Palestine: Israeli Airstrikes Spur Actions from Bloggers
Following the end of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, violence and tensions have escalated between Israel and Gaza. Today, Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza in what the AFP calls “one of the bloodiest days of the decades-long Middle East conflict.” So far, the death toll in Gaza is at 210 and rising.
The Palestinian blogosphere, which is made of Palestinians and supporters around the world, is furious with what they perceive to be needless actions from Israel. No Justice No Peace…The Big Picture, an honorary member of the Palestinian blogosphere, spoke out:
200 dead, 750 wounded, and for what? For Qassam rockets which have killed < 10 people in 8 years. If ever there was an epitome of disproportionate use of force this attack by F-16's (paid for by US tax dollars my fellow Americans) is it.
All in the name of “self-defense”. Please. This is immoral offense, and indiscriminate killing, and, by god, if you hold elections and call it a democratic process then deal with the results in a civilized manner, but not quarantining Gaza, withholding funds, petrol, electricity, medical supplies, humanitarian ships, ad UN mandated observers from entering Gaza and then wonder why home-made rockets are being fired (with no sophisticated guidance chips or any chance of doing massive damage).
PalestineFreeVoice points out that Israel used internationally banned weaponry in the attacks and reports:
On Saturday noon in the first wave of air strikes,the Israelis targeted Gaza City government buildings. Casualties are confirmed and include the Commander of Gaza Police Force Tawfiq Jabir, the Commander of Security and Protection Services in Gaza police, Ismail Al-Ja'bari and the Governor of the Al-Wusta (central) Districts Ahmad Abu Aashur.Islam Shahwan, a Hamas police spokesman, said that the Israeli attacks have destroyed most of the Gaza Strip police headquarters and that a police graduation ceremony was being held during the Israeli assault.
Global Voices’ own Bahrain author, bint battuta, shares a text message from a friend in Rafah:
Text from teacher friend in Rafah: “They struck the whole Gaza Strip at the same second. Many of the casualties are school children. My colleague told me he has seen 8 cases of death in the street. He picked his son alive. I am in my school now and the horror is everywhere in Gaza.
Palestinian bloggers are already ensuring that this most recent airstrike will spur the blogosphere into action. Ali Abunimah, writing for The Electronic Intifada, notes that demonstrations are being planned around the world:
On top of the intense anger and sadness so many people feel at Israel's renewed mass killings in Gaza is a sense of frustration that there seem to be so few ways to channel it into a political response that can change the course of events, end the suffering, and bring justice.
But there are ways, and this is a moment to focus on them. Already I have received notices of demonstrations and solidarity actions being planned in cities all over the world. That is important. But what will happen after the demonstrations disperse and the anger dies down? Will we continue to let Palestinians in Gaza die in silence?
Palestinians everywhere are asking for solidarity, real solidarity, in the form of sustained, determined political action. The Gaza-based One Democratic State Group reaffirmed this today as it “called upon all civil society organizations and freedom loving people to act immediately in any possible way to put pressure on their governments to end diplomatic ties with Apartheid Israel and institute sanctions against it.”
Global Voices will continue to offer coverage from a variety of blogospheres. Check our Gaza bombings Special coverage page often or subscribe to the Palestine RSS feed for further reports.
31 comments
But nobody talks about the rockets the Gaza people fired on Israel for the last several weeks. If your state was under attack, wouldn’t you respond?
Thanks for the coverage in these troubled times…
Tal,
We have an Israel author, who lives and works in Israel. If she chose not to cover that topic, that’s either her choice, or a reflection of her blogosphere.
Second, yes, I would respond – fairly and equally. Israel’s response is always disproportionate.
Jillian
Jillian,
Israel left Gaza, in hope for peace. But the Gaza people attacked Israel with rockets. No country will accept such a thing. If Canada, or the USA were attcked with rockets on their civilans, would they not ritalte? will they not strike back hard, so the atacking state will not try this again?
Israel do not want to control Gaza. It is the Gaza people how want to destroy Israe. and they will have to pay for it.
Israel did not attack civilian targets, just Hamas targets. For months Hamas sent rockets at schools and homes in Israel, many Israelies were killed and wounded. Israel warned Hamas that it has the right to defend it’s people and that Hamas must stop but Hamas ignored the calls. Now Hamas must learn that there is a price to it’s actions. By the way, last week a Hamas rocket veered of course and fell on a house in Gaza, guess who open their hospital to treat the wounded? Israel did.
I would like to tell the Palestinians inside or outside occupied Palestine, that they should count only on themselves.The Palestinians should remember South Africa during the Apartheid.It was when the whites were the most violent, killing and torturing thousands of the black people,that South Africa was able to get rid of the white dominance.They had a charismatic leader, Mandela, who led them in their resistance to White dominance, and they were able to win. I am for continuous resistance against Israel, because there is no other solution. However, the stone Intifada gave more results than those katiouchas that are being thrown on Sderot but that don’t give any effect whatsoever. The international community showed more solidarity with the Palestinian people during the stone Intifada. The Palestinians should find ways to hurt Israel more on the International front, by using ways understood by the International community, and so that Israel cannot use such excuses as rockets being hit on some of their villages (without really hurting anybody). During the stone Intifada,Israel had become Goliath and the Palestinians had become David. May I remind everyone that the Palestinian people have become holocaust victims by the victims of the holocaust. Mariama Abdalla
I am shocked with the news and when I read the declarations of the authorities, that they will not cease the fire…
The discussion must move from politics to the human drama it causes and the impact it will have in the life of children growing up there around Gaza.
Both sides had to respect/protect children from such attacks and also from army recruitment. As sophisticated as the weapons are now, with radars and all, there is NO excuse to attack if any of the sides on the conflict knew that there are children. They must respect the Geneve Conventions and Humanitarian Law.
It’s actually a shame that some people do not recognize a massacre when they see it. It’s a pity for humanity.
The Palestine Review
http://palestinereview.com
Outrage. I’ve just gotten home and I cannot believe the news. I cannot believe that the US still backs Israel and that I must pay my taxes, which partially go towards Israel. I don’t want to support the “thugs” in Israel, don’t you think 110-billion dollars is enough over 10-years to Israel? How much do you want me to give, the USA is already in debt, why are we still supporting the 5th strongest military in the world? I think Israel can defend themselves, why constantly bug the USA for help and money?
Hamas does not want to join forces with Palestine Authority, the Palestine Authority have already been turned by the USA Jackals and Economic Hitmen. They are corrupt, the Hamas are for the people and want the plans of territory from 1948 to carry through.
Outrage, does anyone know if there is rally or a meeting out here in the Bay Area, California?