By Yousef Aljamal, Politics Today, 25 January 2022
Read how Palestinians seek refuge in humor to release their stress and bring joy to their lives.
An Israeli policeman checks a Palestinian young man at the Damascus Gate at the entrance of the Old City in east Jerusalem on October 13, 2015 as security measures are increased. [Photo by Ahmad Gharabli, AFP via Getty Images]
Jokes can reflect how people think of themselves and their future, and tell us a great deal about culture, politics, and ideology. On occasion, they can spread faster than rumours. Given the constant upheavals and instabilities, the Middle East, in general, and Palestine, in particular, are popular topics of political humor.
Life in parts of the Middle East has become miserable with conflicts and civil wars on the rise, and ordinary people often resort to humor to escape the dreadful reality of dark days. For a Middle Easterner, it is humor that helps them make fun of and ultimately forget their daily agonies. As politics become ever more complicated, people escape their reality and resort to humor. If you can’t change your life, then simply mock it.
In this photo illustration, the Meta logo is displayed on the screen of an iPhone in front of a Facebook logo. [Chesnot/Getty Images]
By Dr Ramzy Baroud, Opinion, Middle East Monitor, 21 January 2022
It is ironic that even former right-wing Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had rejected a Knesset (Israeli Parliament) bill which proposed to give the government greater power to control and suppress online content. This was in 2016, and the bill wasintroduced by Netanyahu’s Likud party rival, Gideon Sa’ar.
Some analysts argued that Netanyahu had feared that a law aimed at suppressing Palestinian freedom of speech online could be exploited by his enemies to control his own speech and incitement. Now that Netanyahu is no longer in the picture, the bill is back, and so is Sa’ar.
Gideon Sa’ar is currently Israel’s justice minister and deputy prime minister. While his boss, Naftali Bennett, ismoving rapidly to expand settlements and to worsen already horrific realities for Palestinians on the ground, Sa’ar is expanding the Israeli military occupation of Palestinians to the digital realm. What is known as the ‘Facebook Law’ is set to grant “Israeli courts the power to demand the removal of user-generated content on social media content platforms that can be perceived as inflammatory or as harming ‘the security of the state,’ or the security of people or the security of the public.”
Israeli occupation authorities doubled down on policies to repress Palestinians and privilege illegal Jewish settlers during the last year, Human Rights Watch stated in a new report.
“The government’s policy of maintaining the domination of Jewish Israelis over Palestinians across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), coupled with the particularly severe repression against Palestinians living in the OPT, amounts to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution,” the report reads.
Human Rights Watch said it documented serious violations of the laws of war and apparent war crimes during the May 2021 Israeli aggression on Gaza, including Israeli strikes that killed scores of Palestinian civilians and destroyed four high-rise Gaza towers full of homes and businesses, with no evident military targets in the vicinity.
“These attacks took place amid Israel’s sweeping restrictions on the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza. With rare exceptions, Israel’s closure policy, which is not based on an individualized assessment of security risk…, rob the more than two million Palestinians of Gaza of their right to freedom of movement, severely limit their access to electricity, health care, and water, and have devastated the economy,” the report adds.
“In June, a broad range of political parties formed a new Israeli coalition government, with Naftali Bennett as prime minister. This government continued to facilitate the transfer of Israeli citizens into settlements in the occupied West Bank, a war crime. In October, it advanced plans and issued tenders for more than 4,000 new settlement units,” the report continues.
The report further says that “during the first eight months of 2021, Israeli authorities demolished 666 Palestinian homes and other structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing 958 people, a 38 percent increase compared to the same period in 2020, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).”
Chants of solidarity show that sports can’t be separated from politics and losing a game by withdrawing for political reasons can be a powerful victory.
Fans wave the Palestinian flag during the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 group C football match between Morocco and Palestine at the Al-Janoub Stadium in the Qatari city of Al-Wakrah on December 1, 2021. [Photo by Karim Sahib, AFP via Getty Images]
Palestinian football history is rich and goes back to British Mandate Palestine when the Palestinian national team played against Australia’s football team in Sydney on July 2, 1939.
An agreement was reportedly reached Tuesday afternoon to end Palestinian prisoner Hisham Abu Hawwash’s hunger strike after 141 days, after negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian officials with Egyptian mediation, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
Abu Hawwash has completed his 141 days of hunger strike in an Israeli prison in protest of imprisonment without trial, known as ‘administrative detention’.
At the onset, 2021 appeared to be another ordinary year, one of unrelenting Israeli occupation and Palestinian misery. While much of that remained true, the dynamics of the Israeli occupation of Palestine were challenged by an unprecedented sense of popular unity among Palestinians, not only in the Occupied Territories, but among Palestinian communities in historic Palestine too.
VIDEO: Watch the new episode of Palestinian KidsTalk, prepared by 16th October Group/ Palestine, directed by Wafaa A. AlUdaini and presented by Nadin Abdullatif.
In this episode, met the youngest journalist in the world from Palestine, Janna Jihad, who explains why and how she became a journalist while a child under the Occupation, as well as how this work threatens her life. For more, click on the link above.
Tutu is known internationally as a leader of the struggle against while minority rule in South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work reconciling South Africans after the end of its brutal apartheid regime.
He was the moral conscience of the country and sometimes highly critical of South Africa’s ANC-led government saying that some in the ANC leadership had stopped the apartheid gravy train “just long enough to jump on”.
Relationship with New Zealand
Archbishop Tutu was a warm friend of New Zealand and many New Zealanders across our political divides will feel a deep sadness at his passing.
In the early 1980s when Tutu faced court action from the South African authorities, a delegation of church leaders from New Zealand, led by former Anglican Archbishop of Aotearoa New Zealand, the late Sir Paul Reeves, went to South Africa in an act of international solidarity. This was deeply appreciated by Tutu.
During the protests against the 1981 Springbok tour one of the three Auckland protests squads was called Tutu Squad in his honour.
Later he came to New Zealand and at one point gave evidence as an expert witness on apartheid during a trial arising from 1981 tour protests. Such was his charisma, his mana and the deep respect he commanded everywhere that when he was called to the witness stand by Hone Harawira the entire courtroom stood.
In this case all the activists on trial were acquitted after the jury deliberated.
PSNA National Chair meeting Tutu in South Africa in 2009
Support for Palestinians
Tutu was outspoken against injustices all around the world and in particular he condemned the racist policies faced by Palestinians from the Israeli regime. He frequently described Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as “worse” than that suffered by black South Africans.
He said international solidarity with Palestinians such as through BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) is critical to ending injustices like apartheid.
“I have witnessed the racially segregated roads and housing in the Holy Land that reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa under apartheid,” said Tutu.
“We could not have achieved our democracy without the help of people around the world, who through… non-violent means, such as boycotts and disinvestment, encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the apartheid regime”
In relation to Israeli policies towards Palestinians Tutu said the world should “Call it apartheid and boycott!”
In honouring Tutu’s legacy, freedom-loving people around the world should follow his advice and spurn Israel till everyone living in historic Palestine has equal rights.
Aotearoa New Zealand, the Palestinian struggle and the world have lost a dear friend and a great humanitarian.
John Minto
National Chair Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Former National Chair HART (Halt all Racist Tours)
VIDEO: The ambulance sponsored by Freedom Flotilla Coalition campaigns on the international Miles of Smiles solidarity convoy, is now busy serving the needs of disabled patients in Gaza.
The specially fitted ambulance has been assigned to the Outreach programme of the Benevolent Society for Disabled People to transport patients to and from rehabilitation and medical services throughout the Gaza Strip.
The Benevolent Society has produced this short video (above) showing the ambulance at work.
During a recent hand-over ceremony in Gaza the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was presented with an appreciation certificate, which was received on behalf of FFC by Enas Ghannam from We Are Not Numbers – one of FFC’s partner organisations in Gaza.
Enas Ghannam (right) received an appreciation certificate for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
At the awards ceremony, Dr. Ghazi Hamad, Gaza deputy minister of the ministry of development (pictured above) said “a lot of efforts were made to get this aid convoy in. Many associations were contacted to help in cultivating and allowing these ambulances into Gaza. You will all be mentioned in the Palestinian history as the people who supported our steadfastness. We hope that you continue to be supportive to our cause always and forever. You will always be remembered every time an ambulance moves to save a life. Thank you.”
Abdullah Al-Hajjar (above) from the International Medical Relief Society MDEX in Palestine and the media spokesman for the medical aid convoy in the Gaza Strip explained that the convoy of 37 new fully-equipped ambulances eventuated as a response to Israel’s “direct targeting of medical staff and damage medical aids that offer health services” during their May 2021 offensive.
“There was a campaign by colleagues in the International Medical Relief Association MDEX Turkey (Medics Worldwide) to cooperate and partner with Miles of Smiles to prepare a huge medical aid convoy.”
“There were positive and effective responses from over eleven countries including USA, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Indonesia, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey and many countries that responded to this [call for] humanitarian relief and towards facilitating this convoy.”
Al-Hajjar also thanked colleagues in Egypt “for their efforts to overcome all obstacles and difficulties and to allow us the opportunity to enter this convoy [into Gaza] to enhance the work of the health sector system in Palestine.” He expected this convoy to have “a great impact on the Gazan citizens to alleviate suffering and mitigate the effects of the negative siege that [has been] imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than 15 years.”
Noura Barzek (above) from Adara International Relief Foundation Indonesia said “This convoy is represented by many countries of the world in support of the Palestinian people after Israel’s last war on Gaza, which targeted ambulances.”
“We hope that the world will also stand, like the partners in this convoy, to serve the Palestinian people and to continue and intensify efforts to build the support, God willing.”
The ambulance sponsored by Freedom Flotilla campaigns at work in Gaza, serving the needs of people with disabilities.
“It’s unreal, unbelievable,” Suhair Khudair, an owner of Khudair Group, told TheElectronic Intifada.
“Some people said it looked like Hiroshima.”
On 15 May, the sixth day of its 11-day bombing campaign in Gaza, the Israeli military bombed a massive fertilizer storage facility in the northern city of Beit Lahiya.
That evening, Israeli artillery positioned north of the coastal enclave fired dozens of shells at the warehouses of the Khudair Group, setting them on fire.
Gaza’s first responders were unable to contain the fire at the time owing to its “magnitude and the intensity of Israeli shelling at the time,” Al Mezan, a human rights group in Gaza, stated.
It took weeks to fully extinguish.
The warehouses, which housed 300 tons of highly hazardous agricultural products, were completely destroyed.
The group was responsible for importing and supplying around 35 percent of Gaza’s agricultural products.
The Khudair family founded the company in 1985.
The company purchased new supplies prior to the 15 May bombing, all of which were destroyed, leaving the company in serious debt. The damage is estimated at $13 million, according to the UN monitoring group OCHA.
The loss of livelihoods affected at least 100 family members, most of them children.
In addition to the immense material loss, Israel’s bombing caused an environmental catastrophe in the area.
The fires caused “high concentrations of smoke that lasted for days,” Al Mezan said.
“The burning chemicals also released an unpleasant smell that forced nearby residents to leave their homes.”
Even seven weeks later, “the smell of chemicals was still unbearable,” OCHA said.
Resident Iyad Khudair
Some people developed rashes, and nearby residents were hospitalized for respiratory problems.
Several days after the incident, a woman miscarried her baby, which medical staff at Gaza’s Shifa hospital attributed to chemical inhalation.
“All we want is for the chemicals to be removed,” Mahmoud Khudair told OCHA.
“If we did, it would be a disaster for all of Gaza. Now, it is a disaster for us and everyone living in the vicinity.”
A team from the UN development program began removing hazardous waste on 22 September.
