Gazans resist despite U.S.-Israeli war crimes

By LeiLani Dowell

Jan. 13—Eighteen days into the massive Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, the death toll of Palestinians living in the densely populated area is nearing 1,000. In the same period, 13 Israelis have died—only three of them civilians. Despite such terrible odds, the will to resist of the Palestinian people continues, supported by growing demonstrations throughout the world.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Jan. 12 that 910 Palestinians had been killed, including 292 children and 75 women. In addition, 4,250 had been wounded. While U.S.-provided bombs and bullets rain down on the people, many are also dying of cold and hunger. The border crossing with Egypt, where aid convoys have attempted to cross into Gaza and where Palestinians have attempted to flee, remains closed.

The U.S. abstained from a mildly worded U.N. Security Council resolution on Jan. 8 that called for a ceasefire. While the legally binding resolution passed with 14 votes and the one abstention, it has had no effect on Israel’s offensive.

U.S. General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto of Nicaragua today called the Israeli offensive against the Palestinians “genocide,” reflecting a growing sentiment around the world.

The Mubarak regime in Egypt, which itself is propped up by U.S. aid, is supposedly trying to broker a cessation of fighting while keeping its border with Gaza closed. The leaders of Hamas, the democratically elected Palestinian party that has been governing Gaza, have not buckled under and continue to insist that there can be no ceasefire until Israel withdraws its forces and opens the crossing points with Egypt.

Hamas and the Palestinian people continue to stand strong even after 18 months of an Israeli blockade of Gaza and more than two weeks of the current all-out military assault.

Relief agencies rebuke Israel

While Israel claims it is carrying out these ground and air attacks in a “humanitarian” way, it even prevents widely recognized international aid agencies from providing assistance. Both the Red Cross and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency temporarily halted their relief operations after their workers were separately fired upon by Israeli forces, with two U.N. workers killed.

On Jan. 8 the International Committee of the Red Cross issued a sharp and rare rebuke to Israel after its forces denied the ICRC and the Palestine Red Crescent Society access to the Zaytun neighborhood, which had been shelled by Israeli troops, for four days.

The statement reports: “The ICRC/PRCS team found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses. They were too weak to stand up on their own. One man was also found alive, too weak to stand up. In all there were at least 12 corpses lying on mattresses. ... Israeli soldiers ... ordered the rescue team to leave the area which they refused to do.” (icrc.org) The statement calls the delay in access “unacceptable” and demands that the Israeli military grant it and PRCS ambulances safe passage and access to search for the wounded.

Flouting the facts, Israel claimed it works “in close co-operation with international aid organizations during the fighting so that civilians can be provided with assistance.” (Daily Telegraph, Jan. 9)

Refugees bombed, many killed

Meanwhile, the Israeli “Defense” Forces continue their sordid history of bombing and shelling refugee locations. At a U.N.-run school where hundreds of Palestinians were seeking refuge, Israeli tank shells killed at least 40 people on Jan. 6. And two days earlier, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “Israeli foot soldiers evacuated approximately 110 Palestinians into a single-residence house in Zeitoun (half of whom were children) warning them to stay indoors. Twenty-four hours later, Israeli forces shelled the home repeatedly, killing approximately 30.” (BBC, Jan. 9)

With the goal of destroying any manifestation of the democratically elected Palestinian state led by Hamas, Israeli forces have also targeted the civilian infrastructure, including homes, neighborhoods, schools, mosques, prisons, hospitals, sewage treatment and the only mental health clinic in Gaza.

In an attempt to keep the world from seeing its atrocities in Gaza, Israel has banned media access to the densely populated, bombarded and blockaded strip. But, the New York Times admits, the reporters have “full access to Israeli political and military commentators eager to show them around southern Israel, where Hamas rockets have been terrorizing civilians. A slew of private groups financed mostly by Americans are helping guide the press around Israel.” (Jan. 6) Israel’s own Supreme Court ruled on Dec. 31 against this ban, probably fearing that more people would now turn to Arab sources for the news.

U.S. fans the flames

While people around the world, with increasing militancy, protest the atrocities being committed by Israel, the U.S. is belligerently proclaiming its support for the racist settler state.

The Democratic-led U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution Jan. 8 expressing “vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel.” Completely one-sided, the resolution places full blame for the crisis in Gaza on Hamas and makes a bevy of demands on it but none on Israel. (Salon.com) The next day a similar resolution was passed by the House, 390 to 5. (Reuters)

President-elect Barack Obama broke his conspicuous silence on the situation in Gaza on Jan. 6, only to make a mild statement expressing his concern about “the loss of civilian life in Gaza and Israel.” Israel has suffered three civilian deaths to Gaza’s hundreds. Such a statement, however, draws an equal sign between oppressor and oppressed.

Worldwide demonstrations have denounced the U.S. support of Israel, its client state in the Middle East. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid, and the weapons being used to rain terror on the people of Gaza—including white phosphorous munitions, which have been banned for use in civilian areas—are made in the U.S.

Israel more isolated

Despite the intentions of both Tel Aviv and Washington, the all-out, genocidal blitzkrieg against the people of Gaza has isolated Israel more than ever. The U.N. Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva on Jan. 12, passed a resolution which “strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli military operations ... which have resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure.” The resolution, which was drafted by Arab, Asian and African countries, passed 33 to 1 with 13 abstentions; Canada cast the only “no” vote. (Agence France-Presse)

As the number of deaths at Israel’s hands continues to rise, the truth of the situation in Gaza and Palestine is becoming more and more exposed.

While proclaiming it acts in self-defense, Israel has oppressed the Palestinian people for 60 years, driving them out of their homes and splitting their land into ever-smaller fragments. It prevents Palestinian refugees and their descendants from returning home. The oppressed in this case are clearly the Palestinians, who have suffered from daily state terror and violence and have the right to defend themselves in whatever way they can.

Israel alleges it had to launch this murderous offensive because Hamas violated a ceasefire. However, while Hamas adhered to the ceasefire for five months, it was never honored by Israel. Rather than open border crossings into Gaza, as the ceasefire stipulated, Israel tightened the blockade, cutting off electricity, water and access to supplies for the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. Thirty Gazans were killed by Israeli planes and missiles during the ceasefire—prompting Hamas to finally respond by firing a few rockets into Israel. It was their only way to draw world attention to the deadly siege going on.

The purpose of the attack on Gaza, as with all these massacres, is to quell resistance. However, the Palestinians have proven time and time again that this will never happen. They are fighting back bravely and their fighters have the support of the people, as many news accounts show.

Meanwhile, throughout the world, people yearning for justice are finding inspiration in the Palestinian struggle.

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