[New York Times] Ethan Bronner - Israel is pushing back against accusations of civilian abuse in its Gaza war, asserting that an overwhelming majority of its soldiers acted honorably and that the account of a killing of a woman and her two children appears to be an urban myth spread by troops who did not witness it. Officers are stepping forward, offering numerous accounts of having held their fire out of concern for civilians, helping Palestinians in need and punishing improper soldier behavior. Israeli commanders say they confronted armed women in Gaza and Hamas gunmen dressed as women and in other guises, like doctors. "We had a woman run at us with a grenade in one hand and the Koran in the other," said Brig. Gen. Eli Shermeister.
2009-03-30 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive