Official report on the flotilla campaign by IHH
July 2, 2010
Below is the official report for the Mavi Marmara ship to Gaza campaign. I’m glad to see that the IHH from Turkey has officially documented all of the information, photos and statistics for the Flotilla campaign.
Take a look:
Download: 8.03MB
(May take a little time to download the report. )
Cargo ship to Gaza leaves Greece (full photo gallery)
May 25, 2010
Note from the people from the “Ship to Gaza”:
Subject: The Greek ships leave for Gaza!
First the truck (FREE MEDITERRANEAN) and after the cruise (Sfendoni) depart from Piraeus today bound for the port of Gaza. After weeks of preparation and hard work uploading the truck for three days and nights, ready to join other ships of the “Liberty Fleet” and become the means for breaking the siege of the Zionists, who threatened to stop it. The briefing will be ongoing and will be from the site and from the digital platform. They should be ready for mass mobilization, when it enters the latter part of the business (about four days). We want you all with us!!!
More information and digital broadcasts boat picture of the ships for all of us who can not travel, visit the site www.shiptogaza.gr.
Click on the photo to view the photo gallery from the Muslim Association of Greece.
Amreeka movie now online for free
March 29, 2010
A while back, I wrote about a movie called Amreeka that recently came out. Now you can watch it online for free. Click on the photo below:
A feel-good comedy about a Palestinian mother who moves to rural Illinois with her teenaged son, Amreeka is a kind of stealth political film that confronts issues of ethnic tension and American xenophobia.
Ship to Gaza – Ένα Καράβι για τη Γάζα
March 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 24 at 9′oclock
at the Badminton theatre
featuring Orchestra Mikis Theodorakis, Ross Daly and many others
Visit www.shiptogaza.gr for more information.
Τετάρτη 24 Μαρτίου ώρα 9
στο θέατρο Badminton
με την ορχήστρα Μίκη Θεοδωράκη, Ross Daly και πολλούς άλλους
Επισκεφτείτε τη σελίδα www.shiptogaza.gr για περισσότερες πληροφορίες.
From their website:
We demand
The lifting of the land, air and sea siege of Gaza by Israel and the free navigation in the Mediterranean Sea.
The dismantling of all Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The end of Israeli occupation of Palestine.
We support
The right of the Palestinian people to resist the occupying Israeli forces until the achievement of their national independence.
The right of all Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland.
We are against
Any form of foreign military intervention and occupation in any region of the World
We are faithful
To the long standing and strong Greek-Palestinian fraternity
We are determined
To sail again to Gaza, carrying with us the Message of Friendship and Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Από την ιστοσελίδα τους:
Υποστηρίζουμε
-Το δικαίωμα του Παλαιστινιακού λαού να ζήσει λεύτερος στην ιστορική του πατρίδα.
-Το δικαίωμα του Παλαιστινιακού λαού στην αντίσταση με κάθε μέσο, για να απελευθερώσει την πατρίδα του από την κατοχή και να κατακτήσει την εθνική του ανεξαρτησία.
-Το δικαίωμα όλων των Παλαιστινίων προσφύγων να επιστρέψουν στις εστίες τους και στη γη τους.
Απαιτούμε
-Να φύγουν οι κατακτητές απ’ όλα τα Παλαιστινιακά εδάφη.
-Να αποχωρήσουν οι έποικοι και να διαλυθούν όλοι οι Ισραηλινοί εποικισμοί στη Δυτική Οχθη.
-Να αρθεί ο αποκλεισμός της Λωρίδας της Γάζας από στεριά, αέρα και θάλασσα.
-Να επιστρέψουν στη γη τους οι Παλαιστίνιοι πρόσφυγες
-Να απελευθερωθούν οι περισσότεροι από 11.000 Παλαιστίνιοι πολιτικοί κρατούμενοι.
Amreeka: A feel-good comedy
November 8, 2009
I’m looking forward to watching this movie. Here’s the plot below:
A feel-good comedy about a Palestinian mother who moves to rural Illinois with her teenaged son, Amreeka is a kind of stealth political film that confronts issues of ethnic tension and American xenophobia.
First-time filmmaker Cherien Dabis (a writer on the television series The L-Word ) based the story on her own experience, growing up as the child of Jordanian-Palestinian immigrants. In the anti-Arab hysteria of the first Gulf War, her family received daily death threats, and her father’s medical practice went into decline when his patients quit. The script for Amreeka (Arabic for America) has no bitterness and, in fact, portrays the United States as the place where people from many lands become one, and everyone enjoys Disneyland and a good hamburger.
Source: The Globe and Mail
“9 Star Hotel” A movie that opens your eyes
October 21, 2009
If someone stole your house, knocked it down, threw you out of the city, build a huge wall so that you couldn’t come back in and then hired you to build their lofty house on your land (as cheap labor) if you could sneak back into the city somehow, would you work for them?
This is what some Palestinians have had to resort too. For us living in a land of luxury, the idea might seem funny or idiotic. I mean, why would you help your enemies take your own land? But this is not funny to the Palestinians who are in a life and death situation.
I was looking through the DVD section at our local public library and found a documentary called “9 Star Hotel”. I was surprised to see that almost for the first time, there was something out there that actually was accurate to a portion of the Palestinian situation and the most intriguing part of this award-winning film was that it was directed by an Israeli.
The documentary doesn’t really mention religion apart from the fact that the people in the film happen to be Muslims but it told the story of Palestinian youth who sneak into new Israeli areas – a.k.a. Palestinian areas illegally taken over by Israelis – in order to desperately find work to feed their huge families.
To put things into perspective, the average Palestinian makes about $1-2 per day when meat might cost up to $6 or more per pound. A family of five children is considered a small family. It’s usual for electricity to get cut out eight hours per day. You usually only get water once per week. You cannot go for work many times because of the checkpoints every few miles. The borders are closed. No one comes in. No one goes out. You have to build tunnels just to get food and medical supplies to come in. Bombs are being detonated on mothers, children and men while the rest of the world pretends not to see. Your citizenship cards expire with no chance of renewal. People in Palestine most likely will never be able to see Jerusalem. Many children have to go through two or more checkpoints to and from school, if they can make it to school. The only way to succeed in this kind of life is to get an education but how can you pay for a decent university degree if you have no money and your schools get bombed?
Now you can get a better idea of why some have to build the settlements of their enemies on their own land.
Watch the movie. You’ll be intrigued.
(Note: You might be able to rent the DVD at your local library or rental store.
Here it is at Blockbuster.)
Abbas sought to abort conference in Athens
July 2, 2009
Source: AlJazeera.net (AlQuds Press)
(Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά. قراءة العربية)
According to Greek sources
Abbas has sought to abort the Jerusalem Conference in Athens
Greek political source said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas intervened to frustrate the holding of the solidarity of Jerusalem and the conference in the Greek capital Athens, he used strong pressure to limit the attendance, although the conference was successful at the end.
The congress was held on June 22 in Athens in the form of an international symposium titled “Jerusalem, the capital of Arab culture 2009 - Europe for Jerusalem and Gaza.” This event was organized by the Hellenic-Palestinian Friendship & Europeans for Jerusalem with the participation of eminent personalities from Greece, Europe and Palestine, including politicians, parliamentarians, religious leaders and thinkers, intellectuals and representatives of civil society institutions.
However, sources in the Greek Socialist Party revealed the accurate information described, that communications are carried out by the Palestinian president in order to “encircle and reduce the participation in the conference as much as possible.”
The source added that Abbas had contacted George Papandreou personally, President of the PASOK Greek Socialist Party, and asked him to put pressure on his party’s parliamentarians and officials and to get them not to attend the conference “so that the level of political presence, to be low as much as possible.” Abbas also held communications to leaders of other political parties in Greece for the same goal, as assurances of the source.
The source said that “the arguments advanced by Mr. Abbas to put pressure on the politicians was that the Greek organizers of the conference, mostly are close to the government of Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza and do not agree with the views of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority to adopt a negotiating approach in dealing with Israel.”
According to the sources, Abbas has also expressed dismay about the increasing activity of groups advocating the right of return for the lifting of the siege of Gaza in Greece, called on “all that is related to the movement of Palestinians should be done through the PLO and its ambassadors and representations abroad exclusively.”
Muslim Association of Greece: medical supplies to Gaza
February 26, 2009
Η Γάζα άντεξε και σηκώνεται ξανά όρθια
Του ΣΩΤΗΡΗ ΚΑΡΑΛΗ*
Σταθήκαμε μάλλον τυχεροί που κατορθώσαμε να μπούμε στη Λωρίδα της Γάζας από το μεθοριακό πέρασμα της Ράφας στην Αίγυπτο σε λιγότερο από τρεις ώρες από την άφιξή μας εκεί.
Το απόγευμα της Τετάρτης 21 Ιανουαρίου που περάσαμε στην παλαιστινιακή Ράφα, αφήσαμε πίσω μας ανθρώπους που παλεύανε μέρες για την είσοδό τους. Η αποστολή μας, οργανωμένη από τη Συμμαχία Σταματήστε τον Πόλεμο, τον Ελληνοπαλαιστινιακό Σύνδεσμο Φιλίας και την Ενωση Ελλήνων Μουσουλμάνων, είχε σκοπό να συνοδέψει δύο φορτηγά με ιατροφαρμακευτικό υλικό και να καταγράψει την κατάσταση στη Λωρίδα μια ημέρα μετά τις μονομερείς εκεχειρίες και την απόσυρση των ισραηλινών στρατευμάτων.
Φτάσαμε στην πόλη της Γάζας το βράδυ, με συνοδεία ασθενοφόρου (προνόμιο που μας εξασφάλισε ο Παλαιστίνιος συνταξιδιώτης μας) και καταλύσαμε περιμένοντας να ξημερώσει. Την επόμενη ημέρα, βγαίνοντας στον δρόμο, αντικρίσαμε με έκπληξη μια πολιτεία που έδειχνε να συνέρχεται: τα παιδιά έπαιζαν βόλους στον δρόμο, τα μαγαζιά είχαν ανοίξει και οι πλατείες ήταν σημαιοστολισμένες με τις πράσινες σημαίες της Χαμάς και τις κόκκινες σημαίες του Λαϊκού Μετώπου. Οι αστυνομικοί ήταν στις θέσεις τους και η αγορά έσφυζε από ζωή. Οσο για τα βομβαρδισμένα κτίρια, ήδη τα πρώτα συνεργεία βρίσκονταν εκεί προσπαθώντας με τα λίγα μέσα που διέθεταν να περιμαζέψουν την κατάσταση.
(English summary of the full article)
Gaza rose up and stood again: Muslim Association of Greece helps take medical supplies to Gaza
On January 21, 2008 a team organized by the Stop the War Coalition, the Greek-Palestinian Friendship League and the Muslim Association of Greece, had to accompany two trucks with medical supplies and take stock of the situation in Gaza one day after the unilateral truce and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
As noted, Gaza has received merciless attacks: bombed schools, food stores UNWRA, the Parliament, the Islamic University, all police stations, mosques, homes of ordinary people, but especially members of Hamas houses, town halls and public services, hospitals, and crafts, such as machining and garages.
The last day we spent in Rafah. After visiting the various points hit, we were in a large main road when the schools were being dismissed. It was the first day of school after the bombing. We took out our camera and started taping the sea. Dozens of children came around us. We asked a little girl what she wants to be when she grows up. She replied that she wants to become a teacher. We asked another. He replied that he wants to help the resistance to liberate Palestine.
What we can the barbaric weapons against nine hundred thousand children and adolescents of Gaza do, we thought? And we only reply: Nothing, time is on their side …
Νοσοκομείο στη Γάζα από την Εκκλησία
January 28, 2009
Source: Enet
(English translation below)
Νοσοκομείο στη Γάζα προτίθεται να χτίσει η Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος, που θα συνεργαστεί γι’ αυτό το σκοπό με το υπουργείο Εξωτερικών. Ο Ιερώνυμος, πιστός στο όραμά του για βοήθεια στους αναξιοπαθούντες απανταχού της γης, δεν μπορούσε να μείνει ασυγκίνητος από το δράμα των Παλαιστινίων.
*Ετσι, στις συναντήσεις που είχε με την υπουργό Εξωτερικών συμφωνήθηκε να δώσει η Εκκλησία τα χρήματα στο υπουργείο Εξωτερικών με αποκλειστικό σκοπό την ανέγερση του νοσοκομείου και το υπουργείο να προβεί στις απαραίτητες διπλωματικές ενέργειες για να διευκολύνει την υλοποίηση αυτού του έργου. Τα χρήματα για το νοσοκομείο συγκεντρώθηκαν από δισκοφορίες στους ναούς. Ως παράδειγμα του ύψους του ποσού που συγκεντρώνεται, αναφέρεται ότι κάθε μία από τις εκατοντάδες εκκλησίες που βρίσκονται στη δικαιοδοσία της αρχιεπισκοπής στην περιοχή των Αθηνών, συγκέντρωσε ποσά άνω των 700 ευρώ.
