The Flotilla....IDF Actions Validated!

[earth_as_one]

Palestinians have been oppressed since the area was conquered by Zionist Jewish refugees fleeing Europe 60 years ago. The extreme right wing coalition explains why their level of oppression and injustice has increased significantly in the last few years. It also explains why these people aren't about to get any freedom or justice from the Israelis.

 

[ironsides]

Talk to the Gazans and ask how peaceful Israel is

If we must get down to the nitty gritty, the Gaza Strip belongs to Egypt, the West bank belongs to Jordan and the Golan Heights belong to Syria. Israel seized all these areas after the six-day war in June 1967. Palestine never really existed as a country. That was the name given to the area during the British mandate after WWI. After WWII the Jews began settling there in large numbers and in 1948 the U.N. created the State of Israel.


In 1994 became free and independent, Gazans chose to allow the PLO then Hamas to operate against Israel from their soil. I other words they are responsible for what their plight is today. They want independence again, get rid of all organizations that profess to destroy or exact revenge against Israel. Terrorists in power in Gaza are the reasons for the problems..


Gaza-Jericho Peace Agreement - What is Gaza-Jericho Peace Agreement, 1994?

 

[earth_as_one]

If Israel is so law abiding and fair, why would some people or group want revenge? Is this some sort of admission that some Israelis might have done something wrong?

Gazans have had few choices over the years. They never chose to be a destination for Zionist Jewish refugees fleeing Europe. They never chose to start a war with the foreigners who claimed God gave them their land. These people have been invaded, occupied, re-invaded, re-occupied, attacked and driven off their land. As a result of international lawlessness, they have no nationality or rights, even fundamental human rights as per the UN Charter and International Law.

Terrorists in power in the US and Israel are a big reason for their problems.

 

[ironsides]

Palestinians have been oppressed since the area was conquered by Zionist Jewish refugees fleeing Europe 60 years ago. The extreme right wing coalition explains why their level of oppression and injustice has increased significantly in the last few years. It also explains why these people aren't about to get any freedom or justice from the Israelis.

This is a good read of the history as to what happened.


The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I led to an almost complete European colonization of the Arab countries. Treatment of Jews varied over this time, but as Arab states became independent, Arab nationalism and identification with the cause of Arabs in Palestine grew, and hostility toward Jews increased.
Commitment to Zionism varied greatly across the different Jewish communities of the Middle East. Many Eastern Jewish communities contributed to the support of Jewish institutions in Palestine, which was now also part of the Ottoman Empire. Many Moroccan, Tunisian, Libyan and Yemenite Jews immigrated to Palestine in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, seeing Zionism as the fulfillment of religious prophecy. In contrast, Algerian Jews and the Alliance movement throughout the Middle East preferred to identify with Europe in general and France in particular. Lebanese and Syrian Jews had a close connection to the Jewish community in Palestine due to their geographic proximity. Iraqi Jews' interest in Zionism was mixed, and Zionists there tried to keep a low profile due to discouragement from both British and Arab authorities.
From 1929, growing conflicts between Jews and Arabs in Palestine drew the sympathies of Arabs throughout the Middle East. At the same time, the rise of Nazism and Fascism appealed to Arabs as a way to overthrow their British and French colonizers. The Arab press and the Mufti of Jerusalem circulated exaggerated stories of Jewish violence against Arabs in Palestine, including accusations that Jews were trying to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque so they could replace it with a rebuilt Jewish Temple. The increasing Pan-Arabism, anti-Zionism, and physical threats to Jews put a damper on Zionist activity. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion was by now widely circulated and quoted in the Arab world. (Mein Kampf was also widely available, with the anti-Arab passages deleted.) By the time the Peel Commission issued its recommendation for partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states in 1937, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism had become almost indistinguishable. However, anti-Semitism was not solely a consequence of anti-Zionism; as early as the 1930's, when the Arab states began to develop autonomy from their colonizers, they progressively isolated any non-Arab and non-Islamic minorities from public life (Stillman, 1991).

The Advent of Zionism and Arab Nationalism

 

[earth_as_one]

Before this area was over run by Zionist Jews aided by foreign powers, Jews and Muslims lived in peace. While this area was ruled by the Ottomans it was peaceful. Non-Jewish Palestinians started getting screwed over pretty much from the time the Ottoman empire fell about 100 years ago.

 

[ironsides]

And I guess it was OK for the Fascists and Nazi's to arm the Arabs, in a sense they still are (Iran is a Islamic Fascist State). As I said, the Arabs lost their rights after they broke the 1994 accords and continued to attack Israel. Israel did not attack them first.

 

[earth_as_one]

I agree that foreign arms shipments to this area are a problem. That's why I support an arms embargo for the entire area including Israel.

Israel has received more U.S. military assistance than any other country, both in terms of grant aid and military sales on a concessional basis. However, unlike other countries who receive military aid and are required to spend the money in United States, Israel may spend 25% on its domestic military projects.

Since 1987, the U.S. has provided an average of $1.8 billion annually in the form of Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and funds to support research and development.[2]

A bilateral memorandum of understanding was signed in January 2001, at the end of the Clinton administration, under which defense aid was increased to $2.4 billion annually from $1.8 billion, while the $1.2 billion of economic aid would be eliminated. This was predicated on the basis of the defense aid being increased by $60 million per year until the full amount was reached in 2008, while the economic aid is decreased by $120 million per year until eliminated.[3][20]

In 2007, the United States increased its military aid to Israel by over 25%, to an average of $3 billion per year for the following ten year period (starting at $2.550 billion for 2008, growing by $150 million each year).[21] The package is scheduled to start October 2008, when regular economic aid to Israel's economy is to end.[22] Officials have insisted the aid is not tied, or meant to balance, simultaneous American plans to sell $20 billion worth of sophisticated arms to its Arab allies in the region, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.[22] Former U.S. President George W. Bush assured Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that the U.S. would help keep a "qualitative advantage" to Israel over other nations in the region.[21]

That's just the US. Many other countries and individuals also support Israel financially and militarily.

Do you believe Israel's adversaries get the same level of foreign military/economic support as Israel?

I am unaware of any Fascists or Nazis arming Palestinians. I doubt you can provide links to reputable sources backing up your claims. More likely your sites would closely resemble the sites visited by that nutjob in Oslo who murdered all those children recently. He also believed many of the same things as you regarding Israel, Zionism, Arabs and Muslims.

Iran is a Muslim Theocracy. Syria is a Muslim majority dictatorship. Neither have Fascist or Nazi political systems. Both these nations contribute to the arms smuggled into Gaza, the West Bank and southern Lebanon. Many people all over the world donate money to the cause of Palestinian freedom and justice. Some of this aid buys arms for militants. But these people and countries are neither Fascists nor Nazis. They are ordinary people reacting to the Zionist State of Israel's ethnic cleansing, colonization and all the associated war crimes, crimes against humanity and atrocities.

Israeli apologists often reference historical European Nazi and Facsist atrocities against Jews in an attempt to de-legitimatize legal resistance to contemporary Zionist oppression and injustice suffered by Arabs and Muslims. Its an attempt to exploit guilt over the West's inaction during the Holocaust. Most Palestinians had nothing to do with European atrocities against Jews.

Jews have traditionally found sanctuary from Euro-Christian oppression and injustice in Muslim majority countries. Sure that paradigm of peaceful co-existence shifted when the Zionist State of Israel began cleansing Palestine of non-Jews. 60+ years of war crimes, crimes against humanity, atrocities, injustice against non-Jewish Palestinians have caused many Arabs and Muslims to adopt anti-Semitic attitudes. But I still would not refer to these people as Fascists or Nazis. Their hatred toward Jews is misguided. They should direct their hostility toward the people behind Zionist oppression and injustice. Some of these people are Israeli Jews and others are Norwegian nutcases. Some are American Christians. Some of the people leading the fight for Palestinian freedom and justice are Israeli Jews.

Regarding who attacked who first, the answer is simple. If Zionists Jews fled to Bavaria instead of Palestine, then we'd be talking about the ethnic cleansing of Bavaria of non-Jews. So it really didn't matter where people with an ideology that includes a belief that God gave them the right to displace people from their homes went. Any area overrun by hostile heavily armed foreigners intent on removing the local population from their homes would have the same problems as Israel and Palestine.

Now that these people and their descendants have turned Palestine into their home, any future peace must involve allowing these people to remain in their homes. I am against committing injustices to solve problems caused by injustice. That's how we got into the current mess.

 

[ironsides]

I agree that foreign arms shipments to this area are a problem. That's why I support an arms embargo for the entire area including Israel.

Now that these people and their descendants have turned Palestine into their home, any future peace must involve allowing these people to remain in their homes. I am against committing injustices to solve problems caused by injustice. That's how we got into the current mess.

I could only see a total arms embargo if and only if the Gazans were totally disarmed by the U.N. I know Israel would not be the first one to shoot. As for returning land won in war, not today, as you said it is someone else's land now. Those problems may work out over time with peace. We also have to keep in mind that Israel also has a very big and advanced arms industry.


The Iraq BATH party was created and structured by the Nazi regime.

Granted a Jewish site, but history is history.

The Syrian-Iraqi Baath party and its Nazi beginnings

Haj Amin al-Husseini - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[AbtFet]

If we must get down to the nitty gritty, the Gaza Strip belongs to Egypt, the West bank belongs to Jordan and the Golan Heights belong to Syria. Israel seized all these areas after the six-day war in June 1967. Palestine never really existed as a country. That was the name given to the area during the British mandate after WWI. After WWII the Jews began settling there in large numbers and in 1948 the U.N. created the State of Israel.


In 1994 became free and independent, Gazans chose to allow the PLO then Hamas to operate against Israel from their soil. I other words they are responsible for what their plight is today. They want independence again, get rid of all organizations that profess to destroy or exact revenge against Israel. Terrorists in power in Gaza are the reasons for the problems..


Gaza-Jericho Peace Agreement - What is Gaza-Jericho Peace Agreement, 1994?

Absolutely none of this is relevant.
What is relevant right now is that Palestinians are living in Gaza and their horrible standard of living is directly attributed to the right-wing extremists in power in Israel.

I don't know how many read the article about the former CIA agent claiming that Israel plans to attack Iran in the fall, but this is very plausible considering the demented mentality of the right wing extremists. These idiots will bring us to another world war, just like Nazi Germany.

 

[Colpy]

I agree that foreign arms shipments to this area are a problem. That's why I support an arms embargo for the entire area including Israel.

That's just the US. Many other countries and individuals also support Israel financially and militarily.

Do you believe Israel's adversaries get the same level of foreign military/economic support as Israel?

I am unaware of any Fascists or Nazis arming Palestinians. I doubt you can provide links to reputable sources backing up your claims. More likely your sites would closely resemble the sites visited by that nutjob in Oslo who murdered all those children recently. He also believed many of the same things as you regarding Israel, Zionism, Arabs and Muslims.

Iran is a Muslim Theocracy. Syria is a Muslim majority dictatorship. Neither have Fascist or Nazi political systems. Both these nations contribute to the arms smuggled into Gaza, the West Bank and southern Lebanon. Many people all over the world donate money to the cause of Palestinian freedom and justice. Some of this aid buys arms for militants. But these people and countries are neither Fascists nor Nazis. They are ordinary people reacting to the Zionist State of Israel's ethnic cleansing, colonization and all the associated war crimes, crimes against humanity and atrocities.

Israeli apologists often reference historical European Nazi and Facsist atrocities against Jews in an attempt to de-legitimatize legal resistance to contemporary Zionist oppression and injustice suffered by Arabs and Muslims. Its an attempt to exploit guilt over the West's inaction during the Holocaust. Most Palestinians had nothing to do with European atrocities against Jews.

Jews have traditionally found sanctuary from Euro-Christian oppression and injustice in Muslim majority countries. Sure that paradigm of peaceful co-existence shifted when the Zionist State of Israel began cleansing Palestine of non-Jews. 60+ years of war crimes, crimes against humanity, atrocities, injustice against non-Jewish Palestinians have caused many Arabs and Muslims to adopt anti-Semitic attitudes. But I still would not refer to these people as Fascists or Nazis. Their hatred toward Jews is misguided. They should direct their hostility toward the people behind Zionist oppression and injustice. Some of these people are Israeli Jews and others are Norwegian nutcases. Some are American Christians. Some of the people leading the fight for Palestinian freedom and justice are Israeli Jews.

Regarding who attacked who first, the answer is simple. If Zionists Jews fled to Bavaria instead of Palestine, then we'd be talking about the ethnic cleansing of Bavaria of non-Jews. So it really didn't matter where people with an ideology that includes a belief that God gave them the right to displace people from their homes went. Any area overrun by hostile heavily armed foreigners intent on removing the local population from their homes would have the same problems as Israel and Palestine.

Now that these people and their descendants have turned Palestine into their home, any future peace must involve allowing these people to remain in their homes. I am against committing injustices to solve problems caused by injustice. That's how we got into the current mess.

This is truly a ridiculous, biased, and outlandish post.....

Ban arms shipments to Israel???

The only reason there is still a Jew alive on the Arab Peninsula is Israeli superiority in both arms and fighting ability..........much of the former supplied from outside.

What a shame, eh???

You are unaware of fascists supporting the Palestinians??

Have you ever heard of Iran, or Syria.....or the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt? What the hell do you think they smuggle through those tunnels???

The nutjob in Norway was a lone lunatic, who was up on the killing, who would have done the murder for some reason anyway.........he was NUTS.

Unlike Islamist murderers, he was an abberation, without coherent philosophy, cohorts, or backing.....no one cheered, or celebrated in the streets, no organization armed and encouraged him, no one went with him, NO ONE supported him, he was ALONE.

He was at war with the world, all by himself.

HE WAS NUTS. Why can't you people grasp that? Or is the opportunity to smear pro-Israelis, right wingers, and anti-Islamists simply too much to pass up?

"Jews have traditionally found sanctuary from Euro-Christian oppression and injustice in Muslim majority countries."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA You've GOT to be kidding!!!!

"Iran is a Muslim Theocracy. Syria is a Muslim majority dictatorship. Neither have Fascist or Nazi political systems."

I would advise you to read a little political science, and some history...........Iran only misses the classification of "fascist" because "murderous Islamist theocracy" fits it somewhat better.....both have many attributes in common. The Ba'athist Party that ran Iraq and still rules Syria is, and was created as, a classic fascist party.

Wow.....so much foolishness, such a little post.

 

[ironsides]

Absolutely none of this is relevant.
What is relevant right now is that Palestinians are living in Gaza and their horrible standard of living is directly attributed to the right-wing extremists in power in Israel.

I don't know how many read the article about the former CIA agent claiming that Israel plans to attack Iran in the fall, but this is very plausible considering the demented mentality of the right wing extremists. These idiots will bring us to another world war, just like Nazi Germany.

Why would they attack Iran in the fall, would have been much better to have done it a year ago, or two years ago. As for the state of Gaza, all that has to happen is Egypt open up their border. Couldn't be simpler. The Arabs want everyone to feel sorry for Gaza to pressure Israel.

 

[AbtFet]

Why would they attack Iran in the fall, would have been much better to have done it a year ago, or two years ago. As for the state of Gaza, all that has to happen is Egypt open up their border. Couldn't be simpler. The Arabs want everyone to feel sorry for Gaza to pressure Israel.

Why? Because Netanyahu is an insane extremist right-wing whacko.

Here's the article.


CIA veteran: Israel to attack Iran in fall - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

A longtime CIA officer who spent 21 years in the Middle East is predicting that Israel will bomb Iran in the fall, dragging the United States into another major war and endangering US military and civilian personnel (and other interests) throughout the Middle East and beyond.

BBC News - Israel sues Bedouin for $500,000 in eviction costs

Israel is suing a group of Bedouin in the Negev desert for the costs of demolishing their village each time they rebuild it.

The Bedouin say they will continue to reconstruct their homes in al-Araqib, to which they claim historic right


More idiocy and hypocrisy from Israel.. :lol:

 

[earth_as_one]

I could only see a total arms embargo if and only if the Gazans were totally disarmed by the U.N. I know Israel would not be the first one to shoot. As for returning land won in war, not today, as you said it is someone else's land now. Those problems may work out over time with peace. We also have to keep in mind that Israel also has a very big and advanced arms industry.


The Iraq BATH party was created and structured by the Nazi regime.

Granted a Jewish site, but history is history.

The Syrian-Iraqi Baath party and its Nazi beginnings

Haj Amin al-Husseini - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The first link isn't even a Jewish site. Its a Zionist extremist site full of hate filled ideologies similar to those embraced by that nutjob in Norway who murder dozens of children recently.

Your second link is a reference to a Palestinian cleric who tried to get arms from the Nazis during WW II. If you belief this reference proves all Palestinians are Nazis, then the actions of the Norwegian nutjob last week must also prove all right wing Christians are really baby killer wannabes.

 

[Colpy]

Absolutely none of this is relevant.
What is relevant right now is that Palestinians are living in Gaza and their horrible standard of living is directly attributed to the right-wing extremists in power in Israel.

I don't know how many read the article about the former CIA agent claiming that Israel plans to attack Iran in the fall, but this is very plausible considering the demented mentality of the right wing extremists. These idiots will bring us to another world war, just like Nazi Germany.

What, you mean the Gazans???

The people with a longer life expectancy than most of the surrounding Arab countries??

The people with a higher obesity rate than Canada???

The horror!!!! lol

Oh....as for Israel attacking Iran, I honestly hope not, as that would give that bunch of Islamist loonies an excuse to massacre the already tortured liberation movement in that country....

But you couldn't blame the Israelis. Iran is developing nukes, and has threatened to obliterate Israel.....that besides the fact Iran supports and arms both Hamas and Hezbollah...........entities that are intent on total Jew murder......

Self-defense is an acceptable reason for military action, even pre-emptive self-defense.

The first link isn't even a Jewish site. Its a Zionist extremist site full of hate filled ideologies similar to those embraced by that nutjob in Norway who murder dozens of children recently.

Your second link is a reference to a Palestinian cleric who tried to get arms from the Nazis during WW II. If you belief this reference proves all Palestinians are Nazis, then the actions of the Norwegian nutjob last week must also prove all right wing Christians are really baby killer wannabes.

First of all, the nutjob was NOT A CHRISTIAN. He hadn't been in a church in over 15 years. He discounted any relationship with Christ or God. Try and get your facts straight.

Secondly, he was not a part of any ideological movement. Unlike Islamist murderers, he was an abberation, without coherent philosophy, cohorts, or backing.....no one cheered, or celebrated in the streets, no organization armed and encouraged him, no one went with him, NO ONE supported him, he was ALONE.

Now, find me an Islamist murderer that has not been in a mosque for 15 years, that turns away from Allah, that is not backed by some confederation of like minded individuals, that is not celebrated by other Islamists, that is ALONE.
You can't.

when you can, you can also legitimately equate him and the Norweigan terrorist.

 

[ironsides]

QUOTE]

You have never learned to separate truth from a source. I was only referencing the beginning of the BATH party, care to dispute it? During WW-II the Arabs didn't care who gave them arms, and Germany was only to happy to accommodate them. Only truths.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Why? Because Netanyahu is an insane extremist right-wing whacko.

Here's the article.

These predictions have been going on for years, they don't come to pass and then they reinvent them selves months/years later. The Leafs have a better chance at winning the up then these predictions coming true.

 

[Goober]

The first link isn't even a Jewish site. Its a Zionist extremist site full of hate filled ideologies similar to those embraced by that nutjob in Norway who murder dozens of children recently.

Your second link is a reference to a Palestinian cleric who tried to get arms from the Nazis during WW II. If you belief this reference proves all Palestinians are Nazis, then the actions of the Norwegian nutjob last week must also prove all right wing Christians are really baby killer wannabes.

You come on this forum, on this topic in particular, Mid East History and had no idea of the Mufti of Jerusalem - Riots in 29 and 36 - His collaboration with Hitler - raising decisions for the Russian front - running Concentration Camps.

PS I gave you links - but then again preaching to the mentally skewed is quite difficult.

You have no cred when it comes to this area -

 

[earth_as_one]

QUOTE]

You have never learned to separate truth from a source. I was only referencing the beginning of the BATH party, care to dispute it? During WW-II the Arabs didn't care who gave them arms, and Germany was only to happy to accommodate them. Only truths.

Which hardly makes Palestinians Nazis or Fascists.

If referencing a single Palestinian who was anti-Semitic and worked with the Nazis proves all Palestinians are Nazi Fascists and that they are responsible for the Holocaust rather than Europeans then referencing a single white person who was a nut case also proves all white people are nut cases.

Colpy, the nutcase who killed all those people in Oslo recently describes himself as Christian. Do you really know how devout Muslim nutcases are before you blame all Muslims for their actions? Does the fact that nearly all Muslims have never committed a terrorist act or violent crime make a difference to your perceptions that all Muslims are terrorists? I think its more likely that your perceptions have been influenced by manipulative Muslim demonizing propaganda. The reality is that most Muslims, like most Jews and Christians do not support acts of violence directed at innocent civilians.

You come on this forum, on this topic in particular, Mid East History and had no idea of the Mufti of Jerusalem - Riots in 29 and 36 - His collaboration with Hitler - raising decisions for the Russian front - running Concentration Camps.

PS I gave you links - but then again preaching to the mentally skewed is quite difficult.

You have no cred when it comes to this area -

Which Nazi Concentration camps were run by Palestinians? I thought German Nazis were involved in the Holocaust. It now appears that all blame and responsibility for the atrocities suffered by European Jews under the Nazis has now been shifted to Palestinians because a single Palestinian went to Nazi Germany looking for arms. I guess the Nuremberg trials prosecuted the wrong people. According to the latest pro-Israel propaganda, no Germans were involved in the Holocaust. It was only Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs who ran the Nazi death camps according to latest BS from revisionist Israeli apologists.

 

[Colpy]

Which hardly makes Palestinians Nazis or Fascists.

If referencing a single Palestinian who was anti-Semitic and worked with the Nazis proves all Palestinians are Nazi Fascists and that they are responsible for the Holocaust rather than Europeans then referencing a single white person who was a nut case also proves all white people are nut cases.

Colpy, the nutcase who killed all those people in Oslo recently describes himself as Christian. Do you really know how devout Muslim nutcases are before you blame all Muslims for their actions? Does the fact that nearly all Muslims have never committed a terrorist act or violent crime make a difference to your perceptions that all Muslims are terrorists? I think its more likely that your perceptions have been influenced by manipulative Muslim demonizing propaganda. The reality is that most Muslims, like most Jews and Christians do not support acts of violence directed at innocent civilians.



Which Nazi Concentration camps were run by Palestinians? I thought German Nazis were involved in the Holocaust. It now appears that all blame and responsibility for the atrocities suffered by European Jews under the Nazis has now been shifted to Palestinians because a single Palestinian went to Nazi Germany looking for arms. I guess the Nuremberg trials prosecuted the wrong people. According to the latest pro-Israel propaganda, no Germans were involved in the Holocaust. It was only Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs who ran the Nazi death camps according to latest BS from revisionist Israeli apologists.

More bull****.

A recent poll showed 73% of Palestinians approve of the idea of genocide against the Jews.............as expressed in the Hadith.

Most Palestians support killing Jews, reject 2-state solution - poll | WonderCafe

And you promote the idiotic idea of a one state solution.

Yes, Islam is as genocidal as Nazism.

The nutcase in Norway, as I quoted in the appropriate thread, denied his own Christianity in his looney manifesto.........in black and white. The "fundamentalist Christian" smear is a complete invention of your scum-buddies....check it out.

 

[AbtFet]

What, you mean the Gazans???

The people with a longer life expectancy than most of the surrounding Arab countries??

The people with a higher obesity rate than Canada???

The horror!!!! lol

Oh....as for Israel attacking Iran, I honestly hope not, as that would give that bunch of Islamist loonies an excuse to massacre the already tortured liberation movement in that country....

But you couldn't blame the Israelis. Iran is developing nukes, and has threatened to obliterate Israel.....that besides the fact Iran supports and arms both Hamas and Hezbollah...........entities that are intent on total Jew murder......

