\ iman’s constant cravings… » Palestine

April 9, 1948

Under: Palestine, Uncategorized @ 7:37 am on Thursday, 04.9.09

Deir Yassin Massacre: Led by former Israeli Prime Minister Begin, the Jewish terrorist groups of Irgun and Stern gangs slaughtered over 250 innocent Palestinians, the majority of whom (as we see many years later has been adopted as an israeli tradition) were elderly, women and children.

Remember “Cast Lead” ?

Under: Palestine, Uncategorized @ 1:41 am on Friday, 03.20.09

Stats in Names:

This 66 page pdf document, prepared by the Palestine Center for Human Rights, lists the names, ages, occupations, place of residence and date of death of Palestinians who were killed in israel’s operation ‘cast lead’ on Gaza during the period of 12/27/2008 to 1/18/2009. The names as well as the majority in the list are in Arabic, but the ages and dates of death are in English. Hopefully a full English version will be published soon.

Returning Home:

Some of the despicable, hateful, disgusting  drawings and graffiti left behind by israeli soldiers who had taken up positions in Palestinian civilian homes during operation “cast lead”:


Message written by israeli soldiers in a bedroom of the Abu Hajaj home in Johur-ad-Dik © Kent Klich


Graffiti left by israeli soldiers in the home of Mos’ab Dardona, Jabal al Rayes area, northeastern Gaza Strip © S. Al Tartour/PCHR


The house of Sami Saleh Dardona, with israeli graffiti carved into the burnt walls © Kent Klich

In Talal Al Samouni’s home israeli soldiers wrote the words “Die you all”, “Make war not peace”, “Arabs need to die” and a gravestone engraved with the words “Arabs 1948-2009” referring to the dates between the creation of the state of Israel and its latest military offensive.

A stairwell in Rashad Helmi Al Samouni’s house a few doors down includes the following sentences written in chalk:

“There will be a day when we kill all the Arabs”

“Bad for the Arabs is good for me”

“A good Arab is an Arab in the grave”

“Peace now, but between Jews and Jews, not Jews and Arabs”

And the other rare face of some israeli soldiers … the human element.
“How much longer will we be here…?”

“Until when?”

“We want to go home”

“I have no other country.” [source]

More Aftermath accounts.

i live

Under: Memories, Palestine, Uncategorized, What I Love @ 11:53 am on Tuesday, 03.10.09

In the Taxi stopped at a check point is when I first heard this song …inhaling smoke …each word sketches an image of its own …I live. off a memory between us some years ago.

my love, come back …I’m calling you

(translation sounds sappy!)

I’m coming back, Palestine!:d

bitgheeb. winta elli 3ala bali…

Seriously, that’s exactly why I’m coming back sooner than I thought :)

waiting to pass that same check point this summer, too. will I live the day when that very same check point no longer exits? a depressed hopeful thought…

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Letters I never sent

18

all of which untitled.

By the way, I had a great weekend. thought provoking conversations. silly laughs. interesting people. silly talks. tamer hosny’s ba3ish (i have a story with this song. i love it. it reminds me of Palestine), milk, WTF moments, coffee, food, Whatever moments, poetry, music, let’s get it over with moments,

The mirror doesn’t lie…

Under: Palestine, Uncategorized, What I Love @ 7:02 pm on Monday, 03.2.09

you do know and believe that, right?

P.S. I am very very very very upset that I lost my Palestine charm bracelet last week! I discovered it missing on the plane coming home from DC..I’ve had this bracelet for years! losing it pretty much sealed that sucky Wednesday for me!

Palestine’s Night Sky

Under: Memories, Palestine, Uncategorized, What I Love @ 9:27 pm on Tuesday, 02.3.09

Missing those nights on my parents’ back veranda…

P.S. I don’t understand why many Arab young men find it ‘disrespectful’ to smoke in front of their parents. Seriously. Especially if your parents are smokers themselves. My father lights one for me. My mother, on the other hand, just recently gave up chasing me around the house when ever I light one.

Today in Palestine History

Under: How Outrageous, Palestine, Uncategorized @ 8:04 pm on Saturday, 01.31.09

Baldat al-Sheikh Massacre:
January 30-31, 1947: This massacre took place following an argument which broke out between Palestinian workers and Zionists in the Haifa Petroleum Refinery, leading to the deaths of a number of Palestinians and wounding and killing approximately sixty Zionists. A large number of the Palestinian Arab workers were living in Baldat al-Sheikh and Hawasa, located in the southeast of Haifa. Consequently, the Zionists planned to take revenge on behalf of fellow Zionists who had been killed in the refinery by attacking Baldat al-Sheikh and Hawasa.

On the night of January 30-31, 1947, a mixed force composed of the First Battalion of Palmakh and the Carmelie brigade (estimated at approximately 150 to 200 Zionist terrorists) launched a raid against the two towns under the leadership of Hayim Afinu’am.] They focused their attack on the outskirts of Baldat al-Sheikh and Hawasa. Taking the outlying homes by surprise as their inhabitants slept, they pelted them with hand grenades, then went inside, firing their machine guns.

