Comments on: The Life of a Student in Gaza http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Ibrahim http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-60047 Ibrahim Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:48 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-60047 Dear Maryam, Me and Tara ar trying to find away to contact you and Ahmad since you left Gaza. Please contact me on my email ibrahimel_omari@hotmail.com if you get this. Best, Ibrahim Dear Maryam,

Me and Tara ar trying to find away to contact you and Ahmad since you left Gaza. Please contact me on my email moc.liamtohnull@iramo_lemiharbi if you get this.

Best,

Ibrahim

]]> By: Mary http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-59381 Mary Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:33:37 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-59381 Yesterday a 16 year old Palestinian boy was killed by the IDF who had invaded Gaza. The BBC report is biased, confusing and inaccurate. Below it is an e-mail to the BBC from a medialens contributor. Page last updated at 13:28 GMT, Friday, 13 November 2009 Palestinian killed on Gaza border The shooting took place near the Karni crossing point. Israeli troops have shot dead a Palestinian man, and wounded another, near a border crossing with Gaza. Gazan medics said they retrieved the body of a 16-year-old boy, who they described as an unarmed civilian, near the Karni crossing. The Israeli military said they would investigate the incident but the group "appeared to be planting explosives". Clashes have been relatively rare in Gaza since Israel's military offensive in December and January. 'Hunting birds' An Israeli military spokeswoman said one Palestinian had been taken to Israel for treatment. He was in a critical condition. Another three Palestinians had been detained. A Palestinian hospital official told the AP news agency that the group were civilians who were hunting birds. Gaza has been controlled by Hamas since it ousted Fatah forces in June 2007. The strips borders, airspace and coast line are controlled by Israel, and Egypt along the southern border. The territory is under a crippling Israeli blockade under which only a limited number of humanitarian goods are allowed in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Posted by Peter Charles on November 15, 2009, 11:50 am, in reply to "Quick email :-)" Dear BBC, I am writing to complain about this report that appeared on your news website. (news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8358771.stm) I am quite frankly disgusted how you quickly gloss over the killing and seizing of children. I can only imagine the terror of being shot at, diving for cover while bullets ricochet around me and watching my friends one by one get hit. Your headline, "Palestinian killed on Gaza Border", is an absolute disgrace. It gives the reader a mental image of a Palestinian being shot 'on' the border and not in Gaza 'near' the border. It therefore gives the impression to some that they were a justified target. It is my belief the BBC does, inadvertently or not, tend to use ambiguous wording (not to be confused with impartial wording) in these cases which have the effect of favouring or excusing Israel. After reading other reports from other sources including that of Israeli military sources, it is my understanding that the Israelis entered Gaza to shoot at the Palestinian youths. Your headline would better read, "Israeli troops enter Gaza, Palestinian youth killed". I would thank you to use the correct wording as to the victim's age. You say a "man" was shot dead but then refer to him as a "boy". Please could you spend a little more time to ask more questions. A person has died. Is it too much to ask for his name? You write, "The Israeli military said they would investigate the incident but the group "appeared to be planting explosives" ". Is it possible for someone at the BBC to ask a basic question and include the answer in the report as to whether or not there was any actual evidence of explosives? I am sure you know that it is simply routine for Israeli troops to shoot at anyone in firing distance of Israel. There are plenty of reports and videos available showing they have an open-fire policy. Here are some videos that took me moments to find. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuLpgZOYEVU) (www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSECq3kxT4I) (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nkcYaqhpng) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yMgoOT9H_0) Is it possible you could add a mention of Israel's open-fire policy? You write, "Three Palestinians have been detained", but later you say, "Gaza is controlled by Hamas". Is "detained" the correct word to use? The Israeli troops entered Gaza after all. I'm sure you would never in a million years describe it as "detained" if a Palestinian entered Israel and did the same. Please can you correct this bias. You write, "Clashes have been relatively rare in Gaza since Israel's military offensive in December and January". In what sense of the word could this situation be described as a "Clash"? This by all accounts was an attack based on unfounded suspicions. Why do you give the reader that somehow the Palestinians were in some state of conflict with the Israeli troops? Please can you correct this bias. I would like to thank you for mentioning this, "The strips borders, airspace and coast line are controlled by Israel, and Egypt along the southern border. The territory is under a crippling Israeli blockade under which only a limited number of humanitarian goods are allowed in." I would like a response to all my points. http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1258285814.html Yesterday a 16 year old Palestinian boy was killed by the IDF who had invaded Gaza. The BBC report is biased, confusing and inaccurate. Below it is an e-mail to the BBC from a medialens contributor.

Page last updated at 13:28 GMT, Friday, 13 November 2009

Palestinian killed on Gaza border

The shooting took place near the Karni crossing point.

Israeli troops have shot dead a Palestinian man, and wounded another, near a border crossing with Gaza.

Gazan medics said they retrieved the body of a 16-year-old boy, who they described as an unarmed civilian, near the Karni crossing.

The Israeli military said they would investigate the incident but the group “appeared to be planting explosives”.

Clashes have been relatively rare in Gaza since Israel’s military offensive in December and January.

‘Hunting birds’

An Israeli military spokeswoman said one Palestinian had been taken to Israel for treatment. He was in a critical condition. Another three Palestinians had been detained.

A Palestinian hospital official told the AP news agency that the group were civilians who were hunting birds.

Gaza has been controlled by Hamas since it ousted Fatah forces in June 2007. The strips borders, airspace and coast line are controlled by Israel, and Egypt along the southern border.

