Palestinian killed as Gaza protests against Israel enter fourth month

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

 

Palestinians watch a protest at the Israel-Gaza border in the southern Gaza Strip July 6, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

 

GAZA (Reuters) - A Palestinian taking part in a border protests was killed on Friday, Gazan medical officials said, bringing to 136 the number killed in the confrontations that have often drawn a lethal Israeli army response since they began on March 30.

 

The Gaza Health Ministry said the 22-year-old died of a chest wound. It said Israeli shelling wounded eight people in the same location, east of Gaza City, though it was not clear if the two incidents were linked.

 

Israel's military denied shelling, saying troops used "riot dispersal means" including gunfire as they confronted 3,000 Palestinians at five points along the border fence, some rolling burning tyres and throwing rocks, and that "a number of terrorists" approached the border fence with a bomb.

 

"The explosive device went off within the Gaza Strip and injured several Palestinians," it said.

 

The Gaza Health ministry said almost 400 people were wounded in Friday's protests, 57 of them from live bullets.

 

There have been no serious Israeli casualties during the so-called "Great March of Return" but big tracts of Israeli land have been ravaged by fires set by incendiary kites or helium balloons flown in from Gaza.

 

Israel, facing international condemnation over its tactics, accuses Gaza's Islamist Hamas rulers of orchestrating the sometimes violent protests to distract from their governance problems and provide cover for armed cross-border attacks.

 

Home to 2 million Palestinians, more than half of them war refugees and their descendents, Gaza has suffered deep poverty and infrastructure collapses under a 12-year blockade by Israel and Egypt, which say they aim to curb Hamas threats.

 

Organisers have described the border protests as spontaneous outpourings of frustration, as has Hamas. The Islamists have failed to conclude months of power-sharing talks with Western-backed Palestinian political rivals to ease conditions in Gaza.

 

The Palestinian Centre of Policy and Survey Research, said on Wednesday that 74 percent of Palestinians believe the protests have not achieved their goals or achieved little.

 

Its poll found 61 percent of Gazans believe Hamas is responsible for the "initiation and organisation" of the border protests.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-07

Imagine for the moment that you lived in a large prison camp, the largest prison in the world, where the prison was about 50 KM long and an average 9KM wide (actually the area is much smaller than that because of a maintained buffer zone) and that this area was the most overcrowded place on earth. No one can get in; no one can get out. There is only electricity 4 hours a day. There is a blockade, meaning no goods in or out. By the way, that includes medicines much of the time.

 

Imagine that year after year. Relentless. Nothing changes. Imagine young people growing up in that environment. Now what do you think would happen . . . . It does not surprise me that people are actively protesting at the border of this prison camp and dying there.

 

Remember, whatever you think about the rights and wrongs and who did what (and I for one, although not a zionist, think that the state of Israel does have the right to exist), that this is not part of Israel but is totally controlled by Israel. Remember that control of Gaza by Israel was taken over in 1967. Imagine that happening where you live and the boiling resentment that would result and ask yourself why nothing is being done about it, why no one is leaning on Israel to play their part.

 

We are sitting, metaphorically speaking, on a large pressure cooker that is going to blow sometime. Do we have to wait until the hate rises to such a fever pitch that the bombs go off in our own neighbourhoods before we take notice of these issues?

 

@Proboscis

 

Your "account" fails to mention the part played by the local Palestinian leadership (Hamas). Or the part played by the other Palestinian leadership (PA, or Fatah). Or the part played by Egypt. As usual with some posters, this is all about Israel. Try harder.

 

15 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

@Proboscis

 

Your "account" fails to mention the part played by the local Palestinian leadership (Hamas). Or the part played by the other Palestinian leadership (PA, or Fatah). Or the part played by Egypt. As usual with some posters, this is all about Israel. Try harder.

 

Whats sticks out like a sore thumb is the oppressive nature of apartheid Israel  , the fact that some groups oppose the oppression ( hamas , fatah etc )  is human nature , this is the only means of highlighting  their oppression by apartheid Israel . 

P.S I grew up in an apartheid state , I know apartheid when I see it .

 

@mzanzi

 

What sticks out like a sore thumb is the insistence of some posters to ignore or deny anything which may project negatively on the Palestinian side. Your PS is more BS - somehow assuming that conditions are similar in all cases, or that your own point of view is even supported by relevant leaders directly involved.

