MIDEAST

Civilian Voices

Palestinians and Israelis talk about how the conflict has affected their lives, and their hopes for the future.

 
 
 

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As Israel's offensive into the Gaza Strip continued into a second week, international efforts to secure a ceasefire intensified. More than 600 Palestinians and nine Israelis have been killed. Although many yearn for an end to the violence, few expect it to happen soon. Citizens on both sides of the border express their opinions, fears and hopes for a future that has never looked so uncertain.

VOICES FROM GAZA
Saber Abu Reesh, 40, from the Maghazi neighborhood of Gaza, whose brother was killed last week in an Israeli air strike:
I can't forget the death of my brother but in order to stop more killing and bloodshed I would agree to reach a fair and lasting peace. The Palestinian Authority must do all it can to stop this war. We are human beings. We don't like killing and we want peace, but this peace must achieve our goals to live in dignity and respect.

I was at home when I heard that Israel had begun bombing the Gaza Strip. I was afraid that something had happened to my brother, Osama, so I tried to call his mobile but he didn't answer. I later found him dead in [a] hospital. My brother was married with 10 children. He didn't belong to Hamas; he was just trying to look after his family. My brother is a victim of this crazy bombing in Gaza. Civilians are always victims and they pay the price of wars. What will we say to his sons when they grow up?

Etemad Abu Tahoon, 35, fled from Gaza City with her three daughters   when she heard that Israel was about to launch a ground incursion:
I threw some clothes into a bag and hurried with my girls to Nusserat, where my father lives, but we still don't feel safe. Before we left, we spent the whole night in the basement with our neighbors. The shelling continued all night and my children cry constantly.

Abed al Fatah Ahmed, 52, Gaza City:
I voted Hamas hoping to change our bad situation and to get rid of corruption, but nothing changed and our lives have become miserable. I'm so scared that any time crossfire may hit the windows and kill one of my children. This is not my battle, and I don't want to pay the price. The Israeli troops didn't reach my home yet, but they may.

Abu Ahmed, 55:
My family and I voted Hamas, and we will defend Hamas by all means … Why should we feel fear? … We don't have weapons to resist but we have the weapons to pray to God to support the resistance. We follow the news on a small radio, and we cheered when we heard that an Israeli soldier may have been kidnapped.

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: Cruiser2 @ 02/04/2009 3:48:19 PM

    Israelis are Bullies / Cowards / Greedy / Motivated to gain more land for their overwhelming population since people around the world have finally figured out who the jews are....cowards and murderers....
    They are so gun happy and ready to fight even a mosquito, that this past slaughter, did nothing but to think Israel is king in the region....king of what ?...you betrayed a man named Jesus 2000 years ago,,so you don't have any friends....Israel has to always have their hands in someone elses pocket, they have to think they are superior
    Forget your past of 60 years ago...there are and have been larger and deadlier holocausts than WW11....
    Most of you little jerks in Israel can't even decide what is right and wrong....a few homemade firecrackers against a Blitzgrieg ....Really the sign of a Man of Peace....move to S.America and see if the alligators like the taste of you.
    Start the War Crimes Tribunal,,or is everone still in denial that Israel slaughtered people and expects to get away with it...

  • Posted By: Sultan Ahmed @ 01/13/2009 9:10:01 AM

    Disregarding media role in the events,
    Israel has imposed ban on journlist,
    entering in to Gaza.

    What is the reason behind this action,
    according to them the safety of correspodents,
    relating to different newspapers.

    Significance,significance,
    the fact is that,Israel don't want real picture will be releas to the world,
    attributed the attrcities,committed by it.

  • Posted By: forjustice @ 01/12/2009 5:49:39 PM

    When it comes to standing up to violations of international laws and norms including Secutiy Council resolutions, the Americans act like a bunch of cowards, all the US Presidents have followed this shameful tradition and I don't think BO's admin will be any different either.

    Overall, USA has always been one of the best countries of the world, except its ridiculous support of indenesible Israeli atrocities and to a lesser extent its support for the undemocratic corrupt regimes in the middle east. I have never understood this, but perhaps there are military secrets which make USA act like a noodle. In fact it will be not an exaggeration to say that Washington is liek a satellite capital of Israel although it is washington which literally finances and arms Israel. What is the staretgic interest, God knows. [Isreel is a democrcacy argument is obviously a BS]

    Having said that, the Arab countries are noodles too when defending human rights because the rogue regimes are also the big violators of human rights in theor countries. Isarel at least has great record of human rights for its citizens of Jewsih faith..

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