The Israeli Occupation Force targets Palestinian medics, firefighters, and other emergency workers. This is the blog for the International Campaign of Solidarity with Palestinian Emergency Workers. It is under construction and we welcome your help, research, and reports.
“…and some, but not all, of the convoy members have made it in as well. Towards the end of Yousef’s interviews below, I’m delighted to see Free Gaza’s [and Gaza medic accompanier] Caoimhe has made it back in – she’s been out doing solidarity work ever since we both left in May.
Egypt refused to let any of the convoy into Cairo, so it re-routed to go the long way round, via Syria then directly to Al Arish, where 60 members of the convoy were injured yesterday in attacks by Egyptian police. Read the rest of this entry »
January 18 will be a Global Screening Day for Alberto Arce and Mohammed Rujailah’s film, covering the international presence in Gaza under the Dec/Jan attack, including what the emergency workers faced. It’s called “To Shoot An Elephant” and is their own editing of their footage that became the film “Erased: Wiped off the Map” about the attacks on Gaza.
Here follows Alberto’s and Moh’s Screening Announcement –it’s not too late to join in and screen the film yourself in your town, just visit www.toshootanelephant.com, where you can also see the English trailer. Since you can download it, your screening could even just be held in your own living room on January 18.
TO SHOOT AN ELEPHANT
The “To shoot an elephant” team calls for a Global Screening/Global Screaming Day for Gaza on January 18th, 2010… Read the rest of this entry »
This post originally appeared at www.talestotell.wordpress.com
You can see the breaking news on the Gaza Freedom Marchhere… I just spotted that Hedy (American Holocaust Survivor) from our FreeGaza boats is on it too, bless her… hope I have her energy at 85!
I got a few determined texts from my friend A (aiming for 6 months in Gaza doing the kind of thing I did) yesterday, the anniversary of the first day of last year’s Gaza attacks; she, Italian Vik from our original gang who’s been outside on his European Gaza book tour, and about 1300 other Freedom March participants were in the centre of Cairo last night, demanding to be allowed to enter Gaza. Read the rest of this entry »
The guys on the right create the fire, the guys on the left fight it...
In October/November 2009, 8 firefighters from the West Bank city of Nablus came to the UK on a visit organised by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and at the invitation of the Scottish Government. The Nablus Fire Department, founded in 1958, is unique in Palestine as a Municipal Fire Department (not Civil Defence) and is funded and controlled by the Nablus Municipality.
The visit, funded in the main by donation and sponsorship, was the culmination of months of planning following several visits by FBU officials to the area where it became apparent that the Nablus firefighters were severely handicapped by lack of equipment (particularly Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)) and lack of training. Read the rest of this entry »
“Palestinian ambulance driver Khaled Abu Sada has been helping to save lives for over a decade. He was first interviewed by Al Jazeera three years ago. [Speaking again] from Gaza as Al Jazeera English celebrates its third anniversary, Khaled reports what has and hasn’t changed over the last few years. Facing difficulties such as the destruction of his house during Israel’s war on Gaza and the loss of close friends [including Arafa] Khaled also comments on political issues that effect his life every single day.”
“Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israeli forces used live fire on Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank village of Nil’in on Friday [November 13 2009] activists said and the military confirmed.
Rumors had been circulating that the Israelis would respond more harshly than usual due to the activists’ success in pulling down a section of the wall at the Qalandiya military checkpoint a week earlier.
“These rumors were confirmed,” said Ibraheem Amera, coordinator of the Nil’in popular committee. “A huge army of Israeli soldiers was awaiting [protesters] and immediately started [to] fire huge amounts of tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets and also live ammunition.” Read the rest of this entry »
Part of the International Week of Solidarity Against the Apartheid Walls in Palestine and Siege of Gaza
Cork to Gaza - Viva Palestina Ambulance
Today, Saturday 14th November 2009, hundreds of Palestinians and solidarity activists rallied in Dublin to protest against Israel’s apartheid practices in Palestine. The rally – part of an international week of global mobilisation against the walls of apartheid in Palestine from November 9th to 16th 2009, was called by the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign – was compèred by Freda Hughes (IPSC PRO), Caoimhe Butterly (renowned Irish human rights activist), Ger Cassidy (Viva Palestina), Sameh Habeeb (Gazan Journalist and human rights activist), John Hurson (Where Do the Children Play?), Pete St. John-Jones (International Solidarity Activist in Bil’in).
Settlers obstruct fire fighters en route to Hebron blaze Published Thursday 29/10/2009 (updated) 30/10/2009 13:20
Hebron – Ma’an – Israeli settlers residing in illegal outposts in the heart of Hebron obstructed the work of Palestinian fire fighters on Wednesday night, as crews attempted to access a burning building owned by a Palestinian family.
Firefighter Jamal Qawasmeh said the station received a call regarding a fire in the Bani Dar neighborhood in the old city of Hebron. “We coordinated with the Israeli side so the servicemen and our vehicle could access the area,” he explained.
Despite the coordination, however, “a group of settlers attacked fire fighting personnel” and blocked the access of the vehicle to the street where the fire was. “After more than half an hour the soldiers at the scene intervened to keep the settlers away from the fire fighting vehicle” and allowed it to pass, he said.
Qawasmeh said it was not the first time fire fighters have been unable to reach homes and emergencies in the Old City. Between the road blocks, barriers and metal detectors, he said, access to some areas was impossible even without angry settlers barring the way.
Polish paramedic union passes historic motion against Israeli occupation
Last week, Poland’s biggest independent medical rescuers union – The Nationwide Trade Union of Medical Rescue Employees (Krajowy Zwiazek Zawodowy Pracownikow Ratownictwa Medycznego) KZZ PRM – passed a historic motion of solidarity with Palestinian rescuers, and against Israeli occupation. Read the rest of this entry »
Email us at defendtherescuers AT yahoo.com, especially if your organisation would like to support the campaign in some way, or if you can help update this blog.
