THE
GREAT ESCAPE
(The
following article is from
the February 1-15,
2008
issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles
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People's Voice Editorial - Feb. 1-15, 2008
It's the greatest jail-break in history. On January 23, 1.4 million
Palestinians were liberated from the largest prison ever built, when
the barrier separating Gaza from Egypt was toppled by Hamas members. As
this issue goes to press, many Gazans are still crossing into Egypt to
purchase desperately needed food and other supplies, defying attempts
to keep them in their massive concentration camp.
And that's exactly the term for life in the
360 sq. km. area. Even after Israel was finally compelled in 2005 to
withdraw its settlers and armed forces, Gaza's airspace and borders
remained under Israeli military control. Israel's vicious economic
blockade was gradually tightened, turning a humanitarian disaster into
utter catastrophe when electricity and water were cut off.
Yet Canada's minority Conservative government
has never uttered a peep about the horrors inflicted by the Israeli
occupation - sky-high unemployment, shortages of food and medicines,
huge numbers of civilian deaths at the hands of the Israeli military.
To Canada's eternal shame, Prime Minister Harper cut off humanitarian
aid to Palestine when the Hamas movement won free elections in the West
Bank and Gaza two years ago. The Harper government is complicit in
genocide, by helping to tighten the noose around the necks of the
Palestinians.
Now, that noose has been temporarily loosened.
The events in Gaza make it clear that peace and justice will never come
to the Middle East until all Arab lands seized by Israel are returned
to the Palestinians, in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
Israel's "separation wall" must be demolished, and Palestine must be
allowed to become a free and sovereign state, with its capital in East
Jerusalem. The Palestinians driven from their homes in 1948 must be
allowed the right to return. Nothing less will lead to the end of this
terrible conflict.
Found
at:
http://www.peoplesvoice.ca/articleprint11/09_THE_GREAT_ESCAPE.html