Two Actions and Items Not Found in the Mainstream Media
by Mazin Qumsiyeh - palestinenature.org
August 7, 2017
But before that I report very briefly that we had another very productive week with many positive actions despite the negative news and challenges that face us in Palestine and around the world.
We received many delegation to the Palestine Museum of Natural History and capped the week with a very special delegation: the Japanese group earth caravan and our volunteers and visitors (about 60 people half from Japan) had a beautiful interfaith gathering in memory of Hiroshima day (August 6).
Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and many others joined hands and pledged to redouble our work so that such atrocities do not happen again.
The dropping of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was nothing short of state terrorism and was not needed for ending the war as claimed by the US government (google this if you want more information). But as before what we need to think about is lighting candles rather than cursing the darkness.
We have seven international and many local volunteers this week who are doing great work. You can also volunteer: https://www.palestinenature.org/support-us/volunteer/ ).
We received summer camps who visited the nascent botanical garden and the museum. We did field work in marginalized areas of the West Bank last week. We have significant new data on issues like decline in biodiversity and environmental health. We submitted more research papers highlighting our findings (see: palestinenature.org/research for published papers).
News not covered in mainstream media:
1) A cross sectional study of the relationship between the exposure of pregnant women to military attacks in 2014 in Gaza and the load of heavy metal contaminants in the hair of mothers and newborns by Paola Manduca, Safwat Y Diab, Samir R Qouta, Nabil Albarqouni, Raiija-Leena Punamaki.
Published in BMJ Open: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/7/e014035.full
2) Inside the Saudi town that's been under siege (and bombing) for three months by its own government
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-siege-town-own-citizens-government-kingdom-military-government-awamiyah-qatif-a7877676.html
ACTIONS
1) Sign the petition by Defense of Children International-Palestine to end collective punishment of Gaza’s Children. An entirely man-made humanitarian crisis faces the nearly 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza, 43 percent of whom are under 15 years old. Israel’s 10-year military siege of the tiny coastal enclave and repeated Israeli military offensives have trapped Palestinians in dire conditions.
http://www.dci-palestine.org/campaign_end_collective_punishment_of_gaza_s_children_petition
2) Another action for US citizens: some congressmen and senators are already saying no so our actions make a difference. The Israel Anti-Boycott Act will criminalize our First Amendment rights to free speech, and silence a movement that aims to ensure equal, human rights for Palestinians.
https://act.mpowerchange.org/sign/senate-anti-boycott-act
Stay Human
Mazin Qumsiyeh
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
Professor and (volunteer) Director
Palestine Museum of Natural History
Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability
Bethlehem University
Occupied Palestine
http://qumsiyeh.org
http://palestinenature.org
Join me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/mazin.qumsiyeh.9
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