People are subjected to massive well-funded propaganda trying to sell the idea that “Israel is defending itself” by massacring civilians in Gaza (again) and engaging in extrajudicial executions of resistance fighters.

From Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD, in Beit Sahour, Palestine:

ACT: 64 ways to act http://qumsiyeh.org/whatyoucando/

The truth is hard to hide as are the statistics: Over the last four days, 16 Palestinian civilians were killed including several children (while 3 Israelis were killed), and over 170 Palestinian civilians were injured (very few Israelis).  Over 140 military excursions by the most sophisticated US supplied war planes and navy ships on 1.5 million people in a large open-air prison.  Anyone can find the pictures on the internet of burned Palestinian babies, mutilated children, devastated neighborhoods, and destroyed power plants and infrastructure. The Gaza strip is one of the most densely populated areas on earth thanks to the Israeli ethnic cleansing creating the largest post-WWII refugee population on earth.

2/3rd of the 1.6 million people in this arid strip are refugees.  All Israeli human rights violations are done by US funded horrific weapons for which native Palestinians have no defense.  Home-made native projectiles fair poorly as a response to the massacre by advanced technologies. Yet, the US administration still sides with apartheid colonial Israel against the native Palestinians and so are the governments of Britain and France that are trying to live-up to their colonial activities. Israeli authorities intensified their attacks tonight after home-made projectiles fired by resistance forces in Gaza landed in Rishon Le Zion (first colonial settlement here) and Tel Aviv (first time since the gulf war that sirens were heard in Israel’s de facto capital).  People of all backgrounds are speaking out against these Israeli initiated attacks.  Here in Palestine, we had demonstrations including against the silly bickering that the factions go through.  There are also demonstrations around the world demanding Israel end its aggression against this impoverished strip of land full of refugees.  But we must do more than demonstrate and hold vigils.

Pictures from Gaza under attack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIpBnbnraCY

Timeline of the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza: http://imeu.net/news/article0023227.shtml

There are names to these murdered civilians “The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that among those killed on Wednesday evening are Ahmad Misharawi, 11 months old; Ranan Arafat, 7 years old; Issam Abu Izah, 23; and Mohamed Al Kasih, 19. ”

http://imemc.org/article/64557

Reports from AlJazeera:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/2012111419500140191.html

Take action:

1) 64 ways to act http://qumsiyeh.org/whatyoucando/

2) 1.2 million signed petition and took other actions to give Palestinian a state and give Palestinians our rights.  I signed as a prelude to the inevitable and logical and only durable solution: one democratic secular state for all its people.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/palestine_worlds_next_nation_b/?kPZnccb

Attached picture from a hospital in Gaza as a man is handed his martyred son

Also come visit us in Palestine (including Gaza)

And in South Africa:

Statement on Operation “Pillar of Defense” and announcements of countrywide pickets by the Coalition for a Free Palestine:

16 November 2012

As Israel launches Operation “Pillar of Defense” in Gaza and calls up 30 000 of its reserve troops for a ground invasion the Coalition for a Free Palestine (CfP) calls for an immediate cessation of the Israeli air strikes on Gaza and an end to the illegal blockade which has rendered Gaza into the largest prison in the world, with no escape for its citizens.

Earlier this week, the CfP condemned the escalation of violence from Israel into the strip and noted the murder of two Gazan citizens prior to the recent outbreak of rocketfire.

Based on this, we call on the government of South Africa to provide moral leadership to the world by recalling our South African ambassador to Israel and expelling the Israeli ambassador to South Africa. We are confident in our government to do the right thing and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation must know that it has our support in making these decisions.

The death toll in Gaza stands at 15 people with over 100 people wounded. The South African government must be a government of conscience and condemn the violence and disregard for international law.

The CfP alongside its affiliates will be holding pickets today, Friday the 16th November to support our government in acting decisively and standing in solidarity with the helpless civilians of Gaza. We encourage all peace loving South Africans to join the pickets.

Johannesburg: 14:00, Luthuli House 54 Sauer St

Durban: 14:00 Durban city Hall

Cape Town: Parliament Building 12:00

*The Coalition for a Free Palestine is the largest South African Palestine solidarity umbrella body, which includes youth groups, trade unions, human rights organizations, faith based groups, artists collectives, student organizations and political parties. Some member organizations include the South African Council of Churches, Congress of South African Trade Unions, African National Congress, South African Communist Party, Muslim Judicial Council, Muslim Students Association, Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Palestine Solidarity Committee, Palestine Solidarity Group, the student society and Media Review Network.

Issued by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Coalition for a Free Palestine