Israeli Military Announces Readiness to Invade Gaza
War to Wipe Palestine Off the Map | 30.11.2007 19:54 | Anti-racism | World
ALERT: Annapolis a Charade: Olmert Plotting Massive Aggression
In Germany, according to historian Richard Evans, in 1931-1932, if enough Germans of conscience had begun to say No -- history would have had an entirely diferent outcome.
If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be (Israeli) tears.
The time for weeping has to stop; the time for confronting must begin.
Adapted from "American Tears"
www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/american-tears_b_68141.html
The timing is interesting, given the "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
Olmert signalled long ago that he would not entertain any serious discussions at this summit, essentially selling out the Israeli public's desire for peace.
Now, Israel appears to be preparing to issue the usual 'justifications' for an Act of Aggression they planned long ago, by calling it a response to violence their own behaviour has provoked. The media's silence on these issues in past months signals their readiness to help in this regard.
Seeing the pattern yet?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386082.html
In Germany, according to historian Richard Evans, in 1931-1932, if enough Germans of conscience had begun to say No -- history would have had an entirely diferent outcome.
If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be (Israeli) tears.
The time for weeping has to stop; the time for confronting must begin.
Adapted from "American Tears"
www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/american-tears_b_68141.html
The timing is interesting, given the "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
Olmert signalled long ago that he would not entertain any serious discussions at this summit, essentially selling out the Israeli public's desire for peace.
Now, Israel appears to be preparing to issue the usual 'justifications' for an Act of Aggression they planned long ago, by calling it a response to violence their own behaviour has provoked. The media's silence on these issues in past months signals their readiness to help in this regard.
Seeing the pattern yet?
![](/img/extlink.gif)
Israeli military announces readiness to invade Gaza
Saed Bannoura - IMEMC
Friday November 30, 2007
The preparations for a mass invasion of Gaza are complete, said an Israeli source on Thursday. Israeli officials said the thousands of troops and dozens of tanks currently stationed on the Gaza border are not going to launch an invasion unless Palestinian resistance factions fire homemade shells across the border first.
(Israeli defense officials warned that Israel's imposition of measures of Collective Punishment would provoke attacks. Israel is attempting to create the illusion that their aggression - plotted long before Annapolis - is a response to the attacks that they, themselves, are responsible for provoking. The media's silence on the entire issue over the past month signals its receptiveness to the plot.)
The Israeli daily newspaper Maariv reported that the chances of a major Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip have increased now the Annapolis conference is over.
('Increased' meaning 'no longer on hold for the sake of appearances' ...)
An Israeli military spokesman said that "the Israeli response will come swiftly" if any projectiles are fired across the border. All troops are trained and ready for an invasion, according to the Israeli army.
(Starting to see the pattern?)
Israeli forces have killed ten Palestinians in Gaza over the last week, by air strikes and missiles fired from ships stationed offshore.
(And 55 in the past three.)
An outright invasion of Gaza, one of the most crowded places on earth, would likely result in much higher casualties.
(That is the plan.)
Israeli forces control all entry and exit from the Gaza Strip, and have prevented all Palestinian movement in and out since September, resulting in the deaths of several patients in dire need of medical care.
(Softening up the world's largest Concentration Camp for invasion.)
www.imemc.org/article/51796
Real 'Fact of the Ground' in the Middle East
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8044/index.php
Annapolis: US prepares Palestinian civil war, rallies Arab support against Iran
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8038/index.php
Annapolis Conquered. On To Gaza!
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8041/index.php
Real 'Facts on the Ground' in the Middle East
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386800.html?c=on#c185319
Saed Bannoura - IMEMC
Friday November 30, 2007
The preparations for a mass invasion of Gaza are complete, said an Israeli source on Thursday. Israeli officials said the thousands of troops and dozens of tanks currently stationed on the Gaza border are not going to launch an invasion unless Palestinian resistance factions fire homemade shells across the border first.
(Israeli defense officials warned that Israel's imposition of measures of Collective Punishment would provoke attacks. Israel is attempting to create the illusion that their aggression - plotted long before Annapolis - is a response to the attacks that they, themselves, are responsible for provoking. The media's silence on the entire issue over the past month signals its receptiveness to the plot.)
The Israeli daily newspaper Maariv reported that the chances of a major Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip have increased now the Annapolis conference is over.
('Increased' meaning 'no longer on hold for the sake of appearances' ...)
An Israeli military spokesman said that "the Israeli response will come swiftly" if any projectiles are fired across the border. All troops are trained and ready for an invasion, according to the Israeli army.
(Starting to see the pattern?)
Israeli forces have killed ten Palestinians in Gaza over the last week, by air strikes and missiles fired from ships stationed offshore.
(And 55 in the past three.)
An outright invasion of Gaza, one of the most crowded places on earth, would likely result in much higher casualties.
(That is the plan.)
Israeli forces control all entry and exit from the Gaza Strip, and have prevented all Palestinian movement in and out since September, resulting in the deaths of several patients in dire need of medical care.
(Softening up the world's largest Concentration Camp for invasion.)
www.imemc.org/article/51796
Real 'Fact of the Ground' in the Middle East
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8044/index.php
Annapolis: US prepares Palestinian civil war, rallies Arab support against Iran
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8038/index.php
Annapolis Conquered. On To Gaza!
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8041/index.php
Real 'Facts on the Ground' in the Middle East
![](/img/extlink.gif)
War to Wipe Palestine Off the Map