Who Am I? (2)

This story is based on the true events of the Gaza Holocaust. Israel launched its deadly attack on besieged Gaza on Saturday, December 27, 2008 through January 22, 2009 and beyond.

The Gaza Strip was under siege by Israel for three years.

If you went to the Gaza Strip, you would see empty storehouses and cemeteries growing larger – it is too hard to keep a tight hold on one’s emotions. If you strolled near the outpost of the city, you would feel the uncertain freedom or even a future.

This made it so had for the world to sympathize anymore with the Jews’ holocaust, after the holocaust they committed in the Gaza Enclave.

Here the story goes...

I am six years old; I used to live in a small place in besieged Gaza with my mom, dad and three brothers. My dad used to go every day to work, while my mom stayed at home to take care of us, especially my five months old baby brother.

I was so happy this September because it was my first day of school. I was then old enough to be in grade one, I would make many friends, we would grow up together and who knows, maybe we would all go to the same university and work at the same place too.

I love my family and like to go out every weekend to play soccer with my neighbours.

I am doing great at school and my teachers are very proud of me. It is my third month in school and I already made three close friends, we want to be together forever.

Mom said that I had to start wearing heavy clothes because by the end of December, it would get much colder and she was worried that I might catch cold.

Friday was our weekend and we would all go to the mosque close by to pray. I love it there; it felt so peaceful. After that, we would all go for lunch at my cousins’ home.

Tomorrow is a new day at school; I could not sleep the night because we had a field trip. For the first time in my life, I was going on a field trip with my friends. I went to sleep dreaming of it.

I heard a big bang and felt as if the ground was shaking, I thought that the school bus took the wrong route to the field trip or one of its tires blew up. Suddenly, I woke up; I was not in the school bus, it was not the tire that blew up. What was that then!

My mom came dashing into my bedroom, my two brothers were still in their pyjamas, and my dad was carrying my baby brother. Where are we going? What was that noise? Am I not going to the field trip?

There was no answer, we just fled our home and went to the mosque. At the mosque, there were my other neighbours some of my friends and many more people. What is going on mom? Today is Saturday; I must go to school now!

The big blowing noise started to get louder, children started to cry, I felt hungry and...

Dad said, school will be closed today son, I do not know when it would open. Aeroplanes are dropping bombs, we do not know if our home is safe. Dad, I am hungry!

Dad left the mosque with some other men to bring some food.

I asked my mom, who were those people? Why were they sending their aeroplanes to hit our homes? What did they want from us?

Mom said, it was Israeli aeroplanes, they did not like us to have any kind of weapons to protect ourselves, and they do not want to see us here. But why mom? This is where we were born and this is our land! That is exactly why son, because we are Palestinians, because we are Muslims, and they do not want us to be here in besieged Gaza anymore.

Dad came with some food and water and said, be careful we might not be able to get more food afterwards. Dad said that many buildings were destroyed, black smoke was all over and there was complete chaos. We heard boisterous ambulance sirens and other cars screeching to a halt.

The ground shook again and a big opening on the sidewall of the mosque suddenly appeared,

people were trying to transfer wounded women and children to the hospital.

Everyone was running everywhere, babies were crying, blood was all over, people were covered with dust, some were trying to pull others from under the rubbles, the aeroplanes were bombarding us from every direction.

Mom took me, my brothers and ran out; we did not know what hit us! We did not know where to go! I looked around only to see our neighbourhood destroyed. I wish everything would stop, please stop. If you love God stop, just stop!

We went inside one of the houses and hid there. After a while a few soldiers found us, they had their huge guns pointed at my brother’s chest and they fired.

My mom screamed and fell over my brother trying to wake him up, my baby brother was crying. The soldiers kicked us out. We kept running. I could see fireworks in the horizon, except they were all white and fell on the ground instead of spreading colourfully in the sky, and then I saw something fell on a woman and her baby, white smoke came out and she started to burn.

A car came, picked us up and took us to the hospital, the woman was my mom and the baby was my baby brother, his face and chest were so red and looked very strange.

I looked around for my dad, but he was not there, one doctor said that my mom would be all right.

He gave me some water. I sipped half and went to give my mom the other half; I told her that the doctor said that she would be ok. I told her that soon they would stop, I told her not to worry and that I would take care of her until my dad comes back right mom?

Mom! Mom... mom... maaaaaaa

The six years old boy’s life will never be peaceful anymore...

Zionism has always been carrying out the policy of the “burnt land[1]”, under the banner of extending their land from The Nile to The Euphrates Rivers[2], no matter if that was over the dead bodies of the Palestinians or any other humans; the end justifies the means.

‘The Guardian’ has obtained vivid footage of the effect of white phosphorus[3] allegedly used by Israel during a bomb attack on Gaza (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/20/gaza-white-phosphorus)[4].

The result – this time around too - was the disfiguration and destruction of Gaza City, one can look there at the face of hunger and plagues, the face of fire and the face of death; worst of all - the face of betrayal and the dreams that have not been fulfilled.

