Israelis folil bombing attempt at the region's tallest building

May 7, 2002 9:05 AM

Israelis folil bombing attempt at the region's tallest building Lest you think the area swiftly moving toward a peaceful resolution, it seems that there is to be no letup.
posted by Postroad (18 comments total)

Drudge Report backwash plus Israel-Palestine same-old -- yay Tuesday!
posted by donkeyschlong at 9:37 AM on May 7, 2002

"We are very proud and happy," said the blond, blue-eyed sergeant, who looked striking in his camoflauge ensemble by Chanel.
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:47 AM on May 7, 2002

Actually the region's tallest buildings are in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Check out the excellent website SkyScrapers.com for the top100 Tallest buildings in the world.
posted by cell divide at 9:50 AM on May 7, 2002

mrmoonpie -- Yeah, I thought the inclusion of that detail was a little weird, like the author was inviting certain spurious-but-popular comparisons.
posted by donkeyschlong at 9:51 AM on May 7, 2002

I don't know anybody who thinks this is going to get resolved. The US/Israeli alliance is going to see to it that it doesn't. You can't have "peace talks" with only one side at the table.
posted by muppetboy at 9:52 AM on May 7, 2002

No. The US/Israeli alliance is going to see that the PA is destroyed and that civilized Palestinian Arabs who aren't bent on destroying Israel create a new state for Palestinian Arabs.
posted by ParisParamus at 9:54 AM on May 7, 2002

(I wonder if Paris would pass the Turing Test.)
posted by artifex at 9:58 AM on May 7, 2002

picture of the towers.

The word "region" was introduced here by Fred, not the original article, which says only "Israel's tallest building". Beyond that, it depends on how broadly one defines "region".

Incidentally, this was reported in the Jerusalem Post on April 29. {free sample of article in pay archives}
posted by dhartung at 10:06 AM on May 7, 2002

"No. The US/Israeli alliance is going to see that the PA is destroyed and that civilized Palestinian Arabs who aren't bent on destroying Israel create a new state for Palestinian Arabs."

There's obviously no point in my responding, just as there's obviously no point in the so-called "peace process".
posted by muppetboy at 10:06 AM on May 7, 2002

From the article: Papers found inside the truck reportedly showed that the target was the 50-story Azrieli Towers, the tallest commercial building in the Middle East.

Maybe because the Saudi and Dubai buildings are mixed commercial/hotels? Or maybe it's just a mistake.
posted by cell divide at 10:09 AM on May 7, 2002

By the way, these are really cool buildings because each one is shaped like a different geometric item. One is a cylinder, one a triagle-cube (forget what you call that). The cube one is about 1/5 completed but I think the project is on hold due to lack of funds.
posted by cell divide at 10:14 AM on May 7, 2002

"Triangle tube" = cone?

Those Saudi scrapers are gorgeous. From that same page, the Chinese towers are fugly.
posted by donkeyschlong at 10:18 AM on May 7, 2002

cell divide: "region" is not a hard defined term, it can be as small as you want. I think here it refers to the whole isreal/palistine, um, thing.
posted by delmoi at 10:36 AM on May 7, 2002

Anybody else notice the last line:
The documents also purport to show that the Palestinian leader, in defiance of the Oslo Accords, approved purchases of bullets and of American-made M-16 submachine guns for the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' fighting forces.

Just a quibble, I'm sure, but an M-16 isn't a 'submachinegun' as it shoots rifle rounds. Perhaps I'm wrong, but that just points a little to the soundness of the fact finding.
posted by askheaves at 10:43 AM on May 7, 2002

I don't think they're called M-16s anymore as that was the old, Vietnam version. I thought Colt A4 was the current version, unless the party in question was buying 1960s rifles. Then again, I've never even touched a gun in my life and don't plan to.

And on a side note, thanks to cell divide for that great link. I didn't realize Dubai had the wackiest skyscrapers in the world. Thanks again!
posted by Tacodog at 11:04 AM on May 7, 2002

There's actually a TLC or Discovery "Modern Marvels" documentary about those Riyadh skyscrapers. They were each the pet project of one of the many Saudi princes. All sorts of interesting features unique to an Arab country, but the weirdest was a women-only floor of the mall where they are permitted to remove their veils. It even had it's own entrance ramps that had high sidewalls so those dirty men couldn't catch a peek.
posted by smackfu at 12:11 PM on May 7, 2002

cd: good catch; my bad. And I think you're right, it's a pure commercial development. Or maybe it's just jingoism.

ask: IDF captured documents; and a WaPo story on the purchase of M-16 rifles.

tacodog: the M16A2 remains the primary infantry weapon for the US. The Palestinian police were initially supplied mainly with AK-47s deaccessioned from Israel's own stores (under Oslo/Wye River agreement). The IDF is mainly armed with locally-manufactured M16A2 variants, and because these are widely issued to reservists, they are all too easily stolen; since Oslo most of the Palestinian forces, official or not, have switched to the M16 because of its greater reliability.

Argh! Posting this for the fourth time ...
posted by dhartung at 1:11 PM on May 7, 2002

Argh! Posting this for the fourth time
heh. Makes me appreciate your clarification even more. Thanks.
posted by Tacodog at 5:22 PM on May 7, 2002