2.2 Million Starving Gazans: What Price Victory Israel?

According to a recent United Nations report, 2.2 million people are facing starvation conditions in Northern Gaza along with a lack of drinking water. Approximately half or 1.1 million are facing "catastrophic" famine sometime between mid-March and May of this year.  

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (ICP), a multi-partner initiative involving governments, NGOs, the United Nations, and others, stated that "acute hunger and malnutrition has far exceed  the threshold for famine". In addition, the ICP said this represents the "highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded". 

The ICP goes on to warn that people have already resorted to eating grass, animal feed, and drinking dirty water to survive. Pregnant women (or "birthing people" as they are known in "woken parts of the " United States), unable to produce enough milk, are begging government officials for baby formula and any other assistance.

Nevertheless, there are hundreds of tons of food, water, medicine, and other aid lined up on the Israeli-Gaza border waiting to cross over. Ships and cargo planes arriving almost daily bringing relief but little to none are reaching those who need it the most---the people of Gaza.

Some UN officials are blaming the Israeli Government of deliberately holding back the aid in an attempting to starve out the Gazans, and that opinion is spreading among other relief agencies such as the World Relief Programme's Executive Director, Cindy McCain, who said "the people of Gaza are starving to death right now. The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying".   

The European Union's top diplomat, Josef Borrell of Spain, has accused Israel of using starvation as a "weapon of war" by preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, which Israeli officials have strongly denied.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press conference that Israel does not intend to promote an artificial famine,  but to allow as much humanitarian aid into Gaza "as necessary". He added that it was Israel's intentions to be the sole entry point of all aide going into Gaza. Israel, according to Netanyahu, would see to it that Gaza got a much aide as it required.

Netanyahu's statements have been vigorously disputed by aide workers from various global agencies and even some government officials from neighboring countries. They report that Israel's "Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories" (COGAT) has been the principal barrier preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the starving 2.2 million people in Gaza. The role of COGAT is monitor access to Gaza .

COGAT has been accused of issuing confusing and contradictory  instructions in which to intentionally delay or prevent food, medicine, fresh water, and other essentials from crossing into Gaza.  So, with an apparent standstill, where does that leave the people of Gaza?

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to annihilate the leadership of Hamas following its attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. 1139 mostly civilians were raped, beaten, tortured, and  finally murdered, including small children. Another 240 were taken prisoner.  

The early morning attack, which caught the vaulted Israeli intelligence forces and military totally off guard reminiscent of the 1973 Yom Kipper War. Hamas, along with soldiers from 9 other Palestinian paramilitary groups, the coordinated use of paragliders, scuba divers, small attack boats, and a mechanized unit comprised of several white Toyota pickups full of troops or mounted machine guns, a few dozen Honda motorcycles seating two fighters, and most impressive of all, surveillance/attack drones.

The highly coordinated training for the attacked largely took place just barely a mile from the border and watchful eyes of Israel. The training, which in some instances took over year to complete (such as for the paragliders and drones) took place in 14 training centers scattered throughout Gaza. Some of the training included the most efficient way to seize a house, destroy an Israeli tank, breach Israeli border walls to how to move Israeli hostages quickly while getting the maximum propaganda coverage.

Andreas King, a Senior Lecturer of Security Studies at Kings College in London  gave one of the best descriptions of how Israeli intelligence monitoring was beaten.  According to King, "while there was centralized planning, execution was decentralized, with each squad operating as it saw fit". Secondly, there was no effort to hide anything. Everything was done out in the open to make it look as routine as possible.

Hamas is considered a terrorist organization backed, supplied, trained, and financed by the Iranian government. Iran and Israel have a long history of  mutual hatred. Iran has repeatedly promised to "wipe Israel off the map" including the use of nuclear weapons regardless of the consequences to the people of Iran or the region. Iran also backs other terrorist groups regardless of whether they are Shia or Sunni such as Hezbollah, ISIS, Al Qaeda, and Boku Harem.  

Hamas was first "elected" to government to a series of political campaigns and  open warfare between Hamas and Fatah over the control of Gaza, the West Bank, and Palestinian refugee camps.  Fatah which was previously known as the Palestinian National Liberation Movement. Fatah is a nationalist social democrat political party originally founded by individuals like Yasser Arafat and Khalil al-Wazir.

Hamas was originally known as Islamic Resistance Movement, a group of radical Sunni Islamists who follow an extremist form of political religious of the Koran similar to Iran. Historically it has had a close relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood, including the pro-Nazi Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Amin al-Husseini.  It emphasizes their version of Sharia law everywhere, anti-Zionism, pan-Islamic unity, and full rejection of non-Muslim influences.

Hamas has managed to "win" and keep control of the Gaza pretty much since 2007. Their control has been a combination of intimidation and placation. However, their goal has always been on the removal of Israel and restoration of a united Palestine under their Sharia law.

In their attacks on Israel, Hamas has routinely used private homes to store munitions and military supplies. They typically operate rockets and missiles from mosques, minarets,hospitals, businesses and schools against Israel and also where they store their supplies.

It's commonplace that the homes of innocent civilians are used to fire on advancing Israelis while the residents are forced to remain in place. Hamas is well aware of the propaganda value of a retaliatory strike by Israel against a school full of students or a mosque full of worshipers, or hospital full of patients. But nothing is mentioned about the military use of these sites which prompted the Israel's retaliatory strikes. 

They've also developed an extensive and highly sophisticated network of tunnels extending well into Israel and Egypt which put the tunnels built by the Viet Cong or the Sinaloa drug cartel to shame. They use these tunnels to move terrorist cells, train, organize and plan. They even had munitions factories, repair shops, and well equipped Hamas only hospitals. Most importantly, smuggling of everything from advanced weapons to food, clothing, and medicine. Smuggling?  

Yes. The majority of what they smuggle is used for Hamas purposes. Most is sold or traded on the black market, while hospitals and the public receive whatever is parceled out to appease the populace. In addition, Hamas takes in millions of aid  which follows a similar path. The smuggling generates between $12 and $15 million a month.

As a result, while the people of Gaza starve, Hamas spends at least $100 million annually on its military infrastructure.  Meanwhile, Hamas receives as much as $360 million dollars from oil rich Qatar as well as  millions more from other Arab countries like NATO/EU member, Turkey, and wealthy Arab families.

As an aside, despite the abject poverty of Gaza, the senior most Hamas leadership are all billionaires thanks to grafted "donations". For instance, its top three leaders are worth a purportedly $11 billion dollars which goes to support their luxury lifestyles in Qatar and elsewhere. 

 The United Nations spends over $600 million to fund and run schools and operate hospitals (much of that money comes indirectly from U.S. taxpayers). This means all of the needs of Hamas are provided from outside, leaving it with millions on it military while its people starve.

Israeli intelligence, including the famous Mossad and Shin Bet failed magnificently on October 7th, and to an extent, so did the numerous U.S. intelligence agencies like the NSA, CIA, and DIA. They never saw what was coming, which is likely how future operations such as this will play out.

Netanyahu is furious, and rightly so. He knows all too well that lesser failures like this have brought down Israeli governments.  He knows too that these kind of failures expose weaknesses in Israel's defenses. Yes, the Israeli military---the IDF---performed with brilliance in its recovering and counterpunch.

There's little doubt that COGAT is intentionally delaying the release of humanitarian aid to Gaza at the direction of  Prime Minister Netanyahu.  He knows better than most, including  some bureaucrat in the United Nations or in some ivory tower NGO, that little of those supplies will actually reach the average citizen in Gaza. The majority of those supplies will be diverted (likely at gun point) to Hamas.

 Just a few weeks ago video footage was secretly shot of bread being selectively passed out to Gazans to keep them from rioting. At the same time, Hamas soldiers were firing their guns into the crowd to keep them back and in abeyance. Obviously, Hamas, which brought the war to Gaza, can't  now lose control over the people. The aid lined up on Israeli check points stand an excellent chance of being sold on the black market by Hamas, and you can be sure than none of Hamas' leadership have lost any weight.

Netanyahu has vowed to destroy  Hamas at any cost. In that, he has been largely successful. As many as 10,000 Hamas and associated fighters have been killed with over four thousands taken prisoner. Several of Hamas' top leaders have been killed, however, their senior most likely left the area before the October 7th attack for someplace safe and relaxing (applying a lesson from ISIS and Al Qaeda).

However, Netanyahu has to be very careful about winning the battle and losing the war. A large number of countries, financial institutions, and powerful NGOs have openly accused Israel of genocide (and withholding aid would seem to support that). Even in the United States and Germany, two of Israel's strongest allies, public opinion shows 65% blame Hamas while a large minority---35%---blame Israel.

 But let us remember that it was Hamas---not Israel---which started this war knowing full well the hellfire which would rain down on the people of Gaza, and chose to do it anyway.  Let us also not forget that Hamas regularly launches tens of thousands of rockets and missiles against Israel on a monthly basis, although that's of cold comfort to the starving 2.2 million men, women and children Hamas has bequeath to the world. 

