Ten Myths about Gaza

It is known that truth is the first casualty in wars. The current war on Gaza is no different. Below is a list of 10 myths perpetuated by Israel and repeated ad nauseum by many in the media.

Myth # 1 Israel had no alternative

Ever since starting the air campaign the Israelis have been stating that they had no choice but to carry out this invasion. Acting Israeli prime minister repeated this myth saying that Israel had no alternative but to begin the ground war on the Gaza strip.

The truth is that Israel had a clear alternative. The Islamic Hamas movement and the various Palestinian factions in Gaza offered to extend the truce in December if the Israelis agreed to lift the massive blockade and siege on Gaza. Israel also had an even easier alternative, they could have agreed to talk to Hamas and worked out a true and lasting ceasefire, but they choose to refuse to legitimize the rulers of Gaza backed by the so called global war on terror that Israel's main ally, the Bush Administration has been implementing.

Myth # 2 Hamas rockets were targeting Israeli civilians without provocation

Ever Israeli spokesman repeats the myth that Hamas has been attacking Israeli communities with missiles coming out of Gaza without any provocation. International leaders, media anchors repeated ask how could any country tolerate its citizens being attacked without provocation such as what is happening to the citizens of south Israel.

The truth is that Palestinians and Israelis have been at war since 1948 when nearly 500 Palestinian villages were erased, its residents became refugees (the refugees constitute more than 50% of the population of Gaza). The UN has resolved that the refugees should be allowed to return and the Arab countries have offered a peace agreement that includes an agreed upon resolution of the refugee problem. Furthermore Israel occupied Gaza in 1967 and has not (according to international standards) ended its occupation of Gaza. As stated above, Hamas has offered short and long term truce with Israel but the latter has rejected these offers.

Myth # 3 Israel is acting in self defense

This myth has been repeated enough times that the naïve rotating head of the European Union initially stated that Israel's ground invasion is a defensive act (he later recanted). Emerging from a security council meeting that failed to stop the Israeli ground attack, the United States' deputy chief at the UN stated that the UN charter allows member countries to defend themselves and that "Israel's right to defend itself is not negotiable."

The truth is that the Israeli offensive against a population still legally under its occupation is anything but defensive. Countries do have a right to defend themselves but they don't have the right to occupy and continue to occupy. The same charter that the deputy US official was quoting also states in its preamble:

We the peoples of the United Nations determine to:
• save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
• to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.

Myth # 4 That Israel is only targeting Hamas fighters not Palestinians

Foreign minister Tzipi Livini regularly repeated the term that the Israeli army is targeting only what she called Hamas terrorists and that her country has no fight with the Palestinian people.

The truth is that by shelling the densely populated Gaza strip (1.5 million living in a 350 square km area) the Israelis hit both Hamas combatants and civilians. One of the best proofs of this is in the fact that about one third of the casualties in the first week alone were children- hardly members of Hamas. International law is very clear about the responsibility of warring parties to limit deaths of civilians. The Israelis totally destroying a four story building in which a Hamas leader and his wives and children living with F16 planes is a clear example of a lack of effort to distinguish between civilians and fighters.

Myth # 5 Israel ended its occupation of Gaza in 2006

Part of the well weaved Israeli narrative is that Palestinians are not really interested in land for peace because they have continued to attack Israel after the Israelis ended the occupation of the strip in 2006. Again the truth is different. The UN Security Council resolution 242 which called the occupation of Gaza 'inadmissible' called on Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, to acknowledge the sovereignty and territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries and it also affirmed for 'achieving a just settlement on the [Palestinian] refugee problem.' By all standards and as agreed by neutral international observers the occupation of Gaza that was established in 1967 continues with all the responsibility that befalls on the Israeli occupying authorities.

Myth # 6 Hamas is the military arm of Iran

As part of justifying the local attack, Israel and its apologists paint a much larger regional picture with Hamas and Hizbullah as the military arm of Iran and the Iranian Islamic revolution.

The truth is that whereas as a Shiite movement Hizbuallah might have natural relations with Shiite Iran, Hamas is a Sunni Islamic movement and in general Sunnis look down at Shiites and reject them theologically. True Hamas leaders have visited Iran, but it is a long shot to say that they are the military arm of Iran.