The territory is under a crippling Israeli blockade under which only a limited number of humanitarian goods are allowed in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Peter Charles on November 15, 2009, 11:50 am, in reply to “Quick email :-)”

Dear BBC,

I am writing to complain about this report that appeared on your news website.
(news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8358771.stm)

I am quite frankly disgusted how you quickly gloss over the killing and seizing of children. I can only imagine the terror of being shot at, diving for cover while bullets ricochet around me and watching my friends one by one get hit.

Your headline, “Palestinian killed on Gaza Border”, is an absolute disgrace. It gives the reader a mental image of a Palestinian being shot ‘on’ the border and not in Gaza ‘near’ the border. It therefore gives the impression to some that they were a justified target. It is my belief the BBC does, inadvertently or not, tend to use ambiguous wording (not to be confused with impartial wording) in these cases which have the effect of favouring or excusing Israel.

After reading other reports from other sources including that of Israeli military sources, it is my understanding that the Israelis entered Gaza to shoot at the Palestinian youths. Your headline would better read, “Israeli troops enter Gaza, Palestinian youth killed”.

I would thank you to use the correct wording as to the victim’s age. You say a “man” was shot dead but then refer to him as a “boy”. Please could you spend a little more time to ask more questions. A person has died. Is it too much to ask for his name?

You write, “The Israeli military said they would investigate the incident but the group “appeared to be planting explosives” “. Is it possible for someone at the BBC to ask a basic question and include the answer in the report as to whether or not there was any actual evidence of explosives? I am sure you know that it is simply routine for Israeli troops to shoot at anyone in firing distance of Israel. There are plenty of reports and videos available showing they have an open-fire policy. Here are some videos that took me moments to find.
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuLpgZOYEVU)
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSECq3kxT4I)
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nkcYaqhpng)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yMgoOT9H_0)

Is it possible you could add a mention of Israel’s open-fire policy?

You write, “Three Palestinians have been detained”, but later you say, “Gaza is controlled by Hamas”. Is “detained” the correct word to use? The Israeli troops entered Gaza after all. I’m sure you would never in a million years describe it as “detained” if a Palestinian entered Israel and did the same. Please can you correct this bias.

You write, “Clashes have been relatively rare in Gaza since Israel’s military offensive in December and January”. In what sense of the word could this situation be described as a “Clash”? This by all accounts was an attack based on unfounded suspicions. Why do you give the reader that somehow the Palestinians were in some state of conflict with the Israeli troops? Please can you correct this bias.

I would like to thank you for mentioning this, “The strips borders, airspace and coast line are controlled by Israel, and Egypt along the southern border. The territory is under a crippling Israeli blockade under which only a limited number of humanitarian goods are allowed in.”

I would like a response to all my points.

http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1258285814.html

]]> By: Mary Martin http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-59379 Mary Martin Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:47:47 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-59379 Thank you Mariam for that insight into a world that I cannot even fathom so unreal to me, my family and the high school students that I teach. Every time someone is exposed and made aware to the incredible human suffering, is hopefully a small step towards peace. Thank you for writing. Please think about coming to Mother Mcauley to speak. Thank you Mariam for that insight into a world that I cannot even fathom so unreal to me, my family and the high school students that I teach. Every time someone is exposed and made aware to the incredible human suffering, is hopefully a small step towards peace. Thank you for writing. Please think about coming to Mother Mcauley to speak.

]]> By: Mulga Mumblebrain http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-58868 Mulga Mumblebrain Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:59:08 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-58868 The simple result of a deeply racist ideology, allied to unprecedented money power, in action. The simple result of a deeply racist ideology, allied to unprecedented money power, in action.

]]> By: Linda Durham http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-58742 Linda Durham Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:32:35 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-58742 Thank you. So poignant, so beautifully handled. These stories are repeated over and over. I heard similar asccounts when I was in Gaza with Code Pink in March of this year. Sadly, most people who really need to hear and read these stories are unwilling to open their ears, eyes and hearts... Thank you. So poignant, so beautifully handled. These stories are repeated over and over. I heard similar asccounts when I was in Gaza with Code Pink in March of this year. Sadly, most people who really need to hear and read these stories are unwilling to open their ears, eyes and hearts…

]]> By: Ismail Zayid http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-58663 Ismail Zayid Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:59:09 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-58663 This story reflects well on the difficulties and hazards every Palestinian child encounters, throughout his/her school years, under the brutal and oppressive illegal Israeli occupation they have been subjected to for decades. The stone thrown at a tank does not resolve that conflict but it achieves a satisfaction in an act of resistance to the painful conditions and humiliation these children face in their daily life. This story reflects well on the difficulties and hazards every Palestinian child encounters, throughout his/her school years, under the brutal and oppressive illegal Israeli occupation they have been subjected to for decades. The stone thrown at a tank does not resolve that conflict but it achieves a satisfaction in an act of resistance to the painful conditions and humiliation these children face in their daily life.

]]> By: lichen http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-58660 lichen Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:42:18 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-58660 No, actually, the human right's abuses that students in the rest of the world suffer through are still valid, still worth fighting against and protesting over regardless of the contents of this article; justice must come everywhere, and we will not accept bs about "having it good." No, actually, the human right’s abuses that students in the rest of the world suffer through are still valid, still worth fighting against and protesting over regardless of the contents of this article; justice must come everywhere, and we will not accept bs about “having it good.”

]]> By: Leslie Jones http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/the-life-of-a-student-in-gaza/#comment-58643 Leslie Jones Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:03:15 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11737#comment-58643 Good read for those who have lost perspective on how lucky they truly have had it in their lives. Let's hope his future is brighter. Good read for those who have lost perspective on how lucky they truly have had it in their lives.
Let’s hope his future is brighter.

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