Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
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"Nothing can prepare you for the evil we have seen here."
Gideon Levy, journalist with the IsraeliEnglish-language daily paper Ha'aretz writes things that virtually no paper in the US would dare print for the outcry among Zionists (Jews and Christians) it would elicit.
In this link he reports on the visit of 21 South African human rights activists to the Palestinian Occupied Territories:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1000976.html
Excert:
She was deputy defense minister from 1999 to 2004; in 1987 she served time in prison. Later, I asked her in what ways the situation here is worse than apartheid. "The absolute control of people's lives, the lack of freedom of movement, the army presence everywhere, the total separation and the extensive destruction we saw."
Madlala-Routledge thinks that the struggle against the occupation is not succeeding here because of U.S. support for Israel - not the case with apartheid, which international sanctions helped destroy. Here, the racist ideology is also reinforced by religion, which was not the case in South Africa. "Talk about the 'promised land' and the 'chosen people' adds a religious dimension to racism which we did not have."
Equally harsh are the remarks of the editor-in-chief of the Sunday Times of South Africa, Mondli Makhanya, 38. "When you observe from afar you know that things are bad, but you do not know how bad. Nothing can prepare you for the evil we have seen here. In a certain sense, it is worse, worse, worse than everything we endured. The level of the apartheid, the racism and the brutality are worse than the worst period of apartheid. Gideon Levy, journalist with the IsraeliEnglish-language daily paper Ha'aretz writes things that virtually no paper in the US wou... more -
Can Palestinians understand the Holocaust? Yes.
Ever since I went to Yad Vashim in Jerusalem I have understood the Israeli Occupation of the Palestinian territory as a direct product of fear on a pathological level that was created by not only the Jewish experience in the Holocaust but by the world's indifference. I toured the Holocaust museum with my then 8 year daughter and was moved to tears - not because of the crimes shown, but because many of the photographs I saw are available today - the Warsaw Ghetto, the children with Jewish stars facing Gestapo soldiers with guns pointed at them. All you have to do is replace Palestinians for the Jews.
Now don't go and get all Anti-Semitic on me. Of course it's not the same. The magnitud and extent quite simply arent there - and never will be I dare to say. However, the Occupation is a violation of international law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (written in part by a French Jew working to prevent the Halocaus from repetlition) are violated by Israel over and over.
What the Israeli government does in the name of security should be renamed as what they do in the name of fear. I think this lawyer is on to something. I would like to see something similar taht would include pictures of the Occupation - not just the Nakbah. Ever since I went to Yad Vashim in Jerusalem I have understood the Israeli Occupation of the Palestinian territory as a direct product... more -
From Triumph to Torture
John Pilger, of the UK's Guardian newspaper wrote about Muhammed Omer, a young Palestinian (Gaza) journalist who writes for many different media organizations about the Israeli occupation. He was given an award in Britain, by Pilger and upon returning home by way of the Allenbe Bridge (across the Jordan) was detained and roughed up/tortured by Israeli border guards.
I've been across this bridge a few times with my family when we lived in Jordan and my husband's work took him to Hebron (he builds water wells. we used to live in Gaza). The guards there were universal pricks. Mean and abusive just cause they can get away with it. We (my husband mostly) were harassed and our crossing slowed. They peppered my husband (a Canadian citizen) with questions and he got pissed off and argued back. Over the years we've been slowed down with "additional quetions - just for security I hope you understand" going through border control at Ben Gurion and at Eilat, but NOTHING compared to Allenbe. It's like a free for all there.
Another friend of mine, born in the Wst Bank, made a refugee in 1948 at the age of 6 was trying to go to Bil'in for the nonviolent work being conducted by the villagers there fighting the wall - he was roughed up and held (slowed) but eventually released. They said his name was the same as a wanted suspected terrorist.
So I completely believe what happend to Omer.
Please read the story and the petition - sign it and pass it on. John Pilger, of the UK's Guardian newspaper wrote about Muhammed Omer, a young Palestinian (Gaza) journalist who writes for many ... more -
Decision on Gaza Strip action near, Israeli leader warns
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert threatened once again Sunday that Israel would take military action to end continuous rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, and warned that a decision on the matter was approaching.
‘We are very close to the crossroads to a decision regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip,’ he told ministers at the start of Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
‘The current situation will not continue,’ he added.
The premier's comments come amid reports that the sides are negotiating, through Egyptian mediation, a truce which would put a halt to Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel, and Israeli air and ground raids on and in the Gaza Strip.
A spokesman for Hamas, which Israel maintains is ultimately behind the rocket fire of all militant movements since it administers the Gaza Strip, said Sunday the fate of the ceasefire will be decided Tuesday when a delegation from the Islamist movement meets Egyptian officials in Cairo to debate the Israeli response to the truce offer.
Israel has demanded that the truce deal include the release of an Israeli soldier held captive in the Strip since being snatched on June 25, 2006, but Hamas says it will release him only in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Israel, which fears the militants will use any truce to rearm and reorganise, also wants the ceasefire deal to facilitate an end to arms smuggling to the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert threatened once again Sunday that Israel would take military action to end continuous rocket fire f... more -
Four Palestinians killed in Gaza
Palestinian medics say at least three militants and a civilian have been killed in two Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip.
An air strike on the southern town of Khan Younis killed one Hamas militant.
Three more people died in a separate raid near the Jabalia refugee camp in the north. Doctors said one of those killed was a student cycling to school.
The Israelis say they were responding to threats of rocket fire, and shooting directed at one of their border posts. Palestinian medics say at least three militants and a civilian have been killed in two Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip. ... more -
Rocket fired from Gaza explodes in Israeli shopping center
JERUSALEM - A rocket fired from Gaza exploded in a shopping center in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday, wounding at least 14 people, rescue officials said.
At least two women and one girl were seriously wounded and several other people were slightly hurt, said Leah Malul, an official at Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.
The Magen David Adom rescue service said 14 people were wounded — three seriously — and all the casualties had been evacuated from the site of the attack.
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on its Web site.
Witnesses told Israeli radio stations that the rocket caused considerable damage and rescue service director Eli Bean said at least two people had been trapped under the rubble. The two were rescued and taken to hospital, Army Radio reported.
Army Radio said the rocket hit the third floor of the Hutzot mall. The report said a clinic takes up part of the floor.
The rocket attack came as President Bush wrapped up talks in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The Israeli leader said at the end of the talks that Israel would not tolerate attacks from Gaza militants. JERUSALEM - A rocket fired from Gaza exploded in a shopping center in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday, wounding at ... more -
Baby dies: "security risks" say Israeli Army
the Israeli Physicians for Human Rights condemn the ISraeli security forces for preventing the baby and parents from traveling to Israel for treatment for a heart defect. the Israeli Physicians for Human Rights condemn the ISraeli security forces for preventing the baby and parents from traveling to Isra... more
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Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
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Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
