Finally at least some of the British media (not the BBC of course, but ITV) are starting to tell the truth about the situation in Gaza. How Netanyahu’s far-right government - of course, to save Netanyahu’s own political neck - is going in for the final kill against Gaza’s Palestinian population. The cease-fire is long-violated. Over 1,200 people have been killed since it was broken by Netanyahu.
And now, despite the huge demonstrations by the Israeli population calling for its reinstatement, (as the only way that hostages were released), the Israeli army has re-invaded and is now seizing and occupying parts of Gaza. Israel’s defence minister says these will be incorporated into “security” zones. The Israeli army isn’t leaving.
In the meantime the total blockade of the Strip (no food, water, fuel, medical supplies) continues into its 32nd day. There is no flour left to bake bread. And hospitals and clinics are routine targets of Israeli bombs.
What’s more, the people of Gaza are presented with an ultimatum: if they don’t want to be bombed into complete annihilation they’re told it’s up to them to “overthrow Hamas” and free the hostages! This would be laughable if it wasn’t so utterly cynical! And predictably, reports now appear in the British media (see the BBC...) which feed such an absurdity.
But, as even the Israeli daily, Haaretz argues, if the Israeli population didn’t manage to overthrow Netanyahu’s government, despite mobilising on the streets for months, despite its support among current and past military leaders and despite its own army training, how could anyone expect the starving, homeless, traumatized Gazans to “overthrow Hamas”? And that’s assuming they wanted to, given that the oppressor state blowing them to shreds isn’t Hamas, but commanded by Netanyahu...
In that sense, Israelis and Palestinians have a common enemy. We can only hope that in the future their respective working classes will find a way to build a bridge over the bloody torrent which, through no fault of their own, separates them today.