19 nov 2018
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At least 25 Palestinians were injured on Monday when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) opened fire at peaceful protesters on norther Gaza coast.
Gaza Ministry of Health said that 25 Palestinian citizens suffered different injuries by the IOF gunfire in the northern Gaza Strip. video video Meanwhile, a 13-year-old boy was shot by the IOF soldiers east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the middle area of the Gaza Strip. The PIC reporter said that the IOF heavily fired live ammunition and teargas canisters at the Palestinians protesting on northern Gaza coast for the 16th week in a row. The Higher National Committee for the Great March of Return and Breaking |
the Siege on Sunday affirmed that Gaza border protests will continue until the siege is lifted. video
The committee praised the efforts made by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people living in the besieged Gaza Strip.
It also called on human rights organizations to work toward holding Israel accountable at international courts for its crimes against Palestinian civilians.
Gaza border protests, also known as the Great March of Return, started on 30 March with the aim of shedding light on the Palestinian refugees' right of return and pressuring Israel to lift the 13-year-long blockade on Gaza.
About three months ago, the Gazans decided to expand the marches and started to demonstrate on a weekly basis near the sea border.
Israeli Forces Wound 25 Palestinians, Including AP Cameraman, in Gaza Boat Protest
The weekly protest at the Gaza beach to protest the ongoing Israeli closure of sea access to Gaza was met with violence from Israeli forces today, who fired live ammunition at protesters in boats and along the shore. 25 were wounded with live bullets, including an AP camera operator.
The protest took place off the coast of Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, when hundreds of Palestinians gathered on the shore and then took off in small fishing boats bearing Palestinian flags into the Mediterranean Sea.
Almost immediately, the Israeli Naval ships stationed off the coast began firing live ammunition toward the protesters, according to local sources.
The Israeli Navy also fired tear gas canisters, causing passengers on the boats to suffer from tear gas inhalation.
One of the people wounded by the Israeli forces’ live ammunition was a camera operator working for the Associated Press (AP), who was shot in the foot.
As part of Israel’s blockade of the coastal enclave since 2007, the Israeli army, citing security concerns, requires Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip to work within a limited “designated fishing zone,” the exact limits of which are decided by Israeli authorities and have historically fluctuated.
Many attempts have been made, throughout the years, to draw the public’s attention to and break the on-going siege of the Gaza Strip, whether via ships attempting to sail into Gaza, or ships attempting to sail from Gaza.
The maritime protest has continued each Monday despite an announcement on November 3rd that Qatar and Israel had agreed to establish a sea passage between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip.
At that time, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the route would be monitored by international forces and under Israeli security supervision – including cameras, computer networking and the presence of international inspectors.
But a few days after the agreement was announced, Israeli forces violated the ceasefire with an operation in Gaza in which they killed several Palestinians and one of their soldiers was also killed. That was followed by a series of Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian resistance fighters’ rocket attacks – leading to the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement.
The plan for a maritime passage remains uncertain at this time, and the popular resistance in Gaza has vowed to continue its weekly non-violent challenge to the Israeli naval siege, despite being met each time with live ammunition from the Israeli naval forces.
The committee praised the efforts made by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people living in the besieged Gaza Strip.
It also called on human rights organizations to work toward holding Israel accountable at international courts for its crimes against Palestinian civilians.
Gaza border protests, also known as the Great March of Return, started on 30 March with the aim of shedding light on the Palestinian refugees' right of return and pressuring Israel to lift the 13-year-long blockade on Gaza.
About three months ago, the Gazans decided to expand the marches and started to demonstrate on a weekly basis near the sea border.
Israeli Forces Wound 25 Palestinians, Including AP Cameraman, in Gaza Boat Protest
The weekly protest at the Gaza beach to protest the ongoing Israeli closure of sea access to Gaza was met with violence from Israeli forces today, who fired live ammunition at protesters in boats and along the shore. 25 were wounded with live bullets, including an AP camera operator.
The protest took place off the coast of Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, when hundreds of Palestinians gathered on the shore and then took off in small fishing boats bearing Palestinian flags into the Mediterranean Sea.
Almost immediately, the Israeli Naval ships stationed off the coast began firing live ammunition toward the protesters, according to local sources.
The Israeli Navy also fired tear gas canisters, causing passengers on the boats to suffer from tear gas inhalation.
One of the people wounded by the Israeli forces’ live ammunition was a camera operator working for the Associated Press (AP), who was shot in the foot.
As part of Israel’s blockade of the coastal enclave since 2007, the Israeli army, citing security concerns, requires Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip to work within a limited “designated fishing zone,” the exact limits of which are decided by Israeli authorities and have historically fluctuated.
Many attempts have been made, throughout the years, to draw the public’s attention to and break the on-going siege of the Gaza Strip, whether via ships attempting to sail into Gaza, or ships attempting to sail from Gaza.
The maritime protest has continued each Monday despite an announcement on November 3rd that Qatar and Israel had agreed to establish a sea passage between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip.
At that time, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the route would be monitored by international forces and under Israeli security supervision – including cameras, computer networking and the presence of international inspectors.
But a few days after the agreement was announced, Israeli forces violated the ceasefire with an operation in Gaza in which they killed several Palestinians and one of their soldiers was also killed. That was followed by a series of Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian resistance fighters’ rocket attacks – leading to the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement.
The plan for a maritime passage remains uncertain at this time, and the popular resistance in Gaza has vowed to continue its weekly non-violent challenge to the Israeli naval siege, despite being met each time with live ammunition from the Israeli naval forces.
The Israeli occupation army on Monday morning launched a limited incursion into Beit Lahia city in the northern area of the Gaza Strip.
The PIC reporter said that four Israeli bulldozers moved a few hundred meters into Beit Lahia.
The Israeli occupation army every now and then carries out military incursions into the eastern and northern areas of the Gaza Strip to bulldoze border lands or set up barbed wire to prevent Palestinian demonstrators from reaching the border fence during Gaza weekly protests.
The PIC reporter said that four Israeli bulldozers moved a few hundred meters into Beit Lahia.
The Israeli occupation army every now and then carries out military incursions into the eastern and northern areas of the Gaza Strip to bulldoze border lands or set up barbed wire to prevent Palestinian demonstrators from reaching the border fence during Gaza weekly protests.
18 nov 2018
Hundreds of Palestinian residential homes were damaged in the latest Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, according to a Palestinian official on Sunday.
“A total of 1,252 housing units have been damaged in the last Israeli military escalation in Gaza,” Naji Sarhan, the undersecretary of the Gaza-based Housing Ministry, told a press conference in Gaza City.
He said 77 residential units have been totally destroyed in the Israeli attacks.
“The attacks have caused losses worth $7 million in residential buildings,” Sarhan said, calling on the international community to “intervene to put an end to Israeli aggression and protect civilians and civilian facilities” in Gaza.
At least 14 Palestinians were martyred by Israeli airstrikes and artillery across the blockaded Gaza Strip after rocket fire earlier this week.
On the other hand, at least one Israeli officer was reportedly killed and another injured.
The bloody events came to a halt on Tuesday as part of an Egypt-brokered ceasefire deal between Gaza-based resistance factions and Israel.
“A total of 1,252 housing units have been damaged in the last Israeli military escalation in Gaza,” Naji Sarhan, the undersecretary of the Gaza-based Housing Ministry, told a press conference in Gaza City.
He said 77 residential units have been totally destroyed in the Israeli attacks.
“The attacks have caused losses worth $7 million in residential buildings,” Sarhan said, calling on the international community to “intervene to put an end to Israeli aggression and protect civilians and civilian facilities” in Gaza.
At least 14 Palestinians were martyred by Israeli airstrikes and artillery across the blockaded Gaza Strip after rocket fire earlier this week.
On the other hand, at least one Israeli officer was reportedly killed and another injured.
The bloody events came to a halt on Tuesday as part of an Egypt-brokered ceasefire deal between Gaza-based resistance factions and Israel.
Israeli soldiers opened fire, Sunday, at many Palestinian farmers and shepherds, in several parts of the besieged Gaza Strip.
Media sources in Gaza said the soldiers fired many live rounds at Palestinian farmers, working on their own lands, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
They added that the attack took place on lands, near the perimeter fence, in Abasan al-Kabeera town, east of Khan Younis.
The sources added that the soldiers also fired many live rounds at farmers, workers and shepherds, east of Juhr ad-Deek area, in Gaza city.
The attacks forced the Palestinians to leave their lands in fear of further Israeli escalation, but did not lead to casualties.
Media sources in Gaza said the soldiers fired many live rounds at Palestinian farmers, working on their own lands, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
They added that the attack took place on lands, near the perimeter fence, in Abasan al-Kabeera town, east of Khan Younis.
The sources added that the soldiers also fired many live rounds at farmers, workers and shepherds, east of Juhr ad-Deek area, in Gaza city.
The attacks forced the Palestinians to leave their lands in fear of further Israeli escalation, but did not lead to casualties.
17 nov 2018
A Palestinian farmer on Saturday morning suffered a bullet injury when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) opened fire at a group of citizens working their lands in the central Gaza Strip.
Local sources reported that Israeli soldiers opened fire at Gazan farmers as they were on their lands, which are located 300 meters away from the security fence in the east of al-Maghazi refugee camp.
They affirmed that one of the farmers was injured in the gunfire attack and was rushed to Shuhadaa al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
The sources added that Israeli military vehicles escorted by troops also carried out a limited incursion into the eastern border area of Deir al-Balah.
In a separate incident, the Israeli naval forces opened machinegun fire at some Palestinian fishermen as they were on their boats in the northern waters of Gaza, with no reported injuries.
Local sources reported that Israeli soldiers opened fire at Gazan farmers as they were on their lands, which are located 300 meters away from the security fence in the east of al-Maghazi refugee camp.
They affirmed that one of the farmers was injured in the gunfire attack and was rushed to Shuhadaa al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
The sources added that Israeli military vehicles escorted by troops also carried out a limited incursion into the eastern border area of Deir al-Balah.
In a separate incident, the Israeli naval forces opened machinegun fire at some Palestinian fishermen as they were on their boats in the northern waters of Gaza, with no reported injuries.
16 nov 2018
The Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms (MADA) has condemned the destruction of Al-Aqsa TV Headquarters on Monday evening, 12 November, 2018, by the Israeli army, in implementation of the resolution taken by the senior officials and politicians at the Israeli government, as various data indicates.
Al-Aqsa TV Headquarters was destroyed in Gaza, by Israeli warplanes, about a half an hour following the end of a security meeting held by the Israeli leadership with the participation of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at “Kiryah” Military Base, near Tel Aviv. This was followed by announcements reported, by Israeli media, that “the go-ahead was given to the Israeli army to carry out more severe attacks” on Gaza.
Al-Aqsa TV Director, Mr. Ibrahim Thaher, stated to MADA that the TV office had received a phone call from Israeli Intelligence in which it was informed that the headquarters would be destroyed. Accordingly, the headquarters were evacuated of its staff immediately. Ten minutes later, drones began bombarding the headquarters with “warning” missiles, which was followed by a missile fired by F16 warplane, leading to the destruction of the headquarters and the interruption of transmission.
According to explorations of MADA field research, at approximately 8:30 PM, on Monday, Al-Aqsa TV received an Israeli threat to bomb it. The TV staff quickly evacuated the headquarters and left. About half an hour later, at 9:00 PM, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) began bombing the headquarters, where they fired five “warning” missiles intermittently. At approximately 09:15, a missile fired by an F-16 warplane destroyed the headquarters, which led to its destruction and transmission interruption.
However, the Israeli warplane returned and bombed the headquarters with another missile, several minutes later, causing extensive destruction. Many houses and buildings, adjacent to the headquarters, were severely damaged.
PNN further reports that this is the third time the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV have been destroyed by the Israeli occupation army.
The measure is part of a large-scale Israeli systematic targeting aimed at silencing the media and journalists, and blurring the practices and attacks of the occupation in Palestine. The Israeli army has destroyed in three large-scale military attacks, which erupted in Gaza Strip in the years 2008, 2012 and 2014, totaling 61 headquarters of media agencies. In 2014, 17 journalists were killed, in the Gaza Strip.
