Israeli forces kill dozens in Gaza as U.S. Embassy opens in Jerusalem

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller

 

A woman holds a Palestinian flag as a demonstrator runs during a protest against U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem and ahead of the 70th anniversary of Nakba, at the Israel-Gaza border in the southern Gaza Strip May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

 

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli troops shot dead dozens of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on Monday when the high-profile opening of the U.S. embassy to Israel in Jerusalem by the Trump administration raised tension to boiling point after weeks of demonstrations.

 

In the bloodiest single day for Palestinians since 2014, Palestinian Health Ministry officials said 58 protesters were killed and 2,700 injured by live gunfire, tear gas or other means.

 

The bloodshed drew calls for restraint from some countries, including France and Britain, and stronger criticism from others, with regional power Turkey calling it "a massacre".

 

The White House declined to join in urging Israel to exercise caution and pinned the blame squarely on Gaza's ruling Hamas group, backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who described the Israeli military's actions as self-defence of his country's borders.

 

In siding squarely with Israel, Washington put distance between itself and its European allies for the second time in a week, after angering France, Germany and others last Tuesday by abandoning an international nuclear deal with Iran.

 

In contrast to the violent scenes in Gaza, Israeli dignitaries and guests attended a ceremony in Jerusalem to open the U.S. Embassy following its relocation from Tel Aviv.

 

The move fulfilled a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump, who in December recognised the holy city as the Israeli capital.

Netanyahu thanked Trump for "having the courage to keep your promises".

 

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, the top Democrat on the foreign relations subcommittee that covers the region, told Reuters the situation was "tragic" and said "It’s not viewed as the U.S. trying to solve a problem, it’s viewed as the U.S. just stepping away from the problem, and that’s sad."

 

Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a state they hope to establish in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

 

Israel regards all of the city, including the eastern sector it captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move that is not recognised internationally, as its "eternal and indivisible capital".

 

Most countries say the status of Jerusalem - a sacred city to Jews, Muslims and Christians - should be determined in a final peace settlement and that moving their embassies now would prejudge any such deal.

 

Peace talks aimed a finding a two-state solution to the conflict have been frozen since 2014.

 

BORDER BLOODSHED

Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December outraged Palestinians, who said the United States could no longer serve as an honest broker in any peace process.

 

A senior Hamas leader, Khalil Al-Hayya, said at a border encampment that Monday's protest was timed to coincide with the "deplorable crime of moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem".

 

He said: "Our people went out today to respond to this new Zionist-American aggression, and to draw by their blood the map of their return."

 

In Gaza, Palestinian protests quickly turned into bloodshed. Tens of thousands had streamed to the edge of the coastal enclave's land border, some approaching the Israeli fence.

 

"Today is the big day when we will cross the fence and tell Israel and the world we will not accept being occupied forever," said Gaza science teacher Ali, who declined to give his last name.

 

Clouds of black smoke from tyres set alight by demonstrators rose in the air. Demonstrators, some armed with slingshots, hurled stones at the Israeli security forces, who fired volleys of tear gas and intense rounds of gunfire.

 

The protests, which have been going on for weeks, are scheduled to culminate on Tuesday, the day Palestinians mourn as the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe" when, in 1948, hundreds of thousands of them were driven out of their homes or fled the fighting around Israel's creation.

Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the Gaza violence.

 

"Every country has an obligation to defend its borders," he wrote on Twitter. "The Hamas terrorist organisation declares it intends to destroy Israel and sends thousands to breach the border fence in order to achieve this goal. We will continue to act with determination to protect our sovereignty and citizens."

 

Hamas denied instigating the violence, but the White House backed Netanyahu. "The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas. Hamas is intentionally and cynically provoking this response," White House spokesman Raj Shah told reporters.

 

In a small protest outside the White House, some protesters chanted "Palestine will be free".

 

The Israeli military said in a statement: "Rioters hurled firebombs and explosive devices at the security fence and Israeli troops". The soldiers' response, it said, was in accordance with "standard operating procedures".

 

The dead included at least six people under 18 years of age, including one girl. The total number of fatalities since a series of protests to demand Palestinians' right to return to their ancestral homes in Israel is now 103.

 

They also included a medic and a man in a wheelchair who had been pictured on social media using a slingshot. The Israeli military said three of those killed were armed militants who tried to place explosives near the fence.

 

Sirens of ambulances carrying casualties to hospitals wailed almost non-stop all day. In Gaza mosques, loudspeakers mourned the dead, who were carried for burial in funeral marches.

 

"These war crimes should not go unpunished and the international community has a responsibility to provide international protection for the Palestinian people," senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said after a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

 

Israel said it would reopen the Kerem Shalom goods crossing, which provides vital supplies for the enclave, from Tuesday. It was shut after Gaza protesters vandalised it on Friday night when they set fire to a gas pipeline and a goods conveyor.

 

CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

Trump, in a recorded message, said he remained committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. He was represented at the ceremony by his daughter Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, U.S. envoy to the Middle East.

 

Kushner said it was possible for both sides in the conflict to gain more than give in any peace deal. "Jerusalem must remain a city that brings people of all faiths together," he said in a speech.

 

But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had opened an "American settlement outpost in East Jerusalem". He announced a general strike on Tuesday.

 

Unlike the previous administration of former president Barack Obama which had a strained relationship with Netanyahu, Trump has firmly supported the Israeli leader.

 

Netanyahu has long been a critic of the nuclear deal with Iran, which Trump abandoned last week despite complaints from other U.S. allies.

 

The Pentagon confirmed it had deployed additional U.S. Marine guards to temporarily bolster security at several U.S. embassies after the violence but declined to say which ones. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deployments bolstered security at U.S. embassies including Israel, Jordan and Turkey.

 

French President Emmanuel Macron said he plans to talk to all involved parties in the region over the next few days.

 

Britain said it had no plans to move its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and disagreed with the U.S. decision to do so. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the U.S. move flouted international law.

 

Turkey accused Israeli security forces of carrying out a massacre and said the U.S. embassy move had encouraged them.

 

The United States on Monday blocked a Kuwait-drafted U.N. Security Council statement that would have expressed “outrage and sorrow at the killing of Palestinian civilians” and called for an independent and transparent investigation, U.N. diplomats said.

 

More than 2 million people are crammed into the narrow Gaza strip, which is blockaded by Egypt and Israel.

 

The Trump administration says it has nearly completed a new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan but is undecided on how and when to roll it out.

 

(Additional reporting by Alex Winning, Steve Holland, Yara Bayoumy, Doina Chiacu, Phil Stewart and Ori Lewis; Writing by Jeffrey Heller and Alistair Bell; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Janet Lawrence, Nick Tattersall, David Stamp and James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-05-15

Israel , the Jewish lobby and the NRA, Trumps few remaining "friends".

You could see this coming a mile away.

outrage and sorrow at the killing of Palestinian civilians

 

The ones who were shooting at Israelis, those civilians, by civilians you mean hamas....

Palestine rioting. No it can't be. Religion of peace.

The sooner the Hamas will understand that they have no chance in hell crossing into Israel, the sooner lives will be saved, but to the Hamas, this is the least of their worries, as they see nothing wrong in sending people to commit mass suicide and into their imminent death in a futile attempts to stay in power and keep the people minds of the horounds life in Gaza, Israel has far more rights and bullets to defend their homeland than a millions of palestinians... 

From BBC - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-44116340

 

The Palestinian Authority's leader condemned a "massacre". The UN spoke of "outrageous human rights violations".

 

It really is disgusting how Israel shows to the world that they just do not care about what someone else thinks about them .

Israeli snipers kill palestinian protestors ... it looks to me that killing palestinians became some kind of " sport " for Israeli soldiers , just shoot them and laugh ...

 

On one side we have high tech equipment designed to kill , on the other side stones and burning tires ... Israelis say that some palestinians had been armed ... of course they try to justify their acts by always accusing the other side of their own behaviour ...

On one side we have 58 death and 2400 hurt , on the other side ... nothing !

 

Israel had been prepared for these demonstrations in advance and merciless killed them , I call this a massacre ! And I am not the only one ...

The Israelis demonstrated to the world that , once again , they do what they want only  . They do not obey to international laws , they do not respect other peoples rights or land .

 

Always the same excuses : " they want Israel to disappear from the map ... they want to kill us all etc ... the facts are that they accuse the palestininans of their own behaviour , being aggressive , wanting to kill them etc ...

 

Just look at the facts - how many Israelis have died , and how many Palestinians ? ---- Why ? On one side high tech killers , on the other side people who see their land stolen and destroyed and being killed when they demonstrate for justice ...

 

I am not pro palestinian , I really think Israel has a right to exist ... but make some efforts to find a diplomatic solution and give back the occupied territories to their rightful owners .

Respect international law and stop showing to the world how ugly people can become ...

 

Yes , I know the holocaust ... horrible and traumatising , but a long time ago ... remember but do not try to become like the nazis yourself ...

