Comments on: Humanitarian Situation in Gaza Worst Since 1967 International Groups Say–Obama and Clinton Say What???

By: Cole Krawitz

Cole Krawitz — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:21:50 +0000

Ed, maybe you missed the piece I put up yesterday from Vanity Fair that demonstrates a very different picture about the current situation in Gaza. “With confidential documents, corroborated by outraged former and current U.S. officials, David Rose reveals how President Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and Deputy National-Security Adviser Elliott Abrams backed an armed force under Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, touching off a bloody civil war in Gaza and leaving Hamas stronger than ever.”

And seriously, the argument that we have no right to talk about an issue unless I live a “missile throw” away is a crock. It’s the worst argument out there, and is completely against Jewish ethics and values.

And Abe–I care. Hundreds of thousands of people care. International organizations–and the international community–they all care. And, well, you’re just wrong. Reports are showing that there isn’t sufficient food and water.

“Food and jobs are scarce, schools are floundering, hospitals are without electricity and sewage flows freely to the sea.

Palestinians form a line in January at a Gaza City bakery, one of few that hadn’t closed for lack of fuel.

So said a Thursday report from eight human rights agencies, which say conditions in Gaza are worse today than at any point since the Israeli military began occupying the territory three decades ago.

“The current situation in Gaza is man-made, completely avoidable and, with the necessary political will, can be reversed,” it said.”"

No one is arguing about whether or not a country has a right to defend itself. What is being argued, and stated in this report and by international figures all around is that the current policy and military choices around Gaza are failing to actually achieve this goal, and these actions are putting thousands of civilians in harms way, which is illegal under international humanitarian law, as is firing rockets onto civilians.

By: Abe Bird

Abe Bird — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:04:34 +0000

Humanitarian situation in Gaza is now the worst since 1967, the worth since 1993, the worst that 1954, the worst even than 2007 and the worst than any other year in between. So what? Who really cares?

Any way the Arab Palestinians in Gaza have anything have their food and water. Israel pushes in sufficient food. It’s very odd one might say. Have you ever heard that a country take care of hers enemy in time of war?

I really don’t understand the Israelis. It’s a war. And in war they have to fight as in war. And if not the war will continue in much more damage to both sides. Israel has to take un proportional steps in order to cut off Arab terror infrastructure and human resources.

By: Ed Greenberg

Ed Greenberg — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:04:11 +0000

Well, I think that the two democratic responses were just fine, if perhaps a bit mild. Everything that is happening in Gaza now is a direct result of Arag agression against Isreal, beginning in 1948 and never letting up.

Unless you live within a missile throw of Gaza, you really have no cause to complain.