U.S. congressman: U.S. should break Israel`s blockade of Gaza

Do you think the occupation the blockade and boredom have anything to do with smoking addiction in Gaza? Might even have something to do with the population explosion in Gaza.....This blockade is insane but lets face it thats exactly what Israel is trying to do to the Palestinians......PEACE EVER?

There is no ?blockade? of Gaza. Gaza is a prison. The prisoners are guilty of the following crimes: Assault; assault with a deadly weapon; kidnapping; extortion; premeditated murder; manslaughter; and more. The prisoners are unrepentant and threaten, at the first opportunity, to murder every Jew in Israel and to take all his possessions. I do not understand why, but they have been assured that if they merely denounce their goal of the extinction of the Jews and confiscation of their homeland, and hold out a hand in friendship, they will be released from prison. I personally would require more than words. But the prisoners have decided that they have more to gain by remaining in jail and parading their self imposed suffering for the world to see. They know of pervasive anti-Semitism and of the absolute support of the Muslim world. Their leaders have martyred young lives to their cause, as if a life on Earth is worthless, so the thought of other Gazans merely suffering causes them not a twinge of remorse. Until their people remove the yoke of Hamas and ask for peace with their neighbor, they will remain forcefully isolated from the civilized society next door.

The reason Hamas trows rockets is to try and defend itself from the constant invasions and settlement expansions on its LEGALLY RIGHTFUL LAND sadly israeli's wish to expand illegal settlements and expand Walls and control the land and sea and sky and still claim that they have not instigated problems. its worse to send entire population into a prison then to shoot them ! and reality is Many many children died from the GAZA siege there is large shortage of food and supply as stated by UN and the biggest problem of all is that Egypt is being pressured by israel into joining this campaign Zionists will talk about peace treaties ? but does really israel want any peace while it continues the settlements ? try stopping them first in the westbank then we might listen to you.

Since the beginning of the blockade not one person has died of starvation. This is strictly media hyped propoganda. To prove my point read the Haaretz article that the owners of the smuggling tunnels are not making any money as there is lots of supplies of everything from food to drugs to cement...not forgetting armaments.

Break it, this has been going on long enough, if the situation were reversed, israel would be crying their eyes out for help, yet the gaza area does it daily, and no help arrives in the form of sanctions or any repercussions to israel... They will one day reap what they are sowing, guaranteed...

The Israeli blockade is the worst human rights violation taking place in the world today. Israel permits an average of 80 truckloads a day of aid to enter gaza. According to UN World Food Program, Gaza, with a population of 1.5million, requires 400 trucks of just food daily to meet basic nutritional needs. Israel forbids entry of everything from building materials, to medicine, to spare parts for cars and machines, to coffee, to shoes. UN relief agencies report 80% of Gazans depend on meager trickle of International aid Israel permits. 450,000 are without clean water; patients are in dire need of medical care. WHO reports not enough IVs. Blood must be kept in plastic bottles. The blockade is a violation of article 33 of the 4th Geneva Convention. By treaty Egypt can only open the border upon Israeli agreement. Egypt has no infrastructure available to provide significant support to a population of 1.5 million people, even if international aid were funneled thru Egypt rather than Israel.

The guy is retiring; He can say anything he wants.He does not have to worry about votes. I DOUBT IF HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE NERVE if he was runnibg for office again.

What are you a "doctor" of? You know little to nothing about "closed door" Washington like myself, who spent 35 years there. Cong Baird visited Gaza a year ago and was devastated by the ruins of Cast Lead. Your dumb assumption that's he's going to work for a lobbyist group is plain wrong. New laws since 12/31/07 prevents him from doing so. As to Israeli milion $$ lobbying jobs--they are all taken mostly by AIPAC--the group which came close to being convicted on spying on the USA. Why would AIPAC spy on the USA? And why don't you go do your Aliyah? I'm tired on my tax dollars wasted on broken promises..oh yeah 1 more: white phosphorus bombs - broke the USA agreement--weapons only for defensive purposes.

