Child Prisoners

IDF arresting children on false charges is all to common but it never ceases to outrage me.

Hebron - Ma'an - Al-Hasan Al-Muhtaseb, 12, was released on bail Sunday, when an Israeli military court in Ofer prison ordered his father to pay 2,000 shekel fine.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society appointed ten lawyers to assist in the child's defense, with many of the boy's relatives allowed to be present during the hearing.

"The boy was detained near his family home, and there were no witnesses who testified that he threw stones at Israeli soldiers. No indictment was filed against the boy. This hearing contradicts the 1989 convention on children’s rights which Israel signed in 1991 according to which a minor can’t be jailed with adults. Thus, we demand immediate release of Al-Hasan," said one of the lawyers representing the child.

Heated discussions ensued during the first session of the hearing between the lawyers and the Israeli judge who insisted that the boy’s father, Fadl Al-Muhtaseb, pay a 2,000 shekel fine. However, the child's lawyers had the fine order revoked, with the judge ordering in its stead a commitment from the father that Al-Hasan will appear before the court if summoned.

Al-Hasan’s older brother, Rashid, extended his hand to his brother, but was restrained by Israeli police. The father also was prevented from holding his son, and a heated argument followed with Israeli forces.

The child told attendees that he was not afraid to stand trial before the military court.

On Wednesday, Al-Hasan's detention was extended, with his father commenting "My child was brought to court with both his hands and feet cuffed. He was very scared of the many soldiers around him. It is ironic that the judge extended his detention until Sunday until an indictment is issued against him," he said.

Al-Mutaseb was asked to pay a fine of 5,000 shekels, which was then reduced to 2,000 shekels. "What law allows a child to be tried in court and then asks his father to pay a fine? I will not pay the fine, and you have to release my child."

"This is the law of Israel's occupation," the father said.

The lawyer representing Al-Hassan, Lea Tsemel, handed the child a small balloon from her briefcase for him to play with, which brought laughter to the court room. The presiding judge reportedly attempted to conceal his face when the toy was given to the boy.

Al-Hassan was detained on Monday with his brother Al-Amir, 9, who was later released.

According to article 37 the UN Convention on the Rights of the child, which Israel ratified on 3 October 1991, "The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time."

Zionist Bullies

First off, lets use this little bit of news:

Source: A video obtained by Ynet depicts Jewish residents of east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood during their Purim celebrations singing songs of praise for Baruch Goldstein, a Jewish terrorist who murdered 29 Palestinians 16 years ago at the Cave of the Patriarchs.

Imagine any Pro Palestinian singing songs of praise for suicide bombings, be they in Israel, Occupied Territory or outside the region. Or better yet, imagine a crowd in a Middle Eastern country chanting something, like oh, I don't know...."Death to Israel." It has happened obviously and it has been followed by everything from outrage to threat of war from said nation. Always though, its stated that these things are threats to the very existence of Israel and all its citizens. Always, its implied that these sentiments mean terrorism. Quick, run off and distribute the gas masks!

The settlers in question though, they are clever and imaginative:

The recent documented Purim festivities were reminiscent of scenes from Hebron. The residents adopted well-known childhood songs in order to praise the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs carried out by Goldstein.

And they are brazen.

The video was filmed this past Monday, and shows residents singing and dancing next to their Arab neighbors: "Dr. Goldstein, there is none other like you in the world. Dr. Goldstein, we all love you… he aimed at terrorists' heads, squeezed the trigger hard, and shot bullets, and shot, and shot."

And they are privileged.

One of the leaders of the leftist campaign in the neighborhood, Assaf Sharon, described to Ynet: "The settlers are allowed to hold political activities and aggravating and offensive as could possibly be, and the neighborhood's original residents, who are still a majority there, are not allowed to do a thing. We saw them enter a house, have a party, and play very loud music."

You can see the video at the original source. I'm not inclined to post it here.
While we read this as only in Israel, it isn't. People are treated to the same no matter where you live on this planet. Its okay for Zionists to sling their shit but when it gets tossed back at them, they run and cry. The problem is not that they cry, they can do that as much as they want and yes,even as loudly, even when we don't want to hear it. We can all shut off their chatter.
The problem really is that when they cry, people run to their aid and stand solidly at their side. People and government. Its not nice to fight back. Its not politically correct nor morally acceptable. If the cards are played correctly, then it can be trumped up into a full hate crime (in the U.S ). Instigation doesn't matter. They know this and use it fully in the hopes that it will go that far. Reactions is what counts. So they keep coming at people. They put words in your mouth. Lies and more lies follow.
What is more disturbing is that the general public is not educated to discern fact from fiction anymore. So they form a mob on behalf of Zionism, all the while thinking they are fighting racism. Political correctness.

Sure, people are calling it for what it is. The article goes on to mention a call to action in Sheik Jarrah. And that counts. It really does.
What concerns me is the extent that the one sided hate has entrenched itself into our society in general-outside of Israel where innocent people are attacked all too often. And what concerns me even more is that these innocents have the support they may need, but too much of that support is quivering in fear least they become the next victim of the bully Zionist regime.

It should concern most of us, it concerns people who read here, but that concern has to be spread around. We need to make it safe to think again, not just to speak. Being politically correct is just not acceptable as an excuse in these circumstances.

DUBAI POLICE CHIEF MAKES HUGE MISTAKE

Even though the Dubai police are dealing with the most crafty lying bunch of killers on earth, still, the Chief of the Dubai Police has issued this challenge to Israel, which might not have been a good idea, the answer why follows this:

link Dubai Police Chief Dhahi Khalfan on Friday addressed reports that his men had obtained the DNA of part of the members of the hit squad and vowed to resign from his post if this claim proves to be false.

"I challenge Israel to bring the suspects there in order to undergo a DNA test and compare them with the samples we have," he said in an interview to the UAE-based al-Khaleej newspaper. "If it turns out that the results do not match, I will resign. You can lie about anything, but not about DNA," he added.

Hmmm, so you can lie about anything but not DNA? Not too sure about that..........Maybe the Dubai Chief of police should have read this article below, before issuing that challenge:

link Scientists from the Tel Aviv, Israel-based company Nucleix have demonstrated that it is possible to create fake DNA samples and plant them as evidence at a crime scene, in a paper published in the journal Forensic Science: International Genetics.

"You can just engineer a crime scene," said lead researcher and Nucleix co-founder Dan Frumkin

Israel never play fair, never abide by the rules, and certainly, given their past disregard of the law, I would not put it past them to frame innocent people for their murdering crimes. It’s what they do, they are evil………….

Talks a Waste of Time

Fatah:US-backed talks with Israel Waste of Time
A Palestinian Fatah spokesman casts doubt on the benefits of resuming peace talks with Israel after reports that the US-mediated "proximity talks" could start on Sunday.

"There is no benefit from either direct or indirect negotiations with the Israeli government as it continues settlement construction and attacks the holy sites of Palestine," said spokesman for the Central Committee of the Fatah movement Muhammad Dahlan in an interview on Thursday.

He added, "If the American policy is to waste time pretending we are in negotiations as Israel continues to build settlements and claim Palestinian heritage sites, there is no point to go ahead with the talks. We have been sick of the occupation for years, and sick of negotiations since 2000."
Exactly right. The agenda is to waste time while Palestine, its land and the dream, fades forever into the sunset.
Dahlan's comments indicate a split within Abbas' own party on the decision to resume talks with Israel.

Arab foreign ministers, gathered in the hall of the League of Arab States in central Cairo on Wednesday, backed the resumption of the US-mediated talks for another four months.

Syria, a staunch opponent of Israel, declared that the Arab League decision was not reached by a consensus and that it appeared to serve as a "political cover" for a Palestinian decision already taken. Source

I didn't see much improvement without peace talks either. Heritage sites, East Jerusalem, the continuing stranglehold on Gaza, children being rounded up in the night by IDF in the West Bank, illegal setters and their terrorist crimes, deportation of human rights activists, on and on it goes. Its a lose/lose situation. Israel has always been a rogue state. Its actions are not tied into peace talks or lack of.
Peace talks should be a part of BDS. Or they should be conditional. Goldstone Report or nothing. These are just words. The fact is, its just a game, a very shallow one. I'm not sure that anybody actually has hope that progress will be made. I can't see the tide turning at all as the result of peace talks. I don't see a return of heritage sites as an example. Once a pit bull has its jaws clamped tight, it doesn't let go. Same difference.

