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Celebrities For Palestine – Suheir Hammad her Palestinian blood speaks with her poetry
Suheir Hammad
One of our own #Celebs4Pal Suheir Hammad, a Palestinian poetess, actress and peace activist. Suheir Hamad is a gift to us, to Palestine, to Palestinians, to the Palestinian Solidarity Movement and to the women of the world. Suheir Hammad’s poetry is empowering by her women inner voice.
Over the years we have witnessed the pain of the land (Palestine) we seen her mothers taking their sons to the grave only with their courage and their pride as mothers of the martyrs of the land.
She is Palestinian one hundred percent Palestinian, she takes her blood to the stages of the world. Her poetry is powerful, energetic and even though it is sad poetry, her poetry deliver hope.
“As a child I had this sense that God was a huge poet,” she said. Her father taught her nationalist songs, which she later realized were originally written as poems. She then went on to discover for herself the great
Palestinian poetry has this pain ingrained in its soul, Mahmoud Darwish poetry has been an inspiration for thousands of poets, Suheir Hammad, Palestinian herself, said that his poetry played a significant role in her life and eventually in her poetry.
In ‘Salt of the Sea’ Suheir Hammad walks the streets of Palestine showing her (Palestine) terrible tragedy of being occupied land, “Salt of the Sea’ gives every Palestinian in the exile a taste of Palestine, to the world ‘Salt of the Sea’ gives testimony of an occupy land.
A fact little known is that our #Celebs4Pal Danny Glover, a known American actor was part of the Salt of the Sea production Co-producing of the project.
“The range of international co-producers — including Danny Glover’s Louverture Films — attests to the well-intentioned multinational desire to support Palestinian cinema, and “Salt” has received numerous pre- and post-production grants, including funding from San Sebastian’s Cinema in Motion 3 and the Hubert Bals Fund. Too bad Jacir’s characters are written to explain a situation rather than enjoy an independence of personality.” Variety.com
To understand Suheir’s poetry you need to understand women’s struggles, Palestinian’s struggles and her being born out of Palestinian refugees that even though have found a place in the world to raise a family they never forget Palestine. How could they?
When she read the script of Salt Of the Sea, she saw poetry in it and acted as Palestinians and not as an actress. The film was a success but as Suheir said,
“the film is really marginalized” she explains, “ but it’s also part of a continuum… so now other films that are not that aesthetic or are not that drive will have a chance now, because it pushed the door open. The victory is to see your position as part of the continuum and that’s where the hope is.”
Roddy Doyle, Brigid Keenan, Suheir Hammad, Ahdaf Soueif,
http://globalartscentral.com/suheir-hammad-the-palestinian-poet-born-black/
Salt of the Sea Trailer Trailer
Support Suheir Hammad with her career, her activism and her poetry.
That is the beauty of being a #Celebs4Pal all their success, and their power taken to the stages, at the end their support Palestine with their voice.
In her poems and plays, Suheir Hammad blends the stories and sounds of her Palestinian-American heritage with the vibrant language of Brooklyn to create a passionately modern voice. TED.com
Follow her in her twitter https://twitter.com/yosuheirhammad, and support her directly buying her poetry, attending her speeches and her acting career.
Suheir Poetry at Amazon.com
The only way to support Palestine is if we are strong, for that we must support each other and unfortunately we can not travel the world speaking for Palestine if there is no financial support. We are supporting Palestine when we support our #Celebs4Pal through their art.
Poems of war, peace, women and power
Poet Suheir Hammad performs two spine-tingling spoken-word pieces: “What I Will” and “break (clustered)” — meditations on war and peace, on women and power. Wait for the astonishing line: “Do not fear what has blown up. If you must, fear the unexploded.” TED.com
Al-Shujaeia neighborhood military zone
At least 100 Palestinians and 13 Israeli troops have died across Gaza in the deadliest day since Israel began its operation.
The Spokesman for the Health Ministry in Gaza, Ashraf Al-Qudra, accused the Israeli side of preventing the transport of bodies and injured to hospitals. He told reporters “Israeli forces are heavily firing at and shelling ambulances, civil defense vehicles, as well as civilian homes and the number of those fallen cannot be ascertained amid these circumstances.” He described the attacks since post-midnight Saturday as the fiercest since the start of the assault on Gaza two weeks ago.
A new martyr identified as Zakareya Alashqar, 24 Y, .Death toll is up to 502 . #Gaza Abu Yazan Facebook Updates
He pointed out “there is deliberate, premeditated targeting of civilian homes with mortar shells and air missiles,” and “medical crews are desperately trying to reach the victims”. He added international agencies including the Red Cross are contacting the Israelis to urge them to allow ambulances into Al-Shujaeia neighborhood where the greatest number of victims was reported, “to no avail.” “The Israelis had vowed to destroy this neighborhood completely and considers the area a closed military zone and no one is allowed in.” Al-Qudra said reports of deaths and injuries are pouring in from Rafah, Al-Wusta Governorate, as well as Al-Shujaeia.(end) mt.wsa
Dead and displaced in Shuyaiya neighborhood of East Gaza, updates from Palestinians trapped in the line of fire, have been uploading photos and updates in facebook as the conditions permits.
People fleeing the shelling in the northeast Gazan neighbourhood of Shaja’iya described it as a “massacre”, with many women and children among the dead, said Sky News
Updates from UNRWA office in Gaza put the displaced at 81,000 people whose houses were bombed by Israel missiles since Operation Protective Edge started more than 2 weeks ago.
Distraught civilians are now taking shelter from the relentless violence in 61 UNRWA schools in #Gaza, said UNRWA office, They said to be at least 54 people killed over night. Ten were children – seven boys and two girls. The death toll in Gaza since 8 July has reached 368 people and about 2,295 injured. At least 80 children are amongst the total dead. Official Update on July 19.
According to IDF spokesperson twitter account published at a declassify areal photos of Al-Shujaeia neighborhood, where they said Hamas used civilian infrastructure to throw rockets.
The twitter photo seems as a drawn photo where no rockets can be seen but red dots, that according to the @IDFspokesperson twitter is a rocket site.
Below is the twitter snapshot, judge by yourself, how much credibility Israel have left after killing more than 500 Palestinians mostly children and women.
Iraq urged to end executions amid ratification of death sentences
Posted On December 20, 2012 by Akashma Online News
Source Amnesty International/Huff Post
Death sentences are being flung out after grossly unfair trials relying on ‘confessions’ obtained under torture.
Iraq must impose an immediate moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition Amnesty International said, amid yesterday’s reported ratification of further death sentences.
Iraq has executed nearly 100 people so far this year, a big increase over previous years that has intensified concern about whether defendants are receiving fair trials in a country where the United States has spent billions of dollars trying to reform the judicial system after decades of dictatorship.
The executions in 2012 of at least 128 people, all by hanging, amount to more than a quarter of all convicts who have been put to death in the last eight tumultuous years under leaders who struggled to stabilize a country at war after Saddam Hussein was ousted after US invaded Iraq.
Christof Heyns, the U.N. investigator on arbitrary executions, described the government-sanctioned executions as “arbitrary killing” that is “committed behind a smokescreen of flawed legal processes.” He warned that the ” continued lack of transparency about the implementation of the death penalty in Iraq, and the country’s recent record, raise serious concerns about the question of what to expect in the future.”
He made the remarks in a statement in August after more than two dozen people were executed in one week.
Death sentences for 28 people accused of terrorism-related offenses were reportedly ratified on 17 December by one of the vice-Presidents, the last step in the judicial process. They are at risk of imminent execution.
Earlier this month it has been reported that about 40 death row prisoners were transferred to al-Kadhemiya Prison in Baghdad where executions are carried out.
Iraq has executed at least 129 people in 2012, the highest number since 2005. As in previous years, hundreds were estimated to have been sentenced to death, or had death sentences upheld by the courts.
“Death sentences are being flung out after grossly unfair trials relying on ‘confessions’ obtained under torture,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme’s Deputy Director.
“Instead of carrying out executions, the Iraqi authorities should prioritize fixing its deeply flawed criminal justice system.”
On 16 December, Iraqi vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi and his son-in-law were sentenced to death in absentia for the fifth time in a highly politicized trial by the Central Criminal Court, for possession and use of weapons. They have received four other death sentences on terrorism-related offences.
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Since the death penalty was reintroduced in Iraq in 2004, the death sentence and executions are being imposed and carried out extensively, after procedures that violate human rights standards.
Many trials of those sentenced to death failed to meet international standards for fair trials, including by using “confessions” obtained under torture or other ill-treatment as evidence against the defendants.
Some Iraqi television stations continue to broadcast self-incriminating testimonies of detainees even before the opening of a trial, undermining the fundamental right of defendants to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Amnesty International last week urged the Iraqi authorities to quash death sentences against four men sentenced on 3 December in Anbar province, western Iraq, following the broadcast of ‘confessions’ given while reportedly being tortured in pre-trial detention.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, as a violation of the right to life and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
More than two-thirds of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.
Pray For Us: Father Who Art In Heaven Hallowed Be Thy Name
Posted on December 05, 2011 By Marivel Guzman
The Occupy Movement that it is brewing the Revolution
We know who you are, behind your thick mask of steel, power and salaried labor, you are my father, my brother, my husband, my sister, my mother. You are My Family Stay Human and protect us from harm.
I m speaking as an American Natural of this beautiful American Continent, that for the last 400 hundred years have been hijacked by foreign forces driven by evil spirit. Apparently we have enjoyed peace but has been at the expenses of other nations, see around, the destruction is been done to every spot on Earth.
The conflicts created by our leaders has created an atmosphere of murder and pillage everywhere on earth, the natural resources has been depleted to the minimum sustainable levels, the social and economical chaos is not possible to control any longer.
The time is closing on us, the time for acting instead of praying is necessarily howling in our ears every morning that we wake up and a new “Bill” is enacted against our liberties.
The constitution is an eroding document enacted for our protection, every time that a new “Bill” is signed, one more civil liberty is stripped away from us. We do not need to be lawyers to protect our constitutional rights, our bill of rights.
The time to act is a premium-urgent matter, leave the prayers for night time , the time to act is around the corner, it’s in every Occupy spot in our country.
Some more brave than others have made the switch already, some more desperate for a change than others have started acting in their behalf. Some starving fathers and mother unable to feed their family have taken to the Occupy Spots to try to salvage some crumbs from a lost economy that only enriched the 1 % of our society.
We are not Mad, We are the others, the 1 % that can not stand the inequality any more
We were programed to drive as a robots, just occupied to survive. All the social diseases such alcoholism, drug addiction, poverty, socially engineered poor healthy habits and under funded education were specifically and purposely inadequate to keep you busy and uncomfortably numb.
The unrest is felt every where; in the gas pump, in the supermarket, the University, the factory, the “office”, the coffee shop even in the busiest underground freeways where the homeless live.
Some desperate housewives, nothing to do with soap opera, forced to hopelessly by the banksters and the blind eye of our American Government are adding their misery and their bodies to gross the lines of the Occupy Spots in America, they have nothing else to lose.
After the President Obama economic plan for the rich that was too much, too long, too expected has sparked the social unrest in the US.
I don’t think we have a choice to turn back the clock, we left our welfare unattended for so long, thinking that Uncle Sam would fix our economical situation, we are half responsible for every bit of calamity we are suffering.
Remember that famous Statement: “First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.” by Rev. Martin Niemoller (1937)
We can add up so many negligence acts of pure numbness, and carelessness from our part that pertained to our actual situations, new twist on the wording and we get karma pay right back at us.
“First they came for the Muslims, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Muslim.
Then they came to detain immigrants indefinitely solely upon the certification of the Attorney General, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t an immigrant.
Then they came to eavesdrop on suspects consulting with their attorneys, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a suspect.
Then they came to prosecute non-citizens before secret military commissions, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a non-citizen.
Then they came to enter homes and offices for unannounced “sneak and peek” searches, and I didn’t speak up because I had nothing to hide.
Then they came to reinstate Cointelpro and resume the infiltration and surveillance of domestic religious and political groups, and I didn’t speak up because I had stopped participating in any groups.
Then they came for anyone who objected to government policy because it aided the terrorists and gave ammunition to America’s enemies, and I didn’t speak up because…… I didn’t speak up.
Then they came for me……. and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
By Stephen Rohde, President of the ACLU of Southern California.
Let’s not forget that everything started in America with the erosion of our precious civil liberties, and the taking away by thugs of our privacy rights, with lies and well paid propaganda that was serving the coffers of a war industry, well ingrained in the conscientiousness of our American Society. A industry that worked so laboriously to take away your children, bathed in a faked patriotism since the cradle. The Government become not your protector but the servile slave of the Corporate America, making laws to serve their masters and becoming the prostitute of Justice. “Working for the best Paying Hand” .
It is not a crime to ask for justice, dissent is our right. Use it wisely while you can.
And as our society keep sinking in despair, dropping deeper in the dark hole of abuse by the insatiable greed of the corporate world and the support of our leaders, other hands are reaching out between the mud of desperation, and even if you judge on moral grounds or out of ignorance without thinking that their doings don’t affect your daily life, but their suppression does, it is a sign of the times.
Understanding the rights of others is the basis to guarantee that we keep enjoying our bill of rights and that no government official can design a law to strip that away from us.
And the stripping and the twisting keeps the ladder and the traps and the wording keeps changing and your rights smudging down.
“First they came for the hackers.
But I never did anything illegal with my computer,
Then they came for the pornographers.
But I thought there was too much smut on the Internet anyway,Then they came for the anonymous remailers.
But a lot of nasty stuff gets sent from anon.penet.fi,Then they came for the encryption users.
But I could never figure out how to work PGP anyway,
so I didn’t speak up.Then they came for me.
And by that time there was no one left to speak up.”
For many years they created murders out of us, the world started hating us, because they took decisions in our name and did great damage to other nations, if we could just have acted with Truth, Justice and Peace, we could have other society, more wiser, more equal and less convulsed with war.
Some have escaped from the lethargy long time ago, and they have been giving us strength with their compassion, leadership with their actions, they are an army of peace activists around the globe, they are musicians, writers, photographers, actors, poets, directors, ordinary citizens that without blinking an eye they defend the weak, the voiceless, the poor, the oppressed from every land.
Vittorio Arrigoni RIP, Ken O’keefe in Gaza Strip, Palestine. Song by Agron Belica
First they made us egocentric fools, thinking that we were right to murder, bomb, invade, colonize, exterminate, “democratize”, all in the name of our mighty power. Fools Fools we let them created pariahs out of us.
Now they turn against us, we can not pray any more. How desperate are you? Do you still have “Capital” to invest in their game?. And as we move along, the Occupy Movement keeps growing, even if you do not see it in your silver screen.
We can not turn the clock back but we can help others to wake up, your compassion is guiding you to lead our society to a more humane society, where Truth, Justice and Peace are the Pillars that support us and make our journey easy to navigate to a simpler society where Love is what move us to fight for us, for you, for them for our Blue Dot, our Mother Earth.
And the twist keeps getting closer to home.
Then they came for the middle class but I did not speak out because I was not part of the middle class, and I let them destroy the buffer zone of our economy.
Then They Came for the poor and I did not speak out because I was not poor, and I let them starve them to death, unable to pay their medical bills, unable to educate their children and they converted them in drug addicts, street gangsters and thugs, and they destroyed the left over of the sweet hard masses working class that was supporting the Our Nation On Their Shoulders.
Then they came for the homeless, and I did not speak out because I was not homeless.
Then we all became homeless, right-less, vulnerable to a police-state-Fascist- like society that wants to put us in concentration camps for complaining of our misery. Fools Fools we let them destroy Our American Dream.
Love me as if I m you, compassion is not an alien feeling but a natural state of your mind, let it reign onto you and love everyone and everything that is creation.
Join Us all to into this Incredible Invisible Revolution that is making waves in the consciousnesses of every soul/mind/spirit that it is open to a change.
Remember The Thoughts are manifestations that want to come out to explore the third dimensional bound that keeps you from knowing how capable you are of loving one another, from exercising your compassion for every creature that exist, and with that, brake free to a new world order, where Love is abundant and free to give.
Do not allow the structured social/economical chaos to stop you from freeing yourself and help others.
Stay Human, Peace Be Upon You and Bless All Men of Good Will.
Good evening, London. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration – whereby those important events of the past, usually associated with someone’s death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, are celebrated with a nice holiday – I thought we could mark this November the fifth, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat….. Excerpt from V for Vendetta
Take what it is ours, softly move the wrath of oppression to the sides, do not stumble on violence, is not the way, move ahead to the next evolutionary level of our society. Do it with love.
Love can move mountains, love and compassion can unite us all. Peace To All.
If I m able to preach love and feel that is possible to change my world for a better one then I m in Love with my world, and you are part of my world. Help me to help you, Help you To Help Us All. I can not do without you, because I m part of you, and you are part of me. We are One. Remember!, One Creation!, One Family on Earth!.
Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy Name,
Forgive our trespasses that same way that you forgive us, do not allow us to become numb with injustice.
Give us strength to maintain our focus on what it is important in our lives. Do not allow father that destruction of our Earth, the war waste is polluting every green land, river and tree.
Stop the lunatics war makers, that are corrupting every mind and heart on Earth.
Take away greed to the heavens, and transform into into compassion and make it to rain on every spot on earth.
Take away hate from the hearts of every men and fill it with love and light to make Love not War any more.
Forgive our sins, and accept our deeds as a token of peace. Peace Be On Earth and Above the Sea, under the Sky and in every heart that be.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
International Community of Activists-Heros? No! Just Humans Ken O’keefe
Outstanding Human Beings
Gaza Flotilla Survivor, witness and Peace Activist-Kenneth O’keefe-Palestinian Hero
by Marivel Guzman on Friday, June 25, 2010 at 11:54pm
Some times we rush to criticized some people’s actions, their motives, or goals, and we judge them wrong without even doing little research on their work.
We have in our disposal unimaginable wealth of information in the Net, but the same way with find good resources on a subject, issue or individual we encounter the mighty grasp of the big Paid Media, there is so much debunking information and distrust in the media outlets these days that we tend to disbelief even the most clear ” Truths” but the propaganda machine is so well structured and dress up that most of the time we take the Lie and throw the truth away.
For centuries the power of the word has been the most important assets that humanity has in his favor to give to the new generations the events that shook our world, but also we have a hidden hand that has been manipulating that printed word for centuries, we said that the winners get to right history, well that is absolutely true but also, they have been courageous individuals throughout our history that have risked their lives for us to know the truth.
Activism is an activity that is born from the heart, you can wake up one day and find yourself feeling sad for our world, that moment you find your truth self the compassionate being that we all are if we just wake up to our humanity.
We see our brother Kenneth O’keefe defending peace, human lives, marine life and lately defending Palestine rights and the right of the peace activists trapped in the Mavi Marmara trying to lend a hand to his brothers from the calculated and planned assault of a well trained commands with much passion that we immediately wonder if this person is an actor paid by the Propaganda machine, many have gone to the extremes to dedicate whole blogs to discredit Ken O’keefe, sad but truth.
Well facebook lovers, Peace lovers and Peace haters, this is not the case of our brother Kenneth O’keefe, he is one of those selflessly loving beings that sometimes born in our time, he is a truly a hero and compassionate being of light.
I usually do not use Wikipedia because is come to be a hasbara site, but some information is worth it to read, I know that lot of the wording is misleading, but I appeal to your wise mind to discern the truth, to strip the lies out and leave the facts intact.
I copied and pasted the entire article of Wikipedia of his latest activities as activist, justice seeker and peace lover, and I took the time to research the information found in Wikipedia and checked out if the article was recently created, Nope! pace haters and Israel blind lovers, he is being activist for more than 10 years,and a nature protector as well, the articles are being updated as he is accumulating points to his crusade for pace and protection of the environment. I think his volunteer work as a marine life protector is what he assigned himself to do as a marine soldier, fighter for marine life, but his soul evolved from animal protector to humanity soldier.
Kenneth O’Keefe born July 21, 1969, he is an USA/American born citizen who lawfully renounced to his US citizenship on March 1, 2001. He has since acquired Irish, Hawaiian and Palestinian citizenship.
He is a former U.S. Marine who served in the 1991 Gulf War who subsequently spoke out about the use of Depleted Uranium as a “Crime against Humanity” and the US Military using soldiers as “human guinea pigs” with experimental drugs that were directly linked to Gulf War syndrome.
He is also a social entrepreneur utilizing direct action marine conservation, but he is more widely known as a human rights activist who led the human shield action to Iraq and as a survivor of the Israeli attack on the MV Mavi Marmara who helped disarm two Israeli Commandos.
On January 7, 2004, Mr O’Keefe burned his U.S. passport in protest of “American Imperialism” and called for US troops to immediately withdrawal from Iraq.
He replaced his US passport with a World Passport in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which protects the right to travel and self-determination. Subsequently he proclaimed himself a “Citizen of the World” with “ultimate allegiance to my entire human family and to planet Earth.”
In 1995 O’Keefe earned a scuba diving instructor certification and in 1996 he created a social enterprise ‘to protect and defend the marine environment we operate within”. To date his scuba diving operation has conducted 13 Ghost net recoveries and over 55 endangered Green Sea Turtle rescues of turtles wrapped in monofilament fishing line. O’Keefe pioneered these rescues with over 40 such rescues personally, but he also taught others his methods and ultimately led a campaign to create a Marine Sanctuary (Pupukea MLCD) on the North Shore of Oahu.
In 1998 and 2000 he crewed with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) in anti-whaling and sealing campaigns in which he was mentored by Captain Paul Watson, another great marine life soldier.
In 2000 he became the Regional Director for SSCS in Hawaii, earned a US Coast Guard Captains license and was branded the ‘ecopreneur’ by Skin Diver Magazine, the worlds largest selling scuba diving magazine.
During this time O’Keefe found himself mixing marine conservation more and more with human rights, eventually his involvement in the Hawaiian Independence Movement led to his renunciation of US citizenship and full time investment in the cause of human rights.
Involvement in Hawaiian independence
In 1999 O’Keefe became an active supporter of the Hawaiian Independence Movement and began the process of formally renouncing his US citizenship.
In November 2000 he naturalized as a Hawaiian citizen, served as the Election Commissioner for the Hawaiian Kingdom elections and professed his allegiance to the Kingdom of Hawaii/Reinstated Hawaiian Government.
On November 30, 2000, then Kenneth Nichols was issued with a bench warrant for his arrest in the amount of $11,000, court transcripts proved that this was unlawfully issued and O’Keefe posted the warrant as proof of being targeted by the US Government.
In January 2001 he produced ‘The United States of Hypocrisy’, a scathing indictment of American imperialism that charges current administrations of the United States with continuing fraud in the ongoing theft of Hawaiian national lands.
He also charged the US Government with carrying out an unstated policy of genocide in Hawaii by the measuring of “blood quantum”. In his film former President of the American Indian Movement, Russell Means, claims that only two other nations have used blood quantum to measure blood, “Nazi Germany to measure Jews and Gypsies” and the “Apartheid regime to identify black’s in South Africa”. O’Keefe’s charge in the film is that the US measuring of blood is intended to eliminate Hawaiian nationals by making citizenship status contingent upon a 50% blood quantum. Predictably he says, over time, the Hawaiian people (kanaka maoli) will have diminished blood quantum below 50% and the policy of genocide will be complete, allowing the US to take adverse possession of Hawaiian national lands.
In 2000 O’Keefe authored a resolution that was approved by the Hawaiian Legislature which bound the Hawaiian Government to non-violence (except in absolute self-defense). In 2006 he returned to Hawaii and served as a democratically elected Representative of District 6 in Oahu, serving one year in the Hawaiian Legislature. During that time he authored resolutions calling for the ratification of international human rights treaties in Hawaii, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He also authored and lobbied for a resolution that would outlaw weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Hawaii; that resolution was subsequently approved in June 2007.
[edit] Seeking Political Asylum in The Netherlands
In the aftermath of 9-11, in November of 2001, O’Keefe left his family and business in Hawaii to seek political asylum in the Netherlands, claiming increasing persecution from US agents over his political activities. While the asylum process in The Netherlands provides a process to expel fraudulent asylum seekers within 96 hours of filing their claim, O’Keefe’s claim was determined to require the longer procedure that typically takes several years for a final decision. While in the asylum procedure he lived in a refugee camp in the north of The Netherlands, in Stadskanaal. Initially he represented himself, but eventually he secured the pro bono services of one of the top Dutch asylum attorneys, Pieter Bogaers. Understanding that the process would take years and seeing the upcoming invasion of Iraq he removed himself from the asylum process and initiated the human shield action to Iraq in December 2002.
[edit] Human Shield Action to Iraq
The human shield action to Iraq intended to exploit the greater value put on western life and render the 2003 invasion of Iraq politically untenable by placing the western shields at locations that are legally protected by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Critics of the human shields argued that their mission would only protect Saddam Hussein; O’Keefe however argued that the “people of Iraq” would suffer the most and publicly acknowledged Husein as a “violent dictator” and “mass-murderer”, unsurprisingly he was not greeted with open arms by the dictator when he later arrived in Iraq. At its height about 500 human shields were in Baghdad, but due to challenges internally, with the Iraqi government and O’Keefe’s deportation by order of Saddam, the numbers dwindled to approximately 100 at the beginning of ‘Operation Shock and Awe’.
Despite failing to achieve the primary objective of preventing the invasion, volunteers successfully protected all the sites to which they were deployed (Al Daura Electrical Plant, Baghdad South Electrical Plant, 7 April Water Treatment Plant, Al Daura Water Treatment Plant, Tejio Food Silo, Al Daura Oil Refinery and Al Mamun Telecommunications Facility).
[edit] P10K & International Observers in Palestine
In 2004 O’Keefe founded P10K and attempted to organise a group known as the “P10K Force”, a group of 10,000 Westerners intended to act as international observers in the Occupied Palestinian territories and help bring peace with Israel. In furtherance of that plan P10K secured endorsements from Noam Chomsky, the late President Yasser Arafat, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, the late Tanya Reinhart along with Israeli Refusniks and the overwhelming majority of the people of Palestine.
O’Keefe also sought meetings with leaders within the main resisting factions of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in order to obtain an ‘Agreement in Principle’ that would effect a ceasefire in return for the arrival of the 10,000 international observers within the ‘P10K Force’. Having successfully met with leaders within Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, O’Keefe then managed to clandestinely pass through Eretz and Nisanit Settlement checkpoints on his way to meet with leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza. He was however halted by the Israel Defense Forces IDF at gunpoint in the security zone between Israeli settler and Palestinian Gaza.
Seemingly embarrassed by O’Keefe’s ability to breach Israeli security and enter Israeli settler Gaza, the IDF offered to release him if he signed an agreement stating that he would not attempt to re-enter Gaza; O’Keefe refused and spent 20 days in jail before being deported as a ‘security threat’ based on secret testimony by Israeli intelligence. While in Israeli custody he initiated a hunger strike due to being beaten and denied access to an attorney and use of a phone to call his family.
Free Gaza Movement
In 2007 O’Keefe joined the Free Gaza Movement and in July 2008 he arrived in Greece to serve as a captain and first mate in the transport of two boats to Gaza via Cyprus. The Free Gaza mission was an open challenge to the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Ultimately he was one of the 46 passengers who succeeded in reaching Gaza by sea despite Israeli threats all the way up to departure from Cyprus. The boats arrived in Gaza on August 23, 2008, this was the first time in 41 years that boats had sailed into Gaza, tens of thousands of Palestinians greeted them as they arrived. O’Keefe piloted one of the two boats, the ‘Free Gaza’, into the Port of Gaza.
Aloha Palestine
In the aftermath of the success of the Free Gaza Movement, O’Keefe and Lauren Booth co-founded Aloha Palestine, a social enterprise intending to conduct ‘SafeTrade’ with Palestinians in Gaza. Aloha and Palestine were joined according to O’Keefe’s history of work in both Hawaii and Palestine. The Aloha Palestine mission commits the enterprise to ‘SafeTrade’; defined as ‘The commercial exchange of non-hazardous items that pose no danger to society. Trade conducted transparently and fairly that develops prosperity while fostering stability and building security in the region where it is conducted. Among the supporters of Aloha Palestine are Noam Chomsky, Tony Benn, UK Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet and John Pilger.
Gaza Freedom Flotilla involvement
In June 2010, O’Keefe was on board the MV Mavi Marmara as the Managing Director of Aloha Palestine CIC, a social enterprise intending to conduct SafeTrade with Palestinians in Gaza. In the ensuing Gaza flotilla raid, O’Keefe was among the defenders of the ship and the mission to deliver aid to Gaza. In the course of defending the ship O’Keefe was involved in providing initial first aid to a seriously wounded passenger and disarming two Israeli Commandos. He helped to disarm one commando of his assault rifle and himself took possession of a 9mm pistol from another commando. He removed the “real bullets” from the pistol, giving the bullets to others while hiding the weapon. It was his hope that the weapon could be used as evidence in any subsequent trial. O’Keefe said of the experience that it was like “combat but without combat weapons” and that “We had in our full possession, three completely disarmed and helpless commandos” who were “surrounded by at least 100 men”; “we could have done anything with them.” He said that “woman provided basic first aid, and ultimately they were released, battered and bruised for sure, but alive. Able to live another day.
According to fellow activist Fintan Lane, O’Keefe was severely beaten by security officials at Tel Aviv airport before boarding a plane on 3 June for deportation, and that his injuries were so bad that he had to be hospitalized in Tel Aviv. He later released a video apparently showing the extent of his injuries, which he claimed were sustained from beatings by Israeli officials.
On 6 June, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that O’Keefe was linked to terrorist organizations, that he was an “anti-Israel extremist” whose “goal was to reach Gaza in order to train and establish Hamas commando units. Mr O’Keefe publicly rejected the IDF’s allegations, pointing out “If they had a supposed terrorist in their possession, why the hell did they let me go?” He confirmed that he had held meetings with senior Hamas officials, but added that he had never carried arms for any group: “The only weapons I ever carried were while I was a US Marine serving in the Gulf War.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_O%27Keefe
Kenneth O’keefe Palestinian Hero
Outstanding Human Beings – Huwaida Arraf
Oustanding Human Being – Patrick Macmanus
The New Resistance Thread to Israel – Peace Lovers
Posted on July 08, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
Israel you’re finding enemies in every citizen of the world. The New Non-Violent Movement is causing a roar in your Intelligence and logistic centers, you do not know how to proceed with this “New Thread”.
Peace Activists around the world are holding you by the horns.
Now finally the rest of the world is noticing your true colors Israel, those hues of madness never seen before. For years you managed to escape the public opinion using all type of Propaganda money can buy.
Since you were created Israel using the twisting of history, the invention of stories, the classic victim hood, you surrounded yourself by a untouchable frame of goodness that no one could break. The stream media for years was your best ally disseminating all type of lies conveniently structured to look as unshakable truth.
Oh Israel!, You have succumbed to your own lies and machinations; your own actions are your worse enemy and judge.
Finally “We the People” can see you as the true culprit. You can not deny the truth any longer, as your own behavior have betrayed you.
The peace activists; the compassionate people of the world is your worse nightmare. You have made them your worse enemy. You see them worse than armed militants–armed with cameras and laptops they are more dangerous to you than a loaded rifle or a bomb.
You have your “experts” thinking how to disarm this bomb. But this bomb is different from the ones you make, this bomb does not have red wires to cut, this device that you are so afraid of can not be back engineered.
You can hear the tic tac hurting your ears, you can feel the tic tac ready to explode on your face.
What are you doing Israel? You can not kill them all, you certainly tried, and you have “assassinated” dozens of them. But seems that Rachel Corries seeds are like weed in a fertile soil. You could not had planned for this, your hands are tied up in front of the world.
Now we are laughing at you. You thought you were wining? Right?, you though that you have covered all the lose ends? you did not think that Love was going to kill you, did you?.
Awaken love of humanity have done to you what armies could not do in more than 60 years.
You can stop a few, but you can not stop the world from seen the real you. The whole world is your enemy. How many can you kill?, how many more stories can you invent? How many more resolutions you will ignore before they come for you?
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
It is matter of time that you accept your defeat. You did not see yourself running like crazy, asking the puppets to help you. You did not see yourself with your classic tantrums yelling mad at the world at the signs of global outrage. Did you?
Now the question remains, When?
When will you Israel quietly go to the lines of the story you invented?
The simplest way will be, the same way that you came. Maybe a pen will help you, a few signatures will do. 🙂
Do not worry Israel, the world was fine without you, we will be fine after you go.
Finally we will have peace. You become an enemy of the people. You become a thread to the world.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
The beginning of your End starts Today. The world is standing with Palestine.
Palestine is an undefeated Nation. Her martyrs are fertilizing the soil; with blood, with flesh, with memories, . They defeated you Israel, they defeated you even after their death.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
Do you think the world can forget these images?
You dug your own grave Israel. Every Palestinian massacre added inches to your hole. There is no more PR campaign than can save you from being wipe out of the Map.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
RT crew filmed the arrest of pro-Gaza activists, who were detained for chanting “Free Palestine”. Police in Israel detained several activists who arrived at Tel Aviv’s international airport on Friday to show their support for activists arriving from abroad to take part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Every one of your actions speak a thousands stories against you.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
The arrested protesters arrived in Tel Aviv from elsewhere in Israel. It comes as first Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists are being blocked in their attempts to reach Gaza by air and defy Israeli policies. Many are being stopped at European airports, while two American campaigners have been deported upon arrival in Tel Aviv. The move comes a week after a flotilla of a dozen ships bound for Gaza were prevented from leaving port in Greece.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins.
Israel You lose, We Win. Palestine Wins. Long Live Free Palestine
Israel Target Assassination of Palestinian Leaders and its supporters
Munich 72, 11 Israeli Olympic Players Sacrificed by Israel Unwillingness to fulfill its promise
Jerusalem-born thinker Meron Benvenisti has a message for Israelis: Stop whining
Palestinian Flag Raised in the Spanish Embassy in Athens; Greek court releases American Gaza boat captain
Posted on July 05, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
John Klusmire, the captain of the Audacity of Hope, The US Boat, that had attempted to leave a port near Piraeus Friday in defiance of a Greek ban on the flotilla of boats leaving port.
He had been in custody since he was arrested, and appeared in court Tuesday handcuffed and under police escort. He still faces trial at a later date.
Greece has banned all boats participating in the Gaza flotilla from leaving port, citing security concerns. After Israel in her attempts to stop the Gaza Flotilla II from sailing to Gaza, visited all the European leaders warning their counterparts not to allow their citizens to participate in the coming flotilla. It’s like we say, Israel was caught up with her pants down when last years she killed in cold blood 9 peace activist aboard the Mavi Marmara. She did not wanted to lose face and accept her failure to stop the world for wanting to help Gaza.
According to the international media world that dozens of activists from Gaza Flotilla II, most of the campaigners are of Spanish nationality, they enter in the afternoon “Tuesday,” in the Spanish Embassy building asking Spanish ambassador to intervene in Greece to lift its ban on the vessels of the fleet anchored off the island of Crete and allow it to go to Gaza.
The sources said the activists spoke with Spanish ambassador and asked him to intervene with the Greek authorities and then went to the embassy to one of the balconies, located in downtown Athens and raised the Palestinian flag on them.
In the same context, said French activists were in one of the ships flotilla called “dignity” that has reached international waters, despite the ban, the Greek is on the way to Gaza, carrying eight activist and two crew members to be the first boat to succeed in penetrating the Greek ban and access to international waters.
Some of the activists told via Twitter that the ban violates the declaration of the French, where they returned the ship to the Greek port, to the unwillingness of passengers to sail alone.
Now more than ever we know how powerful the Non-Violent Movement have become, Israel does not understand the dynamics of non-violent combatants, she is just so used to kill at the sight of a rock, or to the fervent manifestation of in-conformity that now when she sees peace activists raising the Palestinian flag and the sign of peace she is disarmed in the eyes of the international community, and has no other choice but to invent blatant lies that will fly in the Media. But we know better not to listen to those old same lies.
Now she has resorted to other means of coercion, International bodies has to come to her aid, the Greek government as her last attempt to win the blessing of the IMF has been subject to be part of the game of deception. But the world is watching and we are not staying silence, those times are over, now Israel has to face the whole world, is not just Palestine standing alone, now we ALL Are Palestine.
The International community of peace activists are reinforcing their camps, the pressure to our embassies and central governments did not wait, their lines are busy, their mail boxes full, the protests around the world is growing in numbers and in force. I doubt that the support for Israel will last much longer.
We must make some memory to revise the old history books, remember the South African Apartheid State could not stand once the world outcry was heard.
To the leaders of the world watch the world moving, evolving away from injustice and inequality. Jasmine Revolution and Egyptian Revolution is a good lesson for you to learn. Wouldn’t you want to Rule a Peaceful Population? Wouldn’t you want to prosper and continue from the podium without being thrown out. You have the choice. Do your duty. Stand with the people.
Israel is lost, we win with Palestine. The chapter is closing for Israel and US is committing the mistake of being the vest of Israel in front of the cameras of the media that have dare to ask the right questions. In Democracy Now; State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland was asked the same question few times, about the legality of the Israel Blockade and she refused to answer, I wonder if these people do not feel stupid later on when they view themselves being the clowns in front of the crowd. And even Hilary Clinton repeating the same lies “Israel has the right to defend itself” and saying that the flotilla is provoking Israel attempting to enter “ISRAEL WATERS”, REALLY?. So now she is sending confusing statements to the press, officials of the white house saying that Gaza Waters belong to Israel!….I hope that she realized that she made a mistake when she said Israel Waters, because as far as the world concern Gaza waters and international waters do not belong to Israel. I wonder if this people is mentally remote controlled or they are warned before they go in front of the cameras, because it is unbelievable. Makes no sense. Why they are selling my country and putting us in danger?
Gaza Siege become Global Affairs; The World Against Israel
Posted by Marivel Guzman
The world saw with outrage and disbelief how the gangs got together to enforce an illegal blockade even by United Nations standards.
And we are taking in consideration the double standards of the body of Shame that the world have suffered since 1945 when its charter was officially signed, but the real world mess started back in 1916 when a few globalists decided to formed what was known as the League of NATIONS. Which is the same clown with different make up.
In September, 1916, Robert Cecil, a member of the British government, wrote a memorandum where he argued that civilization could survive only if it could develop an international system that would insure peace.
We have to give ourselves a pad on the back to the citizenry of the world that by our resistance to the take over and annihilation of our human race we have survived against the organized powers of the War Complex Machine, do not let yourself fool that the regional conflicts staged by the Mafia War around every country in the globe was to bring peace or harmony. Every conflict ever suffered for a group of people, towns, city, country, or continent was always brought upon the people by the same powers that praise themselves to be the saviors, but in the back of the stage they have been brewing the plots to kill the resistance, to kill the dreams of freedom, or independence or and most of the time merely the dreams to live a simple life without the burden of the “Civilized World” as did happen to every indigenous group in the world.
Fools Fools all the armies in the world that lend themselves to raise their hands against their brothers, their sisters, their mothers, their fathers, their land. Fools all the minds that with their soft talking and speeches instill the seed of violence in weak peoples minds. Fools all the people that let themselves be pawns of the Selfish, gluttony of the Mafia Wars. We will be FOOLS if we don’t ACT.
Have you seen your backyard? full of thorns, ravaged by wars, chaos fueled by invented religious conflicts that do not exist but in the flashing silver screen of your TV Set and your History books. There is no such religious intolerance in our world. That was hatched down from some clever evil minds, and fueled by the weakness of the simple people’s mind. All the rhetoric used against us, the ordinary citizens of the world.
We have been played out since immemorial times and time and time again, the resilient force of the people to survive have save us of complete annihilation, Resisting the most cruel forces our world has raised to see. Every time the People have won against their oppressors, their tormentors. Even with the blood shed that our world has seen at the end, we have won every battle, because always the seeds of deception have been exposed.
We can glorify our generals of war, the Presidents, dictators or any official character ever been in power in our History books, but the Heroes that made possible the survival of the race throughout the resistance are the ones that will survive time, and their memories will live forever. We own to them that we still exist. The Seed that was planted in human hearts is compassion, that can not be lost to a bullet, can not be lost in time. We win every time that we survive a battle. The resistance is the wheels that hold our world from being stopped.
We see now ourselves again in the verge of annihilation and again like a bad dream we are waking up to recognize the deception, and we are uniting as a great force against this Monster that have poisoned the minds of few generations, The Zionist Movement Globalist-Elitist Group that sprout like a poison Evvy hydra around the world is watching its demise thru Israel spoil child, that with her tantrums fooled the world for 60 years. But the real culprits the ones that raised this little monster that used the people’s hearts, with victimization of their own race, and portraying a religious intolerance that really never existed but in the books and the TV.
The ones still under the spell of the Zionist Power will realize sooner than later how foolish they were. There is no surprise that great number of Israel own citizens are backing up the Palestinian Resistance, and there is no crime in doing so, because once again the People is raising against the oppressor. There is no crime in dissenting the ugliness of the State of Israel dress up as a sheep, we all can hear the howls of the wolf, we can be fool one time, but not all the time.
Israel abused the leverage she had on the world, and played with the intellect of the people for long time, and she created her own destruction. Israel is dying and swimming in her own mud of deception and lies. She can not control the PR Propaganda any longer, is too late to savage her theater of powerful bully. What it took Israel 63 years to built with Lies and Deceit. The Gaza Strip Illegal and Inhumane siege has to be remember by the Zionist as the spot in the mirror that blur the fake glory of Israel, the 4 years of siege imposed in Gaza Population showed to the world what a sadistic minds were behind Israel creation and imposition to the world.
The own backers of this monster the United Nations Club can not look the other way, when the world is forcing them to do their job, at least in paper, but these reports on the erratic behavior of Israel will be the ones that officially will take her to the bench to respond for her crimes.
In the light of resolution S-9 adopted by the Human Rights Council at its ninth special session,
this report focus on the main international law and human rights issues raised by Israel military
operations commencing on 27 December 2008 and ending on 18 January 2009. It challenges the
widespread emphasis on whether Israeli force was ‘disproportionate’ in relation to Palestinian
threats to Israeli security, and focuses on the prior question as to whether Israeli force was
legally justified at all. It concludes that such recourse to force was not legally justified given the
circumstances and diplomatic alternatives available, and was potentially a crime against peace.
February 18, 2009
United Nations
Human Rights Council
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Richard Falk
/ Read the Report
The Representative of this Body of Shame can pretend doing their job and Israel can even laugh at what she thinks is another blow to our Intelligence, but we are all taking note and getting together. The impunity can not last much longer that it has.
We seen millions of people adding themselves to the resistance to the destructive forces. Do not let yourselves be convinced that Resistance to the war is a crime, don’t be fooled to believe that dissenters are criminals. We all are one voice against violence, against intolerance, against hate, against the Status Quo that was sold to us.
The moment has come to stand up against the enemies of peace. We all want peace. We are fighting against the War. The only enemies of the People are the armies that are brain washed. The soldiers that are thought to fight us, when in reality they are fighting against them selves. Because they are pawns in the game. They are defending the king that do not care for them, and without blinking an eye, the king will sacrifice 6.5 billions souls to himself, even if he knows that he will be the only survivor. What a shame. Forfeit your game, get out while you can. Save yourself, and by doing so, you safe your family, and your world.
Do not allow to be the pawn any more. You are human, forget the tactics of war, that taught you to obey without thinking. You are human and you deserve also to live in peace. All the world in these critical moments are taking charge of our destinies. You see it, be alive to live it.
The Jasmine Revolution is not an accident in time, or the Egyptian Revolution is not the continuation of the people madness, but the contrary, that was the beginning of the global awareness, that is sweeping our world. How many more brothers we want to see death before we all WAKE UP once and for all. How many more Earth destruction we want to see before we all STAND UP FOR US.
Israel may think she is winning this battle, she is wrong. She already LOST. And you saw it in the NEWS..running around like a little brat, making tantrums calling the attention of the people, but no one listen to her anymore. Only the numb and deaf few leaders that think that they will hold to the chair. They also are digging their graves. Do you really think that Greek Prime Minister will survived and stay in power? Absolutely not..according to the NEWS:
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou survived a confidence vote in parliament early Wednesday, winning a gamble on his government’s survival and the danger of a devastating debt default that could spark a financial maelstrom around the world.
Papandreou had called the vote, which passed early Wednesday morning, to face down an internal party revolt and help him pass deeply disliked austerity measures that have provoked strikes, protests and a slump in his popularity.
Lawmakers voted 155-143 for the motion, with two abstentions in the 300-member legislature, sticking strictly to party lines after a heated debate that saw sections of the opposition briefly walk out of the chamber.
Outside, several thousand protesters chanted “Thieves! thieves!” and other anti-austerity slogans, shining green laser lights at the parliament building and into the eyes of riot police protecting it.
Do you really think that even this vote of “Confidence” that he won will apace the people outside? Do you really think that the storm that The Greek government created stopping the Humanitarian Mission to Gaza flotillas will end up just there with a few protests. NO! NO!, is the beginning of the end. Seems that another head is about to fall. The invisible revolution is taking shape stronger by the minute.
Do you wonder WORLD!, why Israel was running around sending memorandums, sabotaging the flotillas, sending fake reports, I mean all the trickery that Israel knows, she used them all at once, when she knew that she could not do the same as last time. So she thought that cleaning her hands will save her from the shame.
Wrong again, this just prove again how low the State of Israel has fallen if it could have been lower. Allow me to laugh. Now she is seeing her being laugh of, is as if the world played a bad joke on her. Because compassion of the world is something she was not thinking of it, she has no heart or think on that feeling. We Win, PALESTINE WIN AGAIN, GAZA WIN ISRAEL LOSE, just watch the unfolding of her destruction by her own hands. We the resistance win again, I know is not over yet, she will fight as a cat feet up, scratching anything and everything that cross her claws, but Israel is sinking.
Ehud Barak, Israel’s Defense Minister, on May 16. Responding to non-violent protests at Israeli borders and military posts, he said,
“The Palestinians’ transition from terrorism and suicide bombings to deliberately unarmed mass demonstrations is a transition that will present us with difficult challenges.”
Even the CIA that shadow of the world, had pronounce her death, CIA gives 20 years. LOL..that is too good to be true for Israel. I give her less than 10, her own citizens the that see the boat sinking are jumping out, they are reclaiming their second citizenship, to have it ready to flee the scene. Go Figure. And you must listen to the Shadow as is she who has been behind the deaths of more than 200 millions people around the world since its creation.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says the idea of “Greater Israel”– the main motto of the Zionist founders of the Israeli regime– is dead.
“‘Greater Israel’ is finished. There is no such thing as that anymore. Whoever talks in those terms is only deluding himself,” the prime minister admitted at a cabinet meeting. Sep 14, 2008
UN was Formed, April 25, 1945, 15 months later
CIA was Formed, September 18, 1947, And 8 months later
Israel was founded, May 14, 1948, 11 months later
NATO was created, April 4, 1949
These 4 entities since its creation they have created more terror in the world, and killed more people than the two Wars Combined.
And United States of North-America, July 4, 1776 sadly is behind all the 4..
Not all the leaders are numbed by the sickness of corruption, fear, greed and power some have stood up against the giants adding their efforts to that of the People.
Audacity of Hope” bound for Gaza early Saturday, July 2. The boat was stopped at gunpoint by the Greek coast guard Friday, July 1, and forced to move to a Military Compound in Athens. Below is her statement.
It was truly inspirational for me to speak to the people at the Boat who had just been faced with death if they would not turn back to port as ordered by the Greek Military. I managed to speak to many of the people on board who were shaken by the events the night before. Despite the setback, all of them felt determined to carry on with the mission of aid and solidarity with the people suffering in Gaza.
This project is the embodiment of hope and it is a powerful attempt to expose the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. At the boat I met people of all ages, backgrounds and colors. All of them had in common a beautiful and strong urge to take selfless action for the greater good of humanity.
Birgitta Jónsdóttir Before Birgitta Jonsdottir became a member of the Icelandic Parliament in April 2009
she worked as a writer, artist, activist, web developer, designer.
We only have one hope to save ourselves once again. STAY HUMAN.
Meet the Peace Activists – Non-Violent Movement has started an invisible Revolution
Posted on June 30, 20 by Marivel Guzman, US and Omar Karem, Gaza
The Non-Violent Movement started by the conscience objectors of the world, the peace and social activists of the world has started an invisible revolution. One revolution that can not be stopped, because can not be seen, can not be attacked with soldiers or guns.
This revolution is the revolution of the ideas, the evolution of humanity where we the people have finally awaken, we can not be duped, lied or entertain with cheap propaganda any longer. We the people are shaping now our reality. We have taken the lead of the affairs of our world, we are walking the path to peace, using Non-violent channels. The governments of our countries are trying their best tactics, intimidation, false accusations incarcerations , and some other methods known too well from our history books, but they know that no matter how much they exert their power over some activists at the end we win.
We have the examples of the heroes of our time; Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Gandhi, John Lennon, Rachel Corrie, Vitorrio Arrigoni and hundreds other around the world that were physically terminated, their message was not stopped with their departure, their message got stronger, it took life in its own, the governments know that once the wheels of revolution are in motion nothing can stop them. And with the peace movement shaping our world in a direction that they did not imagined, they are using their last cards. Now we can not stop we are the precursors of this invisible revolution, be proud of your role in these changing times, be ready.
I know many has asked the same question, when confronted with our new reality, they think that back in the 70’s during the Vietnam war the anti-war grass movements and the many individuals such singers and writers, did not achieved their goal. I say that we live in a different moment in time, first and all we are more mature as a society, the movements are unstoppable, we count with channels that our peace activists of the 70’s could never dream off will exist, we have them, we are using them and we know the tremendous reach of these channels, the Internet has open the doors for us to Unite and get stronger, where our message travel with the velocity of the light.
It is our duty to help our brothers. Enough of waiting for our leaders to “Do” anything, they have never have our best interest in mind.
Thank you all for your participation in this humanitarian mission that is a mission of Love.
It is not easy to embark in this process of peace, it’s not easy to leave your comfort zone and go to the unknown, but we find inner energy and courage to count ourselves in the every growing number of compassionate humans that we are. One day the world will flourish with peace all over, and the men and women that made it possible is you, the world citizen, part of the same family. With your simple thought of justice and peace for all
U.S. BOAT TO GAZA
The Audacity of Hope will sail as a human rights mission to help end the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
The U.S. Boat to Gaza Campaign is collecting thousands of personal letters to the people of Gaza from people like you in the U.S., in an act of friendship and solidarity. These letters will be carried as our cargo on the U.S. Boat to Gaza when it sets sail in June 2011 in the next International Freedom Flotilla “Stay Human”.
Interview with Chris Hedges, author, journalist and former New York Times Middle East Bureau Chief. During fundraising cruise in the New York City harbor on August 5th to raise funds for a U.S. ship to join the next International Flotilla to break the blockade of Gaza.
Hagit Borer (right) moved from Israel to the United States to study in 1977. She became an American citizen in 1992 and is currently a professor of linguistics at USC and a passenger on the Audacity of Hope. She self-identifies as an Israeli Jewish American. Yesterday the LA times published an Op-Ed by Borer titled “Getting on board with peace in Israel” in which she shares some experiences of her youth growing up in Jerusalem as well as reflecting on Israel today.
Here’s a brief segment:
A soldier helped me sneak into the Old City. Snipers were still at large and the city was closed to Israeli civilians. By the Western Wall, a myth to me until then, the Israeli army was already evicting Palestinian residents in the dead of night and demolishing all houses within 1,000 feet. Eventually, the area would turn into the huge open paved space it is today, a place where only last month, on Jerusalem Day, masses of Israeli youths chanted “Muhammad is dead” and “May your villages burn.”
It is a different Jerusalem now. It is not their Jerusalem, for it has been taken from them. Every day the Palestinians of Jerusalem are further strangled by more incursions, by more “housing developments” to cut them off from other Palestinians. In Sheik Jarrah, a neighborhood built by Jordan in the 1950s to house refugees, Palestinian families recently have been evicted from their homes at gunpoint based on court-sanctioned documents purporting to show Jewish land ownership in the area dating back some 100 years. But no Palestinian proof of ownership within West Jerusalem has ever prevailed in Israeli courts. Talbieh, Katamon, Baca, until 1948 affluent Palestinian neighborhoods, are today almost exclusively Jewish, with no legal recourse for the Palestinians who recently raised families and lived their lives there.
In his speech on Jerusalem Day, Yitzhak Pindrus, the deputy mayor of Jerusalem, assured a cheering crowd of the ongoing commitment to expanding the Jewish neighborhood of Shimon Hatzadik, as Sheik Jarrah has been renamed.
every single one of these people on the audacity of hope has a personal story of what drove them to break the blockade.
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Passenger Robert Naiman talks about why he is going aboard the US Boat to Gaza with the Stay Human Flotilla at the end of the month.”I am the Policy Director of Just Foreign Policy (www.justforeignpolicy.org), which works to reform U.S. foreign policy to reflect the values and interests of the majority of Americans so the U.S. complies fully with international law and supports peace, diplomacy, and negotiated resolutions of conflict.. The blockade of Gaza violates international laws and norms in regards to collective punishment against a civilian population—a crime in which the U.S. is complicit. Furthermore, the U.S.-led diplomatic embargo of Hamas is an obstacle to Palestinian self-determination as well as a just and lasting negotiated resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I’m also concerned that the present U.S. policy could lead to yet another war in the region. I’m participating in this mission to call attention to the suffering faced by the civilians in Gaza under the blockade and to press for change in U.S. policy on the conflict.”
Kathy Kelly, 58, co-coordinates Voices for Creative Nonviolence, (www.vcnv.org) a campaign to end U.S. military and economic warfare. Since May of 2010, she traveled to Afghanistan four times, with delegations intent on learning more about conditions faced by ordinary people in Afghanistan, a country afflicted by three decades of warfare. Voices for Creative Nonviolence has been working closely with the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers in search of non-military solutions to end the war. In 2009, she lived in Gaza during the Operation Cast Lead bombing. She was also in Lebanon during and after the 2006 Israeli assaults on southern Lebanon.
- From 1996 — 2003, Voices activists formed 70 delegations that openly defied economic sanctions by bringing medicines to children and families in Iraq. Kathy and her companions lived in Baghdad throughout the 2003 “Shock and Awe” bombing. She was sentenced to one year in federal prison for planting corn on nuclear missile silo sites (1988-89) and spent three months in prison, in 2004, for crossing the line at Fort Benning’s military training school. She and her companions at the Voices home/office in Chicago believe that non-violence necessarily involves simplicity, service, sharing of resources and non-violent direct action in resistance to war and oppression.
Ken Mayers was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps upon his graduation from Princeton in 1958. He resigned that commission at the end of 1966 in disgust with American foreign policy and returned to the University of California at Berkeley where he earned his Ph.D. in Political Science. His doctoral dissertation was a policy analysis of minority business enterprise. He has been a peace and justice activist ever since, at the same time progressing through four successive careers. He taught political economy at Bennington College for six years, then worked in an interdisciplinary “skunk works” at Digital Equipment Corporation for 13 years followed by eight years as an independent consultant. For the past 12 years he has been the director of member relations for two international professional alliances. In the early 1980′s he and his late wife founded the Bennington VT chapter of the Beyond War Movement. In 1986 he joined Veterans for Peace (VFP) and in 2002 he founded the Santa Fe Chapter of VFP. He served on VFP’s national board of directors from 2004 to 2009, including five years as national treasurer. In December of 2009, Ken was part of the international Gaza Freedom March that got stuck in Cairo and protested in Tahrir Square and other Cairo locations for a week. He is currently a member of VFP’s Israel-Palestine Working Group. Ken is a fourth generation American of Jewish descent (non-practicing). His mother’s extended family lost at least 17 members in the holocaust. Ken is convinced that the Israeli government has learned the wrong lessons from those tragic years. He wants to demonstrate to his Palestinian brothers and sisters that even someone in his situation supports their desire for freedom. Since the government of Egypt turned him back from Gaza a year ago, he is determined to try again now.
Flotilla Turned Covoy
Posted on June 22, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
On Jun 19, 2011 the Convoy arrived in Gaza Strip through the land crossing of Rafah Border. The Boat was docket on Al-Arich Port of Egypt and some of the cargo allowed into Gaza.
On June 6, Dr. Issam Mustafa Cordinator of the Mission spoke to- Humanitarian voice
The humanitarian convoy “Miles of Smiles 3” Schedule to arrive Gaza after a week
The humanitarian convoy “ Miles of Smiles 3” left Italy today in its way to the Egyptian seaport of Alexandria, and is expected to reach it by next Sunday 12/6/2011.
Dr.Issam Mustafa, the coordinator general of the campaign, in a statement to “humanitarian voice” ,has reaffirmed that the convoy, laden with medical equipment ,and 4000 packet of milk for children missing in Gaza.
Dr. Mustafa added that the convoy’s organizers will purchase the needed medicines for Gaza from the Egyptian markets, noting that $ 500,000 were allocated for this humanitarian purpose.
He explained that the organizers of the campaign are slated to arrive in Cairo on Wednesday 15/6/2011 and will leave on Friday 17/6/2011, in their way to the coastal enclave.
He went on saying that the participants in the campaign will enter Gaza on Sunday 19/6/2011 and leave on Saturday 25/6/2011,according to the decided program, noting that 72 solidarity activists, from many Arab, Muslim, and foreign countries ,are participating in this convoy.
From his part, Muhammad Sawalha, the chairman deputy of the International Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza and of Advocacy with Palestine , has hailed the organizational efforts of “Miles of Smiles 3” convoy , especially their integrated working and team spirit.
He emphasized that those concerted efforts are progressing in parallel with efforts to launch the big event “Freedom Flotilla 2” slated to set sail by the end of this month.
It’s worth to mention that the participants in “ Miles of Smiles 3” are representing a number of charities from many countries : Britain, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, South Africa , and others…..
Small convoys are easier to manage and if they arrive every month easing the blockade, Gazans will benefit a great deal, specially if the convoys bring medicine and medical supplies that are a scarce products in the strip. And off course will be better that all the cargo will be entering directly to Gaza, so all the product could be bought in the countries of origin of the peace activists.
And still will be better if Gaza Illegal Blockade from part of Israel will be lifted once and for all and allow Gazans to import and export their own product.
Gaza Strip is a beautiful enclave in the Mediterranean Sea and should be a touristic attraction and capture revenues from that industry.
Gaza being one of the oldest regions in the world is worth it to visit, and will be better as a tourist and for pleasure trip. Not that the activists don’t enjoy their stay but the experience will be more rewarding for them and for Gaza.
Their 3 miles nautical fishing enclave is a joke, there is no fish enough to serve this growing population of close of 2 millions. We make a call to all the leaders of the world to pressure Israel to stop this inhumane political punishment.
Palestinians had already mend their differences now is time for Israel to mend hers..There is no need for blockade, the excuse is childish and non sense, because the tunnels are open borders for arms if they wanted to import them, but they are more in need to import basic items.
Do your share and help to raise awareness of this inhumane siege.
Syria Being Victim of a Conspiracy to weaken the Popular Movement
Article by The Truth About Syria
Posted and by Marivel Guzman
Syria is being exposed to a foreign conspiracy, in which some Arab mass media have played a role through deliberate incitement and bias,’ said Ghassan Bin Jeddo
To read the associated article follow the link:
Syria News
The veteran Arab journalist who resigned from Al-Jazeera Satellite TV in protest against its unbalanced media coverage.
Bin Jeddo added, in an interview with the Syrian Al-Dunia Satellite TV, that the aim of the said failing conspiracy was to dismember Syria, weaken its national project and distance it from resistance forces in the region.
The veteran journalist held the so-called opposition in Syria and those who support them responsible for the spilled Syrian blood, asserting that real opposition should never use weapons and violence against the citizens.
Bin Jeddo highly appreciated President Bashar al-Assad’s ongoing reforms which disappointed the conspirators who wanted to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs. Bin Jeddo asserted that his relation with Al-Jazeera is finished because he reached to the point that he couldn’t find himself neither morally, politically nor professionally, asserting that some Satellite TV Channels committed mistakes against Syria not by coincidence, but rather were based on real political decisions to target and harm Syria.
The Veteran Arab Journalist blasted the strategies adopted by some Satellite TV Channels when, for example, quoted eye-witnesses who weren’t present in Syria to eyewitness for the events and who resorted to fabrications and lies.
Head of Al Jazeera TV Station Office in Beirut Ghassan Bin Jeddo resigned from his post a few days ago, as “Al Jazeera has abandoned professionalism and objectivity, turning from a media source into an operation room that incites and mobilizes,” Lebanese As-Safir newspaper reported on Saturday.
Bin Jeddo confirmed this step in an interview with Al Manar website. He pointed out that “the reasons published in As-Safir behind the resignation are true, however they are not the full reasons”, adding that various other issues urged him to take this step that he will talk about its details later.
The Lebanese daily has quoted reliable sources saying that the unprofessional inciting attitude that Al jazeera is adopting at this historic phase in the region is unacceptable.The sources indicated to As-Safir the ethical base of Bin Jeddo’s resignation, as he cannot accept the station’s full coverage to the situation in Libya, Yemen, and Syria, while completely blacking out the crisis in Bahrain.
As for the policy Al jazeera is following on the Syrian situation, the sources clarified that this case is a matter of morals and principles for Bin Jeddo.
As-Safir pointed out that former Al Jazeera journalist supports the Syrian people’s demands; however, he recognizes the important national role that Syria plays in the region.
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The Popular Movements that spread blood and violence in the Middle East and in the Northern of Africa in the last few months have given us a new direction in our World Politics of Control. We seen that dictators supported for decades by the Imperialist Powers of the US and the Club of the UN were puppets with guns, but the Real Power reside not in the castles that house these characters or the elaborated and richly adorned mansions of the puppets, the REAL POWER is in the People.
We saw the POPULAR MOVEMENT raising up from a REVOLTS to a Real REVOLUTION, from the people to the people. The armies of stooges (soldiers, police forces) were overwhelmed by the fierce resolve of the people that tired of oppression, repression, control and starvation broke the silence and took to the streets not minding any more for their security. Once the Fear was contemplated as a control tool and overcome, the next stage was easy, the joy of the Unity that was felt in the streets spread from neighborhoods to Cities to Countries.
We all the makers of the stories, the writers, the photographers, the witnesses and victims of the Revolutions did not needed the CORPORATE MEDIA to give us the NEWS, we saw the stories developed on front of us and we all share it as a personal message, as a comment, as an article, it did not matter the media we used we knew we were Sharing the Truth.
Some of the Revolts, Uprisings and Revolutions that we witnessed were manipulated by the Evil tentacles of the Central Governments of the Regions that took part in the making of these changing times.
Lies in a Wire
Images aired Danmark’s Radio, and allegedly documenting tortured Syrian demonstrators were false.
The images are from Iraq, and are several years old. Danmark’s Radio’s news program the 9 o’clock evening news May 16, aired ‘shocking images’ of Syrian demonstrators, who were being tortured by Syrian Government militias.
Danish state TV admits anti Syrian propaganda based on false images of torture
We heard rumors of paid mafia, mercenaries from Africa, Islamic Jidadists, we were not sure of none of them, only the actors were sure of their role, but something that we were sure was of the Propaganda machine that we know is well used to shape ideas, to twist truths, to instill terror, to label humans, the Corporate Media that has always played a central role in Any story that you see coming from the Box, and now an insider of one of the leading Arab News Outlets tells the world the machinations and lies spread in his own network, but seems that we still have honest writers even if they work inside the propaganda machine.
