Gaza No Exit
Dear freinds , brothers , sisters comrades , all of you who read my blog
i hope you understand why i do disappear sometimes ,in Gaza Nothing is certain,and life is so difficullt and needs a lot of energy to continue from one day toanother , i love you all
Mona
Today I was supposed to be in London, addressing the Rally organized by
PSC and other organizations to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the
Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. It was the “Enough!”
Coalition rally, calling for an end to Occupation and freedom for
Palestine.
I could not make it to London. The Gaza borders are closed for an
indefinite period. Before the closure was announced I was hoping to cross
to travel to London, as it had been announced several times on local TV
that the borders would open for one continuous week.
I postponed all my work, my plans and appointments and also my community
work, and went to the borders several times hoping for the opening. It was
so cold and the situation so uncertain, and I saw crowds of people waiting
on the Palestinian side in inhuman circumstances. I was told that at least
200 patients were waiting to leave to Egypt for treatment not available in
Gaza, e. g. cancer patients.
Even when you are lucky enough to leave Gaza for Egypt via this one and
only exit, the Rafah crossing, you are always uncertain of your return to
Gaza.
We in Gaza do not travel and are deprived of one basic right, the right of
movement. We also have various restrictions on our movement inside Gaza
and on travel to the West Bank. The majority of us cannot use the Eretz
checkpoint to leave Gaza for the West Bank. All of us are barred from
using the Israeli Lod airport. I personally did not travel to the West
Bank for 12 years. During this time I missed many important and more
routine meetings related to my work as a physician. My youngest daughter
dreams of visiting Jerusalem, Ramallah or Nablus, like all her mates in
Gaza.
Living in Gaza and under such tough and cruel circumstances, the entire
community suffers from the economical sanctions imposed by the Americans
and the rest of the West, sanctions against the Hamas government, those
sanctions that contributed heavily to the severe deterioration of the
political, economical, social and psychological situation inside Gaza.
While living in Gaza and experiencing the situation on the ground, and
living in the midst of the Palestinian-Palestinian clashes between Fatah
and Hamas, I blame both parties for the Palestinian bloodshed and do not
give any excuse whatsoever for any of them, nevertheless I blame the West
for its economical sanctions against Palestine and the Israeli occupation
which on its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip it converted to a big boiling
pressure cooker.
That Israeli disengagement plan from Gaza was a new form of Occupation,
because Israel still controls Gaza from outside. It controls the borders
and the economy, and has a free hand to carry out various incursions.
Israel’s disengagement from Gaza was a step towards making an independent
Palestinian state impossible. Its consequence was to turn the Palestinian
cause into a charitable not a national issue. By making the Palestinian
people go hungry and lose all aspects of a dignified life, it is a step
towards demoralising them and making them in the end accept whatever
solution, however small and inadequate.
What do you expect of people living inside this pressure cooker, but all
sorts of aggression, despair, demoralization, and frictions against each
other? More than 60 people were killed, 30 in 3 days, and more than 70
were injured in different parts of Gaza. Most people stayed inside their
homes, one man was killed inside his home, many buildings in the Remal
area where I live were hit by random shooting, many residents left their
homes seeking safer areas, but where are those safe areas, when no place
is safer than any other?
It is mid-term holidays for the children of Gaza, 2 weeks holiday, no
regular electricity, no safe streets to run in, no proper places to play,
no safe homes to stay in, and no proper food to eat. Life continues and
the most dangerous time is when people start to lose faith and hope, and
have no vision for the future.
With your solidarity, with the solidarity of all those good people
worldwide who hate to see injustice and aggression, and continue to work
for a better world, I can keep my hope and vision for a better future, and
try to transmit those feelings to the others here to keep them strong.
I still count on you for a better future for the Palestinian people, the
women, the children who deserve better lives.
From Gaza with love
Mona
i hope you understand why i do disappear sometimes ,in Gaza Nothing is certain,and life is so difficullt and needs a lot of energy to continue from one day toanother , i love you all
Mona
Today I was supposed to be in London, addressing the Rally organized by
PSC and other organizations to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the
Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. It was the “Enough!”
Coalition rally, calling for an end to Occupation and freedom for
Palestine.
I could not make it to London. The Gaza borders are closed for an
indefinite period. Before the closure was announced I was hoping to cross
to travel to London, as it had been announced several times on local TV
that the borders would open for one continuous week.
I postponed all my work, my plans and appointments and also my community
work, and went to the borders several times hoping for the opening. It was
so cold and the situation so uncertain, and I saw crowds of people waiting
on the Palestinian side in inhuman circumstances. I was told that at least
200 patients were waiting to leave to Egypt for treatment not available in
Gaza, e. g. cancer patients.
Even when you are lucky enough to leave Gaza for Egypt via this one and
only exit, the Rafah crossing, you are always uncertain of your return to
Gaza.
