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Saturday, September 17, 2011

"Women want an independent Palestine"

Several hundred Palestinian and Israeli women demonstrated on Saturday on each side of Israel's Qalandiya checkpoint, the main passage point between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Assembling nearly a week ahead of a Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations Security Council, the women all gathered under the slogan "Women want an independent Palestine".

"After two decades of failed negotiations, it is time that the international community, including Israel recognise Palestine as an independent state alongside Israel," the group said.

The demonstrations were watched by Israeli soldiers who confirmed that no arrests were made.

Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land


sent via congress.org
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?id=3181&letter_id=7346526036&content_dir=congressorg

Subject: Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

Dear Congress...etc,

The day might soon come when we should stop providing aid and support to Palestinians- but we are not there yet.

The men, women and children of Palestine still very much need American charity and foreign aid to survive, in hopes that they might be able to build a sovereign and secure nation state to live in peace and security alongside Israel:

Remember the Golden Rule. Treat people the way that you would want to be treated.

We need a Golden Rule Peace to once and for all stop the hate filled rhetoric, religious extremism, terror and cynicism which has been creating an escalation of divisiveness, bigotry, brutality, and obstructive stances.

Invest in and be part of a Golden Rule end to the conflict and a Golden Rule future for the Holy Land.

A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land, and a Golden Rule future for both Israel and Palestine will most certainly usher in a Golden Rule Age of diplomacy, dignity, decency, compassion, real justice, and true security where all people have a chance to be valued and productive citizens working together as equals- regardless of supposed race, religion or nationality.

A fully secular two state solution to once and for all end the Israel/Palestine conflict really is a very good investment- for everyone's sake.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

MORE NOTES

ATFP Resources on September UN Initiative: An extensive set of resources on a possible Palestinian UN initiative in September, covering Palestinian and pro-Palestinian, Israeli, American, Arab, European and other international perspectives, as well as general news items. This resource list is in chronological order within each category, beginning with the most recent items, and will be updated daily. The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP)

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

A Palestine To Return To

Palestinian statehood and beyond: Ma’an interview with UNRWA Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi

13 September 2011

Ma'an News Agency

As the debate intensifies over the bid for recognition at the UN of a Palestinian state, questions are being raised about UNRWA, the UN agency mandated to bring education, health, relief and social services to as many as five million refugees pending a resolution of their plight. What will the future hold for refugees following the statehood discussions? And what about the continuation of services provided to refugees? For answers, Ma’an turned to the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Filippo Grandi.

Ma’an: How does the Palestinian bid for recognition and full UN membership affect UNRWA and the plight of the refugees registered with your Agency?

Grandi: The aspiration for Palestinian statehood, an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a just and durable solution to the plight of Palestine refugees are distinct objectives, albeit closely related. A bid for statehood does not in and of itself address the plight of the refugees. We have long advocated that refugees’ legitimate rights and aspirations should be addressed and accommodated in the context of discussions between political actors, including the parties – discussions that must be based on international law and UN resolutions, and reflect the informed views and choices of the refugees. There is no doubt in my mind that there can be no just and durable peace in the Middle East unless some five million refugees are brought out of their 63-year state of dispossession and exile. Here we come to a broad range of rights, which we continue to say must be addressed by the parties and in discussion with the refugees. UNRWA does not make specific recommendations about how these rights are to be achieved, but we do say that those rights must be realised. This is in complete conformity with international law and refugee practice. So, as the statehood debate intensifies, I would encourage all concerned to bear Palestine refugees in mind and to remember that the refugees will play a key role in a political order based on two States living side by side in peace and dignity, and in a comprehensive and just solution to the conflict negotiated by the parties.

Ma’an: There has been much debate about UNRWA’s work, the possibility the Agency is reducing services, particularly its emergency programmes. Do you accept that the statehood debate has increased the fears and concerns of the refugees?

Grandi:
You are right. I am acutely aware that the statehood debate has generated fresh anxiety among refugees regarding the future. Allow me to go some way to allaying those fears. By the same token that the statehood debate does not in and of itself deal with the question of the refugees, the need for UNRWA’s work also remains paramount and so does the imperative to ensure that our programmes are fully funded, whatever the outcome of the coming months. UNRWA will continue with its mandated services and programmes until such time that there is a just and durable solution for the refugees. Our core services in education, health, relief and social services will continue in earnest and I remain a positive and passionate advocate for this. Everyone including the donors is aware of this. On our emergency programmes, the need for which continues as the humanitarian needs of refugees persist, we are stepping up our fundraising efforts. I am renewing an appeal this week for substantial funds. As of today, we are asking our donors for US$ 36 million for our emergency work in Gaza. Of that US$ 36 million – US$ 11 million is for creating temporary employment, US$ 16 million for food assistance, US$ 6 million is for school feeding and US$ 3 million will be spent on community mental health. We have already approached some major donors with this new appeal and I will do everything in my power to make sure that these programmes are funded. I am aware that our emergency work in Gaza is facing a critical situation and all of our donors and other stakeholders are aware that this situation is unsustainable and needs to be dealt with immediately and as an urgent priority.

Ma’an: If the statehood bid fails, are you concerned that there will be an increase in violence, that the facts on the ground will change and that Palestinians will lose faith in the peace process and return to other means to achieve their goals?


Grandi:
I have to say that the threat of Palestinians and Israelis being killed and injured in more violence has to be worrying to someone like me who is committed to humanitarian principles, the upholding of international law and the ideals of non-violent change. Whatever the outcome of the statehood bid, I would like to extend heartfelt appeals at three levels.

First, I appeal to all parties and concerned actors to exercise the utmost restraint in their reactions and to refrain from threats and acts of violence of any kind, bearing in mind that the Palestinian people – refugees and non-refugees alike – have had enough of armed conflict, political confrontations, human rights violations and suffering.

Second, all concerned must recognise that the statehood bid and its outcomes must not distract from addressing the pressing issues of rights, freedoms and liberties that remain outstanding, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territory. The occupation itself must be addressed, and with it settler violence, settlement expansion, demolitions and displacements in the West Bank, and the Gaza blockade, which the International Committee of the Red Cross has described as a clear violation of international humanitarian law. For many years, UNRWA’s advocacy against these violations has been consistent and determined and we will not flag in our efforts in this regard.

Third, the parties and the international community must renew with greater urgency the search for a negotiated solution to the conflict, one which comprehensively addresses all outstanding issues, including the refugee issue, in a manner consistent with UN resolutions and international law. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is as complex and intractable as any the world has known. Yet solutions would be possible if political actors were to engage the issues and fulfill their obligations in principled, courageous and compassionate ways. The outcomes from the statehood bid will leave intact the obligations of the parties and the responsibility of the international community to continue pressing for a fair and just solution to the conflict. I believe that the legendary fortitude of the Palestinian people and their refusal to be daunted by overwhelming odds will carry them through the coming months and enable them to derive positive outcomes regardless. Rest assured that UNRWA, on its part, will remain steadfast in its commitment to serve the humanitarian and human development needs of Palestine refugees until a just and lasting solution is found to their plight.

UNRWA photo archive

Prints from UNRWA's photo archive are available to researchers, journalists, publications and producers.

Browse the archive

Bloomberg (Editorial): Cooperation Could Limit Damage After UN Palestinian Vote

"There is much blame to go around. Israel, the Palestinians and the Quartet are all partially responsible for the current predicament. But finger-pointing will achieve nothing. The best that can be achieved is to limit the damage and set the stage for a new effort at peace once this diplomatic disaster has played out."

Bloomberg (Editorial): Cooperation Could Limit Damage After UN Palestinian Vote

Friday, September 16, 2011

Q+A - What do Palestinians want from UN General Assembly? - AlertNet

Q+A - What do Palestinians want from UN General Assembly? - AlertNet

Palestinian officials foresee secular, pluralistic state – USATODAY.com

Palestinian leaders say a future Palestinian state would be secular and open to all religions — even Jews — if they are willing to follow their laws as Palestinian citizens...

"Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have called for a secular, pluralistic Palestinian state, says Hussein Ibish of the American Task Force on Palestine, which advocates a non-militarized Palestinian state alongside Israel.

"If Israel is to be a pluralistic society, and the 20% of Israeli citizens who are not Jewish are to be treated as Israeli citizens, it's natural that a Palestinian state should treat Jews as Palestinian citizens," Ibish said."

Avoiding an Israeli-Palestinian 'Train Wreck'

Avoiding an Israeli-Palestinian 'Train Wreck'

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Subliminal PR... did you notice the third mug?

Cups designed as part of the campaign promoting the Palestinians' bid for statehood are displayed in a souvenirs shop in Gaza City, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to address the U.N. next week, planning to ask the world to recognize a Palestinian state. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian statehood at the UN: Q&A with Hussein Ibish and Yossi Klein Halevi

What effect will the Palestinian move to seek recognition of statehood at the UN have? Our experts answer your questions: and
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has said, 'We have exhausted all opportunities so we have to go to the UN.' Photograph: Joshua Lott/Reuters
The Palestinians will be going to the United Nations this September to seek recognition of statehood. Despite opposition from Israel and the United States, a UN vote now looks inevitable.

The Guardian and the Forward have brought together two experts, Hussein Ibish and Yossi Klein Halevi, to take part in an online Q&A to answer your questions about what may prove a game-changing development in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They will be responding in real time on Thursday 15 September, 3-4pm [BST; 10-11am EST].

Ibish is a senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine, a frequent contributor to US newspapers and magazines, and author of What's Wrong with the One-State Agenda? Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal. Halevi is an Israeli writer, who is a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute and Israel correspondent for the New Republic.

Q&A on Palestinian statehood at the UN

Our experts answer your questions on the Palestinian move to seek recognition of statehood at the United Nations

Congressional Panel Reexamines Aid to Palestinians

Congressional Panel Reexamines Aid to Palestinians

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Palestinian Villagers who have often been at the sharp end of Palestinian-Israeli relations are sceptical about the UN route

Palestinians on statehood: 'We want action, not votes at the UN'

in al-Walaja

Mohammed Hassan al-Atrash is unconvinced of the merit of the Palestinian push for UN recognition of statehood. Photograph: David Levene

Mohammed Hassan al-Atrash, a man whose life story is a microcosm of all that has befallen the Palestinian people over the past 63 years, smiles ruefully at the prospect of a Palestinian state winning the support of most countries in the world at the United Nations next week.

"I am a simple man," he says, leaning on his sturdy walking stick. "I don't know about politics. But from my life experience, I don't think we will gain anything. What is left, after the settlements, the military zones, the wall, the bypass roads? You think you can build a state on a few scattered villages?

"If the UN is supportive of the Palestinians, they should stop Israel from doing all this. Talk is easy. What's important is what is happening on the ground."

It is a view shared by many Palestinians. As world leaders engage in frantic last-minute diplomacy in an attempt to avoid a damaging car crash of competing interests in New York, Palestinians shrug and get on with lives governed by checkpoints, permits, house demolitions, land confiscation and harassment from Jewish settlers. A vote at the UN, they say, will not end Israel's occupation.

The story of Atrash, 68, and his village, al-Walaja, which perches on terraced hills between the ancient cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, is the history of the Palestinian people over more than six decades....READ MORE

HOME (UNRWA - Peace Starts Here)


"Home" is a first-hand account of a family of refugees whose house was demolished before their eyes.

Location: East Jerusalem, West Bank.

[CC - Subtitle options in menu]

For more stories go to http://www.peacestartshere.org

Eitan Bronstein : Why not return?

"... How many refugees will want to return and where will they live? How will they earn a living? What will happen to the historic village core? Will it be rebuilt or otherwise preserved? What about refugees who don’t choose to return? What will be the relations between the returnees and residents of nearby localities? What will be the nature of the state to which they return – a Jewish state, as it is today, solely for Jews? Will the returnees own their homes and be able to sell them in the free market? If so, is there a danger that the localities to which refugees return will become the focus of real estate speculation? What will happen to the fabric of existing communities in the refugee camps whose members come from various localities of origin? Will these communities be broken up even though most of their members never lived in the localities of origin and the only community in which they lived was that of the refugee camp? What effect will return have on the current “host” cities and societies (Damascus, Amman, etc.)? How will Jews and Arabs living in Israel today arrange to absorb the returning refugees?

The [Zochrot] mapping workshop developed the idea that the return of Palestinian refugees contains the hypothetical potential of opening up Israel’s Jews to the Arab world in whose midst they live. New relationships will thereby develop between Israel’s Jews and the geographical and human environment in which they live. The idea behind this exhibit may seem illusory and fantastic today. But if we dare imagine such a future, of Israelis and Palestinians living together, without fear, perhaps we’ll also see its life-giving potential rather than simply anticipating the next war." Eitan Bronstein

Why not return?

Zochrot ("Remembering") seeks to raise public awareness of the Palestinian Nakba, especially among Jews in Israel, who bear a special responsibility to remember and amend the legacy of 1948. The principal victims of the Nakba were the Palestinians, especially the refugees, who lost their entire world. But Jews in Israel also pay a price for their conquest of the land in 1948, living in constant fear and without hope.

My letter to the IHT RE Jimmy Carter's After the U.N. Vote on Palestine

RE: Jimmy Carter's After the U.N. Vote on Palestine
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/opinion/14iht-edcarter14.html?ref=global

Dear Sir,

Jimmy Carter's spin on the Palestinian refugees right of return which he whittles down to "the right of return of its people to its own lands (with perhaps a token number to Israel)" is off the mark... and so is his assumption that The United States will regain its leadership role in the region.

The refugees right to return is to return to original homes and lands- and it is an inalienable right clearly affirmed by international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The reality of a two state solution to end the Israel/Palestine conflict once and for all will be that many (if not most) Palestinian refugees will wisely decide to resettle in the new Palestinian state rather than be Israeli- but it has to be the refugees' individual choice. The refugees should not be tricked or bullied into relocating and resettlement. Nor should they be forced to remain in refugee camps. The onus really is on Israel to fully respect the Palestinian refugees right of return- and the onus is on Palestine to welcome home all who would rather invest their talents (and taxes) into building and empowering a sovereign Palestinian state. A real state, not a rally cry.

And as far as the United States regaining its leadership role that is impossible with the global information age as our own fourth estate and freedoms which help keep our own democracy honest and on track provides far too much fodder for misguided anti-America activists and hate mongers operating in countries which do not have real freedom of speech and the freedom to flex civic muscle locally.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt
"Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside. What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them." http://plodelegation.us/palestine/core-issues/

ATFP Resources on September UN Initiative
The American Task Force on Palestine continues to expand and update its extensive set of news and information resources on a possible Palestinian UN initiative in September, covering Palestinian, pro-Palestinian, Israeli, American, Arab, European and other international perspectives, as well as general news items. This resource list is in chronological order within each category, beginning with the most recent items. This set of resources has been updated daily since it was launched a week ago, and will continue to be updated on a daily basis.

The ATFP resource guide on potential Palestinian September UN initiatives can be accessed here.

The State of Palestine by Julie Holm for MIFTAH

"In the midst of this political quagmire, there is one voice that should not be forgotten; that of the Palestinians themselves. Is it not the people who form the basis of the nation on which a state is built? Even though the Palestinian people are far from having a united voice in the UN-statehood bid, they are the ones who should be heard the most. Here in Ramallah, cars are decorated with flags that say “UN 194” and there are rallies and demonstrations to make the world aware of the Palestinian wish to become the world’s 194th state. When I talk to Palestinians however, I meet a lot of skepticism about whether this will actually change anything...." Julie Holm for MIFTAH

Monday, September 12, 2011

Obama: Palestinian UN bid a 'distraction'

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iZGpqcft3TrO6IPdRLnAFMQia6BQ?docId=CNG.37f490980793ed822010b69c4858a6ab.1311

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama said on Monday that a Palestinian bid for recognition next week at the United Nations was a "distraction" and would not result in viable statehood.

In a roundtable with Hispanic journalists, Obama also said that Israel would "hurt itself" if it retaliated to any such action by withdrawing resources that in any way harmed Palestinian self-policing efforts.

The United States has already threatened to veto any bid for full recognition by the Palestinians in the UN Security Council, a step that is expected at the UN General Assembly next week in New York.

Obama said the Palestinian tactics were "a distraction" and did not solve the problem of statehood....READ MORE

The State of Palestine Never Forgets its Own By Joharah Baker for MIFTAH

http://www.miftah.org/display.cfm?DocId=23879&CategoryId=3

The State of Palestine Never Forgets its Own

By Joharah Baker for MIFTAH

In just over a week’s time, the Palestinians will have made their request to the United Nations to recognize them as a state. Part of this bid is to guarantee that international law is applied to the Palestinians, including laws that guarantee the right of refugees to return to their homes or be compensated for the years of exile and loss of property.

Also, before week’s end, the Palestinians will commemorate an event not entirely disconnected with their UN move. Actually, it is very relevant and is the perfect example of why refugees must not be forgotten. Sabra and Shatilla, the two Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon that were the scene of one of the most horrific massacres in Palestinian history, will be remembered and honored by us all, followed by that harrowing vow of “never again.”

Between September 16 and 18, some 800 to 2,000 people were estimated to have been murdered in the camps by Lebanese Phalangist forces in a 62-hour rampage of rape, murder and terror under the watchful eye and directives of the occupying Israeli army. Dozens of Palestinian men were never accounted for after being taken away and never seen again.

That was in 1982, almost 30 years ago, but the events that eventually created what is commonly known as the Palestinian refugee problem are still in place today, just as unresolved as they were in the days following Israel’s creation in 1948. Back then the 800,000 or so Palestinians who fled their homes eventually settled in camps inside the West Bank, Jordan Syria and Lebanon. Sabra and Shatilla are just two of hundreds.

However, it is difficult not to single these two out because of the horrific events that transpired all those years ago. The details of cold-blooded murder, rape, executions of babies and the elderly are too stark of images to let pass into oblivion. For Palestinians, it is impossible.

The fact that the massacres even happened stems from the vulnerability of the refugees’ status, both in Lebanon and within the perimeters of world citizenry. They were expelled from their homes, thus losing residency in their rightful country, they were not welcomed in their host countries, which did not grant them citizenship and they were perceived overall as a burden to the international community, which did not know how – or perhaps did not want – to solve their predicament at all.

And so, in Israel’s eyes, they were expendable and the world, it was sure, would do little more than slap its hand in reprimand. Unfortunately, Israel was right. Although then Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon was found to be “indirectly responsible” for the slaughter and consequently resigned, the camps were left to heal their own wounds – not only those terrible gaping injuries left by death and mutilation but by the drawn out wound of abandonment. The victims were never honored, the Phalangists and Israelis never made to pay a cost for their atrocities and the Palestinian refugee issue was no closer to resolution than it was before.

That is why today, as the Palestinians prepare to make their case before the world’s nations – many of whom have been complicit in keeping the refugee problem unresolved – it is unthinkable that the right of return be disregarded.

The refugees have every right to return, to be compensated for the injustices rained down upon them since 1948 and to be allowed a life of freedom and dignity. Sabra and Shatilla will always remain a stark reminder that the world failed the Palestinians. It is too late for those whose lives were lost 30 years ago. For the living, however, there is never a wrong time to make things right.

Joharah Baker is Director of the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

UNRWA Summer Games: A chance for kids to be kids


Under difficult circumstances, the Summer Games offer a breath of fresh air for 250,000 children and their families. They are an opportunity for the kids to just be kids, helping to distance them from the political disaster and humanitarian crisis that has befallen the Gaza Strip.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

My letter to the IHT RE An Israeli Case for a Palestinian State By Yossi Alpher

RE: An Israeli Case for a Palestinian State By Yossi Alpher
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/12/opinion/12iht-edalpher12.html

Dear Sir,

Yossi Alpher's "new peace paradigm" totally ignores the vital importance of fully respecting universal basic human rights including but not limited to the Palestinian refugees inalienable right of return to original homes and lands. Alpher's approach is most certainly not a new paradigm- it is the same insanely cruel tactic and mistake Israel has been making all along in systematically impoverishing, oppressing and displacing the people of historic Palestine.

State funds and tax payers money should not be used to fund bigotry, militancy and religious extremism on either side of any border. A fully secular two state solution to once and for all end the Israel/Palestine conflict ASAP really is the best way forward.

Israel and Palestine can and should live side by side in peace, in a win-win situation with two sovereign secular nation states each providing a diverse crowd of citizens with the tools and support and freedom all people need to survive and thrive in this modern age of passports and computers.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab


"The truth elided by both parties is that the Palestinian and Israeli identities are 20th-century phenomena that emerged in parallel and in contradiction to each other. One hundred years ago, the words “Israeli” and “Palestinian” were meaningless. This is not to say that Arabs and Jews don’t have deep histories, but both political identities are recent constructs, forged in the context of the ongoing conflict." Hussein Ibish: Two Narratives for Two Peoples

The Golden Rule

Growing Gardens for Palestine



Refugees, Borders & Jerusalem...

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

"Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside. What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them." http://plodelegation.us/palestine/core-issues/

'Goodwill Luggage' — a suitcase whose owner died on 9/11 continues to travel with its new owner

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-luggage-essay-20110911,0,4473748.story
'Goodwill Luggage' — a suitcase whose owner died on 9/11 continues to travel with its new owner

I am at southside mall just before the big day in December of 2001, my rust-spotted RAV-4 parked in front of Goodwill, when my favorite holiday music starts up over the loudspeaker. "Greensleeves" always brings to mind the first time I heard it. Bagpipes and drums had awakened me in my hotel on my very first trip to London. When I looked out the window, below me marched a small parade of men wearing kilts, and I later learned the tune they played was a somber "Greensleeves."

Today it reminds me that, besides new Christmas tree lights, I could use luggage for my upcoming sixth trip to London, this time with the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. A Travelpro wheelie is my choice, and the likelihood of finding it in Goodwill is extremely remote, but the music lures me into the store. A plethora of tiny white bulbs awaits me, so that in less than five minutes I am heading for the jumbled pile of suitcases kept in the back of the store.

As I approach travel gear of all sizes and shapes, the latest Harpers Bazaar protruding from the magazine pocket of a roll-aboard catches my eye. I bend down to inspect the suitcase, and to my amazement there is the Eiffel Tower logo, assuring my disbelieving eyes that this is indeed a Travelpro, and it is outwardly pristine. The handle pulls out easily, the zippers work. There is a strap for hooking on my carry-on bag. Inside one of the smaller pockets my fingers touch objects left behind....READ MORE

How 9/11 has shaped a generation of Americans

Reuters photo/John Kehe illustration

How 9/11 has shaped a generation of Americans

The terrorist attacks have become this generation's Pearl Harbor – an epic event that has changed young peoples' view of the world and America's place in it.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2011/0909/How-9-11-has-shaped-a-generation-of-Americans

LATimes: A Muslim American remembers post-9/11 acts of kindness

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/la-le-0911-sunday-20110911,0,4701272.story
U.S. Muslims in Pasadena on Sept. 13, 2001 sing "God Bless America" at an interfaith memorial service for victims of the 9/11 attacks. (Lucy Nicholson / AFP) (LUCY NICHOLSON, AFP / September 11, 2011)

Letters to the editor

A Muslim American remembers post-9/11 acts of kindness

September 11, 2011 Coming together

The heinous acts of Sept. 11, 2001, committed by misguided Muslims, triggered a flurry of reactions toward my American Muslim community. While I myself have experienced some negative reactions, what I remember is the loving random acts of kindness from those around me.

One memory stands out. A week before 9/11, my family and I moved to a new home in a new city. I remember thinking to myself after the attacks, what would the neighbors make of us? It was an incredibly draining and turbulent time.

But not one week after 9/11, I received the following note from one of my new neighbors: "I am sorry we have not had the opportunity to meet in person. I know times are strange now, but when you are ready, I'd love to meet you."

There are no words that could describe how I felt as I read the note. I stood there reading, tears in my eyes, and I felt reassured that things would be fine.

And as we approach and remember the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I take this opportunity to salute all of you who have looked beyond the stereotypes and prejudices; who were able to accept and interact with American Muslims as the human beings we all are. Thank you!

