Palestine Solidarity Demo Information Centre

Sunday, October 9, 2011

A chronology of the day the army attacked the Coptic march against sectarian violence - in tweets (Maspero, Cairo, Egypt)

Here is the list of tweets that were collected throughout the day to provide people on Facebook with a semi-coherent chronology of what was going on when the SCAF attacked the Coptic protest against sectarian violence. There was so much more, but this is what Salma Abdou (who was tag-teaming with me throughout the day to scan feeds and post the information - Salma, you're amazing! Thank you!) and I were able to put together throughout the day.

And I want to make something clear. What happened was not really about religion although the intent of the march was clear. What happened was that a peaceful march attended by both Christians and Muslims was attacked by the military. That is what it boils down to. 23 Egyptians died today and 186 were wounded. That is it! That's what happened! How can this happen?

Here are the tweets that Salma and I posted as updates. See for yourselves what people on the ground saw and reported on.

Sofia Smith

----------

Soha Kneen Quick summary. The march is on its way to Maspero. Was attacked with rocks...some gunfire was heard. Rock throwing ended, march continued. Some more stone throwing continued in the streets, but march is still continuing on.

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen March is now on Ramsis Street heading to Maspero

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Another quick note: the summary updates listed here are predominantly from Sarah Carr's twitter feed.

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Of note: in middle of rock attack by unknown assailants cops started chanting el.sha3b yoreed esqat el mosheer.

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen People are chantint “deih baladna“ @noovsenary says. Fighting is continuing at Shubra tunnel.

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen A single rock was thrown at Al Ahram HQ - protesters stopped further attack. Chants of 'el a2bat ahom el sa7afa fein'

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen The march has reached Hilton Ramses. It is still huge. Again, updates are via Sarah Carr!

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen People handing out candles to light all together in protest http://yfrog.com/oeyssij via @SharifKouddous

People handing out candles to light all together in protest
yfrog.com

People handing out candles to light all together in protest http://yfrog.com/oeyssij

11 hours ago · ·
Soha Kneen via Lina Wardani: A car drove by and randomly shot at the coptic rally just outside Ahram building really scary

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via Sarah Carr from an hour ago:http://yfrog.com/j29gzscj huge shubra march

huge shubra march
yfrog.com

http://yfrog.com/j29gzscj huge shubra march

11 hours ago · ·
Soha Kneen Sarah just posted that apparently the gunfire is military police but she can't see

11 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via @Fouda_ راهب الحضر:احمد فودة via Twitter again; #Maspero #Copts #maseera @Sarahngb: Many People got shot infront of me.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Numbers being sited in terms of how large this march is...approximately 100k

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Next few updates are from @Cairocitylimits

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen from near the Ramses Hilton

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen shots are being fired in the air and the cops are charging at demonstrators

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen tanks are moving in and barricades are coming up in the Corniche

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen armored vehicle just plowed the barrier

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen people are attacking the apc

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen tanks just keep running through the crowd...so far no one hurt

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen army moves out again. people are cheering but angry

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen People are saying armored cars just ran over people at #maspero. Crowd incensed

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen ‎@Sarhangb just got smacked with a baton on her back and then chased down the road. just jumped in a moving cab

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via Sarah Carr: I'm standing on october bridge i saw about 15 people get run over

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Next few posts via @SharifKouddous

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen from 21 minutes ago: Crowd just broke through police line and pushed them back. Rock throwing. Chaos. Shots fired in air

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Police charge on beating people with sticks. Create stampede mad as people flee.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Again by Sharif Kouddous: Protesters in front of #maspero again. Very tense situation. Military police charge sporadically & people run then return. Random shots fired.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Sharif Kouddous: From 3 minutes ago - military police rush in big charge. All wearing helmets, carrying shields and large sticks beating anyone near.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via Sarahngb - people are being beaten and chased by military police. She saw an old veiled woman get hit too.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Again via Sharif Kouddous: Near Hilton Ramses a number of wounded people. Sound of women wailing in the air. http://yfrog.com/ob691uj

yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/ob691uj Shared by sharifkouddous
yfrog.com

yfrog free image and video hosting on your social networks

10 hours ago · ·
Salma Abdou v MohAbdHamid : 4 dead.....wtf wtf wtf is wrong with the mp?!!!!

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via @Nadiaglory: cars on fire @ Maspero #Copts Shubra #march #edfuchurch”

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen I know Salma! none of this ok! it's fucking insane! it's a peaceful march!

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Anyone that has updates I'm not seeing, please go ahead and add them to this comment stream!

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen no news at the moment. will keep scanning! am monitoring several feeds for news and will post the minute I have anything

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Recent images from the march by Sharif Kouddous: https://twitter.com/#!/sharifkouddous/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Fyfrog.com%2Fob691uj

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via Sharif Kouddous: Cars on fire on Corniche El Nile. Shots fired in air http://yfrog.com/odrgbjjj

yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/odrgbjjj Shared by sharifkouddous
yfrog.com

yfrog free image and video hosting on your social networks

10 hours ago · ·
Salma Abdou AlArabeya is reporting that there are deaths on both sides- mp and protesters.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen And anyone else who wants to keep this update feed going. Please do so! I have to run right now unfortunately.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via Sharif Kouddous: Military police rush up October bridge. Random shots continuehttp://yfrog.com/klnjecfj

Military police rush up October bridge. Random shots continue
yfrog.com

Military police rush up October bridge. Random shots continue http://yfrog.com/klnjecfj

10 hours ago · ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous again: More ambulances arrive. People carried in bleeding and unconscioushttp://yfrog.com/h88scpgj

More ambulances arrive. People carried in bleeding and unconscious
yfrog.com

More ambulances arrive. People carried in bleeding and unconscious http://yfrog.com/h88scpgj

10 hours ago · ·
Soha Kneen via Sarahngb: protestors did not instigate any of the violence. They were about to celebrate the arrival of the #maseera when suddenly rocks were flying in the air.

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: protestors have charged the bridge, police are retreating

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen ok, going now. the feeds to watch are Sharif Kouddous, Sarah Carr, sarahngb, Lina El Wardani, and Cairocitylights

10 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via @linawardani: Gun shots ambulances and fire extinguishers at #maspero

10 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou Bodies on the ground:

10 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@sharifkouddous : crowd chanting for the fall of tantawi

10 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou Aljazeera Ar showing mp cars running through crowds of people

10 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@SarifKouddous: injured people getting carried out of maspiro area in rugs https://twitter.com/#!/sharifkouddous/status/123087448002674688

Twitter / Sharif Kouddous: People keep getting carrie ...
twitter.com

People keep getting carried out from #maspero area. Carried in rugs.http://t.co/OFHPwXHI

10 hours ago · ·
Salma Abdou ‎@Elmoshir: tear gas now being used

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou Egy state tv asking egyptians to go to maspiro and help egyarmy against protesters. WTH.

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou more reports of tear gas

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@Mubashas : A march started chanting "One Hand". #Maspiro

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen I'm here for a second! keep going though Salma and thank you!

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Protesters heading towards Tahrir now via @linawardani

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Tear gas bombs at #Maspero now again via @liawardani

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen confirmed by Sarah Carr

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou Egyptian TV airs comment of injured soldier: "The Christians are sons of dogs."

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: Crowd chanting for fall of Tantawihttp://yfrog.com/j2puixwj

yfrog Photo : http://www.yfrog.com/j2puixwj Shared by sharifkouddous
yfrog.com

yfrog free image and video hosting on your social networks

9 hours ago · ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: People keep getting carried out from #maspero area. Carried in rugs. http://yfrog.com/o0ueccj

People keep getting carried out from #maspero area. Carried in rugs.
yfrog.com

People keep getting carried out from #maspero area. Carried in rugs. http://yfrog.com/o0ueccj

9 hours ago · ·
Soha Kneen How could this happen during a peaceful march against sectarian violence?????

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: Tear gas canisters being fired on crowd

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@magbutter : a march coming from Tahrir to #maspero, numbers at abdelmoneim road r hu ge

9 hours ago · · 1 person
Soha Kneen via Sarah Carr: Csf and plain clothed people throwing stones from oct bridge

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@Reem821 :Live rounds from military police began 10 mins after shubra marchers arrived in #maspero. still not clear why

9 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen via Reem821: NONE of protesters I saw had weapons, it was peaceful, there were people discussing, laughing, lighting candles. #maspero #copts #Egypt

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@omarkamel : Channel 25 crew got attacked on air right now. Presenter screaming her ass off while on a call with an army spokesman.

9 hours ago · · 1 person
Salma Abdou ‎@magbutter : In front of the museum on way to Hilton..we r thousands but scattered

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@magbutter: Can hear shots and lots of rock throwing in front of Hilton

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@sarahcarr : Another battle by hilton chants of down with the mosheer. Tear gas.

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou I have to run! Will try to keep this going as best I can!

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎@cairocitylimits: Battle of the bridge, armored car just moved in on people.

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou RT @MagButter: Thugs and army soldiers throwing rocks and moltov on us at abdelmoneim riad

9 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎"@FarahSaafan: I saw ppl squashed being carried away in bloody blanekts, families/children screaming, tear gas, ppl shot with live ammo bleeding #Maspero"

8 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou "@FarahSaafan: I saw ppl squashed being carried away in bloody blanekts, families/children screaming, tear gas, ppl shot with live ammo bleeding #Maspero"

8 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou RT @Sarahcarr: I have seen at least 12 bodies in morgue. There r apparently 3 in fridge #Copts
#Egypt

RT @Sarahcarr: Am at the qebty hospital floor of a&e covered in blood injured and crying people everywhere

RT @nagoul1:About 20 pple were run over by #militarypolice and central #police vehicles in #Maspero,much like during the #Jan25 #revolution

8 hours ago ·
Salma Abdou ‎"@sharifkouddous: Reports emerging of 17 people killed. Dozens more wounded."

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @mosaaberizing: Heard a muslim guy urging other protesters, "lets head to the front, I'm not gonna let the Christians take a bullet alone."

