December 2, 2002 - Roadmap of hatred - and other ME news not on the networks
December 2, 2002
[] IDF gave order to house demolitions in center of Hebron, on behalf of a settler road
NB: it did not yet happen, so a worldwide alarming campaign has still a chance!
[] Yesterday in Bet Lahia - PCHR Press Release 131 - via Adv. Tamar Peleg
[] Petition of principle re incommunicado detention of George Manzur Jiris Kort (sample of the work of PCATI, and of a partial and hard-won success)
[] B'Tselem reports: Israel delinquent in protecting olive harvesters
action updates
[] Protest against house demolitions in Wadi Nisnas, Haifa, Tue. Dec. 3rd
[] Yesh Gvul report on an inspiring action re jailed refusing conscripts + petition links
[] IDF gave order to house demolitions in center of Hebron, on behalf of a settler road NB: it did not yet happen, so a worldwide alarming campaign has still a chance!
In the month which the houseowners have to appeal the demolition order your letter to your paper and/or your email, fax or phone to the Israeli and/or American embassies in your country may still make a difference. We suggest to emphasize that:
"This Hebron settler road for which the heart of Hebron - including at least 15 Palestinian homes -is to be flattened by bulldozers, destroys also the chances of President Bush's so-called "road-map for a solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
background in the following email message
[We couldn't find the source mentioned on www.jpost.com, but the facts were reported
yesterday on the settler pirate radio Arutz-7, and today on ITV, channel-1. TOIstaff]
Hebron: 2 December, 2002 (IAP News)
The Israeli occupation army is planing to demolish dozens of Palestinian homes in the heart of Hebron in an effort to push more Palestinians to leave the town's old quarter, Israeli press sources reported Monday.
The sources said in the initial stage, the army would demolish as many as 15 Palestinian homes located between the Ibrahimi Mosque and Kiryat Arba'a.
The Jerusalem Post, said on its webpage (www.jpost.com) that the purpose of the wholesale demolitions was to assure a safe passage for Jewish settlers between Kiryat Arba'a and the small Jewish enclave in Hebron.
Palestinian leaders in the city described the planned destruction of homes as "a demographic massacre."
"We are telling the world that Israel is practicing ethnic cleansing in its ugliest form...What the Serbs did in Bosnia, Israel is doing in Hebron. Ethnic cleansing is wrong, the world must condemn it and stop it immediately," said Yousef Ja'abari, a proprietor of one of the homes slated for demolition.
[] Yesterday in Bet Lahia - PCHR Press Release 131 - via Adv. Tamar Peleg
[Here follows the message which Human Rights lawyer Tamar Peleg received from Gaza colleagues, and sent out.]
Press Release
Israeli forces kill two Palestinian civilians and demolish three houses in Beit Lahia
Ref: 131/2002
Date: 1 December 2002
Two Palestinian civilians were killed and 20 people wounded when Israeli forces late last night moved into Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. During the incursion they also demolished three houses. The body of one of the victims, a 70-year-old man, was discovered this morning among the ruins of his house that was destroyed by Israeli forces. The other victim was a 32-year-old man who was traveling home in his car when he for no apparent reason was shot dead by Israeli forces.
According to PCHR's investigation, at approximately 22:30 on Saturday, 30 November 2002, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks, bulldozers and combat helicopters, and covered by intense shelling, invaded the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia. They surrounded three houses owned by families of three Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets. Without prior warning, Israeli soldiers called on the residents through loudspeakers to leave and then they destroyed the houses. These Israeli measures are a continuation of the policies of retaliatory collective punishment adopted by the Israeli government against families of Palestinian activists.
One of the houses that were destroyed last night was owned by 'Aashour 'Abdul Malik D'ib, 70, who suffered from hearing difficulties. D'ib was still in his room on the third floor of the house when the Israeli forces destroyed the house, suggesting that he didn't hear the Israeli soldiers order to leave the house. Rescue teams discovered his body under the ruins of his house this morning. His family managed to escape the house.
