Gaza Alphabet

“A for Apache, B for Blood,” little Shaimaa wrote in her colorful school notebook.

It was not a school assignment, but the new alphabet children in the bombed-out Gaza Strip are coming to terms with.

“A for apple and B for ball do not work any more, not in the time of war,” said the 10-year-old elementary student.

In the notebook, Shaimaa puts a complete alphabet collection, all derived from the deadly offensive which killed more than 1,350 people, including 437 children, and wounded 5,450 others.

“C for Coffins, D for Destruction.”

Insisting that her collection is more relevant to the vocabulary her schoolmates use in their every day life, Shaimaa says her alphabet should be incorporated into the school curriculum.

Many Gaza children, just like Shaimaa, are developing a new vocabulary based on the atrocities they witnessed during the 22-day Israeli onslaught. Amal Yunis, a teacher, did not see Shaimaa’s alphabet collection, but says many in her kindergarten class are already using the very same words. She recalls when she entered her class holding pictures of apples, flowers and rabbits, hoping that the bright colorful photos will cheer the kids.

“Kids, who knows a word that starts with ‘F’?” Yunis asked.

“I know, Miss,” young Amgad immediately answered. “It’s ‘F-16′.”

The teacher tried in vain to convince him that the right answer was “Flower”.

To her surprise, the other options put forward by the other kids were: Fear, Flee, Fire.

Scarred

Across Gaza, war-scarred children are speaking a new language that reflect the horrific experience of 22 days of air, sea and land attacks.

“War, bombardment and death are all what they talk about,” Om Faras says about her kids.

Her three-year-old son, Faras, shakes so badly and screams in fear whenever he hears any loud voice outside their home.

“He instantly starts to cry ‘mom, bombs’.”

Alaa Al-Shawwa, 6, does not believe any of the bedtime stories her parents tell her.

“No mom. The girl in the red dress was not eaten by the wolf. She was killed by the Israelis,” she rebuffed her mother.

A group of NGO’s warned in March that “a generation of Palestinian children faces the danger of being psychologically damaged beyond repair.” A study of Canada’s Queen’s University has concluded that the pattern of violence against Palestinian children is causing them serious psychological effects.

“The children’s new vocabulary mirrors the horrors they endured for weeks,” Fadl Abu Hayen, director of the Center for Social Rehabilitation and Crisis Management, told IOL.

He said many children have been traumatized for life by the Israeli aggressions that hijacked their innocence.

“They forgot all about joy, fun and peace. They only talk about war, blood and death.”

Source: Palestine Chronicle – Ola Attallah

BBC refuses to air Gaza appeal

The BBC has refused to air an Gaza Appeal, saying they need to remain impartial in the current situation. Furthermore BBC news reporters have spoken about the possibility of the money going to Hamas. This seems rather strange considering that Hamas was is the elected government of Palestine. By giving into Israeli pressure, BBC has decided to join the ranks of the US, EU and a growing list of other organisations that are happy for the Palestinians to continue in their existing state. This is a sad day and the BBC has a great big black spot over its ethical and moral values while Palestinians are continuing to bleed in large numbers.

“Israeli Soldiers Began Screaming”

Now that the guns have fallen silent, Palestinian resistance fighters are finally getting a chance to give their account of what happened during 22 days of Israeli attacks. In exclusive interviews with IslamOnline.net, members and leaders of Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, talked about some of their best resistance operations….

Date: January 5, 2009.

 

Location: Mount Al-Rayes, Al-Touffah neighborhood, Gaza City  

Scene I:

Israeli tanks and armors roll through a passage near Mount Al-Rayes. Warplanes pound the area to allow Israeli armors to advance.

“We began executing our previously-prepared plan once the Israeli tanks began moving into the passage,” said a Qassam fighter, who only gave the initials of his name as H.S.

Under the plan, Palestinian fighters discuss over their walky-talkies how that all routes are being manned by them expect one particular passage.

“We know that the Israelis were listening and would fall into the trap of moving their troops into that passage,” explains H.S.

Israeli jets began blitzing the area with missiles and smoke bombs to clear the way before the troops move in.

Then, a ten-tank convoy and four personnel carriers began advancing.

“They moved very slowly and cautiously,” recalls the Qassam fighter.

“Then special forces began coming out of the personnel carriers, passing by the first group of out fighters without noticing them.

“Then one of our fighter detonated anti-personnel and anti-armor mines,” he said.

“The Israeli soldiers began screaming.”

Two more Palestinian fighters emerged from their hideout, opening fire at the Israeli soldiers.

An Israeli tank began moving its cannon towards the attacking Palestinian fighters.

“But a third group of fighters emerged from underground, firing B-29 RC rockets at the tank, leaving it ablaze.”

During the fighting, a Palestinian fighter managed to capture an Israeli soldier.

“But an Israeli warplane fired a missile at them killing the soldier and wounding our fighter.”

Scene II:

Under heavy shelling, Israeli helicopter gunships land to evacuate the wounded soldiers.

An Israeli force then advances into the passage to move the damaged tanks.

“As the force advances it was ambushed, coming under heavy shelling from Qassam’s artillery teams and fighters,” recalls H.S.

“Several Israeli tanks were damaged in the ambush.”

Coming to the rescue of the attacked troops, Israeli warplanes began pounding the area.

“But the Qassam fighters withdrew safely, leaving behind many Israeli soldiers dead and wounded.”

Scene III:

Two Qassam fighters hide in an afforested area in Mount El-Rayes, armed with rifles, RPGs and mines.

After 30 hours, an Israeli force is seen advancing into the area.

“As tanks rolled, the fighters detonated their explosives,” says Abu Obeida, the Qassam spokesman.

Israeli planes began bombing the area. Then, a special force began advancing to clear the area from Palestinian fighters.

“As the force moved on, two of our fighters detonated explosives. Many Israeli soldiers fell to the ground screaming.”

Israeli aircraft again pounded the area, leaving the two fighters wounded.

“Then, the fighters withdrew into hiding, where they bled for more than 18 hours,” says Abu Obeida.

A group of Hamas fighters moved under heavy firing to evacuate their wounded comrades.

As a Hamas fighter moved his wounded colleagues out of their hideout, he was chased by Israeli tank shelling. But he still succeeded in evacuating them.

“They were given first aid before being taken into Gaza City,” says Abu Obeida.

Scene V:

An Israeli special force takes position at a house in Jabal Al-Kashif in eastern Gaza City.

The house is surrounded by Israeli tanks to stave off any possible Palestinian resistance attack.

Inside the house, Israeli commandoes are sitting comfortably, laughing.

Meanwhile, a group of Qassam fighters was moving into the house through a special tunnel.

“At the same time, fighters began shelling the house from outside with RPGs and mortar shells to distract the attention of the soldiers inside,” explains Abu Obeida.

Then, the Qassam fighters came out of the tunnel into the house.

“In just a few minutes, they killed and injured all Israeli soldiers inside the house before detonating the building and withdrawing safely.”

 Source: IslamOnline

Israel ‘admits’ using white phosphorus munitions

Israel has admitted to using white phosphorous shells after weeks of denial…..

“Major-General Amir Eshel, the army’s head of strategic planning, said that firing shells to provide a smoke screen was legal. “It is the most nonlethal kind of weapon we used. I don’t see any issue with that,” he said”. Read more…

Just because other nations, such as USA used it in Iraq, doesn’t imply that Israel can use it in Gaza. Furthermore, Israel blocks even the basic weapons from Palestinians whilst at the same time using heavy artillery, tank, air and sea fire as well as white phosphorous munitions against those that reside in their own land that it has illegally occupied. If Israel has the right to use these weapons then the Palestinian resistance has the right to defend itself using all means necessary.

A message to all Arab leaders

Instead of reclining in the comfort of your own palaces, and taking orders on the phone from some unjust American leader, stand up for your Palestinian brothers and sisters who are being slaughtered in their hundreds. Stand up for those who are facing Israeli tanks and war planes with home made fireworks. Stand up using what the almighty has given you. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow news will be more of today’s news. If you really are leaders then lead.

Syria calls on Arab nations to cut all ties with Israel. Qatar and Mauritania respond

If Arab nations are to have any respect from their people then they must cut all ties with Israel immediately. There simply isn’t any need to dance around the issue and wait for more bloodshed.

Qatar and Mauritania have rightly cut ties with Israel and god willing more countries will follow in their example. Turkish Prime Minister said Israel should be barred from the United Nations while it continues to ignore UN demands to end the fighting in Gaza. “How is such a country, which totally ignores and does not implement resolutions of the UN Security Council, allowed to enter through the gates of the UN?” he said.

Read more…

Pro-Israel Calls for Wiping Out Palestinians

This is really shocking …. or is it? Check out the video or visit this site….

