Psychologists For Gaza's Kids

"An Israeli Playground, Fortified Against Rockets"
A9, Thursday, 3/12/09,
By Ethan Bronner

In its continued coverage of Sderot, the Times again fails to grasp Israel’s impossible situation.

Israel went to war in late December to put an end to the rockets, and though it pummeled Gaza for three weeks, killing some 1,300 people and destroying hundreds of buildings, the rockets have not stopped.”

Israel must not be doing something right.

"Hamas says" the economic siege is the "main motive" for the rockets. Okay, but what about all those rockets before the siege? Rockets beget siege, but that's not pointed out here.

It’s interesting that Hamas tries to “persuade” Israel and the world to end the siege by…firing more rockets. For Hamas, blowing up a kindergarten must be its own version of aggressive diplomacy.

While Israel and the world balk at Hamas’ outstretched hand, Gaza’s children face another problem from war. They’re armed for perpetual conflict by a self-destructive militaristic polity. Not according to Unicef, which feels they don’t have enough psychologists – not like in Israel.

A revealing, and what should’ve been an obvious contrast, could’ve been made between Israel's and Gaza's concept of shelter. Can't Hamas fortify bomb shelters the way Israel has? It's perhaps fortunate that question was not posed, lest Israel's blockade be blamed for Hamas' disregard for human life.