Sunday, May 24, 2009

IDF and Hamas: "opposite and complementary narratives" of winter offensive

From Amira Hass's story in Haaretz, 24 May, 2009:

Comparing Hamas and IDF accounts of the winter 2008-2009 offensive in Gaza, Amira Hass notes the following: "Fighting . . . was intensive, continuous, complex: opposite and complementary narratives of Hamas and the IDF, and both can be believed to the same extent."

"To the same extent," that is, if the extent is "not at all." The IDF says the fighting was intensive and complex in order to justify the extreme amount of damage it inflicted on civilian structures and lives. Iz Al-Din Al-Qassam fighters say the fight was heavy and long because to say otherwise is to admit that they ran away, which they did, and which they are perfectly happy to admit out of the other side of their mouths, as Hass notes in her article: "In all the organizations, and particularly Iz al-Din al-Qassam, the decision was taken not to lose fighters. Not to commit suicides."

Gazan civilians are stuck between the "opposite and complementary narratives" of Hamas and the IDF. It's a deadly, voiceless space.

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