WEASEL Words

(Reprinted with permission from the Birmingham Recorder)

According to Wikipedia, the expression weasel words is an informal term for words and phrases that while creating a vague or ambiguous claim, give an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said. It apparently derives from the egg-eating habit of weasels, who can suck out the contents of an egg leaving the empty shell looking intact.

Therefore, words or claims that turn out to be empty upon analysis are known by this term. Unfortunately, many of these deceiving words and expressions are now in common usage among Israel’s detractors in the media and are being skillfully employed to twist the truth and actually lie about current events here.

SO-CALLLED GAZA BLOCKADE

BLOCKADE has to be the first word on our list of weasel words, because of its constant use in connection with Gaza and the untruthful portrayal of Gazan citizens as starving, without fuel, medical equipment or treatment, that appear constantly in the media. It is largely this distorted view that is leading to so much overt animosity to Israel in the world’s media which in turn leads to boycotts such as the regrettable one recently approved by the Methodist Church in the U.K.

If only it was possible here to show you the many pictures we have received of Gaza shops bursting with goods and shoppers and market-stalls stacked high with fresh produce, comparable with that available in the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem. Also there are many advertisements, circulating on the internet, for luxury restaurants and wedding halls in the Strip, illustrated by mouthwatering pictures of Cordon-Bleu meals and buffets. Events are pictured and can be seen to be attended by superbly dressed guests. Not exactly what most of the world is being shown!

Goods of every kind apart from materials that could be used for arms manufacture or the creation of bunkers and rocket-launching pads, pour into Gaza from Israel daily, through the various crossing points.. We don’t have the latest figures of supplies but the details from between May 2nd and 8th when a total of 714 truckloads, consisting of 17,060 tons of humanitarian aid went into the Strip, are typical.

Additionally, 370 medical patients and accompanying individuals from the Gaza Strip crossed into Israel during this brief period and the Judea and Sumaria region for medical treatment and 93 Palestinians entered Israel for other, various reasons. 191 staff members of international organizations crossed into the Strip and 192 crossed into Israel.

Note that this was in one week only, does it sound like a blockade? We are not denying that there are people who are suffering from general shortages there because, Hamas steals most of the supplies to be sold to the wealthier Gazans on the black-market!