Day: January 15, 2009

Even dead Palestinans are enemies By Vittorio Arrigoni

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buried-child-gaza.jpg

The sea no longer yields its generous fruits, there’s nothing left of the ripples reflecting the sky, and death was the only dowry left by the war ships plowing through its ghostly liquid. We still try to create routes of salvation, make a breakthrough to this tormented land, now confiscated and imprisoned, every inch of it raped and reduced to a cemetery for a dead without rest. For a few days now, even funerals have become targets of the Israeli air force, as if the murdered Palestinians deserved an additional punishment in death as well.

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PCHR: IOF Continue Attacks Across the Gaza Strip for the 18th Consecutive Day

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13 January 2009 Ref: 12/2009 Time: 12:50 GMT

  • 51 Palestinians Killed, Including 17 Unarmed Civilians:
  • Victims include 3 Children, 5 Women and One Physician:
  • Current Death Toll is 936 People, Including 635 Unarmed Civilians and 165 Members of the Civilian Police Force, Who Are Also Classified as Civilians:
     
  • IOF Conducts Large Scale Destruction of Houses, Farms and other Civilian Objects, Forcing Civilians To Flee:  
  • IOF Continue to Use Incinerating Bombs Against Gaza Population. 

 
In violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amid international silence,  the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) are continuing their indiscriminate attacks in the Gaza Strip. For the eighteenth consecutive day, IOF continue to systematically target Gaza civilians and their public and private property.

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Second Generation Warfare Bungles In Gaza Part One by William S. Lind

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14 January, 2009 Washington (UPI)

So far, Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip has produced no surprises. On the physical level of war, the Israel Defense Forces are triumphing. The Palestinians are suffering about 100 people dead for every dead Israeli. To a Second Generation War military, which is what Israel’s formerly Third Generation War army has become, that is the main measure of victory.

On the moral level, the picture is reversed. Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, is almost assured of victory. As Israeli military historian Martin van Creveld has observed, all it has to do to claim victory is survive, which it will. That claim will not be just propaganda: For Hamas to survive everything a modern state military can throw at it is a legitimate victory. In fact, it not only will survive but also will be strengthened by a worldwide flood of sympathy, which will translate in part into new recruits and more money.

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GAZA HOSPITALS UNDER ATTACK 15 January, 2009

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15.1.09 – 10am GMT

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) have just had confirmation from our hospital emergency aid coordinators that both Al Wafa Hospital, in the eastern part of Gaza City, and Al Fata (also known as Al Wia’m) Hospital, in Tal El Hawa, west of Gaza City, have both been bombed by the Israeli military.

Al Wafa hospital is the only rehabilitation hospital in all of Gaza.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that Al Quds Hospital has suffered a direct hit. Both Al Quds hospital and the European Hospital have been surrounded by Israeli troops and are reportedly being hit with white phosphorus.

The UN has warned that security for medical personnel and access to medical facilities continues to be of major concern. Attacks on medical personnel and ambulances have hampered the ability to assist the injured. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), since 27 December 2008, 13 medical personnel have been killed and 22 medical personnel have been injured while on duty; 15 ambulances have been damaged and seven ambulances have been destroyed; and twelve health facilities have been damaged through direct or indirect shelling.

For more information visit www.map-uk.org

To donate to MAP’s emergency work in Gaza phone – 0207 226 7691

When Israel expelled Palestinians: Randall Kuhn OP-ED

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14 January 14, 2009 Washington Times

In the wake of Israel’s invasion of Gaza, Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak made this analogy: “Think about what would happen if for seven years rockets had been fired at San Diego, California from Tijuana, Mexico.”

Within hours scores of American pundits and politicians had mimicked Barak’s comparisons almost verbatim. In fact, in this very paper on January 9 House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor ended an opinion piece by saying “America would never sit still if terrorists were lobbing missiles across our border into Texas or Montana.” But let’s see if our political and pundit class can parrot this analogy.

Think about what would happen if San Diego expelled most of its Hispanic, African American, Asian American, and Native American population, about 48 percent of the total, and forcibly relocated them to Tijuana? Not just immigrants, but even those who have lived in this country for many generations. Not just the unemployed or the criminals or the America haters, but the school teachers, the small business owners, the soldiers, even the baseball players.

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Hip-Hop in the Crosshairs By Tolu Olorunda

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Voices in the Wilderness (Part 2)
The Substance of Truth
By Tolu Olorunda
BlackCommentator.com Columnist

BlackCommentator.com – January 15, 2009 – Issue 307

[Click here to read Hip-Hop in the Crosshairs: Voices in the Wilderness (Part 1)]

At this crossroad, Hip-Hop is confronted by a plethora of problems. Though many critics are quick to heap scorn and castigation upon the culture, such analysis often fails to keep track of the best of what it has to offer. Internal critique of Hip-Hop, within the artist community, is not a contemporary phenomenon. From its inception, various artists, of all stripes, have always brought critique to bear, when needed. I recently had the distinguished pleasure of speaking with three Hip-Hop artists who are displeased with certain elements within the culture today, and are speaking out about it. More importantly, all artists acknowledge that the creation of solutions yields more importance at a time such as this.

