[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [GushShalom] Against the Iraq War / Against maltreatment of
refusers / + more
Al Kagan
akagan at uiuc.edu
Sun Feb 9 15:32:58 CST 2003
>From: Gush Shalom <info at gush-shalom.org>
>Subject: [GushShalom] Against the Iraq War / Against maltreatment of
>refusers / + more
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>/////////////////
>
> Gush Shalom
>
> /////////////////////////
>
>
>
>International release
>
>Feb 9, 2003
>
>
>
>1) Sat Feb.15, 6.00 pm Tel-Aviv demonstration against the Iraq War
>
>2) 'Once there were targeted killings' - Gush ad
>
>3) 'War with a smell' - Uri Avnery
>
>4) Wedn. Supreme Court answers joint appeal against Settler Promenade
>
>5) Petition 'Free the Prisoners of Conscience'
>
>6) New Friday vigil in front of the house of Finkelstein
>
> \\//
>
> //\\
>
>1) Sat Feb.15, 6.00 pm Tel-Aviv demonstration against the Iraq War
>
>
>
>Gush Shalom together with other organizations calls for
>
>(day of the worldwide campaign against the war)
>
>
>
>***No to the War Against Iraq! Yes to Living in Peace and Justice in
>the Middle East!***
>
>
>
>
>The American attack against Iraq is getting closer, and all the
>peoples of the Middle East, including us - Israelis and Palestinians
>- are
>
>going to pay its price: death, destruction and more wars. And still,
>the Israeli public is indifferent towards it, and perceives it as a
>
>natural disaster which cannot be prevented. It is time to raise our
>voice against it, for the sake of all of us, for our future in the
>Middle
>
>East.
>
>On Saturday, 15 February, dozens of demonstrations will be held in
>cities throughout the world, against a futile military attack for the
>
>sake of control over oil and other dubious aims.
>
>Ta'ayush has invited all the movements, political parties and
>organizations to join a mass Arab-Jewish demonstration on that same
>
>day. Let's express our opposition to the world's sheriff, who seeks
>to inflame the middle east. Arabs and Jews, Palestinians and
>
>Israelis, let's express our demand to live here together, in peace
>and justice.
>
>
>
>On February 15th we will hold a demonstration in Tel Aviv, from 18:00.
>
>More details will follow soon - please reserve the day!
>
>
>
>2) 'Once there were targeted killings' - Gush ad
>
>
>
>Gush statement of the week
>
>published on the website and in Ha'aretz Hebrew, Friday edition
>(Feb. 07, 2003)
>
>
>
>Ú·¯È™ ·ý™¯ / For Hebrew
>
>www.gush-shalom.org
>
>
>
>Once there were
>
>Targeted killings.
>
>Now there are
>Killings everywhere.
>
>
>
>Once they demolished
>
>A house here, a house there.
>
>Now they demolish
>
>Houses everywhere.
>
>
>
>Sharon & Co.
>
>Do not serve Israel.
>
>They serve
>
>The settlers.
>
>
>
>They babble about peace,
>
>They prattle about security,
>
>They want transfer.
>
>
>
>Gush Shalom,
>
>Help us with donations to
>
>P.O.Box 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033,
>
>
>
>3) War with a smell - Uri Avnery
>
>
>
>Uri Avnery's latest column
>
>
>
>Ú·¯È™ ·ý™¯ / Hebrew
>
>http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/article231_heb.html
>
>
>
>Uri Avnery
>
>8.2.03
>
>
>
> The Smell of War
>
>
>
> This is not a war about terrorism.
>
> This is not a war about weapons of mass destruction.
>
> This is not a war about democracy in Iraq.
>
> This is a war about something else.
>
>
>
> As for terrorism: Saddam Hussein is a cruel dictator, but the
>idea that he might be connected with Osama bin Laden is ridiculous.
>
>Sadam heads the Iraqi section of al-Baath, a very secular party. Bin
>Laden is an Islamic Fundamentalist, and al-Kaida aims at the
>
>destruction of all secular regimes in our region. The official who
>invented this particular lie is either an ignoramus or a cynic who
>
>believes that one can fool all the people at least some of the time.
>
> As for weapons of mass destruction: the USA supported Saddam
>when he used deadly poison gas against the Iranians (and their
>
>Kurdish allies in Iraq). At the time, America was interested in
>stopping the Iranians. Today there are chemical and biological
>weapons
>
>in most of the countries of this region, including Egypt, Syria and
>Israel, and one of them has nuclear arms.
