The Other

Newsletter of the Israeli Council for Israeli - Palestinian Peace September-October 1989 No 38 Editor: Adam Keller Ass.editors: Malka Gayer, 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 CHAIN OF EVENTS On July 5, many Israeli peace active- stones on cars bearing the easily leadership claimed the Intifada to be ists - and even many Palestinians in recognised license plates of the Ter- ‘burning out’, and Intifada news was the Occupied Territories - were, in ritories. In two cases, where stones pushed to the back pages. spite of themselves, waiting tensely were thrown from cars coming from The headlines were captured by for the decision of the Likud’s 2400- the opposite direction, the stones other issues: the growing unemploy- member ‘Central Committee’. In the had enough force to cause the ment and the apportioning of polit- previous months, Prime Minister Palestinian car to overturn, with ical blame for it; the unfinished war Shamir’s ‘peace plan’ had become fatal consequences for the drivers. in Lebanon and the audacious Isra- almost universally accepted in Israeli One of the main centres of racist eli kidnap of Sheih Obeid, an impor- politics as ‘the only game in town’. violence was the Shmu’el Hanavi tant Lebanese Shi’ite leader; the Many Israelis and Palestinians neighborhood, which borders on the involvement of ex-Israeli generals in hoped that - whatever Shamir’s dividing line between Jewish and training the Columbian drug-lords’ own intentions - his plan would set Arab Jerusalem. Shmu’el Hanavi, private army... in movement an irreversible dyna- populated mainly by Oriental Jews Meanwhile, the level of violence in mic, leading to Israeli withdrawal and riddled with drug and prostitu- the Occupied Territories escalated. from the Occupied Territories. The tion problems, is a permanent focus Defence Minister Rabin instructed same possibility was viewed with ap- of seething discontent. the army to shoot down any Pales- prehension by Shamir’s hardliner At one of the bus victims’ funerals tinian whose face is covered, even rivals inside the Likud - the Sharon- was assaulted by though his hands are empty. The Levy-Moda’ey trio. For months, the Shmu’el HaNavi residents as the immediate result was an abrupt Likud factions marshalled their for- cortege passed through their neigh- climb in the number of Palestinians ces for the showdown. Shamir was borhood. They heckeled him: ‘Shut killed and wounded. The growing expected to get a narrow majority - up, Arab lover! Now we start the savagery was also reflected in the but on the last moment, fearing to Jewish Intifada!’ Peres’ bodyguards proportion of little children among endanger the Likud’s unity, he de- had to extricate him from the angry those killed.* cided to back down and accepted his crowd. During the next two weeks, The Israeli secret services attempt- rivals’ demands on all essential youths daily went to the Shmu’el ted to rebuild their network of in- points. As unanimously amended by Hanavi Junction, to assault Pales- formers, disrupted at the start of the the ‘Central Committee’, the Shamir tinian cars and clash with the police. Intifada. The result was a steep rise plan was emptied of any positive Not all inhabitants of Shmu’el Ha- in the number of suspected col- content it may have had. Navi, however, felt comfortable with laborators killed by the Palestinians. For those who had ‘come very far’ this situation. When their neighbor- Another Palestinian struggle had a to invest a reluctant hope in Prime hood was described in the media as clear non-violent nature: the inhab- Minister Shamir, the disappoint- ‘a hotbed of fanatism and extreme- itants of Beit Sahur, on the West ment was deep to the point of humili- ism’, the neighborhood committee Bank, who refuse to pay Israeli taxes, ation. took an initiative which constituted maintained their refusal even in the One inhabitant of the Gaza Strip the first break in a long chain of face of weeks of virtual looting by chose the following day, July 6, to violent events: on July 21, the junc- soldiers and tax gatherers. In raids perform an act of destruction. He tion was lined with dozens of on the residents’ houses, property boarded the Tel-Aviv/Jerusalem Shmu’el HaNavi residents giving worth millions of dollars was seized bus and in a suicidal bare-handed flowers to each passing driver, Jew in order to be sold to cover the tax attack on the driver forced the bus or Arab. Avi Alzam, head of the arrears. into a deep mountain ravine, causing neighborhood committee, told the 16 deaths. press: ‘We have started an Intifada • The news of this attack drew atten- of Flowers.’ On September 18, the citizens of tion away from an incipient Labour- Israel saw the embattled comman- Likud split; it was the signal for a • der of the Haifa firemen on their new anti-Arab campaign in different The upheaval in July gave way to television screens, with pillars of parts of the country. For days mobs, general feelings of resignation and flame behind him. He said: ‘The fire shouting ‘death to the Arabs’, threw apathy. The political and military broke out in five places at once. We were not prepared ... everybody we National Unity Government; will the Israeli government would, in have is here, fighting the fire...’. Shamir continue to maintain his effect, be taking a very big step in the Within hours, the entire Carmel rather unstable alliance with the other direction - the direction of Mount National Park was burned to Likud hardliners; will the U.S. ad- war, destruction and tragedy. the ground. Responsibility was clai- ministration, after all, come up with med by a previously unknown Pales- an initiative of its own which will The editor. tinian group, calling itself ‘Direct seduce the Israeli leaders into free- * From the beginning of the Intifada Revenge’. ing themselves of some taboos; and until August 22, 1989, hundred and The Israeli public response was what amount of energy the Soviet fifteen Palestinians aged less than 16 very different from that which fol- Union, with enormous problems years were killed by the Israeli army; lowed the bus attack. There were no closer to home, could invest in the twenty-nine of them were 12-years old outbursts of hatred against Arabs. Middle East. or less. The Jerusalem-based Occupied Public attention was mainly directed The time available for diplomatic Territories Information Centre, headed towards the rare animals who died in experiments is not unlimited. Overa by Ratz Member Dedi Zucker, the fire and those, deprived of their year has passed since PLO leader published a full list of their names on September 9. natural habitat, who had to be taken officially recognized care of. Several columnists wryly the existence of Israel and launched • • • pointed out the contrast between the an outspoken peace-seeking policy. concern for vegetation and rare So far, he has little to show for it; animals - and the silence about the after a year of American-PLO dia- ‘Anti-terrorism’ update Palestinian children’s death toll. logue, it is still doubtful whether Arafat would be granted a visa to A new amendment to the infamous • address the U.N. General Assembly ‘anti-terrorist act’ was presented to The ‘Ten-point’ initiative of Egyp- in New York. Despite all their suf- the Knesset by Justice Minister Dan tian President Mubarak might be the ferings and deprivations, most Pa- Meridor. Aimed at ‘preventing the last chance to break the fatal polit- lestinians give their support to the PLO from funneling funds into Is- ical deadlock, at-least for a long time Arafat line of reconciliation. rael’, the new amendment would to come. Shorn of the diplomatic There is no way of knowing how empower the police to seize the verbiage surrounding it, the Mu- long this will go on. If the present funds and property of any associa- barak initiative consists of an at- situation continues, frustration and tion which receives money from tempt to start negotiations in Cairo, despair may build, forcing Arafat to abroad. The association would then between Israel and a Palestinian change his position or causing his have to prove that the money didn’t delegation approved by - but not downfall. This might be exactly what come from ‘a terrorist organization’. officially representing - the PLO. the Israeli hardliners hope for. In the past few years, donations The Mubarak initiative occasioned These hardliners have, however, to from Western churches and charity several weeks of hectic diplomatic reckon with the desire for peace, organizations have formed a signif- manoevers. There was the strange which is a very real force among the icant income of Arab municipalities spectacle of two senior Israeli Min- Israeli public. It is being expressed, and public associations in Israel, isters - Likud Foreign Minister for example, by the massive out- who receive far less government Arens and Labor Finance Minister pouring of public sympathy for Abie funding than their Jewish counter- Peres - simultaneously visiting the Nathan, imprisoned for meeting parts. This is now threatened by the United States and presenting in their with Arafat. new amendment, as the govern- meetings with the American officials At this moment, there exists a very ment’s ‘Arab affairs experts’ claim positions diametrically opposed to real chance for peace in the Middle that the Western organizations are each other. East. To keep it in existence, the ‘PLO fronts and go-betweens’. The At the time of this writing, the Israeli government must take, within amendment has already passed its debate in the Israeli inner cabinet the corning months, a first s t e p - first reading, but the vocal oppose- ended with the Likud ministers veto- however small and hesitant - to- tion it aroused made many establish- ing the Labor proposal to accept the wards dialogue with the Palestin- ment Knesset Members pause. Even Mubarak initiative. ians. The step which the Mubarak K.M. Re’uven Rivlin of the Likud Several factors will determine the initiative requires should be consid- spoke out in favor of limiting the next diplomatic developments: will ered small enough to fit even within amendment’s scope. Nevertheless, it Labor be able (and willing!) to start a the limited political horizons of the may soon become law, constituting a direct confrontation with the Likud, Israeli National Unity Government. further limitation of democratic to the point of breaking up the By failing to take even this small step rights in Israel.

