Another massacre

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Peace in Galilee, Grapes of Wrath, Summer Rain and now Autumn Clouds: these are the infamous code names of the genocide that Israel's war criminals are unrelentingly waging against the Palestinians while they tell the world that their aim is to end Palestinian resistance.

Operation Autumn Clouds, now in its second week, is not going to end Palestinian resistance in Gaza; no Israeli government has succeeded in doing so for more than 40 years. Israel has tried everything; from random bombardment to siege, from closure of the crossing point to demolition of homes, from the destruction of agricultural land to the levelling of market places. Each time the Palestinians weathered the storm with their legendary resilience.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says his new military offensive is open-ended. It will continue, he promises, until the Palestinians can no longer lob rockets into Israel. That, though, is an aim that he has failed to achieve time and time again; it seems far more likely that his real goal is to trigger a civil war among Palestinians.

It is only a few months ago that Israel invaded Lebanon with the declared aim of reaching the Litani River and forcing the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 calling for the disarmament of Lebanese resistance. Israel was hoping to foment political strife in Lebanon, isolate Lebanon from Syria and drag the Syrians into a military confrontation. It failed. Israel failed even to get the Security Council to pass a resolution invoking chapter seven of the UN Charter. Lebanon is still united and Syria refused the bait. If anything, the Syrians and Lebanese drew closer in the face of such Israeli aggression. Syria came to the help of the Lebanese, opening its borders to refugees seeking to escape the onslaught.

Olmert was far more successful in dividing Israel and undermining his own standing. His invasion of Gaza is a futile attempt to regain popularity and restore confidence in the army and this is something the Palestinians must understand. Efforts to form a government of national unity must continue with the utmost urgency. Instead of miring themselves in mutual recriminations, the Palestinians need to work together, stand by the resistance, and tackle economic and social problems. The Palestinians must nourish their fledgling democracy and reject outside coercion and the Arabs should support them, offering assistance, both material and moral, to help end the suffering of the Palestinian people and establish an independent state on their national soil.