U.S., Israel attack humanitarian aid

On Nov. 4, the Israeli Defense Forces forcibly boarded a Canadian vessel and an Irish boat which were carrying humanitarian supplies to desperate Palestinians who are suffering from an illegal Israeli blockade.

Although no resistance was offered, the IDF, nevertheless, sent activists on board the vessels to a prison in Israel to await deportation.

The activists on the Canadian ship, the Tahrir, posted signs on the vessel written in red ink in English and Hebrew reading “Gaza Blockade Is Illegal” and “Attacking an Unarmed Ship Is Piracy,” a photo posted on the group’s Twitter feed shows. (Bloomberg Business Week, Nov. 4)

The boats were carrying about $30,000 worth of medicines and letters from school children.

Speaking after prayers at a Gaza City mosque, Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister, addressed the passengers aboard the boats, saying, “Your message has been delivered whether you make it or not.” (ABC News, Nov. 4)

“The siege is unjust and must end,” Haniyeh said.

The day before the seizure, the Obama administration warned U.S. citizens on the boats that they may face legal action for violating Israeli and U.S. law.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. was renewing its warning to Americans “not to involve themselves in this activity.” (Reuters, Nov. 5)

Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and their supporters was not limited to their attack on the flotilla. On Nov. 3, Israeli soldiers entered Palestinian farmland inside northern Gaza. When the Palestinians defended their land, the Israelis called in an air strike which killed two young men. The latest killings followed the killing of 10 civilians by IDF air strikes just the week before.

Holding poor people hostage

Military attacks on Palestinians and their supporters are apparently not enough for the Israelis and their imperialist supporters. Enraged because UNESCO, a United Nations agency, had accepted Palestine as a full member of the organization, the U.S. abruptly cut off its share of funding, over $60 million, threatening the ability of this entirely peaceful agency to carry out its mission. Israel Radio reported that Israel too would default on its annual contribution to UNESCO. All members of the U.N. are required to contribute to the UNESCO fund according to a sliding scale.

UNESCO’s stated aim is “to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information” (“Introducing Unesco,” Unesco.org)

The U.S. action showed its willingness to strike at poor people throughout the world to support its Zionist ally.

For their part, the Israelis quickly moved from piracy on the high seas to outright theft. On Nov. 1, Israel announced that it would punitively suspend the monthly transfer of roughly $100 million in customs, border and some income taxes that it collects on behalf of the Palestinians and relays to their government in the West Bank.

This is income that the Palestinian Authority depends on to administer basic infrastructure and social services. The cutoff comes just days before a Muslim holiday.

The Israelis also announced that they were speeding up their illegal settlements on the West Bank as a reprisal against the UNESCO decision.

Preparing for war in the Middle East

U.S. and Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people must be viewed within the context of the U.S. and its allies’ war strategy against Iran.

According to the Daily Mail in Britain, “Barack Obama and [British Prime Minster] David Cameron are preparing for war because of fears “that Iran now has enough enriched uranium for four nuclear weapons,” (Nov. 2)

Another British newspaper, The Guardian, reports that British military officials believe the U.S. may decide to step up plans for targeted missile attacks against some key Iranian facilities, and the officials “say that if Washington presses ahead it will seek, and receive, U.K. military help for any mission.” (Nov. 2)

A “preemptive” strike against Iran was also discussed at an Israeli cabinet meeting. (AP, Nov. 1)

Iran has been a steadfast supporter of the Palestinian struggle, and Israel has identified Iran as its main enemy in the world. The U.S. has its eyes on Iran’s large oil deposits, strategic location, and most of all, its pursuit of an anti-imperialist foreign policy.

Iran has repeatedly stated that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The state of Israel has hundreds and the U.S. tens of thousands of nuclear weapons.

The U.S.-Israeli buildup for a wider war in the Middle East must be resisted by peace loving people everywhere.