Independance from What?

Over at Indymedia.org.uk, I searched in vain for a story not from the left-wing environmental perspective. After all, the commonly understood meaning of the word independance is 'not committed to any particular orthodoxy or dogma'. Sadly, orthodoxy and dogma are all that is available.

The Gaza Sea Weeps Blood
11-06-2006 16:12

On Friday, 9th of June, the Isreali Navy shelled families holidaying on Gaza beach. Ten people were obliterated in the bombing and children were left screaming over the mutilated bodies of their loved ones. Please follow the Full Article link for more details.

The situation in Palestine is becoming more desperate in every area of life, from the continual land theft and increase in illegal settlements across the West Bank to the daily incursions, assassinations and arrests.

As those who care to find out can attest, Human Rights Watch (one of the most anti-Israel pro-Palestinian human rights organisations) has declared itself satisfied that an Israeli Defense Force investigation of this tragedy fair and honest. IDF artillery was not responsible for the blast. It is probable that it was either unexploded ordnance (origin unknown) or a homemade Palestinian rocket which went badly off course.

But facts have no truck with dogma and orthodoxy. And left-wing dogma and orthodoxy decree that when poor ickle Palestinians die, Israelis are to blame. There is no attempt in this peice to ascertain facts, to assess responsibility or to make a reasoned judgement about what occured. But then researching, assessing and reasoning take time, effort and emotional balance. Despite IndyMedia's name, independance is not its game.