Tag: gaza

Security Council Urged to Take Up Gaza War

Pressure has been building on the UN Security Council to address the impact of the Gaza war on civilians in advance of its meeting Wednesday to discuss the Middle East. "The Security Council has a historic opportunity to uphold the principle of civilian protection and promote regional peace," said Steve Crawshaw, UN advocacy director at … Continue reading “Security Council Urged to Take Up Gaza War”

War Crimes and Denial

Is there no limit to the wiles of those dastardly anti-Semites? Now they have decided to slander the Jews with another blood libel. Not the old accusation of slaughtering Christian children to use their blood for baking Passover matzoth, as in the past, but of the mass slaughter of women and children in Gaza. And … Continue reading “War Crimes and Denial”

Israel Struggles to Wriggle Out of the Dock

JERUSALEM – The Goldstone Commission has delivered an unremittingly scathing report on Israel’s 22-day war against Hamas in Gaza last December and January. But the outstanding question is what kind of action the report – legal and political – will yield. Will it, in fact, result in any action at all? The 574-page report was … Continue reading “Israel Struggles to Wriggle Out of the Dock”

Unrest Brewing Beneath Gaza Calm

GAZA CITY – The mile-long stretch that divides Israel’s Erez border crossing into northern Gaza from the Hamas police border post is eerily quiet. But the mountains of rubble, twisted metal, and craters which remain following Israel’s intensive bombing campaign in January serve as a stark reminder that war between the two bitter enemies is … Continue reading “Unrest Brewing Beneath Gaza Calm”

NGO Reports on Gaza War Belie Israeli Claims

This week, two respected human rights organizations — one Palestinian, one Israeli — each came out with very full reports into the extent of the damage caused by the assault Israel waged against Gaza last winter. According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), which is based in Gaza, 1,419 Palestinians were killed during … Continue reading “NGO Reports on Gaza War Belie Israeli Claims”

Israelis Destroy Boats, and Lives

GAZA CITY – Until Monday, Omar and Khaled Al-Habil were the owners of a 20m fishing trawler staffed by five or six fishermen at a time, but employing around 18 in cycles. But that morning the vessel came under heavy Israeli navy machine-gun fire, and then shelling. The trawler caught fire. "It’s destroyed, completely destroyed," … Continue reading “Israelis Destroy Boats, and Lives”

Embattled Hamas Shows its Moderate Face

RAMALLAH – The Islamic resistance movement Hamas’s rule of Gaza is facing protracted political and military opposition from within Gaza, other Palestinian territories and abroad. On Saturday a guerrilla group put down the fiercest military challenge to Hamas rule since it took over the coastal territory in the June 2007 coup when it overthrew a … Continue reading “Embattled Hamas Shows its Moderate Face”

New Israeli Plan to Warn Civilians of Impending Attacks

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is taking new measures to warn Palestinian civilians about impending aerial attacks. This comes in response to questions raised over whether Israel had complied with international laws during its 2006 war in Lebanon and the Gaza offensive earlier this year. Human rights groups have expressed concern that pamphlets dropped by … Continue reading “New Israeli Plan to Warn Civilians of Impending Attacks”

Gaza’s Traumatized Children Struggle to Rise Again

BREJ, Gaza — Tens of thousands of children in Gaza are still suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following Israel’s three-week bombing December-January. Several crisis counseling teams run by international organizations and NGOs have been carrying out intervention program aimed at helping Gaza’s most vulnerable put the pieces of their lives back together. But … Continue reading “Gaza’s Traumatized Children Struggle to Rise Again”

Israeli Way of War Inherently Criminal

Like the ghost of Hamlet’s father, the evil spirit of the Gaza War refuses to leave us in peace. This week it came back to disturb the tranquility of the chiefs of the state and the army. "Breaking the Silence," a group of courageous former combat soldiers, published a report comprising the testimonies of 30 … Continue reading “Israeli Way of War Inherently Criminal”