Noha Alshugairi

Newport Beach

Serve and Remember

Good morning,

Tomorrow, on the tenth anniversary of the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, we will mourn the innocent lives lost, honor the heroic first responders who rushed to the scene, and pay tribute to our troops and military families who have served over the past ten years to keep us safe and strong.

But, I also hope you'll remember how the worst terrorist attack in American history brought out the best in the American people. From giving blood, volunteering time, and donating clothing, food and money, in the weeks and months after the attacks, we were united as a nation, everyone doing their part to lend a hand and help the country move forward together.

With just a small act of service, or a simple act of kindness towards others, you can both honor those we lost and those who serve us still, and help us recapture the spirit of generosity and compassion that followed 9/11.

September 11th has been designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Americans across the country will come together to honor the victims of 9/11 and to reaffirm the strength of our nation with acts of service and charity. In Minneapolis, volunteers will help restore a community center, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, members of the community are building new homes for deserving families, and once again, Michelle and I will be joining a local service project as well.

There are so many ways to get involved, and every American can do something. You can join me in participating in the National Day of Service by finding a service opportunity in your area on Serve.gov.

A decade ago, our fellow citizens and first responders rushed up stairwells, into flames, and into that cockpit and gave their lives to save others. In the decade since, a new generation -- our military personnel, intelligence officers, and law enforcement -- has stepped forward to serve our country and keep us safe.

This weekend, I encourage all Americans to remember not only the innocent lives we lost on that day, but to remember the ordinary goodness and patriotism of the American people and the spirit of unity that brought us together during the days and weeks after the attacks of September 11th.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama


Photograph from September 11 by Wisława Szymborska

Photograph from September 11 by Wisława Szymborska

They jumped from the burning floors—

one, two, a few more,

higher, lower.


The photograph halted them in life,

and now keeps them

above the earth toward the earth.


Each is still complete,

with a particular face

and blood well hidden.


There’s enough time

for hair to come loose,

for keys and coins

to fall from pockets.


They’re still within the air’s reach,

within the compass of places

that have just now opened.


I can do only two things for them—

describe this flight

and not add a last line.




Wislawa Szymborska, “Photograph from September 11” from Monologue of a Dog. Copyright © 2005 by Wislawa Szymborska. Reprinted with permission of Harcourt, Inc.

Source: Monologue of a Dog (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2005)



CNN: Angry crowd turns on journalists reporting embassy attack in Egypt

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/09/10/egypt.journalists.targeted/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Cairo (CNN) -- An angry crowd lingering near the Israeli embassy in Cairo after an attack on the building a day earlier turned on journalists reporting the incident Saturday, accusing at least one of being an Israeli spy.

As a CNN crew filmed the embassy from across the street, another crew from American public television -- led by Egyptian television producer Dina Amer -- approached the building.

The crew's Russian cameraman was preparing to film the embassy when a woman in the crowd began hurling insults at the TV team, Amer said.

"There was this older lady who decided to follow me and rally people against me," Amer recalled.

"She said 'you're a spy working with the Americans.' Then they swarmed me and I was a target."

A growing crowd surrounded Amer and her colleagues, as they tried to leave the scene.

Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, a producer working for CNN, rushed to help escort Amer through the angry crowd. But suddenly the two reporters were pinned against the railing of an overpass by young men who were accusing Amer of being an Israeli spy.

Yelling "I'm Egyptian," Fahmy managed to pull Amer another 10 meters down the road, until the pressure from the mob overwhelmed the pair.

Amer screamed as she and Fahmy were knocked to the ground and the crowd started to trample them....READ MORE

Obama and Abbas: From Speed Dial to Not Talking

"Later this month, the Palestinians seem determined to go to the United Nations again, this time to ask for recognition of a Palestinian state, a move the United States has vowed to oppose. But Mr. Obama has no plans to call Mr. Abbas, a senior administration official said, because it is clear that the president can say little to stop him. (The United States blocked the last Palestinian resolution as well.)

“The beginning of their relationship was good — auspicious, actually,” said Ziad J. Asali, the president of the American Task Force on Palestine. “But then decisions, mistakes and reality changed the relationship.”"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/10/world/middleeast/10memo.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

White House Memo: Obama and Abbas: From Speed Dial to Not Talking