by Nathan Stuckey | 10 April 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza
Poverty is pervasive in Gaza. After 44 years of occupation, and six years of siege the economy is in tatters. Exporting anything is basically impossible, farming is crippled by the no go zones which encircle Gaza leaving over 30% of agricultural land off limits, the fishing industry has been devastated by the 3 mile limit on fishing imposed by Israel. Gaza survives on the tunnels. All this being said, as a Palestinian friend once proudly told me, no one starves in Palestine. This is true. Palestinians have created an amazing network of charity organizations that help to blunt the worst effects of the occupation. Today, in Khan Yunis, we saw this network at work.
The municipality of Khan Yunis teamed up with the Ethar Initiative to provide a day of fun for local children from poor families. Ethar is a volunteer group which works to help disadvantaged children and families; they provide opportunities for women to make money to support their families as well as sponsoring days like this one. Today about 80 children from several local school were brought to the Municipality building of Khan Yunis for a party. The celebration started at ten o’clock. First, was singing, children volunteered eagerly from the crowd to have the chance to come and sing in front of everybody. Then the children moved on to games, blind man’s bluff, musical chairs, an apple eating contest, and games with balloons. The winners of each game were rewarded with a goodie bag containing coloring books and school supplies. In the end though, who won didn’t matter, all of the children were sent home with a goodie bag.
Days like today remind us that the people fighting the occupation aren’t just politicians and those that go to demonstrations. Farmers who continue to farm their land despite harassment from settlers, fisherman who continue to fish despite being shot at by the Israeli Navy, and volunteers that work to provide the children with some happiness amongst the problems that surround all fighting the occupation. The Naqba, the Naqsa, the occupation, two Intifadas and the massacre of Gaza have not broken Palestinian steadfastness. This steadfastness wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of volunteers who work to provide so much of what the occupation tries to take away, hope, joy, and whatever small moments of pleasure that can be seized.
Nathan Stuckey is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement.
Featured
Gaza Siege Harshness Continues. Israel’s committing slow-motion genocide ~ by Stephen Lendman – March 23, 2012
For who does not understand the need or concept of resistance of Palestine, recommended read: History of Resistance | The Eagle of Palestine
- Special Topic | All Israeli Massacres on Palestinians
- iRemember… | Confirmed Names of Martyrs Occupation 2011 *
- Special Topic | Ethnic Cleansing
- Israeli escalation in Gaza | A “cover-up for settlement activity
- History of 1000′s years of Zionist Genocide | The Promised Land
- The Palestinian Right of Self Defense
Photography
Gaza Under Attack – March 14, 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – March 13, 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – March 12, 2012 – Photography
Gazz Under Attack – March 11, 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – March 10, 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – March 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – Feb 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – Jan 2012 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – Dec 2011 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – Oct-Nov 2011 – Photography
Gaza Under Attack – Aug-Sept 2011 – Photography
Gaza Cast Lead Massacre – Photography
Israel is not looking for Peace
- Israel is NOT looking for Peace but for this: “Greater Israel” Published by Radical Settler Movement
- On Aug 30,2010 Before previous peacetalks Netanyahu VOWED NO CONCESSIONS: “Eretz Israel” stretches from the med 2 river jordan INCL West Bank Gaza
- With his OP-ED in #NYT anny Danon confirmed Netanyahu as well: “Making the Land of Israel Whole“
- Recently: Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said: “The land of Israel is ours in its entirety“
- Knesset to vote on full Israeli annexation of the West Bank
- Read what Israel thinks about US: Netanyahu: ‘America is a thing you can move very easily
- Netanyahu: ‘We won’t renew settlement freeze to lure PA to talks’
- Israel plans 1000′s more settlement units as legislators call for FULL ANNEXATION of the WEST BANK
- Ayalon: Settlement in Jerusalem not for discussion | October 16, 2011
- Occupation planning to build 1.000.000 housing unites in next 10 years | October 26, 2011
- Read, what Leaders of Zionism spoke about the Endlösung for Palestine
- Israel’s Endlösung is going on for 63 years. List of All massacres
- The massacre which is NOT covered by your local media: 2011
- What is being ignored: Gaza Under Attack – in pictures
- Save yourself time, Forget all details. It is only about this : Ethnic Cleansing
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ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
Martyred By Israeli Occupation Attacks
انّا للہ و انّا الیه راجعون
May Allah Subhana wa Ta’ ala grant the Shuhada Jannatul Firdaus, and ease it for their families, loved ones and anyone around them. Allahumma Ameen ya Rabbil Alameen. ‘ Inna Lillahi wa ‘ Inna ‘ Ilayhi Raji’un, Allahu Akbar
ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
* The list of shuhada does not display, the numerous victims of the zionist occupation which are undocumented by media. Nor it displays the victims of the “silent onslaught” due to restrictions of movement, ability to go to hospitals for treatment or life saving surgery, due to lack of medication because of the blockades and so on. For example: The Slow Motion Genocide by the Siege on Gaza only, killed 600 patients since Gaza got under Israeli Siege.
For an overview of All Israeli Massacres Palestinians go here
Neither does this list, display the avoidable mortality. A clear and statistical factual evidence, about the number of deaths due to indecent ruling by occupation forces. For even an occupier has obligations under International Laws, Geneva Convention and the Hague regulations, which it is neglecting. These circumstances, together with deliberate policies of the occupier to neglect and even deny every basic human right, severes avoidable mortality which is totally silenced by media or reporting organisations. While in the Holocaust, 1 on 6 Jewish people directly died of deliberate neglect, so if we believe the facts over 1 million due to avoidable mortality, neither should these same circumstances be ignores which are ongoing in Palestine. For this report displays a avoidable morality of at least 0,5 million Palestinians.
How many more dead corpses of Palestinians does the international community need to see in order to act? How many more cruelties and violations of Human Rights, Regulations and International Law will be needed to intervene so this ongoing warcrime is being stopped once and for all.