Evacuation order

Ten months have passed since the Israeli genocide in Gaza began. No words can describe the pain, the suffering, the loss, the cruelty, the dehumanization, the powerlessness, and the helplessness we feel. Possibly the most devastating aspect for us Palestinians currently in exile like me is the sense of powerlessness and our inability to console our family members and loved ones in Gaza, who are being subjected to literal genocide. Last night, the Israeli genocidal army issued an evacuation order targeting designated territories in the middle areas of Gaza, including entire refugee camps and half of another refugee camp. These camps already host hundreds of thousands of displaced families, enduring non-stop movement, displacement, and pain over the past ten months. Again, no words can describe the troubling feeling of entrapment and powerlessness.

What can we say to console them when they tell me:

"Ayman, we have been tested to the limit. We are exhausted and cannot do it anymore. We wish a rocket would take us to eternity. Life is disgusting." 

These are their words, reflecting the level of cruelty and dehumanization they have been subjected to for the past ten months—and it is ongoing. My family has been displaced multiple times. Each displacement experience is harsher than the last. From out of Gaza City, I recall my mother describing the waves of displaced Palestinians as images of the Nakba—the 1948 catastrophe—but apparently, it is a hundred times worse. It is displacement compounded by genocide and unimaginable levels of cruelty and dehumanization in their literal sense in Gaza.

A picture circulated among Palestinians in Gaza showing the refreshed Israeli evacuation order.

The basic wish for people is for the bombing to stop so they can have a little bit of sleep—a sleep that is not disrupted by armed surveillance drones and the sound of tanks and missiles. My family, like all families in Gaza, continues to experience this entrapment, abuse, starvation, and dehydration while still trying to survive this genocide. They watch as their neighbors' bodies are fragmented, disintegrated, and broadcast live on TV. Families witness the destruction of every aspect of their lives, from education, health, and culture to stories and memories, continuing to be abused.

Israel must be held accountable. This genocide, oppression, and abuse must end. People deserve to live without systematic abuse and dehumanization. I am sharing this not for sympathy but for documentation and justice. 

Il est temps de déclarer le blocus de Gaza terminé !

Il est temps de déclarer le blocus de Gaza terminé !

lundi 6 août 2012 - Ayman Qwaider

Gaza est une véritable prison à ciel ouvert, un camp de concentration où vit confinée une population de 1,7 million de Palestiniens. La tolérance (voire le soutien) dont bénéficie Israël au niveau international pour perpétrer ses crimes est une honte pour l’humanité.

Ce point de passage relie le territoire assiégé avec l’Égypte et le monde extérieur. L’ouverture de la frontière n’est pas seulement une nécessité humanitaire, mais aussi une responsabilité morale et éthique.

L’ouverture du passage de Rafah est un exigence essentielle dans les relations entre les deux voisins. Sous le régime pro-américain de Moubarak, ce point de passage n’avait pas un fonctionnement normal, à cause de prétendues « raisons de sécurité », sans même définir ce que signifiait la sécurité. Il est bien connu qu’à travers l’Histoire, la bande de Gaza était le fer de lance de l’Égypte en même temps qu’une garantie de sa sécurité face à Israël. L’Égypte n’est liée par aucun accord pour imposer un blocus draconien sur la bande de Gaza, ni pour restreindre la liberté de circulation de 1,7 millions de personnes.

Après la chute de l’ancien régime en Égypte en février 2011, les Palestiniens de la bande de Gaza étaient plein d’espoir et d’enthousiasme, attendant que le nouveau système politique égyptien mette un terme à l’épopée du seul point de passage de Gaza. La fermeture de la frontière de Rafah a été très coûteuse pour les civils de Gaza. Plus de 600 Palestiniens ont perdu la vie après avoir été empêchés de quitter Gaza pour une hospitalisation à l’extérieur. Les étudiants ont été privés d’accès aux écoles et universités à l’étranger. Une grave pénurie de produits de base empêche de répondre aux besoins essentiels. Et par-dessus tout, les Palestiniens, ont été laissés sans aucune possibilité de se mettre à l’abri pendant le massacre dans Gaza, l’hiver 2008-2009.

