Four U.N. observers killed in Israeli airstrike
The Washington Post, along with other major news outlets, is reporting that four U.N. observers have been killed in an Israeli airstrike:
An Israeli airstrike hit a United Nations post in southern Lebanon late Tuesday, killing four international observers, hours after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to lift Israel’s 14-day blockade of Lebanon for shipments of humanitarian aid to reach the swelling ranks of displaced Lebanese civilians.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, knee jerking recklessly, said he was “shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting” of the “clearly marked U.N. post at Khiyam”. Meaning: Israel intentionally hit the U.N. post and, ipso facto, killed four U.N. observers. Annan called on Israel to “to conduct a full investigation into this very disturbing incident and demand that any further attack on U.N. positions and personnel must stop”.
But did Israel intentionally target the U.N. post at Khiyam? CNN, which is reporting that two U.N. of the observers were killed while two are still missing, quotes Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Dan Gillerman: “I am surprised at these premature and erroneous assertions made by the secretary-general, who while demanding an investigation, has already issued its conclusions.”
He’s right. Annan is surely upset that the U.N. observers were killed, but does it make any sense that Israel would do such a thing? Hardly. Annan’s knee jerking is irresponsible and counter-productive.
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I should note that neither the Post nor the BBC bothers to present the Israeli side of the story — the BBC not at all, the Post only with this: “Israeli government officials, expressing regret over the deaths, said that the U.N. personnel were not targeted and that there would be an investigation.”
One of the observers was Canadian. The Globe and Mail has the story (from the AP), but its coverage also offers little more than an uncritical regurgitation of Annan’s comments and a few details that amount to a condemnation of Israel well before all the facts are known.
The airstrike is currently the leading story at Haaretz, which provides much better coverage than these four outlets.
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Originally posted at The Reaction, where, like here, I’ve been on the receiving end of some cowardly vitriol for my (conditional) support for Israel.
I respect many of those who disagree with me (some of whom are friends and acquaintances, some of whom I agree with on many other issues), as well as their opinions, but this conflict seems to have unleashed a torrent of hatred for Israel and anyone even remotely sympathetic to Israel.
I’ll write more on this later today.
53 Responses to “Four U.N. observers killed in Israeli airstrike”
How can the Isarelis make the ignoramous statement that this killing “was NOT intentional” and in the same breath say they “DON’T KNOW what happened”? Lying bastards.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is simply protecting his people. No one else would do less. To condemn him for doing so is arrogant, inhumane, and, typical Israeli.
The Israelis bombarded very close to the UN Compound 14 times that day alnoe and the UN warned the Israelis several times to stop. What else could one think but that it was intentional?
You know I’m getting really sick of the Israelis getting away with flat-out murder and the Damn media feather stroking their arses like they were the master race.
They accuse the Secretary General of making an irresponsible statement by saying “apparently deliberate”? It looks APPARENTLY DELIBERATE to me simply by what the media has reported!
Investigation or not, guaranteed not one single Israeli will ever be found in the wrong or even in error. Mark my words.
Well Michael, given the utter moral depravity of the left as expressed by salmenio, the vitriol towards Israel should come as no surprise. Yet these same vile individuals have never expressed any such vitriol towards the terrorists who actually DO target civilians deliberately. The terrorists Israel is fighting murdered hundreds of Americans, yet that doesn’t phase the likes of salmenio who choose to take hezbollah’s side. If that isn’t proof of anti-Semitism, I don’t know what is.
anan is NOT protecting his people, he is merely exploiting their deaths as an excuse to attack Israel. This is the same guy WHO SHOOK HANDS WITH hezbollah terror chief hassan nasralla. annan has been consistently anti-Israel, as has the entire UN.
Laura
WELL Laura…since when is loyalty toward your own country and vitrol toward any other nation “moral Depravity”? Is this written somewhere within your Neo-Con Phony Ethics handbook?
Those Americans would not have been killed had the REAGAN andministration allowed the gaurds to have bullets in their guns. Rather the ever political neocons were afraid of a “political incident”. This is public record!
Reagan had four years, Bush #1 Had four years and Bush #2 has had six years to avenge the deaths of 241 Marines killed in a barracks while they slept guarded by guards without bullets! BUT NOT ONE DAMN REPULICAN LEADER OVER 14 YEARS of opportunity DID A DAMN THING! So go blow your phony morality out your arse.
