Special Investigation "Ormestadt"

Rule No2: If a recommended writer recommends another writer, trust her. Gideon Levy: "Since we aren't allowed into Gaza, we asked our colleague Catrin Ormestad, a Swedish journalist who lives in Israel, to document for us last week the aftermath of the IDF shelling of a group of children and youths in Beit Hanun during Sukkot, the day after Israel declared Gaza "hostile territory.""
Rule No1: Dont trust anybody.

Todays Haaretz includes a special report from Catrin Ormestad.

Objection I: Khadra Wahdan, 52. Official reports [Mu'awiyah Hassanein]: 30 years old. Later IMEC, ikwan and at least PCHR*** changed the age of the woman [short under 50, 52].
Objection II: 15-year-old boy. Initial reports [Hassanein] said the man was 22. Later IMEC, ikwan and at least PCHR changed it in 15 and 16.
Objection III: "was collecting firewood in the groves": The victim was from the al-Kafarna-family [all report that]. Kafarna is affiliated to Hamas. Two members of al-Kafarna and Hamas were killed in Beit Hanoun at 01/04/08. The is no report of weapons and no report of Hamas that one of their figthers get killed. The militants were unharmed and fled. Except of al-Kafarna who seem to be on his intro-mission without legal Hamas-membership.
Objection IV: "At that moment, an Israeli shell exploded at the entrance to the house." - "but they had never come so close before" - "collecting firewood in the grove" - "militants were unharmed and fled". Impossible scene. All reports share six victims. One woman and five male persons: 14, 16, 3x 22. All male persons were not from the Wahdan-family. It is absolutly impossible to think of "no victims" in the rocket squad if they are located "at the moment" in front of the house, if other persons "in the grove" were killed. IDF reports: "IDF forced fired a missile at militants seconds after they launched a rocket from near Beit Hanun."
Objection V: "Shell" All reports talk of a surface-to-surface-missile.
Objection VI: "The shell was filled with hundreds of sharp pellets to maximize damage" This is stupid. A pellet is not "sharp". There are several rumors about "special" ammuntion of the IDF.
Objection VII: "Khadra's sons Muhammed and Daoud" Both were catched and interoggated by the IDF June, 22, 2004.
Objection VIII: "The Wahdans are a family of farmers, but they longer dare to work the vegetable fields around their house. They also used to have fruit trees, but they cut them all down after Khadra's death, in a desperate attempt to keep the militants away. But they keep coming back". Nedal Wahdan on 11/01/06: "The Israeli army says that this operation will be rapid without re-occupation of the Strip! Are they fooling us? They still occupy us even after they left the Gaza Strip by turning the Strip into a big prison. I cannot go to my farms, fearing that a shell might him me or at least its shrapnel". He added that Beit Hanoun used to be a paradise full of trees and planted fields: "We used to have a barbecue between the trees enjoying the singing of the birds but now it has become a desert because the Israeli bulldozers destroyed everything."

Objection IX, or the final destruction: "In a more modest setting, the Kassem family in Beit Hanun was also receiving visitors to mourn the death of their son Muhammed, the child who was killed alongside Khadra." Rassan Kassem said in an interview with the Haaretz news service that filing a claim in an Israeli court was one of a number of options available to the families. “We know Israel does not recognize Palestinian claims,” he said, “but this is a special case. There was no battle in the area and no Kassam came from us. These people were killed sleeping in their beds. Even Israel recognized that this was different and accepted responsibility. Now it must compensate us.” Kassem lost his older brother in the attack. His mother was seriously injured and is now receiving treatment at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.

Rule No1: Do not trust anybody

PS für die ... österreichischen Leser. *** imec [anti-Zionistisch], ikwan [Islamistisch] sind Quellen der enorm suspekten Art. Die PCHR hingegen dürfte sich in diesem Fall definitiv auf die unsoliden Quellen stützen. Hört sich auch "besser" an, 15-jähriger ist immer besser als 22-jähriger. Alte Oma mit vielen Kindern hört sich immer besser an als 30-jährige mit nicht konkreter Kinderzahl. Die Wahrheit? WIR werden sie nie erfahren.

Update: Haaretz has published a "talkback"-note of me about point IX.