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 i s s u e s 1-33 c a n b e ordered from AICIPP Meanwhile, Attorney- General out for attacks on his immunity. Governmental Organizations in Charish and Police Commissioner Vienna. Kraus are under strong pressure to The Other Israel received the copy of a Dori also participated in the letter sent by the Dutch Stichting Joods Toledo Conference, at the begin- enforce a previous, much violated Palestijnse Dialoog (Foundation for ‘anti-terrorist regulation’ which Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue) to Isra- ning of July. The 38 Israeli partici- prohibits Israelis from meeting eli Justice Minister Dan Meridor and to pants had come to Spain as an with PLO officials. During June Attorney-General Yosef Charish: Oriental Jewish delegation. The and July, the police interrogated Sir, Oriental Israelis’ roots in the Arab countries were reflected in the dozens of activists in peace groups We sharply condemn your intention and political parties who had parti- to initiate a procedure to lift the great attention given - by both the cipated in one or more meetings parliamentary immunity of KM Miari, Israeli and the Palestinian partici- with the PLO. because of his contacts with the PLO. pants - to the common cultural Two prominent members of our By thus applying the ‘August 1986 elements. Several Israelis spoke in ICIPP were interrogated: Uri Av- Amendment to the Act for the Pre- Arabic; special reference was vention of Terror’ you create a major nery, editor of Ha’olam Hazeh ma- obstacle for peace. made to ‘The Golden Age’ of gazine, who had participated in a We blame you for singling out an Jewish-Arab cultural cooperation press conference with PLO leader Arab KM amongst several other KM’s and cross-fertilization which had Yasser Arafat and reported on it to who also had contacts with the PLO. made Toledo one of the most his readers - and former K.M. We specially regret your intended important centres of learning in Matti Peled who met with PLO move towards people like Miari who Medieval Europe. could play a role in paving the road officials at Belgrade, and signed a towards peace. Israeli journalists present at To- joint communiqué calling for Isra- Yours sincerely, Yehuda Sofer, ledo conducted interviews with eli-Palestinian peace (see TOI 34, Radi Su’udi, Eddy Keizer Mahmud Abass (‘Abu Mazen’), a member of the PLO Executive p.3). The ‘Stichting J.P.D.’ can be contacted Attorney-General Charish has at: Heemraadschapslaan 33, 1181 TZ Committee, which appeared in announced his intention to ask for Amstelveen, Holland - phone 31 (0)20 nearly all Israeli papers. These the removal of K.M. Miari’s parlia- 410388. interviews reflected the growing mentary immunity and to prose- understanding by PLO speakers of cute Miari, for his participation in The ‘Anti-Terrorist Amend- the Israeli fears and traumas, and the Belgrade meeting and for his ment’ continues to be flouted. The their efforts to convey a sincere public meetings with PLO officials indefatigable Latif Dori, while wish to make peace. in Athens, in connection with ‘the waiting for the verdict of his On their return to Israel the deportees’ ship’ project (see TOI Rumania trial, was photographed Israeli participants stated that the 31, p.5). This is not the first time shaking hands with PLO officials cultural heritage common to Jews that Miari, an Arab, was singled at the U.N. Conference of Non- and Arabs should be a basis for the

At the end of September, public plemented should he repeat his attention in Israel centered upon a The Voice offence. Nathan decided neither to short but sensational trial - that of appeal nor to request that his sentence Abie Nathan, the 63 year old popular of Abie Nathan be commuted to community work. owner of ‘The ’ pirate On Israeli television Abie Nathan radio ship. Abie has managed to Speaking as the sole defence witness, said: I have broken the law and I am accumulate no less than twelve Nathan recounted his life story: his willing to pay the price. When I get out separate charges for meeting PLO birth in India, his service as a combat of prison, I will go on with my work officials. A year ago there was pilot in 1948, including the bombing for peace. When I see citizens, or worldwide press coverage of Nathan’s of civilian targets; his subsequent soldiers, or Arabs die, prison does not public appearance at the European decision to devote his life to peace; deter me anymore. I am quite stubborn, Strassbourg Parliament side by side his private 1966 ‘peace mission’, in you know! with Yasser Arafat - who on that the course of which his plane was The morning after Yom Kippur, occasion wished all Jews Shana Tova nearly shot down by the Egyptian on October 10, Abie Nathan started (Happy New Year in Hebrew). On Air Force and which allowed him to his term. Six Knesset Members and trial ‘the peace sailor’ seemed more see the inside of both the Egyptian over a thousand others had come to capable of embarassing the authorities and the Israeli prison system; and his accompany him up to the Prison than any of the ’s decision to start a dialogue with the gate. diehards. Already at the beginning PLO. Nathan concluded: I think I Letters of support to: Abie Nathan, of his trial, he declared his willingness convinced our main enemy to grasp the olive branch. I don’t think I did Eyal Prison, Israeli Prisons Authority, to plead guilty to all charges, provided Israel. that the prosecution change the any harm to Israel’s security. The prosecutor asked for a stiff wording ‘the accused met with mem- Letters protesting the sentence prison sentence, considering the bers of terrorist organizations’ to should be sent to: Justice Minister ‘the accused met with members of lack of any regret on the part of the Dan Meridor, Justice Ministry, Salah- organizations declared by the govern- accused, and his explicit intention to a-Din St., East Jemsalem. ment to be terrorist’. Rather than repeat his crime. On October 4, the Copies to: The Committee to Save wage a long battle on the issue ‘who court sentenced Abie Nathan to one- the Peace Dialogue, P.O.Box 20395, is a terrorist’, the prosecutor agreed half year in prison and one year Tel-Aviv 61204. to this change. suspended imprisonment, to be im- future of the Israeli and Palestinian delegations, travelling inconspiciously ments over the last century or so in peoples. in Arab taxis, are able to get through our area, and therefore their efforts into the Occupied Territories; larger • in support of a just settlement groups, whose identity cannot be should reflect that fact. The truth is Persistent - though officially denied concealed, are now stopped by army that the Europeans themselves re- - rumors tell of extensive meetings roadblocks. cognize this, as evidenced by their between PLO officials and senior initiatives and support. Labor Party members, such as Deputy Obstacle Race Perhaps the most outstanding Finance Minister Yossi Beilin. Indeed Since the beginning of September, a aspect of the END conference was on the day of ‘The Roumania Four’ group of five Israelis and four Palestinians the manner in which the various appeal, Housing Minister David has been meeting once a week and Middle Eastern delegates worked Levy - a Likud hardliner - remarked: jogging together through the streets of together. We were a number of ‘This is an injustice! Why put these Bethlehem, wearing T-shirts with the Israelis, Palestinians from the terri- leftists in prison for meeting with the words ‘We want peace ‘ in Arabic, Hebrew and English. On September 30, tories, expatriot Israelis and Pales- PLO, when a Labor Deputy Minister the army ordered the Israeli joggers to tinians living in Europe, a human can do the same and keep his job?’ leave Bethlehem immediately and arrested rights activist from Tunisia, a veteran Soon afterwards David Levy was to one of them. The joggers intend to go on Egyptian journalist, and two official hear that a member of his own Likud with their weekly activity in spite of the representatives of the PLO. In a party - Eli Halally, former mayor of obstacles. (Chadashot October 2, 1989) stroke of of brilliant planning, all of Dimona - also met with PLO On October 7, about a thousand us were housed in the same hotel, officials. Halally himself admitted Peace Now supporters were blocked thus facilitating our ability to form that he had participated in a sym- at the outskirts of Tulkarm and held close ties and work together. We had posium in Vienna, where several a protest rally at the roadblock. The breakfast and dinner together daily, senior PLO members were also Palestinian political activist Feisal collectively reviewing the Conference present, but denied that he had Husseini, who was invited to address schedule and delegating assignments, directly addressed them. the audience, said: This roadblock is helping each other out with strategy Meanwhile, representatives of the a symbol of the barriers which the and technical problems such as Israeli mass media attended a press government is trying to erect between translations and photocopying, and conference held by PLO leader Israelis and Palestinians - but we, creating a workplan which would Yasser Arafat in Cairo. Extensive together, will pull them down! keep the Conflict prominent among parts were broadcast by the Israeli Labor Party activist Ya’el Dayan the Conference priorities. television. Shlomo Kor, a Likud added: In 1948 my father – Moshe For some of us Israelis, it was our representative on the Israeli Broad- Dayan - and Abd el-Kader Husseini first time to actually work closely casting Authority’s Board of Gover- - Feisal’s father - fought each other with representatives of the PLO in a nors, demanded the firing of the in a life and death struggle. I am political context, and although it is reporters who covered Arafat; but proud that today, the two of us can part of our region’s irony that we he was opposed by Uri Oren, another share the platform at a peace demon- must travel to Spain to do so, this Likud member on the board, who stration - of which hopefully our connection was one of the more stated: ‘They just did their job. A children will have the full profit. inspiring aspects of our experience press conference with Arafat is news, there. We found little difference whether you like it or not.’ • between our positions, and as the The Labor daily Davar remarked: days passed, we felt more and more Some doves hope for the day in which Conference in Spain like a united Israeli-Palestinian pro- Yasser Arafat will visit Jerusalem, like by Spike Pittsberg Sadat in 1977; some hawks dread the gressive movement trying to do same possibility. Both are out of date. From 6-9 July, 1988, the eighth political work within an international Arafat already was in Jerusalem. European Nuclear Disarmement forum made up of people who, Arafat is a’ regular visitor in every (END) Convention was held in the although they definitely wished us Israeli living-room. medieval Basque town of Vittoria in the best, were surprised to find that northern Spain. Besides the issues of we - the Palestinians and Israelis - • ecology, disarmament, and non- were not at each other’s throats. As violence, which are central to the the articulate PLO representative Barriers traditional European peace move- Ilan Halevy said in his opening The authorities seem concerned ment, the END conference also remarks in the Middle East Forum, over the deepening of the dialogue focused on various trouble-spots and I paraphrase: Although the conducted between the Peace Now around the world. Naturally, the organizers of this session have en- movement and West Bank Pales- Middle East was one area for which couraged us to present ‘both sides,’ tinians. With its wider resources, the Conference displayed much to speak frankly about our conflicts, Peace Now is able to draw in many concern. we have a problem. We know know Israelis who were not involved before, We representatives of Israel, Pales- that we can only make peace by as was evident from the kind of tine, and a few other Middle Eastern talking to our enemies. So I am questions asked by the audience in countries were featured in a number sorry, but we will not be making the August 26 meeting in Haifa - of the most significant plenary and peace today. For these are not my where five Palestinian trade unionists workshop sessions. As we stated enemies; these are my allies. The from Nablus had come to speak during our presentations at the progressive Israelis and the PLO are about the critical condition of the major forum entitled ‘Peace in the working together for a common Palestinian workers. Middle East and International Sig- solution that we all know to be in all The army has taken steps to prevent nificance,’ Europeans hold a great of our own interests. this dialogue. Only small Peace Now deal of responsibility for the develop- We did, in fact, represent a good chunk of the anti-occupation spec- and how much of our limited resources ( ... ) an abandoned stone house; a trum: Yesh G’vul, Women in Black, should be put into them. One thing sharp turn to the right; two mosques; Orientals for Peace, an Israeli anti- seems clear: on the personal level, it one-storey houses scattered along nuclear activist, the Progressive List; is an exciting and broadening ex- half-paved roads, tattered green-red- an activist in the Intifada, a Palestinian perience for the individual activist to black-white flags hanging on electricity journalist, a Lebanese Palestinian, work inside such a structure. It wires, women in traditional long representatives of the PLO organi- renews one’s energy and inspires dresses, black and burgundy, clutching zation. We found the response from one to work harder. Therefore, it is small children, and very many excited the Europeans very enthusiastic and important that as many different youths running around. encouraging. They committed them- people as possible get the opportunity (...)My friends and I found ourselves selves to various projects around the to represent the Israeli anti-occu- mixing with the villagers who received Middle East issues, from organizing pation movement abroad. People us with embraces and heartiness as if a peace march of 1000 Europeans who make a profession out of con- we were long-lost friends. through Israel and the Territories ference-hopping inevitably get a bit this winter*, to expanding the exten- jaded, while those for whom it is all (...) Hebrew, Arabic and English sive network of Women in Black brand new can both arrive and are mixed as the youths describe in vigils across Europe. The represen- depart with a special enthusiasm. detail how each of the five ‘Shahids’ tatives from the USA also seemed While it is true that repeated partici- - martyrs - was killed, and lead the very concerned, and they told us, for pation can result in deeper and more visitors to the road in the village’s example, of additional Women in continuous contacts, still, changing upper part which in April has suddenly Black vigils in places (Washington representation widens the exposure become a local ‘Via Dolorosa’. And D.C., Missouri, etc) that we didn’t of our varied anti-occupation move- what does a martyr’s tomb look like even know about. Our speeches ment; this is all the more true when in Nahlin? A little mound of earth, were well-received, our literature both Israelis and PLO people are covered with some stones, and a was grabbed up voraciously, and participating. wreath of flowers - not yet wilted - addresses were exchanged constantly. inside a minitiature cemetery, where Because of our own strong sense of a * Contact for the Peace March: olive trees overlook Wadi Fukin and common cause, the END peace Associazione per la Pace, Via Fran- the Jewish settlement ‘Hadar Beitar’ movement was forced to confront cesco Carrara 24, 00196 Roma, Italy; whose red-tile roofs wound the the real possibility of Palestinians tel. 06/3608687 - 3612539. mountain landscape ( ...) and Israelis forging a powerful com- After an exchange of speeches and mon vision. From the address delivered by PLO good wishes, which is an integral We also learned a great deal about representative Vera Nawfal at the part of such solidarity visits, we the END .movement. Detente has closing session of the Vittoria confe- started on our way back to the buses. had no less an effect on their rence: situation than on ours. Some of the Let me express my emotion at being Then, suddenly, a delay, a change in speakers were quite frank about the here with you, the peace forces of so the atmosphere: fear and anger. The need, now that the Soviets are taking many countries, at this unconventional young start running around, shouting a lead in nuclear disarmament, to convention - these four days with you ‘the army has come’. There started revise the European peace move- have been an enriching experience; shouting from all sides. As a self- and I am confident that your movement understood human act which is ment’s list of priorities. They noted - with the diversity and vitality which that many of the demands they made required on such a moment, all of us we have seen at work, will play an without exception started running at their first conference have already increasing role in the European been met. There were speakers from quickly, in order to block the soldiers debate. and prevent them from entering the a number of East European countries, (...) I seize this opportunity to greet such as Poland and Hungary, who those Israelis who have stood up village. At this stage everything spoke about the changes in their against the war, and particularly those becomes confused. I find myself political reality. The struggle of the who have refused, at the price of among youngsters throwing stones Basques, both against the Spanish imprisonment, to serve in the occupied on the soldiers; suddenly volleys of government and within their own territories. bullets cleave the air (...). internal structures was very much a On the following day I read in the factor in the general atmosphere. Diary of a traitor paper the report of K.M. Darawshe The ETA people mounted continuous (who had tried to intercede with the protests against the organizing com- On July 29, 1989, Israeli peace soldiers and stop the shooting. Ed.): mittee of END which they felt was the soldiers had called me and my dominated by the less radical Basque activists were directly involved in an Intifada incident in which the Israeli fellow Israeli participants ‘traitors’. groups and from which they felt Perhaps they were right! themselves excluded. It was interesting army opened fire. None of the 150 Israelis present was hit in this incident At the cemetery I had spoken the to see how the ETA were permitted following words: I lost my brother in to enter the hall with gigantic anti- in which four Palestinians were wounded. The incident occurred the Lebanon War, and today I have END banners without visible restraint come to mourn with you. From this from the organizers. Only in the final during a solidarity visit to the village of Nahlin, where five inhabitants cemetery I call upon our leaders closing session did the confrontation Rabin and Shamir, and your leader get so heated that the program was were killed in a surprise army raid in April (see TOI no.36, p.9). The Arafat, to sit together and make disrupted. peace. The traitor’s speech. Finally, one must ask how valuable following fragment is taken from the diary of Ehud Spiegel, who was our participation in these abundant Ehud Spiegel international peace conferences is among the four busloads of Israelis: Doctors’ struggle Peace Jobs, Equality Since the beginning of the Intifada, and Peace Israelis organised protests on a Blockader During recent years, three Israeli professional basis: teachers, lawyers, political formations, starting from architects, journalists, artists, actors, Did the Likud central committee destroy the Israeli government’s very different ideological bases, professors, psychologists etc. Such arrived at similar programs calling groups are engaged in opposition to peace initiative? The truth is that such an initiative did not really exist for negotiations with the PLO, those aspects of the occupation in the first place. Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied which relate to their own fields, and It will be impossible to solve the Territories and complete equality in acts of solidarity with Palestinian Israeli-Palestinian conflict until each between Jewish and Arab citizens of colleagues. side recognises the other side’s Israel. Nevertheless, in the 1988 On August 16, ‘The Association of right to sovereign national existence. Knesset elections there was no Israeli and Palestinian Physicians for It will be impossible to solve the cooperation between these three conflict as long as one side tries to Human Rights’ (AIPPHR) publis- groups: the Progressive List for hed a comprehensive report ‘On the dictate who will represent the other side. Just as the government of Peace (PLP), the Communist-led Condition of the Health Services in Democratic Front for Peace and the Gaza Strip’. Israel represents the Israelis, the PLO is the representative of the Equality (Chadash), and the Arab This report, the result of months of Democratic Party (ADP). On the research and investigation, gives Palestinians. These two represen- tatives must enter into direct negotia- contrary, their fierce competition shocking details about general medical tions. The resolutions adopted by resulted in a loss of at least one - shortages as well as about ‘Intifada the Palestinian National Council in and possibly two - Knesset seats, emergencies’. Algiers make such negotiations an which the three united could have Among the items documented are: immediate possibility. obtained (see TOI 34, p.8). the lack of the basic equipment, It might also be possible to achieve a Since the Knesset elections, the solution through free general elec- medication, ambulances and staff. leadership of all three parties was tions in the West Bank and Gaza under strong grassroots pressure to the number of patients hospital- Strip - but only if this interim stage is lized after being beaten, shot or part of a process leading to the achieve cooperation, the first concrete exposed to tear gas, and how many of creation of an independent Pales- occasion being the Histadrut elections, them died. tinian state in the territories occupied due on November 13, 1989. A further in 1967, and to a future of peaceful stimulus for cooperation among the army interference in the hospitals’ coexistence between the State of parties was a change in the Histadrut daily work (tear gas in the hospital; Israel and the State of Palestine. electoral system: Histadrut electoral violent entrance into emergency Without a guarantee of a sovereign lists are now required to cross a 3% rooms and operating theatres; arrests future for the Palestinians, elections treshold, in order to achieve repre- of wounded patients; beating and could become a means of perpetu- sentation. Singly, each of the three shooting of patients and medical ating the occupation, and no Pales- parties might have proved unable to tinian would accept this. All of the staff). obtain the necessary percentage. Israeli decision-makers - Sharon, The publication of the report Levy and Shamir, as well as Rabin The Histadrut is a unique Israeli caused a storm in the Israeli medical and Peres - adamantly refuse to give institution: at one and the same time community. Dr. Ram Yishai, the the Palestinians such guarantees. a trade-union federation and econo- chairman of the Israeli Medical Meanwhile, more Jews and Arabs mic empire, including its own factories, Association, published a counter- are daily falling victim to the raging marketing chains and the second report directed at international med- conflict. Fourteen Israelis died in the largest bank in Israel. All of these ical organizations, containing a justi- attack on the Jerusalem-bound bus; are supposed to be owned by the fication of the Israeli government’s more than five hundred Palestinians workers themselves, but are in fact policies. However, his attempt to have been killed since the Intifada controlled by a self-perpetuating refute the facts presented .in the started. Throughout the land, mem- bureaucracy, with all the misman- AIPPHR report was not taken very bers of both peoples are undergoing agement inherent in unregulated seriously in the Israeli press. pain, suffering and bereavement; power. At the same time, the military hatred and the desire for revenge are on the rise. About 80% of Israel’s citizens are government’s ‘civilian administration’ To stop the escalation, it is not members of the Histadrut. Every invited Israeli and foreign journalists enough to remove the four “blocks” four years they participate’ in semi- to a ceremony at which new equipment which Sharon imposed upon Shamir. parliamentary general elections, to was presented to a Gazan hospital. What is required is a thorough elect the Histadrut central organs as The televised festivities were marred, change in the positions of the State well as the local ‘workers council’ in however, by a senior Palestinian of Israel; an acceptance of the each town. The same political parties doctor, who pointed out the immense land’s partition among its two peop- as in the Knesset compete with each gulf separating his hospital – even les, and a willingness by the govern- other in the elections for control of with the new equipment - from the ment of Israel to enter negotiations this ‘state within a state’. Israeli hospitals just a few kilometres with the PLO leadership. Until the This year, more than ever, the away... Labour Party accepts such positions, Histadrut elections will be of general all of its manoeuvres and posturing political importance. For the first Contact: AIPPHR, P.O.Box 10235, are meaningless. Tel-Aviv 61101 - tel: 03-5464608. time in the Histadrut’s 70-year The report may be ordered by sending The Israeli Council for history, the Labor Party’s dominance is a check of $20, postage included. All Israeli-Palestinian Peace in jeopardy. The Labor leadership is proceeds to further AIPPHR humani- Advertisement in Jerusalem Post 19 July held solely responsible for the bipar- tarian activity. ‘89, and in Hebrew in Ha’aretz on July 16. tisan government’s failure to stop the spread of unemployment . The have an impact on Israeli political be expected to respect the individual right-wing populist Likud party is life, far beyond the Histadrut and its human being. During the Arab- gaining ground among Israeli workers. particular problematics. Jewish work camp in Nazareth of Whatever the voters’ motives, a The Joint List may be contacted at P. O.B. this year, he told some Palestinians Likud victory in the Histadrut elec- 26614, Tel-Aviv 61266. (Birzeit students) why he envies tions would be regarded as an them: endorsement of ‘tough’ policies in A private Intifada You will have your state, that is for sure, sooner or later you will have the Occupied Territories. Moreover, by Beale Keizer unemployment is a breeding ground your state. And it will be a better One item out of eight in the state than ours. You will not have to for racist attitudes towards Palestinian Jerusalem Post’s column ‘News in workers. Therefore, it is imperative prepare for war with all your neigh- Brief’ of Wednesday, September 6: bors, you will not have to oppress that a strong electoral list present The Tel-Aviv Magistrates’ Court another people. There will not be itself, on the basis of Jewish-Arab two months of military service for equality and solidarity. yesterday fined Shabtai Levi, age 49, 1,000 Shekels (equivalent of $500) every man until he is fifty-five. More energy and attention for the building and handed down a suspended sen- of life, health care, education, condi- Educational polls tence of five months after convicting