A lack of capacity and expertise in the area delayed the response, OCHA said.
In 2014, six members of Ismail Ziada’s family were killed during Israeli’s 51-day assault on Gaza. On Tuesday, a judge in The Hague told him he has no right to seek justice from the Israeli military officers most directly responsible.
ISMAIL ZAIDA OUTSIDE THE HAGUE, DECEMBER 7, 2021 (PHOTO: DAVID KATTENBURG)
For those who contemplate ideas vague and theoretical in nature, ‘The Hague’ and ‘Den Haag’ readily conjure up notions about justice and the rule of law. Indeed, Vrede en Recht (Peace and Justice) are emblazoned on the Dutch capital’s municipal coat of arms.
Sadly, yesterday morning here in The Hague, Ismail Ziada was left stone-faced and empty-handed.
The Israeli occupation government has recently finished encircling the #Gaza Strip with a fence above the ground extending to tens of meters below it and installing highly sensitive monitoring devices that monitor the movement of people around the clock. In fact, the Israeli occupation is collectively punishing 2 million #Palestinians inside the largest open-air prison in the world.
Israel’s security wall extends out into the Mediterranean Sea.
Israeli defence minister says the ‘technologically advanced project’ includes hundreds of cameras, radar and other sensors over a stretch of 65km.
Israeli soldiers stand on guard by the fence along the Gaza Strip near Moshav Netiv HaAsara in southern Israel [Menahem Kahana/AFP]
AlJazeera, 8 December 2021 (Abridged)
Israel has announced the completion of a sensor-equipped underground wall on its side of Gaza, a countermeasure developed after Hamas used tunnels to repel its troops during a 2014 invasion of the besieged Palestinian territory.
Israel went public with the project, which also includes an above-ground fence, a naval barrier, radar systems and command and control rooms, in 2016.
“The barrier, which is an innovative and technologically advanced project, deprives Hamas of one of the capabilities it tried to develop,” Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said, according to a ministry statement.
“[It] places an ‘iron wall’, sensors and concrete between the terror organisation and the residents of Israel’s south,” he said of the project, which beefs up an existing fence.
The ministry said the barrier, which includes hundreds of cameras, radar and other sensors, spans 65km (40 miles) and 140,000 tonnes of iron and steel were used in its construction, which took three-and-a-half years to complete.
It said the project’s “smart fence” is more than 6 metres (20 feet) high and its maritime barrier includes means to detect infiltration by sea and a remote-controlled weapons system. The ministry did not disclose the depth of the underground wall.
Gaza also has a 14km (8.7 miles) long border with Egypt, which has also clamped down on crossings, citing security concerns. Since 2013, Egyptian forces have demolished smuggling tunnels while Hamas, on its side, has stepped up patrols.
Israeli forces stand guard at a checkpoint during a demonstration by Palestinians on a call from Sheikh Jarrah locals in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem on May 22, 2021. Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf. Anadolu Images.
A Palestinian man sits on the rubble of a destroyed house in the Gaza Strip after 11 days of violence in May. (Photo: Mahmoud Issa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
We Do Exist: Why the Palestinian Voice Should Take Centre Stage
For Palestine to be free, for the Palestinian people to achieve their full rights and for the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees to be honored, the story of Palestine has to be told by the Palestinians themselves.
By RAMZY BAROUD, Opinion, Common Dreams, 25 November 2021
At a recent New York event, the President of the Foreign Press Association Ian Williams declared, before an approving audience, that it is time “to reclaim the narrative on Palestine”.
This phrase—’reclaiming the narrative’—is relatively new to the Palestinian discourse. Years ago, the concept, let alone its implementation, were quite alien: the pro-Israel crowd refused, and still refuses, to acknowledge that Palestinians, their history and political discourse matter; some in the pro-Palestinian movement relegated Palestinian voices as if they were simply incapable of articulating a coherent narrative.
On 21 October, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz announced the issuance of a military order designating six prominent Palestinian human rights groups as ‘terrorist organizations’. Gantz claimed that they are secretly linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a socialist political group that Israel considers, along with most Palestinian political parties, ‘a terrorist organization.’
10 damaged hospitals; 23 damaged or destroyed medical clinics
14 hours of electricity a day
This week we are taking you to Gaza where we will focus our attention on the confluence of an economy in “free fall,” damage to infrastructure from successive hostilities [from] Israel, and massive layouts during the pandemic. This has wrought new depths of economic devastation, but a report out this week from Al Mezan, a Gaza-based human rights group, has turned our attention to how all of this impacts children. We learned that these stressors are leaving children unable to focus at school and they are increasingly dropping out.
Kia Ora Gaza is a New Zealand network dedicated to support international efforts to break the inhumane and illegal Israeli siege and naval blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid, fostering fraternal relations, enhancing understanding of Palestine and the Middle East, and cooperating with others who have similar aims.
Kia Ora Gaza promotes human rights, and solidarity for the people of Palestine and their struggle for justice, peace and freedom.
Our website and facebook pages underscore and promote these goals, however posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Kia Ora Gaza or our partners.
All forms of racism and discrimination are the antithesis of justice, peace and freedom. Kia Ora Gaza social media will not tolerate any act or discourse which adopts or promotes, among others: racism, anti-Arab racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, xenophobia, or homophobia.
Kia Ora Gaza is a member of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition - website: freedomflotilla.org and part of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. Website: www.PSNA.nz
Postal address: Kia Ora Gaza, PO Box 86022, Mangere East, Auckland, New Zealand 2158.
KIA ORA GAZA PROJECTS
Kia Ora Gaza was established from a series of public meetings to organise Kiwi participation in international efforts to end the siege of Gaza & promote practical solidarity for Palestine. This followed the Israeli commando raid on the Mavi Mamara-led peace flotilla in international waters in 2010 which resulted in the deaths of 10 civilian peace activists. Since then Kia Ora Gaza has organised or supported the following projects: 1. Sent a team of 6 Kiwis on the 140-vehicle Viva Palestina international land convoy in 2010, driving and donating 3 ambulances to Gaza – part of the $7million medical aid delivered.
2. Supported Kiwi participant Harmeet Sooden to join the Canadian boat, Tahrir on Freedom Flotilla 2 to Gaza in 2011. 3. Sent a team of 4 Kiwis on the “Miles of Smiles” land convoy to Gaza with 10 tonnes of medical aid, 20124. Sent a fact-finding mission for www.kiaoragaza.net to Gaza Nov, 2012 5. Sent donations for food relief following the 2014 floods in Gaza 6. Co-organised nation-wide protests each weekend during Israel’s 50-day bombardment of Gaza in 2014 7. Transferred $25,000 to Gaza for urgent medical aid via Palestinian International Medical Aid in July 2014. 8. Sponsored an education project training young Palestinian journalists in Gaza 2015 9. Facilitated “NZ-Gaza twinning agreements” with a sports club and community centre in Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza. 10. Co-sponsored 2 ambulances for Doctors Worldwide rehabilitation centre in Khan Younis (Israeli bombing in 2014 destroyed 26 ambulances in Gaza) 11. Maintains website: kiaoragaza.net and facebook pages. 12. Co-hosted the NZ Conference on Palestine, 2013 and 2016 13. Facilitated 2 Maori TV journalists on board the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza in 2015 14. Co-hosted NZ speaking tours including: – Harry Fear (UK doco-maker) & Roger Fowler (Kia Ora Gaza) in 2013
– Jeff Halper (Director, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions) 2013
