Erasing the line

What would a bad day for Israel look like?

What if they laid siege to a mosque. And then fired on a bunch of women?

All on live television.

Israel Opens Fire During Mosque Standoff

Greg Myre in The Times: Israeli troops fired at a large crowd of unarmed Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip today as the women approached a mosque to help Palestinian militants holed up inside. Two women were killed and about 10 were injured, according to hospital workers.

The shooting provoked widespread outrage among Palestinians.

The Israeli military said its fire was directed at Palestinian gunmen who were hiding among the women as they marched toward the Um al-Nasir mosque in Beit Hanun, the town in the northeastern Gaza Strip where Israeli troops and militants have been battling for the past three days. The Israelis said eight militants were shot, and that they were not aware that women were hit, but were investigating.

Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian prime minister, angrily called on the international community to “come here and witness the daily massacres that are being carried out against the Palestinian nation.”

Mr. Haniya also praised the women “who led the protest to break the siege of Beit Hanun.”

The shooting, which was captured by television cameras, was the most dramatic episode so far in the fighting in Beit Hanun.

By definition, no civilized army would allow its soldiers to fire on a bunch of women--what is happening to Israel?

Reuters photo of scene outside mosque by Suhaib Salem via the Times.