ftn.q, 1,7.

Newsletter of the Israeli Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace June-July 1989 No 37

Editor: Adam Keller P.O.B.956 Tel-Aviv, Israel 61008 Editorial Board: Uri Avnery, Matti Peied, Yaakov Phone: (03) 5565804 Arnon, Haim Bar’am, Yael Lotan, Yossi Amitay ELECTIONS ROULETTE On May 14, the Israeli cabinet many leading members of all the Likud party; the extreme right Te- approved the ‘Peace Plan’ presented Palestinian political factions. Nor is hiya party stated: ‘Yitzchak Shamir to it by Prime Minister Shamir and there anything in the plan to prevent has laid the cornerstone of the Defence Minister Rabin, whose core the Israeli authorities from arresting Palestinian state, with East Jeru­ is the holding of elections in the candidates for election or the elec­ salem for its capital.’ (Hadashot, West Bank and Gaza Strip. Shamir is ted representaives themselves - as 15.5.89). officially committed to this plan, already happened to the Palestinian Clearly, these opponents are not which bears his name; yet he would mayors who were democratically reacting to the Shamir Plan as it now shed few tears should the envisaged elected in 1976. Indeed, Shamir ex­ stands, but rather to the potential elections never take place. Shanur’s plicitly stated that ‘if it turns out that shape into which it might be trans­ hope is that the plan will be rejected the elected Palestinian leaders are formed at the end of a long negotia­ by the Palestinians, such a rejection accepting instructions from the ting process - especially since these would put the Israeli government in PLO, we will stop the negotiations negotiations would take place under a strong diplomatic position, and and put the leaders in prison’. conditions of ongoing Intifada. secure the support of wavering allies After the election , the plan envis­ in Washington and in the Diaspora ages a five-year u-terim period in Jewish communities. It would also which the Palestinians will exercise free the government’s hands to ‘self-administration’ of ‘their inter­ On the other side of the political implement brutal measures of op­ nal affairs’ - with the Israeli govern­ sprectrum, the moderate peace pression in the Occupied Territories. ment maintaining its monopoly over camp - Mapam, Ratz, Shinuy and No effort was spared in order to ‘defence and security’. It could thus Peace Now - decided to give the make the proposed plan unaccep­ continue to employ its full panoply plan the benefit of the doubt, hoping table to the Palestinians. It regards of repression. (Even the Camp that it would eventually develop in the elected Palestinian leaders as a David agreements provided for the the very direction that the extreme substitute negotiating partner, and ‘redeployment of Israeli forces out­ right is afraid of. explicitly excludes the possibility of side the population centres’ and the Similar considerations also prevail negotiations witli the PLO. Also creation of ‘a strong Palestinian in extensive parts of the interna­ excluded is the creation of an inde­ police force’. Nothing of the kind tional arena. In London, Madrid pendent Palestinian state. On many could be found in the Shamir Plan.) and Brussels, the Israeli govern­ other vital points the plan is totally After the interim period, the plan ment’s proposals were not rejected silent. No provision is made for the envisions the opening of peace out of hand; the U.S. administration Palestinians living outside the Occu­ negotiations between Israel and Jor­ welcomed the Shamir Plan, while pied Territories - who constitute dan; Palestinian representatives are asking for ‘explanations’ and ‘clarifi­ half of the Palestinian people, and invited to join in - provided they cations’ - in order to present these who are, in effect, doomed to eternal accept the agenda of negotiations, in clarifications in Tunis. For its part, homelessness. Nor is there any men­ which the creation of a Palestinian the PLO leadership - though em­ tion of the Palestinian residents of state will, of course, not be included. phatically rejecting Shamir’s terms East Jerusalem (which was annexed for elections - has shown itself to Israel) and of their right to partici­ willing to continue negotiations, in pate in the elections. order to achieve more acceptable The holding of ‘free and secret In spite of all the anti-Palestinian terms. democratic elections’ is promised - stipulations in Shamir’s plan, Israel’s In dealing with the Americans, but the plan does not mention any rightist hardliners became quite Shamir so far demurs, pointing to kind of international monitoring, alarmed when it was adopted by the the difficulties he faces in his own nor does it guarantee the freedom of cabinet. The settlers in the Occupied party due to Sharon’s determined expression or association, during or Territories expressed their opposi­ campaign of opposition. The 3000- after the election campaign. No tion through violent anti-Arab pro­ member Central Council of the promise is made to release the thou­ vocations; Ariel Sharon has started Likud is due to meet on July 4 to vote sands of Palestinians incarcerated in to mobilise a considerable internal on the Shamir Plan. A Sharon vic- Israeli detention camps, who include opposition to Shamir inside the torv would smash the ‘National Unity Government’ and the Shamir- support for the East Jerusalemites' significantly towards the positions of Rabin alliance which is at its core; participation in the Palestinian elec­ the peace movement. Many people Israeli politics might be plunged into tions, as have Labor Party leaders are becoming resigned to Israeli a savage power struggle. The more Shimon Peres and Yitzchak Rabin - withdrawal from the Occupied Ter­ likely possibility, however, is a vic­ the latter being Shamir’s co-author of ritories. Thus, Likud columnist tory for the Prime Minister over the 'peace-plan’. Nathan Bron wrote: ‘Yasser Arafat Sharon and his allies. On June 14, Yediot Aharonot and his advisers are more and more Once having won this struggle, quoted Rabin’s answer to a question confident that they will get their Shamir would not be able to delay about partial Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian state (...) When I look much longer his Moment of Truth; the Palestinian population centres: around me and see what is hap­ he would have to choose. He could 'When elections take place, the Ter­ pening in Israeli politics and in world move forward, even if slowly, on the ritories will remain under Israeli diplomacy, and what is taking place elections - which would, in the end, control, but the deployment o f Israeli on the ground in Judea and Samaria, mean making substantial conces­ forces in them is a technical question I begin to fear that they have good sions. He would have to accept that open to negotiations' reason to be confident’ (Yediot indirect negotiations with the PLO Aharonot, 5.5.89). have already begun and that - ** At the beginning of June 1989, To stem the tide, some factions on sooner or later - they will become Yossi Amitai and Canon Riah Abu- the right decided to launch a coun­ direct ones. El-Asal, co-chairpersons o f the Pro­ ter-offensive. A series of incidents in As a matter of fact, Shamir’s only gressive List for Peace Executive met May 1989 played into their hands.In other option would be digging in his with Mr. Fowler o f the British Em­ the main street of West Jerusalem, a heels and refusing to budge on any of bassy in Tel-Aviv, in the context o f a Palestinian from A1 Bireh stabbed the essential issues. Such intransi­ series o f meetings with Israel-based and killed two old Israelis waiting gence might encounter opposition diplomats in which the PLP eluci­ for a bus, and wounded three others. from Shamir’s Labor coalition part­ dated its positions. According to Defence Minister Ra­ ners, who are more positively dis­ Fowler, whose government was one bin, the Arab was motivated by posed towards the East Jerusalem of EEC members most enthusiastic Muslim religious fanaticism and by a franchise, international monitoring, about the Shamir Plan, reiterated that desire to revenge his brother who ‘redeployment’ of Israeli forces, the Thatcher government remains was beaten by Israeli soldiers. etc.* Should the ‘National Unity committed to the idea o f holding, Within an hour Rabbi Meir Ka- Government’ survive a stalemate on sooner or later, an International hane and dozens of his rabid fol­ these issues, it would face a growing Conference on Peace in the Middle lowers arrived on the scene and isolation on the international arena, East. attempted to lynch two Arab by­ and an escalation of violent clashes passers. They were dispersed by the and bloodshed. It may be assumed • • • police and Kahane spent the next that, in these circumstances, the two nights in jail. On television ‘Shamir Plan’ would be swept off the Pendulum of Prime Minister Shamir practically board, and that international diplo­ endorsed the lynch call, stating; matic efforts would, once again, violence ‘Murderers, such as this one in concentrate on attempts to convene Jerusalem, should not remain whole some sort of a Middle East Peace Since the beginning of the Intifada after our citizens lay hands on them.’ Conference - an idea only momen­ the political right has been increas­ A few days later, police discovered tarily eclipsed by the elections pro­ ingly on the defensive. Even before the sexually-mutilated corpse of a posal.** U.S. Secretary of State delivered his 13-year old boy from Bat-Yam (a One thing should be clear, even to now famous speech, the dream of Tel-Aviv suburb) and two Pales­ the more optimistic supporters of ‘Greater Israel’ had become under­ tinians were detained and inter­ Israeli-Palestinian peace: whichever mined. The massive resistance of the rogated. A few days after this much- scenario materialises, a hard strug­ Palestinian population, the concen­ publicised arrest a Jew, escaping gle still lies ahead. tration of the violence within the from a lunatic asylum in the mixed Occupied Territories, the conspi- Jewish-Arab town of Acre, stabbed The editor cious moderation of the PLO’s to death a 14-year Arab boy; he ran positions, and the worldwide inter­ through the streets, waving the * Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek, for est in the Intifada have had a blood-spattered knife, shouting ‘this twenty years the champion o f "United cumulative effect. is my revenge upon the Arabs!’. Jerusalem', has already expressed his Israeli public opinion has moved Before the revebrations had time

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, Wesf Germany: Israel-Paiastina Komitee, John Bunzl, Biberstr.8/20, 1010 Wien/Austria The Netherlands, Belgium: Uitg. Cypres, Heemr.laan 33, 1181 TZ Amstelveen, Holland; Phone (020) 410388 The U.S., Canada: America-lsrael 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 The following information was The judge replied '. These acts of the provided on one o f the inner pages of Contempt of Court members of minority groups are part H a’aretz newspaper'of February 15, State of Israel. The presiding judge of the so-called Intifada which is a war 1989: stated that, in this case he would be declared against the State of Israel. No comparison is possible between Four soldiers were tried by the lenient and - rather than giving the such acts and the accused’s ill- Northern Command’s Court Mar­ maximum penalty, he sentenced the considered and un-premeditated act. tial. According to the charge sheet two boys to seven and nine months respectively. On the night following Judge the four were in July, 1988, on duty in Banai’s verdict, two members of the the Beit Sahur area of the West • Mapam Youth were detained by Bank, where they were left alone police, accused of having put, on the with a handcuffed and bound-eyed For several years, the alert part of door of the judge’s private apart­ Arab prisoner. The soldiers started Israel’s citizens is getting concerned ment, a sign: HERE LIVES A MAN to beat and kick him, and one of at an increasingly obvious bias in the WHO GIVES LICENCE FOR MURDER. them burned him with cigarettes, Israeli judicial system, whereby Judge Banai’s verdict did arouse a causing him severe bums. Arab defendants systematically get storm of criticism from Knesset far heavier punishments than Jews In their verdict, the judges stated Members, Jurists and journalists. accused of the same or graver that the soldiers’ crime was a grave The most sharply-worded attack offenses. However, no judges ever one, that they have mistreated a came from the pen of writer and admitted using double standards; helpless prisoner and, thereby, columnist Amos Keynan, who wrote the Bar Association, too, always brought infamy upon the good name an article entitled ‘Contempt of dismissed indignantly any accusa­ of all IDF soldiers. The judges Court’: imposed upon three soldiers a tions of discrimination before the month and a half imprisonment law. Explicit discrimination of Arabs I feel a burning shame at needing each, and upon the fourth one, who in court is not - as yet - legitimate to tell Judge Banai that Justice does used the cigarettes - three months. in the juridical establishment. Dur­ not discriminate between human Supported by their parents the sol­ ing the racist campaign of May 1989, beings (...) Judge Banai does not diers, who had hoped to get only a however, the situation started to deserve to be addressed as “Your suspended prison sentence, decided change. Honor’ and is not fit to be a judge. to apply for a pardon. —___ __ He should be kicked out and sent Judge Yitzchak Banai, o f the Be’er flying, like a rocket, far out of the The next day, February 16, Ha’aretz Sheba District Court, refused to judicial system. remand in custody Michael Mam an, put the following in a similarly Finally State Attorney Dorit Bei- a Jew who threw a Molotov cocktail inconspicious place. nish decided to appeal the verdict to at an Arab car on the day when the The Haifa District Court tried two the Supreme Court, which duly kidnapped soldier’s body was discov­ members of the Communist Youth overturned it and extended Michael ered. The prosecution pointed out League, both inhabitants of Haifa. Maman’s detention until the end of that all Arabs suspected of throwing The two had burned tyres, raised this trial. At the same time, she also Molotov cocktails or stones have Palestinian flags and wrote graffiti ordered the police to start investi­ been remanded, and that judge Banai whose content - as the charge sheet gating Amos Keynan, on charges of himself gave such verdicts quite often. claims - was directed against the ... Contempt o f Court. to die down the news of the disap­ two particular cases, several addit­ army chief-of-staff Dan Shomron, pearance of a young Israeli soldier ional factors exacerbated tensions calling him ‘The Intifada, chief-of- on leave, while attempting to hitch a and emotions: Ashdod and Ash- staff*. Shouting ‘Death to the ride home, and the discovery of the kelon - the home towns, respect­ Arabs’, the mob assaulted Arab dead body of another hitchhiking ively, of the dead soldier and the workers on the streets. In a large soldier, who disappeared two missing one - are close-knit com­ Ashdod factory, Jewish workers months previously, rocked the Is­ munities, and the two young men declared a strike demanding the raeli public. were known to many of the in­ removal of all Arab workers. On the Stricktly speaking, the kidnap and habitants. The two towns are situ­ roads, a ‘Jewish Intifada’ - throwing killing of uniformed soldiers - even ated in close proximity to the Gaza stones on Arab cars - started; a when not on duty - could be Strip and have felt the Intifada far Palestinian driver, on his way to his justified by the perpetrators as more closely than other parts of West Bank home, was hit by a big ‘guerilla attacks on military targets’. Israel. In both towns there is signif­ stone and died instantly. Such terms were indeed used by icant unemployment; many jobless The police was unable to find the Menachem Begin in 1946, when his workers blame the Palestinians killers. Indeed, with regard to Jewish Irgun underground kidnapped two from the Gaza Strip who work in the stone-throwers, the authorities have British soldiers and left their bodies town. A hard-core of extreme right been far more lenient than towards hanging on a tree, for the British activists has been formed in this their Arab counterparts (see box). Army to find. region, especially by former North Moreover, the attacks on the Pales­ Nevertheless, the Israeli Jewish Sinai settlers who are now living at tinian workers gained an official public - in which nearly every family the north of the Gaza Strip. sanction when the military authori­ has one or more members serving as With the disappearance of the two ties imposed a curfew over the entire a conscript or reservist - reacts to soldiers, the right-wingers were able Gaza Strip, and ordered all Gazan the killing of hitchhiking soldiers, on to cash in and start a week of violent workers to go home immediately. their way home, far more violently riots. At the dead soldier’s funeral, a Police raided the workers’ over­ than to their death in battle. In these mob tried to overturn the car of crowded flats, in the poorer areas of the Israeli cities, and loaded them of Knesset Members demanded that conspicious participation by the upon Gaza-bound vans; Israeli the police investigate Nachman on local branches of the Labor youth citizens were called upon to inform suspicion of breaking the law against movements. On the morning when the police of the whereabouts of racism. the ‘huts’ were due to start opera­ hiding Gazan workers. The police did investigate Nach­ tion, a hundred protesters blocaded The blockade of Gaza was inten­ man, but ‘counterbalanced’ this by the site. These vigils have been going ded to last for several weeks, until all raiding offices of the Communist on daily, up to the time of writing. So Gazan workers employed in Israel Party and confiscating large quanti­ far, the Palestinian workers have not were issued with new magnetic ties of the Yellow Stars. This was explicitly been compelled to concen­ cards, containing computerised in­ justified by the claim that ‘a Holo­ trate in the ‘huts’, but the police is formation on their past, which al­ caust Victims’ organization had harassing them in the other parts of legedly would enable the police to complained that the stars were Petach-Tikva. hurting their sensitivities’. The po­ keep track of ‘troublemakers’. How­ • ever, within four days the govern­ lice was not able to name this ment was forced to desist, after being organization. Indeed, ‘The Israeli During the twenty-one years of flooded with protests by industri­ Union of anti-Nazi combatants and occupation the Jewish settlers in the alists, hoteliers and - most especial­ victims of Nazism’** actively par­ Occupied Territories built up a ly - building contractors, who were ticipated in the demonstration at considerable power base. They suddenly deprived of their work­ which the stars were distributed and maintain veritable militias (supplied force. Even Ariel Sharon, the gov­ published their own statement head­ by the Israeli army) and possess a ernment minister most notorious for ed with two of the contested stars, powerful lobby in the government, his bloodthirsty attitude towards one marked with ‘Jude’ and the Knesset and army command. This Arabs - who also happens to own a other with ‘Oved Zar’ (Hebrew for power was exhibited in mid-May large farm near the Gaza Strip - ‘foreign worker1). 1989, when Rabbi Moshe Levinger complained that ‘Rabin gave the - leader of the Hebron settlers - • farmers no advance warning before stood trial for the killing of a Hebron taking away their workers’. In Petach-Tikva - one of Israel’s merchant. In Ashkelon - where Arab work­ oldest towns, located east of Tel- Levinger (who was released on ers had been assaulted on the streets Aviv - Giora Lev, the newly-elected bail immediately after the killing) let - inhabitants admitted that ‘without Mayor and former military attache the court wait more than an hour for the Arabs, the whole town is collap­ in South-Africa announced that his arrival, claiming that he had been sing’. When the Gazan workers Arab workers in his town would be busy with his morning prayers. This finally came back, none of them were concentrated in ‘pens’. He stated: explanation was accepted by the molested. ‘We can’t allow them to go around judge, who treated Levinger with on the streets. They are defecatingm deference and referred tohrm as ‘the I backyards and attempting to rape Honourable Rabbi’ rather than ‘the Meanwhile, a number of mayors women. They should be placed in accused’. When asked whether he initiated local anti-Arab measures. pens with a fence around them. pleaded guilty, Levinger stated: ‘I The lead was taken by Ron Nach­ Their employers could take them did not kSl that Arab. I wish I had, man, Mayor of Ariel - a West Bank from there, and bring them back but God did not see fit to grant me settlement established in 1978 under there after they finished working.’ that privilege.’ The trial’s next ses­ Sharon’s special patronage. At the This statement caused a storm and sion was fixed for several months end of May Nachman announced polarised the town’s local politics. ahead. Outside the courthouse, that ‘for security reasons’, Pales­ The municipal council meeting ex­ Levinger posed for photographers, tinians who are the menial workers ploded into a shouting match, after waving the pistol with which, accor­ in the settlement would be required former Labor Mayor Dov Tavori ding to the charge sheet, he had to wear badges bearing the words compared Mayor Lev’s proposal committed the crime and which the ‘Foreign Worker’. Two days later, on with the work camps in which Jews police did not confiscate. June 1, twenty members of the were placed by the Nazis. Neverthe­ In the following weeks the settlers’ Mapam Youth arrived at Ariel and less, the Mayor’s proposal was adop­ punitive raids grew to an unprec­ marched through its main street, ted 14 to 9. edented scale. Hundreds of armed wearing badges: ‘I, too, am a Foreign In face of the mounting contro­ settlers decended upon Arab towns Worker’. The protest spread quickly. versy, Giora Lev tried to backtrack, and villages, shooting at random, Several days later, thousands of changing the term ‘Michla’ot’ (pens) destroying shops and cars, and even people participated in a march from - normally used for cattle in a farm setting houses on fire. Some soldiers Tel-Aviv to Jaffa, to mark the twen­ - to ‘Ezorey Rikuz’ (concentration who tried to restrain the settlers ty-second anniversary of the occupa­ areas) - but this term, too, was not were themselves assaulted. Even the tion; practically all of the protesters free of reminiscences; finally, Lev military governor of the West Bank, wore ‘Foreign Worker* badges, some settled for ‘Sh’chachot Ma’avar’ Brigadier-General Ophir, was insul­ of which were modelled on the (transit huts). Lev further added ted and assaulted by a bunch of Yellow Star that European Jews that these ‘huts’ will not, after all, be settlers, who snatched his gun out of were forced to wear under Nazi rule. enclosed by fences, and that their his hands. On the following day, Ron Nach­ function would merely be to provide On May 31, settlers carried out man oficially canceled his ‘badge- the Arab workers with shade while their most ferocious attack. In the program’ - but journalists found waiting to be hired. village of Kifl-Chares, a 16-year old out that he had merely substituted a All this failed to silence the op­ girl was killed and dozens of the disk bearing a red triangle for the position. A protest rally took place in inhabitants wounded. The settlers ‘Foreign Worker1 badge. A number front of the Town Hall, with a shot several donkeys and set fire to the village’s fields. (The settlers’ Algerian War, which argues that the military commander admitted that special interest in Kifl-Chares stems French Army’s efforts in Algeria were this was done specifically in order to from a tomb located in the village doomed to failure; Shomron personally bar their entrance. For two hours, center. Muslims venerate it as the distributed copies to all the generals under they held a vigil at the roadblock, burial place of a Muslim saint, but his command. holding a single large sign, contain­ the settlers believe that the Biblical ** The Union o f anti-Nazi Combatants ing a quotation from the Universal Joshua is interred there. Many of the and Victims o f Nazism - 64 Shlomo Declaration of Human Rights, of settlers regard the Bible story, de­ Ha’melech Street, Tel-Aviv 64511 which Israel is a signatory: ‘A person scribing Joshua’s savage conquest of shall not be arbitrarily deprived of the Cana’anites, as a source of % % % property’. inspirations.) Afterwards, 27 of the participants TTie Kift-Chares pogrom was the The story of the decided to enter the town through last straw, creating a wave of public the orange groves on its edge, and outrage against the settlers. Not only Twenty-First Year try to get to the Daud family’s house. was it sharply condemned by the On Sunday, May 28, a small notice On their way, however, they encoun­ peace movement, but Labor and was placed on the billboard of the tered a Border Guard unit and were Likud Ministers alike made state­ Tel-Aviv University’s Philosophy ordered to leave the town immedi­ ments against ‘those who take the Department; it informed Dr. Adi ately. While walking through the law into their own hands’. Even Ophir’s students that his seminar on Kalidliya streets, surrounded by the several Knesset Members of the Thoams Hobbes will not take place. Border policemen, a group of Pales­ extreme right, such as Rafael Eytan Instead the students got a practical tinian children flashed a V-for- and Chanan Porat (himself a West demonstration in civil disobedience. victory sign at them; in response, two Bank settler) felt compelled to Adi Ophir was one of a group of 27 members of the group replied with condemn the pogrom and dissociate imprisoned peace activists being the same signal - and were prompt­ themselves from its perpetrators. taken in a police car to the Kfar-Saba ly arrested for ‘inciting to rebellion’. About 30 settlers were arrested by Magistrate’s Court. Thereupon, the rest of the group the police, on suspicion of partici­ The chain of events leading to this repeated the gesture - and were all pation in the pogrom, though they situation began in October 1988, taken off to detention. It seems that were later released. The army also when Israeli security forces detained the police found it hard to deal with announced its intention to issue Nabil Daud, a 15-year old boy from this sudden influx of prisoners; the orders of ‘town arrest’ against some Kalkilya, on suspicion of setting fire nineteen women among them were of the more turbulent settlers, thus to a parked Israeli car. After interro­ placed in a narrow cell with only ten confining them inside the boun­ gation, the boy signed a confession; beds in it. daries of their settlement. These thereupon, and before any trial took After spending the weekend in orders were hitherto used only place, the military governor issued custody, the 27 were brought to the against Palestinians. an order for the destruction of the Magistrate’s Court in Kfar Saba (the Daud’s family’s house, in which live Israeli town closest to Kalkilya). The • his parents and his ten brothers and courtroom was full of family mem­ On June 3 a mass rally, called by sisters. The family appealed to the bers, reporters and political sup­ the moderate ‘Peace Coalition’ (in­ Supreme Court. Its appeal was porters - many of whom could not cluding ‘Peace Now’, the Ratz, Ma- rejected, as ‘the Supreme Court find a seat inside. After long dis­ pam and Shinuy parties, and many does not, other than in exceptional cussion - particularly on the funda­ prominent Labor Party members, situations, interfere with the security mental political issue whether the V- such as the party’s former Secretary- forces’ procedures in restoring or­ sign stands for victory only or for General, Uzi Bar’am) took place in der”; in this case there was, indeed, peace as well - the judge decided to Tel-Aviv. According to police esti­ nothing exceptional: dozens of simi­ deny them bail. mates, 80,000 persons took part in lar cases have occurred in the last The judge’s decision was received the rally. The keynote speech was year. In general the authorities let with shock and fury, particularly as delivered by writer Amos Oz. these doomed houses accumulate compared with the practice of gran­ until on a certain day large military ting bail to