Palestine in US Presidential Elections

Dr. Hasan Afif El-Hasan*, PalestineChronicle.com, 22.11.07. In the 2004 presidential campaign, Howard Dean, a strong supporter of Israel, did not help himself politically when he promised to take more “even-handed role” in dealing with the conflict should he become a president. One of his rivals called such reasonable idea “irresponsible” approach that would lead to “selling Israel down the river”. And majority of Dean’s fellow Democrat members of Congress signed a letter criticizing his statement. Dean failed to win the Democratic nomination for many reasons including his “even-handed role” suggestion.

Senator Barak Obama was attacked by his political opponents for expressing some sympathy for the Palestinians’ “suffering”. He was accused of being anti-Israel even when he had not mentioned Israel in the statement that has been attributed to him. Obama had to do something to correct his mistake and stay in the race. He explained the suffering of the Palestinians he had talked about was at the hands of their own leaders not Israel. He praised Israel for what it stands for and promised not to change the US-Israeli close relationship if he was elected as a president. Perhaps forgiveness has been granted!

Rudy Giuliani is the Republican national front runner. His main platform in foreign policy suggests no interest in pursuing justice for the Palestinians. In a speech to a London based Atlantic Bridge conference, Giuliani called among other things for expanding NATO to include Israel. Even some Republican leaders perceive him too dangerous to be trusted with the presidency of the US. Pat Buchanan, a conservative Republican commentator and a one time presidential candidate, wrote an article criticizing his foreign policy titled “Is a Vote for Rudy a Vote for War?” On the Palestinian issue, Buchanan asked whether Giuliani would send “American boys to fight Hizbullah and Hamas” if Israel joined NATO. Rudy was asked if he would be even-handed in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. His answer was no, "America shouldn't be even-handed in dealing with ... an elected democracy [Israel] ... and a group of terrorists [the Palestinians]."

To know Giuliani better we should examine where his advisors and supporters stand on the issues. Ken Silverstein, the editor of Harper’s magazine referred to Giuliani’s campaign advisory team as "AIPAC's Dream Team". For those who are not familiar with AIPAC, it is the acronym for the powerful America Israeli Political Action Committee that promotes and defends the right wing interests of Israel in the US. It has big influence on American policy makers including the high office occupants and candidates. According to Wall Street Journal, “no less than 51 pro-Israel PAC’s are operated by AIPAC officials or people who hold seats on AIPAC’s two major policymaking bodies”. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated on August 5, 2006 “Thank God we have AIPAC, the greatest supporter and friend we have in the whole world”.

One of Rudy’s advisors is Daniel Pipes, "who has called for profiling Muslims at airports and scrutinizing American Muslims in law enforcement, the military and the diplomatic corps”. Should Rudy win the Republican nomination and the general elections, mapping Muslim communities profiling may become part of the US counterterrorism policy.

Rudy’s candidacy was endorsed by the television Evangelist Pat Robertson who has been preaching that Israel should be supported in its war against the Arab Palestinians at all cost. The birth of Israel according to Robertson was the first part of a long series of God’s plan to be followed by violent events that would lead to the defeat of the evil forces and the return of Jesus. He identifies Arabs and Muslims among the forces of evil. Robertson attributes the former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon debilitating stroke that left him in comma, as a punishment from God for withdrawing the Israeli army and settlers from Gaza Strip.

Hillary Clinton, the first lady, was perceived to have sympathy with the Palestinians in 1999 when she visited the West Bank. But she became an ardent defender of Israel’s policies once she started running for office. In 2006, Hillary and Bill Clinton were among the main participants in the pro-Israel Saban Center annual conference. The center was established in 2002 by the ardent Zionist Los Angeles mogul media investor, Haim Saban who said he was “a one-issue guy, and my [his] issue is Israel”. Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate, supported Israel’s destructive 2006 war against Lebanon. She suggested in a speech to a local chapter of AIPAC last February that Israel had been threatened by the Palestinians. She said: “in this moment of great difficulty for Israel ,..What is vital is that we stand by our friends and our ally and we stand by our values”.

It is the election ritual season in the US. Presidential aspirants are campaigning, debating issues and attacking each other. Candidates from both major parties seem to have profound disagreements among themselves on almost every major issue facing the US except in their support of Israel. If there is any difference it is how far they can go to support and protect the Jewish state even when its survival is not threatened. Announced reasons for such unqualified and uncompromised support include the importance of Israel as a strategic partner in the war against terror or sharing the same values, but the real reason is the presidential candidates “electability”. Calling for even-handed approach in solving the Arab-Israeli conflict or expressing sympathy with the Palestinians can ruin the prospects of the candidate.

The Democratic contenders are as strong supporters of Israel as the Republican candidates, but they display less hostility toward the Palestinians than the Republican front runners. Of the Democratic candidates, only Congressman Denis Kucinich, a critic of US Middle East policy, and Governor Bill Richardson made appearances in the Arab American gathering. Their leading candidates sent video presentations and assistants to respond to questions on their behalf.

For six years, President Bush has paid only lip service to the two-state solution. The Annapolis meeting that Bush is counting on has no agenda, no clear American message and its aims are shrinking. Its focus will be on the first stage of the defunct 2002 so-called “Road Map”. Yossi Alpher writes “no amount of impassioned statements of commitment to the summit’s [Annapolis meeting] success on the part of Olmert, Abbas and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice can change the sorry political reality shared by all three”. All signs suggest that the Arab-Israeli conflict will not be settled under Bush presidency and the issue will be there for the next US administration to solve or ignore.

Should Senator Clinton win the nomination and the general elections, she has the potential of building on the effort of her husband policy that failed to achieve peace. But Hillary has been too close to the supporters of the right wing Israeli policies. According to the Jewish daily “Forward”, by January 2007 Clinton was “expected to snare the lion’s share of the Jewish political donations”. The national network of Jews supporting Hillary Clinton has been hosting events to raise money for her presidential campaign.

The US has enormous powers and experience to deal with both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli issue. It has the key to solve the conflict, but it never exercised its leverage to make any substantive progress toward achieving just peace. The US never acted as a neutral party mediating between two parties that cannot reach a middle ground on their own. President Bush sided publicly with the Israelis on the main contested issues, the refugees and the settlements. His administration lined up international support for Israeli policy of isolating and starving the Palestinians and violating their human rights.

The Palestinians have the misfortune of competing with an adversary who has great influence on the centers of power in the US. While acting as a mediator, the US treated the Palestinians as part of the problem rather than victims seeking overdue Justice. There is an Arab proverb that says “if the judge is your opponent, to whom do you complain!”. The Palestinians are defeated and oppressed by their enemies, abandoned by their friends and treated unfairly by the US mediators. They have nowhere to go but to Almighty as their last resort.

*Born in Nablus, Palestine, Hasan Afif El-Hasan,Ph.D, is a political analyst and an author. He worked for 30-years in Avionics Engineering.

Bush in Israel: The West Bank Problem

Tim McGirk, TIME, 9.1.08. When George W. Bush last visited Israel — as Texas governor, back in 1998 — he was taken on a helicopter ride by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. They soared over Jerusalem's ancient rooftops and across to the stony, terraced hills of the Palestinian West Bank. On Thursday, when Bush boards a U.S. Chinook helicopter bound for a meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, he will traverse much of the same ground. During his chopper ride, however, Bush will glimpse a changed landscape — and witness the growing obstacles to peace. Bush will see that a hundred new, illegal Jewish outposts have mushroomed on rocky hilltops inside the Palestinian territories; some are no larger than a few trailers circled defensively inside barbed wire, while others are fortified towns of neatly rowed houses with red tiled roofs. Extremist settlers flaunted their disdain for Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday by colonizing two more hilltops on Palestinian land. Bush will also see a grotesque new feature: a 26-ft.-high concrete wall that snakes through the hills for miles. Built by the Israelis to keep out suicide bombers, this security barrier has cut deep inside Palestinian territory and has been condemned by Palestinians and international jurists.

Mustafa Barghouthi: rate of Israeli attacks against, and killing of Palestinians doubles since Annapolis

Mustapha Barghouthi (Ma'anImages)

Ramallah – Ma'an – 10.1.08. The rate of Israeli attacks on and killings of Palestinians has doubled since the US-sponsored Annapolis peace summit, former Palestinian information minister and head of the Palestinian National Initiative, Mustafa Barghouthi, announced on Wednesday. As US President George W. Bush's visited the Palestinian Territories Dr Barghouthi exposed the extent of Israel's aggression against the Palestinian people in 2007, a year characterised by the highest ever ratio of Palestinian to Israeli killings, and unabated settlement expansion. Dr Barghouthi presented data showing that Israeli military killings of, and attacks against Palestinians have soared by 100% since Annapolis, confirming an intensification of Israeli military violence against the Palestinian people even after the meeting on 27 November 2007. He highlighted that the ratio of Palestinians to Israelis killed in 2007 had risen to 40:1, up from 30:1 in 2006 and 4:1 from 2000-2005.

"We do not want anyone to die, Israeli or Palestinian, but this ratio is alarming. It is unacceptable to justify such large-scale killings under the pretext of security," Barghouthi said, adding that five of the Israelis killed in 2007 were soldiers who died whilst carrying out
attacks inside the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

"Israel uses security as a pretext to step up its aggression against Palestinians and to evade any commitments to peace," he went on.

"The question here is about security for everyone not only Israelis, and about equality and the equal rights of all peoples to life. The facts on the ground show very clearly that the Israeli government and its military do not believe in this most basic and universal right when it
comes to Palestinians," he added.

Barghouthi also focused on Israeli settlement expansion and their refusal to dismantle any existing settlements, saying that this was a further indication of Israel's sense of absolute impunity with regard to international law and United Nations resolutions. He described the lack of international censure at such Israeli practices as "alarming."

He warned that while there is much talk about Israel's 105 illegal outposts, with a combined population of 3,000 settlers, it also maintains 133 settlements in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) which have population of 447,500, and which are equally illegal under international law. Moreover, Israel continues to build in 88 of these settlements.

Barghouthi stressed that settlement expansion is being facilitated by Israel's 'Roads and Tunnels' Plan. Israel is also constructing a separate highway network to link settlements on both sides of the Apartheid Wall with Israel and to each other.

"Tell me of any other case in the world where roads are segregated on the basis of ethnicity? This is a practical manifestation of Apartheid to an extent never before witnessed, not even at the height of the Apartheid regime in South Africa" he said.

He concluded that only a peace process based on adherence to international law, and which respected Palestinian national rights, the rights of refugees and the right to freedom from Apartheid could yield a just and lasting peace.

Naplouse invasion, couvre-feu, violences: Phalastine témoigne

[émails] aujourd'hui jeudi 3 janvier, vieille ville de naplouse, 13 heures*
Il est 13 heures, jeudi 3 janvier, nous sommes sous couvre feux et Wajdi est dehors muni d'un sac remplit de matériel médical pour seule protection.
Les explosions ont commencé à retentir vers 2 heures dans la nuit, mais cela n'avait rien d'exceptionnel, c'est disons une coutume nocturne régulière. Vers 6 h 30 les soldats ont pénétrés dans notre immeuble, ils sont montés sur le toit et ont investit l'appartement de notre voisin.
Les microphones des véhicules militaires hurlaient : couvre-feux, nul n'est autorisé à sortir de chez lui.
Depuis les explosions n'ont pas cessé, des coups de mitraillettes, tirs de gaz, des explosions sourdes ou des grêlons fumant résonnent sur notre immeuble. On hésite a laisser les fenêtres ouvertes pour éviter l'implosion des vitres ou les fermer pour échapper au gaz.
La télévision locale a annoncé l'explosion d'un immeuble ce matin.
15 minutes plus tôt Wajdi est sortit frapper chez notre voisin pour vérifier sa santé et celle de sa famille, par la fenêtre je l'ai vu s'engouffrer ensuite dans le labyrinthe de la vieille ville.
C'est ce matin que j'aurai du obtenir la réponse pour mon visa et récupérer mon passeport, pour le moment je n'ai aucun papier d'identité c'est pour cette raison que je n'accompagne pas Wajdi.
Le sac contenant tout ce que nous possédons de précieux c'est à dire nos deux ordinateurs, l'appareil photo de l'association et 250 sheckels est prêt, je le garderai avec moi s'ils entrent.
J'écris vite parce que je voudrais envoyer cet email maintenant mais qu'à tout moment notre appartement peut être envahit.
A l'instant quelqu'un à frappé à notre porte, mon beau-père à ouvert, personne. Fausse alerte mais je suis tremblante.
J'ai promis à Wajdi de l'appeler si les soldats arrivent chez nous, mais cet incident me prouve que ce sera impossible. Les portes de notre voisin grince, il y a du mouvement à côté.
Phalastine

Wajdi Yaeesh
Human Supporters Association
wajdi@humansupporters.org
Skype: wajdi_pal_nab
www.humansupporters.org
mobile: 00972 (0) 599.388.399
Nablus - Palestine (The Occupied Territories)
-----------------------------------------
20h30 - 14 heures d'invasion
Wajdi est finalement rentré, non sans difficulté vers 17 heures.
Impossible d'accéder à quelque maison que ce soit. Il a échappé à plusieurs reprises aux soldats qui n'hésitent pas à tirer sur n'importe quelle personne se trouvant sur leur chemin : journalistes, ambulances, urgentistes... Tous à la même enseigne, la seule conversation possible se résume à "dégage" et immédiatement après intervient un autre niveau de langage qui est celui du M16. Il existe une alternative qui consiste à réduire le temps de parole "vocal".
Wajdi qui a pourtant une triste habitude de ces situations trop souvent répétées, est décomposé : jamais la violence des militaires n'a été aussi crue. La recrue de la nouvelle année 2008 promet d'être savoureuse.
Une quinzaine de soldats se trouvent toujours postés dans l'appartement voisin et sur le toit et un véhicule blindé bloque l'entrée de l'immeuble. Notre voisin, sa femme et ses enfants sont venus se réfugier chez nous pour la nuit. L'armée les avaient envoyés dans l'appartement d'en face, mais il n'y avait pas assez de place pour tout le monde.
La traversée de quelques secondes c'est révélée être une vraie opération commando. Par téléphone nous nous mettons d'accord, nous guettons les bruits un moment, surveillons les allées et venues des militaires par la fenêtre, par le judas de la porte. Il y a approximativement 5 ou 6 mètres entre notre porte et celle d'où ils vont sortir. Première tentative : ouverture des portes le plus discrètement possible, le son de pas de bottes résonne dans les escaliers, on referme juste à temps. Quelques minutes plus tard la seconde tentative est la bonne. Je ne suis pas persuadée que nos occupants apprécieront cette affectation logistique s'ils s'en aperçoivent, mais bon.
Toute la journée mes beaux-parents et moi avons fait les 100 pas, les oreilles aux aguets, un oeil sur la télé qui donnait quelques images et des informations sur la situation en direct, l'autre oeil par la fenêtre ou devant le judas. Au moins maintenant on va avoir de l'animation avec les gosses qu'il va falloir occuper, je pressens beaucoup de dessins animés et de longues parties de cartes pour les adultes.
Phalastine
Wajdi Yaeesh
Human Supporters Association
wajdi@humansupporters.org
Skype: wajdi_pal_nab
www.humansupporters.org
mobile: 00972 (0) 599.388.399
Nablus - Palestine (The Occupied Territories)
---------------

Sat, 5 Jan 2008 19:00:04 +0200
fin de l'invasion... ou pas ?

Ce matin, Thaer et sa famille, ont fuit l'immeuble malgré le nombre
encore supérieur de militaires et l'élargissement de la zone d'invasion.
Wajdi les accompagnait.
Il est revenu environ deux heures plus tard avec une équipe médicale.
Ils étaient complètement épuisés et assoiffés.
De justesse, ils venaient de rescaper une femme et ses trois enfants.
Une bombe lacrymogène avait été lancée dans leur appartement, comme
celui-ci est à moitié enterré, la fumée les avait encerclé en quelques
secondes, les aveuglant et les asphyxiant. De l'oxygène pour les
enfants a suffit mais leur mère, qui est restée plus longtemps
exposée, parce que les urgentistes ne parvenaient pas à la retrouver,
est dans un état critique.
Le docteur de l'équipe, une jeune diplômée, a examiné ma belle mère.
Ce fut un soulagement pour nous car ces derniers jours sa santé était
préoccupante. Finalement c'est une simple réaction allergique,
probablement due aux gaz, qui avait déclenché un crise d'asthme. En
attendant la fin de l'invasion un peu de ventoline devrait la calmer.
Il nous ont fournit les médicaments et du pain et sont repartis.
Des fenêtres, des habitants les appelaient, ils n'ont pu en secourir
que quelques uns. Sur 9 familles qu'ils ont visités les 9
nécessitaient des soins.

A 14h45, les soldats qui occupaient l'appartement de Thaer ont
commencé à descendre des dizaines de sacs et de cartons, j'en ai même
vu descendre les poubelles. Dix minutes plus tard, plus un bruit. En
un instant nous ouvrons tous nos portes "ils sont partis ?" "ils sont
partis !!" On entendrait presque des youyous de victoires, les petits
se ruent dehors, dévalent les escaliers en hurlant. Les adultes ahuris
sortent sur les paliers, demandent des nouvelles les uns aux autres.
J'aperçois ma belle mère faire une prière que je sais être de
remerciement. Mon beau-père entre dans l'appartement de Thaer "c'est
vide", nous entrons tous. Un subtil parfum, mélange de merde, de gaz
et de rance nous empoigne. Le spectacle est désolant. Je pense à ce
que j'aurais ressentit si j'avais retrouvé dans cet état notre
appartement, notre chambre dont nous venons de finir la décoration.
Petit à petit nous voyons les autres véhicules quitter notre rue puis
notre quartier. Mon beau-père est inquiet pour son magasin, alors
Wajdi et moi sortons pour aller constater les dégâts.
Nous croisons beaucoup de gens en pyjamas venus s'enquérir de la santé
de leurs proches, de l'état de leurs commerces. Les rues sont
couvertes de détritus, d'eau, de cartouches vides. L'odeur du gaz est
si tenace qu'elle nous prend encore la gorge et nous brule les yeux.
De nombreuses portes ont été explosées, la plupart des stores des
magasins ont été détruits vomissant leurs marchandises. Une bonne
étoile veille sur nous, le magasin de mon beau-père est intact.
En moins d'une demie-heure, les ruelles de la vieille ville sont
noires de monde. J'entends crier "Allah Ouakbar" et je vois défiler
des dixaines de jeunes courant et applaudissant. Wajdi m'indique
qu'ils sont venu fêter la poignée de résistants qui ont survécu. Je
n'aime pas ces mouvements de foules, je commence à m'interroger.
Pourquoi l'armée israélienne a-t-elle quitté la ville en plein milieu
de l'après midi et en quelques minutes ? Je suis prise de panique,
c'est un piège j'en suis sure. Je veux rentrer.

De retour chez nous, nous trouvons les deux frères de Wajdi et sa
soeur venus nous embrasser. Quelques minutes à peine s'écoulent et
Majed reçoit un coup de téléphone de sa femme, restée chez eux dans
les hauteurs de la ville. Les soldats redescendent, deux de leurs
voisins sont blessés.

C'était il y a une heure et demie. Maintenant, Naplouse est de nouveau
vide et silencieuse.
Phalastine
Wajdi Yaeesh
Human Supporters Association
wajdi@humansupporters.org
Skype: wajdi_pal_nab
www.humansupporters.org
mobile: 00972 (0) 599.388.399
Nablus - Palestine (The Occupied Territories)
--

*Nablus – Ma'an – 03 / 01 / 2008 Time: 09:30. Major Israeli incursion into Nablus 48 hours after Barak visit. Israeli forces stormed Rafedia Hospital and besieged other hospitals in Nablus on Thursday morning in a major incursion into the northern West Bank city, just 24 hours after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and his Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, had visited the volatile city. Ma'an's correspondent said that more than 70 Israeli military vehicles entered Nablus from all directions, declaring the old city of Nablus a closed military zone preventing citizens' and medical staff from entering the area. The number of Palestinians injured later rose to 24. Amongst those was the distributor of Al-Quds daily newspaper 43-year-old Mamduh Abdul-Haq. Two other citizens were injured near the eastern graveyard. They were named as 23-year-old Mahir Talih, who received a gunshot to the head, and 16-year-old Khalid Al-'Amudi, who was slightly injured. Twenty others sustained different injuries ranging from the effects of tear gas to being hit by rubber bullets. Ma'an's reporter added that the invading Israeli troops attacked Palestinian medics and ambulances with live ammunition and rubber bullets. He said medic, Ahmad Jibril, received a rubber bullet to his back, while medics Diya' Balbisi and Tariq As-Sabuh were both wounded by Israeli gunfire. Moreover, the Israeli soldiers arrested two other medics, Khalid Ba'ara and Sa'id Al-Masri. The director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Service Dr Ghassan Hamdan told our correspondent that the Israeli forces prevented his attempts to evacuate injured people, and that an Israeli military jeep deliberately hit his car. The governor of Nablus Dr Jamal Muhaisin said that the Israeli incursion was meant to frustrate the Palestinian plan to maintain security in Nablus. He described the military operation as unjustified, especially after the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Brigades decided to halt its military activity at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Nablus – Ma'an – Date: 05 / 01 / 2008 Time: 18:41. Nablus intelligence chief: Israeli incursion targeted PA, Fatah forces Israel's three-day military campaign in the West Bank city of Nablus targeted members of Fatah and the Palestinian security forces, the director of the Palestinian intelligence service in the city, Abdullah Kamil, said on Saturday.

Modi’in Illit, Palestinians Beaten by Settlers and the Police Release the Suspects

Avant mon arrivée, les blessés avaient désigné leurs agresseurs à la police, qui les a placés en détention. Quelques minutes plus tard, ils ont été libérés. J’ai dit aux policiers qu’il s’agissait d’une agression grave et qu’ils n’auraient pas dû les libérer sans enquête ni arrestation. Les policiers m’ont répondu que tant qu’il n’y avait pas de plainte de la part des victimes, ils ne pouvaient pas procéder à une arrestation. Je leur ai dit : « Mais les victimes sont blessées, elles sont en route vers l’hôpital, elles ne peuvent pas déposer une plainte tout de suite, et puis elles se sont plaintes à vous quand elles ont désigné les suspects, vous l’avez vu. » Mais ils ont répondu : « Ils doivent venir au commissariat pour déposer une plainte. »

La Paix Maintenat. Un des nombreux témoignages sur ce qui se passe dans les territoires occupés, à l’insu de la plupart des citoyens israéliens. Mais le témoin n’est pas n’importe qui : responsable de l’Observatoire de la colonisation de Shalom Arshav, Hagit Ofran est accessoirement la petite-fille du regretté Yeshayahou Leibowitz (voir en fin d’article). Que ceux qui parlent continuellement de « haine de soi » nous épargnent pour cette fois leurs commentaires

Shalom Arshav, 3 janvier 2008

http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/...

Traduction : Gérard Eizenberg pour La Paix Maintenant

Depuis longtemps, l’équipe de l’Observatoire de la colonisation de Shalom Arshav informe sur la situation dans les territoires occupés, afin que les citoyens israéliens sachent ce qui s’y commet, en leur nom et avec leur argent. Dans de nombreux cas, les demandes d’information officielles adressées aux instances gouvernementales ne donnent pas grand-chose. Ainsi, notre équipe est forcée de se déplacer dans les zones en question pour constater par elle-même toutes les modifications éventuelles. A l’occasion, l’équipe doit faire face à des menaces de la part des autorités et à des violences de la part des colons. Ce qui suit est le témoignage de ce que j’ai vu aujourd’hui à Modi’in Illit.

