I was going to have my friends in Aley come to my new apartment in Beirut for dinner tonight. But yesterday, they all bailed because Hizballah is having a big demonstration. It might be Hassan Nasrallah's first public appearance since the War. For some reason, people at the school haven't been saying anything, but when I went to Aley yesterday and talked to them on the phone, they are all very concerned.
I went to downtown the other day for a tour the school put on for the new hires. They have a lot of signs that basically diss Israel. And a lot of pictures of carnage and destruction. On the main clock tower, in the center of Place d'Etoile, Saha Nijme, Star Plaza, they have long black banners that hang down with pictures of child casualties that say "Jetfighters against Children". I'll post the pictures soon.
September 22, 2006
Keefer Sutherland
Excerpt from an e-mail from a friend in L.A.:
------------------------------------------------
We went to a bar in Hollywood and saw Keefer Sutherland. He was totally drunk and belligerant, but somehow stopped to say hello to me and my Iranian friend. He kissed her and shook my hand. Weird, huh? I told my friend that he must have recognized us as Middle Eastern and then felt bad that his show "24" makes us look like we're all terrorists. Oh well.
------------------------------------------------
We went to a bar in Hollywood and saw Keefer Sutherland. He was totally drunk and belligerant, but somehow stopped to say hello to me and my Iranian friend. He kissed her and shook my hand. Weird, huh? I told my friend that he must have recognized us as Middle Eastern and then felt bad that his show "24" makes us look like we're all terrorists. Oh well.
Crazy Cartoon
Go to Click on the first link that says "Slideshow: Check Out The Controversial Comic Book"
It is super-dooper whack.
The whole part about Allah being a moon god and a former idol in Mecca is so stupid. The exact same arguments could be made about Jehovah of the Old Testament.
It is super-dooper whack.
The whole part about Allah being a moon god and a former idol in Mecca is so stupid. The exact same arguments could be made about Jehovah of the Old Testament.
September 19, 2006
Back in Beirut
I'm here.
Some people are upset by that. A couple people called to try to have me rethink the decision. But I know it's the right one. I was praying that God would make everything clear--open the doors, close the doors. And he miraculously opened the doors, with a great job, with a great package, with a really nice hook up in Hamra.
And I still have my concerns; I know the situation is not exactly stable. Yes, anything can happen.
But as Corrie Ten Boom said, "There's no safer place to be than at the center of God's will." And God has been doing all kinds of things. I know this is where I'm supposed to be.
As you can see, I haven't been on the computer since I've gotten here. Thank God. I directly went up to Aley and spent the weekend with my friends. It was really amazing to walk in the souk and surprise the few people who didn't know I was coming back.
It brought tears to our eyes. Really. It means a lot--my coming back, any of the foreigners coming back--like we believe in this place, we're not abandoning it. We're going to be a part of rebuilding, that Lebanon has a good future.
I took the bus from Aley to Cola, through the Dahiye. But the part I went through, I couldn't really see that much damage. And I haven't gone to the beach yet either. But I have a friend from the Dahiye who's going to show me around. Everyone says I must be accompanied. And I'll be going to the beach this weekend.
In some ways, it feels. . . normal. But eveyone has really sad stories. Lots of stories, about being freaked out, about having to leave.
But the South is beyond disgusting. They cluster bombed really low to the ground, and left all these explosives that haven't exploded yet that look like little toys. A reporter working in Iraq (my new boss's daughter) said that the destruction in the South is the worst she's ever seen.
And the beach--the oil spill--is beyond disgusting. They couldn't start cleaning it up at the beginning because they were still bombing. So coming in weeks later to start is too late. And for some reason they haven't brought that state-of-the-art bacteria stuff that eats the oil.
But I haven't seen it yet.
I've been doing orientation with the new job and seeing my friends. I'm sooooooo happy to be back. I went clubbing on Monot on Saturday night. My new apartment in Hamra is in an amazing location. I have a guest bed in the living room. So you should come! You are most welcome!! It's really a beautiful place. One friend said he's thinking about coming over the Christmas break.
Some people are upset by that. A couple people called to try to have me rethink the decision. But I know it's the right one. I was praying that God would make everything clear--open the doors, close the doors. And he miraculously opened the doors, with a great job, with a great package, with a really nice hook up in Hamra.
And I still have my concerns; I know the situation is not exactly stable. Yes, anything can happen.
But as Corrie Ten Boom said, "There's no safer place to be than at the center of God's will." And God has been doing all kinds of things. I know this is where I'm supposed to be.
As you can see, I haven't been on the computer since I've gotten here. Thank God. I directly went up to Aley and spent the weekend with my friends. It was really amazing to walk in the souk and surprise the few people who didn't know I was coming back.
It brought tears to our eyes. Really. It means a lot--my coming back, any of the foreigners coming back--like we believe in this place, we're not abandoning it. We're going to be a part of rebuilding, that Lebanon has a good future.
I took the bus from Aley to Cola, through the Dahiye. But the part I went through, I couldn't really see that much damage. And I haven't gone to the beach yet either. But I have a friend from the Dahiye who's going to show me around. Everyone says I must be accompanied. And I'll be going to the beach this weekend.
In some ways, it feels. . . normal. But eveyone has really sad stories. Lots of stories, about being freaked out, about having to leave.
But the South is beyond disgusting. They cluster bombed really low to the ground, and left all these explosives that haven't exploded yet that look like little toys. A reporter working in Iraq (my new boss's daughter) said that the destruction in the South is the worst she's ever seen.
And the beach--the oil spill--is beyond disgusting. They couldn't start cleaning it up at the beginning because they were still bombing. So coming in weeks later to start is too late. And for some reason they haven't brought that state-of-the-art bacteria stuff that eats the oil.
But I haven't seen it yet.
I've been doing orientation with the new job and seeing my friends. I'm sooooooo happy to be back. I went clubbing on Monot on Saturday night. My new apartment in Hamra is in an amazing location. I have a guest bed in the living room. So you should come! You are most welcome!! It's really a beautiful place. One friend said he's thinking about coming over the Christmas break.
September 11, 2006
September 8, 2006
Beirut or Bust
Yesterday, my friend said she's going to make me a T-shirt that says "Beirut or Bust."
Well, now she doesn't have to. I got a job offer. They want me to fax back the contract with the signature. It's with the best American school in Beirut, where those Embassy people and local rich people send their kids. Therefore, I will have a real work visa and a good salary. And if anything were to happen, I would be right there, and I'm sure would be on those secret helicopters that get out before everybody else. (I heard rumors about those.)
Yesterday, I went to a training session to subsitute teach in Katy I.S.D. And it was just so depressing. I seriously felt bad about myself.
This is a good opportunity--not just work-wise, where I can actually learn from other, more experienced teachers. But I can continue with the Arabic and get to know all those NGO people I started working with and help Rania at my church start a home for street kids. There's a lot of people doing good work. And I do hope I can figure out ways to help them. One idea is to get those local non-profits with websites. So they can advertise themselves and tell the world what's happening and find supporters.
As Wally keeps pointing out, I had big ideas to raise money and do this kind of work. So hopefully I'll be working on that a little on that end. But at the same time, I'll have a real JOB. And have to do all that. But maybe it can be community service stuff through the skill--getting those rich, priveleged kids to show other kids how to use the technology, so they can help out their own communities.
I'm supposed to report September 14. What does that mean, leave on Tuesday???
Well, now she doesn't have to. I got a job offer. They want me to fax back the contract with the signature. It's with the best American school in Beirut, where those Embassy people and local rich people send their kids. Therefore, I will have a real work visa and a good salary. And if anything were to happen, I would be right there, and I'm sure would be on those secret helicopters that get out before everybody else. (I heard rumors about those.)
Yesterday, I went to a training session to subsitute teach in Katy I.S.D. And it was just so depressing. I seriously felt bad about myself.
This is a good opportunity--not just work-wise, where I can actually learn from other, more experienced teachers. But I can continue with the Arabic and get to know all those NGO people I started working with and help Rania at my church start a home for street kids. There's a lot of people doing good work. And I do hope I can figure out ways to help them. One idea is to get those local non-profits with websites. So they can advertise themselves and tell the world what's happening and find supporters.
As Wally keeps pointing out, I had big ideas to raise money and do this kind of work. So hopefully I'll be working on that a little on that end. But at the same time, I'll have a real JOB. And have to do all that. But maybe it can be community service stuff through the skill--getting those rich, priveleged kids to show other kids how to use the technology, so they can help out their own communities.
I'm supposed to report September 14. What does that mean, leave on Tuesday???
September 7, 2006
18 Israel and Jerusalem Facts: Wally's old post
These facts that Wally sent me are in all caps. My response comes after each of them. I basically went to Wikipedia to confirm stuff I knew. I would invite anybody with some good evidence and arguments to jump in here.
Many of these "facts" are just not true. Wally put these at the end of a post where the Israeli Prime Minister was defending his actions in Lebanon. I don't see how any of these are a defense, or answer to any of the arguments I or the Arab World has leveled against Israel's human rights violations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. ISRAEL BECAME A STATE IN 1312 B.C., TWO MILLENNIA BEFORE ISLAM;
Are you saying that Arab or Palestinian=Muslim?? Many Palestinians are Christians. And the majority of Palestinians who have been in the U.S. for many generations are Christians.
Does this not mean that other groups of people lived in Palestine before the 12 tribes of Israel settled there around 1312 BCE? God told Moses he would bring him "into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites--a land flowng with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17). Now, I'm not going to say that the modern-day Arabs are descendents of these groups.
There is much historical debate as to whether today's Arabs can be traced back to these groups. It's a muddled and kind of silly project--of course, people have mixed and moved over all these millinia. But have their been non-Israeli people there since before the 12 tribes of Israel setteled there? Of course. Are these the ancestors of today's Palestinians? That's a trickier question.
2. ARAB REFUGEES FROM ISRAEL BEGAN CALLING THEMSELVES "PALESTINIANS" IN 1967, TWO DECADES AFTER (MODERN) ISRAELI STATEHOOD;
Semantics? The politics of identity? The words "Palestine" and "Israel". Even today, different groups of people use these same words to mean the same thing and different things. Arabs don't call the region Israel, they call it Palestine. In the U.S., many people say Palestine refers specifically to the West Bank and Gaza. These names are very political, and people use them differently in all kinds of contexts.
Am I Latina, Hispanic (not Herspanic), or white, or Anglo? People use different words to refer to the same thing, and they all have political connotations and baggage? Of course, in 1967, the territories were occupied, so people decided to take on a new name to reflect their new political and social situation. So? When did Americans start calling themselves Americans, and not British? It has something to do with the Revolutionary War. Were they still the same people?
3. AFTER CONQUERING THE LAND IN 1272 B.C., JEWS RULED IT FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AND MAINTAINED A CONTINUOUS PRESENCE THERE FOR 3,300 YEARS;
The Romans burned down Solomon's temple and destroyed Rome in 70 CE. My World History textbook said that these Roman persecutions led to the Jewish diaspora that started around 150 CE. That was when Jewish people started settling in Europe. That's why they started coming back in the late-ninteenth century with the Zionist movement.
4. THE ONLY ARAB RULE FOLLOWING CONQUEST IN 633 B.C. LASTED JUST 22 YEARS;
So then who did the Franks conquer Jerusalem from in the First Crusade in 1099? Wasn't it the infidels?
"Further east, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt were all under Muslim control" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
5. FOR OVER 3,300 YEARS, JERUSALEM WAS THE J EWISH CAPITAL. IT WAS NEVER THE CAPITAL OF ANY ARAB OR MUSLIM ENTITY. EVEN UNDER JORDANIAN RULE, (EAST) JERUSALEM WAS NOT MADE THE CAPITAL, AND NO ARAB LEADER CAME TO VISIT IT;
"The Fatimids, at this time ruled by caliph al-Musta'li (although all actual power was held by the vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah), had lost Jerusalem to the Seljuks in 1076, but recaptured it from the Ortoqids in 1098 while the crusaders were on the march." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
6. JERUSALEM IS MENTIONED OVER 700 TIMES IN THE BIBLE, BUT NOT ONCE IS IT MENTIONED IN THE QUR'AN;
Palestinian=Muslim? This really isn't about religion. I find it bothersome that Westerners like to portray people in the Middle East as somewhat savage, uncivilized, and very irrational because religion plays such a big part in their thinking and leads them to violence.
People aren't any more religious than Americans. And it's probably a similar percentage of the population that uses religion to justify their politics. In fact, in the U.S. it might even be more. (You know, that whole religious right. George W. reads My Utmost For His Highest every morning.)
Again, the media likes to play up this fear that doesn't exist, so the current administration will be justified when it does bad things like go to war and occupy other countries. Making Middle Easterners out to be irrational religious fundamentalists plays into this.
The more the arguments can stay in the realm of politics and history, the better.
7. KING DAVID FOUNDED JERUSALEM; MOHAMMED NEVER SET FOOT IN IT;
Jerusalem is considered the third most holy city in Islam. The Dome of the Rock is considered the place from where the angel Gabriel led Muhammad on a tour of heaven and hell. This is called the night journey.
"Some time in 620, Muhammad told his followers that he had experienced the Isra and Miraj, a miraculous journey said to have been accomplished in one night along with Angel Gabriel. In the first part of the journey, the Isra, he is said to have travelled from Mecca to the furthest mosque, in Jerusalem, presently known as Masjid al Aqsa. In the second part, the Miraj, Muhammad is said to have toured Heaven and Hell, and spoken with earlier prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
Muslims believe that the Dome of the Rock is the site from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad
But what does this have to do with the current political situation of how Israel deals with its occupied territories?
8. JEWS PRAY FACING JERUSALEM; MUSLIMS FACE MECCA. IF THEY ARE BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, MUSLIMS PRAY FACING MECCA, WITH THEIR BACKS TO JERUSALEM;
So???
9. IN 1948, ARAB LEADERS URGED THEIR PEOPLE TO LEAVE, PROMISING TO CLEANSE THE LAND OF JEWISH PRESENCE. 68% OF THEM FLED WITHOUT EVER SETTING EYES ON AN ISRAELI SOLDIER;
Now this is such an interesting claim. I've never heard this. Most of the literature says that about 700,000 people were made refugees on Israeli Independence Day/Al-Nakba (the catastrophe). But you're saying these people left because the Arab govenrments told them they would start the war.
So you think that means the Arab leaders wanted these people to leave their land and homes and not ever come back? If they warned them about the fighting and told them to leave so as to not get killed, that's one thing, but telling them to leave and they don't have the right to return is another. The Arab leaders did not make these people into refugees. They told them to get out during the war, so they could come back to their homes, alive.
10. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE JEWISH POPULATION OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAD TO FLEE AS THE RESULT OF VIOLENCE AND POGROMS;
Yes. This is true.
11. SOME 630,000 ARABS LEFT ISRAEL IN 1948, WHILE CLOSE TO A MILLION JEWS WERE FORCED TO LEAVE THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
"the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that erupted following the invasion of neighbouring Arab states, resulted in the flight or expulsion of an estimated 700,000 Palestinian refugees, [4] and the abandonment and destruction of up to 418 Palestinian villages." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba_day
I don't know how many Jews had to leave Arab countries.
12. IN SPITE OF THE VAST TERRITORIES AT THEIR DISPOSAL, ARAB REFUGESS WERE DELIBERATELY PREVENTED FROM ASSIMILATING INTO THEIR HOST COUNTRIES. OF 100 MILLION REFUGEES FOLLOWING WORLD WAR 2, THEY ARE THE ONLY GROUP TO HAVE NEVER INTEGRATED WITH THEIR CORELIGIONISTS. MOST OF THE JEWISH REFUGEES FROM EUROPE AND ARAB LANDS WERE SETTLED IN ISRAEL, A COUNTRY NO LARGER THAN NEW JERSEY.
This is true. Shame on Lebanon and all the others.
13. THERE ARE 22 MUSLIM COUNTRIES, NOT COUNTING PALESTINE. THERE IS ONLY ONE JEWISH STATE. ARABS STARTED ALL FIVE WARS A GAINST ISRAEL, AND LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM;
Some say Hizballah won this one. Israel certainly didn't win.
