Hadash MK Issam Makhoul: Palestinians Can Kill Armed Settlers

December 31, 2001

Background: The Following is the precise text of “Proposed Law 4794B”

Presented by Hadash Mk Issam Makhoul, Mohammad Barakeh and Tamar Gozansky presented to the Knesset on 31/12/2001:

Proposed Law to Amend the Order for Preventing Terror (Struggle Against Occupation, 2001

Amendment to Paragraph 1: 1. In the Order for Preventing Terror 1948, at the end of the definition of “terror organization” will come:

Excepting a group of people who struggle against the occupation that do not carry out one of the following:

(1) Acts of violence that may cause the death or wounding of a person directed towards someone who is not among the security forces’

(2) Threatening the use of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.

Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA interviewed Hadash MK Issam Makhoul, in Hebrew:

IMRA: I had a question about your proposed law. I see in the text the line “someone who is not among the security forces”. What is the status of settlers in this law? Are they considered as being among the security forces?

Makhoul: These are things that should be clarified more when we make preparations in committee for the first and second reading. The proposed law does not say that there should or should not be opposition to the occupation, and things that are a part of the occupation such as the opening of a bypass road, confiscation of land, settlements. The proposed law addresses the question as to whether opposition to the occupation is terror.

From that standpoint it is not terror.

IMRA: There is a subparagraph and I will read it to you: “Acts of violence that may cause the death or wounding of a person directed towards someone who is not among the security forces”. Are settlers considered as a group that is “among the security forces”?

Makhoul: Armed settlers who carry out hostile acts – yes.

IMRA: A settler who drives in his car and carries a weapon.

Makhoul: What can I tell you. I will be more concrete: from my standpoint blowing up a bus in Haifa or Jerusalem or blowing up the Sbarro restaurant is considered terror and the action at Alei Sinai was an act of war within occupied territory that was not terror.

IMRA: I am relating to what is written here. Subparagraph 1. According to the text you proposed are settlers considered “among the security forces”? A settler how caries a weapon in his car is considered “among the security forces”?

Makhoul: Look, armed people are part of the occupation forces.

The basic matter in this proposed law that should be taken into account is that there is considerable hypocrisy in the reaction to it after the proposed law by Yisrael Katz that a party list that supports a terror organization cannot run for the Knesset. We are, after all, trying to have the law be in accordance with international law. Everyone is going wild on this.

IMRA: A bus of settler children…

Makhoul: Look, for me this is something that is unforgivable. But I am talking about people who are carrying out activities that are part of the occupation.

IMRA: Are you aware of any Palestinian group that would qualify via this amendment for removal from the terrorist classification? The moment you say that an action against children who are settlers is an act of terror…

Makhoul: It is not part of the rules of the game.

IMRA: Then is there any Palestinian organization that would qualify to be removed from the terrorist classification?

Makhoul: Of course. Almost all the elements of the PLO that first of all are for peace and the struggle for the end of the occupation. As long as their activities are within this framework then it is not to be considered terror. It may be considered an act of violence and it could be considered something not to be done but it is not an act of terror.

IMRA: I get it. Someone who wipes out a bus of children would be engaged in something considered an act of violence but not an act of terror.

Makhoul: No a bus of children is an act of terror.

IMRA: So you are not thinking of Fatah Tanzim but some other group inside Fatah? I am trying to think of the subgroups of Fatah, which subgroup would have that description?

Makhoul: I think that Tanzim. Tanzim doesn’t advocate it and do not do it. Ben Elizer and Mofaz can claim what they want all day but in practice they attack soldiers in the struggle…

IMRA: Only soldiers?

Makhoul: Soldiers.

IMRA: When I saw subparagraph (1) “Acts of violence that may cause the death or wounding of a person” does this mean that someone who throws a rock or a firebomb at a car that may cause death or injury would be engaged in terror?

Makhoul: But that is not an act of terror. It is an act of violence, rebellion. It cannot be compared to terror.

IMRA: I get it. Throwing rocks and firebombs in order to kill someone is not an act of terror.

Makhoul: It is a popular act. Around the world you see it – blocking roads, burning tires…

IMRA: And throwing rocks and fire bombs?

Makhoul: It is not terror. The strong claim that rock throwing is an act of terror.

IMRA: Was Arafat’s letter of September 1993 in which Arafat promised not to use violence but instead to negotiate a forfeiting of what you see as an international right to use force to liberate the occupied territories.

Makhoul: It is not naive to make such a claim. This was a promise made within peacemaking – not to continue the occupation.

IMRA: So it was conditional.

Makhoul: I am not saying that. When you continue the war against the Palestinians you cannot expect this to be honored.

IMRA: You are saying that the Israelis started it?

Makhoul: That’s not the point. I am saying who decided that Oslo is dead? Arafat gave this promise within that framework.

IMRA: The Fatah declaration that the Intifada should continue along with the negotiations is just rhetoric.

Makhoul: No. I think that if the Israelis with the help of President Clinton tried to impose a final agreement that was not just on the Palestinian People – that left some occupied Palestinian land under occupation – that should be freed according to UN decisions, and left other issues unresolved, then this is not acceptable.

IMRA: I do not want to take you time. Am I to understand from what you are saying that Arafat’s commitment in the letter only applies if all the demands of the Palestinians are met?

Makhoul: All the commitments of the US and the international community.

IMRA: Let’s put it this way: as long as Israel does not offer complete withdrawal to the 1967 line and the removal of the settlements in the final agreement then Arafat has the right to go out of his promise not to use violence.

Makhoul: That is my position – that the withdrawal must be to the 1967 lines. As long as the Israeli government continues with the position that they seek a military rather than diplomatic resolution of the conflict then Arafat’s commitment does not hold.

Reacting To Israel Communist Party Endorsement of Murder

David Bedein

December 31, 2001

This is the first stage of civil war in Israel

The Israel Communist Party has endorsed the murder of Jews who live beyond the 1949 armistice lines in Israel.

Such an endorsement cannot be dismissed as a rogue message from an insignificant political body.

The Israeli commmunist party represents the leading vote-getter in the Arab Israeli community, which represents almost 20% of the Israeli population.

The Israeli communists meet regularly with the PLO and endorse the PLO uprising now in process.

It would seem that there are a few options to respond to this newly announced policy of the Israel Communist Party:

Engage services of a lawyer for a class action suit to close down the Israeli communist party
Form a watch group to monitor everything that this group does, especially beyond the “green line”.
Initiate legal action to stop the Israel Communist Party and its affiliate, Gush Shalom, from getting support from around the world.
Establish an intelligence task force to gather informtaion on the Israel Communisty Party’s actions, in Israel and abroad.

Official Fatah Website: No Compromise

Center for Near East Policy Research

December 24, 2001

Official Fatah Editorial reiterates hard line on Jerusalem and refugees — Intifada should accompany any future negotiations to enhance the position of the Palestinian negotiators

Towards a Comprehensive National Dialogue

It was natural for the PNA and its security apparatus, all the non-government organizations, and the national and Islamic forces to confront the 100-day security program that Sharon announced after he came to power. The Israeli prime minister received the necessary green light from US president George Bush who preferred not to deal with the Middle East most important issue. Sharon’s destructive program, however, failed due to the Palestinian resistance.

Sharon’s failure to acknowledge the need for a political program that puts an end to the conflict made him act upon one of his old doctrines: if power fails to solve an issue, further power can be applied. His troops carried out more assassinations and tightened the siege around our cities and villages. The international community supported the Palestinian position and condemned Sharon’s acts of aggression.

The dolphinarium retaliatory operation that came after Israel assassinated some Hamas leaders changed the situation. The US Administration feared that Sharon would destroy the PNA, and more than forty world leaders suggested that President Arafat declare a ceasefire. President Arafat agreed and, consequently, approved Tenet’s paper.

Sharon thought that the September 11th events in New York and Washington backed his position. He likened President Arafat to bin Ladin and the PNA to Taliban. His attempt to use the new developments for his own sake failed when President Bush rejected his comparison. Sharon who grew more impatient made his second comparison; he compared Israel to Czechoslovakia and President Bush to Chamberlain. And he apologized more than once.

The quick victory of the US against Taliban made the US Administration feel that it can dispense with the Arab and Muslim support it initially sought before its war in Afghanistan. It no longer hides its future agenda. US officials talk in public of their plans to attack certain Arab targets. However, the US position concerning the Arab Israeli conflict drastically changed in the aftermath of the repeated explosions in Jerusalem and Haifa.

As a result, relentless pressure was exerted on the Palestinian leadership to take action against those who carried out the suicide attacks. Even the European position could not stand against Sharon’s dictates. These dictates go against the supreme interests of the Palestinian people and are not in line with the principles of democracy and political pluralism that the Independence Declaration guaranteed.

It seems that this critical stage requires all Palestinian forces – the PNA, national and Islamic forces, and institutions that make up the civil society- should start a national dialogue to determine a well-defined strategy to help us restore the full support of the international community for our rights. At the top of these is our right to establish a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The strategy required should be based on the following:

1. A Unified Goal

It is necessary to determine the current goal, the interim goal and the strategic one. On the basis of these goals, one can decide the right steps in our struggle to achieve them. A time schedule is also necessary to achieve the specified goal within a specified period of time.

In all cases, reference should be made to the following principles that cannot be violated since they are based on national consensus:

1. Ending the Israeli occupation in the 1967-occupied areas including Jerusalem.

2. Removing Israeli settlements since they are illegal and constitute an obstacle to peace.

3. Maintaining the right of return to the refugees who were driven out of their lands, in accordance with UN Resolution 194.

4. Preserving our right to self-determination and the establishment of a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Also, it is not allowed to stop the Intifada in return for an Israeli withdrawal from the land it occupied in Area (A) or in return for maintaining the pre-September 28th status. The Intifada is not a tool for returning to the negotiating table; it should accompany any future negotiations to enhance the position of the Palestinian negotiators and to guarantee a better performance on their part.

2. Unified Ranks

Democracy, political pluralism, and the sovereignty of law characterize the Palestinian society. The supreme national interest as decided by the immediate and strategic goals remains the basic indicator of the nature of any constructive and creative national dialogue. Such a dialogue should be based on the principle of enhancing collective work away from individual or factional interests and tendencies taking into account the right of every faction or organization to maintain its own strategic program.

Adhering to the struggle strategy as specified by the political program of the national and Islamic forces governs the performance of any individual faction and makes it give priority to the collective goal at the expense of any individual goals that it may have.

Adherence to the collective goal will also enhance the role of the PNA in its confrontation and brings its political discourse much closer to the political program of the national and Islamic forces.

3. Unified Performance

Unified goals behind unified ranks will lessen the differences and theoretical contradictions that exist among the different factions. The clarity provided in specifying an immediate goal will help an individual faction to achieve that goal even when it is not directly related to its own strategy.

We are in the habit of closing our ranks when we sense a possible danger at least in the short run, but we are likely to differ when political results are to be reaped.

The current critical stage we are passing through necessitates the opening of a comprehensive national dialogue to find a way out of the various current and interim goals. The resulting disunity serves only the interests of the murderer Sharon who is using some of our controversial practices. Not only do these practices contravene with international standards, but also they are not in line with our own religious heritage. This is despite the fact that Sharon has committed very outrageous acts in order to elicit similar revenge acts that the international community considers unlawful. And, in this regard, he succeeded.

Not only do the national and Islamic forces have to act in accordance with the principles of national unity, but also the PNA has to act similarly. It has to provide security, maintain the sovereignty of law, and fortify our home front. In addition, the PNA has to adopt a dialogue policy to keep a better political understanding with the national and Islamic forces whose members comprise the PNA itself.

Political detention should not be allowed on the basis of political opinions or the implementation of a legitimate struggle activity. The distinction between the general freedoms and the sovereignty of law ought to be made clear. Punishment becomes necessary only when a law is violated.

We are at a crossroads, and we need to be cautious and wise. Sharon’s dictates aim to undermine our cause and turn our legitimate struggle into an internal fight that disqualifies us as a people that seeks self-determination and an independent state. We should not give the Zionist movement the opportunity to prove one of its fallacies that it occupied a land without a people. It is the fallacy that explains their daily practices when they uproot our trees, demolish our homes and humiliate us at their checkup points.

At the same time, we have to keep the Intifada and adhere to our inalienable rights: the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and preserve the right of the refugees to return to their homes.

Revolution until victory.

What Econmic Aid Does Israel Continue to Provide the Palestinian Authority?

Center for Near East Policy Research

December 24, 2001

On December 20, 2001, UN official Terry Larson convened a press conference and accused Israel of massive economic neglect of the PAlestinian Authority.

At the specific request of Israel Resource News Agency, the IDF spokesman’s office issued the following summary of economic benefits that Israel currently provides the Palestinian Authority. This document was distributed to all major Israeli and foreign media and not quoted in any news outlet.

Thursday, December 20, 2001

Employment In Israel

– 5,800 Palestinian workers are permitted to work in Israel.

– Female Palestinian workers from the age of 25 and up are permitted to work in Israel without restrictions on the number of workers allowed into Israel.

– Work permits were manufactured for Palestinian workers to work in the industrial area of the West Bank and the Israeli communities there.

– Erez industrial area is always active, and is a source of livelihood for about 4,500 Palestinians every day, despite the fact that terrorists continually attempt to target the entrance to the industrial area, firing mortar shells during working hours.

– In addition, 6,000 workers are employed in the Israeli industrial areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

– Making the job circle bigger by lowering criteria.

– Israel is examining the option of allowing workers to stay over night in Israel – depending of course on the workplace, the employer and the current state.

Industrial Regions

– Israel is looking at the option of making a safety-mantle with the Palestinians, which will allow the entrance of Israelis and Palestinians into the Industrial Regions. It was agreed that Karni will be the pilot for the rest of the industrial regions. Actions being taken right now:

– The removal of restrictions on imports and exports of merchandise and raw material to or from Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

– Karni Crossing: An average of 600 trucks carrying exports and imports are allowed through daily.

– Sufa Crossing: An average of about 80 trucks go through daily.

– New Allenby Bridge: Permits a higher level of economic activity between Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

– Merchants and Buisnessmen: 5,000 Palestinian merchants and businessmen have permits to enter Israel.

– Israel is testing whether or not to give the Palestinians a security package which would allow free passage by Israelis and Palestinians into Industrial areas.

Agriculture

– Israel has initiated the formation of joint committees locally to cooperate in bringing about agricultural progression.

– During March of this year, as part of a veterinary cooperation program between the two peoples Israel sent 200,000 vaccinations against the “Foot and Mouth” disease to the West Bank, where Palestinians claimed had spread. In addition, Israel has approved passes from the West Bank to Israel for veterinary visits.

Israel broadened the fishing area to 12 miles, even though there is a great risk of weapon smuggling via sea. This makes it possible for tens of thousands of Palestinians to earn a living.

Infrastructure

– Israel will continue supplying the foundations for electricity, water and communication services – even though the Palestinian’s debt of over $50,000,000

– Israel is endorsing projects that give answers in the field of foundation and is cooperating with the donating countries in order to continue endorsing the projects.

– Israel has approved building sewer foundations in “Region C”.

Electricity

– The Power Station in the Gaza strip will be built and ready for work around the end of November 2002.

Israeli acts to ease the water shortage

– Israel is endorsing 23 Project that will connect the villages to water companies.

– 3 connection were established to the Israeli water network.

– 5 water drills were approved.

– Israel and the USAID will be running a water-drilling project to what they did with electricity problem. USAID will also help with the desalination of water and building a water source foundation for the entire Gaza Strip.

Commerce & Trade

– Allowing more people to enter Israel for commerce actions. Allowing the activity of the commerce in Israel to run for more hours.

International Borders

– The continual flow of people and goods through Allenby and Rafah crossings.

Alenby Terminal – a daily average about 1,850 passangers (1,000 to Jordan and 850 from Jordan).

Status Report about general statistics per week

1. International Terminals – Alenby & Raphiach: – Alenby Terminal –

a) Entering the border: 6,550 passengers.

b) Going abroad: 6,550 passengers.

– Alenby Packaging Terminal –

a) Entering the border: 110 trucks.

b) Going abroad: 5.

– Raphiach Terminal –

a) Entering the border: 1,500 passengers.

b) Going abroad: 1,750 passengers.

– Raphiach Packaging Terminal –

a) Entering the border: 6 trucks.

b) Going abroad: – ?

2. The Airport – has been closed since February 6th.

3. Commerce Movement –

– To the Gaza strip – 1,450 trucks.

– From the Gaza strip – 1,050 trucks.

4. Concrete –

– 275 trucks to the Gaza strip.

– 95 trucks to the Judea/Samaria Junction near Beit El

– 65 trucks to Jordan, through Alenby.

5. Large Crates (Back to Back):

– In Karni: 770 crate trucks

– Sufa Crossing: 355 trucks from Jordan

– Altogether 1,125 trucks go to Gaza

6. Gas & Fuel –

– Gas:

To the Gaza strip: 2,234,000 liter, To Ayosh: 3,495,000 liter.

– Fuel:

To the Gaza strip: 530 tons, To Ayosh: 930 tons.

7. Employment in Israel –

Agriculture workers only are permitted to enter Israel.

Female workers are permitted to enter Israel.

– A total of 2,550 valid permits.

Humanitarian Aid

– Israel has permitted receiving 524 humanitarian donations & aids from a total of 584.

– When there is a closure, Israel allows Palestinians carrying special permits to enter Israel.

– Israel is obligated to establish the mandate given to international organizations and to the ICRC.

– Israel has initiated a special program for people who want to visit their families who live on the other side of the border.

– Israel permits people to enter Har-Habait on Fridays and pray.

– Israel permits visitors from abroad to enter the Palestinian Authority.

Tourism

– Coordination between Israel and Palestinians to increase the tourist activities in Israel (apart from Christmas Eve) with emphasis on Bethlehem and the christening location. In addition, roadblock 300 is being reconstructed in order to facilitate the entrance of visitors during the holiday.

The Villages Beit-Dejan, Beit-Phorik, Rantiss & Yericho

In the villages of Beit-Dajan and Beit-Phorik there exists a shortage of gas – due to the fact that the gas-companies themselves and the city of Nablus both suffer from a gas shortage.

In addition to that, the IDF does not allow transit between the city and the villages.

Within houses there are various quantities of food stored.

In the shops and stores however, the granary and food-storage is starting to deplete. There is no water shortage in the villages.

The heads of the village councils have already addressed the D.C.O of Nablus in order to make arrangements for transit of fuel, gas and food towards the holiday of “E’dl fiter”

– Rammalla:

The food traders responsible for the arrival of food to the village of Rantis report that there is no food shortage.

There is a gas station near the village and gas is transported to the people of Rammalla without a problem.

The general feeling in the village is that of distance and of a disconnection. That is due to the fact that it is very hard getting there, and especially today – when it takes about 3 hours.

– Jericho:

There is no shortage whatsoever of food in the city, due to the free transit of trucks carrying merchandise. In the city, there are about 30 merchants and shopkeepers hold in their stores product that can last for at least one week. There is no shortage of gas or fuel, due to the free transits of trucks during the last week. The is a storage of about 25 tons of gas.

The Gaza Strip Region

– Karni Terminal – through the Karni terminal pass about a few hundred trucks a day, which bring various kinds of merchandise and stocks from Israel to the Gaza strip and vise-versa.

– Sopha Terminal – crate-carriers are allowed to enter the unloading zone on the Palestinian side. More then 100 such trucks arrive there every day.

– A.T Erez – the activity there is as it should be, when over 3,000 Palestinian workers enter the area.

– The Fishing Range – Palestinian fishing boats are allowed to exit the Gaza strip up to 12 miles from the beach.

When the Israel Foreign Minisry Declared Independence From the Government of Israel

David Bedein

December 24, 2001

1. An Israel Government Policy Decision

On October 18, 2001, following the murder of Israel Cabinet Minister Rehavam Z’evi, for which the PFLP took credit, the Israeli government cabinet met in emergency session

On that occasion, the Israeli cabinet unanimously decided that it would break all negotiations with Arafat and the PLO until such time as Arafat arrests the PFLP leadership, which is an integral part of the PLO.

The Israeli demand that Arafat arrest the killers of an Israeli citizen is in keeping with one of the major tenets of the Oslo accords which require the PLO to apprehend the killers of any Israeli citizen who escapes to the areas under their control.

The Israeli government has not enforced this killer arrest provision in the Oslo accords with enough consistency.

However, in the matter of the murder of an Israeli cabinet minister, the Israeli government finally made the matter of the PLO asylum for murderers as a matter of policy

After Arafat did not respond to the request of the Israeli government to arrest the PFLP leadership, the Israeli government decided in a further unanimous vote to not allow Arafat to leave Ramallah until Arafat would indeed carry through with its demand to arrest the PFLP.

PFLP offices are located 200 meters from Arafat’s own office in Ramallah.

To this date, Arafat has not arrested the PFLP leaders, all of whom maintain a high profile in Ramallah.

On December 22, 2001, Arafat dispatched PA Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abed Al-Rahman to address the 34th anniversary celebration of the PFLP which was held in Ramallah, a ceremony which was prominently covered in the official media of the PA – radio, tv and newspapers.

2. Reinforcing an Israeli Government Policy Decision

On December 23, 2001, Arafat requested permission to visit Bethlehem for Christmas – a request that was denied by the Israeli security cabinet. The vote was eight to six. The Israeli cabinet secretary explained the decision to confine Arafat to Ramallah was because Arafat had not fulfilled its demand to arrest the PFLP killers.

Dissenting cabinet minister, Israel Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Shimon Peres, claiming that this step would cause Israel harm in world opinion. Peres enlisted support for his position from Israel Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, and Israel President Moshe Katzav and Israel security expert Uzi Arad, who is closely identified with former Israel Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, all of whom gave interviews on the Voice of Israel radio newsreels on December 24th

Throughout December 24th, a rumor was reported on the Voice of Israel Radio that the US embassy had demanded that Israel allow Arafat to Bethlehem.

Since the US embassy was closed on December 24th, there was no way to confirm if that was indeed the case.

3. Countering an Israeli Government Policy Decision Within the Government

Meanwhile, Peres ordered the director of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Avi Gil not to defend the decision of the Israeli government to disallow Arafat’s participation in the ceremonies in Bethlehem.

And Gil ordered the Israeli diplomatic missions abroad to not defend the Israeli government decision in this regard. The Israel Prime Minister’s office and the cabinet secretary requested that the Israel Foreign Ministry do their job to defend a cabinet decision of the government of Israel. The Israel Foreign Ministry respectfully refused to do so.

So there you have it. You might call it the Christmas coup in Israel – the day that it became official that two governments of Israel indeed exist.

4. Which Israeli Government Policy Will Be Perceived by the World as the Policy of the Israeli Government?

The answer lies in the budget for press relations.

As a result of the coalition agreement, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the authority of Shimon Peres, oversees a budget of 24, 000,000 IS at its disposal, while the Israel Government Press Office, under the authority of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, oversees a budget of less than 500,000 IS

It would therefore be reasonable to assume that the Israeli “government” under the control of Shimon Peres will promote its policies to the media with greater zeal and efficiency.

Importing Protest Professionals for the PLO Cause

David Bedein

December 19, 2001

At a time when few tourists are coming to Jerusalem and fewer people than ever are demonstrating support for the Palestinian cause, a group known as the International Solidarity Movement has organized 62 tourists to come to Jerusalem at this time to organize political demonstrations for the PLO cause.

The Israeli host of this new kind of “solidarity Mission”, the the Alternative Information Center, located at its new office at 4 Shlom Tzion Hamalka Street opposite the Israel Ministry of Interior, acts a clearing house for more than a dozen Israeli left wing organizations.

The IRS tax deductible Firedoll Foundation in California, an organization that helps Arab human rights organizations, provided subsidies for participants on this mission.

The AIC director, Sergei Yani, says that he supports the solidarity movement’s activities because of what he defines as the “right of oppressed peoples”

The person spearheading the effort is a 24 year old woman, Huwaida Arref, born in Michigan to a Palestinian American family and trained in the art of grass roots community organization.

This is not the first project International Solidarity Campaign Last summer, the campaign brought over one hundred volunteers to work in summer camps that demonstrated support for the PLO cause,.

The first agenda item of the Inaternational Solidarity Movement this week was the organization of a civil disobedience orientation seminar which took place at the three kings hotel in Jerusalem. According to Huwaida, this is where the guest protesters learned the art of non-violent resistance to potential confrontations with Israeli troops.

After two days of training sessions, Huwaida led the group on a bus trip to Ramalla where their solidarity mission’s first activity was to get out of the bus and to lie down in front of IDF tanks that sit on the southern outskirts of the city. Young IDF officers, looking at the group incredulously, simply escorted the group to the nearest checkpoint.

Liad Kantorowiscz, the head of the “1948 solidarity group based in Tel Aviv, who is also hosting the visiting delegation, explained that the reason why their delegation lied down in front of the tanks was that the IDF will not harm or even arrest foreign nationals. An IDF spokesman explained that indeed, the IDF cannot arrest foreign nationals, and that they can only detain them and perhaps hand them over to the police.

Kantorowiscz, 23. in welcoming the delegation, told them that that the 1949 lines of Israel were internationally recognized borders, which was not the case,. that Gilo was part of Beit Jalla, and that. half of the Arab refugees today were Arabs who fled the west bank. When confronted with the fact that UNRWA camps comprise the descendents of the Arabs who fled Israel in 1948, she said that she did not know that

Well, the IDF did not arrest the delegation when they sat down in front of the tanks. Instead, the surprised young IDF officers simply escorted the delegation back to their bus, where they went off to greet Yassir Arafat.

In their meeting with Arafat, the delegation issued a statement following their meeting in which they lauded Arafat for his support of a “just, comprehensive and lasting peace” based on UN resolutions.

Two of the delegation leaders, Charles Lenchner and Joshua Ruebner, who work with new US-based groups known as “Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel:” and the “Jewish Unity for a Just Peace”, said that they were not aware of Arafat’s speech the day before their visit with Arafat in which the PLO leader endorsed suicide attacks to kill Jews in Jerusalem even though they said that they had read the Jerusalem Post that morning which had headlined that speech

Instead, the delegation informed the PLO leader that they were coming as the first American Jewish delegation to the PA after the September 2000 intifada to call for an end of to the Israeli military occupation of west bank, Gaza, AND East Jerusalem.

Lenchner said that he explicitly called for Israel to withdraw its troops from the Jewish neighborhoods in East Jersualem.

Since the delegation endorsed all UN resolutions pertaining to the conflict, Lenchner was asked about whether he supported the UN resolutions that back the “right of return” to Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem that were overrun by Israel, Lenchner affirmed that that was implicit in his recognition of the “right of return” as a fundamental human right.

When asked about whether the Jews in Bakka should therefore leave their homes and hand them over to Arabs. Lenchner and other members of the delegation said that the people living in Bakka should recognize the in principle right of return for Pal refugees.

AIC director, Sergei Yani, went a step further and explained that a justified solution for Arab properties in West Jerusalem would be for the people in Bakka to pay rent to the rightful Arab owners of their homes. Yeni does not fear the possibility of massive Arab return to Israel proper, however. The way he sees it, “if Israel absorbed a million Jews in the past year, it could also absorb a million Arabs.”

