Last week Israel launched air strikes inside Gaza. So far this latest Israeli offensive has caused more than 90 Palestinian civilian deaths. This latest offensive followed the kidnapping and killing of three Jewish teenagers. Israeli was quick to blame Hamas for this, without providing any proof in support of this allegation. What was not much reported by the western media was that in the raids that followed their disappearance six Palestinians, including a child, were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank. But as Israel has always done, acting like a bully, it started pounding Gaza with regular airstrikes.
As usual Israel cited the threat to its security and the safety of its citizens caused by the Hams rockets. Any neutral observer can see through this blatant propaganda. But Israel and its Western backers like USA and UK also towed the Israeli line. Even the mainstream media in the West has made its pro Israel bias evident in reporting these attacks. The other night, BBC headline screamed “Israel under renewed Hamas attack” Such headlines are meant to decontexualized the issue and obfuscate the realities. The asymmetry that exists in the Israel-Hamas equation is for everyone to see. But still Israel creates this paranoia about the threat to its security from Hamas.
There is no denying the fact that one cannot justify Hamas firing rockets into residential areas inside Israel. Such acts definitely raise concerns among Israeli civilians. But the wider media coverage does not reflect the reality of a strong military power, armed with the latest technology and weapons, against an almost rag tag army with outdated and ineffective missiles. More than ninety Palestinian civilians have died, with no causalities on the Israeli side. As Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Tel Aviv-based Israeli human rights activist, tweeted: “We are targeted by mostly shitty rockets. Gazans are being shelled with heavy bombs. We have shelters, sirens, Iron Dome. They have 0.”
The reality is that the Western media deems an Israeli life far more valuable than a Palestinian life. That bias clearly shows in their reporting. According to the Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem, 565 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces since January 2009, while 28 Israeli civilians and 10 Israeli security personnel have been killed. While this death toll clearly reflects the asymmetry of this conflict, the news coverage does not.
Despite some token noises from the UN, the Israeli offensive is still on. Only yesterday, an Israeli missile smashed into a home in the Gaza Strip, in the middle of the night, destroying the structure and killing eight relatives in a matter of seconds. A survivor said all the dead were civilians. The risk of more civilian deaths will remain high if Israel decides to move in with its ground troops.
Wests tacit backing of Israel is understandable and that has always provided Israel the encouragement to indulge in brazen violence against Palestine. The Arab and the wider Muslim world has been conspicuous in its criminal silence at this Israeli offensive. The OIC and Arab League have made no attempts to pressurize Israel, at least diplomatically to halt its offensive. It seems the Arab monarchs are only interested in brutalizing and suppressing their own people. When it comes to Palestine, they seem to toe their masters line. It is a shameful and ugly reality.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |