Send check for $10.00 for each advance ticket to:
Bay Area United Against War
P.O. Box 318021
San Francisco, CA 94131-8021
Please indicate which show:
Thursday, August 4, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 5, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 6, 2:00 p.m.
Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts
1519 Mission Street between 11th Street
and South Van Ness
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
1) Bay Area United Against War has a new meeting schedule:
We will meet every third Tuesday of the month
at 7:00 p.m. beginning:
Tuesday, July 19, 2005,7:00 p.m.
474 Valencia Street, near 16th Street
Agenda will include Board of Education picketing update,
September 24, Marx in Soho performances,
Campus Not Combat petition update and publicity
campaign, and new business.
All are welcome. Bring your ideas and help
Organize against this war!
2) BAUAW Benefit Presentation of Howard Zinn's
one man show, MARX IN SOHO
Starring Jerry Levy as Karl Marx
Directed by Michael Fox Kennedy.
Thursday, August 4, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 5, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 6, 2:00 p.m.
Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts
1519 Mission Street between 11th Street
and South Van Ness*
Advance tickets: $10
Door: $20.00
Call:415-824-8730 or email: giobon@sbcglobal.net for
Advance tickets.
3) Cut all Public School Ties to the Military!
Speak up and Picket the S.F. Board of Education
the Fourth Tuesday of Each Month.
Next picket line: Tuesday, July 27, 6:30 P.M.-7:30 P.M.
(The July Board of Ed. meetings have been cancelled. But we
will still hold a picket July 27 at 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
in front of the Board of Education building.)
The next picket line after July 27 is August 23, 6:30 P.M.
-7:30 P.M. (just before school starts back.)
August 23, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 P.M.
555 Franklin St., S.F,
To get on the speakers list call:
415-241-6427, 241-6493 or 241-6000
(For more info call: 415-824-8730)
4) "New York Times": US aid to Israel since '48 - $100b
Israel this week submitted estimated costs to the US Security Council for relocating
the IDF's Gaza Strip bases.
Ran Dagoni, Washington
13 Jul 05 9:52
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=933601&fid=942
5) Large Volume of F.B.I. Files Alarms U.S. Activist Groups
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: July 18, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/18/politics/18protest.html?
6) SUPPORT KEVIN BENDERMAN AS HE FACES COURT MARTIAL
7) Little girl faces felony charge for throwing rock at little boy
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050716-0006-ca-
littlegirlassault.html
8) For Immediate Release
Friday, July 15, 2005
San Francisco State Sued For Violating Students' Rights
Free Speech, Military Recruiting, Discrimination Against Gays At Issue
9) Fighting Fascism Then, and Now
By John Pilger
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Sunday 17 July 2005
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/071705Y.shtml
10) NATIONAL MUSLIM LEADERSHIP REJECTS UFPJ "SEGREGATION"
APPROACH TO SEPTEMBER 24 MARCH ON WASHINGTON
Thousands of Muslims Mobilizing for September 24 March
on Washington Under the MAS Freedom and National Coalition Banner
From: "Zahi Damuni" zahi@al-awdasandiego.org
11) Democracy Now! Dahr Jamail Speaks with Amy Goodman
Dahr Jamail's Iraq Dispatches
http://dahrjamailiraq.com
12) What May Come After the Evacuation of Jewish Settlers
from the Gaza Strip: A Warning from Israel
By Uri Davis, Ilan Pappe, and Tamar Yaron
We feel that it is urgent and necessary to raise the alarm
regarding what may come during and after evacuation of Jewish
settlers from the Gaza Strip occupied by Israel in 1967, in
the event that the evacuation is implemented.
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
1) Bay Area United Against War has a new meeting schedule:
We will meet every third Tuesday of the month
at 7:00 p.m. beginning:
Tuesday, July 19, 2005,7:00 p.m.
474 Valencia Street, near 16th Street
Agenda will include Board of Education picketing update,
September 24, Marx in Soho performances,
Campus Not Combat petition update and publicity
campaign, and new business.
All are welcome. Bring your ideas and help
Organize against this war!
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
2) BAUAW Benefit Presentation of Howard Zinn's
one man show, MARX IN SOHO
Starring Jerry Levy as Karl Marx
Directed by Michael Fox Kennedy.
Thursday, August 4, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 5, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 6, 2:00 p.m.
Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts
1519 Mission Street between 11th Street
and South Van Ness*
Advance tickets: $10
Door: $20.00
Call:415-824-8730 or email: giobon@sbcglobal.net for
Advance tickets.
The premise of the play is that Marx dies yet he is
able to see what's happening on earth for 100 years
since his death in 1883. He is supposed to go back to
Soho in London but, by mistake, is sent to Soho
in New York and finds himself on stage before an
audience. Imagine all Karl Marx would have to say
after one hundred years of just being able to watch...
The single actor in this one-man play is Jerry Levy,
who has been teaching sociology at Marlboro College
and been acting with the Actors' Theater of Brattleboro
since he moved there from Chicago in 1975. Originally
directed by Michael Fox Kennedy of the Actors' Theater,
Levy has been on the road with Zinn's version of Karl
Marx for a year, performing at benefits, colleges, small
theaters and other venues around the state. At Middle
Earth he was sponsored by the Bradford-based Coos Peace
and Justice Alliance and performed free of charge but
charged with mighty talent and a bottomless love of the play.
WWW.BAUAW.ORG
Contact person: Bonnie Weinstein 415-824-8730-office/home
415-990-4237-cell
*The Jon Sims Center is located at 1519 Mission Street
(between 11th Street and South Van Ness), South of Market,
San Francisco, CA 94103
BY CAR:
From the East Bay: Take 80 North then 101 North to the
Mission Street exit. Stay on the right hand side of the exit.
Turn right off the exit, and stay on Mission Street. The Jon
Sims Center is two blocks past Van Ness, next to Firestone.
From the South Bay: Take 101 North to the Mission Street
Exit. Stay on the right hand side of the exit. Turn right off
the exit, and stay on Mission Street. The Jon Sims Center
is two blocks past Van Ness, next to Firestone.
From the North Bay: Take 101 South to Lombard, make
a right on Van Ness and then a left onto Mission. Jon Sims
Center is two blocks past Van Ness, next to Firestone.
Parking: Daytime parking is very difficult. We encourage
day users to take public transportation. In the evening,
street parking along Mission Street, Minna Street and
11th Street is not horrible (in San Francisco terms) after
6:00 PM, but the closer you are to 6:00 PM, the better
your chances of finding parking. There is no parking
along Mission between 4-6 PM, and you will be
promptly towed.
VIA BART/MUNI/SAMTRANS:
Go to http://www.transitinfo.org for more information
about Bay Area public transportation.
BART: Take BART to the Civic Center station, then transfer
to the outbound Muni J,K,L,M or N train. Exit at the next
stop (Van Ness Station). Walk 1 block south, cross Mission,
and the Jon Sims Center is next to Firestone.
MUNI: The Jon Sims Center is 1 block south of the Van
Ness Muni underground station, accessible from any Muni
streetcar. Additionally, the 14 Mission, 42 Loop 49 and
47 Van Ness bus stop at Mission and 11th Street, only
1/2 block from the Jon Sims Center. Current Muni fare is $1.25.
SamTrans: The SamTrans DX, KX, MX, NX, PX, RX and
TX buses stops at Mission and 9th Streets. Walk three
blocks west (towards Sutro tower) to reach the Jon Sims
Center. Current SamTrans fare is $1.10. Please note that
SamTrans buses to the City only run during rush hours.
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
3) Cut all Public School Ties to the Military!
Speak up and Picket the S.F. Board of Education
the Fourth Tuesday of Each Month.
Next picket line: Tuesday, July 27, 6:30 P.M.-7:30 P.M.
(The July Board of Ed. meetings have been cancelled. But we
will still hold a picket July 27 at 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
in front of the Board of Education building.)
The next picket line after July 27 is August 23, 6:30 P.M.
-7:30 P.M. (just before school starts back.)
August 23, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 P.M.
555 Franklin St., S.F,
To get on the speakers list call:
415-241-6427, 241-6493 or 241-6000
(For more info call: 415-824-8730)
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
4) "New York Times": US aid to Israel since '48 - $100b
Israel this week submitted estimated costs to the US Security Council for relocating
the IDF's Gaza Strip bases.
Ran Dagoni, Washington
13 Jul 05 9:52
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=933601&fid=942
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
5) Large Volume of F.B.I. Files Alarms U.S. Activist Groups
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: July 18, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/18/politics/18protest.html?
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
6) SUPPORT KEVIN BENDERMAN AS HE FACES COURT MARTIAL
We are writing to you today to urge
you to support Kevin Benderman as he faces
court martial on July 28, 2005 for
following his conscience and refusing to participate
in the illegal war and occupation of
Iraq. The details of Kevin's case can be read
below.
Consider holding a support rally
for Kevin in your local community,
sending a message of support from
your group, making a donation to Kevin‚s defense,
and/or sending a letter of support
for Kevin and his right to object to Secretary of
Defense Rumsfeld.
(please visit: http://www.bendermandefense.org)
It is imperative that we in the
anti-war movement embrace and support
these courageous soldiers in their
struggle to resist. The G.I.
Resistance Movement was instrumental
in shifting public opinion and ending the
Vietnam War.
A National Day of Action on May 10th
organized by Courage To Resist in support of
Military Resisters, spurred solidarity
actions in over 20 cities. These actions,
along with3 subsequent days of events in San
Diego, where Naval officer Pablo Paredes faced
court martial, were influential in Pablo
receiving a reduced sentence.
A real show of support from the
anti-war movement could potentially
inspire and encourage more
soldiers to resist publicly.
The Department of Defense is
currently reporting over 6,000 A.W.O.L. soldiers.
For reports on the May 10 National
Day of Action and updates on Pablo
Paredes go to:
http://www.CourageToResist.org
KEVIN BENDERMAN TO FACE COURT MARTIAL JULY 28, 2005
After serving in the military
for eight years, including a tour of duty
in Iraq, Kevin Benderman filed
for conscientious objector status in December 2004.
His application was quickly
denied, and on the weekend of Jan. 7, 2005
Benderman refused to re-deploy to Iraq with his unit.
„As I went through the process
which led to my decision to refuse
deployment to Iraq for the second
time, I was torn between thoughts of
abandoning the soldiers that I serve
with, or following my conscience,
which tells me: war is the ultimate
in destruction and waste of
humanity." As stated in Benderman‚s
article "A Matter of Conscience."
Subsequently Sgt. Benderman was
charged with Desertion and Missing
Movement by Design (Articles 85 and
87 in the Uniform Code of Military
Justice).
On May 11 the Article 32 investigative
hearing (military equivalent of a pretrial
hearing)was overturned. The judge
ruled the presiding officer had shown bias in his
investigation and ordered a new hearing.
Immediately following this hearing,
the same command filed the
additional charges of larceny because
Sgt. Benderman, due to an Army error,
had been receiving extra combat pay
since his unit had re-deployed to Iraq.
Seven other members of his unit were
also receiving extra pay due to an Army error.
None other than Benderman has been charged with larceny.
On Wednesday May 25 the military
filed a new Article 32 court martial against Kevin.
The Investigating Officer for the new
Article 32 hearing STRONGLY recommended
dismissal of the "larceny" charge, citing the fact
that it was an accounting error
that was rampant throughout Ft.
Stewart. The Army continues ahead
with the larceny charge anyway.
As far as the other charges of
Desertion and Missing Movement by
Design, he recommended that they both
go forward to General Court-Martial,
but with qualifications on the Desertion charge.
The General Court Martial date is set for July 28.
"One Soldier‚s Fight to Legalize Morality"
Monica Benderman
July 7, 2005
On July 28, 2005, in a small non-descript
courtroom on Ft. Stewart, Georgia,
a Courts Martial is scheduled to begin.
Again. One Army NCO who decided
that he had no choice but to make
a conscious choice NOT to return to war is
being put on trial for caring about humanity.
This soldier fulfilled his commitment,
he kept his promise to his enlisted
contract, and when ordered to deploy
to Iraq at the start of the invasion,
he went, not because he wanted to „
kill Iraqis‰ or „destroy terrorist
cells,‰ but because he wanted the
soldiers he served with to come home
safely. He returned knowing that
war is wrong, the most dehumanizing
creation of humanity that exists.
He saw war destroy civilians, innocent
men, women and children. He saw war
destroy homes, relationships and a
country. He saw this not only in
the country that was invaded, but he saw
this happening to the invading country
as well ˆ and he knew that the only
way to save those soldiers was for
people to no longer participate in war.
Sgt. Kevin Benderman is a Conscientious
Objector to war, and the Army is
mad.
Sgt. Kevin Benderman, after serving
one tour of duty in Iraq, filed for
Conscientious Objector status, his
Constitutional right. His commander
refused to accept his application
and one called him a coward. One chaplain
was ashamed of his lack of moral
fortitude, another, of higher rank,
testified to the true sincerity of
Sgt. Benderman‚s beliefs, in writing. A
military intelligence officer decided
that he knew matters of the soul
better than a man of God, and
recommended to deny the CO claim. Five
commissioned officers who had
never met Sgt. Benderman agreed with the
„intelligent officer‰ and the
claim was denied, twice.
