November 4th was both an encouraging and a deeply discouraging day!
The White House - November 4, 2023
A pro-Palestinian rights protester holds a sign saying that "Pro-Palestine is not equal to Antisemitism" at a hearing held by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on November 8, 2023.
More than 100 congressional staffers walked off the job and attended a vigil outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on November 8, 2023 to demand a Gaza cease-fire.
NYC - November 4, 2023
It was a good day — that also was another major part of the continuation of the Genocide! Many, Many, Many people demonstrated seeking a Ceasefire and an eventual Just Peace Settlement that will hopefully eventually give the Palestinians their freedom either within a single new State of "Palestine" (encompassing Israel) or "Israel" (encompassing Palestine as a whole), a fair - Two State Solution (which would be extremely difficult to achieve given the massive Settlements carving up much of the West Bank, or some type of Confederation or other means of tying the land together.
Child Getting Medical Care - after Bombing in Refugee Camp - November 3, 2023
Gaza City - November 5, 2023
Northern Gaza - November 8, 2023
It was also a day of continued Genocide - aerial bombardment of Gaza, a land invasion which appears to have nearly surrounded Gaza City and conquered the area north of it, as well as significantly increased killings and destruction on the West Bank as well as dangerous actions attacking Palestinians within the Pre-1967 Israel itself.
Civic Center - San Francisco - My Part of the Genocide
I, and many others continue to grieve the major losses of lives, largely of civilians, as well as the seemingly never ending traumatizing of the Palestinian People in so many ways — as well as greatly increased harassment of Palestinian-American (as well as citizens/residents of other countries) and general Islamaphobia.
Washington, DC
As the protests continue to grow, the complicity of Joe Biden, personally, and the United States as well as other "allies" in a broader sense grows in the Genocide. There are no discussions from those on top as to an "end goal" - beyond - the obvious "destroy Hamas" and making excuses for the "collateral damage" (sic) of many hundreds or more for every Hamas member killed.
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Doctors in Gaza speak out against an letter from Israeli physicians which endorsed the bombing of hospitals by the Israel Defense Forces
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Statue of Liberty - November 6, 2023
Tacoma Washington Protesters Delay Weapons Carrying Ship to Israel for eight hours
Funeral for child in Rafah killed November 6, 2023 - Pediatric Hospital
It is obvious that the lives of the Palestinian People do NOT MATTER to most, if not all, of those supporting the continued assault on Gaza, as well as the general “Israeli Cause”.
One would think, from both the mainstream news media, the politicians, and the Israelis, that being a Palestinian — human being, was somehow being “a killer” or “a collaborator” or otherwise an “oppressor” of the Jews of Israel and of the rest of the world in general.
Gaza - 11/3/23 - Collecting Bodies
To accuse the children of Gaza - to date - at least Three times as many killed as all the Jewish Israeli's and others killed by Hamas - of being complicit - in anything negative seems to me to be the perspective of someone I would label "Sadistic" or "Supremacist" or "Racist" ... or a combination of such words.
Obviously, there are many, many, many, many Palestinians who have no ties to Hamas at all! Their purported "guilt" - for being alive in Gaza - would be Laughable, if it wasn't so, so Dangerous.
The "Demand" of Israel (and Tacitly the U.S.) on Hamas is that they release the over 200 hostages that it is holding. Hamas is demanding the simultaneous release of the over 7000 Palestinian Political Prisoners that Israel holds. A huge percentage of these Prisoners have been held for many years - without any Charges - and Thus - NO way that they can have a trial where they might defend what they have purportedly done. Being held without charges means - that individuals may not even know what they are accused of doing Where a charge exists, often it is the Membership in an (allegedly) "Terrorist" Organization. Opposition to the continued occupation - alone is considered "Terrorist".
Whether one Loves Hamas (few do) or believes that they are the most oppressive, most repressive, most horrific Organization, it seems Obvious - that IF Hamas were to release its hostages, it would remove the sole Bargaining Chip it has. If the hostages are unilaterally released based upon the "Agreement" that a Ceasefire will then occur, the Ceasefire could (for example) last for a finite period of time such as an hour, a day or a week before Israel could continue its assault. It could claim - for example - a "lack of good faith" by Hamas in various ways.
Hamas - has no reason to trust the good will of either The United States or Israel. It has every reason to believe that the occupation will continue and that any current or future "settlement" will be imposed upon Hamas and the Palestinian People. There is no Neutral Third Party - that has any reasonable possibility of mediating or otherwise creating a potentially just settlement for both sides in this situation. Israel and the U.S. wield a vastly Disproportionate share of Power - and Hamas and the Palestinians have little power!
Let's look at the hostages held by Hamas in a different way. Hamas is currently under a relentless attack from Israel, both via the air and on land. Hostages and foreign citizens and other "outsiders" have already been innocently killed in the Israeli attack. Can one honestly expect that the over 200 hostages will be rescued and not killed by the Israeli invading forces??? Even if Hamas were to want to avoid any possible deaths, how could they possibly do this? Do we expect that Hamas will value hostages' lives over the lives of Palestinian Gazan residents? This seems likely only in a world of such self-hatred and support of the "Supremacy" (sic) of Jewish Israeli lives?
Clearly Israel and the U.S. - are exposing over 200 Israeli Hostages to a likely death as the assault continues. Clearly - Hamas is NOT killing them!
Who - is responsible?
Clearly - the issues here are similar to the U.S. - in meaningful ways! The life of white person - and/or a Police Officer - is more valued than the life of a Black Person. Racism and Supremacy of the dominant People - is the reality - that we seemingly refuse to acknowledge and deal with.
We live in our fears and our hatred! This is very sad!
San Francisco
A sizeable movement is building including both long time activists, as well as far, far more people that are new to protesting and otherwise supporting Palestinians Rights. The Movement includes a significant number of young people. They are a most diverse group.
Seemingly, the Movement is often reasonably radical in its ideology and messaging! The ties to Settler-Colonialism and Racism are common. Discussion of the U.S. - as an "Empire" and a force of repression is heard more and more frequently as the Movement builds.
It is obviously unclear whether the Movement will continue and build into an effective force in the United States. So far, the forces of Reaction - The Mainstream, are maintaining seeming power.
Obviously — things could move further towards oppression — and reaction! There is plenty of money for the defense contractors — who profit greatly from the billions that are poured into weapons, jets, and much more. There are plenty of people who love to tell other people what to do! Dictatorial Leadership — often can be extremely oppressive.
Affirming, loving caring — cooperation is Not what the Establishment is seeking! Coalition Building — as is necessary and being significantly built up now — may lead to major — systemic change, if our Movement grows and prospers.
Washington, DC
Meanwhile — Biden and the Democrats — believe — seriously believe — that those in the Movement will still come out in large numbers and support them! I find this presumption, problematic at best. Somehow — the Killing of Many thousands of innocent people and over 75 years of massive oppression — now being ignored — while things get worse and worse — will be instantly forgotten.
Our fear of the Republicans — may well prevent us from voting for the Republicans — certainly is true. Voter turnout — often is important — especially in key states. If we don’t turn out -in states like Pennsylvania or Wisconsin — a bigger disaster could easily occur in 2024. We’ll see — if this Genocide — ignoring continues and if fellow USians — turn on the Dems if they don’t change. The People often are much smarter than our supposed leaders are.
San Francisco - November 4, 2023
It is tragic, that voices of reason are so marginalized and ignored. I will suggest a limited number of media sources that others can use to learn a lot more as to what is going on.
Donations for Relief for Palestinians in Gaza particularly to various organizations is important (of course)!
Organizations Committed to Human Rights for Palestinians
https://crossculturalsolidarity.com/organizations-committed-to-human-rights-for-palestinians/
- an Incredible Large listing of sites - including those below - from my Incredible Ally Lynn Burnett
The Electronic Intifada — https://electronicintifada.net/ — provides a free source of information — donations welcome — that one can easily subscribe to as well as currently attend live presentations — viewable from Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine. ( A Palestinian Voice — of moderation which has published for a long time)
+972 Magazine — https://www.972mag.com/ — one can also subscribe — a voice of moderate Palestinians and Israelis
Democracy Now — https://www.democracynow.org/ — an independent Global Source of News on Israel-Palestine-Gaza and much more
American Muslims for Palestine — https://www.ampalestine.org/ — American Muslims for Palestine works to educate, organize, and mobilize the Muslim-American community, as well as allies in other communities, to advance Palestinian rights.
AROC — Arab Resource & Organizing Center (San Francisco) — https://www.araborganizing.org/
Jewish Voice for Peace — JVP — (Nationally as well as having many local chapters) — https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/ — an openly Anti-Zionist Jewish Organization — that supports a just peace for all of us — whatever our ethnicity, religion, race, or homeland/country of residence — Non-Jews are welcome — of course!!!
If Not Now — https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/ — “We are a movement of American Jews organizing our community to end U.S. support for Israel’s apartheid system and demand equality, justice, and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis.”
Additional Resources suggested by a Cal Berkeley Palestinian-American Student:
Al Jazeera - https://www.aljazeera.com/ - Al Jazeera English is a globally recognized 24-hour
English-language news channel. It operates under the ownership of the Al
Jazeera Media Network, which, in turn, funded by the goverment of Qatar. It is
the first English-language news channel to be headquartered in Western Asia.
The
Cradle - https://new.thecradle.co/ - The Cradle is an online news magazine covering
the geopolitics of West Asia from within the region.
Qumsiyeh: A Human Rights Web - http://qumsiyeh.org/
London
We stayed together — after the march was over. The chants continued echoing in the BART station — It was moving!
BART Station- SF - After the Rally and March
Code Pink - SF- 11/4/23 - (I am holding pink banner and sign)
Chicago - October 19, 2023
ADDENDUM COURTESY OF MY ALLIES
FROM MY PRIOR HOME (TOWN)
CFAR Statement About Palestine Commentators and politicians repeatedly compare the October 7th violence in Israel-Palestine to 9/11 in the United States. Their references to 9/11 are a demand to shut up about the gross injustices that preceded that date, and to embrace more repression.
As with the post-9/11 US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, their goal is get the American public to sign off on unimaginably greater violence and devastation going forward.
Like with 9/11, progressives and the left are forced to make a fundamental decision. Do we keep quiet about the impending violence that's many times the scale of that which preceded it? Do we, while asking for solidarity with our movements, stay above the fray while others are facing unprecedented levels of violence, violence that will precipitate fundamentally worse changes in international and domestic politics as did the US invasions of the Middle East and Afghanistan?
Moreover, what are the connections between solidarity with Palestine and feminist principles, and support for reproductive justice and bodily autonomy?
With these questions in mind, before taking further actions, the CFAR steering committee publicized to our membership listserv that we would discuss the issue of Palestine-Israel at our October 24th general membership meeting. Based upon that discussion, the meeting voted unanimously that CFAR would make and publicize a Palestine solidarity statement, establishing a drafting committee to work on it over the next week.
Here is that statement:Chicago for Abortion Rights stands in solidarity with the struggle for Palestinian liberation. We join countless others around the world in demanding an immediate ceasefire, restoration of electricity, water, and communication services, an end to United States financial support of Israeli aggression and apartheid, an end of settler-colonial occupation, and a free Palestine.From Chicago to G aza, we deserve the right “to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” The occupation of Palestine directly causes and exacerbates miscarriages, unsafe deliveries, little to no access to infant and family planning clinics, and family separation. With the current, continuous bombardment of Gaza, reproductive injustices are mounting every hour and there must be an immediate ceasefire with no restrictions on humanitarian aid. In Chicago, SJP Chicago and USPCN are leading the on the ground response to this atrocity, organizing 25,000 people in downtown Chicago on October 14th. We encourage our members, and other reproductive justice activists, to attend local pro-Palestinian actions and follow guidance provided by the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine. It is important to make clear that the actions of our government - the same government that has allowed deep assaults on abortion rights and access, hitting hardest the uninsured, poor, and people of color, especially across the American South - does not represent the majority. We want to acknowledge and thank the leaders in the reproductive justice movement who did not hesitate to quickly and publicly voice their support for the struggle for Palestinian liberation and against the genocide of Palestinian people being carried out by the government of Israel. Abortion Fund of Ohio, Arc Southeast, Buckle Bunnies Fund, NYC for Abortion Rights, Repro Workers, Riotous Roots and Transfuturists (Birthworkers for a Free Palestine), and WeTestify - thank you for your leadership, strength, and continued insistence that other reproductive organizations also stand up in this moment. It is not too late to join millions of others around the world in saying, “Free Palestine.” “The fact that we are here and that I speak these words is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those differences between us, for it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken.” – Audre Lorde, “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” |
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