I am a long-term, strong supporter of the state of Israel. I managed programs of the United States Government supporting Israel for decades, and sought out opportunities to do so.
But is seems a terrible irony that the State of Israel has created a walled ghetto enclosing 1.5 million people in the Gaza strip, and is limiting not only the economic opportunities of the people within that ghetto, but is also restricting their access to medicine, food, and energy. Moreover, its military incursions into Gaza are continuing to kill and injure blameless women and children.
I understand that the Government of Israel is implementing policies that many of its citizens disapprove (as is my own Government). But I wonder how long Israel can continue to implement such policies without becoming a society that its founders would not recognize nor approve.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
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2 comments:
You might be interested in knowing that it's Gaza's own leaders who are limiting her access to supplies, particularly energy, all for the media attention it brings them.
I had heard that, Flavia. But I had also heard that the Israelis had built most of the walls enclosing Gaza, were pressuring the Egyptians to close their border with Gaza, were blocking Palestinians from working in Israel, and were limiting the flow of goods into Gaza. I had heard that earlier the Israeli Government was not transferring money due to the Palestinian Authority to them, and was encouraging other donors to withhold their aid to the Palestinians. I have also read that the Government of Israel continues to use land that in theory belongs to the Palestinians for settlements in the West Bank and for walls and infrastructure serving the settlers.
I have also read of the continued attacks of extremists on Israel, and of the inability (and charged unwillingness) of the Palestinian authorities to stop those attacks.
The Palestinian authorities are far from perfect, as I am afraid are the Israeli authorities far from perfect, not to mention thoes in all the other countries I know of.
Ultimately, however, the walls that enclose the West Bank and Gaza are imprisoning their peoples, and if you think about it, are also enclosing the people of Israel in a ghetto of their own making -- separated from the many people of good will of the surrounding nations.
It is time for more movement toward peace, and both sides are going to have to take risks and make sacrifices to obtain that peace.
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