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IN THE WAKE OF THE ASSAULT ON GAZA
Jeff Halper
This
is the first newsletter since the conclusion of Operation Protective
Edge in Gaza, which obviously preoccupied our attention. It showed the
political bankruptcy of all the actors. For Israel, it was an attempt to
finally break all Palestinian resistance – mopping up in Gaza after
Operation Defensive Shield in the West Bank in 2002 destroyed Fatah
resistance there. Then the idea was to create “industrial quiet” with
the Palestinian Authority serving as Israel’s policeman and enforcer in
all the Occupied Territory so that the Palestinian issue would simply
disappear from view as the world’s attention moves to ISIS, the Ukraine,
China and Russia, Ebola and all the other urgent problems. As I wrote
in this piece,
the situation in Israel/Palestine has gone way beyond the two-state
solution, beyond even apartheid (which would have at least a symbolic
Palestinian Bantustan) to outright warehousing. Its message to the
Palestinians: There is no longer any “peace process.” You have three
options, submit, leave or die.
It
didn’t work. If one message came through, it was that Israel had
discovered the limits of military power. It could not destroy Hamas and
the Palestinian resistance even if it destroyed Gaza. The message sent
by Hamas to Israel was not received, as I wrote in this piece,
Israel has not been disabused of the notion that it can defeat the
Palestinians once and for all, but that message of dealing justly with
the Palestinians was received by the world at large, even if Hamas was
the messenger. Still, resistance without a political plan is futile, and
so Hamas’s fight with Israel did little to change the situation. True,
almost $4 billion were donated by various countries for “reconstruction”
(Israel, of course, was not asked to contribute a penny), but Israel
was given veto power over building materials going into Gaza, which has
led to charges that the UN has now become a party to Israel blockage,
which has not ended. Unless the Palestinians can reopen their port and
airport, there cannot be genuine economic growth – but it is extremely
unlikely that Israel will allow that. In many ways, then, we seem to be
going back to the status quo ante, with little changed politically.
If
anything, Israel’s political bankruptcy was exceeded by that of the
Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority. Israel at least has a plan:
warehousing. The PA has nothing: no resistance, no plan for the future,
and certainly no effective strategy for rallying its greatest ally,
grassroots public opinion the world over, which has swung dramatically
to the Palestinians’ side. No turning to the International Criminal
Court; a willingness, even eagerness, to continue to act as Israel’s
policeman, this time extended to Gaza; and no initiative except a futile
plan to take the Palestinian case to the UN Security Council where it
will undoubtedly vetoed by the US and other members as being
“unilateral.” Only the threat of Abu Mazen to dismantle the PA if the US
vetoes his initiative in the Security Council promises meaningful
progress.
And,
as I’ve commented before, there is little if any meaningful
strategizing going on at the civil society level as well in Israel and
Palestine, so we also must accept responsibility for the process of
warehousing. This is serious, since I stand by my guns (so to speak) and
contend that the Occupation is in the process of collapse, protracted
as it may be. Its disruptive influence felt throughout the increasingly
unstable Middle East will render it unsustainable, and the collapse of
the PA, which will happen sooner rather than later, will be one of the
main game-changers. My fear, then, is collapse without agency
on our part, the inability of the critical just-peace forces to exploit
the opportunity and present its own solution, something around one
democratic state.
But
we carry on, doing what advocacy we can in the absence of an end-game
for which to advocate. ICAHD activists also spoke at demonstrations
against the Gaza invasion in different parts of the world. Here are a
couple pictures:
Prof. Peter Slezak, head of ICAHD Australia, addressing a rally in Sydney
ICAHD UK activists at huge rally in London
We still keep a focus on house demolitions, of course. According to UN figures,
Israel destroyed 18,000 housing units in Gaza during the July/August
attacks – plus continuing to demolish in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem – bringing the total of Palestinian homes demolished in the
Occupied Territory to more than 48,000
since 1967. In addition to homes destroyed as “collateral damage” in
military incursions and homes demolitions for lack of building permits,
Israel has recently renewed its policy of “punitive” demolitions,
demolishing homes of people suspected of carrying out security offenses
and their innocent families. Cody O’Rourke, a member of the CPT team in
Hebron (and the father of my grandson) and I wrote a report
on punitive demolitions in Hebron, and I published an analysis of the
illegality of the policy in Hebrew for a legal journal. I also spoke on
al-Jazeera’s Inside Story program on this topic.
