Israeli bombings level buildings, target hospitals, schools, civilian infrastructure

Stop the Airstrikes! End the Zionist Occupation of Palestine!: Global unity statement by Silenced Suffering campaign signed by several rights groups*:

***

We, the organizations engaged in the Silenced Suffering campaign, condemn the indiscriminate airstrikes of the US-backed Israeli forces that are currently decimating the besieged Palestinian city of Gaza. Each of our organizations is united against the bombings and indiscriminate shelling of rural communities around the world, and the blatant destruction of civilian life and infrastructure in Gaza, the area known around the world as the “largest open air prison,” is no different.
On October 7th, Palestinian resistance fighters waged a military operation that destroyed and seized Israeli military hardware and vehicles, engaged soldiers and civilian paramilitaries within illegal Israeli settlements, and took hostages in the hopes of exchanging them for the over 5,200 Palestinian political prisoners currently held by Israel. In response, Israel declared war, mustered its troops for a ground invasion, and began airstrikes all throughout the densely urban areas of Gaza.
The airstrikes are following the usual bloody recipes of all Israeli bombing campaigns: leveling multi-storey buildings to the ground; targeting hospitals, schools, and civilian infrastructure; giving little to no warning for evacuations; and blocking all entry and exit to and from Gaza. Israel has made it clear that they will most likely send in ground troops to “destroy Hamas’ ability to govern,” suggesting that Israel will once again move in to directly occupy Gaza for the first time since 2005.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed over 5,000 people in nine different bombing campaigns since 2006. In addition, the ongoing Israeli blockade has held back much-needed supplies of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies and threatens a complete media blackout should an Israeli invasion commit further crimes against humanity. This has been possible only because of the nearly $260 billion the US has given to the Israeli military since the catastrophic Nakba conquest of Palestine by Zionist forces in 1948.
While Israel is the number one recipient of US military aid, other recipients include: the Philippines, Indonesia, West Papua, Burma, South Korea, India, and Pakistan, among others. We therefore raise our voices in collective condemnation and collective resistance with the Palestinian people in our fight to expose and oppose the hidden massacres of communities by imperialist and puppet state forces. Let us build an international united front that will fight for peoples’ rights against militarism and wars of aggression from one end of the world to the other!
Silenced Suffering calls on all organizations, rural and urban-based, to join us in building global solidarity against bombings targeted and/or indiscriminately against civilian, rural, and indigenous communities across the world. Oppressed peoples of these territories and areas who suffer the brunt of the colonizers’ and aggressors’ attacks need all the help that movements across the globe can extend. There is a pressing need to strengthen our organizations’ capacities for monitoring, reporting, and campaigning against these bombings, shellings, and airstrikes.
---

*Signed:
International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation
People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty
Asia Pacific Research Network
Resist US-Led War Movement
Karen Human Rights Group (Myanmar)
Sandugo Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples (Philippines)
Innabuyog - Alliance of Women’s Organizations in the Cordillera (Philippines)
Tanggol Magsasaka (Philippines)
Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Philippines)
Arab Protection for Nature (Jordan)
Arab Network for Food Sovereignty (West Asia)
Roots for Equity (Pakistan)
Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek (Pakistan)
Revolutionary Students Front (India)

Comments

Designing the edge, erasing the river: Sabarmati Riverfront and the dissonance between ecology and planning

By Mansee Bal Bhargava, Parth Patel Across India, old black-and-white images of the Sabarmati River are often juxtaposed with vibrant photos of the modern Sabarmati Riverfront. This visual contrast is frequently showcased as a model of development, with the Sabarmati Riverfront serving as a blueprint for over a hundred proposed riverfront projects nationwide. These images are used to forge an implicit public consensus on a singular idea of development—shifting from a messy, evolving relationship between land and water to a rigid, one-time design intervention. The notion of regulating the unregulated has been deeply embedded into public consciousness—especially among city makers, planners, and designers. Urban rivers across India are undergoing a dramatic transformation, not only in terms of their land-water composition but in the very way we understand and define them. Here, we focus on one critical aspect of that transformation: the river’s edge.

Top civil rights leader announces plan to lead delegation to Pakistan amidst post-war tensions

By A Representative In a significant move, well-known academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey has announced the plan to send a 22-member delegation to Pakistan to engage in dialogue with its government and civil society. The delegation proposed to go to Pakistan under the banner of Socialist Party (India) as a fact-finding mission to help seek solution to continuing tensions between the two countries over the fallout of the Pahalgam terror attack.

J&K's Mallabuchan villagers symbolically cut Off pipeline in protest against ‘water injustice’

By A Representative In a striking act of peaceful protest, residents of Mallabuchan village in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district symbolically disconnected the Ahmadpora-Tangmarg water pipeline on Thursday, denouncing decades of official neglect and violation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) norms.

Few Bollywood actors possessed Sanjeev Kumar's subtle detachment and sensitivity

By Harsh Thakor On 9th July, we celebrated the 85th birthday of legendary Hindi film actor, Sanjeev Kumar., known as Haribhai Jariwala. Sanjeev Kumar penetrated zones of versatility or acting craft, almost unparalleled in Hindi cinema. He was one one the very few who touched horizons of true genius, transcending regions in acting virtually unexplored. Rarely did any artist get stuck as thickly into the skin of the character. The diversity of expressions in his moves reminded one of the different water colours of a painting. Sanjeev manifested the ventures of an artist to tap the regions unexplored. He simply defied all conventions of Bollywood, making path breaking experiments. His acting had a subtle degree detachment and sensitivity, which few Bollywood actors ever possessed. He may not have possessed the drop dead looks of a Dev Anand, Dharmendra or Sashi Kapoor or the professionalism or star charisma of an Amitabh Bachan, Rajesh Khanna or Shah Rukh Khan. However in pure acting...

Relevance of historical foot marches like Dandi and Salt march in achieving developmental goals in India

By Bharat Dogra India has a great tradition of organizing foot marches, including some which become historically very important, the most obvious example being the Dandi Salt March under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi which is a very important chapter in the freedom movement of India.

Primary sources of the underground Naxalite movement (1965–71): An analytical compilation

By Harsh Thakor* Voices from the Underground: Select Naxalite Documents (1965–71) is a compilation of documents and writings related to the Naxalite movement, spanning the period between 1965 and 1992. The collection includes materials not widely available through mainstream publishers and often considered controversial by the state. It is divided into two sections and contains eighteen documents authored by individuals associated with the movement.

A healthier model for goat-based livelihoods in remote Madhya Pradesh villages

By Bharat Dogra While buffaloes and cows often receive greater attention in animal husbandry-related government development schemes, goats remain vital for poorer households. Therefore, enhancing goat-based livelihoods is especially important for marginalized communities—particularly when such efforts reduce villagers' costs and lower goat mortality rates. One promising strategy involves training local villagers, especially women, to provide essential veterinary services. A welcome byproduct of this is that several women gain a respected source of income within their own villages.

Ecological alarm over pumped storage projects in Western Ghats: Policy analyst writes to PM

By A Representative In a detailed letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, energy and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma has raised grave concerns over the escalating approval and construction of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) across India’s ecologically fragile river valleys. He has warned that these projects, if pursued unchecked, could result in irreparable damage to the country’s riverine ecology, biodiversity hotspots, and forest wealth—particularly in the Western Ghats.

Guru Dutt: The melancholy visionary who redefined Indian cinema

By Harsh Thakor* Iconic Indian director and actor Guru Dutt was just 39 years old when he died in 1964, but he left behind a cinematic legacy that continues to resonate. On July 9, the world marks the birth centenary of this cinematic wizard. Guru Dutt, whose name epitomises the golden era of Indian cinema, left an indelible mark with his talents as a director, producer, and actor. He elevated the art of filmmaking to new heights, bringing innovative storytelling to unexplored domains. Like the protagonist of "Pyaasa", true recognition came to Dutt only after his passing. Cinema enthusiasts continue to wonder what more he might have achieved had he lived longer.

Search This Blog