Keith's Journal

I thought that a few weeks ago there was supposed to be a genocide taking place in Gaza, now it's population explosion (and I will avoid all the potential for tasteless puns in that last phrase).

From the ABC:

Gaza census shows population explosion


A census of Gaza published today shows that the population in the Palestinian territory has risen by almost 40 per cent in the past 10 years, one of the highest growth rates in the world.

The census, which was carried out in 2007, found that the population in Gaza is now more than 1.4 million.

It shows the majority of Gazans - some 68 per cent of the population - remain UN registered-refugees.

With its population estimated to double in the next 20 years, Gaza's economy is hopelessly unfit to provide employment for its residents.

Many factors are responsible for Gaza's impoverishment but the freezing of international funds since Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian elections and then the following year seized full control of Gaza, has worsened the situation.

From Melanie Phillips:

Refugees from whom?

Extraordinary developments in Gaza have given a new meaning to the term ‘Palestinian refugees’. As the Jerusalem Post reports, fierce fighting in Gaza between Fatah and Hamas over the weekend, in which 11 people died and dozens more were wounded, resulted in 180 Fatah refugees fleeing from what they called a ‘war of genocide’ by Hamas against Fatah supporters. And where did they flee to? Why, to Israel, of course -- which allowed them in and proceeded to treat 23 of them (some of whom were wounded by the Israeli army after they approached the crossing into Israel) in Israeli hospitals. These refugees say they cannot return to Gaza because they will be killed. How fortunate, therefore, that their own Fatah leader, Mahmoud Abbas, can give them sanctuary in the West Bank!

But hang on – Abbas won’t let them in. Yup, with the exception of five individuals whom he did allow in, he’s denied them all sanctuary. He says they should go back to Gaza. And the invaluable Khaled abu Toameh tells us the reason why:

PA officials explained that the reason behind their refusal to absorb the new ‘refugees’ was their desire not to encourage other residents of the Gaza Strip to leave. ‘Everyone knows that if we allow people to leave the Gaza Strip, almost all the residents living there would try to cross the border into Israel,’ said a senior PA official.

So now Israel, with its iron commitment to human rights, is to hear a court case today where it will be argued that Israel has a moral duty to grant asylum to these Fatah men.

So let’s get our head round this: Palestinians committed to the destruction of Israel fled from other Palestinians committed to the destruction of Israel into Israel, which is providing them with sanctuary and medical treatment, while the president of their putative state who bases his claim against Israel on its alleged refusal to admit Palestinian ‘refugees’ refused to allow actual Palestinian refugees fleeing Palestinian violence access to that same putative state, while Israel agonises over whether to grant them permanent asylum. Surreal, or what?

Full story