Jewish Voice For Peace: Request to Organize Demonstrations Gaza Attack

16 November 2012

Jewish Voice for Peace requests protests to be organized around the world.  You can start your own in your area, or find others to join.  It is time to stop this mess and take action.

To find locations click here

To Start Your Own

Search the Stop the Bombs, Stop the Siege, Stop Payment events already scheduled to take place around the country in the coming days as Israel continues its military assault on Gaza. If you don't see a protest listed in your area, consider organizing your own by clicking the link! We'll provide you with resources for your demonstration that you can easily download and print, as well as connecting you with any others in your area who are also interested in attending and organizing a demonstration. Together we will say: Stop the Bombs. Stop the Siege. Stop Payment on the Israeli Military’s Blank Check!

Behind the Scenes: Operation Defense Pillar

16 November 2012

News Excerpts:

Blog Smithsonian

The Israelis began their raids of Gaza on Thursday. Gaza responded with strikes of their own, and today Israel called up 16,000 army reservists to fight. In Gaza, a man suspected of collaborating with Israel was executed:

The brazen nature of the execution suggested that Hamas, which governs Gaza, intended it as a blunt message to other possible collaborators with Israel, which is believed to have an extensive network of informants here as part of its underlying battle with the group. But the shooting evoked mixed feelings.

“There were kids and children on the street,” said the witness, Mr. Mohammed. “They should have executed him in a far place.”

Air raid sirens are going off in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem – and the people on both sides are trying to keep from becoming casualties of the conflict.

Online, the IDF has been keeping the world appraised of their thoughts and tactics via social media in a way no one has ever done before. Motherboard writes:

Lifestyle journos live-blogging an awards ceremony, sure. Politicos pushing a social media campaign to during a debate, yeah. But a major military live-tweeting its war effort? Is that where we are now?Apparently:

“The verified social media accounts of the Israeli Defense Forces are providing live updates on a concerted military effort against Hamas. Using the hashtag #PillarOfDefense, the verified Twitter account @IDFSpokesperson is posting ominous messages, headline-style updates, and YouTube videos of strikes.”

ReadWrite calls it “brilliant, in its way.” Yes, it’s “brilliant” in the way that the most effective war propaganda tends to be—colorful, uber-patriotic, Manichean, assertive—just more powerful, since they’re controlling the wartime PR channels and shaping public perception with a series of live updates.

And it was working extraordinarily well. The ten second clip of the IDF taking out Ahmed Jabri has been viewed over 2 million times. Of course, Gaza retaliated online as well. Slate writes:

But then @IDFspokesperson and @AlqassamBrigade began trading insults over Twitter, while deploying missiles at each other. The chest-thumping reminded me of the competitive e-sports. This is real life, though, with real people dying. In fact, as the BBC noted, making threats of violence is actuallyagainst Twitter’s terms of service, meaning it is within Twitter’s right to shut down both accounts if it feels so inclined.

While @IDFspokesperson’s Twitter followers may have grown exponentially, it hasn’t had the same success in hashtags. Israel’s hashtag, #Pillarofdefense, received 808 mentions by Wednesday evening, while #GazaUnderAttack—used by Hamas, Palestinian supporters, and civilians—was tweeted 120,000 times, reported the Washington Post.

The Guardian

If you click here, you can listen to the Israeli attacks on Gaza. You can hear explosions, drones and ambulances. This is the soundtrack of the lives of Palestinians there now. They're recording it and transmitting it, and their friends all over the world – particularly the Arab world – are listening to it live.

We are also reading the tweets and blogs the young Gazans are putting out, and taking a good look at the images they're posting – like the one of Ranan Arafat, before and after. Before, she's a pretty little girl with green eyes, a green halter-neck top and green ribbons in her hair. After the Israeli bomb, she's a charred and shrunken figure. Her mouth is open. A medic lifts – for just a moment – her blue hospital shroud.

In that hospital, Shifa in Gaza City, we watched the Egyptian prime minister, Hisham Kandil, this morning. For the first time in 42 years an Egyptian prime minister was where we Egyptians wanted him to be. For the first time a government official was telling the truth when he said he spoke for the Egyptian people. And he was spot on when he referred to the Egyptian people first, before the Egyptian president.

Since he won the presidency, Mohamed Morsi has tried to be a pragmatic politician. He pressed on with "security co-ordination" with Israel in Sinai; he started sealing up the tunnels that provide a lifeline to the besieged Gazans; he rejected the proposal of a free trade area on the borders between Egypt and Gaza; and he sent an ambassador to Tel Aviv with a fulsome letter to Shimon Peres. And so he found himself uncomfortably cosied up with remnants of the Mubarak regime and aficionados of the military government.

From Gaza

Update of the Biblical war of Israel against occupied Gaza Strip Photo from the Web... London, (Pal Telegraph) – An Israeli full-scale war was launched yesterday against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The war was announced by Israel to be as a military operation that took a biblical name “Pillar of the Clouds”. So far, 15 Palestinians killed whom of which 8 civilians including 5 children, three women and an old man. Israeli army launched a number of 160 air raids from Air, Ground and Naval forces. Palestinian armed factions retaliated to heavy Israeli attacks which also left 100 Palestinians physically wounded. A status of fear and panic spread across Gaza where children are caught in Trauma. Dozens of Palestinian children were brought to hospitals in north and south Gaza. Palestine Telegraph reporter in Gaza confirmed that food supplies became scarce in Gaza. People are in fear that a ground invasion is due. Rania, 22, said "We are in fear of Israeli bombing. My cousin was killed as he tried to go out to buy bread. Gaza seems like ghost town." 

Operation Defense Pillar

16 November 2012

The name chosen for the new war in Gaza is "operation Cloud Pillar". A far more appropriate name would have been "Operation Short Memory" Said former Knesset member Uri Avnery, Gush Shalom activist. "Prime Minister Netanyahu is counting on the public's short memory. Netanyahu counts upon people forgetting that dozens and even hundreds of "liquidations" had been carried out and they did not solve any problem - always there was somebody replacing those who were killed, and more than once the new one was more capable and more radical. Netanyahu counts on people not remembering that four years ago Israel went to war in Gaza, killing 1300 civilians in three weeks – which otherwise did not make any significant change in the situation. Netanyahu counts on people failing to remember that just yesterday  morning the media reported on people in the communities of the South heaving a sigh of relief at the complete cessation of missiles from Gaza. .

"Binyamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak have taken the decision - for the second time in a row the State of Israel will conduct general elections under the shadow of war in the Gaza Strip. The cease-fire which already started to stabilize had been broken and shattered to pieces. The inhabitants of te communities of southern Israel, who just started to breathe freely, are sent right back to air raid alarms and the running to shelters.  

At the price of great suffering on both sides of the border, the government's aim had been accomplished: the social issues, which threatened to assume prominence in these elections, have been pushed aside and removed from the agenda  of the elections campaign. Forgotten, too, is the brave attempt of Mahmud Abbas to address the Israeli public opinion. In the coming weeks, the headlines will be filled with constant war and death, destruction and bloodshed. When it ends at last, it will be revealed that no goal has been achieved and that the problems remain the same, or perhaps exacerbated. "

Adam Keller - Gush Shalom

Spontaneous Protest in Tel Aviv Against War: Video

16 November 2012

This Video is in Hebrew but you get the Idea, many Israelis are angry about the bombardment on Gaza:  This is a protest in front of the Defense Minister of Israel.

Bombs Rain Down on Gaza: PETITION

16 November 2012

Amici and friends, Please sign the petitions listed here and below copy and paste the message to put into European Ministers Facebook Pages to help save lives and keep pushing the world to make Israel put a stop to their slaughter.  Please read and follow the steps

Si prega di firmare le petizioni elencate qui di seguito e di copiare e incollare il messaggio di mettere in Ministri europei pagine di Facebook per contribuire a salvare vite umane e continuare a spingere il mondo a fare di Israele di porre fine alla loro macellazione. Si prega di leggere e seguire le istruzioni

1)  Firma La Petizione: Avaaz 
      Sign This Petition:  Avaaz    (In Italian, but it is translated below in English for you!)

