Another Cry For Freedom

'Fireworks' are meant to be fired upwards...

On its Sabbath last Saturday, Israel kicked off its New Year celebrations early by bombing the poor people of Gaza, killing more than 300 in 24 hours.

And what did it bomb? Every town and city in Gaza, a university, police stations, government offices and the tunnels dug into Egypt by the Palestinians to smuggle in supplies of food, medicine and fuel in an attempt to break Israel's economic blockade of Gaza. Israel describes these as "military" targets.

The beleaguered Palestinians have suffered 60 years of human rights violations. Israel's actions have been condemned by 69 UN resolutions and described by former US President Jimmy Carter as "one the greatest human rights crimes on earth".

Even the great Nelson Mandela refers to Israel's treatment of the Palestinians as nothing short of "apartheid".

Where is the outcry? Where are the words of condemnation? When Mumbai was attacked a few weeks ago, our government and the US, rightly, lead the world in the chorus of condemnation. Yet today it is our government and the US that are strangely silent. It is a silence, save for the few barely audible whimpers calling for "restraint on all sides", reminiscent of a few years ago, when Israel bombed its neighbour, Lebanon, killing over 1,000 people.

Israel, the world's fourth most powerful army, is bombing an impoverished people who can't defend themselves against F16s, Apache helicopters and missiles, and we want restraint on all sides?

Katusha rockets, fired by the Palestinians in response, are little more than a symbolic act of defiance – the military equivalent of a size 10 shoe being thrown at a press conference, and no match for the devastating Israeli firepower.

Not downwards... 'happy' 1430/2009 everyone

Israel is the one holding the smoking gun as the Palestinians lie bleeding to death at its feet.

Israel constantly refers to threats of it being "wiped off the map", but who could do this? It is grotesquely superior in military strength to its enemies, with 400 nuclear weapons when its enemies don't have one.

The fact is, the only nation to have been effectively wiped off the map is Palestine – by Israel. Israeli politicians refuse even to use the word "Palestine", instead referring to the "Occupied Territories", "West Bank" or "Gaza".

Israel screams aloud that its people face the threat of "being driven into the sea". In fact, the only people literally on the verge of being driven into the sea are the Palestinians in Gaza.

In 1947, as the new Israeli state was carved out of the Middle East, refugees fled to the Gaza province of what was once Palestine, hoping it would only be a short while before they could return to their homes.

They have been living there ever since, in absolute poverty, as Israel has made conditions for them ever worse. So much so, that Gaza is now nothing more than an open-air prison and one of the world's most overcrowded territories.

As Israel sends its message to the Palestinians with bombs and bullets, let us also send a message to Israel – free Palestine.

Farouque Siddique- This is Bristol, 30th Dec 2008.

Pics credit - BBC News