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BURMA TODAY ABOLISHED direct censorship of the media in the most dramatic move yet toward allowing freedom of expression in the long-repressed nation.
However, related laws and practices that may lead to self-censorship raise doubt about how much will change.
Under the new rules, journalists will no longer have to submit their work to state censors before publication as they for almost half a century. However, the same harsh laws that have allowed Burma’s rulers to jail, blacklist and control the media in the name of protecting national security remain unchanged and on the books.
Routine state surveillance
For decades, this Southeast Asian nation’s reporters had been regarded as among the most restricted in the world, subjected to routine state surveillance, phone taps and censorship so intense that independent papers could not publish on a daily basis. President Thein Sein’s reformist government has significantly relaxed media controls over the last year, though, allowing reporters to print material that would have been unthinkable during the era of absolute military rule — like photographs of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Information Ministry, which has long controlled what can be printed, made the announcement on its website Monday. The head of the ministry’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Department, Tint Swe, also conveyed the news to a group of editors in the country’s main city Yangon. The move had been expected for months but was repeatedly delayed as the government struggles to draft a new media law to overhaul the industry here.
Tint Swe previously said the censor board itself would be abolished when censorship ends, but Monday’s announcement indicated the board will stay and retain the powers it has always had to suspend publications or revoking publishing licenses if they deem publishing rules are violated.
Publishing laws
Nyein Nyein Naing, an editor from the Seven Day News Journal who attended Monday’s meeting, said journalists will still have to submit their articles to the censor board. But now, she said, they will be required to do so after publication, apparently to allow the government to determine whether any publishing laws are violated.
Those laws, in place since a military coup in 1962, include edicts prohibiting journalists from writing articles that could threaten peace and stability, oppose the constitution or insult ethnic groups. Critics say some laws are open to interpretation and give the government enormous power to go after its critics. They have been used repeatedly in recent years to jail members of the press.
Nyein Nyein Naing welcomed the government announcement, as did other journalists in Burma. But she added: “We have to be very cautious as (the state censor board) will keep monitoring us.”
It was not immediately clear to what degree continued government scrutiny could lead to self-censorship. Some topics remain highly sensitive, like corruption and alleged abuses committed by army officers during the previous ruling junta. Overzealous authorities could use the threat of prosecution to prevent articles from being published or exact harsh punishments for material they don’t like.
Late last month, the censor board wielded some of that power by ordering the suspension of two weekly magazines — The Voice Weekly and Envoy — for speculating on a still-anticipated Cabinet reshuffle. Those punishments have since been lifted, and the two magazines are due to begin publishing again on Aug. 18.
Shawn Crispin, the Committee to Protect Journalist’s Southeast Asia representative in Bangkok, said that “if the government is sincere in ending pre-publication censorship, it would represent a significant step forward for press freedom in Burma.”
However, if press laws are not reformed as well, “then all of these promises can be easily rolled back if they feel a free press threatens government security,” Crispin said.
Since last year, when the nation’s long-entrenched military junta ceded power to a nominally civilian administration dominated by retired army officers, censorship has ended on subjects such as health, entertainment, fashion and sports. Media outlets publishing such topics — deemed less sensitive — were allowed to publish without submitting their work to state censors beforehand.
Monday’s announcement means the rest — more than 140 newspapers and magazines focused on things like politics and religion — will have the same freedoms.
Tint Swe said, however, that independent papers were not yet allowed to publish on a daily basis, despite the change. But he added: “That is coming soon.”
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Israel has a right to defend itself. The reality is that Israel is surrounded by countries who’d happily wipe it off the map. The last thing the world needs is yet another radical theocratic country. Israel respects LGBT and free speech. The same can’t be said for the Palestinian Territories. There was a time when Jews had significant populations in Iraq, Lebanon and right across North Africa. The vast majority had to leave or were killed. The same was true in many European countries. Jews have been the most persecuted race in history yet people on here are so consumed by left wing delusion that they accept simple facts.
@Windom Earle: going by what you think has happened the Jewish population, why is it that they have completely embraced and now perform the very same atrocities on other races?
They have become the genocidal maniacs, the very ones that you give out about, yet you can`t see the irony in your comment??
Even the UN are suggesting they are committing war crimes – but you hide it all with, but, but, but look at history!!
Hows about looking at the PRESENT??
@Windom Earle: I think your closing argument should have read “That they DON`T accept simple facts”
or was that a freudian slip?
@Windom Earle: israel doesnt respect anyone
@Pixie McMullen: What genocide do you speak of? Israel has never been guilty of genocide. The last country guilty of genocide was Sudan. A country which had similar intentions to that of the Palestinians. Islamic extremism was also guilty of genocide in Armenia and East Timor. This religious fascism is still present and would consume every last Jew if allowed. That’s the difference between the two groups. Israel could easily but Palestine out of business but won’t because they know it’s wrong. Palestine and its allies would have absolutely no difficulty in wiping Israel and its people off the map, which of course they tried before and failed miserably. There’s only one group of people in that part of the world that deserve a state and that’s the Kurds but nobody defends them. Why is that?
@Pixie McMullen: You got me
@Windom Earle: So, did you ACTUALLY just say that the Kurds are the only people that deserve a state in that part of the world??
Does this mean you don`t believe Israel should have a state?
or is that another Freudian slip??
methinks you got out of bed and left your brain under the pillow for that extra hour
@Windom Earle: While spouting your bile, at least have the decency to not conflate all Jews or all Israelis with Mr Netanyahu’s murder machine. There are some in Israel who share in the disgust at their terrorist government.
@Pixie McMullen: Is being pedantic really your only comeback? I was clearly referring to a new state which of course you understood but reverted to your pedantic attacks which is all you’ve mustered on here. You can’t defend Islamic fascism and I can’t fault you on that one because there is no defence to it.
@Pixie McMullen:
All due respect, the UN is a joke at this stage, Saudi Arabia being chair on Human Rights Council says it all.
@LD: Well that goes without saying. There were some people in this country who would have described the IRA as a ‘murder machine’ and others who would have described them as different. Really though the truth isn’t black or white, it’s somewhere in between. Israel like other countries don’t get everything right but people on here can’t accept that they are surrounded by countries and countless groups who would commit genocide of their people.
@Windom Earle: You are lucky i am being pedantic, YOU are stuck in history and not the present, you condone Israels murder of Palestinians by pointing at history from 75 years ago and centuries before that – you refuse to accept or condemn Israels present day actions,
have a look down the comments section for some hard hitting facts about your Israeli war heroes and the use of the most advanced military weapons in the world against stone throwing children,
Check out the use of drones miles away from the border where they are dropping tear gas bombs on them – invading gaza to drop Tear gas bombs is NOT protecting a border fence, no matter which way you try spin it.
You are nothing but an Israeli apologist who clings to a history from before you were born to explain your case.
the likes of you make me sick
@Windom Earle: To be completely objective it would be reasonable in that example to describe both the IRA and the British Army as terrorist actors. The same can be applied to Hamas and the Israeli army now. It seems to me like you are attempting to paint Hamas’ defence as terrorism while defending Israels right to defence as legitimate. If I am misrepresenting you I stand to be corrected.
@LD: sensible comment, israel have a right to defend themselves but not shoot civilians.
@Pixie McMullen: Stone throwing? They launched rockets only last week. Stabbings are still a constant danger to Jewish people. If there is a concentration of terrorists in any area Israel is entitled to eliminate them. Nobody criticises the USA when they drone terrorists all over the world. Israel is doing the exact same thing. Support for Palestinian insurgency has really dried up since the world saw the naked face of radical Islamic terror with ISIS. Hamas and their allies would implement the exact same tactics if given the chance. It’s an utter disgrace that our taxpaying money is going to these nutjob groups. We should be funding democracies under attack like Israel and Venezuela and not encouraging the spread of radicalism and religious intolerance which is all we’ll get with Hamas.