tions of life. You will have a better him of having insulted the Prime On August 7, the Education Ministry state. published the results of a poll, con- Minister by referring to him as ‘Führer’ and to the Defence Minister as Shabtai is not going to pay the fine. ducted among highschool students, as He prefers to go to prison, to show indicating a growing polarization ‘Wehrmacht Minister’. clearly what this state does to a among youths. No less than 53% of Shabtai Levi is one of the stubborn citizen for the use of two angry those asked expressed sympathy with ‘streetcorner workers for peace’ in soldiers who refuse service in the words. Tel-Aviv. He always stays calm, even * On October 12, Shabtai went to prison. Occupied Territories - as compared when provoked by not-so-friendly with only 17% in a similar 1982 poll. bypassers. He never raises his voice, At the same time, the Education Rabbis and politics Ministry’ s poll investigated the spread but reacts with an ironic smile or of anti-Arab prejudice among youths; word. What made him angry enough by Adam Keller no less than 40% wrote down that they to bring himself to such difficulties? In the last two decades, the political hate all Arabs !? Shabtai’s grim struggle with the views of the Orthodox Jewish com- A few days later, the ‘Youth Parlia- authorities has already gone on for munity in Israel* have shifted sharply ment’ of Haifa, containing represent- many years. It dates back to his to the Right. The military victory of tatives of the town’s schools. Adopted experiences in school and afterwards 1967 was seen as a ‘Heavenly Delive- a resolution cal ling for negotiations in the army. His parents being rence’. The religious nationalist- with the PLO. Bulgarian Jews, he always felt in a fundamentalist ‘Gush Emunim’ move- During June, a series of meetings bad position: Among Ashkenazi ment established settlements pur- between Knesset Members Miari Jews he was the Sephardi, among porting to revive biblical villages. and Darawshe, of the PLP and the the Sephardis the Ashkenazi. Bul- The Israeli Chief Rabbinate publicly ADP respectively, brought about an garians happen not to fit so well in supported continued Israeli rule in agreement for a joint Histadrut the unfortunate division between what they called ‘Judea and Samaria’ electoral list. Subsequently, these Ashkenazi (European ) and Sephardi and declared the selling of land to an forces were joined by the bigger (Oriental) Jews. Arab to be a sin. In Israeli synagogues, Chadash, with seats in the new list His experiences with the institutions mass meetings took place in favor of being apportioned at 60% to Chadash made him feel that the establishment a pardon for extreme-right terrorists, and 20% each to the PLP and ADP. behaves without any respect for the convicted for murdering Arabs. The On August 27, the formation of the individual. He had a years-long whole Jewish religion was reinter- new ‘United List for Jobs, Equality struggle with the National Insurance, preted: the Book of Joshua, with its and Peace’ was proclaimed in Tel- after a traffic accident left him an description of the savage conquest Aviv. Leaders of the three parties invalid; only after fifteen years did of Cana’an by the ancient Hebrews, signed the articles of agreement in he receive the money to which he gained a central place which it never front of television cameras, and was entitled by law; before that, before enjoyed in Judaism. presented the new list’s program. there was his experience with the Dissenting voices within the reli- Besides demands for a better position contractor who employed him in gious community were marginalized. of the worker, especially the unem- building fortifications under fire, on The more outspoken religious peace activists, being laymen, lacked the ployed, much emphasis is given to the 1969 Suez Canal front line; the spiritual authority of a rabbi. There the importance of the equality in contractor did not pay him - and were rabbis with moderate views, work and living conditions for Jews when Shabtai took the case to court, but they mostly voiced these views in and Arabs, men and women, Orientals he lost for ‘lack of evidence’. Ever since, Shabtai is at war with their own ‘inner circle’ ; the general and Europeans. public, either religious or non- The new list intends to conduct a the establishment. In his home he religious, heard little of them. campaign against the occupation keeps an archive of all the angry letters which he wrote to government In September 1982, the harbinger and for ‘peace, achievable only of change was the call by Rabbi through the creation of a Palestinian ministers and officials. Only gradually Yehuda Amital for public mourning state’, since ‘peace means prosperity; he learned that his personal experi- for the victims of the Sabra and peace is the only true medicine for ences could be analysed in a political Shatila massacres. At that time, the Israel’s economic illness’. way. A country which, in order to religious movement ‘Netivot-Shalom’ If this united list is the harbinger of oppress another people, uses its (Ways of Peace) was formed. lasting unity, this new force could citizens as cannon-fodder, could not In the 1988 Knesset elections the located an American-Egyptian Jew The meeting’s date was fixed for ‘Meimad’ (New Dimension) list, who is willing to finance the additional August 13. Until the last moment it headed by Rabbi Amital, did not expenses. was not clear what Rabbi Yosef was succeed to secure a seat, but Rabbi Meanwhile, the two rabbis carried going to say. The large hall was Avraham Ravitz’s ‘Degel Ha’Torah’ on other discussions with Egyptian packed with his supporters, groups (Flag of the Torah) did. In the leaders, including President Mubarak. of his nationalist opponents scattered Knesset, the ‘Degel Ha’Torah’ mem- After the meeting, Rabbi Yosef told among them. Upon his entry, Rabbi bers distinguish themselves by fierce the Egyptian and international press: Yosef was greeted by prolonged debates with the nationalists. In ‘Hebron and Shachem (Nablus) are clapping and cheering. In a carefully- these debates they maintain that dearer to me than Tel-Aviv or Haifa; balanced speech, Yosef stated that it relinquishing control of the territories but our Torah forbids killing. Some- is legitimate, according to the Jewish is not too high a price to pay, to times, it is necessary to amputate a religion, to give up part of ‘the Land prevent the spilling of Jewish blood. hand or a leg, in order to save the of Israel’ in return for a perfect Following the Intifada, nationalist body.’ peace, but that for the time being and occasionally racist statements this is purely hypothetical, since ‘the still abound, but they no longer NO COPYRIGHT Arab partner for such a peace had completely dominate the rabbinical not yet appeared,’ but that his scene. More and more is heard of the The Other Israel is not a commercial opinion would take on new signi- Rabbinical Human Rights Watch, magazine, but a publication ded- ficance, if at some time in the future whose members hold prayers for icated to the widest possible dissemina- an Israeli government was in a tion of the views contained in it. peace at the Prime Minister’s resi- Therefore, we hereby freely waive our position to negotiate a true peace. dence and visit West Bank villages copyright. Article published in The He stated that the holiness of the stricken by the Israeli army; the Other Israel may be reprinted, provided Land of Israel is a supreme religious young rabbis Moshe Swisa and Morde- that their content is faithful to the value, and that after the coming of chai Malka participated in the Toledo original, and does not change or the Messiah, the Land would even distort it in any way, and provided that dialogue with the PLO, and outspo- the name of The Other Israel, and its include Damascus; but until the kenly defended their action against address (P.O.B. 956, Tel-Aviv 61008, Messiah comes, consideration should the rabbinical establishment’s attacks. Israel) are mentioned. be taken .for the saving of lives, a supreme principle for which all • Rabbi Yosef’s statement was regar- actions are justified except those Rabbi Ovadyah Yosef is one of the ded in Israeli political circles as a involving idolatry, incest or bloodshed. most well-known rabbis in Israel. heavy blow for the ‘Greater Israel’ Though Rabbi Yosef’s speech turned Once Sephardi Chief; Rabbi of Israel, idea. But he was prepared to go still out to be less than what the peace he lost his job to a scheming rival, further, and hold a mass meeting in camp hoped for, it does constitute a only to make a spectacular comeback Jerusalem, in which he would for- tremendous shift for all those whose as the spiritual leader of the new mulate his position regarding the respected leader he continues to be. ‘Shas’ party, which is gaining ground return of territories for peace in a • among the Oriental (i.e. Sephardi) ‘Rabbinical Verdict’ (Psak Halacha), Jewish masses. Rabbi Yosef, who which would be binding upon anybody In the 1970’s, Rabbi Menachem had served as the Chief Rabbi of who regards himself as the rabbi’s Furman was one of the enthusiastic Egypt between 1947 and 1950, is follower. young men who founded the ‘Gush known to have moderate views; but Even for such a venerable and Emunim’ settler movement. He was until recently, he aired them only in prestigeous rabbi as Yosef, that active in founding the ‘Teko’a’ sett- private conversations or small gather- would be a far-reaching step. Shas is lement on the West Bank, and ings and refrained from making a heterogeneous mass movement, became its rabbi. official pronouncements on political including in its ranks many extreme Firmly committed to the ideal of issues. nationalists; even some supporters ‘The Land of Israel’ as one, indivisible Rabbi Yosef ’s chief ally within the of the racist Rabbi Kahane voted for entity, Rabbi Furman became gra- Shas party is a young disciple, Rabbi Shas when their own party was dually convinced that this entity Aryeh Der’ey, considered the rising banned in 1988. Rabbi Yosef was could not survive for long without star of Israeli politics. Der’ey obtained pressured to demur by members of taking account of the Palestinians. in 1988 the influential Interior port- the Bukhari congregation, in whose Being as concerned as ever to folio - the first Israeli, so far, to synagogue he delivers a weekly safeguard the right of Jews to settle become a cabinet minister before sermon; Yosef’s wife was asked by in all parts of the Biblical Land, since being 30 years old. vendors in the Jerusalem marketplace the outbreak of the Intifada Rabbi An outspoken dove, Der’ey in- - a focal point in the city’s local Furman gradually moved away from fluenced Rabbi Yosef to make public politics - to influence her husband the Jewish supremacism of his fellow- his views and to become more to change his mind. At the same settlers, towards the concept of a ‘bi- directly involved in the political time, Yosef was also approached by national state’. Over the past two debate. In July Rabbi Yosef, accom- senior Likud members, including years, Rabbi Furman has established a panied by Der’ey, visited Egypt. The Prime Minister Shamir, who claimed dialogue with some circles in the ostensible reason for the visit was that his intended action would ‘dam- peace movement, and tried to contact the question of a planned highway age the vital interests of Israel’. Palestinian leaders. Most Palestinians, that would intersect the site of the Posters announcing the mass meeting however, were reluctant to meet old .Jewish cemetary of Cairo. Rabbi were torn from the walls, and the with a settler, whatever his views. It Yosef found a religiously satisfactory director of the Rabbi Cook Memorial was the well-known Feisal Husseini solution: to elevate the highway on Institute, hosting the meeting, re- who took up Rabbi Furman’s in- pillars above the cemetary. Der’ey ceived many telephone threats. vitation. On September 21, they held are willing to endure vicious taunts a five-hour meeting at the Haifa WHO GUARDS THE GUARD? home of a peace activist. Most of the like Go home, work in your kitchen conversation turned on the nature of or All you want is to be fucked by Yihya Ayub Abu-Samara, a Pales- nationalism, Jewish, Palestinian or Arabs. These ‘Intifada-witches’ insist tinian prisoner at Ashkelon Prison in general, and on Rabbi Furman’s on a quick end to the occupation. In already served a fifteen years’ term idea of organising a meeting between dozens of places, not only big cities for ‘being a senior commander in a rabbis and muslim religious leaders - there was a map with flags to show terrorist organization’. At the end of to discuss the long-term implications it - this is happening, and every his term, he was not released but of coexistence. It seems that Rabbi week there are more places. It is placed under Administrative Deten- Furman has some idea of creating a difficult to avoid encountering them, tion without trial. In the prison, he is state which would be called ‘Israel’ in and in Jerusalem, where the number held in solitary confinement, to Hebrew and ‘Falastin’ in Arabic, and of weekly participants amounts to prevent him from ‘inciting others’. which would have two presidents - about a hundred, they have become David Yosef, an Israeli guard though he did not work out all the one of the city’s landmarks. officer, established contact with Abu- implications in a coherent political Also present in Har’el were women Samara and accompanied him on his plan. from the West Bank, with hair solitary walks in the courtyard, Feisal Husseini notes the marked raising stories about a new policy of holding long conversations with him similarity between Rabbi Furman’s ‘family-disruption’. Women of the on subjects such as the Intifada, the ideas and the program of ‘a Secular West Bank have suddenly been Shamir elections plan, and the right Democratic Palestine’ which the expelled from the country, mostly in of the Palestinians to establish an PLO gave up. He declared himself the middle of the night, without even independent state. Yosef allowed willing to continue talking with time to say Goodbuy. The excuse is Abu-Samara to stay in the courtyard Furman and other settlers. that in spite of their marriage to for longer periods than the prison The Gush Emunim leadership local residents they are not entitled regulations permit. Yosef also used responded to the meeting with great to live there. In June, July and to come at night to Abu-Samara’s anger, accusing Furman of treason August 57 women were expelled. cell and sit with him for hours. Yosef and issuing a boycott against him. Over two hundred children were even allowed Samara to meet other However, the settlers of Furman’s either deprived of their mothers, or Palestinian prisoners and talk with own Teko’a settlement – while expelled with them. A number of the them, and he brought Samara alco- mostly disagreeing with him – de- women have lived all their lives in holic drinks or food better than the clared their desire to have him the village or town from which they prison fare. continue as their rabbi. Furman also were deported. They happened to Jewish (non-political) prisoners got the support of Likud K.M. have crossed the Jordan river on the sent a letter of complaint to the Michael Eytan. day in which the Six Day War prison director, asking ‘when Knesset It is too early to say that the started, perhaps for a family visit in Members’ immunity could be re- nationalist-fundamentalist Amman or elswewhere. These fifty moved because of their contacts hegemony among Orthodox Jewry seven women were then declared with the PLO, why should a prison in Israel has been overthrown, but ‘foreigners without residence permit’ guard remain immune?’. The story there are clear signs that it is starting which they remain, even after mar- found its way to the press. The to crumble. riage. Therefore, their expulsion is Israeli Prisons Authority seemed not legally a deportation! embarassed by the issue. It started * Most religious Jews in Israel are disciplinary proceedings against David Orthodox, and Israel has an Orthodox- The Women in Black expressed Yosef, but in the event Yosef got off Zionist ‘Established Church’ – the intense sympathy for the plight of with a reprimand and a warning not Chief Rabbinate. The Reform and Con- servative currents of Judaism are repress- the deportees and their families and to repeat his ‘misdeed’. ented in Israel only by small com- sent a telegram of protest to the munities, which get no official recogni- Defence Minister - focussing on the tion and whose rabbis are not allowed case of a woman, who received one Jaffa in the picture to perform marriages. week postponement as she was in the by Andrew MacDonald • middle of giving birth.* and Inge Kämmerer On this field-day nearly everybody Between July 29 and August 4 the expressed the need to bridge the ‘International Volunteer Work Camp’ Women in Black gap, between Jewish and Arab women. took place in Jaffa, for the seventh by Beate Keizer So far, very few Palestinian woman consecutive year. The Israeli partici- On Shabbat, September 9, the have joined the Israeli peace move- pants, Arab and Jewish, were joined ‘Woman in Black’ held their first ment. The Women in Black’ want to by over twenty European volunteers ‘field-day’ which meant 250 women use their special awareness of the from seven countries. Three volun- gathered on the lawn of Kibbutz mechanisms of oppression in order teers from Hungary were the very Har’el for discussions and workshops, to break through patterns, which first participants from Eastern Europe and afterwards in a long black line exist even within the peace movement. in such a camp. The annual work along the Jerusalem/Tel-Aviv high- Contact: Dita Bitterman, 209 Dizengof camp is now well established as the way, to the astonishment of many St. Tel-Aviv, 63115. high point in the year’s work of Al weekending-families-on-their-way- Raabitah, the League of Jaffa Arabs. home. * At the time of writing the number of Losing the bulk of its population in The number is quite significant deported women has more than doubled. 1948, and with it much of its intelli- Some journalists and Knesset Members since these are women who, dressed are involved, but no action strong gentsia and wealth, the broken Arab in black, standing on intersections all enough to stop the deportations was so community in Jaffa was incorporated over the country on Friday afternoons, far possible. into the -Jaffa municipal authority, and has long been the more easily sidetracked by the aut- and started a campaign for reopening victim of official discrimination and horities if the League of Jaffa Arabs the schools (see TOI 37, p.10). The neglect. Vacant property has been can be dismissed in this way. The Israeli educators felt that it was very let to incoming Jews or demolished, presence of international and of hard to continue ‘teaching as usual’ and local business discouraged. Edu- Jewish Israeli volunteers at the work when, at a few minutes’ distance cation, social and welfare services camp is therefore an important from their schools, Palestinian child- are minimal (see TOI 1, p. 6). factor in promoting the legitimacy of ren were being deprived of their The work camp acts as a constructive Al Raabitah. right to learn. protest against this official treatment Volunteers for the 8th Jaffa International Palestinian educators visited a of the community, calling public Work Camp, 1990, should write to The school in Jerusalem and explained attention to the municipality’s defic- Secretary, League of Jaffa Arabs, Arab their case to more than a hundred iencies by decorating a play area, Cultural Centre, 73 Yeffet Street, Tel- Israeli teachers including many who constructing an access road, improving Aviv/Jaffa 68171, Israel. did not have previous contacts with kindergarten facilities, and cleaning Palestinian colleagues. The student rubbish from the streets. Lack of Pardon council of another Jerusalem high funds limits the number of projects On October 2, the newspapers Ha’aretz, school arranged a visit to their undertaken which have tangible Ma’ariv and Al-HaMishmar quoted an school by high-school students from permanent results, but the street open letter, addressed to Defence Minister the town of Beit-Sahur, on the West cleaning serves as a valuable symbol, Rabin: Bank. and has led in the past to some During the last two years I have At the end of the school year, a vacant lots being planted with trees become more and more concerned public meeting was held in Tel-Aviv and becoming recreation areas. about, and ashamed of, your policy of under the auspices of the International The camp is also intended to rally cruel oppression against the Palestinians in Centre for Peace in the Middle East. local people, often demoralised, to the Occupied Territories. For the first time, the leaders of the Two days ago, a pardon was granted to strive more for their amenities and four imprisoned soldiers of the Giv’ati two Israeli Teachers Unions took a rights. A particularly encouraging Brigade. You gave your approval to this public stand against the closure of feature of this year’s camp was the pardon, knowing that the Southern Schools, declaring that they no longer increased number of residents joining Command Court Martial had found accepted the official reasons for the the local and international volunteers them guilty of breaking into a house in closure. in the work. Jabaliya Refugee Camp, of beating the 47-year old owner for over an hour with This year the camp included a tour Meanwhile, various American or- clubs, rifle butts and a broomstick, and ganizations such as The Foundation of Jaffa for the foreign visitors, of jumping up and down on his belly putting the community’s present before the eyes of his children. As you for Peace in the Middle East, The position in a historical context; know very well, he died a few hours National Association of American evenings of Palestinian and Jewish later, though the court could not Arabs, and The Jewish Peace Lobby poetry reading and Dabkeh dancing; determine whether his death was caused started a campaign to get Congress by these four soldiers or by one of the to adopt a resolution on the school a children’s street party; and a brief other twenty who beat him afterwards. visit to the Jewish-Arab settlement closure. A Palestinian educator and I have to inform you that your decision an Israeli one, Dr. Munir Fashe of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam. to approve this pardon has made it There were two specific targets this impossible for me to continue wearing Bir-Zeit University and myself, were year. As a form of constructive the uniform of the I.D.F. An army which invited to explain to Congresspersons protest, a rubbish clearing demon- pardons thugs, thereby turns itself into and their staff the problem of school stration was organised with enthu- an army of thugs. In such an army I am closures as it effects both societies. neither willing nor able to serve. Dr. Fashe pointed out that with siastic participation of inhabitants. Therefore, if I receive another reserve On Thursday, August 3, a demon- service call-up order, I will refuse, 310,000 students deprived of educa- stration was mounted at the beach whatever the consequences. tion for more than one and a half against the proposed municipal en- The letter was signed by IDF reserve years, the closure was a disruptive closure of 80 dunams of sea and private Nr 2213693 - Adam Keller. factor for the entire population of shore to build entertainment facilities the West Bank. Moreover, once for the wealthy. Al Raabitah has Teachers’ campaign school reopened three different already won a Supreme Court ruling groups of pupils would have to by Zvi Schuldiner against the Municipality’s unlicensed attend first grade simultaneously! construction of a 120 dunam artificial For 19 months, Palestinian schools Representing the Israeli side of the promontory, hemming in Jaffa to the in the West Bank were closed. The question, I emphasized that Jews west for future building of expensive military authorities argued that this cannot think about existence as a apartments. The demonstration- was due to security reasons, since the people without education. In the happening, which included floating schools ‘were used as rallying points course of history, the Jewish people sculptured hands raised in appeal for stone-throwers’. Rather quickly have known various attempts at from the sea, engaged a large crowd it became clear that this step was a depriving them from the elementary of Jaffa residents, both Arab and new type of collective punishment, right to education. But edicts and Jewish, and attracted national press since after long months of school repression have never been enough and television coverage. closure the degree of violence in the to suppress a nation. To close the Predictably, right wing journalists Territories did not diminish. Palestinians’ schools meant to build chose to characterise Al Raabitah as In the course of last year, concerned a future of hatred for Israeli chidren. a front for PLO and radical nationa- Israeli educators started protesting It’s in the interest of all children to listic activities. The explicitly non- against the closure of the schools. reopen a path for understanding, violent and legal demands for equal Israeli teachers met with their col- irrespective of the different political rights and services by Jaffa Arabs are leagues in the Occupied Territories solutions one advocates. AIPAC (better known as ‘The Jewish collaborators from all the villages Their recent harsh experience did Lobby’) and the Israeli Embassy around. The army brought them here not make Mufid and his friend Hussni continuously tried to convince Mem- and gave them this building. Every day hostile to us. They talked to us with bers of Congress and Senators that they shoot at us.’ One night, villagers great warmth, repeatedly shaking our schools are a danger for Israeli security, set the collaborators’ house on fire. hands. even after the spokesperson of the Since then, the collaborators have From there, we were taken to see the Defence Ministry announced - in the been retaliating by damaging property family of Iman Fares, a boy who was middle of our campaign - that the at random. From the building we see a killed by soldiers in June. Two of our schools in the West Bank would be man looking at us, and a voice over a group were Israeli mothers whose sons reopened. The weakness of the official loudspeaker menacingly orders us to were killed in the Lebanon War. position was so obvious that even go away, all of us. A lawyer in the The common pain of mothers who Israel’s strongest supporters were group shouts to them what right do lost their sons created an exceptional critical about it. Many were eager to they have to disperse us. The only sphere of understanding and eager- express to a critical Israeli their answer is some shots toward the local ness to talk. An Israeli mother spoke: concern about the activities of the youths. If that was meant to keep them All violence must stop immediately and AIPAC people, which seemed more away from us, the result was the on both sides. Let us each have our own and more related with the position of opposite: the youths join us most state in peace. One of the Fares’ the extreme right-wing elements in the enthusiastically. The soldier looking relatives responds: Your sons and our Israeli government, rather than with from the army post does not pay any son who fell - it is all the same pain. We general Israeli interests. Some Senators attention. both need peace. mentioned signs of change in the The next village is Arabeh. This time position of the American electorate; the roadblock at the entrance is not On a late afternoon hour we leave the letters which they receive from one put up by the Israeli army; rather it the village. We drive slowly in convoy. their constituents have become more is manned by youngsters with faces At our sides are cars full of ‘Intifada critical about Israeli policies. covered by Kafiyas, brandishing sticks boys’. Suddenly the convoy stops. We In general people are aware of the in their hands, painted black, green, are told that a Hamas member, fact that the Intifada had changed red, white. A more experienced Israeli gesturing in a hostile way, was seen Israel’s role as ‘a stabilizing factor’ in participant reassures me that everything approaching the road ahead of us. The the region. The actual Israeli govern- is okay, they only want to guard us: boys demand that he move away ment policies are in fact endangering they are the Intifada militia. In Arabeh from he road; only