 

Only a peaceful Israel will earn the respect of the world . \\\ make love , not war /// 555

 

I am scared that the WW III will start when Israel thinks that Iran comes closer to the atomic bomb ... they will not hesitate to bomb the Iran just to prevent them from coming close to this ...

 

It's a mad world we are living in ...

 

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The sooner the Hamas will understand that they have no chance in hell crossing into Israel, the sooner lives will be saved, but to the Hamas, this is the least of their worries, as they see nothing wrong in sending people to commit mass suicide and into their imminent death in a futile attempts to stay in power and keep the people minds of the horounds life in Gaza, Israel has far more rights and bullets to defend their homeland than a millions of palestinians... 

Palestinians have the right to resist illegal occupation. Their lands have been stolen by European colonists. They want their land back, and the right to return to the homes for which many of them still hold the keys.

You WILL post in a civil manner or you WILL earn a suspension.   Enough with name calling, fake news comments and other inflammatory remarks.  

 

12 minutes ago, dexterm said:

Palestinians have the right to resist illegal occupation. Their lands have been stolen by European colonists. They want their land back, and the right to return to the homes for which many of them still hold the keys.

Ok than, we agree to the fact that both sides has the rights to a homeland, all that remain to be seen who will triumph and be the victor, the hapless primitive palestinians who are led by a brutal and careless leadership or the mighty Israelis that must defend its homeland at all costs....let us count the dead, shall we?...

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Israel has far more rights and bullets to defend their homeland than a millions of palestinians...

Bullets? Indubitably.

 

Rights? Not same same bullets.

Hey, trump...see why those deserving of your current role, were not stupid enough to build an embassy in occupied Jerusalem?

22 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Bullets? Indubitably.

 

Rights? Not same same bullets.

 

The Jihadists of Hamas have sworn to never recognize the State of Israel, there itself is the foundation of the problem with the Palestinian leadership. They incite these false protests and slip in operatives who in turn end up dead with some unfortunate collateral damage amongst them, who's families are rewarded monetarily for them dying.

 

The Hamas terror master Khaled Mashaal and the P.L.O. chief Mahmoud Abbas have repeatedly, over decades stated that they will never, ever recognize Israel as the Jewish state, meaning they will never recognize Israel.

 

Sort of like the Buddhist concept of  "The Endless Cycle of Suffering"

2 hours ago, jimmyyy said:

outrage and sorrow at the killing of Palestinian civilians

 

The ones who were shooting at Israelis, those civilians, by civilians you mean hamas....

You have verifiable evidence of this?

9 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

 

The Jihadists of Hamas have sworn to never recognize the State of Israel, there itself is the foundation of the problem with the Palestinian leadership. They incite these false protests and slip in operatives who in turn end up dead with some unfortunate collateral damage amongst them, who's families are rewarded monetarily for them dying.

 

The Hamas terror master Khaled Mashaal and the P.L.O. chief Mahmoud Abbas have repeatedly, over decades stated that they will never, ever recognize Israel as the Jewish state, meaning they will never recognize Israel.

 

Sort of like the Buddhist concept of  "The Endless Cycle of Suffering"

What ‘false protest’ are you referring to?

52 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Ok than, we agree to the fact that both sides has the rights to a homeland, all that remain to be seen who will triumph and be the victor, the hapless primitive palestinians who are led by a brutal and careless leadership or the mighty Israelis that must defend its homeland at all costs....let us count the dead, shall we?...

The problem for Israel is that it left its colonialist enterprise about 100 years too late. "Might is right " was the mantra for European colonialists 15th to 19th Century and all the atrocious things they did, but you cant behave like that today and get away with it. We now have international law.

 

There was and still is a majority Palestinian population in historic Palestine.  The only way a religious minority, Israeli Jews, can rule an indigenous Palestinian majority (Muslims and Christians) is by means of apartheid and the brutal repression as seen in the OP,  killing protesters who want to return to their homes from which they were ethnically cleansed.

 

In history no minority has ever succeeded in ruling over a majority without ultimately granting them civil and human rights.

 

Trump in sponsoring that minority supremacy in his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is on the wrong side of history... at the moment anyway...the OP building straddles the border with East Jerusalem, the future capital of Palestine.

34 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

 

The Jihadists of Hamas have sworn to never recognize the State of Israel, there itself is the foundation of the problem with the Palestinian leadership. They incite these false protests and slip in operatives who in turn end up dead with some unfortunate collateral damage amongst them, who's families are rewarded monetarily for them dying.