We in Gaza do not travel and are deprived of one basic right, the right of
movement. We also have various restrictions on our movement inside Gaza
and on travel to the West Bank. The majority of us cannot use the Eretz
checkpoint to leave Gaza for the West Bank. All of us are barred from
using the Israeli Lod airport. I personally did not travel to the West
Bank for 12 years. During this time I missed many important and more
routine meetings related to my work as a physician. My youngest daughter
dreams of visiting Jerusalem, Ramallah or Nablus, like all her mates in
Gaza.
Living in Gaza and under such tough and cruel circumstances, the entire
community suffers from the economical sanctions imposed by the Americans
and the rest of the West, sanctions against the Hamas government, those
sanctions that contributed heavily to the severe deterioration of the
political, economical, social and psychological situation inside Gaza.
While living in Gaza and experiencing the situation on the ground, and
living in the midst of the Palestinian-Palestinian clashes between Fatah
and Hamas, I blame both parties for the Palestinian bloodshed and do not
give any excuse whatsoever for any of them, nevertheless I blame the West
for its economical sanctions against Palestine and the Israeli occupation
which on its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip it converted to a big boiling
pressure cooker.
That Israeli disengagement plan from Gaza was a new form of Occupation,
because Israel still controls Gaza from outside. It controls the borders
and the economy, and has a free hand to carry out various incursions.
Israel’s disengagement from Gaza was a step towards making an independent
Palestinian state impossible. Its consequence was to turn the Palestinian
cause into a charitable not a national issue. By making the Palestinian
people go hungry and lose all aspects of a dignified life, it is a step
towards demoralising them and making them in the end accept whatever
solution, however small and inadequate.
What do you expect of people living inside this pressure cooker, but all
sorts of aggression, despair, demoralization, and frictions against each
other? More than 60 people were killed, 30 in 3 days, and more than 70
were injured in different parts of Gaza. Most people stayed inside their
homes, one man was killed inside his home, many buildings in the Remal
area where I live were hit by random shooting, many residents left their
homes seeking safer areas, but where are those safe areas, when no place
is safer than any other?
It is mid-term holidays for the children of Gaza, 2 weeks holiday, no
regular electricity, no safe streets to run in, no proper places to play,
no safe homes to stay in, and no proper food to eat. Life continues and
the most dangerous time is when people start to lose faith and hope, and
have no vision for the future.
With your solidarity, with the solidarity of all those good people
worldwide who hate to see injustice and aggression, and continue to work
for a better world, I can keep my hope and vision for a better future, and
try to transmit those feelings to the others here to keep them strong.
I still count on you for a better future for the Palestinian people, the
women, the children who deserve better lives.
From Gaza with love
Mona
posted by Mona_Elfarra at
7:42 AM
4 Comments:
there are those of us who are working for a better world- for gaza and for all- even against our own government. the wheels always run slow.
By
billie, at 2/02/2007 4:29 PM
You will not like this one.
You claim palestinian problems are because of Israel.
Back in 1947 ..,arab students demonstrated ,throwed stones against the Zionists, against the partition.
Since 1947 palestine has not seen a moment of peace.
The arabs have been demonstrating against the Zionists.
If you turn the house you live in in a battle ground.., you cant complain the funiture does get broken.
This is what happens in palestine.
Since the jews arrive in palestine the arabs have never accepted them and waged a relentless war against them.
And now you complain you dont have peace !!!
Of course palestinians do not have peace because they -and the arabs- have been waging a war against israel.
In may 1967 there was no ocupation.
On 27 May the President of Egypt, Abdel Nasser, declared: "Our basic objective will be the destruction of Israel. The Arab people want to fight."
Click here to see bbc may 1967
And the arab people did fight.
And got defeated.
And now you blame Israel?
If you were to blame anyone blame Nasser and the warmongering against Israel.
If a man does keep blaming his wife how can he have a peacefull and happy life at home ? He cant.
Instead blaming Israel for the 100000 time..,the palestinians should look at themselves and realize the arabs have never made peace with Israel.
as long as the arabs do not make peace with Israel, Israel cannot make peace with the arabs.
Having said that I completely condemn Israeli incurcions in wich palestinian children die.
Such incurcions are wrong.
But palestinians should understand that they should make peace.
Only peace would bring hapinness for both the Israelis and the palestinians.
By
Obseervador, at 2/04/2007 6:09 AM
I was not expecting my comment would be published.
Having written what I wrote I must say israeli policies are bad either.
Many times israeli have no respect for the life of the palestinians.
When a israeli does get killed israelis do an enquiry. When a pali get killed they ignore the fact.
On one hand the arab world has not accepted israel, namely a Israeli jerusalem.
On the other hand israel has no respect for palestinian life.
On one hand arabs do not understand that jews have a connection with palestine and jerusalem.
For 2 millenia jews have said to each : "Next year may we be in Jerusalem!".
For 2 millenia jews were persecuted.
People should understand that.
When it comes to the palestinians , Israeli policies are brutal. During the first intifada many palestinians died..,and often Israel does show no respect for the life of the palestinian civilians and children.
By
Obseervador, at 2/04/2007 1:41 PM
CNN Confirms Israel Broke Ceasefire First
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KntmpoRXFX4
By
Hunk, at 1/12/2009 2:22 AM
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