Thursday July 2, 2009, 6:41 am
It's a farce to claim that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza resulted in some semblance of sovereignty when its military controls Gaza's airspace, waterways and land routes, and Israeli forces continue to strike targets within the canton.

Israeli forces in the West Bank have long reacted violently to Palestinian protests, even peaceful ones. But recently, they used similar tactics on Israeli protesters -- an unusual occurrence ...(The tmes, they are a changing?)

I am reporting the testimony of Dr. Amiel Vardi, and many other supporting testimonies. There is graphic photographic documentation, including a live video clip, which can be seen here. The pictures seen here are part of a series that can be viewed at this Flickr site...'Visit site' (above) for link

The activists arrived in the morning at al-Safa to accompany Palestinian farmers to their fields, since it is nearly impossible for these farmers to work their land without the physical protection of Israelis: violent settlers from nearby Bat 'Ayin invariably attack the farmers and chase them away. This time, however, the army and Border Police were waiting, in force—dozens of soldiers (the Border Police are part of the army), including two Brigade Commanders. As usual, they declared the area a Closed Military Zone.

But they also immediately arrested the activists and then attacked several of them brutally with fists, rifle butts, and other weapons.

They rammed their heads repeatedly against the sides of the military jeeps (you can see this clearly on the Walla video). They severely beat the detainees while the latter were hand-cuffed and defenseless. Even worse, they continued to beat them while transporting them to the police station—stopping the jeeps on the way and attacking their helpless prisoners with clubs. One Palestinian activist, Yusuf Abu-Maria, suffered a broken leg. An Israeli activist, Sahar, had her armed savagely twisted, though fortunately not broken. Many were injured.

Incidentally, while this was going on, settlers from Bat 'Ayin set fire to Palestinian olive trees only a few hundred yards away; but of course the soldiers saw no reason to interfere.

This was not random violence. It’s the kind of thing that is directed routinely at Palestinian detainees, but this is perhaps the first time Israeli activists have been assaulted so brutally. The sense is that the Border Policemen were acting under direct, premeditated orders. The two Brigade Commanders—the senior officer in this zone, commander of the Etzion Brigade, and the commander of the Kfir Brigade— stood there overseeing the assault.


Israel is different from most of its neighbours. Unlike their counterparts in Egypt and Syria, Israeli rights activists, particularly Jewish ones, have been able to criticise the policies of their rights-abusive government without fear of incarceration. Up until now, the undemocratic tendencies of Israeli society manifested themselves, for the most part, in the state's relation to its Palestinian citizens, the occupied Palestinian inhabitants and a small group of Jewish conscientious objectors.





This is all reaching a tipping point, a degree of injustice that is becoming increasingly difficult to deny, or to meet with the argument that violence perpetrated by Palestinian militants justifies collective punishment as a matter of government policy. Even members of the DC establishment are decrying the continued expansion of illegal settlements. Foreign Policy magazine just ranked Israel-Palestine as the 58th "most failed state" -- beneath a whole host of basket-cases. And, as Ira Chernus recently wrote:





The Israel Project hired pollster Stanley Greenberg to test American opinion on the Middle East conflict -- and got a big surprise. In September 2008, 69% of Americans called themselves pro-Israel. Now, it's only 49%. In September, the same 69% wanted the U.S. to side with Israel; now, only 44%.





This is a blunter than usual post on this topic, because I'm not interested in finessing this conflict anymore. It's not that people, like me, who reject Israel's various claims to to the moral high ground have a singular and mysterious obsession with Israeli abuses, as its apologists would have you believe, but the knowledge that this state's actions, unlike, say, those of the Iranian regime splashed across our TV screens each night, are defended (and its military supplied) by my (US) government.

Maybe there is hope after all?

Thursday July 2, 2009, 10:00 am
Free Cynthia McKinney and the other humanitarian aid workers and their ship with humanitarian aid for trhe people of Palestine!!!

Free Palestine from the brutal Israeli siege and occupation!!!

Thursday July 2, 2009, 11:35 am
Thank you David.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 1:17 pm
This is just horrible. I can't believe that we are allowing this injustice to go on. Stop Israeli's NOW. Get them out of the Palistinians Face! I am sick of their brutality and their control tactics! Cynthia needs to be freed now. I am praying for justice for these people, this is so wrong and has gone on with the USA's stamp of approval long enough!

