Global Voices » Palestine

Palestine: Rare Photographs of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948

Mohamed Adel — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:13:21 +0000

Blogger Iqbal Tamimi posts rare photographs of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948.

Palestine: A Blogging Initiative for Jerusalem, the Praying City

Mohamed ElGohary — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:10:30 +0000

Palestinian bloggers joined hands to blog for their country, in a blogging initiative led by several Gaza bloggers under the theme: “For you, oh praying city, we blog.” In the following post, Abir Kopty, one of the prominent Palestinian bloggers, writes in Arabic about social media utilization in the Palestinian cause, and coordinating it with offline events on the ground.

She gives an introduction first:

انطلقت قبل أيام حملة “لأجلك يا مدينة الصلاة.. ندون” وهي حملة التدوين لأجل القدس التي بادرت إليها مدونات من غزة وانضم لها مدونون ومدونات فلسطينيون وعرب من جميع أنحاء العالم، سيقومون بالتدوين والتغريد على التويتر عن القدس حتى 31 كانون الثاني. هي ليست الحملة الأولى من نوعها التي يبادر لها فلسطينيون\ات في العالم الافتراضي. منذ اندلاع الثورات العربية وكثرة الحديث عن أهمية ودور الإعلام الاجتماعي، تشهد الساحة الفلسطينية تصاعدا كبيراً في استعمال الأدوات التي تتيحها وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي لإيصال رسالة الشعب الفلسطيني إلى العالم. مع العلم، أن في غزة بشكل خاص، كان استعمال هذه الأدوات قائماً وقوياً نظراً لحصار غزة والذي يحتم على الشباب إيجاد وسائل للتواصل مع العالم الخارجي من سجنهم.لقد شكلت وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي أداة هامة للتواصل بين الفلسطينيين في الوطن والمخيمات والشتات، رغم الحدود والحواجز والحصار. وأصبح التواصل بينهم شبه يومي، إذ يتحدث اللاجئ مع ابنة رام الله، والفلسطينية في الداخل مع ابن غزة، والمقدسية مع الفلسطيني الأمريكي.

A few days ago a blogging initiative started under the theme:”For you, oh praying city, we blog.” It is a blogging campaign for Jerusalem, started by bloggers from Gaza. Others followed from Palestine and Arabs from all over the world. The campaign goal was blogging and tweeting about Jerusalem till the 31st of January. This is not the first online campaign of its kind initiated by Palestinians. Since the beginning of the Arab Spring there were a lot of discussions about the important role of social media. The Palestinian arena is witnessing a strong tendency to use social media tools to deliver the Palestinian people's message to the world. Keep in mind that in Gaza specifically, using these tools was crucial in the fight against the Gaza siege that forced youth to utilize everything available to communicate with the rest of the world.

Social media tools are a very important media between Palestinians at home, in the refugee camps as well as in Palestinians in diaspora against all the boundaries, barriers and sieges. Communication has become nearly daily. A camp resident can communicate with someone in Ramallah, with a Gazan, and even between someone from Jerusalem and a American Palestinian.

Then she describes the utilization of social media among Palestinians:

مثلاً، أصدر المدونون الفلسطينيون في الفترة الأخيرة عدة بيانات مشتركة، قام بنشرها كل مدون فلسطيني يوافق عليها على مدونته الخاصة، منها البيان الرافض لإعلان الإخوان المسلمين في مصر تنظيم جمعة “إنقاذ الأقصى” في أحد أيام الجمعة ملتفين على إعلانها من قبل ثوار التحرير جمعة لإسقاط حكم العسكر، وذلك في ظل القمع الوحشي الذي تعرضوا له من قبل الجيش. كتب المدونون في بيانهم “نحن، مجموعة من الشباب الفلسطيني، نرفض أن يتم الزج بالأقصى وبفلسطين لضرب الثورة المصرية العظيمة”، وختموا بيانهم ب “فلسطين أقوى بمصر حرة وكريمة”. وقد لاقى هذا البيان رواجا كبيرا وتناقلته العديد من وسائل الإعلام المصرية. كما وأصدر المدونون بياناً متضامناً مع المدونة السورية المعروفة رزان الغزاوي والتي تشهد لها مواقفها في التضامن مع فلسطين وقضيتها العادلة. وقد طالب البيان بإطلاق سراح الغزاوي وكافة معتقلي الثورة السورية.وفي الذكرى الرابعة والعشرين للانتفاضة الأولى أطلق المدونون الفلسطينيون دعوة عبر مدوناتهم لكافة المدونين الفلسطينيين بتخصيص مدوناتهم يوم التاسع من كانون الأول لنشر قصص أو مقابلات مع شخصيات عايشت الانتفاضة الأولى أو نشر مقالات أو صور وأشرطة ذات صلة. وأكد المدونون والمدونات في بيانهم بأن هذه الذكرى تشكل مناسبة لتأكيد “إيماننا بالمقاومة الفلسطينية الشعبية كجزء أساسي في نضالنا من أجل الحرية وتحصيل حقوق الشعب الفلسطيني، غير القابلة للتصرف أو المساومة أو التفريط، وبمواصلة النضال حتى تحقيق الحرية والعودة.”كما وقام الناشطون في العالم الافتراضي بحملات مختلفة ترَكَّزت في فترة معينة، هدفت إلى رفع الوعي والمعرفة لدى المتابعين حول ممارسات الاحتلال. خلال أيام إضراب الاسرى عن الطعام نشط الشباب على شبكات الفيسبوك والمدونات والتويتر في دعمهم للإضراب، وأطلقوا دعوة عامة للإضراب عن الطعام يوما واحداً تضامنا ودعما لإضراب الاسرى، وطلب من كل مضرب أن يعلن هذا في شبكات التواصل “أسمي كذا وكذا، يوم 12.10.11 أنا مضرب\ة عن الطعام دعماً للأسرى الفلسطينيين”. وبالفعل قام الآلاف من العرب والأجانب بالاستجابة لهذه الدعوة. وبعد استشهاد مصطفى التميمي خلال المظاهرة الأسبوعية في قرية النبي صالح، بعدما أطلق جندي إسرائيلي قنبلة غاز مسيل للدموع على وجهه عن بعد أمتار قليلة، قام الناشطون بحملة على شبكات التواصل حيث كتبوا النصوص في المدونات، وقاموا بحملة مركزة على التويتر كان وسمها #Israelkills، لإلقاء الضوء على جرائم الاحتلال بحق الفلسطينيين.يرى الكثير من هؤلاء الشباب أن النشاط في العالم الافتراضي ليس بديلا عن النشاط على الأرض، بل مكملا له، حيث يشارك البعض في المقاومة الشعبية في القرى الفلسطينية مثل النبي صالح والولجة والخليل وغيرها. ويقوم البعض بتنظيم أيام تطوعية، ويبادر لمسيرات ونشاطات مختلفة.

