Filed under: Always in my mind!, Linz Photography, Linz from Gaza, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza
Just looking through the window and see the sky…It’s beautiful!
Filed under: Linz Photography, Linz from Gaza, LinzLines, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza, Their Gaza
Today the world turns to red as it is the so called “Valentine’s Day”. Despite the fact that I do not believe in such a day, there are people in Gaza, though they are a very small minority, who actually “celebrate” it.
We can agree or disagree on the futility of such a day. However, we can all agree that celebrating Valentine’s Day in Gaza is an act of defiance.
Gaza, though it is besieged, and a war torn territory, you can always find something reflecting the will to live.
Since Gaza is a young population mostly young couples, many of whom can afford to buy gifts, actually do show some “love” in this day. Otherwise, the flower and gift shops would not have turned their fronts to red flowers and smuggled teddy bears to make some profit. 
Gaza is unbreakable, and more importantly full of love that is why the siege, the war and the continuation of both, never bended the people’s will to exhibit signs of life, even if it is when celebrating such an asinine, commercial day as Valentines’ day.
Filed under: Always in my mind!, Artwork, Linz from Gaza, Palestinian Linz
Salamz all,
Yesterday I had this idea of making artworks that represent Palestine in a new way. I usually use gloomy colors and grudging effects. But this time I decided to celebrate my love to my homeland by showing love instead of suffering.
Palestine is beautiful, we should feel that though we can not see it with our own eyes.
Filed under: Linz from Gaza, LinzLines, LinzVlogz, Out of Gaza, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza
Salamz all,
First impression
Before nearly a month ago, my friends, who are members of Sharek Youth Forum ,told me about this project called “Gaza exchange”. The project, which is sponsored by Tida in association with Sharek, mainly puts some serious issues on the table for the Palestinian youth to debate.
First time I went there, we had a debate about “Non-violence resistance”. It is a very sensitive and controversial topic for the Palestinians. In that session, we were mostly university students, it was very democratic; we agreed, and disagreed, but the thing is I am sure of that I have learned something new from each participant spoke.
The 2 and a half nicely heated discussion widened my horizons, provoked my thinking and more importantly gave me a chance to listen and speak up.
The topic left home with me and despite the fact that I had exams really soon, I often thought about the debate and still think about the whole issue of “non-violent” resistance.
Our final exams started and we had a break from our “Tida” activities.
Friday’s Q and A
As I study English Literature the name Noam Chomsky is familiar to me since my Linguistic teacher is a big fan. Moreover, any Palestinian interested in the international debate about the conflict would have read something by Professor Chomsky.
Our supervisor hinted in “the before exam” session that in the coming days many speakers are going to be hosted via video conference. And it’s already mentioned in Tida’s site that many speakers are scheduled for this year.
Professor Noam Chomsky was hosted last Friday via video conference along with MIT students in the US. When I read the event on Facebook, I got really excited. Such intellectual meetings are very rare, however; Tidas “Gaza Exchange” is breaking from the norm.
We were like 40-50 mostly students when the questions time came many hands were raised. Due to the time limitation, it was nearly an hour, not all of us got the chance to ask him.
However, I was lucky enough to get picked. I asked about my very haunting issue of “non-violent” resistance if it works to change facts on the ground or not, in the light of the growing popular support for the Palestinian cause on one hand, and the BDS movement on the other.
After Mr. Chomsky left, we chatted a little bit with our counterparts at the MIT. At 7:15 pm, the session was over leaving with me good memories, new knowledge, and a new experience that I deeply appreciate.
Why I am so into “Gaza Exchange”
As mentioned before here in Gaza we severely lack intellectual debates due to the mental siege imposed on us. I might sound a bit hyperbolic when I say that last Friday in a way or another we figuratively broke the siege, at least the mental siege.
Such sessions, discussions and workshops are of high importance to me. For now the “Gaza Exchange” project is a central priority in my life, so much like the university or even more, because it serves me as a girl who seeks to learn, but I am mostly setback, because no way out. Moreover, a girl who seeks to speak up, but no one is there to listen to me. Once a topic is suggested or a person hosted, I try to read to prepare for the next meeting-(something I voluntary and happily do at Tida, compulsory do at the university: D )
“Bringing the world to Gaza, and Gaza to world” is the project’s motto which is something, as I live in Gaza, I work on it, I blog for it and now I am being helped by this wonderful project.
Watch the discussion below: (Answer of my question)
Watch more videos on TidaGaza channel on Youtube.
Filed under: Linz from Gaza, LinzLines, Out of Gaza, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza
There have been lots of talks that the Palestinians in Gaza hold a grudge against their Egyptian counterparts, which untrue. Today Egypt won the African cup for the third time on the row, and you can see in Gazas’ streets celebrations of this sport victory.
- The “Sympathize with Gaza” t-shirt that made Abu-Trika a popular figure in Gaza
No one in Gaza can forget what Mohamed Abu-Treka did back in Africa cup. The “Sympathize with Gaza” t-shirt made that player a figure in the whole Arab countries especially Gaza. And till now you can find how much the people respect and love him.
Yes, the Egyptian government is following policies that make our lives here in Gaza harder, but I am perfectly sure that most of the Egyptian people do not agree with it.
Today is the perfect time for Egyptians and Algerians to put their disputes aside and to be happy and grateful for both teams’ achievements. Now we have an Egyptian Champion of Africa and in the summer we’ll be having yet another team in the World cup in South Africa.
Everybody in the Arab region is not happy for how fragile the relationships between the Arab countries are.
But here comes our role as young people to trust and build a strong relationship between each others. Politicians have been nothing but disappointment to their own people. So we should forestall all the attempts to create rifts between “us” the people of this region.
- Gazans support Egypt in the final match tonight-Photo taken by a friend
Filed under: Linz from Gaza, LinzLines, Out of Gaza, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza, Their Gaza
Salamz all,
It was the mere chance that led me to discover this documentary. I read an interview, published on the American based site Electronic Intifada, with the journalist/director, Alberto Arce, who was in Gaza during the war.
Since the moment I have finished reading interview. I searched for more information about the documentary.
After couple of weeks, I was able to download the documentary, and I was planning to watch it on the 18th of January to be part of the global screening, but I got busy with exams. So I saw it before that date.
The two hour documentary starts from the 25th of December when the siege was tighter more than anytime before. The UN announced that its depots were closed, and they couldn’t continue their missions in Gaze due to the siege. Moreover, there was a severe shortage of flour that made Gazans wait for hours in queues in front of bakeries to get their share of bread.
Then, it moves the viewer to the horrors of the war.
As I did live the war on Gaza, my recollection of it is related to what I heard not what I saw.
Watching “to shoot an elephant” was more of seeing what I heard.
The documentary was hard to watch, because it was very real, very raw and very silent. There were many scenes when I just burst in tears, others when I was horrified, and others when I was very angry.
Alberto Arce calls the documentary “an eyewitness” and it is pretty much so, because the editing didn’t include any narration, music, or anything.
The importance of this documentary lies in how it exposes the atrocities occurred. The accusations of being biased would be refuted by the every scene in the film. Whether it is the account of paramedics who were shot to evacuate a body or the burning white phosphorus in a house of a civilian, all these and more just confirm that war crimes were committed not just during the war even before and after.
What still impresses me, though, is that the internationals who were in Gaza were given the chance to leave, but they preferred to risk their necks to show the truth when Israel was denying access to any international journalist. It is indeed inspiring and promising to see such models of non-Palestinians who use their own freedom to stand up by us in way that put their lives at stake.
I recommend each one to watch this documentary. It gives you a deep insight of the war on Gaza and its horrors.
More information:
http://toshootanelephant.com/sites/default/press/english_dossier.pdf
Global Screening :
http://community.toshootanelephant.com/
Watch online:
http://toshootanelephant.com/
On Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kadaveri
Filed under: Linz from Gaza, LinzLines, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza, Their Gaza
Salam all,
The process of writing this poem was very strange. I usually would have a period where I am thinking or listening to something then I suddenly find myself writing some lines. This time I found myself just writing without unconsciously preparing for it. Anyhow, here’s the outcome...
Colorless are the rhymes
as they’re deafened by dust
Voiceless are the voices
as bodies covered with blood
Bitter are the hearts
no way to run
Gory are the wounds
as festered by grudge
Prison inside a prison in a prison
the air
is not to breathe
wall around a wall under a wall
the bottomless is so close to reach
the sunrays burn, the black rain tears
the city of young dreams
nothing is like it seems
nothing is real
but real
Filed under: Linz from Gaza, LinzLines, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza, Their Gaza
Fifth of January 2009 was the day when I experienced what is like to reach the edge of fear. When you feel that your natural instinct and your adrenaline are pushing you to do something to save your life. All the 22 days of the war, I did not feel such fear as the one I felt on the January the fifth.
The incident started when the area close to the building I used to live in was bombarded. It was almost 6 pm-7pm (usually when the heavy strikes used to begin). Few moments after a nearby air strike, we heard another explosion felt like being hit by brick on your head, and sounds windows shattered.
Couple of seconds after, we received a phone call…it was my friend. She was like:”Lina, are you ok?! Your building was hit!” in a very surprised tone I answered:”NO, it was not! ” then she told me that it in the radio they said that the building you live in was hit.
The explosion was very loud, but one couldn’t expect that it is in the same building you are. After I hung up with my friend, the tenants of upper floors were all downstairs, and I heard voices confirming that the eleventh floor of the building was hit by a rocket (knock of the roof kind of a rocket). Then the f16s jets were flying on a very low range indicating that further attacks on our building are eminent.
While all the families evacuated (went to the underground basement), my family stayed at home. We collected our important documents. During that chaos, I was living unspeakable, tense seizures of fear. I rushed to my room and changed my clothes preparing myself to whatever was going to happen. I was afraid of another attack that would bring down the whole building, and I was also afraid of waiting for that to happen.
Finally, my dad decided that we should join our neighbors. We went down to the basement. It was full of children, women and men. Everybody was afraid, yet everybody was trying to hide it, too. Some of adults were praying, others were joking, and the children were trying to sleep and others were playing cards.
For a second I forgot all what was happening that night, and I felt save again. But this temporary distraction that made me safe soon was replaced by despicable shock as the Israeli jets launched more than 20 rockets on Al Saraya police compounds a in a matter of seconds. Everyone living in Gaza city felt that their house was the target. All of us-the then underground tenant-thought “that’s it”, “the building is gone!” Then, we were told that it was Al Saraya not our building, but this did not mean to feel relieved that the danger is over.
At 12 am, we started to feel that waiting for the unknown in the basement was kind of pointless. We decided to go back home, and if anything went wrong, we’d hope we’d be able to “transport” ourselves back to the basement. I remember that night I “slept” wearing my shoes and scarf. The next day, I couldn’t move my legs. I was very shocked and scared like never before in my whole life.
10 years of instability, yet that day I undermined all the fear I felt, and I experienced another kind that I hope no one ever tries.
My family and I were not damaged physically during the war. We did not lose family, friends, or properties (Alhamdolilah) like other people did. Yet, this incident gave me a brief, yet significant insight of those who experienced this kind of terror. And I still believe their terror surely exceeded mine. At least, my family survived, I survived and my home remained intact (even our windows 
).
On the 6th of January 2009, I wrote this massage on Facebook:
“A shrapnel hit the 11th floor in our building,Alhamdolilah no one got hurt. The hit was SO loud and scary. And followed by several very close hits, so all the tenants of our building including us went to the basement of the building.
Pray for our safety,”
I understand, somehow, when the Israeli occupation forces kill, oppress and detain Palestinians, but when a government of a country, like Egypt does what it is doing it is hard for me fathom.
I will not write about the steel wall, because it is being built to maintain the “national security of Egypt”-Whatever that means.
Every country has the right to defend its own borders against any future insurgencies might be conducted by a besieged, destitute people like the Palestinians in Gaza.
Again, I will not focus on that issue. In the end, I can understand why it is being done although Logic doesn’t really have to do with my conclusions.
But, I still can not possibly understand why the Egyptian government has denied entry for activists coming to Gaza for showing solidarity as it marks the first anniversary of the War on Gaza.
The foreign minster’s Ahmed Abu-ELGheit explanation of the raison d’être behind the stiff refusal was total absurd.
I was very excited for the Global March to Gaza. 3 weeks ago I attended an orientation meeting for this march. The Palestinian committee were preparing for it, and discussing possible means to make it an unforgettable event.
Unfortunately, the march didn’t happen in Gaza, because of the Egyptian government-I fully blame it , but that-in no way- means it failed to meet its goals.
The massage was delivered in Egypt and echoed in the rest of the world. And that what matters.
Ironically, the activists stuck in Egypt now know something about being prisoners. The Egyptian government detained some, beat some, and “hotel” arrested others. It’s absolutely not the experience we’d like these people to try though!
The March, if it did happen, would have been an experience none would forget. [The delegations stranded in Egypt compromise More than 1,300 activists from 42 countries seeking to be in one place for one cause]. It would have been the largest delegation to be in Gaza for showing solidarity.
I was very disappointed as I read the news coming from Cairo. I had friends, who were coming, and People I admire I wanted to meet, and new friends I hoped to make. More importantly, it was a chance to show gratitude for these people who not only sacrificed their holidays to be us, but they also spent money, effort and time for this trip.
This is the last post this year, and I dedicate it to all the free, brave and altruistic people in Egypt who sought to be in Gaza.
You give me the hope and strength that Gaza, and Palestine is not alone in its fight for freedom, and thank you for that! May next year brings us freedom and peace , and we march to celebrate that.
Follow Gaza Freedom March on Twitter.
Filed under: Linz Photography, Linz from Gaza, LinzVlogz, Palestinian Linz, Real Gaza, Their Gaza
The Islamic University in Gaza, established in 1979, is an educational institution. On the 28th of December 2008, the IUG’s laboratory building was hit by Israeli warplanes.
Despite the fact that I am not a fan of the university I attend, I felt so dismayed.
The Israelis claim that these labs were used to manufacture rockets, yet this is a totally untrue.
The first photos of the university were chaotic. And I thought that it was going to take a very long time before we go back to studying.
The damage after a year now is plain to see. An unfamiliar space almost like an empty lot which whenever you enter the university it reminds you that Israel had mistaken labs for a rocket factory. Through out this year the rubble was cleared gradually. Now I don’t remember the IUG before it was hit, I only remember the new –now old-reality.
The IUG has been always a symbol of steadfastness and defiance when it comes to the challenges and setbacks that it faced. The minor damages around the labs like broken windows, slightly destroyed wall and remains were soon fixed. The finals exams of the term 2008-2009 were resumed on the February the seventh 2009.
I remember when I first saw the university after the ceasefire, I felt awe. And when I went to have my first exam, I felt some sublimity in the moment of having an exam after this relatively short period and having an exam in a university that was hit less than 2 month ago.
Again it is the defiance and steadfastness of not only the IUG but Gaza and its people as a whole.
As a commemoration of the first anniversary of the War on Gaza, The Student Council at IUG organized activties to commemorate the victims of the onslaught.
IUG-2007
IUG-February 2009