For
my part, partly because we are somewhat stuck when it comes to
articulating an end-game to the conflict, I have begun exploring what I
call “global Palestine,” how Israel is exporting the Occupation. This is
the subject of a book I’m just finishing on Israel’s involvement with
the global arms trade, domestic security and policing. I therefore wrote
a piece
following the assault on Gaza about how Israel is attempting to change
international humanitarian law (IHL) in order to allow it, and other
states, to suppress popular uprisings unencumbered by the protections
IHL extends to both non-combatants and combatants who, in the framework
of IHL, resist occupation, repression, colonialism and exploitation,
even if they do so by armed force.
As
you will see below, ICAHD in Jerusalem and all its chapters abroad
continue to be active, focused and strategic. I truly believe there will
be major break-throughs – or potential break-throughs, if we are
prepared to exploit them – in the next few months. ICAHD has positioned
itself to make its strategic contribution to (1) formulating a detailed
plan of a just solution with our Palestinian, Israeli and international
partners and (2) effectively advocating for it when the time is ripe.
ICAHD’S NOVEMBER TOUR OF PALESTINE/ISRAEL
Participate
in the November political study tour and connect with ICAHD on the
ground. Following Israel’s recent bombardment of Gaza, the situation in
Israel/Palestine is changing rapidly, so don’t miss this opportunity to
received updated information and analysis.
The
next study tour will take place in mid November. Consisting of eleven
days, participants will have the opportunity to gain an overview of some
of the main issues facing a population living under occupation - house
demolitions, displacement, education, refugees, water, lack of freedom
of movement, women's issues – and discrimination within the state of
Israel. Engage with more than twenty organisations and local
individuals. Meet in Jerusalem upon arrival and go as far south as
Hebron and later north to Maghar in the Galilee. Visit the Mediterranean
on the west coast and the Jordan Valley to the east.
Tour price - £900, single supplement if required £230
Cost
per person includes full tour programme and staying in good three star
hotels at half board (bed, breakfast and evening meal), sharing a
twin-bedded room with ensuite facilities. Also included in the price is
your tour leader, tour bus, guides and tips. Not included: flights,
travel insurance, lunches. Tour groups travel in a small mini bus.
Information
about the appointments and practical information covering all aspects
of the visit are provided. Hundreds of people from around the world have
joined the tours and many recommendations are available. The tours
provide unique access for discussion and on going involvement with key
people and organisations that would otherwise be difficult to meet when
travelling on one's own. For many the tour has proved life-changing.
The
Tour schedule was put together brilliantly and with deep insight. There
were opportunities for us to meet a number of Palestinians and
support agencies, from which one could begin to understand something of
the terrible reality of the Occupation – at least from an observer’s
viewpoint. Interwoven with these events were informative talks, advice,
debriefing and discussion sessions, and meetings with Israelis involved
in the resistance struggles. Plus downtime in Palestinian cultural
settings. The tour was sensitive, eclectic and powerful. An entirely
unique experience. Thank you so much. Judy G – Brighton
ICAHD FINLAND: REPORT BY SYSKY RÄSÄNEN
During
the attack on Gaza, there were weekly demonstrations in Helsinki, seven
in all. People from ICAHD Finland spoke at all of the demonstrations,
and we took part in organising the last three ones, in cooperation with
local Palestinian community organisation and the Finnish Peace
Committee. Bruno Jäntti, ICAHD Finland Chair, spoke at a demonstration
against the war in Gaza in Tampere, and we both have given a number of
talks also in smaller cities outside Helsinki.
One
of the central demands of the demonstrations was ending the arms trade
between Finland and Israel. Perhaps partly as a result (but by no means
only because of it), prominent Finnish politicians spoke out against the
arms trade with Israel during the assault, including the chairs of the
Social Democrats, Greens and the Left Alliance, which together have 1/3
of the seats in the parliament. We will use the increased prominence of
the issue to deepen our campaign against the arms trade. Bruno Jäntti, the head of ICAHD Finland, wrote this piece for al-Jazeera arguing that it's time for the EU to impose sanctions on Israel.
In
September, we organised a Peace Forum, in cooperation with the Hakunila
International Organisation, funded by the Ministry of Education and
Culture. Our guests this time were Amira Hass and Jamal Zahalka, the
latter being a member of the Israeli Knesset and head of the Balad
party, which has three seats. (Haneen Zoabi was due to come as our
guest, but she was unable to come because she had to deal with the
political persecution against her.) We had about 200 people at the
event, and organised a number of interviews for press and radio. Zahalka
also briefly met with a few members of the Finnish Parliament,
organised by a sympathetic MP. Hass met with and interviewed the Finnish
foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (the article is here.) Like with earlier guest, we did a series of short interviews, which will appear on our Vimeo page.
Last
December, we came out with a report on Veolia and sent it to the media
and to city council members in the capital area, as well as board
members of the Helsinki Regional Transport (which is run jointly by a
number of cities in the capital area). There was subsequently a motion
in the city council to stop using Veolia. The matter is still being
evaluated, and has attracted attention in the mainstream media. Our
press release from last May is here.
We've
come out with a report on Ahava and Sodastream, and in September sent
it to retailers. We intend to follow up with phone calls to ask them to
meet with us, and may then follow up with protests if products are not
deshelved.
We have gotten our first grant from the Foreign Ministry, for communications.
Syksy
Räsänen from ICAHD Finland has signed a contract for a book with the
working title "Israeli apartheid", due to come out next fall (in
Finnish).
HOME REBUILDING
During
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, clashes also erupted in the West Bank,
just before ICAHD’s annual rebuilding camp was about to begin. We
considered merely curtailing the camp, but after discussions with our
Palestinian partners, including the family whose home we intended to
build, we decided it was not appropriate to host the participants at
such a time of national strife, struggle and mourning.
We
had laid the foundations for the home of the family in Anata in
preparation for the camp, and when the heads of the Israeli, British,
American and German ICAHD chapters visited the family, we committed
ourselves to completing the rebuilding, perhaps in a special camp in
April.
Planning the new home.Salim Shawamreh on the right, the head of the family on the left
The site of the home is almost adjacent to the Apartheid Wall surrounding Anata
Some of the kids looking forward to their new home
HEADS OF ICAHD GROUPS ABROAD MEET IN JERUSALEM
Although
the rebuilding camp was postponed, the heads of ICAHD chapters abroad,
who were planning to attend anyway, decided not to cancel their tickets
so we could have a few days of strategizing. We, indeed, covered a lot
of ground, from an evaluation of “where we are” in the Israel-Palestine
conflict and the role of ICAHD in the struggle for a just peace, through
reviewing our areas and strategies of activity and on to planning new
campaigns and materials.
Meeting of (some) ICAHD chapter heads in Jerusalem
Clockwise from left: Ken Boas, Chair of ICAHD USA, Claus Walischewski
and Doris Flack, heads of ICAHD Germany, Lisa Arnold of ICAHD
Australia, Linda Ramsden, head of ICAHD UK, Ofer Neiman and Ruth El-Raz
of the ICAHD Board in Jerusalem, and Jeff Halper, head of ICAHD
ICAHD UK AT GREENBELT FESTIVAL
ICAHD
UK’s stall, which for a decade has been prominent at the annual
four-day Greenbelt festival, again proved to be a great way to keep
people talking about the subject of house demolitions and displacement.
The Greenbelt
Festival, for those of you who don’t know, is a progressive Christian
festival of arts, faith and justice held annually in England since 1974.
It attracts some 20,000 participants, who campout at the site. The
festival regularly attracts the biggest names of Christian music and
many mainstream musicians. It is also a venue for teaching and
discussion with a wide variety of workshops around (though not
exclusively) Christian faith and issues. The festival welcomes, however,
anyone who the organisers believe 'speaks for justice', and ICAHD
speakers have appeared regularly over the years. Palestine has always
been a central issue and Linda Ramsden a central organizer. More than 2,000 people attended the Bethlehem Unwrapped event in the Big Top, at which Linda spoke about ICAHD’s work.
Linda speaking to an audience of 2000 at the Greenbelt Festival
AUTUMN SPEAKING TOURS
Ruth Edmonds’ UK Speaking Tour
Ruth (and Bruno) at the Rebuilding Camp
From 26th
September to 5th October, Ruth Edmonds, ICAHD’s Advocacy Officer and
activist, participated in a UK speaking tour. She spoke about the
changing political situation and ICAHD’s work. She shared some of her
stories that illustrated how Palestinian peace activists are dealt with
much more harshly than their Jewish colleagues and she ended by speaking
about what activists can do to help end the Occupation.
Ruth
was the special guest for ICAHD UK’s sponsored walk weekend. Public
meetings were held in Thursley, Leamington Spa, London, Ascot, Witney,
Birmingham, Worcester and Brighton. Ruth finished the tour by speaking
at a fringe meeting at the Lib Dem Party Conference in Glasgow sponsored
by Lib Dem Friends of Palestine.
And….congratulations
to the British Parliament for recognizing the state of Palestine. It
was gratifying to hear ICAHD’s name being invoked several times by
speakers (together with Breaking the Silence, Peace Now and others), and
to see so many MPs that have taken ICAHD tours or been briefed by us in
Parliament. Recognizing Palestine as a state is somewhat problematic at
this stage, of course, because it locks us into a two-state situation
at a time when it seems clear that is not a realistic option, making it
more difficult to move beyond it. But the intent was genuinely
supportive of the Palestinians and all of us working for a just peace,
so it was greatly appreciated.
Jeff Halper’s US Speaking Tour
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