The Gaza Conflict - Day 13

On the 13th Day of the crisis in Gaza, Israel continues its assault. Since yesterday, 3 hours have been granted to allow a humanitarian corridor and a temporary cessation of hostilities. Analysts say that this short reprieve is only a way for Israel to buy more time to complete its operations in Gaza as well a public relations stunt to reduce internation pressure on Israel.

There are concerns here in Beirut, that the crisis could spread to Northern Israel on the border with Lebanon.

As reported in the above BBC article, today, Palestinian groups in South Lebanon fired 5 Katyusha rockets into Israel. Israel fired back in response. Hezbollah said it did not plan to start a new war with Israel, but it seems like today's event shows that Palestinian groups are the ones who could start a conflict. There is a heavy UN presence in South Lebanon after the cease-fire in 2006 between Hezbollah and Israel, but it seems as if they would not be able to stop an escalation if there is one. This also means that if it is the Palestinians who are causing trouble, they could be targeted in an Israeli retaliation. There are many Palestinian camps around Beirut and around the country. They are already suffering terrible living conditions as well as social and economic discrimination. Further deterioration of their living conditions will only plunger more into destitution.

Rashid Khalidi, a respected Palestinian scholar in the United States has published a brilliant Op-Ed in the New York Times: Click here. The NYT, with its overly Israeli supportive readership, has published this article in a rare moment of truth about the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

Jimmy Carter also spoke out in an article in the Washington Post today: Click here. He recently visited the region under the auspices of his Carter Center, in attempt to spread peace in the Middle East. He gave a lecture at the American University of Beirut which M and I attended.

Robert Fisk wrote an opinion piece in The Independent yesterday which I also recommend reading: Click here. In reference to the bombing of the UN school earlier this week he writes: "What happened was not just shameful. It was a disgrace. Would war crime be too strong a description? For that is what we would call this atrocity if it had been committed by Hamas."