#and after finishing mornings in jenin

[meherya]

Dismantling all the furniture in our bedrooms while running on like 4 hours of sleep :)

[documenting-apartheid]

December 21 2023 - Suhaib, a Palestinian boy from Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, was detained by Israeli forces for six months without charge or trial.

Video transcript:

"I was administratively detained for 6 months without charges. I was next to the wall. Suddenly, the soldiers noticed me. They fired at me to force me to stop. They rushed towards me and tied me up and started hitting me with their hands and feet. They blindfolded me and tied my hands and feet. They put me under the sun for 4-5 hours. Then I was moved in a jeep between several settlements. The jeep continued moving until one o’clock in the morning. Then I was transferred to prison. During the first 17 days, I was interrogated and brought before courts. The lawyer was telling me that I would be released soon. I have not been convicted of any charges. That’s why I was placed in administrative detention. There was no evidence against me to charge me with. Administrative detention is a form of imprisonment without charge or trial but based on “secret evidence” that is neither disclosed to the detainee nor the detainee’s attorney. When my administrative detention expired, I was happy because I would see my family and loved ones. I was surprised when they brought me a paper stating the administrative detention had been renewed for another 3 months. I returned to my prison bed. It was a difficult moment. I was shocked then. I started spending less time with fellow prisoners. I became less talkative. It is difficult to end your detention, and to receive renewal on the day you are supposed to be released.  When I finished my second detention order, I shaved, dressed, and prepared for my release. At the same time, I was ready to receive news of another extension. I prepared myself not to be shocked. After I was released, my life was ruined. I had a good job and I lost it. Before prison, I intended to complete my education, but my mentality changed and I no longer wanted to. I didn’t want to socialize with people. My life was ruined."

1 in 3 Palestinian child detainees in the occupied West Bank are held without charge or trial. By the end of June 2024, Israeli forces were detaining 226 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank. 75 are held without charge or trial in administrative detention, which is a record number since DCIP began monitoring child administrative detainees in 2008.

Source: Defense for Children International - Palestine

[npdclaraoswald]

4, 11, and 14 for the book asks (if they haven't been asked already!) :D

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

I haven't found any new ones that I'd immediately call auto-buy authors after just one book, but I read AM McLemore and RF Kuang for the first time this year and have several other books from both of them on my tbr. And it's a bit more difficult to get a feel on comic writers right away since it is such a collaborative medium, but I really like what I've seen from Chris Claremont, Eve Ewing, G Willow Williams, and Emily Kim

11. What was your favorite book that's been out for a while, but that you just now read?

The Wall by Marlen Haushofer translated by Shaun Whiteside is oldest 5 star read I've had this year, having come out in 1963, but I also loved The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982), and all of the Discworld books I read this year, the most recent of which was published posthumously in 2015.

14. What books do you want to finish before the year is over?

Well the only thing I have that I've started so far is Frankenstein, but my tbr for the rest of December includes Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa (picking this one up from the library today); Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa; The Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas; When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb; You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat; Kissinger's Shadow: The Long Reach of America's Most Controversial Statesman by Greg Grandin; Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke; You Feel It Just Below the Ribs by Jeffrey Cranor and Justina Matthewson; Green Arrow/Black Canary vol 3: A League of Their Own by Judd Winick, Wayne Faucher, Mike Norton, Robin Riggs, and Diego Barreto; Sideways vol 1: Steppin' Out by Justin Jordan, Dan Didio, and Kenneth Rocafort; Batman and the Outsiders vol 2: The Snare by Chuck Dixon, Carlos Rodriguez, Julián López, and Ryan Benjamin; and Static Shock vol 1: Supercharged by Scott McDaniel, John Rozum, and Marc Bernardin

Book asks

[nbmsports]

Israel carried out a massive military operation in Jenin. Here's what you need to know

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Sign up here. CNN  —  Israeli forces have concluded their largest-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin in decades, killing at least 12 Palestinians and leaving widespread destruction across the city’s refugee camp. Jenin has emerged yet again as a flashpoint of violence gripping the West Bank. Teenagers are among the dead, and one Israeli soldier died Tuesday, but the Israeli military said that no non-combatants have been killed — although it acknowledged there are civilians among the more than 100 injured. Militant groups in Jenin claimed at least eight of those killed as their fighters. A CNN team on the ground in Jenin on Wednesday saw roads completely torn up, and massive amounts of damage to buildings, homes and cars. Crews were working to restore electricity that had been severely disrupted during the operation. Images on Wednesday showed residents preparing one grave for all 12 Palestinians killed. An Israeli military source said Monday that the operation, which stretched over 48 hours, was the largest in Jenin in more than 20 years. The United Nations secretary-general expressed deep concern and said that all military operations must be conducted with respect for international humanitarian law. As the operation was underway on Tuesday, a driver rammed into pedestrians standing in a Tel Aviv shopping center and proceeded to get out of the vehicle to stab civilians with a sharp object, according to Israeli police who called the incident a terror attack. Eight people were injured, one critically, and the driver of the car was killed by an armed civilian, Israeli police said. Palestinian militant group Hamas, said the driver was one of their fighters, and claimed responsibility for it.

In the early hours of Wednesday, as the Israeli military was withdrawing from Jenin, militants in Gaza fired five rockets toward Israeli territory, which Israel said were successfully intercepted. In retaliation, Israeli air force jets struck what they called Hamas weapons and rockets sites in Gaza. No injuries were reported in Gaza or Israel. The operations came after rising tensions in Jenin and across the West Bank over the past 16 months. Here’s what you need to know: Early on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched its major operation in Jenin, carrying out air strikes by drone and targeting what it said was a “command and control” center for militants in the refugee camp there. That launched the incursion that involved hundreds of soldiers, at least ten drone airstrikes, and bulldozers that Israel says were used to disarm potential explosives buried under the asphalt. It even included tanks on the outskirts of the city. An IDF spokesperson told reporters Monday the operation had been planned for some time, with the goal to dismantle the “safe haven” Jenin has become for militants. At least 50 shooting attacks toward Israelis have emanated from Jenin, the spokesperson said. According to the spokesperson, the IDF entered “every point” of the refugee camp and said at least 120 people were detained. Israeli soldiers dismantled what the IDF said were hundreds of explosives, weapons caches and underground tunnels. Fierce firefights were reported between soldiers and militants. During the operation, thousands of Palestinians fled their homes in the city’s refugee camp, where electricity and water services were severely damaged, according to Palestinian officials. On Tuesday evening, the IDF announced that it was starting to leave the camp. And on Wednesday morning, IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari told Israeli military radio station Galei Tzahal: “All the forces have left Jenin; we have finished the operation — its goals have been achieved.” But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “extensive operation in Jenin is not a one-off.” “We will not allow Jenin to go back to being a city of refuge for terrorism,” he added. The head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, said on Wednesday that Israel “withdrew from Jenin refugee camp with its tail between its legs.” He said that even though there were Palestinian casualties in the city, “the Palestinian resistance has taught the Israeli occupation a lesson. Now it will think twice before attacking the Palestinian people.” Tensions have been high across the West Bank for more than a year, and particularly over the past few weeks. But while this week’s military operations in Jenin were the largest for some time, incursions into the city’s refugee camp have become a feature of life for those who live there. Israel began regularly raiding cities in the occupied West Bank, targeting militants, last year, after a wave of Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis. Much of the focus of these raids has been on the cities of Jenin and Nablus, which the IDF has called militant hotspots. Last year was the deadliest year on record for both Palestinians and Israelis across the West Bank and Israel in more than a decade. The latest wave of violence peaked late last month, when Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, in revenge attacks after the killing of four Jewish settlers nearby by Hamas militants. In pictures: Israel's military operation in Jenin Hamas, the leading Palestinian Islamist militant group, said those killings had been in retaliation for an Israeli military operation in the Jenin area on June 19, which left seven Palestinians dead and 91 injured. Eight Israeli soldiers were injured. While the military raids have become a regular feature in the West Bank, there’s been a marked increase in settler violence against Palestinians in recent months, as far-right ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government call for unauthorized settler outposts in the West Bank to be expanded and turned into full settlements. After the violence last month, Netanyahu warned Jewish settlers not to “grab land illegally” in the West Bank, as humanitarian bodies raised the alarm over a series of severe attacks on Palestinian villagers. But at the same time, Netanyahu endorsed the expansion of government-approved settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. The uptick in Israel’s West Bank operations takes place with Israel’s most right-wing government in power. It includes cabinet members who have a history of extremist views, particularly on Palestinians. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was once convicted for supporting terrorism and inciting anti-Arab racism. Earlier this year, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich triggered an international outcry when he called for a Palestinian village to be “wiped out” after Israeli settlers were killed there. The rise in tension also takes place amid attempts by the Netanyahu government to pass a contentious judicial reform bill in Israel, which over the last few months sparked some of the largest protests the country has seen. Disagreements over the judicial overhaul plan have caused deep divisions in Israeli public opinion, which analysts have said are often eased amid national security threats. Jenin sits toward the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has officially been under the administration of the Palestinian Authority since 1993. The city houses a tightly packed refugee camp, which has been the focus of this week’s raids. It was established in 1953 for Palestinians who were uprooted from their homes after Israel’s creation in 1948. Decades later, it’s now a built-up area with homes, shops and schools, but it has one of the highest rates of poverty of all of the West Bank refugee camps, according to the UN. The camp is home to more than 17,000 Palestinian refugees in an area that is less than half a square kilometer in size. Inside, there are schools and a health center. But levels of unemployment and substance abuse are high among inhabitants, the UN says. The camp has become a hotbed of armed resistance against the Israeli occupation. Hamas and Islamic Jihad have a major presence there, and members of the Jenin Brigade, a recently formed group, spoke to CNN last year and urged Palestinian leaders to join an armed resistance. Jenin has seen waves of violence over the past two decades. In 2002, during the Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel, the camp was occupied by Israeli forces after 10 days of intensive fighting, leaving 400 homes destroyed and a quarter of the population homeless, according to the UN. A UN special envoy to the Middle East, who visited the Jenin refugee camp at the time, described the scene as “shocking and horrifying beyond belief,” the air filled with the smell of decaying bodies. International organizations have expressed alarm. Doctors Without Borders has condemned a lack of medical access for those who have been injured. “Military bulldozers destroyed multiple roads leading to the Jenin refugee camp, making it nearly impossible for ambulances to reach patients,” the group said. “Additionally, Palestinian paramedics have been forced to proceed on foot to reach people in need of desperate medical treatment in an area with active gunfire and drone strikes.” And a UN agency said Tuesday it was alarmed by the scale of the raids. “We are alarmed at the scale of air and ground operations that are taking place in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, and air strikes hitting a densely populated refugee camp,” Vanessa Huguenin, a spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office, told a briefing, according to Reuters. The US State Department is meanwhile “closely tracking the situation in Jenin and the West Bank,” a spokesperson told CNN on Monday. “We support Israel’s security and right to defend its people against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist groups,” the spokesperson said. “Today’s events further underscore the urgent need for Israeli and Palestinian security forces to work together to improve the security situation in the West Bank. “It is imperative to take all possible precautions to prevent the loss of civilian lives,” the spokesperson said. Read the full article

[laemony]

Books I've read in 2017!

