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Ismers remain in Gaza during ground operation

DM | 04.01.2009 10:03 | World

On the 2nd Israel offered to allow foreign passport holders the opportunity
to leave Gaza for safety, about 400 foreigners took them up.

ISMers didn't. those staying in Gaza are:
Alberto Arce - SpainEwa
Jasiewicz - Poland/Britain
Dr. Haider Eid - South Africa
Sharon Lock - AustraliaVittorio Arrigoni - ItalyJenny Linnel - Britain
Natalie Abu Shakra - Lebanon
Eva Bartlett - Canada

"we wonder what they have planned next that they don’t want outsiders
here to witness. To be absolutely honest, if this goes on for weeks, I
don’t think all of my ISM group will make it out alive. But are our lives
worth any more than those of the people of Gaza?" Sharon

On the 2nd Israel offered to allow foreign passport holders the opportunity
to leave Gaza for safety, about 400 foreigners took them up.

ISMers didn't. those staying in Gaza are:Alberto Arce - SpainEwa
Jasiewicz - Poland/Britain
Dr. Haider Eid - South Africa
Sharon Lock - AustraliaVittorio Arrigoni - ItalyJenny Linnel - Britain
Natalie Abu Shakra - Lebanon
Eva Bartlett - Canada

"we wonder what they have planned next that they don’t want outsiders
here to witness. To be absolutely honest, if this goes on for weeks, I
don’t think all of my ISM group will make it out alive. But are our lives
worth any more than those of the people of Gaza?" Sharon

“With the Israeli ban on international journalists, the Gazan voice has
been further muted. Communicating the reality on the ground with the
external world is essential to highlight the illegality of Israel’s
attacks. We recently started accompanying ambulances to document the
attacks on medical personnel, which is a violation of the Geneva
Convention. I have seen and felt the suffering of families and cannot
leave them, all the civilians are vulnerable to Israel’s attacks. We
intend to stay and continue exposing the nature of Israel’s attacks on the
Gazan people. ” Jenny Linnel - International Solidarity Movement

Sharon has turned the quotes from the children below into a poster that
can be downloaded from UK indymedia.

"I am so glad to be here, to be a small sign to Gaza folks that people do
care about them. And my fabulous friends are sending supportive messages,
not only to me but to Palestinians, who cluster round to look at them, and
translate them to each other, sometimes in tones of astonishment; and to
smile at the footage of demonstrations and vigils. I told a local friend
today that Israelis will be demonstrating against their government’s
actions on Saturday, and she could hardly comprehend it. (See a Jerusalem
demo that’s happened already here.) I look forward to sharing the pictures
of this and all the other rallies about to happen, with her and everyone.

I would much prefer to let Palestinians speak for themselves, especially
some of the 50% of Gaza’s population who are under 18 years old. (If you
can only remember one statistic, that’s the one you want.) I slept last
night in a sea of blankets with the Kabariti girls, and thank goodness,
there were less attacks on the port than the night before and they could
get a little sleep. They have provided me with very neatly written
messages to you, which I promised would be on this page before their
bedtime. So here you go:"

>From Suzanne, 15 (in English):
“The life in Gaza is very difficult. Actually we can’t describe
everything. We can’t sleep, we can’t go to school and study. We feel a lot
of feelings, sometimes we feel afraid and worry because the planes and the
ships, they hit 24 hours. Sometimes we feel bored because there is no
electricity during the day, and in the night, it is coming just four hours
and when it comes we are watching the news on TV. And we see kids and
women who are injured and dead. So we live in the siege and war.”

>From Fatma, 13 (in English):
“It was the hardest week in our life. In the first day we were in school,
having the final exam of the first term, then the explosions started, many
students were killed and injured, and the others surely lost a relative or
a neighbour. There is no electricity, no food, no bread. What can we do -
it’s the Israelis! All the people in the world celebrated the new year, we
also celebrate but in a different way.”

