Please join the Faith in Action: Peace & Social Justice Committee (PSJ) and community partners after the service on Sunday, September 14th at 12:30PM for a screening and discussion of Gaza: Journalists Under Fire, a powerful new short documentary (41 min.), from Brave New Films and director Robert Greenwald. PSJ also welcomes co-sponsors Justice 4 Palestine LA and Code Pink Los Angeles. Much organizing work has been done by Roberta Frye and Kate MacQueen to provide us with this latest opportunity for the community to engage with what is happening in Gaza and recommit to taking what action we can.
Introductory remarks will be made by Rana Sharif, Ph.D, of UC Berkeley and Palestinian Feminist Collective. There will be refreshments available, and a discussion will follow the presentation. Donations will be requested.
Since October 7, 2023, at least 178 journalists have been killed in Gaza—more than in both World Wars combined. This film bears witness to their courage, sacrifice, and the vital role of a free press, even in the most dangerous conditions. Through the personal stories of Palestinian journalists Belal Jadallah, Heba Al-Abadla, and Ismail al-Ghoul, Greenwald illuminates the human cost of reporting from a war zone and the urgent need to protect those who risk everything to tell the truth.
In an era when press freedom is under increasing threat, this documentary challenges viewers to confront the silence that often surrounds such atrocities. Gaza: Journalists Under Fire is both a tribute to the fallen and a call to action, urging us to stand up for justice and the protection of journalists worldwide.
This film, which was recently released, is of course just one part of the story of the ongoing devastation and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza since Israel launched its total war against the population of that small and densely populated enclave in response to the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7th, 2023. Recently, the United Nations, WHO, and multiple humanitarian agencies concluded that there is overwhelming evidence of famine in Gaza as a result of the siege that has prevented food, medicine and other supplies from entering. (NPR: Famine is declared in Gaza: What does it take to make this pronouncement?) Organizations including Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières and others have declared that the ongoing blockade, invasion, and bombing of the Gaza Strip constitute genocide against the Palestinian people.
To try to comphrehend the scale of the devastation in Gaza, where at least 70% of all structures have been destroyed or heavily damaged, consider some numbers. The Gaza strip is about 148 square miles in area, roughly the size of Detroit. As of April 2024, estimates suggested that 70,000 tons of explosives had been unleashed on the people there — this is far more than reliable reports of all the bombings of London, Dresden and Hamburg during World War II combined. It is the equivalent in explosive yield of six Hiroshima atomic bombs.
And for reference: UUSM’s Faith in Action Commission and congregational leadership’s position on the ongoing conflict is closely aligned with the Unitarian Universalist Association, which condemned the Hamas attacks and Israel’s assault and called for the end of violence and return of hostages soon after the 10/07/23 events. The UUA has a history (before and since) of support for the rights of the Palestinians and condemnation of the regional conflict’s cycle of violence and destruction — a list of UUA statements and resolutions is here. UUSM supported and encouraged the passing of a ceasefire resolution by the Santa Monica city Council in May 2024.
For questions, comments, or to get more involved, please contact us: justice@uusm.org.
