Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The UN In Gaza Speaks to the Press About the School Bombings



Here's an interview with U.S. House members Dennis Kucenich and Eliot Engel:


You can link at Progressive Alaska to Democracy Now coverage of the situation in Palestine/Israel, as it continues to deteriorate. PA will continue to attempt to cover events in that area for Alaskans in a way that puts a human face on the common people of Palestine and Israel.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I hope that PA will also put a human face on the common people of Israel, in their own words, side-by-side with Palestinians, in their own words. Thanks for the interview with Dennis Kucinich and Eliot Engel, an interview as balanced as could be in a time of war and raw nerves. With regard to the UN report, battlefield reports from the IDF contradict the UN's assertions. I do not know how to sort that out in the midst of combat operations.

My guess is that Obama and Clinton will come down hard on the Israelis, perhaps closer to what Kucinich wants. He needs to signal a new US approach to diplomacy in the region, including a strong measure of what the Arab street construes to be justice. I would not be surprised if Bill Clinton's foundation became involved in the background, a strong vehicle of backchannel communications. We want the USA to stand for peace and justice. Obama needs to draw closer to Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia in order to counter the emergence of Iran. In return, I think Obama will depend upon Egypt and Jordan and the UN to do the regional work necessary to allow Abbas and Fatah to form a unified Palestinian government. Hamas needs to be pried out of the long term solution. Best guess. We shall see. I am prepared to appreciate a new approach.

Annette said...

But Israel is still claiming that Hamas was firing missles and small arms either out of the school or near the school at the time it hit it. Both of the schools for that matter. This just makes me ill.

Have you seen the story in the Washington Post about the babies they found next to the bodies today that the Israeli's wouldn't let them get to?? I had seen the story at Juan Cole and then it was verified in WaPo this morning. Something has to be done here.

Annette said...

From the DemocracyNow web site...

"UN spokesperson Chris Gunness said Israeli officials have privately retracted their widely cited initial claim that Hamas militants were firing from the school."

So they are finally starting to back away from it. This entire situation is very sad. Both sides are right, both sides are wrong. Both sides just need to stop. That's what I keep saying. Simple answer I know, but sometimes simple is the best.

Phil, who is the reporter in the segment you have posted?? I wish we had more of his ilk here to interview our congress people, we might get some good answers and work done.

Anonymous said...

As one of my Vox Novans compared the Israeli response, he said it is like bombing Anchorage because some gangs fired shots. Not logical and especially not conducive to peace.

Anonymous said...

OK...lets see. If people in Spenard were rocketing the Hillside and hiding the rockets in homes, nieghborhoods and churches what would happen.

I suppose that they would ask they Spenardites to stop or else...and after a long time and a lot more rockets the Hillsidonians would say enough is enough and go take care of the issue. Children and other non-combatants would die.


That's just the way it is.