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there is no country called israel

2011-09-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

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2010-10-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

İsrail Belge Tasviyesi: İsrail yasadışı bir oluştur

2010-06-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

İsrail Belge Tasviyesi: İsrail yasadışı bir oluştur

Bütün İnsanların Rabbi Olan Allah’ın adıyla

Bu belgeyi hazırlayanlar herhangi bir siyasi eğilime ya da partiye bağlı olmayan, herhangi bir etnik gruba,ırkçılığa veya dini bir acentaya sahip olmayan bir grup gençtir. Bizler herhangi bir dine, renge, ırka, siyasi görüşe, etnik yapıya ve milliyete bakmaksızın barış ve saygınlık içinde yaşayan bir insanlığı ve bütün insanların haklarını desteklemekteyiz. Bütün prensiplere, inançlara olan saygımızı ve zulme, baskıya, cinayete, hakların ihlaline ve gerçeklerin çarpıtılmasına karşı olan doğruluk ve adaletin destekçisi olduğumuzu belirtmek isteriz. İnsan hakları ve değerlerinin savunucuları olarak inanıyoruz ki “bozucu” demek uluslar arası “İsrail Devleti” olarak tanınan şeydir.
Bu belge bizim meşru ve insani argümanlarımızı beyan etmektedir.
İlk olarak : Uluslar arası tanıma göre İsrail bir devlet değildir.

Devletin Tanımı: “Devlet , coğrafik bir alan üzerinde olan ve etkin egemenliğe sahip bir topluluğu temsil eden siyasi bir kurumdur.”
Yukarda değinilen tanıma bağlı olarak şöyle söyleyebiliriz :
-İsrail siyasi bir kurum değildir; ırkçı dini-etnik bir kurumdur.
-İsrail egemen bir devlet değildir, siyasi ,ekonomik ve askeri destek olarak bütünüyle Amerika Birleşik Devletlerine bağlı olması İsrail’i egemen bir devlet değil de Amerikan sömürgesi yapmaktadır.
Ardışık Amerika yönetimleri aralıksız bir şekilde İsrail güvenliğine bağlılığını belirtmektedir. Uluslar arası kurallara göre her devlet yalnızca kendi güvenliğine bağlıdır ve dünyada İsrail güvenliğine bağlı olan Amerika Birleşik Devletleri dışında hiçbir devlet başka bir devletin güvenliğine bağlı değildir. İsrail’in Amerika’nın sömürgesinde tanınmış olması daha gerçekçi ve doğru olurdu.

İkinci Olarak: İsrail uluslar arası olarak yasadışı bir kuruluştur ve soruşturulması zorunludur.
İsrail’in Birleşmiş Milletler’in bir oluşumu olmasına rağmen – Terörist Siyonist grupların İsrail’in kuruluşunu engellemek için sahip olunmuş ‘Folk Benadette’ ve ‘the Count of Weisberg’e suikastinden sonra kurulan – hala ve en başından beri uluslar arası kanunlara ya da Birleşmiş Milletler Güvenlik Konseyi ilke kararlarına uymayan, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri vetosuna dayanan normalin dışında bir kuruluştur.
1- İsrail otellerde, sinemalarda ve marketlerde sivilleri bombalamaktan dolayı haklarında dava açılmış olan terörist gruplar (Lehi, Stern, Revizyonist ve Siyonist grup, Irgun, ve Haganah)tarafından bulunmuştur.
2- İsrail yüzlerce Birleşmiş Milletler Güvenlik Konseyi ilke kararlarını ihlal etmiştir ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nin reddiyle korunmuştur,hakkında soruşturma açılmamıştır.
3- İsrail işgali sürdürmekte, kasıtlı olarak sivilleri, muhabirleri ve doktorları hedef almakta ve yaralılara ilk yardımın gelişini engellemektedir.
4- İsrail Nükleer Silahların Yayılmasının Önlenmesi Antlaşması’nı imzalamamıştır. İsrail kitle imha silahlarını, nükleer silahlarını geliştirmektedir ve uluslar arası yasaklanmış olan silahlarla kasıtlı olarak sivilleri hedef almaktadır.
5- İsrail demokrasi iddialarına rağmen kendi vatandaşlarının siyasi ve sivil haklarını ihlâl etmektedir. İsrail son seçimlerde aday gösterilmiş birkaç İsrailli siyasi partiyi yasaklamıştır çünkü parti üyeleri Arap asıllı kişilerdi. Bu karar uluslar arası kurallara karşı çıkan ve yürürlükten kalkmış,köhne Güney Afrika ırk ayrımı sistemine benzeyen fark gözetici ve ırkçı önlemleri doğurmuştur.
İsrailli yetkililer Yahudi olmayan vatandaşların “Yahudi Devleti”nden “temizlenme” sine inandıklarını açıkça beyan etmişlerdir. Tzipi Livni, Filistin Devleti’nin kurulması durumunda “arındırılmış” bir İsrail Devleti adına bütün Arap asıllı İsrailli’lerin İsraili terkederek Filistin’e gitmek zorunda olduklarını söylemiştir.

Üçüncü Olarak: Siyonizm, Uluslar arası İnsanhakları Beyannamesi, Medeni ve Siyasi Haklar Uluslararası Sözleşmesi ve Sosyal, Ekonomik ve Kültürel Haklar Uluslararası Sözleşmesi’ndeki maddelerle çelişmektedir.

İnsan Hakları Evrensel Beyannamesi:

İsrail tarafından ihlal edilen maddeler:

Madde 1
Bütün insanlar hür, haysiyet ve haklar bakımından eşit doğarlar. Akıl ve vicdana sahiptirler ve birbirlerine karşı kardeşlik zihniyeti ile hareket etmelidirler.

Madde 2
Herkes, ırk, renk, cinsiyet, dil, din, siyasi veya diğer herhangi bir akide, milli veya içtimai menşe, servet, doğuş veya herhangi diğer bir fark gözetilmeksizin işbu Beyanname’de ilan olunan tekmil haklardan ve bütün hürriyetlerden istifade edebilir.
Bundan başka, bağımsız memleket uyruğu olsun, vesayet altında bulunan, gayri muhtar veya sair bir egemenlik kayıtlamasına tabi ülke uyruğu olsun, bir şahıs hakkında, uyruğu bulunduğu memleket veya ülkenin siyasi, hukuki veya milletlerarası statüsü bakımından hiçbir ayrılık gözetilmeyecektir.

-Siyonizm esasen ayrımcılık yapmaya dayanmaktadır. “İnsanları Seçme” fikri üzerine kökleşmiştir. Tevrattaki açıklamaların yanlış yorumlanması İsrailin işgallerde de görüldüğü gibi Filistinlilere ve İsrailli Arap vatandaşlara karşı ayrım gözetici uygulamalarını, ambargoları, sivilleri hedef almalarını, toprak hacizlerini, ayırıcı duvar yapımını, politik, sosyal ve ekonomik haklardan mahrum etme uygulanmalarını açıklamaktadır. Bütün bu insafsızlıklar etnik kökenleri ve dinleri sebebiyle Araplara yöneltilmektedir.
-N.B.: Bu tür ihlaller dindar Yahudiler tarafından tamamen ayıplanmaktadır ve insan olarak bizler Museviliğe leke düşürmüş olmalarından, Musevi imajını kötü göstermelerinden ve düşündükleri herşeyin Yahudiliğe göre doğru yorum olduğunu tekelleştirmelerinden (ki bu, bütün Siyonist-Yahudi karşıtları taradından reddedilir) dolayı Siyonizm ve İsrail’in dünyadaki en büyük Yahudi düşmanları olduklarına inanıyoruz.

Madde 3
Yaşamak, hürriyet ve kişi emniyeti her ferdin hakkıdır.

-İsrail kurulduğu andan itibaren insanları yaşama haklarından, özgürlüklerinden ve güvenliklerinden mahrum etmeye dayalı bir kuruluştu. İlk olarak Siyonist terörist gruplar tarafından gerçekleştirilen Deir Yasin katliamıyla başladı. Bu katliam İsrail devletinin çekirdeğiydi. İsrail’in bulunmasından hemen sonra sivillere karşı birkaç katliam yer aldı. Burda bütün bunların hepsine değinmeye yeterli yer olmadığından sadece birkaç tanesine değineceğiz : Dawayma Katliamı (1948), Kafr Kasim katliamı (1956) ve son zamanlarda Gazze’de vuku bulmuş birçok katliam (2008/2009). İsrail yetkilileri onlara karşı direnen gruplara baskı yapmak için kasıtlı olarak sivilleri hedef aldıklarını sıklıkla belirtmektelerdir.
-İsrail Lübnan’da ve Filistin’de Birleşmiş Milletler binasını ve personellerini birkaç kez bombalamıştır.
-İsrail uluslar arası yasaklanmış silahlarla sivilleri ve Birleşmiş Milletler binasını hedef almaktadır.
-İsrail Cenin’deki katliamdan sonra Birleşmiş Milletler temsilcisine ev sahipliği yapmayı reddetmiştir(2002).

Madde 5
Hiç kimse işkenceye, zalimane, gayriinsani, haysiyet kırıcı cezalara veya muamelelere tabi tutulamaz.

-İsrail işgal altındaki topraklarda Filistinli mahkumları, kontrol noktalarında ele geçirilmiş olan sivilleri, okul yolunda olan çocukları ve yerli sivilleri acımasız işkencelere ve alçaltıcı muamelelere tabi tutmaktadır.
-İsrail askerleri kontrol noktalarında ele geçirilmiş sivilleri ve çocukları kelepçelemekte ve gözlerini bağlamaktalar. Ayrıca çocukları alarak onları diğer çocukların attığı taşlara karşı canlı kalkan olarak kullanmaktalardır.
-Filistinli’lerin evleri İsrail askerleri tarafından çocuklara ve kadınlara onları korkutmak için doğrultulan silahlarla günlük baskın hedefleri halindedir.

Madde 9
Hiç kimse keyfi olarak tutuklanamaz, alıkonulanamaz veya sürülemez.

• İsrail başından beri Filistinlileri topraklarından sürgün etmiş, evlerini yıkıma uğratmıştır. Sonuç olaraktan Filistinliler şu an birçok farklı ülkede mülteci olarak yaşamaktadır.
• İsrail, Filistinli mültecilerin topraklarına geri dönme haklarını reddetmektedir.
• İsrail çoğunluğu kadın ve çocuk olmak üzere binlere Filistinliyi hapsetmektedir.
• Gazze üzerindeki son çatışmada (2008-2009), raporların ve görgü tanıklarının da belirtmesiyle, İsrail, yaşları 16 nın üzerinde olmak üzere binden fazla Filistinliyi tutuklamış, onları tehlikeli bölgelere yerleştirmiş ve kalkan(siper) olarak kullanmıştır.
• Gazze de ki savaş boyunca (2008-2009) İsrail ordusu yaralı sivilleri tutuklamış, kasıtlı olarak onları kan kaybeder vaziyette bırakmış ve hastane ekibinin onlara ulaşmasını engellemiştir.
• Görgü tanıkları savaş boyunca İsrail ordusunun yaralı sivilleri tankların önündeki çukurlara yerleştirerek kullandığını ve ateş hattına koyarak hayatlarını tehlikeye attığını belirtmiştir.
• Şahitler İsrail askerlerinin aileleri Gazze evlerine zorla girerken siper olarak kullandığına tanıklık etmişlerdir(2008-2009).
• İsrail ordusu Gazze de ki evleri aileleri siper olarak kullanmak amacıyla alıkoyarak askeri gözetleme merkezi, askeri üs olarak kullanmıştır.
• Şu ana kadar, 200 sivilden fazla insan- bazıları direk soruşturma, işkence ve zorbalığa maruz kalarak- İsrail ordusunun gözetimi altındadır
• İsrail ordusu tutuklananların adlarını ve sayılarını isteyen Kızıl Haç, Filistinli yetkililer ve insan hakları organizasyonlarıyla iş birliğini reddetmiştir. Bu işbirliğinin reddi tutuklananların güvenliği ile ilgili endişe ve korkuyu arttırmıştır.

Madde 13
1. Herkes herhangi bir devletin sınırları dahilinde serbestçe dolaşma ve yerleşme hakkına haizdir.
2. Herkes, kendi memleketi de dahil, herhangi bir memleketi terketmek ve memleketine dönmek hakkına haizdir.

• İsrail Filistinli’leri 20 ve daha fazla saat kontrol noktalarında tutarak ikamet ve hareket haklarından mahrum etmiştir.
• İsrail mültecilerin topraklarına geri dönmelerini engellemektedir.
• İsrail yüksek rakamdaki Filistinlilerin ikametlerini kısıtlamakta ve sebep belirtmeden ülkeden ayrılmalarını engellemektedir.

Madde 14
1. Herkes zulüm karşısında başka memleketlerden mülteci olarak kabulü talep etmek ve memleketler tarafından mülteci muamelesi görmek hakkını haizdir.
2. Bu hak, gerçekten adi bir cürüme veya Birleşmiş Milletler prensip ve amaçlarına aykırı faaliyetlere müstenit kovuşturmalar halinde ileri sürülemez.

• İsrail Filistin şehirlerini bombalayıp, sivillerin sınırları ve ablukayı kapatarak tehlikeli noktalardan ayrılmalarını durdurmaktadır (Gazze 2008/2009 Savaşı).

Madde 15
1. Her ferdin bir uyrukluk hakkı vardır.
2. Hiç kimse keyfi olarak uyrukluğundan ve uyrukluğunu değiştirmek hakkından mahrum edilemez.

• İsrail kendi milliyetini tüm dünyadaki Yahudiler için dini bir temel addederken, bazı Arap-İsraillileri kendi politik görüşlerine katılmadığı için milliyetlerini yürürlükten kaldırmakla tehdit etmektedir.
• İsrail Filistinlileri vatanlarından sürgün ettikten sonra, onların geri dönme haklarını vermeyi reddetmektedir.
• İsrail, İsrail ulusunu Golan Heights’ ta ikamet eden insanlara dayatmaya çalışmakta ve İsrail ulusunu kabul etmeyen herkese her türlü tehdit ve gözdağı uygulamaktadır.

Madde 17
1. Her şahıs tek başına veya başkalarıyla birlikte mal ve mülk sahibi olmak hakkını haizdir.
2. Hiç kimse keyfi olarak mal ve mülkünden mahrum edilemez.

• İsrail Filistin topraklarını haczetmekte, Filistinlileri sürgün etmekte ve işgal toprakları üzerinde kendi evlerini yapmak isteyenleri def etmektedir.
• İsrail yıllardır on binlerce zeytin ağacını, turunçgillerden olan meyveleri ve üzüm korularını kökünden sökmekte ve tahrip etmektedir. Onların hepsi yüzyıllardır Filistinlilere aittir.
• İsrail el konulmuş Filistin toprakları üzerine ayrım duvarı inşa etmiş ve Filistin köylerini ulaşılamaz kantonlara bölmüştür.

Madde 21
1. Her şahıs, doğrudan doğruya veya serbestçe seçilmiş temsilciler vasıtasıyla, memleketin kamu işleri yönetimine katılmak hakkını haizdir.
2. Her şahıs memleketin kamu hizmetlerine eşitlikle girme hakkını haizdir.
3. Halkın iradesi kamu otoritesinin esasıdır; bu irade, gizli şekilde veya serbestliği sağlayacak muadil bir usul ile cereyan edecek, genel ve eşit oy verme yoluyla yapılacak olan devri ve dürüst seçimlerle ifade edilir.

Biz zaten İsrail’in Arap-İsrailli partilerin seçimlere katılmasını ve onların demokratik haklarını uygulamalarını etnik özgeçmişlerinden dolayı reddettiğini belirtmiştik. İsrail Filistin topraklarında yaşayan ve Filistin otoritesi altında bulunan insanların tüm demokratik seçeneklerini görmezden geliyor, sindiriyor ve reddediyor. İsrail demokratik bir yolla seçilmiş olan bakanları, vekilleri ve temsilcileri gözaltına alıyor ve herhangi bir mahkeme yapmaksızın veya resmi askeri mahkemeler yaparak onların özgürlük haklarının önüne geçiyor. Politik mahkûmlar birer birey ve insanların vekili olarak sahip oldukları en temel sivil haklarını kullanmaktan mahrumlar.

Madde 22
Her şahsın, cemiyetin bir üyesi olmak itibariyle, sosyal güvenliğe hakkı vardır; haysiyeti için ve şahsiyetinin serbestçe gelişmesi için zaruri olan ekonomik, sosyal ve kültürel hakların milli gayret ve milletlerarası işbirliği yoluyla ve her devletin teşkilatı ve kaynaklarıyla mütenasip olarak gerçekleştirilmesine hakkı vardır.

- İsrail sınırları kapatıyor ve Filistinlilerin insani yardımlara ulaşmalarını reddediyor şu anda da Gazze’de devam eden durumda olduğu gibi.
- İsrail Filistinli işçileri sömürüyor ve onları düşük ücretlerle çalıştırıyor. Filistinli işçiler İsrail içindeki resmi haklardan yararlanamıyor, bunun yanı sıra kötü muameleye ve herhangi bir zamanda hiçbir resmi hak verilmeksizin kovulmaya maruz bırakılıyorlar.

Madde 25
1. Her şahsın, gerek kendisi gerekse ailesi için, yiyecek, giyim, mesken, tıbbi bakım, gerekli sosyal hizmetler dahil olmak üzere sağlığı ve refahını temin edecek uygun bir hayat seviyesine ve işsizlik, hastalık, sakatlık, dulluk, ihtiyarlık veya geçim imkânlarından iradesi dışında mahrum bırakacak diğer hallerde güvenliğe hakkı vardır.
2. Ana ve çocuk özel ihtimam ve yardım görmek hakkını haizdir. Bütün çocuklar, evlilik içinde veya dışında doğsunlar, aynı sosyal korunmadan faydalanırlar.

İsrail Filistinli işçiler üzerinde kısıtlamalar yaparak bütün bu maddeleri ihlal ediyor, onları sınırlarda ve kontrol noktalarında uzun süre gözaltında tutuyor. Ayrıca İsrail işçilerin ücretlerine ve haklarına karşılık olarak, işçilerden Filistinli memurlar ve vatandaşlar hakkındaki güvenlik bilgilerini İsrail’in istihbarat ajanlarına onları öldürmek veya tutuklamak için ifşa etmelerini isteyerek, politik olarak işçilerin birçoğunu sömürüyor.
İsrail Filistinlilerin insani koşullarını ve yaşam şartlarını yaşayan bir cehenneme çevirdi. Birçok Filistinli hamile kadın doğumlarını sınırlarda ve kontrol noktalarında meydanda yapıyorlar. İsrail ordusu hamile kadınları ve hastaları taşımak için hiçbir yardım veya araç sunmuyor. Yıllık olarak yüzlerce insan hastanelere ve yardıma ulaşmaları engellendikten sonra sınırlarda ölüyor. Filistinli çocuklar bombardımanlar, ablukalar altında, ölüm ve yıkım sahneleri ortasında çocuk olarak en temel haklarından yoksun bırakılarak doğup büyüyorlar.
İsrail çocuklara daimi bir savaş ortamında bir hayat yüklüyor, onları okuma ve güven içerisinde okula gitme haklarından yoksun bırakıyor.
Okullar birçok defa bombalandı ve ölen Filistinli çocuk sayısının oranı modern savaşlar içindeki en yüksek olanıdır. Bu çocuklar arasında birçok bebek yakın menzilli ateşlerde vurularak can verdi.
İsrail maddeleri daha çok ihlal etmektedir, bütünüyle olmasa da Siyasi ve Medeni Haklar Uluslar Arası Sözleşmesi işgal edilmiş Golan tepelerindeki Filsistinlilerle ve yerlilerle yönetimde bir ilişki içindedir.

1.BÖLÜM
1. Madde
1. Bütün halklar kendi kaderlerini tayin hakkına sahiptir. Bu hak vasıtasıyla halklar kendi siyasal statülerini serbestçe tayin edebilir ve, ekonomik, sosyal ve siyasal gelişmelerini serbestçe sürdürebilirler.
2. Bütün halklar uluslararası hukuka ve karşılıklı menfaat ilkesine dayanan uluslararası ekonomik işbirliği yükümlülüklerine zarar vermemek koşuluyla, doğal kaynakları ve zenginlikleri üzerinde kendi yararına serbestçe tasarrufta bulunabilir. Bir halk sahip olduğu maddi kaynaklardan hiç bir koşulda yoksun bırakılamaz.
3. Kendini Yönetemeyen ve Vesayet altındaki Ülkelerden sorumlu olan Devletler de dahil bu Sözleşmeye Taraf bütün Devletler, kendi kaderini tayin hakkının gerçekleştirilmesi için çaba gösterir ve Birleşmiş Milletler şartının hükümlerine uygun olarak bu hakka saygı gösterir.

- İsrail Filistinli’lerin topraklarını ve Golan tepelerini işgal etmektedir, Güvenlik Konseyi’nin kararlarına uymaması İsrail’in işgal etmiş olduğu topraklardan geri çekilmesinin zorunluluğunu gerektirir.
-İsrail Filistinlilerin ve Golan’ın maliklerinin kendi kararlarını kendilerinin vermesini ve politik durumlarını belirleme özgürlüklerini reddetmektedir, onların ekonomik, sosyal ve kültürel gelişimlerini takip etmektedir, kötü ve yasadışı bir güçle değinilen haklarını uygulamaktan alıkoymaktadır.
-İsrail Filistinin önemli kültürel şahıslarını hedef almaktadır. 1970’te Filistinli, önde gelen edebi şahıslardan Ghassan Kanafani’ye suikast düzenlemiştir. 1987’de Filistinli, önde gelen karikatürist Naji Al-Ali’ye suikast düzenlemiştir.
-İsrail Filistinlilerin okullarına ulaşımını ve üniversitelere katılımlarını engellemektedir, ve yurtdışından burs kazandıkları zaman, onları yolculuk yapmaktan alıkoymaktadır.

2. Bölüm
2.Madde
1. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf her Devlet, bu Sözleşmede tanınan hakları ırk, renk, cinsiyet, dil, din, siyasal veya diğer bir fikir, ulusal veya sosyal köken, mülkiyet, doğum veya diğer bir statü gibi herhangi bir nedenle ayrımcılık yapılmaksızın, kendi toprakları üzerinde bulunan ve egemenlik yetkisine tabi olan bütün bireyler için güvence altına almayı bu ve haklara saygı göstermeyi taahhüt eder.
2. Sözleşmede tanınan hakları kendi mevzuatında veya uygulamasında henüz tanımamış olup da bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler, kendi anayasal usullerine ve bu Sözleşmenin hükümlerine uygun olarak, Sözleşmede tanınan hakları uygulamaya geçirmek için gerekli olan tedbirleri veya diğer önlemleri almayı taahhüt ederler.
3. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf her Devlet şu taahhütlerde bulunur:
a) Bu Sözleşmede tanınan hakları veya özgürlükleri ihlal edilenlere, ihlal fiili resmi sıfatlarıyla hareket eden kişilerden başka kimseler tarafından işlense dahi, etkili bir hukuki yola başvurma hakkı sağlamak;
b) Bu tür bir hukuki yola başvurmak isteyen kişinin hakkının yetkili yargısal, idari ve yasama organları veya Devletin hukuk sisteminin öngördüğü başka bir yetkili makamı tarafından karara başlanmasını sağlamak ve yargısal hukuki yollara başvurma imkanını geliştirmek;
c) Bu gibi hukuki yolların tanınması halinde, yetkili makamlar tarafından bu hukuki yolların işletilmesini sağlamak.

-İsrail bu maddeyi ihlal etmektedir. İsrail’deki Arap vatandaşları, herhangi bir Yahudi İsrailli’ye verilmekte olan bütün haklardan men edilmektedir. İsrail’de Yahudi’lerin silah sahibi olmalarına ve onları taşımalarına izin verilmektedir, bu onların dini gelenek uygulamalarıdır- hatta bu dini gelenekler diğer dinleri ve ırkları lanetlemek gibi radikal ve ırkçı aktivitelerdir ve Yahudiler silahlarını sokakta yürümekte olan, Yahudi olmayan herhangi bir vatandaşa hedef almakta izinlidirler. Bu tür eylemler İsrail kanunlarına göre yasadışı değildir.
-Yahudi olmayan vatandaşlar orduya katılmaları için zorlanmaktadır; orduda görevli Yahudi’ler yüksek derecede korunurlarken, Yahudi olmayanlar ateşin ön sırasında yer almaktadırlar ve yaşamları kasten tehlikeye atılmaktadır.
-Yahudi olmayan vatandaşlar orduda Arap sokaklarında görev yapmak için ve kendi halklarına saldırmaları için zorlanmaktadırlar. Eğer reddederlerse, hapsedilmekle yüzyüze kalmaktalardır.
-İsrail, Yahudi olmayan vatandaşlarını kendi dinlerinin uygulamalarını yapmaktan yoksun bırakmaktadır, ve eğer izin verirlerse, ordu cami ya da kilisenin etraflarını kuşatmaktadır.
-İsrail 50 yaşın altındaki erkeklerin El-Aksa Camii’nde ibadet etmelerini engellemektedir ve onları tanklar ve tüfeklerle çevrilmiş sokaklarda namaz kılmaya zorlamaktadır.
-Tutuklanmış olan Arap’ların bütün hakları İsrail tarafından reddedilmektedir, işkenceye karşı korunmasızlar ve hakim yasal duruma göre değil de dine ve de ırka göre tutuklularla yaptığı anlaşmayla mahkumlar sahte testleri kabullenmektelerdir.
-Onbinden fazla Arap, politik fikirlerinden dolayı İsrail hapishanelerinde hapsedilmişlerdir. Çoğusu herhangi bir yargılamadan geçirilmemiştir.

4. Madde
1. Sözleşmeci Taraf Devletler, ulusun yaşamını tehdit eden olağanüstü bir durumun meydana gelmesi ve bun resmen ilan etmeleri halinde, durumun zorunluluklarının kesinlikle gerektirdiği ölçüde, uluslararası hukuktan doğan diğer yükümlülüklerine aykırı düşmeyecek ve ırk, renk, cinsiyet, dil, din, toplumsal köken gibi sebeplerle ayrımcılık içermeyecek şekilde, bu Sözleşmedeki yükümlülüklerinde azaltma yapan tedbirler alabilir.
2. Sözleşmenin 6, 7, 8 (1 ve 2 fıkralar), 11, 15, 16 ve 18. maddelerindeki yükümlülüklerde hiç bir azaltma yapılamaz.
3. Sözleşmedeki yükümlülüklerini azaltma yetkisi kullanan Sözleşmeye Taraf bir Devlet, yükümlülük azaltılan Sözleşme maddeleri ile yükümlülük azaltmayı gerektiren sebepler hakkında Birleşmiş Milletler Genel Sekreteri aracılığıyla Sözleşmeye Taraf diğer Devletleri derhal bilgilendirir. Yükümlülük azaltmanın sona erme tarihi de aynı yolla başka bir bildirimle iletilir.

İsrail yukarıdaki maddede geçen tüm noktaları ihlal etmiştir. İsrail güvenliğini koruma bahanesi ile İsrail tüm Arap vatandaşlarını güvenlikten çıkartmaktadır. Amerika nın veto hakkıyla korunmuş olarak, Birleşmiş Milletler Güvenlik Konseyi önergelerine asla itibar etmemiştir.

9. Madde
1. Herkes kişi özgürlüğü ve kişi güvenliği hakkına sahiptir. Hiç kimse keyfi olarak gözaltına alınamaz veya tutulamaz. Hiç kimse hukukun öngördüğü sebepler ve usuller dışında özgürlüğünden yoksun bırakılamaz.
2. Gözaltına alınan bir kimse, gözaltına alınma sebepleri hakkında gözaltına alındığı sırada ve kendisine isnat edilen suçlar konusunda derhal bilgilendirilir.
3. Cezai bir fiilden ötürü gözaltına alınan veya tutulan bir kimse derhal bir yargıç veya hukuken yargılama yetkisine sahip diğer bir görevli önüne çıkarılır ve bu kimse makul bir sürede yargılanma veya salıverilme hakkına sahiptir. Yargılanan bir kimsenin tutuklanması genel bir kural olamaz; yargılamanın her aşamasında tutuklunun salıverilmesine karar verilebilir; salıverilme bu kimsenin duruşmaya gelmesini sağlamak ve mahkum edilmesi halinde hükmün infazını temin etmek için teminata başlanabilir.
4. Gözaltına alınarak veya tutularak özgürlüğünden yoksun bırakılan bir kimse, tutulmasının hukukiliği hakkında hemen karar verebilecek ve eğer tutulması hukuki değilse salıverilmesine hükmedebilecek bir mahkemeye başvurma hakkına sahiptir.
5. Hukuka aykırı olarak gözaltına alınmaktan veya tutulmaktan mağdur olan bir kimse icrası mümkün bir tazminat hakkına sahiptir.

İsrail işgali altında olan Filistinliler hiçbir güvenlikten nasiplerini almamışlardır. İsrail güçleri evlere girmekte ve keyfi tutuklamalarına sivilleri hedef almaktadır. Hiçbir yasal bahane olmadan ve tutuklanma sebeplerini bilmeden özgürlüklerinden mahrum bırakılmaktadırlar. Tutuklanma süreleri boyunca insan dışı muamelelere maruz kalmaktadırlar. Bir Filistinli’nin tutuklanmasından sonra, çoğunlukla İsrail ordusu buldozerleriyle evlere girmekte ve ailesini taciz etmektedir. Tutuklanmadan sonra, Filistinliler azılı bir işkenceye maruz kalmaktadırlar. İsrail mahkemeleri Filistinliler üzerine kanunları uygulamamaktadır. Davalının ırk ve dinine göre, öncelikli olarak düşmanca bir pozisyon almaktadırlar.

10. Madde
1. Özgürlüğünden yoksun bırakılan herkes, insani muamele ve insanın doğuştan sahip olduğu insanlık onuruna saygı görme hakkına sahiptir.
2. a) Tutuklu sanıklar, istisnai haller dışında mahkumlardan ayrı tutulur ve kendilerine mahkum edilmemiş kimselerin statüsüne uygun tarzda ayrı bir muamele uygulanır.
b) Tutuklu küçük sanıklar yetişkinlerden ayrı tutulur ve en kısa sürede yargısal makamların önüne çıkarılırlar.
3. Ceza infaz sistemi, mahpusları iyileştirme ve toplumsal rehabilitasyonlarını sağlama gibi temel amaçlara sahip olur. Küçük failler ‘yetişkinlerden ayrılır ve yaşları ile hukuki statülerine uygun bir muamele görürler.

• İsrail tarafından tutuklanan herhangi bir Filistinli ya da Arap, insanlık dışı hakaretlerle muamele görmektedir.
• İsrail tarafından tutuklanan her Filistinli işkenceye mahkûmdur.
• Politik nedenlerden ötürü tutuklanan Filistinliler suçlularla aynı hücreye konulmaktadır.
• Filistin genç nüfusu da suçlu yetişkinlerle aynı hücreye yerleştirilmektedirler.
• On binden fazla Filistinli ve Arap hapsedilmiş ve insanlık dışı şartlara maruz bırakılmıştır. Çoğunu çocuklar, kadınlar ve hamile kadınlar oluşturmaktadır.
• İsrail hapislerindeki hamile Arap kadınlar, hapishanede doğum yapmakta ve bebeklerin akraba gözetimine gönderilmesine izin verilmemektedir.

12. Madde
1. Bir Devletin ülkesinde hukuka uygun olarak bulunan bir kimse, o ülke sınırları içinde seyahat etme özgürlüğüne ve yerleşeceği yeri seçme hakkına sahiptir.
2. Herkes kendi ülkesi de dahil, bir ülkeden ayrılmakta serbesttir.
3. Yukarıda belirtilen haklar, bu Sözleşmede tanınan diğer haklara uygun olarak ulusal güvenlik, kamu düzeni (ordre public), genel sağlık veya genel ahlak veya başkalarının hak ve özgürlüklerini korumak için gerekli sebepler ile hukuken öngörülmüş sınırlamalar dışında hiç bir sınırlamaya tabi tutulamaz.
4. Hiç kimse, kendi ülkesine girme hakkından keyfi olarak yoksun bırakılamaz.

- İsrail zorla sürgün edilmiş milyonlarca mülteciyi vatanlarına geri dönmekten mahrum etmektedir.
- İsrail keyfi olarak Filistinli gençleri yurtdışında eğitim almaktan mahrum etmektedir. Hatta onları kendi ülkelerinde eğitim almalarından da mahrum bırakmaktadır.

14. Madde
1. Herkes mahkemeler ve yargı yerleri önünde eşittir. Herkes, hakkındaki bir suç isnadının veya hak ve yükümlülükleri ilgili bir hukuki uyuşmazlığın karara bağlanmasında, hukuken kurulmuş yetkili, bağımsız ve tarafsız bir yargı yeri tarafından adil ve aleni olarak yargılanma hakkına sahiptir. Davayı izleyenler ve basın mensupları, demokratik bir toplumdaki genel ahlak, kamu düzeni (ordre public) veya ulusal güvenlik nedeniyle veya tarafların özel yaşamlarının menfaatinin gerektirmesi halinde veya mahkemenin görüşüne göre aleniliğin adaletin gerçekleşmesine zarar vereceği özel şartların kesinlikle gerektirdiği ölçüde, duruşmalardan tamamen veya kısmen çıkarılabilir; ancak bir ceza davasında veya hukuk davasında verilen hüküm, gençlerin menfaati veya aile uyuşmazlıkları veya çocuğun velayeti ile ilgili davalar aksini gerektirmedikçe aleni olarak tefhim edilir.
2. Hakkında bir suç isnadı bulunan bir kimse, hukuka göre suçluluğu kanıtlanıncaya kadar masum sayılma hakkına sahiptir.
3. Hakkında bir suç isnadı bulunan bir kimsenin bu isnadın karara bağlanmasında, tam bir eşitlik içinde asgari şu haklara sahiptir:
a) Hakkındaki suç isnadının niteliği ve nedenleri konusunda ayrıntılı bir şekilde ve anlayabileceği bir dilde derhal bilgilendirilme;
b) Savunmasını hazırlamak ve kendi seçtiği avukatla görüşmek için yeterli zamana ve kolaylıklara sahip olma
c) Sebepsiz yere gecikmeden yargılanma,
d) Duruşmalarda hazır bulundurulma ve kendisini bizzat veya kendi seçeceği bir avukat aracılığıyla savunma eğer avukatı bulunmuyorsa sahip olduğu haklar konusunda bilgilendirilme; adaletin yararı gerektirdiği her durumda kendisine bir avukat tayin edilme ve eğer avukata ödeme yapabilecek yeterli imkanı yoksa, ücretsiz olarak avukat tayin edilme;
e) Aleyhindeki tanıkları sorguya çekme veya çektirme ve lehindeki tanıkların mahkemeye çıkmalarını ve aleyhindeki tanıklarla aynı koşullarda sorguya çekilmelerini sağlama,
f) Mahkemede konuşulan dili anlamıyor veya konuşamıyorsa, bir çevirmenin yardımından ücretsiz olarak yararlanma
g) Kendisini suçlandırıcı tanıklık yapmaya veya bir suçu itirafa zorlanmama.
4. Küçüklerin yargılanmasında küçüklerin yaşlarını ve rehabilitasyonlarını ilerletmeyi göz önünde tutacak bir yargılama usulü izlenir.
5. Bir suçtan ötürü mahkum olan bir kimse, mahkumiyetinin ve aldığı cezanın daha yüksek bir yargı yeri tarafından hukuka göre incelenmesini isteme hakkına sahiptir.
6. Bir kimse bir suçtan ötürü nihai bir kararla mahkum olduğunda ve bu mahkumiyeti adli hata bulunduğu gerekçesiyle bozulduğunda veya kendisi bağışlandığında, eğer mahkumiyet kararının verildiği tarihte bilinmeyen olayların ortaya çıkarılamamış olmasının nedenleri kısmen veya tamamen kendisine yüklenebileceği kanıtlanmadıkça, bu tür bir mahkumiyetin sonucu olarak ceza çeken bir kimseye hukuka uygun olarak tazminat ödenir.
7. Bir ülkenin hukukuna ve ceza yargılama usulüne uygun olarak daha önce kesin biçimde mahkum olan veya beraat eden bir kimse aynı suçtan ötürü ikinci kez yargılanamaz ve cezalandırılamaz.

-Konu Filistinliler ve Araplar olunca bu yazıdaki her bir madde İsrail tarafından ihlal edilmektedir.
-İsrail mahkemeleri Filistinlilerin ya da Arapların lehine olan herhangi bir İsrail kuralını etkisiz hale getirmektedirler. Kişiler daha mahkeme salonuna adım atmadan suçlu bulunmaktadırlar.
-İsrail mahkemeleri sanık tarafından belirlenen avukatları işten çıkararak Arap ırkına karşı önyargılı olarak bilinen kişileri atamaktadır.

17. Madde
1. Hiç kimsenin özel ve aile yaşamına, konutuna veya haberleşmesine keyfi veya hukuka aykırı olarak müdahale edilemez; onuru veya itibarı hukuka aykırı saldırılara maruz bırakılamaz.
2. Herkes bu tür saldırılara veya müdahalelere karşı hukuk tarafından korunma hakkına sahiptir.

İsrail Uluslar arası koruma altındaki bu makaleyi ihlal etti. İsrail kuvvetleri Filistinlilerin evlerine acımasızca ve ev mahremiyetine saygıdan yoksun bir biçimde saldırlar düzenliyor ve evdeki aile bireylerine özellikle çocuklara kötü muamelede bulunup hakaret ediyorlar.
Kişinin onur ve itibarına hukuk dışı saldırılarla ilgili olarak :
Geçtiğimiz yıl boyunca , Müslüman ve Araplar üzerine sıkça ataklar düzenleniyor ve bu ataklar İslam ve Arap karşıtlığı olarak biliniyor. Müslüman ve Arapları “terörist ,geri kafalı ve medeniyetsiz” diye hakaret vari adlandıran organize suçlamalarla aslında İsrail katliamlarını, Amerikanın Afganistan işgalini ve Iraktaki yasadışı muamelelerini ve en nihayetinde de dünya üzerinde kötü bir nama sahip olan Ebu Garib ve Guantanamo hapishanelerinde yaşanan insanlık dışı muamelelerini meşrulaştırmak amaçlanmıştır.Bu tür kampanyalar tüm dünya üzerindeki Müslümanlar ve Araplar için büyük tahribata sebep olmuştur ve bu tahribat Müslümanların, Arapların, hatta bazı Sihlerin ve Hinduların ( renklerinden ve bazı özelliklerinden dolayı Orta Doğu’da yaşayan Müslümanlara benzedikleri için) tutuklanmalarına, işlerini kaybetmelerine, zulüm görmelerine ve ırkçı cinayetlere kurban edilmelerine neden olmuştur. Devletin ve avam tabakasının tam desteğiyle birçok Müslüman ve Arap, ekonomik, politik ve askeri alanlarda zarara uğratılmıştır. İnsanlık dışı suçlar ve uluslar arası yasak eylemler toplu ve bireysel anlamda Müslüman ve Araplara yöneltilmiştir. Uluslar arası medya ve yayın organları durmaksızın, acımasızca Müslümanları ve Arapları karalama kampanyalarına girmişlerdir. FOX haber yayın organı ısrarla Müslümanlara , uluslar arası gazetelere vb. karşı düşmanlığı,kini ve hıncı uyandıracak materyaller yayınlamaktadır.
Şuan itibariyle Guantanamo üssünün kapatılması ve Iraktan geri çekilinmesi yolunda atılacak adımlardan sonra aşağıdan sırlananların da yapılmasını talep ediyoruz :
1- Müslüman ve Araplara karşı başlatılan bu zalimce eylemlerden ve bu eylemlerden toplumsal ve bireysel anlamda etkilenen Müslümanlardan ve Araplardan yasal bir ÖZÜR.
2- Askeri , ekonomik anlamda Müslümanlara karşı düşmanca düzenlenen eylemlerin yada hınç ve garez içeren konuşmaların ve buna benzer kampanyaların hemen durdurulmasını
3- Müslüman ve Araplara Karşı başlatılan tüm bu saldırılar üzerine uluslar arası yasal bir kınama.
4- İsrail ve diğer dünya güçleri tarafından yürütülen ve dünyaya yayılmış olan bu düşmanca politika insanlık dışı savaş suçlarını kapsayıcı niteliktedir. Bu tür politikaların yasal bir bildiriyle Müslüman ve Arapları zulümden korumaya yönelik yeni bir yaptırımla uluslar arası anlamda kınanması gerekmektedir.
5- Araplar Yahudi düşmanı olmadığı halde, saldırıya uğradıklarında ,Yahudi aleyhtarlığı içeren uluslar arası bir kanunla başvuru yapmalarına , haklarını aramalarına izin verilmiyor, bu yüzden Müslüman ve Arapları koruyacak bir yasanın çıkarılması gereklidir.
6- Arap ve Müslümanlar için uygun finansal, politik ve ahlaki destek bağlamında tazminat bağlanması.

20. Madde
1. Her türlü savaş propagandası hukuk tarafından yasaklanır.
2. Ayrımcılığa, kin ve nefrete veya şiddete tahrik eden herhangi bir ulusal, ırksal veya dinsel düşmanlığın savunulması hukuk tarafından yasaklanır.
İsrailli politikacılar savaş propagandası yapmaktan sakınmayarak ve bunu seçim kampanyalarında tekrar tekrar ve ırkçı bir tonda dillendirerek, Müslüman ve Araplara açıkça katliam tehditleri savurmaktan kaçınmıyorlar.
İsrailli politikacıların demeçlerine bakarak, İsrailin kuruluşundan bu güne, politikacılar ve dini liderler tarafından, Arapların ırkçı bir dille tanımlanarak askerlere karşı hedef gösterildiklerini ve öldürülmelerinin ırk, din ve güvenlik sebeplerine dayandırarak caiz olduğunu savunduklarını saptadık.

25. Madde
Her vatandaş, bu Sözleşmenin ikinci maddesindeki ayrımlara ve makul olmayan sınırlamalara tabi tutulmaksızın şu haklara ve imkanlara sahiptir:
a) Doğrudan veya seçilmiş temsilciler aracılığıyla kamu hizmetlerine katılma
b) Seçmenlerin iradelerini serbestçe ifade etmeleri güvence altına alan, gizli olarak oy verildiği, genel ve eşit oya dayanan ve belirli aralıklarla yapılan dürüst seçimlerde oy kullanma ve seçilme;
c) Genel eşitlik ilkesine uygun olarak ülkesinde kamu hizmetlerine girme.

İşgal altındaki Filistinliler hiçbir siyasi haklara sahip değil. İsrail Filistinlilerin seçim sonuçlarına değer vermiyor ve Filistinlilerin seçtiği milletvekillerini tanımıyor. Üstelik İsrail, milletvekili dokunulmazlığı olmasına rağmen seçilen Filistinli milletvekilleri tutukluyor.
Arap kökenli İsraillilerin ne kadar vasıflı olduklarına bakılmaksızın makam liderliği ile meşgul olmalarına izin verilmemektedir.
İşe alınırken, Araplar daha ehil olsalar bile Yahudiler Araplardan önceliklidir.

27. Madde
Etnik, dinsel veya dilsel azınlıkların bulunduğu bir Devlette, böyle bir azınlığa mensup bulunan kişiler grubun diğer üyeleri ile birlikte toplu olarak kendi kültürel haklarını kullanma, kendi dinlerinin gereği ibadeti etme ve uygulama veya kendi dillerini kullanma hakları engellenmez.

Yukarıdaki belgede belirtildiği üzere İsrail bu maddeyi ihlal ediyor.
İsrail anlaşmanın IV. kısmında olan tüm maddeleri çiğniyor.
Bu davranış işgal altındaki insanların haklarını gözeten ya da cinayet, soykırım, gözaltı ve hapis gibi suçların yargılanmasına olanak verecek İnsan Hakları Komitelerinin kurulmasına engel teşkil etmektedir. Birleşmiş devletler ve uluslar arası komite bundan sorumlu olduğu halde İsrail’i, liderlerini, memurlarını ve askerlerini yargılayamıyor. Aynı zamanda, İsrail her hangi bir uluslar arası komitenin sorgulamasını çeşitli neden ve amaçlarla engelliyor.
Bu kısım ne İsrail tarafından uygulanıyor ve tanınıyor, ne de uluslararası kurumlar tarafından İsrail üzerinde bu kurallar uygulanıyor.
Her hangi bir araştırmacı aşikâr bir şekilde görebilir ki, İsrail açıkça tüm uluslar arası belgeleri, bildirgeleri ve anlaşmaları ihlal ediyor. Ortada ilginç bir gerçek var ki, İsrail ve resmi yetkilileri hiçbir zaman yargılanmadı ve bu eylemleri yüzünden hesap vermedi.
Uluslararası antlaşmanın ekonomi ile alakalı kısmında ise, İsrail in nasıl bir rota izlediğini aşağıda sunuyoruz:

1.Madde
1. Bütün halklar kendi kaderlerini tayin hakkına sahiptir. Bu hak vasıtasıyla halklar kendi siyasal statülerini serbestçe tayin edebilir ve, ekonomik, sosyal ve siyasal gelişmelerini serbestçe sürdürebilirler.
2. Bütün halklar uluslararası hukuka ve karşılıklı menfaat ilkesine dayanan uluslararası ekonomik işbirliği yükümlülüklerine zarar vermemek koşuluyla, doğal kaynakları ve zenginlikleri üzerinde kendi yararına serbestçe tasarrufta bulunabilir. Bir halk sahip olduğu maddi kaynaklardan hiç bir koşulda yoksun bırakılamaz

- İsrail’in bu maddeyi sivil ve siyasal anlaşmalarda; Filistin topraklarını işgal ederek, ayrılık duvarı inşa ederek, Gazze de abluka oluşturarak, Filistinlerin tapulu topraklarında yerleşkeler inşa ederek, köyler ve şehirler arasına bariyer koyarak ve kalıcı gecikmeler yüzünden işlerini kaybeden işçiler de dâhil Filistinleri uzun zaman bu bariyerler arasında bekleterek evvelce nasıl ihlal ettiğine değinmiştik.
-İsrail, Batı Şeriadaki ve Golan tepelerindeki tüm tatlı su kaynaklarını gasp etmiştir. Beldedeki sakinleri sınır dışı ettikten ve topraklarını haciz ettikten sonra burada yerleşkeler kurdular. Tatlı su kaynaklarının yanına kendi askeriye kamplarını kurudular. İsrail Filistinlilere ait yüz binlerce zeytin ve limon ağaçlarını kesti ve hala kesmeye devam ediyor, Filistinlilerin meyve bahçelerine ve üzüm bağlarına el koyarak ayrılık duvarı yapıyor ve burada yerleşke ve askeri kışla inşa ediyor.

III. BÖLÜM
6. Madde
1. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler herkesin çalışma hakkını tanır ve bu hakkı korumak için gerekli tedbirleri alır. Çalışma hakkı, herkesin kendi seçtiği ve girdiği bir işte çalışarak geçimini sağlama imkanına ulaşma hakkım da içerir.
2. Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletlerin çalışma hakkını tam olarak gerçekleştirmek üzere alacağı tedbirler arasında, teknik ve mesleki rehberlik hizmetleri ile öğretim programları yapmak, bireyin temel siyasal ve ekonomik özgürlüklerini koruyan şartlar içinde ekonomik, sosyal ve kültürel gelişme ile tam ve üretken istihdamı sağlamak için gerekli politikaları ve yöntemleri uygulamak da yer alır.

- Filistin gençlerinin pek çoğu İsrail’in kontrol noktalarında uyguladığı bezdirme politikalarından dolayı işsiz bulunmakta. Kontrol noktalarında uzun saatler boyunca bekletiliyor ve geçişlerini sağlamaları için kendi insanları hakkında bilgi sağlamaları isteniyor. İsrail aynı zamanda Gazze’de bulunan pek çok fabrikayı da aralıklarla bombalıyor ve Gazze’ye hammadde ve yedek parça girişine izin vermiyor. Bununla beraber, direniş savaşçılarının patlayıcı yaptığı gerekçeleriyle küçük dükkan ve atölyeler bu bombardımanlardan sık sık nasiplerini alıyor. Bu ithamların gerçek dışılığı çoğu zaman kanıtlanabiliyor, çünkü bu atölyeler ziyadesiyle küçük ve patlayıcı üretiminde kullanılabilecek bir teçhizat bulundurmuyorlar.
- İşgal siyasetinden ötürü, bütün bu maddeler Gazze ve Batı Şeria’da mevcut değil. Yokluk, abluka ve kısıtlamalardan dolayı, herhangi bir olanak ve teknoloji de ne okullarda ne de eğitim yapılan kurumlarda/ enstitülerde bulunmamakta. Filistinli bir işçinin İsrail dışında makul bir iş bulması mümkün değil ve bir çok işçi de önceden bahsedilen sebeplerden ötürü işlerini kaybediyorlar ( kontrol noktalarında bekletilmek ve İsrail istihbaratı tarafından sorguya alınmak ).

7. Madde
Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler herkese adil ve elverişli şartlarda çalışma hakkı tanır. Bu şartlar aşağıdaki hakları güvence altına alır:
a) Bütün çalışanlara sağlanan asgari bir gelir ile birlikte en azından:
i) Hiç bir ayrıma tabi tutulmaksızın özellikle kadınların erkeklerin çalışma şartlarından daha alt düzeyde olmayan şartlarda çalışmaları güvence altına alınarak, eşit işe eşit ve adil ücret;
ii) bu Sözleşmenin hükümlerine uygun olarak, kendisi ve ailesi için nezih bir yaşam;
b) Güvenli ve sağlıklı çalışma şartları;
e) Herkesin işinde daha yüksek mevkilere atanma sırasında, kıdem ve ehliyetten başka bir ölçüye tabi olmaksızın, eşit imkanlar;
d) Dinlenme, çalışma arası, çalışma saatlerinin makul ölçüde sınırlandırılması ile ücretli yıllık izin ve resmi tatillerde ücret verilmesi.

İşgal sebebiyle oluşan kısıtlamalar bahsedilen koşulların sağlanmasını engellemektedir. Filistinli kadın işçiler harap haldeki eski fabrikalarda çok zor şartlar altında çalışıyorlar. Öğretmen olarak çalışan Filistinli kadınlar ise her zaman tehlikenin yanı başında bulunuyor ve görevleri sık sık güvenlik sebepleriyle sekteye uğruyor. Çalışanlar ücretlerini çoğu zaman İsrail’in Gazze’ye para girişine izin vermemesi ve özel bankalarda işçilerin ücretleri için yapılan para havalelerin engellenmesi nedenleriyle alamamaktalar. Gazze çoğunlukla grevlere sahne oluyor, zira işçiler aylar boyunca ücretlerini ve istihdamın gerektirdiği asgari gereklilikleri ve ödemeleri alamıyorlar. İşçiler yılın çoğu ayının ücretini alamıyorlar.

10. Madde
Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler şu korumaları sağlar:
1. Toplumun doğal ve temel bir birimi olan aileye, özellikle kuruluşu sırasında ve bakmakla yükümlü oldukları çocukların bakım ve eğitim sorumluğu devam ettiği dönemde, mümkün olan en geniş ölçüde koruma ve yardım sağlanır. Evlilik, evlenmeye niyetlenen çiftlerin serbest rızaları ile meydana gelir.
2. Annelere doğumdan önce ve sonra makul bir süre özel koruma sağlanır. Çalışan annelere bu dönem için ücretli izin veya yeterli sosyal güvenlikten yararlanabilecekleri bir izin verilir.
3. Nesep veya diğer şartlar bakımından hiç bir ayrımcılık yapılmaksızın, bütün çocuklar ve gençler için özel koruma ve yardım tedbirleri alınır. Çocuklar ve gençler ekonomik ve toplumsal sömürüye karşı korunur. Çocukların ve gençlerin ahlaklarına veya sağlıklarına zararlı bulunan veya onların yaşamları için tehlikeli olan veya onların normal gelişmelerine engel olan işlerde çalıştırılmaları kanunla cezalandırılır. Devlet ayrıca, çocukların ücretli olarak çalıştırılmasının hukuken yasaklandığı ve cezalandırıldığı asgari yaş sınırını tespit eder.

- İsrail işgali altında, bir bireyin yahut ailenin korunması ve güvenliğinin sağlanması diye bir şey söz konusu olamamaktadır. Hemen hemen her Filistinli aile fertlerinden birini veya birkaçını farklı ülkelerde zorunlu yerinden edilme gerekçeleriyle bulundurmakta, ve her Filistin evi İsrail bombardımanlarında verilmiş kurbanlara sahip. Bu maddenin ve diğer pek çoğunun tehcir edilmiş, yerlerinden edilmiş, öldürülmüş, bombalanmış ve yıldırılmış Filistinlilere uygulanması söz konusu bile değildir.
- Pek çok Filistinli anne çalışsın yahut çalışmasın, kısıtlama ve bekletme siyasetinden ötürü çocuklarını kontrol noktalarında veya hastane yollarında doğurmak zorunda bırakılmıştır ve hastalar, hamile kadınlar veya normal insanlar fark gözetilmeden uzun bekleyişlere tabi tutulmaktadır.
- Filistinli çocuklar sokaklarda ve okullarına giden yollarda ölümle burun buruna bırakılmaktadır. Çoğusu anne veya babasını kaybetmiş olmaktan dolayı ailesine destek amaçlı çalışmak için ya da süregelen İsrail işgalinin bilinçli olarak yarattığı yoksulluk ve açlıktan öldürme siyaseti yüzünden okullarından ayrılmak zorunda kalmışlardır.

11. Madde
1. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf olan Devletler herkese, kendisi ve ailesi için yeterli bir yaşam standardına sahip olma sağlar. Bu standart, yeterli beslenmeyi, giyinmeyi, barınmayı ve yaşama koşullarının sürekli olarak geliştirilmesini de içerir. Taraf Devletler bu hakkın gerçekleştirilmesini sağlamak için, kendi serbest iradelerine dayalı uluslararası işbirliğinin esas olduğunu kabul ederek, uygun tedbirleri alırlar.
2. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler, açlıktan kurtulmanın herkes için temel bir hak olduğunu kabul ederek, kendi başlarına ve uluslararası işbirliği yoluyla, özel programlar da dahil, aşağıdakiler için gerekli olan tedbirleri alır:
a) Teknik ve bilimsel bilgiyi tam olarak kullanarak, beslenme prensipleri ile ilgili bilgileri duyurarak ve doğal kaynakların etkili bir biçimde geliştirilmesini ve kullanımını sağlayacak bir yolla tarım sistemlerini ilerleterek veya reform yaparak, üretme, üretilenleri saklama ve dağıtma yöntemlerini geliştirmek;
b) Yeryüzündeki besin kaynaklarının ihtiyaçlara göre eşit dağıtılmasını sağlamak için, gıda ihraç eden ve gıda ithal eden ülkelerin sorunlarını dikkate almak.

- Önceden belirtmiş olduğumuz ve herkes tarafından da bilinen İsrail ablukası bu tür maddelerin uygulamasını imkansızlaştırmıştır. İsrail yardım depolarını bombalamıştır, hatta son zamanlarda Gazze’de olduğu gibi Birleşmiş Milletler İnsani Yardım ve Ajans İşleri’ne mensup olanları dahi bombalamışlardır.
- İsrail boğucu bir kuşatma ile yüklenmektedir, yardım ajanslarını ve depoları bombalamakta, Filistinli’lerin yurtdışından gıda,besin ve ilaç ithalatını engellemektedir.

12. Madde
1. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler, herkesin mümkün olan en yüksek seviyede fiziksel ve ruhsal sağlık standartlarına sahip olma hakkını tanır.
2. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletlerin bu hakkı tam olarak gerçekleştirmek amacıyla alacakları tedbirler, aşağıdakiler için de alınması gerekli tedbirleri içerir:
a) Varolan doğum oranının ve bebek ölümlerinin düşürülmesi ile çocukların sağlıklı gelişmelerinin sağlanması;
b) Çevre sağlığını ve sanayi temizliğini her yönüyle ileriye götürme;
c) Salgın hastalıkların, yöresel hastalıkların, mesleki hastalıkların ve diğer hastalıkların önlenmesi, tedavisi ve kontrolü;
d) Hastalık halinde her türlü sağlık hizmetinin ve bakımının sağlanması için gerekli şartların yaratılması.

-Filistin hastaneleri ve klinikleri hiçbir modern malzemeye sahip değiller ve çoğu zaman elektriğe de sahip değiller çünkü İsrail Gazze’den yakıt ve gaz ulaşımını engellemektedir. Aynı zamanda tıbbi malzeme ithalini de engellemektedir. Çoğu ilaç mevcut olmadığından ve ambargodan sebebiyle ithal edilemediğinden, Filistinli hastalar kolaylıkla tedavi edilebilecek basit tıbbi sebeplerden ötürü hayatlarını kaybetmekteler.
-Daha öncesinde hastanelerdeki durumlardan ve geçişlerde ilkel şartlarda dünyaya gelen yeni doğmuş bir bebeğin ihtiyacı olan basit yaşam şartlarının ve özel izleme, bakım gereksinimlerinin eksikliği sebebiyle ölen bebeklerden bahsetmiştik.
Yukardaki sebeplere ilaveten,İsrail yerleşmiş Filistin alanlarını uluslar arası yasaklanmış olan, genel anlamda insan ve çevre sağlığını tehlikeye sokan fosfor bombaları gibi silahlarla bombalamaktadır.
İsrail ambulansları bombaladı ve sağlık görevlileri öldürüldü, yaralılara ulaşılması engellendi ve neticede yaralılar da hayatlarını kaybettiler. İsrail’in Güney Lübnan, Batı Şeria, Jenin ve Gazze savaşlarında olduğu gibi bütün savaşlarında yapılmıştır bu tür şeyler.
İsrail bütün savaşlarda ambulansları bombalamış ve sağlık görevlilerini öldürmüştür; bu savaşların kayıtları mevcuttur.

13. Madde
1. Bu Sözleşmeye Taraf Devletler, herkese eğitim hakkı tanır. Sözleşmeci Devletler, eğitimin insan kişiliğinin ve onurunun tam olarak gelişmesine ve insan haklarına ve temel özgürlüklere saygıyı güçlendirmesine yönelik olarak verilmesi konusunda birleşirler. Devletler ayrıca herkesin özgürlükçü topluma etkili bir biçiminde katılmasını sağlayacak, bütün uluslar ile butun ırksal, etnik ve dinsel gruplar arasında anlayış, hoşgörü ve dostluğu geliştirecek ve Birleşmiş Milletlerin barışın korunması için yaptığı faaliyetlerini ilerletecek bir eğitim verilmesi konusunda anlaşırlar.

