Opinion Editorials, September 2014

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Gaza Ground Zero:

2,170 Palestinians Killed, 10900 Injured, Total Neighborhoods Erased By Israeli Terrorist Forces

By Mazin Qumsiyeh

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, September 8, 2014

[First a correction/apology: Last week I broadcast information I received erroneously from Twitter: It was not David but his brother Richard Attenborough who died. Many of you wrote to correct me (over 200 messages), so in a way this error showed that people read and check and that is good]. 

According to the United Nations, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, in its latest assault on the people of Gaza, the occupation forces killed 2170 and injured 10900 human beings (about 80% of them civilians, >519 children killed, 2114 children injured).

Israel was using the media distraction it created with slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza (while shouting “hamas, hamas”) to hide the intensification of its ethnic cleansing policies in the occupied West Bank. For example, Israel announced one of the largest expropriation order of Palestinian lands to expand its illegal Gush Etzion complex of colonies. 3799 dunums of land (1000 acres) are to be taken from the villagers of Husan, Nahhalin, and Wadi Fukin.

The latest “ceasefire” arrangement between the resistance factions and Israel are closer to resistance demands than Israeli demands. A majority of Israeli citizens supported the genocide in Gaza and they wanted even more mayhem. Polls also reveal that many do not buy their government propaganda that the Israeli military won. But in wars there are no winners but only losers and worse losers. Gaza was devastated because the Israeli military was unable to find or attack resistance forces and vented its frustration on civilians.

But politicians have a ways of twisting things to their advantage. Even Mahmoud Abbas joined the fray to adopt the Israeli myth that the ceasefire agreed to in the end was the same as the ceasefire offered in the beginning. But Israel has just violated the cease fire by attacking fisherman off the coast of Gaza. Alas, we are in for a long struggle and I urge people to intensify the BDS movement against the apartheid regime of Israel. I get interviewed a lot and speak to visiting internationals regularly. The Palestinian cause is one of the most just causes in history. What we need o do is change ourselves first and move towards more actions (especially by us Palestinians but also by global activists).

Drones have been flying over Bethlehem i n the past few dauys. A prelude to Gazafication of our ghetto? Drones are a core part of Israel's military occupation and ethnic cleansing strategy. Londoners have been doing great actions including taking over the roof of a British drone supplier.http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/06/uav-factory-protest-drones-palestinian-gaza

Australian copycat action, also targeting Elbit: Palestine protesters occupy roof of Port Melbourne factoryhttp://www.theage.com.au/victoria/palestine-protesters-occupy-roof-of-port-melbourne-factory-20140815-104dl4.html

For more actions from the London grouphttp://londonpalestineaction.tumblr.com/

Powerful virtual tour of Gaza ground zero. (click to go through panoramic views from different locations) http://www.kolor.com/virtual-tours/20140818-kolor-lewis-whyld/#s=pano116

"Civil resistance and conflict transformation: Transitions from armed to nonviolent struggle“ has just been released! I have a chapter in it on Palestine struggle (colonial anti-colonial and tactics of the resistance)http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138019423/

ARIJ reports and maps (in Arabic and Hebrew) of the recent orders affecting villagers (Nahhalin, Husan, Wadi Fukin, AlKhader):http://www.poica.org/details.php?Article=6868

A Common Dreams investigation has discovered thousands of anti-Semitic comments over the past two years were posted by proxies who support Israel. One included posting comments by a screen name, "JewishProgressive," whose purpose was to draw attention to and denounce the anti-Semitic comments that HE had written under many other screen names. One proxy commentator posted inflammatory comments under sixty names and a host of identities/ Black, White and Jewish!!!http://www.commondreams.org/hambaconeggs

Schlars at Risk Network:

Occupation attack on Palestinian Universities (another reason to boycott)http://monitoring.academicfreedom.info/reports/2014-06-22-birzeit-university-arab-american-university-al-quds-university-palestine

http://popular-resistance.blogspot.com/2014/09/gaza-ground-zero.html
 
Mazin Qumsiyeh
Professor

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah & ccun.org.

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