The "hiding among civilians" myth?

Question

Israel claims it's justified in bombing civilians because Hezbollah mingles with them. In fact, the militant group doesn't trust its civilians and stays as far away from them as possible.

Throughout this now 16-day-old war, Israeli planes high above civilian areas make decisions on what to bomb. They send huge bombs capable of killing things for hundreds of meters around those targets to destroy them, and then blame the inevitable civilian deaths -- the Lebanese government says 600 civilians have been killed so far -- on "terrorists" who callously use the civilian infrastructure for protection.

But this claim is almost always false. My own reporting and that of other journalists reveals that in fact Hezbollah fighters -- as opposed to the much more numerous Hezbollah political members, and the vastly more numerous Hezbollah sympathizers -- avoid civilians like the plague. Much smarter and better trained than the PLO and Hamas fighters, they know that if they mingle with civilians, they will sooner or later be betrayed by collaborators -- as so many Palestinian militants have been.

Firas Al-Atraqchi

YAAKOV KATZ

Answer 1

You seem to just be making up facts as you go along, despite what every news agency (including Arab news reporters) are saying based on first-hand knowledge.

You say "your own reporting". So, you've spent a lot of time with Hezbollah soldiers in Lebanon during the past few weeks. And your first report of what you personally saw was here on Yahoo Answers.

So, do you actually have a question? Or are you just making a political statement and trying to rally support for your opinions?

Answer 2

Well, I suppose there'd be some in Lebanon that supported Hezbollah, but it is true that the government has been trying to get rid of them for years, but has been too weak. Remember, Israel occupied Lebanon from 1982-97, and pretty much wrecked the south of the country.

Hezbollah is the Syrian Government's means of control over Lebanon, as they've invaded the country a couple of times too. Syria's black ops blew up Lebanon's former Prime Minister, Rafik Harriri, a man loved by the whole of Lebanon, who set up a lot of infrastructure and educational programs. He was also a pacifist that was against Syria's and Hezbollah's control of the country, so he had to go.

Hezbollah do have some members in the government, but a lot of people think that's only because no one else wants to have their car bombed. The thing is, the Lebanese government has never really had control of the whole country; Hezbollah's had the south for years, and the Lebanese police and army are just too weak to do anything about it, which is probably because they've been bombed continuously since bombs were invented.

Now the thing here is that Hezbollah's "militants", ie. the people firing the rockets, aren't members of an organised group. "Hezbollah" as the Israelis use the term, is any person in Lebanon fighting or attacking Israel. In reality, these people are Average Joes or Janes that shoot rockets from their rooftops and backyards, though, in their defence, it's probably because their brother or sister or parents were killed by an Israeli bomb...

And so it goes. Israel bombs these "Hezbollah militants" and then their relative or friend is so angered in their grief that they grab a spare AK-47 and start shooting. Or a Katuysha rocket and fire it. And then the story repeats itself. Israel have bombed civilian airports, government (anti-Hezbollah) buildings, hospitals, community centres, they're destroying the infrastructure or Lebanon, and Human Rights Watch have reported that they're using illegal cluster bombs to do that, but the more they destroy, the more angry people take to the streets.

Answer 3

Its kinda hard to understand your point when the second sentence is false.. "Not trust the civilians" where on earth did you get this info?? Hezbollah has ingrained itself in the Lebanese society and in fact has some seats in their government. Did you ever stop and think that the reason there have been less Israeli deaths is because of the constant threat they live under has made them build underground bomb shelters that will hold their civilian population?? Are you saying that Israel has no right to defend itself? Has anybody noticed that the bombing in Qana killed women and children not men or boys?? There's a fact and the question is , How is that possible?Maybe the reporter on the scene is right and Hezbollah planned it that way for photo ops. maybe they put them in the building and wouldn't let them leave or does Hezbollah have such disdain for women that it was their own wives and children? I mean everyone knows Israel is striking where missiles are shot from and those were shot from behind that building. Hmmmmmmm

Answer 4

I think that America is too quick to support Israel. From what I understand Hezbollah's Katushya rockets, their main line of weaponry, have very little aiming ability so when they hit civilians it is a bit more justifiable then when Israel does as they have more advanced capabilities. Hezbollah does a lot of great things for that country and now they are standing up for the people and fighting for the people. Their battle isn't for Hezbollah but for Lebanon. Americans don't seem to see that.

Answer 5

It seems the Israeli are using this argument more and more -- that the cowardly Hez. hides behind civilians, firing missles in the middle of villages, giving the Israelis no choice but to blast everyone. I think they market-tested the idea on the American public a week or so ago on Sunday talk shows and cable TV. It resonated, worked in the polls here, so we're hearing it all the time now.

The prior common argument was that if Israel was really targeting civilians, then they would have killed thousands and thousands by now. This sounded ... a little cold. Better to place the blame on the victims for sheltering Hez.

Also, the Israeli can use this handy "hiding among civilians myth" to justify bombing and burning of Hez. social centers, shelters, clinics, and schools -- things they are doing now in this phase of their battle plan.

Answer 6

Hezbollah is the best thing that has happened to civilians in Lebanon in years. They have constructed homes, schools, med. centers etc. particularly in southern Lebanon. After bombings they have truck loads of supplies brought into the worst hit areas with young men who will fix your broken windows, put a roof on your house, get medical care for you, and just about any thing you need. Do you honestly believe people love them because they are no-shows? They are also terrorists who murder, torture and bomb, just not Muslims living in southern Lebanon

Answer 7

Do you plan to post this question (rant) every day Peace? Hopefully you are not spreading this garbage from within the US. You must live outside the United States as much as you bad mouth it. For anyone to live here that talks as badly about his country as you do, ought to be packing his bags and moving out.

Look up the definition of the word sedition. Then look at the stuff you post.

Hope your neighbors are shooting your windows out. It might get your attention.

Answer 8

Where is your report? Remember Hezbolla started this war. Where is the legimate army in Lebanon? Has Hezbolla scared them out of south Lebanon?

Answer 9

this is why it is up to the people to turn in suspected terrorists in all nations period .
IF people do not want there life and lands bombed then its as simple as turning the terrorist over .people just need to create id cards and provide reciepts for the homes and apartments they occupy and only they may reside there all others are suspected terrorists .

Answer 10

So the rockets fired from civilian apartment complexes are just a prank?