NW Marchers Rally Against Israeli Actions
By Allan Lengel
Washington Post Staff WriterWednesday, July 26, 2006; Page A12
Hundreds of protesters, many carrying antiwar signs and fake coffins, marched quietly in a mock funeral procession yesterday through upper Northwest Washington to the Israeli Embassy to protest the bombings in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and to urge the United States to broker a cease-fire.
"One, two, three, four, we don't want your racist war; five, six, seven, eight, Israel is a terrorist state," protesters chanted outside the embassy, off Van Ness Street. More than a dozen police and security officers stood outside the building.
"Israel out of Palestine, cease fire now," the crowd continued after speakers demanded an end to the killings of civilians and to U.S. support of the bombings.
The demonstration came as the United States and United Nations searched for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. It also came less than a week after hundreds of people, including Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) and U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), attended a rally in downtown Washington supporting Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and others maintain that the bombings are necessary to repel Hezbollah, root out terrorism and protect Israelis.
Hundreds of people -- Arabs and Americans, blacks and whites, Muslims, Christians and Jews -- began the 1 1/2 -mile procession to the embassy late yesterday afternoon by heading north on Connecticut Avenue. They passed a commercial stretch that included a gym, where customers on treadmills peered out the window at them.
Some motorists honked in support. But the driver of a Ford Mustang convertible yelled out, "Israel forever," prompting a protester to yell back, "Shame on you."
Emad Fraitekh, 44, a Palestinian born in Jerusalem who lives in the District, said he hoped the march would "deliver a message to the American people and the administration that what Israelis are doing right [now] in Lebanon and [the] Gaza Strip is far beyond Israel's right to exist or Israel's right to defend itself."
Jeff Mendez, 33, a D.C. peace activist who helped organize the protest, said: "The recent escalation in the Middle East is not only ungodly, it's inhumane and illegal. Now more than ever, there should be a citizen call for peace and nonviolence."
The march included some Jewish protesters. Members of an anti-Zionist sect of Hasidic Orthodox Jews, clad in black hats and long black coats, came from New York. Some carried miniature Lebanese flags, and all expressed support for the Palestinians and Lebanese.
"We believe that the whole existence of Israel, the Zionist state, is against the Jewish religion," said one of the Jews, Joel Wagschal, 25. "We are in pain for all the suffering of the people in the Middle East."
Another Jewish protester, Israel-born Alma Gottlieb-McHale, 24, carried a sign in Hebrew that read:
"Hundreds of innocent civilians killed, for what? Israel and Gaza, Israel and Lebanon. We've already been in this movie."
7/27/2006
7/24/2006
Evacuated from Lebanon
After spending 58 hours traveling, I have finally reached Baltimore, Maryland and am currently in Washington, DC. I am trying to share my experiences with as many people and help inform the American public about what is going on in Lebanon. If you have any organization or contacts that may be interested in hearing from someone who has been in Lebanon and can talk about the current situation, please email this blog..
The evacuation was an extremely long process:
The US State Dept is extremely unorganized and it's inefficient methods left many Americans stranded, who they promised to get out by unrealistic deadlines.
The US Marines in contrast, were absolutely wonderful, comforting people and offering immense help to all of the fleeing Americans.
The US Navy crews also were very helpful.
The evacuation route went from Beirut to Cyprus to Ireland to Baltimore.
While traveling, I heard a plethora of stories of family members who were forced to evacuate leaving so many family members behind. Eventhough many of people were fleeing the area, they were doing so reluctantly, especially myself, leaving friends and my students behind to an uncertain fate. The rumors are that the fighting will intensify after the foreigners have evacuated.
I will post more later, I am still trying to recover from the endless hours of traveling.
The evacuation was an extremely long process:
The US State Dept is extremely unorganized and it's inefficient methods left many Americans stranded, who they promised to get out by unrealistic deadlines.
The US Marines in contrast, were absolutely wonderful, comforting people and offering immense help to all of the fleeing Americans.
The US Navy crews also were very helpful.
The evacuation route went from Beirut to Cyprus to Ireland to Baltimore.
While traveling, I heard a plethora of stories of family members who were forced to evacuate leaving so many family members behind. Eventhough many of people were fleeing the area, they were doing so reluctantly, especially myself, leaving friends and my students behind to an uncertain fate. The rumors are that the fighting will intensify after the foreigners have evacuated.
I will post more later, I am still trying to recover from the endless hours of traveling.
7/17/2006
Anonymous from the Saida area
This is an email I received from a friend:
just minutes earlier a volunteer passed by the house am staying in in
a village east of Saida to write down our names on a list to organize
the distribution of aids(food water ...e.t.c) and just then i realized
i became a "mhajjara" literaly ttranslated to mean "forced migrant".
i have heard this term alot in talks about the lebanese war 15 years
ago and never in my life i thought i'd become one.
i am tired i haven't slept in days i am on the verge of a nervous
breakdown...yes, it happens when you realize you are not being
considered as a human being anymore, but a mere bitter number.
113 dead, 100's injured, and tens of thousands "mhajjareen", all
roads, bridges ports and our only airport bombed from south to the
farthest north..all alond the border with syria is being bombed
complete blockage. just now an israeli general stated that
they are ready to bomb any institution related to Hizballah
where ever it was and most are between or near civilian suburbs and
villages...the only thing i can understand is that "we don't care
how many motherfucking civilans we kill, we want to complete our
mission, wipe out hizballah" , forgive my language but war is ugly
and bitter and cruel and i will not attempt to make it look or sound
any better than it really is, not in my language not in my post...
yet again the war of forgeiners fought on our country... war of
isreal with syria and iran is fought on lebanese grounds,
and yet again lebanon has to pay the incomprehensible price
of blood and destruction..
there are no words that can descreibe the destruction, roads i've
beent o almost everyday places i was there..don't exist anymore..
it's turning into one huge ghost town,
there is absolutely no movement in my city Saida, all shops
are closed, everyone either fled or like my Grandparents
refuse to leave their homes and would rather die in them, fuel
staions are emptying from fuel after the bombing of two
fuel stations on the borders of saida...and when i say borders
it's not a far place it's a couple of kilometers from my house
since distances are negligible in such a small country as lebanon.
i enlisted my name on a list of people who want to leave teh country
when things calm down a littel and it is safe to move around..
i don't think it is anytime soon....
things are getting worse everyday, israeli airplanes are throwing
papers village after village asking the people to evacuate,
in an attempt to stress on hizballah
i don't understand how that is possible when allll transportaion
is down, the only way is to flee on foot kilometers carrying
their belongings, or stay and face their fates...
a genocide happened yesterday when 23 vilagers frrom "Merwaheen"
a village int he south fled to seek refuge in a UN center and the
UN center refused to accept them, afraid that the 1996 genocide
of "Qana" may repeat itself..(anyone and i know most don't know about
it,thanks to israeli propaganda, google it) the poor villagers
were left in open air as they were going back to their homes
and were met by an israeli missile, all dead.
it's turning into an extermination plan...there is absolutely
no considerations for any form of human rights..no consideration
for people's lives..this is israel's war with hizballah
why are inocents being killed? why am i sleeping everyday
to the fading sound of israeli f16 and sounds of explosions?
i can't understand and i don't want to understand it..
why are civilians attacked and why are israeli's using
phosphorus bombs (i don't know what the hell they are, and
am not interested, but i know they are internationally banned
weapons)
isreal's response to the kidnapping of it's soldiers is completely
exaggerated, i can't think of any word to explain the destruction
going on here...it's brutal and inhuman and nothing, nothing
anyone can say or do can justify such a response...
there is so much going on, so many things i want to say
but at this moment i am drained...
everything i learnt and believed in IIPES about any attempts for
peace with israel fell into the water along with my hopes and dreams
of having a country of livi9ng in peace of opening a family
business in my home city of raising my children in the place where
i grew up......
all i see now is destruction and bitterness and fear and loath
and all i can think of is survival..it's not a matter of not wanting
to die, but a matter of refusing to die for such reasons..
bear with me such a bitter post, but it is the truth, bare and solid
and just as it is, and truth hurts..
love to you all including israelis
Rola
a village east of Saida to write down our names on a list to organize
the distribution of aids(food water ...e.t.c) and just then i realized
i became a "mhajjara" literaly ttranslated to mean "forced migrant".
i have heard this term alot in talks about the lebanese war 15 years
ago and never in my life i thought i'd become one.
i am tired i haven't slept in days i am on the verge of a nervous
breakdown...yes, it happens when you realize you are not being
considered as a human being anymore, but a mere bitter number.
113 dead, 100's injured, and tens of thousands "mhajjareen", all
roads, bridges ports and our only airport bombed from south to the
farthest north..all alond the border with syria is being bombed
complete blockage. just now an israeli general stated that
they are ready to bomb any institution related to Hizballah
where ever it was and most are between or near civilian suburbs and
villages...the only thing i can understand is that "we don't care
how many motherfucking civilans we kill, we want to complete our
mission, wipe out hizballah" , forgive my language but war is ugly
and bitter and cruel and i will not attempt to make it look or sound
any better than it really is, not in my language not in my post...
yet again the war of forgeiners fought on our country... war of
isreal with syria and iran is fought on lebanese grounds,
and yet again lebanon has to pay the incomprehensible price
of blood and destruction..
there are no words that can descreibe the destruction, roads i've
beent o almost everyday places i was there..don't exist anymore..
it's turning into one huge ghost town,
there is absolutely no movement in my city Saida, all shops
are closed, everyone either fled or like my Grandparents
refuse to leave their homes and would rather die in them, fuel
staions are emptying from fuel after the bombing of two
fuel stations on the borders of saida...and when i say borders
it's not a far place it's a couple of kilometers from my house
since distances are negligible in such a small country as lebanon.
i enlisted my name on a list of people who want to leave teh country
when things calm down a littel and it is safe to move around..
i don't think it is anytime soon....
things are getting worse everyday, israeli airplanes are throwing
papers village after village asking the people to evacuate,
in an attempt to stress on hizballah
i don't understand how that is possible when allll transportaion
is down, the only way is to flee on foot kilometers carrying
their belongings, or stay and face their fates...
a genocide happened yesterday when 23 vilagers frrom "Merwaheen"
a village int he south fled to seek refuge in a UN center and the
UN center refused to accept them, afraid that the 1996 genocide
of "Qana" may repeat itself..(anyone and i know most don't know about
it,thanks to israeli propaganda, google it) the poor villagers
were left in open air as they were going back to their homes
and were met by an israeli missile, all dead.
it's turning into an extermination plan...there is absolutely
no considerations for any form of human rights..no consideration
for people's lives..this is israel's war with hizballah
why are inocents being killed? why am i sleeping everyday
to the fading sound of israeli f16 and sounds of explosions?
i can't understand and i don't want to understand it..
why are civilians attacked and why are israeli's using
phosphorus bombs (i don't know what the hell they are, and
am not interested, but i know they are internationally banned
weapons)
isreal's response to the kidnapping of it's soldiers is completely
exaggerated, i can't think of any word to explain the destruction
going on here...it's brutal and inhuman and nothing, nothing
anyone can say or do can justify such a response...
there is so much going on, so many things i want to say
but at this moment i am drained...
everything i learnt and believed in IIPES about any attempts for
peace with israel fell into the water along with my hopes and dreams
of having a country of livi9ng in peace of opening a family
business in my home city of raising my children in the place where
i grew up......
all i see now is destruction and bitterness and fear and loath
and all i can think of is survival..it's not a matter of not wanting
to die, but a matter of refusing to die for such reasons..
bear with me such a bitter post, but it is the truth, bare and solid
and just as it is, and truth hurts..
