Why Certain Goods Are Banned From Gaza 2010

Why Certain Goods Are Banned From Gaza

by Nadene Goldfoot

Some question has been raised as to why Israel has banned nutmeg, sage, caramom, cumin , coriander and ginger from Gaza. Though Benjamin Netanyahu failed to call me, Nahama, who sits safely in Oregon for advice, I believe I know why; or at least can give you the reason why I would do so.

There happens to be a war going on. Israel, which is I'm told anywhere from 1/10 to 1/3 the size of Oregon, has the Gaza Strip sitting on its border occupied with Hamas terrorists who have sworn to eradicate both the country and the people. They are not about to make peace. They have demonstrated this by attacking Israel for the past three years by shooting missiles and kassam rockets into it to the point where Israel had to conduct Operation Cast Lead, which is when they went into Gaza in force with its army in trying to stop the attacks.

Even now, though the operation was halted, the missiles keep on coming in. So there's no mistaking their resolve to hate Israel. They have managed to get supplies in through many ways, by ship, and by having tunnels where they get their weapons.

So Israel can't go in and wipe them out or they're condemned at every attempt of self preservation and protection. What else can they do? Earlier, they told terrorists that the result of their terrorism would be to have their homes demolished. Comdemnation flew in from all the do-gooders. What now? I believe they decided to keep basic supplies and necessities going into Gaza as they are a humanitarian people, but to keep certain goodies out. The reason for this is to make the population realize that if they would sign a peace pact with Israel they could again have those goodies.

Thus spices were kept out because they are so important in Arabic cooking. I see that chocolate and potato chips are on the list as well as toys. I'm not sure if this list is correct, but it's what's floating around on the internet. If this is the case it is to bring pressure from the children onto the parents to make peace with Israel. This would be a change from the brain-washing they receive in their schools and family of learning how evil and horrible Jews are and deserve to be killed.

Remember, Israelis are suffering from this Russian roulette life of wondering if they're going to be hit and when at any moment. This is not making them a relaxed people. They're tense! Going without spices and potato chips isn't half that bad. The way to a man's heart is supposed to be through his stomach. I hope they start thinking of the time before Hamas when they had these things to eat and do the right thing by making peace.

I can imagine how Russia or China would handle a situation like this if they had a neighbor constantly shooting at them. I bet they wouldn't be half as nice.

6/9/10 Another thought-the kidnapped soldier, Gilad, has not been released by Hamas. This is also a possibility for another reason of holding back certain items. Release Gilad and we'll release certain products. Nothing else has worked or induced Hamas to free him.

Resource: http://bocktherobber.com/2010/06/items-israel-prohibits-gaza

6/7/2010 I have another thought as to why certain items are banned. It could be that these things such as spices are too similar to powders used to make explosives, and too hard for dogs to deal with, ruining their noses in finding contraband. Also, other items can be where bombs have been found in. I know that I saw a police exhibit in Safed showing all the items that bombs had been hidden in.

6/9/10 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100609/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gaza_blockade easing up of certain items but not cement
http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/mideastdispatches/archives/001127.html

Palestinians: Alien Mind-Set

Continued interview of Israeli soldiers by Tamar Boussi of Jerusalem

EVERY SOLDIER I HAVE TALKED TO HAS USED THE WORD "SCARED" USUALLY MORE THEN ONCE, WHAT WERE THE MOST FRIGHTENING THINGS FOR You?

First every house or building is wired, they wire their own houses, the schools that their own children attend, hospitals, the mindset is so alien to us that we have to keep reminding ourselves of the danger in every step we take. They would rather have a family of 8 blown up in their own house than 8 different Arabs blown up in different places and if it is a school full of kids all the better, as they understand that the publicity is good for them. They think that if they kill Israelis that’s good and if a lot of Arabs die that is even better, as it is blamed on the Israelis and that is the publicity they want, women and children are the best publicity.

The second most frightening thing, maybe even the first is the tunnels. Gaza is a mass of tunnels everywhere, some of these tunnels are big enough to walk in standing up with electricity and other necessities. They use them for everything; not just to smuggle other terrorists, money, weapons and what ever else they want. They run from house to house as well, the top leaders are in comfortable tunnels under the hospital, they know we won’t bomb the hospital so they are safe. The other use of tunnels is a major goal they have of kidnapping soldiers, THAT is very scary. If you are walking anywhere near any kind of cover, a hand might reach out and grab a leg and try to drag you into the bush or a camouflaged tunnel. We sleep on the floor of vacant houses, which we have searched, while we sleep a floor tile will move and a hand reach out to grab an arm, a leg or whatever and drag you under the house into a tunnel. Thank G-d they did not succeed, only because we learned from past incidents.

Getting into their heads is hard and frightening. They don’t mind how many of them die, while for us one soldier is too many. Every life is precious, even theirs—what can anyone do?

WHAT DO YOU FEEL HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED? We will have failed if we leave without Gilad Shalit. No way we can do that! We don’t want to go home until we are finished. This ceasefire was political, not practical. My hope is when their leaders stick their heads out of the tunnels they are hiding in. They will be so shocked by what they see, they will not want to attack Israel again. They haven’t seen the devastation. Everywhere destroyed grey concrete buildings surrounded by rubble covered with a grey-black smoke.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE OF GAZA FEEL NOW THAT THERE IS QUIET:

Quiet is the right word because it is not over –the people really do hate us, they don’t know anything good about us, only that they are suffering, even though some of them know Hamas is the problem, most don’t think that way. I would say 99% they hate us. Hamas will get billions from the international community and most of it will go to rearm themselves and to continue to educate their children, not be equipped to make a life for themselves but to hate us. Their cynical use of their children is the long run problem.

Resource: Interview by Tamar Boussi of Israeli soldiers who fought in Gaza