Israeli tanks rumble into Gaza Strip
Jason Koutsoukis, Jerusalem
The Age - November 19, 2008
Israeli tanks manoeuvre near the Gaza Strip before crossing into the Palestinian-controlled territory. Photo: Reuters
ISRAELI tanks rolled into the Gaza Strip late last night, intensifying days of fighting between the Israel Defence Force and Palestinian militants.
At least 17 Palestinians have been killed, and about 200 homemade rockets have been fired into Israel over the past two weeks, leaving a supposed truce between Hamas and Israel in tatters.
The border between Gaza and Israel remained closed yesterday, but according to an Associated Press report filed from inside Gaza, Israeli tanks forged into the southern Gaza Strip yesterday morning local time.
The tanks, backed by a bulldozer and military jeep, rumbled about half a kilometre deep into the seaside strip that is home to about 1.5 million Palestinians, according to Gaza security officials. Residents said they levelled earth along the border east of Rafah, near Gaza's border with Egypt.
The tanks drew mortar fire from Gaza militants, but there were no reports of the tanks returning fire.
According to an IDF spokeswoman who spoke to The Age, the tanks entered Gaza as part of a routine operation.
"During a routine IDF operation to uncover explosive devices near the security fence of the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian gunmen fired two mortar shells at the IDF personnel," the spokeswoman said.
"No injuries or damage were reported."
In an effort to combat the rocket fire, Israel has kept cargo crossings into Gaza clamped shut for the most part, drastically restricting vital supplies.
Both Israel and leaders of Gaza's ruling Islamic militant Hamas movement have said they hoped the Egyptian-brokered truce, which is due to expire on December 19, could be preserved.
But a small, Hamas-allied group said they considered the truce to have broken down, and Israel has threatened to hit hard if the rocket fire persists.
A high-ranking IDF southern command officer told the Israeli newspaper Maariv that the IDF's goal was to show Hamas that Israel was considering the possibility of launching a major offensive in Palestinian territory.
The officer noted, however, that "Hamas didn't buy it. They read the map in Israel well and they've got a lot of self-confidence. The fact is that the rockets keep on getting fired and we don't have any significant leverage over them."
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Interior Ministry accused Israel of subverting the truce. "We call on the Palestinian factions to meet to begin an immediate re-evaluation of the calm," spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said.
Although food distribution to half the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million population was to resume yesterday, the United Nations fears supplies will soon run out unless Israel eases its crippling blockade.
UN Works and Relief Agency spokesman Chris Gunness said: "The supplies will last days, not weeks."
Israel responded to a recent surge in rocket and mortar attacks by completely sealing off Gaza on November 5, preventing delivery of the basic supplies that had been allowed in under a blockade imposed after Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory in June 2007.
After international pressure, Israel last week allowed some industrial fuel to be delivered to Gaza's sole power plant, and on Monday it let in 33 truckloads of aid.
With AP, AFP
www.theage.com.au/world/israeli-tanks-rumble-into-gaza-strip-20081119-6aii.html?page=-1
Full Version: Israeli Tanks Rumble Into Gaza Strip
Statements of UN High Commissioner regarding the siege “anger” Israel
Tuesday November 18, 2008 23:22 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies
Israeli was “angered” by the statements of Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; as she called on Israel to immediately lift its blockade over the Gaza Strip as this siege violates the international and humanitarian law.
Pillay issued a statement from her office in Geneva urging Israel to allow the entry of food, medicine and fuel into the Gaza Strip and called on Israel to restore electricity and water supplies.
In her statement, Pillay said that Israel is depriving 1.5 million Palestinians from the basic human rights and called on Israel to halt its air strikes and invasions to the impoverished Gaza Strip.
She also called on Palestinian fighters to stop the firing of homemade shells into adjacent Israel areas.
The Israeli ambassador to Geneva, Aharon Leshno-Yaar, was angered by the statement of Pillay and accused her of being “shortsighted and repeating blatant information”.
