[GushShalom] "My affidavit to The Hague" Yossi Sarid in Ha'aretz
Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)
info at gush-shalom.org
Wed Jan 21 22:02:06 IST 2004
GUSH SHALOM pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 âåù ùìåí, ú.ã.,3322 úì àáéá
[] Affidavit to The Hague
[] Update
One corrected & three new items
N.B.: TIME CHANGE Trees Planting
B'tselem's eye opener video clip
Geneva demo postponed
Aviv Lavie looking for harassment stories
\\// //\\ \\// //\\ \\//
[] Affidavit to The Hague
òáøéú áàúø
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=385245&cont
rassID=2&subContrassID=3&sbSubContrassID=0
[We have held quite some disputes with Meretz members about our
rejection, not only of the route of the wall, but of the idea of a separation
wall altogether. In the following article Yossi Sarid, after years no longer
the Meretz leader, expresses somehow regret that he has been among
those who favoured the building of a fence, though not the existing one.
But the reason to forward it is above all: his speaking via the Haaretz
pages to the International Court in The Hague.]
My affidavit to The Hague
By Yossi Sarid
Ha'aretz, Wed., January 21, 2004
Lately, I've been wondering what I would do if the International Court in
The Hague, on its own initiative, asked for my opinion on the separation
fence. I find these thoughts oppressive. On the one hand, every human
being with a conscience has to do everything he can to topple this bad
fence. On the other hand, even those who, like me, feel the Sharon
government is an Israeli tragedy, are usually also infected with the
patriotic germ, which dissuades them from collaborating with outside
parties in the struggle against the evils committed by the government of
Israel.
The International Court does not have any authority to subpoena me
against my will, of course. Nor is its moral jurisdiction on especially
solid footing. However, our silence would not be considered moral, either
- not in our own eyes, and not in those of others. What should I do?
When the idea of the fence was first raised, I hesitated about taking a
stand, in either direction. For a while, I "fence straddled." The idea in
itself is correct and effective, and no one is entitled to deny the
citizens of Israel protection from terrorists. But I took into account the
gloomy fact that it was not me who was going to build the fence and
determine its route, but Ariel Sharon. And as I know him, his character
and his plans, I presumed that this essential fence would come out
crooked. If Sharon is able to take something straight and twist it out of
shape, he will unquestionably do so. At the time, I even warned Haim
Ramon
and the other fence advocates that, when it was built, they would have a
hard time recognizing their original intent, and that we would come to
regret our support for it, just as many people have come to regret their
support for various Sharon initiatives over the years, having always come
out on the short end of the stick.
While engaged in my fence straddling, I was confronted by many fine
people: if, as has already been proven, the fence prevents terrorist
attacks and saves lives, how do you allow yourself to oppose it; and they
were right , I had no ready response. And what would I say in the face of
all the murdered victims of terrorism - that I am by nature suspicious,
that Sharon doesn't deserve any trust, that this fence may begin with
protection but e nds with a brutal attack on Palestinians who have
committed no sin, that the roots of the fence may be "separation" but that
it ends in annexation? The terrorist attacks grew more frequent, the
pressure grew more intense,
and then I drafted the Meretz platform, exactly one year ago, writing the
following:
"During the interim period and until the situation calms down, Meretz
supports the accelerated construction of a complete, encompassing and
sophisticated separation fence. This fence would be a protective measure
against acts of terror. It is preferable for Israel that the route of the
fence not include Palestinian population or territories. In addition,
Meretz demands that during this period of time, the settlements on the
other side of the fence and all of the illegal outposts be dismantled
immediately. In the Gaza Strip, all of the settlements would be evacuated,
as well as the Jewish settlement in Hebron, which is a recurring,
dangerous focus of sever e lawlessness."
In an accompanying article, I wrote, in the interests of greater
clarification, that the fence should follow along the 1967 lines. I admit
that even in my worst nightmares, I never imagined that Ariel Sharon
would go so f ar as he has in his fencing efforts. Sharon is larger than our
nightmares: not the `67 lines, not even anything that resembles `67, but
an invasive eruption by a brute without inhibition or tether, one suited
to serve as prime minister of South Africa in the blackest days of the
apartheid that conceived the reprehensible Bantustans.
Now a Palestinian awakens in the morning, every morning, and sees the
monstrous wall that separates him from members of his family, from his
fields and orchards, from his business dealings; separates his children
from the ir school, sees his destitute piece of land robbed from him, his
world closed up, dark and devastated, and he certainly blames us, as well,
who were a party to the despicable undertaking of building the fence. How
can you explain to him that this is not the fence we intended, that we
intended a completely different fence, and that our good intentions led to
his hell.
An apology is in order. It is stated in the Talmudic tractate of Gittin:
"It was not the thief who stole, it was the hole that stole," and we will
say, it is not the fence that is stealing the land and the basic human
rights, but its route.
Without a doubt, on the basis of the concepts that I know and accept,
Sharon's fence is a crime against humanity. There is no other way to
define it. I will not make my way to the International Court in The Hague,
due to the "disease of patriotism" from which we are unable to cure
ourselves. But this is the written affidavit of a member of the Knesset's
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, a former minister of education in
the State of Israel, a Zionist without "post." My testimony is translated
in this newspaper into English (an unpatriotic act), and if it is brought
before the judges, I would not change it one iota. Maybe I will first
bring it before the justices of our High Court of Justice. To this I sign
my name.
