one, but two children’s schools funds Hamas. “What could
in Gaza.
be more exploitative of dead
children than attributing the
IDF warns civilians to evacuate pictures of innocents killed
before a strike. But Hamas by your own supporters to
orders its civilians to stay put. your enemy simply because
This usage of civilians as human you weren’t paying enough
shield has been condemned attention when your own were
by the Palestinian president killing your own?” – Ali A Rizvi.
himself, President Mahmoud
Abbas in saying “What are While this story is all about how
you trying to achieve in sending bad Gaza has been, Israel has
rockets?” And the Hamas not been at the best of heart
spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri has either. Israelite warriors have
plainly stated that this usage of been reported to have abused
human shields has been “very women, tortured children and
effective”.
used Gazan teenagers as
human shields. When a bomb
When Gaza fires a rocket at strike happens at Gaza, several
Israel, it alarms its citizens, Israeli supporters have publicly
moves them to bomb shelters celebrated it just like how the
and protects it citizens. Gaza, Arabs celebrated 9/11. But
on the other hand has only this kind of thing happens on
bomb shelters for the ruling both sides when there is 65
Hamas party and civilians years of enmity between the
are not allowed to enter. The peoples. We cannot totally
reason stated for this is that blame the Israelites for it.
Hamas is poor and cannot Yes, to you Muslims, who say
afford it. Of course, rockets that the state of Israel belongs
and nuclear arsenal come at a to Muslims, it did. But it offered
discount price right?
refugee to fleeing Jews more
In fact, according to a BBC than half a century earlier.
report, those pictures we see Due to the larger Jewish
of dead children in Gaza population, Israel was carved
were actually killed by Assad out of existing Palestine. Now
in Syria. Surprisingly, Assad is there are millions of second
supported by Iran which also and third generation Jews for
whom Israel is truly home. You
just can’t destroy them.
There are 22 Arab states
stretching from the Atlantic to
the Indian Ocean. But there is
only one Jewish state, Israel.
And the Arabs want that too.
Why can’t the one Jewish state
allowed to exist in peace?
When there is a war, there is
an inevitable war crime. As a
country, Israel has pleaded
for peace multiple times and
Hamas has always destroyed
the peace.
Now knowing all this, “secular”
people can chose to support
any side in this tribal, and
religious conflict, and alleviate
war, or understand that a two
state peace is required and
pray for that.
I’m open to mails and
feedbacks on this issue, and
as an independent and peace
loving person, will respond and
we might even have a small
debate on the next issue of
OutFocus. Thanks to Prager and
Ali A Rizvi for their research
articles, which has helped
understand the problem.
Ar Muthu Kumar, Editor.
[email protected]
COVER STORY 11