Some days we are overwhelmed (compassion fatigue?) with things to do torespond to the humanitarian catastrophes and the geopolitical challenges wehumans face. We care about many things because of mass communication,globalization, and the fact that all struggles are connected (the elitesare after all connected in our oppression). Just this week, here inPalestine we think of hose ongoing tragedies that are connected:-The continuing siege and starvation of 2 million people in Gaza (most ofthem refugees) with no electricity, hardly any water (which can’t berunning due to lack of electricity to pump it etc)-The siege and destruction of Arabs in Jerusalem: Israel took the flimsyexcuse of the killing of two of its soldiers in the city to accelerate itslong term plan of getting rid of Palestinians in the city to make it aJewish city. Electronic checkpoints manned by occupation soldiers put forentry of Muslims to their Holy Site is unacceptable to all decent Muslimsaround the world. Like Jewish colonies and walls in Jerusalem this is alsocontrary to International law (4th Geneva convention) to alter the statusquo of occupied territories. Colonial Jewish settlers are rejoicing at theprospect of unfettered access sans Muslim worshippers into the Muslim Holysite.-The attack on UNESCO for following International law and not Zionistdreams of conquest. We need to support UNESCO.-The human misery in Mosul, Iraq following its liberation by the Iraqi armyfrom the US/Israel created Daesh (ISIS).- The human misery in Syria inflicted by fighting militias (mercenaries)whether backed by Turkey, US, or Israel.  The geopolitical game being wagedthere with players also includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Israel.People pay the price.-The human misery inflicted on Yemen by the Saudi and UAE governments (alsobacked by the US and Israel).-The environmental catastrophe (Nakba) that is happening all around us withso little action to fix it as the rich get richer while keeping us busywith the conflicts, tribalism, nationalism etc (the above are examples ofdistractions while they get richer).Yes, some days it can be overwhelming to deal with these things. Negativevipes start to creep in (dwelling on the challenges, seeing the cup halfempty etc). In such days, I am glad to be surrounded by many youngvolunteers and staff working hard to light candles in this darkness. But Iam also inspired by dedication of those who preceded us. I got a chance tovisit the cemetery today due to a death in the family and I paid tribute tomany of my relatives and many of my heroes from my town while rememberingothers in distant lands who preceded us to become dust and memories (e.g.Edward Said).  It helps us get centered and to see that challenges are alsoopportunities. That we need incremental work. That this is a marathon not asprint.That we are only small parts of a large struggle (humility). Thatthe viciousness of attack on us is actually a sign of desperation on behalfof the elites living in their nice villas in Ramallah, Tel Aviv, andWashington DC.  That we must go on with optimism of the will.Let die? Ft. George Khoury, country director for the OCHA in Yemen| Mostconflicts inflict similar kinds of hardship and despair on their victims,but even among this chronic suffering, the war in Yemen has its owndistinct face. It is the face of a child emaciated by hunger. Does thischild or the thousands of Yemeni children fighting off death stand achance? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by George Khoury, countrydirector for the OCHA in Yemen:https://www.rt.com/shows/worlds-apart-oksana-boyko/396459-war-conflict-yemen-victims/Come visit us in occupied PalestineAnd stay humanMazin QumsiyehA bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at homeProfessor and (volunteer) DirectorPalestine Museum of Natural HistoryPalestine Institute of Biodiversity and SustainabilityBethlehem UniversityOccupied Palestinehttp://qumsiyeh.orghttp://palestinenature.orgJoin me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/mazin.qumsiyeh.9