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.

Urgent Action Alert - Please complain against the BBC's decision to not air the DEC fund raising appeal for Gaza

FOSIS urges all people of conscious to complain to the BBC regarding its decision
to not air the Disaster Emergency Committees appeal for Gaza.

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The BBC has refused to air a DEC TV fund-raising appeal for Gaza – saying it wanted to avoid compromising public confidence in its impartiality. The DEC is an umbrella organization that represents a number of aid agencies including ActionAid, the Red Cross, Cafod, Islamic Relief and Save the Children. These organisations have always been apolitical in their work and are simply attempting to deliver urgent, life-saving humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Please complain to the BBC at : http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

Below is a sample letter you can use as either an email or a letter.

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Dear Mark Thompson,

As a TV license payer, I am shocked and appalled at
the BBC's decision to refuse air time to the DEC's Gaza Appeal,
claiming its decision was based on its attempt to 'avoid compromising
public confidence in its impartiality' .

The DEC as an umbrella organization has always been an apolitical
organisation that concentrates solely on humanitarian disasters. The
DEC is not proposing to rebuild Gaza (which should clearly be paid for by Israel) but rather is aiming to deliver urgent, life-saving humanitarian aid. Once again the organisations involved with DEC are apolitical and the appeal is a response to humanitarian principles.

I fail to understand why the BBC is prepared to air appeals for humanitarian
crises in Burma and the Congo, but not Gaza. Why is delivering life saving
aid to Palestinians a political act and life saving aid to the Burmese an
apolitical act? In essence, the BBC appears to be stating that saving the
lives of Palestinians is political? This position is utterly shocking and
immoral. In fact by refusing to air the DEC appeal, the BBC rather
than remaining impartial has taken a very clear stance.

I urge you, for the sake of the BBC's reputation to urgently reconsider your position before more lives are lost. Please write to me explaining why saving the lives of Palestinians is a 'political' act and saving the lives of other people in need is a
'humanitarian' act?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Their Crime?