via War Times
Dear friends,
The situation in Gaza grows more grave by the hour. We're sending on this material from the US Campaign to End the Occupation, because it's a good summary of things you can do to help stop a bloodbath.
We're also passing on some material from Sabeel, an organization of Palestinian Christians dedicated to nonviolent struggles for Palestinian rights. They are asking us to write letters to the editors of the New York Times and Washington Post, calling these papers out on their outrageously one-sided reporting. They provide links to the Times andPost stories and advice about how to write these letters, together with a timeline of recent events. You'll find their suggestions below as well.
Phyllis Bennis has also written a useful piece here, in which she explains why she thinks this attack on Gaza is happening now.
Here is the Campaign to end the Occupation's mailing, which contains links to lists of local demonstrations around the country:
ACT NOW! Join Protest, Contact Obama to End Israel's Attacks on Gaza
November 15th, 2012
Take Action Now to Stop Israel’s Attacks on Gaza
 Photo credit: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. |
Since November 8, Israel has killed at least 21 Palestinians in the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip, the majority of whom are civilians, including children. In addition, 3 Israeli civilians have been killed by a Palestinian rocket.
Israel's attacks against the Gaza Strip are being committed with U.S. weapons given to Israel as military aid by the U.S. taxpayer. These weapons are being misused by Israel in violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act to commit grave human rights abuses of Palestinians.
We’re asking you to take three actions right now:
Join an emergency protest or organize one yourself. There are dozens of emergency actions planned across the country starting this afternoon, which you can view here. 
Write and call President Obama demanding that he exert diplomatic pressure on Israel for an immediate cease-fire and initiate an investigation into Israel’s misuse of U.S. weapons to commit human rights abuses of Palestinians.
Make a tax-deductible donation to the US Campaign to support our Facebook and Google ad campaigns to build support for our political demands. Your donation will go immediately to supporting these ads.
Here are Sabeel's suggestions. They write:
It's time to call our mainstream media to account for their egregious reporting on the attacks in Gaza. Write to the NYTimes and/or the Washington Post about their failure to report Israeli provocations leading up to the recent assault. See the Institute for Middle East Understanding timeline below as a reference. Don't worry about writing perfect prose, just get your letter out there, citing the facts.
Send letters up to 150 words in length to the Times by emailingletters@nytimes.com. Include your name, address and phone number. Send your letter in the text of the email, not as an attachment.
Send letters of fewer than 200 words to the Post by emailingletters@washpost.com.
Include your name, email address, home address and phone number. Don't attach your letter but send it in the text of your email.
Here are links to the Times and Post stories:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-assault.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-assault.html?hp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/hamas-leader-in-gaza-killed-by-israeli-strike/2012/11/14/de2ea690-2e72-11e2-9ac2-1c61452669c3_story.html
TIMELINE: Israel's Latest Escalation in Gaza
IMEU, NOV 14, 2012
On Wednesday, November 14th, it was reported that Israel assassinated the leader of Hamas' military wing, Ahmed Jabari, breaking a tentative truce with Palestinian fighters that had been in place since Monday. The truce followed an escalation in violence that began last Thursday in which 6 Palestinian civilians were killed, including three children, and more than 50 others injured.
The IMEU offers the following timeline of the recent violence and a link to an IMEU fact sheet on previous Israeli ceasefire violations.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Following a two-week lull in violence, Israeli soldiers invade Gaza. In the resulting exchange of gunfire with Palestinian fighters, a 12-year-old boy is killed by an Israeli bullet while he plays soccer.
Shortly afterwards, Palestinian fighters blow up a tunnel along the Gaza-Israel frontier, injuring one Israeli soldier.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10
An anti-tank missile fired by Palestinian fighters wounds four Israeli soldiers driving in a jeep along the Israel-Gaza boundary.
An Israeli artillery shell lands in a soccer field in Gaza killing two children, aged 16 and 17. Later, an Israeli tank fires a shell at a tent where mourners are gathered for a funeral, killing two more civilians, and wounding more than two dozen others.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
One Palestinian civilian is killed and dozens more wounded in Israeli attacks. Four Israeli civilians are also injured as a result of projectiles launched from Gaza, according to the Israeli government.
During an Israeli government cabinet meeting, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz urges the government to "cut off the head of the snake... take out the leadership of Hamas in Gaza." He also calls for a cutting off of water, food, electricity, and fuel shipments to Gaza's 1.7 million people.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Palestinian militant factions agree to a truce if Israel ends its attacks.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Israel breaks two days of calm by assassinating Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas' military wing. According to reports, at least eight other Palestinians are killed in Israeli attacks, including at least two children. Palestinian militant groups vow to respond.
Click here for a link to an earlier IMEU factsheet:
Self-Defense or Provocation?: Israel's History of Breaking Ceasefires
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-assault.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-assault.html?hp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/hamas-leader-in-gaza-killed-by-israeli-strike/2012/11/14/de2ea690-2e72-11e2-9ac2-1c61452669c3_story.html
TIMELINE: Israel's Latest Escalation in Gaza
IMEU, NOV 14, 2012
On Wednesday, November 14th, it was reported that Israel assassinated the leader of Hamas' military wing, Ahmed Jabari, breaking a tentative truce with Palestinian fighters that had been in place since Monday. The truce followed an escalation in violence that began last Thursday in which 6 Palestinian civilians were killed, including three children, and more than 50 others injured.
The IMEU offers the following timeline of the recent violence and a link to an IMEU fact sheet on previous Israeli ceasefire violations.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Following a two-week lull in violence, Israeli soldiers invade Gaza. In the resulting exchange of gunfire with Palestinian fighters, a 12-year-old boy is killed by an Israeli bullet while he plays soccer.
Shortly afterwards, Palestinian fighters blow up a tunnel along the Gaza-Israel frontier, injuring one Israeli soldier.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10
An anti-tank missile fired by Palestinian fighters wounds four Israeli soldiers driving in a jeep along the Israel-Gaza boundary.
An Israeli artillery shell lands in a soccer field in Gaza killing two children, aged 16 and 17. Later, an Israeli tank fires a shell at a tent where mourners are gathered for a funeral, killing two more civilians, and wounding more than two dozen others.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
One Palestinian civilian is killed and dozens more wounded in Israeli attacks. Four Israeli civilians are also injured as a result of projectiles launched from Gaza, according to the Israeli government.
During an Israeli government cabinet meeting, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz urges the government to "cut off the head of the snake... take out the leadership of Hamas in Gaza." He also calls for a cutting off of water, food, electricity, and fuel shipments to Gaza's 1.7 million people.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Palestinian militant factions agree to a truce if Israel ends its attacks.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Israel breaks two days of calm by assassinating Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas' military wing. According to reports, at least eight other Palestinians are killed in Israeli attacks, including at least two children. Palestinian militant groups vow to respond.
Click here for a link to an earlier IMEU factsheet:
Self-Defense or Provocation?: Israel's History of Breaking Ceasefires
War Times encourages you to take as many of these actions as you can.
Thank you,
The War Times crew