The three-hour Israeli incursion ended at approximately 01:30 on Sunday, as Israeli occupying forces began to withdraw to their military locations in "Dugit" settlement, established on the land of Beit Lahia, which has been occupied since 1967. Meanwhile, 32-year-old Mahmoud Saleh Mohammed al-Na'rani was traveling in his car towards his house in al-Nada housing compound, east of Beit Lahia. When he passed by Beit Lahia, Israeli soldiers opened fire at his car for no apparent reason. He was killed by several live bullets throughout the body. In addition, 20 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children, were wounded by live bullets and shrapnel. The PCHR fieldworker in the area reports that more than 30 houses were severely damaged and a number of civilian cars were destroyed during the incursion.
PCHR condemns this latest war crime perpetrated against Palestinian civilians and their property and calls upon the international community to effectively intervene to stop Israeli forces from committing more war crimes. PCHR reminds the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 of their legal obligations to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances. PCHR reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to take crucial steps towards Israel's challenge and disregard of the Convention to ensure its compliance with its legal obligations under the Convention. Keeping silent about Israeli war crimes only encourage the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon to continue to perpetrate more war crimes against Palestinian civilians and their property.
[] Petition of principle re incommunicado detention of George Manzur Jiris Kort (sample of the work of PCATI, and of a partial and hard-won success)
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Following is the report on PCATI's petition of principle to the High Court of Justice on the issues of:
a. Presence of a petitioner in court at a hearing on his petition.
b. Incommunicado detention.
2.12.02
George Manzur Jiris Kort, Jerusalem I.D. 027504489, 32 years old, single, employed in an internet shop in Ramallah
Kort/2/1 High Court of Justice case # 10045/02
The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) would like to inform the international community of its petition of principle demanding that:
i. George Manzur Jiris Kort be present at the hearing on the appeal against his detention at the Beit El Military Court of Appeals.
ii. The latest Order Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel imposed against Mr. Kort be lifted and that Mr. Kort be allowed to meet with his attorney.
George Manzur Jiris Kort, 32 years old, single, holder of Jerusalem ID card who has a BA in Business Administration and is employed at an internet shop in Ramallah was arrested on 24.10.02 and held at the GSS Interrogation Unit at the Russian Compound Detention Center in Jerusalem. He was later transferred to the GSS Interrogation Unit at the Shikma Detention Center in Ashkelon. Since his arrest Orders Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel have prevented Mr. Kort from meeting with his attorney.
Attorney Lea Tsemel who represents PCATI filed two previous urgent petitions to the High Court of Justice on behalf of George Manzur Jiris Kort demanding that the Order Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel be lifted and that Mr. Kort be allowed to meet with counsel. Hearings on the above cases were held at the High Court of Justice. Both petitions were rejected. (High Court of Justice cases # 9441/02 filed on 7.11.02 and 9634/02 filed on 13.11.02).
A few days after the second of the above petitions was rejected, Attorney Tsemel was informed by police Sergeant Major Mark Dahan that on 21.11.02 a Military Court imposed an Order Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel against Mr. Kort. The Order is valid for 10 days through 2.12.02.
On 24.11.02 Attorney Tsemel wrote a pre-petition letter to the State Attorney's office asking that the Order Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel be immediately lifted and inquiring whether any physical or psychological pressure was being used against Ms. Kort.
PCATI and Mr. Kort's family are concerned that the Orders Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel were not issued on a valid and factual basis but in order to prevent a meeting from taking place. PCATI and Mr. Kort's family are equally concerned that the Orders' objective is to conceal from public view the illegal nature of the interrogation. It is our view that preventing a detainee from meeting with his attorney is illegal and that that there is cause for concern that the circumstances of his interrogation do not meet acceptable legal standards. PCATI is also of the opinion that the Order imposed against Mr. Kort was not without reason and stem from the fear that the deeds being carried out against Mr. Kort will be made public and that legal steps will be taken to stop the interrogation, or that the Orders had no legal basis.
On 24.10.02 Mr.Kort's detention was extended for 20 days for the purpose of interrogation. On 21.11.02 the Ashkelon Military Court that convened at the Shikma Detention Center again extended Mr. Kort's detention by 20 days through 10.12.02.
On 24.11.02 Attorney Tsemel filed an appeal to the Military Court of Appeals against the decision to extend Mr. Kort's detention. Attorney Tsemel stressed the fact that Mr. Kort was not given a fair opportunity to state his case before the Ashkelon Military Court and that the court was not given a fair opportunity to observe him and to hear how his interrogation was conducted. A hearing was scheduled for 26.11.02.
On 25.11.02, Attorney Tsemel received a copy of the prosecution's request to hold the hearing in the absence of the petitioner claiming that his interrogation would be severely undermined if he was brought to the hearing.
The same day attorney Tsemel submitted an urgent reply demanding that Mr. Kort be brought to the hearing and that the prosecution's request be rejected.
On 26.11.02 Attorney Tsemel received a reply from Colonel Shaul Gordon, the Military Court judge acceding to the prosecution's demand to hold the hearing in the absence of the petitioner. Attorney Tsemel immediately sent a request to the Beit El Military Court of Appeals that the hearing be postponed as she intends to file a petition of principle on this issue to the High Curt of Justice.
On 26.11.02, Attorney Tsemel representing PCATI filed an urgent petition to the High Court of Justice on behalf of George Manzur Jiris Kort demanding that he be present at the hearing on the appeal against his continued detention at the Beit El Military Court of Appeals and also demanding that the Order Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel be lifted and that Mr. Kort be allowed to meet with his attorney.
The right to be represented by counsel is a fundamental right and has long been a corner stone of our legal system. This fundamental right is anchored in many of our laws and is of particular importance in cases of an individual vs. government authorities.
On 6 September 1999, the High Court of Justice in Israel, with an expanded panel of nine judges, gave its verdict on PCATI's petition #5100/94 and 6 other similar petitions filed by other human rights organizations. The High Court's ruling prohibits the use of method of torture or physical pressure during interrogation. Since that day, PCATI has continued monitoring detention centers to investigate methods of interrogation and conditions of detention. Since the outbreak of the Al Aqsa Intifada in September 2000 PCATI has found increasing numbers of violations on the ban against torture and other forms of ill-treatment. We have also received large numbers of complaints from detainees who are held without access to counsel and without being informed that an attorney is representing them.
Regarding the presence of the petitioner at the hearing on his appeal, it is our claim that the Beit El Military Court of Appeals does not have the authority to issue a decision on this matter and that Mr. Kort has the right to be present in court and to state his arguments before it. Mr. Kort's presence at the hearing is imperative considering the fact that he has been in detention for over one month and was not permitted to meet with counsel since his arrest.
The right of a detainee to be present in court during a hearing on matters involving his case has been upheld by both Israeli civil law and military law, and includes detainees who were prevented by an Order Prohibiting Meeting with Counsel from meeting with their attorneys although both were permitted be present in court at the same time. It is also our claim that the petitioner's right to be present in court during a hearing on his petition outweighs the principle of a public trial and that not allowing a petitioner to be present at his own hearing is a blatant violation of his basic rights. Moreover, even in cases where a request to hold a hearing in the absence of the petitioner is accepted, it should not be on the sole basis of the prosecution's request and the petitioner should, at the very least, be given an opportunity to state his arguments on the matter.
On 27.11.02 the above petition was withdrawn after we were informed that Mr. Kort may meet with an attorney that day and that he would be allowed to be present at the hearing on his appeal to the Beit El Military Court of Appeals.
George Manzur Jiris Kort is still being held at the GSS Interrogation Unit at the Shikma Detention Center in Ashkelon. He met with his attorney on 27.11.02 and was present at the hearing on his petition at the Beit El Military Court of Appeals that was held that day.
[] B'Tselem reports: Israel delinquent in protecting olive harvesters
Monday, December 02, 2002
Last update - 16:51 02/12/2002
B'Tselem: Israel delinquent in protecting olive harvesters
By Ha'aretz Service
Israel has failed to extend sufficient protection to Palestinians during the recent olive harvest season, B'Tselem claims in a report released Monday entitled: "The Performance of Law Enforcement Authorities in Responding to Settler Attacks on Olive Harvesters."
The human rights organization charges that "The security forces did not prepare in advance for potentially violent events, despite the fact that such incidents could have been anticipated, nor did they intervene in most cases when such incidents occurred."
The lackluster security effort documented in the report "is particularly unreasonable when contrasted with the enormous efforts made by the IDF to protect the settlers," B'Tselem contends.