He said that Palestinian groups fired more than 170 homemade shells in the past ten days.
The Israeli ambassador also denied that Israel is cutting essential supplies to Gaza.
On Monday, Israel allowed only two trucks loaded with foods and medicine into the Gaza Strip.
International human rights organizations said that the two trucks are not enough and will not alleviate the food shortages in the Gaza Strip.
Israel is still barring fuel shipments from reaching the main power plant in Gaza forcing the residents to go through repeated and extended blackouts.
Since November 4, the UNRWA has been unable to provide essential services to more than 750.000 refugees in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli restrictions and the illegal siege.
Nearly 270 patients, including women, children and elderly, died in the Gaza Strip due to the siege as Gaza hospitals ran out of basic medical supplies and equipment while Israel is barring the patients from leaving the Gaza Strip for medical treatment elsewhere.
source
Tuesday November 18, 2008 23:22 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies
Israeli was “angered” by the statements of Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; as she called on Israel to immediately lift its blockade over the Gaza Strip as this siege violates the international and humanitarian law.
Pillay issued a statement from her office in Geneva urging Israel to allow the entry of food, medicine and fuel into the Gaza Strip and called on Israel to restore electricity and water supplies.
In her statement, Pillay said that Israel is depriving 1.5 million Palestinians from the basic human rights and called on Israel to halt its air strikes and invasions to the impoverished Gaza Strip.
She also called on Palestinian fighters to stop the firing of homemade shells into adjacent Israel areas.
The Israeli ambassador to Geneva, Aharon Leshno-Yaar, was angered by the statement of Pillay and accused her of being “shortsighted and repeating blatant information”.
He said that Palestinian groups fired more than 170 homemade shells in the past ten days.
The Israeli ambassador also denied that Israel is cutting essential supplies to Gaza.
On Monday, Israel allowed only two trucks loaded with foods and medicine into the Gaza Strip.
International human rights organizations said that the two trucks are not enough and will not alleviate the food shortages in the Gaza Strip.
Israel is still barring fuel shipments from reaching the main power plant in Gaza forcing the residents to go through repeated and extended blackouts.
Since November 4, the UNRWA has been unable to provide essential services to more than 750.000 refugees in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli restrictions and the illegal siege.
Nearly 270 patients, including women, children and elderly, died in the Gaza Strip due to the siege as Gaza hospitals ran out of basic medical supplies and equipment while Israel is barring the patients from leaving the Gaza Strip for medical treatment elsewhere.
source
Ya Allah 
With every hardship comes ease ya falasteen... be patient Allah swt knows best
May Allah swt have mercy on their souls.
With every hardship comes ease ya falasteen... be patient Allah swt knows best
May Allah swt have mercy on their souls.
^Ameen
this is an outrage! SubhanAllah!!! We should take to the streets in protest! seriously, we really should. its the very least we can do!!!! they are DYING for Gods sake!!!
this is an outrage! SubhanAllah!!! We should take to the streets in protest! seriously, we really should. its the very least we can do!!!! they are DYING for Gods sake!!!
Our brothers and sisters have been oppressed for over 60 years, and yet the illegal terrorist state of Israel continue to breach UN violations and get away with it. The zionists continue to build illegal settlements in occupied Palestine, I heard a report just this morning, yet they are not stopped, why?
The war on muslims continues.
The war on muslims continues.
salaams...
pm me if you would like to know what the Australian Muslim Palestine Committee is up to. One way is to unite the outrage into channels that can help raise awareness in the community and lobby the government.
pm me if you would like to know what the Australian Muslim Palestine Committee is up to. One way is to unite the outrage into channels that can help raise awareness in the community and lobby the government.
Ws
How about doing a thread? That way everyone gets to read up on it.
How about doing a thread? That way everyone gets to read up on it.
