‘Blogging from Gaza’ - From bad to worse: the downpour continues

[monami maulik]

As the U.S. leads the global manufacture of consent for Israel's murderous 
assault on Gaza and Souther Lebanon, I urge you to read Leila El-Haddad's 
blog:
                           Raising Yousuf: A Diary of a Mother Under 
Occupation

Leila is a fierce and inspirational Palestinian activist who came to
talk in NYC recently, where I had the opportunity to hear her recount the 
horrors of living in
*still-occupied* Gaza and describe the beauty and courage of resistance by 
everyday people.

And we in the U.S. must play *active* roles of solidarity.  Attend the rally 
tomorrow in New York, call and denounce the Ny Times for its support of the 
Israeli assault, call Schumer & Clinton to denounce their continued support 
of Israel's murderous policies. or take some other direct action.....

it is simply not enough for us to read what is happening and educate others.

We have a responsibility here in the belly of the beast to act with our 
sisters and brothers in the Third World.

Philistine WILL be free.
-monami

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‘Blogging from Gaza’ - From bad to worse: the downpour continues
July 17th, 2006 | Posted in Journals, Gaza Region
by Leila El-Haddad

Friday, July 14: Things are bad in Gaza. Very bad. Not to mention of course 
in Lebanon, where Yassine’s family lives, in the Wavel refugee camp in 
Baalbeck, Hezbollah stronghold.

They, of course, along with all of Lebanon, are blockaded by air and sea, so 
Yassine has sort of become a double-refugee now: he can go back neither to 
Palestine, nor Lebanon. It brings back very bad memories for him, having 
grown up during the civil war there, and narrowly escaping mass slaughter at 
the hands of Syrian-backed, Israeli-advised, Phalangists in the Tel Zaatar 
camp, where his family originally lived, and where his uncle went missing.

Of course, what’s happening in Lebanon provides some uncertain relief for 
Gaza residents, where 82 Palestinians have been killed in the past 12 days, 
22 of them children.

I was finally able to reach my Aunt…they had not gotten electricity in 24 
hours when I spoke to her; people have been standing in long lines to 
purchase candles.

And of course, Rafah is still closed; 8 people have died waiting to get 
home. Egypt, following Israeli orders, is refusing to open the gates.

The nights are turning into days, and days into nights, as the sonic booming 
shocks them awake, shattering windows and terrorizing the population. The 
stress is taking its toll, but to quote my Aunt, though they are not living 
with ease, they are living with resolve.

Medicines are also running dangerously low. And to add to the misery, 
Israeli tanks have blockaded northern Gaza, where my Aunt lives, and where 
our house is, from southern Gaza, where my 84 year old grandmother lives on 
her own.

I think of them every day. I still cringe when I see news helicopters; or 
fireworks; or thunder; Today we had a thunderstorm, and the thunder was so 
loud it scared Yousuf, who thought it was gunfire and shelling, as I tried 
to assure him he was safe. But I wondered, inside of myself, does safe have 
an address?




*************************
Monami Maulik
DRUM -Desis Rising Up & Moving
718-205-3036 / info at drumnation.org
www.drumnation.org
***********************
"The neo–corporate rulers of the world use military force violence, police, 
prisons and economic servitude to protect and reinforce the class 
patriarchal neo-colonial system but they know that force alone is not 
enough. They fear the human mind and they fear the minds of women above all… 
Women on the move will change the world..."
- Nawal El Saadawi