Thank you again to everyone who submitted questions to us yesterday. In yesterday’s posts, we went over and “transcribed” the questions and answers from the Twitter session. During the session itself, we had time to answer only a limited amount of questions. This post summarizes the first batch of our answers to questions we could not answer at the conference itself.
As promised, we have continued to answer your questions posed to us during the “Press Conference.” A number of the questions were similar to each other, so we’ve posted some of the unique ones below.
We are working on posting other questions similar to the ones below together with links to the appropriate answers.
@rataelprince Is a 48-hour ceasefire (as proposed by France) a possible scenario for assessing Hamas intentions?
Israel believes there is no place for a unilateral ceasefire. During the last 6 months the cease fire was used by Hamas to gain power and arms, the effects of which we are seeing now. Israel isn’t rejecting a cease fire, if that cease fire will be a bilateral one. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/world/middleeast/01mideast.html?hp
@rataelprince Such harsh, intense and merciless strike on #Gaza isn’t a form of collective punishment? (4Geneva Conv, Art. 33)
Israel isn’t aiming at civillians and we morun every civillian hit. Unfortunatlly civillians are hurt due to the fact they are used as human shields. This isn’t collective punishment. Colective punishment are the Qassam rockets fired by Hamas whose sole purpose is to strike civillian populations. Till now most of the wounded civillians are on the Israeli side. to our knowledge 85% of the wounded are Hamas opreatives.
@misscharlie an early Q: Have the attacks in Gaza changed Israel’s policies regarding the Palestinian authority?
No, the Israeli policy remains the same. Israel’s main objective is a two state solution with both countries living side by side in peace. As of now the only Palestinian party that agrees to talks with Israel is Fatah which controls the PA. They are our partners in reaching peace because: a. they’re willing to talk; b. they do not dispute Israel’s right to exist.
@jinjirrie When will Israel end the illegal occupation it began in 1967 and give back what it has stolen?
If you are referring to the 2 state solution, Israel has proven time and time again that it is capable of transferring Israeli citizens for peace. If you look back to 2005 you will see Israel left the Gaza strip so that the Palestinian people may have sovereignty. The same is now in negotiations regarding the West Bank.
@ericagee I’m a Jew, did Taglit, love Israel. In my humble opinion, Gaza attack makes us less safe. Why keep up violence when it hasn’t worked?
We wish we didn’t have to resort to a military operation. Unfortunately Israel has no other option than to self defend itself. Hamas did not declare an end to the cease through a press release but through 84 rockets landing in Israeli towns.
@carrotderek Would retaking the Gaza be considered an objective for the Israeli government?
No, the sole objective is to stop Hamas rockets from being fired into Israel civilian population.
@shahidkamal You’ve killed 384 people so far. Many women and children. How many more children do you aim to kill?
We are not aiming at any children. If you read the news critically, you will see that during the last 8 years 99% of the Qassams hit civilians in Israel out of 10,000 rockets launched. In contrast, 85% of the Palestinians killed in the current operation have been Hamas terrorists. We are sorry for any civilian loss of lives; though I doubt you’ll believe this sorrow is sincere, I assure you it is.
@shelisrael Did your battle 2 years ago with Hezbollah influence your decisions regarding Hamas now?
No, each front is independent and different. The only similarity between the two fronts is the fact that in both cases Israel was attacked by terrorists breaching its borders.
@BhamaPostJoanna You say this is for protection. How do you justify the higher number of civilian deaths in Palestine than in Israel from the action?
Hamas fires missiles from civilians areas against international law.
@didgeman Will Israel finally do what needs to be done to end the terrorism once and for all or bow to world pressure?
Our main goal is to protect citizens from missiles. Hope international community will pressure Hamas, not Israel.
@gyokusai Was the Gaza attack a Kadima/government decision only or was it discussed with Likud/opposition beforehand?
The desicion on the operation was unanimously voted by the Israeli government. The Likud party isn’t a current member of the government as opposed to the Labor and Shas parties who voted for the operation.
@theresaway International Law criminalizes targeting civilians. Are Israeli leaders scared they will be charged with war crimes for killing so many?
Please read the Law attached:
- Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 28: “The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations.”
- Oppenheim’s ‘International Law’: “Civilians do not enjoy absolute immunity. Their presence will not render military objects immune from attack for the mere reason that it is impossible to bombard them without causing injury to the non-combatants.”
For more information on this link, HRW: http://tinyurl.com/9osg3g.
@rahafharfoush I am unconvinced these types of attack have worked or will ever work, how will you measure success?
Our objective is to stop rocket fire on Israel. Practically and theoretically a ceasfire is the best option and a stepping stone towards peace. Unfortunately, Hamas decided to end the ceasefire and fired a barrage of rockets at Israel, which reacted in self defense.
@sethdickens Do Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have broadband internet access and electricity so they can use Twitter?
Regarding Electricity: The total supply of electricity to the Gaza is 201 -221 MVA based on 3 sources:
- Israel: supplies 124 MVA By 10 high voltage electricity lines. This supply is constant.
