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05-20-2004, 12:22 AM
Continued deaths in Rafah prompt new international outcry
Last Updated Wed, 19 May 2004 21:52:20
RAFAH, GAZA STRIP - Israeli tank fire tore into a crowd of Palestinian protesters in Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 10 and wounding dozens more.
INDEPTH: Middle East
Most of the victims were young people and doctors say many of the injured are in critical or hopeless condition. Israel says the tank-fire was supposed to be a warning shot and expressed its deep sorrow to the victims.
Rafah camp (AP photo)
The army also used a helicopter and machine-guns in attempts to turn back the angry demonstrators.
The attack brings the number of Palestinians killed in the past two days of Israel's Gaza offensive to 33.
Palestinian leaders could not contain their rage. Yasser Arafat called the attacks "war crimes." And the United Nations joined in. The Security Council demanded that Israel halt the demolition of Palestinian homes and condemned the killing of Palestinian civilians.
In a significant move, the United States abstained from the vote. The White House later released a statement saying Israel's actions in Gaza were doing nothing to promote peace and security in the region.
At first an Israeli government spokesman, Ra'naan Gissin, tried to blame the Palestinians. "If there was death caused by explosions it may have occurred as a result of explosive charges placed in the Rafah refugee camp ... as part of a strategy, I would say, to stop or to slow down the advance of our troops."
Later the government changed its version of events. It acknowledged that its troops were in a neighbourhood and it was worried the thousands of protesters, Palestinian gunmen among them, were getting too close.
It said helicopters fired flares to deter the crowd. That didn't work, so an Apache helicopter fired a missile at an open field. When that didn't work either the army tried something else.
"Tank shells were [fired] towards an empty building, not towards the crowd, in order to deter the Palestinians from approaching. As a result of this [artillery] fire it seems Palestinian civilians were injured and killed. We expressed our deepest sorrow for the incident," said Israeli Defence Force spokesperson Sharon Feingold.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said the Canadian government is very concerned and deeply troubled by the escalating violence in Gaza.
He said senior department officials expressed the concerns after summoning the Israeli ambassador to a meeting.
Graham said Ottawa is also asking the Palestinian Authority to rein in attacks against Israelis.
But British Prime Minister Tony Blair called it "wrong" and "unacceptable." And the European Union condemned it as a completely disproportionate response to any perceived threat against Israel.
Written by CBC News Online staff
quite the warning shot!
Last Updated Wed, 19 May 2004 21:52:20
RAFAH, GAZA STRIP - Israeli tank fire tore into a crowd of Palestinian protesters in Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 10 and wounding dozens more.
INDEPTH: Middle East
Most of the victims were young people and doctors say many of the injured are in critical or hopeless condition. Israel says the tank-fire was supposed to be a warning shot and expressed its deep sorrow to the victims.
Rafah camp (AP photo)
The army also used a helicopter and machine-guns in attempts to turn back the angry demonstrators.
The attack brings the number of Palestinians killed in the past two days of Israel's Gaza offensive to 33.
Palestinian leaders could not contain their rage. Yasser Arafat called the attacks "war crimes." And the United Nations joined in. The Security Council demanded that Israel halt the demolition of Palestinian homes and condemned the killing of Palestinian civilians.
In a significant move, the United States abstained from the vote. The White House later released a statement saying Israel's actions in Gaza were doing nothing to promote peace and security in the region.
At first an Israeli government spokesman, Ra'naan Gissin, tried to blame the Palestinians. "If there was death caused by explosions it may have occurred as a result of explosive charges placed in the Rafah refugee camp ... as part of a strategy, I would say, to stop or to slow down the advance of our troops."
Later the government changed its version of events. It acknowledged that its troops were in a neighbourhood and it was worried the thousands of protesters, Palestinian gunmen among them, were getting too close.
It said helicopters fired flares to deter the crowd. That didn't work, so an Apache helicopter fired a missile at an open field. When that didn't work either the army tried something else.
"Tank shells were [fired] towards an empty building, not towards the crowd, in order to deter the Palestinians from approaching. As a result of this [artillery] fire it seems Palestinian civilians were injured and killed. We expressed our deepest sorrow for the incident," said Israeli Defence Force spokesperson Sharon Feingold.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said the Canadian government is very concerned and deeply troubled by the escalating violence in Gaza.
He said senior department officials expressed the concerns after summoning the Israeli ambassador to a meeting.
Graham said Ottawa is also asking the Palestinian Authority to rein in attacks against Israelis.
But British Prime Minister Tony Blair called it "wrong" and "unacceptable." And the European Union condemned it as a completely disproportionate response to any perceived threat against Israel.
Written by CBC News Online staff
quite the warning shot!