Killing Civilians Is Wrong
Dear Editor,
In Gaza some Israeli soldiers saw the words ”SOS” ”Help Three Hostages” written on a building. Later on three shirtless men were killed even though one was waving a ”white flag.” It turns out that the dead men were Israeli hostages who were asking for help. I learned some things from television when I was a kid. One was that SOS meant that you needed help. Another was that if someone was in a warzone and held up a ”white flag” that meant that they were either surrendering, wanting to negotiate, or they wanted the fighting to stop on both sides.
What exactly are ”the rules for war?” I thought that killing unarmed civilians and destroying schools, hospitals, churches. and refugee camps were bad things and considered war crimes. I guess I was wrong. What Hamas did was wrong, but what the Israeli military is doing to unarmed civilians is wrong as well. Two wrongs don’t make a right. I think that it is wrong for any soldier to kill an unarmed civilian who is waving a white flag.
Chuck Mann
Well……..we don’t know all the facts about the incident – please don’t take the American media’s word for it……it’s usually worthless. Hamas lies……..repeatedly…….ignore what they say. Israel must take out Hamas……their stated goal is to destroy Israel……they’ve said it……sure they are liars……but, in this case, considering their history, Israel better take them at their word. Did civilians dies during the bombing of Dresden? Did civilians die when Tokyo was firebombed? Did civilians die when “shock and awe” took place in Baghdad in 2003? You get my drift here Chuck? Why aren’t Arab (muslim) nations airlifting or transporting civilians who want to leave Gaza? Figure that one out Chuck and you might have a different perspective on things. I support Israel’s military operation into Gaza. It IS a question of self-defence……..PERIOD. By the way, there are NO churches in Gaza.
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Was the letter written by a ten year old?
Ranger Rick
Come on Miller………you can do better than that…….uhh?
Certainly no Israeli would intentionally shoot a fellow citizen. I’ll be interested in the results of an investigation. One thing: I’ve never been in war. But given the fighting in close urban areas, I can imagine the adrenaline is very high and rational decisions may not always prevail. Secondly, I have no doubt some members of Hamas could dress as a hostage with a white flag to lure IDF into a trap or trigger a bomb.