The real humanitarian disaster
Yet another amazing piece by Gideon Levy of Haaretz:
"The real humanitarian disaster in the territories began a long time ago, and it is not hunger...the thought that if they only have enough food, their needs will be satisfied and our conscience can be clear, is outrageous," writes Levy, explaining in his latest column that it is not simply about the hunger-and the fact that aid agencies have had to exaggerate how bad the situation is just shows how..well, bad it is.
Some excerpts:
"The world and people of conscience in Israel do not need to wait for the first Palestinian child to die of hunger to raise the hue and cry.
But those who regard the Palestinians as only requiring basic food should remember that even in the zoos, where the animals presumably don't lack for a thing, people are often shocked by the conditions of their imprisonment. "
posted by Laila @ Sunday, April 09, 2006
15 Comments:
It's a disaster you brought on yourselves. "Never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity".
Levy is stunning!!
"Israeli people never let their extremists to get into power"
I guess it depends on how you define "extremist."
I definitely sympathize with any civilian caught in the middle of a war zone with her child. Isn't this a parent's worst fear? We must separate the people from their leadership in these circumstances and be humane. This is why I follow this blog.
One of my chief question in dealing with the Palestinian situation is can the Palestinian leadership really control its people? I lived in Northern Ireland. The IRA (PIRA really) are in near total control of the Nationalist population. In the past, no riot or major political activity happened without their authorization. This kind of authority held by a terrorist organization may be frightening but the British also knew that the IRA could deliver the peace. With the Palestinians, you never get a feeling that anyone is really in control. If the Israelis were ready for peace again who on the Palestinian side would enforce the T&Cs? No doubt that the Israelis make this harder, but who helped the IRA? They were able to establish control, negotiate a difficult treaty, enter into the political system in 2 countries and keep the hardliners down. Will Hamas provide this type of leadership? We will see.
Johnie,
Good point, well made and yet... Not right.
A large number of people who died in the Holocaust believed that they should take whatever comes without resistance. After all its all Gods will. Of cause they did not deserve what came their way and yet... they were partly responsible.
Or take Hiroshima. Terrible way to be killed for many innocent civilians. Yet where they really innocent? They did allow the Fascist Government to come to power.
I lived in the Soviet Union myself. Would have considered it fair if we were attacked or blockaded for the agressive behaviour shown by our country. We allowed Communists to come to power and to stay there.
Israel has to defend herself and should never take missiles silently. That is the lesson the history taught us over 2 millenia. Palestinians cannot lob missiles into Israel every day and play football as if nothing were happening.
The IRA was forced to negotiate because its "war" had failed. The IRA was almost (South Armagh largely excepted) completely penetrated by British intelligence.
Even then a number of hardline units and invididuals had to be killed - Loughgall for instance.
Military pressure can work. From today's Haaretz:
Palestinian sources said that Islamic Jihad had agreed to suspend its Qassam attacks. Jihad's undertaking came during a meeting between Palestinian Interior Minister Sayed Sayam of Hamas and Khaled Batash, a senior Islamic Jihad official in Gaza, who spoke after the government was sworn in 10 days ago. The commitment came as a result of pressure exerted by Hamas leaders.
Islamic Jihad's military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, distributed flyers in Gaza Sunday saying that it was halting rocket fire for a week in a bid to get Israel to stop shelling the Strip. The suspension was described as "an attempt to bring about an end to the ongoing shelling of the Gaza Strip. The fire will be renewed if the shelling does not stop."
Laila,
The same Levy brought up and admitted in his piece in counterpunch in 2004 that he is living in a sick and inhuman society ( referring to israel)...I guess that is his excuse to write now in a sick and inhuman way about women and children in gaza comparing them with animals in a zoo...I see that the nastyness of zionists become more visible but why should palestinians pay for zionists own sickness and inhumanity...
In the last israeli elections massmedia in the world broadcast the poverty and soup-kitchens in israel...why?...I haven't heard a palestinian smearing that that wasn't true...!
Smearing..., leave it to zionists and watch their selfhate and selfdestruction...
Keep going on with the good work for the palestinians!
http://www.counterpunch.org/levy09302004.html
When You Have Breast Cancer in Gaza
"No danger of a suicide terrorist can justify such behavior. It is possible to protect ourselves against female terrorists without losing our humanity. F.'s story is not exceptional, even if part of it is particularly shocking; there are hundreds of Palestinian patients in a similar condition and every injustice always has a security excuse. There is terror, everyone is only carrying out orders and they are going by the book. But a book that prevents medical treatment to dying patients, hassles them and humiliates them, is a wicked book, and a society in which only the metal detector speaks is a sick society."
Gideon Levy writes for Ha'aretz, where this essay originally appeared.
This pattern of thinking is typical of Palestinians. You see, victimhood is a serious business. One has to keep his victimhood tight. Victimhood is very valuable product. Othervice you have to take responsibility for your existence. You need to work, earn a living, compromise.
You see, it's easy to be a victim. Blow up the Karmi passage and than you complain why Israelis don't let you in. Shell Sderot with Kassams, than complain Israel responds with bombing. You see, , they elected their government democratically, so they have a right to terrorize. Why not? They are freedom fighters! Why Europe doesn't send money? Outrageous! They better send some money; otherwise they will hijack planes and blow buses. They have the right. It is written in their book. Their prophet told them. They can kill and trash, because a cartoon. They want to return all refugees to Israel. So why they can not teach them hate of the Jews? Their book tells them Jews are sons of pigs and monkeys. They are NOT responsible. It’s their book. You now, the religion of love, tolerance and universal peace. Even Bush red the Quaran and after many sleepless nights came to this conclusion. You see, they are HU-MI-LI-A-TED. Their culture is sensitive.. They are insulted. Poor babies. Grow up, Palestinians. If you want to have a state, take responsibility.
Looks like Solana is getting serious about Middle East...
"We have to begin thinking about that possibility," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told reporters outside an EU foreign ministers meeting.
The ministers debated if the EU should get tougher with Iran over its nuclear plan, which the West fears is geared toward building nuclear weapons.
Solana ruled out, however, that EU would back any military action.
"Any military action is definitely out of the question for us," he said.
Solana said that the EU would await Iran's response to a U.N. Security Council call for a halt to uranium enrichment before considering any actions. Iran has so far rejected international demands for clarity over its nuclear intentions.
"Iran has to respond to the Security Council. We have to be prepared in case they fail," Solana said."
I wonder if Iran can afford to pay palestinians 1 billion dollars.
Looks like they have thir own problems..
Looks like they compete with Americans for a position of bad cop.
"victimhood is a serious business. One has to keep his victimhood tight."
That's true - look at the jewish victimhood!
From the Associated Press:
Aid to the Palestinians;
(Does not include anything received from Russia or China)
(Without reference to how much Israel receives....just wondering where it all given to Palestinians goes and who holds those responsible for use of the money accountable)
UNITED STATES: $150 million goes to construction, training government officials and other projects, plus $84 million in humanitarian assistance paid through the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION: $148 million, including $21.6 million in direct aid to the caretaker Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. It gave $345 million in 2005.
GERMANY: $76 million, plus $56.6 million given through non-governmental organizations and U.N. agencies.
FRANCE: $73.9 million, including $30.8 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, $6.2 million to the
World Bank, $6.2 million to U.N. agencies.
BRITAIN: $61.6 million, half of which goes to U.N. agencies.
NETHERLANDS: $40.6 million, with $6.2 million of it going to the Palestinian government, and the rest given to U.N. agencies and aid groups.
SWEDEN: $30.3 million to U.N. agencies, plus $35.7 million given though NGOs.
ITALY: $27 million
BELGIUM: $13 million.
DENMARK: $4.1 million.
FINLAND: $7.4 million — half to Palestinian Authority projects, the rest to U.N. agencies.
GREECE: $6.8 million, though aid groups.
IRELAND: $4.9 million in aid, of which $923,400 in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, the rest via aid groups, U.N. agencies.
LUXEMBOURG: $3.7 million, through aid groups.
SPAIN: $2.5 million, to World Bank trust fund for the Palestinian Authority.
LATVIA, LITHUANIA, HUNGARY, ESTONIA, and CYPRUS: Combined total of about $876,000.
Sorry, I forgot to give the site...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060407/ap_on_re_mi_ea/palestinians_aid
Anonymous 5:59
I can't beleive someone said this!
"Othervice you have to take responsibility for your existence. You need to work, earn a living, compromise.
You see, it's easy to be a victim."
Work... Products in and out of Palestinian areas are controlled exclusively by Israel.. Close the borders and no product to buy or sell... stores are supposed to work under these conditions.. Factories, Farms? Where are these people supposed to make a living? Sell household items to their neighbours and then buy them back the next day maybe? If the internal job market is destroyed by not being able to import or export then where should people work? Egypt? Israel? Well noone is able to commute into Egypt with any degree of certainty and I don't think I have to discuss Israel.. West bank residents can't work in Gaza or vis-versa!
It just boggles the mind that people who wouldn't survive a day in the shoes of an ordinary palestinian manage to shoot off their mouth and criticize... Thank god there are some Jews and Israelis who CAN see the truth that dehumanizing ANYONE is dangerous and can easily bite back... I feel truly sorry for the Israelis who think they can play god because truly! What goes around comes around and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when the cycle changes and it comes back around at them!!!!
the real humanitarian disaster started when Arabs did not accept Israel and did not accept responsibility for the relentless violence perpetrated against israelis since 1948.........what are you going to do about it? Now Al Qaeda is also involved. Al-Qaeda is a demented-out-of-control-big disaster for the Palestinian people. TALK PEACE NOT WAR. FIND CORAGEOUS LEADERSHIP THAT WILL ACCEPT PEACE.
Hey we don't need this aid from those infadels. They drow and now gonna pay? No we don't need this shame! We in pakestan hate the West for Hippocracy!
NETHERLANDS: $40.6 million, with $6.2 million of it going to the Palestinian government, and the rest given to U.N. agencies and aid groups.
We muslims don't h\need yout charrity!
We beleev in Allah!
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