Gaza War: U.S. State Department Gives Green Light For Hamas To Use Civilians as Human Shields

It seems that the Hamas tactic of using women and children as human shields to protect its fighters, rocket launching sites, and infrastructure has finally paid off big time.

While Israel has come to expect condemnation from most of the world for any actions it takes to defend its civilian population, it had assumed that its “ally.” the United States, would not become party to this cynical lack of concern for human life so prominently displayed time and again by Hamas.

Alas, the U.S. has now succumbed to the overwhelmimg bombardment of distortions, half-truths, and downright lies created by Hamas, and enthusiastically promoted by the media.

The latest example occurred today in Rafah when the IDF successfully targeted two Hamas terrorists on a motorbike close to an UNWRA school. To place the situation in context, UNRWA has over 200 schools and other centers housing Gazans at this time, so almost any location is likely to be “close to” a school.

The explosion which killed the terrorists also caused some collateral damage outside the school, and 10 other people died. Whether any explosives that the terrorists were carrying may have added to the force of the explosion is not known at this time.

What is known is that Israel did not target the school itself, and did not hit the school. The reaction to the incident from the U.N, and Secratery General, Ban Ki Moon, was predictable. With his now customary hyperbole, he condemned the attack as a “moral outrage and a criminal act” and demanded those responsible for the “gross violation of international humanitarian law” be held accountable.

Of course, this is accepting the Hamas narrative as to what happened, and the number of casualties. Until now, President Obama has been somewhat more reserved, and the language of his spokespeople has been more measured.

But now, possibly as a response to Prime Minister Netanyahu not saying “yes sir, how high” when asked by Obama to “jump” – metaphorically speaking – there is whole new ball game in town.

According to a report in The Times of Israel, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf delivered an unusually strong condemnation of the attack, saying that the US was “appalled” by the “disgraceful shelling outside an UNRWA school.”

She continued: “UN facilities, especially those sheltering civilians, must be protected, and must not be used as bases from which to launch attacks. The suspicion that militants are operating nearby does not justify strikes that put at risk the lives of so many innocent civilians.” (My emphasis)

Just to give some appearance of evenhandedness she added, “We continue to underscore that all parties must take all feasible precautions to prevent civilian casualties and protect the civilian population and comply with international humanitarian law.

What does this statement mean?

What it says, categorically, is that the Hamas human shield policy now has the blessing of President Obama, since some civilians are bound to be close enough to have the possibility of being hurt.

All that Hamas now has to do is to ensure that there are ALWAYS civilians close enough to its operatives, rocket launchers etc. knowing that if Israel were to pay any attention to the Obama edict Hamas has guaranteed immunity, and the certainty of condemnation of Israel.

The classic definition of a win-win situation.

The only comfort that the supporters of Israel can garner from the American position is that Israel is unlikely to pay any attention to it at all.

Not if they want to win the war!