Thursday July 2, 2009, 7:12 pm
Thanks David.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 7:15 pm
Oh, David: "IIsraeli forces continue to strike targets within the canton." What do you suggest to answer rockets fired by Hamas Nazis?

t's a farce to claim that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza resulted in some semblance of sovereignty? Did Israel appointed a governer over Gaza? Why do you post a garbage like this?

Thursday July 2, 2009, 7:28 pm
No Cherele they didn't; Israel rules Gaza with terror and a superiority of arms supplied by a country which is itself responsible for perhaps a million innocent civilian deaths this decade. If Hamas are indeed Nazis they are mere beginners compared to their oppressors.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 8:09 pm
I post 'garbage' like this in the vage hope that mindless idiots like you Cherele might just wake up!...I suggest that Hamas and Israel sit down and negotiate peace (or perhaps, even more sensible, the Gazan citizens overthrow Hamas and then sit down and negotiate peace...

Hamas rockets vs mass slaughter by Israel?...You have got to be joking!

To claim that Israel has no sovereignty over Gaza is absurd...Controlling the lives of Gazans with concrete walls, blocked borders and ever encroaching illegal settlements does not constitute complete control?

Oh, just go away, can't be bothered with tiny closed minds and total lack of empathy...

Thursday July 2, 2009, 8:10 pm
I will withhold my comments as I am definitely pro-Israel, so no sense in going back and forth as far as I'm concerned. However, I would like to say, I hope Israel keeps cynthia mckinney! She has never been anything but a troublemaker traitor, embarrassed the State of GA where I live for years as a Senator, embarrassment to the USA. She is anti-American so naturally she would be anti-Israel. I just feel sorry for Israel that they have to put up with her. She has always stuck her nose where it doesn't belong. She is no loyal American citizen.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 8:36 pm
That's the problem with Democracy Pat we tolerate all sorts of fascists; frequently they even get elected.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 9:16 pm
Pat I read your profile, the statements you have posted, just don't compute with what you have written in your profile.... Are you saying to be anti- Israel IS anti-American???? If this is the case, I have serious doubts about your powers of reasoning, and what is fair and just. This conflict is a blight on our civilization... I think both sides are wrong, and they should sit down to try to come to a fair and just peace settlement.Too much blood has been spilt, it is past time to try to put things right.Rabid factions and Religious Zealots have much to answer for.You me and the peoples involved in this fight, all have a God given right to exist and be here.....lets stop throwing rocks and bombs, and get the peace process working....peace happened in Ireland...send your prayers and letters to start the process.
Cherele, you haven't even filled in your profile, but hatred fuels wars.Being a returned serviceman, I can tell you from experience, war is not all that it's cracked up to be, and if you were a mother and was happy to send your children off to be cannon fodder, then I would feel sorry for your children.....or do you expect other mothers to send their children off to war to be killed????????
We need intelligent, fair minded people, putting up their hand to make a difference, not dubious spurious input to prolong the agony of war.....to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 10:13 pm
Zionism will not cut it whereas, we need more like Cynthia McKinney doing what many more should be doing.

Thursday July 2, 2009, 11:42 pm
this is tragedy that on one side u call muslims are terror,the myanmar are inhuman,chinese are human right violators and other hand the worst enemy of humanity ---isreali regime(not people of isreal or jews) are not only encourgedbut financally helped
stop this world order that distinguish terror.human right abuse on basis of relgion (only muslims labeled as terror), race (only chinese are human right abusers) nationality (myanmer is un domocratic),
some christainity,jews,hindus are as terrorists as some muslims
some indians russains,arabs,english,ameriacan etc are as human right abusers as chinese
and some countries like saudia arabia,china,some indian relgion(kashmir) are as undamocratic as myanmer militarly regime
so plz do not distingish terror,H.R.abuse,undamocracy on basis of colour,relgion,race and nationality

when injustics in this world is delt with peace will prevail(ameen)

Friday July 3, 2009, 12:28 am
No one can win here when there is strife... who can say who is guilty, but let Israel guard her bordes, and have her our soveriegn nation... my wish is for them to live in peace with each other, as this is the will of God.. they need to learn to build walls of frienship, trust and more, not the opposite.

Friday July 3, 2009, 5:39 am

UN Expert denounces seizure of aid boat by Israeli forces
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News

Friday, 03 July 2009 01:13 Last Updated on Friday, 03 July 2009 01:14 Written by Free Gaza Movement
2 July 2009
GENEVA - The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Richard Falk, denounced the unlawful naval seizure by an Israeli gunboat on the high seas of a ship carrying medicine and reconstruction material to blockaded people of Gaza.

“This Israeli action implements its cruel blockade of the entire Palestinian population of Gaza, in violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention that prohibits any form of collective punishment directed at an occupied people”, said the human rights expert.

Mr. Falk pointed to a recent report on the impact on health resulting from the two year blockade, issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross, stressing that Israeli actions not only restrict such vital supplies as food, medicine, and fuel to bare subsistence levels, but has in unprecedented fashion, disallowed the entry to Gaza of building materials and spare parts needed for repairing some of the widespread damage caused by its attacks on the Strip that took place for 22 days starting on December 27, 2008.

“Such a pattern of continuing blockade under these conditions amounts to such a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions as to constitute a continuing crime against humanity”, added the independent human rights expert.

The boat in question had been inspected in response to Israeli demands before departure by the port authorities in Cyprus to determine whether there were weapons on board. None were found, and Israeli authorities were so informed.

Nonetheless, the 21 peace activists on the boat were arrested, held in captivity, and have been charged with ‘illegal entry’ to Israel even though they had no intention of going to Israel. The group included such prominent figures as the Irish winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Mairead Maguire, and the former American congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.
###

For more information on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967: http://www.ohchr.org/SP/countries/MENARegion/Pages/PSIndex.aspx

For interview requests, please contact Linnéa Arvidsson (+41 22 928 9126, larvidsson[at]ohchr.org)

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Media Unit
Rupert Colville, Spokesperson: + 41 22 917 9767
Xabier Celaya, Information Officer: + 41 22 917 9383

For inquiries and media requests: press-info[at]ohchr.org

Friday July 3, 2009, 6:51 am
Let's get our two journalists out of North Korea before worrying about cynthia mckinney and Russia.

I, too, pray there would be peace in the Middle East for everyone, but I don't believe that will ever happen. Look at what's going on here in the US--we are joining the ranks of discord here, strife among ourselves.

Saturday July 4, 2009, 10:51 am
Pat Gill What I Want to Do: Save the weak from harm-hurt, Make a difference anyway that I can, End Violence Aginst the Voiceless, NEWS FLASH: The Palestinians are WEAK, the Palestinians are VOICELESS. looks like you got some 'splainin' to do.

Consider others BETTER than yourself. When someone tells you things are not fair, you have to go and live their experience to know whether it's true. Walk a mile in their moccasins as it were.

Saturday July 4, 2009, 3:34 pm
Mr. Netanyahu, tear down this wall!

Saturday July 4, 2009, 5:55 pm
Why is no one here concerned about the two journalists in North Korea, don't you care about them as much as you do cynthia mckinney???

Saturday July 4, 2009, 6:50 pm
I have no doubt that many here are concerned about the journalists Pat but get real, and if you are serious?...Leave this thread which is NOT about Korea and start your own news thread...

Saturday July 4, 2009, 8:35 pm
Ken S., No, I didn't say to be anti-Israel is to be anti-American. I did say cynthia mckinney is both. If you take a look at her past, she was a disgrace to our state of GA and the US. I wish both sides could and would get together and seek some kind of agreement for peace.

Saturday July 4, 2009, 8:44 pm
David Buchan wrote "I have no doubt that many here are concerned about the journalists Pat but get real, and if you are serious?...Leave this thread which is NOT about Korea and start your own news thread..."

WOW! That was rather harsh, David!!!!

Saturday July 4, 2009, 8:45 pm
Pat, I think that every one of our citizens deserves equal protection; if you are arguing for one above another, then we're not on th esame page.

Saturday July 4, 2009, 9:15 pm
It is not possible to discuss the plight of all on one thread...You have said exactly the same thing I did Blue but "political correctness" is of no interest to me...Say it like it is, or don't say it at all...I am not optically impaired...I AM BLIND! ok?

