Update..Lebanon and here..

Just in case you are not following with the news from Lebanon and Gaza Strip; here is a brief update.

First, I am facing a problem when following the news. The huge amounts of information that is being presented at the various Arab Channels have caused a certain mind situation. I would sit in front of the TV, when electricity is available, and I would watch more than a half hour report from different sites in Lebanon. This happens three to four times a day at least. To note here that I have no job, and not a very active social life here in Gaza. So the news is not only important to me but also one of the only things that I would spend time on. However, if I am asked after one of the newscast what was the news about...I assure you..I won't have any accurate information. So, I think why do I have a blog that I started because of these wars and because of my concern that people outside should know some of these stories and news that they don't have access to. As I am watching now!...I see through Al-Jazeera channel the bombings in Beirut (Al Dahyyeh El Janoobyyeh) The southern part. The Smoke is covering the city of Beirut and the noises can be heard through the live cast the reports saying that so far F-16 planes raided 23 times. Back to the problem, in the normal day since the attacks on Lebanon, I don't get to know what is happening here in Gaza...Which is to an extent understandable because the situation in Lebanon now is much worse as we all here see on the TV's. But, I don't see what happens in Gaza on the news because by the time the news bulletin gets to Gaza situation I would have no brain capacity to absorb more. So, I see it in reality or hear about it from People. A quick reminder here to put you in the picture of the perception of events in Gaza by Gazans, it is no longer an issue when you hear artillery or bombings. It is not that people don't care, but can't care more. . .
Yesterday I was driving in Gaza going to the edge of the southern part; where I saw the broken bridge hit by an F-16 in the beginning of this operation, and going to the very east of Gaza where I heard artillery and met with people who told me that they were expecting an invasion when they saw 30 tanks moving towards them, some evacuated their children and elderly members of the families. There was no invasion. There is a continuous secret battle between the special forces (who are Israelis go in the Palestinian areas will a Palestinian look wearing as Palestinian civilians attempting to catch some of the resistance men or spy on them) and the resistance. This can happen any second throughout the nights and bullets would be flying through the trees of your backyard if you live on the Easter part of Gaza, where my parents live. The third station was the north, I went to see the house of my aunt which is located on the very beginning of Beit Hanoon, a town in the very north/ and east in the Gaza Strip. While driving around the other broken bridge, that was bombed by F-16 not less than 4 times through the past few years,I saw my aunt's house that is empty now after it was mostly destroyed because of several invasions to the area. I heard something but I couldn't know what is it, the windows are closed and the music is loud in the car...(trying to enjoy the drive) and then I see the smoke right in front of me, in three spots one after the other were artillery on Beit Lahia between the houses. Those were the bombings that later in the news I learnt that 5 Palestinians were killed in Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoon. The Israelis gave orders through the Red Cross to evacuate about 15 residential buildings (about 15 floor each) in Beit Lahia called (Abraj el Nada) . This sounds really humane when they tell you to evacuate because we want to destroy your house!! The problem is that they are destroying their houses and the buildings and also killing people..The shells are not very smart..Or maybe they are when they kill some here and there everyday...It depends on the Israeli calculation of required deaths among Palestinians that day.
Today. A house in Shegaiea (east of Gaza) The Israeli forces called the man on his mobile telling him to evacuate and that the plane will destroy his house in few min. This actually happened. The house is completely destroyed now. The family didnt have time to take their belongings. not even the important ones.

In Lebanon, A family was killed (7 of one family). I heard and read some reports from Human Rights Watch about the types of munition used by Israel foces in Lebanon; here I quote from the web site:

"Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians. They should never be used in populated areas."
Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch

To read more about this go to:

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/24/isrlpa13798.htm

In Sour, the Israelis have been bombing the villages around Sour. Some towns are completely seized by the bombings taking place on the roads. There were families trying to evacuate (who have foreign passports) managed to coordinate with the Embassy and the Israelis but there was no transportation. Tens of cars were bombed ...On the road so there is no enough cars to take them. In addition, the difficulties faced on movement between cities and villages; the Ambulances and The Red Cross cars were unable and still are to find the injured civilians and the dead bodies. There are many (unknown number) who are still under their destroyed houses and have no access to go anywhere.

And..Condi thinks that she will achieve any Middle East she likes??? Come on..with all the respect to her sophisticated education and career before being in this position. She needs one beginners' course in Human nature and wars. Hope she will learn somehow.

Later,

** Note: Birzeit University have urged the shops in Ramallah to go on strike because of Condi's visit. It worked. She may realize how important she is.