Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Benny B on January 09, 2009, 03:05:33 AM
-
January 8, 2009
Op-Ed Contributor
What You Don’t Know About Gaza
By RASHID KHALIDI
NEARLY everything you’ve been led to believe about Gaza is wrong. Below are a few essential points that seem to be missing from the conversation, much of which has taken place in the press, about Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.
THE GAZANS Most of the people living in Gaza are not there by choice. The majority of the 1.5 million people crammed into the roughly 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948.
THE OCCUPATION The Gazans have lived under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel is still widely considered to be an occupying power, even though it removed its troops and settlers from the strip in 2005. Israel still controls access to the area, imports and exports, and the movement of people in and out. Israel has control over Gaza’s air space and sea coast, and its forces enter the area at will. As the occupying power, Israel has the responsibility under the Fourth Geneva Convention to see to the welfare of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.
THE BLOCKADE Israel’s blockade of the strip, with the support of the United States and the European Union, has grown increasingly stringent since Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006. Fuel, electricity, imports, exports and the movement of people in and out of the Strip have been slowly choked off, leading to life-threatening problems of sanitation, health, water supply and transportation.
The blockade has subjected many to unemployment, penury and malnutrition. This amounts to the collective punishment — with the tacit support of the United States — of a civilian population for exercising its democratic rights.
THE CEASE-FIRE Lifting the blockade, along with a cessation of rocket fire, was one of the key terms of the June cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. This accord led to a reduction in rockets fired from Gaza from hundreds in May and June to a total of less than 20 in the subsequent four months (according to Israeli government figures). The cease-fire broke down when Israeli forces launched major air and ground attacks in early November; six Hamas operatives were reported killed.
WAR CRIMES The targeting of civilians, whether by Hamas or by Israel, is potentially a war crime. Every human life is precious. But the numbers speak for themselves: Nearly 700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since the conflict broke out at the end of last year. In contrast, there have been around a dozen Israelis killed, many of them soldiers. Negotiation is a much more effective way to deal with rockets and other forms of violence. This might have been able to happen had Israel fulfilled the terms of the June cease-fire and lifted its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
This war on the people of Gaza isn’t really about rockets. Nor is it about “restoring Israel’s deterrence,” as the Israeli press might have you believe. Far more revealing are the words of Moshe Yaalon, then the Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, in 2002: “The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people.”
Rashid Khalidi, a professor of Arab studies at Columbia, is the author of the forthcoming “Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East."
-
Israel doesnt want peace, because peace means the end of expansion.
-
One thing more needs to be mentioned.
Journalists are not allowed into Gaza.
There's been a lot of posts here about how the "media" is anti-Israel.
But Israel is doing a pretty nasty job of not allowing journalists to report from inside Gaza.
And this, of course, have nothing to do with whether or not Hamas are terrorists, Iran is a terrible place, Islam is a fcuked up religion or anything else.
Blocking journalists from reporting is never right.
-
well Iran is actually a beautiful country but too bad its an islamic state.
-
Oh, the Six Day War in which Egypt initiated and made their intentions clear by signing a mutual defense treaty with Jordan? Hmm...
Here's some information which might make you idiots a little more impervious:
After 1945 the United Kingdom became embroiled in an increasingly violent conflict with the Jews. In 1947, the British government withdrew from commitment to the Mandate of Palestine, stating it was unable to arrive at a solution acceptable to both Arabs and Jews. The newly created United Nations approved the UN Partition Plan (United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181) on November 29, 1947, dividing the country into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. Jerusalem was to be designated an international city – a corpus separatum – administered by the UN to avoid conflict over its status. The Jewish community accepted the plan, but the Arab League and Arab Higher Committee rejected it. On December 1, 1947 the Arab Higher Committee proclaimed a 3-day strike, and Arab bands began attacking Jewish targets. Civil war began with the Jews initially on the defensive but gradually moving into offence. The Palestinian-Arab economy collapsed and 250,000 Palestinian-Arabs fled or were expelled.
Awe, poor innocent Arabs, their way or the highway, until the Jews came to their senses.
-
who said there innocent
-
who said there innocent
What kind of comment is that? Did I accuse someone of saying they're innocent?
The article is anti-Israeli. I supplied a factual based attack on it. Got anything else to say apologist?
-
Still don't understand how the far left is so pro-terrorist (and in this case, anti-israel). Its as if they live in a vacuum or utopia. The realtiy is that Hamas hates the existance of Israel and has launched rockets at their civilians for several years. After months of pleading with Hamas, Palestine and neighboring countries, Israel has little choice but to strike back.
If Palestine could control its own population, this problem would have been averted. I'd like to see some of these pro-Hamas people live in Israel along the Gaza border and see what its like.