Myth # 7 Hamas uses the Palestinian population as human shields

The difficulties that Israel has had in locating and destroying Hamas leaders has led to this myth. The Israeli PR machine uses quotes made by Hamas leaders that the Palestinian population is not afraid of death as proof that they are using Palestinians as human shields.

The truth is that the international law that forbids the use of human shields is referring to militants who use captured enemy civilians as hostages to prevent an attack. There is no evidence that Hamas is forcing their own population against their will to be where they are. In fact the irony is that Palestinian civilians have no where to go within the Gaza Strip even if they wanted to leave.

Myth # 8 There is no humanitarian crisis

Speaking in Paris, the Israeli foreign minister insisted that the attacks on Gaza are not causing a humanitarian crisis. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said there was no need for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds as more lorries containing aid were entering Gaza than before the conflict began last Saturday.

The truth as quoted by according to the latest bulletin from the Gaza office of the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs:

"The military incursion compounds the humanitarian crisis following more than a week of shelling and an 18-month long blockade of the territory. There is an increased threat to civilians due to combat in densely populated urban areas. "Hospitals continue to be overstretched because of the large number of casualties that have accumulated since the beginning of Israeli attacks, and ambulances and medical personnel face difficulties in accessing casualties. Electricity and telecommunications are down over much of the Gaza Strip. Food distributions have been suspended and all crossing points remain closed."

A flash appeal issued by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency this month said that the bombing was "destroying what remains of Gaza's crumbling infrastructure and public service capacity," and "threatens dramatically to worsen an already dire food security situation for the entire population.

Myth # 9 Israel wants to weaken Hamas

Another Israeli myth is that the campaign aims at weakening Hamas. Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli Defense Ministry official, told Israel Radio the goal is to weaken the movement.

While the Israelis will certainly weaken the movement military at the present time, it has already raised their public stature in Palestine and the Arab world. Hamas whose public standing was deteriorating because of its difficulty to govern has now become popular as they are seen as heroes who are standing up to the Israeli military machine. As a movement Hamas can't be destroyed even if many of its leaders are killed. Furthermore, Hamas's hard-line political position has caused a major set back to moderate Arab leaders especially those in Arab countries who have a peace treaty with Israel.

Myth # 10 Hamas is not only a danger on Israel but also on the Arab world

As part of the effort to dehumanize their enemy, the Israelis justify their attacks against Palestinians in Gaza by saying that somehow they are encouraged to do so by Palestinians and Arabs who disagree politically with Hamas.

The truth is that while Palestinians and Arabs have had differences with Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and Arab leaders have been consistent in their repeated and constant denunciation of the Israeli actions. In fact the Palestinian president has released all Hamas prisoners and an effort for national unity has taken place.

Comments

[anniesblogmail]

***Myth #4 ***
Hamas is a legitimate organization whose aim is to protect the Palestinian people

--Hamas has taken all the free money they received to purchase rockets, bombs and other weapons- money which could have been used to build schools, hospitals, factories, produce food and build infrastructure

--Hamas has dug enough tunnels to make a up a subway system in Gaza - and bunkers for its leaders - but not a single bomb shelter for the people the claim to protect

--Hamas has systematically used civilians as human shields

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0wJXf2nt4Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBYtij4Q7sE

***Myth #5***

Arabs around the world are outraged at the oppression of Palestinians

--truth is millions of Palestinian 'refugees' have been kept in Arab countries in subhuman conditions for over 60 years
* Jordan 1,827,877 refugees
* Syria 432,048
* Lebanon 404,170
* Saudi Arabia 240,000
* Egypt 70,245

These people have been denied citizenship, education, health care, jobs and the right to build homes or purchase property.

In 1957, the Refugee Conference at Homs, Syria, passed a resolution stating that "Any discussion aimed at a solution of the Palestine problem which will not be based on ensuring the refugees' right to annihilate Israel will be regarded as a desecration of the Arab people and an act of treason.

***Myth #6***
The Palestinian people are peace loving and seek nothing but peace for their children

--Children of Gaza -

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ab7_1231090199

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRKjmdAQA5w

[OutsiderSA]

Excellent Blog

So tied of the neo-con song sheet and they do not realize here folk have and can see through the BS just like the apologists of the GOP

Just a reminder, Russian missile Super Sunburn SS-N-25 - Mach 2.9 [2,100 miles per hour] over 200+ kilometers at a cruising altitude of 45 feet.

The Arabs have them and you have nothing to catch or destroy them with.

Carry on, soon enough you will draw others into the conflict and then what? Ever wondered why the USS aircraft carriers stay out of the Med and Red sea?

Israel is not invincible. Germany also thought it could do war on two fronts but OK launch your nukes and then see what happens.

Time to wake up and smell the roses. The world is getting tired of you folk.

[Michale32086]

@RoloTomassi

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I make no such concession,
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Then show me your facts..

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but my counter assertion is that you have no REAL facts, only NeoCon dogma--which is the twisting of facts to make your case seem reasonable.
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Please point to ANY post that I made and represented as a fact that you think is not factual..

You can't...

And THAT's the facts....

Michale......

[Michale32086]

@chaos4700

{{{{{
Unplug from the matrix, dude. Your brain's getting pan-fried like cod on Good Friday.
}}}}}

Good Friday??

What's that??? Is there any such thing as a BAD Friday???

Michale.....

[mfsh]

Is it a myth that Israel has been the target of indiscriminate and terrorist bombings by Hamas for years? Is it a myth that Israel vacated Gaza with the expectation that it would bring peace? Is it a myth that Hamas refuses to recognize the State of Israel and vows to push the Israelis into the sea and fires rockets at Israeli towns to show them they aren't kidding? Hamas is now the ruling entity in Gaza, elected by a majority of it's citizens. They would prefer to continue the cycle of poverty by spending their money on rockets, than by improving the Palestinian economy and infrastructure. Open the border with Israel? How many suicide bombers and guerrilla ambushes of Israelis would that invite? It's hard to act in a friendly and neighborly way when a rocket slams down on your town. Or a kibbutz is attacked by terrorists. When you teach your children to hate Israelis, you make it easy for each generation to grow up thinking nothing of killing them when you have the chance. Enough is enough!

[chaos4700]

I happen to know for a fact that what they teach in Israeli schools is twice as bad as anything that appears in a Palestinian textbook. Nobody's buying this Zionist rhetoric anymore -- the rest of the world can see, quite plainly, that the only people being "driven into the sea" are Palestinians, by Israelis.

[Michale32086]

Cite???

Michale.....

[dontosaw]

Glad to see that they removed the special "disclaimer" that stated the obvious fact that the opinion of this author does not necessarily represent that of Huff Po.

[Fein]

Exactly correct, David! Most accurate blog post yet.

Lie number 11: Only 100 of the 400+ casualties are civilians.

The Media needs to be challenged : How does the media calculate 'calculate' this number?

The answer is, they're using 'Israeli math' - any 'Arab male is a militant.'

[Michale32086]

Do you have any FACTS to dispute the claim??

No??

Didn't think so...

And, just for the record, the numbers from the UN and from HAMAS itself...

THESE are the facts..

Michale.....

[RoloTomassi]

More spin from the resident neocon; if Israel wanted any FACTS about their actions to be widely known they would allow media into Gaza to report on the situation from inside....

[citizensrus]

I grew up Christian. I grew up American. I learned about the Jews barely in the Bible. They were the Chosen People.I was confused as to what this meant to those who do not follow my religion. I still am confused.

[Michale32086]

Religion does that to people..

The best thing I have found is just to ignore it and deal with reality...

oooooo I am gonna burn for that one! :D

Michale.....

[chaos4700]

Don't worry. I'm fairly confident the greater powers that be have bigger fish to fry with you, if your actions are anywhere in line with your words.

[Michale32086]

@selos66

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i doubt everything you say especially when your source for weaponry in gaza is a former pr flack for the idf.
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My source is personal experience..

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to me terrorism is using violence and threats to intimidate or coerce for political aims.
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Lacking in detail and totally inapplicable to so many circumstances.. Terrorism can have economical aims or ideological aims..

Using your definition, any hostile act committed by one country towards another is terrorism.

Iran would be committing terrorism every time it threatens Israel..

Any country would be committing terrorism every time it threatened another country..

Your definition is NOT applicable whatsoever...

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so therefore bombing a hotel, university or mosque (like israel has been doing in gaza) can be terrorism.
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Wait a minute.. Now it's "can be"??? So, using your own idea, it also CAN BE a legitimate military attack, right???