(Italiani sotto l'inglese)
While bombs rain down on Gaza Palestinians and Israelis are sul'orlo of another cycle of violence and revenge. But, right now, the Palestinian Authority is to seek recognition at the UN, and this could be an incredible opportunity for peace. Let us help you make it a reality.


While in the south of Israel's population lives in fear of rockets in Gaza Palestinians living under siege, trapped in a narrow strip of land. And in the West Bank people are dispossessed of the land occupied by illegal settlements, sufferers are stuck for hours on the way to hospitals by Israeli checkpoints and families separated by vast walls that cut in both their fields. But if the Palestinians win their bet at the UN for a state immediately, we could see the beginning of the end of 40 years of occupation and make way for two states, Palestine and Israel, that they can live side by side in peace and total security .

The U.S. and Israel are trying to blow up the UN vote and the attack on Gaza may be an attempt to shift the focus to appear unreliable and the Palestinians. But Europe has not yet made a decision and EU foreign ministers will meet in just 4 days. If we will hear now we can persuade Europe to vote "Yes" for peace and freedom. Click to flood those who try to sabotage this decision with our requests hopeful gathered in a huge petition and delivered through a five-story flag exposed out of the meeting of Ministers.


2)  Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have yet to decide. Use the topics above to write a message on the facebook pages of their leaders. copy the message below and click on the link below to paste them on their Facebook pages. (You have to put them in a reply to posts...you cannot write on their wall)

Mariano- Rajoy-Brey 
William J Hague 
 Westerwelle 

3)  and copy and paste this: As a concerned citizen, I ask you urgently to put you on the right side of history despite pressure from Israel and the U.S., and to support the Palestinian resolution to the General Assembly of the United Nations. This is the best path to peace and freedom that the public wants. Now is the time for Palestine.


Mentre a Gaza piovono bombe Palestinesi e Israeliani sono sul'orlo di un'altra spirale di violenza e vendette. Ma, proprio ora, l'Autorità palestinese sta per chiedere il riconoscimento all'ONU e questa potrebbe essere un'opportunità incredibile per la pace. Aiutiamoli a farla diventare realtà.

Italiani
Mentre nel sud di Israele la popolazione vive nella paura dei razzi, a Gaza i palestinesi vivono sotto assedio, imprigionati in una striscia di terreno strettissima. E in Cisgiordania la gente viene espropriata della terra occupata da insediamenti illegali, i malati sono bloccati per ore nel percorso verso gli ospedali dai posti di blocco israeliani e le famiglie sono divise da enormi muri che tagliano in due i loro campi. Ma se i Palestinesi vinceranno la loro scommessa all'ONU per uno stato subito, potremmo assistere all'inizio della fine di 40 anni di occupazione e fare strada a due stati, Palestina e Israele, che possano vivere fianco a fianco in pace e totale sicurezza.

Gli USA e Israele stanno cercando di far saltare il voto all'ONU e l'attacco contro Gaza potrebbe essere un tentativo di spostare l'attenzione e di far apparire inaffidabili i palestinesi. Ma l'Europa non ha ancora preso una decisione e i ministri degli esteri europei si incontreranno tra soli 4 giorni. Se ci faremo sentire ora potremo convincere l'Europa a votare "Sì" per la pace e la libertà. Clicca per inondare chi cerca di sabotare questa decisione con le nostre richieste piene di speranza riunite in un'enorme petizione e consegnate attraverso una bandiera alta cinque piani esposta fuori dall'incontro dei ministri.


2)  Spagna, Francia, Germania e il Regno Unito devono ancora decidere. Usa gli argomenti qui sopra per scrivere un messaggio sulle pagine facebook dei loro leader. O copia il messaggio sotto e clicca sui link qui sotto per incollarli sulle loro pagine:
Mariano-Rajoy-Bray  
William J Hague 
 Westerwelle 

3)  In quanto cittadino preoccupato, vi chiedo urgentemente di mettervi dal lato giusto della storia nonostante la pressione di Israele e degli USA, e di sostenere la risoluzione palestinese all'Assemblea generale delle Nazioni Unite. Si tratta del miglior percorso verso la pace e la libertà che il pubblico vuole. Ora è il momento per la Palestina.