Turkey demands apology from Israel over envoy 'slight'
![Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon meeting Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, captioned "the height of humiliation" in Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom [Image: Lior Mizrahi/Israel Hayom]](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47092000/jpg/_47092205_ayalon226.jpg) One newspaper captioned the picture "the height of humiliation" [Image: Lior Mizrahi/Israel Hayom] |
Turkey has demanded that Israel apologise over what it called the "discourteous" way its ambassador was treated during a diplomatic meeting.
Israel summoned Turkey's ambassador to rebuke him over a TV series but ensured he was photographed on a lower chair.
In response, Turkey has summoned the Israeli ambassador to Ankara to express its "annoyance".
The foreign ministry has also insisted it expects steps to be taken to compensate its envoy.
In a statement, the ministry said it awaited "an explanation and apology" for the "attitude" of Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.
"We invite the Israeli foreign ministry to respect the rules of diplomatic courtesy," the statement said.
The television series that sparked the diplomatic row depicts Israeli intelligence agents as baby-snatchers.
'Repeated provocation'
Footage of Mr Ayalon urging journalists to make clear that the ambassador was seated on a low sofa, while the Israeli officials were in much higher chairs, has been widely broadcast by the Israeli media.
He is also heard pointing out in Hebrew that "there is only one flag here" and "we are not smiling".
In an interview with Israel's Army Radio, Mr Ayalon was unapologetic.
"In terms of the diplomatic tactics available, this was the minimum that was warranted given the repeated provocation by political and other players in Turkey," he said, according to Reuters.
One Israeli newspaper marked the height difference on the photo, and captioned it "the height of humiliation".
The meeting with the Turkish ambassador, Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, was called over the fictional television series Valley of the Wolves, popular in Turkey.
It depicts Israeli intelligence operatives running operations to kidnap babies and convert them to Judaism.
Last October Israel complained over another Turkish series, which depicted Israeli soldiers killing Palestinians. In one clip, an Israeli soldier shoots dead a smiling young girl at close range.
The row comes ahead of a planned visit by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to Turkey on Sunday.
Turkey has long been an ally of Israel, but relations have deteriorated as Ankara has repeatedly criticised Israel for its offensive in Gaza a year ago.
Rights groups say about 1,400 Palestinians died during the operation, which Israel said was aimed at ending rocket fire by Hamas.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/
Tuesday, 12 Jan, 2010
JERUSALEM, Jan 11: Criticism by Turkey of Israel’s actions in Gaza drew a strong condemnation by Tel Aviv on Monday, with the foreign ministry saying Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s often fierce public criticism could undermine bilateral relations.
Turkey is a key ally of Israel, but ties have frayed since the Gaza invasion a year ago, which killed some 1,400 Palestinians and drew censure from Mr Erdogan, head of the Islamist-rooted AK party.
Hosting Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al Hariri in Ankara, Mr Erdogan criticised an Israeli attack that killed three Gazan militants on Sunday, and suggested Western scrutiny on Iran’s nuclear plans was unfair given Israel’s assumed atomic arsenal.
“They (the Israelis) have disproportionate capabilities and power and they use them... They do not abide by UN resolutions... They say they will do what they like,” Mr Erdogan said.
The statement drew immediate condemnation by Israel. “Israel is careful to respect Turkey and seeks continued proper ties between the countries, but we expect reciprocity,” the foreign ministry in Tel Aviv said in a statement, calling Mr Erdogan’s remarks an “unbridled tongue-lashing”.
“The state of Israel has the full right to protect its citizens from the missiles and terror of Hamas and Hezbollah, and the Turks are the last who can preach morality to the state of Israel and the Israel defence force (military).”
Relations took a sharp turn for the worse one year ago when Turkey responded angrily to Israel’s devastating offensive against the Gaza Strip.
In a memorable outburst, Mr Erdogan stormed out of a debate at the World Economic Forum, accusing Israel of “barbarian” acts and telling its President Shimon Peres, sitting next to him, that “you know well how to kill people”,
But Peres and his Turkish counterparty Abdullah Gul met last month in a bid to heal the rift.
TV SERIES: Israel also criticised Turkey for the broadcast of a television series that portrays Israeli agents as baby-snatchers.
Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon summoned the Turkish ambassador on Monday to protest the broadcast.
It is the second time Israel has protested over a Turkish TV show.
Israel issued a similar protest last October when another Turkish series showed Israeli soldiers shooting young Palestinian children in cold blood.
“We protest in the name of the Israeli government against scenes from this Turkish television series showing Israel and Jews as baby-snatchers and war criminals,” the ministry statement said.
“It is unacceptable... It threatens Jewish lives in Turkey and bilateral relations,” he said.
Ayalon was referring to the “Valley of the Wolves”, a new series, originally aired on state television and rebroadcast on a private channel, which he said showed agents of Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence agency in a bad light. —AFP
Invitation for Press Conference: 50 MPs/MEPs leave to Gaza
The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) will hold a press conference tomorrow Wednesday, in which it will announce the launch of a parliamentarian trip to Gaza that includes tens of MPs/MEPs from across Europe. The press conference will be conducted at 12 PM, at M ROOM Portcullis house in the British Parliament in london.
The delegation trip to Gaza is part of a series of actions carried out by ECESG and the Palestinian Return Center in the UK and Europe. For an entire week, actions and events for Palestinian victims will be carried in remembrance of the victims killed in the past 60 years especially Gaza.
Gerald Kaufmann, MP would be chairing the conference which will state the aim of the visit. Other participating MPs will speak as well.
The largest Parliamentarian Delegation from across Europe is preparing to leave to the besieged Gaza Strip within 2 days. The delegation will aim at looking at the realty and the humanitarian conditions resulted in the Israeli war and a 4-year siege.
In press statement, The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) said it has finalized all needed arrangements and fully coordinated with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry concerning the visit of the MEPs and MPs delegation to Gaza via Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza."
ECESG pointed out that the delegation consists of 50 MPs/MEPs. The parliamentarians represent twelve European countries whom of which will be members of the European Parliament and former ministers. They will investigate and see the ramifications of last onslaught perpetrated against the Gaza civilians.
The delegation will meet with Egyptian officials and the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, to discuss the humanitarian condition in Gaza Strip, especially in light of the continued siege which Israel has been imposed for years.
The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza organized various Parliamentarian delegations that visited Gaza however this one is considered to be the largest delegation visiting Gaza.
For more information:
The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza
info@freedomforpalestine.org
Contact: 00447908200559
00447728021097
Palestine Memorial Week starts on Wednesday, 13th January
In commemoration of the victims of Gaza and also in remembrance of six decades of brutality against the Palestinians, The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), Palestinian Forum in the UK, European Campaign to End Siege on Gaza, Islamic forum of Europe (IFE), Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Islamic Human Rights Commission in Britain (IHRC), Russell Tribunal, Student Council Goldsmith University and Action Palestine will be holding a number of events between 13th to 19th of January 2010.
The key event within the week will be on Wednesday, 13th January at Friends House, London Euston from 6:30 to 9:30. The initiative will focus on the suffering endured by Palestinians over the past 60 years especially during the recent war in Gaza war.
Jeremy Corbyn MP, Baroness Jenny Tonge and Lord Nazir Ahmad Ahmed will be part of the event where they will speak about the disaster in Gaza and Palestine.
Palestinian Ambassador in the UK, Manuel Hasasian and General Director of the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), Majed Al-Zeer will also share their thoughts during the conference. Representatives of participating organizations will also take part and provide their support and solidarity for the Palestinian people .
Ken Loach, famous British Film Director who has many extensive and fascinating cinema productions like Poor Cow, Family Life, Looking for Eric, It's a Free World..., Tickets and many more, will join the speakers where he will express his view on the suffering of Palestinians.
A detailed presentation on the conditions in Gaza by Middle East Expert Peter Eyre will highlight the violations committed by Israel. Frank Barat, Russell Tribunal Palestine coordinator in London will speak about the many progressive steps taken towards prosecuting Israeli war criminals.
A Palestinian survivor from Gaza, Rawad Hamad and Ewa Jasiewicz Free Gaza Coordinator who worked and lived in Gaza for some time will take part in the activities.
A Palestinian woman, Om Kamel, whose house was destroyed many times over in Occupied Jerusalem, is expected to be among the key speakers. A gallery on Gaza's recent conditions and the last onslaught will be placed in the venue.