 

The Gaza Strip wasn't always under blockade. The blockade is not solely maintained by Israel. Ignoring Hamas role or trying to paint it as something which it isn't doesn't change facts. I would offer that ignoring or misrepresenting the PA's actions in this regard is either clueless or disingenuous. A whole lot of the issues in Gaza revolve around political struggles between the two factions.

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

@mzanzi

 

What sticks out like a sore thumb is the insistence of some posters to ignore or deny anything which may project negatively on the Palestinian side. Your PS is more BS - somehow assuming that conditions are similar in all cases, or that your own point of view is even supported by relevant leaders directly involved.

 

The Gaza Strip wasn't always under blockade. The blockade is not solely maintained by Israel. Ignoring Hamas role or trying to paint it as something which it isn't doesn't change facts. I would offer that ignoring or misrepresenting the PA's actions in this regard is either clueless or disingenuous. A whole lot of the issues in Gaza revolve around political struggles between the two factions.

What sticks out like a sore thumb is your purpose in deflecting blame onto anyone other than the ones who actually pulled the triggers as part of standard orders to dispel crowds who are no threat to their personal safety. Israel must be the only army in the democratic world that issues such orders with apparent impunity.

 

Israel could ease tensions tomorrow by indicating its willingness to ease the blockade, or by allowing some Gazan Palestinians to return to their homeland from which they have been ethnically cleansed.
 

What sticks out like a sore thumb is your purpose in deflecting blame onto anyone other than the ones who actually pulled the triggers as part of standard orders to dispel crowds who are no threat to their personal safety. Israel must be the only army in the democratic world that issues such orders with apparent impunity.
 
Israel could ease tensions tomorrow by indicating its willingness to ease the blockade, or by allowing some Gazan Palestinians to return to their homeland from which they have been ethnically cleansed.
 

Yes and the moment you show any commpasion or weakness they play on it .not just there but the world over. They just believe Israel should be wiped out.

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27 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Yes and the moment you show any commpasion or weakness they play on it .not just there but the world over. They just believe Israel should be wiped out.

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About who are you talking about ?

9 minutes ago, Thorgal said:

 

About who are you talking about ?

Quite obvious, isn't it.

 

38 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Yes and the moment you show any commpasion or weakness they play on it .not just there but the world over. They just believe Israel should be wiped out.

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Ahhhhh.

Letting some Gaza Arabs on the loose in Israel.

What a splendid idea!

2 hours ago, mzanzi said:

Whats sticks out like a sore thumb is the oppressive nature of apartheid Israel  , the fact that some groups oppose the oppression ( hamas , fatah etc )  is human nature , this is the only means of highlighting  their oppression by apartheid Israel . 

P.S I grew up in an apartheid state , I know apartheid when I see it .

Please explain the similarity between apartheid in the country where you grew up, must be SA, and the "apartheid" in Israel.

If you know Afrikaans, or Dutch, you should know exactly what the word means and implicates and perfectly able to explain apartheid as used in SA and where it went wrong.

Then I invite you to explain the "apartheid" in Israel.

I imagine you can't, but I do.

Why?

Well, I am Dutch, I have Afrikaander friends (who did not support apartheid), and I am and my family was for ages victim of, ehhh, racial profiling?

2 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Please explain the similarity between apartheid in the country where you grew up, must be SA, and the "apartheid" in Israel.

If you know Afrikaans, or Dutch, you should know exactly what the word means and implicates and perfectly able to explain apartheid as used in SA and where it went wrong.

Then I invite you to explain the "apartheid" in Israel.

I imagine you can't, but I do.

Why?

Well, I am Dutch, I have Afrikaander friends (who did not support apartheid), and I am and my family was for ages victim of, ehhh, racial profiling?

Do the Jewish inhabitants and the Arab/Muslim/Christian inhabitants of Israel  have the same "value" in terms of their vote?

 

How many Arabs/Muslims/Christians are in the present cabinet of Israel?

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

Please explain the similarity between apartheid in the country where you grew up, must be SA, and the "apartheid" in Israel.

If you know Afrikaans, or Dutch, you should know exactly what the word means and implicates and perfectly able to explain apartheid as used in SA and where it went wrong.

Then I invite you to explain the "apartheid" in Israel.

I imagine you can't, but I do.

Why?

