Wake up call: Today the Israeli police detained five members of an Israeli feminist group that has encouraged young Israelis not to join the army. The police confiscated several of the group members’ computers. The five were released after signing agreements not to contact other members of the group, New Profile. The computers were held. Other members of the group have been ordered to appear before the police tomorrow.
Jewish Voice for Peace
is on the case, urging that Americans write to the Israeli attorney
general to demand an end to the harassment. (I.e., reverse the lobby!)
New Profile calls itself a “movement” and says its goal is to demilitarize Israeli society. (We’ve mentioned them on this site before, in connection with the Shministin.) From the press release New Profile issued, titled, “Harsh Police Attack on Freedom of Expression”:
All five were interrogated in the Ramat Hachiyal station in the Yarkon
Region of the police. At the conclusion of the interrogation they were
released on bail and under limiting conditions, and all were told that
during the next 30 days they are forbidden to contact other members of
the movement.
The New Profile Movement expressed rage over the interrogation and the
demand to not have contact with other members, which means a partial
paralysis of the activities of this important organization in civil
society in Israel.
Amongst those interrogated: Analeen Kish, aged 70, a ceramics artist,
daughter of a family of the the “Righteous among the Nations” who
converted to Judaism after her marriage to Holocaust survivor Dr. Eldad
Kish, active in organizations of Dutch Holocaust survivors in Israel.
The pair have six grandchildren; Miriam Hadar, age 51, an editor and
translator, mother of two, married to professor of psychology Uri
Hadar. The two women were born in Holland and continue to hold Dutch
citizenship.
Additionally detained for interrogation were Amir Givol, a resident of
Jerusalem, Sergei Sandler, a resident of Beer Sheva, and Roni Barkan, a
resident of Tel Aviv. The computers of all those interrogated were
taken by the police, who presented search warrants.
New Profile member Ruth Hiller writes:
While we support those who make a conscious decision not to conscript into
the military, and provide information to those who approach us with questions
related to the matter, we maintain that we are not breaking the law. We feel
that New
Profile is being targeted because of real changes taking place in Israeli
society. We encourage the many Israelis who think before enlisting and who also
question the conventional wisdom that “we have no other choice” but war. The
growing numbers of Israelis that refuse to perform full military service are
testimony to an unprecedented change in Israel.
This investigation into New Profile’s practices is a further attempt to silence
us and proves that the in a militarized society such as Israel’s there isn’t
tolerance for difference of opinion or freedom of democratic processes…
We already know that other members of New Profile
have been
ordered to appear before the police for additional questioning
tomorrow.”
More from the press release:
Attorney Smadar Ben Nathan, who is representing New Profile, said that the investigation of the police is focusing on the website of New Profile, which has links to other sites on the internet. Ben Nathan added that the New Profile Movement is a recognized non-profit association which acts openly and publicly, in accordance with the law, and the use of a criminal investigation in this context is invalid and exaggerated, and stands in opposition to freedom of expression.
New Profile is a feminist movement established ten years ago. The movement has been warning for years of the exaggerated and destructive influence of Israeli militarism on civilian life, and provides legal aid and social support to young people desiring not to do military service, both for political and personal reasons.
The New Profile Movement noted today: “These recent acts confirm what we have been contending for many years: the militarism of society in Israel harms the sacred principles of democracy, freedom of expression and freedom of political association. One who believed that until now criminal files were conjured up “only” for Arab citizens of Israel saw this morning that none of us can be certain that s/he can freely express an opinion concerning the failures of society and rule in Israel.”
For interviews: Dr. Diana Dolev, telephone: 052 872 8300
Attorney Smadar Ben Nathan, telephone: 052 358 9775
For further details: Ofra Leith, telephone: 050 552 4372
Eilat Maoz, Coordinator of the Women’s Coalition for Peace, telephone: 050 857 5729
Funny. Israel is at war with Palestinian terrorists and is threatened with nuclear war with Iran. Now some silly women want the Jews to disarm and allow them to be wiped out. And you're upset because israeli society has arrested those women and taken their computor.
Such a whiner.
Jewish Voice for Peace is on top of this story and has a place on their website where you can send a message to the Israeli Attorney General.
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
And Chris, not only is Iran threatening Israel with its non-existent nuclear weapons, I hear that any day now they will unveil their deadliest weapon, the three hundred and forty-four milimeter lepage glue gun! We're all doomed I tell ya!
OK, replying to myself for just skimming Phil's story and not noticing that he already mentioned Jewish Voice for Peace. Sorry Phil. I'll read instead of skim next time.
What war are you referring to? I see occupation and bombs being dropped on civilian populations in Gaza. Israel is stealing Palestinian land and caging in Palestinians in Gaza/the West Bank. To call the recent massacre in Gaza a war is laughable. 1300 Palestinians to 13 Israelis? That's no war, that's collective punishment and genocide.
Yes Hamas and the Islamic Jihad use suicide terrorism but they have a genuine grievance. Occupation. Saying that all Palestinians are terrorists because of the actions of a few radicals is like saying all Americans are terrorists because Timothy McVeigh blew up a building in Oklahoma City. Does that logic make sense to you?
There is no war Berel, just an occupation.
Chris, don't you have a friend who could join you here? I feel sort of funny when you're out there all alone. At long last, will the entire weight of saving the Jewish State devolve on to your badly sloped shoulders?
What happened, Chris? There used to be a phalanx of you guys, a regular pack of tough-guy Zionist-supporters. And now it's down to you, the last commando, with Witty running the smoke-machines for cover.
All I can do, Chris, is paraphrase the Marxist dictum: Remember, you are fighting for Israel's honor, which is more than she ever did!
Thank you for reminding us that there are honorable Israelis and Jews. After the latest blitzkrieg and the obscene celebrations, we need to be reminded of Carl Bernstein's Operation Mockingbird and the courageous work of Norm Finklestein, Br. Kapner and esp. Michael Hoffman.
Laugh all you'd like, but you can't change the facts. 900 plus Hamas militants killed. Only 13 Israelis? Seems that you are rewarding Palestinian incompetence. They start a war and then realize they can't fight. Sounds funny to me.
They use women and children as human shields and then whine when the enevitable occurs. They fore from mosques and schools and then whine when those edifices are destroyed.
Indeed, you believe it is all right for suicide bombers to target grandwomen with their grandchildren in their arms. May you rot in hell, soon.
The American people did not vote in the American Nazi party, but the Palestinin people did vote in the Palestinian nazi party – Hamas.
Even the Germans did not put Hitler in power. He did not get the majority of the vote.
I understand Tree also encouraged Jews to ignore Hitler and the Nazi party.
Sloped? Hardly.
Perhaps Witty has finally realized that it is worthless to toss pearls before nazi swine like you.
Sweetie, I hate to break this to you since you seem so, shall we say, "attached". You better sit down.
Hitler is dead. He died way before I was born and I'm betting he died before you were born.
Don't tell me to rot in hell when you are attempting to have a civil discussion with me. It's extremely rude. I am not justifying suicide terrorism, I think all acts of terrorism are wrong. We can attempt to explain why it occurs without justifying it. Suicide terrorism is the result of an occupation. Without the Israeli occupation of the West Bank/Gaza/Golan there would be no suicide terrorism. If Israel really cared about the safety of its citizens it would realize that the more land they colonize and the longer the occupation lasts, the less safe Israeli citizens are. The same logic applies to the United States. If the U.S. really cared about keeping Americans safe against the "crazy terrorists" it would stop occupying their land. If U.S. troops weren't occupying countries in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia) and if we weren't supporting another country that was occupying land that isn't theirs (Israel), 9/11 never would have happened.
You think that Israel did everything in its power to prevent civilian casualties and the only reason 400-900 civilians (you admit at least 400) died was because of Hamas' "human shields". What does the record state? In the 2006 Lebanon war 1000 Lebanese were killed (about half civilians). The IDF said, yes civilians have died but it is because Hezbollah used Human Shields. Human Rights Watch did an independent investigation and found there was no evidence that Hezbollah employed this tactic. Before the bombardment of southern Lebanon, The IDF chief of staff said, "we're going to set them back 10 years." Purposeful bombardment of civilian infrastructure, the record is very clear.
Now. The IDF doesn't let ANY press into Gaza and claims that yes civilians are dying, but only because Hamas is using "human shields". We know what happened in Lebanon. We know that Israel broke the ceasefire on November 4th, 2008, when it bombed a tunnel. We know that Israel refused to ease the blockade because the Palestinians voted the "wrong way" in the most Democractic election ever in Palestine. We know that Israel dropped white phosphorus illegally, attacked hospitals, municipal buildings, schools, warehouses and murdered civilians waving white flags. We know that Israel attacked a graduation ceremony of police officers killing at least 60. We know that a Rabbi instructed IDF soldiers to slaughter the Arab beasts. With all this knowledge you still choose to recite IDF propoganda.
What will it take for you to see the truth Berel?
Joel said:
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Without the Israeli occupation of the West Bank/Gaza/Golan there would be no suicide terrorism.
————————————-
Joel, what planet are you living on? Remember the 1948, 1956 and 1967 wars the Arabs fought against Israel? This was before there was any "occupation" of the "West Bank" and Gaza. Violence against Israel long predates the creation of the state of Israel. Regarding your claim that the particular heinous form of terrorism, the suicide bombing which you seem to think it "justified" or "understood" because of the "occuation" : There is plenty of suicide bomber terrorism in Pakistan and Iraq, where it is Muslims using it against other Muslims. Nothing to do with "occupation", Israel or Zionism. It is simply that some Muslims seem to think it is an effective weapon against those they hate, for whatever reason.
You can protest this Israeli action with the appropriate Israeli agent here:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/thankYou.jsp?campaign_KEY=27127&key=34539214
I guess the Allies shouldn't have attacked Hitler–why reward Jewish incompetence? "They went like sheep,
all 6 million. Hardly any even slapped a single German." Sounds funny to me. They start a war and then realize they can't fight.
The Jews started the war with Germany with their World Jewry Boycott, front page around the world back in the day.
A few Jews fought from their temples and in places like the Warsaw Ghetto, and then whined when the inevitable
occurred, and those buildings were destroyed.
The American people didn't vote in the American Nazi Party but the Israelis, supported by key organized diaspora Jewish organizations, have consistently voted in rabid bigoted land grabbing regimes who collectively punish, assassinate Pal leaders, torture and cage in the natives and treat 20% of their own citizens as second-class citizens due to their
accident of being born Arabs. And, to their undying shame, US citizens actually support this injustice, these crimes against humanity.
Hitler used the enabling law, based on a pretext of self-defense, to gain legal power; he didn't need
the majority of vote. His ways have been copied by the neocons in the USA; Israel doesn't need such
a law–Israelis always only act in self-defense. No need to justify anything to their own people nor to
the world. Goys are always ready to kill them just for a harmless accident of birth.
@ Berel
"nazi swine"
LOL
CF: "zionist piggies"
Support for compulsory military service has never been universal, it can be critised on numerous grounds, morality, efficiency, motivation, encourages complacency etc.
It is a political decision, and so in a democracy that policy must be open to criticism and challenge.
Intimidating anti-conscription advocates is in fact, anti-democratic and betrays a hint of febrility in Israeli democracy.
Co-opting young people into military service is a form of exploitation, a type of abuse and should be discontinued.
Congratulations to these women who help to strengthen democracy in Israel by speaking their minds.
"Sloped? Hardly"
Yeah, Chris, you are so buff, it's really hard to keep your hands off yourself!
Jeez, Chris, you're like a little monkey in a cage, and produce the same predictable reaction every time. A real Zionist-supporter macher, with shoulders like a stevedore. No doubt you do the IDF daily Dozen exercises while chanting Torah verses every day.
Chris, tell me, what's keeping you out of Israel? Seems like you would be so much happier there, and you seem to have the kind of personality which'll fit right in. Why not go?
From Gerald Steinberg's NGO watch:
http://www.ngo-monitor.org/article.php?id=2113
On September 15, 2008, the Israeli Attorney General ordered an investigation into the NGO known as New Profile for incitement to avoid military service. According to media reports, the “main reason for the probe’s launch is apparently the fact that New Profile’s web site tells people what to say to IDF mental health officers to create the impression that they are psychologically unfit for service.”
another incriminating item:
Zochrot – a radical Israeli NGO that campaigns for the Palestinian “right of return” and to “raise awareness” about “the Naqba” – ran a workshop at New Profile's Alternative Summer Camp. New Profile partnered again with Zochrot on Israel’s Independence Day in 2007, “active[ly] participat[ing]” in public commemorations of the “59th anniversary of the Naqba” (Annual Report, 19-20).
We are talking about suicide terrorism against Israel, right? Yes. War is another topic altogether. The first suicide attack against Israel by Hezbollah was on Nov. 11th, 1982. The first suicide attack against Israel by Hamas was on Oct. 19th, 1994. Both campaigns began long after the 1948, 1956 and 1967 wars. Ever since Israel has occupied land that Hamas and Hezbollah (plus the U.N., the rest of the world and anyone who respects international law) believe is theirs. Suicide terrorism, which first occurred in 1980, has patterns which we can trace. It doesn't just spring up out of nowhere. It is a tactic used to inflict the maximum amount of coercive damage upon a democratic nation of a different religion that is OCCUPYING land that the terrorists perceive to be their homeland. The #1 suicide terrorism campaign is being waged by the Tamil Tigers. They are a secular Hindu group. The first suicide terrorists were Jewish zealots who would walk up to Roman soldiers in Judea (66 A.D.) and slit their throats in market squares (knowing they would get speared to death immediately) because they believed the Romans were occupying their homeland. It's been used by the Japanese, Jewish, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. It is NOT a phenomenon of the Muslim religion. There is no suicide terrorism in Pakistan that I know of. If you have sources please cite them.
All this information can be found in Robert Papes brilliant book, Dying To Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism.
Israel should disband it's army. Having a week army worked very well for Belgium, Holland, France and Kuwait.