There seven years, with the complicity of the "international community", Israeli leaders
have collectively punished the people of Gaza, accused of having voted "wrongly". The
blockade has turned Gaza into a testing ground where the occupant performs the programmed
destruction of a society. Pierre Stambul tells us what he saw. ---- An hour after my
difficult entry into this small area (24 December), I was with my fellow Unadikum (see
below), to the hospital. The Israeli army had attacked all along the "security barrier". A
tank was sprayed a house of 25 people in one of the refugee camp. A dangerous "terrorist",
the small Hala (3 years) had been killed. The family asked us to film his body and members
of his family wounded and testify. This free crime has taken several other assassinations
against fishermen or a rag sorting waste and it preceded the assassination "targeted" in
January. In 7 years, there have been two major massacres with poetic names chosen by the
occupant: "Cast Lead" (January 2009, died 1400) and "Pillar of defense" (November 2012,
140 dead). Extrajudicial executions without drones killed 650 people. Hundred and fifty
men and women farmers, and thousands of animals were slaughtered in the fields. Their
crime? Their fields adjacent to the border.
Gaza, a laboratory
Most of the destruction of 2009 were rebuilt despite the lack of cement. But Gaza is a
permanent shortage. This is a totally overcrowded territory: 5,000 inhabitants per km2.
Agricultural lands represent only a fifth of the country. 125,000 peasant families survive
on average half a hectare per family. 34% of agricultural lands are located along the
"security fence" and the occupant takes regularly. The country is self sufficient in
vegetables, spices and chicken. All the rest must be imported and often of Israel.
Difficult to apply the BDS boycott campaign in Gaza is a captive market. When Sharon was
"evacuated" Gaza, the Israelis have dug many wells all along the border. And they caught a
lot of water from the aquifer from the West Bank. The water in the aquifer is no longer
sufficient to agriculture Gaza. The lack of water in the water caused water infiltration
of sea water is brackish in Gaza. It is still used for irrigation (for how long?), But it
is totally unsuitable for domestic consumption.
Rafah tunnels were destroyed by the Egyptian army, petroleum products (subsidized and
therefore cheap Egypt) do not arrive. While gasoline became scarce and expensive. Cars are
often replaced by carts. The power plant and the desalination plant operating at idle.
There are more than six hours of electricity per day. We must adapt and often use a
dilapidated and dangerous generator.
In fact, any shortage in Gaza medicines, school supplies and common foods are very
expensive as imported (drinking water, red meat, eggs, fish). Gaza was formerly producer
of strawberries, flowers, fish. Strawberries and flowers can not be exported. For fishing,
the Israeli navy is prohibited from the coast. She pulls regularly confiscated boats.
There are no fish on the coast. The 4200 fishermen have experienced many tragedies and are
in misery.
"We want to live like normal people" . It is the cry I heard all my interlocutors, often
with great nostalgia for the days when people were not caged and could go out, including
work in Israel.
There is a great anger against the "international community": "Why are those who give the
order to fire on civilians are they not prosecuted? Human rights apply everywhere,
otherwise it is discrimination. " This shocking impunity especially as the population is
"punished" collectively, which is contrary to all international conventions.
There is a great anger against the two dominant parties (Fatah and Hamas) and against two
rival governments: "The two governments benefit from the occupation to retain power. They
only think about their own interests. But both are failing. We have a leadership problem.
Palestinian division is unbearable with a shared responsibility. Both governments are
illegitimate. It does not even have the right to choose our leaders. We have two
parliaments, two governments, two laws. Why did he not reunification? " Some add that if
we voted freely, Fatah lose in Ramallah and Hamas in Gaza lose. "Who benefits from the
Arab Spring? The United States, Saudi Arabia! "
Palestinian left
We tend to imagine a territory in Gaza subjected to fundamentalist dictatorship. In fact,
the outward signs of religiosity are rather less numerous than in Egypt. And people have
absolutely no fear of expressing themselves. Officials I met mainly belong to the
Palestinian left, political, trade union or association. "Our dream is a single state, it
is our reference Mandela. Our leaders are stupid. Nothing will change with Abu Mazen. "
Third Palestinian party, the PFLP tries to combine a third pole with other political
parties (Palestinian Initiative, communist party ...). He renewed (by rejuvenating and the
feminizing) management. Many of its activists are active in the voluntary sector
(kindergartens, hospitals). These are logically activists of this movement we meet PCHR
(Palestinian Center for Human Rights) and UAWC (union committees agricultural workers).
PCHR investigate all abuses committed by the occupier but also on intra-Palestinian
violence. Its reports are disseminated and used across many international reports (Dugard,
Falk, Goldstone) on Gaza. It also works to denounce, with supporting figures, the
consequences of the shortage. It speaks directly to international bodies. UAWC defends
daily farmers and peasants and fishermen regularly attacked. He tries to help them with
material being aware that without a political solution, it is little. It belongs to Via
Campesina.
To conclude this brief overview, it is time to put the issue of Gaza at the center of our
struggles, relentlessly denounce the blockade and go there. These people do not deserve to
be abandoned.
Pierre Stambul
EGYPT, COUNTER-REVOLUTION THAT THREAT GAZA
There was late June 2013 a genuine popular movement very large against the Muslim
Brotherhood. The Egyptian army has exploited this revolution to a military coup.
In the indictment for which Morsi risk the death penalty, there is the fact of "conspiring
with Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (!)" and have made an
official visit to Gaza when it was in power.
Because historically, Hamas was the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's
military decided, as Israelis, to collectively punish the population. In a few days they
realized that neither Mubarak nor the Israeli army could not do: destroy most tunnels.
They thus caused in Gaza real economic chaos including a general shortage of petroleum
products and electricity.
While the border between Israel and Gaza at Erez is closed with very few exceptions, the
Rafah between Egypt is Gaza is open on average for two consecutive days alternating with
15 days of closing. To arrive at Rafah must undergo in crossing the Sinai muscular
controls: soldiers firing into the air, luggage thrown to the ground, vehicles hijacked on
small paths. The pretext (the presence of "terrorists" in the region) seems quite unreal.
At the border, we waited for hours, in order to humiliate the Palestinian and Palestinians.
The Egyptian army has said that the Muslim Brotherhood was a "terrorist organization."
Accordingly, she'll want to overthrow the government in Gaza and in the meantime, she is
actively working with the Israelis to complete the territory.
Pierre Stambul
UNADIKUM: BRIGADES INTERNATIONAL FOR PALESTINE
It is foolish to oppose various forms of solidarity with Palestine. They are
complementary. There BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions), there fleets and there Unadikum
who claims the memory of the International Brigades. The association was founded by a
Spanish communist (Manu Pineda), but its activists from different countries and have
diverse ideologies. I returned to Gaza with Spanish-es of Unadikum and CNT. Ideological
discussions with Manu were pleasant.
Is not returned to Gaza without permission of the Egyptian authorities and the Unadikum
invitation is often essential.
Unadikum protects farmers and peasants in the fields adjacent to the border and the
fishermen at sea The association operates in Gaza as soon as there was an attack as a
violation of human rights, a situation tragic and it shows. Unadikum brought Gaza to the
international, but also medicines.
The apartment Unadikum Gaza has become a meeting place and discussion. The association is
known throughout Gaza. They have the support of Palestinian militants, vehicles to move
and immediate information.
Through them, I met a very short time many interlocutors. If I had more time, I could meet
with Hamas and stay in refugee camps.
Pierre Stambul
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» (en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #236 - Report: Gaza: between chaos and anger (fr, pt)