Rebel Group Fighting for Control of the DR Congo

Rebel Group Fighting for Control of the DR Congo

By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo—Over 100,000 refugees have fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a rebel takeover. The United Nations has now issued an urgent appeal to the rebels in order to get access to wounded civilians in the conflict and to the refugee camps.

Tens of Thousands of People Flee the Region After Rebel Takeover. (Photo Courtesy of DW)

A spokesperson for the rebel group, known as M23 group, said that its success operation in taking the city of Goma a few days ago is just the beginning of its efforts to take control of the country. Lt. Col. Vianney Kazarama said, “We will push on to Bukavu, then Kisangani and finally Kinshasa and overthrow the government.” Kazarama also noted that once the rebels have completely overthrown the government, they will begin the call for elections.

In the past week, the M23 rebel group has pushed its hold over the region close to the Rwanda border in order to take over the provincial capital of Goma and overthrow other government forces in other regions. Now, the rebels are reported to be moving towards the cities of Masisi and the major city Bukavi as noted by Kazarama.

The United Nations estimated about 6,700 troops backing up the government forces under a Security Council mandate to protect civilians. United Nations officials mentioned that there have been reports that many civilians face targeted killings and abductions by the rebel group. The group has vowed to oust the current government of President Joseph Kabila. Kabila has been accused of breaking a peace deal from a previous conflict in the country.

This group takes its name from a peace treaty with the government dated March 23, 2009. It was from this treaty that the group became a political party in exchange for the release of other imprisoned rebels. The leader of the group, Bosco Ntaganda, is currently wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

The advance of this group through the country has not only caused many deaths but has displaced tens of thousands of civilians. The movement has raised fears that a wider conflict may again erupt in this region. The government leaders made a statement to the rebels calling on them to “stop all war activities” and to “stop talk of overthrowing an elected government.”

 

For further information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Rebels Reject DR Congo Peace Plan – 24 November 2012

BBC News – DR Congo Conflict: M23 Group Urged to Stop War – 24 November 2012

DW – Thousands Flee DR Congo in the Wake of Rebel Violence – 24 November 2012

CNN News – Rebels Threaten Wider Democratic Republic of the Congo Conflict – 21 November 2012

 

 

Syrian Revolution Digest – Wednesday 21 November 2012

The No-State Solution!

Syrian Revolution Digest – November 21, 2012 

At this stage, and considering the absence of any serious dialogue on the future of Syria, it seems that the Syrian opposition and their regional and international backers have embraced the no-state solution regarding the current conflict. We can blame international conspiracies all we want, but the fault is essentially ours: the push and pull of different groups, the clash of ideologies, personalities and individual ambitions, the inability to be pragmatic and accept the obvious, all these things are our faults. If Syria is not the first item on our separate agendas, if its integrity is not put above our ideological preferences, then it cannot survive, or prosper. If no common vision is put forward and agreed, there will be no peace, and no Syria.

Today’s Death Toll:108 (including 2 women and 3 children)
40 in Aleppo (most result of shelling in Al-Shaar)
30 in Damascus and suburbs
11 in Homs
8 in Idlib
7 in Lattakia
5 in Deir Ezzor
4 in Daraa
1 in Raqqah

Points of Random Shelling: 196
58 by mortar
108 by artillery
29 by missile
14 by war jets, and by barrel bombs

Clashes:  82

Developments: Rebels blocked several regime attempts to storm cities and towns in Eastern Ghoutah, Damascus, and blew a number of personnel carriers in different areas across Syria (LCC).

 

News

Turkey has requested deployment of NATO air defense missiles over Syria civil war concernsNATO doesn’t want to be drawn into the Syrian conflict and said it would consider deploying the missiles purely to protect Turkey, a member country. Any deployment of NATO forces needs the approval of the alliance’s governing body, the North Atlantic Council.

Syrian planes bomb Damascus suburbs, northern town; regime blasts EU for endorsing opposition

Rebels say Syria hospital strike kills 40

 

Special Reports

Syria now running a war economy as conflict spreads
“This is a war budget in which the bulk is spent on the army and state employees to keep the government machinery going so that it continues to function, especially in the areas that are still under its control, and to show that the state is still on its feet,” said Samir Seifan, a prominent Syrian economist. He was involved in policymaking before the crisis but has since fled the country.

Rebels question continued protests in ‘Free Syria’
Protests gave birth to the anti-Assad uprising, but now some in Syria say they simply make for an easy target for regime planes. Others say they’re important to keep new leaders accountable.

Syria loses influence among Palestinians
Mr Assad is no longer the patron of Hamas, a Sunni Islamist organisation which moved its headquarters out of Damascus after the Syrian uprising. Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas leader, has openly backed his Sunni brethren in their battle to oust Mr Assad’s minority Alawite regime… On Wednesday, in an apparent attempt by Damascus to remain relevant, Syrian media said a Palestinian militant group based in the country, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, had claimed responsibility for an explosion on a bus in Tel Aviv.

With Syria’s eastern oilfields in rebel hands, a brisk business in pirated crude grows
The capture of the fields is another blow to the Syrian government’s attempt to offset inflation and shortages of various goods in the areas it still controls. It also has set off a booming oil trade in this impoverished area. Dozens of trucks wait in line 24 hours a day to fill up at rebel-held wells, which produce a light crude that can be burned without refining, though the result is dense smoke. Some farmers insist the unrefined crude can be used to power farm equipment, though it seems primarily to be used for heat.

Syria opposition appeals for massive aid
Leading opposition figure says $60b needed to prevent economy from collapsing within six months if Assad’s regime falls.

China’s Role in Syria: How Beijing Can Help End the Violence
China continues to leave off the table the possibility of sanctions or other punitive measures as a way to convince the regime to stop the violence. Without them, the Syrian government has no reason to end the bloodshed: it has the upper hand both militarily and politically, and it has more sophisticated equipment and control of government institutions. So what can China do to signal it is serious about a political settlement in Syria? Given Beijing’s reluctance to impose sanctions, a small but significant action would be to recognize the recently formed National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as representative of the opposition movement.

Great Debate: Intervention in Syria
The Syrian opposition has elected its new leaders. Will this make outside intervention more likely? Marina Ottaway, Tony Badran, Mordechai Kedar, and others weigh in.

Gunning for Damascus
The insurgents on the ground in Syria appear to be winning more and more territory and confiscating more and more high-grade materiel from President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Just as Operation Pillar of Defense was kicking off over Gaza on Nov. 14, the Free Syrian Army took the entire city of al-Bukamal along the Iraqi border, where they also sacked two major airbases, giving the opposition a strong military foothold in Syria’s easternmost province, a vital smuggling route for weapons.

Mountaintop Town Is a Diverse Haven From Syria’s Horrors
MALOULA, Syria — In a country clouded by conflict, where neighbors and families are now divided by sectarian hatred, this mountaintop town renowned for its spiritual healing qualities and restorative air is an oasis of tolerance. Residents of the ancient and mainly Christian town — one of the last places where Western Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ, is still spoken — vowed at the beginning of the Syrian conflict 20 months ago not to succumb to sectarianism and be dragged into the chaos.

Christians in Syria: separating Fact From Fiction (PDF)
The evidence surveyed here does not, as of yet, suggest the existence of an organized campaign of militant Islamic persecution of Christians throughout Syria, especially along the lines of what has happened in Iraq since 2003. Indeed, one should not overlook the fact that Christians have been playing active roles in the opposition. At the same time, disinformation exists about this phenomenon too.

Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

Foreign Truck Bombers in Syria Highlight Risk of New al-Qaeda
Foreign fighters began trickling into Syria a few months after the uprising against Assad began in March 2011, according to Ammar Abdulhamid, a Syrian dissident who is a fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Most of the opposition is made up of Sunni Muslims while Assad belongs to the minority Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam. Not all the foreign fighters are extremist or al-Qaeda affiliates. Some are moderate Muslims or liberals, driven by romantic notions and a sense of Arab solidarity, Abdulhamid said. …

The overwhelming majority are considered “dead weight,” said Abdulhamid. Tensions between rebels and foreign fighters mean that “oftentimes, foreign fighters stay in separate camps with a few like-minded Syrian recruits who help them secure their basic needs from nearby villages.”

