Archive for the ‘Gaza’ Category
My Memorial Day Will Not Be the Same As Yours
8:04 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Gaza|holidays|israel|military|Palestine|Violence · 2 Comments
31 May 2010For some, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. I know I have been taking advantage of the warm weather and feeling how the summer heat burns away through winter depression and doubt. Others, take the day, a holiday set aside to remember those who have lost their lives in the name of the United States. I have flipped through the television watching flags placed on the graves of fallen soldiers.
I count myself as among the somewhat lucky, that with a few family members in the military, I have not lost anyone. So maybe that’s why my memorial day will not be the same as yours. My mind will not wrap itself in red white and blue when so many soldiers who die do so because they were promised a piece of ownership over the U.S. flag via coveted citizenship or residence for their familias.
I will light candles for los muertos hoy, pero I do that everyday. Maybe of equal importance is lighting candles for those who are still alive and struggling with the choices that appear before them. Today, Free Speech Radio News is highlighting a report that they did on military recruitment in Brooklyn. Hearing young people of color speak about how their options are presented to them is nothing new for me. I, like the youth featured in the report, see military recruiters in the busy subway stations. I walk by, holding my three year old daughter’s hand, feeling a little more than helpless as a mouth “don’t do it” to the young people being sweet talked. I make loud comments as I walk to catch my train to work about how youth are being manipulated.
Read more…
The Pope Supports Palestinian State
1:15 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Gaza|israel|Politics|Religion · Comments Off
13 May 2009My posts regarding the Pope normally criticize whatever brand of hate, divisiveness and false morality he happens to be brewing up for us at the moment. But this one won’t, simply because I don’t know what to make of his stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. While the previous Pope spoke about importance of peace in the region, this one is outright supporting Palestine’s right to exist, which seems crazy coming from such a conservative figure. This week on a trip to Israel, Pope Benedict addressed the Palestinian people in Bethlehem:
“In a special way, my heart goes out to the pilgrims from war-torn Gaza. I ask you to bring back to your families and your communities my warm embrace, and my sorrow for the loss, the hardship, and the hardship, and the suffering you have had to endure,” he said.Israel granted permits to about 100 Christians to leave the Gaza Strip and attend the Mass in Bethlehem.
The enclave is under tight restrictions imposed by Israel and Egypt on the movement of people and goods, by land, air, and sea. The embargo, which Israel says is due to security reasons, has resulted in shortages of supplies, including construction materials needed to rebuild from the recent war.
In his homily, the pope said he is praying for an end to the closure.
“Please be assured of my solidarity with you in the immense work of rebuilding which now lies ahead, and my prayers that the embargo will soon be lifted,” he said.
Prayer Poem for Gaza
2:40 pm By la Macha · Gaza · 10 Comments
14 Jan 2009From the always amazing Suheir Hammad, comes the following prayer poem for Gaza.
gaza
a great miracle happened here
a festival of lights
a casting of lead upon children
an army feasting on epiphany
i know nothing under the sun over the wall no one mentions
some must die wrapped in floral petroleum blanket
no coverage
i have come to every day armageddon
a ladder left unattended
six candles burn down a house
a horse tied to smoke
some must die to send a signal
flat line scream live stream river a memory longer than life spans
the living want to die in their country
no open doors no open seas no open
hands full of heart five daughters wrapped in white
each day jihad
each day faith over fear
each day a mirror of fire
the living want to die with their families
the girl loses limbs her brother gathers arms
some must die for not dying
children on hospital floor mother beside
them the father in shock this is my family
i have failed them this is my family i did
not raise their heads i have buried them
my family what will i do now my family is bread
one fish one people cut into pieces
there is a thirst thefts life
there is a hunger a winter within winter
some must die to bring salvation
i have come to end times always present
the woman lost parents her children and screams
my sister i have lost my sister i want to die
my sister’s eyes were honey her voice mine
i can’t face this only god only god my sister
medics killed schools hit convoys bombed
the injured are dying the dead are buried in three
hours the people pray together and curse the people
mourn loud and quiet always too loud not enough
some must die because they are the vicinity
some must die because it was written
no army does not apologize has never
apologized authority chases paper assembly
occupation settles deeper
a great miracle here
the living are dying and the dying living
a festival of lights
a strip a land a blaze
the sea a mirror of fire
a casting of lead upon children
their heads roll off their shoulders into streets
their tops spin in hands
an army feasting on epiphany
driving future into history
carrying torches into women
–By Suheir Hammad
Children Testify Their War Experiences
14 Jan 2009The following clip is from AlJazeera, one of the only news outlets that have managed to remain in Gaza despite the ban on journalists by Israel. Two children testify to their war experiences.
They’re wiping out entire families
13 Jan 2009
The horrors in Gaza continue unabated. The following is a segment from an interview a Palestinian professor who is living in Gaza right now gave:
I STRONGLY believe the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League–really, the international community at large–have failed the Palestinian people.
I think the example of the United Nations Security Council resolution issued yesterday, that called for a durable and respected cease-fire, is a good example. It treats the whole issue as if there are two sides–as if you have two equal armies at war.
Israel has killed more than 830 people and injured more than 3,000 people so far. Israel is a colonizing power. It is based on deep-rooted racism, and it has reoccupied parts of the Gaza Strip. And the Security Council acts as if there are two equal parties that have to declare a cease-fire.
That is why I strongly believe we can’t count on the international community any longer. I think the UN Security Council and the international community in general reflect the balance of power, and that balance of power is still in favor of the U.S. and Israel.
I can’t separate the United States and American imperialism from Israel and Zionism. And that’s why I see the war conducted against us now as part of the Bush Doctrine. This is part of what Condoleezza Rice called “the birth pangs of a Middle East” out of what she called “creative destruction.” I think that’s exactly what is happening right now.
Read the whole thing here
Now, pay no attention to editor behind the curtain!
What the hell, CNN? Why in the holy hell does the Israeli Government get a freaking *disclaimer* at the beginning of news segments? As if some how attempting to delegitimize an entire news segment?
The statement is the full text of Marcos’ speech on Gaza, given at the World Festival of Dignified Rage on January 4th. As Jen wrote Monday, the EZLN is celebrating their 15th anniversary through the Festival of Dignified Rage. In his statement, Marcos specifically addresses how the war crimes of Israel will create a new generation of dignified rage in Palestine.
Read the entire statement after the jump.
Colombian Solidarity Demonstrations for Gaza Make the Colonialism Connection
8:00 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Colombia|Gaza|Palestine · Comments Off
8 Jan 2009While I know some readers don’t appreciate the connection I made between U.S. colonialism in Latin America and what is happening in Gaza, in Latin American protests against the continuing massacre of people in Gaza, the connections are being made.
The Colombian blog Equinoxio has some images and audio from a march on Tuesday in the capital city of Bogotá.
Jon Stewart on Gaza
12:47 pm By la Macha · Gaza · 5 Comments
7 Jan 2009What do you think?
Justify This : Israel bombs UN School
10:29 am By Maegan La Mala · Gaza|israel|Palestine · 8 Comments
7 Jan 2009
While the message that many are parroting, even in comments here and everywhere in the mainstream media, is that the Israeli assault on the people of Gaza is an act of self-defense. As if a nation who is propped up gracias to the patronage of the United States needs that much defense against hand made rockets from people who right now are burying their children. Explain to me how bombing a United Nation school full of refugee children is an act of self defense and not an act of showing extreme power, of sending the message to the people of Gaza that “We will kill your children”.
Hola!
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