"There's certainly, for me at least, a concern not to uncritically accept immediate claims and counter claims about what exactly happened." Good point, if only that concern didn't have an on/off switch, because then you go on to say "What Israel has done to 'defend itself' is, to me and I expect many critics, indefensible in itself." Your "indefensible" statement seems to be an uncritical acceptance on the reports of IDF actions.