Another day,\u00a0another UN school hit by Israeli shelling in Gaza. Israel’s attack this morning killed at least 16 civilians sheltering at the school\u00a0and wounded dozens. The casualties figures are expected to rise.<\/p>\n
Israel and even most of its critics tell us that the civilian casualties are\u00a0accidental, caused by Israel’s need to wage its war against Hamas\u00a0in heavily built-up areas of Gaza. Israel is accused of\u00a0“disproportionality”, or of recklessness, or of inflicting unfortunate collateral damage.<\/p>\n
But here’s another possibility: that\u00a0the\u00a0people of Gaza, not just Hamas,\u00a0are the target.\u00a0That Israel’s generals don’t see\u00a0much\u00a0difference between the two.<\/p>\n
Israel’s army is “degrading” – or “mowing the lawn”, in even worse military parlance \u2013 Gaza’s ability’s to resist. Not Hamas’ abilities, but Gaza’s. Because the problem lies\u00a0not with Hamas. Hamas is simply a\u00a0symptom, of the people of Gaza’s determination to liberate themselves from Israel’s siege.<\/p>\n
That is why the power plant was destroyed yesterday. That is why Israel has been starving Gaza for years through its\u00a0siege,\u00a0limiting the entry of\u00a0basic foods and counting the minimum calories\u00a0people need for bare survival\u00a0– putting them on a diet, as one senior adviser jokingly termed\u00a0it. That is why Gaza’s infrastructure is being trashed\u00a0– the notorious Dahiya doctrine, devised by Israeli generals in 2006 as way to force hostile populations back into the Stone Age, keeping them preoccupied with the essentials of life rather than demanding, or fighting, for their rights.<\/p>\n
Israel knows it cannot destroy Hamas’ will to resist without destroying Gaza’s will to resist too. And that is what it looks like we are seeing played out here day-in, day-out. Civilians, it seems, must die to teach Gaza a lesson: you will<\/em>\u00a0submit.<\/p>\n