19 August 2011
First of all, I would like to say that all my thoughts and prayers go to the Palestinians suffering in Gaza tonight!
I am heartbroken, the news is the reason I’ve been depressed for the last two days. I rarely get depressed, but when I read the news of innocent Palestinians dying in Jerusalem and Gaza, I couldn’t hold my tears.
Two days ago, I came home, logged on to twitter and read the news of a Palestinian teenager, Sa’d al-Majdalawi 17 years old, murdered in Gaza. More details were revealed, apparently the victim was a disabled teenager who suffered 10 bullets in his head and the upper part of his body. The part I don’t understand is why did this happen? WHY? He was shot for being in close distance to the barbed wires which marks the borders of the besieged Gaza strip. The medics who carried the body of the teenager to the hospital couldn’t identify him immediatly because “bullets mutiliated his face”. This is not humanity, this is a war crime! For what reason did this kid die? Was he the victim of some IDF woman testing this new remote lethal technology as Ali suggested?
Later, I read the news of a 30 year old father who was brutally run over by Israeli border police jeep in Jerusalem! This Arabic report emerged after the incident, it really worsened my situation. Amin Taleb Dabsh of Sour Baher neighborhood was a 30 year old father, he had a two year old son waiting at home! He was heading to his work that evening when the Israeli jeep poped up and drove over him dragging his body for 150 meters therefore he died on the scene, as witnesses said. The border police jeep was said to have mistaked Amin Taleb for West Bank workers whos presence in Jerusalem is considered illegal by Israel without special work permits. Again I ask the question, for what reason did this man die? All I want to see is justice, all I cry for is justice! Why can’t we have it?
Those two heartbreaking events lead to today’s even worse events. I woke up this morning to the news of multiple attacks on Israeli targets which included Buses and private vehicles in Southern Israel. There were Israeli civilian victims as well as IDF victims due to the gun battle which proceeded after the initial attacks. The attackers were said to have penetrated the borders from Egypt near Taba-Eilat, no one has any clue of their background, no single faction claimed responsibilty for the attacks, yet.
A couple of hours after the sad events in Eilat, the Israeli Minister of “terror department”, excuse me, Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak jumped to the claim that the attackers had links to Gaza or might have even come from Gaza. Later on the Israeli cabinet met and discussed the possibilty of new raids on Gaza in order to retilate for Eilat attacks. Hamas was quick to respond saying they had nothing to do with the attacks, and the people of Gaza shouldn’t be punished for Israel’s internal ills. Unfortuantly no one listens, the Israeli airforce commenced and attacked targets in Gaza yesterday evening killing 6, among them was this 2 year old kid in the picture below. Should I presume he/she was a terrorist? was he/she one of the masterminds behind Eilat attacks? *sighs*
For a while after the first air strikes, calm returned to Gaza, but citizens weren’t feeling comfortable or safe at all. They were expecting even more strikes. The Strikes continued after midnight, a family in Gaza were stricken while safe at their home, the victim now is the 13 year old Mahmoud Abu Samra, as you can see him left in this picture:
But why?? This 13 year old kid had his childhood taken away, he had his dreams taken away by an occupier who attacked him for no reason! no reason!!
Until now, there is no evidence at all that would link anyone in Gaza to Eilat attacks, but Israel needs a scapegoat, someone to blame for all the wrongs it has. Gaza has indeed become the scapegoat suffering severe attacks whenever an Israeli is attacked, or even with no reason! Collective punishment is a war crime, what Israel is doing today is terrorize the population living in the Gaza strip! This is inhumane! absurdity! Just like shooting fish in a barrel, Palestinians have nowhere to escape to!
I wrote this based on my feelings of only the past three days, it is unimaginable what Palestinians suffer througout the years!
Speak up today against this inhumanity! We want justice! We are humans, nothing less than anyone else!
Comments
Thank you Jalal
Permalink Gaelic Neilson replied on
You put it so well Jalal, "Speak up today against this inhumanity! We want justice! We are humans, nothing less than anyone else!"
It is time for people to speak up! It is time for justice. Palestinians are human, and deserving of basic human rights, one dear Palestinian child, is just as valuable as one small Israeli child.
If the world could be aware of the crimes that Israel inflicts on these innocent children, then there is a much better chance for apartheid to end. Please join the BDS movement, it is global, it reaches from Australia, to Japan to Fiji and from the USA to Ireland to Egypt! Maybe all of us, together, can make a difference. see www.PACBI.org
Well done jalal this is a
Permalink Anonymous replied on
Well done jalal this is a brilliant piece ! May God help you , we feel so helpless when we see pictures of Gaza burning for no reason , yet your voice will speak up to this injustice and will make a difference
I am praying for calm to return
Permalink NEJ replied on
I get depressed and truly can't think straight when Gaza is attacked by Israel and I am not even Palestinian. It hurts and my heart aches. I don't have to be Palestinian to feel their pain and suffering. Thank you, Jalal for sharing your thoughts. You and all Palestinians are in my heart and prayers. Stay strong.
Jalal, my feelings exactly
Permalink Ben Alofs replied on
Thanks for your moving contribution. It is so important to let the world know about the Palestinian perspective, how do Palestinians feel and think, in this instance about the heart breaking reality that goes behind Israel retaliating for the attack in Eilat. Keep on blogging, Jalal!