One of the most persistent myths in modern history is the immense suffering of the Gazans due to Israeli actions. Other threads already have shown that Gazans are better off than many other regions in the ME, or even better off than some notorious Western European big city neighborhoods. The myth that Gazans are starving was already dropped many years ago. In Gaza another luxury resort is opened, the Palm Resort:
palm.jpg (27.83 KiB) Viewed 1415 times
Whenever such a resort is opened in Gaza I can't help thinking Gaza could have been another Dubai, especially with all the Western aid. Hamas choose violence instead.
There are Gazans that are indeed leading a difficult life. The reason for it is the Israeli/Egyptian blockade, while at times Hamas also closing the borders. The main culprit IMO is Hamas, who is keeping people in refugee camps without giving them a change for a normal life. Hamas is the prison warden of the Gazan refugee camps.
Thats a very quick respons for somebody who has me on his foe list.
You posted that video which is about the aftermath of the 2008/2009 Gazan war close to 25 times (or perhaps more) already I think. I'll do you a favor and post link to it in every post I make in this thread.
I saw a short documentary about the Arab Spring and the effects, if any, it had in Gaza, on BBC World News last night, a group of youths were interviewed and while the Israeli blockade was criticised, the largest issue by far, that came over during the interviews was the oppressive policies of Hamas, and the constant disputes and fighting between Hamas and Fatah, which it was claimed has escalated since the declared truce between the two factions.
The surroundings were not all as plush and well maintained as in FD’s piccie, neither were they as dire as depicted in Shaf’s now infamous video, as if anyone needed this confirmation.
^In Gaza, some have indeed got rich. The smugglers who managed to dig tunnel to bring in new cars are amongst these guys.
The 'gaza-strophe' video is indeed a skewed perspective, but then so is 'isn't life great in Gaza' propaganda.
Interestingly (and in somewhat of an eery coincidence), just last week a report from the UN challenged the Israeli narrative about the situation in the other part of occupied Palestine, the West Bank:
UN says West Bank economy not flourishing (AFP) – 4 days ago JERUSALEM — Claims that the economy in the West Bank is flourishing overlook rising unemployment and a jump in inflation that has decreased purchasing power, a United Nations report said on Wednesday. In recent months, observers and officials including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have described the West Bank's economy as booming, calling it a sign of positive momentum under Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. But UNRWA, which assists Palestinian refugees, said on Wednesday that private sector growth and economic expansion were accompanied by an increase in unemployment and rising inflation that were hurting average Palestinians. The report said the unemployment rate in the West Bank stood at 25 percent in the second half of 2010, up from 23.5 percent in 2009. For Palestinians in the West Bank classed as refugees, the unemployment rate was even higher, standing at 27.9 percent, according to the report. ...
However, for me the issue isn't who is winning the propaganda war - but who is in violation of international law and basic human rights. One party is living under military occupation and the other side is blaming the victims for being victims.. that's a bizare situation.
The in-fighting between Hamas and Fatah is ugly, but so was the over-reaction when the Gazans voted out the corrupt Fatah officials in favour of Hamas. Who the occupied decide to vote into power shouldn't really be used as an excuse for denial of sovereignty - but then again, perhaps I'm too simplistic in my view over the military occupation by Israel.
shafique wrote:In Gaza, some have indeed got rich.
And somehow jews are blamed for the unequal distribution of wealth in Gaza by many.
shafique wrote:The smugglers who managed to dig tunnel to bring in new cars are amongst these guys.
Cars are also allowed into a Gaza via the Israeli borders.
shafique wrote:but then so is 'isn't life great in Gaza' propaganda.
Life in Gaza isnot great. If thats what you got from the OP: life in Gaza is not that bad as many want it to be.
shafique wrote:the UN
UNHR completely failed in the ME, with regards to Libya, Syria, Bahrayn etc.