L’Égypte a réellement diminué les restrictions sur la frontière de Rafah, mais n’a pas explicitement déclaré que ce blocus de 6 ans est terminé. Il est vrai que les Palestiniens sont autorisés à sortir librement pour la première fois en quatre ans. Il y a cependant toujours des restrictions concernant le flux de matériaux de construction, les produits alimentaires et le commerce. Il convient également de mentionner que les Palestiniens sont incapables de recevoir des amis d’autres nationalités, librement et sans certaines conditions. Alors que l’humanité est passée dans le 21e siècle, les étrangers doivent passer par d’humiliants tunnels entre Gaza et l’Égypte pour rencontrer leurs homologues dans la bande de Gaza.

L’Égypte est toujours l’objet d’un processus révolutionnaire et le nouveau-né du système politique égyptien devrait aller main dans la main avec la volonté du peuple égyptien pour mettre fin à la souffrance quotidienne des Palestiniens dans la bande de Gaza.

L’Égypte devrait apporter son soutien à la bande de Gaza. Il convient d’abandonner ce siège injuste, et de mettre fin à l’humiliation délibérée aux passages frontières et dans les aéroports. Le nouveau président Morsi devrait prendre une décision historique et humaine en ouvrant le passage de Rafah, sans conditions ni restrictions tous les jours et toute l’année pour les personnes et les biens.

L’ouverture du passage de Rafah est un véritable test pour le succès de la révolution égyptienne et la volonté de changement et de réforme exigée en Égypte et par tous les révolutionnaires arabes.

http://www.info-palestine.net/article.php3?id_article=12511

http://aymanqwaider.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/il-est-temps-de-declarer-le-blocus-de-gaza-termine/

Mind the Strip, Lessons Learned

Firstly, humanity and human rights should be our prime concern as peace makers and peace caretakers. I was helped by people I have never met in my life when i was stuck in Gaza and was being prevented by Israel to go to Spain to complete my masters.   My newfound friends, who were different in colour, religion, nationality and language, assisted me without any pre-existing conditions. They initiated a media campaign to pressure public opinion so that Israel would allow me to leave Gaza, simply because we share the most important aspect of what can bring all peoples together and that is humanity. 

When I asked them why they helped me, someone that they had never before met, they replied that they believed that what was happening to me was unjust and that they were in a position to help me and so they did what they felt was natural and right.  It is important to stress here is that humanity and a belief in universal justice can transcend all nations and all tribes.  At this point, I would like to bring to your attention an important verse from Sura al-Hujurat of the Quran which highlights this point:

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

Secondly, we should never overlook or undermine our power as people to make significant changes in the world today. When I was stuck in Gaza and was struggling to leave Gaza for nearly two months, we did not give up. We created peaceful and powerful tools and strategies to put pressure on the Israeli state where we knew it would be most effective: public opinion. We were determined that our efforts would succeed, and that is first and foremost because we believed that we would succeed from the very beginning.   

So, first and foremost the strategy was to affect the sphere of public opinion and second, we needed to find the proper tools and access points to achieve this goal.  Through our access to social media networks and local Catalan media and through another Spanish media contact in Jerusalem, we managed to reach the Spanish mainstream media that reported my story in the major Spanish media outlets, and it spread like a wildfire!   The major social media tools that we used included Facebook, Online Petitions and Twitter, however it wouldn’t have been successful had we not taken the effort to reach a more broad audience through traditional media outlets.  However we likely would not have been successful in reaching the mass media without firstly instigating the social media campaign.

Thirdly, we learned to never be afraid to demand your basic human rights because it is yours and no power on earth should deny you these rights.  These are not simply the rights outlined in the UN Charter or the Geneva Conventions, but God given rights, irrespective of any international organization or piece of paper that they are written on.

Fourthly, all human rights violations should be documented because it is the only way to raise awareness of these plights to a wider audience.  It is important that we stand beyond all deprived and vulnerable people. There are so many people on earth whom their voice is voiceless or they do not have the means to bring their voices to the attention of the world. Thus, it is our duty to help give them a louder voice.

And finally, in situations of injustice, never wait for others to assist you. We should always take the lead to change realities of unfairness and injustice. We should always utilize all possible means available to us in order to remove or contribute to removing injustice. Others will be convinced later and take the initiative and complete the path.

Watch Mind the Strip

Why do I Support the Welcome to Palestine FLYTILLA.

In 1947-48, the Palestinian people were subjected to an ethnic cleansing campaign at the hands of the Zionist forces. The number of Palestinians that experienced expulsion anduprooting during this period of time is estimated to be approximately 775,000. Over the past 64 years, while the Zionist policy of population transfer has continued at a slower and retracted pace, it still remains an extension of the pogroms that began in 1947. Currently, the Palestinians diaspora totals approximately five million. While many Palestinians live in cities across the world, including in North America, South America and Europe, there still remains millions of Palestinians living in abject poverty and horrible conditions in refugee camps across bordering ...

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Palestine is the Anvil of our Souls: My New Blog

Palestine is the Anvil of our Souls

Ayman Qwaider

My name is Ayman Qwaider, a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip. I am 25 year old raised up and received my primary education in one of the Refugee camp where I live in El Nuserate refugee camp, middle of Gaza Strip. I finished my university degree from Islamic University of Gaza in 2008, then I worked for almost two years in International Humanitarian Aid organization based on the Gaza City. In Feb 2010, I was granted a scholarship in peace, conflict and development studies to complete my post graduate studies in Spain.

I started my blogging experience directly after the one-sided war on the Gaza Strip Winter 2008-2009. I launched my blog in order to contribute the mainstream media, which is often influenced by one narrative usually the Israeli narrative. I report so as I can reach a worldwide audience who seek the true facts on the group about the life under a military occupation.

I blog because I believe that audience worldwide has the right to receive information, stories, and news about what is happening in Palestine using alternative media sources. I believe that alternative media sources play a vital and effective role in countering the Israeli propaganda. This is not to declare that we are the winners, but we have to be alert that Israel spends over a $1 billion per year on public relations efforts compared with almost nothing that we spend. Though we do not have the money to influence the mainstream media and the politicians, we are able to reach the free voice of the people and we will continue to inform and mobilize the masses.

Fellow me:

http://aymanqwaider.wordpress.com/

Vers une culture de Paix et Reconnaissance

Vers une culture de Paix et Reconnaissance
La Palestine est un membre de l’UNESCO
par Ayman Qwaider

La Palestine est devenue le 195ème Etat à joindre l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’éducation, la science et la culture, ci-après, l’UNESCO . Son admission au sein de la famille de l’UNESCO a offert une bouffée d’optimisme et d’espoir aux Palestiniens qui croient, profondément, dans la mission de l’UNESCO, à savoir « construire la paix dans l’esprit des hommes et des femmes. » L’admission de la Palestine est une victoire symbolique non seulement pour les Palestiniens, mais aussi pour les nombreuses nations du monde ayant voté pour la reconnaissance de la Palestine au sein des Nations Unies et soutenu la demande légitime du peuple palestinien à être représenté en tant qu'Etat aux Nations unies. Si ce vote n’est pas en soi une reconnaissance de la souveraineté palestinienne dans le concert des Nations unies, cette large majorité de nations ayant soutenu l’admission de la Palestine à l’UNESCO est symbolique du soutien remarquable dont jouit globalement la cause de la souveraineté et des droits nationaux palestiniens.
Les Palestiniens ont été soumis de manière prolongée à un système d’injustices et se battent depuis des décennies non seulement pour être reconnus en tant que peuple à part entière, mais pour se voir accorder des droits humains fondamentaux. Aujourd’hui avec cet pas unilatéral en direction de l’obtention de droits humains élémentaires, ce pas vers la dignité et vers la reconnaissance d’un Etat, les droits et la dignité des générations futures de Palestiniens semblent plus accessibles.
Quand il est question de conflit et de paix entre deux parties, et lorsque l’on tente d’atteindre plus de justice, l’acceptation et la reconnaissance de l’autre, est essentielle. Si les droits et la dignité de l’autre ne sont pas pris en compte, comment est-il possible d’imaginer une quelconque justice ? Cela a été impossible depuis plus de 63 ans, et cela ne saura l’être sans la reconnaissance des Palestiniens en tant que peuple. Peuple ayant toute légitimité et ayant droit aussi bien aux droits fondamentaux, que celui d’un Etat et de leur propre souveraineté établie clairement au sein des Nations unies, et à travers son Assemblée Générale. La reconnaissance et l’acceptation par l’UNESCO est un pas positif dans cette direction.

