Hi there FOXY...

I hate to disillusion you, but the 'Geneva Convention' is rarely ever considered when the ordinance is flying about. It's a case of kill or be killed, during a contact. It's true that after the smoke and stink of battle subsides - You'll do a body count, ensure all weapons & booby traps are removed; search the deceased; and then those still alive, they're often given pain killer's, like ampules (needle attached) of morphine, until they die.

Working in tandem with some of our allies, they'll often head shot those individuals who were badly wounded with unsurvivable wounds and beyond any medical aid. You mention the Geneva Convention - To the average soldier in theatre, he'll just give you a very very odd look indeed, as he should. Geneva is a very long way from the heat and humidity of the jungles of South Vietnam!

To be very truthful with you, I took more notice of the Hague Convention; 'The Minimum Standard of Treatment of Person's in Custody', while a police officer, than anything remotely to do with the G.C! I'm very sorry FOXY, I say with respect, your knowledge of war is seen through rose coloured glasses I believe?

As I really do not have any knowlege of the Israeli show, I asked a religious person a couple of days ago what it is that causes the israelis to be in constant hot water.
I was informed that the Jews handed Jesus to the Romans & from then on their troubles began.
So, 2000 years later they're still in hot water. One would have thought that was sufficient time to come to a compromise.
Wouldn't it be easier to one's religious views private the no-one would be any wiser & the quarrels would cease. Running around with all the religious garments etc on full display is nothing short of deliberately challenging those who don't share that religion. So, they get what they ask for. There really should be a fine for promoting or displaying religion in public.

unarmed, and killed not murder? today it is Arabs, tomorrow it could be us humanity should value every life, are we being hardened to think this is OK? some of us are

Foxy,

Even if the nurse was wearing a vest, the question is Whether she was deliberately targeted:

Unanswered questions are:

1 Whether the bullet was aimed at someone else and either went through someone else or ricocheted (remember the woman killed in the Sydney siege)

2 Was the bullet fired by an Israeli or a Hamas activist (There were shots fired from the Palestinian side too)

3 Was the nurse trying to rescue a fallen comrade, or was she more actively involved in trying to breach the fence?

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1002880989448822784

However, Considering that all protests in Gaza are either directly organised or vetted by Hamas, the main question is why is Hamas using civilians to assist Hamas activists in trying to breach the border between Gaza and Israel?

Dear O Sung Wu,

Israel signed up to the Geneva Convention.

However countries are sovereign states. They don't have to
follow any international treaty. Any governing bodies
(i.e. the UN) do not have any real power to enforce these
treaties. Participation is entirely voluntary by each country.

That said, there may be impacts if a country violates a treaty
in the form of economic sanctions, outright war, or cut off
of economic support. Similar to how a country doesn't
have to follow a treaty, other countries don't have to
trade, support, or respect the sovereignty of the violating
country if they don't want to.

126 signatories of the Geneva Convention have called on
Israelis and Palestinians to respect humanitarian law.
The signatories reaffirm the illegality of Israeli
settlements. However, Israel chooses not to recognise
this as it has no intention of stopping its expansionist
policies.

Dear Shadow Minister,

According to news sources:

1) The bullet did not ricochet. It was a straight shot into
her chest and killed her.

2) The bullet was fired by an Israeli sniper.

3) The nurse was a volunteer medic in full uniform who was
trying to help a casualty.

I agree with you that Israel needs to tone down its
excessive use of force and Hamas needs to tone down its
protesters. Continued escalation will only result in more
loss of lives.

All I can say to that FOXY, those erudite gentlemen situated in beautiful Geneva should attire themselves in a set of 'greens' before they establish these edicts for others to follow, in the heat of battle. Much like the UN, relatively useless.