Israeli soldiers attacked protesters along the Syrian border with the occupied Golan Heights today, killing at least 23 protesters and wounding some 350 others. The protesters were marching to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the 1967 invasion of Golan.
The US State Department claimed to be “deeply troubled” by the protest march, and said that Israel had a right “like any sovereign nation” to defend itself by shooting protesters. Israeli opposition figures slammed “trigger-happy” soldiers for the large number of casualties.
Israel conquered the Golan Heights in 1967, along with the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. Though Israel eventually returned the Sinai (with caveats) to Egypt, and simply walled in Gaza, they have ruled out leaving either Golan or the West Bank.
It is the second time in less than a month that Israeli troops have attacked and killed large numbers of protesters along their northern border. In mid-May troops killed some 20 protesters commemorating Nakba, the expulsion of Palestinians from Israeli territory. The commemoration is illegal in Israel.
A protest march is no threat to Israel to the point where it has to 'defend itself' with deadly force. If the protesters in question crossed the border, armed, and began attacking Israeli persona and property, one might have a case- but so far we've not been told of any such activities by the protesters. Given the Israel propaganda machine's history, though, I'm sure such allegations will be coming up soon on your nightly news.
On the whole, it's just another case of Israeli thuggery- which, of course, they'll get away with as usual.
Gee, the US State Department is 'deeply troubled', and I'm sure it will be 'seriously debated', but that's what VETOs are for. The ultimate parody of democracy, ranking with Canada's 'non-binding referendum'.
Sorry for all the ironic quotes, but it's hard to discuss the 'news' these days without them.
Abraham's God loves you and has given you a great inheritance of land, peoples and riches…the Messiah Isa Amasih came from Isaac….and Jacob….God wants you to love and forgive Abraham and receive this straight path to heaven….throw away your hatred and bitterness and receive the fullness of your destiny…..Israel is the apple of God's eye and is why you know God at all…..Sincerely, Jeiel
Well…where's the land? Or does he have to wait until all the Palestinians are slaughtered to get it? Seriously, dude, haven't you seen the mess that religion has created? Why are you still clinging on to such primitive and barbaric fairy tails? Time to get a life.
The world needs a lot fewer of the crazy religious types who think that their crazy religion gives them the right to kill other people.
Christianity, Judaism and Islam all share the ten commandments. And first on the list is
T"HOU SHALT NOT KILL".
"Thou shalt not cross a fence" somehow didn't make the top priority list of God's commandments. But, "Thou shalt not kill" sure as heck did.
C'mon people, the God you say you worship got it down to four simple, one-syllable words for ya. How much plainer can he (or she) be?
Israel is a racist apartheid state and is a disgrace to all of humanity, 10,000 years of advances in law, justice and morality, and above all, its a disgrace to the 10 commandments and the beautiful Jewish faith. God would be disgusted by Israel
PS, i know god because of the beautiful inheritance he has given all humanity called planet earth and because i know the majority of people on earth are good and decent. Israel has nothing positive to offer me or the rest of humanity except teaching racism, apartheid, genocide and hatred to those without the intellect to know otherwise
Sounds like racism to me.
The only one Israel has to defend itself from is itself.
Unarmed people walking up to a fence is not an excuse for mass murder.
So what if even they crossed over for awhile into Israeli territory. Have troops there to contain them. But you don't have to shoot them. Since they aren't bringing truckloads of food and water with them, they couldn't stay long. Not unless they had someone with them to do the old loaves and fishes trick. But, that's right, Israel killed that guy too.
Walking unarmed up to a fence should not be a death penalty offense.
Nacists the same like HITLER
It is the same as last time. Those trying to storm the border were shot. Since Palestinians don't learn, they will try again.
Imagine if, instead, it had been a bunch of Palestinians that had shot a bunch of settlers trying to steal their land? Now, why don't you crawl back under that rock in the Negev desert?
Semites, Arabs or Jews, are a bunch of ugly fascist.
Kiliing, killing, killing is their mantra.
Just weird that the US is so much in bed with them!
Not "weird". Just due to the J-lobby.
With EU and US, backing of Israel apartheid regime and a falsified democracy from alliances off course Hillary Clinton and or Barack Hussein Obama will use no higher word then “deeply troubled”.., because they do not understand the point in using any other word.., it will heart them in election by AIPAC warnings that has been given to them beforehand. What I want to know is: where the hell is ICC Mafioso Luis Moreno-Ocampo chief prosecutor to say anything and wanting to prosecute any Israeli figure head when Israelis crime in humanity is as sun light and recorded.., where is this man.., he needs to be arrested for not doing his job. We have said that from day one.., US and EU diplomacy with Tony Blair negotiating is nothing but a Mafia like diplomacy protecting the boss of all bosses Israel, if Obama or for that matter the French and English want peace then they need to stop making any kind of deal with criminals.., unless they themselves are criminals. Boycott Israel by all means to achieve peace.
This is the new face of fascism. And it’s worse than the old. Today’s fascism is global, politically ‘centrist’, and contaminated by racial supremacism that seeks legitimacy through preeminent victim-hood.
Still worse, Israeli fascism has taken root in Washington, in international banking, and in Western news, film and television. Identify it and you get smeared.
Here in North America, Canadian, American and Mexican border guards don't shoot unarmed people who cross their borders without authorization. But somehow Israel gets a free pass to do what we ourselves don't. Simply amazing.
What can the USA say? When they are complicit with shooting and killing people in other countries who protest against their actions on foreigy soil, how can they judge what is legal or even ethical? Would the Israeli and American occupiers please go home and stop killing indigenous people. These occupations have desensitized their public and the world at large to the crime of killing other human beings. We will soon be back in the Middle Ages.
If my house, land and property were stolen from me I would sure try with all the means at my disposal to drive the burglers out. That's anybody's good right.
I have a question for all, what do you think Israel will do if 10 million Arabs marched to the border? This is coming within the next 5 to 10 years and there will be no weapons on the face of this planet to save Israel.
Sure people here, and particularly mehaphonies, will stasrt bragging that they can do it. But this will unviel thier true evil souls.
The Israeli military already discussed the possibility of really massive protests and conceded that there's really nothing they COULD do to stop it. The response to non-violent resistance is always the same, try to provoke them into violence and use that as an excuse for even more violence. If that doesn't succeed, they lose.
In the long run, Israel is simply not viable, not least for demographic reasons.
I wonder why I get the negative ratings.
The land that the IDF are murdering the protesters is not part of Israel. It is land that Israel grabbed after all parties agreed to a cease fire but israel attacked and moved up the Golan Heights. The Israel planted a spy in the Syria Government who provided the location of defense areas on the Golan Heights so the attacking israel could pull off the sneak attack after agreeing to the cease fire that israel proposed. It is time for Israel to return to the pre 1967 war borders.
Pre 1967 war borders? Whatever happened to the 1948 borders?
Ditz–who's side are you on?
Aside from the fact Israel is the major cause for US problems because they are ZIONISTS along with many in the US government.They kill people how are in no way a threat to them.The US talks about the right for peasefull proptests but when there is on against Israel its ok to murder.I was going to say kill but caught myself its flat out murder.The US needs to stop sending Israel money and support of any kind and then we will see the coward zionists panic.And for the people that follow the bible when it speeks of Israel being surropnded it don't speak of the earthly Israel it speaks of the Israel coming out of the sky not the evil Zionists time to learn what cristian religion really teaches.Killing is a sin and GOD will not help murdering ZIONISTS.GODs church is not 1 denomination it's all the peop[le of the world that love him and care for your fellow humans regardless of differences.People can agree to disagree.GOD will not support evil witch not all people of Israel are but many are.God punnished Israel for getting help from other places just like they do now and God don't change.I belive in GOD but don't blindly follow a religion man teaches.
I'm sure glad I did not contribute this time to keep antiwar.com on the air. My comments are usually denied publication in your comments column. I have a Ph.D. in Medical Physics, have performed research in the UK, Canada and the USA and have travelled much of this world and have a pretty good world view of current events. I can't understa;nd why my comments are so quickly disregarded.
Your not alone in that. I estimate half my comments are censored or published so late that they are useless.
I HOPE I LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE SOMEONE "SOCK-IT" TO ISRAEL.
As expect, the dogs of war are always barking in Israel. Imagine if, instead of the Israeli Death Forces massacring 23 Palestinians civilians, it had been Hamas or a distraught Palestinian with a bomb that had killed only one Chosen People(tm)? Oi!
So, I'd say that now is a good time for NATO to implement that no-fly zone over the entire country of Israel.
Killing unarmed protesters is pretty bad (the whole world is watching!)
But Lenin said: 'The worse the better.'
This action by Israel, like the governments' in Syria and Bahrain, seems to indicate that peaceful, nonviolent protest no longer works, at least in that part of the world.
So when will the UN sanction air strikes on the Israelis for killing civilians? Hmmmm? Just like the old Tootsie-pop commercials "The world may never know".
Wow, I'm hearing support for implementation of air strikes and no-fly zones on Israel. Lol. And I thought this was an anti-war website! Besides the fact that these actions would be imperialism 101. Imperialism is wrong whichever you put it. Imperialism is wrong against the Muslim countries, and yes it is wrong against the only Jewish country in the entire world, Israel. Yes, as surprising as it sounds, Jews are people to, and as a nation, they actually have a right to their own country.
"….they actually have a right to their own country…."
Israel is for Jews only or for Israelis? If for Israelis than it makes no difference in democratic society what is the ethnic origin of its citizens.
If for Jews only, then history will remind you of "for whites only"….and more.
Ditz fails to state whether the border was breached or not.
Oh really, what difference does it make? The Golan is occupied land, there is no border Tom.