Puzzled in Gaza

by tikun | March 4, 2009 at 05:23 am

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'm a poet, an English Jew and a frequent visitor to Israel. Deeply disturbed by the reports of wanton slaughter and destruction during Operation Cast Lead, I felt I had to see for myself. I flew to Tel Aviv and on Wednesday, January 28, using my press card to cross the Erez checkpoint, I walked across the border into Gaza where I was met by my guide, a Palestinian journalist. He asked if I wanted to meet with Hamas officials. I explained that I'd come to bear witness to the damage and civilian suffering, not to talk politics.

What I saw was that there had been precision attacks made on all of Hamas' infrastructure. Does UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticize the surgical destruction of the explosives cache in the Imad Akhel Mosque, of the National Forces compound, of the Shi Jaya police station, of the Ministry of Prisoners? The Gazans I met weren't mourning the police state. Neither were they radicalized. As Hamas blackshirts menaced the street corners, I witnessed how passersby ignored them.

THERE WERE empty beds at Shifa Hospital and a threatening atmosphere. Hamas is reduced to wielding its unchallengeable authority from extensive air raid shelters which, together with the hospital, were built by Israel 30 years ago. Terrorized Gazans used doublespeak when they told me most of the alleged 5,500 wounded were being treated in Egypt and Jordan. They want it known that the figure is a lie, and showed me that the wounded weren't in Gaza. No evidence exists of their presence in foreign hospitals, or of how they might have gotten there.

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René

at 04:42 on March 5th, 2009

FTA: Mothers accompanied by a 13-year-old boy told me they were bored of leaving home to sit on rubble all day to tell the press how they'd survived.
Interesting.

djermano

at 20:57 on March 5th, 2009

Super Poet Forensic Investigator ....should have been doing her work when 911 happened don't you think?

My question to this whole thing is why Israel does not support President Abbas more by giving them the ability to settle the problem between them and Hamas? Seems to me that is the issue, isn't it..... What gives Israel the right to supercede President Abbas authority? Significantly with Israel's retribution....tells Hamas hey.....Israel says they don't recognize..us....while they certainly don't recognize Abbas either.

Israel makes these mistakes all the time...to their detriment...and negative poetic temperment.

tikun

at 23:24 on March 5th, 2009

Hi,

No I think you may be off on this one. Israel works very hard with Abbas. I lot of support including control over security in many places in the West Bank are in his juristiction. In fact most of these actions are hardly reported in the press. Not interesting enough but significant. The problem with Hamas is their relationship and support from Iran is contigent on them creating havoc. That is what they are getting paid to do and do it well.

Yellow Guitar

at 09:20 on March 6th, 2009

Thanks for publishing this piece. A nice balance to the proliferation of emotive propaganda that overwhelmed the airwaves during the battle. Particularly noteworthy in the article by Yvonne Green (who wrote the piece after seeing Gaza in person) was this paragraph:

"Corroboration of my account may be found in tardy and piecemeal retractions of claims concerning the UNWRA school at Al-Fakhora; an isolated acknowledgment that Gaza is substantially intact by The New York Times; Internet media watch corrections; and the unresolved discrepancy between the alleged wounded and their unreported whereabouts."

I have noticed elsewhere (but not much yet on NP) that the outrageous claims made by pro-Hamas propagandists here and elsewhere have gradually been refuted by hard evidence as the dust has settled.

By the way, if you have not read Yvonne Green's poetry, I highly recommend checking her out. It's worth the time. Here's a link to 3 of her selections:

http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/record.asp?id=16827

tikun

at 12:30 on March 6th, 2009

Thanks for the link.

djermano

at 18:23 on March 6th, 2009

Tikun: In fact most of these actions are hardly reported in the press. Not interesting enough but significant.

Not significant? Who the hell are you to tell us what is significant and is not? So why not report it? Also why no reports of Israel asking Abbas to invade Gaza? Why Abbas does not support the attacks, and why Israel does not work with Abbas in concern to Hamas? Seems to me if Israel recognizes Abbas there would be more joint efforts. Seems to me if Abbas was supporting Israelis so called War in Gaza.....there would be more world recognition that it is not a Palestinian Problem.....but essentially a Hamas problem....

Did you make that clear? Certainly not....and don't try to snake out of this fact.

Rev. Jermano

tikun

at 23:50 on March 6th, 2009

I have a right to say anything I want to. Who the hell are you to tell me otherwise? If you cared to to read your quote it said it was significant. I do not understand how your anger over comes reason when it come to Israel. All these questions you raised were answered by me.

What is going on with you? Everything you raised about Abbas and Israel is in fact taking place out of the lights of the cameras. Do you really believe for a second that if Abbas came out publiclly and supported Israel's war with Hamas that he would be alive today? This is the Middle East. Stifle free speech by killing opponents.

djermano

at 16:08 on March 7th, 2009

Hey I'm not angry. Am I blowing people up? No. That's the trouble with online news and comments...you have no idea the person, or the composure.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090307/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians......

Israels' problem is it never thinks of how to help Palestine have a unity government....it only devises means to keep it split, fighting amongst themselves....so you gain an unauthorized proxy in the region. If I am an opponent....you have no idea what fear really is. And the quote was yours not mine.

Rev. Jermano

God Bless.

René

at 10:37 on March 8th, 2009

Why is it now Israel who is responsible for Palestine, etc.? Get real.

djermano

at 16:53 on March 8th, 2009

Why is it Israel goes on bombing people without working with Abbas Rene'? Why isn't Israel helping Abbas if they recognize him as the Palestinian President? Rather you would have us believe maybe there should be 3 States in the region.....an Israel State, a Palestinian State, and a Hamas State right?

And so Israel thinks it ok to blame Palestine for attacks on Israel when it was Hamas? And you give Palestinians a bad reckoning? It's Ok to push the problem on Abbas, who has no arms and influence to secure results for Palestine, yet Israel recongnizes him, and they do not recognize Hamas? Things do not add up Rene' and you should get real...REALLLLLY!

Rev. Jermano

nonewshere (not verified)

at 10:05 on March 10th, 2009

amy judd again censoring news and promoting vested interest in propaganda. nowpublic is a shambles and a shame. hope it returns to the uk soon for the 5 oclock news there to accompany world-saving organic tea.

disgusting story and amy judd aids and abets war crime.