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The murder of Count Bernadotte must become as generally well-known to the public as the murder of Martin Luther King. Thousands of deaths were the consequence of this fateful murder – and a state which calls itself 'democratic' while denying basic democratic rights to millions of inhabitants of the country, a state economically prosperous and at the same time refusing to take responsibility for its own history. Human rights groups around the world – here as well – demand that this must change.
Maria Hoeffling
IN MEMORY OF COUNT FOLKE BERNADOTEE , UN mediator, murdered on 17 September 1948.
On 20 May 1948, the United Nations appointed as first official mediator in its history Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg, of the noble Swedish family of Bernadotte. He was assigned to Palestine. Among his activities during the first Palestinian war of 1948 was to pave the way for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to assist Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. In negotiations with the Israelis he worked for recognition of the
Palestinian refugees' right of return. In particular, on 17 June 1948 he requested that the Israelis enable the return of 300,000 refugees. On 17 September 1948, together with UN observer Colonel André Serot, he was shot by militant leaders of the Jewish terrorist group Lehi, the so-called Stern Gang. The reason for the murder was Bernadotte's public declaration that the Palestinian refugees must be allowed to return to their homeland. His proposals for the
solution of the refugee problem were the basis for Resolution 194, passed on 11 December 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly, in which the right of return of refugees on both sides was established.
A few months after the assassination, despite the overwhelming evidence of their guilt, the perpetrators were granted general amnesty by the Israeli government.
(from: Wikipedia)
In 1863, when Henri Dunant started the work of the Red Cross, he used as organizational motto: Inter arma caritas amidst weapons (i.e. in war), mercy. Later events, not least the experience of World War II, revised the motto to:
Post armis caritas – after weapons, mercy. The time will come when mankind can say: Pro armis caritas – instead of weapons, mercy.
(from: Folke Bernadotte, An Stelle von Waffen. Verlagsanstalt Hermann Klemm, Freiburg i.Br., ca. 1950, page 179; translation by Clarissa Hall)
Thank you for you continued support,
Iyad Burnat- Head of Popular Commitee in Bilin
Head of Friends of Freedom and Justice in Bilin
www.bilin-ffj.org
From Annie Annab
The tribute "has become a national event to remind people in Lebanon and the world that the Palestinian people still exist without human rights ... and to tell everyone that we have the right to return,"
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