Seeking justice for Palestine
From 13-26 August, there were five Palestinian Gaza ceasefire violations featuring missile launches. Over the same period, there were 116 Israeli Gaza ceasefire violations, including 34 air strikes, that terrorised families and damaged homes. By 26 August, Israeli Gaza ceasefire violations for the year already totalled 899. At the present rate, it is certain that, by year’s end, Israel’s Gaza ceasefire violations will far exceed 1,000.
Incendiary balloons and kites
Palestinian-launched missiles fired across the Green Line plainly count as ceasefire violations, as do the less common armed Gaza Resistance attacks on Israeli military positions. However, this time Israel and its mainstream news-media allies have tended to concentrate disproportionately on the flying of incendiary balloons and kites by Palestinian protesters. From 18-26 August, there were six demonstrations using incendiary balloons and kites, not without risk to the protesters because Israeli Army positions opened fire towards every one of them.
While these devices may occasionally land in populated areas and set fire mainly to farmland, their effects cannot possibly be compared with those resulting from Israeli air strikes, gunboat attacks on Palestinian fishing boats and the shelling of Palestinian farmland. And, while Israel imposes its blockade on Gaza in the name of ‘security’, it makes frequent military incursions into the defenceless enclave, as well as constantly violating its air space. Palestinian incendiary balloons and kites have never caused death or injury. So what is their purpose?
The answer should be obvious – it is to draw attention to what Israel is doing to Gaza, and shout to the world “here we still are, stop ignoring us and instead help us defend our human rights!” Gaza has suffered under Israel’s crushing blockade since 2007 and the Zionist regime has been imposing movement restrictions on the population for even longer, since the early 1990s, in fact. This decades-long collective punishment is a violation of international law that can only be brought to an end with sanctions. Now, Israel has forced Gaza’s only power plant to shut down, even further restricting the electricity supply. In addition, around half the population faces imminent starvation and sickness. Israel attacks Palestinian fishing boats to further restrict the food supply and, to that end, has also seized control of more than a third of Gaza’s farmland. Agricultural land elsewhere in Gaza is vulnerable to destructive Israeli Army incursions, air strikes and gunfire.
UK activist calls out UK Government hostility to BDS
A dedicated pro-Palestinian activist, Deborah Darnes, received a reply from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) dated 1 September 2020 [www.gov.uk/fco Our reference: TO2020/15868] that stated: “The British Government firmly opposes calls to boycott Israel. The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship and we are firmly opposed to boycotts or sanctions.”
Deborah responded, in part, to this and other FCO comments, as follows:
Dear Sirs,
The British government is opposed to boycotts or sanctions against Israel due to our strong and important trading relationship. Therefore I conclude that trade is more important than human rights.
To quote you:
“The crisis in Ukraine is not comparable to the situation in the West Bank and Gaza strip. After illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia continues to engage in a deliberate plan to destabilise Ukraine, supporting pro-Russian armed-formations in the east of the country. Sanctions are being used as an economic lever in order to influence Russia’s behaviour and to deter further destabilisation.”
Israel has occupied the West Bank and Gaza since 1967. Currently Israel is bombing Gaza and does so at regular intervals. This is not a war as the Palestinians do not have an army and any missiles from Gaza are part of a legitimate resistance which is legal under international law. Israel continues to steal land and demolish homes of Palestinians. Israeli occupation forces kill Palestinians regularly as do Israeli settlers who face minimal or no consequences.
You also state:
“The UK continues to support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees”.
How is this possible without sanctions? Israel continues to build illegal settlements and steal land. I know and you know a two state is no longer possible. What actions are Britain taking to achieve this negotiated settlement? The US Peace deal and deals with the UAE will never achieve this as no one is talking to the Palestinians. Israel was created by stealing land and from 1917 and the 1940s onwards the Palestinians have never been given a real say in their future. This has been a colonial enterprise from the start and we have helped create a racist apartheid state.
Without sanctions there will never be peace. We need justice for Palestine. At least individuals can use boycotts and people are increasingly using this to apply pressure on Israel. If you have a policy on human rights violations then it needs to be applied to all who meet the criteria. Israel is clearly in breach of human rights and International Law in regard to the Palestinians and the reality is reflected in the numerous UN resolutions against Israel.
Yours very sincerely but disgusted
Deborah Darnes
Death and destruction in West Bank
On 19 August, Israeli soldiers opened fire at the entrance to Deir Abu Masha’al village, killing 16-year-old Muhammad Damer Hamdan Matar and wounding two other youngsters: Mahmoud Nimer Abed Atta and Ahmad Muhammad Fayez Atta. Both were admitted to hospital. From 13-26 August, Israeli forces destroyed 17 West Bank homes and carried out 105 night-time peace disruption and/or home invasion raids in Palestinian towns, villages and UN refugee camps.
When asked a direct question concerning Israel‘s destruction of a Palestinian Covid-19 testing centre in Hebron, New Zealand’s Five Eyes partner, the UK, was unable to deny the crime, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) merely responding as follows: “We are concerned by the reports of a recent demolition of a COVID-19 testing centre in Hebron” and adding that the FCO had, in its words, “repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our view that demolitions, in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.”
Homes destroyed – militarily-imposed population control
The brutal military dictatorship that Israel imposes upon the Palestinian people intrudes into the very heart of what it is to be human – the home. The home is where children begin their lives, where security is paramount and where they learn to form relationships and understanding of humanity. For Palestinians, subjected to the selfish will of foreign Occupation, there is no such thing as security. The home may be invaded by heavily-armed Israeli troops at any time, without warning – day and night. Imagine the effect of this constant fear upon the consciousness of the children and their distraught parents.
Zionism leads Israel to arrogantly believe that it has the right to dictate to the Palestinian population when, where and how they may build their homes. Every Palestinian family living under this regime knows that whether or not their home may remain standing, or for how long, will be entirely up to the strategic requirements of the foreign Occupier. Homes will be destroyed whenever the Israeli Army, or settlers, decide they are no longer acceptable. In the past, Israel was quite happy to do the destruction but, more recently and with cynical cruelty, it demands that Palestinian families demolish their own homes – or else face the additional burden of having to pay an extortionate fee to the foreign Occupier to do it for them.
Israel’s preoccupation with furthering its racist agenda makes it oblivious of its obligations to conform with international humanitarian law. Palestinians have to go, cap-in-hand, to their Zionist master to beg permission to build homes, which is almost always denied. One of the most barbaric forms of Israeli terror tactics is home-invasion which, at its most extreme, includes the abduction of minors (of all ages) from their homes at dead of night. Israeli control of the Palestinian population extends to every aspect of living, including the economy, business and agriculture. Palestinian farmers, whose land is trapped behind Israel’s illegal annexation Wall, have to cope with excessively restrictive limitations of access to it. Palestinian businesses are often invaded and even plundered, while many end up totally destroyed. Israel cites ‘security’ as the main justification for its behaviour – but Palestinian security is never a consideration and that attitude is openly and officially expressed in statements by Israel’s allies.
New Zealand’s partners, such as the UK, claim to seek a “negotiated peace settlement that leads to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state . . .” There is no mention of security for Palestine. Indeed, Israel and its allies have made it plain that any Palestinian ‘state’ which might be permitted to evolve would have no sovereignty over its air space or maritime areas. Likewise, it would not be allowed to form alliances with other countries and its economy would always be subject to limitations and control by Israel.
Where does our own Government really stand?
The US and the UK unreservedly support Israel, holding that only through negotiation can peace be achieved, while ignoring the reality that one party, Israel, clearly has its knee on the other’s neck. The New Zealand Government supports the principle of imposing UN Sanctions to apply pressure on countries that violate international law. It is reasonable to demand, therefore, that it immediately takes steps, to seek UN Sanctions against Israel, in order to conform, as our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade puts it, with the principle of applying pressure to countries that “don’t co-operate with international law.” Does our country stand with justice – or does it prefer to serve the strategic goals of its great-power ‘allies’?
As previously commented, in the world of Realpolitik, Israel and the United Arab Emirates are cosying up. C’est la vie.
They are ‘cosying up’ to negotiate arms sales:
“The Mossad, encouraged by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is pushing to sell the UAE advanced weapon systems and highly classified information, while the Defense Ministry adamantly objects to giving away some of Israel’s more advanced warfare capabilities, for fear of classified information leaking to enemy states,” reports Israel’s Ynet news site. 3rd September 2020, Israel weapons to Arab nations
Leslie Bravery would be better to concentrate on getting the Egyptians to open the Rafah crossing and bring in supplies across the Sinai from Egypt. Funny isn’t it how Hamas can’t seem to convince General Sisi to open the crossing on humanitarian grounds? After all they are all Muslim brothers and sisters aren’t they. Hmmm.
General Sisi slaughters his own people. He’s not a very nice man. He may not even be a Muslim. Also the list of Christians killing Christians using very gruesome methods is very long. So sneering down your nose at Muslims only shows what a dickhead you are
Spikeyboy- By all accounts General Sisi is a devout Muslim. Wikipedia notes he comes from a religious family and he frequently quotes Quranic verses during informal conversations. His wife wears the hijab. However, it could be just a front. Who knows.
I don’t quite get where “Christians killing each other using very gruesome methods” comes into Sisi’s obvious distaste for Hamas. In your mind it seems to be relevant to explaining the almost permanent closing of the Rafah gates. Given I’m a dickhead, I bow to your more profound insight into the mind of the military castes of Egypt. Perhaps you could further enlighten us?
I’m glad to hear it but what his religion has to do with anything is beyond me. And how his refusal to open the border in any way justifies the war crimes committed by Israel is also a mystery. If Israel attempted to use this as their defence in the upcoming investigations of their war crimes and crimes sgainst humanity by the ICC they would be laughed out of court
Leslie, I owe you a vote of thanks. Deborah Darnes..I remember her now. She and her husband Patrick were on one of the ICAHD (Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions ) tours that Martin and I went on. She’s a Methodist minister, carrying on the tradition of truth telling, of actively standing up for justice. Good on her. The world needs more people who are unafraid to speak out.
Palestine Chronicle TV Live & Breaking News!
Palestine Chronicle TV Live & Breaking News
Lack of Key Medical Items in Gaza.
“Gaza has reported hundreds of coronavirus infections since the first case emerged in the general population last week, and a UN aid group warned that a lack of key medical items including ventilators could make it hard to treat the disease effectively, Reuters reports.
“Widely impoverished and densely populated, the Palestinian enclave has been on lockdown since authorities confirmed four infections from a single family on August 24. It was the first time the virus was detected outside quarantine zones set up for people returning from abroad.
Since then, 603 new cases have been recorded, nearly all among the general population, with four deaths since August 24, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
“Gaza is probably the most densely populated place on the face of the earth so measures to contain a virus as violent as COVID-19 are always extremely difficult to put in place,” said Tamara Alrifai, spokeswoman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) devoted to Palestinian refugees.
“The real challenge in Gaza is the unavailability of needed items such as ventilators and other medical items,” Alrifai said.” More, including videos, at this link: 5th Sept 2020, UN Aid Group Warns Lack of Key Medical Items
Here is the direct link to the UN Direct Relief for Refugees page: UNRWA Launches Covid 19 Relief Appeal
Excerpt:
Today, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) launched a US$ 94.6 million COVID-19 Appeal. This funding is required by the Agency to mitigate the worst impacts of the pandemic on 5.6 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East until the end of December 2020, with a special focus on health, cash assistance and education.
Since July, COVID-19 cases have worryingly surged in the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria, with more recent increases in Jordan and the first instances of local transmission in Gaza recorded in late-August. The Appeal is crucial for controlling the spread of the pandemic in Palestine refugee camps and to help prevent a major outbreak. The Agency’s initial appeal allowed for the continued provision of health and hospitalization, as well as the adoption of measures that largely helped contain the spread of the virus, such as home delivery of medicines, telemedicine and triage systems.
“UNRWA will continue the strict measures it put in place as a result of COVID-19 at least until the end of December, said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. This new flash Appeal will sustain our health, education and emergency services. In parallel, we will step up relief interventions to address the growing poverty and despair among Palestine refugees.” [More at link above.]
An article has just been published in The Lancet on “Battling COVID-19 in the occupied Palestinian territory”.
Here is an intro/ excerpt:
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the occupied Palestinian territories, and Gaza specifically, highlights the effect of an ongoing blockade on public health.
In 2007, following Hamas’s takeover, Israel and Egypt imposed a land, air, and sea blockade of Gaza. According to Israel’s cabinet decision at the time, Gaza was declared as being governed by a “hostile entity” due to Hamas’s attacks on Israeli citizens. The blockade included prohibitions on what is known as dual use materials (that can be used for both civilian and military purposes).
However, the prohibition includes items that have nothing to do with security—eg, certain kinds of food—and others that were aimed as punishment—such as electricity limitations. The extensive nature of the blockade has had a devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of residents in Gaza.
As of June 30, 2020, a total of 2443 cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed in the occupied Palestinian territory, 72 of which have been in Gaza. The Palestinian Ministries of Health in both Gaza and Ramallah have acknowledged that their capacity to contain the spread of COVID-19 is limited by ongoing and pre-existing shortages in health-care equipment, including medications and disposable equipment.
Public health measures have erred on the side of caution and largely contributed to a very low infection rate during the first 3 months of the crisis; for example, Gaza has recommended that individuals returning from outside Gaza through the Rafah or Erez crossing remain in quarantine for 21 days, instead of 14 days.
Full article at this link: The Lancet, September 2020, Battling Covid in Occupied Palestinian Territory
The Arabs named by the Soviet KGB Palestinians in 1968 have the rights to:
Refuse the creation of their Arab state in 1947- For 90 years terrorizing Jews and Israelis– Drag the Arab countries in wars —Refuse all the peace proposal..
Their single contribution to the world is their mafia still policy: Pay me or i shoot and kill.
Don’t attack the defending Israel and Israel will not retaliate.
Fact: The Arabs named by the Soviet KGB in 1968 are not running away like their brothers in Iraq- Syria-Lebanon- Libya .
Why?
The answer was given by Arabs in the Arabic language:
Arab people asked on Al-Jazeera while comparing the Arab morals to the IDF morals
“”Why the Syrian army, Hezbollah and other Islamic military groups cannot be more humane, like the Israelis?
Arab people asked on Al-Jazeera while debating Arabs morals while they are in conflict
“” Why the Syrian army, Hezbollah and other Islamic military groups cannot be more humane, like the Israelis”
Reality: The Arabs named by the Soviet KGB in 1968 are not running away by the millions like their brothers form Iraq-Syria-Lebanon-Libya.
This simple fact tells all that crying and blaming the defending Israel is mostly only propaganda
Mordechay Ariely is full of bullshit ,,,. For starters The Syrian army is NOT Islamic and contains Shia, Sunni, Alawite, Christian and Druez Syrians ,,, ie it is non secular ,,,just like their society.
Check out the two nutters on Al Jazeera calling for the slaughter of the Alawite minority in Syria ,,, even worse look at the poll they are running which comes up before the 2 minute mark…. “Aljazeera Arabic: Should We Kill All Alawites?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULtNYSUqYHw
Israel is on the side of the evil extremist nutters ,,,, and IS STILL bombing the people and government of Syria.