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @mosaaberizing: Just saw a group of half naked "civilians" beat and drag an old protester then hand him to the army.

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @mosaaberizing: Thousands regrouping themselves at the museum to head to Masprio. Chanting "one hand" and "people want to topple the Marshall"

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @mosaaberizing: The army with the help of their thugs now chasing protesters on 6th of Oct. bridge and heading rowards Tahrir. People there, stay safe.

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Foreigners & media are being harrassed

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @mosaaberizing again

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen RT @3arabawy Video: #EgyArmy vehicles run over protesters in #Maspero http://t.co/7mjV1rwT
Sent Oct 09, 03:48 PM
From web

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen RT @3arabawy Video: #EgyArmy and #Egypolice massacre protesters in #Maspero http://t.co/7mjV1rwT#copts

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Video: The start of the clashs between #EgyArmy & #Maspero protestors http://t.co/npyJvi2r #copts #fb

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Next few tweets by Sharif Kouddous from 2 hrs ago until now...

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: Tear gas canisters being fired on crowd

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: More tear gas. Security van started driving towards crowd. Fires lit. Van retreats

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: more shots fired...Protester lifts shirt as friends check for buckshot lodged in his backhttp://t.co/g7Gng5E3

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: Motorbike riders carrying out wounded, bleeding people

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: Military police charge into Abdel Moneim Riyadh square from Tahrir side. People run in all directions.

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Kouddous: Reports emerging of 17 people killed. Dozens more wounded.

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From 22 minutes ago; Kouddous: Military police surrounding Abdel Moneim Riyad squarehttp://t.co/ZvzOmlf0

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From 4:01 pm; "@sharifkouddous: “@Sarahcarr:http://t.co/rwscWsub graphic. Picture of 4 dead protrsters in el qebty hosp morgue

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From 3 pm via Sarah Carr: http://t.co/GxFarGEdbullets collected from.maspero. Is this live ammo?

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From 3:12 pm via Sarah Carr: Back at morgue now 14 plus 3 in fridge. 1 body has been taken out cos apparently still alive

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via Sarah Carr: Just awful scenes in the hospital. Women scrraming men crying. A protester said “the army ran us over like we are animals“

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Again via Sarah Carr: Army vehicles deliberately crushed protesters using APCs, shot at them at random as they drove at them. This is what happened tonight.

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From one hour ago, Lilian Wagdy reports on tear gas used today same as was used in late July. Also reported on fierce hit and run battle now in abdel moneim ruyad st just met @alaa he's fine

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @LilianWagdy i cannot believe it the battle is over and the people who were hitting us frm the other side have joined us

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Still from an hour ago...via @LilianWagdy a huge march now is chantimg al sha3b yurid esqat el moshir as they head to #maspero

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Wagdy: remember abbaseya? This is ten times more intense #maspero

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Wagdy: reporting when heading back to Tahrir... a7a walking through downtown the army is setting up one hell of a trap for us

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @sarahngb: I can not repeat enough, I was at #Maspero as soon as clashes started. It was not the protestors. I don't know who, but the military beat us

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via Zeinobia: the Coptic Hospital at 175 Ramses needs blood donors! Pls go donate if you can!

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen The request to donate was mine...although it was implied in her tweets I believe

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Carr: Overturned police car outside el.2ebty hosp

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen I have to go again! Back later!

7 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Linawardani: What started as a peaceful protest with Copts holding hands and singing caroles turned into a fierce battle with gun shots tear gas & blood

6 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Wardani: Health ministry now says death toll now reached 19 and 150 injured

6 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen http://t.co/gUluZqoZ Maggie Michelle's article on today's clashes via Lina again

6 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Ok, back later!

6 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen SherineT: #Egypt state TV quoting health minister: 23 dead, 174 injured #Maspiro #Copts

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Via @Pharaonick - (in downtown Cairo) RT @sandmonkey: Curfew from 2 am till 7 am is announced. Tell ur friends.

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen ‎@Sandmonkey whose comments are always spot on - Today in a nutshell: team " people &army 1 hand" vs. "Muslims & christians 1 hand". Choose ur side. #maspero

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From an hour ago posted by @Sandmonkey: Correction: thugs are attacking the coptic hospital. REPORTERS go there NOW. #maspero #Egypt

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Sandmonkey: Dear #maspero employees, how do you sleep at night? How do you lie about death of your fellow egyptians like this u scumbags?

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Reason for last post by Sandmonkey (also posted by him): All the while i was being informed, i kept hearing what people were hearing feom the stateowned media, how evil copst killed poor soldiers

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Sandmonkey: I get a phonecall from @ramyyacoub , alerting me that @sarahngb was attacked at the #maspero protests, & that he is heading there.

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Now media spin in full force claiming Copts attacked the army and asking 'honest Egyptians' to come out of their homes to protect the army at Maspero! #A7A

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Sandmonkey: We are all home & safe now, with me @cairowire @forsoothsayer @ramyyaacoub @sarahngb . More coming.

