The Other

Newsletter of the Israeli Council for Israeli - Palestinian Peace November-December 1989 No 39 Editor: Adam Keller Assistant editor: Beate Keizer Editorial Board: Uri Avnery, Matti Peled, Yaakov P.O.B..956 Tel-Aviv, Is r a e l 61008 Arnon,Haim Bar’am, Yael Lotan, Yossi Amitay Phone: (03) 5565804 TIME FOR PEACE December 9, 1989, the whole of the Gaza Strip and In December 1987, Israel’s military and political large parts of the West Bank were under curfew - leaders were confident of ending, within a few weeks, imprisoning a million people in their homes – to what they then termed “the riots in Judea, Samaria prevent “disturbances” on the second anniversary of and Gaza”. In December 1989, the most which the the Intifada. Fresh military forces were brought in, to General Staff dares promise is “a reduction in the help enforce the curfews; in Nablus, more than two level of violence”. Little is heard any more even of thousand soldiers conducted house-to house sear- Ariel Sharon’s boasts that he could “do better”. ches. The police mobilised large forces to maintain The Palestinians have shown themselves capable of control over the Arab part of “unified” Jerusalem - endurance and persistence far beyond what anybody which is officially annexed to Israel. believed possible two years ago. The euphoria of the The also mobilised: demonstra- first Intifada months, or of the November 1988 tions took place in Nazareth, Kafr Kasm, Umm-el- Declaration of Independence, is long gone; every Fahm and smaller Arab towns and villages in Israel. slow and agonising step towards the negotiations Hundreds of Jews and Arabs formed a human chain table is paid for with blood; yet the Palestinians across down town Haifa. In Jerusalem, five thousand continue daily their grim and determined struggle. marched under the slogan Make Peace Now – with Intifada life includes countless deprivations and the PLO! At the head of the march, 143 large humiliations, in which the Palestinians are at the photographs were carried - those of all the 143 mercy of any soldier’s whim. Most deeply distressing children, Palestinian and Israeli, who got killed are the periodic raids in which large army forces during the Intifada. descend upon a village or neighborhood at a late At about the same time that the Peace Now march night hour. Operatives of the Shabak arrive at such ended in Jerusalem, an army patrol entered Bani- raids with derailed lists of the local “subversives”, Na’im, forty kilometres to the south, where thous- complete with their names, ages, physical descript- ands of villagers were also holding a march. Those tions and the location of their houses; they are taken closest to the village entrance barred the soldiers’ off to detention, interrogation - often involving way, throwing stones and empty bottles; the soldiers torture - and long terms of imprisonment, with or opened fire, killing a young woman; more villagers without trial. The Shabak lists are based on informa- came out of the village center and joined the strug- tion compiled through its large network of spies and gle; one of them was killed, too. The following informers, who are often blackmailed into this role. morning, a commentator on Israeli radio remarked: The informers and collaborators are deeply hated. We have entered the third year of the Intifada. So far, it The Intifada’s masked-faced “soldiers” are busy looks pretty much the same as the previous two ... searching them out. Many of those discovered are Stop Press! Members of Kibbutz Ramot Menashe have taken the initiative to organise “a peace caravan” to Egypt. Hundreds of Israelis intend to meet at Cairo with senior PLO members and Egyptian statesmen. In a meeting called at the Kibbutz Movement headquarters on December 13, four hundred peace activists turned up to express their support for the idea. The participants approved the idea of the peace caravan, in a resolution concluding: After the fall of the Berlin Wall, we can no longer accept the continued existence of paper walls preventing dialogue between peoples. Also present were Mapam Member Chaim Oron, Labor KM Lova Eliav, and Science Minister Ezer Weitzman. KM Eliav came to the meeting directly from Cairo - where he had met with Nabil Sha’ath, Arafat’s advisor. killed; sometimes, their mutilated bodies are dis- of a peace plan, and to engage in some kind of played in the streets, as a warning to others. negotiations on the Palestinian issue. It is entirely Palestinian leaders are aware of the grave dangers due to the Intifada that the United States recog- inherent in this practice, and the potential corrosive nised, at last, that the PLO speaks for the Palestinian effects on the moral fabric of Palestinian society - people, and opened a process of indirect negotia- effects which may outlast the occupation. Stating tions between Israel and the PLO. The reality of that the killing of collaborators should be a last these negotiations is becoming more and more resort only, the Intifada leadership has established a evident; on the same day, the Israeli cabinet in Tel- set of limitations: thorough verification of a person’s Aviv and the PLO Executive Committee in Cairo guilt and discussion of each case in higher echelons, discussed the “five points” of U.S. Secretary of State before action is taken; the use of lesser measures, Baker. Several Labor Ministers have already ac- such as social pressure, to make a collaborator mend knowledged that the goverment is, indeed, engaged his ways or leave the community on which he is in de-facto negotiations with the PLO. However, the spying. In the town of Beit Sahur, well-known for its Likud - which dominats Israel’s foreign policy - dedication to mass non-violent struggle, no col- continues to insist that there are no negotiations with laborators have been killed so far, though one was the PLO, and there never will be. Nevertheless, banished from the town. Foreign Minister Arens made an embarassing slip: The masked youths, however, do not always heed he admitted to a Knesset Committee that, in his these limitations. In the much-publicised case of latest conversation with Baker, he had inquired Nablus, two groups of Palestinian youths, known about the PLO’s positions... respectively as “The Red Eagles” and “The Black Fighting every inch of the way, the government of Panthers”, ignored even the personal appeals of PLO Israel is being dragged to the negotiating table. At leader , transmitted on PLO radio, to the time of writing, the scheduled pre-negotiations restrict their killings of suspected collaborators. A include a meeting of officials in Washington to captured Red Eagle told Israeli televison: “With all prepare a meeting of the Israeli, Egyptian and respect to Abu-Amar (Arafat), he lives abroad and American foreign ministers, which will lay the does not know our local situation. Whenever we find ground for an Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, with a collaborator we deal with him, with no regrets.” overt or tacit PLO participation. This Cairo meeting, A parade, organised by the Black Panthers in the in turn, is due to decide upon the modalities of Nablus Casba, was shown by foreign television net- elections in the Occupied Territories, after which the works, with the comment “it seems the Israeli army is elected representatives will engage in negotiations losing control”. The army command was put under for a peace settlement, to be implemented after an strong pressure to “put an end to the embarassment”. unspecified interim period... Soldiers (disguised, according to the Israeli press, as Slow and exasperating a s this process is, it still Arab women) surprised the Black Panthers at their could - if continued long enough on its present rendezvous, shot down four of them and captured the course - arrive eventually at a point where official rest. The whole of Nablus was placed under curfew, Israeli and PLO delegations will at last sit together, and soldiers distributed at the houses leaflets read- and at an even more remote point where Israeli ing: Inhabitants of Nablus! The forces of Law and forces will start evacuating the West Bank and Gaza. Order have liberated you from the Black Panther No one, however, can estimate the amount of blood- Gang. At your service, the Israeli Defence Forces. shed and human suffering still to come, or the Shortly after the curfew was lifted, hundreds of number of scars permanently imprinted upon the youths poured into the streets, chanting We are all young generation of both peoples. Black Panthers!. Throughout the Occupied Ter- While in Eastern Europe physical and psycho- ritories, three days of mourning were observed for logical barriers fall literally overnight, and while the dead Panthers, now universally recognised as even the South African government is now statingits martyrs for the Palestinian cause. willingness to negotiate with the ANC, the Middle East still seems doomed to move at a snail’s pace • towards its time for peace. It is entirely due to the Intifada that the govern- ment of Israel found itself obliged to offer some kind The editor

The Other Israel, P.O.B.956, Tel-Aviv 61008, Israel; Phone (03) 5565804 Six months/one year subscription rates: Institutions $30/$50; Individuals $20/$30; Students/unempl. $10/15. Please send a subscription to: Name: ...... Address: ...... ; I enclose the sum of: $ .... ,or: I can ‘t afford above sums, therefore I send $ . ... (or equivalent in . . . ) France, Italy: Jacqueline Grobety, B.P. 345-16, 75767 Paris Cedex 16, France Britain: Campaign for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (CIPP), 49 Loudoun Rd, London NW8 OND,U.K. Austria, West Germany: Israei-Palästina Komitee, John Bunzl, Biberstr. 8/20, 1010 Wien/Austria The Netherlands, Belgium: Uitg. Cypres, Heemr.iaan 33, 1181 TZ Amstelveen, Holland; Phone (020) 410388 The U.S., Canada: America-Israel Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (AICIPP), 2700 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Apt. 502 A-Washington, D.C. 20008-5330 - Phone (202) 667-0924. Contributions to AICIPP. are tax-deductible. Please send U.S. currency, if possible. A bound copy of issues 1-33 can be ordered from AICIPP Israelis participated, and lots of press. The idea was Be it Sahur to experience “what it would be like for Israelis to go to the territories as tourists and not as conquerors - solidarity and dialogue to show how it could be in the future”, that they could by Maxine Kaufman Nunn - based on comments by visit publicly (not just to a private meeting that non- Veronica Cohen, Stephanie Black and Jonathan Kuttab participants wouldn’y know about) and come and leave in peace.... During the recent spate of tax-raids on Beit Sahur The second activity also involved about 70 Israelis, residents who steadfastly refused to pay income or mostly observant Jews, who brought their families to value-added taxes, solidarity actions by Israeli groups, spend Shabbat (beginning before sundown Friday though neither dramatic nor highly publicized, were non-the-less significant and appreciated. A number of evening) with families in Beit Sahur. This was an demonstrations were held in Jerusalem, calling for an experience which Veronica ‘characterized as “like end to “Taxation without Representation” and for a halt the world to come”. In one way, she said, it was to arrests and the confiscation of workshop machinery, frightening to many of the Jewish participants: they furniture and home appliances, and merchants’ good s . and their children would be sleeping in an Arab town Participating organizations included 21st Year, Cam- with the nearest Jew 40 or 50 minutes walk away. But pus, Hal-ah Hakibush, The Committee for Beita, the newly formed Kav Yarok (Green Line – Palestinians the kids, though often lacking a common language, and Israelis for Peace), and persons associated with an got together in five minutes. Suddenly the kids ongoing Jerusalem-Beit Sahur dialogue group. The disappeared with their new friends (see TOI 36, p.4). latter two groups went beyond demonstrating in Jeru- salem. Some of their activities are described below. Palestinian lawyer Jonathan Kuttab remarked*: Except where otherwise stated, information on dia- “The Israelis are always the ones insisting on talking logue-group activity is based on comments by Veronica and the Palestinians are always the ones insisting on Cohen and Kav Yarok information comes from Ste- action. When they can agree on a specific action, it phanie Black. becomes very beautiful. Beit Sahur I think is a very Dialogue groups with people from West Jerusalem positive example of very positive dialogue . When and Beit Sahur were started about 18 months ago. Israelis come to Beit Sahur and stay overnight even Not in order to persuade each other, but to uncover though it is a closed military area or it’s under things that either side couldn’t have without this curfew, that’s a real dialogue. Whether they talk interaction... There, Israeli participants met Pales- politics or not, they are really communicating and tinians who were easy to speak with, who read the they are really working towards peace... same books, to whom the same things were im- portant, but with a totally different grasp of history. The prayer for Peace Only because of the commonalities was it possible to When one Beit Sahur member of the dialogue absorb this difference and to believe it was genuine. group was arrested for nonpayment of taxes, his For example, at first the Palestinians didn’t under- group invited their Israeli counterparts to join them stand what it was t hat made Israelis afraid; as far as in a vigil at a Beit Sahur church. The army wouldn’t they were concerned, Israel’s existance hadn’t been let the Israelis in, but four were able to sneak into the in question for many years. Israelis, for their part, church, where they were greeted with the announce- couldn’t understand the Palestinians’ view of them as ment “the peace forces have arrived!” strong and unthreatened... The army hadn’t disturbed the vigilers inside the The meetings continued with basically the same church. The Palestinians were searching for ways to groups of people every two weeks, meeting alter- announce to the Israeli public that they want to exist natingly in Beit Sahur and Jerusalem except when in peace beside Israel... The idea of having a church prevented by curfews, etc. ... service for peace was born. Veronica stressed that they “are not meeting in This service was held in the Roman Catholic order to know each other as human beings. That’s church on November 5, and was a succes in that some understood. But rather to deal with the hard 2000 people (almost all Palestinians) attended and questions.” For instance, the Israelis needed to the soldiers didn’t enter the church. But it failed as explain that the Israeli Peace movement was not well, since the press was not allowed in to Beit Sahur monolithic; they weren’t all Shalom Achshav, and and therefore wrote instead about the Aramy road- were not always united; and that the reason for their block and the largely Israeli and American happen- inaction was often this lack of unity and not other ings there. (There were about 60 Jews at the road- reasons Palestinians might assume. block and about a dozen, who had spent the night in They also needed to make it clear that Israelis were Beit Sahur homes, were at the church service itself). also frightened, and it was important for the Palestin- Thus the Palestinian message of peace was largely ians to learn the reasons why. The Beit Sahurians missed by the Israeli public, though the Jerusalem became very sensitive to this, though they had started Post did report some of what happened in the church out saying “you haven’t a right to be afraid”. She sees (at second hand). it as a sign of real friendship when people are willing “This was a Palestinian message to Israel”, Veron- to tell people on the other side that they are afraid. ica emphasized, “that they don’t want to destroy The first broader activity took part in December of Israel, but to live beside her. She feels strongly that 1988. M embers of the Israeli group and their friends “The activity at the roadblock was a mistake” be- were invited to a church in Beit Sahur. About 70 cause it led to journalists’ not bothering to enter Beit Sahur once it was opened, to interview people there. decided that there were two issues in Beit Sahur The Beit Sahur people succeded in setting up this currently; the civil disobedience (tax resistance) and prayer service despite the difficult circumstances of the struggle for Palestinian self-sufficiency and de- the 42 day curfew (which ended just a few days crease in dependence on Israel; and that they would before) including no phone-lines and running low on focus on the second. food. They collected money in Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, Despite that, a personal representative of Jimmy with help from Hal’a Hakibush and other groups, Carter brought Carter’s greetings, and the Mufti of and bought a truckload of tree and vegetable seed- Jerusalem attended and spoke, receiving a thunder- lings, which were delivered to Beit Sahur on Friday, ous ovation. The Mufti’s presence, a Muslim holy November 12, at noon. man in a (Catholic) church, was a particularly im- Later in the afternoon 70 people in two buses portant victory because of Israeli administration entered Beit Sahur from West Jerusalem, evading a efforts to drive apart Christians and Muslims in Beit roadblock. Some of these had participated that Sahur during the “tax war”. morning in a small demonstration against the selling Hillel Bardin was spokesperson for the dozen of the goods confiscated from Beit Sahur, which activists from Israeli peace groups who attended the were taken to the Customs Authority’s warehouse at service, having entered the town the previous after- Ben Gurion airport. Although the articles are being noon, before the army closed it**. He addressed the sold bit by bit at different times and are not identi- congregants: fied as coming from Beit Sahur, Veronica said that she recognized some: for instance, the coolers taken As an Israeli I love my people and my country, and from one man’s grocery store, and machines confis- today was a chance for Israelis to learn that Palestin- cated from wood-working shops, which she saw ians want peace. (...) Unfortunately my government standing outside the customs shed in the pouring decided today to prevent the Israeli people from rain... hearing you. They prevented the reporters from com- When the demonstrators reached Beit Sahur, they ing. They prevented the Israeli television from coming. were enthusiastically greeted by 350 or 400 towns They prevented the world press from coming. Why people.It took the army about ten minutes to get doesn’t the Israeli government want the Israeli people there and close the area. The Beit Sahurians wanted to hear what you have to say?*** the Israelis to stay - and invited them to return at a There is a group of Israelis here with me today who’ve later date to plant the seedlings. The whole group known you for a long time; who’ve had the honour of walked back very slowly to the buses, and Stephanie meeting you, talking with you, learning about you in a commented on the great feeling of togetherness way that few Israelis know. I think that those Israelis during the demonstration. who have met you and heard you know that there’s a I was impressed by the restrained behaviour of the chance for peace. They know that it’s worth making military on this occasion - in the face of anti- peace and dividing the land between us - an indepen- occupation slogans in Hebrew and Arabic, and even dent Palestine and an independent Israel; each secure, the singing of the Palestinian national song Biladi each free, each in dependent, with justice and a settle- (My Country). The presence of a visible contingent ment between the peoples. of Israelis may have contributed. I heard later that There are some people missing here today who one Palestinian had almost been arrested, but when should be here, because they worked hard for peace. I some Kav Yarok activists announced that “if you don’t see my friends here today. Ghassan Angoni, arrest him, you’ll have to arrest all of us”, the where is he? (audience: in jail); where is Salaam Hilal prisoner was released. (aud.: in jail). (...) Their place is here, not in jail (drowned out by applause). Where are they, and where *From a recent interview for a book in progress by Danielle are the hundreds of other prisoners from Beit Sahur? Storper-Perez and Maxine Kaufman Nunn I admire the courageous people of Beit Sahur in ** During his reserve service in Ramallah Hillel Bardin coming together today to call for peace between our organized a local ‘cease-fire’ with the inhabitants’ and therefore had to serve a term in military prison (TOI 34, p.6). peoples. You should know that you have a tremendous power - the government of Israel today is afraid to let *** The soldiers at the Beit Sahur roadblock were specif- ically ordered not to let Jews come into the town. A Catholic the people of Israel know what is happening here. And priest was mistaken for a Jew and stopped, allowed to pass let me tell you that if you keep on doing what you’re only after showing his crucifix. doing today, you will have an independent state soon. Still proud Another expression of Israeli solidarity with Beit On November 30, Communications Minister Gad Sahur was the holding of a demonstration in Beit Ya’acoby, of the Labor Party, visited a high school in Sahur on November 10 by the new Israeli-Palestinian Eilat and answered the pupils’ questions. After being group, Kav Yarok: At a meeting in Beit Sahur on the asked‘Should our soldiers shoot Arab boys who throw subject of the tax raids, Beit Sahurians requested a stones at them?’ the minister answered: Forty-three solidarity action by the Israelis, in order to respond to years ago, I was myself an Intifada boy. I threw stones at those in Beit Sahur who were asking “what is the British soldiers in the streets of Tel-Aviv. I was proud of it point of all this cooperation with Jews?” Kav Yarok then, and, as a matter of fact, I still am. He told the many waiting reporters: with Michael Warshawski, the AIC Closed zones During my imprisonment the whole director (see TOI 25, p.4). On May 26, 1989,27 members of world has changed, but Shamir and In the following days, a govern- “Twenty First Year” were arrested Rabin are still the same. Supporters mental smear campaign sought to by the army in the West Bank town of the Nitzotz editors held a picket portray the AIC as “a nest of PLO of Kalkiliya, where they came to outside the prison, protesting the agents”, with the intention of protest against the demolition of a isolation of Ya’akov Ben Efrat, deligitimising and intimidating Palestinian house. Their release whom the prison administration those Israelis who - like War- followed several days in detention, refuses to transfer to the political shawski - -try to work for peace in with wide-scale protests. However, prisoners wing. cooperation with Palestinians. the public prosecutor opened pro- Ben Efrat will stay in prison till This campaign backfired. The ceedings against them on charges the end of his term in October AIC and its director received wide of “entering a closed military zone”. 1990. He refuses to appear before public support from those who The day fixed for the trial’s opening the parole commission, following care for the freedom of speech. was December 10 - which happens the commission’s refusal to release After several months, the AIC office to be The International Human Schwartz and Adiv after they com- was re-opened. Michael Warshaw- Rights Day. pleted two-thirds of their sentences. ski was released on bail, but the On that day, defence attorney He wrote: Since I am not one of the prosecution opened judicial pro- Avigdor Feldman brought the pros- Jewish Terrorist Organization’s pris- ceedings against him. ecution case into disarray. He oners and I was not accused of The charge sheet included nearly questioned the validity of the mili- injuring or killing an Arab, I stand 30 separate charges. Most of them tary decree declaring Kalkiliya a no chance of getting my sentence referred to leaflets and brochures “closed military zone”, which was reduced. Convicted of “membership in Arabic which the AIC had printed signed by a junior officer with no in a terrorist organization”, Ben for various West Bank organiza- authorization to issue such decrees. Efrat’s whole crime consisted in tions. The prosecution claimed that Should this plea be accepted, the fact of editing and publishing a all of these were “fronts for terrorist prosecution would be forced to newspaper. organizations” and that, therefore, drop all charges. Moreover, the Contact: Hanitzotz, P.O.box 1575, in printing them Warshawski had military authorities would be ham- Jerusalem. “rendered services to illegal as- pered in their habitual ways of sociations”. • keeping peace activists - or jour- The trial dragged on for two and nalists - outside “hot spots”. a half years. Warshawski’s lawyers, Contact:The Twenty First Year, P.O.box Avigdor Feldman and Leah Tzemel, 24099, Jerusalem ‘Negligeance’ chipped away at the prosecution’s case. Despite his efforts, Prosecutor When the Intifada started, the • Uzi Chasson was unable to ptove Israeli government was “taken by that the West Bank women’s and surprise”. In fact, anybody wishing to look could have seen that, already students’ organizations, whose leaf- Editors released at the beginning of 1987, there was lets had been printed by the AIC, by Rayna Moss an increasing number of demon- are indeed illegal organizations. All but one of the charges were Nitzotz editors Michal Schwartz strations by West Bank Palestinians dismissed by the court, which also and Assaf Adiv were released on heralding the coming outbreak of strongly criticised the police for October 26, and November 26 res- a popular revolt against the occu- the manner in which it raided the pectively, after serving their entire pation. However, in the mainstream AIC office and confiscated all prison terms of 18 months. The last media coverage of the growing papers and records, indiscrimina- Nitzotz prisoner, Yakov Ben Efrat, tension had been scanty and super- tingly. sentenced to 30 months imprison- ficial. Warshawski was found guilty on ment, remains in total isolation in The Alternative Information one charge only - that of printing Ashmoret (Kfar Yona) prison. Center (AIC) - with a small office a brochure containing the testi- Upon her release, Schwartz told in West Jerusalem and a staff pos- monies of Palestinians who were reporters outside Neve Tirza pris- sessing excellent contacts in the tortured by the Shabak (secret ser- on that she continues to support Occupied Territories - did provide vice), and their advise to Palestinians the establishment of an indepen- a constant stream of information. who may in the future undergo dent Palestinian state in the Oc- The AIC also gave typesetting and Shabak interrogations. This bro- cupied Territories as the only road printing services to many Israeli chure was compiled by the West to Israeli-Palestinian peace. She and Palestinian (and Israeli-Pales- Bank branch of the Popular Front sent greetings to Abie Nathan, also tinian) political groups. On for the Liberation of Palestine imprisoned for his struggle for February 16, 1987, large police (the PFLP), one of the main PLO peace. forces decended upon the AIC components and an organization Assaf Adiv was greeted by several office and closed it down. Many declared to be terrorist by the delegations of well-wishers from crates full of documents and com- Israeli government. However, the all parts of the country, as well as puter diskettes were carted off to prosecution could not prove that from the occupied Golan Heights. police headquarters – together Warshawski knew of the Arab- The Warshawski Solidarity Com- speech should never be taken for language brochure’s PFLP origin; mittee continues to gather support granted; that we must always remain he was found guilty merely of “neg- in Israel, and internationally, though on the alert, in its defence. ligence”, as the court ruled that a its public activity is limited by the printer or typesetter must check “sub judice” clause of Israeli Law • the legality of all materials sub- of Courts, which prohibits any public- mitted to him before accepting cation that might influence the de- them for publication. cision of the judges in an impending Peace prisoner After Warshawski’s acquittal on trial. Eyal prison - a small prison, nearly all charges, the defence, the Contact:Alternative Information Center, tucked away in an inaccessible area P.O.box 24278, Jerusalem - phone: spectators in the courtroom – and near the West Bank border. Until (02) 2411159 even the prosecutor himself – ex- recently few people in Israel had pected a lenient sentence. The court, • ever heard of it. Since its gates however, sentenced Warshawski to closed, on October 10, behind the twenty months’ imprisonment, plus Dangerous songs “peace-sailor” Abie Nathan, the ten months suspended and a fine Eyal prison has become a virtual of 10,000 Shekels (about $5000). On December 5, the Likud major- place of peace pilgrimage, for Isra- The severity of the sentence is ity on the Board of Governors of elis and foreigners alike. Nathan probably due to Warshawski’s re- the Israeli Broadcasting Authority being a man with many friends and fusal to disclose the identity of the decided to ban from the airwaves fans, the slogan “Free Abie Nathan” PFLP member who gave him the two songs which it deemed to be is a strong addition to the peace brochure. Warshawski, as he stated “damaging to national morale”. movement’s repertoire. The im- at the court, was brought up as an Nurit Galron’s “After us the deluge” prisonment of a man like A bie - Orthodox Jew and - though having is a song chiding the Tel-Avivian because of his public meetings with long ago lost his belief – does pleasure-seeking public for their Yasser Arafat - shows the absurdity maintain the prohibition against indifference to the suffering of the of the “Anti-Terrorism Act”. His being a “mosser” (informer), which Palestinians “around the corner” many years of philantropic activities has become ingrained in Jewish (TOI 36, p.11). The other song, and of organising relief to countries tradition since the period of Medi- Chava Alberstein’s “Chad Gadya” stricken by famine or natural disas- eval persecutions. (Warshawski’s is based on a traditional Passover ters won him respect even from father, the retired Chief Rabbi of ritual song: in the chain of “eating those opposed to his peace stunts. Strasbourg, was present in the court and being eaten” we (the Jewish Nobody really believes that putting and expressed approval of his son’s people) have become the tiger. Abie Nathan in prison has any con- steadfastness.) The initiator of the motion was nection to fighting “terrorism”, how- The severe punishment meted Shlomo Kor, a Likud hard-liner ever one defines it. out to Michael Warshawski brought notorious for his crusade against Week after week hundreds of him wide and mostly sympathetic “PLO sympathisers” in the radio people come on weekends to the coverage in Israel’s main papers. A and television. The Board of Gov- gates of Eyal prison, singing peace number of columnists cited the ernors’ decision drew angry respon- songs. Sympathetic guards regu- Warshawski trial as one more source ses, not only from the peace move- larly bend the prison regulations of doubt as to the complete impar- ment. Labor’s Communications by letting Nathan come up to the tiallity of the Israeli judicial system. Minister Gad Ya’akobi complained gates and talk, through the bars, Warshawski has definitely ceased that The Likud is trying to introduce with the crowds outside. On Decem- to be an unknown radical, isolated in Israel the kind of censorship and ber 2, more than a thousand peace from the moderate peace camp. thought-control which by now has activists surrounded the prison with On October 10, a large protest become obsolete in East Europe. a human wall. M ap am K.M. Ya’ir meeting took place at the Reform Even Likud KM Uriel Lin dis- Tzaban was allowed to enter the Synagogue “Kol Haneshama” in sociated himself publicly from prison and greet Nathan in their Jerusalem. The 150 participants Kor’s act. The Labor members on name. One of the prison guards ranged from Ornan Yekutiely, Jeru- the Board of Governors lodged an remarked: “There are always so salem municipal councillor for Ratz, appeal to Education Minister Navon many demonstrators around here to the Palestinian activist Feisal (in accordance with the Broad- that the guard dogs no longer bark Husseini. A few days later, on casting Authority’s by-laws). Navon at them.” October 14, many peace activists ruled that, pending his final deci- Knesset members from a wide gathered at the “Russian Com- sion, the two controversial songs range of the political spectrum pound” police station, where War- will continue to be broadcasted. have come to visit the peace pris- shawski was due to present himself. In the wake of this affair, the As- oner. KM Abd-el-Wahab Daraw- However, less than two hours before sociation of Israeli Journalists sent a she brought Nathan a personal he was due to start serving his telegram to Shlomo Kor: We here- letter from Yasser Arafat . KM Uzi prison term, the Supreme Court with express our heartfelt thanks for Bar’am, former Secretary General released Warshawski on bail until your blatant attempt to ban these of the Labor Party, expressed sup- the hearing of his appeal; this hear- two songs. By so doing you refreshed port in the name of the Labor ing is set to begin at March 1990. our awareness that the freedom of doves. Abie Nathan’s visitors also included several Likud Knesset of Mapam, Ratz and Peace Now, in early 1990; it concerns the members, led by Herzlia Mayor Eli as well as some Labor doves, have “Hungary Eight”, who met with a Landau - a close associate of developed a form of dialogue with PLO delegation at Budapest, in notorious hard-liner Ariel Sharon. the PLO which does not involve June 1987 (see TOI 28, p.3). The Likudniks told Nathan that his breaking - but rather “bending” Contact: The Committee to Save the continuing imprisonment is caus- - the anti-meetings law. On Oc- Peace Dialogue, P.O.box 20395, Tel- ing