To be in Gaza is to be trapped

[IndianaGreen]

To be in Gaza is to be trapped

Peter Beaumont, foreign affairs editor
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 28 December 2008 00.05 GMT

Gaza. Always the suffering of Gaza, most potent symbol of the tragedy of Palestine. In 1948, during the Nakba – or "The Catastrophe" as Palestinians describe the war that gave birth to the state of Israel – 200,000 refugees poured into Gaza, swelling its population by more than two-thirds. Then Gaza fell under Egyptian control.

The six day war of 1967 saw more refugees, but with it came the occupation of Gaza by Israel – an occupation that, despite Israel's declaration under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that it would unilaterally withdraw its settlements and troops in 2005, has never really ended.

It has not ended, for to be in Gaza is to be trapped. Without future or hope, limited to a few square miles. Its borders, land and sea, are defined largely by Israel (with Egypt's compliance along the southern end of the Strip).

It is not open to the ocean apart from a narrow outlet accessible only to the fishing fleet, a coastal blockade policed by Israel's gunboats, the boundaries of which have only recently been tested by boats of protesters sailing from Cyprus to draw attention to conditions inside Gaza.

Once it was possible for Gazans to pass with relative ease in and out of the Strip to work in Israel. In recent years, the noose around the 1.5 million people living there has been tightening incrementally, until a whole population – in the most densely settled urban area upon the planet – has been locked in behind walls and fences.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/27/israelandthepalestinians-terrorism

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. Just so horrible. nt

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Statistical]

3. Israel completely surrounds Gaza? There are no other counries with border? (n/t)

[bemildred]

4. You gotta read it to know what it says nt

[Statistical]

5. I did read it. There is a lot of ingoring the obvious truth

People are starving in Gaza. Why doesn't Egypt open ITS borders to allow food supplies?
The economy is wrecked by inflation. Why doesn't Egypt crack down on smuggling and open borders to trade?
People have no medical aid in Gaza? Why doesn't Egypt allow travel for medical purposes? Or build clinics near the border?
People are unemployed in Gaza. Why doesn't Egypt build factory near borders to allow gainful employment?
Gaza lacks clean water. Pipeline from Egypt to backup pipeline from Israel?
Gaza lacks reliable electricity. Powerlines from Egypt to Gaza?

Egypt controlled Gaza from 1947 to 1963 yet never offered any Palestinians citizenship. It never attempted to incoproate Gaza as part of Egypt. It simply USED gaza as a buffer zone to store refugees and use them against the Jews.

Egypt and rest of Arab states consider Palestinians to be little more than disposable fodder to terrorize Israel.

They could make Isreal a non-issue. Open up borders for trade, employment, high education. They could invest, build banks, factories, etc. They could provide requires resources like water, food, electricity.
Both Gaza & West Bank could be disconnected from Isreal.

They don't. Why? Egypt doesn't care. Never has. Never will. They enjoy the cycle of violence and help promote it.

Why the outrage that Israel won't open its border to people that have sworn to exterminate them?

The "Gaza Prison" has two exits (Israel & Egypt). The Gazans are ONLY trapped because Egypt sees them as only being useful as disposable fighters in a 40+ year failed war against Israel. Egypt tried a ground war and lost hard (1948). Egypt tried an air war and lost even more (6 day war). Now Egypt will just let the Palestinians do the fighting and dying for them.
Why no outrage that Egypt (and Jordon) seal the border to a fellow Arabs that need assistance?

[Violet_Crumble]

6. Since when have Palestinian civilians sworn to exterminate Israel?

Because it's the Palestinian population that Israel isn't allowing food aid, or refusing to allow to enter Israel...

[Statistical]

8. Ok let me spell it out for you

1) Hamas has sworn to "wipe Israel off the face of the earth"
2) Hamas is in control of Gaza
3) Hamas doesn't wear uniform so
4) Anyone coming from West Bank could be a suicide bomber

This still doesn't answer the question why doesn't a "friendly Arab" state like Egypt supply:
Medical Aid
Food
Electricity
Water
Employment
Trade
Commerce
Higher Education

Instead Egypt supplies:
money for terrorism
guns
ammo
rockets
explosives

Why? Why is Egypt is SO CONCERNED about the plight of Palestinians do they do NOTHING constructive to resolve it?

Or more directly. Why is Gaza so dependent on Israel that people starve, are unemployed, or die from lack of medical care when Israel closing crossings (after being attacked) when Gaza shares ANOTHER BORDER with Egypt?

Same thing applies to West Bank and it's border with Jordon.


Analogy:
You and me are sworn enemies and often get into fights whenever we see each other. You need food and come to me but I won't let you in my house and then complain when you are hungry despite the fact that YOUR BROTHER LIVES NEXT DOOR and does nothing to help you. OR you are hurt/medical attention, need money, looking for work, etc. I think you get the point. Egypt could do SO MUCH to aid people of Gaza yet they supply ONLY death.

No blame though. It is ALWAYS the JEWS fault! Maybe that can be DU new motto.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Well, you tried to spell out something....

...but it sure wasn't anything supporting any argument that Palestinian civilians are sworn to exterminate Israel, which after all is a really silly and incorrect thing to claim and one that's not supported by facts. Though if you believe that any Palestinian could be a suicide bomber, I'm sure you'll also believe that any Israeli could be a extremist settler who tries to kill Palestinian civilians, or else that would be very hypocritical, wouldn't it?

Uh, last line. Why are you going on about Jews when I didn't even mention them in my post? Are you trying to make out it's somehow antisemitic to pick someone up for making out that all Palestinian civilians are sworn to the destruction of Israel when they're not? I hope not, coz that would be a bit silly...

[Statistical]

12. I honestly think you are tying to be dense

1) There are no settlements in Gaza get your geography straight.

2) Why should Israel open it's borders to "citizens" when anyone one of them could be suicide bomber given that the government of Gaza believes in the extermination of Israel.

I don't think EVERY citizen of Gaza thinks that but don't you think it is a stupid risk to open your border to a country whose government has sworn your destruction?

If Canada Parliament swore the destruction of the US and extermination of very American would you consider it a good thing or bad thing if US closed border with Canada?

Nobody would be trapped in Gaza if Egypt opened it's border; a country that Hamas has NOT SWORN to destroy. Everything Gaza is lacking (supplies, food, medicine, trade, economic activity, employment, etc) can EITHER come from
a) Israel - country Hamas has sworn to destroy.
OR
b) Egypt - country Hamas has NOT sworn to destroy.

Why should Israel be required to open its border? Israel isn't the center of the universe. Gaza is only trapped if BOTH borders remain closed.

But it can't be Arabs persecuting Arabs that's not trendy like Jews persecuting Arabs so forget I said anything.

[Violet_Crumble]

13. That's okay. I'm positive you don't need to try...

1) WTF? I never said there were settlements in Gaza...

2) Why should Palestinians not attack all Israelis when anyone of them could be an extremist settler out to kill them? After all, it's the same as the nonsense yr trying to argue...

Also, you didn't explain why you started going on about Jews in yr previous post when I hadn't even mentioned them...

[Alamuti Lotus]

10. Livni announced the assault plans from Cairo

right out in the opean... does that answer your question?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. Sort of...she said a military response was coming if the rockets did not stop

What would be attacked and when was closely held. They did manage to fool Hamas as to the timing. No one expected an attack during their Sabbath in the middle of Hanukkah.

[bemildred]

7. Well, it said:

"It has not ended, for to be in Gaza is to be trapped. Without future or hope, limited to a few square miles. Its borders, land and sea, are defined largely by Israel (with Egypt's compliance along the southern end of the Strip)."

[davidinalameda]

11. maybe the other Arab countries and Iran should step up

and help the Palestinians with food and aid in forming a successful government instead of just using them to keep on fighting Israel

maybe if the Palestinian leadership would stop bombing Israel, Israel wouldn't see the need to retaliate

[Violet_Crumble]

15. Uh, but other Arab countries have sent aid shipments...

Is it that you don't know this or you don't care? If it's the former I can get some links to articles for you...

Also, there is NO justification for the massive attack on Gaza today and it makes me feel like puking when Americans like you act like Israel has no control or responsibility over its own actions coz you sound exactly the same as the American conservatives online when they talked about the invasion of Iraq...

[davidinalameda]

16. and how are they doing trying to help them form a government to live peacefully with Israel?

they don't want peace; they want to destroy Israel pure and simple

maybe you don't mind the murder of more Jews at their hands but I do

there are justifications galore for Israel to take measures to protect its people

and you can't compare those of us who support Israel taking it to the terrorists and those who supported the invasion of Iraq

Israel has been fighting terrorists since its inception with the loss of thousands of Israeli lives to these animals

these terrorists need to be stopped and the only way they will be stopped is by Israel defending itself

[Violet_Crumble]

17. Probably about the same as they are with getting Israel to exist peacefully with the Palestinians...

I could show you the Arab Peace Plan, but just like when I offered to give you links to where Arab states have sent aid shipments to Gaza, yr not particularly interested in seeing anything that might cause you to pause for one second from yr Blame The Arabs For Everything marathon....

they don't want peace; they want to destroy Israel pure and simple

I do make the assumption that people who post in this forum have at least a basic knowledge of the I/P conflict. In yr case my assumption would be misguided. Are you for real? Jordan and Egypt have peace treaties with Israel and other Arab states are in a state of officially ignoring Israel but offering to recognise it when it allows a Palestinian state to be created...

maybe you don't mind the murder of more Jews at their hands but I do

Now yr just being silly and offensive. How on earth anyone can come to the conclusion that because someone else believes Israel's actions in Gaza was unjustified and won't achieve a stop to the rockets is beyond me. Care to explain how that works? You'd better listen up good and not trot out that crap in future. Unlike you, I have a problem with any person being killed in this conflict, whether it's Israeli or Palestinian. Why do you only care if it's Jews who are killed? If it's an Israeli-Arab, that's more acceptable or something?

there are justifications galore for Israel to take measures to protect its people

And now yr going to list them off, aren't you? And then explain how a massive attack on Gaza achieves a stop to the rockets?

and you can't compare those of us who support Israel taking it to the terrorists and those who supported the invasion of Iraq

Since when have civilians been terrorists? I damn well will compare yr mindset to conservatives who supported the invasion of Iraq. You all talk the same whether the subject was Iraq or Gaza...

Israel has been fighting terrorists since its inception with the loss of thousands of Israeli lives to these animals

Uh-huh. Like those terrorists in Qibya? Just curious but do you use the same dehumanising language (animals) when it comes to Israeli terrorists, or are you so blinded and one-eyed that you actually don't think there's any such thing as an Israeli terrorist?

these terrorists need to be stopped and the only way they will be stopped is by Israel defending itself

Exactly how is killing civilians stopping terrorists or defending Israel?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

18. The medical aid should come in the form of medicinal

marijuana... and all the people who feel the need to pick up a rifle or a rocket should be prescribed the proper amount to eliminate this behavior.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. One of the best suggestions I have heard on in some time...one that might acutally work

[HysteryDiagnosis]

20. Crap, put it in the water, sow it in the ground, drop seeds from

C-130's, incorporate it into products sold in the ME, spike the beer with it, put it in the mistletoe, the incense burners in the churches, the iv's in the hospitals, the reeses cups, slip it into Dr. Scholls gel inner soles, cuz one thing is for sure, them people ain't gellin.