Le contexte (témoignages oraux) : dans la colonie de Modi’in Illit, il existe un certain nombre d’enclaves constituées de terres dont sont propriétaires des Palestiniens du village proche de Bil’in. Ces enclaves sont entourées de clôtures, et il est interdit aux colons d’utiliser ces terres. Ce soir (mardi dernier), vers 20h, des colons de Modi’in Illit ont placé deux caravanes dans l’un de ces endroits interdits. Trois villageois de Bil’in sont allés constater le délit et ont appelé la police (qui a pris son temps). Lorsque la grue et le camion transportant les caravanes sont arrivées, les Palestiniens se sont couchés près des roues pour empêcher le déchargement. Ils ont alors été attaqués par des habitants de Modi’in Illit, qui les ont battus jusqu’au sang, et qui ont brisé l’appareil photo et l’équipement qu’ils avaient sur eux.

Quand je suis arrivée sur les lieux quelques minutes plus tard, j’ai trouvé un rassemblement d’habitants de Modi’in Illit, un groupe de soldats et deux officiers de police (Hagit Ofran donne les noms et les numéros de matricule). A leurs pieds gisaient, blessés, Mohammed et Abdallah, de Bil’in. Je me suis approchée d’eux et ils m’ont demandé d’appeler une ambulance. J’ai alors appelé Magen David Adom (équivalent de la Croix-Rouge). Mohammed avait demandé à être transporté dans un hôpital israélien, et j’ai transmis sa demande aux infirmiers et aux policiers, mais ils m’ont répondu que je n’avais pas à leur apprendre leur métier, et ont emmené les blessés au check point. De là, ils ont été évacués vers un hôpital de Ramallah. Les ambulanciers m’ont hurlé que je me trouvais sur leur chemin (je me tenais à une certaine distance des blessés et ils ont dû se diriger vers moi pour me hurler dessus), et d’arrêter de prendre des photos. Les colons, les policiers et les soldats qui entouraient les blessés m’ont hurlé de ne pas m’approcher, de ne pas prendre de photos et de ne pas me mettre en travers de leur chemin. Les soldats comme les policiers m’ont constamment priée de m’éloigner des blessés, « parce que je constituais une provocation. » J’ai répondu que je resterais avec mes amis blessés, mais, sous la pression des colons, les soldats et les policiers ont continué à me repousser et ont menacé de me mettre en état d’arrestation. Entre-temps, une camarade m’avait rejointe et tentait de filmer toute la scène avec sa caméra vidéo, mais elle a été agressée par les colons. Une femme du groupe des colons lui a sauté dessus, l’a poussée violemment et s’est emparée de sa caméra (restituée plus tard par la police). Pendant tout ce temps, les colons m’empêchaient de prendre des photos. A un moment donné, j’ai fait tomber de mon sac les accessoires et les câbles de mon appareil photo. L’un des colons les a ramassés puis me les a remis, mais avant que j’aie pu les reprendre, quelqu’un a dit : « Ne lui rends pas. » Je n’ai plus revu les accessoires.

Les suspects : avant mon arrivée, les blessés avaient désigné leurs agresseurs à la police, qui les a placés en détention. Quelques minutes plus tard, ils ont été libérés. J’ai dit aux policiers qu’il s’agissait d’une agression grave et qu’ils n’auraient pas dû les libérer sans enquête ni arrestation. Les policiers m’ont répondu que tant qu’il n’y avait pas de plainte de la part des victimes, ils ne pouvaient pas procéder à une arrestation. Je leur ai dit : « Mais les victimes sont blessées, elles sont en route vers l’hôpital, elles ne peuvent pas déposer une plainte tout de suite, et puis elles se sont plaintes à vous quand elles ont désigné les suspects, vous l’avez vu. » Mais ils ont répondu : « Ils doivent venir au commissariat pour déposer une plainte. » Entre-temps, les policiers attendaient un officier. Quand il est arrivé, il a libéré ceux qui étaient encore détenus. J’ai essayé d’identifier les détenus dans la foule et photographié quelqu’un qui leur ressemblait, mais je ne suis pas sûre que ce soit lui. L’un des policiers m’a promis que la police obtiendrait les détails sur les suspects et qu’elle me les ferait parvenir. Super.

Les caravanes : bien que la police ait su depuis le départ qu’il s’agissait d’un délit, elle a laissé partir la grue et le camion qui transportait les caravanes sans les immobiliser. En d’autres termes, la clôture a été brisée, la police savait et était présente, il s’est produit une agression grave contre les propriétaires de la terre, mais la police a laissé les caravanes sur place. Des fonctionnaires de l’Administration civile sont arrivés sur les lieux vers 22h, et ont photographié l’objet du délit. L’un de ces fonctionnaires m’a dit qu’il s’agissait de terres privées et qu’il était illégal d’y placer des caravanes. Les blessés, quand ils ont d’abord été évacués au check point, ont été rejoints par des amis israéliens qui les ont aidés. Plus tard, ces amis sont retournés sur les lieux et sont restés toute la nuit. Nous nous sommes rendu compte que, pendant ce temps, quelqu’un avait tailladé les pneus du véhicule de Shalom Arshav. Nous n’avons pas pu quitter les lieux. Nous avons attendu jusqu’à 12h 30 pour être remorqués.

Les dégâts : deux Palestiniens blessés à la suite d’une agression grave, deux pneus crevés, un remorquage et un véhicule de remplacement, un appareil photo et des accessoires lumière appartenant à un habitant de Bil’in cassés, des accessoires photo volés, deux caravanes sur une terre palestinienne privée.

Sur le racisme, la violence et les contradictions que j’ai vus chez les habitants de Modi’in Illit, j’en dirai davantage une autre fois.

Désolée, tout cela est long et sec.

Hagit

Hagit Ofran a remplacé Dror Etkes à la tête de l’Observatoire de la colonisation de Shalom Arshav. Elle est la petite-fille du philosophe Yeshayahou Leibowitz. Sur Leibowitz, voir par exemple : « Un prophète en son pays » (en deux parties : http://www.lapaixmaintenant.org/art... et http://www.lapaixmaintenant.org/art.... Sans nous avancer trop, on peut penser que son grand-père aurait été fier de Hagit.

Thousands of Jews Defy Building Freeze Ahead of Bush Visit

A sign in French; one fifth of Har Homa's residents immigrated recently from France.