Sunday July 5, 2009, 9:23 am
Concerning Israel continuous crime against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestine since 1948, also more than 60 years with world silence it put the civilization in question mark. Condemning many countries from the West and East, because France with England has put the plan support for the recreation of many Jews from all over the world to Palestine choosing the Second World War economical problem and the Nazi phobia, poorness of the Jews to accept leaving home land to Palestine who is one of the future military base to the super power in the very strategic region. This crime was done by colonization States and the support of our fathers and grand fathers. We should not continue we should correct that problem because the social class of our fathers was very bad and the hungriness was great. What is astonishing me now in 2009 that we are still read about the encouragement and support for Israeli killing and distraction against the civilian people to put pressure on Hamas. This is a criminal act against international law and Geneva convention. We cannot be Liberal in west and killer in East. Those people we write and talk about are human beings; they are educated and civilized people and have all the right to live in peace and has all right to go back to their free land Palestine with compensation for all suffering years and loss of family members killed and tortured by Israel. Those people who are sitting in Europe and U.S.A should be serious, human and wise in participating in the debate of Israeli Palestinian problem. Any one who wants to be pro Israel has the right to be so but not on the expense of the life of others, and absolutely not on the Palestinian people. These people who paid the price of mistake of all Europe, America, Scandinavia, and the rest of the world. Why the Palestinians should pay the price! Has the Palestinians occupied U.S.A.?

Sunday July 5, 2009, 9:31 am
Palestinians are NOT WEAK and the Palestinians are NOT VOICELESS."

They have the whole World giving them money and making them best paid refugees ever, milking US, EU and UN to a great extent. They got Arab and Muslim world making demands on their behalf and pouring LOUD PR easily visible incl on this very site.

Palestinians simply stick to their demands and expect everyone around to spin to accomodate them. Now Obama agreed to accept refugees from Gaza and spent another 20.3M on it. McKinney, Carter and others help them to keep the ball rolling.

Sunday July 5, 2009, 1:19 pm
David there is no such thing as occupied Palestine since 1948. the UN voted to divide the region of Palestine under the British mandate and the Jewish state accepted the partition plan but the surrounding Arab states did not.This included by the way Trans-Jordan and was designated as part of Arab state of the plan. at the time there was no Palestinian Arab people who identified themselves as Palestinians. The Jews who lived in British mandated and previous to that Ottoman ruled Palestine were also Palestinians.
I understand how you believe that we should all sit down and make peace but there are very real underlying issues that cannot be solved by wanting to make peace. The politics are complex and I won't elaborate here. But you are demanding from Israel what no other country has done. Did the USA ever consider returning California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to Mexico? Did the USA ever give back to France parts of land that were not part of the Lousiana purchase? What about Native American Reservations?
When Israel disengaged from the Gaza strip the Palestinians there became independent. That is their authority. Israel provides aid every day and they plot to destroy the country. If Canada sent rockets and terrorists into the US and in response America closed the border, would you claim that the USA was imposing a siege on Canada?
Just think of the wealth of the Arab states in the Middle East the petro dollars and the money that these countries have at their disposal. Do they develop Palestinian Culture? education? welfare? health care? no they will pay for parents to sacrifice their children as suicide bombers. they will provide money to make Kassam rockets and smuggle destructive weapons into Gaza. they will provide funds to brainwash children to hate and destroy to become terrorists to go to camps to learn to make explosives and use guns.
Are these the poor people you identify with and want to protect?
Israel Absorbed just as many Jewish refugees from Middle Eastern states who were expelled without anything and succeeded in integrating them into the country they are not still refugees after 60 years. so what is the Palestinain's problem? they are being used as political pawns by all the rich Arab states. and you sadly are victim to their propaganda.

Sunday July 5, 2009, 2:40 pm
My dear Tom and Jerry...

The following list of Israeli abuses of Gaza are but a few...Many more could be added, but this should be enough to put your brain into gear before engaging mouth?...Why believe Israeli propaganda when the obvious is obvious?...

UK catalogues long list of Israeli human rights abuses

27-03-2009

London, (IRNA); The British government Thursday catalogued a long list of human rights abuses and international law violations by Israel against the Palestinians.

In its latest Annual Report on Human Rights for 2008, the UK Foreign Office expressed serious concerns about the Israeli-imposed restrictions on Gaza and their detrimental impact on the humanitarian situation.

