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The Scream and Cry for Palestinian Freedom is Loud and Clear
by
Amanda White
As for the recent bombings, it is horrible and an ugly
thing to comprehend. The unfortunate situation is that the Hamas and Jihad
do not have a good since of International PR. Their timing sucks. As I
have been sitting here watching the war between the two tribes, I do not
know if there is a true definition for "terrorism". Last week five
Palestinian children were killed on school grounds from picking up a live
motor shell and in other situations, Just today, 2 Palestinians were
killed, one a 12 year old and 11 wounded four of them were children as
well. So far in two days, 10 Palestinians were killed, 4 were children.
Two West Bank cities were under military siege in Ramallah and Jenin for
the last four days. Tanks roll in, and fire randomly to get everyone
inside. The families are not allowed to leave their homes. One just hopes
that there is food inside of the homes because you never know how long the
siege will last. What is terrorism here? I really wonder. The stories that
I hear and the things that I see would make ones hair rise while the media
ignores the real situation that is involved. Israel is very good with the
media and their usage of vocabulary. They understand the Western mentality
and win many hearts to their side. I cannot think of any other country
that could get away with the things that I know about.
The treatment towards the Palestinians has been going on
for many years. This is why the Intifada started in the first place. If
they were to stop now, then all of the casualties within the past year
would have been for nothing. Both governments need to quit pointing
fingers at one another and take responsibility for their own actions then
sit at a table and start over. But that will never happen.
Sharon continues to build new settlements, and
expand the old ones while taking land for safety reasons, to build
highways; while the taxpayers (and our money, i.e. U.S) pay for the
roads, the empty homes and military security expenses. So far 40% Of
Palestinian land has been bulldozed. I see settlers traveling in new
bullet proof automobiles accompanied by two to three armed solders
while going to and from their home inside the dead center of a
Palestinian controlled and occupied West Bank town. Not to mention
that the travel and walking is with 7 or 8 of their children. Who
would want to live under those conditions? Who would put their own
children at such risk and what man would love their family so much
to put them in such a situation? 70% of the settlers are American
foreigners who decided to move into Israel. Interesting huh?
I suppose I am the angriest at the Media when
breaches of cease-fire, killings, confiscations of homes/land,
imprisonment, and checkpoint harassment/abuse are totally being
ignored. Funny, I just did some stats on the last 6 days. 12 Pals
killed, 109 wounded, 27 of those children and 9 children who are
critical. One of the children is 1.5 years old. This is only in 6
days.
The "hidden" numbers from the public's eyes has been
going on for one year now. In the past year, I have seen an
increased amount of children walking around with missing
limbs/eyes/or are now mentally damaged. As well as unknown and
future psychological damage that is caused from the experience they
have had to witness.
I know that many of the American and Israeli
population do not get the real news. The news is censored in both
areas. The news is also censored in the Arab countries as well.
The situation with the Sept. 11 celebrations is
this: I know a woman (friend) who worked on the same street where
that footage was filmed. The children were celebrating immediately
after the first attack. The film footage was not yet shown, and the
announcement was that America was attacked. She said that about 10
children and three adults went to the street to celebrate. At that
particular moment, the stats were not in as to the casualties. This
is what the Media is good at. They do not tell the entire story,
only a part of the story. That shot was shown over and over and over
again to the entire world. I feel that a major role of this
situation/war is in using the Media to portray a certain image of
what the powers with power and money want the people to see and to
believe. Why don't I make any real money with my stories and
photographs? It is because those that are interested are not in
control of the major international networks. We are a few
alternative news reporters that tell the stories and news financed
from our own pockets. Who reads this type of alternative news? Only
those people who are aware of the situation and want the real news.
Therefore, the major population in the media controlled areas does
not have a clue as to the real situation and that population
develops a false reality regarding the situation.
America funds Israel with enough money to pay each
and every Israeli family 16,000 a year. This money goes into
building settlements and the military. Most of us out this area is
very well aware that if America cuts even 1/2 of the funds, Israel
will not survive on its own. All of the bullets, missiles, tanks,
helicopters and F-16s say, "Made in U.S.A". When a child picks up a
bullet from the ground, this is what he reads. The solders belts and
bags say, U.S.A. So if you're eye level is at the solders belt level
while your mother or father is being yelled at or made to stand in
the sun for an hour, this is what you read U.S.A. while you are
quiet, scared and wait. If we cut our funding, then Israel may be
forced to look at the situation a little harder and may have to
figure out a way to get along with their neighbors for the next 400
years. Right now, they really do not have a concern or a desire to
solve this issue. We have made this country dependant on the U.S. We
are enablers to the situation. The Palestinians see America as
Israel. We are one in the same to them as a nation.
My concern is that the children now are a third
generation occupied and neglected population being treated without
dignity and without hope. Each and every child has seen their
parents get spat upon, beat up, had their homes occupied by solders,
has had a relative killed and has had to listen to shooting,
missiles and helicopters at night. In the last year they missed more
than 1/2 of their schooling. In Hebron, many of the children have
not started school yet because of the city checkpoints between their
homes and the schools. Sometimes, they do not allow the teachers to
pass through. They have sleeping disorders, wet their beds and lack
respect for their elders. The children from the ages of 11 and up
are getting out of control. No one can control them. This is what
happens and the parents are deeply concerned.
I was in Gaza this weekend and went into a refugee
camp. I walked for four blocks; by the end of the 4th
block my friend and I were surrounded by over 100 children.
Seventy-five percent of the boys had a toy gun. They do not think
anything about guns. In Biet Hanina, an area near Jerusalem, a
teacher asked a group of children what they wanted to be when they
grew up, 100 percent of the boys said a suicide bomber. I am greatly
concerned for the next generation of children in Palestine and what
will become of them.
The parents couldn't stop the violence; they think
that they need to do something. The children see all and what they
have seen would be enough to drive any adult crazy. I imagine this
suicide ideology is something of a hope that they feel they can hold
on to. They see it as an answer to their and their families'
problems. Death is nothing to them anymore. This is my great
concern.
What to do with the population then? As one Israeli
settler told me, is to give them to another Arab country to be
concerned about or to drive them into the sea. We all know that the
Palestinians were here in the first place and they were forced by
the world to allow the Israelis to settle this land under the guise
to share and live as equals. What happened to that perspective?
Under the current leadership from the side with all
of the power this "peace" will not occur. The lies have been told
and the damage is well done.
The children will continue to ask for their freedom
in the only way that they feel they have the power and any control
by continuing to use the act of suicide bombing. Although it is
horrible and sad, the scream and cry for freedom is loud and clear.
Source:
by courtesy & © 2001
Amanda White
by the same author:
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