arithmetic

Meanwhile , the top UN rights body has approved a resolution condemning Israel's military offensive in Gaza, saying
it has "resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people".

The Human Rights Council's 47 members voted 33 in favour and 1 against the resolution that also accuses Israel of systematically destroying Palestinian infrastructure and of targeting civilians and medical facilities.

Canada voted againt this (?!!) The European Union abstained.

It is not the first time the Israelis have been accused of this, and maybe this account by an Israeli ex-soldier who in has refused to serve in the IDF might go some way to explaining why it isn't the first time. Though he is talking about the West Bank, this experience has been felt by all Palestinians, regardless of location.

We are getting very limited coverage of this, but those in the Arab world are not as it is streamed through Al Jazeera. A friend stays up until 4a.m. every night watching it, though he won't let his children see it. The onslaught of images of many, but especially children, burnt by white phosphorous, bombs, limbs missing, heads blown off and so on, may not be seared into our mind's eye, but that does not mean it is the same for the world over. I assume that Bush, Rice,Brown, Blair, and our own Kevin Rudd (though he is a small-time player) get a good night's sleep. Maybe this is why they can sleep (Gaza 'testing lab for new weapons', SBS news, Australia, 13 January, 2009).

I will reiterate, this is not the case of two countries fighting, but rather of an occupied territory being invaded by the occupier. The Gaza Strip is slightly more than twice the size of Washington DC And 1.5 million people live in there, more than half , or some say 60%, are children. Fierce combatants, children.

920 Palestinians dead, 350 children, 160 women. For all intents and purposes, men are not usually counted as civilians during a war, even if they are, so you might want to factor that into the figures as well. These figures can be verified in the 'mainstream' press, also, and in fact, the journalist who writes that blog is often quoted and referred to. Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed in combat or in rocket attacks since the operation began. SBS news, Australia.