ISRAEL AND ARAB TERRITORIES

ISRAEL AND OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

ISRAEL IS JEOPARDIZING HIS OWN SECURITY

Through the case of the recent Operation in Gaza

By Didier BERTIN  - 15 June 2010

I –SITUATION IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

On 8^th August 2009, I wrote an article on my Site explaining how conflicts might have been avoided with a strong goodwill for Peace oriented in time to the roots of the problems.

After a description of WW2 mechanism I draw the lessons on Middle East and mentioned the following figures concerning the West Bank and Gaza:

WEST BANK

2 500 000 inhabitants on 5 860 km2

46% of the West Bank population is poor. Such proportion is close of those of Lesotho, Cameroon, Guinea, and worst than Bangladesh, Sudan, Benin.

On top this situation is worsened by a decreasing economic activity in % as it is shown below:

Variation of GDP in%

These figures are an objective fact leading to open conflict

GAZA

1 600 000 inhabitants on 360 km2

Gaza is really hell as compared to West Bank and we cannot be surprised by the aggressive attitude of a starving population of Gaza preferring “unfortunately” Hamas to Fatah.

Gaza is the poorest area of the world after Zambia.

80% of the population is poor.

This situation is aggravated by the decreasing activities in % as shown below which are worst than the disastrous figures of West Bank.

Variation of GDP in%

I said:  Democratic countries cannot leave the situation as it is. We should assist the poorest people of the world for human purposes and to give Peace a chance.

Israel seems unable to solve the problem with generally very short term considerations based on the military option. European Union and USA may only solve the problem by a direct economic intervention to give population access to welfare, which is very favourable to peace.

The current explosive situation was worsened by the blockade of Gaza since 2007 and by the last Israeli elections of 2009:

Israel has presented this blockade as an economic war against Gaza and its Authority excluding thus all humanitarian considerations for the population.

II- HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS

These operations were urgent taking into account the basic needs of the population in the field of health, food and water (drinking water is unhealthy in Gaza).

The absence of reactions of the foreign Government and of Europe more active in words than in acts has legitimated the private initiatives taken recently.

The problem was not so much to bring food than attracting the world attention on this problem.

The effects are already positive since Israel is slightly reducing the blockade conditions.

III- WHAT SHOWS THE MILITARY INTERVENTION OF ISRAEL

This action is in line with the ultra-rightist Government formed after the elections of 2009.

These elections were the worst for the Israel History. Many citizens voted for the ultra right and for a quasi fascist Party named Israel Beiteinou.

The degeneration of Israel political organization was illustrated by the association of AVODA to this ultra- rightist Government. Avoda’s membership of the Socialist International Organization is now highly questionable. Moreover the military operations were organized by Ehoud Barak the head of the Labour Party.

The Israeli citizens are victims of a deficient educational and information system developing the fear of Arabs and conditioning their votes.

We may notice similar events in many European countries where racist Parties were elected or where the so called moderate rightists starts to orient their policy against foreigners and  immigration in order to increase their electoral basis.

Israel was always confident in his army despite the conflicts become much more difficult to manage after 1967.

The different wars in Lebanon were practically vain despite heavy destructions because of General Staff incompetence.

Israeli Army was pitiful regarding his action against the humanitarian ships. Isolated soldiers heavily armed were left alone in the middle of a crowd and as the result fired and killed people. Foreign military consultants were surprised by the disproportion of means as compared to target for catastrophic results.  This should lead the Israeli citizens to reconsider their trust in the army and the choice of the sole military response.

IV - CONCLUSION

Humanitarian action in favour of abandoned populations as in Gaza was legitimate and efficient since the blockade starts to be reduced because of the world pressure. But Palestinians benefit of strong media coverage despite their small number as compared to other world populations also in very difficult position.

The humanitarian action in favour of fragile populations should be made in all places of the world on the basis of an objective assessment of their needs not always reported by the Media, which do not choose their coverage according to humanitarian needs but to the audience impact.

The extension of initiatives as taken for Gaza with the same energy and audacity to all other countries having urgent humanitarian needs is necessary to prove that there is no particular Ostracism regarding Israel based on unhealthy reasons.