[GushShalom] seeing Jenin, Jenin & commemorating - our way

Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc) info at gush-shalom.org
Wed Oct 30 22:39:38 IST 2002


GUSH SHALOM - pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 - http://www.gush-shalom.org/

[The copies of protest letters against the "anti-evidence bill" start streaming in - yes, 
we need your support again as explained on our website (see also yesterday's 
message). Labour left at last the government - at least so it seems. But for the rest - 
as usual.] 

invitations
[] Thursday: Join us to the Cinemateque!
[] Saturday night at the Rabin Square - Separation Wall in the focus
[] Ongoing presence at Hirbat Yanoun

report  & articles
[] The army must stop the olive thieves - Ze'ev Schiff in today's Ha'aretz
[] This newsreport of today in the Gaza Strip didn't make it to the big channels
                                           ---

[] Thursday: Join us to the Cinemateque!

Tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 31, at 9.30 PM, the Tel-Aviv Cinemateque (2 Sprinzak St.) 
will screen Muhammad Bakri's controversial film "Jenin, Jenin". 

The film was made on location at the city of Jenin in April this year, shortly after its conquest 
by the Israeli army during "Operation Defensive Shield", which left behind widespread 
destruction and many casualties among the inhabitants.  It immediately won the first prize at 
the Carthage Film Festival in Tunis, last year.

The showing of this footage to an Israeli audience is not to the liking of some groups, which 
in the past weeks conduct an ongoing campaign to prevent the screening.   Inflammatory 
statements were made in the media, making a cynical use of bereaved families' pain; pressures 
are applied behind the scenes to get the screening cancelled, and also to get Cinemateque 
Director Alon Garbuz fired; and it is quite possible that tomorrow evening, some of the 
extreme-right people will turn up at the Cinemateque itself to disrupt the screening.  
  .   
Needless to say, all these people did not see the film itself, and everything written against it is
 
based on biased hearsay. "It is a film about feelings: hopes, love and aspirations for peace, 
liberty and independence. A film about people who were left spiritually wounded because of 
the collective destruction which resulted from the Israeli government's decision to launch the 
operation called Defensive Shield. I made this film so that there will be no more Jenins, no 
more bloodshed on either side" says Muhammad Bakri, whose film it is.

Gush Shalom joins the call by the Documentary  Filmmakers' Forum, for all who care about 
freedom of expression to go and see the film so as to express solidarity with the filmmaker and 
the Cinemateque director. It is advisable to arrive at the Cinemateque Plaza already at 9.00, half 
an hour before the movie starts, in order to be there well before right-wing attempts to disrupt 
the whole thing.


[] Saturday night at the Rabin Square - Separation Wall in the focus

On Saturday night, Nov. 2, at 7.30 PM - the annual Yitchak Rabin Memorial Rally in Tel-Aviv's 
Rabin Square. During this rally, Gush  Shalom intends - in cooperation with other groups, 
such as Bat Shalom, Kvisa Sh'hora and the Women's Peace Coaltion  - to express its protest 
against the "Separation Fence" (Separation Wall is a more appropriate name) which is being 
currently built around the West Bank, involving the widespread confiscation of Palestinian 
fields and olive groves, the demolition of houses, turning what remains of the villages and 
towns into isolated enclaves. 
It is our intention to raise during the rally conspicuous signs reading: "The Evil Fence - A 
Ghetto for Palestinians, a Disaster for Israelis". Also, we intend to distribute stickers showing 
the historic handshake between Rabin and Arafat - to remind those who tend to forget why 
Rabin was murdered. 
We know that some activists are not overly enthusiastic about the Rabin Rally as such. Still, 
we ask you to come and help us in this activity, and remember that - whatever the intention of 
the organizers -  the rally being the largest gathering of peace camp supporters during the year 
can catch a momentum of its own, especially in the present political situation. And anyway: 
here we can get to the people which we want to reach and among whom we can hope to have 
an impact. 
We meet on Saturday night, Nov. 2, at 6.30 - an hour before the rally opens - near the stairs on 
the western side of the Rabin Square (the side facing the Ben Gurion Boulevard).

[] Ongoing presence at Hirbat Yanoun

At the tiny village of Hirbat Yanoun, where continuing  settler violence nearly caused the 
escape of all Palestinian inhabitants ands the achievement of ethnic cleansing, there is an 
ongoing presence of Israeli peace activists,  day by day (and even more important, night by 
night), so as to offer support and solidarity to the villagers and encourage them to stay on in 
their homes. Anyone able and willing to take part in this important action, initiated by 
"Ta'ayush" and supported by  Gush Shalom, is asked to call Ruthi 03-5739853 or 055-390402, 
Esti 03-5254525 or Isadora 03-5274071.

[] The army must stop the olive thieves - Ze'ev Schiff in today's Ha'aretz

Ha'aretz, October 30, 2002
The army must stop the olive thieves
By Ze'ev Schiff
It would be a mistake to regard the settlers' robberies of Palestinian villagers' olive
harvests as merely another serious crime. This collective theft signifies a change in the
current military conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and is a revolution in the
history of the settlements in general. For the first time in the current conflict,
Israelis are stealing and confiscating Palestinian food. Even if they won't admit it, it
can be seen as laying the groundwork for Transfer, not by the state but by a group of
settlers. In Yanun, south of Nablus, most of the residents have already been forced to
leave their homes.

In one of the rounds of the conflict in the distant past, during
the Arab revolt of 1936, it was the Palestinians who tried hurting the Jewish yishuv by
burning fields and crops. Now citizens are doing such things after their country 
promised Washington and President George W. Bush that it would take into 
consideration the humanitarian problems of the Palestinian population. Israel 
understands that is the other side of the war on terror; to fight the terrorists and their 
controllers, and not at the expense of the innocent population. The settlers are 
mocking those promises, including the ones made by the prime minister.

