Hamas, Islamic Jihad War Crimes Against Children and Women

by Bassam Tawil • February 12, 2019 at 5:00 am

It is worth noting that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad members who were killed while participating in the violence near the Gaza-Israel border did not come there dressed in military uniforms or carrying their weapons. Instead, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad men participated in the weekly protests dressed in civilian clothes. They pretended they were ordinary and innocent civilians protesting against the economic crisis in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
While they are in Cairo, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders continue to send thousands of women and children to engage in violent attacks on Israeli soldiers. These leaders do not care about the safety or welfare of their women and children. On the contrary; the more dead women and children, the better. That way, they can blame Israel for killing innocent civilians and incite more Palestinians to join the jihad against Jews.
Those who are encouraging women and children to take part in a violent confrontation with the Israeli army should be held accountable for war crimes. It is time for the international community to call on Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip to stop hiding behind women and children and to stop using them as human shields in their jihad to eliminate Israel.

Pictured: A group of Palestinians during a riot at the border fence with Israel on May 14, 2018. Two of the young men are preparing to attack Israeli soldiers with slingshots. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

When Hamas launched its weekly demonstrations along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel 10 months ago, it first sent its men and their family members to participate in the protests. A few weeks later, however, Hamas instructed its men to stay away from the border after many were detected and killed by the Israeli army. Most of the Hamas men who were killed during the violence belonged to the group's military wing, Izaddin al-Qassam. Others belonged to the military wing of another terrorist group, Islamic Jihad.

It is worth noting that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad members who were killed while participating in the violence near the Gaza-Israel border did not come there dressed in military uniforms or carrying their weapons. Instead, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad men participated in the weekly protests dressed in civilian clothes. They pretended they were ordinary and innocent civilians protesting against the economic crisis in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

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Turkey: Imprisoned Former Opposition Lawmaker Symbol of Unjust Justice System

by Uzay Bulut • February 12, 2019 at 4:00 am

During his tenure as an Turkish member of parliament, Eren Erdem exposed ISIS and al-Qaeda activities across Turkey and often called on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to stop those activities and bring the militants to account. For that, he has been subject to pressure, investigations and trials.
In 2015, Turkey's president Erdogan condemned Erdem and called him a "traitor". An investigation into treason was launched against Erdem, who also received death threats over social media, with his home address posted by pro-government Twitter users, presumably to enable an attack on his house.
"On January 7, the court decided to release me by unanimous vote, as there is not a single piece of evidence against me...." – Eren Erdem, letter written from prison around January 28.

Eren Erdem at a June 2016 press conference. (Image source: Eren Erdem video screenshot)

A former deputy of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Eren Erdem, who has been under arrest for seven months on terrorism charges, remains incarcerated -- even though a court ruled on January 7 that he would be released pending trial.

Just before he was to be let out of prison, Istanbul's chief public prosecutor's office objected to his release. A higher court accepted the objection and once again issued a detention warrant against him.

In reaction to Erdem's re-arrest despite the court ruling, his father, Hasan Erdem, said: "I'm talking to the person who is giving the instructions for this. You should know that my son and I are not afraid of you. You will not be able to bring us to our knees."

After these statements, Hasan Erdem, 70, was fired from his job.

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