The Road To the Horizon's forum

As Israel allows foreigners to leave (article) I wonder if this is not the onset of a larger offensive, where they will take over Gaza...

Would that be the end or just the beginning of a wider humanitarian crisis?

J.

Well tonight, Israeli forces have started the ground offensive, and entered Gaza: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/world/middleeast/04mideast.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all

Israeli officials have said repeatedly that their aim now is not to fully reoccupy Gaza. But it was clear this time that the military expected a longer operation.

“This will not be easy and it will not be short,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on national television shortly after the ground invasion began.

He did not elaborate on how long Israel intended to take control of the rocket-launching sites. And it remained an open question whether Israel would try to oust the Hamas government.

I just posted an article about Brahimi, a senior UN official, who talks about Gaza. He states that the current conflict will only have one winning party: the extremists. Link

Peter

It is strange (or really not) that Obama has not reacted yet...
But as the Brahimi article stated: he can't really stand up yet, as Bush is still running the White House for a some more weeks.

I still wonder what his standpoint will be. The US vetoed the UN security council condemnation of the Gaza bombings just a few days ago...

Pablo.

It is strange (or really not) that Obama has not reacted yet...

Don't find it strange...

1/ There is a strong jewish lobby in Washington. he does not want to start to be on the wrong foot with them
2/ The Palestinian conflict is one of the main sources of the pull towards islamist extremism. So he will have to tackle Israel carefully!

the human impact of the Gaza bombing:

-- The health system is overwhelmed after already having been weakened by 18 months of an Israeli blockade. Besides at least 436 Palestinians being killed, nearly 3,000 people have been wounded since December 27, according to Gaza medics.

-- About 250,000 people have no electricity. Gaza's only power plant shut down on 30 December for the sixth time since November 5 for lack of fuel and spare parts.

-- The water system provides running water once every five to seven days. Forty million liters of raw sewage are dumped into the Mediterranean every day. Heating fuel and cooking gas are no longer available in the market.

-- Sewage has been pouring into the streets after the main sewage pipeline was hit on several occasions.

-- Eighty percent of Gaza's population depend on humanitarian aid.

-- There are shortages of flour, rice, sugar, dairy products, canned foods.

-- Israel has allowed in a daily average of about 60 truckloads of vital supplies since December 27. The figure is up from recent months, but far below the 475 average prior to June 2007 when Hamas seized total control of the Gaza Strip.

-- Pipelines at the Nahal Oz terminal that usually handle all of Gaza's fuel imports have remained closed since the start of operations.

-- Schools are closed, but many are used as shelters by people who have fled their homes.

-- Banks are closed because of cash shortages

A pity the Gaza conflict takes away the attention from Somalia, Sudan and DRC...

Added a new post on Gaza to the blog.

It looks like the international community becomes much more vocal on the situation.

I am not sure Israel will give in to international pressure at this point.

p.

A pity the Gaza conflict takes away the attention from Somalia, Sudan and DRC...

Well, it is always like that... The CNN effect. However, should be said that the conflict in Palestine always was a catalyst for any 'mood' in the middle east, and the muslim world in general.

Many said that Israel-Palestine conflict has been one of the main 'triggers' to have islam extremists gain so much footing in the world.

So as such, it is normal the Gaza invasion has a lot of international attention.


Pablo.

it is sad that attention and attention span is so limited. I was feeling bad for having paid attention to all kind of other conflicts, while I just conveniently forgot about Gaza until it was brought back to our attention so brutally.

anyway, there are many people working on all of those situations, and the CNN effect does not take away all of it. DRC, Somalia, they are all here. the problem is, solution for all of those troubles lies in politics, not in humanitarian action. and to force political willingness - for example to get the US voting for a resolution or PRST calling for immediate ceasefire - the CNN effect does help tremendously.

solution for all of those troubles lies in politics

I would agree, but also add that in most cases (Gaza, Darfur, Somalia, DRC, Chad,..) the cause
of the damage also lays in politics.

J.

At least it seems that the humanitarian work in Gaza goes into a higher gear. Egypt has been pushing to open up the Gaza border. Several people from our organisation left for Egypt today, to prepare a 're-entry' and establishment of a humanitarian corridor through Egypt.

P.

See also the discussion on my newsvine post about the attack on a UN aid convoy.

Targeting of humanitarians in Gaza by Israeli forces continues: Clearly marked international NGO car hit by Israeli drone.

Peter

Targeting of humanitarians in Gaza by Israeli forces continues

They shot at Red Cross vehicles in Gaza, they targeted a UNRWA aid convoy despite a promised cease fire for 3 hours to let aid in, this incident. I think Peter also mentioned they bombed a warehouse with food aid..

I wonder if Israel would do this deliberately, and if so: WHY? What do they have to win? They know they will get bad press. Is their aim to keep international aid out? Or to put the thumbscrews on the Palestine so tight?

That would never work. As the Flemish saying says 'push a rat into a corner and it will start making weird jumps'. Meaning if they corner Hamas or the Palestinian people that hard, their reaction will even be more violent.

Or is the goal of the Israeli government purely to show their electorate they can take a strong line?

For a people that has experienced oppression for centuries and have lived through ethnic cleansing at its fullest, I do not understand how the Israeli leaders can sleep at night.

J.

Or is the goal of the Israeli government purely to show their electorate they can take a strong line?

Here you go:

The offensive against Gaza has solid support among Israeli voters who go to the polls in a month. Most back Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's aim of ending years of rocket fire into Israel by Hamas guerrillas that have killed 22 people since 2000.

Source

aim of ending years of rocket fire into Israel by Hamas guerrillas that have killed 22 people since 2000.

22 hey....??? How many Palestinian civilians have been killed since the invasion of Gaza... 5-6-700?

Talking about a proportional response....

Balance on Jan 9th:

800 dead, 3,300 injured and over 21,000 people displaced within Gaza.

Peter

There is talk Hamas confiscated trucks full of aid, and auctioned off the trucks...

yes, Hamas apparently ran off with some aid trucks. Afterwards they said it was to 'save' them
see this post on newsvine