De Israelische Terreur 51

Een inmiddels gestorven tien-jarig Palestijns kind, dat enige tijd geleden gedood werd bij een Israelische militaire aanval op Gaza.

Defence for Children International bericht: 'Gaza civilians bear the brunt of Israeli military escalationDespite the completion of the Israeli military disengagement from the Gaza Strip on 12 September 2005, Israeli occupation forces have continued to exert their effective control over the territory of the Strip. Israel maintains control over all of Gaza 's borders, dictating who and what passes through, and over the supply of basic civilian infrastructure such as electricity and water. Moreover, Israel has aggressively tormented the population of the Gaza Strip through military assaults from the air, land and sea. These assaults, ostensibly to stop the launching into Israel of rockets by Gaza military factions, have largely taken the form of shelling and extrajudicial assassinations. Israel 's military assaults are often aimed the dense population centers of the Strip where it is virtually impossible to ensure compliance with the basic international humanitarian law principle of distinction between civilians and combatants. Since the end of the disengagement, shelling campaigns have claimed the lives of six children. A further 13 children, innocent bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time, have been the victims of Israel 's extrajudicial assassinations.
Even while such military assaults have continued, Israeli official statements have repeatedly warned of the military's intention to carry out large-scale operations in the Gaza Strip. The capture of an Israeli soldier by three Palestinian military factions, Jaish al-Islam, Izeedeim al-Qassam Brigades (military wing of Hamas) and Alweyat Salah Al-Dein (military wing of Islamic Jihad) has proved a suitable opportunity for such an attack to be launched. After the soldier was taken prisoner on the morning of 25 June, Israeli occupation forces started to amass troops on the Israel/Gaza border. These troop movements were accompanied by a strengthening of the siege of Gaza : all border crossings in and out were closed, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis already evident in Gaza .
The period which was given by Israel to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian military factions to hand over the captured Israeli soldier expired early Wednesday 28 June. Even beforehand, much of Gaza was hit by blackouts after Israeli air strikes targeted a main power station. Additional vital civilian infrastructure, including bridges, were targeted in contravention of Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. Within hours of the deadline passing, Israeli troops re-entered districts of the southern Gaza Strip. Clashes have taken place in residential areas of Rafah and Israeli troops have used megaphones to order civilians to evacuate their homes. As if such events were not terrifying enough for civilians, especially children, they have been accompanied by deafening sonic booms as Israeli aircraft deliberately fly low over the region further traumatizing the population.
DCI/PS views with grave concern the reinvasion of Gaza by Israeli troops, and the tightening of the siege and calls on Israel to respect its obligations under international humanitarian law to prevent the unnecessary suffering of the civilian population. At the same time, DCI/PS calls on the Palestinian military factions to treat the captured Israeli soldier humanely according to the provisions of the Third Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
On behalf of the children of Gaza , DCI/PS calls on all concerned parties to respect the limitations placed on reprisals, particularly against persons protected by the four Geneva Conventions.' Lees verder: http://www.dci-pal.org/english/display.cfm?DocId=500&CategoryId=1

Van het Radio I Journaal kreeg ik net een email met het volgende bericht: 'Toeval of niet. Hoor net van onze correspondent dat ze bezig is met Het Palestijnse kinderen-verhaal. Is net uit Gaza terug en gaat waarschijnlijk morgen weer.' Dit in antwoord op mijn vraag waarom het Radio I Journaal geen woordvoerder van Defence for Children aan het woord laat over de 388 Palestijnse kinderen die in Israelische gevangenissen zitten. Afgelopen maandag heeft het Palestijns verzet voorgesteld dat Israël alle Palestijnse vrouwen en alle Palestijnse kinderen uit de Israëlische gevangenissen vrijlaat in ruil voor de gevangen genomen korporaal.