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What MPs get paid for. Self interest it seems!

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My good friend John Fryer sent me this and I’ve shared it widely. It seems as if those I’ve sent it to are doing the same! It’s unbelievable that the House of Commons is virtually empty when considering the issues for debate: war in Afghanistan, child sex abuse, knife crime prevention, drug laws, impact of welfare reforms on the sick and disabled, a living wage, recognition of Palestine (the nest attended of this group), tenancy reform and schooling for Syrian refugees. Yet when it comes to debating MPs’ pay and expenses there is overflow.

What then do we elect representatives to Parliament for? The question of leadership jumps into my mind. If it is effective then would you expect this to happen.

Perhaps Parliament practices and procedures are already set out so when the new member enters the place for the first time expectations of an outmoded tradition which has lasted hundreds of years takes them over. Dave Nellist spoke of his experience when he was offered directorships of companies for himself and family and friends maybe. We see the revolving door in operation, the lobbyists that one David Cameron, vowed to tackle. No Dave, you don’t change the system and those upholding it: they change you!!!

As far as involving Britain in wars MPs have come to understand they don’t have a role to play. It became abundantly clear after war in Iraq was put into motion that what anybody thought other than the “leadership” meant diddly squat.

Hansard gives detailed reports of debates. This one on child sex abuse took place on 27th November, 2014.

A special thank and a big shout out for all the marvelous Christians of Gaza…

A MUST READ!!
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A special thank and a big shout out for all the marvelous Christians of Gaza…

We all know about the previous summer aggression on Gaza and how many Treacherous countries stood beside it, utterly and completely supporting it, financially and emotionally.. We all know also about the traumatic harrowing scenes that all saw through the media during the sudden circumstances of that brutality. And we all know as well about the very first crisis that happened with the people of the boarders, especially in the east ( Al-Shojaeya, Al-Zaitoon, Khoza`a and the boarders of Rafah) Most of those people evacuated their properties as quick as they could before facing the death. They went, with their innocence, to the schools of the UN which they sheltered in to protect their families from the madness of the enemies. And many of the refugees, especially in Al– Shojaeya and Al- Zaitoon, left their homes and suburbs and went to the churches of the Christians. Perhaps some of you would wonder and say that the writer of this piece is mad or silly in saying something all know, but the truth is that I must mention how great the people of Gaza are and let the world know who we are.

A week ago, I made a short conversation with one of the refugees, who lives in my area, about his days during the war.

-“How were you feeling when you left your home with your family?”I began the conversation,
-“Well, First of all we all have to pray to our God to bless our great precious martyrs and to pour from his glorified Mercy on them. Then we pray to God to put a quick healing on our brave injuries and to make their families patient, Ameen. When I heard the tragic bombs and when my eyes saw the flying mutilated bodies in the skies, I decided with my family to leave my dangerous home to escape from the real death. Actually, we left it and went to a UN school, but it really was not a good place to stay in especially when you have young daughters like me. The school really was so crowded as a hell. As a result, I decided to leave that school…”

-“Ohhh, so tragic, well, when did you go eventually?
-“After leaving the school, I searched and searched for another place to stay, but I failed and my feet got exhausted. Eventually and after hours, I found a church called the church of the Patriarch Provius. I did not care about it and even I was not thinking of entering it as I knew that that place just would be for praying and preaching not for staying and sheltering. My wife asked me to enter it, but I was so hesitant. I thought that the warden would refuse and reject us due to the religious goals of that church. Well, I entered it anyway after a while and then really got shocked of what I saw. There were refugees inside that church with their entire families. So I found someone not to feel alone. The owners of that church welcomed us so hardly as though we were their special guests”

-“Mashallah, and what happened then?”
-“Then they gave us a special place to stay in and six mattresses and three bottles of water. We used to get three meals per day. The basic services were really acceptable and no one of the refugees complaint about anything. The owners of that church really dealt with us as special companions even if we are Muslims. Finally I got assured about my young daughters”

-“Where the vicars and the Christians praying inside that church and where did you use to pray?”
-“Believe or not, no one from the vicars or the prayers came every Monday. They refused to pray in order to let us rest well and feel free with our stricken families. They are really generous! We as Muslims were praying inside that church and used their water to have ablution. I was really feeling that that church was like my home and even better!!”

Those are the people of Gaza. We are humans and we love each other Muslims or Christians. We are two souls dwelling to each other to hoist the fluttering flag of our Palestine.

Mohammad S Arafat (Mr. Pen)

The night that we were waiting for!!!

Gazan Young Writers “Mosab and Mohammad”

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The night that we were waiting for!!!
Both, the groom and his bride, prepared themselves to go to their flat that they rented on Gaza beach, after finishing celebration their wedding. They got in a red car towards that flat thinking of the first night that they would live with each other. . The atmosphere in that car was merely silent, but the thoughts were working more than speech .The groom looked at his pretty bride waiting for the first moments in the coming night with her wanting to know about the secrets that night would show him. He was thinking of the surprises that will happen during that lovely first night. He got so shy with his face red when he thought of himself with her wife on the smooth red bed that he bought after getting paid from the bank. He thought about his bride`s red lips that he will never leave and the lipstick that he will be drawn into. He also thought about her black tall hair with two the that he would clamber towards the top of love. Her blue magnificent eyes enthralled him completely and turned his dreams into reality. Her small white shining face was the same as the moon in the moonlit night. Her beautiful attractive white dress of the wedding was as a sign for their white future.The groom was looking at her husband`s silver ring that she gifted him during their wedding happily, but she was shy in the same time. Then he pressed on her warm white hand so that increased her shyness as a sign of love. She thought of the lovely atmosphere that she would have with him alone inside a very nice locked room. She wanted to do everything that her husband would ask her to do as long as he`s her prince. She wanted to make him the happiest person on earth as he promised her to love her forever.After ten minutes of mutual thoughts between both in the car, they arrived at their flat preparing for the nicest night in their life. They entered the room, that was lined with ostrich`s feathers, with shy silent smiles. The dancing candles were lightening that room and the windows were open looking over the sea. There was a very attractive perfume was smelled from that room. The husband got worried that the candles would discover the secrets that they will do and the sea will see them as well. So he left his wife`s hands hardly for some moments and went and closed the windows and put out the candles except one candle that he put over the head of their red lovely bed.
The wife was standing not knowing what to do as it`s the first night with her husband. After a while of looking at each other, the husband asked her to go with him to the shower to had one and then to pray two times to their God to bless them and to make it easy for them both before doing anything.Suddenly, the phone rang and the husband finished his praying and answered it..” Hello!!”

“Sorry for calling you in this time, but I just wanted to tell you that your family and your bride`s got killed after a reconnaissance drone targeted the car that was supposed to move them to their homes…!!”

Share if you care…
Mohammad S Arafat(Mr. Pen)

 

 

We must not forget!!! Mr Pen, Gaza

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It was only a matter of minutes rather than hours and even days before the patient people of Gaza heard the news of the ceasefire agreement through Radios and TVs. That happy news was like the best thing that they never heard before as this aggression stayed for more than fifty days. They did not believe that until the clock chimed 7pm and the fireworks launched singing the songs of triumph. They expressed their stolen joy with the simplest ways of celebration they could use. They got happy and the grandmothers shrilled as strongly as they could manage. The children filled the streets vigorously not knowing how they would celebrate that special day…..But wait a minute, please. We forgot something…. Where is the joy of the children who lost their parents? Where are the smiles of the women who are windows right now? Where is the shrill of the mothers who lost their sons and daughters? Where is the voice of our martyrs? Where will the people who lost their homes and lands celebrate? They did not get happy at all as they are still under the cloak of sadness that the enemies covered them by. They are still drowning into their blood and sorrow. They think that no one cares about them. However, we must make a decision to try to give them their imprisoned joy that they lost during the brutality. We all MUST console with them by staying silent for one minute and read Al- Fateha Surah for the sake of their martyrs` souls and the injuries` efforts and other families.

For who he does not know Al- Fateha Surah, you can read it as following. It`s in English language, thank you:

(In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the merciful* All Praise is due to Allah, the lord of the worlds* The Beneficent, the Merciful* Master of the Day of Judgment* Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help* Keep us on the right path* the path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray).

Gazan Young Writers “Mosab and Mohammad”

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Once the reconnaissance drones and the airplanes disappeared from the cloudy skies over Gaza. Once the soldiers got back to their military basics. The sky turned into a clear blue sky with the sun shining. The owls with their hoots perched on their branches sadly. The horrible bats groaned and rushed to their dark caves. The birds went out their warm roosts happily singing the songs of victory, inviting other kinds of birds to join them. The reptiles slithered out their burrows towards their lovely lagoons. The moles went out their scooped-out holes in the ground and began a new journey of looking for food. The hidden fish in the bed sea trembled slowly towards the surface of the sea to smell new oxygen mixed with the taste of triumph. The afraid children left their mums` humane laps towards the voice of the fireworks happily not believing what happened. Boys and girls wiped their tears out and smiled. Mothers and grandmothers raised their voices with lovely shrills crying with joy. The atmosphere turned into noise of happiness after it was silent. Everyone is happy and everyone is victorious…
Congratulations Gaza, Congratulations Palestine…

A strange question!!! Mohammad S. Arafat. Gaza

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I was chatting with a new friend from Australia after adding me on Face Book. It was a very long conversation with lots of questions and answers about Gaza and its people. He asked me a tremendous number of questions and I answered all of them. The first question that I was asked, after I told him that I`m a Gaza, was” Where does that place locate?”
I smiled a little bit and sent him a smiling face. And then I asked him instead of answering his strange question” Have you ever seen mutilated children full of blood spread in the ground and under rubble in the Media?”
“Yes for sure. I have seen many of them, but why do you ask?” he retorted.

Now it`s my turn to answer his first question” So here Gaza locate”. The friend stayed silent for more than two minutes; however, I thought that he would unfriend me directly. After the two minutes have gone, he sent me another strange message” How can I come to you and kiss your forehead??” and then he sent me a crying face. I was shocked and cried a little bit and said to me “we are known by our blood. What a miracle”.
I`m not kidding when I say the people of Gaza are the greatest and the bravest in all round the world. I don`t say that because I`m one of them, but our rare behaviors forced my pen to write these humble words. I must admit that we are the bravest in all the sides, from the men to women and from the youngest to eldest. We all are one person called Gaza and our widow mother Palestine.

The second question that he asked me after crying” Tell me more about Gaza please!!”, I answered him without thinking” We are the greatest and the bravest people in all over the world”. He stayed silent again for a while and asked me” How come?”
My fingers typed directly as if I entrusted them my mind” Lets first speak about our men. When I speak about the Gazan men, I speak about the LIONS of Palestine. They are our honor that many countries missed these days. They are the first and the last defenders who protected our boarders and our families from the oppressive enemy. They stayed more than thirty days resisting the enemy. They did not know the taste of food except having three dates every day. Our men stayed at their homes and lands and refused to evacuate them in order not to let the despoilers steal them.

Beside of our men, there are our great women who refused to be the victims of the murderers. They have done what no one did. Many of them did not sleep during their nights staying beside their sick and injured children and husbands in the protective edge operation on Gaza. Many of them did not cry over their children and stayed patient when they were killed. Most of them returned to their destroyed homes under the danger and looked for food and clothes under the rubble for their children. They did not eat for days to save the food for their families. They breasts got dry and empty of milk and that did not stop them from feeding their children. I must say that they are the LIONESSES of the LIONS of Gaza.

