Israel's Murder of Rachel Corrie - Ten Years On

It is ten years today since the brutal and unnecessary death of Rachel Corrie, an American student, at the hands of the Israel Defense Force (IDF). I am reposting this note from my blog World Impusle to mark the occasion, lest we forget. Rachel was just an idealistic girl, she could have been any of us or our children. This is the way our supposed friends treat our children. Recent reports also indicate that the Israeli authorities routinely abuse and imprison 700 Palestinian children between the age of 12 and 17 every year.

Recently, an Israeli court in Haifa found the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) innocent of any responsibility for the death of young, American peace activist Rachel Corrie. Corrie was run over and killed by a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer, just think about it... death by bulldozer, operated by a member of the IDF. According to eyewitnesses, there when it happened, she was clearly visible from the dozer. Well, not according to the IDF or the court.

It's a dark day for human rights and peace in the Middle East. Our hearts go out to the Corrie family, after their years of determined actions designed to gain some measure of closure and justice in this case. (Read more here).

I can't say I'm surprised, the IDF has a long history of finding its own members innocent of virtually every crime. Recently, an IDF participant in Operation Cast Lead - the war against the innocent in GAZA - received only 45 days of punishment for summarily executing a mother and daughter who were waving a white flag at the time (SOURCE).

It Is time To Let Israel Stand On Its Own

Editor's note:  this article was first posted in Feb. 2009 on "World Impulse," the author's foreign affairs blog. Regrettably, it is even more relevant today.

Today, Amnesty International called for the United States to end foreign aid to Israel. The Author concurs, it is time to let this wealthy, nuclear-armed nation stand on its own.

Amnesty specifically called for a US reappraisal following the extensive and disproportionate use of American weapons in the recent Gaza operation which killed and injured countless civilians. It is, in fact, very likely that American weapons were used in the commission of war crimes.  Read the article here.

The US has long been the largest arms supplier to Israel; under a current 10-year agreement negotiated by the Bush administration the US will provide $30bn (£21bn) in military aid to Israel.

"As the major supplier of weapons to Israel, the USA has a particular obligation to stop any supply that contributes to gross violations of the laws of war and of human rights," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa programme director. "To a large extent, Israel's military offensive in Gaza was carried out with weapons, munitions and military equipment supplied by the USA and paid for with US taxpayers' money."

The Author, however, is concerned with the over $80 billion of direct aid provided since 1949. It is important to acknowledge up-front that our national interests were well served by this support during the Cold War. Times have changed, and our continuing, one-sided support of Israel is costly in the region and the Muslim world. Further, Israel has not reciprocated our support like most loyal allies. It continues to authorize illegal settlements, conduct disproportionate military operations, collectively punish innocents and occupy disputed lands. The continuous flow of American taxpayer dollars have also not prevented Israel from spying on the U.S. on multiple occasions; attacking an American Naval vessel killing 34 (image above), and harboring terrorists accused of murdering American citizens.

That has been the subject of previous posts, it it not the focus of this one - which is to pose a single question.  Should the U.S. continue to pour taxpayer dollars into Israel? First some background.

According to an October 27 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, cumulative aid to Israel from 1949 through fiscal year (FY) 2000 was $81.38 billion. This number is too low because it omits "hidden" funds. While it includes the $1.2 billion promised to Israel in the Wye River Memorandum, the old Food for Peace program, and the current subsidy for "refugee resettlement," it omits money from the DOD budget on the grounds that those funds are for research and development projects that benefit both the United States and Israel-a questionable premise. The CRS total also excludes estimated interest on the early disbursement of aid.

The Congressional Research Service report states that from FY 1994 through FY 1998, Israel received $29 billion in waived loans. (source)

According to Wikipedia, the U.S. currently has increased its annual military aid to Israel to the whopping sum of over $3 billion. We give this to a wealthy country with nuclear weapons. Our unconditional support for Israel was cited, among several other grievances, as grounds for the 9/11 attacks. We need to protect ourselves from terrorists, but we sure need to have a smart foreign policy that demands sacrifice from our friends whom we've supported for decades and offers all parties an honest path to peace. Perhaps reassessing our military aid to the state of Israel would make that position clearer to all the players concerned.

Gaza Day 16 Feed from Sameh Habeeb

By Sameh A. Habeeb, A Photojournalist, Humanitarian & Peace Activist in Gaza Strip.
Daily Feed About Gaza War:

1-Air raids on all points where the military ground operation in the first hour of the day 16.
2-Air raid destroyed the house of Abu Nizar Awadallah in Nasir area south north of Gaza.
3-Bombings near Omar Bin Khatab mosque in Khan younis in time of down praying for Muslims.
4-Extensive bombings on Palestinian Egyptian borders south of Rafah City.
5-A-25-woman killed in Khoza'a area due to Phosphorous bombs in Khan Yonis. Around 50 wounded according to medical sources.
6-Air raid destroyed house of Al Qasam commander, Ahmed Al Ja'bari, in east of Gaza Shijaya area.
7-Shells and rockets rained down in Khan Yonis City targeted open places.
8-A rocket targeted an orphanage and Al Fadila mosque in Rafah City.
9- A Palestinian killed and his father wounded in an Israeli raid in Khan Yonis City central Gaza.
10-Al Quds brigades: three of its fighters killed in Jabalia town.
11-Israeli air force threw thousand of leaflets at Rafah areas near the borders requesting populations to leave their houses.
12-A Palestinian, Baha' Abed 25, years killed and his sister Shaida abed wounded in Jabalia Refugee camp by an artillery shells.
13-A Palestinian killed and 2 wounded in Al zana area east of Khan Yonis City.
14-A rocket hit a car in Rafah and 5 people wounded in Rafah City.
15-Four Palestinian wounded in artillery shelling in Jabalia.
16-A Palestinian killed due to his wounds in Khan Yonis City.
17-Israeli drone fired a rocket towards Al Karama bulidning leaving 4 people dead from one family and an old woman. They area, Ala Bashir 40, his wife Lamia, 40, their son Sohaib, 18, and Jamila zyada 75 years.
18-A Palestinian killed, Ebrahim Salma, 25, killed near Al Krama buildings in bombings from Israeli air force.
19-Artillary shells hit house of Muhammad Khalaf in Jabalia. Two Palestinians from the same killed, the dead are Ebrahim Khalad, 35, and Belal Yahya,19. Around 10 wounded before the Israeli army destroyed the house by bulldozers.
20-Five children killed in Bait Lahia due to Israeli bombings. Two of them are sisters and 7 from others family. The killed ones are, Haitham yaser Ma'rof 12, Jehan, 16, Fatima Ma'rof 16. Two others from Ghaban family whose name are Khawla,16, Sahar,14.
21- Two Palestinians militants killed in Shija'ya area east of Gaza City.
22-A rocket targeted house of Tal'at hamoda resulted in the killing of his two sons. One of them is an infant, Fares 1year and a half and Muhmmad 22 years.
23-Head of Emergency and Ambulances: Death toll 880 and injured 3620.
24-A Palestinian killed in Rafah and several wounded south of the occupied strip.
25-Israeli army raided on the borders with Egypt, many tunnels destroyed.
26-A Palestinian killed in Jabalai evening of today. Around 3 other wounded, medical sources said.
27-Israeli tanks advanced into the Gaza Strip, town of Tal Al hawa. The tanks were faced by heavy fightings resulted in the death of many militants and few civilians. Muhammad Sada, Abd Al Kashif, Ebrahim Hamada, Abdalla Shmalkh, Ali shamalkh, Esam Shamalkh, Mahmoud Shamalk, Muhammd Tatr, Muhammad Al Naji, Ramzi Abu Ghanima and Ata Al Dahdods. They all aged between 18 to 37.
28-An artillery shell hit house of Al Jilb in Tal al hawa area. A 70-year-oldman killed in the attack.
29-A rocket fired from Israeli drone killed a man aged 24, Nour Abu Amish.
30-Local radios: A Palestinian woman who was going to deliver a baby and two of her relatives killed in Bait Lahia City. Many wounded in the place as an artillery shell targeted them.
31-Artilary shells targeted many buildings in Tal al hawa area. Tens wounded and 3 killed including a child aged 4 years.
32-Deadly clashes between Israeli army and Palestinian fighters near Jabal Al Kashif area northern Gaza.
33-A Palestinian called, Osama Abu Rijila, killed by rocket fired from a drone in Khan yonis. Another woman called, Hanan Al Najar.
34-Amnestey claimed that Israeli army is perpetrating War Crimes in Gaza.
35-Two rockets hit the area of Yaromk mid of Gaza, no one injured in the place.
36-Paramdicds found 14 dead bodies "corps" after Israeli tanks retreat from Khan Yonis area.
37-Israeli army targeted house of Awad and Hanya northern Gaza Strip.
38-Continued shells from Artillery canons northern Gaza Strip.
39-Heavy shells on the Gaza port and Al Shati' Refugee camp.
40-Apachi helicopters fired at Al Tofah and Sah'f area east of Gaza.
41-Many buildings destroyed at al Sudanya area.
42-More heavy raids on the borders with Egypt by F16s.
43-More thousands leaflets from Israeli air force in Rafah requesting all residents to leave their houses near Palestinian Egyptian borders.
44-Four people seriously injured in bombings targeted house of Muhammad Al Mutwag in Jabalia.
45-Rocket targeted Al Kahlout family in Gaza City and four people wounded in the place.
46-Palestinian fighters fired 20 rockets into Israeli settlements.
47-More Phosphorous bombs are being used east of Gaza City and this is so clear on the T.V footages going out of Gaza.
48-Humantarian Crisis still exacerbated as no access to water and bread.
49-Medical sector still paralyzed!
50-Hundreds of people flee from Jabalia town to Gaza City.
51-Three Egyptian soldiers wounded in Israeli bombings near the borders.
52-Many ambulances stop due to fuel shortages!
53-Israeli F16s targeted by heavy rockets a house near Ministry of Culture in Gaza. Many houses partially damaged as the area is densely populated. Around 10 people wounded in the place mid of Gaza City.
54-A car hit by Israeli air force in Nasir area south of Gaza City.
55-Two people killed at Al Shija'ya area in Israeli shelling targeted their house east of Gaza City.
56-Israeli naval forces open fire on Gaza shore.
57-Three patients died at Al Shifa' hospital due to their critical injuries.
58-Egyptian Doctors who came to Gaza: "we are shocked about the medical sector here. We have never seen such casualties."
59-Israeli army spokesman, Avehay adra'I denied the use of banned weapons while Many International Ngo's confirmed that Israel is using them. Human Rights Watah confirmed that and consider what's going in Gaza as war crimes!
60- A fire destroyed several factories and buildings east of Gaza near Jabalia Camp.
61-United Nations Training center, SMETH, partially damaged in a nearby bombing targeted a house near the culture ministry.
62- Around 40 wounded people in critical conditions left Gaza to Egypt and Arab hospitals.
63-Israeli F16s raided on a target in the Gaza City, al Zaytoun quarter. The rocket targeted a workshop.
64-Three Palestinians killed in Jabalia, near Al Jorn street northern eastern Gaza City.
65-Air force hovers all over the Gaza Strip in the early house of Sunday evening.
66-Israeli Premier, Ehud Olmert, "the military operation will continue"
67-Total casualties of today only is 30 persons.
68-Another 2 bombings by F16s in Al Zayotun area on some buildings that partially and totally destroyed.
69-Artillary shells in Abasan area east of Khan Yonis City and many people injured.
70-Many people faced suffocation cases in Khoza'a area due to an Israeli artillery shell.
Technorati Tags: Gaza, Israel, Palestine

