Conflicts in the Middle East: Gaza Strip

Showing posts with label Gaza Strip. Show all posts

Friday, May 25

What is Bad for Gaza is Bad For Israel

There is no doubt that what is bad for Gaza is bad for Israel as well. I wrote about Israel’s blame for the creation of the Hamas terrorist group and if this is the case then Israel must be held accountable for the Hamas increase in power and influence in the Gaza Strip because of its “divide and rule” policies in the 1970s.

How different life in Gaza was in the mid-1970s when I arrived in Israel from Cape Town, South Africa in 1974. In those days I was a hospital pharmacist in Barzilai Hospital, Ashkelon. I travelled to Gaza quite often to do my shopping in the "shuk" in the main street of Gaza City. The vendors were helpful and pleasant. I never felt that my personal security was compromised. I had become friendly with the Arab nursing staff of Barzilai Hospital and we used to eat together in the restaurants in Gaza. I used to take the Gaza bound sherut to Gaza from Ashkelon. The sherut from Tel Aviv to Gaza always stopped in Ashkelon to take passengers to Gaza.

Over the weekends, Gazans used to come freely to Ashkelon and spend time on the beautiful beaches and parks there. There were no restrictions or permits, nor was there any danger of terrorist attacks during that period. Many worked in Barzilai Hospital. Doctors from Gaza used to work alongside their Israeli counterparts and I remember we even had a lady pharmacist from Gaza, who worked with us. She even was a guest at my wedding. Barzilai Hospital even had cooperated with Shifa Hospital in Gaza in the treatment of patients. Unfortunately, this was not to last. A decade later, with the first Intifada in 1987 and the rise of Hamas, everything changed for the worse. The second intifada with its suicide bombings in buses, public places and restaurants had created a situation that became intolerable for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Today the living and economic conditions, as well as the suffering of the people of Gaza, are enormous. Gaza has no fresh drinking water and many people rely on sporadic supplies that are sold. Electricity cuts are enormous and Gazans suffer from lack of electricity most of the time. There is no future for the young people, There is no work and most of the people live in dire poverty. The health services are inadequate and on the verge of collapse.1.

Adding insult to injury is the total blockade by Israel that isolates Gaza from the outside world. Nobody can leave the Gaza Strip 2. that has become a total cesspool of human suffering. The overcrowded conditions are intolerable in many areas of the Gaza strip. What will happen if an epidemic of typhoid and dysentery break out? These epidemics have no borders and it could threaten Israel as well.

Both Israelis and Palestinians are in a deadlock of hate with no signs of any solution.

Children wander around the streets in dismal poverty. Young people loiter around, unemployed, listless and with no motivation for anything. They are fodder for the hate propaganda of Hamas that blames Israel for their woes. While the people of Gaza suffer 3, the strength and influence of Hamas increases. They fill the poverty-stricken youth with hateful propaganda and encourage demonstrations against Israel such as we witnessed over the last couple of weeks reaching a climax on 14th May when 64 Palestinians were killed by IDF sniper fire. They goad the Gazans that by their actions and tearing down the fence they will be able to liberate themselves from the Israeli Occupation and that the establishment of a Palestinian State replacing Israel is just around the corner. 4

A solution to the Gaza tragedy is very complicated and Israel must also play its part in finding a solution as it is a matter of urgency and it is not in the hands of Hamas, who remain adamant in their non-recognition of Israel. Hamas’s strength lies in maintaining the poverty of the Gazan People and filling them with lies and propaganda against Israel in order to hasten its total destruction. There is no accountability or transparency under Hamas nor is there any human dignity and democracy under Hamas rule. Hamas exploits the Palestinians in order to maintain power. Financial donations for the rehabilitation of Gaza is used for arming Hamas militants (terrorists) and the building of infiltration tunnels for them to infiltrate into Israel to carry out terrorist attacks. Other donations also land in the pockets of the wealthy leadership of Hamas. The Gazans do not benefit and the UN does not even care a damn nor are there any international inquiries into this tragic situation.

It appears that the only way, despite the security risks involved, would be to lift the strangling blockade on Gaza.5 Israel should allow work permits for Gazans to enter Israel to obtain work under very stringent security checks. The world community must also play their part in donating money for the rehabilitation of Gaza thus ending its isolation. The financial donations must be transparent with controls so that the monies are not used for military purposes or financing terrorism against Israel, nor for the personal enrichment of the Hamas leadership at the expense of the Gazans' welfare as has been happening since Hamas has been in power in Gaza. This also means reconstructing a harbour and airport These measures are not without risks. However, Gazans, who find meaningful employment in Israel and elsewhere as well as education, will cease to be monopolized by Hamas and this evil monstrous organization will weaken eventually.

