Palestine: the things you don’t hear about

[Sixties Fan]

 

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Israel-Gaza violence: Christians and Muslims attend vigil | Al Jazeera English​

 

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[Sixties Fan]

Yesterday, Hamas sent out a text message to the merchants who have permits to visit Israel for trade and have not returned:

"Brother merchant, for the sake of your interest, we ask you to return to Gaza no later than Thursday 23/12. Your delay will prevent you from automatically renewing your permit."

It seems that many of these merchants take advantage of the permit system to escape Hamas permanently.

Since 2016, nearly 3,300 Gazans who were given permits to leave for any reason (including visiting relatives in hospitals) have not returned, according to Israeli authorities, causing some alarm from the Im Tirtzu NGO worried that they are terrorist sleeper cells.

It is a small percentage of all permits given - about 3% - and those who have business permits are vetted.

We have noted in the past that the Christian population of Gaza has plummeted from 5,000 when Hamas took over to less than 1,000 now, and the reason is that when the Christians are given permission to visit Jerusalem and Bethlehem on Christmas, many never come back. Israel seems to know about this and quietly allows them to stay with relatives in the West Bank, knowing how bad it is for Christians in Gaza.

The statistics released do not break down the non-returnees by the reason for the permits, so it is hard to know how many escaped using business or hospital/prisoner visits as the excuse and how many left for religious reasons. But Hamas' text message indicates that at least some of them are merchants who use their permits to escape.

Thousands of Gazans who are given permits to leave never come back

Blogging about Israel and the Arab world since, oh, forever.

elderofziyon.blogspot.com

 

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West Bank Story - The Musical (Full Version) [CC]​

 

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Interview with the Palestinian poet Dana Dajani​

 

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#HalftimeShow: 'Noor Daoud on being the first female drifter in the Middle East' | 10.05.21​

 

[Coyote]

Christmas in Bethlehem….

but bagpipes?

 

[Coyote]

Santa on a camel…

 

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Christmas in Bethlehem….

but bagpipes?

but bagpipes?

Would be interesting where that came from but it has been like that for as long as I remember.

 

[Coyote]

Would be interesting where that came from but it has been like that for as long as I remember.

I guess from the British?

 

[P F Tinmore]

Christmas in Bethlehem….

but bagpipes?

Christmas parade, Bethlehem, near the Church of the Nativity​

 

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Making music under siege

There are few opportunities for performing artists in Gaza.

electronicintifada.net

https://electronicintifada.net/sites/default/files/styles/original_800w/public/2015-10/151026-gaza-music-school.jpg?itok=6SVoDvWL&amp%3Btimestamp=1448949295

Eight years of suffocating siege, three devastating Israeli assaults and longstanding Palestinian political divide have negatively impacted all aspects of life in Gaza — including its music.

There is only one music school in the tiny coastal territory, and only children are taught there.

The Gaza Music School was opened in October 2008. It was bombed by Israel and destroyed two months later.

Located in Gaza City, the school was rebuilt and has recently become a branch of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in the West Bank.

“Nowadays, we have 207 students in the school, aged between 6 and 12 years old,” said Gaza Music School director Ibrahim al-Najjar.

“We have a highly qualified group of teachers. Some of them are from Russia, Ukraine and Romania, teaching students Western and Eastern musical instruments.”

 

[rylah]

#HalftimeShow: 'Noor Daoud on being the first female drifter in the Middle East' | 10.05.21​

What Zionism does to people...

 

[rylah]

Would be interesting where that came from but it has been like that for as long as I remember.

The number of tourists in Bethlehem is usually double that of residents.

Actually, most of the residents today are Muslim.