Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 21:03:13 -0500
From: "jennifer"
Subject: Message from Al Mezan: Gaza under the Razor
Dear all,I am carrying bad news about Gaza this time. I mean not the usual bad news.
I visited the Zeytun area in Gaza city Thursday; just after the Israelis withdrew from there. The least I can say is that the scale of destruction was unbelievable. Even an earthquake could have more mercy: the scene had thousands of uprooted trees at the outskirts of the neighborhood, then tens of destroyed shops and cars and trucks; then the buildings and homes that became sand and rock. I did not find any paved street or a house without holes made by bullets or shells in the area. To be honest, I was shocked when my colleague, a fieldworker, told me it was the Salah Ad-Din Street, a street I used thousands of times but could not recognize.
Then comes the stories of Rafah; following the killing of 5 Israeli soldiers in an explosive device eruption. Sharon sounded very angry and the lesson he decided to teach this time is: 'we wanted it to take place step by step, but now we'll do it altogether'. The Israeli government announced that the IDF had the greenline to destroy 'hundreds of homes' in Rafah; a process that started yesterday. Helicopters did not leave the skies of Rafah and fired at least 20 missiles. The scene of people carrying their little kids and running away from the fire and destruction is tearing my heart every time I see it, or imagine it.
UNRWA said that in the 1st 10 days of May, some 1700 people were made homeless in the Gaza Strip, mostly in Rafah. Now we know that the number will jump to some thousands in a few days. Until this hour some 29 have been killed when it was unnecessary; just to keep the pride of the IDF. It is a bit more painful now because one of the Rafah victims is a relative of mine.
Something, or many things, have to be done. It is not easy to do effective things in this regard, but silence will be the worst choice. We are thinking of going to court tomorrow, and issuing an urgent appeal to involve hundreds of NGO's and governments in the attempts to stop or slow this madness, but I am sure that your voices, and all voices, are most neeeded now.
I will be happy to hear any ideas or suggestions. Peace on you all.
Mahmud
Mahmud Abu Rahma
Director of Communication
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Gaza City
