitziyot) these Arabs are lawless criminals who are getting off lightly, certainly compared to beheading.

Obvious really. Apologies for any confusion.

Alexandra
17 August 2010 at 19:21

Max clearly does not have a life - or a job.

felix
17 August 2010 at 19:44

@'Doody'

or should that be Maudoodi?

"A truly revolting act in Afghanistan"

SO BEHEADING HELPLESS PRISONER IS A REVOLUTIONARY ACT!silly me,

Smoldering at a camera-phone is far worse!

I think she smirking but who really cares.

YOUR GOING TO LOVE THIS.

THE KORAN SUPPORTS THE JEWS BEING IN ISREAL.

The Koran describes Israel as the land of the Jews.

“We settled the Children of Israel in a beautiful dwelling place, and provided for them sustenance of the best,” (10:93)

“O my people(the Jews)! Enter the holy land which God hath assigned unto you,” (Sürah 5:21)

“Dwell securely in the land of promise,” (17:104).

Trans. A.Y.Ali

Islamic Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi,

“A good Muslim must be a Zionist. A comparative analysis of Koranic and Torah sources reveals an agreement on the point that the link existing between Children of Israel and Land of Canaan depends directly on Allah's will, toward which we are asked to submit.

Allah constituted the offspring of Jacob . . . as heirs of the Promised Land.

Who would of thought it, as any one knows I am no great supporter of Islam but there it is in the Koran!

What a surprise,maybe Muslims should read it.

Max
17 August 2010 at 19:46

When mad, muslim dog, Alexandra shows her ugly mug on the New Statesman, you know its time to exit stage left !!

Some one, anyone, throw her bone !!

Before Felix knocks her clean out !!

Max
17 August 2010 at 19:50

Alexandra, mad dog muslim lover.

''Max clearly does not have a life - or a job.''

This is called self projecting her own personality on to others.

praha7
17 August 2010 at 20:22

Most of the posts above resemble those in the Israeli press in fact I imagine that's where they have been recruited from.Vile racist stuff most of it.

Alexandra
17 August 2010 at 20:24

Max you really are a obnoxious creep. No wonder nobody will date you.

Please do us all a favour and move to israel I'm sure you will right in over there you small penis bastard. The best part of you ran down your ugly mommas leg.

Alexandra
17 August 2010 at 20:29

To all the other posters, I am sorry for using such crude language - however it seems to be the only language that the thick racist trolls seem to understand.

Max
17 August 2010 at 20:42

'' bastard, the best part of you ran down your ugly mommas leg,thick racist troll.''

Like I said, mad dog muslim Alesandra projecting her own self image on her others.

Des Demona
17 August 2010 at 21:04

Just a couple of points. The first people all over this story were the Israeli media and bloggers. Eden what's her face is a stupid little girl and the attitude shown is indeed disturbing and does have shades of Lyndie England. She has been rightly condemned by her own authorities. The real point is the men in the background handcuffed and blindfolded. I have no idea of the background to this but but surely if they are detainees then handcuffs should be sufficient? It can't be so dangerous a situation as to blindfold them if smirky chops has time for a photograph?

We must retain the moral high ground. By we I mean those against the barbarism shown in other countries.

Alexandra
17 August 2010 at 21:17

Max lol you amoeba at least have an original retort. Its fun winding up trolls lol

Buckskins
17 August 2010 at 22:45

"As a feminist, EdWelthorpe: fuck off and die"

Note to self. Never piss off Laurie.

Buckskins
17 August 2010 at 22:49

"What a despicable form of torture.How truly cunning.Smirking a new form of Zionist torture. "

That's nothing. The evil Yanks stip the guys neekit and have dogs woof at em.