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the only difference is that when israel is doing it its not terrorism. and of course, you're probably going to say something like hamas was storing weapons in the mosque so its a legitimate military target,
{{{{

So, you concede that what Israel is doing COULD BE a legitimate military attack.

You see?? Common ground..

A wonderful thing...

Michale.....

[chaos4700]

"My source is personal experience.."

Oh. So you've fought for the IDF? That might explain a great many things.

[seelos66]

here's a game for folks like Michale32086 & Jackson Jones called Raid Gaza,
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/476393

[Michale32086]

@chaos4700

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In order for that rationale to work, Israel's attack would have to have caused the rocket attacks to cease. It hasn't.
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"He CAN be taught!!!"
-Robin Williams, ALADDIN

Exactly..

Which is why Israel's attacks are continuing..

According to International Law, Israel has the right to continue AND escalate the response, until such time as they can eliminate the threat...

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

@seelos66

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"thousands and thousands of tons of missiles?" are you sure you're talking about hamas and not israel? where do you get your info from?
{{{{{

http://www.weaponsurvey.com/kbase/egyptandsmuggling.htm

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and if you do hold to your point that : "NOTHING justifies terrorism.. Any cause that employs terrorism IMMEDIATELY loses it's legitimacy.." then when zionists in their struggle to establish the state of israel used terrorism to remove the british from palestine in '48 by bombing the king david hotel then their cause would be illegitimate too?
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Nope.. As has been established, since the British set up the Military HQ in the King David Hotel, that made it a legitimate military target.

You DO know what the definition of terrorism is, right???

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and finally your point that "Israel has (pretty much) carte blanche in dealing with the crisis" means that just like in '48 they can use terror too?
{{{{

No, they cannot.

"When one fights the monster, one must take steps not to BECOME the monster."
-Neitsche

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your arguments hardly stand up beyond all your huff & puff.
{{{{{

And yet... Here I am...

Where are you???

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

Oh, and it's already been proven that Israel did not resort to terrorism at the birth of their nation...

Michale.....

[seelos66]

proven by whom? israel and its western allies?

[MaximMaximus]

LoL..Of course not. According to you Israel is as innocent as a newly born baby! Do you realize that you're getting ridiculous. One day the world will loose its patience over people like you. I hope that will never come but it seems unavoidable. I really hope it doesn't.

[ajinnyc]

Myth # 11: No Palestinian has ever gone into a crowded Israeli street, restaurant or bus and blown themselves up killing innocent civilians along with themselves.

This is just another chapter in the quid pro quo was of attrition between these 2 sides.

This is a horrific situation for both the Palestenian people and the Israeli people. The innocents must rise against their governments and demand peace, whatever it takes and stop this horrific madness that has gripped this little piece of land for the last 60 years.

If this is the Holy Land, thank G-d I'm and Atheist!!!!!

[JacksonJones]

Re "Myth" #10: The PA and other Arab parties may issue condemnations of Israel for public consumption, however, they have privately been providing targeting information and other forms of assistance to Israel in its action agqainst Hamas. From the Israeli side, this is not about dehumanizing anyone (Hamas has a virtual monopoly on that game in this fight, which is displays on its TV programs with the Hamas "Mickey Mouse" encouraging children to kill Israelis), its about a lot of people, Arabs included, realizing that the religious-rejectionist-jihadist movement that is Hamas is counterproductive to the interests of almost everyone involved.

[Michale32086]

I wish I had your patience to make those points......

All your points are dead on and I salute you, sir..

Michale.....

[JacksonJones]

Re "Myth" #8: The statement that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza is not a statement that there is no human suffering in Gaza. It is an acknowledgment that the suffering is not the result of a lack of humanitarian supplies, which can be addressed by shippements of supplies, but is the result of the war precipitated by almost a decade of Hamas rockets targeting Israeli civilians, and that the proposed ceasefire would undermine the objective of silencing those rockets.

Re "Myth" #9: You may believe that Hamas will ultimately be strengthened by the war, you may be right, you may be wrong. What you believe, and even whether you are right or not, does not bear on what Israel's intentions are. For the past 8 years, Hamas has been shooting rockets at Israelis, even during the so-called ceasefire, during which Hamas did not cease firing. Israel, as a sovereign state, under Article 51, has the privilege to engage in armed conflict to address the threat. Their efforts me backfire, but its their call to make.