We overcame our fear: The unarmed women of the Gaza Strip have taken the lead in resisting Israel's

Yesterday at dawn, the Israeli air force bombed and destroyed my home.

I was the target, but instead the attack killed my sister-in-law, Nahla, a widow with eight children in her care. In the same raid
Israel's artillery shelled a residential district in the town of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip, leaving 19 dead and 40 injured, many killed
in their beds. One family, the Athamnas, lost 16 members in the massacre: the oldest who died, Fatima, was 70; the youngest, Dima, was one; seven were children. The death toll in Beit Hanoun has passed 90 in one week.

Read more: We overcame our fear: The unarmed women of the Gaza Strip have taken the lead in resisting Israel's

US vote may alter stance on Mideast: Slavish support of Israel to continue . . .

US policy toward Israel is not expected to shift dramatically if Democrats take control of Congress. While Republican leaders have made efforts to overtly back Israel in recent years, analysts point to historic support for Israel among Democrats. In recent weeks, Democrats have been working to counter concerns they would balance support for Israel and the Palestinians or that Democrats would name committee chairmen who are seen as traditionally unsupportive of the Jewish state.

"There will be some Democratic chairmen who may not share all my views or have as clear a perspective on Israel as I do," Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California), a Jewish lawmaker, said in a recent on-line chat with Jewish voters, sponsored by the House Democratic caucus. "But they will not be chairing committees dealing with Israel and the Middle East."

Read more: US vote may alter stance on Mideast: Slavish support of Israel to continue . . .

After Gaza Atrocity: demonstrations in Tel-Aviv and Haifa against bloodthirsty government

We reject with disgust the lame apologies offered by government speakers. Even if there had been no explicit intention to perpetrate a massacre and kill civilians and children sleeping quietly in their beds, this massacre was the inevitable result of the army’s uncontrolled rampage in the Gaza Strip, fully authorized by the government.

In supposed “retaliation” for the shooting of missiles which killed nobody in Israel during the entire past year, the army killed nearly a hundred Palestinians in just the past week. We call upon the government to end the carnage and enter immediate talks with the elected Palestinian government in order to achieve a complete cease- fire and prisoner release, on the way to full negotiations for peace and an end to the occupation.

We further call upon all who care for peace and human decency everywhere – including, and especially, those who consider themselves friends of Israel – to raise their voice in protest at the war madness which seized those who hold power in Israel, and to hold protest vigils outside all Israeli embassies and consulates.

Read more: After Gaza Atrocity: demonstrations in Tel-Aviv and Haifa against bloodthirsty government

Gaza town stunned by shelling

This street in Beit Hanoun is very, very quiet indeed.

It's just a matter of hours since a number of Israeli shells fell on houses in this area, killing 18 people, including six children and two women.

We counted about eight impacts. The shells appear to have landed roughly in a straight line, starting in the fields at the end of the street and hitting houses on either side of it.

A pen for livestock was struck by one of the explosions and the animals are lying dead on the ground.

There are pools of bloodstained water outside one of the houses, which has had a hole blown through the roof and there are shrapnel marks everywhere from the explosion.

Read more: Gaza town stunned by shelling

Israeli shelling kills 18 in Gaza

Beit Hanoun residents pick their way past a puddle of blood-stained water Water stained with blood filled the street where the shells landed At least 18 Palestinians have been killed and 40 wounded by Israeli tank fire in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, Palestinian sources have said.

Palestinian officials said a barrage of tank shells hit civilian homes, and women and children were among the dead.

Read more: Israeli shelling kills 18 in Gaza

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