I believe it 7,700 missles over 8 years. These rockets should not have been fired by the Hamas in Gaza into Israel; but: ---It could have been responded to by IDF special commandos type; ---It could have been done sooner than 8 years; ---There's asymetric warfare going on here--the missles were unreliable and difficult if at all to steer or direct it to its target. The IDF should have quit after three (3) days like Barak advised. The IDF should not introduced the concept of Dahiya. This military practice will be the most serious allegations/charges against the IDF and politicians. Sharon leaving the Gaza without giving them their soveriegnity is a big mistake from 4 or 5 years ago. The current seige on Gaza is shameful and only highlights the nastiness of the IDF in Gaza during the Operation Lead Cast. And 40 plus years of occupation--that is a couple of generations of young people with no hope. Occupation is the biggest "sin" or tresspas against Gazans.

Baird has no following in either Congress or in his own state, which is why he is resigning before he can be voted out. His next job will be as a million-dollar "consultant" for the Saudis or the like, which is where most anti-Israel politicians, State Dept., and Defense officials go. Interesting that pro-Israel officials and politicians virtually never retire to become multi-million dolar consultants for Israel. Hmmmm. Its called baksheesh.

"The IDF went a little too far". How far would you have gone with 8000 rockets fired upon you unanswered ?? What would your response have been if Castro fired 8000 rockets at your town in Florida ?? I am very much awaiting your honest answer.

because the Arabs of Gaza are only reaping what they have sowed. The weak Israeli govt made Gaza, which belonged to Israel fair and square after Egypt tried to wipe her off the map into the sea, totally Judenrein (just like the good ol days in Germany). The Arabs of Gaza, instead of building a future for themselves, turned Gaza into a terror base. Hey, pull your head of your anti-semitic tush and just review the events of the past five years. And stop invoking the Holocaust in your silly arguements...this is a sick form of Jew bashing.

Well, Aby, I see what the life of people in Gaza is like, and I am sorry for them. And in your book that makes me a pawn of Iran. You are trying very hard to make the rest of the world hate you, aren't you?

Aha Hudna. They had offered 10 years of Hudna. What does it means. It means takiyye. Go learn what does it means takkiye in Arabic and then try again to explain. "would be only tactical and not to be trusted" Exactly like that. It will be trusted only if they would agree to sign a peace agrement. We need acts not offerings or sayings. If you want peace, openly annouce that you'll sign a peace agrement like Egypt and Jordan did. We are openly announcing that we'll sign a peace agrement with whatever authority that will accept us. You didn't answer my first question. I'm repeating again. My concern is not todays situation. I'm not looking who is guilty or not. Just answer the first question. My concern is the future. If the blocade will be lifted without any peace agrement, do you belive there would be quite on the south front or not? Palies are getting more radicalised, the guilty is Israel. Simply twisted mind logic. Aby

..terrible things happened during the Oepration Lead Cast and now, during the seige. This story is too compelling to ignore; it will continue to livve on for months if not another year... In my opinion, the IDF went a little too far in their tactics.

All you liberals fall for the Arab cries of "starvation". The basis of Arab PR is sympathy and scoring points. Truth is far down on the list, and all the morons keep falling for it. Question, if there's such a human tragedy and suffering in Gaza (BS), why is Egypt not jumping to the rescue with containers of food and supplies (they share a border)?? Because they know the lies of their **Brothers** in Gaza. Total Hamas manipulation, and all you Liberals fall for it. For that matter, how many Arab Stares lifted a finger for the REAL suffering in Haiti (ZERO???). Finally, why is it Israel's responsibility to feed an enemy bent on its destruction. If they are really starving, they'd get rid of Hamas finally and create a better life. Obviously, it is all a blood libel, concocted BS. Doesn't seem like too many malnourished Gazans.

