The Israeli Government is bloody insane.
The Palestinians deserve better. They Deserve Peace. and for Peace to arrive, Israel must be forced to respect the International Human Rights Law.
Israel must recognize the Palestinians right to live free.
FREE.
Showing posts with label Arab Israeli Conflict. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arab Israeli Conflict. Show all posts
Monday, 5 January 2009
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Lybia: no other Srbrenica or Rwanda to be added to history.
Security Council Meeting Dec 31st.
GIADALLA A. ETTALHI ( Libya) recalled that a truce had been reached between the Palestinians and Israelis last June under Egyptian sponsorship. As part of that truce, Israel had pledged to open the border crossings while the Palestinians had observed the truce “religiously” despite at least 190 Israeli violations that had killed 25 citizens. The crossings had never been completely opened, and on 4 November, the Israeli Army had entered the eastern part of Gaza, unprovoked, and killed six Palestinians. The Palestinians had never fired a single bullet except in response to an Israeli violation of the truce. Since 5 November, the Israelis had imposed a full blockade on Gaza, including blocking UNRWA.
Those actions constituted a crime of genocide, a crime against humanity and a war crime according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, he said, pointing out that 80 per cent of Palestinian families were suffering from hunger and a collapse in water and sewerage services. Gazans could only get clean water once a week, according to the United Nations, while 150 basic medicines were unavailable. More than 400 Palestinians had died due to lack of treatment, a fact known to all, including the Council, which, however, had never lifted a finger. “What do you expect from people living under those conditions?”
Since 27 December, there had been air raids and bombardments which had led to the massacre that had claimed some 400 dead and 2,000 injured, most of them civilians, including large numbers of children. Buildings, schools, mosques, official buildings and the fragile infrastructure had been destroyed.
On the night of 27 December the Council had met in a closed session and issued a press statement calling for an end to the military action and the opening of the crossings, he recalled. The Israelis had not responded, despite pleas by the Secretary-General, the European Union, the Quartet and many Member States. Israel had said it would expand the attacks and that its ground forces were massing at the border. Israelis had proved once again that they were not interested in peace, but in seizing land, terrorizing Palestinians and expelling them from their homes by any possible means, including killing and starvation. No disrespect for international law and international humanitarian law could exceed what the Israelis had done in the Gaza Strip.
He then introduced a draft resolution that included a clear condemnation of the Israeli military attacks, a call upon Israel immediately to cease its attacks and abide scrupulously by its obligations as the occupying Power, and a call for immediate protection for the Palestinian civilian population. The draft also called for the reopening of the border crossings to allow unrestricted, unhindered access of humanitarian aid and basic supplies, while stressing the need for the restoration of calm in full. Libya appealed to the Council to adopt a quick and binding measure so that no other Srbrenica or Rwanda would be added to history.
GIADALLA A. ETTALHI ( Libya) recalled that a truce had been reached between the Palestinians and Israelis last June under Egyptian sponsorship. As part of that truce, Israel had pledged to open the border crossings while the Palestinians had observed the truce “religiously” despite at least 190 Israeli violations that had killed 25 citizens. The crossings had never been completely opened, and on 4 November, the Israeli Army had entered the eastern part of Gaza, unprovoked, and killed six Palestinians. The Palestinians had never fired a single bullet except in response to an Israeli violation of the truce. Since 5 November, the Israelis had imposed a full blockade on Gaza, including blocking UNRWA.
Those actions constituted a crime of genocide, a crime against humanity and a war crime according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, he said, pointing out that 80 per cent of Palestinian families were suffering from hunger and a collapse in water and sewerage services. Gazans could only get clean water once a week, according to the United Nations, while 150 basic medicines were unavailable. More than 400 Palestinians had died due to lack of treatment, a fact known to all, including the Council, which, however, had never lifted a finger. “What do you expect from people living under those conditions?”
Since 27 December, there had been air raids and bombardments which had led to the massacre that had claimed some 400 dead and 2,000 injured, most of them civilians, including large numbers of children. Buildings, schools, mosques, official buildings and the fragile infrastructure had been destroyed.
On the night of 27 December the Council had met in a closed session and issued a press statement calling for an end to the military action and the opening of the crossings, he recalled. The Israelis had not responded, despite pleas by the Secretary-General, the European Union, the Quartet and many Member States. Israel had said it would expand the attacks and that its ground forces were massing at the border. Israelis had proved once again that they were not interested in peace, but in seizing land, terrorizing Palestinians and expelling them from their homes by any possible means, including killing and starvation. No disrespect for international law and international humanitarian law could exceed what the Israelis had done in the Gaza Strip.
He then introduced a draft resolution that included a clear condemnation of the Israeli military attacks, a call upon Israel immediately to cease its attacks and abide scrupulously by its obligations as the occupying Power, and a call for immediate protection for the Palestinian civilian population. The draft also called for the reopening of the border crossings to allow unrestricted, unhindered access of humanitarian aid and basic supplies, while stressing the need for the restoration of calm in full. Libya appealed to the Council to adopt a quick and binding measure so that no other Srbrenica or Rwanda would be added to history.
ISRAEL IS AFTER CIVILIANS & DESTRUCTION
As far as Ms. AbuZayd could tell, “people are not blaming Hamas, they’re blaming Israel, they’re blaming that entity that is bombing it each day and creating this problem; they are not taking any second step on that”, she replied to another question.
Mr. Holmes added that all the reports spoke of fear and panic among the population because of “the constant nature of it, the unpredictability of it, the bloody nature of it”.
“On the humanitarian side, the situation [in Gaza] remains alarming,” John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told correspondents today at a Headquarters press conference.
It had become harder to get reliable figures because of restrictions on movement and communications inside Gaza, he informed them, adding “whatever the exact figures we may have or may quote”, he said, “this is a very bloody operation by anybody’s standards, even by the standards of that part of the world, and it’s hard to exaggerate the degree of constant fear, I think, felt by those in Gaza, in particular, as the attacks continue every 20 minutes or so, I think in many cases, both during the day and during the night. And of course there is stress on the Israeli side, too, because of the constant threat of rockets, which have continued to fall and falling in new towns and cities as the range increases.”
Mr. Holmes was joined through video link from Gaza by Karen AbuZayd, Commissioner-General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), who said that, conservatively, between 20 and 25 per cent of the known dead were civilians. UNRWA had not distributed any food for two weeks, which meant that 20,000 people a day had been without the food that they expected. Food distribution was set to begin tomorrow, however, and six or seven food distribution centres were set up for 20,000 people apiece, each day. The Israel Defense Forces had all the coordinates and had pledged to protect those areas and not have any air strikes near them.
Opening the briefing, Deputy Spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Marie Okabe, said Mr. Ban was holding daily intensive meetings with United Nations officials, who were on the ground in the region. He was also continuing to work the phones. Yesterday, he had spoken with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He had also had a teleconference with the principals of the Middle East Quartet, and her Office had supplied a readout on that. Today, the Secretary-General had spoken with the foreign ministers of Brazil and Canada, and he would be on full alert over the coming days as he continued to do what he could to work towards a ceasefire.
Returning to the casualty figures, Mr. Holmes said the last confirmed figure on the Palestinian side was from yesterday -- 318 dead. That number was probably significantly higher now, but he was unable to put an exact figure on it presently, not least because the air attacks were continuing at regular intervals. The range of numbers being quoted was between 320 and 390, with the figures being given on a range of those injured of between 1,500 and 1,900. He was trying to verify those and hoped to “have some better numbers fairly soon”.
On the question of civilian casualties, he could not say much more than he had said on Monday, because of the lack of information and difficulties defining “civilian” casualties, “but it is clear that the civilian casualties are significant, whatever definition you use, and they are certainly too many”. On the Israeli side, the latest figures indicated that 4 people had been killed from the rocket and mortar attacks and some 30 people had been wounded.
Hospitals were struggling to cope with the casualties, he said. Medical supplies were entering Gaza, but the situation was “difficult and fragile”. He reiterated his concern about the power situation, for the hospitals in particular, because without power, the back-up generators had to work constantly. That meant they only had limited fuel for perhaps 10 to 14 days, if they had to work in that constant way. There was also the problem of reliability and lack of spare parts.
He reported that no fuel had entered Gaza since Monday, so the power plant, as predicted, had shut down yesterday. That meant that some 650,000 people in central and northern Gaza would have power cuts of 16 or more hours a day until more fuel reached the enclave. The Kerem Shalom crossing point had remained open for the past couple of days, and yesterday, 55 truckloads of goods had been allowed to pass, including 28 truckloads of humanitarian supplies -- mainly food and medical supplies -- and five ambulances. He had hoped that would have grown to 90 truckloads today, but only around 60 had gotten through. Some medical supplies, ambulances and generators had entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing. UNRWA was planning to resume food distribution tomorrow, but as long as the Karni conveyor belt was not being used for bulk wheat grain, the stocks remained virtually non-existent.
Apart from medical supplies, the major needs were grain and wheat flour, and fuel, as well as cash for UNRWA, in order to enable people to buy supplies. He was liaising closely with the Israeli military and civilian authorities on all those fronts, and they were cooperative, in principle, about those supplies, “but we need to see more results, particularly in the key areas I talked about”. Access out of Gaza for severely injured people in need of treatment was through Rafah into Egypt -- around 30 cases had gone that way; none were currently going into Israel for treatment, although it was not clear why.
Putting the issue of the supplies and crossings into context, he said that 60 truckloads a day were presently entering Gaza, as compared to 125 truckloads daily in October 2008 and 475 truckloads per day in May 2007, just before the Hamas takeover.
The damage to infrastructure remained a concern, but so far, he thought it had been limited to the key parts of the infrastructure. Nevertheless, at least two serious water wells had been hit, and there had been damage to schools and other infrastructure. UNRWA had launched an appeal yesterday for $34 million for food, medical supplies and other goods, and there were good indications that donors would respond generously. More widely, the consolidated appeal was being used for the Occupied Palestinian Territory as a whole, and that appeal was for $462 million for 2009, which was similar to the figure for 2008. A new humanitarian emergency response fund was being set up.
He appealed to all parties to respect international humanitarian law, in whatever actions they were taking, particularly, to respect the distinction between combatants and civilians, and to respond proportionately to any attacks. “That had been conspicuous mostly by its absence so far,” he added. Apart from that, the biggest need remained an immediate ceasefire, fully respected by all sides. Everyone was very disappointed that the proposal for a 48-hour lull, or ceasefire, had been rejected, but he hoped that diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire would bear some fruit in the coming days.
Ms. AbuZayd echoed Mr. Holmes’ disappointment about the lull, adding that word about that possibility had travelled around among those who had ventured out and into the markets. Hopes had been raised that they would have a brief respite from the noise of the bombs and drones overhead, at least for a few days.
She said that nearly 100 trucks had gotten in yesterday, 35 of which had been for UNRWA. People were working at the warehouses through the night. UNRWA needed 100 trucks a day at Karni alone, with just its bulk grain flour, and she was pretty sure that would not open. She had spoken with the Coordinator for the Territories earlier this evening, who had been adamant that there were still security threats there and that operations would have to continue at Kerem Shalom.
Describing the offloading and loading process between Israeli and Palestinian trucks at the crossings, she said the Palestinian trucks had only two hours, because they never got in before 3 p.m. and then they had to shut down operations at dark. So, although people were working through the night, the trucks were unable to get in. UNRWA was unable to get most of the things it had ordered into Gaza since much of it, normally, went through Karni crossing, so it was borrowing food from the World Food Programme and flour from its own West Bank Programme, but donors were sending desperately needed things. She thanked two donors -- the Hashemite Foundation from Jordan and the Egyptian Red Cross.
The $34 million appeal concentrated on food, cash assistance, shelter and fuel, she said, adding that there had already been some indications that there would be pledges for the additional appeal to the consolidated appeal that went out only a few weeks ago. Food distribution would begin tomorrow; six or seven food distribution centres had been set up, each to service 20,000 a day. The Israel Defense Forces had the coordinates and had pledged to protect those areas.
She said that only one person -- an injured UNRWA student -- had gotten out of Gaza to an Israeli hospital following the air strike that had killed eight others, but he died this morning. “So that was a bit of sad news for us on top of everything else today.”
To several questions about the fuel, Mr. Holmes said the reasons why the fuel was not getting through “are really for the Israelis to explain”. He had been pressing very hard for the Israelis to allow the fuel supply to resume. They had said there were security threats and violence around the crossing point where the fuel pipeline crossed, and they, therefore, could not open the fuel pipeline now. He hoped they would open it tomorrow, but there was no guarantee of that. Until it was opened, the power plant would remain closed, which meant a very limited power supply in Gaza.
A lot of medical supplies were entering Gaza, he replied to another question, adding that most of the hospitals were able to operate “just about” on what they had now, but supplies of basic drugs were running very low. Surgical kits would be supplied in the coming days, sufficient to treat 10,000 casualties.
In terms of coordination with the Israelis, Ms. AbuZayd said the Agency had longstanding lists of things it was trying to bring in and now was in “constant contact” with the Israelis. But, there was a lot more outside than could be gotten in on a daily basis. The Israelis watched distributions and UNRWA movement, and they alerted the Agency about any air strikes. “So there is good coordination, but we’re not getting enough in; the logistics are just not good enough yet.”
The damage to United Nations facilities was mostly collateral damage -- “we’re just near where there is a strike, somehow”, she said, adding that that was what had happened to the warehouses and schools pictured in the media today. In the case of the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East (UNSCO), that had been “smack up against the presidential guest house”, and when that had been hit, the UNSCO building had suffered serious damage.
As for whether Israeli authorities had been asked to investigate the deadly attack involving students coming out of a United Nations facility, Ms. AbuZayd said UNRWA had taken up the matter with the International Organization Department of Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, which had itself approached the Agency saying it believed the incident should be investigated.
Replying to a question about hunger, she said that people were doing badly, and everyone she knew was sharing what they had, and not just with their family, but with their neighbours as well. She had not seen widespread hunger, but for the first time in her eight years on the job, she was seeing people begging.
Regarding the source of information about a possible 48-hour lull, she said she thought it was widespread in the media. She had seen the story herself in the Israeli English newspapers, which had made its way into the Arab newspapers. So, people had believed it, she added.
Asked if she believed the crossings were closed because of security threats, she said had spoken with the Coordinator for the Territory just before the briefing and he was “quite insistent” that there was intelligence about serious preparation for security operations at all of those places. “We wonder if it’s serious enough to really keep things completely closed and to keep people, you know, on the edge of subsistence, but that’s what we’re told all the time,” she said.
Mr. Holmes acknowledged that there were questions about how real the security risks were, but the crossing points had at times been targeted by rockets and from within Gaza. So, there was some evidence for that.
Replying to follow-up questions on the fuel issue, Mr. Holmes said the fuel supply had been cut off since 26 December, with the 650,000 people in central and northern Gaza facing 16 hours or more of power cuts per day. That was an urban environment where power was a daily necessity. As for resuming the power supply, he thought it was simply a matter of turning on the tap.
All five mosques that had been attacked were said to be Hamas mosques, Ms. AbuZayd replied to a question about whether those temples had harboured weapons or militants.
Regarding the trauma, she said it was hard to describe. Everybody was traumatized about what was happening each day and about the future; they were just expecting the worst.
Mr. Holmes added that all the reports spoke of fear and panic among the population because of “the constant nature of it, the unpredictability of it, the bloody nature of it”.
As far as Ms. AbuZayd could tell, “people are not blaming Hamas, they’re blaming Israel, they’re blaming that entity that is bombing it each day and creating this problem; they are not taking any second step on that”, she replied to another question.
Asked about preparations for a possible ground invasion, she said contingency planning was under way. UNRWA was setting up emergency centres for shelters and distributions, and it was already in touch with the Israelis about protecting those areas. She thought the scope and duration of what might come was different from past offensives, but she had been assured by the Israelis that UNRWA would be kept well-informed and that humanitarian activities would be protected.
Mr. Holmes added that all the reports spoke of fear and panic among the population because of “the constant nature of it, the unpredictability of it, the bloody nature of it”.
“On the humanitarian side, the situation [in Gaza] remains alarming,” John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told correspondents today at a Headquarters press conference.
It had become harder to get reliable figures because of restrictions on movement and communications inside Gaza, he informed them, adding “whatever the exact figures we may have or may quote”, he said, “this is a very bloody operation by anybody’s standards, even by the standards of that part of the world, and it’s hard to exaggerate the degree of constant fear, I think, felt by those in Gaza, in particular, as the attacks continue every 20 minutes or so, I think in many cases, both during the day and during the night. And of course there is stress on the Israeli side, too, because of the constant threat of rockets, which have continued to fall and falling in new towns and cities as the range increases.”
Mr. Holmes was joined through video link from Gaza by Karen AbuZayd, Commissioner-General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), who said that, conservatively, between 20 and 25 per cent of the known dead were civilians. UNRWA had not distributed any food for two weeks, which meant that 20,000 people a day had been without the food that they expected. Food distribution was set to begin tomorrow, however, and six or seven food distribution centres were set up for 20,000 people apiece, each day. The Israel Defense Forces had all the coordinates and had pledged to protect those areas and not have any air strikes near them.
Opening the briefing, Deputy Spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Marie Okabe, said Mr. Ban was holding daily intensive meetings with United Nations officials, who were on the ground in the region. He was also continuing to work the phones. Yesterday, he had spoken with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He had also had a teleconference with the principals of the Middle East Quartet, and her Office had supplied a readout on that. Today, the Secretary-General had spoken with the foreign ministers of Brazil and Canada, and he would be on full alert over the coming days as he continued to do what he could to work towards a ceasefire.
Returning to the casualty figures, Mr. Holmes said the last confirmed figure on the Palestinian side was from yesterday -- 318 dead. That number was probably significantly higher now, but he was unable to put an exact figure on it presently, not least because the air attacks were continuing at regular intervals. The range of numbers being quoted was between 320 and 390, with the figures being given on a range of those injured of between 1,500 and 1,900. He was trying to verify those and hoped to “have some better numbers fairly soon”.
On the question of civilian casualties, he could not say much more than he had said on Monday, because of the lack of information and difficulties defining “civilian” casualties, “but it is clear that the civilian casualties are significant, whatever definition you use, and they are certainly too many”. On the Israeli side, the latest figures indicated that 4 people had been killed from the rocket and mortar attacks and some 30 people had been wounded.
Hospitals were struggling to cope with the casualties, he said. Medical supplies were entering Gaza, but the situation was “difficult and fragile”. He reiterated his concern about the power situation, for the hospitals in particular, because without power, the back-up generators had to work constantly. That meant they only had limited fuel for perhaps 10 to 14 days, if they had to work in that constant way. There was also the problem of reliability and lack of spare parts.
He reported that no fuel had entered Gaza since Monday, so the power plant, as predicted, had shut down yesterday. That meant that some 650,000 people in central and northern Gaza would have power cuts of 16 or more hours a day until more fuel reached the enclave. The Kerem Shalom crossing point had remained open for the past couple of days, and yesterday, 55 truckloads of goods had been allowed to pass, including 28 truckloads of humanitarian supplies -- mainly food and medical supplies -- and five ambulances. He had hoped that would have grown to 90 truckloads today, but only around 60 had gotten through. Some medical supplies, ambulances and generators had entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing. UNRWA was planning to resume food distribution tomorrow, but as long as the Karni conveyor belt was not being used for bulk wheat grain, the stocks remained virtually non-existent.
Apart from medical supplies, the major needs were grain and wheat flour, and fuel, as well as cash for UNRWA, in order to enable people to buy supplies. He was liaising closely with the Israeli military and civilian authorities on all those fronts, and they were cooperative, in principle, about those supplies, “but we need to see more results, particularly in the key areas I talked about”. Access out of Gaza for severely injured people in need of treatment was through Rafah into Egypt -- around 30 cases had gone that way; none were currently going into Israel for treatment, although it was not clear why.
Putting the issue of the supplies and crossings into context, he said that 60 truckloads a day were presently entering Gaza, as compared to 125 truckloads daily in October 2008 and 475 truckloads per day in May 2007, just before the Hamas takeover.
The damage to infrastructure remained a concern, but so far, he thought it had been limited to the key parts of the infrastructure. Nevertheless, at least two serious water wells had been hit, and there had been damage to schools and other infrastructure. UNRWA had launched an appeal yesterday for $34 million for food, medical supplies and other goods, and there were good indications that donors would respond generously. More widely, the consolidated appeal was being used for the Occupied Palestinian Territory as a whole, and that appeal was for $462 million for 2009, which was similar to the figure for 2008. A new humanitarian emergency response fund was being set up.
He appealed to all parties to respect international humanitarian law, in whatever actions they were taking, particularly, to respect the distinction between combatants and civilians, and to respond proportionately to any attacks. “That had been conspicuous mostly by its absence so far,” he added. Apart from that, the biggest need remained an immediate ceasefire, fully respected by all sides. Everyone was very disappointed that the proposal for a 48-hour lull, or ceasefire, had been rejected, but he hoped that diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire would bear some fruit in the coming days.
Ms. AbuZayd echoed Mr. Holmes’ disappointment about the lull, adding that word about that possibility had travelled around among those who had ventured out and into the markets. Hopes had been raised that they would have a brief respite from the noise of the bombs and drones overhead, at least for a few days.
She said that nearly 100 trucks had gotten in yesterday, 35 of which had been for UNRWA. People were working at the warehouses through the night. UNRWA needed 100 trucks a day at Karni alone, with just its bulk grain flour, and she was pretty sure that would not open. She had spoken with the Coordinator for the Territories earlier this evening, who had been adamant that there were still security threats there and that operations would have to continue at Kerem Shalom.
Describing the offloading and loading process between Israeli and Palestinian trucks at the crossings, she said the Palestinian trucks had only two hours, because they never got in before 3 p.m. and then they had to shut down operations at dark. So, although people were working through the night, the trucks were unable to get in. UNRWA was unable to get most of the things it had ordered into Gaza since much of it, normally, went through Karni crossing, so it was borrowing food from the World Food Programme and flour from its own West Bank Programme, but donors were sending desperately needed things. She thanked two donors -- the Hashemite Foundation from Jordan and the Egyptian Red Cross.
The $34 million appeal concentrated on food, cash assistance, shelter and fuel, she said, adding that there had already been some indications that there would be pledges for the additional appeal to the consolidated appeal that went out only a few weeks ago. Food distribution would begin tomorrow; six or seven food distribution centres had been set up, each to service 20,000 a day. The Israel Defense Forces had the coordinates and had pledged to protect those areas.
She said that only one person -- an injured UNRWA student -- had gotten out of Gaza to an Israeli hospital following the air strike that had killed eight others, but he died this morning. “So that was a bit of sad news for us on top of everything else today.”
To several questions about the fuel, Mr. Holmes said the reasons why the fuel was not getting through “are really for the Israelis to explain”. He had been pressing very hard for the Israelis to allow the fuel supply to resume. They had said there were security threats and violence around the crossing point where the fuel pipeline crossed, and they, therefore, could not open the fuel pipeline now. He hoped they would open it tomorrow, but there was no guarantee of that. Until it was opened, the power plant would remain closed, which meant a very limited power supply in Gaza.
A lot of medical supplies were entering Gaza, he replied to another question, adding that most of the hospitals were able to operate “just about” on what they had now, but supplies of basic drugs were running very low. Surgical kits would be supplied in the coming days, sufficient to treat 10,000 casualties.
In terms of coordination with the Israelis, Ms. AbuZayd said the Agency had longstanding lists of things it was trying to bring in and now was in “constant contact” with the Israelis. But, there was a lot more outside than could be gotten in on a daily basis. The Israelis watched distributions and UNRWA movement, and they alerted the Agency about any air strikes. “So there is good coordination, but we’re not getting enough in; the logistics are just not good enough yet.”
The damage to United Nations facilities was mostly collateral damage -- “we’re just near where there is a strike, somehow”, she said, adding that that was what had happened to the warehouses and schools pictured in the media today. In the case of the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East (UNSCO), that had been “smack up against the presidential guest house”, and when that had been hit, the UNSCO building had suffered serious damage.
As for whether Israeli authorities had been asked to investigate the deadly attack involving students coming out of a United Nations facility, Ms. AbuZayd said UNRWA had taken up the matter with the International Organization Department of Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, which had itself approached the Agency saying it believed the incident should be investigated.
Replying to a question about hunger, she said that people were doing badly, and everyone she knew was sharing what they had, and not just with their family, but with their neighbours as well. She had not seen widespread hunger, but for the first time in her eight years on the job, she was seeing people begging.
Regarding the source of information about a possible 48-hour lull, she said she thought it was widespread in the media. She had seen the story herself in the Israeli English newspapers, which had made its way into the Arab newspapers. So, people had believed it, she added.
Asked if she believed the crossings were closed because of security threats, she said had spoken with the Coordinator for the Territory just before the briefing and he was “quite insistent” that there was intelligence about serious preparation for security operations at all of those places. “We wonder if it’s serious enough to really keep things completely closed and to keep people, you know, on the edge of subsistence, but that’s what we’re told all the time,” she said.
Mr. Holmes acknowledged that there were questions about how real the security risks were, but the crossing points had at times been targeted by rockets and from within Gaza. So, there was some evidence for that.
Replying to follow-up questions on the fuel issue, Mr. Holmes said the fuel supply had been cut off since 26 December, with the 650,000 people in central and northern Gaza facing 16 hours or more of power cuts per day. That was an urban environment where power was a daily necessity. As for resuming the power supply, he thought it was simply a matter of turning on the tap.
All five mosques that had been attacked were said to be Hamas mosques, Ms. AbuZayd replied to a question about whether those temples had harboured weapons or militants.
Regarding the trauma, she said it was hard to describe. Everybody was traumatized about what was happening each day and about the future; they were just expecting the worst.
Mr. Holmes added that all the reports spoke of fear and panic among the population because of “the constant nature of it, the unpredictability of it, the bloody nature of it”.
As far as Ms. AbuZayd could tell, “people are not blaming Hamas, they’re blaming Israel, they’re blaming that entity that is bombing it each day and creating this problem; they are not taking any second step on that”, she replied to another question.
Asked about preparations for a possible ground invasion, she said contingency planning was under way. UNRWA was setting up emergency centres for shelters and distributions, and it was already in touch with the Israelis about protecting those areas. She thought the scope and duration of what might come was different from past offensives, but she had been assured by the Israelis that UNRWA would be kept well-informed and that humanitarian activities would be protected.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Please be informed
I am not writing this to blame anyone ; but people. read this;
In a press release that was out yesterday over a press conference for the humanitarian situation in Gaza reported from the united nations, I quote:
Asked if the Gaza population at large was aware that the current attacks were the result of Hamas unilaterally terminating the truce and firing rockets, Ms. AbuZayd Commissioner-General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that, in general, they did not think that the truce had been violated by Hamas. They had seen that Hamas had observed the truce quite strictly for almost six months, and that they had gotten nothing in return. The deal was that if there were no rockets, the crossing would be opened. The crossings, however, were not opened. Also, before Hamas started launching any rockets, there had been an incursion into Gaza to target militants, seven of whom had been killed. After that, the rockets were fired and that was the end of the truce.
As for the rest of the press conference, ...
In a press release that was out yesterday over a press conference for the humanitarian situation in Gaza reported from the united nations, I quote:
Asked if the Gaza population at large was aware that the current attacks were the result of Hamas unilaterally terminating the truce and firing rockets, Ms. AbuZayd Commissioner-General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that, in general, they did not think that the truce had been violated by Hamas. They had seen that Hamas had observed the truce quite strictly for almost six months, and that they had gotten nothing in return. The deal was that if there were no rockets, the crossing would be opened. The crossings, however, were not opened. Also, before Hamas started launching any rockets, there had been an incursion into Gaza to target militants, seven of whom had been killed. After that, the rockets were fired and that was the end of the truce.
As for the rest of the press conference, ...
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Do you know what will stop the raids on Gaza?
one way and its the only way to win this situation, at least to stop the uglier tomorrow:
If the international community acknowledged Hamas it would force Israel to back off. but who has the guts to do that?
none of the boats going to Gaza were allowed in in the name of a Government. no one got approved or dared to, hence First Qatari Aid / Lybian Ship were denied in.
All Boats were allowed in the name of humanitarian aid donations from people and various peace relief groups & movements.
the 17th of December 1850 resolution was indeed to frame Hamas and to give Israel a signal to go in.
My wish is: If every Arab Leader, Latin American Leader, 2 European States & Canada just PHONED Ismail Hanieh and expressed sorrow and support for Gaza.
the whole world including the US and Israel will have to listen.
The worst thing we do and are good at is abandoning our people.
LEGALLY.
If the international community acknowledged Hamas it would force Israel to back off. but who has the guts to do that?
none of the boats going to Gaza were allowed in in the name of a Government. no one got approved or dared to, hence First Qatari Aid / Lybian Ship were denied in.
All Boats were allowed in the name of humanitarian aid donations from people and various peace relief groups & movements.
the 17th of December 1850 resolution was indeed to frame Hamas and to give Israel a signal to go in.
My wish is: If every Arab Leader, Latin American Leader, 2 European States & Canada just PHONED Ismail Hanieh and expressed sorrow and support for Gaza.
the whole world including the US and Israel will have to listen.
The worst thing we do and are good at is abandoning our people.
LEGALLY.
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Abbas Calls Free Gaza Movement a Silly Game
The Free Gaza Movement is sending the Dignity on its fifth mission to Gaza with envoys on board from civil society organizations in Qatar. The boat also carries journalists, human rights observers, and Palestinians who want to return home and have been prevented from doing so by the Israeli occupation.
On the eve of this voyage, the Free Gaza Movement would like to correct a few the statements made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a December 11 interview with Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper. In that interview, Abbas suggesting that our efforts are coordinated with the Israelis – that the Israelis check the passports of the passengers aboard our ship and officials from the Israeli Embassy in Larnaca, Cyprus, check our boat before we leave the port.
And as a result of this interference, President Abbas stated that ours is a "silly game" and that we are not really breaking the siege.
We do not coordinate any of our actions with the Israelis. Israel has grossly abused its authority as an occupying power by collectively punishing the people of Gaza and denying them basic human rights. As such, we neither seek Israel's permission, nor submit to their searches, to assert the right of the Palestinian people to have access to the outside world, which includes the right to invite and welcome us to Gaza.
So, why do we get in, while other efforts are stopped by the Israeli authorities? Because we remove the "security" pretext with which Israel tries to justify its brutal actions and inhumane policies towards the Palestinian people. Amongst other things, we publicize our passenger list; we depart from Cyprus, a neutral European country; and we submit to a search by the Cypriot Port Authorities to verify that we are not carrying anything that can be considered a threat to Israel's security. We sail from Cyprus waters, into international waters, directly into Gaza's territorial waters, without entering Israeli waters. Israel realizes that it cannot stop us without using force against us, because we will not be turned around easily.
President Abbas' statement that we coordinate with the Israelis was misinformed. However, Abbas was correct when he said that we are not really breaking the siege on Gaza. Our boats cannot break the siege alone. Our hope is that we have started something that others can build on. We have shown that the concerted efforts of ordinary civilians working together in the name of justice can confront and successfully challenge Israel's brutal policies and hope we have inspired other people to break their silence over Israel's war crimes in the Gaza Strip and throughout the occupied Palestinian territory. From the continued and accelerated Judaization of Jerusalem and the rabid violence of the settler movement, to the vicious racism of Israeli politicians, Israel is committing massive violations against the people Gaza and Palestine as a whole. The world must stand up to this.
The Free Gaza Movement will continue to send boats to Gaza to challenge Israel's imprisonment of 1.5 million Palestinians, and we will continue to work for freedom and justice for all of the Palestinian people. We do not need Israel's permission and we will never ask for it. We do need President Abbas, the Arab world, and the entire international community to join us.
[Source]
Why are you NOT hearing anything about Free Gaza Boats in mainstream media? WHY??
Photo by Mike Cushman, you can see more from the 4th Dignity Trip here
On the eve of this voyage, the Free Gaza Movement would like to correct a few the statements made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a December 11 interview with Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper. In that interview, Abbas suggesting that our efforts are coordinated with the Israelis – that the Israelis check the passports of the passengers aboard our ship and officials from the Israeli Embassy in Larnaca, Cyprus, check our boat before we leave the port.
And as a result of this interference, President Abbas stated that ours is a "silly game" and that we are not really breaking the siege.
We do not coordinate any of our actions with the Israelis. Israel has grossly abused its authority as an occupying power by collectively punishing the people of Gaza and denying them basic human rights. As such, we neither seek Israel's permission, nor submit to their searches, to assert the right of the Palestinian people to have access to the outside world, which includes the right to invite and welcome us to Gaza.
So, why do we get in, while other efforts are stopped by the Israeli authorities? Because we remove the "security" pretext with which Israel tries to justify its brutal actions and inhumane policies towards the Palestinian people. Amongst other things, we publicize our passenger list; we depart from Cyprus, a neutral European country; and we submit to a search by the Cypriot Port Authorities to verify that we are not carrying anything that can be considered a threat to Israel's security. We sail from Cyprus waters, into international waters, directly into Gaza's territorial waters, without entering Israeli waters. Israel realizes that it cannot stop us without using force against us, because we will not be turned around easily.
President Abbas' statement that we coordinate with the Israelis was misinformed. However, Abbas was correct when he said that we are not really breaking the siege on Gaza. Our boats cannot break the siege alone. Our hope is that we have started something that others can build on. We have shown that the concerted efforts of ordinary civilians working together in the name of justice can confront and successfully challenge Israel's brutal policies and hope we have inspired other people to break their silence over Israel's war crimes in the Gaza Strip and throughout the occupied Palestinian territory. From the continued and accelerated Judaization of Jerusalem and the rabid violence of the settler movement, to the vicious racism of Israeli politicians, Israel is committing massive violations against the people Gaza and Palestine as a whole. The world must stand up to this.
The Free Gaza Movement will continue to send boats to Gaza to challenge Israel's imprisonment of 1.5 million Palestinians, and we will continue to work for freedom and justice for all of the Palestinian people. We do not need Israel's permission and we will never ask for it. We do need President Abbas, the Arab world, and the entire international community to join us.
[Source]
Why are you NOT hearing anything about Free Gaza Boats in mainstream media? WHY??
Photo by Mike Cushman, you can see more from the 4th Dignity Trip here
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Resolution 1850, Absence of a Legal Voice and The US Policy
Resolution
The full text of resolution 1850 (2008) reads as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 242, 338, 1397, and 1515 and the Madrid principles,
“Reiterating its vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,
“Welcoming the 9 November 2008 statement from the Quartet and the Israeli‑Palestinian Joint Understanding announced at the November 2007 Annapolis Conference, including in relation to implementation of the Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,
“Noting also that lasting peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement, and terror, and the two-State solution, building upon previous agreements and obligations,
“Noting the importance of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative,
“Encouraging the Quartet’s ongoing work to support the parties in their efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,
“1. Declares its support for the negotiations initiated at Annapolis, Maryland, on 27 November 2007 and its commitment to the irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations;
“2. Supports the parties’ agreed principles for the bilateral negotiating process and their determined efforts to reach their goal of concluding a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues, without exception, which confirm the seriousness of the Annapolis process;
“3. Calls on both parties to fulfil their obligations under the Performance-Based Roadmap, as stated in their Annapolis Joint Understanding, and refrain from any steps that could undermine confidence or prejudice the outcome of negotiations;
“4. Calls on all States and international organizations to contribute to an atmosphere conducive to negotiations and to support the Palestinian government that is committed to the Quartet principles and the Arab Peace Initiative and respects the commitments of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, to assist in the development of the Palestinian economy, to maximize the resources available to the Palestinian Authority, and to contribute to the Palestinian institution‑building programme in preparation for statehood;
“5. Urges an intensification of diplomatic efforts to foster in parallel with progress in the bilateral process mutual recognition and peaceful coexistence between all States in the region in the context of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;
“6. Welcomesthe Quartet’s consideration, in consultation with the parties, of an international meeting in Moscow in 2009;
“7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.”
I think Hamas got framed by the UN's seal on this resolution, a seal that the whole world irreversibly agreed to, to carry on with a clearly a too vague post Annapolis negotiations that puts Palestinians out balance against Israel, trashing 2006 elections, raising international aid donations and pushing the subject matter off to 2009, loosely allowing more settlers colonization without any penalties set by a third party or the international community..
What is Ironic is that the whole, mostly our world is silent. we - the first hand concerned people - we, the same people are never there in the legal arena. look at us, we are legally illiterate, legally voiceless when its us who supposed to be talking and I blame media, academia, and common home education ... the International Intervention never was in favor of Palestine and Palestinians and the massive support for a two state solution became so strong when physically it stood impossible to work for a Palestinian autonomous state in 14% of Palestine that looks like Swiss cheese! bad news is that is two states solution is not around the corner neither. what can people do in this case?
Freedom for Palestine 6 by ~Johny-60 on deviantART
Answer: support civic peace movements & educate people and earn a voice. a Legal voice.
Thanks to Post Zionist thinkers, there are people advocating a Palestinian State and are seeking a redefinition for a state of Israel.
But if established a state of Palestine over the 1967 Territories, do you think the relation between Palestine - Israel as a state would ever be similar to Jordan - Israel? ever ? can you take a look at an anticipated state ? How will the legal system be like? how will the resources interdependency be like?
what if the united states no longer supported Israel?
the states' vote is either against or abstention..
but again, what if..
Enjoy!
The full text of resolution 1850 (2008) reads as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 242, 338, 1397, and 1515 and the Madrid principles,
“Reiterating its vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,
“Welcoming the 9 November 2008 statement from the Quartet and the Israeli‑Palestinian Joint Understanding announced at the November 2007 Annapolis Conference, including in relation to implementation of the Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,
“Noting also that lasting peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement, and terror, and the two-State solution, building upon previous agreements and obligations,
“Noting the importance of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative,
“Encouraging the Quartet’s ongoing work to support the parties in their efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,
“1. Declares its support for the negotiations initiated at Annapolis, Maryland, on 27 November 2007 and its commitment to the irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations;
“2. Supports the parties’ agreed principles for the bilateral negotiating process and their determined efforts to reach their goal of concluding a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues, without exception, which confirm the seriousness of the Annapolis process;
“3. Calls on both parties to fulfil their obligations under the Performance-Based Roadmap, as stated in their Annapolis Joint Understanding, and refrain from any steps that could undermine confidence or prejudice the outcome of negotiations;
“4. Calls on all States and international organizations to contribute to an atmosphere conducive to negotiations and to support the Palestinian government that is committed to the Quartet principles and the Arab Peace Initiative and respects the commitments of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, to assist in the development of the Palestinian economy, to maximize the resources available to the Palestinian Authority, and to contribute to the Palestinian institution‑building programme in preparation for statehood;
“5. Urges an intensification of diplomatic efforts to foster in parallel with progress in the bilateral process mutual recognition and peaceful coexistence between all States in the region in the context of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;
“6. Welcomesthe Quartet’s consideration, in consultation with the parties, of an international meeting in Moscow in 2009;
“7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.”
I think Hamas got framed by the UN's seal on this resolution, a seal that the whole world irreversibly agreed to, to carry on with a clearly a too vague post Annapolis negotiations that puts Palestinians out balance against Israel, trashing 2006 elections, raising international aid donations and pushing the subject matter off to 2009, loosely allowing more settlers colonization without any penalties set by a third party or the international community..
What is Ironic is that the whole, mostly our world is silent. we - the first hand concerned people - we, the same people are never there in the legal arena. look at us, we are legally illiterate, legally voiceless when its us who supposed to be talking and I blame media, academia, and common home education ... the International Intervention never was in favor of Palestine and Palestinians and the massive support for a two state solution became so strong when physically it stood impossible to work for a Palestinian autonomous state in 14% of Palestine that looks like Swiss cheese! bad news is that is two states solution is not around the corner neither. what can people do in this case?
Freedom for Palestine 6 by ~Johny-60 on deviantART
Answer: support civic peace movements & educate people and earn a voice. a Legal voice.
Thanks to Post Zionist thinkers, there are people advocating a Palestinian State and are seeking a redefinition for a state of Israel.
But if established a state of Palestine over the 1967 Territories, do you think the relation between Palestine - Israel as a state would ever be similar to Jordan - Israel? ever ? can you take a look at an anticipated state ? How will the legal system be like? how will the resources interdependency be like?
what if the united states no longer supported Israel?
the states' vote is either against or abstention..
but again, what if..
Enjoy!
Friday, 12 December 2008
DIGNITY LEAVES GAZA WITH 11 PALESTINIAN STUDENTS
(GAZA PORT, GAZA - 11 December 2008) - The Free Gaza Ship “Dignity,”
departed from Gaza International Port at 22:10 hours, Thursday 11
December. Aboard the ship were eleven Palestinian students who had been
denied exit by Israel to attend their universities abroad. Over 700
students are currently trapped in Gaza, unable to obtain permission from
Israel to continue their education.
Accompanying the students are two British academics, Jonathan Rosenhead
and Mike Cushman, of the London School of Economics and the British
Committee for Universities for Palestine (BRICUP), an organization of
UK-based academics responding to Palestine's Call for an Academic Boycott
of Israel.
According to Rosenhead and Cushman, “As academics we are particularly
pleased to be traveling on the Dignity on this mission to enable at least
some of the hundreds of students trapped in Gaza by the Israeli siege to
get out and take up their places at universities round the world. This
siege is an affront to any idea of academic freedom or human rights. How
can anyone justify preventing young people from fulfilling their potential
and learning how to serve their community more fully?”
In an act of nonviolent defiance to the ongoing Israeli Occupation of
Palestine, the Free Gaza Movement has been running civil resistance ships
to Gaza for several months. This voyage is the fourth such trip, helping
to reunite families, and delivering medical supplies, mail, and
international humanitarian and human rights workers to besieged Gaza.
Free Gaza spokesperson Ewa Jasiewicz stated that, “Though we carried in a
ton of medical supplies and high-protein baby formula on our ship, our
mission in Gaza was not to provide charity, but to give our solidarity to
the people of Palestine, break the silence of the world over this
continuing calamity, and physically break through the blockade of Gaza in
an act of direct resistance against the siege. In the end, the oppression
and humiliation of Occupation assaults the humanity of both occupier and
occupied and cannot and must not be tolerated any longer.”
For over two years, Israel has imposed an increasingly severe blockade on
Gaza, dramatically increasing poverty and malnutrition rates among the 1.5
million human people who live in this tiny, coastal region.
Osama Qashoo, another Free Gaza spokesperson, explained their success by
saying that, “the sea passage to Gaza is open. Our fourth mission was a
quick response to Israel denying earlier attempts by Libya, Qatar and by
Palestinians from 1948 to also break through the siege. We hope that other
nations, civil society organizations, and activists around the world will
learn from our experience, be strategic in their planning, and not let
Israeli threats and aggression stop them from coming to Gaza. Freedom of
movement and of education, and to live in peace is everyone’s right.”
[Source]
For More Information, please contact:
(Gaza) Caoimhe Butterly, +972 598 273 960
(Cyprus/Gaza) Lubna Masarwa, +972 505 633 044
(Cyprus) Ramzi Kysia , +357 99 081 76
Further Reading [Here]
:)
departed from Gaza International Port at 22:10 hours, Thursday 11
December. Aboard the ship were eleven Palestinian students who had been
denied exit by Israel to attend their universities abroad. Over 700
students are currently trapped in Gaza, unable to obtain permission from
Israel to continue their education.
Accompanying the students are two British academics, Jonathan Rosenhead
and Mike Cushman, of the London School of Economics and the British
Committee for Universities for Palestine (BRICUP), an organization of
UK-based academics responding to Palestine's Call for an Academic Boycott
of Israel.
According to Rosenhead and Cushman, “As academics we are particularly
pleased to be traveling on the Dignity on this mission to enable at least
some of the hundreds of students trapped in Gaza by the Israeli siege to
get out and take up their places at universities round the world. This
siege is an affront to any idea of academic freedom or human rights. How
can anyone justify preventing young people from fulfilling their potential
and learning how to serve their community more fully?”
In an act of nonviolent defiance to the ongoing Israeli Occupation of
Palestine, the Free Gaza Movement has been running civil resistance ships
to Gaza for several months. This voyage is the fourth such trip, helping
to reunite families, and delivering medical supplies, mail, and
international humanitarian and human rights workers to besieged Gaza.
Free Gaza spokesperson Ewa Jasiewicz stated that, “Though we carried in a
ton of medical supplies and high-protein baby formula on our ship, our
mission in Gaza was not to provide charity, but to give our solidarity to
the people of Palestine, break the silence of the world over this
continuing calamity, and physically break through the blockade of Gaza in
an act of direct resistance against the siege. In the end, the oppression
and humiliation of Occupation assaults the humanity of both occupier and
occupied and cannot and must not be tolerated any longer.”
For over two years, Israel has imposed an increasingly severe blockade on
Gaza, dramatically increasing poverty and malnutrition rates among the 1.5
million human people who live in this tiny, coastal region.
Osama Qashoo, another Free Gaza spokesperson, explained their success by
saying that, “the sea passage to Gaza is open. Our fourth mission was a
quick response to Israel denying earlier attempts by Libya, Qatar and by
Palestinians from 1948 to also break through the siege. We hope that other
nations, civil society organizations, and activists around the world will
learn from our experience, be strategic in their planning, and not let
Israeli threats and aggression stop them from coming to Gaza. Freedom of
movement and of education, and to live in peace is everyone’s right.”
[Source]
For More Information, please contact:
(Gaza) Caoimhe Butterly, +972 598 273 960
(Cyprus/Gaza) Lubna Masarwa, +972 505 633 044
(Cyprus) Ramzi Kysia , +357 99 081 76
Further Reading [Here]
:)
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
4th Blockade-Defying Boat Docks Gaza Port =)
YEAAAAH BABY! THEY MADE IT =DDD
;)
WOOOHOOO :D
FREE GAZA PEOPLE ARE AMAZING!!
Dignity the fourth boat from Free Gaza Movement reached Gaza Port on Tuesday with 1 Ton of Humanitarian Aid, Humanitarian workers, Activists and Academia from London University to take 16 Gazan students to pursue their studies, Students whom Israel did NOT allow to leave Gaza.
YES! FREE GAZA DID IT THROUGH ACTIVISTS AND DONATIONS FROM NORMAL PEOPLE WHO CONNECTED THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THROUGH PEACE ORGANISATIONS AND THEY ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND THEY SERIOUSLY NEED HELP
we can donate money, we can send poetry in, we can make paintings and send our drawings, you can help them if you were a journalist, we can make videos, music, we can arrange a peaceful walk for freedom in our countries.
we can :) yupp I believe that
REALLY!! WHAT IS HAPPENING IS AWESOME :D
HURRRAAAAY :D
would you change??
ENJOY!
;)
WOOOHOOO :D
FREE GAZA PEOPLE ARE AMAZING!!
Dignity the fourth boat from Free Gaza Movement reached Gaza Port on Tuesday with 1 Ton of Humanitarian Aid, Humanitarian workers, Activists and Academia from London University to take 16 Gazan students to pursue their studies, Students whom Israel did NOT allow to leave Gaza.
YES! FREE GAZA DID IT THROUGH ACTIVISTS AND DONATIONS FROM NORMAL PEOPLE WHO CONNECTED THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THROUGH PEACE ORGANISATIONS AND THEY ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND THEY SERIOUSLY NEED HELP
we can donate money, we can send poetry in, we can make paintings and send our drawings, you can help them if you were a journalist, we can make videos, music, we can arrange a peaceful walk for freedom in our countries.
we can :) yupp I believe that
REALLY!! WHAT IS HAPPENING IS AWESOME :D
HURRRAAAAY :D
would you change??
ENJOY!
Monday, 8 December 2008
A View: Tanya Reinhart
Tanya Reinhart - Israeli Human Rights Defendant
Tanya Reinhart, speaking in New York, February 2007.
TANYA REINHART: So, in the present world, not only the international community does not impose sanctions on Israel. In fact, it elected to impose sanctions on the Palestinians. Since the Palestinian elections, all funds to the Palestinian Authority, all funds to the even NGO organizations have been frozen. And Israel itself is holding tax monies that it owes the Palestinian. And the Palestinian economy is completely paralyzed with no salaries, no social services, no medical care or functioning hospitals.
Just two years ago, the Western world hailed “the best of democracy in the Middle East” with Arafat departing and the Palestinian people getting ready for their elections. According to Jimmy Carter, in a report he wrote in the Herald Tribune, the Palestinian elections were, I quote, “honest, fair, strongly contested, without violence and with the result accepted by winners and losers.” Among the sixty-two elections that had been monitored by the Carter Center, these are among the best in portraying the will of the people.
In a just and well-ordered world, it would be unthinkable that a government that was elected in this kind of a process will be ignored just because Israel does not like the choice of the Palestinian people. But in a world in which the US rules, might is right, and might can define democracy as it wills. Thus, it was announced that the outcome of the Palestinian elections will not be recognized, and until this changes, the Palestinian people as a whole should be punished and starved.
What we see now, since then, is that the US is trying, together with Israel, to impose a longstanding policy that they have always had of trying to push the society into civil war. They are doing this in Palestine by supporting collaborating forces like the forces of Dahlan in Gaza. They are trying to do the same in Lebanon. They are trying this in Iraq. This is the US policy.
The Palestinian people so far have resisted this attempt to push them into a civil war, and they have managed to form a unity government. But just as we heard just yesterday, the US will not recognize—following Israel’s demand—will not recognize the new unity government and will continue the boycott.
The way this is packed is the demand of the Palestinian—the Palestinians are demanded to meet the quoted three demands, the three mantras that keep repeating. The first mantra is that the Palestinians should renounce violence, specifically Hamas should renounce violence. It’s very hard to understand the content of this demand. Already in January 2005, when the Hamas announced that they are—Hamas announced that they are going to move from armed struggle into political struggle and enter the elections, and since then, there wasn’t a single terror attack perpetrated by the Hamas. According to Israeli security sources, the Hamas didn’t even participate in launching of Kassams to Israel until the events of last summer, when Israel attacked Gaza.
The second demand is that the Palestinians should recognize previous accords. In an interview with the the Washington Post already a year ago, Hamas Prime Minister Haniyeh explained that according to the Oslo Accords in 1993, five years later in ’98, there should have been already a Palestinian state. Instead, what Israel did during this whole period was appropriate more land, continue to colonize, to build settlements, and it did not keep a single clause of the Oslo Agreements. “From now on,” Haniyeh said, “we will only accept and respect agreements that are good for the Palestinian people.”
Now, the third and crucial mantra that is being used to suffocate the Palestinian people is that the new government should recognize the existence of Israel. But the reality of the matter is that it is Israel that is not willing to recognize the right of the Palestinians to exist as a state. In the meeting of the Palestinian National Council in 1988, the Palestinian people have decided already that they are willing to accept a two-state solution within the borders of the ‘67—before the ’67 War, which for them means accepting to live in 22% of their historical land. Since then, Israel has not done a single thing to show that it’s willing accept this, to show that it’s willing to give the Palestinians a state in this little portion left of their land.
[Source]
Tanya Reinhart, speaking in New York, February 2007.
TANYA REINHART: So, in the present world, not only the international community does not impose sanctions on Israel. In fact, it elected to impose sanctions on the Palestinians. Since the Palestinian elections, all funds to the Palestinian Authority, all funds to the even NGO organizations have been frozen. And Israel itself is holding tax monies that it owes the Palestinian. And the Palestinian economy is completely paralyzed with no salaries, no social services, no medical care or functioning hospitals.
Just two years ago, the Western world hailed “the best of democracy in the Middle East” with Arafat departing and the Palestinian people getting ready for their elections. According to Jimmy Carter, in a report he wrote in the Herald Tribune, the Palestinian elections were, I quote, “honest, fair, strongly contested, without violence and with the result accepted by winners and losers.” Among the sixty-two elections that had been monitored by the Carter Center, these are among the best in portraying the will of the people.
In a just and well-ordered world, it would be unthinkable that a government that was elected in this kind of a process will be ignored just because Israel does not like the choice of the Palestinian people. But in a world in which the US rules, might is right, and might can define democracy as it wills. Thus, it was announced that the outcome of the Palestinian elections will not be recognized, and until this changes, the Palestinian people as a whole should be punished and starved.
What we see now, since then, is that the US is trying, together with Israel, to impose a longstanding policy that they have always had of trying to push the society into civil war. They are doing this in Palestine by supporting collaborating forces like the forces of Dahlan in Gaza. They are trying to do the same in Lebanon. They are trying this in Iraq. This is the US policy.
The Palestinian people so far have resisted this attempt to push them into a civil war, and they have managed to form a unity government. But just as we heard just yesterday, the US will not recognize—following Israel’s demand—will not recognize the new unity government and will continue the boycott.
The way this is packed is the demand of the Palestinian—the Palestinians are demanded to meet the quoted three demands, the three mantras that keep repeating. The first mantra is that the Palestinians should renounce violence, specifically Hamas should renounce violence. It’s very hard to understand the content of this demand. Already in January 2005, when the Hamas announced that they are—Hamas announced that they are going to move from armed struggle into political struggle and enter the elections, and since then, there wasn’t a single terror attack perpetrated by the Hamas. According to Israeli security sources, the Hamas didn’t even participate in launching of Kassams to Israel until the events of last summer, when Israel attacked Gaza.
The second demand is that the Palestinians should recognize previous accords. In an interview with the the Washington Post already a year ago, Hamas Prime Minister Haniyeh explained that according to the Oslo Accords in 1993, five years later in ’98, there should have been already a Palestinian state. Instead, what Israel did during this whole period was appropriate more land, continue to colonize, to build settlements, and it did not keep a single clause of the Oslo Agreements. “From now on,” Haniyeh said, “we will only accept and respect agreements that are good for the Palestinian people.”
Now, the third and crucial mantra that is being used to suffocate the Palestinian people is that the new government should recognize the existence of Israel. But the reality of the matter is that it is Israel that is not willing to recognize the right of the Palestinians to exist as a state. In the meeting of the Palestinian National Council in 1988, the Palestinian people have decided already that they are willing to accept a two-state solution within the borders of the ‘67—before the ’67 War, which for them means accepting to live in 22% of their historical land. Since then, Israel has not done a single thing to show that it’s willing accept this, to show that it’s willing to give the Palestinians a state in this little portion left of their land.
[Source]
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Thursday, 4 December 2008
People around the world having their say, whats yours?
Atheists in Australia
A Rabbai in the States
Professors in The university of Exeter in 10 youtube sessions
A Rabbai in the States
Professors in The university of Exeter in 10 youtube sessions
FREEDOM
we don't need to be affiliated with anything to produce and we don't need massive resources or national agencies to make a difference, the things that we care for ain't gonna change by waiting for someone to hold a torch and no matter how great a person can be, he/she can't and won't score alone.
There is something I don't know if you know, but I noticed it recently; there are people around the globe who would help and understand and support our cause, but they know nothing..
The sound.
I want to make sound.
On one hand, we have this close up to our status and its awfully burdening, but on the other hand, no one knows what is going in your mind, they know nothing!!!
what cause am I talking about? I am talking about the Palestinian people. I dont want to be pro anything, pro Fateh or Hamas, Two State, One State, No State, Any State, I dont want to be part of any organization. I want to speak my mind saying that this is not right and it should not pass by and its so wrong to be silent. I don't want to use big words, I want to hear myself speaking. I have been silent for so long.
There are people who know nothing about it and are AMONG US, I dont need to go far.
I know what it feels like for us, in Jordan, the Middle East when we bring it up and how we can't foresee it solved soon but you should. I know many issues jumble the picture in the mind, really, I do know all this.
but you can't give it up, and you have to admit that you did and you do, how can you just allow people being killed miles from you? it might happen to you one day, maybe its our silence that giving it way ,, we need to say and keep saying NO loud and clear!
Those who work for UN in New York and Geneva are doing a Job at the end of the day, those who work for any government are doing a job too. its stupid, but Jobs are Jobs and roles are roles but they do not put people first. YOU KNOW THAT, YOU SEE IT EVERYDAY...
you at your job, do your job because you could be loving it, and it covers your expenses, but at the end of the day, there are people who won't even have the privilege of a safe life or a resource to depend on, living in constant fear and demolition threats of everything you ever worked for to be shattered in split second. would you allow that to happen to you now?
I didn't know what to write about Gaza, I thought to myself, I would be just another reaction to the status where no one remembers it except when it gets to a peak that the media must cover, so its just people reporting it and doing their job.
I don't care about your title, I don't care about your affliations, I really don't care about how many people listen to you and what your stance is.
but you must agree that what is going there is wrong, and my question for you now is
why are you silent ???? can you think of deliverable for a small change?
I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
There is something I don't know if you know, but I noticed it recently; there are people around the globe who would help and understand and support our cause, but they know nothing..
The sound.
I want to make sound.
On one hand, we have this close up to our status and its awfully burdening, but on the other hand, no one knows what is going in your mind, they know nothing!!!
what cause am I talking about? I am talking about the Palestinian people. I dont want to be pro anything, pro Fateh or Hamas, Two State, One State, No State, Any State, I dont want to be part of any organization. I want to speak my mind saying that this is not right and it should not pass by and its so wrong to be silent. I don't want to use big words, I want to hear myself speaking. I have been silent for so long.
There are people who know nothing about it and are AMONG US, I dont need to go far.
I know what it feels like for us, in Jordan, the Middle East when we bring it up and how we can't foresee it solved soon but you should. I know many issues jumble the picture in the mind, really, I do know all this.
but you can't give it up, and you have to admit that you did and you do, how can you just allow people being killed miles from you? it might happen to you one day, maybe its our silence that giving it way ,, we need to say and keep saying NO loud and clear!
Those who work for UN in New York and Geneva are doing a Job at the end of the day, those who work for any government are doing a job too. its stupid, but Jobs are Jobs and roles are roles but they do not put people first. YOU KNOW THAT, YOU SEE IT EVERYDAY...
you at your job, do your job because you could be loving it, and it covers your expenses, but at the end of the day, there are people who won't even have the privilege of a safe life or a resource to depend on, living in constant fear and demolition threats of everything you ever worked for to be shattered in split second. would you allow that to happen to you now?
I didn't know what to write about Gaza, I thought to myself, I would be just another reaction to the status where no one remembers it except when it gets to a peak that the media must cover, so its just people reporting it and doing their job.
I don't care about your title, I don't care about your affliations, I really don't care about how many people listen to you and what your stance is.
but you must agree that what is going there is wrong, and my question for you now is
why are you silent ???? can you think of deliverable for a small change?
I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
Friday, 7 November 2008
Mahatma Ghandi November 20th 1938
“Palestine belongs to Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France belongs to the French. It is wrong and in-human to impose the Jews on the Arabs...Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home."
Several letters have been received by me asking me to declare my views about the Arab-Jew question in Palestine and the persecution of the Jews in Germany. It is not without hesitation that I venture to offer my views on this very difficult question.
My sympathies are all with the Jews. I have known them intimately in South Africa. Some of them became life-long companions.
Through these friends I came to learn much of their age-long persecution. They have been the untouchables of Christianity. The parallel between their treatment by Christians and the treatment untouchables by Hindus is very close. Religious sanction has been invokes in both cases for the justification of the inhuman treatment meted out to them. Apart from the friendships, therefore, there is the more common universal reason for my sympathy for the Jews.
Why should they not, like other peoples of the Earth make that country their home where they are born and where they earn their livelihood? Palestine belongs to Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France belongs to the French. It is wrong and in human to impose the Jews on the Arabs. What is going on in Palestine today cannot be justified by any moral code of conduct. The mandates have no sanction but that of the last war. Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home.
The nobler course would be to insist on a just treatment of the Jews wherever they are born and bred. The Jews born in France are French in precisely the same sense that Christians born in France are French. If the Jews have no home but Palestine, will they relish the idea of being forced to leave the other parts of the world in which they are settled? Or do they want a double home where they can remain at will? This cry for the national home affords a colourable justification for the German expulsion of the Jews.
But the German persecution of the Jews seems to have no parallel in history. The tyrants of old never went so mad as Hitler seems to have gone. And he is doing it with religious zeal. For he is propounding a new religion of exclusive and militant nationalism in the name of which any inhumanity becomes an act of humanity to be rewarded here and hereafter. The crime of an obviously mad but intrepid youth is being visited upon his whole race with unbelievable ferocity. If there ever could be justifiable war in the name of and for humanity, a war against Germany, to prevent the wanton persecution of a whole race would be completely justified. But I do not believe in any war. A discussion of the pros and cons of such a war is therefore outside my horizon or province.
But if there can be no war against Germany, even for such a crime as is being committed against the Jews, surely there can be no alliance with Germany. How can there be alliance between a nation, which claims to stand for justice and democracy and one which is the declared enemy of both? Or is England drifting towards armed dictatorship and all it means?
Germany is showing to the world how efficiently violence can be worked when any hypocrisy or weakness masquerading as humanitarianism does not hamper it. It is also showing how hideous, terrible and terrifying it looks in its nakedness. Can the Jews resist this organised and shameless persecution? is there a way to preserve their self respect, and not to feel helpless, neglected and forlorn? I submit there is. No person who has faith in a living God need feel helpless and forlorn.
Jehovah of the Jews is a God more personal than the God of the Christians, the Mussalmans or the Hindus, though, as a matter as fact in essence, he is common to all and one without a second and beyond description. But as the Jews attribute personality to God and believe that he rules every action of theirs, they ought not to feel helpless. If I were a Jew and were born in Germany and earned my livelihood there, I would claim Germany as my home even as the tallest gentile German may and challenge him to shoot me or cast me in the dungeon. I would refuse to be expelled or to submit to discriminating treatment. And for doing this, I should not wait for the fellow Jews to join me in civil resistance but would have confidence that in the end the rest are bound to follow my example. if one Jew or all the Jews were to accept the prescription here offered, he or they cannot be worse off than now. And suffering voluntarily undergone will bring them and inner strength and joy, which no number of resolutions of sympathy passed in the world outside Germany can. Indeed, even of Britain, France and America were to declare hostilities against Germany; they can bring no inner joy, no inner strength. The calculated violence of Hitler may even result in a general massacre of the Jews by the way of his first answer to the declaration of such hostilities. But if the Jewish mind could be prepared for voluntary suffering, even the massacre I have imagined could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy that Jehovah had wrought deliverance of the race even at the hands of the tyrant. For to the God fearing, death has no terror. It is a joyful sleep to be followed by a waking that would be all the more refreshing for the long sleep.
It is hardly necessary for me to pint out that it is easier for the Jews than for the Czechs to follow my prescription and they have in the Indian satyagraha campaign in South Africa an exact parallel. There the Indians occupied precisely the same place that the Jews occupy in Germany. The persecution had also a religious tinge. President Kruger used to say that the white Christians were the chosen of God and the Indians were inferior beings created to serve the whites. A fundamental clause in the Transvaal constitution was that there should be no equality between the whites and coloured races including Asiatics. There too the Indians were consigned to ghettos described as locations.
The other disabilities were almost of the same type as those of the Jews in Germany. The Indians, a mere handful, resorted to satyagraha without any backing from the world outside or the Indian Government. Indeed the British officials tried to dissuade the satyagrahis from their contemplated step. World opinion and the Indian Government came to their aid after eight years of fighting. And that too was by way of diplomatic pressure not of a threat of war.
But the Jews of Germany can offer satyagraha under infinitely better auspices than the Indians of South Africa. And they have organised world opinion behind them. I am convinced that if someone with courage and vision can arise among them to lead them in non-violent action the winter of their despair could be in the twinkling of an eye could be turned into the summer of hope. And what has today become a degrading man-hunt can be turned into a calm and determined stand offered by unarmed men and women possessing the strength of suffering given to them by Jehovah. It will be then a truly religious resistance offered against the Godless fury of dehumanised man. The German Jews will score a lasting victory over the German Gentiles in the sense that they will have converted the latter to an appreciation of human dignity. They will have rendered service to fellow-Germans as against those who are today dragging, however unknowingly the German name in to the mine.
And now a word to the Jews in Palestine. I have no doubt that they are going about it the wrong way. The Palestine of the biblical conception is not a geographical tract. It is in their hearts. But if they must look to the Palestine of geography as their national home it is wrong to enter it under the shadow of the British gun. A religious act cannot be performed with the aid of the bayonet or, the bomb. They can settle in Palestine only by the goodwill of the Arabs.
They should seek to convert the Arab heart. The same God rules the Arab heart who rules the Jewish heart. They can offer satyagraha in front of the Arabs and offer themselves to be shot or thrown into the Dead Sea without raising a little finger against them. They will find the world opinion in their favour in their religious aspiration. There are hundreds of ways of reasoning with the Arabs, if they will only discard the help of the British bayonet. As it is, they are co-sharers with the British in despoiling a people who have done no wrong to them.
I am not defending the Arab excesses. I wish they had chosen the way of non- violence in resisting what they rightly regarded as an unwarrantable of right and wrong, nothing can be said against the Arab resistance in the face of overwhelming odds.
Let the Jews who claim to be chosen race prove their title by choosing the way of non- violence for vindicating their position on earth. Every country is their home including Palestine not by aggression but by loving service. A Jewish friend has sent me a book called The Jewish Contribution to Civilisation by Cecil Roth. It gives a record of what the Jews have done to enrich the world? etc. Given the will, the Jew can refuse to be treated as the outcaste of the West, to be despised or
They can add to their many contributions the surpassing contribution of non-violent action.
Friday, 22 August 2008
Palestinian Political Prisoners
There are 9000 Palestinians in the Israeli jails, we should not forget them, inform your surrounding of their current status.
Updated August 2008
No issue highlights Israel’s 41-year denial of Palestinian freedom under military occupation better than that of political prisoners. Israel uses the imprisonment of Palestinians as part of its policy to quash resistance to its occupation of Palestinian land and to intimidate the Palestinian civilian population.
Out of the 3.5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, there are few who have not been personally affected by Israel’s imprisonment policy – either through their own imprisonment or that of a family member, friend or colleague. Since 1967, Israel has detained and imprisoned almost 700,000[3] Palestinians – almost one fifth of the Palestinian population living in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
Currently, almost 11,000 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons or detention camps, out of which around 9,000 are identified as political prisoners, including 326 minors and 94 women[4]. Israel, in violation of several international conventions, continuously denies these prisoners their basic internationally recognized rights. Arbitrary arrests, imprisonment with no charges or trials, the absence of fair trials, torture, poor hygienic conditions, prohibition of family visits, and denial of medical treatment are all examples of the tragedy that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian prisoners have suffered during the last 41 years.
The widespread imprisonment of Palestinians, along with the inhumane treatment they receive while imprisoned, has placed the release of all Palestinian prisoners high on the national agenda. Israel’s release of high-profile prisoners during the most recent prisoners swap between Israel and Lebanon shows that Israel is capable of releasing prisoners who it claims are politically sensitive.
Today, the Palestinian people and its leadership aspire to the day when all the Palestinian and Arab political prisoners will be freed from Israeli jails.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How many Palestinian political prisoners are there in Israeli prisons?
There are approximately 9,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons or detention camps, including 94 women and 326 children. All of these have been charged with “security offenses” by Israeli authorities. Israel also detains 47 Palestinian parliamentarians. Of the total, approximately 1,150 are being held without charge[5].
- What does Israel consider a “security offense”?
The majority of Palestinian political prisoners are charged with offenses under Israeli military orders. These orders employ a broad definition of “security”, such that they ban, among other things, political expression.
For instance, Military Order 101 states that it is “forbidden to conduct a protest march or meeting (grouping of ten or more where the subject concerns or is related to politics) without permission from the Military Commander.” The order also prohibits the distribution of political articles and pictures with “political connotations.”[6]
Similarly, Military Order 938 even considers “supporting a hostile organization by holding a flag or listening to a nationalist song” a “hostile action.” Military Orders 101 and 938 are only two amongst numerous orders that restrict Palestinian political life in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Because of the breadth of Israel’s definition of “security,” Palestinians can be arrested and imprisoned for practically any form of public activity, regardless of whether or not they present any legitimate security threat to Israel.
- Do Palestinian prisoners enjoy minimum standards of due process?
No. International, Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations have thoroughly documented the Israeli military court system’s failures in providing Palestinians with minimum guarantees of due process. Some of the failures of the system include the following:
· Palestinian political prisoners are put on trial in Israeli military tribunals. These military tribunals are made up of judges, prosecutors and translators who are all appointed by the Israeli military commander – the same individual who is empowered to make changes to Israeli military orders. Also, some of the judges appointed by the military commander do not have legal training. As a result, these tribunals fail to meet the standard required by Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights, to which Israel is a party, that calls for a “fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law.”[7]
· Lawyers are denied the means necessary to build a proper defense. According to Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association, it takes an average of 30 to 45 days before a lawyer is able to meet his or her client due to a series of undue bureaucratic obstacles placed by the Israeli authorities.[8] Additionally, lawyers are often searched at the prison before they are able to meet with their client, and client visits are often monitored by guards such that attorney-client privilege is compromised[9].
· Palestinian detainees are often tortured, or subjected to cruel and degrading treatment during their interrogation or detention[10]. The use of torture, combined with the absence of prompt access to an attorney compromise the veracity of confessions obtained through interrogation.
· Palestinians can be held in Israeli jails for 90 days without charge. This period can be extended by another 90 days by Israeli authorities.
· Sentences handed down by the military courts cannot be appealed to courts outside the military court system. Given that all actors within the military court system fall under a single command, and share common institutional allegiances and sets of interests, the military courts review process provides limited recourse, at best. As a result, Palestinians convicted of “security offenses” do not have access to an effective appeals process, and hence are denied the right guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to have a “conviction and sentence … reviewed by a higher tribunal according to law.”[11]
- What is “administrative detention”?
Israel has over 1,150 Palestinians locked up in what is called “administrative detention.”[12] “Administrative Detention” refers to the detention of individuals for preventative purposes.
The practice of administrative detention as exercised by Israel is illegal.
- Israel uses administrative detention as “a quick and efficient alternative to criminal trial”,[13] circumventing international procedural protections for the accused.[14] Under Israeli law, administrative detention orders may last for up to six months, with Palestinians held without charge or trial during this period.[15] Israel routinely renews the detention orders and may do so any number of times, thereby holding Palestinians without charge or trial indefinitely.
- The Israeli military detains Palestinians on a broad definition of “security threat” – a definition so broad as to include “political subversion.”[16]
- Detainees are not informed of the reason for their detention.
