[Styxx]

Originally posted by Splinter
Now that you mentioned it; I haven’t filled out my quota for this week of dead moozlims! I’ll be right back.

Take pictures.

[Rictor]

Splinter, how could anyone possibly benefit from running into a camp full of soldiers, unarmed. If it was Hamas or other Very Evil People, he would at last have had a bomb on him. What was he he going to do, karate kick everyone to death?

I don't know about you, but personally Gank's theory seems more plausible. This is relying on the fact that the man was unarmed, not really the best way to be if you're seeking to kill a large group of well armed enemies.

[Sandwich]

Originally posted by Gank
Far more likely there were no warning shots.

There are always warning shots unless a sudden situation of clear and present life-threatening danger pops up. Heck, even getting to the stage of warning shots means that there were multiple calls to the person to stop, both in Arabic and Hebrew. Plus, warning shots are first fired at a 60 degree angle into the air, then at the ground in the person's general vicinity, then at the person from the knees down.

And let's not forget that Ha'aretz is as left-wing as you can get, FFS. And you bloody well know that, too.

[Ace]

Originally posted by Sandwich
...both in Arabic and Hebrew.

What if the guy only spoke English?

[Jetmech Jr.]

Just ignore that comment guys. I think it was just an attempt to get a rise out of you two.

[Flipside]

An unarmed man, running toward a group of armed Israelis....

I'd personally be inclined to stop thinking about what he hoped to gain by running towards them, and start wondering who could gain from the media attention of an unarmed Palestinian being gunned down by Israelis, in this particular case.

[Splinter]

Originally posted by Ace


What if the guy only spoke English?

Well you see bullets hitting hte gournd in front of you are a rather universal language of sorts.

and might I just add to flipsides post.

[Rictor]

I don't think Ha'aretz is particularly left-wing...Not even specifically related to this issue, but to me they are firmly pro-Israeli (if thats what's classified as right-wing), though they do occasionally publish differing viewpoints, which I greatly appreciate. (I'm speaking only of their web content here). I guess you'de know better than I do, but judging from the style and content of their regular news reporting, I wouldn't say they are particularly pro-Palestinian or overly critical of Sharon, the Government and Everything, at least compared to the international standard.

[Sandwich]

Originally posted by Rictor
I don't think Ha'aretz is particularly left-wing...Not even specifically related to this issue, but to me they are firmly pro-Israeli (if thats what's classified as right-wing), though they do occasionally publish differing viewpoints, which I greatly appreciate. (I'm speaking only of their web content here). I guess you'de know better than I do, but judging from the style and content of their regular news reporting, I wouldn't say they are particularly pro-Palestinian or overly critical of Sharon, the Government and Everything, at least compared to the international standard.

Touche. Although Ha'Artez in print is firmly left-wing; I've discovered that Ha'Aretz web tends to be a bit more balanced.

Oh, and by the way, the report said that the man appeared to be unarmed, but as well all know, explosive belts aren't particularly obvious looking. SOP has IDF soldiers telling the Palestinian men to lift up their jackets away from their bodies to ensure they aren't wearing any explosives; if the man was running towards the soldiers instead of stopping and lifting up his jacket, I bloody well would have shot him dead, too.

[Gank]

What I was saying was it was more likely that somebody skipped the warning shots than terrorists held a mans family hostage and made him run unarmed towards a Israeli army base for no ****ing reason. You can call me an evil jew hater for suggesting it, but it makes more sence. Its not like its never happened before.

Flipside, your theory might make sense, except no one really gives two ****s if unarmed palestinians are shot down. Been happening for years.

[vyper]

They care when all the usual peace overtones are being made tho... it gives people something to moan about.

[Flipside]

Thing is, as the title of the thread suggests, this is an unusual and somewhat delicate stage. Everybody is looking for bargaining chips.

Possibly the groups most worried at this time are the 'Militant' Palestinian groups. They know that Israel will want to land on them the hardest.

I'm not saying this is what happened but it seems to me that, right now in particular, that any World attention on occurences such as this regardless of how it happened, buys these groups a little more sympathy vote.

[Gank]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4218313.stm
Fourth dead in a week, how did the others die? What that, you dont know? so much for the they're looking for sympathy card.

Flipside, all attention is turned on Iraqs elections at the minute, stuff like this barely makes the news.

[Flipside]

It's a pity, but it WILL happen, there are those on both sides who have known nothing else and are scared of what the change might bring if Peace broke out...

Theres very little details on that shooting, and I'm not trying to make excuses for the people that pull the trigger, or the policies of their governments, but I heard a beautiful description of America's poition in Iraq as 'The Sherrif of Nottingham to Bin Laden's Robin Hood'. It is easy to fall into that trap, and not just in Iraq.

For now, I'll keep hoping that saner minds than these will prevail in the talks.

[Gank]

Ya well I'll have the shotgun ready to collect the aerial sausage and rashers which will accompany the success of these talks.

[Sandwich]

Well, I just woke up today to read an SMS newsflash that Abu Mazen has gotten ceasefire agreements from all the terrorist factions. And yesterday Israel declared it would not initiate any incursions into Gaza, Judea, or Samaria. Sounds great. I just hope and pray that both sides can manage to keep to the agreement while the politicians hammer something out.

Unfortunately, I am reminded of the 76th Ferengi Law of Aquisition:
[q]"Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies!"[/q]

[Genryu]

And since the palestinian can't control each and every of the individuals in these factions, the first time a nutjob goes and kills himself with a few Israelis on the side, Sharon will go back to targeted executions, and the terrorist group will go back to their usual activity. Wanna bet that this is how it will end ? After all, this is more or lesss the same thing that happened each and every other time. That is, both side being assholish.

[Sandwich]

Of course, that's how it's going to end, but I'm still surprised at the outward cooperation Abu-Mazen is getting.

[Genryu]

What's bugging me is that even Arafat had managed to do something during the years of Itzhak Rabin. But, and I don't think you can say it isn't, it's mostly Sharon who made him a political paria, both internally and externally. What I'm afraid of, is that Sharon will pull the same with Abu-Mazen, and then definitely cut all link with the palestinian authority in general.
And yes, I don't like Sharon, the same way I don't like Bush. Doesn't mean that the population is as assholish as its leader.

[Sandwich]

One must take into consideration that during the years of Rabin, there wasn't the intensity of conflict that there is and has been for the past 4.5 years.