Debka investigates the “acid-throwing” by the protesting Jewish settlers:
The tale of the acid attack by disorderly evacuation resisters against Israeli troops and police was born on the spur of the moment amid the noise and clamor of the evacuation of the Kfar Darom synagogue in the Gaza Strip Thursday, Aug 18.
It was picked up without any sort of investigation with suspicious speed.
While the activists were still being handed down from the synagogue roof, OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen Dan Harel and Israeli police commissioner Moshe Karadi stood below. With shocked faces, they announced that the roof holdouts had poured acid and seriously injured the special border police unit members as they scaled ladders to remove them. The men were described as having fled in a panic, to strip off their burned uniforms and be sluiced down with water.
Live broadcasts from the scene reportedly hysterically that six ambulances had rushed the injured police officers to hospital. Defense minister Shaul Mofaz announced he had asked the state attorney to file serious charges against the alleged acid-throwers….
By this time, the acid-in-the-synagogue story was being lapped up by the international media.
None heeded the denials issued by the alleged acid-throwers or the testimony of the deputy director of Beersheba’s Sorocca hospital, who treated the 75 policemen. He said he had seen no acid burns or any other marks of violence. Some showed slight irritation around the eyes, possibly from turpentine solution. They all arrived partially dehydrated, some feeling faint, but there was nothing medically amiss to warrant rushing any of the men in blue to the hospital.
Friday afternoon, Aug 19, Michael Eytan, chairman of the Knesset law committee, published a furious protest against “the acid lie.” He called it “a blood libel” designed to mar the atmosphere of restraint and mutual sympathy that had prevailed in the evacuation operation till then. Responding to the lawmaker’s inquiry, the hospital expressed itself surprised to see the men. They had no need of medical treatment and most were released soon after their admission.
Those of you who believe the Sharon government is only cleansing Gaza of a religious Jewish presence because it is necessary might want to keep this incident in mind when you consider whether it is telling the truth about the situation or not.