[News] Israel’s latest genocidal assault against Palestinians is nothing new

[Anti-Imperialist News]

*Israel’s latest genocidal assault against Palestinians is nothing new*

By Ashahed M. Muhammad <http://www.twitter.com/AshahedM> -Assistant Editor-
Updated Jul 15, 2014 - 1:27:01 AM
*http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml*

The launch of Operation Protective Edge by the Israeli Defense Forces 
July 8 represents only the latest genocidal aggression targeting the 
Palestinian people.

“The common narrative that Israel is responding in self-defense is 
totally misleading,” said Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the 
Palestine Liberation Organization’s Central Council and founder of the 
Palestinian National Initiative political movement. “Israel provoked the 
actions, Israel is the one who started the airstrikes on Gaza, Israel is 
the one when there was no response 
<http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml#> made sure 
to assassinate people so there would be a response. Israel must be 
restrained,” he added.

Hamas is fighting back by sending rockets to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but 
their weapons are no match 
<http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml#> for the 
bloody paralyzing military 
<http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml#> 
capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces. The Bonn International Centre 
for Conversion’s 2013 Global Military Index has Israel at the top of its 
list as the world’s most militarized country. The independent, 
non-profit policy organization uses several variables to determine the 
relative importance of the military apparatus to the society as a whole.

Attorney Tarek Khalil, a Palestinian activist, said the military 
mismatch is the main part missing from the Western and controlled 
media’s narrative and an important part of what is happening. 
“Palestinians are being killed by the Israeli government itself using a 
technologically advanced army. Whatever is done by Palestinians in 
response is a reaction to being attacked by the occupying forces of the 
Zionist government.

“It’s always presented as two sides with equal bargaining chips 
<http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml#> almost as 
if it is symmetrical and equal conflict between two sides who can 
equally defend themselves,” said Atty. Khalil. “Well, nothing could be 
further from the truth. It is absolutely ridiculous to even suggest that 
Palestinians are the aggressors. There is no such thing as aggression 
from victims,” he added.

Many view Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as somewhat 
weak, however, he is the preferred choice of Israel and the United 
States when confronted with the specter of having to work with Hamas, 
which handily won democratic parliamentary elections in 2006 and still 
maintains significant support. Most recently, as they continue 
<http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml#> to seek 
international support for Palestinian statehood, it was announced last 
month that a unity government between Fatah and Hamas had been formed, 
much to the chagrin of Israel and the U.S.

“Everything started since the Palestinian consensus government was 
announced and since the reconciliation took place,” Dr. Barghouti 
explained. “It was clear since then that Israel was planning a huge 
operation with specific political aims.” *Decades of state-sponsored terror*

Israel has been an occupying force in the Palestinian territories for 
decades, and this is not the first time they have maimed and injured 
innocent men, women, and children, without being called to account for 
their actions. Dr. Barghouti also believes ground operations are 
imminent, tanks will be rolling in and more soldiers, which means a 
repeat of the bloody massacres that took place at the end of 2008/2009 
and 2012 that resulted in heavy Palestinian civilian casualties.

According to analysts, Israel’s goals are several: to break the 
Palestinians will to reject a long-term apartheid system, to end the 
political isolation 
<http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_11018.shtml#> currently 
being experienced by Israel, and to break up Palestinian efforts at 
establishing unity.

“Israel will not achieve their political goals, but the price is going 
to be very heavy. We are talking about the loss of thousands of lives,” 
Dr. Barghouti said.

Numbers can be deceiving, but in this case, they tell an important 
aspect of the story infrequently analyzed. Israel’s political leaders 
and people fear the demographic threat posed by Palestinians. According 
to 2014 statistics from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 
the Palestinian population is estimated to be nearly 4.6 million. 
According to several human rights organizations operating in the area, 
nearly half of the Palestinian population is under 20 years of age.

The recent actions of the Israeli military are “appalling” and 
suggestive of the type of imbalance that has occurred over the years, 
said Imam Sultan Rahman Muhammad of Mosque Maryam. Israel, by her 
actions, continues to make things worse, he noted.

