UK protesters call Israeli President 'war criminal'

[Player]

UK protestors call Peres 'war criminal'

President's address in front of 1,000 Oxford University students interrupted by small group of demonstrators claiming Israel ethnically cleansed Palestinians, calling for end to Gaza siege. Peres: We don't need your permission to stay alive

Hagit Klaiman
Published: 11.19.08, 07:28 / Israel News

LONDON – Pro-Palestinian protestors interrupted President Shimon Peres' speech Tuesday evening at Britain's Oxford University. The angry students called Peres a "war criminal" and called for an end to the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories.

Peres was expected to address the two houses of the British parliament on Wednesday.

The Israeli president spoke before some 1,000 British students at Oxford, while dozens of other students protested outside the lecture hall. They carried signs reading, "A person cannot be called 'a man of peace' if he develops nuclear weapons, and chanted "free Palestine" and "occupation is a crime".

A propaganda leaflet, titled "Peres is a war criminal", was handed out outside the hall.

The leaflet read, "In the past 60 years he contributed to and was responsible for Israeli terror and the ongoing occupation. He recruited and armed the Hagana terrorists who led the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948.

"This man is responsible for the only nuclear weapons cache in the entire Middle East. As the president of Israel, he is responsible for starving a million and a half Palestinians subject to a siege in Gaza."

Protestors inside the hall interrupted Peres' speech several times. One of them shouted at him, "I am here on behalf of a million and a half residents of Gaza who are being bombed by Israel every day. I am here in the name of 11,000 Palestinian prisoners. I am here in the name of the 800,000 refugees expelled. War criminal, you should be ashamed of yourself."

'Hitler would also remain silent'

The audience did not keep quiet in light of the ongoing attacks. When one of the demonstrators called Peres a "war criminal", most of those present booed her. She did not hesitate and replied, 'If Hitler were here now, he would remain silent as you are silent and listen to Peres' speech."

The president, who remained composed and kept his restraint, responded to one of the protestors by saying, "We have the right to stay alive. We don't need your permission."

One of the students, who claimed to be demonstrating on behalf of all of Gaza's residents, was told by Peres, "Sometimes it's not so terrible to open your eyes and ears and keep your mouth closed for a different opportunity."

At the end of the event, Peres said he was unmoved by the demonstration and would continue his PR efforts for Israel. Members of the president's entourage were also unmoved by the students who interrupted the speech.

"We are used to seeing a small group of demonstrators at the president's speeches across the world. The president will continue serving the State of Israel loyally," one of Peres' associates said.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3625214,00.html


The irony is that Peres is quite well known for his peace efforts and a pro-Palestinian stance. Nevertheless the behavior of the protesters is utterly disgusting and seems to be quite common in the UK.

[PsihoKeke]

Good reply from Peres.

[kahn267]

Peres has always been seen as more moderate and even left leaning.

If anybody was there representing Israel they would be demonstrating the same sentiment. I believe that if Netanyahu was there he would have been able to give a far better retort to the hecklers

[oldsoak]

Not everyone in the UK supports those protesters by a long shot.

[Connaught Ranger]

The irony is that Peres is quite well known for his peace efforts and a pro-Palestinian stance. Nevertheless the behavior of the protesters is utterly disgusting and seems to be quite common in the UK.

More correctly its quite common among the ignorant and especially among ignorant students. Please do not tar all the British with the same brush.

Connaught Ranger:)

[IDF_TANKER]

Peres has always been seen as more moderate and even left leaning.

If anybody was there representing Israel they would be demonstrating the same sentiment. I believe that if Netanyahu was there he would have been able to give a far better retort to the hecklers

What you mean - "even", LOL? He is the main Oslo designer, the very existence of Palestinian authority is due to his efforts. These protesters surely picked the wrong target. It might show only two things - either they are absolutely clueless or it simply doesn't matter for them - Israel, thus wrong, no matter what. Or both.

[Billy No Mates]

ignorant students. Please do not tar all the British with the same brush.:)

Ignorant students at Oxford?...how very dare you!....these are the great and good that will soon be running the country if they say its so then it is so .

