Each week it is difficult to choose which stories to highlight on my blog – enough to inform, not so much to overwhelm. The suffering continues and, in spite of the photos we have seen of diplomatic visits by George Mitchell and Secretary Clinton and ships breaking the sea blockade of Gaza, life is not improving for anyone in Palestine. I have never been to Gaza because it is a dangerous place to visit. International visitors are not welcomed by the Israeli forces at the checkpoints and tourist accommodations would be difficult to find. The people of Gaza are truly some of today’s “widows and orphans.” (last Sunday’s epistle, James 1.27)
Even though money has been committed for the rebuilding of Gaza by the international community, piles of rubble are still to be seen everywhere in Gaza. Israel still controls the borders. The Israeli Defense Force holds building materials, food and other needed commodities at the checkpoints; food rots in the sun. Gaza remains devastated, with medical facilities, homes, and schools still piles of rubble, with no signs of rebuilding. Not only are Israeli troops preventing food from entering Gaza, they are also shooting farmers who try to plant their fields, where these fields are deemed too close to the border with Israel.
Take 8 minutes today to watch Gaza Under Siege, which exposes the failure of the international community to make any headway on reconstruction and recovery of Gaza since the attack by Israel in January. "Gaza Under Siege" is a new documentary video by Jordan Flaherty and Lily Keber, posted on the Electronic Intifada website. "The Electronic Intifada (EI) is a not-for-profit, independent publication committed to comprehensive public education on the question of Palestine, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the economic, political, legal, and human dimensions of Israel's 40-year occupation of Palestinian territories. EI provides a needed supplement to mainstream commercial media representations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." [MORE]
Another story details the way Israelis hold the supplies at the border: Gaza-bound Goods Stuck at the Border
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