Hiking in Palestine
Israel's defense ministry chose to distribute hiking books to over 20,000 members of bereaved families as a memorial gift ahead of Memorial and Independence day celebrations.
The book, chosen by committee members of the Public Council for Soldier Commemoration, includes at least 50 sites in the West Bank and directs hikers to trek thru private Palestinian land, armed. Haaretz:
Included in the book is a trail leading to the “Meir Spring,” near Migron, as well as dozens of others leading to springs on Palestinian land. Descriptions of such trails include recommendations like “It is suggested to bring a weapon, as the trail is located near an Arab village,” or “near a Bedouin encampment.”
Some of the families have organized against the effort:
The “Bereaved Families Supporting Peace, Reconciliation and Tolerance,” sent a letter on Tuesday, expressing frustration to the Defense Minister. Aharon Barnea, who lost his son at Beaufort in 1999, was involved in writing the letter. “It is horrible that the Defense Ministry sent this book to bereaved families. I see in this book that just like that, areas names’ were changed to names of those killed in terror attacks, as if we are the lords of the land,” said Barnea.
“Really, it’s shocking. We’re changing history, by naming every hill and bush after someone who was killed. How is the Defense Ministry supporting this?” asked Barnea.
Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the book. AFP
The guidebook "considers the occupied West Bank part of Israel and incites... violence against Palestinians," Erakat said in a statement issued Thursday by the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
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Erakat described the book as "an outrageous case of incitement to violence against Palestinians that reflects Israel’s official policy and mindset.
"It should be of grave concern to the international community," he was quoted as saying.
"By issuing a book on trails in Israel that includes at least 50 sites in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Israeli Defence Ministry exposes the true agenda of this government; nothing but abject disregard to international law, and the international consensus on the two-state solution."
Erakat said the book also gives Palestinian villages and areas Israeli names.
People out of uniform given orders to carry weapons onto other people’s lands? Wouldn’t that make these people… um… terrorists?
Israel has lost its marbles. The GCs are there to help protect the civilian population of the Occupying Power as well as the Occupied, by keeping their citizens OUT, safe, home, in Israel. Not in occupied Palestine at all.
Armed persons in “territories occupied” are belligerents but only benefit under GC VI if they have a visible emblem and carry their arms openly. Even so, they become legitimate military targets.
The territories are “disputed” not occupied, the GC is not applicable, armed Palestinians are terrorists and every other view is antisemitic.
And yes, I’m loosing my marbles.
Talkback —
LOL… No one I’ve asked has ever been able to verify this alleged “disputed” with a relevant UNSC resolution, Law or Convention. Instead they steadfastly remain incapable of reading UNSC Res 476. “1. Reaffirms the overriding necessity to end the prolonged occupation of Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem;
3. Reconfirms that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and also constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;”
I’ve allready made the case. Every other view is antisemitic. BAZINGA!
The GOI’s explanation site hasn’t even been updated since the ICJ advisary opinion: link to mfa.gov.il
That proves that the GOI’s view is solid and it will not bow to the propaganda of racists and terrorists. Apropos. Read this explanation from Menachem Begin:
“In June 1967 we again had a choice. The Egyptian army concentrations in the Sinai approaches do not prove that Nasser was really about to attack us. We must be honest with ourselves. We decided to attack him. This was a war of self-defence in the noblest sense of the term.”
link to mfa.gov.il
To freely attack is self defence in the noblest sense of the term. But nobody acknowledges his painful honesty in the antisemitic UN house of lies. At least a lot of streets and places in Israel are named after this independance fighter.
Please endulge me. How can you occupy a territory which doesn’t belong to a souvereign state? :P
Israel never had any marbles to begin with.