The terrorist attack led to the deaths of approximately sixty citizens inside their homes, most of them women, elderly and children. The attack lasted for an hour, after which the Zionists withdrew at 2:00 a.m., having attacked a large number of noncombatant homes. According to a report written by the leader of the terrorist operation, “the attacking units slipped into the town and began working on the houses. And due to the fact that gunfire was directed inside the rooms, it was not possible to avoid injuring women and children.” [source]

A glimpse of israel’s Apartheid tactics

Under: Around The World, Palestine, Uncategorized @ 10:22 am on Friday, 01.30.09


Thank CBS and Bob Simon for this excellent report that shows just a glimpse of israel’s Apartheid tactics practiced on Palestinians every single day.

Ahmad Al-Arabi Premier: In Pictures

Under: Around The World, Art & Culture, Memories, Palestine, Poetry, Uncategorized, What I Love @ 1:46 pm on Thursday, 01.22.09

Here in pictures of night one (Jan 21, 2009) of two (Jan 22, 2009), Marcel Khalife’s (who studied in Lebanon - at Beirut National Conservatory of Music and not in Russia) world Premier of his operatic work Ahmad Al-Arabi from Mahmoud Darwish’s epic poem, Ahmad Al-Zaatar, in which Darwish documents, in 1977 (and not during the first invasion of Lebanon by the Zionists), the 1976 siege and massacre at Tal Al-Zaatar…

Lebanese composer and singer Marcel Khalife performs during “Ahmed Al-Arabi Concert” in Damascus January 21,2009 in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. The proceeds from the concert will go to aid Palestinian victims of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Picture taken January 21, 2009. Picture taken January 21, 2009. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi(SYRIA)
Lebanese composer and singer Marcel Khalife performs  during "Ahmed Al-Arabi Concert" in Damascus January 21,2009 in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. The proceeds from the concert will go to aid Palestinian victims of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Picture taken January 21, 2009. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi(SYRIA)

Lebanese composer and singer Marcel Khalife (C) performs with singer Omaima al-Khalil as conductor Mesak Baghbodian (back to camera) leads the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra during “Ahmed Al-Arabi Concert” in Damascus January 21, 2009 in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. The proceeds from the concert will go to aid Palestinian victims of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Picture taken January 21, 2009. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi(SYRIA)

Lebanese composer and singer Marcel Khalife (2nd L) performs with singer Omaima al-Khalil (R) as conductor Mesak Baghbodian leads the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra during “Ahmed Al-Arabi Concert” in Damascus January 21, 2009 in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. The proceeds from the concert will go to aid Palestinian victims of the Israeli offensive on Gaza. Picture taken January 21, 2009. From Reuters Pictures.

Listen to samples of Ahmad Al-Arabi here and purchase here.

And thank me here

Operatic Masterpiece World Premier: Ahmad Al-Arabi

Under: Around The World, Art & Culture, Music, Palestine, Poetry, Uncategorized, What I Love @ 5:16 am on Tuesday, 01.20.09

Historical Background: Tal Al- Za’ atar (the Hill of Thyme ) was the largest Palestinian refugee camp established in 1948 in the northern part of what became Christian East Beirut during the Lebanese civil war of 1975-1990. According to the Lebanese Forces website, “June 29 1976 saw the camp at Jisr el Basha fall and then efforts were directed against Tal al-Zaatar, one of the largest Palestinian camps in the country and situated on the Christian side of the Green Line. The battle for Tal al-Zaatar was the final showdown between the Palestinians and the Lebanese Front in Beirut. Tal al-Zaatar contained about 2,000 Palestinian guerrillas intermixed with a civilian population of roughly 15,000 facing them were some 4,000 Lebanese Front militiamen. The Lebanese Front were supported and advised in the siege by the Lebanese and Syrian armies; Israeli advisers were also present.” On August 12 1976, after 7 months of siege, Christian forces overran the camp. At the end of the siege, about 2,000 Palestinians were killed and 4,000 wounded. The surviving civilians were deported to Palestinian held areas as the camp was entirely wiped.

What: A Tribute to Gaza - Marcel Khalife’s world Premier of his operatic work Ahmad Al-Arabi from Mahmoud Darwish’s epic poem, Ahmad Al-Zaatar. Darwish documented the 1976 siege and massacre at Tal Al-Zaatar in his poem, Ahmad Al-Zaatar.

When: January 21st & 22nd, 2009

Where: The Opera House in Damascus - Syria

Who: Marcel Khalife: composer, oud, vocals
Oumaima El Khalil: vocals
Bachar Khalife: percussion
Accompanied by the National Syrian Symphony Orchestra &
The Choir of the National Conservatory of Music
Conducted by Missak Bagbodarian

For information on tickets: www. damascus. org. sy

All proceeds go to benefit the children of Gaza.



(Read on …)

In what name?!?!

Under: How Outrageous, Palestine, Uncategorized @ 3:19 pm on Tuesday, 01.6.09


Members of the Ad-Daya family - a little girl - are pulled from the rubble of their home [Ma'anImages]

More than 640 have been killed over eleven days of israeli attacks on Gaza. More than 2,850 have been killed.

As many as 42 were killed when israeli tank shells hit the UN-operated Al-Fakhoura school in Jabaliya Refugee Camp, where Palestinians took shelter after fleeing their homes. [source]

Gaza on our minds…

Under: Palestine, Uncategorized @ 9:24 pm on Saturday, 01.3.09

by Mazen Kerbaj

Next Page »