2nd Ramdan in Gaza under the siege

The holly month of Ramadan has come for the 2nd time and yet Gaza is still under the siege. Shortage that occurs in everything has reflected the daily life of Palestinians, especially during the holly month of Ramadan. However, the low income that most of people suffer from due to the difficulties for people to get opportunity to work had also affected their usual shopping that use to extend during this month. Many Palestinians use to prepare themselves for Omra journey during the last ten days of Ramadan. However, due to the closure of Rafah crossing point, it is impossible to travel out of Gaza or even think about traveling where the Omra become more a luxury thing comparing to the need of hundreds of sick people and students to travel. Meanwhile, all hopes of breaking such strong closure tend to be dissipating, as the circumstances remain the same. Any way, life train does not stop and whether you like it or not, it continues to move and run from stop to stop without any consideration to the passengers. The only objective is delivering them to end of their journey. People here are forced to live the nightmare with hope and trust of the God that one day they weak up to find out that the nightmare has gone and they gain back their usual life and dreams. no one but God knows when this is going to happen and no one but him knows whether if there is any possible end for the Palestinian suffer either in the near or the far future. However, the people will never stop hopping or trusting the God whom they know that he is going to reward them for their patient and acceptance of the custody that he decides for them

Breaking of Gaza seige Ships

Finally, the two brave ships are in Gaza after the struggle of those brave people who come to support Gazaians and break the siege. It is very remarkable to see a foreign ship in Gaza wharf after more than 40 years. It is also remarkable that for the first time Israelis are not the side who decides who to enter or not to enter a Palestinian territory, which is of course unique when it comes to Gaza. No coordination, no crossing points involvements, and any Israeli touch or desire at all with regard to such an issue. The first moment of the arrival was very emotional and unique. This how the freedom tests; a Palestinian said, the siege is breakable it requires only some will, work and hope; another one said. From the reality point of view, it might be just an incidence that may never occur. However, it may be also something that can encourage peace activists and anti-occupation people to do more. It is simply watching a dream coming true with all humanity meanings.

On the other hand, it was very sad for the Palestinians to see some Europeans making such remarkable and brave move while their own Arab brothers are just watching the Palestinians dieing without doing anything to end up their suffer. Those Palestinians wish to see some Arab ship coming to do so. However, it seems that those Palestinian are waiting for a comer who will never come or tends to be not coming in the near future at least. Freedom and Gaza free ships are most welcome in Gaza. In fact, people in Gaza respect more than anyone in the world. Those real friends of Gazaians have proven their intention and willing to translate words and speeches by actions, real actions; not promising or crying with lying tears.

The release of old Palestinian Prisoner Saed Al - Ataba

It took 32 years to taste the freedom. It took 32 years to reach the moment where the whole Bethlehem and Palestine as well to give a hug to the 57 years old Saed Al Ataba, the Palestinian prisoner who was released yesterday from the Israeli prison. Saed was arrested in 1977 and judged by an Israeli court with Life imprisonment punishment. During that time, Said was still young and was 26 years old only. However, he is now 57 years old but filled with hope and challenge. He has proven that there is always hope despite all hard times failure or fall, there is always a moment of success and glory. Although Said had been released with some other prisoners, there still thousands of Palestinian prisoners waiting to have the same moment of freedom. Saed said if the people once will to have the life, the custody will respond, a say by one of the famous Arab poet Abu Al – Qasem Al- Shabi. All over the sixty years of the Israeli occupation, thousands of Palestinians were arrested and put in Israeli prisons. Some of them released and more are still there behind bars seeking and hoping to see an end for their suffering and have at least one hug with their beloved sons, wives, daughters, mothers, and fathers before death. Palestinians have paid and still paying very high price for taking one Israeli soldier in a military operation as prisoner. Tens of their elected parliament members (including the head of the parliament himself) were arrested. Tens of Israeli raids were made. Huge of collective punishment were used by Israelis and all this continue to make the life of the Palestinians as hard as possible. Considering all of that, what would be the suitable price for Israel to pay for all of this, taking into account the arresting of more than 11,000 of Palestinians half of them are kids

What is the Better for the Palestinians future??

What a question is that. It is actually the most important question that every Palestinian asks, no matter who is the responsible for answering such a question and yet no one can even give a hint about the possible answer. Let’s try to answer the question. It might be useful to use the trail and error method or let’s say the assumptions point of view. The first assumption will be: Hamas destroyed or forced to leave the scene or even agrees peacefully to leave the government for Fatah and Abbas. Will that solve the problem and bring good life to the Palestinian? Let’s take the West Bank senario as an example. Hamas has nothing in West Bank interns of authority and power. However, people there still suffer of many many things that are not related to Hamas at all. Israeli daily incursions, arresting, building occupying, hundreds of road blocks and searching, and many bad things including of course settlements and settlers and the Wall. Fatah and Abbas have the full control and power and even have very good relationship with Israeli leaders. Abbas meets Olmert almost every 2 or maximum 3 weeks. They talk and have launch or dinner together. However, no progress in their negotiations and no change at all take place on Palestinians life in West Bank. So, base on this example, if Fatah regain what it loses in Gaza, the same scenario may occur and then what is the difference and why should we say the answer is Hamas should leave the scene for the good of the Palestinians future. The second assumption will be Fatah leaves the scene in the West Bank for Hamas. Base on the current scenario of Gaza that suffers the siege and the very deteriorated life and economy because of Hamas presence (according to Israel, USA, and Quartet), we expect that West Bank may face the same, taking in account that Israel will never allow this to happen and in that case Israel may took over the civilian administration of the West Bank as well as the military administration (which is already taken by Israeli army). So the conclusion will be there is no comfortable or brightening scenario that may result from full control of Hamas alone or Fatah alone. This takes us to the third assumption, which is very optimistic, united leadership from both Hamas and Fatah rules and take place. We have also experience such a thing during the eleventh government, which were established according to Mecca agreement few months before Hamas took over Gaza. In that time, Hamas and Fatah were both in the same ship but again the major players Israel and USA and Quartet found it less than enough to end up the siege and support the Palestinians the same way they used to do before Hamas entering the scene. However, in all meanings, the Palestinians were feeling a bit comfortable despite the bad life they live under the siege because of the unity of both big parties. So, back to our million dollar question, the third assumption might be the suitable answer even if it doesn’t mean that Palestinians would have the life that they always dream of without occupation or Israeli touch.

Is Fatah or Hamas??

It is sad to see the Palestinians fighting each other rather than fighting their only enemy is Israel; that is a fact. The former allies have become enemies. However, that does not mean that both sides are in the same position. Before we judge anyone, we should return back to the near history when Hamas won the election. That was the turning point when everyone in the world directly (USA& the Quartet) or indirectly (the EU and Arabs) tried to isolate Hamas whereas that isolation led to isolating the whole people in Gaza and West Bank. Fatah was part of this anti lobbying that was established against Hamas not because of its worry about the people but for one reason; to gain the authority and positions that were lost to Hamas. More deep, Fatah started hardening everything and agreed to become a tool to be used to make Hamas fall. This of course led to hard struggling of Hamas to hold and keep what it gained and of course fight everyone including Fatah for that. Fatah even agreed to stand on Israel side and fight together Hamas and that is why most of Palestinians see them as spies and old deteriorated leadership. That does not mean that Hamas is not responsible for what we have in here but comparing to what Fatah did it is almost nothing. Considering all of this, Israel did not act from the humanitarian point of view when it agreed to have the escaped Fatah members 3 days ago; why because simply Israel had put a siege on Gaza for more than 14 months. More than 230 persons whom were old men and women and kids died because they were sick and were prevented by Israel from traveling to get the medical treatment which they needed to live. For one particular reason which had even mentioned by the Israelis; it was because those escapers fought Hamas and Israel welcome anyone who fights or even fought against Hamas. So it is never about humanity but it is about politic. No one cares about people or their suffering and how it can be solved or even decreased. Everybody outside cares about how to force the Palestinian leaders in both sides to fit with his own agenda no matter what it cost, no matter what it takes, and despite all the high price that the Palestinians are paying just to stay alive and survive.

Gaza Today

Gaza today has an indescribable face. For more than a week and since the beach blast that killed five Hamas fighters, rapid events and incidences took place and drawn our memories back to the incidences that happened 1 year ago when Hamas took over Gaza from Fatah security forces. Hamas had accused Fatah with blast, claiming that Fatah had some ties to previous blasts that happen in Gaza recently. Tens of Fatah men and charity associations were arrested and invented by Hamas police in Gaza. It seemed that Hamas wanted to show its power and the pay back price for everyone inside and outside Fatah when it comes to security of Gaza. Fatah, therefore, tried to get its revenge but in West Bank, as it still has the power. Fatah security forces arrested and kidnapped tens of Hamas members including some very well-known leaders and even mayors. Many of lecturers and doctors of Hamas were also kidnapped and hold in prisons for the sake of Fatah revenge. Early in the morning today, Hamas has what it tends to be the last battle with one of the biggest and powerful families of Gaza city that called Helles. This family had many conflicts with Hamas before due to the fact that most of this family members are Fatah. The story started 3 days ago when Hamas asked this family to hand some of wanted people whom are hold and protected by this family. The Helles family refused and decided to face Hamas with its gunmen. However, some of talks and negotiations took place between them but it failed to achieve anything. The situation had tremendously exploded today and Hamas had made its decision to force this family to surrender and hand up the wanted people.
Another interesting incidence took place 10 minutes ago. Hamas had announced that it released the well-known Fatah leaders in Gaza as a reply for what Fatah had done yesterday by releasing seven of Hamas leaders in West Bank. No body knows how this conflict between Hamas and Fatah would end or whether if it is going to develop and continue to have the war shape or it might be a sort of the beginning of the end for it. It may take so long for everyone to understand that the real war of the Palestinians is the war of liberation and fighting the Israelis to gain back the Palestinian rights and lands. Until that happen, the Palestinian situation will remain unstable and lurching despite all the suffering of the Palestinians due to Israeli occupation.