[GushShalomBillboard] vigils, an auction, prisoners for peace + more
Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)
info at gush-shalom.org
Thu Aug 29 00:18:35 IDT 2002
//=//=//=//=//=//=//=//=//
// Gush Shalom Billboard //
//=//=//=//=//=//=//=//=//
[alerts]
[1] Special appeal to join this Friday Women in Black - Jerusalem
[2] Saturday Peace Now Demo J'lem with Shulamit Aloni
[3] Jewish-Arab exhibition sale on behalf of work of PHR-Israel
[4] Please show once more that you didn't forget the cave dwellers
[5] Wat's new in prison - Yesh Gvul update + addresses for support letters
[6] CO Uri Ya'akobi between prison terms
[7] Please help fill the school bag of a Palestinian child - Tandi
[reports & articles]
[8] While the army was caught sleeping
joint Israeli-Palestinian demonstration in Hawara
[9] Day 67: Nablus Still Under Siege – prisoners at our own expense
[10] High Court Forbids Holding of Detainees without Beds
[11] 'Deterrents that haven't deterred' - Amira Hass
[Through billboard we forward what is on the agenda, based upon our own material
and on announcements received from others. We include articles and reports. For
more information, approach the addresses appearing in each item.]
[1] Special appeal to join this Friday Women in Black - Jerusalem
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: Gila Svirsky <gsvirsky at netvision.net.il>
Haverot/Haverim,
Please come to Women in Black on Friday!
This morning, the radio (Reshet Bet) twice broadcast the story about
Jerusalem's Women in Black and the police (6:45 and 7:45). I made the
point that the police should be protecting our right to demonstrate &
Itamar Ben Gvir made the point that we "kiss terrorists" and therefore
should be removed from the plaza (kikar). The police response was that
Women in Black, like the right wing, are also provocative -- which is an
outright lie, of course.
Now the police are saying they want us to alternate weeks -- that we can
demonstrate in that location only every other week. This is unacceptable.
We need lots of Women and Men in Black this Friday in Jerusalem. Please
tell your friends to come, and please come dressed in black. Masses of us
dressed in black will make a very powerful point.
[2] Saturday Peace Now Demo J'lem with Shulamit Aloni
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Ori Ginat" <ori at peacenow.org.il>
Hi All,
An update regarding the large Peace Now Demonstration on
Saturday, August 31, 2002 at 20:00hrs. This time we will be going to
demonstrate inJersualem.
Speeches will be made by Shula Aloni, Gershon Baskin.
The transportation will leave Tel Aviv Railwayst' (by El Al offices) at
18:30 hrs.
We call upon each and every one of you to join us.
For more details please contact Ori on 03 5663291 or 054 405 157 or
by email:ori at peacenow.org.il
Those who wish to join the arranged transportation please reserve
your place by Thursday evening.
See you there!!
[3] Jewish-Arab exhibition sale on behalf of work of PHR-Israel
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: <Miri at phr.org.il>
[No English version]
[4] Please show once more that you didn't forget the cave dwellers
-----------forwarded message follows------------------
From: amos gvirtz <amosg at shefayim.org.il>
[English only]
Dear Friends
September 10 we suppose to have the Supreme Court about the Cave Dwellers from
the South Hebron. As part of the campaign against the intention of the Israeli
government to throw them from their homes and their lands we ask for this letter
campaign. Please help us to spread it as much as posible. Thank you! Amos Gvirtz
Urgent International Letter Campaign - Prevent a Crime Against Humanity - Stop the
Expulsion of the Palestinian Cave Dwellers from the South Hebron Hills.
It's time again again for a letter campaign to stop the expulsion of
the cave dwellers south of Hebron.
Your and our efforts resulted in the government's request to postpone deliberations in
the High Court of Justice.Their intention was to hold the deliberations when public
attention was diverted. We believe that this terrible act of expulsion can only be
achieved when there is no public attention.
Therefore we appeal to you again to write to Israel's ministers, to Israeli Embassies in
your countries, and to your own Foreign Ministries demanding that no expulsion of
Palestinians from the South Hebron Hills be allowed. Your assistance is very
important to the struggle.
PLEASE WRITE TO ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER, DEFENSE MINSTER
AND FOREIGN MINISTER, TO THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR IN YOUR COUNTRY,
AND TO YOUR OWN FOREIGN MINISTRY -
DEMANDING A STOP TO THE HARRASSMENT AND EXPULSION OF THE
PALESTINIANS FROM THE SOUTH HEBRON HILLS, AND WARNING THAT SUCH
CRIMES WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THE
21ST CENTURY.
A sample letter:
Dear Minister....
I am saddened by the ongoing strife between the Israelis and the Palestinians
and by the many victims it has created.
I find it difficult to understand Israel's intention to expell the Palestinian
population - many of whom live in caves - from the South Hebron hills. I was
amazed to learn that the Barak government expelled 750 residents from this area
at the same time that it was promoting the Peace Process. This puts a question
mark on the true intentions of the Israeli government. Other expulsions
committed by your government between July and October of 2001, as well as the
construction of new and expansion of old settlements throughout the period do
not lend credibility to Israel's desire for a cease fire and for peace.
I consider the expulsion of Palestinian residents a military act of war against
defenceless civillians.This is an act defined as a war crime and it violates
the Fourth Geneva Convention.
I appeal to you to prevent this terrible action and to abide by the the Fourth
Geneva Convention in all the territories occupied by Israel in 1967.
For more information you can visit the website: www.southebron.com.
Israeli organizations active in defense of the South Hebron Hills Palestinians
include: Alternative Information Center (AIC), Association for Civil Rights in
Israel (ACRI), Bat Shalom, B'tselem, Gush Shalom, Israeli Committee Against
House Demolitions (ICAHD), Peace Now, Public Committee Against Torture in
Israel, Rabbis for Human Rights, and Ta'ayush - Arab-Jewish Partnership. We do
it in cooperation with the Palestinian Lend Defence Committee.
Addresses of protest letters (it is preferable to send faxes):
Israeli Defense Minister,
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Ministry of Defense
37 Kaplan st.
Tel-Aviv 61909,
Israel
e-mail: mailto:sar at mod.gov.il
Fax: ++972-3-696 2757 / ++972-3-691 6940 / ++972-3-691 7915
CC to:
Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres
Fax:+972-2-5303704
sar at mofa.gov.il
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
fax:(+972-2) 566-4838 or 651-3955 or 651-2631
webmaster at pmo.gov.il, pm_eng at pmo.gov.il
US Secretary of State Colin Powell,
Fax: +1-202-261-8577;
"Secretary od State, Colin Powell" <secretary at state.gov>
US President George W. Bush
Fax:(202) 456-2461
president at whitehouse.gov
[5] Wat's new in prison - Yesh Gvul update + addresses for support letters
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "ram rahat" <rahat at isdn.net.il>
What’s New in Prison?
Here’s a list of the lucky guys whom the IDF sent to the Prison 6 Bed and
Breakfast Facility in the past two weeks:
--First Sergeant (res.) Aviad Reutgrund, sentenced to 28 days for refusing to serve in
the Occupied Territories (12/8).
-- First Sergeant (res.) L.Y. , sentenced to 14 days for refusing to serve in the
Occupied Territories (25/8).
-- Lt. (res.) Yaniv Itskovitz, sentenced to 28 days for refusing to serve in the Occupied
Territories (14/8). Yaniv is one of the initiators of the Combatants’ Letter
(Courage to Refuse)
-- First Sergeant (res.) Yuval Ron, sentenced to 28 days for refusing to serve in the
Occupied Territories (14/8).
-- Staff Sergeant (res.) Ophir Bedusa, sentenced to 28 days for refusing to serve in the
Occupied Territories (22/8).
-- Uri Ya’kobi (18) was sentenced to 14 days for refusing to be drafted into the IDF
because of his opposition to the Occupation
-- Sergeant Ro’i Berlin was sentenced to 28 days for refusing
to go with his unit to the Palestinian town of Kalkaliya. Ro’i (20) is a conscript
and says he would love to get mail . so you can make these guys happy by:
sending a letter: PO Box 16238 Tel Aviv Israel
sending an e-mail:dash at seruv.org.il
joining or starting an adoption group
recently released from prison: Ori Toker- Meimon, Udi Elifantz, Shuki Sadeh, Ran Ron
and Yoni Yehezkel.
[For an updated detailed prison list, write to Yesh Gvul aat rahat at isdn.net.il]
. Yesh Gvul will be holding a solidarity vigil for the prisoners next to
Prison 6, on Friday 6, September (The eve of Rosh Hashanah) at 2 PM. With the
help of some Israeli musicians we will try and give them a Happy New Year. and
now, the quiz! According to Maj. General Dan Halutz, the Commander of the
Israeli Air Force, which of the following is a serious crime?
a) Dropping a 1 Ton bomb on 15 innocent Palestinians (including 11 children)
b) Imposing a total curfew for over 60 days on the population of Nablus (over 120,000
inhabitants).
c) The killing of a 19 year-old Palestinian by using him as a
human shield
d) Spraying of slogans on the cars of IAF pilots by peace
activists.
Those that answer correctly will have their names entered in a
lottery. The winner will receive a free flight along with General Halutz to the
Hague.
[6] CO Uri Ya'akobi between prison terms ------------forwarded message
follows----------- From: Prison_Hamster at hotmail.com
Uri Ya'akobi, the 18-year old Conscientious Objector whose letter entitled "I am
no occupier, period" was passed on earlier, was yesterday (Tuesday) released
from a term at Military Prison 4 in Tzrifin. He was, however, required to report
back to the army's Induction Center (Bakum), where he is due to receive a new
order to enlist, which he again will refuse, upon which he would immediately get
his new prison term - to be reunited again with the other imprisoned youngsters,
Dror Boimel, and Yoni Ben-Artzi. All the three are members of the "Shiministim"
(Highschool Seniors) group, whose declaration to refuse army service was signed
by more than 200 youngsters, among them those who refuse to serve in the
Occupied Territories as well as others who refuse to enlist altogether. Pending
his reimprisonment,
Ya'akobi is available for comment at phone 972-(0)55-498315.
Other Shiministim contacts:
Hagai Matar 923-5408977 Shani Werner 09-7652452
[7] Please help fill the school bag of a Palestinian child - Tandi
The Jewish-Arab movement Tandi (Democratic Women) is initiating a School Bag
Campaign, aimed at donating school
bags and their contents to children in the Occupied Territories whose parents,
in the present severe situation, are unable to provide it by themselves. Tandi
already obtained thousands of school bags bearing the slogan "Give us a
childhood, give us peace". We need, however, the contents:
copybooks, pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, and anything else required by a
schoolchild. Either the school materials
themselves or money with which to buy them can be donated (about 50 Shekels per
child are needed). The school bags will be distributed directly among children
in the Occupied Territories. For further information: Hagar 03-5231682.