- While detainees may appeal their detention, neither they nor their attorneys are allowed to access the State’s evidence, making it very difficult for them to refute the allegations against them.[17]
- Does Israel use Palestinian prisoners as political bargaining chips?
Yes. Israel has often used Palestinian political prisoners as bargaining chips in its history of negotiations with Palestinians. For instance, in 1994, Israel agreed to release 5,000 Palestinian political prisoners within 5 weeks,[18] but failed to do so. Instead, it made the release of Palestinian political prisoners an issue to be renegotiated, to extract further Palestinian concessions.
In 1999, Israel agreed to release Palestinian prisoners arrested prior to May 4, 1994 in the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum. However, Israel failed to release these prisoners, and opted to hold onto them instead.
A more recent example is the “arrest” of 27 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council on June 29, 2006. These officials were arrested following the capture of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit. Only months before, Israel did not prevent these same people from running and campaigning in Palestinian elections, raising serious doubt that they presented a real security threat to Israel.
- Is Israel committing violations against the prisoners’ families?
Yes. Families of Palestinian detainees are exposed to frequent violations, including raiding their houses, beating family members, or using family members as human shields during the arrest. In most cases, house raids are conducted after midnight, without providing the reason for the detention and opening fire against the building before entering.
In addition, since most prisoners are held outside the occupied Palestinian territory, their families are prevented from visiting them since Israel does not readily issue the permits required to enter Israel.[19] This practice is particularly severe when it comes to relatives living in the Gaza Strip, whose right to visit the prisoners has been denied by Israel since 2005.[20]
- Do conditions of detention for Palestinian children meet minimum standards?
No. Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Israel is obligated to refrain from imprisoning children except as a measure of last resort and only for the shortest appropriate period of time. Yet, over 6,700 Palestinian children were arrested and detained between September 2000 and August 2008.[21]
Today, about 326 children remain in Israeli jails, some as young as 12 and 13[22]. Almost all child detainees have reported some form of torture or mistreatment, whether physical (beatings or being placed in painful positions) or psychological (abuse, threats or intimidation).[23]
Children are routinely held in detention centers under appalling conditions: In some centers, up to eleven children have been packed into cells as small as five square meters.[24] Children are also kept in centers with adults, all in contravention of the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child.
A United Nations committee reported:
A few witnesses also drew the attention of the Special Committee to the appalling conditions of imprisoned minors, mixed up with adults, sometimes with women adults. They were allegedly arrested in the same way as adults, at night, taken to military camps and beaten up. They were interrogated without the presence of relatives and could not meet their lawyers for 60 days. They were subjected to various threats such as destruction of their homes, life imprisonment, beheading or rape. One youth had reportedly been confined in an isolated cell for 60 days. They were often kept three to a cell, sleeping on the floor, struggling with cockroaches and suffering poor hygienic conditions owing to lack of water. They were often exposed to ill-treatment when transferred to the court or to another prison. Unlike Israeli detainees, they had no rehabilitation or recreational programmes.[25]
- Do conditions of detention for Palestinian women meet minimum standards?
No. In Israel, there is just one prison for women, but no Palestinian female prisoner is held there. On the contrary, most Palestinian women are detained in jails that do not meet the minimum standards for female captives, including old jails that were built for men during the British Mandate.[26] With bad hygienic conditions, as well as lack of food and basic services, even the two children living with their mothers in Israeli prisons are forbidden from getting toys into the jail.
Punishment against female prisoners, either individual or collective, ranges from confiscation of personal belongings and prohibition of family visits to strip-searching and late-night searches of cells conducted by male jailers. The most recurrent “faults” for which women are punished are:[27]
a) Chatting and singing together (meaning that it might be a political meeting);
b) Doing physical activities (meaning that they are conducting military training); and
c) “Destroying public property”, which is often simply the result of the poor condition of the jails.
In addition, sexual harassment occurs frequently in Israeli prisons. Female prisoners do not have privacy and are constantly verbally abused with sexual harassment and sexual threats[28], house demolition, or imprisonment of relatives[29].
- Do conditions of detention for Palestinians meet minimum standards?
No. Israel has regularly failed to ensure that the conditions under which Palestinians are detained or imprisoned meet minimum standards.[30] Prisons and detention centers often provide prisoners little to no protection from the summer heat or the winter cold. They are poorly equipped, poorly maintained and overcrowded. In many cases, prisoners have contracted diseases as a result of poor hygiene.
In January 2006, a report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur found that:
Prison conditions are harsh: prisoners live in overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells which they generally leave for only two hours a day. Allegations of torture and inhuman treatment of detainees and prisoners continue. Such treatment includes beatings, shackling in painful positions, kicking, prolonged blindfolding, denial of access to medical care, exposure to extreme temperatures and inadequate provision of food and water.
Additionally, Israel transfers Palestinian prisoners to facilities in Israel despite its obligation to detain them within occupied Palestinian territory. Moreover, according to the UN Special Rapporteur, “family visits remain a serious problem. As prisons are held in Israel and many Palestinians are denied admission to Israel, a majority of prisoners receive no family visits.”[31]
[1] GRAFF, James (1991) Palestinian Children & Israeli State Violence. NECEF: Toronto, p. 57.
[2] Then Israeli Transport Minister Avigdor Lieberman offered to bus Palestinian political prisoners to the Dead Sea to be drowned. Israel Radio, July 7, 2003.
[3] United Nations, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Commission of Human Rights, Question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine, January 2006 (para. 42).
[4] Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Palestinians in Israeli Prisons. August 2008.
[5] Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Palestinians in Israeli Prisons. August 2008.
[6] Military Order 101, CONCERNING PROHIBITION OF INCITEMENT AND HOSTILE PROPAGANDA (1967).
[7] Through its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Israel has accepted the international agreement that sets the standard for the fundamental rights of the accused in a criminal case. The International Court of Justice in its 2004 Advisory Opinion on the Wall affirmed that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights applies to the Occupied Palestinian Territory (See Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Advisory Opinion (9 July 2004), para. 111 (I.C.J.).)
[8] Lawyers often must first find out where their clients are detained. Then they must coordinate the visit with Israeli authorities, and typically can only meet with their clients during three days of the week (other days being reserved for family visits, and visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross). In order to obtain copies of material related to their clients’ cases, lawyers must schedule an appointment to use the coin-operated copy machine at the military court. Files are not translated into Arabic.
[9] Addameer, Status of Palestinian Political Prisoners In Israeli Prisons, Detention and Interrogation Centers (June 2004), available at: < http://www.addameer.org/
[10] The use of torture by Israeli authorities is widespread. On 6 September 1999, the Israeli High Court ruled that the Israel Security Agency (formerly known as GSS) could no longer use a number of methods of torture (including violent shaking, tying prisoners in contorted positions to a small child’s chair, covering the prisoner’s head with a sack, and sleep deprivation). This ruling was widely reported as an end to Israel’s practice of torture. However, according to the Public Committee against Torture in Israel and B’Tselem, the practice of torture has not ceased. Methods of torture include: sleep deprivation, tying a detainee to a chair in painful positions, beating, slapping, kicking, threats, verbal abuse and humiliation, bending the body in extremely painful positions, intentional tightening of the handcuffs, stepping on manacles, application of pressure to different parts of the body, forcing the detainee to squat in a painful position (“Kambaz”), choking and other forms of violence and humiliation (pulling out hair, spitting etc.). Ill treatment in solitary confinement includes: sleep prevention, exposure to extreme heat and cold, continuous exposure to artificial light, and confinement in inhuman conditions.
See: <http://www.stoptorture.org.
According to Amnesty International:
“Among the thousands of Palestinians arrested after 27 February 2002, some hundreds were transferred to full-scale interrogation by the GSS [Israel Security Agency], in centers…. Amnesty International has received reports that some of the detainees interrogated by the GSS were subjected to prolonged sleep deprivation, shabeh (prolonged standing or sitting in a painful position), and being violently shaken.”
Amnesty International, Israel and the Occupied Territories: Mass detention in cruel, inhuman and degrading conditions, May 2002 (14).
[11] International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 14 (5).
[12] Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. “Palestinians in Israeli Prisons”. August 2008.
[13] B’Tselem, Prisoners of Peace: Administrative Detention During the Oslo Process, July 1997 (13).
[14] Fourth Geneva Convention, Arts. 64 to 77; and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 14.
[15] Administrative detentions are currently carried out on the basis of Military Order No. 1229, of 1988. This Order empowers military commanders in the West Bank to detain an individual for up to six months if they have “reasonable grounds to presume that the security of the area or public security require the detention.” Commanders can extend detentions for additional periods of up to six months.
[16] B’Tselem, Prisoners of Peace: Administrative Detention During the Oslo Process, July 1997 (18).
[17] B’Tselem, Prisoners of Peace: Administrative Detention During the Oslo Process, July 1997 (31); and Hamoked, Annual Report, 2004 (39). Available at: <http://www.hamoked.org.il/
[18] Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area, Article XX (May 4, 1994).
[19] According to the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees, from the current number of prisoners, just 150 are Palestinians with Israeli citizenship and over 250 are holders of Jerusalem ID. The rest, over 8.000 families, are not able to visit their relatives.
[20] http://www.reuters.com/
[21] Ministry of Detainees and Ex Detainees Affairs. Palestinian Child Detainees in Israeli Prisons. August 2008.
[22] Ibid.
[23] Defence for Children International/Palestine Section, Palestinian Children in the Judicial System, http://www.dci-pal.org/
[24] Defence for Children International/Palestine Section, Press Release, Israeli Government Fails to Release Child Detainees – 330 Still in Custody, 7 June 2003. See also, International Federation for Human Rights, Palestinian Detainees in Israel: Inhuman Conditions in Detention, 2003 (15-16).
[25] Article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that “every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interest not to do so.”
The Article also states that “[n]o child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” See Convention on the Rights of the Child, available at: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/
[26] Fact Sheet “Behind the Bars: Palestinian Women in Israeli Prisons”. Addameer. July 2008. P 1.
[27] Ibid. P 5.
[28] UNFPA. Gender-Based Violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. http://www.unfpa.org/women/
[29] Interview with Addameer Advisor. July 23, 2008.
[30] United Nations, Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, September 26, 2005 (para. 96)
[31] Ibid. (para. 91-96)
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