Voices

Views from elsewhere

Why Israel's action in Gaza is not "disproportionate"

Proportionality is not the same thing as symmetry. Israel must counter the developing threat from Hamas.

By Prof Alan Johnson Published 21 November 2012 12:51

Israelis emergency services inspect a destroyed building that was hit by a rocket, fired from Gaza, in the city of Rishon Letzion, near Tel Aviv. Photograph: Getty Images.

One of the most common complaints against Israel is that its response to rocket attacks from Hamas is 'disproportionate'. Several MPs, including Menzies Campbell, put this charge to the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, in the House of Commons yesterday. And it is easy to understand why: in seven days of conflict there have been five Israeli casualties to over 130 Palestinian deaths. We look for things to be 'even-steven'; they are not, and our British sense of fair play is offended.

No technology, however advanced, can remove the fog of war or the inevitability of human error. The death of a Palestinian family of ten on Sunday makes a mockery of easy talk of 'surgical strikes'. War is always hell and when a cease-fire is agreed there will be joy on both sides.

Nonetheless, the charge of ‘disproportionality’ is fundamentally misguided for three reasons.

First, in comparison to Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9, what is striking about the current military action is precisely how limited the civilian casualties have been. As of this morning, the Israeli Defence Force has conducted over 1,500 targeted strikes against the weapons caches and the command and control facilities of armed groups; on the rocket launching sites, the tunnels through which they are smuggled, and the terrorists who fire them – all deliberately hidden in built-up civilian areas. These 1,500 strikes have caused around 130 deaths and a significant number of those are terrorists. Of course, each civilian death is appalling. But the ratio tells a story: of scrupulous intelligence gathering, of the intensive use by the IDF of early-warning by leaflet and text message, and of a willingness to abort missions that would cause civilian deaths.

Second, in international law and just war theory, proportionality is not the same thing as symmetry. Princeton’s Michael Walzer, author of the seminal Just and Unjust Wars, put it like this:

Proportionality doesn't mean "tit for tat," as in the family feud. The Hatfields kill three McCoys, so the McCoys must kill three Hatfields. More than three, and they are breaking the rules of the feud, where proportionality means symmetry. The use of the term is different with regard to war, because war isn't an act of retribution; it isn't a backward-looking activity, and the law of even-Steven doesn't apply. Like it or not, war is always purposive in character; it has a goal, an end-in-view.

Proportionality, then, must be measured in part against the future: What is the value of the end-in-view to be achieved? What is the future threat to be avoided? Israel’s stated end-in-view has been rightful: to protect the citizens of southern Israel by stopping the rocket attacks. The developing threat to Israel from Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip must be judged by reference to both the power of the weaponry and the nature of the ideology.

As regards the weaponry, the pattern is long-established: periods of rocket fire on the citizens of southern Israel have alternated with periods of ‘quiet’ during which Hamas smuggles an ever-more powerful arsenal of weapons into Gaza via a pipeline that runs from Iran through Sudan into the Sinai. In 2008 Israel faced an arsenal of 5,000 rockets held by armed groups in Gaza. Today it is 12,000. In the past, Israel faced home-made Qassam rockets fired over the border onto the people of Sderot. Then Hamas acquired Grad rockets, then Qassams. On the eve of this conflict, Israel faced an arsenal of Iranian-supplied Fajr 5 missiles able to pound Tel Aviv. The question it faced was: what next?

As regards the ideology of Hamas, few things are more poorly understood among British politicians who tend to talk about Hamas as if it were a present-day version of the secular nationalist liberation movements of their youth. In fact, the Hamas Charter – its founding principles, operative to this day – breathes the worst kind of murderous hate towards Israel. It opens with the statement: "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."

The Hamas Charter targets Jews as Jews in registers both pious and profane. It cites a hadith in common usage among Sunni Islamist organisations: "The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdullah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him." But the Charter also includes passages of classic secular anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, accusing Jews "with their money" of being behind "the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there."

Of course, Israel could have decided Hamas was being ironic. Muhammed Deif said in 2005 after Israel’s disengagement from the Strip, "We promise that tomorrow all of Palestine will become hell for you." But perhaps he was just being discursively playful? Hamas ‘foreign minister’ Mahmoud al-Zahar said in 2006, "Israel is a vile entity that has been planted on our soil, and has no historical, religious or cultural legitimacy. We cannot normalise our relations with this entity." Just a play at rhetoric? And when Ahmad Al-Jabri (the Hamas military commander killed by Israel on day one of this conflict) called Jews "rats" to be killed in the cause of liberating "Jerusalem, the West Bank, and then Haifa, Jaffa, and Tel Aviv," Israel could have decided he was merely playing by the well-worn but essentially symbolic rules of ‘anti-imperialist’ discourse, and so not to be taken seriously.

If you want to engage in that kind of ‘translation’ then you will find abundant resources within western intellectual culture. Unfortunately it’s not like that in Israel’s neighbourhood. There, when someone says they intend to kill you, they probably intend to kill you.

It is also against these grim measures – of Iranian-supplied missiles, an ideology of genocidal hatred towards Jews, and what that combination may yet inflict upon the citizens of Israel - that ‘proportionality’ must be judged.

Professor Alan Johnson is editor of Fathom: for a deeper understanding of Israel and the region

Special Offer: Get 12 issues of New Statesman magazine for just £12

Tags: Israel Gaza

More from Prof Alan Johnson

View the discussion thread.

32 comments

Thu, 2012-11-22 15:00 — Rusila Ari (not verified)

Two quotes from the former Commander of the British Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Col. Richard Kemp, gives an insider view to civilian casualties in conflicts and especially related to Israeli-Palestinian conflicts:

“During its operation in Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.”

“The UN estimate that there has been an average three-to-one ratio of civilian to combatant deaths in such conflicts worldwide. Three civilians for every combatant killed. That is the estimated ratio in Afghanistan: three to one. In Iraq, and in Kosovo, it was worse: the ratio is believed to be four-to-one. Anecdotal evidence suggests the ratios were very much higher in Chechnya and Serbia. In Gaza, it was less than one-to-one.”

The role of civilians during ongoing operation Pillar of Defence is traditional one: Hamas and other Palestinian terror organizations intentionally target Israeli civilians and use the population of Gaza as human shields, storing and firing rockets from within populated areas. In stark contrast, Israel does not intentionally target Palestinian civilians; in opposite the Israel Defence Force (IDF) takes extraordinary measures to avoid Palestinian civilian deaths. This is the core difference between Israeli and Hamas approaches and in my opinion it will give justification to this discussion about disproportion.

One should also remember that one part of civilian deaths in Gaza might have come from over 100 of their own rockets which exploded or landed inside Gaza. Also there is confirmation that at least half dozen Palestinians were executed by Hamas.

Thu, 2012-11-22 16:43 — jankaas (not verified)

great, so the evidence shows that Israel cares a lot about civilian casualties.
you then provide more facts, indisputable ones no less; Hamas fires rockets at Israeli territories occupied by civilians, Israel takes care to try and avoid killing civilians.

what is missing from your post is an explanation why Hamas is using the tactic that they are. why don't Hamas use their drones to survey target areas, pass that data down their communications network so that their airforce can launch surgical strikes deep into Israeli territory at the Israeli military and so avoid civilian casualties? or perhaps use their tanks and ground forces to invade Israel for a face to face battle? why on earth don't Hamas engage their enemy in such a manner?

any thoughts Rusila?

Thu, 2012-11-22 09:13 — New statesman II (not verified)

Israel needs to invade and occupy vast amounts of land and kill people, as well as break international laws and breach various human rights - because it's protecting itself from really bad people that will invade and occupy vast amounts of land and kill people, as well as break international laws and breach various human rights.

Its world war logic - the good guys can carry out as many horrific acts as they want, because they are the good guys, the bad guys aren't human beings, they are something else, apparently.

Thu, 2012-11-22 11:03 — JeremyEm (not verified)

"..Israel needs to invade and occupy VAST amounts of land..."

Getting a bit carried away there THU. Israel is tiny, the West Bank and Gaza are both tiny - don't you have an atlas at your place?

Thu, 2012-11-22 01:29 — Fuzzy_Spider (not verified)

Israel has nuclear weapons it isn't supposed to, has used civilians, some of them children, as human shields, has refused to allow aid into the region for civilian populations, and has been the subject of UN mandates.

That isn't to say that the other side is any better, but lets be honest here the Israeli government have as much blood on their hands as any other tinpot dictator nation you care to mention. Until they are forced to dismantle their own weapons of mass destruction and disperse their army we will continue to see warcrimes committed against innocent Palestinians, as well as terrorist groups killing innocent Israelis in response.

Thu, 2012-11-22 13:14 — Pateroo (not verified)

OK Fuzzy let say that Israel the tinpot dictator nation dismantles its weapons of mass destruction and disperses it's army in an act of suicidal goodwill. Do you really honestly think that the people on it's borders will be happy to say "brill now we can all lived in peace", or do you think there might be a blood bath of biblical proportions because they have publicaly stated that this is their preferred end game? Your the discontent from reality and history astounds me

Thu, 2012-11-22 17:20 — fuzzy_spider (not verified)

No I don't think that at all, not after the way they have been under a hostile occupation for decades now. So we allow an international peace keeping force to step in and keep the two from going for each others throats.

The fact is that Israel has been pumping ground water out of the West Bank and denying food and medical aid to the civilian population for a while now. As far as I am concerned the Israeli government are a rogue state guilty of war crimes which should see them put on trial. Should such a state have weapons of mass destruction while its neighbours are denied them?

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:44 — Will Podmore (not verified)

Why does the New Statesman publish Professor Johnson's warmongering?

Wed, 2012-11-21 19:18 — PresidentD (not verified)

For the same reason they publish your comments, Mr. Podmore. For the sake of free and open debate.

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:36 — Julia Harris

War isn't pretty and neither is this conflict. Sometimes in life you have to fight for freedom and to be able to live in peace. Israel has had to defend itself against its genocidal neighbours since its inception through various wars. These conflicts have never been a matter of tit for tat, on the contrary the Arabs all wanted to wipe Israel and the Jewish people from the face of the map and history.

This genocidal mindset lives on in the Arab/Muslim world and is currently polarised in Gaza/Iran and within the Terror group Hamas.
We see all too readily how Gaza and Hamas has turned this small piece of land - that could have been developed into “the Hong Kong of the Middle East” a peaceful, progressive place that could nurture the families and people there. Gaza could have aspired too many things over and above what it has become. Instead the people chose a path of violence, hate and backwardness, instead of ever talking peace, prosperity and freedom.
There is no doubt the hundreds and thousands of rockets that have been terrorizing Israel this year was totally unsustainable. Did Hamas honestly think they could do as they like without any consequences? Did they and other morally bankrupt people on the left think they could get away with it?
As has been mentioned before, no other country could or would tolerate such action. All would have to use military force to weaken and defeat such an enemy. Without force Hamas and other terror groups would see a green light to setup rocket bases outside or within any kind of democracy as a way of making terror pay and work.
WW2 was fought to stop the rise of an evil doctrine and we are all much better today for the sacrifice of those who fought Nazi’s. Make no mistake Hamas and its Jihadi Jew hating mindset is an equally wicked and evil dogma. These barbaric people (Hamas) need to be crushed with immense force as they will not respond to rhyme or reason. As with the Nazi’s it is led with a psychopathic ego, hell bent on death and the celebration of it.
Why Hamas should pick a fight with one of the strongest Army's in the region show's a suicidal nature that is found within Islamic teachings and the Arab mindset. It is these teaching that led to suicide terror attacks, over 19,500 Deadly Terror attacks worldwide since 9-11 and with over 10 Million Muslims being killed by fellow Muslims since 1948. One wonders how it is only the relatively few deaths at the hands of Israeli’s (in self defence) that are “oh so well documented” and banded around in the press.
As we speak there are Hundreds being killed at the hands of Islamic extremists in Syria but they are forgotten, not listed or remembered as no Jews are involved in the killings, the Muslim world has a different view when there is “in-house” fighting.

This conflict is between the civilised man and the savage, one who is driven by sheer jealousy at Israel’s success and progress, when Hamas can only aspire to the destruction of it and is cloaked in dark thoughts that shows a clear divide between good and evil, right and wrong, something the left cannot or will not admit to when it comes to Israel.

Hamas are as wicked and terrible a regime as any of the others found in the Muslim world. Except when Israel comes up against it (Hamas) part of the world starts to support Hamas as if it were a partner for peace and progress when it is anything but that. The left also supports any group that hates the USA so this is also why there is a cosy relationship with the Champagne lefties guardianista's and the Islamic Jihadi terror Group, Hamas, rather you than me.....

Wed, 2012-11-21 19:44 — willoyen

I think a couple of quotes are in order here, to counter "Prof" Johnson's
(btw, is your title of 'Prof' intended to forestall doubts about your propaganda? oh, and did you get it in the Ariel Apartheid University of the West Bank?
The two quotes come from Chomsky, 2009 , on the slaughter in Gaza by Israel:
"Soldiers fighting in northern Gaza [2008] were afforded an "inspirational" visit from two leading rabbis, who explained to them that there are no "innocents" in Gaza, so everyone there is a legitimate target, quoting a famous passage from Psalms calling on the Lord to seize the infants of Israel's oppressors and dash them against the rocks. The rabbis were breaking no new ground. A year earlier, the former chief Sephardic rabbi wrote to Prime Minister Olmert, informing him that all civilians in Gaza are collectively guilty for rocket attacks, so that there is "absolutely no moral prohibition against the indiscriminate killing of civilians during a potential massive military offensive on Gaza aimed at stopping the rocket launchings," as the Jerusalem Post reported his ruling. His son, chief rabbi of Safed, elaborated: "If they don't stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand, and if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don't stop we must kill 100,000, even a million. Whatever it takes to make them stop."

"the 1999 Likud Charter - the program of current Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - is ambiguous. It declares that "the Jordan Valley and the territories that dominate it shall be under Israeli sovereignty." What "dominates" the Jordan Valley is not defined, but it certainly includes everything to the West of the Jordan, the former Palestine, to remain under Israeli sovereignty. Within that territory there can never be a Palestinian state and settlement must be unconstrained, the Charter declares, since "Settlement of the land is a clear expression of the unassailable right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel."

Thu, 2012-11-22 17:02 — Jim89 (not verified)

While I won't deny your quotes, the cries of hard line rabbis doesn't translate into Israeli state policy. Has the IDF gone on a murderous rampage? No. Has it declared holy war against Islam? No. It has been attacked by rockets and has responded by destroying the means of continuing those attacks with as few civilian casualties as possible, which given Hamas' human shield policy is impressive.

