Update to – The Price of Human Life in Israeli Terms

According to new figures from an AP report the death toll from Israel’s decision is up to 430 Palestinians, while the Israeli death count remains at 4.  And, it only looks to get worse for the Palestinians, as the Israeli ground forces are crossing into Gaza.  Troops seldom move without artillery cover, and it is being reported that Israeli artillery has joined the offensive, to add to the carnage from their warplanes and gunboats.   Artillery fire is far less precise and discriminating, so the Palestinian civilian casualty rate is very likely to increase significantly.

U.N. humanitarian coordinator, Maxwell Gaylard, has estimated that 1/4 of the Palestinian dead are civilian, with a “significant number” of them being women and children.  He also estimates that some 2000 people have been wounded in Gaza.

107.5 to 1 seems to be the latest ratio on the value of Israeli life over Palestinian life.  107.5 is also the estimated number Palestinian civilians who have joined the ranks of collateral damage.  If you just look at the civilian deaths, and assume that the 4 Israeli deaths were civilian, then we’re looking at a ratio of 26.875 Palestinians equaling 1 Israeli life.  Wow.  The Old Testament used to call for “an eye for an eye”.  That’s 1 life for 1 life.  How does one justify taking nearly 27 lives for every one life taken, let alone 107?  It boggles the mind, and sickens the stomach.

It would seem that Israel is making hay while the sun still shines.  The U.S. is in a transitional phase, with a lame duck President, who won’t take any definitive action, due to a large number of reasons, and a new President Elect, who can’t afford to overstep his boundaries before he takes the oath of office, on January the 20th.  The international community is outraged over Israels’ disproportionate use of force, but as always, is hesitant to actually do anything, because Israel has become a kind of sacred cow.  You can’t touch it, without the fear of violating various alliances, and of being labeled anti-Semitic.  Israel feels that they effectively have carte blanche right now.  No one is likely to enter the fray, on behalf of the Palestinians.  The world is, once again, watching passively as the Israeli government reinforces the age old notion of might makes right.

Happy New Year, Gaza!

YUR

https://unclerave.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/the-price-of-human-life-in-israeli-terms/