Saturday, August 19, 2006

What should I do..?

It has been a while since I wrote here on the blog. The more i see people and interact with my surrounding the more I feel that I can't do anything.
Daily life....The little things...
  • Gaza is very hot in the Summer...Very few people dared to swim after the terror that Palestinian family faced on the beach about 2 months ago...The beach is almost empty even on Fridays.(weekend)
  • Gaza is very hot in the summer, Very few people have air-conditioning in their houses..If they do...The electricity is very limited..
  • Gaza is very hot in the summer, very few people get regular supply of water...Because of problems originally existed from Israeli settlments and Palestinian mismanagement. Now a third reason is electricity ,,if the area gets its turn for water supply that means the municipality got electricity power...The area or the houses don't have electricity..So the water can not be pumped to the houses. It is either this or that, but in reality you don't get either one.
  • Gazan employee cant get air-conditioning in the office, or even start up a computer because of bad network or limited supply through generators...
  • Thousands have finally hoped to leave Gaza through Egypt to go to their schools, work, and families abroad. Yesterday it was the rumor that the Israel's have agreed with the European observers to reopen the Rafah crossing. Friends have left their houses in the middle of last night to reserve a place or a seat on the bus that transfer people from the Palestinian side to the Semi-Palestinian Semi-European (All checked through Israelis in the back of windows you stand in front of) and then Egyptian side....This trip, by the way, is beyond anyone's imagination..You cant but experience it to really know what it is like. And it gets harder every few months. Because my mom is still stuck for more than 45 days in Egypt, leaving from a house to the other a hotel to the other....I am following the news of the crossing more carefully. Have you ever thought of not being able to leave a geographical area not because you don't have money or your health doesn't allow you to travel...But because of ...Other reasons...Or other guilt.
  • I started working for a local NGO (non-governmental organization), and I have started working on some project proposals that tries to get emergency assistance to those who have seriously harmed by the recent Israeli incursions. I met one person from Rafah...(very south of Gaza Strip), he is from a village called (Al-shokeh) whcih is at the very east and south of Gaza strip on the border. The guy seemed to be very decent and respectful...And he came to me saying ...I am not asking for money or food for my area...But I am only asking for media attention. He said..."Not many people in Rafah know what is happening with us" about 20 houses were demolished the past few weeks, and 17 killed, we have one school, Israelis have been shooting at the school that has become a shelter for those who lost their houses."
  • Since I started to work with this ngo, I have suffered from the electricity problem so much. The office doesn't have a proper generator and buying a new one will cost lots of money that this little ngo cant afford. Especially with the high price of fuel. There is some sort of schedule to the electricity, for example, if there is electricity supply at 9 am that means it will stay for another 6 or 7 hours..If there is not, that means it will come at around 5pm. Most of the days, we go to work after 5pm and stay till midnight, in addition to few hours in the morning for meetings and phone calls. What kind of productivity do you expect..?
  • about half of the Gazan population haven't gotten salaries for the sixth month now..Only two days ago..There was an exceptional act by the government that could provide a certain amount of money because it is schools time. Schools will start in 10 days ..Or so.

6 comments:

Karin said...

OMG Naj, that is really more than a human can bear!! You guys suffer literally 24-hours a day and I can only guess HOW DIFFICULT that is!!
Your mom is stuck in Egypt a month and a half already??? That is absolute craziness ... and this poor man from al-Shokeh - this whole situation makes me feel so miserably helpless.
How can I help you? How can I help this man? What can I do? If you have ANY idea ... let me know.

Just in case ... may I forward this post to a dear friend who publishes? Who knows ... MAYBE there's a chance to get it out - and the situation better known? That would help this man as well ... please let me know ASAP!

Needless to say I am standing firmly by your side Naj, giving you a BIG hug and ask you to PLEASE HANG IN THERE!! There are SO MANY PEOPLE who support you, are standing by your side! You're NOT alone and NOT forgotten ... rest assured, you and everyone who is forced to live in such humiliating conditions in my prayers! HANG IN THERE NAJ - I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Karin said...

Naj - please tell me if it's Ok to foreward this post by e-mail if you don't mind - I want to make sure I won't miss it! My e-mail address you'll find under "PROFILE" on my blog! Thanks :)!

Anonymous said...

Keep the faith, Alone we cannot do anything, But many together can do a lot. You have a lot of people from around the world that are on your side and understand the suffering you are going through. Together we will overcome.

Karin said...

Together we will overcome ... beautiful Chet!!

MommaBean said...

Thanks for keeping your voice coming. It's important that, as painful as it is, we hear it. Know that there are those of us outside praying for you, hoping for you, knowing you are there trying to help. I hope that your mom gets back in soon and can't even begin to imagine the horror of everyday living. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Anonymous said...

Nizer, I don't either. Here is a link to some horrific pictures from Palestine. The suffering is beyond what anyone has experienced. After looking at these pictures, Can anyone honestly believe that the Government of Israel and the US for letting this happen are in their right minds. To me they are the terroists. From an American.

http://www.halturnershow.com/IsraeliAtrocities.html