Syria: Outrage at the “Massacre in Gaza”

The Arab world is somber today. The feeling of shock and disgust at the events of yesterday can be felt at every blog. As the Israeli Defense Forces bombed and wrecked havoc in besieged Gaza the blogosphere had a sense of disbelief at what is happening and the international reaction to it.

The IDF launched on Saturday, December 27, 2008, Operation Cast Lead, in response to local Qassam rockets being fired from Gaza. An intensive bombing of the Gaza strip that resulted (in its first 12 hours) in 230 dead and more than 700 wounded.

The news about Egypt's blessings for the campaign and its reported disinformation of Hamas helped make the words on the blogs even more bitter.

Qunfuz relays his feelings about what's happening on the eastern Mediterranean:

In other circumstances it might seem strange that a population on the Mediterranean coast is being besieged and starved without a murmur from the rest of the world. But this is Gaza, Palestine, and the victims suffer alone. Reports say Mubarak had given his assent to a ‘limited blow’ before today’s blood; he’s been keeping the Egyptian border with Gaza sealed, keeping the ugly oppressed in their cage very effectively since they briefly broke out last January. Tony Blair – who should be in prison but is instead poncing about in Ramallah and Jerusalem ­– has been winking to Israeli journalists about necessary change in Gaza. No response to today’s crime is likely in Lebanon, or Jordan, or Egypt. The peoples of Europe and America are, by and large, silent.

Jabs from Arabian Camel puts things into context and summarizes the last few months that lead to what happened yesterday:

I am sure everyone has heard about the 225 people that have been massacred in the latest Zionist aggression on the Palestinian people. This is just unbelievable, and the anger cannot be described, the anger not from what the Zionists have done, but from the silence of the Arab and Islamic nations towards this massacre and from those betraying governments, especially that of Egypt whose president (the fascist dictator) sold an entire nation, their cause and their future in order to keep his damn seat under his fat butt.

Anger from the blogosphere is being equally directed at the collective Arab decision makers. At their incompetence and utter inaction. Kinan Jarjous from Jar of Juice says:

Earlier they were listing every single leader I have heard of condemning the assault on Gaza that left 225 dead (as of this writing), and an urgent Arab Summit is to be called.

Till when is condemnation a sufficient “action”?

The latest campaign comes a few weeks before another campaign, that of the Parliamentary elections of Israel. In 1996's elections there was the Grapes of Wrath, in 2001, there was the Second Intifada. Could it be that these lives are just another campaigning effort for Israeli politicians. The irony of it all did not escape Sasa‘s post:

140 DEAD, 200 injured and Tzipi Livni surges ahead in the polls.

More coverage:
Maysaloon posts photos from Gaza, titled: Gaza Massacre.
Dubai Jazz write about safety, and the utter lack of hope.

15 comments

  • bro

    THE RESPONCE TO THIS MASSACRE ,SHOULD BE THE UNEQUIVICLE TARGETING OF ALL ZIONIST ENTITIES BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AND SANTIONS PLACED ON ISRAEL.THE PALESTINIANS ARE OCCUPIED BY A TERRORIST HORRORISTIC UNRECOGNISED APATHIED WAR CRIMINALS,THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL.

  • ZorbaDGeek

    How long would your government wait once a neighboring country start to send missiles against it? One day, one week, one month? Israel waited for 4 years and thousands of missiles. How many innocent women and children were killed in Afghanistan after “freedom fighters” crashed into the Twin Towers?

    Israel pulled out all their settlements in the Gaza strip to enable the inhabitants to build autonomy. Money was poured into Gaza. Instead of industry – tunnels. Weapons instead of Hospitals, terrorists training instead of universities. Rockets are fired on Israeli towns any hour of the day or night.

    The day the Pals put down their weapons, there will be peace. The day the Israeli’s put down their weapons, there will be no Israel.

  • […] Yazan's coverage of the Syrian blogosphere in English, I will be covering those in […]

  • Mariyah

    ZorbaDGreek: The Israeli’s push their agenda behind the guise of a fear of being annihilated – and apparently there are people who have bought into it. No one is going to let that happen – especially the Israelis. Laying down ones weapons means that you can’t pick them up again.

    Have you looked at the staggering statistics of the number of Palestinians killed vs the number of Israelis? Between Sept. 2000 and Nov. 2008 4,876 Palestinians vs 1062 Israelis have been killed. (http://www.ifamericansknew.org/) Israeli response is always excessive and one has to ask why…some of us know.

    Why don’t you go and live in Gaza for a while with no hope and no dignity. And then come back and we’ll see what you have to say. Do you remember when the Turks occupied Greece? How was that?

    It is difficult to live beside a neighbour you don’t trust but I think the majority of people, given the option of peace would take it – and I’m not talking about the governments or the extremists on both sides – real people who have families, and jobs, and lives to live. Hope will eradicate the need or desire for weapons. Let the Israelis go back to the originally agreed upon boarders, give the Palestinian’s back what is rightfully theirs, including their dignity and freedom. Then there may be peace.

  • The problem, Maryah, is that in Gaza the govrenment is of Hamas – one of those extemist groups you mentioned. They call for the complete destruction of Israel and forming an Islamic state (they are part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement and backed by Iran).

    They *DON’T* want peace with Israel. They prefer to die as martyrs then live in peace.

    Look how Israel is talking with Abbas in the west bank – of course there issues Israel and the Palestinians in the west bank don’t agree on, but there are talking about them! No siege, food and people move freely, Palestinians from the west bank work inside Israel…

    It’s not the Israeli government that is the problem here, it’s Hamas. And the people in Gaza suffer because of that.

  • harris smit

    Why are there no protests when Hamas sends rockets into peaceful neigbourhoods in Israel?

    Israel has shown restraint for long enough, now Hamas must either go to war or leave Israel alone, but not shoot rockets at innocent people when they want to.

    Israel is a sovreign coutry and has a right to defend itself. Why does Hamas sourround themselves with innocent people!!!!!

  • Harris:
    I can answer that question.

    The Gazans have no free speech and cannot say anything against Hamas or they’ll be ‘dealt’ with.

    Hamas was elected democratically by the Gazan, though it was more of a protest vote against the corrupt Fatah-based government. Still, Hamas was always a radical Islam group and democratic, western values is something it actually rejects and despise.

    Once Hamas took over (in a very bloody clashes with Fatah – slaughtering Fatah members and families), new rules were issued and anyone voicing discontent or objection was either jailed or killed.

    Men were warned not to shave their face since it’s ‘not Islamic’, and other religious rules were starting to pave in – including putting in effect Sharia punishments (Islamic laws like in Iran). ( http://is.gd/efKI )

    To understand how strongly Hamas objects any other opinions other than his, on Nov. 12 2007, the year day to the passing away of Yasser Arafat – The first president and leader of the rival group Fatah, a big crowd gathered in Gaza to mark the day. The Hamas members (inc. police) just took positions above that crowd and started shooting automatic fire into it. ( http://is.gd/efJH )

  • raymond kalitree

    CEASE FIRE, innocent people are dying, JEWISH, CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM…all

    Barack Obama is the key

  • Yazan, please don’t say the massacre was “in response” to Hamas firing rockets into Israel.

    This is just Israel’s excuse, and we have no way of knowing the real reason why Israel is attacking. It could be politics, it could be to overthrow Hamas. But it certainly isn’t because of a few homemade fireworks.

    And anyway, these rockets are THEMSELVES a response to the 6 month Israeli seige of Gaza.

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