Viva Palestina USA Goes To Gaza: Photo Essay
September 10th, 2009 § 8 Comments
Thanks to Matthew Miller and Nima Sheth for making available two collections of photos they took whilst visiting Palestine. “It is hard to explain in words the extent of the destruction in Gaza”, Matt writes alongside the photos they both took. ”It is so complete and so total that I fear even these following pictures will fail to convey the devastation wrought by Israel’s brutal Dec.-Jan. attack on Gaza.”
Gaza, Palestine is in the most dire situation it has been in since 1967, with a continued siege meaning that the israeli regime is still preventing relief and reconstruction. See also a couple of pieces just posted by Nazareth-based journalist Jonathan Cook: An economy strangled by its neighbour and Israel stops money for Gaza’s disabled. Matt and Nima’s second photo essay, from their visit to the Palestinian West Bank, is featured at PULSE here.
According to the UN, Israel’s assault on Gaza damaged or destroyed more than 50,000 homes, 800 industrial properties, 200 schools, 39 mosques and even 2 churches. In other words, this was not “surgical air strikes” as Israel often claimed; this was the systematic destruction of a country.
In this picture you can see at least three large apartment complexes that housed probably hundreds of people each. Destroyed…what if this was your home?
Fact: Israel damaged or destroyed 50,000 homes in their assault on Gaza.
Another apartment complex in a nearby area reduced almost to rubble.
How many people died when Israel decided to bomb this neighborhood?
Fact: Israel damaged or destroyed 200 schools in their attack on Gaza.
A young Palestinian boy we saw playing in the rubble nearby.
Keep this in mind as you look through these pictures: a recent academic study found that 67% of Gazans have PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and a shocking 96% experienced shelling and bombardment of their surrounding area during Israel’s brutal attack on Gaza. The damage of war is not just physical—it continues destroying the lives of its victims long after the bombs stop falling.
(Source: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/aug/16/gaza-recovery/)
A home in the countryside completely destroyed. If you look closely, you will see the that family has put up a little tent/shelter where they are currently living. This is a very common site in Gaza because Israel has prohibited any building materials from being brought into Gaza.
Furthermore, despite the fact that 80% of Gazans are dependent on foreign food aid [because of the Israeli blockade preventing exports and causing unemployment - Ed], Israel has cut aid shipments by over 75% in the last two years.
The mangled remains of a family’s home, which used to have a beautiful view of the countryside and a pretty garden.
Did you know: Israel damaged or destroyed 800 industrial properties in their most recent bombing campaigning, leaving countless (more) Gazans unemployed.
Some children play outside in an abandoned street in one of the towns we drove through.
A study published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, found that a shocking 10.2% of Gazan children suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.
(Source: http://www.theage.com.au/world/gaza-conflicts-stunt-childrens-growth-20090305-8q2h.html)
This tent stands were a mosque stood before it was completely destroyed in Israel’s assault on Gaza.
In addition to destroying this mosque, Israel also destroyed 38 other ones.
Destruction as far as the eye can see….
The only thing that kept us sane while touring through the unfathomable devastation in Gaza was the Palestinian people. Contrary to the images of Palestinians you will likely see on mainstream U.S. media, the Palestinan people were exceedingly kind and courteous.
Fact: A study published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, found that a shocking 10.2% of Gazan children suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.
Question: how can you bomb 50,000 homes, 800 industrial properties, 200 schools, 39 mosques and even 2 churches and claim that you have “the most moral army in the world,” as the Israeli spokesman would frequently say?
Israel’s blockade of Gaza is now nearly total. Building supplies necessary for reconstruction, such as cement, glass, steel piping and other construction material are strictly prohibited, and other household and food items such as coffee, tea, lightbulbs, crayons, blankets and hair conditioner are also blocked. Basic food items, such as pasta, lentils, strawberry jam, and chocolate, were also blocked for a time until widespread media attention forced Israel to acquiesce and permit these basic foodstuffs.
(Sources: http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-gaza-rebuilding1-2009aug01-test,0,2295135,full.story and http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0513/p06s13-wome.html).
The remains of the Parliament Building.
Did you know?
Israel currently blocks all building supplies necessary for any reconstruction from entering the Gaza Strip, including cement, glass, steel piping and other construction materials, in addition to other household and food items such as coffee, tea, light bulbs, crayons, blankets and hair conditioner. Basic food items, such as pasta, lentils, strawberry jam, and chocolate, were also blocked for a time until widespread media attention forced Israel to relent and permit these basic foodstuffs.
Here is another family that has built a rough shelter in the ruins of their old home.
This is what remains of the American International School (which was built and funded by your tax dollars!). Why would the Israelis destroy an American school? Or why for that matter would they destroy 200 other schools, including several UN schools?
More rubble, former known as the American International School.
….and more rubble still….
Keep in mind that the American International School is not close to anything. There are wide fields on three sides of it and the Mediterranean Sea is on its fourth side. In other words, it was very deliberately targeted–it was not an accident hit.
Yet another destroyed building is the backdrop for a busy UNICEF tent.
An apartment complex covered with bullet holes. One can only imagine how many of the 1,400 Palestinian Gazans who were killed died because of these indiscriminately fired bullets.
The remains of some ocean front houses or facilities.
This used to be the port of Gaza City, which was also completely destroyed. Many Palestinian Gazans depend on fishing in the abundant Mediterranean waters both as a source of income and, even more importantly, as a source of nutrient rich food.
In a place were over 10% of the children have stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition, this is a particularly inhumane act.
Even at Gaza’s beautiful Mediterranean coast, it is impossible to escape the destruction.
Now, let’s rewind and take a look at how we got to Gaza, Palestine.
This picture was taken at a cafe in Alexandria, Egypt. Almost immediately upon arriving in Cairo, our group was split in two and one group went to Alexandria to pick up the 50 new vehicles from the Alexandrian Free Port that were purchased to donate to social and humanitarian organizations in Gaza.
After spending four days in Alexandria and jumping through bureaucratic loop holes for the Egyptian government and others, we were informed by the Egyptian government the exact day the money transfer of over $500,000 went through to the Chinese car company that they would not permit us to bring the vehicles (which include some ambulances and fire trucks as well) through the border. The worst part about this was that the Egyptian government had previously explicitly said that we would be permitted to take the desperately needed vehicles through the border. They, of course, waited until our money was in the hands of the Chinese car company before informing us of their change of heart, in effect making us waste over half a million dollars that could have gone towards medicine or other desperately needed aid.
Take away lesson: the Egyptian government is just as responsible for the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza as Israel is.
While half of the group was in Alexandria trying to secure release of the 50 cars, the other half of the group tried to make their way to al-’Arish to begin to set up base camp.
Egyptian authorities stopped them, however, at the Mubarak “Peace” Bridge, setting off a 12 hour stand-off with the Egyptian authorities. The Egyptian authorities eventually forced the group to turn back to Cairo, claiming that we had to get an affidavit from the U.S. Embassy in Cairo before they would let us proceed any further. In previous discussions with the Egyptian authorities, however, they had explicitly told the group leaders we would NOT need these affidavits.
So we returned to Cairo and procured affidavits from the U.S. Embassy, essentially signing away our rights as U.S. citizens to receive aid from the U.S. State Department in the event that something happened to us in Gaza.
One of the convoy vehicles, decorated and ready to go!
More of them…
This particular vehicle was sponsored by orthodox Jews from Neturei-Karta (http://nkusa.org/), who are against political Zionism and openly express their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The Egyptian government prevented us from entering Gaza for several days. It took many days of intense negotiations with the Egyptian government and lots of bureaucratic acrobatics for them to agree to permit us entrance for only 24 hours.
As we get ready to depart Cairo for Gaza, group director, Kevin Ovenden, gives the group a rundown of how everything is going to work. He is flanked by British MP George Galloway and former USA Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney on his right and current New York City Council Member Charles Barron on his left.
And the convoy is off!
On the road to Gaza, crossing through the Sinai desert…
Despite the fact that the Egyptian government prevented us from delivering over half of the aid we purchased, the convoy was still very large.
Going through passport control on the Gazan side.
The level excitement is sky-high as we all wait in the holding area before officially crossing into Gaza!
And we are officially into Gaza!
Israel’s siege had been broken–even if only symbolically.
Nima and I at the arrival gate.
The boy who is in the lower right hand corner was a Palestinian boy who had been unable to return to his family in Gaza since the bombing. He was able to come into Gaza with our group, however.
I did not get the specifics of his story, but this is not an uncommon occurrence. On our way out of Gaza, our group tried to take out with us an American family who had been trapped in Gaza when the bombing started. Even though they were American citizens, they were prevented from leaving with us because they are of Gazan origin.
This is the way life is in the Israeli prison called Gaza.
One of the most important things to remember is that the struggle between Israel and Palestine is NOT a religious conflict, it is political. Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in the Holy Land for centuries in peace with one another. And today there are many Jews and Jewish groups working for justice for the Palestinians. Check out these organizations especially:
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
http://www.btselem.org/English/
http://www.icahd.org/eng/
There was quite a lot of foreign media there to meet us when we arrived in Gaza (Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMLHLAd8uws).
Unfortunately, we did not receive any attention from the mainstream U.S. press.
British MP George Galloway addressing the crowd and media assembled.
After a tiring late night ride through the Gazan countryside, we reached Gaza City. Some of the group stayed in this beautiful hotel, The Commodore.
One of our most important stops in our 24 hours in Gaza was al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. We delivered our medical supplies here.
During Israel’s assault on Gaza, al-Shifa Hospital was completely overwhelmed with civilian injuries and casualties. See Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert, who worked in the al-Shifa Hospital during Israel’s assault on Gaza, talk about the medical situation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev6ojm62qwA .
Some Gazan girls we met at the hospital.
A shot looking towards Gaza City from the Parliament Building (or, rather, what is left of it).
Israel’s blockade of Gaza is not only illegal according to international law and the UN, it is also inhumane. It has crippled the Gazan economy to the point where 80% of Gazans are dependent on foreign food aid and more than 10% of children have stunted growth because of chronic malnutrition.
Despite the fact that our country (the U.S) is the one supplying Israel with the bombs and political cover to destroy Gaza, we never felt any hatred directed towards us. The Gazans were extraordinarily kind.
Sometime in the afternoon, as we drove through the streets, passing many friendly Gazans (like those above) on our way, I thought………MY TAX MONEY, AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, LITERALLY PAID FOR THE BOMBS TO DESTROY THE HOMES OF THESE PEOPLE…..
….to me, this is a heavy burden to carry. I, you, we all paid for the destruction of Gaza, for the deaths of 1,400 Palestinians.
AND, therefore, it is US who must help stop it!
As the sun began to set over Gaza, our one day in Gaza came to a close…
…yet even on our way out, driving down the stunningly beautiful Mediterranean coast of Gaza towards the Rafah Crossing, we were unable to escape the destruction…because it is truly everywhere and bombs do not stop for breathtaking sunsets.
….just as words can never do justice to a beautiful sunset, and pictures only capture half of its magic…
…so to do these words, stats, and pictures fail to capture the extent of the suffering and destruction and the beauty and kindness of the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian flag is still flying over Gaza, but the people of Gaza need our help to end the Israeli siege on Gaza; to prevent future assaults; and to work for the establishment of a truly free and independent Palestinian state with their brothers and sisters in the West Bank.
We, as Americans, have a special burden to carry in this regard because it is OUR tax money that funded the destruction of Gaza and continues to support Israel’s illegal siege and Apartheid System.
So, get involved! See my note “GAZA, Palestine—A Few Thoughts” here for ways to help: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&suggest¬e_id=121268739853#/note.php?note_id=121268739853&ref=nf .
And check out (and GET INVOLVED in!!!) these organizations which work specifically on Palestine issues:
http://endtheoccupation.org/
http://www.codepink4peace.org/
http://www.al-awda.org/
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
http://www.icahd.org/eng/
http://www.btselem.org/English/
(All these organizations take different positions on some of the sensitive issues involved. I am not specifically endorsing any of them—I am only providing them as good general organizations working specifically on the issue of Palestine).
Matthew Miller and Nima Sheth – 2009
Dear Matt
Excellent what you did.Do you have some pictures for me especially when I spoke in Palestinian Rafah.
That one when I was praying with other two persons on the earth of Palestinian Rafah.I’ll appreciate if you can send me them.Thanks
Please convey my regards to Nima.If you can find me the E-mail/phone of Sarah the palestinian girl from Irvine,I will appreciate it.
Thanks for your efforts and Viva Palestina
Thanx Matthew n whole group to feel that way n making others feel that…. Humanity should be the only religion n only community on earth…..
Just a note to all of us, including me: let’s beware of overusing the term ‘Gazan.’ Israeli policy is to separate the Palestinians into different little groups: the east Jerusalem people, the Gaza people, the West Bank people, the refugees, the Palestinian Israelis. Because such terrible crimes are being committed against the Palestinians in Gaza, we now have ‘Gaza activism’. So let’s remember that the people in Gaza are Palestinians. In fact, over 80% of them originate from outside of what is now the Gaza strip, refugees from southern and coastal Palestine, from places like Sderot and Askelon.
But this photo-essay is a brilliant piece of work. I encourage everybody to send it on to their contacts.
oh yah thats a good piece of information….thanx.
Just looking at the pictures brings back lots of memories of the 24 hrs in Gaza. I have written my version of the trip, of course including the 12 days in Egypt (most of which I call hurry up and wait). It almost seemed like we were never going to make it they cut it so close! I mean we left Gaza the next night and most of us went directly to the airport. One more day and a number of us would not have been able to go. I say there were about 200 convoy volunteers and there are 200 stories, each from the eye of each one…you will hear some similarity on the facts, but you will see different feelings and experiences. I invite all of you as having been a part of this historic convoy (and an embarrassment to the US) to read my story and see “One Man’s Experience” Viva Palestina
http://www.facebook.com/notifications.php#/note.php?note_id=131538088150
[...] Words simply cannot do justice to the extent and severity of destruction in Gaza in the wake of the murderous Israeli assault on Gaza during December 2008 and January 2009. For this reason, PSC-STL members Matthew Miller and Nima Sheth decided to publish their account of their trip into Gaza this summer with the Viva Palestina convoy in the form of a photo essay. PULSE media kindly published their piece and it is available here: Viva Palestina USA Goes to Gaza: Photo Essay. [...]
Such beautiful photos amid terrible devastation. My heart goes out to the people of Gaza. They are truly prisoners in their own land.
Right on. great photography.
Ricardo