Önceden değinilmiş olan Filistin deki okulların ve öğrencilerin durumuna ek olarak, İsrail’in müfredatı, Araplara nefreti teşvik eden, Arapların öldürülmesini, sürgün edilmesini ya da kötü davranılmasını hak eden ilkel suçlular olarak gösteren ırkçı dersler, şarkılar ve hikâyeler içeriyor.Bu ırkçılıkla ve nefretle dolu öğretim belkide çocukların dünyada yüzleşecekleri en büyük tehlikelerden. Böyle büyüyen çocukların dünyaya barış getirmeleri ya da düşman olarak gördükleri kişilere karşı herhangi bir merhamet emaresi göstermeleri mümkün olamaz. Bu çocuklar ‘’Diğerleri’’ nin öldürülmeyi hak ettiğini öğrenerek büyüyorlar. Daha detaylı bilgi için İsrail’in bolca ırkçılık içeren müfredatı incelenebilir. Uluslar arası haber ajanslarında tarafından yayınlanan, Haziran 2006’daki Lübnan savaşında İsrail ordusunun füzelerinin üstüne isimlerini yazan İsrailli çocukların resimleri, çocuklara öğretilen nefret ve ırkçılığın ispatı niteliğinde.
Burada dikkat edilmelidir ki İsrail Cenevre Kongresindeki maddelerden; savaş ya da çatışma durumunda insan haklarını içeren maddelerini ihlal etmiş ve çiğnemiştir.
Daha önce bu belgede değinilen tüm zorbalıklar; bütün ülkeler, insan hakları kuruluşları ve uluslar arası organizasyonlar tarafından bilinen bu anlaşmanın hükümlerinin aşikâr ihlalidir.
Yukarda belirtildiği gibi, biz sözde ‘’İsrail Devleti’’ nin yaşama hakkına sahip bir devlet değil, ırkçı bir varoluş olduğunu kanaat getirdik. Bütün komşularını ve kontrolü altındakileri, özellikle Yahudi olmayanları hoşgörülü bir şekilde yaşamaktan alıkoyan bir varoluş. İsrail öldürme ve imha etme üzerine kurulmuş suçlu bir varoluş ve insanlığa, doğaya ve tüm canlılara tehlike arz eden bir kuruluştur.
İnsanların gözleri önüne sermiş olduğumuz bu belge vesilesiyle, birçok uluslar arası örgütlerin ve insan hakları örgütlerinin apaçık sessizliğine hatta bu kuruluşlardan bazılarının mazlumlara karşı peşin hükme varıp ve saldırgan yanlısı desteklerine karşı, açıkça gücenmemizi ve reddedişimizi vurguluyoruz.
Bu sorumluluğu herkesten önce insanlığa ve insanları, medeniyetin tüm yüce haklarından yararlanma hakkı olduğuna inananlara yüklüyoruz.

İsrail Tasviye Belgesini İmzalayanız: İsrail yasadışı bir kuruluştur

Written by:
Nawara Negm
Joe Ghanem
Iman Badawi
Mohammad Shaltaf
Mohammad Qandiel

Traslated into Turkish by :
Hatun SEVGİ
Tuğba YAŞAROĞLU
Elif YARDIMCI
Tevhide Hicret ATILGAN
Zeynep UZUNURGANCI
Şeyma ZÜLALOĞLU
Zeynep KARAPINAR

Pembongkaran Dokumen Israel: Israel adalah Negara yang tdk syah

2010-06-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Pembongkaran Dokumen Israel: Israel adalah Negara yang tdk syah
Atas nama Tuhan seluruh umat manusia dan semua makhluk

Penulis dokumen ini adalah kelompok pemuda yg tidak berpihak pada kepentingan atau partai politik apapun, dan tidak memiliki agenda etnis, ras maupun agama manapun. Kami menegakkan prinsip kemanusiaan dan hak asasi semua manusia untuk dapat hidup bermartabat dan penuh kedamaian tanpa memandang agama, warna kulit, ras, dan kewarganegaraan.
Kami menghormati semua prinsip dan keyakinan, dukungan kami untuk kebenaran dan keadilan melawan segala penjajahan, penindasan, pembunuhan, perebutan kekuasaan, dan penyelewengan fakta.
Sesuai amanah nilai2 dan hak asasi manusia, kami percaya pada pembongkaran apa yang disebut dunia internasional sebagai “Negara Israel”.
Dokumen ini menyatakan pendapat kami yang resmi dan berperikemanusiaan.
Pertama: Israel bukanlah sebuah negara berdasarkan definisi internasional.
Definisi sebuah Negara adalah: “Negara ialah perserikatan politik yang memiliki kedaulatan geografis yang efektif dan mewakili suatu populasi.”
Sehubungan dengan definisi diatas, kita dapat menafsirkan bahwa:
- Israel bukan perserikatan politik, tapi sebuah perserikatan agama dan etnis yang rasis.
- Israel bukanlah sebuah Negara yang berdaulat, melainkan bergantung sepenuhnya pada dukungan politik, ekonomi dan militer AS dengan menjadikan AS sebagai sekutunya, jadi Israel bukanlah suatu Negara yang berdaulat.
Penyelenggara Negara AS tak ada henti-hentinya menyatakan komitmennya untuk keamanan Israel. Berdasarkan norma2 internasional, suatu Negara hanya berkomitmen untuk keamanan negaranya sendiri, dan tidak ada satu Negara pun yang berkomitmen bagi keamanan Negara lain, kecuali AS yang berkomitmen untuk keamanan Israel.
Akan lebih realistis dan tepat jika Israel dikenal sebagai sekutu AS.
Kedua: Israel adalah Entitas/Kesatuan yang tidak syah secara internasional dan harus diusut tuntas secara hukum
Meskipun Israel adalah boneka AS yang diciptakan setelah grup teroris Zionis membunuh Folk Bernadette, Pangeran Wesberg yang terbukti menentang yayasan Israel- namun, Israel yang sedari awal merupakan entitas yang menyimpang tdk pernah tunduk patuh pada hukum Internasional maupun resolusi Dewan Keamanan PBB tapi hanya bergantung pada hak veto AS.
1. Israel awalnya adalah bentukan kelompok teroris yang diadili karena melakukan pengeboman rakyat sipil di hotel-hotel, bioskop, dan pasar, yaitu: kelompok Lehi, Stem, Grup Revisi Zionis, Irgun dan Haganah.
2. Israel telah melanggar ratusan resolusi Dewan Keamanan PBB dengan berlindung dibalik hak veto AS sehingga tidak pernah diproses secara hukum.
3. Israel melanjutkan penjajahan dengan target kebanyakan rakyat sipil, wartawan, dan dokter, serta menjegal kedatangan bantuan bagi para korban yang terluka.
4. Israel tidak menandatangani Perjanjian Anti Perkembang-biakan Nuklir.
Israel mengembangkan senjata perusak masal, senjata nuklir, yang target utamanya adalah rakyat sipil dengan menggunakan senjata yang dilarang secara internasional.
5. Israel melanggar hak2 politik dan sipil warganya dengan mengklaim diri sebagai Negara demokrasi. Israel melarang sejumlah partai politik Israel menjadi nominasi pemilu terakhir karena pihak2 tsb masih keturunan Arab. Aturan ini diterapkan berdasarkan diskriminasi dan perbedaan ras yang melanggar hukum internasional dan mengingatkan pada system apartheid Afrika Selatan yang kuat. Pejabat Israel mengumumkan secara terbuka bahwa mereka percaya pada ”penyucian” “negara Yahudi” dari warga non yahudi. Tzipi Liyni mengatakan bahwa dalam hal penemuan Negara Palestina, semua warga Israel yang berasal dari keturunan Arab harus meninggalkan Israel ke Negara Palestina dalam rangka menyucikan Israel.
Ketiga: Zionisme melanggar pasal-pasal Deklarasi Universal Hak Asasi Manusia, Perjanjian Internasional atas Hak-hak Sipil dan Politik, dan Perjanjian Internasional atas Hak-hak Ekonomi, Sosial dan Budaya.
1. Deklarasi Universal Hak Asasi Manusia:

Pasal-pasal yang dilanggar oleh Israel:

Pasal 1.
Semua manusia dilahirkan bebas dan setara dalam martabat dan hak. Manusia diberkati dengan alasan dan kesadaran dan harus berlaku antara satu sama lainnya dalam semangat persaudaraan.

Pasal 2.
Setiap orang mempunyai hak2 dan kebebasan seperti yang ditetapkan dalam Deklarasi ini, tanpa perbedaan apapun, seperti ras, warna kulit, jenis kelamin, bahasa, agama, pendapat atau pilihan politik, asal Negara atau kelas social, kepemilikan, kelahiran maupun status lainnya. Selanjutnya tidak ada perbedaan yang dapat dibuat karena alasan politik, status yurisdiksi maupun internasional suatu Negara atau wilayah dimana orang tsb tinggal, baik apakah Negara tersebut merdeka, Negara persekutuan, tidak berdiri sendiri atau dengan batasan kedaulatan apapun.

- Zionisme pada hakikatnya hanya didasarkan pada diskriminasi. Zionisme berakar pada ide sebagai “Orang Pilihan”. Seperti halnya kesalahan interpretasi pada Torah yang menjabarkan praktik diskriminasi yang dilakukan oleh Israel terhadap rakyat Palestina dan antara warga Arab dengan Israel seperti terlihat pada penjajahan, blokade, pemerasan warga, pemalsuan tanah, politik pemisahan apartheid, dan perampasan hak politik, social, dan ekonomi. Semua kekejaman ini ditujukan terhadap bangsa Arab karena alasan etnis dan agama mereka.
- NB: Pelanggaran-pelanggaran tersebut benar-benar dikutuk oleh orang-orang Yahudi yang religious, dan sebagai umat manusia kita percaya bahwa Zionisme dan Israel adalah anti Semit terbesar di dunia yang mencemarkan Yudaisme, mendistorsi imej Yahudi, dan memonopoli apa yang mereka anggap Yudaisme yang jelas-jelas ditentang oleh kaum Yahudi anti zionis.

Pasal 3.
Setiap orang mempunyai hak untuk hidup, kebebasan dan keamanan secara individu.

- Sejak Israel berdiri, ia menghapuskan hak2 hidup, kebebasan dan keamanan semua orang. Bermula dari pembunuhan Deir Yassin yang dilakukan oleh grup zionis teroris. Pembunuhan ini menandai berdirinya Negara zionis. Segera setelah pembentukan Negara Israel terjadi sejumlah pembunuhan rakyat sipil. Sepertinya hanya beberapa saja yang bisa disebutkan karena ada terlalu banyak pembunuhan, a.l: pembunuhan al- Dawayma (1948), pembunuhan Kafr Kassem (1956), dan yang terakhir terjadi di Gaza (2008/2009). Pejabat Israel sering menyatakan bahwa mereka menyerang warga sipil guna menekan kelompok yang melawan mereka.
- Israel mengebom bangunan PBB dan stafnya beberapa kali di Libanon dan Palestina.
- Israel menyerang rakyat sipil dan bangunan2 PBB dengan senjata yang dilarang secara internasional.
- Israel menolak menerima deputi PBB setelah pembunuhan Jenin (2002).
Pasal 5.
Tak seorang pun berhak disiksa atau dihukum secara keji, diperlakukan secara tidak manusiawi dan tak bermoral.
- Israel melakukan penyiksaan dan memperlakukan tahanan Palestina secara amoral dengan tiada henti-hentinya, melakukan penangkapan rakyat sipil di pos-pos penjagaan, anak-anak ketika akan berangkat ke sekolah, dan warga sipil di wilayah pendudukan.
- Tentara Israel memborgol dan menutup mata warga sipil dan anak-anak yang ditangkap di pos-pos penjagaan. Mereka juga menjadikan anak-anak sebagai tameng untuk melindungi mereka dari batu-batu yang dilemparkan oleh anak-anak kecil lainnya.
- Rumah-rumah warga Palestina juga sering menjadi target serangan tentara Israel yang tak jarang mengarahkan senjatanya kepada anak-anak dan para wanita untuk menakut-nakuti.
Pasal 9.
Tak seorang pun berhak ditahan, ditangkap dan diasingkan secara sewenang-wenang.
- Israel sejak awal mengusir warga Palestina dari tanah kelahirannya sendiri serta menghancurkan tempat tinggal mereka. Akibatnya, rakyat Palestina sekarang hidup sebagai pengungsi di beberapa Negara.
- Israel menolak hak rakyat Paleastina untuk kembali ke tanah kelahirannya.
- Israel memenjara ribuan rakyat Palestina yang mayoritasnya adalah anak-anak dan wanita.
- Dilaporkan dan disaksikan para saksi mata bahwa selama serangan terakhir ke Gaza (2008/2009), Israel telah menangkap lebih dari seribu warga Palestina yang berumur diatas 16 tahun dan membuangnya di daerah yang berbahaya serta sering menggunakan mereka sebagai tameng manusia.
- Selama perang Gaza (2008/2009), tentara Israel menahan warga Palestina yang terluka dan secara brutal membiarkan mereka berdarah serta mencegah tim medis untuk menolongnya.
- Para saksi mata melaporkan selama perang (2008/2009), tentara Israel menggunakan tubuh warga Palestina yang terluka sebagai tameng dengan menempatkan mereka di lubang-lubang tepat di depan tangki, mempertaruhkan nyawa mereka dan menempatkannya di garis terdepan medan perang.
- Para saksi mata bersaksi bahwa tentara Israel menggunakan sejumlah tubuh warga Palestina sebagai tameng ketika akan memasuki rumah-rumah penduduk di Gaza (2008/2009).
- Tentara Israel menggunakan rumah-rumah penduduk di Gaza sebagai titik observasi dan markas militer mereka, menahan pemilik-pemilik rumahnya dan menggunakannya sebagai tameng manusia.
- Sampai sekarang lebih dari 200 warga Palestina ditahan oleh tentara Israel, yang mana sebagiannya telah diinterogasi, disiksa dan diancam secara langsung.
- Tentara Israel menolak bekerjasama dengan Palang Merah Dunia, pemerintah Palestina, dan organisasi HAM lainnya yang menuntut Israel untuk mengungkapkan jumlah & nama tahanan. Penolakan untuk bekerjasama ini semakin meningkatkan keraguan akan keselamatan mereka.
Pasal 13.
(1) Setiap orang berhak dan bebas untuk pindah dan tinggal didalam wilayah/daerah perbatasan masing-masing Negara.
(2) Setiap orang berhak untuk meninggalkan Negara, termasuk negaranya sendiri atau kembali ke negaranya.

- Israel mencabut hak kebebasan rakyat Palestina untuk pindah dan tinggal dengan menahan mereka di pos-pos penjagaan untuk periode waktu yang lama dan bisa melebihi 20 jam.
- Israel mencegah pengungsi yang berniat kembali ke tanah kelahirannya.
- Israel membatasi pemukiman sebagian besar warga Palestina dan melarang mereka meninggalkan Negaranya tanpa alasan yang jelas.

Pasal 14.
(1) Setiap orang berhak untuk mencari dan memperoleh suaka politik dari Negara lain.
(2) Hak suaka ini tidak boleh diberikan bila penahanan murni dikenakan karena alasan kejahatan non politis atau karena tindakan yang melanggar prinsip dan aturan PBB.

- Israel telah menghancurkan kota-kota di Palestina dan mencegah warga sipil Palestina untuk meninggalkan daerah berbahaya dengan menutup wilayah perbatasan dan blockade. (Perang Gaza 2008/2009).

Pasal 15.
(1) Setiap orang berhak mendapatkan kewarganegaraan.
(2) Tidak seorangpun berhak untuk dicabut kewarganegaraannya dengan semena-mena atau ditolak haknya untuk merubah kewarganegaraannya.

- Israel memberikan kewarganegaraan kepada setiap orang Yahudi di dunia berdasarkan agamanya, sementara itu mengancam mencabut kewarganegaraan beberapa warga Arab Israel karena mereka menganut paham yang tidak sejalan dengan mereka.
- Setelah mengasingkan warga Israel dari tanah kelahirannya, Israel menolak memberikan hak mereka untuk bisa kembali lagi ke negaranya.
- Israel menerapkan kewarganegaraan Israel bagi penduduk Golan Height dan mengintimidasi mereka yang menolak kewarganegaraan Israel.

Pasal 17.
(1) Setiap orang berhak mempunyai kepemilikan properti sendiri maupun bersama-sama dengan orang lain.
(2) Tidak seorangpun berhak dicabut hak kepemilikan propertinya tersebut.

- Israel menyita tanah warga Palestina, mengusir warga Palestina, dan menghancurkannya untuk membangun pemukimannya sendiri di wilayah jajahannya.
- Israel selama beberapa dekade mencabut dan menghancurkan puluhan ribu pohon zaitun, sitrun dan tanaman anggur yang selama berabad-abad menjadi milik warga Palestina.
- Israel menerapkan politik apartheid pada lahan rakyat Palestina yang disitanya dan membagi perkampungan Palestina menjadi beberapa bagian.

Pasal 21.
(1) Setiap orang berhak berpartisipasi dalam pemerintahan negaranya, secara langsung atau melalui perwakilan yang telah dipilihnya sendiri.
(2) Setiap orang berhak memperoleh akses pelayanan publik yang sama di negaranya.
(3) Kepentingan rakyat seharusnya menjadi dasar dalam pengambilan keputusan pemerintahan; hal ini harus dilakukan secara periodic melalui pemilu yang murni berdasarkan hak pilih yang universal dan adil serta harus dilakukan secara rahasia atau melalui prosedur pemungutan suara yang bebas.

Seperti telah disebutkan sebelumnya bahwa Israel menolak partisipasi warga Israel keturunan Arab dalam pemilu dan melaksanakan hak demokrasinya karena alasan etnis. Israel menolak, menekan, dan merendahkan semua pilihan demokrasi rakyat Palestina di bawah kekuasaan pemerintah Palestina. Hal ini menghambat pemilihan para menteri, deputi, dan dewan perwakilan rakyat serta menekan kebebasan tanpa melalui pengadilan ataupun pengadilan formal militer. Para tahanan tidak memperoleh hak dasar sipil sebagai individu maupun sebagai seorang manusia.

Pasal 22.
Setiap orang sebagai bagian dari anggota masyarakat mempunyai hak jaminan social beserta pemenuhannya, melalui upaya nasional maupun kerjasama internasional sesuai dengan organisasi dan sumber daya masing-masing Negara, berhak atas hak-hak ekonomi, social dan budaya yang melekat sebagai hak istimewa sepanjang perkembangan individunya yang bebas.

- Israel menutup perbatasan dan menolak akses bantuan kemanusiaan bagi Palestina seperti yang terus berlangsung di Gaza.
- Israel mengeksploitasi para pekerja Palestina dan memperkerjakannya dengan upah rendah. Para pekerja tidak memperoleh hak hukum apapun di Israel, tapi Israel terus mengeksploitasi mereka sampai sakit dan memecatnya sewaktu-waktu tanpa ada hak hukum apapun.

Pasal 25.
(1) Setiap orang berhak memperoleh kesejahteraan yang layak, baik dari segi kesehatan untuk dirinya sendiri maupun bagi keluarganya, termasuk pangan, pakaian, papan dan jaminan kesehatan maupun jasa social penting lainnya, serta jaminan hak ketika tidak bekerja, sakit, cacat, bagi janda, usia lanjut atau karena sebab lainnya di luar kemampuannya.
(2) Ibu dan anak berhak mendapatkan perlakuan dan bantuan khusus. Semua anak, baik terlahir didalam atau diluar ikatan perkawinan berhak mendapatkan jaminan social yang sama.

- Israel melanggar semua pasal-pasal ini dengan menetapkan batasan bagi para pekerja Palestina, menahan mereka untuk waktu yang lama di wilayah perbatasan maupun pos-pos penjagaan. Israel juga mengeksploitasi hak politik mayoritas dari mereka dengan menyuruh mengungkapkan informasi keamanan mengenai pejabat dan warga Palestina kepada a gen-agen intelejen untuk membunuh atau menangkapi mereka, sebagai ganti atas upah dan hak-hak buruhnya.
- Israel telah membuat situasi kemanusiaan dan kondisi kehidupan di Palestina seperti di neraka.
- Sebagian besar wanita hamil di Palestina melahirkan di daerah perbatasan dan pos-pos penjagaan yang terbuka. Para tentara Israel tidak menawarkan bantuan atau alat transportasi apapun bagi para wanita hamil dan pasien lainnya.
- Ratusan orang meninggal tiap tahun di wilayah perbatasan karena akses mereka untuk kerumah sakit dan mendapatkan bantuan ditolak Israel. Anak-anak Palestina lahir dan bertumbuh dibawah serangan bom dan blockade, menyaksikan banyak kematian dan kerusakan, telah kehilangkan hak-hak dasar mereka sebagai anak-anak.
- Israel menciptakan lingkungan perang yang berkelanjutan bagi anak-anak, mencabut hak mereka untuk belajar dan pergi ke sekolah dengan aman.
- Sekolah- sekolah telah dibom beberapa kali, dan porsi kematian anak di Palestina adalah yang tertinggi selama perang modern. Diantara anak-anak ini banyak juga bayi yang ditembak mati di area sepi wilayah perbatasan.

Israel melanggar mayoritas jika tidak bisa dibilang hampir semua pasal Perjanjian Internasional PBB atas Hak-hak Sipil dan Politik selama pendudukannya di Palestina dan menduduki Golan Height.

BAGIAN I

Pasal 1
1. Semua orang berhak menentukan nasibnya sendiri. Berlandaskan hak itu mereka bebas menentukan status politik dan bebas mengejar pembangunan ekonomi, social dan budaya.
2. Semua orang atas kemauannya sendiri bebas mengatur kekayaan dan sumber daya yang dimilikinya tanpa tendensi adanya kewajiban apapun jika menyangkut kerjasama ekonomi internasional, berdasarkan prinsip keuntungan bersama dan hukum internasional. Tidak seorang pun yang bisa dirampas sumber penghidupannya.
3. Pihak pemerintah terkait Perjanjian ini, termasuk mereka yang tidak menyelenggarakan Pemerintahan yang berdiri sendiri dan Wilayah Perserikatan harus membantu terwujudnya hak untuk menentukan nasib sendiri, dan harus menghormati hak tsb sesuai dengan ketentuan dari Piagam PBB.

- Israel menguasai wilayah Palestina dan Golan Height, menolak mematuhi resolusi PBB yang menyatakan bahwa Israel harus mundur dari wilayah jajahannya.
- Israel menolak hak warga Palestina dan Golan Height untuk menentukan nasib sendiri, kebebasan hak untuk menentukan status politiknya, mengejar pembangunan ekonomi, social, dan kebudayaan, menggunakan keganasan dan kekuatan tidak resmi untuk mencegah mereka memperoleh hak-hak tersebut.
- Israel menyerang tokoh-tokoh utama warga Palestina. Pada tahun1970, Israel membunuh figur tertinggi Palestina Ghassan Kanafani. Pada tahun 1987, Israel membunuh kartunis penting Palestina yaitu Naji Al-Ali.
- Israel mencegah rakyat Palestina untuk belajar di sekolah-sekolah, dan mencegah mereka masuk universitas, dan melarang mereka untuk mencari beasiswa ke luar negeri.

BAGIAN II

Pasal 2
Masing-masing pihak negara terhadap Perjanjian ini harus menghargai dan menjamin hak-hak yang diberikan dalam perjanjian ini kepada semua orang di wilayahnya, tanpa membedakan warna kulit, ras, jenis kelamin, agama, pendapat politik atau lainnya, asal Negara serta strata social, kepemilikan properti, kelahiran maupun status lainnya.
Jika belum tercantum dalam peraturan legislatif atau lainnya, tiap Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini harus mangambil langkah-langkah serius sesuai dengan proses konstitusional dan ketentuan yang diatur dalam Perjanjian ini guna menjamin anggota legislatif memenuhi hak-hak yang tertuang dalam Perjanjian ini.
Masing-masing Negara terhadap Perjanjian ini harus:
Menjamin pemulihan hak atau kebebasan tiap orang seperti yang diatur dalam Perjanjian ini apabila hak dan kebebasannya dilanggar, tanpa terkecuali apabila yang melakukan pelanggaran tersebut adalah pejabat pemerintah; menjamin tiap orang yang meminta pemulihan tersebut untuk mendapatkan haknya yang akan diputuskan oleh pejabat hukum, pemerintah, dan anggota legislatif yang berwenang dan kompeten atau pihak berwenang yang disediakan sesuai system hukum Negara, dan tidak menutup kemungkinan untuk mengembangkannya menjadi pemulihan secara hukum.
Menjamin pihak berwenang untuk melaksanakan keputusan tersebut apabila telah diputuskan.

- Israel melanggar pasal ini. Warga Arab Israel dihapuskan semua haknya tidak seperti halnya warga Yahudi Israel. Orang Yahudi Israel boleh memiliki/membawa senjata dan beribadah sesuai keyakinannya meskipun bila ritualnya tsb termasuk kegiatan yang ekstrim atau rasis seperti menyumpahi agama dan ras lain. Orang Yahudi boleh mengarahkan senjatanya ke warga non Yahudi di jalan-jalan. Perbuatan tersebut menurut hukum Israel tidak dianggap sebagai perbuatan melawan hukum.
- Warga Israel non Yahudi dipaksa ikut wajib militer, menempatkannya di garis terdepan perang dan mempertaruhkan nyawanya secara brutal, sementara tentara Yahudi sangat terjamin keselamatannya.

- Warga Israel non Yahudi dipaksa ikut wajib militer di distrik Arab dan dipaksa menembaki orang-orangnya sendiri. Jika menolak, mereka akan dipenjara.
- Irael melarang warga non Yahudi untuk melakukan ritual ibadah mereka sesering mungkin, dan jka mereka mengijinkannya tentara Israel akan mengepung masjid maupun gereja.
- Israel melarang pria berumur dibawah lima belas tahun untuk melakukan sholat di masjid Al- Aqsa dan memaksa mereka untuk sholat di jalan raya dengan dikelilingi tangki dan senjata.
- Warga Arab yang ditahan Israel dihapuskan semua haknya, menjadi obyek penyiksaan dan mendapatkan pengadilan palsu dimana agama dan ras tahanan dipertanyakan oleh hakimnya, hal ini tidak sesuai dengan ketentuan hukum yang berlaku.
- Lebih dari sepuluh ribu warga Arab ditahan di penjara Israel karena pandangan politiknya. Banyak diantaranya yang ditahan tanpa melalui proses pengadilan.

Pasal 4
Pada masa darurat dimana kelangsungan hidup suatu Negara terancam , pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini harus mengambil langkah-langkah sebagai kewajibannya terkait Perjanjian ini sejauh dibutuhkan, sepanjang tindakannya tersebut tidak berlawanan dengan kewajiban-kewajibannya secara hukum internasional dan tidak menyebabkan diskriminasi berdasarkan atas ras, warna kulit, jenis kelamin, bahasa, agama atau asal social.
Tidak ada perebutan kekuasaan yang dibenarkan sesuai pasal 6, 7, 8 (paragraf 1 dan 2), 1, 15, 16 dan 18.
Tiap pihak negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini, yang terikat atas hak ini apabila melakukan tindakan perebutan kekuasan harus memberitahu Negara lainnya melalui mediasi Sekretaris Jenderal PBB disertai alasannya. Komunikasi lebih lanjut harus dilakukan melalui mediasi yang sama pada tanggal berakhirnya masa perebutan kekuasaan.

Israel melanggar semua poin pasal-pasal diatas. Dengan alasan menjaga keamanan Israel, Israel menanggalkan keamanan semua warga Arab.
Berlindung dibalik hak veto AS, Israel tidak pernah mematuhi resolusi Dewan Keamanan PBB.

Pasal 9
Semua orang memiliki hak kebebasan dan keamanan sebagai individu. Tak seorang pun dapat ditahan atau ditangkap dengan keji. Tak seorangpun dapat dihapuskan kebebasannya kecuali dengan alasan yang sesuai dengan prosedur hukum yang berlaku.
Setiap orang yang ditahan harus diberitahu terlebih dahulu alasan penahanan pada saat penangkapan dan harus diberitahukan pasal-pasal pelanggaran yang telah dilakukannya.
Setiap orang yang ditahan atau ditangkap atas tuduhan criminal harus dibawa ke pengadilan terlebih dahulu sebelum hakim atau petugas lain yang berwenang secara hukum melakukan tugasnya dan harus diadili pada periode waktu tertentu atau dibebaskan. Tidak ada aturan umum yang menyatakan bahwa selama menunggu proses hukum seorang tahanan harus ditahan terlebih dulu, namun dibebaskan dengan jaminan harus hadir di pengadilan, melalui tahap proses pengadilan hukum lainnya hingga tiba waktunya keputusan hasil pengadilan.
Jika kebebasan seseorang dirampas dengan penahanan atau penangkapan maka harus diajukan ke proses pra peradilan, dalam hal pengadilan memutuskan tidak akan menunda penahanan hukumnya dan akan membebaskan bila terbukti penahanannya tidak berlandasan hukum.
Setiap orang yang menjadi korban penangkapan atau penahanan yang tidak berlandaskan hukum harus mendapatkan hak kompensasi yang nyata.

Rakyat Palestina dibawah penjajahan Israel tidak pernah mendapati rasa aman. Israel menghancurkan rumah-rumah dan menahan rakyat sipil dengan semena-mena. Mereka melucuti kebebasan rakyat Palestina tanpa tendensi hukum apapun dan tanpa alasan apapun bagi penangkapannya. Mereka diperlakukan secara tidak manusiawi selama ditahan.
Setelah menangkap warga Palestina, tentara Israel membuldozer rumahnya dan menyakiti keluarganya. Setelah ditangkap, warga Palestina menjadi obyek penyiksaan secara brutal.
Israel tidak mematuhi hukum rakyat Palestina. Mereka menangkapi warga Palestina terlebih dulu tanpa melalui pengadilan karena melihat agama dan rasnya.

Pasal 10.
Semua orang yang dihapuskan kebebasannya harus diperlakukan secara manusiawi dan terhormat sesuai dengan harkat dirinya sebagai seorang manusia,
Terdakwa seharusnya dengan alasan tertentu dipisahkan dari para narapidana dan harus ditempatkan terpisah sesuai dengan statusnya sebagai bukan narapidana.
Anak-anak yang ditahan mestinya dipisahkan dari para narapidana dan prosesnya harus diajukan ke pengadilan secepat mungkin.
Sistem lembaga pemasyarakatan harusnya memperlakukan tahanan tanpa melupakan fungsinya sebagai wadah bagi mereka untuk memperbaiki diri dan rehabilitasi social. Tahanan anak-anak seyogyanya dipisahkan dari tahanan orang dewasa dan harus diperlakukan sesuai dengan umur dan status hukumnya.

