By Leila Diab
As I awoke this morning and opened up my email to check my mail, I found several very disturbing and disheartening news of yet another atrocity in the Gaza Strip. As the sun rose over the Gaza Strip, on the 28th of December, 2008, the Israeli military government launched a massive wave of air attacks on the Gaza Strip people. At least 200 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 200 Palestinians have been wounded.
(Watch video: Israel launches deadly air strikes on Gaza)
(Watch video: UN calls for Israel to open Gaza border to aid)
According to an Israeli military spokesman, Avi Benayhu, he reported to the Israeli army radio that the massive bombardment of Gaza was only just beginning.
Does anyone care? "Truly don't we care? And, why don’t we care?" decried my anguished Indian friend, Bindu, upon hearing of the news in Gaza. Is this a civilized government - the bombardment of thousands of defenseless Palestinian men, women and children? They can't even possibly escape from the prison confines of its army controls and after it has starved the population for months and reduced it to absolute penury!
Does "collateral damage" of women and children justify the Israeli government's security manifestations and claims, while being - the world's fourth largest army against the people of Gaza, a race of people who both physically, psychologically, and deliriously are suffering from hunger, economic deprivation and confinement? Will American politicians, Arab and Muslim leaders and the world community's leaders condemn the Israeli military government's attacks on a defenseless Palestinian population?
The gruesome pictures sent to me this morning of the Gaza atrocity, tell yet another story of a senseless atrocity in the Gaza Strip region. Why? Can these crimes against humanity usher in a new year of a peaceful hope in 2009?
Together, all peaceful voices of conscience and goodwill in the world need to be heard while urgent and desperate action from the United Nations, world leaders, the Arab and Muslim leaders, and American politicians MUST bring justice to the offenders of these crimes against humanity. And yes, public outcry must be voiced and enacted in all sectors of society across the world to protest, and let it be known that violence does not solve problems or make peace...only political solutions can define when enough is enough and when peace is possible.
"I am ashamed that my government has remained silent. After the disheartening and senseless Bombay tragedy, not long ago, now the disturbing news of the Gaza Strip atrocity. Does anybody really care anymore? And, when will our world leaders make peace with their conscience? Truly, we don't care about humanity. Sadly, this causes me much anguish," decried my Indian friend, Bindu.
-- Leila Diab is an educator and a freelance journalist
alJazeera Magazine - Gaza atrocity
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