Hamas marks year since war, but Gazans stay home
After days of heavy advertising, only a trickle of Hamas loyalists turn up to a commemoration in Gaza City.
By The Associated Press Tags: Israel news Gaza warHamas loyalists marked the one-year anniversary of Israel's war against Gaza's Islamic militant rulers with defiant protests and a moment of silence on Sunday - even as most of the territory's residents ignored commemoration events and some even criticized the militant group for not attending to their needs instead.
Around 3,000 Hamas supporters milled around a square in the northern Gaza town of Jebaliya, waving their group's green flags and holding up pictures of family members slain in the Israeli offensive that began on Dec. 27, 2008.
Israel says around 1,100 Gazans were killed during the offensive, the majority of whom militants. But Palestinian human rights groups say more than 1,400 Gazans were killed, most of whom were civilians. Thirteen Israelis were also killed during the hostilities: ten IDF soldiers and three civilians.
"We are the victors! We are the fighters! We are the steadfast!" Thundered senior Hamas leader Khalil Hayyeh.
But a year later, Hayyeh's bold calls rang hollow. After days of heavy advertising through Hamas Web sites, text messages and radio announcements, only a trickle of Hamas loyalists turned up to a commemoration in the heavily damaged legislative building in downtown Gaza City, the territory's largest urban area.
Cars whizzed by and pedestrians kept walking, ignoring a siren meant to call for a minute's silence. Hayyeh's Jebaliya protest did not even fill the sandy square where Israeli aircraft dropped bombs onto the house of senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayyan, killing him and about a dozen of his family and neighbors.
Israel launched the three-week long offensive to end years of rocket fire from Gaza toward Israeli border towns and to halt arms smuggling into the Hamas-ruled territory.
Both sides have claimed victory: Israel's southern communities are now prospering because rocket fire has largely halted, while Hamas has maintained its rule of Gaza.
But Gaza itself remains badly broken. Hundreds of families are mourning loved ones, and hundreds more are disabled by severe injuries. Thousands of homes were destroyed or badly damaged, while a strict Israeli and Egyptian blockade has blocked most reconstruction since glass, concrete and other building materials are banned.
Much of Gaza's economy, meanwhile, has been driven underground by the blockade, and is conducted through underground tunnels straddling the border with Egypt, which serve as a conduit for food and commercial goods. To Israel's dismay, they also serve as a channel for weapons.
Many Gazans interviewed on Sunday said that while they carried painful memories of the Israeli campaign, they would have preferred Hamas to act less triumphantly.
"I wish they had commemorated the war by opening a factory. That would have been better than this," said Gaza resident Rami Mohammed, 30.
In Israel, there were no official observances of the war. Atara Orenbuch, a 37-year-old resident of the rocket-battered Israeli town of Sderot, said life has definitely improved since the war, but the impact of eight years of rocket fire still resonates. The mother of seven said her two youngest children still sleep inside a shelter because of their lingering fears of attack. Nonetheless, she said the war has raised morale in Sderot.
"The war helped morally ... we feel that we are not alone, which is very important," she said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn't even mention the offensive, launched by the previous government, in prepared remarks at the start of Israel's weekly Cabinet meeting. But he warned that Israel would retaliate forcefully against any Palestinian attacks and praised Israeli security forces for gunning down three militants behind the killing a West Bank settler last week.
|
A Gazan boy holds up a shoe to a banner depicting Israeli leaders on Sunday. |
| Photo by: (Reuters) |
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
"Mickey Mouse" weapons as you refer to them have killed and wounded Jewish civilians their intended and illegal targets. Each missile constituted a War Crime. Israel certainly doesn't have to apologize for being stronger. There would be no need for Israel to use its weapons if the Palestinians sought peace, would there? If a Qassam rocket landed in your house I doubt you would be calling them Mikey Mouse weapons since they are packed with nuts and bolt,screws,nails, ball-barrings, glass really anything to maximize injury to the human body. Your simpleton argument seems to be, if your strong it's OK for a weaker enemy to kill you, and, apparently lose the right to self defense. Sorry Tony, that's not the way it works. Your big boy...maybe not...move into the real world. If you start a fight and lose there are consequences. Disproportionate response is the way your enemy criminalizes your superior power so you can't use it. In reality an army uses overwhelming force to win.
"What a courageous army, armed with CANONS, MERKEVAS, F16S AND CHIMICAL WEAPONS for mass destruction as controversial flesh-eating WHITE PHOSPHOROUS, against those who have just MICKEY MOUSE FIREWORKS called kassam. " Ever watch the first Indiana Jones movie? There's a rampaging swordsman, very intimidating coming to attack him and he just casually pulls out his pistol and shoots the guy? Are you the brainless type who'll attack a gunman with a sword (like the Palestinians do)? Not a good idea to go blowing up the families of people with Merkava tanks, etc.
Yes, the bullies in the Israeli Army are beating up on the defenseless Palestinians with their homemade weapons and it is the most atrocious crime of the 20-21st century. Americans are so disturbed by it all. Many have given up their jobs and time to fight the evil of AIPAC and their apologists in US Congress and corporate America which is driving US policy in the Middle East today in Iraq and now in Af-ghanistan against Pakistan. People know the score and they are fighting it and standing against Obama on this one It's the most shocking government criminality of our time with the US Congress signing on the bottom line for Israel and supplying it with arms & rubber stamping its aggresssion &crimes Hamas members often say the settlements are like a cancer on their land which they must rid themselves of well Americans feel the need to rid themselves of AIPAC & their apologists in the US Congress and corporate America It's all the same in the end. They realize this. Dutch
Prior to 1967 there was no "occupation" Why did the arab/moslems attack the Jews then ? I have asked the question soooooo many times and noone ever has the answer.
What a courageous army, armed with CANONS, MERKEVAS, F16S AND CHIMICAL WEAPONS for mass destruction as controversial flesh-eating WHITE PHOSPHOROUS, against those who have just MICKEY MOUSE FIREWORKS called kassam. What a brave army composed of the descendants of the SHOAH victims against the native Palestinians who are occupied! shame on you, heroes of the 21st century!!!.
...because I don't know how you expect to have a state to live in if your Army put its hands on another people, especially Gazans. Dutch
They can celebrate Cast Lead part 2 and the demise of the Hamas.
I don't know which demonstrations you are referring to, but Uri Avnery in one of his recent articles noted that, as confirmed by the photographic evidence, it appeared that over 200,000 people- perhaps several hundred thousand- showed up to demonstrate, and that in a territory with such a large population of children this was very significant.
Hamas has almost completely destroyed Gaza with its mismanagement of the economy and its constant terrorist aggression against Israel. The only thing keeping Gazan people alive today is the essential humanitarian supplies they are constantly receiving from Israel. The failure of this latest Hamas propaganda rally may be an early sign that Gazan people are starting to realise this. That would explain why the posts from "Dutch" sound even more deranged than usual.
10,000 for the AlAqsa funeral in the west bank and only 3,000 for the Hamas rally in Gaza, the heart of Hamas support and only the relatives of the dead showed. The explanation is that Israel has choked off Gaza making life miserable, no concrete no glass, no building materials. Even if they wanted to make a factory, how can they? the Residents unfairly blame Hamas when the control is always by Israel. Rats in a cage and they turn on each other when the master is to blame.
Wake up, Dutch, not even the people of Gaza buy your analysis. You need to do some serious introspection and ask yourself why only 3,000 turned up to the Hamas rally. Maybe you should focus you're moralising on Hamas's begaviour.
Even the people aren't buying it. That is except Dutch. What there are 1.2 million people in Gaza? 3000 showed up? Weak. I guess the people would rather have apartments to live in. Improved roads, water delivery, sewage and electricity upgrades. Instead of chest pounding to soothe the ego of Hamas, and claims of phony victories.
Israel should have its own celebration RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE BORDERS OF GAZA!!! 90% less rocket attacks on innocent civilians! Now THAT, is a real victory and something to celebrate!!!
'...Israel's southern communities are now prospering because rocket fire has largely halted...' Rocket fire is at just about the level it was before Israel began violating the ceasefire in the fall of 2008. It doesn't matter how often you rewrite history; what actually happened is what actually happened.
The title is "Gazans stay at home". They obviously know something you don't or are in denial of. Hamas has sold its people down the pan and you changing the subject doesn't help anyone.
Israel paid in advance for the operation in Gaza. They endured years upon years of dozens of missiles and mortars per day into surrounding towns. They endured attacks on patrols on the border line, and endured a kidnapping that remains cynically unresolved by your heroes. Don't think for one second that Cast Lead was not paid for. Plus, at the going life-worth ratio established in the Shalit situation, the 13 Israeli casualties was a very high price in itself. Mathematically, for parity, there should have been either 6370 Palestinians killed, or 3 Israelis killed.
Indeed, I might call them a heavenly transfusion and they will go on during Israel's 22 day bombing campaign to let Gazans know people are on their side today! What thumbs down today for US/ Israeli policy today.... It's public condemnation of government complicity and criminality. Dutch
Israel will fall (I'm sure you will be one of the martyrs of Operation Palestinian Freedom). And then what?
Self defence is permitted Dutch and that is all you saw in Cast Lead. Indeed, it wasn't even aggressive self defence. Modern warefare and armaments are deadly and given the denisty of Gaza it is a remarkable and humane testimony to the Israelies that the mortality and morbidity rate in Cast Lead wasn't much higher. If the Pals continue their violent ways, at best they will delay their emancipation, and at worst they will forfeit it. No reason to allow violent beasts to run their own state.
to help commemorate a horror which their own twisted government, Hamas, started?
If there are only about 3,000 Gazan's commemorating a victory; the world's protests will be anemic as well. Iran is falling apart and Jimmy Carter is making his apologies. And, Gideon Levy sounds more confused than ever. Israelis did not mark the date-too busy building a country.
Dutch #1 appears to have no problem with the rockets fired from Gaza and which Cast Lead, in large part, stopped, nor does he appear to have a problem with Hamas stated goal of Israel's destruction. Perhaps over the coming decade, Hamas will be swept away, and if and when that happens, decent people will cheer. I imagine that will leave some like Dutch muttering to himself like a leftover Communist whom the world has passed by. May it be a good decade: the decade of the two state solution, mutual respect and peace.
From sea to shining sea and from capital to capital around the world people will mark Israel's crimes against Gaza and its continued in-humanity and crimes against the Palestinian people with its criminal occupation and blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israelis will pay repeatedly for what they have done to Gazans. It was pure evil.....There is no dismissing or hiding it today.
People are never going to forgive or forget the evil and war crimes their army waged over Gaza and how many of them cheered on. It was the kiss of death for them and their place in the Middle East. No people can't promote themselves on the backs of another nation and expect to stay in the neighborhood- let alone the region. They have already doomed themselves..... Dutch