@LD: Hamas isn’t even supported by a lot of Palestinians. Hamas has walked away from negotiations many times and are now content to play out a struggle whilst their wealthy warlords soak up international funding. Where are all the billions of aid money they’ve received? They’ve had enough aid to turn their territories into a Singaporean style area yet they spend the money on themselves and weaponry. They can never defeat Israel as long as Israel has US backing and they know this. Why then will they seek compromise?
@Windom Earle: Ya not all Irish supported the IRA either. As odious as the IRA was it was a understandable actor against brutish British rule that had reduced the nationalist population to 2nd class citizens. The same is true of Palestine. Whether you like it or not Palestine clearly has a right to exist, its people have the rights to live on lands that are more than a prison camp like Gaza. Israel along with western support has maintained this disgraceful injustice. I have the guts to acknowledge this right while condemning how Hamas goes about achieving it. You on the other hand have no such humility to codemn Likud’s terrorist war Machine. You are possibly too blinded by the evident hatred you have towards all muslim populations that you happily turn a blind eye to their persecution.
@Windom Earle: Take a look a Irish history we had it worse
@high ho silver: Really? Can’t remember when 6 million of our people were systematically slaughtered and I don’t think we had to endure pogroms like the Jews endured in the Russian empire. Then there were/are the persecution of the Jewish people in the Middle East and North Africa. On top of all those there have been countless terrorist attacks against Jewish people across the world by various groups, some not affiliated to any religion.
@Windom Earle: I have not heard of anyone from Israel being driven out of there home .The place you speak of its name is Palestine not Israel just because you persecute the people who live there and eventually drive them from there homes that does not change the name of the Country.
@Windom Earle: The English murdered over 10 million Irish stole our land stole our food yeah we had it easy
@Pixie McMullen: you just paint a world that fits your specious view..
@Victor Feldman: LOL, Not you again, …the guy with 3 Facebook accounts…all with the same profile picture, and just happens to pop up on anything to do with Israeli criticism –
Pro tip – If you are going to troll , have different profile pictures victor, there`s a good lad
@Victor Feldman: point out where i am being specious –
Specious = superficially plausible, but actually wrong –
point out where i have been wrong, did what i say happen and is happening or not?
Genuine question
@Pixie McMullen: stall the ball now a second, Israel use their advanced weapons to protect their population whereas hamas and co use their population to protect their weapons
15k Palestinians shot in one year at these protests. Astonishing number. Target practice from clocking on to clocking off for Israeli soldiers.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: and not a word about it
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: disgrace whats going on here,Gaza is owned by Palestine and they are been butcher left right and centre for it and the world doesn’t batten a eye brow
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: and shot for such trivial reasons as throwing explosive grenades at IDF soldiers if you are to believe sky news
@Thomas Sheridan: Murdoch digging the bottom of the barrel with apologising on behalf of his Israeli brethren. throwing ‘grenades’ from more than 700metres away? Not sure that’s plausible especially if the murdered include 3 year olds.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: in fairness – its still one of the most peaceful parts of the middle east when you look at its neighbour countries. And don’t delude yourself that all would be peace & tranquillity there in the absence of Israel
@Thomas Sheridan: 15k(50 perfect day) shootings over the last year on a group of people protesting, all victims on one side, is peaceful? That’s some of strange definition of peace. As for thé surrounding states, all these problems came from foreign interference, from the both the US and Israel, whose main objective is to keep the region as unstable as possible.
Israeli artists join Palestinians in urging Eurovision contestants not to play Tel Aviv
Ah the old Palestinian ,great for testing the Israel weapon manufacturers new products on ,battle ready battle tested that’s what they say.
@Robert: he was injured before at the border and then went back again !!!!
@SFNutters: what has that to do with anything? It just goes to show the strength of his convictions, what is it? first time you will be injured, next time you will be killed?
Jesus, you lot really are something else
@Pixie McMullen: Lovely that he has the strenght of his convictions but no common sense . I would not like to be target practice for the IDF not going to change anything today ……tomorrow …..or next week .
