Israelis Snub UN Ceasefire Call

by Dave Keating | January 9, 2009 at 06:03 am
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Israel indicated today that it will ignore a UN resolution calling for an immediate cease fire to the bombing of Gaza. Israel still enjoys the support of the US, which has not called for an end to the bombing.

Israel is to keep up its offensive in the Gaza Strip despite a UN call for an immediate end to nearly two weeks of conflict involving Hamas militants.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the latest firing of rockets into Israel showed the resolution was "unworkable".

The Security Council resolution demanded a truce, access for aid workers and an end to arms smuggling.

Israel continued its bombardment during the night and on Friday morning, carrying out at least 50 air strikes.

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2
Heritage

And though the resolution is legally binding, it does not have any enforcement mechanism, and Israel has ignored dozens of UN resolutions over the years, our correspondent said.


More of the same. The resolution means nothing to Israel. Only the US can stop the massacre and it's not prepared to do it  yet. Palestinian life is not valued the same as Israeli life.
More than 763 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 200 children, since the Israeli offensive began on December 27. More than 3,121 people have also been wounded.

Eight Israeli soldiers and three civilians have died in the same period.

How many more must die?

1
Paschen

What else was to be expected. They know that if push comes to shove the US will come to their rescue and even Veto what ever may need to be Vetoed. 

4
donkylemore

Israel has ignorede this UN resolution 242 which requires it ( Israel ) to it's pre 1967 borders

And we , the civilized world , members of the UN have presided over the Israeli defiance of this crime.

The problem is of course that the he International Court of Justice which is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations .

The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for among many other things " war crimes and crimes against humanity  and the crime of aggression although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression..

What are the UN waiting.

The imposition of immediate sanctions is a  sine qua non ; the introduction  of an UN  peace enforcing mission is something which would force the US to cease it's ambiguity. Put up or shut up.

Obama , Much lies on your shoulders.



1
Paschen

You know very well that the UN can not act against Israel because of the US veto right. First the Veto rights have to be removed and that is not so easy.

2
moonwolf

As I have said all along.  The Israelis do not care about the UN or any other group or country.

They care only for themselves.

I knew they would ignore the resolution as they have ignored every single one that ran contrary to their plan in the past.

This is all part of "The Solution"

1
djsblack

If you "said it" it makes it opinion not fact.

"As I have said all along.  The Israelis do not care about the UN or any other group or country.

They care only for themselves.

I knew they would ignore the resolution as they have ignored every single one that ran contrary to their plan in the past.

This is all part of "The Solution"'


1
moonwolf

djs,

The evidence on the ground speaks for itself as does Israel refusing to obey all UN Resolutions.  UN Resolutions of this type are considered binding on members and are law.  That is not opinion.  It is fact.

The massacre continues.

1
djsblack

War is war your rhetoric is not supported by the facts:

The Palestinians in Gaza today are desperate because they are prisoners of their own delusions and their own self-imposed culture of victimization. We all know that the issue for Hamas is not to end the occupation of Gaza - that ended a few years ago with unilateral withdrawal from the territory legitimately captured in the Six Day War. No, Hamas does not want to end the occupation. Hamas wants to end Israel's existence.

The Islamic fundamentalism that fuels Palestinian hatred of  the State of Israel is based on the principle that Jews are inferior to Muslims because the infidels rejected Muhammad as the final prophet of God. A thriving State of Israel reminds Hamas every day that its existence has been a reality for 60 years and will remain a reality for another 600. The Palestinians do not want to return to the pre-1967 borders. Their demand and their actions indicate that their wish is to return to the 1867 borders - that is, a Middle East without Israel in a Muslim empire ruled by Shari'a.

The Palestinian leadership has never made it a secret that it wants the land "between the river and the sea" - that is, the Jewish state itself. On January 11, 2001, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, the mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine appointed by the Palestinian Authority, stated on Palestinian television that when his followers speak about Jerusalem, it does not mean they "have forgotten about Hebron or about Jaffa or about Acre... We have announced a number of times that from a religious point of view Palestine from the sea to the river is Islamic."


2
moonwolf

djs,

That is your opinion and it is valid.  However, the United Nations and the bulk of the human race disagrees with you.

You are right there are crazy religious ideologies at work in this conflict.  On both sides. Within the Torah is the greatest of all racism.  Everyone who isn't Jewish is goyem and all goyem are no better than cattle.  We could go into more detail about what the Torah suggest be done with goyem, but it would be too shocking for most here.

The Palestinian Arabs are more indigenous to Palestine than the Ashken Jews from Europe who make up 80% of Israel's population. They are the interlopers, not the Arabs, who can trace their lineage in the region back centuries.

(the occupation)-"that ended a few years ago with unilateral withdrawal from the territory legitimately captured in the Six Day War. No, Hamas does not want to end the occupation. Hamas wants to end Israel's existence." -your words

Like heck it did.  It was just more Hasbarah to trick global observers.  Walling-up 1.5 million people against the sea, which is closed by Israeli patrols, and then consistently and relentlessly starving, humiliating, attacking and intimidating them every way possible is just a continuation of the illegal occupation which is why the UN calls it like it is: The Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Occupied Gaza, your opinion notwithstanding.

Gaza is a prison camp and nothing more. You may not agree, but fortunately those that matter in the UN, the Red Cross, all other NGO's and officials with courage and who are not Israeli cuckholds do.

 

1
djsblack

The Palestinian Arabs are not indigenous to the lands of Israel and they are the usurpers. Not the Jews. Your fanatical rhetoric is ridiculous and silly. If you think what you type has any truth to it then why did the peninsula of Arabia, which developed in the 6th century A.D., have the Muslims migrate from East to West by conquer, but the Jews were there a thousand years before.

Furthermore your eschewing of the truth and what's legal is and could be construed as I read it as hysterical and rubbish. You have no facts.

2
moonwolf

djs,

The latest research actually suggests that there was no such thing as the Jews "thousands" of years ago.   It is believed that the first "Jews" were actually Canaanites, refugees from Sodom and Gomorrah and other villages in Canaan who fled because of wars, took up residence in the hills of what is now Palestine and created a new way of life, and that the books of the Bible describing much of what is considered Jewish "history" were actually written later, to act as a cement for this new culture. Thus the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was actually the tale of Canaanites who, unhappy with their lives in those cities, constantly besieged by enemies and disagreeing with the way the Canaanites lived left to set up their own communities under new principles.

Let's put it this way.  The scientific jury is still out on "the facts" of the origin of Jews and the timeline.

It is likely that at that time time they lived side by side with their Semitic brothers, all from the same lineage actually, as the area was a huge melting pot, a blending of many racial backgrounds.  The Jews did not just "show up" in a divine manner" and they are not separate from the DNA lineage that they bear.

You say I have no facts, but you fail to discuss the 80% of the Israeli population that are white skinned Ashkenazim from Europe, who emigrated to Israel after its creation in 1948.  Do you claim the Ashkens are indigenous?

1
gahooch

This is offensive.  The Torah is the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).   Please tell us were the word "goyem" appears.

The Torah includes the Noahidic code.  The Code is a subset of the Ten Commandments that applies to gentiles (not goyem).  It is respectful and recognizes the dignity of all, Jew or gentile because it recognizes the world consists of different faiths and ideals and there must be a common set of values to build civilized societies.  


It is called the Noahidic code because it was given to Noah and we are all Noah's descendents.  It predates Judaism and shows a concern for all people, Jew and gentile.

Yes, the Old Testament contains stories of war, massacre, and kinds of horrid things.  It was written to serve as a history of the people who were known as the Israelites.  But to deduce from that an institutional hatred of gentiles is I hope a product of ignorance and not maliciousness

0
moonwolf

gahooch,

You are right.  I stand corrected.  I used one wrong word and spelled the other incorrectly.  Thanks for catching that.

The word is spelled goyim, and the text I was referring to I mistakenly called the Torah.  It is rather the Talmud.

Here's an excerpt that will shine a bit brighter light on how Talmudic Jews view goyim:

"Rabbi Shemeul says advantage may be taken of the mistakes of a Gentile. He once bought a gold plate as a copper one of a Gentile for four zouzim, and then cheated him out of one zouzim in the bargain. Rav Cahana purchased a hundred and twenty vessels of wine from a Gentile for a hundred zouzim, and swindled him in the payment out of one of the hundred, and that while the Gentile assured him that he confidently trusted his honesty. Rava once went shares with a Gentile and bought a tree, which was cut up into logs. This done, he bade his servants to go pick out the largest logs, but to be sure to take no more than the proper number, because the Gentile knew how many there were. As Rav Ashi was walking abroad one day he saw some grapes growing in a roadside vineyard, and sent his servant to see whom they belonged to. "If they belong to a Gentile," he said, "bring some here to me, but if they belong to an Israelite, do not meddle with them." The owner, who happened to be in the vineyard, overheard the Rabbi's order and called out, "What? Is it lawful to rob a Gentile?" "Oh, no," said the Rabbi evasively, "a Gentile might sell, but an Israelite would not" (Bava Kama, Fol. 113, col. 2)."

and a few other choice tidbits:

Deception in Business

It is a grave sin to practice any kind of deception whatsoever against a Jew. Against a Gentile it is only forbidden to practice direct deception. Indirect deception is allowed, unless it is likely to cause hostility towards Jews or insult to the Jewish religion. The paradigmatic example is mistaken calculation of the price during a purchase. If a Jew makes a mistake unfavorable to himself, it is one's religious duty to correct him. If a Gentile is spotted making such a mistake, one need not let him know about it, but say "I rely on your calculation," so as to forestall his hostility in case he subsequently discovers his own mistake.

Fraud

It is forbidden to defraud a Jew by selling or buying at an unreasonable price. However, "Fraud does not apply to Gentiles, for it is written 'Do no defraud each man his brother' [the Halakhah interprets all such idioms as referring exclusively to one's fellow Jew.]

Theft and Robbery

Robbery of a Gentile by a Jew is not forbidden outright, but only under certain circumstances such as "when the Gentiles are not under our rule," but is permitted "when they are under our rule." Rabbinical authorities differ among themselves as to the precise details of the circumstances under which a Jew may rob a Gentile, but the whole debate is concerned only with the relative power of Jews and Gentiles rather than with universal considerations of justice and humanity.

Israel Shahak, Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Two Thousand Years (London: Pluto Press, 1994), 89-90, 117 n49."

More very interesting quotes here.



0
gahooch

The Talmud is the world's oldest blog.  It consists of conversations, debates, and mental exercises among Rabbis that have had that gone on, in some cases, for centuries.  In some of these statements the Rabbi's deliberately challenged each other with outrageous statements, in other cases their outrageous statements are countered with more rational arguments by others.

That's not to say that over time the prejudices and beliefs of the era are not reflected in Talmud; indeed, they are.  But to take them out of context and not within the full discussion is wrong.  

I can go through Christian and Muslim writings from over the centuries and pull out many outrageous and offensive paragraphs.  It doesn't mean that most, or even any Christians and Muslims take them as literal truth.  Many don't even know they exist.

I have to question your source, a forum on www.bismikaallahuma.org which is a site that "... is being run by a team of dedicated individuals committed to this goal of Islamic propagation".   With all due respect, if you're interested in knowing more about Judaism you might wish to go to a Jewish or secular site.  Just as I read Islamic and secular books (and sites) to learn about Islam.

And by the way, there is no such thing as "Talmudic Jews". It is a phrase created and used by anti-Semites who justify their actions by claiming that Jews do not believe in the sanctity of the Old Testament.

0
gahooch

The reason I said your post was offensive is because you used the word "goyem" not because you misspelled it. 

Goyim is an offensive Jewish word for gentile (or at least it's used offensively) and there's no place for it in civilized conversation, by Jew or gentile.  I'm sure you didn't mean to offend, you just picked up the word from your source, forum.bismikaallahuma.org.

2
moonwolf

From Jennifer Loewenstein :

"Let us get one thing perfectly straight. If the wholesale mutilation and degradation of the Gaza Strip is going to continue; if Israel’s will is at one with that of the United States; if the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and all the international legal agencies and organizations spread across the globe are going to continue to sit by like hollow mannequins doing nothing but making repeated “calls” for a “ceasefire” on “both sides”; if the cowardly, obsequious and supine Arab States are going to stand by watching their brethren get slaughtered by the hour while the world’s bullying Superpower eyes them threateningly from Washington lest they say something a little to their disliking; then let us at least tell the truth why this hell on earth is taking place.

The state terror unleashed from the skies and on the ground against the Gaza Strip as we speak has nothing to do with Hamas. It has nothing to do with “Terror”. It has nothing to do with the long-term “security” of the Jewish State or with Hizbullah or Syria or Iran except insofar as it is aggravating the conditions that have led up to this crisis today. It has nothing to do with some conjured-up “war” – a cynical and overused euphemism that amounts to little more the wholesale enslavement of any nation that dares claim its sovereign rights; that dares assert that its resources are its own; that doesn’t want one of the Empire’s obscene military bases sitting on its cherished land."

And excerpts from John Pilger's "Hollocaust Denied- The lying silence of those who know":

(Since the second world war) -my words

"Every subsequent "war" Israel has waged has had the same objective: the expulsion of the native people and the theft of more and more land. The lie of David and Goliath, of perennial victim, reached its apogee in 1967 when the propaganda became a righteous fury that claimed the Arab states had struck first. Since then, mostly Jewish truth-tellers such as Avi Schlaim, Noam Chomsky, the late Tanya Reinhart, Neve Gordon, Tom Segev, Yuri Avnery, Ilan Pappe and Norman Finklestein have dispatched this and other myths and revealed a state shorn of the humane traditions of Judaism, whose unrelenting militarism is the sum of an expansionist, lawless and racist ideology called zionism. "It seems," wrote the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe on 2 January, "that even the most horrendous crimes, such as the genocide in Gaza, are treated as desperate events, unconnected to anything that happened in the past and not associated with any ideology or system … Very much as the apartheid ideology explained the oppressive policies of the South African government, this ideology – in its most consensual and simplistic variety – has allowed all the Israeli governments in the past and the present to dehumanize the Palestinians wherever they are and strive to destroy them. The means altered from period to period, from location to location, as did the narrative covering up these atrocities. But there is a clear pattern [of genocide]."

and,

"Behind this sordid game is the "Dagan Plan," named after General Meir Dagan, who served with Sharon in his bloody invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Now head of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence organization, Dagan is the author of a "solution" that has seen the imprisonment of Palestinians behind a ghetto wall snaking across the West Bank and in Gaza, effectively a concentration camp. The establishment of a quisling government in Ramallah under Mohammed Abbas is Dagan's achievement, together with a hasbara (propaganda) campaign relayed through a mostly supine, if intimidated western media, notably in America, that says Hamas is a terrorist organization devoted to Israel's destruction and to "blame" for the massacres and siege of its own people over two generations, long before its creation. "We have never had it so good," said the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Gideon Meir in 2006. "The hasbara effort is a well-oiled machine." In fact, Hamas's real threat is its example as the Arab world's only democratically elected government, drawing its popularity from its resistance to the Palestinians' oppressor and tormentor. This was demonstrated when Hamas foiled a CIA coup in 2007, an event ordained in the western media as "Hamas's seizure of power." Likewise, Hamas is never described as a government, let alone democratic. Neither is its proposal of a ten-year truce as a historic recognition of the "reality" of Israel and support for a two-state solution with just one condition: that the Israelis obey international law and end their illegal occupation beyond the 1967 borders. As every annual vote in the UN General Assembly demonstrates, 99 per cent of humanity concurs. On 4 January, the president of the General Assembly, Miguel d'Escoto, described the Israeli attack on Gaza as a "monstrosity."

1
moonwolf

Creating Israel was the crowning mistake of the British Empire aided by the global community.

0
djsblack

The Jewish people, to escape extermination and prejudice created their homeland. The only crowing mistake would be to listen to the Arabs and others who would try and deny the truth.

1
moonwolf

djs,

I am afraid you are absolutely incorrect.  It was the British that created Israel.  There is more background information for you in an excellent article currently running here on NP.  A very worthy read indeed!

1
gahooch

Wow, now we see your motivation.  You're not just critical of Israel's conduct in the current war, you're anti-Israel and so there's a halo effect, everything Israel does is bad.

Throughout history one group has seized territory from others. The US seized Florida from Spain in 1817 and the Mexican territory in 1848,  Genghis Khan and the Mongols seized most of central Asia.  And Mohammad and his early followers seized a good deal of land in the middle east and Spain.

Somehow they all got over it and everyone got on with their lives.

If Hamas wishes (as it does) to deny the existence of Israel and to roll back to ante-1948 they're going to be in for some rough days ahead and so will their hostages, the people of Gaza.  Israel isn't going anywhere.  They have nuclear weapons and they intend to hold on.  The sooner Hamas and others recognize this then the sooner they and Israel can reach an accommodation that recognizes both sides right to exist.  

By the way, one of the reasons the Zionists got their territory is because they supported the allies in the Second World War.  The Mufti of Jerusalem supported the Axis.  He went to Germany and met with Hitler, Bormann, and others and they planned to build concentration camps and gas chambers in Palestine after Germany won the war.
 
The Mufti supported the losing side and you know what happens when you're on the losing side of a world war?  You lose territory.  Germany lost Danzig, Japan lost Kiril islands, for example.  Guess the Mufti didn’t have many friends among the Allies.  (Anyway, much of the land was purchased by the early Zionist settlers).

In 2000 Israel did something no other country did.  After defeating the Arabs in three wars (1948, 1967, and 1973) they capitulated to Arab demands.  They offered Arafat 98% of what he wanted.  Did he accept?  Did he try to negotiate for the other two-percent?  No, he rejected the deal and started a war and lives of the Palestinians have been miserable ever since. 

As the former foreign minister, Abba Eben famously said: "The Arabs have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity"

2
moonwolf

gahooch,

You made a number of good points, thank you, but lost everyone by starting with a personal attack. 

I have never said the causality of this conflict is one sided, nor new.

I was simply pointing out in my statement to which you have attached your comment, and please inform me if my logic is flawed, that if Britain had not created Israel in Palestine none of this would be happening.

Britain didn't create Israel to be nice to Jews, but for its own selfish economic and political reasons.  The hubris of empire, and now we are all staring down the barrel of World War 3, and Israel is behaving like a rabid beast slaughtering children.

I would call that a major mistake on the part of a very selfish and myopic Britain

0
gahooch

So what's the point?

England did not create Palestine for its own selfish reasons.  Arthur Balfour, England's PM supported a Jewish homeland out of his religious conviction.  He was immediately attacked by England's military and political establishment who supported warm relations with the Arabs.  It was during the First World War which was the first mechanized war and the military wanted a secure and friendly source of oil going forward.

By the way, it was not only England but also the Ottoman empire that screwed things up by collapsing (The middle east was part of the empire).  President Wilson also screwed things up by declaring that all people have the right to self-determination which sparked Jews inside and outside of Palestine to demand a Jewish homeland.  Blame England but also blame Wilson and the Ottomans.

Also, a  mid-level English bureaucrat created Iraq so it would be a convenient source of oil and to protect the shipping lanes.  Does this negate Iraq's right to exist?

European bureaucrats carved up Africa without regard to tribal or historical relationships.  Yeah, they screwed things up but does that deny Africa's right to exist? 

The world is what it is.

(A great book on this topic is Niall Ferguson's The War of the World).


4
Emilio Lizardo

If one considers the Israeli-Palastinian situation along side the India-Pakistan situation, then a pattern may emerge.

One may then be drawn to the conclusion that these situations are not accidental at all ...

It is quite obvious, IMHO, somebody wants to keep the pot boiling ...

0
israeli.agent

Emilio,

If possible, could you please elaborate a bit about this statement? 

Thank you


Agent

0
Emilio Lizardo


Divide and rule
In politics and sociology, divide and rule (derived from Latin divide et impera) (also known as divide and conquer) is a combination of political, military and economic strategy of gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy. In reality, it often refers to a strategy where small power groups are prevented from linking up and becoming more powerful, since it is difficult to break up existing power structures.

Typical elements of this technique are said to involve

  • creating or encouraging divisions among the subjects in order to forestall alliances that could challenge the sovereign.
  • aiding and promoting those who are willing to cooperate with the sovereign.
  • fostering distrust and enmity between local rulers.
  • encouraging frivolous expenditures that leave little money for political and military ends.

The use of this strategy was imputed to administrators of vast empires, including the Roman and British, who were charged with playing one tribe against another to maintain control of their territories with a minimal number of imperial forces. The concept of "Divide and Rule" gained prominence when India was a part of the British Empire, but was also used to account for the strategy used by the Romans to take Britain, and for the Anglo-Normans to take Ireland. It is said that the British used the strategy to gain control of the large territory of India by keeping its people divided along lines of religion, language, or caste, taking control of petty princely states in India piecemeal.

Also mentioned as a strategy for market action in economics, it can be applied to get the most out of the players in a competitive market.

2
moonwolf

From You Tube a video on the hundreds of UN resolutions ignored by Israel, and as the video so eloquently points out, "Look what happened when Iraq ignored just one!"

1
SOLARLIFE

The answer to UN investigation about attacking the UN school. First shoot two UN Truck drivers next day, then ignore cease fire. The goal total demoralisation of Palestine people to move them out of the country. second provoke Iran to make war.

2
moonwolf

UPDATE:  From our correspondent in Gaza Sameh Habeeb:

The Israelis have begun a ``rain of hundreds`` of white phosphorous bombs, known as Willy Pete, on the population of Gaza!


1
moonwolf

Willy Pete:

``WP is a colorless to yellow translucent wax-like substance with a pungent, garlic-like smell. The form used by the military is highly energetic (active) and ignites once it is exposed to oxygen. White phosphorus is a pyrophoric material, that is, it is spontaneously flammable).

When exposed to air, it spontaneously ignites and is oxidized rapidly to phosphorus pentoxide. Such heat is produced by this reaction that the element bursts into a yellow flame and produces a dense white smoke. Phosphorus also becomes luminous in the dark, and this property is conveyed to "tracer bullets." This chemical reaction continues until either all the material is consumed or the element is deprived of oxygen. Up to 15 percent of the WP remains within the charred wedge and can reignite if the felt is crushed and the unburned WP is exposed to the atmosphere.

White phosphorus results in painful chemical burn injuries. The resultant burn typically appears as a necrotic area with a yellowish color and characteristic garliclike odor. White phosphorus is highly lipid soluble and as such, is believed to have rapid dermal penetration once particles are embedded under the skin. Because of its enhanced lipid solubility, many have believed that these injuries result in delayed wound healing. This has not been well studied; therefore, all that can be stated is that white phosphorus burns represent a small subsegment of chemical burns, all of which typically result in delayed wound healing.

Incandescent particles of WP may produce extensive burns. Phosphorus burns on the skin are deep and painful; a firm eschar is produced and is surrounded by vesiculation. The burns usually are multiple, deep, and variable in size. The solid in the eye produces severe injury. The particles continue to burn unless deprived of atmospheric oxygen. Contact with these particles can cause local burns. These weapons are particularly nasty because white phosphorus continues to burn until it disappears. If service members are hit by pieces of white phosphorus, it could burn right down to the bone. Burns usually are limited to areas of exposed skin (upper extremities, face). Burns frequently are second and third degree because of the rapid ignition and highly lipophilic properties of white phosphorus.``

It was also used extensively by the USA on the civilian population of Fallujah in Iraq.

3
Emilio Lizardo

If burning white phosphorus touches your skin, it will burn you. If you are burned with white phosphorus, you may also develop heart, liver, and kidney damage.

This stuff is so poisonous to humans it is no longer used in either rat-poison or fireworks ...

White phosphorus is the most active allotropic form and is extremely toxic when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through burned areas (Eldad and Simon 1991). It is fat soluble, glows in yellow-green light, and ignites spontaneously upon drying and exposure to air. Storage of white phosphorus in water prevents it from burning spontaneously (Eldad and Simon 1991).

White phosphorus can cause thermal injury and hygroscopic damage by absorbing water from surrounding tissues. It reacts with oxygen and water to form strong acids (H3PO2, H3PO3) and combines with metals like copper to form dark-colored inactive salts (Eldad and Simon 1991). White phosphorus particles can burn on the surface of the skin or penetrate deep into the tissues when carried on shrapnel particles. Local destruction of tissues continues as long as white phosphorus is exposed to oxygen. White phosphorus smoke with a garlic odor is characteristic of white phosphorus burns (Eldad and Simon 1991).

High mortality rates seen following white phosphorus burns can be due to its absorption from the burned surface, which may result in multi-organ failure (mainly liver and kidneys), hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities (ST depression, QT elongation, microvoltage of QRS and bradycardia) (Bowen et al. 1971; Eldad and Simon 1991).

White Phosphorus being delivered to the residents of Falluja by US forces. 

Marines sing white phosphorus on combatants and non-combatants alike in Fallujah 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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