AP: c783cd24-bfc3-4b22-8ee0-f61312540fca
Smoke rises following an Israeli attack on Gaza City, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012. Israel barraged the Gaza Strip with airstrikes and shelling Wednesday and killed the Hamas military chief in a targeted strike, launching a campaign aimed at stopping rocket attacks from Islamic militants. The assault killed 10 other Palestinians, including two children and seven militants. On Thursday, militant rockets fired into Israel killed three Israelis, raising the likelihood of a further escalation. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Seattle Jewish group mourns loss of life from rocket attacks

BY Tim Haeck  on November 16, 2012 @ 12:47 pm (Updated: 3:29 pm - 11/16/12 )

The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle is mourning the loss of life in the latest exchange of rocket attacks between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.

Three civilians were killed Thursday morning in Kiryat Malachi, what Jewish Federation Executive Vice President David Chivo calls a partner community where his organization has worked on health services, youth programs and job training for more than a decade.

Also, for the first time, Friday, Palestinian militants targeted Jerusalem and air raid sirens were heard throughout the city and smoke was seen rising from a Jerusalem suburb. Jerusalem is about 50 miles from the Gaza border.

Chivo defends the Israeli rocket strikes saying Israel's goals are to remove terror cells and knock out militant rocket launch sites. "And a third goal is to deter future attacks on the state of Israel so that both sides can return to the peace table, which is what everybody else in the middle east yearns for," he said.

Cindy Corrie of Olympia, whose daughter Rachel was killed by an Israeli bulldozer during a demonstration in Gaza nine years ago, says she deplores the rocket attacks and considers them human rights violations. But she adds the people of Gaza are far more vulnerable to the attacks and are overmatched by the Israeli military. "Gazans really have no place to go," said Corrie. "My understanding is that the bombing, the missiles are continuing pretty non-stop there and people are off the street but they have no protection."

Corrie is just back from a visit to Israel and Gaza with a Washington D.C.-based peace organization, Interfaith Peace Builders and insists she's not taking sides over the latest exchange of rocket attacks. "We have many friends in Israel who, like us, are eager to see constructive resolution of this whole situation, which has gone on far too long."

But Corrie criticized the Israeli government for its decision to "ignore the truce that was developing." She also questioned what she considers the U.S.'s one-sided support of Israel.

The Jewish Federations of North America announced in a news release that its groups are setting up a relief fund, with details expected soon.

The United Nation's top human rights official, in Geneva, has denounced the three days of clashes between Israeli forces and Gaza militants, calling for both sides to pull back.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
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Comments (5)


  • Add A Comment

  • Snout wrote...
    And yet Israel is still the monster somehow.
    November 16, 2012 4:39 pm
    The fact that they don't steamroll Gaza into the ground shows remarkable restraint. That place needs an enema of megaton proportions. If Mexico started lobbing bombs and rockets into San Diego or El Paso would we just grin and bear it? No. Israel is the only beacon of decency and civilization in the Middle East.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Snout
    November 16, 2012 8:11 pm
    Obviously you don't know that Gaza has been under an Israeli Military Siege since 2006. Israel controls the Airspace, Sea coast, All borders except Egypt and everything that enters or leaves. Does the US place Mexico under a military Siege? Why are MyNorthwest conservatives so oblivious to the facts?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Moondoggie wrote...
    Weird
    November 16, 2012 6:41 pm
    It's not even news anymore when rockets get launched from Gaza into Israel, but return fire and the world takes notice. I guess the world just doesn't value Jewish life.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Realitycheck wrote...
    Snout
    November 16, 2012 7:25 pm
    Actually with this weak leadership I seriously wonder if we would strike back if rockets would come from Mexico hitting US cities. I'll bet they would say, lets not overreact, probably just renegade groups. Maybe if it was ongoing but not if just a few were launched at the attack stopped.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Moondoggie
    November 16, 2012 8:12 pm
    The world just knows about the Siege of Gaza. You won't learn the facts if you only consume right wing media.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }