Gaza: We've been had
I'm sure you'll all be shocked to hear that Ban Ki-Moon and Tony Blair and all those other people who have told you about untoward suffering in Gaza have been
I flew to Tel Aviv and on Wednesday, January 28, using my press card to cross the Erez checkpoint, I walked across the border into Gaza where I was met by my guide, a Palestinian journalist. He asked if I wanted to meet with Hamas officials. I explained that I'd come to bear witness to the damage and civilian suffering, not to talk politics.
What I saw was that there had been precision attacks made on all of Hamas' infrastructure. Does UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticize the surgical destruction of the explosives cache in the Imad Akhel Mosque, of the National Forces compound, of the Shi Jaya police station, of the Ministry of Prisoners? The Gazans I met weren't mourning the police state. Neither were they radicalized. As Hamas blackshirts menaced the street corners, I witnessed how passersby ignored them.
THERE WERE empty beds at Shifa Hospital and a threatening atmosphere. Hamas is reduced to wielding its unchallengeable authority from extensive air raid shelters which, together with the hospital, were built by Israel 30 years ago. Terrorized Gazans used doublespeak when they told me most of the alleged 5,500 wounded were being treated in Egypt and Jordan. They want it known that the figure is a lie, and showed me that the wounded weren't in Gaza. No evidence exists of their presence in foreign hospitals, or of how they might have gotten there.
From the mansions of the Abu Ayida family at Jebala Rayes to Tallel Howa (Gaza City's densest residential area), Gazans contradicted allegations that Israel had murderously attacked civilians. They told me again and again that both civilians and Hamas fighters had evacuated safely from areas of Hamas activity in response to Israeli telephone calls, leaflets and megaphone warnings.
THE GAZA I saw was societally intact. There were no homeless, walking wounded, hungry or underdressed people. The streets were busy, shops were hung with embroidered dresses and gigantic cooking pots, the markets were full of fresh meat and beautiful produce - the red radishes were bigger than grapefruits. Mothers accompanied by a 13-year-old boy told me they were bored of leaving home to sit on rubble all day to tell the press how they'd survived. Women graduates I met in Sajaya spoke of education as power as old men watched over them.World, we've been had to the tune of $4.481 billion. Read it all.
No one praised their government as they showed me the sites of tunnels where fighters had melted away. No one declared Hamas victorious for creating a forced civilian front line as they showed me the remains of booby trapped homes and schools.
From what I saw and was told in Gaza, Operation Cast Lead pinpointed a totalitarian regime's power bases and largely neutralized Hamas's plans to make Israel its tool for the sacrifice of civilian life.
Corroboration of my account may be found in tardy and piecemeal retractions of claims concerning the UNWRA school at Al-Fakhora; an isolated acknowledgment that Gaza is substantially intact by The New York Times; Internet media watch corrections; and the unresolved discrepancy between the alleged wounded and their unreported whereabouts.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:39 PM
9 Comments:
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Carl!
You should really repost this video and link it to Yvonne Green's story.
Video: How the 'Palestinians' treat their own
I think that is one of the best evidence that the "World, ....[have] been had"; it is a video produced by a Russian TV channel (Russia is not know to be especially pro-Israel), the subject matter is the (real) suffering of the Gaza inhabitants, and the background video shots are some of the most revealing coming out of Gaza.
The truth is one thing... but the Palestinians have managed to keep the welfare tap turned on. Hating the Jews can be highly profitable, indeed!
Awesome article. It's great to see that someone's actually gone into Gaza and given those terrorist sympathizers something to think about.
Norman F has it exactly right.
These "donors" to not give to alleviate suffering in Gaza. They give to CREATE more suffering in Israel.
The Left is not interested in improving the lot of society. It wants not equality of opportunity but equality of misery. Gaza is an example of how NOT to run a country.
The whole thing is not about investing in creating a "civil society" that can thrive in Gaza or among the "Palestinians" in general. It's all about how far can the Israel-hating West, including its so-called ally, the US, can punish the Jews for continuing to survive and thrive.
Ashan, it has to do with the Jews. Any other people who lost a war would be left to pick up the pieces. The Palestinians should be getting on their knees thanking Allah they have Israel for an enemy. If Israel were ever to disappear, that would be the day the Palestinians would find themselves abandoned and forgotten by the rest of the world.
Wow this is great insight!
So now I'm curious as to the correct way to handle the situation. Is there still a need for sympathy and support?
It brings to mind a video I watched earlier today on the Gaza vs. Hamas debate. What is the best way to react?
http://www.newsy.com/videos/considering_gaza_s_future
Watch it if you get the chance!
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