The real goal of Israel's Gaza blockade

[ProgressiveMuslim]

The real goal of Israel's Gaza blockade
Jonathan Cook



The latest tightening of Israel's chokehold on Gaza -- ending all supplies into the Strip for more than a week -- has produced immediate and shocking consequences for Gaza's 1.5 million inhabitants.

The refusal to allow in fuel has forced the shutting down of Gaza's only power station, creating a blackout that pushed Palestinians bearing candles on to the streets in protest last week. A water and sanitation crisis are expected to follow.

And on Thursday, the United Nations announced it had run out of the food essentials it supplies to 750,000 desperately needy Gazans. "This has become a blockade against the United Nations itself," a spokesman said.

In a further blow, Israel's large Bank Hapoalim said it would refuse all transactions with Gaza by the end of the month, effectively imposing a financial blockade on an economy dependent on the Israeli shekel. Other banks are planning to follow suit, forced into a corner by Israel's declaration in Sept 2007 of Gaza as an "enemy entity."

There are likely to be few witnesses to Gaza's descent into a dark and hungry winter. In the past week, all journalists were refused access to Gaza, as were a group of senior European diplomats. Days earlier, dozens of academics and doctors due to attend a conference to assess the damage done to Gazans' mental health were also turned back.

Israel has blamed the latest restrictions of aid and fuel to Gaza on Hamas's violation of a five-month ceasefire by launching rockets out of the Strip. But Israel had a hand in shattering the agreement: as the world was distracted by the United States presidential elections, the army invaded Gaza, killing six Palestinians and provoking the rocket fire.

The humanitarian catastrophe gripping Gaza is largely unrelated to the latest tit-for-tat strikes between Hamas and Israel. Nearly a year ago, Karen Koning AbuZayd, commissioner-general of the UN's refugee agency, warned: "Gaza is on the threshold of becoming the first territory to be intentionally reduced to a state of abject destitution."

She blamed Gaza's strangulation directly on Israel, but also cited the international community as accomplice. Together they began blocking aid in early 2006, following the election of Hamas to head the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The US and Europe agreed to the measure on the principle that it would force the people of Gaza to rethink their support for Hamas. The logic was supposedly similar to the one that drove the sanctions applied to Iraq under Saddam Hussein through the 1990s: if Gaza's civilians suffered enough, they would rise up against Hamas and install new leaders acceptable to Israel and the West.

As AbuZayd said, that moment marked the beginning of the international community's complicity in a policy of collective punishment of Gaza, despite the fact that the Fourth Geneva Convention classifies such treatment of civilians as a war crime.

The blockade has been pursued relentlessly since, even if the desired outcome has been no more achieved in Gaza than it was in Iraq. Instead, Hamas entrenched its control and cemented the Strip's physical separation from the Fatah-dominated West Bank.

Far from reconsidering its policy, Israel's leadership has responded by turning the screw ever tighter -- to the point where Gazan society is now on the verge of collapse.

In truth, however, the growing catastrophe being unleashed on Gaza is only indirectly related to Hamas's rise to power and the rocket attacks.

Of more concern to Israel is what each of these developments represents: a refusal on the part of Gazans to abandon their resistance to Israel's continuing occupation. Both provide Israel with a pretext for casting aside the protections offered to Gaza's civilians under international law to make them submit.

With embarrassing timing, the Israeli media revealed at the weekend that one of the first acts of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister elected in 2006, was to send a message to the Bush White House offering a long-term truce in return for an end to Israeli occupation. His offer was not even acknowledged.

Instead, according to the daily Jerusalem Post, Israeli policy-makers have sought to reinforce the impression that "it would be pointless for Israel to topple Hamas because the population is Hamas." On this thinking, collective punishment is warranted because there are no true civilians in Gaza. Israel is at war with every single man, woman and child.

read on.....
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9968.shtml

[shira]

1. come on, who believes this crap?

