Water and Drug War

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The Israeli occupation is destroying the Palestinian wells with bulldozers.

In the occupied towns, cities, villages and refugee camps of Palestine, stealing water and spreading drugs by the Israeli occupation are symptoms of a daily cold war in which the Palestinians are suffering of shortage of drinking water and the basic daily needs, and the increasing number of Palestinian drug dealers under control of the Israeli army and police.

Several protest demos about these problems took place in Hebron during the last months. The Palestinians receive water for drinking once each three months and for 6 hours, while the Israeli colonies in the same towns stealing the water for irrigating their gardens, feeding their swimming pools, and for their industries from Palestinians. During the limited hours in which they receive water, Palestinians must fill tanks, kitchen pots or underground tanks in their gardens to store some water for drinking and daily use for the next three months. Many people store their water in unhealthy ways, they leave the water uncovered or in dirty tanks were bacteria find a fertile place for living and growing.

Some days following gathering water, the Israeli occupation goes and destroys the underground tanks and wells with bulldozers, or they shoot at the Palestinian tanks on the rooftops of their houses. This is a daily hidden war against the Palestinian civilians in all the occupied West Bank cities, not only Hebron.

Below you can see a short Film about the destruction of a Palestinian water tank by the Israeli occupation.

According the Christian Peace Maker Team, Israeli army from so called “border police” unit demolished a rainwater cistern and removed irrigation pipes from several Palestinian fields in Al Beqa’a Valley just east of Hebron on July 14, 2010, the second day of incidents in the area this month.

Israelis are destroying the Palestinian wells in Hebron.

A large bagger used to break up the concrete of the cistern was just leaving the site. The driver of a large tractor lifted scoops full of rocks and dumped them into the demolished cistern. Also, workers cut and disposed of irrigation pipes laid in two fields. The fields each measured 10 dunams (approximately 40 acres). One was a field of grape vines and the other field had tomatoes planted under grape vines. In addition to dismantling the irrigation pipes, the workers also cut the twines that were holding up tomato plants. At least seven families will be affected by this destruction, in total about 50 people.

Palestinians alleged that some of the Israelis that were with the border police and the Israeli military so called district coordination office “DCO” on July 14th were from the Mekorot Company. Rather than preventing Palestinians from taping into the well at the source, the Israeli authorities destroyed the irrigation pipes in the fields of several families. Each 200m roll of irrigation drip pipe costs about 370NIS (~100$US), and the connection piping costs about 2.5NIS for each inch. For each dunam of vegetables it takes about 2-3 days to put the irrigation drip piping in place. The cost of the materials and time that goes into growing produce is high. Rather than prevent the ‘theft’ of water (which is ironically from an aquiver under Palestine) earlier in the season, the Israeli authorities instead waited until crops were almost ready for market. Therefore this destruction is not meant to stop the ‘theft’ of water but to cause the highest impact on farmers in the region.

Durgs War in Hebron
Relating to the drugs plague, the Israeli police and army have increased the trafficking of drugs and increased the number of drug dealers among Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel has long experience and a rich knowledge about destroying the society of Palestinians-Arabs in Israel, what they did in part by spreading the use of drugs among these people. The IDF and police are using this experience and the same tactics to destroy the poor Palestinians who live in the old city of Hebron. A Palestinian policeman fought against the drug dealers in the old city and was arrested by the Israeli police and army.

EU police traning the Palestinian Police how to protect the Israeli interests.

Yesterday, the Israeli occupation police and soldiers stormed the house of a Palestinian police officer in the city. They beat him in front of his wife and eight children. Then they handcuffed and arrested him without allowing him to put his shoes on or to wear his pants. The Palestinian police officer was very weak and defenseless in front of the Israeli police. He did not defend himself or his honor before his family, who were forced by the Israeli soldiers to enter the kitchen like cockroaches. The IDF showered the family of the policeman with spit, specially his pregnant wife. This Palestinian police colonel had received training courses at the hands of the European police, who trained him and his colleagues in how to repress the Palestinians and protect the Israeli squatter colonies. They recommended them not to defend themselves against the Israeli aggression because this could be considered as “terror”. This incident makes it very clear that the Europeans did not train the Palestinian police to fight against the spread of drugs by Israeli soldiers and police, and that self-defense is not stipulated in the agreements which were signed by the US, Israel and the Palestinians. According to these agreements and the so-called “peace-negotiations”, self-defense is considered “terrorism”.

The Palestinian Authority only has poor and weak policemen, in Arabic saying “Goats and Rabbits” who can easily be slaughtered. The Palestinian police is powerless to perform any real security mission. Their main duty is to protect the security of squatter colonies and to repress Palestinian activists and political marches against the Israeli occupation. This is the only kind of police which the USA, the European Union and Israel want to allow to bear the name of a “Palestinian Police” under the rule of the subservient “Palestinian Authority”.

Relating to the drugs plague, the Israeli police and army have increased the trafficking of drugs and increased the number of drug dealers among Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel has long experience and a rich knowledge about destroying the society of Palestinians-Arabs in Israel, what they did in part by spreading the use of drugs among these people. The IDF and police are using this experience and the same tactics to destroy the poor Palestinians who live in the old city of Hebron. A Palestinian policeman fought against the drug dealers in the old city and was arrested by the Israeli police and army.

Yesterday, the Israeli occupation police and soldiers stormed the house of a Palestinian police officer in the city. They beat him in front of his wife and eight children. Then they handcuffed and arrested him without allowing him to put his shoes on or to wear his pants. The Palestinian police officer was very weak and defenseless in front of the Israeli police. He did not defend himself or his honor before his family, who were forced by the Israeli soldiers to enter the kitchen like cockroaches. The IDF showered the family of the policeman with spit, specially his pregnant wife.

This Palestinian police colonel had received training courses at the hands of the European police, who trained him and his colleagues in how to repress the Palestinians and protect the Israeli squatter colonies. They recommended them not to defend themselves against the Israeli aggression because this could be considered as “terror”. This incident makes it very clear that the Europeans did not train the Palestinian police to fight against the spread of drugs by Israeli soldiers and police, and that self-defense is not stipulated in the agreements which were signed by the US, Israel and the Palestinians. According to these agreements and the so-called “peace-negotiations”, self-defense is considered “terrorism”.

The Palestinian Authority only has poor and weak policemen, in Arabic saying “Goats and Rabbits” who can easily be slaughtered. The Palestinian police is powerless to perform any real security mission. Their main duty is to protect the security of squatter colonies and to repress Palestinian activists and political marches against the Israeli occupation. This is the only kind of police which the USA, the European Union and Israel want to allow to bear the name of a “Palestinian Police” under the rule of the subservient “Palestinian Authority”.

The story below is about the arrest of a Palestinian Police officer. It was sent to me by the Christian Peace Maker reported from Hebron.

July 14, 2010 – On July 13, 2pm about 20 Israeli police and soldiers invaded the Awewi family home in Hebron’s Old City. They forced the mother and the eight children into the kitchen and arrested the father, who is a Palestinian Authority (PA) police officer. The mother attempted to force the door of the kitchen open to give her husband his shoes and trousers, but a soldier pushed her against the counter in spite of her obvious pregnant status. She threw the shoes down the stairwell, hoping her husband could retrieve them.

Meantime, about 20 Israeli soldiers guarding the street below had ordered a closure of the surrounding shops and prevented Palestinians from walking past for about 15 minutes. One of the soldiers shouted to the people, “Nobody come close or we will shoot.”

By the time CPTers reached the area, the Israeli police and soldiers had taken the Palestinian to Bab il Baledeyya (Beit Romano settlement) checkpoint and ordered him behind the checkpoint gate.

CPTers then visited the mother and her shaken-up family. The mother shared all the above information with CPT and was obviously very distressed. The police had given her no reason for the arrest, and it can take up to 14 days before the Red Cross can find out information for family members from Israeli authorities about arrested or detained Palestinians.

Since Israeli settlers established the settlement of Avraham Avinu right next to their home the Awewi family has experienced a lot of distress. The settlers have harassed the family many times, including invasions, and a fire set to one of their bedrooms. Israeli authorities have also arrested family members at least twice. The family has received many large financial offers from the settlers to purchase their home, but the family refuses to sell.

The Israeli police released the PA police officer three hours later, reprimanded him for arresting a Palestinian in the Old City (in H2 area of Hebron under full Israeli control) and not informing the Israeli police of this, and told him not to work in the Old City.

by Kawther Salam

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A Lovely 55 Year Old Car

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Sights of Vienna’s neighborhoods from Wilhelminen mount.

To one of the most beautiful historical locations in Vienna, which was early used for hunting by the nobility, is the Castle on the Wilhelminen mount located on the north-western outskirts of the city. It is surrounded with forests, grape fields and historic wine presses, and it has one of the most beautiful sights of Vienna’s neighborhoods and it’s towers, churches, buildings, and other symbols of the Viennese culture. I went there on Tuesday July 13 2010 to escape from the heat and to inhale the fresh air of the mounts outside of the city. What called my attention there were a number of very old cars, all of them produced between 1955 – 1967 and of the brands Mercedes, Opel, Fiat, and Volvo, which were parked before the Hotel Schloss Wilhelminenberg in the same area.

SDL produced 1960.

At the beginning I thought that the old cars were parked there as part of an exhibition or as a preparation for a public auction, then I saw papers fixed on these cares were I read: “Donau-Classic, von Passau nach Wien und zurück, 11. Juli – 17. Juli 2010”. This means “Danube Classic, from Passau to Vienna, from July 11 – 17 2010”. While I was busy taking some pictures of these cars, a middle-aged man wearing a plaid shirt in red, white and black reached one of the cars and opened the front cover, he appeared to be inspecting the motor. I had a small conversation with him. He was Mr. Joachim Lölsdorf, the owner of a black 1965 Mercedes and one of the participants in this excursion. See more photos here.

