on friday the children & youth center (cyc) in shatila refugee camp had a protest against israeli terrorism in the courtyard of the cyc. here are some of the images from that protest for the people of gaza so they know that there are many people who are working to support their steadfastness, their resistance.
likewise, tomorrow students at the american university of beirut are holding a protest/strike in solidarity with the people of gaza, with the students of gaza who do not have the luxury of going to classes and studying right now:
من أجل غزة
لا بد لكل من في قلبه ذرة انسانية أن يتألم لمناظر الشهداء من المدنيين والفلاحين والنساء والأطفال الذين سقطوا على أيدي العدو الصهيوني.
قد لا يكون بوسعنا نحن كأفراد ومدنيين أن نوقف العدو الصهيوني عن اقتراف جرائمه، حتى التظاهر في دولنا العربية ضد العدوان الإسرائيلي لن يكترث له الإسرائيليون وهم المعتادون على تجاهل القرارات الدولية، إلا أنه لا يزال واجبًا لأن إخوتنا في غزة يحتاجون لأن يشعروا بأن إخوتهم يقفون معهم.
هذا من ناحية، ومن ناحية أخرى، وبالنسبة إلى مشهد النظام الرسمي العربي، يمكنننا تكثيف جهودنا لنحدث تغييرًا حقيقيًا.
والتركيز الآن على النظام المصري، كونه مصممًا على إغلاق حدوده مع غزة في وجه المعونات الغذائية وفي وجه الأطباء والممرضين المتطوعين للذهاب إلى هناك، بحجة الخوف من استخدام معبر رفح لتهريب السلاح، وإن كان إمداد أهل غزة بالسلاح واجبًا قوميًا وطنيًا وإنسانيًا، والأدهى من ذلك، بحجة خوفه من تدفق النازحين إلى مصر، تاركًا أطفال غزة محاصرين تحت نيران العدو الغاشم وقصفه الهمجي لمدارسهم ومنازلهم، مخالفًا بذلك جميع القوانين الدولية واتفاقية جنيف الرابعة القائلة بوجوب فتح الحود في وجه المدنيين النازحين من الحرب.
وهنا تكمن قدرتنا الأكبر، فتظاهراتنا والتعبير عن غضبنا واستيائنا كمواطنين عرب من أفعال العدو الصهيوني و تواطؤ النظام االمصري الذي يرفضه وبشدة شعب مصر الأبي، ستشعر النظام بأن الضغط الشعبي عليه ليس داخليـًا فقط بل ويشمل جميع شعوب الددول العربية. وهذا الضغط والغضب الشعبي لا بد أن يثمر عن نتيجة.
نود أن ندعوا طلاب و أساتذة الجامعة الأمريكية في بيروت وقف الصفوف لمدة ساعة واحدة اليوم و اظهار التضامن مع غزة من خلال الاعتصام ، الذي سيعقد اليوم ، الاثنين 12 يناير على البوابة الرئيسية من الساعة 12:00 – 1:00 بعد الظهر.
النادي الثقافي الفلسطيني
الجامعة الأمريكية في بيروت
For GAZA
Anyone who has the slightest sense of humanity cannot but be moved by the images of the martyred women, men and children that have fallen victim to the onslaught of the Zionist war-machine in Gaza. Demonstrations in the Arab world may not be able to stop the Zionist aggression against our sisters and brothers. Israel does not adhere to UN Security Council resolutions; we do not expect mass demonstrations to deter their determination on exterminating the Palestinian people. However it is our duty to continue these protests in order to show our sisters and brothers in Gaza that they have our unending support.
This said, we must also take into account the role of the Arab regimes; especially that of the Egyptian government. It has insisted on closing their borders and not allowing much needed food, water, medical supplies as well volunteer doctors and nurses into Gaza. Egyptian officials have expressed their fear that weapons may enter Gaza, as if it is not our morally justified duty to supply our sisters and brothers in the Palestinian resistance with arms to defend themselves against a brutal enemy. Furthermore the Egyptian government has expressed their concerns that refugees may flee Gaza and pour into Egypt. These actions and attitudes have left an imprisoned, impoverished, and poorly armed Palestinian army to do battle with the most powerful army in the region.
Our role as active citizens of the Arab World has been laid out for us. We must show our anger towards the Zionist massacres and the Egyptian regime’s actions, which do not reflect the opinions and desires of the proud Egyptian people. The Egyptian regime will feel the popular pressure applied on it; both domestically and throughout the Arab World. This pressure and anger will inevitably result in a change.
We would like to ask AUB community to skip an hour of classes and show solidarity with the people of Gaza through a Sit-in, which will take place today, Monday January 12 at Main Gate from 12 pm – 1 pm
Palestinian Cultural Club
American University of Beirut
blogger al falasteeniya posted a women’s call for a protest in ramallah today, which had some important talking points that i meant to post earlier because it was in relation to a protest today, but their talking points are relevant in general:
ثانيا: توجيه الضغط على الانظمة العربية لقطع علاقاتها مع العدو الاسرائيلي ووقف كل أشكال التطبيع معه كما وتوجيه الضغط على الادارة الاميركية لوقف انحيازها المطلق للعدو الاسرائيلي ضد حق شعبنا في الحياة وتقرير المصير، وعقد قمة عربية عاجلة لتوحيد الموقف العربي الداعم لشعبنا ومقاومته المشروعة.
ثالثا: التوجه الى المحافل الدولية والى المؤسسات القانونية ومؤسسات المجتمع المدني لتنظيم الجهد القانوني لتوفير الحماية الدولية لشعبنا، ومعاقبة حكومة العدو الاسرائيلي لتنكرها للمواثيق الدولية، وارتكابها جرائم حرب وإبادة بحق شعبنا.
رابعا: تنظيم الدعم بكل أشكاله المعنويه والماديه من خلال لجان نسائية عربية.
خامسا: ندعوكن الى وقفة نسائية عربية موحدة، في يوم غضب نساء العرب تحت شعار ” أوقفوا العدوان على غزه، وفكوا الحصار عنها” وذلك يوم الأحد 11/1/2009 في الساعة الثانية عشرة بتوقيت القدس.
1. a continuation of protests across the arab world condemning israeli aggression and american support.
2. putting pressure on arab govs to cut ties with israel, stop all forms of normalization.
3. appeal to legal organizations and intl ngos to bring israel to justice for the war crimes it continues to commit.
4. providing various kinds of support for palestine via arab women orgs across the arab world.
5. inviting women all over the world to participate in this protest sunday the 11th of jan.
there is a song making its way across the internet that was written by a man named michael heart. the video on youtube for this song is powerful as are some of the lyrics in relation to the recent news about new layers and levels of israeli terrorist war crimes:
here are the lyrics to heart’s song:
A blinding flash of white light
Lit up the sky over Gaza tonight
People running for cover
Not knowing whether they’re dead or aliveThey came with their tanks and their planes
With ravaging fiery flames
And nothing remains
Just a voice rising up in the smoky hazeWe will not go down
In the night, without a fight
You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools
But our spirit will never die
We will not go down
In Gaza tonightWomen and children alike
Murdered and massacred night after night
While the so-called leaders of countries afar
Debated on who’s wrong or rightBut their powerless words were in vain
And the bombs fell down like acid rain
But through the tears and the blood and the pain
You can still hear that voice through the smoky hazeWe will not go down
In the night, without a fight
You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools
But our spirit will never die
We will not go down
In Gaza tonightWe will not go down
In the night, without a fight
You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools
But our spirit will never dieWe will not go down
In the night, without a fightWe will not go down
In Gaza tonight
heart’s song speaks to the steadfastness of the spirit of the palestinians in gaza. it also alludes to the illegal weapons like white phosphorous that israeli terrorists are using on the people of gaza as seen in the photo below.
human rights watch reports that white phosphorous is being used in a recent report:
Israel appeared to be using white phosphorus as an “obscurant” (a chemical used to hide military operations), a permissible use in principle under international humanitarian law (the laws of war). However, white phosphorus has a significant, incidental, incendiary effect that can severely burn people and set structures, fields, and other civilian objects in the vicinity on fire. The potential for harm to civilians is magnified by Gaza’s high population density, among the highest in the world.
“White phosphorous can burn down houses and cause horrific burns when it touches the skin,” said Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch. “Israel should not use it in Gaza’s densely populated areas.”
Human Rights Watch believes that the use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas of Gaza violates the requirement under international humanitarian law to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injury and loss of life. This concern is amplified given the technique evidenced in media photographs of air-bursting white phosphorus projectiles. Air bursting of white phosphorus artillery spreads 116 burning wafers over an area between 125 and 250 meters in diameter, depending on the altitude of the burst, thereby exposing more civilians and civilian infrastructure to potential harm than a localized ground burst.
unfortunately, human rights watch, like most media outlets are banned from entering gaza so doing proper research on it is difficult. but there are those who are on the ground who have been reporting this for weeks now. here is an al jazeera report on the use of white phosphorous in gaza where you can see israeli terrorists rationalize their use of it because american terrorists use it too:
sameh habeeb also reports on casualties related to white phosphorous today:
one reason you don’t hear about things like this in the american media is because it is blocked, because israeli terrorists are using its propaganda to terrorize people into remaining silent. remaining complicit. here on al jazeera’s “the listening post” you can get a taste of what i’m talking about:
and you can see a bit of this in a more satirical version on jon stewart (who knew? i have only ever seen his comedy as a raving zionist cheerleader–if you don’t believe me go see for yourself how he discussed the israeli invasion of gaza and lebanon in the summer of 2006). but here he seems to be a little different:
one clear example of israeli terrorist propaganda is its attempt to make the world think that hamas uses palestinian children as human shields or schools as launching pads for its rockets. ips reporter thalif deen proves otherwise:
Neither assertion is accurate, says John Ging, UNRWA’s director of operations in Gaza.
All U.N. schools in Gaza are clearly marked, and they fly the Organisation’s distinctly discernible blue-and-white flags.
Moreover, he told reporters, Israel has been provided with Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of all of UNRWA’s installations in Gaza.
So there could not have been a misidentification of the U.N. school in the Jabaliya refugee camp whose compound was hit by an artillery shell early this week.
Asked if Hamas militants could have taken shelter in the school that was attacked, Ging said that UNRWA was “hugely sensitive” to maintaining the integrity of its facilities.
“We vet all those who seek shelter in our facilities to make sure militants were not taking advantage of them,” he said.
for those who know their zionist history well, and of course be extension world war ii history with which jewish suffering was rammed down their throats so as to ensure that they would never think that anyone else’s suffering in the history of the world was more important than jewish suffering, you know that one of adolf hitler’s tactics was the “big lie.” zionists from the late 19th century when theodor herzl and his cohorts spread lies about an “empty” palestine have used such deception. and they have used it ever since as rannie amiri writes in counterpunch:
But facts always run contrary to The Big Lie. According to the agencies of the United Nations and multiple international relief organizations:
* Eighty percent of Gazans were dependent on humanitarian assistance during the crippling 18-month siege of Gaza but before the outbreak of hostilities.
* Nearly all food shops have closed and there is currently a severe shortage of flour, rice, milk and canned goods.
* One quarter to one half of Gaza’s 1.5 million people are without water. Seventy-five percent have been without electricity for over a week. Fuel is in short supply and with winter at hand, this has caused terrible hardship to the majority who live in unlit, unheated homes (and who are also forced to keep their windows open to prevent shattering glass from nearby explosions).
* Cooking gas is extremely scarce since the tunnels into Egypt—the lifeline that kept Gaza barely afloat during the siege—were bombed.
* Supplies of regular diesel—the only means hospitals have for running backup generators and which they now exclusively run on—are very low. According to the United Nations, these generators are “close to collapse.” Diesel is also needed to run water and sewage pumps; absolute necessities in providing adequate sanitation and preventing the outbreak of disease.
* Even before the military campaign commenced, 75 percent of Gaza’s children were malnourished, 46 percent anemic and 30 percent suffered from stunted growth.
* The United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur for the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, Dr. Richard Falk, said that Israel was “… allowing only barely enough food and fuel to enter to stave off mass famine and disease.”
A hallmark of The Big Lie is its repetition.
“Hamas is trying to create the appearance of a humanitarian crisis, but together with the international organizations, we are preventing this from happening.”
– Colonel Moshe Levi, Commander of the Israeli army’s Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration, 1 January 2009.
The reality:
John Ging, head of the United Nations Relief and Words Agency (UNRWA), the organization responsible for feeding half of Gaza’s 1.5 million residents:
“We have a catastrophe unfolding in Gaza for the civilian population. The people of Gaza City and the north now have no water. That comes on top of having no electricity. They’re trapped, they’re traumatized, they’re terrorized by this situation … The inhumanity of this situation, the lack of action to bring this to an end, is bewildering to them” (Daily Telegraph, 5 Jan 2009).
“Gaza was already bad enough but what I saw today was utter devastation. It’s just horrible to see this, horrible to see civilians caught up in this. Gaza went through ‘crisis’ a long time ago and what I saw today was a catastrophe in the making” (The Guardian, 5 Jan 2009).
Chris Gunness, spokesman for the UNRWA:
“When you look at the Israeli assertions about the humanitarian situation it is very hard to square this with the extraordinarily dire situation on the ground in Gaza. Any claims about human need at this stage need to be grounded in reality” (Daily Telegraph, 1 Jan 2009).
Maxwell Gaylard, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian Territories:
“By any definition this is a humanitarian crisis and more” (AFP, 3 Jan 2009).
“The WFP [World Food Programme] stopped sending food in there because their warehouses are full to the top.”
– Major Avital Leibovitz, military spokesman, 4 January 2009.
Christine Van Nieuwenhuyse, WFP representative in Gaza (reported to be “furious” at the above comment):
“The current situation in Gaza is appalling, and many basic food items are no longer available on the market” (Press TV, 2 Jan 2009).
Maxwell Gaylard, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian Territories:
“Conditions for parents and children in Gaza are dangerous and frightening. It is absolutely crucial that there is an end to the fighting. Without it, more civilians will continue to be killed. Without the violence stopping, it is extremely difficult to get food to people who need it” (The Scotsman, 3 Jan 2009).
“Electricity and communications are down over much of the strip both on account of lack of fuel and damage to critical infrastructure. Over a million people are currently without power, and over a quarter million without running water, some for up to six days” (Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2009).
The Associated Press, 4 Jan 2009:
And in the central Gaza refugee camp of Nusseirat, Munir Najar said he only had another day’s worth of flour to feed his family of seven, but ventured out to find streets deserted and shops closed.
“There’s not a loaf of bread to be found,” said Najar, 43.
“There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
– Israeli Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel, 4 January 2009.
The New York Times, 5 Jan 2009:
Many here would dispute that [Yehezkel’s statement]. With power lines down, much of Gaza has no electricity. There is a dire shortage of cooking gas.
Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian who was allowed into Gaza last week to give emergency medical aid, and who has worked in many conflict zones, said the situation was the worst he had seen.
The hospital lacked everything, he said: monitors, anesthesia, surgical equipment, heaters and spare parts. Israeli bombing nearby blew out windows, and like the rest of Gaza, here the severely limited fuel supplies were running low.
Dominic Nutt, spokesman for Save the Children:
“We need to deliver more food and blankets to ensure that children do not die of hunger and cold” (Daily Telegraph, 5 Jan 2009).
Sadi Ali, project manager for the Palestinian Water Authority:
“There is a risk of the spread of all sorts of water borne diseases such as dysentery and cholera” (Daily Telegraph, 4 Jan 2009).
Pierre Krähenbühl, Director of Operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC):
“There is no doubt in my mind that we are dealing with a full blown and major crisis in humanitarian terms. The situation for the people in Gaza is extreme and traumatic as a result of ten days of uninterrupted fighting. In that sense, their situation has clearly become intolerable” (ICRC.org, 6 Jan 2009).
The truth, as always, runs in stark contrast to the utterances of those peddling the latest of Israel’s Big Lies. Just as in 1948 when the ‘people without a land for a land without a people’ myth was used as cover to expel 700,000 indigenous inhabitants from historical Palestine, The Big Lie is once again being employed to obfuscate the reality of the crimes being committed in Gaza.
Let us hope this time, they do not get away with it.
indeed this big lie is so pervasive that someone from medecins sans frontieres wrote to me and asked me to post this article and a link to it on my blog:
As the Israeli military offensive continues, the toll, estimated at 600 deaths and 2,950 wounded in just 11 days, is reaching alarming proportions and is indicative of extreme violence indiscriminately affecting civilians.
indeed one of the big lies israeli terrorists have been pushing for the last week is that from 1-4 pm each day there is a “lull” for a humanitarian corridor so that aid can get to the palestinian people in gaza. of course, if you watch the news (i.e., not american or british propaganda news like bbc or cnn or fox) you will notice that this is far from the truth:
or here is what natalie abou shakra says about what a “ceasefire” or “lull” looks like on the ground:
Comrade Alberto Arce and comrade Eva Bartlett almost got killed yesterday as the Israeli “defence forces” were defending themselves from the ambulance’s sirens… they said the ambulance siren was bothering them while they were flying their planes in Gaza’s beautiful sky that they make ugly with their presence…they killed two paramedics in the shooting, from the snipers in the surveillance buzzing planes, Mr. and Mrs. Bee. Alberto had his camera on… later the footage was provided to AL Jazeera… at eleven, we accompanied Alberto to his live interview with Al Jazeera from the Ramattan building… he was very nervous… Eva, Mohammad and I watched him as we sat beside him, not appearing on the camera… it was the same studio I was in when Al Jazeera interviewed me the day I set foot in Gaza… I look at the chair, at the desk… at the background which is but a dark body of gloominess behind the chair… of Gaza… without lights… no lights… could death be that dark, I asked myself… we all support Alberto as he is nervous to speak in English… “In Spanish I would fight Bush… but, in English I cannot”… he is from Spain…he spoke bluntly, but as he ends, I tell him he forgot to note down that in the Israeli “defense forces'” “ceasefire” they ceased-fire three children’s souls… Amal, Souad, and Samar, 2, 4, 6 years old respectively from the Abed Rabbu family… they said they were defending themselves against pink pajamas which they mistook for pink Qassam rockets…
and while israeli terrorist reservists are now joining in the killing spree in gaza, the siege has also extended across the border and into egypt, though i don’t suspect hosni mubarak cares any more for the egyptians living on the other side of rafah than he cares for the palestinians in gaza:
Two of the wounded were children, aged two and five, and two were Egyptian police officers.
“Tens of homes” were also damaged in the strikes, which targeted terrorist smuggling tunnels on the Philadelphi Corridor, the official was quoted as saying.
but there was some good news today:
1. hamas fired at american-made f-16s flown by israeli terrorists.
2. iran announced it would boycott those doing business with the zionist entity.
3. palestinian union of workers’ unions called for a boycott of israeli terrorist products
4. and…some group started shooting at israeli terrorists from occupied golan.
all of this on a day when we are reaching close to the 1,000 mark of counting martyrs. some new names of those martyrs were reported in ma’an’s breakdown of today’s war crimes brought to you by the israeli-american terrorist forces:
Despite a so-called lull in fighting for the delivery of humanitarian aid, Israeli shelling killed two Palestinians in the Ash-Shuja’eiyah neighborhood, which is east of Gaza City.
Meanwhile, two others died in the northern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Jabaliya, local sources told Ma’an, adding that specifically the Al-Jurn area was hit in the deadly attack.
Those three victims were identified as Mus’ab Khader, Husein Abu Sulkltan and 15-year-old Amal A’lush. A number of others were injured.
Also, Israeli warplanes shelled the home of Mohammad Dahlan in the Ar-Remal neighborhood of Gaza City. Jets also hit the home of Shadi Abu Labad in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip.
Earlier Sunday
Some 30 Gazans have been killed since midnight Sunday and nearly 100 injured, apparently by newly used weaponry that set fires to both the people and buildings targeted.
Israel had not previously used white phosphorous bombs during the Gaza offensive, but by Sunday residents and experts were reporting widespread damage by the weapon, which is not illegal, in the Ghuza’a and Abasan villages east of Khan Younis.
Medical sources at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said most of the morning’s casualties had been women and children. Medical staff appealed to international agencies for new supplies to deal with burn victims suddenly pouring into the hospital.
Earlier, Sunday dawned with six more Palestinians confirmed dead in Gaza, mainly from the Khuza’a village, which is east of Khan Younis.
Overnight
Israeli warplanes shifted their sights to civilian homes in southern Gaza shortly before dawn, after which strikes began in the north.
Israeli ground troops continued their advance toward Gaza City, as well.
One contingent withdrew northward at dawn, while a second front southwest of Gaza City continued to move toward an abandoned Israeli settlement south of the city.
The identities of two Palestinians killed in the southern Gaza Strip during the night were revealed as 41-year-old Hanan An-Najjar and another unidentified man.
At least 50 were injured as Israeli strikes hit a dozen homes in the village of Khuza’a, many of which were still ablaze through the noon on Sunday.
Also, the body of 17-year-old Usama Abu Rajileh was identified among the dead in Khan Younis.
Attacks in the north began shortly, as well, when four members of the Bashir family were killed by Israeli airstrikes on the family home, which stood in the Al-Karama neighborhood, northwest of Gaza City.
The family was in the home at the time and an unknown number were injured. Witnesses said Ala Bashir “Abu Sheib,” Bashir’s wife, his mother-in-law and son were all killed in the strike. Several other homes in the area were hit.
Strikes then shifted to the northern border town of Beit Lahiya, where locals reported the use of white phosphorous, which set homes ablaze. The strikes killed at least three from the Ma’rouf and Ghaban families and injured dozens more.
Ground troops head north after night of attacks
Witnesses said Israeli troops withdrew from the As-Sudaniyah area, north of Gaza City, after a night of shooting there.
Locals said several homes were raided and their residents “massacred,” after which their homes were burned. Medical sources have until Sunday evening been unable to confirm the number of dead there.
Some of the known raids included the home of Ahmad Aj-Ja’bari, an Al-Qassam Brigades member, in eastern Gaza City. His home was set on fire, as well, as Israeli troops withdrew.
In the southwest quarter of Gaza City clashes were heard in the Al-Sheikh Ajlein neighborhood as Israeli troops approached the evacuated Netsarim settlement, south of the city.
these are the war crimes that you, american citizens, pay for. that you don’t speak out about. you are complicit. i ask you: if these were jews, if this were world war ii, if adolf hitler were still alive, would you keep silent then too?
body on the line 