Chief Editor Thomas Falbe, who is responsible for the section for international news of Denmark’s Radio’s TV-Avisen [the 18:30 and 21:00 news]:
Regrettably the images were wrong. They are not from Syria, they are from Iraq. This is a regrettable mistake, says Thomas Falbe. The mistake will be rectified in the 21:00 hours news tonight
How DR could believe that these old pictures from Iraq were pictures from Syria?
Thomas Falbe: ‘We did what we could to verify the footage and received them from a source we trust’.
According to Thomas Falbe the mistake will have no consequences for anybody.
How an Editor in Chief of a Public Network can say so shamelessly that publishing lies has not consequences, I search the news and compare Quotes, accusations, reversals, publications and I make an opinion of the diverse sources that I research, but Sadly for the world, majority of People read the first News that is serve in their Box and they make their opinion based on that, and as I just pointed out in this article two big networks exposed on the same topic, Syria, caught red handed but what about the countless others news that are Spread as the Truth, and no one care to explore the other side of the story? We the public had been deceived for many years regarding many issues that matters to us. Take this two examples that were exposed at time, and next time that you want to make a point and argue, and maybe writing a blog about it, do not use the first article that you read, do not take the first conversation as truth, please there are many options in this modern times to find the Truth.
Head of Al Jazeera TV Station Office in Beirut Ghassan Bin Jeddo resigned from his post a few days ago, as “Al Jazeera has abandoned professionalism and objectivity, turning from a media source into an operation room that incites and mobilizes,”
At the end of the story even the most credible and best articulated story needs to be filter by you, at the end you are the Opinion MakerOpinion Maker, never believe one source, research deep in the Web. Now days you have better chances to capture the True Story in the blogers mind, and the facebook spaces, we do not serve interest of any kind. We do it for Truth Justice and to achieve peace on Earth. Akashma
We have seen the power of the media shaping our realities, like artisans their Propaganda Machine craft the lies so well with the truth that sometimes you can not really see the story behind. We have had for more than 63 years how the written word and the images on TV gave you the Wrong Idea of Palestine. Only now that we have the social networks and armies of bloggers writing, sharing us the truth is that we know that we were lied, that Palestinians are not “Islamist Terrorists” , Palestinians, Syrians, Egyptians or any other human being that has been struggling for justice are just that Humans that humanity was obscure by the Propaganda machine of the TV News.
Now that we know, we have the obligation to help us all, we have the responsibility to the others the ones that still can not see, we all need to give them guidance, good sources, information leading to the truth. My human fellows we can do it if like Vittorio Arrigoni says in his writings Stay Human.
The honest writers that strive to achieve peace in this world, that uncover the lies, they have to make sacrifices, like Vittorio Arrigoni that he needed to see for himself the crude reality of Gaza, how other way he could have giving us the horrors that Israel inflict in the Population of Gaza, only becoming witness and victim gave Vik the tools to give us the truth. Stay Human was his motto, is the only way to see the truth, to feel the pain of others, if we keep our humanity intact.
Other writers like Bin Jeddo that was forced to give up a well paid job to maintain his integrity as a writer and in the way exposing Aljazeera TV News that for so long was trying to stay afloat to be different from the rest, but at the end succumbed to the money that support the web of journalists, reporters around the world. It is hard to maintain the neutrality when the hand that pays your salary has interest vested in the ‘OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY”, we all try to stay neutral give you unbiased news, but it is our Opinion, be your own Opinion Maker and help us all to shape a better world.
Peace
Love be with you and around you
Akashma
Americans Need to Know More About Palestine
Americans Need to Know More About Palestine
Posted on 28. Oct, 2010 by Marivel Guzman from original Post Raja Mujtaba in Interviews
Interview with Jamal Krayem Kanj: Author Children of Catastrophe
Interview by Elias Harb
Author Jamal Kanj talks about life in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. In his recent book “Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian refugee camp to America”, he provides an account of life from Palestine to refugee camps in Lebanon and the events leading for the creation of the state of Israel.
Jamal Kanj joined me in an exclusive interview to discuss his book Children of Catastrophe.
ELIAS HARB: In your book you convey the personal aspect of the life of the refugees. Can you tell us what inspired you to write Children of Catastrophe?….
ELIAS HARB: In your book you convey the personal aspect of the life of the refugees. Can you tell us what inspired you to write Children of Catastrophe?
JAMAL K. KANJ: The Americans and the West in general are not well aware of the Palestinian experience. On the surface and at an emotional level, they are generally more sympathetic towards Israel, but this is mainly due to their lack of understanding or total disconnect with the human side of the Palestinian story.
Also one must recognize that the peculiar relationship between Israel and the West is deeply rooted in a long history of abhorrent Western anti Semitism culminating in the Holocaust. Hence, it was a mix of sympathy, guilt, and religious institutions in America and Europe which played an important role in shaping the lopsided view towards the Palestine Israel conflict.
Having lived in the US for thirty years after leaving the camp, I discovered that most people tend to switch off when trying to make an intellectual or historical argument explaining the Palestinian position. At the same time, I observed that the majority can better connect and listen when the intellectual or the historical argument is framed within the personal experience. During those 30 years, almost everyone whom I came to know at a social level consciously or subconsciously became more sympathetic with the Palestinians.
To sum it up, the main impetuous for writing this book remains my strong conviction that we, as Palestinians have a powerful story to share with the rest of the world, especially in the West. Throughout the pages of this book, I hope to connect with all those whom I have not, or may not have the honor meeting personally, to share with them the personal aspects of the Palestinian side of the story.
EH: Can you briefly tell us of the British role facilitating the Zionist colonization of Palestine?
JKK: While the World Zionist Organization (WZO) was founded in Europe in the late 1800s, their plan to colonize Palestine did not start to take shape until the 1920s and 1930s. One major reason, up until 1917 and in addition to Palestine, the Zionist movement contemplated other options for this “Promised land” such as Uganda, Cyprus, Sinai and parts of Argentina.
They basically were willing to take any “real estate” property a colonial power was willing to sell them. But in November 1917, and to sway the purported “influential” Jewish opinion in the US on the war (at the time, WZO had very close relation with the German Kaiser and maintained its headquarter in Germany) the British Foreign Ministry issued a letter to a Jewish banker, Baron Walter Rothschild, promising the banker with a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Opinion MakerRead More Opinion Maker Foresight with Insight
Buy The Book in Amazon.com This interview is only little of the great amount of information that you can find in the book, read it make your mind, read the stories of the victims, the refugees that fled the massacres.
“There is no more negligence to the truth when we choose to stay ignorant of our world realities and we take the easiest road and become numb and stay in the dark, Why? because we do not want to deal with our world. We insist that we can not do anything and become piled up with the Rest, the ignorant, the deaf, the careless and eternal whimpers that complain of everything but do nothing.” Marivel Guzman
We have countless notes, articles, books written on the subject “Palestine” we see a glimpse once and while in the evening news and for a moment we become glue to the screen for only for the grotesque pictures, and for the lack of sensitivity as if Palestinians as less than humans. I grew up seeing those images but not in News, no those images where portrayed in sensationalist magazines those that people regard as gossips, how little I knew back then that those stories were the truth, how little I knew that the News were just lies, feed by the propaganda machine. Now I can not get confuse from truth or lies, now I SEE, I invite you to try at least to revisit your memories and analyze what you learn, what you read and try to give Palestinians their humanity back. They were wronged, they were abused, killed, tortured, massacred, they are ethnic cleanse and still there are No News on the Paid Corporate Media about them. Research for yourself, see the picture, talk to Palestinians, they have another story to tell.
I insist sometimes in making distinction in titles, labels given to people, I do not agree with the title because I m American and that title “Americans” tend to generalize, first on the wrong idea that all Americans live in United States, and that All Americans think like their leaders.
Just in the US of North America we are littler over 300 million people and believe we all are one mind of our own and not all are Bad, or corrupted minds, some have make the leap and are awake and know the different from Good and Bad..
Dear Susan Life is Not Fair
Dear Susan life is not fair, and has not been less unfair for Palestinians since the Zionist Movement started at the beginning of the century.
The situation in Gaza is deplorable worse than in the West Bank, and we know that everything that we people of the world wanted to happen for the good of Peace in the world, will only going to be possible if WE THE PEOPLE take the initiative and the lead in our world affairs.
The time has come when we must move the strings of power by the only way that is possible, Economic boycott of the diverse industries that finance Israel development and growth.
Hollywood Movie Industry, Christian Non Profit Organizations, and every product that it is in the BDS list.
The most important is keeping the pressure to our leaders to stop the economic help to Israel.
Raising awareness in our children about the prospects for peace in the world, educating them about the evil enterprise that is the War Complex Machine and they multi-billion dollars money deals they make with Israel.
The only way we will make our governments stop acting with impunity is showing them that we are united, that we are a uni-voice, a strong force growing every day.
That we can not stay silence with their crimes, that we are awake and aware of the situation in Palestine. That Israel is an entity that needs to disappear from the face of the Earth, because is causing great threat to World Peace.
We have sons and daughters, they are our future educated them.
The only way we will make our governments stop acting with impunity is showing them that we are united, that we are a uni-voice, a strong force growing every day.
That we can not stay silence any more nor be indifferent with their crimes.
That we are awake and aware of the situation in Palestine. That Israel is an entity that needs to disappear from the face of the Earth, because is causing great threat to World Peace.
We have sons and daughters, they are our future educated them on the issue of Peace.
Facebook is just one outlet to spread the truth, they are hundreds of this socials networks that we can use to change our world.
We can not just complain that nothing is happening, because is happening.
We are a force growing. Do not let us be just few raising our voices.
Be one peace activist also, reading is good because you are getting informed, then do your part, share the post to other walls, export them to others blogs, others channels, other spaces.
Myspace, youtube,meta cafe,tweeter,digg this,blogerspot,wordpress.com. I can search the net and find maybe thousands of this social networks.
Soon the change will become our reality. Do not be discouraged by the tragic events, we all take lessons and must move on, to our advantage for our behalf, in the name of a brighter future, that for some parts of the world is just Future. They live in the situation of “Be Or Not To Be” where the fight for their life is an everyday affairs.
We ALL are thinkers and able to share our concerns and give ideas of how to do better. How to participate in our political process and our world affairs. Do not let no one dictate you what is good for you, if what you are witnessing is just injustice and struggle.
We can not move on as a society if we permit this type of tragic events pass in front of our News, and Television Set and think and pretend that will never happen to us.
Take your future in your hands. If you do not do, others will do for you. Then you will have no face to complain or time to ACT.
ACT NOW for your future and for change for betterment of society.
Dr Mazin Qumsiyeh and Two other Palestinians Arrested today
Carol Anne Grayson – “This is a quick note that Israeli soldiers arrested Dr Mazin Qumsiyeh along with two other Palestinians early this afternoon local time May 15, 2011 as he was participating in a peaceful nonviolent civil disobedient march toward the Green Line in Al Walaja (one of the many Nakba events taken place today. Many media were there and his arrest was caught on tapes as he was just at the scene peacefully. He is currently being held at the Israeli military compound near Rachel’s Tomb. As this message is being written, I got a call from a friend who was still in Al-Walaja reporting that IDF is firing tear gas at the remaining protest crowd. Some protesters escape to village houses, but IDF soldiers followed into one house and arrested five more people (one Irish, one other international, and three Palestinians) from inside the house.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, and Golan Heights, there were reports that dozens were wounded in many places, including more than 150 wounded at Qalandia checkpoint. Please complain to your government and demand them to stop supporting the brutal Israeli Apartheid regime. Please support and participate the Nakba events around the world today and double the effort of BDS on Apartheid Israel.”
As of now at local time Monday morning 2:00 a.m., Mazin is still being detained. His cell phone battery died as he called to communicate the names and countries of the seven internationals that were detained with him so that volunteers can get help calling their respective country’s embassy (Ireland, USA, Canada, Germany, Netherland.)
Later he borrowed someone else’s phone to advise that all the internationals would be released shortly, but not he and and other Palestinians. For them, he said, maybe days. Advocates are making connections with an attorney. Mazin sounded in good spirit and did not seem to be mistreated. Your calls to the U.S. State Department, Senators, Congresspersons, and foreign governments if you are non-US nationals should also help.
Israeli soldiers arrested Salem-News.com writer Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, a prominent professor who has instructed at both Duke and Yale, along with two other Palestinians early this afternoon local time as he was participating in a peaceful nonviolent civil disobedient march toward the Green Line in Al Walaja (one of the many Nakba events taken place today.)
STAY HUMAN CONVOY ENTER GAZA VIK 2 GAZA -STAY HUMAN
POSTED BY : Omar Karem
May 12, 2011 by
Stay Human convoy: “Let’s go to Gaza!” enters Gaza Vik2Gaza
Sammack Restaurant Hosted The Italian Solidarity Convoy
– The convoy will last six/seven days in order to give the possibility to participate for as many people as possible.
– It will take place between the 11th and 19th May.The exact dates will be agreed in few days with the people in Gaza that will host us.
So, lets start to get ready!
After leaving Cairo this morning at dawn, the 80 activists of the VIK2GAZA convoy have entered Gaza at 4pm after crossing five Egyptian check-points.
The convoy will be Staying in the Gaza strip to meet the Palestinian people who day by day are trying to resist the Israeli military occupation. The convoy will also join Gaza in the mourning of the Nakba, the day of the Palestinian catastrophe, which will take place between the 14 and the 15 of May.
A Second convoy, with over 100 buses, will leave from Tahir square in Cairo, the square that has become the symbol of recent popular revolutions in the Middle East , and will try to cross the Rafah pass on the 15 of May. This is a collective movement that wants to show full support to the fight of the Palestinian people for self-determination, to their everyday resistance against military occupation and to the right of all Palestinian refugees to come back to their land.
On the 21st April, a meeting regarding the discussions and reflections on the murder of Vittorio Arrigoni was held in Rome amongst different activists. From the gathering, the need to organize a convoy to Gaza through Egypt was decided.
Let’s start this process by sharing those points:
80 Peace Activists from Italian Solidarity Convoy Entered Gaza Today
– We want to be in Gaza on the 15th May which is the 1 month anniversary of Vittorio’s death. It will be also Nakba day, when thousands of young Palestinians, as already announced, will go back to the street all over the world to ask for the end of the occupation and also, a new unity and the end of the internal division within the Palestinian authorities.
We want to go to Gaza for different reasons:
– Although Vittorio was killed, it has to be clear that they can not stop the international support for the Palestinian people. Also thanks to him now the international support is much stronger and united against the occupation both of Gaza and of the West Bank.
– We want to give voice and continuity to the work that Vittorio, together with Palestinian men and women was bringing forward. Particularly the independent information that he managed to pass to the world from the besieged Gaza strip. For this reason, we will bring materials, tools and all we need to give life to a Media Center dedicated to Vittorio.
– The Freedom Flotilla will soon sail towards Gaza. Even though the two initiatives are organized separately, the two journeys, both via land and via sea, could reinforce each other to break the siege of Gaza.
Welcome To Gaza
Press release: in the name of Vittorio Arrigoni, the ‘Stay Human’ convoy has entered GazaVik2Gaza
The sun had not yet risen in Cairo, as the Stay Human convoy began to prepare the departure for Gaza. The journey about to be embarked upon was one filled with expectations and hope. The importance of the crossing the border at Rafah following the protests that brought down the Mubarak regime was on the minds of everyone, as well as the desire to remember Vittorio Arrigoni in the same place where he dedicated his life. The convoy will carry a message to the people of Palestine addressed to the entire world: Palestine is not alone, Vik’s dreams are also ours, solidarity towards those who struggle against oppression and exploitation knows no borders.
Ten checkpoints slow the journey, one in particular, blocks it for 2.5 hours in the Sinai desert, with the usual issues, the same from the previous days, about not being able to cross Rafah. The Italian embassy “concerned and ernest” had announced that the convoy would never enter Gaza, but obviously the facts have proved him wrong: we are here!
The Stay Human Convoy now follows in the footsteps of Vittorio, imprinted in the land of Gaza and underscored by the spontaneous affection shown by the Palestinians who welcome our arrival. The Stay Human Convoy breathes in the determination, courage and extreme humility of Vittorio, characteristics that we recognize in the unrelenting resistance of the Palestinian people. For many of us this is the first time crossing the border of the Gaza Strip, a victory for those who never surrendered, whether by land or by sea, to the categorical “Denied Entry”: nothing to see here, no one to meet.
Omar Karem journalist from Gaza Joins the Stay Human Convoy in a day of Jubilee
Once there we retrace Vittorio’s footsteps, in the places he frequented during his long stay in Gaza, where he met the friends that we now meet. To the tunes of Bella Ciao, Unadikom and Gazawi rap, images of Vittorio greet our arrival.
Ciao Vik, Free Palestine.
The Activists take a major role in the future of Gaza, the convoys that have managed to brake the siege will leave their footprints in the live of Gazan, the unknown soldiers as Vittorio Arrigoni and Rachel Corrie can be known, as they without planing their future they marked a different type of soldier for the liberation of Palestine.
With Great Shock and Sorrow,Italian Activist ‘Vittorio Arrigoni’
POSTED BY :OmarKarem
You came to Gaza as no one did,
You helped the poor and the hungry you fed,
Women were killed and children were dead,
So, you swore to free the country you loved!
…And since you’ve gone,
We’ll complete what you’d begun,
We will go on,
We will put our hands together,
And free Palestine forever 🙂
A sketch by: Claudia Ferrara
~Restiamo Umani~ Stay Human
KAREM SAY: “I SAW YOU ONLY FEW TIMES, BUT YOU FIGHT AS PALESTINIAN AND LIVED OUR SUFFERING AND YOU LEAVE THE NICE WORLD AND CAME TO BE ONE OF GREAT PEOPLE, LIKE RACHEL CORRIE. WE WILL NOT FORGET YOU BROTHER VIK” OMAR KAREM
With great shock and sorrow,
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the murder of Italian activist, Vittorio Arrigoni. On Friday afternoon, 15 April 2011, Vittorio’s body was found in an building complex in the north of the Gaza Strip, following his murder at the hands of kidnappers. According to Hamas security forces, that are seen storming the building trying to free Vittorio from the hands of the “kidnappers”.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), and its entire staff, gravely condemns this crime, which targets our inherent human dignity, and the values and traditions of the lawful struggle for freedom and justice. It is this human struggle which connects Gazan’s – locked behind the closed door of the Gaza Strip – with the outside world, and inspires countless individuals to stand as human rights defenders.
PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to prosecute the perpetrators. Furthermore, all necessary measures must be taken to secure the safety of international activists in the Gaza Strip, without limit their freedom to exercise their humanitarian duties.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Thursday evening, 14 April 2011, a group named “Group of the Companion Mohammed Bin Maslamah” announced the kidnapping of the Italian journalist, Vittorio Arrigoni, 36, a prominent member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and a human rights defender. In a video posted on the Youtube website, the group demanded the release of detained members of the group, affiliates of the so-called “Salafist Jihadist Group”. The kidnappers threatened to kill Arrigoni if the government in Gaza did not meet their demands within 30 hours.
In a grave development, contrary to fundamental values shared by all Palestinians, the group carried out their threat. On Friday afternoon, 15 April 2011, security forces of Hamas found the body of Arrigoni in a house located in the ‘Amer project area, west of al-Karamah building in the west of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip. In his testimony, a PCHR staff-member reported signs of beating on the victim’s face, signs of handcuffs on his hands, and signs of strangulation around his neck.
The Ministry of Interior in Gaza issued a press release on Friday, condemning this heinous crime. It declared the arrest of two members of the group and the continued search for others.
Arrigoni had worked in Gaza since 2008, when he arrived on board the “Free Gaza” flotilla, organized to break the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip. He devoted himself to the defense of Palestinians’ rights, and participated in a number of activities against the closure, against violations committed by Israeli Forces against Palestinian civilians, particularly fishermen, and against the Israeli decision to impose a ‘buffer zone’ in the Gaza Strip. He was arrested by Israel forces on18 November 2008, while he was accompanying a number of fishermen off the shores of Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. However, he returned to Gaza a few months later via Rafah International Crossing. Arrigoni was also in the West Bank for a few years before coming to Gaza. He has been known for his activity with the International Solidarity Movement.
PCHR reiterates its condemnation of this heinous crime, and:
1. Calls upon the government in Gaza to conduct an effective and prompt investigation to identify the circumstances of the crime, prosecute the perpetrators, and publish the investigations’ results;
2. Appreciates the role played by the International Solidarity Movement and other human rights defenders in the occupied Palestinian territory;
3. Calls upon the international community, political powers and Palestinian people to condemn this crime and organize peaceful activities against it.
The events have not been clear since the beginning, there is clouds on the way the situation was managed by the security forces of Gaza. The whole world was expecting the release of Vittorio Arrigoni alive, there were signs that he will be safe and sound. Some tweeters were circulating about some journalist in Gaza lending themselves as a shields to secure the safety of Vik. By 1:30 PM PST the tweets were suggesting that security forces declined the offer of help of the journalists and they (security forces) will be trying to free Vittorio from the hands of the “kidnappers”.
The video by aljazeera showing the storming of the building where Vik was found dead shows no time. Will be very important to shed light to Vik murders to put time on that video. And the security forces of Gaza need to be clear in the way the situation was handle since the knowledge of the kidnap.
We know that this horrendous crime is the exception and not the norm in Gaza Strip, and Palestinians and the activists community assure the world that we wont stop our activities in Palestine. The goal is liberate Palestine altogether. No fundamental groups, radical minds or threats from Israel will deter us from continue the activities inside and outside Palestine to stop this inhumane Occupation.
