Israel (Response to local letter writer) 2-2-2009

2, February 2009 Israel (Response to local letter writer)

Writer Norman Licht (Post Feb 2, 2009) offers more twisted logic to justify Israel’s war of terror. Glaringly omitted from Licht’s scores of letters is the terror tactics used by Israeli settlers to dispossess Palestinians of their land. These include demolition of hundreds of Palestinian homes and thousands of trees. The construction of hundreds of illegal settlements in the West Bank in an orchestrated effort to deny the Palestinians their own state. Perhaps, Licht could explain the rational of building bypass roads for the exclusive use of Jews in the settlements. Even apartheid South Africa did not sink to such levels. Perhaps, Licht could explain Israel’s decision to impose a crippling blockade of humanitarian aid of food, medical supplies and fuel to an already impoverished 1.5 million hostages in Gaza. Is this not an act of terror and a clear violation of international law? Perhaps Licht could explain the deliberate targeting of densely populated civilian areas in Gaza with high velocity military weapons. Many of those that perished had deposits of white Phosphorus burns – a banned chemical substance.  Finally, I would ask Licht why the UN compound was targeted and many civilians bled to death because ambulances were often forbidden from helping the injured? 

More on Gaza:

Israel’s savage assault on Gaza has stirred world-wide condemnation. Most poignantly, a veteran anti-apartheid leader, Dennis Brutus led a huge demonstration in Durban, South African. Brutus was instrumental in organizing a highly successful cultural boycott against South African which eventually resulted in freedom for the oppressed native Africans It has impoverished 1.5 million residents of Gaza by its crippling blockade of food, medical supplies, fuel and electricity. It has deliberately targeted homes, medical clinics, ambulances, schools, mosques and the University. It has displayed callous unconcern for human life bombing high density areas killing hundreds of civilians including a large number of women and children. More recently, Israel deliberately rammed a ship carrying critically needed medical supplies condemning scores of civilians to a slow, painful death. Fearful of the images of dead and wounded and the infrastructure damage reaching the world press, Israel has forbidden press photographers and journalists from entering Gaza. I urge readers to contact their representatives and demand an immediate cease fire and suspension of military aid to Israel. Failure to do so will make us complicit to the genocide of the Palestinians. Largely hidden from the US press is the large scale protests in Israel. Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak hurriedly canceled his planned visit to Tel Avis University. An Israeli organization called Courage to Refuse called on IDF soldiers to refuse to participate in the genocide in Gaza.  Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak cancelled his visit to Tel Aviv University on Jan. 19 after students called him a “murderer.” One war resisters’ organization in the Israeli state, Courage to Refuse, published a newspaper advertisement condemning the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians and calling on soldiers to refuse to fight in Gaza.