Gaza During and After - "My message to the American people..."

"Gaza During and After" is a documentary by my colleague Tarek when he was working as a journalist.

In 2008, he produced a documentary showcasing the Palestinians daily life, suffering and resilience during the Israeli siege. Using internationally banned weapons, they targeted social infrastructure to destroy livelihoods so that the Palestinians do not have a source of income, trade or a way to live. The documentary takes us through Palestinian lives that the Western media rarely shows. Scroll to the bottom to watch the documentary.

"They shot her even though she was the one
 carrying the white flag, the flag of peace"

Palestinians wants peace and is asking for global support to achieve it

"We want these pictures to reach the European and American people so that they can see. Let the American people see what is happening to the Palestinian people... enough, enough destruction, let us live!"  

"He wants the American people to know that they are unknowingly contributing to the predicament of the Palestinian people"

America, being the largest supporter of arms deal to Israel, is being blamed. They believe if citizens in America sees what is happening here, they will push their government to stop supplying arms to Israel. However, this is happening because "they see the events in our region through the perspective of Israeli media." And this perspective is of "Americans Jews portray[ing] Israel as a last line of defense against another Holocaust and paint its actions as purely defensive." (American Aljazeera, 2015)

Furthermore, as of late (2010 onwards), Canada's actions has been supplying Israel with arms as well, with the Harper government ramping up his war machine to create a more militant Canada on the world stage. Canada's reputation as a peace keeper, recognized by a Nobel Peace prize to Lester B. Pearson in 1957 for creating the UN Peacekeepers, is being demolished by the Canadian conservative government. This documentary is as much for Canadians, Europeans and other countries supporting Israel as it is for Americans. Read more about Canada's involvement with Israel.

I do not condone violence from either side, but Israel is literally shooting fish (Palestinians) in a barrel with superior firepower and support. That crime against humanity is what needs to be known. Once its known, there can be more global pressure to force governments to stop supplying arms and begin the process of reconciliation.

Soft targets and destruction of livelihoods

Soft targets where the main targets in 2008. UN Refugees camps were targeted by the Israeli military were bombed inside Palestine in the UN compound in Gaza even though they clearly marked as UN facilities. Millions of dollars worth of food and medicine were destroyed. Image below shows UN and International Red Crescent trying to evacuate people from a school while phosphorus bombs rain down.

Seen here, International Red Crescent and UN personnel, providing neutral humanitarian aid fighting phosphorus fire and evacuating people while Israelis target a school. They are also being targeted.

Factories that produced goods were targeted. The aim of this attack was to cripple the economy and infrastructure to destroy livelihoods, morale and their ability to sustain themselves, ultimately leading to their death.

Violence begets violence

"It's easy to predict the future, if people don't have justice people will turn to violence to get justice" Said John Ging, with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) "That's human nature everywhere" addressing the indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

And as soon as John Ging said that, the next clip is of young men asking for support from Arab nations to help arm them so they can defend themselves against the invasion of Israel. This also shows and implies that Palestinians do not have weapons to defend themselves against fighter jets, missiles and superior firepower.

Gaza during and after documentary, Palestinian youth addressing 2008 Israel siege

Gaza during and after documentary, Palestinian youth addressing 2008 Israel siege

"When we talk about the war being over, no it's not over. How can it be over when you are stopping basic human freedoms. Remember in this world the issue of human rights is something the USA was built on." Says Rizwan Hussein at the Human Appeal International. The crimes against humanity are devastating, where social infrastructure, schools and hospitals are deliberately targeted.

To get supplies around the siege, "siege breakers" are at the front line digging tunnels under the border to Egypt to transfer supplies in. Supplies such as food, medicine and other basic necessities. This move is desperate but is the only way to continue to feed the population and bring medical supplies.

Tarek interviewing the "siege breakers", who are the tunnel diggers to get supply into Gaza

A Palestinian walks into a Synagogue

Outside of the documentary though, not all hope is lost. There have been Jewish support of Palestine, "It is thus not surprising that Holocaust survivors and their descendants openly opposed Israel’s onslaught on Gaza last summer" and that "If anyone could empathize with being a Palestinian, it would probably be someone of Jewish background" (American Aljazeera, 2015). This is because they are both peoples of Diaspora. This goes to show that there is support and not all hope is utterly lost.

And last few words from the siege breakers.

Palestinian siege breaker's slogan. 

Watch the documentary here