Korban Umat Islam Palestin meningkat ke 360 orang...
Keganasan Israel yang terburuk sejak 1948..
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Tarikh: Rabu 31 Disember 2008
Masa: Mulai Solat Isha'
Tempat: Masjid Tan Sri Ainudin Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor.
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Don’t fall for Israeli propaganda
Linda Heard I sierra1...@yahoo. co.uk
ONCE again Israel seeks to defend the indefensible in an attempt to cloak its
crimes against humanity with the mantle of self-defense. As its
American-manufactur ed bombs and missiles pound a virtually unarmed starving
population, Israeli officials appear on just about every satellite news network
singing from the same propagandist song sheet.
It’s all the fault of the terror organization Hamas which refused to renew the
cease-fire, “ ‘We have a duty to protect our citizens in the south from rockets
and mortars”. I’ve heard several saying “When we pulled out of Gaza we hoped
Palestinians would forge a functioning territory but instead they chose
terror”. In answer to questions concerning so many civilian deaths, they all
insist that Israel is carrying out surgical strikes against “terror
infrastructure” or they will excuse Israel’s bombardment of homes with
“civilians are hiding launchers in their houses”.
Israel’s former ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman seemed
nonplussed when one interviewer asked him whether the seven dead UNWRA student
employees were launching missiles too.
Predictably, these merchants of untruths are given free rein to spin on most
Western networks and disproportionate airtime as opposed to pro-Palestinian
commentators.
Let’s dissect these fabricated Israeli arguments.
First, whatever one thinks of Hamas and it ideology, it was elected to office
in free and internationally- monitored elections that were forced upon the
Palestinian people by Washington as part of the Bush administration’s quest to
democratize the Middle East.
Then, after congratulating the Palestinians on their new democracy, the US-led
international community promptly condemned the new leadership as terrorist and
threw its support behind Fatah, which was “ordered” to turn against Hamas. This
divisive strategy worked to the extent Hamas was driven to Gaza where it has
since struggled against all odds to provide its citizens with the barest
minimum required to sustain life.
Those representatives of Israel who say since their country’s pullout there was
no obstacle to Gaza becoming a flourishing enclave are disingenuous when Gaza’s
borders are sealed and the people have no control over their coastline or
airspace.
Even when the Fatah-controlled Palestinian National Authority managed Gaza,
Israel did everything it could to destroy infrastructure including a $75
million airport built with donations from the EU, Japan and Morocco. And during
this recent round of attacks, ministries, government buildings, police stations
and a police academy were bombed which does not support Israel’s supposed wish
to see a functioning Gaza.
While it is true that Hamas refused to extend the cease-fire, what incentive
does it have to do so while Israel is waging a war of attrition on the people
in its care? It seems residents of Gaza must choose to die slowly from
starvation and lack of medicines or at the hands of the Israeli war machine.
Secondly, Israel is, indeed, duty-bound to protect its citizens but just look
at the numbers. Very few crude home-made rockets have resulted in casualties. I
believe only one Israeli has died during this current onslaught that has robbed
the lives of over 320 Palestinians and wounded up to 1,000; not including those
still buried beneath rubble. Once more, Israel’s response has been
disproportionate just as it was in 2006 when it slaughtered 1,200 Lebanese
civilians in answer to Hezbollah’s kidnapping of IDF soldiers.
Third, when it comes to Gaza, said to be one of the most densely-populated
areas of the world, there is no such thing as a surgical strike. Moreover, over
half of Gaza’s population are children under 18. Even the smartest smart bombs
could not cherry-pick between resistance fighters and innocents in such a
packed environment. The Israeli government knows this and doesn’t care a jot,
which translates to willful collective punishment, illegal under the Fourth
Geneva Convention.
But like its Washington master (or is it the other way around?) Israel is not
constrained by international law or the Geneva Conventions that also require an
occupying nation to provide for the well being of people under its occupation
and to respect their dignity. As the willful killing continues, Israel merrily
ignores pleas from France, Russia, the UN, the EU and Britain to end the
violence. Why should it do otherwise when it has proved time and time again
that it is a law unto itself and immune from international punishment?
Unsurprisingly, the only message from the US to Israel is “try to avoid
civilian casualties”, which is nothing more than lip service to international
humanitarian sensitivities. In effect, the Bush administration has blessed
this, by many accounts, long planned operation, cynically timed to begin during
a political vacuum in Washington and close to upcoming elections when
candidates need to prove they’re tough to win votes. Tragically, there may be
much worse to come. Israeli government officials including Defense Minister
Ehud Barak has warned the offensive could be widened as tanks line up on the
border with Gaza and 6,500 IDF reservists are on standby.
Tomorrow, the Arab League is holding an emergency summit of foreign ministers
to discuss the crisis. If only they will decide to do more than issue a joint
statement of condemnation this time. Together they have so much clout. Now is
the time for all Arab countries to gather together as one nation to say “enough
is enough” before the streets of Gaza run with the blood of their desperate
brothers and sisters. As the West closes its eyes and ears to Palestinian cries
for help Arab leaders should heed the outraged voices on their own streets and
act. Finally, the governments of Egypt and Jordan should do some
soul-searching. Should they continue with peace agreements made in all good
faith with a selfish, cruel state bent on destroying a people for its own ends?
