A Collective Commitment Versus A Collective Punishment By Ali Al-Hail

A Collective Commitment Versus A Collective Punishment

By Ali Al-Hail

Al-Jazeerah, October 30, 2006

Recently, the leaders of the richest nations have reportedly, made a collective commitment to lessens poverty in Africa. This vow sounds as a direct contradiction to their collective punishment against Palestinians.
For decades, the world has been hearing promises by the richest nations to aid Africa, as scarcity increases in Africa. Most promises, according to the African International Bank (Hard talk Program, BBC World Service TV, October 24th, 2006) have never been fulfilled.

However, fewer promises that, have been carried out went to corrupt regimes in Africa where the richest nations had political interests with. Instead of lessening poverty, the monies had enabled the corrupt to become more corrupt, and subsequently, the poverty to become even worse.

According to a former woman Finance Minister in Nigeria, one of the most purportedly, politically, corrupt state the sickness of political corrupt is fundamentally, a hindrance to development (Hard talk Program, BBC World Service TV, October 27th, 2006). Western interests in Nigerian oil, according to her have largely, contributed to this political corrupt.

Had African long-time catastrophes been, genuinely, tackled beyond political interests the HIV, the aides syndrome would’ve not reached this horrifying level. World Health Organization (WHO) annual reports on this disease in particular, in Africa are reported to have killed over than 30 million people mostly, children during the past decade. Approximately, 10 million infected patients are expected to die of HIV every year in Africa alone.

Poverty along with other diseases, and related disasters are merely, the tip of the iceberg compared to other catastrophes Africa suffers from for ages. To respond to such a gloomy picture by offering a collective commitment that, was offered several times before by the richest nations, sounds as news consuming, not more, not less.

The richest nations have never been interested in solving humanitarian issues, despite rhetoric, and sheer propaganda. For instance, since January 25th the richest nations have been ‘offering’ a collective punishment to Palestinians for practicing their democratic rights. The Israel-US-EU have since then imposed poverty and starvation upon nearly, 3 million Palestinians within their biased ‘international’ boycott.

Although article 33 of the 4th Geneva convention upon which the richest nations approved and signed prohibit a collective punishment. However, since they themselves are the authors of Geneva conventions, they who select which nation should be or shouldn’t be collectively, punished.
One wishes that, the richest nations have stopped there. But, they pushed their collective punishment further by turning a blind aye, and a dough ear to Israeli occupation forces’ daily genocides in Palestinian lands.

If a ‘genocide’ can be defined as “the organized killing of a people to end their collective existence”, according to the French definition, at least then Israel supported by the richest nations conduct just that; “the organized killing of a people to end their collective existence”. Never, did the richest nations condemn Israel’s occupation forces killing of Palestinian civilians, including children, and entire families.

The richest nations always adopt the Israeli view that, because Palestinian resistance fire missiles which are home-made on Israeli illegal settlements, the killing is justified. According to Genevieve Cora Frazer (www.aljazeerah.info , www.zaman.com ) since 2000 Palestinian home-made missiles killed only eight (8) Israelis, while the Israeli guided missiles massacred thousands of Palestinian civilians, including children.

Professor, Dr. Ali Al-Hail, Professor of Mass Communication, Twice Fulbright Award Winner, Fulbright Visiting Scholar, and Board Member of AUSACE ASC, IABD, NEBAA, BEA, IMDA and EAJMC American Associations. Can be contacted via: pdaah90@hotmail.com

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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