Gaza on brink of implosion as aid cut-off starts to bite

The Observer ^ | April 16, 2006 | Conal Urquhart

[MadIvan]

An empty watchtower overlooks a deserted road lined with rusting vehicle parts. The only traffic is a pregnant bitch and a mule and cart. This is Gaza's economic lifeline, the Karni crossing into Israel, which is supposed to handle 1,300 containers of merchandise and food per day in order to sustain 1.3 million people.

But nothing is entering or leaving Gaza, and now the funds to purchase what is available there are also drying up, bringing the dire situation of its people to a new and febrile crisis.

[MadIvan]

Does anyone else think it's a good idea that "Palestine", such as it is, implodes? I am not interested in funding people who hate us - they need to understand we're not going to put up with their crap.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[gotribe]

It's all just part of the WOT. Sometimes money works as well as bullets.

[Paladin2]

The Palis should emmigrate to Iran.

[blueminnesota]

Large blinking SCHADENFREUDE ping.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I always am appalled when this parasitical kleptocracy is said to have an "economy" that needs to be kept going.

This is merely the logical conclusion of ara islam without the prop of aid or petro dollars.

[PeteB570]

Sorry, no sympathy here.

Let them forge closer ties with Egypt and bring their food in that way. Just like they are bringing in weapons and ammunition. Does not seem to be a problem with those commodities.

[Izzy Dunne]

I read the whole article, and there is not a single mention of the billions and billions (pardon me, Mr. Sagan) of dollars sent there in the past few years.

What has it bought us?

[starbase]

They should pass out candy. They like to celebrate things, don't they? (Twin Towers party, anyone?)

[ridesthemiles]

Does anyone else think it's a good idea that "Palestine", such as it is, implodes? I am not interested in funding people who hate us - they need to understand we're not going to put up with their crap.
Regards, Ivan ""

Does anyone think we are heading for the same shortages of food, as we pave over our productive farmland and let other countries "feed" us?????

[SJackson]

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[Hillarys Gate Cult]

If our cutting off funds has this much immediate effect on their economy then it proves we were right. Also that the corruption was as bad or worse than we thought.

I bet their Swiss bankers are the most upset of all.

[somniferum]

Let them eat hate.

[starbase]

Let them eat hate.

Perfect, perfect!

[JCEccles]

The Palis should emmigrate to Iran.

Palestinians living in Israel, who abide by Israeli laws, do very well. They have one of the highest standards of living of Muslims worldwide.

Problem is, most Palestinians want to destroy Israel and replace it with a larger Gaza.

[ChinaThreat]

Let them eat their suicide vests. No mercy. Let them starve. They brought this on themselves.

p.s. Thanks Russia. Maybe we should provide some emergency aid to the Chechens and Shamil Basayev.

[livius]

This is merely the logical conclusion of ara islam without the prop of aid or petro dollars.

Good point.

[M.K. Borders]

War is a very, very expensive thing to do. It burns up a mountain of wealth, resources and talent.

Most Countries cannot and will not fight a war 40 years long. It's just too much.

But the PLO has. They do this because the pants-wetters of the west keep giving them cash. As a result the goverment can focus on fighting instead of building functional economies and infrastructure.

They have the luxury of catering to their emotions instead of their bellies.

This should have been done years ago. If the world will turn their back on this region, self-preservation will solve the problem.

[DB]

And that's what dependency gets you...

Years of sending billions of dollars there has made the people incapable of sustaining themselves. They don't know how to do any of the normal things civilized people do to make ends meet.

The bright side is maybe they won't have time to riot, kill and plunder now that they need to rediscover basic work.

[airborne]

You mean the oil rich Arabs aren't supporting their wonderful Palestinian buddies?

Awwww!