Is there really an Israeli "Blockade" of Gaza?
For years Arab propaganda has mislead many into believing that there is an Israel blockade of Gaza-- that Israel won't let in any food, fuel, etc.
But it seems that the writer of this article slipped up, and inadvertently admitted that Israel has been indeed allowing supplies into Gaza on a regular basis. ..
But then Arab "militants", truly worthy of the coveted Darwin Award, decided to attack that Israel crossing into Gaza-- and at least for the present disrupt what had been the ongoing Israeli supply line into Gaza) :
FILE - In this July 4, 2016 file photo, a truck loaded with aid supplies arrives through the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel to Rafah, Gaza Strip.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) May 13, 2018:
The Gaza Strip is rapidly running out of cooking gas and diesel fuel for hospital generators will only last another 7-10 days, officials said Sunday, after Palestinian protesters destroyed the fuel terminal at the territory's only cargo crossing.
Whoa-- wait a minute-- how could they be suddenly "running out of" these things-- if the so-called "Israeli Blockade" never allowed them in the first place? (Link)
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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) May 13, 2018:
The Gaza Strip is rapidly running out of cooking gas and diesel fuel for hospital generators will only last another 7-10 days, officials said Sunday, after Palestinian protesters destroyed the fuel terminal at the territory's only cargo crossing.
Whoa-- wait a minute-- how could they be suddenly "running out of" these things-- if the so-called "Israeli Blockade" never allowed them in the first place? (Link)
Certainly "food for thought", eh?
Cool. Let them enjoy the desserts of their violence.
They certainly seem to being doing their best to attempt to win the 2018 Darwin Awards!
About: The Darwin Awards
The Darwin Awards are a tongue-in-cheek honor. They recognize individuals who have supposedly contributed to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or sterilization by their own actions.
"In the spirit of Charles Darwin, the Darwin Awards commemorate individuals who protect our gene pool by making the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives. Darwin Award winners eliminate themselves in an extraordinarily idiotic manner, thereby improving our species' chances of long-term survival."
Astoundingly stupid judgment
The candidate's foolishness must be unique and sensational, likely because the award is intended to be funny. A number of foolish but common activities, such as smoking in bed, are excluded from consideration. In contrast, self-immolation caused by smoking after being administered a flammable ointment in a hospital and specifically told not to smoke is grounds for nomination
They have to create these shortages so there can be a 'Humanitarian' angle to blame on the Israelis.
It has never been a complete blockade of all goods, the blockade has been regulating what they can receive or sell internationally and have been refused many shipments intended for the Gaza strip based solely on political reasons. The Israel blockade claims it has to search all goods entering or leaving Gaza and taxes them in the name of security.
"A blockade refers to Israeli-imposed restrictions on movement that apply to Palestinian people and goods, often justified a ‘security’ pretext. There are three basic forms of blockade imposed by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) since 1967: internal, external and international."
"International blockade occurs when Israel closes the border between the West Bank and Jordan. Israel also prevents any ships from sailing into Gaza’s ports, and prevents any air travel to the OPT."
"So what is the blockade about? Chiefly, it’s about hampering the Hamas government by impeding Gaza’s economy. Israel has made a lot of noise this week about how much humanitarian aid is allowed to cross the border every week. True enough. But Israel’s government lets very little come out of Gaza via those crossings, making it next to impossible for most farmers and manufacturers to export their goods. According to Gisha , an Israeli rights group that gathers data on the blockade, about 90 percent of factories in Gaza are either closed or working at minimal capacity. If the goal of the blockade is to prevent arms from coming in, why block goods from going out? Those hurt most by the closing of this export artery are Gaza’s entrepreneurial—largely moderate—middle class, not the political leaders or the gunmen of Hamas.
The blockade had other goals as well. Israel hoped it would force the release of its captured soldier Gilad Shalit , whom Hamas has held since 2006, and stop the rocket attacks on Israeli territory. Indeed, rocket attacks are down, but largely as a result of Israel’s withering assault on the strip last year. Shalit remains a captive. And considering the fact that Hamas uses the blockade to generate income—by taxing goods Palestinians smuggle into Gaza through the tunnels—it’s clear the siege policy has been a failure for Israel."
I have heard many Internet users go on and on about how horrible and unfair the Israeli "blockade" is. But I've always been surious abput something-- why do those people never mention EWgypt?
The impression they give is that Gaza has a border with only one country-- Israel.
But these folks never mention that. The implication being-- this is all Israel's fault.
Did you know that Gaza has a border with Egypt? And in In terms of the amount and frequency of goods entering Gaza-- how would you compare the Egyptian blockade tot he Israeli one? (Or did you even know that there is an Egyptian blockade in place? And...why is Egypt blockading a fellow Arab country?)
Yes, I know they share a border, I can read a map. The Egyptian border differs from the Israeli borders primarily because they feared Iran was trying to establish a base of operations in Gaza through its proxy Hizbullah (Hezbollah).
"On 22 January 2008, Palestinians clashed with Egyptian police in front of the border, demanding that the Rafah crossing be opened. The clashes included live fire, and there were injuries on both sides. Fifty women managed to cross, and Egyptian police responded with a water cannon assault. Additional Egyptian security forces arrived, and managed to restore calm and prevent Palestinians from crossing.
The breach of the Gaza-Egypt border began on 23 January 2008, after gunmen in the Gaza Strip set off an explosion near the Rafah Border Crossing , destroying part of the former Israeli Gaza Strip barrier . The United Nations estimated that as many as half of the population of the Gaza Strip crossed the border into Egypt seeking food and supplies. Israel said that militants had exploited the breach in the border wall to send armed men into the Sinai to infiltrate Israel across the Sinai-Israel border. Egyptian troops at first permitted crossing but did not allow Palestinians to travel further than El Arish . On 25 January, Egyptian forces blocked almost all illegal entry points to stem the flow of Gazans pouring in, and Egyptian riot police erected barbed wire and chain-link fences along the border. Palestinians used a bulldozer to knock down the fence and once again flooded in. Egyptian border police began stopping Palestinians from crossing and sealed the road from Rafah to El Arish. On 28 January, Egyptian security forces and Hamas militants strung barbed wire across one of the breaches, sealing it off. The Egyptians began repairing one of the two remaining breaches on 29 January, and closed the border with the Gaza Strip on 3 February 2008."
As for why they would block a "fellow Arab country", there are many different factions among the Arab nations and many Palestinians side with the religious extremist factions in Iran and Sudan versus the more secular Arabs in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. As Hosni Mubarak once said "They [Hezbollah and Iran] aspire to impose their influence on our Arab world by introducing hostile elements into the region, in efforts to threaten Egypt's national security,".
You must have searched for quite a while to find an article from an only MILDLY left wing source that is 8 years old in order to post one that bashes Israel for defending itself. How about the building materials meant for reconstruction of infrastructure being used for creating terror tunnels? How about the times Israel caught the importation of weapons red handed?
I'm not "bashing Israel" so you can just settle down there Buzz. I replied to a question about what the blockade is and it happens to be factual, I didn't add anything to it. If you don't like it take it up with Newsweek. You may want to believe you and the "chosen people" can do no wrong, but that isn't the case, they are just as fallible as any other government.
I'm curious-- why are you posting " alternative facts"? Are you deliberately trying to mislead people-- or are you merely totally unaware of the "true facts"? (I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not deliberately trying to mislead people here, but rather its just that you are ignorant of the true facts.
So-- here are the true facts:
1. Alternative Fact: "Schalit remains captive"
Actual true fact : Schalit was released ..and that was actually (i.e. a true fact, not one of your "alternative facts").... way back in 2011!!!
2 . Alternative Fact: "the fact that Hamas uses the blockade to generate income—by taxing goods Palestinians smuggle into Gaza through the tunnels".
True fact: Since barbaric Hamas terrorists from Gaza kept sneaking into Egypt and murdering innocent Egyptians...the Egyptians were not amused. So they flooded the tunnels and violent Gaza terrorists can no longer use them to infiltrate Egypt-- and of course can no longer use tunnels for smuggling.
2. Alternative Fact: "the fact that Hamas uses the blockade to generate income—by taxing goods Palestinians smuggle into Gaza through the tunnels".
True fact: Since barbaric Hamas terrorists from Gaza kept sneaking into Egypt and murdering innocent Egyptians...the Egyptians were not amused. So they flooded the tunnels and violent Gaza terrorists can no longer use them to infiltrate Egypt-- and of course can no longer use tunnels for smuggling.
Of course while Israel had been letting trucks with food and other supplies into Gaza on a daily basis, Egypt has imposed a total blockade-- nothing goes in or out. Yet, strangely, people often blame Israel for a "Blockade" of Gaza-- but seem to never mention the actual blockade-- by Egypt!
Why?
I never said YOU did, I said the article you posted did. Hopefully my comment didn't elicit any latent feelings to cause you to defend what did not need defending.
At least until the Gazans blew the crossing up causing millions of dollars worth of damages and cutting off the humanitarian supplies gravely needed by them. They win the "shooting oneself in the foot" prize of all time. Hey, there are NT members here who will join Hamas, the Palestinians and the UN in blaming Israel for that.
It differs in another way as well. Up until the recent Palestinian attack on the crossing, Israel shipped supplies into Gaza daily-- while Egypt kept the border mostly sealed.
Yup-- Jan. 2008:
Palestinians Topple Gaza Wall and Cross to Egypt
Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into northern Egypt on Wednesday after Hamas militants blew up parts of the fence dividing Egypt from the Gaza Strip , forcing an end to the closing of Gaza that had followed Hamas’s takeover of the territory last summer.
The Palestinian group Hamas destroyed a portion of the wall dividing Egypt and Gaza, which has been under a blockade. Credit Kevin Frayer/Associated Press
From the breach of the border wall before dawn until well into the evening, Palestinians crossed from Rafah in Gaza to Rafah in Egypt — the city has been divided by the border since 1982, when Egypt accepted the return of Sinai from Israel but declined to take back Gaza as well.
Ahlan Ashour, 38, came with his wife to visit the Egyptian family, the Barhoums, who had put them up for 24 days during an earlier period when the Rafah crossing was shut. Mr. Ashour’s wife, Mohsin Elloulu, said she was struck by how much poorer the Egyptians of Rafah are. “At least our streets are paved,” she said of Gaza .
“But materially, we’re so much more advanced in Gaza.” A driver here, she said, makes less than $1.50 a day, and in normal times in Gaza, $27.
Those "normal times" in Gaza were when many Gazans had good-paying jobs in Israel, before they did the unbelievably stupid thing of voting Hamas into control. Then as we all know Gaza started sending rockets and missiles into Israeli civilian areas and caused Israel to create the blockade, the blockade HAMAS CAUSED. Forrest Gump was brilliant in comparison.
"A blockade refers to Israeli-imposed restrictions on movement that apply to Palestinian people and goods,
We keep hearing aboutn the Israeli blockade. Recently I turned on MSNBC coverage, and they talked a bout an Israeli blockade of Gaza.
But Gaza borders two countries-- yet not once did they mention the Egyptian blockade. (If the Israeli blockade was airtight, and the Egyptian border was open-- the Israeli blockade woild have no effect! But why is the blockade not mentioned-- as if it didn't exist?
(BTW< the Egyptians have closed the Gaza border-- yet Israel lets truckloads in anto Gaza on a daily basis> Why the hypocricy?)
The Palestinians have shown a remarkable ability to be their own worst enemies.
The Palestinians have shown a remarkable ability to be their own worst enemies.
Indeed.
Many years ago Israel had an ambassador to the UN (Abba Eban) who was extremely brilliant. Among the other sayings he is known for is this one about The Palestinians (Geneva Peace Talks. way back in 1973):
They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity...
A friend, a Christian medical missionary and a MD, who is in Gaza reports there are great deprivations being suffered there...
While I will not argue the reasons such poor conditions are being suffered by Palestinians in Gaza there is no denying it is so.
While today's headlines screamed, "Massacre of Israelis", the death toll so far today includes 52 Palestinians and 0 Israelis...
It was worth it.
I agree-- there is no denyng that they are suffering. But they have caused it themselves.
And in fact-- its deliberate.!
Hard as it is for westerners to comprehend, most Gazans have fallen for the brain-washing by their barbaric (Hamas-- Gaza is rulesd by an actual terrorist group
. So yes, many actually believe it is glorious to "die for Allah" and actively seek death rather than trying to avoid it.
It's hard for westerners to comprehend because THEY TOO have fallen for the brain-washing by the barbaric Hamas.
True. But again-- it is difficult for most Americans to realize how the Arabs believe the brainwashing they get from their terrorist run government.
For example, when I was in Egypt I had some frank discussions with Egyptians from various walks of life. With some very rare exceptions, they were all 100% convinced that 911 couldn't have possibly been done by Muslims. They were certain it was done by others. (Opinions were divided as to whether Bush and his cronies were behind it-- or whether the perps were actually...yup...the Jews)> At first I thought they were putting me on, but i.t turned out they actually believed it!
Thy are immersed in this sort of propaganda from early on. ASnd yes-- many actually believe it is a wothwhile goal to die a violent death "for Allah".
A while back Hillary Clinton (someone who's certainly no "neo-con"!) investigated allegations of brain-washing of hildren, from an early age, in Palestinian text books. Here's what Hillary discovered:
How can such people be expected to make peace with Israel . . . regardless of any concessions some future Israeli government would make?
(Your thoughts re: what she said?)
Why should Hamas be concerned about where the US has its embassy in israel?
When I hear about countries-- or even terror groups like Hamas-- pontificate abut where other countries should have their Capital, I often wonder why?
How would the U.S. feel if surrounding countries and groups suddenly claimed that the U.S. Capital should not be in Washington-- but in another city. Canadians and Mexicans insist we move our capital! The Canadian Civil Servants Union-- or even a Mexican Drug Cartel-- insisted we move our Capital elsewhere. WFhy? Because they said so!
What if thery insisted we shouldn't have our capital in Washington-- but that it must be in Chicago? Or New York? Or-- Heaven Forbid-- in a small town in rural Mississippi? (Actually LA might be the worst...!!!)
Or maybe in West Virginia?
And-- worse yet-- what if the U.N. General Assembly voted that we should do it?
Actually, perhaps there's more reason for America's capital to be located in Philadelphia than for Israel's capital not to be located in Jerusalem.
"Should I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand wither and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." Psalm 136:5
Are you upset by the disparity in numbers?
LOL. No answer to that question, eh?
Some people actually believe that in any conflict, the side with the least casualties must be ...the bad guys.
So consider the number of civilian casualties suffered by Nazi Germany...and the nuber of civilian casualties suffered by the U.S. in WWII. The nuber of civilian casualties suffered by the U.S. was very small (because the war was fought mainly in Europe and Asia-- not in the U.S.). So by some of the prevailing "Logic"-- the U.S. must have been the "bad guys" in WWII>
OTOH, German civilians suffered many, many casualties. So, by the prevailing :logic" here-- the Germans must've been the "good guys"!
(P.S: And worse yet-- Germany was actually OCCUPIED after WWII-- and of course therefore they must have been innocent victims-- and that's yet another reason why the "Occupier"s (the Allied powers_ were the villains! (/sarc)
NO I think they should have learned by now what the score will be, they are out classed
HA......this could be applied to the Canadian Border with New York.....both inspect all vehicles to one degree or another and levy taxes on goods and services not covered by treaty.....it's not anything new.
Hey Gary, if your comment addresses what you quoted, that was posted by Dismayed Patriot, not by me.
OK-- so which side is more intelligent?
Not only are the Palestinians deliberately acting in a manner intended to get themselves killed-- but they are also doing it in a way that will in no ways achieve anything. (Of course they are too stupid to realize that-- they actually believe that if they die "for Allah" they will go to an eterna lParadise. Yes-- they actually believe that!
There used to be a widely used expression for that: Suicide By Cop
Suicide by cop or suicide by police is a suicide method in which a suicidal individual deliberately behaves in a threatening manner, with intent to provoke a lethal response from a public safety or law enforcement officer. [1
These individuals may commit a crime with the specific intention of provoking a law enforcement response.
This concept hinges on the person's state of mind, and their desire to end their own life. Some cases are obvious, such as pointing an unloaded or non-functioning gun (such as a toy gun, air gun , airsoft gun or starter's pistol ) at officers.
Some suspects brazenly announce their intention to die before they act ( e.g. , the iconic declaration "You'll never take me alive!") . However, many cases can be more difficult to determine, as some suspects with the desire to die will actually fire live ammunition and even kill people before being killed themselves.
The headline was incomplete, which makes it somewhat misleading. You will note the apostrophes before and after the words, which are the words of Hamas. A proper headline would have said: "Hamas calls for a 'Massacre of Israelis'.
JBB-- I notice you go on and on bashing the Israelis-- why the obsession with Israel when there's a YUGE disaster next door-- and the massacres in Syria have been going on for years. Death toll? Well over 500,000. And that includes numerous civilians..many, many kids. People tortured to death in the most brutal of ways. But not a peep from self-proclaimed "human-rights advocates" like you.
Why the hypocrisy?
Israel has no obligation to let anything pass