Dec 22, 2021

The Angel of Beit Sahour: The story of Diana George Babish and the Dogs She has Saved

 The Angel of Beit Sahour

Diana Babish and one of the beautiful dogs she has saved.


Please consider Diana and her dog shelter in your holiday giving.......


Or just get the word out about her rescue.


I would like to tell everyone about Diana George Babish.



She has worked tirelessly to save the dogs and cats of The West Bank.

After watching endless dogs suffering without any healthcare or refuge she started her animal shelter in Beit Sahour, about 5 minutes outside of Bethlehem in the territory of Palestine.

It is the only animal shelter in the area.

Diana works day and night to retrieve dogs and cats from the streets who have been mistreated or suffered injuries from cars without any hope of care after they have suffered an injury.

Diana Babish built the Animal and Environment Association--Bethlehem Palestine and takes care of these beautiful animals.

She provides healthcare and nutrition and provides spay and neutering and training so they are available for adoption and finding a forever home.

As everyone can imagine she is faced with giant challenges.  It is not just an issue of funding but they are not only isolated physically but politically, as well.

Here is the good news.

Diana has established an environment where this organization functions on both sides of the political aisle with volunteers from the Palestinian community as well as the Jewish community in Israel.

She also provides education to schools in order to create a mentality of working with animals and people together.  She educates children about the proper treatment of animals.

Visiting Diana it is easy to see that her generosity not only concerns the animals but it extends to people in need of food and financial assistance in the area.  When Diana helped a neighbor in need of assistance at the Palestinian Wildlife Society the director said "We are all one."

She is located right next door to the Palestine Wildlife Society that works to help farmers with education and healthcare to their donkeys and goats and other livestock so the wildlife and livestock are living in a way that is better for everyone involved.

Wanted to share a video recently made about Diana's organization:

https://fb.watch/9-hrgJgrwC/

Here is her Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Bethlehemshelter

The website page:

https://www.bethlehemshelter.org/



Would you please accept this wonderful lady in your thoughts, not just for funding which is desperately needed, but also to get the word out so others can see these dogs and cats have been saved and they are in need of a home.  These animals are facing the challenge of distance and politics but they are ready to go.  They have had healthcare, nutrition, training, socialization, spay and neutering along with crates and papers.  

Diana has worked so hard and I want to tell the world about it.

Thank you for your time and thank you for reading.

Here she is described in The Times of Israel:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-palestinian-bankers-dogged-west-bank-animal-shelter-fights-for-its-life/



Here is a nice article about her in Green Prophet.  This provides an insight into her work and the environmental conditions she contends with on a daily basis.

https://www.greenprophet.com/2021/02/bethlehems-patron-saint-of-puppies/

Diana Babish also works with local officials to establish rules and laws for the welfare of animals.  She has worked with the local law enforcement so people who have mistreated animals will be brought to justice and she has worked to establish laws so people will be deterred from mistreating animals.


Best wishes and thank you for your consideration.

Sharon McDowell

Seattle, Washington  98119


Please see her actual website page because there she gives a more in depth explanation of her work and it is described in a more eloquent way than my ability allows.  The first video is also very good and an informational overview.

How did I get started with this.  Went to the area with Bike Palestine.  Always last in the bike group one could not help but notice all of the dogs hanging around in the middle of nowhere.  I could not believe it.  Did a little research and found Diana and visited her on my next trip.  She graciously met with me and I could never get her out of my mind.  It is so frustrating....she works so hard and it is so difficult to find homes for these dogs and cats she has saved.  I could never get her or the dogs out of my mind.  My thought was just let me try to do one good thing and help this lady.  I could never do this.  Thank you for your time. Sherry





The dogs and cats of The Middle East have had a difficult time surviving and particularly in The West Bank where they are isolated physically and politically.  

The people are suffering and the animals are suffering even more as folks do not really have the time or energy when they are in need of so many things themselves.  

Certain areas of The Middle East have not always provided the cultural support for the well-being of dogs and cats and livestock.  

Diana George Babish has established The Bethlehem Shelter to take care of injured and abandoned animals.  

The thing is she helps people in need, as well.  

I witnessed this myself, when she was providing financial assistance for a neighbor to buy food and doing this on a regular basis.  

There are no animal shelters or humane societies in The West Bank to take care of animals or spay or neuter them and often they are abused as pests.  

Diana has not only started the Bethlehem Shelter to help the injured animals but she also spends a lot of time teaching children how to care for dogs and cats and donkeys and how to respect them.  She goes to schools  regularly to educate the kids on the care of animals and the importance of their welfare. 

One of the best things about Diana is that she has created a way for Palestinians and Israelis to work together to help the animals.  In a grassroots way there are plenty of people from Israel and Palestine that work together to provide homes for the animals.  The animals are a larger focus for these folks than the political strife.  

She is bringing the world together to help the dogs and cats and the people of the area.  

She has also worked with many public officials and lawmakers to create a system where folks who might abuse animals are facing justice for their actions.  

She is working not only to educate but to make it illegal to hurt dogs and cats and donkeys.  

Some people there think it is okay to harm animals and to view them as pests.  

She is working hard to change this mind set and she recently worked with the local government in Ramallah to bring forward some individuals who did not have this mindset.

Take a moment to check out her website.  There are plenty of easy and quick ways to make a donation.

Any suggestions for sharing are welcomed.



Dad's World Famous Egg Nog Recipe (feat. MY DAD!)

Dec 12, 2021

The Passing of Author Anne Rice.....

 




Anne Rice's son Christopher Rice announced the news
Earlier tonight, my mother, Anne Rice, passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke. She left us almost nineteen years to the day my father, her husband Stan, died. Below is a statement I posted to her Facebook page moments ago.




copied from Twitter


My Girl, Fred Whitfield Calls Out Joe Manchin

 

Today on CNN my girl, Fred Whitfield called out Joe Manchin with the guests on her show explaining exactly what was happening with his reluctance to support the bills of President Biden and the other Democrats.


Guests Reverend Dr. William J. Barber and Economist Jeffrey Sachs went on to detail that Joe Manchin is very rich personally and his donors are more wealthy.  


They do not want their taxes to be increased at any cost even if it helps support the lower income people of his state of West Virginia.


West Virginia, represented by Joe Manchin in the Senate, is one of the poorest states in the country.


It is time for Joe Manchin to be called out and his reasons for not supporting the bills of the Dems should be explained in terms that everyone can understand.


They detailed that all of the other forward leading countries already have most of these benefits and we are one of the few leading nations that do not support their citizens in this way, such as childcare, healthcare and more specifically hearing aids.


Fred and her guests did a good job today and it seems unusual for CNN to be so specific but it really is about time.


Joe Manchin is rich but the folks he represents are poor.  


Here is an article by Eric Douglas from West Virginia Public Broadcasting that does a good job of explaining the situation:


https://www.jeffsachs.org/interviewsandmedia/jhfsfkxx4nh7ygc3nppkjtg8dldzfc



Watching Fred forever and she is one of the best of CNN.

Dec 10, 2021

Don Lemon CAUGHT Warning Jussie Smollett During Hoax Crime | Breaking Po...

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK - Why I Will Always Own One

What's Actually in the Hidden JFK Assassination Files? (Jefferson Morley...

Try to hire Brian Williams.

 Try to hire Brian Williams.


I watch CNN every day but one of my other favorite shows I try never to miss is 11th hour with Brian Williams. 

 As one person said the other evening he has humor and intellect. CNN is definitely the best and the go to for important news and internationals news but he would be a fabulous replacement for Chris Cuomo. He was no longer newsworthy with his close affiliation to his brother. I also love Fred Whitfield--been watching her forever and of course, Wolf and MartinSavidge. I also enjoy and admire Gloria B. and Jamie G. Laura Coates is very good and should have her own show, too. Thank you for your time--just my thoughts from a loyal viewer.

For Adoption" The Beautiful Cat Star Animal and Environment Association - Bethlehem Palestine

 









القطة الجميلة "نجمة" أصبحت بصحة ممتازة، نبحث لها عن منزل آمن وعائلة محبة 😻
"نجمة" قطة عمياء، ضحية الاهمال والاستغلال الذي يحصل خلال عملية المتاجرة بال/حيوانات ..
استقبلها مركز هوت فيت @hot_vet بحالة مزرية، نحيلة جدا وعظامها ظاهرة ، ذات شعر خشن الملمس نتيجة للجفاف وسوء التغذية وإصابة الديدان ..
بعد تقريبا شهرين من المتابعة والعناية بدأت نجمة تستعيد عافيتها وجمالها واكتسبت الوزن بشكل ملحوظ .
قمنا بتعقيم القطة✅ واعطاءها جرعات الوقاية من الطفيليات الداخلية (الديدان)✅
القطة لطيفة جداً وودودة وتمارس حياتها بشكل طبيعي.
لمن يحب تبني القطة "نجمة" الرجاء التواصل معناون تردد
فتربية حيوان ذو احتياج خاص رائعة جدا وأجرها عند الله عظيم 🙏