big embarassment to the Israeli tober and November various such Aviv 61204 embassies around the world and contacts, in the context of inter- expressed their willingness to sup- national conferences, took place The following is taken from an port a request to the president for in Europe and North America. appeal, published by the “Hungary a pardon him. Abie Nathan, how- The largest was a conference in Eight”. ever, refused to make such a request, Milano, organised by the ICPME, (...) We have been put on trial saying he would settle for nothing at which there was - aside from because of our participation, along but the abolition of the law which the Israelis and Palestinians – a with others, in a meeting with brought him into prison. He further significant presence of American officials of the Palestinian Liber- told his right-wing visitors: “After Jews. The legal rationale of this ation Organization in Budapest, my release I will go to Tunis in dialogue was set out by one of the Hungary, about two yeras ago. In order to meet Arafat again. I will participants, Ratz KM Shulamit this meeting the official represent- continue doing so until there is Aloni, at a public meeting in Tel- tatives of the PLO announced their peace. I will ask the prison authori- Aviv. After describing the com- acceptance of a mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO; their ties to keep my books and personal mitment to peace expressed by the support for the idea of an Inter- things here, as I will come back PLO’s organization’s senior repres- national Conference; and their soon.” entatives, Aloni was challenged as agreement to a mutual cessation Letters to Abie Nathan via: “The to the legality of her contacts with of all hostilities with the com- ” radio station them. In response, she claimed mencement of negotiations bet- P.O.box 4399, Tel-Aviv 61043 that no law-breaking was involved, ween Israel and the PLO. Letters demanding Abie Nathan’s since the Israeli and Palestinian As the result of these activities we release and the abolition of the so- participants in the conferences took have been accused of “aiding a called “Anti-Terrorism Act” to: care to address only the audience terrorist organization”. Justice Minister Dan Meridor, Salah- or the chairperson, rather than The legal expenses are extremely a-Din St., East-Jerusalem each other. high. We would be deeply grateful According to some reports in the if you could assist us in meeting • Israeli and international press, these expenses. Several of us are kibbutz members; others are slum Israeli peace activists and PLO dwellers, students and salaried delegates do occasionally encounter The Abie Nathan case widened employees, who cannot possibly the debate on the issue of meetings each other in lobbies or elevators. cover these high expenses. with the PLO and the law pro- Some journalists have even seen hibiting them. At a public meeting, them shaking hands... However, Eli Teper (Kibbutz Dalia) organised by the International Cen- the police and public prosecution Shlomit Moshkowitz (Kib.Masaryk) Nili Hartman (Kib.Ha’ogen) ter for Peace in the Middle East prefer to ignore such media reports Sheva Friedman (Meitar) (ICPME), five prominent Israeli and accept the Israeli participants’ Doron Vilner (Tel-Aviv) jurists condemned the law as being accounts, and no investigations or Hanna Ovadia (Jerusalem) “absurd and anti-democratic” . How- prosecution were initiated against David Ish-Shalom (Mosh. Beit-Zait) ever, they asserted that, as long as them. Ailsa Barabi (Beer Sheva) the law exists, Israeli citizens must This ambiguous attitude by the Contact: The Hungary Eight obey it, and confine themselves to law and order agencies is a reflection P.O.box 4110, Tel-Aviv 61041 parliamentary lobbying for its abolit- of the government policies of these ion. days. In fact, the government itself David Libai, a Labor KM and is involved in indirect negotiations former president of the Israeli Bar with the PLO, via American and 1990: Time for peace Association, did present a bill to Egyptian mediation. As long as the legalise contacts with the PLO. government refuses to acknowledge As this issue goes into print, Shortly afterwards Likud hard-liner that this is what it is doing, anybody Israeli, Palestinian and European Tzahi Hanegbi presented a counter- who openly acknowledges having activists from a wide range of bill which would strengthen the talked to the PLO, thereby commits peace organizations are engaged existing law and close off its few an unforgivable sin. That is why in preparations for a series of joint remaining “loopholes” . In consul- Abie Nathan has to stay in prison. activities entitled “1990: Time for tations between the Likud and That is why he may be soon joined Peace”, scheduled to take place in Labor parties - partners in the by the “Romania Four”, on whose Jerusalem over several days at the “National Unity Government” – it appeal the Supreme Court is about end of December. was decided to “freeze” the bills of to render its verdict. The organisers - both in Rome both Libai and Hanegbi. A third “Anti-Peace” trial, the and in Jerusalem - notified the Meanwhile, however, members largest to date, is about to resume Israeli government, which reacted furiously. “Security sources” told Women for p e a c e of veterans to resist the burn-out the press that the whole initiative by Spike Pittsberg that too oft en affects Israeli peace is “a PLO plot” and that “steps forces. would be taken to prevent it from The main energy of women’s peace Contact: Women and Peace, P.O.box taking place”. It will not be easy for organizations has been taken up, 61128, Jerusalem 91060. the authorities to carry out this for the last couple of months, in threat. About a thousand activists preparations for the massive Euro- • from many different countries are pean peace delegation which is to The following material was compiled already booked to fly to Ben-Gurion arrive here at the end of December. Women and Peace, the coordinating with the help of Lilian Mo’ed and airport, at their own expense. Spike Pittsberg Identifying them among the many body of the many different women’s tourists of the Christmas season groups across the country, has On November 30, a special meet- and turning all of them back - taken responsibility for the first ing of Woman in Black (Tel-Aviv) including church dignitaries, mayors day of the three-day solidarity discussed the deportations of Pal- of important cities, members of event. estinian women (see sep. article). parliaments etc. - might prove On Friday, December 29, a full Tel-Aviv “ Woman i n Black” also quite embarassing even for the day of activities in Jerusalem is participated in gathering winter Shamir government. Once in Israel, being prepared for Israeli, Pales- clothes which were delivered to the Europeans and their hosts tinian, and European women. We the territories at the beginning of intend to engage in many activities are expecting this to be the biggest December. that do not require a permit: con- women’s peace event in the history of Israel. The last major confer- Additional “Woman in Black” ferences, meetings, prayers etc. The vigils have cropped up in several same applies to the planned visits ence of Woman in Black – only one of the groups constituting places, bringing the number of to Israeli sites, such as Yad Vashem simultaneous vigils held at Israeli (the Holocaust Museum). Women and Peace - drew 300 women. The thousand-strong Eur- crossroads every Friday to well As to the West Bank and Gaza, over twenty, not including the visits as such do not require a opean contingent will probably be half women, so it is likely that we many solidarity vigils held around permit, but freedom of movement the world. is constantly subject to what the will reach the figure of a thousand women protesting against the oc- “Woman in Black” of the Sha- military authorities decide. They cupation. ron area, including from nearby can close down an area, or place it Arab villages, have so far faced under curfew for the specific pur- At this point, the women’s plan- heavy challenges. They are stand- pose of stopping journalists, Israeli ning committee is still awaiting peace activists, or foreign delega- police permission for the various ing at the entrance of Kfar Saba. tions from entering the town or plans, so the following description Despite an initial policy of non- village concerned. However, since of this important date must be cooperation and harrasment from the activists will be travelling in seen as dependent on receipt of the local police, the women, two of very small groups and