Hamas militants hide among civilians. Thats the reason there are civilian casualties. Hamas targets civilians, Israel targets militants that hide among civilians.
Arab nations must do more to out and punish terrorists living among them!
-
Unreal.....Hey Hedge, I work with the media for a living, if u want to win a war, especially like the operations in Gaza, u need to control access. They will do what they need to and then allow the media. Fox news is all over the place and I'm sure the rest are getting stories out.
-
fox news. gee ::)
-
Um, Fox news is a major news outlet and leads all other cable news channels. U can roll ur eyes, whine and moan all u want. Ever work with Fox news, they're the same type of guys who work at CNN and MSNBC. Fox leans right, MSNBC falls over left and CNN is trying very hard to stay in the middle. U guys all hate to see Fox news succeed but its there because at the time CNN was the only game in town and there was a market for something other then their brand of news. More so, they are a reaction to the biased BS of the networks like NBC that can't hide their lib bias.
-
fox news. gee ::)
So you're of the persuasion that anything Fox publishes is false? Do you have a formal education?
-
Hahaha, now the leader of Hamas is urging the killing of Israeli children. ::)
-
Hahaha, now the leader of Hamas is urging the killing of Israeli children. ::)
Note that a lot of these "leaders" are urging the murder of Jews outside of Israel too...
Somehow the muslim thought process applies the perceived guilt of Israelis to Jews sat in their living room watching the Simpsons doing nobody any harm... But hey... that's what Allah asks for...
-
Note that a lot of these "leaders" are urging the murder of Jews outside of Israel too...
Somehow the muslim thought process applies the perceived guilt of Israelis to Jews sat in their living room watching the Simpsons doing nobody any harm... But hey... that's what Allah asks for...
Yup. This is why they're on the fast track to a Muslim holocaust and why Palestine just needs to disappear. Apparently there's a hitlist of British Jews and Israeli supporters that extremists want to target circulating among some extremist forums.
-
Yup. This is why they're on the fast track to a Muslim holocaust and why Palestine just needs to disappear. Apparently there's a hitlist of British Jews and Israeli supporters that extremists want to target circulating among some extremist forums.
Yeah I'm aware of that... pure cowardice on an epic level.
-
Yeah I'm aware of that... pure cowardice on an epic level.
Hopefully no one die and it's just another notch in the belt for the anti-Islamic movement as it continues to pick up more and more steam.
-
have you seen the hardware they're dropping on gaza? i'm guessing there's some insane carnage going on inside that place at the moment.
-
have you seen the hardware they're dropping on gaza? i'm guessing there's some insane carnage going on inside that place at the moment.
Good; even more emphasizes the idiocy in regards to Hamas rocket fire. They know the military capabilities of Israel, they just expect the UN to bitch and moan to Israel to ratify a peace treaty favoring Palestine every time one of these wars breaks out. Comical.
-
Israel went out and bought a shitload of 500 pound bombs for this. They could have chosen to drop their 2000 pounders instead. Then we'd really see bitching.
The Palestinians are on the verge of a complete humanitarian crisis yet this hasn't deterred Hamas from firing rockets. Hamas could not give two shits about the Palestinian people. You can't have your cake and eat it, too.
-
"The Palestinians are on the verge of a complete humanitarian crisis yet this hasn't deterred Hamas from firing rockets. Hamas could not give two shits about the Palestinian people"
Exactly. The Palestinians need to battle Hamas in their own country! Now is a great time. How pompus of the UN to demand a cease-fire when Hamas continues its terrorism. We all want peace but not until conditions change which lessens the treat of Hamas to Israeli civilians. Hamas leader calling for killing Israeli childrel? Does that not speak volumes?
-
Israel doesnt want peace, because peace means the end of expansion.
Last I checked Israel was giving away territory and is offering more in every negotiations....the truth owns you.
While Arafat and the other factions always refuse and ask for more.... :-\
-
Last I checked Israel was giving away territory and is offering more in every negotiations....the truth owns you.
While Arafat and the other factions always refuse and ask for more.... :-\
The last I checked, ...Arafat has been dead for 4 years. ::)
What an idiot you are! The truth really does own you, ...as usual.
-
The last I checked, ...Arafat has been dead for 4 years. ::)
What an idiot you are! The truth really does own you, ...as usual.
Arafat denied Barrack offer which included just about everyhing he wanted.
Now I know you can't follow a complete sentence and remember that I wrote "other factions" hence I'm not surprised by your imbecile reply.
-
Last I checked Israel was giving away territory and is offering more in every negotiations....the truth owns you.[...]
