A savage Israeli air assault on impoverished Gaza has begun. At least 250 people are dead, many of them children. While Gaza city was reduced to a “chaotic horror,” the New York Times reported that Israeli defense minster Ehud Barak said that “military operations in Gaza would expand and deepen as necessary.” An Israeli blockade of Gaza, backed by the United States and all the European powers, has resulted in the “near death” of the Gazan economy before this barbaric onslaught. As for the United States and the Bush Regime, Bush spokesman Gordon Johndroe admitted “we were all aware of the authorization (for bombing Gaza) by the Israeli cabinet.” The attacks on the Palestinian people of Gaza are a horrible crime against humanity, with the full cooperation, knowledge, and support of the Bush Regime, and must be condemn
ed and vigorously opposed.
by Kevin Gosztola
More than 200 people are reported dead in Gaza after Israeli attacks, which were in response to ongoing rocket fire from Hamas. Israel’s hammering of so-called Hamas targets have left over 300 injured and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has said Israeli attacks will go on for “as long as necessary.”
The U.S., being the biggest of ally of Israel, bears some responsibility for the worsening situation, against which supporters of Arab and Palestinian rights are speaking out.
Reactions to the attacks from the Arab League, Syria, and Iran consist of these following remarks, which are being reported by BBC News:
AMR MOUSSA, ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL
“We are facing a continuing spectacle which has been carefully planned. So we have to expect that there will be many casualties. We face a major humanitarian catastrophe.”
SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT
“Syria is following with great anxiety the barbaric Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza… a horrific crime and terrorist act.
“Syria calls on the Arab nation and the international community to use all possible means to put pressure on Israel to immediately stop the aggression, allow the wounded to enter hospital and open all crossing points [to Gaza].
“Syria as president of the Arab League calls on Arab leaders to hold an emergency summit to assess the dangerous situation in Gaza.”
HASAN QASHQAVI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN
“Iran strongly condemns the Zionist regime’s wide-ranging attacks against the civilians in Gaza.
“The raids against innocent people are unforgiveable and unacceptable.”
Syria and Iran have been on the short list of nations the U.S. is willing to attack–the Axis of Evil—and that may be because Israel considers these countries to pose grave threats to their security.
In an IBA News video posted on the Jerusalem Post website, Dr. Raanan Gissin, former spokesman for Ariel Sharon, offered his take on the situation, one that many supportive of Israel, like those in the U.S., will most likely consider accurate:
“This is only the first shot in what will probably be a long, enduring sustained operation on which its main purpose is as I understand it is not so much to break the military force of Hamas as much as to break its will, to continue the fighting, and to establish a different ceasefire, a comprehensive one which will ensure that the citizens of Israel along its southern border can live in peace and security. Israel is exercising in a rightful way its right to self-defense. This is something I think we can explain today better than in the previous war in Lebanon. No doubt in my mind this is only the first or one of a series of confrontations in fighting the frontline forces of Iran whether it’s in the south, Hamas, or in the north, Hezbollah. We still have several of these confrontations so long as Iran continues with its intent to drive a wedge into the Middle East and extend the influence.” [emphasis added]
Gissin added before his analysis was over, “Israel’s action is much wiser than in 2006 against Lebanon.” And in a comment that one would expect from the lips of George W. Bush, “Terrorist organizations require perseverance, endurance, and patience on the part of the citizens” because in this day and age, “most of the wars we are going to be forced to fight—not choose to fight—forced to fight will be of this kind.”
So, why is Hamas firing rockets at Israelis?
The U.S. considers the democratically elected Hamas organization to be a terrorist organization (as does Israel). Hamas attacks Israel in ways that terrorists attack countries—it employs guerrilla warfare while Israel employs military operations that only rich countries with rich U.S. support can employ.
The White House said in response to the attacks:
“”Hamas’ continued rocket attacks into Israel must cease if the violence is to stop. Hamas must end its terrorist activities if it wishes to play a role in the future of the Palestinian people.
