by Carla Sutherland

Created on: December 27, 2008

I read the news, watch the news, listen to the news, and you'd think that after decades people would see the errors of their ways, see how some methods are not working and do something to change them. But unfortunately, those in power are too stubborn and blind to see the effects of their actions.

Take this ongoing blockade of the Gaza strip for example. The conflict between the peoples of Israel and Palestine has been going on for centuries. I can see the logic behind the blockade. The scenario in which Israel and other countries would like to see happen, is that after being forced to suffer under the blockade, the nearly one million people of the Gaza strip would overthrow the government and put someone in power that Israel would want, or at least concede to their demands. But the hostages in the Gaza strip are not fighting their leaders. This strategy is not working. Instead it is more of a collective punishment, more so after the elections and the people elected the Hamas to lead the country, which is against Israels wishes. And so this collective punishment ensues.

Using the propaganda of the so-called "War on Terror", Israel and the United States have labeled Hamas as terrorists. The ongoing rocket attacks on both sides continue, each saying that it's in retaliation of the attacks of the other side. But who is really on the offensive and who is on the defensive? Many times the Palestinian rockets that land in Israel territory fail to hurt anybody. Is that due to bad aiming or perfect planning? And yet the Israel rockets almost always kill innocent citizens, most often children. I can hardly see those children to be worthy of such gruesome deaths.

And now this past weekend, another 'shock and awe' campaign has been set on Palestine, killing over 200 people and injuring more than 700. Meanwhile Palestinian rocket fire has killed one Israeli. Just one. And yet it is Israel that is calling upon Palestine to stop it's rocket attacks. It is like a giant trying to tell a mouse to stop biting it's toe or it'll kill the mouse's wife and children in hopes of killing the mouse as well. And the mouse is seen as the aggressor and the evil doer.

As other countries try to help the people of Gaza, so does Israel tighten it's noose on the Gaza strip. Fuel is cut, causing power to be cut off, humanitarian aid and food is restricted or blocked completely. Hospitals are running out of supplies to treat the injured, causing more innocents to possibly lose their lives. And now,

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