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thezeinterviews · 6 months

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L'Express: Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine: "Don't forget us!"

The wife of President Volodymyr Zelensky reminds us that the Russian-led war is still raging throughout her country.

Propos recueillis par Eric Chol et Charles Haquet

Publié le 08/11/2023 à 10:57

She doesn't dress in khaki like her husband, Volodymyr Zelensky, but she too is on the front line defending her country. On November 8 and 9, Olena Zelenska is in Paris to inaugurate a Ukrainian cultural institute and raise funds for her humanitarian foundation. While the world's attention is focused on the Israeli-Palestinian war, and the Middle East is on the brink of explosion, the First Lady sends this powerful message to L'Express: "Don't forget Ukraine!" And let's not turn away from the soldiers fighting in the trenches of Bakhmut and Robotyne. Because their freedom is our freedom too. And Vladimir Putin will not stop at the borders of the former Soviet Republic. "The nature of an empire is to expand," she stresses. "It only stops if you stop it."

As one war drives out another, the mistake would be to consider that we cannot hold two fronts at the same time. And to admit that opinions "only have room in their intelligence and emotion for one conflict", in the words of philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, co-author of a remarkable film on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

In Washington, the most radical Republicans, unconvinced by the Ukrainian counter-offensive, want to dissociate the aid given to Israel and Kiev. All the better to torpedo the latter. As US President Joe Biden says, Hamas and the Kremlin share the same goal: "to annihilate a neighboring democracy". Who, then, to favor? In reality, our only option is not to choose.

L'Express: Almost two years of war in Ukraine, a frozen front, a Russian army stepping up its bombing: how are the Ukrainians doing?

Olena Zelenska: It's a very difficult life. You'd think we'd get used to this stress, this constant upheaval, but that's not possible! A month ago, we experienced a great tragedy with the bombing of Hroza, in the Kharkiv region, where a Russian missile killed almost a third of the village's inhabitants. Imagine a funeral in every house… To top it all off, these people were gathered to attend a funeral, so it's the deaths that lead to other deaths, individual deaths, collective deaths. On October 21, the whole of Ukraine was shaken by the destruction of a postal sorting center in Kharkiv. Six employees working in the depot were killed. Some people abroad, and even here at home, sometimes imagine that there is a part of Ukraine where there is no war, where life is in full swing, where everything is going well. But this is not true! Because no matter where you are in the country, you can never be sure of being safe, of waking up the next day, of being able to go to work… The forecast horizon for Ukrainians has become very short. But we must continue to live, to develop, to rebuild, to raise our children. We must learn to plan each day, to adopt strategies, even if they may not be implemented. To my mind, it's a way of life, with the hope of victory on one side, which will come quickly, and on the other the constant trials that bring us down, but from which we have to get up every time.

As a frequent traveler in Ukraine, what is the story that has struck you most in recent weeks?

To tell the truth, I'd like to travel more in my country to meet the people who have suffered the most, but unfortunately this isn't always possible. Every discussion with my compatriots leaves a new imprint on my emotions. Let me tell you what has always impressed me. As part of my foundation's work, I meet regularly with foster families who take in children, most of them orphans, and these families are often made up of internally displaced people. They have fled occupied, bombed-out regions to settle in other parts of Ukraine. Unfortunately, in most cases, this is not the first time these families have fled: back in 2014, they had to leave the Donetsk region. Today, they have to leave their homes once again. Imagine their emotions! We're dealing with families who are constantly forced to flee the war, but it keeps catching up with them. To tell you the truth, I can't imagine how anyone can survive in this situation, how anyone can live when they're being chased by war. Because it's not a tsunami or a forest fire that forces them to leave: those who target them are people who come to kill, and that's what's so frightening!

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, all eyes have been on the Middle East. Do you fear that the world is turning its attention away from Ukraine?

First of all, I'd like to say that, like everyone else, we feel very strongly about what's happening in Israel, and we share the suffering of the Israeli people. We watched this terrorist attack by Hamas with great horror, but without surprise. It proves once again what we have been saying since the beginning of the war: if aggression is not stopped, it will continue in different forms and in different parts of the world. But we are not protected by the arrival of another tragedy, and that doesn't mean that the one in Ukraine has gone away. In fact, this war in the Middle East is only making the current tragic situation worse.

It is precisely for this reason that we hope the world will see how reacting slowly to tragedy only reinforces the desire of other aggressors to act. Impunity gives carte blanche! Particularly to those who have forces lined up behind them, enough financial and military resources around the world, and who feel that the time has come to act as they please, because they can. Unfortunately, this is the truth, which is why it's important to react quickly to all these aggressions, and not to each one separately, because they're all linked.

What is your message on this subject to the West, and in particular to France, where you have just arrived?

As I just said, it's vital not to let the world's attention wander away from Ukraine. We are already seeing that military aid to our country is arriving too slowly to bring about positive change on the front line. It's too slow, too quiet. It seems that Europe remains placid, and doesn't seem too frightened by the prospect of Russia's borders closing in on it. Yet this prospect is very real! Let's think about what would happen if Ukraine hadn't held out. In our place would be Russia, and hundreds of kilometers closer to you, to your homes. I wouldn't want other people in Europe, other mothers in Europe, to be afraid, not just of the possibility of Russian attacks, but of the physical sensation of that danger. Today, we are the barrier against this Russian advance. As long as we hold out, there's a chance they won't advance. But the empire won't stop if we don't stop it. Its nature is such that it must constantly expand. Otherwise, it ceases to be an empire! It's always looking to expand, and today, it's on our account. That's why we keep repeating that Ukraine defends the interests of the whole of Europe. Let's not forget that, and let's do things together!

You speak of a Europe that is too calm. How can we make sure it doesn't forget Ukraine?

We mustn't let it fall asleep! We often see this scene in the movies, of a person who's too cold, starts to freeze and falls asleep. If you don't want that person to die, you have to prevent them from falling asleep. I think the current situation is comparable: this sleep is dangerous for Europe. We can't fall asleep, we can't let Europe close its eyes today. I very much hope that my visit to France will serve as a reminder that the danger is still there. It is hanging over us now, and if we do nothing, it will unfortunately fall on your heads. I hope we can stop it.

During a recent visit to Washington, you said that the Russians wanted to destroy Ukrainian culture. As we know, war is fought in the trenches, but also on the cultural front. What can be done to counter the Russian narrative?

For a long time, Ukrainian artists and our country's cultural values and wealth were considered Russian by the rest of the world. Belonging to the Russian empire automatically made an artist Russian, which is not true. Today, our aim is to restore the place of this cultural heritage and tell the world what it really represents. I imagine that most French people don't always understand the boundary between Russian and Ukrainian. Many Ukrainian works around the world are still considered Russian. Take, for example, the dancers by French painter Edgar Degas. For many years, a painting was titled Russian Dancers. It was only recently that the National Gallery in London, then the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the USA, renamed it Ukrainian Dancers. The girls depicted are indeed groups of dancers in Ukrainian dress.

It's an example of the cultural battle we have to wage, even though we clearly don't have the means to devote so much money or administrative effort to beating Russian propaganda. We just can't. But we have to start disseminating more information about Ukraine in order to push back Russian lies. That's why I'm taking part in the inauguration of the Ukrainian Institute in Paris on November 9. This institute, the second to be opened abroad after Berlin a few months ago, is taking up residence at the Gaîté Lyrique in the heart of Paris. Its mission will be to disseminate knowledge about Ukraine and promote our culture throughout the world. Obviously, this work cannot be carried out solely from Ukraine - that would be too difficult. This is why this Parisian institute will be able to host artists' residencies and provide them with support, with the aim of creating cultural encounters and cross-cultural events, and strengthening cooperation with French cultural and scientific institutions. This will strengthen our ties and ensure that Russian stories are transformed and become Ukrainian stories.

Destroying Ukrainian culture also means stealing its future, in other words, its children. Several thousand of them have been deported to Russia: how can we get them back?

More than 19,600 Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia, according to our social services. It's a tragedy. I'm thinking in particular of this father from Marioupol, imprisoned by the Russians, whose three children were kidnapped. When he was released, he looked for them everywhere, he was desperate. Until one day, his son called him. He was in Russia and told him he was going to be adopted.

The longer the children stay in Russia, the deeper the psychological impact. The 380 children we were able to bring back to Ukraine all tell of the same ordeal. When they arrive in Russia, they are subjected to a patriotic education. They must learn to love their new homeland. To do this, they must be convinced that they have been abandoned and that no one is looking for them. It's real mental torture.

Unfortunately, there is no official way of getting them back. The Russians don't want to hear about it, they won't answer our questions. Our only recourse is action by the international community. At the last UN General Assembly, I proposed the creation of a mechanism that would at least enable us to establish a dialogue with the Russians, via a third country for example. For us, it's a question of making sure that these children are all right and that they can return home. As soon as possible.

You're very committed to the subject of mental health. What is the psychological state of Ukrainians after more than six hundred days of war?

Ukrainians are suffering from two types of illness. Firstly, there are those who feel fear, uncertainty and the inability to plan ahead. They have loved ones at the front who could be killed every day and every night. It's a constant source of anxiety. Our all-Ukrainian mental health program is working on this, with an emphasis on education. People need to understand what they're suffering from and know that they can be treated. Then, we need to deploy services that enable them to quickly get in touch with specialists, close to their home or workplace, free of charge.

And then there are the victims of post-traumatic syndromes - both military and civilian. They all benefit from adapted programs, including children, who are not always able to ask for help. We need to raise awareness among parents, who are sometimes reluctant to alert the relevant services. For example, the manager of a new rehabilitation program for traumatized children told me that their parents refused to let them go to a therapeutic camp, because they didn't understand how it could help them. We need to break this taboo.

Speaking of children, how are yours coping with this situation? What words do you use to reassure them? And how do they see the future?

The worst thing for us is not being able to make plans. We live from day to day, hoping for tomorrow. I have two children. My eldest daughter is 19, so she can already be considered an adult. She's at university. Half the courses are online, but she goes there from time to time, which is very good for her socialization. It allows her to make plans for the week ahead, it gives her a rhythm to her life and forces her to move forward. My youngest son is 10, and can go to school because the school has an air-raid shelter. This means he can attend certain classes face-to-face, have friends and communicate with them. It's a real blessing.

But when my children ask me, "When will we go to the seaside on vacation?", I can only reply, "Not now, but let's think together about what we'll do after the victory." This way of putting off all pleasant things until later, of not being able to give a date, obviously limits children in their dreams, in their projects. And it's the same for all the country's children. Youth is a time of dreams, and dreams should know no boundaries. Unfortunately, our children's dreams have limits, and these cannot be exceeded.

In 2022, you set up a foundation dedicated to humanitarian aid, health and education. What are the first results?

A positive one. In Izium, we are restoring the hospital, half of which had been destroyed and looted by the Russians. We have started work on the most critical unit, the four operating rooms. We now need to continue its reconstruction. Another priority is helping large adoptive families. Many of them are displaced persons who no longer have a home, and it is very difficult to find them a new one. Our project will enable us to build 14 apartment blocks for these families. The first residences will be available in December, the others in the spring. After that, we hope to build more. The need is great: at least 80 large adoptive families have lost their homes because of the war.

Secondly, we are trying to support our education system in the regions near the front. Our children and teachers need resources such as tablets and laptops. It's difficult to get materials to them because of the security situation. Last month, a Russian missile hit a school in Nikopol, southwest of Dnipro. The buildings were destroyed. We thought the laptops, donated by the United Arab Emirates, were lost. But when we cleared away the rubble, we realized that they were intact. We were able to deliver the laptops to the students, so that they could prepare to enter university and continue their studies. In one year, the foundation handed out almost 50,000 devices to children and teachers. Access to education, even in wartime, is a key issue.

And then there's the problem of bombing. In Ukraine, one school in seven can no longer accommodate children because it has no air-raid shelter to protect them in the event of an air raid. We are therefore building shelters in six schools and one kindergarten in the Chernihiv, Poltava, Dnipro and Kirovograd regions, and we plan to implement similar projects in other parts of Ukraine.

Finally, there's humanitarian aid. We are helping those most affected, especially those living in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions. When the Russians targeted our energy system last year, we supplied these people with dozens of electric generators. People were living in half-destroyed houses, with no heating, no electricity. They were suffering. We helped them heat their homes and provided them with basic necessities. We're preparing to do the same thing this year, because unfortunately there's no hope of Russia abandoning its destructive plans against our energy system.

How has the war changed you and your husband?

I feel as if the year and a half we've just lived through counts as ten years… It's been an extremely emotionally draining time. I hope that this ordeal won't change us forever, and that it won't prevent us from looking to the future with optimism.

Afterwards, knowing how I've changed, how my husband has changed… I think we'll be able to answer that question in several years' time, when we'll be able to take a cold look at all this madness. For the moment, it's not possible.

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#olena zelenska #olena selenska #ze interview #olena interview #russia #ukraine #war #translated interview #interview 2023 #2023 #lexpress interview #lexpress #zelenska

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lucky-berry · 2 months

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I hate seeing how truly hateful some people show themselves recently. People are hurting and that's being celebrated.

I hate it.

Is wishing for a world where suffering is seen as a bad thing so bad? I just want people to be at their best, but they've all been at their worst.

I get hating, it's normal, it's natural to not like.

What's not normal is kicking people for simply hating them. For simply not liking how they choose to identify themselves. For existing.

Last time it happened, it was a fucking Holocaust. Now it's repeating itself in the form of the absolute terror IDF is putting on the Palestinian people.

How can one justify the murder of babies, barely 1 years old, the loss of children who have yet to truly learn the magnitude of what hate entails. Who only have love to give in their hearts.

I swear some people in a news article about IDF attacking Rafah were commenting on how it's good that they were going to attack during Ramadan. It was awful.

Please for the love of God stop it. I am begging you to remember that God wants us to love our neighbors. I am begging you to listen to reason. Jesus died for our sins, the best we can do is to be our very best to make him proud that he sacrificed himself for us. Be good, be kind. Even with hate in your heart, please be kind.

I do not want to drop so low, but the temptation is there. I am angry. Please God I am begging you to remember these leaders at heart are self interested at heart. We the lower folks have only each other to protect ourselves. Do not turn on each other.

Hamas does not mean shit when the future is being killed off. Israel does not mean shit if it is doing the same presecution that pushed them out of that there place in the past. Your beliefs mean shit if you cannot spare a single care to those that are innocent, because children are blank slates and innocent.

War causes civilian casualties, sure, but that doesn't make it less tragic. A family member is lost still, someone loved that person and grieved for the loss.

Where is your heart that you cannot remember that we are of the same blood? Once upon a time we all found a way to live in peace. Why can't we now? Why turn on each other?

If any of you fuckers dare say that they shouldn't have supported Hamas or that they deserve it.

Very kindly jump off a cliff.

Israel had more chances to be the better of the two. They didn't take those chances. They could've raided or investigated. They chose to bomb a hospital. They could've chosen to appeal to supporters for their help in investigation. They chose to double their hate and attack civilians the same way October 7th killed civilians on their end.

They had chances to be on the moral high ground. They didn't take it.

It was in their best interest that they took the high ground and prove why they are better no matter how selfish it is at the end of the day. That despite the opposition they still were better at the end of it all.

Nothing justifies committing pain to others simply because you were in pain once.

If anyone has an answer, I ask to you, people of jewish descent, regardless of which side you are on, what did the Torah teach you about love?

Did the Torah teach you that you can judge others and bring upon the hammer of God and destroy people who disagree with you?

Were you taught to hate?

#freepalastine🇵🇸#judaism #free palestine #palestine #from the river to the sea palestine will be free #israel #fuck israel

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sagetsukimura · 6 months

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GAZA, ISRAEL and PAINTING

So I sat down and brainstormed painting ideas. The things I am struggling with, the things I wish to say, want to be heard. Therapeutic at least, and if I do ever finish, maybe art that will speak to people. Well...

Turns out I have a lot I want to say about what's happening in Gaza. In Israel, the West Bank, and the US.

(Context?) I've been informed I'm very 'moderate'. I try very hard to look into the historical context, to see the motivations from both sides and understand them from each viewpoint before applying my oven life to them. It's put me in some interesting places, irl.

So it's easy for me to look at what's happening and want to scream. Emotions are running high, everything is happening way too fast, and too many people are talking in absolutes. (Less than usual, however. I cannot emphasize this enough. Because of the posts from people on the ground in Gaza, so many people are able to see the conflict from both sides. To see the nuance in the situation. It's harder to dehumanize people when you've been chatting with them on and off on the internet for the last couple of years.)

And what we can see is the same thing history has always told us, and the victorious have always tried to hide. The people who suffer are not the ones giving the orders. All there is, in truth, on either side, is Horror.

(I'm not going to pick apart everything in this post. Tumblr seems pretty educated on the apartheid Palestinians have been under, even if they were only recently made aware. (Propaganda and censorship, gotta love politics) and the Big News has done a good job of showcasing the devastation occurring on the Israeli side. Trying to narrow this conflict down to two sides is absolute bullshit and I think everyone here knows it. People are not their government, and not all members of a population are good. That leaves a minimum of 6 different viewpoints that would need to be considered, and all of it narrows down to innocent people suffering, and they shouldn't be.)

(I'm sorry, it's late, I can't write out the entire balancing act analysis tonight)

Anyway, back to art. A picture is worth a thousand words, but having words for your picture is great before you put paint on canvas.

So, below are the many painting ideas I've had in the last 2 hours. Just, straight from my brain, onto my clipboard, to here.

DISCLAIMER- PLEASE NOTE- I wrote these without basic filtering. I did not police my thoughts. The use of Christian imagery to convey themes and ideas happens. I don't know if that would be considered offensive, it's 2 a.m. My hope at this time (2 a.m.) is that the use of Christian imagery helps convey the message to someone of that background who would not normally pause to consider the work (In this case, part of the target audience, IE those who have so far managed to avoid giving the horror of this situation any of their time or consideration because of propaganda) The use of Christian imagery is not meant to say that one religion is better than another, simply that my mind made connections with past experiences and this is what popped out.

So feel free to inform me of your opinion on the imagery used. In the end, these are ideas, and honestly just brainstorming was very therapeutic)

I encourage others to do this themselves if they think it would help, You don't even have to post, just think of 3 or 4 paintings you would do, no matter how talented an artist you were, and what you would name them. It really helped me today, maybe it can help you.

#writing #art #Gaza #palestine #israel #art analysis #genocide #christian imagery #propaganda #coping strategies #2am thoughts #mental health

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a-tale-never-told · 7 months

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As a British person the whole Hamas attack has been deeply disturbing because not only is the whole Israel-Palestine mess our fault to begin with due to Palestine being former British territory, but there’s a frightening amount of people who seem to think the Hamas attack was JUSTIFIED and that all those who died deserved to die. Those people are really showing their true colours in all of this…

// Huh? This might be the first time I've heard this kind of bullshit before. Some people in the UK support Hamas? I know people were not going to welcome this, but holy shit! Not being a vocal supporter of the conflict is one thing, supporting Hamas and saying that this blatant act of terrorism is justified is taking things to a level so extreme, that I don't think Donald Trump can reach that.//

//I think that the politicians in Britain, back in the late 1940s who were drafting the new mandate and forming the creation of Israel in the land that was supposed to be Palestine never thought that this single decision was going to significantly alter and change the lives of millions of innocents across the Middle East, for generations to come. And look where it led to today, where Israel is going to absolutely obliterate Hamas, even if it means Palestine is utterly wiped off the map if need be.//

// If anything, I feel awful for the Palestinians as well, because they're the ones getting caught up in the crossfire due to the Hamas attack. Think about it, Palestine had to suffer decades of tension with Israel over the independence of a Palestinian state for years and to now see that Israel is launching missile attacks and strikes on Palestinian cities in the small area that they are in, killing thousands of innocent civilians that were trying to escape throughout all of this, some of the casualties even being their family members, sets a dangerous new presendent.//

// When you burn down people's homes and towns, when you start slaughtering their family members, that fear and terror turns to rage and utter anger with a thirst for vengeance. If there is anything that is to be certain about all of this, no matter how this turns out, it's easy to say that Israel-Palestinian relations are significantly damaged to a point where I don't even know if they could be repaired. It's easy to say that Palestine won't be so forgiving towards Israel after all of this.//

//Overall this situation is certainly something that nobody expected to play out and not in the way that it is now. All of this violence, loss of life, and bloodshed because of one single decision made all of those years back following the end of WW2 and into the postwar era.//

// And we will forever have to live with the consequences of this decision, as the news rolls by and the conflict continues on....//

// To those who are suffering from the pain and horror of all of this, from Israel, Palestine, and anyone else around the globe that is related to this conflict, you have my sincerest and absolute sympathies as you all certainly do not deserve to see your loved ones torn away from you. I cannot fathom the amount of hurt and guilt you all are feeling right now from watching, and I share your pain as well.//

//If there is anyone to blame for all of this madness, it's Hamas without a shadow of a doubt, and they're going to get what's rightfully coming to them one day.//

//Just know that no matter what happens, I and many others stand with not only Israel but the innocents of Palestine who vocally criticize Hamas and their actions. No matter what happens, we stand with you, always :).//

#mod talks #asks #anonymous #a tale never told #israel #palestine

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plantlog2020 · 5 months

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How not to despair

As the Zionist movement proceeds with its aim to violently "flatten Gaza", and new revelations about the decades long vile, brutal and inhumane treatment of Palestinians at the hand of Israel, aided and abetted by the US and our Western nations, come out in handfuls every single day, and as I think about how many people still think of all that has been happening as justified and just… I cannot help but feel utterly and thoroughly defeated and full of despair. The fact that we are many, maybe the majority, who oppose these atrocities, and still have not been able to stop it, makes me lose almost all hope. And it makes me afraid, that when the time comes and it's our turn to suffer, the world will stand helplessly, silently by, incapable, maybe unwilling, of changing our fate.

Turning off my social media and turning away from Gaza is a luxury I am fortunate to afford by pure luck. And I am grateful for that, as much as I am sorry for turning away at all. But doing so, even just for a moment, to recharge and keep my bearings, is a luxury I may not squander and let go to waste either. I must find hope in myself. I must find my way back to life and live it. There's no use in breaking way before it's all over.

I don't know what I can do. I don't know what anyone of us can do. But I'm doing, I'm acting, I'm speaking, according to my beliefs on what's wrong and what's right, in that tiny bubble I call my life and the life of my kids. It's the most power I have and I must not shirk it. I've to show up for myself and my family first, before I can show up for anyone else that needs me. I will do my best, even if it's not enough. But I'm doing my part. May you do yours. And together we put together the pieces, and maybe someday it's enough to turn the tide.

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nataliesnews · 3 years

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Riots, demonstration in Kikar Zion, siren 12.5.2021

Netanyahu is no fool….he is very very clever and many of us had a suspicion of what he was leading up to. I would not be surprised if he calls a state of emergency and continues with his vicious policy of not caring for the county but doing his best to keep himself, his mentally ill wife and son out of jail. Sara Netanyahu once said she did not care if the country burned…and they have succeeded in bringing us to that pass. The first picture is a quote of hers from 2002…… “We will go overseas and the country can burn” and the second a cartoon saying “I said we would leave for overseas and then the country can burn….NOT BEFORE”

This is a horrible morning. I am trying to put my thoughts into place. The whole country is burning. Tel Aviv. Suddenly after all the years of the south suffering and as they say, they were invisible it has become serious. I doubt that in Jerusalem there will be many more rockets. Maybe because of the holy places, Christian and Moslem, maybe because of the large Palestinian community. I feel guilty as I sit here quietly writing.

Netanyahu has done a good job of seeing the Israel on fire. Closing the steps at the Damascus gate …so obvious it would lead to troubles. He knew that he only had to give a small push and with his friend the minister of police everything would develop as it suited him. The news media has also been given its instructions and except for Ha’aretz no other paper mentions what is happening on the other side. Today a comment was passed which many people probably did not hear or take in. That the army would target high rise buildings……in which many families live. The army gave messages for people to evacuate……where were they supposed to go and how many of them actually got the message as we have taken care to destroy much of their communication.

Sunday I did not feel well and it was a furnace outside. Since the episode where I had memory loss and then straight after that had a cold ….many people here dafke in summer are also sick with colds….I feel a lack of desire to do anything. So I only went to the shiva for Cecelia in the evening. My Spanish teacher. I doubt I will go on trying to learn Spanish. I feel as if something has gone out of me. I had a special relationship with her and she was also my friend. I cannot imagine another teacher or a group. And at the shiva it seems that many of her other students felt the same. And every day I hear from someone else who had studied with her.

Monday I went out with Tag Maier to distribute flowers in the Old City to Palestinians. It was a difficult today because seldom do Ramadan and Jerusalem Day coincide.

But this is no united city. So divided, Right and left, Palestians, Jews, Hareidi Jews, …united? And yesterday the schism was even clearer. The religious youth took over the city and their arrogance was unbearable. Some of our members gave flowers to them and when I asked one why she had done so, she said she had many interesting exchanges with some of them who did not even know what we were doing or why. But I saw some of them throwing the flowers into the rubbish bins. No Palestinian refused us and accepted with a smile.

In the evening I went to my Arabic lesson. I get a lift with Gershon and Edna Baskin and we had just sat down when we heard a siren. It was faint at first and we looked at one another in bewilderment. Then we heard three loud bangs and realized it was serious. I wondered what was happening in Nofim. I wondered how all these people here, many of whom are less mobile and quick than I am even on the sticks would get down to a shelter. Later I saw the post that one should look for a safe place in your flat as there is very little time between the siren and the fall. So that question is where. My bedroom ….the glass door is next to the bed. The lounge….the windows again. The bathroom….the mirror and the tiles. The corridor is maybe the safest but there are all the painting and photographs in glass. I think the best place for me is next to my door and to put a blanket over myself. I am just sorry for the really old and incapacitated with their carers. We spent the lesson learning all the words necessary for such an occasion. We came home to a quiet night and then all hell broke through. Later: My cleaning lady said I should go and sit on the steps between one floor and another.

Coming back there was an amusing incident. As I got out of the car I saw two girls putting coke tins next to the rubbish and I told them to give them to me. I explained to them what it was for and then the one girl said to me, “Are you from Balfour? Were you at Sheik Jarrar.” And again I know you have all been writing to me to stay home but when two teenagers tell me that they look up to me and for them it is important to see me at these places what can I say? Truly I don’t think I am in any danger. I keep to the sides or anything going on and I doubt that even our violent police would attack an old woman. But whom I am scared of is groups like Lahava or those yesterday on the march of the religious. I feel the hatred around us as I did last night with people calling us haters of Israel and traitors and bitches who fuck Arabs.

Yesterday I went to the doctor as the time has come to deal with a hearing problem I have and then to the DCO which was very quiet. There is a young soldier there who has been very sympathetic towards us and is now being transferred. He brought his replacement out and this I do not put in my report. Nadav says that when he leave the army he will join Breaking the Silence. He said that his replacement is a good fellow so we are hoping that we will have the same relationship with him.

I came home and then went to a play. “The Comedians.” It was very funny but I laughed looking at the audience as it was so appropriate for many of us. From a play by Neil Simon about two once famous comedians who are now uber bottled. When I went out I asked three people to tell the organizer of the transport that I would not be joining them. Later she phoned in anger to ask why I was not on the bus!!! It was so appropriate. I had sat down to phone a friend and when I got up to leave the theatre which was by then pretty deserted I saw a really old lady with her carer sitting outside looking desperate. It turned out that the theatre had ordered a taxi for them and another couple had jumped in and taken it. Being the celebration of Id Il Fitir there were few Arab taxis and they are a large part of the taxis in Jerusalem. In the end I stayed with them until I managed to stop a taxi and put them on the way home. I gave them the number of Gett taxi which is more reliable.

I walked down to the city and stopped at Balfour where some of the stalwarts were sitting. The demonstration at Kikar Zion started off with few people but soon grew. There was no talk of a march but then people did start walking down the main street and also on the tracks of the light train. I did not think that that was a good idea and walked along with them but on the pavement. The police arrived but did nothing. Then we came to Kikar Zion, to the square, where we gathered and in no way were we disturbing pedestrians, the train or anything else. Then the police decided to attack. I think because where we were walking before there were passers by and wanted it to be where they had us to themselves. First of all they started pushing people back but then we saw that they had brought in the dogs and what dogs. Their trainers could hardly control them and the dogs also started fighting amongst themselves. You can understand how dangerous they were. They were real killers. I have no photographs as everything was very volatile there and I did not want to put my sticks down. They also tried to sic them on to some people. Then they came with the horses….enormous . You have no idea. My question is why when we were obstructing traffic did they do nothing but attack us when we were not bothering anyone else.

In the meantime Lahava and the other young fascists had started screaming at us…the police kept us separated but when the police managed to drive us off they left them celebrating in the square.

I always stand to the back at such times but Eitemar who has stood with us at our demonstrations at Nofim refused to leave me and when one of the policemen seemed to be heading straight for us called to him and said that he was standing with me. He is one of those who is very watchful for me but I tell them to go and do their own thing as I do not want to be a drag on anyone. Last night I yelled at them and said that for 81 years I had been looking out for myself and I could still do so. But when the shunk came we were all away.

Natalie

#Riots demonstration in Kikar Zion siren 12.5.2021

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ruminativerabbi · 3 years

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Looking Forward/Looking Back

And so a new era begins in our nation! Will the Biden years, whether four or eight of them, lead to healing in a nation so riven that many of the chasms that divide us—some racial, others political, still others ethnic or economic—feel truly unbridgeable? Will they feature an end to the COVID-era that has so radically altered the way we live and do business in our land? Will they bring a rededication to the kind of environmentally sound public policy that could possibly head off the crises that will otherwise visit the planet with increasingly frequency and ferocity if we choose to put blinders on and then recklessly to barrel ahead into uncharted waters without any clear sense of how to address even the issues that threaten us the least overtly, let alone those that are the most prominent? Will the recent hopeful developments in the Middle East serve as the prelude to the kind of complex reconfiguration that will, at long last, make Israel into a nation tied at least as profoundly to neighbors and local friends as to distant allies in North America and, when the wind blows in the right direction, Europe? (And will such a rebalancing of alliances lead finally to a just resolution of the Palestinians’ plight in a way that both serves their own best interests and Israel’s?) All of these questions are in the air as we pass from the Trump era to the Biden years, definitely from the past to the future and ideally from a period characterized by unprecedented (that word again!) incivility and fractiousness to one more reminiscent of the nation in which people my age and older remember growing up.

To none of the above questions do I have a clear answer to offer. But I do feel hopeful—and that hope is born not merely of wishful thinking (or not solely of it), but also of a sense that we have come to a point in our nation’s history at which the task of re-dedicating ourselves to the bedrock notions that underlay the founding of the American republic in the eighteenth century is crucial. But no less crucial is ridding ourselves of some of the fantasies we have been taught since childhood to accept as basic American truths.

There are lots to choose from, but today I would like to write about one of my favorite American fantasies, the one according to which Americans have always treated dissent graciously, enjoying national debate without acrimony and finding in principled dialogue the most basic of American paths forward. According to that fantasy, Congress exists basically to house friendly co-workers whose disagreements can and do yield the kind of dignified compromise that in turn serves as a path forward that all their constituents can gratefully travel into a bipartisan future built on our collective will to live in peace and learn from each other. Hah!

We have had in our past instances of violent altercation, including some in the very halls of Congress that were besieged by insurrectionists on January 6. Forgetting them won’t necessarily condemn us to reliving them. But keeping them in mind will surely help us find the resolve to avoid them. As we enter the Biden years, we need to look with clear eyes on that part of our history and, instead of ignoring it, allow it to guide us forward into a different kind of future.

First up, I think, would have to be the 1838 murder of Congressman Jonathan Cilley (D-Maine) by Congressman William Graves (Whig-Kentucky). This one did not take place in the Capitol, although that’s where the party got started. The backstory is so petty as almost to be silly, yet a man died because of that pettiness. Cilley said something on the floor of the House that irritated a prominent Whig journalist, who responded by asking Graves to hand deliver a note demanding an apology. Cilley declined, to which principled decision Graves responded by challenging Cilley to a duel, which then actually took place on February 24, 1838 in nearby Maryland. Neither was apparently much of a marksman. Both men shot twice and missed. But then Congressman Graves aimed more carefully and shot and killed Congressman Cilley.

To their credit, Congress responded by passing anti-dueling legislation. But that only kept our elected representatives from murdering each other, not from behaving violently. For example, when Representative Preston Brooks (D-South Carolina) wanted to express his disapproval of the abolitionist stance of Senator Charles Sumner (R-Massachusetts), he brought a walking cane with him into the Capitol on May 22, 1856, and beat Sumner almost to death. The account of the beating on the website of the United States Senate reads as follows: “Moving quickly, Brooks slammed his metal-topped cane onto the unsuspecting Sumner's head. As Brooks struck again and again, Sumner rose and lurched blindly about the chamber, futilely attempting to protect himself. After a very long minute, it ended. Bleeding profusely, Sumner was carried away. Brooks walked calmly out of the chamber without being detained by the stunned onlookers.” The rest of the story is also instructive: Congress voted to censure Congressman Brooks, whereupon the latter resigned and was almost immediately re-elected to the House by his constituents in South Carolina. He died soon after that (and at age 37), but his place in history was secured! Sumner himself survived and spent another eighteen years in the Senate.

I’d like to suggest that all my readers who felt totally shocked by the events of January 6 to read The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War by Joanne B. Freeman, a professor of history at Yale University, that was published in 2018 by Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. I read the book when it came out and thought then (and still do think) that it should be required reading for all who imagine that, as I keep hearing, the use of violence and, even more so, the threat of violence “just isn’t us.” It’s us, all right. And Freeman’s book proves it a dozen different ways. As readers of my letters know, I read a lot of American history. But I can hardly recall reading a book that so thoroughly changed the way I thought of our government and its history.

And then there was the brawl in the House in 1858 that broke out when Laurence M. Keitt (D-South Carolina) attempted to strangle Galusha Grow (R-Pennsylvania) in the wake the latter speaking disparagingly about of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford to the effect that Black people were by virtue of their race excluded from American citizenship regardless of whether they were enslaved or free. The House was, to say the least, riven when Keitt went for Grow’s throat. And what happened next, Freeman writes, “was a free-for-all right in the open space in front of the Speaker’s platform featuring roughly thirty, sweaty, disheveled, mostly middle-aged congressman in a no-holds-barred brawl, North against South.” Keitt, who threw the first punch, was already known as a violent man: it was he, in fact, who took out his gun and threatened to kill any member of Congress who was part of the effort to save Charles Sumner’s life in the attack on him by Preston Brooks mentioned above.

These are the thoughts I have in my heart as the nation enters the Biden years. We have a history of violence, incivility, and public rage. What happened on January 6 was, yes, an aberration in that no one supports—or, at least, supports openly—the use of violence to make a point in the Congress. But that was not something new and shocking as much as it was a return to an earlier stage of our nation’s history, a kind of regression to the days in which violence was the language of discourse, an age in which it was possible for one member of the House openly to attempt to strangle another and then to suffer no real consequences at all. And just to wrap up the story, Representative Keitt later joined the Confederate Army and was killed on June 1, 1864 at the Battle of Cold Harbor near Mechanicsville, Virginia.

That we can renounce violence, embrace civility, listen to opposing viewpoints carefully and thoughtfully, debate with courage and respect for others’ opinions, and behave like grown-ups even when we are unlikely to have our way in some matter of public policy—I know in my heart that we can do that. Last week, I wrote about three different instances of armed insurrection against the federal government. This week, I’ve written about the use of threats of violence, and violence itself, at the highest level of government. I could go on to note that, of our first forty-five American presidents, there have been either successful or unsuccessful assassination attempts against a full twenty of them…and that that list includes every president of my own lifetime except for Dwight Eisenhower. We cannot renounce our American propensity to settle things with our fists by making believe that violence is not part of our culture. Just the opposite is true: it was part of our past and it certainly part of our present. Whether it will be part of our future—that is the question on the table. The insurrectionists who entered the Capitol on January 6 were convinced they were acting in accordance with American tradition. There’s something to that argument too…and that is why it is so crucial now that we all join together to renounce that part of our past and then to move ahead into a future characterized by mutual respect, respectful debate, and a deep sense of national unity born of pride in the best parts of our past, confidence in the present, and hope in the future.

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johnhardinsawyer · 3 years

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Feeling All the Feels

John Sawyer

Bedford Presbyterian Church

7 / 25 / 21

Ephesians 3:14-21

John 6:1-14

“Feeling All the Feels”

(Rooted and Grounded with All the ‘Fulls’)

If you have watched the Olympics at all over the past however-many years, you probably know that at this very moment, there is likely some producer or editor over at NBC Sports who is putting the finishing touches on a video that highlights a member of the US Olympic Team. Maybe you have seen one or more of these videos, which are scientifically engineered to give you “all the feels,” as some folks say. There are images of the athlete’s hometown, perhaps a school ballfield or track or pool where the athlete learned to go so fast, perhaps there’s the story of a broken home or someone overcoming the odds and finally making it to the Olympics. Whether the video is highlighting a superstar like Simone Biles, or some up-and-coming Olympic badminton player, if you watch one of these videos, you’d better have some tissues handy and the ability to convincingly say, “What? I’m not crying. You’re crying.”

Just about all of us have had those moments when we feel all the feels – all of the heightened emotions of love and pride and joy. Our child does something wonderful, we feel loved and accepted, we see something beautiful in nature, we see the beauty of another human being accomplishing something great, we have a moment of national or community pride, we have a moment of sheer grace and we “feel all the feels.” We are amazed and overwhelmed. We can’t stop the good goosebumps, we can’t hold back the tears, we can’t find the words to say in the moment. We just “feel all the feels” – all of the feelings at once.

Today’s reading from the letter to the Ephesians wants us to feel all of the feels and to be overwhelmed by the love of God.

This week, we are continuing our summertime study of Ephesians and reminding ourselves about some of the basic principles of being part of the Body of Christ, the church. You might remember a few weeks ago, when we talked about having a new identity in Christ Jesus and how last week we talked about how this new identity brings us together, even with those people who are far off from us. You also might remember that the city of Ephesus was a bustling seaport that was a melting pot of cultures and religions and that the people who were part of the early church in Ephesus were just a small religious minority – barely a blip in the big city.

The author of today’s reading, who goes by the name “Paul,”[1] reminds the Ephesians that even though there are marvelous real-life and eternal-life benefits to following Jesus, in truth, following Jesus can lead to persecution and imprisonment, even death. Just prior to today’s reading, we find Paul telling his readers that he is “a prisoner for Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:1) His charge? Bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and stirring up trouble in the process, and getting thrown in jail. You might remember from last week that many people thought that those who followed Jesus – a Palestinian Jew – had to be Jewish. So, whenever Paul (and those who traveled with him and for him) arrived in one town or another and went to teach in a Jewish synagogue that Jesus was the Messiah, it got the Jewish people riled up and they would call the local authorities and there was always trouble. At one point, Paul was accused of “turning the world upside down,” (Acts 17:6) – upending the status quo, and upsetting a lot of people who didn’t see things the way that the Holy Spirit was leading Paul to see things, namely that the good news of Jesus Christ was for allpeople – Jew and non-Jew alike.

Now, this new way of seeing God at work in the lives of all people instead of just some people was good news to the little church in Ephesus and it is good news to those of us who hear these words, today. But I can’t help imagining that the sufferings of Paul – his multiple times in jail and being beaten and mistreated by those in power – would have been concerning for the church in Ephesus. I mean, how would you feel if the person who first taught you about the love of Jesus – maybe a grandparent, or parent, or a pastor, or Sunday School teacher – sent you a letter from jail, saying, “Well, I love Jesus and now I’m in jail”? Not only might you feel terrible for that person, but you might start questioning whether such a sacrifice was worth it or not.

And so, right before today’s reading begins, we find Paul saying, “Yes. It is worth it, because you who are reading this letter are worth it.”[2] “So don’t let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud!”[3] “Be proud,” Paul is saying, “because I am doing this so that you may catch a glimpse of the love that God has for you through the love that I have for you. I want it to somehow sink into your minds and hearts just how much God loves you. When it comes to the love of God, I want you to ‘feel all of the feels.’ I want you to know the immeasurable and incomparable love of God.”

This is what Paul is praying for – as he kneels down in his prison cell – that the people he loves will know just how much they are loved and that they will feel this love at the heart of who they are. As we read earlier, “I pray that, according to the powerful riches of God’s glory, God may grant that your inner being would be strengthened with the strength that comes from the Holy Spirit.”[4] (Ephesians 3:16)

Paul knows that the church might feel that it has very little power and influence in the world. How could they do anything for God with so little? It’s kind of interesting that even though we live in a nation in which the church has had – and continues to have tremendous influence – we still wonder a similar thing. How could we do anything for God? If we even tried, we might lose whatever power or influence we have. We might end up being persecuted like our spiritual ancestors, the Ephesians, or worse: someone might unfriend or unfollow us. Many of the Ephesians have been abandoned by their families for following Jesus. The locals look down their noses at these so-called “Christians.” The Roman empire has been known to arrest and persecute these Jesus-followers. And yet, the Holy Spirit is capable of granting them – as well as you and me – an inner strength, not just to survive, but to be faithful. When John Calvin wrote about this passage almost 500 years ago, he was writing from an outnumbered and persecuted place, not unlike the Ephesians. Calvin wrote,

The prayer of Paul, that the saints may be strengthened, does not mean that they may be eminent and flourishing in the world, but that, with respect to the kingdom of God, their minds may be made strong by Divine power.[5]

“Look,” Calvin and Paul are saying, “you might not be the wealthiest or the most powerful person. You might not be a captain of industry, or a darling of the Washington lobbyists. You might not be building your own rocket to fly into space, or have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But God grants you and I the inner-fortitude to live the life God is calling us to live. This is a different way of life from the life the world has given you or what you may selfishly want for yourself. With Christ dwelling in your heart – ruling your heart – you and I are guided by a different set of priorities and expectations – rooted and grounded in the selfless and sacrificial love of Jesus.”

Friends, the love of God is the fertile soil in which we are planted and from which we are nourished so that we can bear fruit. Being “rooted and grounded” in love means that you and I have “taken root and have been fixed firmly”[6] in God’s love to the degree “that nothing will be able to shake us”[7] and we will continue to bear the fruit of God’s grace, no matter what hardships may come our way.

And so Paul prays in his prison cell that the church at Ephesus and all those who will ever read this letter (including you and me) may – no matter what hardships come – be granted the power to comprehend “what is the breadth and length and height and depth” (3:18) of the love of Christ. Just as an aside, when St. Augustine wrote about this passage, he said that the breadth and length and height and depth formed the shape of the cross of Jesus.[8] But really what Paul means, here, is that the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love is so great that no one can fully comprehend it – no one except the saints in heaven who see God face to face.

The real blessing that I see, here, is that even if we cannot fully comprehend the love of God in all its fullness, God is always granting us glimpses of amazing grace and using these glimpses – through whatever meager gifts we offer – to build up the kingdom of God. As Paul writes, “the One at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine. . .” (3:20)

I don’t know how all of this makes you feel. Maybe, like me, there are times when you find yourself wondering if you can do anything right – that the Olympic highlight reel of your life would show more failure and struggle than triumph. And you feel that the only tears you might shed while watching it are because it could be so much better than it actually is. I am comforted, though, that God is able to take whatever little gift you and I have to give – five loaves and two fish, a quiet moment of prayer, a small word of encouragement, a song that we carry in our hearts, the gift of patience, the gift of our presence, the gift of kindness, the gift of peace – that God takes these small gifts and uses them to reveal just how great God’s love is.

God’s grace is worth it – especially to those who receive God’s gift through us. And maybe, if we can see and know that what little we have to offer is one small, but essential, part of the breadth and length and height and depth of God’s immeasurable grace, maybe we can feel all of the feels of the fullness of God’s love.

Friends, may you be strengthened in your heart and mind and soul with the fulness of God’s strength and love.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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[1] The letter was likely written by an associate of Paul – one of his followers.

[2] Paraphrased, JHS – Ephesians 3:1-12.

[3] Eugene Peterson, The Message: Numbered Edition (Colorado Springs: NAV Press, 2002) 1614. Ephesians 3:13.

[4] Paraphrased, JHS.

[5] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries – Vol. XXI (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009) 261.

[6] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979) 736.

[7] Calvin, 263.

[8] Calvin, 263.

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newstfionline · 3 years

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Friday, May 21, 2021

Record 55 million people internally displaced worldwide, NGOs report (AFP) Conflicts and natural disasters forced someone to flee within their own country every second of last year, pushing the number of people living in internal displacement to a record high, monitors said Thursday. This came despite strict restrictions on movement imposed around the globe in efforts to halt the spread of Covid-19, which observers had expected to push down displacement numbers last year. But 2020 was also marked by intense storms, persistent conflicts and explosions of violence, forcing 40.5 million people to become newly displaced within their countries, according to a joint report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). That is the highest number of newly displaced reported in 10 years, and brings the total number of people living in internal displacement around the world to a record 55 million, the report showed. “Both numbers this year were unusually high,” IDMC director Alexandra Bilak told AFP, saying the surge in internal displacement was “unprecedented”.

Ring (Guardian) Amazon’s Ring “smart doorbell” is the largest civilian-surveillance network the US has ever seen, writes Lauren Bridges, a PhD candidate at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. One out of every 10 US police departments can access videos from millions of home-security cameras without getting a warrant, Bridges says. “In a 2020 letter to management, Max Eliaser, an Amazon software engineer, said Ring is ‘simply not compatible with a free society’ [and] we should take his claim seriously.” Ring is effectively building the largest corporate-owned, civilian-installed surveillance network that the US has ever seen. An estimated 400,000 Ring devices were sold in December 2019 alone, and that was before the across-the-board boom in online retail sales during the pandemic.

Is Competition With China the New Pork Barrel? (Foreign Policy) A bill that aims to counter the fear that China is overtaking the United States technologically passed the U.S. Senate by 86 to 11 on Monday, heralding the start of a new era of strategic competition—and businesses and special interest groups are getting in on the game. The Endless Frontier Act, which has backing from both parties and the White House, would allocate $120 billion to funding new technologies, focusing on artificial intelligence, superconductors, and robotics. It would also support new hubs to geographically diversify the U.S. technology industry, which is heavily concentrated in Silicon Valley. Competition with China will be the foreign-policy priority for this and future administrations, and special interest groups see attaching their causes to the so-called new cold war as a way into U.S. government support. This in a way mirrors the Chinese political economy, where companies leap on slogans such as “Belt and Road” to win government favor. Expect a lot more rhetoric suggesting that since China is supposedly doing X, the United States must also do X to compete—or it must instead do Y in order not to be like the Chinese Communist Party.

The Gaza Conflict Is Stoking an ‘Identity Crisis’ for Some Young American Jews (NYT) Dan Kleinman does not know quite how to feel. As a child in Brooklyn he was taught to revere Israel as the protector of Jews everywhere, the “Jewish superman who would come out of the sky to save us” when things got bad, he said. But his feelings have grown muddier as he has gotten older, especially now as he watches violence unfold in Israel and Gaza. His moral compass tells him to help the Palestinians, but he cannot shake an ingrained paranoia every time he hears someone make anti-Israel statements. “It is an identity crisis,” Mr. Kleinman, 33, said. “Very small in comparison to what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank, but it is still something very strange and weird.” As the violence escalates in the Middle East, turmoil of a different kind is growing across the Atlantic. Many young American Jews are confronting the region’s longstanding strife in a very different context, with very different pressures, from their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. The Israel of their lifetime has been powerful, no longer appearing to some to be under constant existential threat. The violence comes after a year when mass protests across the United States have changed how many Americans see issues of racial and social justice. Many Jews in America remain unreservedly supportive of Israel and its government. Still, the events of recent weeks have left some families struggling to navigate both the crisis abroad and the wide-ranging response from American Jews at home.

Cleared For Take-Off? (Washington Post) After more than a year of travel into the bloc being severely restricted, the EU council is recommending member states begin opening their borders to Americans and others who have been “vaccinated with an E.U.-authorized vaccine.” Specifically, that means all the coronavirus vaccines available in the U.S. would be greenlighted, but vaccines manufactured in Russia and China would not be. Officials said the reopening could take effect within days of final approval, which should happen this week or next since E.U. ambassadors signed off on the plan on Wednesday. The guidance is not binding, however, so some countries could choose to be more or less restrictive than the bloc as a whole. Some E.U. countries require quarantines of all new arrivals, regardless of vaccination status. And Britain, which is no longer a member of the bloc, has its own separate set of rules, which as of now includes no special treatment for vaccinated travelers.

Mexico’s coronavirus deaths are plummeting (Washington Post) After suffering one of the world’s deadliest coronavirus outbreaks, Mexico is witnessing a significant decrease in cases. Confirmed deaths from covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, have tumbled more than 85 percent since January, when a brutal second wave swept the country. Mexico City, the epicenter of the country’s outbreak, went off high alert this month for the first time in a year. Officials say the capital’s coronavirus alert could soon turn from yellow to green—that is, from medium risk to low. The abrupt decline in cases has brought relief to exhausted hospital workers and some sense of normalcy to a battered nation. During the weekend, the capital’s massive Azteca Stadium opened to fans for the first time in 14 months. Thousands turned out for a pair of quarterfinal matches in the Liga MX soccer league. Scientists and government officials say the pandemic seems to be abating—at least temporarily—because of increasing levels of immunity on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. As much as half the Mexican population has developed antibodies because the coronavirus circulated so widely over the past year. In addition, U.S. vaccinations appear to be blocking the southward spread of the virus.

As India sets a record for covid-19 deaths, variant worries grow globally (Washington Post) India set another coronavirus milestone this week. On Wednesday, authorities announced the country had recorded more than 4,500 deaths from covid-19 for the prior 24 hours, setting a world record. Despite the record number of deaths, there are some positive signs that India’s surge may be slowing, with less than 300,000 new daily cases this week. Other countries are expressing new concern over the variant that is widespread in India. On Tuesday, British scientists said that the variant, known as B.1.617.2, could quickly become the dominant strain in the United Kingdom if it is allowed to spread. In recent days, U.S. health experts have raised their concerns about the variant spreading here, while there have been documented cases in Germany, Singapore and elsewhere. “It’s outcompeting the other viruses,” Jeremy Luban of the University of Massachusetts Medical School told NPR this week. “It’s replacing whatever variants were there before. And it’s always a concern when something like this changes because we don’t know what will happen.”

Netanyahu’s prospects bolstered amid Israel-Hamas fighting (AP) Israel is at war with Hamas, Jewish-Arab mob violence has erupted inside Israel, and the West Bank is experiencing its deadliest unrest in years. Yet this may all bolster Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Just over a week ago, the longtime Israeli leader’s political career seemed all but over. He had failed to form a coalition government following an indecisive parliamentary election, and his political rivals were on the cusp of pushing him out of office. Now, as Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers wage their fourth war in just over a decade, Netanyahu’s fortunes have changed dramatically. His rivals’ prospects have crumbled, Netanyahu is back in his comfortable role as Mr. Security, and the country could soon be headed for yet another election campaign that would guarantee him at least several more months in office. The stunning turn of events has raised questions about whether Netanyahu’s desperation to survive may have pushed the country into its current predicament. While opponents have stopped short of accusing him of hatching just such a conspiracy, they say the fact that these questions are being asked is disturbing enough.

Perspectives on war (CJR) Ariana Pekary, CJR’s public editor for CNN, writes about the network’s coverage of the violence between Israel and Palestine, and how it seems to give a lot more time and space to the Israeli government’s position than to that of the Palestinians who are being shelled and fired upon by the Israeli military. “CNN aired a two-hour special on the brewing crisis from 3pm to 5pm Eastern Time without explaining why it was happening,” Pekary writes. “Almost every guest was located in Israel; the network didn’t feature a single person in a Palestinian territory or neighborhood.”

Gaza’s health system buckling under repeated wars, blockade (AP) The Gaza Strip’s already feeble health system is being brought to its knees by the fourth war in just over a decade. Hospitals have been overwhelmed with waves of dead and wounded from Israel’s bombardment. Many vital medicines are rapidly running out in the tiny, blockaded coastal territory, as is fuel to keep electricity going. Just as Gaza was climbing out of a second wave of coronavirus infections, its only virus testing lab was damaged by an airstrike and has been shut. Health officials fear further outbreaks among tens of thousands of displaced residents crowded into makeshift shelters after fleeing massive barrages. The Gaza Strip’s health infrastructure was already collapsing before this latest war, said Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for UNRWA, the U.N. agency that provides vital assistance to the 75% of the enclave’s population who are refugees. “It’s frightening,” he said.

Parenting under fire (Washington Post) Ayman Mghames couldn’t stop the nightly Israeli bombing that was making his 7-year-old daughter, Joury, cry. But just maybe he could turn the volume down. Just after midnight on the fourth evening of the bombardment, the Palestinian musician and rapper retrieved a pair of noise-canceling headphones. He fit them over the little ears, dialed up a YouTube video of “The Smurfs” and hit play. Mghames, 36, whose father was killed when an Israeli missile struck their house in 2009, knows well that headphones won’t protect his children from the bombs that have already killed more than 200 Gazans in the past 10 days, including more than 60 children. But like countless parents, Palestinian and Israeli, cowering in homes, shelters and stairwells under the air war raging between Israel and the Hamas militant group, he is doing anything he can to shield them from the trauma of being under fire. Dads and moms on both sides of the border have put aside their own terror to launch indoor soccer games, dance parties and cooking contests as distractions.

Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire to end bloody 11-day war (AP) Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant group’s nonstop rocket barrages. Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon. Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israel’s destruction, also claimed victory. But it now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment and a raging coronavirus outbreak. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed.

#headlines #news

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the-record-columns · 5 years

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June 19, 2019: Columns

The ‘World’s Hottest Pepper’

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

We are blessed in Wilkes to have Farmers' Markets so readily available to us.

On Fridays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., a group of vendors gather in front of the YMCA on Hwy. 268 in Wilkesboro. Then, on Tuesdays from 3:30 p.m. -5:30 p.m., and Saturday mornings 7:30 a.m. until noon, the Farmers' Market in North Wilkesboro is held at the Yadkin Valley Marketplace on the CBD Loop in Downtown North Wilkesboro. As more and more fruits and vegetables come in, each week they should just continue to get better and better as the season progresses.

Today I want to mention a couple of purchases I made on Tuesday afternoon of last week at the North Wilkesboro Market. As I perused the various tables, I stopped and bought a bag of peaches from Tom Lowe with the Brushy Mountain Orchard at the crest of Kilby Gap on Hwy 16 South. While there we also spent a few minutes remembering his wonderful parents, the late Jane and Caney Lowe.

As I moved on down the line, I stopped to speak to Earth and Creations owner Brenda Dembowski of Roaring River, who sells an assortment of goodies, all handmade with locally grown fruits and vegetables. As we talked, I noticed a few jars of chow chow, and, knowing that I had a pot of pinto beans about ready for dinner, I inquired about the chow chow. As I picked up a pint jar, Brenda smiled and asked, "Do you like your chow chow hot?'

"The hotter the better," I answered.

She went on to say that this stuff was really hot, and I went on to tell her that, in effect, I was tougher than woodpecker lips when it came to spicy foods and she assured me I had better be.

By now I had read the label and it said "Carolina Reaper," and when I inquired about that, Brenda said it was one of the hottest peppers ever.

Now, I will confess that a very limited number of folks are aware of the ONE time I ordered something so hot I could only eat half of it. I really think I was set up, and I did eat the rest of it the next day, so nothing was wasted. However, with that episode in mind, I must confess that I began my dinner that evening with a bit of apprehension that I may have again let my mouth overload by butt, as the saying goes.

Well, the Carolina Reaper Chow Chow was as advertised, hot, really hot; but good -it was the perfect thing to go with a good ole' pot pinto beans. As of this writing, I have eaten about half the jar, and can assure you I will not waste a bit of it. My curiosity got the best of me and I checked out this pepper and found that it is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Hottest Pepper," and by a long shot, at that. Actually, the fist time I typed Carolina Reaper onto the search bar a product called Blair's Ultra Death Sauce popped up.

Turns out that the pepper was developed by a man named "Smokin'" Ed Currie who owns the PuckerButt Pepper Company (no kidding) in Fort Mill, S.C. It has often been described as the initial bite actually being sweet and then turning into molten lava. It has been used to spice up any number of dishes, giving heat without changing the flavor of the original dish.

It is really becoming downright popular, and I've got to say, that Carolina Reaper Chow Chow is some good stuff.

Netanyahu Draws Strength from the Bible

By EARL COX

Special to The Record

Few people know that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu readily admits that he draws his strength from the Bible. Some years back Netanyahu was interviewed on CNN. Here's an excerpt: “You live in the center of a hostile world. Are you ever able to relax?” To which the Prime Minister replied: “Yes, Sir, I am. Every Saturday on our Sabbath, I have a day off. So every Saturday, I take an hour and a half to read the Bible. I draw enormous strength as well as relaxation from this quiet time.”

As Christians, we are greatly encouraged by this admission. It is great to know that the Prime Minister of Israel faithfully spends time in the Bible, since we believe it is vitally important to understand Israel — past, present and future. The divine influence of the God of Israel is the key to the history of the Jewish people and their nation, Israel.

The interview started off with the question, “Why can’t you and the Palestinian Arabs get together?” The Prime Minister answered, “The basic problem is their failure to recognize our Jewish state.” He continued, “I am prepared to make peace with the Palestinians as we did with Egypt and with Jordan. I am prepared to have a demilitarized Palestinian state existing next to Israel. And I am prepared to meet with the Palestinians without any pre-conditions.”

The interviewer added, “So you do favor having a Palestinian state?” Netanyahu answered, “Yes, but not a state that will keep firing rockets and missiles into our land. It will have to be a demilitarized, peaceful state. And of course, they will have to recognize our state.”

When asked if he would sit down and negotiate with Hamas, Netanyahu replied: “I will sit down with anyone who will recognize our state. As you know, Hamas has refused to do that. They are true terrorists who even terrorize their own people in Gaza.” He added, “I want the world to look at what we have done in the past few years to help the Palestinians in the West Bank. We have helped them in so many ways economically.”

The interviewer went on to state that Israel’s image around the world is constantly under attack and that has to be troublesome to Israel. Netanyahu stressed that there is a big difference between the world’s perceptions and reality, saying, “Israel has suffered oppression ever since its independence, and we have never had one day of real peace, yet the world continues to see us as oppressors.” He then added, “But we are a people of peace. We have always wanted peace with our neighbors, and we still do. The truth is, they do not seem to want peace with us.”

Next came the question, “How much do you fear Iran’s intentions to destroy you?” The Prime Minister replied, “We have learned from history to take seriously their calls to destroy the Jewish State."

Netanyahu was then asked, “Would you attack Iran?” He replied, “We will always reserve the right to defend ourselves. We will always keep all options on the table.” He went on to say, “Iran is the greatest threat to humanity today. It is important to the whole world that we do not allow the most dangerous weapons in the world fall into the hands of, or be manufactured by, the most dangerous people in the world.... We cannot trust Iran to be peaceful.”

“In your lifetime," the interviewer asked, "do you think you will see peace in the Middle East?” The Prime Minister answered: “I will say yes, with conviction. Not in all of the Middle East, but I think we will have peace with the Palestinians.” He stressed, “It will take a lot of courage. We are ready now, and we hope that the Palestinians will soon also respond with the same courage.”

With Trump's "Deal of the Century" soon to be unveiled, the world will have a chance to see if the Palestinians are viable partners at the negotiating table or if Israel will again "go it alone" as they did back in 2005 with the Gaza Disengagement.

Up the Mountain

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

It was a perfect time to visit the mountains. It always seems to be 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the foothills and even more so compared to the Sand Hills and Low Country.

Clear skies with a few clouds for a bit of contrast were above, and a winding county road was my path up the mountain to visit the quaint little town of Sparta.

When driving, I often listen to podcasts or CD’s that artists have sent or given me after or before an interview. On this day, I was enjoying the music of the group The Arcadian Wild, and as I grew closer to my destination, I noticed an increased sense of calm.

As I became mindful of this reality, the song Millstatt played with lyrics, “This must be where God comes to rest.” It was one of those moments when you feel yourself smiling, and life seems to balance out a bit.

Based on the never-ending request list, I’m not sure if God has a lot of time for much resting; however, I am confident that the rest of us are indeed most likely better off when we take time to rest, refuel and reflect. It may not be that way for everyone, but it is for me.

Soon I found myself on Main Street in Sparta. Sparta is one of those mountain towns that you are glad you found. If you like the idea of quaint streets, good people, great food options and a slower pace, then Sparta is a place for you to visit.

On this trip, I visited several of the shops in town including a charming used bookstore that always seems to have a good deal on something I can add to my Carolinas reference book. And with the Backwoods Beans Coffee Shop right down the street, it’s easy to be satisfied.

I cannot stress enough the importance of slowing down when visiting small towns in the Carolinas. When we slow down, we reap the benefits of uncovering great treasures of all sorts and delightful interactions with locals and visitors alike.

It was great visiting with Bob Bamberg, the current editor of the Alleghany News. They have been around since 1889, and they are still publishing a newspaper today. They have seen it all, or at least most of it.

A visit to the Visitors Center and Chamber of Commerce was enjoyable. I learned a lot from Executive Director Katee Hettleman, who also introduced me to “Gertie,” the artistic interactive alpaca. Sparta is known for its Fiber enthusiasts, so much so that they now host the annual Blue Ridge Fiber Fest that attracts attendees from multiple states.

There are several events throughout the year in Sparta, so if your travels bring you to this mountain town on event days, you will get a nice bonus for your travel journal.

Good news for the people of Sparta and us guests. Within a year or so, their new Street Scape program should be finished. It’s always nice to see history preserved and protected for the future.

I look forward to my next visit up the mountain, and you never know who might be taking their rest at higher elevations.

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cfijerusalem · 5 years

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Watching Over Zion Report 29th November 2018 (21st Kislev 5779)

THE WORD

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. (Isaiah 60:1-4)

Command the Israeli’s to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the Menorah may be kept burning. In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israeli’s for the generations to come. (Exodus 27:20-21)

POINTERS FOR PRAYER

Please use this report for the purpose of prayer. Please intercede over the areas you feel the Spirit lay upon your heart. As Chanukah draws close, let us give thanks to God for the restoration of Israel in our day! 'Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: "He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd." For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. (Jeremiah 31:10-11). As we continue look at the current circumstances within and surrounding Israel, let us remain watchful and constant in our prayers, and continue to pray that the LORD God would place His Wall of Fire around the Nation and people of Israel.

Please continue to pray for encouragement, strength and perseverance for the Israeli people in the face of constant physical and spiritual opposition.Do keep praying regarding the issue of Iran and Gaza. Hamas continue to add to the despair of many in Israel, along with many of their own people in Gaza by their actions and continued violence along the border of Gaza (see last section of this report). Pray that the truth would be reported by the Western Media.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

The festival of Chanukah is only 4 days away (it falls early in 2018). It begins in the evening of Sunday, 2 December and ends in the evening of Monday, 10 December. As the temperature gets colder and we anticipate the icy mornings and even possible snow, the days are dark and people will try to combat the darkness with lights and candles.

It is said that people living without sunlight become weary and gloomy, even suffering with depression. Human beings need the sun, and to experience sunlight, the human being will maintain a positive healthy life. Many years ago I used to suffer from 'Sad Syndrome' (seasonal affective disorder – a type of depression through lack of sunlight). However, here in the UK our days get 'longer' [albeit very slowly] again in little under a month. That's good news! But spare a thought for those who live in Tromsø (Norway). As this report is being written, the people living in Tromsø only had 28 minutes of daylight. And, the sun set at 11:45 am, and won’t rise until 11:30am on 15th January 2019. That's 48 days without the sun!!

One good thing about this time of the year is that we can celebrate the festival of lights. Both the celebration of the Festival of Lights (Chanukah) and the celebration of the birth of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) are times when houses are especially filled with lights. But have you noticed that people put their Christmas decorations up early every year? To me, this speaks of the need to have light and something to look forward to. The people are crying out for something to pull them out of the darkness.

In the Scriptures, the Nation of Israel is often referred to as “a light to the Nations” - In his writings and speeches, David Ben Gurion emphasised his vision of the state of Israel as a moral and social beacon to the whole world, and by that, in his view, it would implement the vision of the prophets. David Ben Gurion said, “History did not spoil us with power, wealth, nor with broad territories or an enormous community lot, however, it did grant us the uncommon intellectual and moral virtue, and thus it [the virtue] is both a privilege and an obligation to be a "Light unto the Nations"”. Even Israel’s emblem is the Menorah which is derived from the image of the state of Israel as a "Light unto the Nations".

Chanukah is the celebration of the victory of the Word of God over all pagan and anti-Semitic forces – the victory of the sons of Zion against the sons of Greece! It may even have been prophesied in the Scriptures as Zechariah 9:13 reads, "I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword." Chanukah starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25th Kislev, and lasts for eight days. Of course, one of the themes of Chanukah (the Feast of Dedication – see the gospel of John 10: 22vv) is the wonderful miracle of keeping the Menorah Candles burning – to hallow God’s holy Name.

To understand Chanukah, one needs to read Exodus 25:31-40. An order was given for keeping the Menorah (which stood in the Tabernacle and later in Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem) to constantly burn to represent the light of God. Chanukah’s theme is of course about miracles. The holiday commemorates two major miracles which took place in the time of the Maccabees: the miraculous victory of the tiny Jewish army over the vast Syrian-Greeks, and the miracle of the small vial of oil which burned for eight days when it should have lasted only one day. It was also during Chanukah that Jesus performed many miracles and spoke of these. In John 10:37-38 Jesus states, “If I am not doing deeds that reflect my Father, don’t trust me. But if I do, though you don’t believe in me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in Him.” Yeshua (Jesus) wanted the people of His day to see His miracles and believe in Him as a result. His miracles point to His divine and messianic identity. In this way Yeshua personifies the message of Chanukah: God actively involved in the affairs of his people – surely this must give us hope?

Chanukah reminds us that God is a God of miracles, not just of concept and religious ideals. He has broken through into human history and continues to do so today. Yes, world events do appear to be getting out of control; however there is One, who from the beginning of time has all things under His complete control. This is the Sovereign LORD God, who was, and is, and is to come – the one who ‘in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing made had being… The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it. (John 1:1-5). Let’s pray that Israel is indeed that light shining in the Middle East and even throughout our troubled world, but that they would also see their Messiah – The Light of the world.

BATTLES IN AND AROUND ISRAEL

Throughout its turbulent ancient history, and indeed most of its modern history, Israel has seen many battles. Today, the battle of survival is as great as it’s ever been, however there is also a great battle going on within.

This week, the Knesset was to vote on Culture Minister Miri Regev's controversial "cultural loyalty law" that would strip state funding from any cultural bodies that work to slander the Jewish state or its institutions. Not all coalition members are enthusiastic about the bill, many calling it a violation of free speech. With just 61 out of 120 Knesset seats on his side, and such challenging votes ahead, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon doesn't believe Netanyahu's government can survive for very long. "A majority of just 61 seats is a problem," Kahlon said in a radio interview. "It will be very difficult to push through laws. You can't get everyone to agree on every detail of a controversial law."

Then of course, there is the constant battle of ‘survival’. 2018 has seen many battles for Israel to face. The latest round of fighting in Gaza might be over for now (although there has still been rockets fired this week), but it forced Minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign. The Defence Minister resigned over the cabinet's decision to accept a ceasefire ending the current fighting with Hamas and other Islamic Palestinian militants in Gaza. Avigdor Lieberman denounced the move as "surrendering to terror". Benjamin Netanyahu's government survived the resignation of Lieberman and the withdrawal of his Yisrael Beiteinu party from the ruling coalition recently. But now, Netanyahu governs with the slimmest of majorities, and there are some big votes coming up in the Knesset.

Netanyahu defended the government’s decision of a ceasefire last week and stated that he was “acting on information about Israel’s enemies that he cannot share with the public.” Netanyahu went on to say that “Israel would take action to defeat them at a time and in a manner of its choosing.” That was certainly an interesting statement – so what exactly did he mean? Could he have been talking about Iran? After all, the role Iran is playing in Gaza is a very dangerous game. Take for example the Hamas missile strike against a bus recently. The anti-tank missile that hit the bus is chilling. Had it hit the bus full of people, no one inside could have survived. But minutes before the missile struck, the bus was indeed full, with 30 young IDF soldiers. One soldier stated, “We began to sing the Chanukah song that speaks of the miracles that took place as God protected Israel.” Moments after all 50 had exited the bus, a Hamas anti-tank missile hit it, turning it instantly into a ball of fire. Speaking of miracles, the Arab bus driver who had been driving the IDF soldiers stated “God loves Israel. I just let off 50 soldiers from the bus. A minute later the bus was hit. 60 seconds earlier and you would have had 50 dead soldiers.”

However what is troubling is that Hamas terrorists in Gaza filmed the blast. But according to Israel’s Hadashot news network’s Arab affairs commentator, Ehud Ya’ari, the footage of the blast was first broadcast on Iranian television in Lebanon and only later rebroadcast on Palestinian television. Could this be significant? Well, we know that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are not independent actors in their aggression against Israel. Rather, they are Iranian proxies. They receive their orders from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Lebanese army, Hezbollah. And they report to their Iranian and Lebanese commanders. So when Hamas and Islamic Jihad go to war against Israel from Gaza, the reason is because Iran told them to do so. So when Israel decides not to take the bait but rather accepts a humiliating and – in an election year – politically costly ceasefire, could it be that Israel is waiting for the right moment to take out Hamas’ supplier and controller Iran?

Iran also controls Hezbollah. Iran’s chief area of operations in Israel’s neighborhood is Syria, where Iran has a strong hold. The Russian/ Iranian/ Hezbollah-controlled regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad reasserts and reinforces its control over much of Syrian territory. As it does, the threat of a major war looms that would put Israel against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, and against Hezbollah, Iranian, and Syrian forces operating under Russian protection in Syria. So in many ways, Hamas in Gaza is only one cog in a very dangerous wheel. One wonders if Netanyahu was hinting that they (Israel) are getting ready to tackle Iran? If so, how do we pray about this?

Despite all this, and even though Israel accepted a ceasefire with Hamas, Israeli Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan warned that Israel is prepared to recapture and reoccupy the coastal enclave in order to root out Hamas and its terrorist allies should the situation escalate again. Watch his short interview here:

TERRORISM AND FOOTBALL

One of the ways my son and I attempt to ‘de-stress’ ourselves is by watching a game of football. Now of course, as fans of our beloved Norwich City, this can also be distressing too! However at the moment we are rejoicing as we are top of the Championship League Table. Now of course, back in the 70s and 80s, the UK had a lot of football hooligans to contend with which gave the game a bad name. Thankfully, those days are well behind, and generally most fans and opposing fans will walk along to the grounds in harmony. But imagine if instead of ‘Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Norwich etc. etc., we named our teams after villains, law-breakers or even terrorists? Or what would become if we had our school children playing for tournaments named after terrorists like those who blew up the London underground, or attacked the Manchester arena? Yet this is exactly what is happening in the Arab Palestinian areas – they have football teams named after founders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Black September, the PLO terror organization etc., in Fatah football.

In an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, they write, “A football tournament for high school boys in Hebron, arranged by the local Fatah branch, named all 11 teams after terrorists - including terror leaders responsible for most of the deaths from terror Israel has suffered since its founding. Six were top Palestinian terror leaders and founders of terror organizations, while the other five were terrorists or members of terror organizations. The PA Ministry of Education endorsed the event's role modeling of terrorists with a representative who ‘honoured the winning players and teams.’”

Some of the team names included ‘The Martyr Yasser Arafat team’ (founder of the PLO and Fatah terror organizations in the 1960s); ‘The Martyr Ahmed Yassin team’ (founder of the Hamas terror organization); ‘The Martyr Fathi Shaqaqi team’ (founder of the Islamic Jihad terror organization) and ‘The Martyr Salah Khalaf team’ (head of the Black September terror organization). A full report can be found via the Palestinian Media Watch report here: https://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=26716

POP SINGER PHARELL WILLIAMS ANGERS ANTI-ISRAEL GROUP

Anti-Israel groups say they are furious with Pharrell Williams for performing at this month’s gala in Los Angeles to raise money for the well-being of Israeli Defence Force (IDF) troops, including those injured. Pharrell Williams was among the likes of Ashton Kutcher, Gerard Butler, Andy Garcia, Fran Drescher, Ziggy Marley (son of Bob Marley), David Foster, Katharine McPhee, David Draiman and many more famous names to appear at the Friends Of The Israeli Defence Forces Western Region Gala – which raised over $60million – earlier this month at the landmark Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Pharrell Williams performed his hit song “Happy” after giving a speech, the Hollywood newspaper ‘Variety’ reported, along with NME (New Musical Express). In his speech he also condemned the recent Pittsburgh synagogue massacre. Williams said, “What happened in that synagogue was incredibly cruel, it was wrong, and it’s not supposed to be what our nation is. This group of people have been tested over and over and over again … but you guys show an incredible resilience.” Watch the Pharrell Williams hit song “Happy” in Jerusalem here.

FINALLY THIS WEEK... WHEN IS A PROTEST NOT A PROTEST?

This is a question that HonestReporting have been asking in relation to the violence on the Gaza border. So when is a protest not a protest? What is free speech, really? When the media say "protest", that generally means picket signs and free speech, right? But what if the "protesters" are throwing grenades, launching airborne firebombs and firing high calibre machine guns? What if children are living in fear? Should the media still call it a "protest?" You can watch this short video by HonestReporting and give them your response to their questions. Simply click here.

David Soakell Media Correspondent Tweet me @David_Soakell

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itsnelkabelka · 6 years

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Speech: Maintaining peace in the Middle East and North Africa

Thank you very much Mr President and good to see you in New York again. Thank you to Russia for the opportunity to discuss holistically the situation in the Middle East and North Africa.

Mr President, I think we all agree that many of the conflicts in this region share root causes and complex linkages. And we agree that an approach to resolving these conflicts that needs to consider each conflict in isolation will not succeed. They need to be looked at in the round. I think we’re also aware that there are some existentialist struggles between some of the Member States in the region, but not all are aggressive towards their neighbors or commit unfriendly acts towards their neighbours. The MENA region, people have been saying, should perhaps have its own Helsinki Final Act moment. And I don’t want to be prescriptive, but I think something that brings the region together would be very worthwhile considering and we would be happy to join any consideration of that issue.

Overall, our understanding of any conflict should be shaped by an analysis that looks at the full breadth of root causes, the role of regional and international actors and the individual history and circumstances of the country. And in return the response of the Security Council and the whole of the UN to these conflicts needs to be holistic.

Before I turn to the Russian concept note, Mr President, and our own views, I just wanted to start by endorsing fully what the French Ambassador said about Iran. We will have another opportunity to talk about Iran later this week, so I will expand my remarks then. But I just wanted to pledge the UK’s support to what he said.

Mr President, there were many points in the Russian concept note with which we agreed. We agree with you on the devastating humanitarian consequences of the various conflicts in the MENA region. And OCHA’s own figures are truly staggering: 22 million in need of assistance in Yemen, 13 million in Syria, 1.9 million in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and a million in Libya. The humanitarian relief efforts of all Member States, international actors and indeed ordinary citizens, have indeed helped to avert some suffering. But it isn’t enough. And 66 percent of humanitarian appeals, in OCHA’s own figures, have yet to be fulfilled.

We have written recently as the United Kingdom to the Secretary-General to set out our own humanitarian contribution to the crises in the Middle East. We continue to see examples of states restricting access to humanitarian agencies and we see attacks by armed groups on humanitarian workers. What justification, Mr President, can there be for these attacks? We agree with you that humanitarian assistance should not be politicised, but as long as these attacks continue, it will be.

Conflict has particularly affected religious and ethnic minorities. Yazidi in Syria and Iraq. The Baha’i in Iran in Yemen. Terrorist actors and state institutions in the region have been responsible for some of the worst persecutions in history. So we hope, like you, that the Security Council can unite behind efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully. We should do everything we can as a Security Council to support efforts made by the Secretary-General and his Special Representatives to bring peace to the region; make serious progress in Syria, Yemen and Libya; to use our collective and bilateral efforts to put pressure on those that oppose or undermine these efforts; and ensure that peacekeeping missions are fit for purpose.

On the Middle East peace process, Mr President, that a number of speakers have mentioned, we reiterate to our support for the two-state solution, and we look forward to the American proposals which we hope will be able to be issued soon.

There are some areas, Mr President, where we do not share your views as set out in the concept note. And wanted to begin this section by saying that I’ve just come from the R2P Debate in the General Assembly, and it strikes me, Mr President, this goes to the heart of many of our disagreements about how to handle these conflicts. Your concept note calls for a commitment to the supremacy of international law and the need for a collective approach to the problems of the region. We can endorse that fully. But where there are cases when populations are injured or persecuted because of the actions of their own governments, that is not only against international human rights law and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which every country in this room has pledged to uphold. It is actually risking a precursor to a wider conflict. And if the Security Council and the international community do not take an interest at that early stage, there is a much greater likelihood that the situation gets out of control and a much greater likelihood that there will eventually be conflict, including conflict across borders. Whether or not that is armed incursions, or whether it is sending refugees across borders, and hence, Mr President, ultimately a much greater likelihood, not just that the Security Council will ask to take action, but that it will need to take action in order to address the root causes. So I invite all those countries who do not like the Security Council looking at situations of human rights persecutions in individual countries. I just invite them to see that logical train of where ignoring such events is likely to lead. And if I may, I’d like to quote from the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that celebrates its 70th year anniversary this year, which says, “It is essential if man is not to be compelled to have recourse as a last resort to rebellion against tyranny and oppression that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.” That’s the reason why we in the United Kingdom believe that human rights is properly relevant to Security Council discussion of any particular international peace and security situation.

You say, Mr President, that unilateral action is doomed to failure. For the United Kingdom’s part, like all of the speakers so far, we would like to see the Security Council take collective action. But it is blocked, and where it is not blocked, it is subsequently disregarded. International action cannot solely be a matter for the lowest common denominator. We can look at Syria - and a number of speakers have referred to Syria. We are all aware of the circumstances. The Security Council has been blocked from holding to account those responsible for violating international law. A resolution to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court was vetoed in 2014. This year a resolution was vetoed that would have allowed the Joint Investigative Mechanism to continue its vital work. The use of chemical weapons, whether by terrorists or state actors, needs to be investigated. Those responsible need to be held to account and the much greater danger we would assert, Mr President, is in letting it be thought that chemical weapons can ever be used as a weapon of war and the international prohibition on their use disregarded.

There have been reports over the weekend, furthermore, of air and artillery attacks against the de-escalation area in southwest Syria. These are deeply concerning and the reports appear to point to this Syrian government. A military offensive by the Syrian government would be a flagrant violation of the ceasefire and the de-escalation agreement that Russia has been involved in. We urge everybody with influence on this situation to help uphold the commitments and urge restraint.

Mr President, sanctions are a vital part of the Security Council’s arsenal. As Article 41 of the Charter makes clear, they give very real effect to our decisions and they turn our words in this chamber into tangible consequences for those who threaten international peace and security. Sanctions are not our first resort and they are not a measure that we ever take lightly, but we know that they work. They have helped bring peace and security to countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone. They helped bring Iran and DPRK to the negotiating table. And they continue to play a vital role in the fight against Da’esh and Al Qaeda in Iraq, Syria and beyond.

Mr President, we believe that there are some further issues that would merit discussion by this Council not covered in your note that could underpin future discussions by the Council on this important subject.

We agree with the Secretary-General that political participation in the region remains weak and we agree we need to strengthen democratic institutions. And I’d like to echo his tribute to Tunisia and also endorse his words on the problems caused by retarding economic opportunity. A genuine holistic approach to conflict in the region cannot ignore the issue of good governance.

Good governance from strong, stable state institutions is the best way to maintain peace and security. Bad governance can be devastating and we have seen that in a number of countries in the region. When governments violate their citizens human rights, I was saying earlier, we know that the risk of conflict and suffering increases. It is the Council’s responsibility to consider and be informed on all these issues due to their impact on international peace and security. As an international community we must support institutions that uphold the values the United Nations was set up to protect and which worked for the benefit of all citizens.

Lastly, Mr President, I would like to say a word about post-conflict reconstruction. Failure to stabilise and reconcile communities after a long conflict will fail to restore peace and security in the long term. It is not a trade-off between peace and justice. The task of the Council is to help the UN and countries themselves find the right way to have both peace and justice. And I think we all know that the role of women can be vital in that endeavour.

International actors, including this Council, play a vital role in ensuring limited resources can be distributed effectively in supportive institutions that address the root causes of previous conflicts.

Thank you very much Mr. President.

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clubofinfo · 6 years

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Expert: Do you think it is that simple to travel around the Middle East? Think twice! Ask Palestinians, about trying to get from a point A to a point B in their own nation. Some time ago, sitting in an old Ottoman hotel in Bethlehem, I asked a waiter what it takes to travel from there to Gaza, where he said, several of his relatives were living. He looked at me as if I had fallen from the Moon: There is no way I could travel there. If my relatives get very sick or die, then, in theory, I could apply for an Israeli travel permit to go there, but there is absolutely no guarantee that they would approve, or that I could get to Gaza on time… Israeli wall in Bethlehem I tried to appear naïve: “And what if someone from an Arab country which does not recognize Israel, wants to come here, to Bethlehem? Like, a Lebanese pilgrim or just a tourist? Could he or she enter from Jordan?” The waiter weighed for a while whether to reply at all, but then had mercy on me: West Bank… You know, it only appears on the maps as some sort of autonomous or independent territory. In reality, the borders and movement of the people have been fully controlled by the Israelis. My friend, a legendary left-wing Israeli human rights lawyer and a staunch Palestinian independence supporter, Linda Brayer, downed another cup of coffee and made several cynical remarks. She was actually illegally ‘smuggled’ by me into Bethlehem. As an Israeli citizen, she was not allowed to enter the West Bank at all, but since I was driving and she was with me, a foreigner, and on top of it she wore a headscarf (she converted to Islam several years earlier), the Israeli soldiers just let us pass without askin too many uncomfortable questions. Bizarre, disgusting, and even mind-blowing? Not for us who live or operate in this part of the world! All this is by now considered as “business as usual”. During the last Intifada, I hired a taxi in Jerusalem to the border with Gaza driven by a Russian-Israeli Jew, a student, who literally clashed with a border guard, demanding to be allowed to enter Gaza, in order to “see what my fxxxxing government is doing to the Palestinian people.” They did not let him into Gaza. They detained him. As a foreigner, I entered. During my work in Gaza, an Israeli helicopter gunship fired at my hired car. It missed… But at least I was allowed to enter and work in Gaza. It is like Russian roulette: sometimes you get in, sometimes you don’t, and no explanations are given. That was the time when the new Gaza International Airport had just opened. After few days of fighting, the runway was bombed by the Israelis, all flights cancelled, and I had to, eventually make my way out through Egyptian Sinai. Later, I also witnessed how brutal the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights has been; how it has divided countless families and communities. People are forced to shout at each other through the Israeli barbed-wire electric fences. The only way for the families to reunite, at least for a day or two, was to somehow get to Jordan. An Israeli tank being moved towards Syrian Golan Heights The Syrian Golan Heights used to be famous for its delicious apples and ancient Druze community. It used to attract travelers from all over the world. Now it is occupied by Israel, and it is de-populated and monstrously militarized. You want to travel there? You cannot; not anymore. It is off limits. ***** For years and decades, this insanity of travel bans and restrictions, as well as barbed wire and watch towers, has been applying mainly (although not exclusively) to the territories occupied by Israel. However, now almost the entire Middle East is divided by conflicts, insane regulations and travel prohibitions. Empty Jordan-Syrian border Unless you are a war correspondent, a Western ‘advisor’, an intelligence agent or a ‘development worker’, don’t even think about going to Iraq. Almost like Afghanistan and Libya, Iraq had been thoroughly wrecked by the Western coalition and its allies. On top of it, to get visa there is now close to impossible. In the recent past, the Westerners flooded Erbil and its surroundings; the main city of what was called, unofficially, ‘Iraqi Kurdistan’. The place used to be governed by the independence-seeking and shamelessly pro-Western ‘elites’, and it used to have its own visa regime. Now even this area is more or less off limits to foreigners. Syria is still a war zone, although its government, which is supported by the majority of the Syrian people, is clearly winning the brutal conflict ignited and fueled by the West and its ‘client’ states. Syria used to be one of the safest, the most educated and advanced countries in the region, built on solid socialist principles. It used to have an impressive scientific base, as well as dozens of world-class tourist attractions. Therefore, applying Western imperialist logic, it had to be first smeared, and then attacked and destroyed. Logically, Syria is not issuing tourist visas to the citizens of the countries that are trying to destroy it. Next door, Lebanon is still suffering from the flood of refugees, from geographical isolation and from the various dormant and semi-active terrorist cells. Travelling from Lebanon to Syria is now almost impossible, or at least very dangerous and difficult. Lebanese citizens can still enter, but ‘at their own risk’. In the not so distant past, people used to drive from Beirut to Europe and vice-versa, via Turkey and Syria. Now this option is just a sweet memory. But then again, in the very distant past, I am often reminded, it was not unusual for the Lebanese middle class to spend a weekend in Haifa, driving their own cars. Now the border between Lebanon and Israel is hermetically sealed. Both countries are technically at war. The U.N. patrols the so-called Blue Line. Apart from drones and Israeli war planes en-route to bombing Syria, nothing can cross. Turkey building a new huge wall on the Syrian border All along the Turkish-Syrian border, both sides are suffering. Of course, the Syrian people are suffering much more, being victims of the direct Turkish military adventures. But also Turks are now paying a very high price for the war: they are suffering from terrorist attacks, as well as from the total collapse of trade between the two countries. Many villages around Hatay and Gaziantep are quickly turning into ghost towns. For instance, cities like Adana in Turkey and Aleppo in Syria used to be connected by motorways, enjoying constant flows of people from both ends. There was bustling trade, as well as tourism, and social visits. Now, Ankara has been building an enormous concrete wall between the two countries. No traffic can pass through the border, except Turkish military convoys. ***** For years and decades, it has been impossible to enter Saudi Arabia as a tourist. This fundamentalist Wahabbi ‘client’ state of the West simply does not recognize the existence of tourism, or leisure travel. To enter the KSA, it has to be either for business or religious pilgrimage. With its huge territory, the KSA effectively divides the entire Gulf region, when it comes to transportation and the movement of people. There are some loopholes, and ‘transit visas’ can be obtained (with some luck, difficulties and expense), for instance, for those people driving their own vehicles or taking a bus from Jordan to Bahrain, or to Oman. Traveling to culturally the most exciting country in the Gulf – Yemen – is now absolutely impossible. Yemen used to be one of the jewels of historic architecture and civilization, counting such cities as Sanaa, Zabid and Shiban. Now the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is occupying the city of Aden and the coast, while Saudi forces are brutally bombing the rest of the country, which is controlled by the rebels. Then, there is a bizarre conflict which is brewing between Qatar (the richest country in the Gulf with the substantial U.S. military presence as well as huge local business-controlled media conglomerate Al-Jazeera), and several other Arab allies of the West, including Saudi Arabia. Borders are presently closed and insults are flying. There is the growing possibility of a military confrontation. Qatar is being accused, cynically, of ‘supporting terrorism’, as if the KSA was not doing precisely the same. ***** Flying around the region has become a Kafkaesque experience. Flight from Doha to Nairobi All Middle Eastern and Gulf airlines are avoiding Israel. Some fly over Syria but most of them, don’t. The once mighty and now deteriorating Qatar Airways is clearly forbidden to enter the airspace of Saudi Arabia as well as of the United Arab Emirates. Recently I travelled with Qatar from Beirut to Nairobi, Kenya. It used to be a simple, comfortable commute, which has recently turned into a terrible nightmare. Unable to fly over Syrian and Saudi airspace, a plane has to first fly in totally the opposite direction, northwest, over Turkish airspace, then over Iran, making a huge, almost 90 minutes detour. On the second leg, a trip of less than 4 hours now takes more than 5 hours and 30 minutes! The plane flies directly away from Africa, towards Iran, and then makes a huge loop, avoiding both the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Lebanese MEA (Middle Eastern Airlines) is one of the few airlines that ignores all this, flying directly over Syria, and towards the Gulf states. Most of the others don’t dare. But MEA has to avoid Israeli airspace, making often interesting final approaches to Rafik Hariri Int’l Airport. The exception is Turkish Airlines which basically flies over everything and into everywhere, including Israel itself. ***** This essay is not only about the politics and what has led to the present situation, although it is clear that we are talking here, above all, about the neo-colonialist arrangement of the world. Political nightmare unleashed by the ‘traditional’ Western colonialist powers and their ‘client states’, has led to the geographical divisions; to a perverse state of affairs in this part of the world. Increasingly, the people are losing control over their own nations and the entire region. They have already lost the ability to move about freely through it. Of course, something similar exists in many other places, including the South Pacific. There, I described the situation in my book Oceania. An entire huge part of the world has been literally cut to pieces by the neo-colonialist powers and their geo-political interests and designs: the U.S., France, Australia and New Zealand have plainly overrun and shackled Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. A once proud and unique part of the world has been fragmented internally: people are brutally separated and forced to depend almost exclusively on the West. In the Middle East, divisions, walls and barbed wire, are now everywhere; they are visible to the naked eye, but they are also ‘inside’ peoples’ minds, damaging the human psyche, making dreams of unity and a common future look very unlikely, and sometimes even impossible. A bridge blown up by ISIS near Mosus, Iraq This used to be one of the cradles of our civilization – a deep, sane and stunningly beautiful part of the world. Now everything is fragmented. The West rules, mainly through its ‘client’ states, such as Israel, the KSA and Turkey. It controls everything. It governs almost the entire Middle East; nothing moves without its knowledge and permission. A suicide car bomb near Mosul, Iraq Yes, nothing and no one moves here, unless it suits the West. We don’t read about it often. It is not discussed. But that is how it is. This bizarre concept of ‘freedom’ implanted from the outside. The rulers who were injected into the Gulf and various other occupied nations. The result is horrid: the electric wires, walls and travel restrictions everywhere; the old pathological British ‘divide and rule’ concept. ***** As I am working on this essay, my plane which is supposed to be flying south-west, is actually hovering north-east, in order to avoid the airspaces of the various so-called hostile states. Local people may be getting used to the fact that their part of the world has already been ‘re-arranged’. Or perhaps they have already stopped noticing. The computer, however, keeps showing the absurd flying path of the airliner. Computers can be programmed and re-programmed, but they cannot be indoctrinated. Without judging, they are simply demonstrating the absurdity that is unrolling around them, on their screens. • First published in New Eastern Outlook • All photos by Andre Vltchek http://clubof.info/

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dhofberg · 6 years

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Day two Doc Mobile

I'm sorry I deleted yesterday's post, or "caused it to disappear ". Because I tried to get up to date with the history of the organization and a little bit of what has transpired in the Moría refugee camp since Michael and I were here in 2016.

The camps are no longer places where people come from boats crossing the Aegean and spend 12-72 hours before continuing on to Athens and other parts in Europe if they were allowed anywhere.

When the EU began to close borders, the camps also closed their gates for a while to people wanting to leave, essentially turning them into detention centers. Now they are "semi- permeable, meaning people are free to come and go most of the time, but it is run now by the Greek police ( rather than NGOs like UNHCR, IRC), who can and do sometimes decide to shut it down, for instance if people are fighting or destroying property. Many people, including about 200 unaccompanied minors are living there for many months, with more chance of deportation than migration to Europe.

Our " clinic" Doc Mobile sprung out of a need for care for transients when refugees amassed in Idomeni, the border between Greece and Macedonia on the way to other European countries. A couple of German fellows thought it would be a good idea to have mobile clinics in vans that could move to where they were needed. They are funded by donations, staffed by all volunteers. Apparently there are two of these vans in Athens and Thessaloniki, but actually there isn't a vehicle in Lesvos at this time. We actually didn't know until we arrived that Michael and I are currently THE doctors for the clinic. There is apparently electronic communication with some consultants, but this has to happen after clinic hours, not urgently as there is really no time to do this while we are seeing patients. Currently we are trying to enlist some help from colleagues at home for some updating on pediatric and dermatology issues.

A little bit about the people we are trying to help:

Of course it is good to leave Syria or Iraq where your homes and families are being bombed, but the next steps after that first horrible crossing of the sea, are also frightening and uncertain. Will you find your family members (cell phones help and many if not most have them), will you be allowed to leave Lesvos and go to Athens, will you ever get out of the refugee camp in Athens and go to Greece or will you be deported. Single women traveling alone have been subjected to sexual assault by smugglers in Turkey. Ten year olds traumatized by bombings or murders in Syria, and now suffering from bed wetting, panic attacks. PTSD is as common as you might expect in this population. As the weather gets cold, everyone gets a cold, but with poor nutritional status, sleeping in a tent on the ground ( or without a tent), these coughs keep everyone awake at night and parents worrying about their children, and some babies may have died of pneumonia. Head lice of course. Asthma. Headaches, all the normal things people get but without the most basic treatments available like rest, a hot shower, steam, nasal irrigation, Tylenol.

Last night we were sent a video of a fight taking place in Moría between Kurdish and Palestinian people. It was filmed by Aziz, our Arabic translator who lives there. We were forewarned then about injuries we might see today, and in fact we did.

I sent a young man to the hospital today as he most surely fractured his radius and also possibly humerus when he was running to get his family out of the fray in camp and fell on concrete. Tomorrow I will perhaps be able to find out if he was seen, treated, imaged. Yesterday we sent a family to the hospital with a baby who had had a seizure, and after the translator dropped them off the hospital discharged them because they had no Arabic translator. I also sent a woman with an acute abdomen ( appendicitis I predict), to hospital yesterday, but I still have not heard what happened to her there.

So I have been saying "clinic" because in fact there was not a spiffy little tricked out van ( that came from my imagination I guess). Above are some pictures of the transformation of a ply wood shed into a functioning three room facility with a waiting room about 10x10, and the other half divided into to exam rooms. There is an awesome and motley bunch of volunteer construction workers doing this, led by Gavin, a British one-armed carpenter, a doctor disguised as a carpenter, and a few others. They just come around asking what we want, where should the shelves go, etc. Tomorrow they are finishing the plumbing and electricity, so today clinic was in a tent with a floor of broken lumber covered with rugs, and will probably also be in there tomorrow.

We have lots of miscellaneous medicines, and Belen, our young energetic nurse from Madrid is keeping them all sorted and labeled and helps us look them up on the internet as they all have names and directions in Greek or German. We have an even more energetic Finnish- American retired ER nurse, who is helping to organize who needs to be seen next, and getting a few vitals. She and her two sisters and a niece are all here working with refugees in different settings, one working on a project to turn the material from the inside of spent life jackets into insulated sleeping pads.

To summarize our two days of work so far, I will just say that last night we were so overwhelmed with information about what we were seeing and what needed to be done, we could barely speak. We didn't eat or drink much water or ever get to the bathroom for most of the day. Today we took a new look at what we can and cannot do ( clearly there will be no referrals to specialists, physical therapy, advanced imaging, except in the most urgent or dire cases), and know that when we look up any current practice guidelines in UpTo Date, we will be looking at " resource poor populations ". I'm hoping some of my colleagues can help me with some treatments for bed wetting, while I know that there is little I can do about the trauma these kids have been through. Tomorrow we will learn about Mental Health services on the Island, and also a women's clinic.

I know this is long, I hope not too much more than you wanted to read. It feels good to write to all who support this kind of work, and I doubt that anyone who doesn't will bother to read it.

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