Monday 26 January 2009

WHO SHOULD PAY FOR GAZA?

The furore over the BBC's refusal to broadcast the Disaster Emergency Committee's appeal for Gaza is a good indication of the current state of public sympathies.

But maybe the criticism is misdirected.

Under international law, Israel is responsible for Gaza. Israel is in charge. Israel turned Gaza into the world's biggest prison. Israel has wrought death and destruction, placing huge demands upon hospitals, destroying thousands of buildings, and leaving many families destitute.

It is not taxpayers in Britain, Europe or elsewhere who should be paying to meet the needs of Palestinians in Gaza, but taxpayers in Israel.

Douglas Alexander, the international development secretary has attacked the BBC's decision. I agree with his words, but as a government minister his real target should be his friend Gordon Brown.

Even while donations are made to meet immediate needs it's important to remember that Palestinians don't want charity or handouts, but a change in policy.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

When Israel brings up all sorts of illogical excuses for attacking civillian homes, mosques, markets, hospitals, clinics, schools, "UN food/water/medicine stores" etc with illegal use of weaponary such as phosphorous bombs, uranium, etc, and after 60 years of illegitimate occupation of Palestinian lands, brought through by the destruction of many houses and villages, killing, injuring and kidnapping many civillians etc, then there really can't be any hope on Israel helping the 1.5m people who's lives have been turned into hell, via their actions.

But for the BBC not to show the appeal due to impartiality just proves their partiality. It has outraged many. The money will be going to the 1.5m innocent civillians in Gaza, and by not showing such appeals, they've indirectly contributed to the death of many, who could've been saved by the charity money.

lostkitty said...

I have to totally agree with GGL.

The BBC's decision not to braodcast the appeal is outrageous and totally out of order. They should reverse their position and apologise to the people of Gaza for their bad policy.

As for change of policy from the Israeli's... a lot more pressure from governments is required to change Israel's inhumane policy in Palestine.
We need more action and less talk - its all very well saying what happened in Gaza is bad but this lack of actual action from our government is totally unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Davies,
I am really surprised to see that very few elected (maybe none?) members of parliament in Europe did not find it necessary to file a complaint at the Hague tribunal for war crimes against the state of Israel aggravated by the use of illegal weapons. The Serbian example may serve as jurisprudence to do so. What are they waiting for? Peace? There will be no peace under these conditions especially as the so called Palestinian territories have shrinked to such an extent that it is impossible to build a state..Since the Palestinian state cannot be limited to Gaza, and since the colonies have eaten up most of the west bank, a Sate within those parameters is impossible to build! Israel has to withdraw to the 1967 borders, has to pay for the last dammages to Gaza, has to define its boundaries, and with the help of the King of Jordan has to provide for a corridor on Jordanian territory (Which Israel will pay for) to link Gaza to the West Bank. Then and only then will there be a Palestinian State and peace.

Anonymous said...

Well, congratulations to Turkish PM Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan for walking out of Davos. Such indiscriminate Israeli slaughter of civilian Palestinians, and the mass destruction of homes, factories, schools, etc. only goes to show the contempt that the Israelis have for their Palestinian neighbours. Congratulations also to Bridget Kendall, the BBC's business reporter in Davos, who persistently questioned Binyamin Netanyahu, Likud leader and probable next Israeli Prime Minister, on whether Israel would pay for the reconstruction of Gaza. Of course not. The international community can pay through UNRWA, was the reply

Anonymous said...

I emailed this letter to the Guardian on 29 Jan and a similar letter on 2 Jan. Neither have been published.

Max Boucher
-----------------------

GAZA - WHO SHOULD PAY

Why ask the BBC to help raise money for the reconstruction of Gaza?
It is the Zionists who must pay.

Then they should move to European countries, unless they can
support the establishment of a multicultural one-state Palestine.

They have now clearly lost any right to land in Palestine.

The Balfour Declaration of 1917 recommended that Jewish people should
have a home in Palestine, but on the condition that "nothing shall
be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of
existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".

This has been ignored. Zionists have exploited guilt about the
Holocaust, abused
the myth that the Jewish people deserve a promised land, and
attempted to brand anti-Zionists as anti-Semitic. They have an
organised rebuttal network set up to respond to criticism in the media.

At the same time steps must be taken to tackle racism in Europe.
Only then will it
be safe for any Jewish people who are returning.

Ahmadinejad is perfectly right that 'Israel' should be removed from
the map, and that
the problem has arisen because of racism in Europe.


Max Boucher
Community Support
London