Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Casualties in Gaza

The London Blitz lasted a year, when the Germans blasted England's capital for one year! People who survived this (including me) were considered brave (although I was only a baby). People in Sderot by comparison were rocketed for eight years!
How could any Government allow its citizens to be treated this way for so long? But, Israel was incredibly patient, taking the punishment, while warning the perpetrators, the terrorist Hamas, that one day if they did not stop, Israel would react. Notably the UN, apart from issuing useless statements, did nothing to stop this bombardment. Even during the so-called ceasefire (calm) ca. 325 rockets hit Israel and after the calm was unilaterally renounced by Hamas a further 600 rockets were fired into Israel until Israel finally reacted with Operation Cast Lead on Dec 27, when the rocket's range was extended to 40 km (25 ml) to hit the cities of Ashkelon, Ashod and Beersheva. Yesterday a rocket hit Gedera for the first time, the longest range yet, wounding a 6-month old baby. Before the "calm" the rocket range was 20 km, after it the range was 40 km. So you can see why the smuggling of (Iranian) rockets and other materials thru the tunnels from Egypt into Gaza is so significant.

No-one in Israel wants to see Palestinian civilian casualties, our war is with Hamas, a terrorist organization. Yet, when there are casualties, Israel is of course blamed. But, consider this:
1. The number of casualties are given by Hamas supporters and the films are taken by Palestinian/Hamas cameramen (since no independent press are allowed into Gaza), who are renowned for staging invidents (such as the Mohammed Dura incident).
2. Hamas and other militiamen fire from civilian positions regularly and therefore it is impossible to avoid civilian casualties.
3. In war there are always unavoidable casualties, for example the IDF patrol that was hit by friendly fire two days ago in Gaza, killing three soldiers and wounding about 30.
4. The UN has always been hostile to Israel and in fact the UNWRA organization is pledged to perpetuate the Palestinian refugee crisis for generations (a refugee in international law is one who leaves a country, not their offspring).
5. UNWRA is hostile to Israel, and allows the teaching of anti-Israel lessons in its schools, the posting of the pictures of martyrs (suicide bombers) and the use of their facilities to store weapons and to fire from (several years ago a photographer caught a Hamas terrorist shooting from a UN school, but UNWRA of course denies all this).
6. The IDF says it will provide evidence that Hamas were firing mortars from the UN school where ca. 30 civilians were reportedly killed yesterday.
7. The civilian population of Gaza voted in Hamas and then stood by while Hamas decimated Fatah, killed its leaders and operatives, and have supported Hamas actions (firing rockets, suicide bombings) by a large majority.

Of course, none of this justifies civilian casualties, but those in Gaza are not significantly greater than in any other urban conflict, in fact less than many (Grozny, Kilinochi, Croatia, Iraq, etc.). The IDF has orders to avoid civilian casualties and Israel has continued to allow trucks carrying humanitarian supplies into Gaza since the operation began. In fact, in one convoy 5 ambulances from Turkey were delivered to Gaza. Even though water and electricity continues to be delivered to Gaza, understandably under conditions of conflict the conditions have deteriorated. As a consequence Israel has agreed to the establishment of a civilian corridor, much like the one it already opened to allow distribution of supplies from trucks/lorries throughout Gaza. Hopefully this will be coordinated with the EU/UN forces so that a more efficient distribution of supplies can be made. However, Gaza is still a field of conflict, yesterday 31 rockets were launched at Israel from Gaza and heavy fighting continues. So don't be surprised if a UN/EU monitor gets killed and the Hamas cameramen are on the spot to shoot it and send the pictures around the world. If you can't win by fighting, then try to win by PR. It's the oldest Palestinian lesson in the book, and the West falls for it every time.
Last night Pres.Mahmud Abbas of the PA spoke at the UN Security Council on behalf of "all Palestinians." I'm sorry, but this is a fraud, since he cannot speak for the Palestinians in Gaza, because he does not represent them (they chose Hamas) and he has no control over them or their territory. By substituting the PA for Hamas in this conflict it is as if Israel were fighting the PA, but that is not the case. Let's be clear about that. If there is to be a ceasefire (immediate or otherwise) it is between Israel and Hamas, and will probably be negotiated by Pres. Mubarak of Egypt, who has said that Hamas brought the Israeli counter-action upon itself by abrogating a continuation of the "calm".
Now that discussions on a ceasefire are underway let's hope that they are successful. But, they must include Israel's minimum demands, a cessation of all firing of rockets and mortars into Israel, closing of all tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border and cessation of all smuggling of military equipment. In exchange, Israel will agree to open borders with Gaza, with neutral country and Israeli monitors on guard. Maybe it can happen soon.

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