COMPLETE - Save the Palestinians!

WE HAVE MOVED TO

2009-01-31T19:29:00.001+08:00

www.completemalaysia.com

Kembara Palestin

2009-01-29T20:43:00.001+08:00

Letters to COMPLETE 1

2009-01-29T20:18:00.003+08:00

To whom it may concern:

With respect to the destruction in GAZA, I am not really happy with what Israel is doing but the Gaza indigenes are to blame for supporting HAMAS. Hamas is an organization that has no regards for the citizen of Gaza. Can you tell me the intention of HAMAS when they are throwing missiles into Israel? If Hamas is wise, they should have known that you don't go to war with stones only. You don't initiate conflict with someone more powerful.

I don't have much to say but I wish HAMAS will be wise one day and know that it is really important to give life a meaning. The consequence of throwing missile into Israel is never at their advantage.

James Clinton

Response from Sis Zabrina

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email. We, at COMPLETE appreciate you taking the time to write us your comments and opinion.

After reading your email, here is our response.

We quote "Can you tell me the intention of HAMAS when they are throwing missiles into Israel?" and "You don't initiate conflict with someone more powerful'.

May we bring your attention to a few facts:

a) A few days into the war, various news agencies including CNN, verified and confirmed that it was Israelis who had broken the ceasefire first which means that they are the ones who violated and attacked the Palestinians in Gaza. This means that their 'self-defense' reasoning was a total lie. Unfortunately, due to unprofessional and biased reporting by the many media, only a handful has acknowledged their errors.

Kindly click on the independent links provided below as proof that the ceasefire was first broken by Israelis and not Hamas as claimed. If you need more sources, we would be glad to provide.

Source: Anti War. Title: Israel Rejected Hamas Cease-Fire Offer in December

Source: CNN. Title: CNN Confirms Israelis Broke Cease-Fire First

Source: Global Research (Center for Reserach and Globalization ). Title: Israel Slow Motion Genocide in Occupied Palestine

Source: Redress Information and Analysis. Title: Israel Lies Machine Dodging Killer Question

b) We would also like to respond to your opinion that "you don't initiate conflict with someone more powerful".

1- First of all, the Palestinians are being occupied and the Israelis as the occupier. No one has refuted this basic fundamental fact.

2- Reflecting into history, the resistance by the occupied against its occupier is nothing new. Let us bring your attention to some historical facts below:

a- Refer back to the Vietnamese war where the villages armed with mediocre weapons and tunnel strategy against the mighty United States of America. Resisting and fighting against 'someone more powerful' was seen as a necessary step to achieve independence from their occupier. This resistance against 'someone more powerful' has led them to their freedom.

b- The Huk rebellion in the Philippines which can be considered as traditional insurgency group first surfaced as an armed force; had resisted the Japanese occupation of the Second World War.

c- The Indonesians fight against the Dutch using merely sharpened bamboos as bamboos are easily available; and they won. People need to use whatever resources they have around them to defend themselves against occupiers- whatever it may be.

d- The Somalis won and kicked the Americans out of their countries using normal mediocre weapons.

e- The British failed at Suez and Gallipoli against the people who resisted being occupied.

f- The Hezbollah won against Israelis noted as the 4th biggest army in the world by using mediocre weapons during the last Lebanese-Israeli war.

g- The Soviets lost badly in Afghanistan who simply used again, normal mediocre weapon as compared to their occupiers.

h- In fact, looking into history, resistance movements that had used normal mediocre weapons and was in 'conflict' against their so-called 'someone more powerful' had won.

Should the people in the occupied land submit to their 'fate' without fighting for their rights, just because the occupiers are more powerful? We leave the answer to you, Sir.

And it is interesting that you mentioned Hamas should know the importance of giving life a meaning. We totally agree with you. But what would really give life a meaning to the Palestinians?

It is this- To RETURN back what is theirs.

And if only Israelis could act as such…

Sincerely,
Zabrina A Bakar
COMPLETE.

Response from Azra Banu

A. Thank you for your email. Your comments and opinions are valuable to us and most appreciated.

Any objective and just analysis of this situation must go beyond 27th December 2008. The latest invasion of Gaza cannot be looked at isolated and independent of the factors and circumstances that culminated in this 'monstrosity' as described by Father Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, President of the United Nations General Assembly.

An Egyptian brokered truce between Hamas and Israel took effect on 19th June 2008. Part of this truce included the lifting of Israel's siege of Gaza, which it had imposed after the June 2007 Hamas takeover. Israel however failed to honour this and Gaza was left on the brink of a humanitarian crisis, with serious shortages of medicine, food, electricity, fuel; in essence all basic necessities to life.

It is a documented fact and reported by several news agencies that it was indeed Israel that had violated the truce when on November 4th 2008, it conducted an air raid that killed six Palestinians. This brings into question Israel's constant line that it acted in self-defense. If the various news agencies had as a barometer, truth, objectivity and integrity, this fact would not have gone largely unnoticed.

For more on this kindly click on the links provided and should you require more sources, we will be more than happy to oblige.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/05/israelandthepalestinians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KntmpoRXFX4

http://www.ww4report.com/node/6572

As to the question that "you don't initiate conflict with someone more powerful", again to be fair, one must look beyond the borders of the apparent.

Israel is an occupying force. The Palestinians have been living under Israeli military occupation since 1967 in their own land. They have been dispossessed, their lands stolen and made refugees in their own homeland. In fact the vast majority of people in Gaza are refugees made homeless with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. This fact is indisputable.

The loss of any life is tragic, be they Palestinian or Israeli, but the fact remains that many of the areas that were targeted by Hamas's rockets were illegal settlements built on stolen Palestinian land, an act condemned by United Nations and the world at large. It would be highly unreasonable, in fact outrageous to expect the Palestinians to sit idly by and have their lands snatched by an intrusive force. And for these illegal settlers to demand that they be left to dwell in peace and tranquility by the people they stole from is unconscionable. Imagine a thief questioning his victim's retaliation.

Hamas is not the first to fight Israeli occupation, nor will they be the last. The Palestinians have been resisting the Israelis since their land was first stolen from them. Man's expansive history provides abundant examples of resistance to an occupying force or colonial masters. One need only look at the resistance in Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Algeria even the American war of independence; a pattern repeated through the annals of history across the globe. Where man has been oppressed, he has resisted.

These resistance movements always had a David versus Goliath slant. The occupied had the least sophisticated of weapons and suffered heavier casualties and losses but they fought on relentlessly till independence was achieved. Today the Palestinians are fighting for national liberation against a colonial Zionist state, an occupying force that is the fourth mightiest military power in the world, backed by the mightiest, the USA. So despite the odds, the Palestinians will continue to resist for to not do so would be to succumb to oppression.

It is indeed important to give meaning to life. Everyone deserves the right to live in peace in their homeland and not witness the atrocities committed on one's people through generations. To compound matters, the world is disturbingly quiet. Is it too much to ask for the occupation to end and for the Palestinians to be given their land back and be allowed to return home? Or should the Palestinians just meekly surrender their homes and dignity, and leave their fate at the hands of a powerful and brutal force?

Azra Banu
Secretary
COMPLETE

Response to 'Hamas Sickos'

2009-01-29T20:04:00.002+08:00

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Hamas Sickos - http://khookaypeng.blogspot.com/2009/01/hamas-sickos.html

I was shocked listening to Buletin Utama on TV3 about the ceasefire news in Gaza. Hamas leaders are taunting the Israelis for their failure to extinguish their group.

The reaction of Hamas leaders should make us wonder if they are fit to govern Gaza or they have taken over the territory by force and terror.

Imagine the sheer magnitude of destruction and death. Yet these bunch of Hamas fighters shed no tears, feel no remorse for the death of their own people.

Muted criticism and condemnation against Hamas and their reaction only reinforces the hypocrisy of this world.

Our response

We refer to your post 'Hamas Sickos' Tuesday, 20th January 2009.

The Palestinian tragedy, which has been around longer than many of us, deserves an objective and fair study that must go beyond the latest monstrosity in Gaza and must take into account all the stakeholders.

Hamas is the democratically elected voice of the Palestinian people, winning an overwhelming electoral vote in 2006. They are first and foremost a resistance movement, established at the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada of 1987 – 1994, a resistance against Israeli occupation.

Israel is an occupying force, living on stolen land and the Palestinians have borne and withstood the brutality of the world's fourth strongest military force, backed by the mightiest, the USA. In fact the vast majority of people in Gaza are refugees made homeless with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. These facts are indisputable.

Hamas is not the first to fight Israeli occupation, nor will they be the last. The Palestinians have been resisting the Israelis since their land was first stolen from them. Man's expansive history provides abundant examples of resistance to an occupying force or colonial masters. One need only look at the resistance in Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Algeria even the American war of independence; a pattern repeated through the annals of history across the globe. Where man has been oppressed, he has resisted.

As a resistance movement, it would be expected of them to declare victory, especially when Israel, from the very beginning of the onslaught declared their objective to be the annihilation of Hamas. History again provides ample examples of resistance movements standing defiant.

Whether the world likes it or admits it, Hamas is one of the stakeholders and has a significant role in a solution to this crisis. They are 'kampung boys' if you like it and are highly regarded by their people and have in fact grown in popularity among the ordinary Palestinian since the Gaza massacre.

To label them as 'sickos' would be callous especially if it is based solely on one report.

We attach the following as further reading and understanding. It is an extract of an interview, which can be read in its entirety at

http://www.thenutgraph.com/liberating-palestine.

Azra Banu
Secretary
COMPLETE
www.completemalaysia.com
completemalaysia.blogspot.com
complete2009@gmail.com

The Nut Graph spoke exclusively with Australian author and lawyer Randa Abdel-Fattah via e-mail. The Sydney-based Abdel-Fattah is an award-winning novelist who has written three novels for young adults. Her latest book, Where the Streets Had a Name, features as its main characters two teenagers living in Bethlehem, the West Bank.

An Australian of Palestinian and Egyptian descent, Abdel-Fattah has also been active in inter-faith advocacy. She is one of the original members of a Melbourne-Palestinian/Jewish women's friendship group. Abdel-Fattah has also been active in a number of Palestinian human rights campaigns, the Australian Arabic council and various Australian Muslim women networks.

Q. Why is there so much support for Hamas, and so little for Fatah, in Gaza and the West Bank? Why do you think Palestinians are opting to support an organisation that many perceive to be Islamist and terrorist in orientation?

A. I think firstly Palestinians revolted against Fatah because of its internal corruption and seeming complicity with Israel. For example, Israel relies on Palestinians in the West Bank to assist it in rounding up "terrorists". Secondly, at the very least, Palestinians are opposed to Fatah's impotence.

I believe that Hamas won [the previous elections] because it was an alternative to the corruption in Fatah. It was perceived to be a better defender of Palestinians.

Hamas also does plenty of social services work. This arm of Hamas has been a huge factor in swaying public opinion from Fatah. Again, it appears to be a more "caring" alternative to a more elitist Fatah.

Most importantly, the more brutal and belligerent the occupation, the more desperate Palestinians are for leaders to stand up in support of their rights and independence. The nature of occupation determines the nature of the resistance. Fatah failed to deliver so Hamas was a welcome, new alternative to try.

I think it is a gross over-simplification to denounce Hamas as a terrorist organisation. As much as we may have problems with its charter, it is a resistance movement. Indeed, any organisation deemed to be a terrorist organisation by the West is usually an organisation resisting tyranny and oppression.

We never question why Israelis support their leaders and parties, both left and right, which are the mouth-pieces of the most reprehensible state-sponsored terrorism. The war on Gaza is the clearest example of a state using terror against a besieged and starved people.

Ultimately, we cannot champion democracy when we refuse to accept democratically-elected governments because we don't like them. We may disagree and loathe them, as Palestinians do of every democratically-elected "terrorist" Israeli government, but peace will only come when we negotiate with our enemies. This is the true test of democracy. Israel cannot have it both ways.

CBS 60 Minutes: "Is Peace Out of Reach?"

2009-01-28T12:44:00.002+08:00

60 Minutes on the Occupation and how the Zionists are dehumanising the Palestinians:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4752349n

Press Statement by UN

2009-01-28T07:56:00.007+08:00

27 December 2008

PRESS RELEASE

STATEMENT BY PROF. RICHARD FALK,
UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

ON THE CRISIS IN THE GAZA STRIP

For further information, contact
Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies, Washington DC
Email: pbennis@ips-dc.org
Telephone: 1-202-234-9382 ex 206
Mobile: 1-202-309-1377

The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war.

Those violations include:

Collective punishment – the entire 1.5 million people who live in the crowded Gaza Strip are being punished for the actions of a few militants.

Targeting civilians – the airstrikes were aimed at civilian areas in one of the most crowded stretches of land in the world, certainly the most densely populated area of the Middle East.

Disproportionate military response – the airstrikes have not only destroyed every police and security office of Gaza’s elected government, but have killed and injured hundreds of civilians; at least one strike reportedly hit groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university.

Earlier Israeli actions, specifically the complete sealing off of entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip, have led to severe shortages of medicine and fuel (as well as food), have resulted in the inability of ambulances to respond to the injured, the inability of hospitals to adequately provide medicine or necessary equipment for the injured, and the inability of Gaza’s besieged doctors and other medical workers to sufficiently treat the victims.

Certainly the rocket attacks against civilian targets in Israel are unlawful. But that illegality does not give rise to any Israeli right, neither as the Occupying Power nor as a sovereign state, to violate international humanitarian law and commit war crimes or crimes against humanity in its response. I note that Israel’s escalating military assaults have not made Israeli civilians safer; to the contrary, the one Israeli killed today after the upsurge of Israeli violence is the first in over a year.

Israel has also ignored recent Hamas’ diplomatic initiatives to reestablish the truce or ceasefire since its expiration on 26 December.

The Israeli airstrikes today, and the catastrophic human toll that they caused, challenge those countries that have been and remain complicit, either directly or indirectly, in Israel’s violations of international law. That complicity includes those countries knowingly providing the military equipment including warplanes and helicopters used in these illegal attacks, as well as those countries that have supported and participated in the siege of Gaza that itself has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.

I remind all Member States of the United Nations that the UN continues to be bound to
an independent obligation to protect any civilian population facing massive violations of international humanitarian law – regardless of what country may be responsible for those violations. I call on all Member States, as well as officials and every relevant organ of the United Nations system, to move on an emergency basis not only to condemn Israel’s serious violations, but to develop new approaches to providing real protection for the Palestinian people.

*****

The Star - 28th January 2009

2009-01-28T07:46:00.003+08:00

Speaking up for the Palestinians
by Salina Khalid

THOUSANDS of people came to the “Save The Palesinians” campaign held at the Bangsar Sports Complex recently.

Organised by the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution of Palestinians (Complete), the event was to condemn the war in Gaza and to boost public awareness on the situation.

Although the programme was scheduled to start at 10am, people were seen crowding the sports complex much earlier.

Caring: Students making their pledge at `Save The Palestinians’ campaign.

There were booths providing information about the conflict and the issues involved. They also provided information on the NGOs involved in the campaign and how the public could be part of the effort.

The highlight of the event was a talk by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was accompanied by his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and daughter Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir.

JUST president Dr Chandra Muzaffar and PACE director Dr Hafidzi M. Noor also gave talks.

Other speakers touched on the Palestinian issue from the Islamic perspective and about the Christian response to the Palestinian tragedy.

A Palestinian from the West Bank who is now living in Kuala Lumpur also gave a personal account of the situation in Gaza.

In addition to the talks, guests also had a chance to listen to the plea made by children, calling for an end to the massacre in Palestine via songs. Local artiste, Datuk Sheila Majid also made a sincere call for an end to the war and the killing of the innocent.

“The response was overwhelming and more than we expected,” said Complete chairman Mohd Adnan Tahir.

Creating awareness: One of the booths at ‘Save The Palestinians’ campaign.

He added that the campaign, which would be carried out on a long-term basis, was to create an awareness on the history of Palestinians and their plight, as well as garner support from the Malaysian public, regardless of race and religion.

It was also aimed at exerting pressure on Malaysian and foreign governments to highlight and work on a comprehensive and just solution to the crisis. They are also raising funds for the Palestinians.

After lunch, about 300 volunteers, comprising mainly students from higher learning institutions, went around distributing fliers on the campaign.

Formed on Jan 5, Complete was set up in response to the war in Gaza. It consists of more than 50 NGOs.

For further information about the coalition, visit http://completemalaysia.blogspot.com. Enquiries can also be sent to complete@gmail.com or contact Azra at 016-209 4500.

Peace, Propaganda & The Promised Land

2009-01-27T22:31:00.000+08:00

Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land produced by Media Foundation Education, provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported. Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied terrorities appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. The documentary also explores the ways that U.S. journalists, for reasons ranging from intimidation to a lack of thorough investigation, have become complicit in carrying out Israel's PR campaign. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.

Part 1

Part 2

COMPLETE @ UNITAR

2009-01-23T03:39:00.003+08:00

The students of UNITAR collected RM 1180 for the Palestinians which they handed over to COMPLETE representatives on the 22nd of January 2008.

Ahmed Natasha, Ibraheem H. Naqeeb and Husna Musa were invited at the UNITAR campus by the Student Council to represent the coalition and receive this donation on its behalf.

After Salat Hajjat and prayers for the Palestinians Ahmed Natasha gave a 20 minute talk about COMPLETE and the Palestinian tragedy. UNITAR Professors also attended the presentation.

120 students from UNITAR volunteered to distribute COMPLETE brochures as part of the "Save The Palestinians: Klang Valley Under Siege" campaign on the 18th of Jan.

Lamentations in Gaza

2009-01-22T17:43:00.003+08:00

by Dr Alex Tang

Consultant Paediatrician in Johor Specialist Hospital in Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Director of the Spiritual Formation Institute in Malaysia.

Sirs, the gunfire are getting closer,

the screams are getting louder.

Sirs, my sisters and I are cowering,

under our dining table we are shivering.

Sirs, our playground and school are smashed,

as your tanks through them have crashed.

Sirs, you said we fired missiles at your home,

too young we cannot tie our shoelace alone!

Sirs, we at night often hear our mother crying,

no food, no education, no hope she is sighing.

Sirs, we are scared when papa arrives home insulted,

working your factories; at your roadblocks humiliated.

Sirs, you say our God is terrorism and fanaticism,

that our family and our life is all one fatalism.

Sirs, you said your God is love, hope and light,

but so far we see Him teaching might is right.

Sirs, we are the victims not the aggressors,

do not punish us for the actions of our oppressors,

Sirs, have you no mercy as your bombers dive,

dying no threat to you I will not live past five.

from: http://draltang01.blogspot.com/2009/01/lamentations-in-gaza.html

FREE GAZA / BEBASKAN GAZA (postponement)

2009-01-22T14:43:00.001+08:00

Dear all,

Please take note that gathering at Dataran Merdeka to be held on Friday, 23rd January has been postponed.

BEBASKAN GAZA HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL

New date will be announced shortly.

Please spread the word.

Thanks
Azra Banu

Israel in Gaza - sent by Rev. J. Stinson, Long Beach

2009-01-21T14:41:00.006+08:00

"This Analysis is provided by Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, a non-violent, direct-action group originally established to oppose and resist Israeli demolition of Palestinian houses in the Occupied Territories. As our activists gained direct knowledge of the brutalities of the Occupation, we expanded our resistance activities to other areas - land expropriation, settlement expansion, by-pass road construction, policies of "closure" and "separation," the wholesale uprooting of fruit and olive trees and more. The fierce repression of Palestinian efforts to "shake off" the Occupation following the latest Intifada has only added urgency to our efforts.

Their Goal is A Just and Sustainable Peace as stated in their own words below:

"As Israelis, we believe that the only chance for a genuine peace is one that enables the Palestinians to establish what we have, a viable and truly sovereign state of their own. A just peace will also provide all the peoples of our region with the security, dignity, freedom and economic opportunities they deserve The future may witness the emergence of a regional confederation enhancing the viability of each of our societies to cope with a global reality."

For more information go here http://www.icahd.org/icahdukdev/eng/about.asp"

ISRAEL IN GAZA: A CRITICAL REFRAMING
An Analysis Prepared by The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions,
led by Jeff Halper.
ICAHD is based in Jerusalem and has chapters in the United Kingdom and the United States.
ICAHD websites: www.icahd.org, www.icahduk.org, www.icahdusa.org

Israel's core messages, listed below, argue for the justice of its invasion of Gaza in late December, 2008, cast Israel as the victim and endeavor that its "war on Hamas" not be seen against the background of prolonged occupation, closure and sanctions, but of the broader Western "War on Terror." The alternative view presented below argues otherwise. As Israelis committed to human rights, international law and a just peace as the only way out of our interminable and bloody conflict with the Palestinians, we contend that security cannot be achieved unilaterally, especially as Israel shows no signs of fully relinquishing its 41 year Occupation so that a truly sovereign and viable Palestinian may emerge. In that context, Israel's attack on Gaza can be considered merely another attempt to render its Occupation permanent by destroying any source of effective resistance. The immediate pretext of Israel's attack, rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, does not explain the disproportionality of its attack, especially given the unrelenting sanctions, attacks and assassinations carried out by Israel throughout the cease-fire. Indeed, we argue that Israel could have avoided all attacks upon it over the last twenty years, as well as the rise of Hamas to power, if it had accepted the PLO's offer of a two-state solution proffered already in 1988 and has entered into negotiations in good faith. Instead, Israel, the strong party in the conflict and the sole Occupying Power, chose to dramatically increase its settler population, construct a permanent infrastructure of separation and control, remove "Greater Jerusalem" from Palestine and encircle the West Bank with its expanded borders: that of the Separation Barrier incorporating Israel's major settlement blocs and the "security border" of the Jordan River. Israel is not a victim; it is the active perpetrator of a permanent apartheid regime over all of Israel/Palestine. It is toward that goal that Gaza is being violently pacified today, Israel's killing with impunity scores of Palestinian civilians constituting nothing less than State Terrorism.

The following pages present the essential elements of the Israeli government's framing of its assault on Gaza, followed by a critical re-framing that introduces context, policies and aims which the government's version purposely omits.

Israeli PR: Like all countries, it has a right and duty to defend its citizens.

An alternative framing: To pursue offensive policies of prolonged occupation as well as sanctions, boycotts and closures which rob another people of its rights, aspirations and very livelihood, and to then refuse to truly engage with that people's elected leaders (a policy preceding Hamas's rise to power), is what puts your own people at risk. To expect your citizens to live in security while a million and a half subjugated people just a few kilometers away live in misery is both unrealistic and presumptive. Israel will only be able to defend its citizens – which is indeed its duty – if it addresses the causes of their insecurity, which is a 41 year-old occupation which the oppressed will resist, by "legitimate" means or not.

Israeli PR: Israel had no choice but to attack in response to the barrage of 8,500 Hamas rockets fired from Gaza into Israel over the past eight years that have killed 20 Israeli civilians.

An alternative framing: Israel had a choice. In the past three years alone Israel – together with the US, Europe and Japan – imposed an inhumane siege of Gaza while conducting a campaign of targeted assassinations and attacks throughout the cease-fire that left 1,700 Palestinians dead. This war is no "response:" it is merely a more deadly round of the tit-for-tat arising out of a political vacuum. Hamas firings on Israel were for the most part, if not exclusively, responses to Israeli actions either not reported in the press or discounted as legitimate unilateral action – such as assassinating leaders of Hamas and other Palestinian organizations, often with a high toll in civilian casualties. To present the "barrage" as an independent variable disassociated from wider Israeli policies that led to them is disingenuous. Indeed, had there been a genuine political process which offered the Palestinians hope for self-determination, the rocket firings could have been avoided altogether.

Israeli PR: Hamas is a terrorist organization that refuses to recognize Israel or enter a political process.

An alternative framing: "Terrorist" is a problematic term. States always use it to delegitimize and demonize non-state actors who resist their oppressive policies, as apartheid South Africa did, for example, with the ANC. The term assumes that states, bad as they may be, have the right to employ military force as they see fit. If, however, we take "terrorism" to mean the killing, harming or intimidation of non-combatant civilian populations, then states are far more terroristic, kill far more innocent civilians, than do non-state groups. In the eight years since the second Intifada broke out (September 2000), almost 500 Israeli civilians have been killed by Palestinians while almost 5000 Palestinians have died at the hands of Israelis. All attacks on civilians are unacceptable, no matter how just the cause. Yet it is only the Palestinians to whom the term "terrorist" is applied.

An alternative framing: Presenting Hamas as merely a "terrorist organization" removes the political element from their struggle and presents them as a criminal organization. This not only distorts reality in a fundamental way but, by preventing negotiations, it ensures the perpetuation of mutual suffering. Hamas has its military wing – though nothing compared to the Israeli army – but it is essentially a grassroots religious-political movement that democratically won the Palestinian elections in 2006 and earned the right to establish a government – which was denied it by Israel, the US…and the Fatah part of the Palestinian Authority. It does deny Israel's legitimacy, as any colonized people would, and there is no reason why it should accept the loss of 78% (or more) of its historic homeland. But Hamas has agreed, as a signatory to the "Prisoners' Document" and in repeated public pronouncements, to respect the outcome of negotiations of other Palestinian parties (like Fatah) with Israel, if they result in a complete withdrawal from the Occupied Territories. So despite its militant and scary image, despite the fact that it will not legitimize what it considers another people's colonization of its homeland, Hamas does accept, as a practical political matter, a two-state solution. Given the fact that negotiations with Israel since the Madrid Conference of 1991 have yielded nothing – indeed, Israel's massive settlement enterprise has perhaps eliminated the possibility of a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel – Hamas's resort to armed resistance is understandable. All attacks on civilians are prohibited in international law. In this regard both Hamas and Israel engage in terrorism, with the later taking by far the greatest of civilian dead, injured and traumatized.

Israeli PR: There is no occupation – in general, but specifically in Gaza. Israel ended its occupation of Gaza in 2005 with the "disengagement." Gaza could have flourished as the basis of a Palestinian state, but its inhabitants chose conflict.

An alternative framing: Israel claims there has never been an occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza; instead, these are "disputed" territories with no clear claimant – and certainly not the Palestinians who, in Israel's view, do not constitute a people with rights of self-determination in the Land of Israel and who never exercised sovereignty over any part of Palestine. This position is rejected utterly by the international community. Indeed, the Road Map initiative uses the term "occupation" explicitly. Neither does it accept Israel's claim that the occupation of Gaza really ended with "disengagement" in 2005, since occupation is defined in international law as exercising effective control of a foreign territory, which Israel obviously does over Gaza.

To then argue that Gaza could have developed under these conditions is unfair and unreasonable. Neither Israeli control exerted over Gaza since 1967 nor the economic closure imposed upon it in 1989 ever ceased, even if Israel removed its settlers and army. Gazans were never allowed to open their sea or air ports, nor were any conditions conducive to economic development allowed to develop. And then, in early 2006, less than six months after "disengagement," Gaza was sanctioned and hermetically isolated by Israel and the international community as punishment for voting the wrong way. John Dugard, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, wrote that this was the first time in history the oppressed was sanctioned and the Occupying Power freed of any responsibility. Economic development, not to mention a political process which might have prevented the violence on both sides, was actively prevented by both Israel and its international supporters, which share responsibility for the present tragedy in Gaza.

Let us also remember Israel's special responsibility towards the people of Gaza. These "civilians" are, for the most part, refugees driven from their homes in Israel in 1948 and their descendants, people dying and suffering at the hands of Israel for the past 41, if not 60, years. This adds a particular poignancy to the assault – yet another assault.

Israeli PR: Only Hamas violated the cease-fire, and thus it carries full responsibility.

An alternative framing: Israel and Hamas agreed to a truce (through Egypt) by which Israel would allow the opening of the Gazan border crossings (at least partially) in return for a end to rocket fire on Israel. Hamas largely, though not entirely, kept its part of the bargain; Israel almost never did. Killings of Palestinians from the air continued, and on the American election day in early November it attacked the tunnels (which functioned as alternative means of supplying Gaza in the absence of open borders, which would have allowed control over the movement of arms), killing a number of Hamas people. In response Hamas launched rockets and….the truce began breaking down.

Israeli PR: There is no humanitarian crisis; Israel is only attacking the "infrastructure of terror."

Alternative View: Being the elected government, all the infrastructure, from traffic cops (non-combatants under international law) to schools to military installations, "belong" to Hamas. It is clear that Israeli attacks go beyond "the infrastructure of terror." Gazan sources claim that some 5000 homes have been demolished and the Islamic University has been severely damaged. According to the UN OCHA report of January. 5, the tenth day of the war:

"More than a million Gazans still have no electricity or water, and thousands of people have fled their homes for safe shelter; Gaza's water and sewage system is on the verge of collapse, 75% of Gaza's electricity has been cut off; The sewage situation is highly dangerous, posing serious risks of the spread of water-borne disease; Hospitals are unable to provide adequate intensive care to the high number of casualties. There is also an urgent need for more neuro-, vascular-orthopedic- and open heart surgeons.

Israeli PR: Israel only targets Hamas fighters.

An alternative framing: Who's a "Hamas fighter?" The graduating class of traffic cops that was slaughtered in the first aerial attack on Gaza? Professors and students who attend the "Hamas" Islamic University? Family members of Hamas military figures? People who voted for Hamas? Attacking a grassroots political-religious-social movement engaged in military resistance to occupation in densely crowded urban settings makes it either impossible or inconvenient for an invading army to distinguish between civilians and fighters.

Israeli PR: Civilians may die, but it's because Hamas hides its fighters and weapons factories among ordinary people.

An alternative framing: Gaza being such a barren, exposed and tiny area (360 sq.km./223 sq. miles, half the size of London), separating civilian from military areas, though desirable, is impossible, especially since, in concept, Hamas is a people's militia. It's worth noting, however, that Israel's military headquarters are located in the center of Tel Aviv, the military headquarters over the West Bank are in the densely populated Neveh Ya'akov neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel's center for biological and chemical warfare is located in the town of Ness Tziona, close to Tel Aviv, its main weapons development centers or in Haifa, and most settlements in the West Bank have military camps embedded within them – or vice versa.

Hamas, of course, as both a government and a military organization, carries responsibility for protecting the civilian population and keeping the fighting away from them. In a situation where this is impossible, as in Gaza, an invading force like Israel should avoid engagement, or engage only when legitimate military and political aims (such as defense) are genuinely endangered – which is not the case here. Israel has political and negotiating options that can end both the immediate threat of rockets and the longer-term conflict, but it chooses not to use them.

A terrifying development: According to the Israeli press, Israel has decided to ignore the distinction between civilians and combatants which lies at the root of international laws of warfare. Citing what the IDF calls the "Georgia rules," the two military correspondents of Ha'aretz (Jan. 6 and 7) explain:

[IDF Chief of Staff Gabi] Ashkenazi had said in earlier discussions that use of major fire power would be inevitable even in the most densely populated areas. The Israeli solution was thus to be very aggressive to protect the lives of the soldiers as much as possible. These are 'Georgia rules,' which are not so far from the methods Russia used in its conflict last summer. The result is the killing of dozens of non-combatant Palestinians. The Gaza medical teams might not have reached all of them yet. When an Israeli force gets into an entanglement, as in Sajaiyeh last night, massive fire into built-up areas is initiated to cover the extraction. In other cases, a chain of explosions is initiated from a distance to set off Hamas booby-traps. It is a method that leaves a swath of destruction taking in entire streets, and does not distinguish military targets from the homes of civilians….

The incident in which some 40 Palestinian civilians were killed when Israel Defense Forces mortar shells hit an UNRWA school in the Jabalya refugee camp Tuesday surprised no one who has been following events in Gaza in recent days. Senior officers admit that the IDF has been using enormous firepower. "For us, being cautious means being aggressive," explained one. "From the minute we entered, we've acted like we're at war. That creates enormous damage on the ground ... I just hope those who have fled the area of Gaza City in which we are operating will describe the shock. Maybe someone there will sober up before it continues."

What the officer did not say explicitly was that this is deliberate policy. Following the trauma of the war in Lebanon in 2006, the army realized that heavy IDF casualties would erode public (and especially political) support for the war and limit its ability to achieve its goals. Therefore, it is using aggressive tactics to save soldiers' lives. And the cabinet took this into account when it approved the ground operation last Friday, so it has no reason to change its mind now.

Nor is it likely that Tuesday's incident, with its large number of civilian deaths, will result in an immediate cease-fire…. Until Tuesday's incident, the world appeared relatively indifferent to Palestinian civilian casualties. On Monday, 31 members of the Samouny family were killed when a shell hit their house in Gaza City; that same day, 13 members of the Al-Daiya family where killed by another Israeli bomb. Yet international media coverage of these incidents was comparatively restrained.

This is an absolutely unacceptable development in modern warfare – particularly urban warfare which involves and entraps large populations of civilians – and must be condemned and rejected by the international community. If the Israeli-Georgian "rules" become a de facto norm of warfare, the entire edifice of human rights which has been constructed over the past 60 years will collapse and we will enter a new age of barbarism. Again, All attacks on civilians must be opposed, whether sanctioned or not by military doctrine.

Israeli PR: Hamas is a global problem, part of Islamist fundamentalism together with Iran and Hezbollah.

An alternative framing: Hamas was allowed by Israel to develop as a political force in Occupied Palestine in the late 1980s in order to counterbalance the secular PLO, which Israel regarded then as its real enemy but today considers a "moderate" force which should be supported in order to counterbalance Hamas(!). It has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, but is a particularly Palestinian phenomenon that arose in response to increasing Israeli repression, the loss of Palestinian land, rights and honor, and the corruption and high-handedness of the ruling Fatah party. It cannot be conflated with the Shi'ite Hizbollah (which emerged in Lebanon only in the wake of the 1982 war), al-Qaida (which has a completely different global agenda and ideology) or Iran (in which the theocrats were an organized but quite small political force until the U.S. overthrew Iran's democracy in 1954 and installed the repressive regime of the Shah – for whom Israel trained his dreaded SAVAK security police, noted for their widespread torture of "dissidents"). Painting Hamas as part of a global conspiracy when it's a product of the Occupation itself is disingenuous and a gross distortion of history. Indeed, as the history of Hamas, Hizbollah and the Iranian clerics shows, Israel itself had played a significant role in the rise of political Islam.

An alternative framing: have to get beyond such simplistic and self-serving terms as "terrorists" and "terrorism" – especially since the Western politicians that use them refuse to apply them to themselves, as in the case of Israel in Gaza. It will do no good to dismiss Hamas as a "terrorist organization." The issues, grievances and demands upon which it arose must be addressed. From the point of view of its voters, who include many who do not share Hamas's religious or political agenda, Hamas is a quintessential liberation movement, a Palestinian liberation movement. Attempts by Israel to delegitimize Hamas and disassociate it from the Palestinian people, even to have the gall to suggest that the carnage created by Israel in Gaza will benefit the people by "releasing them from Hamas's grip," only serve – as they are intended to do – to neutralize Hamas as an effective source of resistance to Israel's Occupation.

Israeli PR: In attacking Hamas in Gaza, Israel is only doing its part in the West's War on Terror.

An alternative framing: This brings us to why Israel actually attacked Gaza and why the slaughter has gone on far beyond Israel's declared goal of ending the rocket fire through negotiations. Immediate causes played their role, to be sure. Public pressure to end the rocket fire, especially in an election period, could not be ignored, nor the need to assert national pride. But this does not explain the immense scale of the operation; the rocket firings were the immediate trigger (and Hamas may have erred in its brinksmanship), but not the true reasons, which were several.

First, the invasion of Gaza was an exercise in pacification. On one level, it is an attempt to destroy Hamas as a political force, the only effective Palestinian resistance to Israel's ability, through the Annapolis Process, of imposing an apartheid regime on Palestine. On another level it seeks to pacify the Palestinian people by delivering "a message:" If you keep resisting, this is what is waiting for you. You have no hope to force Israel to withdraw from its settlements and expanded borders. Second, it is an attempt to resuscitate Israel's image as an effective ally in the War on Terror after the humiliation of the Second Lebanon War in 2006. This is crucial for Israel's security politics, especially vis-à-vis the US, and the Palestinians are paying the price for Hizbollah's success. Third, it is an exercise in urban warfare, an opportunity to field-test new weaponry and tactics of counterinsurgency in dense urban environments that can be exported – both as part of Israel's security politics (earning its place with the Big Boys at the table of the War Against Terror) and as part of its economic export strategy (60% of Israeli export firms deal in security). "Tested in Gaza" (or Nablus or Fluja) is one of Israel's most effective marketing pitches.

