Genocide In Gaza: Compromised World Govts Fall Silent As Israeli Forces Kill With Impunity
By SEEMA MUSTAFA
NEW DELHI: In complete violation of all humanitarian and international laws, as well as world opinion, Israel moved tanks, infantry and engineering units into Gaza under cover of continuous air strikes on the hapless Palestinians. At least 20 Palestinians, including a six month old baby, were killed within hours of what the Israeli government described as the “new phase of Operation Protective Edge.” Over 50 targets were hit, with the count steadily increasing.
The total number of dead since the Israeli invasion began have crossed 270 with over 2000 Palestinians seriously injured. Gaza is running out of medicines,medical supplies and even doctors who are not sufficient to cope with the escalating crisis.
Palestinians reported continuous bombardment with the earth shaking under the ferocity of the attack.
Children were screaming in terror in the houses with the adults having no idea of how to protect them or themselves from the advancing Israeli forces, and the continuous bombs from the air, land and sea. Gaza, a giant prison, is standing to the last Palestinian to face the Israeli invasion with little more than rockets to counter the most sophisticated weaponry in the world.
The world watched in silence with little to no response to the Israeli ground offensive against unarmed people. United Nations Secretary General Ban ki Moon merely regretted the Israeli action saying it should “do more” to stop civilian casualties. This despite the fact that a UN report has already recorded that at least 85 per cent of the casualties in Gaza have been civilian, including an unusually high number of women and children.
The US, UK, Germany, France all continued to support Israel although the latter did express the hope that Israel would exercise restraint. US Secretary of state John Kerry’s wish list included the hope that the Israeli operation against Hamas would be “precise.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a new input when she spoke of a “new quality” to the weapons reportedly being used by Hamas. She said that countries that came under such attack, like Israel, should be allowed to defend itself. There was not a word from these world leaders about the one sided attack reflected in the large number of civilian casualties reported from Gaza.
Iran, Syria, China and Russia are amongst the major countries to have supported the Palestinians against the Israeli attack. There was not a murmur, however, from the Arab world. Egypt denounced the Israeli action but again offered its ceasefire proposal for both sides to accept even though the Palestinians had rejected it as humiliating and one sided. Egypt has ensured that the passage linking it to Gaza remains closed so that the Palestinians remain trapped and are not able to escape from the marauding Israeli forces.
The Turkish Prime MInister Recep Tayyip was perhaps the only strong voice heard from the region where he accused Israel of “state terrorism” and “genocide”. Riots in Ankara led Turkey’s foreign minister to ask Israel to evacuate the families of its diplomats in the city.
In India the Opposition continued to battle the government for the third consecutive day to allow a discussion on Gaza in the Rajya Sabha immediately. The Modi government blocked the demand with the Upper House of Parliament adjourning repeatedly because of protests by the agitated opposition members who were all united on the issue. A discussion in the House is slated for Monday and that too only because the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the Vice President of India Hamid Ansari made it very clear that according to the rules of the House, the opposition demand for a discussion was legitimate. Earlier the government had also ruled out a discussion on the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
Four children were killed yesterday while playing on a beach in Gaza city in front of several eyewitnesses including a New York Times reporter. Two missiles struck dead the children within seconds with Israel later insisting that it was looking for Hamas operatives. Targeted assassinations are clearly now a matter of routine for Tel Aviv that reserves the right to take out anyone it sees as being members of Hamas without proof or evidence. In this case it is still not clear how the Israeli armed forces known for their surveillance and precision mistook little children for Hamas.
It is very clear that Israel is looking to move into Gaza and not confine its operations to the borders of the tract of land. The cabinet has cleared the requisition for 18,000 reserve troops to be deployed if considered necessary. Foreign journalists inside Gaza have been told to vacate their hotels and leave. Preparations for an all out attack on the Palestinians are being set into motion, with the Israeli soldiers moving into the territory house by house.
Macho processions shouting for an end to the Palestinians were held in Tel Aviv with reports of the police having to move in to prevent the demonstrators from attacking a restaurant from where persons had shouted out describing them as “baboons.”