We are on the verge of a man-made famine in Gaza.
Will, Iron Sheik, in an email to Open Source, 6/20/06.
Ever since a Palestinian majority voted Hamas into parliament, western aid money has dried up. Four months later, the situation is getting desperate. Money is working its way in slowly, stuffed in suitcases and funneled through back channels. The EU has been pitching a $125 million aid plan that would sidestep Hamas entirely. But is aid the answer?
We’ve been emailing back and forth with Palestinian bloggers.
The situation is actually very dire; I know of many families that resorted to selling their women’s jewelry to bring home the bread. For a while, many storeowners lent people groceries on their credit line, but there seems to be no end in sight, while on the other hand, stores have mostly run out of supplies, and the boycott prevents food and medical supplies going in….
The solution is not handing out stipends, nor is it to find a mechanism to bypass Hamas. Hamas won the election on a platform of reform and fighting corruption. I, and most Palestinians, trust that money through Hamas is far more likely to be delivered to its rightful destination than through Abbass’ crew or the former Palestinian government…
The boycott imposed on the Palestinian people by the US, Israel, and EU, is not to merely prevent money from flowing “into the wrong hands,??? rather, it is meant to place a stranglehold on the people, so that when they are starved and desperate they would do away with the government the elected. It is a collective punishment for the democratic decision.
Fayyad Sbaihat, Kabobfest, in an email to Open Source, 6/20/06.
Personally, I only want western aid to be there for humanitarian purposes. At the same time, depending on aid extends dependence on the same western countries that let the root of the problem — Israel’s policies — continue. Politics, as usual, only has a screwy outcome. The US dishes aid to the Palestinians to soften the blow of an Israeli occupation it also helps fund….
I can imagine the situation where aid and political machinations lead to the exclusion of Hamas (which has the legislative branch and much of the cabinet), but the propping up of the President as a strong puppet-dictator who buys loyalty with aid. In other words, aid games and aid itself can only lead to undemocratic outcomes.
Will, Iron Sheik, in an email to Open Source, 6/20/06.
The Witchhunt of the 2000s.
A Marlborough MA City Councilor recently introduced an ordinance barring Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders from living within 2500 feet of a public or private school,bus stop or playground. If approved those who reside in the city will be given 30 days to move. This is supposedly a preventive offensive tactic.
Apparently this type of ordinance has been sucessful in other states.
While I do not feel that their crimes are insignificant, why ban just this group?
Why not ex-convicts who are violent in any way? It feels like a witch hunt.
The justice department has released these people and they have fulfilled their obligation to the public. If they are registered with the city then they are following the rules. The media generally publicizes the most sensational cases and the public is stirred into a frenzy.
I regularly read the local news and police log and see many domestic abuse, drug violations and driving under the influence offenses but have not seen a sex offense listed.
It is time for a closer more thoughtful look at the idea of restricting residence.
Where will it go from here?
On the aid to Palestine…
What I would like to ask or I am wondering, when if ever will they be self sufficient? I find the act of stopping aid merely because we do not like the outcome of the election deplorable – it is very undemocratic – and actually teaches the world that we are not a nation of democracy but a nation of bullies. However, putting that aside. How long is the world to go on funding Palestine? When will they ever be self sufficient and doesn’t this point out the danger of allowing a nation (or in this case a people since we do not recognize them as an independent nation) to rely solely on donations and handouts for it’s existence? It seems also rather ironic that so many hate America for their support of Israel – yet they still have their hand out waiting for their dole. Granted it is a pittance of what is given to Israel, but that is not the point. It the simplest terms – it can be annoying to hear the blame placed every where but without failure to acknowledge their own responsibility for what is happening. I worked in development and I learned that those that make big donations often have the oddest request or demands on their money – and since it is their money and we wanted it, we had to abide by their wishes. It is no different for Palestine. Like it or not, the Bush Theocracy has decided it will not give funds as long as Hammas is in power – it is their choice at the time. What can Palestine do to become self sufficient, and not rely on hand outs? Sadly I think that Bush only wins because it seems that Palestinians are now fighting amongst themselves – and Bushites can say “See, see… see what heathens they are” – It is unfortunate that the Palestinians do not have a leader like Gandhi. He was a great social leader that taught the importance of self sufficiency while fighting for freedom from the Imperialist.