So are you saying that Israel is justified in treating its Palestinian population the way it does, becauase the Arab countries started all the wars against Israel?? That doesn't seem to make sense.
14. FATAH AND HAMAS CONSTITUTIONS STILL CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. ISRAEL CEDED MOST OF THE WEST BANK AND ALL OF GAZA TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, AND EVEN PROVIDED IT WITH ARMS;
Israel has ceded most of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority? How much land are we talking about here? These are small places. And there are still too many Israeli settlements and not enough land for the Palestinians? When it all used to be their's and now they have practically nothing, it seems that the least Israel can do is give them all of West Bank and Gaza. But the details of how much land and where these boundaries should be drawn is the difficult work of these peace negotiations that has to be continued now.
I should definately get more stats to show how much land is in the West Bank and how much of it goes to the Palestinians.
15. DURING THE JORDANIAN OCCUPATION, JEWISH HOLY SITES WERE VANDALIZED AND WERE OFF LIMITS TO JEWS. UNDER ISRAELI RULE, ALL MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAITHS;
Yes, and unfortunately, people who live in Arab countries cannot visit these sites becasue their govnerments won't let them. But that's not Israel's fault.
16. OUT OF 175 UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS UP TO 1990,
97 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL; OUT OF 690 GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS, 429 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL;
So the international community recognizes the crimes and illegal violations of the Israeli government. Shouldn't the U.S.?
17 was missing???
18. THE U.N. WAS SILENT WHEN THE JORDANIANS DESTROYED 58 SYNAGOGUES IN THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM. IT REMAINED SILENT WHILE JORDAN SYSTEMATICALLY DESECRATED THE ANCIENT JEWISH CEMETERY ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AN D IT REMAINED SILENT WHEN JORDAN ENFORCED APARTHEID LAWS PREVENTING JEWS FROM ACCESSING THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND WESTERN WALL.
Okay. Should I start to list the Israeli crimes?? There isn't enough room here.
Many of these "facts" are just not true. Wally put these at the end of a post where the Israeli Prime Minister was defending his actions in Lebanon. I don't see how any of these are a defense, or answer to any of the arguments I or the Arab World has leveled against Israel's human rights violations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. ISRAEL BECAME A STATE IN 1312 B.C., TWO MILLENNIA BEFORE ISLAM;
Are you saying that Arab or Palestinian=Muslim?? Many Palestinians are Christians. And the majority of Palestinians who have been in the U.S. for many generations are Christians.
Does this not mean that other groups of people lived in Palestine before the 12 tribes of Israel settled there around 1312 BCE? God told Moses he would bring him "into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites--a land flowng with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17). Now, I'm not going to say that the modern-day Arabs are descendents of these groups.
There is much historical debate as to whether today's Arabs can be traced back to these groups. It's a muddled and kind of silly project--of course, people have mixed and moved over all these millinia. But have their been non-Israeli people there since before the 12 tribes of Israel setteled there? Of course. Are these the ancestors of today's Palestinians? That's a trickier question.
2. ARAB REFUGEES FROM ISRAEL BEGAN CALLING THEMSELVES "PALESTINIANS" IN 1967, TWO DECADES AFTER (MODERN) ISRAELI STATEHOOD;
Semantics? The politics of identity? The words "Palestine" and "Israel". Even today, different groups of people use these same words to mean the same thing and different things. Arabs don't call the region Israel, they call it Palestine. In the U.S., many people say Palestine refers specifically to the West Bank and Gaza. These names are very political, and people use them differently in all kinds of contexts.
Am I Latina, Hispanic (not Herspanic), or white, or Anglo? People use different words to refer to the same thing, and they all have political connotations and baggage? Of course, in 1967, the territories were occupied, so people decided to take on a new name to reflect their new political and social situation. So? When did Americans start calling themselves Americans, and not British? It has something to do with the Revolutionary War. Were they still the same people?
3. AFTER CONQUERING THE LAND IN 1272 B.C., JEWS RULED IT FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AND MAINTAINED A CONTINUOUS PRESENCE THERE FOR 3,300 YEARS;
The Romans burned down Solomon's temple and destroyed Rome in 70 CE. My World History textbook said that these Roman persecutions led to the Jewish diaspora that started around 150 CE. That was when Jewish people started settling in Europe. That's why they started coming back in the late-ninteenth century with the Zionist movement.
4. THE ONLY ARAB RULE FOLLOWING CONQUEST IN 633 B.C. LASTED JUST 22 YEARS;
So then who did the Franks conquer Jerusalem from in the First Crusade in 1099? Wasn't it the infidels?
"Further east, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt were all under Muslim control" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
5. FOR OVER 3,300 YEARS, JERUSALEM WAS THE J EWISH CAPITAL. IT WAS NEVER THE CAPITAL OF ANY ARAB OR MUSLIM ENTITY. EVEN UNDER JORDANIAN RULE, (EAST) JERUSALEM WAS NOT MADE THE CAPITAL, AND NO ARAB LEADER CAME TO VISIT IT;
"The Fatimids, at this time ruled by caliph al-Musta'li (although all actual power was held by the vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah), had lost Jerusalem to the Seljuks in 1076, but recaptured it from the Ortoqids in 1098 while the crusaders were on the march." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
6. JERUSALEM IS MENTIONED OVER 700 TIMES IN THE BIBLE, BUT NOT ONCE IS IT MENTIONED IN THE QUR'AN;
Palestinian=Muslim? This really isn't about religion. I find it bothersome that Westerners like to portray people in the Middle East as somewhat savage, uncivilized, and very irrational because religion plays such a big part in their thinking and leads them to violence.
People aren't any more religious than Americans. And it's probably a similar percentage of the population that uses religion to justify their politics. In fact, in the U.S. it might even be more. (You know, that whole religious right. George W. reads My Utmost For His Highest every morning.)
Again, the media likes to play up this fear that doesn't exist, so the current administration will be justified when it does bad things like go to war and occupy other countries. Making Middle Easterners out to be irrational religious fundamentalists plays into this.
The more the arguments can stay in the realm of politics and history, the better.
7. KING DAVID FOUNDED JERUSALEM; MOHAMMED NEVER SET FOOT IN IT;
Jerusalem is considered the third most holy city in Islam. The Dome of the Rock is considered the place from where the angel Gabriel led Muhammad on a tour of heaven and hell. This is called the night journey.
"Some time in 620, Muhammad told his followers that he had experienced the Isra and Miraj, a miraculous journey said to have been accomplished in one night along with Angel Gabriel. In the first part of the journey, the Isra, he is said to have travelled from Mecca to the furthest mosque, in Jerusalem, presently known as Masjid al Aqsa. In the second part, the Miraj, Muhammad is said to have toured Heaven and Hell, and spoken with earlier prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
Muslims believe that the Dome of the Rock is the site from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad
But what does this have to do with the current political situation of how Israel deals with its occupied territories?
8. JEWS PRAY FACING JERUSALEM; MUSLIMS FACE MECCA. IF THEY ARE BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, MUSLIMS PRAY FACING MECCA, WITH THEIR BACKS TO JERUSALEM;
So???
9. IN 1948, ARAB LEADERS URGED THEIR PEOPLE TO LEAVE, PROMISING TO CLEANSE THE LAND OF JEWISH PRESENCE. 68% OF THEM FLED WITHOUT EVER SETTING EYES ON AN ISRAELI SOLDIER;
Now this is such an interesting claim. I've never heard this. Most of the literature says that about 700,000 people were made refugees on Israeli Independence Day/Al-Nakba (the catastrophe). But you're saying these people left because the Arab govenrments told them they would start the war.
So you think that means the Arab leaders wanted these people to leave their land and homes and not ever come back? If they warned them about the fighting and told them to leave so as to not get killed, that's one thing, but telling them to leave and they don't have the right to return is another. The Arab leaders did not make these people into refugees. They told them to get out during the war, so they could come back to their homes, alive.
10. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE JEWISH POPULATION OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAD TO FLEE AS THE RESULT OF VIOLENCE AND POGROMS;
Yes. This is true.
11. SOME 630,000 ARABS LEFT ISRAEL IN 1948, WHILE CLOSE TO A MILLION JEWS WERE FORCED TO LEAVE THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
"the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that erupted following the invasion of neighbouring Arab states, resulted in the flight or expulsion of an estimated 700,000 Palestinian refugees, [4] and the abandonment and destruction of up to 418 Palestinian villages." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba_day
I don't know how many Jews had to leave Arab countries.
12. IN SPITE OF THE VAST TERRITORIES AT THEIR DISPOSAL, ARAB REFUGESS WERE DELIBERATELY PREVENTED FROM ASSIMILATING INTO THEIR HOST COUNTRIES. OF 100 MILLION REFUGEES FOLLOWING WORLD WAR 2, THEY ARE THE ONLY GROUP TO HAVE NEVER INTEGRATED WITH THEIR CORELIGIONISTS. MOST OF THE JEWISH REFUGEES FROM EUROPE AND ARAB LANDS WERE SETTLED IN ISRAEL, A COUNTRY NO LARGER THAN NEW JERSEY.
This is true. Shame on Lebanon and all the others.
13. THERE ARE 22 MUSLIM COUNTRIES, NOT COUNTING PALESTINE. THERE IS ONLY ONE JEWISH STATE. ARABS STARTED ALL FIVE WARS A GAINST ISRAEL, AND LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM;
Some say Hizballah won this one. Israel certainly didn't win.
So are you saying that Israel is justified in treating its Palestinian population the way it does, becauase the Arab countries started all the wars against Israel?? That doesn't seem to make sense.
14. FATAH AND HAMAS CONSTITUTIONS STILL CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. ISRAEL CEDED MOST OF THE WEST BANK AND ALL OF GAZA TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, AND EVEN PROVIDED IT WITH ARMS;
Israel has ceded most of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority? How much land are we talking about here? These are small places. And there are still too many Israeli settlements and not enough land for the Palestinians? When it all used to be their's and now they have practically nothing, it seems that the least Israel can do is give them all of West Bank and Gaza. But the details of how much land and where these boundaries should be drawn is the difficult work of these peace negotiations that has to be continued now.
I should definately get more stats to show how much land is in the West Bank and how much of it goes to the Palestinians.
15. DURING THE JORDANIAN OCCUPATION, JEWISH HOLY SITES WERE VANDALIZED AND WERE OFF LIMITS TO JEWS. UNDER ISRAELI RULE, ALL MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAITHS;
Yes, and unfortunately, people who live in Arab countries cannot visit these sites becasue their govnerments won't let them. But that's not Israel's fault.
16. OUT OF 175 UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS UP TO 1990,
97 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL; OUT OF 690 GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS, 429 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL;
So the international community recognizes the crimes and illegal violations of the Israeli government. Shouldn't the U.S.?
17 was missing???
18. THE U.N. WAS SILENT WHEN THE JORDANIANS DESTROYED 58 SYNAGOGUES IN THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM. IT REMAINED SILENT WHILE JORDAN SYSTEMATICALLY DESECRATED THE ANCIENT JEWISH CEMETERY ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AN D IT REMAINED SILENT WHEN JORDAN ENFORCED APARTHEID LAWS PREVENTING JEWS FROM ACCESSING THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND WESTERN WALL.
Okay. Should I start to list the Israeli crimes?? There isn't enough room here.
Anonymous??
So for those people still reading the blog, you might have noticed a new person, or maybe that person has been there all along, called Anonymous. I thought I knew who Anonymous was, but in the last post, Anonymous revealed that s/he is from Katy. I think I know who it is. I have two strong guesses. Don't out yourself yet. This is fun.
Anonymous says we didn't have exposure to Jewish people growing up. But I did.
Anonymous questions my links to Jewish people. Like I said before, I started taking a class at the Hillel called "Introduction to Rabbinic Literature." Of course, it was just getting my feet wet. But with that, and the people I met there, who I still talk to, and the very, extremely cool rabbi who taught it, many of my Christian-formulated ideas about Judaism were shattered. And I can say I do know more than many of my Christian friends. Somehow many Christians think they understand Judaism because we read the "Old Testament." And Christians like to talk about what religion and life was like when Jesus was around. But of course, this is misleading and doesn't tell us anything about how Judaism is practiced in its myriad forms today.
Okay, but that's irrelevant.
I should stop saying I'm paranoid. As I talk to some friends, about my conspiracy theories, they say it's true. Do I know about the Carlisle group? Or not wanting to get on a boat with a bunch of Americans during a war situation. Some of my friends (those who also hate Fox) think all these thoughts are true. But somehow I still feel silly saying them, because so many people just dismiss that stuff.
Sorry. But I'm still digging through a backlog of e-mails, that I had stuffed in different folders. I haven't come to that one explaining the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the Israeli side that Wally sent out before. But when I find it, I will respond to it.
And I like these three comments:
1) "broadening your fairly myopic and increasingly tiring perspective on the issues in a region that you claim to have so much perspective on."
My perspective is myopic and increasingly tiring. Yes, the issue of Israel/Palestine gets so tiring, doesn't it?? The same arguments and facts getting spun round and round. But myopic, hmmm, that's a little harder to understand.
2) "How about taking a break from looking for people to blame and trying to put all of this in context."
Sorry. But I spend a lot of time going through e-mails people have sent me, and sorting through magazines and even books. Please don't accuse me of not taking the time to put all of this in context. I can say that's what I've been doing too much. And I actually have been trying hard to take a break from all of this. Since you are one of those people I grew up with, I think you do know how much of my life, has been concerned about studying Christianity and then dabbling in Arabic and Islam. Since you know me, you know I've spent much time trying to "put all of this in context."
3) "A little self-examination and perhaps some recognition that reasonable people can disagree . . ."
This makes me think I know how you are because you're resorting to this argument. I love how in high school all those debater people loved to dismiss me because I was the irrational, girl who would just get too emotional and upset during our little philosophical/political debates.
But again, since you know me, I think you know how much "self-examination" I'm always involved in, and how much I engage with "reasonable people" who disagree with me. Why are you throwing this stuff out, when you see what I'm trying to do now?
===================================
Do you really want me to keep all the discourse "rationed" and "reasoned" devoid of the personal and emotional? Keep it to that bland academic speak that tries not to offend so as nothing gets said whatsoever???
I mean is there really any evidence to counter what is very well-documented evidence that there is bias in the American media towards Israel or that Israel commits major abuses against its own population?? I can point to a million different sources, which I have cited in the blog. You haven't countered or criticized these sources, or these basic facts that I've been claiming. Instead, you call me "arrogant," "paranoid," and "ironic."
So you're going to give me some good evidence showing that the American media is really showing how it is in this side of the world? Or you are going to justifiy how Israel treats its native-Arab, Palestinian population? Yes, please do that.
I think that's what Wally's 18 Israel and Jerusalem facts tried to do. Which if that was the case, it failed. But maybe he's been referring to another post. If so, please resend it.
Anonymous says we didn't have exposure to Jewish people growing up. But I did.
Anonymous questions my links to Jewish people. Like I said before, I started taking a class at the Hillel called "Introduction to Rabbinic Literature." Of course, it was just getting my feet wet. But with that, and the people I met there, who I still talk to, and the very, extremely cool rabbi who taught it, many of my Christian-formulated ideas about Judaism were shattered. And I can say I do know more than many of my Christian friends. Somehow many Christians think they understand Judaism because we read the "Old Testament." And Christians like to talk about what religion and life was like when Jesus was around. But of course, this is misleading and doesn't tell us anything about how Judaism is practiced in its myriad forms today.
Okay, but that's irrelevant.
I should stop saying I'm paranoid. As I talk to some friends, about my conspiracy theories, they say it's true. Do I know about the Carlisle group? Or not wanting to get on a boat with a bunch of Americans during a war situation. Some of my friends (those who also hate Fox) think all these thoughts are true. But somehow I still feel silly saying them, because so many people just dismiss that stuff.
Sorry. But I'm still digging through a backlog of e-mails, that I had stuffed in different folders. I haven't come to that one explaining the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the Israeli side that Wally sent out before. But when I find it, I will respond to it.
And I like these three comments:
1) "broadening your fairly myopic and increasingly tiring perspective on the issues in a region that you claim to have so much perspective on."