[8] While the army was caught sleeping
joint Israeli-Palestinian demonstration in Hawara
[report by Adam Keller]
Saturday morning, August 24. Once again, the Israeli Arab town of Kafr Quasem,
on the West Bank border, is the rendezvous for a relief convoy organized by the
Ta'ayush (Arab-Jewish Partnership) movement. Some four hundred people, Jewish
and Arab, have arrived from different parts of the country. We have all been
drawn here by the plight of the city of Nablus, which has been singled out for a
particularly harsh curfew since the city was re-occupied in late June. Unlike in
other West Bank cities, the Nablus curfew has been virtually continuous over the
past 64 days, disrupting the city's social and economic structures to the point
of collapse. The backyard of a sympathizer's house provides enough space for
everybody to gather and hear the organizers' briefing: "We have organised this
convoy at the invitation of the Palestinian leadership in Nablus. There is a
very serious shortage of food, particularly of milk; many families are forced to
give sugared water to babies instead. We have with us three trucks, loaded
mainly with flour, milk powder and baby formula. But our purpose is not just to
get the food through. We intend to hold a joint demonstration with the
Palestinians, to protest together against the curfew and the occupation. People
in Nablus and in the towns along the way like in Hawarah, expect us and are
preparing to demonstrate together with us. Whether or not we can actually get
there is another matter. If the army tries to stop us, remember that this is
strictly a non-violent demonstration. Don't respond to provocations by soldiers,
nor by settlers if they show up." Eight buses set out together with the trucks,
crossing into the West Bank and setting out eastwards along the "Trans-Samaria
Road", a broad highway reserved for the use of the settlers, and forbidden to
the Palestinian villagers on whose confiscated lands it was built. At the moment
it is almost completely empty - religious settlers do not travel on the
Sabbath. Many kilometres are crossed without hindrance. But the army is waiting
at the Tapuach junction, where our route crosses Route 60 leading northwards to
Nablus. The buses and trucks stop at the dreary roadside, near a small green hut
daubed with crude racist graffiti - the handiwork of settlers from nearby
Tapuach. The Ta'ayush negotiating team sets out to meet the officers in charge,
and the rest of us settle for a long wait. News filters through the column from
the junction ahead. It seems that a compromise was suggested, namely to let
several hundred Palestinians through the barriers and checkpoints and join up
with us here. The officers present said that such a far-reaching decision can
only be made by the colonel in person. The colonel is rumoured to be on his way.
An hour later, he has still not arrived, and the Ta'ayush negotiators conclude
that the army is just trying to stall. Suddenly, the convoy marshals call out:
"This is it - we are setting out on foot. Hurry up!". We pick up tins of milk
powder and the prepared signs - "Security for both peoples, independence for
both peoples, peace between the two peoples" and "60 days' curfew - 60 days
without food and medicines". We set out over the brambles of the nearby fields,
go up the gentle slope of a hill and down a sharper incline - and we find
ourselves on the Nablus road, with the army road-block far behind us. Pursuit is
expected, and organizers distribute slices of onion - an antidote to tear gas
common among Palestinians since the first intifada. But there is no pursuit, the
army seems disoriented by our sudden move. There is nothing to stop us marching
northwards along a second empty highway. Fortunately the sun, though hot enough,
is not as blazing as it was a few days ago. After some five kilometres' march,
houses start appearing at the roadside. We are entering the town of Hawarah, a
few kilometres south of Nablus, which shares the city's plight under the ongoing
curfew. At the city limits the army has set up a road-block, apparently in a big
hurry. The organizers call a halt, to let the entire column catch up. Then we
link arms and walk forward, with the chanting ringing out: "Peace Yes -
Occupation No!" and "Our peace partners/are behind the road-block". Suddenly, in
twinkling, the road-block had been passed and we are within Hawarah, continuing
along the highway which is here the town's main street. They did not shoot. When
we arrive, the street is almost completely empty, under the strictly enforced
curfew. The sign of a souvenir shop in Hebrew and English gives mute evidence to
better times before the outbreak of violence. As we march along, Palestinian
inhabitants start coming out and join the march, first timidly, then in growing
