As the Israeli onslaught in Gaza continues this week, the death toll continues to climb. With many of the dead being civilians and the European Union labeling the Israeli offensive as ‘collective punishment', the situation has not sat well with Jordanian bloggers. Here's what they had to say in the past few days:

On his blog, Haitham Sabbah encourages readers to support Gazan families through donations and has this to say about the situation:

“If Israel and its allies think that the siege and its war crimes will stop Palestinian from fighting for their freedom and return of their land, they are stupid. Palestinian will continue their resistance until the last drop of their blood, in light or darkness. Israel, you are dreaming. You will only gain more hate and give more reasons for more violent resistance.”

Image By: Carlos Latuff

The Heart Of Darkness:

Roba Assi and Secratea choose more symbolic forms of solidarity, while Naseem Tarawnah struggles to find the right words for Gaza.

Khalid, who studies in Amman, analyzes ‘the darkness', while Razan Khatib resurrects his prose from 2002 that is sadly, still applicable today. Like Jad, Isam lights a candle and lets the images tell the story. Asoom, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, scribbles words of reality between darker photos, while ‘Lost Within' was taken aback by a particularly powerful photograph

Elsewhere, doctors in Gaza have stopped doing surgeries because of the electricity shortage, and Hareega wonders just how long the generators will last, saying:

“Another crime committed by Israel, the country that attacks ambulances, bombs schools and destroys houses on its inhabitants without a warning. Israel was founded by offending the right of others, killing the innocent, and with blood on its hands. It would be naive to believe that it would behave differently in order to defend itself.”

Reaction-less :

‘J' of Jordan Journals is appalled by the reaction of the UN while Dana reacts to the Israeli belief that Hamas is deliberately intensifying the crisis. SimSim is baffled by the world's silence, wondering if Palestinians are still considered to be human.

But what about the (expected) lack of reaction from Arab leaders? Tallouza puts the looming humanitarian crisis into perspective, while Moi of My Occupied Territory aims her frustration over the situation at the lack of reaction, especially from Arab leaders:

“I just fail to understand how Arab and Muslim leaders are watching this misery take place across the border. I fail to see why Jordanians, Egyptians, Syrians, Saudis, and Qataris don’t take to the streets and demand that their governments do something about this shameful situation. I’m disgusted, utterly disgusted by those cowardly Arab dictators who welcomed the scum of the earth to their palaces last week and failed to mention to him the misery of our Palestinian brethren.”

Ali takes a similar stance by saying:

“Are we that deaf not to hear the cry of help from innocent kids and women in Gaza? I don’t blame Israel or US for supporting Israel’s actions, at the end all parties have their own agenda and beliefs. I put the blame on the Arab States who are silently watching the news coming out from Gaza.”

Jordanians gathered for a candlelight vigil in front of the UN building in Amman on January, 20th.

Calling Out:

Gazans are calling out, but Eman doesn't seem to think anyone is listening:

“The disastrous situation the Palestinians, particularly the Gazans, are living is so out of control and calls for immediate international intervention. But who’s listening?”

No Angel expresses emotions of helplessness:

“If I send donations, they are blocked
If raise my voice, it is unheard
If light a candle, it is blown away
If I write a letter to my representative, it comes back unread
If I voice my opinion about it on the internet, I am told they brought it upon themselves”

Kinzi recalls a girl from Gaza, whom she believes to have been one of the most influential people in her life. In the context of recent tragedies, she says:

“Israel has not learned the lesson of the Holocaust. No one wants to forget what happened under Hitler, but it seems the same vilification of a whole people has been repeated by former victims of the same. Blood is blood, whether Jewish or Arab. It is life, and it is flowing out in death again.”

The events have left Qwaider and Khalidah rather speechless. While Iman decides to unleash her wrath on another entity:

“…right now I want to give myself the right to blame some for the latest humanitarian crisis, the latest misery, the latest catastrophe on the Cancer of Palestine - Hamas! They are the source of the misery Gaza and Gazans have been Plagued with… It’s time to put the firecrackers away and think logically of the best way to get your people out of the misery you (of course with the help of your very people, as they are the incompetent citizens who voted you in to begin with) put them through since you ‘liberated Gaza.’”

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