 

Video Highlights

Rebels in Gassam, Daraa, trying to take down a MiG http://youtu.be/vY7Ussmdu4g On the other end of Syria, in Alboukamal, Deir Ezzor Province, rebels succeed in bringing down their targethttp://youtu.be/Wr8wvNeu7wI

Locals pull bodies from under the rubble in Aleppo City after a field hospital and a nearby building were bombed in Al-Shaar Neighborhoodhttp://youtu.be/K55QZa3AaD0 , http://youtu.be/58fInKBbyBU ,http://youtu.be/wKuasppHz28 , http://youtu.be/i5cNoNQjc_s , http://youtu.be/YieyrEapr6Q

Nearby towns were pounded by MiGs: Dar Azzahhttp://youtu.be/7POvoUypLEs

The pounding of the town of Zabadani along the Lebanese border in Damascus Suburbs continueshttp://youtu.be/OMI1mh1iwhc closer to Damascus City, missile launchers targeted the suburb ofDarayahttp://youtu.be/PoWJhAxP10Q

Rebels pushed back another attack on Eastern Ghoutah, Damascus: blowing up a tank in Ain Termahttp://youtu.be/9sMI9DSD59E The pounding by jets continued in Jisreenhttp://youtu.be/_q8iXT9v30EKafar Batnahttp://youtu.be/brYq79GZv1oSaqbahttp://youtu.be/szYcY4hSHgQ The people of Harastaleave the suburb en masse http://youtu.be/VV_3q8NeY18

In Homs, the pounding of Deir Baalbah Suburb intensifies http://youtu.be/cru-zpLdBmY  The pounding of the nearby town of Rastan continues http://youtu.be/P-VK6vVPpCc

Regime jets pound the town of Ma’rrat Al-Nouman in Idlib Province http://youtu.be/tmb2s7ZDgjU ,http://youtu.be/ju9hT81nHGsEltaman’ah also pounded http://youtu.be/vMSIca1OjtE And Mahambilhttp://youtu.be/kWYicrLYVt4 And Kafroumahhttp://youtu.be/3MZE0csBhuM

Rebels and loyalists clashed in Deir Ezzor City http://youtu.be/s9Br4kFK3kQ a rockets a rebel neighborhood http://youtu.be/xf-CyR5WJLI The pounding of the town of Mayadeen continueshttp://youtu.be/3feu0r-9D1Q

Syrian Revolution Digest – Tuesday 20 November 2012

Stop Holding Your Peace!

Syrian Revolution Digest – November 20, 2012 

As Islamists try to assert their vision or Syria, be it as an Islamic State or a state where Sharia is King, the battle of ideas needs to be joined by the secular opposition. Even if we continue to speak past each other in the early phases, it is important that we begin exploring visions for the future of Syria in order to find some common ground at some point: without this common ground, there could be no Syria. The revolution and the violent crackdown it elicited from the Assad regime present an existential challenge not only to different groups in the country, but to the country itself. This kind of challenge cannot be overcome by guns alone. We need to negotiate new terms for a new state. After 20 months of bloodshed, it’s unforgiveable that opposition groups continue to shy away from this.

Today’s Death Toll: 122 (including 2 women and 2 children)
52 in Damascus and suburbs (including 10 martyrs from Daraya)
28 in Aleppo
10 in Idlib
9 in Raqqah
8 in Lattakia
5 in Homs
3 in Deir Ezzor
1 in Hasakeh
1 in Daraa

Points of Random Shelling: 204
69 by mortar shelling
109 by artillery
26 by rockets
10 by jets
7 by barrel bombs

Clashes:  114

Developments: Rebels raided the Police Academy in Khan Al-Assal in Aleppo, liberated checkpoints in Salah Eldin sports complex as well as the checkpoints along the Daraa highway across from Mahje City, and blocked the regime army’s attempts to storm Eastern Ghouta (LCC).

 

News

Syria conflict: UK recognises opposition, says William Hague

Mortars hit Syria information ministry, clashes erupt in capital

Turkey agrees Syria missile defense with NATO members

IDF jeep hit by stray bullets from Syria; no injuries

Kurdish militiamen, rebels maintain truce in northern Syria

Udall: get over Benghazi, focus on Syria

Syria Kurdish leader rejects new opposition coalition

Syria rebels set up own intelligence service Free Syrian army form its the creation of an intelligence unit that serve the rebel forces against the Basahr al-Assad security agencies

Aleppo rebels retract rejection of coalition Commanders in Aleppo voice their support to Syrian National Coalition but call for greater representation in it.

