In most civilized countries, thus excluding Russia by definition, the right to self defense is controlled to avoid abuses. After violent events of self defense, courts open investigations to ensure that the reaction was not excessive.
The Israeli leadership, and the opposition, claim that their last Gaza intervention was for self defense.
Let us see some figures:
Between September 2000 and October 2008 there have been 1062 Israeli killed, versus 4897 Palestinians. A ratio of 1 to 4.6. 1
The “crop” of the Gaza war is even more significant 2:
1300 Palestinians killed (of which 410 children and 700 civilians)
13 Israelis killed (most of them by friendly fire)
5300 Palestinians wounded many with handicaps that will accompany them for the rest of their life.
18 Israelis killed by Qassam rockets over the past 8 years
14% of all building in the Gaza strip destroyed
360 million € (470 million dollars) worth of damages in the Gaza strip.
So a ratio of 1 Israeli per 100 Palestinians: better than what the Nazis did as rappresaglia against “terrorist attacks” (read partisans’ war actions) during the Second World War.
The justification of self defense the Israeli leadership gives for the Gaza war is simply unacceptable and groundless. So the cries and statements made in front of the Western TVs by Israeli citizens.
The reason was that Olmert and Livni were looking at ways not to lose too badly the next elections. This is the true reason, the only reason for the Gaza war, too much ignored by the Western Press.
And they are not ashamed: after the war, Livni stated that her conscience is “a posto”. Civilians killed? Children killed? Thousand of Palestinians wounded? This happens in wars, she stated, just collateral effects I am sorry a few weeks ago I thought, and wrote in this blog, that Livni could be a hope for peace and the Middle East future.
These are war crimes, nothing else. And the Jews, outside of Israel, should realize it. Criticizing Israel, its crimes, does not mean being anti Semitic. It just means crying for justice. Israel is not the Jews at large and the Jews at large are not Israel.
1 http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stats/deaths.html
2 La repubblica , 19 January 2009
Photo: www.24heures.ch
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