PRC and the participating organizations placed a half page in the guardian Monday 11, Jan 2010. On Tuesday, 12 Jan 2010, another add will be placed in the independent. The ads include pictures and information about the dilemmas in the Gaza Strip and what happened last year.
Endorsed by, Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Friends of Al Aqsa, Labour Friends Of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME), Free Palestine Movement (FPM) and International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
The ad can be seen in the link below: http://www.prc.org.uk/newsite/
IOF holding wounded child in shackles |
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AL-KHALIL, (PIC)-- The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) are holding a Palestinian child in hospital while both his feet and hands are shackled despite the seriousness of his condition, the Palestinian prisoner's association in Al-Khalil reported on Sunday. It added in a statement that the IOF shot Majed Jaradat, 15, at close range wounding him in the abdomen, hands and feet then took him to Hadassah hospital in a serious condition. The statement said that Jaradat is held under strict security measures in hospital since his detention on 7/1/2010 and is deprived of family visits. The association asked human rights groups and the Red Cross to immediately intervene to save the life of the child and to allow his family to visit him. Meanwhile, the ministry of prisoners in Gaza said in a statement on Sunday that the Gazan prisoner Raed Darabiya, 36, was moved to Ramle prison hospital to undergo his fourth surgery after the deterioration of his health condition. It said that Darabiya, who is suffering from cancer in his back, underwent four failed surgeries that did not treat his condition properly. The ministry said that the prisoner is in need of a dangerous surgery that, if failed, could lead to his death or to paralysis. The ministry said that the Israeli occupation authority is holding 16 Palestinian cancer patients in its jails, and asked the international concerned institutions to pressure the IOA into releasing those prisoners to receive adequate treatment and till then to offer them proper medication to alleviate their horrible pains. |
Following is information about the latest Israeli kidnappings of Palestinian Gandhis. I am still awaiting Bono's response.
Alison
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/
Thank you for you continued support,
Iyad Burnat- Head of Popular Commitee in Bilin
co-founder of Friends of Freedom and Justice - Bilin
PalSolidarity
Ibrahim Amirah and Hassan Moussah, members of the [nonviolent] Popular Committee Against the Wall in Ni’ilin, were arrested tonight from his home during a night-time raid tonight. Amirah and Moussah, together with another man, Zaydoun Srour, were arrested under suspicion of organizing anti-Wall demonstrations in the village.
At around 3:00am tonight, a military force of 15 armored jeeps and about a hundred Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Ni’ilin and surrounded the home of Ibrahim Amirah, the coordinator of Ni’lin’s Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements. After forcefully entering his home, soldiers extracted Amirah from his bed, searched the house and arrested him.
Amirah has previously been arrested twice under the same suspicion of organizing demonstrations against the Wall in Ni’lin, but was never charged. Protests have been held in the village since May 2008.
Hassan Moussah, a high school teacher in the village and a member of the Popular Committee, was arrested immediately when soldiers entered his home last night. Srour, a well known activist in the village, was detained alongside Amirah. A simultaneous raid was also carried in the village of Bil’in tonight, where soldiers arrested 21 year old Yassin Yassin.
The arrests today are an escalation of an ongoing and extensive Israeli attempt to suppress the Palestinian popular resistance generally, and repress its leadership particularly.
Yesterday, Israel staged a night raid into Area A, near the center of Ramallah, to arrest international solidarity activist Eva Nováková for overstaying her visa. Such an incursion into Area A over an expired visa is extremely unusual. A Czech national, Nováková served as the International Solidarity Movement’s media coordinator for the past three weeks. She was deported from the Ben Gurion airport at 6am this morning.
In the past month, since 16 December, the army has staged eleven night incursions into Ni’ilin. Since may 2008, when demonstrations began in the village, 94 residents have been arrested in connection to the protests. Similar raids have been conducted in the village of Bil’in – where 34 residents have been arrested in the past six month and the cities of Nablus, Ramallah and East Jerusalem.
Among those arrested in the recent campaign are also five members of the Bil’in Popular Committee, all suspected of incitement, and include Adeeb Abu Rahmah – who has already been held in detention for almost six months and Abdallah Abu Rahmah – the Bil’in Popular Committee coordinator.
