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03 January 2009
ISRAELI MASSACRE OF GAZAN CIVILIANS
The Israeli cabinet approved a military operation against
Gaza by the forces of Israel.
The military massacre of Gazan civilians was launched on December
27th, 2008 in two separate waves of attacks when over 100
bombs were dropped on dozens of targets . Some 80 airplanes
and helicopters took part in the assault destroying civil
police compounds and civilian homes. Over 205 Palestinians
were killed and at least 750 wounded, 125 of these with critical
injuries, including women and children.
This massacre of Gazan civilians by the Israeli military,
is indeed a crime
against humanity. It is all the more cruel considering the
suffering of the
People of Gaza, under the collective punishment policy of
Israel which has
cut Gaza off from the World for almost 2 years, and led its
one an a half
Million people to living in what is the world largest open
air prison, and suffering
one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies in the world.
In November, when I visited Gaza with Free Gaza Movement,
we met with the Hamas Leadership, and attended a meeting of
representatives of all the Political Parties in Gaza, the
6 month ceasefire was holding and the Political Parties were
ready to go to Cairo to meet with their Political colleagues
from West Bank. There was great hope that Palestinian National
Unity could be built, and that the ways of active nonviolence
would help towards the goals of ending the Israeli occupation
and self determination for the Palestinian people.
A few days after our visit to Gaza, in November the State
of Israel broke the truce in a series of military attacks
on Gaza, which caused the death of six Palestinians, which
tragically resulted in the ending of the truce by both parties.
Israel continues to ignore over 60 UN resolutions and building
its illegal settlement,
apartheid system and repressive occupation. Human rights and
Humanitarian
workers are often refused entry to Israel or Gaza. For example,
last week when Prof. Falk UN Special rappateor for Palestine,
tried to enter Israel, they held him in detention, in deplorable
conditions, for 15 hours in an airport prison and deported
him to Geneva, showing utter contempt for the United Nations
and international community. The latest massacre by air bombing
of civilians, is the action of an Israeli Government out of
control, and living in the arrogant assumption that they can
do whatever they want, and the American Government will continue
to fund them (to the tune of $10 million per day) much of
which is spent on military actions.
It is urgent the International community breaks its silence
and takes action to insist Israel lift the Siege of Gaza,
end the military attack on Gaza meets its commitments under
International Law and respect human rights of Palestinian
people.
Mairead Maguire (Nobel Peace Laureate) www.peacepeople.com
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