Israel must reach as a realistic deal for a single Palestinian state. That's at the heart of Israel's national security and would deprive its enemies of their key weapon. Perhaps a good start would be for Israeli troops to accompany a relief convoy into Gaza and pass out the aid themselves, thus ensuring the food, water, and medical supplies  goes where need and denying Hamas both a propaganda and humanitarian victory. Nevertheless, Hamas has to go. It must be replaced by a government which sincerely cares for the wellbeing of Gaza and truly wants peace. Until then, this level of carnage will only continue. 

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Integrated  Food Security Phase Classification

Hama's Main Source of Funding Might Surprise You

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Whichcountries have criticized Israeli attacks on Gaza

How HamasAttacked Unfolded----In Videos

Hamas leaders worth staggering 11B revel in luxury---while Gaza's people suffer

Israel vs. Gaza: Where Do You Stand?

You know, I am seriously having trouble wrapping my head around all the anti-Israeli sentiment I'm seeing and hearing through the corporate media, and even to some extent in the blogosphere. I know I shouldn't expect much; certainly nothing approaching a pro-Israel message, but some...hell... most of these articles and TV programs are downright hostile to Israel. They claim that somehow the mess in Gaza is all Israel's fault. There was a time, not all that long ago really, where we stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel. What happened? Why have we turned against our best and most trusted ally--the only democratic nation in the Middle East? I think I know the answer and I would like to share my thoughts with you.

As I'm sure most of you know (or should know), the State of Israel was born out of the holocaust and horrors of World War II. I guess in a way, one could thank Hitler and the Nazis for acting as the mid-wife to the birth of Israel. Europe itself had for centuries a love/hate relationship with the Jews---they loved to hate them--unless, of course, the Jews were of some immediate use. In the years leading up to the election of Hitler to Chancellor in 1933, the anti-Semitic rhetoric was rampant, and not just in Germany, but throughout all of Europe. So, when the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP or "Nazi" for short) began their rise to power, no one was particularly bothered by the anti-Jewish speeches. In fact (and in retrospect, a little hard to believe), but the Nazis weren't even the most virulent of the anti-Jewish parties either in or out of Germany!

Nevertheless, the Nazis were elected to power and proved true to their word and murdered some 6 million Jews plus millions of Gypsies, gays, pacifists, and of course, political opponents (as an aside, in terms of population percentages, Gypsies lost a higher percentage of their population than any other group, including the Jews). Even after war, the Jews were still treated almost callously by the allied powers. However, thanks to the Belfour Declaration and the passing of the UN's Resolution 181, the British, who controlled Palestine and large areas throughout the Levant including Egypt, turned over territory for the creation of a state for the Jews---Israel. After decades of political backsliding, not to mention some not so subtle raids by Arabs on Jewish farming settlements, Israel came into being on May 14, 1948. Almost immediately, Israel was invaded by five Arab powers plus contingents from over a dozen other Moslem nations. Israel, using mostly surplus German weapons (oh the irony) bought on the black market, defeated the Arab coalition. These same Arab nations repeatedly attacked Israel---1956, 1967, 1973, and on into today. In addition there have been numerous terrorists groups like PLO and Black September, that hijacked planes, attacked the Munich Olympics, and murdered hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Each time, Israel acquired large amounts of Arab territory. Each time, Israel was willing to return it in exchange for peace. However, it seems that peace only begets time to prepare for more war.

Throughout almost all of this, America had Israel's back. Some would cite the so-called "Jewish Lobby" in Washington. To be sure, that may be true; they are perhaps the second most powerful political lobby behind the NRA, but who can blame them? They're interest is the continuing support of Israel, a tiny nation of around 6 million, surrounding the tens of millions of Arabs whose sole agenda is to drive the Israelis into the Mediterranean Sea to drown. Historically, the Arabs have been armed and supplied by the Soviets, Chinese, and North Koreans. Israel has had some support from a few other nations, and lukewarm backing from Europe, but their key supporter--the one they literally couldn't survive without---the United States. But, now something has happened, and it seems at least to me to go beyond the mere question of US support for Israel.