 

Special Reports

Lt. Col. Eddie Boxx, USAF: Responding to Assad’s Use of Airpower in Syria
One recently discussed option — a creative, ground-based approach using Patriot missile batteries — could work if integrated with three key U.S. aircraft: the E-3 AWACS, RC-135 Rivet Joint, and E-8 JSTARS. These airborne “eyes and ears,” which were pivotal to the success of no-fly missions in Libya, Bosnia, and Iraq, would operate outside of Syrian air defense coverage. Patriot missile units placed in Turkey and Jordan could reach into Syria and give the FSA a protected arc some 40-50 miles from the borders. The FSA already controls most of the areas within this hypothetical arc, and the no-fly zone would be formed along currently defended boundaries where the opposition is most active

Syria’s Spray-Can Revolution
Seeing Syria’s children as passive victims of a tyrannical regime… underestimates their role in the revolt. If they’ve been victims, they’ve also been protagonists. Think back to how all this began… This isn’t been a samizdat revolution, sparked by epistles from dissident intellectuals. It was started by the spray cans of schoolchildren, and by other young people who then turned to Facebook and YouTube to get the message out.

In Syria, An Act Of Reconciliation Stirs Fierce Debate
The man at the center is Ahmad Munir Muhammed, the governor of Homs, who has long been known as a loyalist of embattled President Bashar Assad. However, Muhammed made an official visit to Tel Kalakh, where the majority of neighborhoods are controlled by the rebels… The governor was quoted as saying he was “putting an end to Syrian bloodshed” and would take similar steps in all the towns under his authority… The governor “shook hands with murderers,” screamed the pro-government media, accusing him of nothing less than embracing al-Qaida in Syria. He “surrendered” Tel Kalakh, according to those who consider any recognition of the Sunni rebels an existential danger to Assad’s rule and to the surrounding Alawite villages. The reaction shows the difficulty of any negotiated settlement to end the crisis.

Syria’s growing refugee crisis
With no end in sight to the crisis in Syria, refugees are crossing the border into neighbouring countries in increasing numbers. More than 100,000 Syrians have taken refuge in Turkey – some leaving all their possessions behind. But the threat from the violence in Syria remains close.

Syrian rebels put choke hold on government supply lines
The Free Syrian Army has captured several critical areas from the government this week, curtailing delivery of supplies to those they are battling for control of Aleppo.

Unveiled Syrian Facebook post stirs women’s rights debate
Among the dozens of Facebook groups spawned by the Syrian uprising, a page supporting women’s rights has suddenly received a wave of attention, because of an image posted there by one of its followers. The picture was of 21-year-old Dana Bakdounis, without the veil she had grown up wearing – and it polarised opinion.

The Spillover Effect

In Syria, a rare Chinese foray into foreign policy
This is what happens in a G-Zero world – a world without any specific country or bloc of countries in charge… Americans feel that the issue doesn’t affect them enough to intervene. Europeans, as a Union, don’t seem to be particularly interested, even if some smaller countries are. And with those powers on the sidelines, suddenly the Chinese have a much bigger problem – a civil war that could metastasize into regional instability. The Chinese have far too much at stake in Iraq and Iran for that to happen: 11 percent of China’s oil imports come from Iran, and it is on track to be the chief importer of Iraqi oil by 2030… That China is wading into diplomacy here does not mean it will replace the United States in negotiations. But it does mean that the world is in transition – what was once America’s domain is now no one’s.

Lebanon banks can absorb Syria damage: Blom
Syria’s civil war has shrunk the operations of Lebanese bank affiliates operating there, but the parent banks are coping with the damage thanks to careful provisioning, a senior Lebanese banker said.

The EU Must Proscribe and Sanction Hezbollah Over Syria
An open letter signed by Syrian and European activists and sponsored by the Henry Jackson Society.