Prominent Nablus grassroots activists, Wael al-Faqeeh, as well as Jamal Juma (East Jerusalem) and Mohammed Othman (Jayyous) of the Stop the Wall NGO, involved in anti-Wall and boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigning have also been arrested recently. All three are currently being held based on secret evidence and with no charges brought against them. Full story--
Executive Director
If Americans Knew
office: (202) 631-4060
The following item makes apparent that the whole of the "Territories" are under occupation: There is no Area "A", just an illusion of the mind...
to arrest an international solidarity activist
By Amarat al Ramouni
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee/Ma`an
The raid was conducted to apprehend Eva Novבkovב, a Czech citizen, who has been the International Solidarity Movement`s media coordinator for the past few weeks. The raid was held despite a recent statement by president Mahmoud Abbas, who said the PA is considering scaling back security ties with Israel over area A operations.
Israeli soldiers raided the Ramallah home of Eva Novבkovב tonight at 3 am near the Manara square. The operation to apprehend Novבkovב, the ISM`s media coordinator in past few weeks, was carried out by a force of both soldiers and members of the “Oz” immigration police unit. During the raid, the army occupied a number of rooftops at a location adjacent to the Palestinian Police Ramallah headquarters. She is currently being held in Givon detention center awaiting deportation to the Czech Republic.
For more details: Eva Novבkovב (in jail): +972526878716
Adv. Yiftach Cohen: +972523563782
Jonathan Pollak +972546327736
This recent military raid into Palestinian-controlled Area A comes amidst Palestinian discontent over continued incursions and arrests. President Mahmoud Abbas has recently said that “If the [security] coordination does not lead to a halt in the incursions and the provocations, we will think anew”.
Novבkovב’s Attoreny Omer Shatz stated: “The Israeli immigration police work under the authority of the Israeli ministry of the interior, and as such have no jurisdiction in the Occupied Palestinian territories. This arrest is part of the continued and illegal use of the immigration police against activists, for political purposes”
This raid follows an extensive arrest wave targeting grassroots activists and oragnizers throughout the West Bank. Such raids have been conducted in the villages of Bil`in - where 32 residents have been arrested in the past six month, Ni`ilin – where 94 residents have been arrested in the past 18 months, the cities of Nablus and Ramallah and East Jerusalem.
Among those arrested in this recent campaign are five members of the Bil`in Popular Committee have been arrested in suspicion of incitement, including Adeeb Abu Rahmah, who has already been held in detention for almost six months and Bil`in`s Popular Committee coordinator, Abdallah Abu Rahmah.
Prominent Nablus grassroots activists, Wael al-Faqeeh (Nablus) as well as Jamal Juma (East Jerusalem) and Mohammed Othman (Jayyous) of the Stop the Wall NGO, involved in anti-Wall and boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigning have also been arrested recently. All three are currently being held on secret evidence and with no charges brought against them.
The Israeli raid was near Manara, Ramallah`s busiest intersectionBethlehem – Ma`an – Israel deported a Czech national on Tuesday, 24 hours after she was seized by soldiers during a late-night raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah`s city center.
Eva Novבkovב, 28, the International Solidarity Movement`s media coordinator, was taken from her Manara apartment at 3am Monday.
She was deported at 6am on Tuesday to Prague from Tel Aviv`s Ben Gurion International Airport, where she was taken late Monday night. Supporters failed to get an emergency injunction against the deportation, which came just one day after the raid.
Dusan Kralik, the Embassy of the Czech Republic`s envoy to Israel, said he was not planning to protest the move, which Novבkovב`s supporters say was carried out without due process, bypassing Israeli courts. `She was here illegally, without permission,` Kralik told Ma`an. `She`s supposed to leave.`
During Monday`s night raid, soldiers deployed on rooftops adjacent to the Palestinian Authority police headquarters, while three APVs patrolled the central urban area. Onlookers counted at least 20 soldiers participating in the operation, which lasted less than half an hour.
Also participating were forces belonging to Israel`s special `Oz` immigration task force, according to Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak, among others. Pollak said immigration police broke down Novבkovב`s door, checked her passport, and took her away. `I don`t know why it would be worthwhile for them to do that,` he told Ma`an. `It`s really alarming because she wasn`t charged with anything.`
An Israeli military spokesman insisted it was the army that carried out the raid, described as aimed at apprehending an individual who was `residing illegally in Ramallah.` He said the detainee was transferred to civilian police custody following the operation.