More than two weeks after my
husband was placed in the Rear Detachment unit
here at Ft. Stewart, charges of
Missing Movement and Desertion were filed
against him, even though he has
never missed a single day of duty in almost
ten years. At the first Courts
Martial proceedings, the investigative
hearing was over turned. According
to the judge‚s decision, the presiding
officer had shown implied bias toward
Sgt. Benderman, and a new hearing was
ordered. As the session adjourned,
the same command that brought the first
charges were marching up the aisle
in the courtroom to file a new charge,
Larceny, against Sgt. Benderman.
The command that brought the charge, had
erroneously ordered combat pay to be
paid to Sgt. Benderman, along with 7
other soldiers in their unit. Rather
than accept their responsibility for
the error, these leaders chose to
punish Sgt. Benderman for the mistake, and
have yet to discipline any of the
remaining soldiers for the officers‚
gaffe.
The new investigating officer strongly
recommended dismissing this larceny
charge, but the convening authority,
Ft. Stewart‚s garrison commander,
pressed on and filed the charges anyway,
along with desertion and missing
movement. The Courts Martial is
scheduled to begin on July 28. The games
began in January.
At the conclusion of the first hearing,
I returned to the courtroom briefly
for some things I had forgotten. The
lights were dimmed, and no one was
there. This small dark room, vintage
WW II, had a reverent calm. Desks and
chairs sat waiting, slightly turned,
empty jurist panel, attorney‚s podium ˆ
the stage had been set. I look back
on it now, and the feeling is strangely
surreal.
Last week we learned that the United
States Supreme Court allows itself to
keep the Ten Commandments hanging on
the walls of its chambers, as a
testimony to another form of law.
The guardian of the Constitution of our
country, presiding over the human
rights of our people, maintains that the
Ten Commandments, religious context
aside, represent a form of law that is
powerful enough to occupy a place in its chambers.
In a small, quiet courtroom, on the
Ft. Stewart military installation, the
stage is set. One soldier who, after
firsthand experience with the
destructive force of war, decided
to take the Ten Commandments at their
word ˆ „Thou Shall Not Kill‰ ˆ and
use the rights given to him to declare
his conscious objection to war, to
no longer be in a position to voluntarily
have to kill another human being,
is now on trial for not wanting to kill.
The Army has removed itself so
completely from its moral responsibility,
that its representatives are willing
to openly demand, in a court of law,
that they be allowed to regain „positive
control over this soldier‰ by
finding him guilty of crimes he
did not commit, and put him in jail ˆ a
prisoner of conscience, for daring
to obey a moral law.
It is „hard work‰ to face the truth,
and it is scary when people who are not
afraid to face it begin to speak out.
Someone once said that my husband‚s
case is a question of morality over
legality. I pray that this country has
not gone so far over the edge that the
two are so distinctly different that
we can tell them apart.
A sixteen year old in New York, was
charged with involuntary manslaughter
yesterday for stabbing another teen
in the chest twice, over a computer
game. There is no question of why.
He broke a law ˆ a legal, MORAL law ˆ
„Thou Shall Not Kill.‰
After seeing war firsthand, Sgt. Kevin
Benderman chose to follow a legal,
MORAL law ˆ „Thou Shall Not Kill.‰
A form of law significant enough to be
represented on the walls of our
Supreme Court. The US Army cannot let him
go. I have to ask ˆ „WHY?‰
Monica Benderman
mdawnb@coastalnow.net
Sgt. Kevin Benderman is stationed at
Ft. Stewart, Georgia. He has served on
combat tour in Iraq. After seeing
war firsthand, he made the decision to
file for Conscientious Objector status
in December, 2004. His command
refused the request, and filed charges
of Missing Movement and Desertion
against him. They have since added
a charge of Larceny. Sgt. Benderman is
scheduled to face a second attempt at
Courts Martial for these charges on
July 28, and Ft. Stewart.
For more information:
http://www.BendermanDefense.org
http://www.CouragetoResist.org
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
7) Little girl faces felony charge for throwing rock at little boy
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050716-0006-ca-
littlegirlassault.html
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
8) For Immediate Release
Friday, July 15, 2005
San Francisco State Sued For Violating Students' Rights
Free Speech, Military Recruiting, Discrimination Against Gays At Issue
Contact Sharon Adams at 925.906.9026, Kent Klaudt at 415.652.9254
or Carlos Villarreal at 512.507.7700
San Francisco - Attorneys filed suit Friday against San Francisco
State University (SFSU) in the name of the National Lawyers Guild
(NLG) and on behalf of two student groups, Students Against War (SAW)
and the International Socialist Organization (ISO). The suit arises
from a protest against military recruiters on March 9th of this year
that took place on the SFSU campus. The NLG accuses SFSU
administrators of violating their own policies against discrimination
based on sexual orientation by allowing recruiters on campus, and of
violating the due process rights of the student organizations by
punishing them at the end of an unfair disciplinary process.
"It was clear from the evidence we've collected that certain
individuals at SFSU were bent on punishing these student groups and
didn't seem to care about ensuring the student groups had a fair
hearing," said Sharon Adams, an attorney member of the NLG who filed
the papers in the Superior Court for the City and County of San
Francisco . "It is appalling that the University would choose to
punish students for basic free speech activity, while allowing
military recruiters on their campus in violation of their own
anti-discrimination policy."
The SFSU policy on nondiscrimination states in part: "No person shall,
on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation,
religion, or age be excluded from participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination, including
harassment, in any program of the California State University."
"In this case, SFSU decided it wouldn't or couldn't honor its own
policy and allowed the military, which discriminates against gays and
lesbians, to practice their homophobic policy on campus," said Carlos
Villarreal, Executive Director of the NLG San Francisco. "These
student groups were both opposing the war in Iraq and enforcing SFSU's
own policies, and now they are being punished through a sloppy and
biased process that again has SFSU administrators violating their own
processes."
Recruiters eventually left the March 9th job fair when they realized
they would not be able to recruit students - an enormous victory for
these student groups.
The National Lawyers Guild was founded in 1937 and includes thousands
of members across the country, including hundreds of lawyers, law
students and legal workers in the Bay Area.
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
9) Fighting Fascism Then, and Now
By John Pilger
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Sunday 17 July 2005
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/071705Y.shtml
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
10) NATIONAL MUSLIM LEADERSHIP REJECTS UFPJ "SEGREGATION"
APPROACH TO SEPTEMBER 24 MARCH ON WASHINGTON
Thousands of Muslims Mobilizing for September 24 March
on Washington Under the MAS Freedom and National Coalition Banner
From: "Zahi Damuni"
(Washington, DC) - Over one hundred prominent Muslim leaders
and National organizations have indicated that there is only one
rally and march in Washington, DC, on September 24. And it will
not be the "Segregation" March proposed by United for Peace and
Justice (UFPJ). Responding to what has been categorized as
a patronizing elitist and separation agenda that has long been
a divisive issue in the anti-war and peace movement, prominent
leaders in the Muslim and Arab community made it clear that they
will not allow groups like the United for Peace and Justice set
the agenda for American Muslim involvement in the peace movement.
Thus the idea that UFPJ will attempt to hold a separate March
and Rally on September 24 in Washington, DC, and not join in
principle the September 24 National Coalition for the March
on Washington is viewed by many as a "segregationist counter-rally".
Why? The answer is simple. It is all about having a principle
position on Palestine. When it is all said and done UFPJ has
paid mere lip service to the Palestine issue and struggle as
being part and parcel of the American Peace Movement. They have
ignored the insistence of authentic voices in the Muslim and
Arab community that ending the occupation of Palestine and other
regions of the world should not be decoupled from ending the
occupation in Iraq.
Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, MAS Freedom Foundation stated,
"The days when a few elitists with a few surrogate persons of
color can stymie the hope and aspirations of millions of American
Muslims concerning a principle agenda and response to what
takes place in the Muslim world is over. Let‚s get real here,
UFPJ called for a segregated March in DC after the A.N.S.W.E.R
Coalition made the initial call. They listed all kinds of
excuses why they can't join a unity effort. The reality is
that a strong peace agenda put forth by the Muslim Community
is not a reality that UFPJ is willing to accept and that is
most unfortunate for the Peace and Justice Movement. I was
there at a unity event when UFPJ remove the Palestinian flag
from the stage. That speaks volumes for the leadership of UFPJ.
However, I don't believe that the UFPJ leadership aversion to
the Palestinian struggle is representative of the position of
UFPJ's grassroots.
