There is intentional misdirection as well as outright lies in this article.
Only those who are ill-informed or outright dishonest would buy this.
"But they do not just “feel” walled off, they are literally so, unable to get out by land or sea or to bring necessary basic goods and medicine in."
-- Even the UN had stated on multiple occasions that neither the Israelis or the Egyptians have ever prevented food or medicine from passing into Gaza. Period.
And thousands of Palestinians cross into Israel from the West Bank and Gaza every day for jobs (both legal and illegal) and to go to school. (And it is not Israel keeping Palestinians restricted in camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.)
The walls were put in place because of multiple suicide bomb attacks on civilians, smuggling of weapons into Gaza that is then used against Israel, and kidnapping of Israeli civilians and military personnel. Please note that Egypt maintains the same border control efforts on their border with Gaza, putting the same restrictions on their 'Arab Brothers.'
"Words, not actions, are needed now. The bloodshed must stop, and removing the blockade is the first step to doing so."
-- Does anyone, anywhere, actually believe that by removing the blockade that Hamas, whose charter calls for the complete destruction of the nation of Israel, will somehow commit less military atrocities with MORE access to military weapons?
“Long-term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off from the world,” Obama said, adding that the Palestinians needed to see “some prospects for an opening of Gaza so that they do not feel walled off.”
-- Guess they shouldn't have elected a governing body whose stated goal (and matching efforts) was the obliteration of their next-door neighbor. Millions in aid has been used by Hamas, not to improve the lives of the Palestinians, but to engage and antagonize Israel militarily.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Editorial/2014/Aug-08/266425-remove-the-blockade.ashx#axzz39u1z0144
REMOVE THE BLOCKADE
Now in its eighth year, the medieval blockade of Gaza appears to have only just caught U.S. President Barack Obama’s attention.
Although the current truce between Israel and Gaza appears to be surviving, lasting peace will only be possible if the roots of the problem are tackled.
Otherwise, every couple of years, Israel, itching for a war, will find a suitable excuse. Catalysts could, theoretically, come every day. Enough different excuses were used for this most recent “operation” against Gaza, a war by any other name, and one which left at least 430 Palestinian children dead. First it was the three murdered Israeli teenagers, then it was the rockets from Gaza, and then it was the tunnels.
And there were casualties on the other side too – 64 Israeli soldiers were killed, as well as two Israeli civilians and a Thai citizen. This is the highest military death toll since Israel’s 2006 war against Lebanon. Does Israel want to keep repeating this cycle of events?
“Long-term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off from the world,” Obama said, adding that the Palestinians needed to see “some prospects for an opening of Gaza so that they do not feel walled off.”
Until they are able to live any semblance of a normal life, how can anyone expect Gazans to cease digging tunnels or launching rockets? Maintaining the blockade gives them an excuse to continue doing both.
Words, not actions, are needed now. The bloodshed must stop, and removing the blockade is the first step to doing so.
Only those who are ill-informed or outright dishonest would buy this.
"But they do not just “feel” walled off, they are literally so, unable to get out by land or sea or to bring necessary basic goods and medicine in."
-- Even the UN had stated on multiple occasions that neither the Israelis or the Egyptians have ever prevented food or medicine from passing into Gaza. Period.
And thousands of Palestinians cross into Israel from the West Bank and Gaza every day for jobs (both legal and illegal) and to go to school. (And it is not Israel keeping Palestinians restricted in camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.)
The walls were put in place because of multiple suicide bomb attacks on civilians, smuggling of weapons into Gaza that is then used against Israel, and kidnapping of Israeli civilians and military personnel. Please note that Egypt maintains the same border control efforts on their border with Gaza, putting the same restrictions on their 'Arab Brothers.'
"Words, not actions, are needed now. The bloodshed must stop, and removing the blockade is the first step to doing so."
-- Does anyone, anywhere, actually believe that by removing the blockade that Hamas, whose charter calls for the complete destruction of the nation of Israel, will somehow commit less military atrocities with MORE access to military weapons?
“Long-term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off from the world,” Obama said, adding that the Palestinians needed to see “some prospects for an opening of Gaza so that they do not feel walled off.”
-- Guess they shouldn't have elected a governing body whose stated goal (and matching efforts) was the obliteration of their next-door neighbor. Millions in aid has been used by Hamas, not to improve the lives of the Palestinians, but to engage and antagonize Israel militarily.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Editorial/2014/Aug-08/266425-remove-the-blockade.ashx#axzz39u1z0144
REMOVE THE BLOCKADE
Now in its eighth year, the medieval blockade of Gaza appears to have only just caught U.S. President Barack Obama’s attention.
Although the current truce between Israel and Gaza appears to be surviving, lasting peace will only be possible if the roots of the problem are tackled.
Otherwise, every couple of years, Israel, itching for a war, will find a suitable excuse. Catalysts could, theoretically, come every day. Enough different excuses were used for this most recent “operation” against Gaza, a war by any other name, and one which left at least 430 Palestinian children dead. First it was the three murdered Israeli teenagers, then it was the rockets from Gaza, and then it was the tunnels.
And there were casualties on the other side too – 64 Israeli soldiers were killed, as well as two Israeli civilians and a Thai citizen. This is the highest military death toll since Israel’s 2006 war against Lebanon. Does Israel want to keep repeating this cycle of events?
“Long-term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off from the world,” Obama said, adding that the Palestinians needed to see “some prospects for an opening of Gaza so that they do not feel walled off.”
Until they are able to live any semblance of a normal life, how can anyone expect Gazans to cease digging tunnels or launching rockets? Maintaining the blockade gives them an excuse to continue doing both.
Words, not actions, are needed now. The bloodshed must stop, and removing the blockade is the first step to doing so.