My perspective is myopic and increasingly tiring. Yes, the issue of Israel/Palestine gets so tiring, doesn't it?? The same arguments and facts getting spun round and round. But myopic, hmmm, that's a little harder to understand.
2) "How about taking a break from looking for people to blame and trying to put all of this in context."
Sorry. But I spend a lot of time going through e-mails people have sent me, and sorting through magazines and even books. Please don't accuse me of not taking the time to put all of this in context. I can say that's what I've been doing too much. And I actually have been trying hard to take a break from all of this. Since you are one of those people I grew up with, I think you do know how much of my life, has been concerned about studying Christianity and then dabbling in Arabic and Islam. Since you know me, you know I've spent much time trying to "put all of this in context."
3) "A little self-examination and perhaps some recognition that reasonable people can disagree . . ."
This makes me think I know how you are because you're resorting to this argument. I love how in high school all those debater people loved to dismiss me because I was the irrational, girl who would just get too emotional and upset during our little philosophical/political debates.
But again, since you know me, I think you know how much "self-examination" I'm always involved in, and how much I engage with "reasonable people" who disagree with me. Why are you throwing this stuff out, when you see what I'm trying to do now?
===================================
Do you really want me to keep all the discourse "rationed" and "reasoned" devoid of the personal and emotional? Keep it to that bland academic speak that tries not to offend so as nothing gets said whatsoever???
I mean is there really any evidence to counter what is very well-documented evidence that there is bias in the American media towards Israel or that Israel commits major abuses against its own population?? I can point to a million different sources, which I have cited in the blog. You haven't countered or criticized these sources, or these basic facts that I've been claiming. Instead, you call me "arrogant," "paranoid," and "ironic."
So you're going to give me some good evidence showing that the American media is really showing how it is in this side of the world? Or you are going to justifiy how Israel treats its native-Arab, Palestinian population? Yes, please do that.
I think that's what Wally's 18 Israel and Jerusalem facts tried to do. Which if that was the case, it failed. But maybe he's been referring to another post. If so, please resend it.
September 6, 2006
Black and White
Okay, so now I'm offending everybody because I'm over-simplifying all these issues, making generalized statements and assumptions, and foregoing my previous good-efforts of trying to be "balanced."
Sure, I can blame it on deciding to poison myself by watching FOX and CNN.
I agree with this part of the last comment and think it is very well-stated:
"In reality, all sides bear great responsibility for the escalation of the conflict and all sides have unfulfilled responsibilities. On Israel's side, I see the need for (at least) a full pull-out from the Palestinian territories (with an possible exception for the heavily populated settlements right on the Green Line), a clear endorsement for a Palestinian state, and a commitment to end the blockades which make trade and travel difficult. On the Arab side, it is imperative that they recognize the state of Israel, commit themselves to land negotiations, and - this is really important, I think - begin to build a culture the cohesion of which does not depend on the continued demonization of Israel. One of the possible reasons why the Arab world is so slow to help the refugees is because without the spector of Israel, the Arab world might have to actually consider some of the other reasons why their society is plagued with structural problems. Israel functions as an effective scapegoat, but this isn't doing much to get people jobs."
As for the issue of media bias. . . Is the U.S. media controlled by the Israel lobby? Is Europe showing things that you don't see on U.S. media and being more critical about Israel than the U.S. media? Of course. Why is that? I will stick to the fact that the Israel lobby is the second-most powerful in Congresss. I have seen way too much footage and heard way too much honest questioning of Israeli policies on media sources that are not based in the U.S.
I'm not exaggerating or being too simplistic. It is true. Americans do not know what is going on. I've been asking people if they know what is happening right now in Gaza. They don't know that there is no power in Gaza, which means there is no clean drinking water, that civilians and too many children have been targeted and killed while hanging out at the beach. Arabs know this. Europeans know this. It is a basic story that their news channels carry. Why don't Americans know?? Why will I never see this on an American news source?
Obviously, the situation is complicated. And I do have a horrible tendency to talk in black and whites and start offending everybody, especially when upset and tired. Of course, the Israel-Palestine issue is always the same. So it's tiring. I'll do the PC-thing and talk about it in a way so as not to offend. But then I just give that up.
I don't see how anyone can think that the U.S. media is not biased towards Israel. What bad things do they show about Israel? And they always try to stay balanced. So if they mention that 2 Palestinians got killed, they'll say 2 Israelis got killed--to stay balanced. But of course, percentage wise that means they're reporting Israeli victims far more than Palestinian victims. NPR, CBS, ABC, NBC all do this. Go to and
But again, I don't want to blame people. I think it's these bad governments. I'll put the Israeli, the U.S., the Lebanese, the Palestinian, and all these governments in the category of bad. People are people. And I think they will do the right thing. But they need to be informed correctly.
Of course, it's always the same reverse culture-shock, when I return to the U.S. I haven't been here for this long in a while. And it does freak me out when I talk to people and see how they think and how little they know.
Maybe all the well-informed, intelligent people who post here (and believe me, that's not sarcastic, but I think it could have sounded sarcastic) don't realize or think about those people at the YMCA and my church--who are well-meaning people, but so lacking on real information. They really are manipulated by FOX News. They really think Islamo-fascists are out to get them. They really did buy those lies about WMD in Iraq. They really thought that occupying Iraq would protect them from terror threats. These lies are so dangerous
Sure, I can blame it on deciding to poison myself by watching FOX and CNN.
I agree with this part of the last comment and think it is very well-stated:
"In reality, all sides bear great responsibility for the escalation of the conflict and all sides have unfulfilled responsibilities. On Israel's side, I see the need for (at least) a full pull-out from the Palestinian territories (with an possible exception for the heavily populated settlements right on the Green Line), a clear endorsement for a Palestinian state, and a commitment to end the blockades which make trade and travel difficult. On the Arab side, it is imperative that they recognize the state of Israel, commit themselves to land negotiations, and - this is really important, I think - begin to build a culture the cohesion of which does not depend on the continued demonization of Israel. One of the possible reasons why the Arab world is so slow to help the refugees is because without the spector of Israel, the Arab world might have to actually consider some of the other reasons why their society is plagued with structural problems. Israel functions as an effective scapegoat, but this isn't doing much to get people jobs."
As for the issue of media bias. . . Is the U.S. media controlled by the Israel lobby? Is Europe showing things that you don't see on U.S. media and being more critical about Israel than the U.S. media? Of course. Why is that? I will stick to the fact that the Israel lobby is the second-most powerful in Congresss. I have seen way too much footage and heard way too much honest questioning of Israeli policies on media sources that are not based in the U.S.
I'm not exaggerating or being too simplistic. It is true. Americans do not know what is going on. I've been asking people if they know what is happening right now in Gaza. They don't know that there is no power in Gaza, which means there is no clean drinking water, that civilians and too many children have been targeted and killed while hanging out at the beach. Arabs know this. Europeans know this. It is a basic story that their news channels carry. Why don't Americans know?? Why will I never see this on an American news source?
Obviously, the situation is complicated. And I do have a horrible tendency to talk in black and whites and start offending everybody, especially when upset and tired. Of course, the Israel-Palestine issue is always the same. So it's tiring. I'll do the PC-thing and talk about it in a way so as not to offend. But then I just give that up.
I don't see how anyone can think that the U.S. media is not biased towards Israel. What bad things do they show about Israel? And they always try to stay balanced. So if they mention that 2 Palestinians got killed, they'll say 2 Israelis got killed--to stay balanced. But of course, percentage wise that means they're reporting Israeli victims far more than Palestinian victims. NPR, CBS, ABC, NBC all do this. Go to and
But again, I don't want to blame people. I think it's these bad governments. I'll put the Israeli, the U.S., the Lebanese, the Palestinian, and all these governments in the category of bad. People are people. And I think they will do the right thing. But they need to be informed correctly.
Of course, it's always the same reverse culture-shock, when I return to the U.S. I haven't been here for this long in a while. And it does freak me out when I talk to people and see how they think and how little they know.
