[GushShalomBillboard] Latest: Gush Shalom CAN be prosecuted + a lot more
Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)
info at gush-shalom.org
Thu Sep 5 02:53:41 IDT 2002
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// Gush Shalom Billboard //
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[This may be the last message which we send out before Rosh Hashana, New Year.
>From the depth of our heart we hope it will become better and not worse.]
announcements
[1] Friday, Yesh Gvul Rosh Hashanah vigil for the refuseniks
[2] Jerusalem Women in Black change hour in battle for the Kikar
[3] Ta'ayush: Convoy to threatened cave dwellers of South Hebron this Saturday 7/9
(Gush Shalom is among the co-sponsors of this action)
[4] Protest The Suppression Of Arab Students at Haifa University
[5] Buy Palestinian grapes from Rabbis for Human Rights
[6] Soldiers speak out - Tzavta 12.9.02
reports & articles
[7] AG changes his mind: Gush Shalom can be prosecuted without change of law
[8] Gush Shalom lodges complaint against chief-of-staff - co-signed by twenty
academic figures and keypersons of other peace groups
[9] Zonshine and other refusnik officers:
Petition Against The Legality Of The Occupation
[10] Radio station director Amer Abdelhadi, writer of the Nablus curfew diary, punished
[11] Haaretz editorial Sept. 3: A message for the IDF (and for the Prime Minister)
[12] Account by a father of the first schoolday in Al-Bireh/Ramallah
[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] Friday, Yesh Gvul Rosh Hashanah vigil for the refuseniks
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "ram rahat" <rahat at isdn.net.il>
Date sent: Tue, 3 Sep 2002 09:18:51 +0200
To the release from a cursed year and to the start of a blessed year of peace
Rosh Hashanah vigil for the refuseniks at prison 6, Athlit
Once again, at Rosh Hashanah this year, some brave people will be imprisoned in
military jails, for listening to their conscience, and saying NO.
The long years of the occupation have led Israel to take part in many war crimes, and
have brought us to a moral, social and economic abyss. Today, more and more
conscripts and reservists are refusing to take part in the oppression of civilians, in the
internment of hundreds of thousands in their homes, of the bombing of crowded
neighborhoods, and the protection of a gang of settlers that carried out a pogrom in
Hebron.
In the past year hundreds of soldiers refused to take part in the occupation, in the
oppression and war crimes in the Occupied Territories. Whoever chose to refuse, did it
by themselves. But when they did, they found us at their side – extending a hand,
counseling and supporting.
On Friday, September 6th, the eve of Rosh Hashanah at 12:30 pm,
we will celebrate the New Year with the imprisoned refuseniks:
-- Ophir Bedusa (sentenced on August 22 to 28 days at Prison 6)
-- Uri Ya’akobi (sentenced on September 1 to 28 days at Prison 4)
-- David Raban (sentenced on September 2 to 7 days at Prison 4)
-- Ro’i Berlin (sentenced on August 19 to 28 days at Prison 6)
Come and join us in a show of support for those imprisoned, and for our hope for a
year without blood, for leaving the Occupied Territories and to peace and living together
with our Palestinian neighbors.
We will also be joined by: the musicians Sharon Ben-Ezer and Ze’ev Tene and the
speakers: Dafna Golan-Agmon , Yitzchak Laor and members of the refuseniks
families.
Meeting point: Bet Oren Junction, on the old Haifa-Hadera road
Transportation: Jerusalem – Binyanei Ha’uma – 10:00
Tel Aviv - The corner of Namir and Arlozorov – 11:15
Estimated end of the vigil – 16:00
Please come with good spirits and cake
www.yesh-gvul.org
[2] Jerusalem Women in Black change hour in battle for the Kikar
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Tue, 03 Sep 2002 23:22:56 +0200
From: Gila Svirsky <gsvirsky at netvision.net.il>
Haverot and Haverim:
In a meeting this evening open to all Jerusalem Women in Black, the
following decisions were made:
1. Jerusalem Women in Black will continue to hold our vigil at Kikar Hagar
every Friday.
2. Starting this Friday (erev hag), the Jerusalem vigil will be held at
12:00-13:00 -- one hour earlier than usual. Following the vigil, the
women will disburse, leaving the right wing without a reason for
demonstrating. We will continue the vigil at 12:00-13:00 every Friday
until further notice.
3. If the right-wing changes its vigil hour to conflict with ours, the
women will demand that the police prevent them from entering the Kikar.