Gaza demonstrates in microcosm the shift in Israeli priorities and policies as its long-standing commitment to hold onto the Occupied Territories for both nationalist and security reasons comes into conflict with its broader regional and global agendas, centered today around its campaign to neutralize Iran's nuclear potential. The Saudi Initiative, endorsed by the Arab League, holds out the tantalizing offer of Israeli integration into the Middle East – meaning that Israel, whose foreign policy interests match those of the "moderate" Arab states, could assume a regional role. But because of public opinion in the Arab and Muslims worlds, this offer is good only if Israel relinquishes enough of the Occupied Territories that the Palestinian leadership could sign off on an agreement. Hence Israel's courting of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Mubarak and even Assad of Syria and the Saudis. And hence Israel's readiness to offer Abbas yet another "generous offer – short, however, of dismantling its major settlement blocs, relinquishing control over "greater" Jerusalem or giving up control of the border with Jordan, for which no Israeli government has a mandate. Caught between the necessity of maintaining its settlements – a position Netanyahu still endorses – and its desire to assume a role as one of regional hegemons, Israel is trying to find a way to finesse its way through. This explains Olmert's sudden readiness to change direction and talk of the necessity for a two-state solution, as well as the hasty Annapolis Process. Hence Abbas and Mubarak's support for Israel's action in Gaza (with mild, perfunctory criticism of its excesses). Their virtual collaboration with Israel raises even further in the eyes by many Palestinians and other Arabs the standing of Hamas as the only genuine source of resistance.

So there are high stakes involved in the Israeli-Hamas war, which diminish the seemingly decisive role the firing of rockets into Israel had. We do not believe that Israel can either impose an apartheid regime on the Palestinian people nor sustain its Occupation. If anything, as is becoming obvious, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emblematic as it is throughout the entire Muslim world and beyond (among, for example, progressives civil society on every continent), will impact negatively on European and especially American efforts to stabilize the global system, and in particular the volatile Middle East where the US remains bogged down. It is our role as proponents of human rights, international law, decolonization, the integrity of cultures and a just peace in Israel/Palestine and elsewhere to highlight the injustice and unsustainability of Israel's Occupation both on the ground and globally, the quicker to bring it to an end. May the suffering of the both peoples in this war on Gaza, one oppressed and the other held hostage to an image of the Palestinians as "permanent enemies," be the last straw. A just peace in Palestine will relieve a major obstacle towards global justice.

Israeli PR: Israel, acting as any life-loving nation would, has a right to be a normal country living in peace and security.

An alternative framing: By now you should be empowered to provide a critical response of your own.

******
Grace R. Dyrness, Consulting Director
Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP)
P.O. Box 483
Pasadena, CA 91102-0483
213-626-2265 phone
icujp@pacbell.net
http://www.icujp.org

A Call For PEACE...NOW!

2009-01-21T14:36:00.002+08:00

Can we hear this call . Now?

I was moved by the words which hovered over the whole hall during the recent COMPLETE event on Sunday January 18, 2009. And it drew me to walk forward closer and closer to the voice.

My prayer is that the call from the voice of a child will travel from the air into our minds and deeper into our hearts where lasting change for peace can begin!

Meeting

2009-01-20T12:37:00.000+08:00

Calling ALL members of C.O.M.P.L.E.T.E

Dear all,

Meeting tonight:

Date: Tuesday, 20th Jan
Time: 8.30 pm
Place: Songket Room, 1st Floor, Damansara Specialist Hospital
RSVP: Azra at azrabanu@gmail.com or 016 209 4500

AGENDA

1. Post Mortem of 18th January
2. Further discussion on patron to COMPLETE
3. Letters to various embassies
4. Mass gathering this Friday

Your presence is crucial & input invaluable.

A Christian Response to the Palestinian Tragedy

2009-01-19T23:47:00.007+08:00

Mr. Goh Keat Peng
Executive Secretary, MCCBCHST
(Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism & Taoism)

More info here
Complete text here.

The Star - 19th January

2009-01-19T09:50:00.002+08:00

Palestinians fear for families trapped in Gaza Strip

KUALA LUMPUR: Palestinian J. I. Kamal knows only too well how dire the situation is in Gaza. The 36-year-old English teacher was born and raised in the Balata refugee camp, the largest refugee camp in the West Bank.

At the “Save the Palestinians” gathering here yesterday, he disclosed how he was thrown into prison and tortured thrice by the Israelis – all because he was a Palestinian.

News of the Israeli attacks on Gaza “are too difficult to bear,” he said. “What is even worse now is that communication with our families back home has become more difficult.”

Kamal, who is pursuing a PhD in Education at the International Islamic University, said he was overwhelmed by the support Malaysians have shown for the struggle of the Palestinians.

Fellow Palestinian Dr Ma’an Fahmi AlKhatib yearns for the day when he can step on Palestinian soil.

“I dream of a free Palestine when I can return to the land of my ancestors,” he said.

Like so many others, Dr Ma’an, who was born in Jordan after his parents fled Jerusalem in 1948, has never been allowed to return to Palestine. — Bernama

Enough is Enough

2009-01-19T09:46:00.000+08:00

By A Christian cartoonist Jon Birch
(http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/ or http://www.birchmultimedia.com/)

The Star - Tun Dr. M

2009-01-18T20:42:00.001+08:00

Stop buying US weapons, Dr M urges govt

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the Government to stop purchasing arms and weapons from the United States, Israel’s main backer and supporter.

The former prime minister said the people should persuade the government to do so while local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should also play their part by asking their counterparts in other countries to do likewise.

He said such a decision, which he described as “a small thing to the United States,” would not affect the world’s only superpower immediately but over time, it would feel the pinch.

“I think the biggest purchase directly from the United States, is from our government which is planning to buy a new aircraft.

“If they buy from the United States directly, they (the government) would provide cash to the Americans to manufacture arms for Israel to kill Palestinians,” he added.

Dr Mahathir was speaking to reporters after launching the Save Palestinians Campaign organised by the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs. -- Bernama

The Star - 18th January

2009-01-18T20:32:00.004+08:00

For the long road ahead

By HARIATI AZIZAN

A group of concerned NGOs have formed a coalition to push for the Palestinian cause. Among its aims are to sponsor medical treatment for Palestinians who suffer from serious, long-term illnesses as well as offer rehabilitation treatment for injured Palest

THE current Israeli offensive on Gaza has touched Malaysians from all walks of life and, like in other instances of disasters and tragedies, many have risen to the occasion to offer support and assistance to the victims.

“However, what many may not realise is that the crisis is more than half a century long and will carry on until it is resolved. The Palestinian struggle will not end when the siege on Gaza ends.

Long-term plans: Complete secretariat members, from left, Siti Jamilah, Adnan Mohd Tahir and Noraini are hoping to bring over Palestinian war victims for treatment in Malaysia.

“Hence, we are trying to promote greater awareness of the issue so that Malaysians will continue to support the cause even after this current crisis ends,” says Adnan Mohd Tahir, chairman of the Coalition of Malaysian Non-Governmental Organisations Against the Persecution of Palestinians (Complete).

Complete was established recently when a group of concerned non-governmental organisations (NGOs) convened to look at long-term strategies in supporting the Palestinian cause.

Up to 150 NGOs, including youth groups, students and individuals who have come together in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, are members of the coalition. The aim is to demonstrate mass public protest and Malaysian solidarity against such atrocities.

Among its objectives are to exert pressure on Malaysian and foreign governments and the media to highlight and work on a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian crisis, and to create awareness of the Palestinians’ history and their plight to garner support regardless of race and religion.

The coalition held a demonstration last week, which saw more than 2,000 people marching to the United States embassy to hand over a memorandum protesting against Israel’s brutal assault in Gaza.

A campaign themed “Save The Palestinians” has been conceived to kick off the coalition’s awareness raising programmes today at Bangsar Sports Complex. It will feature photo exhibitions, documentary screenings as well as talks by leaders of various faiths and activists. A Palestinian doctor is also slated to share his personal life accounts in Gaza.

The campaign is to expose the public to the real issues of the Palestinian conflict, explains Siti Jamilah Sheikh Abdullah, Complete secretariat member.

“Most Malaysians are ignorant of the Palestine history and issues. Muslims support it because most Palestinians are Muslims and non-Muslims don’t support because they think it is a purely Muslim problem. We have to inform the public that the issue is a humanitarian one,” she adds.

Adnan concurs.“With increased awareness, the public will exert pressure on the Government to do something concrete to resolve the 60-year-old Palestinian problem.”

Both concede that there may be members of the public who are wary of various groups suddenly stepping forward to raise donations and campaign for the Palestinians since the Israeli offence on the Gaza Strip last month.

So what is different about Complete?

As another Complete secretariat member, Noraini Hashim, puts it, “Complete is multi-faith, multi-racial and non-political. We want to look at the humanitarian aspect without getting emotional about it. We also don’t want to talk about the different political factions. We only want to focus on the suffering of the Palestinian people,” she clarifies.

With Complete’s diverse backgrounds and wide network, the coalition can draw on avenues that are well established to champion human rights and support the Palestinian cause, adds Noraini.

“It also gives us a good leverage to work with corporate sponsors and coordinate with foreign NGOs, so our actions will be worldwide and as such more effective,” she notes. One such action is Complete’s Medical Fund for Palestinian People.

The fund is aimed at providing financial support for medicine and other medical supplies to hospitals in Gaza, West Bank and Palestinian refugee camps.

It also aims to sponsor medical treatment for Palestinians who suffer from serious, long-term illnesses as well as rehabilitation treatment for injured Palestinians, particularly children.

“What we are exploring is to bring over Gaza victims who are seriously wounded and traumatised to Malaysia for treatment, especially children. We have the capacity and infrastructure to accommodate them but we would need the support of various institutions and individuals to get this programme off the ground,” says Adnan.

Seeking sponsorship

The support needed includes sponsorship from airlines to transport the Palestinian war victims to Malaysia; hospitals and physicians who would waive treatment fees; and families or hotels who can provide accommodation for victims’ families.

“Any costs for treatment or services that cannot be waived could be paid from the medical fund that we are raising money for. But it will take a lot of coordination and help from various parties such as Wisma Putra, Health Ministry and Women, Family and Community Development Ministry,” he says.

Focusing on the long-term rehabilitation programme is also a way for Complete to maximise support for the Gaza victims.

“Now a lot of money is going into acute relief. Once the acute phase is over, there will be a lot of need for more long-term chronic treatment for rehabilitation and not much funds. That is why Complete has decided to raise funds for this work,” says Datuk Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, who is president of the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations (Fima), a member association of Complete.

Dr Musa, who has experience working with Palestinian refugees in Jordan with Fima, shares that Palestinian hospitals have limited facilities.

“The hospitals there cannot carry out sophisticated surgery. As you see on the news, many of the wounded suffer from loss of limbs and will need prosthetic ones.

“Previously, the seriously wounded were shipped out to Jordan and Egypt for treatment but we believe that Malaysia can accommodate them too. Our medical infrastructure is good and we are one of the top medical services providers regionally,” he adds.

Dr Musa believes that Palestinian children will especially benefit from post-trauma treatment in Malaysia.

“Post traumatic syndrome can be seen in those who go to war, so you can imagine what it will be like for war victims, especially the children. It will be good to take them out of the war-torn environment to provide some psychological treatment to help them get over their trauma,” he notes.

However, he stresses, the children and young patients have to be accompanied by at least a member of their family or relative to avoid secondary trauma, such as separation anxiety.

Ultimately, Complete hopes to set up a rehabilitation centre for war and torture victims here in future.

Highlighting that there is no such specialised facility yet in the region, Dr Musa says: “With this centre, we can extend medical aid to war and torture victims from other countries. We are blessed in Malaysia, we don’t get natural disasters like earthquakes or cyclones; so, we can afford to share with others who are not so fortunate.”

The “Save The Palestinians” campaign is on from 10am to 5pm at Bangsar Sports Complex, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. For more info on the speakers of Save The Palestinians campaign, visit http://completemalaysia.blogspot.com

Map

2009-01-17T20:14:00.002+08:00

Please click the link below to see the map direction to Bangsar Sports Complex:

GOOGLE MAP: Bangsar Sports Complex

COMPLETE's Awareness Brochure

2009-01-17T19:43:00.004+08:00

Dear friends,

Let us all do our little bit for Palestine.

1. Read this brochure on the humanitarian crisis in Palestine
2. Paste it in on your page/blog
3. Share it with your family, relatives and friends
4. Print and distribute

May the force be with you (Says Dr. Musa)

The Star - 17th January 2009

2009-01-17T11:38:00.005+08:00

Pastor to speak on plight of Palestinian

By SALINA KHALID

A coalition consisting of Malaysian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has been formed to condemn the Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Among those at the forefront of the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution of Pales-tinians (Complete) is Pastor Sivin Kit from the Bangsar Lutheran Church.

Their intention is to make everyone see this issue as a humanitarian crisis that concerns them.

“A lot of people are still ignorant about the Palestine-Israel issue. It is not about religion or race but a humanitarian crisis.

“Every day there are people dying there.

“It is not the time to sit idly and do nothing about the massacre of the innocents. It is time to do something,” said Sivin, who is one of the committee members of Complete, which was formed on Jan 5 and currently consists of more than 50 NGOs in the country.

To create awareness on the whole issue and to garner support from Malaysians, the coalition is launching the “Save the Palestinians” campaign tomorrow at the Bangsar Sports Complex in Jalan Terasik 3, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

“I will be available at the event to answer any questions and to state our stand on the issue,” said Sivin.

He added that not all the Palestinians were Muslims as a significant number were Christians and they were being killed just the same.

The “Save the Palestenians” campaign will be carried out on a long-term basis to provide assistance to the war victims, especially after the ceasefire.

“Various activities have been lined up for everyone this Sunday (tomorrow).

“It includes a photo exhibition, screening of documentaries, talks by leaders of various faiths and a personal account of life in Gaza by a Palestinian doctor.

“Everyone is invited. It is time that we do something about it,” added Complete secretary Azra Banu.

She said more than 2,000 people were expected to attend the event from 10am to 5pm.

Another committee member, Azhar Steven will lead about 250 volunteers comprising university students to distribute fliers containing facts and figures about the war.

It also includes information about the history of Palestine and the Israeli conflict in efforts to further enlighten the public about the issue.

He said the volunteers would go to various locations throughout the city centre, including shopping complexes.

“We have printed about 100,000 fliers and expect to distribute up to 50,000 this Sunday,” he said.

Meanwhile, the funds Complete is raising will be channelled towards sponsoring medical treatment for the victims and eventually to bring the seriously wounded Palestinians to Malaysia for treatment.

“We are not only asking for money to pay for the medical treatment over there, we are also looking for sponsorship to bring them here including their air fares and treatment in Malaysia,” said Lia Syed, executive director of Malaysian Social Research Institute (MSRI), an organisation that has been providing aid and sponsoring programmes in the Palestinian refugee camps in the past 20 years.

For further information about coalition, visit http://completemalaysia.blogspot.com.

Enquiries can also be sent to complete@gmail.com or contact Azra at 016-209 4500.

18th January 2009 - PROMO video

2009-01-16T19:20:00.000+08:00

Videos

2009-01-16T19:08:00.000+08:00

Video suggestions from fellow COMPLETE members

1. Children of Gaza: Tell Me Why

2. War on GAZA with George Galloway Part 1-5

Announcement: Last Stretch

2009-01-16T16:57:00.000+08:00

Next Meeting:

Date: 17th January 2009 (Saturday)
Time: 3pm
Venue: Songket Room, 1st Floor, Damansara Specialist Hospital

Pictures courtesy from Rev. Sivin Kit

COMPLETE: We will not go down

2009-01-16T03:56:00.001+08:00

Song for Gaza by Michael Heart

Letters From Malaysians

2009-01-15T22:03:00.000+08:00

1. An Open Letter to the First Lady to-be of the United States of America,
Mrs. Michelle Obama

By: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Harlina Halizah Siraj
National Head of Women Section, Islah Society of Malaysia (JIM)
January 1st, 2009

LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT:
ENOUGH IS INDEED ENOUGH!!

Dear Mrs. Obama,

First and foremost, I hope that it is not too late to congratulate you and your husband on the historical victory during the recent US Presidential Election in November.

As your husband, the President Elect Mr. Barrack Obama has correctly indicated in his speech on the memorable night of his triumph, there are indeed a lot of hope for future changes under his administration, and those changes will, hopefully, positively affect the United States and the world.

As a wife, a mother, and above all a woman like you, I am writing you this letter, at the eve of the New Year 2009, to share with you my hope of a more peaceful future for this world that we all share, love and cherish. I dream of a world where there is no divide, no dispute, and no bloodshed among the diversified communities. I hope to see an end to misery, famine, violence, and injustices, resulting from human shortcomings.

Mrs. Obama,

A better and peaceful world will only be possible if we, as a world community, could solve the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. The Palestinian issue is no longer the concerns of the Palestinians or the Muslims only. It is indeed a fundamental issue that questions the integrity of mankind at its core. The extend of human loss and sufferings, economic wastage, and social wreckage in Palestine is beyond words. The recent Israeli attack on Gaza has claimed hundreds of innocent lives of children, women and men, and the body count is increasing by the hour. Such a tragic event, at the start of a New Year, is a huge challenge to all of us who dare to dream of a better world.

The country that your husband will officially lead in January 20th had, over the years, played a crucial and instrumental role in prolonging this conflict. I only wish that your husband and his new government could make a major difference in this international affair, and only then could he convince the world that he is the best man for the job.

As a wife and mother, I am certain you could imagine the sadness, pain, anxiety, and desperation experienced by the Palestinian mothers now. Let us do something, Michelle. You and I know so well how much Barrack is indebted to the Israel lobbyists in the recent election in order for him to win. Whatever it is, he is now THE President of USA. There must be something he could do about this. The concern here is whether he WOULD actually do what he SHOULD to bring peace to the world. The choice would be entirely his to make and the burden would be his to carry forever.

On behalf of a group of concerned Malaysian women, I am asking you to show your solidarity with the Palestinian women and children. Let us together send out a clear message that we would not tolerate this sufferings and injustices anymore. Stop all atrocities on the Palestinian people! Enough is enough!

2. When The Children Die…

By: Ong Kian Ming
PhD Candidate in political science at Duke University, USA.

My wife and I were standing outside the chapel at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina when pictures of Palestinian children who had been killed in Gaza were being passed out. I wished I had kept one of them so that I could remind myself of the face of one of the many innocent children who had their lives senselessly ended in the current war in Gaza.

I went to that candlelight vigil for two reasons. I wanted to stand in solidarity with people of other ethnicities, religions and nationalities in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. But I also wanted to try to understand why many of my Muslim friends have been so affected by the conflict in Gaza – emotionally, spiritually, psychologically and even psychically. I caught a glimpse of at last night’s candlelight vigil.

A Muslim American woman shared about her anguish at seeing pictures of the bodies of the little Palestinian children killed, almost in tears and on the verge of breaking down. And I realized that as a Malaysian Christian who is Chinese, I will never be able to understand the deep emotional and spiritual bonds that Muslims all over the world have with the Palestinians. My sympathy for the Palestinians in Gaza is but a shallow one, with far less emotional and spiritual investment.

I also realized then that it would be flippant of me to ask why Muslims all over the world pay so much attention to the killings of Palestinians in Gaza (and the West Bank, let us not forget) but ignore the killing of Muslims elsewhere, often at the hands of other Muslims or their authoritarian governments. It would be like asking me why I would care more if a church in Petaling Jaya where many of my friends go to got bombed compared to a church being bombed in Georgia. The plight of the Palestinians has a special place in the hearts of all Muslims. It is a strong emotional and spiritual connection which just is. To throw in counter arguments based on political realities elsewhere is to miss the point not to mention somewhat insensitive (Believe me when I say that I have had to hold back the political scientist in me).

But I also learned other things at the vigil. I learned that people of different faiths, ethnicities and nationalities at Duke could come together to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza despite certain differences. Not everyone who showed up was necessarily supporters of Hamas. Nor were they necessarily supportive of the policy to eradicate Israel as a nation. But all of us wanted peace to come to the region and for the fighting and the killing to stop. On both sides. And among the 300 people or so who came for the vigil, were a number of Jewish students. This was a reminder to me (and I hope to others) that it is so very wrong to equate the policies of the Israeli government to ALL Jewish people, as some tend to do.

The vigil ended with us putting our lights on the steps of the chapel, not before one of the organizers asked all of us to write to our respective Congressional representatives and senators to pressure them to act on this issue.

Finally, I could not help but think of the situation in Malaysia. I was happy to hear that there have been similar candlelight vigils which been organized back home. I was glad to hear that many Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia have been standing together to support the Palestinians. But I could not help but think that it is far easier to take the majority stand as a majority in the context of this issue in Malaysia. It is much harder to take the minority position as a minority when certain rights and freedoms are not assured.

For all of the shortcomings of the US government (past and present), the freedom to organize and express one’s views in a peaceful manner even if one is a minority expressing a minority’s view, is cherished and protected here. Sadly one cannot say the same about the situation Malaysia. When a conference was organized to discuss the problems non-Malays were facing over the issue of religious conversion, it was accompanied by a large group of protestors asking the conference to be stopped. More worrying, to me at least, was the fact that the policemen who were tasked to protect the conference attendees actually allowed the protestors to disrupt and eventually stop the conference from going on. (It would not have surprised me if some of the conference attendees marched together in solidarity with some of these very protestors to the US embassy recently over the Israeli invasion of Gaza)

It was a tiring day for me yesterday. But after the vigil, my wife and I had a simple but filling meal at an American diner. And then we went home, watched some TV and slept soundly in our beds. We didn’t have to worry about tank shells and bombs dropping on our heads while we slept. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the children in Gaza. I pray for them.

3. SAVE THE PALESTINIANS CAMPAIGN – 18 TH JAN 2009

By: Dr. Mazeni Alwi

It is quite likely that by now compassion fatigue have set in, that front page images of children killed and maimed in the current Israeli invasion of Gaza probably hardy elicit empathy and sadness. In the day to day grind of our busy lives, each with our own responsibilities and worries, it is not difficult to quickly look at these images with indifference and scan the news with cynism and powerlessness, that again those who can do something to stop the carnage only make token protests or worse, either tacitly approving or encouraging it.

That the demands and distractions of modern life have eroded our humanity and blunted our capacity for feelings of sympathy for the sufferings of others is a sad testament of our condition.

Sadder still, there are many sincere and well meaning people who would readily be outraged by man’s inhumanity on fellow man just because they are of a different skin colour, speak a different language or profess a different religion. It is this collective and sustained disgust at such irrational violence towards an entire people that has seen the dismantling of the apartheid regime in South Africa and the end of genocide in Rwanda. But somehow one can sense a holding back of this empathy and solidarity for the oppressed when it comes to the Palestinians, such that as people they have suffered the longest military occupation in modern history, driven out homes never allowed to return and disposed of all their property. And these refugees and their children and grandchildren are further persecuted, humiliated and murdered in their refugee camps and now in the vast open air prison that is Gaza.

Is it because the Palestinians are mostly Muslims that the world watches by indifferently as the massacre in Gaza goes apace? Perhaps not an insignificant part of the blame lies on the Muslims, that out of feeling of solidarity to fellow Muslims, they have misrepresented the conflict as one between Muslims and Jews, between Islam and Judaism. Given the long standing ignorance, prejudice and antagonism towards Islam which has been amplified many times over by the rhetorics of the War on Terror, this indifference on the part of non Muslims is understandable. If the Muslims have been unintentionally guilty of gross over simplification, if not a flawed understanding of modern history, the powerful and influential allies and supporters of Israel are responsible for keeping large sections of ordinary people all over the world ignorant of the historical context of the Palestinian tragedy by controlling and manipulating information – in the media, in academia and through Hollywood movies. They get to define who is the terrorist, what constitutes terrorist acts, which are terrorist organizations, obscuring unpalatable facts of ethnic cleansing, mass deportation and massacres that led up to the birth of Israel, its military expansionism and continued persecution of refugees of 1948 and 1967 wars.

Unless these historical facts are known and mendacious propaganda uncovered, the tragedy of Palestine will continue, because Israel and its people are the “victims” and therefore deserving of all military, economic and diplomatic support they deserve from the world’s superpowers against those poor, helpless and unloved refugees and children of refugees living in the miserable confinement of Gaza where even their basic necessities are denied.

We invite peace loving Malaysians, Muslim and non Muslims to the launch of COMPLETE’s, “Save the Palestinians Campaign” on 18th January 2009 to gain insight into the true nature and history of Palestine – Israel conflict. The Gaza invasion is yet one more tragic story in a long, sad tragedy that has befallen a people whose story has been denied and distorted just because they are Arabs and mainly Muslims. To deny that is to deny our humanity.

Dr. Mazeni Alwi
Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution of Palestinians (COMPLETE)

Save the Palestinians - 18th Jan 2009

2009-01-15T20:57:00.002+08:00

FACEBOOK EVENT: Save The Palestinians Campaign

GOOGLE MAP: Bangsar Sports Complex

The Sun - 14th January

2009-01-14T18:19:00.000+08:00

NGOs to highlight plight of Palestinians
by Syarifah Syazana

PETALING JAYA (Jan 13, 2009): In light of the events in Gaza, the Coalition of Malaysian Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Against the Persecution of Palestinians (Complete) will stage a campaign themed “Save The Palestinians” at Bangsar Sports Complex on Sunday.

The campaign, from 10am to 5pm, features photo exhibitions, documentary screenings as well as talks by leaders of various faiths and activists.

A Palestinian doctor is also slated to share his personal life accounts in Gaza.

“Complete is a broad coalition of NGOs of various backgrounds, drawing affiliation from civil society groups that have long established a reputation in championing human rights and supporting the Palestinian cause. The religious groups and us share the horror and disgust at the invasion of Gaza,” Complete chairman Adnan Mohd Tahir said in a statement.

Founded on Jan 5, Complete also consists of youth groups, students and individuals who have come together in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, aiming to demonstrate mass public protest and Malaysian solidarity against such atrocities.

Among its objectives are to exert pressure on Malaysian and foreign governments and the media to highlight and work on a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian crisis, and to create awareness of the Palestinians’ history and their plight to garner support regardless of race and religion.

“Most Malaysians are ignorant of the Palestine history and issues. Muslims support it because most Palestinians are Muslims and non-Muslims don’t support because they think it is a purely Muslim problem," Adnan said.

“We have to inform the public that the issue is a humanitarian one. Displacing the Palestinians to provide the Jews a homeland is unjust.

“We need to maximise exposure on the real issues of the Palestinian conflict in the media. With increased awareness, the public will exert pressure on the government to do something concrete to resolve the 60-year-old Palestinian problem.

"We will coordinate with foreign NGOs, so our actions will be worldwide and as such more effective."

The coalition held a demonstration last Friday, which saw more than 2,000 people marching to the United States embassy to hand over a memorandum protesting against Israel’s brutal assault in Gaza.

Official January 9 Rally Statement

2009-01-11T16:42:00.000+08:00

We wish to make a clarification about the rally protesting the Israeli aggression in Gaza on Friday afternoon 9/01/09 outside the US embassy. The event which culminated with the handing in of a memorandum to the US goverment was organized by COMPLETE, acronym for “Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution of Palestinians.”

COMPLETE is a broad coalition of NGOs of various background of orientation, drawing affliation from civil society groups that have long established reputation in championing human rights & supporting the Palestinian cause as well as religious groups that represent the major faiths in Malaysia, all sharing the horror and disgust at the recent Isreaeli airstrikes on Gaza and the subsequent ground invasion with the tacit approval of its western allies especially the US.

We made it explicitly clear from the start that COMPLETE is not a Muslim coalition although the Palestinian cause is close to the hearts of Muslims, given that the majority of Palestinians are Muslims and East Jerusalem, where Islam’s third holiest mosque is located, has been under occupation since 1967.

However, we have long been awake that the gross oversimplification, if not misrepresentation of the conflict as purely of Muslims against Jews, has allowed Israel to continue its military expansionism and carry out the longest and must brutal occupation in modern history by portraying itself as the “Victim”, cleverly manipulating Jewish history in Europe and exploiting the widespread ignorance and prejudice towards Arabs and Muslims as purveyors of terrorism.

In our effort to create awareness of the time nature of the conflict and dispel this long standing myth,the organizers of the rally had requested participants to refrain from the usual crass anti-Semitic invectives & rhetorics that have been the feature of such rallies in the past.

However we knew full well that in an open demonstration which had been well publicized in advance such as last Friday’s, such things were beyond our control.

We realize that in the future if such rallies were to truly represent Malaysians of all faiths to express disgust at the inhumanity of the Zionist state rather than towards Jews as a people of a particular faith, we would have to hold it not on a Friday.

We take this opportunity to invite all peace loving Malaysians to make the effort of an objective study of this conflict and reflect on this humanitarian tragedy.

Adnan Mohd Tahir

Chairman COMPLETE.

Memorandum 9th Jan 2009

2009-01-10T18:16:00.000+08:00

MEMORANDUM ON THE CURRENT ISRAELI WAR ON GAZA, 9 JAN 2009

The Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution of Palestinians (COMPLETE) condemns in no uncertain terms the current Israeli war on Gaza.

The tragedy speaks of yet another horrendous crime perpetrated by the Zionist regime of Israel on the occupied territory of Palestine. The 18-month old unprecendented total siege and blockade of Gaza by the Zionist regime, backed by the US, has never shown sign of let off. Instead it continues with the air and sea bombardments followed by the ground invasion of Gaza, killing nearly 800 and injuring more than 3000 Palestinians as of today, most of whom are civilians including a high number of women and children.

The Zionist regime in her true form, continues to deceive the international community by claiming legitimacy of such heinuous crime in the act of self defence. It targets the so-called 'rocket launching' sites of Palestinian fighters by indiscriminately pounding sites smacked right in the middle of a Palestinian neighbourhood. In defiance of international law and the Geneva convention, Israeli indiscrimately attacks innocent civilians by training their guns and weapons on population centres.

The end of the 6-month truce in December has provided Israel the long awaited moment to unleash her calculated military solution to deal with the Hamas government of Gaza. The truth is, Israel with unequivocal US backing, will never stop at anything to ensure a continued occupation of Gaza and the occupied Palestine. This is the reason behind the recent military incursions into Gaza.

This is the very reason why, against all sense of decency and humanitarian considerations, Gaza is placed under complete siege without access to food, medicine, fuel and assistance from the international community. There is only one single objective on the Zionist agenda i.e. to subjugate and break the spirit of the Palestinian people so that they give up their national aspirations and fight for the liberation of their land from occupation.

We call upon the United States of America to demand Israel to immediately cease all hostilities and aggression against the Palestinians in Gaza and withdraw from Gaza without any preconditions, lift the siege and allow uninterrupted flow of international humanitarian and medical aid across all border crossings permanently.

We urge the United States to be receptive to the demands of the United Nations and the International Community and hold Israel accountable and responsible for the current human tragedy sustained by the people of Gaza. We hold the government of the United States of America responsible for the deaths, destruction and sufferings of the Palestinians due to the wanton acts of Israel.

Yours faithfully,

Adnan Mohd Tahir
Chairman, COMPLETE

Press Release

2009-01-10T12:16:00.000+08:00

COALITION OF MALAYSIAN NGOs AGAINST THE PERSECUTION OF PALESTINIANS (COMPLETE)
A – 2 – 6, Plaza Damas
60, jalan Sri Hartamas 1
Sri Hartamas, 50480
Kuala Lumpur

It is now over two weeks since the savage bombardment of the Gaza strip. Now reinforced with a full-fledged ground invasion, the Israeli forces continue their invasion of this already fragile and helpless people – one of the most densely populated areas on the planet, home to over a million people – despite international outrage and in defiance of all international humanitarian laws.

COMPLETE, a coalition of concerned NGOs was founded on the 5th of January as a direct consequence of this monstrosity.

Standing in solidarity against this barbarity, COMPLETE will be holding a peaceful demonstration and handing over of memorandum to the US Embassy.

Date: Friday, 9th January
Time: 2 pm
Assembly outside Tabung Haji Complex. Jln Tun Razak
Walk to US Embassy
Address by COMPLETE representatives
Hand over of memorandum to US Embassy representative
Contact: Mr. Adnan Tahir 012 393 8837 mt_adnan@yahoo.co.uk
Puan Azra Banu 016 209 4500 azrabanu@gmail.com

It is now long past the time for us, as citizens of the world, as brothers and sisters in the human family, as conscientious individuals, to link hands across the divides of race, religion, and nationality, and to stand together against the tide of injustice and speak on behalf of the voiceless. It is our duty, our sacred responsibility, not only to humanity, but to ourselves.

Sincerely,
Adnan Tahir
Chairman
COMPLETE

18th January 2009

2009-01-10T03:10:00.000+08:00

FACEBOOK EVENT: Save The Palestines Campaign

GOOGLE MAP: Bangsar Sports Complex

Complete Rally 9th Jan 2009

2009-01-09T19:01:00.000+08:00

More than 2000 people; men, women, old, young.
We managed to pass our memorandum to the US ambassador.
Some pictures captured.

Peaceful Demonstration at the US Embassy

2009-01-08T20:07:00.000+08:00

Assembly outside Tabung Haji Complex. Jln Tun Razak
Walk to US Embassy
Address by COMPLETE representatives
Hand over of memorandum to US Embassy representative

Contact: Azra - 016 2094500 / azrabanu@gmail.com
Attire: Dress in black, white or red colours and any other Palestinian symbols (badges, scarves, t-shirts)

Please bring along relevant placards/banners/posters.

The time has come for us, as citizens of the world, as brothers and sisters in the human family, as conscientious individuals, to link hands across the divides of race, religion, and nationality, and to stand together against the tide of injustice and speak on behalf of the voiceless. It is our duty, our sacred responsibility, not only to humanity, but to ourselves.

Say - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against the Persecution of Palestinians (COMPLETE)

2009-01-05T16:00:00.000+08:00

The slaughter that is taking place in Gaza right now has shaken the world. In the words of the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Father Miguel D'escoto Brockmann, "Its a monstrosity, there's no other way to name it."

The tragedy in Gaza is not one of religion but of territories. The Palestinians are not only of the Islamic faith, as a significant number are Christians, killed just the same. This is an attack on humanity and it is time the world took notice.

A group of concerned people have formed Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution of Palestinians and will be launching a ' Save the Palestinians' campaign on the 18th of January. We appreciate the involvement and participation of more NGOs and concerned individuals

The objectives of this coalition are:

To create an awareness of the history of the Palestinians and their plight, among the Malaysian public
To get the support of the Malaysian public, regardless of race and religion
To exert pressure on Malaysian and foreign governments and the media to highlight and work on solutions to this crisis
To raise funds for the Palestinians, especially those in Gaza.

The event will be held at the Bangsar Sports Complex, Jalan Terasek 3, Bangsar on the 18th of January. The tentative program includes, photo exhibits, documentaries screening, talks by leaders of various faiths and a personal account of life in Gaza by a Palestinian doctor.

Our next meeting is scheduled as follows:

Date: Friday, 9th January, 2009
Time: 8.30 pm
Place: Songket Room, 1st Floor, Damansara Specialist Hospital
RSVP: Azra at azrabanu@gmail.com or 016 209 4500

We welcome you or your representative to this meeting and further suggestions for speakers from the various NGOs and organisations interested.

If you require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact Azra at 016-209 4500 or azrabanu@gmail.com.

This endeavour is meant to cut across all racial, religous and political divide. We are hopeful of a positive response from our fellow Malaysians as we seek to assist a people who have been forgotten and left to fend for themselves for far too long.