@Pixie McMullen: fool me once……
The Zionist are running out of ideas to demonise the Palestinian protesters, they are now resorting to the likes of this
Ofir Gendelman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Arab media spokesman, sparked a Twitter storm after he captioned an image with four veiled female protesters in the foreground as “ISIS women also participate today in the Hamas’ led riots on the Gaza border.”
He then piled on another highly dubious claim: “That’s no surprise because Hamas IS the Gazan branch of ISIS.”
How low is that? – He sees a Niqab and immediately declares them to be ISIS even though the 4 women carried Palestinian flags, and the fact that HAMAS are at war with ISIS.
Can`t trust an Israeli or their apologists to lie straight in bed.
There ARE a few brave exceptions to this rule of course, some brave enough to call them on their lies
@Pixie McMullen: I’d say he took this quote from Fatah Central Committee Member Jamal Muhaisen ”Hamas is a terrorist movement. Hamas is the ISIS of Palestine. Therefore we must get rid of this terrorist group, which controls the Gaza Strip” and ran with it.
@Clifford Brennan: I`d say go look at his ACTUAL tweet, rather than try to interpret what he said – the link is there Clifford, it`s VERY clear what he said, and there is no need for an interpretation from a bloke behind a screen thousands of miles away
@Clifford Brennan: here are his ACTUAL words, copied and pasted (for those who don`t use twitter)
ISIS women also participate today in the Hamas’ led riots on the Gaza border. That’s no surprise because Hamas IS the Gazan branch of ISIS.
captioned on a picture of 4 palestinian women holding their national flag dressed in niqabs,
to him Niqab = ISIS, How dangerous and ignorant is that?
@Pixie McMullen:
Wrong, Hamas were created by the MB in the mid 80s as an Islamist terrorist group, their primary objective was armed, military resistance to Israel.
@Candace: What?? where did i say anything about the MB?? what am i wrong about mate – sorry, i haven`t got a scooby doo what you are talking about, i think you are getting me mixed up with what i quoted from Nethanyahus spokesman
@Pixie McMullen:
Hamas may not have direct ties to IS, but it’s pretty clear that the two rival groups share a similar hardline Islamist ideology, and Hamas are prepared to use violence against fellow Palestinians to enforce it.
@The Great Unwashed: you Do know that Hamas are at war with ISIS, don`t you??
@Pixie McMullen:
What part of my comment disputes this? How does that make any difference whatsoever to the content of my comment?
@Pixie McMullen:
ps. many Syrian rebel factions were also at war with IS, but it never stopped you from peddling the Kremlin / Assad tripe that it was a single unified opposition group.
@The Great Unwashed: Errr, where did i say you were disputing it?
where did i ever say it was just Assad and Russia against ISIS??
you don`t think i can read and have been reading about the kurds and others protecting villages from being annihilated right across from the Turkish border a few years back??
you are looking for slights in everything i say, i really have you triggered, or else you have the horn for me, i don`t know what it is, but get yourself checked out about it,
you had a go at me saying i was making things up last night on the French protest thread – But YET when i proved it with video , you scuttled off back under your rock and never replied,
and here you go again having a crack and imagining slights that havent happened,
Skin up brother, take a break from chasing me
@The Great Unwashed: PS, you did say that Hamas may not have direct tie to ISIS – i reminded you that actually they are at war, then you lost the plot and started seeing slights that don`t exist
@Pixie McMullen:
Looks like you were the one who was triggered yesterday. The irony of accusing others commenters of petty name calling whilst calling them a ‘clown’ in the very same post must me completely lost on you. Not for the first time either.
The irony of you thinking that describing another commenter as ‘hook nosed’ wasn’t anti-semitic because they insulted you first was clearly lost on you too.
Still, I’m off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday – have a nice day.
@The Great Unwashed: LOL the irony of you bringing things up from over a year ago to get a dig in, while completely ignoring the point of me proving you wrong with video evidence and you scurrying off,
i`m wondering what banned account this one is now, because sure as eggs, you have been here before under a different name, seeing as you can recall conversations and posts going back years,I`ll figure it out some day
you venom for me, for some reason didn`t just start in March when your account was created, what did i do to piss the other account off? let me know , so i can do it again?
Enjoy whats left of your day, try to get me out of your head lad
have fun
@Pixie McMullen:
Ah Pearce, you seem upset because I was one of the people who called you out on a few uncomfortable home truths the other day….
Anyway, glad that you acknowledge the Kurds now – shame you forgot all about them when you spent months parroting the Kremlin line that “there’s no such thing as a moderate rebel”.
@The Great Unwashed: Ooooh, i`m still in your head… and i think i might know your old account, you just jogged my memory by mis spelling my given name – which i freely used until i changed it to my nickname ,
LOL did you think you had somehow found something on me??
It goes to prove that you are a new version of a banned account
I just happen to prefer Pixie, as tons of friends only know me by that name,
PS it is Pearse – after Padraig Pearse, maybe that`s why i am also a Republican.
skin up lad, you are obviously still obsessed with me. been thinking about me all day – that`s cute LOL
@The Great Unwashed: 9 hours later you come back….Ha Ha Ha !
#Obsessed
At least 9,869 Palestinians Palestinians and 1,263 Israelis Israelis and have been killed by someone from the other side since 2000.
At least 2,172 Palestinian children and 134 Israeli children have been killed by someone from the other side since 2000.
Since October 2015, at least 376 Palestinians and 52 Israelis and have been killed by someone from the other side.
This chart uses data from a 3rd party source and was last updated on August 11, 2018. At least 99,968 Palestinians and 11,949 Israelis have been injured by someone from the other side since 2000.
Keep in mind, that there are MORE than twice as many Israelis as Palestinians, and the figurs is something like, you are 16 times more likely to be killed for being on the wrong side of that massive US funded fence.
Is this picture reflective of what happened? The 20 year old who was murdered was on crutches and was 100 metres from the wall. You are giving people the impression his murder was deserved because he was throwing things. In reality, the man, like some journalists, medics, children and many others, was protesting against their land being stolen from them. And Israel killed them for it. If you’re looking for an appropriate picture, perhaps google, “sniper shooting to kill from safety”.
@Dave Gibney: they’re a lot more than 100m from the wall. Israel switched to using live ammunition because rubber bullets only reach 700m. Sick rationale justified when Simon Coveney only talks about the financial opportunities when referring to this humanitarian catastrophe.
Gaza is the worlds largest prison. shame on Israel. Those Zionist Jews are such racist people. They treat other people like dirt, but you say anything bad against them and they say you are antisemitic. They use this antisemitic bulls”it all the time. A bully is a bully doesn’t matter what race or religion u are.
@Leitrim303: are the Egyptians racist? They closed their border with gaza also.
@Seamus Mac: only at the behest of Israel’s puppet, the US, when they helped carry out the eradication of democracy to put their stooge in power. Mind you, Egypt aren’t picking off Palestinians at an hourly rate.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: the Palestinians ain’t attacking Egypt.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: why arent they attackjng the egyptian border if the egytians are US “stooges” as you claim?
@SFNutters: the Palestinians aren’t attacking Israel either. Unless you think these children that the Israelis are decspitating with live ammunition are threatening the fence(which is actually on Palestinian land).
@Leitrim303: they’re all semites bright spark
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: not attacking…all the rockets Hamas fire go where??
Headline and full article about a Palestinian man being killed by Israeli army. Small footnote, two Israeli soldiers were also killed. ??
@Hans Flouride: When was this?? – I can`t find any report on this anywhere – when did it happen? or are you re hashing old news?
newest reports all say December 13 2018
are you trying to pull a fast one hoping no one checks up the veracity of your claim, and you`ll just get likes?
post a link, there`s a good lad
@Pixie McMullen: There may indeed be some truth to this, there was two Israeli soldiers killed in an attack on March 22nd and, as you’ve already indicated, this hasn’t been widely reported. You have to scroll to the very bottom line to read about the two Israeli soldiers killed.
https://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-killed-israel-fire-ahead-border-protests-gaza-064319595.html
@Arch Angel: Are YOU seriously telling me that 2 Israelis soldiers getting killed would be a foot note on a report?? Seriously??
you`re argument is weak, and you know it
Even then it would be 10 days ago,
what about the 3 Palestinians shot and killed last night.
THIS is what you are alluding to – put it in context, this is DEFINITELY the 2 who were killed in December – your spin doesn`t work on me – and I will do my best to make sure it doesn`t work on anyone else by pointing out your manipulating words, you, Hans, and everyone like you
THIS is from that link you gave, the part you are talking about is a synopsis of events since this particular protest started – tell the truth, shame your devil.
“Thousands are expected to demonstrate on Saturday afternoon at various points along the Gaza-Israel border, one year after the start of regular mass protests demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees to homes now in Israel.
At least 259 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began, the vast majority along the border.
Two Israeli soldiers have also been killed”
your bullchit doesn`t work on me – i`ll find out what you are at and publicise it , by hook or by crook, believe me
@Arch Angel: There were NO Israeli soldiers killed on March 22nd ,. you are a liar, plain and simple, I DARE you to provide a link to back up that claim – i have used multiple searches, and believe me – if it had happened it would be EVERYWHERE – and Israel would have pulverised Gaza, and invaded, – you know it
@Pixie McMullen: To be clear, I’m not trying to tell you anything, rather, like you, I was attempting to search and see if there was in fact any Israeli soldiers reported killed over the past few days. And it does appear that some news agencies did report that two Israeli soldiers had been killed, in fact it is my understanding that one had been killed.
It seems the exact date was March 18th and the two killed by a Palestinian attacker were 19-year-old Gal Keidan, a soldier, and 47 year old Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger. Although I don’t see how their occupation matters.
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/two-israelis-killed-west-bank
May I ask why the aggression towards me, I’ve never treated you with any disrespect and, as far as I can tell, the only thing I have done to warrant this is disagree with you on this issue. I’d be more than happy to discuss and debate it, however I won’t tolerate abuse or threats.
@Arch Angel: I haven`t threatened you whatsoever – you are manipulating the truth – even now you do it with that link – that link is a blog and it says 2 Israelis, NOT 2 Israeli soldiers AND the blog is from FOUR DAYS BEFORE you say the 22nd of March – that link is dated the 18th of March – again, you are manipulating the truth – don`t try and deflect by saying i am threatening you, i am calling you out on your lies,
You cherry picked the part of the footnote out of a much bigger post and TOTALLY took it out of context, to sway it your way
Again i haven`t threatened anyone – just pointed out your manipulation of events
@Arch Angel: If you think me calling you out on your manipulation of the truth and cherry picking of parts of reports to make it a different report, is agression and a threat, more fool you,
don`t lie, and i won`t have to point them out, then you won`t feel threatened or aggrieved – simple
@Arch Angel: I will conced to you on the point that they might have been soldiers, but seeing as it is from a blog I will take it with a pinch of salt – but you must concede that what you did with the Yahoo link was way out of context and worded as if it was fresh news, when in fact it is a synopsis of events over the last year – and when read in it`s proper context can be seen for what it is, not what you want it to be
@Pixie McMullen: That ONE might have been a soldier,
But word your arguments properly, and stop cherry picking to suit your narrative – when you answer me with manipulation – that IS treating me with dis respect, even though you say you aren`t
@Arch Angel: This is YOUR post
There may indeed be some truth to this, there was two Israeli soldiers killed in an attack on March 22nd and, as you’ve already indicated, this hasn’t been widely reported. You have to scroll to the very bottom line to read about the two Israeli soldiers killed.
now you are backtracking, saying you made a mistake about the date, the people involved etc, etc,
Be honest, and none of this will be happening
@Pixie McMullen: eh, it’s in the article that you’re commenting on. The last line says two Israeli soldiers were killed.
