|
|
Dec. 1, 2013
Daily summary - Sunday, December 01, 2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Main News
48 rise up; the West Bank and Gaza protest against the "Prawer" displacement plan
Thousands marched yesterday inside the green line, occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip against the "Prawer" displacement plan, which aims to displace tens of thousands of Bedouins and remove their villages in the Negev desert.The demonstrations turned into clashes with Israeli police using stones leading to the arrest of some 50 protesters and resulted in minor injuries among police.The central event was launched at the crossroads of the town Hura in the Negev, while demonstrations were also launched in several cities inside the green line. Hundreds demonstrated in Haifa and Jerusalem at Bab Al-Sahre and Damascus Gate while these demonstrations included stone throwing at police. Israeli Police spokeswoman, Luba Samri, told AFP: "the total number of detained is 49, and 16 policemen were slightly injured.” "The Association for civil rights in Israel" denounced Israeli police brutality against citizens and using stun grenades and tear gas even before trying to disperse demonstrators.MK Mohammed Barakeh, head of the Democratic front for peace and equality, said during his participation in a demonstration in Hura, that thispolice military aggression was planned, it was supposed to be an angry and peacefuldemonstration, but police and border guards brought to place huge forces heavily armed with all forms of weapons, in addition to the Cavalry Division and helicopters above the protesters.” Sheikh MaqboulAl-Saraya’h, (70 years old), told AFP: "a man without a land is a man without an entity, we are on this land before the State of Israel, they talk about democracy, we do not see democracy or justice, we tried their courts and did not find justice."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
A Palestinian worker killed by Israeli gunfire in Tel Aviv
Young Palestinian Antar Al-Aqra’ (27 years old), was shot dead by Israeli police in Tel Aviv on Saturday morning, according to local sources.The sources said that the young man from Qabalan, works in the green line, and weresupposed to celebrate his wedding in three weeks.Yediot Aharonot website reported on Saturday that the so-called Israeli border guards killed a Palestinian worker who was inside a graveyard in Petah Tikva in the Tel Aviv area.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/475653)
Qabha to “Safa”: attacking my car aims at creating sedition
Unidentified men attacked at dawn today, Hamas leader and former Minister of Prisoners Wasfi Qabaha, in front of his house in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. Qabha said on his "Facebook" that his car glass was smashing at 1: 15 a.m., where he awaked form his sleep to the strong sound. Commenting on the incident, Qabha told “Safa” that the attack on his vehicle before dawn is an "action aiming at creating sedition and confusion and is not the first attack."(http://safa.ps/details/news/117217/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%87%D9%88%D9%84%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%AD%D8%B7%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86.html)
Netanyahu threatens and reaffirms his Government's determination to approve the “Prawer” displacement law
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his Government would punish protesters and that it will continue actions of legislation of the “Prawer” law. Netanyahu described the angry protesters as delinquent, and that his Government would not tolerate "riots", saying: "we will not allow a violent minority to prevent a better future for the majority”, claiming that the racist “Prawer” plan is for the interests of Jews and Arabs. (Al-Ayyam)
Al-Qaeda says it has established a foothold in the West Bank
Mujahideen Shura Council of Al-Qaeda announced in a statement that the three youths killed by Israeli army in Hebron Tuesday, were members of Al-Qaeda cell. Al-Qaeda said in a statement on their website "we preach to our nation that thanks to God the global Jihad has a foothold in the Bank. “According to Reuters.(http://qudsnet.com/news/View/258944/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B7%D8%A6-%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D9%84%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B6%D9%81%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9/)
The President decides to support kindergartens, youth centers and forms a Committee to follow up on projects in the camps
President Mahmoud Abbas decided after meeting the popular committees of refugee camps, to support kindergartens and youth centers in the camps of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr to follow up the issue. President Abbas also decided to form a Committee to follow up projects in refugee camps, headed by the Chief of the PLO, Zakaria Al-Agha, with members: a representative of the presidency, a representative of the government, a representative of the Palestinian investment fund and a representative of the Palestinian Economic Council for development and reconstruction, PECDAR. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Today is the deadline for destroying 10 buildings in Ras Khamis in Jerusalem; Amira family in Sur Baher demolished 3 apartments by its own to avoid paying fines