Maybe all the well-informed, intelligent people who post here (and believe me, that's not sarcastic, but I think it could have sounded sarcastic) don't realize or think about those people at the YMCA and my church--who are well-meaning people, but so lacking on real information. They really are manipulated by FOX News. They really think Islamo-fascists are out to get them. They really did buy those lies about WMD in Iraq. They really thought that occupying Iraq would protect them from terror threats. These lies are so dangerous
September 5, 2006
Palestinians in Lebanon
In response to yesterday's comment, it is true, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Arab world has pretty much abandoned the Palestinians. People of Palestinian descent born in Lebanon are not considered Lebanese citizens. It is illegal for them to own property, and can only work 18 jobs that are allotted by the government. They have been living in refugee camps since 1948. The Lebanese government says that if they granted them the same rights as their other citizens, than that would encourage the Palestinians to settle, and the Lebanese government thinks they should return to their land. It's an almost childish argument that goes something like this: We're not going to let Israel win and get away with doing this to the Palestinians. If we accept the Palestinians, than we are complicit in Israel's crime. And of course, it becomes our problem, and it should be Israel's problem.
Of course, this is all horrible. And yes, as everyone knows, the Palestinians get screwed over from every side. But I think it's just as silly or manipulative for Israel to always use this argument as if 1948 and Al-Nakba are okay, because hey, none of the other Arab countries are helping the Palestinians. No, it doesn't make it okay to take people's land.
It's as silly and manipulative as blaming Yasser Arafat for there not being peace. "Arafat blew his big chance. He didn't accept the peace." This is also BS. Israel loves to blame the corrupt Palestinian leaders for the problems of the Palestinians. Sure, corruption compounds problem. But this is blaming the victim, and shifiting blame. Again, if anyone's looked at the terms of these peace settlements, they would see why it would be impossible for any Palestinian person or leader to accept the terms.
It's a matter of shifting blame. Pointing the finger. Blaming the victim. It's the oppressor coopting the language of the oppressed. Edward Said talks about this discourse that Israel uses to always defend itself. It's so old. And then when it's pointed out that Israel commits human rights abuses that would be unacceptable for any other country to commit, you're called an anti-Semite. Please. Europeans in the media say things how they are. They aren't coopted by the Israeli lobby that controls the media. Call me a conspiracy theorist, call me an anti-Semite.
There's a big, fat elephant in the room and you have to pretend it's not there. = Israel commits major human rights abuses. Oh wait, so does the U.S. We have 1% of our population in prison, performing slave labor. But is that at the same scale as the destruction and daily humiliation that the Palestinians have to live with. Well, that's a whole other bag of worms.
Of course, this is all horrible. And yes, as everyone knows, the Palestinians get screwed over from every side. But I think it's just as silly or manipulative for Israel to always use this argument as if 1948 and Al-Nakba are okay, because hey, none of the other Arab countries are helping the Palestinians. No, it doesn't make it okay to take people's land.
It's as silly and manipulative as blaming Yasser Arafat for there not being peace. "Arafat blew his big chance. He didn't accept the peace." This is also BS. Israel loves to blame the corrupt Palestinian leaders for the problems of the Palestinians. Sure, corruption compounds problem. But this is blaming the victim, and shifiting blame. Again, if anyone's looked at the terms of these peace settlements, they would see why it would be impossible for any Palestinian person or leader to accept the terms.
It's a matter of shifting blame. Pointing the finger. Blaming the victim. It's the oppressor coopting the language of the oppressed. Edward Said talks about this discourse that Israel uses to always defend itself. It's so old. And then when it's pointed out that Israel commits human rights abuses that would be unacceptable for any other country to commit, you're called an anti-Semite. Please. Europeans in the media say things how they are. They aren't coopted by the Israeli lobby that controls the media. Call me a conspiracy theorist, call me an anti-Semite.
There's a big, fat elephant in the room and you have to pretend it's not there. = Israel commits major human rights abuses. Oh wait, so does the U.S. We have 1% of our population in prison, performing slave labor. But is that at the same scale as the destruction and daily humiliation that the Palestinians have to live with. Well, that's a whole other bag of worms.
The Blockade
My friend was going to work this semester as a Research Assistant in the Chemistry Department at the American University of Beirut, while she applies to Ph.D. programs in the U.S.
She went down there last week and was told that the position is no longer available. The supplies for the lab can't come in because Israel is still operating a naval and air blockade.
She went down there last week and was told that the position is no longer available. The supplies for the lab can't come in because Israel is still operating a naval and air blockade.
Are there Israeli cyber-soldiers prowling my blog?
So apparently there are many Israeli supporters who prowl the Internet looking to defend Israel wherever it is criticized? Could this be what has happened here on my blog? Why are there certain people, who I don't know, who always have articles and certain information at their disposal, to counter everything I might say that could put Israel in a negative light?
One of these consistent blog readers told me once that I should join Hizbollah and be on its payroll. I thought that was a very strange comment. But now I'm wondering if that isn't because he might be on the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) payroll.
Here's an excerpt from “Israel backed by army of cyber-soldiers,” by Yonit Farago in Jerusalem, in The Times, 28 July 2006.
Doron Barkat, 29, in Jerusalem, spends long nights trawling the web to try to swing the debate Israel’s way. “When I see internet polls for or against Israel I send out a mailing list to vote for Israel,” he said. “It can be that after 15 minutes there will be 400 votes for Israel.
“It’s very satisfying. There are also forums where Lebanese and Israelis talk.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry must avoid direct involvement with the campaign but is in contact with international Jewish and evangelical Christian groups, distributing internet information packs.
One of these consistent blog readers told me once that I should join Hizbollah and be on its payroll. I thought that was a very strange comment. But now I'm wondering if that isn't because he might be on the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) payroll.
Here's an excerpt from “Israel backed by army of cyber-soldiers,” by Yonit Farago in Jerusalem, in The Times, 28 July 2006.
Doron Barkat, 29, in Jerusalem, spends long nights trawling the web to try to swing the debate Israel’s way. “When I see internet polls for or against Israel I send out a mailing list to vote for Israel,” he said. “It can be that after 15 minutes there will be 400 votes for Israel.
“It’s very satisfying. There are also forums where Lebanese and Israelis talk.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry must avoid direct involvement with the campaign but is in contact with international Jewish and evangelical Christian groups, distributing internet information packs.
September 4, 2006
"Waiting to Die"--a letter from Olfat Mahmoud
I was going to volunteer with Olfat after this summer. She runs an NGO called the Women's Humanitarian Organization in the Bourj al Bourajne Palestinian refugee camp. There are 16 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, 4 of them are in Beirut. The conditions are always bad, but the War made things dismal. This is a letter she sent out last week. She entitled it "Waiting to Die."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Death, that’s how the future seems to everyone afflicted by war, an unpredictable future and the only wish they have is to die today before tomorrow for the horrific terrorism practiced upon the innocent civilians.
The health situation is not cheerful. Everyday the situation worsens and people have become obsessed with the idea that they are going to die if not from bombardment then from diseases. Here comes our role as an NGO, we are exhorting all our efforts to provide the needed with the medicine and healthy treatment. As a director of Women’s Humanitarian Organization (WHO) I would like to highlight on the health programs held in our NGO and focus on the current critical health situation.
Our health program consists of major topics dealt with among the women by raising health awareness and guiding them with the right hygiene.
Such issues dealt with are: health education for women, breast feeding, breast cancer, child diarrhea, age care. In addition to, elderly care mainly for chronic diseases.
The effect of war on health has been prominently observed since the beginning of war in July 12.Borj El Barajneh camp is a significant example, it is home to about 20,000 Palestinians the camp is located near the airport and in the southern suburb of Beirut precisely in Hezbollah area where the air strikes targeted aimlessly everywhere. The camp has mainly four entrances that are subjected to air strikes. Life is almost paralyzed; people are panic stricken and are striving to stay alive with the help of the NGOs who are making use of every simple means for the sake of the residence of the camp and the surrounding. This all has affected the health cycle of the residence and the displaced who sought shelter in the camp.
Here is a close insight to the life in the camp and how people deal with war after a long term of peace penetrated recently with the dramatic sounds of the shelling and bombing.
In the camp, houses are shabby and worn out buildings with weak infra structure. The buildings have been destroyed several times and rebuilt on the same ruins with no strong architectural design.
People live in small houses maximum of three small rooms, one shared toilet with a shower. In normal days the rooms are overcrowded. After al Nakba 1948 Palestine refugees lived in tents then by time they were able to build shabby and unorganized houses they never thought that they will stay in the camps all that time for 58 years. By the growing number of people in the camp, the only way to expand was to go up so the camp consists of 3 stores buildings in very unorganized way. In this latest war, people who lived in the upper floors moved to the down floors for safety. So, the number of people has grown to 20 persons per room (3 m²).
In such circumstances, and speaking health wise the usage of toilet by more than one family causes unhygienic environment. people are aware of this problem but have no other choice so they have reduced the amount of food and intake of water to lessens the usage of toilets which creates health problem such as mal nutrition, dehydration ect….
Other problems aroused in such cases are shortage of water because it is usually pumped and due to the continuous cut off electricity pumping water has become impossible. Also, a small chance is given to every member to clean up or take a daily shower in this hot sweaty summer which causes lice as well as skin problems which is another aspect of the negative impact of war on people, rush, friction and scabies are shown.
On the top of all of that most of the women are covered but since they live in shared houses they have no privacy and are unable to expose their hair to the sun and dry wind especially after shower that will result of humidity on the head and cause headaches, cold and bad hair smell.
On the other hand, it’s very important to mention the kinds of lethal weapons Israeli is using. Israel is using internationally banned weapons, illegal bombs that cause allergy and asthma even for ordinary persons which by time will affect the respiratory system and reports show that these kinds of bombs cause cancer. Lebanon is a field of trial for Israeli weapons.
Now days, there is a shortage of food, so people with chronic disease especially the elderly it seems impossible for them to follow special diet which affect their health and increase the risk of having serious complications regarding their illnesses. The lack of fresh vegetables and fruits deteriorates and worsens the situation.
On the other side, some negative psychological problems have been critically observed ever since war has started among the children and other standards of the society.
So far, children have suffered of wet beds, nightmares, eating nails, frozen in the corner and sucking thumbs. They also spend most of their times stuck to their mothers, they also get uptight quickly and nervous along with hysteric cries. Those kids expected to have a joyful summer for they have just finished school and its only time to have fun in the camp that is now been disrupted by war. They are now imprisoned inside their own world or fear and terror.
They keep on asking questions on what would happen? Where to go? Many questions with no definite answers. The only word that describes the whole situation which is reflected on their pale face is WHEN IS DEATH GOING TO PASS BY?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Death, that’s how the future seems to everyone afflicted by war, an unpredictable future and the only wish they have is to die today before tomorrow for the horrific terrorism practiced upon the innocent civilians.
The health situation is not cheerful. Everyday the situation worsens and people have become obsessed with the idea that they are going to die if not from bombardment then from diseases. Here comes our role as an NGO, we are exhorting all our efforts to provide the needed with the medicine and healthy treatment. As a director of Women’s Humanitarian Organization (WHO) I would like to highlight on the health programs held in our NGO and focus on the current critical health situation.
Our health program consists of major topics dealt with among the women by raising health awareness and guiding them with the right hygiene.
Such issues dealt with are: health education for women, breast feeding, breast cancer, child diarrhea, age care. In addition to, elderly care mainly for chronic diseases.
The effect of war on health has been prominently observed since the beginning of war in July 12.Borj El Barajneh camp is a significant example, it is home to about 20,000 Palestinians the camp is located near the airport and in the southern suburb of Beirut precisely in Hezbollah area where the air strikes targeted aimlessly everywhere. The camp has mainly four entrances that are subjected to air strikes. Life is almost paralyzed; people are panic stricken and are striving to stay alive with the help of the NGOs who are making use of every simple means for the sake of the residence of the camp and the surrounding. This all has affected the health cycle of the residence and the displaced who sought shelter in the camp.
Here is a close insight to the life in the camp and how people deal with war after a long term of peace penetrated recently with the dramatic sounds of the shelling and bombing.
In the camp, houses are shabby and worn out buildings with weak infra structure. The buildings have been destroyed several times and rebuilt on the same ruins with no strong architectural design.
People live in small houses maximum of three small rooms, one shared toilet with a shower. In normal days the rooms are overcrowded. After al Nakba 1948 Palestine refugees lived in tents then by time they were able to build shabby and unorganized houses they never thought that they will stay in the camps all that time for 58 years. By the growing number of people in the camp, the only way to expand was to go up so the camp consists of 3 stores buildings in very unorganized way. In this latest war, people who lived in the upper floors moved to the down floors for safety. So, the number of people has grown to 20 persons per room (3 m²).
In such circumstances, and speaking health wise the usage of toilet by more than one family causes unhygienic environment. people are aware of this problem but have no other choice so they have reduced the amount of food and intake of water to lessens the usage of toilets which creates health problem such as mal nutrition, dehydration ect….
Other problems aroused in such cases are shortage of water because it is usually pumped and due to the continuous cut off electricity pumping water has become impossible. Also, a small chance is given to every member to clean up or take a daily shower in this hot sweaty summer which causes lice as well as skin problems which is another aspect of the negative impact of war on people, rush, friction and scabies are shown.
On the top of all of that most of the women are covered but since they live in shared houses they have no privacy and are unable to expose their hair to the sun and dry wind especially after shower that will result of humidity on the head and cause headaches, cold and bad hair smell.
On the other hand, it’s very important to mention the kinds of lethal weapons Israeli is using. Israel is using internationally banned weapons, illegal bombs that cause allergy and asthma even for ordinary persons which by time will affect the respiratory system and reports show that these kinds of bombs cause cancer. Lebanon is a field of trial for Israeli weapons.
Now days, there is a shortage of food, so people with chronic disease especially the elderly it seems impossible for them to follow special diet which affect their health and increase the risk of having serious complications regarding their illnesses. The lack of fresh vegetables and fruits deteriorates and worsens the situation.
On the other side, some negative psychological problems have been critically observed ever since war has started among the children and other standards of the society.
So far, children have suffered of wet beds, nightmares, eating nails, frozen in the corner and sucking thumbs. They also spend most of their times stuck to their mothers, they also get uptight quickly and nervous along with hysteric cries. Those kids expected to have a joyful summer for they have just finished school and its only time to have fun in the camp that is now been disrupted by war. They are now imprisoned inside their own world or fear and terror.
They keep on asking questions on what would happen? Where to go? Many questions with no definite answers. The only word that describes the whole situation which is reflected on their pale face is WHEN IS DEATH GOING TO PASS BY?
September 1, 2006
E-mail from a girl in Gaza
In June, I asked one of my friends why people weren't talking about the situation in Gaza. Knowing that it's always bad in Gaza, it had gotten ludicrous in Gaza in June. To the point where I had decided I wasn't going to move into the Palestinian refugee camp in the Dahiye, at the end of the summer, to volunteer with Olfat's organization, just because I was an American. And all people talked about in Lebanon was the Mundial, the World Cup.
I found this at
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent by a young girl in Gaza to a friend in Europe. I’m reposting the original without cleaning up the English. If you think you know what’s happening in Gaza, think again.
LENA
THEY WILL NEVER STOPP DPOIN THIS WITH US AND BRITIAN SUPPORT, THEY CUT THE ELECTRICITY AND SOON THERE WILL BE NO WATER TO DRINK AT LEAST, SONIC BOBS IS SOME THIN MAKES U FEEL LIKE GOIN CRAZY, PLZ DO SOME THING
HELD DEMONESTRATIONS OR WHAT EVER,I DONO WHAT TO SAY LINA, THEY WILL DESTROY HOUSES AND DO MANY MANY NASTY THINGS AS USUAL
U CAN COME HERE AND WORK WITH US ITS SOME PPLS JOB LINA, U MUST COME HERE TO EVALUATE THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS, BELIEVE ME, THEY R NOT DOIN THIS 4 THE SAKE OF THE KIDNAPPED SOLDIER, CUZ B4 THAT THEY KILLED FAMILIES TRYIN TO HAVE FN ON THE BEACH, I KNOW THAT UR HAPPY WATCHING THE MONDIAL, BUT THERE R SOME PPL HOPE THAT U WOULD SUPPORT US, CHILDREN R EVEN MORE AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR PARENTS,MOST CHILDREN THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GRL ON THE BEACH WILL HAPPEN TO THEM ANY TIME AND IN ANY PLACE, I EVEN CANT REACH GAZA THEY DESTROYED THE BRIDGES BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE GAZA STRIP
PLZ AT LEAST PRAY FOR US, I REALLY KNOW THAT U WANT TO DO SOMETHIN BUT U CANT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO TELL ABOUT WHAT IS GOIN ON HERE, THEY MAN ENVEY MA VILLAGE TODAY NIGHT AND IM TRYIN NOT TO IMAGINE WHAT CAN HAPPEN
IM WRITIN THIS E MAIL VERY FAST CUZ I DON WANT THE ELECTRICITY TO BE CUT B4 I FINISH IT
BYE
There is only one power plant in Gaza and the Israeli military blew it up. Workers say it will take 6 months to repair, however no repair work is starting while this invasion and bombardment continues, so who knows when it will be restored? That power plant fed electricity to wells throughout Gaza that provide the bulk of the drinking water.
Palestinians in Gaza are going without water in July.
Jan Egeland, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, recognizes the coming humanitarian catastrophe:
“They are heading for the abyss unless they get electricity and fuel restored,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who also urged the Palestinians to free the soldier and clamp down on militants firing rockets into Israel.
Without clean water in the hot summer weather, “we would in days see a major humanitarian crisis,” he said. Military action targeting innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law, he added.
“I am confident that neither of the two [Israelis/Palestinians] want to see a massive increase in mortality in the Gaza [Strip],” where children make up about half of the area’s 1.4 million people, Egeland told a small group of reporters. (Haaretz)
Children. Gaza is covered in children who couldn’t have possibly been involved in armed attacks or capturing Israeli soldiers. Israel is punishing the children of Gaza for the acts of a small handful of adults.
Virginia Tilley writes of the staggering reality eclipsing Gazans right now:
No lights, no refrigerators, no fans through the suffocating Gaza summer heat. No going outside for air, due to ongoing bombing and Israel’s impending military assault. In the hot darkness, massive explosions shake the cities, close and far, while repeated sonic booms are doubtless wreaking the havoc they have wrought before: smashing windows, sending children screaming into the arms of terrified adults, old people collapsing with heart failure, pregnant women collapsing with spontaneous abortions. Mass terror, despair, desperate hoarding of food and water. And no radios, television, cell phones, or laptops (for the few who have them), and so no way to get news of how long this nightmare might go on.
But this time, the situation is worse than that. As food in the refrigerators spoils, the only remaining food is grains. Most people cook with gas, but with the borders sealed, soon there will be no gas. When family-kitchen propane tanks run out, there will be no cooking. No cooked lentils or beans, no humus, no bread the staples Palestinian foods, the only food for the poor. (And there is no firewood or coal in dry, overcrowded Gaza.)
[…]
The Gaza aquifer is already contaminated with sea water and sewage, due to over-pumping (partly by those now-abandoned Israeli settlements) and the grossly inadequate sewage system. To be drinkable, well water is purified through machinery run by electricity. Otherwise, the brackish water must at least be boiled before it can be consumed, but this requires electricity or gas. And people will soon have neither.
Drinking unpurified water means sickness, even cholera. If cholera breaks out, it will spread like wildfire in a population so densely packed and lacking fuel or water for sanitation. And the hospitals and clinics aren’t functioning, either, because there is no electricity. (Counterpunch)
Write your representatives and demand that they take action to stop this Israeli invasion, pull out of the Gaza Strip again, and focus on diplomacy instead of violence to solve this situation!
I found this at
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This email was sent by a young girl in Gaza to a friend in Europe. I’m reposting the original without cleaning up the English. If you think you know what’s happening in Gaza, think again.
LENA
THEY WILL NEVER STOPP DPOIN THIS WITH US AND BRITIAN SUPPORT, THEY CUT THE ELECTRICITY AND SOON THERE WILL BE NO WATER TO DRINK AT LEAST, SONIC BOBS IS SOME THIN MAKES U FEEL LIKE GOIN CRAZY, PLZ DO SOME THING
HELD DEMONESTRATIONS OR WHAT EVER,I DONO WHAT TO SAY LINA, THEY WILL DESTROY HOUSES AND DO MANY MANY NASTY THINGS AS USUAL
U CAN COME HERE AND WORK WITH US ITS SOME PPLS JOB LINA, U MUST COME HERE TO EVALUATE THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS, BELIEVE ME, THEY R NOT DOIN THIS 4 THE SAKE OF THE KIDNAPPED SOLDIER, CUZ B4 THAT THEY KILLED FAMILIES TRYIN TO HAVE FN ON THE BEACH, I KNOW THAT UR HAPPY WATCHING THE MONDIAL, BUT THERE R SOME PPL HOPE THAT U WOULD SUPPORT US, CHILDREN R EVEN MORE AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR PARENTS,MOST CHILDREN THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GRL ON THE BEACH WILL HAPPEN TO THEM ANY TIME AND IN ANY PLACE, I EVEN CANT REACH GAZA THEY DESTROYED THE BRIDGES BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE GAZA STRIP
PLZ AT LEAST PRAY FOR US, I REALLY KNOW THAT U WANT TO DO SOMETHIN BUT U CANT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO TELL ABOUT WHAT IS GOIN ON HERE, THEY MAN ENVEY MA VILLAGE TODAY NIGHT AND IM TRYIN NOT TO IMAGINE WHAT CAN HAPPEN
IM WRITIN THIS E MAIL VERY FAST CUZ I DON WANT THE ELECTRICITY TO BE CUT B4 I FINISH IT
BYE
There is only one power plant in Gaza and the Israeli military blew it up. Workers say it will take 6 months to repair, however no repair work is starting while this invasion and bombardment continues, so who knows when it will be restored? That power plant fed electricity to wells throughout Gaza that provide the bulk of the drinking water.
Palestinians in Gaza are going without water in July.
Jan Egeland, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, recognizes the coming humanitarian catastrophe:
“They are heading for the abyss unless they get electricity and fuel restored,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who also urged the Palestinians to free the soldier and clamp down on militants firing rockets into Israel.
Without clean water in the hot summer weather, “we would in days see a major humanitarian crisis,” he said. Military action targeting innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law, he added.
“I am confident that neither of the two [Israelis/Palestinians] want to see a massive increase in mortality in the Gaza [Strip],” where children make up about half of the area’s 1.4 million people, Egeland told a small group of reporters. (Haaretz)
Children. Gaza is covered in children who couldn’t have possibly been involved in armed attacks or capturing Israeli soldiers. Israel is punishing the children of Gaza for the acts of a small handful of adults.
Virginia Tilley writes of the staggering reality eclipsing Gazans right now:
No lights, no refrigerators, no fans through the suffocating Gaza summer heat. No going outside for air, due to ongoing bombing and Israel’s impending military assault. In the hot darkness, massive explosions shake the cities, close and far, while repeated sonic booms are doubtless wreaking the havoc they have wrought before: smashing windows, sending children screaming into the arms of terrified adults, old people collapsing with heart failure, pregnant women collapsing with spontaneous abortions. Mass terror, despair, desperate hoarding of food and water. And no radios, television, cell phones, or laptops (for the few who have them), and so no way to get news of how long this nightmare might go on.
But this time, the situation is worse than that. As food in the refrigerators spoils, the only remaining food is grains. Most people cook with gas, but with the borders sealed, soon there will be no gas. When family-kitchen propane tanks run out, there will be no cooking. No cooked lentils or beans, no humus, no bread the staples Palestinian foods, the only food for the poor. (And there is no firewood or coal in dry, overcrowded Gaza.)
[…]
The Gaza aquifer is already contaminated with sea water and sewage, due to over-pumping (partly by those now-abandoned Israeli settlements) and the grossly inadequate sewage system. To be drinkable, well water is purified through machinery run by electricity. Otherwise, the brackish water must at least be boiled before it can be consumed, but this requires electricity or gas. And people will soon have neither.
Drinking unpurified water means sickness, even cholera. If cholera breaks out, it will spread like wildfire in a population so densely packed and lacking fuel or water for sanitation. And the hospitals and clinics aren’t functioning, either, because there is no electricity. (Counterpunch)
Write your representatives and demand that they take action to stop this Israeli invasion, pull out of the Gaza Strip again, and focus on diplomacy instead of violence to solve this situation!
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