Israel's Extensive PR Campaign

On the morning of Saturday, December 27, my mother and I crossed the Allenby Bridge from Jordan into Jericho. In Jerusalem an hour later, we heard that Israel had struck Gaza. Approximately 200 people had been killed by nightfall.

Ten days later, Israel's military operation continues, and has escalated to a ground war. The death toll has risen to over 500 Palestinians, a large portion of them children. The Shifa Hospital is overflowing, dead bodies strewn across the floor. Medical supplies and food are scarce. Journalists have been barred from entering. Israel has repeatedly rejected calls for a cease-fire. The U.S. has blocked the UN Security Council from taking any action, allowing Israel to continue its attacks.

In addition to its military offensive, Israel is launching an incredibly extensive and effective public relations campaign.

After Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007, Israel blockaded the territory, closing its borders and sealing it off from all sides. Israel has since halted nearly all movement in and out of Gaza, intercepted foreign ships carrying humanitarian aid to civilians, and prevented students awarded Fulbright scholarships from studying abroad. Last winter, Gaza's central power plant was forced to shut down due to a shortage of fuel, leaving residents without heat or electricity. On November 4, while the rest of the world was focused on the U.S. presidential election, Israel violated a six-month truce with Hamas by launching air strikes on Gaza. Now it is slaughtering civilians there by the dozen, killing entirely families in one strike, and labeling it self-defense. Israeli Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel has denied that there is humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Last Friday, at the height of the attacks, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced without a hint of irony: "We are peace seekers."

Israel has managed to obscure the facts and get away with these crimes, with impunity and free from accountability, by painting itself the victim, rather than the civilians in Gaza.

The rocket attacks I do not condone. I am not a Hamas supporter; neither they nor Israeli officials are blameless. Only the civilians of Gaza are, and they are the ones who are suffering the most.

For the past 18 months, Israel's policy in Gaza has been to punish the entire population for the actions of a few. According to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, collective punishments are a war crime. In addition to being illegal and inhumane, collective punishment in Gaza has been entirely ineffective: Hamas has only stepped up its resistance. It is a policy that completely disregards democratic principles, human rights, and rationality.

In addition, Israel has violated the doctrine of proportionality, originated in the 1907 Geneva Conventions, which holds that "a state is legally allowed to unilaterally defend itself and right a wrong provided the response is proportional to the injury suffered." From 2001 to 2008, less than 30 Israelis were killed by rocket attacks, the halting of which is the proclaimed reason behind the series of attacks on Gaza. The doctrine continues, "The response must also be immediate and necessary, refrain from targeting civilians, and require only enough force to reinstate the status quo ante."

Behind all of this lurks the elephant in the room; namely, Israel's military occupation of the West Bank. The occupation has been upheld for over forty years. It is brutal, oppressive, and above all, illegal; a direct violation of UN Resolution 242. Additionally, Israel has continued to build settlements in the West Bank, a violation of yet another UN Resolution, 446. Israel wants normalcy, but refuses to end the occupation and remove illegal settlements. It cannot expect to achieve the former as long as it maintains the latter.

Last week in Beirut, Lebanon, I attended a demonstration against the attacks. Protesters marched while carrying boxes made to look like coffins, draped in black sheets painted with the words, "We are all Gaza." As thousands of others across the Middle East and all around the world stand up in protest, it seems as though the only people who've remained silent are those with the power to stop Israel's actions..

There have been many atrocities in recent history that we've looked back upon and said, "Never again." And yet similar atrocities have continued to occur, again, and again. In time, those who hold power will realize that today's massacres in Gaza fall in this category. One day, they will look back upon the onslaught with horror and shame: horror that it happened; shame that it was allowed to continue. Unfortunately, for the civilians of Gaza, that day will come too late.

Comments

[alexa07]

Dear Zaina,
I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts with the Americans & others on the Huffington post. Our media, characteristically & predictably, is attempting to justify the Israeli actions. Many Americans, however, are seeking alternative sources of information to fill this vacuum. The Huffington Post is providing a good forum. Other good sources are Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now," & Mosaic on Link TV. Please do not stop from sharing your ideas, especially your thoughts on the effects of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. In the short run, colonial enterprises make societies feel powerful, but in the long run they fail. There is a long line of failure by empires in the Middle East & Asia--the Brits, French et al. Crusaders. Even the Greeks & Romans had their own versions of hell in the region. In the long run, they don't last, esp. when the people back home get tired of supporting the colonials! Good luck to your family & please stay safe. Continue to tell your story. It will make a difference.