The countdown begins for the RasKhamis neighborhood in occupied east Jerusalem with the expiration of the one month period provided by the occupation's municipality today, to destroy 10 buildings inhabited by some 40 families under the pretext of unauthorized construction. In the same context, Amira family was forced yesterday morning to demolish 3 apartments located in Dir Al-Amoud in Sur Baher. (Al-Hayat Al-Jaida)
Vatican confirms Pope's visit to the Holy land next year
Vatican Foreign Minister Monsignor Dominique Mamberti said in Amman Saturday evening, that the Pope’s expected visit to the Holy Land will begin in Jordan next year. Jordanian official news agency “Petra” quoted Monsignor Mamberti, who is visiting Saudi Arabia, as saying after a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh that "the King (Abdullah II) during his visit to the Vatican (last August) has invited the Pope to visit and now it is being considered in specific arrangements and expected to take place next year."(Al-Ayyam)
Citizens of Mughayer village block an attack by settlers
Dozens of settlers attacked the village of Mughayer, East of Ramallah while protected by Israeli occupation forces yesterday, and wereblocked by citizens of the village, while they attacked the settlers with stones forcing them to withdraw. Israeli occupation forces fired stun grenades and tear gas toward citizens.(Al-Ayyam)
Abu Marzouk to PNA: history will not forgive you for your silence
Deputy Head of the political Bureau of the Islamic resistance movement (Hamas), Mussa Abu Marzouk, called to exert full effort to stop any new Israeli grab of Palestinian lands in the Negev. Abu Marzouk said in a statement via his profile on "Facebook," Saturday: "Palestinians in the Negev should not feel they are alone in facing Zionists," adding that "the Palestinian Authority should know that history and the people will not forgive it for its silence, while continuing in the false negotiations.”
|
Headlines
** Cairo: "the ‘fifty’ committee" approves more than half of the new Egyptian Constitution (Al-Ayyam)
** Protesters waving the Palestinian flag on the gate of"Beit El" (Al-Ayyam)
** A young man dies and his brother injured in a traffic accident northern of Jerusalem (AL-Ayyam)
** Citizens pay half the car price as customs and fifth of its price asinterests for banks (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Six killed, including a Palestinian in clashes in Tripoli, Lebanon (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Frustrating an attempt to promote a large quantity of drugs from Israel to Jenin (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Federation of teachers confirmsa full strike (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Qaraqe’: President does all he can to save the lives of prisoners (Al-Quds)
|
Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:1) The Negev –demonstration in Hura against the “Prawer” plan. 2) Martyr Antar Al-Aqra’ who was killed in Petah Tikva.
Al-Ayyam:1) Negev – Thousands of protestors again the “Prawer” plan, 2) Settler shooting at protestors who raised the Palestinian flag on the gate of Biet El settlement, 3) Cairo – Mufti of Egypt and representative of the Coptic church in Al-Shura Council during voting on constitution.
Al Hayat Al Jadida:1) Young protester girl in front of Beit El, 2) demonstrators at Hura in the Negev throwing stones at police forces, 3) Martyr Antar Al-Aqra’.
|
Voice of Palestine News
Stringer’s Reports:
Jerusalem:
A demonstration was launched yesterday against the “Prawer” plan yesterday, the demonstration was confronted by big numbers of Special Forces of the occupation police, resulting in a number of injuries. Demonstrations and confrontations also took place in the Hebrew University, and other areas in Jerusalem like Silwan, Al-Tur and Shu’fat refugee camp, Qalandya Abu Dis and Al-Ezareyah.
With regards to demolition, citizens were forced to demolish their houses also in the old city not only in Dear Al-Amoud, bringing the number of demolished houses by their owners to more than 30 houses.
Gaza Strip:
Q: Can you tell us what is the situation now is Gaza due to the electricity crisis?
The suffering of citizens continue in the Gaza Strip due to the electricity crisis for the second month now, this crisis resulted in addition to the shortage of fuel in the strip in stopping operation of water main pumps.
|
Voice of Palestine Interviews
** Ziad Al-Hammouri, director of the Jerusalem Centre for social and economic rights, on demolishing buildings at Ras Khamis.
Q: with regards to the demolition practices, while forcing citizens to demolish their own houses, how do you view this issue?
The whole idea of demolition is a difficult idea, our people is facing this policy in Jerusalem, house demolition is also taking police in other places around Jerusalem, it is clear that these are punishment acts by the Israeli since 1948, these punishment acts are collective and against international law. The problem is that the Israeli law in Jerusalem will never be in favor of Jerusalemites. Amireh family approach Israeli courts and paid a lot of fines but at the end they were forced to demolish their own house in order not to pay more fines. International community should act to stop all these acts and this policy, to pressure Israel in order to stop demolition policy, we are talking about tens of thousands of houses that are threatened in demolition.
Q: Tomorrow the deadline will be over for almost 400 families residing in 10 buildings in Ras Khamis.
Yes this is true, also is Silwan in Al-Bostan neighborhood, also more than 80 houses are threatened in demolition, and seems like the decision is taken and it will be implemented in the beginning of the year. So if this happens in Silwan and Ras Khamis this will be a disaster hitting Jerusalemites.
Q How many Jerusalemites are threatened in displacement as a result of demolition in Jerusalem?
According to Israeli numbers we are talking about more than 20,000 houses, this is a huge number, meaning that more than 100,000 Palestinians are threatened.
Q: How can we face this plan?
We can only face it with international community moving and acting against this, it is needed that international community protects Palestinians in Jerusalem.
Q: just to remind all, what is the number of Jerusalemites threatened in losing their residency rights?
Until today, more 14,600 Jerusalemites lost their blue Id, but the number of those who might lose it are about 100,000 – 120,000 Jerusalemites that live behind the wall.
Q: and what is the number of settlers in east Jerusalem?
We are talking about around 210,000 settlers, while there is a plan to settle another 300,000 settlers in areas surrounding east Jerusalem.
** Issa Qarae’, Minister of Prisoners Affairs.
Q: with regard to Palestinian women prisoners, there is a raise in the number of women prisoners, how you view this?
Yes there is a raise in the number of women prisoners, the number is 16 Palestinian women arrested in the Israeli prisons, and the occupation does not differentiate between men and women and arrest Palestinians. The average of daily arrest in 15-25 arrest in the West Bank, so arrest became a regular part of the Israeli policy. It is not also women, Palestinian children of 14 years old were arrested and tortured according to their testimonies.
Q: with regards to the follow up on releasing the sick prisoners, yesterday you said that the president is making efforts to release them, are there any results?
I can say that a lot of efforts are being made President Abu Mazen and the Palestinian leadership, especially the sick prisoners, these efforts are very serious, Abu Mazen said “we need to rescue them in any way”. We hope this will result is the release, but Israel still insist on its position of not releasing the prisoners, and show everyone that it is a state that only wants to control and does not want to reach any solution.
|
More Headlines
After Jerusalem and the Negev; a project to Judaize the Galilee
The Israeli Government's settlement arm named "the settlement section" of the Histadrut is planning to develop new plans to Judaize the Galilee, through building new Jewish communities and expand some of the existing communities, in order to increase the number of Jews in the Galilee at the expense of Palestinian citizens.According to Haaretz today plans are being prepared by the “settlement arm” of the Israeli Government, for Judaizing areas where the majority of the Palestinian population lives. This includes establishing two new towns in Galilee. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=652817)
Storming Al-Aqsa and attacking its guards
Settler groups and Israeli army continued to break into the Al-Aqsa Mosque today morning, in a daily repeated behavior. Jerusalem sources said groups of settlers and Israeli police stormed the mosque courtyards, and wandered its yards were procedures at the mosque’s main gates were tightened. The sources said that some police officers attacked one of the guards who tried to face break-in, leading to his injury.(http://safa.ps/details/news/117230/%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%89-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%87.html)
Israeli forces arrested a worker in Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid tension following the storming of the mosque courtyardsby groups of Jews and Israeli police units.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/475819)
A young Palestinian from Beit Ummar arrested
Israeli forces arrested early Sunday, a young Palestinian from Beit Ummar village north of Hebron. Local sources reported that the Israeli forces brock into Beit Ummar village, and arrested young Badran Jalal Abu Ayash, 20 years old, after raiding his house and searching it.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/475829)
|
Arab Press
Netanyahu: Crying wolf again
By Akbar Ganji
Furious with the P5+1 for signing a deal with Iran, Netanyahu once again threatens to take military action unilaterally.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that Iran is after the physical destruction of Israel and wants to create a new Holocaust. This is a false claim. The meaning of the statements by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is that the Islamic Republic seeks a referendum in which all the Palestinians, as well as Jews and Christians of the historical Palestine, would participate, and through which the "government" of Israel would be de-established.
