Behind the diplomatic moves: intensified assault on peace activists
otherisr at actcom.co.il
otherisr at actcom.co.il
Sun May 25 11:11:11 IDT 2003
Gush Shalom ad in "Haaretz" 23/05/03
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Gush Shalom
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International release
May 24, 2003
[The international media is buzzing with PM Sharon's declared
acceptance of "The Roadmap for Peace", today's dramatic cabinet
meeting in which his right-wing government is supposed to adopt it,
and the reportedly imminent arrival of President Bush for a summit with
Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Abu Mazen. But Sharon's
acceptance of the roadmap is hedged about with "reservations",
rendering it in practice void of real content. And on the ground, Sharon
with his generals and security men are not only continuing the raids,
curfews and killings but are actually intensifying the offensive against
all peace and human rights activists - Israeli, Palestinian or
international. The following messages which we received - originating
from different groups and organizations, each reporting about its own
particular situation - clearly indicate a many-pronged offensive going
on, targetting anyone who tries to oppose the army's ongoing brutal
oppression, or who would simply act as an eye-witness.]
[1] "Dear Generals" - Gush Shalom ad, Ha'aretz 23/5/2003
[2] Rabbi Arik Asherman interrogated by the Security Service
[3] ISM activists detained (again) at Tulkarm Refugee Camp
[4] The interrupted judge (Greg Rollins narrowly avoids deportation)
[5] Army ultimatum to activists of Mas'ha Camp
[6] Huwarra: A woman at the checkpoint
[7] Nablus clinic under attack
[8] Convoy to Gaza - aid agencies protest blocked access
==========================================
[1] "Dear Generals" - Gush Shalom ad, Ha'aretz 23/5/2003
DEAR GENERALS
You have bombarded.
Shelled.
Liquidated.
Tortured.
Demolished homes.
Uprooted plantations.
Expropriated.
Starved out.
Arrested.
Imprisoned.
Exiled.
Expelled.
Conquered towns.
Occupied neighborhoods.
Taken over villages.
Imposed curfews.
Closures.
Blockades.
You have tried everything.
You have nothing left. You are bankrupt.
Go home.
--------------
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Gush Shalom
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http://www.gush-shalom.org/
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[2] Rabbi Arik Asherman interrogated by the Security Service
From: Fred Schlomka <fred at musicmax.com>
The following report was circulated today by Arik Asherman of Rabbis
for Human Rights. Together with another ICAHD activist he was
interrogated by the Shabak (Security Service).
(...)I just returned from a Shabak interrogation. Shabak is currently
calling in members of the Israeli Committee Against Home
Demolitions, to ask questions about the activities of ICAHD and warn
us that the Attorney-General has determined that rebuilding
demolished Palestinian homes in Jerusalem is illegal. (They refused to
give us the decision in writing, but we will try to obtain it.)
This, along with the systematic use of "Closed Military Zone" orders
and the like, indicates that the Sharon Government is not content to
shut down the activities of foreign activists, but intends to target the
Israeli organizations as well. The intent is not only to stop activities
which can be defined as "illegal," but to also prevent humanitarian
activities such as the work of Ta'ayush to accompany children to
school. Ultimately, the goal might be to prevent any "seeing eye."
witnessing what is happening in the Occupied Territories.
We need to collectivly decide on a strategy to stop this dangerous
trend. I know that I personally left the interrogation with a strong urge to
rebuild homes.
===========================================
[3] ISM activists detained (again) at Tulkarm Refugee Camp
From: <snowcat_98052 at yahoo.com>
[Refugee Camp, Tulkarm] Two American ISM volunteers and one
Palestinian were taken by Israeli Forces at 9:45AM Saturday morning,
after accompanying schoolgirls to their homes.Mike Johnson, age 52
from Washington, Matteo Bernal, age 22, from Kentucky and Osama
Qashoo, 21, from Qalqilia are currently being held at the Tulkarem
DCO (District Coordination Office).
ISM volunteers arrived at the Tulkarem Refugee Camp at approximately
7AM, just as the army started a heavy invasion. Three tanks, multiple
armored personnel carriers, a D-9 bulldozer, hummers and jeeps all
rolled in, and a curfew was declared by loudspeakers. About fifteen
girls between nine and eleven years old, who had been on their way to
school, were left stranded - crying and paralyzed in fear of the Army’s
sound grenades and random firing of "rubber bullets".
The ISM volunteers informed the Israeli military of their decision to
escort the girls out of harm's way. The officer with whom they talked
agreed to let them take the children home and did not order them to
leave the area.
But upon their attempting to leave the camp at 9:45AM, after having led
the schoolgirls to safety, the Israeli Forces stopped the volunteers and
refused to let them leave the camp, claiming that the area was "a
military zone" from which exit was forbidden. A large truck and a
military jeep arrived, at which point the three volunteers were taken to
the Tulkarem DCO where they are currently being held in a 15X30 cell.
Johnson and Bernal are the sixth and seventh foreign peace activists to
be detained by Israeli forces in the past two weeks.
For more information call: Radhika Sainath 972 52 475 663; Mike
Johnson 972 67 421 345; Flo Razowsky 972 67 361 708
[P.S. Later in the evening we heard from the ISM that the affair
continued along the routine established in earlier cases: the two
Americans were taken to Ariel Police Station and served with
deportation orders. Adv. Yoni Lerman of Tel-Aviv, has taken up their
case, and an "administrative hearing" is expected on the morning of
Sunday (a working day in Israel).
Meanwhile Osama Qashoo, their Palestinian companion, was let loose
- apparently in this case the army was after internationals rather then
Palestinians.]
================================================
[4] The interrupted judge (Greg Rollins narrowly avoids deportation)
From: "Jennifer Kuiper" <redinroses at yahoo.com>
At noon on Thursday, May 22, an Israeli High Court Judge gave the
government seven days to answer to a petition opposing the
deportation of Greg Rollins, detained activist of CPT (Christian
Peacemakers Team), a Canadian of Surrey, BC. However, shortly after
3:00pm, Rollins phoned attorney Jonathan Kuttab, saying he was told
to get his things together for immediate departure to the airport.
Kuttab contacted the Judge's office to seek an immediate injunction.
According to Kuttab, the judge's assistant viewed the government
move as showing contempt of court, and said she would immediately
interrupt the judge in his meeting.
At 7pm, CPT received word from Kuttab that the government had
agreed to follow the judicial proceedings and honor the stipulated seven
day period to review the case. Rollins was taken back from the airport
to the prison.
At the time of his detention, Rollins was observing soldiers at a Hebron
checkpoint doing a routine inspection of the identification of
several Palestinian civilians. The authorities gave variously versions as
to why he was detained: "Observing military actions without
permission"; "Interfering with a soldier in the performance of his duty";
"Staying in a place where he had no permit to be." However, no formal
charges have yet been filed against Rollins.
The last we heard, a commission may meet on Sunday to consider
releasing him. The decision whether or not to continue holding Rollins,
and in general all decisions about deportations, are the responsibility of
the Israeli Ministry of the Interior. Avraham Poraz, Minister of the
Interior, presents himself as the most liberal member of the
government. He came into office saying he would NOT deport or block
entry of peace activists and human rights defenders. He wants to be
seen as modern, enlightened and democratic.
Messages questioning repression of peace groups and attempts to
remove the international nonviolent presence can influence Poraz to
change these policies. We believe that your emails and faxes to Poraz
now can help preserve for CPT and other groups room to operate, now
and in the future.
In emails or faxes to Interior Minister Avraham Poraz, we suggest
asking questions: Why are Rollins and other activists being held?
