Are you as upset as I am by all the Israel bashing in the U.S., Europe and Scandinavia? When you hear or read about civilian casualties in war please consider the information below. Think about the civilians, aka non-combatants, when you hear demands for action in Syria or Ukraine or that the US is taking action in Somalia or Iraq. Civilian deaths are always going to be part of war; are the deaths proportionate to a reasonable military objective? Are they worth it?
When reading about contradictory claims of non-combatant Arab casualties during the 50-day Hamas -Israel war, aka Operation Protective Edge, that began on July 8, it's important we understand the numbers in context. Of course civilians died and I for one am horrified by the pictures of children suffering. However, war sucks and as we consider “boots on the ground” and more drone strikes to counteract terrorist threats, let's remember that in fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. and coalition forces reportedly killed one combatant for every 3 to 4 noncombatant casualties. Did U.S. and coalition forces, and Israeli troops, take steps to limit “collateral damage?” Of the Palestinian dead in the Gaza Strip who were not members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad or other terrorist groups: How many were relatives or neighbors killed in an attack on Hamas positions, especially since many of these positions were in schools, mosques, hospitals or residences in highly-populated areas, placed there in violation of the laws of war specifically for their “human shield” potential? How many were Arabs killed by Hamas as “collaborators”? Of the 4,500 rockets fired by Hamas and its allies, 875 fell inside Gaza, meaning Hamas dropped explosives on its own people. How many Arabs were killed by Hamas friendly fire? How many were natural deaths that occurred during the fighting? Let's also recall that had Hamas and its partners not fired rockets, mortars and missiles into Israel just prior to and during Operation Protective Edge, had it not built an extensive tunnel network into Israel to stage mass kidnappings and massacres, and had it not rejected or quickly broken seven cease-fires or cease-fire proposals, there would have been no casualties among Gazans, combatants or non-combatants. *
Al Qaeda’s 9/11 anniversary attacks ready to go. New undetectable explosive may be used (DEBKAfile) Credible information has reached Saudi, British and Australian agencies that two al Qaeda branches – IS in Iraq and Syria and AQAP at its base in Yemen - have wrapped up plans to roll out coordinated terrorist spectaculars around the 13th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
Click hear for The Islamic State documentary courtesy of Vice News.
Egypt
Sinai Jihadists Claim Five More Beheadings - Yifa Yaakov (Times of Israel) Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, a jihadist group operating in Sinai, claimed responsibility for executing five more Bedouins.
India
Al Qaeda opens branch in the 'Indian Subcontinent' - Bill Roggio (Long War Journal)
Iran
Iran Vows to Free Al-Aqsa Mosque from Israel (IANS) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Monday vowed to liberate the Al-Aqsa mosque in the old city of Jerusalem from Israeli forces and spare no efforts to help the Palestinian people, state-ownedPress TV reported.
Iraq
Mission creep in Iraq continues as US launches airstrikes in Amerli- Bill Roggio (Long War Journal)
Israel
Col. Kemp: Palestinian Civilian Casualties in Gaza War One-Fourth of World Average - Lahav Harkov Col. (res.) (Jerusalem Post) Kemp said there was approximately one civilian casualty for ever terrorist killed by the IDF, whereas the average in the world is four civilians for every combatant.
Israel signs $15 billion gas deal with Jordan – Marissa Newman (Times of Israel)
Israel Approves Major Housing Plan for Arab Neighborhood in Jerusalem - Nir Hasson (Ha'aretz)
The Jerusalem Planning Committee on Wednesday approved a plan for an Arab neighborhood in east Jerusalem that extends over 375 acres and calls for building 2,200 homes.
The Jerusalem Planning Committee on Wednesday approved a plan for an Arab neighborhood in east Jerusalem that extends over 375 acres and calls for building 2,200 homes.
Israel's Decision to Declare 988 Acres of West Bank Territory as State Land (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)
Jordan
Jordan to NATO: ISIS Terrorists Have Begun to Infiltrate Our Borders - Eli Leon and Yoni Hirsh (Israel Hayom-Hebrew)
Jordanian-Palestinian Politician: There Is No ISIS Ideology – It's Islam; Syrian Soldiers Deserved to Be Slaughtered (MEMRI) Lumps USA, its allies, and Iran together against Islam.
Palestinians
Abbas rejects Egyptian offer to settle refugees in Sinai – Elhanan Miller (Times of Israel) Land that would be annexed to the Gaza Strip.
Pro-Islamic State Rally Held on Temple Mount in Jerusalem (Times of Israel) The gathering, attended by thousands, was organized by the Tahrir party, described as the Palestine branch of the Islamic State.
Hanan Ashrawi attacks Obama for acknowledging Jewish history – Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW)
In Gaza, So Much Lost And So Little Gained (Le Monde/Worldcrunch)
Big Media Ignores Hamas's "Ugliest Crimes" -Khaled Abu Toameh (Gatestone Institute) Why do international journalists and human rights advocates continue to turn a blind eye when Palestinians commit atrocities against their own? Is it because such stories are lacking in an anti-Israel angle?
Syria
UN Claims 191,369 Killed in Syrian Civil War - (CAMERA) The United Nations published its updated figures on the number of deaths caused by the three-and-a-half year Syrian civil war, 191,369. The release of the updated statistics was a relatively low-key affair.
In Raqqa's Training Camps, ISIS Teaches Children How to Behead (Syria Deeply) Boys say their instructors show them how to decapitate blond, blue-eyed dolls with kitchen knives.
Sudan
Sudan Closes Iran Cultural Centers, Expels Diplomats (Oman Tribune) A Sudanese analyst said the move might be in response to pressure from Saudi Arabia.
*Most details courtesy of CAMERA