On another topic I'm actually pretty angry today. It isn't an event that triggers the anger. Its the fact that I live in a country that monetarily condones hate crimes and war crimes (and that goes through the charade of peace talks to buy Israel time). Its the fact Israel gets enough money from U.S tax payer dollars that is ample enough to help pay off foreclosed property or send a kid to college or feed a family on the welfare, not just a one time token gift to Israel but seemingly infinite.
For every unemployed American that I see on the street wearing a sandwich sign asking for work- a daily occurrence- people who were professionals only a year ago, holding out their resumes for Christs sake, I see a hungry American child and an Israeli glutton.
Can it end? Americans are not empowered. We fool ourselves alot into thinking that we are but we are not. Some are even just plain old stupid. But we do not deserve to suffer so that Israel can continue thieving and murdering.

Can you imagine what it is like to be Palestinian, to be forced to pay taxes since its lawful, and to know that I am supporting Israel? Its nauseating.

RACHEL CORRIE THE TERRORIST

Israel never ceases to amaze. I have just read the most delusional piece of Israeli fantasy ever printed, and that’s saying something! The upcoming trail regarding the murder of Rachel Corrie has the Zionist Religious Fanatic Nut jobs in a dither, they are dragging out the smear brush to demonize Rachel and her Family, whilst polishing the “Chosen Ones Halo” (or should I say Horns!) of the IDF killer who ruthlessly murdered her.

First, it’s all about the victim. No, not the real victim Rachel, but of course, poor little Israel:

The city of Haifa is still recovering from the trauma of the summer of 2006, when it, along with the rest of northern Israel, was targeted by thousands of Katyusha rockets, fired from southern Lebanon by Hizbullah terrorists.

And there’s the first piece of insanity, “still hasn’t “recovered” from 2006” Puhleeeeese………….If you want to talk about “not recovering” let’s talk about Rachel, or Tristan Anderson, or Tom Herndall, or the 1.5 million Palestian civilians under siege or 400 dead children in GAZA!

And then Israel informs us that Rachel Corrie was not a victim, but rather a “clueless” Terrorist, and her parents support terrorism and are described as the following:

“A two-person anti-Israel propaganda SWAT team”

And not only THAT, but it’s all Rachel’s fault she was killed, not the ignoramus bloodthirsty Zionist who drove the 49 TON Caterpillar killing machine right smack over her small body and murdered her. The IDF have a glowing love for their big 49 ton Ethnic Cleansing Killing machines. They even named them “Teddy Bear” and unfortunately for poor innocent Rachel, Israel ensured she received a big “Teddy Bear Hug” to remember.”

An armored IDF Caterpillar D9R bulldozer, nicknamed "דובי" (Teddy bear) in Israel.
Its armor allows it to work under heavy fire

Let’s continue on with this Israeli fantasy: Did you know that it was not an IDF cowardly scumbag who killed Rachel, according to “Israel” it was the “Palestinians “who killed her. How is that you say? Why Israel has this all figured out:

Corrie died after being taken away for care in a Palestinian medical facility, possibly from medical incompetence.

And now more insults and smears to follow:

Rachel Corrie, you may recall, was a clueless American-flag-burning undergraduate from Evergreen State College in Washington. Urged on by her radical professors, she decided to join the missions organized by the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). She and her comrades were sent off to the "occupied territories" to assist Palestinian terrorist groups.

ISM openly endorses Palestinian "armed struggle" against Israel - which in realistic terms means terrorism against Jews. It was the goal of Corrie and her friends to stop Israeli anti-terror operations - an act that by its very implication would have made it easier for Hamas and its clones to murder Israeli civilians

Gee that’s funny, I just read the ISM’s page here and found only references to “unarmed resistance and peaceful means” But hey, let’s not let the facts get in the way of Israel’s fantasy story. Now they go after her parents, after insinuating that Palestinians killed Rachel because they’re doctors are stupid. Never mind that many of those hospitals are staffed with doctors from around the world who are tops in their profession. Again, this merely illustrates the inherent racism Israel has towards Palestinians, That, and they will grasp at anything to get themselves off a murder charge:

Corrie died after being taken away for care in a Palestinian medical facility, possibly from medical incompetence.

Since Corrie's death, her parents, Cindy and Craig Corrie, have traveled the planet as a two-person anti-Israel propaganda SWAT team.

Not content with mourning their daughter's tragic death, which resulted from her own foolhardiness, the Corries have devoted themselves to demonizing Israel and supporting Israel's enemies.

Next yet another bit of racism pops out at you in the statement below, note that they felt it “necessary” to mention that the Corrie’s lawyer is an “Arab” gasp!! And as such, he’s automatically a “Radical Activist” this is Zio-Code meaning a terrorist supporter:

The Corries are now suing the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces in Israeli court. They and their Arab lawyer, Hussein Abu Hussein, a radical activist involved in the movement for a world boycott of Israel, filed a civil suit in Haifa court and the first hearing is scheduled for March 10.

And now they add all of us to the terrorist list, see below:

The Corries are also suing the Caterpillar company because it sold the bulldozer to Israel that injured (note the word “injured” is used there instead of murdered) their daughter. They are trying to get terror supporters from around the world to boycott the Caterpillar company for the crime of selling bulldozers.

Next up in the Smear job is another innocent victim killed by Israel, one British photographer Tom Herndall. It’s now his turn to be demonized:

In one well publicized case, an ISM volunteer named Tom Hurndall from the UK was injured in the head while he was serving as a human shield for terrorists engaged in a firefight with IDF troops. Hurndall's family sued Israel in Israeli court

Notice that they didn’t say he was shot by an IDF soldier, which is the truth. Or that he was actually trying to save children who the IDF were shooting at? Or that he was wearing a BRIGHT orange vest (like the one Rachel was wearing when she was murdered) which signifies he was a foreigner and not to be shot at. Nor did they bother to mention that the cowardly murdering IDF soldier was convicted, and that Israel had to pay 1 Million to Herndall’s family, all that was conveniently left out.

And they finish up with an actual letter of “Welcome“ to Rachel’s family. If you ever had any doubts over the inhumanity of Israel this will vanish them forever. Imagine your child was murdered in another country, and the country sent you this letter below:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Corrie,

You are coming to our lovely town to sue Israel, claiming   that your daughter was "killed by an Israeli bulldozer." But you neglect to mention the circumstances under which she was so killed (nor the fact that she died from her injuries while under Palestinian medical care).

You have stated, "She had been working in Rafah with a   nonviolent resistance organization, the International Solidarity Movement, trying to stop the demolition of Palestinian homes and wells."

Homes and wells, huh?  

Well, she was not. Rachel was trying to prevent the   demolition of tunnels used to smuggle weapons for Palestinian terrorists seeking to murder Jewish civilians. ISM openly endorses Palestinian "armed struggle" against Jewish children and civilians and openly collaborates with terrorists. It has hidden wanted terrorists and their weapons in its offices. It is an accomplice in murder. Lying is not the best way to drum up sympathy for your daughter.

You say your daughter died trying to protect an "innocent   house." Again, this is not the truth. That "innocent house" was camouflage for a not-so-innocent terrorist smuggling tunnel, and the residents of that innocent house knew all about the tunnel.
Your daughter was in a war zone as a belligerent, on behalf   of a movement of Arab fascists seeking to destroy Israel and murder as many Jews as possible. Your daughter died while interfering with an anti-terror operation carried out by soldiers in a land in which she had no business being at all.

You demand that we feel your pain at the loss of your   daughter, yet your daughter conscripted herself as an accomplice for those seeking to murder my children. You feel no pain for the scores of martyrs in my own city of Haifa murdered by those same terrorists.

Your daughter put herself in harm's way by challenging a   large bulldozer and positioning herself where the operator could not see her. You know quite well that the bulldozer operator was not seeking to harm her.