"As I've stated earlier we hold no ill will toward our brothers
and sisters in the UFPJ, however, I just wish the leadership
would drop the fig leaf, be up front and say that because of
money and the fact of upsetting some left of center Democrats
and other who have resisted the raising of the issue of the
rights of the Palestinian People for true self determination
they can not join the masses on September 24th. Instead, they
have chosen to sponsor a segregated counter march and rally.
It is sad commentary on this facet of our movement but I truly
believe that on September 24 those who want an inclusive
movement will prevail on the streets of Washington, DC."
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
11) Democracy Now! Dahr Jamail Speaks with Amy Goodman
Dahr Jamail's Iraq Dispatches
http://dahrjamailiraq.com
*July 14, 2005 - Dahr Jamail speaks with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now *
Having just returned from testifying at the culminating session of the
World Tribunal on Iraq in Istanbul, Dahr shares information and his
perspective on the US occupation of Iraq. In this excellent 20 minute
interview, Dahr and Amy discuss the lack of reporting on the recent
bombings in Iraq that killed a similar number of civilians as the recent
bombings in London. The two discuss, in depth, Dahr's report about the
ailing medical system in Iraq, the actions that the US military has
taken against hospitals and care workers that constitute war crimes, and
many other topics under-reported by the mainstream US news media.
This short video is fiery and extremely informative. A must see.
Dahr Jamail speaks with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!
See the Presentation! - Streaming Flash Video
Server busy?
Download the .torrent file
nt>
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
12) What May Come After the Evacuation of Jewish Settlers
from the Gaza Strip: A Warning from Israel
By Uri Davis, Ilan Pappe, and Tamar Yaron
We feel that it is urgent and necessary to raise the alarm
regarding what may come during and after evacuation of Jewish
settlers from the Gaza Strip occupied by Israel in 1967, in
the event that the evacuation is implemented.
We held back on getting this statement published and circulated,
seeking additional feedback from our peers. The publication in
Ha'aretz (22 June 2005) quoting statements by General (Reserves)
Eival Giladi, the head of the Coordination and Strategy team
of the Prime Minister's Office, motivated us not to delay
publication and circulation any further. Confirming our
worst fears, General (Res.) Eival Giladi went on record
in print and on television to the effect that "Israel will
act in a very resolute manner in order to prevent terror
attacks and [militant] fire while the disengagement is
being implemented" and that "If pinpoint response proves
insufficient, we may have to use weaponry that causes major
collateral damage, including helicopters and planes, with
mounting danger to surrounding people."
We believe that one primary, unstated motive for the
determination of the government of the State of Israel to get
the Jewish settlers of the Qatif (Katif) settlement block out
of the Gaza Strip may be to keep them out of harm's way when
the Israeli government and military possibly trigger an
intensified mass attack on the approximately one and a half
million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, of whom about half
are 1948 Palestine refugees.
The scenario could be similar to what has already happened
in the past-a tactic that Ariel Sharon has used many times
in his military career-i.e., utilizing provocation in order
to launch massive attacks.
Following this pattern, we believe that Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz are considering to
utilize provocation for vicious attacks in the near future
on the approximately one and a half million Palestinian
inhabitants of the Gaza Strip; a possible combination of
intensified state terror and mass killing. The Israeli
army is not likely to risk the kind of casualties to its
soldiers that would be involved in employing ground troops
on a large scale in the Gaza Strip. With General Dan Halutz
as Chief of Staff they don't need to. It was General Dan
Halutz, in his capacity as Commander of the Israeli Air
Force, who authorized the bombing of a civilian Gaza City
quarter with a bomb weighing one ton, and then went on
record as saying that he sleeps well and that the only
thing he feels when dropping a bomb is a slight bump
of the aircraft.
The initiators of this alarm have been active for many
decades in the defense of human rights inside the State
of Israel and beyond. We do not have the academic evidence
to support our feeling, but given past behavior, ideological
leanings and current media spin initiated by the Israeli
government and military, we believe that the designs of
the State of Israel are clear, and we submit that our
educated intuition with matters pertaining to the defense
of human rights has been more often correct than otherwise.
We urge all those who share the concern above to add their
names to ours and urgently give this alarm as wide
a circulation as possible.
Circulating and publishing this text may constitute
a significant factor in deterring the Israeli government,
thus protecting the Palestinian population in the Gaza
Strip from this very possible catastrophe and contributing
to prevent yet more war crimes from occurring.
Please sign, circulate, and publish this alarm without delay!
Please send notification of your signature to Tamar Yaron
tiyaron@hazorea.org.il
-July 17, 2005
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
---------*---------*---------*---------*---------*--------
No comments:
Post a Comment