When words fail me...

These are difficult times for Palestinians, and particularly for Gazans. Its all the more difficult when I am away, and can do little more than watch my people being bombarded, beseiged econmically and politcally, and suffocated from afar. When words fail me, I always take comfort in the power of those who can convey the situation to the world.

Here, a selection of two excellent articles by Danny Rubebstein and Gideon Levy, and one interview on Democracy Now with Chris Mcgreal, and my Aunt, Mona El-Farra, physician, community activist, and author of From Gaza, With Love blog, which discusses, among other things, claims that the beach massacre was was not the result of Israeli shelling (discusses eyewitness reports as well as Human Rights Watch findings).

"The events of this past weekend should not come as a surprise
to anyone: The deterioration has been going on for weeks,
and the question that should be asked is not what Israel
is doing to counter the Qassams, but what it is not doing.
An army that fires missiles at busy streets and tank
shells at a beach cannot claim there was no intent to harm
innocent civilians." -Gideon Levy

"Until Israel does not announce a change of policy, a desire for a complete
cease-fire and a genuine willingness for dialogue - this is how the situation will continue." -Danny Rubinstein