A Slip of the Tongue

Depending on which news source you hear, you'll get different perspectives on what's happening in the Middle East. They're killing hundreds, one side says, and then the other side says no we're not.

They're after the civilians, I've heard. Except that one of their spokesmen let slip with a little more information than he probably should have.

In an article about the Israeli habit of phoning in a warning of a bombing in Gaza, Mr. Abu Ahmed voiced a complaint about the tactic. Now, this is from a group who are parading journalists through bombed out areas, showing off the damage and getting their spin out there.

Last week, many Khan Younis residents answered the phone and heard a recorded warning message in Arabic. The Israeli army also has broken in on the frequency of the Hamas radio station to broadcast warnings.

In all cases the message was similar: Don't harbour militant fighters or store weapons for them. Those who do will place themselves in harm's way.

"It's intense psychological pressure," said Abu Ahmed, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad. "They're trying to force the civilians to drive the resistance away from the civilian population centres."

How dare those terrible Israelis do that, get the innocent people out of harm's way. Why, then there won't be stacks of corpses to show the foreign press. Get the jihadists out of the population centers, and when the Israelis bomb them, it's only the jihadists getting killed. Sly devils, those Israelis. But really, Mr. Ahmed, you shouldn't be giving away your group's strategy to the press. Sometimes, they report that as well.