133 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
133 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
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The information in this file was recently published in FREEDOM -
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the fortnightly anarchist journal published by FREEDOM PRESS:
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FREEDOM PRESS (IN ANGEL ALLEY) 84B WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET,
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LONDON E1 7QX GREAT BRITAIN
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Do write for a sample copy or for a copy of our booklist of
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publications. We will be putting more of this information out so
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watch this spot...
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MIDDLE EAST
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In April 1948 commandos from Begin's Irgoun organisation
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entered Deir Yassin, a village near Jerusalem. The Red Cross
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reported 250 men, women and children killed.
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This was prior to independance on 14th May 1948 and the
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declaration of war by the arab states the following day. Begin
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declared, 'Not only was the massacre of Deir Yassim justified but
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without it there would have been no state of Israel.'
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More then 40 years later in the occupied territories the same
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logic reigns between the settlers and the Palestinians. From the
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Hebron massacre to the six Palestinians killed by a special unit
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of the Israeli army in the refugee camp at Jabalia in the Gaza
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strip there is more to this than mere 'extremism'.
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The Israeli government, by outlawing zionist groups like Kach
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and Khana Hai, have managed to hide the nastier side of the
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problem but haven't they themselves always colaborated with the
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settlers? Thus in January 92, Moshe Arens, Defence Minister, gave
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authorisation to civil guard units to patrol the perimeters of
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their settlements in a policing role. Bt'selem, the human rights
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organisation has registered from December 87 to December 93, 39
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cases of homicidal settlers: three have appeared in court the
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heaviest sentence being three years imprisonment. Israeli society
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is shocked at the Hebron massacre and stays silent about everyday
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events.
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In order to absolve itself of international condemnation, the
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state has recourse to methods used elsewhere: the Governmental
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Commission of Enquiry. Thus the Israeli State will be hailed as
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having tried to confront reality but will there really be an open
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debate concerning human rights in the occupied territories?
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For Michael Warchanski, a journalist at the Centre for
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Alternative Information Even if the army, the security forces and
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the government are condemned by the evidence the condemnation
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will be stiffled by international recognition of its autocratic
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capacity.
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Meron Benvenisti former mayor of Jerusalem states The bias of
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the enquiry allows the government to mask the real problem. Peace
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will remain an impossibility for as long as the question of the
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settlers remains unresolved. At a time when negotiations have
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started again the government is hell bent on acquiring maximum
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territorial control in areas outside that designated for
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autonomy... thus some 46m sq. metres have been acquired since
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1993 by the settlers.
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For how long will these opposing camps co-exist in the
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occupied territories? As the 'peace process' continues the
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settlers accuse their government of treason. The settlers council
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announced on 5th December last year a campaign of civil
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disobediance and the setting up of armed militias. There have
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been water supplies being sabotaged, murders... all of which came
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to a climax with the Hebron massacre. The Israeli government has
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been forced by public opinion to react.... as have Hamas....
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The future will decide if the peace agreement between Arafat
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and Rabin will really profit the Palestinians.
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LML 20/4/94
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Centre for Alternative Information, PO Box 31417, Jerusalem Fax:
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02.25.31.51.
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