Growing Humanitarian Crisis in Northern Gaza 10/25/2024

                                    Growing Humanitarian Crisis in Northern Gaza

The recent Israeli assault on Jabaliya in northern Gaza has been described by Gaza’s Civil Defense as a "major massacre," with over 150 people killed or injured and numerous buildings reduced to rubble. This tragedy is just the latest in a series of attacks amid the ongoing military siege of northern Gaza, now in its 20th day. Dr. Mohammed Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital in the Jabaliya refugee camp, reports worsening conditions as Israeli forces surround and shell medical facilities, including a devastating raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital. Patients and staff were expelled, and children cut off from oxygen have died. With northern Gaza’s hospitals under siege, there is nowhere left for patients to seek care.
In addition to the assaults, the ongoing conflict has disrupted critical health initiatives, including the World Health Organization’s polio vaccination campaign. The inability to resume these vaccinations threatens the health and future of Gaza’s children. Meanwhile, food is rotting on trucks, and desperately needed medicines and fuel are blocked from entering by Israeli forces, defying Biden’s ultimatum. Yet weapons continue to be delivered. Emaciated civilians, predominantly children, continue to be blown apart by U.S.-supplied bombs.
Dr. Salha’s message is clear: the situation is catastrophic. Over 70% of Al-Awda Hospital is without water due to destroyed tanks, and fuel supplies are nearly exhausted. Essential medical supplies, food, and clean water are dwindling. He urgently calls on the international community, the World Health Organization, and U.N. agencies to intervene to prevent further loss of life.
This is not just a medical emergency but a humanitarian crisis. The people of northern Gaza are dying in the streets, without access to aid or rescue. President Biden must immediately impose an arms embargo and demand the resumption of food and other aid. Enough is enough. We have coddled Prime Minister Netanyahu too long. This must stop.
For more go to: https://callforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/

Letter to the Editor: Stop the Ethnic Cleansing in Northern Gaza 10/24/2024

                          Letter to the Editor: Stop the Ethnic Cleansing in Northern Gaza

The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem recently called for urgent global intervention to stop what they describe as “ethnic cleansing” in northern Gaza. Since October 5, the Israeli military has enforced a harsh siege, blocking almost all food, water, and medicine from reaching the region. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been ordered to flee south, or face potentially deadly consequences. The few remaining hospitals are overwhelmed, struggling to treat the constant influx of casualties.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia describes a dire situation, with medical supplies exhausted and wounded patients dying due to the lack of basic care. His words are a harrowing reminder of the human toll, as northern Gaza faces a potential humanitarian catastrophe.
The context for these actions, according to B’Tselem, includes a deliberate Israeli strategy to push Palestinians out of northern Gaza—a policy they identify as ethnic cleansing. This assessment is backed by recent admissions from Israeli authorities, who acknowledged blocking humanitarian aid to the area for weeks. Despite calls for a ceasefire, international responses remain insufficient, with countries like the U.S. continuing to arm Israel while urging restraint.
The international community must act decisively to prevent further atrocities. A ceasefire is essential, but it requires genuine pressure on Israeli leadership to stop the forced expulsion and mass suffering in Gaza. Without this pressure, global complicity in the unfolding crisis is undeniable.

Letter to the Editor: Israeli Bombing in Lebanon - A Devastating Escalation 10/24/2024

            Letter to the Editor: Israeli Bombing in Lebanon - A Devastating Escalation

Israel's recent bombardment of Lebanon marks a severe escalation, targeting critical sites with no regard for international law. Among the latest attacks, Israeli airstrikes hit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tyre, a city renowned for its rich archaeological history. This destruction of irreplaceable ruins follows similar strikes on other historic locations like Baalbek, drawing little global condemnation compared to similar incidents in Syria or Iraq. Meanwhile, Israel bombed Lebanese news station Al Mayadeen and killed three Lebanese soldiers in the south, all while ignoring international calls for a ceasefire.
The destruction of Tyre, a city inhabited by many Lebanese civilians, is not merely an attack on history but on the social fabric of Lebanon. "This is just terrorism," said sociologist Rima Majed, highlighting Israel's indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas. Yet the global media response has been muted, reflecting a fatigue and desensitization to violence in this region.
In another alarming move, Israel launched a strike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Lebanon's largest public medical center, killing and injuring dozens. Claims of hidden Hezbollah assets beneath hospitals have been refuted by local medical staff, raising concerns over the justification for these attacks. Meanwhile, Western countries like France send humanitarian aid while simultaneously selling arms to Israel, a stark hypocrisy pointed out by Majed. This cynical cycle of destruction and aid perpetuates suffering, turning Lebanese civilians into mere objects of survival, stripped of the dignity of ordinary life.
The broader context is troubling. Israeli strikes have targeted not just military figures but civilian institutions linked to Hezbollah’s social network—schools, hospitals, and financial organizations. This goes beyond combat; it's an attack on the livelihoods and communities of southern Lebanon. The silence of global leaders, coupled with their arms sales to Israel, sends a dangerous message: some lives and histories are more valuable than others. This selective morality has created a war that respects no international conventions, deepening divisions and suffering in Lebanon.
The world must not ignore this unjust war. The relentless destruction of historical and social life in Lebanon demands an urgent and consistent international response. The time to speak out is now.

