Dear Gaza

Great Salutation from your daughter,
to the sea that used to embrace us together each friday
to the sun that used to burn our skins to make us of the same color,
to the oranges that killed our thirst,
to the shoulders and hands we used to exchange.
to the Gaza I know

From Beit Hanoun...recent pictures few days after the operation was over

Women and children 'killed in their sleep' in Gaza

Israeli tank shells landed in a residential neighbourhood north of Beit Hanoun early today, killing at least 18 people in their sleep.Palestinian hospital officials said there were several more injured.According to witnesses, all those killd were women and children.Hundreds gathered outside the Kamal Adwan hospital weeping as bodies arrived.Witnesses said that many of the dead arrived in their sleeping clothes.Four hospitals are treating the wounded across Gaza.Khaled Radi, a health ministry official, said of the 18 dead, seven were children, and 13 of the dead were from the same family.
Irish Examiner.com

Article: A brutal Taste of the Future

A brutal taste of the future
The assault on Beit Hanoun is a terrifying example of what lies in store for Palestinians
Sami Abdel-Shafi in Gaza City
Wednesday November 8, 2006

The initiation of Avigdor Lieberman - widely regarded as an outright racist - into Ehud Olmert's Israeli government seems to have already brought a taste of things to come. For the past week, the Gaza Strip city of Beit Hanoun has been made a ground zero by the Israeli army. By yesterday, more than 260 Palestinians lay dead and injured, with 53 fatalities - women, children and ambulance drivers among them. Read More

Left Beit Hanun...but never leave Gaza

After the massive attacks on Beit Hanoun...i m scared, but really want, to go see what remained from this miserable town.
Israeli troops left Beit Hanoun, but remember; that the tanks have only moved to the borders on Beit Hanoun in the north of Gaza and they went to invade more areas elsewhere. The Israeli incursions go on and on..even if you dont hear about some "Women" phenomenon, or 57 killed..there is more to come. Now, in most of Beit Lahia,...a little bit to south of Beit Hanounm and the eastern part of Jabalia another close by town, all in the northern part of Gaza Strip. In addition to the threat on the souther part, Rafah is waiting for its turn, expecting a similar misery of a big invasion. Such invasion to the south maybe kept to the last phase..it will be the desruction of the areas along the border. Rafah got used to house destruction on top of poeples' heads without sending any signals for evacuation. The talk was lately on bombing the border becasue it is the source of weopn smuggling ..this is true to some extent. But..what israel did after the withdrawal but wittnessed and encouraged this weaopn smuggling into the Gaza Strip through Egypt...Gaza is truely full of weopons..that are used mostly in internal confrontation. Dont say..well its your fault Gazans to let that happen..because Israel truely played it nicely and correctly..this is the goal..to reach this stage where Gaza should be kicked into the Sea...and trust me..i m not a conspiracy theory admiror..but if it seems that way..forgoive me but you have to understand the reality here.
The reality that isgoing beyond conventional occupation and colonial oppression...way beyond.
Would any american elections matter in the Palestinain- Israeli problem..i doubt it. Still, i m following closly the developments of the voting today ..but i will have to get some sleep and because of time difference results wont show till the morning of my time. But i think while watching CNN and reading the google news articles on elections about the significance of this elections..it may be significant a little bit for Iraqis who are really mad about their situation.... But for Palestinians...would it matter?? Simply ..No.
and then i remember..that when palestinians kidnapped Gilad Shalit..and the big Gaza operation was declared by Israel to get back the soldier...hundreds were killed..and it is still goin on ..and the borders were closed for the longest time..about a thousand poeple in Gaza and West Bank got arrested..and ..While al this ..Israel went to war in Lebanon..and IT IS OVER,.....Why would it be over in the palestinians territories..? I mean..a whole war took place and finished was really bad and intense but it ended! our situation , that was highly connected with the lebanese story (which i disagreed with, i mean drawing the connection with gaza situation) of the kidnaping of Israeli soldiers by Hiszbullah WAS JUST ANOTHER PHASE or Round of the endless GAME?!!

Left Beit Hanun...but never leave Gaza

After the massive attacks on Beit Hanoun...i m scared, but really want, to go see what remained from this miserable town.
Israeli troops left Beit Hanoun, but remember; that the tanks have only moved to the borders on Beit Hanoun in the north of Gaza and they went to invade more areas elsewhere. The Israeli incursions go on and on..even if you dont hear about some "Women" phenomenon, or 57 killed..there is more to come. Now, in most of Beit Lahia,...a little bit to south of Beit Hanounm and the eastern part of Jabalia another close by town, all in the northern part of Gaza Strip. In addition to the threat on the souther part, Rafah is waiting for its turn, expecting a similar misery of a big invasion. Such invasion to the south maybe kept to the last phase..it will be the desruction of the areas along the border. Rafah got used to house destruction on top of poeples' heads without sending any signals for evacuation. The talk was lately on bombing the border becasue it is the source of weopn smuggling ..this is true to some extent. But..what israel did after the withdrawal but wittnessed and encouraged this weaopn smuggling into the Gaza Strip through Egypt...Gaza is truely full of weopons..that are used mostly in internal confrontation. Dont say..well its your fault Gazans to let that happen..because Israel truely played it nicely and correctly..this is the goal..to reach this stage where Gaza should be kicked into the Sea...and trust me..i m not a conspiracy theory admiror..but if it seems that way..forgoive me but you have to understand the reality here.
The reality that isgoing beyond conventional occupation and colonial oppression...way beyond.
Would any american elections matter in the Palestinain- Israeli problem..i doubt it. Still, i m following closly the developments of the voting today ..but i will have to get some sleep and because of time difference results wont show till the morning of my time. But i think while watching CNN and reading the google news articles on elections about the significance of this elections..it may be significant a little bit for Iraqis who are really mad about their situation.... But for Palestinians...would it matter?? Simply ..No.
and then i remember..that when palestinians kidnapped Gilad Shalit..and the big Gaza operation was declared by Israel to get back the soldier...hundreds were killed..and it is still goin on ..and the borders were closed for the longest time..about a thousand poeple in Gaza and West Bank got arrested..and ..While al this ..Israel went to war in Lebanon..and IT IS OVER,.....Why would it be over in the palestinians territories..? I mean..a whole war took place and finished was really bad and intense but it ended! our situation , that was highly connected with the lebanese story (which i disagreed with) of the kidnaping of Israeli soldiers by Hiszbullah WAS JUST ANOTHER PHASE or Round of the endless GAME?!!

85% of the Agriculural Lands in Beit Hanoun were destroyed by the Israeli incurions...

Israel kills 2 Medical Workers ...They were clearly marked..and their vehicles..in Beit Hanoun
BBC- News

On Wednesday morning, the Israeli army declared Beit Hanoun a closed military zone. All residents were ordered to stay indoors. The Israeli army issued a warning through two local radio stations (“Freedom Radio” and “Youth Radio”) after they occupied the airwaves for a few minutes.

The town of Beit Hanoun, which lies only a few kilometers from the Israeli settlement of Sderot on the other side of the Gaza-Israel border, has 28,000 inhabitants.
The Israeli army conducted a large-scale offensive in Beit Hanoun at dawn on Thursday. It combined air and ground forces, including infantry, armored corps, tanks and engineer corps forces.
According to Palestinian sources, this incursion is the tenth into the town of Beit Hanoun since the Israeli army “left” the Gaza Strip, last August 2005.
The death toll of the Israeli Operation Autumn Clouds has raised to 54 So far, in repeated incursions and aerial attacks, 260 have been injured, including 38 in a critical condition.. It continues to rise.
Security sources said that Mazin Shabat, 38, was killed when an Israeli sniper shot him near the Erez crossing point, north of Beit Hanoun. Shabat had been arrested by the Israeli forces in the area, but was released a short time afterwards, only to be shot by a sniper, just minutes after his release. His relative, Zahir Shabat, was also critically injured.
Isra'a Talal Nasser, 15, was shot in the head by Israeli forces, yesterday.....More

Israeli fighter jets strike children on way to school; 15-year old killed, teacher critically injured more

Quick update..

More than 42 killed in Beit Hanoun in the forth day of the operation. about 230 injured....at least 30 of them are in critical conditions.
* Thousands of men in Beit Hanoun are under arrest all in "school-prison" one of those was released and ...was shot while walking away from the "prison"...two were injured. (Last Hour news)
* ISraeli army invades tens of houses of Beit Hanoun, snipers are set to kill any walking creature...

Third day of the Incursion in Beit Hanoun

This is where Beit Hanoun is..... (Map)
The current operation is called Autumn Clouds...and is considered the biggest and most aggressive in the last six months. . Beit Hanoun, like most areas of the Gaza Strip, has gone through tens of incursions...this one is one of the significant ones..
To read a report about this situation in Gaza and especially on Beit Hanoun and the women's resistance. Click here..BBC Report
Here are some pictures of Beit Hanoun today











As of this hour..the number of palestinians killed today is 12. in the three days of theoperation the total of number killed is 28 . (According to local stations)

(Article) The politics of the Gaza Operation

Nov. 2, 2006 1:30
The politics of the Gaza operation
By ANSHEL PFEFFER

Nothing has been left to chance in this latest operation, not only on the operational-military side. The IDF took care to also secure its media wing in advance and prepared public opinion for another round of warfare which would also involve unavoidable casualties on our side. Click to Read article

What is going on in the other side...Israel?

Well, i dont really know. Israelis and Palestinians dont see what they do to eachother. The Palestininan Hand-made rocekts is the topic that is being couragesly debated among Palestinian,,,and now you can easily hear very harsh comments by Palestinians in the streets about these rockets.
1- It is not useful as resistance tool...(if we want resistance)
2- It lands on people...residential areas..although Palestinians believe that its the land stolen and occupied by force, still it is causing harm to kids and women..and here we are becoming like them (Palestinaisn are becoming like ISraelis)
3- Most importantly...and rationally ..it is just causing so much harm to Palestinains!!! because it is faced by a whole big army and sophisticated weopons and planes and spying equipments..so WHY CANT WE STOP THESE ROCKETS??

Interesting statement by the "IDF" there is no gurantee to stop the rockets after these attacks. ! THEN WHAT IS the SOLUTION. TALK>>>!! NEGOTIATE!!! BE A LITTLE BIT FAIR to these imprisoned pressured GAZANS! IT IS SIMPLE.

Now..what do you expect after this huge attack on Beit Hanoun..and all the statements by the ISaeli government that they want to expand and intensify the operations in Gaza Strip....WOULD YOU EXPECT PEACFUL REACTION? WOULD YOU EXPECT A NICE WELCOMING PARTY?? If you understand what it is like for a tank to pass by your street ...onlyu pass by not USE THE TANK?? I ASK YOU TO AnSWER RATIONALLY AND HONESTLY?
% were injured from the Israeli side from the settlement called "Sderot" near Gaza.. and still the revenge is decalred for more rockets.! and we all know that most of palestinians almost have nothing to lose under these circumstances.

Of course it is not going to help make things calmer...?

Mass Arrests of Beit Hanoun Males.

Israeli forces have, on Thursday afternoon, transferred the males of Beit Hanoun aged between 16-45 in a convoy of large trucks to unknown destinations. Read on Maan News

Israeli forces attack Beit Hanoun.. agian. (ongoing operation for the 2nd day)

Israel's ongoing offensive on the north of the Gaza Strip has killed a further five Palestinians on Thursday, bringing the death toll over the last 48 hours to 12. A 75-year-old man died of a heart attack after an Israeli missile hit his neighbour's home, injuring six members of the same family. There have now been over 70 injuries. At least twelve of the injured are in a critical condition, including four-year-old Bara'a, who is in a coma. A large number of the injured are women and children. More

Yisrael Beitnu in government (Isra'eel Baituna- Arabic)

Ali Abunimah wrote this article that is essential to read at this time because it has the basic information about Avigdor Liberman...His party that just got in the government of Olmert. Would this work? Cant we look at least the same in Extremism.??..or there is still no need to even have a look on injustice?

World silent as fascists join Israel government
Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 24 October 2006
In a frightening but long expected move, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has brought the Yisrael Beitenu party into his coalition government. The party's leader, Avigdor Lieberman, is to be vice prime minister and, as "Minister for Strategic Threats," a key member of Israel's "security cabinet" in charge of the Iran portfolio.Yisrael Beitenu is a dangerous extremist party with fascist tendencies that has openly advocated the "transfer" of Palestinians, including the transfer of Arab towns within Israel to a Bantustan-like future Palestinian entity. It has made clear that a Jewish supremacist state is more important than a democratic one. ...Continue Here.

another incursion and another ...

another five were killed yesterday....in Gaza
This evening, Shelling and rockets bombing Beit Hanoun...again but from a different direction...
Today, Gaza Skies had some interesting ...traffic..Some from God...which were thunder and rain..some from israel..with F16s and Apache planes...and the palestinian smaller bullets in the air or beterrn families and parties...
I cant really keep up with news..but just the a quick note about the disturbing event that took place earlier today..the kiddnapping of the Spanish photographer of the Associated Press..What a Mess!
by the way...this is not a Hamas thing...

Another note...interesting report that can be really critical if true and will cause to further escalation..maybe to the good or maybe to the bad..either way..i m not hopefull. Abbas ordered the deployment of 20,000 security men to take care of the situation in the Gaza Strip. So far, Abbas has denied this order..but several security commandors confirmed. According to the Haaretz Report of today.

Later...

the Eid of misery..

Yesterday early morning an incursion started in the northern areas of Beit Hanoun, North of Gaza Strip....about 7 Palestinians were killed and 40 Palestinians were injured and 0 Israelis. "Revenge" expressed afterwards by Palestinian resistence movements after the killing of one of their leaders (Islamic Jihad)

Thousands of Palestinians (Gazans) are spending the Eid on the border, Stuck- between Gaza and Egypt.....Sleeping on the sand and sometimes some carton boxes...

Today...minor mess

One cant describe the high noise and air pollution in Gaza these days.....
regarding noise, today, for some reason, it was so disturbing...and on the way..from an office to my house i wittnessed about 3 accidents in the streets..."People are going crazy today" the driver said...

Almost every public employee and all registered unemployed got a small amount of money to be able to survive and get some "candies" for the Eid - el fitr feast- i m sure not many could even think of candies. The security forces were the only ones who didnt recieve any money...so, for the second time...tjose were the ones demonstrating in the streets by closing some streets with trees and burning tyres. Gaza didnt need more black dust to cover the left windows or the so far white walls...but this is not the case anyway..they have the right to be angry! and many know that they are being used for pressure.
Abbas was in Gaza refused to meet with the PM Hanyyeh...(so maybe not-talking not-meeting will result in something!?) The Eid is on monday- the day after tomorrow..if those didnt get money..i would assume its a smart enough plan..no? Is this how Fatah kicking out the gov. ? well..the gov isnt doing anything to help itself..but also with getting 42 million from the US state department and encouraging security forces when using them to turn gaza into a new version of chaos...would this be the option!?

i wonder...and i may not understand much of what is going on around me..