January 06, 2009
Understanding Gaza
Tony Karon in Rootless Cosmopolitan:
It’s fear of another Holocaust that has driven Israel to bomb the crap out of the Palestinians in Gaza — at least, that’s if you believe what you read on the New York Times op ed page. (Never a good idea, of course, because as I’ve previously noted, when it comes to Israel and related fear-mongering, there simply is no hysteria deemed unworthy of the Times op ed page.)
Morris, a manic fellow at the best of times prone to intellectual mood swings — having laid bare the ethnic cleansing that created modern Israel, Morris then didn’t as much recant as complain that the problem was that Ben Gurion hadn’t finished the job. And since the 2000 debacle at Camp David, of course, he’s been a de facto editorial writer for Ehud Barak, the failed former Prime Minister nicknamed “Mr. Zig-Zag” while in office because of his inconsistency — and who, of course, is the author of the current operation in Gaza.
Barak, never shy about spewing utter rubbish when his audience is American and prone to be taken in by demagoguery, last weekend offered the priceless suggestion to Fox News that “expecting Israel to have a cease-fire with Hamas is like expecting you to have a cease-fire with al-Qaeda.” Presumably it would not occur to Fox’s anchors to ask why, then, had Barak maintained just such a cease-fire for the past six months? And why had he been seeking its renewal?
More here.
Posted by Abbas Raza at 08:51 AM | Permalink
Comments
This is certainly a very sad and tragic development, but wasn't this blog about science, literature, and culture? Every second post is now about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is quite boring and maybe a bit onesided - the Palestinian view only - don't you think?
Posted by: jfromm | Jan 6, 2009 4:22:38 PM
Dear jfromm,
The editors of 3QD post about whatever they find most interesting at any given time. At certain times our coverage is weighted in one direction because of significant current events. For example, in the weeks leading up to the US elections, we were not immune to the excitement and our coverage of politics was much greater than usual. (And it was not balanced: we unabashedly supported Barack Obama.) Or take the day Kurt Vonegut died: I believe we had six or eight posts about him that day alone.
In the last 10 days or so, I have felt that there is a moral urgency in keeping people informed about the Israeli assault on Gaza and the price being exacted on its civilian population, so I have used my posts for that purpose. Yes, my coverage is one-sided because the situation is one-sided. After illegally occupying it for decades, Israel has made Gaza into a virtual prison, not even allowing food and medicines to pass unimpeded into the territory during the truce with Hamas. And now this brutal assault on Gaza is taking the lives of hundreds of innocents. When the situation becomes more balanced, so will my coverage of it. Meanwhile, you have plenty of choices for "balanced" coverage in the cowardly mainstream media who every day present this horrific slaughter as justified.
Note to readers: I will not be entering debates on the contents of what I post. Not because I cannot, but because I do not have the time for it. As it is, 3QD takes up a significant chunk of my day.
Posted by: Abbas Raza | Jan 6, 2009 5:19:24 PM
A different point of view:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3651783,00.html
"Report: Hamas stealing aid supplies to sell to residents
Grim picture of Gazans' lives painted by reports emerging from Strip, claiming gunmen hiding in civilian homes, using residents as human shields, and hijacking trucks of humanitarian aid
A government or a gang? As the Israeli operation in Gaza wears on it appears Hamas has relinquished any visage of a socio-political party, abandoning its claim to govern the residents of Gaza in favor of engaging in open war at their expense.
While UN spokesman reports at least 30 casualties from attack near UNRWA school in Jabalya, army claims strike targeted terrorists firing mortar shells from structure moments earlier
Full Story
A number of reports from the Strip paint a picture of very difficult humanitarian conditions, not least because of Hamas itself. The suspicion is that the group's operatives have seized control of any supplies passing through the crossings – including those sent by Israel and international organizations.
Reports say Hamas takes a cut out of all aid that arrives, including flour and medicine. Supplies intended to be distributed without gain among the population is seized by the group and sold to the residents, at a profit to the Hamas government.
One such incident was recorded Monday, when a convoy of trucks carrying supplies through the Kerem Shalom crossing was opened fire upon and seized by Hamas gunmen. Similar incidents occurred with trucks carrying fuel.
In other cases, civilians are simply used as cannon fodder or human shields. Reports out of Gaza say residents who attempted to flee their homes in the northern area of the Strip were forced to go back at gunpoint, by Hamas men.
The organization is presumably interested in increasing civilian casualties in order to give rise to international pressure against Israel. Arab media reported that in an IDF strike on a UN school 30 civilians were killed, but there is no legitimate way to prove gunmen were among those killed as Hamas tends to bury these bodies quickly, thus eliminating evidence in Israel's favor.
Other civilian complaints state that Hamas gunmen pull children along with them "by the ears" from place to place, fearing that if they don't have a child with them they will be fair game to the IDF. Others hide in civilian homes and stairwells, UNRWA ambulances, and mosques.
In other reported cases Hamas gunmen hold civilians hostage in alleyways in order to provide themselves with a living barricade to ward off IDF forces. Reports somewhat more difficult to verify say the group's men shot Fatah operatives in the feet to make sure the latter would not attempt a coup.
These reports lead to the assumption that Hamas is attempting to exacerbate the atmosphere of a humanitarian crisis in the Strip, as this may promote an international ceasefire initiative. In any case the reports clearly show that the residents of Gaza have fallen prey to Hamas as well as the IDF.
Reports of alarming shortages are also forthcoming, as residents appear to lack water, flour, electricity, and any sign of a capable government. Chaos reigns as no one appears to know when electricity will be available, how to obtain water or food, or whom to address in order to evacuate the injured.
The "emergency numbers" given to residents have ceased to function, and citizens in need of assistance have only international organizations, the Red Crescent, and the hospitals themselves to turn to.
The Hamas leaders, aside from two addresses, have not been heard from. Their speeches were broadcast a number of times, but in any case many in the Strip can no longer access televisions, radios, or internet without electricity.
Despite this, no authoritative anti-Hamas sentiments have been heard from the Gazans. However Palestinian sources claim that grievances against the group are voiced in secret. The animosity towards Israel has not disappeared, say the sources, but it is now accompanied by bitterness towards the organization many are dubbing Iranian in its extremism."
Posted by: J.D. Foley | Jan 7, 2009 5:04:57 PM
Dear J.D. Foley,
You have to admit that it comes across as slightly odd that in one post you're cheering on the wanton bombing of civilians from sea, air and land, while in the other post you are throwing hissy fits over nonsensical propaganda claiming you're worried about these very same civilians being exploited by the people they elected.
This story is as dishonest as your pathetic and racist "concern" for these civilians--a concern that drives you to spend your miserable life defending the right of criminal generals to sit in offices and order the starvation of civilians and their bombing from the sky.
And yet you have no shame in presenting these utter lies under the cloak of caring about these civilians.
Convicted war criminals would blush at your racist hypocrisy.
You ought to get a job with the NYTimes.
Posted by: saifedean | Jan 8, 2009 2:49:21 AM
Abbas,
It's a principled position and the right position. Good for you for sticking to your guns (metaphorically of course) on this.
Let me make a request for you when or if you get the time. What exactly is going on in the Pakistani government? The Indian and Pakistani press seem to be falling into the usual modes - what is really going on behind the scenes? Do you have any contacts who would know?
Posted by: Hektor Bim | Jan 8, 2009 1:47:51 PM
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