Last week we posted a diary of what it is like to live in Gaza during the bombardment by Majeda Al-Saqqa, a young woman of Khan Younes in southern Gaza, her daily reports received via Women In Black, continue below. As any thinking person in the U.S. can figure out, the American media has a wee tendency to minimize their presentations of the graphic evidence of the carnage of war, be it in Iraq, or Afghanistan or Gaza. Fortunately there is Al Jazeera who has made footage available via Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. As feminists, we believe it is crucial to see the results of militarism in order to truly understand why it must end. Here is one of their videos, if you follow the link, you can view many more.
It goes without saying that there are women and children specific impacts of militarism. Last week Women’s ENews reported that one of those impacts in Gaza is the converting of maternity hospitals into hospitals to care for the wounded. The result is that women delivering babies who inconveniently did not check the calendar to see that they weren’t born during a war have little or no access to necessary medical care.
“On the ground, in Gaza, maternal health care and related medical support stand frozen until further notice. Nurses and doctors that normally work in the maternity wards have been redirected to overcrowded emergency rooms. Pregnant women told Women’s eNews they are being turned away at the door.
All of Gaza’s 56 primary health care clinics depend on back-up generators and face fuel shortages, the World Health Organization reported Jan 7. Three mobile clinics and three ambulances have been destroyed.
Among the hardest hit is Al Shifa Hospital, the only maternity ward with neonatologists in Gaza City. Currently, there are 30 neonatal units. Power shortages have left premature infants in incubators tethered between life and death.”
If you would like to donate money specifically to ease the suffering of women and children, you can donate via Madre here.
And now finally, here are Majeda Al-Saqqa’s reflections from inside Gaza.
6 January 2009
What is war?
Arslan asks me again: “What is war?
“Who’s making it and why?”
My mother appears just in time with her fancy stationary to give to the kids.
“Come on all of you,” I call.
“Majed, Arslan, Wael, Dima. I’m going to explain to you what war is.”
I put the paper on the floor:
“In English we write: ‘W-A-R.’
“‘W’ which is like ‘V’ + ‘V’
“‘A’ as in Arslan…”
Wael interrupts: “No, not like that. He asked you, he wants to know what is war –
like the war in the sky, not like the war in the classroom.”
I look at Wael: “But they’re happy with my answer. What’s your problem, little man?”
“No, they aren’t.
Dima jumps in: “She’s lying to you.
“She’s trying to review English lessons because Majed’s school is closed and he’ll
forget the alphabet in English.”
“Ok, Majed shall I continue?” I ask, trying to ignore the other kids.
“Yes, but tell me what war is, not how we write it in English.”
“Ok then, but it will take such a long time to explain. Let’s save it for later. For now,
take your stationery and go and draw.”
I hope they won’t ask me again.
Let someone else answer this question of theirs.
Continue reading »
