Gaza and Lebanon
The onslaught on the West Bank and Gaza, code-named Operation ‘Summer Rain’, began on the 25th of June, as an operation to free a single Israeli soldier and has, to date, killed more than 90 Palestinians, mostly children and women. The Israeli army destroyed most of the infra-structure in the Gaza, bombing power stations, roads, dams, farms and sewage systems. The situation today includes conditions where there is no food, no power, no drinking water and the spread of sicknesses associated with inhumane living conditions.

In Lebanon, Operation ‘Just Reward’ began, on the 12th of July, with the aim of freeing two captured Israeli soldiers. In a period of seven days more than 295 people have been killed (of which only 26 were not civilians) through wave after wave of deadly air raids. Most of those killed were civilians. Israel has destroyed vital sectors of the infrastructure including roads, power stations, airports, city buildings and have made major strikes on residential areas. Thousands are fleeing Lebanon, food shortages are reported, medical supplies are dwindling, more than 500 000 people have already been displaced and people are holed up in their homes or bomb-shelters. Israel’s Army has now set in motion a ‘limited’ ground invasion.

In the wake of the senseless murder and indiscriminate killings perpetrated by Israel, the lack of objectiveness by the media and the absence of an open condemnation by the leaders of the ‘civilised’ world is a matter of grave concern. The irresolute and hesitant statements at the G8 coupled with indecisive measures leads one to question the integrity of the ‘leadership’ and their objectiveness, when dealing with Israel.

The inconsistencies between Israel’s public tale and its true intents and goals cannot be more conspicuous than in the current situation. The frightening thing about Israel’s actions are not the actual completion of it’s tasks but the impunity with which it does what it pleases, it’s sheer indifference to the opinion of the world, and it’s total lack of concern that the people of the world are aware of what is happening.

The media continues to refer to the Israeli incursions as a ‘response’ to the ‘kidnapping’ of Israeli soldiers. Israeli justifications and contexts are stated in an attempt to brainwash the populations of the world into accepting that Israel “has a right to ‘defend’ itself”; that its operation is not ‘intended to harm’ the civilian population, but to root out the so-called terrorist elements (Hizbullah); and that Israel had repeatedly ‘called upon Lebanon to disarm’ Hizbullah.

If this was true, then why did they bomb the airport, fuel depots, roads and why are so many civilian deaths recorded. If it was indeed true, then why attack the Lebanese army. Lebanon has repeatedly called for an immediate cease-fire, but world powers say that any solution to the crisis must begin
with the release of the two soldiers, even though Lebanon do not hold these soldiers.

The truth is that this entire chain of events is a façade, an act, a performance of sorts designed to create ‘a window of opportunity’ that permits Israel to commit its dastardly deeds, aimed at establishing itself as supreme and unchallenged in the Middle East. It is designed to allow Israel to gain control and suppress those that exit around them. It is intended to provide an environment where Israel can push forward it’s covert plans without the focus of the world falling on them. It could very well be that it is “creating the perfect cover up for its army bulldozers to partition the rest of the West Bank and Jerusalem in accordance with the second phase of Olmert’s Disengagement Plan — a plan which intends to slice up the West Bank into various enclaves with no physical continuity, and place its population under
an effective, long-term, collective incarceration in Bantustan-like areas, to be allowed or denied movement at the behest of an Israeli solider. The plan is being actualized in record time, yet few seem to notice it. ”. (ArabNews – 19/07/2006)

It is of no surprise that the leaders of the world at the G8 Summit deemed it fit to issue a non-committal statement which provided a couched sanction to Israel. The support of Israel by the G8 attendees is, in effect, a sponsorship of terrorism and genocide, by the very people who claim to be championing the cause against terrorism. Or maybe, the ‘war against terror’ does not include terror by states or terrorist states. To add insult to injury other uninvolved nations are implicated by suggesting that Hezbollah activities were being orchestrated by Damascus.

The United Nations together with many leaders call for restraint and advocate the introduction of a multi-national force. What was the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon – on the border between Israel and Lebanon) able to achieve, except selectively monitor the on-goings on the Israel Lebanon border? Would a multi national force be given the mandate to create a no-fly zone over Lebanon, and dare say, would they be allowed to enforce it in any way. Or would this force serve to only further tie the hands of those being beaten while a bully continues to dish out pain and torment.

Masaajid Addresses Database on GPS