Can I ask, if you had the power, what would you command Israel to do? They face armed groups backed by a major regional power determined to destroy the Jewish race. Added to that, Palestinians in Gaza are forced to live in hideous conditions because Egypt and Hamas deny them freedom of movement. There are elements in the Arab and Islamic world who are happy to let Palestine suffer so they don't have to deal with it and it makes Israel look bad.

I have no interest in white-washing Israel's past but to call this act of self-defence an evil crime is ridiculous, either hold both sides to account or shut up.

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:27 — Andy Gill01 (not verified)

A very good article. If only Britain knew who Hamas really are, there would be no sympathy for them. Their racist and genocidal agenda must be exposed, because as long as they are in charge, there can be no chance of peace. We need regime change in Gaza.

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:12 — willoyen

yes, you're right there, Andy Gill01, just look at this: "In reality, [the checkpoints'] major goal is to harass the Palestinian population and to fortify what Israeli peace activist Jeff Halper calls the "matrix of control," designed to make life unbearable for the "drugged roaches scurrying around in a bottle" who seek to remain in their homes and land. All of that is fair enough, because they are "like grasshoppers compared to us" so that their heads can be "smashed against the boulders and walls."

oh dear, I'm awfully sorry Andy Gill01! I mistakenly thought it was Hamas' racism! oh dear....!

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:18 — Yadam

It is also against these grim measures – of US-supplied missiles, munitions, artillery, F16's, Apache Helicopters, billions of dollars an ideology of genocidal hatred towards Arabs, and what that combination may yet inflict upon the inhabitants of Gaza and OT - that ‘proportionality’ must be judged.

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:48 — Kaufman (not verified)

"...an ideology of genocidal hatred towards Arabs..."

oops...wrong way round I'm afraid. Have a glance at the HAMAS charter and you'll see genuine "genocidal hatred", believe me...mind you, you can easily find a mindset of genocidal hatred towards Jews anywhere in the Arab world...or in North London...

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:09 — jankaas (not verified)

most telling that your article fails to even mention how control (i.e. power) over this entire region is proportioned.
to an outsider like myself, not Muslim or Palestinian, not Jewish or Israeli, there is a rather remarkable disproportional level of control over virtually all factors of life in Gaza. perhaps i should finish that rather obvious statement of fact with the obvious statement of fact that Israel as an awful lot of control over Gaza, and Gaza has zero control over Israel.

from your article though this reality remains unmentioned, as if it could not possibly have any bearing on why this conflict exists and continues. such an ommission is simply unacceptable and makes a mockery of whatever level of gravitas you, as a professor no less, imagine you are bringing to this debate.

you are nothing less than a partisan hack imho. well done for having the NS accept your article, though standards have been slipping....

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:45 — Kaufman (not verified)

When you call the author a "partisan hack", what you really mean is that you prefer the usual sort of NS partisan hack, i.e. the sort who blames all the world's ills on Israel, and churns out endless antisemitic tropes coupled with a lame defence of Islamist extremism. Sorry that, just for once, you had to read something more considered and realistic that doesn't pander to your prejudices.

If you are getting antisemitism-disguised-as-"antizionism"-withdrawal, may I suggest a visit to Socialist Unity or deLiberation? Or maybe Stormfront? Or you could just hang on here - I'm sure Medhi "all non-Muslims are like cattle" Hassan will be around in a day or two to pen a scathing, racist reply to this article.

Wed, 2012-11-21 19:02 — jankaas (not verified)

i don't need you to tell me what i meant Kaufman. you clearly have not a clue. each side has their own partisan hack(s), and there is not a shred of doubt that the author of the article is one for the Israeli side. this is the definition of that label;

"Someone who cares more about supporting a particular party or ideology than
supporting what is morally right, or factually true."

i accept that each side has their champions, and prof Johnson is exactly that. no more and no less. but to pretend he is not prejudiced is pretty desperate considering his association with BICOM. why do you wish to lie about his intent? or perhaps you have no idea who BICOM are and how Prof Johnson is involved with that organisation?

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:00 — Commenter (not verified)

The difficulty with casualty figures is that we don't know how many of the dead (Palestinians) are blown up by accident when Hamas rockets misfire.

One of the ironies of this conflict is that Hamas and its allies have killed many many more Palestinians than Israelis - their intended targets.

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:39 — Yadam

Go on give us some figures then.

Wed, 2012-11-21 15:52 — Tussyisme (not verified)

The real question isn't about 'proportionality' but how and why most of the West has come uncritically to accept the 20-century creation of Israel on the land of another people. As for the much-trumpeted 'two-state' solution - why not one state?

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:40 — Kaufman (not verified)

"Why not one state?"

Er...because, as HAMAS keep saying over and over again, their primary aim is to rid the world of Jews. That's their raison d'etre. It's the opening part of their charter. By way of not much contrast Abbas has stated several times that any future Palestinian State run by the PA will be Jew-free.

So, in reality, if you're talking about "one state" you're talking about yet another Islamist hellhole where Jews will be slaughtered on sight. Sorry to disappoint you but it ain't gonna happen!

