Dark Times

Gaza medics in identifying clothing approach wounded with their hands raised, but get shot anyway. You can contribute to support unarmed civilians being attacked by Israel's military here at Medical Aid for Palestinians.

Besides being overwhelmed at work and at home, I'm struggling this week with the darkness that seems to be closing in worldwide. It's hard to say which I'm more troubled by: Israel's slaughter of unarmed civilians at the Gaza border while kleptocrats partied in Jerusalem; U.S. warmongering against Iran; or confirmation of a known pregnant woman torturer to head the CIA. 

Yesterday there was another mass shooting at a high school, this time in Texas. The NRA, the enforcement arm of kleptocracy that keeps us all fearful, took time out from harassing teens who've survived school shootings to put convicted felon Oliver North at its helm.

Families began being ripped apart at the border as migrants fleeing violence in Central America attempted to cross over to safety. And, needless to say, the ongoing bad news of weapons corporations using taxpayer funding to lobby elected officials for tax breaks on top of the already gargantuan military budget with its attendant austerities for the people -- rolled on.

Then there were the small discouragements: all my postcards to Kings Bay Plowshares anti-nuclear activists were sent back rather than delivered. This small cruelty to the activists was expected because other correspondents had posted photos of their undelivered regulation post office issue postcards earlier in the week. I know that my first batch of postcards a few weeks ago were received, because I got replies from several of the conscientious objectors to nuclear warmongering. They were all arraigned last week and if they care to can post a $5000 bond and submit to house arrest with ankle monitors pending their trial. You can contribute to their bond fund here.

I've said before that I write this blog to keep my head from exploding as I attempt to process the bad news of our times.

Clearly, I should spend more time reading my friend Cecile Pineda's newsletter which always ends with a Roses Among Thorns section sharing encouraging, uplifting, hopeful current events. Thanks, Cecile, for your pinpoint of light shining in these dark times.

Protecting The Children Of Palestine When It Cannot Be Done

Schools in Jerusalem are often targets for harassment by Israel's military.  Photo of students in occupied Hebron by Wisam Hashlamoun / APA Images.

The distraction machine known as the demagogue with bad hair has caused a furor by announcing that the embassy of the U.S. will be moved to Jerusalem.

Long coveted as the capital of Israel, Jerusalem is a flashpoint of Zionist ambition.

Leaders in the region have warned that the move would be a disaster. Hanan Ashwari of the Palestine Liberation Organization reportedly commented that the move risks "annihilating the chances of peace and destroying the stability and security of the entire region, proking violence and playing into the hands of extremists."

How might this affect the long suffering children of Palestine?



Here's a video of Israeli soldiers harassing teenagers at their school, made by Jewish Voice for Peace and posted by activist Zelda Edmunds with the comment:

...The daily challenges of being Palestinian in H2 area of Hebron... It's unimaginably horrific that people live like prisoners in their own neighborhoods because of the ongoing occupation, apartheid and colonization taking place. So many kids put their lives at stake everyday just to go to school, go home, or simply walk on their own streets.

Here's a video of Israeli soldiers harassing an 8 year old.




Here's a video of Israeli soldiers harassing a 7 year old.

And here's an account of life for children in Gaza by Khulud Jaber. Her kids (depicted above) may live their whole lives in a-Nuseirat refugee camp as their family home has been occupied by Israel:

Lately, we’ve been getting power for fewer and fewer hours. At first, we were getting electricity for six hours, with 12-hour blackouts, then for four with 12-hour blackouts. Now it’s gotten even worse and the blackouts last for 18 hours every day. Also, the power does not come on at regular hours, so sometimes there’s electricity only when we’re asleep at night, or when we’re out of the house. My husband has lymphatic cancer and has been out of work since 2007...

Without electricity, the children really suffer from the heat, and you can’t turn on a fan.  

How to protect the children of Palestine?

Share information about the reality of their existence under occupation.

From an account of night raids on Palestinian homes, September, 2016
"Israeli soldiers invade Bil'in in attempt to break the people's spirit" 

Contact your elected representatives to demand they stop funding Israel's military occupation of Palestine. The current administration has pledged to give $38 billion of U.S. taxpayer-funded military "aid" (mostly credits to buy weapons) over the next ten years.

Donate to human rights organizations like B'teslem that document abuses of children by Israel's government.