A summary of events

If you don't understand the major ins and outs of the Gaza conflict, or the situation in Israel/Palestine in general, today's Guardian has a great article that goes into various aspects of it.

The bonus is that it's written by Avi Shlaim, a professor of international relations at Oxford and an Israeli.

'How Israel brought Gaza to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe'

Holy Land?

I'm almost pleased that the violence in Gaza has erupted during the dead-time between Christmas and New Year - at least it means it gets the news coverage it deserves. At a time when this holy land is at the forefront of our minds, it seems fitting that the unholy conflict taking place there should be brought to our attention again.

There's almost nothing I can write about it, I certainly can't be profound.
I've not been there, but I know people who have. I also know people whose lives have been directly affected by the conflict. But you don't need to have been there to be affected by what's taking place - just look at the stark statistics:

Death toll since bombing began on Saturday - 315
Injured since Saturday - 1,400+
Number of Israelis killed by Palestinian rockets fired from Gaza over the last 8 years - 18 (approx)
[Source: 'Gaza death toll tops 300...', today's Guardian]

It's a time when all I can do is read the articles and watch the reports and pray. If I get the chance I'll head over to one of the demos outside the Israeli embassy. At the same time, I inwardly seeth when I see that a friend on facebook has become a supporter of Tzipi Lvini, the current Israeli Foreign Minister, standing for PM in their next elections.

I've got a request though...
Whatever happens in the next few days, weeks and months; don't forget about Gaza, the West Bank, the Palestinian people and the Israelis. When it disappears from the news and front pages there will still be people whose day to day lives are being destroyed by this conflict. If you pray, then pray for peace. If you don't, just stay informed - it's that simple.

Counting down to the Nakba anniversary

It's been difficult to keep posting on this blog. So much happens and it now feels a long way away, sitting in London, reading articles and watching reports from Jerusalem/Tel Aviv.

But in the run-up to Wednesday's anniversary, I thought I'd try to do some catching up and concentrate on the issues.

The Guardian website has a great section on its website. Thanks to its diverse readership, it's usually balanced (i.e. couldn't easily be acused of anti-semitism), but has a passion for justice. Their 'Israel at 60' section has some interesting reading.

Also, Saturday afternoon sees a major rally organised by the PSC (Palestinian Solidarity Campaign). Starting at Victoria Embankment, going up to Trafalgar Square, more details can be found here.