If the police refuse to prevent their entry, Women in Black will go to
court on the grounds that we changed our vigil to avoid conflict, but the
police are still not protecting our right to demonstrate.
3. Representatives of Women in Black will meet with the Jerusalem Police
for the following purposes:
a. To inform the police of our decision.
b. To demand that the police arrest any right wing demonstrators who
seek to interfere with the Women in Black demonstration or chant slogans
declared illegal by the courts.
4. This Friday, again, it is important that additional women and men join
us at Kikar Hagar at 12:00 because:
(a) Erev Rosh Hashana we expect a smaller turnout of women; and
(b) we need a larger turnout to stake our claim to the Kikar at 12:00.
Many, many thanks for the solidarity of all who came last week.
Women in Black
Jerusalem
[3] Ta'ayush: Convoy to threatened cave dwellers of South Hebron this Saturday 7/9
(Gush Shalom is among the co-sponsors of this action)
From: "Ta'ayush Arab-Jewish" <arab_jewish at hotmail.com>
Date sent: Mon, 02 Sep 2002 10:08:47 +0200
The convoy to South Hebron Mount will take place earlier than expected on Saturday
the 7th of September (instead of Sunday).
Yes, we know it falls on Rosh Hashanna, but the decisive Supreme Court
hearings(BAGGATS) are starting on Tuesday the 10th of September, and this time it
will not be postponed further. The fate of the inhabitants in South of Mount Hebron will
be decided there. It might be the culmination of our more than a year long efforts to
support our friends there in their struggle against the Israeli government attempts to
coomit a population transfer in the region.
Massive participation is crucial both at the convoy and at the supreme court hearing.
Convoy - meeting place: Ksatinna junction/Kiryat Mlaakhi junction (the next junction
after Masmia/Raem junction), in front of the restaurant at 10:00 AM.
We will travel in a convoy of private cars and in buses.
Bring with you: hat, lots of water, sunscreen and I.D
More details will follow about transportation from different cities in Israel - check your e-
mail.
[4] Protest The Suppression Of Arab Students at Haifa University
----- Original Message -----
From: "Khulood Badawi" <arabstudentunion_il at yahoo.com>
From: "nur" <nur at netvision.net.il>
From: "Haggai Katriel" <haggaik at wowmail.com>
[compiled from different messages]
National Arab Student Union
PROTEST THE SUPRESSION OF POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF ARAB
STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA
As part of an orchestrated campaign of suppression aimed at silencing the voice of
Arab students at the University of Haifa, the university authorities have recently
decided to suspend two students - Alaa Halaila and Raja Zaatra, chairman of the Arab
student committee - from their studies for one semester.
Three other student-activists - Fadi Abu-Yunes, Samer Sueid, and Sami Zuabi - were
put on probation and threatened with a one-semester suspension. These decisions
punish the students for their participation in an allegedly "illegal" demonstration, and
they mark the climax of a school year in which the Arab students' right of expression
was repeatedly denied.
- At the beginning of the school year, the Arab students' committee held a protest vigil
on the discrimination against Arab students in acceptance to the student dormitories,
based on the criterion of "military service" (to which Arabs in Israel cannot comply).
Following this protest, five students were suspended from their studies for three weeks
without trial.
- From the beginning of the second semester, the University systematically prevented
Arab students from expressing their protest against the Israeli re-invasion of the towns
and refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza.
We Need Your Support
The policy of the University of Haifa seeks to end Palestinian student political activism
on campus. This policy will continue unless massive protest persuades the University
that it is unacceptable for an institution of Higher Learning.
We therefore call on members of the academic community - students and professors -
as well as others, to protest the suppression of political activities of Arab students at
the University of Haifa and demand that the University revoke the suspensions
imposed on the student activists and respect students' basic democratic right to
express their political views.
More information about events at the University of Haifa can be obtained from
"Khulood Badawi" <arabstudentunion_il at yahoo.com>, or "nur" <nur at netvision.net.il>
Please email your protest letters the university
officials listed below:
Prof. Yehuda Hayuth <hayuth at uvm.haifa.ac.il>
President Prof. Aharon Ben Zeev <benzeev at research.haifa.ac.il>
Rector Fax no. 8342101
Prof. Aharon Kellerman <akeller at research.haifa.ac.il>
Vice President Fax no. 8343441
Ms. Yael Metser <metser at research.haifa.ac.il>
Vice President for Public Relations and Resource Development
Prof. Ron Robin <r.robin at research.haifa.ac.il>
Dean of Students Fax no. 8240319
If you can, please send a copy of your letter to the National Arab Student Union
<Arabstudentunion_il at yahoo.com> and to the Committee of Arab Students at the
University of Haifa <students1976 at hotmail.com>.