We must remember that an impoverished Gazan population is where the strength of Hamas rule lies. An economically strengthened Gaza that can be productive is bad for Hamas.

It will probably be unlikely that this evil Hamas organization would allow Gazans to seek work in Israel if Israel removes the blockade as this is where Hamas strength lies - in Israel’s blockade! They use this blockade as an excuse to encourage hatred for Israel and in this, they have succeeded.

The removal of the blockade would also weaken Hamas and hopefully, the Gazans will rise and finish these savages once and for all! Of course, the lifting of the blockade will also be accompanied by stringent security checks on those who enter Israel.

These ideas of a solution may seem unrealistic at this stage or maybe far-fetched to many but perhaps the solution to the Gaza tragedy lies in this direction.

References:

Saturday, June 17

Occupation has Two Faces - Israeli and Palestinian

The occupation mantra has two faces. We are all familiar with the Israeli Occupation that is opposed by many Israelis, (including Yours Truly,) and the world. The big question is how do we end it when partners on both sides have no interest in negotiating ending the occupation.

On the Israeli side, there is PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s lip service to a Two State solution but in reality, this is not the case. This would mean the demise of many illegal settlements in the occupied territories. The heavy pressure of his extremist right wing flank would never support uprooting these settlements under any agreement.

On the Palestinian side, there is no partner to negotiate with Israel on ending the occupation. President Mahmoud Abbas is weak and has very little support from his people and Hamas will not recognize Israel’s right to exist and refuses to negotiate with Israel. As mentioned many times in my articles, Hamas views the occupation as Israel’s establishment in 1948. Only Israel’s demise is acceptable in the Hamas Covenant (Revised Version 2017). This revised version has not negated Israel’s demise as many people believe.

Abbas can never sign any agreement with Israel as he knows that his life will be endangered and he will be viewed as a traitor by Hamas. Apart from that, the PA and Hamas are at loggerheads. The Palestinian territories are divided into two entities, Gaza 1. and the West Bank. The former is ruled by Hamas 2. and the latter by the Palestinian Authority (PA) 3. Both Hamas and the PA are “occupying” their people. Both rulers have not had general elections for over 10 years. Both parties are not democratic and rule their people with an iron fist.

Opposition to the PA and Hamas is not tolerated or permitted in the territories where they rule. The Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and the Hamas de facto administration in the Gaza Strip continue to restrict freedom of expression by arresting and detaining critics and political opponents 4.

There is no press freedom, transparency, and accountability in the occupied territories. Both Hamas and the PA are corrupt and their leaders are extremely wealthy. Funds earmarked for rehabilitation of Palestinian needs in Gaza have landed in the pockets of the corrupt Palestinian leaders, who have foreign bank accounts and live the good life. Their lifestyles are reminiscent of the deceased Communist dictator of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu, who was assassinated by the Romanian opposition in 1989.

Bearing all this in mind, apart from complaints and international PA antics of Palestinian suffering, the occupation is a source of enrichment for the Palestinian leadership. If the occupation ends and the international community starts monitoring for transparency in funding the fledgling Palestinian State-To-Be, if by some miracle does occur, the Palestinian leaders will not be able to enrich themselves at their peoples' expense as is the case at present.

The Hamas and PA leadership are responsible for hate propaganda against Israel and the Jewish People in their education systems, poisoning the minds of young, impressionable schoolchildren. This is their strength as a new generation of Palestinians will grow up with their minds full of hate for Israel and Jews generally. These corrupt and wealthy leaders of the Palestinians will continue to cry crocodile tears over Palestinian suffering under Israeli occupation while at the same time pocketing money donated to Palestinian rehabilitation projects by the EU, USA and other world bodies. Transparency, checks, and balances are not in the lexicon of the two divisive groups ruling the Palestinians today. Is this not also “occupation” by Hamas and the PA?

Its members were briefed by senior intelligence officers about the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, which will be greatly exacerbated by the Palestinian Authority's decision to stop paying Israel for the power it sells to Gaza. The Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip may be at war with each other, but the two rival parties seem to be in agreement over one issue: silencing and intimidating their critics 5.

Both sides to the conflict are demonizing each other. The stabbing attacks against Israel's Security Forces continues. This clip will give some idea as to the source of motivation of Palestinian terror.

(n.d.). Does Israel actually occupy the Gaza Strip? - The Washington Post. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/02/does-israel-actually-occupy-the-gaza-strip/
(n.d.). Debunking Israel's 11 Main Myths About Gaza, Hamas and War Crimes. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/mehdi-hasan/gaza-israel_b_5624401.html
(n.d.). President of the Palestinian National Authority - Wikipedia. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_Palestinian_National_Authority
https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/palestine-state-of/report-palestine-state-of/. Accessed 16 Jun. 2017.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/. Accessed 16 Jun. 2017.

Friday, April 17

Holocaust Context Today

It has become rather trendy to equate the Israeli occupation with all sort of stereotypes and mantras. The occupation is a problem caused by the inability of the Arab states to recognize Israel's right to exist. Mainstream Palestinian thought today is according to the Hamas Charter. The PA is weak and has very little support in Palestinian street. Most Palestinians want peace but the PA leadership claiming to represent them, fear Hamas.

We are all aware of the wars that Israel fought to defend its citizens against Arab aggression prior to the June 1967 Six Day War. Israel was forced to carry out a preemptive strike after President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, had closed off the Tiran Straits, choking Israel's shipping just after he (Nasser) ordered the UN observers to leave the area. Israel won the war and occupied the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula and East Jerusalem. Prior to 1967, Israel never had occupied Palestinian lands and yet the desire to destroy Israel from the day of its establishment remained in the mindset of the Arab countries. As far as Hamas is concerned, the whole of Israel, established since 1948 is occupied territory and not just the areas occupied after the Six Day War.

What is happening today? Various Palestinian terrorist groups or "Freedom Fighters" infiltrate Israel carrying out terrorist attacks against innocent Israelis. Many act on their own as individuals, ramming civilians in Jerusalem with vehicles at their disposal, stabbings or suicide attacks. “Peacemaking” NGOs, who have adopted the Palestinian cause against the Israeli occupation, arrived as volunteers to get involved in so-called coexistence projects. Superficially it seems noble but in practice, these organizations are indulged in spreading lies and hate against Israel as well as exaggerating the plight of the Palestinians and IDF abuse of them. Their silence on Palestinian terror gives a clear sign as to whom they support.

These NGOs are funded by many European countries and the whole plan is to delegitimize Israel by creating falsehoods about Israel's treatment of Palestinians. The BDS movement is a ramification of these NGO activities to wear Israel down in the hope of capitulation to Palestinian "freedom movements” such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other splinter terrorist groups whose aim is Israel's total destruction.

Many of us were deceived by these European funded NGOs into believing in the nobility of their cause for peace. These "peacemakers" glorify the Palestinians. They do not know the history of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict or Middle Eastern history, let alone Palestinians.

They equate Israel's treatment of the Palestinians with apartheid South Africa and Nazi Germany. They even talk about Israel's acts of genocide against Palestinians. These self-righteous, ignorant, double standard, hypocrites come to Israel to spread their ignorant lies. Why do they not go to Syria, Iraq and Yemen, where there is bloodshed, killings of a dimension that boggles the mind? In these countries Arabs kill each other and no condemnation of worth is uttered in the UN. What about the persecution of Christians in these countries who are being killed like vermin as well as Muslims who do not follow Jabhat el Nusra and ISIS? This proves that underneath all the NGO "peace motives" is a more sinister all encompassing, race hatred - anti-Semitism! They deny this of course, by saying that they hold the Jewish People and Israel to a "higher standard" and feel they must speak out against the "cruel oppression of the Palestinians" that Israel commits, calling it "war crimes" against Palestinians. There are some Israelis in the employ of these NGOs, who invent stories about torture of Palestinians and create a new truth by uttering lies and distortions that are publicized in the media sympathetic to the Palestinian cause whatever that represents. Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth. This was evident in Operation Naked Edge in July/August 2014 in Gaza.