“The United States urges Israel to avoid civilian casualties as it targets Hamas in Gaza.”
Barack Obama, on vacation, could not offer a comment. But, as Justin Raimondo over at Antiwar.com suggests, he probably would side with the Israelis.
Raimondo has links that lead to this letter from then-Senator Obama which explains why Obama might think Israel has a right to respond to Hamas rocket fire:
Dear Ambassador Khalilzad,
I understand that today the UN Security Council met regarding the situation in Gaza, and that a resolution or statement could be forthcoming from the Council in short order.
I urge you to ensure that the Security Council issue no statement and pass no resolution on this matter that does not fully condemn the rocket assault Hamas has been conducting on civilians in southern Israel…
All of us are concerned about the impact of closed border crossings on Palestinian families. However, we have to understand why Israel is forced to do this… Israel has the right to respond while seeking to minimize any impact on civilians.
The Security Council should clearly and unequivocally condemn the rocket attacks… If it cannot bring itself to make these common sense points, I urge you to ensure that it does not speak at all.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
That was Obama then. Perhaps we should consider Obama’s reaction to Carter’s trip to the Middle East to meet with Hamas as an indication of what he is really thinking now.
Carter said of his trip in April of this year:
“It’s very important that at least someone meet with the Hamas leaders to express their views, to ascertain what flexibility they have, to try to induce them to stop all attacks against innocent civilians in Israel and to cooperate with the Fatah as a group that unites the Palestinians…There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that, if Israel is ever going to find peace with justice concerning the relationship with their next-door neighbours, the Palestinians, that Hamas will have to be included in the process.”
Seems fair, right? Obama responded to Carter’s logic by telling a group of Jewish leaders:
“We must not negotiate with a terrorist group intent on Israel’s destruction…We should only sit down with Hamas if they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel’s right to exist and abide by past agreements.”
Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights has, of course, issued this statement condemning the attacks and asking people take action.
“As of this writing, Israeli Air Force attacks today on the occupied Gaza Strip killed an estimated 200 or more people and injured hundreds more. These Israeli attacks come on top of a brutal siege of the Gaza Strip, which has created a humanitarian catastrophe of dire proportions for Gaza’s 1.5 million Palestinian residents by restricting the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life.
While the scope of civilian casualties in today’s attacks is not yet clear, it is unmistakable that Israel carried out these attacks with F16 fighter jets and missiles provided by the taxpayers of this country. From 2001-2006, the United States transferred to Israel more than $200 million worth of spare parts to fly its fleet of F16’s. In July 2008, the United States gave Israel 186 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel. Last year, the United States signed a $1.3 billion contract with Raytheon to transfer to Israel thousands of TOW, Hellfire, and “bunker buster” missiles.
“In short, Israel’s lethal attack today on the Gaza Strip could not have happened without the active military and political support of the United States. Therefore, we need to take action to protest this attack and demand an immediate cease-fire.”
As the situation worsens, as the attacks continue, more will be reported by OpEdNews. In the meantime, consider why Hamas is firing rockets. It may look like terrorism, but one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. The only way Israel’s actions can be considered self-defense is if we are certain Hamas is not employing violence because it wishes to attain freedom from Israel’s actions, which recently have included a vicious blockade against Palestinians.
Also, it may be worth asking this question: Exactly what Hanukkah tradition involves waging violent conflict?
[quote name=”Scott”]How deliberately blind can you be? Israel blockades Gaza’s food, medicine and fuel, uses unmanned aircraft to bomb children, then slaughters hundreds when people fight back and you call it justified? I don’t care how much “research” you’ve done or from what sources…you are justifying mass murder. One Israeli killed vs. over 300 Palestinians? I ask again, how blind can you be?[/quote]
It’s simply the fault of the palestinian people that Israel is in Gaza. Why? Because Hamas hides amongst the civilians of Gaza. They fire rockets into Israel, hide in mosques, schools, houses etc where innocent civilians are and people are surprised that innocent people are getting killed? So Israel is suppose to say, “Oh, forget it, we know where Hamas is but they are hiding out in a mosque so we can’t get them now” Yeah right. The civilians should know that if they harbor these terrorists then they deserve what they get. Hamas are cowards for hiding in towns full of civilians and THEN they cry that Israel is killing them? If the civilians said to Hamas that they aren’t allowed near them then none of this would be happening. Easy as that. I feel bad for the kids but their parents allow Hamas militants to invite Israeli soldiers to blow them up….sad.
Hopefully this will be the end of Hamas.
I do not understand this. Jews and Arabs are closer to each
othre than many arabs are and arabs to Parsi etc. It has onthign
to do with tihs.
Israel has nothing to gain by going into Gaza. It left
it long ago and obfiously going in is not terribly exciting.
I do not underand why Hamas fired all of these rockets after being asked not to.
IT wanted IStael ro respond. Without an Israeli response.
Hamas really has no excuse to excist. The real victirms are of crouse the civilians for whom I feel awful. I really do not know what
is the best way out.Not repons at all. Nver report
that Hama is firing rockets (just like a choild crying or dog barking that people ignore and ultimately becomes quite. Hamas ism really sucking dry the civilian population. The civil war between Fatah and Hamas was awful.
[quote name=”Margaret Swaid”]The same thing that allows Sunni muslims to massacre Shia is in operation when Jews kill Arabs.
You see…Sunni muslims…many of them…believe that Shia are not muslims. And Jews think Arabs are not “humans”. Their language is “pigs and dogs”. They teach their children that language just as some Sunnis teach their children to verbally abuse the Shia.
All the same….Israel…is over. This is just the way it looks during the process.
It never deserved statehood and the people there are ALL complicit in the rampage against the followers of Allah to whom we all return and who is the best planner and witness of all.
Peace on those that deserve peace.[/quote]
By the way, Hamas ≠ children. This isn’t some kind of word game where you change the letters around to create a new word. The IDF is not putting children in the cross-hairs. That people even have to spell that out is just absurd. Hamas is the target here. People with grenades and rocket launchers are the target here. People who house and equip people with grenades and rocket launchers are the target here. NOT children.
Absurd.
And even if we have the same sources that does not mean we will reach the same opinion on the matter. My view is that, no matter what, you do not deliberately break the terms of a cease-fire after there’s been an agreement on it.
As you can see from the above commenter, whose post seems to have been deleted by the moderator, a lot of the outrage from the Arab and Muslim world is steeped in hatred, anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism. That probably explains why they only protest when Israel strikes back in response to Hamas’ rocket attacks, but do nothing to protest Hamas’ displays of aggression in the first place.
Anyway, you need to stop accusing me of “justifying mass murder”. I said that Israel is justified in taking out HAMAS when Hamas started all this crap in the first place. Hamas was not firing rockets into Israel because of a blockade. They started the rockets again because the IDF took out some Hamas militants who were planting roadside explosives. Hardly innocent victims here.
Even one SINGLE war-related death is unacceptable, whether it is an Israeli or a Palestinian death. You seem to not hear these words.
But if Hamas never fired those rockets into Israel, even after Israel asked them to stop, those 300+ Palestinian and Israeli civilians would still have been alive today.
Hamas wants to lash out their anger at Israel but does not want Israel to do anything about it. Peace doesn’t really work like that.
What is happening to the people of Gaze and the occupied territories is UNFORGIVABLE! This is only going to increase the suicide bombings 100 fold, but of course they know that. (It gets them more backing and weapons from the U.S.) With the backing from the US the fucking Israelies bombed a university where 60% of the students are women and purposely waited until it was at its fullest!!!! This makes the fucking jews better than the Nazis how? The Israelies have erased all meaning from the Nuremberg trials by their actions against the people of Palistine. The Israelies are now no better or maybe even worse than the Nazis! For one thing, Hamas has never to this day, fired any rockets from the West Bank so what the jewish dog media and the US is saying is completely false propaganda! Hamas was democratically elected and that’s what the US and the fucking jews are upset about. This whole thing is based on lies and propaganda. To date, the fucking Israelies have killed more innocent people then the Nazis did.
Looking at what the fucking Israeli dogs have done to date begs the question “Did the Nazis know more then anyone else? Was the holocoust right?” Of course what the Nazis did was not right so how does that make what the fucking jews are doing ok?
Where are the outraged protests here? There aren’t any! Nobody is doing anything! By doing nothing or staying silent, you condone what the fucking Israelies are doing.
By the way Scott, Anti-semitism is part of the answer in my book. If its not part of yours or anyone elses, that’s ok too. It doesn’t mean you agree with what Israel is doing unless you come out and say it or remain silent.
Obama, like Bush/Cheney, is a war criminal and a fucking jew lover, so we will hear nothing from him.
I have a great way to get rid of the nuke weapons, drop them on Israel after moving the innocent people in the surrounding areas to safety! Wipe Israel off the globe!!!!
In my opinion a single dog,s life is worth more than the combined lives of the Israelies and/or the Americans for that matter!!!
How deliberately blind can you be? Israel blockades Gaza’s food, medicine and fuel, uses unmanned aircraft to bomb children, then slaughters hundreds when people fight back and you call it justified? I don’t care how much “research” you’ve done or from what sources…you are justifying mass murder. One Israeli killed vs. over 300 Palestinians? I ask again, how blind can you be?
[quote name=”Scott”]
Gaza has also been cut off from food, medical and fuel shipments by Israel, as an act of collective punishment for freely electing a Hamas government.[/quote]
“Hamas agrees to hold fire against Israel for 24 hours but warns it will resume suicide attacks if the Jewish state launches an offensive.”
So, basically Hamas wants to keep firing rockets into Israeli neighborhoods but will throw a hissy fit if Israel dares fight back.
Yeah, good one, Hamas.
No, actually. I get my information from a variety of sources. In fact I feel the media is not spending enough time describing the actions that led up to this airstrike.
The two children killed were innocent victims of Hamas’ unrelenting military actions against Israel. Hamas is not just a political organization, it is a combat organization on the offensive. Anyone who is armed with guns and rocket launchers aimed at Israel no longer falls in the “unprovoked” category.
Constant security checkpoints are far from humiliation.
Cracker jack or not, those Hamas missiles were aimed at Israeli residential neighborhoods and at least one person was killed as a result. If Hamas could have done more damage they would have.
Hamas fires rockets at Israel even as Israel frees Palestinian prisoners and allows humanitarian aid into Gaza. How can you tell me with a straight face that Hamas wants peace?
From http://news.sky.com/skynews:
Dec 11: Israel authorises the transfer of 25 million dollars (17.7 million euros) to banks in the Gaza Strip to pay civil servants.
Dec 15: Israel frees 227 Palestinian prisoners.
Dec 16: Abbas says he will “very soon” call Palestinian elections in the absence of reconciliation with his Hamas rivals.
Dec 19: Rockets are fired from Gaza at Israel, shortly after the official announcement by Hamas that it is ending the truce.
Dec 20: The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed branch of Hamas, claims its first mortar attacks on Israel since the end of the ceasefire.
Dec 22: Hamas agrees to hold fire against Israel for 24 hours but warns it will resume suicide attacks if the Jewish state launches an offensive.
Dec 23: There is a rocket attack on Israel. Three members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigade are killed by an Israeli patrol as they attempt to plant explosive devices.
Dec 24: More than 80 rocket and mortar attacks on the south of Israel.
Dec 25: Israel’s outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert calls for residents of Gaza to stop Hamas from firing rockets and mortars. Speaking from Cairo, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni vows to end Hamas’s control of the Gaza Strip.
Dec 26: New rocket and mortar attacks on Israel, as the Israeli authorities allow more than 80 lorries carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza. Two girls are accidentally killed as Palestinian militants fire more rockets targetting Israel.
Dec 27: Israel blitzes Hamas targets in Gaza with a wave of air strikes that kill at least 155 people.
[quote name=”Outraged”]First of all I’m not buying the “rockets fired by Hamas” line at all! Israel attacked the Palestinians first!!!! I’ve had enough of this crap. I’m not even sure “Hamas” even exist at this point. All I see is false excuses to kill innocent people! The reason Israel did this is because we (the US), told them to!!! They knew they could do it and get away with it.
It’s also no surprise that idiot Obama backs Israel on the attack. There is NO CHANGE, its 4 more years of Bush!!!
I believe this was done because the US (and Israel) do NOT want peace in the region, it will ruin everything for them if there is peace.
I used to have a different view, but over the years I have also become extremely anti-semetic and will not change back. I REFUSE! The only way to have peace in the region is to get rid of Israel and get the US out of there!![/quote]
There’s a lot you’ve said here that is true…but turning to anti-Semitism is NOT the answer. In fact it misses the point entirely, and divides people on an absolutely wrong basis. There are plenty of Jewish people who oppose the occupation and what’s happening now in Gaza, including many who will put their asses on the line to stop the slaughter and fight for a better world. Are you going to hate them because they’re Jewish? Yes, there need to be more Jews opposing this insanity…but there need to be more Christians, Muslims, Hindus, atheists and every other kind of people too.
[quote name=”xie xie niii”]It’s Hamas who does not want peace. If they cared for peace at all they would not have made the stupid decision to resume violence by firing rockets targeting Israeli residential neighborhoods.[/quote]
That’s absolutely false. I don’t care if it’s what the media have told you, it’s false. Israeli drone planes have fired missiles into Gaza several times this month, including this instance that killed two children on Dec. 2nd: http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/12/04/child-martyrs/
Gaza has also been cut off from food, medical and fuel shipments by Israel, as an act of collective punishment for freely electing a Hamas government. Collective punishment has been classified as a war crime since the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals following WWII. CNN has failed to mention this.
What’s more, the context within which these atrocities are taking place is the Israeli occupation of all of Palestine, a daily brutal humiliation, with armed checkpoints, unprovoked and unpunished killings by the IDF, curfews, and tanks rolling through the streets. A few cracker-jack box missiles being fired randomly into Israel is the thinnest pretext for Israel’s overall policy of complete subjugation of the Palestinian people.
It’s Hamas who does not want peace. If they cared for peace at all they would not have made the stupid decision to resume violence by firing rockets targeting Israeli residential neighborhoods.
The same thing that allows Sunni muslims to massacre Shia is in operation when Jews kill Arabs.
You see…Sunni muslims…many of them…believe that Shia are not muslims. And Jews think Arabs are not “humans”. Their language is “pigs and dogs”. They teach their children that language just as some Sunnis teach their children to verbally abuse the Shia.
All the same….Israel…is over. This is just the way it looks during the process.
It never deserved statehood and the people there are ALL complicit in the rampage against the followers of Allah to whom we all return and who is the best planner and witness of all.
Peace on those that deserve peace.
First of all I’m not buying the “rockets fired by Hamas” line at all! Israel attacked the Palestinians first!!!! I’ve had enough of this crap. I’m not even sure “Hamas” even exist at this point. All I see is false excuses to kill innocent people! The reason Israel did this is because we (the US), told them to!!! They knew they could do it and get away with it.
It’s also no surprise that idiot Obama backs Israel on the attack. There is NO CHANGE, its 4 more years of Bush!!!
I believe this was done because the US (and Israel) do NOT want peace in the region, it will ruin everything for them if there is peace.
I used to have a different view, but over the years I have also become extremely anti-semetic and will not change back. I REFUSE! The only way to have peace in the region is to get rid of Israel and get the US out of there!!