“Although there is no permanent physical Israeli presence in Gaza, given the significant control Israel has over Gaza’s borders, airspace and territorial waters, Israel retains obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention,” the report said.

“The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that an occupying power must co-operate in facilitating the passage and distribution of relief consignments,” it warned.

Concern was also raised about the “disproportionate or indiscriminate” use of force by Israel, even before its latest slaughter of some 1,440 Palestinians in Gaza.

In 2008 up until the beginning of December, some 457 Palestinians were killed by Israel compared with 392 in the whole of 2007. The number injured also rose from 1,843 to 2,145.

“While we recognise Israel’s right to defend its citizens, we also believe that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including the obligation to avoid the use of force,” the Foreign Office said.

It also reported a “significant increase in settlement activity, despite Israel’s repeated commitment to freeze settlement growth.”

“Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace. Continued settlement activity is in contravention of Israel’s obligations under the 2003 Roadmap,” the report said.

Concern was further expressed about the increase in violence against Palestinians and their property by illegal Israeli settlers, saying there were 290 incidents reported in the West Bank in the first 10 months of 2008, compared with 243 for the same period in 2007 and 182 in 2006.

“Since 2006 approximately half of all the Palestinians injured by settler violence were women, children and the elderly. We are concerned that the Israeli authorities do not adequately enforce the rule of law,” the Foreign Office said.

Israel’s resumption of house demolitions was also criticised especially after they were supposed to have been halted under a moratorium agreed with the Quartet of Russia, the US, the EU and UN in May last year.

The British Foreign Office further said it remained “worried” about Israeli confiscation of property and the eviction of their occupants and “extremely concerned” about the Israeli use of the Absentee Property Law and the impact on the private property rights of the owners.

Other human rights abuses included restrictions on the movement of Palestinians that have a humanitarian and economic impact in the occupied territories, with the number of checkpoints in the West Bank rising by 41 to 607 between September 2007 and April 2008.

Continuing criticism about Israel’s illegal barrier was added to by further constructions in 2008, with the report reminding the Zionist regime that the chosen route is “contrary to international law.”

Likewise, concern was expressed about the permit system imposed on the Palestinians to enter Jerusalem for work, education or medical treatment, saying there was no requirement to state reasons for denials and no appeals process.

Other issues included some 800 Palestinian prisoners still being held in administrative detention without trial or charge, detainee abuse and interrogation techniques.

The report also reminded Israel about its treatment of non-Jewish minorities, who were denied full social and political equality that they were entitled to.

The long list of Israeli human rights abuses was included in the 194-page Foreign Office report.

Sunday July 5, 2009, 10:47 pm
The UK also stopped teaching Holocaust to school children in order to appease the growing Muslim population. in the next few generations it will be a Muslim country. We will obviously not succeed in convincing one another to change each other's viewpoint. Just be open minded and getyour information from a variety of news resources. The Arab and Islamic propaganda machine is very rich and has no qualms about posting lies. cases in point are the Al Dura photos (a Palestinian father was shot next to his son by Palestinian fire) dead bodies in Jenin falling off the strechers and then getting up and walking away, doctored photos from the war in Lebonon in 2006. Be critical and look at both sides. I live here my viewpoint is not formed by the media. I live it everyday my children serve in the Israeli army. check out www.honestreporting.com , Robin (not Tom)

Monday July 6, 2009, 9:31 am

Oh, yes, by all means, please the muslims, at the expense of changing history or not teaching it at all. The whole truth is never told. The Middle East will never have peace - we can't even agree on anything on these blogs, how in the world do you think there can be peace anywhere else! USA is in the worst state of affairs, between individuals, parties, etc. The wrong people are in control of everything.

I'm sure most of you will not be sorry to see me go, but I am unsubscribing to this complete website. 99% of the views are 180 degrees from what I believe - there is no convincing of either side, so it is not worth my time and aggravation to listen to all this mess. The other blogs are even worse than this. Good-bye and God bless you. I pray all eyes will be opened to the truth.

Monday July 6, 2009, 1:43 pm
Opening your own eyes will be a start Pat. Many of us on here are not here to please Muslims or Jews we merely lament the death and carnage of innocents on both sides and the continued hypocrisy of the US and Britain.