[Onthebarricades] PALESTINE/ISRAEL: Protests and actions inside Israel, Sept-Oct 07

[Andy]

*  Arabs launch boycott of El Al
*  Israeli draft resisted
*  Strike by Israeli-Arab teachers averted after concessions
*  Palestinians resist blockade of al-Aqsa as Ramadan begins
*  Arab-Israelis call for boycott of national service
*  Israeli Arabs mark anniversary of unrest

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=904851&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7

Last update - 18:39 18/09/2007


Arab sector heads plan boycott of El Al over 'harassing' security probes

By Yoav Stern and Zohar Blumenkrantz, Haaretz Correspondents

The leaders of the Arab sector on Tuesday announced plans to boycott El Al 
Airlines to protest the company's "harassment" and "interrogation" of Arab 
passengers at airports and border crossings.

At this stage, the protest will be carried out only by members of Arab 
institutions, though it is likely that others from the Arab sector will be 
called to join. The boycott was announced Tuesday by Amir Mahool, chairman 
of the national council for the protection of freedom.

Many Arab citizens have complained about intensive security checks they are 
forced to undergo at the airport, which can include humiliating questions 
and separation from the other passengers.

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The council, which for the last years has been associated with the Higher 
Arab Monitoring Committee, has recently separated to become an independently 
active association.

The council was initially formed a few years ago as a body of support for 
Sheikh Ra'ad Salah and the Islamic Movement. The group comprises 
representatives from various political parties and movements, and acts to 
ensure the freedom of Arab bodies and personalities "being politically 
persecuted by Israel and its mechanisms of oppression."

The council has also called on Jordan to avoid cooperation with Israeli 
security services. According to Mahool, when Arab organizations in Israel 
are under investigation, Jordan conducts parallel probes of groups 
associated with these organizations.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070924/wl_nm/israel_draft_dc_3

Young Israelis dodge the draft, some in protest
By Elana Ringler and Rebecca Harrison Mon Sep 24, 8:08 AM ET
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - To many she is a traitor, a coward and a parasite. But 
17-year-old Israeli "draft dodger" Saar Vardi says if more people thought 
like her, the Middle East would be a more peaceful place.
Vardi is part of a growing group of young Israelis who are refusing to sign 
up for mandatory military service, often in protest over the Jewish state's 
occupation of Palestinian territory or because of last year's unpopular war 
in Lebanon.
Army statistics show the number of young people who do not enlist for 
military service has crept up in recent years to more than 1 in 4 men in 
2007 and more than 43 percent of women.
"People refer to me as a traitor and say that my country has given me so 
much and I'm not willing to give anything back, like a parasite," Vardi, a 
student, told Reuters.
"But I know what I believe ... If truly everyone saw things the way I see 
them then we wouldn't need an army."
Most Israeli men have to serve for three years in the army and are liable 
for reserve duty after that unless they can prove they are physically or 
psychologically unfit for battle, or come from an ultra-Orthodox background. 
Women must do 21 months.
Until recently, opting out of military service was largely taboo in a nation 
born out of war, and in constant conflict with its Arab neighbors. Groups of 
young soldiers clutching rifles are a common sight on the streets of Israel 
and for many, serving in the army goes to the core of national identity.
The trend to avoid the draft -- which has been joined by some 
entertainers -- has sparked heated media debate and government pledges to 
act.
"When he goes into battle a soldier should not have to feel that a portion 
of our society regards him as a sucker," Defence Minister Ehud Barak was 
reported as saying in July.
"It's time to go back to the days when service was a right and an honor and 
shirking was like wearing the mark of Cain."
"CANCER"
Ultra Orthodox Jews have been exempt from military service for years, and 
their ranks are growing. But more secular Israelis are also finding ways 
around joining up, sometimes by saying they are conscientious objectors or 
unfit.
Some say they are loath to fight for an occupying force and are willing to 
go to jail for their beliefs.
Others say they do not trust Ehud Olmert's government with their lives after 
a report said the prime minister acted impulsively in going to war against 
Lebanon last year.
And some young Israelis would simply rather focus on their education or 
career than on defending their country.
"There's the ongoing wars and the ongoing occupation," said Hagay Matar, who 
spent two years in prison for refusing the draft. "People are starting to 
feel they don't have to do it."
But several mayors have vowed not to allow entertainers who did not enlist 
to take part in Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations next year, and one 
suggested denying them jobs in municipal government.
Some commentators have lambasted those who shun military service, reminding 
them they face jail.
"Draft dodging is a cancer that eats away at the foundations of Israel as a 
society," said Eitan Haber, a columnist writing in Israel's most popular 
daily Yedioth Ahronoth. "They don't want to serve? They will get a mess kit 
and a prison uniform."
"WHAT'S ISRAEL DYING FOR?"
But those who resist military service have also found support. Columnist 
Yonatan Gefen asked in the Ma'ariv newspaper why Israel's young people would 
want to fight in an army "that doesn't know what it is dying for."
Israel should favor a leaner, professional military over conscription and 
focus on technology and intelligence instead of numbers, particularly since 
military might did not help it get rid of guerrillas in Lebanon, said 
another commentator.
"Modern wars are not won by masses of foot soldiers," wrote columnist Gabi 
Nitzam in Yedioth Ahronoth last month.
Israel is trying to make the army more attractive for young people by 
allowing promising sportsmen, musicians and even fashion models to do their 
military service away from the frontline while pursuing their careers.
The government is also planning to launch a civilian service program, which 
would allow conscientious objectors, the physically unfit, ultra Orthodox 
Jews and Israeli Arabs -- who are exempt from the draft -- a chance to serve 
in other ways.
Reuven Gal, who headed a team that drew up recommendations to government for 
the new program, said Israelis should have the option to shun the army as 
long as they did not shirk national duty entirely.
"We want to create a norm whereby a person who does not enlist goes to 
civilian service," Gal was quoted as saying. "We should not generalize and 
say that draft-dodgers should be strung up in the city square."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3444302,00.html

Arab sector cancels school strike
Mediated by President Shimon Peres, negotiations between Arab sector 
representatives and Education Ministry reach agreement: NIS 100 million 
added to Arab sector school budgets
Moran Zelikovich
Published: 08.31.07, 17:25 / Israel News

Following suit with the Middle and High School Teachers Association and the 
Sderot Teachers Committee, the Arab sector has also cancelled threats to 
strike on the first day of school.

Negotiations between the Education Ministry and Interior Ministry supervised 
by President Shimon Peres ended successfully, and thus 460,000 Arab students 
will start school as planned this Sunday.

The budget for Arab sector schools will get an additional NIS 100 million, 
it was agreed. In addition, 40 thousand school hours will be added, totaling 
NIS 21.9 million, and four new committees to examine education in the Arab 
sector will be established. The committees will examine the state of pupils' 
academic achievement, educational content, development and learning 
disabilities.

The committees will start work in October and will be demanded to present 
their conclusions in three months time.

Raja Zaatara, a member of the Arab educational affairs monitoring committee, 
welcomed the agreements.

"Since Education Minister Yuli Tamir assumed her position, they've tried to 
ignore our demands. Now, thanks to President Peres' mediation, we've made 
some achievements. For some reason people assumed that if the education 
minister was left-wing, then our demands would be met with less of a 
struggle and there would be more attention paid to problems in the Arab 
sector, but that didn't happen. Now we feel that we're starting to reach 
significant achievements."

In recent weeks intensive negotiations were held between representatives of 
the Education Ministry, the Arab sector, representatives of local 
authorities, and the director generals of the Interior and Education 
Ministries regarding the demands. Representatives of the Arab sector charged 
that school infrastructure was poor and there was a severe lack of 
classrooms, as well as budgetary funds to improve the education system.

The representatives further noted about the great disparity between the 
Jewish and Arab sectors regarding pupils' achievements on matriculation 
exams.

http://euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=442715&lng=1

Tensions in Jerusalem as Ramadam begins

On the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan there have been 
scuffles between Israeli police and pilgrims from the West Bank trying to 
get to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islam's most sacred sites. 
Security has been stepped up this year as the start of Ramadan has coincided 
with celebrations marking the Jewish new year.

Checkpoints have been reinforced in the West Bank and around Jerusalem with 
large crowds expected to make their way to the city. Access to the area of 
the Al-Aqsa mosque, which also contains the Temple Mount, sacred to Jews, 
has been restricted. Only Palestinian men aged 45 and over, and women aged 
35 and over are being allowed in to attend Friday prayers.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=903722&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7

Last update - 01:02 15/09/2007


IDF blocks West Bank Palestinians trying to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque

By The Associated Press

Hundreds of Palestinians thronged two major West Bank checkpoints, trying to 
reach Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the Muslim holy 
month of Ramadan, despite tight Israeli restrictions.

Israel Defense Forces troops turned back many of the West Bank faithful. 
Only men above the age of 45 and women above the age of 35, who had also 
obtained special permits, were allowed to enter Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque - 
the third holiest shrine of Islam - said police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby.

This year, the start of Ramadan, a month of fasting and religious 
observance, coincided with the Jewish New Year. As customary, Israel imposed 
a blanket closure on the West Bank during the Jewish holiday, barring 
virtually all Palestinians from entering Israel.

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Hundreds of Israeli police were deployed in streets and alleys in and around 
Jerusalem's walled Old City, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is located.

Troops also took up positions at two major West Bank checkpoints, one to the 
south of Jerusalem and one to the north. The checkpoints are built into 
Israel's West Bank separation fence, which rings most of Jerusalem to 
control Palestinian movement into Israel.

At the southern checkpoint, near Bethlehem, hundreds of Palestinians, many 
of them elderly, pushed up against police lines set up near the separation 
barrier. At one point, the crowd pushed through the police line. One woman 
crawled on her hands and knees, another fell to the ground as people behind 
her surged forward. IDF troops shouted at people to get back.

At the northern Qalandiyah crossing, near the city of Ramallah, hundreds of 
people waited to pass.

Hamdi Abu Fadi, 44, was turned back because he didn't meet the age 
requirement. Abu Fadi said he'd try to sneak into Jerusalem in another area, 
in hopes of reaching Al-Aqsa. Prayers performed at the shrine are considered 
more powerful than worship in another mosque.

Palestinians have long complained that Israel is violating their right to 
freedom of worship by restricting access to a major shrine. "It's a crime 
against us all year long, whether during Ramadan or any other month," said 
Abu Fadi.

Israel says it imposes the restrictions to prevent possible attacks by 
Palestinian militants.

Ramadan is a time of heightened religious fervor, which security officials 
fear could increase the motivation for carrying out attacks.


http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3449201,00.html

Arab-Israeli group: National service offshoot of occupation army
Baladna launches campaign calling on Arab-Israeli youngsters to boycott 
national service program. 'A state that doesn't recognize the national and 
collective existence of the Arab public cannot claim that it knows what this 
public's true needs are,' group says
Roee Nahmias
Published: 09.13.07, 23:44 / Israel News

Baladna - the Association for Arab Youth - is expected to launch a campaign 
Friday calling on young Arab-Israelis to boycott the national service, which 
it referred to as "an offshoot of the IDF".

The campaign's slogan will be: "National service - your way to the army".

A week-and-a-half ago the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee of Israeli Arabs 
launched a campaign against the government's intention to enforce mandatory 
national service on the country's Arab citizens, who are exempt from 
military service.

The committee decided to form a special taskforce to combat the government's 
decision which "contradicts the political, nationalistic and civil beliefs 
of the Arab leadership in Israel".

'Government still has a lot to prove'
Baladna officials said in a statement that "despite what the government 
claims, the national service is a branch of the occupation army, which has 
always acted against the Arab-Israeli population and the Palestinian people 
in general.
"Therefore, any attempt to present the national or civil service as social 
activity constitutes a deception of the public in general and the Arab 
public in particular," the officials said.
As part of the campaign, a conference calling on young Arab-Israelis to 
boycott the program will be held in cooperation with the Higher Arab 
Monitoring Committee of Israeli Arabs.

In addition, prominent Arab filmmakers, actors and musicians will take part 
in a special event to promote the campaign.

According to Baladna, "a state that doesn't recognize the national and 
collective existence of the Arab public cannot claim that it knows what this 
public's true needs are, and therefore cannot determine how young Arabs can 
best serve Arab society.

"Since its inception Israeli has been intentionally ignoring the Arab 
public's needs - so the government still has a lot to prove before it 
preaches to the Arabs about good citizenship," the group said.

Baladna director Nadim Nashef told Ynet, "We decided to launch the campaign 
following the government's decision regarding national service. We fear that 
this decision will lead to an initiative that would obligate all Arab 
youngsters to serve."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=908462&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7

Israeli Arabs demonstrate in Umm al-Fahm to mark October 2000 riots

By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

At the junction near the entrance to Umm al-Fahm, several dozen political
activists demonstrated on Saturday with family members of those killed 
during the October 2000 clashes. They carried huge Palestinian flags and 
posters with the photographs of the 13 dead, the fourth such demonstration 
in the past two weeks.

Seven years have passed since the incident that redefined the relationship 
between Arab citizens of Israel and the state. To date - and contrary to the 
spirit of the recommendations made by the Or Commission examining the 
events - no indictment was brought against any of those who shot the 13 
dead, nor against any senior officials.

The Justice Ministry issued a statement recently saying that the attorney 
general has held many discussions on the matter, and these deliberations 
have still not been completed.

The events of 2000 will be officially commemorated with a procession at 3 PM 
Monday down the central street of Sakhnin, with the participation of most of 
the bereaved families.

A candlelight procession will be held at Kafr Kana tonight at 8 PM. Leaders 
of the Arab community will also visit the various memorial sites in the 
north.

The Monitoring Committee, the most senior public organization of the Arab 
community, has called on party activists not to participate in the 
processions carrying party flags.

There is a fundamental disagreement among Arab political organizations in 
Israel on how to view the October incidents. On one end of the spectrum 
stands Hadash, which in recent years has followed a path aiming to moderate 
the protest. On the other end stands Balad and the Islamic Movement, which 
calls for intensifying the protest. Central to the
argument is the historical context of the events.

In contrast with previous anniversaries, there have been no calls by the 
Monitoring Committee to hold a strike in the Arab communities. Last year 
there was a vociferous debate on the issue, and in the end it was agreed to 
follow the Hadash recommendation and avoid a strike.

Only a few hundred people participated in the commemorations in Sakhnin last 
year, which was very disappointing for the bereaved families and the 
politicians, and served as further proof that the general public does not 
support major protests.

At Hadash they say that the incidents of October 2000 are the most 
significant events in a line of events that influence the Arab Israeli 
public, but stress that the most important event is Land Day in 1976.

During those events, Rakah, the predecessor of Hadash, was the organizing 
force, and six Israeli Arabs were killed in clashes with the authorities.
Balad, on the other hand, considers the October 2000 clashes as a breaking 
point.

Hadash chairman MK Mohammed Barakeh told Haaretz this week that Land Day "is 
a watershed, the event that separates between two periods. Before that day 
we followed Mapai and its offshoots, and after that we emerged tall."

Barakeh stressed that it should not be forgotten that it is the Israeli 
establishment that is responsible for the crimes carried out on October 
2000, because "it drowned in blood" those who tried to "express legitimate 
solidarity with the Palestinian people."

In 1976, the Islamic Movement was still not considered a significant 
political power in the Arab street, and Balad had still not been 
established. However in 2000, both movements were quite dominant, and both 
invest considerable effort in commemorating the incidents.

"This is a central event in the history of the Arab Israeli public," MK 
Jamal Zahalka, chairman of Balad, told Haaretz this week. "It does not 
compete with Land Day, but it is no less important. Politically, the events 
of October 2000 are very important to us." 
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