– Miko Peled (author) 2013
– Yousef Aljamal (Palestinian commentator) 2013
– Amira Hass (Israeli Journalist, Haaretz) 2015
– Samah Sabawi (Palestinian Writer) 2015
– Emad Burnat (Palestinian Film-maker) 2016
– Ali Abunimah (founder Electronic Intifada) 2016
– Rafeef Ziadah (Palestinian poet) April 2017
– Gideon Levy (Israeli journalist) 2017
– Huwaida Arraf (Palestinian lawyer) and Justine Sachs. 2018
-Dr Ramzy Baroud (US/Palestinian author) 2018
– Dr Salman Abu-Sitta (Palestinian author) 2019
15. Aug 2016 co-hosted special Auckland screening of Emad Burnat’s documentary ‘5 Broken Cameras’
16. Sept 2016. Transferred $6000 raised in our appeal to Palestinian doco-maker Emad Burnat towards a new camera.
17. Sept 2016 facilitated Green MP Marama Davidson to join Women’s Boat to Gaza peace flotilla.
18. Feb 2017 co-hosted film screening event: “The Idol”
19. April 2017, co-hosted three-city NZ tour with Palestinian performance poet Rafeef Ziadah and musician Phil Monsour.
20. May 2017 ‘Salt Water Challenge’ solidarity actions with Palestinian hunger strikers.
21. May 2017 transferred $1000 donation to Al Ahli Sports club in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Gaza for football equipment. 22. July 2017 transferred our EURO1000 share to the FFC Gaza fishers project via MyCare Humanitarian Care Malaysia. 23. July 2017 transferred $1000 donation to Al Ahli Sports Club, Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Gaza. 24. Sept 2017 the Freedom Flotilla Coalition delivered fishing equipment as solidarity aid to 400 Gazan fishers via MyCare, Malaysia. 25. Kia Ora Gaza co-hosted a public lecture in Auckland on 3 December 2017, by renowned Haaretz journalist and writer, Gideon Levy. 26. January 2018, Kia Ora Gaza organiser, Roger Fowler, attends the Freedom Flotilla Coalition conference in Sweden to plan the 2018 international flotilla to break the illegal blockade of Gaza. 27. Co-organised Nationwide ‘Day of Action’ for Free Palestine on Sat 3 February 2018 demanding the release of all children held in Israeli prisons. 28. Co-hosted a public meeting at Auckland Uni with US/Palestinian writer Huwaida Arraf and Justine Sachs from Dayenu: NZ Jews against Occupation, March 2018. 29. Co-organised Auckland rallies in support of Palestinian March of Return, from April 2018. 30. Co-organised a five-city speaking tour with acclaimed US/Palestinian author, Dr Ramzy Baroud. May 2018. 31. Facilitated NZ participation in the 2018 Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. Selected veteran human rights campaigner and union leader, Mike Treen to represent NZ. Co-organised NZ speaking tour with Mike Treen.
32. The 2021 Kia Ora Gaza appeal for the ‘Miles of Smiles’ solidarity convoy of 37 ambulances and medical aid for Gaza raised $NZ35,000 to sponsor one ambulance together with our Freedom Flotilla Coalition partners. FFC has postponed the next flotilla until after Covid travel restrictions are lifted.
CURRENT APPEALS
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is organising another international peace flotilla to challenge Israel's illegal 13 year naval blockade of Gaza and for a just future for Palestine - after the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions have been lifted.For updates visit the FFC facebook page and website: freedomflotilla.org You can support NZ participation in this project by checking the options in the 'How to donate to Kia Ora Gaza' segment below.Appeal target: $40,000 to cover costs of our share of the purchase and upgrade of the flotilla boats, airfares and accommodation for our NZ participant.
HOW TO DONATE TO KIA ORA GAZA
Make a direct payment to our bank account: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, 03-0211-0447718-000, Westpac Bank, Onehunga branch. Afterwards, email office@kiaoragaza.net with your deposit details so we can send you an e-receipt.
Kia Ora Gaza is a Charitable Trust incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. Registration number 2540065 However we are not registered with IRD for tax deduction purposes, as Kia Ora Gaza is deemed to be mainly an advocacy group.
FREEDOM FLOTILLA TO GAZA: DOCUMENTARY
A MaoriTV media team of senior journalist Ruwani Perera and award-winning, free-lance camera operator Jacob Bryant, returned home from reporting on the 2015 Freedom Flotilla III attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
Facilitated by Kia Ora Gaza, the Native Affairs team joined other international journalists on the board the flotilla to observe and document the mission.
Thanks to all those who generously supported the Flotilla project.
Over 100,000 Palestinians were injured and over 2,100 killed during Israel’s 2014 genocidal onslaught. Their illegal siege on Gaza left the medical services without basic supplies.
Kia Ora Gaza Trust launched an urgent appeal for funds towards humanitarian relief in war-ravaged Gaza.
Kia Ora Gaza co-sponsored two ambulances for Gaza in 2015.
Kia Ora Gaza also donated three ambulances packed with medical aid during the 'Lifeline to Gaza' international convoy in 2010.
VIDEO: The manager of the Doctors World Wide Turkey services in Gaza, Mohammed Alkhatib, thanks Viva Palestina Malaysia (VPM) and Kia Ora Gaza donors for jointly sponsoring two new ambulances at their Khan Younis rehabilitation clinic. The video also shows the recently delivered ambulances in service. (Video by DWWT 21 October 2015.) CLICK HERE
Roger Fowler teaching Kiwi-English at Al Aqsa University, Gaza City.
COMING EVENTS
Kia Ora Gaza is planning future speaking tours & other events, in cooperation with Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa and PHRC. Watch this space.
Please note that the planned 2020 Freedom Flotilla to Gaza has been postponed until further notice due to the current Covid-19 global pandemic.
In June 2012, Kia Ora Gaza sent a four-person team to Gaza as part of an international aid convoy. Our Kiwi convoyers were (from left) Roger Fowler, Tali Williams, Gibran Janif and Hone Fowler. This land convoy, which left from Cairo, delivered ten tonnes of urgently needed medical supplies to health authorities in Gaza. In November 2012 Kia Ora Gaza sent Roger Fowler on a fact-finding mission to Gaza (see his reports posted Nov-Dec 2012 on this website). UK documentary-maker Harry Fear joined Roger on a speaking tour of NZ on his return.
In November 2010, six volunteers from Kia Ora Gaza joined an international land convoy which delivered NZ$7 million in medical aid to Gaza. The convoy, which left from London and was joined by other columns from North Africa and the Middle East, arrived at night in Gaza City to a rapturous welcome from Palestinian throngs.
Our fallen heros
We remember the ten humanitarians on board the Gaza aid vessel Mavi Marmara killed by Israeli commandos on 31 May 2010:
Ibrahim Bilgen
Ali Haydar Bengi
Cevdet Kiliçlar
Çetin Topçuoglu
Necdet Yildirim
Fahri Yaldiz
Cengiz Songür
Cengiz Akyüz
Furkan Dogan
Ugur Suleyman Soylemez
by Grant Morgan retiring chair of Kia Ora Gaza 18 February 2013 After two-and-a-half years as Kia Ora Gaza’s chair and website editor, I retired from those roles at our leadership forum last weekend. The reason? Over the past half-dozen years I have researched, written and spoken about how global capitalism is in overshoot […]
by Roger Fowler new chair of Kia Ora Gaza 18 February 2013 Last Saturday, at a leadership forum of Kia Ora Gaza, Grant Morgan stood down as chair of our solidarity network and editor of our website kiaoragaza.net. His departure had been well flagged over the past 12 months. Grant has been busy with […]
Al Jazeera, 29 November 2012. Nicole Johnston reports from Ramallah. Euro News, 29 November 2012. by Ewen MacAskill at the UN & Chris McGreal in Ramallah The Guardian 29 November 2012 The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to recognise Palestine as a state, in the face of opposition from Israel and the […]
by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed Le Monde Diplomatique 28 November 2012 It is clear that without an overall military operation to uproot Hamas control of Gaza, no drilling work can take place without the consent of the radical Islamic movement. Moshe Ya’alon, Israeli deputy prime minister and minister of strategic affairs, 2007. Over the […]
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Kia Ora Gaza 