Ismail Haniyah’s message to the West

I write this article to Western readers across the social and political spectrum as the Israeli war machine continues to massacre my people in Gaza. To date, almost 1,000 have been killed, nearly half of whom are women and children. Last week’s bombing of the UNRWA (UN Relief Works Agency) school in the Jabalya refugee camp was one of the most despicable crimes imaginable, as hundreds of civilians had abandoned their homes and sought refuge with the international agency only to be mercilessly shelled and bombed by Israel. Forty-six children and women were killed in that heinous attack while scores were injured.

Evidently, Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 did not end its occupation nor, as a result, its international obligations as an occupying power. It continued to control and dominate our borders by land, sea and air. Indeed the UN has confirmed that between 2005 and 2008, the Israeli army killed nearly 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza, including 222 children. For most of that period the border crossings have remained effectively closed, with only limited quantities of food, industrial fuel, animal feed and a few other essential items, allowed in.

Despite its frantic efforts to conceal it, the root cause of Israel’s criminal war on Gaza is the elections of January 2006, which saw Hamas win by a substantial majority. What occurred next was that Israel alongside the United States and the European Union joined forces in an attempt to quash the democratic will of the Palestinian people. They set about reversing the decision first by obstructing the formation of a national unity government and then by making a living hell for the Palestinian people through economic strangulation. The abject failure of all these machinations finally led to this vicious war. Israel’s objective is to silence all voices that express the will of the Palestinian; thereafter it would impose its own terms for a final settlement depriving us of our land, our right to Jerusalem as the rightful capital of our future state and the Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homes.

Ultimately, the comprehensive siege on Gaza, which manifestly violated the Fourth Geneva Convention, prohibited the most basic medical supplies to our hospitals. It disallowed the delivery of fuel and supply of electricity to our population. And on top of all of this inhumanity, it denied them food and the freedom of movement, even to seek treatment. This led to the avoidable death of hundreds of patients and the spiralling rise of malnutrition among our children.

Palestinians are appalled that the members of the European Union do not view this obscene siege as a form of aggression. Despite the overwhelming evidence, they shamelessly assert that Hamas brought this catastrophe upon the Palestinian people because it did not renew the truce. Yet we ask, did Israel honour the terms of the ceasefire mediated by Egypt in June? It did not. The agreement stipulated a lifting of the siege and an end to attacks in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Despite our full compliance, the Israelis persisted in murdering Palestinians in Gaza as well as the West Bank during what became known as the year of the Annapolis peace.

None of the atrocities committed against our schools, universities, mosques, ministries and civil infra-structure would deter us in the pursuit of our national rights. Undoubtedly, Israel could demolish every building in the Gaza Strip but it would never shatter our determination or steadfastness to live in dignity on our land. Surely, if the gathering of civilians in a building only to then bomb it or the use of phosphorous bombs and missiles are not war crimes, then what is? How many more international treaties and conventions must Zionist Israel breach before it is held accountable? There is not a capital in the world today where free and decent people are not outraged by this brutal oppression. Neither Palestine nor the world would be the same after these crimes.

There is only one way forward and no other. Our condition for a new ceasefire is clear and simple. Israel must end its criminal war and slaughter of our people, lift completely and unconditionally its illegal siege of the Gaza Strip, open all our border crossings and completely withdraw from Gaza. After this we would consider future options. Ultimately, the Palestinians are a people struggling for freedom from occupation and the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees to their villages from which they were expelled. Whatever the cost, the continuation of Israel’s massacres will neither break our will nor our aspiration for freedom and independence.

Source: Independant

Where to get your Gaza news

Folks you need to know where to go to get your news….

Ignore BBC, CNN, Fox or any other service which doesn’t have any correspondants on the ground in BOTH Israel and in Palestine. Most of the western news outlets have only Journalists in Israel, and none in Gaza, which means in turn their viewers are fed only the Israeli version, you know the one that ignores the occupation, the blockade, the babies/children killed, the suffocation and bombardment of 1.5 million people living in a concentration camp and being attacked by planes, ships, tanks and helicopters….

If you want the real news, then go to Al Jazeera, watch Al Jazeera online, or watch the hundreds of video’s they have on you tube. Also take a look at Maan News, Press TV, Robert Fisk, Electronic Intifada, and read news from people in Gaza by looking at blogs, such as the extensive body on the line, and Angry Arab

Victims of Israeli terrorism

The age of the victims of Israeli terrorism just seem to be younger and younger. One such victim is a baby that was born on the day Israel launched its assault on Gaza. This baby will never walk again, simply because he was deprived of oxygen for the first few minutes of his life.