January 22 2009

Gaza Still Needs You

One of the things I really fear is that -and as usual- everybody will forget all about the Gaza massacres, just like they always do once a ceasefire is maintained.

It’s very important to realize that the critical phase has just begun. Political stability in the Gaza Strip and Palestine will not be reached that easily. The situation is as dangerous and worrying as before, if not even worse.

Israel has left Gazans suffering both physically and psychologically… this war took away their security, their loved ones and shattered their dreams. It scattered their past, shook their present and blurred their future leaving them homeless, hopeless, and lost.

Therefore, and to aid the people of Gaza gain their balance back, help them start over, assist them in reconstructing their destroyed land, and deliver the needed medical and nutrition supplies to them, everyone needs to head to the nearest donation point and donate as much as they can.

Let’s give them back hope, and help them stand up on their feet again. Let’s prove to Israel that Palestinians are not alone in this, and that if a Palestinian gets hurt, there are millions who’ll run to the rescue…

Long live Palestine…

Category: Arab Societies, Charity & Human Aid, Palestine | Comments Off on Gaza Still Needs You
January 16 2009

<div style=”direction:rtl;text-align:right”>حبر.كوم: جهود جبارة في مساعدة أهالي غزة</div>

بصراحة، في كل مرة أكتب فيها عن أحداث الحرب في غزة، أجد نفسي أشكر الله على وجود أشخاص نشِطين لا يزال ضميرهم مفعم بالحياة، يحاولون إيجاد حلول فعلية للمشاركة في مساعدة منكوبي حرب غزة بدلا من الاكتفاء بالشجب والاستنكار والتهديد والوعيد واللطم والنواح.

والحمد لله أن الدنيا لسّا بخير، فها نحن نرى شاحنات الإغاثة تنقل معونات المجتمعات “الأوفر حظا” إلى أهالينا في فلسطين، وتحديدا في غزة … الأسوأ حظا  .

لقد اعتدنا مسارعة بعض الجهات الرسمية التابعة لبعض الدول إلى إغاثة الفلسطينيين، جهات مدعومة على مستوى محلي أو عالمي أو الإثنين معا، ولكن قليلا ما نرى جهات حديثة التأسيس مثل حبر.كوم، محدودة الأعضاء، لا تحظى بالدعم ولا الشهرة ولا التغطية الكافين كغيرها من الجهات المعروفة، ومع كل هذا، وبجهود فردية، تنجح في إحداث تغيير على مستوى الإنترنت، وتنجح في جلب اهتمام الكثير من القرّاء، بل وحتى استقطاب العديد من المتطوعين للمساهمة على أرض الواقع في جمع التبرعات وفرزها وتعليبها لإرسالها إلى غزة. وليس هذا فقط، بل إلى جانب كل هذا التنظيم والتنسيق حرصت حبر.كوم على إعلام كل الناس وبالأخص المتبرعين والمساهمين بآخر المستجدات المتعلقة بأنشطتها وكل ما هو جديد فيما يخص حملات التبرعات.

فنشاط حبر.كوم الخيري، الذي كان بتنسيق رائع مع أرامكس، يستحق كل تقدير وإعجاب. وإنّها مبادرات كهذه هي القادرة على نقل نبض الشارع -دون أي تكلف- وهي القادرة على بعث الأمل في أرواح شعوب تتوق إلى المشاركة والنشاط والتفاني والمثابرة والتحرك الفعلي بدلا من الخطابات والمحاضرات والقمم التي حفظناها عن ظهر قلب ومللناها منذ عقود.

فشكرا حبر.كوم على جهودكم الجبارة، وتحية لكل المتطوعين الذين ساهموا في إغاثة شعب ينزف وأرواح تئن.

Category: Arab Societies, Charity & Human Aid, Jordan, Palestine, Posts in Arabic | Comments Off on <div style=”direction:rtl;text-align:right”>حبر.كوم: جهود جبارة في مساعدة أهالي غزة</div>
December 28 2008

Gaza Needs Your Help!

I really don’t know how I finally pulled myself together to be able to write these few words… since I really feel so helpless, so weak and so stupidly out of place.

Right now, and while people are preparing to celebrate the New Hijri Year, and while many more are busy and confused not knowing where or how to celebrate New Year’s Eve, thousands of Palestinians are thinking of ways to stay alive, survive getting killed in the most BARBARIC way EVER… Israeli attacks on one side, hunger, lack of fuel, power and electricity on the other, not to mention the absence of access to medical aid… and most importantly the lack of support of sane and powerfull fellow human beings.

The thought of killing innocent people in the name of “fighting terrorism” or “answering to attacks” is so revolting that I truly feel like throwing up! And what’s even more disgusting is that in the middle of all that, some regimes that are supposed to be fair and that are expected to feel a tiny bit of sympathy, are actually calling Palestinians -as usual- to “cooperate” and “stop violence” in order for peace to take place! this madness MUST STOP!

In the name of all the innocent civilians who are being brutally massacred in Gaza, I’m calling out for immediate help and support: Donate Now for medical aid in an emergency appeal for Gaza!, and if you’re Jordanian, check out this: How Jordanians Can Help the People in Gaza!

I leave you with some photos and some of what bloggers posted on the same tragedy:

  • On Gaza, with a video of Jordanians protesting the attacks on Gaza, by Nas.
Category: Arab Societies, Charity & Human Aid, Jordan, Media, International, Palestine | Comments Off on Gaza Needs Your Help!
November 27 2008

The Charter For Compassion

While the religions and faiths of mankind are different in so many ways, they all share the core principle of compassion, and they all agree to “The Golden Rule“: Do not do to others what you would not have done to you.

And from this belief came the idea of forming The Charter For Compassion, a collaborative project by people from all around the world, in an attempt to inspire the world to think differently about religion, recognize each other’s humanity, and to help build a peaceful and harmonious global community based on tolerance.

This project, was actually a wish made by Karen Armstrong when she won the TED Prize, a prize designed to leverage the TED Community’s exceptional array of talent and resources. It is awarded annually to three exceptional individuals who each receive $100,000 and the granting of “One Wish to Change the World.” And Karen’s wish was creating this Charter For Compassion.

The charter will be completed in 2009. The project’s site is open for people from all nations, all religions, all faiths, all backgrounds, to tell their own stories and share their own experiences of compassion. These contributions will then be reviewed by a Council of Sages, made up of religious thinkers and leaders, who will use them to create the final version of the Charter. The document will not only speak to the core ideas of compassion but will also address the actions all segments of society can take to bring these ideas into the world more fully. The Charter will then be signed by religious leaders of all faiths at a large launch event, followed by a series of other events to publicize and promote the Charter around the world.

The contributions are rather impressive and the stories are really touching. Visit the site to learn more about the charter and to take a look at the contributions, rate them, and even share your opinion, stories and comments with others on the site.

P.s. Thanks to my friend Mary for the tip.

Category: Charity & Human Aid, Media, International, Religion, Women | Comments Off on The Charter For Compassion
October 15 2008

Blog Action Day 2008: POVERTY; Our Great Sin

Whether caused by destiny, a natural catastrophe, or mankind, poverty was and will always be the one nightmare haunting human beings. Those who are already poor spend their lives struggling to get rid of poverty; and those who aren’t, spend their lives fighting to avoid it…

Regardless of the form, in which poverty comes, the result is always the same: pain, embarrassment, suffering, and this intolerable feeling of inequality, difference, and injustice. But it has to be said that man-made poverty remains the most difficult form of poverty to be endured by the less-fortunate among us. And when it’s man-made, poverty is indeed “the worst form of violence” as Mahatma Gandhi stated many years ago.

We humans are capable of making individuals as well as entire nations poor so easily just by turning our evil dark side to the active-mode. Our ignorance and greed, both stemming from our disgusting selfishness, are the reason we steal the savings of a retired old man; the reason we kill the only member of a family that can actually earn money; the reason we wage wars destroying the economies and generations of countries; the reason we turn a blind eye to those who are in need, even if they were so close; and the reason we humiliate those who are poor and deprive them of their basic right of survival, equal treatment and security.

And as Charles Darwin stated:“If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin”. Looking at the world today, it’s easy to see that we’ve sinned, big time, and for such a sin we shall pay, in fact, we’re already paying. Aristotle once said:“poverty is the parent of revolution and crime”, we caused a lot of poverty around us, and now we have to deal with the aftermath. We need to wake up and do something if we really wanted to overcome poverty and makeup for the mess we’ve created in our societies. But what many people don’t realize is that it’s our duty and our responsibility to end poverty, it’s not something nice you do if you feel like it; just as Nelson Mandela puts it: Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life”; and Muhammad Yunus also agrees: This is not charity. This is business: business with a social objective, which is to help people get out of poverty”.

Poverty knows no mercy. It attacks any one of any age, any gender, any religion, any position… Don’t think that things remain the way they are forever, everything changes, everything comes to an end,. And just like the poor can become rich, the rich may also become poor. That’s why you need to think of others and know that one day you might be in their shoes, even if you did all you could to avoid such a tragedy… life is full of surprises.