love to you all including israelis
Rola
2,000 Israelis March in Tel Aviv to Demand End to Offensive
"Yes to a prisoner exchange," chanted the demonstrators, referring to the key demand of Hizbullah that snatched two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid Wednesday, unleashing the Israeli offensive. "Yes to peace," "Our children want to live," cried the mixed crowd of Jewish and Arab demonstrators. The rally, organized by half a dozen Israeli pacifist groups, lasted around two hours before being dispersed by police.(AFP) (AP photo shows Israeli policemen arresting an Israeli left wing demonstrator in Tel Aviv) |
| |
Beirut, 17 Jul 06, 07:48 |
Bomb Prediction
I have recently learned how to tell when a bomb will hit without the help of the television.. All you have to do is listen for the sound of a low humming engine.. That my friends is an announcement that there is a drone in the sky, immediately afterward the warplanes come in and bomb the hell out of a target.... Now just think about that happening 100 times a night.. I will keep you posted.. as the night goes on.. The attack is just starting now..
7/16/2006
Day 5
I am sitting in Beirut, waiting for the attacks to begin, the Israeli government promised it would be a strong attack tonight, we find ourselves saying that each night will be the worst night.. It doesn't look like the campaigns are showing any sign of slowing down, only growing both in intensity and bolder in targets. I feel for the people in Dahiya because they haven't had a break from the bombing.. The bombs continue to slam every hour, it's no longer a sound that is unfamiliar and granted it has only been 5 days of fighting..
There is continued talk about a ceasefire but the terms are unrealistic...go figure that would ever happen when talking to the Israelis.. I submitted an editorial to the Washington Post.. I am not sure if they will run it, but I am hoping that it will help get the word out. If you are able to, please write your local representative demanding the US to intervene in this conflict. I can't say enough how the bombings are all civilian targets. They are destroying neighborhoods that are densely populated....
The power has been off and on, and I am trying to take the opportunity to update this blog every second I get.
I am sitting in Beirut, waiting for the attacks to begin, the Israeli government promised it would be a strong attack tonight, we find ourselves saying that each night will be the worst night.. It doesn't look like the campaigns are showing any sign of slowing down, only growing both in intensity and bolder in targets. I feel for the people in Dahiya because they haven't had a break from the bombing.. The bombs continue to slam every hour, it's no longer a sound that is unfamiliar and granted it has only been 5 days of fighting..
There is continued talk about a ceasefire but the terms are unrealistic...go figure that would ever happen when talking to the Israelis.. I submitted an editorial to the Washington Post.. I am not sure if they will run it, but I am hoping that it will help get the word out. If you are able to, please write your local representative demanding the US to intervene in this conflict. I can't say enough how the bombings are all civilian targets. They are destroying neighborhoods that are densely populated....
The power has been off and on, and I am trying to take the opportunity to update this blog every second I get.
Bombs Bombs and More Bombs
The Israelis continue to bomb Dahiya... I am not sure what they are hitting, what's interesting is that you can watch it all on TV. The Lebanese television stations set up cameras overlooking Dahiya and you can just watch the television.. see the explosion and count to 13.. Thirteen is the amount of seconds it takes before you can hear the explosion. The bombs keep on falling and I think I am going to go out of my mind. I am not sure that there are any more places that they can hit, so they will just continue to bomb the airport and hit the same bridges over and over again...
I wonder how much money is spent on each bomb, let's say 50,000 dollars? I don't know how much, but it sure could do a lot to help people if the amount was used for something beneficial to humanity.... I have probably heard over 250 bombs by now.. And yet I still can't stop jumping or flinching every time I hear one..
I am hoping that my students are all safe and sound, but I know that is far from reality. I tried to keep in touch with them but a lot of their phones aren't working now..
I hate that sound.. I can't even write this fucking blog without hearing at least 5 blasts... I will write more when I calm down..
Day 5 of the siege
I wonder how much money is spent on each bomb, let's say 50,000 dollars? I don't know how much, but it sure could do a lot to help people if the amount was used for something beneficial to humanity.... I have probably heard over 250 bombs by now.. And yet I still can't stop jumping or flinching every time I hear one..
I am hoping that my students are all safe and sound, but I know that is far from reality. I tried to keep in touch with them but a lot of their phones aren't working now..
I hate that sound.. I can't even write this fucking blog without hearing at least 5 blasts... I will write more when I calm down..