numbers. Suddenly, there is shouting ahead and a huddle of struggling bodies. On
coming closer it turns out that soldiers suddenly broke into the midst of the
march and grabbed one of the Palestinian curfew-breakers, trying to drag him off
to detention. Israelis cling to their newly-found companion, shouting "Leave him
alone" at the soldiers. After a few minutes the soldiers give up - but the scene
is repeated again and again up the street, with different groups of soldiers and
demonstrators and with the same result. Suddenly a changed tactic. One of the
Israelis, is grabbed in turn, and before his fellows adjust he is pushed
directly into a waiting police car. Immediately, hundreds of demonstrators sit
down on the asphalt all around the police, blocking its way. After some ten
minutes of a stand-off, the police car opens and the detainee - a bearded,
long-haired youngster from Tel-Aviv - steps out to the sound of cheering. And
then from the south, back the way we have come, there is a growing sound of
chanting. "Yaskut Al-Ikhtilal! Yaskut, Yaskut, Yaskut" (Down with the
occupation, down, down, down! - battle cry of the Palestinian demonstrators
since 1967 is interspersed with "Free, free Palestine". Approaching is a solid
block of hundreds of the Hawarah townspeople, mostly youths but with older men
mingled in between, and with the towns' mayor and notables marching at the
front. The Israeli demonstration changes direction, the last rows linking arms
to form a rear guard and shield the approaching Palestinians from the army and
police. The two demonstrations joyfully join and merge amidst broad smiles, with
hands shaking or lifted aloft in the v-for-victory sign. Among the Palestinians
we find also several of the international volunteers of ISM, undeterred after
two of the numbers were arrested in Nabus on the previous day, awaiting
deportation for the crime of delivering humanitarian relief. The steps at the
entrance of a grocery store becomes the podium of an improvised rally, with
Israeli and Palestinian speakers addressing the crowd through a megaphone.
Suddenly, a rumbling. A whole column of Israeli army Armoured Personnel Carriers
is arriving. In normal days of the curfew, even one or two of these grey
armoured monsters with the threatening machine-gun snouts would have been enough
to clear the street. On this time, the APC's pass in their dozens, and the
driver of each is greeted with the crowd's shout (in Hebrew) "Soldier, go home"
- uttered in unison by Israelis and Palestinians alike. The APC drivers look
aside, pretending not to notice. For a moment, an alternative reality has been
created on the dusty street of a Palestinian town - an island where the daily
oppression of the curfew was held back.
[Maybe you could send a very short message to
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon <pm_eng at pmo.gov.il>
Spokesperson of the Prime Minister <dover at pmo.gov.il>
Defence Minister Benjamin Beneliezer <sar at mod.gov.il>
Spokesperson Defence Ministry <info at mail.idf.il>
Just one line: STOP THE CURFEW OF NABLUS]
[9] Day 67: Nablus Still Under Siege – prisoners at our own expense
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Amer Abdelhadi" <amerhadi at tmfm.net>
Date sent: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 05:05:07 +0200
[Amer Abdelhabadi writes an ongoing diary from Nablus under curfew]
Monday, August 26th, 2002. Day 67 in this outrageous strict curfew where over
200,000 people are ordered to stay home, not look out of their windows and not
let their children playing in the streets and, of course, no work. The taxi
driver, Awni, said, "We are prisoners at our expense, had we been in prison, we
would have been fed and provided for, by law, at least". Awni, a taxi driver,
risks his life and his vehicle –his source of income– carrying people in need,
to their destination during the curfew. "We may be spotted anywhere during the
route, without notice" He warned "they may hold us 4-8 hours, let us free or
give us a fine or they may arrest us". Awni makes many phone calls to his
friends and fellow drivers to check ahead destinations his passengers are
heading to. He checks even before he starts his daily dangerous trip. In his
car, He listens carefully to the Radio for news updates from Nablus. He takes
people from anywhere to everywhere. Risks as well as costs are higher. Even
diesel is sometimes nowhere to be found and have to be brought from out of the
city, at a higher price too. Taxi drivers or anyone who is caught red handed
breaking the curfew, in a vehicle or on foot is heading for trouble. "The area
you are heading to is clear, at least for the past 10 minutes, but with hope and
Gods, will we will be unspotted" He tried to reassure ". With the Intifada
nearly closing its second year, many people are out of work -all the ones that
earn their income on a daily base-. They are affected by the slightest
