World must act to protect Palestinians
People of Gaza take to the streets, braving Israel’s brutality, because they have nothing to lose
If more proof of Israel’s savagery was needed, it came in the form of seven Palestinians who were shot dead in Gaza over the weekend for the ‘crime’ of asking for their rights. An 11-year-old and a 14-year-old were among those brutally cut down by the occupation regime, which has killed more than 185 Palestinians since March 30 this year. Ninety others sustained gunshot wounds.
Thousands of fearless Gazans took part in last Friday’s protests against the occupying army on the other side of the fence, which responded with live bullets, as usual. Why do these people take part in demonstrations when the occupation regime always responds brutally, showing scant regard for Palestinian lives? The answer lies in the living hell that is Gaza. The tiny territory has been turned into the world’s largest open-air prison by the Israeli regime, which has also launched three wars against the territory in the past decade, killing thousands of Palestinians each time. Unemployment has risen to more than 50 per cent, and residents receive just a few hours of electricity each day.
Under the present Israeli policy, a child who is born in Gaza today is very likely to live his/her entire life without being allowed to leave the territory. The cruel blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007 has ravaged the economy, and with Egypt-mediated ceasefire efforts deadlocked, the only option that Palestinians in Gaza have is to protest. They take to the streets, braving the regime’s brutality because they have nothing to lose.
On Saturday, the Gaza Strip’s ruling Hamas movement sent four senior officials to Egypt for a renewed round of discussions. The United States-sponsored Middle East ‘peace plan’ is going nowhere, with Washington showing a clear pro-Israel bias. In any case, the plan has little chance of success as long as Gaza remains in turmoil.
The top United Nations humanitarian official in the region, Jamie McGoldrick, said on Saturday that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life. He said the sides must ensure children aren’t the target of violence or put at risk of violence. But there is a problem with such an approach — one that does not distinguish between the occupier and the occupied. Calling for “both sides” to exercise restraint falsely equates the colonial power with those under its occupation. Clearly, one side is the aggressor. There would be no protest if there were no occupation and siege.
When Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas took the stage at the UN General Assembly last week, it was clear that the Palestinian cause still enjoys a lot of support worldwide. But the international community must do more to drive home the point that the occupation regime’s crimes will no longer be tolerated.