The reality is that Iran does not present an existential threat to the people of Israel. It is, in fact, Israel that is a serious threat to Iran.
Former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, anticipated the extent of a retaliatory response by Iran to an Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities to be limited to an estimated "500 death". "I don't think the result would be a world war or even a regional war," Yuval Steinitz, Israeli Minister of International Relations and Minister of Strategic Affairs, said on June 23. "I think Iran's possibilities to retaliate are very limited. It's also not in their interest to start a drawn-out war with the US. After all, their relations in the region are rather sensitive. I suppose there would be a response of two or three days of missile fire, perhaps even on Israel, on American bases in the Gulf. But I don't think it would be more than that - very limited damage."
The message is twofold: Israel is contemplating a military strike on Iran and it is, therefore, Israel, not Iran that is a menace to the security of a sovereign nation. Moreover, in the event of a military strike, Iran would be unable to present a serious threat to the security and the existence of Israel.
Diversionary tactic
The very nature of the negotiation process is threatening to Israel because it will expose its attempts to instil "Iranophobia" in the world: A quest for an excuse to divert attention from its apartheid regime that treats millions of Palestinians in the most inhumane and discriminatory manner. As put by Jimmy Carter in Palestine: Peace not Apartheid, "Israel's continued control and colonization of Palestinian land has been the primary obstacle to a comprehensive peace agreement in the Middle East." General James Mattis, who commanded US forces in the Middle East until March, also said that expanding the settlements would turn Israel into an apartheid state.
When the last round of negotiations were held in Geneva in early November, Netanyahu, while admitting his role in sabotaging efforts to reach a nuclear accord with Iran, pledged to mount an all-out Israeli effort to prevent what he called a "bad agreement" between Iran and the P5+1.
Who is the warmonger?
In the past 275 years, Iran has never initiated an attack on any country. In its little more than 60 years in existence, Israel, on the other hand, has not only illegally occupied Palestinian lands, as well as the Golan Heights that belong to Syria, it has also attacked and bombed other Arab countries in the region, such as Tunisia, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Over the last year alone, Israel has bombed Syria six times.
Israeli officials expressed frustration with the Obama administration for confirming the latest airstrikes by calling the confirmation "scandalous" and "unthinkable".
Israel's legendary former Defence Minister Moshe Dayan once said, "Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother." Netanyahu is now fabricating a new story, this time against Iran. He angrily warns that Iran would be getting "the deal of the century". "The Iranians are walking around very satisfied in Geneva - as well they should be, because they got everything and paid nothing," said Netanyahu on November 8. "Israel is not obliged by this agreement and Israel will do everything it needs to do to defend itself and the security of its people."
What is the reason behind such brazen lies?
"I can understand why Netanyahu is so furious," said Giora Eiland, a former Israeli National Security Adviser. "A unilateral military option would have no real chance now. Not because we can't do it, but because it would be seen as moving against the whole international community," he told Reuters. "That is something Israel cannot afford."
"Netanyahu's worst nightmare is about to come true," said Ehud Yaari, an Israel-based fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "This is not just Netanyahu. This is the position of everyone in the Israeli security establishment."
"Netanyahu is unwise to challenge US so openly/dismissively on possible Iran nuclear deal," tweeted Nicholas Burns, a former senior US diplomat. "Netanyahu's outburst was a serious tactical error."
President Obama said that the new interim agreement with Iran "blocks Iran's path to nuclear weapon". Netanyahu is furious because if the accord between Iran and the P5+1 leads to proving that Iran is not seeking to make the bomb, there will be little wriggle room for Israel to divert the world's attention from the most inhumane treatment that millions of Palestinians receive.
Netanyahu is frustrated because he is fundamentally against Iran having access to nuclear energy, even for purely civilian purposes. He believes that Israel, which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has a "special right" to have hundreds of nuclear bombs, but that Iran, a member of the NPT, should not have the right to peaceful use of nuclear technology and should be subject to the most crippling economic sanctions, even though Iran has reiterated time and again that its program is for peaceful purposes.
Not good for Israel
Netanyahu is dangerous not only for Iran, but also for Israel and its people. If Israel launches military strikes on Iran, the repercussions will be grave, not only for Iran and Israel, but also for the entire region. The government of Israel is in the habit of launching brazen strikes on other sovereign nations on mere suspicion that they pose a threat to Israel security. It is routinely dictating what rights other countries may or may not have based on whether it thinks those rights may endanger its security.