[Bitogno]

Maybe they call him war criminal because he was prime minister the operation Grapes of Wrath was launched. Operation which lead to the Qana shelling killing 106 refugees and wounding around 116. Refugees that were at the moment in a UN camp.

[oldsoak]

I dont think so - they would have mentioned it explicitly. In any case, even as PM did he specifically order the targetting of the refugees in a UN camp ?

[kalamazan]

Amazes me that those young future leaders of the free world cannot even identify their own targets. How very stupid one must be to blame Peres for their own ignorance in this stance? Why would you go against somebody who has done so much for the Palestinians in general and ignore the fact that he is the president elected from the State of Israel and could do much more to improve the process? Looks like to me that those "student" have lots more to learn before they can even think about leading anything in the very far future......My two cents....

[gilgoul]

Oh, the irony!!!
Peres, one of the most blatantly pro-palestinian politician in the Israeli politics.
That goes to show the "quality" of the palestinian claims, and that of their supporters.

[Connaught Ranger]

Maybe they call him war criminal because he was prime minister the operation Grapes of Wrath was launched. Operation which lead to the Qana shelling killing 106 refugees and wounding around 116. Refugees that were at the moment in a UN camp.

The shelling was in response to a terrorist Katusha rocket launch from outside the Fijian Compound, so those that launched that attack, then drove away are ultimately responsible for the deaths of the people there.

May they Rest In Peace.

There was simply not enough space in the Fijian Bunkers for all the people seeking shelter there.

Connaught Ranger.

[Bitogno]

The shelling was in response to a terrorist Katusha rocket launch from outside the Fijian Compound, so those that launched that attack, then drove away are ultimately responsible for the deaths of the people there.

May they Rest In Peace.

There was simply not enough space in the Fijian Bunkers for all the people seeking shelter there.

Connaught Ranger.

[off topic]
According to the enquiry :

The UN appointed military advisor Major-General Franklin van Kappen of the Netherlands to investigate the incident. His conclusions were:
“ (a) The distribution of impacts at Qana shows two distinct concentrations, whose mean points of impact are about 140 metres apart. If the guns were converged, as stated by the Israeli forces, there should have been only one main point of impact. (b) The pattern of impacts is inconsistent with a normal overshooting of the declared target (the mortar site) by a few rounds, as suggested by the Israeli forces.
(c) During the shelling, there was a perceptible shift in the weight of fire from the mortar site to the United Nations compound.
(d) The distribution of point impact detonations and air bursts makes it improbable that impact fuses and proximity fuses were employed in random order, as stated by the Israeli forces.
(e) There were no impacts in the second target area which the Israeli forces claim to have shelled.
(f) Contrary to repeated denials, two Israeli helicopters and a remotely piloted vehicle were present in the Qana area at the time of the shelling.
While the possibility cannot be ruled out completely, it is unlikely that the shelling of the United Nations compound was the result of gross technical and/or procedural errors.


With 2 choppers and 1 UAV you see 800 people.
And to finish, this war started because Israel killed 2 people working in a water tower in Yater.
[/off topic]

[lag]

nevermind :P

[Palmach]

nevermind :P

Oh, really? Why such a sudden change of heart?

I can't figure out which part of historical education gets shafted in the liberal arts curriculum - the history of the WWII or the history of the ME. Either way, the analogy (besides being inflamatory and offensive to an extrime) betrays a staggering level ignorance.

[Palmach]

[off topic]
And to finish, this war started because Israel killed 2 people working in a water tower in Yater.
[/off topic]

Which the IDF admitted was a mistake. Yet the war started because H. has lunched over 100 missiles a Israeli civilian targets as a "retaliation".

As far as the Q. story goes - what possible reason would Israel have for intentionally shelling the base?

[Connaught Ranger]

While the possibility cannot be ruled out completely, it is unlikely that the shelling of the United Nations compound was the result of gross technical and/or procedural errors.

As fond as I am of the U.N. Peacekeeping Force, they do not have the answers to everything, even during my tour with them.*

* (Point of Reference: the abduction and killing of 3 Irish Members of the U.N. Force by Armed Elements in the D.F.F. area during the 46th IRISH BATTALION U.N.I.F.I.L. tour.)

Connaught Ranger.

