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TWO local women have launched a campaign to inundate the American Ambassador with white flowers to push for a stop to the Israeli attack on Gaza.
Christine Hasan, 59, and daughter Moona Fairooz, 27, decided to call for action after hearing of a similar campaign by an anti-Iraq War group in America which bombarded President-elect Barrack Obama with white flowers on January 10.
They are targeting US diplomats because they feel it is the one country that can most influence Israel into stopping the carnage that has seen hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including many children, slaughtered.
Christine said: "When I saw what they were doing I thought, 'why just Obama?' and I felt we should take action too in the hope that we can get pressure brought to bear to stop the bombing and killing of innocents in Gaza."
Christine and Moona are in the process of contacting women's groups across the island and the Gulf and Christine is also hoping to enlist the support of peace groups around the world.
They are asking women from all walks of life to get involved and send white flowers, either real or synthetic or even email, to US ambassadors across the world.
Christine said: "We are putting out a call to all women's groups' mothers, daughters, aunts etc, in fact all women living in the Kingdom of Bahrain to join us in sending a white flower and a message to the American Ambassador, Mr Adam Ereli.
"The flowers should bear the message '60 years of aggression have not worked. We have to find another solution. Please do not be silent. The children of Gaza need your help'.
"It's easy to go out on a Friday and make noise and stamp your feet but we want to do something both peaceful and also designed to focus attention on what is happening in Gaza.
"This is something that goes back to what women did during the Second World War when they used flowers to petition for peace.
"We hope that by grabbing the attention of ambassadors all around the world, the US can have some influence on Israel.
"It is easy to discount the idea as achieving little. However, if people can simply visualise the impact a virtual and actual sea of white flowers can create, the image is very potent.
"Women can also make it a longer lasting statement by wearing a white flower on their abayas, handbags, clothes, or in their hair, as a mark of solidarity."
And she and Moona are also contacting supermarkets and fast food chains in the hope they will allow staff to join in by wearing white flowers on their uniforms.
The flowers and messages can be delivered to the American Embassy or the Ambassador's residence in Saar.
A fax or email message can be sent to the embassy by fax on +973 17270547 or email elmawieh@state.gov
A spokesman for the American Embassy said they have received no information on the campaign as yet.
Community unites to offer aid
A live Bahrain TV telethon to bring in cash for humanitarian efforts in Gaza raised BD1.463million in just nine hours on Friday.
The show featured interviews with Arab personalities and celebrities as well as Shaikh Nasser and UN Information Centre director Nejib Friji who praised Bahrain's government and civil authorities for the gestures they have made.
He said: This is a small country with limited resources, but it is the first to respond to help fellow Arabs and other countries."
One of the moves which has been particularly praised is King Hamad's pledge to rebuild the UN-run Fakhora School in Jabaliya which was destroyed by Israeli tank shells during an attack in which 48 Palestinians died.
Shaikh Nasser, in conjunction with Dr Mustafa Al Sayed, head of the executive committee of the Bahrain National Committee for the Support of Palestinians in Gaza, has contacted the UN and announced that, in accordance with King Hamad's decree, the school will be rebuilt to the tune of $3million.
How to donate
Visit Royal Charity Organisation headquarters on Exhibition Road, Manama, or at a donation centre in Arad next to the Arad Mosque.
Batelco customers can donate BD1 by texting '1' to 991111.
Zain customers can donate BD1 by texting '1' to 1111.
For more information on making a donation call 38800199, 38800188, 36960082 or 36960081.
