The criminal insanity of Israeli apartheid

One of the many abominations of Israeli apartheid is the blockade/embargo of Gaza which Israel government documents admit is an act of war--economic warfare to accompany frequent aerial bombardments of the region. Israel doesn’t publish the list of banned items so many media sources like Haaretz & the BBC along with Amnesty International & the UN have tried to determine what is & is not allowed to be imported. The list is probably not published because it is so irrational & would expose Israel to ridicule & contempt along with charges of ethnic cleansing.

Most construction materials are banned including cement, glass, steel, wood, paint, pipes, cables-- which matters when Israel is also periodically bombing the hell out of Gaza. Most chemicals & fertilizers are banned under the guise that Palestinians would use them to make explosive weapons. Fuel has not been allowed since 2008. And the list of banned items goes on.

The list frequently changes so importers are never certain what is allowable. Some banned items in the past included pasta, tomato sauce, ginger, chocolate, toilet paper, crayons, paper, soccer balls, musical instruments, batteries for hearing aids, wheelchairs, veterinary & human medicines, clothing, cups, cutlery, crockery, appliances like refrigerators & washing machines, glasses, light bulbs, matches, needles & threads, sheets, blankets, shoes, mattresses. There is no possible justification for banning any of these--except malice.

In response to the blockade, Palestinians developed a system of privately owned tunnels through which they smuggle banned products. There are reportedly over 1,000 such tunnels on the Gaza-Egypt border where they are monitored & controlled by Egyptian soldiers & Israeli bombers. Israeli sorties target the tunnel area on the border so there are frequent tunnel collapses. There are also reports the Egyptian army is attempting to destroy tunnels by flooding them.

Israel claims Palestinians use these tunnels to transport explosives, along with anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles. Why the hell shouldn’t they!? Gaza is under attack & has a right to defend itself.

The young man here is a 17-year-old Palestinian who works the tunnels for 120 shekels/US $30 a day in order to support his family. He says when he first began working them at the age of 14, the tomb-like character of the tunnels freaked him out. He has already survived one tunnel collapse.

(Photo by Iyad El Baba/UNICEF)