elienos
01-17-2009, 06:07 AM
My Message to the West
By Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh - Gaza
I write this article to Western readers across the social and
political spectrum as the Israeli war machine continues to massacre my
people in Gaza. To date, almost 1,000 have been killed, nearly half of
whom are women and children. Last week's bombing of the UNRWA (UN
Relief Works Agency) school in the Jabalya refugee camp was one of the
most despicable crimes imaginable, as hundreds of civilians had
abandoned their homes and sought refuge with the international agency
only to be mercilessly shelled and bombed by Israel. Forty-six
children and women were killed in that heinous attack while scores
were injured.
Evidently, Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 did not end
its occupation nor, as a result, its international obligations as an
occupying power. It continued to control and dominate our borders by
land, sea and air. Indeed the UN has confirmed that between 2005 and
2008, the Israeli army killed nearly 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza,
including 222 children. For most of that period the border crossings
have remained effectively closed, with only limited quantities of
food, industrial fuel, animal feed and a few other essential items,
allowed in.
Despite its frantic efforts to conceal it, the root cause of Israel's
criminal war on Gaza is the elections of January 2006, which saw Hamas
win by a substantial majority. What occurred next was that Israel
alongside the United States and the European Union joined forces in an
attempt to quash the democratic will of the Palestinian people. They
set about reversing the decision first by obstructing the formation of
a national unity government and then by making a living hell for the
Palestinian people through economic strangulation. The abject failure
of all these machinations finally led to this vicious war. Israel's
objective is to silence all voices that express the will of the
Palestinian; thereafter it would impose its own terms for a final
settlement depriving us of our land, our right to Jerusalem as the
rightful capital of our future state and the Palestinian refugees'
right to return to their homes.
Ultimately, the comprehensive siege on Gaza, which manifestly violated
the Fourth Geneva Convention, prohibited the most basic medical
supplies to our hospitals. It disallowed the delivery of fuel and
supply of electricity to our population. And on top of all of this
inhumanity, it denied them food and the freedom of movement, even to
seek treatment. This led to the avoidable death of hundreds of
patients and the spiralling rise of malnutrition among our children.
Palestinians are appalled that the members of the European Union do
not view this obscene siege as a form of aggression. Despite the
overwhelming evidence, they shamelessly assert that Hamas brought this
catastrophe upon the Palestinian people because it did not renew the
truce. Yet we ask, did Israel honour the terms of the ceasefire
mediated by Egypt in June? It did not. The agreement stipulated a
lifting of the siege and an end to attacks in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip. Despite our full compliance, the Israelis persisted in
murdering Palestinians in Gaza as well as the West Bank during what
became known as the year of the Annapolis peace.
None of the atrocities committed against our schools, universities,
mosques, ministries and civil infra-structure would deter us in the
pursuit of our national rights. Undoubtedly, Israel could demolish
every building in the Gaza Strip but it would never shatter our
determination or steadfastness to live in dignity on our land. Surely,
if the gathering of civilians in a building only to then bomb it or
the use of phosphorous bombs and missiles are not war crimes, then
what is? How many more international treaties and conventions must
Zionist Israel breach before it is held accountable? There is not a
capital in the world today where free and decent people are not
outraged by this brutal oppression. Neither Palestine nor the world
would be the same after these crimes.
There is only one way forward and no other. Our condition for a new
ceasefire is clear and simple. Israel must end its criminal war and
slaughter of our people, lift completely and unconditionally its
illegal siege of the Gaza Strip, open all our border crossings and
completely withdraw from Gaza. After this we would consider future
options. Ultimately, the Palestinians are a people struggling for
freedom from occupation and the establishment of an independent state
with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees to their
villages from which they were expelled. Whatever the cost, the
continuation of Israel's massacres will neither break our will nor our
aspiration for freedom and independence.
