Gaza – waaaay overkill

Israel has a problem: It has spent so long powerless and oppressed, that it knows no other way to hold power than to oppress! it has spent so long being the stranger, that it no longer knows how to welcome strangers into their land. So long living in fear, that it cannot trust.

As “people of God,” they must press back into God and rediscover the way to break the cycle of violence. How to show hospitality to strangers, how to become a light once again to the nations.

But until they rediscover this, they remain “in the wrong!”

They have broken lawful Palestinian lands literally into fragments, and impose impossible border controls dessimating the fabric of Palestinian society & infrastructure. They are occupying far more land (90%) than the UN sanctioned. They have imposed poverty upon their neighbors.

Shrinking Palestine (in green)

And now, when frustrated Palestinians sent a few missiles over the fence, which landed harmlessly, Israel responded like this:

Over the past twenty four hours Israeli F-16’s and helicopter gunships have dropped more than a hundred bombs on targets inside Gaza, including a factory, a television station and several civilian police stations.  Some of the bombs were dropped at a time when thousands of Gazan schoolchildren were walking home from school.  Al Jazeera has broadcast footage of children’s corpses.  Palestinian medics on the ground are reporting a death toll of more than 280.  600 people have been injured.  These atrocities come at a time of already unspeakable hardships being endured by the people of Gaza. - Friends of Palestine

This seems to be the insane act of maniacal oppressors.

What can be done? Well for updates, at least contact Friends of Palestine.

And have your say on the ever-more noticed AVAAZ. It gets to the political process. Here’s what they had to say:

As we watch the Gaza bloodshed with horror, appalled at how the crisis is spiraling further out of control, one thing is clear — this violence will only lead to further civilian suffering and an escalation of the conflict.

There must be another way. Over 280 are dead and hundreds more injured — rockets are striking Ashdod deep inside Israel for the very first time, and the sides are mobilising for invasion. A global response has begun, but it’ll take more than words — the immediate violence won’t end, nor will wider peace be secured, without firm action from the international community.

Today, we’re launching an emergency campaign which will be delivered to the UN Security Council and key world powers, urging them to act to ensure an immediate ceasefire, address the growing humanitarian crisis, and take steps to build real and lasting peace.1 Follow this link now to sign the emergency petition and send it to everyone you know:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/97.php?cl_tf_sign=1

After eight or more years of ineffective US and global diplomacy — and now Gaza’s bloodiest day in recent memory — we must issue a global outcry demanding that world leaders do more than make statements if they’re to bring peace to this region. The UN, the European Union, the Arab League and the USA should now act together to ensure a ceasefire – which includes an end to rocket attacks into Israel and opening the checkpoints for fuel, food, medicine and other humanitarian aid deliveries.

With a new US President taking office in less than a month, a real opportunity exists to breathe new life into peace efforts. These latest hostilities require not only an immediate ceasefire but a commitment from Obama and other world leaders that resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the very top of their agendas. As the whole world is impacted by this ongoing conflict – we should demand nothing less.

In 2006 we mobilised for a ceasefire in Lebanon. For years we’ve worked to encourage a just and lasting peace, taking out billboards and ads across Israel and Palestine. Now as we head into 2009, we need to come together again to demand a peaceful and lasting resolution, instead of a further escalation of violence. Follow this link to put your name forward for peace:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/97.php?cl_tf_sign=1

All sides to the conflict will continue to act as they have in the past if they believe that the world will stand by and allow them to do so. 2009 is a year that things can be different. As we face this crisis, and the possibilities of a new year, it’s time for us to demand a ceasefire and work together to finally put an end to this cycle of violence.

With hope and determination,

Brett, Ricken, Alice, Ben, Pascal, Paul, Graziela, Paula, Luis, Iain and the whole Avaaz team

ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means “voice” in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368

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