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen ‎@Nadawassef from 4 hours ago: MP's entered channel where i work&attacked the presenter acc to tweets! @25tveg 10 mins earlier&that could've been me in her place! #NoSCAF

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen From just before that tweet also by Nada: WTF is happening at @25tveg ? whats happening to my colleagues? This is fucked up! Where is the freedom of press?

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen ‎@Nadawassef: If we unite,they will fall. #Egypt #NoSCAF

5 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen Reem821: Ran into Muslim youth who told me: this is an #Egyptian cause we can't leave our #Egyptian brothers. Copts said: many Muslim friends r w/ us

2 hours ago ·
Soha Kneen I'm going to close this off now. I have to say I can't express how I feel about what happened at that march today and I"m not even there. I got to see it through everyone else's eyes. Through my friends eyes, through reporters eyes and people I just know the names of on Twitter. And the picture that was painted for me was one of horror! How could the SCAF do this? So many lives lost. So many hurt! For what? For protesting against sectarian violence. For protesting peacefully! For protesting for PEACE!

about an hour ago ·

The brutal attack on a Palestinian family in Jaffa

Someone explain to me how this is in any way ok? So this is not the most violent video. No blood, but are you seeing the complete lack of respect for Palestinians by the IDF?! How dare they traumatize kids like this! How dare they do any of what they are doing to this man and his family there?

Originally posted at http://motamarred.blogspot.com/ and by MoHmMeDpS
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b7cP0U2b1c&feature=player_embedded

~ Sofia Smith

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Israeli Persecution of Palestinian Children

ORIGINALLY POSTED BY OCCUPIEDPALESTINE AT http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/israeli-persecution-of-palestinian-children/

August 17th, 2011 | The PeoplesVoice | Stephen Lendman

Repeatedly in many ways, the real Israel belies the myth of a free, open, democratic state. In fact, the very notion is ludicrous even to growing numbers of fed up Israelis, voting with their feet and leaving.

As a result, it’s no exaggeration calling Israel a failed state, a topic Noam Chomsky addressed in one of his many books.

Titled “Failed States,” he listed characteristics they all share, including:

– their inability or unwillingness to protect their citizens from violence and other forms of harm;

– their abrogation of rule of law standards;

– their lawless belligerent pursuits; and

– if democracies, their policy deficiencies, exposing a serious “democratic deficit.”

Evaluating America honestly, he said “we should have little difficulty in finding the characteristics of ‘failed states’ right at home.” It’s as true for Israel, a democracy in name only.

Its treatment of Muslims is especially appalling, notably children, the topic of this article, based on a July 19 Defence for Children International Palestine Section (DCIP) report.

Covering the period January 1 through June 30, 2011, it’s titled, “In their own words: A report on the situation facing Palestinian children detained in the Israeli military court system.” It follows previous reports on how Israel abuses young children as lawlessly as adults, violating international law in multiple ways.

Each year, about 700 West Bank children are arrested, interrogated, detained, and prosecuted in Israeli military courts. Since 2000 alone, around 7,500 have been affected, facing torture, ill-treatment and other forms of abuse during the entire arrest/transfer/interrogation process.

Belligerent soldiers usually raid homes late at night. Young children are arrested, blindfolded, hands tied painfully, and taken to detention centers. Physical and verbal abuse are common. Reasons for arrest are seldom given, and parents aren’t told where their children are held. The entire process is lawless, no different than in a police state.

During interrogations, family members and lawyers aren’t present, nor are audio/video recordings made for independent oversight. Moreover, children aren’t told their rights because they have none, in Occupied Palestine or in custody. As a result, they’re isolated, intimidated, physically assaulted, and forced to sign confessions, at times in Hebrew they don’t understand.

Afterwards they’re brought to military court. Bail most often is denied. Children as young as 12 (sometimes younger) are affected, and most plead guilty when innocent because it’s “the quickest way out of the system.”

In September 2009, a juvenile military court was established, though few practices differentiate them from adult ones. Two or three children are brought there together in brown prison attire, legs chained around their ankles and handcuffed. Hand restraints are removed in court, then replaced when leaving.

DCIP based its report on 45 sworn testimonies, also referencing other relevant sources, including media and NGO information. Another 16 sworn East Jerusalem affidavits were also collected, to be covered in a separate report.

Citing international laws, numerous past articles explained that torture is prohibited at all times, under all conditions, with no allowed exceptions. Nonetheless, it’s official Israeli policy, even against children. A previous article discussed it, accessed through the following link:

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/

Against Palestinians, even children, torture and other forms of abuse are commonplace. Of the 45 cases studied, two were children aged 11 or younger, one was 12, 22 were 14 or 15, and 22 were 16 or 17. Twenty-eight of them were accused of stone-throwing. Under Military Order 1651, Section 221, it’s punishable as follows:

– against people or property, it carries a maximum 10 year penalty; for children aged 13 or younger, it’s six months; and

– throwing stones or other objects against moving vehicles brings up to 20 years imprisonment; for children 13 or younger, it’s six months.

In fact, children most often get sentences ranging from two weeks to 10 months. However, none should get 10 minutes or ever have be arrested and prosecuted. In detention, they’re subjected to the following:

Hand ties – 98%

Blindfolds – 91%

Physical violence – 87%

Detention inside Israel in violation of Fourth Geneva’s Article 76 – 76%

Confession during interrogation – 69%

Arrested between midnight and 5:00AM – 62%

Verbal abuse – 60%

Strip searched – 56%

Threatened – 38%

Taken to detention on vehicle’s floor (a painful process sometimes taking hours) – 33%

Signed/shown documents in Hebrew – 29%

Held in solitary confinement (from one to 20 days) – 9%

In all 45 cases examined, children experienced multiple form of abuse. It reveals a systematic pattern of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment in violation of the UN Convention against Torture, Geneva’s Common Article 3, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, prohibiting the above practices.

Khaled H (age 16) said:

“At around 2:00 AM, I was sleeping in the same room as my brother….I woke up to a noise coming from the door of the room. Then, the door opened and many soldiers stormed the room. One of them approached me and punched me hard in the head.”

In custody during interrogations, most children are blindfolded and have their hands painfully tied, usually behind their back. Some reported extreme pain. Others said said their circulation was cut off, causing their hands to swell and turn blue. Most were held this way for hours. Some reported their feet also shackled.

Othman H (aged 17) said:

After entering his home, “soldiers took me downstairs to the first floor….One of them tied my hands behind my back with one set of plastic cords, and tightened them. He also blindfolded me. They took me out and forced me to stop near a military truck near the house. While I was standing there, one of them hit me so hard in my testicles (that) I felt much pain.”

Mohammad H (age 17) said his hands were so tightly bound, he “screamed in pain and asked them to loosen them, but they started shouting and ordering me to ‘shut up and don’t talk.’ “

Malek S. (age 16) said when his hand restraints were removed, “pieces of flesh came off and my wrists started bleeding.” When ordered to confess, he said he had “nothing to confess to,” after which his interrogator “went crazy and started screaming. He started slapping me and kicking me. He even grabbed my head and slammed it against the metal wall of the room where we were. My forehead swelled and I felt my hands bleeding because of the pressure.”

Typical violence includes punching, slapping, pushing and kicking, often hard enough to cause extreme pain. Children reported multiple incidents throughout their arrest/transfer/interrogation process.

Testimonies reveal a combination of physical violence, threats and verbal abuse, at times of a sexual nature or bringing a menacing dog into the interrogation room.

A Final Comment

From January 2001 to late 2010, 645 complaints were filed against Israeli Security Agency (ISA) interrogators, alleging torture, ill-treatment and other forms of abuse. The Justice Ministry’s Police Investigation Department “did not conduct a single criminal investigation.”

When it comes to Palestinian rights, including young children, Israel is an anything goes society, committing vile abuses with impunity.

Two years after Cast Lead’s mass slaughter and destruction, two soldiers were convicted of credit card fraud, two others for using a nine-year-old boy as a human shield. Only the defrauders served prison time. The others got suspended sentences, letting them off scot free.

Moreover, on January 27, 2011, despite Lt. Col. Omri Burberg’s conviction for shooting a bound and blindfolded detainee, a military court refused to imprison him, even though prosecutors recommended it.

Settlements also adversely affect Palestinian children. Clear evidence shows arrests and ill-treatment result from living close to them.

The cumulative effect of abusive practices, especially against young children, constitutes torture under international law. Whether mild or extreme, it’s absolutely prohibited criminal behavior.

Against Palestinians, however, it’s standard practice. In fact, Israel’s ISA gets carte blanche authority to abuse with impunity, even kill that sometimes happens.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/

Source

Monday, October 3, 2011

Palestine Before Zionism

Originally posted by Oh My Gaza at http://www.ohmygaza.com/2011/10/palestine-before-zionism.html

Background

The land of Palestine has a political, economic and religious significance in history. It is the land that connects between Egypt and the Mesopotamia (Iraq). According to Richard Hooker in Washington State University, “It was the land bridge that carried all the commercial goods between these two wealthy and powerful areas; it was also the highway on which armies would travel, whether Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, or Roman.” That’s why it has been a land with much turmoil.

Religious Significance

Palestine is regarded as a holy place by more than half of the world for the existence of Jerusalem inland. It’s considered a pilgrimage site by the three monotheistic religions (AKA Abrahamic religions) Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

For Jews:

It’s the land where Jacob - who is considered the grand father of the tribes of Israel- lived with his children.

Although Moses received revelation in Sinai. They believe it had been their destination when Moses led escaping the Pharos in Egypt.

Also, it’s the land that witnessed the righteous kingdom of David and Solomon.

Moreover, it’s that place where Solomon temple was once built before being destroyed by the Babylonians.

For Christians:

It’s the land where Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born, lived and preached and (as they believe) crucified and will be resurrected.

In Jerusalem, there exist the three churches that denote his life.

For Muslims:

Muslims believe Islam is the continuation of Judaism and Christianity and its message was the message of all prophets completed by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). They believe that all prophets who passed by or lived there were leading the struggle of good against evil with the message to worship the one and only God.

Jerusalem was their first direction of prayers, and the place where their third shrine (Al-Aqsa Mosque) stands in which a prayer is worth 500 prayers.

Also, it’s believed to be the site from which prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ascended to heaven in a holy night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem.

Canaan (3000 B.C. – 1000 B.C.)

Remains and wheat fossils were discovered in the city of Jericho dating back to 8000 B.C. making it the oldest form of agricultural city in the world. So it’s known that Palestine has been continuously inhabited since then.

Between 3000 B.C and 2000 B.C., tribes migrated from the northern Arab Peninsula and settled in Ard Al-Sham and especially in Palestine forming different tribal groups of which the most famous are Amorites, Canaanites, Jebosites, other Semitic peoples. So it was called the land of Canaan denoting all Palestine regardless of racial connotation. Due to Canaan’s geographical and population diversity, its inhabitants didn’t form a united entity. They lived as self contained tribes mostly administrated by powerful neighboring kingdoms such as Egyptians and Hittites.

Between 1850 B.C. and 1500 B.C., the history of Hebrews tribe started with the migration of Abraham from Mesopotamia (Iraq) to the Land of Canaan. Abraham is considered the great grand father of both Arabs (Ishmael’s descendants), and Hebrews (Isaac’s descendants). It wasn’t until later that Hebrews will be called the children of Israel named after their grand father Jacob (Isaac’s son who was called Israel in Biblical and Quranic records). Hebrews migration in Palestine ended when Jacob and all of his family left to Egypt looking for a better life when Egypt was under Hyksos rule.

Around 1250 B.C., the Children of Israel led by Moses escaped the Pharos in Egypt heading towards Palestine. That’s when the Jews came to exist. They are those who believed in Moses as a prophet sent by the one and only God called in Judaism Yahweh. They couldn’t beat the Canaanites, and lived as scattered tribes trying to seep into Canaan every now and then.

Around 1200 B.C., some peoples from Mediterranean Islands called peoples of the sea migrated to the land of Canaan and settled in the western south coast which became PLST and its dwellers called Philistines. Although they dissolved within the Canaanites and Jebusites, the whole area would take the name of Palestine later on.

http://www.bible-history.com/maps/canaanite_nations.html

The Jewish Kingdom (1000 B.C. – 920 B.C)

It wasn’t until 1004 B.C, when the Hebrew tribes managed to beat the Semitic and non Semitic peoples living in Palestine. They built a united monarchy on much of Canaan land led by David. With the weakness of surrounding kingdoms in Egypt and Iraq, David and then his son Solomon managed to create a flourishing kingdom.

Around 960 B.C., Solomon built an enormous temple denoting his political strong rule. Following Solomon’s death, the Jews unity broke into Judea in the south and Israel in the north. The two kingdoms kept enmity towards each other until Assyrians conquered and destroyed the Israeli monarchy and later Judea was destroyed by the Babylonians.

Assyrians and Babylonians Rule (722 B.C - 530 B.C)

In 722 B.C., the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and exiled the upper class and tribes’ chiefs into other places in their kingdom. The Babylonians then took over Iraq from within and managed to end Assyrians rule and its territories. By 597 B.C., they conquered Judea and all of Palestine was under the Babylonians (Chaldeans) rule. They entered Jerusalem, and destroyed the temple. They also exiled thousands out of Judea into Babylon (Capital of Iraq then).

Persians and Greek Rule (539 B.C to 167 B.C)

By 539 B.C., the Persians conquered Palestine in their efforts to take over the whole world. It was the first conquest done for religious reasons. Cyrus believed he had a mission to support the Good religions over the bad ones. He thought Jewish religion was among the Good ones, so he ordered the Jews to return back to Jerusalem, rebuild the Temple, and worship Yahweh. However, large numbers of the Jews didn’t return and stayed in Babylon. Those who returned rebuild the temple and exercised autonomous rule in Jerusalem as a theological state following Persian rule.

By 333 B.C., the Greek led by Alexander conquered the Persian Empire including Palestine. Following his death, a Greek division called the Seleucids ruled in Palestine. They forced the Jews in Jerusalem to worship their gods and follow their cult. By 168 B.C., the Greek ruler Antiochus IV destroyed the Jews second Temple which agitated the Jewish revolt in 161 B.C. under the leadership of the Maccabees, which succeeded to retain an autonomous rule of Jerusalem (Judea) under protection of an emerging power of the Romans.

Romans and Byzantine Rule (65 B.C. - 600s A.D.)

By 63 BC, Jerusalem became a protectorate of Rome. Romans gave the Jews a governor in Jerusalem on condition to pay as much taxes as possible. Afterwards, prophet Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Jerusalem. By 6 AD, Romans ruled Palestine directly, and only the Judicial and religious systems were in Jews hands. As Christians believe Jesus was crucified and his body was raised to heaven, his followers were oppressed and killed by the Jews which led to fleeing from Jerusalem or secretly preaching their religion. Also some fled to Rome.