The report notes that the olive harvest in the West Bank, which began in October, was particularly plentiful this year and "comes at a time of unprecedented socio-economic hardships among the Palestinians. The survival of tens of thousands of Palestinian families is more dependent than ever on their ability to harvest their olives and market the oil they yield."
Only after four weeks of "violent and systematic attacks by groups of armed settlers," and after this violence began to attract increasing media attention, did Israeli security forces begin to take significant action, B'Tselem says. These efforts did indeed reduce the level of violence in some areas, proving that it could have been prevented earlier had the required forces been deployed in time.
The report also notes there have still been no arrests made in the case of Beni Maniyeh, 22, from Akrabeh, who was shot dead by settlers from Itamar while harvesting olives on October 6.
B'tselem
[] Protest against house demolitions in Wadi Nisnas, Haifa, Tue. Dec. 3rd
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: Ta'ayush
The Haifa Municipality is planning a destruction of 54 houses in the neigborhood of Wadi Nisnas. The house demolishing is planned in order to pave a high way between the Carmel Mt. and the government city in downtown Haifa. The house demolishing may leave 93 families (632 people) without a home in Haifa. Financial compensations are planned to be very meagre, which will not enable these families to continue their lives in Haifa. The planned
road will mark another boarderline between the mostly Jewish neighborhood of Hadar HaCarmel and Wadi Nisnas. The municipal decision may take place already on Tuesday, while
at the same time the municipality is holding a big Festival in Wadi Nisnas, which is supposed to show pastoral "co-existense" between Jewish and Arab people in Haifa.
At the time of the gathering, on Tuesday 3.12 at 17:30, the inhabitants of the neighborhood, Ta'ayush, and the Amuta for Social Enhacement in Haifa, will hold a protest against this plan. We will meet at the entrance to building of the Municipality, Hasan Shukri Street 14. We will urge the city to mark a new direction of stopping the planned destruction in Arab neighborhoods in Haifa, and for solidarity between Jewish and Arab people.
For more details, please call Dalit: 053-237903, 04-8622932
NB: Last minute changes may occur. Stay tuned for updates on voicemail: 03-6914437
[] Yesh Gvul report on an inspiring action re jailed refusing conscripts + petition links
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: "peretz kidron"
The Saturday vigil at Military Prison #4 was a lively affair. Unlike previous demonstrations at Tzrifin which we had to hold far from the prison and its inmates, this time preliminary reconnaissance pinpointed a more promising location at the eastern end of Rishon Letzion, where we got to within ear- and eye-contact with the incarcerated draft resisters. Ofer Golany set up his fine p.a. system to bombard the jail and its vicinity with an impromptu pop concert, recorded and live. The highschool seniors refuser group "shministim" turned out in force and sounded off with a whole litany of chanted slogans. We managed to get phone contact with the jailed resisters, whose voices were then beefed up by the loudspeakers: they were obviously
delighted with our support. Later, there was even eye contact, when several of the young deainees succeeded to climb to the roof of a building in the prison camp. The guards were intrigued and some participants seized on the opportunity to engage them in friendly discussion of the refusal issue.
At the next stage in the ceremony, a mass of coloured balloons were released bearing slogans and greetings. Sadly the wind blew them the wrong way, and then also caused difficulties in the Hannuka candle lighting ceremony. But that was the only hitch.
The message got through. And if you weren't there, you missed an experience.
NEXT TIME !
Ram Rahat - Peretz Kidron
If you haven't signed yet the petition demanding fair treatment for the conscript refusers who are tried again and again on the same charges, you have here the links.
Hebrew online petition:
-----
TOI-Billboard replaces the Gush Shalom Billboard -forwarding alerts & articles of a variety of sources; in order to receive regularly the Gush Shalom action news, statements and articles subscribe to the Gush Shalom list by sending a request to info@gush-shalom.org
Subscribe to TOI-Billboard by sending one blank mail to
TOI_Billboard-subscribe@topica.com
The Other Israel peace movement magazine
pob 2542, Holon 58125, Israel; ph/fx: +972-3-5565804;
for free sample hardcopy mailto: otherisr@actcom.co.il
http://members.tripod.com/~other_Israel/
http://www.btselem.org
Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2002 9:17 PM
http://www.shministim.org/azoma.htm
English online petition:
http://www.shministim.org/english_letter.htm/eng_azoma.htm