For example, recently, Palestinian bloggers announced several joint statements, shared by every approving Palestinian in their own blog. One of them is about refusing the Muslim Brotherhood announcement to organize the “Saving Aqsa” Friday, while backing the Tahrir revolutionaries [in Egypt] to name it as a Friday to take down the military rule, after the brutal repression that they faced at the hands of the army. The bloggers wrote in their statement: “We, a group of Palestinian youth, refuse to have Aqsa and Palestine's names used against the great Egyptian revolution.” They ended the statement saying: “Palestine is stronger with Egypt freedom and nobility.” The statement became very popular between bloggers and was also picked up by Egyptian media. They also issued a statement in solidarity with the Syrian blogger Razan Ghazzawi and all the Syrian revolution detainees.

To mark the 24th anniversary of the first Intifada, bloggers launched a campaign inviting all Palestinian bloggers to dedicate a post in the 19th of January about stories or interviews with people who witnessed the first Intifada, or publishing related articles, photos or videos. The bloggers assured in their statement that the Intifada memory is a suitable moment to reassure “our faith in the Palestinian resistance as a basic part of our struggle for freedom and to earn the non-negotiable rights of the Palestinian people, and to continue struggling till the realization of freedom and the right of return.”

Many online activists organized campaigns that are focusing on a certain period, aiming at raising awareness and knowledge to those who follow the occupation practices. During the detainees' hunger strike, young activists shared their solidarity on blogs, Facebook and Twitter. They also announced a one-day hunger strike in their support. Everyone participating was asked to announce that on social networks in the following format: “My name is …., today 12.10.11 I'm on hunger strike supporting the Palestinian detainees.” Following that, many Arabs and foreigners supported the idea and joined in. After the martyrdom of Mostafa ElTamimi during the weekly demonstration in ElNaby Saleh village, after an Israeli soldier shot a tear gas bomb in his face from just a few meters, social media activists organized a campaign where they blogged and tweeted under the hashtag #Israelkills to spotlight occupation crimes against Palestinians.

A lot from those youth see that activism online is not a substitute of activism offline, but compliments it since some are involved in civil resistance in the Palestinian villages like Al-Walaja, Al-Khalil, and others. Some people also arrange volunteering days for marches and different activities.

Kopty then talks about coordination between the online and offline worlds:

كما أن حماس الشباب على هذه الشبكات لا يقل عن حماس الشباب على الأرض، فقد شهد العام الأخير نشاطات وتحركات شبابية فلسطينية تعيد الاعتبار للمقاومة الشعبية السلمية، بطرق مبدعة ومختلفة عما عهدنا سابقاً، فنرى نشاط أمواج الحرية وركّاب الحرية، نرى مسيرة السيارات التي أرادت السير في شوارع المستوطنات احتجاجا على نظام الأبارتهايد وقام جيش الاحتلال بمنعها، وكذلك حملة “أهلا وسهلا في فلسطين” يعلن من خلالها القادمون عبر مطار بن غوريون بأنهم قادمون إلى فلسطين، ومسيرات العودة في ذكرى النكبة والنكسة وأيام تطوعية ونشاطات فن الشوارع، فمنذ أسبوعين لوحظ نشاط مميز لمجموعة مجهولة من الناشطين يقومون بكتابة الشعارات السياسية على جدران في القدس، وخاصة في الأحياء التي تم تهويدها بالكامل منذ 48. وقد قالت هذه المجموعة في بيانها بأن “هذه رسالتنا لمحتلينا ولأبناء شعبنا في فلسطين كاملة وفي الشتات لنقول إننا هنا وإن صوتنا ما زال هدّارا وبأننا سنستمر في المقاومة.”إن هذه النشاطات تساهم في بعث فلسطين من جديد. فالعديد منها يصوَّر وينقَل لحظة بلحظة إلى العالم، إما من خلال تقنية البث المباشر أو من خلال التدوين أو من خلال الفيسبوك والتويتر وغيرها. وفي هذه المعركة يجد الاحتلال نفسه خاسراً، فمن يتابع شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي يرى بأن ماكينة الدعاية الإسرائيلية لا زالت غير قادرة على محاصرة، أو محاربة “جنود” الإعلام الاجتماعي المناصرين للقضية الفلسطينية.يساهم النشاط الفلسطيني على شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي من خلال إطلاع العالم حول ممارسات إسرائيل ضد الشعب الفلسطيني، في تعزيز الحملة الدولية لمقاطعة إسرائيل، كابوسها الأكبر. هذا بالإضافة إلى أن التواصل اليومي بين الفلسطينيين في كافة أماكن تواجدهم، يساهم في توحيد بعض الجهود على هذه الشبكات والتنسيق لحملات وأنشطة مشتركة على الأرض.

Considering the fact the youth enthusiasm online is no less than their colleagues offline, the past year witnessed many events and youth initiatives raising the peaceful resistance value. All this was done in ways which were creative and different than before. So we see the freedom waves and freedom riders, we see a march of cars that wanted to drive through the settlement streets protesting the apartheid regime. The march was stopped by the occupation army. Not to mention the “Welcome in Palestine” campaign in Ben Gurion Airport telling visitors they have reached Palestine. They also organized the return marches commemorating the Nakba and the Six-Day War, along with volunteering days and street art activities. Two weeks ago, some special activity for an anonymous group was noticed, writing political slogans on Jerusalem walls, especially in Jewish dominated neighborhoods since 1948. This group mentioned in their statement that “This is our message to our occupiers and to our people in Palestine and in diaspora, we are telling them that we are here, our voice is still loud and we will continue to resist.”

These activities contribute to reviving Palestine. Many are engaged in photographing what is happening in real time, by live steaming or live blogging or via Facebook and Twitter, etc. This way the occupation is in a losing battle. Those who follow social networks know that the Israeli propaganda is not yet able to neutralize or fight the social media “army” who support the Palestinian cause.

Palestinian social media activity contributes to telling the world the Israeli practices against the Palestinian people, thus supporting BDS as well as the daily communication between Palestinians wherever they are, integrating their efforts on their networks and coordinating their campaigns and joint activities offline.

And finally, she concludes:

هؤلاء الشباب لا يرضون بالفتات ولا يرضون بحالة الإحباط التي تصيب شعبهم. يبدعون كل يوم فكرة جديدة ومن الصعب كسر همتهم. هؤلاء يؤكدون أن المقاومة ليست بالسلاح فقط، وأن إسرائيل فشلت في مخطط إحباطهم.

These youth only agree to have big goals achieved, and they are not content with the frustration their people suffer from. Everyday they come up with a new idea and it is very difficult to break them. These youth prove edaily that resistance is not only via weapons, and that Israel didn't succeed in frustrating them.

Israel: The Lie, the Truth and the Meme (of the Soldier and the Girl)

Carmel L. Vaisman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:52:05 +0000

The photograph below, of a soldier stepping on a little girl, has been circulating on the social web for the past few days, claimed to be of an IDF soldier and a Palestinian girl. Wesley Muhammad who posted it claimed to have seen it on someone else's news feed with that caption, and wonders why it went viral from his page. Within two days the photo (now discarded) received over 500 comments, including some claims the photo is fake.

Yossi Gavni reposted the photo highlighting the main claims that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) doesn't carry that kind of weapon and has no such uniforms, and that photo circulated mainly among Israelis. Apparently, the photo was tweeted last year in French, claiming this is actually from Syria's demonstrations and asking for it to spread. However, Arab blogger Omar Dakhane found the original photo (below), which is neither from Syria nor Israel but a street theater performance in Bahrain.

This story could have ended here with a lesson not to believe everything that circulates out there in the age of media manipulation and virality, but apparently some Israelis have decided the best response to a viral lie is a humorous meme. In the last 24 hours many photos replacing the soldier with different characters have been circulating on Facebook, initiated by 10Gag, the Israeli answer to 9Gag humor and memes generator.

For example, a photo where the soldier was replaced by a dog wearing real IDF uniform, probably also responding humorously to earlier allegations that IDF trains dogs to attack Palestinians. Other entities stepping on that girl included an empire soldier from Star Wars, the Angry Birds, the Android, the Avatar N'aavi, Chuck Norris and more.

By turning the photo into a meme, Israelis are saying in “social media language” that such a situation is ridiculous and fictional, although Wesley Muhammad who started the viral spread concludes: ”I took the photo down (even though that type of thing DOES happen in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)”. In response, Shani Yaakov posted a collage of pictures titled “this is the true picture of the IDF” (below) in which soldiers are seen in positive and friendly interactions with Palestinians. As for the truth, as always, it's probably somewhere in the middle.

Arab World: A Year In Pictures - Our Authors' Selection

Hisham Almiraat — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:59:36 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage:

Bahrain Protests 2011

Egypt Revolution 2011

Morocco Protests 2011

Syria Protests 2011

Tunisia Revolution 2011

Yemen Protests 2011

Since Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in the small city of Sidi Bouzid on December 2010, a wave of unprecedented popular protests is sweeping the Arab world. The region has seen unprecedented events that no one could ever imagine witnessing in a lifetime.

Three Arab dictators have been toppled, some others forced to engage in reforms, while in other places the confrontation is proving to be painful and bloody.

In any case, 2011 is likely to remain engraved in the history of the Arab world as the year when people started raising against their oppressive regimes.

As we bid farewell to 2011 and look ahead to 2012, we asked our authors to share with you pictures that in their eyes have marked the past year in their respective countries. The following selection represents their choices.

Tunisia

Photo by Talel Nacer, used with permission

On January, 14, 2011 thousands of protesters gathered near the Interior Ministry building in Tunis calling for the fall of the regime of dictator Zeine El Abidine Ben Ali. Later on the same day, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

Afef Abroughi

Syria

Author unkown

A powerful message from “the occupied city of Kafar Nabel”, Syria.

Leila Nachawati

Lebanon

Photo by Krikorian. Used with permission

Even though Lebanon has not witnessed a revolution in 2011, the Land of the Cedars was highly affected by the developpements and turmoil in the area. But for Lebanese it's the high cost of living that is haunting them the most. Following each wage increase by the government and even before the plan is approved by parliament, prices soar tremendously.

Thalia Rahme

Palestine

Photo by Jillian C. York, used under a CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Palestine: “Marching United Towards Freedom”

Jillian C. York

Yemen

The peaceful massive marches of Yemen which never stopped throughout the year are a testimony of Yemenis' steadfast and resilience and prove ultimately, like the billboard reads, that “victory is to the people”.

Noon Arabia

Bahrain

Picture posted on Twitter by @almakna

The above photograph, shared by @almakna on Twitter, shows the number of areas reportedly tear gassed by the Bahrain authorities in one night. On that particular day, I myself choked on the tear gas, spending the night and the following day sick and closely followed tweets and complaints by Twitter users from across the country.

Amira Al Hussaini

Picture posted on Twitter by @SanabisVoice

This photograph, from the Sanabis Voice, shows empty teargas canisters, collected from a small area, in one day. Such photographs are found in abundance online, shared by netizens on social networking sites, and tell a story that has been recurring for 11 months - a story not much of the world cares about.

Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt

Picture by rouelshimi, used under CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

January 25, the first wave of protesters go to Tahrir square. It's the dawn of the revolution.

Tarek Amr

Morocco

The little girl looking up at this Moroccan Superman pausing in front of the parliament seems to be wondering if he can fly. Maybe he's an ultra-nationalist trying to make a point? Or maybe he's a supporter of the pro-reforms group February 20? It doesn't really matter. Because behind this amazing photo by Amine Hachimoto lies a new reality in Morocco: 2011 is the year when the street has become the theater of nonviolent political expression. Something that is likely to continue in the years to come.

Hisham Almiraat

This post is part of our special coverage:

Bahrain Protests 2011

Egypt Revolution 2011

Morocco Protests 2011

Syria Protests 2011

Tunisia Revolution 2011

Yemen Protests 2011

Bethlehem: Armenian and Greek Clergy Clash at Christmas

Onnik Krikorian — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:18:22 +0000

Armenian and Greek priests have once again clashed, but this time at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, much to the astonishment and amusement of social media users worldwide. Apparently stemming from a dispute over which priests would clean which part of the church, such brawls are nothing new.

In November 2008, for example, Armenian and Greek Monks clashed at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Lisa Shafer: A Writer's Blog comments.

Okay, so Christmas is one of the biggest holidays of the year for the Christian world — even though most of how we celebrate Christmas is actually pagan (Dec. 25, trees, greenery, lights, gifts — all pagan. Gotta love that irony, too.). And Bethlehem is where it all began…..

So, I found this pic on yahoo today: Greek and Armenian priests, cleaning up a Bethlehem church they share with Catholics, broke into an all-out broom war this week over who was cleaning whose part of the church.

The whole thing had to be broken up by Palestinian police, who are, presumably, Muslim. The layers of irony here are just too much. It'd be hilarious if it weren't so petty and childish — and sad.

Twitter users particularly enjoyed reporting on the brawl.

@pixie_pete: Will Bethlehem priest tag fighting become a new Olympic sport? […]

@TCofLondon: Rival priests in Bethlehem brawl. This really is hilarious! […]

@metalvicar Rachel: It's a turf war…Priests tell each other to ‘get off my manor, you muppet' BBC News - Priests brawl in Bethlehem […]

@meneedbeer: Greek or Armenian priests: who's better at sweeping a Church floor? There's only one way to find out- FIGHT!! […]

@AhmNoHere: “No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God” WTF?!? […]

@Rohypgnosis: Phew! A good job they're all full to the brim of the ‘Love of Jesus' or it might have got REALLY nasty :D […]

@nickjtaylor: Peace on Earth indeed: […] Just one more reason I can't take religion seriously.

Fr Ray Blake's Blog, however, took a moment to reflect:

Greeks and Armenians fight in the sanctuary: is this a brawl, muscular Christianity or just two factions convinced they are right. Such outbreaks in the Holy Land are not unusual.

Even so, Fr Stephen Smuts Blog was not impressed:

[…] this time it’s between clergy in Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity. Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic priests and monks who were armed with brooms got into it while cleaning the Church. Palestinian riot police were called in:

[…]

What a pathetic witness. See for yourself:

Globalisering, christendom en het Midden-Oosten, however, attempts to go deeper into reasons for the scuffle:

This is interesting stuff, especially because I suspect that today's broom fight reflects some of the increased tensions over the restoration of the church, badly needed for many years, initiated by the Palestinian Authority a year or so back, boosted by their recent UN bid, and contentious among the communities that use the church. Not that they are not convinced something has to be done, but paying for repairs, as much as cleaning, may alter the rights of usage of each and everyone in the church. Who’s to pay for what and when? Some tension over these major changes is quite understandable, as is some brawling by young and eager monks …

However, most of today’s commentators seem to have missed both its rituality and its link to current Palestinian affairs and this therefore does not explain the world wide fascination with these scuffles. Part of the fascination, of course, is the obvious tension between Christianity's ideals of peace on earth and its reality of fighting clergy - especially when the fighting is so visually satisfying with nice new brooms that seem to have been bought just for the occasion. No deaths, no seriously wounded … we all love to watch a good fight, especially when it confirms our preconceptions about Christianity, clergy, and the Holy Land – yes, of course, it must also have something to do with the fact that it happens in Bethlehem, in the Church of the Nativity, in the week following Catholic and Protestant Christmas, in preparation for Orthodox Christmas - if a fight seems out of place, then this one, there and now.

Indeed, any politics behind the incident were lost on most others, especially coming as it did at Christmas.

Palestine: Planning a Virtual Funeral

Ayesha Saldanha — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:15:05 +0000

It is extremely difficult for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to visit Israel, and for political reasons it is impossible for most other Arabs to do so, because Israel is not recognised as a state by the majority of Arab countries. At the same time, Palestinian citizens of Israel (approximately 20% of the population) are unable to travel to much of the Arab world, because they have Israeli passports.

Rasha Hilwi, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, has been reflecting on how these restrictions on movement will affect her – after she dies.

In a post on her blog, Zaghroda (which means “ululations”), Rasha writes [ar]:

Akka sunset. Image by Flickr user yanivba (CC BY-SA 2.0).

فجأة، تشعرين أن الموت خيّم فوق هذه السماء. بالرغم من أنه لم يتركها يوماً ما.
لا الموت فقط، لكن “هداك المرض” أيضاً، كما يسمونه. وصديقي يطلق على برجه أيضاً إسم “هداك البرج”. يعني السرطان، ودائماً حين يصل الموت بأسبابه العديدة. أسأل نفسي كلّ مرة من جديد: “أنا لشو بتفاجئ يعني؟” وتعود قيمة الحياة من جديد، لأكم يوم بس.
مش مهم.. لكن منذ فترة، قررت أن أكتب وصيتي.
على فكرة، لا أقصد من هذه الوصية أن أكون متشائمة. يعني الموت هو أمر طبيعي. أو هكذا أعتقد. ولأنه طبيعي فأنا أكتب عنه. وحسبما جدتي، أو جدتَك أو جدتِك تقول: “ما حدا بعرف بكرا شو بصير معه!”.

Suddenly you feel that death has been hovering in this sky, even though it never really left it. Not just death, but also “that disease”, as it’s known. (My friend even calls his star sign “that sign”.) That is, cancer.
And whenever death arrives, with its many reasons, I ask myself, “Why am I surprised?” Then I value life anew – for a few days.
Anyway, that’s not important…
A while ago I decided to write my will.
By the way, I don’t mean to be pessimistic by doing so. Death is something natural. That’s at least what I believe. And because it’s natural I am writing about it. As my grandmother says, or your grandmothers say, “No one knows what tomorrow will bring!”

She continues:

قبل أشهر قليلة عدت من القاهرة. وبعدما عدت بيومين فقدت صديقاً عزيزاً. ذهب إلى مكان بعيد. مكان لا أحد يعرفه، ويجهله كلّ من يقرأ هذه الأسطر الآن.. بتأمل!
لن أطيل الحديث عليكم. لكن لدي بعض الأسئلة المتعلقة بالموت وطقوسه. يعني، عندما أذهب غداً إلى المكان البعيد. الذي لا يعرفه أحد، من الطبيعي أن تقام جنازتي في عكّا- لا بيت لي سواها- هكذا يقول لي أبي. وبالتأكيد سوف أدفن فيها. صحّ؟
لكن، تقتلني فكرة أن أموت ولا زال الاحتلال قاعد على قلبي! كيف سيصل أصدقائي وصديقاتي من رام الله والقاهرة ودمشق وبيروت وعمان وتونس والمغرب وصنعاء وبغداد وطرابلس لوداعي الأخير؟

A few months ago I returned from Cairo. Two days after I came back I lost a dear friend; he departed for a faraway place, unknown to all who read these lines… I hope!
I won’t make this a long story for you all. However, I have some questions relating to death and its rituals. When I leave tomorrow for that unknown, faraway place, my funeral will naturally be held in Akka – I have no other home – so says my father. I will certainly be buried there. Right?
But the idea tortures me that I will die and the [Israeli] occupation will still be sitting on my heart! How will my friends from Ramallah, Cairo, Damascus, Beirut, Amman, Tunisia, Morocco, Sana’a, Baghdad and Tripoli come to say their final goodbye?

Rasha wonders:

يعني، هل برأيكم ممكن أن تكون وصيتي بإصدار تصاريح لأصدقائي في رام الله حتى يأتون لوداعي في التابوت؟ ياه ما أبشع الفكرة: إصدار تصاريح من الاحتلال حتى يروني وأنا ميتة! لكن، لربما ستكون هذه هي فرصتهم أن يزوروا عكّا وبالمقابل يأتوا لوداعي..
لكن ماذا عن أحبائي في القاهرة وبيروت وعمان؟
يعني، هل ممكن.. مثلاً.. مثلاً.. إن تكون وصيتي بحرق جثتي وإرسال القليل من الرماد إلى أصدقائي هُناك؟ وتنظيم أمسية موسيقية وأدبية بدلاً عن الجنازة التقليدية؟ طيب، هل ممكن أن تكون جنازتي عبر “الفيديو كونفرنس”؟ أو حتى “السكايب”؟ ماله السكايب؟ على الأقل مجاني. هكذا يكون بث مباشر لجنازتي من عكّا إلى بيروت والقاهرة وعمان وتونس ورام الله وغزة!أو لشو كلّ هالتعقيد؟ ممكن أن تكون وصيتي أن يحملوا تابوتي إليهم؟ أعتقد أن تصريح عبور لشخص ميت سوف يكون أسهل. والأهم، إنه لا يحتاج إلى فيزا. هكذا سيكون بمقدوري أن أرى بيروت. مين بعرف؟ ممكن أكون قادرة أشوفها وقتها.

Do you think I can put in my will that permits should be issued for my friends in Ramallah to come and say farewell to my coffin? What a horrible idea: a permit being issued by the occupation authorities in order for my friends to see me when I’m dead! But maybe it would be their chance to visit Akka, in exchange for saying farewell to me…
But what about my dear friends in Cairo, Beirut and Amman?
Is it possible – for example – for my will to state that my body should be burnt and that a little of my ashes should be sent to my friends in those places? And that a musical and literary gathering should be held rather than a conventional funeral? Is it possible for my funeral to be relayed by video conference? Or even by Skype? What’s wrong with Skype? At least it’s free. That way there would be a direct broadcast of my funeral from Akka to Beirut, Cairo, Amman, Tunis, Ramallah and Gaza!
But why complicate things? Maybe I can state in my will that my coffin should be carried to them. I think the permission for a dead person to cross the border will be easier [than for the living]. Most importantly, it wouldn’t require a visa. That way I would be able to see Beirut. Who knows? Perhaps I will get to see it then.

Australia: Comment on the Palestine Boycott, Divestment & Sanction Campaign

Kevin Rennie — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:10:19 +0000

Crikey's NAJ Taylor gathers five of Australia's Middle East diaspora to write about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction of Israel campaign. How effective is it at “balancing the competing harms”? How “useful is [it] for members of the Israeli and Palestinian, as well as Jewish and Muslim, diaspora”?

Palestine: Mourning Mustafa Tamimi

Jillian C. York — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:04:05 +0000

For more than two years, protests have taken place in Nabi Saleh, a village outside of Ramallah. There, protesters have focused attention on the theft of water by the nearby Halamish settlement, which in 2009 took control of the Ein Al Qaws spring, preventing Palestinians access to their own land.

The protests - which broadly focus on all aspects of the Israeli occupation - have garnered some international attention in recent years, with footage filmed by protesters making it into the New York Times. Israeli forces have cracked down on protests in Nabi Saleh and elsewhere throughout the West Bank, at times arresting demonstrators.

This past Friday 9 December, 2011, however, Nabi Saleh experienced tragedy as activist Mustafa Tamimi, 28, was “critically injured after Israeli soldiers fired a tear gas canister at his face, and died at a hospital after his treatment was delayed by the occupation forces who had invaded the village to repress the weekly demonstration,” according to Linah Alsaafin, who also wrote:

One difference that distinguishes Nabi Saleh from other villages with popular resistance committees, like Nilin, Bilin, Biddu and Budrus is that no one has been killed, or martyred in the protests. Beaten up, yes. Arrested, ditto. But never a death. Until yesterday.

Photo of Nabi Saleh protest by Flickr user zaid amr, July 2011 (CC BY-ND 2.0).

On blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, Palestinian activists are mourning the loss of one of their own. Blogger Abir Kopty writes:

I remember your braveness during Nabi Saleh’s weekly rallies, facing the army with open chest. I apologize to you for not having your courage. Your life doesn’t worth less than mine.

…

Dear Mustafa, for the time being I’m afraid to make promises, as we have learned not to make promises bigger than us. I can only promise you that I will continue going to Nabi Saleh, I will not give up the hope, exactly as you didn’t. I promise you that your courage will keep inspiring me and giving me strength.

Rest in peace comrade.

Kopty also tweeted:

Everyday i say tomorrow is a new day, but the anger doesn't go away. #Mustafatamimi

On collective blog Front Line Echo, @amraamra writes:

For those who tell me that I take things too personal, I will continue to take it too personal and at heart because I’m human! I breathe, feel, cry, laugh, love and hate. So when someone hurts me, I hurt. When someone tickles me, I laugh. When we mourn the loss of a fellow Palestinian brother and other desensitized Palestinians are watching on the streets, smirking and making ridiculous comments, I will feel fury. When someone steals the life of another comrade in such a brutal and grotesque way, I will grieve. I will grieve… just like others are grieving.

The blogger continues:

When the international community tells Palestinians to adopt to more peaceful resistance in resisting the ongoing Israeli occupation, that is what we do. Yet, we are met with the same and even more brutal suppression. At this point I do not know what gives me the hope to continue, and I think many will agree. Nothing seems to make sense now. But one thing does make sense. Mustafa Tamimi’s soul has not gone in vain. We will carry him with us in our continuous struggle against occupation. We will not give up Mustafa… and that is for sure!

On Monday 12 December, Israeli soldiers came under fire for seemingly defending the use of fatal force on social media, a story covered by The New York Times. Their defense largely revolved around the fact that Tamimi had thrown rocks at an armored vehicle as it drove away. In response, Israeli-American Joseph Dana tweeted:

Should throwing stones at an antagonistic armored military jeep be a crime punishable by death?

Journalist Haggai Matar, in a post translated for and republished by +972 Magazine, shares one perspective from Israel:

It is simply shocking. Truly shocking. I look around, and I don’t see my society shocked. Not shocked at all of these people, or at the two head injures in Nabi Saleh yesterday, or at the two arrests in a peaceful demonstration in Ma’asara, which didn’t even get any coverage. I see the careful reports reading, “Palestinians claim that…” and the blind faith in the stance of the IDF Spokesperson. And the lack of shock shocks me even more…

This Friday's protest will be in honor of Tamimi; a Facebook page has been set up for coordination.

Arab World to Gingrich: “If Palestinians Are Invented People, Americans Are …”

Amira Al Hussaini — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:03:34 +0000

Palestinians are “invented” people, who want to destroy Israel, says United States Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. His comments, in an interview with a Jewish television channel, have drawn the anger and ridicule of netizens across the Arab world.

On Twitter, Saudi Mohsen Al Mohsen reacts:

@MolMoHsen: Newt Gingrich: Palestinians Are An ‘Invented’ People [and white Americans are the original settlers of the US sure]

Egyptian Zeinobia, in her blog Egyptian Chronicles, shares a similar point of view. She writes:

By Gingerish’s standards and definition of “Invented people” the Americans are also, after all they are in the end a group of immigrants who came from all over the globe to live in land that from 200 years ago was lived and owned by native Indians !!

Evan Hill, an online producer for Al Jazeera English, who is based in Doha, Qatar, notes:

@evanchill: I wonder if Gingrich would argue that Iraqis, Jordanians, Syrians and Lebanese are similarly just “invented” people

And Anthony Permal, who lives in Dubai, UAE, responds:

@anthonypermal: Dear Gingrich, you say #Palestine is an invented people. Well, Israel didn't exist before 1948 either. #justsaying

Meanwhile, Marc Lynch, who is visiting Kuwait, shares a question from the Kuwaiti Press, which is likely to be asked in the corridors of powers across the Arab world:

@abuaardvark: First question from Kuwaiti press: how can we trust US when Gingrich denies Palestinian identity?

And Selin, a Palestinian, jokes:

@Selintellect: Does Newt Gingrich actually exist? I mean according to him, Palestinians are invented. His name sounds like an invention from Harry Potter..

Nasser Ali Khasawneh, who lives in Dubai, UAE, had earlier predicted:

@Nasserak: If Newt Gingrich is the best GOP has to offer, then Obama will win election in a landslide without campaigning!

The 57th quadrennial United States Presidential Election will be held on November 6, 2012.

Palestine: Gazans Sleep and Wake Up to the Sound of Explosions

Amira Al Hussaini — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:42:45 +0000

The world's silence at the regular attacks on Gaza has drawn the ire of netizens on Twitter, who have charged that the world no longer views Palestinians as human beings.

