The UN vote

Ironic indeed that 2014 which was declared by the UN as the year of solidarity with the Palestinian people ended up with a failure of the UN to pass a resolution to end the Israeli occupation. If the UN cannot apply its own laws regarding the inadmissibility of the acquisition of land as a result of war, then it certainly should be considered redundant and rightly so from the way that they allow Israel to violate international law with impunity.

Indeed a very shameful performance on behalf of the US, Canada and Australia which voted against the resolution and the United Kingdom for abstaining. One would think that the United Kingdom, after the symbolic vote of its Parliament, would take an honorable stand to make up for the plight of the Palestinians at the end of the British Mandate of Palestine 66 years ago, and for the role of the Balfour declaration in the establishment of the state of Israel on Palestinian land.

Wishing you all a peaceful New Year if that is possible under such a biased world order. Samia

Christmas Message

December 23, 2014

 

Dear Family and Friends:

 

One of the well known Christmas songs “I’ll be home for Christmas”  which my generation remembers for being first recorded by Bing Crosby in the forties, was on the program  of the Christmas concert we attended at the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies – Brigham Young University.

 

As I listened to the beautiful tenor singing it, I could not help but think of  all those  who won’t be able to make it home for Christmas, by no choice of their own.  And that is when the song becomes so meaningful when you think of the many soldiers serving on foreign land, the refugees, the prisoners, and the many young Palestinians  who have been denied their right to come home or be united with their families because of absurd laws under a military occupation or because their  homes were demolished and they have no shelter in this bitter cold weather.

 

So I hope all of you who are gathering with your families for Christmas,  will indeed feel grateful for this blessing without having to worry about check points or denied entry.

Have a joyful Christmas and best wishes for peace and good health throughout the New Year.  Samia

 

P.S. I thought you might enjoy this short Christmas animation

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LICL71mtbbI