You have written, "We had not understood the devastating   nature of the Palestinians' situation." Of course, you have never expressed any interest in the devastating nature of the Jews' situation. The Jews have been battling Arab fascism and genocidal terrorism for a hundred years, before, during, and after the Nazi Holocaust of six million Jews. Your daughter was helping those who perpetrate Nazi-like atrocities against randomly selected Jews.

You smugly praise the propaganda play about your daughter,   which ignored all the other Rachels - the Jewish victims of terror in Israel who were murdered by genocidal terrorists.

Your daughter, and apparently you as well, never had any   understanding of the Middle East conflict. The Middle East conflict is not about the right to self-determination of Palestinian Arabs, but rather about the right to self-determination of Israeli Jews.

For a century the Arabs have attempted to block any   expression of Jewish self-determination, using violence, armed aggression, and terrorism. The Arabs today control 22 countries and territory nearly twice the size of the United States. They refuse to share even a fraction of one percent of the Middle East with Jews, even in a territory smaller than New Jersey.

The Arab countries invented the Palestinian people and their   "plight" as a propaganda ploy in imitation of the German campaign on behalf of Sudeten self-determination in the 1930s. Just as the struggle for "Sudeten liberation" was nothing more than a fig leaf for the German aggression aimed at annihilating Czechoslovakia, so the struggle for "Palestinian liberation" is nothing more than cover for a jihad to destroy Israel and its population.

Your write, "Clearly, our daughter has become a positive   symbol for people."
I am afraid you are mistaken. Your daughter has become a   symbol for dangerous foolhardiness. She essentially committed suicide as an empty gesture to assist murderers and terrorists.

You want the world to mourn for your daughter, who died while   working with monsters out to murder our children. On the pages of anti-Semitic propaganda web magazines you denounce Israel, but you do not have a single word of sympathy for the families of the thousands of innocent Israeli victims of the terrorists with whom your daughter chose to ally herself.

On behalf of the citizens of Haifa, all of whom your   daughter's Hamas friends are trying to murder,

I remain,
Steven Plaut

Now, here is the TRUTH:

NEW REPORT ON GAZA

ECESG Delegation to Gaza
Januray 2010

I need to preface the report below by saying a few things; firstly it is a long report, but filled with important and heartbreaking information, you should read all of it. As our readers will know, we were lucky enough to cross through Rafah at the same time as this EU delegation. Additionally, we were able to shadow the delegation on their meeting with the Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh. On that day, there was a lunch served to everyone, then people moved into a large room so that the Prime Minister could address the EU Delegation members. During this event I had my wee camera with me which also doubles as a video camera, not a great one mind you. However, I was able to position myself crouched down along the side with other members of the press so that I could attempt to video the Prime Ministers speech to the Delegation. My videos are included at the end of this long report. About the videos; the power went off several times during his speech, typical for Gaza. So in the first Video part 1 of his speech there was a long power cut after 4 minutes, so I had to end that recording. But, I began recording again shortly afterwards and continued for 5 minutes until my battery ran out. Still, in the first video after the welcoming comments, Haniyah begins at the 2:40 mark to talk about the Elections in Gaza, how they were told to enter into politics and partake in a Democratic Election that was fair. And they did so, then Part 1 Video ends. Part 2 video is the best of the two, so you are very welcomed to skip the first one if you wish. Part 2 Video continuing on regarding the elections and how the world declared them to be free, fair and democratic. Soon after the blockade came and it was done as collective punishment on the population of Gaza because of who they voted for. At the 3:50 mark it gets interesting. As you will read in the report below, under the section titled "Hamas Perspective" you will read the terms of Peace and a Peace Process that Hamas supports and has continued to support, which, are the very same ones the UN support and the very same ones the US "supposedly" supports. So this begs the question why are they not engaging with the democratically elected Government to work this out? Answer? Israel, as always. Is not interested in peace, but rather in overthrowing, murdering or wiping out democratically elected governments. Even a government that wants peace and are prepared to work with Israel, the US and the EU to achieve these goals. IF anyone would bother to talk to them! Now the report followed by the 2 videos:

Eyewitness Report:
ECESG Delegation to Gaza, January 2010

The Tragedy that is Gaza Today and the Role of the EU

In mid January 2010, the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG) organized a 50-person delegation of MPs, politicians and former ministers into Gaza to witness firsthand the conditions on the ground one year after the 22-day Israeli invasion that laid waste to the Gaza Strip. Our goal was to collect and document the facts, and then return to our respective countries and the European Parliament to push for actions that will bring immediate humanitarian relief and an end to the siege, as well as peace and justice to the Palestinian people.

The itinerary of the delegation included meetings with members from the Palestinian Legislative Council; Ismail Haniya, the prime minister in Gaza; and John Ging, director of operations for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

We also toured the areas most affected by the recent Israeli invasion, including Izbet Abed Rabu, the al-Fakhoura School, the al-Salam neighborhood and the neighborhood of the al-Samouni clan, which lost 23 members during the war. Upon leaving Gaza, we met in Cairo with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abo al-Gheit, Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament Fathi Sorour and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

During our visit to Gaza, the delegation corroborated much of what has been documented by international organizations ranging from bodies of the United Nations to Oxfam and Amnesty International. In addition to touring the most damaged areas of Gaza, the ECESG delegation met with a variety of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that outlined the challenges they are facing in helping the people of Gaza. Among the conditions we observed for ourselves, as well as discussed with the NGOS, were acute crises in a number of sectors vital to community and family life.

Destruction of Homes

The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. More than 15,000 homes sustained significant damage during the attack, displacing 100,000 Palestinians. Today, as described o the delegation by Ibrahim Radwan, a spokesperson for the Engineering Syndicate in Gaza, it’s estimated that nearly 3,000 homes still need major repairs, and about 3,540 need complete rebuilding. This is to say nothing of the backlog of homes severely damaged in previous military actions, houses left half-built due to lack of materials, and previously existing properties condemned as unhygienic or unsafe to live in.

During its tour of the Gaza Strip, particularly the northern areas, the ECESG delegation observed many examples of the impact of this destruction of shelter, a basic requirement for survival.

“I was immediately struck by the desperate condition of the inhabitants of Izbet Abed Rabu, a small village we visited in northeastern Gaza. Some 300-400 houses, a factory and farmland had been completely razed to the ground. Apart from the fact that a considerable amount of the rubble had obviously been removed, all that was left could only be described as a bomb site through which I had to pick my way carefully. We met a family who were obviously living in the most abject of conditions - three or four generations, including an old lady who was said to be over 100, living in a tent without washing facilities of any kind and only a makeshift fire on the ground for cooking.” – Colin Low, member of the British House of Lords and president of the European Blind Union

A little talked-about aspect of the Israeli destruction during Cast Lead was the evidence seen by the delegation of systematic and targeted shooting by Israeli forces below many windowsills in the refugee camps we visited. The significance of this is twofold: First, the lack of evidence of physical assault or use of heavy-calibre weapons on the vast majority of the targeted buildings suggests that the attacks were not designed to rout an enemy but rather, to provide cover for advancing Israeli forces. The use of such unwarranted firing upon civilian buildings (which could easily penetrate the structures) indicates a deliberate breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention that was missed by the Goldstone Report. Second, it also corroborates reports documented by Israeli NGOs (such as Breaking the Silence) of Israeli forces placing a higher premium on force protection than allowed under international law and using of live ammunition to intimidate the local population.

During our tour of the most destroyed areas of Gaza, we met with the al-Samouni extended family, which lost 23 of its 48 members and was one of the featured case studies in the Goldstone Report. The Israeli ground offensive reached the al-Samouni neighborhood, a mostly rural area just south of Gaza City, around 4 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2009. In addition to the ground forces moving in from the east, it is believed that troops arrived by helicopter and landed on the roofs of several houses in the area. That is when their heartbreaking ordeal began.

One of the first houses to be targeted was the home of Ateya Helmi al-Samouni, 45, and his wife (who shared their story with the delegation) and their four children. Faraj, the 22-year-old son, had already run into Israeli soldiers as he stepped outside the house to warn his neighbors that their roof was burning. The soldiers entered Ateya al-Samouni’s house by force, after throwing an explosive device. In the midst of the smoke, fire and noise, Ateya al-Samouni stepped forward, his arms raised, and declared that he was the owner of the house. The soldiers shot him while he was still holding his ID and an Israeli driving license. The soldiers then opened fire inside the room, in which the approximately 20 family members were sheltered. Several were injured and Ahmad, the couple’s four-year-old son, was in particularly serious condition.

At about 6.30 a.m. the soldiers ordered the family to leave the house. They were forced to leave Ateya’s body behind, but carried Ahmad, who was still breathing. The family tried to enter the house of an uncle next door, but was not allowed to do so by the soldiers. The soldiers told them to leave the area, but a few meters down the road, a different group of soldiers stopped them and ordered the men to undress completely. Faraj al-Samouni, who was carrying the severely injured Ahmad, pleaded with them to be allowed to take the injured to Gaza City. The soldiers replied using abusive language. Faraj al-Samouni, his mother and other members of the family entered the house of an uncle in the neighborhood. From there, they called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). At around 4 p.m. that day, a PRCS ambulance managed to reach the vicinity of the house where Ahmad was lying wounded, but was prevented by the Israeli armed forces from rescuing him. Ahmad died at around 2 a.m. during the night of Jan. 5.

The following morning those present in the house, about 45 persons, decided to leave. They made white flags and walked in the direction of Salah ad-Din Street. A group of soldiers on the street told them to go back to the house, but the witness said that they walked on, in the direction of Gaza City. The soldiers shot at their feet, without injuring anyone. Two kilometers further north on Salah ad-Din Street, they found ambulances which took the injured to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

The tale of their suffering was compounded by the eyewitness accounts of Mona al-Samouni, 12, who saw her parents shot to death by Israeli soldiers, and Almaza (“Jewel”) al-Samouni, whose mother and six siblings were all killed. Today, like a number of the many other children who witnessed horrific events during the invasion, Mona and Almaza suffer from depression and nightmares, becoming increasingly withdrawn and silent - common ways of coping with tragedies, doctors say.

Al-Haj Sohi al-Samouni, the head of the clan, stressed that the extended family has no political affiliation whatsoever; rather, they are merely farmers. How can these deliberate inflictions of pain and suffering be anything but war crimes? They must be investigated and their perpetrators brought to justice.

It is shocking that such destruction and trauma are still festering more than a year after the invasion. However, despite the end of active combat, Israel has continued and even tightened its restriction on the entry of construction materials into Gaza. Barely four trucks of construction materials a month entered Gaza during the last year, just 0.05% of pre-blockade monthly flows. As a result, spare parts and all kinds of construction materials – cement, gravel, wood, pipes, glass, steel bars, aluminum, tar – are in desperately short supply or completely unavailable, with little or no capacity to produce them locally given both the destruction of local industry and the lack of raw materials, which are also banned under the blockade. During the whole of 2008, for instance, only about 20,000 tons of cement was allowed. Even smaller amounts are allowed in now.

What the people of Gaza desperately need now is a systematic, large-scale reconstruction operation. Piecemeal, temporary “humanitarian” missions that provide tents and other temporary solutions only serve to perpetuate the misery of the people.

Few Places to Teach

This destruction is not limited to homes. Many other structures vital to the Stip’s operation are affected as well. John Ging, head of the United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza talked with the delegation at length about the crisis in the schools, including damaged school buildings, a lack of supplies and children who cannot concentrate due to emotional trauma. As Mr. Ging so eloquently pointed out, the state of the schools will have a significant impact on future peace initiatives: Just over 52 percent of Gaza’s 1.5 million inhabitants are children under the age of 18, so today’s children will be tomorrow’s decision-makers.

Even prior to the Israeli military offensive, said Mr. Ging, the education system in Gaza was already severely weakened by the blockade, impacting the quality of education provided to students. Blockade restrictions have prevented the rehabilitation of aging educational infrastructure and much needed construction of new schools to keep up with the annual increases in student population. Last school year, 82% of governmental schools and 88% of UNRWA schools were operating on a double-shift system in order to accommodate the growing number of students.

During the 2008-9 military offensive, the situation became even worse. Eighteen schools were destroyed and at least 280 were damaged. The ECESG observed two of the schools that were hardest hit in the Israeli offensive. One was the Al-Fakhoura, an UNRWA school targeted by the Israeli army on Jan. 6, 2009. UNRWA had just transformed the school into a temporary shelter for dozens of local families, who, like thousands of other local residents, had been driven out of their homes by the Israeli army’s military onslaught. One of the four artillery shells struck the house of Samir Deeb, instantly killing him, his wife, three of his children, five of his brother's children and two female relatives. The other three artillery shells exploded next to Al-Fakhoura school. Twenty-seven civilians were killed instantly, and more than 50 were injured.

Under customary international law, it is illegal to target civilian areas, including schools, hospitals and United Nations facilities. The Israeli army claimed that Al-Fakhoura school was targeted because Hamas militants had fired at them from the school. However, an attacking force is obliged to take the necessary precautions to protect the civilian population. Given the densely populated, residential nature of the area surrounding the school, an artillery attack in the vicinity could reasonably be expected to cause excessive civilian casualties. As John Ging, UNRWA director of operations in the Gaza Strip, noted: "It was entirely inevitable if artillery shells landed in that area there would be a high number of casualties."

John Ging also stated that his agency had provided the Israelis with exact geographical coordinates of all UN facilities in Gaza, including Al-Fakhoura school. He refuted IOF claims that Hamas gunmen had fired at them from the school. "I can tell you categorically that there was no military activity in that school at the time of the tragedy" he said. "They were innocent people."

The delegation also visited the American International School, which teaches from a U.S.-developed curriculum that includes instruction in human rights but was almost totally destroyed early in the offensive, killing a school guard. The school re-located and re-opened within just a few weeks of the destruction of its 32,000-suare-feet headquarters, but now must house its 250 students in a rented building of just 300 square feet.

To date, almost nothing has been rebuilt or repaired as a result of the ban on entry of construction materials into Gaza. With the start of the new school year in September 2009, approximately 1,200 secondary students from North Gaza were not able to attend schools due to the lack of space to accommodate them and lack of alternative spaces for educational purposes.

There also is a chronic shortage of school supplies. For 240,199 school students who are not officially classified as refugees and thus not served by UNRWA – constituting more than half the student population – the Israeli ban on the import of paper and other basic educational materials remains firmly in place.

The consequences of a weakened education system, plagued by shortages of space and materials and an environment unfit for learning, are evident in the decline in school attendance and in the performance of students. In the first semester of the 2007-2008 school year, only 20% of sixth graders in Gaza passed standardized exams in math, science, English and Arabic.

The Minister of Education told us that the exam results at the schools are falling since the most-recent Israeli offensive. Even worse, “we were told by psychiatrists that children now routinely ask when they will die…The future of the region depends on the next generation of Palestinian youths, yet they are being severely damaged as each day passes under siege…” – Baroness Jenny Tonge

Living in the Dark

Also making life difficult for Gazans is the extensive damage to the power infrastructure. ECSG previous delegations visited the power plant in Gaza in both March and May of 2009, so we were already familiar with its difficulties in serving the people due to scarce spare parts and rationed fuel supplies. However, during this visit, we witnessed a much deteriorating situation, with disastrous impacts on education and healthcare. While key power lines have been restored, 90% of the people of Gaza continue to suffer power cuts of four to eight hours a day.

The European Union is now actively making the situation even worse. Gaza’s only power plant is dependent in part on shipments of diesel fuel that were formerly purchased by the European’s PEGASE program. However, since November, the EU stopped earmarking funds for the fuel purchase, allowing the Palestinian Authority to allocate the monies as it wishes. This decision, combined with internal strife between the PA in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza, has forced the Strip’s power plant to cut service to more than 50% of residents.

The power shortages make the use of many electrical appliances and devices that we take for granted impossible: refrigerators, elevators, washing machines, water heaters, ovens, computers and phone chargers – to name just a few. Without electricity, children’s schooling is severely restricted, particularly science and computer projects. Likewise, students have difficulty completing their homework while they are cold and have inadequate light. In the healthcare sector, hospitals and clinics revert to hard-to-obtain generators when the power is cut. (Israel prohibits import of generators, making delivery through the tunnels the only option.) However, if a technical failure occurs or diesel fuel runs out, vital activities such as surgeries are disrupted – sometimes with life-threatening consequences.