(IsraelNN.com, 9.1.08) Thousands of Land of Israel activists held a vigil in Jerusalem’s Har Homa neighborhood Tuesday night, defiantly declaring they would continue to build in Jerusalem as well as Judea and Samaria.The protest came a day before the visit of United States President George Bush and took place in what was thought to be a “safe” Jerusalem neighborhood until building there recently came under criticism from the US State Department and was halted mid-way.

Gaza Human Rights Organizations Condemn Violence between Fatah Supporters and Palestinian Police in the Gaza Strip

Seven Killed and Dozens Injured in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Human Rights Organizations Condemn Violence between Fatah Supporters and Palestinian Police in the Gaza Strip

The undersigned human rights organizations strongly condemn the bloody events in several areas across the Gaza Strip over the past few days. These events were motivated by the Palestinian police ban and crackdown on celebrations of the anniversary of the establishment of the Fatah movement. The ensuing violence resulted in seven people being killed, and dozens more injured. Violence erupted after the Government in Gaza banned celebrations to mark the January 1^st anniversary of the establishment of the Fatah movement, in what appears to have been a response to the ban imposed by the Government in Ramallah on Hamas marking the December 14^th anniversary of the establishment of Hamas in the West Bank. In the lead up to the Fatah anniversary, police and Hamas gunmen in Gaza launched a campaign of arrests against Fatah activists, searched Fatah offices and the homes of people affiliated with Fatah. In addition, they removed Fatah banners from rooftops and public areas.

details

We, the undersigned human rights organizations, regard these events as extremely serious, and:

1. Call for an immediate investigation into the events, and full prosecution of the perpetrators.
2. View the involvement of masked gunmen in civilian clothes in the clashes as a continuation of the security chaos and violation of the rule of law, in Gaza, and remind all parties that only the civilian police are charged with law enforcement.
3. Strongly condemn the assault on Mr. Ibrahim Abu El-Naja, and call for a full investigation into the assault, and full prosecution of the perpetrators.
4. Strongly condemn the ban on holding celebrations to mark the anniversaries of the establishment of Fatah and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, and affirm the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly that are enshrined and protected by law.
5. Express concern over the escalation of human rights violations by the governments in Gaza and Ramallah and the security forces loyal to each.

Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights

27.12.07-02.01.08. Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the OPT

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in in the Occupied Palestinian Territory 27.12.07-02.01.08

1. 18 Palestinians, including a pilgrim, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

2. 5 Palestinians were extra-judicially executed by IOF.

3. 25 Palestinians, including 4 children and 2 women, were wounded by IOF gunfire.

4. IOF conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 4 into the Gaza Strip.

5. IOF arrested 35 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children.

6. IOF razed 160 donums of agricultural land in ‘Abasan village near Khan Yunis.

7. IOF raided a hospital and a school in Hebron, and the office of an NGO in East Jerusalem.

8. IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

9. IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.

10. 2 Palestinian pilgrims died in Egypt when they were on their way back to the Gaza Strip.

11. IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3 Palestinian civilians.

12. IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.

13. A Palestinian civilian was run down and killed by an Israeli settler.

14. Israeli settlers attacked 3 members of the Public Committee against the Annexation Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (27 December 2007 – 2 January 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 18 Palestinians, including a woman, and wounded 25 others, including 4 children and 2 women.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 17 Palestinians, including a woman.

On 27 December 2007, IOF carried out 2 extra-judicial executions, during which they killed 3 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) and one civilian, In addition,

6 civilian bystanders were wounded, including 2 children, in al-Boreij refugee camp and al-Mughraqa village in the central Gaza Strip. On the same day, IOF killed 3 members of the Palestinian resistance and wounded 5 others, and a civilian child, during an incursion into ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. On 28 December 2007, 2 members of the Palestinian resistance were wounded by an IOF air strike in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. On 30 December, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance and wounded one civilian during an incursion into al-Shouka village, southeast of Rafah. On the same day, IOF opened fire at a number of Palestinian pilgrims who were en route back to the Gaza Strip via Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. One woman was killed, and her husband was wounded. On 1 January 2008, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance and wounded two civilians in al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. On the same day, IOF killed a Palestinian near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, north of Beit Hanoun town. On 2 January, IOF killed 6 members of the Palestinian resistance and wounded a seventh. In addition, four civilians, including two women, were wounded during an IOF incursion into al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. On 2 January, a member of the Palestinian resistance was wounded by an IOF air strike in the central Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, On 27 December 2007, IOF extra-judicially executed a member of the Palestinian Presidential Guard in Bitounia town, west of Ramallah. On 2 January 2008, IOF wounded a Palestinian child during an incursion into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities across the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 35 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children. IOF also raided a hospital and a school in Hebron, and an NGO’s office in East Jerusalem.

At least 2,800 Palestinians were arrested by IOF in the West Bank during 2007.

In the Gaza Strip, on 27 December, IOF moved into ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. They destroyed a house and razed at least 160 donums of agricultural land. On 30 December, IOF moved into al-Shouka village, southeast of Rafah. On 31 December, IOF moved into Beit Hanoun. They damaged 15 donums of agricultural land planted with wheat. On 2 January 2008, IOF moved into al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. A number of Palestinians were killed by IOF during those incursions.

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

To date, IOF have closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for almost 18 months continuously. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly their rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. The siege has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has also severely affected 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 in June 2007, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians in Gaza have continued to deteriorate. On 19 September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip “A hostile entity,” and at this point measures of collective punishment against the civilian population escalated. Since September 2007, IOF have limited the goods exported to the Gaza Strip to just nine basic materials. As a direct consequence, local markets ran out of many goods, causing a sharp increase in prices, which in some cases amounted to 500%. The IOF have also banned the import of some medicines, furniture, electrical appliances and cigarettes, as well as decreasing the amounts of some other goods being imported into the Gaza Strip, such as fruits, milk and some other dairy products. During the reporting period, Palestinian pilgrims were stranded in Egypt and prevented from returning to the Gaza Strip for several days. Two of the pilgrims died whilst stranded in Egypt.

West Bank

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have systematically been denied access to Jerusalem. 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. 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. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested at least 3 Palestinian civilians.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT have, in violation of international humanitarian law, continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, on 29 December, IOF ran down and killed a Palestinian civilian from al-Qebya village, northwest of Jerusalem. On 30 December, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilian vehicles on the Hebron–Bethlehem road. On 1 January, 2008, Israeli settlers attacked 3 members of the Public Committee against the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah. All three were injured.

Israeli violations documented during the Reporting Period (27 December 2007 – 2 January 2008)

13-26.12.07. Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the OPT Especially the Gaza Strip

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in in the Occupied Palestinian Territory 13-26.12.07

• During the reporting period 23 Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

• Ten of the victims were extra-judicially executed by IOF.

• Eight of the victims were killed by IOF during an offensive on al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip.

• Thirty-two Palestinians were wounded by IOF gunfire in the Gaza Strip, and nine people, including an American human rights defender, were wounded by IOF in the West Bank.

• IOF invaded al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip.

• IOF razed 133 donums[1] of agricultural land.

• IOF partially destroyed 10 houses and arrested one Palestinian.

• IOF transformed a number of houses into military sites.

• IOF conducted 24 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

• IOF arrested 87 Palestinian civilians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in the West Bank.

• IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

• IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.

• IOF prevented at least 150 Palestinian pilgrims from traveling through Erez crossing.

• IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3 Palestinian civilians.

• IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

• IOF demolished a house in Jerusalem.

• Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian farmer in Nablus.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (13 – 26 December 2007):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 23 Palestinians. Ten of the victims were extra-judicially executed in 3 IOF air strikes carried out in less than 9 hours, on December 18, the eve of the Eid al-Adha. The victims were all members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad). In addition, 10 civilian bystanders were wounded.

On 20 December 2007, IOF killed 8 members of the Palestinian resistance during an incursion into al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip. In addition, 21 Palestinians, including a woman, two children and two journalists, were wounded.

On 18 December, an IOF air strike killed 2 police officers in Rafah. On 21 December 2007, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance in Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. On 24 December, IOF killed 2 members of the Palestinian resistance in al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

On 23 December, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by a gunshot fired by IOF, when he was on his land east of Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, 13 Palestinian civilians and an American human rights defender were wounded by IOF gunfire.

On 14 and 21 December, nine Palestinian civilians and an American human rights defender were wounded when IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, organized in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall. On 14 December, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF gunfire near the Annexation Wall to the south of Hebron. On 23 December IOF troops positioned at a checkpoint near Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, wounded and arrested a Palestinian civilian. On 24 December, two Palestinian children were wounded by IOF gunfire in Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 24 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 87 Palestinian civilians, including two children, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) two members of the municipal council of Nablus and three university professors. The number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2007 now stands at 2,640.

IOF also made incursions into the Gaza Strip. On 20 December, the second day of the Eid al-Adha, IOF moved into al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip. During this incursion, IOF killed eight Palestinians, and wounded another twenty one. They also razed 73 donums of agricultural land and partially destroyed 10 houses. In addition, IOF arrested a Palestinian civilian. On 21 December, an IOF infantry unit moved into Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. During this incursion, IOF troops killed a member of the Palestinian resistance.

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT, and in addition imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

The Gaza Strip

To date, IOF have closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for almost 18 months continuously. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly their rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. The siege has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has also severely affected 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 in June 2007, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians in Gaza have continued to deteriorate. On 19 September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip “A hostile entity,” and at this point measures of collective punishment against the civilian population escalated. Since September 2007, IOF have limited the goods exported to the Gaza Strip to just nine basic materials. As a direct consequence, local markets ran out of many goods, causing a sharp increase in prices, which in some cases amounted to 500%. The IOF have also banned the import of some medicines, furniture, electrical appliances and cigarettes, as well as decreasing the amounts of some other goods being imported into the Gaza Strip, such as fruits, milk and some other dairy products.

The West Bank

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians across the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WB/GS) Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the WB/GS have been denied access to Jerusalem. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside Jerusalem. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, in order to prevent them from praying at the Jerusalem al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often violently assault Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city.

IOF have also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities across the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints across the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections across the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested at least three Palestinian civilians.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT, in violation of international humanitarian law, have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, IOF demolished a Palestinian house in the Wad al-Jouz neighborhood of East Jerusalem. A number of Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian farmer in Til village, southwest of Nablus. The farmer was injured.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (13 – 26 December 2007)

Sale a 66 il numero dei malati deceduti a causa dell’assedio israeliano e internazionale alla Striscia di Gaza.

Infopal, Gaza. 8.1.08. Fonti sanitarie nella Striscia di Gaza hanno comunicato ieri sera la morte di Atiyah Mohammad Jawdat, 57 anni, e di Merfat Naim Hijazi, 25 anni, entrambi malati a cui l'assedio israeliano e internazionale contro la Striscia di Gaza non ha concesso il diritto di ricevere cure adeguate. Khaled Radi, portavoce del ministero della sanità, ha dichiarato al quotidiano "Falastin" che “lo stretto assedio israeliano contro la Striscia di Gaza, attivo da diversi mesi, è diventato l’incubo che minaccia la vita di decine di malati che non hanno il permesso per recarsi all’estero per le cure mediche. Malati che non hanno nemmeno le medicine per curarsi”. Radi, ha accusato il governo Fayyad, a Ramallah, di partecipare direttamente e concretamente all’assedio imposto sui malati, attraverso il rifiuto del responsabile della sanità nel suo governo, Fathi Abu Maghli, di firmare gli accordi di fornitura di medicine alla Striscia di Gaza.

La justice militaire israélienne accusée de bafouer les droits des Palestiniens

Michel Bôle-Richard, Le Monde, 8.1.08. Depuis l'occupation de la Cisjordanie par Israël en 1967, les tribunaux militaires ont jugé plus de 150 000 Palestiniens en ignorant, la plupart du temps, les règles élémentaires de justice et des droits de l'homme, selon le rapport publié, dimanche 6 janvier, par l'organisation Yesh Din, intitulé "Poursuites d'arrière-cour". Pendant plus d'un an, des membres de cette ONG ont assisté à plus de 800 audiences. Ils ont dressé un bilan atterrant de la justice militaire dans les territoires occupés. Les mineurs ne sont pas épargnés : selon les lois sur la sécurité, la majorité commence en effet à 16 ans. Yesh Din reproche à la justice militaire de condamner les adolescents comme des adultes en tenant compte de leur âge au moment de la condamnation et non des faits.

Selon les chiffres fournis par les autorités militaires, sur 9 123 cas examinés en 2006, seules 23 personnes déférées ont été reconnues innocentes, laissant planer le doute sur le respect du principe de la présomption d'innocence et sur les conditions d'examen des dossiers. Partant de 118 procédures, Yesh Din a établi que la décision de maintien en détention était acquise en moyenne au bout de 3,4 minutes et que la reconduction de l'emprisonnement était en moyenne expédiée en 1,54 minute. "Il faut en général deux minutes pour envoyer quelqu'un en prison avant que la procédure d'enquêté soit terminée", indique le rapport.

La justice militaire est directement mise en accusation. Les tribunaux militaires ne respectent pas la publicité requise pour toute procédure judiciaire. Et les personnes poursuivies ne sont souvent pas informées des charges qui pèsent contre elles car elles sont formulées en hébreu et ne sont pas traduites. Les avocats palestiniens doivent batailler pour accéder aux dossiers et voir leurs clients incarcérés en Israël, car ils ont besoin d'un permis pour se rendre dans l'Etat juif.

De plus, "la législation sécuritaire n'impose aucune restriction sur la durée de détention pendant le temps de l'enquête jusqu'à l'inculpation, et de l'inculpation jusqu'à la traduction en justice. La seule limite fixée à partir de l'inculpation est une durée de deux ans". Une personne appréhendée peut ainsi rester plusieurs années en prison avant d'être condamnée. "Fin 2006, 1 800 prisonniers environ étaient détenus jusqu'à un an et 189 depuis plus d'un an. Sur les 9 123 cas examinés en 2006, seuls 130 dossiers avaient été clos au bout d'un an". Dans 95 % des affaires, note le rapport, les affaires se terminent par un arrangement car "les prévenus préfèrent trouver un moyen terme plutôt que d'affronter des juges militaires". Pour les justiciables, les procès sont en effet tardifs et aléatoires. Dans 35 % des cas, la traduction est partielle et dans 5 %, il n'y en a pas du tout.

Les mineurs ne sont pas épargnés : selon les lois sur la sécurité, la majorité commence en effet à 16 ans. Yesh Din reproche à la justice militaire de condamner les adolescents comme des adultes en tenant compte de leur âge au moment de la condamnation et non des faits. Yesh Din estime qu'ils représentent entre 4 % et 6 % du total des détenus. Pour les auteurs de l'enquête, "la justice militaire ne respecte pas les principes fondamentaux des lois internationales". Les autorités militaires contestent, de leur côté, la méthodologie utilisée dans l'enquête, estimant qu'elle repose sur des erreurs d'interprétation et une méconnaissance du système judiciaire militaire qui observe "un équilibre judicieux entre les considérations de sécurité et les droits de l'homme".

Michel Bôle-Richard

Download the report's summary (PDF) Download the full report (PDF) IDF Spokesperson's response (PDF) Yesh Din's reply to IDF (PDF)
Past Updates

Yesh Din - Volunteers for Human Rights was founded in March 2005, and since then its volunteers have been working for structural and long-term improvement of the human rights situation in the OPT. The organization collects and disseminates credible and current information on systematic human rights abuses in the OPT; applies public and legal pressure on the state authorities to stop them; and raises public awareness of human rights abuses in the OPT. In order to realize its goals effectively, Yesh Din operates according to a unique model among human rights organizations in Israel: The organization is run and staffed by volunteers and is assisted on a daily basis by a professional staff of lawyers, human rights experts and strategic and communications consultants.

www.yesh-din.org/eng/ | info@yesh-din.org | 11 Rothschild Blvd., 6681 Tel Aviv, Israel | Tel./Fax: +972-3-5168563

Gaza Pilgrims: my heart is with you

Heba, Contemplating from Gaza, 1.1.08. Isn't it appalling ? Isn't what's happening to Gaza pilgrims shocking and indescribable?. I am in short of words and no matter how far I stretched my imagination before they left Gaza, it never occurred to me that they will face what they are facing now of dehumanization, negligence, displacement, and torture. It is the first time in long that I feel angry , yes, I used in the past period, experiencing what Gazans experience, to feel victimized , sinned against , sad . But now, for God's sake, I am angry and the rest of Gazans are in rage .

The pilgrims left Gaza from Rafah crossing suddenly after it seems some negotiations between Egyptian authorities and Hamas took place or whatever have you as these things are never clear. It is not the point . These pilgrims had to take the road instead of planes and spent like 3 to 4 days till they arrived at Saudi Arabia. The problem rose when they wanted to get back to besieged Gaza . It is kind of ironic, you know, to be prevented from getting back to a prison . So these pilgrims left Jordan through Aqaba seaport to Egypt . Some of them were floating in a ship for about 2 days without food or water . And those who were allowed to enter Egypt were sent to Al Arish to stay in refugee camps !!. Does it ring any bills?. It is the refugee status stamped on our foreheads, it seems . And all that because Israeli authorities insisted that they go through Kirim Shallom terminal and not Rafah crossing . "My feet are swollen and some of the pilgrims are really sick. We got hungry and thirsty and were denied going to bathrooms at times", a pilgrim friend of my mother said in a tired husky voice over the phone. Of course , it is freezing clod now and these pilgrims are in tents in Al Arish and some are still in a ship in the sea port . Two women pilgrims died already of illness during this extremely exhausting trip .

What do we call this ? It is beyond human rights violations. I don't even know why I thought it would be different for the pilgrims than the rest of Gazans who are experiencing deprivation and exclusion every single day . Right now it is not the time to point fingers of blame , it is just "please let these pilgrims get back to shackled besieged Gaza !! "
posted by Heba | 7:44 AM | 6 comments links to this post