then does the convoy continue. the stability of the whole region. no confrontations take place, and far The Senate and the House passed more Palestinian flags, and PLO leaders’ separate resolutions commending Israel pictures are to be seen in the narrow A deportee’s farewell for reopening the schools, and asking streets. It seems some time has passed The deportation of Bir-Zeit physics the school administrators to stay away since the last army raid. lecturer Taysir Aruri was implemented from the political discussion. In very In the next village, Ra’ey, they know in spite of protests inside and outside clear terms both Houses condemned about our coming. The crowds of Israel, a petition signed by a thousand the way in which the Palestinian popula- youths greet us warmly. On the faces physicists, and the protests of Amnesty tion had been punished. we see there is a smile of welcome. International - all in vain. The Some faces we don’t see - they are government’s only concession had • • covered with black kerchiefs, and the been to allow Aruri to go to France by hands beneath them are holding iron plane, rather than the ‘normal pro- ‘We both need peace’ chains. These are Rabin’s notorious cedure’ of just pushing deportees by Ehud Spiegel ‘masked inciters’, whom he authorised across the Lebanese border. the army to shoot at sight. Here they At Ben-Gurion airport, amidst the On Saturday August 27, a group of are engaged in safeguarding us from Israelis - Jews and Arabs – organized lines of tourists and business people, a the ‘Hamas’ fundamentalists, who are clash took place between airport police by the Haifa area Peace Groups Coordi- not so pleased with our visit. There is a nating Committee set out from Umm el- and protesters. The police tore the sudden commotion. A sweating fat protesters’ placards to pieces, and Fahm, to the villages of the northern youth is making his way through the West Bank. arrested Aruri’s wife who was in the crowd. He had come to tell us that two midst of all this. A few hours later they Umm el-Fahm is receding behind us. Ra’ey villagers, who had intended to let her go home. The road is becoming more and more meet us in Ya’abed, were beaten up by narrow and broken. We pass through the collaborators. We asked to meet woods and a deserted junction, and the two and were taken to the house Ins and Outs enter the Occupied Territories. In an where they were recuperating. I wrote After a long struggle, conscript Amit empty gas station, our contact man is down the story of Mufid Sheikh Lewenhof - having spent more than waiting, to escort us into Ya’abed Ibrahim, a man about forty years old: 100 days in prison - was allowed to do Village. At the village entrance the We were waiting for you at the Ya’abed his military service within the pre-’67 street is cut in two by a man-high wall gas station. Suddenly a car with two borders of Israel. built by the army. Behind it, some collaborators arrived. They threatened The army announced a new policy, houses are surrounded by wire. They us with their rifles and forced us to climb of not forcing a Yesh G’vul reservist have been taken over as military into their car. Then they took us up a more than two consecutive times to observation posts. In the middle of the narrow track, beat us up and said: ‘a refuse service in the occupied territories, village we see another army post, and bullet costs one Shekel, and that is how thereby limiting the de-facto punish- next to it a big, three-floor building, much your lives are worth. If you don’t ment for refusal of reservists to two partly burnt. One of the villagers rebuild our burned house we will finish months of imprisonment per call-up explains: ‘In this building live 26 you. The rabbi of the cooperative vil- doctor from helping the sick.’ Something wrong lage (Moshav) Chatzav has four Rabbi Malka’s children go in and charming children who go skate- out of the room during the whole ‘Everything that you read in the boarding around the house. He lost interview. The youngest is three and newspapers is true, and it is only a his driving licence because of travel- a half years old. Not long ago, his part of the truth. I was in Gaza ling at high speed. Rabbi Mordechai hair was shorn in the Chalaka several times, and I know. My cap- Malka keeps at his side a Bible and a ceremony* which was the occasion tain is a decent man. He tries to box of cigarettes. He is 31 years old. of a great family celebration. Rabbi restrain the soldiers. But the lieu- He has served in a combat unit, and Malka is fond of celebrations in tenant and the senior sergeant are ten years ago he broke the Shabat which people gather and open their real beasts. They take the lead in prohibitions in order to fight Pales- hearts to each other. Previously, he beating up prisoners. How do you tinians, who took as hostages pas- had lived in a northern moshav, near expect the soldiers to behave, with sengers of a bus on the coastal to many Arab villages. He was often such an example? highway. The interview is interrupt- invited by Arab neighbors to their I wish I had a camera with me ted when Rabbi Malka is asked to family celebrations, which streng- there. Some things will always re- speak urgently to a young soldier thened his belief in the possibility of main imprinted on my mind. The who was heavily upset after being coexistence. He says: other soldiers thought there is some- rejected by the Paratrooper Corps. thing wrong with me because I stood The government must start talking Rabbi Malka speaks to the soldier in with the PLO. The actions of or- on the side and did not participate. a calm voice, and quotes anecdotes If I told everything I have seen, I dinary citizens like me could not from the Torah. replace it. - but they could bring could wreck the lieutenant’s career.’ A few days ago, Rabbi Malka was peace just one small step closer. - ‘Why don’t you ?’ summoned to the office of the Chief Sephardi Rabbi, Mordechai Eli- * Traditionally Moroccan Jews do ‘After all, he is my commanding not cut a child ‘s hair in the first three yahu, to be reprimanded for his officer...’ years of his life. The child’s first participation in the Toledo Con- Noted down on a wedding party, from haircut is the occasion of a great ference. The Chief Rabbi accused the 19-year old brother of the bride, celebration, and usually takes place Malka that in his Toledo speech - who was on a one-day leave. at the tomb of a Saint. delivered to an audience including several PLO members - he had (continued from page 11) ‘defended murderers’. Rabbi Malka • • • In the meantime, Rami Chasson, was not intimidated by the Chief who achieved world-wide fame dur- Rabbi’s authority. He told Rabbi ing his prolonged struggle early this Eliyahu that he does not retract even The Masarwa verdict: year, was ordered to present himself one word which he said in Toledo. Guilty ! in November for a new term of He had said that all human beings service - as a prison guard over Inti- were created by God, and all of them On October 10, The Tel-Aviv fada prisoners. Unless the army re- have the right to a peaceful and District Court found Mahmud lents, he will be in prison again, less secure life; that the Jewish religion Masarwa, an Arab citizen of Israel, than half a year after his release. believes in absolute justice and guilty of arson and aggravated Chasson, the 33-year owner of a opposes violence of any kind, and espionage. This verdict leaves grave health-parlour, has little time left for that it forbids all forms of discrimi- doubts. his clients! nation. He produced copious re- Practically all prosecution witness- ferences from the Bible, from the ses were feeble, contradicting them- • • • Talmud, and from Maimonides. ‘It’s selves and each other. The prose- all there, you just have to read it.’ cution’s main evidence was Masar- When he was invited to Toledo, he wa’s confession, extracted from him ‘You just have to accepted the invitation immediately. in the months-long period of inter- He saw in it a precious chance to rogation, when he was held in total read it!’ overcome the bad image given to isolation. At that time, no lawyer was On August 11, 1989, the right-wing Judaism by rabbis such as Kahane allowed to see him, several being daily Ma’ariv gave an example of and Levinger, who preach hatred of disqualified ‘for lack of a security how to make the idea of negotiations Arabs. ‘These are the rabbis who clearance’. with the PLO acceptable for more help murderers!’ he said. The court chose to disbelieve Israelis. Ya’el Paz-Melamed inter- The Chief Rabbi became more Masarwa’s claim that he was forced viewed the young Rabbi Mordechai and more displeased with Rabbi by torture to sign his confession; Malka, who participated in the Tole- Malka’s ‘impertinence’ and threat- The case of Masarwa - a political do Conference. The journalist de- ened to deprive him of his rabbinical activist and a trade unionist success- scribes a man having the same small tenure. ful in establishing cooperation be- vices as everybody, and therefore to be ‘How could he stop me from being tween Jewish and Arab workers - trusted. Rabbi Mordechai Malka is a rabbi?’ asks Malka. ‘Could he stop has aroused worldwide interest, indeed an interesting addition to the the members of the congregation which will continue with his expec- spectrum of the peace movement. from coming to me with their prob- ted appeal to the Supreme Court. The following is translated from the lems? Could he stop me from hel- Contact: Masarwa Support Commit- article: ping them? It is like stopping a tee; P. O.Box 524, London E2, Britain