I just turned in my dissertation proposal to my committee! I have my proposal meeting next week! I am so glad that I'm finally getting this done! It's a huge step!!!!
The parable of the Samaritan retold in modern times:
On one occasion a Zionist stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A Jewish soldier was going down from Jerusalem to the West Bank, when he got into a terrible car accident and was left on the road to die. Another Israeli soldier happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the accident, he passed by on the other side. So too, another Israeli, when he drove by the place of the accident he did not stop to find out what was going on and to assist the person in the car. But a Palestinian, as he was “illegally” crossing the border to find some work in Jerusalem, came where the accident was and rushed to see if the person in the car was OK. And when he saw the Israeli soldier lying half dead, he took pity on him. He dragged him out of the car as he was bleeding from his broken leg and the Palestinian bandaged the soldier’s broken leg with his Kaffieh. Then he put the man on his back, took him back to the squatter camp that he was living in and offered him some cauliflower cooked in tomato sauce in a tin can over an open fire. After the soldier had gained some strength the Palestinian gave him the only calling card that he had, asked him if he needed anything else and sent him on his way. "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the soldier who had the car accident?" The zionist replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
"In Israel and the Occupied Territories, at least 18 Palestinians have been killed in continued Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. Thursday’s Palestinian toll includes four young boys, killed by bombs as they were playing soccer. The youngest was eight years old. Another Palestinian child was killed along with two adult civilians. Palestinian officials say at least nine Palestinian militants also died. At least thirty-one Palestinians, including nine children, have died in the past two days of Israeli attacks. Israel says its responding to Palestinian rocket fire, with forty-five rockets launched from Gaza on Thursday. One Israeli was killed this week in the town of Sderot, the thirteenth Israeli killed by Palestinian rockets in the last seven years. A seventeen-year old girl was lightly injured Thursday when Palestinian rockets struck the Israeli town of Ashkelon. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is warning of a full-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza. In what could be a first for an Israeli official, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai has threatened a “holocaust” in Gaza if rocket fire continues. Vilnai said: “The more Qassam fire intensifies and the rockets reach a longer range, [the Palestinians] will bring upon themselves a bigger holocaust because we will use all our might to defend ourselves.” An opinion poll taken this week shows 64 percent of Israelis favor a ceasefire with Hamas—the highest majority to date. Hamas has made several proposals for a truce but the Israeli government has rejected its overtures." From Democracy Now, February 29, 2008.
This is following the inhumane blockade of Gaza that has been going on for some time. On January 23rd Palestinians brought down the wall on the Egyptian aborder and half a million people poured into Egypt from Gaza to stock up on food, fuel, medicines and other basic supplies. The population was starving because of the blockade of Gaza by Israel which has been bringing a slow death upon the 1.5 million Palestinians that are imprisoned in their own land.
Jeremy's situation is deteriorating. He apparently made a threat at the main homeless shelter that he was staying at, so now he is banned from that shelter and the only place that he can stay is the overflow shelter which is not always open and is closed on most weekends. He finally got his medication, but he is really depressed and over-medicating himself. We spoke to him an hour ago and I feel a change in him... he sounds harsher and he has lost some of his hopeful and happy spirit. It really worries me...
Premium