How do you know Secretary General Kofi Annan is not protecting his people? I know, you watch fox news!
Hey Rummsfeld Shook hands with Saddam Hussein.
And finally, I am anti-Israel! I am anti-Arab too!
However I am pro American.
Laura you seem to have divided loyalties. Does the FBI know this?
Again, how can you claim to be pro-American and side with hezbollah or even claim neutrality? The fact is, support for Israel IS support for America since they are fighting OUR enemies as well. You are obviously too dense to realize this.
Laura = Holly? Very similar views, I must say. Same choice of words as well. I don’t like the constant use of the word anti-semitism. There are better ways to make your point without continuously using that word.
The Dutch newspaper Telegraaf wrote today that even after the UN post had been bombed, the rescuers were being shot at several times by Israeli soldiers. I would be foolish to assume that Israel attacked the UN post on purpose, however it seems very likely that some serious mistakes were made in the Israeli actions.
Israel must understand that public opinion in European countries is very fickle. Hence, to gain international support, actions such as these should be avoided at all cost.
Laura
I’m not claiming anything. I’m saying its not our fight. We have been drawn into this 75 year conflict against our own self interests. We need to get out of it.
No, we are fighting Israel’s enemies for THEM! They have been fighting them for 75 years….we just started. We did so because Bush is an Idiot.
We got our 241 marines killed because Reagan was an idiot and corrupt.
Also because Ford and Nixon formed a dead end policy backing a murdering bastard called the Shah of Iran whom used American military aid helicopters to mini-gun down tens of thousands of his own people in one afternoon.
I’m dense? It really would be in your interest to turn off fox news and started reading history. Smart people are Democrats over republicans 3:1
“Annan is surely upset that the U.N. observers were killed, but does it make any sense that Israel would do such a thing? Hardly.”
Not so fast. Are there really no possible motives for a deliberate attack?
This might be an attempt to torpedo the plans for an enhanced UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Imho it isn’t very much in Israels interest to have 20000 troops with a mission going beyond observation anbd self defense at it’s borders. Their presence would force the IDF to be much more careful at violating Lebanon’s sovereignty. This doesn’t say that Olmert is behind the attack, this may be an attempt by renegade officers to make facts on the ground. After this terror act, no foreign nation will be very keen to send its soldiers to Lebanon.
Also, everybody has to agree that Israel’s stance towards the UN is hostile, there’s no way to see it in a positive light. Why should it surprise us that some IAF pilot vented his hatred by deliberately bombing the observation post? Absolutely possible.
But why only talk about the motive, let’s talk about the suspicious circumstances:
1. UN observation posts in Lebabon are painted in white, sometimes with big black letters saying ‘UN’ on them, and flying the blue UN flag. Very distinctive, highly visible.
2. The locations have been known by the IDF and IAF for years.
3. UN general Peregrini, the leading officer, has been in contact with the israeli forces all of the time.
4. Kofi Annan personally spoke with Olmert about the security of UN forces and got his promise that the IDF won’t harm them.
5. Despite this promise, there has been shelling of the area of the outpost, starting hours before and continuing even after the air attack.
6. The IAF was provided with precision bombs by the US. The latest generation of US munitions has a very high accuracy. The Israelis publicly boasted about their ability to conduct pinpoint attacks.
And yet we shall believe that this bombing has been an accident? To believe that, we have also to believe that the pilot wasn’t aware of the UN outpost in his target area. A complete breakdown of IAF communications and/or intelligence briefing? Also, we have to accept, and imho this is the critical point, the pilot didn’t notice that his target was a UN location, despite the distinctive features. Maybe my assesment of the qualities and qualifications of Israeli pilots is too high, but I can’t believe that the IAF let a guy into the cockpit of a multi-million dollar jet if he’s somewhat shortsighted or a slow thinker. No way.
One other point: Despite being in very close contact with Hezbollah fighters, so far not a single IDF soldier has been reported to be killed by friendly fire (There has been the accident with the two Apache helicopters, ok, but this is a totally different matter, an artillery missile happened to cross their flightpath, they were not targetted).
This shows that the IAF is prefectly capable of distinguishing between friend and foe in a difficult environment. Do IAF really wan to state that the same safeguards are not applied when ‘only’ UN soldiers are in the target area? Despite Olmert’s promise? This doesn’t sound convincing.
Check out this interesting view on the UN post bombings from debka.com.
“Investigation or not, guaranteed not one single Israeli will ever be found in the wrong or even in error. Mark my words.”
Of course not, Sal. Israel is giving its troops lots of leeway to make errors or even commit war crimes. The history of court martials in Israel shows that only in very reare cases soldiwers are held responsible. Plus, if the investigation would really put the blame on a member of Israels forces, this might have dire intzernational consequences. They won’t let that happen.
“The Khaim observer post was located near Hizballah positions and training facilities in the eastern sector, where the IDF has launched the next stage of its campaign against Hizballah in southern Lebanon.”
Thx Joey, this link provides another possible motive for the attack: The IDF simply wants to have the UN observer out of its way to attack Hezbollah in the area. I guess they know that their soldiers are not always acting according to Geneva convention rules and don’t want any witnesses.
Laura how f*cking ignorant can you be? If it were up to me I’d have the christians in the area fight BOTH the muslims and israelis being as they are being attacked by both entities. I’m beginning to get the impression that Israel, like Hezbollah does not give a f*ck when it comes down to it. They’ll kill hundreds to avenge the death/kidnapping of two people. Also, Israel is of ZERO strategic importance in the region. Iran, Saudi, and Iraq are. I’ve said it before, I’m tempted to say make the entire region one giant parking lot and be done with it. It’s been a hotbed of conflict for the past 5000 years and it needs to stop. If I sound heartless then oh well. Y’all did it to y’alls selves. Any sympathy I had (and I had TONS of it) for Israel has vanished and I now place them in the same grouping with Hamas, Hezbollah, and all the stupid assed Christian fundamentalist groups (man i’d like to take out THOSE bastards too).
Whoa, whoa, ever thought of a wrestling career at WWF?
Seems I’m not the only one you’s very susoicious about the attack in the UN. This is from billmon:
“But to me it seems like such an enormous provocation that I almost have to wonder if some military crazies on the Israeli side didn’t do it on purpose — just to foreclose the possibility of anyone or anything getting in the way of a fight to the death with Hizbullah.”
http://billmon.org/archives/002575.html
If anyone still has some crazy optimistic ideas about IDF investigations, I recommend this story on the topic:
“Now is the time to investigate”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/741794.html
Hat tip: Steve Gilliard
As some one who spent 6 years in the Israeli Air-Force I can tell from experience that it could be a mistake. We had the same thing happen to us a few years ago in an exercize.
When you throw a bomb you can use a mode called IP that basically uses a known target as the relative target point. It is used to help the pilot hit targets by entering ab easy recognizable target on the site. You aim for that site and the computer automatically does the calculations to bomb to real location which is close by.
What happened was that the Pilot chose the wrong mode and instead of IP he chose a diffenent one and he actually bombed the reference target.
I know it is not a sexy reason and there is no conspiracy involved… but this is a real stroy.
Thx, Shaher, this info on ‘relative’ targeting puts some light on the issue. However, since this procedure is prone to mistakes in the heat of the combat (or should I say, cockpit), aren’t there any regulations that actually forbid using friendly locations as the reference point? And is it allowed to attack enemy targets in close procimity to friendly forces that way?
I still have the suspicion that the pilot or his commanding officer would have acted different if IDF troops would have been in that area. Kind of decision like: ‘We don’t have to take too much caution, there’s only UN jerks near’.
Joey, I agree with you view on this matter (I think). Israel didn’t do this on purpose, that doesn’t seem remotely likely.
But, Israel cannot afford to make mistakes like this too often. It must be very carefully and could even publicly apologize for the mistake.
Shahar: thanks for that information!
The Air-Force is not a place where someone (even a Pilot) has the leeway to make decisions on his own. All the planes are connected real time to C&C.
Additionally, there are no secrets in Israel. If this was done intentioanlly, this would eventually come out, and it will cause enormous damage to Israel and to the person making the decision indivually (he would probably have arrest warrents waiting for him around the world, and no one will make a decision that would bar him going to London, Paris and NYC…)
The reason for the hit on the UN building is that the Hizbullah is not stupid. They put their bases near UN positions knowing that either we hesitate to shoot because of fear we would hit the UN or that eventually we will hit a UN site which would be damaging to Israel.
