Commanders were moving forward with preparations for a possible ground assault, said an Israeli defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information. — AP

Dear all, Happy New Year!

. . . Well, it might be, if the Israelis were not bombing the Gaza Strip. Who can celebrate when people are forced into a massive ghetto similar to Soweto and Warsaw and then bombed like fish in a barrel? And it is precisely US complicity in this that keeps Israel from making peace.

Today, the 31st, from 3:30 until midnight, Austin is holding New Year’s festivities in the downtown area under the auspices of a program called First Night Austin. We hope to bring some awareness to what is happening in GAZA by being part of the First Night activities as the city brings in the new year, maybe even get some publicity around the issue… I’m guessing there will be cameras there. So come join us this New Year’s Eve at 6pm on the Congress Bridge for one last attempt this year at making a better world.