Beginning of the end of Israeli occupation?

Of course, very few legislators with the exception of Sen. Bernie Sanders have condemned the brutal Israeli assault on the people living in the Gaza Strip (“U.S. opens its Jerusalem embassy amid bloodshed,” May15). The numbers of dead and wounded indicate a bloodbath on a people suffering from occupation. The occupation itself is violent, as the Palestinians lack sufficient medical supplies to provide adequate care to the wounded. I have yet to hear of an Israeli being wounded.

During the First Intifada, I was part of a human rights delegation to Israel/Palestine. In my opinion, the situation facing the Palestinians today is much, much worse.

This current slaughter reminded me of two scenes from possibly the best bio-pic ever made, “Gandhi” by Richard Attenborough. The movie is quite accurate to historical fact as the people of India struggled against the British occupation. First, there was a scene depicting he Amritsar massacre which took place in 1919 when British troops under the command of Col. Reginald Dyer killed close to 400 nonviolent protesters and wounded more than 1,000. Some believe the figures were actually much larger. Another scene in the film, 11 years later, shows the march on the Dharasana Salt Works. The brutality against the nonviolent protesters is very difficult to watch.

Nevertheless, in the film, the journalist played by Martin Sheen calls in a report of what he has just witnessed at the salt works and proclaims that the people of India have won their independence. Some historians consider the Amritsar massacre as the beginning of the end of British rule in India. I am hoping that the sacrifice of so many brave Palestinians in the Gaza Strip will contribute eventually to an end of the Israeli occupation. Viva Palestina.