Opinion
Gaza incursion belies Israeli prejudice
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It gives me no pleasure in referring to the homeland of another people in the pejorative, so I’ll invoke the words of esteemed Palestinian spokesperson, the late Edward Said, to do it for me. “[Gaza] is the most terrifying place I’ve ever been in,” he said. “It’s a horrifyingly sad place because of the desperation and misery of the way people live. I was unprepared for camps that are much worse than anything I saw in South Africa.”
Having passed in 2003, Said never had to see the economic sanctions and blockade that would turn Gaza into a concentration camp of 1.4 million inhabitants or the current blitzkrieg that has enveloped this small island of fear, violence and suffering in so much more of the same. Unambiguously, it is the most unlivable place in the Arab world.
Although recounting the Palestinian narrative over the last century is cliché, without some type of basic context, we are left with an ahistorical snapshot of the current bloodshed. The Israeli invasion of Gaza did not begin with a band of renegade Muslim literalists vowing the destruction of an entire state; it begins with the simple fact that 80 percent of Gazan families originated from what is now called Israel.
Since the naqba (or “catastrophe”) of 1948, the Gaza Strip has alternately been used as a human waste dump and piece of territorial expansion for Greater Israel. Under Egyptian administrative control, it became a giant refugee camp for thousands of ethnically cleansed Palestinians after Israel’s founding. Beginning with the occupation of 1967, it became the new home for almost 8,000 Israeli settlers by 2004, who came to control 88 percent of the water resources and 42 percent of the land. The expense of subsidizing and protecting so small a group of settlers on an unprofitable piece of land, coupled with the demographic surge of the Palestinians population, convinced then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from Gaza. However, Israel still controls its airspace, territorial waters, offshore maritime access and shared border. It has also subjected Gaza to an economic blockade since Hamas’ election in 2007. No longer of any use to Israel or any other state, Gaza’s superfluous land and people have been locked away in the back corner of historic Palestine, a densely populated cage of 139 square miles.
The humanitarian effects of the blockade have reached monstrous proportions, even forcing the International Red Cross to conclude last year “there is no solution that can be reached by humanitarian organizations.” Eighty percent of the population is reliant on international food aid, and almost half still suffer from acute anemia. Electricity is nonexistent in many areas. Most schools have stopped functioning. Basic medical supplies are scarce. In the midst of it all, constant Israeli air strikes and artillery fire serve as a backdrop to everyday life. And now, there are Israeli soldiers firing in the streets.
But perhaps the best indication of the toll of Israeli policy on Gaza is the mental health of its children. According to Dr. Richard Falk, an American humanitarian observer for the United Nations, Palestinian psychologists have found that “over 50 percent of Gazan children under the age of 12 … have no will to live.”
The stated reason for Israel’s policy of collective punishment, including the current invasion, is the continuation of the pathetic, random Qassam rocket attacks, which have killed 16 people since 2001, though no one since last June. The attacks have undoubtedly created a climate of relative fear in southern Israel, especially in the city of Sderot and the western part of the Negev. Given that the attacks provide Israel with an excuse to absolve itself of its sins in Gaza, it’s hard to see how the attacks benefit the Israelis in any way.
But as immoral and counterproductive as they are, the cheap and haphazard rockets flung into Israel are equally inevitable as long as the Gazan people are forced to live without hope. This point is plainly obvious to anyone with some semblance of an open mind.
It’s also important to note that Gaza’s unsystematic attacks have killed an average of two people per year since their beginning, while the ongoing Israeli incursion alone has killed an estimated 971 people. The world has yet to hear from Israel how such a disproportionate “response” can be justified if Palestinian life is held as equal with Jewish life, and it is for this reason — save the United States and Britain — condemnation of the invasion and airstrikes has been loudly unanimous.
Now, the bodies continue to pile up in the streets, entire families are entombed in their homes, the hospitals overflow with mutilated children and Gaza is turned into a giant heap of rubble. This most recent — though certainly not last — chapter of Palestinian suffering confirms that Israeli policy does not regard the inhabitants of historic Palestine as real human beings. As long as this attitude persists, there will never be peace with justice.
Kyle Szarzynski (szarzynski@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in history and philosophy.
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God, I can’t wait until you graduate.
