7 CONCLUSIONS TO MAKE ABOUT #GAZA - written by sr Shohana Khan 1. The ‘war’ in Gaza was started a long time ago. By Israel. Israel has put the people of Gaza under siege for the past seven years. Restricting everything coming in and out, the movement of people, even food. A 2008 Israeli report “Red Lines” recently revealed the Israeli government made calculations about how many calories of food they would need to allow into Gaza to avoid malnutrition, but to ensure that people remained on a ‘diet’. Even the basic necessity of water has been restricted. However this mass punishment for living in Gaza wasn’t started just seven years ago. Gaza holds eight of the registered UN refugee camps since the establishment of Israel in 1948-9. Over half of its’ population being refugees highlights the life that these people have endured for over the past 60 years. One where the Israeli Government has persistently expelled them from their homes, in their own land, over decades. Such a historical political context, changes the answer to the question significantly on why anyone in Gaza may want to resist Israel. 2. The allegation Israel makes of Hamas, is more relevant for Israel itself. The Israeli Government refuses to talk to Hamas claiming it is a terrorist organisation they must destroy, as confirmed in most media interviews. However the information that is often bypassed is that just like Mr Netanyahu and his political party Likud, Hamas was also unanimously elected as Palestine’s ‘Government’ in 2007 – Making Hamas technically no less of an authority than Likud, in the eyes of the world. The fact that Hamas is denounced as a terrorist group, due to its’ ‘violent history’ is a view supported as Israeli spokespeople are always keen to emphasise, by most Western nations. However if the marker of a terrorist organisation is their history of violence, then it is difficult to find an organisation more fitting for this label than the Israeli Government. The current genocide of the people of Gaza aside, as well as the 2009 one, the entire history of Israel is littered with examples of violence starting from the time of its’ very establishment – The Deir Yassin massacre, to eradication of Palestinian village after village mark its’ violent escapades in just those early years. 3. The UN is a bystander to the whole conflict. The United Nations has provided resolution after resolution to Israel since it was established. From the right of return for Palestinian refugees, to resolutions for Israel to maintain its’ borders, these resolutions have had no impact on Israel’s actual behaviour nor changed its’ course of action. Illegal Israeli settlements still exist and Palestinian refugees have still not returned to their homes 66 years later. This it could be argued has been even more detrimental for the people of Gaza and Palestine as the UN resolutions and statements appear to offer assistance and intervention, but in actual fact end up as empty rhetoric, leaving the oppressed in reality, without any aid. 4. The two state solution is not a solution. Sultan Abdul Hamid II, when Palestine was under the Caliphate (known as the Ottoman Empire), told the founder of Zionism Theodore Herzl that he would never sell the land of Palestine as long as he lived as it wasn’t his to sell. What Government or ruler would give away the land inhabited by a people, for another people to settle in? When the region of Palestine was seized under British colonial control, the land now known as Israel was promised to the Zionists, by the then British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour. It wasn’t a decision taken by the people who lived there. Even though it has been over a hundred years since this declaration, it does not make that initial move any less illegitimate, or any less wrong. Despite the fact that Israel has done little to allow a separate viable Palestinian state to exist anyway, it is still important to acknowledge that the discussion of the future of Palestine and Israel is not by default a two state one. Rather it has has always been a one state solution for the people who have always lived there, with a just Government ruling over Muslims, Christians and Jews. Which is actually what existed there pre-Israel under the Ottoman Caliphate contrary to popular opinion – People of all backgrounds living together. 5. Regardless of the views of individual MPs, the British establishment has a deep long-running relationship with Israel. Individual politicians have come out and expressed their criticism of the actions of Israel, however it is clear that there is a vast majority of politicians who support Israel, many of whom are part of ‘Friends of Israel’ groups. This is underpinned by the long standing relationship the British establishment has always had with Israel, supported by the Prime Minister himself – And the very birth of Israel attributed to Britain testifies for this. Since then the relationship has expanded into economic ties which have been little affected by the goings on in Gaza, West Bank or wherever else. Although the Government is claiming to review its’ arms deals with Israel currently, due to the human rights abuses in Gaza, this is happening after the escapade of violence in 2009 against the same people in a similar manner. If Israel’s military activities against civilians was a real concern, economic ties would have been reviewed a long time ago. In fact, the strategic location of Israel is of great value for countries like Britain who need a helping hand in an unpredictable Middle East. So although the actions of individual politicians help the public awareness and pressuring against the crimes of Israel, the British and Israeli establishment have a relationship that runs far deeper than this which they are highly unlikely to sever. 6. Aid and much needed supplies are not just being stopped from entering Gaza by Israel – but by Egypt too. The continuing blockade and siege of Gaza, has meant that whilst Gaza is being bombed to smithereens the much needed extra medication and supplies are difficult to get in. This is expected of Israel who are orchestrating the bombing, however Israel does not surround Gaza on every border – On one front Egypt does too. So it is wholly possible that the much needed supplies could enter through the Egyptian border by the Rafah Crossing, but the secular military dictator Sisi has not allowed this to be. As well as restricting the movement of goods it has stopped the movement of people, not letting the injured and terrified people out of the open air prison created by Israel, but sealed by the Egyptian Government. 7. The surrounding Arab and Muslim armies have the full capability to challenge the military dominance of Israel. Military campaigns have enabled Israel to achieve the land grab they have desired, as well as domination. The only real challenge to this, can be a similar military confrontation. And this can be easily found in the surrounding lands around Israel. Countries such as Turkey and Egypt have the largest armies in the world, weaponry which could challenge an army well equipped but significantly smaller. These armies have the numbers to dwarf the Israeli army which depends heavily on reserves, very swiftly. The surrounding Arab and Muslim countries would have the political justification to move – with their lands holding widespread support for the people in Palestine. The occupation of Palestine has been of longstanding concern to Muslims, across the Muslim world. These armies also are prepared to move. They hold annual military exercises preparing for military expeditions with the ‘Sea of Friendship manoeuvre’ which the Egyptian naval fleet conducts with the Turkish. The ‘Faisal manoeuvre’ which the Egyptian armed forces conducts with the Saudi Arabian. Such efforts of coordination could be put to use for the one long standing conflict of the region that affects the people of all the Muslim and Arab lands. - Shohana Khan #SupportGaza #AJAGAZA
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:24:59 +0000
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