[Transcript]  War on Gaza: Day 10 - 1/5/09

[Summary]
According to the UN 13 thousand Palestinians have fled their homes in Gaza because of the war. Many took shelter in UN schools in Gaza city. Refugees say that even though they left their homes they still do not feel safe. These schools are not adequate shelters. They do not have clean water or any basic necessities for the civilians. The refugees are angry and disappointed because of the inaction of the international community. They are also very angry at the Arab leaders that they feel have sold them out.

Presenter, FEMALE, #1
The occupation forces have not stopped, neither day nor night, from targeting the Palestinian people and escalating the offensives by ground, air, and sea. But the resistance has continued to stand firm. It reached a significant milestone by striking locations north of Ashdod, for the first time.

Guest, MALE, #1
This house has more than 40 children in it and it houses of 5-6 families. They were sleeping in the house peacefully, when the bomb fell on them. The children…We couldn’t even find them!

Reporter, MALE, #2
This is Gaza: standing barefoot on the thorns of pain. Here, they search for the corpses of the home’s inhabitants, or rather, their remains, after a strike that targeted all the family units. The tormented cries of an angel fill the universe; and the birds’ throat is pierced with daggers. The ambulances do not stop, if they succeed in escaping the bombing. They continuously transport children who have been slaughtered by the steel of the new age; those whose hands have been severed, or those whose tender bodies have been pierced by the shrapnel. Here they are, with bloody faces and teary eyes filled with fear….or perhaps they are just sleeping. As for the parents who survived, they go through fire once again, tracing the blood, perhaps guiding them to their children.

Guest, Male #3
Oh people, all of my children have been martyred.

Reporter, Male #2
Neither a word nor a picture can describe the ordeal of this man. Nothing is more powerful than the perseverance shown by these brave men, whose tears were mixed with blood of the martyrs. And nothing is more superb than the tears of these women who have cried in sadness. Amidst this, no one believes that Gaza is on the verge of collapsing. What are people saying here?

Guest, Male #4
The occupation is not able to defeat the pockets of the resistance. It is not able to reach the resistance or its fighters. The fighters of the military wing from the Qassam, Jerusalem, and Aqsa brigades took a unified position, as they continue to pound the occupation forces. The occupation didn’t expect that the Palestinian resistance would fight at such a high level. The occupation couldn’t defeat the resistance so it’s fighting the civilians. Israel has unleashed its rage on the civilians in an attempt to kill as many of them as possible. The Israeli occupation, which has failed to defeat the Palestinian resistance, is taking its anger out on the Palestinian citizens.

Reporter, Male #2
In the rest of the Palestinian territories, the circle of public mobilization continues to widen. This news comes as many Palestinians in several West Bank villages, towns, and camps took to the streets, chanting slogans for the resistance and the armed struggle. Meanwhile, the Palestinians are warning that the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip will drag the entire region into the unknown. Yousif, al-Mahmud, Syrian Arab TV, the Occupied Arab Territories.

[Summary]
Hamas fired rockets at a kindergarten in Ashdod. Fortunately, it was closed and empty. Furthermore, Hamas fired 30 rockets into southern Israel after one night of quite. 9 people were slightly injured and several are being treated for shock.

Presenter, Woman # 1
The situation facing civilians in Gaza brings to mind the Fourth Geneva Convention which was signed in 1949 in order to bring some protection to civilians during wars and conflicts.

Presenter, Man # 1
The ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza, and Lebanon in the past raises questions on whether Israel respects the Fourth Geneva Convention which it signed.

Reporter, Male# 2
The Fourth Geneva Convention was signed in 1949. Now 194 countries have signed it including Israel. The objective is to protect people who are not participating in the fighting such as doctors, the injured and the ill. Three additional protocols were added to the Geneva Convention, but the Israeli attack on Gaza raises important questions about the country that has killed and injured thousands of civilians and destroyed hundreds of civilian buildings. The first protocol leave a wiggle room on how to define civilians though it does not allow for the targeting of civilians just because they are near non-civilian targets. However, the Israeli policy clearly considers Palestinian targets as military targets if resistance fighters are located there. The 57Th article of the convention calls for suspending any attack if it turns out that attacking a military target will cause injuries among civilians or destroy civilian buildings. The 51ST article bans random attacks which includes the targeting of military targets near civilians. Israel however has targeted civilian buildings such the Palestinian parliament and the Islamic university in Gaza. The justifications given by Israel for attacking the university for example is that the university’s labs are used for military purposes. Article 52 describes a target as military if it leads to a military achievement once destroyed. But does this apply to the case of the Islamic University in Gaza? Cameras have captured images of mosques collapsing on homes after being bombed. In one of the incidents, five sisters were killed. The incident violated an additional protocol of article 53, which calls for the protection of cultural institutions and places of worship. Article 59 bans the targeting of any place lacking defense systems. Meanwhile, Israel is using its warplanes to target places lacking air defense systems. Articles 76 and 77 calls for the protection of women, with special emphases on the protection of pregnant women and the children in general. However, the current Israeli attack proves that the wellbeing of children and civilians in general, is the last thing on the mind of those standing behind the destructive Israeli war machinery in Palestine, and before that in Lebanon.

Presenter, Male #1
“The complexity of the Gaza Strip or the Curse of Gaza” is not a new expression in Israel.” Since the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip in 1994, Israelis have often described the coastal enclave as “The place from hell.” The late Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzak Rabin, once said that he hoped the “Sea would swallow Gaza.”

