Comments on: Anatomy of an anti-Israel hit piece

By: Tangaroa

Tangaroa — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:55:14 +0000

Paisley Dodds is the AP’s bureau chief in London.
http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Dodds_Paisley_128311527.aspx

Another version credits Dodds and Frank Jordans. I suspect that someone involved in the anti-Israel activist community approached the AP, found a favourable writer in Dodds or a stringer working for Dodds, and supplied enough of the story to set the framing.
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/israel-trying-to-dodge-151629.html

The lawyer trying to prosecute Barak was Tayab Ali, who has previously defended convicted al-Qaeda operatives.
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/lawyer-in-the-news/tayab-ali-acts-two-terrorists-claiming-torture

The whole Barak prosecution story seems to be that this one guy filed one baseless lawsuit that bounced off the first judge it saw. The deeper story might be how the lawsuit got as much press as it did. Then again, Orly Taitz and Jack Thompson got a lot of press without having much to back up their lawsuits. There must be a talent to it.

By: Diana Kolaczkowska

Diana Kolaczkowska — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:08:23 +0000

It is depressingly sad and positively irritating how boring these world-without-end attacks on Israel have become. For pity’s sake find another target for your spleen or you will certainly join the LIST of PERPETUAL IDIOTS, outranking all the others from any era. It’s just so UNCOOL, chaps!!!

By: Michael Lonie

Michael Lonie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:49:20 +0000

The Fourth Geneva Conventions hold that non-state actors can gain the protections of the treaties by acting in accordance with the provisions that state actors are required to meet. For example, their troops must wear uniforms or other identifying clothing easily distinguished at a distance from civilian clothes. Hamas, of course, does not act in accordance with the Conventions. Nor do the other Palestinian or other Arab terrorist groups. Israel does.

By: Alex Bensky

Alex Bensky — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:55:22 +0000

Most of the Gazan fatalities were civilians, according to Palestinian and NGO groups, says the article. Note they don’t even bother pro forma to add an Israeli denial. Suggesting that Palestinian sources haven’t always proved to be especially reliable, e.g. the hundreds of people massacred in Jenin in 2002, doesn’t stop them at all.

It’s a feature of the left that I am not sure I understand that leftists will happily quote as, you’ll excuse the expression, gospel truth from authoritarian and totalitarian sources, but simply disbelieve whatever comes out from an open society, much less express skepticism.

A possible conclusion is that many leftists themselves are authoritarians and essentially power worshippers. I’m probably being uncharitable, probably.

By: Fred2

Fred2 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:24:39 +0000

I find that it’s useful to actually ask people “Which law are you talking about”? They rarely know. Some will mention the Geneva Conventions but it turns out that Israel knows these Conventions very well and acts accordingly.

War is horrible, it’s the worst thing that people do; I’ve also found that if I acknowledge that, then it’s easier for people to understand that actual violations of “Law” did not happen in the recent operation in Gaza.

Many people do not know that “International Law” consists of treaties between sovereign nations, and that if a nation does not consent by signing a treaty, such as the Geneva Conventions, then they are not subject to the treaty.

Interestingly, Hamas and Fatah have signed no treaties about the laws of war, nor are they eligible to. This seems to mean they can’t be found in violation. They certainly are not shy about claiming immunity. This leaves the anti-Israel folks arguing that one side is bound by the law and the other isn’t. They usually don’t argue that point for long…