arrive at the relevant permits: The morning whom were briefly arrested during many different locations at the will open with a conference to the first vigil, have continued to same time, it is unlikely that each address the question of women stick out. Once the police finally single group will be stopped, or and peace. At 1:00 there will be an recognized the legality of the vigil that the whole of the West Bank hour’s united demonstration in Paris and reduced their level of harass- and Gaza will be placed under Square (site of the weekly Women ment, a group of Techiya young- curfew simply to stop peace activists. in Black vigils), with the possible sters began to appear weekly in a hostile counter-demonstration. The Two planned events do require a addition of women singers. From women at the Kfar Saba junction, police permit: the women’s march, there we will march to East Jeru- however, outlasted the right-wing- planned for December 29, and the salem to meet with Palestinian ers. “human chain” around the wall of women from the territories and the Old City of Jerusalem, on that evening the Palestinian women On Friday, December 8, the December 30. The responsible Is- will present an artistic performance “Women in Black” vigil in Jerusa- raeli organizations – respectively, at the prominent East Jerusalem lem had a peak participation of “Women and Peace” and “ Peace theatre, El Hakawati. 130 women. The vigil was covered Now” - are prepared to appeal to Inside both Israel and the Ter- by Israeli television, and figured the Supreme Court, should the ritories, women have taken a pro- prominently on the night news - police permit be denied. And, if minent role in fighting for an end under the heading “ two years of necessary, the organisers have to occupation. The collective struc- Intifada”. alternative plans to visualize their tures the various women’s groups Shani (Israeli Women Against message. have created, the high level of the Occupation) has launched a cooperation amongst them, and signature collection campaign, to Contact: commitment to work by consensus Preparatory Committee endorse a document calling for have encouraged both the active Via Giovan Battista Vico, 22 00196 peace based on the self-determi- Roma, Italy; participation of women new to the nation of both peoples. These Phone: 0034- 6-3610624/3601541 peace movement, and the ability “Seven Points” were originally drawn up by Israeli and Palestinian Until this day only involved in Women have been deported politically active women, who met purely feminist matters, the Net- wearing bedroom slippers. In one in May 1989 at the Women’s Peace work is now protesting the condi- case, a deported woman’s mother- Conference in Brussels. The aim is tions at Anata Detention Center, in-law stood in the street asking to present 10,000 signatures to the where thirty-five Palestinian pris- passers-by for money to give her Israeli government on Women’s oners from Beit Sahur, who had daughter-in-law, as they had no Day, March 1990. Along with the refused to pay taxes, are held in money in the house and were not signing of the statement, house sheds originally built to house given time to collect money from meetings and public meetings are trucks, which are open to the cold relatives. The deported women, organised for political discussion mountain winter. some of them elderly and illiterate, and education regarding negotia- Contact:Israel Women’s network, P.O. have no legal standing, no citizen- tions for Israeli-Palestinian peace. box 3171, Jerusalem 91037 ship. Now that Jordan has officially The campaign will also be an disengaged from the territories it • opportunity to establish groups in is still unclear what happens to the localities around the country. women after they are deported. Shani continues to to hold public Deportation The issue of the deportations, meetings every three weeks. The originally raised by Israeli women’s December 7 meeting was a dis- of Women organizations (TOI 38, p.9), is cussion with a Palestinian sociolo- becoming more widely known. Rayna Moss and Adam Keller gist of the political developments Members of the “Twenty-First within the Palestinian community Since mid-September, over 150 Year” picketed the Defence Min- since the Intifada. Approximately Palestinian women and their chil- istry, carrying plackards with the 30 women attended. dren have been deported from the words: Rabin, don’t deport my moth- Contact: SHANI, P.O.box 9091 Occupied Territories. The military er! A strong protest was issued by authorities refuse to give resident Jerusalem 91090; phone: 02- 630759 the respected National Council for status to women who marry Pales- the Protection of Children’s Rights. tinian residents or to the children NO COPY R IGHT The theme was also taken up by born to them. In many cases, the several newspapers. Over the past women themselves were born in The Other Israel is not a c o n m e r - two months, Chadashot’s Gabi Nit- cial magazine, but a publication West Bank villages, but because dedicated to the widest possible zan is devoting a large part of his they were out of the country during weekly column to current details dissemination of the views contained the 1967 census they are considered in it. Therefore, we hereby freely about “Rabin’s transfer”; the paper waive our copyright. Article pub- to be “aliens”, who are dependent also published an extensive inter- lished in The Other Israel may be on the authorities’ favour for the view with a young couple in Nablus, reprinted, provided that their content “renewal of a visit permit”. In the who went into hiding with their is faithful to the original, and does framework of more harsh measures two children. not change or distort it in any way, against the Intifada, the permits Due to the publicity and protests, and that the name of The Other are no longer renewed, and the Israel, and its address (P.O.B. 956, the deportations are implemented Tel-Aviv 61008, Israel) are mentioned. women can expect to be awakened less frequently but did not stop in the middle of any night, to be altogether. The basic problem can- given only five minutes to collect Women for Political Prisoners not be solved as long as the Palestin- their belongings and to be driven ians live under an occupation which (WOFPP) continues to gather to the Jordan bridge. The number regards them as foreigners in their details about the prison conditions of Palestinians threatened by this own land. In the meantime, how- (often extremely bad) - coldness, new form of warfare is estimated ever, more pressure from inside bad food, totally insufficient medi- at over 100,000. Israel - as well as internationally - cal care, sexist-psychological as well At a special meeting of the Tel- might help to stop this specifically as physical violence during inter- Aviv Women in Black on November tragic form of oppression. rogation. It seems that the prison 30, Beth Goldring, an editor at authorities have decided to harrass • The Sanabel Press Service’s daily Sanabel Press Services which has bulletin is available from: Columbia them in gathering facts. WOFPP documented the deportations*, Building, room 11, Damascus Gate, activist and lawyer, Yosepha Pick, described the procedure: soldiers East Jerusalem is often forced to wait outside the raid the village and impose a curfew, prison for extended periods, or is Judicial proceedings started against order all men to gather in the three well-known Israeli journalists prevented from seeing the prisoners school yard or village center, collect Joel Greenberg of The Jerusalem altogether. taxes and arrest wanted youth; Post, Ori Nir of Ha’aretz, and Oren A newsletter is available from WOFPP, while the men are thus occupied, Cohen of Chadashot have entered P.O.box 31811, Tel-Aviv the women are taken from their Nablus on November 15, 1988, and On December 12, sixty women homes. In many cases, women are remained there after the whole town from Beit Sahur and sixty Israeli not allowed to take all of their was declared a “closed military zone” women from the Israel Women’s children with them; in others, even until arrested by soldiers. Network formed a human chain in children registered as residents on Adv. Yossi Arnon, the journalists’ Jerusalem, from Mount Scopus to their father’s ID cards are deported lawyer, intends to challenge the entire the Augusta Victoria Hospital. and their documents destroyed. “closed zones” policy. students, at which Palestinian activ- 38 p.11). The petition was also Academic upheavals ist Dr. Sari Nusseibeh and Ratz signed by several Jewish faculty On November 15 - the day when KM Yossi Sarid were due to