   |
|
| |
|
 Israel humane in easing Gaza blockade
The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proved both humane and pragmatic in easing a blockade that was drawing increasing global condemnation after Israel's bungled raid on a pro-Palestinian flotilla that tried to breach the blockade.
That encounter left nine dead and provoked denunciations of Israel and its policy of isolating Gaza. Those reactions included a protest resolution before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and a demonstration at Oakland's port where an Israeli cargo ship tied up.
The Gaza reversal is a victory for human rights critics of Israel. Instead of a trickle of allowable supplies, Israel will use a checklist of forbidden items - chiefly military in nature - and speed up the flow at checkpoints. Gaza, kept on its knees, has a chance to stand on its own.
This reversal was welcomed by the Obama White House, which had called the blockade unsustainable and a major impediment to peace efforts. The Netanyahu and Obama administrations have clashed over Israel's plans to develop housing in disputed neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
Israel's critics say the new rules don't go far enough and only a complete lifting is good enough. But that can't happen, given the present Netanyahu leadership and its tough outlook on the Hamas political rulers of Gaza. While loosening the blockade rules on land, the government will maintain a cordon by sea to keep weapons away from Hamas, which refuses to accept Israel's statehood.
After three long years of imposed hardship on the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza, it was time to end an inhumane barrier. Israel has seen reality at last.
(2010-06-22 / San Francisco Chronicle)
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 6/19：Africa: The San's Pulpit - the World Cup - Its Implication for Human Rights (allafrica.com) |
| 6/19：The UN Council on Human Rights urges Kyrgyz government to investigate ethnic clashes (The Voice of Russia) |
| 6/20：Doesn't Aung San Suu Kyi deserve better than glib rhetoric from politicians? (telegraph.co.uk) |
| 6/20：Kyrgyzstan charges rights advocate with incitement (AP) |
| 6/22：Israel humane in easing Gaza blockade (San Francisco Chronicle) |
| 6/22：Senior United Russia Deputy Endorses Critical Report on Caucasus (The Moscow Times) |
| 6/23：U.N. appoints human rights panel for Sri Lanka (CNN International) |
| 6/23：Libya violating human rights despite new image, says Amnesty (The Guardian) |
| 6/24：Kenya prisoners win right to vote in landmark ruling(BBC) |
| 6/24：Obama, Clinton vow to defend gay rights, adding 'it's not who we are as Americans'(CNN) |
| |
|
|
首頁 
聯絡我們
