This is a little over the top as a generalization. I will give you that there are certain fanatical elements that like the publicity associated and might put children in harms way as a result, but that is different from saying this about all Palestinians.
I stand by this statement as an assertion of the Palestinian leadership's program, which is to encourage little boys to deliberately seek death for the cause. In the media, the schools, the street, the message is the same. They have run ads on TV encouraging boys to become martyrs, where they show Heaven as a green place with kites flying. That is why there are eight year olds in the shabab, attacking Israeli soldiers and tanks - because they know the IDF has a standing order not to shoot children, the little ones also act as shields.
Why can't they use tear gas? While ineffective on prepared protestors or fanatical zealots - it would certainly disperse kids and teenagers
When the Israelis are prepared for riots, they do use tear gas. But when smaller numbers are caught by a mob, they a) don't have tear gas, b) the stone-throwers are backed by guns or grenades so that the Israeli soldiers must shoot or die. Read the article again, it says that there were hundreds in the mob, against one jeep. The Palestinians won the engagement as soon they managed to set it up. Either they would have dead Israelis or dead kids, a win either way. |