Abou Charlie notes:

@Abou_Charlie: It's a good thing Palestinians aren't human, otherwise you might have to care #Gaza is being bombed right now. What an inconvenience!

Tunisian Tounsia Hourra (A Free Tunisian) offers [ar]:

قصف غزة أمر عادي الكل نيام الآن لا تزعجوهم بهذا الخبر القديم البائت ,,انتظروا جمعة نصرة فلسطين وتحرير القدس والزحف للدفاع عن الأقصى ‎#Gaza

@tounisiahourra: Bombing Gaza has become something normal. Everyone sleeps now. Don't bother yourself with this old stale news. Wait for the Friday of support for Palestine, the Liberation of Jerusalem and the march to defend Al Aqsa

And Leil-Zahra Mortada adds:

@LeilZahra: news of explosions & injured from #Gaza - nothing in mainstream media still, but tweeps from there sounding the alarm! #Palestine

These reactions followed news of an Israel attack on the Gaza Strip, early this morning, which resulted in one dead and five injuries. All are said to be members of the Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

From Gaza, blogger Omar, who describes himself as a journalist and peace activist, kept us updated during the attack via his Twitter account. He explained:

@Omar_Gaza: Just heard an explosion! #Gaza

Then added:

@Omar_Gaza: Now hearing ambulances after that huge explosion! #Gaza

And continued:

@Omar_Gaza: Hearing 2 many sirens! #Gaza

Dima, also from Gaza, tweeted her experience during the raid. She wrote:

@dimaeleiwa: and i can hear Israeli warplanes flying over #Gaza … sweet a bombing night !!!

And added:

@dimaeleiwa: what i hate about the “bombing nights” is that if i go to sleep an explosion might wake me up !! #Gaza

We don't know how Dima's night went, but this morning, she tweeted:

@dimaeleiwa: thank you F16 for waking me up :/ ~~ #Gaza

Adding:

@dimaeleiwa: i hear a gun shooting #Sigh #Gaza

Her latest tweet says:

@dimaeleiwa: #ThingsThatShouldSTOP Bombing #Gaza and killing innocent people !

Palestine: Freedom Riders Challenge Israeli Segregation

Ayesha Saldanha — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:44:35 +0000

On November 15, a group of Palestinian activists were arrested while travelling on a bus carrying Israeli settlers. The activists called themselves the “Freedom Riders”, after the American civil rights campaigners of 1961.

Their aim was to demonstrate that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank has led to segregation. Because settler buses go to areas that most Palestinians cannot enter, Palestinians are effectively prevented from using them.

However, the activists made clear that their goal was not equal rights with Israeli settlers:

In undertaking this action Palestinians do not seek the desegregation of settler buses, as the presence of these colonizers and the infrastructure that serves them is illegal and must be dismantled. As part of their struggle for freedom, justice and dignity, Palestinians demand the ability to be able to travel freely on their own roads, on their own land, including the right to travel to Jerusalem.

"Rosa Parks is ALIVE! Palestinians boarding settler-only bus to Jerusalem." Image by @CarlosLatuff

Holly is a British volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, and was there to see what happened:

Yesterday I witnessed six Palestinian activists demand freedom, justice and dignity as they defied Israel’s apartheid policies when the group successfully boarded settler-only buses and attempted to enter East Jerusalem, where they were eventually brutally dragged off and arrested by the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF). At the press conference and in the lead up to the event, the activists described how they had taken inspiration from the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and the heroic actions of Rosa Parks. Drawing on the struggles of African Americans who fought against segregation and inequality in the United States, and South Africans who battled against apartheid, the Palestinian Freedom Riders aimed to draw the world’s attention to the similarity of the struggle faced by the Palestinian people on a daily basis.

She explained:

Unlike in the American South of the 60s, you will not see signs around the settlements or at the checkpoints stating “No Palestinians here” – Israel manages its PR machine far too well for such overtly racist statements to be witnessed by the other “democratic” countries which fund its existence. Similarly, Palestinians are technically allowed to ride “settler-only” buses and drive on “settler-only” roads, something repeated by the Israeli media and the settlers who came off the buses yesterday. But the segregation, inequality and the denial of Palestinian’s rights to enter their own land is implemented in a far more covert way by Israel. Whilst Palestinians may be able to travel on the buses and roads, these buses lead either into the internationally recognised illegal settlements, or into East Jerusalem where Palestinians are forbidden to enter. East Jerusalem is the intended capital of a future Palestinian state, yet Israel has denied the majority of Palestinians access to the city without a permit, which are almost impossible to obtain. As a result, Israel has been able to continually expand the settlements in East Jerusalem, particularly in the highly contentious area of Sheikh Jarrah, and this has lead to the annexing of Palestinian populated areas in the city so that it is surrounded by Israeli settlements, systematically destroying the possibility of having a Palestinian controlled capital. As I hope is becoming evident, the Palestinian Freedom Riders movement is not simply about the segregation of buses, the problem here is much larger. Palestinians face an apparatus of military control over Palestinians that needs to be dismantled, along with the settlements themselves.

Haitham Al Katib posted the following video on YouTube:

Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, one of the Freedom Riders, wrote on his blog about his experience:

I was honored to be a freedom rider and it was team effort at its best (those who rode and the many who worked behind the scenes). Two other Palestinians were also arrested with us who were there as a reporters/observers not participants. […] While released, we are still charged with “illegal entry to Jerusalem” and with “obstructing police business” pending potential trial.

He described his treatment by one Israeli soldier after being arrested:

One young Ashkenazi soldier was very arrogant and even called me “Professor Teez” (Teez is arabic for “ass”). We all (freedom riders) laughed it off and I told him that I did not insult him and that when someone insults me they demean themselves first.

Back to Holly, who concluded her post by saying:

The Freedom Riders are demanding that their very basic human rights are upheld in accordance with international law, and to demonstrate that they will continue to engage non-violently to win the freedom, justice and dignity for which the Palestinian people have struggled for so long.

Israel: Whistleblower Anat Kamm Jailed for Exposing IDF Assassinations

Gilad Lotan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:02:04 +0000

Anat Kamm is an Israeli journalist who was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for leaking thousands of classified military documents to Israeli Haaretz journalist Uri Blau. Information from the documents suggests that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had defied a court ruling against assassinating wanted militants in the West Bank who could have potentially been arrested safely.

On December 4, 2008, Blau published a report based on these documents which stated that the IDF senior command planned and executed targeted killings of three people in violation of a 2006 ruling of the Israeli Supreme Court limiting the circumstances in which such a tactic could be used. I couldn't find a working link to the original article by Uri Blau, “License to Kill”, but here's a link to a blog post that reposted the original text.

Image by mish

Kamm is reported to have said during her interrogation: “There were some aspects of the IDF's operations procedures in the West Bank that I felt should be public knowledge… When I was burning the CDs I kept thinking that history tends to forgive people who expose war crimes.”

The Israeli police secured a gag order prohibiting Israeli media from reporting on Kamm's arrest. On February 6, 2010, Anat was convicted of espionage and providing confidential information without authorization and placed under house arrest. After almost two years under house arrest, on October 30, 2011, Kamm was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

While this story is not new, the court decision on Kamm's sentence this week drew a wide array of Israeli netizen reactions. Noam Lester reposts thoughts [he] he published when the story was first publicized in 2010, protesting the lack of media focus on the reported IDF crime that surfaced from this leak:

We witness again the ritual of concealment, censorship, foreign publishing, leaks to blogs and finally a tiring day of non-stop blabbering media. Once again we sacrifice a victim in order to teach us all not to deal with the security forces, especially not to embarrass and show their wretchedness (and crimes). Everyone is focusing on the emissary (Anat) and not the news she surfaced: the IDF has committed crimes directly violating a court order from the Israeli Supreme Court. For this no one will be tried and certainly no one will sit in prison. But the one who exposed the atrocity - she can be presented as a traitor and sent for life imprisonment.

Anat Balint sarcastically writes:

The severe verdict of four and a half years in prison, given by the Tel-Aviv district court to Anat Kamm is a harsh blow to the 24-year-old whistleblower, and a calming pill to many of the public who followed the evolution of this story since April 2010. The process of turning Kamm to a modern-day witch who is threatening the existing social order has been completed successfully. She was caught, removed away from us, thank god, and now all can be sure that we've returned to believe in the holy values: there's nothing more important than the security of our country and its protection from enemies, there's no holier entity than the military, and there's nothing more severe than trying to hurt either of these.

She continues:

Every person whose part of the complex relationship between government entities, security forces and journalists in Israel understands the sheer irony wrapped in the Kamm affair. Leaks of the same sort are the bread and butter of these relationships, a daily affair. Messages that don't come out through the formal channels, or through an authorized interview, are in effect a type of “leak”, which is, according to the law, a crime. These leaks many times include confidential or top secret documents that somehow find their way to journalists and serve as a basis to their articles.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are many who believe that Kamm's sentence should be more severe. Moshe Goldbladt writes:

I hope that the State Attorney will not accept this absurd punishment that Anat Kamm received. In opposition to the judge ruling in the given verdict, the punishment reflects disrespect towards the state security.

Anat Kamm received the support of the left due to exposing “war crimes” - the claim is total babble - and glorified her for her motivation and ideology. When Kamm's lawyers saw that this heartens left wingers but doesn't help her, she started presenting herself as a young, confused girl who doesn't really understand the judges.

It is now time to stop playing hide-and-seek with Uri Blau and with Haaretz. The journalist, editor and everyone involved in receiving this classified material from Anat Kamm must stand before trial and pay a heavy price for their action. Also in this case we need to be talking about an active prison term for many years. Their claim for regularly having access to classified materials (as Raviv Druker suggests as a witness Kamm's trial) is exactly why they need to learn the consequences of breaking military field security laws in this country.

Palestine: Israeli Commandos Intercept Gaza-bound Flotilla and Arrest Activists

Amira Al Hussaini — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:55:38 +0000

Israeli soldiers boarded two ships heading to Gaza earlier today. The Canadian ship Tahrir (Liberation) and Irish Saoirse (Freedom) were en route to Gaza in an attempt to break the Israeli siege on it. Journalists reported on Twitter that naval Israeli commandos intercepted the vessels in international waters, off the Gaza coast, arresting the activists and journalists on board and taking them to the Ashdod port in Israel.

On YouTube, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has released a video entitled IDF Soldiers board the vessels en-route to the Gaza Strip.

The flotilla, named Freedom Waves, was kept under wraps until just before it set off from a Turkish port on its way to Gaza, two days ago. In addition to activists, the two boats which carry humanitarian aid, also has journalists on board.

Journalist Alan Fisher reports:

@AlanFisher: Israeli naval forces board 2 boats heading for #gaza foiling the latest attempt to break the four-year Israeli blockade of the territory.

Fisher continues:

@AlanFisher: The Israeli boarding of the two vessels took place in international waters

Support is also pouring in for Egyptian journalist Lina Attalah, who was on board the Tahrir. Egyptian Amr Gharbeia tweets:

@gharbeia: Thinking of @Linaattalah and all those detained on #freedomwaves boats, now detained by Israel

Mohamed Abdelffath adds:

@mfatta7: Egyptian journalist @Linaattalah who is managing editor of @AlMasryAlYoum_E was on boat Tahrir and now detained by Israel at Asdod port

Salma Said asks:

@salmasaid: What is the egyptian gov going to do about #freelina?

And Tunisian Slim Amamou continues:

@slim404: My friend @linaattalah has been arrested by Israelis during #freedomwaves she's using @alaa avatar in support to #freealaa #freelina

Jordanian Shaden Abu Al-Haijaa appeals to Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who has drawn cartoons to support the Palestinian cause and Arab revolutions, for a drawing:

@Shad84: @CarlosLatuff please draw something about #FreedomWaves and detaining activists who were on board! @Linaattalah

Meanwhile, Israeli journalist Joseph Dana sums up today's operation as follows:

@ibnezra: The simple facts of the matter reveal that the Israeli army has illegally taken #FreedomWaves activists to Israel against their will.

He also notes:

@ibnezra: Imagine you wanted to go to Canada & the US navy stopped you, arrested you & then charged you with illegal entry into the US #FreedomWaves

And continues:

@Ibnezra: The Israeli army will take #FreedomWaves activists directly to jail inside Israel, likely to be charged with ‘illegal entry to Israel'

And needless to say, Israel's continuation of its siege on Gaza is not sitting well with Arab netizens.

Roqayah complains:

@iRevolt: The #Gaza Strip is the worlds largest open air prison; Israel has deprived 1.6 million people of their liberty and basic human rights.

For more reactions on the story, check out the hash tag #Freedomwaves on Twitter.

Palestine: New Flotilla en Route to Break Gaza Siege

Amira Al Hussaini — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:29:58 +0000

A flotilla made up of a Canadian and an Irish ship is en route to Palestine, to break the siege on Gaza, it emerged today. The covert operation was being kept under wraps and has just been announced. On Twitter, the news is being circulated under the hashtag #Freedomwaves.

The Canadian ship named Tahrir and the Irish Saoirse are said to be in international waters, in the Mediterranean Sea, with plans to sail to Gaza in a few hours.

A previous attempt to break the siege on Gaza last year [See Global Voices' Special Coverage on the incident here] had ended with a clash when Israeli naval forces seized a flotilla of six ships carrying international activists, known as the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, who were planning to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian supplies.

According to Israeli sources, their forces boarded the flotilla after it had declined to change its course to the port of Ashdod, where Israel had promised to inspect the aid and deliver non-banned items to Gaza. Between 9 and 16 passengers of the Comoros-flagged MV Mavi Marmara were reported killed by Israeli soldiers who landed on the ship, 10 Israeli soldiers were seriously injured.

According to Ruqayah:

@iRevolt: ‘Freedom Waves for Gaza’ is the 11th attempt by int'l activists to deliver humanitarian aid through the Israeli blockade of Gaza since 2008.

