Daily Archives: July 23, 2017
Palestinian Intifada must go international
Palestinian Intifada must go international:
This video is the Palestinian solidarity rally in McAllen, Texas on July 22, 2014, during Israel’s murderous carpet bombing siege of Gaza. At that time, millions around the world on every continent in major cities & small hamlets marched in defense of Gaza. We need to mobilize again in defense of Al Aqsa & to demand the end of occupation.
You can hear my speech about 3-1/2 minutes into the video.
#HandsOffAlAqsa
“A person can only be born in one place. However, he may die several times elsewhere: in the exiles & prisons, & in a homeland transformed by the occupation & oppression into a nightmare.”
–Mahmoud Darwish
Photo is Israeli troops breaking up Friday prayers in the Ras Al-Amud neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem.
All out to defend Al Aqsa mosque & demand Israel end the occupation.
#HandsOffAlAqsa
(Photo by Emil Salman)
It’s very moving–actually powerful–to see several expressions of solidarity with Palestinians & Al Aqsa from Kashmiris on Twitter.
Attacks on Al Aqsa mosque are a call to arms for Palestinian solidarity
The extreme violence against Palestinians at Al Aqsa mosque & attacks on unarmed worshippers is a call to arms. It’s time to call emergency rallies around the world demanding Israel end its provocations at the mosque, end the occupation, end the blockade of Gaza.
At these rallies we could draw the connection with other struggles, especially the provocations of India at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar & the occupation of Kashmir.
This photo is a protest in Jordan in defense of Palestinians & their right to worship at Al Aqsa without harassment & provocations; there were also protests in Malmo, Sweden & London.
All out in defense of Al Aqsa mosque. End the occupation.
#HandsOffAlAqsa
(Photo from Twitter)
“In the state of siege, time becomes space
Transfixed in its eternity
In the state of siege, space becomes time
That has missed its yesterday and its tomorrow.
The martyr encircles me every time I live a new day
And questions me: Where were you?”
–from Under Siege by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008)
–Flag is Palestinian flag on right & Syrian freedom flag on left (not same as Assad’s national flag)
Al-Jumhuriya journal of Syrian journalists, writers, academics in exile
Al-Jumhuriya is a journal of Syrian journalists, writers, & academics operating from exile in Turkey who provide analysis of the Assad regime, the social revolution against his dictatorship, & many other issues related to the war in Syria. Syrian revolutionist Yassin Al Haj Saleh is one of its writers.
The intellectual level & understanding of Syrian politics & culture exposes Assadist propaganda for the drivel it is. Once you read one Assadist diatribe against the little girl Bana & the White Helmet rescue workers you’ve read them all & can skip all the other thousands since it’s a broken record of intellectual horse manure. When they start in on the panegyrics for St. Man of the People Assad only the most servile dare to follow.
But judge for yourself: http://aljumhuriya.net/en/
Israeli troops attack Palestinians during Friday prayers
This is the scene yesterday in Ras Al-Amud, often described as “a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem.” That’s the language of occupation since all of East Jerusalem is supposed to be under Palestinian control but after Israel occupied it in 1967 it has been building & expanding Zionist settlements.
Palestinians are refusing to accept the new Israeli restrictions over Al Aqsa mosque & in protest are praying outside in the streets–something they are used to doing since Israel began a few years ago banning all men under 50 from praying in the mosque.
Yesterday, Palestinians were just finishing Friday prayers in Ras Al-Amud when Israeli police attacked them with stun grenades & tear gas. These unarmed worshippers are clearly running from an attack but that did not stop media from describing it as a “clash” with Israeli troops. Incidents like this took place all over East Jerusalem, sending nearly 400 Palestinians to the hospital with injuries from live ammo, rubber bullets, beatings, tear gas inhalation. Three Palestinians were killed: 17-year-old Mohammed Sharaf & 20-year-old Mohammed Abu Ghannam of gunshot wounds, & 18-year-old Mohammed Lafi. May they Rest In Peace.
Our fullest solidarity with Palestinians in their defense of Al Aqsa mosque & their right to religious freedom & worship. It is not a coincidence that the Indian army is creating the exact same havoc & violence at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Kashmir.
End the occupation. Self-determination for Palestinians.
(Photo by Ammar Awad/Reuters)
On the deceitful language of military occupation in Palestine
This is an article from May 2014 (a couple months before Israel’s murderous seven-week bombing siege over Gaza) by Charlotte Silver about media’s use of the word “clash”–as in “clashes broke out at the Al Aqsa mosque between Israeli police & Palestinians.” This is how media uses language to mask the character of ethnic cleansing, apartheid, colonialism. It is to make it appear not just that the violence is two-sided but to subtly, through linguistic deceit, impugn Palestinians as aggressive, irascible, violent terrorists.
It is not “clashes broke out” but rather Israeli soldiers armed to the teeth attacked unarmed Palestinians in order to protect settlers & expand colonial sovereignty over Palestinian lands & holy sites.
Language matters in the imbalance of power between oppressed & oppressor & in telling the truth about the character of colonialism.