Yesterday I wrote of the slaughter of the Palestinian children and women by the Israeli government. I asked people to assume that one million people lived on Nantucket and it was under attack. That I said was the situation in Gaza where the people might as well have been on an island.
They cannot escape. All roads out are blocked. All people are confined and are subject to being attacked. Leaflets are dropped directing the population to go to different areas that will be safe. Unfortunately, they will be safe unless the Israeli army thinks otherwise and then they will not be as happened yesterday when it attacked the U.N. compound where 3,000 people took refuge and a market place.
It turned out I was over generous in my estimation relative to Nantucket. Israel has pushed the Palestinians out of 44% of its area in the Gaza. The map shows the new area from which it erased the Palestinians. Therefore we should look at Nantucket as having 1.8 million people who are being bombarded every hour by air, artillery, sea and tanks.
As to the area the Palestinians have been forced out of:“These were crowded neighborhoods less than three weeks ago. Now they have been literally depopulated, the residents joining more than 160,000 internally displaced people in refuges and makeshift shelters. Apartment blocks are fields of rubble, and as I move through this hostile landscape the phrase that keeps ringing in my head is “scorched earth.” Israel has turned it into: “uninhabitable no-man’s land of half-standing, burned-out buildings, broken concrete and twisted metal.” Israel has also destroyed the only power plant in Gaza which supplies much of the electricity for its water and other needs.
The Israeli propaganda machine is at full force explaining how the attack was necessary because Hamas was launching missiles into Israel. Israel leaders say their goal is to wipe out the missiles, and the tunnels, and Hamas. As usual all American leaders are in full support of the Israeli action as is most of America’s mainstream media. We continue to supply the weapons Israel needs to eliminate the Palestinians living in Gaza.
Now the figure of the dead women and children is well over 700 and there has not been one Israeli women or children killed. Even with that we have no figure for the thousands who are wounded in body; nor for the tens of thousands who are wounded in mind. I ask you to imagine having your child or grand child suffering as the Palestian kids are suffering. They have been under bombardment for three weeks. There is no way to justify this destruction of a people.
You’ll suggest somehow Israel’s right to defend itself against the missiles justifies this horror. I agree that Israel has a right to stop those rockets. Ninety-five percent of the Israeli Jews believe this eradication of a people is just. Imagine that! Israel has so demonized the people of Gaza that their ongoing slaughter is approved almost totally by its Jewish population.
Israel has a right to defend itself but it has no right to terrorize a people which it is doing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines terrorism as: “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”
But it is worse than that. Part II explains why this is a unique horror.
How long do you think Hyannis would tolerate missiles launched towards them from Nantucket?
Ed:
Such a silly statement. First ask how many have been killed by the missiles. Answer none. Then ask how many women and children have been killed by the invasion. Answer over 600. Ask yourself why no safe place of refuge was provided for the women and children. Ask yourself why we are providing 250 million to Israel for its Iron Dome. Ask yourself what you would think if you were a Palestinian and you knew your future was not to have a country, to be under the watchful eyes of the Israelis security forces, not to have a vote, not to have citizenship, but merely to exist as second class subjects to a government that killed members of your family. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/17/why-i-like-naftali-bennett.html
Matt — Your analysis is incredibly one-sided. What would you advise the Israelis to do to stop Hamas from sending missiles into Israel and using their tunnels to kill Israelis? Instead of building an infrastructure to benefit their Palestinian population, Hamas has spent its resources (largely from U.S. aid funds)on building tunnels in order to fulfill its goal of eradicating all Israelis. What would you suggest the Israelis do? Negotiations have not worked. And Hamas has planted its weapons among the schools, hospitals, and homes of the Palestinians to enhance its propaganda machine — which you have bought into. Frankly, I do not get your one-sided view of this horrible situation.
Jose:
One sided is a good description of the women and children who have died in this conflict. If you read part II you’ll see I’d have advised Israel, I’d have demanded rather than advised, that it let the women and children leave the area they planned to attack.
As for the missiles and tunnels, how many Israelis have died. If I said none would that surprise you. Suggesting Hamas has used U.S. funds which have been minimal and omitting to mention the billions the U.S. gives to Israel with a GDP seems to be a non starter.
Gaza has been blockaded for seven years. The people are confined as if in a concentration camp. Nothing goes in or out unless Israel approves it; that includes food and other necessities of life. Negotiations have failed because it is in Israel’s interest to see them fail. Had Israel let the women, children and infirm escape all the excuses for blowing up mosques, hospitals etc. would go away.
Have you looked at a map of the West Bank where Israel keeps stealing the land from the Palestinians. Have you examined the lives of the Palestinians to see how within a mile of Israeli settlements with swimming pools the people are without water. Yes, I have a one sided view of the casualties among those not in combat – it is clear Israel is killing many people who need not have died.