December 27, 2009, 2008 and what this little one knew in 2005 regarding Gaza

[Orlando, Florida] Ever since my first of seven trips to Israel Palestine in 2005, I have searched for a central Florida church with an open mind and heart for the poor, oppressed and occupied in Gaza Palestine. Perseverance has finally paid off, for this Sunday, December 27, 2009 in downtown Orlando, St. George Orthodox Church has opened their sanctuary to people of all faiths-and those with none-to join their 10 AM Holy Liturgy service that will commemorate all the lives that were lost beginning December 27, 2008 and during the 23 days of war in the Gaza Strip. A massive mobilization also begins on December 27, 2009, with candlelight vigils, concerts, marches, demonstrations, and movie screenings all over the world, because world leaders have failed to end the siege on Gaza and act humanely. Although the Israeli tanks have left the Gaza Strip, the complete closure of land, air and sea borders has continued. However, there are no borders on the world wide web and a global week of actions will be witnessed in America, France, United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Jordan, Canada, Israel/Palestine, Poland, Denmark, and Greece. On December 31, 2009, more than 1,400 internationals will converge in Cairo to join the NONVIOLENT Gaza Freedom March, organized by The International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza with the objective to raise international attention of the ongoing siege and blockade of Gaza-which is illegal under international law. A year has passed since 1.5 million human beings in Gaza were terrorized, 1,400 civilians killed, thousands injured and hundreds of thousands became homeless and today, they still remain in tents or in the ruins of their homes, because Israel persists to deny the needed building materials into Gaza. Because leaders of the world have failed to act humanely, the hospitals in Gaza are also denied the medicine and supplies to provide even routine medical care. Israel’s blockade of Gaza is a blatant violation of international law and the American Government and Egypt are most complicit. The Conscience of Humanity remains shocked and awed by the misery inflicted upon the 1.5 million human beings in Gaza, but even a little one, such as I could read the writing on that wall in 2005; when I wrote KEEP HOPE ALIVE, Chapter 14: 9/11/05 AND THE GULFPORT BLUES, from which I excerpt: Back at the A-frame, Terese sipped from her steaming mug of black brew and checked her email, to find report 57 from Jerry Levin, the reporter and full-time volunteer with Christian Peacemaker Teams who had shepherded her through Hebron. She sighed repeatedly as she read about the start of a new school year in Hebron, for it wasn’t good. She had spent a few hours in Hebron in June 2005, and had not forgotten it for one day since. “Christ, have mercy! These teachers and kids trying to get to school are threatened and hassled by these erratic and illegal settlers, and a trigger-happy IDF! What a daily life to have to contend with! I cannot imagine watching my child have to go through a checkpoint or be verbally and physically abused just to get to school! What are we teaching these kids, when they grow up looking up the barrel of an Israeli soldier’s weapon of destruction?” Next, she opened a press conference summary from September 6, 2005, from Dr. Mustafa Bargouthi regarding the Palestinian National Initiative's report regarding the aftermath of the “disengagement” and the bottom line was that there are more settlers, more walls, and more corruption in the PA. Dr. Mustafa Bargouthi, stated that ‘Ninety percent of security violations in Palestine are committed by security forces and intelligence. These forces must be disciplined; the rule of law and an independent judiciary must be installed. [And] it is estimated that 30 percent of the 160,000 salaried government employees do not attend work of any kind. This kind of corruption and nepotism must be ended.’ Terese moaned when she read about the violations since the cease-fire agreement of February 8, 2005: "Christ, have mercy! Seventy-five Palestinians, including seventeen innocent children, and fourteen Israelis, including two innocent children, have been murdered. Two thousand Palestinians have been arrested; there have been 2,306 checkpoints imposed, and 8,700 acres of Palestinian land has been confiscated by the Israeli government! And how can these settlers sleep at night, after attacking Palestinians 394 times since the cease-fire agreement? I feel bad about these screwed-up settlers, but they are a cult that has been allowed to get out of control. The Israeli government enticed and encouraged them to settle in illegal land, and this is what it has come to! And yet, the illegal settlements continue! "And, what a farce the so-called disengagement in Gaza was. "The Israeli government still controls all access to Gaza by land, sea, and air. Bargouthi documented that only 25 of over 150 settlements will be dismantled, and only 8,475 of over 436,000 settlers [less than 2 percent of settlers] have been evacuated. Meanwhile, in the past year, 12,800 new settlers have moved into the West Bank — 50 percent more settlers than were evacuated." "This is no withdrawal, this is BS! "Until Palestinians have control of Gaza’s borders and a guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank, it is not a withdrawal; it’s just BS propaganda! And Gaza is less than 6 percent of the occupied territories, and that leaves 94 percent of Palestinian territories under the boot of the IDF. The corruption in the PA government and hot tempers from those under occupation are a powder keg that’s getting ready to blow! "What’s it going to take to wake the world up to the fact that most of our problems with radical Islamist fundamentalist militants leads us back to the conflict in Israel and Palestine? "All roads do indeed lead to Jerusalem. "What’s it going to take before the International community gets it together and insists, in unity, upon the upholding of international law as the rule we all live by? And that includes Israel and America, too, for both ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I wonder, what’s the point of signing on, but then not doing it? "What’s it going to take to wake up the legions of blind U.S. Christian Zionists to their indifference to the misery of their sisters and brothers in Israel and Palestine? Their blind allegiance to the Israeli government has allowed our best friend in the world to become a big bully. What’s it going to take to break through the ignorance that hard-earned U.S. tax dollars are being used to continue the occupation and apartheid wall?" On December 28, 2008, Haaretz reported: "Disinformation, secrecy and lies: How the Gaza offensive came about. Long-term preparation, careful gathering of information, secret discussions, operational deception and the misleading of the public - all these stood behind the Israel Defense Forces "Cast Lead". "Sources in the defense establishment said Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the operation over six months ago, even as Israel was beginning to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Hamas… "The Prime Minister's Bureau misinformed the media in stating the discussion would revolve around global jihad…In its summary announcement…the Prime Minister's Bureau devoted one line to the situation in Gaza, compared to one whole page that concerned the outlawing of 35 Islamic organizations… "While Barak was working out the final details with the officers responsible for the operation, Livni went to Cairo to inform Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak, that Israel had decided to strike at Hamas. "In parallel, Israel continued to send out disinformation in announcing it would open the crossings to the Gaza Strip and that Olmert would decide whether to launch the strike following three more deliberations on Sunday - one day after the actual order to launch the operation was issued. "The final decision was made…when Barak met with Chief of Staff General Gabi Ashkenazi, the head of the Shin Bet Security Service Yuval Diskin and the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Amos Yadlin. Barak sat down with Olmert and Livni several hours later for a final meeting, in which the trio gave the air force its orders." http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050426.html On December 27, 2008, I received this plea written by Nahida, a child of Gaza: Look at me I would love to write poetry about love, Paint rainbows and butterflies, Smell the scent of rose buds, And dance; Dance with the melody of birds singing I would love to close my eyes and see children smiling No guns pointing at their heads Tell them stories of little fairies in far away lands Not bullets shooting... missile exploding But How can I? There is a knife in my heart I am hurting Hurting I bleed, I cringe I cry HUMANITY, WHERE ARE YOU? I am being slaughtered Under your watchful eyes I am cold… cold…. cold I cringe I cry Humanity, where are you? Why do you turn your face away? Why do you keep looking the other way? I am here Languishing In Gaza alleyways Humanity, where are you? Look at me Look at me I am here In Gaza alleyways I cringe I cry Humanity, Enough turning the other way. - By nahida On December 21, 2009, I emailed the following: Dear Mr. Omar Youssef, As you are the US Egyptian Embassy contact person and I am an American member of the New Fourth Estate- an activist journalist- I am writing you to express my full support for the December 31, 2009 Gaza Freedom March. I am beseeching you to urge the Egyptian government to realize that civil society has risen up because governments have failed and on the way to Egypt are over 1,300 committed international Internet connected delegates who are seeking to NONVIOLENTLY raise awareness regarding the misery of the 1.5 million human open air prisoners in Gaza who have been denied their human rights. The 1,300 internationals represent millions around the world who are sending desperately needed medical aid, school supplies, winter jackets for the children and most of all; LOVE, HOPE and the message that the world will NOT give up until the siege is lifted and the occupation ends. Please, let the people in. And out. Most Sincerely, Eileen Fleming, Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org A Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" Gaza Freedom March Worldwide Solidarity Actions: December 27th and 31st, 2009 Afghanistan Kite Flying 10:30am Bamiyan Peace Park Bamiyan, Afghanistan Australia Sydney Gaza Freedom Vigil Sydney December 27, 2009 5:00pm Town Hall Square Sydney, Australia Belgium Brussels December 27, 2009 2:00pm, march through the main streets of Brussels 4:00pm, vigil with candles Brussels, Belgium Canada Halifax Solidarity March January 16th 3p St. Andrews United Church Halifax, NS, Canada Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Gaza Freedom March 2010 January 01, 2010 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC Vancouver, BC London, Ontario Gaza Freedom March - London, Ontario January 01, 2010 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Victoria Park, London, Ontario, Canada London, ON Toronto, Ontario Gaza Freedom March A march and rally in solidarity with those marching in Gaza! March on Gaza - Dec. 31st, 2009 - Ontario Supporters Sunday, December 27, 2009 1:00pm - 4:00pm Israeli Consulate 180 Bloor Street West Toronto, ON Calgary, Alberta Gaza Freedom March January 01, 2010 3:00 PM Address TBA Calgary, AB Winniepeg, MB Vigil December 27, 2009 3:30am Manitoba Legislature 450 Broadway Winnipeg, MB France Marseilles Gaza, 1 year after...gathering December 27, 2009 4:00pm Angle Belsunce/Canebiere Marseilles, France Reims Candlight vigil December 29, 2009 5:30pm Place d'Erlon (la Fontaine de la Solidarite) Reims, France Germany Possneck Vigil December 27, 2009 5:00pm Gerberstrasse 45 / Stadtzentrum Possneck, Germany Reutlingen Vigil Marktplatz December 27 3pm Reutlingen, Germany Dusseldorf Vigil December 29, 2009 5:00pm Schadowplatz Dusseldorf Inennenstadt Dusseldorf, Germany Freiberg Vigil December 28, 2009 3-6pm Southern Bertholdstrasse Freiberg, Germany Tubingen Vigil December 27, 2009 3pm Holzmarkt, 27070 Tubingen, Germany Hamburg Rally December 29th 3pm Reesendammbrücke / Jungfernstieg /Alsterarkaden Center in the near of the Town Hall Hamburg, Germany Munich Installation of items forbidden in Gaza December 29, 2009 11:30am Richard-Strauss Foundation Kaufingerstr Munich, Germany Ireland Dublin Embassy of Israel January 6th 2:30pm Dublin, Ireland Israel/Palestine Tel-Aviv-Jaffa Mass Free Gaza march and rally December 26th, 2009 18:30 Tel Aviv-Jaffa Israel Gaza Freedom March on the Israeli side of the Erez Crossing December 31st, 2009 10:30 AM Israel Erez Crossing Bethlehem December 31st 4-6pm Nativity Square Bethlehem Poland Poznan Prayer gathering ul. Plonowa 6a, 61-312 Poznan, Poland Spain MadridMarathon: "I San Silvestre Leganense. Refugiados palestinos, corre por ellos" December 27, 2009 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM Calles de Leganés Madrid, Spain Valladolid Solidarity action December 26, 2009 7pm Plaza Mayor Valladolid, Spain San Sebastian-Donostia Solidarity action December 27, 2009 12pm San Sebastian-Donostia, Spain Sweden Stockholm Memorial Concert December 27, 2009 7pm Stockholm, Sweden Switzerland Basle Livestream viewing Connect Cafe Unternehmen MITTE Gerbergasse 30 Basle, Switzerland Bern National start of Swiss solidarity actions Candlelight vigil with 1400 candles on Bundesplatz (or Münsterplatz) info@gazafreedommarch.ch This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Bern, Switzerland CH-3000 Zurich Limmatquair Vigil 4pm-9pm Zurich Turkey Istanbul BDS Walk December 27, 2009 2pm Istanbul, Turkey United Kingdom London One year since the Beginning of the Attacks on Gaza December 27, 2009 3:00 PM High Street Kensington, W8, London, United Kingdom Edinburgh, Scotland Gaza Freedom March & public commemoration in Scotland December 27, 2009 2:00 PM Edinburgh: Foot of the Mound Elsewhere: to be announced United States Alabama- January 20th 6pm Huntsville Madison County Library 900 Monroe St. Huntsville, AL Alaska - Juneau, Alaska Film Screening - Occupation 101 and Life in Occupied Palestine December 29, 2009 7:00pm Goldtown Nickelodeon Theater Juneau, Alaska Rally December 20, 2009 12:00pm Dimond Court Plaza Juneau, Alaska Arizona- Phoenix, AZ Movie Viewing Occupation 101 December 29, 2009 7:30pm Grace Lutheran Church 1126 North 3rd Street Phoenix, AZ Arkansas- Little Rock Vigil December 27th 5pm State Capitol Little Rock, AR California- Anaheim Gaza Freedom March - Los Angeles / Orange County Solidarity Action at Disneyland: December 30th 6:30 - 8:30 PM Disneyland Entrance near Downtown Disney Store Anaheim , CA 92802 Concord Gaza Solidarity - House Party December 27, 2009 1:00 PM Please email Janet at codepinkjanet@gmail.com for address and directions Concord La Jolla Candle light vigil January 6, 2009 5:30pm UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla Los Angeles Vigil for Gaza - Los Angeles December 28, 2009 5:00 PM Israeli Consulate 6380 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90048-5071 Monterey Action December 27, 2009 2pm Window on the Bay Park 700 Del Monte Ave Monterey, CA San Francisco Candlelight Memorial at Union Square, San Francisco December 27, 2009 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Powell Street & Geary St. San Francisco, CA 94108 San Francisco Benefit for the children of Gaza December 27th 7p Brainwash Cafe 1122 Folsom Street San Francisco, CA San Francisco March across the Golden Gate Bridge December 31, 2009 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, CA 94956 Sacramento Protest December 27th, 1pm Arden and Hertiage Sacramento, CA Santa Cruz Parade December 31, 2009 5pm Pacific and Laurel Sts. Santa Cruz, CA Redwood City Discussion December 27, 2009 12pm 2124 Brewster Avenue Redwood City, CA Colorado- Colorado Springs Gaza Solidarity Action December 28, 2009 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Chapel Hills Mall 1710 Briargate Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80920 Colorado Springs Vigil December 29, 2009 5:15p Bijou and Nevada in Acacia Park Colorado Springs. CO Denver Rally Downtown Denver December 21, 2009 3pm 16th Street Mall Denver, CO Denver In Door solidarity vigil December 31, 2009 6:00 PM - 6:12 PM Short service in chapel At 6pm New Years Eve First Unitarian Church 1400 Lafayette Street Denver, CO 80218 Connecticut- Hartford Sunday, Dec. 27 CT in Solidarity with Gaza Charter Oak Cultural Center 21 Charter Oak Ave., Hartford 1-3:30 p.m. Meeting *** Solidarity March Hartford, Connecticut DC Washington, District of Columbia DC Vigil for Gaza December 30, 2009 5pm-7pm Gallery Place Metro, 7th & H St. NW Washington, DC Screening of Occupation 101 Grace Episcopal Church 1041 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, DC Florida- St. Petersburg Slingshot Hip Hop screening December 30, 2009 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM 937 Central Avenue St. Petersburg, FL 33705 Idaho- Moscow Vigil December 31st 5:30p Main St. Friendship Square Moscow, ID Illinois- Chicago Vigil December 27th 12pm Water Town Park 180 East Pearson St Chicago, IL Chicago Gathering December 30th 5:30p 637 S. Dearborn, 2nd Fl Chicago, IL Iowa- Dubuque, IA December 28, 2009 4:00pm - gathering 601 Locust St. (the southeast corner of Washington Park) Dubuque, Iowa Kentucky- Louisville, KY Friday Vigil for Gaza January 01, 2010 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 6th and Broadway Louisville, KY 40202 Maine- Blue Hill Gaza Freedom March December 30, 2009 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM High Street, near elementary school Blue Hill, Maine Waterville Gaza Freedom March Solidarity Rally December 31, 2009 1:00 PM Castonguay Square (downtown, adjacent to City Hall and across the street from Rep. Mike Michaud's office). Waterville, ME 04901 Maryland- Baltimore Vigil January 1st 12pm Baltimore's Inner Harbor Baltimore, MD Massachusetts- Boston First Night Against the Wars December 31, 2009 1:00pm Copley Square Boston, MA Northhampton, MA In Solidarity with the People of Gaza, December 28, 2009 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM In front of Northampton, Massachusetts City Hall, 5-6:30 p.m. Northampton, MA 01060 Michigan- Dearborn Vigil and Solidarity March December 29th 5:30p Dearborn City Hall Dearborn, MI Hartland, MI Open house December 31st 2pm 2641 Sun Terrace Drive Hartland, MI Kalamazoo Gathering December 27th, 12p-1pm Federal Building Kalamazoo, MI Minnesota- Minneapolis, MN March December 20, 2009 11:30am Hennepin County Government Plaza Minneapolis, MN 55487 Missouri- St. Louis, MO Vigil December 27, 2009 7pm St. Louis, MO New Mexico- Albuquerque Vigil December 29th 4p Federal Court House Lomas and 5th St. Albuquerque, NM New York- New York, New York March December 27th 11am 50th and Park Avenue NYC NYC Gaza Solidarity March December 27, 2009 1:00 PM March marking the first anniversary of the Israeli invasion of Gaza Assemble at 42nd St. and 7th Avenue March to the Israeli Mission and the United Nations NYC Syracuse, NY Free Gaza March December 28, 2009 4:00pm Federal Building 100 S. Clinton Street Syracuse, NY 13205 White Plains, NY Vigil December 30th 4pm Metro North Station White Plains Woodstock, NY Vigil December 31st 2am Village Green 6 Tinker Street Woodstock, NY Oregon- Corvallis Potluck dinner and Skype discussion December 30, 2009 6:30pm Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center 128 SW 9th Street Corvallis, Oregon Eugene, OR March/Demonstration December 31, 2009 1pm 500 E. 4th Ave Eugene, OR Pennsylvania- Doylestown December 27, 2009 3:00pm Vigil Intersection of North Main St and East Court St Doylestown, PA 18901 Philadelphia Gaza Solidarity Event: Movie & Snacks December 27, 2009 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM 101 Alter St. Philadelphia, PA 19147 IMPORTANT YOU MUST RSVP, THIS IS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE Philadelphia, PA 19147 Texas- Demonstration December 27, 2009 1pm Westheimer and Post Oak Houston, TX Washington- Bellingham, Washington Film Screening December 29, 2009 6:30 PM 511 East Holly Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 Bellingham, WA 98225 Olympia, WA Rachel Corrie Foundation presentation December 30th 7p Traditions Cafe 300 5th Avenue SW Olympia, WA Spokane Rally December 30th 5p Corner of Division and Main Spokane, WA Wisconsin- Racine Vigil December 31, 2009 4pm Cup of Hopes Coffee Shop 517 6th Street Racine, WI For more information about the Gaza Freedom March global actions visit: http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/solidarity

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Only in Solidarity do "we have it in our power to begin the world again."-Tom Paine


Eileen Fleming,
Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org
A Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com
Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory"
Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"