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It is crucial that one has her/his facts straight about Israel‘s war on Gaza.What events brought about this dreadful situation?What needs to be done to make it stop?These questions will be answered in the content of this article, using concrete facts from a variety of news sources.
Let’s first investigate the recent cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.The cease-fire began in June 2008.The terms were as follows:
Israel would drastically reduce its military blockade of Gaza.
Israel would halt all military incursions into Gaza.
Hamas would halt all rocket attacks into Israel.
From the outset of the cease-fire, Israel did little to ease its military blockade.As a result, Gazans continued to suffer from a lack of food, fuel, financial aid, electricity, clean water, medical supplies, and more.This has been, inarguably, an attack on innocent Palestinian civilians.
§Gaza faces a humanitarian “catastrophe” if Israel continues to prevent aid reaching the territory by blocking crossing points, the head of the main UN aid agency for the Palestinians said on Friday… Israel had restricted goods into Gaza despite the truce, which calls on militants to halt rocket attacks in return for Israel easing its embargo on the territory… Israel also held up deliveries of European Union-funded fuel for the power plant, which generates about a third of the electricity consumed by Gazans…Ailments associated with insufficient food were surfacing among the impoverished coastal strip’s 1.5 million population, including growing malnutrition.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 21, 2008 [1]
§A former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has told the BBC she was taken aback by the “terrible” conditions in Gaza on a recent visit.Mrs Robinson said it was “almost unbelievable” that the world did not care about what she called “a shocking violation of so many human rights”… Israel tightened a blockade on Gaza after Hamas took control there in 2007… “Their whole civilisation has been destroyed, I’m not exaggerating,” said Mrs Robinson…Israel says the blockade, under which it has allowed little more than basic humanitarian aid into Gaza, is needed to isolate the militant group and stop it and other militants from firing rockets into Israel.Israel came to a truce with Palestinian groups in June this year, but Mrs Robinson said this had had little effect on people’s lives and “just brought a bitter taste in the mouth”.
–BBC News, Nov. 4, 2008 [2]
§The UN in the Gaza Strip says it will run out of food aid in two days unless Israel‘s blockade – which it describes as “shameful and unacceptable” – eases.The UN refugee agency UNWRA, which distributes food to half of Gaza‘s 1.5m people, called the blockade “a physical as well as a mental punishment”.Israel is now allowing a limited amount of fuel across the border, but it is still blocking food deliveries…In a statement, UNWRA spokesman Christopher Gunness said food distribution operations would end on Thursday unless Israeli authorities allowed deliveries of wheat, luncheon meat, powdered milk and cooking oil without delay.“This is both a physical as well as a mental punishment of the population – of mothers and parents trying to feed their children – who are being forced to live hand to mouth,” he said…“It is a further illustration of the barbarity of this inhuman blockade.”…“It is also shameful and unacceptable that the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza is being forced into yet another cycle of crisis management,” Mr Gunness added.
–BBC News, Nov. 11, 2008 [3]
§International aid agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, have said virtually no medical supplies were reaching Gaza.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 9, 2008 [14]
§The UN has no more food to distribute in the Gaza Strip, the head of relief efforts in the area has warned.John Ging said handouts for 750,000 Gazans would have to be suspended until Saturday at the earliest, and called Gaza‘s economic situation “a disaster”.Israel earlier denied entry to a convoy carrying humanitarian supplies…The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) distributes emergency aid to about half of Gaza‘s 1.5m population.“We have run out [of food aid] this evening,” said Mr Ging, UNRWA’s senior official in Gaza.“Unless the crossing points open… we won’t be able to get that food into Gaza,” he told Reuters news agency… Also on Thursday, Israel refused permission for a group of senior European diplomats to visit the coastal enclave.It has also prevented journalists, including those from the BBC, from entering the territory.
–BBC News, Nov. 13, 2008 [4]
§Since June 2007, Israel has allowed little more than basic humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip.Many there hoped that policy would change, five months ago, when Hamas and Israel agreed to a truce.But while there were some increases in the amount of aid allowed in, Israel‘s strict restrictions on the movement of goods and people into and out of Gaza largely remained… Serious fuel shortages have led to widespread power cuts across GazaCity.That, in turn, has caused problems in pumping water to homes, and sewage to treatment plants.Israel is preventing many aid workers, and all journalists from entering Gaza too… “I never thought we would see days like this,” says Monther Shublak, head of Gaza‘s water authority.“The water system was severely stretched even before this crisis, but now, things are much worse.For the last four days, around 40% of people in GazaCity have had no access to running water in their homes at all.”… “But we are putting all of our resources into sewage pumping. The health consequences of that system totally failing are too worrying to think about, but it could happen unless things change.”
–BBC News, Nov. 20, 2008 [5]
§Israel has refused to allow cash to enter Gaza in recent weeks to ratchet up pressure on the ruling Hamas militant group. With the supply of currency dwindling, banks have limited withdrawals over the past two weeks, and some have posted signs telling customers they cannot take out any more money… The United Nations halted cash handouts to 98,000 of Gaza‘s poorest residents last week, and economists and bank officials warn that tens of thousands of civil servants won’t be able to cash their paychecks next month… “No society can operate without money, but that’s the situation we are reaching in Gaza,” said Gaza economist Omar Shaban…Israel and Egypt have restricted movement through Gaza‘s border crossings since the Islamic militants of Hamas violently seized control of the coastal territory in June 2007.Since then, closures have been eased or tightened, depending on the security situation. But even in quiet times, when Gaza militants refrained from firing rockets at Israeli border towns, only limited shipments of food, medicine and commercial goods were allowed in… Shlomo Dror, an Israel Defense Ministry spokesman, questioned the seriousness of the currency shortage. “We are used to the Palestinians inventing things and we are looking into their claim,” he said.
—Washington Post, Nov. 24, 2008 [6]
Despite the intense blockade against Gazan civilians, the cease-fire held until November 4, 2008.On that date, the Israeli military made an incursion into Gaza and killed six Palestinians.The Israeli government sought to justify these actions, saying that they suspected these Palestinians of plotting to kidnap Israeli soldiers.Palestinian fighters responded to the attack by launching rockets into Israel.Thus began the unraveling of the cease-fire.
§At least six Hamas militants have been killed after Israel‘s first incursion into the Gaza Strip since June’s truce.Israel said its troops had uncovered a tunnel along central Gaza‘s frontier which had been dug by militants intending to abduct Israeli soldiers.Clashes ensued when troops were sent to thwart the threat, Israel said. One militant died, Palestinian reports say.A subsequent Israeli air strike on Hamas positions in southern Gaza killed at least five fighters, medics said.An Israeli army spokeswoman said the air strike targeted militants who had fired mortars at Israeli forces… Tuesday evening’s fighting broke out after Israeli tanks and a bulldozer moved 250m into the central part of the coastal enclave, backed by military aircraft, says the BBC’s Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah.Residents of central Gaza‘s el-Bureij refugee camp said a missile fired from an unmanned Israeli drone flying over the area injured another three Hamas gunmen. A truce between the two sides had held since it was declared on 19 June. Israel said the raid was not a violation of the ceasefire, but rather a legitimate step to remove an immediate threat.
–BBC News, Nov. 5, 2008 [7]
§An Israel Air Force air strike in the southern Gaza Strip killed at least five militants and wounded several others on Tuesday, Palestinians said.Earlier, Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed a Hamas gunman and wounded two others on Tuesday in the first armed clash in the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire was declared in the territory in June, Palestinian medics said… An Egypt-brokered cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Gaza Strip was signed earlier this year, and went into effect on June 19. The IDF argued that the raid did not constitute a violation of the cease fire, but instead was a legitimate step to remove an immediate threat to Israel from Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamic militant group Hamas.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 5, 2008 [8]
§Two weeks ago, an already fragile humanitarian situation resulting from the mounting effects of months of shortages, saw a dramatic downturn.The fighting resumed, with an Israeli army incursion into Gaza and a retaliatory barrage of militant rocket fire.
–BBC News, Nov. 20, 2008 [5]
As the cease-fire began to crumble, the violence from both sides intensified.Efforts to redeem the cease-fire ultimately failed.
§Palestinian armed groups in Gaza remain committed to a truce with Israel if Jerusalem reciprocates, Hamas’s Gaza leader said on Friday, even as militants launched more attacks from the coastal territory… “I have met with armed factions over the past two days and they stated their position clearly: they are committed to calm as long as (Israel) abides by it,” said Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s most senior representative in Gaza.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 21, 2008 [9]
§Hamas announced on Sunday that militant groups in Gaza have agreed to cease cross-border attacks if Israel opens crossings into the coastal territory, Ma’an news reported.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 24, 2008 [10]
§After expressing contradictory positions on Sunday, Hamas’ leadership on Monday adopted a united stance: The cease-fire with Israel, which expires this Friday, will not be extended… Hamas’ spokesman in the Gaza Strip, Ayman Taha, said the movement had concluded that there was no point in extending the truce “as long as Israel isn’t abiding by its terms” – though he added that talks on continuing the cease-fire were still taking place.Specifically, Taha said, Israel was supposed to have expanded the truce to the West Bank – something Hamas demanded but Israel in fact never promised – and opened the Gaza border crossings, and “this hasn’t happened.”
–Haaretz Israel News, Dec. 16, 2008 [11]
Following the end of the cease-fire, Israel moved closer to an invasion of the territory.The Israeli government claimed that this was the only remaining option to eliminate rocket attacks from Gaza.However, as cited in the sources above, this was clearly not the case.Israel had failed to abide by the terms of the cease-fire.For the overwhelming majority of the six-month truce, Israel had refused to ease its military blockade of Gaza to any significant degree.In addition, it was the initial violator of the cease-fire when it sent tanks and aircraft into Gaza and killed six Palestinians on November 4, 2008.In fact, there is evidence that Israel was planning to strike Gaza even while the cease-fire was still in effect.
§Barak told the assembled lawmakers that the defense establishment spent months preparing for the Gaza operation.
–Haaretz Israel News, Dec. 29, 2008 [16]
In the interest of peace, Hamas, and especially Fatah, have firmly established that they are willing to participate in negotiations that are based on internationally recognized borders and rights.
§On June 6, 2006, Haniyeh met Dr. Jerome Segal of the University of Maryland in the Gaza Strip… At the end of the meeting, Haniyeh dictated a short message he asked Segal to transmit to President Bush… In the second paragraph, Haniyeh laid out the political platform he maintains to this day. “We are so concerned about stability and security in the area that we don’t mind having a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders and offering a truce for many years,” he wrote… Haniyeh called on Bush to launch a dialogue with the Hamas government. “We are not warmongers, we are peace makers and we call on the American government to have direct negotiations with the elected government,” he wrote… In his own letter, Segal emphasized that a state within the 1967 borders and a truce for many years could be considered Hamas’ de facto recognition of Israel. He noted that in a separate meeting, Youssuf suggested that the Palestinian Authority and Israel might exchange ambassadors during that truce period. This was not the only covert message from Hamas to senior Bush administration officials. However, Washington did not reply to these messages and maintained its boycott of the Hamas government.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 14, 2008 [12]
§The Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, said on Saturday his government was willing to accept a Palestinian state alongside Israel within the 1967 borders… Haniyeh told his guests Israel rejected his initiative… He said the Hamas government had agreed to accept a Palestinian state that followed the 1967 borders and to offer Israel a long-term hudna, or truce, if Israel recognized the Palestinians’ national rights… In response to a question about the international community’s impression that there are two Palestinian states, Haniyeh said: “We don’t have a state, neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank. Gaza is under siege and the West Bank is occupied. What we have in the Gaza Strip is not a state, but rather a regime of an elected government. A Palestinian state will not be created at this time except in the territories of 1967.”… “Our conflict is not with the Jews, our problem is with the occupation,” Haniyeh said.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 9, 2008 [14]
§The Palestinian Authority has placed a full-page advert in Israel‘s Hebrew newspapers to promote an Arab peace plan first proposed in 2002. The Saudi-backed initiative offers Arab recognition of Israel in exchange for an end to Israel‘s occupation of land captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It also proposes what it calls a just solution for Palestinian refugees. The Israeli government has noted “positive aspects” in the plan but has not formally accepted it… Peace Now, and Israeli campaign group, welcomed the publication of the adverts. “On behalf of a majority of Israeli citizens who support peace with the Palestinian people on the basis of a two state solution – we embrace the Arab Peace Initiative and urge both governments to endorse it and negotiate the final status agreement in its spirit,” a statement from the group said… The text reads: “Fifty-seven Arab and Muslim countries will establish diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for a full peace accord and the end of the occupation.”
–BBC News, Nov. 20, 2008 [13]
§U.S. President-elect Barack Obama proclaimed himself “very impressed” with the Arab League’s peace plan when he discussed it with President Shimon Peres during a brief visit to Israel four months ago, Peres said Tuesday… The plan, originally proposed by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 2002 and later adopted by the Arab League, states that Israel would receive full relations with the entire Arab world in exchange for a full withdrawal from all the territory it captured in 1967, including East Jerusalem, plus a solution to the refugee problem. The Bush Administration has said it views the plan positively, but its own road map peace plan and the understandings reached at last year’s Annapolis summit have served as the basis of its diplomatic program.
–Haaretz Israel News, Nov. 19, 2008 [15]
Since Israel began its strike on Gaza, 4 Israelis and 391 Palestinians have been killed [18].The White House said that Israel will cease its attack when Hamas has agreed to a truce.Hamas said they are open to any cease-fire propositions.A cease-fire has been proposed, but Israel rejected this offer.
§“In order for the violence to stop, Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to respect a sustainable and durable ceasefire,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
–BBC News, Dec. 29, 2008 [17]
§Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rejected international calls for a 48-hour truce in the Gaza Strip to allow in more humanitarian aid… The 48-hour ceasefire plan to allow more aid into Gaza, was proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha told AFP news agency that his group was open to any ceasefire propositions as long as they meant an end to the air strikes and a lifting of the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
–BBC News, Dec. 31, 2008 [18]
The international community must continue to demand that a cease-fire be implemented.In order to be successful, any agreement must call for 1) an end to Israel‘s blockade of Gaza, 2) an end to the Israeli invasion of Gaza, and 3) an end to all rocket attacks into Israel.
References:
[1]“UNRWA chief: Gaza on brink of humanitarian catastrophe.” Haaretz Israel News 21 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[2]“Gaza residents ‘terribly trapped’.” BBC News 4 Nov. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
[3]“UN warns over Gaza food blockade.” BBC News 11 Nov. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
[4]“UN ‘has run out of Gaza food aid.” BBC News 13 Nov. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
[5]“Gazans despair over blockade.” BBC News 20 Nov. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
[6]“Gazans using tattered notes because of cash crunch.” Washington Post 24 Nov. 2008. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/>.
[7]“Palestinians die in Gaza clashes.” BBC News 5 Nov. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
[8]“Hamas: Six Palestinians killed in first IDF raid since Gaza truce.” Haaretz Israel News 5 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[9]“Haniyeh: If Israel abides by truce, so will Palestinian groups.” Haaretz Israel News 21 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[10]“Report: Gaza militants agree to cease rocket fire if Israel opens crossings.” Haaretz Israel News 24 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[11]“Agreement in Hamas: Cease-fire to end Friday.” Haaretz Israel News 16 Dec. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[12]“Haniyeh recognized Israel in 2006 letter to President Bush.” Haaretz Israel News 14 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[13]“Arab plan explained in Hebrew ads.” BBC News 20 Nov. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
[14]“Haniyeh: Hamas would accept state under 1967 borders.” Haaretz Israel News 9 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[15]“Peres: Obama ‘very impressed’ by Arab League peace plan.” Haaretz Israel News 19 Nov. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[16]“Barak: We’ll use every resource to stop ‘criminal’ rocket fire from Gaza.” Haaretz Israel News 29 Dec. 2008. <http://www.haaretz.com/>.
[17]“Israel vows war on Hamas in Gaza.” BBC News 29 Dec. 2008. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>.
Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah
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O Allah! forgive the dead, heal the wounded and help and protect the living. O Allah! forgive the muslims for our excesses and inaction. O Allah! send reinforcements to the muslims from the Heavens. O Allah! attack the enemies of Islam be from above, below, right, left, front, back and center.
We all have been venting our anger but I am yet to see any suggestion of rendering humanitarian aid to the oppressed people of Palestine. I know many of us (esp those living in the US) are afraid of donating money to muslim charities because of wrongful accusations of supporting “terrorism”. But we can’t be crippled by fear. These people need food, water, clothing and most importantly medical supplies. We need to render humanitarian aid in addition to the dua.
I think there are some trusted/sincere charities out there. I personally would recommend http://www.hidaya.org and http://www.zakat.org
This may be difficult but I would suggest the moderators of this site “check-out” any suggested charities or organization by anyone before posting it. We do not want to inadvertently put money in the “wrong” hands.
a good recap of the facts in this war. thank you for the article.
i think the israeli foreign minister’s comment a few days ago that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza should be added at the appropriate point in the article — that stark denial of reality smacks of the Nazi denial of atrocities against the Jews. it is not just an outrage against all humanity, but every Israeli should feel shame for it.
@biola, alhamdolillah, a new MM article is in the works that will, inshaAllah, offer an action plan including charities to support, and other appropriate responses.
Omer Goldman daughter of the former Mossad chief speaks live to True Talk radio from Tel-Aviv. Goldman has been sent to jail twice for refusing to serve in the Israeli military because she thinks Israel commits crimes against humanity in the occupied territories
inna lillahi wa inna alayhi rajioon. Allahumma ujurnaa fi museebatinaa w’ukhluf lanaa khayran minha.
A reminder to help deal with the grief that human beings feel at news of such a tragedy:
Allah (azza wajal) says:
“And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicants when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” [2:186]
Also remember the story of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), who was of older age when her husband died. Though this story may not be directly related to your situation, from this story you can derive many beneficial lessons of patience and various supplications.