- Warga Palestina atau Arab yang ditangkap oleh Israel diperlakukan secara tidak bermartabat dan manusiawi.
- Semua rakyat Palestina yang ditangkap oleh Israel menjadi obyek penyiksaan.
- Rakyat Palestina yang ditahan karena alasan politik ditahan didalam sel yang sama dengan para penjahat.
- Anak-anak Palestina yang ditahan ditaruh didalam penjara yang sama dengan napi dewasa.
- Lebih dari sepuluh ribu rakyat Palestina dan Arab yang dipenjara dan diperlakukan secara tidak manusiawi. Banyak diantaranya adalah anak-anak, para wanita dan wanita hamil.
- Para wanita Arab yang hamil yang dipenjara di tahanan Israel melahirkan didalam penjara dan bayi yang dilahirkan tidak boleh diminta hak asuh atau perwaliannya oleh keluarga yang berada di luar penjara.

Pasal 12
Setiap orang yang berada didalam wilayah suatu Negara secara hukum memiliki kebebasan untuk bepergian dan bebas menentukan tempat tinggalnya.
Setiap orang bebas meninggalkan Negara manapun termasuk negaranya sendiri.
Hak-hak yang disebutkan diatas tidak mengenal batasan kecuali bagi mereka yang secara hukum ditugaskan untuk menjaga keamanan Negara, tatanan masyarakat, kesehatan atau moral masyarakat atau hak-hak dan kebebasan orang lain, sesuai dengan hak-hak lainnya yang disebut dalam Perjanjian ini.

- Israel melarang dan menghapuskan hak jutaaan pengungsi untuk kembali ke Negara asalnya.
- Israel dengan sewenang-wenang melarang para pemuda Palestina meninggalkan negaranya untuk mendapatkan beasiswa di luar negeri. Israel juga menghapuskan hak-hak mereka untuk mendapatkan pendidikan di negerinya sendiri.

Pasal 14
Semua orang adalah sama kedudukannya dimata hukum dan dewan pengadilan. Dalam penetapan keputusan pengadilan atas kasus hukumnya, setiap orang berhak dan wajib mendapatkan pengadilan dan proses pemeriksaan yang adil yang dilakukan oleh dewan pengadilan yang kompeten, independen dan adil yang ditetapkan berdasarkan hukum. Wartawan dan masyarakat dapat dikecualikan dari sebagian atau seluruh proses sidang karena alasan moral, tatanan public atau keamanan nasional dalam suatu masyarakat demokrasi, atau untuk kepentingan privasi pihak-pihak yang memerlukannya, atau dalam hal opini pengadilan diperlukan pada situasi khusus dimana public akan berprasangka demi kepentingan keadilan; namun beberapa penilaian yang diberikan atas suatu kasus criminal atau tuntutan hukum harus diketahui oleh public kecuali jika menyangkut kasus anak atau persidangan terkait konflik rumah tangga atau hak perwalian anak.
Bagi setiap orang yang melakukan pelanggaran criminal tetap berlaku asas praduga tak bersalah sampai pengadilan membuktikannya bersalah.
Dalam penentuan hukuman atas pelanggaran criminal terhadapnya, seseorang paling tidak mendapatkan jaminan keadilan sepenuhnya atas beberapa hal berikut ini:
Diberitahukan secara detil dan dalam bahasa yang dimengerti tentang sifat dan hal kasus yang dikenakan kepadanya.
Memperoleh waktu dan fasilitas yang cukup untuk mempersiapkan pembelaannya dan untuk berkomunikasi dengan pengacara yang dipilihnya sendiri;
Diadili tanpa penundaan yang tidak jelas.
Diadili dengan kehadirannya, dan untuk membela dirinya sendiri atau melalui perwakilan hukum yang dipilihnya; diberitahukan hak-haknya tersebut apabila ia tidak mempunyai kuasa hukum; dan berhak memilih kuasa hukum yang bekerja untuknya demi keadilan tanpa dibayar apabila ia tidak mempunyai kemampuan untuk membayarnya;
Memeriksa para saksi yang akan bersaksi terhadap dirinya dan meminta kehadiran dan pemeriksaan para saksi yang akan bersaksi untuknya sama halnya dengan saksi yang akan bersaksi melawannya.
Mendapatkan bantuan penerjemah gratis jika ia tidak mengerti atau tidak bisa berbicara dalam bahasa yang digunakan oleh pengadilan;
Tidak dipaksa untuk bersaksi melawan seseorang atau untuk mengakui kesalahan.
Dalam hal pengadilan anak, prosedur yang digunakan pengadilan harus mempertimbangkan faktor usia dan kemauannya untuk meningkatkan rehabilitasinya.
Setiap orang yang melakukan kejahatan harus dipidanakan dan hukumannya harus ditinjau oleh dewan pengadilan yang lebih tinggi tingkatannya berdasarkan hukum yang berlaku.
Jika seseorang dipidana dengan keputusan akhir karena telah melakukan pelanggaran kriminal dan bila selanjutnya pidana tsb dapat dibuktikan sebaliknya atau mendapat pengampunan dengan dasar fakta yang baru saja ditemukan yang menunjukkan bahwa telah terjadi kesalahan dalam proses pengadilan, maka hukumannya harus dikompensasikan sesuai dengan ketentuan hukum yang berlaku, kecuali bila bisa dibuktikan bahwa tidak terbukanya fakta yang belum terungkap pada saat itu sepenuhnya atau sebagiannya adalah dikarenakan kesalahan terpidana sendiri.
Tidak seorangpun boleh diadili atau dihukum kembali atas pelanggaran yang telah dipidanakan kepadanya sesuai dengan ketentuan dan prosedur hukum yang berlaku di masing-masing Negara.

- Tiap poin dalam pasal ini telah dilanggar oleh Israel jika menyangkut warga Palestina dan Arab.
- Pengadilan Israel mengabaikan perlakuan hukum Israel jika berhadapan dengan warga Palestina dan Arab. Mereka dianggap bersalah bahkan sebelum memasuki ruang sidang.
- Pengadilan Israel sering mengabaikan pengacara yang diajukan oleh tersangka dan menggantinya dengan pengacara lain yang dikenal diskriminasi terhadap ras dan warga Arab.

Pasal 17
Tidak seorangpun boleh dicampuri/diganggu privasinya, keluarganya, rumah atau korespondennya atau dilanggar kehormatan dan reputasinya tanpa landasan hukum apapun.
Setiap orang berhak mendapatkan perlindungan hukum dari campur tangan dan pelanggaran privasi terhadap dirinya.
Israel melanggar pasal ini dengan alasan penyamaran internasional. Tentara Israel memasuki rumah-rumah warga Palestina secara paksa tanpa menghormati privasi mereka untuk menyakiti keluarga mereka khususnya anak-anak.
Terkait dengan pelanggaran terhadap kehormatan dan reputasi seseorang tanpa landasan hukum:
Beberapa tahun yang lalu terjadi serangan terhadap muslim dan warga Arab yang dilakukan secara terus-menerus yang dikenal dengan sebutan “Islamofobia” dan “Arab-fobia”. Pencemaran terorganisir yang menggambarkan muslim dan warga Arab sebagai teroris, orang yang terbelakang dan tidak beradab ini dijadikan sebagai alasan untuk menjustifikasi semua kekejaman perlakuan militer Israel terhadap warga Arab dan muslim, diawali dengan pembunuhan-pembunuhan yang dilakukan oleh Israel, invasi AS ke Afganistan, pendudukan secara tidak syah di Iraq dan mengakhirinya dengan penjara yang paling kejam di dunia: Abu Ghraib dan Penjara Teluk Guantanamo.
Kampanye seperti itu memberi dampak yang luar biasa terhadap semua muslim dan warga Arab di seluruh dunia. Baik kaum muslim, warga Arab bahkan beberapa warga Sikh dan Hindu (karena postur dan warna kulitnya hamper mirip dengan warga muslim Timur Tengah) menjadi obyek penganiayaan, PHK, penangkapan dan pembunuhan ras.
Banyak warga Arab dan Negara yang mayoritas penduduknya muslim dihancurkan baik secara ekonomi, politik dan militer dengan bantuan penuh dari kedua Negara beserta gerakan-gerakannya.
Pembunuhan keji dengan perlakuan yang dilarang oleh dunia internasional ditujukan kepada warga muslim dan Arab, baik secara kolektif maupun individual di seluruh dunia.
Media internasional tiada hentinya menyiarkan materi yang bertujuan untuk membenci warga muslim dan Arab.
Beritayang disiarkan FOX terus membangkitkan kebencian terhadap kaum muslim, majalah-majalah internasional….dst).
Sekarang, setelah menutup Penjara Guantanamo dan menarik diri dari Iraq, kami menuntut hal-hal sbb:
1. Permintaaan maaf secara resmi dari semua pihak yang diduga telah melakukan kekejaman material maupun moral terhadap warga muslim dan Arab atas kerusakan besar yang telah terjadi akibat tindakan mereka baik secara kolektif maupun individu.
2. Perdamaian dalam arti yang sebenarnya baik berupa gencatan senjata secara militer, ekonomi maupun pembicaraan yang mengarah pada kebencian.
3. Hukuman resmi secara internasional atas semua kekerasan terhadap warga muslim dan Arab.
4. Kebijakan penyebaran kebencian yang selama ini digunakan sebagai penyamaran atas kekejaman perang sesungguhnya yang dilakukan oleh Israel dengan menggunakan kekuatan besar dunia. Kebijakan ini harus dihentikan secara internasional dengan deklarasi resmi dan adanya legislasi baru yang melindungi warga muslim dan Arab dari penganiayaan.
5. Warga Arab adalah Semit namun mereka tidak diijinkan untuk menggunakan hukum internasional anti Semit bila diserang, karena itu diperlukan Undang-undang baru untuk melindungi warga Arab dan kaum muslim.
6. Kompensasi secara financial, politik dan moral bagi warga Arab dan kaum muslim mutlak diberikan secepatnya.

Pasal 20
Semua propaganda perang dilarang oleh hukum.
Semua kebijakan nasional, kebencian terhadap ras atau agama tertentu yang mengarah pada diskriminasi, kekejaman atau kekerasan dilarang oleh hukum.

Politisi Israel memimpin propaganda perang dan memanfaatkan Pemilu sehingga mereka dapat berulangkali menyulut perang dengan menggunakan isu rasis terhadap warga Arab dan mengancamnya dengan pembunuhan masal.
Dengan mengawasi pernyataan para politisi Israel sejak pembentukan Israel sampai sekarang, kita dapat menemukan kampanye yang dilakukan para politisi dan pemuka agama terhadap warga Arab secara terus-menerus, menggambarkan mereka dengan penjelasan yang paling rasis yang menyebabkan para tentara membunuh mereka karena alasan ras, agama, dan keamanan.

Pasal 25
Tiap warga Negara mendapatkan hak dan kesempatan, tanpa ada pembedaan apapun seperti tercantum pada pasal 2 dan tanpa batasan apapun yang tidak beralasan:
Berpartisipasi dalam pemerintahan, baik secara langsung maupun melalui perwakilannya;
Memilih dan dipilih pada periode pemilu yang pertama dan harus bersifat universal dengan hak pilih yang adil serta dilakukan secara rahasia, menjamin kebebasan suara pemilihnya.
Memperoleh akses yang sama bagi pelayanan public di negaranya.

Rakyat Palestina tidak memperoleh hak politik apapun dibawah penjajahan Israel. Israel tidak mengakui pemilu yang dimenangkan oleh warga Palestina dan tidak mengakui wakil rakyat Palestina di parlemen. Terlebih, Israel menangkap anggota parlemen Palestina yang terpilih tanpa memandang hak kekebalan parlemennya.
Warga Israel Arab tidak diijinkan menempati pos-pos utama tanpa memandang sebaik apapun kemampuan/kualitas mereka.
Dalam hal pekerjaaan, Yahudi lebih diprioritaskan daripada warga Arab meskipun warga Arab tersebut lebih baik kualitasnya.

Pasal 27
Dalam sistem Negara dimana etnis, agama, atau pengguna bahasa minoritas ada, kaum minoritas tersebut berhak dan tidak boleh dilanggar haknya untuk bergabung dengan komunitasnya menjalankan budaya dan ritual agamanya, atau menggunakan bahasanya sendiri.
Israel melanggar pasal diatas.

Israel menghapus semua poin Bagian IV dari Perjanjian ini. Israel tidak mengijinkan pembentukan komite hak asasi internasional guna menindaklanjuti hak-hak orang dibawah penjajahan, atau membantu proses penuntutan para criminal yang melakukan pembunuhan, pembunuhan masal, penahanan dan pemenjaraan orang. PBB dan komunitas internasional bertanggung jawab atas hal ini, namun tidak bisa menuntut para pemimpin, pejabat, dan tentara Israel. Di saat yang sama, Israel menahan kerja pembentukan komite internasional dengan alasan dan tujuan apapun.

Sudah jekas bagi para periset bahwa Israel jelas-jelas telah melanggar semua dokumen internasional, piagam penghargaan maupun semua perjanjian. Anehnya tidak pernah sekalipun Israel dan para pejabatnya dituntut untuk bertanggung jawab atas tindakannya.
Melalui tinjauan Perjanjian Internasional dari segi ekonomi dibawah ini dapat ditunjukkan bahwa Israel bertanggung jawab terhadap hal-hal berikut:

Pasal 1
1. Semua orang berhak menentukan nasibnya sendiri. Berdasarkan hak tersebut, mereka bebas menentukan status politiknya dan bebas mengejar pembangunan ekonomi, social dan budayanya.
2. Semua orang demi kepentingannya sendiri, bebas mengurus harta benda dan sumber dayanya tanpa ada kewajiban yang muncul atas kerjasama ekonomi internasional tsb berdasarkan prinsip keuntungan bersama dan hukum internasional. Tidak seorang pun bisa dihancurkan hak atas penghidupannya.

-Telah disebutkan sebelumnya pada Perjanjian sipil dan politik bagaimana Israel telah melanggar pasal ini dengan menduduki Palestina, membangun dinding pemisah, mengepung Gaza, dan membangun pemukiman diatas tanah yang bersertifikat dan dimiliki oleh warga Palestina, membuat jarak antara desa dan kota, dan menahan warga Palestina untuk waktu yang lama di daerah perbatasan, termasuk para pekerja yang kehilangan pekerjaannya karena penahanan yang lama.
- Israel menyita semua sumber daya air bersih di Tepi Barat dan Golan Height. Israel membangun pemukiman diatas lahan subur setelah penghuninya diusir dan tanahnya disita. Israel membangun kamp militernya di dekat sumber daya air bersih warga Palestina. Israel juga telah menebang ratusan ribu pohon zaitun dan sitrus milik warga Palestina, merusak kebun buah-buahan dan anggur serta menyitanya untuk membangun dinding pemisah dan pemukiman atau barak militer.

BAGIAN III
Pasal 6
1. Pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini mengakui hak warga untuk bekerja termasuk hak setiap orang untuk memperoleh penghidupannya dengan bekerja secara bebas sesuai pilihannya, dan akan mengambil langkah-langkah yang tepat guna menjamin pemenuhan hak ini.
2. Langkah-langkah yang akan diambil pihak-pihak Negara untuk menjamin pemenuhan hak berdasarkan Perjanjian ini secara penuh seharusnya meliputi panduan teknis dan kejuruan serta program-program pelatihan, kebijakan dan teknik-teknik untuk meraih perkembangan ekonomi, social dan budaya yang stabil serta pemberian kerja yang penuh dan produktif yang menjamin kebebasan individu secara politik dan ekonomi.

- Mayoritas pemuda Palestina dipekerjakan secara kasar di pos-pos penjagaan Israel. Mereka ditahan dalam waktu yang lama dan diminta memberi informasi mengenai orang-orangnya agar bisa membantu transit mereka. Pada saat yang sama, Israel mengebom hampir semua pabrik di Gaza setelah penyergapan yang menolak gaza sebagai pintu masuknya bahan baku atau spare part mesin apapun. Israel membombardir bengkel-bengkel kecil, terus meratakannya dengan tanah dan mengklaim bahwa para pejuang yang resisten sengaja melakukannya guna membuat ledakan-ledakan. Klaim ini sering terbukti tidak benar karena bengkel tersebut benar-benar kecil dan tidak memiliki fasilitas apapun yang bisa menghasilkan ledakan sekuat itu.
- Semua hak ini tidak dapat ditemukan di Gaza maupun Tepi Barat karena politik penjajahan.
Tidak ada efisiensi ataupun teknologi apapun yang tersedia di sekolah-sekolah dan institut pendidikan Palestina karena alasan kemiskinan, penyergapan, dan banyaknya hambatan. Pekerja Palestina tidak bisa memiliki pekerjaan yang layak kecuali di Israel dan hampir semua pekerja dipecat karena alasan yang telah disebut sebelumnya (ditahan di pos-pos penjagaan atau diinterogasi oleh agen intelijen Israel).

Pasal 7
Pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan perjanjian ini mengakui hak setiap orang untuk mendapatkan suasana kerja yang adil dan kondusif yang menjamin, antara lain:
(a) Remunerasi bagi semua pekerja, minimal:
(i) Gaji dan remunerasi yang adil untuk pekerjaan yang setara tanpa perbedaan apapun, khusus wanita mendapatkan jaminan kerja yang setara dengan pria dengan gaji yang sama untuk pekerjaan yang setara;
(ii) Kehidupan yang layak bagi dirinya dan keluarganya sesuai dengan ketentuan Perjanjian yang berlaku;
(b) Lingkungan kerja yang aman dan sehat;
(c) Peluang promosi untuk mendapatkan jabatan yang lebih tinggi yang sama bagi semua pekerja, tanpa pertimbangan apapun selain senioritas dan kompetensi;
(d) Mendapatkan istirahat, cuti dan batasan jam kerja yang rasional dan liburan periodic dengan tetap mendapatkan upah dan remunerasi meskipun hari libur.

Kondisi diatas tidak dapat dipenuhi karena hambatan penjajahan seperti yang disebut sebelumnya. Para pekerja wanita Palestina bekerja dengan kondisi kerja yang buruk di pabrik-pabrik tua yang rusak akibat penjajahan. Para guru wanita Palestina adalah yang paling rawan bahaya dan terpaksa berhenti bekerja karena sekolah mereka sering ditutup karena alasan keamanan. Para pekerja sering tidak mendapatkan gaji karena Israel menolak masuknya bantuan uang ke Gaza dan mencegah masuknya akses perbankan bagi pembayaran gaji pekerja Palestina. Sering terjadi demonstrasi di Gaza karena para pekerja tidak mendapatkan gaji selama berbulan-bulan, sehingga mereka tidak memperoleh standar minimal bagi pekerjaan dan pembayaran gaji mereka. Mereka sering tidak mendapatkan gaji selama bertahun- tahun.

Pasal 10
Pihak- pihak Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini mengakui bahwa:
1. Perlindungan dan bantuan terbesar yang mungkin didapatkan seseorang harus ditujukan kepada keluarganya, yang merupakan elemen masyarakat yang paling mendasar dan natural, khususnya bagi kelangsungan dan sebagai tanggung jawabnya atas perlindungan dan pendidikan anak yang menjadi tanggungannya. Pernikahan terjadi karena ada kemauan dari kedua belah pihak.
2. Perlindungan khusus harus diberikan bagi ibu selama periode sebelum dan sesudah kelahiran bayi. Selama periode tersebut para ibu pekerja tetap mendapatkan gaji selama cuti dan mendapatkan jaminan social yang memadai.
3. Perlindungan dan bantuan terhadap/atas nama semua anak dan remaja diberikan tanpa ada diskriminasi karena alasan keturunan atau kondisi lainnya. Anak-anak dan remaja harus dilindungi dari ekploitasi secara ekonomi dan social. Apabila didapati ternyata lingkungan pekerjaannya tsb berbahaya karena dapat mengganggu moral atau kesehatannya, mengancam jiwa dan mengganggu kehidupan normalnya maka pemberi kerjanya dapat dikenakan hukuman. Negara juga harus menetapkan batasan usia minimal bagi pekerja dan jika mempekerjakan anak dibawah umur akan dikenakan hukuman.

- Tidak ada perlindungan bagi individu maupun keluarga dibawah penjajahan Israel. Hampir semua keluarga di Palestina terpisah di beberapa Negara karena adanya pemindahan, dan hampir tiap rumah warga Palestina menjadi korban pengeboman Israel. Pasal ini dan beberapa pasal lainnya tidak dapat diterapkan bagi rakyat Palestina dibawah relokasi, pemindahan, pembunuhan, pengeboman, dan penindasan

- Para ibu di Palestina, baik pekerja atau bukan telah melahirkan di pos-pos penjagaan dan dalam perjalanan menuju rumah sakit karena adanya kebijakan penahanan di perempatan, dan harus menunggu lama karena tidak dibedakan antara pasien biasa dan wanita hamil.
- Anak-anak Palestina dibunuh di jalanan dan ketika akan berangkat ke sekolah. Banyak diantaranya yang dipaksa meninggalkan sekolah untuk bekerja membantu keluarganya karena sudah tidak memiliki ayah atau ibu, atau karena alasan kemiskinan ekstrim yang disebabkan karena blockade dan kelaparan yang terus menerus melanda Gaza.

Pasal 11
1. Pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini mengakui hak setiap orang untuk memperoleh standar kehidupan yang layak bagi dirinya dan keluarganya, termasuk mendapatkan kebutuhan sandang, pangan, dan papan yang cukup dan untuk terus meningkatkan kualitas hidupnya. Negara akan mengambil langkah-langkah yang tepat untuk menjamin pemenuhan hak tsb, mengetahui akibat dari kerjasama internasional yang urgen dan berdasarkan asas kemerdekaan.
2. Pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan perjanjian ini, mengakui hak dasar tiap orang untuk terbebas dari rasa lapar, jika perlu mengambil program-program khusus yang diperlukan baik melalui kerjasama individu maupun internasional:
(a) Untuk meningkatkan metode produksi, konservasi dan distribusi pangan dengan memanfaatkan pengetahuan teknis dan ilmiah sepenuhnya, dengan menyebarkan pengetahuan tentang prinsip-prinsip nutrisi dan mengembangkan atau mengubah system pertanian sehingga mendapatkan perbaikan dan pemanfaatan sumber daya yang paling efisien;
(b) Memperhatikan masalah-masalah baik dari Negara pengimpor maupun pengekspor pangan, untuk menjamin pemerataan distribusi suplai makanan bagi yang memerlukan.

- Telah disebutkan sebelumnya dan dketahui bahwa blockade Israel tidak memungkinkan diterapkannya pasal-pasal tersebut. Israel telah menghancurkan gudang-gudang bantuan, meskipun itu milik UNRWA, seperti yang terjadi di Gaza akhir-akhir ini.
- Israel telah melakukan peyergapan, pelecutan agen-agen dan gudang pangan, dan mencegah rakyat Palestina mengimpor barang, makanan dan obat-obatan dari luar negeri.

Pasal 12
1. Pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini mengakui hak setiap orang untuk mendapatkan standar kesehatan fisik dan mental yang terbaik.
2. Langkah-langkah yang diambil Negara guna menjamin pemenuhan hak tsb meliputi antara lain:
(a). Penurunan angka kematian bayi baik yang masih didalam kandungan maupun setelah dilahirkan serta peningkatan kesehatan anak
(b). Perbaikan semua aspek kebersihan lingkungan dan industri;
(c). Pencegahan, perawatan dan control terhadap wabah penyakit, penyakit endemic, penyakit yang berhubungan dengan pekerjaan maupun penyakit lainnya;
(d). Pengkondisian lingkungan yang menjamin semua pelayanan medis dan perawatan medis saat terjadinya penyakit.

- Rumah sakit dan klinik-klinik Palestina tidak memiliki perlengkapan medis yang modern, dan listrik juga tidak tersedia setiap saat karena Israel mencegah bahan bakar dan gas masuk ke Gaza. Israel juga menghalangi impor peralatan medis. Pasien di Palestina banyak yang meninggal dunia karena peralatan medis yang tidak memadai, juga akibat dari tidak tersedianya obat-obatan serta tidak bisa mengimpor obat akibat blokade.
- Telah dijelaskan sebelumnya bagaimana situasi di rumah sakit dan bayi-bayi yang dilahirkan dalam keadaan primitive di perbatasan yang mengakibatkan mereka meminggal karena minimnya kondisi dasar kehidupan yang dibutuhkan bagi bayi yang baru lahir dan perlunya pengawasan dan perhatian khusus di rumah sakit.
Sebagai tambahan, Israel telah menghancurkan wilayah Palestina yang padat penduduknya dengan menggunakan senjata yang dilarang oleh dunia internasional seperti bom fosfor, dan hal ini merupakan ancaman bagi kesehatan masyarakat luas maupun bagi lingkungan.
Israel telah mengebom ambulan dan membunuh paramedis serta melarang korban dibantu sehingga korban meninggal. Hal ini terjadi hampir di semua perang Israel baik di Libanon selatan, tepi Barat, Jenin dan terakhir di Gaza.
Hampir di semua perangnya, Israel menyerang ambulan dan paramedic; arsip tentang hal ini tersedia.

Pasal 13
1. Pihak-pihak Negara berdasarkan Perjanjian ini mengakui hak setiap orang untuk mendapatkan pendidikan. Mereka sepakat bahwa pendidikan harus ditujukan bagi peningkatan kepribadian dan harga diri sebagai manusia secara utuh, serta harus dapat meningkatkan penghargaan terhadap hak asasi manusia dan kebebasan yang mendasar. Mereka sepakat bahwa pendidikan seharusnya mampu membuat semua orang berpartisipasi secara efektif dalam suatu komunitas yang bebas, dapat meningkatkan pemahaman, toleransi, dan persahabatan antar bangsa dan ras, etnis atau kelompok agama, serta meneruskan cita-cita PBB bagi terciptanyan perdamaian dunia.

- Sebagai tambahan bagi kondisi sekolah dan pelajar di Palestina yang telah disebutkan sebelumnya, kurikulum Israel penuh dengan pelajaran yang rasis, lagu-lagu dan pelajaran yang mengandung kebencian terhadap bangsa Arab, menunjuk mereka sebagai penjahat primitive yang pantas dibunuh, diasingkan, dan diperlakukan dengan keras. Hal ini mungkin hal yang paling berbahaya bagi anak-anak, karena mengajari mereka dengan budaya yang penuh dengan kebencian dan rasis. Anak-anak ini tidak akan dapat menciptakan perdamaian dunia, tidak memiliki belas kasihan bagi mereka yang dianggapnya sebagai musuh. Mereka tumbuh dan belajar bahwa “yang lain” berhak untuk dibunuh. Kurikulum Israel yang banyak bermuatan rasis dapat diteliti secara detil. Banyak foto yang diterbitkan para agen berita internasional yang menggambarkan bagaimana anak-anak Israel membubuhkan tanda tangannya ke peluru/roket militer Israel saat perang Libanon pada bulan Juli 2006.

Perlu diperhatikan bahwa Israel telah melanggar dan merusak hampir semua poin Perjanjian Jenewa jika berhubungan dengan status rakyat dan bagaimana harus berhadapan dengan mereka pada masa perang dan konflik. Semua pelanggaran yang telah disebutkan sejak awal dokumen ini adalah pelanggaran ketentuan perjanjian yang nyata yang diketahui oleh semua Negara dan organisasi hak asasi manusia internasional.

Dari hal-hal tsb diatas, nyata-nyata terbukti bahwa Israel adalah entitas yang rasis dan tidak pantas hidup. Israel menolak kehidupan yang layak dan perdamaian bagi semua Negara tetangganya dan mereka yang ada dibawah penjajahannya, terutama non Yahudi. Israel adalah entitas yang tidak dilandasi dengan dasar hukum apapun maupun standar etika seperti umumnya Negara lainnya di dunia.

Israel adalah entitas penjahat yang didasari dengan pembunuhan dan pengrusakan, serta membahayakan kemanusiaan, lingkungan, dan bagi segala bentuk kehidupan.
Dengan ini , dengan landasan dokumen ini bagi semua manusia, kami menyatakan kemarahan kami dan menolak sikap diam sebagian besar organisasi internasional dan kemanusiaan, bahkan beberapa diantaranya banyak organisasi yang menyimpang tujuannya. Kami meletakkan tangung jawab bagi semua yang percaya pada kemanusiaan, dan semua orang berhak memperoleh standar peradaban yang terhormat.

Tandatangani Dokumen Pembongkaran Israel: Petisi Israel adalah entitas yang tidak syah

Nawara Negm
Joe Ghanem
Iman Badawi
Mohammad Shaltaf
Mohammad Qandiel

Translated to Bahasa Indonesia " Indonesian" by: Yunnie Wulandarie

Palestine/Gaza: The Siege

2010-06-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

The three year old siege on the Gaza Strip and its 1.5 million inhabitants is a testament to the Israeli regime's disregard of law, decency and morality. This siege amounts to collective punishment, an action outlawed by various conventions and humanitarian laws. This is not to mention the suffering and humanitarian crisis caused by this law. This siege has been disgracefully condoned by the "international community" and justified by the "free world" as a measure that safegurads the security of the Israeli regime.

The same position was applied to the various humanitarian aid ships that were attacked and abuducted in international waters, and the aid carried by those ships confiscated. The killing of 9 Turkish activists on the the Freedom Flotilla on 1 June brought an abrupt end to international silence regarding the siege. It is unfortunate that the world needed to see the blood of those brave men to realize the brutality of the siege and of the besieger.

Nevertheless, it is our duty to finish what the brave men and women of the Freedom Flotilla and the campaigns that preceded it. It is time to brieak the siege.

I am the Resistance

2010-05-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Palestine: Israeli Love Song

2010-04-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

The Never Before Campaign for Palestine

Gaza Lives On

2010-01-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

As the people in Gaza commemorate the first anniversary of the war, they remain the only population in the world living under a total siege for more than two and half years. But who are those people?

Israeli Occupier Run Over A Wounded Palestinian

2009-12-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

Isreal Part 2

2009-11-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

You've got to see this :)) part I & II It's AWSOME, have a nice watch..

Isreal Part 1

2009-11-15T14:50:00.000-08:00

ناديت وقلبي

2009-11-13T05:12:00.001-08:00

Maher Zain - Palestine Will Be Free | ماهر زين - فلسطين سوف تتحرر

2009-11-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

I am Israel (Documentary Film)

2009-11-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Do you know whom am I? I Am Israel...

This clip on youtube is well worth the 6 minutes for anyone that needs reminding of the dire situation of Palestinians. It is a very well produced 6 minute video. Please, watch and send to your friends, let them learn the truth.

I am Israel (Arabic Version) أنا إسرائيل

2009-11-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

هل تعلمون من انا؟ شاهدوا لتعرفوا

Israeli Confessions (short video)

2009-11-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

For those who are still not sure why and how this conflict started more than 60 years ago, confessions of Israeli leaders make it very clear. For those who already know, this video is a good tool to educate others.

Rich Siegel "In Palestine" Part 2 The Songwriters Speak

2009-10-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Watch these wonderful people.

Rich Siegel "In Palestine" Part 1 Dedication and Song

2009-10-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

Palestinians homeless again after eviction

2009-10-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

The United Nations is calling on Israel to immediately stop demolishing Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem.

The UN says 60,000 Palestinians may be at risk of being forcibly evicted.

Israel says the houses are built without construction permits, which Palestinians say are almost impossible to obtain.

Our correspondent Jacky Rowland is in Sheikh Jarrah where Israeli police dismantled a tent set up by a Palestinian family already evicted by Israeli orders in August.

HUMAN ORGANS TRADE -Harvesting Human Organs -تجارة الأعضاء البشرية

2009-10-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

HUMAN ORGANS TRADE -Harvesting Human Organs -تجارة الأعضاء البشرية

رواج ظاهرة تجارة الأعضاء البشرية في مصر

Jordan handed 13 accused of organ trade

اعترافات مثيرة لأحد أباطرة تجارة الأعضاء البشرية

"إسرائيل" من سرقة البشر إلى تجارة الأعضاء

عصابة تجارة الاعضاء البشرية في مصر

تجارة الأعضاء البشرية

IDF Kills Arabs to Trade their Organs

Israel:Human Organ Trafficking Conspiracy Capital

Israel:Human Organ Trafficking Conspiracy Capital by ALISON WEIR

Israel Harvests Palestinians' Organs for Sale by KAWTHER SALAM

Israeli Organ Harvesting & Trafficking by ALISON WEIR ( COUNTERPUNCH)

Israeli Organ Business:The Body Snatchers Are Back by ISRAEL SHAMIR

Israel's IDF: Stealing Palestinians' Organs? by GILAD ATZMON

The Hidden Truth about Israel Kidney Theft Ring by JOSEPH CANNON (CANNONFIRE)

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Israeli organ trade
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liars....liars

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How big is trade in human organs in Israel?
ماهو حجم تجارة الاعضاء البشرية الاسرائيلية؟
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Sweeping federal probe nabs crooked politicians & alleged

black-market kidney peddler

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Harvesting Human Organs

HUMAN ORGANS TRADE -Harvesting Human Organs -تجارة الأعضاء البشرية

Key points of the Goldstone report

2009-10-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Goldstone's report accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians during the 22-day war [EPA]

The United Nations fact-finding mission on Israel's 22-day offensive on the Gaza Strip between December 2008 and January 2009 found evidence that Israeli forces committed serious war crimes and breaches of humanitarian law.
It also condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets from the Palestinian territory, which resulted in the deaths of Israeli civilians.
"We came to the conclusion, on the basis of the facts we found, that there was strong evidence to establish that numerous serious violations of international law, both humanitarian law and human rights law, were committed by Israel during the military operations in Gaza," Justice Richard Goldstone, the head of the UN investigation, said.
"The mission concluded that actions amounting to war crimes and possibly, in some respects, crimes against humanity, were committed by the Israel Defence Force (IDF)."
"There's no question that the firing of rockets and mortars [by armed groups from Gaza] was deliberate and calculated to cause loss of life and injury to civilians and damage to civilian structures. The mission found that these actions also amount to serious war crimes and also possibly crimes against humanity," he said.

'Grave breaches'
"The mission finds that the conduct of the Israeli armed forces constitute grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention in respect of wilful killings and wilfully causing great suffering to protected persons and as such give rise to individual criminal responsibility," the executive summary of the 575-page report said.
"It also finds that the direct targeting and arbitrary killing of Palestinian civilians is a violation of the right to life."
It went on to criticise the "deliberate and systematic policy on the part of the Israeli armed forces to target industrial sites and water installations," and the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields.
On the objectives and strategy of Israel's offensive, the investigation concluded that military planners deliberately followed a doctrine which involved "the application of disproportionate force and the causing of great damage and destruction to civilian property and infrastructure, and suffering to civilian populations".
On the firing of mortars and rockets from Gaza, Goldstone's report concluded that they were indiscriminate and deliberate attacks against a civilian population and "would constitute war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity".
It said that their apparent intention of spreading fear among Israeli civilians was a violation of international law.

Investigations urged
The report recommended that the Security Council should require Israel to take steps to launch appropriate independent investigations into the alleged crimes committed, in conformity with international standards, and report back on these investigations within six months.
It further called on the Security Council to appoint a committee of experts to monitor the proceedings taken by the Israeli government.

If these did not take place, or were not independent and in conformity with international standards, the report called for the Security Council to refer the situation in Gaza to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
It also called on the Security Council to require the committee of experts to perform a similar role with regard to the relevant Palestinian authorities.
Goldstone said investigators examined 36 specific incidents that took place during the Israeli operation in Gaza, which he said did not relate to decisions taken in the heat of battle, but to deliberate policies that were adopted and decisions that were taken.
As an example, he described one such incident: a mortar attack on a mosque in Gaza during a religious service, which killed 15 members of the congregation and injured many others.
Justice Goldstone said that even if allegations that the mosque was used as sanctuary by Palestinian fighters and that weapons were stored there were true, there was still "no justification under international humanitarian law to mortar the mosque during a service".
He said that the mosque could have been attacked during the night, when it was not being used by civilians.

Source:

United Nations

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/10/200910395820396287.html

DOWNLOAD Goldstone's full report to the UN rights council

Israeli settlers push further into Palestinian land - 8 Sept 09

2009-09-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Israeli settlers are pushing further into occupied Palestinian land, despite international pressure to halt settlement activity.

Hundreds of Israelis cheered as the first scoops of concrete were poured for a new settlement in an area called "E1" northeast of Jerusalem.

A Jewish settlement there will be the final link in a chain that cuts off Palestinians in East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.

Al Jazeeras Jacky Rowland reports from EI, where protesting peace activists say the settlers are sabotaging Israels chances for peace.

Home

2009-09-06T20:15:00.001-07:00

Home

I arrived at the Gaza exit point at Rafah on sunday am with Van. Calls through the British Embassy and to Egypt made it plain that the Van would not be allowed to leave because of the 'Galloway Agreement', so in the pm made the decision to store the van, travel to UK, where I need to get this exhibition thing moving, and 'wipe out' this Galloway Agreement that's been hanging over my exit, and which the Egyptians are so keen to enforce.
It's good to see that they can keep agreements, and set such store by them, but I hope that future convoys do not sell out the principle of getting the gates open IN PRINCIPLE, for the quick political gain of the media coverage of getting in now. FreeGaza boats, for instance, haven't said that in return for being allowed access to Gaza they will agree to sell out the rights of others to cross the border and travel by sea. They demand unreservedly open sea access, and I urge everyone who travels to Rafah, to also settle for nothing less.
I remember discussing with my convoy group in Libya, whether or not , and for how long, we would camp on the border. The answer was not universal, but generally we were committed to a long stay. My perception is that most people feel that, after a long build up on the journey, they were rushed in and out of Gaza, achieving little personally, and certainly the situation on the border hasn't changed in the slightest: for aid, all of which, despite assurances to the contrary, is still rotting in El Arish; for Palestinians, most of whom cannot pass, or can pass with difficulty - see below; and for exports, which are simply not allowed. Pity that the Egyptians only want to keep the parts of agreements that don't involve doing nice things to Palestinians.
Worse, the British Public believe that George Galloway HAS achieved something, so there is less need to think about Palestine. But this is a long long struggle, full of sellouts and political opportunism, and we must be ready to recognise it. We all want a saviour, a hero, but really they don't exist; there are plenty willing to wear the robes, though, for the celebrity. Lets make sure that when we have a smidgeon of power we don't cash it in by signing away everyone else's rights. The struggle is to Free Palestine, not enslave it.
So, I arrived again on foot on Monday Morning, was processed with a friendly cup of coffee, and put on the bus to Egypt. This bus only travels about 500 metres, but you must be on it, you cannot walk. The bus took 12 hours to cover this 500 metres the day before, during which time everyone got on and off several times, scrambling to get back on when it moved forward 100 meters, then getting off again to sit in exactly the same place as before, or walk back to the departure lounge to use the toilet.

On the Monday we got through to Egypt at an early 3pm, only 5 hours after arrival. The delay is caused by the Egyptians, who call through the buses when they want them.
On arrival we fill out visa applications, and our passports are taken away for processing. I am, as expected, interviewed by the police who explain that the Galloway agreement is that Convoy members will only be allowed to enter Egypt under police supervision, leave Egypt directly on departure, either through Libya if taking back their car, or through Cairo Airport. No other routes will be permitted. However, if I leave Egypt, having complied with this rule, that ends, and if I come again, it will be under the same rules as any ordinary person.
So I meet someone who entered Gaza by boat, and the Egyptians have no Galloway rule for them, so they are given their passport and told they are free to travel under their own steam, but I am sent to the transit point, which is the Departures lounge, now closed for the day, where my passport is retained and I am made to wait with an increasing number of Palestinians, more than 150 in the end. Departing members of the convoy will have had similar treatment on departure, except that, because of the larger numbers, I feel sure they will have had a pleasant ride in a reasonable time to a comfortable transit lounge in the airport. Because I am the last of the convoy, travelling alone, I will be transitted with the Palestinians.
They, many having been down this route before, tell me that we will be put on buses, taken under police escort to Cairo airport and deported - sorry, transitted to our country of destination. All, or nearly all, Palestinians seem to be treated this way. Most of my group are travelling to Saudi where they used to work, until the border was sealed. now after several attempts by most of them, they are being allowed to go back there, but the Egyptians have not, and seemingly will not, grant them visas for Egypt, so they have to travel by escorted transit, which is, to be fair, a not uncommon procedure, and is one that I have certainly experienced widely.
If you are carrying goods, or are just a citizen who the authorities are worried about, then you are escorted by police through to the next border. It happened to me in Cyprus when I was young, where I was released into the country, but had to report to the Authorities every day. In Syria, where lorry convoys are escorted from campsite to campsite by police to stop contraband, and elsewhere, including Europe, and of course, the extremely luxurious transit arrangements made for the convoy as it travelled without any customs papers through the countries of North Africa. The convoy paid little, but it is normal to charge the costs of the service, and reasonable to do so. Any passenger travelling through the UK, changing planes at say Heathrow, is held in a secure transit area from which they cannot access the UK, but can get to their flight gate. While waiting, they have a choice of coffee shops and other services, including airline desks and the internet, telephone and toilets that they can use.
I want to make it clear that Cairo does have a secure transit Lounge that is up to International Standards, and when I eventually saw it, had a wide range of internationals in it.
So I was not unduly concerned about being in the transit buses, although the enormous waits and makeshift conditions were less than perfect - but hey! we were moving. So my free friend went off in her Taxi to a destination that she had not yet decided, despite her 'illegal' entry to Gaza, whilst I moved to the transit lounge at about 7pm, after only three hours waiting! A further 5 hours or so lolling about there saw us being loaded up in to the buses which were not totally uncomfortable, and a further 4 hours on the parked bus, about 3 or 4 am found us begin slowly moving towards Cairo. Daylight found us stopping for half an hour at a cafe, the first opportunity to buy food other than sweets since entering the whole system, and the first opportunity to use the toilet in about 8 hours, and then onward to Cairo Airport where we arrived at 10 am or so. We were then processed through passport control twice, making a total of perhaps six times on the journey, and were led outside the terminal building to our Transit Lounge.

I think the Palestinians were not expecting me to be taken there with them, and when I arrived, I was warmly welcomed and given scraps of bread and cheese which people had saved from their journeys. People told me, partly with satisfaction that a Westerner was experiencing their plight, at last, and partly with a sense of concern for my delicate constitution, that NOW, I could understand the Palestinian condition!
The collection of rooms was a maximum of 13 metres by 27 metres, but this was divided into rooms in haphazard fashion, some of which were locked and a large one of which was a toilet and shower room, the only one. The only windows were the double entrance doors, at the end of a corridor leading into the complex. The ceiling was low, about 8 feet, although there did at least seem to be some ventilation. There was no facility for rubbish disposal, and internally, the rooms were entirely unsupervised, so that any intimidation or racketeering could not have been controlled.
Our buses deposited about 150 people into this space, but it was not empty when we arrived, there were people there who had spent days, and one man claimed a month, though I could not verify it. These long termers had staked out scraps of prayer mats as beds on the dirty stone flagged floor, and sat there guarding their spaces. I took a couple of photos, but was warned against it. But here they are.
The problem for the Saudi workers was that they had expired visas, and no-one has political representation in Gaza (except the UK!), so to get a new visa, Palestinians must travel to the embassy in Cairo!!!! They cannot get into Egypt to do this however, without convincing the Egyptian authorities that they will, indeed get one, so they have to get a pre-visa pass authorised by the Palestinian representation in Cairo and passed to the Egyptians, and then keep turning up at the Rafah crossing until, magically, one day their name is on a list. When they get to Cairo, they are kept in this dungeon until the Palestinian representative meets them gets some paperwork, takes it the Saudi Embassy, and then returns it to them, usually two days later. But even when you get the visa, or work permit, or if you already have it, you must still stay in the hole until it is time for your flight.
In my group there was one American citizen, and apart from me, two British subjects, but no-one took any notice of them! Why?, because they were joint Palestine nationals, and thus 'Palestinians' as far as the Egyptians are concerned. The Brits contacted the Embassy, and were actually allowed to sit outside the dungeon in the sun 'because they had a small child', although I noticed that other mothers with small children did not manage to achieve this, so maybe being British does have its use. They had already booked a flight - for Sunday, five days time, and they were to be detained until then. I asked why they booked so far ahead, and they answered that they had no idea how long their processing would be, and indeed, it had taken three days already, so taking a gamble on an earlier flight would have been foolhardy. They had rung the Embassy to try and get the flight re-arranged, but were not being allowed to go to the real transit lounge to do it by themselves. This means that they were under arrest, as far as I can see, by any meaningful definition.

I do not know by what rules a married couple with a child of 2 can be detained in a mixed sex prison for five days without beds, separate bathing, child facilities, rubbish disposal, daylight, privacy, or even food, unless they can afford the inflated prices charged by the runner who goes to the local cafe and brings food back. They are under arrest, not in any sense in transit, and their only crime, as usual, is that they are Palestinian -(even if they are British as well)
One of the things that you can do in Transit is buy a ticket. But you cannot do this in The Palestine Palace. There the guards say simply - when your flight is due we will tell you. Persistence identified that for London flights departed at 8am (and they simply would not entertain any other destination, not Manchester, not anywhere in Europe, although this, I think was due to the intellectual limitations of my Captor) . So I was detained until tomorrow, then!
I have a small support network outwith Egypt, and I decided to phone and check for flights. First, I needed to charge my phone, which had not seen a mains socket for about 30 hours, and had been roundly abused in that time. I identified three working electric sockets in the dungeon, and they were all occupied. It was clear that this was the sort of situation where gangsterism can grow, but I managed to get into a queue and get about 15 minutes before being levered away, and so I was able to discover that there was a flight at 1630.
This timing was similar to the Damascus flight for which there was a small band of takers, so we were all taken under the supervision of a single policeman, to the real transit lounge. Getting my ticket was an interesting experience, but the main point was that I had no freedom of action. Sit here, stand there, bags here, go there, that's the flight and price, take it or leave it and go back to prison.
I was very sorry to leave my acquaintances there:
Ali, the American citizen with an open ticket to Dallas, who had had to wait months for permission from the Egyptians to leave Gaza. The American Emabassy had efused to co-ordinate his exit throough Rafah, insisting that he go through Israel. He agreed and duly filled out an application for a crossing through Erez, he received an acknowledgement from the embassy that they were processing it, but in five months he had heard nothing else, so had made his own way to Rafah; Sahal, who had been working in Saudi for 30 years and who had not been able to make his annual visit to his parents and family in Gaza for two years before he gave up everything to go back nine months ago, for his daughter's wedding and because his father was 90. He realised that he risked never going back, and indeed his return was after a gap of nine months, and three attempts at the border; and Mahmoud, also a Saudi worker, also waiting for his renewed visa from the Saudia embassy, and the man in charge of the battered fragments of Bread and cheese that I was regaled with on arrival.

These men, sat disconsolately in a shallow side corridor, on their scraps of carpet, because they had staked out these quieter spots the day before. Along the end of the wall was a row of 'lifers', the long term residents who had been there for up to a month. One of these men had a family, the woman staying in a side room that had become women only, and joining him only when someone got some food. They had a girl of about 10 who carried things between them with a skip in her step.
These long termers had the deep recesses and the new arrivals congregated around the entrance, where there was light, and also police. It was there I met the man in the camel hair coat, going to Dubai, who said 'Fuck hamas, if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have to go through all this shit' which is both true and false at the same time, and for the people there a popular complaint. 'Abu Mazen pays our salaries and there was no problem when he was in charge' is simply false, of course, but those few interested in the English language debate seemed supportive. I tried to suggest to the man that the streets were safe in Gaza now, but then I realised that he didn't want to debate with me, he wanted to paint me as a Hamas apologist, and he was doing this in a loud voice. Why?
People saw me taking photographs and measuring the size of the room, and some at least rallied round and helped. All asked that I 'Tell the World About this", while many more were resigned and weary, but at least looked with a flutter of interest. He was trying to discredit me in front of these people.
Actually, it wasn't the first time that I had met him. He was at Rafah too, but each time near the soldiers, as he was here. Perhaps he was trying to ingratiate himself with the soldiers to get a cushy ride, perhaps he was an agent provocateur, but I told him that I couldn't talk to him anymore when he said 'Fuck Gaza, it's finished, I'm going to Dubai". Dangerous pressure cookers, prisons, especially if you have to live there for a month.

TELL THE WORLD ABOUT THIS. You know, I don't believe that at the time of the worst persecutions of Jews in Russia they were treated any worse than Palestinians are today. Perhaps we should have a declaration that to end the suffering of the Palestinians, we will give them a homeland in Palestine.

Video, Amira’s Complaint Against Israel Registered at ICC

2009-09-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

Amira’s Complaint Against Israel Registered at ICC

2009-09-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Amira Al Keram (15), from Tal Al-Hawa, Gaza, filed a war crime complaint against Israel yesterday at ICC, the Hague (Netherlands).During "Cast Lead" israeli operation this winter, she spend 60 hours wounded, alone, without food and medical treatment.Her father, brother and sister have been killed in front of her eyes.Read her story

:http://www.dci-pal.org/english/display.cfm?DocId=1056&CategoryId=1

Watch the video of her going among supporters to the ICC
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/616ADC31-A547-4992-8AEA-40D3FF973155.htm

Amira is a brave young girl. Hope many others will go to the ICC and ask for justice.
However, will the ICC be FAIR and not afraid of zionist pressure this time?

أنشودة يا غزة معاك الله أداء محمد بشار و فرقة اليرموك - إنتاج طيور الجنة

2009-08-31T04:31:00.000-07:00

Palestine: It's Time (The Never Before Campaign)

2009-08-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION Against Israeli Piracy & Kidnapping

2009-07-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Free Cynthia McKinney and all kidnapped human rights workers!

WEDNESDAY 4-6 PM

at the

ISRAELI MISSION
800 Second Avenue
(Second Avenue @ 43rd St.)

Last night, Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.

The seizure of humanitarian supplies and abduction of human rights workers is an act of piracy, a crime under international law. When the boat was attacked, it was not in Israeli waters and was on a human rights mission to Gaza. Israel's deliberate and premeditated attack on an unarmed boat in international waters is a clear violation of international law. Join us tomorrow from 4 to 6 pm at the Israeli Mission to demand an immediate and unconditional release of the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, all 21 human rights workers, and the humanitarian supplies.

According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair." Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel's December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel's disruption of medical supplies.

Let the Humanitarian Aid through!Free Cynthia McKinney and all kidnapped human rights workers!Stop the blockade of Gaza!

BY ., Chantal Laurent

The Palestinian Cause in 2 Minutes

2009-05-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

In the midst of the struggle, and the dust of battle, many people still don't realize what this is all about... It is not only about land and rights...

No comment

2009-05-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

Focus on Gaza - Care for collaboration

2009-05-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Israel's intensive strike on Gaza earlier this year, left many residents in need of urgent medical treatment - treatment that simply is not available in the Gaza Strip. Many attempt to leave, journeying to the Erez Crossing in the hope of making their way to Jerusalem for treatment. However, recent data collected by the group Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, alleges that Israeli security forces are denying Gazans urgent medical care unless they agree to become collaborators. Focus on Gaza reports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyeVD24mHys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObOs4EJuItc

Israel 'targeted UN buildings' during Gaza war

2009-05-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

The UN has accused Israel of failing to respect its property and assets during the Gaza war early this year.

In a damning report, a UN panel review of nine incidents blamed the Israeli army's direct and intentional strikes in seven of them, and recommended further investigations into alleged war crimes.

Al Jazeera's Nick Spicer takes a look at the incidents in question.

Focus on Gaza - Gaza's economic crisis

2009-05-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Israeli siege is strangling Gaza's economy, and many of the businesses that were managing to scrape by were destroyed by the recent war. A look into the economic consequeces of Israel's blockade and the war on Gaza.

The Zionists' Zionism

2009-04-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

Focus on Gaza - Factional violence

2009-04-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

A revealing new report reveals increasing factional violence between Hamas and Fatah. Gazans speak out as reports that they are being used as Israeli informants come out. And with further Jewish settlement expansion in East jerusalem we speak to one family standing firm

Focus on Gaza - Al Durra special

2009-04-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the recent war on Gaza and casualties we visit the Al Durra Family in Gaza to find out how they have coped over the years; and to understand how the pain of loss and bereavement continues, long after the guns cease firing.

Israel Shameless & Deluded

2009-04-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

Let's go to Rafah NOW!

2009-04-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

Let's go to Rafah NOW! (arabic, english and français)

حتى الآن ، أكثر من 300 من المنظمات والأفراد من 26 بلدا أيدوا الدعوة إلى "الحركة الدولية لفتح معبر رفح الحدودي" ونشكركم . وكما تعلمون، هناك دائما أشخاص من جميع أنحاء العالم يحاولون الوصول إلى غزة من اجل إيصال المساعدات إلى الشعب الفلسطيني الذي يعيش في ظل وضع بائس. آلاف الأطنان من المواد الغذائية والطبية والمأوى والمساعدات الطارئة الطوارئ بما في ذلك البطاطين والفرشات ، والتي تبرعت بها دول عديدة من بينها الولايات المتحدة ومنظمات الإغاثة ، منعت من الدخول عبر المعابر من الحكومة الإسرائيلية ، ولكن أيضا من جانب الحكومة المصرية.
ذكرت الأمم المتحدة أن 900000 من سكان غزة يعتمدون الآن على المساعدات الغذائية في أعقاب الاعتداء الإسرائيلي على قطاع غزة والذي استمر لمدة 22 يوم. فقط 100 شاحنة من المساعدات يتم السماح لهم بدخول قطاع غزة كل يوم –اقل ب 30 شاحنة مما كان مسموح بإدخاله في العام الماضي ، وأقل بكثير مما كان قبل العملية الإسرائيلية 'الرصاص المصبوب' :الهجوم الذي خلف ورائه أكثر من 1500 شهيدا فلسطينيا ، غالبيتهم العظمى من المدنيين الذين ذبحوا في الشوارع والمنازل. مع أكثر من 5000 جريح و 100000 بلا مأوى ، وقبول المعونة أمر بالغ الأهمية في هذا الوقت.

هذا جزء بسيط من ما يقارب 500-600 شاحنة التي تعتبر ضرورية للحفاظ على حياة السكان في فى قطاع غزة وفقا للأمم المتحدة. ووفقا للأونروا ، فان شاحنات الغذاء توفر ما يكفي من الغذاء لإطعام 30000 شخص فقط في اليوم الواحد. يمنع المئات من المرضى والمصابين, من هذه الحرب والغزو الإسرائيلي السابق من مغادرة غزة لتلقي العلاج الطبي اللازم والضروري. أكثر من 268 شخص لقوا حتفهم من جراء أحوال صحية ممكن الوقاية منها ومعالجتها وجاء ذلك نتيجة لاستمرار الحصار المستمر منذ أربع سنوات مضت.

وفي شرم الشيخ، وعد زعماء العالم بمساعدات لقطاع غزة تقدر بالبلايين ، ولكن لماذا إذا الحدود لا تزال مغلقة ، و قوافل المساعدات لا تستطيع أن تدخل إلى غزة. لذا لا بد لنا من تحقيق إقامة دائمة بالاعتصام عند معبر رفح على الحدود حتى رفع هذا الحصار والذي يعتبر أصلا جريمة حرب. هدفنا الرئيسي هو ليس فقط السماح لشخصا واحدا أو مجموعة بالعبور إلى غزة ولكن هدفنا هو رفع الحصار وكذلك لمساعدة الفلسطينيين على التنقل بحرية من خلال المعبر، وتطبيق القانون الدولي واحترام الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان) كانون الأول / ديسمبر 10 عام 1948
وخلال الاعتصام ، فإننا سوف نقوم بتنظيم إجراءات منسقة على جانبي الحدود مع أصدقائنا في قطاع غزة.

لذا ، من أجل تنظيم هذا العمل ، نحن بحاجة إلى معرفة ما يلي : -- متى يمكنك الانضمام إلينا في رفح على الحدود؟
-- هل ستأتي بمفردك أو مع مجموعة؟ إذا كنت ستأتي مع مجموعة ، كم عددكم؟ -- إلى متى يمكنك البقاء هناك؟
-- هل تريد أن تساعدنا في تنسيق هذا العمل؟ كما تعلمون ، السلطات المصرية ستبذل ما بوسعها لمنعكم من الوصول إلى معبر رفح الحدودي ، لذلك سنقدم لكم كل المعلومات والاتصالات التي سوف تحتاجون إليها في مصر. إذا كنت لا تستطيع أن تأتي : قد يكون لك صديق ناشط ممكن أن تساعده على المجيء (من خلال جمع التبرعات) يمكنك أيضا التواصل مع وسائل الإعلام وجميع محيطك دعما لهذا العمل ، فإننا سوف نبدأ قريبا " حملة الاحتجاج البريدية " للسفارات (سفارة مصر في بلدكم ، والسفارة الخاصة بك في مصر) ، وإلى وزارة الخارجية. حتى إذا كنت تنوي المجيء قريبا أو في الأشهر المقبلة، أو إذا كنت تحتاج إلى مزيد من التفاصيل، يرجى الاتصال بنا على: http://us.mc1103.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=intmorb@googlemail.com

مع كل التضامن

مادة 13

1- للجميع حق التنقل والإقامة ضمن حدود المنطقة التي يسكن بها.
2- للجميع الحق بترك أي بلد من البلاد من ضمنها بلده, وله حق العودة إليها متى يشاء.

_______________________________________________________________________

Let's go to Rafah NOW!

Dear friends,

Till now, more than 300 organizations and individuals from 26 countries have endorsed the call “International Movement to Open the Rafah Border” and we thank you.

As you may know, there are always people from all over the world who are trying to get into Gaza in order to bring aid to the Palestinian people who are living in a desperate situation.

Thousands of tons of food, medical and emergency shelter aid including blankets and mattresses, donated by countries including the United States and aid organisations, are denied entry through crossings by the Israeli government but also by the Egyptian government.

The United Nations has stated that 900,000 Gazans are now dependent on food aid following Israel‘s 22-day assault on the tiny coastal territory.
Only 100 aid trucks are being allowed into Gaza each day - 30 less than were being brought in last year and substantially less than before Israel’s operation ‘Cast Lead’: an attack that has left over 1,500 Palestinians dead, the vast majority of them civilians massacred in their streets and homes. With over 5,000 injured and 100,000 homeless, admittance of aid is crucial at this time.

This is a fraction of the estimated 500-600 trucks deemed necessary to sustain the population of Gaza according to the United Nations. According to UNRWA, food trucks are delivering enough food to feed just 30,000 people per day.

Hundreds of medical patients, the injured from this war and Israel’s previous invasions, are being prohibited from leaving Gaza for indispensable medical treatment. Over 300 people have died of preventable and treatable conditions, due to the ongoing siege staged since 4 years ago.

In Sharm El Sheik, the world leaders promised billions of aid to Gaza, but how if the borders remain closed and aid trucks cannot enter into Gaza.

So we must establish a permanent sit-in at the Rafah border till the siege, which is a war crime, is lift.

Our main goal is not that one person or a group enter into Gaza but our goal is to lift the siege and also to help the Palestinians to move freely through the crossing, an application of international law and the respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December, 10th 1948).*.
During our sit-in, we will organize coordinated actions on both sides of the border with our friends in Gaza.

So, in order to organize this action, we need to know:

- When can you join us at the Rafah border?
- Will you come alone or with a group? If you will come as a group, how many people are you?
- How long can you stay there?
- Would you want to help us in coordinating this action?

As you can guess it, the Egyptian authorities will do their best to prevent you from reaching the Rafah border, so we will give you all the information and contacts in Egypt you need.

If you cannot come:

May be you can help a friend, an activist to come (through fundraising)

You can also communicate with media and all your surroundings

In support of this action, we will launch soon a "mailing protest campaign" to embassies (Egypt Embassy in your country, and your own embassy in Egypt) and to your Foreign Office

So if you intend to come soon or in the coming months or if you need more details, please contact us at : http://us.mc1103.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=intmorb@googlemail.com

In solidarity

* Article 13. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

=========================================

Allons à Rafah, MAINTENANT !
Chers amis,
Jusqu'à présent, plus de 300 organisations et individus de 26 pays ont signé l'appel du « Mouvement International Pour Ouvrir la Frontière de Rafah » et nous vous en remercions.
Comme vous le savez peut-être, des gens du monde entier essaient en permanence d'entrer dans Gaza afin de venir en aide au peuple palestinien qui vit dans une situation désespérée.
Des milliers de tonnes de nourriture, de médicaments et d'aide d'urgence, comme des couvertures et des matelas, donnés par des de nombreux pays dont les États-Unis et des organisations d'aide, ne peuvent entrer à Gaza, en raison de la fermeture des passages frontaliers par le gouvernement israélien, mais aussi par le Gouvernement égyptien.
L'Organisation des Nations Unies a déclaré que 900.000 habitants de Gaza sont désormais dépendants de l'aide alimentaire après la guerre de 22 jours d'Israël contre le petit territoire côtier.
Seuls 100 camions d’aide sont autorisés quotidiennement à pénétrer dans la Bande de Gaza – soit 30 camions de moins que l’an dernier et nettement moins que le nombre autorisé à entrer par Israël avant l'opération 'Plomb Durci’ : une attaque qui a fait à Gaza plus de 1300 morts, dont la majorité étaient des civils qui ont été massacrés dans leurs rues et leurs maisons. Avec plus de 5000 blessés et 100.000 sans-abri, l'accès à l'aide est crucial en ce moment.
Cela ne représente qu’une petite partie des 500 à 600 camions jugés nécessaires pour subvenir aux besoins de la population de Gaza, selon l'Organisation des Nations Unies. Selon l'UNRWA, les camions de nourriture autorisés à entrer ne permettent d’alimenter que 30.000 personnes par jour.
Des centaines de malades, de blessés de cette guerre et des précédentes invasions israéliennes ont l’interdiction de quitter Gaza pour se faire soigner. Plus de 300 personnes sont mortes en raison du blocus qui dure depuis 4 ans maintenant, alors que leur état était curable et que leur mort était évitable.
A Charm El Cheik, les dirigeants mondiaux ont promis des milliards de dollars d'aide à Gaza, mais pourquoi si les frontières restent fermées et si même les camions d’aide ne peuvent entrer dans la bande de Gaza ?
Nous devons donc établir un sit-in à la frontière de Rafah jusqu'à ce que le siège, qui est un crime de guerre, soit levé.
Notre objectif principal n'est pas qu’une personne ou un groupe de personnes entre dans la bande de Gaza, mais de lever le siège et également d'aider les Palestiniens à se déplacer librement, une application du droit international et le respect de la Déclaration universelle des droits humains (10 décembre1948).*.
Au cours de notre sit-in, nous organiserons des actions coordonnées des deux côtés de la frontière avec nos amis de la Bande de Gaza.
Ainsi, afin d'organiser cette action, nous avons besoin de savoir :
- Quand pouvez-vous nous rejoindre à la frontière de Rafah ?
- Viendrez-vous seul ou en groupe ? Si vous êtes un groupe, combien de personnes êtes-vous ?
- Combien de temps pouvez-vous rester ?
- Voulez-vous nous aider dans la coordination de cette action ?
Comme vous pouvez l’imaginer, les autorités égyptiennes feront tout leur possible pour vous empêcher d'atteindre la frontière de Rafah. Aussi nous vous donnerons toutes les informations et les contacts en Egypte dont vous aurez besoin.
Si vous ne pouvez pas venir :
Vous pouvez peut-être aider un ami, un militant à venir (par le biais d’une collecte de fonds).
Vous pouvez également transmettre nos informations aux médias et aux organisations autour de vous.
Pour soutenir cette action, nous lancerons prochainement une "campagne d'envoi de lettres de protestation" aux ambassades (Ambassade d'Egypte dans votre pays, et à votre ambassade en Egypte) ainsi qu’à votre ministère des Affaires Etrangères.
Donc, si vous avez l'intention de venir très bientôt ou dans les mois à venir, ou si vous avez besoin de plus de détails sur notre action, veuillez nous contacter à: http://us.mc1103.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=intmorb@googlemail.com.
En solidarité
* Article 13 :
1. Toute personne a le droit de circuler librement et de choisir sa résidence à l'intérieur d'un Etat.
2. Toute personne a le droit de quitter tout pays, y compris le sien, et de revenir dans son pays.

-- In Solidarity from all International Movement to Open Rafah Border
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9986479902

INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT TO OPEN RAFAH BORDER

2009-04-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

Dont let Gaza die
Global Help Initiative For Palestine
After the massacre of the people of Gaza by the Israeli army thatstarted on December, 27th 2008, the world was moved at the plight ofPalestinians. But Gaza remains closed almost hermetically, humanitarianconvoys accumulate at the border and only a small part is allowed toenter. Similarly, citizens of various countries, including manyPalestinians are stranded in Egypt.We, citizens of the world, oppose this illegal and deadly blockade,tolerated, not to say encouraged by most governments of the world,especially those of USA, Israel, Europe and many of the Arab countries.Once again, it seems that only civil society is able to mobilize todemand the application of the basic rights of people that are echoed ininternational law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights(December, 10th 1948).*Therefore, we call any individual or group (association, organisation,party, etc.) to participate, within its means, to establish a permanentsit-in at the border in Rafah, to put pressure on the Egyptian, US,European and Israeli governments, and also on the internationalcommunity, until the definitive opening of the border between Gaza andEgypt, allowing the free movement of goods and people.TO FREE GAZA, TO BREAK THE SIEGE, FOR FREE MOVEMENTALL AT RAFAH , NOW !* Article 13.(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country
Enquires and endorsements please contact: IntMorb@Googlemail.com

Organisations :
ISM-France
PAz Ahora (Espagne)
Revista Rubra (Portugal)
MSRPP (France)
Forum Palestina (Italia)
AMFP (France)
Viva Palestina (UK)
Association des Palestiniens en France
Collectif des Musulmans de France
Comite St Ouen Solidarite Palestine, France
EMF (Etudiants Musulmans de France)-Nantes, France
Ittijah, France
Resistance Palestine, France
Jordan Society for Human Rights - Jordan
Jordanian Intellectuals For Gaza - Jordan
Global Help Initiative for Palestine (HI), Gaza, Palestine
ISM-Chicago, USA
Pink Code, USA
Convergence des Causes (France)
AssociazioneZaatar – Associazione Ghassan Kanafani (Lucca) - Circolo aziendaleferrovieri del PRC Spartaco Lavagnini di Firenze - Network of ArtistsAgainst War Italia – Associazione ALTRIMONDI, sezione Palestina -Comitato varesino per la Palestina - Sinistra Critica (Varese) –Comitato Provinciale ARCI di Varese.
Friends of Lebanon, United Kingdom
The Peace Cycle, United Kingdom
MPACuk, United Kingdom

Individuals: (16 nationalities)
Nada Kassas,Egypt, Journalist and activist
Iman Badawi, Egypt, Journalist and activist
Kamel Elbasha, Egypt, author and activist
Amal Wahdan, Palestinian Activist and journalist
Julio Rodriguez, (Spain)
Christian Chantegrel, SB (Siege Buster) France
Paki Wieland, Northampton Massachusetts, USA
Northampton Committee to End the War in Iraq
Western Mass Raging Grannies, Code Pink.
Nadine Rosa-Rosso, Belgium, creator of the call to remove Hamas from European terrorist organizations lists
Abdelaziz Chambi - Activist - France 
Youssef Girard, Historians, France 
Mireille Rumeau, Activist, France
Sandrine Mansour-Merien, France, historian Palestinian refugee
Abdel Salam Saleh - Novelist - Jordan 
Saleh abu-Taweeleh - Activist - Jordan 
Suleiman Sweiss - Human Rights Activist - Jordan 
Laila Zo bi - Activist - Jordan 
Mohammad Faraj - Activist – Jordan
Naser abu-Nassar - Activist – Jordan
Ayed Nab a - Director - Jordan 
Kamal Khalil - Singer and Composer - Jordan 
Mohammad Nasralla - Plastic Artist - Jordan 
Kawthar Arar - Journalist - Jordan 
Abdul Rahman el-Ja bari - Cartoonist – Jordan
Yahya abu-Safi - Researcher - Jordan 
Majed Toubeh - Secretary of Jordanian Journalists Syndicate - Jordan 
Mohammad Deebo - Poet and Activist - Syria 
Akram Kreishan - Int l Expert in Human Rights - Jordan 
Laila Faisal - Activist - Jordan/USA 
Mohammad Shareef el-Jayyousi - Journalist – Jordan
Rabea Salhieh - Dental Surgeon - Jordan  
Olfat Jaser - King Hussien Cancer Foundation - Jordan 
Ra ed Abdel Haq - Tourist Guide – Jordan
Amina Abu-Hamdia - Activist -Jordan/USA
Sari Hanafi, Liban, Professor, Beirut American University
Asim Ghani, Pakistan, journalist
Saad Javed Khan, Pakistan
Khaled Amayreh, Palestine, Journalist
AfafDajani, Palestine, RASED president, Palestinian Ass. for HumanRights-jerusalem office and President of Ass. for women and children
Dr Haidar Eid, Gaza, Palestine
Asma Qwaider, Gaza, Palestine, Palestine Forum
Adnan el-Sabbah - Writer - Palestine 
Amani Abu shaaban - Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Laila Harbe – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Naila Gergawe – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Nebal Erhem – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Mohmmed Jabber – Artist - Gaza – Palestine
Ismail Hefene – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Mohammed Haj - Artist - Gaza – Palestine
Abdullah Roze - Artist - Gaza – Palestine
Amani Abu hamda - Artist - Gaza – Palestine
Nahel Mhana – Designer - Gaza – Palestine
Enas Jaber - Artist - Gaza – Palestine
Ola Sakallah – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Eman Aby shamlla - Teacher - Gaza – Palestine
Dalia Taha – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Saleh Sahuon – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Rania Shawa – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Zaher Akeila – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Hanaa Sahaw – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Ahamed Morad - Doctor - Gaza – Palestine
Maysaa Abu Shaaban – Doctor - Gaza – Palestine
Mohamed Abu Randan – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Khalel Khodare – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Majed Khodare – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Rame Mohana – Judge - Gaza – Palestine
Saad Mohana – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Ishaq Mohana – Judge - Gaza – Palestine
Mazen Sesalem – Judge - Gaza – Palestine
Tagred Khodare – Journalist - Gaza – Palestine
Jamal Lolo – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Khaled Lolo – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Batol Shorafa – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Mahmmod Moshtaha – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Deima Redece – Engineer - Gaza – Palestine
Mohammed Thalthene – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Asaad Yazje – Accountant - Gaza – Palestine
Somaia Qwaider - Coordinator - Gaza – Palestine
Raheane Dalol - Coordinator assistant - Gaza – Palestine
Heba Sharef - Designer - Gaza – Palestine
Mohammed Madhoon - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Anour Shekh - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Mohammed Yosef - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Abed allah Zaalan - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Saady Hamed - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Abed rahem Hamed - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Mahmod Madhoon - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Mohamed Esmaial - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Doaa Eaila - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Fatema Hasham - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Anor Qeshawie - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Maha Balata - Student - Gaza – Palestine
Abdalla el-Harkan - Financial Manager - Saudi Arabia
George Galloway, Member of Parliament (UK)
Yvonne Ridley, Journalist and Author, UK.
Andrew J Silvera, Action4Palestine, UKLynn Wilson, Global Help Initiative for Palestine, UK
Dr Mohamed Abassi, United Kingdom
Laura Abraham, Cofounder & Director The Peace Cycle, (UK

Members of Viva Palestina, drivers to Gaza, entitled to Palestinian Passport :
Mrs Nafisa Saeed, Y. Manvra, R. Raja,
Akram Janua, Nusarrat Janjua, Sofia Janjua, X Janjua, Shereen Bhorat, MouradAbib (Algerian Relief), David Joner, Kevin Ovenden, Tahir Gorji, KieranTurner, Safraz Patel, Ruhel Mial, Bisharet Ali, Asad Iqbal, HusseinSaleam, Shahed Miah (Solihull), Faruk Shaikh (Gloucester), Ahmed Nisar,Ahmed Riaz, Alaa Mousa, Samir Ali, Abdullam Khan, Zabar Khan, AbdurRahman Motara (Gloucester), Mansur Sadaq, Cheikh Zahir, Zarina Bhatia,Alan Morton, Mahmood Hussain, Mohamed Khan, Nasima Ali, Carole Swords,Arif Bagasi,
Mahjabeen Bhatti psychotherapist, Canada
Emanuele Vitali, Domenico De Filippis, Germano Monti (Italia)
Hedy Epstein (Deutschland))
Tinet Elmgren, Comic artist, Germany
Edith Lutz, Dr Phil. Germany
Lesley A. Esteves, Deputy Editor, Outlook Traveller Getaways, New Delhi, India
Prof.MassimoDe Santi (Presidente CIEP - Comitato Internazionale di Educazione perla Pace) - Patti Cirino - Federico Giusti (Pisa) - Enrica Palmieri(docente Accademia Nazionale di Danza (Roma) - Alessandra Festini -Alessandra Fava - Edvino Ugolini (Trieste) - Gabriella Macucci (Siena)- Maria Grazia Campari (Milano) - Lea Melandri - Claudio Ortale(capogruppo PRC Municipio 19 – Roma) - Francesco Bravetti (Roma) - Ettore Davoli (Roma) - Nello Acampora (Circolo PRC Campobasso) -Andrea Montella - Paola Baiocchi - Elena Montella - Elia De Pasquale
Enquires and endorsements please contact: IntMorb@Googlemail.com

Focus on Gaza - White Phosphorous

2009-04-02T04:06:00.000-07:00

In this week's show we hear how Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes for it's unlawful use of white phosphorous. Mike Kirsch a town in the US where white phosphorous is manufactured and shows locals the true human cost of the weapon.

Survivors of the war in Gaza take legal action and we meet a mother burnt by white phosphorous who tells her story.

Ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem

2009-03-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

Ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem
Dr. Marcy Newman writing from occupied East Jerusalem, Live from Palestine, 10 March 2009

An Israeli flag hangs from a Palestinian home in Silwan taken over by Israeli settlers.

Last week when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a press conference in Ramallah with Mahmoud Abbas, whose term as Palestinian Authority president officially expired on 9 January, a Washington Post reporter questioned her about the 143 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem that Israel intends to demolish in the coming weeks. She responded: "clearly, this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the roadmap." While some hailed this remark as a condemnation of Israel's ongoing ethnic cleansing project, it appeared to many on the ground as callous and flippant.

Since the press conference, the number of Palestinian homes Israeli occupation forces intend to level has increased from 143 to 179. It seems that the number of homes and families who will be forced from their homes, and many from their villages entirely, increases every day. Just this past week in the East Jerusalem area, 88 homes in al-Bustan, 55 homes in Shufat refugee camp, 35 Bedouin homes on the Jerusalem-Jericho Road, and 66 homes in al-Isawiyya were slated for destruction, affecting more than 2,000 Palestinians, most of whom have lived there for generations. Ras al-Amoud, al-Abasiyya, Sheikh Jarrah and Ras Khamis appear to be next on the list of targeted areas. The affected families see this method of adding new neighborhoods to the demolition list every day as a means of making it more difficult to challenge and protest these eviction orders.

I recently visited the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan, one of the many slated for demolition any day now. The roads into the valley where al-Bustan lies were all closed to Palestinian cars with border police blocking off almost every street. Like many neighborhoods in Jerusalem, the homes reflect a mixture of architectural styles from the Ottoman era to the present, although the Israeli government contends that these homes have been built "illegally" because they have not been granted permission to be built in the first place, a permission that is next to impossible for Palestinians regardless of whether they have an Israeli residency ID or citizenship. Such is the logic of colonialism and ethnic cleansing in Palestine over the last 61 years. And accordingly, a number of Israeli colonists have been confiscating and taking over homes and buildings to pave the way for the wholesale seizure of Palestinian neighborhoods.

It is this history of ethnic cleansing, particularly that of the catastrophe of 1948 when three-quarters of the indigenous Palestinian population were forced from their land and property, an event termed the Nakba, that fuels the solidarity work among Palestinians in Jerusalem. Following the lead of Umm Kamel al-Kurd who put up a tent near her home in Sheikh Jarrah after she was forcibly removed from her home four months ago, other neighborhoods in Jerusalem facing a similar fate have set up such tents as spaces for organizing and encouraging others to stand in solidarity with each neighborhood. Such tents exist now on the Mount of Olives and in Ras Khamis. One of the organizers of the solidarity tent in al-Bustan, Ahmed Siam, told me "We will not let history repeat itself. We learned from history. We will not leave our land like we did in 1948. If they come and kill my son, I will not leave. This is our land. Even if they kill me and only my blood remains, it will remain on this land." The 7,000 residents of the area intend to fight for their right to stay on their land rather than see it turned into a new, illegal Israeli colony.

The Silwan community is resisting this widespread confiscation of their land -- for the purposes of a tourist destination called "the city of David" as well as Jewish-only colonies already surrounding it -- by remaining steadfast and staying on their land as member of the al-Bustan Neighborhood Committee Fakhre Abu Diab stated in a letter written to Clinton: "If the Israeli eviction and demolition orders are implanted it will be a catastrophe for our families, children and elders who will suffer the most. In the face of this destruction we are refusing the municipality's plans and we will not leave our lands and houses nor our community under any circumstances."

The al-Qadi family outside their home in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan.

Already the elders and children, in particular, are bearing the brunt of the trauma from the news of this latest catastrophe or Nakba. In the heart of al-Bustan the winding, narrow alleyways with homes tightly packed inside remind one of Palestinian refugee camps. The al-Qadi family who has lived down one of these alleys for 25 years, and in this neighborhood for generations, includes seven children, none of whom have attended school since the orders for their home's demolition were issued by the Israeli occupation authorities. This is indicative of most families in al-Bustan. They explained to me that they are afraid to send their children to school because at any time they could be forcibly removed from our homes while the children are gone. Ironically, they told me, that two days ago the municipality opened a new school in their neighborhood, but they see this as part of the plan by the Israeli occupation authorities.

As the children suffer without their ability to go to school, so do the elderly. Like many families in al-Bustan, the Bedran family has lived here for centuries. Indeed, many of the houses lining the valley were built in the 1870s. Abed and Fatima Bedran built their home in 1980 on land their family has lived on for centuries; like most Palestinian families they built a new home to accommodate their expanding family. Abed, who is 82 years old, suffered from a stroke and is now bedridden after hearing the news of their eviction and house demolition orders for their neighborhood. They, too, refuse to flee their home.

These are just two of the families resisting the latest Nakba in Palestine, individuals who refuse to become Palestine's latest refugees. But the latest ethnic cleansing and colonization plans are not limited to Jerusalem. The number of homes scheduled for demolition in all of Palestine is growing every day. While the focus is on East Jerusalem in much of the international media, this week Palestinians in villages near Nablus and Hebron have also received orders to evacuate their homes. In al-Aqraba and Burin near Nablus, Palestinians are being forced to abandon 20 homes and barns by 26 March. As with the homes in East Jerusalem, some of these pre-date the 1967 colonization of the West Bank. Likewise, in al-Baqaa, near Hebron, eight homes are scheduled to be destroyed in a village whose lands have already been stolen for the purposes of illegal colonies and Jewish-only roads. Dozens of Palestinians will become homeless once their homes are confiscated. And in the village of Nilin near Ramallah, Israeli occupation authorities are in the process of expropriating 35.5 acres of land.

Although most of these families are separated by hundreds of checkpoints and established colonies, what the residents of these villages have in common is their steadfast determination to remain in their homes. From Nablus to Jerusalem to Hebron to Nilin they see their most potent means of resistance as remaining in their homes, refusing to live in a constant state of catastrophe, always on the brink of becoming the next refugees. Jawad Abu Ramoz, the son of a refugee from Hebron who fled to Silwan in 1948, is one of the thousands of Palestinians in al-Bustan who rejects a return to the fate of their parents and grandparents, literally and metaphorically.

All images by Marcy Newman.

Dr. Marcy Newman is Associate Professor of English at An Najah National University in Nablus, Palestine. Her writing may be found at bodyontheline.wordpress.com.

French company runs Israeli bus services to settlements

2009-03-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Adri Nieuwhof and Daniel Machover, The Electronic Intifada, 11 March 2009

A Veolia-run bus operates in the occupied West Bank. (Anne Paq/ActiveStills)

The international Derail Veolia and Alstom campaign is gaining momentum by coordinating efforts to pressure French transportation giants Veolia and Alstom to withdraw from the Israeli tramway project in Jerusalem that runs illegally on Palestinian land. With its involvement in this project, Veolia is directly implicated in maintaining illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the company is playing a key role in Israel's attempt to make its annexation of Palestinian East Jerusalem irreversible.

Veolia, for example, is heavily involved in the project with a five percent stake in the City Pass Consortium that holds the contract with the State of Israel for the construction of the tramway. The French company also has a 30-year contract as operator of the tramway. Activists and lawyers from Israel, Palestine, Australia, France, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom share information and work together to inform the public, influence local governments and politicians, and take legal action on this issue.

Veolia's activities in the light rail in Jerusalem are not only in violation of international law, but also contravene the company's commitments with respect to codes of conduct and conventions which regulate the activities of multinational corporations, some of which the company has itself pledged to uphold. As a transnational corporation, Veolia must comply with international rules governing corporate responsibility with respect to human rights. These include, but are not limited to, the Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (2000), UN Norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations (2003), OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (2000), including guidance in respect of Weak Governance Zones, and the UN Global Compact (2000). It is notable that Veolia is not only a participant in the UN Global Compact but has also contributed to the Foundation for the United Global Compact. Its first two principles state that businesses should support and respect the protection of international human rights within their spheres of influence, and make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses. Yet, by participating in the construction and maintenance of the Jerusalem tramway, Veolia flagrantly violates both of these provisions.

Veolia's painful loss of a $4.5 billion contract in Stockholm has resonated in Scandinavia. At the end of February 2009 the financial committee of Oslo city council adopted a policy to stop doing business with companies involved in violations of international law. This proposed policy has to be ratified by the city council. The parties in favor of the policy -- the Labor Party, Socialist Left Party and the Left Party -- hold the majority in the city council. The driving force behind the policy is longstanding city council member Erling Folkvord of the Red Party. In an interview with the electronic magazine Frontlinjer, Folkvord said "this apartheid-like transport system strengthens the occupation and annexation of Palestinian land. In this way the project contributes to the colonization of the Palestinian territory." Veolia has a substantial contract for collecting waste in Oslo. According to Folkvord the new policy will have consequences for Veolia in Oslo.

Veolia is not only involved in the illegal tramway in Jerusalem. In December 2008 The Electronic Intifada reported the findings of the Who Profits from the Occupation? project that Veolia is also involved in illegally dumping waste from Israel and the settlements in Tovlan landfill in the Jordan Valley. Veolia turns out to be a loyal partner for Israel in the colonization of Palestine. After receiving a tip from someone participating in the Derail Veolia campaign, research undertaken by Who Profits confirmed that Veolia is running bus services 109 and 110 from West Jerusalem to settlements in the West Bank. For instance, Connex bus 110 goes through road 443 in the West Bank to Mevo Horon and Givat Zeev settlements.

Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and the annexation of East Jerusalem are illegal under international law. Numerous UN resolutions and the 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Israel's wall in the West Bank have confirmed that settlements violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention -- which states "The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies." By running bus services Veolia is directly implicated in maintaining illegal settlements in the OPT.

In December 2005, Amnesty International in France invited Veolia to discuss its concerns about the illegality of the tramway. The company refused the invitation and informed Amnesty it had appointed an independent legal expert to study the file. Three years later one can conclude Veolia has not backed out of illegal activities that facilitate Israel's occupation of Palestine. Campaigners believe that a fair public debate on these issues would be illuminated by Veolia's publication of the advice it received: after all, what has Veolia got to hide if it is proud of its economic activities in the OPT?

Adri Nieuwhof is consultant and human rights advocate based in Switzerland. Daniel Machover is attorney and co-founder of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights based in Great Britain.

Israeli War on Palestinian Olive

2009-03-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

Israeli War on Palestinian Olive

By Khalid Amayreh, IOL Correspondent

Palestinians say hundreds of thousands of grown olive trees were destroyed and uprooted by Israel in the past few years.

RAMALLAH — Israeli occupation forces and protected Jewish settlers are waging war on Palestinian olive orchards throughout the occupied West Bank, especially in areas contiguous to Jewish settlements.

"Imagine watching the trees you planted and nurtured all your life being suddenly uprooted and destroyed by the callous blades of a huge caterpillar bulldozer," weeps Abdullah al-Hurub, an elderly farmer from the village of Dir Samet, near the southern town of al-Khalil (Hebron).

Uprooting olive orchards (Watch)

He has lost hundreds of olive trees to the Israeli separation wall, a mix of electronic fences and concrete walls Israel is building across the West bank.

"One raises the tree like he does his own child," says an emotional al-Hurub.

Thousands of farmers have to struggle, nearly on a daily basis, with Israeli army troops and Jewish settlers who are pursuing a relentless campaign to destroy Palestinian olive orchards throughout the West Bank.

Olive trees, some a century old or older, are extirpated by heavy machinery and replanted at a neighboring Jewish settlement or kibbutz.

Al-Hurub, like other Palestinian farmers, are left completely helpless to stop the theft which takes place in broad daylight.

"You can imagine the anguish and the mental pain we suffer watching our life-long labor reduced to zero in a matter of a few minutes."

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, there are as many as 10 million grown olive trees in the West Bank, covering more than 45 percent of arable land in the occupied territory.

The Israeli army has been targeting Palestinian olive orchards for many years.

However, the last two years saw a phenomenal increase in the destruction and bulldozing of olive fields.

Palestinian officials estimated that "hundreds of thousands of grown olive trees" were destroyed and uprooted by Israel in the past few years.

Most of these trees were destroyed by Israeli army bulldozers for the purpose of the construction the separation wall, which Israel claims is aimed at preventing Palestinian fighters from sneaking into Israel.

Israel is annexing large swathes of Palestinian land to build the wall.

In 2004, the International Court of Justice branded the 900 kilometers steel and concrete wall illegal.

The UN General Assembly has asked Israel to tear it down and compensate the Palestinians affected.

Declared War

The Israeli army has been targeting Palestinian olive orchards for many years.

Because of the Israeli wall, hundreds of Palestinian farmers were simply cut off from their olive orchards and other farms on the western side of the barrier.

Initially, the Israeli occupation army granted the farmers special permits to plough and harvest their orchards.

However, in recent years, Israeli security officials have been turning back farmers and owners, telling them that their property was confiscated.

In some instances, security guards would tell the frustrated farmers that the person responsible for granting them permits had died and that the land was simply expropriated by the government.

When Mohammad Shawamreh, a farmer from the village of Dir al-Asal, 22 kilometers west of Al-Khalil, tried to access his olive orchard through a small opening in the wall, the Israeli guard trained his gun toward him.

"He said 'if you walk another step, I’ll fire.' I told him that I possessed a permit to enter my orchard but he wouldn’t listen," Shawamreh told IOL.

"He said the man dealing with permits had died and that he didn’t know when a substitute would be hired in his place."

Shawamreh described the Israeli measure of denying him and other farmers access to their land as "a scandalous act of theft."

"First they told us this was a security barrier, not a border, then they told us that we would have constant access to our land, and now they are telling us the land has been confiscated," he fumed.

"I don’t really know if we are dealing with a state or with a gang of criminals and liars?"

Asked why he doesn’t take his case to Israeli courts, Shawamreh dismissed the suggestion as "irrelevant and ridiculous."

"Are you kidding? What courts are you talking about? In Israel, non-Jews can’t really dream of receiving justice. Besides, everyone knows that the Israeli justice system is effectively a rubber stamp in the hand of the Israeli army."

Symbolic

Olive trees have an immense economic, nutritional as well as symbolic importance for the basically agrarian Palestinian society.

Olive oil has always been and continues to be a basic and healthy food component for the average Palestinian family.

Moreover, the Olive Tree is considered somewhat "sacred" in the Palestinian culture as it is mentioned in Holy Scriptures, especially the Qur'an.

Palestinians often liken their continued survival as a people with the olive tree which can live for hundreds of years.

Similarly, the extirpation and destruction of a Palestinian olive orchard, especially by the Israeli occupation army and Jewish settlers, is viewed metaphorically as symbolizing the uprooting of the community itself.

Armed settlers, including students of Talmudic schools, known as Yishivot, often attack Palestinian olive farmers to drive them away and take over their land.

When farmers try to defend their crops, settlers attack them with firearms or call up the Israeli army which arrests the Palestinians for "entering a closed military zone.

Some influential rabbis, especially those affiliated with the religious-Zionist camp, teach that Jews may steal Palestinian olive crops because "this is a Jewish land that had been usurped by the Arabs."

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1236508996579&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

NOTE: In Islam, it is forbidden to cut down trees when making war.

IDF in Gaza: Killing civilians, vandalism, and lax rules of engagement

2009-03-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last update - 12:40 19/03/2009

By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

Tags: Israel News, IDF, Hamas, Gaza

During Operation Cast Lead, Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilians under permissive rules of engagement and intentionally destroyed their property, say soldiers who fought in the offensive.

The soldiers are graduates of the Yitzhak Rabin pre-military preparatory course at Oranim Academic College in Tivon. Some of their statements made on Feb. 13 will appear Thursday and Friday in Haaretz. Dozens of graduates of the course who took part in the discussion fought in the Gaza operation.

The speakers included combat pilots and infantry soldiers. Their testimony runs counter to the Israel Defense Forces' claims that Israeli troops observed a high level of moral behavior during the operation. The session's transcript was published this week in the newsletter for the course's graduates.

The testimonies include a description by an infantry squad leader of an incident where an IDF sharpshooter mistakenly shot a Palestinian mother and her two children. "There was a house with a family inside .... We put them in a room. Later we left the house and another platoon entered it, and a few days after that there was an order to release the family. They had set up positions upstairs. There was a sniper position on the roof," the soldier said.

"The platoon commander let the family go and told them to go to the right. One mother and her two children didn't understand and went to the left, but they forgot to tell the sharpshooter on the roof they had let them go and it was okay, and he should hold his fire and he ... he did what he was supposed to, like he was following his orders."

According to the squad leader: "The sharpshooter saw a woman and children approaching him, closer than the lines he was told no one should pass. He shot them straight away. In any case, what happened is that in the end he killed them.

"I don't think he felt too bad about it, because after all, as far as he was concerned, he did his job according to the orders he was given. And the atmosphere in general, from what I understood from most of my men who I talked to ... I don't know how to describe it .... The lives of Palestinians, let's say, is something very, very less important than the lives of our soldiers. So as far as they are concerned they can justify it that way," he said.

Another squad leader from the same brigade told of an incident where the company commander ordered that an elderly Palestinian woman be shot and killed; she was walking on a road about 100 meters from a house the company had commandeered.

The squad leader said he argued with his commander over the permissive rules of engagement that allowed the clearing out of houses by shooting without warning the residents beforehand. After the orders were changed, the squad leader's soldiers complained that "we should kill everyone there [in the center of Gaza]. Everyone there is a terrorist."

The squad leader said: "You do not get the impression from the officers that there is any logic to it, but they won't say anything. To write 'death to the Arabs' on the walls, to take family pictures and spit on them, just because you can. I think this is the main thing: To understand how much the IDF has fallen in the realm of ethics, really. It's what I'll remember the most."

More soldiers' testimonies will be published in Haaretz over the coming days.

Gaza survivors search for justice

2009-03-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

Three months after the start of Israel's 22-day offensive in the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera has returned to see how one family is recovering from their ordeal.

Forty-eight members of the Samouni family were killed in an Israeli bombardment and the survivors spent days trapped in the ruins of a house.

Now the survivors are looking for justice.

Al Jazeera's Sherine Tadros reports from Zeitoun

UK to Israel: War crimes law unchangeable now

2009-03-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:48:06 GMT

In 2005, Doron Almog managed to avoid arrest in Britain by remaining on board a plane at Heathrow airport

The British government says it cannot change for now a law that allows for the arrest of Israel's visiting authorities over war crimes.

In an unofficial message to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Britain said that due to Israel's public image in the country following its massive strike against the Gaza Strip, London believes it will be unable to pass an amendment to the legislation before next year's elections, Haaretz reported.

The Israeli offensive, namely Operation Cast Lead, triggered a wave of outrage worldwide as it left more than 1,434 Palestinians, including 960 civilians, killed and thousands more injured.

Suspected use of forbidden ammunitions, such as white phosphorus and depleted uranium, testimonies by Israeli officers on racist and religious motifs among their comrades, and UN reports of wanton killings of civilians raised protests to Israeli war crimes and 'even crimes against humanity' during the 23-day-long onslaught.

Under British law, UK citizens can press war crime charges against foreigners, who could be arrested upon entry into Britain once an indictment has been issued.

In 2005, Maj. Gen. Doron Almog flew to London but decided not to leave the plane when he was informed British police were waiting to arrest him.

An arrest warrant had been issued against him for his role in the controversial demolition of Palestinian homes in Rafah.

Almog remained on the aircraft and returned to Israel but his case has caused senior Israeli army officers in both active and reserve service, including former chiefs of staff and cabinet ministers (Ehud Barak and Shaul Mofaz), to avoid traveling to Britain ever since.

Britain's government, first under former premier Tony Blair and recently under his successor Gordon Brown, had promised to pass changes in the legislation so that private citizens would first have to obtain the approval of the chief prosecutor to be able to press war crimes charges.

While Israeli diplomats are seeking support for such an amendment from Conservative lawmakers, Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor on Saturday urged London to find a way to fulfill its promise.

But the British Foreign Office described the measure as "a complex legal issue".

MRS/DT

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=89321&sectionid=351020202

'IDF troops used 11-year-old boy as human shield in Gaza'

2009-03-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

Last update - 23:23 23/03/2009

By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies

Israel Defense Forces soldiers used an 11-year-old Palestinian boy as a human shield during the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a group of UN human rights experts said Monday.

IDF troops ordered the boy to walk in front of soldiers being fired on in the Gaza neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa and enter buildings before them, said the UN secretary-general's envoy for protecting children in armed conflict.

Radhika Coomaraswamy said the incident on Jan. 15, after Israeli tanks had rolled into the neighborhood, was a violation of Israeli and international law.

It was included in a 43-page report published Monday, and was just one of many verified human rights atrocities during the three-week war between Israel and Hamas that ended Jan. 18, she said.

Coomaraswamy accused Israeli soldiers of shooting Palestinian children, bulldozing a home with a woman and child still inside, and shelling a building they had ordered civilians into a day earlier.

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva said it would respond to the allegations later Monday at a session of the UN Human Rights Council.

There also have been allegations that the militant group Hamas used human shields, but UN human rights experts have yet to verify those, said Coomaraswamy.

"Violations were reported on a daily basis, too numerous to list," said Coomaraswamy.

Coomaraswamy, who visited Gaza and Israel for five days in February, said her list constituted "just a few examples of the hundreds of incidents that have been documented and verified" by UN officials who were in the territory.

She was the only one of the nine UN experts who compiled the report that was allowed into Gaza following the war. The experts covered issues ranging from health and hunger to women's rights and arbitrary executions.

The experts also noted reports that Hamas had committed other abuses. They said Hamas had been unwilling to investigate the allegations.

The report called for Israel to end its blockade of the impoverished territory, where they said more than 90 percent of people are dependent on food aid; allow Palestinians to move between Gaza and the West Bank; and investigate human rights abuses that occurred during the conflict.

Coomaraswamy has been a UN undersecretary-general since April 2006. She formerly headed the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission and reported as a UN special investigator on violence against women.

Coomaraswamy's comments formed part of a much longer report from nine UN investigators including specialists on the right to health, to food, to adequate housing and education and on summary executions and violence against women.

All cited violations by Israel - and in some cases by the Hamas Islamic movement that controls Gaza - during the invasion from December 27 until January 17 which Israeli leaders say was launched to stop rocket attacks by Hamas from the territory.

Palestinian officials say 1,434 people in Gaza - 960 of them civilians - were killed in the fighting, a figure Israel contests. The report from the nine gave the total as 1,440, saying of these 431 were children and 114 women.

The overall report was criticized in the 47-nation Council by Israel's ambassador Aharon Leshno Yar, who said it "wilfully ignores and downplays the terrorist and other threats we face," and the use by Hamas of human shields.

Leshno Yar said the 43-page document was part of a pattern of "demonizing Israel" in the Council - where an informal bloc of Islamic and African nations usually backed by Russia, China and Cuba has a built-in majority.

Another report presented to the Council on Monday came from Robert Falk, a U.S. academic and the body's special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Falk, whom Israel barred from entry last year after accusing him of bias and prejudice, said Israel had subjected civilians in Gaza to "an inhuman form of warfare that kills, maims and inflicts mental harm."

His report, in which he called for an independent experts group to probe possible war crimes by Israel and Hamas and also suggested that the UN Security Council set up an ad hoc criminal tribunal, was issued late last week.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood was asked whether the U.S. supports Falk's call for an independent inquiry into possible war crimes in Gaza by both Israel and Hamas.

"We've expressed our concern many times about the special rapporteur's views on dealing with that question, and we've found the rapporteur's views to be anything but fair. We find them to be biased. We've made that very clear," said Wood.‬

The Testimony from Gaza

2009-03-27T03:57:00.000-07:00

The Testimony from Gaza

Gershom Gorenberg

The soldier had served as a squad commander during the Israeli army's invasion of the Gaza Strip last winter. His unit was assigned to advance into Gaza City. His initial orders, he recalled, were that after an armored vehicle broke down the door of a building, his men were to enter, spraying fire: "I call it murdering ... going up one floor after another, and anyone we spot, shoot him." The word from his higher-ups was that anyone who hadn't fled the neighborhood could be assumed to be a terrorist. The orders fit a pattern: In Gaza, "as you know, they used lots and lots of force and killed lots and lots of people on the way so that we wouldn't be hurt," he said.

Before the operation began, he recounted, the orders were softened. The building's occupants would be given five minutes to leave and be searched on their way out. When he told his squad, some soldiers objected. "Anyone there is a terrorist; that's a fact," one said. The squad commander was upset. "It's pretty frustrating that inside Gaza you're allowed to do what you want," he explained at a discussion in February among graduates of the Yitzhak Rabin Academy, a pre-army training course.

A transcript from that gathering, published in an academy newsletter, reached the Israeli media late last week. (The full Hebrew text is here; a Ha'aretz report in English is here.) Predictably, it set off a storm. In contrast to earlier criticism of the Gaza campaign, this time charges of disregard for civilians' lives came not from Palestinians or the foreign media but from Israeli soldiers. Their testimony challenged the story of the war that is widely accepted in Israel and indicated a change, apparently dictated from above, in the Israel Defense Forces' rules for fighting.

The soldiers who spoke at the academy hadn't served together and weren't talking about a breakdown in a single unit. Instead, they described an atmosphere in which "the lives of Palestinians were, let's say much less important than the lives of our soldiers," as one put it. Every civilian was presumed dangerous, a potential suicide bomber. In one segment of the testimony that received wide media attention, a soldier told of marksmen shooting a mother and her two children after they took a wrong turn as they fled their home. (In response, the army hastily announced that the brigade commander had investigated and that the marksmen had only fired warning shots, without harming the mother and children.)

There were counter-instances. A soldier identified as Binyamin (not his real name) described leading a patrol along the fence between Israel and Gaza. If the soldiers saw a Palestinian come within 300 meters of the fence, the orders were to treat him as a potential terrorist: Shoot in the air; if the "suspect" didn't flee, shoot at his legs; then, if necessary, shoot to kill. But the 300-meter zone included farm land. Binyamin spotted an old man working in the fields. At first, the patrol's marksman fired over the farmer's head. The old man, apparently inured to gunfire, didn't respond. Binyamin and the marksman looked at each other. "We simply understood that neither of us ... wanted a farmer on our conscience." The patrol drove on. Telling the story, Binyamin added, "Anyone who thinks I hurt Israeli security can come talk to me afterward." His defensive tone suggested that his restraint was an exception to the wider atmosphere during the Gaza fighting.

Israel's "Operation Cast Lead" in Gaza began with an air campaign in late December, followed by the ground invasion in early January. The immediate catalyst was heavy rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled Strip at southern Israeli communities, after a six-month ceasefire between Hamas and Israel ran out. (The actual chain reaction leading to war was more complex, as I wrote at the time.) From the start, Israel deflected charges of causing excessive civilian casualties with several arguments: Palestinian casualty figures were inflated; many of the supposed civilians were really combatants; and by fighting from within urban areas, Hamas had turned the civilian population into human shields. The Israeli army also feared that nearly anyone in Gaza could be a suicide bomber. None of those arguments should be dismissed out of hand. The Palestinians were also engaged in a public-relations battle. Hamas did base itself in urban areas, and it is infamous for its use of suicide bombers.

Most Israelis regarded the war as defensive, and the reports from Gaza have gained little traction in the Israeli domestic arena. The soldiers' accounts may boost domestic criticism. As one of the soldiers commented, their experience reflected "a change in the rules for 'purity of arms'" -- meaning military ethics -- compared to previous Israeli wars. Another soldier explained massive use of firepower as a response to Israel's heavy casualties in the Second Lebanon War of 2006. "The intent was ... to protect soldiers' lives," he said.

Any army will seek to minimize its losses. That said, the Israeli army does have a code of ethics that demands a balance between protecting its own forces and avoiding harm to noncombatants. If the code were not simply violated but superseded by new orders this time, a critical question is, who gave the orders -- mid-level commanders, the top brass, or the country's political leaders?

One lesson that generals and politicians, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, may have learned from Lebanon, and from wars elsewhere, is that public support for a war can turn to opposition when the number of fallen soldiers increases. Similarly, direct media coverage from the battlefield can spur political debate. During the Gaza fighting, the Israeli army prevented both local and foreign journalists from entering the Strip.

There is at least one more reason that domestic support for a war can evaporate: failing to achieve the war's goals. At the outset of the Gaza campaign, Olmert said its purpose was to "change the situation in the south part of our country" -- a deliberately modest and ambiguous goal. Other officials spoke of weakening Hamas and restoring Israeli deterrence. While Israel decided to stop the fighting unilaterally in January -- just before Barack Obama's inauguration -- it sought a new ceasefire arrangement with Hamas, negotiated indirectly via Egypt. Olmert then injected the additional goal of a prisoner exchange to free captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held in Gaza since 2006.

There's still no agreed ceasefire in place. Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in January, over 180 rockets have been fired from there at southern Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces. That's less than the rate last November and December, as the ceasefire unraveled and expired. But it's much more than the sporadic launchings when the truce was in place. Arguably, Gaza's rulers have not been deterred from launching -- or from allowing other groups to launch -- missiles at Israel. Meanwhile, the talks on a prisoner exchange broke down last week, just before the soldiers' testimony was published nationally.

This is the familiar arc of a poorly conceived war. At first, it looks like necessary defense. The public rallies around in the adrenaline rush of solving an intolerable problem by force. The critics are few, or foreign, and easily dismissed. As time passes, it becomes more difficult to name what has been gained amid the horror. The moral price reveals itself. Criticism becomes mainstream and respectable and is entirely too late.

Time to believe Gaza war crimes allegations

2009-03-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

By Amira Hass Haaretz.com

Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi has difficulty believing the soldiers' testimonies that they intentionally harmed Palestinian civilians, because the Israel Defense Forces is a moral army, he said on Sunday.
On the other hand, he believes the soldiers because they "have no reason to lie." Then again,

Ashkenazi is convinced that if what they said is true, these are isolated incidents.
Ashkenazi reacted like most Israelis - as though the reports, including those in Haaretz and Maariv, were the first about the Gaza offensive that were issued by someone other than the military spokesman or the military reporters, who rely on him for their information.

But ample information was available from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reports, based on statements collected from hundreds of people in the Gaza Strip in January and February.

Ashkenazi, like other Israelis, could have read the Red Cross' protest during the offensive, that the IDF prevented medical teams from reaching wounded Palestinians by shooting at them. He or his aides could have gone to the Web site set up by Israeli human rights organizations, which was full of reports and testimonies.

His aides, had they wanted to, could have found the many questions foreign reporters sent to the IDF spokesman, seeking Ashkenazi's comments before they filed their stories. They had details about families killed by IDF shells and bombs in their homes, about the lethal white phosphorus shells and about the shooting of civilians waving white flags. The had cataloged the massive destruction of plants, orchards, fields, cowsheds and apartment buildings. Much evidence of these outrages was also published inside Haaretz.

The IDF's legal advisers must have read it all. Including, perhaps, that judges who participated in investigation committees into crimes in Darfur, the former Yugoslavia and East Timor want to set up a similar international committee to investigate "all the parties" in the IDF offensive on Gaza. These people have concluded that the events go beyond isolated incidents and that the problem is not only in the soldiers' conduct, but the instructions from the senior military ranks and the ministers in charge.

It's hard to believe that the chief of staff, defense minister and their aides haven't read at least some reports that were not issued by the IDF. But even if they did, why should they let on? After all, they are the ones who gave the orders.

Ashkenazi chose to look surprised, as though he were an ordinary Israeli citizen disregarding reports from parties other than the IDF, because they were based on Palestinian testimonies. Most Israelis "know" Palestinians lie, so their statements should not be taken seriously.

Gaza family tells of Israeli shooting & Israeli soldiers say killing of civilians 'allowed'

2009-03-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Gaza family tells of Israeli shooting

A family in Zeitoun in the north of the Gaza Strip have come forward to tell how Israeli snipers shot at them as they were marshalled from a building during the war on Gaza.
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid has their story.

Israeli soldiers say killing civilians 'allowed'

Israel's army is accused of war crimes after more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed in the war on Gaza.
In interviews published by a leading Israeli newspaper, Israeli soldiers say killing Palestinian civilians and destroying their homes was allowed in Israel’s rules of engagement during the war.
Al Jazeera's Sherine Tadros reports from Jerusalem.

UN: Gaza assault was 'inhumane'

2009-03-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

UN: Gaza assault was 'inhumane'

Israel disputes Falk's allegations and says Hamas used civilians as human shields [EPA]

The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories has said Israel's military offensive on Gaza "would seem to constitute a war crime of the greatest magnitude under international law".
Richard Falk called the 22-day bombardment a "massive assault on a densely populated urbanised setting", with the civilian population subjected to "an inhumane form of warfare that kills, maims and inflicts mental harm".
His findings were written in a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday.
Islamic and African countries backed by China, Cuba and Russia have a majority in the 47-member forum.
Neither Israel nor US, its principal ally, are members.
Falk said the Geneva Convention required forces at war to be able to distinguish between military targets and civilians.
If that is not possible, then "launching the attacks is inherently unlawful".
Israel launched its offensive on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip in December saying it aimed to stop rocket fire by Hamas into southern Israel.
A ceasefire was declared on January 18 after the offensive left about 1,400 Palestinians dead, many of them women and children.
Three Israeli civilians and 10 soldiers were killed during the offensive.
Blockade 'a crime'
Falk said that the Gaza border blockade also was not legally justified and may represent a "crime against peace", a principle established at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals.

In video

Gaza family tells of Israeli shooting

Israeli soldiers say killing civilians 'allowed'

Sealing the border, denying people the right to flee the war zone as refugees, may also be a crime against humanity, his report said. He said Israel's violations included alleged "targeting of schools, mosques and ambulances" during the offensive, and its use of weapons including white phosphorus.
He also condemned the firing of rockets at civilian targets in southern Israel by Hamas.
Falk called for an independent experts group to investigate possible war crimes committed by both the Israeli military and Hamas.
He recommended witness testimonies as well as explanations from Israeli and Palestinian military commanders.
Falk gave the same death toll from Israel's offensive in December and January - 1,434 Palestinians, 960 of those civilians - as the Palestinian Human Rights Centre.
Israel disputes the figures and accuses Hamas fighters in Gaza of using civilians as human shields.
Falk said Israel's allegation should be investigated.

Israeli rejection
Daniel Seaman, a spokesman for the Israeli government, rejected Falk's assertions, saying that his report contained no truth or legitimacy.
"The soldiers, questioned by our military authorities, are saying these [in the report] are not first-person eyewitness accounts ... these are stories they heard second hand," Seaman said.
He said every military in the world "at times makes mistakes".

Israel said its offensive was to halt Hamas rocket fire into southern Israel [EPA]

But "if we find our soldiers violated the code of conduct [in war], they will be dealt with, with the utmost severity of our laws", Seaman said. "We do not need a Richard Falk, who is notorious for his anti-Israeli position, to tell us how to conduct ourselves."
Falk said the UN Security Council might set up an ad hoc tribunal to establish accountability for war crimes in Gaza, noting Israel has not signed the Rome statutes establishing the International Criminal Court.
He was refused entry into Israel two weeks before the offensive started, preventing him from a planned mission to Gaza. In the report, he said the refusal had set an "unfortunate precedent" for treatment of a special rapporteur.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Santa Barbara, California, Falk said he is not optimistic that his report will lead to concrete action.
"There is a lack of political will on the part of several major governments," he said.
"There has all along been a pervasive double standard with respect to the implementation of international criminal law.
"It has been applied to non-Western countries in the south and has exempted actors associated with Europe, North America and, generally, the north."

Rules of engagement
Falk's criticism came as reports surfaced in the Israeli media suggesting that Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilians under what may have been lax rules of engagement during the Gaza offensive.
Quoting Israeli soldiers who fought in the offensive, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday that soldiers had ransacked and destroyed civilian property.
The soldiers' testimony, made at a course at Oranim Academic College in Tivon, runs counter to the Israeli army's claims that troops observed a high level of moral behaviour during the operation.

The testimonies include a description by an infantry squad leader in which he relates an incident where an Israeli sharpshooter shot a Palestinian mother and her two children, Haaretz reported.

If proved, the soldiers' testimonies could contribute to war crimes charges against Israel.
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid, reporting from Gaza, said that there was no doubt in the minds of Gazans that Israel committed war crimes during the assault.
"There is a certain level of satisfaction that these stories are coming out and that a body like the UN is saying the same things that they are saying," she said.

Source:

Al Jazeera and agencies

Gaza deaths dog Israeli military

2009-03-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Gaza deaths dog Israeli military

The Israeli offensive destroyed many buildings and left 1,300 Palestinians dead [AFP]

Reports have surfaced in the Israeli media suggesting that Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilians under what may have been lax rules of engagement during the Gaza offensive.

Quoting Israeli soldiers who fought in the offensive, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday that soldiers had also ransacked and destroyed civilian property.
The soldiers' testimony, made at a course at Oranim Academic College in Tivon, runs counter to the Israeli army's claims that troops observed a high level of moral behaviour during the operation.

The testimonies include a description by an infantry squad leader in which he relates an incident where an Israeli sharpshooter shot a Palestinian mother and her two children, Haaretz reported.
If proved, the soldiers' testimonies could lead to war crimes charges against Israel.

The Israeli army issued a statement in response to the Haaretz article saying it would look into the veracity of the allegations and investigate them if necessary.

'Damaging testimonies'

Al Jazeera's Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from Jerusalem, said: "Throughout the 22-day war the Israeli military had the position that it was not targeting civilians ... but now, for the first time since the end of the war, Israeli soldiers are coming forward with first-hand accounts of the types of military operations they were engaged in.

In video

Gaza family tells of Israeli shooting

Israeli soldiers say killing civilians 'allowed'

"These are very damaging testimonies coming in from the soldiers ... it could be a very problematic issue for the Israeli military. "Now the Israeli military is saying it will thoroughly investigate and is now encouraging the discussion by officers about any incident or incidents that may have been a violation to the rules of engagement.
"The important point to remember is that the Israeli military does not publish its rule of engagement, so it will be very difficult for the public to juxtapose the soldiers' testimonies with what is actually allowed by the Israeli military, in terms of operations and conduct during the war."

Mikhael Manekin, from Breaking the Silence, an organisation of veteran Israeli soldiers gathering evidence on the Gaza war, said the testimonies in Haaretz corroborate the group's findings.

"We should kill everyone there [in the centre of Gaza]. Everyone there is a terrorist"
Israeli soldiers

"The testimonies are very similar to what we have been collecting ... when soldiers are usually talking about incriminating themselves, I don't find any reason to doubt their stories," he told Al Jazeera.

Haaretz quoted one soldier as saying: "There was a house with a family inside ... We put them in a room. Later we left the house and another platoon entered it, and a few days after that there was an order to release the family. They had set up positions upstairs. There was a sniper position on the roof."

Shooting without warning "The platoon commander let the family go and told them to go to the right. One mother and her two children didn't understand and went to the left, but they forgot to tell the sharpshooter on the roof they had let them go and it was OK, and he should hold his fire and he ... he did what he was supposed to, like he was following his orders," it said.

Israel dropped bombs on Gaza saying it wanted to halt rocket fire from Hamas [EPA]

The paper said that the squad leader argued with his commander over the rules of engagement, which he said allowed the clearing of houses by shooting without warning residents beforehand. Israel launched its offensive on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip in December saying it aimed to stop rocket fire by Hamas into southern Israel.
A ceasefire was declared on January 18 after the offensive left 1,300 Palestinians dead, many of them women and children. Three Israeli civilians and 10 soldiers were killed during the offensive.

Haaretz reported that after the orders were changed, the squad soldiers complained that "we should kill everyone there [in the centre of Gaza]. Everyone there is a terrorist".
Legal protection
Danny Zamir, the head of the pre-military course, said on Wednesday that he did not know in advance what the soldiers would say, and what they said "shocked us".
He said that after hearing the soldiers, he told Gabi Ashkenazi, Israeli's chief-of-staff, about his fears of a serious moral failure in the army.
The chief-of-staff's bureau requested a copy of the transcript of the discussion, and Zamir provided it, Haaretz reported.
Israel has said it will give legal protection to soldiers who fought in the offensive, according to Ehud Olmert, the outgoing Israeli prime minister.
Olmert said recently that he had appointed Daniel Friedman, the justice minister, to chair an inter-ministerial committee "to co-ordinate Israel's efforts to offer legal defence for anyone who took part in the operation".

Focus on Gaza - Faction Fighting

2009-03-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

In this week's Focus On Gaza we look at two blows suffered by the Israeli army. Firstly a UN report which brands the recent Israeli war on Gaza as illegal.

Secondly the chilling accounts of a disregard for civilian safety from its own soldiers involved in the operation, published this week in a leading Israeli newspaper.

We also look at internal dischord among the Palestinian movement and the numerous factions involved.

In a special report our correspondent Hoda Abdel Hamid brings together two Gazan students one from each of the two opposing groups - living very different lives and separated by factional rivalry.

Our senior political analyst Marwan Bishara reveals the real chances of a unity government being negociated by the leaders of these factions in talks in Cairo.

Soldier says rabbis pushed "religious war" in Gaza

2009-03-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

Soldier says rabbis pushed "religious war" in Gaza

Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:54am EDT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Rabbis in the Israeli army told battlefield troops in January's Gaza offensive they were fighting a "religious war" against gentiles, according to one army commander's account published Friday.
"Their message was very clear: we are the Jewish people, we came to this land by a miracle, God brought us back to this land and now we need to fight to expel the gentiles who are interfering with our conquest of this holy land," he said.
The account by Ram, a pseudonym to shield the soldier's identity, was published by the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper in the second day of revelations that have rocked the Israeli military. (www.haaretz.com "Shooting and Crying, 2009").
They were leaked from a Feb 13 meeting of armed forces members to share their Gaza experiences.
Some veterans, alumni of an Israel Defense Force (IDF) military academy, told of the killing of civilians and their impression that deep contempt for Palestinians pervaded the ranks of the Israeli forces.
Haaretz and the daily Maariv, which also published the accounts, quoted over half a dozen soldiers and airmen. The institution's director, Danny Zamir, confirmed that Thursday's published accounts were authentic.
In longer excerpts in its Friday "Week's End" edition, the daily quoted 'Ram' as saying his impression of the 22-day operation was "the feeling of an almost religious mission."
There was a "huge gap between what the Education Corps sent out and what the IDF rabbinate sent out," he said. The corps's pamphlets told the history of Israel's fighting in Gaza from 1948 to the present, but the rabbinate's message imparted the sense that "this operation was a religious war."
The rabbinate of the IDF provides religious services, including overseeing preparation of kosher food, providing prayerbooks and prayer sessions and religious counseling to any soldier wants to participate. Involvement is not obligatory.
RELIGION IN THE MILITARY
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) has put the Palestinian death toll during the war at 1,417 -- 926 civilians, 236 fighters and 255 police officers. Israeli officials have disputed those figures. Thirteen Israelis were killed.
Israel faced global criticism over its assaults in densely populated areas of Gaza in the campaign, launched with the declared aim of ending rocket attacks from Hamas and other Islamist militant groups in Gaza aimed at its southern towns.
Hamas clerics have often called for "Zionist" blood to be spilled. The Islamists carried out dozens of suicide bombings in Israel before and during a Palestinian uprising that erupted in 2000, blowing up buses and cafes.
The Jewish state tries to balance the needs of its non-observant majority with religious tradition. While the military does not provide data on the disposition of personnel, observers report a disproportionately high number of soldiers and officers wearing skullcaps -- a symbol of Jewish faith.
One week after the Gaza offensive ended on January18 Israeli human rights group Yesh Din called on Defense Minister Ehud Barak to dismiss the chief chaplain, Rabbi Avichai Rontzki, who holds the rank of brigadier general.
It said he had distributed a booklet to soldiers fighting in the Gaza conflict quoting an ultra-nationalist Israeli rabbi as saying that showing mercy toward a "cruel enemy" was "terribly immoral" and advising soldiers they were fighting "murderers."
Barak responded to the IDF revelations Thursday by repeating Israel's description of its armed forces as the most moral in the world. The IDF said its judge advocate-general had ordered an investigation.
(Additional reporting by Dan Williams)
(Writing by Douglas Hamilton; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Gaza war crime claims gather pace as more troops speak out

2009-03-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

Gaza war crime claims gather pace as more troops speak out

Fresh allegations have come to light that gung-ho leadership inculcated a culture of disregard for Palestinian casualties

Israeli soldiers stand together at a military staging area before moving towards the northern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters

An investigation by a group of former Israeli soldiers has uncovered new evidence of the military's conduct during the assault on Gaza two months ago. According to the group Breaking the Silence, the witness statements of the 15 soldiers who have come forward to describe their concerns over Operation Cast Lead appear to corroborate claims of random killings and vandalism carried out during the operation made by a separate group of anonymous servicemen during a seminar at a military college.
Although Breaking the Silence's report is not due to be published for several months, the testimony it has received already suggests widespread abuses stemming from orders originating with the Israeli military chain of command.
"This is not a military that we recognise," said Mikhael Manekin, one of the former soldiers involved with the group. "This is in a different category to things we have seen before. We have spoken to a lot of different people who served in different places in Gaza, including officers. We are not talking about some units being more aggressive than others, but underlying policy. So much so that we are talking to soldiers who said that they were having to restrain the orders given."
Manekin described how soldiers had reported their units being specifically warned by officers not to discuss what they had seen and done in Gaza.
The outlines of the evidence gathered comes hard on the heels of the disclosure by the Oranim Academy's pre-military course last week of devastating witness accounts supplied by soldiers involved in the fighting, including the "unjustified" shooting of civilians.
The claims appear to add credence to widespread claims of Israeli soldiers firing on civilians, made by Palestinians to journalists and international investigators and lawyers who entered Gaza at the end of the conflict and in its aftermath.
With Israeli newspapers threatening new disclosures, the New York Times has weighed in with an interview with a reservist describing the rules of engagement for the Gaza operation. Amir Marmor, a 33-year-old military reservist, told the newspaper that he was stunned to discover the way civilian casualties were discussed in training talks before his tank unit entered Gaza in January.
"Shoot and don't worry about the consequences" was the message from commanders, said Marmor. Describing the behaviour of a lieutenant-colonel who briefed the troops, Marmor added: "His whole demeanour was extremely gung-ho. This is very, very different from my usual experience. I have been doing reserve duty for 12 years, and it was always an issue how to avoid causing civilian injuries. He said that in this operation, we are not taking any chances. Morality aside, we have to do our job. We will cry about it later."
These are not the first allegations of war crimes levelled at the Israeli military. Last Thursday, the special rapporteur to the UN Human Rights Council, Richard Falk, said that the assault on Gaza appeared to be a "war crime of the greatest magnitude" and called on the UN to establish an experts' group to investigate potential violations.
Attempts by the Israeli media to publish the rules of engagement for the Gaza campaign have been blocked by the military censor, but in the past couple of weeks the contents of those rules have begun to to emerge in anecdotal evidence - suggesting strongly that soldiers were told to avoid Israeli casualties at all costs by means of the massive use of firepower in a densely populated urban environment.
Worrying new questions have also been raised about the culture of the Israeli military, indicating a high level of dehumanisation and disregard for Palestinians among the chain of command and even among the military rabbinate.
An investigation by reporter Uri Blau, published on Friday in Haaretz, disclosed how Israeli soldiers were ordering T-shirts to mark the end of operations, featuring grotesque images including dead babies, mothers weeping by their children's graves, a gun aimed at a child and bombed-out mosques.
Another T-shirt designed for infantry snipers bears the inscription "Better use Durex" next to a picture of a dead Palestinian baby, with his weeping mother and a teddy bear beside him. A shirt designed for the Givati Brigade's Shaked battalion depicts a pregnant Palestinian woman with a bull's-eye superimposed on her belly, with the slogan, in English, "1 shot, 2 kills".
The claims have sparked a bitter debate within Israel's defence forces and wider society over the "morality" of the IDF and its behaviour in Gaza.
Since the first claims appeared, other Israeli media have run articles criticising the head of the military academy who revealed the soldiers' testimony, while others have run interviews with soldiers denying that the IDF had been involved in any wrong-doing and questioning the motives of those who had come forward.
"I don't believe there were soldiers who were looking to kill [Palestinians] for no reason," 21-year-old Givati Brigade soldier Assaf Danziger was quoted by Yedioth Aharonot. "What happened there was not enjoyable for anyone; we wanted it to end as soon as possible and tried to avoid contact with innocent civilians."

Israel violated humanitarian law in Gaza – Israeli lawyer

2009-03-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

Israel violated humanitarian law in Gaza – Israeli lawyer

22 March, 2009, 10:10

Although Israel had the right to use force in Gaza, it had no right to target civilians, believes Michael Sfrad, Israeli expert in international human rights and humanitarian law.

How many human right laws have been violated in the recent Palestinian-Israeli war? Michael Sfrad has spoken to RT’s Paula Slier about the sensitive issue.
RT: The Israeli army and most Israelis do not believe that they committed war crimes in Gaza. Why do you think they did?

MS: Most criminals do not think they commit crimes. For me there is no doubt that the Israeli defense forces have gravely violated international humanitarian law. They have violated the very fundamental principles of humanitarian law. Let's not forget that one of the major principles of humanitarian law is the principle of distinction which lays down that combatants must always distinguish between enemy combatants and enemy civilians and must always direct their weapons towards the combatants. Israel has targeted illegitimate targets. It decided that governmental officers, the Islamic university are all legitimate targets.

It has also violated the second most important principle of humanitarian law and that is the principle of proportionality. They have bombarded from the air the most densely populated civilian area in the world. We knew that it would cause massive injury and death.
RT: If we unpack what you are saying, the first principle – the principle of distinction. The Israelis have argued that it was Hamas's fault so many civilians were killed, that Hamas was using the civilian population as human shields. How do you respond to this kind of argument?
MS: Well the fact that one party violates international humanitarian law does not let the other party violate international law. Yes, if it's true, it must be investigated. These are allegations that I've never seen any proof for – but if it's true and Hamas militants had been hiding in the civilian population and waging their war from there then probably if targeted while engaging in combat then it was a legal attack by the Israeli defense forces if it operated according to principles of proportionality.

Michael Sfrad

However what Israel was doing in this war was by no means only responding to attacks. Israel has targeted certain targets that were not in the course of fighting. Israel has never explained why it targeted the type of facilities that I’ve mentioned. Like governmental officers, the Palestinian parliament, these were not installations from which war was being waged but installations from where Hamas was operating – the government buildings, the police buildings – they were all part of the war effort.
War is a use of force and international relations and international law. You are not allowed – according to international law – to go to war because you dislike the government. Maybe the Israeli government does not like the Hamas government but also that the Hamas government might be a government of criminals. Still, that does not allow Israel to go to war unilaterally, without a decision by the Security Council, without the backing of international community.
RT: You talk about self-defense. But is not it self-defense for Israel after eight years after being fired at to then launch this operation in Gaza?
MS: I have no doubt that Israel has the right to use force. That's not the question. The question is what kind of force and what kind of ammunition and which targets to choose.
RT: Do you think Israel used illegal weapons?
MS: I think it did, but I do not have the evidence, I have press reports, I have testimonies that were collected by human rights organizations in Gaza from the victims, and I have my understanding of how the Israeli army operates. But that's not enough in order to be sure that it did happen or it didn't.
RT: You talk about distinction but the Israeli army was very particular in what it struck. It only struck certain buildings. A lot of Gaza in fact was not damaged at all by Israeli military efforts.
MS: I challenge the Israeli army to allow an investigation. If it's true that the Israeli army was following international law and I am wrong the fact is that up till now the Israeli army and the government of the state of Israel are not allowing a professional independent external investigation to be launched.
RT: Why do you believe that?
MS: Because they have something to hide, because they don't want anyone outside the Israeli army apparatus to look into the deeds of the army and I believe that this is in itself a violation of international law.

RT: You spoke earlier about proportionality. But Israelis would argue that it's not their fault that Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas of the world and people had nowhere to run to.
MS: That is the fault of the Israeli army. The fact that there were no ways to go. Was it that difficult to create a humanitarian corridor which will allow civilians who do not wish to be in the war area, war zone? OK, we did not choose the war zone, but we could have let the ones who wanted to flee go away.
RT: Was that responsibility of Israel? Or was that responsibility of the international community?
MS: Absolutely the responsibility of the state of Israel. We have control over all the borders of Gaza, the air, the sea and the land boarders. We could have opened a gate.
RT: But how do you tell the difference between civilians and Hamas fighters?
MS: The fact that civilians are Hamas supporters means nothing in the eyes of the law. People can choose to believe in evil things, they cannot be punished for that. And the fact is that in Israel’s eyes the whole civilian population was an enemy. It seems to me something horrendous that it was a strategy for the Israeli government and Israeli army to put a pressure on the civilian population.
RT: Put pressure on the civilian population to do what?
MS: The brilliant logic behind the strategy is that if you put enough pressure on the civilian population, they will in their turn, put pressure on the Hamas.
RT: Has the opposite not happened?
MS: Of course it did. We need another generation, another 30 years to reconcile with Palestinians because of that war. Children who saw Israeli soldiers and Israeli helicopters will not forget that.
RT: How much of this war was motivated by internal Israeli politics?

MS: I think a lot of it. I don't think in a fairly democratic society that is wrong. The fact that the Israeli government was under extreme pressure to do something about the attacks on Israeli south, it's part of democracy. The way the war was waged was influenced by the politicians’ desire to have a zero casualties on our side.
RT: Are you calling for an investigation of the Palestinians to see if Hamas committed war crimes?
MS: Definitely. I'm not a Palestinian and I leave it for the Palestinians to do their own internal reflections. But as a lawyer who deals with international law and as a human rights activist definitely I think the Hamas has a lot to answer for. Hamas leaders must be investigated and tried for their deeds.
RT: Who do you think should be held accountable for war crimes? Is it the Israeli army or the soldiers themselves? It seems unfair to hold soldiers responsible in a country where there's conscription and at the moment we have the situation in Europe where many army officers cannot fly out of Israel, cannot land in these countries because they're wanted by international courts.
MS: International criminal law is about individual responsibility. If Israel as a country or the Israeli army as a legal entity is valid internationally, it might be responsible in international law for operations and for all kinds of civil remedies but criminal law is all about personal responsibility. The fact that war criminals must bear the responsibility for their deeds is a part of the attempt to educate individuals around the world. You cannot hide behind the fact that you're a part of a big apparatus that committed war crimes. You cannot hide behind the idea that you've just obeyed commands which the Israeli and Jewish airs, this is something that makes me shiver.
RT: You personally refused to serve and as a result you spent three weeks in prison. Are you surprised that not more Israeli soldiers refused to serve now in Gaza?
MS: I'm surprised and not surprised. I'm surprised because I thought more Israelis will be listening more to their internal moral voice. I'm not surprised because I know my country and I know what kind of education people go through since kindergarten and how slowly feelings and emotions that are racist in their essence, are creeping into everyone of us.
RT: Do you think the courts in Israel are doing enough to hold soldiers and Israeli army?
MS: The Israeli law enforcing mechanism is not doing even 1 per cent of what it should be doing regarding violations of the humanitarian law. Nor in Gaza, neither in the West Bank. The prosecution is not prosecuting, and when it does, it does with a lot of problems, so the message is very clear – there's impunity.

Dead Palestinian babies and bombed mosques - IDF fashion 2009

2009-03-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

A T-shirt printed at the request of an IDF soldier

in the sniper unit reading 'I shot two kills.'

Dead Palestinian babies and bombed mosques - IDF fashion 2009

By Uri Blau
Tags: Israel News, IDF, Gaza
The office at the Adiv fabric-printing shop in south Tel Aviv handles a constant stream of customers, many of them soldiers in uniform, who come to order custom clothing featuring their unit's insignia, usually accompanied by a slogan and drawing of their choosing. Elsewhere on the premises, the sketches are turned into plates used for imprinting the ordered items, mainly T-shirts and baseball caps, but also hoodies, fleece jackets and pants. A young Arab man from Jaffa supervises the workers who imprint the words and pictures, and afterward hands over the finished product. Dead babies, mothers weeping on their children's graves, a gun aimed at a child and bombed-out mosques - these are a few examples of the images Israel Defense Forces soldiers design these days to print on shirts they order to mark the end of training, or of field duty. The slogans accompanying the drawings are not exactly anemic either: A T-shirt for infantry snipers bears the inscription "Better use Durex," next to a picture of a dead Palestinian baby, with his weeping mother and a teddy bear beside him. A sharpshooter's T-shirt from the Givati Brigade's Shaked battalion shows a pregnant Palestinian woman with a bull's-eye superimposed on her belly, with the slogan, in English, "1 shot, 2 kills." A "graduation" shirt for those who have completed another snipers course depicts a Palestinian baby, who grows into a combative boy and then an armed adult, with the inscription, "No matter how it begins, we'll put an end to it." There are also plenty of shirts with blatant sexual messages. For example, the Lavi battalion produced a shirt featuring a drawing of a soldier next to a young woman with bruises, and the slogan, "Bet you got raped!" A few of the images underscore actions whose existence the army officially denies - such as "confirming the kill" (shooting a bullet into an enemy victim's head from close range, to ensure he is dead), or harming religious sites, or female or child non-combatants.

In many cases, the content is submitted for approval to one of the unit's commanders. The latter, however, do not always have control over what gets printed, because the artwork is a private initiative of soldiers that they never hear about. Drawings or slogans previously banned in certain units have been approved for distribution elsewhere. For example, shirts declaring, "We won't chill 'til we confirm the kill" were banned in the past (the IDF claims that the practice doesn't exist), yet the Haruv battalion printed some last year. The slogan "Let every Arab mother know that her son's fate is in my hands!" had previously been banned for use on another infantry unit's shirt. A Givati soldier said this week, however, that at the end of last year, his platoon printed up dozens of shirts, fleece jackets and pants bearing this slogan. "It has a drawing depicting a soldier as the Angel of Death, next to a gun and an Arab town," he explains. "The text was very powerful. The funniest part was that when our soldier came to get the shirts, the man who printed them was an Arab, and the soldier felt so bad that he told the girl at the counter to bring them to him." Does the design go to the commanders for approval? The Givati soldier: "Usually the shirts undergo a selection process by some officer, but in this case, they were approved at the level of platoon sergeant. We ordered shirts for 30 soldiers and they were really into it, and everyone wanted several items and paid NIS 200 on average." What do you think of the slogan that was printed? "I didn't like it so much, but most of the soldiers wanted it." Many controversial shirts have been ordered by graduates of snipers courses, which bring together soldiers from various units. In 2006, soldiers from the "Carmon Team" course for elite-unit marksmen printed a shirt with a drawing of a knife-wielding Palestinian in the crosshairs of a gun sight, and the slogan, "You've got to run fast, run fast, run fast, before it's all over." Below is a drawing of Arab women weeping over a grave and the words: "And afterward they cry, and afterward they cry." [The inscriptions are riffs on a popular song.] Another sniper's shirt also features an Arab man in the crosshairs, and the announcement, "Everything is with the best of intentions." G., a soldier in an elite unit who has done a snipers course, explained that, "it's a type of bonding process, and also it's well known that anyone who is a sniper is messed up in the head. Our shirts have a lot of double entendres, for example: 'Bad people with good aims.' Every group that finishes a course puts out stuff like that." When are these shirts worn? G. "These are shirts for around the house, for jogging, in the army. Not for going out. Sometimes people will ask you what it's about." Of the shirt depicting a bull's-eye on a pregnant woman, he said: "There are people who think it's not right, and I think so as well, but it doesn't really mean anything. I mean it's not like someone is gonna go and shoot a pregnant woman." What is the idea behind the shirt from July 2007, which has an image of a child with the slogan "Smaller - harder!"? "It's a kid, so you've got a little more of a problem, morally, and also the target is smaller." Do your superiors approve the shirts before printing? "Yes, although one time they rejected some shirt that was too extreme. I don't remember what was on it." These shirts also seem pretty extreme. Why draw crosshairs over a child - do you shoot kids?

'We came, we saw'

"As a sniper, you get a lot of extreme situations. You suddenly see a small boy who picks up a weapon and it's up to you to decide whether to shoot. These shirts are half-facetious, bordering on the truth, and they reflect the extreme situations you might encounter. The one who-honest-to-God sees the target with his own eyes - that's the sniper." Have you encountered a situation like that? "Fortunately, not involving a kid, but involving a woman - yes. There was someone who wasn't holding a weapon, but she was near a prohibited area and could have posed a threat." What did you do? "I didn't take it" (i.e., shoot). You don't regret that, I imagine. "No. Whomever I had to shoot, I shot." A shirt printed up just this week for soldiers of the Lavi battalion, who spent three years in the West Bank, reads: "We came, we saw, we destroyed!" - alongside images of weapons, an angry soldier and a Palestinian village with a ruined mosque in the center. A shirt printed after Operation Cast Lead in Gaza for Battalion 890 of the Paratroops depicts a King Kong-like soldier in a city under attack. The slogan is unambiguous: "If you believe it can be fixed, then believe it can be destroyed!" Y., a soldier/yeshiva student, designed the shirt. "You take whoever [in the unit] knows how to draw and then you give it to the commanders before printing," he explained. What is the soldier holding in his hand? Y. "A mosque. Before I drew the shirt I had some misgivings, because I wanted it to be like King Kong, but not too monstrous. The one holding the mosque - I wanted him to have a more normal-looking face, so it wouldn't look like an anti-Semitic cartoon. Some of the people who saw it told me, 'Is that what you've got to show for the IDF? That it destroys homes?' I can understand people who look at this from outside and see it that way, but I was in Gaza and they kept emphasizing that the object of the operation was to wreak destruction on the infrastructure, so that the price the Palestinians and the leadership pay will make them realize that it isn't worth it for them to go on shooting. So that's the idea of 'we're coming to destroy' in the drawing." According to Y., most of these shirts are worn strictly in an army context, not in civilian life. "And within the army people look at it differently," he added. "I don't think I would walk down the street in this shirt, because it would draw fire. Even at my yeshiva I don't think people would like it." Y. also came up with a design for the shirt his unit printed at the end of basic training. It shows a clenched fist shattering the symbol of the Paratroops Corps. Where does the fist come from? "It's reminiscent of [Rabbi Meir] Kahane's symbol. I borrowed it from an emblem for something in Russia, but basically it's supposed to look like Kahane's symbol, the one from 'Kahane Was Right' - it's a sort of joke. Our company commander is kind of gung-ho." Was the shirt printed? "Yes. It was a company shirt. We printed about 100 like that." This past January, the "Night Predators" demolitions platoon from Golani's Battalion 13 ordered a T-shirt showing a Golani devil detonating a charge that destroys a mosque. An inscription above it says, "Only God forgives." One of the soldiers in the platoon downplays it: "It doesn't mean much, it's just a T-shirt from our platoon. It's not a big deal. A friend of mine drew a picture and we made it into a shirt." What's the idea behind "Only God forgives"? The soldier: "It's just a saying." No one had a problem with the fact that a mosque gets blown up in the picture? "I don't see what you're getting at. I don't like the way you're going with this. Don't take this somewhere you're not supposed to, as though we hate Arabs." After Operation Cast Lead, soldiers from that battalion printed a T-shirt depicting a vulture sexually penetrating Hamas' prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, accompanied by a particularly graphic slogan. S., a soldier in the platoon that ordered the shirt, said the idea came from a similar shirt, printed after the Second Lebanon War, that featured Hassan Nasrallah instead of Haniyeh. "They don't okay things like that at the company level. It's a shirt we put out just for the platoon," S. explained. What's the problem with this shirt? S.: "It bothers some people to see these things, from a religious standpoint ..." How did people who saw it respond? "We don't have that many Orthodox people in the platoon, so it wasn't a problem. It's just something the guys want to put out. It's more for wearing around the house, and not within the companies, because it bothers people. The Orthodox mainly. The officers tell us it's best not to wear shirts like this on the base." The sketches printed in recent years at the Adiv factory, one of the largest of its kind in the country, are arranged in drawers according to the names of the units placing the orders: Paratroops, Golani, air force, sharpshooters and so on. Each drawer contains hundreds of drawings, filed by year. Many of the prints are cartoons and slogans relating to life in the unit, or inside jokes that outsiders wouldn't get (and might not care to, either), but a handful reflect particular aggressiveness, violence and vulgarity. Print-shop manager Haim Yisrael, who has worked there since the early 1980s, said Adiv prints around 1,000 different patterns each month, with soldiers accounting for about half. Yisrael recalled that when he started out, there were hardly any orders from the army. "The first ones to do it were from the Nahal brigade," he said. "Later on other infantry units started printing up shirts, and nowadays any course with 15 participants prints up shirts." From time to time, officers complain. "Sometimes the soldiers do things that are inside jokes that only they get, and sometimes they do something foolish that they take to an extreme," Yisrael explained. "There have been a few times when commanding officers called and said, 'How can you print things like that for soldiers?' For example, with shirts that trashed the Arabs too much. I told them it's a private company, and I'm not interested in the content. I can print whatever I like. We're neutral. There have always been some more extreme and some less so. It's just that now more people are making shirts."

Race to be unique

Evyatar Ben-Tzedef, a research associate at the International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism and former editor of the IDF publication Maarachot, said the phenomenon of custom-made T-shirts is a product of "the infantry's insane race to be unique. I, for example, had only one shirt that I received after the Yom Kippur War. It said on it, 'The School for Officers,' and that was it. What happened since then is a product of the decision to assign every unit an emblem and a beret. After all, there used to be very few berets: black, red or green. This changed in the 1990s. [The shirts] developed because of the fact that for bonding purposes, each unit created something that was unique to it. "These days the content on shirts is sometimes deplorable," Ben-Tzedef explained. "It stems from the fact that profanity is very acceptable and normative in Israel, and that there is a lack of respect for human beings and their environment, which includes racism aimed in every direction." Yossi Kaufman, who moderates the army and defense forum on the Web site Fresh, served in the Armored Corps from 1996 to 1999. "I also drew shirts, and I remember the first one," he said. "It had a small emblem on the front and some inside joke, like, 'When we die, we'll go to heaven, because we've already been through hell.'" Kaufman has also been exposed to T-shirts of the sort described here. "I know there are shirts like these," he says. "I've heard and also seen a little. These are not shirts that soldiers can wear in civilian life, because they would get stoned, nor at a battalion get-together, because the battalion commander would be pissed off. They wear them on very rare occasions. There's all sorts of black humor stuff, mainly from snipers, such as, 'Don't bother running because you'll die tired' - with a drawing of a Palestinian boy, not a terrorist. There's a Golani or Givati shirt of a soldier raping a girl, and underneath it says, 'No virgins, no terror attacks.' I laughed, but it was pretty awful. When I was asked once to draw things like that, I said it wasn't appropriate." The IDF Spokesman's Office comments on the phenomenon: "Military regulations do not apply to civilian clothing, including shirts produced at the end of basic training and various courses. The designs are printed at the soldiers' private initiative, and on civilian shirts. The examples raised by Haaretz are not in keeping with the values of the IDF spirit, not representative of IDF life, and are in poor taste. Humor of this kind deserves every condemnation and excoriation. The IDF intends to take action for the immediate eradication of this phenomenon. To this end, it is emphasizing to commanding officers that it is appropriate, among other things, to take discretionary and disciplinary measures against those involved in acts of this sort." Shlomo Tzipori, a lieutenant colonel in the reserves and a lawyer specializing in martial law, said the army does bring soldiers up on charges for offenses that occur outside the base and during their free time. According to Tzipori, slogans that constitute an "insult to the army or to those in uniform" are grounds for court-martial, on charges of "shameful conduct" or "disciplinary infraction," which are general clauses in judicial martial law. Sociologist Dr. Orna Sasson-Levy, of Bar-Ilan University, author of "Identities in Uniform: Masculinities and Femininities in the Israeli Military," said that the phenomenon is "part of a radicalization process the entire country is undergoing, and the soldiers are at its forefront. I think that ever since the second intifada there has been a continual shift to the right. The pullout from Gaza and its outcome - the calm that never arrived - led to a further shift rightward. "This tendency is most strikingly evident among soldiers who encounter various situations in the territories on a daily basis. There is less meticulousness than in the past, and increasing callousness. There is a perception that the Palestinian is not a person, a human being entitled to basic rights, and therefore anything may be done to him." Could the printing of clothing be viewed also as a means of venting aggression? Sasson-Levy: "No. I think it strengthens and stimulates aggression and legitimizes it. What disturbs me is that a shirt is something that has permanence. The soldiers later wear it in civilian life; their girlfriends wear it afterward. It is not a statement, but rather something physical that remains, that is out there in the world. Beyond that, I think the link made between sexist views and nationalist views, as in the 'Screw Haniyeh' shirt, is interesting. National chauvinism and gender chauvinism combine and strengthen one another. It establishes a masculinity shaped by violent aggression toward women and Arabs; a masculinity that considers it legitimate to speak in a crude and violent manner toward women and Arabs." Col. (res.) Ron Levy began his military service in the Sayeret Matkal elite commando force before the Six-Day War. He was the IDF's chief psychologist, and headed the army's mental health department in the 1980s. Levy: "I'm familiar with things of this sort going back 40, 50 years, and each time they take a different form. Psychologically speaking, this is one of the ways in which soldiers project their anger, frustration and violence. It is a certain expression of things, which I call 'below the belt.'" Do you think this a good way to vent anger? Levy: "It's safe. But there are also things here that deviate from the norm, and you could say that whoever is creating these things has reached some level of normality. He gives expression to the fact that what is considered abnormal today might no longer be so tomorrow."

Walking in somebody's shoes

2009-03-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

It was interesting when some western officials commented on the Israeli atrocities against Gaza saying that when they walk in the Israeli shoes they find themselves doing whatever it takes to “defend” themselves.

You know this was outrageous to my people here.

Everybody, including taxi drivers, kept murmuring with anger:

what about walking on some occupied people shoes? What about walking in some starved Palestinian boy shoes?
What about walking in the shoes of some Palestinian mother who had her babies burned right under her sight? What about walking in the shoes of a people who have been suffering for more than sixty years, experiencing all kinds of deportation, killing, terror and persecution?

What about walking in the shoes of a poor peasant who have been expelled from his land in order to build illegal settlements?
What about walking in the shoes of labourers who are literally enslaved in Israeli factories? What about walking in the shoes of school children have the Israeli gun pointed to their faces in check points? Pregnant women who give birth in the check points? What about walking in the shoes of innocent people who woke up someday to find some strangers speaking a strange language look like foreigners, bombing them and telling them to leave a land which was their country for thousands years… because the UN decided in moment that their country Is no more theirs?
My people are asking silly questions. That is because…..

Palestinians DO NOT WEAR SHOES

They cannot afford it.

Zionism is the problem

2009-03-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

The Zionist ideal of a Jewish state is keeping Israelis and Palestinians from living in peace.

By Ben Ehrenreich
March 15, 2009

It's hard to imagine now, but in 1944, six years after Kristallnacht, Lessing J. Rosenwald, president of the American Council for Judaism, felt comfortable equating the Zionist ideal of Jewish statehood with "the concept of a racial state -- the Hitlerian concept." For most of the last century, a principled opposition to Zionism was a mainstream stance within American Judaism.

Even after the foundation of Israel, anti-Zionism was not a particularly heretical position. Assimilated Reform Jews like Rosenwald believed that Judaism should remain a matter of religious rather than political allegiance; the ultra-Orthodox saw Jewish statehood as an impious attempt to "push the hand of God"; and Marxist Jews -- my grandparents among them -- tended to see Zionism, and all nationalisms, as a distraction from the more essential struggle between classes.

To be Jewish, I was raised to believe, meant understanding oneself as a member of a tribe that over and over had been cast out, mistreated, slaughtered. Millenniums of oppression that preceded it did not entitle us to a homeland or a right to self-defense that superseded anyone else's. If they offered us anything exceptional, it was a perspective on oppression and an obligation born of the prophetic tradition: to act on behalf of the oppressed and to cry out at the oppressor.

For the last several decades, though, it has been all but impossible to cry out against the Israeli state without being smeared as an anti-Semite, or worse. To question not just Israel's actions, but the Zionist tenets on which the state is founded, has for too long been regarded an almost unspeakable blasphemy.

Yet it is no longer possible to believe with an honest conscience that the deplorable conditions in which Palestinians live and die in Gaza and the West Bank come as the result of specific policies, leaders or parties on either side of the impasse. The problem is fundamental: Founding a modern state on a single ethnic or religious identity in a territory that is ethnically and religiously diverse leads inexorably either to politics of exclusion (think of the 139-square-mile prison camp that Gaza has become) or to wholesale ethnic cleansing. Put simply, the problem is Zionism.

It has been argued that Zionism is an anachronism, a leftover ideology from the era of 19th century romantic nationalisms wedged uncomfortably into 21st century geopolitics. But Zionism is not merely outdated. Even before 1948, one of its basic oversights was readily apparent: the presence of Palestinians in Palestine. That led some of the most prominent Jewish thinkers of the last century, many of them Zionists, to balk at the idea of Jewish statehood. The Brit Shalom movement -- founded in 1925 and supported at various times by Martin Buber, Hannah Arendt and Gershom Scholem -- argued for a secular, binational state in Palestine in which Jews and Arabs would be accorded equal status. Their concerns were both moral and pragmatic. The establishment of a Jewish state, Buber feared, would mean "premeditated national suicide."

The fate Buber foresaw is upon us: a nation that has lived in a state of war for decades, a quarter-million Arab citizens with second-class status and more than 5 million Palestinians deprived of the most basic political and human rights. If two decades ago comparisons to the South African apartheid system felt like hyperbole, they now feel charitable. The white South African regime, for all its crimes, never attacked the Bantustans with anything like the destructive power Israel visited on Gaza in December and January, when nearly1,300 Palestinians were killed, one-third of them children.

Israeli policies have rendered the once apparently inevitable two-state solution less and less feasible. Years of Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem have methodically diminished the viability of a Palestinian state. Israel's new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has even refused to endorse the idea of an independent Palestinian state, which suggests an immediate future of more of the same: more settlements, more punitive assaults.

All of this has led to a revival of the Brit Shalom idea of a single, secular binational state in which Jews and Arabs have equal political rights. The obstacles are, of course, enormous. They include not just a powerful Israeli attachment to the idea of an exclusively Jewish state, but its Palestinian analogue: Hamas' ideal of Islamic rule. Both sides would have to find assurance that their security was guaranteed. What precise shape such a state would take -- a strict, vote-by-vote democracy or a more complex federalist system -- would involve years of painful negotiation, wiser leaders than now exist and an uncompromising commitment from the rest of the world, particularly from the United States.

Meanwhile, the characterization of anti-Zionism as an "epidemic" more dangerous than anti-Semitism reveals only the unsustainability of the position into which Israel's apologists have been forced. Faced with international condemnation, they seek to limit the discourse, to erect walls that delineate what can and can't be said.

It's not working. Opposing Zionism is neither anti-Semitic nor particularly radical. It requires only that we take our own values seriously and no longer, as the book of Amos has it, "turn justice into wormwood and hurl righteousness to the ground."

Establishing a secular, pluralist, democratic government in Israel and Palestine would of course mean the abandonment of the Zionist dream. It might also mean the only salvation for the Jewish ideals of justice that date back to Jeremiah.

Ben Ehrenreich is the author of the novel "The Suitors."