For Gaza, it was a Red Christmas

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, it's been a very crazy and busy time...I finally got some time off of work (alhumdulilah!!!) so I'm trying to relax. The hubby was sick with the stomach flu for Christmas so that pretty much torpedoed the holiday; I spent the night on the couch because I didn't want to get the crud from him. Thank goodness, I didn't get it (knock on wood!). Hope it stays that way. I've been following the Gaza tragedy like crazy and realized rather quickly the strategy and tactics that Israeli PR is using to try and control the coverage on the American media, they've now resorted to repeating the phrase "war on Hamas" to try and counteract the images viewers are seeing of women and children bloody after being bombed by Israeli fighter jets. I was discussing this with my husband and he made a good point about the difference between this conflict and the attacks on Lebanon in 2006; at least the Lebanese people could get out. For the Israelis, this is like the old "fish in a barrel" adage, the Gazans have no where to go...they are trapped. How are they supposed to respond? They can't send back smart bombs or use anti-aircraft fire, it's a completely one-sided strike. Those missiles fired by Hamas are practically useless and are mostly for emphasis--they've only taken one casualty and that one compared with 1500 is just too vast to cite as aggression by Hamas.

I've been following the conflict mostly on Al-Jazeera; they just aired an interview with Tzipi Livni, I'm not suprised she went on AJ, but it's a good counterpoint to those that argue that AJ is just an extremist network with one point of view. AJ is the only major network that has reporters in Gaza and who have been covering this story 24/7.

The outcome of this conflict is going to be bad for everyone, but particularly for Israel. They are only pushing the peace process back several steps, more people sympathize and will support Hamas (which they should have learned from the 2006 conflict in Lebanon with the sympathy going towards Hizballah) and for what it's worth, it seems like these attacks were more for the domestic Israeli audience who will be voting in two months than anything else; Israel knows they can't unseat Hamas--they were elected democratically in 2006; also, I think it's interesting how they timed it "in between" US presidents so that the US couldn't stop or influence the attacks.

This is a travesty and the silence of the world is deafening. Some people are protesting and that's good, but the Arab leaders are sitting on their hands, as usual while decrying the Israeli actions with their mouths. Useless words. The pocketbook can be just as mighty as the violent attacks they could mount. Saudi has done nothing but blame Hamas, Egypt has blamed Hamas, I'm suprised Jordan hasn't done the same; although the JMB and IAF relationship with Hamas has sweetened over the last few months.

Anyways....this is a terrible time for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the world bites their tongue; swallowing the blood of the innocent people who are dying from this "war on Hamas."