Olmert expresses 'deep regret' over killing of Gaza children

At start of weekly cabinet meeting, prime minister says Israel regrets 'tragic incident which left a mother and her four children dead.' He stresses, however, that 'we are also sorry for our own children, who have been getting hurt for many years now'

(As have Palestinian children - only in much, much greater numbers ...)

Roni Sofer Published: 04.29.08, 10:44 / Israel News

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday expressed his regret over Monday's Israel Defense Forces strike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, which left six civilians dead.

At the start of the weekly government meeting, Olmert said, "I would like to express my deep regret, on behalf of the Israeli government and the State of Israel, over the tragic incident in which a mother and her four children were killed in Beit Hanoun."

He added, however, that "we are also sorry for our own children, who have been getting hurt for many years now, including the child whose leg was amputated several weeks ago.

(In other words, he's not really sorry. He ignores the fact that the illegal policies of HIS government, and HIS refusal to end HIS war on the Palestinians, which are to blame for every act of violence during HIS rule ...)

"We regret the fact that civilians are being hurt here, and we regret the fact that Hamas is operating from within populated area, exposing them to outcomes we do not intend to reach."

(Hamas is not 'operating from within populated area". Israel is attacking populated areas, fully aware that civilian deaths will be the result. Academics and diplomats have stated for years now that this is no different than intentionally targeting civilians.)

Olmert stressed that the IDF investigation into the incident continues. On Monday evening, the army appointed a colonel to reenact the incident and reach accurate conclusions.

(Perhaps a UN investigation would produce better results. We've all seen the result of Israel being allowed to 'investigate' itself.)

The IDF is sticking to its version that the family members were hurt as a result of an explosion which was caused by an explosive device or explosives carried by a cell of gunmen attacked from the air.

(Despite a lack of evidence, and the fact that the IDF tank fired on the house in question ...)

Addressing the Palestinian rockets fired into Israel over the past 24 hours, the prime minister said, "Throughout the morning hours the Qassam fire towards southern Israel continued, with one of the rockets directly hitting a house.

(This was, of course, their only response to the IDF attacks on Gaza, which murdered several CHILDREN.)

"Yesterday, 18 rockets were fired at the Gaza vicinity, and another house in Sderot sustained a direct hit. Luckily, not one was injured."

Olmert went on to address a possible truce mediated by Egypt, saying clearly that "I hope the terror organizations' brutal fighting will cease. I regret the fact that it continues.

(But he rejects a cease-fire, since HIS government, aided by the Bush/PNAC Regime, engineered this entire situation, with the goal of dividing the Palestinians, stalling the peace process, and avoiding Israel's legal and moral obligations.)

"I believe our regret is more real, sincere and painful than the regret of the terror organizations we are facing. But as long as the terror organizations fire at the south's residents, the IDF will continue to operate against them."

(Knowing that so long as HE keeps sending the IDF to murder children, the rockets which were the result of HIS government's Collective Punishment, will keep coming.)

Defense Minister Ehud Barak also addressed the situation on the southern front Tuesday morning. "Israel is in a state of conflict with Hamas, rather than in a hudna (ceasefire)," he said while touring the security fence route in Beit Arieh, near the West Bank.

(Right. Israel rejected a cease-fire, because it plotted this aggression long before Annapolis - or the rockets its actions provoked - and plan to keep slaughtering civilians and destroying infrastructure until and unless they are forced to stop.)

"Hamas is responsible for everything happening in the Gaza Strip. The operations also put civilians in danger. We are not happy when civilians are hurt, but view Hamas as the one to blame," he added.

(The rejection of the Palestinians' elected Government by the Extremists in the Israeli Government who have no intention of allowing a Palestinian state to be created, are actually responsible.)

Bodies of children killed in Beit Hanoun (Photo: AP)

Other ministers also referred to the issue during the cabinet meeting. "Hamas is using the children and the families as a human shield, but war is war and terror is terror," said Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai.

(Israel told these same LIES during their aggression into Lebanon, but were soundly refuted by analyses of satellite imagery.)

"Although we do not wish to hurt innocent people, but unfortunately this happens. We must improve our PR efforts to present Israel in a better way."

(HA!)

Housing and Construction Minister Ze'ev Boim said, "Israel must continue to develop means which will distinguish between involved and uninvolved populations. We must remember that not all the civilian population is uninvolved. The families in Beit Hanoun allow people carrying weapons to walk about between their houses and near their children."

(Put up or shut up ...)

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit wondered, "Aren't children being hurt here? Aren’t we in a state of war with Hamas? Every night children are injured here. We are at war and have no other way but to fight Hamas. I object to a ceasefire with Hamas which will allow them to continue smuggling weapons."

(I reject to a cease-fire, but I don't want to keep murdering. Honest!)

www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3537284,00.html

Israeli Attack Kills Palestinian Mother, 4 Children

winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?14129S

IOF shelling knock out Beit Hanun electricity transformer

April 29, 2008

GAZA, (PIC)-- IOF shelling of the Beit Hanun electricity transformer station during its incursion into the town in northern Gaza on Monday knocked out power in the area and paralyzed water supplies.

A Hamas statement on Tuesday charged the Israeli occupation forces with deliberately targeting the transformer station in line with the policy of tightening the siege on Gaza.

It said that around 200,000 citizens in northern Gaza spent Monday night in complete darkness and are still suffering from electricity outage and lack of water for 24 hours, which also affected work in hospitals and clinics.

Attempts to repair the transformer went in vain because the IOF troops continued to shell the vicinity, Hamas said, and held the "Zionist enemy" responsible for the catastrophic results of continued electricity blackout for the second consecutive day.

Meanwhile, the armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, fired a number of home made projectiles at Israeli targets surrounding the Strip in retaliation to the IOF crimes.



www.uruknet.de/?p=m43538&hd=&size=1&l=e

It would be interesting to see how close the murdered Palestinian family lived to this location ...