Rafah: The Scene of Devastation
T he General Union of Palestinian Women
14 October 2003

Palestinian women are watching with consternation and incredulity the indifference of the international community towards the ongoing onslaught on the Palestinian people which is reaching such magnitude that defies description.

We are slowly becoming convinced that our people have become dispensable in the eyes of those who are holding the reigns of power in this world and who
have the arrogance to assume that they have the privilege to sanctify the life of a chosen few whose interests are linked to theirs, while turning a blind eye to the deprivation of others of their lives, their dignity and their security.

Our people have been surviving under the most dire conditions for the last 55 years. Instead of being redressed for the wrongs committed against them, they continue to be subjected to the most heinous war crimes in an attempt to silence their protests and to suppress their voices clamoring for their rights and their freedom.

Two days ago, almost 200 houses were summarily demolished by the Israeli military in the refugee camp of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, rendering 700 families homeless.

This recent war crime is compounded by the construction of settlements and the oppressive Wall which is dispossessing our people of their land and water and turning our towns and villages into virtual prisons. Moreover it is marring the innocence of our children and destroying their joys and hopes and sowing within their tender hearts the seeds of miscontent and rebellion.

What future is Israel envisioning by creating havoc and perpetrating injustice in the our region? Does anyone with sane faculties believe that such oppressive measures, will ever bring about peace? Has Israel not learnt from history that no people will accept to be dominated or oppressed for ever.

Has it not learnt from the laws of nature that the tighter the grip, the more violent the explosion?

It grieves us deeply that so much suffering has to be endured before Israel and the US will come to terms with these universal truths.

We call upon them to wake up before it is too late.

Once more, we call upon our friends who have been in solidarity with us during our gravest moments, and on all advocates of peace, justice and human rights to rally to our support and to the alleviation of the suffering of our sisters, brothers and children in Rafah and everywhere in Palestine

The General Union of Palestinian Women, Palestine.