by B. R. GOWANI
The people under occupation and groups fighting a bigger enemy have to be very secretive about their raid plans.
Hamas attack against Israel October 7, 2023, was carried out with utmost secrecy. Even Iran, one of Hamas’ few close allies, was not aware of it. Imagine how scared Hamas must have been; it knew if Israel, US, or their Arab puppets got an inkling their plan would be dead and the retaliation from Israel would set them many years back in the fight they’re waging to keep the Palestinian issue alive, and remind the world the inhumane way Palestinians are treated by their colonizers, the Israelis.
On the other hand, Israel or the United States have no such fear when they want to engage in wars; or want to bomb, murder, or destroy; or want to occupy or usurp someone’s land. This is clearly evident from the frequent Israeli murders of Palestinians and increasing its settlements in the West Bank. Or take the US wars against Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Afghanistan, and so many other places, for which they prepared in broad daylight without any fear … or shame.
If Hamas’s plot to attack its colonizer would have gotten leaked it wouldn’t have been executed. But Israel is openly killing Palestinians in Gaza and the only power who could stop it is supporting Israel’s merciless mission with open arms, literally. The US is sending arms and US President Joe Biden has traveled to Israel to hug Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, to support Israel, and to warn Hezbollah and Iran from supporting Palestinians.
Four pronged US genocidal strategy against Gaza
Arming Israel: The US to provide Israel with more arms.
Deterring Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon from helping Palestinians: F-15E fighter jets and A-10 ground-attack jets are to be sent to the region; a second aircraft carrier the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (which can carry more than 60 aircrafts) is on its way with 5,000 sailors on board; the first one, the USS Gerald R. Ford (which can carry more than 75 aircrafts) is already off the coast of Israel; two guided-missile destroyers and guided-missile cruisers are to be sent too. If needed, more assets and forces will be provided by the Pentagon.
Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof told Russia Today that Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “wanted the US involved in this conflict,” “wants to open up the war with Lebanon, by attacking Hezbollah” and “to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.” Maloof further said that to make it happen, “he has to have a Gulf of Tonkin moment, if you will.”
(Gulf of Tonkin moment refers to US directly getting involved in a war against North Vietnam in August 1964, after falsely claiming that Vietnamese patrol boats had attacked US warships in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coasts of Vietnam. US has waged many wars on false pretexts.)
War must continue: Huffpost got access to the US State Department’s internal emails which had alerted its diplomats handling Middle East issues to avoid creating an impression that US wants lower violence. The October 13, 2023 messages disseminated by the Department asked not to use three particular phrases: “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed” and “restoring calm.” Not surprisingly, the memos were sent hours after Israel’s warning to 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza to leave their shelters and homes as it was readying for invasion of Gaza. The State Department refused Huffpost request for comment.
The memo clearly indicates that US would help Israel fight this war till the last Palestinian, that is, till the last Palestinian in Gaza is bombed.
On October 18, 2023, a UN Security Council resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” to enable delivering “lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza” was vetoed by the US.
Even the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) refugee camps are not safe from the Israeli bombings.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini describes the grim reality in Gaza during a press conference.
“As I speak with you, Gaza is running out of water and electricity.
“In fact, Gaza is being strangled and it seems that the world right now has lost its humanity.
“If we look at the issue of water – we all know water is life – Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life.?
“Soon, I believe, with this there will be no food or medicine either. ?
“There is not one drop of water, not one grain of wheat, not a litre of fuel that has been allowed into the Gaza Strip for the last eight days.
Warning Arab leaders: The State Department’s Anthony Blinken, Secretary of State, made clear to the Arab leaders he met:
“I’ve also been making it clear in all of my conversations throughout this trip that there can be no more business as usual with Hamas.”
Blinken wanted Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman to condemn the Hamas attacks on Israel but MBS refused.
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com