L'er's,
This e-mail came from a Norweygian friend i went to college with. She works for a charity and is appealing to all of us to take a stance against the tyranny of Ariel Sharon.
kind regards,
Mboge
>Dear friends, >As you probably all know Ramallah has again been occupied by the >Israeli army and I am now writing to you from my house in Ramallah
>where I have been stuck since Thursday night. I am very lucky
>compared to many others in Ramallah. My house is located far away >from Arafat’s headquarters and the downtown area where the fiercest >fighting is taking place. There are tanks going up and down my >street, but so far the soldiers are not on the ground doing >house-to-house search here. We have food to last for a long time and >until now we also have electricity (most of the time), water and a >phone-line. And as you can see, internet!!! This is however just >because I am “lucky” to live in this area, in rest of Ramallah the >situation is far worse. Since Thursday the civilian population of >Ramallah has been confined to their homes many without electricity >and water. A large number of Palestinians have been executed by >soldiers and snipers, humanitarian and medical assistance is >obstructed, many are without food and drinking water. A group of >international peace activists are still in Arafat’s office where >they express their support for the Palestinian leader and the >Palestinian people and so far they have contributed to prevent the >execution of Arafat himself. All press and foreigners have been >denied entry to Ramallah which has been declared a closed military >area. This is a very dangerous development as it will give the >soldiers free hands to carry out their insane “operation” in >Ramallah. Another devastating news is that the soldiers have taken >over the offices of Al-Haq where I used to work and one of the >employees is missing-we have no information on his whereabouts or >condition. Al-Haq was the first human rights organisation to be >established in the West Bank and we are now worried that the Israeli >soldiers will confiscate sensitive information and documentation of >human rights violations over the last 23 years and destroy all the >equipment. I think the attack on an independent human rights >organisation speaks for itself. >Now, I will ask all of you to take some action to help put pressure >on the Israeli government to end this mad operation which is killing >innocent people and of course to end the occupation which is the >only solution to end the conflict here. I hope you will all have the >possibility to take part in demonstrations in support of the >Palestinian people-it actually does make a difference!!! And I will >also ask you to contact the Israeli embassy to let them know that >you oppose the latest Israeli actions in the Occupied Palestinian >Territories and appeal to them to end the occupation. > >The Israeli Embassy >2 Palace Green, London W8 4QB >Mr. Menashe Bar-On >Phone: 020-79579500 >Fax: 020-79579555 >E-mail: [log in to unmask] > >I have also attached a letter from a Palestinian in Ramallah-he is >sending out these letters to friends all over the world. I will send >you other info on what is happening here, and if some of you do not >appreciate this please let me know. > >Thank you all very much! >Lots of love from Hanna > > > >Friends near and far, >Once again, I am sitting behind my computer writting to you having >been subjected to house arrest for the past 3 days like 3.5 million >Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Perhaps, I am one of the >lucky ones. So far, our apartment building has electricity and >phones, although water is running out, so we only have enough water >perhaps for 3-4 days to drink an cook, no water to wash clothes or >wash ourselves- and this is why I am able to send you this email. My >daughter, Nahlah, keeps asking me why can't she go to the nursery? I >feel very helpless and don't know what should I say. How can I >explain to Nahlah what Occupation means? How can I explain to a >3-year old child that there are people in the 21st century who >occupy other people, control them and try to enslave them? It is >very difficult for us all. Most people in Ramallah however, where I >live one, do not have electricity, water or telephones. All of these >services have been cut by the Israeli invading army that has >re-occupied Ramallah 3 days ago. In addition to sieging the office >of Yaser Arafat (the elected leader of the Palestinian people), the >Israeli occupation forces have been moving from one house to another >searching for "wanted" people. In doing that, they are humiliating >everyone they see, children, women and men of course, they steel >anything they believe it is worth steeling under the pretext of >security (they stole computers, TVs, cash, jewellery), and trashing >whole houses. In many cases, the Israeli Army have gathered the >residents of a whole apartment building (100+) in one apartment >while taking over the rest of the apartments as positions to attack >other apartments and to position their snipers to kill other >Palestinians and anything that moves in cold-bold. People are very >angry. They wonder how can Sharon and his Occupying Army are able to >do all of these human rights violations un-noticed. Once again, >hypocrisy and double standards on the part of the West seem clearer >than ever. Last night, Pres Bush blamed Arafat for this escalation >and asked him to do "a lot more" to stop the violence. This is very >absurd. Arafat has been under complete siege in one room without >water, food, electricity or phones for 3 days, and he is expected to >do more? Why not asking the other side to do anything? Why avoiding >the real and core problems: OCCUPATION. How can the world forget >that Israel is the only country in the 21st century that still >occupies other people and their land? The Palestinians are only >asking for less than 22% of historic Palestine. Is this too much to >ask for? Is demanding their right for a viable and independent >homeland makes Palestinians terrorist? If so, I can assure you that >the 3.5 Million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza together with >many million Palestinians living outside of Palestine are Proud to >be terrorists. Friends, I know that all of your are busy doing your >own things. But, I hope that if and when you have an opportunity to >express your solidarity with my people and their cause by demanding >ENDING the Israeli OCCUPATION of Palestine, that you do so. Please >talk to your friends, to community groups, to churches, mosques, >universities and your own families. Share this view which is usually >not heard outside. I thank you for your support, and friendship. >As always, >Truly yours, Mohammed > >