This is the first time I have attended protests since 2003, when 2 million people couldn't prevent the bloodlust of the UK and US governments.

First protest was tiny, around 200/300 people in Manchester Picadilly Gardens.

The second one was larger, in MediaCityUK, outside the BBC offices. It was also protesting the very biased coverage that the BBC has broadcast, which seemed to be limited to humanising the Israelis and defending their "right" to destroy Gaza to an extent that even Israeli newspapers like Haaretz were less biased.

This one was bigger, but once again not of a size that it should have been

After Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza, the British foreign secretary Mr William Hague released a statement on tuesday 9 July 2014. Mostly condemning the Palestinians.

The bit of his statement that caught my eye was the following:

"The people of Israel have the right to live without constant fear for their security"

No they don't.

Not until they give the same reciprocal right to their neighbours and their ocuppied.

Israelis do not have an automatic right to safety and security as long as the Palestinians are occupied and oppressed by them.

Israelis do not have the right to live without constant fear for their security until they give security to the Palestinians.

It seems that aftera few days of bombing, Israel has started its pummelling of Gaza tonight which they have called "Operation Protective Edge" AKA - let's blow them them Palestinians up again.

The Palestinians will be punished badly and while they continue to fight for their rights, no one else seems to give anything buy verbal assistance.

Egypt, the southern neighbour of Gaza is in fact even an accomplice to the disasters that have befallen Gaza and if it could would probably be even more severe on the Palestinians than Israel.

The Muslim world is probably at the weakest most scattered than it has ever been, probably even weaker than after the Mongol invasion that destroyed Baghdad and created a period with weak muslim leadership lasting 2/3 centuries.

It looks like the worst has been confirmed - 3 bodies have been found in the West Bank near the city of Hebron. They are suspected to be of the 3 missing Israeli teenagers.

At this moment we do not know who killed them or how they died, but their families must be devastated and the humanity in all of us feels their loss. The people in their kidnap/murder should be treatd as criminals (and I have not come across any evidence that this is definitely by Palestinians - there could be a nutty settler with an axe to grind or who is mentally unhinged...)

However this can also lead to a bigger catastrophe for the Palestinians.

I wasn't sure whether I should make this into a blog or a forum post, mainly because I haven't differentiated between the two entirely but also because blogs seem a little bit more personal. I use them for things that affect me or have affected me in some way or another and I use forums for news related items. 

Before you proceed if you are a little child, then perhaps you shouldn't read this. Come back here when you grow up and mature a little and understand that the most cruelest of things do happen. They are real. They're usually unheard of until someone brave speaks up and speaks of their stories.

(By Unknown)

Bombs exploding,

Sirens wailing,

Children screaming,

Mothers screeching,

Bodies piling,

Rockets firing,

Chaos unfolding…

Not knowing whether they’ll live to see another day…

Unable to sleep due to fear of losing their home and loved ones….

Innocent civilians living in constant fear and threat…

Wondering if peace will ever be restored…

Defeated,

Mentally crushed,

Oh suffering Muslims try not to cry,

Palestine soon you will be free, not matter how hard the haters try!

Suffering fathers in Syria, you have our prayers,

Please don’t feel like no one cares.

My brothers and sisters in Syria forget about the size of your family tree,

Inshallah shortly you’ll be free.

Everyone cares, but only some are selfless and brave,

Some just stay quiet and crawl back into their cave.

There are very few who perform selfless acts,

Some people just need to deal with the facts!