Melinda
Yes, if only there where more Gandhi leaders. When it comes to the question of why Palistinians are not self sufficiant I think you need to remember that they are living under a very harshly controlled occupation. Just recently I heard about tons of Palestinian food rotting because the Isrealis blocked the roadways the Palestinians use to take their crops to market. People are unable to get to their jobs or even the hospital for that matter due to Isreali blockades. These sort of situations make self sufficiancy extreamly difficult.
From the Israeli point of view:
The roads are blocked for security reasons, to prevent terrorists from getting through to Israel. The jobs that they are unable to get to are in Israel as are the markets. Israel is not obliged to give employment to Palestinians during this conflict however enlightened it might be at the expense of it’s security.
The controls are not for the sake of controlling. Incredible amounts of weapons and ammunition have been coming through Gaza since the disengagement such that now Israelis are starting to turn against the plan to leave more of the West Bank because they do not want to be closer to rocket fire as Sderot has been (in the Negev near Gaza). More than 500 Qassams have been fired at Sderot since the disengagement.
Thus Bradley Burston, editor of Haaretz writes that the Gaza pullout, is saving the settlement movement. Why? Because as soon as Israel pulled out the Palestinian rocket launch sites were installed in Gaza.
There is a sense in Israel that Palestinians are unwilling to curb attacks on Israel.So why bring them closer?
Palestinian Foreign Minister Al-Zahar made a “diplomatic swing” through the far east returning with 20$million in cash. Arms smuggling onto the Gaza strip has aceelerated on an “unprecedented scale”.
Then there is no unitary control but rather civil war happening. An elected Hamas government refuses to recognize Israel, renounce violence and take control of the militant groups especially Islamic Jihad ( supported by Iran).
So even Israeli’s of the most peace-loving stripe are dismayed. Many had hoped that the Paestinians would use this opportunity to get their act together in Gaza and thus give israel no further excuses to delay peace agreements and a more complete withdrawal from the rest of the terrorities. This cannot happen without some trust that Palestinians want to concentrate on governance and rebuilding. The world has been ready to help them but cannot until Hamas conforms. Goodness knows Palestinians have been the recipients of enormous aid over the years that has been lost to the people through corrupt leadership. Suha Arafat alone sits in Paris on a pile and Fatah leaders live in high style.
“Yes, if only there where more Gandhi leaders. When it comes to the question of why Palistinians are not self sufficiant I think you need to remember that they are living under a very harshly controlled occupation. Just recently I heard about tons of Palestinian food rotting because the Isrealis blocked the roadways the Palestinians use to take their crops to market. People are unable to get to their jobs or even the hospital for that matter due to Isreali blockades. These sort of situations make self sufficiancy extreamly difficult.”
This is nonsense.
Where did you hear this story? What is your proof that Israel is responsible for the Palestinian plight?
FYI which I am sure you don’t want to hear, when Israel withdrew from Gaza they left there dozens of green houses for them to use. These were destroyed by the Palestinian Arabs themselves.
No one is forcing them to shoot rockets into Israel from Gaza. They wanted the Israelis out, they are out and now they are using the Gaza strip to mounts assaults on Israel rather than for economic development.
The Palestinian Arab are adept at blaming the Jews for all their problems most of their problems most of which are self inflicted wounds.
From the sfgate:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/09/13/international/i112837D35.DTL
“Palestinians Loot Gaza Strip Greenhouses
By LARA SUKHTIAN, Associated Press Writers
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Printable Version
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(09-13) 13:09 PDT NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip (AP) –
Palestinians looted dozens of greenhouses on Tuesday, walking off with irrigation hoses, water pumps and plastic sheeting in a blow to fledgling efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip.
American Jewish donors had bought more than 3,000 greenhouses from Israeli settlers in Gaza for $14 million last month and transferred them to the Palestinian Authority. Former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, who brokered the deal, put up $500,000 of his own cash.
Palestinian police stood by helplessly Tuesday as looters carted off materials from greenhouses in several settlements, and commanders complained they did not have enough manpower to protect the prized assets. In some instances, there was no security and in others, police even joined the looters, witnesses said….”
Tell me again whose fault it is?
As usual Potter that was very well said. I would point out that for nearly a year now the Palestinians living in Gaza have not been living under an Israeli occupation. True, the borders of the Gaza strip have been controlled by Israel, but within the strip itself there has been almost complete Palestinian control. The result, however, has been an escalation of violence on the part of the Palestinians rather than a retreat from it. Indeed, in the past year the rocket fire emanating from Gaza has been virtually ceaseless. And, let me point out, the Israeli response has been unbelievably restrained. They have confined themselves to targeted airstrikes against the rocket launch sites, a tactic meant to keep Israel from having to reoccupy Gaza which has in fact proven to be useless in terms of putting an end to the Palestinian attacks. Can anyone even imagine what an American response to similar attacks would be. If another country started firing rockets on American suburbs I can assure you that the American military response would not be as restrained as Israel’s has been. Remember that at the beginning of the latest Iraq war the American military did not blink an eye when it leveled nearly an entire neighborhood because they thought they had located Saddam there. I am not saying that this is the kind of moral standard that militaries should employ, only that I find the painting of Israel to be exceptionally immoral in its military policies to be incredibly hypocritical when Israel is in fact more moral in its conduct than any other country ever has or would be if facing the same sort of situation that Israel finds itself in.
Hello Dayan…thank you. I am a bit worried though that the responses are emotional and over the top on both sides and not in the interest of either. If the goal is to get the Palestinian people to get their leaders to accept Israel and renounce violence so as to get to an agreement, this may be working in reverse.
Or maybe it will brings things to a head and thus closer. Not without more (needless) loss of life I fear.
Neither side is ever going to teach the other a lesson, that we know, but they each keep trying. Thus Olmert now is beginning to look like Sharon to some.
The “Prisoner’s Document’ agreed to by Hamas and Abbas & co. may not be all that one would wish it to be but maybe it is a start. On the other hand why was that tunnel being dug? Why are weapons flooding into Gaza? What role is Iran and Syria playing? What renewed and sanctioned attacks in the West Bank are being planned ?
What for the Palestinians want for themselves that is realistic? And how are they going about it beyond their victimhood?
Is there willingness or ability negotiate in good faith as a united entity that can be trusted and that represents all Palestinians?
I have linked what I think are a few good articles here. ( You are welcome to register and post there too.)
In particular I recommend the excellent article by Pinhas Inbari “Will there be a Palestinian Civil War?” for it’s analysis . It is possible that if civil war was/is imminent, it will be postponed by this latest flare up. Each side will of course close ranks.
Stephen Erlanger was on the Newshour tonight, probably repeating what is in his NYTimes articles…. he was quite good.
Just from today’s news, the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip enters day 3 – Overnight Israeli warplanes bombed Gaza more than 30 times. One Israeli bomb hit the Palestinian Interior Ministry office in Gaza City setting it on fire.
Israeli shells hit the electricity network in northern Gaza. This 2 days after Israeli warplanes bombed Gaza’s main power station leaving much of Gaza without power.
The UN warns that Gaza is 3 days away from humanitarian crisis if Israel does not restore power – there is lack of clean water due to electric pumps being cut off.
UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said military action targeting innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law.
One third of the Palestinian cabinet is now being detained by Israel.
Supposedly Israel is doing this because Palestine has captured one Israeli soldier whereas 9,000 Palestinian political prisoners are being held by Israel. Hamas is only asking for the women and children to be released. Assassinations continue. That is just today….
As Palestine continues to suffer violence from the hands of Israel it is still the Palestinians who are expected renounce violence? Talk about hypocrisy!
Peggy Sue I am not aware of any assassinations continuing today. The children include those old enough to be soldiers ( 16-18). The younger ones are above twelve. I’d like to know more about these prisoners. We have yet to hear except from a very biased source, Why they are being held?
This is not about one soldier.
