The Blame Game in Gaza: Covering for Israel, Concealing War Crimes

by Stephen Lendman
Global Research, January 14, 2009

"In his January 8 article, "Gaza Under Fire," John Pilger quotes the Soviet dissident Yevgeny Yevtushenko saying: "When the truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie." America's dominant media suppress facts, sacrifice accuracy, and conceal the greater lie that:

-- all Israeli aggression is collaboratively planned months in advance with Washington;

-- American aid makes it possible - billions of dollars annually, the latest weapons and technology, and Security Council vetoes to assure no anti-Israeli resolutions with teeth are passed;

-- six months of preparation preceded Israel's terror bombings followed by invasion, occupation, and repeated war crimes on the ground;

-- Hamas "rockets" were pretext (not cause) to abet Israel's overall strategy - with initial measures planned years ago and implemented in steps; Gaza 2008 - 09 is the latest with much more to come unless stopped;

-- grievous international law violations are being willfully committed;

-- innocent men, women and children are slaughtered;

-- civilians and legitimate resistance are called "terrorists;"

-- basic infrastructure unrelated to defense is destroyed - government buildings, police stations, schools, mosques, private dwellings, TV stations, commercial structures, water mains, power facilities, fishing boats, vehicles, ambulances, medical facilities, UN relief ones, and visible civilian targets, even young children coming from and going to school;

-- refugee camps, women, doctors and journalists are attacked;

-- terror bombing and shelling continues round-the-clock; from 50 to 100 or more sorties a day but fire from naval vessels, tanks, and troops on the ground;

-- illegal terror weapons are used;
....
....Life in Occupied Gaza. No end of conflict is in sight. Mass slaughter continues unabated. World leaders are silent on halting it. Blame the victims. Back aggression, but people globally say otherwise: In solidarity, we're all Gazans. We're all Palestinians. "