[5] Buy Palestinian grapes from Rabbis for Human Rights
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Rabbis for Human Rights" <info at rhr.israel.net>
To: <info at rhr.israel.net>
Date sent: Mon, 2 Sep 2002 17:55:56 +0200
Dear Friends,
BUY PALESTINIAN GRAPES
As you know, Palestinian farmers who manage to harvest their
fields/vineyards/orchards face additional difficulties marketing their
produce. As I wrote a few weeks ago, we are trying to connect farmers with
the department in the Israeli Agriculture Ministry supposedly working to
help out in this area.
Just as we have marketed olive oil (And continue to do so), we are exploring
the possibility of marketing a ton of grapes - 1/4 ton a week for four
weeks, starting this Thursday. We must decide by Wednesday whether or not
this is possible. Please let us know whether you would be interested in a
weekly purchase of grapes, and how much. Could you pick up the grapes from
a Jerusalem location or would we need to deliver them? This will take some
person power. Would you be willing to volunteer to help out?
In North America many of recall the grape boycotts organized by the United
Farm Workers. Now we are asking you to BUY GRAPES.
B'Vrakha,
Arik
Rabbis For Human Rights
Tel. 972 2 563-7731
Fax. 972 2 566-2815
Mobile 972 50607034
[6] Soldiers speak out - Tzavta 12.9.02
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: David Zonsheine <dzonsheine at mercadosw.com>
Date sent: Tue, 3 Sep 2002 18:26:51 +0200
[We didn't receive an English version]
[7] AG changes his mind: Gush Shalom CAN be prosecuted without change of law
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Contrary to what was published Sept. 2, the Attorney General was later reported to
have said that there IS a law that could be used against Gush Shalom for "collecting
information about IDF officers and sending that information to the international court."
The following appeared in Ha'aretz Sept.3:
News in Brief
AG says Gush Shalom can be prosecuted
Attorney General Eliyakim Rubinstein has told Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit there is a
law that could be used to prosecute Gush Shalom - for collecting information about
IDF officers and sending that information to the international court - Sheetrit informed a
Likud political gathering in Tel Aviv last night. Rubinstein had been reported as saying
there was no legal ground to prosecute Gush Shalom for sending letters to IDF
officers, warning their actions in the territories could lead to prosecutions in the
international war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
(Baruch Kra)
[8] Gush Shalom lodges complaint against chief-of-staff - co-signed by academic
figures and keypersons of other peace groups
Gush Shalom calls upon Attorney General to take steps against Chief-of-Staff Ya'aalon.
The Gush Shalom movement today officially called upon Attorney General Rubinstein
to look into the possibility of taking leg al action against rmy Chief-of-Staff General
Moshe Ya'aalon because of the political statements made by Ya'alon in press
interviews (Ha'aretz August 30) and in various public forums such as The Rabbis
Forum. According to Gush Shalom, Ya'alon is expressing clear politicl opinions on
controversial issues and is openly disputing government policies and Knesset
resolutions, for example his disquaaalifiction of the Oslo Agreement and his opposition
to the building of a border fence. Ta'alon's claim of "giving a professionaal opinion is no
more than a thin disguise. Gush Shalom specifically mentions Ya'alon's crude attack
on the Israeli peace and human rghts orgaanizations which he accused of "subversion
against the state and army."
Gush Shalom adds that "Public expression of a politicaal opinion by an officer on
active service is grave damge to democracy. Such politicaal expression from the
army's highest officer, who is supposed to serve as aan exmple to all other officers is
all the more grave.
According to Uri Avnery: "It is highly regrettble that the political echelon did not protest
this phenomenon and did not take any counter measures. On the contrary, the Prime
Minister has expressed public support for the Chief-of-Staff's statements. Therefore, it
is up to the Attorney General to fulfill his duty and take the necessary steps to end
this.
