Israel’s attack on Gaza is strongly condemned and the Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s visit to Gaza on Friday showed strong support from the Muslim world. But the American govt disappointed the world by releasing a statement in favour of Israel. The White House said it believes Israel “has the right to defend itself” against attacks and that the Israelis will make their own decisions about their “military tactics and operations”.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has no control over Gaza anymore, but the statement he made on 01 November on Israeli channel showed that there is still a political dispute or clash within the country. He stated, “I believe that [the] West Bank and Gaza is Palestine and the other parts [are] Israel.” His statement had indirectly supported Hamas and people who seemed to be in favour of it. One more thing to be noted here is that Hamas is the group which had control over Gaza and the West had picturised the image of Hamas as terrorist organization in the past.
The Palestinians have never accepted Israel. Mahmoud Abbas’s interview to the Israeli TV vhannel gave the message to Israel that they wanted to start a peace process but Israel had other plans. History has proved time and again that Israel does not want any peace process. Whatever statement Israel issues, their attack on Gaza and brutally killing several Palestinians have no justification.
People of Pakistan strongly condemn this attack and appeal to the govt to pressurise UN to stop Israel. Otherwise, the consequences will be difficult for the West to bear.
OMAIMA KHALID
Karachi
(II)
With agonising pain the world once again is witnessing the atrocious and barbaric manner in which Israel has assaulted Gaza in the name of “self-defence”. So far more than 60 people including children have been mercilessly killed. In spite of getting calls of condemnation from the world over, the Israeli PM Benjamin Natanyahu vows to “expand” the assault and 75,000 reservist Israeli soldiers are all-ready for a ground assault.
The scars inflicted by the deadly Israeli attack in late December 2008 are still raw in the hearts and minds of the world, especially Gazans. In the 22-day onslaught, the Israelis ruthlessly killed 1,417 people including women and children. Only 13 Israelis lost their lives in that war. Moreover, defying international laws, Israel pounded civilians with phosphorous bombs.
No doubt Israel is a “bully” that is impossible to discipline especially when US is “fully supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself”. In the face of such hostile environment, it is high time that OIC and Arab League stopped being dummy organisations, paying mere lip service to the Palestinian cause and made some serious efforts to remove the plight of their innocent and helpless Palestinian brethrens.
ZAINAB IHSAN
Lahore
