[GushShalom] Carnival & killings
Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)
info at gush-shalom.org
Mon Mar 8 19:27:39 IST 2004
GUSH SHALOM - pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 - www.gush-shalom.org/
The campaign which we starteded re the new case of settler landgrab in
Yatta is gaining momentum; we are now in the process of approaching
Knesset Members and Israeli journalists. ACRI (Civil Rights Association)
is likely to take up a judicial action on the case. Not yet to late to send
your email of fax. Here are additional addresses (one or two of the earlier
ones may bounce):
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan <kannan at un.org>;
Secretary of State Colin Powell, Fax: +1-202-261-8577;
Office of the Special Middle East Coordinator - fax: +1 202 647 4808
The macabre combination of carnival & killings is commented and reported
in the following choice of messages received from partners in the wider
struggle.
[] Purim: carnival for Jews - harassment for Arabs
report from Nina Mayorek and Victoria Buch of MachsomWatch
[] Report on two days of struggle against the wall - Arik Asherman
[] Beit Duqqu protest - photos on the internet
[] “We are winning" says the general. Dr. Gershon Baskin's disagrees
- contemplations at the asymmetrical battle.
[] The good soldier schweigt
Tamar Rotem in Ha'aretz on conference of testimonies
\\// //\\ \\// //\\ \\//
[] Purim: carnival for Jews - harassment for Arabs
report from Nina Mayorek and Victoria Buch of MachsomWatch
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Sun, 7 Mar 2004 12:44:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Victoria Buch <vvbb54 at yahoo.com>
To: info at gush-shalom.org,
Purim: carnival for Jews - harassment for Arabs
Nina Mayorek and Victoria Buch of MachsomWatch
Saturday, 6.3.04
We should like to describe how the Purim holiday is "celebrated" at the
checkpoints. The assassination of three Hamas activists this week -
another provocation to elicit terror attacks which feed Sharon's
propaganda machine -was followed by the expected sequel of the "terror
alert". It was clear from the first announcement on the Israeli Radio -
"West Bank is under full closure in order to ensure Happy Purim" - that
Palestinian life will be especially difficult during these days of masquerade,
parties and happy family moments with children.
On Saturday morning we drove under the rain towards the Nablus
checkpoints on Road 60, through the West Bank. Between the villages
Luban-A-Sharkiye and Sawiye we suddenly encountered an endless
queue of Palestinian vehicles - buses, minibuses and private cars, with
hundreds of people who had been stranded there for hours. They were
stopped by a temporary ("flying") military checkpoint. The queue did not
move, since the soldiers decided that the queue is insufficiently orderly.
No particular disorder was in evidence, just miserable people waiting in
cars under the rain.
We made endless phone calls to army officials, human rights
organizations, journalists, even to members of the Knesset. Zahava Galon
did her best to help. Finally, very slow movement began - one
vehiclepassed every 10-15 minutes.Only a few soldiers of a sizeable group
dealt with the Palestinians. One of the soldiers was giggling
periodically.They chatted with each other, drank coffee to warm up, and
looked like young people trapped in the cold, in an unreal situation.
Palestinian men were requested to leave buses and minibuses, stand in a
row under the pouring rain, and hand in their IDs. The IDs were checked
for a match with terror suspects. The great military plan seemed to be as
follows: A bomber will approach the checkpoint, wait for several hours for
his turn, and finally hand in his ID to the soldier. Mind you, the place is in
the middle of nowhere, and there was no difficulty to leave the queue.
Many discouraged people were in fact leaving. Everybody was cold, wet
and shivering - Palestinians, soldiers, and ourselves.
Before us, an impossible and hysterical Israeli security effort was made to
protect its citizens in the country without borders. Suddenly the sky
became clear and an answer appeared as to who generated this absurd
situation. We got a clear view of the red roofs of the settler homes on a
neighboring mountain-top. Their inhabitants consider it legitimate to
deprive Palestinians of their basic human rights, and to deprive us, peace-
seeking Israelis, of a normal life in a truly secure country.
We waited for 3 hours till the last Palestinian bus passed. During the wait,
one of us entered each bus, explained who we are, and described our
efforts to improve the situation. We met many nice people who, like us,
were longing for normal human relationships between the two peoples.
We were thanked for help.
[MachsomWatch is a women's organization, monitoring military
checkpoints in the Occupied Territories.]
***
[] Report on two days of struggle against the wall - Arik Asherman
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Rabbis for Human Rights" <info at rhr.israel.net>
Date sent: Sun, 7 Mar 2004 23:50:27 +0200
[ Hebrew available from <info at rhr.israel.net>]
Dear Members and Supporters,
There were a number of professional television crews and still
photographers on site in Beit Duqqu today.
1. Beit Duqqu residents hold off bulldozers for two hours/Volunteers
needed Monday
2. High Court ruling/tree planting on Tuesday.
3. Report on Friday's tree planting/demo.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED IN BEIT DUQQU TOMORROW MORNING
CALL YOSSI, 065-210184 *
*This refers to Monday, and was received too late, but maybe it's relevant
for new plans [note of Gush emailteam.]
It was meant to be only a planning meeting.... However, as we sat in the
Bido Municipality discussing Tuesday,. we heard that bulldozers were
continuing to make their way from Tira towards Beit Duqqu.
>From a rooftop we saw the angry scar running down through the land and
the bulldozers approaching an olive grove.
The word went out via the mosque and soon around 100 men and women
from the village, a group of internationals and myself were on our way in
transits.
We scrambled up the rocks and the Palestinians explained to the border
police that this was their land, but there would be no violence.
A wise commander, I believe that his name was Itzik, ordered his troops
not to overreact.
We sat down in front of the now silent pneumatic drill and the commander
even ordered a second drill to stop work.
For two hours, between 13:00-15:00 there was a standoff.
The villagers' lawyer arrived and spoke both with the officers and the Civl
Administration lawyer with whom he had corresponded.
The lawyer indicated that they were making an effort
to change the route in Beit Tzurik and Bido, but that they didn't have much
leeway in Beit Duqqo.
I indicated that, while I was not an expert, from where I was standing at
that moment there seemed to be plenty of room for movement. (Bringing
up the Green Line would have been a non-starter. Even the villagers were
saying, "Let the Barrier include the settlements, just don't take our
agricultural land.)
I begged the civil administration to act wisely and, given the fact that the
sides were already negotiating a new route at the request of the High
Court, to stop the work until the court discussion on Tuesday.
This area was technically included in the High Court Order, but the spirit
of the order was clear.
The Civil Administration made it clear that the welcomed discussion, but
the work would continue.
Around 15:00 we were told that we must move or be removed by force.
Some of sat down as others further away began chanting in Hebrew, "No
to violence, yes to Peace," "No to the Barrier, yes to our father's olive
trees," etc.
Most of the people were pushed down the hill, the Mukhtar, elderly Abu
and Um Walid and myself remained.
I heard the security guards talking among themselves.
One said that we needed to protect ourselves from terror, while another
said, "But this is their land."
I explained again and again that I am raising young children in Jerusalem
and am as concerned as anybody else about terror, but that it is Israel that
is unnecessarily building along a route that creates a conflict between our
right to security and the Palestinian's right to their land.
Um Walid sat herself down directly in front of the bulldozer and the work
stopped again.
When the Muktar Said Hashm Rahan, and Um and Abu Wahlid agreed to
move down, officers helped them.
One of the officers complained bitterly that the press which was in
abundance at this point would only show scenes of people being pushed
down the hill, but not of soldiers being gentle.
I replied that it was unfortunate that the powers that be were not wise
enough to honor the spirit of the High Court order, especially since, like
many points in the North where the Barrier is already being torn down and
rebuilt along a new route, this would likely happen here as well.
Working as RHR does on issues of economic justice, we know just what
this waste of money means for the poorest Israelis.
Nevertheless, I promised that my report would note the fact that the
security forces were acting with restraint.
For the next hour work continued to be slowed down.
By 16:00 the usual power games began.
We were pushed back ten yards at a time, each time the police getting
rougher and rougher with their batons, although throughout not a stone
was thrown and not a shot fired.
At least one person had his arm seriously injured, maybe broken (the
same man who related to me earlier how he helped a Jewish couple a few
years ago who had strayed into his village and had been stoned.)
Some of the officers seemed genuinely interested in dialogue.
Others, hissed the usual hateful, "Take off your kippa, you should be
ashamed."
There was little we could do but watch the drills continue to tear into the
land.
Was this a victory or a defeat?
We had stopped the bulldozers for a few hours, but the work had resumed.
We don't know what will be tomorrow, but we managed to keep discipline
and stand up with dignity.
For more info:
Said Hashem Rayahn (Mukhtar and Mayor)
02-247248(7)0, 2472151(Home)
052-8642(3)9
Rafat
(English)
02-2742724, 059-776358, 065-570419
Muhammed Abu-Jabber 067-395422,
Muhammed
055-420464
Rabbi Arik Ascherman
02-5637731, 050-607034
2. The continuation of the High Court's discussion regarding Bidu and
Beit Tzurik, etc., will take place on Tuesday - March 9, at 08:00. The
villagers want us there as much as they want us with them on the ground.
Afterwards we will join the villagers in planting trees. You are welcome to
join us!
WE CURRENTLY HAVE PETITIONS FOR CHANGING THE ROUTE OF
THE BARRIER CIRCULATING IN MEVASSERET, NATAF, MAALEH
HAKHAMISHA, NEVE ILAN AND HAR ADAR.
THE VILLAGERS ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN FINDING PEOPLE IN
GIVON HAKHADASHA AND GIVAT ZE'EV WHO ARE WILLING TO
SIGN.
For registration call our office: (02) 5637731.
3. Last Friday already seems like an eternity ago. Somewhere between 50-
75 Israelis joined hundreds of Palestinians and internationals on land
belonging to the villagers of Kataneh to be isolated between the Barrier
and the Green Line.
While not to far away the homes of Kattaneh and Har Adar practically
touch each other, here a wide expanse of land stretches between Har Adar
and the proposed route of the Barrier.
First came the inevitable speeches.
I read from the Interfaith Declaration, noted how Megilat Esther teaches
us not to be afraid of the powers arrayed against us and that perhaps we
exist to reach the moment where the sane majority on both sides overcome
those among both our peoples who choose the way of violence.
Standing just behind Muslim worshipers reciting their prayers on their
land, RHR chairperson Rabbi Tzvi Weinberg acted as shaliakh tzibur for
parallel Mincha prayers, as some of the other Jewish participants joined
Tzvi, Yael Nakhushtan and myself
When asked by an interviewer (As usual, despite the massive press
presence and interest by many Israeli media outlets, the events of Friday
and today will not even have happened as far as most Israelis are
concerned because only the radio picked up on the story.) why prayer, I
indicated that it was a reflection of our shared truth that all human beings
are created in God's image.
While religion has so often been a force for hate and separation, it can
serve as a bridge instead of a barrier.
We quickly planted together the trees RHR had bought and, after a brief
stop at the Kattaneh Municipality we hurried back to be home before
Shabbat.
The Palestinians particularly expressed their appreciation for those who
had joined from Mevasseret, Maaleh HaKhamisha, Neve Ilan etc.,
symbolizing for them the possibility of solidarity with their Jewish
neighbors.
Khag Purim Sameakh
Rabbi Arik Ascherman
Executive Director
Rabbis For Human Rights
[] Beit Duqqu protest - photos on the internet
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: welschen <welschen at tiscali.it>
Date sent: Sun, 7 Mar 2004 22:46:53 +0100
http://italy.indymedia.org/news/2004/03/495013.php
[] “We are winning" says the general. Dr. Gershon Baskin's disagrees
- contemplations at the asymmetrical battle.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "Gershon Baskin" <gershon at ipcri.org>
Date sent: Mon, 8 Mar 2004 09:39:09 +0200
Subject: The Hollow Echo of Silence
March 8, 2004
Today, Palestinian news sources report that 27 Palestinians, including four
children, have been killed in Gaza in less than one week. Brigadier General
Gadi Shamni, the outgoing commander of the IDF in the Gaza Strip said to
Haaretz newspaper “We are winning in this conflict. In the military arena
we are winning every day, several times." Palestinian political leaders from
various camps such as the Al Aqsa Brigades state that they “vowed to
retaliate violently to the Zionist entity’s massacre in the Gaza refugee
camps of Breij and Nusseirat”. Hamas statements also promised: “that
Zionist terrorist premier Ariel Sharon would pay dearly for his crimes in the
Gaza Strip. Hamas officials asked all Palestinian military wings to escalate
resistance raids against occupation targets in all areas of occupied
Palestine.”
Are we winning, as Gadi Shamni assures the Israeli public? In my view the
answer is firmly: NO! The war against terror, I say to my Israeli friends,
colleagues and leaders - will not be won on the military front. This past
week’s actions in Gaza will not decrease the will of Palestinians of all ages
to hate Israel and to fight Israel with every last drop of blood in their
bodies. Palestinian and Arab television stations throughout the Arab
world broadcasted in very vivid red colors the blood dripping from the
head of the young Palestinian child who was killed yesterday in the gun
battle between Israeli forces and Palestinian forces. Even moderate voices
in Palestine could not hold back the burning desire for revenge while
viewing the shocking pictures.
Since the beginning of this intifada in September 2000, I have stated over
and over again that you cannot win a war against a people who are
fighting for liberation and freedom against an occupying power. We
should know that from our own history and experience better than most
other nations and peoples. It is clear that the Palestinians will in the end be
free and the Israeli occupation will end. It is mainly a question of time and
at what price. The day-to-day battle of killing is nothing more than futile.
There are those who would say: What do you want us to do, lay down our
arms and let the enemy kill us? To those I would say: we need to change
disks in order to act differently. In the current paradigm of Israeli-
Palestinian relations the only logic is the one of mutual destruction. That
logic is voiced clearly in the kinds of statements that are made everyday
by people on both sides:
We cannot lay down our arms because they will not lay down theirs.
We must fight against terrorism because you cannot compromise with
terrorism.
We must continue to fight the occupation because the only language they
understand is the language of force.
We must fight against terrorism because force is the only language they
understand.
If we declare ceasefire they will understand that we are weak.
There can be no victories for terrorism because that will increase terrorism.
Withdrawal is a victory for terror.
They are all terrorists from birth; they drink the hatred with their mother’s
milk.
Anyway, there is no one to talk to on the other side.
They don’t want peace, they only want to destroy us.
Etc. Etc. Etc.
It doesn’t matter who says it. In a conflict where there is so much
asymmetry it is amazing how much symmetry there is in the rhetoric. The
very same things that we think about them, they think about us. And the
circle continues over and over, round and round. And with each day more
death, more blood, more destruction. And the entire resources of two
peoples, human capital, financial capital and the land that we both love is
being thrown into the garbage bin of the logic of military, security,
weapons, and defense futility.
In the past I have been attacked by Israelis who would stay that I and
those like me are quislings and self hating Jews for even stating that there
is an occupation. But now even Prime Minster Sharon himself has spoken
about occupation “I think the idea that it is possible to continue keeping
3.5 million Palestinians under occupation - yes it is occupation, you might
not like the word, but what is happening is occupation - is bad for Israel,
and bad for the Palestinians, and bad for the Israeli economy. Controlling
3.5 million Palestinians cannot go on forever. You want to remain in Jenin,
Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem?” (May 26, 2003) Sharon is planning for
unilateral disengagement. I am fully behind the idea of Israel ending the
occupation in Gaza and I support any move that will prepare the people of
Israel for the eventuality that we must withdraw from every centimeter of
Gaza including all of the settlements, and the sooner the better. But this
will not bring peace. It should be clear to everyone, especially to Sharon
himself, this will not put an end to the killing.
In a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, Israel will not be leaving Gaza for the
last time. Israel will return, IDF troops will re-enter, Apache helicopters will
continue to launch missiles against Palestinians in the streets of Gaza. Law
and order will not reign in Gaza. The one constant variable that we can all
be sure about under this scenario of unilateralism is that hatred against
Israel will continue to grow. And Israelis will respond with equal levels of
hatred against Palestinians.
Palestinians are not born terrorists and there is nothing about their genetic
makeup that turns them towards terrorism. Israelis too are not born hating
Palestinians and they too are not terrorists from birth. These are learned
behaviors. The main stay of learning these behaviors is fear. The spread of
fear is the fuel of generals and military minds and politicians who were in
their pasts from the same mind set – Israelis and Palestinians alike. There
is firm reliance on the spread of fear for constant demands for increased
military budgets or for continued smuggling of weapons and paying the
salaries of “freedom fighters” with badly needed scarce resources that
should be used to build, not to destroy. And fear has taken hold. Only we
are all too proud to say that we are afraid. Only cowards are afraid. But I
am not a coward and I am afraid. I am afraid that the killing and destruction
will go on and on, and the well known wish that maybe my children won’t
have to fight will be heard over and over again, generation after
generation, and all of our children will have to fight. And the publics are
taken hostage and their voices are silent.
Where are the voices who say enough killing? Where are those who know
in their hearts and in their minds that there is no way to break the will of
the other side? I am burning with anger. I am angry at my compatriots and
I am angry at Palestinians – why do we remain silent? I have no hopes that
our leaders, or their leaders, or the leaders of the world will save us from
our own demise. I am not angrier at the leaders than I am at ourselves. I no
longer have expectations from our leaders. They will continue to do what
they know to do best – and we all will continue to pay the price with more
and more casualties – Israeli and Palestinian. How many dead bodies will
it take before common Israelis and Palestinians take to the streets and say:
ENOUGH!? 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 100,000? Each new casualty is lost for
nothing. They are not heroes, they are suckers as we all are, and if we will
be honest with ourselves, we will recognize, Israelis and Palestinians, that
they were killed in vain.
Don’t believe the myths. We are fighting for nothing – all of us – Israelis
and Palestinians. This war will bring about no achievements. There are no
victories and there are no victors. There are only losses and losers. We
are all losing and we are all losers. Israelis and Palestinians alike will
continue this futile foolishness and recklessness until we, the people,
Israelis and Palestinians, stand up with courage and go against the tide.
As it continues and as more and more people lose their lives, on both
sides, we are all responsible and we must all take the blame.
I speak with Israelis and Palestinians everyday – from all walks of life. I
know that there are people to talk with on the other side. I know that it is
possible to reach agreements and to arrive at solutions that would
guarantee life with dignity and freedom. I have been doing this work for
too long to give into fear and despair. We must demonstrate our
compassion for their suffering and for our own. There is hope and there
must be hope. There are enough reasonable Israelis and Palestinians who,
like me, are fed up. It is now up to us, we must make the difference.
Dr. Gershon Baskin is the Israeli-Co-Director of IPCRI – the
Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information
http://www.ipcri.org
“I think the idea that it is possible to continue keeping 3.5 million
Palestinians under occupation - yes it is occupation, you might not like the
word, but what is happening is occupation - is bad for Israel, and bad for
the Palestinians, and bad for the Israeli economy. Controlling 3.5 million
Palestinians cannot go on forever. You want to remain in Jenin, Nablus,
Ramallah and Bethlehem?" [Ariel Sharon, May 26, 2003]
The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at
the border? [Pablo Casals]
I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends. [Abraham Lincoln]
If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your
enemy. Then he becomes your partner. [Nelson Mandela]
[] The good soldier schweigt
Tamar Rotem in Ha'aretz on conference of testimonies
(From Friday 05.03.04)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/401366.html
Hebrew:
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=401270
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