Michael, the thing is: I have no view. My view is based on what I see, hear and read. Since I read conflicting stories everywhere, my judgment of the situation is purely subjective, as is any judgment.
In the Dutch Telegraaf newspaper I read this morning that even after the UN post got bombed, the rescuers were being shot at by Israeli soldiers.
Debka, an unofficial yet well-informed Israeli intelligence website, even reported that it is not unlikely that this was done on purpose.
At the same time, it would seem unlikely in my own judgment.
Hence, too many conflicting stories to judge the matter well. It is not without a reason that the UN demand a report, even though it seems that Kofi Annan already had his opinion ready.
Apologies for the bad links, should be http:// in front of em I guess
The BBC article is not biased against Israel. The continued fire on the UN site came from artillery. Untill the IDF was notified they hit an UN site the artillery would continue. If the attacks were done with Apache helicopters of ground support planes it is another story. More info is needed on the UN attack before anyone can claim a deliberate attack. However, how does one explain an attack on an ambulance, with missile fire from above. The link is from an Australian paper, the photo is all over the net.
Red Cross Target?
No, I am not Laura and Laura is not me.
Debka: I don’t consider it to be a reliable source of information.
Here is what Debka actually says:
I shed no tears for these UNIFIL members. It seems to me to be poetic justice given UNIFIL looked the other way while hezbollah was receiving rockets from Iran and not fullfilling UN resolution 1559, and otherwise aiding hezbollah in Lebanon. I would bet anything that in some way these UNIFIL members were helping hezbollah. Michael, Israel owes no one an apology, but in fact the UN owes Israel an apology for its role these last 6 years in the activities of hezbollah, which at the very least consisted of its refusal to carry out its own resolution 1559. One needs to ask and it should be investigated, what actually has UNIFIL been doing these 6 years in Lebanon. Just as UNRWA has been aiding and abetting hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, I think its a pretty good guess what UNIFIL has been up to. We all know the UN record with regards to Israel.
UNIFIL has actually been in Lebanon since 1978.
UNIFIL currently (30 April 2006) employs 1991 soldiers, some 50 UNTSO observers and 390 civilians [4]. The force includes troops from China, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy and Poland. Its annual budget is about US$100 million. UNIFIL is led by French Major General Alain Pellegrini, formerly French military attache in Beirut and head of the mideast division of the French military intelligence.
To date UNIFIL has suffered 257 fatalities (of which 8 civilians) during the course of its deployment.
…………
I wonder if there ever was such an outcry and condemnation and accusations of these deaths being deliberate on the part of those responsible. Somehow I doubt it.
Laura
Why is it that your point is always pro Zionist and anti-world…pro murder and anti-peace?
If an Israeli walked and murdered Mother Theresa you would claim she deserved it.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE DELIBERATE MURDER OF UN TROOPS BY ISRAEL!
This is the same guy WHO SHOOK HANDS WITH hezbollah terror chief hassan nasralla. annan has been consistently anti-Israel, as has the entire UN.
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and the bush’s are the same people that had al Qeada leaders and Osama bin Laden’s family in their Texas homes..not to mention the hundreds of pictures that don’t lie showing your kind of right wing bush buddies sitting and dining with them in their palaces much less shaking their hands, and how bout the bush’s ensuring that the only civilian aircraft flying on September 12 was full of his Saudi friends the bush’s suck up to..how bout them apples dearie!
Defend that!!
C.Prez said:
Laura how f*cking ignorant can you be? If it were up to me I’d have the christians in the area fight BOTH the muslims and israelis
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DAMNED RIGHT!!
If the U S just has to get in it…kick shit out of all of em and get it over with!
Laura: I agree that the UN hasn’t defended Israel as it should have done.
Gray62
“Annan is surely upset that the U.N. observers were killed, but does it make any sense that Israel would do such a thing? Hardly.”
That’s what happens when you put cute tea cup poodles in blue helmets between a Rottweiler and a Boston Bull dog…and after stupidly doing it, it should come as no surprise to Annan or anyone else that they were killed on purpose or by accident.
I been there…combat zones are not one bit of fun.
All you have to do is watch T V and see how many referees get crap knocked out of them in controlled atmosphere of a boxing ring, and as often as not, NOT by accident.
Yeah, because the US kicking sh!t out of countries has really brought peace and prosperity to the world.