*Συγχρόνως συμφωνήθηκε να τεθεί στη διάθεση του υπουργείου Εξωτερικών ο ξενώνας της Εκκλησίας που βρίσκεται στην περιοχή του Φιξ, για να φιλοξενηθούν οι συγγενείς που θα συνοδεύσουν παιδιά από την Παλαιστίνη τα οποία θα μεταφερθούν σε νοσοκομεία της Αθήνας. Το ίδιο θα γίνει και με τον ξενώνα της μητρόπολης Νεαπόλεως στη Θεσσαλονίκη. Ενεργοποιείται επίσης η «Χριστιανική Αλληλεγγύη», που συνδέεται με ιδρύματα όπως το «Κόκορη» και «Δάμαρις» για κορίτσια με νοητική στέρηση.
Η οργάνωση αυτή είχε ιδρυθεί από τον αρχιεπίσκοπο Δαμασκηνό το 1940 και τώρα πρόκειται να συντονίσει τα βήματά της με τη ΜΚΟ «Αλληλεγγύη».
Hospital in Gaza from the Church
The Church of Greece is planning to build a hospital in Gaza, who will work for this purpose by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Jerome, faithful to the vision of assistance to the disadvantaged across the land, could not remain unmoved by the plight of Palestinians.
* For example, in meetings with the Foreign Minister, [they] agreed to give the Church the money to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the sole purpose of building the hospital and the ministry to make the necessary diplomatic efforts to facilitate the implementation of this project. The money for the hospital is collected from diskofories in temples. As an example of the full amount collected, indicated that each of the hundreds of churches in the jurisdiction of the archdiocese in Athens, collected in excess of 700 euros.
* At the same time [they] agreed to put at the disposal of the foreign ministry of the church hostel located in the Fix, to accommodate relatives who will accompany children from Palestine which will be transferred to hospitals in Athens. The same will happen to the metropolis of Naples hostels in Thessaloniki. Also the “Christian Solidarity” activated related institutions such as the “Kokoris” and “Damaris” for girls with mental deprivation.
The organization was established by Archbishop Damaskinos in 1940 and is now to coordinate steps with the NGO Solidarity.
Greek President: Aren’t they ashamed to kill children?
January 6, 2009
The President of Greece, Mr. Karolos Papoulias, takes a strong stand for Gaza, announcing to the politicians of Greece at the New Year’s reception, “What are they doing? Aren’t they ashamed to kill children?”
«Τι είναι αυτά που κάνουν; Δεν ντρέπονται λιγάκι να σκοτώνουν παιδιά;».
He has openly expressed his opinion about the Gaza massacre in his New Year’s message, where he referred to Gaza as a “blood bath [that] seems to come from other, darker days of the past”.
When the head of Pasok Party, G. Papandreou addressed him, Mr. Papoulias asked him “what will you do about Middle East? Papandreou informed him about his telephone conversation with Mahmud Abbas and all the actions of the Socialist International. They both agreed that this killing is unacceptable and the president repeated, “How can they kill in cold blood?”
When Honorary President of New Democratic Party, K. Mitsotakis, counteracted and told the President of Greece that the Israelis also have their rights. Papoulias replied, “And what [do] our fellow Israelis do? They take off aircrafts and kill in cold blood”.
«Τι κάνουν οι φίλοι μας οι Ισραηλινοί; Σηκώνουν αεροπλάνα και σκοτώνουν εν ψυχρώ;».
The President also asked Mrs. Papariga, General Secretary of Communistic Party, to inform him of the situation in Ramallah after her return from the city.
This attitude of Greek citizens and politicians may leave a bitter taste to the friends of Israel, but has been proven to be welcomed by the majority of the Hellenic world, where the media topic is covered extensively, as well as blogs praising the President because he was the only one who had the strength to stand up openly for his political position.
Greek citizens agreed with him simply because Greece has endured occupation and oppression time and time again, but our free spirit cannot tolerate the lack of freedom.
There are demonstrations in Athens daily, the largest will be held on Saturday, January 10th at Syntagma united by the general population, the anti-war organizations, the Arab community, and the political parties. They all stand together to raise their voices in hopes that this massacre will come to an end and they will not stop demonstrating until this genocide ceases.
—
