Imikhosi yamaSirayeli yashiya kumbindi weRafah, nangona njengesiqhelo amaSirayeli ahlala kumda awudalileyo. Udonga lwakwaSirayeli olwakhayo ngoomatshini abaxhobileyo lugqunyelelwe kuphela zizithuba zalo ezininzi ze-sniper. Amajoni akwa-Israel ahlala mihla le edubula kwaye ehlala ezindlini nokuba yeyiphi na indawo “kumda” wamva nje. Umgca uyatshintsha njengoko amaSirayeli ediliza izindlu ezininzi, ejika into eyayikade ingumbindi wesixeko emdeni.

AmaSirayeli abulala amaPalestina alishumi eRafah izolo. Amashumi amane abantu basePalestina basesibhedlele. Inani lezindlu ezidiliziweyo alikaqinisekiswa njengoko iitanki kunye neebhuludoza zakwa-Israel zisanda kuphuma kwiKampu yaseYibna apho zihlasele khona ngamandla izolo. Abasebenzi basePalestine bezonyango kunye nokukhangela baqala ukugrumba ingqushu bekhangela izidumbu, njengoko abantu abaninzi bebika ukuba kukho usapho olungaphakathi kwenye yezindlu ezidiliziweyo.

Imikhosi yamaSirayeli ayizange itshabalalise nje kuphela amakhaya abantu abaninzi, kodwa yadiliza iKliniki ye-UNWRA (i-United Nations Relief Works Agency) ngokunjalo. AmaSirayeli ayaqhubeka nokujolisa kwiZizwe eziManyeneyo ngaphandle kokuphikiswa.

I-UNRWA ithi badinga iiyure ezingama-20 ukubala izindlu ezidiliziweyo kuba inani likhulu. Amajoni akwa-Israel adubula abantu abazama ukufumana ifanitshala yabo kumakhaya abo adiliziweyo.

Umkhosi wamaSirayeli uhlala ujolise kwiziseko ezingundoqo zasePalestina, ezifana nenkqubo yogutyulo. Kwakhona bawusika rhoqo umbane baze batshabalalise inkonzo yemfonomfono, njengoko benzile izolo.

Ekuseni ngale ntsasa eRafah, njengoko amawaka abantu aphuma ezitratweni kwaye aya kwiindawo ezihlaselwe kakhulu, umfana wadlula i-ambulensi ye-UN eyonakalisiweyo. Izihlangu zakhe zaxinga emhlabeni zizaliswe yimvula encinane. Wathi, "Ngokwenene, ndiyacaphuka xa kunje."

Ngokujonga amajelo eendaba ezizwe ngezizwe, iManger Square izalisa ngamaKristu asePalestine kunye neentatheli ukuba bazokukhala xa kuvulwa imibhiyozo yeKrisimesi eBhetelehem. Ihlonitshwa ngamaKristu njengendawo yokuzalwa kukaYesu, iCawe yokuZalwa yayiya kuba yeyona ndawo iphambili ukuba ibingengomsebenzi wamaSirayeli. Kodwa lo nyaka usemngciphekweni omkhulu kunowokugqibela eBhetelehem. Phantsi kwemvula ngo-2002, ngenye imini kwa-Israeli kwamiselwa ixesha lokubuya ekhaya, kunye neitanki kunye nejeep zihlala ngaphandle kwendlela yekhamera, uqhanqalazo oluchasene nomsebenzi lwaqhubeka imini yonke. Kulo nyaka, abantwana badlala amagubu kumaqela omatsha kunye nabafana abancinci bedlala phambi kweziko loxolo bedlala imibhobho yengxowa.

Intatheli yendawo uNassar Laham uye wathatha iqonga eManger Square. “Namhlanje sikumanyano nabantu baseRafah. Asimele sizilibale izinto abatyhubela kuzo abazalwana noodade.”

Urhulumente wase-Israel usamnqanda uMongameli uArafat ekuzimaseni iminyhadala kwisixeko sasePalestine iBethlehem ngokumvalela kwisixeko sasePalestine iRamallah. Amadoda angama-26 asePalestina agxothelwe eGaza emva kokuzama ukukhusela iBhetelehem kunye neCawa ekuhlaselweni kwamaSirayeli ngo-Aprili 2002, ahlala ekuthinjweni kuze kube namhlanje.

Amagama abantu ababulawa ngumkhosi wamaSirayeli izolo eRafah ngala: Khalil Kasas, Ali Hussein Najar, Ahmed Najar, Iad Ibrahim Najar, Khamis Anwar Ra‚ai, Wiam Musa, Ala Baloul, Ala Al Haj Ahmed, Mohammad Mustafa, noAsad. Alati. Amagama afika ngokukhawuleza izolo, ngokungathi amaSirayeli abulala abantu abambalwa ngexesha, alinda iyure, aqala ukubulala kwakhona.

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UKristen Ess, intatheli ezimeleyo kunye ne-activist evela kwisiXeko saseNew York, uhlala kunye neentsapho zasePalestina phantsi kwe-seage kwi-West Bank kunye ne-Gaza Strip. Unika ingxelo ye-Free Speech Radio News, inethiwekhi yePacifica, kwaye ivelisa umboniso weveki yeCKUT eMontreal. Ubhalela imagazini yeLeft Turn, i-Electronic Intifada, kunye nePalestine Chronicle. Ukubhala kwakhe kuguqulelwe kwisiFrentshi, isiTaliyane, isiJamani kunye nesiArabhu. Usebenza kwincwadi engobomi phantsi kokuhlala eGaza Strip

Amanye amanqaku nguKristen Ess

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