Reporter, Female #1
“Go to Gaza!” This is the expression used by the Israelis when one of them gets mad at another, rather than using the phrase” Go to Hell.” To the Israelis, Gaza has been hell, which prompted the withdrawal of occupation forces from there in 1994 and once again in 2005. Since 1948, Ben-Gurion has expressed fear over the occupation of Gaza. The late Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzak Rabin, has hoped that “The sea would swallow Gaza,” which was his worst nightmare as a defense minister. The total area of the Gaza Strip measures less than 362 square kilometers, with a population of 1.5 million people. Most of the residents are refugees who fled to Gaza in the aftermath of the 1948 Nakba or “Catastrophe.” Under the given circumstances, Gaza has become a ticking time bomb. Under the Egyptian Administration of Gaza during the reign of Abed-Nasir, the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood expanded to the Gaza Strip, and since then it continued growing. In 1967, Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and a wide range of other territories. Soon afterwards, Gaza turned into a hot spot under the control of the resistance. This prompted Ariel Sharon, then the head of the military Nahl Brigades, to inflict painful blows to the Gaza Strip. The only Israeli official who rejected the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Gaza strip was Menachem Begin, who called for the construction of more settlements in the coastal enclave. However, Yitzak Rabin agreed to withdraw from the most populated areas of the Gaza Strip, in conformity with the Oslo Accord. In 2005, Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime minister authorized a unilateral withdrawal by the Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. However, the nightmare of Gaza continues to this present day pursuing Israel. Maisa’a Aklin, Alarabiya.

Guest, Male #2
It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree. “And to those who don’t like it can drink from the Sea of Gaza.”

Presenter, Male #1
Thanks to Maisa’a on this historical and comprehensive report for providing us with background analysis of the Palestinian plight. We are joined by retired Brigadier Colonel Ilias Hana, an expert in military affairs, from Beirut. Why is Gaza the most difficult issue for Israel? And why is it a nightmare for the Israelis?

Guest, Male #3
As the report mentioned: Historically, Gaza was an issue of interest for the Egyptians. Throughout history, the Jews have expressed interests in the West Bank and the North toward Lebanon. Today, Israel and Egypt want the Gaza Strip, whether it’s under the control of Hamas or the Palestinian authority, to be a geopolitical player but without military capabilities that could threaten the region. Egypt doesn’t like to see any country in the region expanding its political influence in the Gaza Strip because the enclave is a normal territorial expansion for Egypt. However, Gaza has become an imminent threat to Israel’s national security, especially when considering the use of advanced weapons and the expansion of the settlements. Along with Bier Shiva, many Israeli settlements are becoming easy targets and are within the reach of rockets. Today, Israel doesn’t like to see a united and armed Palestinian authority.
Israel wants the Gaza Strip to remain under the political control of Hamas and the West Bank under the political control of the Palestinian Authority, but without military capabilities. With this, Israel will be able to divide the Palestinians ideologically and geographically. Then, Israel will be able to give the Gaza Strip back to Egypt and the West Bank back to Jordan, and this is what Egypt fears the most. With this, Israel will be able to end the Palestinian plight. And this is where the Egyptian fear originates.

Presenter, FEMALE, #1
The Israeli occupation army announced the expansion of its ground offensive in Gaza for the third day in a row. According to witnesses, Israeli war machines went into un-inhabited areas, reaching the Gaza seashore. Meanwhile, clashes have continued since the morning between the Palestinian resistance and the occupation army in the areas where they are gathered. Al-Qudss Brigades announced having detonated an explosive device in an Israeli unit north of the Zaytoon neighborhood. Al-Qassam Brigades affirmed having destroyed a van transporting occupation soldiers north of Jebaliyah, as well as sniping two soldiers West of Bait Lahiya. They said that they used a new kind of anti tank missile for the first time since the beginning of the offensive.

Reporter, MALE, #1
On the tenth day of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza strip, and the third day of ground incursion, the resistance is still holding firm. It continues to fire rockets towards military locations and settlements. The resistance factions made several announcements, affirming that the clashes with the occupation forces are still at the edges of Bait Lahiya, Jabaliya, and Bait Hanoon, North of Gaza. They said that they confronted the infiltrating forces using mortar shells, explosive devises, and for the first time, anti-tank missiles. In a press conference, Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades said that the occupation will fail in achieving the objectives of their offensive or stopping the rockets. They warned of expanding the targets of retaliatory attacks to Israeli cities and establishments, which they described as strategic. The spokesperson had a map behind him showing cities and settlements, including Tel Aviv and Deimona in the Negev desert.

Guest, MALE, #2
We confirm that, thanks to God, our brigades are fine and their power is fine. They are capable, with God’s mercy, goodness, and power to continue for several long months, continuing to intensify the firing of rockets

Reporter, MALE, #1
Al-Qudss Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, promised to turn Gaza into a graveyard for the occupation soldiers. It threatened to carry out martyrdom operations against the occupation.

Guest, MALE, #3
Our alternative and the alternative of martyrdom operations will be a present reality in the coming days, God willing.

Reporter, MALE, #1
Meanwhile, the settlements, and ground and air military bases are within the range of the rockets by the resistance. Dozens of rockets have successfully injured settlers and soldiers.
The city of Ashkelon was struck when the Israeli trade and labor Minister was inspecting the city, which made him leave in a state of horror. Ashdod and Beershiba and other cities and settlements are in the range of the resistance’s rockets. This means that the areas from which the rockets are being launched, at the furthest points in the North and the East, are under the control of the resistance fighters. As for the occupation forces, they have infiltrated into uninhabited areas in the middle of the strip, perhaps with the aim of using this in negotiations at a later phase.