Posted on 06/09/2002 8:36:28 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
The Battle of Jenin has been big news lately. Beginning as soon as the Israeli military moved in, the Palestinian Authority took to the airwaves claiming that civilians were being massacred by the hundreds. This story was picked up by the press, particularly in Europe, and by human rights organizations. It made for something of an anticlimax when the Israelis pulled back and the official tally of all the dead (including combatants!) was found to be, er, 52.
The Egyptian government newspaper Al-Ahram features a fascinating view of the fighting in Jenin, in the form of an interview with "Omar," a Palestinian bomb-maker.
The full interview is online at http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/2002/582/6inv2.htm . Some excerpts:
"We had more than 50 houses booby-trapped around the camp. We chose old and empty buildings and the houses of men who were wanted by Israel because we knew the soldiers would search for them," [Omar] said.
"We cut off lengths of mains water pipes and packed them with explosives and nails. Then we placed them about four metresmeters apart throughout the houses -- in cupboards, under sinks, in sofas." . . . According to Omar, everyone in the camp, including the children, knew where the explosives were located so that there was no danger of civilians being injured.
Omar also explains how the Palestinians were able to ambush and kill 13 Israeli soldiers in one engagement:
"They were lured there," he says. "We all stopped shooting and the women went out to tell the soldiers that we had run out of bullets and were leaving." The women alerted the fighters as the soldiers reached the booby- trapped area.
"When the senior officers realised what had happened, they shouted through megaphones that they wanted an immediate cease-fire. We let them approach to retrieve the men and then opened fire.
"Some of the soldiers were so shocked and frightened that they mistakenly ran towards us."
"When the senior officers realised what had happened, they shouted through megaphones that they wanted an immediate cease-fire. We let them approach to retrieve the men and then opened fire.
We should give a prize to whichever Freeper can hold his breath until this treachery is condemned by the UN or the Red Cross.
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