Gaza, 2012

By Geoffrey Cook, TMO

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby (C) and Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (3rd L) touch the hand of a Palestinian boy, who according to Palestinian medics was wounded in an Israeli air strike, at a hospital in Gaza City 11/20/12. A delegation of Arab ministers visited Gaza Tuesday in a signal of Arab solidarity with the Palestinians. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot

Santa Clara—Nov. 20th—The Muslim Observer is not only achieving its “mission” of addressing its target audience, American Muslims, in a culturally and religiously appropriate manner, but I am finding many non-Muslims are seeking an alternative view to the news it, also.

Last week, I was called by a major European broadcaster on the emerging Gazan crisis (déjà vu of December 2008).  I am writing this partially from the notes I made before being interviewed. 
At this time, it is critical that American Muslims claim their voices to assert the truth about the horrendous crimes being leveled at unarmed civilians in Gaza City which the mainline American media are either ignoring or at best sugar-coating!

I declare that Israel is the guilty party in this “crisis!”  Their murderous incursion whether by air, sea or land does not match any logical threat to their nation!

As I write, an Islamic Republic of Aleppo has been proclaimed within territory controlled by Damascus’ rebels.  This discloses the “wildcard” of Syria. 

Both Israel and Turkey are close to border wars with Syria.  Tensions with Islamist Turkey, whom Tel Aviv has had diplomatic relations, was soured by the murder of nine of their nationals attempting to bring aid to the Gazans, along with their claim to the resources which lie between (Turkish) Cyprus, Lebanon and Israel (actually the mini-nation on the Strip is closer to that undersea gas than Israel proper.)  Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan has denounced Israel in a public fury in the past.

At this point in the quandary, I will go out on the limb, and accuse the Israeli purpose for this aggression is to force the United States, against Washington’s interest, to attack Iran in tandem with them.  This hikes up the stakes all the way to the verge of the nuclear.  This Gaza crisis – beyond even the wrenching human suffering – is dangerous, indeed, and America has grave responsibility to defuse it before it gets out of control!

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood is in a difficult position, but if they can negotiate a ceasefire, it will mark the entry of Cairo as the dominant indigenous power within the Middle East.

In my judgment the second war (the first being against Hezbollah in 2006) that Israel lost was the Gaza Strip incursion of 2008-2009, for it exposed to the world that the Jewish State had sunk to the tactical viciousness of the Nazi regime during the 1930s-1940s.  In other words, it became bare before the world that it was a Rogue State that had lost the moral prerogative it had earned in the mind of the world (falsely).

It has been made quite clear that the Jewish State tactic is not to lose this present particular public relations’ (second) Gaza War by purposely targeting journalists, a war crime; so, the messenger cannot relate the truth to the world, but, as in the first month of 2009, “the whole world is watching.” 

To prove my thesis, I quote the words of Brigadier General Shlomo Brom (retired.), formerly director of strategic planning for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), spoken within the fortnight, “…the way it affects the media is a problem [for the aggressor], because in this kind of assymetric war…is a media war. The other party, Hamas… [is] try[ing] to hurt…the public’s confidence and cohesion, and that is done through the media.” 

Further, this media, which is documenting the overwhelming civilian casualties and the poverty within the cramped environs about them, is reporting it and is targeted for it, and brings home the truth of an Israel gone mad!

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