Since Israel began its war on Gaza 11 days ago, more than 560 Palestinians – about a quarter of them civilians – have been killed. Some two thousand Gazans, including hundreds of children, have been wounded. Israel’s "Operation Cast Lead" marks an escalation of Israel’s two-year blockade of the Gaza Strip which has deprived 1.5 million Palestinians of necessary food, medicine, fuel and other necessities.

Israel is using white phosphorous gas, an illegal chemical weapon that burns to the bone. Dr. Mads Gilbert, a member of a Norwegian triage medical team working in Gaza, has documented Israel’s use of Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME), which cuts its victims to pieces and reportedly causes cancer in survivors. Gilbert, who has worked in several conflict zones, said the situation in Gaza is the worst he has ever seen. Two United Nations schools have been hit by airstrikes, killing at least 30 people. The New York Times reported on Monday that Gazan hospitals are full of civilians, not Hamas fighters.

The targeting of civilians violates the Fourth Geneva Convention. Since the rockets fired from Gaza into Israel cannot distinguish between civilians and military targets, they are illegal. But Israel’s air and ground attack in Gaza violates Geneva in four ways. First, it constitutes collective punishment of the entire population in Gaza for the acts of a few militants. Second, it targets civilians, as evidenced by the large numbers of civilian casualties. Third, it is a disproportionate response to the rockets fired into Israel. Fourth, an occupying power has an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies to the occupied population; Israel’s blockade has created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Read the entire article here at ZMagazine.

Thursday 8th January, 4.30pm, Gateshead Civic Centre
Women in Black action outside inter-faith service for those killed in Mumbai and Gaza
The women who are organising this would very much like to get in touch with women who have taken part in Women in Black activities in the past, or who would be interested in doing so. If you’re interested in getting involved just let us know and we can put you in touch.

Thursday 8th January, 6-8pm, Northumberland Street, Newcastle
Picket of Marks and Spencer, biggest British corporate sponsor of Israel
Followed by banner-making session for Saturday protests

Saturday 10th January, 12noon, Grey’s Monument, Newcastle
Protest for those unable to make it to London, With street theatre, open mic, protest and hurling of shoes at images of British and Israeli government leaders.

Sunday 11th January, 7pm, venue to be confirmed
Next organising meeting. We will propose at the PSC meeting on Wednesday that we have this as a joint meeting of all people in Newcastle wanting to take action in solidarity with Gaza, and to continue having meetings like this on a weekly basis.

A short round up of articles which caught our attention accross the web this week. Expect some vitriolic commentary in next week’s post, when we aren’t writing this hung over. Sweet cherry wine!

Play the War on Terror

Banned from Toy Fairs, barred from the High Street, seized by the Police and recently recalled from 130 shops nationwide, is War on Terror, the boardgame really too dangerous for public consumption? When Zavvi ordered 5,000 copies of War on Terror, independent publishers, TerrorBull Games, thought their luck had changed. After a year of obstruction and rejection, they finally had a high street outlet.

However, the celebrations were short-lived when the games were recalled the very day they went on sale. A Zavvi spokesman strangely claimed that “poor sales” lay behind the same-day recall, but TerrorBull Games suspect differently. Apparently, while many at Zavvi were backing the game, MD, Simon Douglas, was unaware of the deal until the moment he saw War on Terror on the shelves of his own shop. Douglas reportedly “kicked off” and the games were promptly pulled.

Zavvi then refused further delivery and became reluctant to pay for games they suddenly decided they didn’t want. A protracted legal battle ensued that, while almost bankrupting TerrorBull Games, ended in victory for TerrorBull as they got to keep half the games as well as getting paid in full.

Now, tired of being censored and side-lined, War on Terror’s creators are hitting back … by giving the game away for free. Or to be more precise, giving the games Zavvi paid for away for free. And what better place to hand them out than right in front of Zavvi’s flagship store on Oxford Street? Inventors, Andrew Sheerin, Andy Tompkins and illustrator Tom Morgan-Jones will be doing just that at 12.30pm on Tuesday 19 August.

A Dog for a Day? – Caitlin McDevitt

Wouldn’t it be great to have all the fun and companionship of a pet, without the longterm responsibility? In early 2007, Marlena Cervantes founded FlexPetz, a pet-sharing service that allows members to rent out dogs for a few hours or days at a time.

Since its founding FlexPetz has focused on cities, targeting urban professionals who would like to spend time with a dog but can’t commit to full-time ownership. “My lifestyle is not really conducive to taking care of a dog,” says FlexPetz member Dr. Farng-Yang Foo, a Manhattan neurologist who works 12-hour days and lives in a pet-free building. Since last October, Foo has been paying to spend time with Sandman, a Pomeranian-American Eskimo mix that he rents from FlexPetz about once a month. The membership costs him $99.95 a month plus $45 per day for “doggy time.”

Daphna Nachminovitch, of PETA’s Cruelty Investigations Department, agrees. “This business exists to make money at the psychological expense of the animal,” she says. Besides the possibility of emotional scarring from being bounced from owner to owner, there are concerns about the rental dogs as they age. “Where do they go when their shelf life expires?” Nachminovitch asks. While the website states that all FlexPetz dogs have been “rescued or rehomed,” its 2008 Securities and Exchange Commission filing lists $6,532 in dog purchases, and financial statements indicate that the company depreciates each dog with an estimated seven-year “useful” life.

Just right for the garden: a mini-cow – Chris Gourlay

It’s the little cow with a big future. Rising supermarket prices are persuading hundreds of families to turn their back gardens into mini-ranches stocked with miniature cattle.

The Dexter, a mountain breed from Ireland, is perfect for cattle-keeping on a small scale, but other breeds are being artificially created to compete with it, including the Mini-Hereford and the Lowline Angus, which has been developed by the Australian government to stand no more than 39in high but produce 70% of the steak of a cow twice its size.

For your perusal:

Report on Abuse of Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Boy, Eight, Freed from Detention Centre after Legal Challenge

The silence is over. More on that later. Right now, some important news for the locals. Here’s an event which may catch your eye and hopefully we shall see you in attendence.

Cafe Philosophique: Monday 7th July, 7-9pm
Vegetarianism: Sentimental or Ethical?
Jan Deckers (Newcastle University)

Several writers have advocated vegetarianism as an integral part of animal ethics, often believing that humans have stronger obligations towards animals than towards other living organisms. This belief is associated with compassion and empathy towards animals. Are these feelings just sentimental, or ethical? Jan Deckers is lecturer in healthcare ethics at Newcastle University Medical School.

Address – World Headquarters, Curtis Mayfield House, Carliol Square, Newcastle NE1 6UF. This event is free and open to all.

Thank you Ben for the knowledge. Make sure you make an effort to attend and be educated.