THE INVISIBLE CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY

The one hundred tons of bombs Israel dropped on Hamas security installations in Gaza Saturday are front page news because they killed, in one stroke, 230 Palestinians and injured hundreds more. But the larger humanitarian catastrophe Israel has imposed upon Gaza since the June, 2007 election of Hamas to rule Gaza continues to be ignored around the world. Israel has essentially sealed off Gaza from adequate supplies of food, medicine, fuel, and economic supplies, prompting on-the-spot observers and humanitarian spokesmen to describe as genocidal in both intent and effect.

Why? The siege has caused malnourishment in upwards of 75% of the one and a half million citizens crammed into this 25 mile long, 6 mile wide Godforsaken strip of land. According to award winning journalist Chris Hedges, 45% of Gazan Children suffer from acute anemia, 30% have incurred stunted growth, 10% have permanent brain damage and 80% are afflicted with post traumatic stress disorder.

The talking heads and the video cameras are drawn like moths to the flame when the bombs start exploding. But the real explosions are the silent ones that degrade and then snuff out the lives of the humanity packed into the land the rest of the world refuses to look at.

Also published in Daily Herald, January 6, 2009