On my way to work, I pay a visit to this tent school in Rafah where kids assemble every morning. These kids are sat in the tent as their school was destroyed by aerial bombing during the Israeli winter aggression last year. One year gone, there is no sign of reconstruction of the educational institution as Israel won’t let concrete enter Gaza Strip. By God! These kids come here every morning despite of the weather, climate or the mood. I come here to seek inspiration from these young flowers.
Photo - Getty Images
Everyday on my way to work I see shattered houses. They lay in dilapidated conditions since the Israeli aggression that lasted three weeks (27 December, 2008 – 21 January, 2009) last winter. The people live in houses but they’re void of the basic meaning of a house. What is a house for you? A place that gives you shelter from external elements like weather and climate and provide you safety and security? Unfortunately, for Gazans it’s just a place that gives them a sense of existence.
As far as reconstruction is concerned, we don’t have any access to basic construction materials like cement, sand, steel, glass etc. Ask the Israelis and they’ll tell you that Hamas will build war bunkers with the materials that enter the Gaza Strip. Do you think they’re really afraid of Hamas? Maybe. But their real intention is to force us live in shambles.
Photo - AP
I arrive at work and very soon I’m dispatched by my employers to a nearby site where building rubble is crushed to pieces to make cement. Other materials are also re-used. The material we get from the crushing is not of a good quality but there is no other alternative for hundreds of thousands of people who require cement and other building material to rebuild their homes and save themselves from the elements of weather.
Photo - Abid Katib/Getty Images/LIFE
Now I head towards Rafah, southern Gaza border with Egypt. Don’t worry my friends, I’m not here to buy weapons as the Israelis like to tell you. I just want to buy a present for my friend who’s going to get married tomorrow.
What I’m seeing that is coming out from these tunnels just baffles my mind. On a given day, you’ll see the import of livestock, fodder, foodstuff, clothes, medicines, beverages, electronic goods, some building materials, car parts, electrical goods, household items and so many other things needed by Gazans on a daily basis. To put it short, these tunnels are our lifeblood. Without them we won’t be able to survive for long.
Wonderful dear , It gives a clear picture to the life in Gaza under the siege and the occupation , tou express it as you live there with the palestinians , you have reflexed the daily life in Gaza in the best way , nice work Moign :)
@Menna
Thank you very much for your input Menna. Credit also goes to Mahmoud who gave me real insight and knowledge to write this photo feature. Without you both, my work remains incomplete and sightless. Thanx to you both.
Reading this feature was like a rollercoaster ride. I caught myself shaking my head in disbelief, I felt deep sympathy, I was in shock, and the more I read, the angrier I became. How man can deliberately destroy his own species is something I will never understand. I refuse to.
At the same time I am aware that this situation will never change. As long as there are men, there will be fights and wars, there will be terror, violence and cruelty. I am not a pessimist, but looking back into the past and considering the current situation makes me doubt man will ever learn. I doubt mankind will ever overcome their anxieties and fears of the unknown and the different. I doubt the majority of men will ever start to develop something like real acceptance and respect for others.
Fortunately, there are people like you, Moign, who make an effort to provide people all over the world with different views and alternate opinions. This feature – this whole website – is like a little stone that’s being thrown into the water. The stone itself may be only small – but even small stones draw big circles!
I am looking forward to the next ‘citizen’ features, and I hope they’ll give us widespread ideas and impressions of the lives of many different people in many different places and situations. These articles will, I am sure, show and prove that despite some certain obvious differences, we all have much more in common than we maybe would have thought before. The same feelings, ideas and thoughts are shared all over the world.
@ Steph
Thank you very much for sharing your views and feelings with us Steph. It is important for us to know how our readers feel when they find out personal experiences of other people like them. This is the very objective of this feature and I’m glad it seems to be working.
Now coming to your point that “this situation will never change”, I’d like to express a few this here. First of all, we seem to be losing our ability to ask the vital question “why?”. Whenever something happens, be it an event in personal life or an incident on national or international scene, we seldom go into the depth of the matter and ask “why is it happening”. Rather than investigation and analysing, we tend to rely on the general view given to us which is easy to accept. A friend might give you his/her view when you ask about an issue in your life or people you know or see in the media might give you their point of view regarding a situation in the country or worldwide. Though it may be very nice to have people speaking their frame of mind, it should not infringe on our right of thinking and analysis.
The violence, terror and cruelty that shocks you, me and millions of people around the world is not happening without a reason. There is always a reason which might be complex but in order to solve a conflict we have to address it. Otherwise, it will spiral out of control and beget more violence.
I strongly disagree that violence is the foundation of mankind and is innate quality of the human race. Mankind has only flourished when there was complete harmony and a sense of justice with acceptance and respect for others. These are the foundations of civilisations and will always remain. But once a civilisation is denied these very basic values and principles, there will always be a conflict and the bad side, as you pointed out, will rear its head.
The conflict in the Middle East, especially in Occupied Palestine, is taking place due to the infringement of the very values you mentioned in your comment. The Palestinians have been subjected to terror, violence and cruelty for the last 63 years. They’ve been stripped the right to justice, respect and acceptance by the Zionist regime. Now any regime committing such acts cannot be termed as human by any standards, be it legal, moral or humanitarian. The problem arises when their acts are justified and supported. Problems also arise when appeasement becomes the order of the day instead of confronting the abuse and nipping it in the bud.
It is human nature to be compassionate and kind to the others. Travel around the world and you’ll find the majority of people living with the same values of trust, kindness and compassion and trying to help out each other. It’s only a bad influence of few people that corrupts the society and drives it to the brink of disaster. What goes around, comes around. Spread mercy and kindness and we all will see the results…
I thank you once again for your participation in the feedback process. I really look forward to grow this idea and make it into an interesting experiment of human interaction and enlightenment, for which I look forward to readers like yourself.
@ Moign
First of all I would like to thank you to for your in-depth and detailed reply. I agree with basically everything you said. Let me just make it clear that I do NOT believe that “violence is the foundation of mankind”. There certainly is more to man than this. But I do believe there is a certain degree of violence in everyone – it has ever since been an essential feature of every animal in order to defend themselves in their struggle for life.
On the other hand, of course, compassion and kindness are traits even more vital, innate and powerful in every human being. I believe we all long for peace and harmony, and I also believe, like you do, that you get back what you give, that action is followed by reaction, and that there’s always a reason for what we do and how we react. Kindness and trust will be reacted to with kindness and trust, whereas violence will lead to ever more violence, until, in the end, the original reasons that led to any fight may long be forgotten, but the fights continue nevertheless. This is, and here I agree with you again, a highly dangerous condition.
Where bad influence, oppression and injustice reigns, there peaceful people will be turned into people who fight to get their rights back. This is what we should keep in mind before blindly trusting others’ comments or mainstream news in the media that naturally just report just one side of the story. Thanks to FPJ that we are also supplied with different and alternate views!
NaZionism of Israel plays the holocaust card very well to make the world is feeling bad for its struggled in WWII. That is the truth, but a big problem is Israel has learned very well while they were in “refugee camps” across EU. Since Israel uses all tactics cutting water, foods, electricity at “Palestinian refugee camps” anytime it wants to. Israel now becomes a modern Nazi (NaZionism, NaZionist). More than anyone, Jews knew how hard to be as victims of war, hatred, but Jews don’t care, they are promoting Zionist as NaZionism to push helpless Palestinians to the situation of noway out. The whole world close the eyes on Palestinian: Israeli Holocaust from NaZionism.
The new NaZionist has gone too far then normal of human kind to create war and incited allies into war to destroy Iraq/Afghanistan, Lebanon and shot Palestinians any times NaZionist wanted to, then use the media tactics to cover-up the truth of ruthlessness, evil of new NaZionist.
When people live in poor countries and live in the refugee camps. They have no choice to to look up to their future. The only way they could make their young one to remember them is to die for any causes, no matter that cause comes from. Why the world waited too long to protect the Palestinians? How many years Jews were in “Refugee Camps”? and how many years the Palestinians are being in the “Modern NaZionism Refugee Camps”? Who will end the struggle of Palestinian? 50 years for the whole world watch the Palestinian suffering in their own soil, because they are not “children of God”? What the moral value US, UK, UE, (United of Europe) and UN created state of NaZionism of Israel? also sailing DEMOCRACY to the world and 4U acted behind the New NaZionist and blindly support NaZionism to spread to new millennium.
@Free4everyone
You’ve raised some very serious questions here which need to be answered by the international community especially the American establishment. What Jews went through the WW 2 is sad but in no way Palestinians have to go through anything like that. In fact no nation deserves this kind of treatment.
The world is coming to realise the dangers of racial/religious supremacy ideologies one of which is Zionism. But it will take a long time before there is some stern action taken against it. Oppression extends till it extinguishes itself.
Great article ,,, Well done mogin ,, anyone who reads your articles about palestine will feel that u are palestinian ,, you can reach to the smallest and the tiny things that gaza people suffer from
thanks for menna and for her friends who inspire you and help you to present a clear and a vivid picture to what is happening in Gaza .
thanks for ur great care for the palestinian cause and gaza conditions
@ Heba
Thanks a lot Heba. With people like yourself, and your friends, I’ve been able to get just an idea of life in Gaza but it is impossible to feel what you people are going through. The things Gazans put up with daily is just unimaginable. I really wish this nightmare comes to an end and your nation gets the freedom it long deserves. We all stand united with Gaza…the least we can do.
we are trying to understand & support Gazan people but I guess your words are more efficent ….helping them to show ‘ what is going on in Gaza ‘…
people in developed countries also every member of UN should open their eyes & minds… we should be really ‘united’ with every means of word…
thanks for sharing your observations with us.. it is really brave thing in this world…
we could be and can be a Gazan… our prays for them and for other countries who are suffering from the ”’big brothers”’
regards from Turkey…
@Emine
I’m really glad to have your supportive comment my friend. The recent events have made it more clear than ever that Zionism stands for aggression and occupation and violations of human rights and international laws. It is absolutely clear that Zionism is the modern form of Nazi fascism and is committed to the destruction of Palestinians by adopting the same Nazi methods. I salute Turks for their exemplary courage and honesty for which they stood against the Zionist injustices in Gaza. A few more leaders like Erdogan and Zionism’s days can be numbered. The solidarity for Palestinians is growing and getting stronger day by day. I’m glad that your nation is leading us.
Israel is treating the native Palestinians in Gaza EXACTLY the same way that Hitler treated the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto!
The State of Israel has become a shanda, a disgrace to the Jewish People.
I cannot agree more my friend. I can imagine how it feels to be a Jew and see criminality perpetrated in the name of Jewish religion. It is heart rending to say the least…
It’s really difficult to make that someone feels of other places in this world, and you get it… We can understand how others feel and live. This is the best way to understand each other and be able to help. You know how I like your work. Keep it on!
All what you say is correct, but do not forget to take your interest after publishing this article. None of you serve the cause of Palestine.
BUSINESS is BUSINESS
@Moutaz
I totally understand your point my friend. I can’t say about the others but Foreign Policy Journal has been very consistent in reporting about the issues in Gaza. We also take pride in being very vocal in supporting the war-ravaged people of Gaza and highly critical of the Zionists policies in the region. And our addressing this issue comes out of duty and dedication not business. Our business is only giving voice to the voiceless people, empowering them and raising awareness for their cause. And we care about our business Moutaz.
Thank you very much for registering your voice here. We cannot forget our cause as long as readers like you are with us.
very good article …… when i was reading it i wanted to help them imediatly ….. but i can’t help it . It means that your aticle is writen in best way to give informations to the others and to show how people of GAZA live and it stir emotions
well done Moign and Inshaallah GOD will be with u
Thanks buddy. Good submissions you got going on here. Got some more sites to point to which have more stuff like this?