settlers charged with I want to tell Prime Minister Shamir forces descend on a town, by sur­ killing Palestinians. and President Herzog: Stop talking about ‘those who take the law into prise, to destroy all of them. On the morning of May 30, 500 their own hands'. If you don't call The Daud family’s case came to Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem crimes against humanity by their true the attention of the ‘Twenty-First against the arbitrary detention of name, we will all become accom­ Year’ - a group of Israelis founded the 27. The call for the vigil went out plices.' after the 20th anniversary of the Six- on the initiative of Peace Now and For the time being, the settlers Day War, seeking to go beyond the other protest groups; with less than seem subdued. They have ceased usual ways of protest and make 12 hours of preparation they suc­ their large-scale raids on Palestinian opposition into a way of life. ceeded in flooding the entrance to villages; some of them even met with On the morning of Friday May 26, the National Police Headquarters Mapam members, asking: Why can't about 40 members of the group with protesters. you dialogue with us, as you do with arrived at Kalkilya, in order to In Tel-Aviv University, hundreds the Palestinians? express their opposition to the de­ of students and lecturers marched • On several occasions, Chief-of-Staff molition of the Daud family’s home. through the campus, ending at the Shomron staled his conviction that it is In the outskirts of the town, they Law Faculty building; the faculty’s impossible to put down the Intifada encountered a roadblock, and were dean, Prof. Uriel Reichmann, joined militarily. Under his influence the Defence informed that the town has been the marchers. In Haifa, the Israeli Ministry translated a book about the declared a ‘closed military area’; the Society of Linguistics held its annual convention; on the hour scheduled was released after several protests, dozens of people in Turmus-Aya for a lecture by Prof. Tanya Reinhart including a press conference orga­ and Nahalin. - one of the 27 - the convention nised jointly by Peace Now and the participants held a rally demanding el-Hatib family. Ill her release. Meanwhile, in the Knes­ On the day itself, some two thou­ set, a petition to the Minister of sand Israelis traveled to four differ­ Food for the besieged Police was signed by 17 Knesset ent West Bank villages, all of them Members of the Ratz, Mapam, recently raided by either settlers or Since the beginning of the Intifada, Shinuy and Labor parties; this action soldiers. As defined by the organi­ Israeli individuals and groups have was, however, marred by decision of sers, the purpose of this action was to been sending food, medicines and this ‘peace-coalition’ to exclude the prove that peace-seeking Israelis clothes, concentrating on particular Knesset Members of the non-Zionist can find welcome where their armed areas hard-hit by curfews and the PLP and the Communist Party (KM compatriots encounter a rain of Israeli Army’s raids. Some of these Muhammad Miari was first asked to stones. relief convoys were blocked by the sign, but then asked to remove his The Palestinian leadership-with military authorities, such as the signature!). which Peace Now coordinated every Gaza caravans organised by “Stop Faced with the tide of public detail of the operation - took care to the Occupation’ in 1988 (see The criticism, the police gave in and prevent any kind of unforseen inci­ Other Israel: 30, p. 6; 34, p. 5). But released the 27; they received a dent; as several Israeli journalists many food shipments got through. tumultous welcome at a closely- remarked, it was an unusually quiet Among the Arab citizens of Israel, packed public hall in Tel-Aviv. How­ day all over the West Bank-a veri­ such solidarity acts have become an ever, the police announced that the table one-day armistice. expression of the Israeli Arabs’ 27 will soon be prosecuted on Originally, the military authorities identity as part of the Palestinian charges of ‘incitement to rebellion’ promised that they would let the people. The collection of contri­ and ‘entering a closed military area’. Israelis enter the villages and receive butions is carried out by the major On Saturday, June 17, the Twenty- the Palestinian families’ hospitality. political parties active among the First Year’s group returned to the In the event, however, the army Arabs, such as the Progressive List site of their ‘crime’, accompanied by reneged on this agreement, only al­ for Peace, the Communist Party, and a large number of supporters includ­ lowing the Israelis and Palestinians Darawshe’s Arab Democratic Party, ing PLP and Ratz Knesset Members, to meet on the outskirts of the built- as well as by the Arab Mayors’ and held a twenty-four hour sit-in up area. The Peace Now organisers Committee, the de facto leadership strike at the military roadblock on accepted this, under protest-but body of Israel’s Arab citizens. Or­ the entrance to Kalkilya. The neigh­ only on condition that all military ganizations such as the Association boring kibbutzim and Arab villages forces be withdrawn from the vil­ of Arab Highschool Pupils take an supported the action with food, lages, until the meetings were over. active part in the fund raising, which drinks and tents; so did the in­ This condition the army complied is often carried out at social events habitants of Kalkilya itself. with. such as weddings. Contact: Lee Gordon, 43 #1 Borochov At Turmus-Aya village, a thousand On a number of occasions, police St., Jerusalem 96781, Israel Israelis and Palestinians held an im­ attempted to disrupt these activities provised rally, freely intermingling, and arrest the activists; in one case, chatting, listening to speeches in the police seized receipt books III Hebrew and Arabic, and-at the which were made out ‘for support of conclusion - singing together ‘we the Intifada’, which - it was claimed Peace Day shall overcome’ in English. The olive - constitutes under Israeli law ‘sup­ grove where the rally took place port for terrorist organizations’. On March 4, the Peace Now move­ seemed quiet and peaceful, showing Until recently the authorities hes­ ment tried, for the first time, to hold no outward sign of the incident in itated to make a systematic cam­ a ‘peace-day1 of large-scale meetings which, several weeks previously, a paign to stop all of these activities, between Israelis and West Bank 18-year old shepherd was killed. which would provoke a head-on Palestinians; however, army road­ In a similar rally held at the long- clash with Israel’s Arab citizens. blocks at the West Bank entrances suffering Nahalin village, the father However, the government has re­ kept the peaceniks out. This pre­ of a boy killed in the bloody night of cently taken the ominous step of vention of peaceful dialogue drew April 13 (seeprevious issue, p. 9) told introducing in the Knesset a bill strong criticism upon Defence Min­ the Peace Now members: ‘I am will­ proposing to amend the (already ister Rabin -including from within ing to give up my desire for revenge, infamous) ‘Anti-terrorist Act’, and his own party - especially in contrast if only we could have peace and our add a new article which (among with the army’s failure to stop armed own Palestinian state.’ other things) defines ‘support for settlers from entering and attacking The event turned out to be quite terrorist organizations’ in a way that the villages. Bowing to public pres­ impressive: on television and on the includes practically any humanitar­ sure, Rabin indicated that the army front pages of the Israeli papers, ian aid to the Occupied Territories’ would not interfere with the second many Israelis and Palestinians, Arab population. ‘peace-day’, scheduled for May 27. young and old, could be seen jointly Acts of solidarity for the Pales­ Nevertheless, the military author­ making the V-sign. As was predicted tinians in the West Bank and the ities did attempt to sabotage the by some of the participating Pales­ Gaza Strip have also given new event: On May 15, one of Peace tinians, however, they had to pay a momentum to joint Jewish-Arab Now’s main contacts and co-organi- price for this succes, too: during the action inside Israel. In the Western sers of the ‘peace-day’, Dr.Rasan el- following night, the army carried out Gallilee, an area in which Jewish and Hatib of Ramallah, was arrested. He a fresh series of raids, and arrested Arab towns and villages are inter­ mingled, such activities were orga­ children’s diseases. It was decided Palestinian driver was hit and taken nised by the ‘Red Line’ group, that the convoy would set out on to hospital with a head wound; headed by former lieutenant-colonel June 2, the international ‘Children’s neither the army nor the police Dov-Yirmiah, and several food con­ Rights Day1. Upon hearing of the made any effort to find the stone- voys were sent to the northern part planned convoy, the Israeli settlers thrower. of the West Bank. in the Gaza strip vowed to ‘block the After about an hour, General leftists at all costs’. As a precaution, • Poleg suddenly produced a Pales­ the convoy organisers decided to tinian who was presented as the In May 1989, the Gaza Strip was divide the food and medicines into secretary of a Gaza orphans’ support subjected to a series of curfews and two parts. One part was loaded upon association, and proposed to the punitive measures, apparently un­ about thirty private cars, which organisers that the food be given to dertaken by Defence Minister Rabin traveled from Haifa and Tel-Aviv his charge; the