Won the elections fair and square and where did you get this information from,Hamas? There is no such thing as a democratically elected government in any part of the Arab world,international observers will always say ok when these people are concerned. Starving people,there are none and don't forget that part of the blockade is being done by Egypt. The blockade will never be lifted as long as Egypt wants it kept in place,not Israel. Egypt wants to protect her tourism industry.

Your view is undone by facts. The fact is that Hamas has offered Israel a long term hudna, or cease fire, a period of nonj belligerency. Now, that would certainly allow for positive movement forward rather than a continuing environment of hostility. You may counter that such a move would be only tactical and not to be trusted, but then, you probably are of the view that any forward movement is not possible because Palestinians by nature are not to be trusted. But it is Israel that has refused to make any overtures to Hamas offers. Indeed, that is the main reason for the inhumane blockade Israel has thrown around Gaza. What we lear from this is thaqt Israel wants to radicalise all Palestinian factions and steal more land to establish demographic facts which they think are irreversable.

Israel has done everything in its power to prevent the doings of Israel in Gaza from getting into the international press. It allows no press there, it has led an out to destroy campaign against Goldstone and his report, and it continues the lie that its punitive actions that have turned Gaza into a ghetto is solely due to security reasons. The objective of all this is well planned policy and that is not only to punish the general population but also to radicalise the civilian population. It needs to keep the pot boiling to deflect attention from its violations of this myth of temporary freeze. Baird knows this but unfortunately is retiring. If he were up for reelection AIPAC and its minions would be out in full force to do a "Goldstone" on him.

Gaza is self ruled territory within 1967 borders. Wellbeing of its citizens is totally defined by the politics of its rulers. No propaganda would obfuscate the real state of affairs - you should stop trying

Frankly do you believe that if the Gaza blockade will be lifted, HAMAS would quit the launching of the Qassams or would start a new wave of launching with more sophisticated nukes towards to Israel, and would start to new wawe of suicade bombings. All we want is silence in all fronts. We are ready to lift the blocade, first HAMAS openly should announce and sign an agrement with Israel then the International arena guaranties that will be quitted the launching of the Qassams. Don't make me laugh. I know where HAMAS and the Int arena is standing. Who are they that would take this bold decision. They and you are the pawns of Iran. As soon as HAMAS would announce the peace agrement a more radical Pali group then HAMAS would get to the power. Aby

when she visits

Your contribution to this discussion is a great shame for me. Nothing, but primitive anti-Israeli propaganda. Hamas is a terrorist organisation!!!

Well said. Those who back the blockade are public enemies and unhuman. Obama must do something as soon as possible.

'All the Americans have to do is get rid of Hamas and the brutal stranglehold they have over the innocent Gazans.' Err, hang on there, Hamas was democratically ELECTED by a large majority in an election deemed fair and accurate by foreign observers. Why would the USA want to topple a democratically-elected government? The world wants to see MORE of them in the Arab countries, not less. The truth is that the only country that wants to militarily topple Hamas is Israel, because Hamas is resisting its occupation and illegal landgrab in Palestine. The Israeli lobby in the USA is pressing America, as usual, to turn a blind eye to Israel's punitive actions against the innocents, whether bombing them in Cast Lead or starving them by blockade. It never mentions the fact that Hamas won the elections fair and square and instead makes up stories about 'brutal stranglehold of innocent Gazans', etc. Israel's crude actions in Gaza are indefensible and show it in a VERY poor light.

Obama's new definition of national interest does not include support of one's allies

Only a moron would try to compare the situation in gaza with the Warsaw ghetto. The two are not remotely comparable and is just a canard that the ill-informed and anti-semites try to use to discredit Israel. You are the lowest of the low.

It doesn't look like a blockade to me. Since the end of the IDF operation in Gaza (18 Jan 2009), 703,224 tons of aid and 105,600,128 liters of fuel have been delivered to the Gaza Strip. And even during the Gaza operation last year Israel delivered more than 37,000 tons of humanitarian aid on 1503 trucks, and 1,535,750 liters of heavy duty diesel for the Gaza power station. In any case most of the electrical power comes directly from Egypt and Israel, even though the Palestinians fire rockets at the Ashkelon power station.

The striking thing about the talkbacks is the disgusting lack of common humanity shown by the Israel1sters here. So I begin to wonder if this is Palestinian "trolling" - pretending to be an extreme Zionist to disgust the ordinary reader. We know "Baruch Gold", "Yishai Cohen", "Absolute Sweden" and "Peter SM" are Palestinian trolls, but all the rest of you?

On the one hand, you have Jane saying Gaza is like the Warsaw Ghetto, even though nobody is hungry, and there is a border with Egypt which that country can open if it chooses (it practically is open, via the tunnels). Vile comparison. Then you have someone saying the only thing the Gazans want is more Viagra. This isn't a debate, it's a shouting match.

if gazans want to buy viagra and cigarettes it is their choice and their business. gazans were mostly killed and tortured by israelis, not treated. other ghettos may have been better or worse, but this is history now, while gaza is happening as we speak, and it is a matter to be addressed... huh?

Thanks for reminding us that Gazans(Palestinians ) are also Human being.It seems to me that the hole world forget about it.Shame on all of us.

The israel-pal conflict is totally immoral. from the beginning. starting with the war of independence, when Jewish Jerusalem was totally blockaded and without humanitarian relief whatsoever unlike what Israel does in Gaza. The problems in Gaza are solved, the moment Hamas recognizes The Jewish state according to UNRSC 181

Of course America should liberate Gaza and save the innocent civilians who live there. All they have to do is to get rid of Hamas and the brutal stranglehold they have over the innocent Gazans. This will free up all the fuel, food and equipment that Hamas is keeping from their citizens. This will also mean that aid funds will flow directly to the people. Then they should free the kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. This will allow Israel to fully open the borders. Without Hamas, Gaza can grow and flourish in a peaceful environment & the massive expenditite which Hamas is making in buying weapons can be invested in industry and jobs. I can even forsee a great tourist industry developing!

Yes, they are human, too. Only...they seem to have no right to the freedom, for the security, for many basic things which are included to the declarations of the Human's rights and the rights of the children. Why? Because of Hamas? Because they might be potential terrorists or future terrorists? The innocent civilians -especially the children - should be protected from the irresponsible people (Hamas) -not punished...? That's something we normally do, if we see "abused" human beings -even if those abusers are the members of the family.

A year doesn't make any difference at all, only falsifying statements to make them refer to Israel do make the difference. Could you please give the source of your quote? The correct statement can be read here: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/wa03_baird/morenews1/GazaTrip.shtml Brian Views Destruction in Gaza ? Calls for Immediate Relief and Change in Policy ?The amount of physical destruction and the depth of human suffering here is staggering? said Baird, ?Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, schools completely leveled, fundamental water, sewer, and electricity facilities hit and relief agencies heavily damaged. The personal stories of children being killed in their homes or schools, entire families wiped out, and relief workers prevented from evacuating the wounded are heart wrenching ? what went on here, and what is continuing to go on, is shocking and troubling beyond words.?

In Ghetto thousands of people were dying of starvation each day. Pals when they broke the wall to bretheren in Egypt stormed Rafah's shops to buy ,what ,bread ,meat ? No , American cigarretes ,gasoline ,original Viagra (the one smuggled in is apparently of some inferior copycat quality). When Gazans get sick they are transferred to Israeli hospitals ,another similiarity to the WW2 Ghetto ,eh ? Start comparing Lidice to Gaza ,Gaza is "10 times worse" ,huh ?

Big difference is that Cuba doesn't try to terrorize the Florida Keys like Gaza does to surrounding towns. They're able to use scrap to send rockets into Sderot and Ashqelon, what more could they do with heavier materials. They need to stop the violence before things get better for them. Also, if there are such food shortages, why do their markets have produce?

Therein avoiding aipacs funding his opponent fro the upcoming elections. A shame that Congressmen will no take this stand BEFORE their careers are close to ending. Of course they would end a lot sooner if the did.

People in gaza are no different from Israelis, they also have kids, they also worry about how they're gonna pay for the rent. It's tragic that most Israelis try to close their eyes and forget about what's happening one-hour drive from tel Aviv.

Hamas is still in power, Shalit is still a prisonner. The blockade is completely useless. There are still rockets coming. It only serves to give Israel bad press abroad.

Dear Mr. "A. Sweden", is one different here: Cuba and North Korea are sovereign states with normal trade and limited personal connections with all world. Cuba has, further, massive support of middle- and southamerican countries. Cuba and N. Korea have aeroports, seaports and normal trade traffic. Gaza is GHETTO, ghetto created of Israel. Ghetto completely blockaded, where is allowed only basic human aid, nothing more. Ghetto without watersources (yes, in Warsaw and Lodz were some wells yet), without sevage system, without adequate food, medicine and medical care, ghetto without connections with around world. Situation in Gaza in 2010 year is very similar like situation in Warsaw and Lodz ghetto in 1941 - 1942.

shipments to Cuba pass through her territory and her ports... Because that's what's required from Israel by the "break blockade" crowd-uninhibited access to Israeli territory for shipments to Gaza.

or when Arabs stopped EVERYTHING from getting to Jerusalem including food and water.

The members of Congress who read Ha'aretz.com are better informed and now they realize our current biased policy isn't good for the region, and it not helping us end our current wars, and it isn't even good for Israel long term because of demographics. The region needs change because after 60+ years the status quo isn't working. Thank you, Ha'aretz and I hope your site overtakes the New York Times as America's primary information source about the Middle East and especially Israel-Palestine conflict and developments.

getting their just rewards, but all it is doing is demonstrating the total callousness of the Israelis.

It will soon be time for this. Baird is a little ahead on his timing. Mitchell should make a visit. Any American relief effort, however should include our own fleet. Hamas may be hostile to the effort and the IDF has trouble recognizing the American flag. The Swede should know that the US blockage of Cuba ended in the early 1960s. The US doesn't trade with Cuba. But everybody else in the world does. It may, however, be just a simple phone call from our President to Mubarak is all that is needed. That and some encouragement of an intra-Palestinian reconciliation deal for a non-partisan border control with Egypt. New Palestinian elections are fantasy. But non-partisan security may be achievable. Salam Fayyad is neither Hamas nor Fatah.

One year ago, after a visit to Israel and Gaza, Baird had this to say about the Israeli side: ?The amount of physical destruction and the depth of human suffering here in Israel is staggering. Schools hit by Hamas rockets completely leveled, innocent civilians killed while walking the street by the Palestinian rocket fire. The personal stories of children being killed in their homes or schools, entire families wiped out, and relief workers prevented from evacuating the wounded are heart wrenching ? what went on here, and what is continuing to go on, is shocking and troubling beyond words.?

Note Congressman Baird is retiring. It seems only a representative in such a position is bold enough to speak humanely and reasonably on matters concerning Israel. This is still the sad and craven state of our Congress today. They know better (the few enlightened anyway) but are so ridden with the fear of AIPAC's wrath that they remain silent to Palestinian suffering and pass pro forma resolutions on Israel.

Thank you for publishing this opinion. It adds weight to the recent Amnesty International report which asks world citizens to write authorities on both sides, asking them to take steps to bring this inhuman blockade to an end : http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE15/002/2010/en

Yawn.

I agree with this. Also, I await the predictable response-"THEN OBAMA SHOULD GO TO SDEROT TOO". Well, I think more Gazans die every day to the blockade to be quite frank.

You will become a pariah state like South Africa in the late 80s

We can have all of the chain-smoking Arabs in Gaza huddle together in the power plant and light up...that may produce enough energy to power up Gaza for up to ten years.

Not mentionning Cuba.