GAZA ATTACK TIMELINE can be seen at: http://mapmash.googlepages.com/gaza.html

It is important to note that the annexation of Jerusalem by Israel is illegal under international law.

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[1] See “Wikipedia: Scorched earth” in http://www.answers.com/topic/scorched-earth

[2] Euphrates River history; http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/history.htm

[3] “’Indisputable evidence’ of Israel’s use of white phosphorous against civilians” – see

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=18024

[4] Also see “White phosphorous ignites on contact with oxygen. Flechettes expel razor sharp darts. DIME bombs cause large blasts over small areas.” http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/phosphorous%20controversy%20in%20gaza%20%20/2909012

Reconstruction of Gaza?

Becoming aware of one’s reality and surroundings, not only within ones arena, but also in and ‎around the world is vital and indispensable to a healthy future of any country.‎

Many leaders all over the world and through history have been trying to mask reality from their ‎people in an attempt to attain their own personal goals and ambitions.‎

Hence, raising awareness, as much as it is essential for dignity, freedom, and autonomy, is as ‎difficult to achieve, yet never impossible.‎

Muhammad Hasanain Haikal ‎ ‎, an Egyptian journalist, author, and politician, gave a talk on ‎television about the war on Gaza and the surrounding political back staging operations that took ‎place before, during and after. The following is a summary of his talk. ‎

The Arab world is on the brink of a new phase on the ground. It is in the throes of a very painful ‎phase, or one of transition, because the US and the West reached the conclusion that, it was no ‎more important that Arabs agree or object, or say yes or no, because they became highly ‎dispersed. Moreover, the most dangerous thing about this dispersion is that there is no longer a ‎party on the ground that could exist for negotiation.‎

In the midst of what was happening with the plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, there was a ‎visit by the European leaders to Israel, which was, at the time, a tantamount to save Israel from ‎the international claims seeking to put the Israelis on trial for what they have committed in Gaza. ‎The intent was to provide a sort of an “instrument of forgiveness” to Israel. ‎
‎ This came in response to Israel’s worry about voices calling to bring Israeli leaders to ‎prosecution, while others called for a trial by The International Criminal Court for the war crimes ‎committed in the Gaza Holocaust.‎

Mr. Haikal said that he was worried that all such preparations for the reconstruction of Gaza ‎would divert all attention to an entire and different arena in place of the political one dealing ‎with the Palestinian problem.‎

While former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was being awarded a medal of honour by G. W. ‎Bush, Blair advised Bush to forget about the concept of spreading democracy among the Arab ‎countries. He further explained that the Arabs in the Middle East are far from understanding it, ‎not to mention accepting such concept because of their economic and social problems.‎

In the year 2006, there was an American planning set in place to get rid of Hamas (incidentally, ‎this was published in American newspaper). T. Blair requested from the Palestinian president ‎Mahmoud Abbas to work on the implementation of such plan. The failure of this plan caused ‎Israel to carry out the task of toppling Hamas itself, and to make the Palestinian arena filled with ‎emptiness.‎

At times, the US tempts us to pounce at that that we imagine is a risk to us, and when we ‎remove him from the scene, we become increasingly vulnerable.‎

Mr. Haikal is urging all Arabs, especially youth to open their eyes, be on the alert, and start ‎thinking about the US and European plans to dominate the Middle East, but in a new and ‎unfamiliar way.‎

Any Arab country would be wrong in thinking that any other than the North Atlantic Treaty ‎Organization would oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. A political process of an utmost ‎importance, is that there are large amounts of reconstruction would be allocated, and would not ‎be given to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.‎

The Treaty Organization would govern all the allotted monies; NATO is coming to the region ‎strongly. We have to be aware that Israel exists as an associate member in the European Union ‎‎(EU). Mr Haikal added, “Here I say that the engineer of this movement is the European Tony ‎Blair, former British Prime Minister.”‎

Eliminating Hamas is not entirely accomplished yet. The signed treaty between Condoleezza ‎Rice (on her last days in office) and Israel’s Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, was about the ‎preparations in the area without the consultation of the concerned parties, aiming at imposing ‎some effects there.‎

There will be a backlash against Hamas, when such stage comes about and the awakening (after ‎the terrible nightmare) takes place and that is when Hamas will face its great losses.‎

Mr. Haikal ended his talk by referring to a new book called “A World of Trouble”, by Patrick ‎Tyler. The author “draws on newly opened presidential archives to dramatize the approach to the ‎Middle East across U.S. presidencies from Eisenhower to George W. Bush.‎ ‎” ‎

Understanding what is happening around us makes us recognize the need to become aware of the ‎much deviant propaganda that minimizes Israel’s war crimes by turning the world into spectators ‎looking at the crime scene merely as an amusement park, where the Arabs are regarded as ‎terrorists worthy of execution.‎

Clearly, what all this boil down to are two main problems; one is that some people, calling ‎themselves leaders of the superpower and the “advanced” countries, are playing games to see ‎who wins and keeps his presidency and popularity the longest. They are playing the weaker ‎countries as marionettes in their hands, believing that such third world and backward countries ‎are idiots and that with propaganda they would easily turn those Arabs into pallid clones of the ‎West.‎

The second problem is that the leaders and many of the people in the Arab world, especially from ‎among the youth find it somewhat appealing to be dominated, and thus accepting being ripped ‎off their dignity, in order to keep their power, position, image and all false and old myths about ‎the West being their idle and even their saviour.‎

In the end, the only way to counteract all such problems would be a unified awakening; that is to ‎spread awareness and that all Arabs would unite under the same goal and adopt the propaganda ‎that neutralizes that of the superpower.‎

Relief is only but near...

