Maureen Cavanaugh: Many here in the U.S. are beginning the political year of 2009 with real hope for the future. But it seems the Middle East continues to be mired in the past.
2009 began there with Israeli planes striking targets in the Gaza Strip and that assault is continuing with ground troops. Gaza medical authorities report nearly 1,000 killed, nearly 400 of those civilian deaths. 13 Israelis have been killed.
Throughout 19 days of fighting, Israel says its aim is to get Hamas militants to stop firing rockets into Israel. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to fire those rockets. Is anything being gained in this assault against Gaza…and what will the situation be after the fighting stops?
SDSU will host the free teach-in: "Making Sense of the Gaza-Israel Crisis" on Thursday, January 15, 2009, from 2-4 p.m. in Hardy Tower, Room 140. For more information, call (619) 594-4563.
Guests
- Farid Abdel-Nour , professor of political science at SDSU and director of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies San Diego State University.
- Gershon Shafir , professor of sociology at UCSD and director of the Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies.