Let's make a list, I like making lists

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams ~ the books get weirder and weirder until you reach the fifth one and are left utterly confused; brilliant in so many ways; perfect for laughing; 7.5/10

2. Love in the Times of Cholera, Gabriel Garcìa Marquez ~ I'm biased because I'm absolutely in love with Gabo; not my fave out of all his works, still beautiful; a bit predictable; 7/10

3. The Labyrinth of the Spirits, Carlos Ruiz Zafón ~ the same thing of Marquez duh; amazing book; Alicia best character of 2017 tbh; less dark than what I expected from him; bloodthirsty villains are the Best Villains; 8.5/10

4. And Never Said a Word, Heinrich Böll ~ maybe I wasn't in the mood but I wasted one whole month on those 150 pages; an endless stream of nothingness; no seriously nothing happens in this book wtf; so so so slow; lamest characters of 2017 (idek if "lamest" is a word); 4/10

5. Dead Leaves, Gabriel Garcìa Marquez ~ second one of my babe for this year (there's another one coming don't be afraid); small tale told in a way I didn't expect to appreciate; the three points of view are perfectly described; it's not clear what happens but it didn't bother me as #4 (again, I may be biased); a nice read all in all; 8/10

6. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera ~ I've already said it, I loved this book; it's light and deep; a perfect description of its title; a love story that it's not about love; 7.5/10

7. September Lights, Carlos Ruiz Zafón ~ really similar to his own "the Prince of Mist" (which is my fave mind you); not as brilliant, nor as dark and sad; my least favourite from him; to read if you're not sure you will appreciate to have your heart broken in the P.o.M.; 6/10

8. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt ~ this book was gifted to me something like three years ago and I couldn't read more than five chapters; this summer I've set my head on it and obliged myself to finish it; best decision I've ever made; she has a way with words it's magnificent; the story is so sad and so real it made me cry more than once; I developed the same love/hate relationships with the characters they seem to have with each other; amazing; 9/10

9. The Ripper's Game, Isabel Allende ~ another south American I'm obsessed with; a perfect summer reading; the characters are so well written; wait for the plot twist; I still can't believe she wrote this tbh, it's so different from her other books; so good nonetheless; 8/10

10. Mornings in Jenin, Susan Abulhava ~ excuse me while I cry just remembering this; I've never read a book that made me cry from start to finish; devastating; I haven't read any reaction on this book so I don't know how it was considered, especially from the Muslim community; a good book to learn something about recent history; stunning; 9/10

11. Saltatempo, Stefano Benni ~ oh look an Italian author finally; this book is so full of irony and sarcasm, it feels like I could have written it; yet it's also very serious, it's set in a specific and very delicate time in Italy; everything is changing at a fast speed, too fast to be healthy; it pictures perfectly the dramatic changes in the italian countryside in a period of economic and idustrial growth; warning: it may make you cry and laugh at the same time; lovely; 9/10

12. A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket ~ 13 days to read 13 books, that's how I loved it; I know it's meant to be narrative for children, but I was curious and my brother liked it; how could I not fall in love with it?; all of those references, I laughed every time I spotted one; so brilliantly frustrating; and ffs we all agree that the series has the Best Narrator Voice Ever, there are no discussions over it and there won't be any; also, Netflix has done a great job and when the hell will Season 2 be out???; 9.5/10

13. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë ~ I've finally put my hands in this classic after years of trying; loved every minute of it; it's interesting to see how different historical ages affect the writing of people; a beautiful mirror of what was it; Jane is such a sweetheart and a badass woman at the same time; a predictable love story I didn't hate; 7.5/10

14. Mansfield Park, Jane Austen ~ from a Jane to another; my first Penguin Books'; so funny and exciting; it made me angry with so many characters; most Aesthetic™ book of 2017 there's no competition; 8/10

15. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor, Gabriel Garcìa Marquez ~ last one for this year; it's non-fiction and more of an interview; a bit slow and not so exciting; beautiful landscapes tho, as always; I've got not much to say about it; 6/10 (I couldn't give it a 5)

Theatre:

- Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~ he's no Shakespeare, it feels like he was trying; a confusing story; who am I kidding I'm all here for this kind of things; the doctor is kinda lame but he has a "good" companion; it gave me some Dante's Inferno vibes so it must have been good; to read again for better understanding; 6.5/10

Poetry:

- Anna Achmatova ~ I adore her; listen, I can't describe a poetry collection like a book, I just can say that it was a journey and a pleasant one; her words are pure gold; russian poetry has the same strength of russian narrative but it's less heavy and that's such a relief; absolutely will buy every single thing written by her; 9.5/10

- T. S. Eliot ~ actually, it was a good year for me, I was in the right mood to read poetry even if I ended up reading so few of it; Eliot is amazing and has all my love; I will buy his every works too; 9.5/10

- John Keats ~ what can I say.... 10/10 😍

[tastyerrands]

Take a Breath

2020, what a year! For us in Lebanon, the chaos started before that. An amalgam of economical, financial, political, environmental, and social crisis was enough of a struggle… And then came coronavirus.

Except for this time, it is not only us, it is not just about Lebanon. This time, it is a worldwide crisis, no rich or powerful is safe, no economy is invulnerable, no country is protected. This time it is the global chaos! For the first time, all people of the world are fighting the same enemy and suffering the same disastrous consequences of its widespread. Sorry for sounding so dramatic, but I have always been rational and realistic, so yes, the situation is dramatic.

At the end of this, if we’re lucky enough to see it end, life as we know it might  be a souvenir. We will need to re-adapt. Some people need to adapt to and mourn the loss of beloved ones, some will need to find a job after the tremendous impact on economy, some will simply need to learn socializing again. Like it or not, things will have changed and it won’t be easy, but we need and we will hopefully get through it.

Being Lebanese has taught me that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel is dark and long but it has an end, and until we reach it, TAKE A BREATH…

 Take a breath and rest. Catch up on your sleep deprivation, give your body some rest. Embrace your laziness.

 Take a breath and read a book. All those books on your shelves you bought and never had the time to start, now is the best time. I have started a book during this lockdown “Mornings in Jenin”. It is the story of Palestinian Amal and her family and a reflection about a brave population to whom lockdown is sometimes routine.

Take a breath and watch a movie, or finish your favourite series. Season 4 of La Casa de Papel is finally out, and there are many other great shows on Netflix. I have watched Unorthodox last week and recommended it already to some of friends. The choice is immense, pick what you’re in the mood for and start watching.

  Take a breath and try some new recipes. Or maybe just some old good cake recipe that everyone loves at home. I’m taking over mom’s kitchen every Sunday to cook. So far, I have prepared chicken curry, pesto chicken pasta, gratinated mushrooms, chicken fajitas, omelets, pancakes and my good old strawberry baked cheesecake. Isn’t it a beauty? And don’t worry now about the calories, it’s just good for keeping high spirits.

  Take a breath and exercise. Cardio videos on YouTube, weights to lift in your room, or if you are really lucky and have your own backyard or private garden, then you can do it there.  But if you are not a big fan of exercise like me, try doing some home activity: clean your room, reorganize the pantry, dance to your favorite music… Whatever makes you move works.

 Take a breath and spend time with your family. Whether you live with your parents or your partner and kids, you know it is not often that you can have morning coffee together, cook together, chat and reconnect. If you live alone, you can also setup that Zoom call with family or friends.  

Take a breath and appreciate what you have. It could be your good health, your family, your friends. It could be your job, your money, your house. It could be the experiences you’ve lived, the trips you had, the food you tasted, the activities you enjoyed doing. It could be that flower you planted or that plant you watered. Feel gratitude for what you have and be conscious of its existence.

 Take a breath and reflect about the last couple of months or years. Things have been going so fast we were never stopping and rethinking about our actions. What have we done wrong, what could we have done better? Should we forgive someone, should we apologize to someone? Should we do more good? A lot of questions we don’t usually have time for. Now we have the gift of time and we can think of them.

 Take a break from life as we know it, be safe and hope for a better tomorrow. We all need hope, it’s what keeps us going, it’s what keeps us alive.

[blancagriswold]

Bride to Be Diaries: Introducing Jenine, The Tinder Bride

Good morning Cwtchers!

I cannot tell you how excited I have been to start introducing you properly to our amazing new Brides and Groom to Be!

Their stories were wonderful! All inspiring, endearing, sweet and real.

So, to start us off, without further ado, let me introduce to you to the gorgeous Jenine! We fell in love with Jenine after reading about her and Tom’s meeting story.  I won’t tell you anymore, I will instead hand you over.

Over to you Jenine……

Hello and welcome to my first bridezilla, I mean Bride filled, blog. My name is Jenine and I am 32 years old and getting married to my best friend Tom in September 2018 at Hensol Castle.

Just cannot already wait for it to be here as it currently feels like a lifetime away which I’m sure is a feeling echoed by most brides and grooms!

Both Tom and I are from Cardiff and met via Tinder in February 2014…hence the name “Tinder Bride”. Tom has his own residential and commercial painting and decorating company and I’m a Family Law Solicitor.

I was so happy to have been selected to blog for Cwtch the Bride as it’s nice to be involved with happiness, rainbows and hope as sadly my day job involves me divorcing people which can be quite emotionally draining. The most common question I left asked is whether I believe in marriage when people find out what I do for a living; my answer is obviously no! Thankfully it actually makes me want to make sure that Tom is the right person I’m marrying for all the right reasons even more!

February 2014 was really random! At the time I was in Leeds finishing the last few months of my professional training. It hit new year and me and 4 other best friends (a mix of boys and girls) decided to have some fun on Tinder. It was a New Years resolution for me and my intention was to have some fun and be on there for 31 days only!

On 30 January 2014, my Grandma passed away and I returned home to see my family. It was during that time there one of my best friends who was part of our Tinder crew told me to have a look at the men in Cardiff as I would know a few people on there to. So as I was home, I did, and came across the man I am today marrying! Tom had coincidentally just come home himself from Australia as he had just obtained residence to live there; he was only home for his brother’s wedding.

Fast forward 3 years and we are still on an engagement high after popped the question in Paris 2 years to the day we became an “official item”…I had to get the seal of approval of his late beautiful Nan and Mother  before of course! An aspect which made me love him even more because family is everything to me. Plus I knew I only had to past a test involving two important people; my family is like being thrown into a pit with lions! Thankfully he survived.

Tom would say the proposal did not go to plan! Paris was a surprise trip as I thought we were heading to Bordeaux as Tom had not long come back from watching the Euros there and he said he loved it; it was our two year anniversary gift and he knew my favourite city was Paris.

A four hour delayed flight to Paris meant getting to The hotel very late and a very grumpy bride to be not want to get out of bed the next morning. Not even the showered, dressed and very anxious man sitting at the end of my bed make me want to get up earlier. An argument and a few hours later, we ended up heading towards “The proposal destination”..the Eiffel Tower. A panicked Tom said he will never forget feeling like the tower was falling down on him when he realised he couldn’t get passed the additional and heavy security due to the Euro final day) without taking a ring out of his pocket. His intention was to ask me under the tower or on the third floor! So down a little lane Tom dropped on one knee and despite his pale, anxious, worried self (bless him!) it was the best proposal ever.

However instead of crying I did laugh due to be so shocked that Tom did such a big display as that usually is not him! That then led onto toasting and calling our loved ones sat in a bar by the Tower and the river. Onto a river cruise and lunch. A Tuk-tuk ride (who beeped through a heavy melting pot of different people to tell them we were engaged) back to the hotel to get changed and our again for the Euro football finals.

It’s our special story and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

From JOM (aka Jenine and Tom) xxx

Aaaaaahhhh Jenine we just adore you two already! And we cannot wait to find out all about your planning! We are too excited for our lovely  new bloggers!

Liked this? You might also like these! :)

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Competition: Last Chance to Enter! Become Our Next Blogger!

Bride to Be Diaries: The Crafty Bride is Having Nightmares!

Bride To Be Diaries: Spring Bride Ali Does All Or Nothing

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