Sunday 26 June 2011

Operation Cast Lead

Operation Cast Lead: "

'WE, the members of the National Council, representing the Jewish people in Palestine and the Zionist movement of the world, HEREBY PROCLAIM the establishment of the Jewish State in Palestine, to be called ISRAEL'

-Declaration of the State of Israel, May 14, 1948-

As reported by Utusan Online today, at least 524 Palestinians were dead and injured more than 2,500 people since the Israeli's Operation Cast Lead (Dec 27, 2008). The Israeli said the attack was done as a 'self-defense' after Hamas continuously launching rockets into Israeli ground. I believe that everyone already knew that fact already but most people didn't really know what was the history (underlying reasons) behind the never ending war between Palestinians and the Israeli.

The migrations (aliyah) of Jew people from Eastern Europe into the 'Land of Israel' (Palestine) was started back in 1881, by the lead of Theodor Herzl, a Zionist visionary. By the beginning of Nazi reign in Germany, about quarter million Jew people have already migrated into Palestine. After World War II ended, Jew accounted for 33% of the population up from 6% in 1912.

During the British Mandate Period (1920-48), the Jew have 'been promised' a Jewish Homeland in Palestine by The Balfour Declaration 1917. The declaration was totally contradicted with the Anglo French Declaration 1918, stated that the Arabs will be rewarded the independent of Palestine and Syria due to their support during the war. A commission was founded to collect the views of the Jews about living side by side with the Arabs. Jewish repeatedly stated that they are looking forward to complete dispossession of non-Jewish populations in Palestine.

By 1947, United Nation recommended the plan of partitioning Palestine into two, Arab and Jewish states. UN unfairly partitioned Palestine by giving away 55% of the land to the Jewish (33% of the population) and only 45% of the Arabs (67%). A year later (1948), David Ben-Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister, proclaiming the independence of Israel from the British on 78% of Palestine, not with 55% originally partitioned by the UN. In 10 years time, the Jewish population increased to two million people while 700,000 Palestinians fled or expelled from the country. After the Six-Day War (1967), Israel conquered the remaining 22% of Palestinian land plus Golan Height of Syria and Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.

In May 1964, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded with the goal of liberation of Palestine through armed struggle. PLO, as a secular party, have been recognized by Arab League and UN as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people since 1974. PLO had gained substantial support from the Palestinians people during Yasser Arafat as the PLO Chairman. Israel begun to response to this by supporting Islamic, anti-Arafat forces in attempt to divide and dilute support for the strong, secular PLO by using a competing religious alternative. In 1978, Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin approved Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, a member of Muslim Brotherhood, to start an Islamic 'humanitarian' organization, the Mujama. Israel government also allowed Mujama to publish newspaper and setting up network of charitable organizations. Mujama was able to build infrastructure like mosques, clinics, and educational institutions as they were lavishly funded by Israeli government. In 1987, Hamas was established and begun to strike on Israeli civilians and security forces. Israel was shock by this 'blowback' of Hamas, after being supported for so many years.

The uprising of Palestinians against Israeli rule had initiating the First Intifada in 1987. Israel now have to face not just PLO but also Hamas and Islamic Jihad also. Hamas was notorious with their suicide bombings on Israeli. The Palestinians begun to throw stones at Israeli troops, as only very few Palestinians owned weapon. By the end of the First Intifada (1993), 160 Israelis were killed by Palestinians and more that 2000 casualties on Palestinian side. Oslo Accords 1993 was signed by both sides, as a framework for future relations between Israel and Palestine. Israel promised to withdraw its troops from Gaza Strip and West Bank after the Accords. However, the promise was never being done, and instead they actually doubled their expansion in these areas. The Second Intifada was sparked in 2000 when Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque), escorted by thousand armed soldiers. Israeli soldiers responded to some Palestinians youths who threw stones with gunfire and killed 5 that day. The intifada continued with Israeli periodically, using tanks, helicopter and fighter jets, strikes Palestinians settlement with Palestinians only defended themselves with homemade mortar and possessed rifles. By 2006, 4,789 Palestinians were killed while only 1,054 Israeli were dead.

During the local elections in Gaza and West Bank (2006), Hamas had surprisingly won 76 from 132 parliamentary seats. Fatah (PLO) only won 43 seats. Hamas gained control of Gaza Strip while West Bank is under PLO administration. On 19 June, 2008, a six-month Egyptian-brokered cease-fire went onto effect between Hamas and Israel. Hamas refuse to extending the cease-fire due to Israeli troops closing into Gaza border and Gaza Strip blockage lifting. On December 27, 2008, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a series of airstrikes targeting Hamas members and infrastructures in Gaza. At least 225 people were killed on the first day alone!

ps: Between 2001-2007, Unites States gave $19.5 billion as direct military and economic aids to Israel

References: www.ifamericansknew.org, antiwar.com, wikipedia.org



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