Who is remembered, lives: Margot Adler

I learned today that Margot Adler has died. 

Amazing grace, how sweet the earth
That formed a witch like me
I once was burned, but now I thrive
Was hanged but now I sing

'Twas grace that drew down the moon
And grace that raised the sea
The magick of the people's will
Will set our Mother free!

Rest in peace, Margot. Who is remembered, lives. May your memory always be a blessing.

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Related post: Margot Adler's "Amazing Grace," without shame

Donations for humanitarian relief in Israel and Gaza

According to the NY Times, the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation for Israel and the Occupied Territories is the only humanitarian agency currently on the ground in Beit Hanoun, Gaza.

Here is more information.

If you'd like to support humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza, please consider a donation to the ICRC specifically for this relief work.

The ICRC started work in Israel and the occupied territories in 1948, following the first Israeli-Arab conflict. Its presence became permanent in the aftermath of the 1967 war. The ICRC repeatedly reminds Israel of its obligations under IHL towards the population living under occupation, through bilateral and confidential dialogue. The organization focuses on the protection of civilians and the welfare of detainees held in Israeli and Palestinian places of detention, and helps the most needy. The ICRC supports the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Magen David Adom (the Israeli National Society). (http://www.icrc.org/eng/where-we-work/middle-east/israel-occupied-territories/overview-israel.htm)

To donate, see http://www.icrc.org/eng/donations/index.jsp

What do these numbers tell you about Gaza?

What do these numbers tell you?

In the current Gaza emergency:
* 95% of the total fatalities have been Palestinian.
* 5% total fatalities have been Israeli.
* 76% of the Palestinian fatalities have been civilians.
* 25% of the Palestinian fatalities have been children.
* 7% of the Israeli fatalities have been civilians.
* 0% of the Israeli fatalities have been children.

Feel free to check my arithmetic:
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_sitrep_22_07_2014.pdf

Israel-Palestine: the Gaza emergency, reliable information sources, and peace workers

Here are some sources of reliable information about the on-going situation in Israel-Palestine, and in particular about the current emergency in Gaza.  Here's also some information about people and groups doing active peacemaking.  There are a lot of them.  Spreading the word about their work is one way to remind the world about the truth on the ground, which is very different from what most of us hear from the news reports. 

First: information

A good place to get reliable information about the daily situation in Gaza is the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Occupied Palestinian Territories, or UN OCHA OPT.  They publish a situation report every day with highlights, quick facts and figures, and brief analysis. 


United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Occupied Palestinian Territories

• http://www.ochaopt.org/

Daily Situation Reports

• http://www.ochaopt.org/reports.aspx?id=1010272&page=1

The groups listed under the next section are also excellent sources of information. 


Second: Peacemakers

There are a LOT of individuals and groups within Israel-Palestine doing peace work, especially non-violent peace work. Here are some, just off the top of my head.  If I spent some time looking things up, I could list more. 

Please see what they have to say about the current situation, but also about their work and the overall longer-term situation.  I can pretty much promise you will learn something you didn't already know. 

The International Solidarity Movement

• On Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/ismpalestine
• On the web:  http://palsolidarity.org/

Christian Peacemaker Teams - Palestine

• On Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/cptpalestine
• On the web:  http://cpt.org/work/palestine

The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)

• On Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Israeli-Committee-Against-House-Demolitions-ICAHD/115169235224525
• On the web: http://www.icahd.org/

Rabbis for Human Rights

• On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RabbisForHumanRights
• On the web: http://rhr.org.il/eng/

EAPPI / Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel

• On the web:  http://www.eappi.org/

B'Tselem בצלם

• On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/btselem
• On the web: http://www.btselem.org/

Oasis of Peace / Neve Shalom / Wahat al-Salam

• On Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/oasisofpeace
• On the web: http://wasns.org/

Breaking the Silence

• On Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/BreakingTheSilenceIsrael
• On the web: http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/

You can click on any of those for more information, both about their work, and also about the current situation.

And there are more. (Feel free to post links in comments.)

Thanks.