Qassams, the big myth, should stop

Called ‘rockets’ by the Israeli, International and Arab media as well, a more serious look is needed to see what Qassam projectiles actually are, and the actual damage that they are capable of doing.

Israel is keen to magnify the effect of these home-made projectiles to show the ‘danger’ coming from the Palestinians, and the threat to the security of .

On the other hand, the Arab and specifically the Palestinian media, are also keen to magnify the capabilities of Qassams to show that the resistance is effective.

A recent report published in the Israeli daily Haaretz, on its online edition, says that 15 Qassams hit the Sderot area in one day, leaving one person slightly hurt.

What the media never explain is that these Qassams are metal pipes that are filled with gunpowder and project a small amount of explosives.  The damage they do is very minor and does not compare in any way to the extensive Israeli arsenal of modern weaponry, used massively and without restraint.

On Friday, one hour before the Israeli attack on the beach in Gaza, Minister of Defense Peretz, stated that could no longer continue its ‘self-restraint’ policy. Thus the Ghalia family was eliminated, except for one daughter who survived the Israeli artillery shelling and lived to see her family dead in front of her on the beach.

The first statement by the Israeli Army was an apology for the killing of this family, calling it a mistake.  Soon after, they said they would open an investigation into the incident, and would halt attacks temporarily.  Next, they claimed that the family was killed when a Palestinian Qassam exploded.   Changing their story once more, they explained that the family died because a Palestinian mine exploded on the beach.

A Human Rights Watch (HRW) official said all evidence shows that the shell was an Israeli one.  He ruled out the option that what killed the family was a Palestinian Qassam or a land mine and stated that the family was killed with a 155 mm shell, which was likely fired from Israeli artillery, without confirming that it has been fired from the Israeli ship that was seen in the sea.

An Israeli media source aired footage of the ship and sailors on board looking at the beach through binoculars which proves that people enjoying themselves on the beach could be clearly seen by the Israelis.

Despite declaring a halt to their attacks, the Israelis resumed them shortly after. Two consecutive Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed at least 11 Palestinians, including 2 children and at least 2 medics.  They had arrived at the scene to evacuate those wounded by the first strike and were killed when the second strike was launched.