It was cold and raining. Even though one tends to looks forward to these sudden and 'freezing' conditions after nine months of intense sunshine, or rather, sweltering humidity and heat, it did look kind of grim outside. It was cloudy and the sun was just setting and to top it off I was told that our whole building at home had a power cut. There was no indication that it would be fixed tonight. My car was away at service so I also had no comfortable means of transportation. As the car I finally got into weaved its way in and out of traffic I was getting used to the idea of studying and living it off on candlelight for the night. Surely it can't be that hard. After all it's only a few hours. What about those the world over who don't have the luxury of electricty! My thoughts went to those in Gaza. Images flashed through my mind of the destruction and horrors there. Oh what luxuries we seem not to be able to do without.

I finally got home but that was only half the journey. Ten flights of stairs waited for me in pitch darkness, save for a few tealights that someone had kindly placed at the corner of each of the floor landings. Fitness is indeed a hidden blessing 'in times like these'.

It wasn't really something worth fussing about but being used to something for so long can really let you take it for granted. It was cold and I was dying for a cup of cocoa or even better a steaming bowl of soup. I couldn't heat up my soup in the microwave. No, I would have to use the stove, and it's a good thing we use gas and not electricity! Going to the bathroom in candlelight was interesting. It's just like being at the spa I kept telling myself. No tv, no radio, no entertainment, no Internet even, no communication. All that just because of a simple power cut? I guess there can be no other means of procratination and I have to succumb to making the acquaintance of my fat books.

In all seriousness and as I found myself praying the maghreb prayers and getting more and more used to my current situation, it was a case of inner acceptance. Acceptance and learning to be resourceful with what you have. I found my thoughts wandering again to those in Gaza - perhaps because the events are all still fresh in everyone's minds. Still, this was not only about those suffering in Gaza. It was about all those who have suffered at various times. Here I was trying to make do with a few hours without electricity - God forbid - when the people of Gaza and thousands if not millions the world over have no clean water, no proper toilet facilities, no switch that automatically gives them unlimited volts of light, no food, no home, no security, no warmth, none of the basics that we all take for granted day in, day out. It was humbling. There I was fussing about how I will be heating my soup, all snuggled up in my warm blanket when there are children at that moment without mothers to snuggle up to or shelters to protect them. I felt small and insignificant, ungrateful and spoilt. It was a case of pure acceptance and acknowledgment.

Suddenly and even before I had completed my last rak'a I was rudely interrupted by the healthy sound of the energy running through all the lightbulbs in the house. The power fault was fixed! I was only just getting comfortable with the idea of feeling a fraction of a percentage of perhaps what others experience on a daily basis. I was still on the prayer mat and it was a moment of graitude and another different sort of ackowledgment.

"So verily, with the hardship, there is relief ** Verily, with the hardship, there is relief (i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs)." [94:5-6]

It is only with strength of conviction coupled with a deep acceptance, acknowledgment and solid, silent patience will relief come rushing through. I knew and felt this. This then is the answer to everything. All the hardships and all the difficult times that hit us from time to time. Gaza and Palestine will find relief and all those who can find it in their heart to weigh that fine balance will find relief too.

Inauguation Hunger Strike

Gaza is dying. War crimes are being committed every single day, and the world is watching in silence. We have gathered, demonstrated and tried to make the world aware, but nothing is changing and the blood shed is not stopping. Let us unite on the American Inauguration day on a food strike, for a change that we can believe in.

We will not eat, will not drink, and will not stop until Gaza is healed.Please contact the media and tell them about our world-wide food strike. Invite your friends and make the world aware of the bleeding wound.

Gazans are starving, and I will not eat their flesh or drink their blood.

Gaza Holocaust - An online Museum

A group was made on facebook as an attempt of voicing the Truth about what is taking place in Gaza. If we cannot go and fight, let us show the world the reality that is being biased by the media and the political spokesmen:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=58342007574The idea of this group is to post all the photos that we can gather about the crimes that are being committed in Gaza that defy the simplest human rights. Posting a photo is very simple, just add the photo with a short comment describing when the photo was taken and what is shows, and name the source for credibility whenever possible. Please join the group, spread the word, and invite your friends to visit the museum, especially the ones who may not know the truth. Your participation is the key to the success of this attempt.

SUPPORT GAZA