Start now by learning and teaching others to share, give away and help. You can also teach someone a profession, help educate someone, help someone find a job … or the least you could do is “remember the poor, it costs nothing” -Mark Twain.

Category: Charity & Human Aid | Comments Off on Blog Action Day 2008: POVERTY; Our Great Sin
April 3 2008

Künstlerische Form des Widerstands

Die hässliche, illegale Mauer, die Israel gebaut hat um sich von der Westbank zu trennen, trennt auch palästinensische Familien, zerstört ihre Wirtschaft, und macht ihr Leben unmöglich.
Eine Gruppe von Palästinensern versuchen von dieser Mauer zu profitieren und sie ins eine alternative, künstlerische Form des Widerstands zu verwandeln.

Wie funktioniert es? Man geht einfach auf die Website “send.a.message” und tippt dort ein, was man gesprayt haben will. Es ist eigentlich egal was der Inhalt des gewünschten Textes ist. Ausser Beleidigungen und rassistischem Material wird alles gesprayt. Übersetzungen sollen gegeben wurden, wenn der Text nicht auf Englisch ist.

Jede Nachricht kostet 30 Euro. Man bezahlt die online, danach bekommt man drei Fotos: Ein Close-up, ein Bild vom Sprayer bei der Arbeit und eines aus einer weiteren Perspektive, damit man auch einen Eindruck von der Mauer bekommt. Mit dem Geld wurden kleine palästinensischen Sozialprojekte finanziert.

Unterstützen Sie ihren Versuch, die schwierigen Umständen zu überleben, schicken Sie Ihre eigene Nachricht jetzt.

Ein Graffiti an der Mauer, die Israel von der Westbank trennt.
© 2008 Financial Times Deutschland, © AP

English:

* Tagging Israel’s Barrier Wall.

* Send A Message On Israel’s Illegal Wall.

Category: Charity & Human Aid, Media, International, Palestine, Posts in German | Comments Off on Künstlerische Form des Widerstands
March 7 2008

Butchering Gaza

Definition of Massacre:

  1. the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder.
  2. a general slaughter, as of persons or animals: the massacre of millions during the war.

In Gaza:

Huge numbers of civilians of all ages are being killed and bombarded (not to forget detained), their homes destroyed, and their possessions all lost, families scattered, not to mention the siege that’s making their survival an impossible mission to begin with, let alone get brutally attacked… sounds like a massacre to me.

But as usual, there’s always a way to defend Israel’s attacks and turn the whole thing around and blame it on the Palestinian rockets (which do not compare to those of the Israelis neither in quantity nor in quality) but still they manage to be always the starters of all Israeli attacks that are launched just for revenge. But is that an excuse to go on killing and detaining civilians? is that an excuse to take away the rights of people to get aid and medical attention? till when are we going to allow homes to be bombarded and see schools exploding and trees uprooted because Israelis “DOUBTED” they could shelter attackers?

Now I don’t give a damn about all those stupid political facades both parties hide behind. I don’t care who’s in charge and who’s not, all I care about are human beings and their right to lead normal lives! We’re always asked to differentiate between Israeli civilians and the Israeli government, and we normally do, but no one seems to ask the same when it comes to Palestinians. Do not punish people in the name of their governments.

I really feel like shit, I’m so outraged, so upset and my heart is broken, my soul is filled with sadness to watch Gazans go through what they’re going through. I have my food, my medicine, my water, my electricity and my share of peace and I still can’t get over the injustice Gazans have to deal with… imagine how Gazans, who are out of everything -including hope- and who are helplessly watching each other die, how are they feeling at the moment.

I leave you with some photos that might help you picture how horrible it is in Gaza right now.

Newborns…[Via: Angry Arab]

More newborns…[Via: Angry Arab]

Babies…[Via: WATA]

Children…[Via: WATA]

Youth…[Via: WATA]

Women…[Via: WATA]

Destruction…[Via: Angry Arab]

More:

Revolting barbarism…

Massacre in video…

No matter how disgusting what the Gazans are going through actually is, what I find extremely repulsive is the reaction -or better say the ABSENCE of reaction- of Arabs. Yeah, our oil is affecting life expenses all around the world, yet we somehow fail to stop one thing we all agree is wrong, unfair, and awful.

    Category: Arab Societies, Charity & Human Aid, Media, International, Palestine | Comments Off on Butchering Gaza
    February 7 2008

    Donate For Gaza!

    I really hope that every caring person would consider donating any amount they’re planning to spend on any luxury item they wish to buy (no matter how small) for the people of Gaza, for them to get essential items that might save their lives. Gazans who are living under harsh siege conditions, and are not allowed to get help from outside, neither are they allowed to take matters in their own hands, because apparently, that’s “uncivilized”, “wrong” and VIOLATES MANY LAWS that are only stripping them from their basic rights of survival.

    Your donation, no matter how small, will definitely make a difference. Whether it will help provide health supplies, nutrition supplies or even items to help keep people warm in winter.

    Now I’ve been asked by some friends whether there’s a specific Palestinian aid organization I favor or trust more than others. Actually, there’s no specific one. But there are a couple that I feel are reliable enough and have proven their efficiency over the years. And although they might -and probably WILL- face difficulties delivering aid items, but rest assured that your donations will reach their destination, maybe with a delay, but they will be delivered to those who need them.

    So I recommend:

    Category: Arab Societies, Charity & Human Aid, Palestine | Comments Off on Donate For Gaza!
    February 4 2008

    Shame On Us!

    Would someone please explain to me what the hell are we doing? letting people simply die without giving any damn! have we become THAT coldblooded?
    To hell with the boring speeches, to hell with the stupid conferences, to hell with the useless summits, to hell with the protests!
    Gazans are starving, and what are we doing? nothing but the usual; eat like pigs, gather in restaurants and cafes to eat and drink like pigs, invite people over to eat like pigs, host fancy dinners, parties and weddings where people stuff themselves to death!
    WE ARE PIGS!
    We act all concerned for a few days then life’s back to normal. We show off our patriotism by our so called “donations”, but we give no shit whether those donations actually made it to the target or not.

    People, the situation in Gaza is DISASTROUS!  Something needs to be done immediately! But who cares, as long as we have our food, our water, our medicine, let Gazans starve to death.

    Just in case you don’t get the picture, here’s a tip:
    “If the people of Gaza remain cut off from the food aid on which their survival now depends, they will face starvation.

    They are now essentially out of food; the water system is faltering (almost half the population now lacks access to safe water supplies); the sewage system has broken down and is discharging raw waste into streets and the sea; the power supply is intermittent at best; hospitals lack heat and spare parts for diagnostic machines, ventilators, incubators; dozens of lifesaving medicines are no longer available. Slowly but surely, Gaza is dying.” …EI

    Would someone please explain to me how NO BODY is being able to help? is it possible that the US, Europe, ARAB STATES, and the UN are all HELPLESS?
    Arabs, oh Arabs, we talk and talk and do nothing. Not even one country is being able to interfere and end the siege!  Or is it that we too have fallen for the stupid Israeli rockets excuse?
    As Saree Makdisi explains: “All this is supposed to be in response to Palestinian militant groups’ firing of crude homemade rockets into Israel, which rarely cause any actual damage. There can be no excuse for firing rockets at civilian targets, but Israel was squeezing Gaza long before the first of those primitive projectiles was cobbled together. The first fatal rocket attack took place four years ago; Israel has been occupying Gaza for four decades.”

    Shame on us! It’s true we’re not the ones who are cutting food, water and energy, but we’re watching without doing anything, and to me, that’s as bad as the crime itself!

    Category: Arab Societies, Charity & Human Aid, Palestine | Comments Off on Shame On Us!
    January 22 2008

    Gaza’s Calling Out

    Anyone out there?

    His brother in a Gaza hospital is holding a manual pump for fear of another blackout that will stop his breaching. (Rueters)… The Angry Arab 

    The lives of premature babies being cared for at Gaza’s hospitals are threatened if incubators can’t be powered. (Wissam Nassar/MaanImages)… EI

    When you grow up, you will know that Israeli occupation forces (with the full support or silence of US, EU, UN, and Arab countries) destroyed your house… The Angry Arab

    “The residents of Gaza can walk”: A gas station attendant sits at his empty station that ran out of gas due to the Israeli closure of Gaza. (Wissam Nassar/MaanImages)… EI 

    The above are just a FEW photos to show just a fraction of the Gazans’ suffering while the world is watching, with eyes wide shut!
    There’s not a single crime I can think of that Israel has not committed. The Israeli government has violated and is still “proudly” violating all laws possible. The Israeli Army believes in no human rights, it gives no damn about environment, it has no morals whatsoever, and is -thanks to the rest of the world- getting only bigger and stronger and more ignorant. Israel is now more violent than ever, just like an unstoppable monster that will not stop until it decides to.

    The disastrous situation the Palestinians, particularly the Gazans, are living is so out of control and calls for immediate international intervention. But who’s listening? One can only wonder what should Israel still do to be finally condemned? what price are Palestinians yet to pay (if there’s any price left to pay that is) for the world to finally step in and stop that monster called Israel?

    End the HOLOCAUST in Gaza!