The call of Gush Shalom has been co-signed by academic figures and keypersons of
other peace groups: Sergio Yahni, Alternative Information Center; Professor Jacob
Katriel, Haifa; Dr. Lev Grinberg, Be'er-Sheva University; Dr Hannah Safran, Women in
Black; Dr Neve Gordon, Be'er-Sheva University; Tamar Yaron, Kibbutz Hazorea;
Yehudith Keshet, Jerusalem, Machsom-Watch; Gil Svirsky; Nora Bendersky; David
Nir; Diana Dolev; Engineer Dror Tamari; Shlomit Tamari, Dept. of Education, Be'er-
Sheva University; Suzy Mordechai; Rela Mazali, writer; Rabbi Arik Asherman.
[9] Zonshine and other refusnik officers:
Petition Against The Legality Of The Occupation
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Tue, 03 Sep 2002 11:38:27 +0200
From: Didi Remez <ddremez at netvision.net.il>
September 3, 2002
GROUND BREAKING PETITION AGAINST THE LEGALITY OF THE OCCUPATION
Lieutenant (Res.) David Zonsheine and seven other reserve duty soldiers
argue that "refusal is legal because the occupation of the last two
years is illegal."
On Wednesday, 4 September, at 09:00 a.m. Lieutenant David Zonsheine and
seven IDF combat reserve soldiers, four of whom are also officers, will
submit an unprecedented petition to the Israeli High Court of Justice
(Supreme Court). The petitioners, all members of "Ometz Lesarev" and
signatories of the "officers letter" have all been sentenced to prison
terms, and claim that their refusal to serve in the occupied territories
is legal and imperative, because the entire occupation has become
illegal over the past two years.
A landmark petition:
. For the first time the Supreme Court is called upon to rule on the
legality of the occupation.
. The first petition on conscientious objection in twenty years.
. The petition represents the first detailed presentation of the Israeli
occupation and its full implications on the lives of ordinary
Palestinians to the Supreme Court.
A comprehensive petition:
. The petition includes 26 reports from 14 different organizations that
have monitored the occupation over the last two years.
. The petition includes 20 affidavits submitted by officers and soldiers
that have served in the Occupied Territories during the current
intidfada. Their vivid testimonies describe the routine of the
occupation and the extensive violations of human rights that result from
the occupation.
Advocate Michael Sfard, of Advocate Avigdor Feldman's office, who is
representing the petitioners: "For two years now the State of Israel has
systematically violated the human rights of the Palestinian residents of
the occupied territories and failed to fulfill its duties, as required
by Israeli and international law. If the IDF wants to continue to punish
soldiers who refuse to take part in the occupation and these violations
it needs to prove the legality of the occupation."
Lieutenant David Zonsheine, recently sentenced to 35 days in jail for
refusing to serve in the Beit El region, and released after two weeks by
order of the Supreme Court: "As someone who has dutifully served the IDF
in my compulsory and reserve service, both in Lebanon and the Occupied
Territories, I know that the duties imposed on IDF soldiers in the
Occupied Territories are immoral and illegal. Moreover, they do not
serve the security interests of my country. As a Jew, an Israeli and an
IDF officer I refuse to take part in these activities."
An extract from the petition: "The Israeli occupation has over the past
two years become a mechanism of collective punishment of the civilian
population. The State of Israel abrogates its duties - as demanded by
international and Israeli law - to take care of the Palestinian
population living under occupation. The IDF's activities,
notwithstanding the important goal of fighting terror, have a
devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. For
this reason, the occupation is illegal, and as such it is no longer
possible to distinguish between legal and illegal order."
For additional comment:
Amit Mashiach - Ometz Lesarev spokesperson: 054 578822;
Adv. Michael Sfard, 054-713930.
[10] Radio station director Amer Abdelhadi, writer of the Nablus curfew diary, punished
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Amer Abdelhadi" <amerhadi at tmfm.net>
[The following is a press release of a radio station director who struggles to keep a
radio in the air which has become during the curfew practically the only link holding
together the population of Nablus.]
TMFM - Breaking News: Israeli Army storms into Radio Tariq Al Mahabbeh Link taking
everything away
Last night, around midnight, the Israeli army has stormed into Radio Tariq Al
Mahabbeh (TMFM 97.7) re-broadcasting link breaking the doors along the way.
Sometime later, they were seen carrying our equipment away.
This marks the second time the army steels TMFM equipment after storming the
previous location July 1999 and forth attacks after shelling our main studios and
vandalizing the re-broadcasting link April 2002.
Unfortunately, more details are not available at present time due to the curfew
continuation on Nablus for the fifth consecutive day. 75 days since it first started June
20th.
Full report will be issued soon.