turbulence in normal daily life. The past two years have been tough on them all,
but the past five months had nearly broken their backs. They have worked less
than 50 days out of 148 days since the first incursion beginning April this year
including the short incursions that ranged between 8 hours to 6 days. When
spotted, they are under the mercy of the patrol commander. They are usually
ordered to stay in their cars for over 8 hours, -until enough cars are caught in
that area-. They are then driven in a convoy with armored vehicle escort to a
secluded area the where; they may be let to go home after some harsh and dirty
words, or get arrested or beaten up, before they leave without their vehicles
and on foot, in the darkness and under the mercy of another patrol who could
shoot them while walking from the that area to their homes. The vehicles are not
to be returned until the next break in the curfew and a fine of US $1200 plus
bonded fees for the vehicle space. They could be fired at before being checked
or asked questions.(as quoted by taxi drivers) Since the curfew, people have had
to go many places and couldn’t. Women have delivered their babies in vehicles en
route to hospital or at home with no prior experience to anyone there in that
field. Sick people have died while waiting for the ambulance that’s probably
been held by some lazy soldier who would keep it waiting for hours before even
checking how urgent the case is. People that fell and broken an arm or a leg
have had to be treated at home using ways going back to more than 200 years and
of course all those that have arrived back home from abroad are left at the city
limits' army check points to wait. Husam, another taxi driver that I interviewed
few weeks ago replied when I asked if it was worth his while to risk his life
like that, said, "I have a family to feed. We have been out of work over two
continuous months and have been broke even before that. I cannot sell the car;
no one buys anything these days. My wife already sold her jewelry and spent the
money on food and medicine. My children do not comprehend the curfew. They know
I provide for the house and they take no excuses for anything missing, they are
only little" He continued "Plus, these people – the passengers – need the
transport. I am being careful, I try to find out where the soldiers are and try
to avoid them" "But isn’t it too dangerous? Your children may loose their
father" he replied, "My life is in Gods hands, my friend was fired at one time
and nearly lost his life but, thank God, got away with an injury. I hope for the
sake of my children that I live to support them, but I am not doing that sitting
at home. Yes, it is dangerous and it is a stressful job but some of those
passengers are in real need and I need the income. It is a two way street". "My
cousin was killed while with his children at home from a snipers bullet". Mazen
said, "He was not on any wanted list and still got it. You should see the shock
in his children's faces." He said sadly, "They had to sit, for days, with his
dead body until it started stinking before they finally got him buried. The
Israelis want to break us and push us until we starve but we won't give them the
pleasure?" For the world to see, hear and read. These are some stories about
only one tiny sector in the city of Nablus, which is sitting under strict curfew
for the past SIXTY SEVEN days. The world is watching, yet has done little.
Amer Abdelhadi General Manager Radio Tariq Al Mahabbeh (TMFM 97.7)
Nablus Under Siege
[10] High Court Forbids Holding of Detainees without Beds
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: <Miri at phr.org.il>
August 26th 2002
PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS-ISRAEL
Following apetitionsubmitted by PHR-Israel, High CourtordersPolice to stop
holding detainees without beds in the Negev and Kishon detention facilities
Following a petition submitted by Physicians for Human Rights–Israel to the High
Court of Justice, an interim order was issued, stating that no detainees held in
the Negev and Kishon detention facilities be left without a bed within 45 days.
Furthermore, the court ordered the state to explain within 45 days why the
police regularly has detainees sleeping on the floor in detention facilities
throughout the country, in clear violation of Israeli law. Background: The
petition followed the publishing of the report "The Price of Overcrowding" and
is based on an ongoing inspection project PHR-Israel has been conducting over
the past five years in which most major police facilities have been
investigated. Last November PHR-Israel conducted an inspection of the Negev
Detention centre. The findings showed severe overcrowding, including the holding
of detainees in telephone booths and rooms meant attorney-client meetings.