De nos jours, la diplomatie est dominée par des intérêts politiques et économiques, et contribue à maintenir des inégalités. C’est le phénomène que d’aucuns ont qualifié de « realpolitik ». Pourtant, malgré de très puissants intérêts en jeu dans la donne géopolitique actuelle, et malgré l’existence d’une opposition à l’initiative palestinienne et sa demande d’une reconnaissance au sein de l’ONU, cette acceptation de la Palestine à l’UNESCO prouve l’existence sous-jacente d’un large consensus sur la question d’un état palestinien. Ce consensus est plus évident que jamais.

La Reconnaissance est une étape vitale vers la Justice. La Paix est à la Justice ce que le fruit est à l’arbre ayant pu fleurir. Aucune paix de longue durée n’a pu être atteinte sans une base fondamentalement de justice et d’équité pour toutes les parties concernées. En tant que Palestinien, témoin de décennies de chagrin et injustices, comme tous les Palestiniens, je peux affirmer que nous sommes terriblement reconnaissants à la famille qu’est l’UNESCO pour la générosité de ce geste, cette reconnaissance et son soutien, et de ne pas avoir failli en ce qui concerne cette question de la Palestine. Nous, le peuple de la Palestine, nous vous saluons pour votre droiture, votre équité et votre intégrité dans votre soutien de la cause qu’est la justice.

Ayman Qwaider

ayman.qauder@gmail.com

Towards a Culture of Peace and Recognition

Towards a Culture of Peace and Recognition

Palestine is a UNESCO Member State

By: Ayman Qwaider

London (Pal telegraph) Palestine is the 195th state to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. The admission of Palestine to the UNESCO family has given optimism and hope to Palestinians who believe in the mission of UNESCO “Building peace in the Mind of Men and Women”. The admission of Palestine is a symbolic victory not only for Palestinians, but also for the many nations around the world that voted for the recognition of accepting Palestine as the legitimate sovereign state of the Palestinian People. While this vote did not result in the legal recognition of Palestinian sovereignty in the league of the United Nations, the large majority of nations that supported Palestine’s admission to UNESCO is symbolic of the overwhelming global support of Palestinian national rights and sovereignty.

Palestinians have been subjected to a prolonged system of injustice, and for decades we have been struggling not simply to be recognized as a sovereign people, but simply to have our basic human rights protected. Today, with this unilateral step towards attaining our human rights, dignity and statehood, we are that much closer to ensuring the rights and dignity of the future generations of Palestinians.

In attempting to address issues of justice, conflict and peace between two parties, firstly the recognition and the acceptance of the other is paramount. Without acknowledging the rights and dignity of the other, how can justice ever prevail? It hasn’t for over 63 years, and it won’t until our recognition as a legitimate people; a legitimate people with full human rights and the right to statehood and self-governance is fully achieved in the United Nations General Assembly. Our recognition and acceptance into UNESCO is a positive step in this direction.

Diplomacy in the world today is dominated by political and economic inequalities and interests, or what many great geopolitical analysts have coined “Realpolitik. Yet still, despite the very powerful interests at work in the geopolitical fold today, many of which have staunchly opposed the Palestinian initiative and demands for legal recognition of statehood within the UN; this acceptance of Palestine into UNESCO proves that there is a broad consensus on the question of Palestinian statehood. That consensus is now clearer than ever.

Recognition is a vital process towards justice. Peace is to justice as a fig is to the tree that flowers it. No long-lasting peace has ever endured without a strong foundation of justice and equity for all parties involved. We wholeheartedly appreciate the UNESCO family for their generous recognition, support and stand on the question of Palestine. We, the people of Palestine, commend you for your integrity, fairness and righteousness in supporting the cause for justice.

Published: Paltegraph

Ayman Qwaider

ayman.qauder@gmail.com