As if it is the government of Israel, a non-NPT member that has usurped the prerogative of NPT, to determine who can or cannot have access to nuclear energy. Netanyahu constantly manufactures crises to make people forget about Palestinians and the two-state solution. He is a threat, not only against the rest of the world, but also against his own people.
Akbar Ganji is one of Iran's leading political dissidents and has received over a dozen human rights awards for his efforts. Imprisoned in Iran until 2006, he is the author of one book in English, The Road to Democracy in Iran, which lays out a strategy for a non-violent transition to democracy in Iran.(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/11/netanyahu-crying-wolf-again-2013112565432311773.html)
An Arab-Jewish Thanksgiving
By RAY HANANIA
One of my favorite times in my home is Thanksgiving, the day Americans commemorate the taking of America from the Native Americans, but with a more positive spin that favors them.
Native Americans were called “Indians” and were the original inhabitants of the North American continent when settlers from Europe sailed across the Atlantic to find a place where they could be free to oppress others. Although the Native Americans welcomed the “Pilgrims,” within a century, the Pilgrims had expanded their population and oppressed the Native Americans, putting them in reservations and killing their leaders.
But that’s not the story that Thanksgiving in America honors. It is symbolized by a turkey, representing the food and help that the Native Americans offered to the first settlers who were on the verge of starvation. And on that day each November, Americans will sit at the dinner table and thank the Lord above for their good fortune, usually ignoring the misfortune that they brought upon the Indians.
Thanksgiving is viewed as a “family” event. Everyone sits down at the dinner table and eats together, something that doesn’t normally happen much during the rest of the year. No, for many Americans, dinner meals are feasted upon on TV trays while watching the latest sitcoms and programs on television.
Instead of interacting with their kids, Americans spend most of the day watching stupid videos on YouTube, sending innocuous tweets to hundreds and even thousands of followers about how they are watching TV, or playing video games in which American soldiers destroy, devastate and dominate the new “infidels,” who most of the time are now Arabs.
But in the Hanania household, we try to pause to remember the forced and unwilling sacrifice of the Native Americans, because the story hits so close to home. My wife, Alison, is Jewish. We have a son, Aaron, who is Jewish, too. And they usually do not hesitate to gang up on me at the dinner table, or in discussions about the Middle East.
The Israeli and Arabs sides of our family clash on a lot of issues, but never more than on what foods to serve. We both agree on the turkey, a bird that can’t fly that is a traditional Native American feast, although it often reminds me of the Ottoman (Turkish) oppression of the Arabs and the Jews. A perfect symbol for Arabs and Israelis to come together at the dinner table.
But while Alison wants to stuff the turkey with traditional unleavened stuffing and diced vegetables, I like to do it the “Arab” way, with diced lamb mixed with rice.
And we will also have things like stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tabouleh salad and the one salad that causes the most problems for us, the diced tahini salad. Alison calls it “Israeli salad.” I usually refer to it as the “Zionist Entity salad” or as “Arab East Jerusalem salad,” depending on whether I feel brave enough against the two-to-one odds I face in the household.
Alison is always fair, too. She always wants to split everything evenly, like the hummus, scraping off 22 percent for me and 78 percent for her and Aaron. (Israeli math. It’s like a complicated form of algebra without rules: 2 plus 2 equals whatever they insist it equals!)
Still, even after fighting over things like the tahini salad, or who invented hummus, or even how to pronounce it “hummus” as I call it or “khummus,” as she and Aaron insist, food has a tendency to calm the nerves.
It’s so hard to argue when you're stuffed with food, and looking for the Tums to settle a bloated stomach. Of course, it doesn’t help during the after dinner banter when I ask my wife, “By the way. What is Israeli food anyway? Does it even exist?” She’ll roll her eyes, and Aaron will try to dial the FBI to report me as “a suspicious Arab” who infiltrated the home.
And before you know it, we are back to the argument of who invented what. Israeli falafel? Never heard of it. But she claims it was invented by Moses, who we both view as an ancestor, she claims more than me even though five of my ancestors are in fact named “Moses” (Musa).
That doesn’t mean anything, though, because I often have to yell all of that from across the house over the Green Line Alison has painted around my downstairs office, where I have a Palestinian flag and an etching of Palestine autographed by the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat hanging on the office wall.