With their deeds, the thieves are sending the message that it's not a war on terror in 
the territories but a campaign to deepen the poverty and hunger of the Palestinian 
population. They are burning the olive harvests, damaging the olive trees and 
preventing farmers from reaching privately owned groves. This is a classic formula for 
creating more terrorists. And why is it happening this year? Because this year
the olive harvest is excellent, compared to last year, when it was very weak and there 
was no point robbing the slender crop. According to one assessment, by the end of 
the season in late December, the farmers could earn as much as NIS 200 million. 
That's what the harvest robbers want to prevent. Those knowledgeable about 
Palestinian agriculture say that some 600,000 Palestinians earn their livelihood in one 
way or another from live harvests.

To prepare the groundwork for their plot, the robbers enlisted the former
chief rabbi Mordechai Eliahu, who explained that the fruit from the trees planted by
Gentiles on land inherited by the people of Israel, does not belong to the Gentiles. At
most, they can get a tithe from it. This is rape of the Jewish religion, the handiwork of
idol worshippers, and a disgrace for the people of Israel, whether from the right or left,
secular or religious. A few days ago, Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of 
the European Union, managed to postpone for three years the decision whether the 
EU should boycott goods produced by Israelis in the settlements. If the olive robberies 
are not ceased immediately, and the victims of the theft are not compensated, Israel 
will have no moral right to ask the EU to prevent boycotts of settlement products.

The harvest robbers show that Israelis are also contributing to the destruction of the 
rule of law in the territories. If they were blocked immediately, things would appear 
differently. But the depth of the change these deeds are creating is apparent in the 
weakness the IDF is displaying. Many officers are ashamed of it. But statements by 
the chief of staff during internal discussions that he condemns the phenomenon are 
meaningless, if the army does not take determined action to prevent it. The settlers' 
private army - and it's not only the hilltop gangs - has taken the law into its own hands, 
and is spitting in the face of the army.

If the harvest robberies are not immediately stopped there will be, for the
first time, justification for international military involvement in the territories - and
not merely inspectors, but a full-fledged military intervention. We'll all lose. We can
already learn from the harvest robberies about the future developments we're promised, 
if the settlers and their supporters are allowed to lead Israeli policy. The change the
harvest robbers have wrought proves how important it is that Washington sticks to its
demand to freeze the settlements.

[] This newsreport of today in the Gaza Strip didn't make it to the big channels
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:      	30 Oct 2002 17:16:45 -0000
From:           	IAP NEWS <iapinfo at iap.org>

Israeli Army Wages Military Attacks, Wide-Scale Demolition 
Activities in Gaza Strip

October 30, 2002 - Hear Palestine News Service

Beit Hanoun
----------------

The Israeli occupation army arrested over 15 people, during an 
invasion of Beit Hanoun city at dawn today. Three groups of Israeli 
Special Forces, each made up of 50 soldiers on foot supported by 
tanks and armored vehicles terrorized the whole city during an 
invasion and bulldozing of vast areas of its agricultural land. 

Israeli soldiers invaded the home of resident Ibrahim al-Zuweidi, 
arrested him and his two sons Rami and Ahmad and then blew up their 
home using armored machinery. 

The invading soldiers then moved to the home of resident Maher al-
Basyouni, forced the inhabitants out and destroyed the house's 
belonging. Israeli soldiers then shot Maher in the legs, arrested him 
and his brother Akram, before blowing up their house. 

Israeli Special Forces also invaded the home of Muhammad Idwan, 
attacked the inhabitants physically and verbally abused them as well 
as searched the house closely and destroyed its furniture, before 
arresting 7 bothers: Ali, Usama, Akram, Mahmoud, Anwar, Muhammad and 
Amin Idwan.

Israeli soldiers also invaded the home of Zakariya al-Kafarna, 
destroyed his belongings, and arrested him and his three brothers, 
Zayed, Zaher and Zeid. 

Rafah
--------

The Israeli occupation army at dawn today demolished the home of 
Khalil al-Satri and parts of al-Nour mosque in al-Barazil refugee 
camp along the border strip separating Palestine and Egypt. Dozens of 
Israeli armored vehicles and a bulldozer invaded the refugee camp 
under heavy random fire and demolished the home, which covers and 
area of 70 square meters near the border strip to the east of Salah 
al-Din Gate. 

Bulldozing activities continued throughout the morning, during which 
al-Nour mosque was partially demolished. The only mosque in the area 
is subject to continuous Israeli military attacks (tank missiles and 
heavy machine gun fire).

Dozens of homes were demolished by the occupation army in the area 
and 50 others severely damaged since the beginning of the Intifada.

Gaza City
------------

The Israeli occupation army based near Salah al-Din Street fired tank 
missiles late last night at a Palestinian security location south 
Gaza City. 

The occupation army based in `Dogit' settlement this morning shelled 
homes in Beit Lahya town, north Gaza City. Israeli observation planes 
reportedly fly above continuously.

Last night, the Israeli army based in `Netsarim' fired tank shells 
towards al-Zahraa City residential area, south Gaza City. 

Khan Younis
----------------

The Israeli army last night waged an attack on homes west Khan 
Younis. One youth from the western refugee camp was wounded in the 
random attack, which came from al-Tuffah military roadblock. Israeli 
soldiers also attacked homes in al-Namsawi residential quarter, 
causing damage to several homes. 
_______________________________________


---
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