Palestine

Personal Commentary:

Palestinians Riot. Israeli Soldiers Taken Hostage. Israeli Soldiers Killed. Shocking headlines. Of course they are and the first response would be they ought to take those Muslims and shoot them. But what of these headlines. Children Killed by Israeli Soldiers. Twelve Year Old Boy Murdered by Sniper Fire. Sharon Takes Soldiers To Mosque. Israelis Use Bullets against Rocks or these in 1948 Western Countries approve New Country. Palestine Now to Become ISRAEL (without the consent of the Palestinians). We are all accustomed to seeing the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and the media portrays the Israelis as the ones who are suffering. Are they the ones who are suffering? The western media would have us believe this. What has happened recently is the culmination of years of abuse and disregard by the Israelis of basic human rights. Here are even more shocking headlines. Barak Threatens to Bomb Syria, Iran. Barak gives Arafat Deadline. Let us not forget that Israel courtesy of the United States has nuclear capabilities. We who are here in the west do not often get the whole story. I challenge you to research for the whole story.

In The News:

The Question I ask "Israel Wanted Peace?"

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak announced the deadline on Saturday, saying that if Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat failed to end the violence, the peace process was dead and Israel's military would use whatever force necessary to bring calm to the streets.

In Ramallah, the violence broke out on Monday after the body of a 40-year-old Palestinian was found beaten and burned. Palestinians tossed rocks at three Israeli army vehicles. Israelis responded with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. (Rubber coating steel bullets doesn't make them any less lethal.)

Read this account by a Muslim who witnessed first hand the atrocities that Israel has inflicted.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of All the
World. The Protector, the Giver and Taker of Life.
Peace and Blessings be upon Muhammad bin Abdullah, His
Slave and Messenger, the Seal of the Prophets, the
Mercy to all Mankind. Peace and Prayers be upon the
Prophet's family , his companions and all the
righteous until the Day of Recompense. Amen.

As for what follows:
Allah says in His Noble Qur'an, what can be translated
into English as:

Surah Al Isra 1
"Glorified be He who took His slave (Muhammad) from a
journey by night from Al Masjid al- Haram to the
Farthest Mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood
whereof we have blessed, in order that we might show
him (Muhammad) of Our ayat. Verily, He is the
All-Hearer, the All Seer."

Today, dear Muslims after Jummah (last Friday), I
witnessed with my own eyes a horrendous act put upon
the Muslims at the hands of the Jews. In this blessed
Masjid (Masjid Al Haram Al Sharief-Masjid al Aqsa.
The Israeli police, army and special military forces,
shot and killed 5 Muslims and wounded hundreds. As I
entered the Masjid, it seemed to be just another
Jummah. See, the people here come to Jummah around
8:00-9:00am in the morning, have a picnic and wait
until the earlier lectures start and the Qur'anic
recitation begins. It did not seem that it would be a
day of infamy, in which all chaos would be inflicted
upon the Believers.

As I took my place in the forth row of the Masjid (at
10:30 am) it seemed all calm as the Qur'anic reciter,
recited. The Mufti took his place on the mimbar,
giving salaams to the people and the adhan was called.
The Mufti began by reciting Surah Al Isra ayats 4-7.
Which can be translated into English as:

"And we decreed for the Children of Israel in the
Scripture, that indeed you would do mischief on the
earth twice and you will become tyrants and extremely
arrogant. So, when the promise came for the first of
the two, we sent against you slaves of ours to
terrible warfare. They entered the very innermost
parts of your homes. And it was a promise
(completely) fulfilled. Then We gave you once again, a
return of victory over them. And We helped you with
wealth and children and made you more numerous in
man-power. (And We said): "If you do good, you do good
for your own selves, and if you do evil (you do it)
against yourselves. "Then, when the second promise
came to pass, (We permitted your enemies) to make your
faces sorrowful and to enter the mosque ( of
Jerusalem) as they had entered it before, and to
destroy with utter destruction all that fell in their
hands."

The Mufti told the people from what I could understand
from the Arabic, that the Jews would never get Al
Aqsa. We are prepared to die for this place. He told
us of the deal that the Jews had offered to Arafat
regarding allowing them to take al Aqsa and giving the
dome to the Muslims. Never! He shouted. This blessed
place its for the Muslims from all over the world. He
ended with dua and we stood for prayer. All the while
outside, the Israeli troops were mounting their
assault on the sides of the Masjid. There is an
average between 50,000 - 100,000 thousand people at
Jummah. Not even two minutes after the tasleems did I
hear the first loud bombing noise. The noise of tear
gas being fired at the people. Suddenly the people
retaliated with rock throwing. I made my way to the
front of the Masjid into the courtyard area, where I
saw men, women, and children running. The youth were
throwing rocks. The elderly men were taking refuge
behind the large pillars. Then I saw the first
casualty. A man's head was filled with blood. At that
point I realized that this was no joke. The people
were shouting Allahu Akbar, God is Great, God is
Great!!!!

Suddenly, the Israeli troops advanced coming out of
the sides shooting. They tell you in America that they
are rubber bullets, but they are in fact steel bullets
with a rubber coating. As the people continued to
scatter for cover and the troops still advancing, I
tried to take one more picture, when a brother pulled
my arm and pulled me into the Masjid. I come to find
out that he is the son of a brother from Florida
(Sheikh Yusef). As the massive doors in al Aqsa
closed, the special forces continued to shoot at the
door. Suddenly, I saw a brother one foot from me start
to fall. As I watched him go down I saw the blood gush
from his chest. I stood there in shock. How could they
do such a thing? I thought to myself, as I continued
to look at the brother, I felt all emotions come up
from inside, not out of fear but, rather this man
being my brother. I immediately fell to the floor in
sujood, praying to Allah for help. As I began to get
my composure, I looked around the Masjid in a daze and
saw the brothers raising their hands in supplication.
There was this old man sitting near me, saying "There
is no god but Allah", over and over in Arabic. This
was real. This was extremely real. I felt myself
cursing the Jews. Not in they way of back in the days
of ignorance, but rather sending duas against them,
asking Allah for their destruction. I felt anger,
sympathy, and complete sadness.

Some time went by and the doors opened and the
brothers came running in with stretchers heed to get
the wounded. As I made my way to the side door as
people were exiting, I saw the young brother who
practically saved my life. He was injured. He asked if
I had witness anything like this before. I told him
yes. After the Rodney King verdict, in Atlanta. Yet,
with that uprising the police were trying to restore
order rather then being the cause of chaos. I really
saw the hatred of the Jews towards Muslims. As I began
to walk through the courtyard, towards the dome, all
I could see in front of me and around me were Israeli
military with their assault rifles, with their fingers
on the triggers. As I walked toward the gate. I walked
pass the dome where many women and children were
barricaded inside. At each time they tried to exit, I
watch them run back in. I noticed this sister jumping
up and down with a bloody towel or shirt where she was
screaming about her shield and cursing the Jews.
Again, I thought to myself how can a man do such a
thing.

Dear Muslims, I witness something that has shocked my
heart, yet has instilled the truth of Allah's word as
well. The Prophet said what can be translated into
English as:

Narrated Abdullah bin Masud, I asked Allah's Messenger
"O Allah's Messenger! What is the best deed?" He
replied, "To offer the prayers at their earlier fixed
stated times". I asked, "What is next in goodness?"
He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents."
I further asked, "What is next in goodness?" He
replied, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's cause."

I believe at this time this would be the closest I
would reach towards armed struggle. Dear Muslims this
place was defiled by the Israeli's. Blood was spilled
on the ground. Muslim blood. I appeal to you to help
in whatever way you can. I urge you to change things
with your hands, tongue, or heart. Dear Muslims make
dua for the people. I will insha Allah try to keep
you updated. As of today there are more that 1200
wounded and 50 dead. I pray to Allah for victory of
over the disbelievers. Amen.

Your brother in Islam

Khatib Muhammad, in Al Quds

The Question I ask "Israel Wanted Peace?"

Here is an article on this and the shocking photos of the death of an innocent child. My question is this as human beings can we continue to watch these and not do something to stop the shedding of the blood of innocents.

Palestine Home> News>

Boy's death an image haunting Israel

There was abundant television coverage of the violence, but one image stood out

By Andrea Shalal-Esa

October 02, 2000, 09:38 AM
WASHINGTON (Reuters)

- Shocking pictures showing the death of a Palestinian boy reverberated in global media this weekend, prompting London's Independent to write about "an image that will haunt the world as painfully and powerfully" as any of those dating to the Palestinian uprising or Intifada.

Palestinian boy

The Jerusalem Post called video from clashes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday "gruesome," and blasted Palestinian television for broadcasting the film over and over again.

In the United States, a photo still of the video ran on the front page of the Sunday New York Times, and the video footage was replayed on all major news broadcasts.

There was abundant television coverage of the bloodiest wave of violence between the two sides in four years, but one image stood out.

ABC News anchor Carol Simpson prefaced a segment on the video on Sunday's "World News Tonight" saying, "We warn you that what follows is difficult to watch."

The footage, shot by France 2 cameraman Talal Abu-Rama, showed 12-year-old Mohammed al-Durra as he and his father, Jamal al-Durra, cowered near a cement block as Palestinian and Israeli security forces traded fire.

Reporters watched helplessly as the boy and his father became trapped as bullets flew around them on a road near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim in the Gaza Strip.

Abu-Rama, a veteran Palestinian journalist, told National Public Radio in an interview that he was only about 15 feet (4 meters) from the two, but said a hail of bullets prevented him from running to help them.

He kept his camera trained on the weeping Mohammed and the father, who tried in vain to shield the boy with his arms and body, for 45 minutes, he told NPR.

At one point, the father raised his head and wagged his finger, as if to scold the Israeli troops firing on them.

Abu-Rama said he heard a loud blast and when the dust cleared the boy was slumped in his father's lap.

Mohammed died, while his father survived badly wounded. An ambulance driver who braved the gunfire in an attempt to rescue the boy and his father was killed.

"It is an image that will haunt the world as painfully and powerfully as any of the pictures that emerged when the children of the unborn state of Palestine took on Israel's well-armed troops during the Intifada," the Independent wrote in Monday editions.

Abu-Rama told ABC News he believed Palestinian and Israeli negotiators should have to watch the footage when they next meet "because a lot of civilians did die for nothing."

"I want them to understand one of these days maybe one day their own sons will be in the same position," he said.

Israeli officials have questioned whether the boy was killed by Israeli bullets and said he could have been hit by stray Palestinian gunfire.

The New York Times quoted one veteran Israeli journalist as saying he saw the footage for the first time as he was delivering the news on Saturday night.

"I lost my voice. I've been doing this for many years. ... But my brain went dead, and my tongue went limp. To see a little boy killed before your eyes."

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Foes trade threats

Throughout the rising conflict, Palestinian and Israeli leaders have exchanged barbs and accusations, putting an additional strain on peace talks that have proved tenuous at best in recent months.

Barak was blunt with reporters Sunday.

"If in the next two days we do not see a complete change in patterns of behavior and cessation of violence we will consider that this is a deliberate act by the Palestinian Authority to stop (peace) negotiations, and we shall instruct the defense to act accordingly," he said.

Barak threatened to use the "full force of the military" if necessary.

Palestinian leaders were curt in their replies.

"I have the impression that according to him it is Palestine that occupies Israel and not Israel that occupies Palestine," Afif Safieh, Palestinian delegate to the United Kingdom, told CNN. "All the battles, confrontations are taking place around Palestinian urban centers. All Israel has to do is withdraw 300 meters (330 yards) so that there is no confrontation."

Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan said Barak's remarks were insulting. After years of involvement in negotiations, he said his optimism for peace had waned.

The Palestinians said it was up to the Israelis to stop the shooting, and they laid down their own condition: Accept a U.N. Security Council call for an international commission to investigate the violence.

The Security Council late Saturday approved a resolution that condemned Israeli "acts of violence, especially the excessive use of force against Palestinians, resulting in injury and loss of human life."

Personal Commentary: The U.S. abstained. Why? Israel is an ally and we protect our allies regardless if they are violating fundamental human rights. Would we stand quietly by while another government took our land from us to create another country? Would we stand aside while our government took our homes, imprisoned our children, and forced us to become beggars in our own land? We say we stand for justice, human rights, and freedom. Do we? Are Muslims terrorists? Is Islam the religion of terrorism? Or are these people merely trying to fight for what is theirs as any normal human being would.? Only you can answer these questions for yourself.

The above is from http:/www.cnn.com/

And it is said that Israel wanted peace? If this is so then why allow the actions of Sharon that provoked this human tragedy to occur? Israel knew how the Arabs and Muslims felt about Sharon. The question now is who has suffered the most. Answer: The innocents who have been slaughtered and many of them have been children under the age of 15. Let us all mourn the deaths of these innocents. I do not wish to make this site for a political forum but what has occurred is a human tragedy. We reacted when Milosevic committed atrocities in Kosovo yet we fail to act when Israel commits atrocities in Palestine, because Israel is and always will be land that belongs to Palestine and the Palestinians.

Here are other links on this the tragedy in Palestine. Yes, as a Muslimah and a mother I am upset and appalled by this tragedy. Below are some media links both western and middle east. Read them to get both sides of the story. What we hear and see in the west is not always the completed story.

Western Media

CNN.com - World - Israeli deadline passes for Palestinians to end violent protests - October 9, 2000

Annan Tries to Head Off Israeli-Palestinian War

ABCNEWS.com Sunset Deadline Passes With Diplomatic Flurry

Diplomacy Expands in Mideast Crisis

U.S. Restore Calm in Mideast

NBCiMiddle East and North Africa News

‘The Danger We Are Facing’

CBS News Home

Middle East Media

crime

Arabic News .com Front Page for Arab News

Middle East Times 2000

Sahafa Online, Arabic News, Arabic Newspapers, Magazines, Radio & Television.

Intertent Arabic Radio and Television Webcasting

The Daily Star - Lebanon

Planetarabia.com Gunfire Erupts As Mideast Clashes Flare

Action Alert #271

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