Taking into consideration the serious escalation of the Israeli occupation authorities and its army’s targeting journalists and media outlets in Palestine, MADA believes that the impunity of perpetrators of such crimes has encouraged the Israeli army to continue committing such acts in an official and blatant manner, as in the case of destroying the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV.
Therefore, MADA Center has called on the Special Rapporteur of the freedom of expression at the United Nations, as well as the international human rights organizations, to endeavor and investigate the crimes of the Israeli occupation against media freedoms in Palestine, and to bring the perpetrators, and all those involved, to justice.
Al-Aqsa TV Headquarters was destroyed in Gaza, by Israeli warplanes, about a half an hour following the end of a security meeting held by the Israeli leadership with the participation of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at “Kiryah” Military Base, near Tel Aviv. This was followed by announcements reported, by Israeli media, that “the go-ahead was given to the Israeli army to carry out more severe attacks” on Gaza.
Al-Aqsa TV Director, Mr. Ibrahim Thaher, stated to MADA that the TV office had received a phone call from Israeli Intelligence in which it was informed that the headquarters would be destroyed. Accordingly, the headquarters were evacuated of its staff immediately. Ten minutes later, drones began bombarding the headquarters with “warning” missiles, which was followed by a missile fired by F16 warplane, leading to the destruction of the headquarters and the interruption of transmission.
According to explorations of MADA field research, at approximately 8:30 PM, on Monday, Al-Aqsa TV received an Israeli threat to bomb it. The TV staff quickly evacuated the headquarters and left. About half an hour later, at 9:00 PM, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) began bombing the headquarters, where they fired five “warning” missiles intermittently. At approximately 09:15, a missile fired by an F-16 warplane destroyed the headquarters, which led to its destruction and transmission interruption.
However, the Israeli warplane returned and bombed the headquarters with another missile, several minutes later, causing extensive destruction. Many houses and buildings, adjacent to the headquarters, were severely damaged.
PNN further reports that this is the third time the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV have been destroyed by the Israeli occupation army.
The measure is part of a large-scale Israeli systematic targeting aimed at silencing the media and journalists, and blurring the practices and attacks of the occupation in Palestine. The Israeli army has destroyed in three large-scale military attacks, which erupted in Gaza Strip in the years 2008, 2012 and 2014, totaling 61 headquarters of media agencies. In 2014, 17 journalists were killed, in the Gaza Strip.
Taking into consideration the serious escalation of the Israeli occupation authorities and its army’s targeting journalists and media outlets in Palestine, MADA believes that the impunity of perpetrators of such crimes has encouraged the Israeli army to continue committing such acts in an official and blatant manner, as in the case of destroying the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV.
Therefore, MADA Center has called on the Special Rapporteur of the freedom of expression at the United Nations, as well as the international human rights organizations, to endeavor and investigate the crimes of the Israeli occupation against media freedoms in Palestine, and to bring the perpetrators, and all those involved, to justice.
Dozens of Palestinians were injured on Friday afternoon when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at the protesters taking part in the Great March of Return for the 34th week in a row.
Gaza Ministry of Health announced that 40 protesters were injured by Israeli gunfire, three of whom are in critical condition.
The PIC reporter said that hundreds of Palestinians on Friday marched along the border between the Gaza Strip and the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories.
The Higher National Committee for the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege earlier in the week called for the largest popular participation in Friday's protests under the slogan "Normalization is Betrayal".
Member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Talal Abu Zarifa, said that the Great March of Return will retain its peaceful character and continue until the siege is lifted.
The Great March of Return was launched on 30 March along the border fence with the aim of shedding light on the Palestinian refugees' right to return and pressuring Israel to lift the 13-year-long blockade on Gaza.
Since the border protests started the Israeli army has killed 247 Palestinian protesters, while about 25,000 have been injured, 500 of whom are in critical condition.
Army Injures Four Palestinians In Gaza
Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, the Great Return March processions in the Gaza Strip, and wounded at least four Palestinians, including one who suffered a serious injury.
Media sources in Gaza said the soldiers fired dozens of live rounds and high-velocity gas bombs at the protesters, on Palestinian lands near the perimeter fence, along the eastern part of the besieged coastal region.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said the soldiers shot and seriously injured one Palestinian, east of Gaza city.
It added that the soldiers also shot two Palestinians, in Jabalia, in the northern part of the coastal region.
The army fired a barrage of live rounds, in addition to rubber-coated steel bullets and high-velocity gas bombs at the protesters, in addition to journalists and medics, especially when the army fired at the Great Return March encampment, east of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
On Friday morning, the soldiers fired many live rounds at Palestinians on their farmlands, east of al-Qarara, near Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip.
The shots came from soldiers on military towers in Kissufim base, across the perimeter fence.
Gaza Ministry of Health announced that 40 protesters were injured by Israeli gunfire, three of whom are in critical condition.
The PIC reporter said that hundreds of Palestinians on Friday marched along the border between the Gaza Strip and the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories.
The Higher National Committee for the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege earlier in the week called for the largest popular participation in Friday's protests under the slogan "Normalization is Betrayal".
Member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Talal Abu Zarifa, said that the Great March of Return will retain its peaceful character and continue until the siege is lifted.
The Great March of Return was launched on 30 March along the border fence with the aim of shedding light on the Palestinian refugees' right to return and pressuring Israel to lift the 13-year-long blockade on Gaza.
Since the border protests started the Israeli army has killed 247 Palestinian protesters, while about 25,000 have been injured, 500 of whom are in critical condition.
Army Injures Four Palestinians In Gaza
Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, the Great Return March processions in the Gaza Strip, and wounded at least four Palestinians, including one who suffered a serious injury.
Media sources in Gaza said the soldiers fired dozens of live rounds and high-velocity gas bombs at the protesters, on Palestinian lands near the perimeter fence, along the eastern part of the besieged coastal region.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said the soldiers shot and seriously injured one Palestinian, east of Gaza city.
It added that the soldiers also shot two Palestinians, in Jabalia, in the northern part of the coastal region.
The army fired a barrage of live rounds, in addition to rubber-coated steel bullets and high-velocity gas bombs at the protesters, in addition to journalists and medics, especially when the army fired at the Great Return March encampment, east of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
On Friday morning, the soldiers fired many live rounds at Palestinians on their farmlands, east of al-Qarara, near Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip.
The shots came from soldiers on military towers in Kissufim base, across the perimeter fence.
By Mohammad Balawi
One of the anomalies of political Zionism is that, while it was founded as a response to murderous pogroms against European and Russian Jews as a means to rescue them from such treatment by having a safe haven to go to, the founding fathers of the State of Israel and their successors have had no qualms about inflicting terrible suffering and hardship on others in order to achieve their aims.
The stated aim of making sure that the ultimate pogrom called the Holocaust, for example, will “never again” befall the Jews, has meant that “again and again” is the rule with regards to Israel’s violations against the Palestinians and anyone else deemed to be an enemy.
In the establishment of a state specifically for people of a particular race, there are those who would argue that Zionism is a racist ideology. This argument ensured that, in November 1975, UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 determined that Zionism is “a form of racism and racial discrimination”, although under US pressure imposed by President George H W Bush, this was revoked in 1991.
Nevertheless, the notion of “God’s chosen people” treating those perceived to be lesser mortals, Arab Palestinians, so abominably day after day for more than 70 years remains government policy in Israel. That is the reality.
The state targets anyone who gets in its way of occupying as much of historic Palestine as possible with as few Palestinians on the land as possible; “Greater Israel” is the desired result. Killing Palestinians and other non-Jews is not usually an ethical decision, but one taken according to the benefits it provides for Israel. Scientists, community leaders, religious leaders or simply whoever stands in front of them can be and often is a target, regardless of race, religion, citizenship, gender or age.
Such murders are not the acts of rogue killers. They are endorsed by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, which makes him a direct accomplice in all such crimes. In the case of Israel, therefore, terrorism is not an individual or non-state actor modus operandi; it has come to define the state itself.
Murderous “operations” have been endorsed by successive Prime Ministers of Israel, targeting not only Palestinians, but many other nationalities too. Israel rarely acknowledges its responsibility for any of them, even when they fail to hit the target. Indeed, Israel has committed thousands of crimes over the years, including alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and mass murder.
Despite this, it has not been made to account; it acts with impunity, treating international laws and conventions with contempt, safe in the knowledge that its friends in the West have its back covered, especially the US and its veto at the UN Security Council. Britain is one country where the pro-Israel politicians changed the procedures for its law of universal jurisdiction in order to protect suspected Israeli war criminals from prosecution.
Former Foreign Minister had to cancel her visit to Britain because arrest warrants were prepared due to Israel’s crimes committed in the Gaza Strip. Upon hearing the news, Livni commented, “The free world must differentiate between real war criminals who must be brought to justice and those who fight terrorism against civilians, including the officers and soldiers of the [Israel Defense Forces].” The British government duly changed the law.
Helping such people to escape prosecution also makes those who protect them complicit in their crimes. Knowing that they can act with impunity emboldens Israeli politicians to go further with their illegal policies and practices.
The level of hypocrisy and double standards is remarkable in Israel. While the death penalty is no longer available to the courts, extrajudicial killings are more common there than almost every other country in the world. This is how Israel understands law and democracy, despite its claim to be “the only democracy in the Middle East.”
This psyche has been prevalent among Israeli leaders since before the state was founded on Palestinian land in 1948. Members and leaders of the Irgun and Stern Gang terrorist groups went on to become leading politicians in Israel, including prime ministers. Just a few weeks ago, Ehud Barak — Israel’s Prime Minister from 1999 to 2001, and the most decorated soldier in the history of the state — declared with no shame that he ordered the killing of 300 Palestinians in a matter of 3 minutes.
Ironically, this man was the leader of the Labor Party, which is usually regarded as a party of the left. That demonstrates how far to the right Israeli politics has shifted.
Barak, though, was no less inhumane than other Labor leaders. The late Shimon Peres, for example, is remembered in the Arab world not as a Nobel Peace laureate, but as the architect of a massacre of Lebanese civilians. On 18 April, 1996, 800 Lebanese civilians took refuge from Israel’s brutal “Operation Grapes of Wrath” in a UN peacekeepers’ compound in the village of Qana. Israeli troops fired artillery rounds into the compound deliberately, killing 106 people and injuring 116 more.
In his speech to the UN General Assembly on 29 September, Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, the veteran Prime Minister of Malaysia, shed light on an ironic contradiction in human conduct and thinking: We all know, he said, that “wars encourage and legitimize killing. Indeed, the killings are regarded as noble, and the killers are hailed as heroes.
They get medals stuck to their chest and statues erected in their honor, have their names mentioned in history books. There is something wrong with our way of thinking, with our value system. Kill one man, it is murder; kill a million and you become a hero.”
This encapsulates Israel’s “targeted assassinations” policy; it is murder by any other name. Western complacency and Israeli belligerence make such killing permissible. There definitely is “something wrong with our way of thinking” when that is the reality of the world today.
- Dr Mohammad Makram Balawi is a Palestinian writer and academic based in Istanbul. He is the president of Asia Middle East Forum. His article appeared in MEMO.
One of the anomalies of political Zionism is that, while it was founded as a response to murderous pogroms against European and Russian Jews as a means to rescue them from such treatment by having a safe haven to go to, the founding fathers of the State of Israel and their successors have had no qualms about inflicting terrible suffering and hardship on others in order to achieve their aims.
The stated aim of making sure that the ultimate pogrom called the Holocaust, for example, will “never again” befall the Jews, has meant that “again and again” is the rule with regards to Israel’s violations against the Palestinians and anyone else deemed to be an enemy.
In the establishment of a state specifically for people of a particular race, there are those who would argue that Zionism is a racist ideology. This argument ensured that, in November 1975, UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 determined that Zionism is “a form of racism and racial discrimination”, although under US pressure imposed by President George H W Bush, this was revoked in 1991.
Nevertheless, the notion of “God’s chosen people” treating those perceived to be lesser mortals, Arab Palestinians, so abominably day after day for more than 70 years remains government policy in Israel. That is the reality.