@Pixie McMullen: Ok, you believe you haven’t threatened me, yet your exact words; ” i`ll find out what you are at and publicise it , by hook or by crook, believe me”. I’m going to assume you’re a computer literate young woman who has heard of google, just a basic search of “Gal Keidan” returns over 55,000 results, I assume you’re capable of doing the same.
You’re conceding me nothing, I’m simply posting links to what news agencies have reported, I’m certainly not manipulating or cherry picking them. It’s customary to post reports in pdf format, I haven’t posted any links to any such reports and couldn’t have cherry picked from something I didn’t post to…
The Yahoo News link you refer to was dated March 30, yesterday, and quoted such sources as Gaza’s Health Ministry, AFP and an Israeli army spokeswoman. I can assure you I was never asked for a quote.
I did say there were two Israeli soldiers killed on March 22nd, and clarified this was a rabbi and one soldier killed on March 18th, however I never said I made a mistake. I wasn’t trying to manipulate or hide anything. For future reference, I’d be grateful if you could please explain how in the world this somehow disrespected you, at no point have I been anything but honest.
@Arch Angel: I am not female for a start, You completely took the 2 dead soldiers out of context as it is a summation of events from the last year – 269 paletsinians and 2 israeli soldiers, i have already posted that particular paragraph to prove you took it out of context,
YOU STATED that 2 soldiers were killed on the 22nd of March, even though it NEVER happened – re – read your comments,
you CLARIFIED it afte i called you on it, saying not only did you get the dates wrong, but you got the personnel wrong as there was no 2 “soldiers shot”
I am not threatening you, the by hook or by crook – i will prove what you are stating didn`t in fact take place – if i hadn`t searched and then called you on it, you would NEVER have backtracked, and would have left that particular lie stand –
That is it in a nutshell – everything is there before you in black and white, evern you still deny you did it.
That link is to a BLOG, it even says it in the link – a blog is NOT a news site.
Seriously, have a good read back to yourself, it is all there in front of you
@Hans Flouride: You too are cherry picking words to suit your narrative and taking it WAY out of context,
That report where you claim it is a foot note is actually a paragraph detailing the deaths since last year when the great march started !
Here is that paragraph AGAIN
“Thousands are expected to demonstrate on Saturday afternoon at various points along the Gaza-Israel border, one year after the start of regular mass protests demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees to homes now in Israel.
At least 259 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began, the vast majority along the border.
Two Israeli soldiers have also been killed.”
This is the 2 soldiers killed last December 2018 – and you know it
you have been caught out sherry picking
Own it
@Pixie McMullen: now, explain to me how your actions have been nothing but honest please.
When you made statements like that, which you didn`t try to backtrack on until called on it – you stated a complete and utter lie – it wasn`t until i followed you up on it did you attempt to backtrack
@Hans Flouride: The last line says two Israeli soldiers were ALSO killed – you are even manipulating that one lol – you are incredible!
@Pixie McMullen: u need either a cuddle or to go out to Gaza and fight the “good” fight. Unhinged
@Pixie McMullen: I’m terribly sorry, I mistook your ‘nom de plume’ to be that of a young woman. I really don’t see the significance of your claims, you didn’t so much as call me out, rather you called me a liar and DARED me to provide a link.
I replied that “There may indeed be some truth to this” and the fact is that two Israeli’s were killed on march 18th by a Palestinian gentleman, one was a soldier and one a rabbi. You seem to be arguing that this is irrelevant as I got the date wrong. Really? The date is your problem? Everyone else would find the fact that they were killed to be somewhat important.
In truth I’m against all killing, my point was that if we’re to hold the Israeli’s to account then we must also hold the Palestinians and Hamas to account also. What’s happening at the moment is that both are being held to different standards, Hamas can operate with impunity, commit blatant fraud and misappropriate funds in order to secure weapons with which they then attack Israel. Their own people are treated as disposable cannon fodder. Israel are then forced into a situation where they have to defend themselves from attack on a daily basis, some on both sides in this divide view the other with open hostility, others will go so far as to dehumanise their opponents, comparing them to animals. However there are sane, normal people who preach peace and hope, they tried at least twice to give the Palestinian people almost everything they wanted. Their leaders preferred to sacrifice their own people to be at war rather than peace, we can only hope some day someone will seize the opportunity some day and peace will reign.
@Vote4Pedro: Unhinged for proving fact against fiction….cheers i`ll take that every day of the week mate
Israeli snipers fired live ammunition, killing and maiming dozens. This lethal response on 30 March 2018 triggered anger and disbelief across the world but has not stopped.
Thousands have bullet wounds through their legs. The streets of Gaza are filled with people limping or in wheelchairs. Children, journalists and medics have been killed, even when they were standing far back from the fence.
The UN has said Israel’s military may have committed war crimes, deliberately targeting civilians.
If we’re to accept that Israel has inflicted violence upon it’s neighbours then we must also accept that those neighbours, Hamas in Gaza, have also inflicted violence upon Israel, and their own people. If you’re going to say “yeah, but Israel killed more…” your argument is reduced to who is better armed, better at defending themselves or simply a better shot.
Acknowledging the violence inflicted by Israel while turning a blind eye to that of Hamas ensures a biased and unrealistic view of the situation is perpetuated, which doesn’t help anyone. It continues to give many in the West a skewed view of a part of the world we know little or nothing about, they then shout in indignation and put pressure on their politicians to boycott Israel and Israeli events in favour of Palestinian ones. This has the effect of giving political and financial support to Hamas which translates to more weapons for them to attack Israel – with their own people, knowing there is an increased level of Western journalists watching. And this is what’s been happening. They also know that when they order, and they do order them, up to 40,000 men, women and children to attack the Israeli border fence it can never end well. It’s not supposed to. And this is what they hope for, which is why they have their own cameras on hand to capture the events in high definition.
We’re not told that the borders to Gaza are controlled by Israel and Egypt, however Egypt rarely opens their border for security reasons, that there are multiple tunnels under both borders used to smuggle weapons, that thousands of rockets are fired into Israel daily. There have been multiple Israeli’s killed by Palestinian’s over the years, chosen at random, including children and babies. Various UN agencies and people working for them have been proven to be diverting aid to Hamas and/or working directly for them, aid people thought was going to the Palestinian people was actually going to buy weapons for Hamas. World Vision was a well known one. In other cases Missiles were stored in school buildings, often launched from them too. In 2014 Hamas killed without trial over 20 Palestinian civilians whom it believed were collaborating with Israel, in the same year journalists reported being threatened and intimidated by Hamas. They reported seeing Hamas firing rockets from the car park of the Shifa hospital but were too afraid to report it, on other occasions Hamas had taken cameras and other equipment. “It’s very simple, we did see Hamas people there launching rockets, they were close to our hotel, but if ever we dare pointing our camera on them they would simply shoot at us and kill us.”
@Arch Angel: Hamas would without hesitation wipe out every Jewish life if it could. But it cant. Israel COULD flatten Gaza and everyone in it if it chose to, but it doesn’t. My sympathy is with the Israelis in this battle for survival.
@Paul Whitehead: Well then it would be fair that England could have without doubt wiped out everybody in Ireland but chose not, so would your sympathy be with England…..
2 million inhabitants of Gaza are caged in an open-air prison, forcibly isolated from the rest of Palestinian society. These people have every right and reason to protest, yet are shot at with live ammunition when they do so.
Israel needs to find another way to secure a peaceful future in Palestine.
Their aggressive plantation of lands beyond the 1948 borders is a recipe for generational conflict.
The history of resistance to similar British plantation & suppression in Ireland & elsewhere proves that, as does the very similar ongoing Kurdish struggle for self determination.
Permanent security & peaceful co-existence will never emerge from the barrel of a gun.
have your say