A RELATIVE CARRIES THE BODY OF EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DINA BALOUSHA DURING HER FUNERAL
The Israeli war machine, using jets, bombs, missiles and tanks supplied by the United States, has now killed more than 850 Palestinians and injured more than 3,650 others. The Israeli war on Gaza, which began two days after Christmas, has entered its third week. About one quarter of the Palestinians killed have been women and children. Nearly half of the Palestinians wounded have been women and children.
Five children of the Balousha family were killed during the early days of the violence. An article by Hazem Balousha and Rory McCarthy in the December 30, 2008 edition of The Guardian reported:
An Israeli bomb struck the [Jabalia] refugee camp’s Imad Aqil mosque around midnight, destroying the building and collapsing several shops and a pharmacy nearby. The force of the blast was so massive it also brought down the Balousha family’s house, which yesterday lay in ruins. The seven eldest girls were asleep together on mattresses in one bedroom and they bore the brunt of the exposion. Five were killed where they lay: Tahir, 17, Ikram, 15, Samer, 13, Dina, eight and Jawahar, four.
United States refuses to support ceasefire resolution
On January 8, 2009, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Fourteen of the council’s 15 members voted in favor of the resolution. The United States abstained.
Despite what most of the world considers to be criminal acts on the part of Israel, the United States continued in its nearly unconditional support of Israel. The United States House of Representatives voted 390-5, with 22 representatives not voting, for a resolution blaming Hamas for Israel’s military action in Gaza. (The resolution stated that it was resolved that the House of Representatives “[e]xpresses vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and recognizes its right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against Hamas’s unceasing aggression . . . .”) The United States Senate unanimously passed a similar resolution by a voice vote. The Senate resolution also pledged “unwavering commitment” to Israel.
Voting against the resolution were representatives Ron Paul (R-Texas), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Nick Rahall (D-WV).
Violations of the Geneva Convention
Israeli missiles and bombs have been fired deliberately at civilian targets including homes, schools, civilian shelters and ambulances. The civilian killings violate the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War.
The Israeli war machine has massacred entire families. Some of the Palestinians most recently massacred:
During the early morning hours of January 8, 2009, Israeli naval vessels fired missiles at the village of al-Zawayda. Four members of a family were killed: Mohammed Hussein al-Quran, 21; Dawoud Mohammed al-Quran, 25; Ryiad Mohammed al-Quran, 26; and Mohammed Ibrahim al-Quran, 60. Two members of another family were also killed: Basil Ibrahim Nassar, 22; and Iyad Saber Nassar, 27.
On the afternoon of January 8, 2009, a medical team recovered the bodies of four civilians killed in the al-Atatra neighborhood southwest of Beit Lahia. Three of dead were the children of one family: Shahd Abu Halemeh, 1-1/2; Mohammed Hekmat Abu Halemah, 17; and Matar Sadallah Abu Halemeh, 17.
During the evening of January 8, 2009, Israeli aircraft destroyed the home of the al-Astal family in Khan Younis. Family members killed were Ahmad Mohammed al-Astal, 27; and Salman Fahmi al-Astal, 28.
On the afternoon of January 9, 2009, a missile demolished the house of Fayiz Salha in north Gaza. Killed were five members of the family including four children: Rola Fayiz Salha, 1; Baha Fayiz Salha, 4; Rana Fayiz Salha, 12; Dyia Fayiz Salha, 14; and Randa Fayiz Salha, 33. (A sixth person, 22-year-old Fatima al-Haw, a relative, who had gone to the house for safety, was also killed.)
Just before noon on January 10, 2009, artillery shells demolished the house of Judeh Abed-Rabu in Jabaliya. Seven members of the family were killed: Yusri Mahmoud Abed-Rabu, 16; Hamid Mahfouz Abed-Rabu, 17; Mohammed Ribhi Abed-Rabu, 18; Sami Mohammed Abed-Rabu, 25; Ramiz Jamal Abed-Rabu, 38; Randa Jamal Abed-Rabu, 45; and Sufyan Abdul-Hay Abed-Rabu, 47.
Norwegian doctor pleads for the bombing to stop
“We urge the world to stop the bombing of Gaza. Please stop it,” pleaded Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian physician working at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
“The civilian population has no way to hide,” Dr. Gilbert said. “The population density is so high you can not do attacks like this without knowing that you are attacking civilians.”
Dr. Gilbert discussed his first hand knowledge of the killing and wounding of civilians in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWXyb2YxiVI.
The names and ages of persons killed were obtained from a press release from Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, which is found at: http://www.mezan.org/site_en/press_room/press_detail.php?id=947.
Photo Credits:
Relative carrying the body of Dina Balousha (Mohammed Salem of Reuters)
Bodies of five members of the Balousha family are carried (Ashraf Amra for AP)
MOURNERS CARRY THE BODIES OF THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE BALOUSHA FAMILY KILLED IN AN ISRAELI AIR STRIKE AT THE JABALIA REFUGEE CAMP IN NORTHERN GAZA
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