Copyright (c) 1997 - Ingrid A. Rimland
"The recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission adopted yet another resolution calling upon the government of Israel "to desist from all policies and practices affecting the demographic structure or the physical character of the occupied Arab territories." Condemnation of Israel's policy to annex and settle Arab lands occupied by force in 1967 is hardly news where the world organization is concerned. To enumerate the countless unimplemented resolutions passed by various organs of the U.N. on this issue is futile.
"What is vastly significant about this particular resolution, however, is the determination by the Commission that grave breaches of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, committed by Israel, a signatory, in occupied Arab territories, constitute not only an affront to humanity but are, in themselves, "war crimes." Collective punishment, unlawful detention, deportation and expulsion of inhabitants, and the taking of hostages - originally defined by the International Military Tribunal of Nuremberg, and subsequently recognized by the Geneva Conventions and the General Assembly, as war crimes - have, in fact, become standard Zionist practice.
"Bearing in mind that the provisions of the Geneva Conventions had been designed specifically to avoid a repetition of the Nazi atrocities in Europe, it is a shocking irony to witness, a generation later, Israeli perpetration of the very same crimes against the Arabs. What is even more ironic is Israeli persistence in perpetuating these atrocities with impunity without a voice being raised - even by those who have been among the most vociferous in condemning the Nazis."
These words were written a quarter century ago.
Last week, the following was written and sent to us for distribution via
the British-based Shanti RTV News Agency:
"Khalil Ali Abu Daiyya, 37 years old married with five children, died from wounds inflicted from repeated beating and torture in the Russian Compound jail and interrogation center in Jerusalem. An independent autopsy conducted before his burial on Thursday 22 May 1997 revealed that Abu Daiyya was subjected to severe beating, sustained multiple lacerations, fractured bones and internal hemorrhage.
"Abu Daiyya was arrested while with his wife in Jerusalem on Friday 16 May 1997. He was taken to the Russian Compound jail and there, according to witness Mahmoud Abu Ter, severely beaten. Abu Ter heard beatings on at least two occasions, and saw Abu Daiyya's bloodied body.
"Police transferred Abu Daiyya to the Givat Sha'ul Psychiatric hospital, a move which Abu Daiyya resisted. He was beaten again during his resistance on his hands, wrists and neck. He complained of throat pains, and on Wednesday 21 May 1997 was taken to Sharei Zedek hospital in Jerusalem. There he was tied by his feet and hands and, when again he tried to resist, was beaten until he died. The exact time of death has been difficult to establish, as the hospital and police reports differ.
"The autopsy, conducted by Dr. Jillal Jabri, the General Director of the Autopsy Department of the Palestinian Authority confirmed that:
"- the body was subjected to severe beating
"- the body sustained blows with heavy instruments
"- the hands and feet had been bound
"- fractures in various parts of the body
"- the bones of the right side of the face, on an area spanning
15-20 centimeters, had been broken by a dull, heavy instrument.
"- deep lacerations on right shoulder
"- 5th, 6th, 11th and 12th ribs broken
"- severe internal hemorrhage
"Many human rights activists expressed their outrage over the most recent killing. The Israeli security services received the green light to use torture against Palestinian detainees from the Israeli High Court itself, in a ruling in November 1996. This ruling not only violates international law, but also results in humiliation and, in this case, death. The activists are calling on the international community to immediately respond to this latest violence by condemning this action and demanding the end of the use of torture by the Israeli security services.
"Fax your letters to Prime Minister Netanyahu (972) (2) 566 4838, the State Attorney's Office (legal advisor to the secret police) (972) (2) 6708655, and Chief Justice Aharon Barak (972) (2) 675 9648," one human rights campaigner told Shanti RTV news agency."
(Shanti Press Release, May 23, 1997)
When I ran this by Ernst for his advice, he asked me to say a word or two
about karma. I looked it up, and my old dictionary defines karma as ".
. . the doctrine of responsibility for all one's acts in all incarnations"
and ". . . loosely, fate or destiny." If there is such a thing
as karma, it will apply not just to Israel but to America.
Ingrid
Thought for the Day:
"The aid program to Israel has amounted to the largest voluntary transfer of wealth and technology in history - ar more than all American aid given to rehabilitate Western Europe under the Marshall Plan after World War II."
(Donald Neff in "Unprecedented U.S. Aid to Israel began under the Sinai Agreements")