Wed, 2012-11-21 15:36 — Tussyisme (not verified)

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:10 — Martin Schultz (not verified)

Your post apears to undermine the "soft" anti Isrel position. They say it is about proportionality andof course no harm at all is meant to the state of sirael. No doubt you are flattered that Israel seems to take your position - i.e. NO - to any Israel at all - more seriously. As do I.

Wed, 2012-11-21 15:08 — Mr. Objective Observer (not verified)

... "First, in comparison to Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9, what is striking about the current military action is precisely how limited the civilian casualties have been."

Whats interesting is that you actually agree with the fact that in operation cast lead that number of civilans killed "was not limited" . Here are some numbers for Betselem : of the 1387 that were killed , 773 did not take part, 284 were police, 36 unknown, 330 took part. Bring you calculator and do some math, it should tell you that 76% of those killed were civilians and police.. or 55% just civilians without the police. If Israel was not targeting civilians with its weaponry, they I would say that a 24% success rate is a clear indication of their actual goal or the utter incompetence of their officers .
>>http btselem org download 20090909_cast_lead_fatalities_eng pdf

This time around, according to harry fear (you can choose to believe him or not, we will get the real numbers after this crisis) 135 Palestinians including 34 children have been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s assault on the strip and over 1,000 injured (nov20). Today the number is 149.... You wont need your calcultor now, but you will need it soon to calculate the israeli army dismal failure and rate of incompetence.

As for the title of your article, I mean it just takes an objective and logical observer a few minutes of research to conclude that you are (i) either oblivious or (ii) you are omitting imporatant facts. Rockets fired from Gaza can hardly be compared to Israels arsenal of F16s, drones, missile systems, iron dome, naval ships. Im not even going to waste my time to try to argue propostionality with you, but i will refer you to the following article

>> mondoweiss net/2012/11/dissecting-idf-propaganda-the-numbers-behind-the-rocket-attacks html

1- Ahmad Al-Ja’bary, 52 years old.
2-Mohammed Al-hams, 28 years old.
3- Rinan Arafat, 7 years old.
4- Omar Al-Mashharawi, 11 moonths old.
5-Essam Abu-Alma’za, 20 years old.
6-Mohammed Al-qaseer, 20 years old.
7- Heba Al-Mashharawi, six-month pregnant, 19 years old.
8- Mahmoud Abu Sawawin, 65 years old.

9- Habis Hassan Mismih, 29 years old.
10- Wael Haidar Al-Ghalban, 31 years old.
11- Hehsam Mohammed Al-Ghalban, 31 years old.
12- Rani Hammad, 29 years old.
13- Khaled Abi Nasser, 27 year old.
14- Marwan Abu Al-Qumsan, 52 years old.
15- Walid Al-Abalda, 2 years old.
16- Hanin Tafesh, 10 months old.
17- Oday Jammal Nasser, 16 years old.
18- Fares Al-Basyouni, 11 years old.
19- Mohammed Sa’d Allah, 4 years old.
20- Ayman Abu Warda, 22 years old.
21- Tahrir Suliman, 20 years old.
22- Ismael Qandil, 24 years old.
23- younis Kamal Tafesh, 55 years old.
24- Mohammed Talal Suliman, 28 years old.
25- Amjad Mohammed Abu-Jalal, 32 years old.
26- Ziyad Farhan Abu-Jalal, 23 years old.
27- Ayman Mohammed Abu Jalal, 44 years old.
28- Hassan Salem Al-Heemla’, 27 years old.
29- Khaled Khalil Al-Shaer, 24 years old.
30- Ayman Rafeeq sleem, 26 years old.
31- Ahmad Abu Musamih, 32 years old.

At 8:20 am, as a result to an Israeli inhumane attack on Deel Al-Balah, central Gaza, three people were killed. The list of murdered victims goes longer>>>

32- Osama Musa Abdeljawad, 27 years old.
33- Ashraf Hassan Darwish, 22 years old.
34- Ali Abdul HakimAl-Mana’ma, 20 years old

At 8:45 am_ 9:00 am, warplanes attacked several places including Rafah, Khan-Younis, and Tal Al-Sultan, southern Gaza, leaving three killed>>

35`- Mukhlis Edwan, 30 years old.
36- Mohammed Al-Loulhy, 24 years old.
37- Ahmad Al-Atrush, 22 years old.

In a series of attacks on several places on central Gaza at noon, two more people fell victim:

38- Abderrahman Al-Masri, 31 years old.

39- Awad Hamdi Al-Nahhal, 23 years old.
40- Ali Hassan Iseed, 25 years old, killed in an attack on his motorbike in Deer Al-Balah, central Gaza, at 8:10 pm, Novebmer 17.

IOF attack another motorbike in Deer Al-Balah at 8:20 pm, leaving two more killed:
41- Mohammed Sabry Al’weedat, 25 years old.
42- Osama Yousif Al-Qadi, 26 years old.