Paris court convicts Israeli doctor of slander
Posted On April 30, 2011 by Omar Karem
Why Israel Does Not Care For Any Country And The “UNITED NATIONS”?
IM PALESTINAIN AND IM SUFFERING
IM SCARE TO GO TO THE BEACH, ISRAEL DOES NOT CARE FOR THE KIDS, OLD PEOPLE OR HUMANS.
Knesset member Ahmad Tibi is calling on Israeli authorities to punish a doctor convicted of slandering the father of Mohammad Ad-Durra by a French court Friday.
In 2000, the television station France 2 reported that Israeli soldiers shot dead Mohammad Ad-Durra, 12, in Gaza City. The killing was filmed by French reporters and the channel broadcast footage of the incident, in which Ad-Durra’s father Jamal was also shot and injured as he tried to take cover with his son.
In an interview to a French Jewish publication in 2008, Israeli doctor Yehuda David claimed Jamal Ad-Durra’s injuries stemmed from a previous accident. He had operated on Ad-Durra in 1994.
Ad-Durra sued David and the publication for slander.
A Paris court on Friday convicted the doctor, a reporter and the editor of Jewish News Weekly, of defaming Jamal Ad-Durra. The three were fined 1,000 euros each and ordered to pay 5,000 euros in damages.
MK Ahmad Tibi urged the Israeli Medical Association and the Ministry of Health to prosecute the doctor, noting that misusing and distorting confidential medical files is a criminal offense.
David has previously claimed that the video footage of Mohammad’s killing was fabricated, and that the boy was killed by Palestinian fire.
In 2000, the Israeli army conducted an internal investigation and admitted responsibility for the killing but in 2007 the Israeli government officially denied involvement.
Ashama News brings you what others are shy to show
Vittorio Arrigoni Italy State Funeral! Symbolic Funeral in Gaza and Ramallah
Posted on April 24, 2011 by Omar Karem
Vik as he was known by friends in Gaza, was a respectable journalist, blogger, victim and witness of Israel Inhumane Siege. His everyday accounts of the murders, destruction and humanitarian crisis that Gazan are living were everyday recounted in his radio guerrilla blog, he suffered none the less with all Gaza population as he wrote in his Gaza; Stay Human book, Report and memoirs.
Today the world is mourning again the loss of Vik, as Italy offered a State Funeral as a tribute to his humanitarian and journalistic career.
His body was put to rest in Rome, while in Palestine they followed Vittorio throughout video conference and Satellite Channels giving their farewell for last time to his body. They sent their condolences to Vittorio’s Family in an unprecedented show of solidarity. The young and the old in Palestine condemned the crime of Vik, and send a message to the world that Palestinians are peaceful people and they do not condone violence.
Dozens of Gazan raised Palestinians and Italians flags in Vik former residence, and in an emotive ceremony poetry was read, singing and drawing remembering Vittorio. Vittorio was singing with us here in Gaza, because he never died, now there are thousands of Vittorios. We can not forget that he was part of our community, he was part of Gaza.
The authorities in Ramallah and in Gaza join the Symbolic Funeral giving Vittorio a Palestinian State Funeral Touch. After all seems that he united the two parts. Gaza Hamas and West Bank Fatah forgot their differences and unite with one voice to make a tribute to this man that left his home land and embraced Palestine as his and fought with his pen, and suffered in equal form the Siege of Gaza. He will be very proud to see that today were no divisions in Palestine all it was; Palestine One Nation saying a Farewell to a great humanitarian,Compassionate and beautiful soul that we Gazan had the privilege and honor to had shared our lives and struggles .
Slingshots vs. White Phosphorous Bombs-“Smash a box of kitten” hear the Roar of the World
Posted on April 16, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
“Take some kittens, some tender little moggies in a box”, said Jamal, a surgeon at Al-Shifa, Gaza’s main hospital, while a nurse actually placed a couple of bloodstained cardboard boxes in front of us. “Seal it up, then jump on it with all your weight and might, until you feel their little bones crushing, and you hear the last muffled little mew”. I stared at the boxes in astonishment, and the doctor continued: “Try to image what would happen after such images were circulated> The righteous outrage of public opinion, the complaints of the animal rights organizations…” The doctors went on in this vein, and I was unable to take my eyes of the boxes at our feet. “Israel trapped hundreds of civilians inside a school as as if in a box, including many children, and then crushed them with all the might of its bombs. What were the world’s reactions?
Almost nothing. We would have been better off as animals rather than Palestinians, we would have been better protected”.
At this point the doctor leans towards one of the boxes, and takes its lid off in front of me. Inside it are the amputated limbs, legs and arms, some from the knee down, others with the entire femur attached, from amputees injured at the Al-Fakhura United Nations school in Jabalia, which resulted in more than 50 casualties.
Pretending to be taking an urgent call, I took my leave of Jamal, actually rushing to the bathroom to throw up. A little earlier I’d been involved in a conversation with Dr. Abdel, an ophthalmologist, regarding the rumors that the Israeli Army had been showering us with non-conventional weapons, forbidden by the Geneva Convention, such as cluster bombs and white phosphorous. The very same that the Israel Army used during the last Lebanese war, as well as the US Air Force in Falluja, in violation of International norms. An Excerpt from Vittorio Arrigoni from his book Gaza Stay Human.
4 workers were killed last night and because of the collapse of a tunnel dug by Palestinians in the Rafah border. Through the tunnel pass all the necessary goods that have enable the survival of the population of Gaza strangled by four years by criminal Israeli siege. Can enter tunnels in the Gaza Strip’s main assets such as food, cement, livestock.
Even the hospitals in The Gaza Strip from the black market will cater for the tunnel.
Since the beginning of the siege at more than 300 Palestinians have died at work in the ground to allow a population of nearly 2 million people to feed themselves.
It ‘an invisible war for survival.
The names of past martyrs: Abdel Halim and his brother Samir Abd Al-Rahman Alhqra, 22s years and 38 years, Haitham Mostafa Mansour, 20, and Abdel-Rahman Muhaisin 28 years.
Remain Human
Vik from Gaza City
April 13, 2011
Silvio Berlusconi today: “We will try to prevent the departure of the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza.”
According to Israeli radio reports second Berlusconi flotilla’s mission would not work in support of peace in the region.
Proposing negotiations to be held in Sicily,(in the estates of Vittorio Mangano?), The premier “bunga bunga” reminded once again that Israel is the only Middle Eastern country friendly to the West, and should become part of European Union.
Berlusconi is pushing for the accession of Israel to the European Union, while Italy will kick in soon.
Please tell me which is the usual joke…
Stay Human
Vik from Gaza City
Abril 13, 2011
All the reports from Vittorio Arrigoni from Gaza City in Guerrilla Radio Guerrilla Information imprisonment. Corruption of the media, the bigotry of the middle classes, the unforgivable slumber of civic consciousness. The longing for truth before every longing, the abrasive complaint to the dissolution of any preconceived solution, infanticide of all certainty induced.The black powder of coercion within the nostrils of a crisis of rejection. The binge of Naked Lunch, raw bitter enough not to be digested.
Vittorio Arrigoni, 8th January 2009: “My toothpaste, toothbrush, razors and shaving foam. The clothes I’m wearing, the cough medicine I’m using to get rid of a persistent cough, the cigarettes I bought for Ahmed, and some tobacco for my arghile. My cell phone, the laptop onto which I compulsively type eyewitness accounts from the hell surrounding me. All that’s needed for a modest, yet dignified, existence in Gaza comes from Egypt, and arrives onto the shop shelves through the tunnels. These are the same tunnels the the Israeli F16s haven’t stopped bombing heavily in the last 12 hours, destroying thousands of Rafah houses near the border.
“As sit here writing this, there are 821 Palestinians dead. 93 being women, 235 children. Twelve Paramedics were killed while fulfilling their duty and three journalist died with cameras hanging round their necks. A good 3,350 are among the injured, with more than half being under 18 years ofe age. According to the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights bases in Jabalia, renowned for its reliability they make up 85 % of the Palestinian civilian casualties massacred in the last two weeks. The death toll on the Israeli side has thankfully remained at four.” Vittorio Arrigoni from Gaza City, 10th January 2009, Total Destruction Work in Progress Excerpt from Gaza Stay Human.
I read Vik mention “The death toll on the Israeli side has thankfully remained at four.” I can tell what was in his mind, as we have seen since Israel makes sure there is always 4 to 1 deaths of Palestinians, but this time in Gaza Massacre was over their normal ratio.B’tselem– The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories was established in 1989 by a group of prominent academics, attorneys, journalists, and Knesset members. It endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel.
On 27 December 2008, the first day of the operation, the army bombed the main police
headquarters in Gaza City, killing 42 police cadets who were standing in formation. The same
day, Israel also bombed some 18 police stations in the Gaza Strip. In total, 248 police officers
were killed that day.
Israeli officials stated, in interviews with the media and in official announcements, that
attacks on the police were justified because police officers would in the future take part in
hostilities against Israel, and that every object belonging to Hamas was a legitimate target,
regardless of the actions of the persons attacked.
With so many eyewitness on the Ground regarding Gaza Massacre 2009, voices like Vittorio Arrigoni that did not stop reporting from Gaza since 2009, so why will UN will need the voice of a men than never set foot in Gaza, Richard Goldstone?
The Goldstone report was the first evidence in what has since become a pattern – the failure of the Israeli leadership to register diplomatic achievements following the use of military power. Israel had no troubles achieving its victory in Gaza. One could argue – as many Israelis do – that operation Cast Lead helped deter the Hamas from launching more missiles on Israeli towns. Yet it also made Israel more isolated than ever in the world. The military operation boosted the BDS movement, mobilized public opinion in support of the Palestinians, and led to the Gaza-bound flotilla last spring, which resulted in a partial lifting of the blockade on the Strip.
Most people who criticize the Goldstone report in the US have never been to Gaza, not even before Cast Lead. But Congressman Brian Baird from the state of Washington (D) visited the strip after the Israeli offensive, and these are the wise and sensitive words he had for his fellow legislators, just before an overwhelming majority of them (344-36) backed a resolution calling “the President and Secretary of State to oppose unequivocally any endorsement or further consideration of the [Goldstone] Report“:
Page 52 of Vittorio Arrigoni Book Gaza Stay Human:
“Visiting the wards of Al-Shifa Hospital, crowed with injured patients awaiting treatment, you can bump into a doctor who doesn’t not look very arab. Mads Gilbert is a Norwegian doctor from the NGO Norwac. Gilbert, an anaesthetist, confirms our suspicion regarding the use of forbidden weapons by Israel on Gaza’s civilians: “Many injured arrive with extreme amputations, with both their legs reduced to a pulp, which I suspect is an effect of DIME weapons this is happening while Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reports that ‘extremely serious violations possibly constituting war crimes’ are taking place”
DIME (Dense Inert Metal Explosive) Bomb is an innovative explosive made with a warhead of carbon and epoxy resin integrated with steel and tungsten. This explosive was designed for urban guerrilla warfare, and was made to strike specific targets and cause a much damage as possible.
Gaza: Stay Human is an authoritative and deeply moving eyewitness account of the terrible 22 day Israeli offensive against the people of the Gaza Strip in 2008-09. Vittorio Arrigoni, a volunteer with the pacifist International Solidarity Movement, served as a human shield while working with the Palestinians Red Crescent ambulances, during the offensive. As a freelance journalist with the Italian daily II Manifesto, Arrigoni’s daily dispatches, written between bombing raids and patchy Internet access, ended with the plea, ‘Stay Human’, which became the motto of anti-Israel peace protest in his native Italy. The English translation is updated to include Arrigoni’s new dispatches on the difficult situation in Gaza after Operation ‘Cast Lead’ and features a preface by the renowned Israeli historian and human rights activist, Ilan Pappe
-Ilan Pappe, Professor of History, University of Exeter. Stay Human ISBN 978-1-84774-019-9
When it comes to human compassion and lending a hand to the voiceless I think Vittorio Arrigoni showed to the world how to do it, even thought his presence in Gaza as freelance journalist and International Solidarity Movement eyewitness was mostly ignored by the world, now his legacy will be known and his work will speaks for itself. All the accounts of the crimes committed by Israel inside the Gaza strip since September 2008 when he arrived in The Gaza Flotilla are being read around the world since he was murdered. If we have a purpose to fulfill in this world, I think Vittorio is fulfilling his, even after his death his accounts are been told and spread as he will never imagine it will. All the work that he did for Gaza, all the moments of anger that he went through seeing how the media was ignoring Gaza Plight, now every bit of information he transmitted on the Internet, every line that he wrote is being distributed, only fate could have given his sacrifice the color that have tainted his memory. His memory stays in Gaza and the Israel crimes will be vastly known all because of his death. It is not that I m happy for his departure, for the ones that have say that his death does not serve any purpose, All wrong on that. His death is mourned and we all sad, but Israel can not stop Vittorio Arrigoni any more, Israel crimes are imprinted in a Book that is more real than The Goldstone Report.
Gaza Stay Human with its 130 pages tell the story of a population being slaughter in front of the cameras, in front of the world that stays silence, might this book be the Post Mortum Witness that the world needed to open their eyes.
As I write this article April 17, 2011 Israel already had strike Gaza again, but now there are more Vittorio that are telling the tale. Thousands of facebook profiles are telling you Gaza and Vittorio Arrigoni Story, thousands of Vittorios are dispersing the truth, The Real Gaza Story..Catch a glimpse and do your deed. Stay Human
RIP Vittorio Arrigoni your memory will live forever in Gaza.
At the end no one can make you believe whats is not there, you are the Opinion Makers, Where The Truth Is the News and You the readers are the Opinion Makers always.
Resistance Is the Right to The People to Exist With Prospect For Peace
Posted on March 28, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
How to subsist without resistance, when the law of the jungle is enforced on the weak of the world?
We have the West with its mighty Army of paid soldiers and hungry mercenaries enforcing ‘Democracy’, planting death and destruction. Ravaging the land they chose to destroy. They bend the will of the people using the most horrifying methods men have invented in the last 100 years.
US and its Allies went to Iraq and have killed close to a million people, destroyed the infrastructure of one of the oldest and most advance societies of the World. Iraq with its glorious history, it wealth, pride and natural resources taken as a booty as ordinary theft. They invented all the preliminary excuses to corner the government of Sadam Hussein, they enforced a no fly Zone In the North and in the South of Iraq, destroyed all Military Power of Iraq, they got the UN to imposed terrible sanctions, the Oil was to be sold to the Agencies specified by the UN only, in a term of 10 years Iraq was economically destroyed, military destroyed so when US and Allies invaded it was easy pray.
Now we have the story repeating itself with another Oil Producer Country this time is Libya in the North of Africa and one of the 10 exporter of Oil, in this case as the African Oil Producer are in a specific situation they have this Light Oil Crude, cheap and easy to Refine. The US and Allies prepare the territory with a fake civil war, CIA style and once the situation is right, again they are using the UN to imposed a No Fly Zone, where the only missiles that kill will be that of US and Allies.
Who gives the right to the UN to sign death sentences of unarmed population,
Who say that they have the right to disposed of the Natural Resources of a Sovereign Country?
Israel The Other Bully in the Block, every year with made up excuses, force the US or the UN to brake up a government or two.
Israel has kept Palestine isolated from the world, has kept Palestine unable to defend herself, her society destroyed, her economy to receive crumbs from the International Community, her agricultural lands ravaged, her people terrorized, incarcerated and tortured, and as if all the horrors that Palestinians live every day are not enough Israel has made believe the world that they are the terrorist. So outrageous for the people that knows the truth, it is unbelievable that the West and its allies knowing the truth they have financed and armed Israel.
The UN Club of 5 knowing the truth, they have kept a blind eye on the massacres perpetrated by Israel, the murders of Palestinians citizens, the target assassinations of her leaders all being cover up and ignore by the international body that suppose to enforce human rights around the world, the International body that supposed to enforce peace.
No Fly Zone,No Kill Zone In Gaza Should Be Enforced
Posted on March 22, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
Our World Is In Danger
The Peace Activists of the world in their efforts to stop the slaughter in Gaza by Israeli Missiles, is demanding that the UN members to draft a resolution addressing this matter, and that in their provisions include that:
“No country will have the right to override the power of the majority of its members”, and with this to set a precedent for future resolutions involving peace in the world.
For so long we have seen how That UN members have played a game of politics for the only purpose of distracting the world.
We have seen how resolution over resolution have been ignored by Israel or veto by US, when the resolutions involve in any way the protection of Palestinians.
UN Club have for many years insulted our intellect with their endless sessions that don’t serve any purpose but to legalize wars and conflicts. It seems that UN is not the enforcer of peace but the legitimizer and stamper of wars.
The World in this moments suffer the worse of the conflicts ever seen in the history of humanity, we have developed the most dangerous weapons that anybody can imagine, we count with weapons:
Able to pulverize entire buildings, to melt the most strong of the metals leaving no trace, to burn and disintegrate organic matter in matter of seconds, we are able to shake whole cities by the push of few bottoms, we can created storms and droughts in a matter of hours, we can change the directions of the currents of the oceans and disrupt the reproductive cycle of the ocean creatures, we control the weather and with that we change the pattern of the migrations of the birds. We really should be afraid of our technology.
Israel being one of the most advance technologically speaking entities in the world, it makes her the most dangerous for peace in the middle east and in the world, for her arrogance and disregards of international law. And also because she never abide by the rules of war and conflicts already established by the Geneva Convention and the Human Rights Status, does not share her military inventions, does not disclosure her illegal reverse engineer technology, and her nuclear capabilities.
The UN should retake its role in the pacification of the world, and should start with Israel.
And abolish the Veto Power of the Club of 5.
We need as a humanity to step our efforts to stop the rogue nations that do not serve the world, but their own agenda of destruction and control.
Unity March 15 a date to remember
Posted on March 15, 2011 by Omar Karem, from Gaza, edited by Marivel Guzman
Opinion
Gaza City, photo by Omar Karem
Thanks to all Palestinians that turned out today for the great March 15 March that markes the beginning to demand for a united Palestine.
The protesters were oppressed by the government forces. Was a little set back but the battle is not lost.
The youth, the women, the men, came in big numbers to demand unity and they will come out again; tomorrow, next week, until unity is achieved.
Battles are not easy to win said Leila Khaled, the Palestinian heroine that fought with Yosef Arafat during the 70s. She will tell you is not easy.
Today was a great day for Palestine, no matter what the outcome, it is a change, for first time lots of women are taking charge of the affairs of their land. Thousands of women were mixed with the crowd of men.
They know they must not be afraid, they are all Palestinians. Hamas, AFLP,FATAH, every one no matter the party they follow, they are all Palestinians, we are all Palestinians.
One Palestine Nation united to fight against the common enemy, ‘The Occupier’, ‘The IOF’ ,’Zionism’,’Ignorance’,’Division,’ those are the real enemies of the people.
Gaza City, photo by Omar Karem
Today the turn of events are only a show of the government to exercise power over the people, “Intimidation won’t work with us,” said a Palestinian, “We are feed up with Israel, even without uniform we know them, they can beat us and incarcerated us, but we wont stop,” he said.
They (Palestinian police) need to stop and unite with us. This fight is not against our government, it is against the division.
The security forces of Gaza are shooting to the air, shooting to the feet of the crowd. The government is afraid, of course they are afraid. Every government should be afraid of its people not the other way around. They need to prove themselves worthy to stay in power and if they have not done it the people is speaking loudly and demonstrating in the street and demanding unity.
It is not going to be easy for Hamas or the PA to contain the discontent because now we know that the power is with ourselves. If tomorrow, we all come to the streets, they won’t be enough bullets, or sticks to scare us. Today we celebrate that we can gather together, I don’t see it as a defeat to the people, No..it is a lesson, for us, for the government, to take notice that the actions are all recorded in history in our land. We must continue to work together to bring us as one Nation, we won’t stop.
We Palestinians are resolved to bring Palestine Unity.
“To really respond to the practices of the occupation, there should be unity behind the leadership that can address the world with one voice, to once and for all end the occupation and establish a Palestinian State as a strategic option for peace” – Issam Samour-Coordinator of Christian Relieve in Gaza, Palestine
The day’s events both exposed Palestinian divisions and underscored the popular desire for political reconciliation between Gaza, controlled by Hamas, and the West Bank, controlled by the Palestinian Authority under Mahmoud Abbas amd his Fatah party. -The New York Times
Naji Shurrab, a political science professor at Al Azhar University in Gaza, which is unofficially affiliated with Fatah, said on Tuesday that ending the Fatah-Hamas split was beyond the capacity of the youths to correct. “The division is like cancer; the later you are in treating it, the more it spreads,” he said. –New York Times
The main stream media is ready to blame the set backs of the youth of Palestine on the people. They are mute when Israel is bombing our cities or killing us but as soon as the occasion arise they are ready to make headlines. We should ignore them all along, until they bring us the Truth.
We could feel the joy in the last few days in Palestine, all the videos that we shot in Palestine, people in the streets talking about March 15, Unity Day, Reconciliation day. It euphoria was overwhelming, the talks of a nation ready to emerge.
The people is what it make the nation not the leaders. Palestine is One, One land. The Holy Land is Only one. “We the People” make it.
Please stop the fights, come with us, all the fathers, and sons, that work for the respective governments, see us we are you, you are us. We are Palestine.
