UN warns of Gazans' struggle to survive

[Englander]

· Israeli forces destroy water tanks and mains
· Operation will continue indefinitely, says Olmert

Conal Urquhart in Gaza City
Monday July 10, 2006
The Guardian

The population of the Gaza Strip is "struggling to survive" as a result of Israel's two-week assault, according to the UN, with water and electricity shortages and the breakdown of the sewerage system leading to the pumping of raw sewage into the sea.

"Daily life is a misery. Ordinary people are struggling. We are running around trying to put plasters on everything," said John Ging, the head of operations of the UN agency which looks after Palestinian refugees. "It's a dangerous and desperate situation and it's a myth that there is no humanitarian crisis."

He said in the north of Gaza Israeli forces had shot and destroyed rooftop water tanks and mains, while in the south more than 1,000 people had been forced to leave their homes. Rafah had no electricity because the army would not allow the UN to fix a minor fault, while the rest of Gaza had electricity for six hours a day.

Israeli forces began attacking Gaza after Palestinians captured Corporal Gilad Shalit in a raid on June 25. They have bombed a power station and roads, and killed more than 40 people, including civilians, in an attempt to secure his release and suppress rocket fire at Israel.

Yesterday Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, rejected criticism and said the operation would continue indefinitely. "We're talking about a war that will continue for a long time and it is complicated," he was quoted as saying during a cabinet meeting. "This is a war for which we cannot set down a timetable and we can't say how long it will continue."

More at;
Guardian

[az chela]

1. What the hell has happened to this world???

Are we so uncivilized that we have to act like barbarains??
Have we learned nothing from all the killing that this planet has seen the last 2000 years???Why are we devolving???
When will we ever have PEACE ON EARTH???This is a small planet and we all need to work together to save it from complete destruction.WAKE UP people before it is too late!!!!
Time is running out!!!!

[Minnesota Libra]

2. So why don't the Palestinians just give the soldier back???? nt

[cali]

3. At this point, that's not germane

to the issue of human rights abuses being perpetrated by the Israelis on the Gazans.

[Minnesota Libra]

4. Wouldn't it be worth the Palestinians time to...............

.....at least try??? If someone was shelling the crap out of my neighborhoods and said I needed to do one particular thing, you better believe I'd be trying to do that one thing. I don't get the "that's not germane...." statement but then I'm in the middle of the Palestinians and Israelis issue. I'm not 100% anti Israeli and 100% pro Palestinian, I'm one of those rare DUers who think they are both at fault. Maybe that's what makes it "...not germane..".

[cali]

5. If you read my comments

in these threads, you'd know that I also do not blame israel for the entire mess, but in this case, Israel is squarely responsible for collective punishment of a civilian population that overwhelmingly had nothing to do with kidnapping Shalit.

[Minnesota Libra]

6. I agree with that one part of the issue............

....all civilian Palestinians are not responsible for kidnappying the soldier. Oh, but the Palestinians - all of them - CAN indeed PUT PRESSURE on those that are responsible. That's what I think would be worth the Palestinians time and effort, to prove to the world that they are trying to control their own. That's just my thoughts.

BTW, I admit I did not read your other comments or read other threads where you have weighed in on this issue. Since I am so middle of the road on the Middle East issue I try to stay out of threads focusing on the Israelis and Palestinians. All I usually manage to do is start a flame war with the pro Palestinian crowd and I don't need that. So no I didn't read your other comments.

[pelsar]

7. that says a lot....

All I usually manage to do is start a flame war with the pro Palestinian crowd...does make it difficult to have a discussion

[Minnesota Libra]

8. That's because I don't automatically..........

.....support everything the Palestinians do and condemn everything the Israelis do, rather I think they are both wrong. Many people at DU don't see it that way, so yes it can start a flame war.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Are you sure about that?

It's just that in a recent thread you said:

"So many at DU just don't get it - the Palestinian violence has absolutely nothing to do with occupation of any town, land, or anything else the Israelis may currently control. The violence is for one reason and one reason only, to eventually kill off every Israeli in the area or to push all Israelis out of the area completely.

Whether it's a popular opinion at DU or not I personally hope the Israelis continue to defy the Palestinians with everything they've got."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=131990

;)

[AnOhioan]

10. Ahhh...the wonders of doing research n/t

good catch

[Minnesota Libra]

12. Please see post number 11 for an equally good catch. nt

[Minnesota Libra]

11. Yes, I did say that because some Palestinians have said...........

....the same thing themselves.There are Palestinians who freely admit they want to totally destroy Israel and would like nothing more than to see every Israeli dead.

That still does not mean I find either party totally right or totally wrong. And it does not mean that stating that at DU won't result in some people get their dandruff in a huff. Right?? Right!!

[Tom Joad]

14. Why don't you support International law? That's the issue.

The question is a matter of justice. It is certainly not about choosing one people over another people.
If you cared about human lives, you would oppose Israel's actions that are putting so many at risk.
Where were you when Israel was bombing families having a picnic on the beach?

[Minnesota Libra]

15. See what I mean about differing views not mixing in this forum?? nt

[AnOhioan]

17. I will use the same quote used before...

"I personally hope the Israelis continue to defy the Palestinians with everything they've got."

You did not say Hamas, or Islamic Jihad, or even terrorists.....you said "Palestinians".

Your words speak volumes about where your sympathies lie.

You tarnished an entire group with that statement. Unless you are willing to admit that fact you further statements lose all credibility.

[Englander]

19. That doesn't sound like a mor viewpoint.

That sounds like an extremely biased viewpoint. Particularly at this point in time, when there's
war crimes being committed in Gaza, when families are being killed, when essential services are
being destroyed, when sonic booms are giving children nightmares.

That sounds like another eg of defending the indefensible, I don't know how anyone could describe
that as a mor position.

[Englander]

18. 'Since I am so middle of the road on the Middle East issue'

Is that like Fair & Balanced, or Voice Of Reason? Who else could be described as 'middle of the
road' on this issue? Krauthammer? Melanie Phillips? Pipes? That 'middle of the road' claim doesn't
sound very credible, supporting/ignoring/justifying the ongoing war crimes isn't a mor position, it's
an eg of defending the indefensible.

[Tom Joad]

13. This siege predates the detaining of the armed soldier.

Why is Israel holding the whole population of Gaza hostage?

[liberalhistorian]

16. Oh, please, give me a

fucking break! The Palestinian civilians in Gaza had absolutely NOTHING to do with the kidnapping of the soldier and they have no power to make the rogue Hamas members who ARE responsible return him. That would be like shelling the shit out of NYC and causing a similar humanitarian crisis because a couple of gang or mafia thugs kidnapped a socialite. The citizens would have no more to do with it and no more power to return the person than the Palestinians do.

Why is it that the only time people think that all the civilians in an area are all responsible for something, and can stop it, and should all be punished if they don't, is when it's the Palestinians.

It was wrong for the soldier to be kidnapped, but Israel's heavy-handed hysterical overreaction, punishing 1.5 million civilians over the kidnapping of one soldier that the civilians had nothing to do with, is far more wrong. But hey, who cares, they're all terrorists anyway, right? :sarcasm: :sarcasm: