Jordan Twitters Meeting in the Media - #Top50JO

Last Saturday a group of more than 30 Jordanian Twitters met at Wild Jordan in Jabal Amman. We discussed the positive idea that I talked about earlier regarding the best 50 things we like about Jordan. The media was there, I did an iReport for CNN's "Inside the Middle East" and also "Aramram" a Jordanian Web TV were there.

The event was realy fun, not just a social meeting for us to meet the faces behind the Tweeps but also to express positive things that we barely here in the media. I believe it was a great way to show the world the good things about the Middle East despite the negavtive image we have in Western media outlets.

This event was an open invtitation for anyone, we sent invitations on Twitter to The Queen, the Mayor of Amman, the foriegn minister, and some CEOs. Her Majesty Queen Rania responded by saying on her Facebook account "So sorry I missed this! The top 50things we like about Jordan.. There are millions of reasons. These are just a few.."

Below is the full version of the video that I took but was edited by CNN and only 1.5 minutes of this was broadcasted on TV.

Full Video:


The CNN video:The report starts at minute 6


The Aramram Video is below:

One Positive Twitter Idea Spreads Fast

Once again a simple Jordanian idea goes at large. A Jordanian Twitter (his twitter is @shusmo) came up with a brilliant positive idea and that is to Tweet or mention “The Top 50 things you like about living in Jordan or being Jordanian”. In the midst of all the political negativity that we live in this part of the world, such an idea gained a lot of popularity and seems to be spreading around in the region.

Just to mention a few of what Jordanian Twitters started sharing:

@MissKhasawneh: The streets of Amman
@linamad: Love how the sun always comes up even in the cold winter
@aboosh: In Jordan at least u would feel compassion from even those who don’t know u
@linasaleh: Where supermarkets have Valet service!
@linasaleh: Where you hairdo doesn’t get ruined by humidity
@farah: How everyone you meet knows someone you know
@RobaAsso: The serene call for prayers resonating across Amman..and definitely the weather..second to none!

I also did my share of Tweets

@alidahmash: Coffee shops still play “Careless Whisper” in 2010
@alidahmash: Moderate weather all year around


Even her Majesty the Queen twittered by mentioning:

@QueenRania: Remember chatting 2 Abu Ahmad in downtown Amman. He’s a legend. Such a warm & generous spirit.
@QueenRania: Zaatar, Abu Mahjoub, the Hatta..

Therefore we decided to meet this Saturday at Wild Jordan in Amman to Tweet Live about #Top50JO

The invitation is open to anyone and Aramram, a local Web TV station will be there to record the event and I will be reporting this for CNN as well to be aired on “Inside the Middle East” in February.

Below are the details…

Location: Wild Jordan, 4th left turn on Rainbow street, Othman bin Afan Street, Jabal Amman. Tel: ++ 962 6 4633542.

Date: Saturday January 30th

Time: 5PM sharp



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

From Bethlehem to Jerusalem

Last week, I attended a seminar for Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, a Christian Palestinian Professor currently living in occupied Bethlehem. Dr. Mazin is author of the book "Sharing the Land of Canaan". I enjoyed his seminar as he discussed the early beginnings of the Zionism movement and the early Jewish settlements in Palestine in the 1800's. He also talked about the real source of the Arab - Israeli conflict which is Zionism.

Below are Dr. Mazin’s thoughts while entering Jerusalem for the first time in 4 years. By the way, I was in Jerusalem last July and the trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was only 10 minutes away by car. I was lucky to be in an Israeli plate car so the drive was quick, but for Palestinians who are born there, it's another situation, they are foreigners in their own land!

Note: While reading, imagine yourself a person born in the USA and driving from New Jersey to New York in your country.

"I entered Jerusalem through the apartheid wall yesterday without using the
temporary "Israeli permit" that was issued to me (and that expired
yesterday). My family had applied for me and many others through our church
for the Eastern Christian Holidays. Yet, those who could enter like I did
(with or without permits) are a tiny fraction of the Palestinian population.
I have not been in Jerusalem in nearly four years due to Israeli
restrictions.


Leaving Bethlehem, an Israeli check point


Sieged Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ and home of many Christian Palestinians


Sieged Bethlehem, overview outside the city, just 10 minutes away from Jerusalem! Palestinians going from Bethlehem to Ramallah take another road for "Palestinians Only" and are forbidden to enter Jerusalem unless they have a permit!

On the drive along the Hebron road, we first pass by side roads leading to
the colonies built since 1967 on Palestinian lands (illegal per
International law): things now called Ramat Rachel, Gilo, and Har Homa. We
pass by land that was leased (for 99 years!) from our Greek Orthodox Church
by tricks and a corrupt church official to develop Israeli malls and
housing. We then enter the "neighborhoods" of Amona and Talpiot that used
to be Arab Palestinians before 1948 and see many old Palestinian homes that
were taken over by Zionists and their residents. Charming old Arab houses
with arched balconies sit lonely amid massive development of European style
architecture. I wonder what their Jewish residents think of living in such
structures. I wonder if even they know what life is like just three miles
south in the refugee camps in Bethlehem.

To the right, we pass by the road leading to Silwan. A Palestinian
neighborhood that is increasingly threatened with total eviction to create a
"natural park". I think of the three Palestinian villages (including the
biblical Imwas ) that were removed in 1967 to create later "Canada Park"; to
honor Canadian Jews and others who donated to plant non-native trees where
homes and agricultural land once existed. Many homes have already been
demolished in Silwan, Wadi Al Joz and Israeli digging under Silwan is
resulting in collapse of homes and infrastructures (and occasionally
injuries to residents like when an UNRWA school floor collapsed injusring
two students).

Then we moved up the hill to the old city. I remember walking these roads
and roaming around the area when I taught in Jerusalem in 1978 and 1979 (at
Schmidt Girls College). Nostalgia at seeing familiar structures and
buildings (the old YMCA, the schools, the American Consulate, the Churches
and mosques) is mixed with apprehension at seeing the scarring that
destroyed many other familiar landmarks. The city I think will slowly become
totally unrecognizable. It will become like an extension of Tel Aviv
(except populated with more religious Jews). Now I realize cities do change
in time. But this is different. Jerusalem was a city that is multi-ethnic
and multi-religious. Many occupiers tried to change its character by force
(Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, British, etc) but the people of the
city have always clung to traditions and resisted changes. And there were
only two periods were there was massive ethnic cleansing: a) when the
crusaders came in the middle ages (removing and killing local Eastern
Orthodox, Jewish, and Muslim residents), and b) in 1948 when Western Jerusalem was completely cleared of Palestinian residents (some 23,000 born before Jan 1948 and now the total refugees from that part of the city is 93,000, see data in http://www.jerusalemquarterly.org/images/ArticlesPdf/3_Jerusalem%2048.pdf ) and concomitantly nearly 2000 Jews removed from Eastern Jerusalem. The old Jewish quarter has always been Muslim Waqf land whose residents before 1948 paid rent to. For data on population changes through historic Palestine, see http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Palestine-Remembered/Story559.html .

At this point, I know some will say that ethnic cleansing was done by the
Romans when "the Jews" were expelled following the Bar Kokhba revolt. But
historically this is not true. First, there was no such thing as the Jews
but residents of Judea who were referred to as Judeans (in Arabic, Hebrew,
and Aramaic variations on Yahudi best translated as Judean not Jew). These
Judeans practiced different religions including many pagan traditions. Some
religions were shared by other Palestinians (e.g. monotheistic traditions
shared between some Samaritans and some Judeans). The revolt by radical
Pharisee elements was against the Roman appointed Herod dynasty (Herod, of
Idumean background, was considered kind of the Judeans). These radical
elements were the ones who were removed from Jerusalem, not the Judean
population. Judeans in Jerusalem at the time who continued to live there
included many who believed in Baal, YHW/Yahweh, and El/El Elyon (Elohim in Hebrew, Alla in Aramaic, Allah and Arabic), and the nascent Christian
tradition (and later ofcourse many adopted Islam). The languages spoken
included not only Greek and Latin but various dialects of Aramaic including
those that are recognizable Arabic and spoken Hebrew dialects (although the
latter was mostly for religious rituals). Many forget that the Arabic
alphabet evolved here in the Holy Land from Nebatean Proto Aramaic!

But more modern history is sad because we experience it. Just last year
alone 4600 Palestinians lost their right to live in their own city including
some of my friends. Some 150 Palestinian homes were demolished. I also
talked yesterday with a colleague in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem
whose family was evicted and the home taken over by radical settlers. I
give a lecture on Mount Scopus; land that partly belonged to the
Jerusalemite Khalidi and other families and has been taken over under
Israel's "laws" of "absentee property". As the Palestinian nature of this
old city continues to be under attack, it has been slowly being transforned
to a European city with an Ashkenazi Jewish Zionist character. Its eastern
charm is now replaced by business, commerce, etc that is to serve the
privileged segment of the society.

In the UN partition plan of 1947, Jerusalem was to become an International
city open to all. My hope is that with thousands of activists (increasing
daily) who engage in the struggle for peace with justice, Palestinian
refugees will be allowed to return to West Jerusalem and those displaced
from East Jerusalem also returned (just like the Jewish quarter was
re-populated). That the city then really become an international city with
full equality anda truth an reconciliation committee established just like
happened in South Africa. Jerusalem would then become a "shiny city on the
hill" and its people "a light unto the people" (mistranslated "light unto
the nations")."

You can visit Dr. Mazin Website at (http://qumsiyeh.org/)

من قتل المصريين فى يوم العيد؟

من قتل المصريين فى يوم العيد؟

علاء الأسواني
فى عام 1923 تشكلت لجنة لوضع أول دستور مصرى.. إلا أن الوفد (حزب الأغلبية آنذاك) أعلن مقاطعته لهذه اللجنة لأنها تشكلت بالتعيين وليس بالانتخاب الحر. وبالرغم من ذلك فقد ضمت اللجنة مجموعة من أفضل العقول المصرية وشهدت سجالا سياسيا وفكريا رفيعا حول البنود المقترحة للدستور المصرى..
وارتفعت أصوات تنادى بالتمثيل النسبى للأقباط، بمعنى أن يكون للأقباط دائما نسبة معينة من المقاعد فى المجالس النيابية والمحلية. تحول الاقتراح بسرعة إلى قضية رأى عام كبرى.. المؤيدون للتمثيل النسبى كانوا يريدون إنصاف الأقباط وتفويت الفرصة على التدخل البريطانى فى مصر بحجة حماية الأقليات، أما المعارضون فكانوا يرفضون اعتبار الأقباط أقلية دينية بل يعتبرونهم مواطنين مصريين يجب أن يتم تقييمهم بمعيار الكفاءة وحدها..
المدهش أن معظم من عارضوا التمثيل النسبى كانوا أقباطا.. فبالإضافة إلى الدكتور طه حسين المسلم عارض الاقتراح المفكر سلامة موسى والأستاذ عزيز ميرهم، الذى جمع توقيع خمسة آلاف قبطى من المعارضين والقمص بطرس عبدالملك رئيس المجلس الملى العام ورئيس الكنيسة المرقسية الكبرى وأقباط آخرون كثيرون. وهكذا سقط الاقتراح ليسجل الأقباط واحدة من أعظم الوقائع فى تاريخنا الحديث عندما رفضوا التمتع بامتيازات طائفية تحت أى مسمى..

تذكرت هذه الواقعة وأنا أقرأ عن مذبحة نجع حمادى البشعة، التى راح ضحيتها ستة أقباط تم قتلهم بالرصاص أثناء خروجهم من الكنيسة يوم العيد.. السؤال لماذا رفض الأقباط منذ 90 عاما أن يتمتعوا بأى امتياز طائفى، ولماذا يذبحون اليوم فى ليلة عيد الميلاد على أبواب الكنائس.؟!... هذه فى رأيى بعض أسباب الأزمة:

أولا: يؤكد لنا تاريخ مصر أن الفتنة الطائفية تنتشر دائما فى أوقات الإحباط القومى. فى بداية القرن العشرين انتابت المصريين حالة من اليأس بسبب الاحتلال البريطانى سرعان ما تحولت إلى فتنة طائفية قبيحة (لعبت فيها الأصابع البريطانية كالعادة)، ووصلت إلى ذروتها منذ 1908 وحتى 1911 ولكن ما أن جاءت ثورة 1919 حتى انصهر فيها الجميع بل إن بعض الأقباط مثل القمص سرجيوس كانوا من دعاة الفتنة فتحولوا مع الثورة إلى أكبر المدافعين عن الوحدة الوطنية. فى مصر الآن الكثير من الإحباط والكبت والفقر والظلم، كل هذه العوامل تؤدى بالمصريين إلى التناحر الطائفى.. تماما كما تؤدى بهم إلى العنف والجريمة والتحرش الجنسى.

ثانيا: فى عام 1923 عندما رفض الأقباط الامتيازات الطائفية وبالرغم من الاحتلال البريطانى، كانت مصر تناضل لتؤسس دولة مدنية ديمقراطية يتساوى فيها المواطنون جميعا أمام القانون.. كانت هناك قراءة مصرية متسامحة للإسلام أسس لها الإمام المصلح محمد عبده (1849ــ 1905). الذى استطاع أن يخلص العقل المصرى من الخزعبلات والتعصب. فشهدت مصر نهضة حقيقية فى كل المجالات مثل تعليم المرأة والمسرح والسينما والأدب ولكن منذ نهاية السبعينيات، بدأت مصر تعرف فهما آخر للاسلام، الفكر السلفى الوهابى المتشدد الذى اصطلح الفقهاء المصريون على تسميته بفقه البداوة.. وقد ساعد على انتشار الفكر الوهابى عدة عوامل، أهمها ارتفاع سعر النفط بعد حرب أكتوبر مما أعطى للجماعات السلفية قدرات مالية غير مسبوقة استعملتها فى نشر أفكارها فى مصر والعالم، كما هاجر ملايين المصريين للعمل فى دول الخليج وعادوا بعد سنوات مشبعين بالأفكار الوهابية، وقد انتشر هذا الفكر برعاية مؤكدة من أجهزة الأمن السياسى فى مصر، التى تعاملت دائما مع مشايخ السلفيين بتسامح كامل بعكس القمع الشديد، الذى تمارسه ضد الإخوان المسلمين.. والسبب فى ذلك أن السلفية الوهابية، تساعد على ترسيخ حكم الاستبداد لأنها تدعو المسلمين إلى طاعة الحاكم وتحرم الخروج عليه ما دام مسلما...

المشكلة إن الأفكار الوهابية تحمل رؤية معادية للحضارة بمعنى الكلمة، ففى ظلها يكون الفن حراما والموسيقى والغناء حراما والسينما والمسرح حراما والأدب كذلك.. الفكر الوهابى يفرض على المرأة العزلة خلف النقاب أو البرقع التركى، الذى تحررت منه المرأة المصرية منذ مائة عام.. وهو يعلن بوضوح أن الديمقراطية حرام لأنها تعنى حكم الشعب، بينما الوهابيون يريدون تطبيق حكم الله (وفقا لإرادتهم بالطبع)..

الأخطر فى الفكر السلفى الوهابى أنه ينسف فكرة المواطنة من أساسها.. فالأقباط فى نظرهم ليسوا مواطنين وإنما أهل ذمة، أقلية مهزومة مستسلمة فى بلاد فتحها المسلمون. كما أنهم كفار مشركون قريبون من كراهية الإسلام والتآمر عليه، لا يجوز الاحتفال بأعيادهم ولا مساعدتهم فى بناء الكنائس لأنها ليست دور عبادة وإنما أماكن للشرك بالله. ولا يجوز للنصارى فى نظر الوهابيين أن يتولوا الحكم أو قيادة الجيوش مما يعنى انعدام الثقة فى ولائهم للوطن.. وكل من يتابع صورة الأقباط فى عشرات القنوات الفضائية ومواقع الإنترنت السلفية لابد أن يحس بحزن. فهذه المنابر التى يتابعها ملايين المصريين يوميا تعلن بوضوح كراهيتها للأقباط واحتقارها لهم وكثيرا ما تدعو إلى مقاطعتهم وعدم التعامل معهم..

الأمثلة بلا حصر لكنى سأورد هنا ما قرأته فى الموقع السلفى الشهير «حراس العقيدة»، الذى خصص موضوعا كاملا بعنوان: «لماذا المسلم أفضل من القبطى؟!»، فكتب ما يلى:
«أن تكونى فتاة مسلمة قدوتك زوجات الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم اللائى فرض عليهن الحجاب أفضل من أن تكونى مسيحية قدوتك الزوانى»..
«أن تكون رجلا مسلما مجاهدا تدافع عن العرض والدين أفضل من أن تكون مسيحيا سارقا مغتصبا قاتلا للأطفال».
«أن تكون مسلما قدوتك محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وصحابته الكرام أفضل من أن تكون مسيحيا قدوتك بولس الكذاب وأنبياء زناة».

مع انتشار كل هذا العداء للأقباط ألا يصير الاعتداء عليهم طبيعيا بل ومحتوما..؟!..
..
ثالثا: انتقلت عدوى التطرف من المسلمين إلى الأقباط فنشأت أجيال منهم منعزلة عن المجتمع وتورط بعض الأقباط فى خطاب التعصب والكراهية ذاته وليس هناك أشهر من القس زكريا بطرس الذى تفرغ للطعن فى الإسلام وإهانة المسلمين (والذى لا أشك فى قدرة الكنيسة على إسكاته فورا لو أرادت). لقد أسبغت الكنيسة حمايتها الكاملة على الأقباط لكنها زادت من عزلتهم وتحولت من سلطة روحية إلى حزب سياسى يتفاوض باسم الشعب القبطى (تأمل دلالة التعبير).. وخوفا من صعود الإخوان المسلمين أعلنت الكنيسة على لسان كبار مسئوليها، قبولها التام لفكرة توريث الحكم من الرئيس مبارك إلى ابنه جمال.. هذا الموقف، فضلا عن كونه يتناقض مع التاريخ الوطنى العظيم للكنيسة، فانه يلحق بالأقباط أشد الضرر لأنه يقدمهم وكأنهم عملاء للنظام المصرى ضد بقية المصريين.. كما أن بعض أقباط المهجر، فيما يبدو، لم يتعلموا شيئا من دروس التاريخ فقرروا الارتماء بكل قوتهم فى أحضان الدول الأجنبية التى لم ترد الخير لمصر قط، والتى رفعت دائما شعار حماية الأقليات كذريعة لأطماعها الاستعمارية.. أقباط المهجر لهم مطالب، عادلة فى معظمها لكنها للأسف طائفية تماما، بمعنى أنها تريد حل مشكلات الأقباط بمعزل عن مشكلات الوطن.. إن أقباط المهجر يفعلون اليوم عكس ما فعله أجدادهم العظام الذين رفضوا التمثيل النسبى عام 1923. إنهم لا يطالبون بالعدل والحرية للمصريين جميعا وإنما يلحون فى تحقيق امتيازات طائفية لهم فقط وكأنهم يقولون للنظام المصرى، «أعطنا نحن الأقباط الامتيازات التى نطلبها ثم افعل ببقية المصريين ما تشاء فإن الأمر لا يعنينا».

.. إن مذبحة نجع حمادى البشعة لا يجوز أن نراها إلا بطريقة واحدة: «إن مواطنين مصريين قد قتلوا يوم العيد وهم خارجون من الصلاة».. إن الأبرياء الذين سقطوا قتلى وهم يتبادلون تهانى العيد.. مصريون مثلى ومثلك، عاشوا معنا وحاربوا معنا ودافعوا عن الوطن بدمائهم.. إنهم مصريون، يتكلمون ويفكرون ويحلمون مثلنا تماما... إنهم نحن.. والذى قتلهم ليس من أطلق الرصاص عليهم.. وإنما قتلهم نظام فاسد مستبد جثم على صدور المصريين ونهب أموالهم وقمعهم ودفعهم إلى اليأس والتطرف والعنف..


.. الديمقراطية هى الحل..

Is Jordan rewarding Israel?

A year after the Israeli war on Gaza, the Jordanian Customs Department decides to exempt 2,500 Israeli items from taxes and fees.

I honestly never knew we had 2,500 Israeli products in Jordan. We all have heard about Israeli produce like Fruits and Vegetables that were sold in the markets but people started boycotting them when it was known that they are the produce of illegal settlements in the West Bank. After all, The European Union (EU) has banned all produce from Illegal settlements in the West Bank to enter its territories so why can’t we? Though it is hard to really know the origin of a fruit or vegetable since it is displayed in boxes in the grocery stores and fruit stands. But if this product is going to cost less to import and sell in the Jordanian market than any other produce from Syria, Lebanon or the Jordan Valley then this will be an incentive for Jordanian merchants to buy more things from a state that is occupying and oppressing Arabs for the past 61 years. it is up to the merchant to decide if they want to boycott such products or not.

I do support having diplomatic relations with Israel, as it is the only way to deliver aid and help to the Palestinians in the West Bank and especially in Gaza. The economy of the West Bank will collapse if Jordan freeze the trade with the Palestinian Authority which is ofcourse under the control of Israeli authorities. If we had no ties with Israel, I wouldn't have been able to visit Palestine and the West Bank and spend all my money on Palestinian goods and businesses. I do support being smart in our relation with Israel.

But to encourage the settlers to export to Jordanian markets and take Jordan as a launch point to distribute their products to the Gulf and other regions on the expense of occupying and confiscating more Arab land then that is a red line that shouldn’t be crossed!

By encouraging Israeli products to be sold in Jordan, we are harming the Jordanian agriculture industry that is already suffering from the lack of water and support from the local government. The Jordanian agriculture industry has been relying on aid from the EU and US and other donors. The farmers are selling their products for very cheap prices in the Fruit and Vegetable central market to compete with other imported produce and the result is less income for the farmers and less quality. Many Jordanian farmers have left the land and migrated to the city to look for a better income. If you go to the Jordan Valley (Al Ghour) on a Friday, you can buy a whole box (6 – 8KGs) of Green Peppers for 2 JDs while 1 KG of the same produce is being sold at Safeway and Cosmo for 1$. The farmer gets poorer and the merchant gets richer! The new Tax exempt will not only harm the agriculture industry alone but the manufacturing industry too that has been affected lately with the world economy turmoil and the high prices of Oil and transportation fuel.

Thanks to the Custom Department we now have 2,500 new items to boycott. It will be up to our personal and ethical responsibility as a responsible Jordanian citizen to boycott products from Israel. While it can be easy to boycott products that are sold on our grocery shelves, it will be really complicated to boycott vegetables and Fruits, as the origin of these produces are not clear.

What I know now is that we need a lot of awareness for the public to support the local products.

Eyad Health Condition - Update

This is an update on Eyad’s health condition. A few weeks ago, a large spot of cancer behind his heart has been discovered by CT scan. The cancer is currently putting pressure on the Artery and it requires a surgery. The doctors at the Royal Medical Center refused to do the operation because it is very risky. I then took Eyad to the King Hussein Cancer Center to be assessed by the Doctors there but they also refused his case.

His parents didn’t lose hope yet, they contacted Hadasa Hospital in Jerusalem and they have consulted an American and an Israeli doctor. This requires Eyad to go to Jerusalem as the Doctors said they will do some tests and then operate on Eyad. But the problem is that Eyad and his family hold a Palestinian Authority Passport from Gaza. Eyad’s father applied for a permit to go back to Gaza passing thru Israel where they can enter Gaza from the Eretz border. They are not allowed to sleep in Israel but only to pass thru. They are expected to leave Amman tomorrow as soon as they get the permit.

The trip to Gaza would look something like this, take a Taxi cab from Amman to the Jordan Valley border crossings. They will have to wait several hours as soon as they cross the Jordan River into Israel, where they will be interrogated by Israeli army. After that, they will take another Taxi to go to Jerusalem which is considered Israeli territory and not the West Bank. From there, they will take another transportation and take the Jerusalem – Tel Aviv Highway and head south to Eretz Border crossings. I’m not sure how long that will take, but it’s not an easy trip for any 6 year old kid who has cancer.

In Gaza, they will apply to receive another permit to go to Jerusalem and meet the doctors in Hasada. They will apply at the special patient section in Israel where Israel usually grant permits for sick Palestinians and very special cases (Better than many Arab countries, something we should give Israel credit for). Once they reach Jerusalem, then they are not allowed to stay there unless Eyad is going to be operated or will be subjected to Chemotherapy treatment. Eyad and his parents can enter Israel to do tests and CT scans until the doctors approve the operation.

The Palestinian Authority refuses to sponsor Eyad’s expenses if he will be treated inside Israel. But luckily, there are great people out there who are ready to help. I have collected a good sum of money for Eyad’s treatment but the cost of treatment and surgeries is very high in Hadasa since it’s considered the best in the region. I’m currently contacting the Palestinian Children Relief Fund (An American Organization that treats sick and injured Palestinian Children across the globe). Hopefully they can sponsor Eyad.

I went to see Eyad on Wednesday and he seemed ok but weak and had darker skin because of the chemo therapy. I gave some of the contribution to his parents which will cover their travel expenses back to Gaza. I visited him once again on Saturday as he had (40 C or 104 F) fever since Thursday. Thank God the antibiotics he took started working and his temperature went down. I also visited him because I wanted to give him Toys (Teddy bear & cars) from my American friend Tom in Florida. Tom kids also sent a letter to Eyad which I forgot to read and translate in Arabic! I guess I have to go today too to read the letter.

Below are some pictures from yesterday. Eyad was so happy and thrilled as he never owned a teddy bear. He was so cute and polite, notice how he is standing, while receiving his gifts. Eyad told me he wants to go to the mall and also he wants to go back to Gaza as he misses playing with older siblings! The kid is so funny and has lots of dignity!

God Bless him and bless your contributions!

Digital Activisim on Aramram

My friends Ghassan Yonis, Razan Khatib and myself were featured on Aramram discussing Digital Activism.

Here is the interview that was conducted on a beautiful sunny day in Jabal Amman.

Gaza, one year later, now what?

Today marks the first anniversary of the Israeli war on Gaza. I still can't believe that a year has passed since we saw those ugly pictures of burnt Palestinian kids burnt by the illegal Phosphorus bombs, dead women and the bombings of hospitals, schools and ambulances. And I still can't believe how people easily forgot about this unjustifiable crime. We Arabs might be so occupied with where to spend x-mas and the New Year but occupied Bethlehem (The Birth place of Jesus Christ) and Gaza didn't! This post is not about Bethlehem, but I think every Christian should pay a visit to the sieged little city. It actualy broke my heart when I visited Bethlehem to see my Christian brothers and sisters live under such injustice, locked in like animals in a cage by an Aparthied wall! Their only guilt that they are Palestinians!

I remember last year, the world came to a still by the pictures coming out from Gaza. But the war made many Arab youth jump from thier seats and moved them to act on it. Many volunteered to help gather and organize donations that was sent to the war zone. Also many came to the Internet and social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to start a campaign to end the war. It was the first time I see Arab youth being so proactive, I used to work with ages as young as 12 & 14 to people as old as my parents who want to really make a change. Though this didn't indirectly stop the Israeli war machine or Hamas rockets, but it did prove that there is still hope in the new generations and one to come.

Today, Gaza is still under siege, 3000 people are dead, Hamas seems stronger than before and disconnected from the people's will. Shalit is still a prisoner. Thousands of Gazans are without healthy water, houses and any decent form of life in the 21st century. Southern Israel is still not safe. Egypt is building an underground fence to make goods sneaking into Gaza almost impossible and very expensive to buy.

But what did Israel achieve after a year of the war?

Nothing, it lost a moderate government lead by Livni and was replaced by radical Netenyaho government that is still not able to get back Shalit and the World's sympathy. Abbas, Israel's best alley resigned and his acting not elected government is still powerless and subjective to Israeli and American interests. Israel until today couldn't weaken Hamas. In despite of the suffering of people and the harsh economic situtaion and the collateral punishment, Palestinians are still standing strong infront of the continous Israeli agression, but until when?

It's about time Palestinians look for a new leadership to replace Hamas foolishness and corrupted Abbas and Dahlan.

It's about time Arabs and the world recognize that the two state solution is only a myth. Does the world need another 61 years to realize that?

Both sides have suffered alot and taking in consideration the demographics of the situation and the little land available.....there is only one solution to consider....that is a one state solution.

As hard as it may sound for both Palestinians and Israelis to admit it, but that is the only road to co existance. It's about time for Israelis to realize that the occupation must end, just take a brief look into man's history. Any injustice should end. Palestinians in Ramallah and Gaza must know that niether Israel, the West and Arab countries will never give them a state, because that is against thier interests. A one state solution that's based on equal human rights, the right of return for the Palestinians and the freedom of movement and practice of relegion,

Call me a crazy dreamer, but this is how I see it, you only need to be a believer to achieve miracles!


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قصيدة بقلم الشاعرة الليبية ردينة الفيل

انتزع مني بطاقتي الشخصية
ليتأكد أني عربية
وبدأ يفتش حقيبتي وكأني أحمل
قنبلة ذرية


وقف يتأملني بصمت ... سمراء وملامحي ثورية
فتعجبت لمطلبه وسؤاله عن الهوية

كيف لم يعرف من عيوني أني عربيه
أم أنه فضل أن أكون أعجمية
لأدخل بلاده دون إبراز الهوية

طال انتظاري وكأني لست في بلاد عربية
أخبرته أن عروبتي لا تحتاج لبطاقة شخصية
فلم انتظر على هذه الحدود الوهمية؟


وتذكرت مديح جدي لأيام الجاهلية
عندما كان العربي يجوب المدن العربية
لا يحمل معه سوى زاده ولغته العربية


وبدأ يسألني عن أسمي ... جنسيتي
وسر زيارتي الفجائية

فأجبته أن اسمي وحدة
جنسيتي عربية ... سر زيارتي تاريخية


سألني عن مهنتي وإن كان لي سوابق جنائية
فأجبته أني إنسانة عادية
لكني كنت شاهدا على اغتيال القومية


سأل عن يوم ميلادي وفي أي سنة هجرية
فأجبته أني ولدت يوم ولدت البشرية
سألني إن كنت أحمل أي أمراض وبائية


فأجبته أني أصبت بذبحة صدرية
عندما سألني ابني عن معنى الوحدة العربية


فسألني أي ديانة أتبع الإسلام أم المسيحية
فأجبته بأني أعبد ربي بكل الأديان السماوية


فأعاد لي أوراقي حقيبتي وبطاقتي الشخصية
وقال عودي من حيث أتيت
فبلادي لا تستقبل الحرية


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Steps for creating a One State solution in Israel - Palestine

I came across this article in the LA Times (Steps to create an Israel – Palestine) by Jonathan Kuttab who is a Palestinian attorney and human rights activist. He is a co-founder of Al Haq and the Mandela Institute for Political Prisoners. The article is about the possibility of having a One State solution to the Middle East crisis and the steps for creating one.

He begins:
“For a while, it seemed that a two-state solution might actually be achievable and that a sovereign Palestinian state would be created in the West Bank and Gaza, allowing Jews and Palestinians at last to go their separate ways. But these days, that looks less and less likely.

With Israel in total control of the territory from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River and unwilling to relinquish a significant part of the land, it's time to consider the possibility that the current situation -- one state, in effect -- will continue. And although Jewish Israelis may control it now, birthrates suggest that, sooner or later, Jews will again be a minority in the territory."

To read the full article check here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-kuttab20-2009dec20,0,3289579.story




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