She said: “Abu Salamah came to me one day after being with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and said: ‘I heard from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) something that made me very happy. He said, “There is no calamity that befalls one of the Muslims and he responds by saying ‘Inna Lillahi wa inna ilahi raji’oon (Truly, to Allah we belong, and truly, to Him we shall return),’ then he says, ‘Allahumma ujurni fi museebati w’ukhluf li khayran minha (O Allah, reward me in this calamity and compensate me with something better than it),’ but Allah will do that for him.”‘” Umm Salamah said: “I learnt this from him, and when Abu Salamah died, I said, ‘Inna Lillahi wa inna ilahi raji’oon,’ then , ‘Allahumma ujurni fi museebati w’ukhluf li khayran minha,’ Then I thought to myself, Where could I find anyone better than Abu Salamah? When my ‘iddah (waiting-period) was over, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked permission to see me, whilst I was busy dyeing a hide. I washed the qaraz (a kind of dye derived from a certain plant) from my hands and granted him permission, putting out for him a leather cushion stuffed with palm fibres. He sat down on it, and asked for my hand in marriage. When he had finished what he had to say, I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not want you to lose interest in me, but I am a very jealous woman, and I am afraid that you may see in me something that could earn me the punishment of Allah. I am also a woman who is ageing, and I have children.’ He said, ‘As for the jealousy you mentioned, Allah will take this away from you (according to another report: as for you saying that you are a jealous woman, I will pray to Allah to take away your jealousy). As for what you say about age, the same applies to me as to you. As for your children, your children are my children.’ So I accepted his offer and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) married me. Allah gave me someone even better than Abu Salamah, namely the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) .”
In order for our supplications to be answered inshaAllah, one has to be completely honest with Allah in the way that person seeks to be patient in the pleasure of Allah. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said : “Whoever seeks to be patient, Allah will give him patience.” (Bukhari).
The story also refers to the following estimate of 500 civilians murdered so far by Israel from the UN Humanitarian Coordinator.
Maxwell Gaylard, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinians Territories, estimated that a quarter of the Palestinians killed were civilians and a “significant number” of the dead were women and children. He said some 2,000 people have been wounded in the past week.
I’m sorry…my last comment has a typo…100 civilians murdered but casualties in the thousands…Of course terms like civilian or noncombatant have disputed meanings.
Thank you for this well written and well organized article. It provides a detailed and well formed summary to repel the many baseless claims out in the media today that only increase the confusion of the average person not knowing who and what to believe. I hope that you will write more articles for us and I ask God to reward you for your efforts and your sincerity to the Truth.
Abu Noor, i think your post’s link is not working. but here is a link to a story on the escalation with ground troops of the murderous Israeli attacks on the people of Gaza.
inna lillahi wa inna alayhi rajioon. Allahumma ujurnaa fi museebatinaa w’ukhluf lanaa khayran minha.
O Allah, you are the Lord of the Day of Judgment, You are Supreme over all that You have Created, and You are the source of all Good and Mercy. Forgive the victims of Israeli aggression, tyranny, and murder, those who have met their hour in this lifetime, and those who still wait with us for the time You have appointed for each of us. Verily your Decree is Just, and our return will be to You. O Allah, give liberty and security and reward to those who have been suffering in Gaza and comfort the mothers and fathers whose children have been struck by Israeli bombs.
O Allah, for the Muslims who are defending their homes and their children, forgive them their sins and excesses, make them strong and make firm their feet, and give them swift victory against the invaders.
O Allah, for every Israeli soldier who enters Gaza with the intention to kill a Muslim, guide him to what is better, or let his or her life in this dunya be filled with bitterness and with pain. O Allah, every Israeli soldier who leaves Gaza having killed a Muslim, especially those who kill women, children, the elderly, and any man whose only crime was defending those, then let that soldier who does not repent to You alone suffer all his days and nights in this lifetime.
O Allah, forgive us who are not in Gaza for all that we have not done for them and accept these prayers.
la ilaha illAllah. Antas-subhanaka, wa inna kuntu minadh-dhaalimeen.
I have become so saddened by this that I have begun to try to avoid watching the news. As in the past as to what the IDF has done in both Palestinian lands and in Lebanon, they come in and kill hundreds of inncoent civilians, we have marches and ask them to leave, they do so eventually after destroying everything in their way as do locusts. What punishment or price do they ever pay? NONE. I could write on for hours about the one sided response of my American govt and our igrnorant President who states that it is the responsibiliity of the occupied to stop fighting for their freedom. President ignorant apparantly would have backed the British occupiers of American against our founding fathers and their militia who were termed the terrorists at that time. He would have not backed the American Revolution. Similarly he would have backed the white apartheid rather than the black freedom fighters fighting for their freedom in South Africa. I swear, it’s so studpid. Thanks for letting me do some venting.
a current lesson in the rewards of putting faith in Allah:
The Somalia government, with the tacit approval [replace “tacit approval” with “fervent desire” — abu abdAllah] of the United States [government], called in the Ethiopians in 2006 to support the U.N.-backed government and rout Islamic militants who had taken over most of the country. [background: years ago Somalia was so torn by strife that US soldiers had to flee the country in shame and disgrace. then the Islamic Courts finally established peace and order, and the Bush Administration’s neocons decided to intervene.]
Initially, the Ethiopians’ superior firepower worked — the Islamists were driven from power. But they quickly regrouped and launched an insurgency that continues today. [Unbracketed, unitalicized portions are excerpted from this NYT article.]
what lesson? after two straight years of US aggression via Ethiopian proxy, the invaders are gradually removing their forces. no matter how powerful the tyrant, no amount of injustice can survive forever. may Allah complete the restoration of Somalia to self-determination. may He grant them peace under just Muslim governance. and may He reward the Muslims of Somalia for their perseverance and reliance on Him. ameen.
Allaho Akbar! another lesson that Allah may test the Muslims for decades upon decades, and then reward the descendants of the patient and steadfast with deliverance for their children in this life:
Independent, Tajiks Revel in Their Faith Published: January 4, 2009
Muslims in Tajikistan are now able to express their faith after years of Soviet rule in which any public expression of religion was banned and harshly punished.
few occupations of Muslim lands are truly comparable to the Israeli tyranny of Palestine. what Andalus underwent as Muslims were forcibly converted, expelled, or killed by Christian conquerers, has, alhamdolillah, never quite been repeated. but Soviet (atheist-communist) rule over Muslim lands south and east of the historical borders of Russia and Ukraine covered even more territory than the Reconquista and had almost as horrible an effect on the people.
alhamdolillah. all praise is due to Allah, Who destroyed the Soviet empire with its own arrogance, as the Soviet army waged war to suppress the Afghan mujahideen. alhamdolillah. He caused the US to side with the Muslims, then. and when Afghanistan rid itself of the Soviets, that was the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union itself. so it was the Afghanis who by the Mercy of Allah also freed the descendants of Tajiks and other Muslims whose lands and religious life had been trampled by the Soviets.
it’s worth noting that Soviet rule in Muslim lands started much earlier in the 20th century than the current Zionist occupation of Palestine. and the patience and dua of those Muslims who did not surrender their faith has been rewarded by Allah so that we can marvel at this statistic:
At least 5,200 citizens of Tajikistan went on the hajj in 2008, more than 10 times the number who went in 2000, according to this country’s State Committee on Religion.
Allaho Akbar!
never doubt that just as Allah ended Soviet rule over Muslim lands, so too, He will deliver the Muslims of Palestine.
especially since they were not carrying passports from the Palestinian Authority. I believe that the old line from the founder of Israel, David Ben Gurion:
“The Arab countries are Isreal’s first line of defense”
Du`a’ for the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, the most Exalted, the most Blessed
The ever living who never dies
The one who sustains all that exists,
In Your mercy we seek refuge
Oh Allah, rescue the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, rescue the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, rescue the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, mitigate their sorrow and grief
Oh Allah, cause a rapid relief
Oh Allah, You are the loving, the Originator, The Restorer
Oh Allah, The Lord of the glorious throne
Oh Allah, you are the Doer of all that you want
And the Doer of what we can’t
We ask you- by the glory of Your face that filled
Your heavens, and we ask you by the power You have over your creation- to save the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, save the people of Gaza for You are the Rescuer of the weak and the oppressed
Oh Allah, grant them steadfastness and patience
Oh Allah, make their hearts firm and strong
Oh Allah, descent peace and warmth unto them in this bitter cold
Oh Allah, provide shelter and security to them
Oh Allah, replace the darkness of the city with light in their hearts and unto all their senses
Oh Allah, accept their martyrs and cure the injured
Oh Allah, send your mercy unto the mothers who lost their children, and the wives who lost their husbands, and the kids who lost their parents
Oh Allah, send your mercy unto the elders who bow for the glory of Your face.
Oh Allah, the most Exalted, the most Blessed
The ever living who never dies
The one who sustains all that exists,
In Your mercy we seek refuge
Ameen!
دعاء لأهل غزة
يا ذا الجلال والإكرام.. يا حي يا قيوم
برحمتك نستغيث
اللهم أغث أهل غزة
اللهم أغث أهل غزة
الهم .. اكشف عنهم الكرب..
اللهم عجّل بالفـرج..
يا ودود يا ودود… يا ذا العرش المجيد… يا مبدئ يا معيد…
يا فعالا لما يريد… نسألك بنور وجهك الذي ملأ أركان عرشك
ونسألك بقدرتك التي قدرت بها على جميع خلقك.
.أغث أهل غزة… يا مغيث أغث أهل غزة…”
اللهم أغث أهل غزة
اللهم اشدد أزرهم
اللهم أربط على قلوبهم
اللهم أنزل عليهم دفئا وسلاما
وأمنا وأمانا
فى هذا البرد القارس
اللهم اجعل من الظلام نورا
فى قوبهم ونورا فى سمعهم
ونورا من فوقهم ونورا من تحتهم
اللهم تقبل شهدائهم واشف مرضاهم
وارحم الأمهات الثكالى والزوجات الأرامل
يا ذا الجلال والإكرام.. يا حي يا قيوم
برحمتك نستغيث
آمين
“Forty-four percent (44%) say Israel should have taken military action against the Palestinians, but 41% say it should have tried to find a diplomatic solution to the problems there, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of adults, however, believe the Palestinians are to blame for the current situation in Gaza, while 13% point the finger at the Israelis. Nearly one-third (32%) aren’t sure.
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans back Israel’s decision to take military action against the Palestinians, but only half as many Democrats (31%) agree. A majority of Democrats (55%) say Israel should have tried to find a diplomatic solution first, a view shared by just 27% of Republicans.
Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans say they are following news stories about Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip Very Closely, with another 41% saying they are following somewhat closely. Only four percent (4%) say they are not following the news at all. “
I was telling my 8 year old son about Gaza and showed him pictures of what is happening there…after watching for a while, the first question that he asked me, ‘BUT mama…who is giving Israeilis all these tanks and bombs?!’
wAllahi i wasn’t expecting him to ask me this questions! I didn’t put this question in his mind…What could i say to him?
I wonder what those children in Palestine think when they see bombs and tanks with US flags destroying their homes and families? Who answers their questions?
I was telling my 8 year old son about Gaza and showed him pictures of what is happening there…after watching for a while, the first question that he asked me, ‘BUT mama…who is giving Israeilis all these tanks and bombs?!’
A friend of mine wrote this poem in 2001 for the innocent muslim children.
Our Soft Voice
In the quietness of our thoughts,
Allah is so close,
The gates of heaven open- Our cries are heard
Peace, tranquility surround our souls.
In death we have paradise waiting- Insha-Allah
You call us terrorist without knowing who we are,
Blaming us for injustice.
You give us no rights as human beings,
Nor do you care that we are dieing,
Or that our stomach’s ache from hunger,
You turn your backs.
You claim that we deserve destruction
Genocide,
Someone hurt your country and killed numerous people,
We did not do it,
We had no part,
I have empathy for your pain, your suffering, and your loss
For I know how it feels,
I have pain, suffering, and loss everyday of my life.
You call us terrorist without knowing who we are,
Now your bombs are exploding – fire from the sky,
Ripping through our lives
Wrongs are wrongs no matter who you are.
We are the Innocent Muslim Children of
Palestine,
Bosnia,
Afghanistan,
Iraq,
Lebanon
Does anyone care in the West about our Lives?
Listen to Our Soft Voice as we cry.
In the Quietness of our thoughts,
Allah is so close,
The gates of Heaven open.
The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war
Even the most naive American voter cannot be expected to see the morally, legally and politically questionable death sentence given to Saddam Hussein a milestone in the Bush Administration’s illegal war in Iraq. As the milestones pile up, so do the bodies.
Those violations include:
• Collective punishment: The entire 1.5 million people who live in the crowded Gaza Strip are being punished for the actions of a few militants.
• Targeting civilians: The airstrikes were aimed at civilian areas in one of the most crowded stretches of land in the world, certainly the most densely populated area of the Middle East.
• Disproportionate military response: The airstrikes have not only destroyed every police and security office of Gaza’s elected government, but have killed and injured hundreds of civilians; at least one strike reportedly hit groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university.
