In the silence of Obama as Bush fiddles

1-5-09CounterPunch.comHello, This is the IDF... Gaza Phone Tag By MUHAMMAD ALI KHALIDI http://www.counterpunch.com/khalidi01052009.html“…hundreds of thousands of Gazans have received warnings in the form of telephone messages or fliers that their buildings are Israeli targets…”-- New York Times, 1 January 2009Israeli soldier: Hello, Abdul, this is the Israel Defense Forces speaking…Palestinian civilian: My name isn’t Abdul, I think you have the wrong number.I: As I said this is the IDF, we never have wrong information.P: So how can I help you?I: I’m just calling to warn you to evacuate your place because of an imminent airstrike on a Hamas target in your building.P: But there’s no Hamas in my building.I: Not even on your street?P: No, there was a Hamas member of parliament on the next street but you put him in jail.I: Must be old information, anyway, there’s going to be an airstrike so you better go.P: Can you tell me where you’d like me to go to?I: It’s not my business, check into a hotel, stay with relatives on the beach, take a vacation in Cyprus, just go.P: I’ve been unemployed for a year because of your siege so I can’t afford a hotel right now.  My relatives just got bombed on the beach, in the Shati’ refugee camp.  And I can’t get out of Gaza because no one can leave.I: Don’t blame me, I’m just warning you.P: So, if there were a Hamas guy in my building, what would prevent me from going to warn him so he could escape the airstrike?I: Hmm… we hadn’t thought of that.  I’ll make a note of it for my commanding officer.P: Are you going to call everyone else in the building, or should I spread the word myself?I: Do us a favor and tell the women and children.  We’re mostly concerned not to harm children.P: You mean, like the 634 Palestinian minors killed by Israeli security personnel in Gaza since September 2000?I: Maybe they weren’t civilians--we’re only concerned with civilian children.P: As opposed to the terroristic children who attack you?I: Hey, don’t make fun of the IDF, we’re a very sensitive army, we don’t take criticism well.P: Sorry, it’s just that you haven’t been too concerned with children’s lives throughout this last ceasefire—you killed two teenagers on December 2.  I guess they were just “collateral damage” from a targeted assassination.I: Hey, it’s tough to be surgical, but we do our best.  We don’t do what we call “Arab work”.  No offense.P: While you’re being so helpful, can you tell me when you might turn the power back on in Gaza?I: I have no information on that.P: Any idea when we can get fuel for our cars?  Or medical supplies?  Or food and water?I: Listen, there’s no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, don’t believe the Hamas propaganda.  Anyway, I’m only obeying orders, if it weren’t for me you would have been dead soon.P: I still might be.I: Yeah, but you can’t say I didn’t warn you.P: I have to go now, I hear an F-16 overhead.I: Right on schedule!  And remember to stay away from mosques, they’re usually stuffed full of explosives.P: (Hangs up)Muhammad Ali Khalidi is Associate Professor of Philosophy at York University in Toronto. He can be reached at: khalidi@yorku.ca