Palestinian youth at the Unity March photo by Omar Karem
Abu Yazan and other youth leaders, however, insist that unity is required to effectively resist the occupation and that political reform would significantly improve quality of life in the meantime. The slogan for the March 15 event is “End the division. One people against zionism.”
Ali Abdul Bari, a 24-year-old leader of Esha (Wake Up), a liberal, secular group devoted to promoting human rights, tells a story to illustrate just how deep the divide is. His group posted a sign demanding elections near the destroyed Palestinian Parliament building in downtown Gaza City. It was removed by Hamas 90 minutes later, despite the permit they had obtained. Later, many group members were interrogated or had their backgrounds checked. Pam Bailey
We must have high hopes that this movement wont stop, that today was a minor set back, but tomorrow a new day will come, bringing hopes. Specially that we will be commemorating Rachel Corrie day.
Come tomorrow March 16 to the streets to remember her memory, her martyrdom, we will celebrate her life, praise her memory for her sacrifice to our land.
Rachel Corrie
Please come with no banners, no flags, no colors, security forces please do not give bad image to the world. Do not copy the practices of Israel, we are tired of repression and oppression. Support us, in the new Palestine Nation that we all try to build.
Tomorrow is a new day, to rectify the errors, to take lessons of the past. Inshallah
March 15: Palestinian Youth Call for Unify under One Nation, without colors, only by their flag colors
Posted on March 14 by Marivel Guzman in collaboration with Omar Karem
Palestine(Akashma Web Blogs)Gaza one of the oldest districts in Palestine,with 62 Villages and Cities, on the Mediterranean Riviera, facing the sea if you sail in an straight line on the Mediterranean sea you can get to Crete, Cypress, Turkey, Egypt,Libya, Even to the south of Italy then why Palestinians are force to beg to the government of Egypt to let in to Gaza as it is happening in this moments, where thousands of Palestinians are stranded in various airports and main cities around the world, because the New Military Government in Egypt of Omar Suleiman does not allow them to set foot in Egypt territory, and the Palestinians that want to leave Gaza, go through a tedious procedure starting with their own government, where they need to pay a fee to get into a list to be permitted to leave Gaza, then once they cross to Rafah Egypt in the Egyptian side they wait another 5 to 10 hours, to be return back to Gaza without a valid reason what so ever. Some Palestinians are allowed to leave only if they have a Visa and ticket ready to leave the country, or some few cases of patients that cross for treatment to a specific clinics in Egypt. They are some talks about lifting the ban, but nothing concrete yet.
On the other side of Palestine where close to 8 millions of Palestinians live in the various cities and refugees camps, between hundreds of Illegal “Settlements” and “Outpost” surrounded by heavy military personal, a 25 feet wall and dozens of incorporated check points and road blocks, illegal detentions and targeting assassinations, that make their every day life impossible, without counting with the shortage of drinking water, lack of jobs, and a Unite government that oversee the necessities of their citizens.
Since Israel withdrew from Gaza on 2005, the situation in Palestine have gone from bad to worse, the physical division that separate Palestine making it into two different entities, at least that is what Israel have force them to be, and for the last 4 years seems that Palestinians living West Bank and Gaza have fallen into Israel Game.
The situation was looking too gray for the future of Palestine until a group called “Gaza Youth Brake the Silence” that in December 2010 exposed the conditions of the besieged Gaza to the world. This group call for the Unity of all Palestine and this movement started to grow to a magnitude that even Israel was taken by surprise.
In matter of days all the Outlets News of the world took notice of this group and their Manifesto was widely spread across the Internet, and their facebook group grew by the minutes in matter of days they have more than 12,000 members.
They have called for the Unity of the political parties, the people, the ideas to be Palestine One Nation, they are inviting all Palestine to raise their voice at unison, converging their ideas for the common good of Palestinians, not rule by Fatah, or Hamas, not intended for Gaza or West Bank but for Palestine.
Palestinians who carried on their shoulders all the sins of history and jammed events that Promoted a new generation resolutely legacy accumulated over decades in the both sides of Palestine; West Bank and the Gaza Strip. And from Gaza begins its new launch iniciative, said he wished to rectify the deficit of the older generation of parents and the errors committed at the height of the conflict between the sworn brotherhood of power.
The youth of Gaza are in their twenties, they dress sporty, they are University Students, they are the facebook activist, the twitters, youtubers, this generation that want to change the old ideas, they want a new Palestine without the rigor of religion, without the stamp of millitary flavor, their envision a new Palestine United by their flag, their Land, culture and her people, they want to forget about the political parties that have damage so much the reputation of Palestine.
The fight for the power, the hold of the chair, all the political and military mix that did not help Palestine to be United as a Nation fighting for a common enemy the Occupier, the Neo-Colonizer Israel that for 62 years sow the terrain to her convenience.
Israel divided the land in two diametrical entities that it made them believe that they were two people living in two distance lands. West Bank, Palestine dislike for long time Gaza People, they saw them for some time as intruders that came to take their jobs. In the Gaza Strip the situation did not go fine either, they were forced to choose and pick their candidates when the physical division made impossible the central government of Palestine to take care of the affairs of Gaza.
Gaza was forcefully neglected to the point that new factions were formed to filled the vacuum left by the Palestinian Authority, even when Yasser Arafat the revered men in Palestine, was imprisoned in his Rammallah compound, he could not ever serve his closest citizens, under the watch of the whole world. He managed the affairs of the nation from the headquarters of the PA in Ramallah, but Gaza was too far to be served or help. During those years Israel was brewing the fate of Gaza and the separation from Palestine. For almost 8 years and since Israel withdrew her army and dismantle the settlements from Gaza, the Strip is being deteriorating under a siege and a bigger negglect, but this time by the whole world that being witness of the situation and done nothing about it.The activist of the world have work tirelessly to show the raw truth to the world, and now the youth of Palestine is taking the lead.
Now all the lies are exposed, the internal fights need to settled, the youth of Gaza is forcing the old leaders to rethink their role, to lead Palestine as a Nation and come as one voice. They created a big plataform where all the dissidents voices can be heard and the obsolete policies and old practices be clean away.
They said: “We have moved more than a month to work on the ground and left the “Facebook” virtual world for the revolution to end the division and we started working on a campaign of house to house of Rafah to Beit Hanoun and in all parts of the West Bank to translate the Revolution to the ground in all parts of home.”March 15 activists speaking on their behalf and they visited the Office in Gaza.
Revolution Profile: Mohamed Sheikh Yusuf, Youth March 15 for the most we have to work to restore national unity and if we are not united Palestine is lost and her youth will be lost, and the old Palestinian people should carry the idea of the Palestinian flag without the other no one says, “To continued to divide the revolution, to allow for all to wrap around and the most inspirational to continue as young people, we relied on personal spending for this revolution, saying it was a revolution to add personal expense to the contributions of activists, saying sarcastically that the revolution of this kind does not need of funding.
Prosecutions and arrests for police officer and a Rose:
Through the process of build-up and preparation for the start of a revolution young Shaykh Yusuf: We have been prosecuted and there has been arrests and booking, our computer hardware and “Laptop” being taken by our own security services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but we are saying that young people have decided to give a rose for each element of police Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza during the first hour of the demonstrations, saying, “We get young men in a spontaneous march in the Gaza Strip days before the police and shouted to the societies of young people and police together to end the division, stressing that the youth revolution of the March that we have today we will distribute 1000 rose to the elements of the police.”
Legitimacy belongs to the Palestinians wherever they are:
Sheikh Yusuf saying: “Our response to Palestinian organizations, that he would not only represents the youth and young people will not be able to impose one view, but the view of all Palestinian Society.
Joseph another youth said: that the field will not allow any party whatsoever, or any one that tries to impose party color or class, because the field will not only receives a campaign of the Palestinian flag and raise the slogan of the people wants to end the division and a single emblem of the Palestinian people at this point.
“We will not allow anyone to Tahir March 15, in the interest of partisan or institutional and that it is not only the legitimacy of the field.”
Sheikh Yusuf called on all Palestinian to go on March 15, raising the Palestinian flag only.
He said: We call on Hamas, we also call for Fatah and other factions to get off wearing the Palestinian dress and the Palestinian flag and get free societies in this day of the party and our only goal during this phase is to protect the national project and protect the blood of the martyrs and call for unity, it is a call for great leaders Yasser Arafat and Khalil al-Wazir Ahmed Yassin, Abu Ali Mustafa, George Habash, Shakaki and decided that the young Palestinian leaders invited to meet the bone and split ends and restores unity to strengthen the Palestinian unified.
Sheikh Yusuf said the most important success of the revolution until the moment is to break the deadlock and break the barrier of fear and activation of the silent majority and people express their views and rights of what is going on.
And about gathering places, said Joseph Nouri, a militant revolution Onalamancn March 15 are:
In the central Gaza Strip, the crowd will be in the field of the Unknown Soldier at 12 noon.
West Bank crowd in the central Manara Square in Ramallah
For the rest of the areas in the West Bank, which will not be able to reach the lighthouse in Ramallah, the crowd will be in Bethlehem Church of the Nativity in Jenin in the field of the Jenin Martyrs. It will also be in the crowd in front of the Palestinian diaspora Palestinian embassies or offices of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Joseph Nouri said that the call would be to sit in the same places of the crowd, unless they decided that the field is saying to let the field decide.
As for the organization of the crowd and fields, “said Nouri, said the idea began by inviting youth groups to the crowd after crowd sleep youth work to organize the crowds and space management, explaining that he had been set up committees to the system of committees flags and committees supporting and unifying slogans stressing that young people have all the preparations for the management of post-crowd.
The First Bag of Cement Enters the Gaza Strip
Posted on March 08, 2011 by Marivel Guzman
(Gaza, Palestine) The first bag of cement enters the Gaza Strip.
A source said at The Palestinian Information Center at the Rafah crossing informing that the multinational delegation arrived Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, and was greeted by a delegation of the State Committee to break the siege.
He stressed that the delegation had brought with them a bag of cement as a sign of the symbolic importance of breaking the blockade and the entry of construction materials to rebuild Gaza Strip, which was partially destroyed by the Israeli assault ” Cast Lead ” in 2009. The destruction Against the beleaguered sector, that for more than 2 years and 7 months is been maintain with a almost complete blockade for products of daily consume, food, gas, and very important Medicine, Spare Medical Parts of Medical Equipment and Construction Materials which Israel has banned completely from Gaza.
For its part, a spokesman for the International Coalition, Ahmed secured the Assi said that the delegation, which consists of two Egyptians, two Irish, two Britons and two Americans, two Greeks and Hungarians entered the Gaza Strip after Egyptian authorities have allowed to enter, a sign of political change in Egypt in this regard, and blocking the access of solidarity delegations to Gaza before the fall of Hosni Mubarak
The spokesman of the delegation of the “international coalition” has confirmed that his delegation’s visit comes in solidarity with the people of Gaza and its inhabitants and to focus on the world and our rejection of the waiver request embargo noting that the Egyptian delegation participated in the Egyptian revolution.
This is a good sign of the changes, but farther from the reality in the ground, Gaza population still is unable to travel out of Egypt as a normal citizens, the situation still tense in the Border of Rafah, long lines of Palestinians trying to travel out of Egypt are forced to wait long hours just to be return back to Gaza with no explanations other that security reasons.
Still Palestinians are stranded in airports around the world trying to go back to Gaza, as Egypt new government has denied them the right to cross Egypt to enter their homeland.
The Euphoria and expectation of the March 15 Date have make us forget that Israel still control the life of Palestinians inside Gaza and West Bank, and have continue with the aerial attacks in Gaza and violently dispersing the peaceful demonstrations in West Bank and Jerusalem.
We want to be positive and push the International Community to take part in the global awareness for Truth and transparency on the Occupied Territories. And dismantle the propaganda that have changed the perception of the violence against Palestinians.
This bag of cement is the first one of many that will enter Gaza in the next few weeks, thanks to the campaign organized by Tahi 4 Gaza
Since the problems started in Egypt, the prices of cement and gravel have doubled — one ton of cement cost US$140 last week. Today, I bought a ton for $296,” said Ashraf Al Aloul, a driver for an international NGO, one of thousands of Gazans in the process of building a home.
STUDENT PROTEST IN EYGPT TO END THE SPLIT OF PALESTINE
Posted on February 28, 2011 by Omar Karem
Students protest in Egypt to end the split PALESTINE
Stand and saw several interventions for the children of Palestine, particularly of students of different social strata
And groups to calls for emphasizing the importance of the unity of Palestinian ranks; has asked Mohammed Amarna (Doctor of Law – Cairo University) wondered: “How we live each day and the … occupation Jassim to our hearts, if not split ends Fsndao to change in favor of?? How to fall asleep our eyes and we We still say I’m from the West Bank and Gaza!! Palestine is One .. enough of the names scattered .. so it came to stress the importance of the Palestinian legitimacy and the transfer of all of our leadership Palestinian Let the people stand up by himself to end the division .. how long will insist on wearing the dress division? ”
He said student David David (spokesman for the students of Arab Media Research Institute) on the importance of the fooled BC rallies in Gaza and the West Bank and abroad and at home for one goal: to bridge the divide Filstiniy behind the legitimacy of President Abu Mazen, and Mohammed Al-Baghdadi (official Palestine Students in the academy naval branch of the Sheraton) In the appeal, saying: “For all the youth of Palestine and they are voice of the nation working to end division to guide the effort against the real enemy of Israel and to establish our Palestinian state and Jerusalem as its capital. ”
And crossed the press Salsabil Bseiso hoped that culminated in the revolutions of the Palestinian Popular, which was launched both on Facebook-style revolutions in the Arab region to the inevitable outcome in the near future, she said: “We have noticed in recent times in various countries how the collapsed every official of adherence to chair his reign in order to the protection of personal interests and narrow in front of the voice and will of the people reject him; and therefore everyone must learn a lesson and takes care of the national interests of the public to back Palestine as it was and return the brothers loved ones as they were .. Gaza is known flesh sons together enough of the accounting both for differences in our policy only; and we promise to Palestine just do not and to come back the Palestinian social fabric is known for its history as it was to live Palestine .. again ”
The Fady Madhoun (human medicine – University of Alexandria), saying: “came in this student delegation to emphasize the principles established in our dictionary Palestinian We are all talking and his eyes on Palestine, which in the most difficult their situations over the past five years, if we revisit the years of the five that have elapsed in the history of our Snagdna harvested Segmentation is not is that brought us back This could spur us to terminate as soon as .. the Palestinian cause is stronger humanitarian issue passed in human history; and here the aspects of a letter of thanks to the Ambassador of Palestine to assimilate to our demands in order to uphold our voice, hence the call for a protest in all embassies world, because the national unity is the main Mnfzna, Fadi and the message to the brothers to end the division in order not to reach the abyss and said: “We have a lot to go back Palestine as it was before 2005, why not start now ..”.
The sound Talouli embassy official student activities at the end of paragraph hair stand calling for national unity, and concluded by the Palestinian stance on the Palestinian Ohtav revolutionary songs which merged the votes of those present, saying: Hamas and Fatah unity is the foundation.
Gaza Faces a Strong Protest Lead by Young People To End Internal Division
Posted by on February 28, 2011 by Marivel Guzmans in collaboration with Omar Karem
Square of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City
Gaza, Palestine(Akashma Web Blogs) The Day is March 15, 2011, Palestine Youth have made a call to all sectors of Palestine Society to come forward and unite as one force, forgetting differences of the past. Hamas as the leading Party in Gaza and Fatah as representative of West Bank they should unite their confidence with the people that is tired of so much violence, division and diversion. The occupation have for 62 years worn out their energy, is time to regain their fighter spirit that have characterized Palestinians but United as one Force, because the enemy have rejoice with their division and used it against them. “The People United will not be Defeated” is has been a slogan of fighters for centuries, lets remember that and be One Nation. Gaza and West Banks are districts of Palestine, and Palestine is One.
Gaza is under attack, Israel have stepped up her attacks in the Besieged Gaza Strip and even under such circumstances the Youth of Gaza leading “The Initiative Call Home” staged a protest in the Square of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City before they were ordered to evacuated the Plaza. The protest led by Young Palestinians to end the internal divisions is a sign that the Revolution that started in Tunisia and Egypt has sparked the light in Palestine. There is not to say that they did not want to brake the old rule, but with the air of Revolution and the global support is a good moment to engage the world in their calls for Freedom.
The protest was broken up by security agencies of the Government by force, today they organized a sit-in group where
Young People peacefully gathered to demand an end to the internal divisions, in the Square of the unknown soldier in Gaza City, Palestine. Their demands have been growing stronger since last December when the Youth of Gaza Broke Out, a movement started growing support around the world, when they declare in their Famous “Gaza Youth’s Manifesto For Change” made public by blogger, Opinion Maker Online Newspaper and many others News Outlets around the world.
Such Manifesto was not welcome for factions inside Palestine and for many activists around the world, they saw in this Youth Manifesto more divisions, but in reality was a desperate call for a change.
“F**k Israel!,F**k USA! F**k Hamas!, F**k Fatah!, F**k UN. F**k UNWRA.
We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community! We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference. Like the Israeli F16’s breaking the wall of sound; we want to scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this f*****g situation we live in.” Excerpt from the Gazan Youth’s Manifesto for change.
Said Hassan Farhat, one of the coordinators of youth initiative “Call Home” Monday, said that the security services of the Government blocked a sit in the courtyard of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City to end the internal division in Palestine.
He said in a telephone Farhat told “together”: “A group of young people and the founders of “The Initiative Call Home” visitor in the courtyard of the soldier carrying Palestinian flags and posters but the police officers asked the protesters to withdraw from Square to the young people that started gathering in the Square of the Unknown Soldier.”
Farhat Said: “Despite the rejection of young men to withdrawal they were resolute to sit-in, police officers intensified their presence in the place, and was attended by four security agents dressed in civilian clothes that mix with the crowd and arrested Ahmed Arar coordinator of The Initiative Call Home among the demonstrators and took him to an unknown place and in addition to three others activists.”
Demands to End the Division:
From here we call on the governments of the West Bank and Gaza to respond to the legitimate demands of the people:
1 – the release all political detainees in the prisons of the PA and Hamas
2 – the end of all forms of media campaigns against each others
3 – the resignation of the governments of Haniyeh and Fayyad to re-build a government of national unity agreed by all Palestinian factions representing the Palestinian people.
4 – the restructuring of the Palestine Liberation Organization to contain all the Palestinian factions and get back to its initial aim: Palestine’s freedom
5 – the announcement of the freeze of negotiations until the full compatibility between the various Palestinian factions on a political program
6 – the end of all forms of security coordination with the Zionist enemy
7 – the organization of presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in the time chosen by all the factions
To Be or Not To Be
The initiative called for protests to call home in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and abroad to end the division.
For his part, said Mizan Center for Human Rights; “Had been almost a heavy police presence in the yard of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City at around the morning of Monday of February 28, and they beat the coordinator of the campaign Call Home Ahmed Atawneh, where eyewitnesses have reported that he had been beaten before being stopped by police and transport out of the place and the whereabouts where unknown.”
This pool of about (20) people, including journalists on Monday morning, in response to a call launched by the campaign “Call Home”. The invitations were distributed via the Internet and short messages via mobile phones.
The invitations Identify Square Unknown Soldier as a center for gathering in the Gaza Strip, after the lifting of the sitters banners people want to end the division, people want to end the occupation, end the internal division is the way to building a Palestine State), according to eyewitnesses, one police personnel to Atawneh and got between them altercation then the police beat him and when journalists tried to take pictures of the attack warned members of the police take any photos.
The participants broke up the rest of the demonstration after the security forces attack, and came to the place in a civilian silver car and Atawneh was forced to step out and taken to an undisclosed location.
Mizan Center for Human Rights in a statement received by the Agency “together” connote concern over the use of force in the resolution of a peaceful gathering, adding that the Public Meetings Law No. (12) for the year 1998, provides special protection measures to ensure the right of citizens to organize public meetings, without the requirement to obtain a prior authorization, where only actions on the notice in writing to the governor or police chief before (48) hours in advance of the date of the meeting and for the police to make its observations on the details of peaceful assembly for the purpose of protecting and ensuring the safety of participants, and without prejudice to the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, before they are in writing, in the absence of receipt by the Organization of any written answer has the right to organize public meeting in a timely manner. Which is what I think they Astvuoh organizers notify the Ministry of the Interior.
PCHR calls upon the dismissed government in Gaza to open an investigation into the incident, calling for meetings to facilitate the peaceful and protected by the law enforcement bodies.
According to Hassan Farhat, a participant in the sit-in, and the Last Sunday morning in the courtyard of the soldier, that the coordinator of the campaign has notified the Ministry of Interior, under the book was delivered in the ministry’s headquarters complex, located in government ministries (Abu Khadra) on 02.24.2011, did not receive a response.
It is noteworthy that the activist Hassan Farhat has a “memorandum of review issued by the Department of custody and interrogation in the Internal Security Agency should come as 2/3/2011 in the central governorate.
Farhat also pointed out that the activity has not been implemented in the West because of calls to the security organs of the coordinators who have declared their names earlier.
The unrest inside Palestine have been felt since December after the Manifesto of the youth of Gaza Broke out, in a response to the unwelcome for their request the Youth of Gaza released a second document on January 05, 2011.