 

The Hamas terror master Khaled Mashaal and the P.L.O. chief Mahmoud Abbas have repeatedly, over decades stated that they will never, ever recognize Israel as the Jewish state, meaning they will never recognize Israel.

 

Sort of like the Buddhist concept of  "The Endless Cycle of Suffering"

It's the religious supremacist Jewish State of Israel Hamas won't recognize because that would automatically make the majority indigenous Palestinian population second class citizens to the minority Jewish population. And I am against such discrimination too.

 

If Zionists can only maintain their dominance by means of the OP bloody repression, which the whole world is watching, then their apartheid state is built on shaky ground, and will ultimately self destruct into a secular democracy.

 

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice" (Martin Luther King, Jr)

Inflammatory post removed.  

1 minute ago, dexterm said:

 

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice" (Martin Luther King, Jr)

 

Beauty is power; a smile is its sword.

 

-John Ray
 

3 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Palestine rioting. No it can't be. Religion of peace.

The protests are a response to politics not religion.

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

Hey, trump...see why those deserving of your current role, were not stupid enough to build an embassy in occupied Jerusalem?

 

No, he doesn't understand and likely never will.  His actions spark conflict resulting in the deaths of dozens of actual human people.  Meanwhile some people think he deserves a PEACE prize.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, dexterm said:

Palestinians have the right to resist illegal occupation. Their lands have been stolen by European colonists. They want their land back, and the right to return to the homes for which many of them still hold the keys.

Resistance is not the same as aggressive hostile attacks.  The Israeli territory on the other side of the Gaza border is not occupied land. The arabs are attacking Israel.  Gaza residents are for the most part descendants of the  arbs who lived there during Egyptian rule. They didn't flee Israel. The people you  claim lost their lands are primarily residents of Lebanon and Jordan, countries which will not give them citizenship. 

The arabs who are dying at the Israel border have decided that  their future in paradise is of more value than life here on earth. Who are you to deny them their  wish? They are attacking Israel and seek to gain entry to cause death and destruction. Israel has the moral and legal right to repel violent attackers.

 

It's wonderful that you have such empathy for the arabs who left on the  advice of the attacking arab armies who promised that Israel would be wiped out. Where is your advocacy on behalf of the nearly 1 million arabs of the jewish faith forced out of their homes and who had their lands, property and assets confiscated? Where are your tears for jews slaughtered in the riots of baghdad, of Cairo, of Algiers, of Tunis of Tehran, etc?  Your double standard is rich.

 

BTW your hyperbole as to these poor people holding keys for their homes is absolute BS. Rather than point out the fallacy of the claim, I will direct you to basic math. 1948-2018  is a span of 70 years.   male life expectancy for Gaza residents is 72.5 years. (despite the violence, lifestyle related mortality is the leading cause of death particularly  heavy tobacco use, heart disease, obesity). Your claim would require  that these people  would have  taken possession of their real estate  at an average  age of 2.5 years.

 

Adn BTW, did you know that Israeli Arabs have the highest life expectancy among 21 Islamic or Arab countries, even higher than that of wealthy Gulf States, such as Qatar and Bahrain.  And guess what, the life expectancy of arab males in the contested areas of Israel, the lands you call occupied, is 3+ years higher than in Gaza.  Gosh darn, that occupying hardship sure adds years to their lives.

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

Israel , the Jewish lobby and the NRA, Trumps few remaining "friends".

 

You missed the rednecks of your list.  They're in there also.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Israeli troops shot dead dozens of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on Monday when the high-profile opening of the U.S. embassy to Israel in Jerusalem by the Trump administration raised tension to boiling point after weeks of demonstrations.

These killings were endorsed and caused by the erratic US president.

It seems to be the new killing fields for US. How many might follow?

America changed to a danger for the world and changed to a war monger!

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

Hey, trump...see why those deserving of your current role, were not stupid enough to build an embassy in occupied Jerusalem?

President Trump isn't causing anyone's death. These people want to die.

 

If you want the deaths to stop, tell your arab friends to stop attacking. Israel aint going anywhere. I suggest you listen closely to the kindly compassionate  Pastor John Hagee said at the closing benediction for the opening of the US embassy.  A wonderful, thoughtful, stirring statement. Give it a listen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

Resistance is not the same as aggressive hostile attacks.  The Israeli territory on the other side of the Gaza border is not occupied land. The arabs are attacking Israel.  Gaza residents are for the most part descendants of the  arbs who lived there during Egyptian rule. They didn't flee Israel. The people you  claim lost their lands are primarily residents of Lebanon and Jordan, countries which will not give them citizenship. 

