Israel seeks to make Gazans miserable: Activist

Press TV has conducted an interview with Paul Larudee, a member of the Free Palestine Movement in Berkeley, about the World Bank assessment saying the besieged Gaza Strip has the world’s highest unemployment and is facing a “dangerous fiscal crisis,” nearly one year after Israel’s latest war against the coastal enclave.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Mr. Larudee, how can anybody try to run any kind of economy when half of the people are out of work?

Larudee: The whole purpose is that there will be no economy in Gaza. I am surprised the unemployment rate is not a hundred percent. Israel regulates everything about Gaza. It does not let people leave, it does not let people enter, it does not let goods in, it does not let exports out, it does not let people travel, it does not allow anything and this is what they are trying to do.

The only thing that is allowed in Gaza is basically whatever Israel allows in to more or less allow the 1.8 million people of Gaza, more than half of them children, to just stay alive and even then not always because people die from all kinds of diseases caused by malnutrition and bad water and all kinds of things because Israel is trying to kill them. Israel is trying to get rid of them, trying to make them miserable so that they disappear from the face of the earth. That is what they want. This is what is going on. The World Bank is talking about a potential crisis, it is a crisis.

Press TV: And Mr. Larudee, how can we all see Washington say really anything on this? I mean the lack of humanity that we are seeing here is just an unheard of level, it is unparalleled to anything we are seeing, it is practically a war crime to deny people an opportunity to pursue livelihood, have them out of work and then create a blockade that they do not allow medical equipment in, building materials, homes still have not been rebuilt since the 50- day of war last year, your thoughts sir.

Larudee: Well you are absolutely right but the specialty of Israel is war crimes. They are the world’s expert in war crimes and crimes against humanity and the United States, I mean maybe, maybe the United States is first, I do not know, certainly in terms of quantity.

So please do not expect anything from Washington. Washington’s specialty is in assassination and mass killing, killing at least a million, maybe a million and a half Iraqis and half of them children.

Press TV: Then Mr. Larudee, so if the US is to remain silent and to continue perpetuate their silence, now what recourse do Gazans have?

Larudee: The United States is not being silent. The United States is speaking out in support of Israel’s ethnic cleansing project.

Press TV: So what recourse do Gazans have, sir?

Larudee: Well they are using the recourses that they have which is to fight back unfortunately under terrible [odds] and they are appealing to the world and it is up to us to help them as much as we can.

AHK/GHN

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