“We’re NOT calling for a political coup, let’s be clear on this. We’re young people who want to work for the PEOPLE, we denounce the misery we live in, we denounce their division, and reject their fight, because they are not helping us. But more than Fatah and Hamas, who remains Palestinians just like us, ABOVE ALL we denounce the Occupier & its puppet the International Community who fails, day after day, in its duty to impose sanctions on “Israel”. From Do not Distort Our Speech
Such divisions are sweet deal for Israel who entertained the idea for many years to brake down Palestine in two Lands and disengage completely from Gaza.
Hezbollah Strong Army
Gaza have become a liability for Israel as their policies and political ideas are back up by Hezbollah a strong political party in Lebanon and sworn enemy of Israel. Israel was defeated by Hezbollah back in 2006 and they have become stronger than ever.
If There got to be Freedom in any society, Justice must be the base of the same. Human Rights is an inalienable right of every human being, being Gaza, US, Germany, Lebanon, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba(should not exist),Cuba, China, Iran, Mexico, Congo, Russia..or any place on Earth that humans co-habit under any authority of any type.
The right to disagree, the right to have a different opinion, or different feelings is a right that we all humans have a primordial born right, it calls dissent from the Status Quo, governments of the world dissenters are not criminals, they are free minders that choose their own path, and oppression only make them more aware of the situation that you want to force them to be.
This right is inalienable is part of the human rights that we all must enjoy as a citizen of this Earth.
WHEN Israeli Jets Bombard Gaza Strip
Posted on February 27, 2011 by Omar Karem from Gaza, Palestine in collaboration with Marivel Guzman
How to be safe and help others?
Israel bomber plane
How to react and help others in Gaza if Israel bombard this tiny peace of land in the Mediterranean?
Gaza more than an occupied nation under siege look more like a big open prison, where close to two millions residents live under the military boot of Israel.
With the daily military excursions invading our land and air space, disrupting every bit of life in Gaza.
When the Israel planes come in the middle of the night blasting their sonar bombs, braking windows, and dreams, what we suppose to do?.
When the tanks cross inside Gaza destroying farm land, and the bulldozers come to destroy the houses and business of Palestinians, how we suppose to react?.
When the F16 show up sending missiles to an unarmed population, inflicting terror, destruction and death, what we do?
When the Jenin Massacre occurred ambulances were not allowed to enter the refugee camp for 12 days to help the wounded, how Palestinians supposed to help each other when Israel bombard Gaza?
Do not be gross with the next images, they were Palestinians like me before they were shred to pieces by Israel Bombs, I do not like these images, and I do not want to be one of those images. I hate those images, but when they were alive they were part of Jenin Camp Population, please! do not be gross out. Have pity for us, be compassionate and tell our story, our true story to the world, we need help.
By Jennifer Loewenstein Article Posted 19 April 2002 :”Eyewitness Report of the Atrocities in Jenin, Palestine”
http://www.aztlan.net/jeninmassacre.htm
Don’t believe what CNN and BBC among other western news agencies are telling you. You be the Opinion Maker. Ask why can be an investigation; why it must be called a “humanitarian tragedy” rather than a crime against humanity; why the EU has not imposed sanctions on Israel for its actions; why no international monitoring force is immediately leaving for the region; why Israeli political and military spokespeople are telling reporters that “only (sic) 45 people died” and that they were all armed “militants”. Why no one challenges these comments or reminds these spokespeople that Israel conducted a massive military offensive against people who have the right to resist the occupation of their land. If your blood doesn’t run cold when US President George W. Bush calls Ariel Sharon a “man of peace” then you’re getting nothing but lies packaged as news and information by a massive propaganda machine. Americans, you are paying for the dehumanization and destruction of an entire people. Jenin is only the most ominous and recent reminder of where Israel’s 54 year old policies against the Palestinians are leading.
Sabra and Shatila is another of the massacres perpetrated by Israel on unarmed population, and gone unchallenged by US, UN Club and other Israel allies. Why? Who is going to bring Israel to Justice?
The Sabra and Shatila Refugee Camp Massacre took place between 15 to 18 September 1982. This massacre is considered the bloodiest single atrocity committed against the Palestinian people in living history.
Can the world please tell us, how after 62 years of empty talks and promises, how we suppose to sit and cross our arms and wait for another attack, while the US keeps stopping resolution in The UN security council.
We the residents of Gaza are fighting an every day battle, with little or no arms to defend ourselves.
What can we do?
And the world leaders after all the carnage Israel have done to our brothers and sisters Palestinians in the last 62 years, we are portray as criminals and terrorist, what we need to do to be seen as we have been since Israel was created? The displaced population, murdered, terrorized and wronged.
Why would the US veto any resolution that promise justice for Palestinians? How can they go to sleep at night knowing that we are being massacred, we are being exterminated slowly.
Can you see that Israel is committing genocide? How many of us need to die under Israel war planes and tanks before someone come to our rescue?
I live in Gaza, Palestine and I m tired of waiting for the world to help us to bring justice and peace, at least the certainly that tomorrow we can have a full day of peace, a whole night without sonar bombs, a day where I can plan my day without having to be worry if I will come back home to write or enjoy a peaceful dinner with my family.
I do not want to be part of the numbers, I want to Live in Peace and Freedom, I want my land back.
What can I do when Israel jets bombard Gaza again?
“I m not just another Palestinian writing about the horrors that we are forced to live every day, I m a human being, a young Palestinian that is a witness and victim of Israel criminality. I do not know other life but this one that I m narrating to you, it is in my mind, in my heart, my genes, my reality is now, in this moment only, I can not have the luxury to dream a better future, I do not see another future but my present reality.” Omar Karem
During Gaza Massacre 2009, that the Main Stream Media insist in calling it a war, where more than 1400 Palestinians died under the bombs, and hundreds were burn alive under the white phosphorous bombs, we were like sitting ducks, unable to defend ourselves, we lived in a giant prison, where there is no way out. We were continuously bombarded for 22 days, and the world did not moved a finger to help us.
The US did not even call Israel to slap her in her wrist, for the contrary they were accomplices in our slaughter, as most of the bombs, white phosphorous and other weapons are either made in US, or directly financed by American dollars.
What the world is waiting to say “Enough” , will they want to wait 50 years after Israel have exterminate us, and then declare it in for “HISTORY” A GENOCIDE, as happen with so many massacres gone unnoticed in the world?
If the US and UN club do not change their position about Israel, me and the other close to 2 millions Gaza Residents have the same bleak future as me. It is not fair, we all born equals and free.
Tell me, What can I do next time that Israel War Planes come and Bombard Gaza again?
What We Should Do If Israel Attack Gaza?
Posted By Omar Karem
بعد انتهاء القصف:-
• يتم وعلى الفور فتح الطرق المؤدية للأماكن التي تعرضت للقصف بمعرفة الأشغال العامة والبلدية لتأمين وصول سيارات الإسعاف والإطفاء و الإنقاذ والشرطة وخدمات الكهرباء والصرف الصحي وسلطة المياه0
• تقديم الإسعافات الأولية للمصابين ونقلهم للمستشفيات فورا 0
• إخلاء والشهداء من مسرح الحدث0
• الابتعاد فور مشاهدة إي أجسام مشبوهة من مخلفات الجيش والحرص التام على عدم لمسها أو الاقتراب منها خاصة الأطفال و إبلاغ الشرطة – الدفاع المدني – الهلال الأحمر الفلسطيني فورا0
• عدم التجمهر والابتعاد عن أماكن القصف خوفا من حدوث انهيارات لبعض الأسطح أو الجدران أو الأعمدة أو الهوائيات أو خزانات المياه إلى 000 الخ
• الأجهزة الأمنية تقوم بتأمين المنازل والمنشأت العامة خوفا من تعرضها للسرقة0
• إعلان فرق الإنقاذ عن الأشخاص الذين نعرف أنهم محاصرين أو مدفونين تحت الأنقاض.
• تنظيف المواد المنسكبة على الأرض و القابلة للاشتعال على الفور مثل الكحول و المواد البترولية و الدهان و غيرها.
• عدم إثارة الصخب و عدم المبالغة في حالة الشخص و حالات الآخرين المصابين.
• عند تعرض منازلنا لأضرار جسيمة يكون علينا لزاما مغادرتها و نصحب معنا أوعية الماء و بعض المواد الغذائية و الأدوية العادية و الخاصة ( الأمراض المزمنة) و الوثائق الشخصية.
• عدم دخول المباني المتصدعة و الاقتراب من المنشات المصابة.
• عدم التسكع في الشوارع لمشاهدة ما قد حصل و الابتعاد عنها لتتمكن آليات الإنقاذ و الإسعاف و الأمن من العبور.
1- الإنقـــــــــــــــاذ:-
مباشرة و بعد انتهاء عملية الصف تبدأ عملية الإنقاذ الفوري من طرف المتطوعين و السكان أنفسهم بوسائل تقليدية و بسيطة و محدودة، و الإسعاف الأولي يجب القيام به في نفس المكان الذي يوجد فيه المصاب، وهنا تتضح لنا ضرورة تكوين المسعفين في كل المجتمعات، أو تعليم بعض العناصر الواعية من السكان و تلقينهم المبادئ الأساسية، للقيام بمبادرات مستحسنة من شانها أن تنقذ حياة الإنسان0 و أثناء عمليات الإنقاذ قد يتم العثور على جثت لشهداء ، وأحيانا قد يصعب التعرف على هويتها ، و إن لم يتم التعرف على هوية الشهداء تجمع الجثث و تدفن في أقرب وقت ممكن.
2- الإسعاف الفوري للجرحى: –
حسب جسامة الحادثة، و عدد الجرحى الذين هم في حاجة إلى علاج خاص أوالى إجراء عمليات جراحية، لنطرح مشكلة علاج هؤلاء الجرحى. لأن عدد الأسرة بالمستشفيات قد لا يكفي أحيانا ، أما التلف الذي قد يحصل في شبكة الهاتف، وشبكة الطرق و البنايات فإنه يعرقل إجراء عمليات نقل الجرحى إلى المستشفيات ، ولهذا نشأت فكرة المستشفى الميداني المتنقل و الذي يحتوي على جميع أجهزة الجراحة الحديثة، الشيء الذي يسمح للفرق الطبية بالقيام بعملها في ظروف حسنة، وفي اقرب وقت ممكن، وقرب مكان الحادثة.
3- إيواء المنكوبين:-
يتراوح عدد الأفراد الذين يصبحون بدون مأوى بين العشرات والآلاف حسب نوعية الكارثة. فيجب حماية المنكوبين، و خصوصا الأطفال منهم و النساء، و العجزة من تقلبات الطقس، وتزويدهم بما يحتاجون إليه من غداء، وماء صالح للشرب، وأغطية و لباس و دواء و في انتظار وجود حل دائم لمشكلة المنكوبين، تنظم الحياة في مخيمات تقام خصيصا لهذا الغرض، و تسند لبعض المتطوعين أو المسئولين مهام خاصة بالسكان ليقوموا بأنشطة إدارية و اجتماعية. و يتعلق الأمر خصيصا بأطر الصحة و متطوعي الهلال الأحمر، و المنظمات ذات النشاط الإنساني، التي توفر أطباء، وممرضين ومسعفين ليقوموا بعلاج المرضى، وبعمليات وقائية متعددة.
Is Gaza being strangled by the Egyptian Revolution?
Posted by Marivel Guzman
On February 1, 2011
Jasmine Revolution, Tunisia Road to Freedom
The situation might be blurry and confused for the foreigners, the spectators of this chain of events that started on December 27, 2010 with a person in the main square of the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid, where Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire and sparked a revolution, The Jasmine Revolution that ousted another Dictator.
Tunisia has asked Interpol to help arrest ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, his wife Leila Trabelsi and other members of the family who fled the country during an uprising, the justice minister said Wednesday.
Lazhar Karoui Chebbi told a news conference that Tunisia wanted to try Ben Ali and his clan for “possessing of (expropriated) property and transferring foreign currency abroad,” Reuters reported.
The spark the set Egyptians in an unexpected uprising that culminated with the Revolution that wants Hosni Mubarak out of the Chair, have kept The Western, Israel and Gaza Government afraid of any moves that can spark more unrest in the Palestinians Territories. With the Egyptian Revolution getting momentum in the Streets of Egypt and else where in the world, the uncertainly of the outcome have forced the Egyptian Military to seal the border of Rafah the only official open border to Gaza, Palestine, and The Authorities in Gaza afraid of the influx of Egyptian Refugees that try to cross to Gaza in the last days, have forced them to seal also the Tunnels, the lifeline of Gaza for the last 3 years after Israel imposed the Siege.
Sources in Gaza confirmed that the Erez Crossing that connect Israel with Gaza is being completely sealed since yesterday, the excuses always come handy for Israel to block the entrance of goods to Gaza.
People are required to put all their luggage on a metal detector, which funnels the baggage to unseen security guards for possible hand checks. Travelers then are buzzed through a glass door and enter the crossing’s most sophisticated security check: an advanced body screener created by a California company.
– Scanning equipment built by L-3 Communications Inc.
– Cost more than $35 million to construct
The crossing is largely unused as Israel prohibits the vast majority of Gazans from coming out, and almost no one from Israel goes in. These days, many simply call the high-tech crossing point the “terminal to nowhere”
People are required to put all their luggage on a metal detector, which funnels the baggage to unseen security guards for possible hand checks.
Travelers then are buzzed through a glass door and enter the crossing’s most sophisticated security check: an advanced body screener created by a California company.
The scanner is so sensitive, officials say, that it creates a complete holographic image of the traveler and allows the screener to see even a tissue or penny stuck in a pocket.
Travelers step into the scanner through a plastic portal and raise their hands above their heads. The translucent plastic doors close and a scanner whizzes around them in a complete circle.
The scanner’s manufacturer, L-3 Communications Inc.
With the unrest in the region Israel seal the Erez crossing, making with this the situation in Gaza unbearable. For the last 3 years the booming of the tunnels have relieved the population of Gaza, as most of the food and products were imported by the tunnels operators that control both sides of the border.
The Gaza Tunnels have served as a life line for the besieged population of Gaza
The situation in Gaza is deplorable in all the senses, politically, economically and if the situation does not change for the better the Revolution of Egypt can be easily imported to Gaza, and for that they do not need the tunnels.
The people is tired of waiting from the West to do anything to make Israel to lift the blockade, they are tired to wait from their own government to implement an emergency measures to alleviate their lack of food, the absent of jobs and the insecurity in the Strip.
Something has to be done in the next few days. Gazans are impatient also and they might want to unite their voices to the general struggles and protests that have swept the world in the last 4 weeks.
Let’s hope for the good of the people that Mubarak sees his time over and move out of the way so the change can start taking place and Gaza siege be lifted once and for all.
The people have spoken “When people speak, despots, dictators, tyrants should shut up, or pack up and leave” Hamza El Alami said in one of his comments posted in facebook, the social network that have served as a meeting forum for social and peace activist of the world.
Hamza El Alami said “the US has not called on Mubarak to resign, and if they can control events in the M.E. as it used to, they will not hesitate to act and defend the SOB Mubarak. The people in Egypt has spoken, and so the rest of the oppressed people …in the Arab world; one by one they will rise against tyranny. American policy makers are not for democracy; the US rejected the Palestinian election’s results, and decided along with Israel and Mubarak to starve and strangulate 1.5 million people in Gaza. The US is for Israel and its racist policy, dictators, corrupt rulers and not democracy, at least not for Arabs. America has to face a new reality and reassess its policy that must be based on justice and not the support of ruthless dictators.”
Mubarak falling in pieces, as the days pass and Egypt unrest grows, no words from Obama or Old Crazy Joe Biden can stop the will of the people from shaking the dictator from their country
In the past people in the US has revolved against policies, Domestic and Foreign, but never before since the civil war, the government has seen something like what is happening in Egypt, or what just developed in Tunisia, they are analyzing and tasting the intelligent and resolve of the people of the US.
They know that we are not silence any more, they can not risk to enrage 10 millions or 20 or 30 million people, not even imagine 100 millions of Americans in the streets of the US protesting, injustice in the courts, discrimination in the Tax System, Wages under the living standards of decency, Under Funded Education, Draconian Laws enacted by Bush and Company, Contaminated Food, Health Care unacceptable, really the government of the US is not ready to confront 100 million people claiming for equality and justice.
The white house is worry of the wave of dissent around the world is rolling down as an avalanche, a ball of protests growing every moment and they refused to speak the right words, “Mubarak Reign of Terror has to Stop, once and for all”.
I THINK WE ARE SEEING THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE, The emperor is Naked and refuse to recognized it.
When the people finally speak the leaders shut up and Lead, that will be the lessons that every leader have to learn if they want to hold to the Chair a little longer.
It is a cheaper solution for the government to sacrifice a few dictators and one Terrorist State and live comfortable for another 10 or 20 years, enough time for the people of the world to completely wake up and smell the coffee.
Gaza, Palestine
While all the unrest is growing in the world, Gaza is waiting for the world to speak for them, to help them to Tear the Walls down.
Revolution is at their Gates and is tempting, the blood is already boiling, the rage is in every mind, the RESISTANCE is standing stronger every day, there short time to lose. Every Citizen of the world STAND for Peace, Demand your leaders to fight for Peace and Justice for all.
Free the World, Stand for your Rights, Raise your Voice. We own it to us, if you want to stay free, you have to fight for it.
GAZAN YOUTH’S MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE
Posted by Marivel Guzman
Original posted by Abu Yazan
GAZAN YOUTH’S MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE
F**k Israel! F**k USA! F**k UN!, F**k UNWRA!, F**k Hamas!, F**k Fatah!.
We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community!
We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference. Like the Israeli F16’s breaking the wall of sound; we want to scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this f*****g situation we live in.
We are like lice between two nails living a nightmare inside a nightmare, no room for hope, no space for freedom.
Sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land.
Sick of being portrayed as terrorists, homemade fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes.
Sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions, but cowards in enforcing anything they agreed on.
We are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas, and completely ignored by the rest of the world.
There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalizing this energy into something that can challenge the Status Quo and give us some kind of hope.
The final drop that made our hearts tremble with frustration and hopelessness happened on November 30th, when Hamas’ officers came to Sharek Youth Forum, a leading youth organization (http://www.sharek.ps) with their guns, lies and aggressiveness, throwing everybody outside, incarcerating some and prohibiting Sharek from working.
A few days later, demonstrators in front of Sharek were beaten and some incarcerated. We are really living a nightmare inside a nightmare. It is difficult to find words for the pressure we are under.
We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams.
They did not get rid of Hamas, as they intended, but they sure scared us forever and distributed post traumatic stress syndrome to everybody, as there was nowhere to run.
We are youth with heavy hearts. We carry in ourselves a heaviness so immense that it makes it difficult to us to enjoy the sunset. How to enjoy it when dark clouds paint the horizon and bleak memories run past our eyes every time we close them?
We smile in order to hide the pain. We laugh in order to forget the war.
We hope in order not to commit suicide here and now.
During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the earth. During the last years Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behavior and aspirations.
We are a generation of young people used to face missiles, carrying what seems to be a impossible mission of living a normal and healthy life, and only barely tolerated by a massive organization that has spread in our society as a malicious cancer disease, causing mayhem and effectively killing all living cells, thoughts and dreams on its way as well as paralyzing people with its terror regime. Not to mention the prison we live in, a prison sustained by a so-called democratic country.
History is repeating itself in its most cruel way and nobody seems to care. We are scared.
Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed.
We are afraid of living, because every single step we take has to be considered and well-thought, there are limitations everywhere, we cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want, sometimes we even cant think what we want because the occupation has occupied our brains and hearts so terrible that it hurts and it makes us want to shed endless tears of frustration and rage!
We do not want to hate, we do not want to feel all of this feelings, we do not want to be victims anymore. ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration!
WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want!
We want three things; We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life and We want peace.
Is that too much to ask?
We are a peace movement consistent of young people in Gaza and supporters elsewhere that will not rest until the truth about Gaza is known by everybody in this whole world and in such a degree that no more silent consent or loud indifference will be accepted.
This is the Gazan youth’s manifesto for change!
We will start by destroying the occupation that surrounds ourselves, we will break free from this mental incarceration and regain our dignity and self respect.
We will carry our heads high even though we will face resistance. We will work day and night in order to change these miserable conditions we are living under.
We will build dreams where we meet walls.
We only hope that you – yes, you reading this statement right now! – can support us. In order to find out how, please write on our wall or contact us directly: freegazayouth@hotmail.com
We want to be free, we want to live, we want peace.
FREE GAZA YOUTH!
*********************************************************************************
This Manifesto is for the whole apparatus of repression that engulf Gaza, Starting with Israel the Occupier,US the financier,UN the official Solicitor and Signatory of Wars,UNRWA the front of the UN that keeps Gaza under an inhumane welfare system,to Fatah that have forgotten that Gaza is Palestine, and to Hamas ultimately because keeps an invisible gag on the population under the guise of religion righteousness.
If There got to be Freedom in any society, Justice must be the base of the same. Human Rights is an inalienable right of every human being, being Gaza, US, Germany, Lebanon, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba(should not exist),Cuba, China, Iran, Mexico, Congo, Russia..or any place on Earth that humans co-habit under any authority of any type.
The right to disagree, the right to have a different opinion, or different feelings is a right that we all humans have a primordial born right, it calls dissent from the Status Quo, governments of the world dissenters are not criminals, they are free minders that choose their own path, and oppression only make them more aware of the situation that you want to force them to be.
This right is inalienable is part of the human rights that we all must enjoy as a citizen of this Earth.