Her attorney, Omer Shatz, said Israel`s alleged use of its special `Oz` unit was illegal. `This arrest is part of the continued and illegal use of the immigration police against activists, for political purposes,` Shatz said in an ISM statement. Immigration police, in general, work under the authority of the Israeli Ministry of the Interior, Shatz added, and thus would have no business operating in Palestinian cities.
PA security sources said they were familiar with the case, but did not believe it represented a precedent as Novבkovב`s Israeli-issued visa had expired. Israel controls all the entrances to the West Bank, and is at present the sole issuer of visas for Czech citizens.
It was not immediately clear if the Israeli government now considers Ramallah, the de facto capital of the PA, off-limits to foreign-passport holders. But the city would be to Israeli forces even by their own government`s understanding of the limits placed on such activity in the occupied West Bank. Ramallah, a city in Area A, has supposedly been under full PA security control since 2009.
While raids targeting Palestinians in outlying districts are nightly events, the detention of Novבkovב was unusual because Israeli forces tend only to enter PA-controlled areas for the purpose of capturing Palestinians on their `wanted` list, and usually for alleged security grounds. One such incursion was in December, when Israeli forces assassinated three Fatah operatives in their Nablus homes.
Last week, President Mahmoud Abbas said the PA was considering scaling back security ties with Israel on operations in certain Area A sites such as Ramallah. `If the coordination does not lead to a halt in the incursions and the provocations, we will think anew,` Abbas said.
Monday`s raid follows an arrest wave targeting activists and organizers throughout the West Bank. In the hours since Novבkovב`s arrest on Monday, Israeli forces detained two Palestinians in Nil`in and another in Bil`in. At least 12 were detained overnight, military sources said.
In the past month, since 16 December, the army staged 11 night incursions into Ni`lin. Since May 2008, when anti-wall demonstrations began in the village, 94 residents have been arrested in connection to the protests. Similar raids were conducted in the village of Bil`in, where 34 residents were arrested in the past six months, and in the cities of Nablus, Ramallah and East Jerusalem.
Among those arrested in the recent campaign were five members of the Bil`in Popular Committee, all suspected of incitement, including Adeeb Abu Rahmah, already in detention for almost six months, and Abdallah Abu Rahmah, the Bil`in Popular Committee coordinator.
Nablus activist Wael Al-Faqeeh, as well as Stop the Wall organizers Jamal Juma of East Jerusalem and Mohammed Othman of Jayyous, were also arrested recently. Activists said the detentions were likely linked to involvement in anti-wall and boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigning. All three were being held based on secret evidence and with no charges brought against them.
Novבkovב`s deportation also amid recent Israeli measures to control the flow of foreign-passport holders in the occupied territories. Over the summer, authorities began issuing `PA-only` visas to foreign nationals, in apparent violation of the Oslo Accords. In practice, the stamp bars holders of foreign passports from entering Jerusalem, areas west of the separation wall, or Green Line Israel.
During the holidays, Israeli security officials temporarily prevented internationals from using a key West Bank bus line between Bethlehem and East Jerusalem, redirecting them to a military checkpoint. The decision was eventually reversed, although not permanently.
A.K.
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_
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Israel needs to rethink its Gaza strategy before it's too late | |
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| By Editorial |
After a year of relative quiet in the south following the cease-fire that ended Operation Cast Lead, there has been a marked escalation in violence along the Israel-Gaza border. Qassam rockets and mortars are being fired from Gaza, and the Israel Air Force retaliated by attacking targets in the Strip, killing several Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas that Israel would "respond forcefully" to any fire on its territory.
Incidents involving live fire have aggravated relations between Hamas and Egypt, which is tightening the siege on Gaza. The Egyptians are building an underground steel wall to thwart smuggling through tunnels into Sinai, and are prohibiting supply convoys from entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Foreign peace activists who wanted to show support for Gaza were stopped in Cairo.
Gaza erupts whenever Israelis begin to feel that the Strip and its troubles have been forgotten. There is no easy solution to the troubles of 1.5 million poor Palestinians under double blockade, by Israel and Egypt, and whose government is being boycotted by countries around the world. A renewal of rocket fire shows that even a major military operation that brought death and destruction cannot ensure long-term deterrence and calm.
| Advertisement |
The time has come to rethink Israeli strategy in Gaza. The economic embargo, which has brought severe distress to the inhabitants of Gaza, has not brought down Hamas, nor has it freed kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. The siege has only damaged Israel's image and led to accusations that it has shirked its humanitarian responsibilities in Gaza under international law.
