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HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF GAZA CONDITIONS MISSING FROM COVERAGE

As published in the Washington Report on the Middle East: January/February 2015

LITTLE HAS BEEN SAID IN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS ABOUT THE HORRIFIC LIVING CONDITIONS IN GAZA OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEARS. THIS ABSENCE OF CONTEXT CREATES THE IMPRESSION THAT GAZAN PALESTINIANS ARE INNATELY VIOLENT AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE RATHER THAN DESPERATE.

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE HUMILIATING AND PUNISHING CONDITIONS GAZA RESIDENTS ENDURE AND HOW THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN THE RISE OF AN UGLY FACTION LIKE HAMAS. DID NOT THE ISRAELIS RESORT TO EXTENSIVE TERRORISM DURING THE PRE-1948 PERIOD? PERHAPS A WORD OR TWO ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN ERA OF VIOLENCE MIGHT PROVIDE FURTHER CONTEXT FOR CURRENT EVENTS?

ARIEL SHARON CYNICALLY AGREED TO TURN GAZA OVER TO THE PALESTINIANS IN 2005 TO DELAY THE PEACE PROCESS AND FACILITATE FURTHER ISRAEL SETTLEMENT OF THE WEST BANK. GAZA REMAINS AN OPEN-AIR PRISON UNDER TOTAL ISRAELI CONTROL. THE ISRAELI MILITARY ROUTINELY VIOLATES GAZA’S “BORDER”, HARASSES GAZAN FISHERMEN AND ASSASSINATES PALESTINIANS AT WILL IN A POLICY DESIGNED TO REGULARLY REMIND GAZANS THAT THEY ARE ON A SHORT LEASE. COMPARED TO THE MIGHT OF ISRAELI FIGHTER BOMBERS, HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS, GUIDED MISSILES AND HEAVY ARTILLERY; HAMAS UNGUIDED ROCKETS ARE A JOKE.

THE ULTIMATE WAY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO “AVOID CIVILIANS CASUALTIES IS BY TURNING GAZA INTO A BUFFER ZONE DEVOID OF HUMAN LIFE. THIS WILL FACILITATE THEIR INTENTION OF SEIZING THE EXISTING NATURAL RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY THE OFFSHORE NATURAL GAS RESERVES. IN THE BACKGROUND ARE POWERFUL FACTIONS WITHIN ISRAEL WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THE NOTION OF TERRITORIAL EXPANSION INTO LEBANON, SYRIA AND JORDAN.

ULTIMATELY, WHO GRANTED THE ISRAELI STATE LEGAL AUTHORITY OVER THE WEST BANK, EAST JERUSALEM OR GAZA? IT WAS TAKEN AND HELD BY VIOLENCE AND THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE; IN CONTRAVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. THEY WERE WARNED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS POLICY IN LATE 1967 BUT CHOSE DOMINATION OVER COMPROMISE.