Cook says Israel limits fuel/gas which leads to a power shortage and blackouts without mentioning that Hamas brings in enough fuel through the tunnels they have going into Egypt. In short, there is no fuel shortage.

Also anyone here can google Hamas blackout hoax to see the very latest pallywood photos of Gazans with candles, while in the background the street lights are on.

As for the food shortage, why not mention that Israel cuts off aid due to rocket attacks? And that if Hamas stops, the food comes in? Thus, it's up to Hamas to stop the rockets that cause REAL collective punishment against Israeli civilians? Hamas makes the choice to keep its people suffering.

And if Cook is so concerned about humanitarian aid getting into Gaza, why not mention the Egypt option? Convoys with aid can just as well go through Egypt and the Rafah crossing as they can through Israel.

And if Hamas cared, they could bring in food through the hundreds of tunnels. Crisis averted.

Or is that too much to expect out of the Gazan or Egyptian leadership?

This article is pure propaganda. If it were written by a high schooler, it would rate a D or F.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. You are so right Shira. The siege is Israel's finest moment. Worldwide Jewry should be proud.

Shame on anyone who minimizes this evil.

[shira]

3. some siege

Tell me, should Egypt be pressured to allow aid in so Palestinians don't starve?

Should Hamas be pressured to stop the rockets and/or let food in through their tunnels?

Is this Egypt and Hamas' finest moments too? Or should we just expect them to do nothing for Palestinians, as we don't expect them to ever be shining lights? Better to expect Israel to "take" the rockets and keep providing as only Israel can and should be held responsible?

Enlighten us please.

=========================================

Shame on anyone minimizing the evil collective punishment by Hamas on Israeli citizens living near Gaza.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[shira]

5. dont'cha know?

Israeli officials just scheme about making life miserable for Palestinians? Rockets, shmockets....that's just a lame excuse because ANY OTHER country in the world wouldn't mind so much their neighbors at the border firing rockets at THEIR own civilians. Texans would probably welcome rockets from Mexico. Same as Floridians hoping for rockets from Cuba.

It's no existential threat, so big deal - right? Let's all move to targets like Sderot and welcome the rockets in our neighborhoods! Our own kids could play games in the yard hoping they're the next target. We could join them and call it "hit me with your best shot" with Benatar providing the background music! Fun for all ages!

[Kurska]

6. Cause and effect

The concept isn't really all that diffucult to grasp.

[azurnoir]

8. Yep it's aok to cause

malnutrition in children because of the actions of a small number of adults, and no that simplistic and brutal mind set is not at all difficult to grasp.

[Kurska]

12. The palestinians are responsible for their government

They had a election, they picked these people to lead; The palestinians suffer In the same way the germans suffered for the election of the nazi party. Hamas is waging on again, off again war against israel. As long as thats the case israel is going to act like any other nation at war and No that doesn't include shipments of food to areas that are currently being used to bomb them.

Infact, It's a token of jewish civility and nobility that they are showing such care and consideration for the true victims of this sad state of affairs, the palestinian civilians. Countless nation state have treated countless enemy enclaves far worse, israel sends them food and fuel even when they are being bombed (Just less, or did you miss the big thing about israel letting in the un convoys recently).

I would be lieing if I said I wasn't astounded by the generosity and consideration of the jewish people at times.

[LeftishBrit]

28. No it isn't

but just because it's wrong on one side, doesn't make it OK on the other.

[Shaktimaan]

29. Well, that's democracy for you...

I realize you may not like it but in a democracy people elect a small group of people to run their government for them. Sometimes, as seen during the Bush administration's errors, those few people can end up causing widespread distress. However the world has little recourse but to engage with each nation according to the agenda set by their individual governments.

In a democracy the people themselves get to choose who will lead their government. To then turn around and ignore the fact that this "small number of adults" is the Gazan's chosen leadership is to undermine democracy. To ignore their actions under the assumption that we must save the Palestinians from their own government, imposing our own morality on the situation, is colonialism.

