Thu, November 18, 2004
Soldiers accused of grisly games
Israel probes reports of post-mortem atrocities
By AP
JERUSALEM -- Young Israeli soldiers systematically desecrate the bodies of dead Palestinian militants, playing with body parts and posing for souvenir photographs with bullet-riddled cadavers, an Israeli newspaper's Internet site reported yesterday. The report on the Yediot Ahronot daily's site comes at a delicate moment in relations between Israel and the Palestinians following the death of Yasser Arafat.
SYSTEMATIC
The report gave several examples of what it described as systematic desecration and photography of the bodies of Palestinian terrorists, charging that it had become a phenomenon in the army.
The military challenged the accuracy of some of the accounts, and promised an investigation. In general, it condemned such incidents as being a clear breach of its code of ethics.
"Morality, purity of arms and the spirit of the Israeli army are what give us our legitimacy in our own eyes and in the eyes of all of Israeli society," the army said in a statement.
The Internet account offered excerpts of a story to be published tomorrow in Yediot's weekend editions.
Some of the photographs showed soldiers playing with remains of a suicide bomber as if he were a human jigsaw puzzle, then parading his severed head with a cigarette in its mouth.
It quoted a junior officer, identified only as "Y," saying pictures of the incident later went on sale for two shekels (about 60cents) apiece.
"It really cracked up the whole platoon, everyone was delighted," he told the newspaper. "I remember I tried to tell them, 'Are you crazy, you're disgusting.' They just couldn't understand what I was talking about."
BODIES DUMPED
Another soldier, "G," tells of returning to base after an operation.
The bodies of dead militants were dumped next to the camp latrines.
"Somebody covered them with blankets, but soldiers kept coming to lift the blankets and have a look, have a bit of fun," he said.
"I remember that some pulled the hair of one of the bodies and played with it."
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Ottawa...18/719223.html
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Aside from being disgustingly infantile, why hasn't this story made the world news? If an American did such things, what might be said? Nothing? Wouldn't there be cries of racism, inhumanity, insensitivity? Perhaps questions of lack of professional conduct or vengeance might arise? Or is it the in-thing, like being cool to play with dead persons in a mocking fashion? Maybe Comedy Central should send some talent scouts. Jesus at least the Americans were mocking the living in Abu prison not the dead.
Since the people were dead I guess it isn't a big issue. I guess desecrated American bodies dragged around in Somalia and lately hanging off of bridges in Iraq really were an overreaction by those so offended. Hmmm, how sensitive some are. Of course these are terrorists (Palestinians) and they are the bad guys and the exhibitors (Israeli's) are the good guys. Makes perfect sense now. I have to wonder how many so-called suspected terrorists aside from the suicide bombers were props for a bunch of assholes seeking some homegrown entertainment. Certainly if it is the Israeli's involved there were no innocent civilians killed and desecrated, that's for sure.
I guess the next time the Palestinian's parade around a dead Israeli soldier like a prize winning large mouth bass we can all say who cares too. Afterall these peoples are one of the same. Nothing but one of the same.