And we wonder why Arabs want to attack Western powers and their proxies. The Israeli government has sunk to a new low to curb rocket attacks from Gaza. Remedy? Cut off fuel supplies to all 1.5 million residents: 

Gaza's only electrical plant shut down Sunday after Israel blocked the shipment of fuel that powers them, plunging Gaza City into darkness and sending already beleaguered Gazans to stock up on food and batteries in anticipation of long, dark, cold days ahead.

The regular fuel shipment from Israel did not arrived Sunday because the fuel terminal was closed, and the plant has nearly no reserves, said Rafik Maliha, director of the power plant.

Health Ministry official Dr. Moaiya Hassanain warned that the fuel cutoff would cause a health catastrophe. "We have the choice to either cut electricity on babies in the maternity ward or heart surgery patients or stop operating rooms," he said.

Israel insists that the Hamas government is responsible for the shutoff, because Israel has not cut off electricity that they provide, only fuel.

Israeli Foregn Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel charged that Hamas created an artificial emergency, though Gaza continues to receive 75% of its normal electricity supplies. The blackout "is a Hamas ploy to pretend there is some kind of crisis to attract international sympathy," he told The Associated Press.

Well, Arye, it worked, and you are still the villains. Think about it, how well would you in Israel or we in the United States function if suddenly no one had any fuel available? That's no car, no heat, no stove, and more. What would our countries look like if 1/4 of our electricity suddenly disappeared? Ask an Iraqi. This is a crisis, jackass.

And the White House response?

  "The logic of this defies basic humanitarian standards," said Christopher Gunness, spokesman for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency.

Erm, no, no,no. The White House response.

The British group Oxfam called it "ineffective as well as unlawful." Gisha, an Israeli group that has fought the fuel cutbacks in Israel's Supreme Court, said "punishing Gaza's 1.5 million civilians does not stop the rocket fire; it only creates an impossible 'balance' of human suffering on both sides of the border."

Ah. There fucking isn't one, because our right wing government is sucking the cock of Israel's right wing government. Anything to cover up an ally's bad behavior, eh, Georgie?

Gaza is looking more than ever to be a prolonged Arab Wounded Knee.

UPDATE: Defense Minister Ehud Barak authorizes a weeks worth of fuel to pass to Gaza. "They denied that international pressure was a factor. " Sure.

tags: gaza  fuel  cutoff  israel  

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