I’m breaking my silent period here partially because I’m disappointed to see my Quaker blogger community quiet. (with the exception of the Quaker Agitator http://quakeragitator.wordpress.com/) Also, because I am disgusted, sad, and completely enraged by what I am seeing and not seeing in Gaza. There must be a ceasefire. Now. Yesterday.
1.5 million people live in the 139 square miles of the Gaza Strip. That’s about a quarter the land of Thurston county were I live, with 37 times the population density. If, God forbid, Thurston County and its democratic regime were to be attacked tomorrow, where would how would the invading power choose ligitimate targets? Who would hold them accountable?
When the people of Palestine democratically elected a Hamas government 2 years ago to what is barely the shadow of real national government, the world freaked out. How could they? They were punished with sanctions and a complete seal on Gaza, simply for voting for the party whose rhetoric is a strong defense of homeland, the promise of solidarity and strong values to its constituency. Sound familiar? I cannot and will not justify killing civilians, but Israel has now killed more civilians in the last week than Hamas managed to hit with rockets ever. There is no way to compare human suffering, but it is easy to follow the bombs back up into their US made jets, back into their US packed crates, back to their US manufactures, paid for by US tax dollars. The blood is on our hands. I can tell you from direct and personal recent experience that Israel is our sister. She looks like us, lives like us, and defends herself as we do. 7 million dollars of our tax dollars go to Israel every day, including every day of this massacre.
STOP THE MASSACRE
for those who are interested, a friend of Olympia in Rafah, Fida, blogs at http://www.sunshine208.blogspot.com/
Evan Welkin 