The World versus Israel

It seems that every time Israel is in the news, it's as a result of a media backlash against their protection of their nation, and people. The latest case has caused an international row. My understanding is that a flotilla of boats carrying aid to the stricken people in Gaza was set upon by the Israeli military, resulting in death and injury on both sides. So at first report, it looks like Israel stopped necessary aid getting to needy people.

What about some facts then? The flotilla of boats in question had been offered to go through the regular and independent channels used and sanctioned by Isreal, like the Red Cross, and the United Nations, but they chose not to do that. Instead they set sail for Gaza, in the full knowledge that this would cause a storm. When the 'aid' was searched, many weapons were found among the aid. Not only that, but some of the sailors were armed ready for combat. They knew what was going to happen, and got ready. It looks like it was a set up, and the world's media once again rose predictably to side with the lawless.

It also needs to be said that Israel is making sure the non military aid gets to Gaza by road, when the cargo has been fully checked. In other words, Israel is NOT against aid getting to Gaza. The reporting does not show this side of things too clearly, just that a well trained Israeli army stormed boats which were known to be carrying cargo from those with clear links to paramilitary organisations like al Qaeda and Hamas. They are proved right, but still the world is in a battle against the nation of Israel. I wonder why? I am sure you will have your own thoughts on that, but sometimes things don't stack up the way they are reported. We are living in an 'anti everything Israel' culture.

There is no doubt that the people of Gaza are poor and in need of help. That much is not in dispute, but why are the people there in such a state? Can they continue to blame everyone else (especially the Israelis) for ever? The country is barren, but look across the border and see the same desert flowering and producing crops to feed their peoples. The housing is very bad, and could be described mostly as slum, but look across the border a few miles and see what has been done there. We cannot put it all down to the Gaza people being kept poor by their hated enemy of Israel. Gaza has a part to play in the state they find themselves in now.

The media seem to have a policy which goes something like this. Gaza fires weapons and kills people in Israel, no problem. Israel fires on Gaza and kills, then there is a storm of fury. It all seems unbalanced to me. What I really want to see is a balanced reporting of the tension in the middle east, but I think that is asking too much. Now back to the original question, "Why"? I reckon the answer is not too difficult to figure out, but we don't want to admit it.