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Shameless hypocrisy watch: Hamas refuses to accept Gaza flotilla's "humanitarian aid"

In my first column about the Gaza flotilla and its "peace activists" ("Clarity about the deaths of the Gaza flotilla 'peace activists'”), I was tempted to predict that Hamas would not accept the flotilla aid, which Israel had already undertaken to deliver. In the end I decided not to go out on a limb with such an unlikely scenario.

But I underestimated the perversity of Hamas. The terrorist government of Gaza indeed refuses to take the supplies, despite the well-publicized claims that the desperate people of Gaza are starving.

Hamas Social Welfare Minister Ahmed Kurd gave two reasons: "We refuse to receive the humanitarian aid until all those who were detained aboard the ships are released. We also insist that the equipment be delivered in its entirety."

The first reason is idiotic, or at least a cruel excuse for withholding food from a supposedly miserable people. The second reason is the true one: Hamas greatly prefers smuggling the goods, because it objects to Israel first ensuring that "humanitarian aid" includes nothing that could be used to wage war against the Jewish state. (Notice Kurd's use of the term "equipment," not "aid" or "food.")

Well, Hamas can afford to be nonchalant with the flotilla's humanitarian aid. After all, what's the rush? The ten tons floated in the flotilla is dwarfed by the fifteen tons of aid Israel facilitates into Gaza every week. As explained by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

Despite attacks by Hamas, Israel maintains an ongoing humanitarian corridor for the transfer of perishable and staple food items to Gaza. This conduit is used by internationally recognized organizations including the United Nations and the Red Cross.

Well over a million tons of humanitarian supplies entered Gaza from Israel over the last 18 months equaling nearly a ton of aid for every man, woman and child in Gaza. Millions of dollars worth of international food aid continually flows through the Israeli humanitarian apparatus, ensuring that there is no food shortage in Gaza.


In a typical week the IDF coordinates the transfer of hundreds of trucks containing about 15,000 tons of supplies.  During the week of May 18, 2010 there were more than 100 truckloads of animal food, 65 trucks of fruit and vegetables; 22 truckloads of sugar, some 27 truckloads of meat, poultry and fish; and 40 trucks of dairy products. At holiday times, Israel increases transfers. During the Muslim holy days of Ramadhan and Eid al-Adha, Israel shipped some 11,000 heads of cattle into the Strip. . . .

 Large quantities of essential food items like baby formula, wheat, meat, dairy products and other perishables are transferred daily and weekly to Gaza. Fertilizers that cannot be used to make explosives are shipped into the Strip regularly, as are potato seeds, eggs for reproduction, bees, and equipment for the flower industry.

In 2009 alone, more than 738,000 tons of food and supplies entered Gaza. Pictures in local newspapers show local markets aplenty with fruit, vegetables, cheese, spices, bread and meat to feed 1.4 million Gazans.

In the first quarter of 2010 (January-March), 94,500 tons of supplies were transferred in 3,676 trucks to the Strip: 48,000 tons of food products; 40,000 tons of wheat; 2,760 tons of rice; 1,987 tons of clothes and footwear; 553 tons of milk powder and baby food.

 In 2009, some 4,883 tons of medical equipment and medicine were brought in.

In the first quarter of 2010, Israel shipped 152 trucks of medical supplies and equipment into Gaza. In a typical week (in May 2010), some 37 truckloads of hygiene products were shipped to Gaza through the land crossings. In addition, a new CAT scan machine was recently shipped to Gaza. . . .


While the import of cement and iron has been restricted into Gaza since these are used by the Hamas to cast rockets and bunkers, monitored imports of truckloads of cement, iron, and building supplies such as wood and windows are regularly coordinated with international parties. Already in the first quarter of 2010, 23 tons of iron and 25 tons of cement were transferred to the Gaza Strip.

On 13 May 2010, Israel allowed approximately 39 tons of building material into Gaza to help rebuild a damaged hospital. The construction material for al Quds hospital was transferred after safeguards in place and French assurances ensured that the construction material would not be diverted elsewhere.

On 24 May 2010 Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing to 97 trucks loaded with aid and goods, including six trucks holding 250 tons of cement and one truck loaded with five tons of iron for projects executed and operated by UNRWA.

Nearly a ton of food aid per person. The fact is, the "starving Gazans" are as mythological as unicorns. I can't do better than to quote journalist Stephanie Gutman's June 2 column:

Here, then, is what has made me a sceptic on the Gaza-is-starving issue:

One piece of data was a documentary I saw a few months ago, shot by a pro-Hamas activist and screened during Columbia University’s Apartheid Week festivities. Peculiarly, though the travelogue (filmed very recently) was supposed to arouse Nuremberg rally-like rage about occupation and so on, the activist/producer had allowed abundant footage of street markets brimming with produce and shops full of canned goods, cigarettes, and sweets. At one point the activist/film producer asked a Gazan whether he had enough food. He answered with something to the effect of “We have food, but we object to the closures on political grounds.” The activist’s cameras then took us over to the Gaza/Egypt border where, under full view of apathetic uniformed authorities, huge, complicated tunnels were being built, repaired, and used to bring in more goods.