On a serious note, we do pause and wish both sides peace and prosperity. I try to throw in a coughed “two-state solution.” Although as the conversation starts to return to the real “cause” of Thanksgiving, we all feel bad for what was done to the Native Americans. We Israelis and Palestinians have it bad. But honestly, the Native Americans had it worse.(http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20131201188211)
The forgotten people of Gaza
By JAMAL DOUMANI
Major news outlets reported earlier this week that, on account of the ever more tightened blockade, a severe shortage of electricity and diesel fuel has led to the shutdown of the only power plant in Gaza, which in turn has resulted in raw sewage flooding the streets, threatening a health disaster. If your impatient reaction to that is “So what?” you don’t live in Gaza and you don’t have a Gazan frame of reference.
Gaza is a narrow strip of land that has chalked up many a superlative over the years — the most confined, the most impoverished, the most densely populated and the most, well, fill in the blank here for any lamentable condition imaginable, and the 1.7 million souls living there have endured it. So, given all this, who in his right mind could conceive of how life there could get worse? Surely, worse than worst defies not only grammatical rules but human logic. But when dealing with the purgatory of Gaza, leave your semantic fashions of expression at the door. In recent months, the unspeakable suffering there has indeed gotten worse.
When people are denied access to, say, bread, we can always blithely tell them to follow Marie Antoinette’s advice to eat cake. But when they are denied fuel, which powers their electrical utilities, they cannot run their bakeries, their factories, their schools, their hospitals, their sewage plants, their transportation system and the rest of it. Heaven knows Hamas has tried to find a way to deal with many problems in that little smidgen of land — already known as the biggest open-air prison in the world — but dealing with the potential breakout of communicable diseases, which are an inevitable outcome of a malfunctioning sanitation system, is not one of them.
But no one, sadly, is paying attention. When a typhoon or a tsunami or an earthquake, or some other kind of natural disaster hits a people anywhere in the world, the international community rushes to help. However, it seems as if Gaza has morphed into some kind of mythical entity that time has forgotten. Or perhaps an entity whose incessant plaints people have gotten tired of, preferring to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to its most basic human needs.
Here’s the picture as portrayed by these major news outlets earlier this week, a picture not allowed, as it were, to be seen by children unless accompanied by adults. At least three sewage stations in Gaza City, and 10 others elsewhere in the Strip, are close to overflowing, and 3.5 million cubic feet of raw sewage is seeping into the Mediterranean daily. The sanitation department is finding it increasingly difficult to pump potable water to Gaza homes. In addition, Gazans have learned to endure blackouts as a norm.
Consider a case or two of what that translates into: Businesses cutting down on production, hospitals struggling to keep dialysis and cardiac support systems running, and students denied access to Internet research at school and forced to study by candlelight at home. And then, to compound the problem, raw sewage flooding the streets.
Jody Rudoren, the New York Times correspondent in Palestine, filing from Gaza last Thursday, reported on the travails of one neighborhood there. “In the Sabra neighborhood, near the Zeitoun pumping station, which has flooded three times since Sunday, the stench of sewage hung over the pools of standing water in the streets,” she wrote. “Mosquitoes abounded, and residents said their children were vomiting and had diarrhea.”
Why is it, you ask, that victims of natural disasters, such as, say, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, switched on our altruism button (and the donations poured in), whereas the suffering in Gaza has left us, and continues to leave us, cold? Search me! But perhaps one reason is that we perceive victims of natural disasters as less to blame for their circumstances than victims of war, even though these victims are impartial civilians not involved in, or who have not triggered, the fighting.
This echoes the so-called Just World Belief hypothesis in psychology, a notion referring to people’s tendency to believe that the world is “just” and that a warring community gets what it deserves. You may wish, as I do, to dismiss this as wanton psychologizing, but whatever the reason is that accounts for the indifference evinced by the outside world to the plight of Gazans, it is this same outside world that is responsible for not giving these people a chance to live decent lives.
When the New York Times’s Jody Rudoren, in her report, asked the mayor of Gaza, Rafik Mekki, that same question, he said: “You’re asking me why? Ask the world why instead. We are under siege, so ask the world, which is besieging us this question. We’ve called on all international organizations to intervene, but no one cares so far.”(http://www.arabnews.com/news/485676)
|
|
|
WHAT'S NEW
BACKGROUND
POLLS
WAYS TO GET JMCC
CONTACT US
|
To subscribe to free newsletter submit your email |
|
|
|