Israel-Palestine, Media, As in Tiennamen square (On yassin assasination) by Tanya Reinhart 31/03/04

An extensive discussion has already taken place in Israel regarding the cost-benefit ratio of Yassin's assassination. But the question of justice has hardly been raised. According to international law, the execution of any person in an occupied territory is not allowed. The Geneva convention, born out of the horrifying experience of the second World War, sets limitations on the use of force even in times of war. The convention distinguishes between war and a state of occupation. Its fundamentals are, first, that occupied people are "protected", and that the occupier is responsible for their safety. Second, it determines that the occupied people have the right to fight for their liberation. International conventions are one of the means people have developed for self-preservation. Without them, there is a danger that the human race would annihilate itself - first the strong would wipe out the weak, and then each other.

During its 37 years of occupation, Israel has already violated every article of the Geneva convention. But what it did now is unprecedented. As Robert Fisk stated it in the British Independent, "for years, there has been an unwritten rule in the cruel war of government-versus-guerrilla. You can kill the men on the street, the bomb makers and gunmen. But the leadership on both sides - government ministers, spiritual leaders were allowed to survive." Even when the leader advocates violence and terror, the norm has been that he may be imprisoned, but not killed.

Ahmed Yassin viewed himself as struggling against the occupation. As reported in Yediot Aharonot, his demand was a full withdrawal of the Israeli army from the occupied territories, back to the borders of 1967. In 1993, Hamas agreed to the principles of the Oslo accords, but did not believe that Rabin would translate these principles into action, and urged the Palestinian people to remember that the occupation was not yet over. During the iron-fist period of Barak and Sharon, Yassin proposed a long term 'hudna' (cease fire), but he also believed that Israel would never end the occupation of its own will. "The enemy understands only the language of war, bombs and explosives" - he preached to his followers, and declared that "every Israeli is a target for us".

The Geneva convention recognizes the right of the occupied people to carry out armed struggle against the occupying army, but not to use terror against civilians. Terror has no moral justification, and is not defended by international law. But it is necessary that we Israelis examine ourselves in this regard as well. What other way do we leave open for the Palestinian people to struggle for their liberation? Along the route of the wall in the West Bank, a new form of popular resistance has been formed in the last few months. Palestinian farmers whose land is being robbed sit on the ground in front of the bulldozers, accompanied by the Israeli opponents of the wall - the veterans of the Mas'ha camp. What could be more non-violent than this? But the Israeli army shoots at sitting demonstrators, like in Tiennamen square.

The Israeli army blocks all options of non-violent resistance from the Palestinians. With the arrogant elimination of a leader and a symbol, as he was leaving a mosque, the army knowingly created a new wave of violence and terror. It is hard not to get the impression that terror is convenient for Sharon and the army. It enables them to convince the world that the Geneva protections do not apply to the Palestiians, because they have terrorists in their midst, and that, therefore, it is permitted to do anything to them.

Since September 11th, as part of its “war against terror,” the U.S. has Been pushing to destroy all defences provided by International law. But even the U.S. has not yet dared to publicly execute a spiritual-religious leader (of, for example, the Taliban in Afghanistan). Now Israel has determined, with the U.S. blessing, that even this is permitted. Under the military rule, Israel has become a leading force in the destruction of the very protections that humankind has established, out of World War Two, for its own preservation, protections that we too may need one day, as history has already shown us.

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* Ed. Note: Tanya Reinhart define herself as anarchist. She is a life long activist in the Israeli left. She is a linguist and proffesor in Tel Aviv university. have a regular "corner" in the Israeli main daily Yediot Aharonot, most Israelis read.
In previous elections she openly opposed the supporting of the lesser evil....
The article was printed March 30, 2004. Translated from Hebrew by Netta Van Vliet

Israel-Palestine, The common struggle against the apartheid wall continue 18/03/04

It is reported daily in the media about the struggle of the Palestinian villagers against the Israeli apartheid wall that confiscate their fields and put many of them into a Geto like conditions. In many of the confrontations between the vilagers and the Israeli army which "protect" the wall builders participate internationals and Israeli activists. Just now, the main public radio channel reported about such struggle near the village Harbata. They also inteviewd live from that action Raz from the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative. Raz say the army throw on them shock and gas grenades but refrain from shooting. He add that the army act in contradiction with a stay orders issued by the high justice court of Israel.

Israel-Palestine, Israelis needed to support popular resistance 15/03/04

Israelis needed to support popular resistance Construction of the wall continues around many villages (Deir Qadis, Beit Duku, Nialin and more), in some cases in violation of the supreme court injunction.
The impressive popular resistance also continues every day but the army responds with violence and attacks the demonstrators.
the presence of Israelis* greatly reduces the level of violence and increases the amount of attention given by the press. the current number of Israelis who come to demonstration is not adequate to support the amount of demonstrations happening these days. The people of the villages are doing their part, it is up to us to do our part and support them.
anyone who can make it to demonstrations in Palestine in the next few weeks please call:
In the http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mashacamp/
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*[Ed. Note: Anarchists Agaainst The Wall and others]

Israel, Tel-Aviv, A year to the Iraq war a Carnival day action 07/03/04

The Purim carnival day was "celebrated" by 50 anarchist with a more than an hour parade in downtown Tel-Aviv. After converging and leafleting at the entrance to the open market the parade started. With two big puppets at the front, with drums, whistles, slogan shouting, and leaflets distribution we progressed slowly along the King George street and around the Dizengof mall.
The leaflet header: Ki Bush Justified? (pun - ki bush = as Bush/occupation) DO NOT TOUCH MY AMBAH, CARNIVAL OF PROTEST AND SAMBA! So you assume that every thing ended fine in Iraq? They caught the bad guys (mainly the cruel dictator), shaved his beard and now enforcing a democratic and fair rule.

So, it is clear to all that USA motivation are not pure. Even from the center of Tel-Aviv you can smell the petroleum. It is quite clear that the well being of the Iraq population is not at the center of importance for those responsible to the murder of tens of thousands of Iraqis.
These days, the Israeli state use huge and excessive force in the effort to stop the Palestinian uprising against the 37 years old Israeli occupation. The assumption that ruling another people in all aspects of its life - freedom of travel, access to hospitals and schools, livelihood, cultivation the fields, and even flag and nationality, can suppress the yearning for self rule and independence, is based on twisted reasoning. It take all of us into a whirl of blood without escape. This is a belligerent mode of thinking of patronizing, and power-drunk whose roots are in the Western colonialist thinking.

Here too you can identify the stamp of USA: huge amount of money allocated to ensure the continuation of the rule of its Israeli alley in the occupied territories, and thus to remain a significant factor in the Middle East, to enrich its own arms industry and to have its heands in the sick economies of our region.
I.

Israel-Palestine, Tel Aviv, NOT IN OUR NAME! - a Critical Mass against the apartheid wall 05/03/04

About 20 people - anarchists and others did a whistling mini critical mass in downtown Tel Aviv. Half of us where on wheels with various placards and half on feet - distributing leaflets on the route - which at its end we joined the Friday vigil of women in black. The leaflet:
Not in our name! Not from our money! - How much this occupation cost us?
From October 2000 till the end of January 2004 were killed 2,376 Palestinians amongst them 445 minors, and 600 Israelis amongst them 74 minors.
In the last 3 years more than 500 kids below age 18 were killed in the region. The violent Israeli occupation, the illegal settlers project (paid for by the Israeli government from the taxes), and the atrocities against the civil population in the occupied Palestinian territories, brought about harm to the [Israeli] civilian society within the Green Line [1967 borders]. The harsh conditions cause despair, frustration, and to taking extreme steps.

The Israeli government found a "solution": Building a twisting wall of 8 meters and barbed wired fence supposedly partition between the Palestinian and Israeli populations, but in reality the fence not just separate between us and our neighbors... The fence, which is more than double in length than the Green Line and been built deep in the occupied territories, separate many villages from the near-by towns and other villages and separate also between the villagers and hospitals, children from their schools, and between the villagers and their fields and work places.

Within the green line the building of the wall [because the taxes money is wasted on the wall] also separate between old people and appropriate care, between children and food and proper education, and between us and our security... because of "budget deficit". More than all, The wall separate between us and peace, justice and security.

Lack of budget??
Third of Israel children are below the poverty line. more than half a million people are hungry. More than 13% of the population of Gaza strip suffer from malnutrition. More than 50% unemployment among the Palestinian population of the West bank and Gaza strip.

The cost of the separation wall is about 2.2 million US$ for kilometer- about 1.4 milliard dollars for the whole fence. Every shekel for the building of the fence and the settlement means one shekel less for food, education, health care and development. THE FENCE IS NOT SECURITY! it is aimed to annex territory and expanding the settlement project! NOT IN OUR NAME!
We demand live with dignity and security - for us and for our Palestinian neighbors!

It is important to stress that there is a continuos nonviolent of Palestinian people against the occupation and the prolonged lack of justice. We have to cooperate with them in the struggle against the atrocities WITHOUT HARMING THE INNOCENTS and with no walls! Just in the last week, in the village Bidu, Israeli soldiers killed 4 demonstrators and tens were wounded when Israeli-Palestinan joint protest activity against the building of the wall on their land!