The UN General Assembly has, quite rightly in my opinion, condemned Israel for the killing of Palestinian civilians in Beit Hanoun on November 8. Their attacks on, and blockading of, the Gaza Strip represent a continuing outrage bordering on the genocidal.

An article posted on the highly recommended Haaretz.com today tells of some of the most heartening news I have heard from Gaza for a while. The IDF called off an air raid in northern Gaza on Saturday night after hundreds of civilians barricaded a house earmarked for attack. The best defence against attack, by sheer weight of humanity, and something the locals should have organised sooner.