Amazing Video: Israeli IDF conversation with Palestinians (Israeli soldier and Palestinian civilians explain fears and hopes)

This video was recorded on Jan 9 -2009. It provides a fascinating insight into the thinking of Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians. In reality both want peace. Now if only the leaders on both sides would listen.

The IDF come across as nervous and on edge and somewhat aggressive eventhough there is a camera filming the exchange of views. The video opens with the following question to the soldiers: "Its confusing to me that when one person hurts another group of people then the whole group of people have to suffer for it. So maybe you can help me understand".

A soldier explains why he is in Gaza. "I help you understand (sic)." "You think I want to be here? ..... I do this for one reason, because I love my country (sic). Because I want my mother to go to work and dont die (sic). I want my sister to go to school and not to be scared." The soldier admitted shooting a child for pointing at him. He said that the Palestinian was not scared to go to Israel because he knows he could go there and come back alive. The Israeli soldier stated that he was scared to go to Qalqilya and Jayyous-"I know they want to kill me".

The Palestinian replies..."If you want to come to my house we can stop together... We need peace we want peace. We want to stop the blood. We want to be like neighbours, like friends."

Israel fears Hamas rockets may destroy Dimona nuclear power plant

Israel has harboured fears for sometime that Iran might target the Dimona nuclear power plant. It is suspected that nuclear station at Dimona is used by the Israeli military to make atomic bombs. Such a missile attack by Iran would obliterate Israel. Now Israel is facing a second threat to the security of this facility.
PressTV carries the following:

Hamas retaliatory attacks have alarmed Israel with officials anticipating that the Dimona nuclear complex might become the next target......................Israeli officials were quoted by the Times Online as saying on Friday that Hamas may have acquired longer range rockets, which would enable the group to target the sole Israeli nuclear plant in Dimona.

It is time for a ceasefire and negotiations. Hamas must cease its rocket attacks on Israel. A strike on Dimona could cause a second Chernobyl. The Israelis must end the aerial bombardment of Gaza. The US, Britain, France and Russia must pressurise both sides to pull back from the brink of disaster.

Zimbabwe: Fears grow for the safety of abducted Human Rights activists as repression grows

There are fears for the safety of
Jestina Mukoko (left), director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) who was abducted from her home in Harare on December 3 when fifteen armed men in plain clothes broke into her family home. Her son witnessed the abduction.

Two of Mukoko’s colleagues were seized from their offices on December 8. Their whereabouts are also unknown. In the last six weeks, 22 opposition or civil rights activists have been seized and not heard from since.


The ZPP, a human rights organization has been documenting human rights violations by the Mugabe regime and its henchmen.
Human rights have drastically deteriorated in Zimbabwe, Caritas Internationalis reports.

People are being indirectly denied food and clean water, health care, and education. The police and army have shot illegal diamond miners, while more than seventy people have been arrested at trade union protests.
Reportedly, civil society activists have been detained after peaceful protests and human rights advocates have been systematically targeted and detained...

Please take this online action demanding the release of Jestina Mukoko.
A recording of an interview with Jestina Mukoko when she visited Ireland is available via Trocaire. The interview was conducted by George Hook on Newstalk