[Bitogno]

Which the IDF admitted was a mistake. Yet the war started because H. has lunched over 100 missiles a Israeli civilian targets as a "retaliation".

It is fun how you rewrite history :

First a definition :
start

v., start·ed, start·ing, starts.v.intr.



To begin an activity or a movement; set out.


Israel started the war by killing two people. Bombing people is an act of war, period.



As far as the Q. story goes - what possible reason would Israel have for intentionally shelling the base?


I don't know, may be it was a choice of Israel, maybe it was a choice of some Israelis which is different, maybe it is something else.
Anyway it is off topic since this thread is about Peres. So I will stop there.

[RoyB]

They simply called him a war criminal because he is an Israeli government man, because 'all of the things' Israel done IMO.

[IDF_TANKER]

.............
I don't know, may be it was a choice of Israel, maybe it was a choice of some Israelis which is different, maybe it is something else.
Anyway it is off topic since this thread is about Peres. So I will stop there.

Do you seriously believe this? Once in my life I'd like to look in the eyes of a person accusing me in deliberate murder of dozens of children and women, just to see what a sick, poisoned by infinite hatred and prejudice soul hides behind them.

[Palmach]

It is fun how you rewrite history :

Israel started the war by killing two people. Bombing people is an act of war, period.

Lebanon and Israel were at the time - and remain to this day - in a state of war, which was initiated by Lebanese invasion of 1948. If you are so fond of history, stick to historical facts.


I don't know, may be it was a choice of Israel, maybe it was a choice of some Israelis which is different, maybe it is something else.
Anyway it is off topic since this thread is about Peres. So I will stop there.

Clearly it couldn't be a case of human error or a technical malfanction - because everyone knows, these things never happen in combat. Every time a US plane ends up killing Iraqi or Afgani civilians in a bombing run it must be a choice of the US or some americans (like who, the pilot maybe? The mission planner?). Or not.

[seraosha]

That's some of the worst run "ethnic cleansing" on record...put the Hutu's in charge, then you would see some goddamn "ethnic cleansing", Bitogno.

[Bulletproof]

Geez, there's two guys who regularly come to my university and try to recruit people for a pro-palestinian march. They distribute flyers, t-shirts and yell: "Gaza biggest open sky jail in the world"... I didn't know you could fire rockets from prison >.>

[IraGlacialis]

I wonder how many of those numbnuts actually been to Palestine or Israel.

[Bitogno]

That's some of the worst run "ethnic cleansing" on record...put the Hutu's in charge, then you would see some goddamn "ethnic cleansing", Bitogno.
I don't understand what you mean. I have not talked about ethnic cleansing at all. I just dis the assumption that Peres could be considered by the protested as war criminal because of the Qana shelling.

[Bulletproof]

I wonder how many of those numbnuts actually been to Palestine or Israel.

They can't go in Palestine, they would kidnap them.

[matthew.manhorn]

Jihadists are just like mad dogs, treat them well and they'll bite you back.

Go get'em Zionists.

[El Diablo Rojo]

Jihadists are just like mad dogs, treat them well and they'll bite you back.

Go get'em Zionists.
I like the way you think.

[matthew.manhorn]

I like the way you think.

Well the article didn't state that the protesters were students anyway, more like Islamic extremists from Britain. I still remember those Jihadists protesting against President Putin's war against Chechen terrorists during his visit to Britain long time ago in a Gordon Ramsey episode.

[timetraveller]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3625214,00.html


The irony is that Peres is quite well known for his peace efforts and a pro-Palestinian stance. Nevertheless the behavior of the protesters is utterly disgusting and seems to be quite common in the UK.


What makes you assume such behaviour is quite common??? , When ever any Member of state visits the UK depending on whom it is they attract a type of crowd Mainly Students imo most are in the same brand of Nuggets that are attracted to G8 summits.

[gilgoul]

What makes you assume such behaviour is quite common??? , When ever any Member of state visits the UK depending on whom it is they attract a type of crowd Mainly Students imo most are in the same brand of Nuggets that are attracted to G8 summits.

Yeah, but with people such as Bitogno, who knows :roll:?

[Albatross]

All joos are war criminals, we all know that. Look at IDF Tanker and Elemental, they will steal a damn pie from a windowsill if they can. we are watching you.