Amer Abdelhadi
General Manager
Radio Tariq Al Mahabbeh (TMFM 97.7)
Nablus Under Siege
[11] Haaretz editorial Sept. 3: A message for the IDF (and for the Prime Minister)
A message for the IDF
Even if the incidents that have resulted in the deaths of 15 Palestinians in the last few
days - most of whom had no connection to terrorism - were no more than an
unfortunate chain of innocent mishaps, their political and psychological significance is
impossible to ignore. They happened while Israel's leadership was divided over the
value or validity of the "Gaza and Bethlehem First" plan, and when the IDF Chief of
Staff had publicly declared his complete lack of faith in the current Palestinian
leadership, or in its willingness to accept Israel's existence as a Jewish state.
This is not to suggest a deliberate
policy behind the series of tragic failures that killed innocent people. But it does
indicate that the prime minister and defense minister are not sending a consistent
message about the function of the preliminary agreement that has been reached, and
the heads of the Israel Defense Forces react suspiciously to any arrangement meant
to calm the violence. They see it mainly as a trick by the Palestinians that allows
them to gather their forces for more attacks. When the message being sent by the
heads of the government and the army is so confused, it becomes more likely that IDF
soldiers and commanders in the field will continue to view the Gaza and Bethlehem
First experiment as a hopeless process, and to believe the enemy should be treated
just as it was before the process began.
It goes without saying that it is necessary to prevent terrorists and those who
send them from carrying out their plans. But not every Palestinian is an enemy, not
every movement in the night is an attempted attack, and not every car in which a
wanted man is traveling should be attacked with missiles. That is true even in a time of
war and terror, and it is doubly true when both sides have declared they will make an
effort to dampen the flames of the conflict and start rebuilding a relationship of mutual
trust. The unavoidable fact is that the deaths of these Palestinian civilians - including
women and children - were not caused by mere errors of judgment. In some cases
they came from a deliberate IDF policy of continuing to pursue wanted men and
attempting to kill them.
The prime minister must give his full and explicit backing to the Gaza and Bethlehem
First plan that the defense minister is trying to implement. The defense minister must
impose his authority on the IDF General Staff, and take whatever steps are necessary
to ensure that his policy - aimed at achieving a cease-fire - is implemented. The Chief
of Staff, who just a few days ago ordered the General Staff to obey the decisions of
their political masters without question, must ensure that his orders filter down to every
level of command.
It is fine that the IDF has apologized for the mistakes that caused the
Palestinian deaths of the last few days, and it is good that a major general has been
appointed to investigate the circumstances of these distressing accidents, but this is
not enough. There must be a basic change in the prime minister's approach to efforts
to engage the Palestinians, so that the necessary message will penetrate down to
every level of command and every last soldier. That message is - the state of Israel is
trying, with the utmost sincerity, to achieve a cease-fire with the Palestinians, and to
bring renewed hope to Palestinians and Israelis alike.
[12] Account by a father of the first schoolday in Al-Bireh/Ramallah
Perfecting the Violence of Curfew
By Sam Bahour*
The sophistication in the methods used by Israel in its systematic
destruction of Palestinian society today struck a raw cord with every
Palestinian parent and child.
Only four days has passed since the beginning of the Palestinian
school year, where over one million Palestinian students returned to
their classrooms after a summer of living under the direct physical,
emotional and mental distress of Israeli military rule. For the last
four days the world community closely watched to see whether
Israel would lift the 24-hour curfew/lockdown that has become
routine across the West Bank. Israel did lift the total curfew from
6am-6pm to allow the school season to start and in order to avoid
international criticism. But the world’s eye has barely blinked and
Israel is already escalating its violent practice of curfew.
Today Palestinian children and parents were exposed to the latest
cruelty of the Israel military occupation. For the last four days
parents prepared their children for school, my wife Abeer and I
included. Our eight-year-old daughter Areen anxiously put on her
school uniform and had breakfast. For her, today was an important
day because the textbooks that were delayed the first day of school
(because of military closures and travel restrictions) were supposed
to arrive and be distributed to the students. Areen couldn’t wait for
her English reading book. At 7:30am we headed to school. At
7:45am and with a big kiss, I dropped Areen off at the Friends
School and headed to an 8:00am business meeting I had outside of
my office. As I usually do in business meetings I turned off my
mobile phone in order not to be disturbed. I will not turn it off again.
At 9:15am one of the persons in our meeting interrupted to advise
us that he received word that Israeli tanks and jeeps had entered
the city center and were announcing that the cities of Ramallah and
Al-Bireh were under total military curfew. Israeli jeeps roamed the
streets announcing that anyone caught in public would be arrested.
By the time I turned on my phone to call my wife three other persons
in my meeting were already on their mobile phones accessing the
situation. Abeer, who was at home with our two-year-old daughter,
was frantic. She had been trying to call me after seeing and hearing
an Israeli armored personnel carrier on our street announcing the
closure. Was Areen in danger? Who should go pick her up from
school? How could we go out, given the curfew and military
vehicles in the streets? Has the school administration advised the
students of the situation? How is Areen, who is very emotionally
sensitive, reacting? Is school still in session? These and a hundred
other questions rush to the mind in such predicaments.
Abeer turned on Israeli radio and heard the Israeli plan. The radio
newscast announced that the Israeli military had put Ramallah
under full curfew starting from 9:00am and would only lift the curfew
from 1:00pm-3:00pm in order for parents to leave their workplaces
and take their children home.
As if the recent months of varying degrees of Israeli military curfews
were not enough violence to terrorize the Palestinian society as a
whole, the Israeli government created a new and improved curfew –
one that would ensure that the violence of occupation would come
between every child and parent.
After getting through to the Friends School’s hotline we were
assured that the gates of the school had been secured and that the
school day was going to continue as scheduled. Although still a little
nervous, we trusted the school administration and knew that if they
felt the children were in any immediate danger they would advise us.
I agreed with Abeer that I would pick up Areen at 2:15pm and the
meeting I was in was called back into session, albeit slightly less
focused. After the meeting I headed to the office for an hour of
work. I had two other engagements planned for today, a training
session for the Commercial Arbitration Center being established
and a seminar titled, From Re-occupation to Reform. Both were
cancelled.
At 1:45pm we closed our office and everyone headed out to pick up
their children. I headed home instead to pick up Nadine, Areen’s
little sister. When we left the house this morning Nadine asked if I
would promise to pick her up to go get Areen from school and both
Areen and I agreed with her that I would. I’ll be damned if I’m going
to let an illegal foreign military occupation make me break a promise
to my daughters. Nadine was waiting for me at the front porch
window. She rushed downstairs wearing her new pink tennis shoes,
a pick hat and had a pick purse strapped across her chest. She
was ready to hit the town.
Nadine and I arrived at Areen’s school a little early and I had the
opportunity to chat with some of the other parents that were also
waiting. In twenty minutes we all vented our anger and frustration,
discussed the political situation, and we even joked that all the
Israelis had left to do now was to publish a daily ad in the
newspaper with names of specific people that the curfew would be
applied to on any specific day.
As the end of day bell rang the students rushed, as always, to the
main gate. The older students knew what was going on, the
younger ones did not. Areen came out of her building with a smile
from ear to ear and her bright pink Jansport backpack on her back.
She waved a big bulky book in the air. It was her new English
reading book. Nadine gave her sister a big hug and kiss and we
were on our way. While walking to the car I asked Areen if she
heard what was happening with the curfew. She had not. She told
me that they probably did not tell them so they would not be scared.
She asked if she could buy an ice cream cone for her and her sister
before going home. After quickly stopping for three ice cream
cones we headed straight home. We pulled in the driveway at
2:40pm and as we got out of the car an Israeli jeep passed on the
main Jerusalem Street next to our home yelling through a loud
speaker, “To the people of Ramallah, the curfew is applied. Anyone
in the streets will be arrested”.
So as the world causally watches the entire Palestinian people be
terrorized by the most sophisticated form of violence possible –
Israeli occupation – life goes on. And as the Israeli military generals
dream up new ways to batter Palestinians into submission and strip
away every sense of public and personal security, I will be reading
with my daughter the first three pages her new English reading book
wondering about tomorrow’s curfew schedule.
Al-Bireh/Ramallah
September 3, 2002
Note: This essay is a follow-up to “The Violence of Curfew” which
may be found at
http://www.amin.org/eng/sam_bahour/2002/aug28.html
* Sam Bahour is a Palestinian-American businessman living in the
besieged Palestinian City of Al-Bireh in the West Bank and can be
reached at sbahour at palnet.com. He is co-author of HOMELAND:
Oral Histories of Palestine and Palestinians (1994). To be added to
his mailing list, send an email with the word ‘subscribe’ in the
subject.
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"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 -
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For more about Gush Shalom you are invited to visit our website:
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