Rebuilding Alliance hosted in CT and need to liberate Gaza concentration camp

Yesterday in Connecticut, we had the honor to hear
from the father, mother, and sister of 10-year-old
Abir Aramin who was murdered by the Israeli
occupation forces (IOF) in occupied Anata,
Jerusalem, Palestine. We also heard from
Israeli refusenik Yonatan Shapira. Abir’s father
Bassam Aramin was jailed in Israel starting at
age 17. When released he and Yonatan cofounded
Combatants for Peace which combined Israelis and
Palestinians who now advocate nonviolence and justice.
He and others continued with the group even after his
daughter was murdered in front of her school and
while walking with other classmates, friends, as well
as her sister (who gave us a heart-wrenching account
of what happened and who spoke movingly about
how Palestinian Children want to live like other children).

There is no symmetry between occupied and occupiers,
oppressed and oppressors and the occupation must end
and human rights restored. This is understood by leaders
of this group (http://www.combatantsforpeace.org/ ), as
well as by the group that is arranging the US tour and
raising money to build a garden in the name of Abir
(The Rebuilding Alliance
http://www.rebuildingalliance.org/ ).

We can only hope that this tour will bring people to act.
While the killing of Children in the West Bank abated in
the past few months (in order to advance the Israeli
political agenda of domesticating the Palestinian
Authority leaders), the situation got worse in Gaza.
92 children were murdered by the IOF since Abir's
murder exactly a year ago and most were in Gaza.
Today we face a major catastrophic situation unfolding
in this concentration camp otherwise known as the
Gaza Strip (home to 1.5 million Palestinians, 70% of
them refugees). A very short message from a resident
in Gaza reminded me with the call we heard from
Jerusalem during the massacres by the Crusaders
or other calls in history: "Wa Mu3tasmah...".
It was simply:

“Dear all: This is going to be short, as short as possible:
At least 80% of Gaza under darkness. Not only the lights
but every thing related to electricity. It is expected to
have hundreds or even thousands of people dead if this
situation continues. What can we do with this
WAR CRIME? Bassam M. Nasser, Gaza, Palestine"

Ofcourse that is still an understatement. Already dozens
have died for lack of medications. Some are already
hungry and 70% live below the poverty line thanks to
the Israeli murderous siege (benignly referred to as
"collective punishment"). A European colleague candidly
noted in an email that Gaza now is new concentration
camp “conceived as such” and “needs a new Nuremberg
trial.” For those who know history they know that large
scale deaths at concentration camps only occurred years
after they were inhabited by thousands of inmates
(communists, gypsises, homosexuals, Russians, Jews,
Poles etc). Let us not wait for this progression, let us
not wait for the day when Israelis parade before mass
graves in Gaza. But what indeed can we do with the
continuing Nakba in Palestine (60 years of mayhem,
ethnic cleansing, destruction etc.)?

Read about the mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza

http://www.freegaza.ps

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BBA4E18B
-E72F-4AB2-A1B4-26612DEFEAE3.htm

We think we also have 60 years of heroism, sacrifices, acts of
justice, and yes also lots of acts of kindness. That has always
made the difference that prevents total annihilation and
keeps the hopes of liberation, justice, freedom alive. So
if you are like us outraged by these and others tories you
hear, then do something. Below is from a US Citizen asking
fellow citizens to act but if you are not in the US, please do
similar actions with your government and the media:

If you are an American TAX PAYER
you are culpable
in these crimes against humanity
and silence is complicity!

WRITE and TELEPHONE THOSE WORKING FOR
YOU IN WASHINGTON AND DEMAND THAT
THIS CARNAGE END!
It is the PEACEMAKERS who are the children of
God, NOT those that starve, bomb, torture and
occupy others!

President George W. Bush (202) 456-1414
president@whitehouse.gov

White House Comment Line: (202) 456-1111
Fax: (202) 456-2461

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
(202) 647-6575

Any Senator (202) 224-3121

Any Representative (202) 225-3121

E-Mail Congress: visit http://www.congress.org

Embassy of Israel,
3514 International Dr.,
NW, Washington, DC 20008
(202) 364-5515

AND WRITE TO/CALL THE MEDIA AND
DEMAND THEY COVER THIS HUMANITARIAN
DISASTOR AND ONGOING WAR CRIMES.
Media contacts:

http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/contact/media.asp

http://capwiz.com/adc/dbq/media

Ask Journalists to interview Palestinians; there is
no shortage of those (e.g. in the US, here is
a listing of many Palestinian Americans:

http://imeu.net/news/palestinian-americans.shtml ).

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
http://qumsiyeh.org
http://justicewheels.org