In recent years, America has lost its way. We are no longer the democratic republic with its Constitution our forefathers had bequeath to us. We have lost that America. Today, we are an oligarchy. Officially. The government (notice I didn't say "our") represents the top 1%; the global corporate interests. We are on the fast slippery track toward fascism and a police state. Somewhere along that slippery slope to serfdom, we simply stopped caring. We stopped caring about our allies, and we stopped caring about ourselves as a nation. That's not to say we don't feel apathy. We do. We're still the most giving nation ever. But we stopped caring about our freedoms. We stopped caring about what kind of government we had. We stopped caring about the character of those we elected to office. maybe we got preoccupied with so-called "reality" shows, video games and other distractions. It didn't matter we told ourselves, after all, "they're all corrupt". And now, it really doesn't matter. Government moved from petty larceny to the arrogance of a plutocracy. We now have the political class we were warned about which is all but isolated from the People thanks, in part, to gerrymandering, a rigged election process, and the Supreme Court errors of McCutcheons and Citizens United.

Through all this, we've also come to blame the victim. We are more concerned about what happens to the individuals who commits the crimes than to the victims or their families. We want to vilify those who take a stand or fight back. We've come to embrace Hollywood's "values" that has "wussyfied" the US male while celebrating the limousine liberal who doesn't have to live with the reality they espouse. We shout down those who disagree with us rather than to listen with an open mind. We demonize all those who don't share our opinion. People who raise questions are labeled "racist" or "haters". And this same sort of distorted rationality is being applied to Israel's actions in Gaza.

It was Hamas, a bona fide terrorist organization, which is part of Gaza's Unity Government, whose Preamble calls for the destruction of Israel, who instigated this. They were the ones who first (and indiscriminately) began shelling Israel. They were the ones who dug tunnels into Israel in order to murdered or kidnap Israelis. They were the ones who routinely attacked, stabbed, or threw rocks at innocent passersbyers. And they did this year after year. Israel pleaded with the Unity Government to stop. They pleaded with the UN. They asked the international community to intervene. But no one responded. Even President Obama turned his back on Israel's pleas. In fact, Obama has shown himself to be weak in the face of Islam, including groups like Hamas. He has allowed them, especially the most extreme, to believe they can act with impunity. As a result, churches throughout the region are decimated. Historical artifacts are destroyed. Christians are attacked or murdered--mostly beheaded---while children are ripped from their parent's arms and forcibly made to convert, and then sold into slavery or married off as young as 9 years old. Residents are burned out of their homes and communities. Even now, Christians and other non-Moslems in some areas have been ordered to covert immediately and pay a special tax or die. Even moderate Moslems aren't immune. They are often beaten or even crucified--yes, nailed to cross or other structure. Hindus and Buddhists have faced the very same terrors. So has the Taoists. So has the Shamanists. We mistakenly think that we are somehow safe. Israel, however, can not afford that kind of illusion.

So, Israel did what it had to do. It fought back as a last resort. But, it did so in way which I believe is unique in the annals of war. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) called every person in the Gaza phone directory and warned them to leave days before. They sent notices to every resident of Gaza; it allowed them time to buy food, medicines, to store water, and seek shelter; they sent commando units into Gaza and posted warning notices. When Israel attacked, they again alerted the residents. They sent over phosphorous warning shots and waited before actually shelling a building. Did the Germans warn the Poles or French first? Did the Russians warn the Latvians or Germans or for that matter, anyone in Eastern Europe first? Did North Korea warn South Korea? Did the US warn the Vietnamese?

Israel, the victim, has shown an amazing commitment to humanity in fighting an enemy who has repeatedly refused to stop sending missiles over; who has repeatedly refused a cease fire; and who has continually used schools, hospitals, Mosques, and ordinary homes as launching sites for it missiles knowing full well that Israel will hit back. Whenever residents sought to leave, they are forced back in at gunpoint by Hamas. They have chosen to hide behind their own people; to make them victims too in order to use their dead bodies as a gruesome propaganda tool; a tool the weak minded have chosen to embrace...both in the Middle East and in the West. Again, as in America, the victim has been condemned as the guilty while the criminal has been allowed to escaped punishment. So much for our new inverted idea of justice.

Yes, innocent people have been wounded and some have died. That is the nature of war. It's not a pillow fight. But it's even worse when your own side has already declared you a victim for its own propaganda purposes. You just haven't been told were to lay down at yet. To end the deaths and the conflict, the people of Gaza need to stop Hamas. It cannot operate without their support, either openly or by their silence. America too is no longer the country we once knew and cherished. The light of freedom has grown dim as "We the People" have chosen to do nothing.

Your silence, like in Gaza, is your consent. Israel knows that most of the American People still have their back, even if the government in Washington doesn't. America has always been willing to stand up and fight for what's right...until recently that is. Evil, in whatever its forms or wherever it lives, must be confronted. It must be fought with whatever weapons we have at our disposal. It cannot be ignored. It cannot be reasoned with. It cannot be negotiated with. So I again ask you, what are you prepared to do?