The state targets anyone who gets in its way of occupying as much of historic Palestine as possible with as few Palestinians on the land as possible; “Greater Israel” is the desired result. Killing Palestinians and other non-Jews is not usually an ethical decision, but one taken according to the benefits it provides for Israel. Scientists, community leaders, religious leaders or simply whoever stands in front of them can be and often is a target, regardless of race, religion, citizenship, gender or age.
Such murders are not the acts of rogue killers. They are endorsed by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, which makes him a direct accomplice in all such crimes. In the case of Israel, therefore, terrorism is not an individual or non-state actor modus operandi; it has come to define the state itself.
Murderous “operations” have been endorsed by successive Prime Ministers of Israel, targeting not only Palestinians, but many other nationalities too. Israel rarely acknowledges its responsibility for any of them, even when they fail to hit the target. Indeed, Israel has committed thousands of crimes over the years, including alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and mass murder.
Despite this, it has not been made to account; it acts with impunity, treating international laws and conventions with contempt, safe in the knowledge that its friends in the West have its back covered, especially the US and its veto at the UN Security Council. Britain is one country where the pro-Israel politicians changed the procedures for its law of universal jurisdiction in order to protect suspected Israeli war criminals from prosecution.
Former Foreign Minister had to cancel her visit to Britain because arrest warrants were prepared due to Israel’s crimes committed in the Gaza Strip. Upon hearing the news, Livni commented, “The free world must differentiate between real war criminals who must be brought to justice and those who fight terrorism against civilians, including the officers and soldiers of the [Israel Defense Forces].” The British government duly changed the law.
Helping such people to escape prosecution also makes those who protect them complicit in their crimes. Knowing that they can act with impunity emboldens Israeli politicians to go further with their illegal policies and practices.
The level of hypocrisy and double standards is remarkable in Israel. While the death penalty is no longer available to the courts, extrajudicial killings are more common there than almost every other country in the world. This is how Israel understands law and democracy, despite its claim to be “the only democracy in the Middle East.”
This psyche has been prevalent among Israeli leaders since before the state was founded on Palestinian land in 1948. Members and leaders of the Irgun and Stern Gang terrorist groups went on to become leading politicians in Israel, including prime ministers. Just a few weeks ago, Ehud Barak — Israel’s Prime Minister from 1999 to 2001, and the most decorated soldier in the history of the state — declared with no shame that he ordered the killing of 300 Palestinians in a matter of 3 minutes.
Ironically, this man was the leader of the Labor Party, which is usually regarded as a party of the left. That demonstrates how far to the right Israeli politics has shifted.
Barak, though, was no less inhumane than other Labor leaders. The late Shimon Peres, for example, is remembered in the Arab world not as a Nobel Peace laureate, but as the architect of a massacre of Lebanese civilians. On 18 April, 1996, 800 Lebanese civilians took refuge from Israel’s brutal “Operation Grapes of Wrath” in a UN peacekeepers’ compound in the village of Qana. Israeli troops fired artillery rounds into the compound deliberately, killing 106 people and injuring 116 more.
In his speech to the UN General Assembly on 29 September, Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, the veteran Prime Minister of Malaysia, shed light on an ironic contradiction in human conduct and thinking: We all know, he said, that “wars encourage and legitimize killing. Indeed, the killings are regarded as noble, and the killers are hailed as heroes.
They get medals stuck to their chest and statues erected in their honor, have their names mentioned in history books. There is something wrong with our way of thinking, with our value system. Kill one man, it is murder; kill a million and you become a hero.”
This encapsulates Israel’s “targeted assassinations” policy; it is murder by any other name. Western complacency and Israeli belligerence make such killing permissible. There definitely is “something wrong with our way of thinking” when that is the reality of the world today.
- Dr Mohammad Makram Balawi is a Palestinian writer and academic based in Istanbul. He is the president of Asia Middle East Forum. His article appeared in MEMO.
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Truce violations List of names Pictures of martyrs
Days: Aug: 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
July: 31 - 30 - 29 - 28 - 27 - 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8