Gaza on brink of humanitarian disaster - UN
By Suleiman al-Khalidi
AMMAN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Gaza faces a humanitarian "catastrophe" if Israel continues to prevent aid reaching the territory by blocking crossing points, the head of the main U.N. aid agency for the Palestinians said on Friday.
Karen AbuZayd, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said the human toll of this month's sealing of Gaza's goods crossings was the gravest since the early days of a Palestinian uprising eight years ago.
"It's been closed for so much longer than ever before... and we have nothing in our warehouses... It will be a catastrophe if this persists, a disaster," said AbuZayd, whose agency is the largest aid body providing services to Palestinian refugees.
Israel closed the crossings after Palestinian militants responded with daily rocket salvoes to an Israeli army incursion on Nov. 4 into the Hamas-run territory, where a five-month-old, Egyptian-brokered ceasefire had largely been holding.
At present, UNRWA provides rations for 820,000 people classed as refugees and the United Nations' World Food Programme aids a further 200,000 people, AbuZayd told Reuters in Amman.
"They often bring us to the brink but they never have let us really be frightened about whether we are going to have food tomorrow or not," AbuZayd said.
Israel had restricted goods into Gaza despite the truce, which calls on militants to halt rocket attacks in return for Israel easing its embargo on the territory.
"This time throughout this whole truce since June none of us have been able to bring in anything extra that would create a reserve so we had nothing to call upon," she said.
She said people were sweeping warehouses because there is now nothing in them.
Israel also held up deliveries of European Union-funded fuel for the power plant, which generates about a third of the electricity consumed by Gazans. The rest comes from Israel, which was continuing supply, and Egypt.
UNRWA's food basket, which comprised nearly 60 percent of daily needs, including milk powder and sugar, had run out, AbuZayd said. Most of the flour in mills would be consumed by end of the month.
Ailments associated with insufficient food were surfacing among the impoverished coastal strip's 1.5 million population, including growing malnutrition.
"There is a chronic anaemia problem. There are signs that's increasing. What we are beginning to notice is what we call stunting of children ... which means they are not eating well enough to be bigger than their parents," AbuZayd added.
The humanitarian plight of Gazans was by far the worst among the more than 4.6 million Palestinian refugees across the region.
"They are not just under occupation, they are under siege ... it's a word I don't usually use, they are completely closed off," AbuZayd said.
(Editing by Giles Elgood)
By Suleiman al-Khalidi
AMMAN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Gaza faces a humanitarian "catastrophe" if Israel continues to prevent aid reaching the territory by blocking crossing points, the head of the main U.N. aid agency for the Palestinians said on Friday.
Karen AbuZayd, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said the human toll of this month's sealing of Gaza's goods crossings was the gravest since the early days of a Palestinian uprising eight years ago.
"It's been closed for so much longer than ever before... and we have nothing in our warehouses... It will be a catastrophe if this persists, a disaster," said AbuZayd, whose agency is the largest aid body providing services to Palestinian refugees.
Israel closed the crossings after Palestinian militants responded with daily rocket salvoes to an Israeli army incursion on Nov. 4 into the Hamas-run territory, where a five-month-old, Egyptian-brokered ceasefire had largely been holding.
At present, UNRWA provides rations for 820,000 people classed as refugees and the United Nations' World Food Programme aids a further 200,000 people, AbuZayd told Reuters in Amman.
"They often bring us to the brink but they never have let us really be frightened about whether we are going to have food tomorrow or not," AbuZayd said.
Israel had restricted goods into Gaza despite the truce, which calls on militants to halt rocket attacks in return for Israel easing its embargo on the territory.
"This time throughout this whole truce since June none of us have been able to bring in anything extra that would create a reserve so we had nothing to call upon," she said.
She said people were sweeping warehouses because there is now nothing in them.
Israel also held up deliveries of European Union-funded fuel for the power plant, which generates about a third of the electricity consumed by Gazans. The rest comes from Israel, which was continuing supply, and Egypt.
UNRWA's food basket, which comprised nearly 60 percent of daily needs, including milk powder and sugar, had run out, AbuZayd said. Most of the flour in mills would be consumed by end of the month.
Ailments associated with insufficient food were surfacing among the impoverished coastal strip's 1.5 million population, including growing malnutrition.
"There is a chronic anaemia problem. There are signs that's increasing. What we are beginning to notice is what we call stunting of children ... which means they are not eating well enough to be bigger than their parents," AbuZayd added.
The humanitarian plight of Gazans was by far the worst among the more than 4.6 million Palestinian refugees across the region.
"They are not just under occupation, they are under siege ... it's a word I don't usually use, they are completely closed off," AbuZayd said.
(Editing by Giles Elgood)
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc104...rc=3&cc=pse
This site provides good updates on the situation in trouble spots around the world, the response of the UN etc
It also has various UN documents relating to the conflict, and any general assembly resolutions that condemn the transgressors.
but ofcourse, Israeli supporters will say that the UN and the rest of the world is biased against Israel
Also read this http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900S...rc=3&cc=pse
International law is not something the palestinians wrote up, it was originally coined against them and their interests. But even under a law that has historically opposed the palestinian interests, it is clear that the Palestinians have the right to Jerusalem as a whole, that all refugees have to return, that the settlements in the occupied areas are illegal, that all lands captured in 1967 remain palestinian.
But the Palestinians and all muslims claim more than that. We cannot accept any palestinian land being under israel. All israel is occupied territory. the fact that the UN has historically worked against the palestinian people through its member states following the colonial era (thus establishing another colonial state over the palestinians) does not make it legitimate.
This site provides good updates on the situation in trouble spots around the world, the response of the UN etc
It also has various UN documents relating to the conflict, and any general assembly resolutions that condemn the transgressors.
QUOTE
About ReliefWebWho We Are
ReliefWeb is the world’s leading on-line gateway to information (documents and maps) on humanitarian emergencies and disasters. An independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance, it provides timely, reliable and relevant information as events unfold, while emphasizing the coverage of "forgotten emergencies" at the same time.
ReliefWeb was launched in October 1996 and is administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
ReliefWeb is the world’s leading on-line gateway to information (documents and maps) on humanitarian emergencies and disasters. An independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance, it provides timely, reliable and relevant information as events unfold, while emphasizing the coverage of "forgotten emergencies" at the same time.
ReliefWeb was launched in October 1996 and is administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
but ofcourse, Israeli supporters will say that the UN and the rest of the world is biased against Israel
Also read this http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900S...rc=3&cc=pse
International law is not something the palestinians wrote up, it was originally coined against them and their interests. But even under a law that has historically opposed the palestinian interests, it is clear that the Palestinians have the right to Jerusalem as a whole, that all refugees have to return, that the settlements in the occupied areas are illegal, that all lands captured in 1967 remain palestinian.
But the Palestinians and all muslims claim more than that. We cannot accept any palestinian land being under israel. All israel is occupied territory. the fact that the UN has historically worked against the palestinian people through its member states following the colonial era (thus establishing another colonial state over the palestinians) does not make it legitimate.
Dear all,
Gaza needs our help and support NOW!
The Australian Muslim Palestine Committee is organising two protests RE Gaza Humanitarian Crisis.
Please note that we are planning to organise two protest RE Gaza Humanitarian Crisis. Details as follow:
Thursday November 27, 12 noon in front of DFAT Victoria State Office corner Lonsdale and Spring Street -
We are planning to hand a letter to Foreign Minister, Mr Stephen Smith, through the State Office and
Sunday November 30, 4pm at State Library Swanston Street, we may march to Federation Square, depending on the numbers!
Please distribute this to your network.
For more information, please contact Hisham Moustafa on 0400 163 443 or Asem Judeh on 0415 802 780.
Thanks,
Asem Judeh
MELBOURNE VICTORIA
Gaza needs our help and support NOW!
The Australian Muslim Palestine Committee is organising two protests RE Gaza Humanitarian Crisis.
Please note that we are planning to organise two protest RE Gaza Humanitarian Crisis. Details as follow:
Thursday November 27, 12 noon in front of DFAT Victoria State Office corner Lonsdale and Spring Street -
We are planning to hand a letter to Foreign Minister, Mr Stephen Smith, through the State Office and
Sunday November 30, 4pm at State Library Swanston Street, we may march to Federation Square, depending on the numbers!
Please distribute this to your network.
For more information, please contact Hisham Moustafa on 0400 163 443 or Asem Judeh on 0415 802 780.
Thanks,
Asem Judeh
MELBOURNE VICTORIA
F R E E P A L E S T I N E ! ! !
QUOTE (olive tree @ Nov 24 2008, 10:42 PM) 
F R E E P A L E S T I N E ! ! !
QUOTE (Ibn Tarek @ Nov 19 2008, 06:49 AM)
Israeli tanks rumble into Gaza Strip
Jason Koutsoukis, Jerusalem
The Age - November 19, 2008
Israeli tanks manoeuvre near the Gaza Strip before crossing into the Palestinian-controlled territory. Photo: Reuters
ISRAELI tanks rolled into the Gaza Strip late last night, intensifying days of fighting between the Israel Defence Force and Palestinian militants.
At least 17 Palestinians have been killed, and about 200 homemade rockets have been fired into Israel over the past two weeks, leaving a supposed truce between Hamas and Israel in tatters.
The border between Gaza and Israel remained closed yesterday, but according to an Associated Press report filed from inside Gaza, Israeli tanks forged into the southern Gaza Strip yesterday morning local time.
The tanks, backed by a bulldozer and military jeep, rumbled about half a kilometre deep into the seaside strip that is home to about 1.5 million Palestinians, according to Gaza security officials. Residents said they levelled earth along the border east of Rafah, near Gaza's border with Egypt.
The tanks drew mortar fire from Gaza militants, but there were no reports of the tanks returning fire.
According to an IDF spokeswoman who spoke to The Age, the tanks entered Gaza as part of a routine operation.
"During a routine IDF operation to uncover explosive devices near the security fence of the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian gunmen fired two mortar shells at the IDF personnel," the spokeswoman said.
"No injuries or damage were reported."
In an effort to combat the rocket fire, Israel has kept cargo crossings into Gaza clamped shut for the most part, drastically restricting vital supplies.
Both Israel and leaders of Gaza's ruling Islamic militant Hamas movement have said they hoped the Egyptian-brokered truce, which is due to expire on December 19, could be preserved.
But a small, Hamas-allied group said they considered the truce to have broken down, and Israel has threatened to hit hard if the rocket fire persists.
A high-ranking IDF southern command officer told the Israeli newspaper Maariv that the IDF's goal was to show Hamas that Israel was considering the possibility of launching a major offensive in Palestinian territory.
The officer noted, however, that "Hamas didn't buy it. They read the map in Israel well and they've got a lot of self-confidence. The fact is that the rockets keep on getting fired and we don't have any significant leverage over them."
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Interior Ministry accused Israel of subverting the truce. "We call on the Palestinian factions to meet to begin an immediate re-evaluation of the calm," spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said.
Although food distribution to half the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million population was to resume yesterday, the United Nations fears supplies will soon run out unless Israel eases its crippling blockade.
UN Works and Relief Agency spokesman Chris Gunness said: "The supplies will last days, not weeks."
Israel responded to a recent surge in rocket and mortar attacks by completely sealing off Gaza on November 5, preventing delivery of the basic supplies that had been allowed in under a blockade imposed after Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory in June 2007.
