"Yaaaay Joan!!!
Yaaaay here too.....our exterior renos start Wednesday!!!!"
 |
Israeli troops shot and killed zoo animals
Animals shouldn't be kept imprisoned in zoos in the first place, and the Gaza Zoo was probably substandard and inhumane to begin with, but this is just pathetic. I have no sympathy for the Palestinians or the Israelis any longer. The world would probably be better off without the whole lot of them.
Israeli troops shot and killed zoo animals
By Ashraf Helmi, Videographer, and Megan Hirons, Photographer
Published: January 25, 2009, 23:25
The Gaza Zoo reeks of death. But zookeeper Emad Jameel Qasim doesn't appear to react to the stench as he walks around the animals' enclosures.
Watch video of Gaza zoo carnage
A month ago, it was attracting families - he says the zoo drew up to 1,000 visitors each day. He points at the foot-long hole in the camel in one of the enclosures.
"This camel was pregnant, a missile went into her back," he tells us. "Look, look at her face. She was in pain when she died."
Around every corner, inside almost every cage are dead animals, who have been lying in their cages since the Israeli incursion.
Qasim doesn't understand why they chose to destroy his zoo. And it's difficult to disagree with him. Most of them have been shot at point blank range.
"The first thing the Israelis did was shoot at the lions - the animals ran out of their cage and into the office building. Actually they hid there."
The two lions are back in their enclosure. The female is pregnant, and lies heavily on the ground, occasionally swishing her tail. Qasim stands unusually close to them, but they don't seem bothered by his presence.
As he takes us around, he is obviously appalled at the state of the animals. The few animals that have survived appear weak and disturbed.
"The foxes ate each other because we couldn't get to them in time. We had many here." There are carcasses everywhere and the last surviving fox is quivering in the corner.
The zoo opened in late 2005, with money from local and international NGOs. There were 40 types of animals, a children's library, a playground and cultural centre housed at the facility.
Inside the main building, soldiers defaced the walls, ripped out one of the toilets and removed all of the hard drives from the office computers. We asked him why they targeted the zoo. He laughs. "I don't know. You have to go and ask the Israelis. This is a place where people come to relax and enjoy themselves. It's not a place of politics."
Israel has accused Hamas of firing rockets from civilian areas. Qasim reacts angrily when we raise the subject.
"Let me answer that with a question. We are under attack. There was not a single person in this zoo. Just the animals. We all fled before they came. What purpose does it serve to walk around shooting animals and destroying the place?"
Inside one cage lie three dead monkeys and another two in the cage beside them. Two more escaped and have yet to return. He points to a clay pot. "They tried to hide", he says of a mother and baby half-tucked inside.
Qasim says that his main two priorities at the moment are rebuilding the zoo and taking the Israeli army to court. For the first, he says he will need close to $200,000(Dh734,000) to return the zoo to its former state - and he wants the Israelis to cover the costs. "They have to pay me for all this damage."
We ask him why it's so important for Gaza to have a zoo. "During the past four years it was the most popular place for kids. They came from all over the Gaza Strip. There was nowhere else for people to go."
Comment
-
Comment by Dallas the Phallus on January 31, 2009 at 2:53pm -
I think I agree with Roo here. There was a symbolic intent behind these killings.
-
Comment by Andrew on January 31, 2009 at 8:18am -
I agree that there are some horrific images and stories coming from Gaza. I believe that the questions I asked need to be asked for each and every incident regardless of who is pulling the trigger on the gun or the camera.
My stance on religion and war are fairly close. I do not wish to support either of them. My stance on truth is much stronger even though it is often more difficult to target than some nut job wearing a funny hat who is making extraordinary claims or pointing a finger.
To narrow the scope to the animals in the zoo mentioned in this blog I also agree that whomever is responsible for the massacre of these defenseless animals is a coward. This person whether a commander or an individual likely did this to make an impact of some sort. Was it to kill an enemy within the zoo? To instill fear? To deprive the odd enjoyment people find in captive animals? To paint a horrific image of the enemy? It seems clear to me, by the amount of damage to the infrastructure of the zoo, that these animals themselves were not necessarily the target.
A report issued a week earlier than the story posted above mentions the zoo and school next door having been wired with explosives by Hamas (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3654407,00.html) A video of this can also be found at http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=NqePSpviQiA
After reviewing both stories I would agree that the IDF is likely responsible for the damage done here, but unlike the story told by Qasim which makes this look like a senseless attack on helpless animals, I believe that there was likely an enemy of the IDF present that was much more threatening than the monkeys and camel.
Again, I agree that the deaths of these animals was senseless and despicable, but would like to know more than just what Qasim the zoo keeper has to say.
-
Comment by Creature on January 30, 2009 at 11:39pm -
Roo, most of the videos I've seen coming out of Gaza make this seem likely. After hearing multiple stories from over there about things like unarmed civilians being directed to safety by soldiers only to have to run from their bullets, children having to crawl to the toilet at night for fear of being hit by missiles, or even the Israeli trained doctor whose house was attacked/family killed while he was on the Israeli news, killing a zoo full of animals seems natural.
-
Comment by marie on January 30, 2009 at 10:32pm -
This is horrific. Just completely horrific.
-
Comment by Tao Jones on January 30, 2009 at 7:37pm -
More violence enabled by religion.
This is just horrible.
-
Comment by Shlarg on January 30, 2009 at 5:44pm -
It's time for us to get out of these religious wars. It's time for us to quit torturing animals also. I've seen much inhumane, AWFUL treatment of our fellow creatures. It makes me sick.
-
Comment by Dallas the Phallus on January 30, 2009 at 5:35pm
-
Roo, click on link for photos of zoo and video link. I saw this on several sites, so I believe it is correct.
-
Comment by Andrew on January 30, 2009 at 5:23pm
-
Can this be verified? Could this be war propaganda? or an ugly attempt to break the Palestinian spirits?
-
Comment by Canby del Hubae on January 30, 2009 at 3:29pm -
That's gross. But I'm more traumatized to learn that 700 civilians were killed during this war, so far. It's KIDS, PARENTS, FRIENDS that are now DEAD.
-
Comment by robin on January 30, 2009 at 3:10pm -
Jesus.. how horrifying.
CONNECT WITH ATHEIST NEXUS
Latest Activity
- Top News
- Everything
Tony Carroll commented on Ruth Anthony-Gardner's group Hang With Friends"
Wolf Blitzer. Open mouth, insert foot. LOL!!!"
Joan Denoo commented on Ruth Anthony-Gardner's group Hang With Friends"Carl, that sounds perfect! I like the idea Chimichurri Sauce works well as a marinade, and is also delicious on vegetables. Thanks"
Debra Stevenson replied to Debra Stevenson's discussion Prayers for Bobby 2009 Lifetime television movie in the group LGBTQI atheists, nontheists, and friends"Chrissie Farthing,
I agree yes these are stories of religious bigots waking up and realizing that the legendary and mythological stories and some immoral rules created by ancient sheep-herding nomads had missed the mark and they…"
The Flying Atheist commented on Ruth Anthony-Gardner's group Hang With Friends"Chris, thanks for checking in. I hope you're having a wonderful holiday. Enjoy Vesuvius. "
The Flying Atheist commented on Ruth Anthony-Gardner's group Hang With Friends"Joan, you mentioned awhile back about liking to eat a nice steak with some red wine. The Argentinians have a wonderfully simple accompaniment to their steaks: Chimichurri Sauce
It has lots of chopped parsley and garlic!!"
Photos
© 2013 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: Richard Haynes.
You need to be a member of Atheist Nexus to add comments!
Join Atheist Nexus