The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has released photos of a dead falcon with flammable material tied to its tail. The falcon had been sent across the border from Gaza toward Israeli territory.
In addition to using booby trapped animals, Hamas has been using a new tactic of launching incendiary kites and balloons into Israel. They have ignited over 82,000 acres of forest and agricultural land, including nature reserves. Many animals have been burned to death.
In an ironic twist, the same day the photos were released, World Israel News (WIN) received an email from PETA promoting a video on animal rights featuring Natalie Portman.
In the video, Portman praises the late Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis-Singer for his rabid position in support of animal rights.
More incendiary than her praise for Singer was Portman quoting Singer’s comparison of people who eat meat to Nazis’ actions during the Holocaust.
“WIN emailed PETA’s Dan Mathews (considered the creative ‘genius’ behind PETA’s many campaigns), explaining that the acres of land burned by Hamas over the past three months include nature reserves. WIN attached photos of the dead falcon and of two animals wandering in what had been their habitat but was now destroyed, asking if PETA will come out and condemn the cruelty inflicted by Hamas against defenseless animals,” reports the JewishTimes.com.
The response WIN received was from the media liaison of PETA Founder and President Ingid Newkirk. It read, “As human beings, all of us at PETA are concerned about human civilians, including children, and other living beings caught in the line of fire of any conflict. As an animal-protection organization, PETA notes that animals claim allegiance to no nation, don’t choose sides, and must rely on human beings to show them mercy, and it’s unacceptable to use them as weapons of war,” according to the JewishTimes.com.
Not satisfied with the response, WIN emailed back asking PETA to demand that Hamas stop this animal abuse. WIN suggested a campaign of pressure as has been done in other situations. They also asked that a statement from Portman be made as she had recently starred in an animal rights video for PETA.
“Everything PETA does is geared toward ending violence of all sorts, and our public statement makes our opposition to the use of animals crystal clear. Ms. Portman is unavailable for comment,” Newkirk responded.
Surely those who have had their pets destroyed in PETA’s “kill shelters” would disagree.
