We, the Global Anti-Imperialism Grassroots Islamic Organization, condemn in the strongest terms the man-made calamity which has befell the Lebanese people and the people of the Gaza Strip. Our sympathies are with the suffering Lebanese and Palestinian people on the widescale devastation of their homeland by Israeli attacks.
The first invasion of Lebanon was ended in defeat for the Israeli war machine, backed by the US, by the year 1982. The victors in this war where the Hizb Allah resistance group being the only barrier between the Israelis and the Lebanese populations. After this war and the withdrawal of the Israelis, Hizb Allah were rightly hailed as heroes and the saviors of the Lebanese people. However Hizb Allah did not end their fighting here. Determined to free the occupied Lebanese Sheba Farms area, Hizb Allah did everything to persuade the Israelis to leave Lebanese territory. In a military operation on July 12, Hizb Allah captured Israeli soldiers to use them as bargaining chips to negotiate the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails for more than 20 years. A similar attack occurred June 25 by Hamas, which captured a soldier to negotiate the release of Palestinian prisoners. By the words of the Israeli parliamentarians, Israel has vowed to attack all targets in Lebanon, including civilians, without restraint to rescue 2 soldiers.
Children, women, elderly, even worshippers are not safe from the Israeli army which effectively has been targeting defenseless civilians in response to a Hizb Allah attack against its soldiers. Israel has bombed the Lebanese international airport, bridges, roads, television stations, hospitals, schools, government buildings, blocks of homes, electricity stations, mosques, and churches. In one case, Israeli planes dropped 20-tonne bombs on a Mosque. The Lebanese officials have stated it will cost almost 400 million US dollars to repair the damage to the Lebanese civilian infastructure. There is scarce water, shortages of food, rampant malnutrition and illness among civilians. In human casualties, 370 Lebanese civilians have been directly killed by Israeli planes. About a third of these dead are children. More than 1,000 civilians have been injured, and 600,000 people have been forced to leave their homes and become poor refugees. There are no figures right now of how many people have died because of the humanitarian disaster, lack of food, water, and medical treatment. No aid can be provided to the civilians, because Israel has blockaded Lebanon by air, sea, and land. Beirut is one of the biggest cities in the Middle East. Before this war, Lebanon was a very wealthy nation with alot of business and a large tourism business. Having shown extraordinary resilience rebuilding their nation after 1982, the country is again in shambles suffering daily bombardment by Israeli planes.
In the Gaza Strip and West Bank, many Palestinian Authority officials have been arrested and scores of civilians have been killed. The West Bank is in an effective occupation with the major cities sealed off from the rest of Palestine. In Gaza Strip alone, more than 30 Palestinians have been killed. Throughout Palestine, the buildings of the Palestinian Authority are being demolished and government officials killed. The confrontation with Hamas is leading Israel into attacking and destroying the civilian infastructure of Palestine. The situation is urgent.
We, the GAIGIO, praise the great patience and resistance of our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon against the unabated Israeli agression. In this conflict Israel has been attacking defenseless civilians, but Hamas and Hizb Allah have concentrated their attacks against soldiers. This shows the deep conviction of these people in the honor and discipline of war. Israel is a vengeful nation, established and furthered by terrorism. The Hamas and Hizb Allah resistance groups against Israel have fought only for the freedom of their people from occupation and the true meaning of words such as justice, honor, and chivalry. Both these organizations are known for providing social services, charity, and defended them against the Israelis. The honesty of their leaders is well accepted, and among them the leaders of both organizations are known never to lie, while Israeli officials constantly decieve their people. We repeat our appreciation of the actions of our brethren and pray for an end to their suffering, may Allah (swt) bless them.
Defend your nation, religion, and lives against the Israeli war-machine. Trust Allah (swt), and He will do the rest.
-issued by the Global Anti-Imperialism Grassroots Islamic Organization [7/24/06]