The Israeli assault on Gaza continues now on its seventh day. I and other members of the Idaho Peace Coalition penned a press release that has been sent out and also faxed to our congressmen. We have also signed on to an open letter to President-elect Obama as an organization and as individuals. We also urge everyone to contact the Whitehouse and State Department to protest the attacks and demand an immediate cease-fire. Here are those numbers.
Contact the White House
Call 202-456-1111 or
send an email to comments@whitehouse.gov
Contact the State Department at 202-647-6575
or send an email by going here: http://tinyurl.com/93ctpz
There is so much to say and so many issues to examine. But I have been writing about it a little everyday. If there is ever going to be a lasting peace in the Middle East I believe this particular conflict holds the key. This is just a tidbit of my thoughts for today.
So even though Israel knew where Hamas leader Nizar Rayan was and knew he had refused to leave his home why did they bomb his house rather than arrest or assassinate him? Instead they chose to bomb his house and kill 18 other people, including nine of his children, ages 2 to 19, two other children, all four of his wives and three other woman.
But with fewer targets left to strike – yesterday Israel bombed a mosque, the education ministry, the transportation ministry as well as the parliament building – a ground invasion would now appear imminent. Hamas says they intend to continue firing rockets until Israel ends its offensive and Israel says there will be no end to the violence for as long as rockets fly. It is doubtful either side will back down. Israel has rejected any calls for a cease fire even the French one that calls for a two day halt to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. But many more meeting for peace are ongoing.
So we can stay tuned for more civilian deaths. It seems that, just like the Lebanon war where more than 1,000 civilians killed, international calls for peace will only happen when the civilian deaths reach a tipping point. The Gaza Strip is one of the thickest populated places on the planet it probably won’t be long until the deaths climb up. So far there have been 4 or 5 Israeli deaths but if soldiers take to the streets their casualties will go up too.
So hospitals are now being accused by Israel as hiding places for Hamas militants, a charge that the hospital administrators emphatically reject. But no one can say for sure because of the blockade against journalists or anyone else to enter Gaza at all. But that may change as the Israel’s Supreme Court on Friday ordered the state to allow foreign reporters into the Gaza Strip. So since Israel is running out of targets I suppose they are attempting to set up hospitals as a legitimate target. This is in direct violation of Article 18 of the Geneva Conventions. But we know what Israel thinks of the damn pesky Geneva Conventions…
As expected a United Nations resolution calling on Israel to abide by its obligations under the Geneva Convention with regard to the protection of civilians in time of war was vetoed by the United States, even though the provisions calling for Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza and stop the collective punishment of the Palestinian people was removed.
Work for Peace.