>From Sara, 11 (in Arabic, translated by Habeeb, 18):
“Gaza is living in a siege, like a big jail: no water, no electric power.
People feel afraid, don’t sleep at night, and every day more people are
killed. Until now, more than 400 are killed and more than 2000 injured.
And students had their final first term exams, so Israel hit the Ministry
of Education, and a lot of ministries. Every day people are asking when
will it end, and they are waiting for more activist ships like the
Dignity.”

DM

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

Gaza and ISM, always in our thoughts.

04.01.2009 11:46

A salute to the brave ones. Let us remember.

Tom


ISMers

04.01.2009 12:11

Good on you guys, you will be in the thoughts of all us over here. FREE PALESTINE, END THE MASSACRE IN GAZA!

A


Tales to Tell poster

04.01.2009 12:34

Tales to Tell poster attached

Brighton solidarity


Tales to Tell - Silenced ?

04.01.2009 19:57

I read the 'Tales to Tell' wordpress blog for the first time last night after reading about it here. I noticed a bank account number for donations and have raised some money today. However the blog is missing today, the link talestotell.wordpress which worked last night is now giving a Page load Error.

Has it been censored by Wordpress? If so that has serious implications for all activist bloggers.

Daniel


StupidMe.COM

04.01.2009 20:04

Tales to Tell is still blogging okay if you type in the correct address. This is the relevant quote:

I pretty much used up all my own earnings taking part in the FreeGaza project this year, and so my kind friends and readers have made small donations to keep me here, leaving me more than half-funded for 6 months for everything but accomodation, which I committed to paying myself. (ISM volunteers are also able to ask ISM for money back to cover phone credit and taxis).

However, things have gone a bit crazy since, as you’ll have noticed. Because I want to be here for six months, I was already rationing the total money I had been given, in case it might be the whole sum. But since the strikes began on Saturday, I have only been able to fit eating into these crazy days if I buy food while working at a net cafe, which I simply didn’t budget for.

(In fact I failed to eat til night time yesterday, though I was in a cafe twice, simply because the phone didn’t stop ringing for interviews long enough for me to coherently order a plate of chips! The night time detour to the shop was more hunger motivated than safety conscious. This of course is general chaos and not a financial issue.)

My budget isn’t coping with these new conditions, and if you would like to help that would be great. Anything that is donated to me, I will split 50-50 between keeping me going, and keeping the locals going; I will really appreciate being able to bring both basics and treats to the people I visit or stay with. As you might imagine, I’ve started to do that already and it’s something else I didn’t budget for.

You folks who have donated already: DON’T GIVE ME ANY MORE! NO! DON’T!

Anyone else can deposit money to:

The McIlveen Fund (a multipurpose fundraising account with another signatory besides me)
The Co-op Bank (UK)
Account number 65244050
Sort Code 08 92 99

Daniel
- Homepage: http://talestotell.wordpress.com


Solidarity and love to Sharyn

04.01.2009 21:13

Solidarity and love to Sharyn and all her inspiring colleagues. You are getting the truth out and you are really our main channel of support to the beseiged and terrorised people of Gaza.

There is another channel. The ..err.. Co-op Bank. So if you've got any money, dob some into the account in Daniel's post. I will tomorrow.

I assume you can do that through any bank, as not everyone can get to the Co-op?

Any there any other ways to send money direct to people there, so they can get it and use it?

Stroppyoldgit


Bank accounts

04.01.2009 21:53

You can transfer money from most UK banks to most others no problem, no charge. If your bank refuses, go to another bank. Even large international transfers should of money cost no more than about a £25 SWIFT fee. I think any activist here should set-up and publish a bank account if lack of finances is a constraint to such an obviously worthwhile operation. In cases like this, where someone is risking their lives, they are unlikely to be doing so for personal profit and in the unlikely situation that they end up with too much money then I'm sure they will distribute it to the people who need it more. I know it is crass but sometimes the best way many people can contribute in clear-cut cases like this is finacially.

Daniel


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