Misery Index

IDF reported that Hamas was firing mortar bombs at Israeli soldiers from the UN school. 

The infantrymen returned mortar fire into the school grounds, the army said. Defense officials told the AP that booby-trapped bombs in the school triggered the secondary explosions which killed the Palestinians on the site.  The following video was released via the IDF showing Israel firing upon Hamas targets with secondary explosions.  It is unclear whether the school is included in these videos.

“Hamas has in the past fired at Israel and at troops from inside schools, cynically using civilians, as is proven by UAV footage,” the army said.

The UN said hundreds of people from a Gaza City refugee camp had gone to seek shelter in the school…

“I am appealing to political leaders here and in the region and the world to get their act together and stop this,” said John Ging, the top UN official in Gaza.  “They are responsible for these deaths.”

RANT ON

Of course Hamas will say that Israel hit the school and that they had nothing to do with it.  It’s not like Hamas has used schools before as weapons dumps right?  Especially since that exact school had been used before to fire rockets and mortars for Hamas.  And there is a 2007 video of Hamas firing mortars into Israel from this same school yard.

Now you may think Israel was wrong for firing on a school however, do you think its right that Hamas is firing mortars from the same location with innocent civilians inside?  But the thought to ponder in all of this is WHY WAS THERE A SECONDARY EXPLOSION today?  And WHY did the UN allow Hamas to CONTINUE to use this location as a firing point since it was revealed in 2007?  Just thoughts to ponder!

And last week a science teacher and headmaster at a UN school was killed.  By day he was a teacher, at night, he built rockets for Islamic Jihad.  Hamas hailed him as a martyr who led Islamic Jihad’s “engineering unit” – its bomb makers.  Although the UN denies any knowledge of this, and his family denies the claim while Islamic Jihad posters filled his home, the man’s body was wrapped in an Islamic Jihad flag at his funeral.

At the UN school, a handwritten notice was posted on the gate at the entrance to the school declaring the man “the chief leader of the engineering unit”, would now find “paradise”.

It is also known that Hamas hides weapons at schools.

Meanwhile, back to today, hundreds of innocent civilians had headed to a UN school for safety.  And Hamas decides to use the grounds around the school to fire at Israeli troops, knowing full well that Israel would fire back at them.  Then when Israel did fire back, it set the booby-traps off INSIDE the school.  Nice guys, them Hamas eh?

So how can you fight a terrorist organization, that uses schools as weapons dumps.  That fires weapons from schools and school yards, while innocents are inside? And what kind of government puts its own innocent civilians at risk, while that same government should be protecting its own innocent civilians?

But yet, neither Israel nor Hamas (Palestine) has a monopoly on what is right or what is wrong either.

Via The Jerusalem Post and the New York Times

According to Razi Hashmi, the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ executive director, America should take immediate steps to end Israel’s “illegal and immoral” offensive against the Gaza' Strip’s Hamas rulers. “We as Oklahomans and as Americans should be concerned about this conflict because our taxes are going towards Israel,” Hashmi said.  “We should not allow our government to give Israel a blank check to allow the destruction of hopes for peace in the Middle East.”  However in a rather confusing statement, Hashmi also said as an American citizen, he agrees with the U.S. description of Hamas.

During the demonstration, one protestor held a sign that showed a swastika inside the Star of David.  According to Hashmi, the man carrying the sign, identified only as a college student from OK City, was asked to leave and the sign removed a “couple of minutes” after the demonstration started.  Also according to Hashimi, the man has been banned from future protests organized by the organization.  According to Hashmi, the organization distributed rules before the demonstration that no offensive signs or banners would be tolerated.  “The Star of David is a sacred symbol of faith and Muslims are stressed by Islam to respect all symbols of faith and I apologize,” Hashmi said.  “This [sign] does not reflect our personal views.”

However, unless the video below was taken within the first few minutes of the protest, the sign is seen during the demonstration.  But then what do you expect from a group who defends Hamas?

Michael Barlow, past president of the Jewish Federation of Greater OK City watched the protest commenting, “War is unfortunate, but the question is:  What is Israel to do, with scores of missiles being shot into Israel population centers daily?”  “How long do you allow missiles to be shot into your country from another country?”  Barlow added that it is difficult for Israel to negotiate with Hamas leaders when they do not recognize Israel’s right to exist.

