8 Jan – Sderot, Israel. Israeli citizens watching Gaza under attack.
Eduardo Castaldo 2009.
Click on the image to see it and others in big.

Eduardo Gastaldo was one of the many (that is to say, all) photographers/journalists who was denied access to Gaza when Israel bombed the shit outta the place. While this cease-fire still holds, I’ll post a few of his pastoral, and incongruous images from the safe side of the wall. Most of his images from the series Watching Gaza serve to reflect a general Israeli support of the war, but to their credit also Israeli anti-war demonstrations in Tel Aviv. You’ll have to go to his own site for that more balanced view, though.

Though I gladly participated in the Palestine peace march here in Xela two weeks ago, I didn’t support the local organizers in defacing the monument at the Plaza de Israel (a big metal Star of David) as representative of the crimes of the state of Israel. I felt that instead of encouraging peace, it inspires returned prejudice against a people on the base of religion – remembering that prior to being a national symbol, the star is a symbol of Jewish identity, a religious rather than a state emblem. (oh, the irony of confusing it with a swastika) Just to say that albeit a small act, symbolically it’s as strong as the benevolent little peace march. At least in my mind.

I know that there are a few who would rather see and hear about stuff closer to my own life, and to Guatemala, and I hope I will be able to tell some soon, besides from telling that I’ve been alternating between my bed and the pot these past few days (I feel a lot better today, thank you).