Palestinian turned in response to pressures from the and along Israel’s main north-south out, however, to be a paid employee extreme right (see separate article). highway, with each car bearing a sign of the military government’s ‘civilian Shabura, a refugee camp at Rafah in Hebrew and Arabic: ‘Gaza Strip administration’. The organisers re­ (in the south of the Strip) was singled Food Convoy’. Simultaneously, an jected this offer, and stated that they out for a particularly harsh treat­ unmarked truck, with the larger part would give the food only to the ment. Its 20,000 inhabitants were of the food, traveled unconspicious- representative of an organization placed under continual curfew for 23 ly through side-roads. which is totally independent of the days. After two weeks, the food About a hundred metres before military government, such as the stores were running out. On Friday, the entrance to the Gaza Strip, the Red Crescent Society or UNWRA May 19, hundreds of inhabitants convoy was blocked by the settlers’ (United Nations Relief Works Ag­ poured out of their houses, breaking cars. The peace activists opened ency). To this the general was totally the curfew; the soldiers opened fire, their cars and, bearing the food opposed. killing five of them, wounding packages in their hands, set out on Suddenly, a truck arrived from dozens and driving the rest back into foot. Upon emerging from the cars inside the Gaza Strip - the ‘invis­ their homes, for another week and a the convoy members - among them ible’ part of the convoy on its way half of curfew. The news took several Knesset Members Muhammad Mia- back from Rafah. The peace acti­ days to trickle out into Israel. They ri (PLP) and Tufik Tubi (Commu­ vists on it reported that they had suc­ caused the formation of a wide nists) - were assaulted by settlers, ceeded in delivering the food and coalition of Jewish and Arab groups, brandishing sticks and shouting that in the Shabura camp, children with the aim of sending a relief abuse, who seemed determined to were already drinking ‘the milk we convoy - the largest to date. wrest the food out of their hands. have brought them’. The organizers included groups Several packages of rice were tom After consultation, it was decided which had never before found them­ and their contents spilled on the that the action’s aims were achieved selves together: Ibna’ Al-Balad road; but within a few minutes the - both to assist the Shabura popula­ (Sons of the Country) and Peace peace marchers organised them­ tion directly, and to mobilize public Now’s Haifa branch; Hal’a haKibush selves, and unencumbered activists, opinion - since, together with the (Stop the Occupation) together with among them many women, formed a settlers, the Israeli press and inter­ Dai laKibush (Down with Occupa­ cordon around those who carried national TV-crews had awaited the tion); the PLP and the Communists, the food. convoy at the checkpoint. side by side with Ratz and Mapam; Together, they broke through the The food was re-loaded on the representatives of kibbutzim as well settlers’ blockade and reached the cars, and the convoy set out, back to as of Arab villages, and further the checkpoint at the Gaza Strip en­ the north. A series of further initi­ Druze Initiative Committee, Shuta- trance. There it was the army which atives is planned for the near future, fut (Partnership), Red Line, Women blocked their way - with Brigadier- in order to supply food and medicine in Black as well as Yesh G’vul. General Poleg, governor of the to children and adults who are A campaign was carried out to Strip, commanding the soldiers in suffering from extended curfews. person. Poleg announced that the collect contributions and bring the Address: Food Caravan Coordinating situation at Shabura to the Israeli entire Gaza Strip had been declared Committee, c/o ‘Shuiajut’, P.O.B. 9577, public’s attention, through daily on this occasion ‘a closed military Haifa, Israel; contact: Daniel Padmes, vigils at street comers. Despite area’ and anyone attempting entry in tel: 04-660281. several violent assaults the vigils defiance of the army would be succeeded in collecting considerable arrested; it soon became clear that amounts of money. More money, the prohibition applied only to the NO COPYRIGHT food and clothing were collected at food convoy, while the settlers were meetings of various organizations, allowed to move freely in and out of The Other Israel is not a commercial with the total worth of all con­ the Strip. Thereupon, the peace magazine, but a publication ded­ tributions exceeding, within a week, activists piled the food on the icated to the widest possible dis­ the amount of 10,000 Israeli shekels ground near the checkpoint and semination of the views contained in ($5,000). started a sit-in strike around the pile. it. Therefore, we hereby freely waive For several hours the stalemate our copyright. Articles published in The action was coordinated in the The Other Israel may be reprinted, Haifa region, where the largest continued. The army prevented the provided that their content is faithful to mobilization also took place. The settlers from further attacks on the the original, and does not change or commodities procured consisted - food convoy, but did not interfere distort it in any way, and provided that besides some sacks of sugar, rice, when the settlers started, instead, the name of The Other Israel, and its throwing stones at passing Gazan address (P^O.B. 956, Tel-Aviv 61008, and beans - of baby food, powdered Israel) are mentioned. milk, and medicines, particularly for cars under the soldiers’ eyes. One thus, wide-spread riots were averted. obvious that many soldiers have Omar Al-Qasem Al-Qasem’s funeral had many of the been working very hard to cover 1941-1989 elements of a state funeral, held by the such a large area, which includes budding Palestinian state in honor of a newly painted walls, religious in­ Few Israelis have heard of Omar Al- man it considers a hero and a martyr. scriptions and commercial signs. In Qasem until the last month of his life. Leading the procession was a contin­ many places, the tar was covered Among the Palestinians, on the other gent of the Intifada’s shock troops, with new slogans, painted in red and hand, he had long since become dressed in red track-suits, followed by white. legendary. In 1968, Al-Qasem was representatives of the Moslem and In A1 Ahli hospital we saw wards involved in the PLO’s attempt to start a Christian clergies and well-known full of the Intifada wounded, many guerilla war on the West Bank. political figures, many of whom openly of them children. One ten year old Leading a group which intended to wept. Thousands of mourners chant­ boy had several rubber bullets re­ sabotage Israeli military installations, ed: “There is no God but Allah and the moved from his stomach. Another he was sentenced to a total of 113-years Martyr is beloved of Allah’ and also: boy, aged 12, had a bullet lodged in imprisonment - of which he served, /M other of the Martyr rejoice - all his lung, which the doctors could not until his death, twenty-one. children are your children.’ remove. Several adult men had In prison, he became not only the A contingent of Israeli Jews and fractures in their legs, the result of most prominent leader of the prisoners Arabs took part in the mourning. beatings. Doctors showed us an X- belonging to the DFLP (Democratic Writer Salman Natur and Adv. Felicia ray of one man’s chest which showed Front for the Liberation of Palestine), langer carried a wreath sent by the the effects of an exploding bullet - but also a respected leader and spokes­ Communist-led ‘Hadash’ front, while the internal organs were splattered man for prisoners of all factions. He dozens of other peace activists walked with fragments. was also active in education, as an behind a wreath inscribed ‘Honor and English teacher and a writer of educa­ respect to freedom fighter Omar Al- On the way out, soldiers at a tional texts and literature for the Qasem’, among them KM’s Mo­ roadblock refused to let our taxi prisoners. Several times, the authori­ hammad Miari, Tufii Tubi and Abd El pass. KM Charlie Bitton got out to ties transferred him from one prison to Wahab Darawshe. Members of the tell them who he is and where we another, but this served only to help ‘Hafarperet’ (Mole) Youth Movement were heading. One soldier picked up spread his influence in ever widening also came from Tel-Aviv to participate. an iron rod and held it ready to circles. During the period of his im­ strike, while another aimed his gun prisonment, several exchanges of pris­ Ill at Bitton. Then, they recognized him oners between Israel and the PLO and laid down their weapons. A local took place; but in all of them, the Gaza after curfew resident might, in the same circum­ Israeli negotiators refused to include stances, already have joined the A1 Qasem. He remained incarcerated, wounded we saw in A1 Ahli. On May 25, the Gaza Strip emerged and became known as ‘the Palestinian from a lengthy period o f curfew. The • • • Nelson Mandela’. first group o f Israeli peace activists to For years, Al-Qasem’s health de­ enter the Strip, on the following day, teriorated; under the very rudimentary was organised by the Communist-led Dialogue update medical care provided in Israeli pris­ Democratic Front for Peace and ons, no adequate treatment was given Equality ('Hadash') and headed by 7 left my house in Jaffa. I am now to his failing kidneys. In May 1989, as KM Charlie Biton. Rayna Moss leaving it to you, but don’t ask o f me his situation became critical, urgent participated. to forget it.’ This statement, by Suad pleas to release him from prison for Amari of Bir-Zeit University on the medical treatment were made. The group went to Shabura refu­ West Bank, succeeded in breaking A number of Israeli lawyers and gee camp, and visited the families of the deadlock, which threatened to journalists have shown themselves Fatme Al-Haide - aged 55, mother wreck the women’s conference held sympathetic, and through them the of seven as well as a grandmother - in Brussels; the participants felt that, general Israeli public heard of Al- and of Ahmed Al-‘Arab - aged 34, from that moment on, a real dia­ Qasem for the first time. All pleas father of six. Both of them were logue had started. At the confer­ were, however, rejected by the auth­ among the five inhabitants killed in ence’s conclusion, it was not possible orities; before a big campaign could be the middle of the weeks-long curfew, to issue a statement acceptable to all mounted Omar Al-Qasem died, a when the people broke out of their participants - several of the Israelis prisoner, on June 4. homes in their collective effort to get present, such as Labor Knesset Following the news of Al-Qasem’s food. Member Nava Arad, did not accept death, a three-day commercial strike The delegation also met with local the principle of complete Pales­ was declared in the Occupied Ter­ doctors, journalists and activists, and tinian sovereignty. Nevertheless, ritories, and political prisoners around held short discussions with dozens of organiser Simone Susskind regar­ the country held a three-day mourning children and adults who gathered ded the event as a success, in the very strike. around them to tell the tales of the fact that many Israeli and Pales­ Omar Al-Qasem’s funeral left from curfew. The group could also wit­ tinian women - some of them with his mother’s home in Sheik Jerah ness the newest form of harassment: no previous experience in such neighborhood, East Jerusalem, and the walls of the entire Gaza com­ meetings - were brought together continued to A1 Aqsa mosque, where mercial center were covered with and had a chance to talk to each he was buried. For once, the police and black tar. According to the official other for three days. Border Guards showed restraint, and, IDF version, a soldier was ordered The Brussels meeting was fol­ except for relatively minor incidents, to erase slogans, and had misunder­ lowed by another conference on the did not interfere with the procession; stood the order. It was, however, other side of the Atlantic, at Har- vard University. Among the Israeli Abie Nathan, owner of ‘The Voice o f support. In any case, we face participants were Shinuy Knesset of Peace’ - an extremely popular increased legal expenses, and would Member Abraham Poraz, former pirate radio station. His charge like to have the wherwithal for laun­ ching a wider information and educa­ Foreign Minister Abba Eban, and sheet enumerates four meetings former West Bank governor Eph­ with Yasser Arafat, seven meetings tional campaign against the ‘anti- raim Shneh (Labor Party) as well as with other PLO officials and one terrorist’ amendment. Labor’s Yael Dayan, daughter of the telephone conversation with a PLO Donations to the: Committee to Save late Moshe Dayan. The chief PLO representative. the Peace Dialogue (CSPD), P.O.B. representative at Harvard was Dr. A second charge sheet concerns 20395, Tel-Aviv 61204, Israel; or to: Nabil Shaat, chair of the Palestinian the June 1987 meeting in Budapest, Bank Hapo’alim - branch 772, National Council’s Political Com­ Hungary (see issue 28, p. 3). Eight of account number 272166. mittee, who in recent months has the participants are indicted. The Letters of protest to: Minister of been successfully touring the United charge sheet accuses the eight of Justice Dan Meridor, Ministry of States and presenting the PLO’s new ‘forming a conspiracy to meet repre­ sentatives of terrorist organizations’ Justice, Salah Ha-Din Street, East positions. Jerusalem; or to: nearest Israeli Such conferences are more than and of having carried out the con­ Embassy or Consulate. ‘get togethers’ of the already con­ spiracy’s intent by ‘meeting with verted. The Israeli participants who representatives of terrorist organi­ • Among the cases investigated is in­ regard positively the idea of elec­ zations at the conference hall of a cluded a meeting in Cairo on April 15, tions in the Occupied Territories felt Budapest hotel, where the accused 1989 which constituted, in fact, part of an encouraged by the PLO position and the terrorist representatives unofficial ‘exchange o f information' on agreeing to the holding of such were seated around an H-shaped behalf of the Israeli government itself: elections, subject to several condi­ table and discussed political issues’. KM Darawshe obtained from Defence Minister Rabin details o f Rabin's view on tions - the chief of them being an In addition to these cases, Attor­ the plan for elections in the Territories; he American guarantee that, at the end ney-General Charish instructed the transmitted them to PLO leader Yasser of the interim period, negotiations police to start investigating the Arafat and his deputies Abu lyad and will start on the basis of ‘territories in participants in further meetings, Abu Mazen, and on his return transmitted return for peace'(Yediot Aharonot, including Knesset Members, with a to Rabin’s aides a document detailing the June 4, 1989). view to accumulating evidence lead­ PLO leaders' comments (Yediot Aha­ A conference due to take place in ing to their prosecution, and to the ronot, May 31, 1989). July at the city of Toledo, Spain removal of the Knesset Members’ might add an entirely new dimension parliamentary immunity. The tar­ to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian gets of this new investigation include Dialogue; most of the hundred all present and former Knesset Chasson’s struggle Israelis due to meet a high-level Members of the non-Zionist par­ Rami Chasson - the 33-year-old PLO delegation at Toledo are Sep- ties*, and a few less prominent owner of a small Jerusalem Sun-tan hardi (Oriental) Jews. The Oriental members of the moderate peace and Health Parlor - had never Jews are the main electoral basis of camp - who participated in one or taken an active role in political the Likud, and the peace movement more meeting with the PLO in activities before his refusal to par­ has not, thus far, been able to gain a Cairo, Prague, Geneva or Belgrade, ticipate in putting down the Intifada. real foothold inside this community; at various dates in 1988 and 1989. The army chose to make an example therefore, the Toledo meeting might These latest developments give a of him, to break the resistance of one assume a vital importance. It should crucial importance to the hearings of in order to deter all. Chasson, be noted that the choice of the the Supreme Court, which will con­ however, was not broken. The army Toledo venue is not accidental; vene on July 19 and 20 to decide did not create a deterrent, but during the Middle Ages, the city of whether or not to confirm the turned Chasson - nilly-willy - into Toledo - than under Muslim rule - sentences passed by the lower courts was a major center of both the Arab upon Latif Dori, Yael Lotan, Eliezer a hero. In 1988 he - together with 800 and the Oriental Jewish cultures, Feiler and Reuven Kaminer, for other reserve soldiers - signed the which existed in close symbiosis. meeting with a PLO delegation in Yesh G’vul petition. Unlike many of Romania on November 1986. the signatories, he did not even • Each of the ‘Romania Four’ was refuse altogether to serve in the sentenced to six months’ actual and occupied territories; he told his During the first months of 1989, twelve months’ suspended imprison­ commanding officer that he is wil­ the Israeli authorities seemed re­ ment, and a fine o f4,000 NIS (above ling to do his reserve service on the signed to seeing the anti-peace law $2,000). The Supreme Court's ver­ West Bank, as long as it does not becoming a dead letter, through the dict in this case will - for better or involve direct contact with civilians. multiplication of Israelis’ meetings for worse - set a precedent for all This request, however, was not with PLO representatives. Indeed, future cases. The following is taken granted. Again and again, Chasson Labor KM David Liba’i introduced from an appeal to the friends of was ordered to participate in patrol­ in the Knesste a bill for the law’s peace, launched by Reuven Kami­ ling the streets of Palestinian cities abolition. ner on behalf of the Romania Four. However, during May and June, or to stand guard over imprisoned charges were presented against We remain in need o f your material Palestinians; he continued to refuse several participants in meetings with and moral support. I f the sentences these orders and was imprisoned the PLO. The first of the new trials, are not reversed, the defendents will five consecutive times. With each due to open at the second half of have to leave theirjobs for half ayear, new term of imprisonment Rami June, is that of the ‘Peace Sailor" leaving their families with no means Chasson became more popular in- side and outside the prison. Exten­ on the mountain overlooking his students in private homes and teach­ sive articles appeared in the Israeli prison. ing them, and all of Bir-Zeit’s 200 press; Chasson’s statement at his Letters of encouragement to: lecturers are doing the same. If the trial: “You, my judges, will your­ Private Amit Lewenhoff, Military army wants, they can arrest us for selves be judged’ was quoted again Identity number 4656570, military this. We have nothing to lose.’ At the and again. postal code 01527 (detention), Israeli same meeting, the peace move­ Rivka Chasson, his mother - Defence Forces, Israel. ment’s ‘Grand Old Man’, Prof. Yesha’ayahu Leibovitz, called upon herself a long-standing Likud sup­ Letters of protest to: Defence porter and a veteran of Begin’s Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Defence Israeli citizens to learn from this ‘Irgun’ underground - gave public Ministry, Kaplan Street, Ha-Kirya, example and manifest their op­ backing to her son’s struggle with the Tel-Aviv, Israel. position to the occupation by acts of defiance, such as soldiers’ refusal to military authorities, and even tried Contact: The Highschool Group, to lobby Likud Knesset Members on serve in the Occupied Territories P.O.B. 33847, Tel-Aviv 61338-, or. and its civilian equivalents. his behalf. Yesh G ’vul, P.O.B. 6953, Jerusalem The campaign reached its peak at a 91068; on In Haifa, a group of Israeli teach­ late evening hour on Thursday, May American Friends of Yesh G’vul, 1678 ers organised The Committee to Shattuck Ave., P.O.B. 6, Berkeley, CA Defend Children Under Occupation 11, when sympathisers filled to 94709, USA.; or. overflowing a public hall inTel-Aviv, British Friends of Yesh G’vul, c/o 6 (CDCUO), which is actively invol­ the audience expressing solidarity Endsleigh Str., London WC1, U.K. ved in the clandestine teaching of with Chasson - at the time impris­ Palestinian children, mainly in the oned for the fifth time - and with six Ill geographically-close Jenin area of other imprisoned refusers. An im­ the West Bank. According to the pressive number of artists con­ People of the book group’s organiser, 60-year old teach­ tributed to this alternative Indepen­ er Em a Mer, its activities are mainly dence Day celebration. Among the Since the beginning of the Intifada, concerned with children aged eight many speakers who addressed the all Palestinian universities have to nine, since these were due to start audience was Maoziya Segal, who been closed down by order of the their schooling exactly at the time lost his right arm in the Yom Kippur military government. In the West when the Intifada started and the War. Well-known in Israel for his Bank (thought not, for some unclear schools were closed. Coming over to activity on behalf of disabled war reason, in the Gaza Strip) elemen­ Jenin once a week, and providing the veterans, Segal had never before tary and high schools, too, were kept children with materials for self-study taken a public stand on such a con­ closed for all but two months of the imported from the United States at troversial political issue. Intifada period; for several months, the committee’s expense, the groups The army command felt a growing even the kindergartens were closed. members succeeded so far in avoid­ unease at this publicity. On April 24, The authorities clamped down on ing arrest. a high-level meeting was held to classes held in private homes, and Meanwhile, the larger ‘Teachers discuss the refuser problem. Accor­ teachers caught teaching such clas­ and Educators for School Re-ope- ding to Ma'ariv newspaper, army ses were arrested. Later, the military ning’ (TESR) started circulating a Chieff-of-Staff Shomron partici­ even ordered school principals to petition stating: ‘As persons invol­ pated personally. At the meeting, stop giving out homework and study ved in education, we are not willing the army authorities decided to ease packages for home use. to accept the closure of schools and up the pressure on reservist refusers The slogan ‘The People of The the deprivation of education as and cease using the method of Book is condemning others to illiter­ legitimate means of punishment. repeated call-ups. acy’ was first used by the religious Collective punishment of children Rami Chasson was allowed - as he peace movements, ‘Oz ve-Shalom’ and youths is unjust, and is causing had requested all along - to do his and ‘Netivot Shalom’, in their de­ additional youths to revolt and enter reserve service in the Jordan Valley, monstration at Prime Minister Sha­ the cycle of violence. Deprivation of far from the Intifada ‘hot spots’. mir’s Jerusalem residence. The education is in contravention of Several other imprisoned refusers organizers mentioned Jewish tra­ children’s recognized basic rights were also released, the most remar­ ditions dating back to the time of and of Article 26 of the Universal kable of them being Angelo Aiden, Roman persecutions in the second Declaration of Human Rights, of an inhabitant of a Jerusalem slum century, when Jews were forbidden which the State of Israel is a signa­ neighborhood. During his three to study their Scriptures; the Talmud tory. We believe that opening the months’ imprisonment, Aiden got hallows the names of the Sages who schools and providing education for expressions of support from many of defied Emperor Hadrian’s ban and all are essential prequisites for his neighbors... including from some continued to teach their disciples in building relations of peace and good Kahane supporters! secret. neighborliness with a modem, en­ It seems, however, that the army’s lightened Palestinian society.’ The Student Union of Tel-Aviv new policy applies only to reservist The petition was, so far, signed by University adopted a resolution refusers - not to conscripts, such as more than a thousand teachers and calling upon the government to re­ the signatories of the ‘Highschool educators, including Yitzchak Vel- open the universities in the Occu­ Students’ Letter’. 19-year old Amit ber, chair of the Israeli Teachers pied Territories. At a large solidarity Lewenhoff, former spokesperson of Union. A similar petition, organised meeting held on the Tel-Aviv cam­ the highschool group, has already by a group of Jerusalem pupils, gotv pus, Dr. Azmi Bishara of Bir-Zeit spent three months in prison, and no 370 signatures; a third petition, also University said: ‘Our universities end seems in sight. The campaign for in Jerusalem, is being organised by continue to function. Every day I am his release goes on, through pe­ parents who have children at the breaking the law by meeting my titions and regular demonstrations school-going age. This public campaign inside Israel, out what happened. The prison driver, who brought some families together with pressures from out­ authorities already knew all they from Gaza. This man, who didn’t side, is beginning to have results. wanted to know. stand in the picket line, and simply Education Minister Navon made Three girls were put in solitary waited near his car, was severely public statements in favor of re­ confinement, and all prisoners re­ beaten. opening the schools. The Knesset ceived a collective punishment - no Then, the police (with help from Education Committee also debated books, no knitting, no radios, no the prison guards) started pushing this issue, with Labor Knesset mem­ meals in the mess hall, separate all of us into a Red Cross bus, that bers speaking out strongly. Repre­ walks for every three women, so they had brought the families from the sentatives of the Military Govern­ won’t be able to meet, and a drastic West Bank. Saying that some people ment’s 'Civilian Administration’, reduction in family visits. Before, the had private cars or taxis, or wanted who enjoy uncontrolled power in this women waiting for trial or on Ad­ to go in another direction, didn’t matter, did appear before the com­ ministrative Detention could be vis­ help. With knocks, kicks and some mittee; they indicated that the ited every week, and those after use of tear gas we were all crowded schools - though not the uni­ trial-every two weeks. Now, visits into the bus. Then the Border versities - might re-open in the near are allowed, respectively, every one Guards, who took over in the mean­ future. and every two months. time, told the driver to drive back­ Contacts: Because of all these ‘improve­ wards, told him to get out of the bus, Oz ve-Shalom - Netivol Shalom, P.O.B. ments’, the Women For Women counted the people inside, and gave 4433, Jerusalem 91043 Political Prisoners (WOFPP) and him two fines: one for driving CDCUO, P.O.B. 44984, Haifa 31448 the families of the prisoners decided backward, and one for overcrowd­ TESR, P.O.B. 7281, Jerusalem 91072 to picket the prison on June 12, a ing. As a parting gift, they beat him, Pupils’ Petition, P.O.B. 3742, Jerusalem monday-which should have been and told him to go straight to Ramal- the families’ visit day. We stood lah, without stopping on the way or • I I there-ten women of the WOFPP, letting anybody off. and some fifty family members, A military jeep went with us to Confronting the prison mainly women, mothers and chil­ guard against anybody getting off dren and a small sprinkling of men: before Ramallah, and so the women by Chava Cohen fathers, husbands, brothers. We of Tel-Aviv went home via the West HaSharon Prison is divided into stood there quietly, with slogans in Bank. The last time that some of us two parts: one, the bigger, is a rather Hebrew, Arabic and English. wanted to go to Ramallah, the army liberal prison for not very serious The police were not happy. They prevented us from entering; this cases: most of its inmates are young told us to move a bit farther from the time, they made us go there, against boys, and there are the ‘Jewish prison, a bit farther from the road. our will. For us it was an extraordi­ underground’ prisoners, people with We moved accordingly. Then they nary experience. For the Palestin­ whom the prison authorities deal told us to disperse. The legality of ians, however, being at the mercy of rather leniently. On the other side is this order is doubtful. In Israel- the military authorities is part of the prison for the female political though not in the Occupied Ter­ daily life. prisoners from the Occupied Terri­ ritories-you are allowed to picket, tories, and here the leniency ends. as long as you don’t shout or make • • • On April 12 there was a visit of disturbances. We agreed to disperse, journalists in this part of the prison. if the prison authorities will receive a Terry Boullata free! Most of them found several things to letter from the families and speak criticize, but in general they saw it as with a delegation of three mothers. by Rayna Moss a normal prison. Probably this was In the beginning they agreed, but 23-year old Terry Boullata-from too much for the prison authorities; when the delegation came with the East Jerusalem was released on bail they started making it into an ‘abnor­ letter, nobody was ready to speak on June 14, as the result of a lengthy mal’ prison. with them. The police threw the public campaign organized by her The first step, taken without giving letter into a waste basket. ‘Come parents and several Israeli human any reason, was halving the amount tomorrow, with a lawyer.’ ‘We have a rights organizations. of money the prisoners can spend in lawyer here. He can come with us Boullata, who suffers from chronic the prison canteen. There you can now!’- ‘No, disperse, disperse!’ hepatitis, has been repeatedly de­ get cigarettes, coffee, milk and We went on standing. The police nied bail and, as a result of the sweets, and as the prison fare is very arrested one of the Israeli women. conditions in haSharon prison, suf­ bad, the prisoners were rather de­ By some strange logic, they chose fered a severe deterioration to the pendent on additions from the can­ one that didn’t feel well, and sat on point that when brought to court she teen. the ground. ‘We shall take you to the could not walk without help. On Next, there came to the prison a hospital’. ‘No thank you, there is no June 8, she sent a message through a new prisoner, with a surprising need.’ During this conversation her lawyer, to whom she was brought sentence: one and a half month. The shirt was tom. The rest of us tried to bound hand and foot: ‘Mother, save military courts very seldom give such prevent her going, or at least to go my life. I am dying.’ short sentences to Palestinians, and together with her, but we were During the past months, the Wo­ the prisoners say that this girl is well thrown out of the police car. (She men’s Organization for Political known as a collaborator. Some days was taken to the police station, Prisoners held a local and interna­ after coming to prison she com­ interrogated and sent home, some tional campaign for Terry’s release. plained to the guards that she was at­ hours later.) The police wanted to The Association of Israeli and Pale­ tacked by the other prisoners. There arrest some more people: they arres­ stinian Physicians for Human Rights was no enquiry, nobody tried to find ted the lawyer and a Palestinian taxi sent numerous telegrams about her case to the authorities. Prof. Em­ the Nitzotz prisoners’ being Jewish, which constitutes an additional pun­ manuel Theodore, a founding mem­ while the other ‘security prisoners ishment. ber of the Association and an expert are Palestinians. As a result, Yakov Signed petitions and messages of on internal diseases, visited Terry Ben-Efrat and Assaf Adiv have solidarity to: HaNitzotz, P.O.B. several times in prison and submit­ spent 9 out of 13 months of im­ 1575, Jerusalem, Israel. ted his expert testimony to the court. prisonment in total isolation, since The Movement of Democratic Wo­ the Prison Authority does not wish A state to be proud of men in Israel and other groups also them to mingle, either with ‘non- security’ Jewish prisoners or with The following is translated from an joined in the campaign; Ratz Knes­ interview with Prof. Ephraim Katzir, set Member Shulamit Aloni appeal­ Arab ‘security’ ones. President of the State of Israel between ed to Defence Minister Rabin for the After Michal Schwartz comple­ 1974 and 1979 (Hadashot 19.4.1989). release ofTerry Boullata on humani­ ted two-thirds of her sentence, she Since the end of his term, Prof. Katzir tarian grounds. applied to have the last third deduc­ reimmersed himself in research at the Meanwhile Rabin, who was visit­ ted for good behavior. This was Weitzman Institute of Science. In this land there are Arabs who ing France, encountered a request denied to her by the Prison Authori­ seek independence. We are not able by Ms. Danielle M itterand to let ty’s Commission, despite positive to find, together with them, a solu­ Terry Boullata receive treatment at a reports on her conduct in prison and French hospital. On the day of his tion-and this is partially our fault the humanitarian grounds of her (...). The Zionist dream was not to return to Israel he gave orders to being a widowed mother of two create a Jewish state in which Arabs release her on bail. children. The official reason for are beaten up; our dream was to Terry is now at home with her refusal was that Schwartz ‘presents a have a state of which the Jewish family, and will soon leave the coun­ risk to state security’. try for medical treatment abroad. people could be proud. Many of my The denial of Michal Schwartz’s friends were killed in the War of Contact: WOFPP, POB 31811, Tel Aviv release sharply contrasts with the Independence. Was this only in or: AIPPHR, POB 10235, Tel Aviv 61101 treatment of three ‘Jewish Under­ order to make ourselves physically ground’ terrorists convicted of triple strong? I believe that the Jewish % % % murder and attempted murder, people and the enlightened world whose sentences were reducd by will not let us degenerate, and that Campaign for President Herzog, from the original we will ourselves get out of the 25 to 10 years. The three are now due present predicament (...). to undergo ‘rehabilitation’ - i.e. Nitzotz prisoners - What do you feel about events in studying in a Yeshiva outside the by Rayna Moss the Territories? prison and only returning at night to The thing which disturbs me above Michal Schwartz, Assaf Adiv and their cells, and are expected to get all is our killing of Arabs. We are Yakov Ben-Efrat, editors of Derech next year a third off their already sending a 19-year boy to kill a 13- HaNitzotz, who were recognised as shortened sentence - as did all of year old kid... Being a biologist, I ‘Prisoners of Conscience’ by Am­ their 30 co-terrorists in the past. know how complex a human being nesty International, have conducted An international campaign in soli­ a three-day hunger strike to protest is. Each one of us is a product of four darity with the Nitzotz prisoners has billion years of development. I know the Prison Authority’s vindictive begun by the signing of the following how correct were our ancestors policy. petition: The three have been designated when they wrote (in the Talmud): ‘security prisoners’, because of hav­ We, the undersigned, strongly pro­ ‘He who saves a single human being ing been convicted of membership in test the arbitrary return o f Yakov Ben- is like one who saved the whole an organization defined as ‘terrorist’ Efrat and Assaf Adiv to the special world’. I feel that we are corrupting by Israeli law - though nobody isolation wing in ‘Ashmoret’ jail and our young generation. Anybody who accused them of any act of violence, the denial to Michal Schwartz o f kills a human being-and not in and their ‘terrorist’ activity consisted release within the framework of battle - is damaging his own mental solely of publishing a newspaper. deducting a third o f her sentence for make-up. Because of their ‘security’ status, the good behavior. We view her remain­ The main problem is that we don’t Nitzotz prisoners are denied even ing in prison after completing two- make a real effort to talk with the the smallest favours which are from thirds o f her sentence, while extreme Arabs. If they think we should talk to time to time granted to normal right-wingers condemned for murder the PLO, than we have to talk with prisoners, such as: weekly telephone have benefitted from the same proce­ the PLO. In such negotiations we calls, math lessons, handicrafts, etc. dure, as a manifestation o f discrimi­ should not place a blind trust in the On the other hand, the Prison nation and inequality before the law, words of the PLO people, and we Authority turned down Michal and as an additional attempt to should continue to maintain and Schwartz’s requests to be transfered delegitimise all democratic and peace develop our armed forces. Any to haSharon prison, where other forces in Israel. agreement should be implemented women who have the status of In our view the three prisoners ’ wish in stages, and only after the obliga­ ‘security’ prisoners are held, and the to spend the remainder of their tions of one stage are carried out similar requests of Adiv and Ben- sentence among prisoners who have should we go on to the next stage. Efrat for transfer to the male pris­ been tried on charges similar to theirs Still, there is no other alternative. It oners’ Kfar-Yona prison’s ‘security’ should be respected, and they should is very difficult to find in the Ter- wing. The reason for this refusal is not be forced into social isolation, ritories a non-PLO representative.

Collection Number: AG1977

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