United Methodist minister Rev. Andres Tevington of the Church of the Servant in OK City said the Israelis and Palestinians should quit “illegitimately calling on the name of God” in this fighting.  “We call upon the U.S. to help both sides see there is a different way to do this,” he said.

Rev. Kristen Brown, a United Methodist minister attended the protest saying, “I saw that this isn’t really a religious issue, this is an issue about people who are living under military occupation for 40 years and they’re in a very desperate situation,” she said.

RANT ON

What irritates me more and more, is the use of children in these protests.  How can a child, who is aged 2-7 years old, have a mental ability to understand the protest, and understand the purpose of these signs, or the babies swaddled in bloodied cloth they carry?  How can these children make a voluntary choice at their age to make a voluntary consent to participate in these protests.  Any child who is a minor, should not be allowed to participate in these protests, if they are a credible organization, who is looking out for a child’s best interest.  These children do not have the mentality to make an informed consent to voluntarily participate in these protests.  This is nothing more than encouraging racism.

And how can you call for the end of an “illegal and immoral” offensive against a terrorist organization and still say you support the U.S. designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization?

About his father (who is seen left in the center, wearing the blue shirt) and Hamas, Mu’sab said Hamas betrays the Palestinian cause and tortures its own members.  He also states;

“The Hamas leadership, including my father, they’re responsible; they’re responsible for all the violence that happened from the organization.  I know they describe it as reaction to Israeli aggression, but still, they are part of it and they had to make decisions in those operations against Israel [for] which there was the killing of many civilians.”

Mu’sab has said there will never be lasting peace between Israel and Hamas.

“There is no chance.  Is there any chance for fire to co-exist with the water?”  “Its not about Israel, it’s not about Hamas:  it’s about both ideologies.”

AUGUST, 2008

Mus’ab announced that he left Islam.  From an article on Haaretz titled:  “I’ve left a society that sanctifies terror.” (Right are the three founding members of Hamas with Mus’ab’s father’s picture on the far left)

A moment before beginning his supper, Masab, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, glances at the friend who has accompanied him to the restaurant where we met.  They whisper a few words and then say grace, thanking God and Jesus for putting food on their plates.

It takes a few seconds to digest this sight:  The son of Hamas MP who is also the most popular figure in that extremist Islamic organization, a young man who assisted his father for years in his political activities, has become a rank-and-file Christian.  “I’m now called Joseph,” he says at the outset.

Masab knows that he has little hope of returning to visit the Holy Land in this lifetime.  “I know that I’m endangering my life and am even liable to lose my father, but I hope that he’ll understand this and that God will give him and my family patience and willingness to open their eyes to Jesus and to Christianity.  Maybe one day I’ll be able to return to Palestine and to Ramallah with Jesus, in the Kingdom of God.

Nor does he attempt to hide his affection for Israel, or his abhorrence of everything representing the surroundings in which he grew up:  the nation, the religion, the organization.

“Send regards to Israel, I miss it.  I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” he says.

“You Jews should be aware:  You will never, but never have peace with Hamas.  Islam, as the ideology that guides them, will not allow them to achieve a peace agreement with the Jews.  They believe that tradition says that the Prophet Mohammed fought against the Jews and that therefore they must continue to fight them to the death.”

Is that the justification for the suicide attacks?

“More than that.  An entire society sanctifies death and the suicide terrorists.  In Palestinian culture a suicide terrorist becomes a hero, a martyr.  Sheikhs tell their students about the ‘heroism of the shaheeds.’

And yet, in spite of the criticism of the place he left, California can’t make the longings disappear.

“I miss Ramallah,” he says.  “People with an open mind. … I mainly miss my mother, my brothers and sisters, but I know that it will be very difficult for me to return to Ramallah soon.”

Below are excerpts from an interview which aired on Al-Hayat TV (Cyprus) on August 19, 2008.  In this video, he talks about his childhood, his father, his involvement with the hatred of Jews, and his path to leaving Islam.

JANUARY, 2009

Fox News did a documentary with Mu’sab Hassan Youself titled “Escape From Hamas” that was shown on Fox News. Below, in six parts, is the entire documentary.

RANT ON

Believe it or not, no rant, but congregations to this brave young man who made a free will decision for himself.  That in itself says a lot since Hamas does not encourage independent free-will thought, but encourages sightless unthinking followers instead.  And obviously the young man was so disturbed at what he realized about Hamas and Islam that he turned his back on his own father and family.  By rejecting Islam he has turned into a apostate which a fatwa can be called on him.  The four major Sunni Madh’hab (schools of Islamic jurisprudence) and the Twelver Shi’a Jafar madhab agree that a sane adult male apostate must be executed since the Qur’an states that Allah (God) despises aspostasy.  [Qur’an 3:72, 3:90, 16:106, 4:137 and 5:54]

Now if only more people would listen to what he has to say and think for themselves instead of being mindless and sightless sheep being lead to a slaughter all in the name of God.

And I leave you with this to ponder.  If all the people in Gaza are just innocent civilians, they why on December 14th, did hundreds of tens of thousands of people show up in Gaza to support Hamas’ 21st anniversary of existence?  Maybe, just maybe, because they support terrorists.

Have a look at BBC’s video of the celebration. 

“The mass rally – with its sea of green flags – is being seen as a show of strength by Hamas…” 

“The Associated Press said the crowds filled an area in Gaza City which can accommodate 150,000 people.”

“In a statement on its website, one of Hamas’ senior officials, Mahmoud Zahar, paid tribute to the organization on its anniversary.  ‘Hamas has gone from stone-throwing to guns and rockets, from a support of a few thousand people to a backing of millions in Arab countries and around the world’, he said.

Fox News said,

“about 300,000 Hamas supporters crowded into a dusty outdoor arena and spilled over into nearby streets.  Many waved flags and sported baseball caps in the Islamic group’s signature green color.”

“The huge turnout at the Gaza rally was a pointed display of strength directed at both Israel and Fatah, and further evidence of the Muslim militant group’s unchallenged control over 1.4 million Gazans.”

So tell me, doe the pictures below, taken on Dec. 14th, 2008s look like a forced celebration of a few innocent non-Hamas supporting citizens of Hamas?  Because to me, it looks more like an entire region of terrorist supporting civilians who are celebrating the existence of Hamas.  And I would assume that 1.5 million people, if they did oppose Hamas, could easily overrun the amount of Hamas terrorists that do exist in Gaza if they really wanted to.

Well, the man in the video is Mahdi Bray. After media attention on the above video, Bray claimed he was just having a bit of fun, and not approving Alamoudi’s words in a Northern Virginia Daily news article.

The majority of the people they were kind of raising their hands, and kind of cheering, and so on because this was so uncharacteristic of al-Amoundi.  We didn’t know he had a problem with law enforcement.  He was considered the pillar of the American Muslim community.

You saw me pumping my fists.  You didn’t see me raising my hands.  If they had shown the audience, you would have seen people in the audience raising their hands and falling out laughing.  For him to come and make these kinds of radical rants, no one took him seriously.

Mahdi Bray has worked with International ANSWER, a group who has recently organized over 50 Anti-Israel protests in the United States in the past week, a group who was founded by members of the Workers World Party (WWP) and members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation(PSL).  I recently blogged about ANSWER who has been accused for a few years of anti-Semitism, and supporting Hezbollah and Hamas.

Bray is also involved with:

• Muslim American Society – Executive Director. Group has been reported to be a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood.
• National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom – Founding Board Member.  Group has been reported to have lobbied and litigated against U.S. counter-terrorism laws, provided legal counsel to terror suspects, and works to overturn terrorist convictions.
• American Muslim Council (AMC)– Advisory Board.  This groups claims to fame are, The Chairman of this group was imprisoned for terror-related convictions in 2003.  AMC was a part of the National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom.  AMC created the National Islamic Prison Foundation below.  AMC was a longtime supporter of Sudan’s National Islamic Front, which was and still is on the State Dept.’s list of terrorist organizations.
• Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)– Advisory Board.  Formed a coalition to repeal and amend the Patriot Act.  MPAC asserts that Hezbollah “could be called a liberation movement.”  Found and executive director Salam AL-Marayati justified the existence of Hamas as a political entity and a provider of social programs and “educational operations”.  MPAC justified the 1983 bombing of the American Marine barracks in Lebanon as a “military operation” rather than a terrorist attack.  Claims Israel was established by terrorism and that they are the “worst terrorists in the world.”  And a lot more.
• Interfaith Alliance Foundation – Advisory Board
• Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations – President
• National Islamic Prison Foundation (NIPF) – Head.  Created by American Muslim Council.  A Saudi-supported outreach program seeking to convert US prison inmates to the Islamic faith.  Tells them when they are released from prison, they will be able to find food and shelter, as well as assistance in finding employment, in virtually any mosque or masjid.  The indoctrination of American inmates is a strategy described in al Qaeda training manuals.
• Imam Jamil Defense Fund – National Mobilization Chairman.  Organization provides legal aid for Jamil Abudullah Al-Amin (aka H. Rap Brown), who was twice on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitivies” list and is now serving a life sentence for murdering a police officer.
• “The Crescent Report” – Host of the Muslim-oriented radio talk show, sponsored by Wahhabi Saudi Arabia.
• “Activist Training Seminars” – A project of his whose objective is to train at least 1,000 people in the “skills necessary for effective activism.”
• Lots more damming information at “When Islamists Get Caught:  MAS Edition”, “Leader of Muslim Brotherhood Front Group Appointed to Virginia Commission on Immigration”, “The Mendacity of MAS”

Muslim American Society and ANSWER Anti-Israel Protest in Washington

This protest was held this past Friday at the Israeli Embassy in Washington and then headed to the Egyptian Embassy.  Brian Becker, who heads ANSWER also made an appearance which can be seen in video 3 below.

These crimes could not be committed [against Gaza by Israel] and would not be committed without the explicit consent and support and financing provided by the Bush Administration.  And so in that sense we are here to say, that this is a US backed Israeli atrocity and justice demands that the United States Government cut all aid to Israel today, otherwise and because of it the US is guilty of war crimes too. 

[Oh okay, so I guess it didn’t matter that Bush just gave $85 MILLION dollars to the UN for Gaza and the West Bank right?  No aid for Israel, no aid for Gaza.  An eye for an eye.]

Bray, meanwhile, had to say, “We’re here to say the violence must stop.”  “And we’re here to say that there must be a ceasefire, a truce and that basically the sanctity of life is important.”  He also had to say in one of the videos, that the people were there to represent the Muslims.  [Wait, isn’t this SUPPOSE to be anti-war, and not about anti-Semitism?]

Once again, just that, kind of a layout of what we want to do here today.

First of all, we’re here to protest the occupation of Palestine.  We’re here to protest the slaughter in Gaza.  We’re here to protest the 18 months of siege that has taken place in Gaza, before the bombs dropped, people were dying because they couldn’t get food, medicine, medical attention, clean drinking water, etc.  So, that’s why we’re here.

[Sure, I’ve given my own terms for a ceasefire and truce.  Gaza stays the way it is, Israel stays the way it is.  However, if a rocket comes from Gaza into Israel, that means that Israel can send a Hellfire missile back across to Gaza.  If two rockets come from Gaza, then two Hellfire missiles go back across to Gaza.  Fair deal.   But if Iran sends anything over to Israel, then that’s a whole different ballgame.]

One angry protestor spoke against Barack Obama wanting to know why he was silent and why he wasn’t president now. But pointed out when Georgia was attacked by Russian, Obama spoke on that issue against Russia. That Obama doesn’t seem to represent “Change”.  

And that “President Obama, despite all he said on television, that is illegal.  That is immoral. That is inhuman. And reason for him to make a decision now.”  And additionally said that Obama is a subservient to the current Administration. 

[Can be seen and heard in the first video below.  Obama has in the past stated that Israel has the right to defend itself.  And obviously, these protestors want the United States to start a war with Israel.  NOT GONNA HAPPEN.  If these people want help to defend Gaza, then they can just take the next plane over there, and join Hamas.  But instead, they choose to stay safely here, and whine, instead of paying homage to their country, and serve the country they seem to show more allegiance to than the United States.]

More Pictures Here, and Here.
Additional Videos Here1, Here2 and Here3.