He said that the cars were not for sale but that they belong to a group of Germans who joined in

Passau, a German on the Danube on the border with Austria, for a tour to Vienna and back in their cars. The trip was organized by a company Classic Car Event.

Mr. Joachim Lölsdorf owner of 1965 Mercedes.

Mr. Lölsdorf stated that all the cars are in good state. He showed me the specification of his car, which was produced in 1965. He bought this car ten years ago and it was in a good state and fully functional. I did some reparations and the maintenance himself. He also told me that he has other two “old-timer” cars, a “VW Käfer Cabrio” produced in 1933, and another Mercedes. Both of them functioning and in a good state. According to Mr. Lölsdorf, these cars are easy to maintain with some basic knowledge of mechanics. The newer models of the same companies (Mercedes, VW, …) are almost impossible to maintain as they are “full with electronics” and specialized technicians and equipment, which can be very expensive, are needed to work on them.

He added that traveling with the old cars is a special enjoyment. “We traveled from Passau through the Wachau region to Vienna, and we will travel back through a different route. I wish Mr. Lölsdorf and the other participants in the tour a beautiful vacation and a safe returning to their homes.

Mercedes 1955.

by Kawther Salam

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Leader of Egyptian Jewish Community Convicted for Fraud

Leader of Egyptian Jewish Community Convicted for Fraud

Sunday July 11 2010 – The Egyptian daily newspapers reported today that Carmen Weinstein, the head of jewish community in Egypt was sentenced to three years in jail after she was convicted of defrauding Mr. Nabil Badi, an Egyptian businessman, of three million Egyptian pounds (around 520.000 US dollars).

The circumstances of the Weinstein case are connected to the fraudulent sale of a piece of real estate of the jewish community to the Egyptian businessman, Mr. Nabil Badi. Weinstein received the price of the jewish property of 3 million pounds, after what she refused to hand it over to the new owner. Mr. Badi, the new owner of the estate, then proceeded to file a criminal complaint against Weinstein, in which he accused her of a fraudulent sale and stealing his money.

Mr. Badi’s lawyer told the reporters that Weinstein had convinced Mr. Badi that she legally owned due to her being the President of the jewish community in Egypt. Mr. Badi discovered later that Weinstein had defrauded him.

Yitzhak Levanon (Itzik Levanon), the son of Shula Cohen, and brother of a war criminal David Kishik, the current Israeli ambassador in Cairo, became very angry with the Egyptian justice after Carmen Weinstein was sentenced to three years jail. He accused the Egyptian government of not protecting the jewish community in Egypt and asked the government to fulfill their duty and to protect jews.

Levanon sent a note protesting the sentence to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, accusing the judiciary of “oppression and cruelty”. He said that the Egyptian judiciary reflected a bias against Weinstein because of her religion. The memorandum of the Israeli ambassador was ignored by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry because it contained a clear threat to the Egyptian government and flagrant interference in the internal affairs of the Egyptian justice.

The zionist “State of Israel” through their envoy condemned the handling of the Weinstein case by the Egyptian judiciary. The IDF radio quoted an earlier message of Levanon to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in which he whined about receiving bad treatment in Egypt and said that the treatment of Egypt “reached a level that is hard to describe”. He suggested that “the treatment should be in reciprocity”.

Levanon wrote in his earlier message that the Egyptians “restrict our steps in a way which we cannot be describe and characterized”, and also “it is difficult to fix interviews with personalities in Egypt, and more than this the Egyptians are trying to dictate to us what to do and who we can meet. We were asked not to attend the ceremony at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry which was held by the Egyptians to express their solidarity with the African continent”. He added that “if the Egyptians want to deal with us like this, then we should deal with them in the same way because if we ignore their treatment then this will not help”.

Obviously Mr. Levanon sees it fit to insist on the “right” of a jew to steal and defraud somebody who is not jewish, and even that the government of Egypt must protect a jew defrauding an Egyptian, what would put jews above the law in Egypt, as is already the case in many other parts of the world. About the “inability to fix interviews”, it may be related to the incompetence and decided lack of popularity of Shula’s son. In such cases, whining is always an effective albeit unconvincing last refuge.

by Kawther Salam

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Singing and Dancing Under Rain and Sun

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Guro Kleven Hagen at Vienna festival May 14 2010

“Singing and Dancing under Rain and Sun”, this poetically beautiful romantic scene is not an imagination of a writer or journalist, but it is a part of the Austrian culture, of the culture of Vienna as a world capital of music and culture. The mild weather, the heat, and the rainy summer in Vienna all made the Austrian capital Vienna a hub to attract fans and enthusiasts of art and culture from around the world.

The romantic scenes of a beautiful woman or an elderly one listening to music, then dancing under the showers can not be described in the words of a journalist or a writer. These are scenes which are only understood by art lovers, romantics and people who live or who spend a romantic summer in Vienna.

Peter Kraus am Rathaus - May 30 2010

In Vienna, the summer of this year began only about a week ago, but the festivals, cultural events, musical and artistic performances have been active since mid-May in the open-air place in Rathausplatz, the square in front of the Vienna City Hall, in Karlsplatz, the square in front of Karlskirche, on the Donau Insel, the long island on the Danube, and many other green areas and parks which are everywhere in the city. These cultural events show once again that the federal capital Vienna lives up to its reputation. Top-class productions from the world of opera, ballet, music and jazz, which are all shown for free or a small fee every day after sunset and sometimes under showers of rain.

Dancing at the Donau-insel.

A large number of renowned caterers serve international culinary delights to the music lovers. The food stalls are open from late morning until midnight and provide everybody, Viennese and tourists alike, with a selection of delicious foods and drinks from many of the good restaurants of the city.

The website of the municipality of Vienna presents all the activities in city, their site in English is here, their site in German is here.

Dancing at Ballhausplatz in Vienna.

by Kawther Salam

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Angels and Devils: Mozart, Strauss, Hitler, Hertzl

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On last Friday July 2 2010, Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, a Professor and researcher at Bethlehem and Bir Zeit Universities, a human rights activist who lived 28 years in the USA, returned to his homeland Palestine to demonstrate non-violently against the Apartheid Wall, the massive uprooting of olive trees, the destruction of homes and children’s playgrounds, arrived in Vienna. Qumsiyeh was arrested several times by the Israeli occupation and released after interrogation. At Okaz, Arab- Austrian Cultural Center in the forth district, Qumsiyeh gave a speech. A wonderful, warm and emotional evening was held in Okaz. A group of attendees with of different political colors attended the Qumsiyeh evening and eagerly listened to his speech. Qumsiyeh had a good impression about Vienna, and he wrote an impressive diary about his visit. I was invited, but could not attend because of a personal issue.

I can only add to the thoughts of Dr. Qumsiyeh that Vienna, this quite nice place where I live and where Zionism had its main origin, is the ideal place to also bury this genocidal ideology. Below is what Dr. Qumsiyeh wrote and sent me in copy.

Everything is ordered in Vienna where I gave two talks on the popular resistance in Palestine. Rows after rows of colorful buildings. All with 5-8 floors with housing complexes and offices. The public transportation and the public housing are in a sociality city seems to function uniformly in many ways. But of course this is a city that also generates out of the ordinary characters. My thoughts wonder on the variety of those sons of Austria: Mozart, Hitler, Hertzl, Schwarzenneger. They were/are extraordinary individuals that went beyond other countrymen. Perhaps each individual has those two sides, the angel and the devil whispering in our ears.

Ordinary people live ordinary lives not having the courage to pursue the whispering dreams of their angels and/or devils. The exceptional individuals go for the maximum dreams some of them in the most creative and positive way while others in the most destructive ways. We pass by the Landtmann Café where Theodore Hertzl sipped his coffee and planned to create a Jewish state. Most Viennese pass by hundreds of plazas and their names evoke no emotion and most indeed today do not know who Theodore Hertzl is or what he stood for. Like that other Austrian Adolf Hitler, Hertzl built a reputation by playing to the most basic and banal of human emotions: fear, greed, hate, tribalism. Other Austrians built a career appealing to the most uplifting of human emotions: love, hope, generosity, humanism. We are always inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johan Strauss. We are blessed by Austrian inventors like Josef Madersperger (invented the sewing machine in 1818) and Peter Mitterhofer (inventor of the typewriter). And I am hard pressed when asked to name decent politicians from anywhere but the very few names that pop to mind certainly include the Austrian Bruno Kreisky, Chancellor from 1970-1983 and the first Jewish Austrian in that office who opened Europe to the PLO in the early 1970s to the chagrin of the Zionist movement.

There are controversial Austrians who come to mind and would receive mixed reviews: Kurt Waldheim, diplomat and politician, Secretary-General of the United Nations 1972-1982 and President of Austria 1986-1992; and Martin Buber, a Jewish philosopher.

But as a scientist, I have always admired Karl Popper a philosopher of science who was born in Austria, became British and developed some of the best description of what constitutes scientific methods. When I wear my geneticist, Gregor Mendel is there with me and when I put my Zoologist hat, I cannot help but think of Konrad Lorenz.

But back to Hertzl who contributed to 110 years of conflict and suffering for millions of people. Hertzl wrote in his diaries that “Anti-Semites will become our surest friends, anti-Semitic countries our allies.” Instead of working to better life for all people, he chose to mimic ethnocentric chauvinistic nationalism in Europe and export it to another land whose people had nothing to do with what was happening in Europe. Another famous Austrian Jew, father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, rejected Zionism because it has within it the same seeds of human frailty that he could easily comprehend. To wit, Freud wrote once to a Zionist who tried to recruit him:

“I cannot do as you wish. I am unable to overcome my aversion to burdening the public with my name, and even the present critical time does not seem to me to warrant it. Whoever wants to influence the masses must give them something rousing and inflammatory and my sober judgment of Zionism does not permit this.

I certainly sympathize with its goals, am proud of our University in Jerusalem and am delighted with our settlement’s prosperity. But, on the other hand, I do not think that Palestine could ever become a Jewish state, nor that the Christian and Islamic worlds would ever be prepared to have their holy places under Jewish care. It would have seemed more sensible to me to establish a Jewish homeland on a less historically-burdened land. But I know that such a rational viewpoint would never have gained the enthusiasm of the masses and the financial support of the wealthy. I concede with sorrow that the baseless fanaticism of our people is in part to be blamed for the awakening of Arab distrust.I can raise no sympathy at all for the misdirected piety which transforms a piece of a Herodian wall into a national relic, thereby offending the feelings of the natives. Now judge for yourself whether I, with such a critical point of view, am the right person to come forward as the solace of a people deluded by unjustified hope.”

Thus, as we leave this beautiful orderly city that generates amazing characters of all sorts, we reflect on the brilliance of insight and ingenuity of its people as well as the common human frailty which still infects our species today. Those like Herzl and Hitler and Netanyahu who build careers catering to the worst of our characters (greed, racism, fear) and those brilliant individuals who go after their dreams of leaving the earth a little better. Creating something that is beautiful instead of ideas that lead to hate and wars. Unfortunately most people are apathetic and chose neither course. But those that go after the positive energy leave us with something to celebrate. Those that create systems based on fear and greed create conflicts and war and history only relegates them to the dustbin of infamy.

The Austrians I met with were ashamed to Hitler and Hertzl and justifiably proud of Mozart and Freud. There are more of the latter in every country today than in the dark days 100 years ago.

PS: Thank you to our wonderful hosts in Vienna especially Frigga Karl and Dr. George Nicola. And we were honored to meet so many good people who enriched our experiences.

by Kawther Salam

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Ban Israel from the London 2012 Olympics

Ban Israel from the London 2012 Olympics

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Rnps Inagees of the year 2009 MEA - Members of the Palestinian Nabhan family live in the remains of their house in eastern Jabalya refugee camp March 14, 2009. Their house was destroyed during Israel's three-week long offensive in Gaza Strip last January. Reuters - Yannis Behrakis

Sign a petition of Gaza and Palestine. View Signatures.

We, the undersigned citizens of the world, call on the international Olympics Committee to rescind Israel’s participation in the London 2012 Olympics. Israel’s attack on a humanitarian aid fleet on Monday 31 May 2010, its murder of 9 human rights activists in international waters, and wounding many more, demonstrate that Israel rejects the structural tenets of our shared humanity, manifested in a global moral consensus and international law.

Israel was established on the ruins of another country, Palestine. In 1948 more than half the population of Palestine was uprooted from their cities and villages, 400 of which were completely destroyed. The state of Israel has never allowed Palestinian refugees to return and today their number has reached 7 million, many of whom are still stateless, living in refugee camps in Palestine and other Arab countries

Since its establishment the state of Israel has consistently violated international law. To date, it has defied 246 UN Security Council Resolutions. As a direct consequence, seven million Palestinians are excluded from the right to live on land internationally acknowledged to be theirs; and increasingly, they are being excluded from their right to any future at all as a nation. The 4 million Palestinians in the occupied territories have endured over 40 years of brutal occupation and denied even the most basic Human rights. The 1.4 million who remain in Israel are second class citizens.

The daily brutality of the Israeli army in Gaza and the West Bank continues; Palestinian land continues to be stolen, houses demolished and crops destroyed. For years now the state of Israel has been carrying out a slow genocide in the Gaza Strip, maintaining a tight blockade over its inhabitants and repeated bombing raids all of which are contrary to International Laws which prohibit collective punishment.

Palestinian civilians and medics run to safety during an Israeli strike over a UN school in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip early on January 17, 2009. A woman and a child were killed early today in the Israeli strike on the UN-run school in northern Gaza where civilians were sheltering from the fighting, medics and witnesses said. Fierce clashes were underway around the school as Israeli tanks exchanged fire with Palestinian militants, they said. Pic. Credit: AFP - Mohammad Abed

The Israeli military used white phosphorus munitions in the 2008-2009 Gaza war. The IDF acknowledged it’s use after the war ended.

Several reports from human right groups during the war indicated that white phosphorus shells were being used by Israel in violation of international law. Human Rights Watch said shells exploded over populated civilian areas, including a crowded refugee camp, a UN compound where food was stored, and a United Nations school where civilians were seeking refuge.

Human Rights Watch said its experts in the region had witnessed the use of white phosphorus. Kenneth Roth, the organisation’s executive director, added: “This is a chemical compound that burns structures and burns people. It should not be used in populated areas.”

Amnesty International said a fact-finding team found “indisputable evidence of the widespread use of white phosphorus” in crowded residential areas of Gaza City and elsewhere in the territory. Donatella Rovera, the head of an Amnesty fact-finding mission to southern Israel and Gaza, said: “Israeli forces used white phosphorus and other weapons supplied by the USA to carry out serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes.”

Palestinians protesters run away from dozens of incoming tear gas canisters fired by Israeli troops during a protest against the controversial Israeli barrier in the West Bank village of Nilin near Ramallah September 25, 2009. The Jewish settlement of Modiin Illit in seen in the background. Pict. Credit: Reuters - Yannis Behrakis

“Israel’s policy on settlements is not only unlawful, it also impacts severely on the human rights of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, whose lives and livelihoods have been devastated by the constructions taking place on occupied Palestinian land,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa director.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other prominent South Africans have likened the situation of the Palestinians to apartheid for which South Africa were banned from international sporting events including the Olympic Games.

The challenge of apartheid was fought with the non-violent international response of a campaign of boycott, divestment, and sanctions. Today Palestinian artists, trade unionists, teachers, writers, film-makers and non-governmental organisations have called for a comparable boycott of Israel, as offering another path to a just peace, saying, “ At a time when the international movement to isolate Israel is gaining ground in response to the escalation of Israel’s violently colonial and racist policies, we respectfully urge conscientious organisations, sportsmen, academics, artists and intellectuals from around the world, including those who visit [or host Israeli's from] the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT), to refrain from visiting [or hosting] Israel to participate in any event or encounter that is not explicitly dedicated to ending Israel’s illegal occupation and other forms of oppression.

Ban Israel from the London 2012 Olympics

Regardless of intentions, such visits only contribute to the prolongation of injustice by normalizing and thereby legitimizing it, and inadvertently support Israel’s efforts to appear as a “normal” participant in the “civilized” world of sport, science, scholarship and art while at the same time practising a pernicious form of apartheid against Palestinians.” This call has been endorsed by some brave Israeli dissidents and many prominent international figures.

Boycott is a tactic which allows people, as distinct from their elected governments, to apply pressure on those wielding power in an unjust way. It is directed not against people but against oppressive and unjust policies and regimes in order to bring about change. I would also remind you that Principle 2 of the Olympic Charter declares the principles of Olympism to “place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity”.

Also principle 5 which states “Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.” Clearly the acts of genocide against Palestinians and the forcing out by the illegal expansion of the settlements is a violation of this principle. By your own words in Principle 6 “Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires compliance with the Olympic Charter and recognition by the IOC.” As Israel are not compliant how can they then participate under the current conditions that Palestinians are faced with? Particularly considering that “The name of an NOC must reflect the territorial extent and tradition of its country…” However many Israelis are living on disputed land and therefore Israeli athletes cannot be considered to be from the legitimate territorial extent of their country.

Contrary to Olympic Charter bye-laws stating “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas” you will; by allowing Israel to participate and not taking a stand against their racist policies; be implicitly supporting war crimes, ethnic cleansing, dispossession, and continued oppression of the Palestinian people, a people seeking to end the silence of the international community and achieve a just peace. The Israeli politicians and citizens see every visit to and from Israel as an act of support for their policies. Every cancellation is a reminder to them that all is not well and that there will be a price for the ongoing oppression and the indifference for rights of Palestinians.

If you require more information about the situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories, organisations such as Amnesty International, the World Health Organisation and the Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem have published detailed reports.

We feel sure that, in the light of the information available, you would not wish to lend support – however indirect and implicit – to Israel’s policies, by allowing them to attend and participate in such a high profile event that aims to be “a force for good”.

by Kawther Salam

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A Gay Parade for the Gaza Concentration Camp

[use Open Image in New Window to see pictures in full enlarged]

Participants in the Vienna Rainbow Parade 2010

When will the first Gay Pride take place in Gaza? Answer yourself!

This question was posted by the Viennese City Councilor Mr. Marco Schreuder on my blog as part of a comment and discussion on my article “Gay Parade Subverted by Zionists”. In this article strongly I defended the right of gays, and at the same time criticized information without source printed in a leaflet or a “magazine” which was distributed during the parade. I originally thought that this flyer was form the Green Party, but Mr. Schreuder wrote me to complain about my error. I corrected this and offered my apologies in written in Emails to Mr. Schreuder and in the article. The magazine (it was not a flyer) was being distributed by an organization called MiGay and was carrying advertisement for the Green Party.

Between this magazine which was distributing unsourced information which looked implausible about oppression of homosexuals in some Muslim countries, the omission in this same magazine of information regarding terrorist attacks, murders, insults and repression against homosexuals in Israel, from the Knesset and the religious authorities, and ultimately the presence of an israeli soldier at the parade, I decided that I had to write something. The gay and lesbian issue or this community is normally not something I write about, and if I had not seen all these things last Saturday, I would most probably have written a small article and posted some pictures.

Two days after posting my article Mr. Schreuder wrote ordering me to delete it and calling me a liar. His tone reminded me of the calls from the offices of the israeli generals after most of my articles, also ordering me to “take down, delete, correct” whatever I had written back then. It needed two or three Emails until he stopped giving me orders and somehow condescended to explain to me what was wrong in his opinion. I corrected the wrong attribution of the magazine (and calling it a “pamphlet), and apologized.

Palestinian civilians and medics run to safety during an Israeli strike over a UN school in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip early on January 17, 2009. A woman and a child were killed early today in the Israeli strike on the UN-run school in northern Gaza where civilians were sheltering from the fighting, medics and witnesses said. Fierce clashes were underway around the school as Israeli tanks exchanged fire with Palestinian militants, they said. Pic. Credit: AFP - Mohammad Abed

I did not apologize out of weakness, but out of respect for the truth, credibility, my readers and the ethics of journalism, but it seems to me that Mr. Schreuder did not understand the meaning of my apology. The bad taste of my article still in his mouth, and the result of my apology were more impolite Emails and comments on that article, one of which I deleted because it was offensive and inappropriate; this brought me the accusation of “censoring”.

Here is the comment of Mr. Schreuder which I deleted:

“Now you corrected, that it wasn’t a Green leaflet, but you still attack MiGay for something they wrote, which is totally correct: Death penalty against Gays & Lesbians only exist in Muslim countries, while Gays and Lesbians can asopt children in Israel. It is a fact, your propaganda is as wrong as imaginable. And MiGay is a group of Gay & Lesbian immigrants, who should get all iour support, and there ary many Muslims in that group. It is still the most disgusting article I have read about Vienna Pride. SHAME ON YOU! PS: When will the first Gay Pride take place in Gaza? Answer yourself!”.

I trashed that comment of Mr. Schreuder after reading it. I could not believe that somebody who advertises himself and his party as “cosmopolitan out of conviction” (“Weltoffen auf Überzeugung”).

• How is it possible to offend the Palestinians of Gaza in this way, leveraging blanket accusations against these people who are victims of genocide on part of the israelis?
• How can anybody of sound mind become offended because there are no gay parades in this extermination camp?

Kaukab Al Dayah, murdered by zionists. She was not from Hamas.

The people of Gaza are under a blockade which is constantly increasing in severity since about 1996. These people have nothing, they have shortage of food, no medical facilities, irregular electricity, most buildings are reduced to rubble, most children suffer of anemia because they get no food, and those who can go to classes among the ruins of their former schools, there are massive health problems caused by the use of forbidden weapons by the israelis, and most people suffer severe mental trauma since the so-called Operation Cast Lead at the beginning of 2009, which blanketed them with phosphor bombs, cold-blooded murder, destruction of agricultural areas, and even more poverty on top of their already ruinous conditions.

Only among the European and American squatters who come to my country to steal and murder under the protection of the Israeli soldiers have I seen such callousness, to heap the culpability of their afflictions on the shoulders of the victims of outright genocide.

It is clear that Mr. Schreuder does not understand the Palestinian suffering and oppression. He distanced himself from the unanimous resolution which the municipal council of Vienna passed unanimously against the Israeli massacre on board of Mavi Marmara last 31 May (read here). He is free to think and to say what he wants. The elections stands before the door in Vienna and the 15.000 who demonstrated against this massacre in Vienna last month, and their friends and families, will have their say at the ballots.

Mr. Schreuder was not happy that I deleted his last comment (the one which is quoted above) asking when the first Gay Pride parade will take place in Gaza. His last comment was:

“Is it too offensive here, to ask when the first Gay Pride will take place in Gaza? And why Israel allows Gays to adopt children? This is just propaganda and has nothing to do with facts. This website is undemocratic as it censors comments.”

My answer to his comment was:

“As I see it, it is far beyond offensive and shameless to ask if and when a gay pride parade will take place in an extermination camp. That none has taken place may also have to do with more mundane priorities like eating, having a place to live and tending to sick and injured relatives.

But you are welcome to do whatever you think will make Palestinian culture richer, even more:

I challenge you to organize a gay pride parade with at least 90% Palestinian gays and lesbians among the participants, in Hebron, first. Since that area is free of Hamas, it should suppose no problem for you to get permission from the israelis. After you have done that, go to Gaza and do the same there. I am sure that everybody will welcome your ideas and your enterprising spirit. And send me pictures and all info about your adventures as a white man bringing enlightenment to the benighted natives of Palestine, so that I can publish them here. And also send me your travel diary with all details of your talks with the israeli authorities in Hebron and Hamas in Gaza.

Now, the only question is: will you take the challenge or will you weasel out of this?”

The way to the Gay Parade in Hebron passes through here.

I take him by his word and challenge Municipal Councilor Mr. Marco Schreuder, who thinks that it is important to have a Gay Pride Parade, to the following:

• a) to organize a Gay Pride Parade in Hebron, my home city, in which at least 90% of the participants are Palestinian gays and lesbians from the West Bank. At the very least, the parade should march through the full length of Al-Shuhada street in the center of the city. Hebron is free of Hamas influence, so it should suppose no problem for him to get this project on track during the next year or so.
• b) after he has successfully organized done Hebron, to organize and implement a Gay Pride Parade anywhere in the Gaza strip, with as many gays and lesbians of Gaza as possible and with anybody else who manages to get in.

I ask to receive extensive picture, video and information material from both parades, which I will publish here. I also ask from Mr. Schreuder that when he goes to Hebron he brings my mother a small present from me, and sends me a picture of himself together with her.

I just want to caution Mr. Schreuder that not even the birds can get into Gaza or the West Bank, which are two giant concentration camps. I still wish him the best of lucks if he takes up this challenge. I know that in the name of all Palestinians I can say that he and his gay pride parades will receive a warm welcome, if he and his friends survive the Mediterranean and are not shot by the Israelis.

The Mayor of Hebron can be contacted here:
Major: Mr. Khaled Osaily
Cell Phone: 009725599211211
Tel: ++ 9722 2227992
Fax: ++ 9722 2228167

The Hamas authority in Gaza can be contacted here .

I am sure that the Austrian Embassy in Tel Aviv will also be of great assistance to Mr. Schreuder. I sincerely hope that he decides to take up this challenge and uses this opportunity to become a true hero to many people.

by Kawther Salam

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Learn About Israeli Terrorism in this Video

Breaking YOU – a common saying which can be heard when somebody attacks a defenseless person. “Breaking YOU” were the only words uttered by dozens of defenseless women who were crying and screaming in their homes in Hebron, when dozens of IDF soldiers terrorized them in their houses. The inhuman scene was followed by the sound of bombs exploding. Then, the smoke was rising and citizens running. This was a simple ethnic cleansing operation of the IDF soldiers, who went to the Al Baqa’a Valley and terrorized people, most of them were women and children. The IDF continued firing bombs.

A scene of barbarism and terror can be seen in the video below. This crime took place yesterday in Al Baqa’a Valley, a Palestinian residential district of Hebron where thousands of Palestinians live since before 1967 without the basic necessities of life. My cousin Fatiha Ali Jaber lives in this area.

What happens in Al-Baqa’a Valley is simply inhumane, immoral. It is terrorism and genocide according to international regulations and laws. The crime is credited to Lt. Col. Guy Hazut, commander of the so-called Hebron military brigade, and to military Brigadier Yoav Mordechai, head of the so called Civil Administration. See the video below and read the press release of the American Christian Peace Maker Team, which is below the video

For Immediate Release – Al Khalil – Hebron – CPT – Israeli Border Police Destroy Vegetable Fields in Al Baqa’a Valley – July 7, 2010 – Israeli border police destroyed several Palestinian fields in Al Baqa’a Valley just east of Hebron on July 6, 2010, directly impacting the livelihood of more than one hundred Palestinians. Landowners said that Israeli border police and the Israeli District Coordinating Office (DCO), responsible for the coordination of Palestinian civilian affairs in Area C, began implementing the destruction at around 8:30am. Israeli authorities, with the assistance of hired labor, damaged fields of vegetables and destroyed the irrigation systems of those fields.

When international peace activists from Christian Peacemaker Teams arrived in the area at 11:30am, about 20 workers hired by the Israeli border police and DCO had cut and disposed of the irrigation pipes laid in two fields. The fields each measured 10 dunams (approximately 40 acres) and included tomatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, and beans. In addition to dismantling the irrigation pipes, the workers also cut the twines that were holding up each tomato plant. A matriarch of the family, Aratiki Karim, said, “These tomatoes are for the kids, for the babies, to feed the kids and to sell them to buy other food for the kids.” The Palestinian farmers had planted the tomato plants nearly three months ago and the tomatoes were only 20 days from being ready for market.

The border police, DCO, and hired laborers then moved to another field further along Route 60 in the Al Baqa’a Valley to perform the same procedure. The border police blocked the junction between the residential zone and the nearby fields, shooting tear gas and sound bombs to prevent Palestinians from going to the area where the hired workers were removing more irrigation pipes.

Several women and children suffered from tear gas inhalation and required hospitalization. Badran Mohammed Jabber, looking out onto his destroyed fields uttered in exasperation, “I have spent 43 years under the Israeli reign of terror. I have lived my life in fear, I never know what the Israelis will do tomorrow. They have destroyed my land, they have destroyed my life, and these fields are my life.”

This is not the first time Israeli authorities have destroyed crops and irrigation equipment in the Al Baqa’a Valley.

by Kawther Salam

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