IT is acknowledged that the TV coverage of the war in Vietnam sparked outrage in the USA. Every night, viewers saw the latest evidence of Americans fighting and dying. But the mainstreaming of atrocities such as the My Lai Massace in 1968 brought about action. Riots followed across the USA, including on university campuses. It is now recognised that the coverage, visceral in its reality, and the subsequent reactions, helped lead to the decision to withdraw American troops and end the war in 1973.
Fast forward to now. Monday was the 45th day of bombardment, with water, gas, food, medicine and basic life-sustaining essentials either in short supply or missing. 29 premature babies have been moved to Egypt. In the midst of the slaughter, more than 11,000 dead, and the realisation that there are uncounted hundreds, if not thousands, under the rubble, this is what we applaud? No mention of the babies’ mothers. Presumed dead, dying or they didn’t receive the required permission to leave Gaza.
READ MORE: Humza Yousaf tables Gaza ceasefire motion in Scottish Parliament
Mainstream UK TV coverage no longer leads with Gaza, with the possible exception of Channel 4. Wherever you get your news, it is obvious that we are watching in real time the forced movement of people, the bombing of hospitals, schools, refugee camps.
Hostages might be released but civilians continue to die and little is said of the horrors being perpetrated on the West Bank. I have watched legal experts express views on genocide and ethnic cleansing, and UN officials talk of impending starvation. I have seen children gather rainwater to drink and heard medics explain that baby formula is being mixed with contaminated water. I wonder, then, have we become sanitised to the latest carnage in Palestine with on-demand, 24-hour, frequently “live” footage, as it happens? Are we witnessing the dehumanising of the Palestinians to the degree their lives don’t matter beyond a news fix?
Many of us here manage our outrage, our anger as we pound the keyboard or with marches, demonstrations, letters to MPs and MSPs. Across the world, populations are outraged and have responded as and where they can, but to what avail? And if this is now, what of the future?
READ MORE: Labour will seek to 'strengthen' Scottish Government's ceasefire call
Both Hamas and Israel would appear to be guilty of committing war crimes. The leaders of both, and their enforcers, need to be brought to account. Can that be relied on? Will we ever see anyone in the dock in the International Criminal Court? Will there be any Palestinians still alive returning to what, where? And what of a two-state solution? Who will lead on that?
We applaud those here who are currently brave enough to speak out and join in demands for a ceasefire. But come next year and the General Election, are those politicians, political parties, banking on some form of short memory syndrome? Does Labour believe it will head off any electoral loss next year, with voters so scunnered with the Tories they’ll forgive and forget? That will be the time when we realise whose lives matter.
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh
NOW that the vote has been cast and the two leaders, Sunak, Starmer and their cohorts have agreed to accept the blood of every child in Gaza upon their own hands, a major question remains. What was the advice that they acted upon? What decisions had been taken behind the scenes the by heads of the armed forces, the head civil servants, the inhabitants of secret “think tanks” and the IT profilers?
How this will be beneficial to the ruling classes is beyond my comprehension, at least I hope so. However, one big question remains. WHY does Westminster not condemn the actions befallen upon the innocent people of Gaza as a dreadful, catastrophic crime against humanity?
George T Watt
Arbroath
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