As Israel’s blockade of Gaza enters its 11th year, the economic and humanitarian situation has become so dire that youth are beginning to take the risk of crossing into Israel to find work. When 6 boys tried this on Saturday, they were shot at by Israeli forces, although they posed no threat. 2 of the boys made it back home, 2 were injured, and 2 didn’t make it out alive.
One of the most dangerous places in the world for children is the occupied Palestinian territories where, in the last year, at least 20 Palestinian children have been killed and over 1,000 others injured by Israeli forces. Gaza’s 1 million children are especially at risk, as food, medicine, and electricity are in short supply, and 97% of drinking water contaminated. The world has Israel to thank for this man-made humanitarian crisis.
Netanyahu is poised to deport 38,000 African refugees, claiming they are merely “infiltrators.” Some agree; others want a more compassionate approach – one that says, “never again means never again.” And what is the next logical step?
Ahed Tamimi is on trial to show that Israel is tough; but what they don’t want to show is the cruelty of the occupation – especially toward children – and the wild disproportion of punishment to “crime.”
The Palestinian Directorate of Education organized a celebration to honor retired Palestinian teachers, but Israeli forces raided the event and sent everyone home.
Israeli settlers from the fanatical Yitzhar settlement allegedly attempted to kidnap two Palestinian children as they raided the nearby village of Madma.
Michael Oren is currently known for his conspiracy theory that Ahed Tamimi might be a “plant” sent to Nabi Saleh to make Israel look bad. Oren has a history of spouting such theories – and he is just one of many who would rather believe far-fetched fantasies about Palestinians rather than face the truth that Israel has blood on its hands.
A boy who threw stones at IDF jeeps suffered the punishment of execution by a soldier; it was the third time in recent weeks that soldiers aimed at stone-throwers’ heads.
Retired Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson had a piece in the New York Times on Monday, in which he discussed the parallels between the runup to the Iraq war and the direction things are going with Iran. He identified the source of pro-war analysis as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies – but stopped short of explaining that this organization is “the neoconservative wing of the Israel lobby.” The next day, in another interview, he was eager to talk about this connection. Does NYT self-censor?
A Palestinian woman who now lives in the US recalls growing up in simpler times, without an awareness of the differences in religions. Christmastime – and Santa – were for everyone. But times have changed, and Jerusalem has changed, especially since Trump’s announcement.