Coverage: Syrian dissidents call for Europe to cut off Hezbollah

Signatories: Akil Hashem, Brig Gen (Ret.), Syrian Army; Ammar Abdulhamid, dissident, writer; Khawla Yusuf, dissident, writer; Nada Kiwan, medical doctor, activist Farha Barzai, activist; Amer al-­‐Sadeq, Representative, Syrian Revolution Coordinators Union; Helen Abduldayem, activist for the Syrian Opposition and nursery school in Homs; Nadia Nashawi, Syrian opposition activist; Mouna Akil Hashem, Syrian opposition activist; Hamza al-­‐Fahker, journalist, Syrian opposition activist; Mahmoud Elzour, Syrian rebel; Ahmad Rahban, Communications Manager, Strategic Research & Communications Centre; Khaled El‐Ekhteyar, journalist; Mr. Mohanad Mahdi, Professional Engineer; Mr. Tom Fala Activist; Ms. Noura Almasri Syrian American activist; Mr. Osama Nahas, M.D.; Ms. Hanne Groenligen Grass Roots Activist and humanist; Mr. Bradford E. Helms, semi-­‐retired; Human Rights activist for Syria; Mr. Bashar Alawad, M.D.”

Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

Clarifications:

The leader of the Kurdish group, PYD, the Syrian branch of the PKK, rejected today the recently created National Coalition. This is to be expected, of course. The PYD was not invited to take part in the Coalition, despite being the Kurdish political group with the largest popular support in the country. Its nationalist agenda and connections to the PKK were too problematic for inclusion at this stage. Any engagement between the Coalition and the PYD will likely take place through the Kurdish national Council, which has three seats in the Coalition, including one the position of Vice-President.

For its part, Al-Tawheed Brigade in Aleppo withdrew on Monday its rejection of the Coalitionhttp://youtu.be/-akrPtGngvA , and its call for the establishment of an Islamic State in Syria. But they insist on greater representation in the Coalition and on having Islam be the main source for legislation in any future state. In decades gone by, having such a constitutional clause amounted to nothing more than a token gesture to the Islamists and was never upheld. But with Islamist feeling so empowered today, having such a clause could be quite problematic this time around, especially with an emphasis on the “the” part in sentence “the main source for legislation.” Moreover, the retraction by Al-Tawheed still leaves Jabhatl Al-Nusra, Ahrar AlSham and Ahrar Souria and a smaller assortment of groups from around the country on board of a call for an Islamic State. The issue will be a difficult one for Syrian rebels, activists and opposition groups to handle down the road.

 

Video Highlights

Rebels take control of the Air Defense Unit near Bouaida, Damascus http://youtu.be/WEmy8GZ773s

Random shelling leaves buildings on fire in Moadamia, Damascus http://youtu.be/3LZeICPaNHwBabbilahttp://youtu.be/nwO3ymQsjXMDaraya was pounded as well http://youtu.be/BFYB7GCjmvwMass Burials http://youtu.be/Ct-V_A3OJdM Jets pounded Douma as well http://youtu.be/M7rAAhl6mjo

The town of Mayadeen, Deir Ezzor Province is bombarded by MiGs http://youtu.be/TlriwbCKU0IHelicopter gunships are involved as well http://youtu.be/CMmvyq48aTs Local in state of panichttp://youtu.be/YFifFNwKpOA , http://youtu.be/jKksBwrwNT4 Meanwhile, rebels and loyalists clash inDeir Ezzor Cityhttp://youtu.be/Gz-s5xCmIss

Loyalist troops pound rebel strongholds in Aleppo city: Salaheddinehttp://youtu.be/woLdZ5nH0XsRebels in action http://youtu.be/kpi1qi42nic , http://youtu.be/ImO9GuDrNnc

Aerial bombardment of Manbij, Aleppo Province http://youtu.be/-HoBqF98mbM paves the way for clashes with rebels on the ground http://youtu.be/9MTUPRqw5d0 , http://youtu.be/ZtWo7njhcwM

Rebels and loyalists clash in the mountains of Lattakia http://youtu.be/oM0Kdylrf_A ,http://youtu.be/fRgXw5zbqyM

Unions Cause Complete Shutdown In Argentina

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BEUNOS AIRES, Argentina – Work stoppage in Argentina has slowed the already ailing country to a standstill. A general strike organized by the two biggest trade unions brought the Latin American countries economic grain exports to a halt as demonstrators protested Argentina’s economic policies. The ‘General Confederation of Labor of the Argentine Republic’ (CGT) and ‘ Argentine Workers’ Central Union’ (CTA) organized a general strike that shut down public transportation and forced many businesses to shut down.

Streets remain empty after unions block roads during strike. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

The ailing country has been in economic trouble for some time. In 2001 the country defaulted on a number of loan repayments, and according to the World Bank, Argentina’s economic growth has slowed from 9% in 2011 to just 2.2% in 2012.