What do the harassments and restrictions imposed on humanitarian
and human rights groups mean? Does he know how this looks to the
world? Why does the Israeli military want no witnesses to what it is
doing in the Occupied Territories?
aporaz at knesset.gov.il or sar at moin.gov.il
Fax +972-2-566-6376
==================================
[5] Army ultimatum to activists of Mas'ha Camp
From: IWPS <iwps at palnet.com>
May 24th, 2003. Mas’ha Village, West Bank. An Israel officer from the
DCO (District Coordination Office) phoned on Friday night to give what
he called "his final warning", to a group of Palestinians, Israelis, and
Internationals who have cooperatively maintained a 24-hour presence at
a peace camp for nearly seven weeks, opposing construction of the
Apartheid Wall. The threat is to remove the camp and its inhabitants,
in order to finally build a section of the Wall of the land on which the
camp is located and leave it inaccessible to its owners. The group
plans to resist the illegal eviction.
Background Information:
Construction of the Apartheid Wall has meant the effective annexation
of 15 villages, home to over 13 000 inhabitants, which are now trapped
between the Wall and the Green Line (pre-'67 border). A further 20,000
people, from another 16 villages, have lost virtually all their lands since
the Apartheid Wall has been built directly between their homes and
their agricultural lands. Homes have been demolished, olive oil
production of the villages west of the wall amounting to 2200 tons per
season will be destroyed along with the production of 50 000 tons of
fruit and over 100 000 tons of vegetables.
During the seven weeks of the peace camp’s existence, almost a
thousand Palestinians, Israelis, internationals, and journalists have
taken part in it, exhibiting peaceful resistance to the Wall. Despite
dynamite being set off all around the peace camp by the building
contractors and the concrete being poured this week to begin the
actual construction of the Wall, the activists have maintained a 24 hour
presence at the site and intend to stay permanently.
For more info: Anna or Nadya on +972 (0)52 598264/+972(0)55 854988
[PS: As of when this message is being sent, about midnight on
Saturday, the army had made no move to implement the threat. During
the whole day, activists in the camp had discussed various scenarios
and prepared contingency plans.
Meanwhile, journalist Meron Rapopport of Yediot Aharonot, Israel's
largest paper, published in the weekend edition an extensive and highly
critical report on the Wall - echoing many of themes which had been
presented at the Ma'sha Camp, though the camp itself was not
mentioned explicitly in the paper. The article will be soon available on
the Gush Shalom website].
Meanwhile, for photos, maps and further information on the Wall, see:
www.gushshalom.org
www.womenspeacepalestine.org
www.pengon.org
=============================
[6] Huwarra: A woman at the checkpoint
From: "Susy Mordechay" <susim at bezeqint.net>
Thursday, May 22, 2003. A woman pulling a small wheeled suitcase
arrived at the Huwarra Checkpoint at the southern outskirts of Nablus.
The checkpoint was officially "open", which meant that most people
were let through, that the length of lines and waiting times were at the
best the checkpoint could offer and that soldiers were more or less
polite.
The woman used the lane reserved for VIPs - people with special ID’s,
ambulances, UN cars, etc… She handed her West European passport
to one of the soldiers and told him she was on the way to Nablus to do
some research. (Later, it turned out she was an academic from a major
European university.)
The soldier informed her that she was forbidden to enter Nablus. A
minute later he said he could actually let her in, but only on the
understanding that on her way out of Nablus she would be arrested
right away. The woman tried to inquire as to the basis for that ban, but
to no avail. When she insisted, she was told that she was now
forbidden entry altogether until the arrival of "A police car, in which the
officers will take care of you". In the meantime, a whole lot of military
officers congregated at the checkpoint booth, seeming to be holding
some kind of a conference. Then they left.
The woman was determined on another attempt to get clear and
unequivocal instructions from the army. A private, at the first
checkpoint barrier waved her through and told her to “go look for an
officer”. She went to the second checkpoint barrier, the booth, looking
for an officer. There was none there, but another private waved her
through again, uttering the same instructions, so she went on into
Nablus, still "looking for an officer".
