A Room of My Own: Truce Tanka

This Brave New World, CXXVI

to truce or not?

bounced back and forth, back and forth

between spokesmen ...

row after row of patched tents

billowing in the winter mist

FYI: Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert wrote in Haaretz that "there is no chance of fulfilling the expectations that Bibi [Netanyahu] created. There won't be a "destruction" of Hamas," and called for a cease-fire that would ensure the return of living hostages.

For more, Haaretz, Dec. 22: Israel's Choice: Cease-fire Now or Dead Hostages Later.

Added: This Brave New World, CXXVII

written in response both to the following declaration:

A post-war "Gaza won't be Hamastan or Fatahstan"

-- Benjamin Netanyahu, Haaretz, Dec. 12 

And to the following remark:

Colonial violence instills dehumanization both in the oppressor and in the oppressed

-- Tareq Baconi, author of Hamas Contained

missile after missile ...

the Day after Hamas

out-Hamasing XXX

Added: This Brave New World, CXXVIII

written in response to Democracy Now, Dec. 20: [NewYork-based, American NGO] Committee to Protect Journalists: Israel Is Killing Media Workers at Unprecedented Pace

smoky rubble

a bullet-riddled helmet

marked PRESS

FYI: Democracy Now, Dec. 22: The Committee to Protect Journalists, [which began recording journalist fatalities in 1992]  reports more media workers have been killed in the first 10 weeks of Israel’s assault on Gaza than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year. CPJ said it was particularly concerned about a pattern of targeting journalists and their families by the Israeli military.

The Guardian, Nov. 3: We can't take it': journalist breaks down on air reporting colleague's death in Gaza 

The Palestinian news anchor in the studio could be seen crying as Bashir said journalists were not being protected and the protective vests and helmets labelled 'press' were 'merely a slogan'.

And Al Jazeera, May 3, 2024: ‘We are risking our lives to keep the world informed’

The World Press Freedom Prize has been awarded to all Palestinian journalists. Despite immense challenges, including internal displacement and a lack of basic goods, journalists have been reporting tirelessly for six months. We are risking our lives to keep the world informed.