Raising Yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother: Gaza City under heavy bombardment

Raising Yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother: Gaza City under heavy bombardment

CNN Report on Israel's attack of the Free Gaza Vessel Dignity

PROTEST in PHILADELPHIA TODAY

Tuesday, December 30, 4:30PM
Demonstration at Israeli Consulate, 1880 JFK Blvd
Contact: Sue Rouda, 215-724-1618, sue.rouda at gmail.com


Tell your friends! Show your support for Palestinians!!!!

URGENT!!!! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship!

From the Free Gaza website:

URGENT! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

Date : 12-30-2008

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

URGENT! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

CALL the Israeli Government and demand that it immediately STOP attacking the Dignity and endangering the lives of its passengers!

CALL Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5062 3264
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

CALL Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
+972 33697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il


BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Dignity departed from Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 7pm (UST) on Monday 29 December, bound for war-devastated Gaza with a cargo of over 3 tons of desperately needed medical supplies donated by the people of Cyprus. At our request, the ship was searched by Cypriot Port authorities prior to departure, to certify that there was nothing "threatening" aboard - only emergency medical supplies.

TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY TO STOP THE ISRAELI NAVY FROM ENDANGERING THE DIGNITY AND ITS PASSENGERS!

Civilians aboard the Dignity being threatened by the Israeli military:

(UK) Denis Healey, Captain
Captain of the Dignity, Denis has been involved with boats for 45 years, beginning with small fishing boats in Portsmouth. He learned to sail while atschool and has been part of the sea ever since. He's a certified yachtmaster and has also worked on heavy marine equipment from yachts to large dredgers. This is his fourth trip to Gaza.

(Greece) Nikolas Bolos, First Mate
Nikolas is a chemical engineer and human rights activist. He has served as a crewmember on several Free Gaza voyages, including the first one in August.

(Jordan) Othman Abu Falah
Othman is a senior producer with Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(Australia) Renee Bowyer
Renee is a schoolteacher and human rights activist. She will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.

(Ireland) Caoimhe Butterly
Caoimhe is a reknowned human rights activist and Gaza Coordinator for the Free Gaza Movement. She will be remaining in Gaza to do human rights monitoring, assist with relief efforts, and work on project development with Free Gaza.

(Cyprus) Ekaterini Christodulou
Ekaterini is a well-known and respected freelance journalist in Cyprus. She is traveling to Gaza to report on the conflict.

(Sudan) Sami El-Haj
Sami is a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, and head of the human rights section at Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(UK) Dr. David Halpin
Dr. Halpin is an experienced orthopaedic surgeon, medical professor, and ship's captain. He has organized humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza on several occasions with the Dove and Dolphin. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.

(Germany) Dr. Mohamed Issa
Dr. Issa is a pediatric surgeon from Germany. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.

(UK/Tunisia) Fathi Jaouadi
Fathi is a television producer and human rights activist. He will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.

(USA) Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia is a former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia, and the 2008 Green Party presidential candidate. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict.

(Cyprus) Martha Paisi
Martha is a senior research fellow and experienced human rights activist. She is traveling to Gaza to do human rights work and to assist with humanitarian relief efforts.

(UK) Karl Penhaul
Karl Penhaul is a video correspondent for CNN, based out of Bogotá, Colombia. Appointed to this position in February 2004, he covers breaking news around the world utilizing CNN's new laptop-based 'Digital Newsgathering' system. He is traveling to Gaza to report on the ongoing conflict.

(Iraq) Thaer Shaker
Thaer is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(Cyprus) Dr. Elena Theoharous, MP
Dr. Theoharous is a surgeon and a Member of the Cypriot Parliament. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict, assist with humanitarian relief efforts, and volunteer in hospitals.

Gaza Tragedy

As you are aware, Israel has begun an assault on Palestinians in Gaza. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more seriously injured. Gaza was already in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe through Israel's restriction of the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life. For the sake of human rights and lives I urge you to take action and speak out against this assault.

Here are some things you can do NOW to take action:

TAKE ACTION
1. Contact the White House to protest the attack and demand an immediate cease-fire. Call 202-456-1111 or send an email to comments@whitehouse.gov.

2. Contact the State Department at 202-647-6575 or send an email by clicking here.

3. Contact your Representative and Senators in Congress at 202-224-3121 or find contact info for your Members of Congress by clicking here.

4. Contact your local media by phoning into a talk show or writing a letter to the editor. To find contact info for your local media, click here.

5. Organize a local protest or vigil.

6. Sign an open letter, via US Campaign to End Israeli Occupation, to President-Elect Obama calling for a new U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine and find out other steps you can take to influence the incoming Administration by clicking here.

New Projects on the Horizon

I haven't forgotten the people of Palestine. I have just been busy with the kids in my city since school started back in September. Although I've been somewhat dormant visually with this blog and with the whole Palestinian cause I have been working in the background.

I won't go into much detail at the moment as I still lack specific details but... I have made contact with some people who are interested in creating a comic book, made by Palestinian kids, telling their stories in this format. I think its a rockin' idea! I'm very excited to get involved.

More to come...

Free Gaza - Disturbing footage of Israeli soldiers

International activists are helping Palestinian fishermen from Gaza fish in the sea where they are allowed to fish. Israel soldiers appear to be using intense and extreme scare tactics by shooting at the boats.



Read more about this at the ISM's website.

Update on Free Gaza Movement

From the ISM website:

Free Gaza Movement is at sea again on the 8 mile limit off Gaza Harbour
August 25th, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, International Actions, Gaza Region

For Immediate Release

SS Free Gaza, with six Palestinian fishermen’s boats, is 8-miles off the coast of Gaza, being circled by three Israeli Dabur naval vessels. No shots have been fired. The fishing boats are continuing to exercise their right to fish and have not turned round, but the Free Gaza has just now turned round (10.15 a.m.). The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian Gazans a 20-mile limit off the coast of the Gaza Strip. Currently the Navy is enforcing a 6 mile limit, so the Free Gaza Movement has broken that naval blockade, too.

Updates from Prof. Jeff Halper on a fishing boat (not on the Free Gaza): 0542 002 642 or Huwaida Arraf also on a fishing boat: 0599 130 426

Angela Godfrey-Goldstein - Media Team Free Gaza Movement - 0547-366 393 (www.freegaza.org)

Free Gaza Boat Has Arrived

A group of 46 activists have arrived in Gaza! Amazing!!! They are delivering medical supplies. This is a triumph for the cause!

More Attacks in Hebron

This article is from the ISM website, the group I stayed with while teaching in Tel Rumeida last year. Reading this makes me feel so horrible for not going this summer. I know others are there, but I still feel very sad.

I have a feeling that it is the Al Jabari family that is having difficulties. I know from personal experience that this group of settlers at Kiryat Arba are radical and very violent. If you are in Palestine, please be sure to go to Hebron and observe and help. If you ever consider going, please do so!


Escalating settler violence in Hebron: Settlers attack internationals with pepper spray
July 20th, 2008 | Posted in Reports, Hebron Region

On Saturday settlers on two occasions attacked internationals with stones and pepper spray outside the Kiryat Arba in Hebron. The last days, following the arrival of a new Israeli troops with a decidedly more brutal and oppressive attitude, several incidents of harassment against Palestinians has taken place in Tel Rumedia and through out the city

After the arrival on Thursday of a new unit of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) the overall situation in Hebron has worsened considerably, according to both international activists and observers. Inside Tel Rumeida, the number of detentions of Palestinians have increased dramatically and seemingly random harassment and restrictions are abundant, making every day life for Palestinians even more difficult than usual. On Sunday the military arrested several persons from a Palestinian family for working their lands, and soldiers repeatedly occupied houses, apparently to be used as sniper and look out posts.

As two internationals on Saturday tried to perform a solidarity visit to a Palestinian family (lately the target of several attacks from settlers) living close to the Kiriyat Arba settlement they were attacked by a group of 5-10 young settlers and forced to leave the area. Israeli military, arriving at the scene made little to stop the harassment, despite that stones were thrown at the internationals, resulting in one slight injury.

In the afternoon settlers attacked a small group of Palestinians walking from their homes in the vicinity of the settlement. As internationals attempted to intervene they were once more attacked by settlers, this time also using pepper spray and destroying camera equipment. Like before, Israeli soldiers witnessing the events made little to stop the harassment. Abuse from settlers have escalated lately, in connection to the establishment of a small encampment in Palestinian lands outside the Kiriyat Arba, from where attacks on by-passers have been carried out. Despite numerous request from the TIPH and others to remove the settlers, the military has been reluctant to take action against the settlers.

One year ago

I was in Palestine sitting under this tree

keeping the settlers away from Issa's house while sipping mint tea with my new house mates from all over the world and my new found lifetime Palestinian friends. Many hours were spent guarding the house while listening to the horrible stories of detainments, arrests and occupation that the Palestinians endured.

Now that an entire year has passed and the fog has cleared from my head and the summer is here and I don't have to work... I will finally write some more stories.

A Story from a Detained American in Israel

Please check out this link to an American woman's blog that details her 3 days in detainment by the Israeli government at the airport. This is what happens to anyone trying to enter Palestine. She was held in deplorable conditions then deported, never being allowed to enter the country. This could happen to anyone flying into Tel Aviv regardless of your religious affiliations, ethnicity or even country of citizenship.

Hebron, Palestine- An Video

I have written much about Palestine for quite a while, but that doesn't mean that it and the people are not in my thoughts every single day. I swear that there is not one single day that passes without a thought or two stopping me in my tracks to reflect if only for a moment. In my city here there was an entire Al Nakba committee. I unfortunately did nothing with them due to being completely wrapped up in my mess of a career as a teacher with some additional personal things going on. I did get to go see one documentary filmed in Palestine during last summer. I was able to see a few of the international folks (in the film) I volunteered with and whom I miss greatly! Tomorrow they will be releasing black balloons during the Israeli Independence Day parade here. I may join in although I don't think its necessarily a good thing for the environment to release balloons.

I found this video on YouTube that shows my friend Issa talking about Tel Rumeida. It also provides a little history of Hebron and Issa's house where I spent many long days and nights keeping away the settlers, engaging in meaningless and harassing conversations with young IDF soldiers yet meaningful conversations with the Palestinians.

I miss that place!

Hebron Orphanage

Here is a link to a blog that has all the information about the orphanage in Hebron that the Israeli government is trying to shutdown. It also lists phone numbers of people you can contact to express your opposition to this.

From the ISM website...


CPT: Hebron orphanages and schools for 7,000 children ordered closed
April 2nd, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, Reports, Hebron Region

For more information about CPT’s work in Palestine click here

Last night (April 1st 2008) approximately 300 women, including teachers, mothers and students, protested the shut down of their school and orphanages by the Israeli government. This is one of several schools and orphanages serving 7,000 orphans and students in the Hebron area. Internationals, including Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and others committed to non-violence, slept in the school expecting armed Israeli soldiers to come and seal up the doors.

The Israeli High Court have just extended the order by one week. This evening internationals have arrived to stay in the school for the night because no one has seen a copy of the written order. There’s also a presence at one of the boys schools by the men and boys of the community. Sixteen year-old American-born Rabiha Abu Sneineh, an articulate defender of her school and friends who will become
homeless, joined her classmates in last night’s protest. Her descriptive letter to Oprah is below.

Dianne Roe, who works with the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) in Hebron, cried when she was interviewing sixteen-year-old Rabina. Below is a news release distributed by CPT and a letter that Rabina,
who was raised in Houston, Texas, who wrote to Oprah last week.

Sixteen year-old American-born Rabiha Abu Sneineh will join her classmates tonight in facing armed Israeli soldiers if the Israeli army carries out the order effective 1 April closing orphanages and schools funded by Islamic Charities that serves 7,000 children.

Two years ago Rabiha was a teenager in Houston, Texas where she was treasurer of the student council and loved going to the mall with her friends. Her new friends are her classmates at the Girls’ orphanage
school in Hebron. Last year they helped her learn Arabic and integrate into her new surroundings. Now she wants to help them.

Dear Oprah,

My name is Rabiha Abusnineh and I am 16 and a half years old. For the first fifteen years of my life, I have lived in Houston, Texas in the United States of America. I was really happy there because I had everything I wanted. For instance, I had a 3.9 GPA and I had awesome friends and went to a really good school (North Shore High School). But all that changed when I moved to Hebron, Palestine in August of 2006. I didn’t know the Arabic language at all but over time and practice and a lot of repetition I have learned it and become the highest ranking in my class due to endless cooperation from my school.

I go to Al-Shar’iya Secondary School for Girls but it is not just any normal school. It is a school of 650 girls, 500 of them being orphans that depend on the school for a place to study, to eat, to sleep, to
get treated if they’re sick, to get school supplies, and probably every other necessity they need to live. And now for some reason the Israeli Occupation wants to close it down along with its other branches that include a school for orphaned boys and an elementary school for orphaned children. What they do not realize is that if they were to close the Islamic Charitable Society which funds these orphanage schools, they would be kicking some of these orphans into the street with no one to care or to spend on them.

They say that these orphans practice terrorism and due to their false accusations they have confiscated all of the properties and the income that are required to care for the orphans and the buses that transport them from their homes to the school and they’ve closed down the bakery that extends bread to the orphans to sustain their hunger and they’ve stolen all the food in the food pantry that contains canned goods and meats for the orphans and they’ve confiscated the warehouse that contains school supplies and clothes for the orphans. I declare that these are not things used for terrorism so why have they taken them? And now they have given the different orphan schools warning to be closed by April the first.

My school and the Palestinian people have done plenty of things to stop this decision that came out about a month ago. We have marched and protested all with out any result. I ask you Oprah as a last resort to please please please help! I am asking you not for money but to help spread awareness on this situation and to help people see that the students of this school are orphans that have lost their fathers or mothers or both and in that lost their main source of income and their main source of love and care. This is not a political situation but rather it is a humanitarian one. Ever since I was a kindergarten in America I have learned that “All men were created equally” and that the American people have “the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. If we were all created equally then us striving for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness shouldn’t differ between Americans, Palestinians, Africans or any one else.

I have been taught to stand up for what I believe in and what I believe has nothing to do with politics because I’ve always been neutral but Oprah by studying at this school and seeing everything that is provided I can not imagine what life is going to be like if it closes down so I will stand by them to the very end until they get back their rights. I ask you Oprah to please respond to this message as soon as possible because there is roughly a week left until the Israeli Occupation decide to carry out their inhumane and heartless plan. I watch your show about every week day here from Saturday-Wednesday and so does practically every other girl in my school. They see you as a source of kindness and compassion due to your help with building the African Schools and your help with a lot of different things. Please help them see that personally by helping them. Again all I ask for is coverage and awareness and hopefully a visit from you. Your reward will be in heaven. God Bless You for you are surely one of my role models and what I strive to be like when I’m older.

Thank you again for being my role model and for any help that you can offer.

Sincerely,
Rabiha Abusnineh

P.S. Please hurry!! God Bless You and all of your staff and crew!

Al-Nakba

The Catastrophe.

Philadelphia is bringing about an awareness about the events of Al-Nakba from March 17 - May 18. A group of local activists formed the Al-Nakba Committee and are putting together many events including a Palestinian Film Festival. If you have time please check it out. I'm sure it will be an enlightening experience for many people.

Salam.

Hopeless Prayer for Peace

I'm sad and disappointed to hear about the attack at an Al Q'uds (Jerusalem) seminary today and that people died because of it. I'm sad that someone felt so oppressed and hopeless that they had to kill others to be heard, to be noticed, to wake up the world! I'm sad that people had to die because the world does not listen. I'm sad that hundreds of people in Gaza are starving to death and living in horrible conditions in which no person should ever have to endure under no circumstance regardless of their race, religion, politics, socioeconomic status, past history and so on.

I'm scared that my friends in Al Khalil (Hebron) will suffer more than they are right now due to this horrible event even though they had nothing to do with it. I'm scared that all Palestinians will suffer because of it; suffer more than they ever have in the past and present.

I'm worried about more attacks on Israelis and that the Israelis who care about Palestinians and peace will suffer. I'm worried that the zionists will use this as an excuse to steal more Palestinian homes and land away from them with the official/unofficial backing of the Israeli government.

I'm feeling a bit hopeless today.
So, I pray for peace.
Insha'allah

peace
salam
om shanti

Supporting Palestine....

It's been 6 months since I last walked on Palestinian soil. Life here has taken over and prevented me from doing a lot of the work I had hoped or envisioned myself doing for the Palestinians. However, it has not made me forget. I miss that place. I especially miss the people there. I've spent this time processing what I learned about the history of Palestine, what I saw, what I experienced and how I want to continue my work there.

It seems that when most people return they speak primarily at local anarchist events, synagogues, churches, perhaps a Friends meeting center, and at local universities. They typically speak about the protests they attended, about being tear gassed, about the horrible violent conditions Palestinians and the human rights workers live in on a day-to-day basis, and about the effects of Israeli occupation. Most get the message out quite well.

This has led me to think about what message I most want to convey when I speak to people. While I don't think the plight of the Palestinians can ever be communicated too much, and although I experienced and witnessed these same types of events, I also experienced another side of daily Palestinian life through the eyes of children that doesn't get told too often. The children made me very proud to be a part of their lives if only for a short six weeks and in turn I want to continue to do more to help them.

Since I volunteered through Art Under Apartheid and formed a friendship with its' founder, Katie Miranda, I decided that this would be the best route for me to pursue. But how exactly will I do this? This is the next step. Katie needs art materials, so I'll be purchasing art materials and sending care packages to her. How often care packages are sent will depend on her needs, the kids' needs, and of course available funds.

We also discussed getting more volunteers to come and run classes or tutoring sessions during the "off" seasons of fall, winter and spring. Those are the times when volunteer availability is at its lowest. One volunteer has stepped up already to provide a couple of hours of English tutoring homework services for the kids.

If you have some free time, preferably 2 weeks or more, contact Katie through the AUA website and get going! If you'd like to make a financial contribution to help send supplies contact me at yogalina5@yahoo.com.

Peace & Solidarity!