Dear human,

Freedom, the simple right of all human beings. The young kids demonstrating this right, rebelling against an oppressive occupying force with only stones and courage as their weapons, are being massacred daily by brute force and powerful war machines. How can one justify attacking men, women, and children, with machine guns, tanks, helicopters and planes?

Do not be mistaken, the 212 Palestinians killed thus far over the course of this Intifada have been gunned down during stone throwing demonstrations throughout the occupied lands of Palestine. Of UN recognized Palestine.
The Israeli soldiers respond to these freedom seeking people, people using stones as their only means of fighting, with live ammunition. When was the last time any western government attacked stone throwing civilians, young boys, with live ammunition designed to kill? Imagine the scene in the streets of New York, London, or Paris; explosions and gunfire ringing through the streets as the government bears its firepower down upon the populous. I try, but I can't fathom that picture. And yet, this is the daily reality here in Palestine. Last week one of the most saddening events of this intifada occurred in the West Bank city of Nablus. Sarah, a two year old child, was killed in her mother's arms by shrapnel as an Israeli helicopter strafed and bombed a civilian area. Children, it seems, are not considered innocent here.

Of those 212 killed so far, 128 have been declared clinically dead after sustaining massive head trauma. Upwards of 3500 others have been wounded in various forms. The statistics paint yet another horrifying picture, of those killed, 67% have been under 15 years old, and of those injured (41% of whom have been maimed for life) 65% have been under 15. When the media portrays the events here as Palestinians and Israeli soldiers fighting each other, it is wrong. A fight can only occur when both sides have equal forms of weapons. What we are witnessing is wholesale killing.
All I ask of you, fellow human, is that you open your eyes to the realities occurring here in Palestine. To scream with the Palestinians against the oppression and violent force that has been brought against us. I
ask that you try to understand that our anger and emotions have been fueled by 52 years of mistreatment and marginalization by the Israelis and the rest of the international community. Daily humiliations and denial of our fundamental rights, the fundamental rights that all humans should enjoy, have been our plight and our lives since our occupation. I ask you, are our lives worth less than yours? I implore you to cry out with us and advocate for us, so that we too can enjoy a life free of persecution and anguish.

arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)