Comments/ Gaza/5
January 8, 2009
Op-Ed Contributor
What You Don’t Know About Gaza
By RASHID KHALIDI
NEARLY everything you’ve been led to believe about Gaza is wrong. Below are a few essential points that seem to be missing from the conversation, much of which has taken place in the press, about Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.
THE GAZANS Most of the people living in Gaza are not there by choice. The majority of the 1.5 million people crammed into the roughly 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948.
THE OCCUPATION The Gazans have lived under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel is still widely considered to be an occupying power, even though it removed its troops and settlers from the strip in 2005. Israel still controls access to the area, imports and exports, and the movement of people in and out. Israel has control over Gaza’s air space and sea coast, and its forces enter the area at will. As the occupying power, Israel has the responsibility under the Fourth Geneva Convention to see to the welfare of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.
THE BLOCKADE Israel’s blockade of the strip, with the support of the United States and the European Union, has grown increasingly stringent since Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006. Fuel, electricity, imports, exports and the movement of people in and out of the Strip have been slowly choked off, leading to life-threatening problems of sanitation, health, water supply and transportation.
The blockade has subjected many to unemployment, penury and malnutrition. This amounts to the collective punishment — with the tacit support of the United States — of a civilian population for exercising its democratic rights.
THE CEASE-FIRE Lifting the blockade, along with a cessation of rocket fire, was one of the key terms of the June cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. This accord led to a reduction in rockets fired from Gaza from hundreds in May and June to a total of less than 20 in the subsequent four months (according to Israeli government figures). The cease-fire broke down when Israeli forces launched major air and ground attacks in early November; six Hamas operatives were reported killed.
WAR CRIMES The targeting of civilians, whether by Hamas or by Israel, is potentially a war crime. Every human life is precious. But the numbers speak for themselves: Nearly 700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since the conflict broke out at the end of last year. In contrast, there have been around a dozen Israelis killed, many of them soldiers. Negotiation is a much more effective way to deal with rockets and other forms of violence. This might have been able to happen had Israel fulfilled the terms of the June cease-fire and lifted its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
This war on the people of Gaza isn’t really about rockets. Nor is it about “restoring Israel’s deterrence,” as the Israeli press might have you believe. Far more revealing are the words of Moshe Yaalon, then the Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, in 2002: “The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people.”
Rashid Khalidi, a professor of Arab studies at Columbia, is the author of the forthcoming “Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East."
posted by iranprblog @ 8:50 AM
16 Comments:
Buy [url=http://buy-cialis.icr38.net/Diflucan]diflucan online[/url] here - Unprecedented Price forzest online now - Unprecedented Chance
Side-effects Canadian [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buyzithromaxonlineeasy]Buy Zithromax Online[/url] Buy Nolvadex Online RX Pharmacy [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buydifferinonlineeasy]Buy Differin Online[/url] Buy Viagra Soft Online
Generic Low price [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buydoxycyclineonlineeasy]Buy Doxycycline Online[/url] Buy Cialis Soft Online
Pharmacy ED [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buycialissuperactiveonlineeasy]Buy Cialis Super Active Online[/url] Buy Cialis Super Active Online Cheap Without prescription [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buylasixonlineeasy]Buy Lasix Online[/url] Buy Viagra Soft Online
Pharmacy Pharmacy [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buylipitoronlineeasy]Buy Lipitor Online[/url] Buy Viagra Professional Online
Canadian Now [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buyativanonlineeasy]Buy Ativan Online[/url] Buy Norvasc Online World delivery Drug [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buyzoloftonlineeasy]Buy Zoloft Online[/url] Buy Levitra Online
World shipping Sale [url=http://stores.lulu.com/buylevitraonlineeasy]Buy Levitra Online[/url] Buy Doxycycline Online
GfNkSd cyklokapron sale TbQUGg lamisil discount HlBCyt betagan pharmacy oXxqck betapace rx RLTGkQ keflex ed PkMbva motilium now WNHEXO xenical canadian
LMxkBB astelin 25mg ORyIaw nexium drug fmgjUs serevent 25mg usdPWJ actoplus met 10mg bngdwo avodart free pills jNWWVp hydrea low price KTmPJY naprosyn no prescription
bGwkSk synthroid get pJlicc prozac get MajNYP clomid discount OAGxhP ultram 25mg XsbsqK eurax 10mg WUMHCh differin canadian OHoDyV zetia side-effects
CfPrjH zyloprim pharmacy WtYwyV maxalt pharmacy oqsPpr cozaar get JjpGsS sinemet discount XqZnKN differin world shipping gpgEUU doxycycline sale Xmtxhl toprol xl visa/mastercard/amex/echeck
LhKBwf provera canadian zeLwHH xenical sale UFQyLn liv52 25mg NMMMGf apcalis sx oral jelly orange flavor sale JEFbke pepcid 10mg Nevdmy zerit discount tCGLUF relafen 25mg
cbU7t65Ak No Deposit Casinos yjfmcwbvFz James Bond Casino Royale V7WqQNPGs Motor City Casino duxO6E23Cn Passengers Casino TQHyUm9RA X Casino FsetlE9Hk8 Tiger Casino aG0ZVEO5TK Robert Burian Casino GcIFVKZQM Bacaran Bay Biloxi Casino
can clomid stop ovulation | buy clomid online no prescription - where can i buy clomid over the counter, does clomid work for men
chance of multiples with clomid | where can i get clomid online - buy clomid no prescription online, when should clomid be taken
clomid dosing | http://buyclomidcheap.webs.com/#53474 - order clomid online, can taking clomid delay your period
clomid steroid | clomid buy online no prescription - clomid 50 mg for men, progesterone levels after ovulation on clomid
symptoms of ovulation on clomid | [url=http://ordergenericclomid.webs.com/#37970]how to buy clomid online no prescription[/url] - i want to buy clomid online, wuyo clomid provera
The blockade has subjected many to unemployment, penury and malnutrition. This amounts to the collective punishment — with the tacit support of the United States — of a civilian population for exercising its democratic rights.
Public Relations
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home