Canada's Bloody Political Consensus on Israel and Palestine
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 21 July 2015 22:15
- Written by editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(((( T h e B u l l e t ))))~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Socialist Project e-bulletin .... No. 1148 .... July 22, 2015
__________________________________________________
Canada's Bloody Political Consensus on Israel and Palestine
David Bush
A year ago this month, Israel commenced Operation Protective Edge, their third major assault on the Gaza strip since 2008. The response from Canada's political parties was a swift and unflinching support for Israel. The 51-day war, or rather display of modern mechanical butchery by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), killed 2,251 Palestinians, over two thirds of whom were civilians, including 500 children. More than 10,000 were injured. By comparison 71 Israelis were killed and only six of them were civilians. Roughly 500 Israelis were injured.
By any account this was a slaughter. But the grim toll of lives and limbs only scratches the surface of the savagery. An estimated 20,000 Palestinian homes were... destroyed or suffered major damage (this figure might be very low) and more than 100,000 people were displaced. Twenty-seven government schools, 46 clinics, 15 hospitals, eight fire stations, one ambulance station and over 500 factories and workshops were either completely destroyed or severely damaged. The agricultural sector in Gaza suffered major losses as Israel targeted nearly half of the agricultural sector -- driving up food prices. The Israelis also obliterated 73 mosques and partially damaged 200 others, as well as Gaza's only two churches -- that is roughly one third of the mosques in Gaza. The IDF didn't just slaughter Palestinians -- it destroyed their livelihoods.
Because of the ongoing blockade of Gaza there has been no progress in rebuilding. Only roughly 10 per cent of the materials needed for reconstruction have been allowed into Gaza most of which is earmarked for Qatari development projects and not housing. The housing crisis means increased rents, which only adds to the daily struggle for Gazans. The unemployment rate in Gaza hovers around 40 per cent and over 70 percent of residents rely on some form of humanitarian aid.
While many international leaders blamed Hamas and their rockets, it was Israeli airstrikes meting out death from above in Gaza that precipitated the escalation of violence. And underlying the suffering brought about by the war was the even deeper wound of the occupation and blockade.