The next planned events of the solidarity delegation call for a few days of tree planting near Arab villages in the Shomron where allegations exist that Jewish communities had uprooted the trees. The delegation mentioned that it gets its information from the Rabbis for Human Rights. Although RHR had been mentioned on invitations to the solidarity delegation as a sponsoring host, RHR director Rabbi Arik Ascherman denied that, saying while some of their Rabbis may accompany their trip, that the RHR was may go along. Another key Israeli contact for the group is Neta Golan, a woman who has made it a full time avocation of gathering information from the PLO and handing it over to visiting journalists and diplomats throughout the past year. Neta works full time thanks to a $10,000 grant that she received from the Bat Shalom feminist peace group, which is a beneficiary of the New Israel Fund.

Neta, often the solitary source for human rights reports, has spent the better part of the past decade as an in-patient in mental health institutions in Israel and in Canada.

Neta was once suffering from delusions in a hospital ward.

Now Neta projects her imagination on to the media.

This weekend, the delegation plans to dismantle IDF checkpoints near the Arab village of Salfit. At the training seminar, the delegation practiced the art of confronting soldiers as “human shields” for the Palestinians, and then lying down to challenge the IDF do anything about that.. Liad Kantorowiscz explains that their purpose is to act against settlement outpost, and to remove roadlocks between villages, and to use the “internationals” as the way to do it.

When Kantorowiscz was asked how she would feel if a suicide killer got through because there was no checkpoint, She said that the killer would have gotten through any way.

The person expressing the greatest appreciation upon the arrival of this delegation was Ghassan Andoni of Beit Sahour, a PA offical who conducted various “non violent” activities over the past year, such as the placement of Palestinian flags near IDF bases.

What did Arafat Convey in his Speeches of December 16 and December 17?

Center for Near East Policy Research

December 19, 2001

[IMRA comment: Below is the complete text of the English translation of Yasser Arafat’s December 16, 2001 address to the Palestinian people as it appeared on the WAFA website, followed by a news report that appeared concerning Arafat’s speech on December 17,2001. The Palestine Media Center faxed IMRA a copy of a text on the stationary of the PNA Office of the President that is considerably longer.]

#1 Only groups that carry out “terror” will be outlawed

“Dear Brothers, we have declared a state of emergency and conducted series of actions and measure, that we intend to proceed with, as announcing the illegal formations and their activities of terror, as outlaw and rebellious” [The text distributed by the PNA “Office of the President” reads: “Dear brothers, we have declared a state of emergency and have undertaken a series of steps and measures that we intend to pursue, including declaring as outside the law all illegal organizations and bodies that carry out terrorist activities.”

#2 The action being carried out by Palestinians is not terror

The PNA text reads: “We must fully grasp the latest international developments, particularly in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington… we fce deliberate distortion and incitement against us, and in which we face unjust attempts to tarnish with the label of terrorism our legitimate stand for liberation and for ending the occupation, as endorsed by international legitimacy.”

#3 Only actions of the type that have been denounced by the PA in the past are barred now + mortar attacks

“I reiterate the declared ceasefire, and to totally stop all actions including the suicidal attacks, that we have condemned and will peruse their sponsors and organizers, also the mortar launchers that aim to provide the Israelis with excuses to massacre our children and women.” The PNA text reads: “Again, I call for the total halt of all operations, particularly suicide attacks, that we have always denounced… The same applies to the firing of mortars… ” Please note the meaning of the sentence: the call is a halt to operations that the PA has always denounced – not ALL operations. And to prove this, since up until now the PA has not denounced mortar attacks, Arafat goes on and notes that “the same applies” – that is to say that if the mortar attacks were not mentioned that they would not be subject to the call.

#4 Return of refugees

“I am certain of the solid national solidarity for freedom, independence and establishment of our State with Jerusalem as its Capital with compliance with the International legitimacy and the UN resolutions, 242, 338, 425, and 194 including the Land for Peace Principle.”

The PNA text reads:”I am confident that our national consensus will remain firmly focused on the objectives of freeedom, independence, the building of an independent Palestinia state with its capital Jerusalem Al-Sharif, within the framework of the resolutions of international legitimacy 242, 338, 425 and 194 (pertaining to the Palestinian refugees) and the principle of land-for-peace.” +++

President Arafat addresses the nation For the Holy “Eid Alfittir” occasion Ramallah December 17th Wafa (Official Palestine News Agency),

Addressing yesterday, the Palestinian people and the rest of the world, for the Holy “Eid Alfittir” occasion, President Yasser Arafat stressed that the vicious war waged by the Israeli Government will not break or kneel our brave nation down, and will not shake our pride, evidences that prove this fact are filling the history.

H.E. emphasized that this complicated struggle should not, and we will not allow it to question the reliability of the Palestinian Leadership nor its decisions, and we should not provide Sharon and his Government any excuses to escalate their aggression against us, and help them describing our struggle as a terror that targets civilians.

H.E. made clear that our unity is the solid ground that we stand on and that protects us and protects our national projects, and this unity has always provided us with all the needed strength to proceed with our struggle in achieving our national consensus. Hereby is the full text of the delivered word:

“By the name of Almighty God”

Brothers and sisters, my fellow citizens and striving brave Palestinians;

Mothers, fathers and brothers of the Martyrs;

You who have sacrificed the dearest of our children for the sake of victory and freedom, and the sake of the Holy City of Jerusalem; The prisoners, and the wounded who have sacrificed dearly, through your firm stand, pain and wounds, you have created a unique idol of struggle and anxious strive which has brought us very close to Jerusalem.Jerusalem.Jerusalem.our independent state’s Capital.

My beloved citizens, from the refugee camps, the villages, the towns, and the cities of Palestine, and in the exile, you have created the survival miracle and kept our national cause and kept our legitimate and just goals through protecting our rights, and created the means to achieve them.

I greet you from my heart and wish a happy “Eid Alfittirr”

In these blessed days I would like to share with you, openly and frankly, >from heart to heart and mind to mind, the current bold facts, in order to think over every matter that concerns us, to rectify our decisions and position, I am certain and confident that my people have the required intelligence, vision and the power of persistence to reach the right conclusions and the right decisions that will enable us to overcome the coming challenges and difficulties, protect our Christian and Islamic Holy places, and prepare for our victory on our Holy Land, where our Profit Muhammad ascended to the skies and our Lord Jesus Christ was born.

Our unity is the solid ground, on which we stand, that has protected our parade for freedom, through the past many decades, it has also provided us with the just, comprehensive and long lasting longed peace, with the required protection, and with the elements of our persistent progress towards the national consensus, without compromising our sacred priorities, nor in decision neither in practice.

Thus I hereby and in the name of the Leadership, do emphasize our clear and deep conception of our unity, as a unity of all the factions and streams of our nation, and the unity in accepting the decisions of the Palestinian consensus materialized by the National, Legislative and Central Councils.

The PLO started as the essential choice of our people in Palestine and in the exile, the choice that has united us, led us and materialized our legitimacy, this choice reflects our demands and needs, and alongside with the PLO, we also have our elected National Authority that expresses the Palestinian people’s goals and ambitions, it has been shaped according to the Palestinians’ vision and need, it forms the solid foundation for the Palestinian State, including Jerusalem as its Capital, and through our elected municipal, legislative and parliament institutions and councils and through the International recognition of our National Authority, I would like to use this occasion to reaffirm that we are ready to conduct another democratic elections for our Leadership and our institutions, as soon as the situation is safe and the conditions are suitable.

