12-26-2012 06:34 PM
The Defence Department has quietly removed from the Internet a report into the killing of a Canadian military officer by Israeli forces, a move the soldier’s widow says is linked to the Conservative government’s reluctance to criticize Israel for any wrongdoing.
Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener and three other United Nations observers were killed in 2006 when the Israeli military targeted their small outpost with repeated artillery barrages as well as an attack by a fighter aircraft.
IN early 2008, the Defence Department posted on its website a 67-page report from the Canadian Forces board of inquiry into the killing. The board found Hess-von Kruedener’s death was preventable and caused by the Israeli military.
But less than a year later, the report was quietly removed from the DND website and has since remained off-limits to the public through official channels.
Hess-von Kruedener’s widow, Cynthia, told the Citizen that the decision to remove the document from the public domain was made by DND and the government in an effort to protect Israel’s reputation.
“They don’t want people reading about it,” she said. “It’s embarrassing to the Israelis and, as we know, Prime Minister (Stephen) Harper has given his unconditional support to the Israelis.”
The circumstances surrounding Hess-von Kruedener’s death and the attempts by DND and the Canadian Forces to limit access to the board of inquiry report are outlined in an article in the new edition of Legion magazine, an Ottawa-based publication sent to members of the Royal Canadian Legion.
DND originally refused to provide the magazine with the previously public board of inquiry report, claiming the publication needed to use the access-to-information law to obtain a copy.
Legion magazine obtained a copy of the report by other means. It has now posted the report on its website.
In an email sent to the Citizen, DND confirmed it had removed the board of inquiry report from its website in early 2009 for security reasons “after it was discovered that some of its content is considered protected information.”
That explanation, however, doesn’t stand up to scrutiny as Legion magazine compared both the 2008 version and the 2012 copy issued under the access law, discovering that the latest version actually contains more information than the original.
The Legion article also raises questions about the disappearance from DND of a United Nations report into the killing. The document was used by the Canadian Forces for its board of inquiry and the UN report is cited in the Canadian report. But DND’s access to information branch claims it has done a thorough search of records and no such report could be found.
DND could not comment on claims by defence sources that hard copies of the board of inquiry report were also removed from military libraries.
The death of Hess-von Kruedener, a UN observer assigned to the Israeli-Lebanon border, has largely been forgotten.
The Israeli attack on the UN outpost began shortly after noon on July 25, 2006, prompting the UN deputy secretary general to almost immediately call the Israeli ambassador to the UN and complain.
Several hours later another artillery barrage hit the outpost. That was followed by another 16 artillery rounds hitting the base, destroying most of the buildings above ground and blowing the door off the underground bunker where Hess-von Kruedener and his fellow peacekeepers had taken refuge.
At one point, a general in charge of UN operations in Lebanon called the Israeli liaison officer and told him, “You’re killing my people.” Previously, the Israelis halted such attacks when protests were received.
Later that day, an Israeli fighter pilot directed a precision-guided bomb through the door of the UN bunker. The blast from the massive bomb killed the four men.
Gen. Rick Hillier, then the chief of the defence staff, later described the major’s death as a “tragic accident.”
Cynthia Hess-von Kruedener told the Citizen that the Canadian Forces didn’t inform her of her husband’s death. Instead, she learned he had been killed from a television news report.
The Legion article notes the Israelis had deliberately targeted the base. The base had been included in the Israeli military’s “targeting list” which they acknowledged was an error on their part.
Cynthia Hess-von Kruedener also takes issue with some of the remarks made by Harper about her husband. At the time of the killing, Harper questioned what Hess-von Kruedener was doing at the UN outpost.
She said the answer is simple: He was doing his job as ordered by the Canadian Forces and government of Canada. “Instead of asking why this happened, (Harper) turned it onto an innocent UN peacekeeper,” she said.
On Sept. 19, 2006, then-Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert wrote Harper, expressing his deep regret. Harper wrote back on Nov. 20, 2006, thanking Olmert for his “expression of condolences, for the Israeli government’s rapid investigation of the incident and for information provided to Canadian officials.”
However, the Legion magazine article noted that the Israelis refused to answer questions from Canada about the attack.
12-27-2012 09:00 AM
I get the Legion magazine monthly. The article is very detailed and easy to follow. In the article Mrs. Hess-von Kruedener talks of a rememberance plaque she recieved from Hezzbolah regarding her husbands death.
12-27-2012 11:57 AM
Must be running out of "We hate HArper" material!
lets see this happened in 2006 (thats 6 1/2 years ago) the report was posted in 2008 (that 4 1/2 years ago) and removed in early 2009 (thats damn close to 4 years ago)
But I guess they ran out of ammunition so they have to dig back 4 years ago to try and attack.
Thats funny!
12-27-2012 12:09 PM
12-27-2012 12:29 PM
Must be running out of "We hate HArper" material!
The Ottawa Citizen brought it up - dated Dec. 25, 2012.
12-27-2012 01:00 PM
Here is the truth about his death. The muslims were using the UN people as Human Shields.
++++++++++++
Hezbollah was using UN post as 'shield' The words of a Canadian United Nations observer written just days before he was killed in an Israeli bombing of a UN post in Lebanon are evidence Hezbollah was using the post as a "shield" to fire rockets into Israel, says a former UN commander in Bosnia. By The Ottawa CitizenJuly 27, 2006
The words of a Canadian United Nations observer written just days before he was killed in an Israeli bombing of a UN post in Lebanon are evidence Hezbollah was using the post as a "shield" to fire rockets into Israel, says a former UN commander in Bosnia.
Those words, written in an e-mail dated just nine days ago, offer a possible explanation as to why the post -- which according to UN officials was clearly marked and known to Israeli forces -- was hit by Israel on Tuesday night, said retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie yesterday.
The strike hit the UN observation post in the southern Lebanese village of El Khiam, killing Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener and three others serving as unarmed UN military observers in the area.
Just last week, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener wrote an e-mail about his experiences after nine months in the area, words Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie said are an obvious allusion to Hezbollah tactics.
"What I can tell you is this," he wrote in an e-mail to CTV dated July 18. "We have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both (Israeli) artillery and aerial bombing.
"The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters (sic) of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters (sic) from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but rather due to tactical necessity."
Those words, particularly the last sentence, are not-so-veiled language indicating Israeli strikes were aimed at Hezbollah targets near the post, said Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie.
"What that means is, in plain English, 'We've got Hezbollah fighters running around in our positions, taking our positions here and then using us for shields and then engaging the (Israeli Defence Forces)," he said.
That would mean Hezbollah was purposely setting up near the UN post, he added. It's a tactic Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie, who was the first UN commander in Sarajevo during the Bosnia civil war, said he's seen in past international missions: Aside from UN posts, fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=37278180-a261-421d-84a9-7f94d5fc6d50
12-27-2012 01:22 PM
Must be running out of "We hate HArper" material!
The Ottawa Citizen brought it up - dated Dec. 25, 2012.
Nice find Puck! Citizen always known as a Liberal leaning newspaper. Guess they were getting desperate without researching what really took place. Egg on their face.
12-27-2012 01:31 PM
Legion magazine obtained a copy of the report by other means. It has now posted the report on its website.
In an email sent to the Citizen, DND confirmed it had removed the board of inquiry report from its website in early 2009 for security reasons “after it was discovered that some of its content is considered protected information.”
That explanation, however, doesn’t stand up to scrutiny as Legion magazine compared both the 2008 version and the 2012 copy issued under the access law, discovering that the latest version actually contains more information than the original.
The Legion article also raises questions about the disappearance from DND of a United Nations report into the killing. The document was used by the Canadian Forces for its board of inquiry and the UN report is cited in the Canadian report. But DND’s access to information branch claims it has done a thorough search of records and no such report could be found. DND could not comment on claims by defence sources that hard copies of the board of inquiry report were also removed from military libraries.
And which way does the Legion magazine lean. It was this magazine that brought it to the attention of the Citizen. After the last election, they better not lean on the Liberals - they will fall over.
12-27-2012 01:34 PM
12-27-2012 01:56 PM
ObviouslySTEVE you don't care about the Canadian soldier or why he died.
I would guess more that OTHER (not unlike yourself) don't care!
It was posted in 2008 and removed in 2009 - not until the VERY end of 2012 was it mentioned to anybody that it was removed.
Had other cared even 1 small bit it would have been noticed missing and an ISSUE made of it LONG before 3 years LATER!!
12-27-2012 02:37 PM
12-27-2012 02:48 PM
I'm saying that it should not be buried and that Israel should come clean with the information on which we can do our own evaluations. All you are worried about is Harper. LOL
ALL the information was up for OVER 1 year ! IF you were concerned about it you would have at least known it existed and already went and looked at the document and since you have copies of every posts people make on here you could have your own private copy of it before it was taken down.
and if YOU are so concerned about this WHY oh WHY did you not complian some 3 1/2 years ago when the article was taken down???
oh i just can't wait for this answer LOL
12-27-2012 03:26 PM
I was concerned about what happened, when it happened, and I believe I did a post or thread in here about it.
It is difficult for anyone to keep up with all the news and all the things that Israel is illegally doing and all their manipulating and contriving and all the dispicable things that Harper does.
But I notice you still avoid my question........why are you not interested in what Israel is doing and the illegalities?
Still looking to my christmas present. I just need someone to email it to me.
12-27-2012 03:32 PM
not sure what MY concern over what is happening NOW and what happened in 2006 and what was removed in 2008--see I live in the PRESENT not in the PAST!
what would you like emailed--maybe i can give you a present? whats your email address?
12-27-2012 03:43 PM
12-27-2012 03:47 PM
where would you like it sent?
12-27-2012 04:37 PM
12-27-2012 08:52 PM
Post 5........other military forces have done the same....eg: the US in WW2 and in Nam. Nothing new. What the opposing forces usually do though....is not bomb where their own allies are. Unless of course....they don't care.
"Friendly fire" has been a fact in most wars. One would suppose that this was the case here. Obviously killing one of your own soldiers or one of your allies soldiers is embarassing.
12-27-2012 10:20 PM