In 70 AD and 132 AD, the Romans managed to annihilate Jews revolts after which, Romans prohibited Judaism in Palestine and exiled the Jews from Jerusalem and they were dispersed all over the world. Small numbers of Jews stayed in Palestine but were never allowed into Jerusalem. By 300 AD, Palestine was under the Byzantine rule and Christianity spread all over Palestine.

Palestine witnessed a mosaic population at that time consisted of Jews and Palestinian converts to Christianity, Pagans, Romans, and others who had constantly been living in Palestine.

Islamic Rule (636 A.D – 1917 A.D.)

By the 7th century, Islam appeared in the Arab Peninsula. As Muslims believe their religion is the final monotheistic message from God to the whole universe, Prophet Muhammad sent letters to the two greatest kingdoms ruling the area at that time, the Romans and Persians. He gave them the choice to accept Islam and reveal it to their peoples or Muslim armies would conquer their territories.

Around 638, Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab entered Jerusalem called Aelia at that time after the acceptance of peace by its Patriarch. A promise called the covenant of Omar was granted to Jerusalem people that guaranteed the protection of Christians and Jews holy places. Freedom of religion was assured with Muslims paying Zakkah and non Muslims paying Jizziah which are two forms of calculated taxes paid in Islamic ruled regions.

Gradually, most Palestine inhabitants embraced Islam and accordingly the Arabic Islamic culture. Islamic rule was interrupted in 1099 when Crusaders brutally invaded Palestine slaughtering Jews and Muslims, and again Jews were banned from living in Jerusalem. It remained under Crusaders rule till the Muslim ruler Saladin managed to retain the city by 1187. And different Muslim powers kept ruling the area till early 1900s.

References

Al-Suwaidan, Tareq. Palestine, the Photographic History. Kuwait: Al-Ebdaa Al-Fekri, 2009.

Saleh, Mohsen M. History of Palestine. Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation, 2005.

Gelvin, James L. The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: one hundred years of war. Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Said, Edward W. The Question of Palestine. New York: Vintage books Edition, April 1992.

http://www.mideastweb.org

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/HEBREWS/HEBREWS.HTM

http://www.cactus48.com/earlyhistory.html

The Negev Bedouin

Originally posted by Oh My Gaza at http://www.ohmygaza.com/2011/10/negev-bedouin.html

The Negev Bedouin are among the Palestinian Arabs who remained in Israel after 1948 and are today a minority group of Israeli citizens. They have inhabited the Negev desert since the 5th century C.E.

Prior to the 1948, estimates of the Bedouin Arab population in the Negev, which was organized into 95 tribes, ranged from 65,000 to 90,000 (Marx, 1967, 1990; Falah, 1989b; Maddrell, 1990; Yiftachel, 2002). Traditionally, they were semi-nomadic herders of sheep, goats and camels. They engaged in nonintensive, seasonal agriculture and cultivated over 2 million dunums of land, primarily in the northern Negev (Falah, 1989a, 1989b; Marx, 1990; Yiftachel, 2002). They also controllrd the trade routs through the southern Negev Desert to Egypt and Jordan. During the course and aftermath of the 1948 war, the vast majority of the Negev Bedouin fled or were expelled. By 1952, only about 11,000 remained in the Negev (Falah, 1989b; Marx, 1967, 1990; Masalha, 1997), from among whom only 19 tribes received official recognition from the Israeli government (Falah, 1989b).

Twelve of the 19 tribes were removed from their lands, and the whole population was confined to a specially-designated Restricted Area (seig) in the northeastern Negev, representing only 10% of the territory they controlled before 1948 (Falah, 1989b; Lustick, 1980; Marx, 1967). The Restricted Area, to the northeast and east of Beer Sheva, was known for its low agricultural fertility. In response to this forced removal, primarily from the northwestern Negev where the best agricultural land was located, one Bedouin sheikh stated:

...the land expropriation and the forced expulsions without compensation or the right to return...brought the Bedouin to a situation which [was] difficult both psychologically and materially, and to a lack of security unlike anything they had previously known. (Lustick, 1980, p. 13)

The Negev Bedouin were placed under a military administration until 1966, as were all other Palestinian Arabs in Israel, which meant that they could not return to and cultivate their lands, they were isolated from the Arab population in other parts of Israel, and they needed special permits to leave their designated sections of the Restricted Area to look for jobs, education, markets, etc. (Marx, 1967). The restrictions imposed by the Israeli government represented a form of forced sedentarization, which virtually ended their semi-nomadic way of life; while, at the same time, hampered their (already limited) ability to compete in the Beer-Sheva labor market (Falah, 1989b; Yiftachel, 2002).

During the tenure of the Military Administration, the authorities took great care to prevent the migration of the Bedouin out of the Restricted Area. Bedouin men who were given permits to work in the Jewish sector were not allowed to bring their families with them, thus ensuring their return to the Restricted Area. Even within the Restricted Area, a Bedouin of one tribe could not visit the area of another tribe without the permission of the Military Governor (Marx, 1967). At the same time, there was a rapid influx of new Jewish immigrants to the Negev, and development for the Jewish population. Beer-Sheva became an important regional urban center, and the Bedouin lands reclassified as state lands by the government were allocated to some 50 new Jewish settlements, primarily small 'development towns,' and collective (moshavim) and cooperative (kibbutzim) agricultural villages (Yiftachel, 2002).