(silence)
People c’mon. The point is, however cliche it may sound, violence is never a solution. Did the Iraqi’s get better after Saddam left the country? The only place where we’ve seen some improvement after military intervention was former Yugoslavia. Although the people there have a long way to go, something is being built up again.
Shahar ………ahhhhhhhhhhhh at last a person that knows what the hell he’s talking about.
I particualarly don’t like “Mystery BB’s,” bombs delay fused, that accidently fall off bomb racks falling silent as a grave and you never know they’re around until you get knocked flat on your ass….if your lucky enough not to be filled full of schrapnel and/or killed when they detonate.
A whole lot of that Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee noise of falling bombs is strictly Hollywood stuff.
Shahar, someone who actually knows wtf he is writing about hit the nail on the head:
“The reason for the hit on the UN building is that the Hizbullah is not stupid. They put their bases near UN positions knowing that either we hesitate to shoot because of fear we would hit the UN or that eventually we will hit a UN site which would be damaging to Israel.”
Precisely. This is also why Lebanon’s civilian infrastructure is being hit along with the terrorist infrastructure. Hizby terrorists place their facilities in areas surrounded by civilian infrastructure and buildings. So, when they get hit, the fellow travellers and useful idiots can go on and on about civilian casualties.
Scroll to the end of this post:
http://www.melaniephillips.com/diary/?p=1292
“Retired Canadian General Lew MacKenzie — who is speaking in Toronto tonight at a Stand with Israel rally — was interviewed on CBC Toronto radio this a.m. He told the show’s anchor that he had received an e-mail only days before from the dead Canadian observor who was a member of his former battalion.
MacKenzie says that the message indicated in effect that the UN position was being used as cover by Hezbollah, who, MacKenzie explained, can do so quite freely as they are not members of the UN and not subject, therefore, to official condemnation.
MacKenzie further took issue with the misleading reportage (citing CNN in particular) that suggests that Beirut is being bombarded by the IDF and that the city is in ruins. He said that the bombing is nowhere near the saturation levels that constitute a bombardment and the IAF have specifically targetted a twelve-block area that is, more-or-less, Hezbollah City, and only after dropping leaflets warning civilians to vacate well in advance of the planned airstrikes.�
“and only after dropping leaflets warning civilians to vacate well in advance of the planned airstrikes.â€?
All this talk of proportionality…when was the last time Hamas or Hizby dropped leaflets before they conducted their terrorist atrocities.
I shed no tears for these UNIFIL members. Laura I wipe you from my ass with toilet paper. You just aren’t worth reading anymore.
Joey Amsterdam
The U S has arbitrarily decided to become policeman of the world.
Does the police force where you live take sides when they see people fighting or do they just go in and break them ALL up first and decide who’s right later.
The point being made, since you completely missed it, is THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT CHOOSE SIDES IN INTERNATIONAL FOREIGN AFFAIR ISSUES WHEN ITS NONE OF OUR GODDAMNED BUSINESS.
The U S can designate its support, cheer for the side we like from the sidelines just like we do at a football game..or would you prefer Dallas Cowboy fans in Texas flooding onto the field in SUPPORT OF THEIR TEAM and kicking shit out of the Chicago Bears.
I think if you look at the past the Israeli’s have done very well on their own without direct U S UN interference.
The Israeli’s should do very well, on the average year the U S gives them 3.7 billion, mostly in the form of weapons of war.
Scroll to the end of this post:
melaniephillips.com
This link peaked my interest and looked further into the sources of information. From the link I found the name – Amir Taheri – and gagged at the Benador propaganda.
http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/19691
GOD’S ARMY HAS PLANS TO RUN THE WHOLE MIDDLE EAST
by Amir Taheri
The Times
July 23, 2006
Hezbollah, the group at the heart of the Lebanese conflict, is the spearhead of Iran’s ambitions to be a superpower, says Iranian commentator Amir Taheri
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-2281184_1,00.html
The Sunday Times July 23, 2006
God’s army has plans to run the whole Middle East
Hezbollah, the group at the heart of the Lebanese conflict, is the spearhead of Iran’s ambitions to be a superpower, says Iranian commentator Amir Taheri
The Times UK story has no byline, by inference Amir Taheri is a source for the article.
When you go to Benador you find a byline for Amir Taheri. This neocon will lie to put the Shah’s son back on the throne of Iran. The man is just as corrupt as Chalabi. It is propaganda to place an article in a paper without a byline and then confuse the author as a source. What do you say WEVS1, any better than Dan Rather?
OK, I take it you dislike Benador Associates and Amir Taheri.
But how exactly is Retired Canadian General Lew MacKenzie linked to Benador and Taheri, Rudi?
For the record, I’m a centrist Democrat at this point and never voted Republican in my life.
WEVS1: thanks for that link. I’ve put it in my own article about this.
Thnx.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-2281184_1,00.html
The Sunday Times July 23, 2006
Yes, I have no use for Amir Taheri. He was smack in the middle of the “Iran Patches” propaganda that even Michele Malkin called propaganda. I don’t like seeing my tax dollars spent on Benador or the Lincoln Group. The USSR has TASS we don’t need Benador or the Lincoln Group. The Times UK shopuld let readers know about Benador. I call out the “Noble Lie” when I see it.
“The continued fire on the UN site came from artillery.”
Afaik that’s not an established fact. some sources talk of bombs.
“Untill the IDF was notified they hit an UN site the artillery would continue.”
misleading, if nopt outright false. Even after IDF was notified, the bombardmetn continued. Check the news reports.
“Additionally, there are no secrets in Israel.”
Hmm, with all due respect, Shahar, but how many people did Mossad kill so far? You don’t know? I guess that’s because it’s a secret.
“I agree that the UN hasn’t defended Israel as it should have done.”
That’s not the fault of the peacekeeping mission. Their orders doesn’t say they should defend Israel – 2000 soldiers wouldn’t be enough to do that. They are observers and only allowed to use their weapons in self defense. If Israel wanted an UN force for defenhse, they should have tried to get such a resolution. they didn’t. Well, maybe that’s because they disregarded so many UN resolutions and know that they ruined any goodwill there.
“Gray62
“Annan is surely upset that the U.N. observers were killed, but does it make any sense that Israel would do such a thing? Hardly.”"
That’s not my quote, Chippy. I didn’t say that.
But how exactly is Retired Canadian General Lew MacKenzie linked to Benador and Taheri, Rudi?
I did not question MacKenzie, but I would like to see a copy of the supposed email. The Canadian peace keeper emails a General and no one else. I need to see more before this bounces around to FrontPage and then some Murdoch paper.
WEVS1,
I searched and found a link to the actual interview with MacKenzie. The reader of Melanie Phillips exagerated some of the points the General made during the CBC interview. The reader spun the info more to the Right, only slightly. The General MacKenzie seems to be a honest man and did lay blame on Hezbelloh. Here is a link to CBC Toronto:
CBC Toronto
The UN attack may have been an accident, but the UN observers asked for the Israelis to stop fire. Taheri and Benadir are neocon hacks and I question most that they say. The Iran patches burned me on Taheri. MacKenzie is more than believeable and fair, he claims to be an unbiased observer and the interview confirms that.
Details about the attack on UN, from ‘The Australian’:
“Jane Holl Lute, a deputy head of UN peacekeeping operations, told the Security Council behind closed doors there were 21 strikes within 300 metres of the observer post during the six hours before it was completely destroyed.
Twelve of the 21 struck within 100 metres, including four which scored direct hits, Ms Holl Lute said, according to a text of her remarks.
Firing continued during the rescue operation, “despite repeated requests to the Israeli Defence Forces for an abatement”, she said.
Another UN base came under Israeli fire today as an artillery round fell 10 metres from its headquarters compound in Naqoura, she said.
While there was speculation Israel may have been targeting Hezbollah positions near the Khiam post, Ms Holl Lute said there was no Hezbollah fire coming from near the outpost.
An Irish army officer in south Lebanon warned Israeli forces six times that its strikes threatened the lives of the four observers, Ireland’s Foreign Ministry said today.
In New York, Ms Holl Lute and UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown telephoned Israeli UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman and his deputy half a dozen times to convey the same message, UN officials said.
“The base is clearly marked, a well-known. well-established position for a generation,” said a UN, official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity.”
Despite these facts, Israeli Brigadier General Udi Dekel says the deaths resulted from “a tragic operational mistake”. I beg to differ. If you bomb the same location for hours, even though you receive at least 6 messages that you put friendly troops in danger, this isn’t an “operational mistake” anymore. It even can’t be explained as a chain of operational mistakes. This is criminal neglect at best, if not outright murder.