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GazaFriends: Israel Threatens to Shoot Unarmed Civilians aboard Mercy Ship

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.FreeGaza.org

Israel Threatens to Shoot Unarmed Civilians aboard Mercy Ship

For more information, please contact:
(Cyprus) Lubna Masarwa, +357 97 625 828 lubnna@gmail.com
(Cyprus) Mary Hughes, +357 99 081 767 friendsofgaza@gmail.com
(Gaza) Ewa Jasiewicz, +972 598 700 497 freelance@mailworks.org

(Mediterranean Sea, 15 January 2009) – The Israeli navy today threatened to kill unarmed civilians aboard a mercy ship on its way to deliver medical supplies and doctors to besieged Gaza.

The Free Gaza Movement ship, SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, left Cyprus Wednesday morning carrying doctors, journalists, human rights workers, and parliamentarians. The ship also carried over a ton of desperately needed medicines donated by the European Campaign to Break the Siege, intended for overwhelmed hospitals in the Gaza Strip. At the request of the ship’s organizers the passenger list and manifest were publicly released, and Cypriot authorities searched the boat prior to its departure in order to certify that it only carried humanitarian items. The organizers also sent an official notification to the Israeli government of their intent to break through the blockade of Gaza.

At roughly 3am UST (1am GMT), in international waters 100 miles off the coast of Gaza, at least five Israeli gunboats surrounded the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY and began recklessly cutting in front of the slow-moving civilian craft. The Israeli warships radioed the SPIRIT, demanding that the ship turn around or they would open fire and “shoot.” When asked if the Israeli navy was acknowledging that they intended to commit a war crime by deliberately firing on unarmed civilians, the warships replied that they were prepared to use “any means” to stop the ship.

An earlier attempt by Free Gaza to deliver doctors and medical supplies ended on 30 December when Israeli gunboats deliberately and repeatedly rammed the DIGNITY, almost sinking that ship. Rather than endanger the lives of its passengers, the SPIRIT is now returning to Cyprus.

Israel’s reckless and shocking threats against an unarmed ship on a mission of mercy are a violation of both international maritime law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which states that “the high seas should be reserved for peaceful purposes.”

CALL the Israeli Government and demand that it immediately STOP attacking the civilian population of Gaza and STOP using violence to prevent human rights and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.

Mark Regev in the Prime Minister’s office:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5 0620 3264
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence:
+972 3697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il

The Israeli Navy Spokesperson:
+ 972 5 781 86248

###
The Free Gaza Movement, a human rights group, sent two boats to Gaza in August 2008. These were the first international boats to land in the port in 41 years. Since August, four more voyages were successful, taking Parliamentarians, human rights workers, and other dignitaries to witness the effects of Israel’s draconian policies on the civilians of Gaza.
http://www.FreeGaza.org

GazaFriends: URGENT–Israeli Navy threatens SPIRIT OF HUMANITY

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[This is a combined update of mail that I received this am from Gaza Friends. Ed]

UPDATE on Free Gaza’s Emergency Voyage to Gaza

Dear Friends of Gaza,

The Free Gaza mercy ship, SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, left port in Cyprus this morning on an emergency mission to besieged Gaza. Aboard the ship are desperately needed medical supplies and 21 passengers and crew, including doctors, human rights workers, journalists, and two parliamentarians from Spain and Italy.

We’ve just received word from the ship (as of 3:15am UST / 1:15am GMT) that they are surrounded by Israeli Naval gunboats. The warships are demanding that the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY return to Cyprus. We are insisting to reach Gaza and complete our peaceful mission.

The Israelis have not yet attacked our unarmed ship, but it is URGENT that everyone immediately CALL the Israeli government and demand that they STOP threatening the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY!

CALL
Mark Regev in the Prime Minister’s office:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5 0620 3264
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence:
+972 3697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il

The Israeli Navy Spokesperson:
+ 972 5 781 86248

All,
The last 45 minutes the Spirit of Humanity is surrounded by Israeli gunboats, 100 miles away of Gaza port, into international waters. The Israelis ask the boat return to Larnaca. The boat continues its trip towards Gaza port.
 
Takis

Hi Everyone,

I talked with Huwaida several hours ago. The first hours of the
journey were very slow, less than 6 knots an hour due to heavy winds (15 to 20 knots) and high seas. By about 11 pm or so they were making about 8 knots an hour. They anticipate that they’ll arrive at the 20 mile mark off Gaza at about 1 pm, today, Thursday, January 15. So they’ll arrive in Gaza during daylight hours.

The satellite phone was working so Huwaida and I were able to communicate well on the satellite phone. If you look at the satellite tracking system on the website, it looks as if they are in international waters off Saida in Southern Lebanon so they are nearing international waters off Israel.

Stay tuned.

Karin in Cyprus