Palestinian Oppression: Official
Israeli Policy - Solidarity Protestsk
02 March 2012
By Stephen Lendman
Born in blood, Israel's been drenched in it since. Its
agenda reflects racist state terror ruthlessness.
"Can you hear the sound of injustice," asked Palestine
Solidarity Campaign's Alexei Sayle, saying:
"To me the behavior of Israel and the uncritical
support it gets from western governments is like" a
destructive force harming bodily organs.
Its sound resonates "24 hours a day and poisons the
whole world with its malignance." Palestinians bear
the burden, besieged Gazans and thousands of political
prisoners most of all. More below.
"Let's make 2012 the year that injustice ends," says
Sayle. The world can't wait nor should it. Injustice
to anyone harms everyone.
For Palestinians, it's a way of life. Daily oppression
terrorizes them. The Palestinian Center for Human
Rights (PCHR) publishes weekly reports documenting it.
Its latest March 1 one said dozens of Israeli security
forces "attempt(ed to storm) the al-Aqsa Mosque in
Jerusalem while Palestinian worshippers were inside"
praying.
Systematic terror attacks occur regularly. They
include bombing and shelling Gaza, killing civilians,
middle-of-the-night neighborhood incursions, attacking
peaceful protesters, and daily arrests.
Thousands of political prisoners reflect them. Many
resist heroically. Hunger striking is their weapon of
choice. Khader Adnan preferred death to unjust
detention. Hana Shalabi joined his struggle for
justice.
On March 4, the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human
Rights Association twittered: "Hana Shalabi enters day
18 of hunger strike as military judge prepares meeting
to decide on confirming her administration detention."
On March 2, she expressed determination to refuse food
to highlight Israeli injustice against all Palestinian
prisoners, especially those held uncharged under
administrative detention.
On March 1, Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) lawyer
Fawwaz Ash-Shalloudy visited her. She explained her
horrific ordeal, including extreme prison harshness to
break her spirit and force her to ingest food.
She refuses. She's determined to persist. She wants
her message delivered and heard. Her health's
deteriorating as a result. Justice takes precedence.
On March 3, she extended greetings ahead of
International Women's Day. On March 8, it's
commemorated annually. Observed for over a century,
global gender equality and peace advocacy rallies are
held. They also stress ending violence and injustice
against women and girls everywhere.
Shalabi told Palestinian Prisoner Society lawyer
Sherine Iraqi she's hunger striking against
Palestinian injustice and for all struggling women
everywhere. She won't compromise her rights or
dignity.
She'll persist until freed, adding Israel has "gone
too far in humiliating and enslaving Palestinians in
addition to practicing various types of insults and
torture."
Released in last year's Shalit prisoner swap, she said
re-arresting her reflects revenge and Israel's "racist
policy that knows no mercy." She called allegations
against her fabrications. She also saluted Palestinian
women ahead of International Women's Day, saying
they'll "always be the spearhead of resistance against
the occupiers."
She's right. Despite decades of exceptional suffering,
they display remarkable courage and endurance. Living
under daily stress in poverty, their homes destroyed,
lands razed or expropriated, children sick, husbands
and family members imprisoned or killed, they plant
seeds of hope, fulfill their social role, participate
politically, and resist.
Since 1948, they've been denied basic human rights,
security, free expression, movement, a safe and
healthy environment, and education. They became
refugees in their own land and abroad. They bear
burdens beyond what most women can bear.
They struggle daily to endure, survive, and be
spouses, mothers, caregivers, fighters, nurses,
workers, and teachers.
One mother spoke for others, saying she "sleeps with
her eyes wide open, and lives with her heart broken,
expecting grief to be renewed at any moment." Few in
Western societies can imagine what they and all
Palestinians endure daily.
Khader Adnan and Hana reflect their spirit, no matter
the personal cost.
On March 3, the Israeli Prison Administration
prevented a medical team from visiting Hana. It
includes Palestinians and international healthcare
professionals.
They said they wanted to see her after Israeli
authorities refused to have her examined or
hospitalized if her deteriorated health worsens. Her
father Yahya said she's lost considerable weight, is
weak, and can barely stand.
The team holds Israel directly responsible for her
welfare. It urged ICRC medical specialists to examine
her.
This week, an Israeli military court will decide her
fate. In private session, Hana's lawyers are excluded.
At issue is administratively detaining her
indefinitely uncharged. Palestinian Prisoner Society
lawyer Jawad Boulos demanded Hana's immediate release.
He refuted allegations about planned "attacks against
military targets." Prosecutors claim secret evidence
shows it. "Secret evidence" is code language for none
whatever. Verifiable evidence is freely presented.
Thousands of Palestinians language in Israel's gulag
based on nothing but baseless allegations. Though
innocent, they endure horrific unjust treatment.
Solidarity Protests
On March 2, after Friday prayers, dozens of
Palestinians marched in solidarity with Hana, Khader
Adnan, and other Palestinian prisoners. Near Hana's
Borqeen village, they held Palestinian flags,
placards, and banners calling for their release.
Their march ended at Hana's home. Her elderly parents
began hunger striking in solidarity. They're doing it
publicly in a protest tent. Her father Yahya said
they'll continue until she's freed. National/Islamic
Factions representative Rajeh Qablawi said her example
and "determination exposes the true and cruel face of
the Israeli occupation, aggression and injustice."
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemned Hana's
detention. They hold indifferent world leaders
responsible for what happens. They called for
international solidarity campaigns to free her.
They paid "tribute to Palestinian prisoners' struggle
against injustice and violation of human rights, and
for freedom and dignity." They condemned Israel's
abusive treatment. They said her case and others like
it reflect Israel's denial of fundamental human
rights.
They also expressed concern for Hana's life, safety
and well-being. They urged international pressure to
highlight what thousands of Palestinian prisoners
endure. Hana's struggling against decades of Israeli
injustice throughout Occupied Palestine. Her struggle
is ours. We're all Hana Shalabi.
A Final Comment
On March 2, Amnesty International (AI) demanded Israel
release Bassem Tamimi, saying:
"Palestinian human rights defender (Tamimi) is a
prisoner of conscience, detained solely for his role
in organizing peaceful protests against the
encroachment onto Palestinian lands by Israeli
settlers, and should be released immediately and
unconditionally."
On March 24, 2011, he was lawlessly arrested and
charged with "incitement and support of a hostile
organization, organizing and participating in
unauthorized processions, incitement to throwing
objects against a person or property," and other
alleged offenses.
Currently in Ofer prison, his trial continues. He
repeatedly affirms nonviolent principles in resisting
repression. On November 16, 2011 in court, he said:
"International law guarantees the right of occupied
people to resist Occupation. In practicing my right, I
have called for and organized peaceful popular
demonstrations against the Occupation, settler attacks
and the theft of more than half of the land of my
village… I organized these peaceful demonstrations in
order to defend our land and our people…."
"The military prosecutor accuses me of inciting the
protesters to throw stones at the soldiers. This is
not true. What incites protesters to throw stones is
the sound of bullets, the Occupation's bulldozers as
they destroy the land, the smell of teargas and the
smoke coming from burnt houses. I did not incite
anyone to throw stones, but I am not responsible for
the security of your soldiers who invade my village
and attack my people with all the weapons of death and
the equipment of terror."
Beginning in December 2009, Tamimi organized weekly
nonviolent protests against Israeli land theft and
dispossessions in al-Nabi Saleh village near Ramallah.
Israeli security forces confronted them violently.
On December 10, 2011, Mustafa Tamimi died from a
high-velocity tear gas grenade fired directly at his
head at close range. It was deliberate, cold-blooded
murder.
On February 19, 2012, Bassem said:
"International law gives us the right to peaceful
protest, to demonstrate our refusal of the policies
that hurt us, our daily life and the future of our
children… I do not know and do not care if they [the
settlements] are permitted by your law, as it was
enacted by an authority I do not recognize…True
justice would not have me stand here before this court
at all, let alone while I am imprisoned and shackled.
This case is baseless and made up with the sole goal
of putting me behind bars."
In 1993, AI documented his torture in detention. As a
result, he suffered a subdural hematoma and lay
unconscious for six days during which he underwent
life-saving surgery.
On December 6, 1993, he was released uncharged. His
ordeal now continues. Support him, Hana, Khader, and
thousands of others like them. Demand appalling
Israeli injustice end and those responsible held
accountable.
International law requires it, and that victims be
justly compensated. Like America, Israel arrogantly
refuses. It keeps inflicting horrific human rights
violations. Justice is dismissively denied. For
decades, Palestinians have suffered. Their liberating
struggle continues.
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/.
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