The people of Gaza do not deserve to live –metaphorically or in reality – in darkness. --Benita Ferrero-Waldner, former European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy

Water: a Crisis of Quantity & Quality

The power cuts also severely impair the ability to access running water – with interruptions in supply a feature of daily life in Gaza, especially for the many people who live in high-rise flats (about half the residents of Gaza City ), where the water must be carried to upper stories using electric pumps . Showering, brushing teeth, doing laundry and washing dishes become impossible. The water and sanitation infrastructure itself was also badly damaged and remains in desperate need of repair – at an estimated cost of US$6 million.

Yet, Gaza’s Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, which ECSG delegations visited during previous trips, tells us that since June 2007, the Strip has been plagued by a shortage of spare parts needed to keep its equipment in good repair. Due to the ban on the importation of building materials, there has been almost no new construction of infrastructure for nearly three years.

The increased pumping needed to access increasingly scarce water has depleted the aquifer and accelerated the salination of the water. In addition, the loss of pressure in pipes means that polluted water from the surrounding ground can enter the pipes, and is then sent straight to consumers when the water supply restarts.

About 90 percent of the water supplied to Gaza residents is not suitable for drinking according to World Health Organizations standards, due to this infiltration of sea water. The WHO reported that at the end of 2008, 28 percent of illnesses in the Strip resulted from poor water quality, and conditions have only worsened since then. In early 2009, about 20 percent of samples from water facilities across the Strip were contaminated at levels that pose a public health risk. In Gaza, diarrhea, an easily preventable disease, is behind 12 percent of young deaths. Likewise, of the 40,000 or so newborn babies born this year, at least half are at immediate risk of nitrate poisoning; the incidence of "blue baby syndrome" (methaemoglobinaemia) is exceptionally high. An unprecedented number of people have been exposed to nitrate poisoning over 10 years; in some places the nitrate content in water is 300 times World Health Organization standards.

Although there are industrial desalination plants, as well as home units, they cannot operate without electricity. The Israeli blockade also prohibits the importation of chemicals such as chlorine, which is used to help make the water safe for drinking.

As a result, tens of thousands of people rely on supplies of clean water provided by aid agencies, and hundreds of thousands more must buy water trucked in privately. The only alternative is to beg from neighbors or lower their standards of hygiene.

Sanitation a Secondary Casualty

Another clearly evident consequence of the power shortages is a complete breakdown of the waste management systems. Ibraheim Radwan of Gaza’s Engineering Syndicate described the impact of raw sewage that flows into the sea and sometimes in the streets, with contaminants leaching into tap water.

An uninterrupted supply of electricity is needed to pump waste water from private homes, carry it to purification plants and operate the facilities. During blackouts, diesel fuel can be used to operate the sewage system. However, the government has been forced to divide its scarce diesel supply between assuring water supply and waste treatment. The Strip’s three purification plants now operate only sporadically. As a result, about 80 million liters of sewage now flow into the sea every day – more than half the daily sewage output of the strip. Half is partially treated and half is totally raw.

Healthcare in Jeopardy

During the ECESG visit, we met with an 11- year-old Palestinian, Loay Soboh, who lost his eyes in an Israeli air strike. One of our members, Colin Low, member of the British House of Lords and president of the European Blind Union, also met with Huda Naim Naim, the member of the Palestinian Legislative Council with responsibility for disability. She is in touch with a number of NGOs representing different types of disability and is endeavoring to set one up to represent blind people. To assist, Lord Low is planning to facilitate a dialogue with the World Blind Union (of which he is an officer) and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (for which he is an executive member). ICEVI and the WBU have launched a major initiative called EFA-VI (Education for All Visually Impaired Children) that is designed to build on the UN's Education for All programme by helping to address the failure to reach visually impaired children.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Al Aklouk, chair of Gaza’s Public Service Association, described how the crises in construction, power, water and sanitation affect the vital provision of healthcare for the blind and others in need.

Since the end of hostilities, most health services have resumed and are functioning as normally as possible within the constraints imposed by the blockade. However, during the frequent period of electricity shortages, the Strip’s hospitals and clinics are forced to limit their services, postpone surgeries and medical tests, and scale down lab services. Meanwhile, the lack of a reliable power supply endangers the proper storage of medicine, blood units and food. Blackouts wreak havoc on medical equipment and computers, and other devices have been destroyed by surges when electricity is suddenly restored.

There also is a chronic shortage of specialized medical personnel and access to training, along with a lack of spare parts for damaged or malfunctioning equipment. In February 2010, the General Department of Pharmacy in Gaza reported that 104 essential drugs --including treatments for cancer, heart conditions, kidney disease and psychiatric disorders -- and 123 types of medical supplies had run out due to the Israeli blockade and ongoing closure of the crossings. Yet referral to other facilities outside the Strip is often not an option. Israeli authorities at Erez Crossing often deny even seriously ill patients permission to exit Gaza for treatment in medical centers in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Israel or Jordan. Between January and July 2009, an average of only 51% of patients applying for access to medical care via Erez Crossing were permitted to exit, while the handling of over a third of patient requests was delayed. These patients were not able to exit Gaza on time and missed at least one medical appointment; 73% were delayed for more than seven days.

Even when these immediate problems are eventually resolved, the legacy of the invasion will continue: Figures from the government in Gaza indicate that around 500 children have been left physically disabled following the Cast Lead invasion. Meanwhile, doctors in Gaza City are reporting an alarming increase in birth defects among women exposed to white phosphorous and other chemicals used in Israeli weapons.

“The white phosphorus that was used by the Israeli army in the heavily populated civilian area of Izbet Abed Rabu was still burning a year after the war.” -- Jolanta Szczypinska, member of the Polish Parliament

It’s Not Just Physical

Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj, president of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, stressed to us that it is critical to consider the mental as well as physical health of Gazans.

The UN Inter-Agency Gender Task Force (IAGTF) published in April of 2009 the results of a household survey on the needs and perceptions of men and women in the aftermath of Israel’s 23-day military offensive in Gaza. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,100 adult men and women across the Gaza Strip in the first week of March 2009. Psychological trauma was consistently rated as a main concern by respondents regardless of gender, region or social group, and psychosocial services were deemed to be a critical need, like food and water, according to the survey.

Among the most vulnerable populations are children. According to a study by NGO Ard al-Insan, 73 percent of Gaza children are still suffering from psychological and behavioral disorders, including psychological trauma, nightmares, involuntary urination, high blood pressure and diabetes. Similar research currently conducted by the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) suggests that the majority of children in Gaza are showing signs of anxiety, depression and behavioral problems, including aggression and bed-wetting.

Osama Damo, aid worker for Save the Children in Gaza, said: "This is a traumatized nation. Many children we work with are not able to sleep at night for fear of soldiers returning. Others cry at the sound of loud noises, mistaking them for military jets and tanks coming to bomb their homes. Young children in Gaza are surviving under extreme levels of stress, which will pose long-term dangers not only for their mental health, but for the future of the region."

Save the Children warns that until Israel's tight restrictions on the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza are lifted and the threat of further conflict eased, the mental health of the 780,000 children living in Gaza could continue to deteriorate.

Dr. Ahmed Abu Tawanheena, director of the GCMHP, has worked with victims of trauma in Gaza for 20 years. He said: "The safety and comfort children rely on their parents for has been destroyed twice in one year: first, during the conflict, when they saw their parents terrified and unable to protect them from the violence. Now, under the blockade, they see their parents are still unable to provide for their basic needs, such as shelter or food. Many children report feeling abandoned by their parents and by the outside world, and parents are left struggling with feelings of guilt. It's a crisis which is threatening families and communities across the Gaza Strip."

Another mental health issue that is reaching crisis proportions as a direct result of the Israeli siege and invasion is domestic violence. The UN Security Council has found that gender-based violence becomes alarmingly pervasive during and after any conflict. The situation is no different for the women of Gaza. According to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), reports of domestic violence cases significantly increased during and after the 2008-9 Israeli invasion.

Nourishing a New Generation

Amal Seyam from Gaza’s Women’s Affairs Center and Abdelkareim Aashour from the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Center described the need to rebuild the Strip’s agricultural sector, to both wean its residents off of handouts and rebuild its industry.

Before the blockade, Gaza had a substantial agricultural sector, with a capacity to grow up to 400,000 tons of produce a year – a third of it for export. Farms also supplied a quarter of Gaza’s food needs. The blockade had already dealt a severe blow to farmers by blocking all exports as well as supplies needed for farm operations. Nevertheless, before Operation Cast Lead, more than 40,000 people, or 13% of the workforce, worked in agriculture.

However, the invasion caused extensive additional damage to the agricultural sector. Tanks and other military vehicles demolished 17% of Gaza’s cultivated land, including 17.5% of olive, date and other fruit orchards and 9.2% of open fields. Farmland was also destroyed by Israeli armored vehicles using it for access routes during the incursion. Greenhouses, livestock shelters, irrigation channels, wells and pumps were bombed or bulldozed. Meanwhile, the blockade prevents the import of replacement materials and parts.

In addition, between a quarter and a third of Gaza’s agricultural land now lies within a “no-go area” (called the “buffer zone” by Israel), which has been officially expanded to 300 meters but in reality extends anywhere between one to two kilometers into Gaza. As a consequence, many farmers have lost their livelihood. Taking direct damage caused by the offensive and the expanded buffer zone together, an estimated 46% of agricultural land has been put out of production.

Palestinians are well known for being generous. Their hospitality is, to some degree, measured by the variety of foods served to their guests. However, today, the population is now dependent on rations or food donations from outside. This loss of self-sufficiency and ability to offer hospitality creates a strong sense of indignity.

“Around 200,000 children are being fed by the UN, but because of the fall in funding from the EU and other sources, as well as the difficulty getting supplies in, it is now able provide only 60 percent of the nutrients children need every day in order to develop properly. The result: anemia, stunted growth, attention deficit disorders, post- traumatic stress disorder, etc.” -- Baroness Jenny Tonge, member of the House of Lords, UK

Employment: Toward Building an Independent Future

Mohsen Abu Ramadan of PNGO, the Palestinian network of civil society NGOs, urged us not to stay focused on immediate humanitarian relief, but to work now for the long-term, independent future of Gaza. For that, industry and employment are essential.

In just the three weeks of the invasion, 700 private businesses were destroyed or suffered serious damage to buildings, equipment or stock, resulting in a combined loss put at US$139 million. In the first three months after the offensive, joblessness in Gaza crossed 40% of the workforce, affecting 140,000 people. An estimated 120,000 private sector jobs have been lost since the blockade was imposed.

While overpriced and often poor quality consumer goods are entering Gaza illicitly via tunnels from Egypt, the highly inflated prices make them inaccessible to many and irregular trade cannot – and should not be encouraged to – sustain economic production. In addition, they are dangerous (more than 100 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives when the tunnels collapse or are targeted by Egyptian or Israeli forces ) and an excuse for delaying peace (due to charges of weapons smuggling by Hamas).

The tunnels play another destructive role as well. Many young people are forced, because they have no alternative employment options, to work in the tunnels and sometimes remain working underground for days on end.

Finding a Solution

Hamas perspective:

During meetings with the parliamentary delegation, Hamas officials reiterated that they are committed to reconciliation with Fatah; an immediate, long-term truce with Israel, in which both sides respect past agreements; and the creation of two, sovereign states along the pre-1967 borders. However, government officials claim, most funds are being channeled to the West Bank instead of Gaza and 80 percent of Gaza’s population is living under the poverty line.

In addition, Hamas seems firm in its willingness to modify its positions – but only in return for concrete progress.

Prime Minister Ismail Haniya also called for all individuals accused of war crimes to be tried in an independent, international court. When asked how Hamas would fulfill the recommendations of the Goldstone report for investigation of possible war crimes committed by members of Hamas, Haniya responded that a commission has been set up, and external lawyers will report back soon, following international standards. Since the delegation’s return, Hamas submitted a 52-page report to the UN, saying in part that civilian deaths caused by its rockets were accidental.

“We find greater than apparent significance in the destruction of parliamentary, administrative and police buildings in the Gaza Strip when we place it in the context of similar actions that have been systematically conducted in the past few years in areas such as Nablus and Ramallah. By destroying the civilian infrastructure for both politics and policing, the Israeli forces continue to undermine the argument they make about Palestinians not being able to be a partner for peace that can deliver security.” –Robert Marshall-Andrews, member of the British Parliament

Arab League and Egyptian perspective

In a concluding meeting back in Egypt, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa observed that despite the early hopes raised by U.S. President Obama’s Cairo speech, there have been as yet no positive, concrete results. Settlement expansion, for example, makes negotiations impossible, he said. They must come to a “full stop,” and negotiations must have a firm timeline monitored by the international community. The alternative, he warned, is a one-state solution!

Mr. Moussa agreed that the Arab League also has not done enough, and pledged to continue to advocate for the peace initiative put forward in 2002. The league has not yet sent representatives to Gaza, for fear of being seen as “taking sides,” but would do so soon, he said. Mr. Moussa ended by reminding us of the EU’s own obligations. It was the EU, for example, that immediately froze funds for Gaza after Hamas won the parliamentary elections, rather than wait 100 days to give the movement a chance to prove the concerns wrong. He called on Europe to boycott all products made in the illegal Israeli settlements.

In final meetings with officials from the Egyptian government, the speaker of the house and chairman of its Foreign Relations Committee told us it is unfair to criticize Egypt for its limited opening of the Rafah Crossing into Gaza. After providing a lengthy analysis of the political situation in the region, Egyptian Foreign Minister Abo Al-Gheit emphasized that Israel is at fault for the siege, not Egypt, and that Egypt would never leave the Palestinians in Gaza without humanitarian aid. However, his bottom line message was this: Egypt will not help the Palestinian people at the expense of Egyptian state stability.

Delegation’s call to action

Despite occasional strong language on the severe humanitarian impact of the blockade, the EU has not translated its words into action. With the United States now admitting it “under-estimated” the intractability of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the European Union must take the lead, alongside the US and other players, to secure an end to the blockade. The EU must resolve to undertake concerted action in the New Year so that the end of Spain’s six-month Presidency in June 2010 does not also mark the third anniversary of a continuing blockade on Gaza.

The delegation issues this call to action, which it will seek to implement through meetings with officials of the European Union and continuing personal advocacy:

• The siege on Gaza must be lifted.
• Any war crimes committed during the last war on Gaza must be investigated, and individuals suspected of committing such crimes should be arrested and tried in international court.
• The PLC should be invited to visit European capitals and to engage in talks with the European Parliament.
• The will of voters must be respected in all future elections, whether or not the international community approves of their choice.
• Violence against civilians should be condemned, from any source and for any reason.
• Fatah and Hamas must reconcile, since the division affects the Palestinian cause as whole. Any unity government they form must be recognized by the international community.

“What is clear to me is that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is very dire, and regardless of the politics of the situation, all parties – the EU, U.S., Egypt, the Arab League and Israel - should take much more vigorous action as a matter of urgency to relieve it. If they do not, a deprived and traumatized generation fuelled by hatred and a desire for revenge will become a ticking time-bomb in the explosive cauldron of the Middle East.” – Nessa Childers Irish MEP

The ECESG (www.savegaza.eu) is an umbrella body of non-governmental organizations across Europe that advocates the fundamental right of the Palestinian people in Gaza to live in peace and dignity without being subjected to any form of collective punishment such as the cutting of supplies of food, fuel and medicine or their denial of free access to travel outside Gaza Strip. The ECESG supports the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in Gaza and lobbies for pressure to be exerted on the occupying power to lift its siege and end the human tragedy there. It urges the participation of politicians and non-politicians alike to honor their duty to stop the suffering of one and a half million people trapped in Gaza under the most inhumane conditions.

VIDEO PART 1
Haniyah begins at the 2:40 mark to talk about the Elections in Gaza,or skip to Part 2 below.



VIDEO PART 2
continued on regarding the elections and the worlds reaction to the elections, then at the 3:50 mark it gets interesting, the terms of Peace and a Peace Process that Hamas supports

Sancti-Money

In my wildest dreams, I could not have conjured this up!

Israel has approved a plan to commercialize the Western Wall by allowing advertising to be beamed onto the bricks. All this time, I thought that such religious sites were to blame for the death and mayhem of Palestinians, but no. It was money. Pure and simple greed.

SourceThe proposal, drawn up by MK Mordechai Hidud, will take advantage of technology being developed by Kfar Sava-based start-up Kotelad. The company - the brainchild of U.S.-born Joe King - has come up with an innovative laser projector capable of beaming high-quality images onto walls, domes, minarets and steeples.

King waxes prophetic on his innovation:

"After thousands of years of just being there, the Western Wall will finally be able to fulfill its commercial potential," King said. "The religious and spiritual center of the Jewish people should reflect Jewish heritage - and thus be dedicated to bringing in a healthy profit."

Jewish heritage=healthy profit? See? Nobody really minds (and as of this writing, nobody is disputing the statement) the use of this stereotype. Further, doesn't this project turn a supposedly sacred "heritage" site into the Whore of Babylon? Where are the sanctimonious today? Where are the antisemitic accusations? If an outsider or " self hating" Jew equated money with Jewish heritage, it would be "off with his head!"
But most of all, this is why we lost Palestine. Not religion. There is clearly no respect for that in Israel, but money.

ISRAEL SUDDENLY NEEDS US

Israel never needed us. They never “really” cared what the world thought of Israel’s actions, never "really" felt threatened by critics of Israel. I find it personally stunning that Israel has the ability to be so blinded by their racist Zionist agenda that they have totally and unequivocally lost touch with the real world living outside the walled Prison they call “Israel.” That is changing:

link Re'ut, an Israel-based think tank, recently completed an analysis of the issue and concluded that "while Israel's delegitimizers come from relatively marginal forces in Europe, their effectiveness stems from their ability to engage and mobilize others. This is accomplished by branding Israel as a pariah and 'apartheid' state, identifying 'outstanding issues' -- such as the 'Gaza blockade,' 'settlements,' 'the separation wall,' 'occupation,' 'disproportionate use of force,' or 'human rights violations' -- and rallying their coalition around it; making pro-Palestinian activity trendy; promoting boycotts, divestments and sanctions; and, most importantly, blurring the line separating them from those that criticize Israeli policy yet do not delegitimize it."

Re'ut points out that "the delegitimizers work 'from the periphery to the center' and 'bottom-up, thriving in social networks and on the Internet. Hence, while in formal policy spheres Israel's diplomatic position remains relatively strong and solid, its standing among the general public and intellectual elites is being eroded."

We must act now to prevent the clouds from becoming a full-fledged storm.

They always operated under the misguided thought process that “the world would soon forget.” However, it now appears the penny may have dropped for some in Israel. And now, suddenly, “we” have become a very important commodity for Israel.

Starting with the most recent, but continued, Gaza Genocide December 2008 to January 2009, the world outside “Prison Israel” watched in sheer horror as the bodies of tiny children began to pile up, one after another, being carried by their running and screaming parents looking for help. Or tiny children, injured, dripping with blood and being carried by Paramedics, with the look of utter shock on their seasoned faces AND our own faces!! We watched the White Phosphorous rain down onto the most densely populated areas, and we waited for the images we knew would surely come, more dead and burned children. We watched as children and human beings were dug out from under the rubble of their former homes, the weight of 10 story structures having collapsed onto them. Sometimes we’d see an arm, or a leg, or a head, that once belonged to a human being appear in the rubble. Many of us wondered, who they were, why their life ended in such a barbaric way. We wanted to know about them, we wanted to know about their families, we needed to know, we hungered to know about them, we did so because it was the only way any of us could make peace with our own selves. Decent people in the world felt we owed them that much, to at least know their names. So that their image would not forever be some nameless charred body in our memories.

All the while the Zionist Propaganda controlled the airwaves. Millions of human beings around the world wanted answers, they wanted to see SOME form of compassion coming from an Israeli Official with regards to the 400 dead children, however, none came. This enraged the world. People wondered how the Israeli mouthpieces could not even bring themselves to even address this in any sort of “humanistic” fashion.

Sure even America is smart enough to know the mileage it can get, simply by issuing an “apology” even if it IS insincere. America just last week apologised for killing 12 Afghans, and for killing 69 more of them here, and 10 more here. America EVEN apologised for overthrowing the Kingdom of Hawaii!! How’s that for some serious Hasbara! But Oh No, not Israel, they are the “chosen Ones” and as such, never have to apologise, because such an act is far below their “Audacity” Radar. Day after day we saw Mark Regev and Tzipi Livni make excuse after excuse for what we were seeing. At times they even attempted to question what we saw with our own eyes! I, for one, will never forget Mark Regev stating day after day that “Israel was not using White Phosphorous” then weeks later he had to “adjust” his propaganda to “Israel does not use illegal weapons” leaving out the most important part that White Phosphorous is never to be used in civilian areas, this being a war crime. All of this was so “over the top” that it angered and outraged millions of people who never before even thought about Israel, or what it is, or what it does, or what its agenda is.

Was Israel worried about loosing support where it had support before? Nope, not Israel, again they don’t need anyone. So they continued on, making more and more settlements, shooting more Palestinians, stealing more land, threatening more countries with war, trying to steal Muslim holy sites, and all the while “claiming” they want peace. And then came Dubai……………..where Israel decided it could appoint itself “Judge-Jury-Executioner” to commit extra-judicial murders, snubbing democracy, the right to trial and breaking international laws. And once again felt it could do anything it wanted, including stealing the identities and passport information from innocent people around the world, in places like France, England, Ireland, and Germany. Dragging these countries and innocent civilians into Israel’s evil crusade against Islam and Muslims. But even that was not enough; they used American credit cards to pay for their crimes, now throwing the US into the dirty mix of deceit and murder.

After a year long killing spree, Israel is beginning to notice something important. Israel is starting to “twig” that a real and genuine problem is surfacing. What they don’t realise is that this “problem” has always been in existence, however, thanks to Israel’s very own actions, it can now thank itself for giving us millions more who now share our cause. The tide has turned for Israel, and although they will mount a new and improved, massively intense campaign to resurrect their racist state, this too WILL fail. Too much has happened, we’ve seen far too much now. For all Israel needs to do is to simply ask one living holocaust survivor if they could ever forget what they saw in Nazi Germany, and right there is Israel’s most grave problem! Just as a genuine Jewish holocaust survivor could NEVER forget the images they saw, neither can we………..

And all the "Hasbara Campaigns" in the world can’t change that!

Because if you were looking for proof our work is paying off, then look no further than this article

Till Return

Who better to help Palestinians free and build Palestine than Palestinians who have reaped the benefits of living in diaspora? We can offer skills, experience and knowledge in nearly every aspect imaginable and harbor an emotional commitment to building a state from the ground up that is perhaps equaled by non Palestinians but certainly not surpassed. What Palestine needs then is US!

My parents generation was far more committed to return in reality. They dreamed the dream because it seemed feasible to them still but we young ones only saw the broken and tormented souls of our elders. We became pessimistic in self defence and then we became complacent. I see this even today, even after Gaza- Palestinian Americans who are more American thinking than Americans. They are very nearly apologists, the "good" Arabs. A friend in Jordan describes the same attitude among Palestinians there.

But this is finally beginning to change.
Palestine’s New Network Written by Arieh O’Sullivan & Felice Friedson
Published Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Palestinians form “Jewish-Agency-style” network to build future state.

When Hanny Elqutub, the son of Palestinian refugees, arrived in America thirty years ago he was focused on carving out a life for himself in Houston, Texas. Palestinian identity was a frame of mind but never something he engaged in personally.

“Sometimes people who went to the U.S. or Europe or South America were running away from bad economics, running away from occupation, running away from political circumstances,” Elqutub says.

But now, the mortgage broker says he and his fellow Diaspora Palestinians spread out across the globe believe they have something to contribute toward the shaping of a sustainable, democratic, secular Palestinian state.

“The American experience inspired me to work towards having the same thing in Palestine,” says Elqutub.

The state of Palestine does not yet exist; the courts are still not working, local government has numerous problems, not to mention health care, education and infrastructure. For the first time, representatives of Palestinian communities abroad have come to Bethlehem to kick-off the independent “Palestine network”.

“Welcome to your second home,” announces Ramzi Khoury, executive director of the Palestine Network. “You are representatives from 23 countries who have chosen to be engaged in building this Palestinian state and not just talking about it. This is a do tank, rather than a talk tank. This is not a political club.”

Of the estimated 10 million Palestinians living today, at least half live in what Palestinians call its Diaspora – away from the region. According to Khoury, the Palestine Network is establishing chapters across the world that will serve as a conduit for professionals, entrepreneurs and intellectuals to lay the foundations for a Palestinian state.

“If you want to build a democratic state you need to tackle all the sectors of that state,” Khoury says. “So doctors need to come down here and revamp our health system, engineers need to come here and help us build, lawyers and judges need to come and help us create an independent judiciary and a state of law, and we need educators.”

The Palestine Network is not just another charity or source of funding. The Palestinians have many economic backers. In 2008, global financial aid to the Palestinian Authority exceeded $2bn, including about $526m from Arab countries, $651m from the European Union, $300m from the US and about $238m from the World Bank, according to the Arab League’s 2009 economic report.

The founding conference, sponsored by the governments of Germany and Belgium, was held in the opulent Convention Center on the outskirts of Bethlehem, hub of Palestinian culture and tourism.

The network’s goal is to use expertise from Palestine’s Diaspora communities to develop the local economy, judiciary, education and health infrastructures in what will be the future state.

With half a million people of Palestinian origin living inside its borders, Chile represents the largest Palestinian community outside of the Arab world. Daniel Jadue of Santiago believes they can help.

“I have been working for the Palestinian cause for about 30 years,” Jadue says. “This is the first time that the Palestinians from outside and the Palestinians from inside Palestine are in the same space discussing and taking decisions like a nation.”

For some visitors who had grown up in a democratic society, the visit to the region brought a stark realization of the struggles the local Palestinians have had to face in the seemingly endless conflict with Israel. All were intensively questioned by security when arriving via Israel and some were refused entry and sent back.

Working with local Palestinians may also prove to be challenging when it comes to allocating resources and aid. A board was chosen to help map out future endeavors.

Nabil Shaath, a minister in the Palestinian Authority and former peace negotiator, says that the amount of money that is expected to come from the Palestine Network “is not going to be significant.”

“But their involvement with their country, their commitment, their networking is going to be an element of strength for the people inside as much as satisfaction for the people outside,” the minister adds.

“I understand that the many people who emigrated are willing to really come back, either permanently or to make businesses and go back again, which is fine with us,” Shaath concludes.

The Palestinian Network is setting up clubs across the world, several each in major cities like London and Chicago. The first club will symbolically be in Jerusalem, headed by Theodosios Attallah Hanna, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia.

Notably absent were Palestinians from Arab states, where an estimated 1.2 million live. Khoury says that club formation there was contingent on Arab governments’ approval, which they hope will come later. Clubs will also be opened in the West Bank and Gaza as well as inside Israeli Arab communities. Non-Palestinian supporters were also welcomed.

Claudia Baba, a Palestinian America from Houston, Texas, says forming a solid base for democracy is necessary for a future Palestine to remain free and accountable.

“Leaders come and go,” Baba says. “But as long as institutions are intact and strong enough to withstand whatever type of leader may come into office, then your chances for a democratic state to last, be viable and to work for all the people are much better.”

The Palestinians are the first to admit they have borrowed from the Israeli experience, which set up the Jewish Agency to build Israel.

“It is a model, why not,” Khoury says. “It was a network like this that established the Jewish state idea. What they did is create all the programs on the ground to bring in Jews into Palestine and create the infrastructure that is still needed for the state of Israel today.”

“Today there are many networks out there which are there to support Israel,” he continues. “Some of them are left-leaning, others are right-leaning. You find them clashing and arguing and they are not harmonious. But at the end of the day they are there to support Israel ...and this is what Palestine needs.”

Michael Jankelowitz, spokesman for the Jewish Agency, says that the Palestine Network is not the first attempt at setting up a worldwide organization of Palestinian Diaspora. He mentioned that even back in 1929 the British offered both the Jews and the Arabs in Palestine help in setting up a national agency that would serve as a forerunner to an independent state.

(Warning! Incoming Hasbara. For Christ sake, can't they just fade into the background at least sometimes?)

“The Jews accepted the challenge and the Jewish Agency was formed, but the Arabs rejected it,” Jankelowitz says adding that previous attempts by the Palestinians to set up “Jewish Agency-like” organizations fizzled.

“But now, if their goal is to set up a state that will live peacefully side by side with Israel, then I say this step is better late than never,” he says.

(End Hasbara)

And like the Jewish Agency, the Palestine Network aims to imbue a greater sense of identity to the members of their Diaspora communities.

“I have always said that culture is a way to demonstrate or prove the existence of a people and that is what we need to prove,” says Odette Yidi, a 19-year-old student from Barranquilla, Columbia. “We need to revive that feeling among our (Palestinian) community that we have a place of origin, that we have a culture and a tradition.”

The week-long conference left participants energized to move forward.

“Our main goal is to build the economy and help build the democratic Palestinian state,” says Elqutub. “We have a lot of expertise in our community. I'm talking specifically on the American side. I was really surprised to see how much expertise and wealth we have in South America and in Europe. We have a number of experts in their fields; doctors, engineers, professionals, successful IT businessmen and they have a big role to play in the future of Palestine.” Source

While the network may seem idealistic (is that my old pessimism rearing its ugly head?), the major flaw being that as long as Israel has control over Palestine, any progress can be bombed or confiscated out of existence, the shift is what is significant. As I said above, too many of us have been complacent, especially in the states. However, without the Right to Return, just how far can we go?

Sleepless In Gaza Video Series Launches Today

I got this via email, please pass it along and watch the videos.

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

On March 1st -- this coming Monday-- the premier episode of a 90 part series, "Sleepless in Gaza...and Jerusalem" will be launched on YouTube. It will be a video diary about four young Palestinian women, Muslim and Christian, two living in Gaza and two in Arab Jerusalem/West Bank.

PINA TV Production camera crews will be covering Ashira Ramadan, a broadcast journalist based in Jerusalem; Ashira's friend in Gaza, the documentary film maker Nagham Mohanna; Donna Maria Mattas, a 17 year-old student at the Holy Family school in Gaza who dreams of growing up to be a journalist, and Ala' Khayo Mkari who works with Caritas in Jerusalem.
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The intention of this series is neither rant nor rhetoric. It is rather an opportunity for all of us, who do not live in Gaza, occupied Arab Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, to grasp how these four young Palestinian women live out their daily lives, precisely because their lives are stories we journalists were taught almost dismissively to think of as "human interest" and almost necessarily conflict driven.

How, as human beings, these four Palestinians can also experience moments of personal and community achievement, and the warmth of friends and family life that in real life is possible even in the most difficult circumstances of siege and occupation.

Each episode runs 26 minutes and will be shot in Jerusalem/West Bank and Gaza, edited and uploaded the same day. So you will find a new sequence six days a week at www.youtube.com/SleeplessinGaza. On Friday, we all rest.

A "Sleepless..." trailer should be up on YouTube by the time you receive this letter. We also have just set up "Sleepless in Gaza...and Jerusalem" on Facebook. It's got such a long URL that Facebookers should note-- just type in “Sleepless in Gaza...and Jerusalem” in the Facebook search and you will be home. We don't have our own domain website yet, but our partners PINA TV Productions' website will serve as such for the time being at www.pina.ps.

This is a personal note as much as it is a press release, so it is going out on my email but after today you can reach us at SleeplessinGaza@gmail.com.

Please pass this letter on to your friends on email and to organizations that believe in peace on earth and good will to all, that they too might spread the word.

Regards,

Abdallah Schleifer