- Like occupied people everywhere, Palestinians understand
oppression better than experts. Ask them. They'll explain.
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- In Gaza, it means living under siege and Israeli air,
land and sea attacks. West Bank communities face day and night incursions.
-
- In the week ending October 27, 58 were conducted, nearly
10 a day. Israel arrests Palestinians while releasing others. Every Palestinian
wonders when their loved ones may be taken in middle of the night raids,
including children young as ten.
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- International law doesn't restrain Israeli persecution.
Peaceful protestors taste tear gas, rubber bullets, stun grenades, beatings
and other abusive tactics to disperse them.
-
- On October 27, Israel bombed three Khan Younis locations
in southern Gaza. No deaths or injuries were reported. Central Gaza's Deir
al-Balah was also struck, again with no casualties.
-
- Israel claims provocations each time. Gazans mostly respond
in self-defense as international law allows. Israel calls it terrorism.
It intercepted two Gazan fishermen, opened fire, detained them and impounded
their boats.
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- Attacks against other fishermen escalated. Boats were
confiscated. Fishermen were detained. Tools and equipment were damaged
or destroyed.
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- Gazans are prevented from fishing in their own waters.
Violent assaults can come any time. On October 27, Israeli warplanes destroyed
a container used for fishing equipment and tools. Nets and a water tank
were burnt.
-
- In 2011, 67 similar incidents occurred, involving live
fire 40 times. Eight fishermen were wounded. Hospitalization was required
to treat them.
-
- Other incidents involved threats and harassment, causing
damage and confiscation of boats. Since 2000, Israel denied Gazans the
right to fish freely in their own waters. In 2008, their territory was
reduced from 20 to six nautical miles, but none of it is safe.
-
- Gazans fishing beyond three miles are attacked. Even
close to shore risks interceptions, property damage and confiscation, and
detentions. As a result, fishermen have lost 85% of their subsistence.
-
- In early October, West Bank Qusra village farmers discovered
about 200 of their fruit trees vandalized. Extremist settlers were responsible.
Israel doesn't nothing to stop them. Similar incidents happen regularly.
-
- Despite repeated complaints by Qusra, Duma, Qaryut, Jalud,
and other village residents, security forces violate their responsibility
to protect them from settler attacks.
-
- In recent weeks, multiple incidents occurred. Property
was vandalized. Confrontations between residents and settlers occurred.
In one incident, soldiers killed Issam Badran for defending his rights.
-
- Elsewhere, a mosque was set ablaze after Hebrew graffiti
was sprayed on it. In late September, multiple incidents destroyed over
900 trees. In 2011, 7,500 trees were vandalized. Perpetrators weren't held
accountable. Investigations result in whitewashes. Israel affords Arabs
no rights, including its own citizens.
-
- On October 27, Aseel Ara'ra, age four, suffered quadriplegia
after soldiers shot her in the neck. Surgery didn't help. She remains in
intensive care. She'll never be the same again. Restitution never comes.
Aggressors never say they're sorry. They commit other crimes as bad.
-
- On October 26, Israeli police closed two NGO offices,
claiming links to Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
-
- Jerusalem for Development head Khaled Zabarqa called
his organization a "development institution" which closes social
gaps in Arab East Jerusalem.
-
- Closures accompany rising tensions. Since 2006, they've
increased since Israel began implementing the Jerusalem E1 plan to replace
East Jerusalem Palestinians with Jewish settlers. As a result, political
activity was prohibited. Legitimate protests are called crimes.
-
- On October 29, responding to Israeli air strikes, Gazans
fired seven rockets at Ashdod, Gan Yavne, and west of Be'er Sheva in Israel.
-
- One or more Israelis were wounded, several others traumatized.
Later a mortar struck near the Eshkol Regional Council. No casualties were
reported.
-
- Israel always responds the same way. More air and ground
attacks followed. Bogus reasons justified them. Nine Palestinians were
killed. Nearly always, Gazans fire rockets only after Israel attacks. International
law legitimizes self-defense.
-
- On October 28, hundreds of Palestinians clashed with
Israeli security forces in multiple West Bank locations. Around Beit Omar,
about 250 demonstrated and threw stones. Soldiers and police responded
violently with tear gas, rubber bullets, stun grenades and other crowd
dispersal measures.
-
- About 80 Palestinians protested near Nabi Saleh. Some
threw stones. Similar incidents occurred around Bil'in, Kedum, Beitunia,
and Lita. Israel responded violently.
-
- Throughout October, Israeli security forces disrupted
villages and uprooted dozens of al-Walaja fruit trees to prepare land for
Separation Wall construction. Palestinian land is stolen in the process.
-
- In July 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
ruled Wall construction illegal, ordered its removal, and compensation
paid victims for damaged or destroyed property.
-
- On October 3, soldiers began uprooting trees in Ein al-Hadfa,
Khallet al-Samak, Ein Jweiza, and al-Walaja area land. About 90 dunums
were affected, as well as 230 olive, almond, cypress and oak trees. Grapevines
were also destroyed.
-
- Other large sections were isolated, including an area
cemetery. More Wall construction occurred around al-Ntouf and Ras Krimzan,
east of al-Walaja village. When completed, it will be 2,000 meters long.
-
- Villagers petitioned Israel's High Court to stop it.
On August 23, they were rejected. The ruling stated:
-
- "(T)he route of the wall is necessary for the security
of Israel and its citizens."
-
- When begun, land theft, not security, was planned. When
completed, about 12% of Palestinian land will be gone. Israel uses other
ways to steal more land to secure all valued parts of Judea and Samaria
it wants colonized and annexed.
-
- Since 2009, about 4,500 meters were built east, west,
and northeast of al-Walaja. About 2,100 olive, grape, almond and other
trees were destroyed. About 500 dunums of agricultural lands and forests
were uprooted. Another 2,000 dunums in al-Walaja village were isolated
behind the wall. It surrounds its north, east and western sides.
-
- From the south, an IDF security street encloses it. When
sections under construction are completed, over half of village land will
be isolated. Eventually, the Wall will completely isolate al-Walaja from
other Palestinian villages and towns, service providing institutions, and
vital Bethlehem governorate areas.
-
- Life under occupation is oppressive and cruel. Palestinians
want it ended. They also want recognized sovereignty, full UN membership
and peace. Israel denied them for 44 years.
-
- Nothing under consideration offers change. Palestinians
are on their own like always, determined to overcome and live free. 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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