For weeks, Israel has bombed the Gaza Strip killing dozens. In one such attack, on May 20, Israel bombed the house of a democratically-elected legislator Khalil al-Haya, killing eight people, including seven members of his family — among them three teenagers. B’Tselem called for a criminal investigation, but the issue has been long forgotten by the rest of the world.

Israel’s relentless attacks are allegedly a “response” to Palestinian rocket fire which has killed two Israelis, and caused minor damage in the small town of Sderot. Anyone who follows the news carefully, however, knows that Israel has never needed an excuse to attack Palestinians. In the whole of 2006, Israel killed almost 700 Palestinians, according to B’Tselem, of whom half were unarmed civilians, and 141 children. In the same period, Palestinians killed 23 Israelis.

Israel never accepted any of the unilateral truces offered and implemented by Palestinian factions. Once again, today, Palestinian Authority prime minister Isma’il Haniyeh said “We in the Palestinian government are in favor of a reciprocal and simultaneous calm … in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. The ball is now on the Israeli court.” (Ha’aretz, May 30) This was instantly rejected by Israel which demands the right to kill Palestinians whenever and wherever it likes while Palestinians should not in any way defend themselves. (see link)

This month marks 40 years Israel has illegally Occupied the West Bank in violation of U. N. Resolution 242.