Gaza: No Rights, Little Mercy
GAZA CITY - Seventy-six-year-old Mustapha al-Jamal goes door to door, looking for help in finding medicines for his son.
At home, the 53-year-old son Yahya al-Jamal lies back, staring at the ceiling. By his side, an oxygen cylinder keeps him going for now.
“My son’s condition continues to worsen,” Mustapha says. “We’ve been waiting two months for the medicines.”
Last year Mustapaha’s 44-year-old daughter, a mother of six, died of breast cancer. She had been recovering, but the Israeli siege blocked supply of medicines, and no one could then save her.
Mustapha sees the same happening again. Yahya’s cancer started in his kidney, spread to his right lung, and now affects his liver.
Twice, on Jul. 20 and Oct. 2 last year, Yahya was allowed passage to Sourasky Medical Centre in Tel Aviv. On the second visit the hospital agreed to give the family 28 tablets worth 35,500 shekels (9,000 dollars).
Transfer to an Israeli hospital now could give Yahya medication and hope again, but Israeli officials have refused passage for medical care, citing the oxygen cylinder as a ’security risk’.
The medicines given to Yahya earlier were no donation; Israel deducts the cost of medicines for Palestinian patients treated in Israeli hospitals from the taxes it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel retains rather than disburses the bulk of such payments. The PA continues to pay for medication whenever possible.
Now that Israel has declared Gaza a ‘hostile entity’, it shut its borders, preventing travel from Gaza to hospitals in Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the West Bank (the west bank of Jordan river, the Palestinian area under Israeli occupation since 1967).
Israel has closed its borders because Gaza elected a Hamas party government, which does not recognise Israel.
Efforts by the international community and by thousands of people inside Israel forced allocation of a few medical shipments. But the chaos caused by the ongoing siege means distribution is poor.
Palestinian ministry of health spokesman Khaled Radi has confirmed that “72 people have died as a result of medicine shortages and not being permitted access to medical care.” Among them are women, elderly people and children.
Radi has called for immediate international action to pressure Israel to allow necessary medical care to reach patients in Gaza.
“If proper medication was available, Jamal’s case would not be as bad as it is now,” says Dr. Iman Abu Ouan, one of the doctors treating him.
Dr. Quan says the hospital in Gaza where she has been treating Jamal has two radiology rooms for up to five cancer patients. That is simply not enough. And lack of beds forces patients to recover from treatment lying on the floor, with blankets from their own homes, she said. Others in need of care are asked to leave. This means essential care is often not possible.
Israeli officials have often tried to extract security commitments in exchange for access to medical care.
“In several cases known to us, people with security clearance, and carrying exit permits, were called to interrogation by the Israeli secret service (GSS, Shabak) at Erez Crossing, and asked to give information on suspects as a condition for accessing care,” Miri Weingarten, Israeli spokeswoman for the group Physicians for Human Rights told IPS. “If they failed to provide the information they were turned back to Gaza and told they would not receive permits again.”
Weingarten has records of many such cases. “This deliberate withholding of medical care for non-medical reasons is completely unjustifiable and could represent cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under the UN Convention Against Torture,” she said. But Mustapha still waits, and looks for help. “We don’t seek more than our right,” the grief-stricken father says. “For God’s sake, help us get to the hospital in Tel Aviv. My son deserves to survive. All I ask is a bit of mercy.”
© 2008 Inter Press Service
Email the Israeli embassy and protest the barbaric treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza:
info@israelemb.org
And there hasnt been a suicide bombing for years–and yet no change in Israel policy. just goes to show that all the talk about palestinians needing to adopt more peaceful resistance is utter BS.
The world governments dont care.
The Israelis are treating the Palestinians just like they Jews were treated in the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII.
but…but… they do it cause it’s god’s will..
It is astonishing that the Israeli government will not allow Palestinians into hospitals in Israel!! What IS the matter with the Israelis? How can they be so heartless?
If the Jewish Lobby in the this country (USA) wasn’t as powerful as it is and was not so full of hatred for the people of Palestine, maybe we could help them get hospital care. It is unbelieveable that an oxygen cannister is considered a weapon by the Israelis !
I would like the United States to punish Israel for it inhumanity, by withholding mone we give them yearly, We should give the withheld money to Palestine
A light unto the world? What a joke.
Maybe if Palestinian leadership didn’t consistently leap on every chance to completely f*** things up, there would be Palestinian run-hospitals with Palestinian medicine.
The Israelis told them they would do this if the Gazans kept firing missiles and mortars into Israel. But they did not stop.
They have told them they will come in with their army next, if the missiles keep coming.
The Gazans should be happy they haven’t been pulverized yet. Seems like the only thing they understand is force of arms.
Just for your information, gellero, collective punishment is against international law. The Israelis are violating human rights by denying food and medicine to civilians. And, of course, don’t forget the Military Occupation–which is the root cause of the conflict. The Israelis have stolen Arab land, demolished Arab homes, and murdered Arab children–any sane person would expect the Palestinians to fight back–and that’s what they’re doing.
I recently read that the majority of Americans are not in agreement with the nation’s official policy regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. Why is it, then, that America does not take a firm stance with Israel and require that they respect basic human rights? Is there something that Americans can do to change these inherently unjust policies? I’m sure that, if America can wield tremendous power and influence throughout the rest of the world, it can surely exercise some influence over Israel. This American’s thoughts are with Mustapha al-Jamal and his son. I hope that they pull through this ordeal.
If there were a just god, he would unleash a plague of biblical proportions on this evil Israeli state.
It will be a source of great shame to future generations of Americans that our government aided and abetted Israel’s atrocities.
thomas j hussey,
I just love you people who only find one side guilty of atrocities. I say, “A plague on both their houses.”, with due respect to William Shakespeare.
“The Gazans should be happy they haven’t been pulverized yet.”
And they will be. The Final Solution is at hand. And the US/UK continue to hold the Palestinians arms behind their back and the EU holds the Israelis’ coats so they can use both fists unimpeded.
This is a disgrace. And the US/UK/EU media report it as though it were a spot of bad weather. An utter disgrace and indictment of Western “civilization”. Hah!
No doubt, Palestinians should be grateful for any opportunity to be allowed out of their ghetto, forget hours of waiting at a checkpoint. Of course, according to the Zionist entity, the indigenous Palestinians brought this on themselves, and should learn to be well-behaved prisoners, simply adjust to their decimation and total loss of all land, water rights and due process. After all, what right did they have to protest the confiscation of their land by Zionist terrorists? (Remember, Deir Yassin occured even before the bogus state was created.) Tragically, the inertia and one-sidedness of this country is a result of the AIPAC control of our political system. Ingeniously, when you’ve purchased the US administration, you control the world. Our uninformed, unconcerned, brainwashed population only makes it worse. Imagine Mustapha Al-Jamal’s plight occurring to an Israeli. At the very least it would make NY Times headlines. What a shame that the majority of American Jews give outright or tacit approval to the barbarity Israel continues to inflict on a helpless population it continues to exploit and expropriate. At some juncture, Israel will have to answer for its transgressions. Like apartheid South Africa, this too shall pass.
Kendpotter/Gallero-Let’s face the fact’s man…
Every time someone says anything about Israel that is not supportive of their present actions, they’re branded ‘anti-semite’(though they are all semitic people over in that region) This is insane. On one hand Israel is the little victim-on the other hand, they have an undisclosed number of nuclear weapons, amongst other weapons of mass destruction. For every Israeli that dies-scores of palestinians follow. I mean, who wouldn’t fight back against a people who have stolen their land? Hell, they hardly have anything to fight back with. Israel is not a democracy-it’s moreso a socialist state, with no middle class to speak of for the most part-which of course, will ensure a steady supply of bodies for their military-which is more a ‘peoples army’ than a professional one. Which can cause problems for them in the future if they’re invaded by a real well fed, trained, and funded army. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the word ‘Intifada’ mean ‘The shaking off’, or something to that effect? Did we not enact an ‘intifada’ in this country against the British colonial forces in 1776? Now, I know that some of you here may brand me as an anti-semite, or this questioning as some form of antisemitism-but hell, at this point, there’s more forms of anti-semitism than there are bugs in the Amazon rainforest!
Even you guys have to admit, that Israel has gotten away with murder-literally-thanks to horribly biased media, as well as so-called christian armaggedonists and zionists in this country, and beyond. As far as what the palestinians are doing-well, I don’t condone it, but I’m no fool either-just you try walking in their shoes for a week or so-see what you come up with.
Might I also add that none of this does Israel any good service. Christians, Evangelicals, Zionists…None of these people are real allies-If anything, it seems that Israel is being fattened up for the kill. Why should Jewish-or any people-who want to live their lives in peace be dragged down by this garbage?
gellero
Do you think Palestinians are bombing Israel because they say okay let us bomb someone, yes, Israel. Quite, My thoughts exactly, Mustafa.
