Supporting human rights in the Arab world is my career goal; yet sometimes even I can barely read the news coming out of the Middle East because it’s so heartbreaking. Gaza has once again become the target of Israel’s high-tech weaponry.
In one twenty-four hour period, Palestinians received repeated sonic booms (a fairly common form of Israeli mass terrorization if you didn’t already know), two major bridges connecting the north to the south were bombed (which threatens transportation both for medical & educational purposes), mock air raids over southern refugee camps spreading wide panic, and aerial bombardment knocking out the main water pipe which feeds Nuseirat and El-Bureij refugee camps.
As if that wasn’t enough – the IDF also decided to destroy major sections of Gaza’s only electricity plant – plunging roughly 45% of Palestinian homes into darkness. The cost of repairing the damage is $15 million dollars and could take six months – however, the PA has already been denied funds promised so what are the odds this project will receive any money?
What’s Israel’s excuse this time? A soldier was kidnapped. Gilad Shalit was a tank gunner at a military post inside the green line in southern Gaza. (Despite the fact that it’s quite likely he has shelled Gazan civilians, his life is still precious.) Interestingly enough, he is also a French citizen and the French ambassador to Israel has promised France will assist in his release – although he is serving in illegally occupied territory which violates the Fourth Geneva Convention, of which France is a signatory. Minor details.
I would never deny it’s an incredibly frightening time for the Shalit family – but it’s important to remember that they are experiencing only a taste of what their Palestinian counterparts feel everyday. It’s important to know that the militants’ raid followed two bloody weeks for Palestinian civilians, including a shelling killing 8 while on a beach (7 members of the same family) – 32 injured (13 of them children), a missile attack killing 11 (injuring 30), and another missile attack killing 3 children (wounding 15 others).
President Bush’s response to the escalating violence was that “Israel has a right to defend herself”. What defense?! So it’s okay for Israel to impose collective punishment for one soldier, but the militants who took him were not allowed the excuse of defense even though it was a military outpost which has regularly shelled local civilian women and children?
I suppose defense is only justifiable when it fits the military side you agree with. This is an inherent problem with war and conflict – it looks radically different depending on the side you’re standing on.
“Kidnapping an Israeli soldier will not bring us one inch closer to peace, yet neither will Israeli revenge attacks, pre-emptive attacks or collective punishment, like cutting food supplies, electricity or water. The only Israeli logical response which would satisfy the Shalit family and other bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families would be to end the occupation. The time is now. The time has always been now – Israel, when will you learn?”
Rifat Odeh Kassis, a Palestinian human rights activist and president of Defense for Children International.
29th June 06
morganfreebase:
Dude, how come the Palestinians get to have their land back, but the American Indians don’t? I don’t think that’s fair.
And I know Indians get little reservations, but their land is not continiguous, which is the same thing the Palestinians complain about.
So until American Indians get their land back, then I don’t support Palestinians getting their land back, since the only difference in their tactics if violence, rewarding the Palestinians is tantamount to endorsing violence.
Just kidding I fully support the oppression of the American Indians.
4 years ago
pb49r: Amen “ChildOfZion_1984″. People need the Lord. Those in Palestine are no different than Africa, Europe, Asia, or even the America’s. I pray that they should find a way to live at peace. 4 years ago
RegularGoy: RYC: Let’s further hijack your discussion away from Israeli-Palestinian violence to wallball. I think of it as a boys’ sport because it’s so stupid. Not that playing it makes you stupid, of course.4 years ago
morganfreebase:
Yo, uh, so no, you’ve never been to Sweden?
Also, can you explain the RSS thing to me please? Like I don’t get it.
4 years ago
ChildOfZion_1984:
Yikes. This whole situation is one big, bloody, tragic mess.
I don’t support terrorism in any sense of the word, no matter who does it. I also don’t understand those who support Israel’s every move just because they’re Jews. It’s like ‘well have you read the OLD TESTAMENT?!’ Not everything they do is justified.
The Lord has called me to be a missionary to Israel one day, although as of yet I don’t know when. He’ll open the doors all in His perfect timing. All of these recent developments make me wonder what things will be like whenever I get there.
Israel needs Jesus. So do the Palestinians.
I want to see a massive uprising in the spiritual sense. I want to see the Israelis and Palestinians–whether Muslims, Jews, Christians, or otherwise– turn to Jesus and stop killing each other.
4 years ago
morganfreebase: Have you ever been to Sweden?4 years ago
ForeverFields: I wish I was this passionate about something. You’re definitely reminding me why I stopped watching news… it’s depressing… I feel helpless… you know?4 years ago
maggie4chr1st: Girl I totally feel you on this one. It hits home even more when you have friends from Saudi Arabia!4 years ago
jaykhatter: ugh4 years ago
misstrishy: Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. Terrorist are extreamest that have no regaurd for human life. Terrorist have no religion, skin color, or race. They hide behind the mask of all three so they are not seen for what & who they really are. Terror has been seen throughout History….it is the act of terror that needs to be delt with…not a religion,culture,or race!4 years ago
RegularGoy: ^^^^^^ You see? You see why I keep insisting that the War on Terror is mimetic? That it is a war between two ideologies that agree on pretty much everything except their mutual right to exist?4 years ago
jamminjim: The Palestinian problem isn’t the Israelies; they’re actual problems are:
1. There is no such thing as a Palestinian, as there was never a nation called Palestine.
2. They’re Muslims
3. The rest of the Middle East uses the “Palestinians” as an excuse to be hostile toward Israel.
4. Most of the “Palestians” are Egyptians or Syrians, and neither of those nations will lift a finger to help them.
5. They need to stop with the terror tactics…if they would stop, this whole cycle of death could end. But they won’t, because of #2. It’s incorporated in their religion.
Want to see peace in the Middle East? Eliminate Islam.4 years ago
RegularGoy: I love that shelling civilians and doing mock air raids over refugee camps is not terrorism because it is performed by the legitimate military. Shock and awe, anyone?4 years ago
solil0quy: What is your news source? Have you checked to see if the author is an anti-Semmite or anti-Zionist?4 years ago