Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
2 Americans act as shields
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published November 23, 2006
BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip - An American priest and nun spent several hours Wednesday at a militant's home that Israel has targeted for destruction, the first foreigners to join a weeklong standoff between Palestinian "human shields" and the Israeli air force. Father Peter Dougherty, 65, and Sister Mary Ellen Gundeck, 55, both Michigan-based peace activists, said they were sent by God to help protect the Palestinians. The pair arrived Wednesday at the home of Mohammed Baroud, a militant involved in rocket attacks on Israel. For the past week, Palestinians have crowded into five militants' houses to try to thwart Israeli threats to hit them with missiles. The use of human shields is a new tactic in the Palestinians' war against Israel. "It is wrong for Israel to bomb people's houses," Dougherty said. "We are here in solidarity, and to try communicate to the world what is really going on." Hamas said it would continue to use human shields. However, Human Rights Watch said militants calling on civilians to act as human shields was a war crime. "There is no excuse for calling civilians to the scene of a planned attack," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director.
[Last modified November 23, 2006, 00:10:24]
Share your thoughts on this story
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
