Charles E Carlson:
Twenty-two years ago his writer spent six, life-changing, days in the tiny strip of land on the southeast shore of the Mediterranean Sea, now considered an independent state of Gaza. While there I unexpectedly witnessed and photographed an American-made and Israeli-flown Apache chopper raid that killed four Palestinian Gaza workmen with US-made Apaches Hellfire missiles. (1) Missionaries I visited there told me that these raids were occasional, terrifying, and always unexpected. No one I talked to seemed to know exactly why Israel was doing it. What follows is my take after being unable to stop thinking about it for two decades. Inhuman killing and starvation of Gazans challenge our comprehension. The purpose of this paper is to get at the motives, first of the Israelis and why our government, led by those who control policy, is supporting the mass brutality in Gaza.
Palestinians rally on Sept. 13 [2022] to demand natural gas rights in the Mediterranean off the Gaza Strip and the construction of a sea route that will connect the outside world. (Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (2, 3 & 4)
This narrow strip of land about 25 miles long and 3.7 to 7.5 wide called Gaza, lies between Israel and the beaches and banks of the Mediterranean. It has quietly become an interesting but small piece of real estate because of the 2020, offshore natural gas discovery about 80 miles to the northwest of Gaza’s north end line in the so-called Levant Basin Province. The gas “trend” was later proved to extend to shallow Gaza waters, and possibly to extend under Gaza land. Available references to this discovery by the International Action Center in Levant Basin Province are footnoted (5).
Gaza’s share of the field seems to be a surprisingly open secret that was never mentioned to me in Gaza or since. This little-known but documented discovery is the likely reason for Israel’s brutality toward the Gaza families, and the massive and intentional destruction of homes, businesses, and other infrastructure. Israel naturally wants all of the gas and is already producing and selling some to at least one Middle Eastern state.
A significant part of this discovery was initially called the Tamar field, and documented extensions of it would likely belong to Gaza unless its 2 million plus citizens are killed or they give up their rights to Gaza by abandonment.
Israel appears to be trying to make both happen. Unfortunately for Gaza, Israel has the open support of President Joseph Biden and those who support Biden from behind the scenes. Israel has a start at exterminating a significant part of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million. It seems bent on bombing or systematically starving the rest until the survivors leave through Rafah gate into overpopulated Egypt, where they are not wanted. Those who will not leave appear to be programmed to die in Gaza from a combination of bombs, starvation, and diseases. This would leave Israel to convince the free world it is the sole beneficiary owner of Gaza gas and possibly oil discovery.
It is all too logical that Israel might try this tactic because of its hands-down support from the USA which appears willing to provide it with all the money and armaments needed to annihilate Gaza to the last man and boy. The Wall Street Journal has pointed out that President Joseph Biden, without the consent of Congress, is said to have granted Israel some $100 million in additional military weapons, including deadly tank-launched rockets.
Gaza has in just three months become the graveyard for uncounted thousands of Palestinians. Roughly half are children who have been shot, starved, or buried under bricks and mortar of destroyed homes and buildings. This destruction supports this author’s conclusion that Israel’s interest in the land is primarily aimed at its oil and gas mineral value. It is not to salvage the infrastructure they are destroying. Consider, why would Israel destroy the buildings and structures of Gaza if they plan to occupy them. Only one answer makes sense, they seem to be destroying everything the Palestinian Gaza citizens need to make their return possible. This property destruction captures the oil and gas riches of Gaza with no Palestinian to claim a share!
A greater question we Americans must ask for our security is, why is President Joe Biden defying Congress in his latest act, authorizing tens of billions of dollars in aid in the form of more weapons of war for Israel used to drive the Palestinian citizens out of Gaza? In part two we will examine why, and for what reasons the US would, behind our backs and with our taxpayer money, kill Gaza Palestinians. CEC
(1) The 2002 missile attack in Gaza can be seen in: “Christian Zionism: The Tragedy & The Turning, Part 1”: https://whtt.org/christian-zionism-the-tragedy-the-turning-part-i/
(2) “Israel, PA hold secret talks to exploit Gaza gas field” – https://new.thecradle.co/articles/israel-pa-hold-secret-talks-to-exploit-gaza-gas-field
(3) “Gaza gas deal could make improbable partners out of Israel and Hamas” – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/25/gaza-gas-israel-partnership-hamas-egypt/
(4) “Gaza Marine: Is Israel-Palestine Conflict Caused by Offshore Gas Interests?” – https://sputnikglobe.com/20231117/gaza-marine-is-israel-palestine-conflict-caused-by-offshore-gas-interests-1115031157.html
(5) “Behind Israel’s ‘end game’ for Gaza: Theft of offshore gas reserves” – https://iacenter.org/2023/11/15/behind-israels-end-game-for-gaza-theft-of-offshore-gas-reserv