Israel is saying that Hamas is openly engaged in terrorist acts against Israel and as such ( and I assume because they are the elected government) they now are to be treated differently than when there was a ceasefire. ( Don’t forget there was never really a ceasefire on other side with Qassam rockets and suicide bombers heading towards Israel and Israeli preemptive and targeted strikes aimed at the active militants in Gaza).
The pressure that heretofore was being placed on Hamas and the Palestinian people by withholding money/aid was to get Hamas to moderate it’s stance, accept Israel, honor prior agreements of the PA AND to prod the people to pressure their government in that direction. This is where the Ghandi type demonstrations might have really worked, not against Israel but against the policies of their own leaders for without the support of the people Hamas would not be there. Soa the people are solid with their leaders, or so it seems, especially now.
From Erlanger/Myre report in today’s NYTimes:
From the Israeli POV
“So long as they were smart enough not to openly exercise terror, no one touched them,” said the senior Israeli military officer. “But now they’ve gone back to it, so we have the right to deal differently with this terrorist government and try to remove them.”
The Israeli defense minister, Amir Peretz, said Thursday: “The masquerade ball is over. The suits and ties will not serve as cover to the involvement and support of kidnappings and terror.”
The Israelis cited Hamas’s firing of Qassam rockets beginning this month, its public declaration that the cease-fire with Israel was over and its open involvement in the raid into Israeli territory early Sunday that resulted in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers and the capture of a wounded corporal, Gilad Shalit, 19.
Also from the article, the Palestinian POV:
Ali Jarbawi, a professor and dean at Birzeit University here, said he thought the real goal was to remove the Hamas government from power.
Israel wants to continue with its unilateral policies based on the idea that there is no “Palestinian partner,” said Mr. Jarbawi, who turned down an offer from Hamas to join the government as an independent. “If you build up your strategy on having no partner, then you have to ensure you don’t have one. So when Palestinians tell you that there is about to be a political agreement among the factions, putting their house in order at last, you intervene.”
Analysts say the crisis is also further weakening the position of the Palestinian Authority’s president, Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen. Mr. Abbas, they say, is being pulled, and is pulling Fatah, closer to Hamas in the face of the Israeli threat, when he originally wanted to pull Hamas closer to Fatah.
“Abu Mazen is being squeezed by everyone, he’s being smashed,” Mr. Jarbawi said.
Menachem Klein, a political scientist at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University and an expert on Palestinian politics, sees Mr. Abbas pushed toward Hamas for two reasons. He cites the cold shoulder Mr. Abbas got from the new Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, which pushed Mr. Abbas “to try to empower himself domestically and build up a coalition against Olmert’s unilateral plans,” and the Israeli operation, which compels a united Palestinian front.
“The arrest of the Hamas politicians — Abbas and everyone understands that as a step against the government,” Mr. Klein said. “It’s part of a grand strategy, to undermine the Hamas government, that the Israeli cabinet decided upon in its first meeting after Hamas took power.”
Jonathan Fighel, a former colonel now at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel, said the seized Hamas members were really a bargaining chip for the release of the soldier. Israel, he said, “has to collect cards for future negotiations.”
Mr. Jarbawi said with disgust: “Why do we need a Palestinian Authority at all? Just to disguise the occupation? If I were Abu Mazen, I’d say I’m a president without authority and dismantle it, and tell Israel: ‘You’re responsible. You pay.’ And then you should worry about a binational state.”
Are these changes in policy/tactics or strategy wise on either side? I think not. I think they are disappointing and they will boomerang back on Israel and not in the interest of Israeli security.
I also think that Hamas ( and the PA/Fatah)can bear their share of responsibility for the suffering of their own people.
There appears to be some war fog at the moment…..
Peggy Sue- It’s very hard to get anything on the prisoner issue. The numbers vary and the circumstances are unknown. I believe at least half of less than 8500 ( Btselem) are serving sentences. The children are about 350. Even the best source Btselem human rights group is not that detailed.
http://www.btselem.org/english/statistics/detainees_and_prisoners.asp
This report, Israel/Occupied Territories: Deliberate attacks a war crime is from Amnesty International
http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/israel_and_occupied_territories/document.do?id=ENGMDE150612006
Here’s another analysis. The tunnel used by the Hamas terrorists to attack the Israeli soldiers was dug over the course of a number of months, employing hired Palestinian workers skilled at such construction from their work on similar tunnels under the border with Egypt. This suggests that the material circumstances for the attack were in place for some time before the attack was carried out. It seems to me that Hamas carried out this attack at this precise moment out of a tactical decision that provoking Israel into the response they knew would be forthcoming would serve their interests. Remember that in recent months Hamas and Fatah have been spiraling down towards ever more bitter conflict. What could be better for Hamas than to provoke an Israeli attack which would force the Palestinian populace to unite behind Hamas’s leadership. That’s just my analysis, but I’m pretty sure it’s accurate. That being said I’d like to respond to Peggysue. What is happening to the Palestinians is terrible. But they bring it on themselves. Trust me when I tell you that Israel is tired of war and has no desire to be back in Gaza. I know this because I’m writing to you from Israel right now. My cousin’s boyfriend is in Gaza with the tank unit from which the soldier was kidnapped, and he is scared out of his mind. Anyways, the solution to all of this rests in the Palestinians hands. Should they return the kidnapped soldier and cease their rocket attacks on Israel, the Israeli army would have no reason to enter Gaza. And if Hamas were to act as a responsible government, putting the needs of their people before their ideological hatred of Israel, renounce violence as any responsible government would, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and adhere to previous agreements, again as a responsible government would, their would be no embargo of Gaza. It was hoped that political power would force Hamas to moderate in the face of their new responsibilities. This has not happened. I recently saw the Hamas PM on TV asking the world to help the Palestinians in the face of Israeli aggression. It struck me that the Palestinians are wedded to their own victimhood. Now, certainly they are victims, but they are also pertatrators. I fear that unless the Palestinians come to take responsibility for their actions the current conflict will be unending.
Oh and I read the amnesty international report. I won’t argue with their findings, but I find the issue of human rights to be entirely hypocritical. I find it striking that people are so inflamed by Israeli treatment of Palestinians, but are not equally aghast at Palestinian violence against Israelis, which to my mind is all the more deplorable because it is explicitly aimed at murdering civilians (you can bring back electricity, but you can’t bring back the dead). Furthermore, it is interesting to me that Palestine has become the most important cause to those that care about human rights. What about Tibet? Or Africa? Or anywhere else in the world where human rights are violated? This is only my opinion, but it seems to me that we aren’t really talking about human rights in a universal sense. What we are really talking about is Western guilt. People in the West get completely bent out of shape over what Israel does to the Palestinians because Israel is viewed as a Western country. All people see are the crimes of Imperialism or Colonialism. It’s the whites oppressing the Arabs. But I hear very little about the much more terrible and systematic human rights abuses against Arabs inflicted by other Arabs. Because when an Arab hurts an Arab a Westerner doesn’t feel guilty about it because he can’t see himself as the aggressor there. The same is true about Africa and Asia. The West doesn’t care when Africans butcher each other, or when Asians do the same because it isn’t a Westerner doing the butchering. Human suffering is awful. Always. I’m just tired of the double standard. Either start caring equally about humanity everywhere, or accept that it’s an ugly world. But don’t sit at home in the States and fume about what’s going on over here in the Mid East, because quite frankly I don’t think you have any real idea about what’s going on here. This is a terrible situation, and I wish that it was as simple as everyone just becoming a little bit more enlightened and realizing that we should all just treat each other better. It isn’t that simple. Sorry for the hostility, I’m just a little angry right now.
From the Amnesty International report:
“As the occupying power, Israel is bound under international law to protect and safeguard the basic human rights of the Palestinian population.”
There are some mitigating factors: Israel had withdrawn from Gaza and there is self-rule with a government and elections. Aid was forthcoming with changes in Hamas, a terrorist organization dedicated to violence until we hear otherwise. It is true that air sea and land borders are being patrolled for shipments of war making materials and with good reason. (Rockets are getting more sophisticated). The Israeli targets were aimed not at civilians (hard to do in such a densely populated area) but at weapons factories (surely running on generator by now) and terrorist/militant cells. What do you do and who’s to blame when militants are purposely operating in the midst of the civilian population?
So Israel, not unlike like the Palestinians Jihadists, has chosen to hold the people responsible for their government though it is not aiming to destroy life, just to cause further hardship. I question this tactic/strategy not necessarily on moral grounds, relatively speaking it is more moral than aiming at civilians, (though it may be immoral as this whole situation/conflict is) and I feel bad for the truly innocent, but because I don’t think Israel will achieve it’s goals either (as I understand them).
The Palestinians take advantage of the moral issue too for international sympathy which always can be counted on to work against Israel. This is a strategy too: hiding amongst civilians. Palestinians use and have used even relied on their victim role in this way and Israel plays right into that. The old Sharon strategy of using more force to try and bring about changes or a surrender made things worse and taught nobody the intended lessons, quite the contrary. So Olmert’s reversion to the old Sharon here is disappointing.
(this is too long I will finish here
“The hostage-taking of Corporal Gilad Shalit, and the killing of Eliyahu Asheri, the 18 year old settler, by Palestinian armed groups violate fundamental principles of international law. Corporal Gilad Shalit should be released immediately and unharmed.”
I would add that it is somewhat disturbing to me that Eliyahu Asheri is referred to as a settler as his defining characteristic. As Potter noted in her extended comments he could just as well be referred to as a child, as are the 18 year olds in Israeli prison. But more than that I feel that “settler” has become such a dirty word in the context of this conflict that many people see settlers ase legitimate targets. Kidnapping and brutally murdering a normal 18 year old would be terrible, but if he happens to be a settler, well then, that’s understandable. After all he is part of the problem. He stole Palestinian land. This is just callous. I don’t know, I just don’t want people to write off his death because he happened to have lived on the other side of a completely arbitrary and imagenary line.
I am reminded today from a comment that I read on another site that Palestinian children are taught martydom from the age of 5. Children are taught, ( according to a Hamas representative speaking this past March) to fight along side of the adults. They are taught to hate the evil Zionists.
This sows the seeds for the future and it explains why children end up in Israeli jails.
from Senate hearings on Palestinian education The purpose:
In 2003, the U.S. Senate held a committee hearing in the topic of Palestinian Education. The committee heard testimony from Arabs, Israelis, and U.S. administrators, from across the political spectrum. The committee examined the issues of incitement, and U.S. funding for Palestinian educational and cultural projects. The hearing was chaired by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA).
From the transcript, clip from Itamar Marcus testimony:
mothers are urged to be joyous over the shahada death of their own children. The Palestinian Authority’s ministry of education textbooks portray shahada as an ideal. For example, the home of the shahid appears in textbooks on four grade levels and extols yearning for death.
Palestinian polls show that 72 to 80 percent of Palestinian children desire death as shahids. Having been repeatedly exposed to this indoctrination, Palestinian children today actively set their sites on shahada as a personal goal.
Even if just 1 percent of the children attempt to fulfill their duty and seek shahada through suicide terrorism, the ramifications will be cataclysmic. The targets of a future Palestinian terror wave will be Israel and, in all likelihood, other Western democracies as well. This education is an indelible stain on Palestinian society and places the Palestinian Authority among the greatest child abusers in history.
Maybe that last statement is over the top, maybe not. And for sure occupation has something to do with it– but at the end of the day these are choices that Palestinians make. continue to make, about their children and their future.
http://www.teachkidspeace.org/doc105.php
In the West Bank city of Nablus where militant groups are hiding, the youth of that city are seeking to be arrested by going up to checkpoint with homemade suicide belts and guns. The kids feel that life is better in jail- they can watch television, they can study for their high school diploma, or sleep and get up when they want. In the recent past, under Arafat, parents had been paid 200-300$ a month so the incentive was for the money as well. It is considered a badge of honor to be in jail.
To be sure some of them want to kill and should be arrested. Unfortunately others are innocent and as they try to get arrested can get hurt ot lose their lives while trying to use jailtime as a strategy to make their lives better.
This report was on The World/BBC yesterday and y ou can hear it here ( scroll to “Prison Report”) http://www.theworld.org/latesteditions/07/20060704.shtml