On Jan 13, 2009, at 9:04 PM, SA wrote:
> It's utterly amazing to see the kind of bullshit some Dems are
> capable of persuading themselves to swallow.....
>
> --
>
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/clinton-sympathizes-with_n_157487.html?view=print
>
> Clinton Sympathizes With Palestinians In Confirmation Hearing
>
> by Ryan Grim
Wow. He's a friend of Christian Parenti's - I'm surprised by this.
Anyway, I just got this from a repulsive PR shop calling itself The Israel Project ("Barbara Ledeen, senior advisor on Iran").
Doug
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 2009
Contact: Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi: 202-857-6644, jenniferm at theisraelproject.org Jennifer Packer: 202-857-6657, jenniferp at theisraelproject.org www.theisraelproject.org
Sen. Clinton Deplores Indoctrination of Palestinian Children and Hamas’ Use of Children as Human Shields
Clinton: No negotiations with Hamas Until they Recognize Israel’s Right to Exist
As Sen. Hillary Clinton begins confirmation hearings today (Jan. 13) to become the United States’ next secretary of state, one issue on which she has been both vocal and clear is her outrage over the use of Palestinian classrooms to teach Palestinian children hate and violence towards Israel and the West. [1] Clinton also has deplored the use of Palestinian children as human shields by Palestinian terrorists [2] - a tactic that Iran-backed Hamas terrorists currently are practicing in Gaza. [3]
Lanny Davis, TIP spokesperson and longtime friend of Senator Clinton praised her testimony and committment to the peace process in the Middle East and said, "Senator Clinton has been a tireless advocate for children around the world. We look forward to working with her on issues that will protect all children of the Middle East no matter if they are Muslim, Jewish or Christian."
At her confirmation hearing today, Clinton said the US would not engage in dialogue with Hamas as long as it refuses to renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist. [4]
At the root of the indoctrination problem, Clinton has said, are Palestinian textbooks and TV cartoons that glorify suicide missions and other means of violence and teach them that Israel should not exist. [5]
"These textbooks do not give Palestinian children an education; they give them an indoctrination,” Clinton said during a press conference on Capitol Hill in 2007. “This propaganda is dangerous. You know, words really matter…Because in idealizing for children a world without Israel, children are taught never to accept the reality of the State of Israel, never to strive for a better future that would hold out the promise of peace and security to them, and is basically a message of pessimism and fatalism that undermines the possibility for these children living lives of fulfillment and productivity.” [6]
Several years earlier, Clinton condemned Palestinian terrorists’ use of children on the front lines of battle, calling it "horrific child abuse." [7]
As Israel attempts to stop Iran-backed Hamas from its years-long campaign of firing rockets and mortars – more than 3,200 in 2008 alone [8] – Palestinian children and adults alike are being purposely placed in the line of fire by Palestinian terrorists. [9]
An Israel-Arab weekly newspaper article last week told the story of a child describing being used by Hamas as scouts, couriers and other support roles. "We the children, in small groups and in civilian clothes, are fulfilling missions of support for the [Hamas] Resistance fighters, by transmitting messages about the movements of the enemy forces, or by bringing them ammunition and food,” the child said. “We ourselves are not aware of the movements of the Resistance fighters. We see them in one place, they suddenly disappear, and then reappear somewhere else. They are like ghosts, it is very hard to find them or hurt them.” [10]
An in-depth study released this month by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC), "Hamas Exploitation of Civilians as Human Shields,” shows Hamas’ current and past use of children and other civilians as human shields, such as by firing rockets at Israel from densely populated residential areas.
The Israel Defense Forces also provided documented evidence through photos and videos, of Palestinian children being used as human shields in March 2008. Before attacking buildings Hamas terrorists used manufacture rockets, the Israel Defense Forces – to avoid civilian casualties – sent warnings to Palestinians in Gaza to leave the facilities; Hamas would then call on children and other civilians into and around the buildings. [11] Such incidents have been documented by Hamas’ own media. View clip 1; View clip 2
Hamas Parliament Member Fathi Hammad, in a speech broadcast Feb. 29, 2008 on Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV, said, "[The enemies of Allah] do not know that the Palestinian people has developed its [methods] of death and death-seeking. For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry, at which women excel, and so do all the people living on this land. The elderly excel at this, and so do the mujahideen and the children. This is why they have formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly, and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It is as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: 'We desire death like you desire life.'" [12]
Hamas has continued to fire rockets during the temporary humanitarian cease-fire imposed daily to allow a free flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, much of which is directed at children’s needs. Israel Air Force footage of a Hamas mortar crew operating inside a Gaza school compound, and a Hamas rocket salvo being fired at an Israeli city, during the three hour humanitarian hiatus on 8 Jan 2009: Download Play
Footnotes:
[1] “Senator Clinton Joins with Palestinian Media Watch to Release New Report on Continuing Anti-Israel Bias in Palestinian Textbooks,” Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Statements & Releases, Feb. 9, 2007, http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=269046&&
[2] Marcus, Itamar and Crook, Barbara, “Seducing Children to Martyrdom,” The Jerusalem Post, July 4, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885912208&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
[3] “Hamas Exploitation of Civilians as Human Shields,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC), January 2009, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/hamas_e028.pdf
[4] Clinton rules out negotiations with Hamas, AFP, Jan. 12, 2009, http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jHxrse1HSFMc4tFdmUrRrgZL1tcA
[5] “Senator Clinton Joins with Palestinian Media Watch to Release New Report on Continuing Anti-Israel Bias in Palestinian Textbooks,” Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Statements & Releases, Feb. 9, 2007, http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=269046&&
[6] “Hillary Clinton’s full statement introducing PMW’s report on Palestinian schoolbook[sic],” Palestinian Media Watch, Feb. 8, 2007, http://www.pmw.org.il/Bulletins_Feb2007.htm
[7] Marcus, Itamar and Crook, Barbara, “Seducing Children to Martyrdom,” The Jerusalem Post, July 4, 2006
[8] IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Dec. 19, 2008; “Iran-backed Terrorists in Gaza Kill 3, Wound Others in Continuing Rocket Attacks on Israel,” The Israel Project press release, Dec. 29, 2008, http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=hsJPK0PIJpH&b=3587015&content_id= {4F0CF025-98BF-4875-A59B-B1F5E4B079F7}¬oc=1;
Barzak, Ibrahim and Friedman, Matti, “Israel rejects truce call, pursues bombing Gaza,” Associated Press, Dec. 31, 2008, http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioi_0jtO9RjMwPNRoXNCndRPRq3gD95DQIEO0
[9] Ibid.
[10] Marcus, Itamar and Crook, Barbara, “Hamas using children in combat support roles,” Palestinian Media Watch, Jan. 9, 2009, http://www.pmw.org.il/Bulletins_Jan2009.htm
[11] “Hamas exploitation of civilians as human shields: Photographic evidence,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, March 6, 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Hamas+war+against+Israel/Hamas+exploitation+of+civilians+as+human+shields+-+Photographic+evidence.htm
[12] Ibid
The Israel Project is an international non-profit, nonpartisan organization devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel while promoting security, freedom and peace. The Israel Project provides journalists, leaders and opinion-makers accurate information about Israel. The Israel Project is not related to any government or government agency and does not rate or endorse candidates.