On the new flotilla, Canada Boat to Gaza announces:

CanadaBoatGaza: CONFIRMED: The Tahrir is now in international waters and is headed to Gaza soon. #FreedomWaves #Canada4Gaza #DeOccupyPalestine

Asa Winstanley notes:

@AsaWinstanley: Keeping #freedomwaves a secret until today was smart. Undercuts Israeli ability to sabotage & spread disinformation, as happened last time

Information is also emerging about reporters onboard the flotillas. Egyptian Sarah Carr reports:

@Sarahcarr: My badass boss @linaattalah is on the Tahrir, one of two boats that make up the Freedomwaves flotilla en route to Gaza.

And Ahmed Shihab Eldin adds:

@ASE: #AlJazeera has a reporter on one of the #freedomwaves ships headed for Gaza. More to come.

Twitter users onboard the ships are also making their presence known. Hassan Ghani, a Press TV reporter, tweets:

@hassan_ghani: I'm onboard the Tahrir, one of two #flotilla boats now in international waters on their way to break the siege of Gaza. #freedomwaves

and adds:

@hassan_ghani: #freedomwaves boats left secretly from Turkish shores to avoid political interference. But marine authorities reduced passengers to 12 each

warning:

@hassan_ghani: Internet connection on the #Tahrir is intermittent but I hope to be sending a report out later tonight on the #freedomwaves mission

While Egyptian Lina Attalah, with Al Masry Al Youm, tells us:

@Linaarralah: we just reached international waters aboard of the canada boat to #gaza #freedomwaves @almasryalyoum_e #tahrir @CanadaBoatGaza

Stay tuned for more coverage from the flotilla as more information emerges.

Thumbnail image shows Google map of the flotilla by @porterspeakman.

Arab World: Celebrations Break Out as 477 Palestinians Released

Amira Al Hussaini — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:02:55 +0000

Freed Palestinian prisoners leaving Egypt and entering Gaza posted on Twitter by Ian Lee

Tweeps have been busy today following the details of the Israel-Palestine prisoner swap, which saw the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.

A total of 477 Palestinians were released today and the remaining 550 prisoners will be released next month, according to the deal between Israel and Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas.

Many across the Arab world pondered on how cheap Arabs were in the eyes of their governments, when compared to the lengths Israel would go through to secure the release and safety of one of its own.

According to Janine Zacharia:

@janinezacharia: In Israel's 9 prisoner swaps with Arab enemies, Israel has freed 13,509 prisoners to win the release of a total of 16 soldiers.

And Syrian SooriMadsoos laments his reality as a Syrian today. He makes his point in three tweets as follows:

@SooriMadsoos: I must say something guys u might not like it but I'm gonna say it anyways. Israel exchanged 1000 Palestinian prisoners for 1 Israeli

@SooriMadsoos: I just envy their govt because it cares for it's citizens. Their govt is prepared to pay the ultimate price for one citizen

@SooriMadsoos: While our govt kills us like we are animals and our Arab neighbors say that it's an internal matter.

Saudi Ali Al Dafiri shares [ar] another viewpoint:

لم يكن ألف فلسطيني مقابل صهيوني واحد .. بل مقابل رهان سياسي وحاضنة شعبية وتضحيات فلسطينية عظيمة لا حدود لها ، هكذا أقرأ الأمر

@AliAldafiri: It wasn't 1,000 Palestinians in exchange for one Zionist… it was in exchange for a political gamble and great limitless sacrifices made by the Palestinians. This is how I read what happened.

Many commentators reacted to Shalit's health upon his release. Arab commentators were quick to the rebuttal.

Palestinian Ahmed Shihab-Eldin notes:

@ASE: #Shalit, like half the Palestinians living in West Bank and Gaza, is “malnourished” #eatingunderoccupation ind.pn/mSeUnG

Yousef Munayyer makes a similar point:

@YousefMunayyer: If you are surprised #Shalit is “malnourished” you are forgetting he has been eating like a Palestinian in #Gaza

And Ali Abunimah, also a Palestinian, reminds us:

@avinunu: Reminder that Israel still holds 1.5 million prisoners in the giant jail called Gaza for the crime of not being Jews. #TheyTooWillGoHome

Mainstream coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian prisoner swap got a lot of criticism from netizens.

Roqayah points out:

@iRevolt: What the media unashamedly neglects to tell you: Gilad Shalit was a corporal in the IDF, serving as a tank gunner.

and she adds:

@iRevolt: Gilad Shalit is a prisoner of war; Palestinian women and children are prisoners of occupation.

Kurdish blogger Ruwayda Mustafah points out:

@RuwaydaMustafah: Media swiftly ignores Arab prisoners being released. They too have faces, among them women and children. #Shalit.

And Indian Sunny Singh agrees:

@sunnysingh_sw6: Dear international media, thank you for that detailed coverage of #Shalit's release. Can you now give some info on the Palestinian prisoners

Meanwhile, Occupied Palestine posts photographs of the released Palestinian prisoners and their waiting families here.

Gaza broke out in celebrations to welcome the Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Shalit today.

Omar Gaza reports:

@Omar_Gaza: @danmike1 Most of #Gaza streets r closed lol u cant move easily everywhere, people r filling the streets celebrating :D

In Ramallah, similar celebrations were reported.

Quds News Network, on Facebook, shares those photographs from the celebrations to welcome the prisoners.

And DeeDee tweets:

@ManaraRam: NOW nationalistic songs are being played out loud in the streets of #Ramallah and all other cities Freedom to all prisoners #PrisonerSwap

Many in Palestine also noted how this prisoner swap deal may be a uniting force for the Palestinian factions.

Tim Marshall notes:

@Skytwitius: Gaza. Interesting. There are almost as many fatah flags in khatami sq as hamas. Five years since civil war threw fatah gunmen out.

While Palestinian Nour Odeh, a journalist based in Ramallah, tweets:

@nour_odeh: Emotions are high. Families of #prisoners at Ofer now chanting ‘National Unity, National Unity', hope factions are listening!!! #Palestine

She continues:

@nour_odeh: Issue of prisoners is a uniting force in #Palestine; having sacrificed their freedom for the nation's, they are considered heroes by all

and she adds:

@nour_odeh: #Palestinian division is shameful, best present 2 prisoners would b 4 factions 2 implement their proposal on #unity, reconciliation

Palestinian Izzat Risheq expresses [ar] his happiness:

نستقبل أسرانا البواسل وفي العين دمعتان دمعةفرح لاستقبال أسرانا المحررين ودمعة لوعةعلى لقاء أحبتنا الذين لم تشملهم الصفقة ‎#Palestine‏ ‎#Asra‏

@izzat_risheq: We welcome our brave prisoners with two types of tears in our eyes: one of joy for our freed prisoners and another of longing for those not included in the deal

Bringing us back to the reality of countless Palestinians, blogger Jamal Dajani reminds us:

@JamalDajani: Many of the freed Palestinian prisoners will be transferred to a large prison called #Gaza