Reflections

December 2008 and January 2009 will forever be remembered by us as months of Israeli aggression and brutality. In their vain attempt to force the Palestinians to give up their claim for freedom and self determination, the Zionist forces, encouraged by the silence of the world’s leaders, massacred over 1300 Palestinians and severely injured 5000. Many of these injured will never see again. They will never walk or hear again. These injured will stand testament to the Israeli brutality and savagery.


Whereas during the conflict the leaders of the western world reinforced their whole hearted support for the Zionist Israeli State, those of the Arab nations confirmed their treachery. Only two world leaders, whose countries lay thousands of miles away in South America, had the courage to make a moral stance.


In the 1967 War, Israel defeated six Arab armies in 6 days. In 2009 they were unable to defeat the Hamas Government after 22 days. The Zionists attempted to portray a division between ‘Hamas militants’ and ‘ordinary Palestinians.’ By doing this, they could claim to be targeting ‘legitimate’ military targets and thus were able to justify their actions against Gaza. History teaches us that no resistance movement can be successful without the mass support of the people. Palestinians understand that the war is against them and not Hamas, and no amount of Zionist propaganda will ever change this understanding. Even before the emergence of Hamas, the Palestinian people suffered massacre after massacre at the hands of the expansionist policies of Israel. The people of Gaza understand that the eradication of Hamas does not mean an end to their suffering.


Indeed the failure of the world to view Hamas as a legitimate government and a legitimate resistance movement proves baffling and beyond comprehension. During World War Two, when the Communist resistance fought to prevent Nazi invasion and occupation, the western world, choosing to ignore the brutal and bloody nature of Stalin’s regime, applauded the Communist resistance. Indeed they were right to applaud the Communists, for logic and common sense tell us that every nation has a right to defend itself from foreign occupation and invasion. Why then does the world fail to recognise this most basic right of the Palestinians to resists brutal occupation and invasion at the hands of Israel? Today the world applauds Algeria for its strong resistance and ultimate victory over colonial France. Why does the world fail to rally to the aid of a country that for 60 years has faced occupation, oppression, mass killing and war-crimes? While the Russians and Algerians are applauded for resisting occupation and invasion, the Palestinians are punished for it.


The hypocrisy of the world’s powers and the double standards that have emanated from this conflict will resonate for many years to come. While the western world lectures the Middle East and bombards it in the name of ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom,’ it refuses to recognize a government that was elected in the most democratic election to be held in the region. Not only does The West fail to recognize the Hamas government, it obliquely places sanctions upon Gaza and remains silent to an illegal Israeli siege of the strip. While the western world called for a ceasefire during this conflict and concentrated its efforts on articulating the ‘urgent’ need to stop arms reaching Hamas, it continued to supply Israel with some of the most deadly weapons of our time.

Israeli War Criminal to speak in London today!

Dear all,

Please publicise widely and demonstrate against the Colonel Geva Rapp, deputy commander of the Israeli Ground Forces in Operation Cast Lead against Gaza. This person should be charged for War Crimes and should not be travelling freely in the UK.

Day & Date: This Thursday 29th January (today)
Time: 6:00pm (Talk starts at 6:30pm)
Venue: The Jewish London Student Centre in Euston, 163 Euston Road.
Speaker: Colonel Geva Rapp, the head of the ground operations in Gaza (Operation Cast Lead)!