Beyond protesting the increase in violence and crime the trade unions are demanding a decrease in income taxes to combat the high inflation they are now feeling at home. Officially, Argentina has an annual inflation of 10%, but some economists estimate that number to be closer to 24%.

Farming unions have joined the protests, led by Hugo Moyao, who is demanding lower taxes for workers hit hard by the un-tethered inflation.  Mayano has vowed to keep pressing the demands of the labor unions, telling reporters “The silence of the streets, the absence of people in the streets, in the shops, in the businesses – this is the voice that the government must hear.” The farming industry has been hit by unprecedented 35% export tax on Argentina’s most important export, soybean and soybean oil. Soybean oil is one of the main components to bio-fuel.

While President Cristina Fernandez has refused to back down, calling the strikers “extortionists” her opposition has latched on to the civil discourse. Many have hailed as the beginning of the end. Citing that she may have lost the streets, and despite decreasing the voting age from 18 to 16, have stated that they will do everything they can to stop her from seeking re-election.

The general strike has not been the completely non-violent demonstration that the trade unionists claim. Burned tires block roads, and protesters have used the chaos to vandalize businesses that stayed open during the work stoppages. A block away from the presidential palace, tourist attractions were forced to close after opportunists vandalized them.

While leaders of the strike are hopeful that the general strike will strengthen their position, President Fernandez has refused to give ground, citing the need to keep taxes were they are to payback the growing debt she inherited from previous administrations.

For further information, please see:

Los Andes – The Unions Expect Cristina Replies – 22 November 2012

Terra – Cristina Fernandez: “Impossible” to Stop Paying Debts Argentina – 22 November 2012

BBC – Argentina: Strike Paralyses Buenos Aires And Other Cities – 20 November 2012

Reuters – Argentina’s Fernandez Faces Her First General Strike – 20 November 2012

Hamas Official Condemns Killing of six ‘Spies’

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Hamas’ deputy leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, has publicly criticized the executions of six individuals who were allegedly “caught red-handed” in collaborating with Israel on Tuesday. Marzook declared his disdain for the killings through a post on the popular social media website, Facebook.

The dead body of the sixth collaborator was dragged through the streets of Gaza. (Photo Courtesy of the Daily Mail)

Marzook was not against the killing of the six individuals as much as he was promoting the use of law and expressing anger towards vigilantism. He stated that, “[w]e endorse punishments to spies and especially to those who took part in the death of our commander and undermine our resistance but they should only be punished by law.”

He added that, “[t]he way these collaborators were killed and the images after their death are totally unacceptable and those responsible must be indicted.”

Ultimately, it was Hamas’ military wing, Izzedine al-Qassam, who claimed responsibility for the executions. It was said that the six men were caught using hi-tech equipment to film Palestinian military positions. They were alleged to have given Israel intelligence regarding Palestinian fighters and rocket launching locations.

The six informants were not shot on sight by the four gunmen, but rather murdered as a demonstration in the streets of Gaza City. Salim Mahmoud, a local of the Sheik Radwan neighborhood, watched as the six men were ousted from a van and made to lie face down in the street before they were each shot. One of the dead bodies was then connected to a motorcycle and dragged through the streets for all to see.

Twenty-four-year-old local bystander Ashraf Maher believes that, “[t]hey should have been killed in a more brutal fashion so others don’t even think about working with the occupation (Israel).”

Once these six men were caught there was little doubt that they were going to be killed whether it be by court sanction or not. Palestinians have become used to such killings. The public killing of informants has been the regular practice in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank since the First Intifada in the late 1980s.

The last time Israel held an offensive against Gaza was four years ago, and seventeen collaborators were unlawfully shot and killed. Since then, four other informants were sentenced to death by firing squad, and many more wait on death row in Gaza.

For further information, please see:

Jerusalem Post – Hamas Leader Decries Killing of Alleged Spies – 21 November 2012

Y Net News – Hamas Official Criticized Execution of Suspected Collaborators – 21 November 2012

Daily Mail – Six Israeli ‘Spies’ Executed Before Baying mob in Gaza City, Before Motorbike Gang Drags one Bloodied Victim Through the Streets – 20 November 2012

Haaretz – Hamas Executes 6 Suspected Israel Collaborators – 20 November 2012