In an attack on central Gaza, to the west of Al-Masdar area, at 9:10 pm, two more people people killed:
43- Ahmad Ben Saeed, 42 years old.
44- Hani Bre’m, 31 years old.

At 9:40 pm, Israel attacked Qdeih family’s house in west Khan-Younis, Southern Gaza and a woman got killed.
45- Samaher Qdeih, 28 years old.
46- Tamer Al-Hamry, 26 years old, died after being seriously injured in an attack on Deer Al-Balah.

On November 18, the fifth day of the Israeli ongoing aggression on Gaza:

Israeli warplanes shelled the house of Abu-Alfoul family in northern Gaza, killing two children and injuring at 13 at least, mostly children and women.

47- Gumana Salamah Abu Sufyan, 1 year old.

48- Tamer Salamah Abu Sufyan, 3 years old.

An Israeli warplanes fired missiles at a house that belongs to the family of Abu Nuqira in Rafah killing one person:

49- Muhamed Abu Nuqira

An Israeli war plane fired a missile at a house in an agricultural land east of Bureij camp, in the Central Gaza Strip, killing one child and injuring 2 other children:

50- Eyad Abu Khusa, 18 months old.

Two people were killed, one of them a child, when an Israeli missile hit a beachfront refugee camp in Gaza City:

51- Tasneem Zuheir Al-Nahhal, 13 years old.

52- Ahmad Essam Al-Nahhal, 25 years old.

Medics also reported finding the body of woman under the rubble of a house in eastern Gaza City who had been killed in a strike earlier in the morning.

53- Nawal Abdelaal, 52 years old.

At 3:10 pm, November 18, Israel rocked a house belongs to Al-Dalou family in Sheikh-Redwan area, west Gaza, killing at least 10 people, including 4 women and 4 children.

54- Mohammed Jamal Al-Dalou, the father.
55- Ranin Mohammed Jamal Al-Dalou, 5 years old.
56- Jamal Mohammed Jamal Al-Dalou, 7 year old.
57- Yousef Mohammed Jamal Al-Dalou, 10 years old.
58- Ibrahim Mohammed Jamal Al-Dalou, 1 year old.
59- Jamal Al-Dalou, the grandfather.
60- Sulafa Al Dalou, 46 years old
61- Samah Al-Dalou, 25 years old
62- Tahani Al-Dalou, 50 years old
63- Ameina Matar Al-Mzanner, 83 years old.
64- Abdallah Mohammed Al-Mzanner, 23 years old.
Soon after Al-Dalou massacre, 2 more were killed, a father and his son, in an attack on a car for water supply in northern Gaza.
65- Suheil Hamada, 53 years old.

66-Mo’men Suheil Hamada, 13 years old.

In an airstrike that targeted Nussairat camp after that two people were murdered and 10 at least got injured

67- Atiyya Mubarak, 55 years old.

68- Hussam Abu Shaweish, 35 years old.

69- Samy Al-Ghfeir, 22 years old, killed in an attack on Shijaiyya area, west Gaza.

70- Mohammed Bakr Al-Of, 24 years old, killed in an attack on Al-Yarmouk st. in Gaza city.

At 8:00 pm, November 18, the ministry of health in Gaza has reported that Israel has risen the death toll in Gaza to 69, including 20 children, 8 women, and 9 elderly people. Moreover, Over 660 person got injured since Wednesday, including 224 children, 113 women, and 50 elderly people.
At 10:00 pm, November 18, an Israeli warplane attacked a motorbike near the ministry of finance roundabout, west Gaza, killing a father and his son:
71- Ahmad Abu Amra, 42 years old.
72- Nabil Ahmad Abu Amra, 20 years old.
At 10:10 pm, November 18, an Israeli warplane rocked a house belong to Nasser family near Abu-Sharekh crossroad in northern Gaza, killing a child and his father.
73- Hussein Jalal Nasser, 8 years old.

74- Jalal Nasser, 35 years old.

On November 19, the sixth day of the Israeli ongoing aggression on Gaza:

At 12:10 am, an Israeli warplane attacked Mahmoud Al-Hashash house in Rafah killing one woman.

75- Sabha Al-Hashash, 60 years old.

At 1:00 am, an Israeli warplane rocked a car in Rafah killing two people:

76- Saif Al-Deen Sadeq.

77- Hussam Al-Zeiny.

78- Emad Abu Hamda, 30 years old, killed after being seriously injured in as a drone fired a rocket at Beach camp, west Gaza.

79- Mohammed Jindiyya, mentally disabled, killed in an attack on Helles roundabout in Shijaiyya, west Gaza.

At 4:10 am, Israel committed another atrocious crime shelling a house belong to Azzam family that is full of children. 3 people were killed in this attack and at least 40 injured. Medics said that more than 15 children have arrived Shifaa hospital, three of them are in a very critical condition.

80- Mohammed Iyad Abu Zour, 4 years old.

81- Nisma Abu Zour, 19 years old.

82-Sahar Abu Zour

83- Ahed Al-Qattaty, 38 years old.

