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Settlers Attack Harvesters- oh Brothers, not in my name.Saturday 19 Oct 2002
author: Shabtai Gold ([email protected])
summary
Settlers shot at Peace Activists and Palestinians who were harvesting olives in the West Bank. Settlers shot at them in my name.
Several Israeli peace groups- Peace Now, Gush Shalom, the Women's Peace Coalition and Taayush, set out this morning (Saturday) to help the Palestinians of the West Bank harvest their olives. The group numbered some 350 Israelis and many more Palestinians.
Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) have already went to help the Palestinians several times this season, which is about 3 weeks old. Twice the settlers have already violently confronted RHR during the harvest. Settlers have also killed one Palestinian and injured several others, including one who lost his eye. RHR have decided to continue to assist the Palestinians in the hopes of stopping violence against them.
It should be noted that no arrests have been made by Israeli police in regards to the attacks on Palestinian civilians during the harvest- except for one settler who was immediatly released.
The peace groups that went out today expected that due to the Shabbat (Jewish Sabbath) the settlers would not confront them, since doing so would be a violation of the Sabbath, and most settlers, especially the violent ones, are religious people, who's whole claim to residing in the occupied West Bank is based on the Jewish Tora (religious law).
Theories and facts are not relatives.
Theory: settlers won't attack on the Sabbath.
Theory: Police protect those in need of protection.
Fact: Settlers shot "in the air" for about 30 minutes today.
Fact: Police did nothing, except to stop the Palestinians and Israelis from harvesting.
Fact: the Yesha (Occupied Judea, Samaria [west bank] and Gaza) council said: "The IDF confirmed that the shooting was justified since the harvesting was done in an area where entry is prohibited."
Being that the police and IDF were in the area the entire time I fail to imagine a situation in which settlers would be "justified" in using fire-arms against unarmed civilians. Technically, I would fail to see a situation in which settlers would legally have guns to "protect themselves" against peace activists, and be justified in using them against unarmed civilians.
Technically and actually also seem to not be relatives.
Adam Keller, Spokesman for Gush Shalom, was quoted in Ynet as saying: "We reached the [Palestinian] village and we split up amongst the olive groves.I joined a Palestinian who claimed that settlers haven't allow him to reach his orchards in three years. We started to harvest the olives and, about ten minutes later, we heard gunshots. We ran from there and found shelter behind the hill. We saw 4 settlers standing there wearing [traditional] Sabbath clothing- black pants, white shirts, and shooting."
Keller went on to explain how long the shooting lasted for in the area he was- about ten minutes and then again about 30 minutes later- and then told Ynet about the agreement reached between the harvesters and the police: the harvesters could continue working, but in the areas close to the settlements.
The Yesha Council, also quoted in Ynet, explained that the harvesting was a "provacative [measure] by the radical left wing". I again fail to see how harvesting olives is provacative. I fail to see how harvesting olives with Palestinians who earn their living by harvesting olives, in fields they have owned as long as modern history can relate, is even a demonstration of any kind. The fact of the matter is that settlements have managed to expropriate Palestinian land over the past 35 years. Expropriate, in this sense, is a fancy word which means "to steal". The only possible explanation to the Yesha Council's claim that the activists and Palestinians entered a prohibited zone is in the event that the area once belonged to Palestinians and now belongs to the settlements- "once", meaning yesterday. In any event, even if the Palestinians would not be allowed into this zone, I cannot remember a law which allows for settlers to enter a zone and other Israeli citizens, in this case Peace Activists, would not be allowed. I certainly cannot remember one which allows for settlers to shoot at other Israeli citizens.
The facts are quite simple: Settlers used the Jewish Tora in a warped sense in order to occupy and steal land not their own. Then, they violate that very same Tora in order to attempt murder of innocent people.
For those who claim that the settlers only "shot in the air", I have only this to say: I never saw a bullet shot from more than 1 centimeter that wasn't "shot in the air"- all bullets go through the air at one point.
The killing of Prime Minister Yizkhak Rabin and Peace activist Amil Grentswieg in recent years only proves that the Israeli right-wing has no boundries. Countless other recorded acts of violence by right-wing Jews against other Jews has been reported recently as well.
The case I most "fondly" remember is from 4-5 months ago. A peace activist, sitting at a Peace Now vigil, was attacked by a right-wing Jew. Only, this wasn't any right wing Jew- this was a member of Israel's ambulance corporation- Magen David Adom (MDA).
Interestingly enough MDA is not part of the International Red Cross.
Oh...another incident comes to mind. An elderly woman, also at a Peace Now vigil, was attacked- punched in the face- by a right-wing Jew. Only this wasn't any elderly woman- she is a surviver of the holocaust.
And on and on...
Let's face it- the settlers have a law of their own, and for some reason Israel doesn't bother to stop it. Right-wingers don't care if Palestinians are killed in cold blood since they feel that Palestinians aren't human beings. If they were human being the Tora would have strict rules and regulations against killing them- but since they are just animals, it is permitted.
Right-wingers love to shout at their protests "Jewish Blood is not worthless". It seems it is- if that Jews happens to believe in peace; and certainly if that Jew isn't a Jew, but rather a Muslim or Christian.
"The IDF confirmed that the shooting was justified since...." I never saw a case where shooting an unarmed man was justified. "...shooting was justified since..." - I don't want to hear anymore "since", I don't want to hear any more gunfire. I want to hear the sound of Palestinian picking their olives in peace. I want to hear the sound of a jail cell closing and a settler guilty of murder and attempted murder sitting inside.
And for those who claim I am not fair, not objective, only looking at the Palestinian side, I answer: No- I was mortified by my name being used in vain by settlers. I am terrified by settlers using the Tora my mother loved and respected, as the basis for killing Palestinians.
I am disgusted by Settlers using my name when the kill Palestinians- "for the sake of the Jewish people".
No no, my brothers. It is not in my name. When Palestinian militants kill they do not do it in my name. When the "Jewish State" sends its army into Gaza and kills innocent children, as all children are, it is in my name. And what is done in my name hurts more than what is done against me.
As a Jew, who was raised in a house that respected Jewish ethics and the Tora, I am here today to say: this is not what I was taught, no more my brothers the settlers, no more- not in my name.
Yes I call you brothers, but you call me "traitor".
Oh, how we have grown apart my brothers. I stand with no weapon and you stand to kill me- and you will kill me yet, and do it, in my name.