Self-defense is an acceptable reason for military action, even pre-emptive self-defense.

"....Palestinians....face hardship (in) their (daily) lives; they are prevented from doing what makes up the daily fabric of most people's existence. (They) face a deep human crisis, where millions of people are denied their human dignity. Not once in a while, but every day (and the people of Gaza are) trapped (and) sealed off." The "humanitarian cost (is) enormous," people can barely survive, "families unable to get enough food increased by 14%, (and) Palestinians (are) being trampled underfoot day after day. (In) Gaza (under siege, Palestinians) continue to pay for conflict and economic containment with their health and livelihoods. Cutting power and fuel further compounds their hardship." - International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) November 2007



The UN, Human Rights Watch and many other international bodies and NGOs consider Israel to be the occupying power of the Gaza Strip as Israel controls Gaza's airspace and territorial waters, and does not allow the movement of goods in or out of Gaza by air or sea.[16][17][18] Israel states that Gaza is no longer occupied, inasmuch as Israel does not exercise effective control or authority over any land or institutions in the Gaza Strip.[19][20] Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni stated in January, 2008: “Israel got out of Gaza. It dismantled its settlements there. No Israeli soldiers were left there after the disengagement.”[21]
After Israel withdrew in 2005, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas stated, "the legal status of the areas slated for evacuation has not changed."[19] Palestinian American attorney Gregory Khalil said “Israel still controls every person, every good, literally every drop of water to enter or leave the Gaza Strip. Its troops may not be there... but it still restricts the ability for the Palestinian authority to exercise control.”[22]


A study carried out by Johns Hopkins University (U.S.) and Al-Quds University (in Abu Dis) for CARE International in late 2002 revealed very high levels of dietary deficiency among the Palestinian population. The study found that 17.5% of children aged 6–59 months suffered from chronic malnutrition.

53% of women of reproductive age and 44% of children were found to be anemic.



THE FACTS:
**Over half of Palestinians live in Poverty: 45.7% in the West Bank and 79.4% in Gaza (1).
**With the suspension of aid to Palestine in 2006 the number of people in deep poverty, (defined as those
living on less than 50 cents a day) nearly doubled to over 1 million (2).
**Palestine’s GDP has fallen 2.1% in Q1 of 2008 in comparison to Q4 of 2007, leading to estimates that GDP
in 2008 will comprise 70% of that in 1999. Per capita GDP is expected to fall in 2008 by 7.4% (3).
**Unemployment, under the ILO definition, has increased in Q1 of 2008 from 22.6% - 25.8% in Palestine
as a whole. In the West Bank unemployment actually lowered (19%-16.3%), while in the Gaza Strip it has
heightened considerably under the Israeli seige (29.8%-45.5) (4).
**Labor force participation as a whole in Palestine is 40.6% (5)

Food Security
A recent World Food Program Survey reported rising food insecurity amongst Palestinians, finding that
between 2006-2007, 75% reduced the quantity of food purchased and 89% reduced the quality (6).

Food insecurity has been further exacerbated by rising prices due to adverse environmental conditions,
including prolonged frost, drought and dry winds. The continuing price rises in 2008 have caused average
food prices to reach levels 20% and 23% higher thank in 2007 in the West Bank and Gaza respectively (7).
The majority of Gazans are now unable to afford basic food and over 80% of families in Gaza currently
rely upon humanitarian aid to survive. In less than 10 years the number of families depending on United
Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) food aid has increased ten fold (8).

Gaza Strip - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://palestinemonitor.org/spip/IMG/pdf/factbook_Final_online-2.pdf

Chronic malnutrition in Gaza blamed on Israel - Middle East, World - The Independent
Cases of child malnutrition double in Gaza because of blockade
Imposing malnutrition on Gaza | The Electronic Intifada
WHO: Medical Supplies Blocked From Entering Gaza | News | English


Chronic malnutrition is on the rise in Gaza and you want to tell me it's obesity? It's not even fathomable, I have to seriously question your intellect or maybe you just simply don't care. Israelis are the chosen people, superior to the Palestinians and should oppress them as slaves, maybe that's your true genuine belief.