Following the inspection and the ensuing report, PHR-Israel submitted a petition
to the High Court of Justice. In February this year, an interim order was handed
down, ordering the state not to hold any detainees on the floor at the Negev
centre. As a result of an assertion by the state that this is the case, and
after a follow- up inspection by PHR-Israel affirming that no detainees were on
the floor, the petition was withdrawn. However, from later testimonies that have
now been submitted to the court, it was discovered that as soon as the petition
was withdrawn and the matter was taken off the court's agenda, the police
immediately reverted to old behavior patterns and dozens off detainees were on
the floor off the Negev detention. On June 10th this year, PHR-Israel
conducted an inspection of the Kishon detention facility, the second largest of
its kind in Israel, located in the Haifa region. The inspection team included a
psychiatrist and family doctor, a social worker, PHR-Israel's project director
and a volunteer. On the day of our inspection 448 detainees were being held,
while the facility had only 340 beds to offer, leaving over 100 detainees on the
floor during waking and sleeping hours. In one cell the inspection team came
across 19 detainees held in a cell with only 12 beds. The cells were dark and
stifling, with tiny windows that let in almost no light or fresh air. The
conditions in the Kishon facility are in no way unique or temporary. As of
August 11th there are over 350 detainees all over the country who are forced to
sleep on the floor. The violation of domestic and international law regarding
detention conditions has become an ongoing and systematic phenomenon, while the
basic rights, health and human dignity of prisoners and detainees are regularly
abused in broad daylight with not even an attempt to disguise the wrongdoing.
This shameful practice is intolerable and must come to an end. The petition
submitted in June calls for the law to be respected in all police facilities.
The interim order issued today deals with two of the largest facilities, and the
state has 45 days to explain the situation in all facilities throughout the
country. For questions, comments and more, please contact Noam Lubell,
Prisoners and Detainees Project Director at 9723-6873718, 97267-322007
[11] 'Deterrents that haven't deterred' - Amira Hass
Ha’aretz, Wednesday, August 28, 2002 Elul 20, 5762
Deterrents that haven't deterred
By Amira Hass
The IDF and Shin Bet claim that demolishing
the homes of terror suspects and expelling
their families to Gaza is a deterrence that
has already yielded results. Such an opinion
relies on the ignorance or willful amnesia of
the Israeli public.
Senior IDF and Shin Bet officers depend on
Israelis not taking note of the fact that for
the last two years most of Israel's military
activity in the territories has been about
deterrence. The punishments meted out were
collective and harmed the entire Palestinian
population. But the terrorist attacks not only
proliferated and became bloodier, but were
aimed at ever larger numbers of people, and
Palestinian public opinion polls show support
for the attackers has not declined.
Here are some of the collective deterrent
measures tried in the last two years:
1. In the first weeks of the intifada,
characterized mostly by mass demonstrations,
stone-throwing and later by Palestinian
gunfire in the air, the IDF responded with
live fire or with "rubber" bullets that killed
scores - including children - and wounded
hundreds. The presence of armed Palestinians
among the demonstrators and rock-throwers made
it easy to loosen the rules of engagement and
use lethal fire. The Israel Defense Forces can
say they were only responding to fire directed
at troops, but have never explained the deaths
of civilians - including women and children -
far from the scenes of clashes. Nor can they
explain snipers killing and wounding people
not involved in shootings or even stone-
throwing, although they were at the scenes of
clashes. Just because the IDF have never
examined or investigated these many cases of
shootings and have never drawn any conclusions
from it, and just because Israelis paid little
attention to Palestinian reports of such
killings does not alter the Palestinian
experience of mass bereavement - meant to be a
deterrent - since the start of the intifada.
