What is the State of Israel Up To?

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday July 05, 2008 02:21

by Justin Morahan

Stealing more Land from Palestinians, Imposing new settlements and Gassing a football match

Despite Israeli and International court rulings to the comntrary the Israeli army continues to build the Apartheid Wall, promotes the expansion of settlements and shoots live bullets, rubber bullets and tear gas at protestors or indeed anyone they decide to target. Mairead Maguire reports from Bil'in.

Last year, when she visited the village of Bil'in to address an international Peace conference, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace laureate was shot in the thigh at point blank range by Israeli soldiers under orders from the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces). She and Ann Patterson, who is also a native of Belfast were also tear-gassed - as were several other peaceful protestors at the Bil'in Wall.

Invited to speak at the same conference again this year, Mairead again visited the wall where she and many other brave people including internationals, Palestinians and Israeli non-violent activists were again tear-gassed by the IDF. Earlier in the day, while they were watching a football match between the Internationals and the Palestinians, the Israeli soldiers shot tear gas into the field of play, forcing all to leave, suffering from gas inhalation.

Here in a late but welcome account of her visit, Mairead reports on the Conference itself, praises the courage of the Palestinian and Israeli non-violent activists at Bil'in. gives a vivid account of the effects caused to women and children by the weekly IDF violence at the Bil'in wall and calls on international Governments to challenge Israel. She also calls for an end to the siege of Gaza, a stop to new settlements, and an end to counter-violence.

In a country where the Israeli army can ignore its own Superior Courts by continuing to confiscate Palestinian land, build the apartheid wall and create new settlements, Mairead reflects on the hopelessness of the situation in the minds of many Palestinians and Israelis.

In the middle of this unchecked and unmitigated disaster in Palestine, she sees in the Bil'in Non-violent Resistance Movement a light of hope that deserves our support.

Below is her account in full.

"BIL’IN GRASSROOTS NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE MOVEMENT – A LIGHT OF HOPE WHICH DESERVES INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT.

It is difficult to sustain a grassroots non-violent movement. The sceptics argue nonviolence doesn’t work, the militants argue only violence gets results, and many just sit on the sidelines to see which way the wind will blow. In Bil’in every Friday the wind blows, and it blows across the olive groves and into the homes of Bil’in villagers and lungs of young children playing in their gardens. On this wind is the tear gas from the metal gas cylinders fired by the Israeli military at the Palestinian villagers, the Israeli peace activists, politicians and International activists who have walked to the wall to protest its annexing of yet more of the Bil’in villagers’ land. I wonder to myself, as I watch the children, what this weekly inhalation of gas is doing to their young lungs, equally I wonder to myself what it is doing to their minds as they listen to the ambulances rushing up the road to assist the people injured with the gas, plastic bullets, and tragically sometimes, most recently, live bullets.

It’s the women and children who are suffering so much in this situation. During my stay in a Palestinian home, where I was treated with such unbelievable kindness, I was saddened as I watched the Palestinian mother, who suffers from migraine headaches, no doubt brought on by stress, struggle to bring up her family in the midst of violence, real hardship of unemployment, and little hope that things will ever get better. One of her young sons, Mohammad, showed me his tin of plastic bullets, CS canisters, and bullet shots, one of which was actually collected inside his own home and which hit his mother in the face narrowly missing her eye. Mohammad pointed to his mother’s scar on her face and then to the plastic bullet, which had been fired into their home by Israeli soldiers. The question for me is ‘what is this kind of military repression upon the Palestinians doing to the mental and physical health of the Palestinians? Also what is this violence doing to the Israeli soldiers and the Israeli people, who in their heart of hearts know that injustice is injustice and the occupation is wrong. Also what it is doing to the minds of the wider Palestinian society, many of whom know that the ‘armed struggle’ suicide bombings, Qassam rockets into Sderot, and other such acts of violence, is wrong.’? I found a lack of hope amongst many Palestinians/Israelis and people asking what can be done to break this mad cycle of violence and counter-violence?

For me, that is why the grassroots non-violent movement of the people of Bil’in (and in other areas of Palestine) together with the Israeli peace movement, is so important. It is a courageous movement of people, both in Israel and Palestine, who recognize there will be no military or paramilitary solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict. They recognize that this can only be solved by the civil community, together with all inclusive, unconditional dialogue and negotiations, by all political leaders willing to take risks for peace. Such a movement deserves our help, and that is why for the past two years I have gone to attend the Bil’in Nonviolence Conference and Peace Walk, to join in solidarity with the Bil’in villagers, andPalestinian/Israeli/International grassroots activists to protest the Wall. (This wall has been declared illegal by the International Court of Justice).

