Environmental crisis will soon erupt in Gaza

[Tom Joad]

During the early hours of 28 June 2006, the Israeli Occupation Force launched a ground offensive in Southern Gaza. As part of the assault, the Israeli Air Force attacked three bridges and the Gaza City power station, cutting power to much of the area.

One of the bridges is that of the Wadi Gaza where some environmental non-governmental organization members of PENGON have implemented a solar energy powered lighting project in the area as a means to promote environmental friendly technology and to reduce pollution from fuel based power generation. Part of the project has been destroyed from the strike as well.

The transformer station is also used to help pump water from the water network to apartments in Gaza. As the power has been severed, the water cannot be pumped and Gazans are unable to access water. As a result, some 860,000 residents in Gaza are currently without electricity and running water.

The public health and safety and environmental hazards stemming from the damage caused to infrastructure as a result of this military operation include:

# water shortages
# contamination of any remaining drinking water
# uncontrolled discharge and flow of untreated sewage in the streets, resulting in groundwater pollution
# pollution of agricultural land which Gazans will be unable to cultivate to harvest crops, negatively impacting their earning power
# damage to marine life as untreated wastewater flows into the sea
# migration of fish to other parts of the coast, resulting in a reduction in the number of fish caught and, concomitantly, money earned by Gazan fishermen
# direct exposure to untreated wastewater in open systems
# indirect human health risks due to the consumption of polluted crops and fish
# an increase in waterborne acute and infectious diseases as a result of additional viruses, bacteria and protozoa in the water. These are likely to cause serious illnesses ranging from gastroenteritis and cholera to liver failure and death.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4897.shtml

[Drum]

1. Alas,

there again is the human cost of politics, bigotry and hate...a thrown stone causing many ripples.

[pelsar]

2. return the soldier...

what is their problem?....all they have to do is return the soldier and stop shooting missles on israeli cities.......it really is that simple and they can then rebuild their economy and "get a life"

this whole business is pathetic, the palestenains in gaza had a chance that no one ever gave them...a chance to build a society.....and the only thing they did was use it to try to kill israelis

dumb dumb and dumber

[Pachamama]

3. What if the soldier is dead?

Do we know the soldier is alive? I had this thought and feeling earlier he is dead....I guess they could return the corpse, but what is the crazy goal of the group that took him, I'm not sure....

[pelsar]

4. history...

is not on his side...usually captured israeli soldiers that are held by the various groups end up dead....usually right after their taken...but this is a new scenario with all kinds of "new players" and no real structure.....so who knows.....

[MrPrax]

6. You mean like Waxman?

Shalit was the first to be seized by Palestinian militants since the 1994 abduciton of Corporal Nachshon Waxman, a 19-year-old Israeli-American soldier. At the time, Sayeret Matkal commandos stormed the safe house where Waxman was held, but he died in the raid along with a member of the rescue force and three of his Palestinian kidnappers.

Haaretz dated 26/06/06

You said soldiers...so I assume you meant the only other one, Nachshon Waxman, who ended up killed by the IDF?

Oh and don't worry, I won't reply back with this type of thing...

facts are bothersome?

Edited on Thu Jul-06-06 09:48 PM by pelsar
be accurate and i would love to chat...make up stories, exagerate, and i will simple ask about them.

...

so come clean...why do write such "non truths".....do you hate israelis so much and their elected govt that you have to make up stuff to show how evil and ruthless we are?...(and do remember all IDF combat solders are volunteers, the govt is duly elected every 2,3,4 years and actually represents the population)

so why?...why make up stuff (and please if you cant show a decent link, not electronicintifadas fairytales)...its reasonable to assume its just made up by some hatemonger.
link

[pelsar]

10. there are quite a few more over the years....

guess you have to know how to use google...or actually know the history:

The three Israeli soldiers were kidnapped on October 7, 2000, Hezbollah ambushed the patrol team and seized them.

2 October 2000 Two Israeli soldiers lose their way near the Palestinian town of Ramallah, taken to a police station and beaten to death (not kidnapped but captured and killed)

navigator Ron Arad...parachuted and was seen alive in lebanon....taken by the Amal group in 1986, pressumed killed as there has been no word of him since


those are just a few that come to mind...others were captured and killed immediatly (doesnt go much beyond 'local news")

keep trying eventually I'll make a mistake, mix up some facts, maybe misunderstand a post or something....eventually I'll type something more out of emotion and neglect to recheck the facts....eventually you'll "catch me"...but not this time.

______________________

oh btw...it wasnt the IDF that killed waxman, as your wrote above....the palestenains killed him as the raid began...so are you now just making stuff up:

"We have killed Waxman, and we prefer to die than surrender to you," the gunmen said.

The Israelis broke through, killing both men, and found their soldier shot in the neck and chest.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-2247441,00.html

or perhaps you have a link to your claim?.....or maybe you misread something...as i wait impatiently for an answer

[Englander]

16. Wow.

That 'ignored' decision just keeps on justifying itself. All I get to see is 'ignored', I miss out
on the 'wilful ignorence' & clueless insults.

It's somewhat ironical that any poster who uses WorldNetDaily as a credible source, would complain
about 'fairytales';

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=128529

[pelsar]

25. ignorence....some like it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=128529#128621

reading "half" responses is good if one doesnt want to know

you should keep me on ignore...I usually dont find much interesting information in your responses to me

[Englander]

23. He's still alive.

The crazy goal is to get women/child prisoners released, I fail to see how that goal is crazy, I
think it should happen, it appears that intransigence on the part of the GoI is halting any attempt
at negotiations.

[Tom Joad]

5. Also, Israel holds over 9,000 Palestinians, including over 300 kids

and hundreds of women. Most have never been charged with crimes. Their families miss them like the family of Gilad Shalit is missing Gilad. The family of Gilad Shalit is calling for a prisoner exchange.

Israel should release these prisoners. That was a good idea 3 months ago, it is a good idea today.

[meti57b]

7. Maybe so, but if they return the soldier back to Israel, they can avoid

the environmental crisis predicted in the OP.

[Tom Joad]

8. Holding the environment hostage, aren't they, Meti.

[meti57b]

13. I agree,.... the Palestinians are indeed holding the environment hostage

when all they need to do is give back the soldier and stop the kassams.

[Englander]

19. Cognotive dissonance sux, don't it? n/t

[Tom Joad]

20. How are Palestinians holding the environment hostage?

[meti57b]

26. The two sentences you replied to, are enough to explain it to you.

[Englander]

27. Translation -

'They're not, please stop asking me relevant questions.'

[Tom Joad]

28. Considering posters past list of "heroes", I do not expect an

understandable reply.

[Englander]

29. Defending the indefensible doesn't bode well, either.

Ignoring/justifying/explaining the ongoing war crimes is also an indication that understandable
replies will most likely not be forthcoming.

[Spinoza]

9. Return the soldier.

EOM

[Tom Joad]

11. What Israel is saying is, return the soldier, or we will destroy your

environment, life-essential services will be destroyed. sewage will be backed-up into the streets. (we know the health risks from that in one of the most densely populated areas of the world, don't we). More schools will be destroyed. Relentless shelling. Sonic booms.

Sounds like threats to civilians to achieve a political goal. sounds like civilians will die. Are dying.
It is nothing less than terrorism. Nothing new from Israel.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[barb162]

14. Hyperbolic crap, Tom

Return the soldier. Any damage happening in Gaza is because the Pals who have the soldier have refused to return the soldier. In other words, it's the Pals' fault if there is environmental damage. The Pals are creating their own environmental terrorism on themselves by not forcing the kidnappers to return the soldier

[Tom Joad]

17. Just for the record. I am not holding anyone.

Neither are most of the people of Gaza. Just like most of the people of Israel are not holding the 9,000 Palestinian prisoners, including several hundred children. Most Israelis do not participate in the torture of these prisoners, but as documented by B'tselem and other organizations these things are routine.

Israel is responsible for the damage caused by its military actions in the siege on the people of Gaza. You are right to call it environmental terrorism.
Israel is responsible for decades of occupation and strangulation of Gaza and the West Bank.
For building settlements on Palestinian land in contravention of international law.
For the confiscation of Palestinian land in the building of the annexation wall. Every human rights organization i know of has condemned this Wall.

Israel is responsible for destroying half-million olive trees over the last 4 years. http://www.afsc.org/israel-palestine/documents/ZZfactsheet.pdf

Israel is responsible for putting forth a "convergence plan" that will make the occupation permanent, taking large parts of the Jordan Valley, and split Palestinian communities by making Israel-only roads, and a Wall that will cut into and isolate Palestinian communities.

I find it disgusting that Israel is threatening so much harm to Gaza for the supposed reason of obtaining the release of one its military men, though i think it is using this as an excuse, and has no real concern for the young man. Whatever the case, destroying the environment of a whole population is an abhorrent war crime.

Israel should stick to negotiations. Israel should release political prisoners.

[Violet_Crumble]

18. Actually it contained much less crap than yr post just did...

'Any damage that is happening...' '...if there is environmental damage...' Barb, it's a FACT that damage is being done, though you even seem to be in doubt of that...

Yr argument is remarkably weak. Considering Israel holds many Palestinians prisoner without charge, including women and children, there is no difference between yr justification and turning round and justifying the Palestinian groups carrying out similar action towards Israel: 'In other words, it's the Israelis fault if there is environmental damage. The Israelis are creating their own environmental terrorism on themselves by not forcing the kidnappers to return Palestinian women and children.' Equally pathetic...

btw, the Israeli soldier was a legitimate target, unlike Palestinian civilians, who now seem to be bearing the brunt of Israel's retaliation...

[Tom Joad]

22. I do hope the soldier can go back to his family, as much as i want the

Palestinian prisoners to return to their families.

Unfortunately, Israel does not seem to want a peaceful resolution to this problem.

[Englander]

21. No surprises there, sadly.

Collective punishment gets more fulsome support. 700,000 people have their electricity shut off, &
it's own g'damm fault, 'cos they're all a bunch of terrorwists. Insert vomiting smilie, {here}.

[Tom Joad]

24. Reminds me a bit of the Haditha massacre in Iraq.

I am sure that when the US soldiers lost one of their comrades, they felt the need to punish the population for this "terror attack" and they made sure the civilian population paid for its support for resistance. In their minds, it was a necessary act to prevent future acts of "terror" (resistance to occupation)

I have no doubt that the soldiers feel that the attackers on the vehicle that killed their comrade are responsible for their actions following, which, after all,in their minds, were absolutely necessary, we couldn't just them get away with this.

So by attacking the whole population of Gaza, the same thinking is going through the minds of Israeli leaders, the same reasoning.

The thing is, most of us do not find it at all reasonable.

[pelsar]

15. so returning the solider is now a "political goal'?

Sounds like threats to civilians to achieve a political goal.

how about returning the soldier and stop sending missles in to israeli cities....neither are political......

seems to me without either the palestenians are continuing to threatening civilians...."Nothing new from the palestenians"

_____

btw how is returning the soldier a political goal?...and of course i remain curious to your previous posts......(perhaps an explanation why you prefer not to answer?)