Chris Hedges, author, spoke at a Revolution Books Town Hall Meeting at Ethical Culture Society January 13, 2009 condemning Israel and US complicity in Israel's murderous destruction of Gaza.
Gaza West Bank Palestine Gaza massacre war crimes occupation Zionism Israel Palestinian holocaust ethnic cleansing genocide
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Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Psychological trauma, nightmares stalk Gaza children
GAZA, 2 February 2010 (IRIN) - Mona al-Samouni, 12, is depressed and has nightmares about the day - just over a year ago - when she witnessed her parents and a number of relatives being shot by Israeli soldiers in their home in Zeitoun, southeast of Gaza City.
Like a number of other children who witnessed horrific events during last year’s 23-day Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, Mona has become increasingly withdrawn and silent - common ways of coping with tragedies, doctors say.
Statistics about Palestinians who lost their life during the military operation vary, but NGOs place the overall number of persons killed between 1,387 and 1,417. The Gaza authorities report 1,444 fatal casualties, whilst Israel provides a figure of 1,166, according to the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, also known as the Goldstone Report.
The killing of Mona's family is one of the most notorious incidents of last year’s conflict in Gaza (see BBC slideshow) and was one of 11 incidents investigated by the UN Mission “in which Israeli forces launched direct attacks against civilians with lethal outcome” and in which “the facts indicate no justifiable military objective pursued by the attack”. It said Israeli forces “killed 23 members of the extended al-Samouni family” on that day.
“There is a significant deterioration in the psychological well-being of Palestinian children who are living in the Gaza Strip, especially after the recent war,” Ayesh Samour, director of the Psychiatric Hospital in Gaza, told IRIN.
According to a study by NGO Ard al-Insan in Gaza, 73 percent of Gaza children are still suffering from psychological and behavioural disorders, including psychological trauma, nightmares, involuntary urination, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Samour said children in Gaza were being denied a normal childhood because of the insecurity and instability in their environment. He said a culture of violence and death had pervaded their mentalities, making them angrier and more aggressive.
Basem Naim, the Hamas minister of health in Gaza, said hospitals and primary care facilities damaged during the Gaza conflict have not been rebuilt due to the blockade of the territory under which Israel bans the entry of construction materials, saying they could be used for military purposes.
"Health professionals in Gaza have been cut off from the outside world," Naim said.
Hussain Ashour, director of al-Shifa Hospital, the main hospital in Gaza City, said they lacked medical equipment and paediatricians.
Project
Save the Children Sweden and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on 25 January launched the Family Centres Project in Gaza.
“The project will ensure that the right to survival and development of children at risk… is ensured through the establishment of 20 Family Centres in different communities of the Gaza Strip,” Patricia Hoyos, director of Save the Children in Gaza, told IRIN.
“Its main role is to serve a wide population and to provide quality child protection, educational, health and psychosocial services to all those in need of support,” she said.
This Story was published by Irinnews.org
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Like a number of other children who witnessed horrific events during last year’s 23-day Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, Mona has become increasingly withdrawn and silent - common ways of coping with tragedies, doctors say.
Statistics about Palestinians who lost their life during the military operation vary, but NGOs place the overall number of persons killed between 1,387 and 1,417. The Gaza authorities report 1,444 fatal casualties, whilst Israel provides a figure of 1,166, according to the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, also known as the Goldstone Report.
The killing of Mona's family is one of the most notorious incidents of last year’s conflict in Gaza (see BBC slideshow) and was one of 11 incidents investigated by the UN Mission “in which Israeli forces launched direct attacks against civilians with lethal outcome” and in which “the facts indicate no justifiable military objective pursued by the attack”. It said Israeli forces “killed 23 members of the extended al-Samouni family” on that day.
“There is a significant deterioration in the psychological well-being of Palestinian children who are living in the Gaza Strip, especially after the recent war,” Ayesh Samour, director of the Psychiatric Hospital in Gaza, told IRIN.
According to a study by NGO Ard al-Insan in Gaza, 73 percent of Gaza children are still suffering from psychological and behavioural disorders, including psychological trauma, nightmares, involuntary urination, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Samour said children in Gaza were being denied a normal childhood because of the insecurity and instability in their environment. He said a culture of violence and death had pervaded their mentalities, making them angrier and more aggressive.
Basem Naim, the Hamas minister of health in Gaza, said hospitals and primary care facilities damaged during the Gaza conflict have not been rebuilt due to the blockade of the territory under which Israel bans the entry of construction materials, saying they could be used for military purposes.
"Health professionals in Gaza have been cut off from the outside world," Naim said.
Hussain Ashour, director of al-Shifa Hospital, the main hospital in Gaza City, said they lacked medical equipment and paediatricians.
Project
Save the Children Sweden and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on 25 January launched the Family Centres Project in Gaza.
“The project will ensure that the right to survival and development of children at risk… is ensured through the establishment of 20 Family Centres in different communities of the Gaza Strip,” Patricia Hoyos, director of Save the Children in Gaza, told IRIN.
“Its main role is to serve a wide population and to provide quality child protection, educational, health and psychosocial services to all those in need of support,” she said.
This Story was published by Irinnews.org
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009
94.2 Billion bill, but only 8% of bill is towards none military operations. Fund Diplomacy, not War.
National Call-In Day:
The Obama Administration has asked Congress for another $83.4 billion in supplemental funding for ongoing military, diplomatic, and intelligence operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the bill’s voyage through the House Appropriations Committee, that amount has ballooned to $94.2 billion. Yet, only about 8% of the funding in this bill is for non-military activities. [1]
Members of Congress will vote on the supplemental as early as this week. Now is the time for constituents to voice their concern over an extension of the failed policy of subordinating diplomacy to military activities.
Today, May 12th, join the National Call-In Day and let your representative know that you support funding for diplomacy, development, humanitarian aid, and the safe withdrawal of troops, but that you oppose funding for extended military operations.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/call.html
While making your call, urge your representative to co-sponsor a bill by Congressman James McGovern that would require President Obama to provide an exit plan for Afghanistan no later than December 2009.
There is no military solution to the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Funding for these conflicts must reflect reality -- that only diplomacy and development will lead to a stable Middle East.
Calling your representative is easy - just follow the simple instructions below:
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/call.html
Thank you for all you do for a just foreign policy,
Megan Iorio, Chelsea Mozen, Sarah Burns and Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
Please support our work.
Your financial contribution helps us create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a just foreign policy. http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate.html
References:
1. See OMB analysis of War Supplemental:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/budget_amendments/supplemental_04_09_09.pdf
And the Center for Arms Control analysis of Supplemental:
http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/policy/iraq/articles/041309_c111_fy09_warsupp2
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The Obama Administration has asked Congress for another $83.4 billion in supplemental funding for ongoing military, diplomatic, and intelligence operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the bill’s voyage through the House Appropriations Committee, that amount has ballooned to $94.2 billion. Yet, only about 8% of the funding in this bill is for non-military activities. [1]
Members of Congress will vote on the supplemental as early as this week. Now is the time for constituents to voice their concern over an extension of the failed policy of subordinating diplomacy to military activities.
Today, May 12th, join the National Call-In Day and let your representative know that you support funding for diplomacy, development, humanitarian aid, and the safe withdrawal of troops, but that you oppose funding for extended military operations.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/call.html
While making your call, urge your representative to co-sponsor a bill by Congressman James McGovern that would require President Obama to provide an exit plan for Afghanistan no later than December 2009.
There is no military solution to the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Funding for these conflicts must reflect reality -- that only diplomacy and development will lead to a stable Middle East.
Calling your representative is easy - just follow the simple instructions below:
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/call.html
Thank you for all you do for a just foreign policy,
Megan Iorio, Chelsea Mozen, Sarah Burns and Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
Please support our work.
Your financial contribution helps us create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a just foreign policy. http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate.html
References:
1. See OMB analysis of War Supplemental:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/budget_amendments/supplemental_04_09_09.pdf
And the Center for Arms Control analysis of Supplemental:
http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/policy/iraq/articles/041309_c111_fy09_warsupp2
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