gaza_mahmoud

I started this blog in July 2008, when I had never yet been to Gaza nor knew if I would actually arrive. I was, at the time, in Egypt, hoping one of two miracles would occur: the Egyptian authorities would stop their complicity in imposing the lock-down of Gaza; Palestinians would  again blow down the wall between Gaza and Egypt.

Neither happened.

But an inspirational group of everyday people from around the world presented a third option: sailing to Gaza. 

Now, five-and-a-half years after joining the third boat to Gaza, two Israeli wars on Gaza (and uncountable IOF bombings) later, I remain dedicated to keeping Gaza in the minds of whomever I can speak with or share via this blog.  The Palestinians of Gaza continue to suffer under entirely manufactured miseries. Plural. They educated, competent human beings who have survived and continue to do so in the more dire, most sadistically-contrived circumstances.  They don’t need our pity, but they do deserve our solidarity.  And so, making a short point long, I’d like to say that I continue in my own efforts, in solidarity with Palestine…and that in my political awakening I’ve become more informed on geopolitical games in the entire region.

Thus, while the blog is called “In Gaza” and my first and remaining intention was/is to highlight the manufactured suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, and will continue writing/sharing on Gaza on “In Gaza,” I have the opportunity to visit and share on Syria, the destruction and suffering of which my own countries (America and Canada) are complicit.

For the next undetermined period I’ll be blogging and re-posting publishings on Syria, again with the sole intent of shedding light on what is and is not a complex issue: Syria is in the crosshairs of the same powers that ravaged Iraq and Libya, to name but two, in the name of “human rights” and “democracy.” The complexities lie in the media misinformation on who is at fault or not and the obfuscation of influence and involvement of external powers (U.S., Saudi, Turkey, Qatar, Israel, to name a few) who wish to see yet another strong Arab nation torn apart. 

While I do have my opinions on this orchestrated devastation of a once dynamic country, and these opinions are based on fact and on research, in the coming reporting I will do, I’ll work to convey what Syrian voices are telling me: their testimonies, their experiences, what they see as a solution. 

Image: Eva Bartlett