- Global Voices - https://globalvoices.org -

This Week in Palestinian Blogs: They Bloom Again!

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Palestine, Human Rights, Humor, Migration & Immigration, Youth

From the soul unfolds itself :

In 1976, Israeli policy of expropriating Palestinian land in northern Israel to build Jewish settlements provoked Palestinian residents in the Galilee town of Sakhnin to protest on March 30. Six Palestinians were killed during the demonstration. Since then, Palestinians inside Israel and the West Bank have commemorated March 30 as “Land Day” and turned the day into a general protest against what they view as discriminatory practices by the government.

freckle attended a demonstration in Rafat village in the West Bank where 3000 Dunam were taking out of 3500 by the Annexation Barrier [1].

The 30th of March 2006 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Land Day in Palestine. Umkahlil posts the declaration [2] made by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine on the occasion. al-falasteeniya posts a picture by Ismail Shammout [3].

Spring Time in Gaza [4]

Springtime in Gaza. Photo credit: Raising Yousuf

News of the blogosphere…


On Friday Gaza City has undergone aerial and sea shelling [5]. Laila of Raising Yousuf said it was unlike anything the city has seen in recent years:

As I write this, F-16 warplanes-not Apaches or tanks-are bombarding Gaza City, where I live, just a few roads away from my house

On the 31st of March 2006 in the West Bank, 37 Palestinians were abducted by Israeli occupational forces [6] according to PalestineFreeVoice.

Laila el-Haddad of Raising Yousuf calls all diaspora Palestinians to make themselves heard [7] and have a say on recognizing Israel and Palestinian politics in general. Check out her first post featuring a voice from Gaza [8] speaking about her hopes and fears.

News roundup from my occupied territory [9] covers the latest and hottest news of the Middle East. [10]


What we talk about…

moomin13 of Postcards from Palestine, talks about his own experience with Kach's [11] leader and blogs a story by Al-Jazeera about Israeli anti-Arab parties. moomin13 says:

He is the leader of Kach, a far right wing Israeli political party designated as a terrorist organization by the US State Department. I'd see him walking around Tel Rumeida often, his children were particularly nasty, they threw rocks at me and spit at me quite any number of times

Haitham Sabbah spreads the story of Samia, a Palestinian who was denied entrance to her homeland [12]:

This is a true story. Samia, my Palestinian friend who lives in Brazil send me her story about her experience while crossing the borders from Jordan to Palestine. It is touching true story that kept me sleepless last night, that’s why I decided to share it her.


The Black Iris of Jordan
talks about Akaber Adbelrahman Zaid [13], just another [14] Palestinian child [15] killed by Israelis:

she was on her way to a doctor’s clinic to have stitches removed from her chin. Instead she received a barrage of bullets to the head

On the Israeli elections…

Ramallah Online blogs the speech of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh talking about the double standards of the US and Europe [16]; when they've demanded from the Palestinian groups and authorities to recognize Israel, call off resistance and commit themselves to past deals and treaties in order for them to be legitimized while on the other demanded nothing from Israeli political parties in a similar regard. He continues to give Kadima as an example of a leading Israeli group which instead of committing itself to peace with the Palestinians ran its programme on defying UN security council resolutions and violations of International laws.

On KABOBfest [17], an opinion by Saree Makdisi [18]who says that the real winner of the Israeli elections is not Ehud Olmert and his Kadima but rather it was Avigdor Lieberman leader of Yisrael Beiteinu whose goal is basically to finally have Israel

cleansed of the remainder of the indigenous Palestinian population.

Another blogged story by KABOBfest is about Israeli soldiers faking it. [19] After photos have spread showing two of the Israeli Army voting two days before the real thing on Tuesday, the army had to send a written apology for not telling journalist that the ballot they've used was a dummy.


To lighten up…

A fashion post by FAYYAD of KABOBfest, highlighting Mr. Haniyeh's latest fashion during his swear-in day [20]. Very interesting view.

Amal of meiroun [21] has drawn a picture of Maryam Nour [22].

The little things that matter…

From Palestinian Solidarity Community's Journal [23], Imagine Life [24] is seeing success in highlighting issues about Palestine:

I am quite impressed and I think the approach they are taking is a good one because they are finally highlighting they sorts of issues that may actually make Americans care about Palestine, issues like the persecution of Christians, the death of children and perhaps the most important (sadly): the wasting of our hard earned money by the government.