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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israeli PM claims militant fire originated in UN building |
| 2009-01-16 |
| (AKI) - As clashes continue in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon that Israeli Defense Forces troops shelled the UNRWA compound due to militant fire coming from the building. "We do not want this event to happen again, and I do not know if you know, but Hamas attacked from within the UNRWA compound during the humanitarian cease-fire," Olmert said. Olmert made the claims after Defence Minister Ehud Barak apologised earlier on Thursday calling the strike against the UN compound a "grave mistake". "Today, the UN compound in Gaza has been shelled again," said Ban Ki-Moon. "I conveyed my strong protest and outrage to the Defense Minister and to the Foreign Minister, and demanded a full explanation." As clashes raged in the Gaza Strip for the 20th day, Palestinian militants launched rockets into the Israeli city of Beersheva, wounding five people, including a seven-year-old boy. Israeli media reports say one of the rockets hit a car. Palestinian militants have launched at least 24 rockets at Israel, some landing in the city of Gedera, Ashdod and Sderot. The 192-member UN General Assembly was holding an emergency session on Thursday to discuss the Gaza situation and press for a ceasefire. "Too many UN buildings, schools and hospitals have been hit," said the president of the GA, Miguel D'Escoto. "The violations of international law inherent in the Gaza assault have been well documented: collective punishment, disproportionate military force. Attacks on civilian targets, including homes, mosques, universities, schools." "We have remained too passive as the carnage continues," said D'Escoto. Palestinian medical officials say the death toll in Gaza has risen to nearly 1,100 while 5,027 have been injured since the offensive began on 27 December. Thirteen Israelis have been killed. Ten of them soldiers and three civilians have died from Palestinian militants' rockets launched from Gaza. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 How about the fact that there are too damn many UN "schools", "hospitals", barracks and armories in Gaza to begin with? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2009-01-16 09:30 |
| #2 "Too many UN buildings, schools and hospitals have been hit," said the president of the GA, Miguel D'Escoto. Aftaid you're going to be next, comrade reverend? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-01-16 04:33 |
| #1 "I conveyed my strong protest and outrage to the Defense Minister and to the Foreign Minister, and demanded a full explanation." What part of Defense Forces troops shelled the UNRWA compound due to militant fire coming from the building don't you understand? |
| Posted by: gorb 2009-01-16 01:23 |