After international pressure, Israel last week allowed some industrial fuel to be delivered to Gaza's sole power plant, and on Monday it let in 33 truckloads of aid.
With AP, AFP
www.theage.com.au/world/israeli-tanks-rumble-into-gaza-strip-20081119-6aii.html?page=-1
Jason Koutsoukis, Jerusalem
The Age - November 19, 2008
Israeli tanks manoeuvre near the Gaza Strip before crossing into the Palestinian-controlled territory. Photo: Reuters
ISRAELI tanks rolled into the Gaza Strip late last night, intensifying days of fighting between the Israel Defence Force and Palestinian militants.
At least 17 Palestinians have been killed, and about 200 homemade rockets have been fired into Israel over the past two weeks, leaving a supposed truce between Hamas and Israel in tatters.
The border between Gaza and Israel remained closed yesterday, but according to an Associated Press report filed from inside Gaza, Israeli tanks forged into the southern Gaza Strip yesterday morning local time.
The tanks, backed by a bulldozer and military jeep, rumbled about half a kilometre deep into the seaside strip that is home to about 1.5 million Palestinians, according to Gaza security officials. Residents said they levelled earth along the border east of Rafah, near Gaza's border with Egypt.
The tanks drew mortar fire from Gaza militants, but there were no reports of the tanks returning fire.
According to an IDF spokeswoman who spoke to The Age, the tanks entered Gaza as part of a routine operation.
"During a routine IDF operation to uncover explosive devices near the security fence of the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian gunmen fired two mortar shells at the IDF personnel," the spokeswoman said.
"No injuries or damage were reported."
In an effort to combat the rocket fire, Israel has kept cargo crossings into Gaza clamped shut for the most part, drastically restricting vital supplies.
Both Israel and leaders of Gaza's ruling Islamic militant Hamas movement have said they hoped the Egyptian-brokered truce, which is due to expire on December 19, could be preserved.
But a small, Hamas-allied group said they considered the truce to have broken down, and Israel has threatened to hit hard if the rocket fire persists.
A high-ranking IDF southern command officer told the Israeli newspaper Maariv that the IDF's goal was to show Hamas that Israel was considering the possibility of launching a major offensive in Palestinian territory.
The officer noted, however, that "Hamas didn't buy it. They read the map in Israel well and they've got a lot of self-confidence. The fact is that the rockets keep on getting fired and we don't have any significant leverage over them."
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Interior Ministry accused Israel of subverting the truce. "We call on the Palestinian factions to meet to begin an immediate re-evaluation of the calm," spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said.
Although food distribution to half the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million population was to resume yesterday, the United Nations fears supplies will soon run out unless Israel eases its crippling blockade.
UN Works and Relief Agency spokesman Chris Gunness said: "The supplies will last days, not weeks."
Israel responded to a recent surge in rocket and mortar attacks by completely sealing off Gaza on November 5, preventing delivery of the basic supplies that had been allowed in under a blockade imposed after Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory in June 2007.
After international pressure, Israel last week allowed some industrial fuel to be delivered to Gaza's sole power plant, and on Monday it let in 33 truckloads of aid.
With AP, AFP
www.theage.com.au/world/israeli-tanks-rumble-into-gaza-strip-20081119-6aii.html?page=-1
The parts in bold especially disturbed me, the first because it is eerily familiar, the second because 'routine operation' is a polite euphemism and I hate those
well they also use the word 'incursion' to describe their daily invasions of Palestine, to try and make it sound less serious.
They've got no right to go entering into the land of others and they do it so regularly and without provocation too.
And to the UN High Commissioner, Gaza is NOT on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. Gaza IS already a humanitarian disaster and so is the West Bank. This has been the case since 1948.
They've got no right to go entering into the land of others and they do it so regularly and without provocation too.
And to the UN High Commissioner, Gaza is NOT on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. Gaza IS already a humanitarian disaster and so is the West Bank. This has been the case since 1948.
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