For adoption
The beautiful cat "Star" has become in excellent health, looking for a safe house and a loving family
"Star" blind cat, victim of neglect and exploitation that occurs during animal trade.. She was received by the Hot Fit Center @hot_vet a very squalid, very slender state and her bones are visible, with rough hair as a result of dehydration, malnutrition and worm injury.
After nearly two months of follow-up and care, Najma began to recover and gain significant weight.
Hotvet sterilized the cat✅ and gave it doses to prevent internal parasites (worms) ✅
The cat is very nice and friendly and exercises her life normally.
For those who like to adopt the cat "Star" please contact us frequency
Raising an animal with a special need is very wonderful and its wages are great for God 🙏
Many thanks for @hot_vet

Dec 9, 2021

It’s cold out there. Please be kind to opossums #SeattleWildlife

#SeattleWildlife

It’s cold out there. Please be kind to opossums. Many of them find a cozy place to combat the cold. (So many are missing parts of tails, ears, toes, due to previous frost bite) and your garage or porch may be the only place they have. They won’t hurt anything, I promise. And shooing them out may be certain death due to lack of shelter. They are Northern America’s ONLY marsupial. **These precious souls eat fleas, ticks, and other pests.**❤️


Please, this holiday season be kind to these wonderful animals. 🎄🐾❤️ P.S. I LOVE her cute toes! P.S.S. I am not the author of these words nor the photographer, but I am grateful for the wonderful human who shared this on Facebook.

copied from Nextdoor




Dec 7, 2021

The US government must speak out against settler violence--from J Street

 

J Street


My son Mattan is living proof that a more just and equal society is possible.

It was our family’s landmark case in the Israeli High Court over twenty years ago that helped bring about the official recognition of equal rights for LGBT+ parents in Israel. It was a proud moment for my family, for our community, and for Israel.

Fast forward to last week, when Mattan was arrested in the occupied West Bank by Israeli police.

He and other Jewish Israeli peace advocates have been staying near the West Bank town of a-Tuwani to learn Arabic and help document and deter a dangerous spike in settler attacks this year.

Gangs from nearby settlements have been trying to harass and intimidate Palestinians off their land by burning farmland, slaughtering livestock, vandalizing property, throwing rocks and firing weapons into towns. Ongoing attacks this year have left several dead, dozens injured and one child in the hospital after a rock fractured his skull.

The IDF -- tasked only with protecting Israeli citizens (but not with protecting vulnerable Palestinian civilians) -- has too often stood idly by, acted as security guards for the attackers, or even turned on peace activists to prevent them from filming the violence. Since West Bank Palestinians aren’t citizens, Israeli authorities almost never bother to charge settlers or hold anyone accountable for the attacks.

The US government must speak out against settler violence
Add your name if you agree ✍️

Last week, my son and his colleagues were abruptly arrested after witnessing an altercation between a settler and local Palestinians. They faced excessive, trumped-up charges which were dropped entirely a day later, but the message sent by these arrests and recent IDF raids on Israeli and Palestinian activists is clear: Stop speaking out about the occupation and settler violence. Stop making noise. Stop pointing cameras at the injustice that’s happening here.

“I don’t know if they realize this, but it just makes us more determined to stay and fight back,” Mattan told me. “We’re not going to be intimidated; we know our rights; we know what we believe in and we know the people that we’re fighting with.”

That’s where we come in.

Israeli and Palestinian peace activists are on the frontlines fighting for a better future, and we have to have their backs.

Just this week -- following both public and behind-the-scenes pressure from the Biden administration, as well as internal pressure from progressives within the Israeli government -- Israeli authorities significantly delayed plans for a major new settlement between East Jerusalem and Ramallah. It shows that when the US government acts with determination and clarity, it can have a major positive impact.

Now, we must call on the Biden administration to build on this progress and press for Israeli authorities to confront settler violence, to hold perpetrators of violence accountable no matter their citizenship, and to uphold the principles of justice and equality for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The US government must speak out against settler violence
Add your name if you agree ✍️

 It might not be the usual response after having your son released from jail, but let me tell you: I’ve never been prouder.

It makes me swell with pride to see him continue the fight for equality, dignity and the basic rights of all families to live freely and raise their children in peace.

I hope it’s also a reminder to those of us in America that we are not alone in this struggle, and we cannot give up. There are brave and determined people on the ground working every day to build a better future. As Israel’s strongest partner and closest friend, America has to have their backs.

Please take a moment to add your name and call on the Biden administration to make addressing settler violence a priority in the US-Israel relationship.

Thank you, sincerely, for your support.

Ruti Kadish
National Director of Communal Relations, J Street