Hearts beat for Gaza
Hamas is no match against the Israeli army’s might. Gaza is already known as the world’s largest open air prison.
KARACHI:
This is regarding the recent attacks by Israel on Gaza. While covering these clashes, international news agencies and news channels (including the CNN and the BBC) are portraying the entire scenario as if both the sides, i.e., Hamas in Gaza and Israel, are retaliating against each other’s actions and that Israel’s bombing of Gaza is in response to the rocket attacks launched by Hamas from Gaza.
On the contrary, there has been a hugely disproportionate use of force by Israel. Homes, vehicles, and other targets — complete with new-born children, sleeping in their mothers’ arms — are being attacked using fighter jets and through the sea, whereas rockets fired by Hamas are mostly short ranged, lack accuracy and have not inflicted a single casualty during the clashes. These rockets mostly land in uninhabited areas and are quite rudimentary as compared to ammunition used by Israel.
Hamas is no match against the Israeli army’s might. Gaza is already known as the world’s largest open air prison with transport aid and fuel embargo permanently applied against the besieged strip.
Also, it is worth mentioning that Hamas is also the winner of elections in Gaza and is a legitimate political force representing the people of Gaza — a fact very conveniently overlooked by the international media while declaring its supporters militants and terrorists.
Nizar Diamond Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2014.
This is regarding the recent attacks by Israel on Gaza. While covering these clashes, international news agencies and news channels (including the CNN and the BBC) are portraying the entire scenario as if both the sides, i.e., Hamas in Gaza and Israel, are retaliating against each other’s actions and that Israel’s bombing of Gaza is in response to the rocket attacks launched by Hamas from Gaza.
On the contrary, there has been a hugely disproportionate use of force by Israel. Homes, vehicles, and other targets — complete with new-born children, sleeping in their mothers’ arms — are being attacked using fighter jets and through the sea, whereas rockets fired by Hamas are mostly short ranged, lack accuracy and have not inflicted a single casualty during the clashes. These rockets mostly land in uninhabited areas and are quite rudimentary as compared to ammunition used by Israel.
Hamas is no match against the Israeli army’s might. Gaza is already known as the world’s largest open air prison with transport aid and fuel embargo permanently applied against the besieged strip.
Also, it is worth mentioning that Hamas is also the winner of elections in Gaza and is a legitimate political force representing the people of Gaza — a fact very conveniently overlooked by the international media while declaring its supporters militants and terrorists.
Nizar Diamond Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2014.