Palestinians gather around the wreckage of a car that had been carrying top Palestinian militant commander Zuhair al-Qaissi and a second militant in Gaza on Friday. Both men were killed. (Hatem Moussa/Associated Press)
I am writing to all people of the world in solidarity with the oppressed and suppressed around the world. Right here, in Gaza, right now, being under attack, I have no place to polish my language; I have no time to choose my words. I am just being spontaneous, for every second counts. One hour later, I may have no chance to write you, lest being dead — I have the same things in mind now all Gazans have. (I am Gazan at the end of the day).
The only thing I hear is the bombs; it is not too far away. At some point, the dead were 3. Some few minutes later, they were 6. One minute after, they were 7. And time is still counting! How many do you think they would get by the time I finish writing this or you finish reading it ?! Ambulances, rushing in the haunting streets, are also heard. I, like all the poor living things here, can feel the shakes, resulted from the bombs. Fear is easy to notice on the eyes of the children; they, however, show toughness and challenge that they never cry and they speak up their minds. It has been reported that 3 more people were killed in an Israeli raid, hitting the Palestinian legislative council.
The names of the dead are aired now: Moatasem, Fayyeq, Shadi, etc. But it does not matter any longer, for what keeps my mind busy now is “Who is next? What next? When is this all over?”—I wish I could think of an exact answer. Many thoughts are popping to one’s mind at these moments: family, friends, poor people, the lovely past, the bitterly present and the bleak future. But we never lose hope of a better life. And a better future. While I was lost in such thoughts, dad asked me about the first name one of my friends has. He was actually listening to the radio when the dead were named. I felt like my heart jumped up to my throat. I panicked!
I will sleep, though I am being bombed. I will have some sleep, though I am being terrified. And I will dream of a better tomorrow.
This is what is happening as our attention is being deflected towards Iran. Shame on us.
the last year has a clear message to all of us who follow the middle east. israel wants a wider war, and specifically, wants to transition to a war with iran.
the various terrorist attacks on iran, which is a bit of a “black box” closed system, have all seriously *risked* the precipitation of a wider war. the attacks on gaza have likely been meant to instigate some missiles into populated areas, though they never came. but such could have been parlayed into an escalation, and a fierce condemnation of iran, and its support for hamas and gazan militants.
although none of the “pokes” instigated a larger war, they ALL risked devolution to such. this means means they *want* such a war, and this means, in time, they will likely have it.
with political capital being spent, and the world media increasingly strident in its analysis of israeli policies, we are near a breaking point. israel, without an iran war, is wide open to international condemnation, like we have not seen before. it seems this war will come, within the next year. if obama has [behind closed doors] insisted he does not want the war, it will either come before the election [when they can force it upon him], or after his displacement. and if israel throws in all the chips in a concerted effort to replace him, and *cannot* replace obama, we may avert this war. i will not vote for obama, but if bibi and the lackeys come out against him, the political posturing may be revealed… unequivocally. the wedge will have been driven, and israel will NOW BE a partisan issue [if only at the presidential level].
This looks so much like a frustrated bully who can’t bomb Iran, but still has Palestinians to harass, kill and maim. Too sick for words. The comments on Yahoo’s pages are overwhelmingly negative towards Israel and its actions [can’t give any factual numbers, but keep an eye out for yourself, if you so please]. How long before this notion trickles up the mountain, to where our congress lives?
This is terrible. The Israeli policy of disproportionate use of excessive force in retaliation for any perceived third party attack is a policy of an immoral monster. A terrorist. An enemy of humanity. It always kills civilians. Always. On purpose. Their policy is intended to cause extra punishment so that their ‘enemy’ thinks twice about attacking them again. The family of the innocents killed in the crossfire and considered ‘collateral damage’ do not see things that way. They see the truth – a monstrous terrorist bully. And if they want to push Israelis into the sea or whatever (the classic propaganda line) how can you blame them?
The PRC secretary paid the price for his role in the Eilat attack which claimed the lives of 8 Israelis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_southern_Israel_cross-border_attacks#Fatalities
In response to killing a terrorist, Gazan terrorists began bombarding Israeli towns, specifically targeting civilians, myself included. In dealing with terrorism, the response should be swift and harsh.