Haitham Sabbah. Saviez-vous ? … Que les Israéliens non juifs ne peuvent pas acheter ou louer des terres en Israël … Que les plaques d'immatriculation palestiniennes en Israël ont un code de couleur pour distinguer les Juifs des non-Juifs |
| … Que Jérusalem, que ce soit Jérusalem Est et Ouest, est considérée par l'ensemble de la communauté mondiale, y compris par les Etats-Unis, comme un territoire occupé et non une partie d'Israël. … Qu'Israël attribue 85% des ressources en eau aux Juifs et les 15% restants sont répartis entre l'ensemble des Palestiniens dans les "territoires"? Par exemple, à Hébron, 85% de l'eau est donnée aux environ 400 colons, alors que 15% doivent être répartis entre les 120000 Palestiniens d'Hébron. …Que les États-Unis accordent à Israël 5 milliards de dollars d'aide chaque année. Voici un bref extrait du documentaire "Occupation 101 … Que chaque année l'aide américaine à Israël est supérieure à l'aide accordée par les États-Unis à l'ensemble du continent africain. … Qu'Israël est le seul pays du Moyen-Orient à posséder l'arme nucléaire. … Qu'Israël est le seul pays du Moyen-Orient qui refuse de signer le traité de non-prolifération nucléaire et interdit les inspections internationales de ses sites. … Qu'Israël occupe actuellement le territoire de deux Etats nations souverains (le Liban et la Syrie) au mépris des résolutions du Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies … Que depuis des dizaines d'années, Israël a régulièrement envoyé des assassins dans d'autres pays pour tuer ses ennemis politiques … Que des militaires de haut rang dans les Forces d'Occupation Israéliennes ont admis publiquement que des prisonniers de guerre non armés ont été exécutés par les FOI … Qu'Israël refuse de poursuivre en justice ses soldats qui ont reconnu avoir exécuté des prisonniers de guerre.. … Qu'Israël confisque régulièrement des comptes bancaires, des entreprises et des terres, et qu'il refuse de verser des indemnités à ceux qui souffrent de la confiscation. … Qu'Israël a fait sauter un bâtiment diplomatique américain en Égypte et attaqué un navire américain dans les eaux internationales, tuant 33 marins américains et blessant 177 autres [ … Que le second plus puissant lobby aux États-Unis, d'après un récent sondage réalisé par le magazine Fortune auprès des initiés de Washington, est le Lobby israélien l'AIPAC. … Qu'Israël méprise 69 résolutions du Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies … Qu'aujourd'hui Israël se tient sur les anciens sites de plus de 400 villages palestiniens maintenant disparus, et que les Israéliens ont rebaptisé presque chaque site physique dans le pays pour dissimuler les traces. … Que ce n'est qu'en 1988 que les Israéliens ont été interdits de publier des offres d'emploi "Pour Juifs seulement" … Que quatre premiers ministres israéliens, Begin, Shamir, Rabin et Sharon, ont pris part à des attentats à la bombe contre des civils, des massacres de civils, ou à des expulsions forcées de civils de leurs villages … Que le Ministère israélien des Affaires Etrangères paie deux entreprises américaines de relations publiques afin de promouvoir Israël auprès des Américains … Que dans le gouvernement israélien, il existe un parti qui prône l'expulsion de tous les Palestiniens des territoires occupés … Que la construction de colonies de peuplement a augmenté rapidement depuis Oslo  The new trick: Can't transport? Build them in the settlements. Workshop for caravans' construction in Elkana…Qu'Israël a dédié un timbre à un homme qui a attaqué un autobus transportant des civils et tué plusieurs personnes … Que des documents récemment rendus public montrent que David Ben Gourion, au moins dans certains cas a approuvé de l'expulsion des Palestiniens en 1948. Nous entendons souvent parler de la générosité d'Ehud Barak à propos d'un prétendu retour de 95% des territoires palestiniens occupés. Lorsque les Palestiniens ont refusé, ils ont été blâmés pour "avoir raté une occasion." Les Palestiniens ont déjà accepté l'existence d'Israël sur 78% de ce qui était la Palestine. Pour ceux qui utilisent l'argument de la Bible : Dieu dit à Abraham, "A ta progéniture, je donnerai ta terre." Abraham avait deux fils. Ismael - le fils Arabe, et Isaac, le fils juif. Donc, même si on veut parler de la Bible, la terre appartient aux deux. … Que les Chrétiens palestiniens sont considérés comme les "pierres vivantes" de la chrétienté, car ils sont les descendants directs des disciples de Jésus Christ. … Que, malgré l'interdiction de la torture par la Haute Cour de Justice israélienne, les interrogateurs du Shin Bet continuent d'utiliser la torture sur les prisonniers palestiniens  NON, MAINTENANT VOUS SAVEZ ! QUE POUVEZ-VOUS FAIRE ? LE MOINS QUE VOUS PUISSIEZ FAIRE, C'EST DE LE FAIRE SAVOIR AUX AUTRES! Sabbah Mardi 30 Octobre 2007 Source : http://sabbah.biz Traduction : MG pour ISM Sources ISM |
sabato 10 novembre 2007
A propos d'Israël, saviez-vous que...
venerdì 9 novembre 2007
Nothing less than our freedom
Mohammed Khatib, The Electronic Intifada, 7.11.07. For the people of our small village of Bil'in, which lies west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, the planned negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli leaders in Annapolis, Maryland evoke mixed feelings. Like all Palestinians, we pray that our children will not spend their lives as we did, under Israeli military occupation. But our experience has been that Israel, the stronger party, exploits peace talks as a smokescreen to obscure facts that it is establishing on the ground. During the Oslo "peace" process Israel built settlements in the occupied territories at an unprecedented rate. Israel's system of settler-only roads, which is now strangling our cities and villages, was created during the Oslo process. This makes us wary of the Annapolis negotiations.
Israel built settlements throughout the West Bank even though international law prohibits an occupying power from settling its population in occupied territory. Now Israel intends to annex most West Bank settlement blocs either through negotiated agreement with the Palestinians, or unilaterally.
Bil'in, like tens of West Bank villages, is losing vital land and resources to Israel's settlement blocs. In 1991, Israel confiscated 200 acres of our village's land and declared them state land. In 2001 private Israeli developers began building a new Jewish settlement there, as part of the Modi'in Illit settlement bloc.
In 2005 Israel's apartheid wall separated Bil'in from 50 percent of our agricultural land. In response, we held over 100 nonviolent protests together with Israeli and international supporters. Hundreds of us were injured and arrested. After our protests and a legal appeal, Israel's high court ruled last month that the wall's route in Bil'in must be changed to return about half of our land that was taken.
Though we celebrated this success, Israel, with US backing, still plans to annex the Modi'in Illit settlement bloc which includes more of our land. Unlike the settlements initiated by the settler movements, the settlement blocs were built in strategic areas by the Israeli government under the Likud, Labor, and Kadima parties. The settlement blocs are designed to ensure Israeli control of our movement, borders, access to water and of Jerusalem, even following the creation of a "sovereign" Palestinian state.
Some Israeli politicians claim that the settlement blocs that Israel intends to annex comprise five percent of the West Bank. However, these politicians do not include the settlements in occupied East Jerusalem in their calculations because occupied East Jerusalem was unilaterally and illegally annexed by Israel in 1967.
But in reality, Israel has already de facto annexed the strategic 10.2 percent of the West Bank that lies between the Green Line and the apartheid wall, including the settlement blocs. About 80 percent of all Israeli settlers now reside west of the apartheid wall and inside the West Bank.
As Palestinians, we have expressed our willingness to live together on this land with the Jewish people, and to live in one democratic state with Jewish Israelis as equal citizens. However, most Jewish Israelis and their politicians have clearly stated that they must live in a Jewish state, not in a state for all of its citizens. For this reason, we agreed to live in two states -- Palestine side by side with Israel.
For Palestinians, agreeing to live in a state on 22 percent of our historic homeland was a great compromise. But Yasser Arafat was besieged in his office by Israel because he didn't accept Israel's so-called "generous offer" at Camp David. He was punished because he would not surrender yet more land, and accept a state composed of isolated cantons carved up by Israel's settlement blocs.
We take strength from our faith that no situation of injustice can continue forever. In the end we will all have to live on this land as equals. When that time finally comes we will discover that we are more similar than different. Until then, we will not accept shiny trinkets made of words like "state" and "sovereignty" when we know that within our "state" we will not be able to access our water, exit and enter freely, or move from one place to another without Israeli permission. I will not be free so long as Israel's settlement blocs and wall steal and carve up my land and surround my capital, Jerusalem.
We have suffered too much for too long. We will not accept apartheid masked as peace. We will settle for no less than our freedom.
Mohammed Khatib is a leading member of Bil'in's Popular Committee Against the Wall and the secretary of Bil'in's Village Council. For more information see http://www.apartheidmasked.org/.
Israel built settlements throughout the West Bank even though international law prohibits an occupying power from settling its population in occupied territory. Now Israel intends to annex most West Bank settlement blocs either through negotiated agreement with the Palestinians, or unilaterally.
Bil'in, like tens of West Bank villages, is losing vital land and resources to Israel's settlement blocs. In 1991, Israel confiscated 200 acres of our village's land and declared them state land. In 2001 private Israeli developers began building a new Jewish settlement there, as part of the Modi'in Illit settlement bloc.
In 2005 Israel's apartheid wall separated Bil'in from 50 percent of our agricultural land. In response, we held over 100 nonviolent protests together with Israeli and international supporters. Hundreds of us were injured and arrested. After our protests and a legal appeal, Israel's high court ruled last month that the wall's route in Bil'in must be changed to return about half of our land that was taken.
Though we celebrated this success, Israel, with US backing, still plans to annex the Modi'in Illit settlement bloc which includes more of our land. Unlike the settlements initiated by the settler movements, the settlement blocs were built in strategic areas by the Israeli government under the Likud, Labor, and Kadima parties. The settlement blocs are designed to ensure Israeli control of our movement, borders, access to water and of Jerusalem, even following the creation of a "sovereign" Palestinian state.
Some Israeli politicians claim that the settlement blocs that Israel intends to annex comprise five percent of the West Bank. However, these politicians do not include the settlements in occupied East Jerusalem in their calculations because occupied East Jerusalem was unilaterally and illegally annexed by Israel in 1967.
But in reality, Israel has already de facto annexed the strategic 10.2 percent of the West Bank that lies between the Green Line and the apartheid wall, including the settlement blocs. About 80 percent of all Israeli settlers now reside west of the apartheid wall and inside the West Bank.
As Palestinians, we have expressed our willingness to live together on this land with the Jewish people, and to live in one democratic state with Jewish Israelis as equal citizens. However, most Jewish Israelis and their politicians have clearly stated that they must live in a Jewish state, not in a state for all of its citizens. For this reason, we agreed to live in two states -- Palestine side by side with Israel.
For Palestinians, agreeing to live in a state on 22 percent of our historic homeland was a great compromise. But Yasser Arafat was besieged in his office by Israel because he didn't accept Israel's so-called "generous offer" at Camp David. He was punished because he would not surrender yet more land, and accept a state composed of isolated cantons carved up by Israel's settlement blocs.
We take strength from our faith that no situation of injustice can continue forever. In the end we will all have to live on this land as equals. When that time finally comes we will discover that we are more similar than different. Until then, we will not accept shiny trinkets made of words like "state" and "sovereignty" when we know that within our "state" we will not be able to access our water, exit and enter freely, or move from one place to another without Israeli permission. I will not be free so long as Israel's settlement blocs and wall steal and carve up my land and surround my capital, Jerusalem.
We have suffered too much for too long. We will not accept apartheid masked as peace. We will settle for no less than our freedom.
Mohammed Khatib is a leading member of Bil'in's Popular Committee Against the Wall and the secretary of Bil'in's Village Council. For more information see http://www.apartheidmasked.org/.
Sympathy For The Devil?
The movement to free Yigal Amir and what it says about Israeli society. Michele Chabin, The Jewish Week New York, 9.11.07. Jerusalem — The assassin, now a proud daddy, was dressed in his prison uniform, his legs shackled but his hands free to cradle his infant son. On Sunday, 12 years to the day that he gunned down Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Yigal Amir was celebrating his son’s brit in a tent set up on the grounds of the Rimonim Prison near Netanya, where he is serving a life sentence. The next day, every media outlet in the country showed images of Amir’s brother, Amitai, smiling and waving to supporters with his right hand and holding the bassinet with his left. (Photos of the killer were prohibited by prison officials.) Dressed in a button-down beige shirt and khaki pants, a kipa and tzizit (ritual fringes) hanging over his belt, the baby’s uncle looked like any proud Orthodox Jew welcoming a nephew (who was conceived during a conjugal visit) into the Jewish people. To the horror of Israeli government officials and many private citizens, sympathy for Yigal Amir appears to be gaining momentum in circles not considered ultra-right wing. The campaign, which has so far included demonstrations at the prison where Amir is confined for life; bumper stickers declaring “Free Yigal Amir” and the circulation of 150,000 copies of a video designed to pull at the heart strings of the Israeli public (now being widely distributed over the Internet), was begun — perhaps not coincidentally — less than a month before Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to make territorial concessions to the Palestinians at the Annapolis summit conference. Oz Almog, a sociologist at Haifa University specializing in Israeli society, agrees that such views are “not a shame anymore and [have] become, particularly in religious circles, quite common. Let’s not exaggerate: this opinion is not held by most of the Israeli public. But if 12 years ago there was one Yigal Amir, today there are 1,000. This illustrates to what extent Israeli society is losing its moral character.”
Les colonies israéliennes continuent de se développer en Cisjordanie
Michel Bôle-Richard, Le Monde, 8.11.07. A moins de trois semaines de la réunion israélo-palestinienne censée se tenir le 26 novembre aux Etats-Unis, à Annapolis (Maryland), la colonisation de la Cisjordanie continue. Selon un rapport de l'organisation non gouvernementale israélienne La Paix maintenant, publié le mercredi 7 novembre, la construction bat son plein dans 131 implantations. Quatre-vingt-huit sont situées à l'ouest de "la barrière de sécurité" construite par Israël en terre palestinienne, principalement dans les grands blocs à la périphérie de Jérusalem et quarante-trois autres à l'est du "mur".
Le rapport ajoute que dans 34 colonies sauvages qu'Israël s'est engagé à évacuer, les constructions et l'installation de caravanes ont continué. Citant les chiffres officiels du bureau israélien central des statistiques, La Paix maintenant indique qu'il y a désormais 267 500 Israéliens vivant dans les colonies (sans compter les habitants des quartiers de colonisation situés à l'est de Jérusalem) et que l'augmentation s'effectue au rythme annuel de 5,8 % alors que la progression démographique n'est que de 1,8 % en Israël. Ce qui signifie qu'il ne s'agit pas de croissance naturelle comme l'affirme le gouvernement mais d'une véritable "migration" en direction de la Cisjordanie. "Si cela continue, il n'y aura plus d'Etat palestinien mais un Etat de colons", a souligné Yariv Oppenheimer, secrétaire général de l'organisation.
AP/MUHAMMED MUHEISEN
On compte 131 implantations, principalement dans les grands blocs près de Jérusalem et 43 autres à l'est du mur de séparation qui accueille des Cisjordaniens.Le rapport ajoute que dans 34 colonies sauvages qu'Israël s'est engagé à évacuer, les constructions et l'installation de caravanes ont continué. Citant les chiffres officiels du bureau israélien central des statistiques, La Paix maintenant indique qu'il y a désormais 267 500 Israéliens vivant dans les colonies (sans compter les habitants des quartiers de colonisation situés à l'est de Jérusalem) et que l'augmentation s'effectue au rythme annuel de 5,8 % alors que la progression démographique n'est que de 1,8 % en Israël. Ce qui signifie qu'il ne s'agit pas de croissance naturelle comme l'affirme le gouvernement mais d'une véritable "migration" en direction de la Cisjordanie. "Si cela continue, il n'y aura plus d'Etat palestinien mais un Etat de colons", a souligné Yariv Oppenheimer, secrétaire général de l'organisation.
En effet, au fur et à mesure que le temps passe, la Cisjordanie est grignotée par la colonisation, ce qui rend de plus en plus improbable la création d'un Etat palestinien auquel doit normalement aboutir le processus qui sera engagé lors de la réunion d'Annapolis. Comme l'indique Rafiq Husseini, proche conseiller de Mahmoud Abbas, président de l'Autorité palestinienne, "ce qu'Israël accomplit sur le terrain est un obstacle à ce que nous essayons de mettre en place".
Le rapport dénonce également les projets de construction dans la zone E1 bordant Jérusalem-Est qui couperait la Cisjordanie en deux et isolerait ce territoire de Jérusalem, ce qui "empêche la création d'un Etat palestinien viable et rend impossible un accord pour mettre fin au conflit". La construction d'une route de contournement du bloc de colonies de Maale Adumim, censée faciliter la liberté de circulation des Palestiniens, outre qu'elle occupera 112 hectares de terres, est condamnée par l'ONG : "C'est comme si l'on se vantait de soigner un homme blessé après lui avoir coupé la main."
Afin de poursuivre leur projet et de contourner l'interdiction de transporter des caravanes ou des mobilhomes sans l'autorisation de l'administration, les colons les assemblent sur place après avoir apporté les matériaux nécessaires, portes, fenêtres, cloisons.
Le rapport rappelle que depuis l'accession d'Ariel Sharon au pouvoir en février 2001, cinquante et une colonies sauvages ont été créées et qu'aucune d'entre elles n'a été démantelée contrairement aux promesses faites. Dans le cas de celle de Migron, au nord de Jérusalem, cela fait la quatrième fois que les autorités demandent un délai à la Cour suprême pour répondre à la question de la propriété des terres occupées. Pendant ce temps, elles continuent de se développer.
Depuis la création des colonies sauvages au début des années 1990, "30 évacuations ont été ordonnées. 18 n'ont jamais été habitées et sur les 12 autres, quatre ont été véritablement évacuées (au moment du désengagement de la bande de Gaza)".
Ce rapport de La Paix maintenant démontre, une fois de plus, qu'aucun frein n'a été mis à la colonisation et que ce phénomène se poursuivant à vitesse accélérée, il devient pratiquement impossible de tracer les contours d'un Etat palestinien digne de ce nom en Cisjordanie à moins d'expulser une grande majorité de colons, ce qui n'a jamais été la voie privilégiée jusqu'à présent par les autorités israéliennes.
Michel Bôle-Richard
giovedì 8 novembre 2007
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the OPT
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 1-7.11.07
5 Palestinians, including a man and his child, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.
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18 Palestinians, including 3 children, were wounded by IOF.
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IOF conducted 24 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 2 ones into the Gaza Strip.
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IOF arrested 68 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children and a woman, in the West Bank.
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IOF arrested Hatem Qafisha, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in Hebron.
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IOF razed at least 80 donums[1] of agricultural land and destroyed 9 houses in the Gaza Strip.
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IOF destroyed a house in Balata refugee camp near Nablus.
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IOF transformed 3 houses in Hebron.
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IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.
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IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.
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IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (1 – 7 November 2007):
Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 5 Palestinians, including a man and his son, in the Gaza Strip and wounded 18 others in the Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, on IOF killed 5 Palestinians and wounded 14 others, including a child. On 3 November, 2007, IOF shelled a Palestinian police station in Rafah, killing a policeman and wounding 3 others. On 4 November 2007, IOF killed 4 Palestinian civilians, including a man and his son, and wounded 2 others, including a child, when they shelled a guardroom of a factory of concrete in the northern Gaza Strip. Additionally, 9 Palestinians were wounded by IOF gunfire in others attacks in the Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, IOF wounded 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, in ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya, and Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 24 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, IOF arrested 68 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children and a woman. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,329. During the reporting period, IOF transformed 3 houses in Hebron into military sites.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 2 incursions into Palestinian communities. During those incursions, IOF destroyed 3 houses completely and 4 others partially, transformed a number of houses into military sites, razed at least 80 donums of agricultural land. They also interrogated scores of Palestinian civilians after taking them to military sites at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
IOF have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for nearly 17 months. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. Moreover, the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has severely impacted the flow of food, medical supplies and other necessities such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for various economic sectors. IOF have further tightened the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians have further deteriorated. During the reporting period, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “an enemy entity,” which implies imposing more restrictions and measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population. On 19 September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “an enemy entity” and accordingly measures of collective punishment against Gaza escalated. Since that time, IOF have limited the goods exported to the Gaza Strip to only 9 basic materials. As a consequence, local markets ran out of many goods, which caused a sharp increase in prices, which mounted to 500% for some goods. Israeli occupation forces have banned the flow of some medicines, furniture, electrical appliances, cows and cigarettes into the Gaza Strip, and have decreased the amounts of some goods allowed into the Gaza Strip, such as fruits, milk and some dairy products. IOF have also continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip.
West Bank
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often violently beat Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city. IOF have also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have isolated Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank.
Settlement Activities: Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On Friday evening, 2 November 2007, Israeli settlers from “Kiryat Arba” and “Kharsina” settlements, southeast of Hebron, attacked 4 Palestinian houses opposite to the settlements with stones and empty bottles. The houses were damaged and their residents were extremely terrified. IOF troops were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop the attack.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (1 – 7 November 2007)
The full report is available online at:
html format:
http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2007/08-11-2007.htm
pdf format:
http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2007/pdf/Weekly%20Report%2044.pdf
Public Document
Olmert voted most corrupt politician
Jerusalem Post, 7.11.07. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is still seen as the country's most corrupt government minister. While coming out at number one last year, too, with 42 percent of those questioned saying that Olmert's public behavior was corrupt to very corrupt, this year more than half (56%) took that position. Olmert had stiff competition for the number one spot, however, from former finance minister Avraham Hirchson, who allegedly took public funds for personal use. Hirchson came in a very close second with 55% saying he was corrupt. Tied for third place were Vice Premier Haim Ramon, who was recently convicted of sexual harassment, and Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, with 33%. Sharing fourth place for the most corrupt government ministers were Defense Minister Ehud Barak (29%) and current Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On.
The cabinet's only two women, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Education Minister Yuli Tamir, received a far more honorable standing, being labeled the most honest government ministers. Livni won the title last year, too. This year, 46% of those polled said they believed she was honest to very honest and 40% said the same about Tamir. Other government ministers considered to be honest were Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz (35%), Minister for Internal Security Avi Dichter (27%) and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai (25%).
Kadima MK Tzahi Hanegbi, who won the title of most corrupt MK last year, is still viewed by many as corrupt. Hanegbi garnered 40% of the vote this year, followed by Likud party chairman MK Binyamin Netanyahu.
Those considered to be honest to very honest were MK Shelly Yacimovich (44%) and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik (41%).
The annual corruption survey, which was conducted by the Maagar Mochot Interdisciplinary Consulting Research Institute, was based on a sample of 551 Israeli adults.
Author David Grossman snubs Olmert upon receiving prize
Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent, 8.11.07. Author David Grossman, upon receiving the Emet Prize for Arts, Science and Culture, did not shake the hand of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert or Supreme Court President Justice Dorit Beinisch at the awards ceremony Wednesday night in the Jerusalem Theater. Grossman, whose son Uri was killed during fighting in the Second Lebanon War, said in a speech at last year's rally commemorating assassinated former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin that "at this time there is no king in Israel... our leadership is hollow." In the speech, he addressed Olmert directly, saying, "Certainly I am grieving, but I am more pained than angry. This country and what you and your friends are doing to it pains me." After the ceremony, the famed author said, "I don't shake the prime minister's hand. I assume you can understand the reason."
A moment before the lights go out
Amira Hass, Haaretz, 8.11.07. Alan Johnston, the BBC corresponded kidnapped in Gaza, related in an interview that at a relatively early stage, he started suffering from all kinds of aches because of the water he drank. This was the same water that the kidnappers drank, but Johnston's unaccustomed body sent warning signals: This is not water that is fit for drinking. And this is the water that reaches most of the taps in the Gaza Strip. Salty, in a few places brackish to contaminated, with an oily consistency. That is clearly felt when bathing.
The reason is an ancient one: overpumping because Gaza must make do with the waters from its aquifer alone. It is as if we were to say to the residents of Be'er Sheva: make do with the water that flows nearby. The water sources in the rest of the country are not for you.
Over the last few years, there have been some improvised private and public solutions. Private water purification plants in homes and commercial companies that sell purified water.
The municipalities, for their part, set up large brackish water desalination facilities and several central taps. Thousands of people go there daily to fill up jerry-cans with water that will not taste like it came from a puddle and will not cause diarrhea, infections, kidney problems and who knows what else.
The electricity and fuel supply to Gaza has already been reduced to below the level of basic human needs. An additional reduction will affect the above solutions to the water problem, and beyond. "To darken Gaza," as some of the security experts among us have recently proposed, does not end merely with darkened homes at night. You don't have to be an expert in public health to realize that it would create an endless chain reaction of public health problems and environmental blights.
Today, around a year and a half after Israel bombed the transformer station in Gaza, only 193 megawatts out of the 240 or so it needs is supplied to the Strip.
The water network is the biggest energy consumer in the Gaza Strip: it requires approximately 25 megawatts of the 240 megawatts the Gaza Strip needs.
The 135 wells across the Gaza Strip that supply water, poor quality as it may be, cannot function if the electricity and diesel fuel supply is cut further. The same is true of sewage treatment plants.
Already now, each day, no water is supplied to around 15 percent of the Strip's residents. Each area receives water only every other day. The water is pumped electrically and stored in home reservoirs on every rooftop. Power outages are frequent.
When a power outage in a given area occurs on a day when the municipalities channel water to it, the houses are denied water for three, and sometimes even four, days.
The water network also needs around 150,000 liters of diesel fuel per month. The sewage system needs around 100,000 liters.
The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, the supplier of sewage and water services in the Gaza Strip obtained only 60,000 liters of diesel fuel in October, because the quantity of fuels sold from Israel to the Gaza Strip was reduced. And this is before "the darkening" proposed by Ehud Barak and Matan Vilnai.
The water company must choose to favor the sewage system over the water system. As the deputy CEO of the company, Maher Najjar, explains: The collapse of the sewage system entails a bigger humanitarian threat.
Just imagine a huge flood of sewage. Hence, for example, the seven wells in the northern Gaza Strip that are diesel operated were allocated only 2,000 liters of diesel in early November, instead of the 10,500 liters needed to operate them.
Even before the lights go out, Israel is prohibiting the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip.
No one is talking any more about dozens of development projects that have consequently been frozen, such as the one to desalinate well water that serves the residents of the El Bureij refugee camp. Let them continue drinking the water that endangers their health.
Raw material is not the only thing Israel is barring entry of: Vital spare parts are also being barred entry. In the Gaza City sewage treatment facility there are several minor malfunctions.
However, Israel is barring the entry of the spare parts needed to repair them. Sewage undergoes only minimal treatment before it flows into the sea. And the sea, of course, doesn't stop at the Erez or Rafiah checkpoints.
The reason is an ancient one: overpumping because Gaza must make do with the waters from its aquifer alone. It is as if we were to say to the residents of Be'er Sheva: make do with the water that flows nearby. The water sources in the rest of the country are not for you.
Over the last few years, there have been some improvised private and public solutions. Private water purification plants in homes and commercial companies that sell purified water.
The municipalities, for their part, set up large brackish water desalination facilities and several central taps. Thousands of people go there daily to fill up jerry-cans with water that will not taste like it came from a puddle and will not cause diarrhea, infections, kidney problems and who knows what else.
The electricity and fuel supply to Gaza has already been reduced to below the level of basic human needs. An additional reduction will affect the above solutions to the water problem, and beyond. "To darken Gaza," as some of the security experts among us have recently proposed, does not end merely with darkened homes at night. You don't have to be an expert in public health to realize that it would create an endless chain reaction of public health problems and environmental blights.
Today, around a year and a half after Israel bombed the transformer station in Gaza, only 193 megawatts out of the 240 or so it needs is supplied to the Strip.
The water network is the biggest energy consumer in the Gaza Strip: it requires approximately 25 megawatts of the 240 megawatts the Gaza Strip needs.
The 135 wells across the Gaza Strip that supply water, poor quality as it may be, cannot function if the electricity and diesel fuel supply is cut further. The same is true of sewage treatment plants.
Already now, each day, no water is supplied to around 15 percent of the Strip's residents. Each area receives water only every other day. The water is pumped electrically and stored in home reservoirs on every rooftop. Power outages are frequent.
When a power outage in a given area occurs on a day when the municipalities channel water to it, the houses are denied water for three, and sometimes even four, days.
The water network also needs around 150,000 liters of diesel fuel per month. The sewage system needs around 100,000 liters.
The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, the supplier of sewage and water services in the Gaza Strip obtained only 60,000 liters of diesel fuel in October, because the quantity of fuels sold from Israel to the Gaza Strip was reduced. And this is before "the darkening" proposed by Ehud Barak and Matan Vilnai.
The water company must choose to favor the sewage system over the water system. As the deputy CEO of the company, Maher Najjar, explains: The collapse of the sewage system entails a bigger humanitarian threat.
Just imagine a huge flood of sewage. Hence, for example, the seven wells in the northern Gaza Strip that are diesel operated were allocated only 2,000 liters of diesel in early November, instead of the 10,500 liters needed to operate them.
Even before the lights go out, Israel is prohibiting the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip.
No one is talking any more about dozens of development projects that have consequently been frozen, such as the one to desalinate well water that serves the residents of the El Bureij refugee camp. Let them continue drinking the water that endangers their health.
Raw material is not the only thing Israel is barring entry of: Vital spare parts are also being barred entry. In the Gaza City sewage treatment facility there are several minor malfunctions.
However, Israel is barring the entry of the spare parts needed to repair them. Sewage undergoes only minimal treatment before it flows into the sea. And the sea, of course, doesn't stop at the Erez or Rafiah checkpoints.
Yediot: 15 % of Sderot residents lift it without return
Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades, 6.11.07. The Zionist newspaper "Yediot Ahronot" issue that 3000 Zionist settlers, which equal 15% of the population of Sderot settlement, had left the settlement without any intention to return in the past six months. The main reason according to the newspaper is the Palestinian homemade rockets. More than 22 thousand people is living in the settlement. .
"Eli Moyial" quoted, head of the municipality, that "Those who left town considered as air and ss to the settlement". She added "They are the businessmen, owners of workshops, factories and the middle class."
The newspaper said that many of the residents of Al "villat" neighborhood lift their homes and the streets of the neighborhood became completely empty. 450 from 4100 students left their school without return. Some of the classes did not exceed 20 students.
According to the newspaper, Sderot exposed since the beginning of Al Aqsa intifada to more than 1500 homemade rockets.
It is noted that all the Palestinian resistance factions fired rockets at Sderot settlement. Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades considered as the biggest faction fired homemade rockets at the settlement and the most accurate rocket. Al Qassam Brigades was responsible for most of the Zionist settlers who died in the settlements since the beginning of Al Aqsa intifada.
High court asks Israel to explain Gaza sanctions
JERUSALEM, 8 November 2007 (IRIN) - Israel 's highest court on 7 November ordered the state to explain within one week how it planned to ensure that the latest sanctions imposed on Gaza, including fuel and power cuts, would not have a negative humanitarian impact. The court was hearing a petition lodged by 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, and the deputy-director of the Gaza Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), demanding an end to the restrictions. Since implementing sanctions on 28 October, Israel has cut supplies of regular diesel by more than 40 percent and industrial gasoline, vital for Gaza's power plant, by about 9 percent, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) and Gaza petrol companies.
John Ging, Gaza chief of UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, told IRIN on 7 November that the dwindling fuel supplies would affect aid deliveries and health.
"Immediately, one focuses on fuel needed by municipalities for water wells and to keep sewage pumping stations going. And also for sanitation trucks to collect garbage, otherwise there will be public health problems," he said, noting that UNRWA received its fuel supplies from the local Gazan market.
Fuel is also needed for trucks that distribute food aid to the poorest in Gaza where some 1.1 million people, out of 1.5 million residents, receive rations from the UN.
The new sanctions include the closing of the Sufa crossing point into Gaza, used to bring in about 65 percent of food supplies, leaving only the Kerem Shalom crossing open.
However, between 1 and 3 November, Kerem Shalom was also closed by Israel, according to OCHA.
"There must always be a humanitarian crossing open into Gaza ," insisted Ging.
In parts of Gaza there are shortages of cheese and meat products as well as rice, canned foods and oil. In other areas, some products are no longer available altogether.
John Ging, Gaza chief of UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, told IRIN on 7 November that the dwindling fuel supplies would affect aid deliveries and health.
"Immediately, one focuses on fuel needed by municipalities for water wells and to keep sewage pumping stations going. And also for sanitation trucks to collect garbage, otherwise there will be public health problems," he said, noting that UNRWA received its fuel supplies from the local Gazan market.
 Currently, there is no spare fuel to run the water system, and the sewage system has enough fuel only for one more week. |
Fuel is also needed for trucks that distribute food aid to the poorest in Gaza where some 1.1 million people, out of 1.5 million residents, receive rations from the UN.
The new sanctions include the closing of the Sufa crossing point into Gaza, used to bring in about 65 percent of food supplies, leaving only the Kerem Shalom crossing open.
However, between 1 and 3 November, Kerem Shalom was also closed by Israel, according to OCHA.
"There must always be a humanitarian crossing open into Gaza ," insisted Ging.
In parts of Gaza there are shortages of cheese and meat products as well as rice, canned foods and oil. In other areas, some products are no longer available altogether.
Israel talks peace, but expanding settlement hurts prospects for Palestinian state
International Herald Tribune, 7.11.07. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he's ready to make a deal that would give the Palestinians a state in the West Bank. But realities on the ground — outlined in a new report Wednesday showing vigorous Israeli construction in the West Bank — could have momentous implications for the latest U.S. peacemaking push. Israel continues to expand settlements. Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog group, issued a report Wednesday showing Israeli building activity in 88 settlements, though most of the work is located in large settlement blocs Israel hopes to retain in a final peace agreement. As of October, 267,500 Israelis lived in 122 settlements, according to government statistics. Tthe settlements — along with Israeli roads and a massive separation barrier jutting into the West Bank — threaten to fragment a future Palestinian state and cut it off from east Jerusalem, where the Palestinians hope to establish their capital. Signs in the settlements openly advertise new housing that goes for a fraction of the price a similar home would command in Jerusalem. Demand has been fueled by large, low-income ultra-Orthodox families — motivated both by ideological connection to the biblical Land of Israel and affordable housing.
Settlers aren't satisfied with the pace of expansion.
"If the government would allow us to build according to market demand, there would be a tremendous building spurt in Judea and Samaria," settler leader Shaul Goldstein said, using the biblical name for the West Bank.
Les Origines de la Solution finale. L'évolution de la politique antijuive des nazis
Thomas Wieder, Le Monde, 2.11.07. Mais un problème se pose : que faire des deux millions de juifs qui sont tombés en quelques jours dans l'orbite du IIIe Reich ? Pour Hitler, en effet, le fameux "espace vital" ne peut se concevoir autrement que "judenfrei", c'est-à-dire "libre de juifs", selon la terminologie nazie. Il devient donc urgent de trouver une "solution" à la "question juive".
Un autre projet d'histoire globale de la Shoah est en cours d'écriture. Piloté par le mémorial de Yad Vashem, en Israël, il s'agit d'une entreprise collective qui devrait compter au total une quinzaine de titres couvrant la période de 1933 à 1945. Le premier de ces volumes, qui paraît aujourd'hui en français, s'intéresse à l'évolution de la politique antijuive entre 1939 et 1942. Sa rédaction a été confiée à Christopher Browning, un universitaire américain de 63 ans dont le grand public a surtout retenu l'étude qu'il consacra il y a une quinzaine d'années à un groupe de cinq cents Allemands "ordinaires" : ceux-ci, bien que sans passé criminel, participèrent en 1942-1943 à l'extermination de 80 000 juifs polonais (1).
C'est en septembre 1939, au moment où l'armée allemande envahit la Pologne, que commence le nouveau livre de Browning. Du point de vue militaire, le triomphe des nazis est sans appel. Mais un problème se pose : que faire des deux millions de juifs qui sont tombés en quelques jours dans l'orbite du IIIe Reich ? Pour Hitler, en effet, le fameux "espace vital" ne peut se concevoir autrement que "judenfrei", c'est-à-dire "libre de juifs", selon la terminologie nazie. Il devient donc urgent de trouver une "solution" à la "question juive".
Pendant trente mois, plusieurs "solutions" seront expérimentées. La première repose sur le principe de la mise à l'écart. Dans le prolongement de la politique de ségrégation appliquée en Allemagne depuis 1933, elle vise à séparer les juifs du reste de la population. Jusqu'à la fin de 1940, plusieurs plans seront échafaudés. Pendant quelques mois, Adolf Eichmann réfléchit ainsi à l'implantation d'une "réserve" juive dans la région de Lublin, dans l'est de la Pologne. Sans grand succès. Une autre idée sera ensuite étudiée : l'installation des juifs à Madagascar. L'île étant une colonie française, le projet trouve un certain crédit après la défaite de la France en juin 1940. Mais il sera rapidement abandonné.
Tout change en juin 1941 avec l'entrée en guerre de l'Allemagne contre l'URSS. En quelques semaines, les troupes allemandes déferlent sur la Biélorussie, l'Ukraine et les Etats baltes. Cette fois les nazis entendent tirer la leçon du précédent polonais. L'échec des plans d'expulsion imaginés au cours des mois précédents les conduit à envisager une "solution" plus radicale pour les juifs présents sur leurs nouvelles terres de conquête : leur liquidation systématique.
Commence alors ce que Raul Hilberg a appelé l'époque des grands "nettoyages meurtriers". Partout, les mêmes scènes de terreur se répètent : rassemblés dans les villages, les juifs sont ensuite amenés vers un site d'exécution où ils creusent une fosse avant d'être fusillés, soit debout soit après avoir été obligés de se coucher sur les corps de ceux qui sont déjà morts. L'efficacité de cette "méthode standardisée d'assassinats de masse" est redoutable. Fin 1941, 500 000 à 800 000 juifs ont déjà été exécutés de la sorte.
Entre-temps, une autre méthode de mise à mort a été testée : le gazage dans des camions ou des baraquements de fortune. Expérimentée à une époque où la politique antijuive n'obéit pas encore à un "plan préconçu, logique et centralisé", l'idée plaît à Himmler, le chef de la SS, qui s'inquiète des effets secondaires des fusillades sur le psychisme de ses hommes... A l'automne 1941, les réunions s'enchaînent au sommet de l'Etat pour étudier la question. Fin octobre, "le régime nazi a franchi le pas décisif", estime Browning, qui retrace l'infernal concours d'arbitrages qui conduit à la concentration des juifs dans des centres dévolus à leur extermination. Il faudra six mois pour passer de la "conception" à la "mise en oeuvre" de cette politique. Au printemps 1942, le complexe d'Auschwitz-Birkenau devient opérationnel. Plus d'un million de juifs y seront assassinés.
"Je vais à nouveau être prophète, avait déclaré Hitler le 30 janvier 1939. Si la juiverie financière internationale (...) réussissait à précipiter encore une fois les peuples dans une guerre mondiale, alors la conséquence n'en serait pas la bolchevisation de la terre et la victoire de la juiverie, mais l'anéantissement de la race juive en Europe." Trois ans auront été nécessaires pour réaliser cette sinistre prophétie. De cette marche vers l'irréversible, Christopher Browning livre la chronique la plus exhaustive et la plus à jour qui ait été publiée en français.
Les Origines de la Solution finale. L'évolution de la politique antijuive des nazis (septembre 1939-mars 1942), de Christopher R. Browning. Traduit de l'anglais (Etats-Unis) par Jacqueline Carnaud et Bernard Frumer, Les Belles Lettres, 632 p., 35 €.
(1) Des hommes ordinaires a été réédité en mars 2007 (Tallandier "Texto", 366 p., 8 €).
Thomas Wieder
Security and Opportunity for the Twenty-first Century
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Foreign Affairs, November/December 2007. The next administration will have to confront an unpredictable and dangerous situation in the Middle East that threatens Israel and could potentially bring down the global economy by disrupting oil supplies. Getting out of Iraq will enable us to play a constructive role in a renewed Middle East peace process that would mean security and normal relations for Israel and the Palestinians. The fundamental elements of a final agreement have been clear since 2000: a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank in return for a declaration that the conflict is over, recognition of Israel's right to exist, guarantees of Israeli security, diplomatic recognition of Israel, and normalization of its relations with Arab states. U.S. diplomacy is critical in helping to resolve this conflict. In addition to facilitating negotiations, we must engage in regional diplomacy to gain Arab support for a Palestinian leadership that is committed to peace and willing to engage in a dialogue with the Israelis. Whether or not the United States makes progress in helping to broker a final agreement, consistent U.S. involvement can lower the level of violence and restore our credibility in the region.
mercoledì 7 novembre 2007
Per rientrare in Israele, sacerdoti e suore continuano ad aver bisogno di un nuovo visto di ingresso
Radio Vaticana, 4.11.07. Sono passati anni e, malgrado le promesse del governo israeliano, sacerdoti e suore che escono da Israele per far ritorno nello Stato ebraico continuano ad aver bisogno di un nuovo visto di ingresso da parte di un consolato israeliano. Da segnalare, poi, che il visto si ottiene con grosse difficoltà e possono passare mesi per il disbrigo delle pratiche. I responsabili ecclesiastici di Terra Santa hanno preferito evitare proteste pubbliche, cercando invece di ottenere un mutamento di linea tramite negoziati discreti con le autorità civili competenti. Sulla questione Luca Collodi ha raggiunto telefonicamente a Gerusalemme padre David M. Jaeger, giurista francescano, appartenente alla Custodia di Terra Santa:
R. – Il problema dei visti e dei permessi di soggiorno fa registrare l’ennesima crisi. Ogni volta i ritardi, i dinieghi etc., causano enormi problemi alla pastorale, al funzionamento della Chiesa. Il problema di fondo è che in Israele non c’è nessuna normativa per il rilascio dei permessi di ingresso e di soggiorno, eccetto quello che ti dice il funzionario del giorno allo sportello. Invece servono norme che permettano alla Chiesa di programmare ragionevolmente chi possa essere ammesso, come e quando. Nell’accordo fondamentale con la Santa Sede del ’93, sarebbe stato previsto in linea di massima il diritto della Chiesa a dispiegare il proprio personale nelle proprie istituzioni. Risulterebbe un impegno comune di negoziare un patto circa questa normativa e questo impegno è stato esplicitato tra le parti già nel marzo del ’94. Risulta che c’era un accordo procedurale di negoziare precisamente un patto sulle norme per il rilascio di questi permessi. Questo fino ad oggi non è avvenuto.
D. – Al momento, la situazione praticamente come si svolge sul campo? Un sacerdote che si deve muovere cosa fa?
R. – Attualmente ci sono molti che attendono il rilascio. In casa mia c’è un sacerdote siro-cattolico, destinato alla cura pastorale dei siri-cattolici di Gerusalemme. E’ l’unico sacerdote abilitato al rito che sarebbe lì, ma invece lui non può partire per Israele perché non ha ricevuto il visto e nessuna indicazione se lo riceverà, quando lo riceverà e come o che cosa dovrebbe ancora fare per riceverlo. Ci sono anche altri, molti dei quali hanno ricevuto il visto per un solo anno o un solo ingresso. Per esempio, se devono lasciare il Paese non possono rientrare, se non avendo fatto una nuova domanda.
R. – Il problema dei visti e dei permessi di soggiorno fa registrare l’ennesima crisi. Ogni volta i ritardi, i dinieghi etc., causano enormi problemi alla pastorale, al funzionamento della Chiesa. Il problema di fondo è che in Israele non c’è nessuna normativa per il rilascio dei permessi di ingresso e di soggiorno, eccetto quello che ti dice il funzionario del giorno allo sportello. Invece servono norme che permettano alla Chiesa di programmare ragionevolmente chi possa essere ammesso, come e quando. Nell’accordo fondamentale con la Santa Sede del ’93, sarebbe stato previsto in linea di massima il diritto della Chiesa a dispiegare il proprio personale nelle proprie istituzioni. Risulterebbe un impegno comune di negoziare un patto circa questa normativa e questo impegno è stato esplicitato tra le parti già nel marzo del ’94. Risulta che c’era un accordo procedurale di negoziare precisamente un patto sulle norme per il rilascio di questi permessi. Questo fino ad oggi non è avvenuto.
D. – Al momento, la situazione praticamente come si svolge sul campo? Un sacerdote che si deve muovere cosa fa?
R. – Attualmente ci sono molti che attendono il rilascio. In casa mia c’è un sacerdote siro-cattolico, destinato alla cura pastorale dei siri-cattolici di Gerusalemme. E’ l’unico sacerdote abilitato al rito che sarebbe lì, ma invece lui non può partire per Israele perché non ha ricevuto il visto e nessuna indicazione se lo riceverà, quando lo riceverà e come o che cosa dovrebbe ancora fare per riceverlo. Ci sono anche altri, molti dei quali hanno ricevuto il visto per un solo anno o un solo ingresso. Per esempio, se devono lasciare il Paese non possono rientrare, se non avendo fatto una nuova domanda.
Ismail Haniyeh:«Ad Abu Mazen dico trattiamo senza precondizioni»
Umberto De Giovannangeli , l'Unità, 7.11.07. Lancia messaggi concilianti. Parla Ismail Haniyeh, premier deposto di Hamas, che molti osservatori considerano il leader dell’ala pragmatica del movimento islamico palestinese. «Non abbiamo intenzione di conquistare la Cisgiordania con la forza. Non succederà», assicura Haniyeh nell’intervista concessa a l’Unità. Il leader di Hamas accusa l’Autorità nazionale palestinese di «assecondare l’assedio di Gaza» ma al tempo stesso apre al presidente Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen): «Hamas è pronto a riprendere il dialogo politico con il presidente Abbas, senza precondizioni».
C’è chi sostiene che Hamas sta preparando un colpo di mano militare in Cisgiordania.
«È falso. Hamas non ha alcuna intenzione di conquistare con la forza la Cisgiordania».
Si diceva così anche per Gaza.
«Da tempo siamo favorevoli alla costituzione di una commissione d’inchiesta della Lega Araba che accerti la verità su ciò che è avvenuto 5 mesi fa».
E qual è la sua verità?
«Chi ha vinto le elezioni non ha alcuna ragione di imbastire un autogolpe. La verità è che siamo stati costretti ad agire per debellare il caos. E in questi 5 mesi abbiamo raggiunto importanti obiettivi».
Verità per verità: la realtà di Gaza raccontata all’Unità dal segretario generale aggiunto dell’Onu John Holmes e dall’inviato delle Nazioni Unite per i diritti umani nei Territori, John Dugand, parla di una situazione gravissima per la popolazione civile.
«Questa situazione è conseguente alle restrizioni imposte da Israele: togliere il gas, la luce, il carburante, impedire il passaggio delle merci, sono crimini contro l’umanità, atti di terrorismo di Stato. Ma tutto ciò non oscura i risultati ottenuti in questi cinque mesi: il caos è calato del 90%, abbiamo riattivato il sistema giudiziario, ripreso l’attività parlamentare, il pagamento regolare degli stipendi a 17mila dipendenti statali e di sussidi a 60mila disoccupati, organizzato un sistema scolastico praticamente gratuito. E tutto questo dovendo far fronte all’assedio israeliano».
Assedio condannato dallo stesso Abu Mazen.
«A parole. Il presidente è impegnato nella preparazione di una Conferenza internazionale rispetto alla quale il nostro giudizio è decisamente negativo, ma questo è un altro discorso. Ad Abbas diciamo: hai un modo concreto per dimostrare la tua solidarietà alla gente di Gaza. Far dipendere la tua partecipazione alla Conferenza dalla fine dell’assedio di Gaza. Mi lasci aggiungere che di fronte ai crimini compiuti contro 1milione e 400 mila palestinesi è ingiustificabile l’atteggiamento di buona parte del mondo arabo che resta in silenzio di fronte all’assedio di Gaza. Ma chi pensa che infliggendo una punizione collettiva alla popolazione civile si indebolisca Hamas, commette un grave errore. Il risultato ottenuto è l’esatto opposto. Chi vuole affamare il popolo palestinese, pensando così di poterlo piegare, sottovaluta il nostro orgoglio e la nostra determinazione».
In precedenza, lei ha fatto riferimento alla Conferenza di Annapolis. Qual è il giudizio di Hamas?
«Quella Conferenza è una vetrina voluta da Bush per cercare di mascherare il fallimento della politica Usa in Medio Oriente, a cominciare dall’Iraq. Da Annapolis la causa palestinese non uscirà certamente rafforzata. Gli Stati Uniti non potranno garantire ai palestinesi quanto davvero desiderano: un ritiro totale e completo di Israele dai Territori. Israele parla di pace ma intanto continua a confiscare le terre palestinesi, a realizzare il Muro dell’apartheid in Cisgiordania, a infliggere odiose punizioni collettive alla popolazione civile di Gaza. Inoltre Olmert non ha alcuna intenzione di fare sostanziali aperture su questioni fondamentali come lo status di Al Quds (Gerusalemme, ndr.), i confini dell’ipotetico Stato palestinese e sul diritto al ritorno dei rifugiati».
Ma Hamas sa dire solo dei no?
«A Israele abbiamo proposto una tregua di lunga durata: 10-15 anni, e Israele sa che Hamas rispetta gli accordi. Una tregua legata alla fine dell’assedio di Gaza e degli assassinii di attivisti della resistenza, e alla liberazione dei prigionieri palestinesi».
Resta il nodo del riconoscimento di Israele.
«Non si può chiedere ad un popolo oppresso, assediato, di riconoscere il proprio oppressore. Il riconoscimento di Israele può essere parte di un serio negoziato e non la precondizione».
Israele sostiene che l’obiettivo strategico di Hamas è la distruzione dello Stato ebraico.
«L’obiettivo strategico di Hamas è realizzare uno Stato di Palestina indipendente sui territori occupati nel 1967, compresa Al Quds. Per questo abbiamo lottato e continueremo a farlo fino alla vittoria».
Nei giorni scorsi, Abu Mazen ha ricevuto a Ramallah, per la prima volta dal golpe di giugno, alcuni esponenti di Hamas in Cisgiordania. C’è chi ha parlato di una spaccatura all’interno di Hamas.
«Questo è un auspicio dei nostri nemici. Ma è destinato ad essere una illusione. In Hamas si discute, certamente, e questo è un segno di vitalità, ma sulle scelte che contano abbiamo dimostrato una coesione a prova di bomba. Ed è Hamas nella sua interezza che si rivolge ad Abu Mazen».
Con quale messaggio?
«Siamo pronti a riprendere un dialogo politico con Abu Mazen e Fatah, senza precondizioni».
Mentre si parla di pace, c’è chi sembra stia preparando una nuova guerra: quella contro l’Iran.
«Se ciò avvenisse, il Medio Oriente esploderebbe. Una guerra di aggressione contro l’Iran verrebbe vista come una dichiarazione di guerra contro tutti i movimenti di resistenza in Medio Oriente».
Anche contro Hamas?
«Sì, anche contro Hamas».
(ha collaborato Osama Hamdan)
C’è chi sostiene che Hamas sta preparando un colpo di mano militare in Cisgiordania.
«È falso. Hamas non ha alcuna intenzione di conquistare con la forza la Cisgiordania».
Si diceva così anche per Gaza.
«Da tempo siamo favorevoli alla costituzione di una commissione d’inchiesta della Lega Araba che accerti la verità su ciò che è avvenuto 5 mesi fa».
E qual è la sua verità?
«Chi ha vinto le elezioni non ha alcuna ragione di imbastire un autogolpe. La verità è che siamo stati costretti ad agire per debellare il caos. E in questi 5 mesi abbiamo raggiunto importanti obiettivi».
Verità per verità: la realtà di Gaza raccontata all’Unità dal segretario generale aggiunto dell’Onu John Holmes e dall’inviato delle Nazioni Unite per i diritti umani nei Territori, John Dugand, parla di una situazione gravissima per la popolazione civile.
«Questa situazione è conseguente alle restrizioni imposte da Israele: togliere il gas, la luce, il carburante, impedire il passaggio delle merci, sono crimini contro l’umanità, atti di terrorismo di Stato. Ma tutto ciò non oscura i risultati ottenuti in questi cinque mesi: il caos è calato del 90%, abbiamo riattivato il sistema giudiziario, ripreso l’attività parlamentare, il pagamento regolare degli stipendi a 17mila dipendenti statali e di sussidi a 60mila disoccupati, organizzato un sistema scolastico praticamente gratuito. E tutto questo dovendo far fronte all’assedio israeliano».
Assedio condannato dallo stesso Abu Mazen.
«A parole. Il presidente è impegnato nella preparazione di una Conferenza internazionale rispetto alla quale il nostro giudizio è decisamente negativo, ma questo è un altro discorso. Ad Abbas diciamo: hai un modo concreto per dimostrare la tua solidarietà alla gente di Gaza. Far dipendere la tua partecipazione alla Conferenza dalla fine dell’assedio di Gaza. Mi lasci aggiungere che di fronte ai crimini compiuti contro 1milione e 400 mila palestinesi è ingiustificabile l’atteggiamento di buona parte del mondo arabo che resta in silenzio di fronte all’assedio di Gaza. Ma chi pensa che infliggendo una punizione collettiva alla popolazione civile si indebolisca Hamas, commette un grave errore. Il risultato ottenuto è l’esatto opposto. Chi vuole affamare il popolo palestinese, pensando così di poterlo piegare, sottovaluta il nostro orgoglio e la nostra determinazione».
In precedenza, lei ha fatto riferimento alla Conferenza di Annapolis. Qual è il giudizio di Hamas?
«Quella Conferenza è una vetrina voluta da Bush per cercare di mascherare il fallimento della politica Usa in Medio Oriente, a cominciare dall’Iraq. Da Annapolis la causa palestinese non uscirà certamente rafforzata. Gli Stati Uniti non potranno garantire ai palestinesi quanto davvero desiderano: un ritiro totale e completo di Israele dai Territori. Israele parla di pace ma intanto continua a confiscare le terre palestinesi, a realizzare il Muro dell’apartheid in Cisgiordania, a infliggere odiose punizioni collettive alla popolazione civile di Gaza. Inoltre Olmert non ha alcuna intenzione di fare sostanziali aperture su questioni fondamentali come lo status di Al Quds (Gerusalemme, ndr.), i confini dell’ipotetico Stato palestinese e sul diritto al ritorno dei rifugiati».
Ma Hamas sa dire solo dei no?
«A Israele abbiamo proposto una tregua di lunga durata: 10-15 anni, e Israele sa che Hamas rispetta gli accordi. Una tregua legata alla fine dell’assedio di Gaza e degli assassinii di attivisti della resistenza, e alla liberazione dei prigionieri palestinesi».
Resta il nodo del riconoscimento di Israele.
«Non si può chiedere ad un popolo oppresso, assediato, di riconoscere il proprio oppressore. Il riconoscimento di Israele può essere parte di un serio negoziato e non la precondizione».
Israele sostiene che l’obiettivo strategico di Hamas è la distruzione dello Stato ebraico.
«L’obiettivo strategico di Hamas è realizzare uno Stato di Palestina indipendente sui territori occupati nel 1967, compresa Al Quds. Per questo abbiamo lottato e continueremo a farlo fino alla vittoria».
Nei giorni scorsi, Abu Mazen ha ricevuto a Ramallah, per la prima volta dal golpe di giugno, alcuni esponenti di Hamas in Cisgiordania. C’è chi ha parlato di una spaccatura all’interno di Hamas.
«Questo è un auspicio dei nostri nemici. Ma è destinato ad essere una illusione. In Hamas si discute, certamente, e questo è un segno di vitalità, ma sulle scelte che contano abbiamo dimostrato una coesione a prova di bomba. Ed è Hamas nella sua interezza che si rivolge ad Abu Mazen».
Con quale messaggio?
«Siamo pronti a riprendere un dialogo politico con Abu Mazen e Fatah, senza precondizioni».
Mentre si parla di pace, c’è chi sembra stia preparando una nuova guerra: quella contro l’Iran.
«Se ciò avvenisse, il Medio Oriente esploderebbe. Una guerra di aggressione contro l’Iran verrebbe vista come una dichiarazione di guerra contro tutti i movimenti di resistenza in Medio Oriente».
Anche contro Hamas?
«Sì, anche contro Hamas».
(ha collaborato Osama Hamdan)
Hanan Ashrawi warns of violence if upcoming talks with Israel fail
Jonathan Curie, San Francisco Chronicle, 11.07. In the past 12 months, Hanan Ashrawi has berated al Qaeda, telling it to "stay out" of Palestinian affairs; repudiated Hamas, charging it behaved like "gangsters" in its takeover of Gaza; and condemned Israel, saying its continued occupation of Palestinian territories has harmed lives and fueled Hamas' political ascension. Ashrawi is an anomaly. One of the few female leaders in Palestinian politics, she has never been afraid to voice her opinions, even if it comes at a personal cost. Ahead of her visit to the Bay Area on Sunday, Ashrawi warned that violence will increase between Israelis and Palestinians if an upcoming Washington-led peace conference doesn't lead to a breakthrough. Speaking about Hamas, which the United States brands a terrorist organization, Hanan Ashrawi said its sway over Gaza has led to an Islamization of the Palestinian territories. "It's important," said Ashrawi, who is Christian, "that we do not become a closed society, absolutist and ideological, and we don't become repressive and curtail personal freedoms. It's a battle for the soul of Palestine."
Ashrawi, who has a doctorate in medieval and comparative literature from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, is former dean at Birzeit University in the West Bank, a former spokeswoman for the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East peace process, and the Palestinian Authority's former minister of higher education and research. She now heads a Ramallah-based organization called the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy.
Ashrawi, who has a doctorate in medieval and comparative literature from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, is former dean at Birzeit University in the West Bank, a former spokeswoman for the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East peace process, and the Palestinian Authority's former minister of higher education and research. She now heads a Ramallah-based organization called the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy.
Coming in the last 15 months of the Bush administration's term in office, the peace talks at Annapolis, Md., may be too little, too late, said Ashrawi - especially if it doesn't lead to a breakthrough on such intractable issues as whether Palestinians and Israelis can share Jerusalem in a two-state scenario.
Where have all the trucks gone?
Jesse Rosenfeld writing from Ramallah, Occupied West Bank, The Electronic Intifada, 5.11.07. Karni has traditionally been a major goods crossing for Gaza, but hitchhiking in the car of an Associated Press journalist we are stopped by military jeeps two kilometers before the crossing and told that it is closed. We get out of the car and walk back towards a dusty lot three kilometers away where 10 trucks are resting. The only vehicles heading in the direction of Karni are a few cars taking the exit road for the nearby kibbutz, military vehicles, and fuel trucks going to the military base 500 meters from where we were stopped. "We take chickens and cows in, nothing comes out," a truck driver says. "We take our cargo to the crossing and Palestinians pick it up on the other side. Only food gets through." He says that Karni is a livestock crossing and that only Israeli drivers can deliver cargo. When the truck gets near the crossing the cargo is dumped, checked by the military and put on a track over to Gaza. However, no livestock trucks are leaving for the crossing. In an e-mail correspondence with the Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children in Gaza, they inform me that their hearing aids and hearing aid batteries have been blocked by the military since June. The organization provides hearing aids, hearing aid equipment and schooling for deaf children in Gaza. We get picked up on the side of the road by an Israeli woman who has lived in the area since 1979. She says she's not busy and kindly offers to drive us to both of the crossings. Despite only living kilometers from the Gaza crossing she seems oblivious to the impact of the blockade on Gaza and the severe shortages people are experiencing. ufa is supposed to be the new major crossing which Israel claims is seeing between 100 and 120 trucks daily. However, the crossing looks more like a giant sand pit filled with tanks and there's a military base in the distance. The road running through the sand comes to an abrupt end with three large cement cubes blocking further travel, but before we even get there the soldiers call out from their parked tank to stop. Perplexedly they jump out and jog towards the car, machine guns at their side, and after a short conversation in Hebrew with the driver they tell us in English that we can't go any further. There isn't a transport truck in sight, despite this supposedly being the new main goods transport route, and even if there were it is impossible to see how the trucks would proceed through the cement blocks towards Gaza. Gaza hospitals were reporting to have run out anasthetics just two days before. By 6 October the Palestinian Medical Relief Society was warning of a pending health crisis because the blockade was making it extremely difficult to administer medical attention. At the time, they reported that people receiving kidney dialysis three times weekly had their treatment cut to twice weekly because of equipment shortages. Kerem Shalom is a central three-way border for goods between Israel, Gaza and Egypt, and like the other two crossings it's completely deserted apart from sniper and watchtowers. It's 5:00pm and the only trucks we see are Israeli trucks using the crossing area as a shortcut to transport goods from local Israeli farms to other parts of Israel. The only thing that is definitely getting into Gaza is 20-year-old kids, armed to the teeth, crossing the border at night, and Israel wants to keep this too as quiet as possible.
Jesse Rosenfeld is a freelance journalist based in Ramallah. This article was originally published by Palestine Monitor and is republished with permission. All photos by Palestine Monitor.
Jesse Rosenfeld is a freelance journalist based in Ramallah. This article was originally published by Palestine Monitor and is republished with permission. All photos by Palestine Monitor.
Closure of crossings traps students in Gaza
· Hundreds studying abroad unable to continue
· Israeli supreme court petitioned on right to travel
Rory McCarthy in GazaCity, The Guardian, 6.11.07. Khaled al-Mudallal expected to spend this autumn sitting in lectures and writing papers for his final year in business and management studies in Bradford, the town he has lived in for six years. But when Mr Mudallal, 22, went home to visit his wife and family in Gaza this summer he found himself trapped. Within a few days of his return Hamas, the Islamist movement which won Palestinian elections last year, seized control of the Gaza Strip. Israel closed the crossings out of Gaza and six weeks ago declared the small stretch of land a "hostile entity". He is one of 670 Palestinian students in Gaza with places on university courses abroad who are unable to return to their studies. Supported by an Israeli human rights group, Gisha, the students have brought a second petition to Israel's supreme court demanding the right to travel after a first petition was rejected. A response is expected today.
· Israeli supreme court petitioned on right to travel
Rory McCarthy in GazaCity, The Guardian, 6.11.07. Khaled al-Mudallal expected to spend this autumn sitting in lectures and writing papers for his final year in business and management studies in Bradford, the town he has lived in for six years. But when Mr Mudallal, 22, went home to visit his wife and family in Gaza this summer he found himself trapped. Within a few days of his return Hamas, the Islamist movement which won Palestinian elections last year, seized control of the Gaza Strip. Israel closed the crossings out of Gaza and six weeks ago declared the small stretch of land a "hostile entity". He is one of 670 Palestinian students in Gaza with places on university courses abroad who are unable to return to their studies. Supported by an Israeli human rights group, Gisha, the students have brought a second petition to Israel's supreme court demanding the right to travel after a first petition was rejected. A response is expected today.
"This is my final year, it counts for 70% of my degree. It's the most important year of my life," said Mr Mudallal. "I feel I've been denied my right to education, my right of movement."
He moved to Bradford as a teenager to join his father, who was studying at the city's university. He went to school and then on to the university's school of management. He returned to Gaza last December to marry and came back again this summer to bring his wife, Dua'a, to Bradford for his final year.
He has a visa for Britain that runs until 2010. However, because the crossings were closed he had to cancel a one-year paid placement at a Bradford charity that was part of his course and is still paying £300 a month rent on his flat in the city. "We're living in limbo," he said.
The Israeli government has allowed a limited number of Palestinians to leave Gaza through the Erez border crossing, which leads into Israel, and from there on to Tel Aviv airport or overland into Jordan. In August, Israel began taking students out through Erez and driving them by bus to the Nitzana crossing, which leads into Egypt. However the bus ran only four times, allowing fewer than 550 people to leave, of whom about 80 were students. It has not run since early September.
Mr Mudallal's first petition to the supreme court, on September 17, was rejected because the court was told the bus service would resume. It did not. There are now 6,400 Palestinians waiting to leave Gaza and Mr Mudallal is number 4,845 on the waiting list.
Mark Regev, Israel's foreign ministry spokesman, said: "We are working to find an expeditious solution. We want them to go and study and help build a better future for the Palestinians."
Many others fear losing their university places. Mona Bkheet, 26, won a scholarship for a PhD on civil engineering at Southern Illinois University, in Carbondale. When she came home to Gaza for the summer, she too found herself trapped.
Hassan el-Nabih, 46, who won a place at Boston College, in Boston, Massachusetts, to study a PhD in linguistics under a US government scholarship for Palestinian university academics has a US visa that runs until June 2010 and a permit to cross through Israel from Gaza, but was twice turned back when trying to leave.
martedì 6 novembre 2007
E' morto Daniel Amit, intellettuale e uomo di pace Una voce fuori dal coro in Israele e nella scienza
Daniel Amit a una manifestazione nonviolenta in Palestina
Il suo era un nome conosciuto, in Italia e in Israele, tra chi si batte per una pace giusta in Palestina. Professore di Fisica teorica, si divideva tra Roma e e Gerusalemme, tra la Sapienza e la Hebrew University. E proprio nella sua casa di Gerusalemme, a 69 anni, Daniel Amit è morto. Si è tolto la vita, dopo aver lasciato una lettera per i familiari.
Nato nel 1930 in Polonia, immigrato in Palestina all'inizio degli anni Quaranta, nel 1991 prese la cittadinanza italiana. Era uno scienziato rigoroso, un pioniere nello studio delle reti neuronali, ma anche un uomo con una vera passione per la politica, sempre in prima fila nelle iniziative di pace. Un intellettuale senza paura di esporsi, di fare scelte controcorrente, anche clamorose. Come quando decise di interrompere la sua quarantennale collaborazione con la prestigiosa rivista della American Physical Society.
Luisa Morgantini:
Non sopportava più il dolore di vivere in un mondo cosi' violento e ingiusto. Non trovava più la forza di credere che valesse la pena continuare a resistere,che potevamo farcela. Anche Daniel è vittima dell'ingiustizia. L'8 Giugno, anniversario di quarant'anni di occupazione militare israeliana era con noi in una piazza del Testaccio a Roma, per dire basta all'occupazione militare israeliana, a chiedere giustizia ed uno stato per i palestinesi, a dire basta alle guerre. Dopo la guerra in Iraq, da scienziato si era rifiutato di collaborare con una rivista Scientifica Americana mettendo in discussione il rapporto scienza guerra. Da ebreo, da israeliano, da cittadino del mondo rifiutava la politica coloniale e l'oppressione della popolazione palestinese. La sua è una morte che pesa come una montagna, come la domanda incessante di non essergli stati abbastanza vicino. Ma cosi' è stato anche per Alex Langer. Caro Daniel, la tua radicalità e dolcezza, il tuo rigore morale, il tuo sacrificio, aiuteranno tutti noi che ancora non abbiamo perso la speranza. Non lasceremo sola Dahlia.
Daniel Amit, Dall'inferno della Palestina, Testimonianze contro il male. la rivista del manifesto, 27.4.02
Report: 44 assassinated in October
Ameen Abu Warda nisreen at imemc dot org - IMEMC, 6.11.07 10:19. The International and Public Relations department of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Monday issued a report claiming that 44 Palestinians had been deliberately targeted and assassinated by the Israeli army during the month of October, 27 of them by Israeli army air strikes, and a further 120 injured. The report also details the abduction of at least 350 Palestinian civilians, the destruction of at least 3 homes, the damaging of 445 Dunums of Palestinian-owned land, and the confiscation of over 1130 Dunums for Illegal Israeli settlements.
The department further criticizes a perceived increase of pressure on the Gaza Strip, with fuel and other essential supplies being further restricted, and the threat of a power-cut being expressed by the Israeli government.
The report finishes with a sharp criticism of recent events in the Negev detention facility, branded the enacted procedures as inhumane and illegal, and calling on all concerned parties to intervene on the behalf of the detainees.
Translated by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News.
.
The department further criticizes a perceived increase of pressure on the Gaza Strip, with fuel and other essential supplies being further restricted, and the threat of a power-cut being expressed by the Israeli government.
The report finishes with a sharp criticism of recent events in the Negev detention facility, branded the enacted procedures as inhumane and illegal, and calling on all concerned parties to intervene on the behalf of the detainees.
Translated by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News.
.
Nine Palestinian civilians kidnapped in northern West Bank
Ghassan Bannoura ghassanb at imemc dot org - IMEMC News, 6.11.07 09:59. Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli army invaded the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Qalqilia on Tuesday morning, kidnapping at least nine civilians. In Nablus, several army jeeps and one bulldozer invaded the downtown area. During as subsequent search of homes, Israeli troops kidnapped seven civilians.
The kidnapped were later identified as Ahmad Abu al-Iesh, 17, Maher al-Kharaz, 50, Ghaith Awawdah, 23, Mohamed Abu Saleh, 19, Jalal Halboni, Mohamed Kalponah, 23, and Ala Ghaneem, 25.
Elsewhere Israeli soldiers stormed the city of Qalqilia, searched homes and kidnapped two civilians. The men were later identified as Ibaraheem Miskawi, 30, and Nour Jo'adi, 25.
The kidnapped were later identified as Ahmad Abu al-Iesh, 17, Maher al-Kharaz, 50, Ghaith Awawdah, 23, Mohamed Abu Saleh, 19, Jalal Halboni, Mohamed Kalponah, 23, and Ala Ghaneem, 25.
Elsewhere Israeli soldiers stormed the city of Qalqilia, searched homes and kidnapped two civilians. The men were later identified as Ibaraheem Miskawi, 30, and Nour Jo'adi, 25.
Israeli military abducts senior West Bank Hamas leader
Ameen Abu Warda nisreen at imemc dot org - IMEMC News. 6.11.07 08:54. Israeli forces abducted a senior Hamas leader from the northern West Bank city of Nablus in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The man, al-Sheikh Maher al-Kharaz, 55, was kidnapped after Israeli forces invaded the old city area of Nablus and stormed his house. Al-Kharaz was transferred to an undisclosed detention center. Al-Kharaz is considered one of the most prominent Hamas leaders in the West Bank, and was among those 400 leaders and activists of Hamas that were deported to Marj al-Zuhoor in 1993. He has been abducted on many different occasions, with the last culminating in 6months detention in the notorious Negev prison.
Translated by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News.
Translated by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News.
IDF: Nearly 28% of Israeli males avoided conscription in 2007
Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz Correspondent, 6.11.07. The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday that 27.7 percent of Israeli males of conscription age are not inducted into the army. Army statistics presented at the Sderot conference on societal issues showed that 11.2 percent of those who avoided conscription did so under exemptions granted to yeshiva students. The largest single group of young Israelis who avoid conscription is comprised of women who claim exemptions on the grounds of being religious. This group makes up 35 percent of all women eligible for the draft.
7.3 percent were granted medical deferments. The figure apparently includes psychological deferments, often cited as a source of "gray avoidance," referring to young men who avoid service by presenting evidence that they are mentally unfit to serve. A total of 4.7 percent were ruled ineligible because of criminal records, and 4.2 percent because they were residing abroad.
7.3 percent were granted medical deferments. The figure apparently includes psychological deferments, often cited as a source of "gray avoidance," referring to young men who avoid service by presenting evidence that they are mentally unfit to serve. A total of 4.7 percent were ruled ineligible because of criminal records, and 4.2 percent because they were residing abroad.
United Nations Office. OCHA Humanitarian Situation on Gaza 1 - 31 Oct. 2007
SUMMARY POINTS
1. Karni crossing, the main crossing for commercial goods, remains closed since 13 June. On 28 October, Israel announced the permanent closure of Sufa crossing. Kerem Shalom is now the only crossing open for the movement of goods into the Gaza Strip, and its limited capacity is likely to result in a further decrease in the import of goods and medicines into Gaza. The continuing closure of Gaza’s borders is leading to a continuing contraction of the local economy, with private sector losses now reaching $60 million in the last four months Source: Paltrade.
2. Rafah crossing, the principle entry/exit point for 1.48 million Gazans from/to the rest of the world, remains closed. Except for a limited number of medical cases, traders and aid workers, Gazans have been unable to leave for nearly five months.
3. The amount of goods entering Gaza has decreased by 71% since before the Karni closure, from an average of 253 truckloads per day in April to an average of 74 in October. Prices of commodities in the Gaza Strip continue to rise due to the limited quantity of imports and the associated decrease in the availability of certain goods.
4. An escalation in IDF activity in the Gaza Strip in the month of October resulted in an increase of conflict-related Palestinian casualties (28 deaths and 70 injuries).
5. The availability of drugs at central drug stores in the Gaza Strip has decreased. The number of drug items with zero stocks has increased in October to 91 drug items compared to 61 items in September. In local Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics, World Health Organization has reported zero stocks of pediatric drugs, including antibiotics and Vitamin A and D supplements, and a shortage of chronic disease drugs.
6. During the month of October, 27 Palestinian patients out of 789 who previously received a permit from Israeli authorities for treatment in Israel and/or the West Bank were denied access at the Erez crossing.
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/Gaza_Sitrep_2007_11_05.pdf
For more information contact Khulood Badawi 054 44 84 632
United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Mac House
P.O.Box 38712
Jerusalem
Tel:++ 972-2-5829962/5853
Fax:++972-2-5825841
email:ochaopt@un.org
www.ochaopt.org
1. Karni crossing, the main crossing for commercial goods, remains closed since 13 June. On 28 October, Israel announced the permanent closure of Sufa crossing. Kerem Shalom is now the only crossing open for the movement of goods into the Gaza Strip, and its limited capacity is likely to result in a further decrease in the import of goods and medicines into Gaza. The continuing closure of Gaza’s borders is leading to a continuing contraction of the local economy, with private sector losses now reaching $60 million in the last four months Source: Paltrade.
2. Rafah crossing, the principle entry/exit point for 1.48 million Gazans from/to the rest of the world, remains closed. Except for a limited number of medical cases, traders and aid workers, Gazans have been unable to leave for nearly five months.
3. The amount of goods entering Gaza has decreased by 71% since before the Karni closure, from an average of 253 truckloads per day in April to an average of 74 in October. Prices of commodities in the Gaza Strip continue to rise due to the limited quantity of imports and the associated decrease in the availability of certain goods.
4. An escalation in IDF activity in the Gaza Strip in the month of October resulted in an increase of conflict-related Palestinian casualties (28 deaths and 70 injuries).
5. The availability of drugs at central drug stores in the Gaza Strip has decreased. The number of drug items with zero stocks has increased in October to 91 drug items compared to 61 items in September. In local Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics, World Health Organization has reported zero stocks of pediatric drugs, including antibiotics and Vitamin A and D supplements, and a shortage of chronic disease drugs.
6. During the month of October, 27 Palestinian patients out of 789 who previously received a permit from Israeli authorities for treatment in Israel and/or the West Bank were denied access at the Erez crossing.
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/Gaza_Sitrep_2007_11_05.pdf
For more information contact Khulood Badawi 054 44 84 632
United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Mac House
P.O.Box 38712
Jerusalem
Tel:++ 972-2-5829962/5853
Fax:++972-2-5825841
email:ochaopt@un.org
www.ochaopt.org
Dr. Aziz Dwaik is lying in a Zionist hospital after deteriorating in his healthy situation
Dr. Aziz Salem Murtada Dweik "Abu Hashem" was born on December 1, 1948. He holds three Masters degrees in Education, City Planning and Regional Planning. The founder of the Geography Department at al-Najah University, he acted as Public Relations Official at the Patients Friend Society and he had a leading role in supervising several Masters theses and PhD dissertations. Dweik holds PhD in Regional and Architecture Planning from the US University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Married and father of seven children. Dweik was arrested in the Israeli occupation prisons five times in a row and was one of the 400 Palestinians who were deported to Marj al-Zuhur for one year at the end of 1992. During that experience, he was the spokesperson of the deportees.Ezzedeen Al Qassam brigades, 6.11.07. The wife of the President of the Legislative Council Dr. Aziz Dwaik, who is detained in the Zionist jails, announced that her husband was transferred to Al Ramla hospital for a medical check after a deteriorating in his healthy situation. His wife said that she visited her husband on Monday in the hospital two days ago. Dr. Dwaik told her that he suffers from diabetes and problems in his kidney, in addition to acute otitis.
Dwaik, 59 years, was arrested with 42 deputies from Hamas last year .
According to Dwaik's wife "He wasn't infected with diabetes before. He suffered from this disease in the prison four months ago."
The wife said that the Zionist doctors in Al Ramla hospital informed her that her husband will remain in the hospital for two weeks in order to complete additional laboratory tests.
For his part, Ayman Daraghma, the deputy of Hamas in the Legislative council, accused the Zionist administration in targeting Dr. Dwaik because of his presidency to the Palestinian legislative council. "The Zionist administration pressure on him in prison more than other detainees, which led to deteriorate his healthy situation."
Daraghma said that one of the Palestinian doctors checked Dr. Dwaik before awhile and recommended execute Catheter operation to him.
He added, "The Zionist prison administration deals with Dr. Aziz Dwaik harshly and pressures on him more than other deputies by the continuing transferring from one prison to another in a very harsh conditions as a form of psychological pressure."
Related links
The Palestinian National Initiative and independents condemn the kidnapping of PLC speaker – chairman of the PLC, Dr. Aziz Dwaik, Al Mudabara, 6.8.06
Wendy Kristianasen, Palestine: Hamas besieged, Le Monde Diplomatique, June 2006
"While the leaders of the world already know the name Gilad Shalit by heart, the name of Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Dr. Aziz Dwaik is of no interest to anyone." (ynetnews, 30.04.07)
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