speak, members: Rabbi Ben - Zion Gold, Palestinians celebrated their In- on the Intifada anniversary. Prof. Nathan Glazer, Prof. Herbert dependence Day, in defiance of Dr. Nusseibeh did get to speak at Kelman, Prof. Zachary Lockman, the Israeli army – Palestinian a packed hall in Tel-Aviv University, Prof. Hilary Putnam, Prof. Benjamin activist Feisal Husseini addressed where he and Lab or dove Ya’e l Schwartz, Prof Allen Steinberg. a large gathering of students at the Dayan were in complete agreement The students submitted the petition Hebrew University of Jerusalem. on the need to open immediate to Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir This meeting, organised by the Israel-PLO negotiations. and to the Israeli consul in Boston, “Campus” student movement, was Ya‘akov Levy, as well as to Dr. held despite the strong pressure of • Arury himself. The following is taken Likud Knesset members, who called Diaspora from their press release. upon the university administration Aruri’s deportation order was to forbid it. The crowded students dissidentials confirmed by the Israeli High cheered Husseini when he stated In Holland, a reception for the Court of Justice, despite a lack of that the PLO is willing to make Intifada anniversary, organized by incriminating evidence brought peace. Outside, members of a right- PLO representative Afif Safieh, before the open court. wing students’ group named Gilead on November 23, got an unex- Dr. Aruri has designed a five- vented their fury on Husseini’s car, pected amount of publicity in the point peace plan for a two-state puncturing its tyres and smashing Dutch media, due to a campaign by solution to the Israeli-Palestinian its windows. representatives of the Dutch Jew- conflict. By deporting him and The right-wingers’ anger increased ish establishment. The Jewish par- other Palestinians active in work- when it was announced that another ticipants in the Jewish-Christian ing for peace, the Israeli govern- Palestinian leader, Hana Siniora, interfaith organization (OJEC) ment undermines the possibility of was invited to an academic con- threatened to withdraw, should the dialogue with the authentic leader- ference at the university. During Dutch churches take p art in the ship of the Palestinian population the night the nationalist “Sicarii” Palestinian ceremony. Nevertheless, in the Occupied Territories, stu- underground planted a bomb at the church leader Ds. Mulder - dents remarked. the front door of the university who recently made a trip to the Demanding permission for Aruri rector’s appartement. Simultane- Intifada-stricken West Bank and to return, the students further ously an anonymous group in Tel- Gaza Strip - did attend the recep- protested the policy of deportation Aviv University pasted during the tion, and his speech was broadcast in general, under which 57 Palestin- night a “black list” on the university by Dutch television. ians have been expelled since 1987. walls, with the names of six lecturers The Amsterdam-based Jewish- Contact: Harvard-Radcliffe who were accused of being “PLO Palestinian Dialogue Group* also New Jewish Agenda, Quincy 500 supporters”. Seniora’s lecture in decided to participate. Its repre- Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Jerusalem took place on schedule, sentative Eddy Keizer, a 54-old • under police protection. Two days Dutch Jew, welcomed the PLO’s later, right-wingers found a new turn towards a two-state-solution Ongoing struggle target: economics studets had and hoped that next year in Yerush- asked their lecturer, Moti Peri, to alayim-Al-Quds it would be possi- Gesher Leshalom (Bridge for be more lenient because they had ble to celebrate together not the Peace) is an Arab-Jewish p e a c e done reserve military service in Intifada but its end. group which has been founded 15 years ago, after the Yom Kippur- Gaza shortly before the examina- Among the applauding audience, war. The aims are to further the tions. The lecturer’s answer was numbering more than a thousand, “Had you refused to go there, I were most of the Palestinians liv- understanding between Israeli Ar- would be more considerate...” ing in Holland as well as the am- abs and Israeli Jews, to fight for The Gilead group alerted its Likud bassadors of the Arab countries. equality for Israeli Arabs and to patrons in the Knesset, who threat- Holland’s main Jewish weekly - bring peace nearer to this part of ened to cut off the Hebrew Univer- N.J.W. published a photograph of the world. In general there is a sity’s funding. A few days later, the the event, showing Eddy Keizer meeting every six weeks, mostly at Sicarii set on fire the car and front and subtitled not all Jews are someone’s home. At the meetings door in the appartement of Gershon against the PLO. about 60 to 100 people are present. Shaked, head of the Hebrew Univer- Usually there is an equal number *Address: P.O.box 16890, 1001 RH sity Litterature Department, who Amsterdam - Holland of Jews and Arabs. had written an article against Likud On October 26, there was a meet- hardliner Ariel Sharon. • ing in Jaffa at the home of Nassim The Hebrew University admini- 550 Harvard students recently Shaker, at which 71 people enjoyed stration published a statement signed a petition circulated by a Nassim’s hospitality. As usual, eve- strongly condemning the attack on group of Jewish students*, condem- ryone brought something to eat or Dr. Shaked - but also prohibited a ning the Israeli government’s depor- to drink, so the burden of ‘catering’ meeting organised by Peace Now tation of Dr. Taysir Aruri (see TOI was shared by all. This time the subject was Jaffo but to order away only the settlers, Rabbinical Human Rights Watch itself: the deterioriation of the who were on a public road. held regularly services in front of Arab Jaffo and the deplorable the Prime Minister’s residence Twenty -First Year held in Oc- state of the houses in the neighbor- protesting the violation of Pales- tober a week-long vigil in front of hood of Adjami. There was a talk tinian human rights. the Prime Minister’s residence de- about the situation, and slides which On December 14 a group of six manding that the peace process illustrated the words of Nahle rabbis took testimony regarding move forward. Shaker, an engineer and also active human rights violations at the Balata House meetings are taking place, in Jaffo, like his brother Nassim. Refugee Camp. Several Israeli high in an effort to reach more polit- There was a long discussion after- school students, who had joined ically centrist sectors of the Israeli wards about the absolute neglect the rabbis, at the same time talked population. of Jaffo’s Arab neighborhoods by with the young of Balata Camp. the Tel-Aviv-Jaffo municipality. On December 10, 27 members ap- Contact: Contact: Bertie van Gelder peared before the Kfar Saba Mag- Rabbinical Human Right Watch 15 Borochov St. istrate’s Court (see sep. article ). P.O.box 32225, Jerusalem 91999 Tel-Aviv 63263 phone: 03-29827 Contact: The Twenty First Year P.O.box 24099, Jerusalem In Holon (Tel-Aviv area ) , the In the second week of October, local branch of Peace Now together the East Jerusalem home of Pales- On the night of December 7, with The 21st Year organized on tinian peace activist Feisal Hus- seventy members of the Communist November 28 a house meeting. seini became a television news youth movement held a vigil in More than 30 participants, mostly item. Armed settlers had stationed Nazareth in solidarity with the teachers, met two West Bank Pales- themselves outside the gate shouting Intifada, holding torches and plac- tinians - a teacher and a surgeon “Husseini is a terrorist!” and “Hus- ards reading: Rabin, how many - who described the situation of seini to prison!”. In no time the kids did you kill today? Police an educational system trying to Peace Now “first-aid crew” appeared dispersed them by force, detaining operate under occupation. They at the spot as well - after a phone- eight of them. A similar vigil was also spoke of the Palestinian desire call by Husseini. Then also the dispersed at Kfar Yasif, where to make peace. One of the organisers police “joined the party”. They four demonstrators were arrested, said that rarely did he witness such intended to disperse both sides, including a young mother who was a quick change of heart, with many but the peace brigade was standing taken to the police station with her hitherto uncommitted participants inside Husseini’s property, at his three-year old child. offering to help organise similar invitation. The police had no choice During the past months the meetings in the future.

(Continued from p. 12) flated military budget is turning the Israeli Defence The requirement that U.S. aid be spent in America Forces into a political factor and a seperate social is, in fact, killing Israel economically. We would be caste. This has disrupted the very delicate balance better off accepting one billion dollars instead of necessary in order to maintain a democratic society. two, and having them as loans instead of grants, if we It should be noted that in his time David Ben- could spend the money in Israel. Right now we are Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, had insisted buying a lot of military hardware we don’t need, just that the military should never become an indepen- because the money is there. dent social force in Israel. One means of achieving This money gives Israelis a false sense of security. It this was keeping the standing army as small as is fueling the arms race in the Middle East and possible and strictly subordinate to the civilian subsidizing American arms manufecturers. The one authority. This is now being threatened due to the thing it does not do is make us more secure. size of the army and its budget. A further accumulation of sophisticated weapons Some people in the United States want to cut aid in would certainly not help Israel to confront the order to force the Israeli government to change its rebellious Palestinian population of the Occupied policies. I do not agree with them. All that President Territories. The only way out of that predicament is a Bush need do is to ask the Secretary General of the political one - negotiations with the only entity United Nations to convene an International Peace capable of speaking for the Palestinians, the PLO. Conference and send invitations to Israel, the PLO, This leaves, as the main rationale for increased the Arab States and the Superpowers. No Israeli Israeli armament, the military power of Syria – the government, however tough its rhetoric, would risk state often regarded as Israel’s most dangerous the total diplomatic isolation attendant upon staying enemy. However, the arms race is bleeding the Syrian out of such a conference; there would be no need for economy as much as it does the Israeli one, and the U.S. to cut aid to Israel, or even threaten to do so. Syria’s Soviet patrons are more and more reluctant to Being an Israeli and being concerned for my foot the bill. Should Israel reduce its military budget, country, I do not want American aid to Israel to be the Syrians would be happy at the chance to follow cut as an act of punishment or coercion. I want aid to suit. As with the arms race between the United States be cut in order to save Israel. If the American and the Soviet Union, cuts on one side will lead to Congress really wants to help Israel, they should give cuts on the other. us less military aid, but let us spend the money in our Aside from the purely economic aspects, the in- own country. funds go to settlement activities in the Occupied Too Much Aid Territories. This may explain why, in spite of all the American aid, there has been hardly any growth in by Major General (ret.) Matti Peled the Israeli economy in the last fifteen years. Quite apart from being a major obstacle to the achievement of In American politics and public opinion, it is a widely peace, many o f the settlements constitute, from the accepted assumption that U.S. aid is an unmitigated purely economic point of view, a non-viable investment, boon to Israel. The very idea of reducing that aid, for maintained artificially for political reasons. whatever reason and by whatever amount, is rejected by I would not like to see the United States making nearly all those who consider themselves friends of Israel. Yet a more thorough examination may lead to the any cuts in the ESF aid to Israel. It would, however, conclusion that there can be such a thing as too much be quite positive if this aid was explicitly earmarked aid, and that American aid, in its present form, is far from for specific programs to help where help is really being the blessing it seems. needed - for example, to provide some real economic The United States currently provides over $3 development in the poorer “Development Towns” billion dollars a year in aid to Israel - $1.8 billion for where Jews of Northern African origin were settled military aid, $1.2 billion in Economic Support Funds in the 1950’s. The unemployment rate in these towns (ESF) and some smaller additional funding. Eco- has recently climbed to 15 percent, in comparison nomic aid was converted from loans to outright with an 8 percent rate nationally. An American grants in 1981 while military aid has been provided in empasis on directing economic aid to the Develop- grant form since 1985. ment Towns would be in the immediate, direct The Israeli government is supposed to spend the interest of a large part of the Israeli population. ESF money within the internationally-recognised Of the $1.8 billion in military aid, only a small part boundaries of Israel. This money is, quite definitely, actually reaches Israel. Israel is required to spend all not intended to be spent in the territories occupied but $300 million of this aid in the United States. The by Israel since 1967. However, this distinction exists effect of this requirement is to place an enormous only on paper. In practice, a sizable slice of the ESF burden on the Israeli economy. Israel has a defence funds are used for establishing and extending Jewish budget of around $6 billion. Only about one-third of settlements in the Occupied Territories. this sum comes from the U.S.; the rest has to be The exact amount cannot be determined, this being covered by the Israeli tax payer. Israel has to spend about the best-kept secret in Israel. In the bulky two dollars of its own money for every dollar it gets volumes of the government budget, yearly presented from America. We have to lay out enormous sums of to the Knesset, most expenses for implementing money to absorb all the weaponry we buy. For annexationist policies are hidden under seemingly example, when we get an F- 16 jet which is paid for by innocent entries; opposition Knesset Members have American aid, we still have to pay ourselves for the to engage in quite a bit of detective work, in order to spare parts and ammunition, for the pilots’ training, decode them. Roughly, it can be assumed that as for the place where the plane will be kept, and for the much as $500 million - nearly half - of the EMF maintenance crews. (Continued on p.11)

reported the new call-up order free use of the supposedly “non- Soldiers ‘ protests issued to Rami Chasson, ordering lethal” rubber and plastic bullets. Yesh Gvul participated in the him to report for reserve service as Hess argues that, since he does Israeli solidarity with the inhab- a prison guard over Palestinian perform reserve service in the Occu- itants of Beit Sahur. On December prisoners. Chasson made clear his pied Territories, these new regula- 1 and 2, many Yesh Gvul activists determination to refuse this order, tions may force him to become a were stopped by army road-blocks and if necessary become himself a war criminal. The Supreme Court at the entrance to Beit Sahur. prisoner again. This statement was ordered Defence Minister Rabin However, hundreds of the town’s extensively reported in the press. to give, before the end of 1989, his inhabitants arrived by sidepaths to The military authorities, fearing a arguments for the legality of the greet the activists repetition of the big campaign regulations. On December 13, Israeli tele- conducted during Chasson’ s ear- Meanwhile, a group of Yesh Gvul vision reported two more reserve lier imprisonments, backed out supporters picketed the Defence soldiers imprisoned for their re- and cancelled the order. Ministry in support of Yo’av Hess. fusal to serve in the Occupied Ter- Reserve soldier Yo’av Hess They carried signs with the words Even the devil couldn’t revenge the ritories. Yesh Gvul was quoted for lodged an appeal to the Supreme blood of a child; this quotation the number of 95 soldiers having Court, asking it to abolish the new from Israel’s national poet, Chaim served similar prison terms since military regulations, which aut- Bialik, is often used by anti-Arab the beginning of the Intifada - horise soldiers to shoot masked demonstrators. Palestinians on sight, and the re- including six conscripts. Contact: Yesh Gvul, P.O.box 6953, gulations which permit practically In our last issue (p.12), we Jerusalem 31068. To our readers Adam Keller has received a call-up order requiring him to participate in military manoevres on February 4 ,1990. He has sent the order back to his reserve unit, together with the following letter: I cannot feel any identification with the army's main task at this moment, which is trying to put down the Intifada. I regard the Intifada as a justified and legitimate struggle for independence, comparable to the Jewish struggle against British coloni- alism between 1945 and 1947. During the attempts to crush the Intifada, soldiers of the Israeli Defence Forces have committed hor- rible deeds against inhabitants of the Occupied Territories. Only a few of them were put on trial. Of these, the majority was pardoned by the Army Command, which thereby assumed full responsibility for their deeds. Therefore, I have no choice but refusing to participate in manoevres or in any other activity requiring me to wear the uniform of the Israeli Defence Forces. Should the order not be canceled, Keller will present himself on February 4, and repeat his refusal to the mobilising officer in person. He is then likely to be imprisoned, for a period whose duration may also depend on the amount of publicity and solidarity his case receives in Israel and international- ly. Arrangements will be made to ensure continuity of publication for "The Other Israel". Up to date information will be given at phone 972-3-5565804. Letters could be sent to: Defence Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Hakirya, Tel-Aviv; and/or to: Commanding Officer, Reserve Unit , Military postal code 03246, Israeli Defence Forces. (Copies to P.O.box 956, Tel-Aviv 61008.) The Editorial Board