News and Actions

Gaza massacres must spur us to action Emergency Alert: Take Action to End Israeli Attacks on Gaza Medicine Desperately Needed in Gaza News: 220 dead, Gaza hospitals a gruesome scene, Radio interviews Dec 30: National Day of Action

Dear Friends,

I spent most of today watching footage of things I never wanted to see. The backdrop changed but the images were the same. Dozens of bodies splayed on the ground. Children sobbing. Dying men struggling to say their last words. Cars and ambulances unloading the dead and injured.

I still can't find the words to write but I needed to register my anger and pain. I joined a demonstration in Bethlehem to condemn the massacres in Gaza. But I came home to text messages from friends in Gaza who are fearfully awaiting the next round of bombings (four more air strikes rained down on them while I wrote this email). We must do more.

I know many of you feel are also feeling helpless in the face of these atrocities and are searching for something positive to do. Below you'll find news articles with up-to-date information and a few suggestions for how you can take action for the people of Gaza.

Thank you,

Josie, MECA Project Coordinator

Gaza massacres must spur us to action

Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 27 December 2008

US-supplied Israeli F-16 warplanes and Apache helicopters dropped over 100 bombs on dozens of locations in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip killing at least 195 persons and injuring hundreds more. Many of these locations were police stations located, like police stations the world over, in the middle of civilian areas. The US government was one of the first to offer its support for Israel's attacks, and others will follow. ...

On top of the intense anger and sadness so many people feel at Israel's renewed mass killings in Gaza is a sense of frustration that there seem to be so few ways to channel it into a political response that can change the course of events, end the suffering, and bring justice.

But there are ways, and this is a moment to focus on them. Already I have received notices of demonstrations and solidarity actions being planned in cities all over the world. That is important. But what will happen after the demonstrations disperse and the anger dies down? Will we continue to let Palestinians in Gaza die in silence?

Read the whole article here and learn what Palestinians are asking you to do.

Emergency Alert: Take Action to End Israeli Attacks on Gaza

US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

As of this writing, Israeli Air Force attacks today on the occupied Gaza Strip killed an estimated 200 or more people and injured hundreds more. These Israeli attacks come on top of a brutal siege of the Gaza Strip, which has created a humanitarian catastrophe of dire proportions for Gaza's 1.5 million Palestinian residents by restricting the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life.

While the scope of civilian casualties in today's attacks is not yet clear, it is unmistakable that Israel carried out these attacks with F16 fighter jets and missiles provided by the taxpayers of this country. From 2001-2006, the United States transferred to Israel more than $200 million worth of spare parts to fly its fleet of F16's. In July 2008, the United States gave Israel 186 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel. Last year, the United States signed a $1.3 billion contract with Raytheon to transfer to Israel thousands of TOW, Hellfire, and "bunker buster" missiles.

In short, Israel's lethal attack today on the Gaza Strip could not have happened without the active military and political support of the United States. Therefore, we need to take action to protest this attack and demand an immediate cease-fire.

TAKE ACTION

1. Contact the White House to protest the attack and demand an immediate cease-fire. Call 202-456-1111 or send an email to comments@whitehouse.gov.

2. Contact the State Department at 202-647-6575 or send an email by clicking here.

3. Contact your Representative and Senators in Congress at 202-224-3121 or find contact info for your Members of Congress by clicking here.

4. Contact your local media by phoning into a talk show or writing a letter to the editor. To find contact info for your local media, click here.

5. Organize a local protest or vigil and tell us about it by clicking here.

6. Sign our open letter to President-Elect Obama calling for a new U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine and find out other steps you can take to influence the incoming Administration by clicking here.

Medicine Desperately Needed in Gaza

You can help!

Today's Israeli air strikes on Gaza have left hundreds injured. And after months of an intense siege, the hospitals and clinics aren't equipped to handle this emergency situation. Hospitals in Gaza are turning away people with mild or moderate injuries because they simply don't have the capacity to treat them.

The Middle East Children's Alliance is working with health organizations in Gaza to procure the most-needed medicines and send them direct to Gaza with the help of the Free Gaza Movement. Make a secure online contribution now

News: 220 dead, Gaza hospitals a gruesome scene, Radio interviews

KPFA's Nora Barrows-Friedman speaks with people on the ground in Gaza. This one hour emergency broadcast covers news and analysis of Israel's deadly attacks on Gaza. Click here to listen.

Gaza City hospital a gruesome scene; shocked families pick through body parts to identify loved ones Medics in Gaza confirmed that the majority of those killed in the day's attacks were civilians, including men, women and children. Most were cut to pieces, making the job of doctors and medics difficult, and the task of giving bodies back to families painful and gruesome....

As the death toll climbs and no word on a halt to the attacks has come from Israel, Gazans fear for their lives and loved ones. Read the whole story here.

Hundreds die in Israel raid on Gaza: At least 220 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in an Israeli aerial bombardment on Hamas security installations.

Israel launched air attacks across the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday, threatening that further operations would be carried out.

Read the full article here.

Dec 30: National Day of Action

Emergency Demos across the US

Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, December 30, 4:30 pm

State Department: 22nd St & C St NW

Contact: 202-544-3389 x14, dc@answercoalition. org

San Francisco

Tuesday, December 30, 5:00 pm

Israeli Consulate:456 Montgomery St. Contact: 415-821-6545, answer@answersf. org

Los Angeles

Tuesday, December 30, 4:30 pm

Israeli Consulate: 6380 Wilshire Blvd.

Contact: 213-251-1025, answerla@answerla. org

* * * * *

In Anaheim, CA (Orange County):

Sunday, December 28, 2:00 pm

512 S. Brookhurst St. (between Orange Ave. & Broadway)

Initiated by a coalition with a large number of groups

New York City

Tuesday, December 30, 5:00 pm

Israeli Consulate: 800 2nd Ave (b/w 42nd and 43rd Sts)

Contact: 212-694-8720, nyc@answercoalition .org

* * * * *

Sunday, December 28, 2:00-4:00 pm

Gather at Rockefeller Center

March to the Israeli Consulate: 800 2nd Ave (b/w 42nd and 43rd Sts)

Initiated by Al-Awda New York

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Tuesday, December 30, 5:00 pm

Federal Building: 299 E. Broward Blvd.

Contact: 954-707-0155, FtLauderdale@ answerfl. org

Chicago

Details to be announced

Contact: 773-463-0311, answer@chicagoanswe r.net

Boston

Details to be announced

Contact: 857-334-5084, boston@answercoalit ion.org

Seattle

Saturday, January 3, 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm

Westlake Park: 4th and Pine

Initiated by Voices of Palestine

Contact: general@voicesofpal estine.org

Toronto

Sunday, December 28, 2:00 pm

Israeli Embassy Consulate: 180 Bloor St. West

Initiated by a number of local organizations

If there is a demonstration in your city, email the details to info@answercoalitio n.org so it can be posted on the ANSWER Coalition website and listed in any future emails.

Middle East Children's Alliance

1101 8th Street, #100

Berkeley, California 94710

meca@mecaforpeace. org

http://www.mecaforp eace.org