Max
17 August 2010 at 22:52

The 13 rules of How, nutty, leftist muslim lovers debate:

1. Deny, tick Alesandra.

2. Lie, tick Aleasandra

3. Accuse the other side of something irrelevant, tick Alesandra

4. Accuse the other side of something from another century.

5. Blame America, tick, Alesandra.

6. Blame the Jews, tick Alesandra

7. Blame Nick Clegg, tick Alesandra

8. You made me do it.

9. Use Obscenity, 100 % Alesandra

10. Insult. 100% Alesandra

11. Threaten. 100% Alesandra

12. Murder. Alesandra has probably killed a lot of patient, I dont believe she's a nurse.

13. Use the F word, see mad dog muslim Alesandra.

Alesandra = mad dog muslim troll

James
17 August 2010 at 23:05

Semite: Person speaking one of a group of related languages, presumably derived from a common language, Semitic (see Semitic languages). The term came to include Arabs, Akkadians, Canaanites, some Ethiopians, and Aramaean tribes including Hebrews. Semitic tribes migrated from the Arabian Peninsula, beginning c. 2500 bc, to the Mediterranean coast, Mesopotamia, and the Nile River delta. In Phoenicia, they became seafarers. In Mesopotamia, they blended with the civilization of Sumer. The Hebrews settled at last with other Semites in Palestine.

James
17 August 2010 at 23:11

Now it is clear that nothing is more anti-semetic than zionism, youtube Israeli War Crimes.

Max
17 August 2010 at 23:34

Alesandra ''Its fun winding up ''

God, you're boring and delusional.

James
17 August 2010 at 23:42

Now considering that Israel forces have routinely massacred thousands of defenceless men women and child civilians in Palestine, including over 1,115 in just 3 weeks of airstrikes in January 2009, and have proved themselves to be among the worlds leading terrorist state, can anyone give me a reason why the Mossad were not involved in the planning of September 11th?

Des Demona
17 August 2010 at 23:47

@ James

Can you give me a reason why you shouldn't be sectioned?

James
18 August 2010 at 00:10

@ Des well would you section BBC Middle East Correspondent Alan Hart for drawing the same conclusions? He has spoken out about the evidence for a Mossad involvement in the atrocities of September 11th in 2010. Youtube it: Alan Hart, Mossad.

James
18 August 2010 at 00:14

Nothing is more anti-semetic than Zionism. Israel is a terror state supported by the US and Britain. End the Gaza blockade.

Glaswegian
18 August 2010 at 00:20

The most shocking thing in the comments is those claiming she is attractive, she's not and what the hell is going on with her eye brows.

I've lived in Israel within rocket range of Gaza so I understand why Israel is touchy about Hamas rockets but mistreating Arab civilians is hardly going to benefit anyone. There'll be peace one day when both sides stop acting like assholes or a Mandela / De Klerk type character(s) appears.

I'm going to sleep now hopefully to dream of hot IDF female soldiers, blindfolds optional... ;)

Max
18 August 2010 at 00:36

arabs have fired 7000 rockets into Israel over 3 years.

Now that is shocking.

The new statesman seems to have a large nazi following.

Des Demona
18 August 2010 at 00:37

@ james

Ah yes, Alan Hart, 'FORMER' BBC correspondant and author of Zionism:The Real Enemy Of The Jews.

A big favourite of David Icke, another FORMER BBC correspondant and nutjob.

Max
18 August 2010 at 00:38

James

''Israel is a terror state, End the Gaza blockade.''

Nah.

James
18 August 2010 at 00:38

In Israel one has more chance of dying from a peanut allergy than a Hamas rocket.

Des Demona
18 August 2010 at 00:42

Is a Hamas rocket some kind of funghi?

James
18 August 2010 at 01:05

@ Des and Max it is sweet that you are trying to defend the Israel military. Poor nuclear Israel, with it's 4th biggest military in the world. If you bother to research the history and death toll in the region you will see that Gaza, one of the poorest regions in the world, with no military, has been turned into basically an open prison by the Israeli government and the blockade, the apartheid style wall, and the bombings, chemical weapons, shootings and prevention of food and supplies entering the region are evidence of not a war of both sides but genocide of the Palestinian people, most of whom live in refugee camps. If you make another feeble attempt at arguing this point then you are quite frankly compliant in this genocide. I'll leave the readers to decide what you are.

William
18 August 2010 at 01:14

@Mehdi Hasan

As a Journalist when faced with:

[Jim] what's your take on the images of Kurds gassed by Turkey?

Reply:

[Mehdi Hasan] If true, horrible and despicable.

'If true', you made no attempt to find out? No part of you (maybe the journalistic part) was curious?

Des Demona
18 August 2010 at 01:24

@James

Okj. I'm quite comfortable with that arrangement. Night night.

bodek_tzitziyot
18 August 2010 at 01:29

"...The real point is the men in the background handcuffed and blindfolded. I have no idea of the background to this but but surely if they are detainees then handcuffs should be sufficient?..."

One of the few intelligent comments so far...

Usually when there is a violent incident in an Israeli town or city, a shooting or stabbing or bombing, the security forces arrest all possible culprits in the vicinity, handcuff them and blindfold them, and then question them. Almost all detainees are released within a few hours.

The blindfolds are placed in order to disorient the detained and make it harder for them to deceive the interrogators.

The probable real victims are not pictured here - they are likely Jews who have just been killed and injured in a terrorist attack that took place shortly before the picture was taken.

Max
18 August 2010 at 01:38

''In Israel one has more chance of dying from a peanut allergy than a Hamas rocket.''

Oh thats ok then !!

Max
18 August 2010 at 01:41

''has been turned into basically an open prison by the Israeli government and the blockade, the apartheid style wall,''

Funny how you missed out that Egypt has a blockade on Gaza, James.

James
18 August 2010 at 02:42

@ Max what is your point? The Palestine border with Egypt is generally closed. The Palestinian people have been subject to the worlds longest military occupation by Israel.

The Israeli and Palestinian people could be living in peace now if it weren't for the power ambitions of the United States combining with the even more extreme ambitions of Zionist Israel.

Ending the blockade and getting essential aid to the people of Gaza is the first step Israel will have to take if they want peace. The Palestinian people are the indigenous people of their homeland, denied the right to live peacefully alongside those who came later.

felix
18 August 2010 at 04:15

James

your going to love this..

THE KORAN SUPPORTS THE JEWS

The Koran describes Israel as the land of the Jews.

“We settled the Children of Israel in a beautiful dwelling place, and provided for them sustenance of the best,” (10:93)

“O my people(the Jews)! Enter the holy land which God hath assigned unto you,” (Sürah 5:21)

“Dwell securely in the land of promise,” (17:104).

Trans. A.Y.Ali

Islamic Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi,

“A good Muslim must be a Zionist. A comparative analysis of Koranic and Torah sources reveals an agreement on the point that the link existing between Children of Israel and Land of Canaan depends directly on Allah's will, toward which we are asked to submit.

Allah constituted the offspring of Jacob . . . as heirs of the Promised Land.

Who would of thought it,his words not mine and I am no supporter of Zionism so it was a bit of a shock.

As any one knows I am no great supporter of Islam either but there it is, in the Koran!

What a surprise,maybe Palestinians and Muslims should look at it again.

It could be a basis for sharing rather than this fratricidal hatred that seems to have no end.

If they are all children of Abraham as they claim they should set an example to us poor heathens.

By making it a true Holy Land.

I hope that is what their God would want.

Don't you.

swss
18 August 2010 at 04:58

"The charge of 'Islamophobia' is all too often used not to highlight racism but to silence critics of Islam."

Of course, nothing like when criticizing Israeli policy is equated with anti-semitism.

Felix & Max what a pair of tiresome trolls. Why do you bother coming onto this site? The BNP website has a comments section too - I imagine you would be most welcome.

felix
18 August 2010 at 11:04

Does anyone one have a solution to the global game of pass the hate parcel?

The Germans felt humiliated so they brutalized the Jews ,the Jews having being persecuted virtually to the point of extinction are now surround by enemies, brutalize the Palestinians.

The Palestinians say they will not sleep until there is not one Jew left in Israel and so this tragic

saga continues.

When will we ever learn,we live on a ball a sphere a globe.

That says it all.

Whatever goes around comes around.

Compassion is in fact enlightened self interest in disguise.

Unfortunately the problem is that for it to work it seems that it may have to be reciprocal?

"You see, I do something good for three people. And then when they ask how they can pay it back, I say they have to Pay It Forward. To three more people. Each. So nine people get helped. Then those people have to do twenty-seven." He turned on the calculator, punched in a few numbers. "Then it sort of spreads out, see. To eighty-one. Then two hundred forty-three. Then seven hundred twenty-nine. Then two thousand, one hundred eighty-seven. See how big it gets?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward

"You don't pay love back; you pay it forward."

treborc
18 August 2010 at 14:07

The sad fact in what context was this photo taken, if it was like the America soldier making fun of naked prisoners in Iraq I think it was wrong, but this photo could have been taken by her boy friend and the prisoners who are behind her could be well anyone from rapist to murders, to well yes innocent people.

But taking a photo out of context like this well it can mean anything

Sciamachy
18 August 2010 at 16:32

I realise that displaying photos of POWs is against the Geneva Convention, but these detainees aren't being humiliated particularly - they're restrained & blindfolded but they're clothed, seated & not menaced in any way. If I was taken prisoner by the IDF or indeed any army, I would prefer that photographic proof of life should exist, showing which soldiers are responsible for my care in their custody, than to disappear into God-knows where, potentially to be tortured, killed & forgotten with nobody held to account. The existence of photos like these proves that these detainees were in her care & should they disappear, she will be the first lead any investigation would pursue.

Hugh Markey
18 August 2010 at 20:28

The Bible is full of such feisty women. However, in the Hollywood versions they all seem to come to an unfortunate end.

I know, I know, it ain't necessarily so!

Rani
18 August 2010 at 23:23

Israil the illegitimate child of America will back....

gregor
19 August 2010 at 03:30

An 18 year acting like an asshole. This is news?

ConcernedCitizen
20 August 2010 at 09:42

I love the title of the article

"Shocking photo from Israel, via Facebook (!)"

As if the Israeli government: a)even has a Facebook account in the first place and b) assuming it did, from which it would stupidly sanction the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners and then c) assuming that conditions a and b hold, send these photos on the web for easy viewing access, all done against the backdrop of the international furore over the botched Israeli siege on the Turkish flotilla that did a hell whole of a lot to cripple its international reputation.

No you see you sheeple, the photo isn't from Israel, it's from AN (one) Israeli soldier who uploaded this photo on her Facebook account. To say otherwise would be to implicate the whole Israeli people in this immoral and illegal instance of the abuse and torture of prisoners. And it's a shame really that Mehdi and his cheerleaders DO think otherwise as they take great pains to distinguish Islam from the Islamist extremists who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

felix
20 August 2010 at 11:12

ConcernedCitizen

"To say otherwise would be to implicate the whole Israeli people in this immoral and illegal instance of the abuse...as they take great pains to distinguish Islam from the Islamist extremists "

Good point.

Jennifer Wilburn
24 August 2010 at 05:48

Really? exactly what does this picture show? A soldier smiling with prisoners in the background? So what is it that upsets everyone? Oh you can guess what she is thinking? You can Guess what she is about to do? Oh...so you can read minds by looking at pictures...well hell, we need you enlisted in the US Army we need people like that...thats just awesome!

markus
26 August 2010 at 10:07

Awful, but relatively minor compared to Israel's long (well-documented) history of torture of Palestinian prisoners and massacres of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians.

Surcouf
31 August 2010 at 00:37

This is not a discussion, it's group therapy.

The photo is aweful because the girl doesn't realise it is. Nor do many of these comments.

felix
06 September 2010 at 23:44

http://bp0.blogger.com/_Nvqzpq9ZfEg/SHORdeXisOI/AAAAAAAABmk/...+lynching.jpg

Here is a bit of reality therapy.Palestinians celebrate with the blood of lynched Israeli's on their hands in a Ramallah Police station.Some of the internal organs of the Israeli army reservists were thrown out of the window then the bodies.

To the cheering crowd beneath.Relatively minor compared to the long (well-documented) history of torture of Christian and Jewish prisoners and massacres of Christians in Lebanon by Islamists "Palestinians".

Do you not remember Damour Lebanon. Let me remind you. Arafat and the PLO plunged Lebanon into "massacres, rape, mutilation, rampages of looting and killings. Out of a population of 3.2 million, some 40,000 or more people had been killed, 100,000 wounded, 5,000 permanently maimed.

In January of 1976, the destruction of Damour, a town of some 25,000 was completed by the PLO within two weeks.4,000 died in battle or in the massacre that followed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damour_massacre