:o :o :o :o
NO FUCKING SHIT! REALLY?!
(http://www.indypendent.org/wp-content/photos/mappalest.jpg)
-
Arafat denied Barrack offer which included just about everyhing he wanted.[...]
Not true.
In simple terms: Barak made proposal. Arafat took proposal (which means he didn't reject it) and intended on taking it to "every Arab capital" to get a consensus as to the fairness of the proposal. Negotiations continued at Taba. Sharon is voted into office and informally withdraws the offer.
To me, and I'm in no way smarter than anyone else here, it sounds as though it was the Israelis who did the bad deed.
I ignore if you're incapable of understanding this fact, because the above has been said many times and you're still (stubbornly) repeating the same bullshit about Arafat rejecting the proposals. I ask of you: Why? I mean... I know you're gonna come back and say some shit like "Arafat took too long" or something alike, but the fact of the matter is that it was Sharon who ended the talks. And the last I check that mótherfucker was Israeli.
-
That whole area is a clusterfuck and anyone who thinks they know the truth behind its history and who is "right" and who is "wrong" is full of it. The killing has been going on since people can remember and NOTHING has changed. Someone please give both sides an H bomb and let them blow each other up to kingdom come, hopefully after all sides have annihilated themselves into oblivion another party will sweep in and take over everything and there will finally be some peace there.
-
Not true.
In simple terms: Barak made proposal. Arafat took proposal (which means he didn't reject it) and intended on taking it to "every Arab capital" to get a consensus as to the fairness of the proposal. Negotiations continued at Taba. Sharon is voted into office and informally withdraws the offer.
To me, and I'm in no way smarter than anyone else here, it sounds as though it was the Israelis who did the bad deed.
I ignore if you're incapable of understanding this fact, because the above has been said many times and you're still (stubbornly) repeating the same bullshit about Arafat rejecting the proposals. I ask of you: Why? I mean... I know you're gonna come back and say some shit like "Arafat took too long" or something alike, but the fact of the matter is that it was Sharon who ended the talks. And the last I check that mótherfucker was Israeli.
Last I checked Sharon withdrew and didn't wait for old fuckers like Arafat to go to every capital of the Arab world LOL.
Since when the Palestins need to get every Arab capital approval?
You're too biased, you say the Israelis votes Sharon yet you ignore the Palestinians voting Hamas who abuse them and support terror.
Hypocrisy....got some?
-
Last I checked Sharon withdrew and didn't wait for old fuckers like Arafat to go to every capital of the Arab world LOL.
Since when the Palestins need to get every Arab capital approval?
You're too biased, you say the Israelis votes Sharon yet you ignore the Palestinians voting Hamas who abuse them and support terror.
Hypocrisy....got some?
OPINION fucker! OPINION! Not approval, OPINION!
Dude, seriously!
-
OPINION fucker! OPINION! Not approval, OPINION!
Dude, seriously!
He didn't receive their opinion while he negotiated (it's not a two day negotiation you know)...damn I guess Arabs are really technologically inferior...no phones.... ::)
-
Um, Fox news is a major news outlet and leads all other cable news channels. U can roll ur eyes, whine and moan all u want. Ever work with Fox news, they're the same type of guys who work at CNN and MSNBC. Fox leans right, MSNBC falls over left and CNN is trying very hard to stay in the middle. U guys all hate to see Fox news succeed but its there because at the time CNN was the only game in town and there was a market for something other then their brand of news. More so, they are a reaction to the biased BS of the networks like NBC that can't hide their lib bias.
That is actually pretty true.
-
Oh, the Six Day War in which Egypt initiated and made their intentions clear by signing a mutual defense treaty with Jordan? Hmm...
Here's some information which might make you idiots a little more impervious:
Awe, poor innocent Arabs, their way or the highway, until the Jews came to their senses.
HAHAHAHA! The '67 war is the land mark case of preemptive attack (by Israel).
-
HAHAHAHA! The '67 war is the land mark case of preemptive attack (by Israel).
One wonders if it had anything to do with this:
In May 1967, Egypt's president Nasser expelled the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) from the Sinai Peninsula. The peacekeeping force had been stationed there since 1957, following a British-French-Israeli invasion which was launched during the Suez Crisis.
Egypt amassed 1,000 tanks and nearly 100,000 soldiers on the Israeli border and closed the Straits of Tiran to all ships flying Israeli flags or carrying strategic materials, receiving strong support from other Arab countries.
Of course Egypt has all the right to do all this aggressive behaviour ::) But for Israel to do it?!?!?! DAMN THATS TERRIBLE! :-\
-
well Iran is actually a beautiful country but too bad its an islamic state.
QFT