Thank you for providing this new UN estimate. It indeed, inverts the ratio of discriminate to indiscriminate deaths, from roughly 1:2 to 2:1. This is significant and I , perconally, welcome it.

Your calculation of "totally indiscriminate" misses the mark, however. Yes, if there was no effort whatsoever to distinguish among human targets, you figre would apply. But we are concerned to the ability to distinguish between combabtant and noncombatants (as per int'l law). So the calculations I have made are the pertainent one. And need to be adjusted as new data becomes available.

I will say this regarding the course of the war: the ration was grossly high in the first three months of the war; if you remove the 10,OOO or so death from the period the more current ration show a pronounced improvement in the discriminatory capacity of the IDF.

That said, we must keep in mind that the discriminatory targeting of males, does not mean that all victims are terrorist. Just as some (quite few) vicitms of indiscriminate attack my happen to be terrorist; it is quite likely (many more) vicitim of discriminate attack are not terrorist (Al Qassam militants).

I spoke recently with the Israeli Ambassador here in Manila, suggesting that as soon as the dust settles it would be wise to hold an international conference on the conduct of urban warfare and how, in the future, to minimize the noncombatant casualties. He found the suggestion constructive. A handy way to envision this process is Majors/Mayors Consultations on Warfare/Welfare.