- Egypt: supplies 17 MVA via 2 high voltage electricity lines.
- Gaza power plant: can produce 60 – 80 MVA. The fuels for the plant is brought from Israel and is subject to disruption. For example, in April 2008, an Israeli fuel tanker driver was killed by Hamas fire.
Regarding Internet: Since we see that the newswires operate from Gaza, and there are youtube uploads and emails sent to the internet, one can only presume that Gaza is online.
@rahafharfoush What about how you keep enlarging Israel’s borders by settling outposts illegally and then gradually legalizing them?
Israel has a judicial system that tries and punishes lawbreakers. The judges who judge the settlers are the same ones who order the government to destroy or modify projects like the security fence. Trials in Israel, like everywhere else, take a long time.
After a request from a reader to clarify the above comment, we submit the following response:
The answer to your query is contained within the question itself. If Israeli courts deem an outpost illegal, the Israeli government is committed to removing it. Sometimes the judicial process takes time, but it achieves the necessary lawful results. In any case, no outpost–legal or illegal–is a reason to launch missiles against civilians (as Hamas does). All disputes can be resolved around the negotiating table. As a reminder, Israel withdrew from the entire Gaza Strip in 2005 and removed all civilian and military outposts from the area, yet Hamas has persisted in firing rockets nonetheless.
Please be patient as we continue to answer questions from the session yesterday.
rafaelprince: Transcri??o oficial da Press Conference #AskIsrael, com minhas duas perguntas encabe?ando! http://tinyurl.com/7p6g46 01/05/09 03:06am
fromisrael: Myth #5 “Israel's committing War Crimes and''ll be in court under international law 4 the civilians dead in Gaza” http://tinyurl.com/7p6g4 01/01/09 09:06pm
pico: ok... RT: #Israel answers on "Press Conference" on #Gaza http://tinyurl.com/7p6g46 01/01/09 05:00am
jsonnen: Postura israeli sobre gaza interesante ver el otro lado http://tinyurl.com/7p6g46 01/01/09 12:47am
@rahafharfoush What about how you keep enlarging Israel’s borders by settling outposts illegally and then gradually legalizing them?
Israel has a judicial system that tries and punishes lawbreakers. The judges who judge the settlers are the same ones who orderthe government to destroy or modify projects like the security fence. Trials in Israel, like everywere else, take a long time.
>>>>>>
That response did not answer the question. You did not answer the accusation that Israel is purposely settling outposts illegally. Nor did you answer to the assertion that once they have been illegally settled you then find a way to legalize it. This accusation is the basis for the often held idea that Israel is stealing land from others by underhanded means.
Thank you for your comment. We are adding to our answer to reflect your concerns.
I am a christian American supporter of Israel, did holy land tour 6 months ago, follow Jpost, etc. Is Israel accepting refugees from Gaza? Could a Gazan who wishes to go to the West Bank do so? Perhaps you should give innocents a chance to evacuate
Israel is protecting its citizens and its right to exist as any other nation in this world would do under constant attack. I cannot believe many people’s reaction towards Israel at this time. The facts are readily available and all one has to do is look around the world and see what terrorist are doing to innocent people almost everywhere and look at how Israel has had to defend itself since day 1 in 1948. Come on do you REALLY believe that a nation smaller than the average state in the USA with little support from the world community is constantly picking on it’s much larger neighbors who by the way openly hate them and call for their destruction? Wake up and get educated.
January 1st, 2009 at 2:51 pm
[...] Console answered that better than me: @theresaway International Law criminalizes targeting civilians. Are Israeli [...]
I would like to read a specific answer to xero’s comments. Is this true what xero is writing?
Ethelle –
1) I am educated.
2) I support Operation Cast Lead, and understand it’s causes.
3) I support Israel politically (member of RNC, write letters to politicians, blogs, etc), and financially via taxes, tourism, and direct contributions to a few causes.
RE-READ MY QUESTION!
Thank you for clarifying your answer about settling outposts illegally, but I must point out a concern with the answer. It may seem paranoid and perhaps conspiratorial, but given the less than ethical past of the region’s inhabitants, I hope you understand. If Israel, as a government, is settling the outposts “illegally” (whether inside Israeli borders or not) and that same government determines what is “legal” and “illegal” then what guarantee exists that the decisions of the judges are not predetermined by what “the government” wishes as opposed to the law on the books (or international law in the case of interstate outposts)? Please excuse my ignorance on this matter, I am an outsider on this conversation.
the founders of the state of Israel used terrorism (bombing the King David Hotel, e.g.) to achieve their ends. Many of those terrorists later were recognized as legitimate states-persons. One (Menachem Begin) became a Nobel Peace laureate. Is not the tried and true way of ending Hamas “terrorism” recognizing them as the democratically elected government of Palestine with all the customary diplomatic considerations? This will allow them to become “old, fat, and corrupt” in ways that other governments understand and approve. You may think I am being facetious – I am not.
