a story among many

Majeda Al Saqqa, January 10th
Majeda Al Saqqa, 2009-01-10

Virtual Gaza

Logic is my key for today.
I want to apologize to all the musicians in the world for calling the sounds of bombing an orchestra.
After a horrific night of tank shelling, bombardment by F16s, maybe an Apache too, the drone and, most scary of all, the smell of phosphorus gas reaching the edge of our neighborhood, today, I want to apologize to all musicians.
No, war sounds are far more frightening and ugly.
Today I will not joke.
I will think logic and talk logic.
Not enough food at home.
Children frustrated, wanting out of this prison.
It's not going to end today.
It might last for much longer.
Demands are increasing at all levels and from every side.
So, best is to act.
No safe place in Gaza Strip.
If my own bed is not safe,
then the market is not safe.
But it might be safer than, or at least as safe as my bed could be....
So, I'm up early.
I call the children: "Come we'll all go to the vegetable market."
"Is the war over?" screams Arslan, my 5-year-old nephew happily.
"No, but there will be a ceasefire, a 'safe corridor' from 1 to 3 pm," I tell him.
"Is it 1 pm?" Arslan asks.
"What's a ceasefire?" Wael asks my sister Najat, at the same time.
"Is a safe corridor like the one we use next to our bathroom?"
Najat is exhausted. She hasn't slept for two nights now. She looks at Wael and breaks
out in laughter: "Similar.... it's the shit in the pot!"
I answer Arslan: "It's 8 am now. We'll go now."
For me it seems safer to get out before the ceasefire because it doesn’t seem that there
really is one, or at least that it's observed....
I catch Arslan's eye: "Looks like there's movement in the streets, so we'll try to go
now."
I haven't seen the children so happy. They don't wait for me to get the car out from the garage. Like birds escaping the cage, they all start singing and dancing on the door step of our house.