The writer is an MK and the former chairman of Meretz.
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=385245&cont
rassID=2&subContrassID=3&sbSubContrassID=0
[] Update
One corrected & three new items
N.B.: TIME CHANGE Trees Planting
B'tselem's eye opener video clip
Geneva demo postponed
Aviv Lavie looking for harassment stories
#
N.B.: TIME CHANGE Trees Planting - Tomorrow - Thursday
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Rabbis for Human Rights" <info at rhr.israel.net>
To: <info at rhr.israel.net>
Subject: FW: Trees Planting - Tomorrow - Thursday
22/1/04 - In Budrus. ðèéòú òöéí - îçø - 22
/1/04 - ááåãøåñ
Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 19:08:53 +0200
English Follows Hebrew,
ìçáøéí åìúåîëéí, ùìåí.
îçø - éåí çîéùé- 22 éðåàø 2004, ðöà ìðèåò òöéí ááåãøåñ, îãøåí ìîåãéòéï.
ùéîå ìá ìùéðåé áæîðé äéöéàä: äéöéàä, îîâøù äçðéä áâï-äôòîåï, éøåùìéí -
áùòä 10:00. îúçðú äøëáú äçãùä áøàù-äòéï - áùòä 11:15. ìîöèøôéí, ùèøí ðøùîå
áîùøãðå, ðà ìäú÷ùø ìàøé÷: èì': 607034-050. ááøëä, àøé÷.
Dear Members and Supporters,
Tomorrow, Thursday - 22 January 2004, We'll be planting trees on Budrus,
South of Moddin. There is a change in the meeting Schedule: We'll meet at
the 'Liberty Bell Park', at the parking plot, at 10:00. And at the new
train station in Rosh-Aain, at 11:15.
People that haven't registered yet, Please call Arik: at: 050-607034.
B'Vrakha,
Arik.
#
#
B'Tselem's “Eyes Wide Open” Project
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 14:51:44 +0200
From: "Noam Hoffstater" <noamh at btselem.org>
“Eyes Wide Open” Project - Leading Israeli Artists in Music Video
Illustrating Israel’s Siege Policy
ong is regularly played on the various radio stations.
their time to the project.
In the coming weeks, B’Tselem will distribute over 100,000 copies of the
video to the public.
I was glad to have the opportunity to combine my art with my beliefs. We
artists must speak out about what is happening. I hope that this will get
people to open their eyes, even slightly, to see the reality as it is,” says
Arik Dor-Davidovitch, who directed the video together with Maor Keshet.
“We have to open our eyes and see the whole picture. We cannot
continue to make the lives of Palestinians miserable. We cannot deny
three million people their human dignity, their right to education, to earn a
living, and obtain a medical treatment,” Yossi Pollack adds.
B’Tselem calls on the Israeli government to end its siege policy and
remove the roadblocks and checkpoints restricting movement within the
West Bank.
#
#
Rally in support of Geneva Accord planned for Saturday in Tel Aviv
postponed due to expected foul weather [and maybe anyway better to do
it when the Rabin Square is available (?)]
#
#
Harassment at the airport - Aviv Lavie needs your story
ãøåùéí ñéôåøéí òì äèøãåú åòéëåáéí áùãä äúòåôä
àí òåëáúí, çåôùúí, ðç÷øúí, äåèøãúí åäåö÷úí áàåôï áìúé ñáéø áùãä äúòåôä, àí
ôúàåí âéìéúí ùàúí øãåôéí òì éãé æøåòåú äáéèçåï, àáéá ìáéà (îåñó "äàøõ")
éùîç ìãòú îæä åìùîåò àú ñéôåøéëí ìëì äéåúø òã éåí øàùåï. 051-244926
If you have been unreasonably delayed, searched, investigated and so
forth or persecuted in any other way by the security establishment, Aviv
Lavie (Ha'aretz supplement) would be happy to know about it and hear
your stories: 051-244926
#
#
ôòåìåú ðîùçåú îùåèôåú éùøàìéåú-ôìñèéðéåú ðâã äçåîä
éåðúï 066-327736 - ôøðö'ñ÷ä 064-494030
For participating in ongoing joint Israeli-Palestinian
protest actions against the wall, call:
Jonathan:066-327736 or Franceska:064-494030
#
#
Veteran peace activist Gila Svirsky will be in the
Philadelphia area in February, on a speaking tour.
She has still time for invitations to Jewish audiences,
in private homes or synagogues/temples or wherever.
Contact: gsvirsky at netvision.net.il
#
#
Reservist refusers don't receive the IDF salary compensation for lost
income. Many of them have a family to maintain. With an increasing
number of refusers, the Keren Yesh Gvul (specific fund for
compensations) is emptying rapidly. If you want the refusniks also in
the future to receive at least something, send a cheque to:
"Keren Yesh Gvul", POB 10276, Jerusalem 91102, Israel.
More information at http://www.yesh-gvul.org/
#
#
çãù áàúø: áèçåï & äçåîä
http://www.gush-shalom.org/security/index.html
New on the site: Security & The Wall
http://www.gush-shalom.org/security/english.html
#
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