2. IDF bulldozers have demolished hundreds of
homes of people not involved in shootings or
bombings - at first, mostly in the refugee
camps of Rafah and Khan Yunis in the Gaza
Strip. The army said armed Palestinians used
the houses to shoot from, or built tunnels
under the houses for arms smuggling. Thousands
of buildings have been seriously damaged by
IDF fire. The explanation - they were being
used as firing positions against the army.
Dozens of other buildings were damaged when
the IDF blew up neighboring houses alleged to
be the homes of relatives of terrorists, or
when it bombed Palestinian Authority
facilities. In other words, thousands of
Palestinians have already been through the
experience of "the deterrence" of demolished
homes.
3. For "security reasons" bulldozers and tanks
have plowed under thousands of dunams of farm
land, uprooted tens of thousands of trees, and
demolished greenhouses and wells. The
collective emotional anguish over this mass
destruction is even more deeply felt than the
financial damage.
4. IDF assassinations, starting with the first
on November 1, 2001, have accidentally killed
civilians, including women and children
unlucky enough to be in the area when the
wanted men happened to pass. The climax came
on July 22 in Gaza in the Air Force bombing to
kill Salah Shehadeh, the Hamas military
leader. In other words, dozens of families and
hundreds of people with nothing to do with
terrorism, have been "deterred" by the most
costly loss of all - their loved ones.
5. Expulsion to Gaza is portrayed as a
deterrent because it will cut people off from
their families - exactly what closures and
curfews have been doing anyway. The limits on
freedom of movement that Israel imposes on the
Palestinians gets tighter and tighter,
completely disrupting the family lives of
three million people. Thousands of elderly
parents have not seen their children or
grandchildren for a year or more. Family
events are held with many members of the
family missing. The fact that Israelis don't
know and don't care about this doesn't mean
the so-called "deterrent" effect isn't felt as
a collective punishment by the entire
Palestinian population.
The military logic that now holds sway in the
government and army says whatever has been
tried and didn't deter enough, should be tried
more forcefully. In the army and the
government are people with imaginations that
are feverishly working overtime to devise the
most deterring deterrents. Just how long can
their mistaken conclusions continue to mislead
the Israeli public and the judges of the High
Court of Justice?
= == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == =
"Inside the Maelstrom", leading article of the latest The Other Israel
now available on the internet.
Dr. David Hirsh: "Its great to read a thoughtful narrative of the
last couple of months... rather than just the crazy news every day...
it puts things into perspective."
Gila Svirsky: "(...) a thoughtfully written and impressive survey of events.
Thanks for being the historians of the peace movement!"
http://members.tripod.com/~other_Israel/ed.html
= == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == =
PS: Did it occur to you to write a letter to the editor (or if
you are living abroad: to the Israeli Embassy) about the ongoing
witchhunt against Gush Shalom - suggesting for example that
the Attorney General investigate violations of international
law - and not those monitoring them?
NB: Don't forget to include your address and phone number.
----
Full transcript of the war crimes panel available on the Gush site
For Hebrew http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/forum.html
For English http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/forum_eng.html
French available at request
Also on the site:
photo's - of action or otherwise informative
the weekly Gush Shalom ad - in Hebrew and English
the columns of Uri Avnery - in Hebrew, Arab and English
(and a lot more)
http://www.gush-shalom.org
In order to receive our Hebrew press releases [mostly WORD documents -
not always same as English]
mailto:gush-shalom-heb-request at mailman.gush-shalom.org
+ NB: write the word "subscribe" in the subject line.
If you want to support Gush Shalom's activities you can send a cheque or
cash, wrapped well in an extra piece of paper, to:
Gush Shalom pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033
or ask us for charities in your country which receive donations on behalf of
Gush Shalom
(Please, add your email address where to send our confirmation of receipt.
More official receipts at request only.)
For more about Gush Shalom you are invited to visit our website:
http://www.gush-shalom.org/
-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-
More information about the gush-shalom-intl
mailing list