Gordon Brown condemns the bombing of 120 schools in Gaza

[malaise]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/27/schools-never-targeted-armed-conflict-gaza
<snip>
A total of 120 schools, more than 70 run by the United Nations refugee agency, have been bombed or suffered collateral damage during the recent emergency in Gaza. But it was last Thursday’s devastation, with the deaths of 15 women, children and UN staff and the injury of more than 200 in the bombing of the UN school in Beit Hanoun that brought the issue to a head. It has challenged us to end, once and for all, the use of schools and their pupils as pawns in the pursuit of war.

As the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, has said, schools are for learning and must never become theatres of war. They should be safe havens for boys and girls, and their violation is a crime against international law. And whatever the provocation, their militarisation – by whatever means – should be outlawed.

Of course everyone, in theory, subscribes to an international consensus that schools have only civilian and not military uses. This is in line with the UN convention on the rights of the child, whose 25th anniversary is now being marked and which has formed the basis of a recent UN security council resolution passed during the Luxembourg presidency. That resolution emphasised the ban on the use of schools, colleges and universities in armed conflict.

There are good reasons behind it. Schools are not only essential to the delivery of opportunity and sustainable development; it is important that, even in the darkest of conflicts, children see their schools as sanctuaries, as places of normality and safety. But there is another reason: in times of war, people need material help – food, shelter, healthcare. But they, especially young people, also need hope. It is through education that we do most to communicate the idea that we are planning ahead for a time free of conflict.

----------------
Not a word from war criminal Blair - the Middle East Envoy.

[Skidmore]

1. What better way to destroy a generation and

the history of a people than to hit its institutions of learning. Reprehensible.

[malaise]

3. Just glad to see a Western politician condemn this

madness.
Anyone who doesn't see this as deliberate has bought the Kool-Aid.
Where are the current Western leaders.

[Scootaloo]

27. It's hard to look at Gaza...

And then cluck one's tongue about Hamas, or the others. They're not extradimensional beings who have suddenly appeared and imposed themselves. These groups are made of human beings, not space aliens. Their membership and support networks come from the people we see screaming in pain and rage over dead families, picking through the rubble of their homes with blank stares, trying hard to be brave for their kids while the ground shakes from the hail of missiles surrounding them.

it's easy enough to sit back in our armchairs and wag or fingers not just at Hamas, but at the people , to wit "don't just get rid of them."

I'm not in the situation that the people of Gaza, or even the rest of Palestine are in, and I'm extraordinarily thankful for that. But I have an imagination, and i can't imagine that were i to trade places, i would foist my sympathy towards the people blowing my shit up, against the people who are, all faults aside, shooting back against those people.

Normally this is where I'm obligated to give a boilerplate condemnation of Hamas to "even the score." Fuck that, I've done that plenty, search my history if you want to see it. Right now, I'm saying what the fuck does anyone expect? Look at Gaza. look at the people, look at what they're going through, what's being done to them.

There is no way you can expect anything but extremism and militancy out of that environment.

[KoKo]

2. He might not be an appealing figure for the Brits...

But...he's spot on with this.

Blair is entitled Trash.

[sabrina 1]

25. Blair is a War Criminal, a liar, and imo, completely crazy. I think the reason why all these wars

are happening is that lunatics got into power and set all of this in motion. This was the dream of the Neocons, to create havoc in the ME. To 'turn the entire region into a parking lot' I believe was Ledeen's statement.

The ONLY way to have stopped it all was to PROSECUTE the criminals. Instead they are still out there, influencing foreign policy, running around the world backing and instigating every conflict they can. See Nuland eg, married to one of them, what was SHE doing in Ukr? And John 'bomb, bomb, bomb bomb Iran' McCain, why was HE there?

So many, many victims of their madness and it is getting worse rather than better.

Blair should be in prison for life for the blatant lies he told. I thought the Brits would do better with their War Criminals than we would, but I was wrong.

[merrily]

29. The founder and President of the Progressive Policy Institute

was among the signers of the 2003 PNAC letter urging Bush to invade Iraq.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Marshall

That is one reason of several why I never label myself a "progressive," let alone a "pragmatic progressive." (The home page of the PPI website used to say, "The place for pragmatic progressives.)

Marshall's other claim to fame?

Marshall and Al From were the DLC's first two full time employees. (Marshall left in '89, I think to found PPI, but DLC and PPI remained closely intertwined for the rest of the DLC's formal existence, with many articles generated for PPI appearing on the DLC website as well.)

[malaise]

31. The ONLY way to have stopped it all was to PROSECUTE the criminals

That simple and they can still be prosecuted. There will be no peace and no one with moral authority until this is done.

[freshwest]

4. Brown is wiser than he's made out to be, obviously. Good statement on the rights of children.

[JI7]

19. he was speaking for the kidnapped girls in nigeria from the start, before the media

gave it more attention.

[freshwest]

21. Well, more good on him, then!

[oberliner]

5. The casualties at the school in Beit Hanoun may have been caused by Hamas rockets

An IDF source said that army representatives made contact with UNRWA and the Red Cross over the past few days to inform them that troops were shot at from near the school, and that the IDF would return fire toward the source of the shooting, which was located near the school.

The IDF stated that Hamas rockets had landed in the Beit Hanoun area during fighting with its forces, and that those rockets may be responsible for the deaths.

The IDF Spokesman later issued a statement that it is investigating the matter of the hit on the school. Terrorists opened fire at IDF personnel from the area of the school, according to the spokesman, and soldiers returned fire toward the source of the shooting. Likewise, stated the spokesman, Hamas fired at the school, and despite repeated warnings and appeals to international authorities to remove civilians from these areas of fighting, they were not evacuated.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.607138

The investigation alluded to in the piece (which is three days old) has been concluded and determined that only one errant mortar from the Israeli did land in an empty courtyard in the school, causing no casualties.

Not sure the precise number, but there have been several hundred Hamas rockets launched from Gaza that have fallen short of Israel and landed within Gaza itself causing casualties.

Be curious to see if a neutral entity, if such a thing exists, could provide clarity on this.

[Iggo]

6. What about the other 119?

[malaise]

8. Even that one is not true n/t

[Iggo]

10. That's IDF's what...second version? Or is it the third?

[oberliner]

9. Were there casualties at any of the other schools?

Can you provide any more specific info? The Beit Hanoun one was singled out in the article. Is there another one in particular you can cite?

[malaise]

7. Not true

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025298697

[oberliner]

11. The link actually confirms what I just wrote

It says exactly the same thing, with the same quotes from the IDF.

Whether they are telling the truth or not is a separate question.

[malaise]

12. Even you know they are not telling the truth

Their missile hit the UN school.

[killbotfactory]

17. Hamas rockets are highly ineffective

There is no way a Hamas rocket took down an entire school.

This is the same bullshit we got during the Iraq war.

Make up some shit, deny obfuscate lie, deny deny, then acknowledge the indecent when it's off the radar.

It's fucking obscene.

[U4ikLefty]

23. That lie, deny, acknowledge method you mention has been on display here on DU

during this "conflict".

[NealK]

13. K&R

[4dsc]

14. Since when does Israel care about international laws

We all know nothing will come of this as the Israelis have their way in Gaza.

[jonjensen]

15. How a about a solution instead of whining?

I will give you one that will work pay egypt $$$ to take gaza over and give the people of gaza more room to settle in sinai. It will be cheap at the price! It will stop the children of gaza being killed ;but you may have other aims then the protection of children.

[killbotfactory]

18. Yeah, everything would be cool if only the Palestinians would fuck off and leave. nt

[freshwest]

22. Why should they leave? Just get a stronger government to protect them. Eqypt could do this.

It's a workable solution, better than the current situation. They're being used as sacrifices on the altar of ideology, religion, whatever.

They may have more in common with Egypt than they do with Israel. They do not need each other to live in peace.

Just save lives, worry about the labels later.

[U4ikLefty]

24. So not "leave" but "move"?

[freshwest]

26. Where did I say 'leave' or 'move'? Are you responding to the person I replied to? Staying in place,

being annexed by Egypt only changes the label.

The reason that the Republic of Texas joined the Union was to maintain itself from Mexico. This can be done again. Israel gave up Gaza in every way that counts. They are just fighting with each other because Israel has set up rules the Gazans hate.

Gazans don't want to be Israelis, nor does Israel want them. And they are already separated by fences, walls and military forces. There is nothing to be gained by this relationship, except by outside forces who sell them both weapons, not doing the dying.

What does it profit the state of Israel or Hamas-Fatah to keep at this? What need does the relationship serve either peoples?

They can join Egypt to protect them. It would change the actions of Gazans and Israelis. That was the suggestion made several posts above and I replied to the person who seemed to agree, but with rough language. Unless he was being sarcastic and then it doesn't matter.

I've no idea why you ask me that question. To 'Move' or 'Leave' is the opposite of the suggestion. To do either of those would be to give up the land they are on right now. They are not going anywhere, neither is Israel.

[malaise]

28. Because all that matters is the land grab

That is the only goal from day one.

[Uncle Joe]

16. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, malaise.

[spanone]

20. as should every human being.

[Roy Serohz]

30. K&R

Even though I'm not a fan of Brown. Or Blair, btw.