Kobia Condemns Israel, Someone Else (UPDATED)

Not to be outdone by the U.S. National Council of Churches (in the form of CMEP; see the previous post), Samuel Kobia of the World Council of Churches weighs in on the events in Gaza:

Since the middle of last week more than 110 Palestinians and three Israelis have been killed by attacks across the Israel-Gaza border. Most of the dead are civilians and one third of the dead are reportedly children. Our hearts go out to the parents and families of those killed, newly bereaved like so many before them. May God comfort them in their pain and sorrow, and may God move the hearts of those powers and authorities who hold the keys to peace.

Even according to the medical officials on the scene, the toll of 117 Palestinians is only “roughly half” civilians. Still way too many (if in fact it’s correct–Palestinian medical personnel have never been above lying to support the cause), but Kobia can’t resist a bit of exaggeration if it means taking a swipe at Israel.

We absolutely condemn these deadly attacks on civilians by the Israeli military on Gaza and by militants firing rockets from Gaza, reiterating the call of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches just days ago after the previous round of killings. Incessant violations of life and of human rights must stop. We call on the government of Israel, the occupying power, to fulfill its legal obligations to the people of Gaza under the Geneva Conventions. The blockade that has systematically deprived Gazans of almost all their rights must end. Food, fuel, medicine and essential services for Gaza must be guaranteed, as the WCC Central Committee noted and we repeat today.

I’m glad he “absolutely condemns” the “militants,” whose unceasing daily attacks on southern Israel (funny how the targets goes unnamed, isn’t it?) have recently escalated with rockets now being aimed at the city of Ashkelon, a much more target-rich (read: more heaviy populated) environment than Sderot, and the escalation of which has provoked Israeli action. Somehow, in the course of this condemnation he manages to leave two other things out besides the Palestinian targets: first, the perpetrators, who are simply unidentified as “militants” rather than Hamas terrorists; and second, any call for Hamas to stop the attacks on Israel. He’s got his prescription for Israeli action down pat, but apparently considers it unimportant to say that the Palestinians have to stop as well.

Indiscriminate attacks are causing deep sorrow and outrage among churches and citizens in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in Israel, and around the world. Meanwhile, the path to peace stands open but empty. It is especially incumbent on governments using or allowing the use of overwhelming military power to turn away from violence and oppression and take responsibility for negotiating a justice and lasting peace.

And again, time for Israel to lay itself open to whatever the Palestinians care to throw at them (though Kobia will dutifully “absolutely condemn” the tossing of rockets into wherever it is that they are going–somewhere in the desert, isn’t it?), while Hamas receives no instruction from the Geneva foreign ministry. By the way, do you suppose that Kobia took notice either of Mahmoud Abbas contemplating a possible return to “armed struggle” last week, or that the Palestinian Authority–which supposedly is in the midst of conflict with Hamas afer getting kicked out of Gaza last summer–has suspended the peace negotiations that Kobia is so intent on Israel “taking responsibility” for?

Nah.

UPDATE: Larry Rued sends a link to a report on “Israel’s War to Halt Palestinian Rocket Attacks” by Dore Gold in Jerusalem Issue Brief. He includes a chart that really says it all to those who think that “ending the occupation” will solve all the problems in the Holy Land: