Does this deserve a “Sh’hechiyanu”?

by Lawrence Zweig

Here is a prayer that traditional Jews say when they do something for the first time in any specific year, and even in their life.

Last Friday I got my first dose of tear-gas and sound-bombs. It was at a demonstration against the occupation, the wall and other inhumanities, in the West Bank Palestinian village of Bil’in which is near the Israeli town of Modi’in, the Israeli colony of Modi’in Ilit and west of Ramallah.

The Bil’in protests in this form have been going on for over 8 months now, every Friday and sometimes during the week. My luck was that the soldiers decided (were ordered) to march into the autonomous Palestinian village before the demonstration could begin.

The demonstrators come from Bil’in, but are backed-up with international activists from the International Solidarity Movemant (ISM), the International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS), Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall, and Women in Black among others.

The provocative actions (occupation, wall, presence in the village) of the soldiers escalated to the point that drew reactions which, as the soldiers know in advance, means defensive actions on the Palestinian side such as stone-throwing (the Israeli system leaves them with almost no other way to defend themselves). The internationals try their best to defuse the situation by confronting the soldiers with demands to leave the village, lower their weapons and end the provocations, but were met with rubber bullets, tear gas, sound bombs, detentions, beatings, and the threat of even more drastic measures.

Once the soldiers introduced the violence, it was difficult to stop. The Israeli protesters often took the front lines shielding the others and confronting the soldiers with chants and yells of “go away”, “go home”, “stop this violence”, etc. in Hebrew and tried to put themselves between the soldiers and the others.

The soldiers, having no legitimate grounds for being there, pulled back. This gave the demonstrators the chance to come together and decide what to do, which led back to the “normal” Friday demonstration. These demos almost always end in violence directed at the villagers from the Israeli military to the protesters and the villagers.

I decided to say the last half of the prayer, leaving the first part that mentions God out.

Namaste

Petition challenges Sharon’s address to the U.N. General Assembly

From Al-Awdi

Palestinians remember the anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacres of September 16-19, 1982. On Sept 15, a day before the twenty-third anniversary of the killing of thousands of Palestinian refugees, Ariel Sharon will speak as an honored guest at the United Nations in New York City.

Sharon began his murderous career in 1952 as a commander of the army during the massacre in Qibya where 69 villagers were slaughtered. He was the architect of the massacre in Sabra and Shatila that cost the lives of 2,000 people. He is one of the masterminds of the Occupation’s settlement policies in the West Bank and Gaza and now implements the project of the Apartheid Wall prepared by his predecessors against the rights of the Palestinian people and in defiance of international law.

In remembrance of those killed, the Palestinian organizaton Al-Awdi is calling on all who value human rights to challenge the UN’s decision to have Sharon appear as a guest of honor.

Sharon represents a regime that is not only fighting the Palestinian right of existence on their land but also violates international law and
conventions on a daily basis. Hundreds of UN resolutions have been disregarded by the Occupation while the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to dismantle the Wall has been brushed aside by the Occupation bulldozers that continue their to destruction of Palestinians lands and lives.

The UN prepares to applaud Israel’s latest move towards the Bantustanization of Palestine – the Gaza “disengagement” – refusing to acknowledge that Gaza is and remains the world’s largest open air prison. It pressures the Palestinian people to “negotiate” on the status of their ghettos and to surrender to the facts on the ground imposed by the Occupation.

Popular mobilization in the West Bank and Gaza will remind UN that:

  • The Palestinian people do not require Walls or Ghettos but Freedom and the Liberation of their land.
  • The Palestinian refugees in Sabra and Shatila, in Gaza and all over the world will never give up their right of return.
  • If the United Nations want to keep up a facade of coherence with their own rules, it should not allow the presence of the wretched war criminal and Prime Minister of Apartheid Israel in front of the General Assembly but work towards ending Israel’s impunity and the international support for the Occupation, colonization and ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

The 60th Session of the UN General Assembly is asked to:

  • Start the implementation of the UN resolutions including resolution 194.
  • Enforce the decision of the International Court of Justice to tear down the Apartheid Wall and to prohibit any international aid or assistance for this crime.
  • Insist on the true meaning of the “Gaza disengagement”, as a ploy to further split and weaken the Palestinian resistance and to enable the annexation of 47 percent of the West Bank and the expulsion of Palestinians from their capital in Jerusalem.

You can:

Related websites:
International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra & Shatila
The Sharon Files – The Guardian
UN Security Council Resolution condemning the massacres

New Settlement Puts Pressure on Jerusalem Palestinians

by Jon Elmer
The New Standard

Situated on a hill overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem, the new Israeli housing development looks like it could be an upscale planned community in suburban North America: a billboard solicits buyers for “phase one” housing units; another shows the blueprint of the future community, complete with a daycare, a shopping center, a school, parks, a country club and, eventually, a hotel.

Read the rest right here.

Gaza occupation continues after disengagement

From the CNI Foundation

The Israeli settlers have left, but the siege of Palestinian towns and villages in Gaza that lie near the old settlements continues unabated, according the latest report of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.

The Israeli Defense Forces razed houses and leveled areas on the eastern border with Israel. They have limited the number of Palestinians from using the international border at Rafah – the only way Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are able to gain access to the international world. All Palestinians between the ages of 16 and 35 are prohibited from leaving Gaza, for example, a prohibition that has been in effect for some time.

Unspecified attacks and sometimes unreported attacks are taking place against Palestinian civilians, for example, a 19-year-old living in Rafah, which was reported on a Rafah blog site. The PCHR reported paralyzing roadblocks on the main road of the Gaza Strip. “Thousands of Palestinian civilians were seen waiting at the roadsides to travel between the north and south of the Gaza Strip.” Moreover, the occupation in the West Bank continues at full force. During the period August 25-31, PCHR reported more than 30 military incursions into the West Bank, the raiding of private houses and arrest of civilians. The Israeli military continues to raze houses that have been constructed “without permits,” and to confiscate land for checkpoints. In Hebron, where Israli settlers have attacked Palestinians repeatedly, a new attack took place on August 25. According to PCHR, they “threw stones and empty bottles at a house belonging to Mohammed Hamed Abu ‘Eisha. They also demolished the fence of the house. The Israeli military were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop this attack. The house was damaged.”

This Week in Palestine: August 29 – September 4

Compiled by Women for Palestine

The following information has been obtained from various sources, notably the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the Electronic Intifada, the International Middle East Media Centre, Ramallah Online and others.

NORTHERN GAZA
Wednesday, 31 August 2005
Israeli soldiers arrested two Palestinian children from the northern part of the Gaza Strip whom they believed entered Doughti settlement, which was demolished by the army. The two children were not identified.

Sunday, 04 September 2005
Israeli soldiers arrested one resident in the northern Gaza Strip after he tried to cross the border into Israel.

KHAN YOUNIS
Thursday, 01 September 2005
A Palestinian child, Ibrahim Ghanim Al Darawsha, 11, was critically injured, after a settler rammed him in the Al Mawassi area, west of Khan Younis. The child received first aid at Al Mawassi clinic, then was transferred to Nasser Hospital in Kahn Younis, suffering sever head injuries. The settler sped away after ramming the child.

Ahmed Mohammed Al Qarra, 25, was rushed to the Nasser hospital in the city suffering of shrapnel wounds after he was injured by an explosive left by the army went off

SOUTHWEST GAZA
Friday, 02 September 2005
Soldiers shot and injured two residents near a fence surrounding Gush Katif settlement.

JERUSALEM
Tuesday, 30 August 2005
Israeli Border Guards policemen and agents of the Israeli security broke into a residential building in al Suwwana neighborhood in Jerusalem, and arrested Ya’coub Mahmoud Abu Asab, 33, after breaking into his home and the homes of his uncle, brother and several apartments in the building. Ya’coub was transferred to Al Maskoobiyya detention facility in Jerusalem. Soldiers ransacked the home and confiscated video discs, CDs, a computer and other equipment. Troops interrogated several members of Abu Asab family.

Israeli soldiers arrested two Palestinian residents, east of Jerusalem, and attacked a reporter working with WAFA. Rasem Abdul-Wahid, The two residents, along with other reporters and peace activists, were protesting in front of the court against the trial of human rights and civil society activists identified as Ahmed Maslamani, Nasser Abu Khdeir and Rasem O’baidat.

Wednesday, 31 August 2005
Israeli soldiers arrested Mohammad Kayed Al Yamani, 26, from Hebron, at Qalandia checkpoint as he was heading to Ramallah.

Thursday, 01 September 2005
Israeli soldiers sealed off the Qalandia military checkpoint between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem in a step that would tighten the Israeli grip on the Palestinian crossings between north and south of the West Bank.

BETHLEHEM
Monday, 29 August 2005
The army arrested Anwar Asakra 37 from Al Asakra village east of Bethlehem. Troops stopped Anwar at Al Kontener checkpoint, which blocks the eastern entrance of Bethlehem, detained him for 2 hours and confiscated his ID card. He was then arrested and taken to an unknown destination.

Soldiers stationed at the container checkpoint, which blocks the road linking the north of the West Bank with its southern part, detained and assaulted Jafar Ghadatha 27 from Nahaleen village near Bethlehem as he was going back home on Sunday afternoon. Soldiers then beat him badly before they let him go. Passengers at the checkpoint called the ambulance which took him to the Beit Jala hospital for treatment. He had sustained wounds and bruises in several parts of his body.

HEBRON
The Hebron Reconstruction Committee, in the old city of Hebron, reported that residents of the old city are suffering from the presence of 400 settlers who live there and who are heavily guarded by the army. Their presence is causing daily tension in the city particularly because of the repeated attacks carried out by extremist settlers groups against the city’s Palestinian residents and their properties.

The Committee reported that the residents in the old city are facing harsh living conditions while the settlers continued their attacks and controlled several stores and buildings, especially buildings adjacent to their outposts.

Nearly 800 stores in Hebron have been closed as a result of the attacks. Some of these stores are controlled by the settlers, while 2,200 stores have become inaccessible to the residents as a result of military roadblocks and the presence of settlers outposts.

Recently, Israeli soldiers blocked the entrances of the old city with concrete blocks and iron gates as well as barbed-wire, turning the old city into a big prison and the army is barring Palestinian residents from using several streets in the city, such as Al Shuhada Street, Al Shahla Street, Bab Al-Khan area, and the Old Clothes Market, while the settlers have free access.

The army has also levelled several ancient buildings after barring the Hebron Reconstruction Committee from preserving the buildings, which have historical significance. In spite of these military procedures, the Committee managed to reconstruct 650 flats for the residents, and is currently reconstructing 120 other flats. The committee is also attempting to limit the expansion of illegal settlement outposts, which are surrounding the Palestinian homes and ancient buildings, and is also attempting to help the Palestinian families in that area by providing them with health insurances, and other social services. It has also helped some residents to create projects, which may help to improve the economic situation of the residents.

Several appeals were filed by the committee to the Israeli High Court of Justice, against the attacks carried out by settlers and soldiers against the residents and the buildings. The appeals were filed after the committee managed to report dozens of attacks, and formed a legal committee to file complaints against these attacks, and expose the violations carried out by the settlers.

Monday, 29 August 2005
Israeli soldiers attacked and badly clubbed Hijazi Kamel Al Hammoury, 19, near Al Dabboya settlement in Hebron. He was hospitalized after suffering bruises and fractures to several parts of his body. Soldiers have attacked and harshly clubbed 45 residents in Hebron, including international peace activists, since the beginning of August.

The army arrested Ali Asafra 26 and Mohamed Kamal 22 when its troops invaded the village of Beit Kahel near Hebron. Asafra works as a nurse in the medical clinic in the village and Kamal is a student at Hebron University. Troops supported by several army vehicles invaded the village and conducted wide scale search there before they arrest the two residents.

Tuesday, 30 August 2005
An extremist settlers’ group of the Ramat Yeshai illegal settlement outpost, in Tal Rmeida neighborhood, in the center of Hebron, burnt farmlands planted with olives, almonds, and grapevines. Firefighters tried to extinguish the fire which had already burnt dozens of trees.

The settlers of Ramat Yeshai outpost are known to have recently burnt other farmlands which belong to the Abu Haikal family. And, two days ago, the settlers burnt olive trees and grapevines which belong to Abdul-Khaled and Omar Sa’id.

Wednesday, 31 August 2005
Israeli soldiers decided to close the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, barring Muslim worshipers from entering it. This is in spite of the fact that Thursday marks a Muslim feast. However, Jewish worshippers were allowed to commemorate a Jewish feast on the same day.

Israeli soldiers installed two electronic gates in Tal Rmeida neighborhood and Al Sahla areas in Hebron. Soldiers installed the first gate close to Ramat Yishai illegal settlement outpost, while the second gate was installed near Abu Al Reesh mosque in the old city, close to Abraham Abino settlement outpost. The gates completely isolate dozens of families in Al Sahla and Tal Rmeida.

Saturday, 03 September 2005
The Israeli army took over one house in the old city of Hebron belonging to Amjad Al Rajabi and turned it into a military post after locking the family in one room.

In a separate incident, soldiers sealed all the roads leading to the Hebron University and held scores of residents at the checkpoints; most of the detained residents are students of the university.

Sunday, 04 September 2005
The Israeli army used three Palestinians in Hebron as human shields to break into the house of a Palestinian claimed to be wanted by Israel. This practice defies the Israeli high court of justice which ruled that using civilians as human shields is illegal.

Fifteen soldiers, armed with rifles, machine guns, took over the fourth-floor apartment. The apartment is home to 16 members of the Rajabi family, at least half of them minors. Rajabi and his wife, their children and his son Nabil and his children, live in the house. Soldiers ordered most of the family members to leave but kept hold of three of Rajabi’s sons, Nabil, 30, Raja’i 19 and Najah, 13 in the apartment. These three were used as human shields during the soldiers’ stay, against their will.

JERICHO
Monday, 29 August 2005
Israeli soldiers imposed a curfew over the village of Fasayel, north of Jericho
Soldiers invaded the villageand imposed a curfew barring the residents from leaving their homes. Soldiers threatened to shoot any resident who leaves his home.

TUBAS
Tuesday, 30 August 2005
The army invaded Bardalah Village east of Tubas near Jenin and conducted house-to-house searches and forced the residents out. They collected the numbers of their ID cards.

Thursday, 01 September 2005
Israeli soldiers installed a checkpoint at Al Malaqy Bridge, and searched dozens of vehicles. Also, soldiers detained and interrogated dozens of residents for several hours, no arrests.

Al Malaqy Bridge road links between Al Far’a in Tubas and northern west Bank areas, and also leads to Al Bathan valley and Nablus.

Sunday, 04 September 2005
Israeli soldiers installed a sudden military roadblock, north of Aqaba village near Tubas. Soldiers stopped dozens of vehicles and searched them while inspecting the identity cards of the residents.

Also, soldiers detained dozens of youths for several hours at the checkpoint, arrested two residents and confiscated their cars; the two residents and vehicles were taken towards Tiaseer military checkpoint, east of Tubas, then to an unknown destination.

QALQILYA
Monday, 29 August 2005
The Israeli army invaded the village of Habla south of Qalqilia and searched several houses. The army arrested Mohamed Aodah, 19, and Mohamed Soliman, 22, after searching their family houses.

Tuesday, 30 August 2005
The army levelled the house of Ahmad Tayyim from AL Fondok village east of of Qalqilia.

Friday, 02 September 2005
The Israeli army invaded the village of Azzoun near Qalqilia.

Troops sealed the entrance of the village, broke into and searched the homes of Ra’ed Saleem, Rami Sokkar and Ahmad Abu Asab.

Also soldiers arrested Adwan Mohamed 21 from Qalqilia during his attempt to cross Beit Eeba checkpoint near Nablus.

JENIN
Tuesday, 30 August 2005
The army invaded Anza village, west of Jenin and conducted wide scale searches which included more than 20 houses.

Sunday, 04 September 2005
Israeli soldiers detained Mohammad and Mahmoud Habaiba, who were driving on the Arraba – Jaba’ road west of Jenin and interrogated them for 30 minutes.

TULKAREM
Tuesday, 30 August 2005
The army arrested two residents Ahmad Abu Safia 20 from Tulkarem while heading to AL Najah University in Nablus. They were arrested after soldiers had installed a checkpoint on the Nablus-Tulkarem road.

Also, at another portable checkpoint installed near Araba village, south on the West Bank city of Jenin, troops arrested Nazeh Ja’ar 20 from Tulkarem and took him to unknown destination, local sources reported.

The Army invaded Bal’a village east of Tulkarem, and stormed the residents’ houses. Troops conducted military searches in the village, and broke into the homes of Fawaz Khader, Ala Mohamed, Mohammad Mohammad and Akrama Barabra, and several other surrounding homes. Resident Hayati Salamah, 28, sustained internal bleeding in the head after falling from a cliff while being chased by soldiers.

Wednesday, 31 August 2005
Israeli soldiers invaded Baqa Al Sharqiyya and Qaffeen villages north of Tulkarem. Soldiers fired concussion grenades, and arrested four residents claiming they are Islamic Jihad activists. The arrestees were identified as Mohannad Jabber, 26, years old, Muntesir Kittanah, 31, Ali Tawfeeq, 24, and Osama Ammar, 22 years old .

Saturday, 03 September 2005
The Army stopped scores of Palestinian cars at the southern tunnel road which connects the West Bank city of Tulkarem with its surrounding villages, local sources reported. Soldiers are still delaying the cars and detaining the people, especially school students, without any reason.

Israeli soldiers installed a portable checkpoint at the main entrance of the West Bank city of Tulkarem. Soldiers stopped vehicles, and held and interrogated several residents, but no arrests were made.

The Israeli army invaded the village of Dir AL Ghsoun, north of Tulkarem and broke into the homes of Zaher Hamdan, Hahar Hamdan and Maher Hamdan, after forcing their families out.

RAMALLAH
Tuesday, 30 August 2005
The Israeli army arrested three residents from Beit Leqia north of Ramallah whom the army believes are Islamic Jihad activists.

Friday, 02 September 2005
Israeli soldiers fired gas bombs and concussion grenades at dozens of residents, and International peace activists, before they even started their weekly peaceful protest in Bil’in village, near Ramallah. The army invaded the village, directly after Friday prayers were concluded, one hour before the planned time of the protest and arrested three peace activists. The soldiers placed a curfew on the village.

NABLUS
Monday, 29 August 2005
The army sealed off the West Bank city of Nablus and blocked the movement of residents, ambulances and medical teams.

Wednesday, 31 August 2005
Israeli authorities decided to annex 1000 Dunams of family orchards which belong to residents of Dir Al Hatab and Azmout, east of Nablus. Soldiers placed banners at the entrance of the village informing the residents of intentions to annex farmlands which belong to the residents. The lands belong to the families of Hussein, Hammad, Shihada, and Ismail, from Dir Al Hatab, and to residents Fleih and Faleh Abu Haasan, from Azmout village. The residents have not been allowed to enmter their lands since 2000. Settlers in the nearby Alon Moreh settlement burnt dozens of olive trees last month after barring the residents from reaching their orchards. Residents fear that the annexation orders are part of a plan to expand the settlement in order to place news settlers who were evacuated from Gaza.

Thursday, 01 September 2005
Soldiers arrested a 16-year-old Palestinian child, along a road south of Nablus claiming that he was armed with a makeshift rifle and a magazine.

Saturday, 03 September 2005
Israeli soldiers invaded Balata refugee camp in Nablus and broke into the home of Abdul-Hameed Al Teerawy, searching for his son Jamal, who works as a P.A security officer.

Israeli soldiers arrested Amin Ahamd Bsharat, at Zaatara checkpoint, near Nablus as he was heading back to his village Tammoun near Ramallah. Bsharat was taken to an unknown destination.

Sunday, 04 September 2005
Israeli soldiers invaded Askar refugee camp, near Nablus, and conducted military searches of homes. No arrests were made.
Women for Palestine is a network of Australian women who stand for nonviolence and human rights in the Middle East.