It troubled me to once again hear the US's unwavering support for violence. It troubles me that International Law means nothing to more and more countries. It seems that these laws can be disregarded if we are fighting the, "war on terror." If we do this we are no better than those that we are fighting against. I read a quote earlier tonight that said, "In 1776 the US was founded on the principals of life, liberty, and the ruthless pursuit of happiness, even at the cost of life and liberty.
Sadly this is what we are supporting?
U.S. Senate supports Israel's Gaza incursion
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate voiced strong support on Thursday for Israel's battle against Hamas militants in Gaza, while urging a ceasefire that would prevent Hamas from launching any more rockets into Israel.
The chamber agreed on a voice vote to the non-binding resolution co-sponsored by Democratic and Republican party leaders in the chamber.
"When we pass this resolution, the United States Senate will strengthen our historic bond with the state of Israel, by reaffirming Israel's inalienable right to defend against attacks from Gaza, as well as our support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said before the vote.
Noting that Israel was bent on halting Hamas rocket fire into its southern towns, Reid said: "I ask any of my colleagues to imagine that happening here in the United States. Rockets and mortars coming from Toronto in Canada, into Buffalo New York. How would we as a country react?"
Co-sponsor and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican said before the vote: "The Israelis ... are responding exactly the same way we would."
The House was expected to pass a similar resolution.
The Senate resolution encourages President George W. Bush "to work actively to support a durable, enforceable and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding the capability to launch rockets or mortars against Israel," Reid said.
It also expresses an "unwavering" commitment to Israel's welfare and recognizes its right to act in self defense to protect citizens against acts of terrorism, he said. "It allows for the long-term improvement of daily living conditions of the ordinary people of Gaza," he said.
Palestinians faced even grimmer conditions in Gaza on Thursday after a U.N. aid agency halted work, saying its staff was at risk from Israeli forces after two drivers were killed.
The reported Palestinian death toll in the 13-day-old conflict topped 700. At least 11 Israelis have been killed, eight of them soldiers, including four hit by "friendly fire."
(Reporting by Susan Cornwell, editing by Philip Barbara)
ICRC: Israel delayed access to wounded for days
GENEVA (AP) — The international Red Cross accused Israel Thursday of "unacceptable" delays in letting rescue workers reach three Gaza City homes hit by shelling where they eventually found 15 dead and 18 wounded, including young children too weak to stand.
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross said the Israeli army refused rescuers permission to reach the site in the Zeitoun neighborhood for four days. Ambulances couldn't get to the neighborhood because the Israeli army had erected large earthen barriers that blocked access.
Israel said the delay was caused by fighting in the area and accused Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields. Since Wednesday, Israel has observed a daily three-hour halt in operations to allow humanitarian evacuations and aid deliveries throughout Gaza.
Eventually, Red Cross and Palestine Red Crescent rescuers received permission to go into the shelled houses on Wednesday, four days after the houses were hit by Israeli shells.
"This is a shocking incident," Pierre Wettach, head of the ICRC for the region, said.
"The ICRC/PRCS team found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses. They were too weak to stand up on their own. One man was also found alive, too weak to stand up," the statement said. "In all, there were at least 12 corpses lying on mattresses" in one of the houses, it added.
The Red Cross said the children and the wounded had to be transported to ambulances on a donkey cart.
"The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded," the ICRC said. "Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded."
The Red Cross normally conducts confidential negotiations with warring parties and the statement was a rare public criticism of one party to a conflict over a specific incident.
The Red Cross said it believes "in this instance, the Israeli military failed to meet its obligation under international humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the wounded."
"It considers the delay in allowing rescue services access unacceptable," the ICRC statement said.
The Red Cross alleged Israel also refused requests to go to other destroyed houses in the same neighborhood of Gaza City, where they had reports of more wounded people.
Red Cross medics in Gaza could not be reached for comment on the condition of the children rescued from Zeitoun Wednesday. The Palestine Red Crescent said the children are in the Shifa and al-Quds hospitals in Gaza City.
The Associated Press was not able to visit the hospitals because of the dangers of moving around Gaza and it has been difficult to obtain information from the hospitals about the children because staff are overwhelmed with casualties and unable to talk with reporters.
Red Cross spokesman Iyad Nasr said emergency crews evacuated 105 more injured people from Zeitoun on Thursday and were overwhelmed with trying to find shelter for them. Also Thursday, a Palestinian health official said the bodies of 35 people have been found in the rubble of a battle zone in Zeitoun during a three-hour pause in fighting.
The Israeli military did not comment on the specifics of the Red Cross allegations but said it is closely cooperating with international aid organizations during the Gaza fighting to assist civilians caught in the crossfire.
"The Israel Defense Forces are engaged in a battle with the Hamas terrorist organization that has deliberately used Palestinian civilians as human shields," a military statement said. "The IDF in no way intentionally targets civilians and has demonstrated its willingness to abort operations to save civilian lives and to risk injury in order to assist innocent civilians."
Israel said it would investigate any formal complaint against the army's conduct within the constraints of the current military operation.
Israel's ambassador in Geneva, Aharon Leshno-Yaar, denied his country was failing in its humanitarian obligations.
"Once the military activity was over, then it was possible for humanitarian teams to evacuate the wounded," he told The Associated Press.
Leshno-Yaar said Israel respects international humanitarian law and is working with aid groups to allow the wounded to be removed and in some cases transferred to hospitals in Israel.
But aid groups say safe passage around Gaza remains a problem.
On Thursday, the United Nations said it was halting all aid deliveries to Gaza, citing Israeli military actions against its premises and personnel.
The World Health Organization said 21 Palestinian medical workers have been killed and 30 injured since Israel launched its offensive on Dec. 27.
(This version CORRECTS ADDS no word on condition of wounded children; SUBS graf 2 to correct spelling of neighborhood Zeitoun sted Zaytun.)
As the weekend begins I'm asking us all to fast and pray for peace in this region.