Earlier Israeli actions, specifically the complete sealing off of entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip, have led to severe shortages of medicine and fuel (as well as food), resulting in the inability of ambulances to respond to the injured, the inability of hospitals to adequately provide medicine or necessary equipment for the injured, and the inability of Gaza’s besieged doctors and other medical workers to sufficiently treat the victims.
Certainly the rocket attacks against civilian targets in Israel are unlawful. But that illegality does not give rise to any Israeli right, neither as the Occupying Power nor as a sovereign state, to violate international humanitarian law and commit war crimes or crimes against humanity in its response. I note that Israel’s escalating military assaults have not made Israeli civilians safer; to the contrary, the one Israeli killed today after the upsurge of Israeli violence is the first in over a year.
Israel has also ignored recent Hamas diplomatic initiatives to re-establish the truce or ceasefire since its expiration on 26 December.
The Israeli airstrikes today, and the catastrophic human toll that they caused, challenge those countries that have been and remain complicit, either directly or indirectly, in Israel’s violations of international law. That complicity includes those countries knowingly providing the military equipment including warplanes and missiles used in these illegal attacks, as well as those countries who have supported and participated in the siege of Gaza that itself has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
I remind all Member States of the United Nations that the UN continues to be bound to an independent obligation to protect any civilian population facing massive violations of international humanitarian law–regardless of what country may be responsible for those violations. I call on all Member States, as well as officials and every relevant organ of the United Nations system, to move on an emergency basis not only to condemn Israel’s serious violations, but to develop new approaches to providing real protection for the Palestinian people.
#Culture1 month ago
biola
January 3, 2009 at 8:09 AM
O Allah! forgive the dead, heal the wounded and help and protect the living. O Allah! forgive the muslims for our excesses and inaction. O Allah! send reinforcements to the muslims from the Heavens. O Allah! attack the enemies of Islam be from above, below, right, left, front, back and center.
We all have been venting our anger but I am yet to see any suggestion of rendering humanitarian aid to the oppressed people of Palestine. I know many of us (esp those living in the US) are afraid of donating money to muslim charities because of wrongful accusations of supporting “terrorism”. But we can’t be crippled by fear. These people need food, water, clothing and most importantly medical supplies. We need to render humanitarian aid in addition to the dua.
I think there are some trusted/sincere charities out there. I personally would recommend http://www.hidaya.org and http://www.zakat.org
This may be difficult but I would suggest the moderators of this site “check-out” any suggested charities or organization by anyone before posting it. We do not want to inadvertently put money in the “wrong” hands.
MM Associates
January 3, 2009 at 9:31 AM
innalhamdolillah. bismillah. [abu abdAllah]
a good recap of the facts in this war. thank you for the article.
i think the israeli foreign minister’s comment a few days ago that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza should be added at the appropriate point in the article — that stark denial of reality smacks of the Nazi denial of atrocities against the Jews. it is not just an outrage against all humanity, but every Israeli should feel shame for it.
@biola, alhamdolillah, a new MM article is in the works that will, inshaAllah, offer an action plan including charities to support, and other appropriate responses.
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Amad
January 3, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Brave Daughter of Israeli Mossad Head Omer Goldman Speaks Out Against Gaza Assault Calls IDF Terror
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QTHzhyvnMY
From Ahmed Bedier
MM Associates
January 3, 2009 at 2:38 PM
bismillah. [abu abdAllah]
on the front page of the New York Times website at 12:30 pm (CST)
Link to full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/world/middleeast/04mideast.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
inna lillahi wa inna alayhi rajioon. Allahumma ujurnaa fi museebatinaa w’ukhluf lanaa khayran minha.
A reminder to help deal with the grief that human beings feel at news of such a tragedy:
Abu Noor Al-Irlandee
January 3, 2009 at 3:18 PM
The Israeli Ground Invasion of Gaza has begun.
The story also refers to the following estimate of 500 civilians murdered so far by Israel from the UN Humanitarian Coordinator.
Abu Noor Al-Irlandee
January 3, 2009 at 3:21 PM
I’m sorry…my last comment has a typo…100 civilians murdered but casualties in the thousands…Of course terms like civilian or noncombatant have disputed meanings.
Allaah knows best.
Ali Shehata
January 3, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Adam,
Thank you for this well written and well organized article. It provides a detailed and well formed summary to repel the many baseless claims out in the media today that only increase the confusion of the average person not knowing who and what to believe. I hope that you will write more articles for us and I ask God to reward you for your efforts and your sincerity to the Truth.
abu abdAllah, the Houstonian
January 3, 2009 at 10:45 PM
bismillah.
Abu Noor, i think your post’s link is not working. but here is a link to a story on the escalation with ground troops of the murderous Israeli attacks on the people of Gaza.
inna lillahi wa inna alayhi rajioon. Allahumma ujurnaa fi museebatinaa w’ukhluf lanaa khayran minha.
O Allah, you are the Lord of the Day of Judgment, You are Supreme over all that You have Created, and You are the source of all Good and Mercy. Forgive the victims of Israeli aggression, tyranny, and murder, those who have met their hour in this lifetime, and those who still wait with us for the time You have appointed for each of us. Verily your Decree is Just, and our return will be to You. O Allah, give liberty and security and reward to those who have been suffering in Gaza and comfort the mothers and fathers whose children have been struck by Israeli bombs.
O Allah, for the Muslims who are defending their homes and their children, forgive them their sins and excesses, make them strong and make firm their feet, and give them swift victory against the invaders.
O Allah, for every Israeli soldier who enters Gaza with the intention to kill a Muslim, guide him to what is better, or let his or her life in this dunya be filled with bitterness and with pain. O Allah, every Israeli soldier who leaves Gaza having killed a Muslim, especially those who kill women, children, the elderly, and any man whose only crime was defending those, then let that soldier who does not repent to You alone suffer all his days and nights in this lifetime.
O Allah, forgive us who are not in Gaza for all that we have not done for them and accept these prayers.
la ilaha illAllah. Antas-subhanaka, wa inna kuntu minadh-dhaalimeen.
