The Gaza Blockade Must Be Lifted

The incident was so sudden it was hard to believe. A humanitarian organization was delivering goods to aid Gaza, which is suffering under an Israeli blockade. Then, Israeli soldiers raided one of the aid ships, boarding from helicopters and by other means. At the end of the skirmish, at least nine people were dead from gunshot wounds. The chronology of the bloodbath is not clear, but there are reports that the dead include eight Turks and one American.

The day after the incident, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a Presidential Statement expressing “deep regret” at the Israeli military’s use of force. We should hope that such a statement would be quickly adopted. It didn’t include clear criticism thanks to opposition by United States, which makes a point of supporting Israel unconditionally, but covering up for its ally isn’t going to make this problem go away.

A thorough investigation is necessary. The United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva passed by majority a resolution strongly condemning Israel’s actions and calling for an international, independent investigation. The United States opposed it, and Japan abstained. The United States favors an Israeli investigation, but an international structure would increase the investigation’s neutrality. Israel also ought to cooperate fully with such an investigation.

Needless to say, we need to hear out Israel’s claim of “legitimate self-defense.” However, the fact that Israel has long been accused of “excessive use of force” explains why there are hardly any countries that believe this claim. More than 1300 Palestinians died in the Gaza offensive that started in 2008. In Lebanon, United Nations officials and many civilians perished when Israel “missed its targets.”

Israel’s many problematic actions include the building of Jewish settlements and the “Separation Wall,” which the International Court of Justice has found to be illegal. However, the United States has thus far wielded its veto to do away with most proposed resolutions that are critical of Israel. It cannot be denied that this spurs the rise of Islamist groups that are increasingly angry at this U.S.–Israel relationship and sows the seeds of terrorism.

We call for a more even-handed response from President Obama. There were more than 700 people aboard the fleet organized by the Free Gaza Movement, an aid organization. A Nobel Peace Prize recipient has also supported it. Israel believes the organization has ties with “terrorist organizations” such as Hamas, which effectively rules Gaza, and since 2008 has seized aid ships.

It remains to be ascertained whether the aid organization’s actions were legal or not. However, Israel has administered the border with Gaza and effectively laid siege to the territory after withdrawing in 2005. The inhuman conditions in which the 1.5 million residents of Gaza live — lacking food, fuel and medicine — cannot be allowed to continue. Israel must immediately end its blockade of Gaza; the United States must convince them to do it.