The Price of Dissent in Modi’s India 10/24/2024

                                              The Price of Dissent in Modi’s India

Umar Khalid, a prominent Indian political activist, has been imprisoned for four years without trial, illustrating the Modi government’s harsh suppression of dissent. In early 2020, Mr. Khalid played a key role in organizing a massive protest against laws perceived as anti-Muslim. Soon after, he was arrested under a state security law traditionally used for violent insurgencies. This law allows pretrial detention for indefinite periods, and Mr. Khalid’s requests for bail have been repeatedly denied or delayed.
The protest movement he helped lead arose in response to a series of measures that marginalized Muslims, including the revocation of Kashmir's autonomy and the exclusion of Muslims from a new citizenship law. Though the demonstrations remained nonviolent, tensions escalated after inflammatory statements from right-wing leaders. The ensuing violence in Delhi disproportionately affected Muslims, who were targeted by both police and Hindu mobs.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s judicial system has increasingly been used to stifle opposition, particularly against Muslims. Mr. Khalid’s family endures this ordeal, finding brief moments of comfort during rare, court-permitted visits. Despite the ongoing legal limbo, he remains active in prison, offering support to other inmates and maintaining hope for eventual justice.
The case of Umar Khalid is a stark reminder of the heavy price of dissent in Modi’s India, where speaking out—especially as a Muslim—can lead to prolonged imprisonment without a fair trial. His situation reflects broader concerns about the erosion of democratic freedoms and the targeting of minorities under Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government.
For more go to: https://callforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/

Immediate Action Needed to Address Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza 10/21/2024

                                           

                            Immediate Action Needed to Address Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

As Israel escalates its siege in northern Gaza, backed by U.S. weapons, the humanitarian crisis is worsening at an alarming rate. Over 100 Palestinians have been killed since the weekend, and more than 350 patients are trapped in three partially operational hospitals: the Indonesian, Al-Awda, and Kamal Adwan hospitals. Dr. Ayaz Pathan, an emergency physician recently in Gaza, described the tragic situation where people are dying from preventable infections due to the lack of basic medical supplies.
Israel’s recent airstrikes have killed women and children in places like Beit Lahia and the Jabaliya refugee camp. Hospitals are under siege, and critical infrastructure, including water systems, is being systematically destroyed. Four water engineers, traveling in a clearly marked vehicle to repair Gaza’s water infrastructure, were killed by Israeli forces. The collapse of Gaza’s water supply is leading to the rapid spread of diseases, adding to the suffering of civilians.
Health officials warn that the situation is spiraling out of control as medical NGOs are being blocked from entering Gaza. The Palestinian Authority has labeled the escalating violence as genocide, citing the siege, forced displacement, mass killings, starvation, and the destruction of essential services.
It is time for immediate international intervention to prevent further loss of life. Gaza’s civilians are enduring immense suffering, and our government’s continued military support for Israel makes the U.S. complicit in this unfolding genocide. It is long past time to stop conflating this mass killing with “Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Mr. President and Madam Vice President, don’t Palestinians have the right to defend themselves from these atrocities? The U.S. must stop supplying weapons of mass destruction that fuel these horrors and take a moral stand for humanity.

Siege in northern Gaza 10/21/2024

                                          Siege in northern Gaza

 As Israel intensifies its siege in northern Gaza, backed by U.S. weapons, the humanitarian crisis deepens. Over 100 Palestinians have been killed since the weekend, and more than 350 patients remain trapped in three partially operational hospitals: the Indonesian, Al-Awda, and Kamal Adwan hospitals. Dr. Ayaz Pathan, an emergency physician who recently worked in Gaza, describes the devastation: “It was tragic to watch people die of preventable infections due to the lack of basic medical supplies,” he says, highlighting the nightmare faced by Gaza's civilians.

Israel’s latest airstrikes have killed women and children in places like Beit Lahia and the Jabaliya refugee camp. Hospitals are under siege, and critical infrastructure, including water systems, is being destroyed. Four water engineers, traveling in a clearly marked vehicle to repair Gaza’s water infrastructure, were killed by Israeli forces. The destruction of Gaza’s water supply is leading to the spread of diseases, worsening the suffering.
Health officials warn that the situation is spiraling out of control as Israel blocks medical NGOs from entering Gaza. The Palestinian Authority has labeled the escalating violence as genocide, pointing to the siege, forced displacement, mass killings, starvation, and the destruction of vital services.
As the world watches, it is crucial to recognize the need for immediate international intervention to prevent further loss of life. Gaza's civilians are enduring immense suffering, and this humanitarian disaster cannot be ignored. Tragically, our government is complicit in this horrendous genocide. It is time the U.S. stops this madness and ceases conflating this mass killing with “Israel’s right to defend itself.” Shame on Biden and Harris for failing to halt the supply of weapons of mass destruction to Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose immoral actions parallel some of history’s worst atrocities.
Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris, don’t the Palestinians have a right to defend themselves from these mass killings, starvation and barbarism?
For more go to: https://callforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/

The Duty of All Americans Is to Oppose the Occupation of Palestine 10/20/2024

                               The Duty of All Americans Is to Oppose the Occupation of Palestine

The recent events in Israel-Palestine remind us that all Americans bear a duty to stand against the occupation and ongoing oppression of Palestinians. Our country’s complicity, alongside Britain’s, dates back to the very founding of Israel, rooted in violent attacks by Jewish armed groups in 1937. Britain’s mandate facilitated the displacement of Palestinian communities, and later, U.S. support enabled the expansion of Israeli control over Palestinian land.
These actions have led to decades of suffering for the Palestinian people—dispossession, military occupation, and systemic violations of human rights. Today, as airstrikes and blockades devastate Gaza, it is crucial for Americans to recognize our government’s role in perpetuating these injustices through military aid and diplomatic cover.
It is not enough to speak of peace without addressing the root cause—occupation. As Americans, we must demand a shift in policy that supports freedom and self-determination for Palestinians, holding our leaders accountable for their role in this crisis. Only then can we hope for a just resolution that ensures peace and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis.