Middle East News
Tutu: Israel actions against Gaza bears "hallmarks of war crimes"
Dec 28, 2008, 12:31 GMT
Johannesburg - South African Nobel laureate and Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on Sunday said Israel's air attacks on the Gaza Strip 'bears all the hallmarks of war crimes.'
'In the context of total aerial supremacy, in which one side in the conflict deploys lethal aircraft against opponents with no means of defending themselves, the bombardment bears all the hallmarks of war crimes,' Tutu said in a statement.
The attacks would not contribute to the security of Israel, said the anti-apartheid icon who won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1984.
'It is a blight not only on the Middle East, but on the entire world - and particularly world leaders who have consistently failed the people of Palestine and Israel over the past 60 years,' Tutu added.
Israel launched air raids on the Strip on Saturday in response to rocket fire from Palestinian militants in the salient.
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Older Talkback
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Lance, read history books then keep silent for awhile, then consider writing comments ...
'read history books'
If you have something specific in mind please make a citation.
The fact is: The U.S. has a long-time HISTORICAL record of supplying Israel, Iraq and many other M.E. nations with weapons that can be classified as WMDs.
from his comments you would think that if Hamas had overwhelming military superiority they would somehow behave in a civilized manner. I would say Hamas would of wiped Israel off the face of the earth had it the power, they wouldnt care what infidel nations would think of them.
So because Israel has an air force which it can use to target military objectives, and Hamas doesn't, it should let its citizens be sitting ducks while Hamas indiscriminately fires thousands of rockets, mortars and missiles at civilians for 8 years?
Its laughable that sensible people like many here on this forum becomes so illogical and irrational when it comes to Israeli Terrorism in the region.They try to justify by all means possible the Israeli genocide and war crimes pretending as if world is nothing but stupid. Reality is that Israel is created on the land ofthose arabs who were expelled from their homes and still are living in refugee camps( concentration). Not only that but It is busy in encroaching Palestanian land everyday more little by little. Now, THIS IS THE BASE OF ALL CONFLICT. Stop doing that and return their land and there will be no rocket firing or any unrest at all.This is the only thing Israel and USA will not do.They will keep blaming Palestanian forever which will not resolve anything.
this is not 'in response to rockets' as the US media says. americans this a a crime against humanity.
and if israel were to be wiped off the face of the earth,
that would be a bad thing?
israel blaming this collective punishment on hamas is like blaming the holocaust on the jews.and if collective punishment is what they want maybe the world should punish jews everywhere for what israel is doing.lock them up.
God is seeing everything... we humans are 'blood-suckers' that uses any available flimsy excuses to justify our monstrous and devilish acts. Nothing can justify the excessive bombardment of other fellow human beings with no means of defending themselves. Why cant Israelis uses thier superior advantages in technology and information gathering(Spying) to take out or arrest(kidnap) some of Hamas leaders(Culprits) if she (Israel)really want to prove its superiority. What follows next is obviously barrage of ineffective rockets from angry and frustrated palestinians indefinitely. 'Cycle of blood-spilling'.
I'm glad that at least i believed Someone is watching over this.
GOD is seeing it all.
My heart breaks at the anger and hatred expressed by both sides of the coin. Should we not all be praying for peace for these nations, for both sides instead of spewing more hate-speech around. Would that not be the Christian response, rather than saying it would not be a bad thing for Israel to be wiped off the face of the earth. Yes, you are right, God sees all we do, say and think and I know His heart is breaking over the statements from Mr Tutu and fellow reportbacks. The hatred needs to stop, now, we need to break the cycle by doing something positive. And what better way can we help the situation, but to get down on our knees and pray for God's will to be done! Surely we can trust Him to know what is right and what is wrong as He loves every person on this earth, both Jew, Gentile and Arab equally and with a breakig heart as He watches us destroy each other not only in wars but with the pen and the words out of our mouths too. Follow the example of Jesus and pray for the peace of Jerusalem and her Arab neighbours - that her people may not suffer because of the bombs and hatred.
Desmond Tutu should first acknowledge that the nation of Israel exists because the very same God he worships exists.I hope as a bible believing man of God that he believes that God will do what He says he will do.
God throughout the old testament and new testament declares in no uncertain terms that Israel will always be a nation before him. Our salvation comes through the Messiah Jesus, the very same Messiah who is a Jew (born king of the Jews. The sooner all christians get this fact right the better off we will all be. Israel on a political level, and not just from a biblical perspective, has a right to exist and defend herself against an enemy that openly talks of her ultimate destruction.
No other nation in the world has daily missile attacks against innocent civilians. Think about it. Would Desmond Tutu defend Botswana's actions if that country were to launch missiles into SA cities. This is a silly example, but it is just as silly to allow Hamas to launch their attacks on the people of israel and not expect some form of backlash!!
I pray for all christians to seriously take a look at where they stand in their hearts for the nation of Israel. Do not let yourselves unwittingly become deceived by the enemies lies and manipulation of the truth. Do not allow yourselves to come against God's purposes and will. Remember the Lord's Prayer 'Your will be done....'. It is God's will that Israel exists. Go back to the one and only true source of inspiration... the Bible and read Romans 9,10 and 11. Oh and remember that if you choose not to believe what the writer Paul has to say while you are about it you might as well choose not to believe that Jesus died for you and is your your hope of salvation.
Sorry to sound so radical on this truth that is very close to my heart but because of my love for the God of Abraham ,Isaac and Jacob I feel very compelled to tell all christians that it is time to wake up and get to know God and His purposes for all( salvation if is for all who believe).Put aside that most vile sin of antisemitism once and for all and experience the Lords fullest blessings. Read Genesis 12 vs 2 -3 'I will make you into a great nation and i will bless you ; I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you'
I choose to believe that God will do what he says he will do .I certainly dont wish to be cursed by God but rather be blessed by him because of my obedience and love of God and his word.
Please Church of God don't allow yourselves to be deceived, keep the truth of God's Word and don't let yourself become a enemy of God by believing the lies of the world. The world's media is playing into the hands of the enemy by sowing hatred and venom towards God's covenent nation Israel. The nation is in sin - there is no doubting that but who are we to condemn her actions. We are to stand in the gap ie that is to pray for her peace, her salvation and that the nation turns back to God. That is what is required of us as christians. Please heed this message!!
I think the decision to have chosen Palestine as Jewish state was definitely mistake. They should have created Israel in Brazil or Africa where enough space but they have chosen the most proud and stubborn people among all the Arab Countries even the world. Therefore, I will not give them much time of staying where they are and recommend instead that they start leaving Palestine to its original people the Palestinians or emerge with them.
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lanceDec 28th, 2008 - 12:54:14
Tutu simply does not understand: The Jews in Israel and the muslims in Palestine are in a centuries-long bloodletting. They have hate and vengeance and want to kill. Backed by the U.S., the jews have a sustainable position against the very aggressive muslims.
The key word here is: SUSTAINABLE.
Each side, and their backers, does what is necessary to sustain the violence and hate.
To state anything less is hypocrisy. No one wants peace, I know that because no one is working in a realistic way for peace. However, plenty of third parties are ecstatic to sell WMDs, bombers, fighters and any other ordinance required for the bang of a party in the Middle East.
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