today, three years ago, 334 palestinians were killed, most of whom women, men and children of all ages who had nothing at all to do with any form of combat, and most killed within the first hours of an hitherto unprecedented campaign of bombing of the besieged and occupied gaza strip by israeli military, a territory that is reduced to 360 square km (less than half the size of berlin, less than a seventh of the size of paris).
In the indescribable military assault that would last 22 days, 1419 Palestinians were killed (of whom 12 died in the following six months from their wounds). Among these, 355 children and 111 women were killed. Over 80 % of the 1410 martyrs had no participation whatsoever in any form of combat.
Another 5300 were injured, many maimed for life.
“The victims of these attacks were not caught in the crossfire of battles between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces, nor were they shielding militants or other legitimate targets. Many were killed when their homes were bombed while they slept. Others were going about their daily activities in their homes, sitting in their yard, hanging the laundry on the roof when they were targeted in air strikes or tank shelling. Children were studying or playing in their bedrooms or on the roof, or outside their homes, when they were struck by missiles or tank shells. Others were in the street, walking or cycling. Paramedics and ambulances were repeatedly attacked while rescuing the wounded or recovering the dead.” (Amnesty International report, https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE15/015/2009/en)”
Something that “outsiders” have a hard time to acknowledge or appreciate is that like almost always, Palestinians in the much overcrowded Gaza Strip were UNABLE TO LEAVE DURING THE ENTIRE FULL-ON WAR ON THEM. And the shelters, including UN buildings, were bombed while they were seeking refuge there. During the 22 days of horror, Israeli military committed various war crimes, including illegal use of weapons (white phosphorus), and yet, people could not seek safety ANYWHERE, they could not hide their children and babies, they could only hope that the bombs will not hit their homes.
11.554 housing units of people who in no way participated in combat were damaged or destroyed, 2522 of these were “totally destroyed”. Other civilian infrastructure such as streets, sewage systems, electricity plants, water networks and wells were destroyed (not only leaving people without water for the duration of the military attack, but leaving the entire gaza strip with a water crisis that lasts to date). Animals were killed, agricultural lands destroyed, trees and vegetable plants destroyed, public buildings, industrial infrastructure etc. were damaged or destroyed.
and to date, the population of Gaza is still denied most of the material to rebuild their buildings, infrastructure and lives.
Three years after an enormous atrocity that should never have happened, and Israeli authorities and systems were still not held accountable, are still allowed to evade responsibility or face consequences.
Worse: WE KNOW THAT THEY PLAN ANOTHER ROUND, WE KNOW, WE JUST DON’T KNOW WHEN. And why not? They pushed the supposed red lines three years ago, and they got away with it. NO CONSEQUENCES, trade agreements still intact, now even accepted to the OECD.
People, this can’t be. If you don’t really know what exactly happened read one of these reports (https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE15/015/2009/ http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7979%3A3-years-after-operation-cast-lead-justice-has-been-comprehensively-denied-pchr-release-23-narratives-documenting-the-experience-of-victims-&catid=36%3Apchrpressreleases&Itemid=194 or read at least the table of contents to get an idea).
Read this account of Mohammad from Gaza.http://electronicintifada.net/content/three-years-ago-normal-morning-turns-horror-gaza/10738
It CAN’T BE that you won’t sit down and inform yourself unless people you know are involved. It also can’t be that u don’t feel like this really concerns you unless it is ME who is getting bombed or shot (which of course would be “my fault” for even being there, right?)
check here in which way institutions, businesses, service providers, etc. from the countries that you live in profit and participate from the occupation of Palestine: http://whoprofits.org/Advanced%20Search.php
join and promote the boycott of and divestment from these brands http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-brands.html and these companies http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-israel.php#companies
really, do something