Online:
Visits:
Stories:
Profile image
Story Views

Now:
Last Hour:
Last 24 Hours:
Total:

Celebration and Exasperation on Deadliest Day of Gaza Fighting

Sunday, July 20, 2014 10:37
% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

(Before It's News)

As reports appear of Israelis gathering on hillsides to watch and cheer the military strikes on Gaza, Secretary of State John Kerry is said to have expressed frustration with the operation in comments intended only for an aide.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that 87 Palestinians were killed on Sunday. The Israeli military said 13 soldiers were dead.

The Guardian said of the reveling Israelis:

Old sofas, garden chairs, battered car seats and upturned crates provide seating for the spectators. On one hilltop, a swing has been attached to the branches of a pine tree, allowing its occupant to sway gently in the breeze. Some bring bottles of beer or soft drinks and snacks.

On Saturday, a group of men huddle around a shisha pipe. Nearly all hold up smartphones to record the explosions or to pose grinning, perhaps with thumbs up, for selfies against a backdrop of black smoke.

Despite reports that millions of Israelis are living in terror of Hamas rockets, they don’t deter these hilltop war watchers whose proximity to Gaza puts them within range of the most rudimentary missiles. Some bring their children.

Kerry apparently criticized Israel’s claims about the precision of its attacks on Gaza. The frustrated remark was caught by an open microphone ahead of an interview with Fox News:

“It’s a hell of a pinpoint operation, it’s a hell of a pinpoint operation,” Kerry, who was appearing on Fox News Sunday as part of a tour of all five main US talkshows, said to an aide on the phone, in a frustrated tone.

Israel has launched air strikes, artillery fire and a ground operation in Gaza. According to health officials in the Palestinian territory, 340 people have been killed, nearly 2,400 wounded and tens of thousands displaced in 12 days of fighting.

Ahead of his interview with Fox News Sunday, Kerry said: “We’ve got to get over there. Thank you, John. I think, John, we ought to go tonight. I think it’s crazy to be sitting around.”

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

Related Entries



Source: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/celebration_and_exasperation_on_deadliest_day_of_gaza_fighting_20140720/

Report abuse

Comments

Your Comments
Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

Top Stories
Recent Stories

Register

Newsletter

Email this story
Email this story

If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.