Israel's 'war crime': 18,000 children died not just from bomb explosions but also starvation

By Sandeep Pandey*

Last year 6 years old Madiha was a guest during Diwali at our home in Lucknow. Listening to the sound of fire crackers bursting outside she remarked, ‘It appears as if we’re in Gaza.’ She has probably no idea of the extent of damage and loss of life that has taken place in Palestine but can relate to sound of crackers as bombs exploding over Gaza.

She will be sad to know that about 18,000 children have died over the last year out of over 42,000 killed, which is more than 40%, not just from bomb explosions which she can imagine but also from starvation.

Israel is not engaged just in a war, it is committing war crimes, violating all norms of a war. It has bombed hospitals, refugee camps and choked life saving supplies including food to Palestinians. If it was any other country which did not have the tacit and overt support of United States and its allies, it would have been tried for war crimes.

US and the western countries are as much guilty of ignoring war crimes as Israel is of committing them, for it is they who can bring pressure on Israel to end this war. But they are not doing it. They are debating whether it is ‘genocide’ yet or not. The actual number of people killed is by some estimates more than double of above-mentioned.

Some people are already calling it a holocaust. What the Germans did to Jews cannot become a justification for Jews committing the same crime against Palestinians. Israel is trying to erase the existence of Palestine but the Palestinians are valiantly fighting back. In this fight for survival they are supported by Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Most other counties are either supporting Israel or are silent. India is uncertain.

It stands with the Israeli government but doesn’t want to be seen as supporting the massacre of Palestinians. South Africa demonstrated rare moral uprightness in today’s warped world of geo-politics by taking Israel to the International Court of Justice.

Hamas and Hezbollah are described as terrorist organisations whereas both contest elections. In 2006 Hamas won the mandate to rule Palestine but was prevented from forming government in West Bank.

Hezbollah has representation in the Lebanese Parliament. It is unclear why they are described as terrorist organisations? If it is because they carry out attacks then how are the armies of elected governments any different?

In the current war itself Israel has killed many more the number of times of people Hamas may have killed in its entire history.

Hamas abducted close to 250 Israelis on 7 October, 2023, which cannot be justified in any way. But what justification can be there for over 7,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails, most of them totally innocent? How are they any different from hostages?

Banning UNRWA would be disastrous especially for Palestinian children, who would be denied life saving support and would be left to die

Considering that Palestine is surrounded on all sides by Israel and the only crossing into Egypt, Rafa is now closed, Palestine is often described as world’s largest open jail. If number of people killed in an attack is a criteria for describing an attack as ‘terrorist,’ then world’s biggest terrorist attack would be the bombing of Hiroshima.

The U.S. has till date not apologised for Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings. So, it is a coloured perspective. Merely, because it controls the United Nations, the crimes of U.S. and its allies are ignored and much smaller state and non-state groups who are aligned against the U.S. interests are described as ‘terrorists.’

Now Israel is trying to ban United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which was created to cater to the over 7,00,000 Palestinian refugees who were evicted from their homes in 1948 and their descendants continue to live in refugees camps. One of the recent Israeli attack has been on the Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza.

UNRWA employs 30,000 Palestinians to carry out its relief work related to health, education, development, etc., out of which Israel has submitted a document on 12 individuals accusing them of having participated in the 7 October attack last year and it claims that about 190 of them are associated with Hamas.

UNRWA after carrying out its investigation terminated the services of 9 personnel.

But it is ridiculous that on the pretext of a some undesirable elements who might have infiltrated the agency, Israeli government is bent upon demonising an entire international agency as a supporter of terrorism. It has scant regard for the UN or its Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, exhibiting arrogant tendencies.

The effect of banning UNRWA would be disastrous as number of Palestinians, especially children, would be denied life saving support and would be left to die. Israel is finding every way in which it can harm the Palestinians. When will the so called progressive democracies of the world decide to bell the cat? Has not enough human rights violation already taken place?

---

*General Secretary, Socialist Party (India)

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Green Revolution’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides contributing to Punjab's health crisis

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh* Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog