Mohamed Omar - Life and Death in Rafah Refugee Camp (2004)

Speaker 1: Rafah refugee camp on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border has made international headlines throughout the past couple of months. Rafah camp has been subjected to countless Israeli military incursions. In late May 2004, the Israeli military, in an incursion dubbed Operation Rainbow, demolished hundreds of Palestinian homes in Rafah, leaving thousands homeless until today. In breach of international law and bringing condemnation from the majority of countries throughout the world, the Israeli military continues its assault on Rafah refugee camp. I had the opportunity to speak with Mohamed Omar, an independent Palestinian journalist from Rafah. Mohamed is the creator of the independent news website Rafah Today, which documents life and death in the Gaza Strip.

Mohamed Omar: In Rafah, we have lost the meaning of life. You know what does that mean? When you cease, the bodies of a human like you have turned into shards and parts spreading in the streets. It's miserable life. The Israeli Apache's warplanes began shelling the area since last night by heavy rockets. Over 25 tanks, other team bulldozers, in addition to Apache's warplanes, began invading Rafah refugee camp again and again. And always under the same pretext with smuggling weapons. by illegal tunnels. This is not true, of course, but always they are demolishing the houses, killing the people. I personally, just a few hours, saw some parts. You know what does it mean when you see an arm? When you see a leg? Or a finger? Or a part of a head? You understand what does it mean? My colleague was near me when he got shot. He got injured, and he's seriously injured. He's working as a cameraman for Reuters, and they don't know what he did. Is that because of his camera? I don't know. It's so easy for the Apache pilot to press that button, to press that button just to show two or three rockets. It's very easy, but unfortunately, the results are going to be more difficult, more difficult than you expected. You know, I couldn't believe myself when I saw shared fragments of a human flesh. You know what does it mean when you see a part of a lake When you see a part of Varan, I saw it in my eyes. It's exactly the same way as you go to the market to buy some meat. Exactly. They put it in a pocket. And exactly. This is what the doctors at Abu Yusuf in Najjar did exactly today. They collect the bodies of the injured and kill people. And of course, up till the moment, they are invading the area. And people are surrounded by apaches, bulldozers, and everywhere. The whole area gets completely demolished. They demolished the trees. They demolished the houses. They demolished every movable. We have lost the meaning of the life here. You know what does it mean when you see your friend asking you for help and you couldn't do anything? You know what does it mean when a child was yelling? He was yelling to the doctors, please, please, I don't want to die. Please, I want to come back to my mother. Please, I don't want to die. He was crying.

Speaker 3: He's 12 years old, called Walid Abu Kamar.

Mohamed Omar: He was Just please, I want to get back to my home. I want to see my mother, please. It is for the first time that I saw doctors and nurses begin crying. They left him begin crying because they see nothing. You know nothing. He's bleeding and speaking at the same time. They couldn't believe. They couldn't believe it. You know what does it mean when children getting killed? They're unglued that they are going to their schools. That is all. They demolish everything. They demolish the houses, the streets, and every movable thing. Now, one of the Onurwa clinic is surrounded by bulldozers and tanks. I'm surprised. Where is the Onurwa? The Onurwa just bring food, you know? Just to bring food for the homeless. We don't need food. We don't need nothing. Just need peace. Peace is more important than food. We don't need food. After we get killed, they say, okay, we came here to the area and we support Rafah by food.

Speaker 3: Let's forget about food for a moment.

Mohamed Omar: We need peace. Our children, let them have a peaceful life. Let them enjoy their life. You know, people in Europe and all over the world do not know how to spend their weekends. They have lots of leisure, lots of enjoyment, but here, miserable life. People thinking how to go to the market just to buy some food and to get back safely by not getting shot. That is all their concern. You know, it's risking of life, walking in the street, risking of life. They are killing everyone. I don't know what could I say. I don't know. The example is an abusive in a jar hospital. I wish if I could bring you some of those children who get shelled today by the Apaches to tell you what is the story or to tell you what had happened. I don't know. Where is the word? Where is the word? You know, they are always talking about justice. Justice and peace. So justice and peace where? Just in their countries. You know, just in their countries. What about the others? What about the Palestinians who are suffering all the time? They are suffering. I'm surprised. I'm surprised. You know, I couldn't feel how surprised. I'm trying to recall what I have seen this morning. I couldn't see. I couldn't really. I couldn't see anything. 17 injured people were transferred into the hospital by two ambulances. And still, up to the moment, people are bleeding. The hospital managers are suffering from the shilling because the soldiers targeted them when they go to cover or when they go to transfer the injured people.

Speaker 3: Mohammed, maybe can you speak about the situation of those hundreds of people who have been left homeless due to the Israeli house demolitions? At the end of May, the Rafah refugee camp made international headlines when The Israeli army incursions left hundreds of homes demolished. Maybe can you speak about that situation and how it affects the residents of Rafah refugee camp? Yes, for sure.

Mohamed Omar: People are really having a very miserable life. Most of the homeless people are living in tents, living in the corners of the streets. You know, there are large numbers of people, of homeless families, who are living in the streets all the time. And they are living sometimes in the honor schools. But honor schools is not enough for them. There is no water. There is no food. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink. You know, there is nothing. There is no life. I personally am a homeless. And I was lucky to find a house. I was lucky to find a house to rent. But right now it is impossible. to find a house in Rafa, to rent. But people are living here and no one supports them. Just the owner gave them at the first month when they became homeless, they support them by food. And that is all. The people are really suffering here after the incursions. You know, they have lost everything. They have lost everything. When the Israelis first demolished their houses, they have lost everything. They have lost their furniture, their lives. Some of them get lost, their children inside the homes. You know what does it mean when a 75-year-old man, Mahmoud Khalafallah from Khan Yunis, was killed while he was inside the house? You know what does it mean when his wife, he's paralyzed, when his wife was waving by a white flag to the soldiers, please, please stop, please stop, I want to get my husband. But unfortunately, the machine doesn't hear. The Israeli machine doesn't hear at all. And they continue demolishing the house after they demolished the house on his head. It was very hard to find the body of that man who was paralyzed, 17 years old. Imagine that. Let's consider it as your brother, your friend, or your relative. Let's forget about Palestinians. Let's forget about what the Western media is publishing. Forget about what they are publishing. Let's think of a point that they are the human flesh and blood. The human flesh and blood. Yes, let's forget that they are terrorists as the American or the Western media describing them. I don't know. I don't know really. When is that going to have an end? When? These scholars always saying it's going to have an end. But unfortunately, we didn't see an end. There will be an end. But the end is going to be when we will defend it. When we all die. This is the end. This is what they meant by the end. When they will kill all the Palestinians. When they will swallow the land. When they will destroy the culture. When they will destroy everything. I believe it's a war not against the Palestinians only. But it's against humanity. It's a war against humanity exactly. Because shelling from Apaches, they didn't distinguish whether they're American or Palestinian. They just shell every human. They don't care.

Speaker 3: Mohammed, you've made a very strong effort to get the word out and to distribute information about the military incursions which are taking place in Rafah refugee camp through your website, Rafatoday.org. Can you maybe speak about how you see the importance of media in regards to the ongoing occupation and the situation in Rafah? How do you feel about the media coverage throughout the world of what is taking place? And also, why do you feel it's important for people to pay attention to independent Palestinian journalism such as yours? I feel it's important, like us,

Mohamed Omar: people who are working as freelancers, it's very important to spread the truth by our way. I used to work for a news agency. Let's forget about the name of that news agency. And I used to work, but I stopped working after 17 days because of many reasons. The first reason that they told me, Mohammed, kill us when there is blood only. When there is blood. And I did that. I called him when there is blood only. Although, if we hear in any country, If we hear just a bomb, they would say a bomb here and they'd be breaking news in all the TV channels. But in Palestine, people getting killed and nothing move in the media. I used to work for that news agency. They were saying to me, just call us when there is blood. And they called them. But unfortunately, I stopped working with them because I know that my news that I provide them goes to the political kitchen in Jerusalem. You know what does it mean? when it goes to the political kitchen, so they will make it a ready meal to the Western society to understand. This is their way exactly. After that, I realized that I'm not serving my people. I'm not serving the truth. Let's forget about Palestinians. I'm just here, want to serve the truth. Whether that truth with us or against us. It's very important to publish what our eyes see, not what the media say. Media had lost its meaning nowadays. The Palestinian who's living in his house, who's sleeping in his house, is a tourist. And the Apache's pilot, who's shilling the Palestinians, is a civilian and innocent. And that is all what is happening in our world. That's why I realized the importance of that work. To begin a website, a simple website, to tell that world. To tell the world about what's going on here. To tell them about the life of the people. to tell them to describe, to take photos. It was not my wish to become a journalist, but life and the situation forced me to be a journalist because I feel I want to do something for those people. People get slaughtered every day and no one can stand. Just if you see some foreign journalists, they're not serving the people. They just came to serve their news agencies and get money. That is all. And I'm sure the people in Canada and all over the world know the rest of the story. and know what the news agencies are publishing.

Speaker 3: Mohammed, what do you see happening in Rafah in the coming weeks? As we talked about before, at the end of May, there was a very long series of Israeli incursions into Rafah. Many houses were demolished. As we understand here, these house demolitions are happening, but not at such a large scale. what is being talked about in terms of actions in the next couple of weeks on the part of the Israeli military. Maybe talk about that within the context of statements being made by the Israeli government that they are going to pull out of Rafah, that they will leave the Gaza Strip. What you were describing seems like a very different action than a complete withdrawal from Gaza Strip. So maybe speak about this.

Mohamed Omar: Well, regarding pulling out from Gaza Strip, do you know when you have a pain in your head, you will have simply to go to take an aspirin, a tablet of aspirin. It's the same way. Sharon gave the word an aspirin. A tablet of aspirin tells to have a rest for some time because they are still hearing about what is going on here and they know. So he wants to cover these things. He wants to cover about his crimes in Gaza Strip. You want to cover them by just talking to the media about pulling out. Even if there is a pulling out from Gaza's trap, it's going to be only for citrus. And that means the soldiers are going to remain. So nothing is going to change, you know? Nothing is going to change. And believe me, the situation nowadays, and especially today, yesterday and the day before, didn't give any hint or any sign that they are going to withdraw. Why? Because to have a look. At the settlement, you would find the settlers building, bringing more houses, bringing more houses and building their houses in a more strong way. This is what Sharon meant. They are now building it more stronger, not with the driving. So there is no any real intention from Sharon to the driving. Every summer we get a similar idea from Sharon. The last summer, remember, when they bring the new prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, And this summer, also, they bring the Prime Minister, Ahmad Khoury, and it's always the same, the same ideas. They are saying about peace, we are going to withdraw, and these things, it's a lie. It's a lie. It's only an aspirin. It's only an aspirin tablet to the world. That is all. Nothing more and nothing less. So it doesn't give any sense for the people here. One of the old people was saying, whoa, Sharon is talking about pulling out. I don't believe that he's going to pull out. And if he's going to pull out, really, I'm not going to believe myself. And I'm telling you, Sharon is not going to pull out. Sharon is playing with all the words, and it is normal what he's doing. He's a political, you know. He's a political, and policy is like a game.