For over 3 years now, every Friday, the villagers of Bil’in (outside Ramallah in the occupied terrorities of Palestine) have gathered in their mosque to pray, and afterwards walk down the road to the fence which marks the route of the wall at the end of their village. They are nonviolently resisting the continuing building of the wall both by weekly protests and also through the Israeli courts. In 2007 the villagers of Bil’in won an Israeli high court of Justice decision to remove the Israeli wall that separates the village from its land; However, the Israeli army refused to comply with the order for ‘security reasons’. The court ruling also forbids the settlers from expanding the settlement of Mitetyaho Mizrah which is build on the village land. However on 26th May, 2008, Israeli settlers installed six mobile homes on the villagers land sending out a clear sign that they are going to expand their illegal settlement. The villagers tried to stop the installation of the mobile homes but the Israeli soldiers prevented them and protected the settlers as they erected the mobile homes.

The Third Bil’in Conference held June 4-6th, 2008 addressed many issues, including the extension of the settlement and building of the mobile homes. The Villagers Lawyer updated them on developments but pointed out that the installation of the mobile homes changes facts on the grounds and this could well change the original Israeli court decision against the villagers. Attending the Conference was Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, the representative of President Abbas, members of the PLO Executive Committee, members of the Palestinian National Council and representatives of various political parties and civil society groups.

It was a very successful three day conference with several hundred people participating, many coming from l2 different countries, and including Louise Morgantini, Deputy Speaker of the EU Parliament. On the second day, the participants split up into groups to visit surrounding areas of occupied Palestine, such as Bethlehem, Hebron. For those people visiting first time they were shocked by the heavy militarization, and growing apartheid system within the occupied terrorities. To see the continuing building of the wall and further Israeli settlements, particularly around Jerusalem, and fresh rubble of demolished Palestinian homes, is truly a shock to the system. Even after many visits to Israel/Palestine it was still for myself a profound feeling of unbelief and shock that such injustice upon the Palestinian people can go unchallenged by the International Governments, as the Israeli occupation and military apparatus, continues to be financed by the American Government. Talk of Peace Process by the Israeli Government sound hallow in light of the facts on the ground where they continue to ignore USA and UN resolutions and build settlements, etc., (The siege of Gaza and collective punishment to the point of hunger and starvation of the people of Gaza, by the Israeli Government, is both illegal and inhumane, and the siege must end, and ceasefires recalled by Hamas and Israeli military. The British Government and the EU, must act to help the people of Gaza, and challenge Israel that as it calls for ‘security’ it is in fact doing much to undermine ‘security’ with its ongoing repressive policies.)

The Conference stated as one of its goals the unification of the Palestinian people, in order to apply pressure on Israel for the implementation of the July 9th, 2004 ruling of the International Court of Justice, and UN resolutions which have largely been ignored, and take a firm stand regarding the Israeli defacto annexation of Jerusalem, the apartheid wall, and the continuing enlargement of settlements.

The conference also asked the Palestinian people to boycott all Israeli good and channel all its efforts in the struggle against the occupation towards peaceful popular resistance that has been proven to be the most strategic and successful in opposition to the wall, and thereby increasing the peaceful resistance that has its roots in the Palestinian struggle as exemplified in the first intifada.

The conference also asked International and European supporters to put pressure on their EU leaders to stop the proposed upgrade in their relationship with Israel in light of their violations of international laws. Many other actions such as boycott, disinvestment in Israel, , etc., were proposed as methods International supporters can use to highlight continuing illegal occupation. (see www.bilin-ffj.org for updates).

At the conclusion of the Conference the participants went to watch a soccer match between the Internationals and the local Palestinians. Minutes into the match the Israeli Occupation Forces shot tear gas into the makeshift football field and we all suffered from the effects of tear gas and had to leave the area.

Later we all walked to the Wall for a non-violent protest. Again the Israeli Soldiers fired tear gas and plastic bullets into the crowd. Many of us, including village women, Minister Mustafa Barghouti, Deputy Speaker EU Parliament Louise Morgantina, suffered gas inhalation, and an Italian Judge, was hit with a gas canister and hospitalized. (Last year as well, at the same place, I was hit with a steel tipped plastic bullet and overcome with tear gas. I subsequently received an apology from the Israeli Government).

I believe this violent repressive treatment by the Israeli military, of the non-violent peace movement is counter-productive as it feeds the anger and strengthens Palestinian military resistance, just at a time when many Palestinians are turning to support the non-violence resistance. After a long drawn out military resistance it is hard for many Palestinian militants to accept the military struggle is coming to an end. Consequently, those brave people who have taken up the non-violent struggle now, are doing so with a passion and an absolute commitment to stay with nonviolence no matter what the cost, no matter for how long. They passionately believe the solution is there and peace will come. However, they need help. They need the help of International Governments to convince the Israeli Government that they have Palestinians partners for dialogue and negotiations and to grasp this opportunity now. The Palestinians also need to see change on the ground, and that change is within the power of the Israeli government to deliver. Upholding the Israeli Court ruling to remove the wall that separates the Bil’in villagers from their lands would give hope that nonviolence works and strengthen those villagers who have put their lives on the line to say NO to violence, Yes to nonviolence as the way forward for the Palestinian people and their Israeli brothers and sisters.

I have great hope for the future of Palestine/Israel, and my hope comes from people such as the courageous villagers of Bil’in, and the Israeli Peace activists. I believe by standing together to reject the bomb, the bullet, and all the techniques of violence, and saying ‘yes’ to building justice and peace for themselves and their neighbours, they bring closer the day of peace for Palestinians and Israelis.

Salaam, Shalom,
Mairead Maguire
Nobel Peace Laureate (www.peacepeople.com) Bil’in, Palestine (June, 2008)".

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Comments (14 of 14)

work for peace

by leo bloomers

Sun Jul 06, 2008 14:45

Many thanks to Mairead & Justin for the posting. People from 'both sides' are working for peace & justice, but they need help & support to avoid a dreadful backlash of vengeance taking hold.
After the Nazi Holocaust, lots of Jewish people felt, or were persuaded, that they must be the meanest mothers around in order to survive, & winning feels good - hey, it puts you above those you've beaten, you're not trash for the ovens any more. But now we need to find a way out of perpetual war & subjection, & that's hard when you feel you belong to one race/denomination or other.
Certainly the greedy Western powers made a right old mess of their ex-imperial possessions, but that history is done, & we need a way for people to share lands & resources for a future without hereditary wars for our young ones.

Israel must talk with Hamas, the elected government in Palestine

Mon Jul 07, 2008 00:48

Every week there are reports and/or videos coming from Bil'in to show the naked violence of the IDF against the peaceful protestors in Bil'in. Again last Friday, two French activists and a Palestinian aged 65 were injured and scores were treated for gas inhalation. Rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear-gas were used again by the soldiers. As always there were internationals and Israeli peace activists joining their Palestinian brothers and sisters on the protest.

If peace is ever to come to Palestine and Israel, Israel must accept the offer of talks by Hamas who, after all, were elected to Government democratically. It's not good enough to talk to Fatah alone or to the President and try to make some arrangement over the heads of the elected members of Hamas and their ministers.

As Leo suggests the people from both sides who are working for peace need and deserve support. And the non-violence of the protestors must be understood as a mark of strength, not weakness.

Democratic focus on Israel.

by Edgar Regis Quinn

Mon Jul 07, 2008 02:01

The Israeli myth of victimhood needs to be exposed. The Israelis are a rich and prosperous state, thriving on a unchallenged myth. Just yesterday, in a ridiculous artice by a John Crown (Some medical person) in the Sunday Independent , he tried to compare Ireland to Israel as a like for like.

Dear John, Ireland doesnt get multi-billions a year handed to it, nor does it get a carte blanche for a brutal occupation covering a very violent ethnic cleansing operation from the US patrons.
The "Democracy of Israel " myth needs to be challenged at every level in any discourse on Israel/Palestine. The Israelis themselves need to be made to understand their deficit in the democratic world if they want to enjoy good relations and privileges of democratic status, same as we are being told to adhere to the European consensus on Lisbon even though we are actually defending the democtaric principle in rejecting it. europe needs to redirect it's focus on democracy.

We need to see Israeli commitment to a secure Palestinian state or we need to take the responsibility for that into the iEuropean or International order which Israel claims to support. We will take Israeli democracy seriously when it passes a single lithmus test by european standards.

historical precedent

Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:18

The attitude of the Western Powers towards Israel is something like the League of Nations' towards Germany in the 1920s & '30s: a mixture of guilt & appeasement, the idea that a strong government is desirable, & can deal with any problems. Except that now, the US & Europe are involved in the dirty work, occupying Iraq & threatening Iran.
There is much pressure on people to conform to racial solidarity, but the situation urgently demands that we find a solution for everyone, so that our young people don't have to inherit a hereditary racial war. In this way, there is a parallel between Israel/Palestine/Occupied Territories and Ireland/Northern Ireland/The North of Ireland.

Exageragtion

by Sceptic

Mon Jul 07, 2008 13:12

Europe is not occupying Iraq as you put it. There are a few British forces in an airbase near Basra who are cooperating with the Iraqi government in training and the like but that hardly amounts to a European occupation.

Support Hamas to support the Palestinian people.

by Edgar R Quinn

Mon Jul 07, 2008 13:59

" If peace is ever to come to Palestine and Israel, Israel must accept the offer of talks by Hamas who, after all, were elected to Government democratically. It's not good enough to talk to Fatah alone or to the President and try to make some arrangement over the heads of the elected members of Hamas and their ministers. "

All due respect Justin, but arent you painting a picture that fails to reflect the ferocity with which the Israeli hawks reject any dialogue that might forward the Palestinian position. The talks with Fatah are a wicked smokescreen hiding the reality of the worsening Palestinian position from the world. The "arrangement" of which you speak is an arrangement ot kill off Palestinian Independence forever.

Hamas are being forced to observe a one-sided ceasefire in Gaza just to try and get some supplies to the people who are dying in hospitals as we speak. All this talk of Non-violence is well and good but non-violence is only productive if the threat of violent resistance is credible behind it.

At what point do we call a spade a spade and recognise that Israel will murder and torture its way through all Palestinian resistance until the Israeli people genuinely believe that the international community stands in solidarity with the Palestinians and against Israel.

So far Hamas has been a dependable and trustworthy agent of the Palestinian people with a consistent position. Hamas deserves our support in it's actions.

A Passing Comment

by Mr Man

Tue Jul 08, 2008 20:19

"Hamas are being forced to observe a one-sided ceasefire in Gaza"
I was under the impression that the ceasefire had been adhered to by both sides. The ceasefire explicitly didn't apply to the west bank. I could be wrong though, can you give me a (credible) link to this effect?

"So far Hamas has been a dependable and trustworthy agent of the Palestinian people with a consistent position."
If by dependable you mean dependably militant and if you mean by trustworthy you mean you can trust it to run the economy into the ground and trust it to deliberately attack non-military targets.
I do concede that they have a consistent position. Consistently support the utter destruction of Israel.

UN reported an official 8 breaches of the ceasefire

by Edgar

Tue Jul 08, 2008 22:34

Yes you are wrong, the ceasefire would not have included the West Bank initially as you say but it has certainly been violated already. Here is a report from a pro-Israel perspective highlighting the breaches in the UN report recently. 7 by Israel and one by the Palestinians but it was not Hamas. The Israelis have been firing at any Palestinians coming near the fence.And have declared publicly a 300 metre free fire zone into Gaza.
None of this mentions the freeing of the borders which hasnt been implemented properly, which was solely the Israeli side of the agreement.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3560972,00.html

Hamas maintain a consistent position as mandated by the people and that is rare in politics.

What is Israel up to ?

by Liz Mann

Wed Jul 09, 2008 16:57

Israel is up to what it is always up to, trying to figure out new ways to swagger around the middle East causing pain and suffering whilst feeling oh so sorry for itself.

Here is comments coming from Dov Weisglass about where is Israel is slacking up :

"Once upon a time, when our founding fathers were in power, that same Mossad which Nasrallah now disparages would have eliminated him a long time ago. However, Israel today is not the Israel it used to be. "

The glory days when Israel would simply kill off anybody it perceives as a threat are to be romanticised by such figures. As are the brutal tactics of Ariel Sharon and his band of terrorists and throat slitters in Commando Unit 101 some years back.

This is what Israel is up to, figuring out new ways to instill fear in the Middle East so that it can enjoy the feeling of power again. We shouldnt be surprised as this is the same guy who wanted to put the ordinary people of Gaza on a diet that would not quite kill them. Only disappointed now because Gaza does not fear Israel.

What can I say - How can anyone possibly talk peace with people like this ?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3566070,00.html

Dear Liz

by Hugh Briss - Smersch

Wed Jul 09, 2008 20:02

Much as I understand your frustration, to make statements like

How can anyone possibly talk peace with people like this ?

sounds like the mirror opposite of the Zionist hawks.

At the end of the day, one can't make peace with one's friends, one has to make peace with one's enemies. That goes for both sides. The Palestinians are never going to get a fair deal, so anyone insisting on holding out for one won't be doing them any favours. A viable state is the best they can hope for. They won't be getting that through any 'Road Map' that envisions a state made up of disconnected bantustans, however.

Didnt get your point.

Thu Jul 10, 2008 16:22

Dear Hugh,

I am not at all sure what your point is . You seem to be contradicting me or chastising me for sounding like a zionist hawk but then go on affirm that there can be no fair deal for the palestinians. Because , I presume, nobody can talk peace with people who have no respect for the Palestinians or any neighbouring country FTM , who they need to be able to scare better, according to Weisglass.

I agree with the poster above who said Hamas position should be supported in order to strengthen the ability of the Palestinians to highlight the bitter and hateful intransigience of the Israeli Hawks with whom they are being made deal by the internaitonal community.

Liz

Plot to destroy Palestinian Society for good in January 09.

by Reporter12

Thu Sep 25, 2008 14:33

" I have never heard such an excessive willingness on the part of the Palestinian Authority to work with Israel, except for a small period in the Spring of 1996. "

These are the words of one Khalid Amayreh , a journalist living in Palestine. He tells us that he has become aware of a plot by the the ruthless Palestinian Authority to attack and try to eradicate Hamas.

The head of the Fayadh government’s military intelligence, Majed Faraj began talking: “We are in the midst of a very difficult battle. There is an Arabic proverb: ‘the sea is before us and the enemy is after us.’ We don’t even have a sea. We have decided to fight the battle until the end. We have decided to put all our problems on the table. Every thing is clear. No game-playing. Hamas is the enemy, and we have decided to wage an all-out war against Hamas. And I tell you there will be no dialogue with Hamas, for he who wants to kill you, kill him first. You have reached a truce with them, but we won’t do so. "

He tells us that at a meeting between Palestinian police and the Israeli military Abu al Fath , the commander of the General Security Apparatus of the Fayyad government some terrifying arrangement are underway. Abu al Fath is the most senior and highest ranking officer among the heads of the Palestinian security agencies. “There is no conflict between us,” he told the Israeli army commanders. “We have a common enemy.”

Khalid Amayreh says that he was surprised by the things that the Palestinian security commanders uttered.

He explains that the gist of their plan is that a " violent confrontation between Fatah and Hamas will take place in January of 2009. On the 9th of January Abu Mazen’s presidential term will expire. He is determined to stay in office until January 2010. We can’t rule out the possibility that Abu Mazen will declare the Gaza Strip a “rebellious province” ".

As for providing protection for the Palestinians of Hebron from the violence of the Israeli settlers it was made clear that they have no interest in providing security there : " I know there is a problem with the settlers in Hebron and the frictions spots there. I have no intention to enter these spots. The regiment will operate in the villages of Southern Hebron. "

Seems like no matter what else goes on that the core strategy of Israel and the US continues and this time it is clearly through their willing clients in Mahmoud Abbas' PA. That strategy is to divide and destroy Palestinians society through war. All talks of peace and Setllement freezing and Annapolis and quartets becomes a very sick Western Joke against such a backdrop as painted in this article.

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/09/journalist-disclo...ting/

Dahlans army

by Hubris

Thu Sep 25, 2008 16:14

U.S. funded traing in Jordan for Mohammed Dahlan's Death Squads

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2008/09/dahlan-army-about....html

Mr Dahlan could be described as a Neo-Con approved Capo for the Palestinian people

Palestine society ? What society?

by Frank Adam - private citizen

Mon Oct 27, 2008 21:10

If the Palestine nation were more than a fake-up excuse to refuse peace to Israel? If there were a real Palestine society and nation they would have long ago created a working government and society as Michael Collins and his colleagues did in spite of the British and as the Israelis ditto even before 1947.

The simple truth of the Arab tragedy in Palestine is that they have never had a civil programme to fit what they can acheive militarily and civilly; have never stopped to tailor their aims with reality; have not been very able at judging diminishing returns; nor considering that some clever clever tactic might conjure up an unpleasant counter move - which has been the story of the years since the ineffable Arafat's return to the area.

Remember the first intifada with limited scales of Arab violence also politically limited Israeli counter strokes and the borders with Israel were not closed and the flow of wages from jobs in Israel did not cease - despite the arab initiated war - or why else was it called intifada?

Some have said that Arafat started the El Aqsa Intifada not because the Arabs hated Israel, but to make sure they did. Knives and kamikazes against Israeli civilians closed the borders and built the fencing. If you want to be independent; be independent; but then do not complain if standing on your own is difficult; and where are all the Egyptian Arab bretheren's supplies if any? other than at extortionate smuggling prices? Israel is not actually reponsible for Gaza and if she is blockading what is an obviously hostile entity rocketing her civilians, she does not actually occupy it - unless you are into Humpty Dumpty English? Fortunately the World financial crash has already drastically reduced the column inches to reality of the sideshow it always was and is, so Hamas has calmed down for a bit and long may it do so to think rather than mouth off medieval bile as substitute for self improvement. FDA

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What is the State of Israel Up To?

Comments (14 of 14)