The aftermath of this last war in Gaza witnessed a rise in anti-Semitism the likes of which has never been experienced since the end of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. The sympathy for the Palestinian fight against the occupation has taken root in Europe. Attacks against Jews, destruction of synagogues and this is all the result of a resurgence of classic anti-Semitism that has reached a zenith in France with an attack on a kosher Supermarket in Paris as well as anti-Semitic attacks gaining momentum in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and many other European countries. It is a weird mix of classic anti-Semitism and Islamist extremism that has overtaken Europe. IS has its roots in many mosques in Europe, brainwashing European youth to their cause for establishing a caliphate in their home countries with fiery Imams delivering the most rabid anti-Semitic sermons that has become anti-Christian as well.

The Western world stands in silence while the US kowtows to the wily President Hassan Rouhani of Iran - the charming sugar-coated bitter pill of the cruel, despotic ayatollah regime of Khamenei and its hate of the US and Israel. Pathetic! Is President Obama the modern Neville Chamberlain appeasing Iran? Time will tell and that time is on Iran's side, not on the side of the civilized world. The Holocaust denials - part of Iran's stock and trade, as well as of many NGOs active in the Palestinian quest for freedom from Israeli occupation.

These self-righteous, hypocritical, double standard NGOs should be sent to Syria, Iraq and Iran to monitor human rights and torture, where they can promote peace. Israel is easy meat for them. In the above mentioned countries, they will be beheaded in no time while their allies in the UN will remain apathetic to their plight.

The attempt at creating conditions for committing genocide against the Jews has never been as rife as it is today since the end of World War 2. The anti-Semitism has even spread to places as far as South Africa, Australia and even New Zealand firing the imagination of many Muslims in these countries Thank you, European NGOs, for fomenting anti-Semitism and xenophobia internationally in countries where it was never an issue.

Saturday, October 18

Hamas and IS - Two Sides of the Same Coin

A cease-fire between Israel and the terrorist group, Hamas is tenuous. The chance that it will be a long-term cease-fire depends entirely on Hamas. While Hamas will not agree to disarmament, they will re-arm and continue their home industry of lethal weapon manufacture. They will continue to get financial support from their allies, Turkey, Qatar and Iran. Gaza cannot be blockaded hermetically from Hamas allies. There are ways of smuggling goods and weaponry into Gaza. Hamas has received a large setback because of Operation Protective Edge but they have not been brought to their knees. If we listen to the hateful rhetoric coming from their leaders, who wasted no time in coming out of their bunkers after the cease-fire was declared, making "victory” speeches as if they are on the verge of annihilating Israel.

In my last article, the Cairo Conference on Reconstruction of Gaza of 12th October 2014 was discussed. Pledges of aid for reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gaza were made. Mechanisms of preventing the money landing in Hamas hands was not discussed at the conference nor was disarming Hamas. If these two essential conditions are not met, there will be a repeat of hostilities and war against Israel and no reconstruction of Gaza will occur.

While Israel's Defense Minister has made statements that Hamas will not break the cease-fire soon, many Israelis, especially those living bear the border of Gaza, remain unconvinced.

The solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict remains in negotiations, which also requires both sides of the conflict to recognize each others right to exist and security. While Hamas remains adamant in not recognizing Israel "the Zionist Entity" and is unwilling to lay down its arms, we have a serious problem and it will not take long before hostilities will begin in the not so distant future. This time, the players will become more complicated. There will be unimaginable alliances between Shiite and Sunni Islamist extremists uniting in order to commit terrorist acts against Israel. It will be a matter of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".

We are seeing a sporadic flare up of hostilities in Israel's northern borders with Syria and Lebanon, where Hezbollah - an extremist Shiite terrorist organization, cooperates with the Sunni Hamas organization to commit terrorist acts against Israel. There are also Al Qaeda branches of Wahabi extremists, Jabhat al Nusra, including the Islamic State (IS) branch. The Middle East is as volatile as it is unpredictable. New alliances of former enemies occur in order to achieve a common goal which is the destruction of Israel. So it is not beyond one's imagination that IS, Hamas and even Hezbollah will form some form of alliance to achieve this.

Hamas and IS have similar ideologies. Both are ruthless, Sunni Islamist terrorist organizations. They will not tolerate any opposition in their ranks and are quick to mete out kangaroo court justice to those that

Huffington Post (Aug 20) by Arsen Ostrovsky, an international human rights lawyer — Hamas and ISIS are two sides of the same Islamic terror coin,

oppose them. Hamas shoots those, who they consider as traitors, in the public square in front of children.Both terrorist groups are barbarians with similar agendas. One has to listen to their religious leaders' sermons from their pulpits of mosques in their Diaspora as well as in the Middle East. If one has doubts as to their motives, those sermons are proof of their violent hatred of Jews. Europe must be held responsible for importing this Islamist garbage into their countries, where their Imams are given free reign to make racist and hateful sermons in the mosques they establish. They also brainwash non-Muslim youths to join the ranks of Jihadis in IS against their own countries.

They mask their victims as well as their gunmen shooting them in the head then dancing in their blood in the street screaming "Allah Akbar!" IS beheads their victims after forcing them to declare statements against their countries of origin before their beheadings.

Hamas wishes to replace

Israel

by establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in its place. IS plans to establish a caliphate based on Sharia in the countries it conquers. Israel is able to contain Hamas today but IS is an unknown entity in Israel. There are cells of IS that are operating clandestinely in Israel. If these cells become stronger, it is possible that they will cooperate with Hamas because of their common goal of forced conversions under threats of terror.

The two-state solution to the conflict is becoming unattainable because of Israel's settlement policies. There are various think tanks comprised of academics, searching for other options as a solution such as a federal or confederal solution. The Palestinian Authority cannot be viewed as a negotiating partner for a settlement with Israel as they lack Palestinian support according to the latest Palestinian polls. Hamas with all its fantasies of victory against Israel has the majority of Palestinian support.

As much as we all seek peace and a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, both sides do not have the leadership qualities to make the essential bold decisions necessary to negotiate peace and an end to the occupation.

Even if Israel withdraws from the occupied West Bank, a vacuum will be created that Hamas will fill. As I mentioned earlier, according to polls, the majority of Palestinians support Hamas. Can Israel afford to have a Gaza-like situation on its doorstep? These questions must be addressed. Hamas and IS have very similar goals. Hamas wishes to destroy Israel and establish a Caliphate in its place. It is not Israeli propaganda against Hamas but this is Hamas's own admission.

In my previous article, Hamas tycoons were discussed as well as their motivation in destroying Israel. While Israel is not directly affected by IS at this stage, the situation can change.

This weekend John Kerry had quoted what he heard from various Arab leaders: We need “to find a way to create two states that can live together side by side, two peoples, with both of their aspirations being respected,” Kerry added.

“I still believe that’s possible, and I still believe we need to work towards it.”

He said the unresolved Israel-Palestinian conflict was fueling recruitment for the Islamic State jihadist group.

“There wasn’t a leader I met with in the region who didn’t raise with me spontaneously the need to try to get peace between Israel and the Palestinians, because it was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation,” Kerry said.

“People need to understand the connection of that. And it has something to do with humiliation and denial and absence of dignity,” he added.

Kerry was the architect of the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process between July 2013 and April. THIS WAS NOT HIS PERSONAL OPINION as Naftali Bennett claimed. Bennett is a right wing rabble-rouser and a thorn in the flesh of those striving for peace. His ideas on Jewish claims are based on Biblical history with no relevance to the realities of today. He is deeply conservative with a high tech, start up facade of "modernity". Every time he makes statements justifying the occupation and encouraging illegal settlement building in disputed lands based on Biblical claims is exacerbating a highly tense situation between Israel and the EU as well as Israel's best friend, the US leadership.

If there will be a mutually agreed security mechanism in place that prevents Hamas from taking over the occupied West Bank when a stage is reached on agreed Israeli withdrawal then there is grounds for the establishment of a Palestinian State. Naturally this would involve disarmament of Hamas as an essential requirement if a Palestinian state is established and suitable arrangements made for the settlers who have been living there since the June 1967 War. Pragmatism is essential in finding a solution. Declaring areas "Judenrein" as part of a solution is unacceptable no less than declaring areas "Arabrein".

The world response to IS is weak and is really an impotent token response not that different from its response to Hamas with its tycoon states supporting it.

IS and Hamas alliances cannot be ruled out in the future while lip-service with impotent sporadic airstrikes by the so-called anti-IS coalition are carried out. Time is on the side of Hamas and IS. At this time and place, there is no connection between the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and IS. In the unlikely event of the conflict being solved, IS will not disappear. It would view the Palestinian Authority as traitors and their resolve to spread Jihadi terror and bloodshed would increase and include Israel and Palestine. So all this nonsense about suffering of Arab Muslims creating fertile ground for IS is a load of hogwash.