US News & World Report says that the State Department report on international terrorism released Friday includes a subtle shift in its reporting on Israel: it includes UN estimates of civilian killings in Gaza, which State failed to itemize in years gone by.
In an article titled, “Does the State Department Terror Report Contain a Subtle Slap at Israel?” Matthew Cella of US News contrasts several reports by the State Department, beginning with a quotation from page 172 of the one released last week. Here’s the quote:
“According to publicly available data, the conflict [in summer 2014] led to the deaths of 2,205 Palestinians and 74 persons in Israel, among them 67 soldiers, six Israeli civilians, and one Thai civilian. The Israeli government estimated that half of those killed in Gaza were civilians and half were combatants, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) recorded 1,483 civilian Palestinian deaths – more than two-thirds of those killed – including 521 children and 283 women.”
Cella observes:
While unremarkable on its face, the disparity between figures reported by the Israeli government and figures compiled by the U.N. was highly unusual, as was the inclusion of a breakdown of civilian casualties – particularly women and children – among the Palestinians.
Consider the overview in the same State Department report in 2009, the first produced under the Obama administration. That document outlined the beginnings of the 22-day military campaign called Operation Cast Lead that started on Dec. 27 – but it did so with far less detail.
“By some reports, Israeli military operations in 2008 killed an estimated 782 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, including at least 315 by year’s end as a result of Israeli Air Force (IAF) airstrikes.”
The next year, the administration in its overview detailed even less about Palestinian casualties in the conflict.
“On January 3, Israeli forces launched a ground invasion. Hostilities between Israeli forces and HAMAS militants continued through January 18, and the Israeli withdrawal of troops was completed on January 21,” the 2010 report said. “Israeli officials believed Operation Cast Lead helped achieve a level of deterrence, as rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza dropped precipitously following the conflict.”
So State did not itemize these killings from Cast Lead, in 2008-3009– when Israel killed 1391 Palestinians, 344 of them children, 110 of them women, according to B’Tselem.
Cella goes from slap to jab on twitter: “Was Obama admin jabbing #Israel by including Palestinian civilian casualty # in terror report?”
I’d emphasize that these numbers are published in the context of Israel’s battle with terrorist organizations, per the State Department. It’s not calling Israel a terrorist. But Cella speculates that the change in these accounting methods is an “unusual implied criticism of Israel” and maybe even an indication that U.S. policy is shifting. Yes I know, a mere tremor. About 2 on the Richter scale. A straw in the wind. But we’ll take it.
To feature this as a sign that the winds are changing is sad as it subtly underlines the reality that the institutions that are crucial in maintaining the Zionist power structure will only not cede their influence easily. I believe the State department is heavily represented by Zionist sympathizers and some with dual citizenships. And then to read about Kerry making over 50 calls to lobby against Palestinian statehood at the U.N. serves to reinforce that belief.
A really disturbing development last week is also relevant. JVP has instructed its staff and other leaders to shun Alison Weir of ‘If Americans Knew” . I have heard her speak and follow her work. She is dedicated to bringing justice to the Palestinians along with exposing the insidious and pernicious influence of AIPAC and its undue influence in our government. I have cancelled my membership in this organization which apparently has Zionist in its leadership, which is very problematic.
This is the State Department report’s definitions of terrorism:
(1) the term “international terrorism” means terrorism involving citizens or the territory of more than one country;
(2) the term “terrorism” means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents; and
(3) the term “terrorist group” means any group practicing, or which has significant subgroups which practice, international terrorism.
Implications: Isn’t it clear from this definition that assassination and/or torture of noncombatants, scientists for example, by “clandestine agents” are cases of terrorism? And wouldn’t these “clandestine agents” sometimes be “subgroups” of governments? So wouldn’t governments, as an example of “any group”, that employ such agents be “terrorist groups”?
UN report on last year’s Gaza massacre and devastation says it was “unprecedented”.
What the hell are they going to do about it? Between Israel and Hamas these poor people are living in sheer hell. Israel will get away with genocide once again, thanks to the US.
“UN commission finds evidence of war crimes by Israel, Hamas during 2014 Gaza war
The commission’s report, which was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, says scale of devastation in Gaza will impact generations to come.
An independent United Nations commission of inquiry on Monday released its report on Operation Protective Edge, finding evidence that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes during the war in the Gaza Strip last summer and calling the devastation caused in the Palestinian territory “unprecedented.”
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.662389
Did Israel experience a slight impact on the face? That was a slap directed by the Facts. Uncle Sam has just reduced by a fraction its protection of Junior Israel from an encounter with Harsh Reality. Apparently, coddling Junior has not helped it learn how to play well with others. Perhaps this move by State is an indication of further reduction of the padding provided to the over-protected child. Separation anxiety can be rough.