NOVANEWS
Posted by: Sammi Ibrahem
Chair of West Midland PSC
Dear All,
Tonight’s message contains 7 items, one of which (6) is quite long but is required reading to put into perspective 7. Will explain as we come to them.
Item 1 is interesting news, and would seem to suggest that internationally Israel has lost much of its former charm. A poll rates Israel down at near bottom of countries that are viewed positively. In other words, Israel is today one of the most negatively viewed countries in the world. Read on—the data about how Americans conceive Israel is most important. It gives some glimmer of hope.
Item 3 informs us that the Israel will demolish 6 ‘illegal’ outposts. The report however is slanted. It informs us that there have been many more demolitions of illegal settler homes than of illegal Palestinian ones, but neglects to mention that Palestinians do not receive building permits. They therefore have the choice to never add a room, porch, and any other part to their home or to add and risk having it demolished. For young couples it means deciding never to build a home or building one and having it demolished. Many Palestinian villagers’ homes are threatened with demolition. The residents have been informed. The bulldozers could come at any time of the day or night. The fact that the demolitions do not immediately occur after notification does not mean that some day they won’t occur.
Item 3 tells us about a new nonviolent initiative born in Facebook of how to spread the “free Palestine” motto.
Item 4 is one last word to McEwan, and item 5 is a final note on Roger Waters, including a link to his interview on Al Jazeera—about 25 minutes, worth listening to if you have time.
Item 6 is a copy of a report that appeared in the Independent on April 22, 2002, written about Jenin following the IOF departure from Jenin. It is an important document, even an essential one, in order to realize how wrong are the 5 soldiers who claim that Mohammad Bakri in his movie ‘Jenin Jenin’ misrepresented what occurred. As I have recently said, I was there a week after the army pulled out. It was one of the most traumatic experiences that I have had. Item 6 helps explain why.
After you read the Independent’s report, then you are better prepared to read the report on the trial. The movie is not about the soldiers. It is about the impact on individuals of the refugee camp of what happened to them and how life looks to them—a husband who lost his wife, a 10 year old girl, and so on. There is even some humor in it, when people laugh at themselves. A lie, it is not!
Dorothy
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1. Haaretz,
March 07, 2011