World

Israeli Police Arrest Hamas Politicians Hiding for More Than a Year at…the Red Cross

Israeli Police Arrest Hamas Politicians Hiding for More Than a Year at the Red Cross

Photo Credit: Jerusalem Post

Israeli police on Monday arrested two Hamas members of the Palestinian parliament who had  taken refuge in a Red Cross compound for a year and a half. They were arrested for conducting “Hamas activities inside Jerusalem,” said the police.

According to an Israel Police spokesman, Khaled Abu-Arafa and Muhammad Totah did not resist undercover officers who made the arrests. Newspapers provided conflicting accounts, with the Jerusalem Post reporting the officers entered the compound, while Ha’aretz and the Associated Press reporting the arrests occurred only after the Hamas lawmakers ventured outside the Red Cross compound.

According to the Jerusalem Post:

The men had been staying in the building with Hamas MP Ahmad Attoun, who was arrested last year. They had used the Red Cross as a hide out since the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) ordered them to leave the city last year after having their Jerusalem residency revoked.

Officers made the arrest upon sight, [Police spokesman Micky] Rosenfeld said.

“They are suspected of Hamas activity in Jerusalem,” he said. Under the law, all activity related to the terrorist organization is banned.

Because they refused to break their ties with Hamas – which the U.S. also lists as a terrorist organization – Israeli authorities revoked their residency permits, requiring them to move out of Jerusalem by June 30, 2010. On July 1, the Red Cross allowed them to hold a protest on its property to draw attention to their issue.

The Jerusalem Post reports:

The ICRC denied at the time that it offered the politicians a haven.

“We don’t have anything to say about them,” Cecilia Goin, spokeswoman of ICRC for Israel and the Occupied Territories, told The Jerusalem Post last year. “Our work is only related to humanitarian issues,” she added.

Goin told the Post that the Red Cross immediately informed the police the men were on its property. Still, the organization gave them a room to sleep in and provided electricity and water for their protest tent, according to the Post’s report at the time. Being on Red Cross property does not provide diplomatic immunity, but Hamas figures know any raid on a Red Cross facility would draw negative media attention and thereby deter Israel from enforcing its laws.

Staging a street fight outside the Red Cross compound last year, police managed to lure one of the Hamas members outside where officers arrested him.

The Palestinian news service Ma’an reports about Monday’s arrests [with a different transliteration of the names of the same lawmakers]:

At the ICRC compound, a crowd of Palestinians smashed its gate to protest against what they saw as the failure of the organization to protect the MPs. Hamas noted the two men were legislators and should enjoy immunity from arrest.

The arrests of Tawtah and Abu Arafa came days after Israeli forces detained two [Hamas] MPs in the West Bank, including the speaker of the Palestinian parliament Aziz Dweik…

Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri told the Associated Press:

“This is a Zionist crime,” he said. “Their abduction is a violation of their rights.”

The AP also reports the two arrested Monday were previously arrested in 2006 after Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by a terrorist group allied with Hamas. The AP spoke with Israeli officials:

“Hamas forcing itself on the Red Cross is not new,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said. “It raises serious questions about the abuse by Hamas of Red Cross neutrality and about the impotence of the Red Cross to counter such abuse.”

In July last year, Israel sought clarifications from the Red Cross following a demonstration outside the organization’s Gaza headquarters for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, including many involved in deadly attacks. Israel charged that the Red Cross helped organize the event and said such activities compromise its neutrality.

NGO-Monitor is an Israeli non-profit that aims to expose the anti-Israel bias of many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Israel and funded by foreign groups and governments. NGO-Monitor’s Legal Adviser Anne Herzberg tells The Blaze:

The International Committee for the Red Cross routinely markets itself as “impartial, neutral and independent” and raises funds from donors on this basis.  It is therefore outrageous that this organization would have sheltered Hamas terrorists in its East Jerusalem offices for more than a year and a half — in clear violation of these principles.

It is also shocking that an organization which prides itself on being “exclusively humanitarian”  and supposedly devoted to the protection of civilians would engage in the overtly political act of hiding terrorists who blatantly flout the rules of armed conflict and deliberately aim to murder innocent women and children.  This is the antithesis of humanitarian work. Based on these immoral actions, the ICRC can no longer claim any credibility regarding its role in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

As a result of the perceived bias, Israel’s history with the Red Cross has been checkered. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies withheld membership from the Israeli equivalent, Magen David Adom (translation: Red Star of David), until 2006. Most recently, tensions have again surfaced as the Red Cross does not allow Magen David Adom to operate in the West Bank and treat Jews living there. The ICRC also expressed concern last October that Palestinian terrorists released in the exchange deal for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit weren’t given the “free will” to choose what country they would live in.

Comments (38)

  • BlessedONE333
    Posted on January 26, 2012 at 7:41pm

    Christians against lies of islam!

