APARTHEID, DEHUMANIZATION AND GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE - Day Two

By Iya Fulani Sunni-Ali


JIM CROW IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL – WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE!
The delegation of twenty seven peace builders organized by the Washington based Interfaith Peace Builders have arrived safely in Tel Aviv at Ben-Gurion airport on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2008, the delegation was welcomed to the United Nations Office For the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and received information and statistics regarding the illegal “Barrier” wall of separation which stretches over five hundred miles and effectively confines Palestinians and separates them from Israeli settlers. The “wall” and the newly constructed settlements are illegal because it is a continuing violation of International Law.

The TWC (Third World Coalition/AFSC) group of twelve in the delegation traveled to Hebron, Palestine on May 29. Hebron is the second largest city in the West Bank. Hebron District is 1000 square kilometers with one half million people. It is one third of the entire West Bank area and population. Hebron is one of the cities that was split between Palestinians and Israelis at a point when the government of Israel agreed to return the land to Palestine in 1997. Hebron (H-1) is under Palestinian authority and Hebron (H-2) is under Israel authority.

Upon entering Hebron our bus attempted to enter at two different check points. At the first one our guide was told by a soldier brandishing a galil assault rifle that only Israeli military could pass this point. At another check point there was no one at the gate. At the third check point we were met by a black Ethiopian armed settler protection guard. He asked for all passports to be given to him and after returning them he allowed us to enter. Inside the city we reached another check point as we entered the Israel settlement to meet with a right wing Rabbi settler who immigrated from New York. We were delayed for fifteen minutes as the soldier with a galil assault rifle checked the I.D. of our driver and guide. We were all sent to the police station to get a permission slip for our guide who has Palestinian identification. We were kept waiting there for another twenty minutes. Finally our guide was granted a permit and we proceeded into the city. Rabbi Simsa (sp?) based the Israeli militarization of H-2 on the historical events of 1929 in which many Jews and Arabs were killed. He sees the militarization as a necessary force to protect the “settler” community. Although the faith and spirituality of the Palestinian people have not been weakened, the political and military control using some eighty five check points is reminiscent to many of us of Jim Crow in the southern U.S. and Apartheid pass control in South Africa. These conditions are rapidly eroding hopes of an independent viable nation-state for the Palestinian people. In the ancient holy city of “H-2”, the Palestinian residents are under siege. At all times when leaving their homes, the Palestinian people are threatened by the galil assault rifle toting soldiers permanently stationed in front of their homes. These soldiers are there as occupiers to protect the “settlers” not for the security of the Palestinians. It was in the H-2 section that an “American” Hebrew doctor, Baruch Goldstein callously assassinated twenty nine Muslims in Masjid Al-Ibrahim while they prayed during the month of Ramadan in 1994. As the believers quickly evacuated the Masjid that day, ten more were gunned down by Israeli soldiers. Inside, the Palestinians who were unarmed retaliated with a fire extinguisher and killed the doctor. The Israeli government excused this action by saying that the doctor was insane and then declared him a national hero. There is now a shrine in his honor in Hebron-2.

Palestinians outnumber the 4-600 Israeli’s in Hebron, yet, they have very little freedom and are forbidden to drive or walk through Israeli neighborhoods or they could be shot. The Palestinians are forbidden by the Israel government to have weapons and therefore cannot defend themselves.

The highway 60 to Hebron is traveled only by Israeli’s and a few Palestinian vehicles with pass privileges. Highway 60 is monitored twenty four hours a day and access is controlled by check points with armed Israeli soldiers. Along the highway we noticed that there are earth mounds and gated barriers which block Palestinian vehicles from access. In some areas they must park and walk across the highway for miles to conduct business or visit relatives separated from them. These barriers are made with earth mounds, cement blocks, electrified gates and armed soldiers on the other side of them. This limits the Palestinians freedom and is depriving them of inalienable human rights. Even access to water is controlled by the Israeli government and is occasionally turned off according to some Palestinians for hours and even days each time. These are deprivations of human rights and are acts of genocide against a legitimate and subjugated nation.

If you are outraged by this information as we are as we witness it, then you too may find that these points of information must be shared with others who may be influenced also to demand intervention by the world community and to consider that it is your tax dollars being used annually by the United States to grant the government of Israel billions of dollars to finance their illegal occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza strip.
Iya Fulani Sunni-Ali


In Jerusalem
May 29, 2008
This is only the first of many brief reports. It has been intense and mentally draining for many in just our first week. No one here in Palestine is safe as this is an active war zone and security is clearly provided for the Israeli’s and no one else. We are all glad to be here and document these horrific conditions and share them with you. Please feel free to pass the information on to those you know. By the way, FYI, Bishop Desmond Tutu was granted entrance into the Gaza Strip this week and has now been denied entry into Israel, except to the airport. We are told that he has left the country.