By Ryan Jones
Jul 07, 2006
Crushed by the loss of his youngest son Thursday during Operation Summer Rains in Gaza, Zachariah Bassel questioned Israel's practice of responding to "Palestinian" barbarity by putting its finest young men in such danger in an effort to minimize the dangers to a terror-supporting people.
Staff Sergeant Yehuda Bassel was shot in the head by a Palestinian Arab sniper as his infantry unit operated against terrorist forces in northern Gaza. He died a short time later as doctors at Beersheva's Soroka Hospital fought to save his life.
Speaking to Ynet outside his family's home in Moshav Yinon, the elder Bassel lamented:
"Can you explain to me why these guys have to be placed in so much danger? We have an Air Force. Why do they have be endangered if these barbarians are sending Qassams to Ashkelon? What is the aim of these Qassams? To kill children and women and innocent civilians. We must return in kind through the Air Force."
In an exaggerated effort to shield "Palestinian" civilians from the danger their revered terrorists purposely put them in, Israel routinely sends in infantry in situations other Western powers generally deem too risky for anything but artillery and air strikes.