In response, the Gazans have dug hundreds of tunnels on the border with Egypt to allow goods to enter. Today there are around 700 tunnels that bring foodstuffs, clothes, electronic goods, gas, petrol and even cars into the Gaza Strip.
Last week however, news emerged of an Egyptian plan to build a 20-30 metre deep steel barrier to shut off the tunnels. No-one knows if the Egyptians will go through with it, but just imagine if they do. There are 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip who are completely dependent on the tunnels to meet their basic needs.
The people in Gaza are already isolated from the rest of the world. What would happen if they were totally cut off? How much more desperate can the situation get? What will become of the people?
11 days to go...
Dear Carin
ReplyDeleteThere are no Gandi types in Gaza.
In today's evening news a new clip showing a missile that can hit Tel Aviv was presented by Hamas .If they will be totally cut out its only because their Hamas leadership engaged with promoting the destruction of the state of Israel and the legacy of Hassan al Banna and the Islamic brotherhood. They promote Jihad as an obligation imposed upon Islamic Nation to embrace Islam ...They promote the idea amongst their Muslim constituents that its their individual obligation "to repulse the attack of unbelievers ...."
IT IS US YOU AND YOUR LIKE...
Regardless, the nature of "siege myth" gets a different perspective looking into the nature of the activities under the Hamas. The actual "Gaza - Israel equation" reveals a more complicated picture with at least some question marks even amongst some sensitive souls….
Here are some facts & numbers:
1 million Israeli civilians under threat from Hamas rocket fire.
In 15 Seconds Israelis have to get to a bomb shelter once a warning siren has sounded.[8]
8 Years Israel has endured rocket, missile and mortar fire from Gaza.[11]
3,200+ Rockets and mortar fired from Gaza in 2008.[14]
6,500+ Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.[15]
10,389 Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza 2001-2008.[16]
1,000+ People in Israel injured from rockets and mortars fired from Gaza since 2001.[17]
27 people killed by Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks since 2001.[18]
242 Rockets, missiles and mortars fired at Israel from Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead.
17 Attacks on Gaza goods crossings by Palestinian terrorist groups in 2008.[
80 Percent of mosques in Gaza which Hamas reportedly controls, some of which are used for weapons storage, command and communications headquarters.
37 mi (60km) Range of Hamas rockets in Gaza acquired after Operation Cast Lead
2.5 mi (4 km) Range of Hamas's anti-tank missiles, smuggled into Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead.[24]
22 mi (35 km): Distance between Gaza and Yavneh - the northernmost Israeli city hit by Gaza rockets on Dec. 28, 2009.[27]
900 Hamas operatives trained by Iran.[28]
$20 million - $30 million Funding Iran provides annually to Hamas. Iran gave Hamas another $50 million following Hamas's victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.[29]
Cut off .....Isolated?
900 Percent increase in humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza in 2009, compared to 2008.[30]
630,253 Tons of humanitarian aid delivered to the Gaza Strip, Jan. 19 - Dec. 13, 2009.[31]
24.5 million gallons (92.7 million liters): Heavy-duty diesel fuel delivered to the Gaza Strip, Jan. 19 - Oct. 31, 2009.[32]
10,346 - Gaza residents who entered Israel for medical and humanitarian reasons, Jan.19 - Nov. 7, 2009.[33]
57,295 tons - Monthly average of humanitarian aid entering Gaza since Operation Cast Lead, Jan. 19 - Dec. 5, 2009.[34]
11,508 Monthly average (in tons) of humanitarian aid entering Gaza from February - June 2008, a period of intense rocket fire.[35]
34,253 tons: Monthly average of humanitarian aid entering Gaza during period of calm, July - December 2008.[36]
18,500 Permits Israel issued to Gaza residents to enter Israel or travel overseas in 2009.[37]
28,400 Flowers from Gaza scheduled for export to Europe on Dec. 10, 2009.[38]
250,000 Flowers from Gaza scheduled for export beginning Dec. 13, 2009.[39]
Apparently its far from being a black & white picture . And even if it is - I am not sure who is what.
Nevertheless in your current hub you are exempt from some of this worries since last November ban on Mosque minarets in Switzerland....
Carin
ReplyDeleteWhy does Egypt not open their border with Gaza, so that the people of Gaza can freely get what they need from Egypt? The Egyptians themselves don't want their Gaza brothers "invading" Egypt. It is of political benefit for the Arab states to have a " refugee" problem - if not for that - it would be themselves who are in the eye of the storm.
Debby
Dear Carin,
ReplyDeleteThe Siege on Gaza is very concrete everyday reality for the people who live there, but not for Mr. Shalom (ironic name indeed) who doesn’t. Only yesterday we talked with a friend from Gaza who is unable to visit one son of him who is getting married in Jordan (he haven’t seen him for four years), nor another son who is graduating now from a University in Dubai (he haven’t seen for six year). These are but very ordinary examples for the agony the people in Gaza suffer as a direct result of the Siege policy.
I refer you here to Haaretz investigation published half a year ago under the title: ‘Gaza Bonanza’ (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1092196.html). There you can read about the corruption that lies behind the ‘facts and numbers’ supplied by Mr. Shalom.
Ehud
Ehud
ReplyDeleteMy real name is Shalom - ironically or not. The Haaretz article doesn’t contradict any of the facts presented above.
I don't have friends in Gaza but the friends that I do have in Erez or Nahal- Oz who suffered constant firing from Gaza ( aiming at their children ) still wonder why your Gaza friends made such an effort to attack and destroy (17 times) the crossing that suppose to get the milk powder to the children of Gaza… .
The Haaretz Article portraying the policies of IDF civil division (COGAT ) as expressed by Gen. Amos Gilad: "No prosperity, no development, no humanitarian crisis." It says that the number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip is very close to the absolute minimum required for basic sustenance, as determined by the IDF itself. Data compiled by UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, shows that while the minimum number of trucks per day set by the IDF is 106, in May, 117 trucks passed through the Kerem Shalom terminal; in April the number was 113 and, before the start of Operation Cast Lead in December 2008, just 37." An Israeli officer quoted in the above Haaretz article" "We don't want Gilad Shalit's captors to be munching Bamba [a popular Israeli snack food] right over his head."
Such policy is far from corruption. It's simple common sense that complies with any set of humanitarian values. This is not a siege it is a very constructive policy given the realities that has been created by the Hamas regime. The corruption of individuals that is resulted from exploiting this reality has nothing to do with it.
The article "exposes" a very reasonable humanitarian "Red Line" policy document "In order to make basic living in Gaza possible, the deputy defense minister approved the entry into the Gaza Strip of 106 trucks with humanitarian products, 77 of which are basic food products. The entry of wheat and animal feed was also permitted via the aggregates conveyor belt outside the Karni terminal."
- What is wrong with it? Where is the lie here?
What is wrong with you?
Leningrad was under siege in 1942 . Jerusalem was under siege in 1947 .
Gaza? Indeed shortage. Indeed corruption by individuals that results from shortage. Indeed commercial interests and individuals who exploit the situation to make a profit. But Gaza is not under siege if it denied the import of "Cherries and chocolate".
Indeed there are no many angles in this scenario. Definitely not amongst the Palestinian leaders who gets them from one disaster to another.
I am sure that your friend knows very well why he is denied passing by Israel to get to his son's wedding – and I hope that he will think of it when (or if ) he gets to vote for his future leaders.