A woman in the street asks me if I can give her a lift.
"I came here because they are distributing vegetables to poor people," she tells me.
"I'm not at an UNRWA school, I'm with my sister's family. Nobody knows about us.
"We're not registered, we're not refuges, so no one wants to help us. This kind man living in your neighborhood asked me for my ID. I gave it to him yesterday. Today I came and he gave me some vegetables. I have no idea what we will do with them -- we have no wood, no gas and no electricity. We haven't even had water for the last four days."
I looked at her in the rearview mirror and say: "Sell it and buy canned food."
"Who will buy it?"
"Many people will," I assure her.
"Will you take me to the vegetable market?" she asks.
"I'm going there, I'll take you."
She looks out the car window and says to herself: "It's better like this, I'll sell it and
buy milk for the kids and some kerosene."
The market
I decide that I will only look in the mirror or straight in front of me.
I don't want to see anything around me.
I love Khan Younis.
I can't do anything for Khan Younis today but wait patiently and survive, so tomorrow we all can do something.
Halfway to the market, we're the only car in the street.
Wael is laughing and telling Arslan to look at the old man we've just passed.
"He's hiding behind the door and looking.
"But I saw him.
"Look at that woman too! I saw her!
"She's hiding behind the door, peeking out..."
Arslan is looking out on the other side of the road. He screams: "Hey look, our kindergarten! They destroyed the building near our garden!"
Majed, my 6-year-old nephew, asks me "Who did this?"
I answer, "The airplane."
"I know, but who is in the airplane?"
I look at the woman and say: "You can sell your vegetables here."
Majed repeats his question
"Who did this destruction?"
I look at him and say: "The Israelis. But don't ask me who they are now because if you look just in front of you, you'll see where we'll buy our stuff."
There was huge truck distributing flour to people.
We sat and waited until some families got their quota and then they sat in the sun and started selling half of what they'd received.
An old woman was sitting covering her face.
I went to her and asked if I could buy from her.
"Yes, please, I have to get back quickly. If my sons know I am here, they'll be upset with me. I came because we have nothing left at home. And we have twelve children at home who need to eat three times a day."
I asked her why she is selling the flour in this case.
"Because we got two bags from UNRWA, we'll use one and with the money of the other one we'll buy vegetables."
"Ok, then how much is this?"
"NIS180."
"Why? It was 90, I say.
"Everyone in the market is selling at this price."
"Ok then, I will take it."
Some young men come and help me put it in the trunk.
When I switch the car on, Dima asks: "Why did you buy that sack of flour? It's got 'Not for Sale' written on it"
I look at her jokingly: "I bought it, I will not sell it, because it is not for sale."
What else do we need, Dima?"
She looks at the small paper where my mother has listed all her needs.
"We still need everything, you only bought one thing."
"Sugar, my grandmother said: 'don't forget sugar,'" Arslan offers.
We look everywhere but find nothing but vegetables.
So we buy what we like. And then what we don't like, just in case.
And we drive back, with my eyes staring only straight ahead.
I hear Wael, Arslan, Dima and Majed playing their new game "I see something different."
I'm not ready to look.
Shelling starts in Khan Younis.
Strikes somewhere not far, but far.
I drive quickly, passing down the main market road – a road I've not been able to drive down for the past 20 years because it's always so packed full of people and
stands.
Today I can drive as fast as I want.
It's totally empty.
Back home
We reach home and everyone's happy.
Finally, we've managed to get flour, which is most important.
Wael enters the house and announces to my mother:
We brought you flour.
But no sugar.
The toy shop is closed.
The supermarket is closed.
The woman who sells the flour doesn't have any chocolate.
She doesn’t sell cars or airplanes.
She is covering her face.
She didn't want us to know her.
The phone rings.
Wael runs to answer.
"Hello. Who is it?"
He's silent for a moment, then: "No, we don't have any..."
A few more seconds of silence.
"But we need sugar.
"And I want a car and an airplane with a remote control."
I run to pick up the second phone. This boy is out of control. He has to stop asking my friends to buy him things every time they call:
"Hello?..."
It's a recorded message from the Israeli military.
The message repeats:
"If you have guns at home you should get rid of them.
"If you are hiding any of the militias, report them at the following number...
"If you have information you want to share, call the following number…"
I look at Wael. He looks back at me, his eyes are asking my permission to request the caller to buy chocolate for his brothers too. I give him the Ok.
So he adds: "Bring some for Majed and Arslan and Dima too."
Precisely at 1pm, the cease fire starts.
I was right in my calculation and logic.
The military planes are back in the sky, performing their daily shock and awe show, complete with the sound and motion. But today they've added flying balloons and they're drawing lines across the sky with the smoke of the airplanes.
The chorus of kids crying their hearts out starts up across the neighborhood again.
I secretly congratulate myself -- going to the market before the ceasefire was a wise choice. But now it's time to go comfort and hug the kid.

FREE THE PALESTINIANS

The Israeli Government is bloody insane.

The Palestinians deserve better. They Deserve Peace. and for Peace to arrive, Israel must be forced to respect the International Human Rights Law.


Israel must recognize the Palestinians right to live free.

FREE.

Day by day in every way, the world keeps getting better and better

TOKYO 30/12/2008



JERUSALEM 1/1/2009



MONTREAL



SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA





ATHENS



SYDNEY , INDONESIA



SWEDEN


FRANCE


NEW ZELAND

TOMORROW: EMERGENCY PROTEST AGAINST MASSACRES IN GAZA!

EMERGENCY PROTEST AGAINST MASSACRES IN GAZA!

TIME: MONDAY 29th, 4PM

LET US SHOW OUR OUTRAGE TOGETHER!

PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

LOCATION: SHARE3 AL-THAQAFA, SHMESANI

(This protest has been approved by the Governor of Amman and is organized by concerned Jordanian citizens).

Contact:

Mary (079 55 22 702) (English/French)
Ruba (079 55 07 479) (Arabic)
Mohammad (079 9207 056 (Arabic/Spanish)

Note: We will be gathering at the Radisson SAS hotel at 11am tomorrow (Monday) to prepare posters and banners. We need help. Please join us. Please call numbers above for information.


اعتصام إحتجاجاً على المجازر في غزة

الوقت: غداً الإثنين 29/12 الساعة الرابعة مساءاً

المكان: شارع الثقافة - الشميساني

لنظهر غضبنا معا!

من فضلكم أخبروا أصدقائكم وأقاربكم

(يلاقي هذا الإحتجاج موافقة من محافظة عمان وينظم من قبل مواطنين أردنيين مهتمين)


للاتصال

ماري 0795522702 انجليزي/فرنسي
ربا 0795507479 عربي
محمد 0799207056 عربي/إسباني

ملاحظة: سنتجمع في فندق الراديسون ساس غداً (الإثنين) الساعة 11 صباحاً لتجهيز اليافطات. نحتاج للمساعدة. نرجوا أن تنضموا إلينا. للمزيد من المعلومات يرجى الاتصال في الأرقام أعلاه.


People. there is no shame in protesting and its not useless, when we join together for Peace. Voices will be heard. Step Up. Speak Up. No one will chop your head for voicing your mind. those people got their permits and there you have the numbers to call and verify.

LET THE WORLD HEAR OUR VOICE, LET THE WORLD HEAR US REASON.

PEACE

PS: get creative.

Donate Blankets, Clothes, and Canned food to Gaza from Amman

People.

There is a 48-hr campaign that will start Tomorrow to collect Blankets, Canned Food, and Clothes for Gaza. It is organized by Action Committee and 7iber . I don't have further details yet.

All details will be announced on the the Black Iris & I quote :

The people at 7iber and the Action Committee are organizing an emergency clothes and food drive for the people in Gaza.

It’ll be a 48-hour campaign starting tomorrow morning, with the goods being delivered to Gaza by coming weekend.

This is all going to be driven through the virtual community, with contributions of Jordanian bloggers and their readers, as well as Facebook, emails and just about anyone connected online. It’s the fastest way to spread the word in a short period of time.

Right now, this post is under construction, with this preliminary message designed to get you in the right frame of mind and prepared. For starters, we’ll be looking for canned goods (no meats) as well as blankets and jackets (in good condition). So start putting those things by your front door (preferably in boxes, if not, then double bagged). We are going to try and mobilize and get this off the ground as quickly as possible, as time is of the essence.

The logistics and the details are forthcoming, and will be posted on 7iber accordingly. You can also check here for updates.

Stay tuned!

Update Through Kinzi:

From Facebook:

Please bring canned food items (no meat), clothing, blankets, and jackets - all in good condition - to Cosmo Center 7th Circle from 6:30-8:30PM on Tuesday, Dec. 30th.

Action Committee and 7iberDotCom are working together to collect needed items for Gaza. The Hashemite Charity Commission will deliver the items to Gaza.

For more information or details:
editor@7iber.com
0777467733
0799692006

Do you know what will stop the raids on Gaza?

one way and its the only way to win this situation, at least to stop the uglier tomorrow:

If the international community acknowledged Hamas it would force Israel to back off. but who has the guts to do that?

none of the boats going to Gaza were allowed in in the name of a Government. no one got approved or dared to, hence First Qatari Aid / Lybian Ship were denied in.

All Boats were allowed in the name of humanitarian aid donations from people and various peace relief groups & movements.

the 17th of December 1850 resolution was indeed to frame Hamas and to give Israel a signal to go in.

My wish is: If every Arab Leader, Latin American Leader, 2 European States & Canada just PHONED Ismail Hanieh and expressed sorrow and support for Gaza.

the whole world including the US and Israel will have to listen.

The worst thing we do and are good at is abandoning our people.

LEGALLY.

Resolution 1850, Absence of a Legal Voice and The US Policy

Resolution
The full text of resolution 1850 (2008) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 242, 338, 1397, and 1515 and the Madrid principles,

“Reiterating its vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,

“Welcoming the 9 November 2008 statement from the Quartet and the Israeli‑Palestinian Joint Understanding announced at the November 2007 Annapolis Conference, including in relation to implementation of the Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,

“Noting also that lasting peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement, and terror, and the two-State solution, building upon previous agreements and obligations,

“Noting the importance of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative,

“Encouraging the Quartet’s ongoing work to support the parties in their efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,

“1. Declares its support for the negotiations initiated at Annapolis, Maryland, on 27 November 2007 and its commitment to the irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations;

“2. Supports the parties’ agreed principles for the bilateral negotiating process and their determined efforts to reach their goal of concluding a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues, without exception, which confirm the seriousness of the Annapolis process;

“3. Calls on both parties to fulfil their obligations under the Performance-Based Roadmap, as stated in their Annapolis Joint Understanding, and refrain from any steps that could undermine confidence or prejudice the outcome of negotiations;

“4. Calls on all States and international organizations to contribute to an atmosphere conducive to negotiations and to support the Palestinian government that is committed to the Quartet principles and the Arab Peace Initiative and respects the commitments of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, to assist in the development of the Palestinian economy, to maximize the resources available to the Palestinian Authority, and to contribute to the Palestinian institution‑building programme in preparation for statehood;

“5. Urges an intensification of diplomatic efforts to foster in parallel with progress in the bilateral process mutual recognition and peaceful coexistence between all States in the region in the context of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;

“6. Welcomesthe Quartet’s consideration, in consultation with the parties, of an international meeting in Moscow in 2009;

“7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.”

I think Hamas got framed by the UN's seal on this resolution, a seal that the whole world irreversibly agreed to, to carry on with a clearly a too vague post Annapolis negotiations that puts Palestinians out balance against Israel, trashing 2006 elections, raising international aid donations and pushing the subject matter off to 2009, loosely allowing more settlers colonization without any penalties set by a third party or the international community..

What is Ironic is that the whole, mostly our world is silent. we - the first hand concerned people - we, the same people are never there in the legal arena. look at us, we are legally illiterate, legally voiceless when its us who supposed to be talking and I blame media, academia, and common home education ... the International Intervention never was in favor of Palestine and Palestinians and the massive support for a two state solution became so strong when physically it stood impossible to work for a Palestinian autonomous state in 14% of Palestine that looks like Swiss cheese! bad news is that is two states solution is not around the corner neither. what can people do in this case?


Freedom for Palestine 6 by ~Johny-60 on deviantART

Answer: support civic peace movements & educate people and earn a voice. a Legal voice.

Thanks to Post Zionist thinkers, there are people advocating a Palestinian State and are seeking a redefinition for a state of Israel.

But if established a state of Palestine over the 1967 Territories, do you think the relation between Palestine - Israel as a state would ever be similar to Jordan - Israel? ever ? can you take a look at an anticipated state ? How will the legal system be like? how will the resources interdependency be like?

what if the united states no longer supported Israel?
the states' vote is either against or abstention..

but again, what if..



Enjoy!

Gaza on DeviantArt 1

gaza by ~bodi002 on deviantART


Gaza,Oops They Did Again by =No-More-Ignorance on deviantART


Gaza by ~davidbdr on deviantART


Gaza Strip Under Siege by ~BenHeine on deviantART


Israeli Blockade of Gaza by ~Latuff2 on deviantART

DIGNITY LEAVES GAZA WITH 11 PALESTINIAN STUDENTS

(GAZA PORT, GAZA - 11 December 2008) - The Free Gaza Ship “Dignity,”
departed from Gaza International Port at 22:10 hours, Thursday 11
December. Aboard the ship were eleven Palestinian students who had been
denied exit by Israel to attend their universities abroad. Over 700
students are currently trapped in Gaza, unable to obtain permission from
Israel to continue their education.

Accompanying the students are two British academics, Jonathan Rosenhead
and Mike Cushman, of the London School of Economics and the British
Committee for Universities for Palestine (BRICUP), an organization of
UK-based academics responding to Palestine's Call for an Academic Boycott
of Israel.

According to Rosenhead and Cushman, “As academics we are particularly
pleased to be traveling on the Dignity on this mission to enable at least
some of the hundreds of students trapped in Gaza by the Israeli siege to
get out and take up their places at universities round the world. This
siege is an affront to any idea of academic freedom or human rights. How
can anyone justify preventing young people from fulfilling their potential
and learning how to serve their community more fully?”

In an act of nonviolent defiance to the ongoing Israeli Occupation of
Palestine, the Free Gaza Movement has been running civil resistance ships
to Gaza for several months. This voyage is the fourth such trip, helping
to reunite families, and delivering medical supplies, mail, and
international humanitarian and human rights workers to besieged Gaza.

Free Gaza spokesperson Ewa Jasiewicz stated that, “Though we carried in a
ton of medical supplies and high-protein baby formula on our ship, our
mission in Gaza was not to provide charity, but to give our solidarity to
the people of Palestine, break the silence of the world over this
continuing calamity, and physically break through the blockade of Gaza in
an act of direct resistance against the siege. In the end, the oppression
and humiliation of Occupation assaults the humanity of both occupier and
occupied and cannot and must not be tolerated any longer.”

For over two years, Israel has imposed an increasingly severe blockade on
Gaza, dramatically increasing poverty and malnutrition rates among the 1.5
million human people who live in this tiny, coastal region.

Osama Qashoo, another Free Gaza spokesperson, explained their success by
saying that, “the sea passage to Gaza is open. Our fourth mission was a
quick response to Israel denying earlier attempts by Libya, Qatar and by
Palestinians from 1948 to also break through the siege. We hope that other
nations, civil society organizations, and activists around the world will
learn from our experience, be strategic in their planning, and not let
Israeli threats and aggression stop them from coming to Gaza. Freedom of
movement and of education, and to live in peace is everyone’s right.”

[Source]

For More Information, please contact:
(Gaza) Caoimhe Butterly, +972 598 273 960
(Cyprus/Gaza) Lubna Masarwa, +972 505 633 044
(Cyprus) Ramzi Kysia , +357 99 081 76

Further Reading [Here]

:)

4th Blockade-Defying Boat Docks Gaza Port =)

YEAAAAH BABY! THEY MADE IT =DDD

;)

WOOOHOOO :D

FREE GAZA PEOPLE ARE AMAZING!!



Dignity the fourth boat from Free Gaza Movement reached Gaza Port on Tuesday with 1 Ton of Humanitarian Aid, Humanitarian workers, Activists and Academia from London University to take 16 Gazan students to pursue their studies, Students whom Israel did NOT allow to leave Gaza.

YES! FREE GAZA DID IT THROUGH ACTIVISTS AND DONATIONS FROM NORMAL PEOPLE WHO CONNECTED THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THROUGH PEACE ORGANISATIONS AND THEY ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND THEY SERIOUSLY NEED HELP

we can donate money, we can send poetry in, we can make paintings and send our drawings, you can help them if you were a journalist, we can make videos, music, we can arrange a peaceful walk for freedom in our countries.

we can :) yupp I believe that

REALLY!! WHAT IS HAPPENING IS AWESOME :D

HURRRAAAAY :D

would you change??

ENJOY!

pro-palestinian protests infront of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran

Meh! this is absolutely terrible to be put under a "NO COMMENT" section by EuroNews

I think silence and ignorance do cost. Protests here are no better, what people are screaming to say is the same in essence, people vs. governments as always, people want their authority in their countries but is this way effective? is it not the time to give up governments and think about the people.. it pays off and is rewarding :)

I hate how media portrays Iran as a country that promotes Terror! there are fanatics everywhere and there are good people too.

end result for me,

Gulf Political inaction is wrong because they have the authority.
its ok to let the people express their frustration.
pouring strength in violence costs.

but should that make the Saudis pay for more protection against Iran and become more pro-Israel ??

sigh.

no one is contributing in essence. whats wrong with the world

I Love you FreeGaza.org and you too Anis

a Bushless Change puting the country first, leaving the wars behind?

little I know about the needs of an American citizen, but surly it is great to see how people are voting, the excitement, the coverage and campaigning.

Americans will pick Change, there is a world wide exhaustion and its calling

please stop the wars Mr New President and be fair, care for people and not the economy.

Mr Bush, we are gonna miss you on TV

Go Obama!