The Restricted Area's infertile lands, shrinking grazing and agricultural space, and urban proximity dramatically transformed the lifestyle of the Negev Bedouin Arabs. From controllers of the desert region, they became fringe dwellers of a growing, modernizing Beer-Sheva region (Abu-Saad, 2000; Yiftachel, 2002).

The Military Administration over Palestinian Arabs in Israel was lifted in 1966, and the Negev Bedouin were then brought into greater contact with Israeli society. Since they had lost their lands and traditional livelihood, the vast majority of the Bedouin became dependent on working in the Jewish sector, primarily as unskilled laborers (Abu-Saad, 2000).

Land

Prior to 1948, most Bedouin land was held in the traditional land ownership system of oral contracts. The land laws of earlier ruling powers (Ottomans, British) did not impact the traditional forms of Bedouin Arab land possession and ownership, which was usually clearly demarcated, whether verbally or through documents signed by neighboring tribes and communities (Yiftachel, 2002). As Shamir (1996) stated:

Several accounts indicate the complexity of the relationship between the Bedouin and the Negev's land. Historically, Bedouins had their own legal mechanisms for deciding land ownership disputes and for acquiring, leasing, selling, inheriting, and marking a given area's boundaries. The single most important point in all these accounts is the strong role that land ownership plays in constructing meaning and power in the lives of the Bedouins. The land is said to contain the personality of its owner and as such cannot be taken away even with changed circumstances or long periods of absence. Further, ownership of land is a primary mechanism of stratification and distinction, relegating Bedouins without land to an inferior position in their society. (p. 234)

In the traditional Negev Bedouin economy, land was as essential to basic survival as it was to the accumulation of wealth, by providing the capacity to maintain and increase herds. Under Israeli control, however, over 95% of all lands held by Negev Bedouin Arabs prior to 1948 were declared by the government as state property (Abu-Saad, 2000; Falah, 1989b; Lustick, 1980; Yiftachel, 2002). In other areas, like the Galilee and the Triangle, Israel recognized private Arab land ownership, based on British documentation; though even in these regions the state expropriated 60% private Arab lands (Falah, 1989b; Yiftachel, 2002).

In the Negev, Israel recognized virtually no Arab land rights, both because most Bedouin did not have the written land ownership documentation being required by the Israeli legal system (Shamir, 1996; Yiftachel, 2002), and because in most popular and academic Israeli accounts of the Negev desert, it is conceived of as an empty space in which the Bedouin are only rootless nomads. Shamir (1996) explains that, as such:

…accounts of the relationship between Bedouins and land are almost entirely absent from Zionism's "official story." A host of historians, geographers, reporters, engineers, policymakers, and educators emphasize the rootless character of Bedouin life and describe the Bedouin as lacking the fundamental and constructive bond with the soil that marks the transition of humans in nature to humans in society (hence, for example, the distinction between "planned" and "spontaneous" settlements). One aspect of this official story emphasizes the emptiness of the Negev, while another aspect discovers the Bedouin nomads as part of nature. Both aspects ultimately converge into a single trajectory: an empty space that awaits Jewish liberation, and a nomadic culture that awaits civilization. (p. 235).

The Negev Bedouin have not accepted this legal situation. Those who became Israeli citizens have since submitted some 3,200 legal claims to their expropriated lands, based on traditional Ottoman or British records which attested to their past holdings. To date, however, not even one claimant has been awarded full ownership rights. The Israeli legal system refused to award ownership without documented proof of individual title (Shamir, 1996). On the other hand, the state recognized partial holding rights for the Bedouin-Arabs, either in accordance with land arrangements practiced before 1948, or according to regulations agreed upon by the state and the traditional Palestinian Arab elites after the transfer to the Restricted Area (Babai, 1997; Shamir, 1996). However, these rights remained vague, thus depriving the Negev Bedouin of basic development and planning capabilities (Yiftachel, 2002).

Five decades later the tension involving Bedouin-Arab land ownership is still a central issue in the Beer-Sheva region. Ninety five percent of Palestinian Arab claims to land have not been settled, covering approximately 800,000 dunams (Mena Committee, 1997). Half of these lands are in areas settled by Jews. The compromises reached so far between Negev Palestinian Arabs and state amount only to 30,000 dunams. This low figure reflects the slow pace of the Israeli legal system, but also the on-going Bedouin resistance to state policies, which have attempted to link the settlement of land disputes with forced relocation into seven planned towns within the Restricted Area (Yiftachel, 2002).

By Ismael Abu-Saad

~ reposted by Sofia Smith

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Past & the Present...

The Past (1973)...

...and the Present.

Nothing has changed.

Both pictures were brought to my attention via @AElMassry. If anyone knows the original sources of these pics, please send me the information so that I can credit them here!

~ reposted by Sofia Smith