PCG sticks to this simple script even in describing the thousands of Palestinians who died in the terrible and tragic war that occurred in Gaza in 2014.
Most of Israel’s Jewish citizens viewed Operation Protective Edge as a just war. It was careful and precise, aimed at limiting civilian casualties as much as possible. But that goal was made far tougher by Hamas’s efforts to maximize Palestinian casualties in order to evoke global outrage against Israel. (Joel Hilliker, Israel vs. the World, January 2015.)Note how Hilliker talks of "Israel’s Jewish citizens" thus disregarding the thoughts and opinions of Palestinians who happen to be citizens of the State of Israel. Whatever views they may have are carefully ignored. They are of no concern to Hilliker and are excluded from even being discussed.
So Hilliker praises Israel's strikes against Gaza in 2014 as "careful and precise, aimed at limiting civilian casualties as much as possible." But how true is this claim? What research did Hilliker do in making this claim from his perch in Edmond?
And is Hilliker talking about those who are targeting or those who are targeted and those who are near the targeted area? What about those who live in the targeted area? Even if the military strike is accurately targeted it is reasonable to assume that people living in the area be most fearful and afraid. They would be afraid for not only themselves but of their family relations and friends. It would be no comfort for such people to know that the military strike is so accurate when one lives nearby. And how would they protect the mental well being of their families and children who should happen to witness they things personally?
Hilliker accuses the Palestinian civilians who died of being placed by Hamas in the targeted area thus reliving the State of Israel for any responsibility for their deaths. But how true is this claim? Hilliker never went to Gaza to verify this claim. Hilliker never took a look at what happened on the ground to verify this claim.
After Hilliker's article was published the United Nations released a report (Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict) discussing the conduct of the war. Here is some of the information mentioned in this report.
According to NGO figures, 241 women were killed inside their homes, which means that about 82 percent of the 2014 female fatalities occurred in homes, compared to 46 percent of the male fatalities. See also B’Tselem: Black Flag and the infographic “Families bombed at home, Gaza, July-August 2014” based on preliminary figures on casualties in July: http://www.btselem.org/gaza_strip/201407_families (in 72 incidents of bombing or shelling, 547 people were killed, including 125 women under the age of 60 and 29 people over the age of 60. (p. 66.)So 241 Palestinian women violently died at home during the war. Are we supposed to believe that they all just stayed at home wanting to die for propaganda reasons? Are we supposed to believe they all just ignored the possibility that their own homes would be bombed and just stayed there? Are we supposed to believe that all 241 Palestinian women just happened to be living in homes used by armed fighters and rocket sites?
The percentage of women killed was significantly higher in 2014 (20.2 per cent of civilians) in comparison with the conflict in 2009 (14 per cent), calculated based on conservative NGO figures (B’Tselem quoted in A/HRC/12/48, p. 90). See also: PCHR, Through Women’s eyes, 2014, which indicated that about 10 per cent of the civilians killed as a result of the 2008/09 escalation were women, whereas this figure rose to about 20 per cent in 2014. (p. 66.)Are we supposed to believe that the Palestinian men simply wanted their women to be killed by Israeli bombs as a propaganda stunt? Can this be believed?
370 of the children killed were reportedly killed inside their homes, i.e. over 66 per cent. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR), 22 May 2015 up-date to a complaint submitted concerning large-scale destruction and damage to family houses in the Gaza Strip with associated profound loss of life and injury to Palestinian residents, during Israel’s military operation between 7 July 2014 and 26 August 2014, 30 September 2014, original complaint available at: http://lphr.org.uk/legal-projects/gaza-accountability-project/. An infographic published by B’Tselem based on preliminary figures on fatalities as a result of “families bombed at home” in July shows that out of 547 persons killed, 250 were minors. B’Tselem, Families bombed at home, Gaza, July-August 2014, at: http://www.btselem.org/gaza_strip/201407_families. (p. 66.)Are we supposed to believe that all those 370 Palestinian children without a single exception were living in homes that were rocket sites or that housed armed fighters? Are we supposed to believe that their mothers left them at home to be killed by Israeli arms deliberately? All 370 of them?
In addition, in a number of instances, ambulances are reported to have been prevented from evacuating the wounded from areas where the IDF was operating (in Beit Hanoun, Khuza’a, Qarara, Shujai’ya and Beit Lahiya). According to the Palestinian Human Rights Coalition, 407 Palestinians died as a result of delays in the delivery of medical aid. (p. 119.)What a terrible state of affairs! How terrible war is. Can Hamas be blamed for these delays in accessing medical aid? All of them? Were all these 407 deaths of Palestinians part of some massive conspiracy by Hamas for making propaganda against Israel or the brutal result of what happens in war? Are we supposed to just blame one side for all 407 deaths? This seems to be what PCG want us to believe.
PCG's disregard and denigration of the deaths of Palestinian civilians in this war is merely a symptom of British Israelism. This doctrine causes PCG to support the State of Israel for racist reasons. PCG thinks the Jews are white like themselves. But this doctrine causes them to be blind to other nationalities that they do not view as part of "the birthright nations". Oh, what folly British Israelism produces.
Rather it would be better to advocate for peace so that all can live in peace. May peace soon come to the Holy Land.
I hope some PCG members are taking careful notes regarding their church's disingenuousness. When news and history are manipulated in this manner, it is indicative of a systemic problem, very much akin to a pathology. There can be little doubt that if this is representative of the methodology from which their world view is derived, they are doing the same exact things with the Bible and their doctrines. To prove something, one must be objective and continue to subject conclusions to testing, not just repeat the same lopsided view over, and over, and over. The PCG is simply being a cheerleader for Israel here.
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One would hope that PCG members and the members of the other COGs are paying attention to what is being said. If anyone says something that is incorrect do they make note of it? Is there any why to respectfully correct such a thing without being socially ostracized for it?
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