Stories about Humanitarian Response from January, 2009
French comedian launches “A Plane for Gaza”
French Moroccan comedian Jamel Debbouze launches, “A Plane for Gaza“, a plan to air lift humanitarian supplies to Gaza using three planes on loan from the King of Morocco. Le Blog de SmS urges readers to donate.
Indonesia: Flooding in 13 provinces
Thirteen Indonesian provinces experienced flooding the past week due to torrential rains. The disaster has claimed the lives of 14 people while three others are still missing. More than 50,000 people have to be evacuated. Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, is under up to two meters of water.
Palestine: “Everything is in vain in Gaza – breathing, running, hoping”
In this roundup of blogs from Gaza, we hear in detail about the attacks on Al Quds hospital in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City from an Australian activist who was in it at the time, and an Italian activist describes a man lying injured in hospital, unaware that...
Costa Rica: After the Earthquake
A week has passed since the 6.2 Earthquake in Costa Rica, and on blogger and twitter people have been commenting on the aftermath, analyzing the relief efforts, the rescue operations and the media's coverage of the events. Blogger and journalist Cristian Cambronero of Fusil de Chispas has been updating regularly...
Palestine: Israeli Troops Enter Residential Areas of Gaza City
Thousands of Palestinians have been fleeing from Gaza City as IDF troops have entered residential areas. A number of the foreign activists in Gaza were helping at Al Quds hospital when it came under attack, and managed to get out reports of what was going on. We hear from them and other bloggers in this roundup of Gaza blogs by Ayesha Saldanha.
Palestine: The Human Shields Myth in Political Cartoons
Palestinian-American blogger Will, writing for KABOBfest, analyzes the incidence of the “human shields” myth in political cartoons relating to Hamas.
Syria: Gaza Analysis
Syrian resident blogger Joshua Landis posts analysis on Palestine's bleak future and Syria's disappointment in Obama on his blog, Syria Comment.
Morocco: The Mendacity of Hope
A Moroccan About the World Around Him analyzes the actions of US President-Elect Barack Obama in regard to Israel's attacks on Gaza.
Palestine: “I don't have guns or weapons. I struggle by telling the truth”
In this roundups of blogs from Gaza, we hear how an ambulance driver deals with his fear, the effect of the warning announcements made by the IDF on local TV and radio stations – and how the possibility of leaving Gaza is the only thing giving an NGO worker the strength to go on.
Global: Online Petitions Launched in Action for Gaza
Once relegated to the realm of paper and signatures, the petition has gained new meaning, with sites like Petition Online allowing anyone to create one. As Israel's attacks on Gaza rage on, bloggers opposed to Israel's actions are using blogs and social media to circulate petitions for a number of specific causes. Others have thought up other innovative ways to make a difference online.
Palestine: Sameh Habeeb Podcast on Gaza
From Gaza, Sameh Habeeb discusses the latest developments in Gaza in this podcast which appears in Alive in Gaza.
Palestine: “Tell me, please God, tell me this is going to end soon”
The Israeli aerial attacks on Gaza show no sign of relenting, and in Gaza City there is now street fighting. In this post bloggers describe the fear experienced when Israeli soldiers arrive in the neighbourhood, explain how important prayer has become, and emphasise the need to keep telling the world what is going on.
Arab World: “Why the Children of Gaza Don't Deserve to Die?”
As the death toll from the Israeli war on Gaza climbs, bloggers from around the Arab world share their thoughts on Palestine, Arab nationalism and why the children of Gaza don't deserve to die. Here are some reflections from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria.
Egypt: Help Gaza Patients Remain in Touch with Loved Ones
Egyptian blogger Mostafa Hussein continues to urge his readers to donate phone credit to enable injured Palestinians from Gaza being treated in Egyptian hospitals to remain in touched with family back home using their mobile phones. He posts more instructions on how to do that in this post.
Palestine: “They Don't Know If They Will Live”
Mohammad, based in Ramallah but originally from Gaza, has been keeping readers on KABOBfest abreast with developments in Gaza over the past 17 days, so that the world may hear their stories. Jillian York shares his latest dispatch in this chilling post.
Russia-Georgia: Red Cross viewpoint
Krusenstern discusses [GER] the civilian consequences of the Russo-German war from the perspective of a recent ICRC-official's reflections.
From Italy to Palestine: Vittorio Arrigoni writes from Gaza
Vittorio Arrigoni is an Italian human rights activist who is currently in Gaza, one of a number of activists who arrived with the Free Gaza movement. Vittorio (Vik) blogs at Guerrilla Radio [it], and also writes for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto. His posts vividly describe what the people of Gaza are experiencing right now. In one, a doctor describes the effects of the white phosphorus shells Israel is accused of using: "He said that what was totally inexplicable was the total absence of eyeballs, which even in the case of trauma of that magnitude should stay in place, at least traces of them."
Zimbabwe: Left to die by the roadside
“Dead by the roadside,” writes Fungisai on Kubatana blog, “A pitiable sight of a young girl aged around six to seven years, seated by the roadside, with a huge black bungle lying on her thighs caught my attention. The young girl was seated in an awkward area, in the middle...
MENA: Israel and the Use of White Phosphorous in Gaza
The world is looking on in shock at the devastating photographs taken of Gaza victims - some of whom are deformed beyond recognition. Human Rights Watch is also calling upon Israel to stop the unlawful use of White Phosphorus in its war on Gaza. Bloggers from across the region react.
Japan: Hakenmura, the Temp Workers Village
Over 300 people spent their nights between New Year`s Eve and the 5th of January in a tent camp stationed at Hibiya Park in central Tôkyô, referred to as 年越し派遣村 (toshikoshi hakenmura, or lit. “New Year's Village for Temporary Workers”). The people staying in Hakenmura were temporary workers (派遣社員, haken...
Morocco: On Poverty and Gaza
Duncan Goes to Morocco, a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Morocco, discusses poverty in his village, and the reaction of the village to the incidents in Gaza.
