THE HANDSTAND | JULY 2007 |
ON-LINE PETITION TO PROTEST THE APPOINTMENT OF TONY BLAIR AS PEACE ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST followed by latest news from Gaza and the West Bank WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/27062007/PETITION.HTML NEWS
FROM At the Rafah border, in limbo and unable to make it
home, Palestinians are suffering from another aspect of
the Israeli governments policy of imposed
collective suffering through border closures, economic
sanctions, air and land attacks, and extreme military
control of Palestinian areas. These latest closures will
achieve neither the peace nor security "I havent been able to find water to bathe with for several weeks now," said 49 year old Umm Rami, stuck on the Egyptian side. She is trying to return home after having knee surgery, now unexpectedly stuck without water or medicine. "I have no idea where to go; Im alone here with my young daughter, without anythingweve run out of everything we need: food, water, money. We are unwashed and stink, besides being hungry and exhausted." Western Union and DHL have since last week been discontinued in the Strip by Israel, making it impossible for families to send money to those who are trapped at the crowded, service-less borders of Gaza. New violence comes to Dr. Mawia Hassanen at Al Shifa Hospital reported 13 deaths, including civilians and a 9 year old child, from the latest Israeli attacks, many of whom were unidentifiable due to the obliterating damage and burning from Israeli tanks shells. Another twenty Palestinians were wounded, including seven in critical condition. Compounding the border and invasion suffering of Gazans, severe water shortages, as in Rafah refugee camp, are hitting people hard, particularly during the extremely hot summer months, when the need for water is greatest. Today marks the fourth day meager water supplies for drinking and cooking have had to be brought into Bader camp in Rafah. Two days on, the Israeli air strikes ever-continue. Khan Younis eyewitnesses report the latest air strikes targeted Islamic Jihad members, with at least three rockets hitting a white Subaru, injuring passers-by in the street and killing three inside: Mohamed Al Raie, Raed Ghannam and his cousin Zeyad Ghannam. As I write, yet another Israeli strike has targeted a car, killing a further three unidentified Palestinians and injuring many more. Saturdays fatalities alone number 7, with uncounted civilian injuries. With the Gaza Strip so isolated, and given the
on-going attacks and bloodshed in http://rafah.virtualactivism.net/news/todaymain.htm
To Ramiro Cibrian - Head of Delegation of the
European Commission to the State of Israel |