Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share the link of this article with your facebook friends

 

Palestinians Celebrate Victory, by Enduring 11 Days of Israeli Onslaught on Gaza, at the Announcement of the Ceasefire

 May 21, 2021 

Editor's Note:

While brutal force has been used to create Zionist Israel and sustain it thus far, Zionist claims to Palestine are false. Actually, from the five thousand years of known written history, there has been a continuous Palestinian-Canaanite presence in the Holy Land. Despite the Zionist false claims, the ancient Israelites ruled part of the land for only 85 years (during the reign of David, Solomon, and Solomon's son).

 After that, the Egyptians conquered Palestine-Canaan in 925 BC, followed by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, before the Arab Muslim rule, starting from 636 AD.

By the Time Jesus started his mission, the three population groups of Canaanites, Palestinians, and Israelites were melted together in religion and language. Most of them became Christians when Constantine converted in 313 AD. Then, most of them became Muslims in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.

So, Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews are the ones who have the right to claim descent from ancient Israelites, Palestinians, and Canaanites, not Zionists from other continents.

The following news stories are just examples of the Israeli occupation apartheid regime violations of Palestinian human rights, on daily basis.

More detailed news stories can be found at the following sources:

http://english.wafa.ps/, https://english.palinfo.com/, https://imemc.org/, https://paltoday.ps/ar/

 

Israel-Hamas truce takes hold after 11 days of fighting, Biden hails ceasefire, pledges assistance for Gaza

Nidal Al-mughrabi, Dan Williams

 Reuters, May 21, 2021 5:00 am Palestine time, 10:00 pm ET (May 20, 2021)

An Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid after the worst fighting in years.

Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gaza’s streets. Mosque loud-speakers feted “the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel).”

In the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) cease-fire, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike.

Each side said it stood ready to retaliate for any truce violations by the other. Cairo said it would send two delegations to monitor the ceasefire.

The violence erupted on May 10, triggered by Palestinians' anger at what they assailed as Israeli curbs on their rights in Jerusalem, including during police confrontations with protesters at Al-Aqsa mosque during the Ramadan fasting month (Editor's Note: As importan was the Israeli attempt to evict Palestinians living for generations from Shaikh Jarra'h neighborhood, near Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem).

The fighting meant many Palestinians in Gaza could not mark the Eid al-Fitr festival at Ramadan's conclusion. On Friday, throughout Gaza, postponed Eid al-Fitr meals were held instead.

In Israel, radio stations that had carried around-the-clock news and commentary switched back to pop music and folk songs.

DEATH TOLL

Gaza health officials said 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, had been killed and more than 1,900 wounded in aerial bombardments. Israel said it had killed at least 160 combatants.

Authorities put the death toll in Israel at 12, with hundreds of people treated for injuries in rocket attacks that caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, cast the fighting as successful resistance of a militarily and economically stronger foe.

In Israel, relief was bittersweet.

"It's good that the conflict will end, but unfortunately I don't feel like we have much time before the next escalation," Eiv Izyaev, a 30-year-old software engineer, said in Tel Aviv.

Amid growing global alarm, Biden had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek de-escalation, while Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations sought to mediate.

In a televised address on Thursday, Biden extended condolences to bereaved Israelis and Palestinians and said Washington would work with the United Nations "and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance" for Gaza and its reconstruction.

Biden said aid would be coordinated with the Palestinian Authority - run by Hamas' rival, President Mahmoud Abbas, and based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank - "in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal".

The US State Department said that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken planned to travel to the Middle East, where he would meet with Israeli, Palestinian, and regional leaders to discuss recovery efforts.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Israeli and Palestinian leaders had a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to address the root causes of the conflict,” he told reporters with serious dialogue.

“Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division,” he said.

Israel-Hamas truce takes hold after 11 days of fighting | Reuter

'Thanks to God,' Gazans chant as truce takes hold

Nidal Al-mughrabi

Reuters, May 21, 2021 5:00 am Palestine time, 10:00 pm ET (May 20, 2021)

When the fighting halted, the celebrations began.

Unable last week to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the joyous Muslim feast marking the end of the Ramadan fasting month, many Gazans took to the street at 2 a.m. on Friday to extol the start of a Hamas truce with Israel that ended 11 days of hostilities.

"God is greatest and thanks to God," they shouted in Arabic.

Cars packed Gaza's main streets, drivers honking their horns and waving flags from the windows, in scenes reminiscent of past celebrations of truces and prisoner releases.

Mosque loudspeakers hailed what they called "the victory the resistance achieved over the occupation during the battle of the Sword of Jerusalem." Men fired rifles into the air, and others set off noise bombs or firecrackers.

In Tel Al-Hawa in Gaza City people said they were celebrating their safety, and what they viewed as their victory. Some hugged, one calling it a "time out from the coronavirus."

"With souls and blood, we redeem you, Deif," they chanted, calling out the name of Hamas's top military commander Deif, who tops Israel's wanted list.

"This is a great victory over the occupation. Our resistance men forced them to the ceasefire," said Ahmed Amer, 30, as he celebrated with his friends.

"Today is when Eid al-Fitr begins. Yes, we are sorry and sad for our people who lost their houses and their relatives, but despite that, we will celebrate," Amer said.

Another man clutching an AK-47 assault rifle said: "Our fingers are on the triggers, and we are ready to fight again, but now we will celebrate with our people," he said, refusing to give a name.

In the Israeli-occupied city of Ramallah, hundreds of people took to the streets chanting: "With souls and blood we redeem you, Gaza."

Fireworks were set off in Sheikh Jarrah, the East Jerusalem neighbourhood where a long-running legal battle by Palestinian families to stop their forced eviction by Israeli settlers was a key factor in mobilising protesters across the Old City and farther afield during Ramadan.

'Thanks to God,' Gazans chant as truce takes hold | Reuters

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