List of Wars Involving Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel

ISIS Detroys Jonah's Tomb
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/25/isis-jonah-tomb_n_5620520.html

Heads on sticks: ISIS video shows 50 beheaded Syrian soldiers
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2707322/Heads-sticks-Sick-ISIS-video-emerges-showing-50-beheaded-Syrian-soldiers-impaled-poles-held-aloft-Raqqa-city.html

After 2000 Years Last Christian Is Forced To Leave Mosul
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/20/After-2-000-Years-the-Last-Christian-is-Forced-to-Leave-Mosul

Hank Got Yanked!

Are you ready for some football? Well, I am and so is just about every red-blooded American, but what we got last week was some petty tit-for-tat petty politics. Country-Western performer Hank Williams Jr. had the audacity to utter an unflattering personal opinion about "the Messiah". No, I'm not talking about Buddha, Jesus, or even Mohammad. I'm talking about Barrack Obama of course (well, isn’t that what he’s called?).

It seems that ole Hank doesn't like Obama's economic policies (referring to America as the “United Socialist States of America”), particularly in this case, his policy towards Israel. Williams commented on the Fox show Fox and Friends that he thought Obama playing golf with Israel's PM, Benjamin Netanyahu was the moral equivalent to Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu. The result was ESPN pulling Hank's signature theme "Are You Ready for Some Football" from its Monday Night Football game.

Now, I'm not going to get into whether Hank should have kept his mouth shut or not or if ESPN overreacted. Hank had a first amendment right to speak his mind, and ESPN had a right to speak theirs by yanking Hank’s song. But it's no secret that Obama has adopted a highly supportive Arabic/Moslem attitude, beginning with his presidential apology tour at the start of his term. Indeed, Obama has been doing some serious arm twisting on one of our best allies and the only democracy in the region. Perhaps if some other Israeli was prime minister, Israel may have cried "onkel" by now, but "Bibi" as he is known is no ordinary Israeli, or politician for that matter.

A conservative "take no prisoners" politician, Benjamin Netanyahu has proved to be one of the strongest leaders in the region, adding a strength of character that is badly needed in a hostile and unstable region. So, just who is this guy at the heart of the controversy?

Benjamin Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv in 1949, the year after Israel’s creation. He attended high school in Philadelphia before returning to Israel. He served in the Sayeret Matka unit (reconnaissance and intelligence) of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). He served in War of Yom Kippur (both on the Suez and the Golan Heights) and took an active part in several hostage rescue missions, reaching the rank of Captain. Obviously, not faint of heart.

After his military service, he returned to the US to attend MIT and obtained a BA degree in architecture and later, obtained a MA degree from MIT’s Sloan School of Management as well as studied political science at Harvard University. Imagine a politician who is also a “thinker”!

He’s served on several peace delegations; UN Ambassador to Israel; and twice as Prime Minister, and these are just the high lights! Netanyahu is a member of the center right Likud political party (think moderate Republican). Like all of the Israel’s previous prime ministers, Netanyahu is committed friend of America.

On the other side of the coin, we have Barak Obama who has been “wishy washy” toward Israel at best while promoting a less the subtle pro-Arab foreign policy. He has more than once been critical of Israel’s need to security. Friendship is a two way street. Israel is not just our sole democratic friend in the region; it is the sole democratic country in the region! It provides critical stability in a part of the world where we and the West depend for our economic life blood --- oil. It is a valuable trade partner, especially in the areas of medical equipment and computer technology. Militarily, Israel provides not just a strategic base, but is the key partner in our intelligence gathering network (they had even warned the CIA of the 9/11 attacks several days before the event).

So, where does this leave us? Well, Hank got his signature song yanked from ESPN, but it is too imbedded in the American psyche to matter. ESPN is airing the National Anthem until they can find something to summon the America’s testosterone pool to the TV at 8:00 Mondays. In the end, Hank has a new song about the ballyhoo where he takes a well-earned swing at both sides entitled “I’ll keep my …”, so he’ll make out alright. Benjamin Netanyahu’s popularity has increased both here and at home. And Obama’s foreign policy looks like so much kiddie doodle. Meanwhile, me and my rowdy friends just wanna watch some football.


Suggested Reading:


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/10/us-hankwilliams-idUSTRE7954ZM20111010

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/defiant-hank-williams-jr-cuts-new-song-20111010