Israel should pay Palestinians reparations for loss and damages suffered during last year’s war in the Gaza Strip, the UN Human Rights Council said Thursday.Here are some expenses that the UN did not feel worthy of compensation:The 47-nation body didn’t call for similar payments by Palestinians to Israelis. The resolution was opposed by the United States and five European countries.
The council, which has been criticized for excessively focusing on Israel in the past, approved four other resolutions condemning the Jewish state on Wednesday.
* The cost of fortifying homes and schools in Sderot and other Negev communities (over $75million spent so far, an additional $150 million needed)
* The cost of 32 public bomb shelters ($1.5 million) and additional ones in Ashkelon ($2 million)
* Building new rocket-resistant schools in the Negev ($18 million)
* Paying for treatments of thousands of residents with post traumatic stress
* Compensating for those killed and injured
* Compensation for the lost property values in Sderot and surrounding communities
* Compensation for lost productivity of Negev residents
* Compensation for the cost of developing the Iron Dome system and any new systems to defend against rockets and mortars
* Compensation for the entire cost of Operation Cast Lead, a war that Israel would not have had to wage if the rockets weren't being fired. This includes the huge amount that Israel was forced to spend to minimize civilian casualties, dropping leaflets, calling residents to warn them to leave, the intelligence behind accurately targeting terrorists.
In the end, no one has yet come up with an alternative to Operation Cast Lead that would have stopped the rocket fire. In the absence of any real alternative, it appears that it is Hamas that owes the residents of Gaza compensation for starting the war.