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As a father of five children, my heart breaks every time I hear or read about the brutal death of any child, Palestinian or Israeli, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or of any background. A child represents innocence, joy, and mercy.
When Israel imposes, for more than three years, a complete siege on the Gaza population of 1.5 million and turns it into a large ghetto or prison, it certainly harms children.
When HAMAS responds to that siege by sending primitive home-made rockets into Israel, it surely endangers children.
When Israel carries out collective punishment on the Palestinians by dropping tons of huge missiles and bombs into densely populated residential areas, it most definitely kills children. So far, close to 30 children have died as a result of these bombs and hundreds more have been maimed and disabled.
Every time an Israeli child is harmed, the whole world mourns, and rightly so. The whole world is informed of that child's name, his or her parents' agony, and the tragic circumstances that caused this death.
However, when a Palestinian child is harmed, no one in the world seems to care. No one is told of his or her name. No one is informed about the pain of the parents, siblings, and grand parents who loved him or her. The zionist propaganda machine has succeeded in dehumanizing Palestinians. Palestinians are portrayed as terrorists, murderers, radicals, or sub-humans. That way, it becomes much easier not to care about such a people, no matter how many of them are turned into refugees, how many of their homes are demolished, how much of their land is confiscated, how many of them are imprisoned, and how many of them are killed or wounded.
The Palestinian people, the indigenous people of historic Palestine (today's Israel and Palestine) are, like all people, a nation that wants freedom on its own land. And they have continuously shown the world their willingness to sacrifice everything they have to live with freedom and dignity.
And, yes, dead Palestinian children (as well as living ones) have names and their parents love them too.
Below are the photos and names of a few Palestinian children killed in the last few days.
Haya and Lama Hamdan killed by an Israeli missile.
Haya Hamdan finally put to rest (probably not in the way her parents envisioned).
Little boy, Yahya Hayek, under rubbles. Our U.S. government recently supplied Israel with a fresh supply of heavy-duty missiles called bunker busters. It seems the Bush administration wanted to assist Israel in the humane and swift killing of Palestinian children without prolonging their pain.
Yahya Hayek's grandmother was asked to identify the body of her grandson. He was among the fortunate ones whose body was still identifiable. She will send her thank you note to the Israeli leaders for their kind and humane gesture.
A boy shot by Israeli soldiers in a demonstration in the West Bank.
A father weeps the death of his five daughters, including a 14-month-old toddler.
At the funeral of one of those five girls, Deena Baalousha
What's Deena thinking now? Her beautfil angelic face tells a million story. Is she wondering why the world allowed Israel to starve her and her four sisters for three years and then watched as the F-16 sent the missiles to take their lives?
Deena can finally rest in peace in her own piece of land. This must be the peace that Israel keeps talking about.
A young Palestinian man carries a little boy who died before making it to the hospital. I am sure he has a name too. I am sure he has, or had, parents who loved him too. It might come as a surprise to many Israelis, but Palestinian parents name their children and love them too.
His crime is that he is not Israeli; so no one would care.
Three killed boys; three less targets for Israel.
Photos: Aljazeera Satellite Television and other news outlets
Original post from Hussam Ayloush's blog.
{ 6 } Comments
I am a 46 year old man, Jewish, and I must say that I am thoroughly disappointed and disgusted with Israel and how this "State" has behaved over the years. This sandbox bully war with the Palestinians MUST MUST MUST end! It is TWO THOUSAND AND NINE tomorrow and I cannot believe that this conflict still endures. Children dying? Whaaaat?? This whole thing is an atrocity perpetuated by these Israeli's who claim to be of God. You know, it's funny, I live in Baltimore, Maryland, and it has a large population of Israeli's and Orthodox people. I am a Jew, but do you know who are the most obnoxious, rude and disgusting people I have found here? That's right! The Israeli's! Not the inner city blacks, not the run of the mill Jews like me, not the Russians. But the Israeli's! I can definately see why those idiots in power in Israel can't be dealt with. Rude, selfish, stubborn, and mean are only a few words to descibe the general Israeli population here in the United States. Pre 1948, Israeli's and Palestinians lived in harmony. My belief is that they could have forever, even if a large portion of Jews emigrated to that area. Zionism has killed any hope for peace. I hope I see peace in that land before I depart this Earth, if only for my children. I am speechless as to what the Israeli's have done over the past week. It's pure horror, and pure nonsense.
I am a Muslim, not a perfect one and has many flaws that only God can forgive. I would like to express my sympathy and sadness to what is happening in Palestine. However, I think everybody is forgetting that it was Hamas who started firing missiles at the the Israelis. Right after the end of the pact, they decided to bomb Israel, what did you expect? Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to justify what the Israelis are doing to the Palestinian civilians. I think it is despicable. But the Hamas should get some of the blame too. And forgive me if I am getting my info about these recent Israeli-Palestinian attacks wrong. I just think these attacks could have altogether been avoided should everybody mind their businesses.
@~~~ – My dear "Muslim", look for something else other than CNN for news. Hamas did not start any fight (although they have the right as Palestine is still under occupation and this is a basic human right).
FYI, Israel carried out 193 violations until December 18, 2008. Israeli violations did not cease during the six-month "truce" which was mediated by Egypt on June 19 with the hope that, six months later, the truce would be extended to include the West Bank. Yet, during this period, the Israeli army killed 22 Palestinians, wounded 62, including nine fishermen, and the Israeli terrorist army resumed the shelling of civilian areas and infrastructure. They also kidnapped 38 Palestinians, all fishermen and framers. So, who started this war crimes in Gaza Strip?
Why is it that when Hamas "alledgedly" fired their "hundred" or so rockets into Israel, only one , just one, Israeli was killed, yet when Israel starts to bomb they kill at least 250 Palestinian people in ONE day! Come on people use a little common sense. It seems to me that Israel is responsible for all of the bombing and I hope that they will pay dearly for it in the end. And I would also like to point out that I'm not including every jew but only those who are "Zionist" and would claim the whole of Palestine as theirs. I mean these Israeli's are killing innocent people, even babies! It truly is despicable and if there is a God I hope he cleanses them from the face of the earth!
I am a similar father to you who lives in Japan. I am very anxious with slaughter against Palestinian people every day. Also in Japan I know the action to make solidarity with people of GAZA, and I want to bring it wider and stronger. I was deeply impressed by your message. I translated this page into Japanese and introduced it to my friends.
LET'S PROVIDE HOPE FOR GAZA CHILDREN, NOT BOMB.
@~~~ – I think you are very much mistaken in November Israel broke the ceasefire and bombarded 6 homes….read between the lines you are consumed by the propaganda I suggest you read the Guardian newspaper………look at the thousands dying this war will never end you know why? As disbelievers like you surround this world we live in…read before you make pathetic comments