As we remember the victims of Gaza we have to ask ourselves have we seen the end to the Israeli atrocities or will the 2010 show the same old business as usual?
As it stands at the moment the Israeli military is still flexing its enormous might with repeated air strikes using fighters, helicopter gunships and the dreaded drones.
It is remarkable that this very large so called elite force can only hide behind a façade of high technology using robotic equipment and lacks the courage to meet their adversaries in the conventional way. Obviously this happened in Lebanon and the IDF ran home with their tales between their legs.
What is incredible is they continue to use disproportionate force that can only be described as collective punishment which is in total violation of the Geneva Convention. We have also seen the type of weapons they use (and continue to use) which clearly demonstrates they are using the strip as a testing ground for both US and IMI manufactured weapons.
We read that yet again for the fourth day the IDF maintains its stance of punishing the people of Gaza and for what would be the question? The Palestine Telegraph report shows appalling daily raids: “30 Dec, 2009 Israeli air force still launching the heaviest bombardments in Gaza ever” “Israeli warplanes, drones, artillery machines, and apache helicopters broadly took part in the nightly raids. Israeli air raids destroyed a sport club and a building inside the Islamic University of Gaza IUG. IUG was hit Monday night and 2 building were destroyed. One of the destroyed buildings was the laboratory funded by Islamic Development Bank estimated of millions of dollars.” As usual innocent civilians and children were the victims of this overnight aggression.
So tomorrow we see the end of 2009 which marks the end of a very bad year for the people of Gaza. Their suffering continues throughout the winter months whilst the United Nations and the World looks on. Whatever has been or is being done in Gaza is just a token gesture by the UN and the real issues continue to be swept under a very large carpet. The Arab League continue to sit on their hands worrying about their own economic growth and Egypt continues to suck up to the US and Israel in return for a US Golden Egg. They say that what goes around comes around but for some reason their “Muslim Brothers” continue to distance themselves from this terrible issue.
We see many members of the so called Arab League committing millions of dollars in aid support but none of this actually reaches Gaza. We see the West and Israel deprive this enclave of its own extremely wealthy natural resources that surely in itself must constitutes a breach of the Geneva Convention. I also believe that Israel is currently or about to take this valuable resource by illicit means and once again our world mediator, the United Nations, sit on their hands and pretend nothing is happening. The UN has already noted and passed resolutions regarding the rape of Palestinian land and its resources and really is lacking in its ability to follow its own constitution. Why would world governments continue to pour in vast sums of money into an organisation that is led by a weak timid Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon?
We saw the UN make an announcement on Christmas Eve: 24 December 2009 – After Israel’s announcement that it will allow glass into Gaza following United Nations requests to repair homes damaged during last year’s fighting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced hope that this will pave the way for other much-needed materials to enter the area.
What about window frames that no longer exist, what about that vital commodity called concrete and many more essential building materials……why doesn’t Israel allow this to pass through and for what reason?....are they afraid that the people of Gaza with all their inner strength and fortitude will bounce back from the brink of extinction?
We see the same old jargon coming from the lips of Ban Ki-moon that he hopes or looks forward to better times or peace. The road map for peace goes back so far now it has been archived in the history vaults of the United Nations…..when will the UN fulfil its obligations to the nations of the world it represents? And when will the “Big Boys Club” called the “Security Council” be scrapped and replaced by genuine sincere national representatives that think in a more compassionate way rather than the current economically greedy elite?
The shadows of the original League of Nations hangs over the UN like a dark grey cloud and it is clearly showing the same signs of failure as its predecessor. The Goldstone Report is a classic example of the manipulative control of certain members of the UN…obviously the US, UK, NATO countries, Israel etc.
It was on the same day (Christmas Eve) that the following was announced:
The General Assembly today approved a budget of $5.16 billion for the 2010-2011 period, in a move immediately welcomed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. One could hardly describe this budget as a treasured “Christmas Gift” when one reflects on the combined war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan as being almost double this for only one month.
What we see here is a cycle of events that allows the UN to approve such a war effort, whether legal or illegal! This pittance of money is then used to rebuild the infrastructure that the UN allowed to be destroyed, whilst at the same time massive aid is injected into that country to support the IDP’s that have had to re locate to avoid the war. We also see time and time again a massive rebuilding programme that really never gets off the ground and those that do are handed to the US contractors at extortionate prices.
We saw a classic example of this in Iraq when millions of UN dollars (actually Iraqi money from the oil for food programme) was handed to the US Treasury. It was then flown in bulk (as raw cash) in US Military transport aircraft to Iraq where it sat in an open vault for every Tom, Dick and Harry to help themselves. Contracts were raised many of which never existed and the money was siphoned off without any account or audit.
I myself have visited Iraq a few times and noticed that the country is still in a terrible state of disrepair and lacking basic infrastructure. One could say that Kurdistan is doing well by comparison but so also are all the international companies that are making an economic killing in the region and yet despite the North being much more stable the Turkish military is allowed to breach its sovereignty anytime it so chooses to carry out raids against the US labelled terrorist group called the PKK (Which in the European Court was cleared of this label).
Back to Gaza and its future. It is so hard for compassionate caring people to understand the workings of the UN….on one hand it established UNRWA in Palestine and this has been the lifeline for the people of Gaza but was this a token gesture by the UN to show it cared. From my perspective this was like putting a sticky plaster on a gaping open wound and was only a small branch of an olive tree.
The United Nations has failed and continues to fail the people of Gaza. The Goldstone Report only went part way into revealing the true horrors of the Israeli attack. It missed out most of the evil weapons used and certainly dropped the topic of weapons containing uranium components, despite the fact that samples since recovered from Gaza were showing clear signs of both depleted and enriched uranium.
To the United Nations even using the term of depleted uranium send shivers down their spines and instils absolute panic in amongst their halls of fame. The UNEP has failed in its entirety in revealing the true level and usage of such weapons in the Balkans, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Gaza and now Pakistan. It has not only failed in this mission but it also didn’t look. It has conspired with its partners in crime the World Health Organisation (WHO) and with the many governments associated with NATO and the Israeli to hide the truth from the many thousands (if not millions) of innocent civilians that are now victim to its so called “safe level of low level radiation.” To the young men that served their country (the war vets) they have turned their backs and deceived them at a level that is beyond comprehension.
The clear tell tale signs are popping up in all the ex and current areas of conflict that have succumbed to these US/Israeli made weapons. We now see huge rises in many forms of cancer, diabetes, mental health, infertility, still births or terribly disfigured babies with little chance of survival. This story had its origin in the Balkans and now covers all the areas highlighted previously, which now also includes Gaza. It is also interesting to note that Israel itself has also succumbed to its own weaponry with an above average rise of the same health issues.
I again ask the United Nations, especially Mr Francis Deng, who was appointed as a special adviser for the prevention of genocide as to why these weapons are still being used and why he, in his legal capacity has not address this mass genocide that is currently taking place. I would also ask Mr Deng why Gaza is also being allowed to become a genocidal graveyard under the watchful eye of his office and the United Nations.
So what will 2010 bring to the people of Gaza? If it’s left to the IDF, who are in full swing with military action as we speak, it can hardly be anything different or should I say business as usual!
To Ban Ki-moon and the UN - you hope for a solution but my line would be action speaks louder than words!
To the Arab League - I am sure you will continue to turn your backs on your brothers but send much money to the central government in West Bank!
To Egypt - I am sure they will keep having your palms brushed with US gold and military aid and continue to punish the enclave that once belonged to you!
To Israel - you will continue to look at a blank map of the road to peace that goes nowhere and continue to occupy and rape Palestine of its land and resources!
To Obama and the US Government - you will continue to support Israel no matter what; otherwise your political funding mechanism will be curtailed!
To Brown and the UK Government - you will also continue to support Israel no matter what; otherwise your political funding mechanism will dry up!
To all EU leaders and their Governments- you will also continue to support Israel no matter what; otherwise your respective political funding mechanism will also dry up!
So where does this leave Gaza in the New Year…….Absolutely alone as usual.
One would always hope that Gaza and West Bank can settle their differences and unite as one unified Palestinian State and then take their country forward by independently seeking full Sovereignty via the United Nations and UNCLOS.
Certainly the past has not been kind to the people of Gaza or to the Palestinians in general. No one can foresee what lies ahead for them in 2010 and beyond but their strength and sense of belonging has always pulled them through extremely difficult conflicts and intense periods of Israeli harassment.
For my part all I can say is your strength is your armour and no one can take away what is rightfully yours. You coped extremely well with a very difficult year and I know that you will continue to grow in strength against impossible odds in the coming years.
To all the people of Gaza, West Bank and all Palestinians wherever you may be I would like to wish you all a “Very Happy New Year for 2010” and sincerely hope that the new year brings you some hope or maybe the lifting of the cruel blockade.
Bless you all – Peter Eyre – Middle East Consultant 31/12/2009
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