Instead of erring by invoking the default solution of more force, which does not create long-term security or ease the distress of the Palestinians in Gaza, the crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip should be opened and indirect assistance rendered to rebuild its ruins. The same logic that dictates the government's actions in the West Bank - creating an economic incentive to prevent terror - can and must work in the Gaza Strip as well.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/
From the heart of Jewish journalism- are we stifling debate?
James Besser is a respected Washington correspondent for NY Jewish Week whose reports appear in many other Jewish media outlets as well. He is a pro-Israel partisan in the sense that many Jewish-media journalists are, many sincere and some feigning extra enthusiasm just to keep their positions. I have no idea whether he is the former or the latter. But in the case of Gaza, for example, he says he “doesn’t disagree” with the assertion that Israel “was justified” in its use of overwhelming military force during Cast Lead. Which is why it’s so remarkable to see a blog post by him called “Stifling Debate about Gaza”
Besser points to Israel’s Ha’aretz newspaper which recently editorialized what to much of the world seems obvious, that Operation Cast Lead has been completely ineffective in achieving greater security for Israel. “The time has come,” said Ha’aretz, “to rethink Israeli strategy in Gaza.” Citing its ineffectiveness, they then call for open crossings between Israel and Gaza.
After quoting Ha’aretz, Besser says:
What I’m wondering: wouldn’t any American Jewish group making such an argument be tarred as a violator of the pro-Israel orthodoxy, shunned, called “dangerous” to the Jewish state?I’m not saying Israel’s Gaza policy is wrong.
From my safe perch in Washington, I honestly don’t know what the best solution is to the Gaza-West Bank split, the tightening grip of Hamas on the strip and the fact the terrorist group doesn’t show any sign of moving beyond its goal of wiping Israel out.
I am saying there’s something disturbing about the growing determination to stifle debate in an American Jewish community with a multiplicity of pro-Israel views. Israelis engage in vigorous debate about these issues all the time, but apparently our own leaders believe that support for Israel is so shaky here that we can’t raise issues like whether or not the Gaza blockade is in Israel’s long-term security interests.
I also find it peculiar that when Jewish leaders here talk about Gaza, the only question they address is whether or not Israel is justified in taking harsh measures (their answer: of course, and I don’t disagree).
Lost in the debate: is there any evidence these policies are working? Does history suggest they are likely to work in the long term, or just the opposite? Justifiable policies that produce negative results don’t strike me as a great idea, but perish the thought that we actually talk about that.
This isn’t tangential or a concern pertinent only to Gaza. His point about the refusal to allow debate about the effectiveness of these polices is the heart of the matter, because (aside from the fact that the massive attack on civilians and civilian infrastructure was also grotesquely immoral), if we did, we might have to confront the likelihood that Israel’s military leadership and successive governments, along with the right-wing settler infiltration of those institutions, are actually working entirely at cross-purposes with the majority of American Jews and Israelis who really do just want peace, presumably with a modicum of fairness. What if, by most of American Jewry’s standards, these repressive measures are a massive failure wherever they are deployed, but by their standards, the ongoing chaos and misery, and absence of any peace negotiations, is a huge success?
-cecilie surasky
Video: Israeli Prof Nurit Peled tells the truth about Israel
Australians for Palestine
January 11, 2010 |
www.uruknet.info?p=62084
Link: australiansforpalestine.com/
truth-about-israel
By George Galloway on Jan 11,
I have been in a few dangerous places in my life. In the mid 80s along with an ITN news crew I was bombed by the Ethiopian air force.
My face pressing into the dirt, with no cover around, I saw the shrapnel tear and kill small children and watched others die on a wooden table in a grass hut after they bombers had gone.
I have been bombed by Israel in Beirut and held with an Israeli machine gun at my chest in Nablus during the first Iraq war.
Involuntarily, I put my hands up and the blue-eyed blonde "Israeli" said that if I didn't put my hands down he would kill me.
I've never, however, been in a more dangerous situation than last week in the tiny Sinai port of Al Arish to which the Egyptian dictatorship had insisted we bring our convoy.
Five hundred foreigners from 17 different nationalities with 200 vehicles were crammed into a compound without water, food or toilet facilities. They included 10 Turkish MPs one of whom was the chairman of Turkey's foreign relations committee.
We captured on film from a third floor office the thugs of the Mukhabarat (Intelligence) piling stones and sharpening their sticks behind the backs of several ranks of riot police with helmets, batons and shields. Then mayhem.
We may have complaints about our police, but I tell you, when you see policemen hurling half-bricks into a crowd of women and men who'd come to deliver medicine to desperate people under siege, you thank your lucky stars we don't live in such a state. Fifty five of our 500 were wounded and, but for the shocking effect on Arab public opinion (our own media didn't give a damn) of the live footage (all on Youtube now), we might still be there yet.
Next day, the dictatorship wanted us on our way. We refused to leave without our wounded comrades and the seven of our number who had been taken prisoner. After another stand-off our demands were met and we proceeded to a tumultuous welcome in Gaza our numbers complete. Word came to me from inside the Egyptian tyranny that I was to be arrested when we came out. Had that happened while I was surrounded by 500 pumped up convoy members there would have been serious trouble.
So I sent them the message that I would come out in the dead of the night before and face the music alone but for my old friend Scots journalist Ron McKay.
McKay is a thriller writer these days but what happened next would have taxed even his imagination.
We emerged into the hands of a grim phalanx of mainly plain clothed secret policemen, none of whom could speak English. They tried to keep our passports but we refused to budge without them - even though there was menace in the air, or perhaps because of it.
They bundled us into an unmarked van which they refused to let us climb out of, at one stage man-handling us.
An Egyptian gumshoe journalist from the Daily News tried to interview us but he was battered away.
We were driven off at speed. I knew we were not going to be killed as we were able to make the necessary calls - well at least the call to the Press Association which makes all the difference in these situations.
We made the formal call to the British Foreign Office but it wasn't worth the money. During the five-hour journey to Cairo the British diplomats did nothing but tell us to co-operate.
That co-operation was difficult as the police could speak no English and were saying nothing.
Word came from London that Nile News, a mouthpiece of the dictatorship, were reporting in the morning the seven convoy prisoners we had released at al Arish were to be re-arrested on emerging from Gaza.
Thus the bloodbath we sought to avoid now looked inevitable. We demanded to return to the Gaza-Egypt border but were refused. At Cairo airport we refused to enter the terminal and tried to hail a taxi to take us back.
Security forces goons pushed us physically into the airport building and gave close quarter attention to both of us, even in the toilet. They followed us everywhere and when McKay took a picture there was nearly a serious incident. They ushered us up to the entrance of the BA plane and the first English speaker of the night stepped forward to declare me persona non grata in Egypt.
I made my own declaration to him which was that he and his fellow torturers would one day face the wrath of the Egyptian people, who had queued up at the airport in full view of the goons, to shake hands with us. Later, his department stated I had been banned from Egypt because I was "a trouble-maker". Mr Tinpot tyrant 99.99 of the vote Mubarak, you ain't seen nothing yet.
http://www.facebook.com/l/
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THIS CAN BE THE YEAR WE END THE SIEGE OF GAZA!
REGISTER TODAY FOR THE
GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY TRAINING & LOBBY DAY
March 7 - 8, 2010 · Washington, DC
IF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN THE GAZA FREEDOM MARCH IN CAIRO, YOU CAN STILL TAKE ACTION HERE IN THE US!The Gaza Freedom March recently focused the world’s attention on the siege of Gaza and exposed the political nature of the blockade. More than 1,300 people from around the world brought Gaza to the streets of Cairo and to the world media. | |
Despite not getting into the Gaza Strip, the activities in Cairo were broad, multifaceted and creative. The resulting Cairo Declaration (facilitated by the South African delegation) lays out a framework for solidarity and a methodology to end the siege of Gaza and create the conditions for a peaceful future in Israel/Palestine.Following are selected reports from the Gaza Freedom March. You can join this movement by registering for the Grassroots Advocacy Training in Washington DC on March 7-8, 2010. Let’s bring the commitment of Cairo to Washington!Read: | |
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