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E-mailIsrael's attack on humanitarian activists aboard a flotilla of ships heading to relieve the torment of the people of Gaza has shocked the world. Israeli commandos boarded the ships in international waters, and were, naturally, resisted. Nine people have been killed and a further 330 injured. Among the 600 activists have been several Irish citizens, all of whom have been roughed up during events.
Gaza has been under Israel's control since 1967 in defiance of UN Resolution 242 and in January of last year was subjected to a sustained bombardment by Israel which resulted in almost 1,500 civilians being killed. Events accelerated after a blockade was imposed following the victory of Hamas in elections in 2006. Voting is all very well, but not if you give the 'wrong' answer apparently. Israel prohibits many foodstuffs from entering Gaza and severely curtails the fuel and power needs of the region.
The result has been the slow strangulation of a people. This is an atrocity that is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza. Amnesty International commented: "Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages left four out of five Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid", and criticised Israel's blockade as "a form of collective punishment, a flagrant violation of international law".
Various organisations, including the Irish Antiwar Movement, have long been calling for a boycott of Israeli goods. We call for the removal of Israel's position as a favoured trading partner with the EU along with expelling the Israeli ambassador which Sweden has already done. The kind of actions that helped to bring about the end of Apartheid, like the strike by the Dunnes Stores workers in the 1980s have now to be employed to bring the rogue state Israel to its senses, and lead to justice for the Palestinians and the beleaguered population of Gaza.
Kieran McNulty,
Tralee Antiwar Group,
Lios Rua, Cahermoneen,
Tralee, Co Kerry
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Strong action needed to bring our own so called leaders to their senses might convince me that you are living in Ireland.
The Arab middle-east is a powder keg with corrupt and indolent rulers, a stagnant and close-ended culture with seething masses held in check with an iron fist. When the right trigger is pulled the map of the middle-east will be redrawn and you worry about a flotilla of messers too afraid to try and fix the corruption in their own county.
Cowen and Lenihan must be loving this distraction, roll on the summer holliers. Believe me shortly you will have enough humanitarian problems in your own little country to keep you occupied. Fix your own little country first then fantasize about the 'fixing' the Arab, Jewish Israeli problem.