Data point two was a Sky TV series about the Middle East narrated by Ross Kemp, which I recently watched on YouTube showing similar market scenes. At one point Kemp asks a Gazan the starvation question and he replies, “Well, the Israelis give us nappies, yoghurt and fruit.”

Three is the fact that every single documentary or TV news clip I have seen of Gaza shows healthy looking children frisking in the streets and robust young men busy doing calorically expensive things like loading rocket launchers. Severely under-nourished people are usually quite apathetic.

No doubt, fans of Palestinian terrorists will call Gutman a "Zionist spindoctor," or "paid Zionist agent," or worse. (I get that all the time.) But that's name-calling, not a rational argument. There are no rational arguments that can justify the hypocrisy of Hamas--demanding aid, then turning up its nose when it's offered.

Comments

  • Greg 4 years ago

    Appreciate the pro-Israel stance. It's sickening to see the distortion of news with an anti-Israel twist. Thank you.

  • Bella Silverstein 4 years ago

    I'm sharing this on Facebook. Paul, you deserve a wider audience.

  • George Erickson 4 years ago

    I am not a supporter of Hamas or any Arab suicide bomber and I am not falling into the trap of Zionist propaganda. Mr. Kulawsky, why don't you write also few words about Israeli terrorists regime? What, you don't know any bad stories about them? OK, I help you: Jewish Zionists terrorists killed many Brits well before the proclamation of State of Israel in 1948.
    In 1923 Vladimir Jabotinsky, founder of Revisionist Zionism, stated "A voluntary reconciliation with Arabs is out of question".In 1937 David Ben Gurion, future Prime Minister of Israel, stated; "WE MUST EXPEL ARABS AND TAKE THEIR PLACES".
    Currently Israelis building houses for Jewish setlers on a land that does not belong to them. How about the rape, torture and imprisonment of 12 years old kids for throwing stones at Jews?
    Mr. Kujawsky what is your background?

  • Gabriel 4 years ago

    George Erickson has problems. One you should not be afraid of posting your real name. Your broken English would dictate you are not a native speaker even though George Erickson sounds to be a very Americanized name. Two you should really try to open your mind from the fear that you have from Jewish people. Just because your father taught you to hate and his father taught him to hate does not mean you can not break the cycle. You need to separate yourself from the years of propaganda that you have been fed. Israel is not the reason for your unhappiness, only you can make yourself happy. The first step in solving any problem is to first admit that you have a problem. So repeat after me, "I am a racist". Only you can help make the world a better place, good luck with your treatment.

  • George Erickson 4 years ago

    Gabriel, I am not afraid of anyone, I have put my real name because I don't want to be an anonymous rat. How about you Gabriel?
    My broken english would indicate that I am not a native speaker? Well, I am glad that you are a professor in english but I don't see what " you are not a native speacer " has to do with Israeli torturing and murdering 12 year old kids and building houses for Jewish setlers on land that does not belong to them.
    I have no fear of Jews, I only feel sorry for all those innocent people harmed and killed by Jews.
    No, my father did not TAUGHT me to hate Jews, he was killed in World War 2 when I was only few months old you idiot. He was fighting Hitler's Nazi and probably contributed to free the Jews you a...hole.

  • Lie Detector 4 years ago

    An equally fitting title for your article. ISRAEL REFUSES TO RELEASE GAZA FLOTILLA'S HUMANITARIAN AID.

    Half truths and innuendo can work both ways eh Paul. Have you no shame whatsoever? Don't you understand that these tactics undermine any credibility that you might otherwise have gained?

  • Edward W. Jackson 4 years ago

    Helen Thomas summed it up correctly. This stuff going on in this little sandtrap is getting old. Time for people to go home, and leave the natives alone.....

  • Jim P. 4 years ago

    I found your article very interesting... Please correct me if I am wrong, but were the "Palestinian people prior to and up to WWII, nomadic tribesmen and didn't they provide aid and comfort to Nazi Germany during the that war as well as most if not all of the Middle East? If so, doesn't the spoils of war go to the victor to do with as he pleases. Didn't Hitler lose? Doesn't the whole (or any) of the middle yeast recognize that defeat? And lastly, as for great humanitarian aid, which Middle East country was willing to accept these nomadic pilgrims after the war and up to this day?