Dillon wrote:The surroundings were not all as plush and well maintained as in FD’s piccie
Of course not, but since the end of the 2008/2009 war, malls, luxury resort/hotels have been built, an image of Gaza that you will rarely see. There is a nouveau rich class in Gaza.
Talking about Hamas/PA relations:
GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are suffering a critical shortage of medicine and medical supplies, Hamas Health Minister Bassem Naem said Saturday.
The crisis was unprecedented even during Israel's massive offensive on Gaza in December 2008, Naem said, adding that the situation was worsening by the day..
On Friday, Naem announced that pre-scheduled surgeries would be canceled, including children's operations, cardiac catheterization, laparoscopic surgery and bone and nerve operations. He said the ministry would reduce medical services including laboratory tests.
Sources in the Gaza Health Ministry said Palestinian Authority official Nabil Shaath had promised to send medicine to Gaza from Ramallah, but that the supplies never arrived.
Let's also not forget that the Israeli propaganda concerning Gaza is there to excuse, or divert attention away from, the siege of the territory which is blatantly an act of collective punishment.
The fact that the siege is not complete and that not all Gazans are suffering to the same extent (just look at the proportion of Gazans who depend on food aid - well stocked supermarket shelves don't help them much) - isn't an excuse for the Israeli siege.
(I guess, this would be me 'calling a spade, a spade).
shafique wrote:Let's also not forget that the Israeli propaganda concerning Gaza is there to excuse, or divert attention away from, the siege of the territory which is blatantly an act of collective punishment.
I fail to see why a country needs to help an enemy entity. Especially since it also border Egypt.
Here is an excellent article why Gaza isnot under occupation:
A staple claim of Palestinian supporters is that Israel’s occupation of Gaza did not end with the military withdrawal and the accompanying uprooting of nearly 10,000 Jewish residents.
it. Article 42 of the 1907 Hague Regulations provides that a “territory is considered occupied when it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile army.”
Similarly, the Geneva Conventions, even in the broadest interpretation urged by the International Committee of the Red Cross, require that ground forces exercise “control within” the territory.
Moreover, an occupying power must be able to provide all governmental functions – to run things inside the occupied territory, not simply patrol the borders. Yet the de facto government of Hamas rules Gaza without Israeli intervention.
The recent UN Security Council resolution authorizing force against Libya provides an excellent experiment in whether the legal arguments widely made about Israel are also applied in parallel cases. In March, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1973 in response to Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s violent crackdown on anti-government rebels. The resolution authorized military action, delineated a no-fly zone across all of Libya, froze Libyan assets, and authorized the extensive use of force against Libyan troops.
Yet Resolution 1793 specifically rules out any “occupation” of Libyan territory. This was not stray language. The prohibition of occupation has helped secure the support of several skeptical nations.
SO WE now have confirmation from the Council that a broad embargo, no-fly zone and months of constant aerial bombardment do not constitute an “occupation.” Certainly these activities have considerable effect on Libya, and “control” much of what happens there. Obviously Israel’s much less comprehensive and invasive measures against Gaza do not constitute an occupation by this standard.
The obviousness of the above principles when applied anywhere but to Israel should give pause to those who think that even a full withdrawal to pre-1967 lines will lead to Israel’s international legitimacy, or preclude the fabrication of new pretextual claims.
I find it chilling that there are people willing to justify collective punishment in this day and age.
Part of the siege's aim is to impose economic hardship on ordinary Gazans. The suffering of those dependant on food aid is a direct result.
One of the most unpleasant aspects of the Israeli occupation is the dehumanisation of the enemy - both sides are guilty of this - but the siege and blaming of victims is a major example of this.
Same old, same old. FD spining that Gaza is an awesome place to live, last time if my memory serves me right he said something to the effect that life is Gazza is much better than the residents of sharjah !
Also don't forget the wikileak about how Israel is purposely choking the economy so it just keeps its head barely water and just on the brink of a mass humanitarian disaster.
