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Every Civilian Death a Hamas War Crime

Group delights in the deaths of its human shields

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 10, 2009 1:25 PM CST

(Newser) – When Israelis kill civilians in Gaza, it’s Hamas that’s committing the war crime, says Alan M. Dershowitz of the LA Times. Hamas delights in using human shields, or duping Israel into returning fire at civilian targets, earning itself international sympathy with each casualty. Hamas has taken to heart the mantra of Hezbollah’s leader: “We are going to win because they love life and we love death.”

“It is difficult to fight an enemy that loves death in a world that loves life,” writes Dershowitz. “The world tends to think emotionally rather than rationally when it is shown dead women and children.” But Hamas has intentionally endangered these people, placing them near military targets. That’s as much a war crime as firing rockets.

A Palestinian man inspects the rubble of a building following an Israeli airstrike in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.
A Palestinian man inspects the rubble of a building following an Israeli airstrike in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.   (AP Photo/Eyad Baba)
A Palestinian man carries belongings from the rubble of a building following an Israeli airstrike in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.
A Palestinian man carries belongings from the rubble of a building following an Israeli airstrike in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.   (AP Photo/Eyad Baba)
A Palestinian boy wounded in an Israeli military operation waits for treatment at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.
A Palestinian boy wounded in an Israeli military operation waits for treatment at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ashraf Amra)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 18 comments
riffran
Jan 15, 2009 5:08 AM CST
one dead innocent is too much in my opinion, but those people there aren't in their right mind...damn what a shame
Terrence
Jan 12, 2009 6:27 AM CST
I get so tired of this "if it saves one child'slife cliche" I ask these - do you know how many children are killed in the USA by guns every year?
Guest
Jan 12, 2009 5:49 AM CST
During WW2, for every German soldier killed by partisans, Jewish or not, the Nazis would carry out 50 or 100 to 1 reprisal killings. International law called it a war crime. But you're right, it's all Hamas' fault. And they, and everybody around them will pay - what the hell, they're just ragheads. Cowboys. Grow up and join the adult community. And you, Dershowitz - crawl back under your stone.

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