Gaza Holocaust - Bush's Folly

As the Middle East boils with violence and war, it comes as no surprise that once again (regrettably), the failings of Bush's foreign policy are to blame.

Israel's military incursion into Palestinian Gaza last week resulted in over 100 deaths, many of those innocent civilians and some small children. Read about it here. This in retaliation for the 7th death of an Israeli citizen by rocket fire in ten years. It's no wonder the Secretary General of the UN described the Israeli response as excessive and disproportionate. By any measure, that's what it was.

Under the laws of war, we're told, civilians may be placed at risk only for reasons of military necessity. They must never be targeted to create political pressure, or for reasons of revenge. That's just morally wrong. Israel promised the Palestinians a Shoah, or holocaust, if their efforts to fire rockets continued. Read the BBC account of the threat here. So the victims of the Nazi Shoah are now promising their adversaries the same kind of treatment? And as it turns out, this current disaster is largely due to pressures and miscalculations by the Bush Administration. Here's the story.

After Arafat died and left the Palestinian people and state without a clear leader, the Bush administration insisted on immediate elections - though neither Fatah or Hamas really wanted them. Well, Hamas won the elections and Condi Rice famously observed: "...nobody saw that coming." Exactly my point. Cluelessness at the highest levels. So rather than support the will of the Palestinian people as expressed in a free and fair election, Bush decides to create a civil war between Palestinian factions. Another very bad idea from the mental midget we call president of the United States. The plot was first reported in late 2006 by Debka File, then here in Dec. 06 at the Arabist blog. Read some of the posted comments for additional background.

Now, Vanity Fair exposes the entire SNAFU in this revealing piece. A must read. His elections a failure from the US point of view, and his civil war lost, Bush has apparently given the Israeli military a green light to clean-up the whole affair in their usual, very heavy-handed manner. Not a pretty picture. This has inflammed Arabs and Muslims around the world at precisely the moment when the Middle East can least afford additional stress. One has to wonder just who's in charge and what they're thinking.

For more background on Gaza, check out these blogs. TabulaGaza; A mother from Gaza; and, FromGaza.