When will the world realize that it is Hamas and Hizbollah and every other terrorist group who are “targeting civilians?” When will THEY be held responsible for their crimes? Not only deliberately targeting Israeli civilians, but also using their own citizens as cover, the horrendous child abuse of militarizing infants on up, and the murder of relief workers and those in charge of delivery and security? and FOR THEM. All of this in violation of international law. What do you do about people who dress their own children in military uniforms and pray for their death under gunfire or by explosion? As opposed to Israeli children, Jew, Arab, and Christian, who wear t-shirts and jeans like most normal children being subjected to rocket fire in their schools, and suicide bombers at the mall or the coner pizza place? Have we forgotten Ma’alot or Kiryat Shimona? Or for that natter the more recent yeshiva murders, more than once – or even the murders of school children in Russia? WHO WERE THE PERPETRATORS? Or is Israel to blame for everything, everywhere?
If any other country were bombarded by rockets like Israel has been, the full might of their armed forces would have been brought to bear against the perpetrators long before this, indescriminately. Is not Israel’s response far more temperate and restrained, even in it’s precision force?
Is the Israeli Government planning to commit genocide in GAZA and then say sorry for the hundreds of kids killed… collateral damage! Who is going to build the schools and Universities targets by the Israeli Army?I believe that Hamass will be recruiting more and more after this war!
@akarr1
It is a fact that Hamas is the elected government of the Palestine people. after Hamas was elected in 2006 Israel together with the international community called Hamas to fulfill 3 basic conditions in order to start talking with the Hamas elected government: to recognize Israel’ to stop terror and to respect all agreements that were sign between israel and the Palestinian Authority. Till today Hamas refuses to respect these 3 conditions.
Regarding “the founders” of the state of Israel and your remark – there is a big difference: the people who were responsible for the bombing the King David hotel were consider “Terrorist” at that time also by the Israeli/Jewish authorities in Palestine. They weren’t the “the elected” government.
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:46 pm
[...] no dia seguinte. Aliás, eles têm até um blog. As respostas da coletiva tecnológica todas no site do governo de Israel, pra quem quiser [...]
to the ones claiming that some of the Jewish towns in eastern Israel (Judea and Samaria) are “illegal settlements” – the Jewish towns are not illegal. and the reason is not “because of the Israeli supreme court” but because Israel is our ancestral homeland. if the town of Hebron Connecticut or Hebron Ohio would declare that Jews may not live there, this would rightly be considered “housing discrimination” and such racist exclusion would not be permitted in the US. why then should Jews be excluded from Hebron, Israel? this is the real litmus test for peace. if “peace” requires exclusion of Jews from part of our ancestral homeland, then this is not “peace” but racism against Jews!!!!
when arabs stop teaching their children to hate Jews; when Jews can live anywhere in Israel (including Judea and Samaria) without fear; when a Jew can shop in Ramallah without fear, just as arabs know they can shop in Jewish markets and nothing will happen to them – this is peace. racist exclusion of Jews from parts of our ancestral homeland, or demonizing Jews by calling their towns “illegal”, is not peace.
the bombing of the *British military headquarters* in the King David Hotel in 1947 was not “terrorism”. it was a legitimate attack on a military target by underground fighters. just like the American revolution in 1776. but one difference – the Irgun fighters called the British HQ in the King David Hotel to warn them to evacuate. the British commander refused to do so – he is the one responsible for any civilian deaths!
the British govt tried to demonize the Irgun fighters by calling them terrorists, but they were not. a terrorist intentionally targets civilians. the Irgun fighters made every effort to *not* harm civilians.
@akarr1
It _has_ to be noted that the King David hotel was called up and warned by the terrorists in advance that they were going to blow up the hotel. Yes, it was still illegal and people died because they didn’t believe the threat and stayed in the building. However, they tried to avoid killing innocent lives- and any lives for that matter- even if it put their own people at risk.
Don’t imply that Hamas is similar- they’re not.
January 4th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
[...] called). The announcement was followed by pages of responses by the Israeli Consulate (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). The justification of this kind of activity came in the now much quoted words from a Jerusalem [...]
January 5th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
[...] a map on the crisis; including arguments raised by Robert Fisk and Johann Hari, and some of the questions and answers from the Twitter press conference organised last week by the Consulate General of Israel in New [...]
my comment is that i think that israel and palastina must think twice about everything they do. jiddish people have to think also . why figthing for a peace of land already there and still having hate . jaweh wond not agree withy that . please doe not what the germans have done too you respect wath hey are umen people i am soory but i am ducht i hope that you can understand what i mean
i gave my comment. butvstill i am very angry about the whay israel is be having i am rased up with anything the jidde did was good but no0w i have the feeling that they cannot make this come every one i am no alone about this where is my respest and yous where people
January 12th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
[...] Israeli Consulate in New York recently held the first Twitter-based press conference. While it was an interesting experiment, the technology was poorly suited for this sort of activity [...]
January 25th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
[...] has failed because of technical-functional limitations of Twitter. Nevertheless nobody criticized the messages that were spread. Shortly afterwards another body of Israel’s statewide PR machinery staged @IDFspokesperson [...]