Day 5 of the siege
7/15/2006
Waiting for the worms
I have never felt so abandoned by my government. I have nothing but anger for President Bush as he continues to lack common sense and the ability to reason. Regardless of your stance on Hizballah or what lead to this escalation, anyone with common sense will see that innocent people are suffering the most. We are completely isolated from the outside world, running out of oil and food from the blockade. Electricity is now a luxury that is not guaranteed and to be honest, I am not sure when i will be able to update this blog again. As for the violence, let me summarize it as Israeli warplanes constantly flying over lebanon, dropping bombs at any random place. Our civilian casualties are far exceeding the Israelis and furthermore they are equiped to hide from the miniscule rockets that Hizballah is able to launch. There is a huge difference between ground rockets and launching rockets from a F-15.
As for my safety, I am guaranteed to be safe because they are not coming close to the Christian neighborhoods but the sounds of war can be just as damaging.. Every night I wait for the next attack to watch the ground erupt into flames and the anti-aircraft fire. There is nothing to do other than stay awake, I am not sure the last time I had a decent amount of sleep, but who could think of it in a time like this? I will only suffer with the rest of the lebanese by having to search for food and water, which is becoming more scarce as this continues. The only ones that can bring an end to this conflict is the US and the Israelis, both whom seem staunchly opposed to doing so. Please make some noise in America for me and try to get the US involved to limit the hijacking of Lebanon.. The government is powerless and the people are stuck in this horrible mess. None of us are immune.
As for evacuation, I have heard that the State dept is putting together some plan to ship Americans to Cyprus, but I have to sign a promisary note to pay back the boat ride and they leave us stranded there, which doesn't really leave me in a good place, being that I own a ticket to the US leaving the former Beirut International Airport on Aug 3rd. There are 25,000 Americans here in Lebanon and I would have assumed that the US had more interest in calming this situation but once again the US has steered clear from any logical policy.
Let the world remember the best way to defend itself, destroy its sovereign neighboring country.
May God be with the people of Lebanon..
I will update as much as I can.
Day 4 of the siege
As for my safety, I am guaranteed to be safe because they are not coming close to the Christian neighborhoods but the sounds of war can be just as damaging.. Every night I wait for the next attack to watch the ground erupt into flames and the anti-aircraft fire. There is nothing to do other than stay awake, I am not sure the last time I had a decent amount of sleep, but who could think of it in a time like this? I will only suffer with the rest of the lebanese by having to search for food and water, which is becoming more scarce as this continues. The only ones that can bring an end to this conflict is the US and the Israelis, both whom seem staunchly opposed to doing so. Please make some noise in America for me and try to get the US involved to limit the hijacking of Lebanon.. The government is powerless and the people are stuck in this horrible mess. None of us are immune.
As for evacuation, I have heard that the State dept is putting together some plan to ship Americans to Cyprus, but I have to sign a promisary note to pay back the boat ride and they leave us stranded there, which doesn't really leave me in a good place, being that I own a ticket to the US leaving the former Beirut International Airport on Aug 3rd. There are 25,000 Americans here in Lebanon and I would have assumed that the US had more interest in calming this situation but once again the US has steered clear from any logical policy.
Let the world remember the best way to defend itself, destroy its sovereign neighboring country.
May God be with the people of Lebanon..
I will update as much as I can.
Day 4 of the siege
7/13/2006
Lebanon under Siege Part II
I just witnessed Israeli warships moving into the Lebanese waters and there is some place burning on TV.. The airport was attacked for a second time, and it is going to be a very long night. The Israelis dropped pamphlets from the sky warning Lebanese civilians to stay away from Hizballah areas.. It is getting worse and worse.. Israel is claiming that Hizballah hit Haifa which they are denying.. I don't know what will happen, but I'm sure the power is going out soon. I just want to say that i will be fine, and I will stay out of the fighting areas, but the night will definitely be long. Please say a prayer for Lebanon...
Lebanon under Siege
First thing I want to say is that I am safe.. Right now the atmosphere is really horrible and we are all sitting waiting for the next move.. I will post more when I have a bit more time.. I am just hunkering down and watching the news...
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