As the rules state I can’t be too offensive, but, your article just fumes me up. Your points are inciting against Israel, and I can’t believe that this article was published. You say the humanitary situation in Gaza is poor. But they are the ones who caused it! Hamas was democraticly voted as the local authority and all they care for is digging illegal tunnels to import weapons and bombs, they spend all the funds getting armed instead of taking care of the bad situation. They rig up private houses; they take over hospitals and preschools and make it their hiding point or gathering point to create weapons and bombs. When Israel left the Gaza strip, they left behind many rich farming areas and good land for the Palestinians . All they did was obliviate the whole area, so it looks like a war zone. No wonder the children have no will to live - they are encouraged to kill Israelis in a suicide mission and in return “get 72 virgins in heaven”. Their house is filled with bomb ingredients and rockets, and their kinder garden and schools are used as a Hamas base. The Hamas even use children as human shields when they cross the street so, Israeli soldiers won’t fire at them – that’s just plain wrong! You say “only two people a year have died in average” and that there is a “climate of relative fear” in the south. You try living 8 years in fear of walking out your own door, go to school, drive to the park. That’s not living! And the only reason Hamas has killed so “few” people over the years is not because they haven’t tried, its because Hamas’s rockets are so cheap and primitive (home made), they can’t aim them to a specific point, moreover cities in the south have taken precautions and alarm citizens a few seconds before an upcoming strike. Israel has been pointlessly trying to reason with Hamas in the Gaza strip and has prevented the IDF from doing any serious action for way too long, the only way left to reason with them was with war. And even during the war, the Hamas were offered several peace offerings that they denied to keep on fighting. You say Palestinian life is thought to be unequal to Israeli life. You can take for example the war with Lebanon where hundreds of Hezbollah prisoners (many of which are murderers) were released in exchange for the two dead bodies of Israeli prisoners. Israel values life and always acts in a humanitarian manner even when the opposition clearly doesn’t. I am very sad that the media portrays such a distorted picture of Israel and I hope it will someday change.
The cause of Gazan suffering is their own policies.
One can’t expect to live in peace when one rallies around a terrorist group bent on destroying the only free country in the region. One cannot expect prosperity when Hamas terrorists fling rockets into Israel and then hide-out in Mosques, homes, and hospitals in order to increase the number of civilian casualties.
As long as Hamas is allowed to exist Gazans will continue to live in misery.
Anyone who cares about human life should be in favor of Israeli occupation. Living under an Israeli system of representative government instead of a barbaric Islamic anarchy would be infinitely better for Palestinians and Israelis alike.
Recently flushed down my toilet is a copy of this opinion piece from the Badger Herald, with my poop smeared on it. Kidding! Thanks for an intriguing opinion piece.
“Given that the attacks provide Israel with an excuse to absolve itself of its sins in Gaza, it’s hard to see how the attacks benefit the ISRAELIS in any way.”
“Israelis” should read “Palestinians.” I’m not sure why the editors changed this.
Kyle, you are no different than Rozanne Barr-obnoxious, bitchy, nothing nice to say about anyone or anything and no one wants to hear from you ever again.
Kyle, there are much more effective ways to get chicks than writing a bunch of anti-Israel drivel. Why not write about the joy of cramming green jelly down in your pants, or riding on the bike rack on the Metro buses with the wind in your hair? Give us something engrossing to read, something that will challenge our intellects, not something that will have us looking for your car with aluminum bats.
Maybe if the Israelis would junk their warning systems and shelters, and use their children as human shields they would also have as many dead bodies?
If the Israelis would just line up their women and children on the border I’m sure that the Palis would murder them as fast as they could.
After all, Hamas demands the death of all Jews - the Jews are just being obstinate to resist.
Kyle, you are an idiot. Hamas is a terrorist organization, so these “woes” you discuss is on their own accord. Oh, and these are the people who were CHEERING on 9/11. Cheering.
Please, do us all a favor and at least pretend that you know anything about history or circumstance before acting like you have an opinion on the matter. You literally sound like the most uneducated person alive, and I’m sorry that the people of UW have to listen to this angry mess of an article.
I know you are a bitter left-wing nutcase and looking desperately for the next ‘underdog’ to save, but next time, save us all the pain of reading about it.
How about an article on why Hamas got elected by Palestinians in the first place? They are not serving their people well or even it all. And Israel MUST repent of it’s sin of prejudice and self-deceit. Without that, there can be no reconciliation for the people in that region. In the meantime, what about those poor, hopeless Palestinian children? Who will move to save them? God have mercy on the souls of the leaders of Hamas and Israel for the grievous acts against the helpless!