=====================
[7] Nablus clinic under attack
From: "Palestine Monitor" <palmon at hdip.org>
The pressure of international organizations helped make the Israeli
authorities release the Nablus personnel of the Palestinian Medical
Relief (UPMRC). The medical staff members - Nasaif Al Dik,
Coordinator of Community Health Projects, as well as medical
volunteers Shadi Abu Bakr and Ahmed Badwan - had been taken from
their homes on May 5 and kept without charges in Israeli detention
charges since then.
But on the same day that the UPMRC staff were released, the army
mounted a direct attack on the UPMRC Emergency Clinic in the Al
Yasmina neighborhood of Nablus' old city. At 2.30am on Thursday,
May 22, no less then 35 soldiers surrounded the clinic, shooting into
its windows as well as those of the apartment above, home to the Al
Dari family - the youngest is 10 years old, the eldest a 62-year-old
woman.
Maher Al Dari crawled from his bedroom to that of his three children,
and managed to move them away from the area of direct shooting. The
soldiers blew open the door of the clinic and entered, continuing their
random shooting, breaking furniture and bottles of medicine.
Some shots narrowly missed hitting the oxygen cylinder, which might
have caused a huge explosion.
>From there the soldiers went into the Al Dari apartment, still continuing
their shooting - some shots being fired at a sofa used as a bed for the
10-year-old child (fortunately the child was not on the sofa at the
moment). The family (including the children) were interrogated and
forced them to evacuate the building. Tree family members - Maher
(50), Ayman (42) and Nimr (40) - were taken handcuffed in a
military van. Nimr’s car, which he uses as an improvised taxi in order
to earn a living, was vandalised, and for good measure the three
Palestinians' mobile phones were stolen by soldiers.
This was not the army's first "visit" to this clinic. Since October 2002, it
had been invaded no less than four times, despite the large sign
identifying it as a clinic. This time, however, the soldiers demanded
that the clinic be closed down - on their departure threatening that if
continued to operate, they would return and completely demolish the
building (sic!). No reason was given for this drastic demand.
The clinic in question serves the Al Yasmina neighborhood, which has
a population of approximately 7000 people, as well as nine other
nearby neighborhoods - being the only Emergency Clinic in the old city
of Nablus. During Israeli army invasions of the area, which occur
regularly every month or two, it is virtually impossible for residents in
the old city to reach a hospital, making them completely totally
dependent on the clinic.
Dr Ghassan Hamdan, Director of PMRS in Nablus, is currently in
Geneva, meeting with the Director General of the World Health
Organization to discuss the ongoing Israeli army attacks on
Palestinian Health services.
Please protest to the following:
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
Fax: +972 2 6705475 rohm at pmo.gov.il
Attorney-General Elyakim Rubinstein
Fax: +972 2 6285438
Defence Minster Shaul Mofaz
Tel: 972-3-5692010 Fax: 972-3-6916940 sar at mod.gov.il
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
Fax: 972-2-5303506; 972-2-5303896 sar at mofa.gov.il
With copies to Mr Sergio de Mello
UN High Commissioner on Human Rights
webadmin.hchr at unogQF.ch
For further info: PMRS office +972-(0)2-298-8234/
+972-(0)2-298-0550/+972-(0)59-254-218
==========================================
[8] Convoy to Gaza - aid agencies protest blocked access
From: "Nanna Ahlmark" <nanna at caritasjr.org>
On Monday, May 26, the Association of International Development
Agencies (AIDA), will organize a convoy to Gaza. The humanitarian aid
and development agencies are strongly protesting Israel's closure of
the Eretz Crossing and demanding free and unrestricted access to
Gaza for all.
Since May 10, the Israeli authorities are denying access through
Gaza's Eretz Crossing to all individuals except holders of diplomatic
passports.The aid agencies are deeply concerned about this
development, which has barred humanitarian aid and development
workers from carrying out projects in Gaza.
Further info: Nanna Ahlmark, Caritas Jerusalem +972 (0) 67 336 51
==================================================
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Saga Of The Court Martials:
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