Happy New Year
What a way to start. Fireworks. Big crowds at the Mount. All good
And in Israel, fireworks and big crowds too, only not so much fun. AS I watch the terrorist state of Israel continue to target UN facilities, and teh civilians within, as they continue with their ongoing blockade that prevents food, medicine, fuel, hope from entering Gaza, I wonder how a people who were treated so appallingly can so quickly act with so little humanity, so little compassion, and instead poor out such hate on other people.
There will be no peace while Israel insists on acting as a terrorist state, and whil America supports them in their terrorist activities.
Anyway, happy new year!
I enclose a email I received last week.
Hello all,
I am spending the Christmas break here in Jerusalem with my girlfriend Karin and her family. It was a lovely Christmas, as we went to Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity and Christmas Lutheran Church on Christmas Eve and then to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Old City Jerusalem on Christmas Day.
Not long after that, as many of you know, Israel began a bombing campaign in Gaza. The death and destruction have been horrific, with the latest death toll at over 300 people, many of which are civilians.
What you have probably heard is that our government and many US newspapers (like the Washington Post) have laid the blame entirely on Hamas and Gaza. After all, they did start shooting rockets at Israel once the 6-month truce expired.
What you probably have not heard is this: what exactly was Israel's side of the agreement in that truce? In return for a halt in rockets, Israel agreed to open the borders of Gaza. See, for many years now (40+) Israel has controlled Gaza, even though they don't have any forces there. It has basically been an open air prison, with all land borders sealed, and with Israel using force to prevent any planes or ships from coming in. Israel also controls the electricity and water, both of which it frequently cuts off for different reasons. They have blockaded the Gaza strip, and have stopped all goods coming into and out of Gaza. Six months ago, they agreed to open these borders. They rarely did, even denying the inflow of basic food aid. In addition, they have barred all journalists from the strip for fear that the true suffering of the Gazans might be known. The most recent UN figure put at 80% the number of Gazans who rely on food aid, yet the UN trucks are rarely allowed in. With all of the violence, hospitals were woefully under supplied to handle all these traumas, as again, Israel prevented any medical supplies to come in.
What you also may not have heard is that Israel started planning this attack 6 months ago, right when the truce was signed (even up to the smallest detail- see haaretz.com). They even started the bombing campaign at noon, right when children were leaving school, creating even more potential to harm kids and civilians.
We are indeed saddened by this violence here on both sides, and unfortunately it looks as though Israel might invade with ground troops, which would be a disaster for everyone. Palestine has been under occupation now for over forty years, and basic human rights are being denied to them. We witnessed here, on the Mount of Olives, a Palestinian being beaten in custody by Israeli police. This is not abnormal.
We are praying for a quick end to the violence, but more importantly we are praying for justice and an end to the occupation, which is the only way to bring a lasting peace and security for both Palestinians and Israeli's.
Please feel free to share this.
~Ray
And in Israel, fireworks and big crowds too, only not so much fun. AS I watch the terrorist state of Israel continue to target UN facilities, and teh civilians within, as they continue with their ongoing blockade that prevents food, medicine, fuel, hope from entering Gaza, I wonder how a people who were treated so appallingly can so quickly act with so little humanity, so little compassion, and instead poor out such hate on other people.
There will be no peace while Israel insists on acting as a terrorist state, and whil America supports them in their terrorist activities.
Anyway, happy new year!
I enclose a email I received last week.
Hello all,
I am spending the Christmas break here in Jerusalem with my girlfriend Karin and her family. It was a lovely Christmas, as we went to Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity and Christmas Lutheran Church on Christmas Eve and then to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Old City Jerusalem on Christmas Day.
Not long after that, as many of you know, Israel began a bombing campaign in Gaza. The death and destruction have been horrific, with the latest death toll at over 300 people, many of which are civilians.
What you have probably heard is that our government and many US newspapers (like the Washington Post) have laid the blame entirely on Hamas and Gaza. After all, they did start shooting rockets at Israel once the 6-month truce expired.
What you probably have not heard is this: what exactly was Israel's side of the agreement in that truce? In return for a halt in rockets, Israel agreed to open the borders of Gaza. See, for many years now (40+) Israel has controlled Gaza, even though they don't have any forces there. It has basically been an open air prison, with all land borders sealed, and with Israel using force to prevent any planes or ships from coming in. Israel also controls the electricity and water, both of which it frequently cuts off for different reasons. They have blockaded the Gaza strip, and have stopped all goods coming into and out of Gaza. Six months ago, they agreed to open these borders. They rarely did, even denying the inflow of basic food aid. In addition, they have barred all journalists from the strip for fear that the true suffering of the Gazans might be known. The most recent UN figure put at 80% the number of Gazans who rely on food aid, yet the UN trucks are rarely allowed in. With all of the violence, hospitals were woefully under supplied to handle all these traumas, as again, Israel prevented any medical supplies to come in.
What you also may not have heard is that Israel started planning this attack 6 months ago, right when the truce was signed (even up to the smallest detail- see haaretz.com). They even started the bombing campaign at noon, right when children were leaving school, creating even more potential to harm kids and civilians.
We are indeed saddened by this violence here on both sides, and unfortunately it looks as though Israel might invade with ground troops, which would be a disaster for everyone. Palestine has been under occupation now for over forty years, and basic human rights are being denied to them. We witnessed here, on the Mount of Olives, a Palestinian being beaten in custody by Israeli police. This is not abnormal.
We are praying for a quick end to the violence, but more importantly we are praying for justice and an end to the occupation, which is the only way to bring a lasting peace and security for both Palestinians and Israeli's.
Please feel free to share this.
~Ray
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