God(dess), Allah, Shiva, something, the degradation suffered from the nipple through their entire lives, Actually Palestinians are not permitted a ‘life’ per say, guns in their faces while they purchase a loaf of bread, no gas, oil,meds, oxygen, food and water.
Israel and her minions murdered quite the nasty bunch a few ago, a childs party, no worries, thumbs up from Israel. While their land is constantly being ‘redefined’, their homes mowed down by tanks to make way for new Zionist settlers, always having to walk with your head down, eyes averted, zig then zag, so as not to bump a soldier.
I would bomb them every second of every minute of every hour of every day until they defined their borders and left my chldren the F##K alone. If the Palestinian people were treated with even a modicum of respect there would not be violence again, I know this.
Palestinian actually do live thier entire lives as refugees in camps that were designed for emergency living on a temporary basis. All people Arab and Israeli should be ashamed of themselves for letting this go on without the offer of help.
the evangelical xians believe that the israelis are “chosen people”. so they turn a blind eye to this suffering. but like puppetmaster said, they really aren’t real allies, as xians believe that only thru “jesus are you saved”. this is just a horrible situation that goes on and on without an end.
The US has done this for decades to Cuba, and along with our allies we did the same to Iraq from 1991 to 2003. It’s a blatant violation of international law, an outrage in any credible ethical system, and a fatal blow to the credibility of any nation that supports, encourages or enforces such measures. What kind of people are we, anyway? A hard look into the mirror of our history might be discomfiting, but it is essential. We always promise “never again,” but we often do it again. We want absolution from past injustices, but not prevention of future ones. Congress must act and pass strict, comprehensive legislation now.
At the same time, oil-rich Arab potentates who manipulate their people by feigning sympathy for the Palestians stand by and do nothing, and US puppet Hosni Mubarak sends his border police to beat unarmed women gathered at the border which he has rendered impenetrable to relief supplies. These people should step up to the plate, defy the Israelis and their US vassals, and relieve the distress of the Palestinian people.
While I empathize with Israelis’ security concerns, it’s clear that this kind of action merely fuels terrorism and extremism. I have no love lost for Hamas. However, two wrongs don’t make a right, they make 3, 4, 5 wrongs ad infinitum.
There is nothing that Hamas has done that justifies the continuing persecution by Israel of the imprisoned citizens of the Gaza Strip. The rocket attacks are foolish acts, but acts of defiance, against a needlessly cruel, wantonly brutal, overwhelmingly powerful oppressor. Israel’s actions against the Gaza people are not just morally depraved, but utterly wrongheaded.
To restore peace, the Israelis need to do just the opposite of what they are doing now. They need to offer emergency economic assistance to Gaza. The United States also needs to be involved in this effort. They need to go in there with doctors, teachers, engineers, and aid workers to help the Hamas government rebuild the communities of Gaza. They need to work with Hamas, or rather force Hamas to work with them, by winning over the Palestinian population with a whirlwind of unconditional generosity.
Another example of short-sighted selfish interest above all else. What does the Israeli government call it? “Planned Attrition?” And here we though it was only Hitler that advocated a Holocaust - - same u ltimate result (or objective), just without gas chambers or ovens.
Witholding or preventing medicines from reaching a confined civilian population is a war crime no matter who does it or to whom.
And to gellero and others who generalize and use the term Palestinians for both the innocent non combative civilians majority and for the extremist minority both…
… it seems the middle east has lost it’s soul, if such may be described as one no longer being able to distinguish doing right from wrong.
If there is no mercy for the innocent… there is no mercy.
“While I empathize with Israelis’ security concerns, it’s clear that this kind of action merely fuels terrorism and extremism. I have no love lost for Hamas. However, two wrongs don’t make a right, they make 3, 4, 5 wrongs ad infinitum.”
Well Alex Lawyer, that’s so obvious to the Israelis’ army that it is official policy and has been for its leadership for as long as I can recollect. Then the cry about the horrible terrorism of Hamas, or whoever, when there is stupid retaliation with homemade rockets? Just look at the figures of death destruction and injury never mind the destruction of the economy, civil structures and the robbery theft deprivation and humiliation on natives of the lands there. Refugees in the most desperate conditions imaginable with the summer on the way deprived of their water? Imagine? Who the hell are the Israelis anyway? Are they the people everybody hates and who strive for peace with their neighbours? They have created a fiction that nobody in their right mind could seriously swallow as the victims where they don’t belong and behave like the monsters they have become. Excepting some genuinely good people their State is despised by all right thinking fair minded persons who haven’t been brainwashed by the media.