>
> As for democracy: Americans don't give a damn. Some of their
>best friends in the Islamic world are dictators, some more, some
>
>less cruel then Saddam. As the old American adage goes: "He is a
>son-of-a-bitch, but he is our son-of-a-bitch."
>
> If so, what is the war about?
>
> In one word: oil.
>
> There is a strong smell of oil in the air. Without smelling it,
>one cannot understand what is going on. But once one grasps what it
>is
>
>all about, the actions of Bush & Co., while cynical and
>hypocritical, are utterly logical.
>
> These, then, are the American war aims:
>
> # To take over the immense oil reserves of Iraq, among the
>world's biggest.
>
> #To ensure American control of the nearby huge Caspian Sea oil reserves
>
> # To reinforce indirect American control of the oil in all the
>Gulf states, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran.
>
> Control of most of the worlds oil reserves will free the
>Americans, at long last, from the whims of the oil market. Their
>hand, and
>
>theirs alone, will be on the tab. They, and they alone, will fix the
>prices of oil all over the world. If they will want prices to rise,
>they will
>
>rise. If they will want them to go down, they will go down. With one
>single movement of the hand, they will be able to deal a crushing
>
>blow to the economies of Germany, France and Japan. No country in
>the world will be able to stand up to them in any matter. No
>
>wonder that Germany and France oppose the war. It is directed against them.
>
> It follows that the Americans do not intend to enter Iraq,
>establish democracy and leave. The very idea is ridiculous.
>
> The US enters Iraq in order to stay there, for years and
>decades. Its physical presence in the Arab and Muslim world will
>create a
>
>new geo-political reality.
>
> Of course, this is not the first time that a great empire uses
>its military power to promote its economic dominance. History is
>full of
>
>examples. Indeed, one could say that all of history is an example.
>But there has never been a super-power like the US, with no rival
>
>left, using its immense military might in order to ensure its
>domination of the world economy for generations to come.
>
> From this point of view, the coming war on Iraq ñ a "small"
>war, militarily ñ will have historic significance.
>
> For sure, Bush will try to set up some native Iraqi government,
>in order to disguise and lend some legitimacy to the American
>
>occupation. There are any number of volunteers, ready to serve as
>Quislings. Then again, Bush may prefer some new Saddam
>
>Hussein, a dictator appointed by them.
>
> But war is war. War usually starts with a well-prepared plan,
>but even the "best" plan, backed by the mightiest military power, can
>
>go awry. The Arab masses may rise against their American-supported,
>corrupt, lackadaisical governments. The Turks may perpetrate
>
>a massacre in the north of Iraq in order to break the Kurds once and
>for all, and no one can know how this will end. The holy places of
>
>the Shiites in the south of Iraq, next to Iran, may cause trouble.
>
> How will this affect Israel? Or, to use the old phrase: "Is it
>good for the Jews?"
>
> The relations between Bush and Sharon are almost symbiotic. In
>Sharon's view, the massive presence of the US in our region
>
>strengthens Israel and will enable him to implement his hidden agenda.
>
> But, as one says in Hebrew, "the fat tail of the sheep has a
>thorn in it". The permanent occupation of Iraq turns the US into a
>kind
>
>of "Arab" power, with a vital interest in the stability and
>tranquility of the region. It will want to prevent by all means
>chaos in the Arab
>
>countries ñ before, during and after the war.
>
> Sharon and his generals are, on the contrary, interested in as
>much chaos as possible, in order to use it to "transfer" millions of
>
>Palestinians to the other side of the Jordan. There is a definite
>conflict of interest between Bush as Sharon.
>
> Sharon, an extremist but prudent person, knows that he must not
>under any circumstances infuriate Bush. He will act cautiously.
>
>He has lots and lots of patience and lots and lots of stubbornness.
>He will try to obtain from Bush permission to transfer (at least
>
>some) Palestinians, to murder of Arafat ("If Sadam, why not Arafat?)
>and to break the Palestinian people.
>
> Bush, on the other hand, will want Israel to stay quiet, very
>quiet. At thee time, he may use the Israel threat in order to ensure
>that
>
>the Arabs, too, will stay quiet, very quiet. He will threaten the
>Arab rulers, who are mortally afraid of an uprising of their
>peoples, that if
>
>they do not behave, he will let Sharon off the leash.
>
> Is all this good for Israel? From the economic, social and
>security points of view, the answer is negative. We are entering an
>era of
>
>adventurism, with the adventurer No. 1 at the helm of our state. The
>earth will shake in our region, and nobody can foresee the dangers
>
>approaching us. Only one thing is certain: this will not bring peace.
>
> I do not belong to those who can speak about war with
>equanimity. I have seen war, I know its face. I see the thousands
>who will
>
>be killed, the tens of thousands that will be wounded and maimed,
>the hundreds of thousands that will become refugees, the ruined
>
>families, the sea of tears and human suffering.
>
> I join the millions all over the world the say NO.
>
>
>
>4) Wedn. Supreme Court answers joint appeal against Settler Promenade
>
>
>
>Yesh Gvul took the initiative, and Gush Shalom is among the
>sponsors, to appeal to the Supreme Court over the government plan to
>
>create an Arab-free 'Settler promenade' connecting the Kiryat Arba
>settlement with the settler enclaves inside Hebron. Now you are
>
>asked to attend the High Court hearing which will be this Wednesday
>(Feb. 12), at 8:00 AM.
>
>
>
>5) Petition 'Free the Prisoners of Conscience'
>
>------- Forwarded message follows -------
>
>From: ybronner at post.tau.ac.il (Yigal Bronner)
>
>Subject: Free the Prisoners of Conscience!
>
>
>
>Dear friends and supporters of the conscientious objectors,
>
>
>
>The abuse of the conscientious objectors continues. The Israeli military
>
>is sentencing them to repetitive prison terms, with no end in sight.
>
>We must step up the campaign to release these courageous prisoners
>
>of conscience.
>
>
>
>Below is a short petition we plan to publish in Israeli press soon.
>
>Please read and sign by sending a message to conscienceobjector at yahoo.com
>
>
>
>Mention your name, first and then last in the subject of the message.
>
>In the message ad title and institutional affiliation, if applicable.
>
>
>
>Please spread the petition widely. We need as many signatories as possible.
>
>
>
>Please note: The success of this campaign depends to a large extent on the
>
>funds we gather to support it. Placing an ad in a leading daily is very
>
>expensive.
>
>PLEASE, in addition to signing, contribute towards covering the cost
>
>($10, $25, $50, $100, $200... $1,000).
>
>
>
>[Information how to contribute follows the petition.]
>
>
>
>Free the Prisoners of Conscience!
>
>
>
>The State of Israel has been consistently abusing a group of young men who
>
>have refused to be conscripted on grounds of conscience. While religion
>
>continues to be a reason for exempting young men from army or national
>
>service, conscientious objection is considered a serious crime. Despite the
>
>fact that these objectors have announced their willingness to serve the
>
>state through some kind of civil service, the military, led by Menachem
>
>Finkelshtein the head military prosecutor, is punishing these young men
>
>again and again for the same "offence."
>
>
>
>It seems that there is no limit to the abuse: eleven young men have been
>
>sitting in jail for terms that just keep getting longer, and there is no
>
>end in sight. Finkelshtein wants to try them over and over again, until
>
>they break or give in. As far as he is concerned, these men can rot in jail
>
>forever. Finkelshtein has also created a committee of "experts" whose job
>
>it is to determine that not one of the young men is a "true" conscientious
>
>objector; every single one, the committee proclaimed, is lying and thus
>
>deserves to sit in jail.
>
>
>
>These prisoners of conscience refuse to serve in an army that
>
>systematically violates the human rights of the Palestinian people. Yoni
>
>Ben-Artzi, the most veteran prisoner, has sat in jail for almost 200 days.
>
>By contrast, the soldier who killed a 95-year-old Palestinian woman was
>
>sentenced to 35 days in prison.
>
>
>
>Names of the prisoners days in jail
>
>
>
>Yoni Ben-Artzi 196 days Dror Boymel 166 days Uri Ya'acobi 134 days
>
>Haggai Matar 112 days Yoni Yekhezkel 111 days Matan Kaminer 84 days
>
>Hillel Goral 70 days Noam Bahat 70 days Adam Maor 70 days
>
>Shimri Tzameret 38 days Avshalom Ben-Zvi 21 days
>
>
>
>We, the undersigned, demand an end to this abuse and the immediate release
>
>of these prisoners of conscience.
>
>
>
>
>
>[To sign email to:conscienceobjector at yahoo.com]
>
>
>
>To contribute, please pay online or send a check.
>
>
>
>Contribute Online:
>
>To make a credit card contribution to support the prisoners of conscience,
>
>go to www.refusersolidarity.net and click on the DonateNow button
>
>on the left hand side of the screen. Under Allocation, select "Shministim
>
>Petition".
>
>
>
>Fill out the form and the donation will be used to pay for the ad and petition
>
>in support of the objectors.
>
>
>
>Contribute by Check outside Israel:
>
>You can also write a check made out to "Refuser Solidarity Network",
>
>write "Shministim" in the memo line, and mail it to:
>
>
>
>RSN
>
>PMB 206
>
>2859 Central St
>
>Evanston, IL 60201
>
>
>
>Contribute by Check in Israel:
>
>You can also write a check made out to "Yesh Gvul" and mail to:
>
>Bronner
>
>POBox 8384
>
>Jerusalem 91083
>
>
>
>6) New Friday vigil in front of the house of Finkelstein
>
>
>
>At the initiative of The Refusers' Parents Forum; all supporters of
>the refusniks invited.
>
>Contact: Anat <matar at post.tau.ac.il>, Smadar <snehab at netvision.net.il>
>
>
>
>In support of the occupation resisters!
>
>In protestÝagainst the repeated imprisonmentÝof draft resisters!
>
>
>
>We willÝhold a weekly vigil nearÝthe military attorney general's home.
>
>
>
>We'll make it clear toÝMenachem Finkelstein thatÝtheseÝrepeated
>sentences areÝunacceptable!
>
>Ý
>
>We'll tell him thatÝconscientious objectorsÝare not devoid of human rights!
>
>Ý
>
>Every Firday, starting next Friday, 14 February, at 2:30 pm, we
>willÝremindÝthe military attorney generalÝthe number of
>
>daysÝtheseÝrefuseniks have spent in military prisons.
>
>
>
>Address: Ý12 Halevi St., Petach Tikva.
>
>Meeting point for car-owners, and those who need a ride: Arlozorov
>Railway Station (terminal El-Al) Ýat 2.00 pm
>
>
>
>---
>
>Protest repeated and unlimited imprisonment of draft resisters at:
>http://www.petitiononline.com/091202/
>
>---
>
>The film 'Jenin Jenin' with Hebrew subtitles can be purchased from Yael Lerer.
>
>
>
>To get a copy, send a check for NIS 100. and mail it to:
>
>
>
>Andalus
>
>P.O. Box 53036
>
>Tel Aviv 61530
>
>
>
>For English undertitling contact:
>
>info at arabfilm.com / www.arabfilm.com
>
>---
>
>On our site:
>
>http://www.gush-shalom.org/ (Ú·¯È™)
>
>http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html (English)
>
>
>
>\\photo's - of action or otherwise informative
>
>\\the weekly Gush Shalom ad - in Hebrew and English
>
>\\the columns of Uri Avnery - in Hebrew, Arab and English
>
>\\and an archive full of interesting documents
>
>
>
>N.B.:
>
>On the Gush Shalom website links for:
>
>Articles and documents in German
>
>Articles and documents in French
>
>Articles and documents in Spanish
>
>
>
>In order to receive our Hebrew-language
>
>press releases [mostly WORD documents -
>
>not always same as English] mail to:
>
>gush-shalom-heb-request at mailman.gush-shalom.org
>
>+ NB: write the word "subscribe" in the subject line.
>
>
>
>To get forwarded reports and announcements which we receive + a
>selection of English-language articles, send one blank mail to:
>
>TOI_Billboard-subscribe at topica.com
>
>
>
>If you want to support Gush Shalom's activities you can send a
>cheque or cash, wrapped well in an extra piece of paper to:
>
>
>
>Gush Shalom
>
>pob 3322
>
>Tel-Aviv 61033
>
>Israel
>
>
>
>or ask us for charities in your country which receive donations on
>behalf of Gush Shalom
>
>
>
>Please, add your email address where to send our confirmation of receipt.
>
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>
>
>
>NB: Via http://www.HelpPalestine.Org you can donate from remote
>locations used but valuable goods. "Help Palestine" offers to take
>
>care of selling & transporting - profits to be sent to Palestine Red
>Crescent Society.
>
>
>
> " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ " ~ "
>
> President Bush has agreed that war should be the very last resort.
>Let's hold him and his administration to those words, by signing:
>
>
>
> http://www.moveon.org/winwithoutwar/
>
> " ~ " ~ " ~ " " ~ " ~ "
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>If you got this forwarded and you want to subscribe, send mail to
>
>gush-shalom-intl-request at mailman.gush-shalom.org
>
>and write "subscribe" in the subject line.
>
>--
>
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>
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>
>For assistance: info at gush-shalom.org
--
Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA
tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu
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