Israel uses ‘smart’ bombs - but stupid maps

Israel used a precision-guided bomb to launch a direct hit on four U.N. peacekeepers killed in southern Lebanon last July, the United Nations said on Friday of its probe into the incident.

But, as usual, Israel came up with a pitiful excuse for slaughtering the peacekeepers in cold blood.

They don't deny that they used precision bombs - NO - instead they want us to believe that they used the wrong map! BUT they WILL NOT let the UN interview the men responsible for delivering the so-called 'wrong map' to the bombers.

Surprised? TOUGH! You'll just have to take Israel's word for it.

[A] report by a special U.N.-appointed board of inquiry could not affix blame because Israel did not allow the access to operational or tactical level commanders involved in the July 25 disaster at Khiam. Four military observers died, officers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland.

Therefore, the board was "unable to determine why the attacks on the U.N. position were not halted, despite repeated demarches (communications) to the Israeli authorities from U.N. personnel, both in the field and in U.N. headquarters," Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement.

Annan said the U.N. bunker at Khiam "was struck by a 500- kilogram precision-guided aerial bomb."

Despite not drawing any conclusions, a senior U.N. official briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said precision-guided munitions were "precision-guided and meant to hit the targets they hit, which was the United Nations."

"War is hell, peacekeeping is not supposed to be," the official said.

Of course, Israel is so very, very sorry [that they were caught].

Israel has accepted full responsibility for the incident and apologized to the United Nations for the army's "tragic operational mistake." But Annan and other officials made clear they were not able to verify if and how the error occurred.

* * *

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said maps of the area had been incorrect. "There was a mishap on the Israeli side where in duplication of maps, the U.N. position on the maps was not marked as it should have been and that created the tragedy," he said.

Israel launched an offensive into Lebanon after Hizbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.

Again, with the lies about who started it? These people are relentless.

Regev said the investigation found that about 100 metres (yards) from the U.N. position there was a Hizbollah position where there was "hostile activity."

U.N. officials agreed Hizbollah guerrillas were at a base in the area as well as in a nearby prison. But they said there was no activity from the militia on July 25 and the U.N. bunker was clearly marked.

Jane Holl Lute, a deputy head of U.N. peacekeeping operations, told the U.N. Security Council on July 26 there were 21 strikes within 300 metres (yards) of the observer post during the six hours before it was completely destroyed.

Twelve of the 21 struck within 100 metres, including four that scored direct hits, Holl Lute said.

While there was speculation Israel may have been targeting Hizbollah positions near the Khiam post, Holl Lute said there was no Hizbollah firing coming from near the outpost.

An Irish army officer in south Lebanon warned Israeli forces six times that its strikes threatened the lives of the four observers, Ireland's Foreign Ministry said.

Little did he know, he was merely confirming what Israelis already knew.

And in case you have any doubts, people who use state of the art precision bombs DO NOT operate with faulty maps.