“We’re looking at the Israeli government practicing what is known as 
collective punishment,” said Imam Muhammad. “The young Palestinians are 
growing up with revenge in their hearts, and we find that this is not 
bringing any resolution to the problem that has been existing since 
1948, and the only type of resolution that can come is to stop the 
settlements and put an end to the apartheid type of government.”

The violence in the region did not begin with the deaths of three 
Israeli teens in June, nor is it a battle between two opponents of equal 
military strength. The United States of America supports reliably and 
delivers Foreign Military Financing to the tune of $3 billion annually, 
to bolster and maintain Israel’s quantitative and qualitative military 
advantage  in the region. A conservative estimate by the Washington 
Report on Middle Eastern Affairs found total direct aid to Israel 
topping $123 billion since Israel’s formation in 1948.

“There is no accountability in the Occupied Territories. Israeli 
officials and authorities operate with impunity,” said Brad Parker, 
staff attorney and international advocacy officer for Defence for 
Children International-Palestine, which promotes and protects global 
children’s rights in the Occupied Territories. According to the group, 
14 children under the age of 18 have been killed. Two victims were 
3-years old and two were only 1-year-old. When looking at the names and 
ages of the 41 who have been killed, many are in their 20s. No Israelis 
have lost their lives.

*Israel’s threats and actions*

Shortly after it was publicly reported that the three missing Israeli 
teenagers, Gilad Shaer,16, Naftali Fraenkel, 16, and Eyal Yifrah, 19, 
had been found dead, instead of pleading for calm, Prime Minister 
Benjamin Netanyahu whipped Israelis into an emotional frenzy using 
American-style dog whistle politics and calling for vengeance.

“Vengeance for the blood of a small child, Satan has not yet created. 
Neither has vengeance for the blood of three pure youths who were on 
their way home to their parents who will not see them anymore. Hamas is 
responsible and Hamas will pay. May the memories of the three boys be 
blessed. They were abducted and murdered in cold blood by human 
animals,” said Mr. Netanyahu.

His strategy likely helped lead hawkish and bloodthirsty supporters into 
vigilantism. The death of 15-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir soon followed. 
He was kidnapped, tortured and burned alive by his abductors. Six 
Israelis are being held in connection with the death.

Then in a tragically ironic twist, the next day, Tarek Abu Khdeir, a 
U.S. citizen from Tampa, Fla., and Mohammed Abu Khdeir’s cousin, was 
viciously beaten by Israeli police. Video footage of the brutal beating 
emerged and has spread throughout media networks worldwide. There have 
also been reports of other attempted kidnappings of Palestinians, and 
now, Israeli youth are menacingly prowling neighborhoods loudly chanting 
“death to Arabs.”

Shortly thereafter, bombing of Gaza began*. *

Israel’s government and military have advanced the narrative that 
Operation Protective Edge is needed to dismantle Hamas and Islamic 
Jihad, however the entire population of Gaza and the West Bank find 
themselves punished with few defenders.

“This is not an attack on Hamas, this is an attack on all of the 
Palestinian people in Gaza. Gaza is completely under siege,” said Dr. 
Barghouti.

“Who is going to defend the Palestinians from this rage from the Israeli 
terror?” asked Hatem Abudayyeh of the United States Palestine Community 
Network. Palestinians are not going to sit by—in the Middle East or 
America—and watch as their people are killed, he said. The U.S. 
government must act against Israel’s state-sponsored violence and 
further retaliatory bloodshed, said Mr. Abudayyeh.

Many have called for a ceasefire, but Israel typically violates the 
terms and never respects any agreements. Dr. Barghouti, who was among 
those who sat with members of Hamas to work out details of the unity 
government, said on July 9 President Mahmoud Abbas made an official 
request to the United States to talk to Israel. He called for a complete 
and immediate ceasefire. Israel refused.

“It is now clear that Israel is the one that is refusing to have any 
ceasefire,” said Dr. Barghouti. “If Israel stops its airstrikes and 
stops its invasion, there will be no rockets. There was a complete 
ceasefire and complete calm and Hamas was not only not shooting any 
rockets, they also restrained and prevented others from doing so,” he added.

-- 
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