Well, I am Dutch, I have Afrikaander friends (who did not support apartheid), and I am and my family was for ages victim of, ehhh, racial profiling?

Basically the ruling Jewish minority controls 100% the lives of the majority Palestinians in the whole of Palestine but does not give them equal human and civil  rights.

 

Briefly, and there's much more...

 

Segregated immigration laws. 99.9% Jewish only  immigration allowed
Discriminatory marriage laws

Jewish only West Bank settlements and Israeli towns..Jews can bar even Israeli Arab citizens from Jewish neighbourhoods

Separate laws  settlers ruled by Israeli law, occupied Palestinians by military law
Segregated road system   https://visualizingpalestine.org/visuals/segregated-roads-west-bank
Different colored license plates

Checkpoints for Palestinians only...Jews waived through

 

Edited July 7, 20188 yr by dexterm

Basically the ruling Jewish minority controls 100% the lives of the majority Palestinians in the whole of Palestine but does not give them equal human and civil  rights.
 
Briefly, and there's much more...
 
Segregated immigration laws. 99.9% Jewish only  immigration allowed
Discriminatory marriage laws
Jewish only West Bank settlements and Israeli towns..Jews can bar even Israeli Arab citizens from Jewish neighbourhoods
Separate laws  settlers ruled by Israeli law, occupied Palestinians by military law
Segregated road system   https://visualizingpalestine.org/visuals/segregated-roads-west-bank
Different colored license plates
Checkpoints for Palestinians only...Jews waived through
 

Its called keeping trouble snd the people that hate and want to kill you at bay

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@dexterm

 

More like your usual twisting of other posters' views. I doubt you'll find a post in which I deny Israel's responsibility or that it plays a part in the sorry state of affairs. My post was with regard to the usual views aired by the usual suspects which seek to ignore anything whatsoever which reflects negatively on the Palestinian side.

 

As for your assertions about "no threat to their personal safety" I doubt that this is the case in all instances. The rationale of using live fire in this context was discussed in length on previous topics. If you wish to ignore points made and just rehash the same old slogans - by all means. Feel free to explain what's the benefit of letting a mass breach of the border occur, and how it will not end up in many more casualties. Not holding my breath as you've avoided the issue on all previous topics.

 

Israel is not about to ease the blockade without concessions from the Hamas or reliable assurances this will not result in further attacks. Obviously, the likes of you will ignore that Hamas can ease up tensions just as easily - and will not make such a "demand". Israel is not obligated to allow any right of return outside agreements and without potential returnees declaring both peaceful intentions and recognition of sovereignty. Spin away, it's all you've got.

 

Next remark about apartheid will earn a suspension.   It's off-topic, inflammatory and trolling.  

 

Can you imagine the outrage if for trespassing in the illegally occupied territories 136 Israelis including children, paraplegics and medics were killed by Palestinians and over 15,000 injured some maimed for life ?

 

Perhaps Netanyahu should declare 3 national days of mourning for damage to his fence.

 

@dexterm

 

Can you imagine the concepts of accountability and responsibility applying to either sides' leaderships?

 

@dexterm

 

Vivid imagination is all very well. In reality though, there are no tens of thousands of Israelis trying to breach the border into the Gaza Strip. Spin away.

 

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

@dexterm

 

Vivid imagination is all very well. In reality though, there are no tens of thousands of Israelis trying to breach the border into the Gaza Strip. Spin away.

 

But they have! 750,000 illegal settlers have breached the 67 fence and occupied stolen Palestinian lands, even though they have never set eyes on the place before. Whereas 70% of Palestinian families on the Gaza border have been ethnically cleansed from their homes now within Israel.

 

Where were the IDF to prevent such illegal infiltration?

Can you imagine the outrage if for trespassing in the illegally occupied territories 136 Israelis including children, paraplegics and medics were killed by Palestinians and over 15,000 injured some maimed for life ?
 
Perhaps Netanyahu should declare 3 national days of mourning for damage to his fence.

So why are the Palastinians letting children and paraplegics into these zones?. Thats Disgusting but i would not expect anything else judging by their past behaviour

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@dexterm

 

This topic is about the Gaza Strip, not the West Bank. There are no illegal settlers involved. Your usual nonsense regarding Israelis' ancestry remains the same rubbish it was the first time spouted. Your last comment is more meaningless drivel.

 

 

A troll post has been removed.  Additional troll posts will be removed without notice.