[12jewishme]

The original jewish religion states that we are a roaming people and not to be tied to one land. Thus Israel should not be and will not be recognized by the original jews.

The United States wants democracy through out the world. So Palestine held an election that was overseen by the international community to make its elections legitimate. They elected Hamas. Making Hamas a political group. They should be recognized in that way.

[Michale32086]

So, you are saying that their terrorism and their war crimes should be ignored, just because they were freely elected???

Is that what you are REALLY saying??

Michale.....

[FLGuardsman]

I wouldn't say the Palestinians in Gaza aren't without some culpability, afterall in free and fair elections, 80% of them sided with terrorists. Perhaps the 20% who voted for Fatah should be given safe passage out of Gaza, then let the Israeli's deal with the Hamas terrorists. They would be doing us all a favor. You reap what you sow.

[Michale32086]

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Perhaps the 20% who voted for Fatah should be given safe passage out of Gaza, then let the Israeli's deal with the Hamas terrorists.
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Beachfront condos with LOTS of parking???

Michale.....

[BigPictures]

Many world's problem requires a more effective world government, the United Nations. According to the UN resolution, if the Arabs renouce violence, Israel is obligated to return the Arabs land. Hamas should voice their complaints about Israel peacefully. For a weaker power, the path to its people's dignity is through non-violence principle of Ghandi and Martin Luther King. Israel should consult the UN regardiing how to deal with the Hamas' rocket attacks. The Abrabs Peace Initiative based on the UN resolution is a good principle for permanent Middle East peace. If Obama really wants to break away from Bush's policy and become a true leader of the world, he should find ways to strengthen the UN. One problem with the UN is it is not democratic, so a better UN would be more democratic. Many work needs to be done in international law. Until powerful nations decide to adhere internation laws, there will be no peace on earth. For example, the veto power of the UN security councile present a conflict of interests, which should be abondonded in order to be more democratic.

[Michale32086]

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On November 4, while the rest of the world was focused on the U.S. presidential election, Israel violated a six-month truce with Hamas by launching air strikes on Gaza.
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Sorry, ma'am, but this is simply not true..

The report you are referring to comes from 5 Nov 2008.. Israeli forces had learned of a HAMAS plot to use tunnels on the northern border to attempt more kidnappings of Israeli soldiers, a'la CPL Schalit...

Elements of an Israeli strike team ambushed the would-be kidnappers and killed them...

Clearly a lawful act under the any jurisdiction..

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Only the civilians of Gaza are, and they are the ones who are suffering the most.
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And that is directly the responsibility of Hamas..

Have you been to Gaza? There are many wide open areas that would actually make Hamas' rockets and missiles MORE effective.. So, why does Hamas place their weapons in crowded civilian areas?? A move that actually DIMINISHES the effectiveness of the weapons.. The answer is obvious...

The simple fact is, Hamas can stop these attacks in an INSTANT..

All they have to do is quite committing terrorism against Israel and concede that Israel has a right to exist..

You should also know that Israels actions are COMPLETELY supported by the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions. And Hamas' actions are COMPLETELY condemned and a violation of those same bodies...

Michale.....

[Ahmed Shihab-Eldin - Huffpost Blogger]

Zaina:

As you said, both Hamas and Israel are to blame - but that does not change the fact that Israel is acting without any accountability, repeatedly denying a humanitarian crisis, and managing to mislead many in the process. Thanks for a great post.

A

[i4andi]

Who wins, who loses, who gets rich or more powerful.

While America is talking about Obama and the tragic loss of JTs son, Israel is reacting to provocation. Those who wish to consolidate Islamic power with hate profit big time. Those who want the price of oil to stabilize and go back up, profit. Power greed and money and the Palestinian people are being held hostage and abused to achieve these goals. The Israelis can't win this, the best they can do is reoccupy the area and impose marshal law (military law). In the process they beat Hamas down and look like barbarians. How will peace come from this? It won't. Hamas wants the destruction of Isreal, they will advance there goal by radicalizing peace loving Muslims around the world.

Jesus told the faithful to turn the other cheek, and forgive, but what is a nation suppose to do?