It would give us pause

Below are a few questions and answers posed at the July 19th State Department briefing. QUESTION: I’m wondering if you have seen or you’re aware of this beheading of a child by a group that is supported by the United States.

QUESTION: Is this the kind of thing that would affect assistance, U.S. assistance to this specific group but also just in general to the FSA?

MR TONER: Well, I think we’d take a – if, as you said, if we can prove that this was indeed what happened and this group was involved in it, I think it would certainly give us pause.

QUESTION: The prime minister of Israel has complained rather forcefully about a monument that the PA just erected to a person who the Israelis say is a terrorist, who was also responsible for killing an American citizen. I’m wondering if you have any thoughts about that.

MR TONER: Matt, I don’t have any particular – I’m just – I wasn’t aware of that. I mean, I would – I mean, my response in general would be obviously we don’t want to see any kind of efforts to glorify any individuals who are involved in any acts of terrorism. But I don’t know specific – I’d have to get more specifics about this monument.

A Haaretz article begins with the words, "A 12-year-old boy from the West Bank village of Al-Ram was killed by gunfire during clashes with Israeli forces, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Israel's military and Border Police denied using live fire in the area and speculated that the boy's death was a result of a local dispute between rival families."

Haaretz quotes residents of the village as contradicting the Palestinian Health Ministry statement. Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.732143

Although there are two sides to the story, headlines seem to favor one version - Palestinian boy killed during clash with Israeli troops in West Bank: Palestinians


At least 56 civilians were reported killed on Tuesday in airstrikes north of the besieged Islamic State-held city of Manbij in northern Syria, and residents said they believed the attack was carried out by aircraft from the United States-led coalition, a monitoring group said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the dead included 11 children, and that dozens more people were wounded.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/20/world/middleeast/islamic-state-airstrikes-syria-civilian-casualties.html?_r=0


The State department hasn't issued a statement that it is appalled by the disgraceful airstikes. "The suspicion that militants are operating nearby does not justify strikes that put at risk the lives of so many innocent civilians." That statement is only reserved for Israel. - Does anyone remember an article from last year titled WATCH: AP grills State Department for double standards against Israel in light of Afghan bombing?