Sharon and his Government are waging this vicious criminal war against our well recognized and highly internationally evaluated Leadership and elected institutions, by targeting our establishments, members of our government and parliament, police officers, security systems, infrastructures that we have exerted all we have with the help of our brothers and friends to rebuild, a war that also targets our citizens, property, schools, hospitals, fields, Mosques and Churches, including the farms they have destroyed, not sparing the Holy Olive tree that stands bare witness to the nobility of our people and our deep roots in this Holy Land.

Yes it is a war waged against the whole Palestinians and their Leadership, against our resources, and our personal, social, and economical security, against our legitimate dream of establishing our future without further humiliation, occupation and oppression, in our independent State.

I hereby, and from within our tragedy and the essence of our fierce strive for freedom, I do declare that this vicious war waged against us by the Israelis, will not kneel us down or break our strong will, and will not get our national pride, we do reject humiliating us, we reject humiliating us, we reject humiliating us.

My dear brothers and sisters, under these circumstances I would also like to emphasize that we will not allow any to shake our national great project, or put any obstacle in its path or distract its image or distort its Palestinian pure content. We do not allow but only one Authority that its decisions must be obeyed, and its agreements must be respected, and if this Authority takes a stand in the foreign issues, these stands must be met with the people’s support and protect its reliability.

Dear Brothers, we have declared a state of emergency and conducted series of actions and measure, that we intend to proceed with, as announcing the illegal formations and their activities of terror, as outlaw and rebellious, we also initiated a ceasefire, so we have to respect all what we have decided upon and abide with it, the Israelis do not respect the ceasefire and do not desire to do so but we on our behalf must abide with, we are fully aware of the conspiracy raged by the Sharon Government, by its escalating aggression and besieging our towns and villages and occupying portions of our land using the alleged allegation of protecting their citizens from acts, which we have condemned and rejected.

This complicated struggle must not allow shaking the credibility of our Leadership and its decisions nor must we allow or grant Sharon and his military institution or provide them with the platform from which they wage their attacks and assaults against us, nor furnish them with excuses to escalate their aggression or to name our legitimate struggle as terror.

I reiterate the declared ceasefire, and to totally stop all actions including the suicidal attacks, that we have condemned and will peruse their sponsors and organizers, also the mortar launchers that aim to provide the Israelis with excuses to massacre our children and women. Any breaking of these decisions will be considered as a high treason because it jeopardizes our national interest, and the outlaws will be vigorously perused and judged.

The main goal of the above is to emphasize the credibility of our attitude and choice to enable the full and immediate implementation of the Tenet Understandings and the Mitchell Report Recommendations, and to return to the negotiating table which is the one and only way to end this cycle of bloodshed and to achieve our national goals.

I am certain of the solid national solidarity for freedom, independence and establishment of our State with Jerusalem as its Capital with compliance with the International legitimacy and the UN resolutions, 242, 338, 425, and 194 including the Land for Peace Principle.

Dear sisters, dear brothers;

I hereby thank all brothers and friends that helped us by supporting us morally, financially and politically, on the official or personal levels, like other Palestinians I feel confident when the Arab, Islamic or International councils, committees or organizations assemble according to our call or just assemble for our cause, it is a renovated message to the whole world that we are not alone, and the International community is committed to our resistance and national goals of protecting the Moslem and Christian Holy places in the Holy Land the Terra Santa.

Dear brothers and sisters;

We must be aware of the International developments, especially after the September 11th 2001 events of the heinous attacks on the WTC in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, and their impact on our cause and rights, we will vigorously maintain contacts with all effective forces in the world, and comprehend the rapid changes and deal with them in the most proper manner in order to sustain our cause and rights present on the International arena, in a time when abetting increases against us from those who do not want us on our land, and who always name us as terro, only because we want to remove the occupation from our homeland which is internationally recognized as a legitimate homeland for the Palestinians, but through our continuous struggle we have achieved unprecedented achievements on the international and local levels.

The perception that was declared by the US Secretary of State Mr. Colin Powell that was stated by President George W. Bush in the UN assembly, when he committed himself to establishing the Palestinian state, also the E.U. and Russian, the UN, and the international clear and decisive position, is a very effective factor in reinforcing the justice of our struggle that will eventually lead to achieving our national legitimate rights, and sustaining strong relations with the International communities is a solid evidence to our healthy and righteous strive.

Now my fellow citizens, in your behalf I would like to address the Israeli people in a very clear and honest message, telling them that we have had negotiated with each other for decades, where some of them do remember, that we joined hands with the peace activists, and struggled together in very difficult conditions and facing legal banning from the Israeli various Governments, in order to make the negotiations a solid base for mutual understanding, turning the negotiations a sole mean to achieve acceptable results for both sides, and due to our joint persistence we went to Madrid and Oslo and else peace stations for our children’s sake and theirs.

Now I hereby reiterate our policy of resuming the mutual discussion, and call on the Israeli government to cease believing that by tanks and fighter jets they can achieve what could be achieved by negotiations, we are not seeking the impossible and do not form any threat to the Israeli existence, all we ask for is to free our lands occupied in 1967 including Jerusalem, and the International legitimacy is on our side, we want the Israeli occupying forces to withdraw from our lands and to evacuate the settlements, the International legitimacy is also on our side in this matter.

We want fair implementation of all agreed upon issues, we want to resume negotiation on all pending issues without canceling the previous achievements from the Whye River, Camp David, Sharm Alsheikh, Paris, Taba, Cairo and elsewhere.

And we frankly demand a real independent State with Jerusalem as its Capital, alongside with Israel, but what we do not want are the tanks filling our streets in our villages and towns, and the fighter airplanes shelling our populated places from the skies, these acts that are not legal and contradict all International legitimacy, will not get to our persistence and determination.

I renew my invitation to the people, political powers, institutions and government of Israel to return without delay to the table of negotiations and to proceed immediately to terminate these grave inhuman measures being exercised against our people and which serve no purpose except the aggravation of conditions and rendering security, peace, and stability in the region all that more distant.

In conclusion, To my beloved people, the great and proud nation within the homeland and in exile, I greet you and reach out to you so that together we will plant an olive tree on the grave of every martyr, for all that was destroyed shall be rebuilt, God willing and with the determination of the people. All beautiful hopes shall be realized with God’s will. Victory is an hour’s patience away.

And to enter your temple, As they have entered it before, And to visit with destruction All that fell into their power God will not fail in His promise, Sadaqa Allahu Al Athim. Peace is upon you.

Ma’ariv: Arafat: “All Palestinians are martyrs”

18 December 2001[Hebrew item translated by IMRA]

http://images.maariv.co.il/cache/ART224713.html

+ [Palestinian] Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat spoke today in Ramallah “every Palestinian is a martyr, we are all Muhammad al-Dura”

+ The public responded: “millions of martyrs are on their way to Jerusalem”

Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said today in a speech he delivered in Ramallah that all the Palestinians are martyrs (“shahids”) and are all Muhammad al-Dura, the boy who was killed by IDF fire as his father tried to protect him, ion the first days of the Al Aqsa Intifada [IMRA: it is not clear that IDF fire actually did].

“I tell everyone who should hear me, for good or for bad, this brave People will continue to protect and defend our holy land with its blood and soul, and all its property.

This is consecrated land, our land of ours, now and forever, from the cradle to the grave… we with the help of God will meet next time in Jerusalem, because we are fighting in order to bring the victory to our prophets, every baby, every child, every man, every women, and every older person, and all the youngsters, we will sacrifice ourselves for our holy places, and we will establish the guard on them, and are prepared to give 70 of our martyrs for every martyr of theirs in this campaign, because this is our holy land. We will continue to fight on this blessed land, and I call to you, remain steadfast, no one will succeed in dividing us, to remove us from this holy land.”

The crowd responded to Arafat that millions of martyrs are already making their way to Jerusalem.

Arafat said this only two days after he called in a televised speech in Arabic for a halt to attacks against Israelis [IMRA: not correct – it was a call to stop activities similar to those the PA has condemned in the past as well as not to carry out mortar attacks]

Along with this Arafat said at reception for Arabs from East Jerusalem who came to support him that no one can remove the Palestinians from their holy land and that soon “we will raise the flag of Palestine on the mosques and churches”. Arafat called for the residents of East Jerusalem to continue and remain steadfast against Israeli measures being carried out in the eastern part of the city. “The Palestinian People will continue to defend the land of Palestine with its blood, its soul, and all the resources they possess, in order to foil all plans Israel makes in the neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.”

Will Israel Sever its umbilical cord to Arafat?

David Bedein

December 10, 2001

Israel only has itself to blame for bringing Arafat on to the scene. The question remains as to when and whether Israel will sever its umbilical cord to the PLO leader.

The Israeli government in 1993 imported the Egyptian born Yassir Arafat, the head of the PLO, then in Tunis, to rule the Palestinian Arab population.

The late Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, proud of his decision to impose Arafat on the Palestinian Arab people, declared at the time that “Arafat will crush terror without civil liberties organizations and without any supreme court getting in his way”.

And when Arafat was elected under internationally supervised elections in 1996, the contest was conducted under Arafat’s rules: nobody was allowed to run in those elections without the express written consent of Yassir Arafat.

And when a serious candidate did indeed emerge to run against Arafat, the challenger’s house was blown up. Arafat’s campaign managers had devised persuasive ways of convincing Arafat’s rivals to reconsider a race against him.

When Jimmy Carter, the head of the US observer team to the elections, was asked to comment on Arafat’s “election rules”, Carter quipped that “we have problems like that in Chicago too”.

The Civil Liberties Issue

By November, 2001, Human Rights Watch declared that Arafat had set up an autocratic regime that had engaged in a policy of systematic torture, arbitrary executions and wholesale denial of human rights and civil liberties,

After years of riots and an Arab nationalist revolution that posed a threat to all of Israel, the Israeli government decided to hand Arafat an opportunity to rule over the Palestinian Arab population, in the hope that Arafat would forge a nation state that would live in peace and coexist as a neighbor to the state of Israel, and meet the greatest challenge of all: to absorb millions of Palestinian Arab refugees into humanitarian conditions. There are now 3.6 million Palestinian Arabs who live in or continuous to the squalor of “temporary” UN-run Palestinian Arab refugee camps that were set up for the half a million Arab refugees who left in 1948.

Insured of declaring a program to help refugees, Arafat made it a policy that all Arab refugees must continue to suffer in their “temporary” refugee camps, under premise and promise of “the right of return” to the 531 Arab villages that were destroyed during the 1948 war, despite that fact that they no longer exist and that they have been replaced by Israeli cities, collective farms and roads.

Instead of inculcating recognition and reconciliation of and with the state of Israel, Arafat’s PA conveyed the consistent message in the Arabic language that the new Palestinian Arab state must replace the state of Israel, and not coexist with it

Instead of appointing religious leaders to preach a messages of peace in the local mosques, Arafat instead appointed Hamas preachers who rant every Friday with sermons that endorse war on the Jews.

Instead of creating new media outlets to promote peace, Arafat has used the official Arabic language media of the PA to convey a consistent message of war and not of peace.

Instead of using the PA School System to promote a two state solution and recognition of the state of Israel, Arafat has used his school system to introduce a curriculum that calls for a Palestinian Arab state that will replace the state of Israel. George Washington University professor, Nathan Brown, a Fulbright scholar working under a grant from US Foundation for Peace evaluated Arafat’s school books and curriculum and concluded that the concept of peace and recognition are totally lacking in Arafat’s new curriculum

Arafat and Israeli Government Expectations

In 1993, the late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and the former (and current) Israeli foreign minister, Shimon Peres, stated time and again that the reason why they handed over the Palestinian Arab population to Arafat, was because Arafat would reign in the violence of the nascent Islamic Palestinian Arab movement. And when Peres and Rabin conducted a briefing for the media in Oslo when they received the Nobel Peace Prize together with Arafat in December 1994, I asked them if Arafat had fulfilled his commitment to crush the Hamas. They indicated that he had done so. A few hours later, when I asked Arafat the same question, as to whether the PLO leader would crush the Hamas, Arafat’s response was clear: “Hamas are my brothers. I will handle them in my way”.

And Arafat did handle the Hamas – by bringing them into his new regime, as full coalition partners. In May, 1995, Arafat’ security forces announced that they would provide Hamas with arms. In December, 1995, Arafat invited Hamas to join his provisional regime. In 1996, Arafat appointed Hamas officials to run the religious departments and schools under his authority. By Fall 2001, the IDF confirmed that all Islamic terror groups train and operate in the full view of the Palestinian Authority security services, and that the Islamic terrorists get a clear message that their activity operates with the full blessing of Arafat’s regime.

Israel now acknowledges that Arafat’s Palestinian Authority, which Israel helped to create to control the Islamic terror, had instead become the sponsor of Islamic terror.

Arafat’s war with Israel is most like the 1948 War of Independence.

It is waged everywhere, on the home front, at road junctions, on the way to schools, in buses, in cafes, and in pizzerias, while even some Israeli Arabs and their leaders are not ashamed to join in.

Almost half of the murders of Israelis that have taken place have been carried out by members of Arafat’s own military units: the Fatah and the Tanzim

In a briefing given by the Israeli army to the media on Monday morning, December 3, 2001, IDF experts declared that Arafat had not arrested a single wanted terrorist from among the list of 108 wanted men that Israel Foreign Minister Shimon Peres had handed over to Arafat following a spate of murders. The 100 men that Arafat did arrest were 100 people on his own payroll, none of whom were wanted by Israel, all of whom were arrested for embarrassing the Palestinian Authority.

In the words of the IDF spokesman, “Arafat did not pay attention to Secretary Powell when the American Sec’y of state declared that Arafat would have to reign in the terrorists who are fighting Israel. Arafat has not learned his lesson”

Sharon’s Target is Arafat, not Hamas

Center for Near East Policy Research

December 10, 2001

The developments over the past two weeks have made it very clear that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is not fighting a war against Hamas, but one against Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

On the face of it, Sharon and his government’s responded to Hamas’ suicide operations, which were a painful blow to Israel.

But the response they chose was to strike Arafat and the Palestinian Authority in three ways. First, Israel rallied a military response fully directed at Palestinian Authority military and police targets, as well as the Palestinian presidency. These included buildings belonging to the police, preventive security, intelligence services and Arafat’s helicopters.

Second, Israel’s political, diplomatic and media attack attempted to politically weaken Arafat and the Palestinian Authority internationally by comparing them with terrorists and holding them responsible for terrorism. The third attack was to internally weaken the Authority and its president by undermining his credibility and forcing him to arrest Intifada activists that are heroes in the eyes of the majority of Palestinians.

These steps are completely in harmony with what has appeared to be Sharon’s strategy since assuming power. This strategy is to cancel everything rooted in the Oslo accords and Israeli- Palestinian agreements that he opposed and tried to prevent from happening – in particular, the existence of a Palestinian Authority and areas falling under its jurisdiction. These areas were to inevitably develop into a Palestinian entity on the land of Palestine, which would be a basic contradiction of Sharon’s ideology and plans for Eretz Israel.

Since assuming office, Sharon has taken advantage of a weakened Palestinian side to either eliminate the Authority altogether or to push it one more step towards annihilation. There is no doubt that Sharon has enjoyed huge success at achieving this goal. Arafat and the Palestinian Authority have suffered great setbacks both internally and externally and their positions have become weak and nearly snuffed out altogether.

But this is the short-term view of things. In the long run or even midway, Arafat may yet come out the winner. The past few bloody days have revealed Sharon’s strategic crisis. He has convinced himself and his people that Arafat and the Palestinian Authority support terrorism – but he cannot go to battle with this “terrorist” Authority because he has yet to get the international green light to proceed (nor can he guarantee a Palestinian alternative that is better for Israel).

Finally, Sharon cannot ensure that the elimination of the Authority will stop the Palestinian resistance. Who will prevent a series of suicide operations following the elimination of the Authority? That scenario would make Sharon’s internal support very precarious indeed, thereby benefiting his political competitor Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and the opposition Hamas in Palestine.

Perhaps, too, Sharon and his advisors are remembering that Israel directly ruled the Palestinians for 33 years, at times imprisoning 15,000 Palestinians at once, while still not managing to snuff out Palestinian resistance. If Sharon eliminates Arafat’s Authority, the Israeli army will have to return to the despised task of directly running Palestinian daily affairs – a duty Israel has always wanted to be rid of.

Right now, international discussion is focusing on the Palestinian contribution to the crisis in the Middle East, likely due to Arafat’s weakening control, Hamas’ activities and the Israeli propaganda machine. The truth of the matter is, however, that the real crisis in the peace process exists on the Israel side.

Imagine that United States envoy Anthony Zinni succeeds in his ceasefire efforts to get the two sides back to the negotiating table. Could Sharon then fulfill the requirements and demands of the Mitchell commission report, including a halt to settlement activity, an end to the siege, the return of Palestinian workers to their jobs, a resumption of the articles of the Oslo accords and a return to talks where they left off? That scenario would, in fact, guarantee the collapse of Sharon’s government. That is why he is doing everything to avoid arriving at that point, maintaining the level of conflict on the one hand, while demanding that the confrontations stop, on the other.

If international or American efforts to save the peace process are to succeed, they must realize that Sharon has symbolized opposition to the peace process throughout all its years of cultivation by regional leaders. In essence, his assumption of power in Israel is the essential obstacle to peace.

Therefore, the focus must be maintained on the situation in Israel and preparing for a removal of the Israeli obstacles to calming the situation and reviving the chances for peace. First and foremost, this requires engaging the Israeli public and making it realize that its legitimate rights to security and peace do not contradict the Palestinian people’s legitimate goal of independence – in other words, that security for one side cannot come at the expense of the other.

Published on December 5, 2001 at www.PalestineReport.org

PA Ministry of Education Fights Campaign Against Palestinian Curricula

Center for Near East Policy Research

December 10, 2001

The Ministry of Education has reiterated its rejection of accusations made by an American non-governmental organization that Palestinian scholastic curricula “do not teach the notions of peace and coexistence with Israel” and at the same time work to “plant the seeds of hate” in upcoming Palestinian generations.

The American organization recently published a study about Palestinian curricula for the scholastic years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, concentrating on 60 schoolbooks and two teacher manuals and criticizing them harshly.

Salah Yasin, general director of the Curriculum Center at the ministry, spoke on behalf of the ministry, rejecting the accusations. He said he considered the study part of “a campaign directed against Palestinian curricula that began with another study conducted by the same organization, which is affiliated with an extremist Zionist party wishing only to serve the interests of the Hebrew state.”

Yasin indicated that the objective of the new study and similar ones is no more than serving the Israeli desire to elude its obligations spelled out in signed agreements, especially political ones. He explained that Palestinian curricula were examined by international parties and local analysts and were declared fit and in no way designed to lead to any political gains. Yasin rejected the accusation that the curricula lack the notion of rapprochement, which is counterfactual, as attested to by UNESCO, which reviewed the curricula.

As for the accusation that the curricula lack indications of peaceful coexistence Yasin said, “We cannot discuss peace with the Israelis when they continue to occupy our land and our students go to school in the shadow of Israeli tanks. Discussing peace in light of the Israeli attacks is a form of cheating. We are entitled to teach our children their history and heritage. Palestine has historical borders known to the world, and all cities with Israeli names are in fact Palestinian. Palestinian books, according to the testimony of several local and international organizations, are legitimate.”

Another ministry official agreed with Yasin, explaining that the teaching contained within Palestinian curricula is acceptable and designed to prepare Palestinian students for the future, especially the process of establishing the Palestinian state. He added that “the curricula try to posit the Palestinian individual on the threshold of the coming period within a look that includes relations with the rest of the world.”

The official assured that the curricula do not violate international doctrine connected with the Palestinian struggle, adding that several researchers that examined the curricula have approved them. He concluded by saying that the Belgian Government’s commitment to supporting the development of Palestinian curricula is another indicator of the strength of the Palestinian education system and the high level of trust in it.

(With Thanks to “Imra ” for distributing this article.)
Article located at www.jerusalem-times.net/article/detail.asp?id=442

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Israel Behind the News

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Reacting To Israel Communist Party Endorsement of Murder

Official Fatah Website: No Compromise

What Econmic Aid Does Israel Continue to Provide the Palestinian Authority?

When the Israel Foreign Minisry Declared Independence From the Government of Israel

Importing Protest Professionals for the PLO Cause

What did Arafat Convey in his Speeches of December 16 and December 17?

Will Israel Sever its umbilical cord to Arafat?

Sharon’s Target is Arafat, not Hamas

PA Ministry of Education Fights Campaign Against Palestinian Curricula

Column from the Director