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Just imagine....

"Access by air, sea, and land has been virtually cut off for XXXX. The movements of goods and peoples have practically ceased. Supplies of electricity and water, interrupted by XXXX Defense Forces attacks on electric power stations, is irregular and insignificant. Civilian infrastructures have been affected. XXXX today remains dependent on outside sources for its food and commercial supplies. Hygienic conditions are deteriorating, while access to potable water is inadequate. With a XXXX economy in continuous freefall, we must expect a more severe deterioration in sanitary conditions.

Imagine: You are a mother or a father in XXXXX, living in a space inferior to a quarter of that of greater London (1,620 sq. km) with a population the size of Leeds (1.49 million inhabitants). You cannot leave this territory, nor import nor export products. Your children live in continuous fear of violence. Shortages of essential goods, including water, increase the propagation of contagious illnesses and reinforce the problems of daily life. Every day, as many as 185 artillery shells strike your territory. Every night, you witness blind rocket attacks on XXXX by militant groups. You know that when the reprisals come, you and your family will not be spared their effects."

So write Jan Egeland, the UN Assistant Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Coordinator of Emergency Aid and Jan Eliasson is Sweden's Foreign Affairs Minister and former (1992-1994) UN Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs in this piece from Le Figaro re-published on truthout.com.

But what are they writing about? Which country or area? I replaced the country with "XXXX" in the article each time. Somewhere in Europe, Africa or Asia? No, it's Gaza - and the article deals with life there and how Israel is "behaving" in relation to it. Would the world countenance anything like this were it not the Palestinians and Israelis involved? No way!

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