The Real Gaza story
Israel Aquifers
What is the real reason behind all these Israel-Palestinian conflicts? WATER!!
As I asked a fellow Israeli blogger recently, does Israel still have an open door policy? (called the Law of Return)It used to be such that Israel allowed any Jew from anywhere in the world immigration even though the size of Israel can safely be considered too small to accomodate the many millions that might want to live in the "promised land". He answered yes.
So how sustainable is having an open door policy when you live in a sliver of land in a dry arid region called Israel?!
There's always been that pesky problem of uncooperative Arabs who've lived there ever since the diaspora a few thousand years ago.
So in very short, (there are books and articles galore to elaborate), this has become Israel's policy for the Palestinians from day one and how it played out in this time's "Operation Cast Lead".
Johann Hari from the Independent explains this 'ever confusing' who-did-what-first-and-why in one perfectly laid out column. Something you will not likely find in any mainstream American treatment. Here goes:
"According to the Israeli press, Yuval Diskin, the current head of the Israeli security service Shin Bet, "told the Israeli cabinet [on 23 December] that Hamas is interested in continuing the truce, but wants to improve its terms." Diskin explained that Hamas was requesting two things: an end to the blockade, and an Israeli ceasefire on the West Bank. The cabinet – high with election fever and eager to appear tough– rejected these terms.
The core of the situation has been starkly laid out by Ephraim Halevy, the former head of Mossad. He says that while Hamas militants – like much of the Israeli right-wing – dream of driving their opponents away, "they have recognised this ideological goal is not attainable and will not be in the foreseeable future." Instead, "they are ready and willing to see the establishment of a Palestinian state in the temporary borders of 1967." They are aware that this means they "will have to adopt a path that could lead them far from their original goals" – and towards a long-term peace based on compromise.
The rejectionists on both sides – from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to Bibi Netanyahu of Israel – would then be marginalised. It is the only path that could yet end in peace but it is the Israeli government that refuses to choose it. Halevy explains: "Israel, for reasons of its own, did not want to turn the ceasefire into the start of a diplomatic process with Hamas."
Why would Israel act this way? The Israeli government wants peace, but only one imposed on its own terms, based on the acceptance of defeat by the Palestinians. It means the Israelis can keep the slabs of the West Bank on "their" side of the wall. It means they keep the largest settlements and control the WATER supply. And it means a divided Palestine, with responsibility for Gaza hived off to Egypt, and the broken-up West Bank standing alone. Negotiations threaten this vision: they would require Israel to give up more than it wants to. But an imposed peace will be no peace at all: it will not stop the rockets or the rage. For real safety, Israel will have to talk to the people it is blockading and bombing today, and compromise with them."
and..
"To understand how frightening it is to be a Gazan this morning, you need to have stood in that small slab of concrete by the Mediterranean and smelled the claustrophobia. The Gaza Strip is smaller than the Isle of Wight but it is crammed with 1.5 million people who can never leave. They live out their lives on top of each other, jobless and hungry, in vast, sagging tower blocks. From the top floor, you can often see the borders of their world: the Mediterranean, and Israeli barbed wire. When bombs begin to fall – as they are doing now with more deadly force than at any time since 1967 – there is nowhere to hide."
and..
"The most detailed polling of Palestinians, by the University of Maryland, found that 72 per cent want a two-state solution on the 1967 borders, while fewer than 20 per cent want to reclaim the whole of historic Palestine. So, partly in response to this pressure, Hamas offered Israel a long, long ceasefire and a de facto acceptance of two states, if only Israel would return to its legal borders.
Israel's pre-1967 borders and land distances
Rather than seize this opportunity and test Hamas's sincerity, the Israeli government reacted by punishing the entire civilian population. It announced that it was blockading the Gaza Strip in order to "pressure" its people to reverse the democratic process. The Israelis surrounded the Strip and refused to let anyone or anything out. They let in a small trickle of food, fuel and medicine – but not enough for survival. Weisglass quipped that the Gazans were being "put on a diet". According to Oxfam, only 137 trucks of food were allowed into Gaza last month to feed 1.5 million people. The United Nations says poverty has reached an "unprecedented level." When I was last in besieged Gaza, I saw hospitals turning away the sick because their machinery and medicine was running out. I met hungry children stumbling around the streets, scavenging for food.
It was in this context – under a collective punishment designed to topple a democracy – that some forces within Gaza did something immoral: they fired Qassam rockets indiscriminately at Israeli cities. These rockets have killed 16 Israeli citizens. This is abhorrent: targeting civilians is always murder. But it is hypocritical for the Israeli government to claim now to speak out for the safety of civilians when it has been terrorising civilians as a matter of state policy."
emph and underlined and bold added as usual, by yours truly.
Read Johann Hari's story in whole; The true story behind this war is not the one Israel is telling
Labels: Gaza war, Israel, Johann Hari's the true story behind thsi war is not the one Israel is telling, operation cast lead, oxfam report, university of Maryland polls Palestinians, water resources conflict
posted by Ingrid at
9:31 AM
21 Comments:
Two wrongs do not make a right and the poor
Shame on Israel.
Great post, ingrid.
ooops, sorry, the first part got cut off...meant to say the poor citizens suffer for the violence perpetuated by the politicos.
Hi Ingrid
There are usually many more complex reasons arising in any of these enduring conflicts than is initially apparent - as your excellent posting clearly indicates.
But it reminds that many conflicts (such as was apparent in Northern Ireland) continue on unresolved until such time as both sides had simply had enough. Certainly it does not diminish the need to broker a peace plan but no one can recall what single development transpired that led to the ending of hostilities in Ireland. Both parties had simply had enough of the misery. One day hopefully that will apply to Gaza and its inhabitants and of the Israel’s whose blood shares such a common bond of tribal ancestry.
Best wishes
I grow more angry everyday. All this senseless killing. I have Palestinian friends who have been scattered to the winds, always unwelcome visitors in strange lands. But their home was in what is now Israel for many thousands of years. Now the are like gypsies. Their rich land confiscated, their homes now belong to rich Israelis. First to Lebanon, then Jordan, now far flung to European countries, some here in the US, but always refugees.
thanks for dropping by my place - i so appreciated it and your thoughts. oh and just an interesting note - my pastor (who is baptizing me) is dutch-indonesian. his mom is dutch, and father is dutch-indonesian. :)
I'll come back to this post - I am to tired and worn out tonight Ingrid.
thanks for explaining and educating...I need to finish reading tomorrow...
hugs friend...
Hi guys, pardon my absence. After the school holidays I had to play 'catch-up' and I still haven't had time to chill. Hopefully this coming week.
As for the water reason, as you'll see in my post after this one, I was wrong. Tsa..it's been known to happen. So again, it's all about resources but not the water one this time. Is it any wonder that the hatred grows and grows? And where does all of that hatred go to? Terrorism has a fertile ground when you look at this wheelings and dealings. Normally though, wheelings and dealings do not come with big guns so you can shrug it off or look for work elsewhere. When it entails being unfairly treated and looked upon your whole life, like the Palestinians, is it any wonder.
Alas dear Lindsay, it's not about people wanting to be done with war, this about orchestrations far greater and menacing than even a great group of people who want to facilitate change.
Brooke, thanks for visiting, hope your day today was good! [s] Thanks for returning the visit.
Utah..it vesters in me sometimes when I see unjustices like these, then, I need to take distance because all I can do is do my 'little posts' which does not even amount to a drop in the bucket. Hopefully, all of us, however many that will need to be, can probably make one drop. Gees it's depressing isn't it?
Zee, I understand your fatigue..I hide in my yard or children's books (just finished reading Inkheart).. E..hopefully if you do get around to come back to read, you'll read the better version.
sorry I haven't been around myself. However, I'm not completely gone. I'll try to visit you tomorrow..
thx for visiting.. and keep posting on it..that's what truth seekers do..
Ingrid
It is obvious that a lot of your views have a predispostion to be critical of Israel. This most likely comes from your home of the Netherlands which is anti-israel, and your time living in Saudia Arabia, notoriously anti-semtic as well as anti-infidel as we all know. Perhaps you should listen more to your countryman and politician Geert Wilders. Had you spent your time in Israel, no doubt your predisposed views would be critical against hamas...as it should be. You just seem to be biased and not willing to look objectively or critically to view points other than your own.
A couple things i wanted to bring to the forefront that perhaps you either left out intentionally, or rather hopefully just didnt realize.
1st... you state that using the Law of Return is in essence not feasible. With such a small sliver of land, how could it possibly accommodate so many millions. Well Israel has been a country with the same policy for many years. its obviously not an issue, especially when world-wide there is, at best, 15 million Jews. When considering NYC has 8 million people in a tiny area, why isnt it possible for Israel to simply accomodate another 60% increase or 10 million people...and thats if every single Jew in the world moved there. Using your "Israeli blogger friend" as a way to substantiate that it wouldnt work proves nothing, and I highly doubt he is is Israeli, as most dont even think about this, let alone agree with your position. There is an enormous amount of available space, and the water recycling and water saving technologies invented by the Israelis are second to none in the world. In addition to the pesky arabs (not palestinians as you correctly noted)that have lived there since the diaspora, so have many Jews. Jews have had a presence in Israel before the arabs and since the days of the egyptian pyramids. It would nice if you could also let your readers know that "palestinians" originally referred to the Jews of the region until the creation of Israel in 1948. At which time, these Jewish palestinians became Israelis. In fact, the arab leaders of the time insisted that there is no such thing as arab palestinians please see this link...( http://www.netreach.net/~zoa/newsLinks/shockers/m100.htm ). in fact, the arab palestinians have no unique culture or history prior to 1948. The arabs were from all different countries who immigrated to Israel in search of the better life and more abundance of jobs which ironicly was created by the mass return of the Jews. These arabs then took over the name palestinians as a politcal weapon against Israel. It just sounds better when your freedom movement is about the "occupied palestinians" rather than the movement of..."a bunch of arabs immigrants from many different countries." Check the last names of the palestinians and its clear where they came from.
And by the way, a great many of the Jews that went to Israel were Jews that came from the arab countries. Arabs that were Jewish in faith. Over 1 million Jews from arab countries were either murdered or expelled from the country from the late 1800's- early 1970s. These Jews had thousands of years of history and lineage in these countries. And now, almost all of these countries have no Jews at all. The largest population of Jews today is in iran..2500 left, from a population of well over 100,000 less than 80 yrs ago. There were significant populations of Jews in Egypt (200 left), Libya ( 0 Left), Saudia Arabia (0), Iraq (200,000 to now 0)..and on and on and on...So where did these Jews go? thats right...Israel.
2nd...Your link to "Operation Cast Lead" is an attempt to legitimize your opinion that Israels policy with the palestinians is all about water, yet the story the link takes us to is an article about the names of military operations throughout history and not once mentions anything to do with the Israeli policy or water for that matter. With so many "books and articles galore" about this policy, you failed to link us to even one of them.
3rd...there is a HUGE difference between a cease-fire and actually recognizing Israel and their right to exist. Simply agreeing to the hammas demands because of a "cease-fire"...or as you put it a "long, long ceasefire" is unacceptable without their recognition of Israel and their right to security. Why is it a cease fire and not a peace agreement? Would you agree to this deal when it undoubtedly means that the lack of war is only temporary? Can you please define the duration of a long, long ceasefire? Have you read the hammas charter? perhaps the ammending of their charter would make their words and sincerity more believable. They want to take, but give nothing. They have never once stated they would accept Israels existence under any circumstance. In fact, just the opposite. They continually publicly denounce Israels right to exist, and continuously call for her destruction. Your writings here are completely misleading and frankly just wrong. Whether your pro-Israel or pro- palestinians, the information you are spreading in your blog is simply factually wrong. (by the way the poll you used to show that the peace seeking 72% of palestinians want a 2-state solution was a poll 7 yrs prior to your blog. a lot changes in 7 yrs. You also failed to mention that the poll shows the same 72% of Israelis also are in favor. Why would you leave out that information? When you pick and choose what information suits your position, you lose all credibility. Youve done it throughout your blog)
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4th... people in gaza are not starving. children are not stumbling around in the streets scaveging for food. in fact, even if this was true, it might be prudent of you, and weisglass and oxfam(whoever the hell they are), to ask hammas why they are building 2 multi multi million dollar seaside beach resorts with a multi million dollar "wedding banquet hall" while their people are "on a diet". you were obviously on the tour designed for outsiders and journalists. I dont suppose you were shown their new multi million dollar retail mall, or the mass wedding they had for 450 10 yr old girls and their adult male husbands, in which each couple were given a $500 gift from hammas. that quarter of a million dollars would have been better spent on food for the starving im sure we would all agree. there are videos available from reports, not from Israeli sources, but from al jazeera themself. it was quite the shindig. One other things, why not ask hammas why they would spend all their time and efforts smuggling in weapons and rockets instead of food. With all their 100s of tunnels youd think they would dedicate some of them for food to feed the stumbling children. There is a reason the blockade was imposed, and it wasnt to put people on a diet and you know it.
5th....Their hospitals are not running out of medicine...at least not due to the Israeli blockade. Medicine was always permitted from day one. There were no limits on these types of items. In fact, almost all items were permitted as long as they were allowed to pass through inspections and transferred through the means set up with the UN. What hammas does with these supplies once in gaza is something youll have to ask them. you also failed to mention that Israeli hospitals are now seeing shortages of supplies and over populations themselves... this is the result of the attention and resources given equally to so many palestinians...free of charge of course. And yes, Palestinians turn to Israel for medical help. It isnt becuase of the blockade, its because of the significantly advanced healthcare built by the Israelis dedication to science and an improvement to the quality of life for mankind...while the muslims spend their time on sharia law and praying 5 times a day.
6th... hammas is not a democracy. perhaps you havent read about their social policies. they also were not selected democratically as we know it. they took gaza by force from the fatah. marching half naked supporters of the opposition fatah through the streets of gaza on their way to be executed is a pretty convincing reason to "vote" for hamas.
7th... 8000 Israeli citizens as well as the entire military presence in gaza was removed by the Israeli government because as communicated by the palestinians, if Israel wanted peace they had to do so. They did so...and then the rockets began to fly. And they flew by the thousands. Not a few...a few thousand. We can plainly see who held up their end of that peace agreement. NOT ONCE has Israel ever went in and attacked gaza for no reason or without provocation. Its only been in response to attacks on civilians with over 8000 rockets in the first few years of the reign of hamas. For you to claim that Israel
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"terrorizes civilians as a matter of state policy" again is not true. This type of propaganda shows your true anti-semetic views. You even put it in quotes in an attempt to give it legitimacy and to make it look like a quote from some other sort of official report or conclusion. Shame on you. This is your opinion, and it has no basis of fact or reality. You mention that you added the underlining and bold, leaving the reader with the impression that the quote comes from another source.
Your inaccuracy is getting tiresome...
8th... Where did you get the idea that Israel only wants peace based on the acceptance of defeat by the palestinians? We all know if Israel wanted to, they could obliterate gaza. If its a "win" they seek, they could have it in a week. The wall that was built was not built to keep the west bank, control a water supply or to create apartheid. It was erected to keep out suicide bombers. that doesnt make it appartheid. apartheird refers to the separation of people who would normally be part of the society. Separating those who aspire to be a part of the well being of their country and to be contributing members of society. This is not the case in Israel. the palestinians do not seek the well being of Israel and they certainly do not care about being contributing members of that society. They care about killing Jews and creating violence and chaos in an attempt to scare Jews out of Israel and ultimately erase Israel. It was the violence and the suicide bombings of public institutions which prompted the creation of the wall. This is common knowledge and the factual statistics in regards to the decline of suicide bombings after the wall bear this truth. If it was about apartheid and separating the arabs, why is 20% of Israels civilian population still arab muslims. This same 20% has political representation in the kinesset and is free to leave at any time, yet they choose to stay. Wonder why? Because life in Israel, is better than any life they could live under muslim rule. feel free to ask an Israeli arab.
There isnt one country in the world that would not only negotiate with, but compromise their key security requirements with a known terrorist organization. Especially one that continually speaks about the eradication of Israel off the face of the planet. Yet, you chastise Israel for not doing so. You even post a map of the pre 1967 borders and you still fail to see the Israeli position. With a width of 9-20 miles of almost half the country, this puts their security in a very very fragile position. You can easily walk 9 miles...the width of what Israel would be. In a fighter plane, you could cross Israel in about 4 seconds. And with no right to the airspace above the west bank, you would have no warning and no ability to protect yourself from an areal attack. 4 seconds. Think about how easy it would be to cut Israel in half, separating one half of the country from the other. How could you protect yourself with this possibility so easily obtained by an attacking force. Youre talking about 5 million Israelis being surrounded by 2 billion arab enemies, all of which has either attacked Israel or has spoken of it publicly many many times. In fact, 6 arab countries attacked Israel the very day it was created in 1948. Overmatched, outgunned, and under experienced, the Israelis fighting for their life prevailed. They were attacked again on the holiest day of the year for Jews during the Yom Kippur war. A surprise attack,
which was again defended. And lets not forget the 1967 war which had many of these arab countries amassing troops and weapons on 3 different fronts. All preparing a simultaneous attack on Israel. Again, they lost and in the process, lost some strategic land. The golan heights for one, and control of the west bank for another. It is absurd, that several countries would attack one country all at once, then lose some strategic pieces of land and then cry about wanting it back. When you bring on the war, and in the process you lose strategic areas...then you lose. You should not be given back these areas so you put yourself at another disadvantage. These areas of land are an integral part of security of Israel and a must for defending herself from a similar future attack. Israel didnt take the land to just take it. they took it to protect themselves. If they were just looking to grab possession of land, they never would have given back the sinai peninsula to egypt after obtaining it when egypt attacked Israel, and lost. Israel gave back the peninsula as part of a peace agreement with Egypt that has remained intact to this day.
In conclusion Ingrid. Your post is painfully biased, anti semetic and full of misleading propaganda. Who knows if the half truths told were deliberate or just out of ignorance. In either case, you should be ashamed. In the age of the internet, its not hard to do a little research if youre truly seeking the truth. Shame on you for passing on your misinformation and hate to other unsuspecting readers who may be relying on your blog for accurate information. It is obvious from the other comments left here by mostly your friends, that these people are making up their conclusions based on your propaganda (and all the other propaganda that they hear). These people turn to you for this information, and you are willfully, and in my opinion deliberately misleading them. Please feel free to contact me at anb7697@gmail is you or anyone else would like me to cite any of the information i claimed. I have several non-Jewish, non-Israeli sources i would be happy to provide. Stop being a sheep that just follows the hate. Do more to learn the truth. Be open minded, and be a critical thinker. Be the person we all have the ability to be. Peace to all....
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