Sunday, January 20

Bab Al Karama


Occupation soldiers “visit” Gate of Dignity early morning, then close checkpoint, confrontations now going on


It was too cold to sleep for most of us last night at the Gate of Dignity encampment and the army “visited” us early in the morning.  Yesterday we had to overcome the Israeli checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Iksa but today the occupation forces closed the checkpoint and are attacking peaceful demonstrators with tear gas and stun grenades then invaded the camp village and gave notice of intention to evacuate the location.  We were thrilled to see good friends from different Palestinian factions and to meet new friends from Beit Iksa who showed us that the site with the tents on village land overlooks the valley with the Green line border of 1948 (that has vanished in 1967).  Just beyond it was the village of Lifta depopulated in 1948 and just a little further is depopulated village of Deir Yassin.  Meanwhile all around and on both sides of the Green line Jewish only housing proliferates in colonial settlements built on Palestinian lands.   Thoughts that passed through my mind included my mother telling me about her friend in school in Jerusalem who was from Deir Yassin.  Hayah Balbisi was nearly just over 17 years old when she decided to go to Deir Yassin to help her relatives that she heard were being attacked.  She was killed with hundreds of others (men, women, children) and this was one of the famous (though not the largest) of the 33+ massacres committed by Jewish underground forces to drive the exodus of the natives and make space for the “Jewish state.” My thoughts also ran to similar images I have seen of natives in North America in remaining reservations.  But then I also had too little time for further reflections since we were very busy in meeting, singing, reminiscing, greetings visitors, eating, and of course trying to warm up around the bonfire. Palestinian officials came and went.  Between 2-3 AM there was news of impending Israeli raid but this did not materialize.  At 7 AM, the military visited us.  The villagers want people to come and stay with them as they try to defend land that belongs to them.  Before 1948, the villagers had over 14,000 dunums and now have access and use about 2000 and if Israeli additional apartheid plans go forward, they will have only 600.

Sunday evening, people coming through the only entrance to Beit Iksa were blocked by the Israeli checkpoint and a peaceful demonstration at the checkpoint was attacked by tear gas and stun grenades. Your support is needed especially if you are a media person and can gain entrance tonight to Beit Iksa to report on what is going on (if not, please go the checkpoint or find an alternative route into Beit Iksa).

Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/QrytBabAlkramt
http://www.facebook.com/Beit.iksa

Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTzgJhqqzbU

Pictures from our friend Calum in Bab Al Karamah
http://www.calumtoogood.co.uk/archives/3910

and below is a set of photographs by Calum of the attack by Palestinian Authority “security” officers on Palestinians in Hebronhttp://www.calumtoogood.co.uk/archives/3797
and see this video of PA security forces clashing with demonstrators

Additional source:
Israeli Military Orders to extend the confiscation of 1280 dunums for Completing the construction of the Segregation Wall Northwest of Jerusalem
http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4247 

New Peace Now Report on eve of Israeli elections: Netanyahu's Settlement Policy Wrecks Two-State Solution
http://peacenow.org/entries/new_peace_now_report_netanyahus_settlement_policy_undermines_two-state_solution#.UPv0A6ys1a9

Since Netanyahu’s partner is Avigdor Lieberman and most other parties are right-wing racist Zionist, I suggest Jewish Israelis vote for parties like Haneen Zoubi’s party. Israeli Palestinians represent only 23-25% of the Israeli public (a manufactured minority since most Palestinians in that state where ethnically cleansed.  This “minority” does have parties running but nearly half are staying home frustrated by the dominance of racist Zionist parties and Israeli Knesset laws that forbid parties calling for a pluralistic secular democracy ineligible to run in the Knesset (candidates have to accept that Israel is a “Jewish and democratic state”; which is a contradiction of terms).

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PHD

Chair, the Palestinain Center for Rapprochement Between People
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