2006.06.30: Re: Antiwar Bulletin: 4:30 Today — Protest Killing of Palestinians

From: Lucy Herschel
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 3:28 PM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS;
Subject: Re: Antiwar Bulletin: 4:30 Today — Protest Killing of Palestinians

what collective punishment looks like in Gaza, as of two days ago:

from http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4862.shtml

Gaza under large-scale attack
Mona Elfarra writing from Gaza, Live from Palestine, 28 June 2006

I am writing while the jet fighters are in the sky with their horrible sounds, bringing death and horror. It is 10:30 pm and I am still waiting, like everyone. I hope they will not go ahead with their operation into Gaza; the outcome could be horrible. The resistance movements are going ahead with their preparations too, but it is obvious which side holds the balance of power. Anyway, Israel – resistance or no resistance – is attacking us all the time, but this time will be different, and in the process many civilian lives will be lost. I am listening to the local radio. It seems that the operation started in Khan Yunis. The artillery started shelling under the cover of Apache helicopters and jet fighters.

I am able to write now, but I do not know what will happen next. The power might cut off soon. A few hours ago, Mohammed and Sondos had a narrow escape during their way home – a car exploded 150 meters from my home, close to the president’s home. One person died and four were injured. I cannot help worrying, I am after all a mother.

I shall stay strong; tommorrow I am going to the Red Crescent Society office. We are supposed to get some medications to be used at Al-Awda Hospital for the emergency department. The medications were stopped at the closed borders, but I am hoping to get them through with the help of the World Health Organization. I am not sure if we shall receive them in time, but I shall keep trying.

The airplanes’ sounds in the sky are geting louder. I shall keep writing, as it is a big relief for me.

Al-Awda Hospital is inside Jabalia refujee camp. Two weeks ago, it received the Ghalia family children, who lost their parents during the beach incident. Mohamed and Sondos are my dear kids. I pray for the safety of all the the children of the world, including Israeli children.

Al-Awda Hospital’s mediction supplies are enough for only one week of routine use. If the operation continues and casualty numbers increase, I am warning that a health disaster will follow.

The operation against Gaza is continuing. It is 1:30 am; the Gaza bridge has been destroyed. The jet fighters are still in the sky hitting many targets. The Gaza power plant was hit by at least seven missiles. I can see a big fire from my window, and hear the sirens of emergency vans. I live by the beach, and can hear that the gun boats started shelling too.

As of 7 AM, 28 June, I am updating this diary. Last night, it was too dangerous for me to reach the computer. The power was cut off. I stayed on the floor with my son and daughter; we did not sleep at all – like all the residents in the Gaza strip. We could not manage to get a few hours of sleep, as the jet fighters showered our area with sonic bombs – it is a very loud and horrifying sound.

They are continuing their attacks.

I contacted the hospital several times – no casualties yet. The operation is going on in different parts of the Gaza strip, but it is focused in the south. I have no idea about the casualties in Rafah.

Mona Elfarra is a doctor, mother and activist working at Al Awda Hospital in Gaza City. She is a member of the Union of Health Work Committees and a membeer of the board of directors of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society for the Gaza Strip. She will continue future updates on her blog, http://fromgaza.blogspot.com/

2006.06.30: Antiwar Bulletin: 4:30 Today — Protest Killing of Palestinians

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 8:52 AM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Antiwar Bulletin: 4:30 Today — Protest Killing of Palestinians

A CALL TO ACTION:

PROTEST THE KILLING OF PALESTINIANS
DEMAND INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

The New York Chapter of the National Council of Arab-Americans, Al-Awda New York, ANSWER, the International Action Center and and the Troops Out Now Coalition are organizing a vigil and protest of the recent savage violence by the Israeli military and to call for the international community to protect the Palestinian people. This will be the first of a series of vigils in coming days.

Where: We will start out in front of the Israeli Mission to the UN on 800 2nd Ave, between 42nd and 43rd Streets, and later move to the UN Secretariat, on 1st Avenue, between 42nd and 43rd Streets

When: THIS FRIDAY, June 30th, at 4:30 p.m.

Why: The Israeli military is conducting daily raids that have killed dozens of Palestinians and wounded hundreds of others. We will begin in front of the Israeli Mission to the UN to call for and end to the attacks and an end to US aid for Israel. Then we will move to the UN Secretariat.  The Arab caucus at the United Nations will be having a meeting this Friday and will present a letter on Palestine to the United Nations Security Council on Monday. On Monday, we hope to present our own letter to the PLO representative to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, calling for international protection of Palestinians. We will ask that he submit this letter to the Security Council and to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Bring signs, candles, and slogans.

Other organizations are in consultation to co-sponsor.

For more information, contact Issa Mikel at 917-446-8032 or
issamikel@gmail.com <mailto:issamikel@gmail.com%A0%A0+ANSWER>   Ahmad
Diab at ahmadfd@gmail.com
<http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ahmadfd@gmail.com&gt;. ANSWER at 212-694-8720, nyc@internationalanswer.org <mailto:nyc@internationalanswer.org> or International Action Center at
212-633-6646 iacenter@iacenter.org <mailto:iacenter@iacenter.org> or

——————————
Statement from National Council of Arab Americans:

Support the Palestinian People!
June 29, 2006

Let us get straight to the point. The world has become shamelessly accustomed to scenes of Israeli forces at will brutalizing Palestinians.

During this latest case, however, the situation has become that much more painful. The attacks are taking place at the peak of a US-Israeli imposed international starvation and strangulation campaign that not even Arab states dared to challenge. Israeli heavy artillery and high explosive missiles have been raining from US-fighter jets on bridges, power plants and water supply facilities in the Gaza Strip on a population denied even its daily bread and the most basic of medications.

To add insult to injury, as of writing this statement, 64 Palestinian governmental ministers, democratically- elected members of the legislative council (the Palestinian parliament), and mayors of various cities have been kidnapped from their homes, with various assassinations by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) promised to come, including of the Palestinian prime minister himself.

Where else is this travesty allowed to occur?

The Israeli government claims to be “searching” for one occupying soldier – what about the nearly 9,000 current Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prison camps? Under its illegal occupation, the Israeli government continues to imprison over 9,000 Palestinians, all systematically jailed, tortured or held hostage – the majority without even a farce of a trial. Since 1967 alone, over 650,000 Palestinians have been detained, amounting to 40% of the male population of the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip. Who in the international community is searching for them?

The Israeli government, a nuclear power with an unmatched US-supplied arsenal, is claiming to seek “security”. From whom, we ask? The population under attack is the most impoverished in the region. Nearly all were made refugees at least once as a result of their expulsion by Zionist forces from their homes in 1948, when 75% of the Palestinians were made homeless and Zionist colonists occupied 78% of Palestine. Many are refugees twice, the second time when they were dispossessed in 1967. Some are three and four times refugees, as they are made homeless by U.S.-supplied and sanctioned bulldozers time and time again, up to this very day as they continue to face the Zionist colonial occupation of their land.

The Role of Arab and International Solidarity and the US Peace Movement

The NCA affirms that without Arab depth and without an international solidarity movement that squarely realizes the significance of the Palestinian struggle and supports their movement for liberation, the victimization of the Palestinian Arab people will continue unabated.

Furthermore, the U.S. peace movement has the moral duty to take a consistent position in solidarity with the Palestinian people to prevent the wanton destruction that is currently taking place with the explicit support and reinforcement of the U.S. government. Our community should not have to argue for the inclusion of Palestine in the anti-war movement, nor should we be subjected to the disgraceful removal of Palestinian symbolism from any anti-war protest stage. To place Palestine aside to please any of the US political parties is morally corrupt and helps to produce the sort of isolation that enables such destruction in Palestine to take place.

The Arab American and the Palestinian community cannot stand silent as some of our own organizations malign the struggle of the Palestinian Arab people and systematically introduce the notions of defeat into our young. Such organizations seek an obedient position at the doorstep of the US State Department and stand outside the Arab consensus. They must not and can not speak on our behalf.

Take Action

The NCA calls on our community to stand together at this difficult time. We call on all to join the planned protests in their various cities across the US and to express their views in media outlets.

NCA National Office
National Council of Arab Americans (NCA)

——————————————————————————–

email: nationaloffice@arab-american.net
phone: 530.756.5548
web: http://www.arab-american.net

2006.06.22: Antiwar Bulletin: Film Tonight On Vietnam G.I. Revolt

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 11:56 AM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Antiwar Bulletin: Film Tonight On Vietnam G.I. Revolt

Thursday, June 22, 8 p.m.

SIR! NO SIR!
The Suppressed Story of the GI Movement
To End the War in Vietnam
[Film Details: http://www.sirnosir.com/%5D

Screening followed by Q&A with:

Dave Cline, Veterans for Peace
Tom Barton, GI Special

$10, Roone Arledge Cinema, Alfred Lerner Hall Columbia University, 114th and Broadway

This screening is part of the Socialism 2006 conference from June 22 to June 25.  For more information about conference events and registration, go to http://www.socialismconference.org