Tag: bethlehem

  • BETHLEHEM ATTACKED ON CHRISTMAS – CEASEFIRE NOW

    PETITION CLOSED

    text 50409 GO WATERMELION to get a list of active letters to sign, or go to: https://resist.bot/go/WATERMELON

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    Resistbot is part of a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that allows Americans to send letters to government officials using SMS, Telegram, Messenger, and other popular chat apps. Anyone can use it, and you can write & send your own letters without making petitions. You can learn more on their official website: https://resist.bot/

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    12/26 Petition to Biden & U.S. Congress

    Israel’s aggression against all Palestinians is rising. On Christmas Day, multiple locations in the West Bank were targeted, including Bethlehem. On the day and the place Christ was born, Palestinians were detained in mass, fired upon, and otherwise terrorized. In Burqa, a teenage boy was shot in the neck by the IDF, leading to severe injury. Israeli hostility is accelerating in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and all other areas of occupied Palestine. This looks exactly how the siege and mass murder of the Gaza Strip began, but now add the settler-colonists’ armed violence in addition to the IDF’s.

    I can’t help but think about the brutal executions of Basil Suleiman Abu al-Wafa, a young teenage boy, and Adam Samer al-Ghoul, a boy of only 8, who were both murdered the day after Thanksgiving. Basil was shot in the chest and survived long enough to die at the hospital. His family described him as a studious child focused on school and enjoying simple times with his friends. Adam, the youngest, was shot in the head and died at the scene. The children were playing in the street together before the attack. Their final moments were captured on video. How many Palestinian children have met a similar fate from Thanksgiving to Christmas?

    Imposing visa bans on extremist Israeli settler-colonists, and delaying assault rifle sales to Israel in response to the violence committed against Palestinians in the West Bank has been one small step in the right direction. The truth is, however, it’s all extreme. Colonization is inherently violent. Losing your home, livelihood, and safety has lasting repercussions for future generations. You don’t have to lose your life to suffer gravely from the violence. Biden’s remarks that “those committing the violence must be held accountable” in the West Bank. Nothing has been done to hold anyone committing violence against Palestinians accountable. On Christmas Eve, Netanyahu approved a $21m initiative to further colonize the occupied West Bank.

    Both Netanyahu and his National Security Minister Ben-Gvir have increased armaments of Israeli settler-colonists since October. Ben-Gvir, a convicted terrorist, has been working closely with Israeli extremist Dagan to raise money for these weapons. Dagan is the leader of efforts to annul the law that has protected Gaza from recolonization. He has already successfully led similar efforts which led to the recolonization of northern Samaria.

    This holiday season, my country has given me the blood of children in exchange for my tax dollars. You have failed at every level to uphold the values of life, liberty, and prosperity for all. You have consistently undermined all efforts to stop the genocide of Palestinians. From where I’m sitting, I see no difference between people like Ben-Gvir, Dagan, and Netanyahu from you. You’ve consistently replied to my letters every day you unequivocally stand with the actions of Israel.

    Call for a ceasefire right now.

    SOURCES

    Al Jazeera “Israel hits Bethlehem in Christmas raids on occupied West Bank

    Reuters “U.S. to impose visa bans soon on Israeli extremist settlers for West Bank violence

    Reuters “Reuters “US announces visa bans after warning Israel over West Bank violence

    Reuters “US delays sale of assault rifles to Israel over settler violence – sources

    Al Jazeera “Know their names – Hundreds of Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in 2023

    Al Jazeera “Playing with friends, shot dead by Israel: A Jenin boy’s final moments

    The Times of Israel “Distribution of 300 assault rifles to West Bank civilian security squads underway“”

    For more on Ben-Givr, see my prior petition “ISRAELI EXTREMISM ON THE RISE- CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE NOW

    For more on Dagan, see my prior petition “THE WRITING IS ON THE WALLS – THIS IS A GENOCIDE

  • ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A CEASEFIRE

    PETITION CLOSED

    text 50409 GO WATERMELION to get a list of active letters to sign, or go to: https://resist.bot/go/WATERMELON

    <- learn more

    Resistbot is part of a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that allows Americans to send letters to government officials using SMS, Telegram, Messenger, and other popular chat apps. Anyone can use it, and you can write & send your own letters without making petitions. You can learn more on their official website: https://resist.bot/

    To use resistbot, text via SMS (50409), or text by adding resistbot on Telegram/Messenger:
    – FOLLOW WATERMELON to get notified for all new letters to sign
    – GO WATERMELON to get a list of active letters to sign
    – SIGN CODE* to sign an open petition. *substitute code for a petititon code

    If you want to participate in my Telegram resistbot notification & human rights activism channel, you can join at: https://t.me/heywatermelon

    You can check out all of my resistbot petitons at: https://resist.bot/go/WATERMELON

    12/24 Petition to Biden & U.S. Congress
    Like Pope Francis, I too, “continue to receive very grave and painful news from Gaza”. I also agree with his words that “we have gone beyond wars. This is not war. This is terrorism.” Just a little over 43 miles away from Bethlehem, the Gaza strip remains besieged, and the Palestinians trapped there face apocalyptic conditions. Only 6 miles away from Bethlehem, Christians in East Jerusalem have had to camp in the quarter belonging to their church to try and stop Israeli settlers and developers from seizing more of their land. Israel’s reign of terror falls on Palestinian Muslims and Christians alike – this is what ethnic cleansing looks like. 

    In the birthplace of Christ, Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac shares the terrible truth, “If Jesus was born today, he’d be born under the rubble of Gaza.” From his pulpit in Bethlehem the reverend asks for those of us celebrating Christmas to “lift a prayer for us, for justice. And I hope they work and act to end the system of occupation and apartheid.”

    Like Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, I too “see the image of Jesus in every child that is killed in Gaza.” From Father Rami Askarieh, also in Bethlehem, I too, mourn that “the international community hasn’t taken serious action to end the massacre”. Approximately 20,000 – 28,000 Palestinians have been murdered in Gaza since 10/7. Today, on Christmas Eve, I can’t help but wonder how many more will die over the next 48 hours. 

    The U.N. Security Council resolution that our country abstained from votin on, but still took the time to gut, is essentially meaningless. Per Doctors Without Borders, “the measure fell “painfully short” of what is needed”. I wish I had the optimism of the UAE ambassador to call the resolution passing a “Christmas miracle”. Our country has undermined the entire world by continuing to abuse our veto vote. We’ve made the U.N. effectively useless. 

    I can’t help but feel a deep shame knowing that this Christmas my tax dollars are paying for bombs to rain down on Gaza, tank artillery to terrorize starving people, and your salary as you do nothing to stop the genocide of Palestinians. I find myself preoccupied with questions instead of the holiday spirit. I’ve been asking myself:

    – How many people have my tax dollars murdered?

    – How can I quantify the level of human suffering my 2020 vote has led to?

    – How can I ever be proud to be American ever again?

    We need an immediate, permanent ceasefire. There must be unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza. This Christmas Eve, I ask you to reflect on Father Rami Askarieh’s words, “Israelis, Palestinians; we are all human, we are all the children of God.”

    SOURCES

    The Guardian “‘If Jesus was born today, he’d be born under the rubble’: Bethlehem set for forlorn Christmas

    New York Times “‘God Is Under the Rubble in Gaza’: Bethlehem’s Subdued Christmas

    12/24/23 Tweet from @ajplus of interview with pastor Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac 

    The Guardian “Pope Francis condemns Israeli killings of civilians at Gaza church

    Associated Press “UN approves watered-down resolution on aid to Gaza without call for suspension of hostilities

    Al Jazeera “UN resolution on Gaza aid criticised as ‘insufficient’, ‘meaningless’

    Doctors Without Borders “Open letter to Secretary Austin: Act now to protect civilians in Gaza

    Estimated deaths as of 12/11 from multiple sources*

    Al Jazeera quotes 20,000 dead as of 12/23/23. Al Jazeera always includes the most up-to-date official death tolls on their Breaking/live updates page. Because the daily live pages are refreshed so frequently for each new day, I can’t link you to a specific date. You can always check the Breaking/live section on their site for the most recent official numbers.

    EuroMed Monitor quotes an estimated 28,091 dead shown on an infographic posted on their Instagram (link to post) as of 12/23/23. Their website has past infographics, but does not currently have this newest one included as of the writing of this blog post.

    This is not unusual- I believe they post infographics first on social media and then add them to the infographic section of their website later on. Prior infographics posted on Instagram and then shown on their site have the exact same figures & data.

    *Why are multiple sources used for the death count?

    Associated Press “Gaza health officials say they lost the ability to count dead as Israeli offensive intensifies

    The situation in Gaza has only gotten worse since the AP published this article on 11/21. The official numbers we are seeing from Gaza’s Ministry of Health are undercounted, and have been since at least 11/21.

    EuroMed Monitor is a NGO established in 2011 that advocates for the human rights of all persons across Europe and the MENA region. They have a regional office in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. I believe their estimates are credible which is why I quote them, and will continue to, when referring to the estimated death toll.

    My personal opinion is that the true number is even higher than estimated- people are dying from starvation, thirst, infections, and illnesses. Even if the genocide ended this moment, these types of deaths will unfortunately continue for some time. I believe their deaths should be counted. They may not have been shot/bombed/etc. by the Israeli military, but their deaths are directly attributable to the total siege, occupation, and intentional** destruction of civilian, water, waste management, and medical infrastructure by Israel.

    **Why are you accusing Israel of intentionally destroying important infrastructure and targeting civilians?

    It’s not an accusation. They’ve admitted to it.

    The Guardian “‘The Gospel’: how Israel uses AI to select bombing targets in Gaza

    972 Magazine “‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza