Tension
is running high along the border of Egypt and Gaza.
Since the 29th of January, the Cairo
and Hamas government have been throwing accusations at each other.
Cairo accuses the Hamas government of not only associating with
a known terrorist group but smuggling weapons and soldiers to fight against
Egypt. On the other hand the Hamas government is accusing Cairo government of
firing military weapons (guns) onto their land without any justification. (From
News Services, 2015)
This situation has escalated
exponentially from accusations to endangering citizens. Bombs are
being planted within Egypt's border, specifically in Alexandria and Cairo.
Small flash grenades are placed in public locations to cause panic and chaos.
However there are bigger bombs that have been planted near the Egyptian police
force and army. These bombs are killing innocent people. Egypt believes that it
is the Hamas government that is planting these bombs. (From News Services,
2015)
Hamas is not the only guilty part
however. Last Thursday parts of the Egyptian government, the Islamic State
Egypitian affiliate, claimed that they organized
30 security personnel within the Gaza border to be
killed. (From News Services, 2015)
The full story can be found within
the Washington Post. Here is the link if you are interested in reading
further.
This situation with Gaza and Egypt
is a domino effect. It started with accusations. Then it dramatically
accelerated to an admission of killing security personnel and bombs.
Both governments are at fault here. Both governments are committing state
crimes.
In chapter 9 of Helfgott's Criminal
Behavior: Theories, Typologies, and Criminal Justice he defines state
crimes as "Harmful activities carried out by the state or on behalf of
some state agency" (Helfgott, p. 356). Egypt has admitted killing 30
innocent people and Hamas has started planting bombs with in Egypt killing
innocent by standards. The specific state crime that I believe that Gaza
and Egypt is state violence. State violence is defined as a "form of
political criminality that generally consists of illegal, physically harmful
actions committed by a country’s coercive organizations against individuals and
groups" (Helfgott, p. 357). Both countries are guilty of this. They have
and are killing people. They are depriving people of their basic human rights
to live. Both countries are responding to the actions of the other. It is a
domino effect and should be stopped or mediated at least.
State violence as a state crime can
be seen as reactions to other's actions. Tension is running high between both
countries. Both countries have done things that the other does not like much.
As a result, state crimes have ensued.
References
Rising concerns over bombings in
Egypt. (2015, February 3). Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/explosion-gunfire-along-egypt-gaza-
border-man-dies-in-alexandria-bombing/2015/02/03/175c76e2-abdd-11e4-ad71-
7b9eba0f87d6_story.html
Helfgott.
"Political Crime." 9 (2002). Web.
<https://bblearn.nau.edu/bbcswebdav/courses/1151- NAU00-CCJ-341-SEC001-6366.NAU-PSSIS/Helfgott_Chapter_9.pdf>.
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