I completely agree with redjeff and am thoroughly disgusted with the EU’s political masters. The Arabs should rise up and depose dictators in their midst by whatever means possible. The Jews worldwide must speak up and organise to oppose this State and call for sanctions and a boycott to force it to come to its senses and to force it to sue for peace and become law abiding. NATO should be disbanded immediately and the UN reformed to reflect world opinion on such matters as the pledges to strive for nuclear disarmament worldwide. The US demands as superpower all control of what has been called the ‘Peace Process’ in the middle east. God help us all if the cruelest colonialism continues much longer with Abbas chosen as the puppet of those brave and beautiful Palestinian people who have been refugees for so long wishing to go home and enjoy their watered crops, relatives and land. It is outrageous to try and equate the wrongs of Hamas and indeed Hizbollah in Lebanon with the forces and behaviour of this State entity that lives off injustice. No Peace can be established for the Jews in Israel without justice for the Palestinians and those refugees in particular. They have suffered so much and will lose everything if present plans afoot are implemented while they are kept divided. Hamas are thus essential to any genuine attempt to reach some compromise and possible peaceful solution. Indeed, facts created on the ground there, through criminal behaviour, have rendered it well nigh impossible to hope for peace without the entire land becoming a truely democratic state shared by all its peoples Jews, Christian and Muslim Arabs together. Mass rallies should immediately be organised to set out for that security wall and tear it down. It is illegal and world opinion would support such action whereas rockets are ineffective, unproductive, desperate and cannot be condoned. They only prolong inhuman suffering with violence begetting violence. How can Arabs, Jews and Christians allow this State to indulge in torture theft destruction on such a scale and inhuman behaviour of every kind for so long and with such impunity? How is this possible after recent holocausts of American indians, armenians, russians, indians, chinese and jews??? Now it is the turn of Palestinians to lose their identity and disappear this century eh? How, how, how? Unbelievable!
The jews are a people that has no reguard for anyone unless the are a jew practicing judeisim, In which they do not practice to the extent there religeous laws require. They have been persecuted since the begining of the jewish nation was establisished, not because they were just mistreated, but mostly because they were a corupt and disobediant people, as they still are. They claim to be our allies long as the money keeps pouring in, which they minipulate with great skill, one of there traits around the world. By blood rights they are closer to the muslisms than any, and that is there problem, both claim father aberham as ther lineage, and it is true. there judeisim religion teaches that the christian religion is a cult, falsely writing the new tesament bible to anul there religeion. Modern theology trys to incororate both religions as a two fold purpose that god has in his plan to keep peace and to keep there flocks together for moatary reasons… It appears that our U.S.Goverment is also afraid to chalange Isreal on any points of the misuse of there power, afraid that god might get us, how silly that is. If our countrys christian religion has any validity, the bible says there father is the father of lies, the devil… I think we had better start looking with our god given brains, we have been bestowed the power to find our way, lets do it togather. Heres where we start… Rattlinjack@blackfoot.net Jack,,
For years Israel has conducted a campaign of genocide against the Palestinians. Israel needs to stand trial at the international level. Years of allowing Israel to get away with this has turned international justice into a joke. Justice is no joke; and this lesson needs to be brought home to the state of Israel.
Thanks Fedupwithpolitics for the link to Israel.
info@israelemb.org
I just sent this:
Israel,
As an American Jew according to Israeli law I ask you for your good and the whole planet to talk to Hamas about a cease fire.
It appears that you are afraid but that is what keeps us all back.
A truce would mean the beginning of Hamas recognizing your right to exist.
Why pick on them about this recognition demand when Saudi Arabia and other neighbors of yours Don’t recognize Israel also.
Jesus the worlds greatest revolutionary was quoted in censored texts as saying “Talk with your enemy before sundown”..
Peace with Hamas would not be Hard if you negotiate a truce and then Israel and the rest of the world will have a Win/Win result.
In these modern times the only way to win war is to End war…
Please Reclaim a peaceful Jewish tradition before it is way too late… and pray to God that it is never too Late.
Many people would love to visit Israel if it showed progress for Harmony in the world.
Love and Peace,
Jim Glover
Folk Singer
Here is the world reaction from Al Jazeera..
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3404C3F3-AA80-4A40-ABA9-29DA50E801B2.htm