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Jamal Kanj
Seeing “free” Western media with headlines like “Rockets raining over Israel”, or describing the success of Israel’s Iron Dome defence system in intercepting missiles from Gaza, you would assume there was a war between equals – or even that “poor Israel” was under attack.
Many Western readers won’t know that all of the 100-plus killed since Tuesday – and practically all of the 700 injured – are Palestinians, many of them children.
Responding to a correspondent who questioned the disproportionate number of civilians killed, including 22 children, CNN anchor Brianna Keilar explained: “Yes, Gaza is just so heavily populated. That’s certainly always a side effect and we’re seeing that there.”
Officially, White House spokesman Josh Earnest offered unqualified US support for “Israel’s right to defend itself against these vicious attacks”.
Yet when that White House statement was issued on Tuesday, not one single Israeli had been hurt. Meanwhile, more than 30 Palestinians, including a whole family, were already dead – killed by an Israeli army equipped with America’s best technology.
Harmless and aimless rockets fired from Gaza are the Palestinians’ only way to fight back. In addition to Israel’s recent aggression, Gaza has been under a military blockade for more than seven years, which alone is an act of war.