Category: Ethnic Cleansing

Tomorrow I will be interviewed by the Christian Forum on Israel-Palestine

On Tuesday, September 3rd I will interviewed by my friends at the Christian Forum on Israel-Palestine. Watch it live at 1 pm Eastern, 10 am Pacific.

We will focus attention our on the ways in which Israel is expanding its war against Gaza into the West Bank. I will talk about my most recent visit to the West Bank this past June where I stayed again with my Palestinian family in the Aida refugee camp.

Check out the link below to either watch the show live or to catch it later at your own convenience. Once it’s recorded, it will remain available available on YouTube.

 

The Hell-Hole of Israeli Imprisonment

Some people’s experiences in an Israeli prison are even worse than Munther’s.

Sometimes you don’t need to hear the story. You only need to see the released prisoner’s face. And then imagine the inhumanity that produced such heart-breaking expressions.

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/6/23/traumatised-palestinian-detainee-describes-torture-in-israeli-custody

Another Instalment About My Visit to Masafer Yatta in the West Bank: Justice Ain’t on the Side of Zionist Land Theft

Last June I posted the story about my visit to the West Bank region known as Masafer Yatter.

Terry and I had helped to plant new trees and grape vines for a Palestinian farmer by the name of Hafez Hureini. Mr. Hureini’s hands had been broken by Jewish settlers who were in the process of stealing his land.

The young people from Aida Refugee camp (where we lived) were helping him to catch up on his backlogged farm maintenance. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, we were attacked by both Jewish settlers and Israeli soldiers as we worked.

That’s right. In Israel it’s apparently illegal to help a Palestinian farmer  work his own farmland.

A few days ago I happened across an Al Jazeera documenatary focusing on Mr. Hureini’s continuing struggle against Israeli land theft! Here you can meet this man and hear his story for yourselves.

Yes, the settlers are still stealing. The soldiers are still oppressing the innocent and defending the thieves. And Mr. Hureini continues to stand his ground peacefully.

All the while, our God sees it all and promises to one day restore justice to his world. And I’ll give you a hint: justice ain’t on the side of Zionist land theft.

 

Israel Continues the Ethnic Cleansing of the West Bank

The objectives of the Israeli nation-state have always been clear: acquire as much Palestinian land as possible with as few Palestinians remaining as possible.

The ethnic cleansing of Palestinians may have begun in 1947 but it has never stopped. It continues viciously in the present day through home demolitions and blatant land theft, all salaciously “legalized” by Israeli politicians and bureaucrats.

More Evidence That Israel Deliberately Targets Civilians in Gaza

Several weeks ago I posted a breaking news story from +972 magazine discussing an Israeli military program blasphemously called “The Gospel” that used artificial intelligence (AI) to bomb civilian targets in Gaza.

Now +972 has broken a second story exposing two additional AI programs also being used for bombing Gaza. They are called Lavender and Where’s Daddy?

As the article describes, Israel’s favorite tactic is to bomb suspected — note SUSPECTED (Israel’s military leaders admit that the programs have as much as a 10% error rate) — Hamas fighters in their homes at night, slaughtering entire extended families in their sleep.

Apparently, the program title Where’s Daddy? is meant to be a cruel joke, as in: We know where daddy is sleeping, and we are going to bomb his entire family to smithereens. Ha ha ha.

Yes, Israel has intentionally been slaughtering civilians from the beginning of its war against Palestinians in Gaza.

It is no accident that the death toll is now more than 33,600 people, 70% of whom are women and children. Over 13,000 of them under the age of eighteen.

Compare that last figure to the approximately 500 children killed during the past two years of fighting in Ukraine. Here is more tragic evidence of the gruesome anti-Arab racism animating the Jewish-supremacist state of Israel.

Below is a brief excerpt of the +972 article followed by a video clip of an excellent editorial by Krystal Ball from Breaking Point news:

During the early stages of the war, the army gave sweeping approval for officers to adopt Lavender’s kill lists, with no requirement to thoroughly check why the machine made those choices or to examine the raw intelligence data on which they were based. One source stated that human personnel often served only as a “rubber stamp” for the machine’s decisions, adding that, normally, they would personally devote only about “20 seconds” to each target before authorizing a bombing — just to make sure the Lavender-marked target is male. This was despite knowing that the system makes what are regarded as “errors” in approximately 10 percent of cases, and is known to occasionally mark individuals who have merely a loose connection to militant groups, or no connection at all.

Moreover, the Israeli army systematically attacked the targeted individuals while they were in their homes — usually at night while their whole families were present — rather than during the course of military activity. According to the sources, this was because, from what they regarded as an intelligence standpoint, it was easier to locate the individuals in their private houses. Additional automated systems, including one called “Where’s Daddy?” also revealed here for the first time, were used specifically to track the targeted individuals and carry out bombings when they had entered their family’s residences.

You can read the entire article here.

 

My Friend, Munther Amira, Has Been Released from Prison

I know that my friend, Munther Amira, thanks you for your prayers on his behalf. He was finally released from an Israeli prison on Friday, having lost over 73 pounds in body weight.

Below I have included several pieces of information describing Munther’s abuse while in prison. The first is a news interview available on YouTube. The second is a statement issued by Munther himself where he again describes the torture, beatings and sexual abuse he endured at the hands of his Israeli jailers.

The video my only be viewed  on the YouTube webpage. To do this, copy the url that appears INBETWEEN the quotation marks below. Paste that address (minus the quotation marks) into your computer’s web browser and press enter. It will take you to the video of Munther’s interview which you can then watch for yourself.

“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1dZhYTWDus&rco=1”

Below is Munther’s personal statement describing his prison experience. He was held for 2 1/2 months without charge. No trial. And no explanation as to why he was finally released.

His family and friends simply thank God that he is back home with family and friends.

From the Cemetery of the Living: A Plea for the Rights of Palestinian Detainees Statement by the
freed Palestinian detainee, Munther Amira
8 March 2024

With a heart heavy yet buoyant with gratitude, I reach out to you through these words, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit against oppression. Your steadfast commitment, vocal advocacy, and
unwavering support have been the lifeline for those of us who have endured the shadows of incarceration under the Israeli occupation. Today, I stand as a voice for the voiceless, a beacon for the countless souls still languishing in what can only be described as living tombs, to express our profound thanks and to bear witness to the atrocities that bespeak a grave humanitarian crisis.

The conditions under which Palestinian detainees live are a stark violation of every tenet of humanity and dignity. Subjected to extreme forms of torture, degrading treatment, and deliberate deprivation of basic
needs, including food and medical care, Palestinian detainees are living through what can only be described as a systemic campaign of dehumanization. The Israeli occupation, through its policy of mass
arbitrary detention, aims not just to suppress Palestinian voices but to erase their existence, their rights, and their struggle for freedom and self-determination.

In the broader context of the ongoing genocide against Gaza and the catastrophic impact on the Palestinian population, the situation of detainees becomes even more harrowing. This genocide against
the Palestinian people casts a long shadow over the fate of those behind bars. The link between the mass arbitrary detentions and the wider war against Palestine is unmistakable and intentional, designed to break
the will of the people and to quash any form of resistance against the occupation.

My personal ordeal, characterized by severe mistreatment, deprivation of medical care, and exposure to torture and sexual violence, mirrors the unfathomable suffering of many. These prisons, akin to graveyards for the living, stand as stark symbols of a settler colonial regime that seeks to erase our identity, our dignity, and our very existence. The draconian measures imposed upon us—ranging from the denial of familial and legal connections to the restriction of basic human necessities and freedoms—underscore a systematic campaign to dehumanize and demoralize.

This policy of widespread and systematic abuse is not merely an affront to Palestinian dignity but constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions. The complicity of the Israeli judicial system, with its alarmingly high conviction rates for Palestinians and the virtual impunity granted to perpetrators of crimes against Palestinians, underscores a judicial apparatus that functions as an instrument of occupation.

I cannot express enough gratitude to the countless individuals, organizations, and the vast sea of humanity who have taken to the streets in solidarity, raising their voices high to demand justice for Palestine and
calling for a ceasefire. Your impassioned pressure and relentless pursuit of justice have not only contributed to my release but also continue to shine a light on the ongoing struggle for the freedom of all Palestinian detainees. Your unwavering support is a powerful testament to the strength of collective action and the indomitable spirit of global solidarity.

The international community must recognize that the plight of Palestinian detainees is not an isolated issue but a reflection of the systemic violence and oppression perpetrated by the Israeli occupation. The widespread and systematic violations of their rights, including through the use of torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, and the forcible transfer of detainees to jails within Israel, constitute grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and amount to war crimes under international law.

The silence and inaction of the international community in the face of these atrocities only serve to embolden the perpetrators and perpetuate the violence and suffering. It is incumbent upon all states, in line with their legal obligations under international law, to take immediate and decisive action to protect the rights of Palestinian detainees. This includes holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its actions, demanding the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and ensuring that those responsible for such egregious violations are brought to justice.

Moreover, the international community must work tirelessly to address the root causes of the settler colonial regime, advocating for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. This includes acknowledging and addressing the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.

As a freed detainee, I have witnessed firsthand the unimaginable horrors faced by my fellow Palestinians behind bars. The scars of torture, the pain of separation from loved ones, and the constant fear of death are experiences that no human being should ever have to endure. Yet, despite these atrocities, the spirit of the Palestinian people remains unbroken, their resolve unwavering.

In solidarity with those who continue to suffer in silence, I urge you to lend your voice to this cause, to stand up for justice, and to join us in the fight for the freedom and dignity of all Palestinian detainees.

Together, we can shed light on the darkness of their existence and pave the way for a future where human rights are not just a privilege for the few but a fundamental right for all.

Munther Amira
Aida Refugee Camp,
Beitlahem, Palestine

Now, I ask you to continue to pray for my friend Anas abu Srour who continues to be held in prison without charge. His family has heard nothing about his eventual release.

Anas has yet to see his newborn daughter.

American Cardiologist Describes the Loss of More Than 90 Family Members in Gaza

Nothing I can say will add to the significance of this heartbreaking interview with Dr. Haddad.

Remember, his family has been slaughtered with American weaponry.

Gideon Levy: Sanctions on Israel Are the Only Hope

What happens to a society where the vast majority endorse their government’s policy of committing genocide against a subject people?

Unsurprisingly, it will demonstrate increased levels of hard-heartedness and moral corruption.

Gideon Levy is an award-winning Israeli journalist who provides a chilling description of how Israeli society-at-large now illustrates such corruption as the people of Gaza are exterminated.

Watch and shudder.

Anthony Lowenstein: The Majority of Israeli Jews Support the Removal of Palestinians from Gaza

Israeli Jews have always viewed the native Palestinian population as a dangerous “demographic threat” to the maintenence of a Jewish majority in the Jewish state.

Investigative journalist Anthony Lowenstein discusses the long history of Israel’s attempts to rid the country of Palestinians, by hook or by crook.

More than 9,000 children in Gaza have undergone amputation, in many cases without anesthesia

More than 9,000 children in Gaza have undergone amputation, in many cases without anesthesia: In the Gaza Strip, the life of any child could turn into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Families try to keep their children safe, but this becomes harder and harder with the intense bombardments. Many houses have been destroyed, and many children ended up under the rubble. More than 9,000 children have been injured in the Gaza Strip, leaving them grappling with the loss of an arm or a leg.

Read the story of 4-year-old Ghazala, who lost a leg, here.

This harrowing story is taken from the Israel-Palestine News site at If Americans Knew (IAK). It is an excellent source for daily updates on the situation in Palestine-Israel, bringing facts and figures to Western readers that you will never see on the mainstream, corporate media.