Saeed
January 3, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Dear brothers and sisters,
I have become so saddened by this that I have begun to try to avoid watching the news. As in the past as to what the IDF has done in both Palestinian lands and in Lebanon, they come in and kill hundreds of inncoent civilians, we have marches and ask them to leave, they do so eventually after destroying everything in their way as do locusts. What punishment or price do they ever pay? NONE. I could write on for hours about the one sided response of my American govt and our igrnorant President who states that it is the responsibiliity of the occupied to stop fighting for their freedom. President ignorant apparantly would have backed the British occupiers of American against our founding fathers and their militia who were termed the terrorists at that time. He would have not backed the American Revolution. Similarly he would have backed the white apartheid rather than the black freedom fighters fighting for their freedom in South Africa. I swear, it’s so studpid. Thanks for letting me do some venting.
MM Associates
January 3, 2009 at 11:12 PM
bismillah [abu abdAllah]
a current lesson in the rewards of putting faith in Allah:
what lesson? after two straight years of US aggression via Ethiopian proxy, the invaders are gradually removing their forces. no matter how powerful the tyrant, no amount of injustice can survive forever. may Allah complete the restoration of Somalia to self-determination. may He grant them peace under just Muslim governance. and may He reward the Muslims of Somalia for their perseverance and reliance on Him. ameen.
MM Associates
January 4, 2009 at 12:11 AM
innalhamdolillah. bismillah. [abu abdAllah]
Allaho Akbar! another lesson that Allah may test the Muslims for decades upon decades, and then reward the descendants of the patient and steadfast with deliverance for their children in this life:
few occupations of Muslim lands are truly comparable to the Israeli tyranny of Palestine. what Andalus underwent as Muslims were forcibly converted, expelled, or killed by Christian conquerers, has, alhamdolillah, never quite been repeated. but Soviet (atheist-communist) rule over Muslim lands south and east of the historical borders of Russia and Ukraine covered even more territory than the Reconquista and had almost as horrible an effect on the people.
alhamdolillah. all praise is due to Allah, Who destroyed the Soviet empire with its own arrogance, as the Soviet army waged war to suppress the Afghan mujahideen. alhamdolillah. He caused the US to side with the Muslims, then. and when Afghanistan rid itself of the Soviets, that was the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union itself. so it was the Afghanis who by the Mercy of Allah also freed the descendants of Tajiks and other Muslims whose lands and religious life had been trampled by the Soviets.
it’s worth noting that Soviet rule in Muslim lands started much earlier in the 20th century than the current Zionist occupation of Palestine. and the patience and dua of those Muslims who did not surrender their faith has been rewarded by Allah so that we can marvel at this statistic:
Allaho Akbar!
never doubt that just as Allah ended Soviet rule over Muslim lands, so too, He will deliver the Muslims of Palestine.
mulsimah
January 4, 2009 at 1:44 AM
US blocks UN CHEIFS statement on ordering ceasefire , latest news, go to msnbc or huffingtonpost
UmA
January 4, 2009 at 10:09 AM
Which charity is most likely to have first access to the area when a blockade is lifted?
Saad
January 4, 2009 at 11:44 AM
salaam aleikum,
It is worth noting that the Saudis also prevented the people of Gaza from going on Hajj this year:
http://www.muslimedia.com/reflect0109.htm
especially since they were not carrying passports from the Palestinian Authority. I believe that the old line from the founder of Israel, David Ben Gurion:
“The Arab countries are Isreal’s first line of defense”
It is an open question against what and whom.
saad
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Hala
January 4, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Assalamu alaykum wa rahatullah,
Here is a duaa’ for the people of Gaza…
Du`a’ for the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, the most Exalted, the most Blessed
The ever living who never dies
The one who sustains all that exists,
In Your mercy we seek refuge
Oh Allah, rescue the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, rescue the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, rescue the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, mitigate their sorrow and grief
Oh Allah, cause a rapid relief
Oh Allah, You are the loving, the Originator, The Restorer
Oh Allah, The Lord of the glorious throne
Oh Allah, you are the Doer of all that you want
And the Doer of what we can’t
We ask you- by the glory of Your face that filled
Your heavens, and we ask you by the power You have over your creation- to save the people of Gaza
Oh Allah, save the people of Gaza for You are the Rescuer of the weak and the oppressed
Oh Allah, grant them steadfastness and patience
Oh Allah, make their hearts firm and strong
Oh Allah, descent peace and warmth unto them in this bitter cold
Oh Allah, provide shelter and security to them
Oh Allah, replace the darkness of the city with light in their hearts and unto all their senses
Oh Allah, accept their martyrs and cure the injured
Oh Allah, send your mercy unto the mothers who lost their children, and the wives who lost their husbands, and the kids who lost their parents
Oh Allah, send your mercy unto the elders who bow for the glory of Your face.
Oh Allah, the most Exalted, the most Blessed
The ever living who never dies
The one who sustains all that exists,
In Your mercy we seek refuge
Ameen!
دعاء لأهل غزة
يا ذا الجلال والإكرام.. يا حي يا قيوم
برحمتك نستغيث
اللهم أغث أهل غزة
اللهم أغث أهل غزة
الهم .. اكشف عنهم الكرب..
اللهم عجّل بالفـرج..
يا ودود يا ودود… يا ذا العرش المجيد… يا مبدئ يا معيد…
يا فعالا لما يريد… نسألك بنور وجهك الذي ملأ أركان عرشك
ونسألك بقدرتك التي قدرت بها على جميع خلقك.
.أغث أهل غزة… يا مغيث أغث أهل غزة…”
اللهم أغث أهل غزة
اللهم اشدد أزرهم
اللهم أربط على قلوبهم
اللهم أنزل عليهم دفئا وسلاما
وأمنا وأمانا
فى هذا البرد القارس
اللهم اجعل من الظلام نورا
فى قوبهم ونورا فى سمعهم
ونورا من فوقهم ونورا من تحتهم
اللهم تقبل شهدائهم واشف مرضاهم
وارحم الأمهات الثكالى والزوجات الأرامل
يا ذا الجلال والإكرام.. يا حي يا قيوم
برحمتك نستغيث
آمين
Abu Umar
January 4, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza.
mulsimah
January 4, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Analysis: US Media Overwhelmingly Bias towards Israel http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003926518
abu Rumay-s.a.
January 5, 2009 at 1:42 AM
Americans Closely Divided Over Israel’s Gaza Attacks
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/americans_closely_divided_over_israel_s_gaza_attacks
Excerpts;
“Forty-four percent (44%) say Israel should have taken military action against the Palestinians, but 41% say it should have tried to find a diplomatic solution to the problems there, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of adults, however, believe the Palestinians are to blame for the current situation in Gaza, while 13% point the finger at the Israelis. Nearly one-third (32%) aren’t sure.
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans back Israel’s decision to take military action against the Palestinians, but only half as many Democrats (31%) agree. A majority of Democrats (55%) say Israel should have tried to find a diplomatic solution first, a view shared by just 27% of Republicans.
Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans say they are following news stories about Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip Very Closely, with another 41% saying they are following somewhat closely. Only four percent (4%) say they are not following the news at all. “
Umm Reem
January 5, 2009 at 9:04 AM
I was telling my 8 year old son about Gaza and showed him pictures of what is happening there…after watching for a while, the first question that he asked me, ‘BUT mama…who is giving Israeilis all these tanks and bombs?!’
wAllahi i wasn’t expecting him to ask me this questions! I didn’t put this question in his mind…What could i say to him?
I wonder what those children in Palestine think when they see bombs and tanks with US flags destroying their homes and families? Who answers their questions?
Hassan
January 5, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Did not know where to post this, but somewhat relevant
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=bfiEpvGQ_E0
Hassan
January 5, 2009 at 9:19 AM
We the taxpayers?
Hassan
January 5, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Israeli elections are source of evil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taba_Summit
Kareema
January 5, 2009 at 9:40 AM
As’Salamu Alaikum,
A friend of mine wrote this poem in 2001 for the innocent muslim children.
Our Soft Voice
In the quietness of our thoughts,
Allah is so close,
The gates of heaven open- Our cries are heard
Peace, tranquility surround our souls.
In death we have paradise waiting- Insha-Allah
You call us terrorist without knowing who we are,
Blaming us for injustice.
You give us no rights as human beings,
Nor do you care that we are dieing,
Or that our stomach’s ache from hunger,
You turn your backs.
You claim that we deserve destruction
Genocide,
Someone hurt your country and killed numerous people,
We did not do it,
We had no part,
I have empathy for your pain, your suffering, and your loss
For I know how it feels,
I have pain, suffering, and loss everyday of my life.
You call us terrorist without knowing who we are,
Now your bombs are exploding – fire from the sky,
Ripping through our lives
Wrongs are wrongs no matter who you are.
We are the Innocent Muslim Children of
Palestine,
Bosnia,
Afghanistan,
Iraq,
Lebanon
Does anyone care in the West about our Lives?
Listen to Our Soft Voice as we cry.
In the Quietness of our thoughts,
Allah is so close,
The gates of Heaven open.
by kamillah khan
Ramadan 2001
Pingback: Facts about War in Gaza « Blessed With Brothers
Mission Jannah
January 5, 2009 at 3:32 PM
As-salamu `Alaykum,
Jazak Allahu khayran to the author of the article.
This factsheet is also a good resource when writing letters to the editor or making phone calls to senators and congressmen.
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/downloads/gaza_us_weapons.pdf
“…Indeed, the victory of Allah is near.” (Qur’an, 2:214)
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Umm Reem
January 6, 2009 at 1:34 AM
Five Reasons Why India Can’t ‘Do A Gaza’ On Pakistan:
http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2009/01/04/israel-hamas-india-oped-cx_tv_0105varadarajan.html?feed=rss_popstories
Jana
January 6, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Latest:
Forty-two women and children were killed when an Israeli tank opened fire outside a UN-run school in Gaza, the second such attack today
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5459394.ece
mulsimah
January 6, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Good News!!! CNN (which also gives aid to Israel as reported by inminds) Admits Israel Broke the Truce!!!!!!!!!
http://pointers.audiovideoweb.com/stcasx/ca25win25213/sanchez.wmv/play.asx
Bad News!!! Jews are being Tageted in Europe!
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abu Rumay-s.a.
January 12, 2009 at 1:41 AM
How Israel’s Propaganda Machine Works
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/how-israels-propaganda-ma_b_156767.html
cherry
January 12, 2009 at 1:54 PM
The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war
Even the most naive American voter cannot be expected to see the morally, legally and politically questionable death sentence given to Saddam Hussein a milestone in the Bush Administration’s illegal war in Iraq. As the milestones pile up, so do the bodies.
Those violations include:
• Collective punishment: The entire 1.5 million people who live in the crowded Gaza Strip are being punished for the actions of a few militants.
• Targeting civilians: The airstrikes were aimed at civilian areas in one of the most crowded stretches of land in the world, certainly the most densely populated area of the Middle East.
• Disproportionate military response: The airstrikes have not only destroyed every police and security office of Gaza’s elected government, but have killed and injured hundreds of civilians; at least one strike reportedly hit groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university.
Earlier Israeli actions, specifically the complete sealing off of entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip, have led to severe shortages of medicine and fuel (as well as food), resulting in the inability of ambulances to respond to the injured, the inability of hospitals to adequately provide medicine or necessary equipment for the injured, and the inability of Gaza’s besieged doctors and other medical workers to sufficiently treat the victims.
Certainly the rocket attacks against civilian targets in Israel are unlawful. But that illegality does not give rise to any Israeli right, neither as the Occupying Power nor as a sovereign state, to violate international humanitarian law and commit war crimes or crimes against humanity in its response. I note that Israel’s escalating military assaults have not made Israeli civilians safer; to the contrary, the one Israeli killed today after the upsurge of Israeli violence is the first in over a year.
Israel has also ignored recent Hamas diplomatic initiatives to re-establish the truce or ceasefire since its expiration on 26 December.
The Israeli airstrikes today, and the catastrophic human toll that they caused, challenge those countries that have been and remain complicit, either directly or indirectly, in Israel’s violations of international law. That complicity includes those countries knowingly providing the military equipment including warplanes and missiles used in these illegal attacks, as well as those countries who have supported and participated in the siege of Gaza that itself has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
I remind all Member States of the United Nations that the UN continues to be bound to an independent obligation to protect any civilian population facing massive violations of international humanitarian law–regardless of what country may be responsible for those violations. I call on all Member States, as well as officials and every relevant organ of the United Nations system, to move on an emergency basis not only to condemn Israel’s serious violations, but to develop new approaches to providing real protection for the Palestinian people.
shireen
January 15, 2009 at 3:15 PM
article about natural gas in gaza – the story unfolds.
http://getinformed.seehearspeak.com/?p=46
Greg Gatch
May 22, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Great read, thanks