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Gaza and humanity versus Zionist ethnic
cleansers and their stooges
By David Halpin
Redress, August 7, 2008
David Halpin details the torturous effort of people of
conscience who are determined to open a humanitarian link to the
Palestinians of Gaza whom Israel, its stooges and collaborators are
determined to strangulate for daring to exercise their democratic
right and choose a government of their choice.
27 July 2008: Exeter Airport – The 2330 hours flight to Larnaka is
delayed by two hours. Estimated time of departure now 0140 hours on
28 July. These little discomforts in order that we stand in
solidarity with the Palestinian people whose “discomfort” started at
the point of a gun and with stories of terrible savagery as at Deir
Yassin in April 1948! Anything that an outsider suffers in his
efforts for justice now is but a speck within the imprisonment,
torture, suffocation and life-denial of the Palestinian. About 1
million have been imprisoned since 1948 and some for many years.
Currently 11,000 are in prison and about a tenth are there under
“administrative detention”, a convenient extension of the perfidious
Albion's Palestine Mandate law. About 37 of this human mass are
legislators belonging to the Hamas party. A scrupulous election was
no bar to stifling a democracy emerging under brutal occupation. In
spite of generous offers to include the main opposition party Fatah
in government, that attempt at plurality invited the annihilation of
Hamas by the engine of destruction and its many subservient nations,
led by the USA. Any adherents to Islam must be isolated and driven
by goading to division and self-destruction. Thus was the medieval
siege laid on Gaza in March 2006 against all morality and all major
international laws.
The medieval siege laid on Gaza is against all morality and all
major international laws
The Hague Rules and Nuremberg Principles were never enunciated and
they do not exist; barbarism is the only rule. Hillary Clinton calls
for the obliteration of Iran and wishes for a high speed version of
Enola Gay.
My wife Sue and I are joining the shore party for those boats and
crews that will sail to Gaza with all determination and much courage
to show that the Eastern Mediterranean sea is not owned by the
Zionist entity or its minions and that the 12 miles of sea from the
skeleton coast of Gaza is in Palestinian ownership. They will also
be demonstrating their common humanity and their solidarity with 1.5
million prisoners from newborn to elder, survivors of the Nakba. The
crews are drawn from 12 nations, and ages range from the 20s up to
the 80s. Among the latter is
Hedy Epstein who
escaped the death camps when she was taken as a little girl to the
US before World War II. No human arrives on this beautiful planet to
“dispossess”, oppress and annihilate another. When they get to Gaza
(and they will) they will be joining groups which will use their
skills. One group has called for musical instruments; a crew member
has rustled up a flute, guitar and saxophone.
If it was not for morbid circumstance such happy meeting would be
the norm as we gather together in little courtyards to drink mint
tea and jig the dark-haired grandchild on the knee. The peace will
be the clip clop of the mare taking the precious fish to Beach Camp
in blue boxes. In the lulls the waves are heard falling on the
shore. Just the sound of children's laughter and great grandpa's
resonant Arabic held in rapt attention. Instead the devils are
abroad. The unmanned aerial vehicles are up aloft and droning in the
haze. One is just to spy and to record; the other has a missile in
its womb to liquidate another mother's son or two or three
who knows?. The high speed patrol boat which roars along the
subjugated sea with a “rooster tail” thrice the height of the vessel
itself throbs a warning. The 3000 HP plus engine – made in Detroit –
is driving water jets which bring its mounted guns to bear at 50
knots or more. Its 700-mile range is assured by 10 tonnes of Arab
oil within its tank. In Beach camp there are mothers scratching
round for paraffin with which to sterilize the water for the baby's
milk. Captain Netanyahu opens the throttle on his boat of death
without a fraction of a thought. Eretz Israel cannot take account of
those it has impoverished and chained.
Miriam Farhat lies in Gaza's European hospital, her cardiac output
low and pain within her chest. She has lost her Hamas husband and
several dear sons to Israel. Many call her Palestine's mother and
for that deep respect she gained a seat in the February 2006
legislature. The other day she suffered a massive coronary
thrombosis and was taken via the Shifa hospital to the European
hospital where a procedure failed. A plea to allow her through the
Rafah gate to save her in Egypt falls on deaf dead ears. An elderly
mother has the Hamas tattoo upon her wrist so she stays against all
hard won humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is cast
aside for almost all the sick sisters of Gaza.
Six miles south from where loving children sit silent round the one
who bore them, Khalil al-Niss and Linda Curtis are trying to pass
into Gaza at the Rafah gate with 1.5 tonnes of medical supplies they
have gathered in Edinburgh. Khalil has a parcel firm and hails from
Jerusalem. He has a tale or two to tell. Linda is a nurse at the
medical centre in Herriot Watt University. For humanity, and for
solidarity with the imprisoned, they determined to drive these vital
gifts through Europe to the remnants of Palestine, the. hinge of
humanity.
They left on the ferry to Zeebrugge on 10 July. A drive which should
have taken five days at the most, took almost twice as long. Croatia
forbad entry, so they had to backtrack. The Turkish border police
held them for half a day until a valuation of the goods was faxed
from the Dove and Dolphin
charity under which auspices this good deed is done. They were
stopped for 24 hours at the Egyptian border across the water from
Aqaba. Thence they drove across Sinai to Rafah for some
diplomatic/bureaucratic persecution. Each day they presented
themselves at Rafah gate. There was more hope but hopes had been
raised and dashed many times before. “They will let you cross now”
so a taxi ride to the gate. “They will not be letting you through
there in a months of Jumaas.” Letters with the couple, including one
from the Dove and Dolphin charity, vouch for the honest intentions
of these messengers. A letter with the names of six Members of the
Scottish Parliament has been taken to the Ministry of the Interior.
But the Zionist entity, and its dozens of pro-Zionist allies, do not
want the siege broken by a small wedge in the door, a small load of
medical supplies. They want Hamas to be broken instead; unity is
threat.
31st July Khalil telephones to say that he is waiting at
closed gates again on the 11th day in the wilderness. He sounds
valiant and samid – steadfast. Media interest is growing and
President Mubarak is being asked directly by a Cairo TV station when
he will let him through in the 27th year of his presidency. There is
a strong rumour that the gates will be open tomorrow so the human
tide can start. Linda has to fly home from Sharm El-Sheikh tonight
in order to return to her nursing duties, so there will be more
unplanned expense. Khalil is not going to go away. He hears story
after story of grotesque inhumanity. A child of 18 months sent to
Saudi Arabia with his mother for diagnosis or treatment. His loving
father was not able to accompany him, being a male and below 35
years of age. The Saudis insisted that the visa be for only one
week. That creation of the US, friend of Britain and BAe [British
Aerospace – defence and aerospace company] bungs does not follow the
Prophet in honouring the child.
The British Consulate in Jerusalem was urged to plead for free
passage since Gaza is within its ambit. The polite exchange was
followed by an email from me, to which there was no reply. The
British Embassy in Cairo was rung and the duty officer expressed
sympathy but also some awkwardness. She obviously knew of the case
because the suggestion was made that the supplies should be handed
over to the Egyptian Red Crescent and “they might get through”. “Do
phone back after the weekend and speak to a senior officer.” So that
was done, and more sympathy. The senior officer was unable to come
to the phone. “I will cut to the chase. What international law is
being used to bar the entry of these humanitarian supplies and the
two humans who convey them through Rafah gate?” “I will have to
phone you back.” This press officer comes back with a pat formula
which of course has no meaning. “This case is a legal matter between
Egypt and Israel.” She intimated that the latter had more of the
whip hand but Gazan infant knows that.
The powerful own the law and thus there is no law. And there is no
ethical basis for most state action. That Palestinians suffer more
and have less 60 years since the ethnic cleansing and occupation of
their land proves these points. No justice, no peace.
David Halpin FRCS is a trauma and orthopaedic
surgeon. He founded the
Dove and the Dolphin charity, one of whose aims is to promote
the health and welfare of Palestinian children.
http://www.redress.cc/palestine/dhalpin20080801
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