From A Bed for a Stranger- Mahmoud Darwish
Wait for her with an azure cup.
Wait for her in the evening at the spring, among perfumed roses.
Wait for her with the patience of a horse trained for mountains.
Wait for her with the distinctive, aesthetic taste of a prince.
Wait for her with seven pillows of cloud.
Wait for her with strands of womanly incense wafting.
Wait for her with the manly scent of sandalwood on horseback.
Wait for her and do not rush.
If she arrives late, wait for her.
If she arrives early, wait for her.
Do not frighten the birds in her braided hair.
Wait for her to sit in a garden at the peak of its flowering.
Wait for her to lift her garment from her leg, cloud by cloud.
And wait for her.
Take her to the balcony to watch the moon drwoning in milk.
Wait for her and offer her water before wine.
Do not glance at the twin partridges sleeping on her chest.
Wait and gently touch her hand as she sets a cup on marble.
As if you are carrying the dew for her, wait.
Speak to her as a flute would to a frightened violin string,
as if you knew what tomorrow would bring.
Wait, and polish the night for her ring by ring.
Wait for her until Night speaks to you thus:
There is no one alive but the two of you.
So take her gently to the death you so desire,
and wait.
Sunday, 20 January 2008
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Non Violent Palestinian Activist Shot in Head
I just recieved this email from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM)- a Palestinian led organisation that facilitates the support of non violent resistance to the Isreaeli occupation by International activists. The video shows a common scene at Bil'in- retreating protestors being fired upon by Israeli teenagers. I couldn't help noticing that there weren't many foreigners at this demo- maybe if more had been there Abdullah wouldn't have been shot in the head.
If anyone is able to go and volunteer in Palestine with ISM or any of the similar organisations out there- please do so! Trust me- it's likely to be one of the most worthwhile things you will ever do.
Abdullah Abu Rahme from the Popular Committee of Bil'in was shot inthe head by a rubber-coated steel bullet yesterday at the weeklyBil'in demonstration. He is now recovering and can be reached at0547258210. You can watch the video here:
On Friday, January 11th, villagers of Bil'in were joined by Israeli, international, and other Palestinian Human Rights activistsin a protest against the Annexation Wall. In Bil'in, the wall is stealing more than 60% of village land, and even the Israeli SupremeCourt said in a recent decision that the route of the wall was notplanned for military reasons, but for land.In that September 4th Supreme Court decision, the Wall was ordered tobe taken down and the route redrawn. This was a court victory for thejoint non-violent struggle, but has yet to be reflected with facts onthe ground. The wall is still standing, and in fact recently settlersattempted to place new caravans on village land.The demonstration began as a march towards the gate in the Wall, wheresoldiers were standing with guns drawn. At the front of the march wasthe banner, "LEVIEV TURNS THESE ROCKS OF APARTHEID INTO DIAMONDS" inreference to the diamond mogul Lev Leviev, protesting his extensiveinvolvement in the construction of illegal settlements in the WestBank.
After about an hour people began to move back towards the village, thesoldiers used this chance to shoot off cannister after cannister oftear gas. One man was taken away on a stretcher from his exposure tothe gas. Activists stood on the opposite hill and regrouped whilesoldiers continued to shoot gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Near the end of the demonstration, army snipers shot Bil'in PopularCommittee member Abdullah Abu Rahme in the head with a rubber-coatedsteel bullet. Abdullah was also one of the activists hospitalized aweek ago when settlers attacked a group of Palestinians who were non-violently protesting the placement of more caravans on their land.After the soldier shot Abdullah, he dances a bit and cheers, tellinghis comrades-in-arms that he "got one in the head!"
If anyone is able to go and volunteer in Palestine with ISM or any of the similar organisations out there- please do so! Trust me- it's likely to be one of the most worthwhile things you will ever do.
Abdullah Abu Rahme from the Popular Committee of Bil'in was shot inthe head by a rubber-coated steel bullet yesterday at the weeklyBil'in demonstration. He is now recovering and can be reached at0547258210. You can watch the video here:
On Friday, January 11th, villagers of Bil'in were joined by Israeli, international, and other Palestinian Human Rights activistsin a protest against the Annexation Wall. In Bil'in, the wall is stealing more than 60% of village land, and even the Israeli SupremeCourt said in a recent decision that the route of the wall was notplanned for military reasons, but for land.In that September 4th Supreme Court decision, the Wall was ordered tobe taken down and the route redrawn. This was a court victory for thejoint non-violent struggle, but has yet to be reflected with facts onthe ground. The wall is still standing, and in fact recently settlersattempted to place new caravans on village land.The demonstration began as a march towards the gate in the Wall, wheresoldiers were standing with guns drawn. At the front of the march wasthe banner, "LEVIEV TURNS THESE ROCKS OF APARTHEID INTO DIAMONDS" inreference to the diamond mogul Lev Leviev, protesting his extensiveinvolvement in the construction of illegal settlements in the WestBank.
After about an hour people began to move back towards the village, thesoldiers used this chance to shoot off cannister after cannister oftear gas. One man was taken away on a stretcher from his exposure tothe gas. Activists stood on the opposite hill and regrouped whilesoldiers continued to shoot gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Near the end of the demonstration, army snipers shot Bil'in PopularCommittee member Abdullah Abu Rahme in the head with a rubber-coatedsteel bullet. Abdullah was also one of the activists hospitalized aweek ago when settlers attacked a group of Palestinians who were non-violently protesting the placement of more caravans on their land.After the soldier shot Abdullah, he dances a bit and cheers, tellinghis comrades-in-arms that he "got one in the head!"
Friday, 11 January 2008
PCHR Weekly Report: 22 Palestinians killed, 117 injured by Israeli forces
One Week in Palestine...
According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)'s Weekly Report, during the week of January 3rd - 9th, 2008, 22 Palestinians were killed and 117 injured by the Israeli military.
Of those killed this week, four were women, three were children, and 5 of the victims were from the same family. Of the 117 wounded, 48 are children and 5 are women.
Israeli forces conducted 33 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 4 into the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces arrested 93 Palestinian civilians, including 14 children.
In addition, troops razed 259 dunums of agricultural land and demolished 2 houses in the Gaza Strip. 20 dunums of land in the Jordan Valley were also razed.
One Palestinian woman gave birth at an Israeli checkpoint this week, and eight Palestinians were abducted at checkpoints, including three children.
Throughout the reporting period, Israeli forces have continued to impose a total siege on the Palestinian territories, and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.
see www.pchrgaza.org for full report.
According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)'s Weekly Report, during the week of January 3rd - 9th, 2008, 22 Palestinians were killed and 117 injured by the Israeli military.
Of those killed this week, four were women, three were children, and 5 of the victims were from the same family. Of the 117 wounded, 48 are children and 5 are women.
Israeli forces conducted 33 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 4 into the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces arrested 93 Palestinian civilians, including 14 children.
In addition, troops razed 259 dunums of agricultural land and demolished 2 houses in the Gaza Strip. 20 dunums of land in the Jordan Valley were also razed.
One Palestinian woman gave birth at an Israeli checkpoint this week, and eight Palestinians were abducted at checkpoints, including three children.
Throughout the reporting period, Israeli forces have continued to impose a total siege on the Palestinian territories, and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.
see www.pchrgaza.org for full report.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Routine Israeli Invasion= Civilian Shot in Back of Head
Report: Palestinian shot in back of head by Israeli forces in Nablus
Tuesday January 08, 2008 08:28 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News
One of the 38 Palestinian civilians shot and injured by Israeli forces during their two-day invasion of Nablus this week was shot three times in the back of the head, according to medical reports.
Ahmed Abu-Hantash is one of a number of Palestinians who were fired upon by Israeli forces while leaving al-Shuhada Mosque in Nablus after Friday prayers, according to eyewitnesses. He remains in the hospital in critical condition.
One eyewitness told the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), “I was walking with Ahmad to the mosque and suddenly I heard a gunshot and saw Ahmad fall beside me, I was horrified to see his blood splashing all over the ground, and did not know why the army shot at us, we ducked for cover and when the Israeli jeep left we rushed Ahmad to the nearby Specialty Hospital.”
According to the ISM, Ahmad Abu Hantash is a 35-year old Palestinian worker, married with two children, Fadi, 4 years old, and Hadi, three months old. After X-Rays showing the location of the three bullets in Abu-Hantash's head were published in the Israeli press, the Israeli military claimed that they will be investigating the incident.
www.palsolidarity.org
www.imemc.org
Tuesday January 08, 2008 08:28 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News
One of the 38 Palestinian civilians shot and injured by Israeli forces during their two-day invasion of Nablus this week was shot three times in the back of the head, according to medical reports.
Ahmed Abu-Hantash is one of a number of Palestinians who were fired upon by Israeli forces while leaving al-Shuhada Mosque in Nablus after Friday prayers, according to eyewitnesses. He remains in the hospital in critical condition.
One eyewitness told the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), “I was walking with Ahmad to the mosque and suddenly I heard a gunshot and saw Ahmad fall beside me, I was horrified to see his blood splashing all over the ground, and did not know why the army shot at us, we ducked for cover and when the Israeli jeep left we rushed Ahmad to the nearby Specialty Hospital.”
According to the ISM, Ahmad Abu Hantash is a 35-year old Palestinian worker, married with two children, Fadi, 4 years old, and Hadi, three months old. After X-Rays showing the location of the three bullets in Abu-Hantash's head were published in the Israeli press, the Israeli military claimed that they will be investigating the incident.
www.palsolidarity.org
www.imemc.org
Thursday, 3 January 2008
After Anapolis: Palestinian Home Demolitians and Israeli Colony Expansion
From Apartheid Masked: Settlements being built and Palestinian homes demolished under the shadow of "peace" talks.
December 17th, Peace Now Settlement Watch says: "Although Olmert declared a settlement freeze, we see that on the ground there is construction in settlements all over the West Bank, in all kinds of settlements, and as long as the Government does not stop settlement activity on the ground, the negotiations cannot succeed."A group of activists documented this continued construction in several settlements. They also documented the demolition of Palestinian houses which has continued after the peace conference, eight homes having been destroyed since Annapolis. They filmed construction in Nof Zion and Har Homa last week, and also took pictures of construction going on in Modi'in Illit, Ma'ale Adumim, Karnei Shomron, Alfei Menashe, and the Barkan industrial area. Activists also documented the construction that is taking place on the train being built to run through occupied East Jerusalem villages of Shuafat and Beit Hanina. This train will link settlements like Givat Ze'ev to Jerusalem, and with the settlements inside and around Jerusalem, create facts on the ground which will make a future Palestinian state, with Al-Quds as its capital, impossible. The Israeli Cabinet recently instructed the Israel Antiquities Authority to continue excavations at the Mugrabi walkway, the former site of the Mugrabi neighbourhood which was demolished in 1967, near the Western Wall in occupied East Jerusalem. A team of Turkish experts who had examined the excavations recommended that Israel stop work immediately. Their findings were published in a report which said that Israel was attempting to disrupt Jerusalem's history by stressing the Jewish aspect of Jerusalem, and that the excavations were part of a"systematically implemented effort to destroy values associated withcultural assets of the Ayyubid, Mameluke and Ottoman periods."The 2003 Roadmap to Peace that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed at Annapolis to resume says unequivocally that Israel must "freeze all settlement activity, including the "natural growth" of existing settlements."
December 17th, Peace Now Settlement Watch says: "Although Olmert declared a settlement freeze, we see that on the ground there is construction in settlements all over the West Bank, in all kinds of settlements, and as long as the Government does not stop settlement activity on the ground, the negotiations cannot succeed."A group of activists documented this continued construction in several settlements. They also documented the demolition of Palestinian houses which has continued after the peace conference, eight homes having been destroyed since Annapolis. They filmed construction in Nof Zion and Har Homa last week, and also took pictures of construction going on in Modi'in Illit, Ma'ale Adumim, Karnei Shomron, Alfei Menashe, and the Barkan industrial area. Activists also documented the construction that is taking place on the train being built to run through occupied East Jerusalem villages of Shuafat and Beit Hanina. This train will link settlements like Givat Ze'ev to Jerusalem, and with the settlements inside and around Jerusalem, create facts on the ground which will make a future Palestinian state, with Al-Quds as its capital, impossible. The Israeli Cabinet recently instructed the Israel Antiquities Authority to continue excavations at the Mugrabi walkway, the former site of the Mugrabi neighbourhood which was demolished in 1967, near the Western Wall in occupied East Jerusalem. A team of Turkish experts who had examined the excavations recommended that Israel stop work immediately. Their findings were published in a report which said that Israel was attempting to disrupt Jerusalem's history by stressing the Jewish aspect of Jerusalem, and that the excavations were part of a"systematically implemented effort to destroy values associated withcultural assets of the Ayyubid, Mameluke and Ottoman periods."The 2003 Roadmap to Peace that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed at Annapolis to resume says unequivocally that Israel must "freeze all settlement activity, including the "natural growth" of existing settlements."
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
Why I'll Never Be a Master-Knitter
Because I'm easily distracted. There you go.I've been knitting a sweater for....quite some time now. I did all of the complicated bits first, ironed them, pieced them all together with special invisible seams. All I need to do to finish it off and wear it (I need it, it's about to get all Siberian here) is to finish the tie that goes around the bottom and attach this too. However, the tie is quite boring to knit, being 144cms of rows of K3 P2 K to end followed by P3 K2 P to end. Yawn. I've been knitting this simple tie for two months now and still haven't finished. In the mean time I've also knitted two hats and some baby bootees...you know, jobs that take a few days at most. Instant gratification in the world of knitters. As it is I'll have to go without a thick, warm sweater with nice seasonably appropriate cowl neck and... wear layers. I'm sure there's a life lesson in this.
BTW I gave the hats away so they aren't helping me either...
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