Gaza Unlocked Team
GazaUnlocked @JehadAbusalim: In Light in Gaza, writers from Gaza explore the central question: Can a better future for Gaza be imagined, as part of a broader vision for ending the Nakba, the Catastrophe that befell Palestinians in 1948?
Swimmer's Olympic Dreams
The Independent ran a story a few days ago by their Middle East correspondent Bel Trew about a Palestinian girl in Gaza, 13 year old Fatima Abu Shedeg, who dreams of going to the Olympics in 2020.
US Mendacity on Gaza
On July 19th the Washington Post gave US Special Representative Jason Greenblatt, Jared Kushner, and Ambassador to Israel David Friedman room to write about Gaza. Their article is one of the clearest examples of why the US cannot lead peace negotiations between Palestinian and Israelis and how dishonesty is a hallmark of US Israel-Palestine policy under the Trump Administration.
Episcopal Church Convention Supports Palestinian rights
Last week the Episcopal Church held its tri-annual General Convention in Austin, Texas. The Episcopal Church is a mainline Christian denomination with three million members in the United States and is the U.S.-based member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
New AFSC Podcast
In July, Jehad Abusalim of the midwest branch of AFSC in Chicago began recording a weekly podcast entitled Palestine Now & Then. The show focuses on Palestinian culture, history, and politics, discussing the lives and experiences of modern Palestinians in the context of the similarities and differences with past generations.
Coding in Gaza
A recent article from The Guardian highlights the creative ways in which Gazans create opportunities and engage youth in the face of blockade. Gaza Sky Geeks, a “tech hub and co-working space”, trains youth in coding and modern online business practices.
Growing up under siege – What does the experience of children in Gaza look like?
Children living under military occupation in the West Bank and Jerusalem are haunted by the specter of arrest, detention, and settler violence. Their daily lives, their experiences as individuals and an entire generation are shaped by that brutal reality.
Farmers in Gaza: Risking life to survive
Since at least 2007 Israel has imposed a military no-go zone along the boundary between Israel and Gaza which extends up to one and a half kilometers into Gaza. Anyone entering this no-go zone can be shot by the Israeli military.
Gaza: A Lab and Showroom
This week the "Hamushim" a joint program of AFSC and the Coalition of Women for Peace in Israel published a new report titled "A Lab and a Showroom" on the Israeli military's use of new weapons against protesters in Gaza.
Gaza's Remarkable Women
Two weeks before her twentieth birthday, Asmaa Tayeh wrote, “I have spent my life so far in a prison called Gaza, which is in Palestine. I call it a prison because if you committed a crime and were sentenced to prison for 20 years, you would be unable to do anything except eat, drink, sleep and maybe study–achieving nothing. And that’s all that’s possible here...” (This article was first published in garnet news)
Shorouq Hajjar - Being human means serving others
On June 1st, 2018 Palestinian medic Razan Najjar was shot and killed by Israeli snipers while providing assistance to Palestinians injured during nonviolent Palestinian protests near the Gaza fence in Khan Younis. Razan was wearing a uniform that clearly identified her as a medic when she was shot.
Risking life to save life
During the Great Return March, university student Muawiya Alai volunteered with a Palestinian Red Crescent medical team providing assistance to those injured during the protests. While in the field and wearing his medical uniform, Muawiya and a colleague were shot by Israeli snipers.
#MakingHistory: US Senator Bernie Sanders features Palestinian voices in Gaza in recent video
In recent social media post, US Senator Bernie Sanders posted a video featuring the voices of Palestinians from Gaza. In the video entitled “Palestinians describe life in Gaza,” five Palestinians talked about their experiences living under the decade-long Israeli blockade. “The voices of the Palestinians are rarely heard,” the caption stated on the Senator’s various social media accounts.
US Congressional Briefing on Gaza held by Faith Forum
Sponsored by the Faith Forum on Middle East Policy, a network of Christian denominations and organizations working for a just peace in the Middle East, a Congressional briefing was held to discuss the implications of U.S. policy on the ground in Gaza and in Israel and the surrounding area and hear about constructive ways security and economic concerns can be addressed.
Gaza Unlocked: Overcoming Fences of Narrative
Our new blog shares stories and analysis from Gaza: Gaza, or the Gaza Strip, are names of a place that appears on the headlines every once and a while. Like most parts of the world where turmoil is routine, the media tends to treat Gaza as one political, social, and cultural unit. But Gaza, home (and refugee camp) to two million Palestinians, is far more politically and culturally rich than it would be portrayed in the media.
Have You Heard the Message from Gaza?
Jennifer Bing wrote and read the following speech at a rally held in Chicago on June 5, 2018.
Hearing in the Heartland
On April 21, AFSC hosted "Gaza Unlocked: Hearing in the Heartland" in Indianapolis, a live-streamed event that offered the public an opportunity to learn more about the crisis in Gaza and connect with others working to end the blockade.
Press Release: 'Gaza Unlocked' shows life under occupation
“The experiences of people in Gaza are generally kept out of the headlines and far from the minds of political leaders who allow this blockade to persist,” said Jennifer Bing, director of AFSC’s Palestine-Israel program. “Our hope is that sharing the stories of Palestinians living under the blockade, the hardships they face and their resilience and steadfastness in the face of these obstacles will inspire people to take action.”
The Inherent Violence of Israel’s Gaza Blockade
An op-ed by AFSC's Palestine-Israel program director Mike Merryman-Lotze.