Friday, January 23, 2009

Blame the victim

Now that most of the brave Israeli soldiers are back home, enjoying a well earned rest, the world can finally see the fruits of their endeavours. Much of Gaza is an apocalyptic, pulverised hell, from which dead bodies are still being dragged. Most Israelis, we are told, are indifferent to the photos of carnage, destruction and suffering coming out of Gaza.

So, it seems, are the European leaders - Brown, Sarkozy, Burlesquoni (oops, Berlusconi) and Merkel - who have rushed to the region to offer their unqualified support to Israel, with not a word of condemnation for the murder and mayhem unleashed upon a defenceless population by that rogue state.

I turn to an Israeli commentator, Gideon Levy, to state the obvious. "......Israel is a violent and dangerous country, devoid of all restraints and blatantly ignoring the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, while not giving a hoot about international law." Unfortunately, while world leaders are unwilling to demand that Israel adopts the same moral code as the rest of the civilized world, Palestinian suffering and dispossession will continue and the region will know no peace.

For an excellent analysis read Jeremy Salt's piece, "Sacrosanct State and Complacent West" in the Palestine Chronicle. See Useful Links at right.

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