The Islamists are the ones Israel is helping ,,, providing medical treatment to Al Quaeda and other extreme Islamist head chopping ‘rebels’ .,,,
From The Jerusalem Post : “Israel has opened its borders with Syria in order to provide medical treatment to Nusra Front and al-Qaida fighters wounded in the ongoing civil* war, according to The Wall Street Journal. https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Israel-treating-al-Qaida-fighters-wounded-in-Syria-civil-war-393862
From ‘The Times of Israel’ : “Israel acknowledges it is helping Syrian rebel** fighters” ,,, “Israel has treated over 1,000 wounded Syrians*** ”
* Things like USA operation Timber Sycamore make it a proxy war https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fovwPl1guIQ
**rebel fighters are in reality Sunni extremists who torture, kill, rape and enslave non Sunni extremists ie : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-sex-slaves-lamiya-aji-bashar-nadia-murad-sinjar-yazidi-genocide-sexual-violence-rape-sakharov-prize-a7445151.html
*** Israel was providing medical treatment to extremist fighters ,,, untold thousands of which were NOT Syrians ,,,, ” A document adopted by the United Nations sets the total number of terrorists who have infiltrated into Syria at a massive 171,400. 51,910 of whom were killed at the hands of the Syrian army, and 33,847 went missing, were arrested or escaped the war as government forces regained most of the cities, towns, villages and areas that had been under rebel control for years.” https://www.insideover.com/terrorism/figures-and-fate-of-foreign-fighters-in-syria.html
Choke on your own propaganda Mordechay Ariely ,,,, you’re full of it 🙂
Gaza fishermen go back to the sea, many photos on this page .
Gaza fishermen are back to the sea following the latest agreement between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel.
For months, fishing in the Gaza sea was restricted or completely prohibited by the Israeli navy.
Gaza’s fishermen, who represent one of the few lifelines for besieged Gaza, hope that the Israeli navy will cease its harassment of their boats, thus allowing them to provide for their families.
Farasin, like numerous other Palestinian villages and communities across Area C, has been singled out for complete destruction. A small population of approximately 200 people has been subjected to Israeli army harassment for years. While Israel is keen on implanting Jewish communities in the heart of the occupied West Bank, it is equally keen on disrupting the natural growth of Palestinian communities, the indigenous people of the land, in Area C.
On July 29, Israeli forces invaded Farasin, terrorizing the residents, and handed over 36 demolition orders, according to the head of the Farasin village council. Namely, this is the onset of ethnic cleansing of the entire population of the village by Israel.
Ahmed Amarneh and his family also received a demolition order, although they do not live in a concrete house, but, rather, in a mountain cave. “I didn’t make the cave. It has existed since antiquity,” he told reporters. “I don’t understand how they can prevent me from living in a cave. Animals live in caves and are not thrown out. So let them treat me like an animal and let me live in the cave.”
—————–
“Palestinians are not going anywhere. This is the gist of seven decades of Palestinian struggle against Zionist colonialism. The proof? The story of Ahmed Amarneh.
Amarneh, a 30-year-old civil engineer from the northern West Bank village of Farasin, lives with his family in a cave. For many years, the Amarneh family has attempted to build a proper home, but their request has been denied by the Israeli military every time.
In many ways, the struggle of the Amarnehs is a microcosm of the collective struggle of Farasin; in fact, of most Palestinians.” Full article here: Palestinians take their fight for justice to the mountains
At least five Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including one child, have now tested positive for Covid 19.
Links here Prisoners test positive
And here: Neglect fuels virus spread
This 11 year old rapper from Gaza shows that their spirit cannot be broken. Main lyrics are by by Palestinian rapper Waheeb Nasan, and there is an Eminem cover to which the group have given their keen support. See and hear them at this link: Boy from Gaza Raps for Peace and Unity .
Here are two articles on the misappropriation of the term ‘antisemitic’ for political purposes:
How did antisemitism become conflated with Zionism “Criticism of Israel has turned into one of the fundamental definers of today’s ‘antisemitism'”.
False antisemitism accusations are used to undermine the real battle. This by Jonathan Cook.
Good on you Kheala. Jonathan Cook is brilliant. He is staunch and refuses to back down because he completely understands the dynamics of an extremely violent actor attemoting to secure the role of victim. Its classic manipulation
Yes, his article is a very worthwhile read. Re, the attacks on Jeremy Corbyn, the unwanted effects for all Jewish people, and more.
Ali Pasha 1929
“The Mohametans and Arabs having been masters in Palestine for over one thousand years, they are fighting for their honour and do not want to lose anything which they have acquired as a possession. They fear that either through administrative channels or by force they will be compelled ultimately to relinquish rights they have held for so long.
Every one knows that in every country in law after the lapse of a certain period proprietary rights are established. In this case the rights of the Mohametans go back one thousand years.”