The arabs who are dying at the Israel border have decided that  their future in paradise is of more value than life here on earth. Who are you to deny them their  wish? They are attacking Israel and seek to gain entry to cause death and destruction. Israel has the moral and legal right to repel violent attackers.

 

It's wonderful that you have such empathy for the arabs who left on the  advice of the attacking arab armies who promised that Israel would be wiped out. Where is your advocacy on behalf of the nearly 1 million arabs of the jewish faith forced out of their homes and who had their lands, property and assets confiscated? Where are your tears for jews slaughtered in the riots of baghdad, of Cairo, of Algiers, of Tunis of Tehran, etc?  Your double standard is rich.

 

BTW your hyperbole as to these poor people holding keys for their homes is absolute BS. Rather than point out the fallacy of the claim, I will direct you to basic math. 1948-2018  is a span of 70 years.   male life expectancy for Gaza residents is 72.5 years. (despite the violence, lifestyle related mortality is the leading cause of death particularly  heavy tobacco use, heart disease, obesity). Your claim would require  that these people  would have  taken possession of their real estate  at an average  age of 2.5 years.

 

Adn BTW, did you know that Israeli Arabs have the highest life expectancy among 21 Islamic or Arab countries, even higher than that of wealthy Gulf States, such as Qatar and Bahrain.  And guess what, the life expectancy of arab males in the contested areas of Israel, the lands you call occupied, is 3+ years higher than in Gaza.  Gosh darn, that occupying hardship sure adds years to their lives.

 

16 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

President Trump isn't causing anyone's death. These people want to die.

 

 

Actually, IMHO, Trump is responsible for these people's deaths, not directly, but indirectly, by needlessly, pointlessly inflaming the Israel-Palestinian conflict through the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem, which is a kind of tacit endorsement of Israeli control over all of Jerusalem.

 

I support Israel and their right to sovereignty and self-defense. Though not shooting Palestinian protesters who it appears from the OP article were on their side of the border fence.  But either way, the U.S. move inflamed an already bad situation and the Palestinian response to that provocation was predictable. And then Israel, based on the OP article here, pretty clearly overreacted to the protests.

 

All of this was stoked by Trump and Co.  And how did any of this make an already bad situation any better?  It didn't, it only made things worse. And Trump deserves the blame for that without question.

 

Not to mention again flying in the face of the international community and the U.S.'s closest allies.

 

Quote

 

Israel regards all of the city, including the eastern sector it captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move that is not recognised internationally, as its "eternal and indivisible capital".

 

Most countries say the status of Jerusalem - a sacred city to Jews, Muslims and Christians - should be determined in a final peace settlement and that moving their embassies now would prejudge any such deal.

.......

Britain said it had no plans to move its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and disagreed with the U.S. decision to do so. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the U.S. move flouted international law.

 

 

9 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

President Trump isn't causing anyone's death. These people want to die.

 

If you want the deaths to stop, tell your arab friends to stop attacking. Israel aint going anywhere. I suggest you listen closely to the kindly compassionate  Pastor John Hagee said at the closing benediction for the opening of the US embassy.  A wonderful, thoughtful, stirring statement. Give it a listen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A pastor regurgitating Zion spin. Israel has stolen land what reaction do you EXPECT?

18 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

President Trump isn't causing anyone's death. These people want to die.

 

If you want the deaths to stop, tell your arab friends to stop attacking. Israel aint going anywhere. I suggest you listen closely to the kindly compassionate  Pastor John Hagee said at the closing benediction for the opening of the US embassy.  A wonderful, thoughtful, stirring statement. Give it a listen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I never said I agreed with what Hamas does or is doing at present.

 

I don't.

 

 I regard them as terrorist scum.

 

However the point of diplomacy in a situation like the one concerning a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians is to be seen as being as even handed as much as possible.

 

What trump did is the equivalent of throwing a firework into a room full of powder kegs.

 

 

2 hours ago, dexterm said:

Palestinians have the right to resist illegal occupation. Their lands have been stolen by European colonists. They want their land back, and the right to return to the homes for which many of them still hold the keys.

 

And what about the lands that belong to the Jewish tribes? Those Romans have a lot to answer for. Or was it the Templars or maybe wars among tribes in the Middle East before Europeans got there? 

 

It's a phenomenon how people want to got to one point in history to justify their nationalistic claims or blame others.