Massacre in Khuza’a

For several weeks, Israel has claimed that they are avoiding, as much as possible, the killing of innocent Palestinian citizens. They claim to have the technology to pinpoint their targets so as to minimize the suffering of ordinary citizens.

However, the reported deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians, 75% of them innocent citizens and more than 200 children, I’m having difficulty reconciling the Israeli claims of pinpoint targeting. Even U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated sarcastically, in an unguarded moment, “some pinpoint targeting.”

From my perspective, there are two possibilities regarding the high number of casualties and deaths among the Palestinian population.

1. The Israelis exaggerated their capabilities to pinpoint their targets and avoid killing and damaging non-combative Palestinians or . . .
2. The Israelis are correct in their assessment of their technology and the targets are, in fact, any Palestinian who is still breathing.

I opt for possibility #2. There has been too much killing and destruction of homes, villages, hospitals, mosques, and schools for me to accept these are due to the “fog of war.”

Let’s look at reports emanating from the Palestinian village of Khuza’a, a village close to the Israeli border in Gaza, as reported by Philip Weiss and Adam Horowitz.

Yamen Radwan, a resident of Khuda’a, reports that the massacre is still going on . . . there are executions of civilians and those wounded by Israeli forces in the streets of Khuza’a.

National Public Radio reports that a woman who escaped the village after ywo days in a basement, said that snipers were shooting people in the streets.

It has been reported that at approximately 12:30 pm, July 23, Israel forces that had moved into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, fired bullets and artillery shells at hundreds of Palestinian civilians who attempted to leave the village as there were reports about a one-hour coordination to evacuate casualties. Israeli forces fired also at ambulances and prevented them from entering the village.

At approximately 5 pm, 12 ambulances attempted to enter Khuza’a village, but Israeli forces prevented and fired at them.

At approximately 6:30 pm, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a house belonging to Dr. Kamal Abu Rujaila, which he uses as clinic, in Khuza’a village, as a number of wounded Palestinians went to the house seeking medical aid. A number of casualties were reported as a result of the attack. Medical crews were not able to reach the house.

At approximately 9 pm, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians in Khuza’a village killing two of them: Mohammed Barham Abu Draz, 24; and ‘Essam Ibrahim Abu Ismail, 23.

At approximately 6:50 am, Israeli forces fired at dozens of Palestinian civilians who raised white flags and attempted to leave Khuza’a village, and forced them to go back home.

At approximately 9:50 am, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motor cart on which a number of Palestinian civilians were traveling, attempting to leave Khuza’a village. As a result, four civilians were killed and another two others were wounded. The victims have not been identified as their bodies were burnt.

The above is merely a sampling of the horrors that the Palestinians are living and dying in. In all fairness, I have tried to be objective but these descriptions do not reveal an army trying to avoid citizen casualties.

All Palestinians are fair game, they are the targets. Israel’s goal is to rid Gaza and the West Bank of all Palestinians, so that they can fulfill their goal of a true Jewish state. This has been the driving force since 1948, when the Israeli military raided and destroyed as many Palestinian villages as they could and began their Jewish settlement program. By 1949, 700,000 Palestinians had been forced to leave their homes.

People get upset when I compare the Israeli genocide program with Germany’s “final solution.” However, instead of the Iron Cross, we have the Star of David. Instead of crematoriums, we have Gaza, an open air prison where Palestinians are locked in and Israelis can bomb and kill them any time they wish. It’s because the dominating Jewish ethos “no one has suffered as we have” allows the Jewish community to accept this slaughter. The holocaust has become the cover for all the current atrocities committed by Israel. What the Jewish community has difficulty accepting, is that they are no longer the victims . . . they are now the victimizers.

Dave Alpert has masters degrees in social work, educational administration, and psychology. He spent his career working with troubled inner city adolescents.