- Ismail Haniyeh is the Prime Minister of the Palestinian government
in Gaza. (Originally published in the British Independent ?
independent.co.uk, January 15)
By Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh - Gaza
I write this article to Western readers across the social and
political spectrum as the Israeli war machine continues to massacre my
people in Gaza. To date, almost 1,000 have been killed, nearly half of
whom are women and children. Last week's bombing of the UNRWA (UN
Relief Works Agency) school in the Jabalya refugee camp was one of the
most despicable crimes imaginable, as hundreds of civilians had
abandoned their homes and sought refuge with the international agency
only to be mercilessly shelled and bombed by Israel. Forty-six
children and women were killed in that heinous attack while scores
were injured.
Evidently, Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 did not end
its occupation nor, as a result, its international obligations as an
occupying power. It continued to control and dominate our borders by
land, sea and air. Indeed the UN has confirmed that between 2005 and
2008, the Israeli army killed nearly 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza,
including 222 children. For most of that period the border crossings
have remained effectively closed, with only limited quantities of
food, industrial fuel, animal feed and a few other essential items,
allowed in.
Despite its frantic efforts to conceal it, the root cause of Israel's
criminal war on Gaza is the elections of January 2006, which saw Hamas
win by a substantial majority. What occurred next was that Israel
alongside the United States and the European Union joined forces in an
attempt to quash the democratic will of the Palestinian people. They
set about reversing the decision first by obstructing the formation of
a national unity government and then by making a living hell for the
Palestinian people through economic strangulation. The abject failure
of all these machinations finally led to this vicious war. Israel's
objective is to silence all voices that express the will of the
Palestinian; thereafter it would impose its own terms for a final
settlement depriving us of our land, our right to Jerusalem as the
rightful capital of our future state and the Palestinian refugees'
right to return to their homes.
Ultimately, the comprehensive siege on Gaza, which manifestly violated
the Fourth Geneva Convention, prohibited the most basic medical
supplies to our hospitals. It disallowed the delivery of fuel and
supply of electricity to our population. And on top of all of this
inhumanity, it denied them food and the freedom of movement, even to
seek treatment. This led to the avoidable death of hundreds of
patients and the spiralling rise of malnutrition among our children.
Palestinians are appalled that the members of the European Union do
not view this obscene siege as a form of aggression. Despite the
overwhelming evidence, they shamelessly assert that Hamas brought this
catastrophe upon the Palestinian people because it did not renew the
truce. Yet we ask, did Israel honour the terms of the ceasefire
mediated by Egypt in June? It did not. The agreement stipulated a
lifting of the siege and an end to attacks in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip. Despite our full compliance, the Israelis persisted in
murdering Palestinians in Gaza as well as the West Bank during what
became known as the year of the Annapolis peace.
None of the atrocities committed against our schools, universities,
mosques, ministries and civil infra-structure would deter us in the
pursuit of our national rights. Undoubtedly, Israel could demolish
every building in the Gaza Strip but it would never shatter our
determination or steadfastness to live in dignity on our land. Surely,
if the gathering of civilians in a building only to then bomb it or
the use of phosphorous bombs and missiles are not war crimes, then
what is? How many more international treaties and conventions must
Zionist Israel breach before it is held accountable? There is not a
capital in the world today where free and decent people are not
outraged by this brutal oppression. Neither Palestine nor the world
would be the same after these crimes.
There is only one way forward and no other. Our condition for a new
ceasefire is clear and simple. Israel must end its criminal war and
slaughter of our people, lift completely and unconditionally its
illegal siege of the Gaza Strip, open all our border crossings and
completely withdraw from Gaza. After this we would consider future
options. Ultimately, the Palestinians are a people struggling for
freedom from occupation and the establishment of an independent state
with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees to their
villages from which they were expelled. Whatever the cost, the
continuation of Israel's massacres will neither break our will nor our
aspiration for freedom and independence.
- Ismail Haniyeh is the Prime Minister of the Palestinian government
in Gaza. (Originally published in the British Independent ?
independent.co.uk, January 15)