By Mohammed Asad
Santa Claus walking around New Year’s Eve among destroyed houses in Shujaiya (Shu’jaiyya, Shejaiya, Shuja’iya) in the Gaza Strip to draw a smile on the faces of the children in the face of the world’s silence on the destruction of thousands of homes in the Gaza Strip by Israel’s military last August (2104).
The secular symbol of the Christian holiday was enthusiastically embraced by Children, who were Christian and Muslim.
Ironically, in Israel, which claims to be tolerant of all religions, a man dressed as Santa Claus protesting the Apartheid Wall that separates Palestinian Christians and Muslims from their homes and lands, was beaten by Israeli soldiers.
Although nearly $3 billion in international aide has been earmarked to help rebuild the thousands of civilian homes destroyed by invading Israeli soldiers in the Israeli war in August 2014, very little has been able to make it past Israel’s Apartheid Wall blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Rather than assist the Palestinian civilians, Israel’s “IDF” forces have created a blog to denounce Shujaiya as a terrorist haven. According to Israel, every Christian and Muslim who lives in Palestine who criticizes Israel, is a “terrorist.”
Photo array Copyright Mohammed Asad:
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photographer Mohammed Asad's photo of Dalia Khalifa won an award in March 2015 at a competition organised by the UN.
'Unbreakable' - is the photo of 9yr old Dalia Khalifa, taken at Al-Shifa Hospital on Aug 9th, 2014. Dalia was badly injured in an Israeli air strike during Operation 'Protective Edge'.
'Unbreakable' is the Grand Jury Winner in the photography competition, organised by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Middle East and North Africa (UN OCHA).
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Mohammed Asad's home in Shujaiyya was destroyed by Israeli missiles, mortars and tank fire on Friday August 1, 2014 while he was documenting the Israeli massacre of civilians in the Gaza Strip. He is now living in temporary housing as he scrambles to find Internet access to share his photographs when possible.]
- UN Secretary General visits Palestine, Israel - August 30, 2017
- Fadi Thabit photo exhibit documents Gaza Life - July 14, 2017
- Palestinian children celebrate Ramadan Eid in besieged Gaza Strip - June 27, 2017
