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Dubious Sponsor Launches Petition to End Gaza Blockade
by Stephen Lendman
Avaaz is a phony human rights group. Michel Chossudovsky calls it “part of a corporate public relations campaign” - systematically misreporting on Washington’s imperial wars.
Its petition calls on world leaders to pressure Israel to lift blockade restrictions - backed by Oxfam, World Vision International, Medical Aid for Palestinians and other groups. It states:
“For a whole year the Israeli government has restricted basic and essential construction materials from entering Gaza. Not one of the 19,000 homes that were bombed and destroyed has been fully rebuilt. One year on, around 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza are still homeless, hospitals and schools still lie in ruins, and whole neighbourhoods have no access to running water.
But on the anniversary of the ceasefire - we can help ensure homes and hope are rebuilt.
Our governments have already pledged to rebuild Gaza, and called on the government of Israel to lift the blockade. If we now show them that people everywhere want urgent action to stop this injustice, they are more likely to insist the Israeli government stop hindering reconstruction, and families will be able to build homes and children will finally get their schools back.
Sign the petition and tell everyone - let's get 1.8 million voices for urgent action, one for each person living in Gaza.”
On the one hand, the petition drive is meaningless, a thinly veiled PR stunt - with no chance for ending Gaza’s siege.
On the other, it gathered an impressive half a million signatures within 24 hours of launch - well along toward reaching 1.8 million or more.
The only solution for Gaza and other oppressed peoples is sustained, committed, nonviolent revolution - millions putting their bodies on the line for justice powerful interests oppose, including in sham Western democratic countries, supporting Israel’s worst crimes.
Petition drives won’t end them - just grassroots activism for change, accepting nothing less than unconditional equity and justice for all - especially for long oppressed people.
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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs
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