84- Al-Abd Mohammed Al-Attar, killed in an attack on Beit-Lahya, northern Gaza at 6:00 am.

85- Rama Al-Shandi, 1 YEAR OLD, killed as four F16s airstrikes hit former security compound Al-Saraya in Gaza City.

In an Israeli attack on Al-Qarara area to the south of the Gaza Strip, two farmers were killed at 8:50 am. In the same attack, a 4-year-old girl was seriously injured.

86. Ibrahim Suleiman al-Astal, 46 years old.

87. Omar Mahmoud Mohammed al-Astal, 14 years old.

As a warplane rocked a motorbike in Khan-Younis, southern the Gaza Strip, two people were killed:

88. Abdullah Harb Abu Khater, 21 years old.

89. Mahmoud Saeed Abu Khater, 34 years old.

An Apache warplane fired a rocket at a car in Al-Berka street in Deer Al-Balah, killing three people:

90. Rashid Alyan Abu Amra, 45 years old.

91. Amin Zuhdi Bashir, 40 years old.

92. Tamer Rushdi Bashir, 30 years old

93- Hussam Abdeljawad, killed as an F16 rocked his car in Saftawi street, northern Gaza, at 2:25 pm.

94- Ramadan Ahmad Mahmoud, 20 years old, died this morning after being seriously injured in an attack that hit Al-Maghazi camp, two days ago.

95- Mohammed Riyad Shamallakh, 23 years old, killed as IOF targeted a car in Tal Al-Hawa, southern Gaza city.

At around 4 am, two people were killed as an Israeli warplane fired a missile that hit Al-Nusseirat Camp, to the west of Gaza city.

96- A’ed Radi

97- Ameer Al-Malahi

In an attack on Al-Shorouq building in Gaza City which contains several media offices, 2 were killed and 3 journalists were seriously injured.

98- Ramez Harb

99- Salem Sweilem

100- Muhammed Ziyad Tbeil, 25 years old, killed in an attack than hit central Gaza.

At 6:55 pm, an Israeli warplane attacked Al-Bureij camp killing two people:

101- Arkan Harbi Abu Kmeil

102- Ibrahim Mahmoud Al-Hawajri

At around 8:00 pm, an Israeli warplane shelled Shhada family’s house in Nusairat camp killing two people from the same family.

103- Khalil Shhada

104- Osama Shhada

At around 9:00 pm, Israel committed another massacre against Hjazi family killing a father and his two sons, and injuring at least 15, most of them are children and women.

106- Suhaib Fo’ad Hjazi, 2 years old.

107- Mohammed Fo’ad Hjazi, 3 years old.

108- Fo’ad khalil Hjazi

On November 20, the seventh day of the Israeli ongoing aggression on Gaza:

At around midnight, an Apache rocked a house in Rafah that belongs to Nassarsa family, killing two siblings and injuring 10 others.

109- Mohammed Tawfeeq Al-Nassasra, 20 years old.

110- Ahmad Tawfeeq Al-Nassasra, 18 years old.

111- Yahya Akram Ma’roof, 38 years old, a farmer killed at 9:20 am as an Israeli warplane attacked agricultural lands in Al-Atatra area, northern Gaza. Four other farmers were injured in this attack.

In an Israeli attack on an agricultural land in Beit-Layha, northern Gaza, at 10:10 am, two people were killed:

112- Yahya Mohammed Awad, 15 years old.

113- Bilal Jihad Al-Barawi, 20 years old.

114- Mahmoud Rezq Salman Al-Zahhar, killed in an attack on Al-Mughraqa are in the middle of the Gaza strip.

115- Abderrahman Hamad Abu Hamza, 22 years old, killed at 12:10 pm in an Israeli attack on Mokhabarat buildings, west Gaza.

116- Mohammed Abed-Rabbo Yousef Bader, killed at 12:20 pm as IOF targeted Abu Tama’a family in Deer-AlBalah, in middle the Gaza Strip, at 12:20 pm.

117- Ahmad Khaled Doghmosh, died in Egypt after being transferred to a hospital in Egypt for being seriously injured in an airstrike that hit Tal Al-Hawa on November 18.

Within 1 hour and while negotiating the truce between Israel and Hamas, Israel committed another massacre killing at least 14 people.

At 4:20, an Israeli warplane rocked a car in Al-Sabra neighborhood, leaving four people from the same family killed and torn to pieces:

118- Ahmad Jameel Hamdan Doghmosh

119- Sobhi Nemer Mohammed Doghmosh

120- Salah Nemer Mohammed Doghmosh

121- Musab Mahmoud Rushdi Doghmosh

122- Ameen Mahmoud Asad Al-Dadda, 22 years old, killed in an Israeli attack on Baghdad street in Shijaeyya, west Gaza at 2:30 pm.

In an attack on Kishko street in Zaytoon street, two children were killed while playing football in front of their house:

123- Mohamoud Rezeq Ashoor

124- Saqer Yousef Bulbul

125- Ayman Rafiq Abu Rashid, 50 years old, killed in an Israeli attack on Jabalia camp, northern Gaza.In the same attack, a 5-year-old girl was seriously injured.

In another attack on Al-Shawwa family’s house in Shijaeyya, west Gaza, a young woman arrived at Shifa hospital as charred pieces. 20 people were injured in this attack at least, 3 cases are severe.

126- Yosra Basil Murtada Al-Shawwa

At 5:55 pm, an Israeli warplane attacked a press car working for Al-Aqsa TV station in Nasser street in Gaza city killing two journalists. They were just holding their cameras, reporting on the ongoing attacks…

127- Mahmoud Ali Ahmad Al-Koomi

128- Hussam Mohammed Abderrahman Salama

At 6:10 pm, two more were killed in an attack on Beit-Hanoon, northern Gaza.

129- Mahmoud Mohammed Hussein Al-Zahry

130- Tareq Azmy Mustafa Hjeila

At 6:50 pm, an Israeli missile hit a car in Deer Al-Balah killing two people:

131- Mohammed Musa Abu Eisha, the manager of Al-Quds educational radio.

132- Hassan Yousef Al-Ostaz, 22 years old.

At 8:30, two brothers were killed in an Israeli attack that targeted a motorbike in Bilbeisy street in Rafah:

133- Ahmad Abed Abu Moor, 24 years old.

134- Khaled Abed Abu Moor, 19 years old.

At 9:00 am, two cousins were killed in an Israeli attack on Deer Al-Balah:

135- Mohammed Ahmad Abu Sitta

136- Salem ‘Ayish Abu Sitta

137- Shawqi Abu Sneima, killed as Israeli warplane targeted his motorbike in Rafah.

At 11:45 pm, two people were found as pieces in Al-Shouka area, western Rafah.

138- Ibrahim Ahmad Mahmoud Hamad

139- Mahmoud Kahlil Al-Arja

On November 21, the eighth day of the Israeli ongoing aggression on Gaza:

At 9:25 am: an Israeli warplane hit two places in Northern Gaza:

140- Abdallah Asseela, killed in as attack on Tal Al-Za’tar, northern Gaza.

141- Mustafa Awad Abu Hamidan, killed in an attack on Al-Shafi’y mousque compound in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

At 11:20 am, an Israeli warplane attacked a group of people in Khan-Younis, killing a child:

142- Ahmad Abu’liyyan

143- Fares Esbeita, 25 years old, died at noon after being seriously injured in an attack on Shijaeyya, west Gaza.

A young girl and her elderly father were killed at 1:30 pm in an Israeli attack on a group of civilians in Abasan area, west Khan-Younis.

144- Ameera Abu Nasser, 21 years old.

145- Ibrahim Abu Nasser, 70 years old.

146- Mohammed Adnan Al-Ashqar, 22 years old, killed in an attack on Al-Khuzundar gaz station in Al-Twam area, northern area, at 2:00 pm.

ِAt 240 pm, an Israeli missile hit a house belongs to Al-Assaly family killing a man and his son and daughter:

147- Talal Al-Assaly

148- Ayman Talal Al-Assaly

149- Hadil Talal Al-Assaly

Wed, 2012-11-21 14:48 — AAMVN (not verified)

Whatever the point behind this article the obvious fact is that Isreal is committing daily warcrimes in all the occupied territories. There will be no peace until there is a measure of belated justice for the Palestinians.

What 'end' does the Isreali policy seek - genocide? How would they respond if they were in the Palestinians position? We know the answers to these questions of course. They are obvious.

Wed, 2012-11-21 16:02 — AdamSG71 (not verified)

From your response, I detect this implicit message : Because Israel is putatively "committing daily warcrimes", it's perfectly for Hamas to randomly fire missiles at Israeli civilians...i.e., no justice for Palestinian civilians equals no peace for Israeli civilians. BUT because Hamas is definitely committing warcrimes (i.e., wildly firing off the aforementioned rockets), I can turn your arguments on its head: The unjust terrorising of Israeli civilians, Jew and Arab alike, leads to a lack of peace for Gaza. 'Round and 'round we go, with each side choosing its preferred cause for the selected result. This is why appeals to abstract justice fall flat in the real world of conflict. Instead of pointing fingers, a "second-best" negotiated settlement is the only way out.

Thu, 2012-11-22 08:55 — AAMVN (not verified)

No - not at all. Hamas are criminal too.

Wed, 2012-11-21 13:47 — Kaufman (not verified)

An excellent article. Am astonished and delighted to see it here at the New Statesman.

Is this belated balance to the disgusting "Kosher Conspiracy" issue? If so it's far too little far too late, but very welcome all the same.

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:29 — Martin Schultz (not verified)

I think they have lost the palm for anti semitic cartoons to the Guardian.

Thu, 2012-11-22 10:59 — Captain Bondtastic (not verified)

Can we just clear this up. We aren't criticising israel because they're Jews,but because they're 18th century colonisers acting on the explicit belief that if white people want something, then the fact that black/brown/yellow people already own it doesn't matter.