Gaza and Haiti

Written by Colin Breed on Tue 9th Feb 2010

The devastation of Haiti following the earthquake has rightly mobilised international aid on a massive scale even more than can be effectively handled logistically. Haiti was already an impoverished country and the natural disaster only made things a whole lot worse.

Almost exactly one year earlier a similarly impoverished nation was hit by a man-made disaster when fighter bombers and tanks pulverised Gaza, destroying homes, hospitals, factories and schools killing many men, women and children. So what has the international community done to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza? The answer is much expression of regret, a number of unfulfilled promises and the deliberate turning of a blind eye. Many thousands of people are homeless in Haiti, where fortunately the night time temperatures are not too cold, whereas many people in Gaza have been homeless for a year and last week it was close to zero degrees centigrade.

Of course, much needed publicity has been given by huge amounts of television coverage and new bulletins but also through regular advertisements for the Disasters Emergency Committee, the coalition of non-governmental organisations, which is in marked contrast to the BBC's attitude to Gaza when it refused to broadcast the DEC's appeal for money to help the victims of Israel's bombing campaign. It was in fact the first time the BBC has refused to air an appeal since 1963. While not drawing press attention to their effort, Arab nations have provided much humanitarian relief for Haiti, in the form of cash, medical supplies, rescue teams, tents, blankets and drinking water.

Much of the veiled criticism of Israel's offensive called it a "disproportionate response" meaning that it was far in excess of what Hamas had achieved through the firing of rather basic, untargeted rockets into Israel. It seems the International Community want to return the favour by providing a totally disproportionate response to the suffering in Gaza as compared to the aid being provided to Haiti.

One of the main drivers of conflict in Palestine and the growing acts of terrorism which have so far been foiled is the claim by many Muslims that when it comes to Israel/Palestine the west adopts double standards. It is hard to argue against this perception when the devastated people of Gaza, victims of a man-made disaster, see the west's response to the recent disaster in Haiti. When will we learn?