Democracy is a flawed system. But you are not criticizing Hamas or their decisions here. You are attacking the foundations of democracy itself because you don't like the result... ignoring and even undermining their elected government's official policies, even going so far as to delegitimize them as merely a "small number of adults." They are, in fact, Gaza's elected leaders.

The Palestinians chose Hamas. Hamas has chosen war. War has lead to food and fuel shortages. If the Palestinians don't want war then they can elect someone new. But they can't have their cake and eat it too, ie: have war without consequences. THAT would truly be brutal.

[azurnoir]

7. This is simply not Egypt's problem

Egypt is not blockading Gaza's harbor, Egypt is not blockading aid payed for by the UN. Albeit I do understand your apparent mind set of their all Arabs so what's the difference. As for the rockets those have become a propaganda gold mine for the Israeli government and military, who uses them to justify any and all actions against Gaza.
As for minimizing the evil of the rockets they too have been condenmed by both the UN and the international community at large

[Kurska]

9. "the rockets those have become a propaganda gold mine for the Israeli government and military"

Perhaps, because it shows that no matter what israel does. Withdraw, invade, give up, reinvade, occupy, dissengage, hamas only knows one reaction, Fire rockets at israel. The only way to effectively deal with hamas is to show there are consequences for their actions. The idea is that when they become a effective peaceful government, (Maybe even more concerned about their own citizens, then killing those of another nation) they will be treated like one. Untill then gaza is going to be treated like every other failed nationstate.

[azurnoir]

11. In invade withdraw cycle you describe you forget

the hundreds of dead civilians behind them each time they invade, as for the idea that Hamas can become a "peaceful government" ubder the circumstances is ludicrous, they were trying until a couple of weeks ago when IDF decided to end the truce.

[Kurska]

14. Two things

1. If israel is going to have to constantly re invade areas it withdraws from, why withdraw in the first place?
2. Hamas broke the truce by digging tunnels into israel, these tunnels have been used before and always for the kidnapping of israeli soldiers. Peaceful government don't dig tunnels into other nations and they most certainly don't try to rearm with the stated purpose of wiping another one out latter.

Hamas can not be a peaceful government untill they reconize israel, atleast The PA seems to have some sort of de facto reconigtion of israel, why can't hamas do the same?

[shira]

10. not egypt's problem ?

would you rather see the food trucks lined up at Israel's border - food rotting - not being eaten by starving Gazans......or would you rather it go through Egypt to save thousands/day?

Can you riddle us that one please?

I'd say it's YOUR prolem and MY problem if we don't put ANY pressure on Egypt....and definitely EGYPT's problem too if THEY don't respond and let people starve.

What do you say to that other than it's not Egypt's problem? Is THIS Egypt's problem?

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/10/2008106132845762868.html

And that was BEFORE this recent crisis.

Also, you'd have a point about rockets being a propaganda gold mine if Israel were to stop aid AFTER OR DURING a time of no rockets/belligernace from Hamas. Maybe you can point to a time Israel has witheld aid due to Hamas or the PLO behaving like decent people?

The UN and the international community at large focuses FAR, FAR MORE on Israel's actions than the rocket attacks, don't you agree? They focus very little on Hamas responsiblity and the Egypt option, don't they?

Don't respond if you're not going to answer my questions.

Answer my questions, and I'll answer yours. Very simple.

Deal?

Or are you going to play Hamas and I'll be Israel and I'll respond while you don't? I'll throw you a bone in response, you do nothing but attack and never answer me?

[azurnoir]

13. No it is not Egypts problem

why should they stick their necks out, they have done enough already and it has proven a thankless task, but do keep up the "quick look over" attempts at distraction.

[Kurska]

15. Why should israel stick out their necks to provide supplies to a nation state attacking it?

Because they are decent people and good human beings.

Atleast egypt isn't being bombed by the people it could supply.

[LeftishBrit]

30. Problem here is, however, that Gaza is NOT yet a nation-state.

As long as it's under Israel's jurisdiction, it is to that extent Israel's responsibility.

I do agree about Egypt not lifting a finger most of the time.

[Name removed]

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[azurnoir]

17. Because your questions are

an obvious diversion as I stated a "quick look over there" that simply doesn't work anymore. So you encourage smuggling as long as it clears Israel or thr smuggled goods are approved by you?
Egypt is wise to keep out of this, that is your answer just not the one you want, and as far as I am "getting my jollies" as you say bashing Israel that is hardly true, it makes mew sad, but do keep on with that line of reasoning please.

[shira]

18. you've made yourself very clear

You don't believe the situation in Gaza is Egypt's problem, as if sticking their necks out to help Palestinian civilians is too much to ask of Egypt (even though Hamas doesn't launch rockets at Egypt as they do Israel, so how is that sticking out their necks). You believe it is "wise" of Egypt (or any other country besides Israel for that matter) to withold aid from Palestinians - as if to use Palestinians as pawns (how noble of you). That Palestinians suffering more each day is perfectly okay with you, so long as other countries do nothing and expect Israel to ignore the rocket attacks and supply Gaza regardless (like with fuel and cement, not necessarily just food from the UN).

Got it.

And I "get" the fact that you've all but conceded Israel is the only country in recorded history expected to aid an enemy country currently at war with them by supplying more fuel, cement, etc.....which they have done.....and which rates Israel very favorably in relation to any other country in a similar situation.

But back to the Egyptian option.

Egypt is already turning a deliberately blind eye to smuggling via the tunnels. How else can you explain nearly 1000 tunnels going into Egypt from Gaza, with gas pipelines pumping fuel into Gaza? This is the worst kept secret in that region. Egypt is clearly working with Hamas already (which taxes all goods coming through the tunnels).

So why not have Egypt allow aid in? They're already neck deep in all this - supplying Gaza with so many weapons and arms that Hamas doesn't even request weapons anymore via the tunnels. Egypt already has a record of not allowing aid in, even BEFORE this crisis just a month ago:

EGYPT BLOCKS AID CONVOY
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/10/2008106132845762868.html

Where's the outrage at Egypt not allowing medical aid in through Rafah? Oh yeah...no outrage, it's expected....and they're not Israel. It's AOK for other arabs to screw Palestinians, right? Talk about the racism of low expectations.

And what of Hamas' responsibility? I've asked you this at least 5 times. How responsible are they for Gazans welfare? AT LEAST as responsible as Israel, in your opinion? Moreso, less? Do tell.

The bottom line is that Hamas has options. Stop missiles, get aid. Use tunnels for food, get aid. THEY are responsible for the people of Gaza. THEIR decisions can make or break Palestinian civilians. Can you admit to this or not?

[azurnoir]

19. Your post falls flat

Egypt opened the Rafah crossing on November for medical cases

http://en.rian.ru/world/20080511/107079900.html

http://news.egypt.com/en/200811044720/news/-egypt-news/egypt-opens-rafah-crossing-for-palestinians

And Hamas was trying to police Gaza until Israel decided also on November 4 to attack because of a tunnel, you know the kind your encouraging be used for smuggling.

[shira]

21. As you cite, Egypt is already involved heavily...

...so why is it wise for Egypt not to stay involved and allow UN convoys with food to pass through into Gaza? They already supply Gaza through hundreds of tunnels. Why are you for Egypt not getting involved any further than they already are, as if they aren't neck deep in supplying Gaza with arms, goods, etc.? Why are you against Egypt allowing UN food trucks in?

[azurnoir]

22. The Egyptian government is supplying

Hamas with arms? I thought that was Iran or are they Egypt and Iran in cahoots?
Egypts allowing medical cases in to Rafah is a bit different than foiling Israels plan to bring Hamas to it's knees by forceing hunger the people of Gaza.
Hamas also does not own the tunnels the clans do, and I am sure they do not work for free. Went round a few days ago with someone on that.
I am not for or against Egypt allowing in food it would seem that Egypt is against the idea though and they are a neutral party in this even if they're Arabs and share a border. Unless this has suddenly become the Egypt/Gaza conflict.