I cannot deny that our children are brave as well even if they are children. They did not resist like the men and the women, but they did a lot of things that brought the word HUMANITY back to the dictionary of the human rights. Our children used to drink from the grimy water and the water of the toilet while the other children are drinking coca cola and Pepsi in the biggest restaurants in the world. Many of our children got killed in the sake of their countries while the others are enjoying their time in the amusement centers and cinemas. Our children studied under the destroyed schools refusing the let the enemy makes them illiterate and the other are asking their parents to let them join special schools. Our children see the death follows them in every moment and every step. The bloody sharpened dagger of the enemy follows them whenever they try to smile even if a small hidden smile. The joy of our children is imprisoned inside the jail of silent of the leaders of humanity. So I must consider them the SONS of the LIONS who will lead the humanity of the world after they missed it.

Mr. Pen( A pen for Palestine)

“As the occupying power in Gaza, Israel is legally accountable for the welfare of the population”

I quote from an article “The catastrophe inflicted on Gaza–and the costs to Israel’s standing”. Under international law, as the occupying power Israel is legally accountable for the welfare of the population.

Generally countries build up their defence systems in the light of threats from other powers who similarly spend huge fortunes on increasingly sophisticated armaments. Arms industries are also significant earners and enlist political leaders to help sell their wares indiscriminately. Even royalty is dragged in on their account on diplomatic missions. The Palestinian territories have no match for Israel’s economic and military might.

In the past it has been possible to some extent for the Israeli Government to rely on secrecy to cover its activities. The availability of social media has changed all that so the figures for casualties in Gaza have been plain for all to see:

“Of the fatalities whose identity and status have been verified so far, 86 percent are civilians, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Of those tabulated in its most recent update, 226 are members of armed groups; 459 are children.”

When in 1985/6 Mordechai Vanunu told the Sunday Times about Dimona and the highly dangerous nuclear arsenal held by Israel the official position was neither to confirm or deny the situation. It seems that although facts are there clear for all to see this is still the position. You pretend you didn’t see it. While this is harder and harder to sustain it remains a position shared with many of Israel’s supposed allies in the United States and Europe. As the United Nations speaks of “war crimes” it will be interesting to see if there is a variation in changes to policy of different states. Certainly rhetoric is changing markedly as there appears to be much less willingness to defend the indefensible in many quarters. As far as the people are concerned demonstrations have erupted far and wide with tangible effects on the BDS movement targeted at Israel’s economy, particularly where firms are operating on stolen Palestinian territory.

“It is—as usual—a matter of elementary simplicity to dispense with those declared objectives and the mendacious protestations and justifications Israel has fabricated around them. Gaza is not a sovereign state firing rockets across an international frontier: it is an occupied territory held under tight Israeli control. Sealed off by land, sea and air, even its population registry remains in Israeli hands. Internationally recognized as the occupying power in Gaza, Israel is legally accountable for the welfare of the population whose very capacity for life it has been obsessively reducing to ruins. And in any case the sequence of events leading to this bombardment was triggered not by rockets from Gaza but by the recent Israeli crackdown in the West Bank, which culminated in the burning alive of a Palestinian teenager by Jewish fanatics—and, beyond that, five decades of grueling military occupation.”

Note: Interesting to see in the Independent’s article on arms sales that supply to “Israel and Palestinian Territories” accounts for nearly £8,000 million, well over half the total, yet there is no marker re. concerns for human or civil rights! What, we might ask, is the division between Israel and the Palestinian Territories? Were rockets supplied to Gaza, or stones to be thrown in the West Bank?

Bibi rattled and riled

While the established media are still prevaricating about what is going on in Gaza, we the ordinary people take to the streets and social networks and see that what is happening daily are war crimes. Still the politicians and sycophantic journalists are saying “maybe” war crimes have been committed. Looking at posts on Facebook and Twitter there’s no “maybe” about it.

In the first place the secrecy beloved by states like Israel and agencies like the NSA and GCHQ (which Edward Snowden recently declared is worse than the NSA – good grief!) is harder to maintain. Israel still maintains it isn’t nuclear power after Mordechai Vanunu blew the whistle in 1986 in the ungrateful Sunday Times. (it now barely utters a word about the man who subsequently spent 18 years, much in solitary, and now another 10 held in Israel against his will. 58 MPs invited him to Britain last month but the Sunday Times was virtually silent, apart from a couple of paragraphs).

That the social media counts is shown by Netanyahu’s (aka Bibi) reaction by offering bribes to young people with scholarships when they tweet something favourable to Israel. I call that scraping the barrel. Hard to stomach as it may seem Hamas also recognises that the world is at last seeing what has been happening to the Palestinian people under occupation and is seeking a long term end, not the capitulation that Israel and supporters such as the US and British Governments would wish. Even the UN seems to accept that scenario. As Ban Ki-moon deplores the shelling of the UN school in Gaza where at least 13 were killed he is reluctant to apportion blame to Israel.

One commentator guaranteed to get Bibi rattled and riled is Daniel Barenboim, holder of Israeli and Palestinian nationality. He can claim to offer both an informed and balanced view on Gaza and stating the obvious – that a military solution will never solve anything – speaks to everyone.

Prince Charles promotes a history lesson

A passing remark by Prince Charles during his visit to Canada had disproportionately provoked a vigorous response from Russia. President Putin sees the crisis in the Ukraine as a threat from fascist forces but finds himself the butt of Charles’ comment comparing him with Hitler. The history lesson that ensued is personal pointing out not only the British royal family’s history of links with Hitler but the German origins of his family and his own links with the Nazi past. I doubt whether it will go onto the National Curriculum as things stand.

In the year commemorating the centenary of the beginning of World War 1 no one promoting the sacrifices of so many wants reminding of its architects, which of course includes Charles’ own great grandfather, George V:

“Charles’ great grandfather George V was one of the three ‘great’ architects of World War One, the so-called ‘Cousins’ War’, four years of mindless slaughter that began exactly a century ago. With two more Saxe-Coburg Gotha cousins, George’s hapless subjects slugged it out in trench warfare with Germany’s Wilhelm II and Russia’s Nicholas II’s unfortunates leaving, by 1918, a total of some ten million dead for no discernible purpose.”

The writer continues reminding us that Charles’ family name changed at this time from Saxe-Coburg Gotha to Windsor in order to distance himself from any German link because of widespread public hostility…

“When in 1917 ill-mannered soldiers began pointing out that German Gotha bombers from another branch of the King’s family business were killing them, George V blithely announced that his surname was changing from ‘Saxe-Coburg Gotha’ to the more English-sounding ‘Windsor’.”

A history of the monarchy and the obsession with secrecy, maintenance of an elite and advancement of capitalism add discomfort to Charles inheritance, but a personal attack on his continuing expenditure on ensuring a positive PR against even higher costs of keeping the lid on anything else doesn’t help the monarchist cause. Not a bit. Thus at Highgrove Diana is a taboo subject. She, it is explained, tried to protect her sons from the unreality of their life as royals. While she is mentioned in books large sums are paid to ensure they are not seen here when they claim that the “arrangement of an accident” was something desired by the Windsors themselves.

Corporate Greed Protected

As MacDonald workers demonstrate peacefully for a fair wage in Illinois they come under attack by the very forces supposed to protect them in exercising their rights. Governments choose to protect Corporations and their ever growing demands for profit rather than the people on who they depend on delivering their services. Wages and conditions of service are sacrificed to this end.

Monsanto had become a name symbolising the predatory nature of the corporate beast and today people across the globe are taking them on. Governments respond not by supporting the people, those who elected them democratically through the ballot box, but by drafting increasingly draconian laws to protect their paymasters. Thus curbs on the Internet and freedom of speech are being proposed.