Gaza is a tiny enclave on the southern border of Israel, mongered together by the British and United Nations over the decades and populated by refugees to the point that it is the most densely populated territory on earth, surpassing even the teeming masses of Bangladesh. Air war, even with “smart bombs,” assures civilian casualties in the apartment house neighborhoods, and targeting of mosques and the muslim university dorms guarantees both the destruction of the community educational system and the radicalization of the surviving students.
The shaky six-month cease fire that expired without any peace talk progress had been violated by both sides, the Hamas forces launching token rocket attacks to symbolize their continued resistance, and the Israelis cutting off medical supplies and relief aid for the captive population to discourage the harassment barrage.
In response to the new warfare, the UN Security Council has passed a no-teeth resolution calling on both sides to cease fire, but like all prior UN proclamations it is useful as toilet paper for the do-nothing diplomats. Having created Israel out of British Palestine, the UN has refused to deal with the displacement of the indigenous Arab population by the Jewish survivors of Europe’s ethnic cleansing experiment. From the huge, UN-sponsored refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Gaza, the Palestinian Liberation movement emerged after decades of inaction by the world powers. Half a century of warfare later a deal for two states was in the works before the Bush regime dropped out of the negotiations, leaving Israel free to continue attacks on Palestinian “terrorists” throughout the Middle East. Since these same groups, Hezebullah, Hamas and a dozen other splinter factions, were the backbone of the refugees’ community organization, the Israeli assaults destroyed any economic or political structure in the camps, once again producing large numbers of jobless recruits for the battle.
Meanwhile, the world turns away, bored with yet another outbreak of violence in what we are told is a millenniums-old conflict between the Semitic tribes, rather than a new model of Euro-colonization of third-world lands. Perhaps the new American leadership can revive the two-state solution, but it will take some hard pressure on the Jewish state to turn the tide of blood rising on the beaches of Gaza.
“Travus T. Hipp” is a 40-year veteran radio commentator with six stations in California carrying his daily version of the news and opinions. "The Poor Hippy’s Paul Harvey,” Travus is a member of the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame, but unemployable in the Silver State due to his eclectic political views.
I would like to see more constructive criticism in the press of these illegal occupations by the U.S. and their allies. They were smart to put you in print. Good Luck.