[LeftishBrit]

23. How about blaming both Israel and Egypt for not sticking their necks out

as well as Hamas for their treatment of their own people?

Israel owes something to Gaza as long as Gaza is still under Israeli jurisdiction. Once Gaza is part of an independent Palestinian state, Israel won't owe them anything, but that's not the case yet. Countries often have problems with terrorism emanating from groups in a part of their country (we did with groups in Northern Ireland for many years) or under their jurisdiction, but they cannot abandon responsibility unless the state or region becomes independent.

Egypt are using the Palestinians as an argument against Israel, so they should put up or shut up IMO. If they want to be isolationist about it, that's up to them; but then their complaints about Israel become a bit hollow.

[shira]

25. good points......

remember though, the golden rule is that Israel is to take the lion's share of the blame no matter what....because they're the most evil of the whole bunch.

Now for some good news....

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&langpair=ar%7Cen&u=http://www.paltoday.com/arabic/News-28180.html&tbb=1

Hmmm, some way, some how the Saudis are sending food to the Palestinians, maybe through egypt? Remember, Egypt is "wise" to do nothing. Why "stick their necks out" despite having their strong opinions on the matter?

Also, there's this:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&langpair=ar%7Cen&u=http://www.paltoday.com/arabic/News-28177.html&tbb=1

More gas being pumped into Gaza through tunnels.

Seems there ARE other options in busting this blockade/siege....gee, who knew?

ps
If Saudis can send food through and Egypt can send medical supplies in, who needs the Free Gaza folks? This news should be making headlines.....it's far more than the Free Gaza movement has accomplished in "breaking the siege". But why steal the FGM's thunder and make it appear as though the "siege" is already being busted? Some people need their narratives I guess.

[pelsar]

34. most revealing ...better to let the Palestinians suffer....

This is simply not Egypt's problem

Most people who claim that they are concerned with the welfare of those who have less food etc, wouldnt be concerned with the politics of any given region. I assume that they would be concerned with finding the best way of getting the supplies in...

but your statement is most revealing...your saying that whether or not Egypt can help is not relevant....its far better for the gazans to go hungry and to put the pressure on israel then even explore the Egyptian option.

Face it, your view is like so many others....just using the Palestinians to pressure israel for some political viewpoint....using them as pawns

[oberliner]

20. What does "worldwide Jewry" have to do with the actions of the Israeli government?

What do Jewish people living in different countries around the world have to do with the policies of the Israeli government?

Can you clarify what you meant by that remark about "worldwide Jewry" being proud?

[LeftishBrit]

24. When did 'worldwide Jewry' get to vote for the Israeli government?

I think that the Israeli occupation is wrong and will HAVE to end. But the government was not elected by anyone outside Israel!

[shira]

26. oh the irony

if one of us asked whether worldwide Islam was proud of the way Palestinian leadership has handled business, or how the rest of the arab world has neglected Palestinians, I'd bet on the post being deleted in short order.

[LeftishBrit]

27. I disagree on the latter one

People (including myself) have often criticized the Arab states for neglecting/ discriminating against Palestinians, and have not been deleted.

Blaming Muslims as a whole for the failings of Hamas, or of any other Muslim government would be totally unfair. People are only responsible in any way for a government's actions if they voted for it IMO; even then, governments have a way of ignoring their citizens!

ETA: associating the Muslim world as a whole with 9-11 is what made this evil immoral war in Iraq possible in the first place! A lesson to be very careful about ANY sort of guilt by association (including the Israeli government with Jews of other countries).

[shira]

33. the arab world does neglect Palestinians...

...hence my point, is the Muslim world proud of that (most Muslims are not arabs). And your example was better with 911 and Muslims being "proud" of that one too.

[cali]

32. Worldwide Jewry should be proud?

That's no better than saying worldwide Islam should be proud of the London Subway bombings.

Just sad to see so much hate.

[Name removed]

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