    Muslim Football Players in Dearborn Heights Arrested for Assault on Christian Quarterback

    http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2012/01/muslim-football-players-in-dearborn.html

    Report Post » BlessedONE333  
  • qzak491
    Posted on January 26, 2012 at 3:53pm

    And I will set thy bounds from the Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

    Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

    They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
    Exodus 23:31-33

    THOUGHT Could this be why the Israeli’s are having such a bad time with the Arabs???

    Report Post »  
  • qzak491
    Posted on January 26, 2012 at 3:31pm

    Sounds like the Israeli Red Cross needs new management. Harboring an enemy is a treasonous offense.

    Report Post »  
  • Dave In Arizona
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 9:28pm

    Throw the bastards in jail and throw a way the key Hell, weld the door shut!

    Report Post » Dave In Arizona  
    • SeanW
      Posted on January 25, 2012 at 8:41pm

      http://bit.ly/9rS4RF

      At 0800 hrs, 8 June, 1967, eight Israeli recon flights flew over ‘Liberty,’ which was flying a large American flag. At 1400 hrs, waves of low-flying Israeli Mystere and Mirage-III fighter-bombers repeatedly attacked the American vessel with rockets, napalm, and cannon. The air attacks lasted 20 minutes, concentrating on the ship’s electronic antennas and dishes. The ‘Liberty’ was left afire, listing sharply. Eight of her crew lay dead, a hundred seriously wounded, including the captain, Commander William McGonagle.

      At 1424 hrs, three Israeli torpedo boats attacked, raking the burning ‘Liberty’ with 20mm and 40mm shells. At 1431hrs an Israeli torpedo hit the ‘Liberty’ midship, precisely where the signals intelligence systems were located. Twenty-five more Americans died.

      Israeli gunboats circled the wounded ‘Liberty,’ firing at crewmen trying to fight the fires. At 1515, the crew were ordered to abandon ship. The Israeli warships closed and poured machine gun fire into the crowded life rafts, sinking two.

      Report Post »  
    • qzak491
      Posted on January 26, 2012 at 3:27pm

      SEANW

      WHAT IS YOUR POINT

      If I remember the Israeli’s were at war with the Arabs. If one of our ships was stupid enough to be in a war zone and not tell the Israeli’s who they were and why they were there they deserved what they got. Anyone can put an American flag on a ship, that don’t make it American, ask any pirate.

      Report Post »  
  • BigMG
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:52pm

    So, it’s okay to murder women, children, and the helpless. But ,when it comes time to hide BEHIND them, and you get caught, that’s a crime that the Red Cross must guard against?
    I agree with elosogrande; give your money to the Salvation Army. They have proven to me to have their priorities in order.
    The ‘Red’ Cross seems to have lost their way.

    Report Post » BigMG  
  • Kerri g
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 3:50pm

    They say they are only there for humanitarian reasons. OK, last time I checked, harboring terrorists who on a daily basis lobs bombs and missles into Israel and they sneek in and murder innocent men, women and children, even babies. That is not humantarian work. I will never give the Red Cross another penny of my money or time.

    Report Post »  
  • ManoftheRepublic
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 2:12pm

    Do not lump the Boy Scouts into the Red Cross, Girl Scouts,School Admin, Teachers…… Anybody that did not get a clue about the Red Cross after 9/11 or even Katrina, just was not paying attention……Support the Salvation Army,not the Red Cross…. Go Boy Scouts!!!

    Report Post »  
  • southernORcobra
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 1:05pm

    Red scross another org that needs to be disbanded

    Report Post »  
    • Gorp
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 1:40pm

      This is one reason I only give to The Salvation Army.

      Report Post » Gorp  
  • ElChupaCabraDeUSA
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:56pm

    This would not be the first time…individuals connected to bank financiers JP Morgan and JD Rockefeller set up Red Cross operations in Russia as a front to help finance (and profit) from the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Bolshevik revolution a year later. War profiteers under the auspices of the Red Cross…what an ironic and disgusting chapter in our history that keeps repeating itself

    Report Post » ElChupaCabraDeUSA  
  • Redmanblackdog
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:54pm

    Red Cross, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, School adminstrators, teachers, professors, judges and on and on.

    The left liberals have crept into all aspects of our society. Just like a cancer. It is time to be brutally honest with them, and start kicking them out.

    The only reason that they have succeeded is because we have been to busy with our own lives and didn’t want to fight back, just let it be. But know it has gone to far. We need an all out assault on them to put them back in there place (no place).

    I am tired of talking nice. The gloves have been off for a long time for me. I hope other nice people realize that they need to take the gloves off too, before it is to late!

    Report Post »  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:53pm

    Villains and murderers thrive on misplaced compassion.

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
  • Jimbo96
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:01pm

    I guess that I will now cease to donate to ANY Red Cross organization…if the US organization has ties to the international organization, and I do believe it does have financial and organizational ties, then it’s time for the US organization to sever those ties and make it well known that they are a separate organization…I refuse to donate to any organization that picks sides when it’s supposed to be neutral…

    Report Post » Jimbo96  
    • The_Jerk
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:38pm

      This website picks sides when it blocks criticisms of Israel and Zionists.

      Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:40pm

      Yeah, the Red Cross has been shilling for Hamas and the Brotherhood for years. Check out Zombie’s huge blog regarding Red Cross ambulances supposedly rocket attacked by Israelis.

      I think you should instantly become suspicious when the word “International” appears in an organization’s name.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
  • Tom K
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:00pm

    A year and a half to remove those bozos ? Israel is slipping. As least their airports and aircraft are secure, unlike ours, which are not.

    Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:42am

    .
    I hear they gonna chance their logo to a Cresent………

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • db321
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:53am

      The message of the story is that – Israel captured their man – Hamas would have killed everyone in site to kill their man – they would not have captured – yet the Media demonizes Israel!. News Flash – the progressives have been infiltrating ALL Government Subsidies Agency for years now – expanded to light speed under Clinton – and still this comes as a big shock to people!

      Report Post » db321  
    • randy
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:56am

      They already did
      http://www.ifrc.org/Global/ifrc.org/Logos/IFRC-logo.gif

      Report Post » randy  
    • The_Jerk
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:03pm

      This is an American story? I’d have liked more coverage of Steve Rosen, Keith Weissman, and Lawrence Franklin’s spying on America through AIPAC… a sorted history. Or even Jane Harman.

      Report Post »  
    • The_Jerk
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:29pm

      Sorry, forgot to post the Jane Harman story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpRvj-JRV00

      Report Post »  
  • UBETHECHANGE
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:34am

    Research the founding/founders of the Red Cross. RC is a fabian socialist organization and I will never give money or blood to them.

    Report Post »  
  • jcizarter
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:14am

    The RED (communist) Cross lost my donations after my dad’s friend told me of their bad record in WWll and then when they behaved badly after 9/11 attacks. Look it up.

    Report Post » jcizarter  
  • COFemale
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:05am

    Well I guess the Red Cross just lost my donations; not that I donate anyway. Israel should kick the Red Cross out of Israel or disband them. This is terrible. Perhaps Israeli soldiers should surround the camp and conduct a further sweep of the area.

    Report Post » COFemale  
  • nuchsh
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:03am

    Video:
    Hamas Members Nabbed in Red Cross Hideout
    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/152058#.Tx7WSZjYtZ8

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:02am

    “the Red Cross does not allow Magen David Adom to operate in the West Bank and treat Jews living there” Why is the Red Cross calling the shots?

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • JBaer
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:25am

      That was exactly my thought. Why is it up to THEM?
      Red Cross sheltering these terrorists for a year and a half…. they should be brought up on charges of aiding and abetting.They ARE complicit in this matter. They are not neutral. They are fools.

      Pray for the peace of Jerusalem / Shaluu shaloam Yerushalim

      Report Post » JBaer  
  • islamhater
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:57am

    Everything the federal government touches is CORRUPT! Allies get you into war‘s you don’t want or would not have gotten into in the first place. So who believes the red cross was forced ? Not me.

    Report Post »  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:05am

      we already know what the Red Cross has done… does everyone forget how they robbed us blind? they should be bankrupt today. how are people still giving to them?

      Report Post »  
  • elosogrande
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:52am

    Anyone surprised that The Red Cross would harbor left-wing terrorists? These people have always been able to get right to the bottom of the barrel, no matter how hard the Media trys to promote them.

    Don’t be fools. Give your money to The Salvation Army or any other organization that does more than pass out donuts at the scene of a disaster. We should demand that The “American” Red Cross remove the word American for their name. They are embarassing, money-grubbing, hate-filled people who prefer to help thugs and murderers in their quest to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

    Report Post »  
    • conservativeblackman
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:11pm

      @Elosogrande You may not realize the extent of how right you are. The foundation of the red cross is evil incarnate. Do your homework and look it up for yourself.

      Report Post » conservativeblackman  
  • lukerw
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:47am

    The UN sucks!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • USPATRIOT101
      Posted on January 24, 2012 at 11:08am

      The UN building needs to be moved to France, then give the current structure to Trump so he can make condos for returning vets.

      Report Post » USPATRIOT101  
  • LeeroyJenkins
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:46am

    http://investmentwatchblog.com/foreign-company-buys-u-s-election-results-reporting-firm/#.Tx7RZvlM5uk

    Report Post »  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on January 24, 2012 at 10:43am

    Goes to futher show how bad the resd cross really is.

    Report Post »  

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