I m speechless this is what I want to hear. Out with all the rules that bound you in your own mental prisons. Liberation yes, I m 110 % agree with your Manifesto, free, freedom and liberation.
I m sharing your courage. I m sharing your dreams, your hopes, your pains, your deaths, your ideals, your free and open mind.
I wanted to hear the youth speaking, I do no k,ow if will make a difference now, but certainly your message will spread in the world, in the mind of the old and tired souls, tired of their struggles.
It will infuse energy to the resistance, to the old and decrepit bodies that have fought for more than 6 decades without seeing compassion from the world, that have not received justice from the international bodies than have appointed themselves as the saviors of the world, to the peace activists, the justice seekers that are fighting for your land.
I was almost giving up my fight for Gaza, I was getting stiff and tired of yelling, writing, posting, complaining. I thought no one was listening, but I was wrong.
This Manifesto full or courage. rage dissatisfaction and pain have given me hopes again.
I m awake again, your words have giving me the food for the soul that I was missing.
I love you Gaza, I m proud of you, I m with you, in your fight against indifference, against the oppression of your mind, in this fight for your land, for your human rights, for your motherless children, and your childless mothers, I m with you with your olive trees that with one last stand they resist to let go and still embracing the land, I m with you, with your flag, that not being mine, have awaken the fighter on me once more.
I m sharing this word in every wall, available, in the blogs. my channels, everywhere that there is space.
Thanks Gaza youth I love you all…Free Palestine.
STATEMENT FROM HOSTAGES ON BOARD STROPHADES IV…URGENT
Posted by Marivel Guzman
HOSTAGES ON BOARD STROPHADES IV…GREEK SHIP..
We have been kidnapped at the Libyan port of Derna, by the Captain and crew of the Straphades IV. The Captain and crew have since left and the Greek authorities are now holding us hostage on board the Strophades IV.Ten of us are being held …at gunpoint by a… Greek SWAT team, in a small room 8x8ft. We have been told if we move we will be shot. We have requested sleeping facilities, showering facilities, access to telephones/internet and consular assistance – all have been denied. In the last 48 hours we have had one tin of coke and one sandwich to eat. We have had no access to water other than that in the toilets. We have to ask permission to do anything, including using toilets. We have no status. We do not know the nature of the charges we are being held under and feel extremely vulnerable. We ask that everyone please put pressure on the Greek government and demand that they end this nightmare. We want the Greek authorities to release us and allow us safe passage to Libya, where we can join the remaining members of the Road to hope convoy and proceed with humanitarian aid to Palestine.
Message ends…..
ARE THE MASTERS of deceit playing with our intelligence? this is atrocious .ridiculous and non sense act of piracy.theatery and blatant abuse of power.What the people is waiting to yell your outrage.
Yesterday when finally few outlets News picked up the SOS from the hostages and the attention was in the hijacked ship, Israel f16 were bombarding Gaza and terrorizin the children with sonar bombs. Off course Zio-terrorist Israel and her puppets are behind this distracting tactical event.
The situation created by this twist of events with the Internationals peace activists was clearly planned and calculated by Israel Egypt Uk to disrupt the land convoys and knowing that all the activists are exhausted.
We only can do so much from our stand as International peace activists. Sharing the News raising awareness to the world, we must brake this block of indifference and impunity that keep us lethargic and divided, and showing to our governments that we are united and not be deterred by gimmicks.
Do not let them distract you, keep the pressure. Write to the diverse embassies of the governments involved in this outrageous incident, demonstrate in front of the embassies.
The activists Stranded in the Libyan/Egyptian border need our help.
Raise money to send them to finish the mission to deliver the humanitarian aid to Gaza…Thanks.
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Posted by Marivel Guzman on November 4, 2010
We are in an important moment, the world is awakening, we are taking responsibilities never before felt as a duty. The situation of Gaza has gone now for 5 years and we were asleep, in a lethargic state, pacified by the lies of the
Media. Now we are the Media, we are broadcasting directly from the ground. Our friends in Gaza send us the News every day, all day. Now our brothers that took the challenge of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza are Stranded in the border of Egypt, we have said that the convoys are non political movements, for that reason we need to participate, and help them in a non violent fashion way writing to the embassies, to your head of state to make the transfer of the Aid to Gaza. The activists are in a difficult situation they take enough money to travel but not
luxury is allowed. Please spread the message and do you part also. Maybe Bob Dylan and Eddie Vedder Explain it better with this message made song. Thanks to all
We seen more and more that that standoff of the
Road to Hope Convoy is awakening the ordinary citizens their humanitarian side, their voluntarism, it is so important the union, the show of great force of the people of the world, do not leave this courageous justice and peace seekers on their own. To Show our Governments that we can created a tremendous force. To all the peace activists in the world from all nationalities, to keep raising their voices in support of this noble cause.that we won’t stop to the effort to deliver the aid to Gaza. That the stubbornness of the Egyptian government needs to stop and cooperate with the humanitarian convoy and with their neighbors. Gaza.
5 days ago our brother Ken O’keefe important member of this delegation for peace speaks from the Libyan Border.
Is Rupert Murdoch Ignorant?
Posted by Marivel Guzman
Original Post by by Raja Mujtaba
Article by Alan Hart
Its proclaimed objective is to “fight anti-Semitism”. In reality its main purpose under the leadership of Abe Foxman is to smear, harass, silence and preferably destroy those of all faiths and none who are critical of Zionism in action – critical of Israel’s policies in general and its contempt for international law in particular; and critical of the awesome power of the Zionist lobby, in America especially.
“In a recent speech at an ADL (Anti-Defamation League) dinner, Rupert Murdoch, arguably the most influential mainstream media chief on Planet Earth, made some extraordinary statements which must be challenged. But first it’s necessary for us all to be clear about what ADL’s role is.”
Murdoch and his empire They are very much aware of the situation in the world, at this stage ..there is no business as usual. His own empire is suffering the Social Networks taking their viewers and readers away from their outlets.
Even Abraham Foxman with all his ADL(Anti-difamation League) power is suffering the downs of the People waking up to the truth, learning the real agenda of his ADL as a front to kill any attacks on the Zionist Agenda..The ADL and the Jewis Lobby worked tirelessly to kill dissent..But now..we are seeing that their stage is falling down..
Their positions on issues are going to change with the Times, because that’s what they do good..these characters like the lizards will change the color of their skin..
Their ancestors did it in the past they change religion as convenience.
Now these lizards will change even their Views and responses to the times that are changing..
Murdoch is not stupid but he goes where the money will be generated, he is the money man.
Remember myspace.com when Tom the friend of millions make its debut on the wires, and the world got caught by surprise..Well you must wonder is myspace.com wasn’t just another theather mounted for your entertainment and once the show was mature they tear it down and Murdoch came and took his share, your presence, your friends, your pictures, your views. Murdoch is not stupid he is one of the most cleaver men of our time.
The power to the people is pushing aside the “legends” of the Media, characters made famous for their unrestricted use of Power to divert, their impunity to bend the truth with catastrophic consequences. People like Murdoch involved by power given to him by not other than you, your indifference to play a role in your own affairs.
His power is vested on nothing more than propaganda and lies.
Take your power back and Murdoch and his empire of Adds and Money will dissipate with the silver screen, and the Flash News, that the only flash is the light in the face of the actor of the scenery of the theater they mount everyday. Wake Up to reality and take back your rights, exercise your power to decide for your Present and Your Future.
Road to Hope convoy stalled at Egyptian border
Posted by Marivel Guzman Via Ken O’keefe Blog
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Road to Hope convoy stalled at Egyptian border
Nov 3, 2010 5:41 PST
Ken O’Keefe
“Egypt has said that they will let us through by sea, the problem with that is the exorbitant expense. What the people of Gaza need is open borders and unhindered delivery of aid and ultimately trade. The R2H Convoy did not budget for an approx. £100,000 ship journey from Libya to Egypt, and why should we when a tourist can travel freely but aid cannot. This extra cost is reducing aid for the people in Gaza”.
Nov 2, 2010
Ken O’Keefe: “We are getting close to confrontation time. When tourists can travel by car freely through Egypt and a humanitarian aid convoy is blocked, it pretty much says it all. The blockade of Gaza is in a word, unacceptable”
The Road to Hope humanitarian aid convoy continues its role in the international community’s collective mission to break the illegal siege of Gaza and deliver desperately needed aid to the people of Palestine in Gaza. The convoy comprises 30 vehicles and 101 humanitarian aid workers. Among them are 8 survivors of the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla, 7 of them were aboard the Mavi Marmara, including Ken O’Keefe who was involved in disarming two Israeli commandos. The convoy has traveled four and a half thousand miles and is currently located at the Libyan / Egyptian border. As it stands the convoy finds itself at a standstill, with direct communication with the outside world being limited, and access to the internet very difficult.
It has always been a central aspect of the Road to Hope convoy that it acts in a non-political, non-confrontational manner. To work with and cooperate with every government in every country through which it traveled. Thus far this approach has rewarded it with exceptional receptions in every nation. All of the North African governments have been extremely accommodating and the people of each nation even more so. We must give special praise to the Libyan government for its constant support; when the convoy have had challenges, including breakdowns of vehicles, the authorities here have provided the means to repair those vehicles and continue our mission.
Ken O’Keefe: “Now we find ourselves in our third day at the Libyan / Egyptian border and we remain hopeful that the land route will be opened to us in the coming days”. The convoy departed from London with the understanding that the land crossing through Egypt had not been closed to it. Convoy leader, Kieran Turner: “One reason for our optimism that we will travel the land route is the fact that the Al Quds convoy, a Libyan convoy also delivering aid to Gaza, is set to travel the land route in the coming days. For several weeks we have hoped to join our convoys and travel together.” However, the convoy is awaiting permission from the Egyptian authorities to pass through Egypt in this way.
Mr. Turner understands that there is a possibility the Egyptian government will deny the convoy the land route, in which case they will have only two acceptable options —
1) To press on via the land border without permission, at which time our only chance of success will be by way of significant international pressure and a reversal of a policy which tacitly supports the illegal siege of Gaza.
2) If the land route is denied the only remaining option is to deliver our aid by sea. This option inherently requires significant increases in the cost of our mission, and importantly, to all subsequent aid missions. The end result of this policy is a reduction in the already limited resources that can be brought to bear for the people of Palestine.
The convoy leadership urge the Egyptian authorities to allow us safe passage to Gaza by land in the coming days, allow the convoy to join the Al Quds convoy, and ultimately increase the “easing” of the blockade which continues to collectively punish the people of Gaza.
Mr. Ken O’Keefe calls on all the supporters of Palestine “to support Road to Hope and the Al Quds convoys by spreading awareness of our missions and encouraging Egyptian cooperation”.
Contacts:
Primary contact: London – Eleanor Merton +44 777 037 6701
Libya / Egypt – Kieran Turner +44 779 22 66 111 (interviews in Libya available if the roaming costs are covered.)
Road to Hope convoy stalled at Egyptian border
Via <ahttp://kenokeefe.wordpress.com/Ken O'keefe Blog
Posted by Marivel Guzman on October 31, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Road to Hope convoy stalled at Egyptian border
The Road to Hope humanitarian aid convoy continues its role in the international community’s collective mission to break the illegal siege of Gaza and deliver desperately needed aid to the people of Palestine in Gaza. The convoy comprises 30 vehicles and 101 humanitarian aid workers. Among them are 8 survivors of the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla, 7 of them were aboard the Mavi Marmara, including Ken O’Keefe who was involved in disarming two Israeli commandos. The convoy has traveled four and a half thousand miles and is currently located at the Libyan / Egyptian border. As it stands the convoy finds itself at a standstill, with direct communication with the outside world being limited, and access to the internet very difficult.
It has always been a central aspect of the Road to Hope convoy that it acts in a non-political, non-confrontational manner. To work with and cooperate with every government in every country through which it traveled. Thus far this approach has rewarded it with exceptional receptions in every nation. All of the North African governments have been extremely accommodating and the people of each nation even more so. We must give special praise to the Libyan government for its constant support; when the convoy have had challenges, including breakdowns of vehicles, the authorities here have provided the means to repair those vehicles and continue our mission.
Ken O’Keefe: “Now we find ourselves in our third day at the Libyan / Egyptian border and we remain hopeful that the land route will be opened to us in the coming days”. The convoy departed from London with the understanding that the land crossing through Egypt had not been closed to it. Convoy leader, Kieran Turner: “One reason for our optimism that we will travel the land route is the fact that the Al Quds convoy, a Libyan convoy also delivering aid to Gaza, is set to travel the land route in the coming days. For several weeks we have hoped to join our convoys and travel together.” However, the convoy is awaiting permission from the Egyptian authorities to pass through Egypt in this way.
Mr. Turner understands that there is a possibility the Egyptian government will deny the convoy the land route, in which case they will have only two acceptable options —
1) To press on via the land border without permission, at which time our only chance of success will be by way of significant international pressure and a reversal of a policy which tacitly supports the illegal siege of Gaza.
2) If the land route is denied the only remaining option is to deliver our aid by sea. This option inherently requires significant increases in the cost of our mission, and importantly, to all subsequent aid missions. The end result of this policy is a reduction in the already limited resources that can be brought to bear for the people of Palestine.
The convoy leadership urge the Egyptian authorities to allow us safe passage to Gaza by land in the coming days, allow the convoy to join the Al Quds convoy, and ultimately increase the “easing” of the blockade which continues to collectively punish the people of Gaza.
Mr. Ken O’Keefe calls on all the supporters of Palestine “to support Road to Hope and the Al Quds convoys by spreading awareness of our missions and encouraging Egyptian Cooperation”.
Contacts:
Primary contact: London – Eleanor Merton +44 777 037 6701
Libya / Egypt – Kieran Turner +44 779 22 66 111 (interviews in Libya available if the roaming costs are covered.)
Egypt’s Facebook front: Power to the People
Posted on October 23 by Marivel Guzman
from Original Post on Haaretz by Zvi Bar’el
Blog it–Share it — Tweet it– Youtube it– Digg it Mubarak human rights abuses must to stop, the assault in free speech of every individual is sacred and should be respected, Mubarak! is over, your reign of oppression is over..POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
Could Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who this month began his 30th year in office, have imagined he would have to conduct his political battles via computer? Via the “curse of the Internet”? Against bloggers and Facebook? Could he have conceived that one day he would have to relinquish his monopoly over public discourse to young people aged 18 to 25, who send messages to millions of potential voters in Egypt with the tap of a finger?
The Kafia (Enough ) movement, which was formally established in 2004, became active online during the 2005 election campaign. In its wake a dozen movements have arisen demanding regime change. Around the time when the Kafia website was established, the Muslim Brotherhood was also working on its own site. Each of these movements was immediately joined by long lists of bloggers, who helped foment demonstrations, strikes and an entire, new national discourse in which the regime has hardly any presence.
ccording to statistics published at internetworldstats.com, which tracks the distribution of Internet usage around the world, in 2000 there were only 450,000 internet users in Egypt. Now there are 18 million – approximately 22 percent of the population. This is also about the same proportion of the population that is between the ages of 18 and 27 – the segment likely to determine the outcome of the next election.
Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a Nobel Prize laureate, is now devoting most of his energies to this public. Although he has not yet declared himself a presidential candidate for next fall’s election, his slogan is “Change will come via the young.” His supporters have launched a Facebook group listing his demands for changing the constitution, and have more than 129,000 followers.
Supporters of the president’s son Gamal Mubarak, considered the front-runner at present, set up their own Facebook group attacking ElBaradei, and published photos of his daughter Laila wearing a bathing suit.
The presidential election campaign, which has started early, is closely linked to the parliamentary elections scheduled for next month, under the assumption that the latter will be an early test of the presidential race. However, it appears the regime has not yet appreciated the essence of the demographic change: It believes the main threat is not young people, but rather the Muslim Brotherhood, which until recently was torn over whether to participate in the elections or to boycott them along with other opposition movements.
As the group wavered, debates flared online between bloggers and on Facebook. “For whom should I vote when it is the government that determines who gets elected?” wrote one reader in response to the coverage in the Al-Masri Al-Youm newspaper. “Don’t make a laughingstock of yourselves – after all, you know that whether or not we vote, it’s the government that decides,” wrote another reader.
In the end the Brotherhood decided to run, and put together a list of about 160 candidates. Though it is an illegal movement and is prohibited from forming a political party, its candidates’ identities are known and they will run as independents. In the previous elections they got 88 representatives (out of 454 ) into Parliament, and are now expecting to win nearly double that number of seats and become a powerful faction.
However, the number of candidates the Brotherhood hopes to get into parliament indicates it is not aspiring to “conquer the legislature” per se. It wants to demonstrate power but not be a threat. Otherwise, it would have put together a list of at least 300 candidates.
The regime is not impressed by the Muslim Brotherhood’s “modest” approach, and considers it to be the main political threat. The regime is working against the movement both on the “traditional” level – nearly 200 activists have been arrested – and on the “electronic” level. First, the regime shut down four satellite stations that broadcast religious programming and informed them they would no longer be able to use Nilesat satellite services unless they upheld the terms of their licenses. These terms prohibit broadcasting content harmful to Christians and Shiites, limit religious content to 50 percent of all broadcasts, ban the broadcast of items “liable to disturb order and arouse civil war,” and mandate allocating specific amounts of airtime to films and music.
Now, media and official bodies are also required to apply for a permit to disseminate messages via SMS. Movements that do not enjoy official status, like the Muslim Brotherhood, the Kafia movement, the National Association for Change headed by ElBaradei and the Nasserist Al-Karama party, cannot receive permits.
However, these restrictions – which have made Egypt a focus of international criticism – cannot prevent activity on Facebook or stop bloggers from disseminating messages via their own personal sites.
When both the demography of Egypt is working against the regime and the “arsenal” is changing, perhaps Mubarak himself – like his colleague President Shimon Peres – will also have to open a Facebook group.
Zvi Bar’el is the Middle Eastern affairs analyst for Haaretz Newspaper. He is a columnist and a member of the editorial board. Previously he has been the managing editor of the newspaper, the correspondent in Washington and has also covered the Occupied Territories.
Bar’el has been with Haaretz since 1982, and has written extensively on the Arab and Islamic world. In 2009, he was awarded the Sokolov prize for lifetime achievement in print journalism.
Bar’el has a Ph.D in the History of the Middle East. He teaches at Sapir Academic College and is a research fellow at the Truman Institute at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as at the Center for Iranian Studies.
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Power to the people.
By Marivel Guzman
Blog it–Tweeter–Digg it– Stumpt it–Youtube it—Myspace it—Share it–
Human rights abuses must stop in Egypt and every where in the world
Free Speech is a right every citizen of the world must enjoy
No President, Prime Minister, King, or anyone can suppress our rights, support Egyptian in their struggle
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
The era of instant communications is here, regardless of the propaganda still expensive and paid by the high hierarchy, we the people have in our hands powerful tools than can change the balance to our favor.
We are not talking of war or violence, not at all, the dissemination of the truth is sufficient to educate people and make them part of the social change that is inevitable.
Mubarak,Natajahu, to Obama..I mean any “smart” leader have to take notice of the reach of the social networks.
We are not talking of something sporadic and out of place, we are talking of facebook as a social phenomenon that can not be stopped.
Facebook even if it was put in place by the spy agencies and with the idea to gather information or control us, has got out of their control. Now we control it, we move the information, we are making the News from our keyboards, we decide what to believe, because we all are thinkers, in one level or other, we all are in the process of evolving to the next level.
It is not by chance of accident that we are in this point of history, society is continuously changing, and we being in the informatics age should not be surprise that we are making history, we are writing the history of our time.
Facebook is one tool, but without YOU is of no use.
Akashma Online News 
thank you Hagit Borer
Crew member Yonatan Shapira talks about why he is going aboard the US Boat to Gaza with the Stay Human Flotilla at the end of the month.
I was a captain in the Israeli Air Force and a Black-Hawk Pilot until 2003 when together with other pilots I initiated the pilots’ letter and refused to take part in the crimes of the occupation. Today I am a member of Boycott from Within, a group of Israeli citizens who are actively supporting the Palestinian call for Boycott Divestment and Sanctions. I have a Master degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, I facilitate dialogue groups and volunteer as a sailing instructor for children with disabilities. I’ve been sailing since I was a child and in September of 2010 I was a crew member on the Jewish boat to Gaza that was intercepted by the Israeli Navy. I work as a commercial pilot in the US and am still dreaming to be a musician.
Hedy Epstein was born in Germany in 1924. She was 8 years old when Hitler came to power in 1933. In 1939, she left on a Kindertransport (children’s transport) for England. Her parents and other family members perished during the Holocaust. After World War II she returned to Germany and worked as a research analyst at the Nuremberg trial of the Nazi doctors who performed medical experiments on concentration camp inmates.
Epstein came to the U.S. in 1948, and quickly became involved in civil rights, human rights and peace related issues, both professionally and in her personal life. In 1989, she visited Guatemala, Nicaragua and Cambodia as a peace delegate. Since 2003, she has visited the Israeli occupied West Bank five times, and has made four attempts to visit Gaza by land and sea. She has written and traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe to speak about social justice issues, with an emphasis on the Israel/Palestine issue. In 1999, her autobiography — “Erinnern ist nicht genug” (Remembering is Not Enough) was published in German, in Germany.
Epstein will be on the U.S. Boat to Gaza, part of Flotilla 2, her fifth attempt to reach Gaza.