The new year bodes ill for prospects of Middle East peace going by the current happenings in Gaza with Israeli fighter planes bombarding this tiny strip of land killing over 300 people and maiming several hundreds while causing massive destruction to Palestinian settlements.

The unfolding mayhem as shown on satellite TV of mangled bodies and devastated buildings has once again raised the spectre of a dangerous conflagration in this most volatile corner of the earth where enmities date back to biblical times.

Israel says it was responding to Hamas rocket attacks into Israel territory. Whatever the provocation it is apparent that Israel has overreacted and overreached itself judging by the scale of the carnage and the destruction wrought.

The attacks and the violence coming as it does in the teeth of attempts by the international community to end the Israel Arab conflict is alarming to say the least particularly in the midst increasing tensions in the region.

It is certainly going to affect the prospects of peace negotiations which were painstakingly put to together by countries such as France and the EU. That is why the UN in an emergency session has called for an immediate end to violence in the Gaza and Southern Israel.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his "deep alarm' by the worsening situation in Gaza and Southern Israel and called for an immediate halt to all violence.

While recognising Israel's security concerns regarding the continued firing of rockets from Gaza, the UN Chief has reiterated Israel's obligation to uphold International Humanitarian and Human rights Law and condemned excessive use of force leading to killing and injuring of civilians.

That Israel has been flouting UN resolutions with impunity is plain for all to see. What is worse is that it has been allowed to get away with it all this time and spared those sanctions that would normally have visited lesser nations that flouted such resolutions with much less frequency.

It is therefore incumbent on the UN to intervene speedily to bring a halt to this massacre and put in place a mechanism for an enduring peace in the Middle East which at the moment is a powder keg with foreign powers manipulating the situation.

What is even more alarming is the danger of the situation degenerating into a full blown conflagration given the proliferation of modern military hardware and its fall out on the rest of the world. The developing scenario in the Gaza was the result of a chain of events that undermined the authority of the Hamas regime that was elected by its own people.

It was plain to all that the new Hamas regime that was elected by popular vote at a referendum was thwarted at every turn in attempts to forge a peace, by the insidious designs of interested parties. All ceasefires called became non starters and it was apparent that these extraneous forces were only desirous of fomenting conflict.

This is why it is hoped that the UN would take into account all the ramifications that has led to current state of play in approaching the situation. It is also hoped that the world body would play a more assertive role in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict, giving full play to the radical reforms that has blown through the world body in recent times.

The latest development in the Gaza would no doubt be a major issue that will confront the new American President Barack Obama who is due to be sworn in on January 20. He will doubtless be in the world spot- light vis-a-vis his handling this first major challenge of his Presidency. So far all US President's who intervened to forge a negotiated settlement had failed in their bid.

It is expected that the new US President would comply and abide by the UN resolutions unlike his immediate predecessor who overrode the UN particularly in the Iraqi invasion. Because any open defiance of the UN at this stage can only make the situation more combustible leading to escalation of the conflict.

This, at a time when the world economy is in it's worst recession since the great depression of the 1930s and the financial edifices of many developing nations crumbling before their eyes driving people into penury. A full blown conflict in the Middle East is therefore a harrowing prospect which the world powers should come to grips with before it is too late. Hence the need for treading cautiously without plunging into any precipitate action that could only worsen the overall situation. This is why the UN which is the only credible world body in the area of conflict resolution between states should be allowed to act without impediments to douse the raging flames and revive the peace process in the Middle East which was stymied by vested interests all these years.

Sri Lanka has every reason to be concerned by the plight of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Lankan-Palestine relations go a long away and was reinforced by the recent visit of Palestinian leader Mahaumud Abbas to the country. Also being a country stalked by a different kind of terror all Sri Lankans no doubt would empathise with suffering of the hapless civilians in the Gaza. Sri Lanka has already added her voice to the sea of condemnations pouring from nations against the genocide and for the immediate intervention of the UN to quell the anarchy. It is hoped that this collective voice would carry enough resonance for the perpetrators of this atrocity to realise their folly and call a halt to the carnage and sit down for talks.

Translation of the Glorious Holy Quran:

Versus No 1 to 6,

Surah 109. The Disbelievers, Atheists
1. Say: O ye that reject Faith!
2. I worship not that, which ye worship,
3. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
4. And I will not worship that, which ye have been wont to worship,
5. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
6. To you be your Way, and to me mine.

Everyone is bound to experience unhappiness in his or her life. I am sure you have had some unpleasant memories too, perhaps some which are of real painful ones? Well, forget the past and move on and let time heal your pain, a lot would advise you. But if I were to just ask, I am sure you can still name me a pretty lot of those unpleasant memories of yours? And to be mentioning them again, some would still hurt a lot isn’t it?

So here, what does it suggests? Very simple, it just goes to say that you have not forgotten them! But does this then mean you are not ready to move on?

Well, we humans are by nature affectionate with feelings and emotions and to be feeling down and unhappy at times is inevitable. But then, this is nevertheless the gift of ours. Now, I am sure you wouldn’t want to be one who is cold blooded and without any feeling of love and affection? Then, the presence of unpleasant memories has got to just be part and parcel of your life. You see, it is only when you actually went through unhappiness, will you be able to then understand and truly appreciate the gift of happiness. And just as you are not able to forget all those sweet and wonderful memories of yours, there is no way you can simply forget the unpleasant past. To forget the past, that is only running away from reality. Rather, you should instead of forgetting them, remember and accept them.

Now follow this scenario. Imagine you enjoying your vacation and suddenly you receive an overseas phone call from back home with the news that your mum met with a car accident and is in hospital. Receiving such news, no matter how fun and exciting your holiday is, you definitely won’t be able to enjoy yourself anymore isn’t it? But what if we say that at the next instant, you receive a follow-up call informing you that it was only a very minor accident and your mum has been discharged?

You see, what that happened is you actually went through a state of drastic change in emotion. On hearing about the accident, you got scared and worried, overwhelmed by fear and anxiety; the more you think about it the more fear and anxiety grew within you, weighing you down each and every second. But on receiving next the good news, you let go of them all. And yes, the very key here is you Let Go! Once again, you return back to your normal self and were back smiling again. And why is this so? That is because you have let go of all those fear and were no longer burdened by them anymore. You understood clearly the situation, knowing very clearly that the problem has been resolved and there is no need for you to worry further. Well, when there is nothing for you to worry, why would there still be unpleasantness of fear and anxiety?

And well, the same principle applies here. To move on, you have to learn to let go of the unpleasant past. But to get it clear, by asking you to let go is not asking you to try and forget the past. As mentioned, it is not going to be easy for you to just forget all those past unpleasantness. Yes, you may claim that you are able to forget some though. But here, you have to understand that those are just the insignificant events that have got not at all any harsh impact on you and which is why you are able to forget them very easily. In short, you have understood their insignificance and let go of them. And hence to be saying, for those that that still haunt you, you have yet to understand them enough; you are still unwilling to accept the fact that they actually happened.

Now, everything in life happen for a reason and the reason for going through these unhappiness is actually to help you to better understand yourself, to allow you to grow wiser and to move on and progress in life.

Ok, just picture your life to be a test. Now, in that many tests which you have taken, I am sure you didn’t score a perfect full mark for all of them? And why is it so? That is because you didn’t fully understand every of what was tested? And should you be to retake the tests, why would you do to ensure that you score a full mark? Well, to be able to achieve full mark this time, you have to study and understand the mistakes that you have earlier made. And here, to be able to truly move on in life, you have to study and understand your unhappiness just like how you would for your mistakes in your tests. Instead of clinging on so tightly, you should examine where things actually went wrong and correct on them. Take for instance a break up in relationship, you should instead of refusal, graciously accept it as a learning experience for you to improve on yourself, to understand your mistakes and to hence be able to do better in your next relationship. Well, think about it. If you are not going to open up yourself, do you think you can fare better in your next relationship? Even if you were to be given another chance to patch up with him or her, of what difference would it make if you are going to remain immature still and not willing to adopt changes?

Now, I would choose to believe that you are mature enough to think for yourself. To cling on to your unhappiness or to stand up and courageously face them, it is all up to you. But I am sure you will make a wise choice, yeah? Afterall, if you have had that courage to stand up again and again despite all those hurtful falls when you were a baby, I am sure you can once again stand up on your feet to walk on and move on? Don’t let your unpleasant past be an obstacle to you, let it be instead a driving force for you to move on and progress in life. Let go of the unpleasant past now, happiness is what you should deserve.

© 2008 Jon Sim. All rights reserved.

To enjoy the things we ought and to hate the things we ought has the greatest bearing on excellence of character.
- Aristotle

Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.
- Aldous Huxley

Do you have a dream, and are you still waiting for it to come true for you? Are you already living your dream? Either way, learn and pass it on. When you are setting your goals this year, be sure and make some short-term, attainably reachable goals, easily achieved, and work up to the big ones.Here's a look at how one dream comes true ~ enjoy.

LIFE LESSON:
EVERY DREAM HAS A BEGINNING...
IT STARTS WITH A SEED...
AN IDEA...
AND THEN IT FINDS A PLACE TO GROW AND DEVELOP...
IT STARTS OUT FRAGILE AND TENDER...
AND BECOMES STRONG ENOUGH TO BE USED...
FOR IT'S PURPOSE...
AN INSTRUMENT...
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?LET'S SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE...
YOU NEED THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT...
LOTS OF PEOPLE...
ALL WORKING TOGETHER...
LET'S WATCH THEM WORK ON THIS DREAMDOESN'T QUITE LOOK LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE YET...
THESE ARE NOT IN ANY ORDER
~ JUST GREAT PHOTOS OF THEIR W...ORK SO FAR...OK

http://pourfemmes.blogspot.com/2008/12/from-gabriele-usa-dorfschwalben-aus.html

Helloo friend,

This is to say: Happy New Year to you and to you!

Wishing you the very best that this year got to offer. Cheers!

http://commit.tigweb.org/273

OH GAZA...







my heart bleeding now...
my eyes got blind because of its tears...
because of my nation there...
there in GAZA..
while no one care...
only that great nation ...
that nation who cares...
that nation who never to kneel down...
never to bow down...
only you, GAZA who cares...

yes GAZA,,,
i am sure of that...
certain that you will never give up...
never kneel down...

OH GAZA...
great land...
oh people there...
great nation whom ever created...

GAZA...
nation of Gaza...
be ready for more..
resist...
face that savagery...
resist...
don`t give them a chance...
they got tired ...
tired because of your resistance...
tired because of your steadfastness to your holy land...
because of the power which are inside your heart...

GAZA...
my nation there...
don`t care about those terrorists...
don`t kneel down...
soon they will leave us...
they will give up...
they will...
because we are right...
and Gaza its our rightful possession...

great Gaza...
brave nation...
happy and lucky you are...
to fight and to resist that barbarity...
those whom have no feelings and no hearts...
those whom killing a kids and women...
those whom never knows about humanity...

GAZA...MY NATION THERE...
go ahead...
don`t stop what you started...
resist...
give them the right lesson of a humanity...
through your resistance...
and soon the whole of world will know..
how great you are...
how right you are...
don`t give up...
don`t kneel down...

by: hazem02@yahoo.com
By hazem02

© 2008 hazem02 (All rights reserved)

http://www.thestarlitecafe.com/poems/105/poem_91087914.html

end GAZA SIEGE...
PLEASE ...
feel free to leave your comments through my link..
yours,...
hazem al...

طالب تجمع مؤسسات التأهيل في شمال غزة بمحاكمة قادة الاحتلال كمجرمين حرب، في أعقاب العملية العسكرية على المدنيين، ولا سيما الأطفال والنساء منهم.

وكشف التقرير عن زيادة ملحوظة في أعداد المعاقين جراء الإصابة المباشرة بصواريخ وقذائف الاحتلال التي أطلقتها قوات الاحتلال على المواطنين منذ بدء عملية الرصاص المصبوب يوم السبت،

ٍوبين التقرير أن هذه الأعمال أعمال تتنافى مع الأعراف والمواثيق الدولية، ٍوتنم عن حقد أسود بحق الفلسطينيين الذين يعانون من احتلال منذ ما يزيد عن 60 عاماً .

ٍوطالب التقرير المؤسسات الدولية والإنسانية والحقوقية ٍوالاتحادات، بالدخل السريع لحماية المدنيين من أطفال وشيوخ ونساء، وتقديم المساعدات الإنسانية لقطاع غزة، معتبراً قطاع غزة منطقة حكومية تعيش كارثة إنسانية.

كما وطالب التقرير بإرسال لجنة دولية للتحقيق في هذه المجازر التي راح ضحيتها أكثر من 400 شهيد و 2000 جريح، بينهم 40 طفل جريح دون سن 16 عاما، حسب إحصاءات رسمية.

ارتفع عدد الشهداء الذين سقطوا اليوم في قطاع غزة الى ستة شهداء واكثر من 60 جريحا، بينهم اربعة استشهدوا متأثرين بجراحهم التي اصيبوا بها خلال القصف الاسرائيلي في الايام السابقة.

وافادت مصادر طبية ان محمود ابو نحل استشهد متأثرا بجراحه التي اصيب بها بعد نقله الى مصر، والطفل اسماعيل حمدان (10 سنوات) والذي اصيب امس في قصف استهدف منزله في بيت حانون وفقد شقيقتين له. كما استشهد المسعفان ايهاب المدهون ومحمود ابو حصيرة متأثرين بجراحهما التي اصيبا بها في قصف يوم امس.

واستشهد مواطنان في غارة شنها الطيران الحربي الاسرائيلي عصر اليوم الاربعاء على مواقع في قطاع غزة، بعد توقف الغارات منذ ساعات الصباح بسبب الأحوال الجوية الماطرة والغائمة.

واستهدفت اخر الغارات منتصف الليلة ورشة حدادة وهدف اخر في خان يونس جنوب القطاع دون ان يبلغ عن اصابات .

هذا واستمرت الغارات الاسرائيلية مساء اليوم على قطاع غزة، حيث استهدفت اخرها ثلاثة محلات للصرافة وسط المدينة، وغارة اخرى على شمال قطاع غزة دون ان يبلغ عن اصابات. واخرى اسشتهدفت منزل وانفاق في رفح.

وأفاد مراسلو "معا" في القطاع، أن الطائرات الاسرائيلية قصفت عربة يجرها حمار في منطقة دوار بني سهيلا بمدينة خان يونس في جنوب القطاع، ما أدى حسب المصادر الطبية الى سقوط شهيدين ووقوع عدد من الاصابات.

كما قصفت الطائرات مسجد ابو حنيفة النعمان في تل الهوى غرب مدينة غزة مما الى وقوع 5 اصابات، وقصفت منزلا في مخيم النصيرات وسط غزة ولم تؤكد المصادر الطبية وقوع اي اصابات.

وكانت الطائرات الاسرائيلية شنت غارة اخرى على هدف في حي الزيتون جنوب مدينة غزة، وبالرغم من سوء الاحوال الجوية في قطاع غزة الا ان طائرات الاستطلاع والمروحيات والطائرات الحربية ما زالت تجوب سماء القطاع.

ويرتفع عدد شهداء العدوان الاسرائيلي على قطاع غزة الى 395 واكثر من 2000 جريح.

Let's resolve this year to create a peaceful presence wherever we go.Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be called children of God.Let us love our neighbors as ourselves.

Lord, make us an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

World Peace Is Possible

Happy New Year 2009

The lamp burns with every twilight upto dawn with no delay & no break down!

2009 is going to be a very tough year for me with lots of deadlines & commitments!... Hope I gladly take the challenge and also wish a same for you!

I wish to incorporate certain things-

Reviving my interest in good poetry, (specifically post-romantic & neo-clssical poets!)
Start a photography project on Portrait,featuring marginalised children
A routine Breathing excercise.As the opening couple of months(2009) I'll be working on a project in a highly polluted city of Paschimbanga(WB), India
Learnig Dance,I can dance but never took class. Need a guidance.
And able to choreograph an item on my own or with someone's assistance
Try not to skip my Breakfast
And Finally, I should never take more than I give!

Stay Healthy Stay Active Stay Blessed!

Wish all the Best for all of u in 2009


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009 friends....



Let's back to be real kind human
not only being ordinary human with white mask but black heart (huuuhhhh)

Its that time of the year again;when we leave a spent year behind and embrace a brand new year. 2008 is over, with all its ups and downs. We are grateful for the inspiring events that happened, and all the valuable lessons we learnt. Now its time to embrace the new year with hope and gladness. May the new year bring forth good tidings, may we all be inspired and motivated to take positive action; and above all may we find many opportunities to make a difference in big ways and even in our own small ways. Be inspired, be informed, be involved. Happy new year!

D' banj holds up his artist of the year award during the MTV Africa Music Awards in Abuja Nigeria, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008. Two Nigerian singers won top awards Saturday as MTV held it’s first-ever music award program for Africa, with artists from across the continent being nominated for prizes. Winners were selected by fans sending text messages.
(AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Dear All Friends!

I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generousity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.


HAPPY NEW YEAR MEANS TO ME!


H ours of happy times with friends and family
A bundant time for relaxation
P rosperity
P lenty of love when you need it the most
Y outhful excitement at lifes simple pleasures

N ights of restful slumber (you know - dont' worry be happy)
E verything you need
W ishing you love and light

Y ears and years of good health
E njoyment and mirth
A angels to watch over you
R embrances of a happy years!


Regards:
Danish Khan