From: norm@helix.nih.gov(Norm Friedman)
Subject: Re: Expulsions
Originator: scj@israel.nysernet.org
Reply-To: <norm@helix.nih.gov(Norm Friedman)>
Organization: Nysernet
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 15:08:00 GMT

>Israel's mass expulsion of almost 400 Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza
>Strip has pushed tensions in the occupied territories to a flash-point. Coming
>in the midst of extended curfews over much of the occupied territories, the
>deportations will only provide unneeded momentum to a downward spiral of
>unrest and violence. Immediate intervention by the international community is
>required to bring Israel in line with international law and to ensure Israeli
>resect for universally recognised standards of human rights.
>
>The families of an estimated 1500 Palestinians arrested in massive raids this
>past week are today trying to determine if their relatives were among the 383
>Palestinians trucked across the border into Lebanon late yesterday. The
>deportations took place less than 24 hours after the Israeli cabinet ordered
>the expulsions be carried out in secrecy (Incredibly, all cabinet memebers
>from the left-of-centre Meretz party, members of which were central to
>starting up the human rights group B'Tselem, voted along with the rest of the
>cabinet in support of the deportations. The only dissent came from Justice
>Minister (Labour) Liba'i). Press censorship was imposed while the detainees
>where flown up to the border overnight Wednesday and Thursday, where they were
>kept on buses, handcuffed and blindfolded for almost 24 hours before being put
>onto trucks and driven into Israel's self-styled "security zone" in southern
>Lebanon. The move comes on the heels of a week of violence in which five
>Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinian armed elements. During the same
>period seven Palestinians were killed by army gunfire.
>
>Meanwhile, almost one million Palestinians remain under curfew in Hebron and
>the Gaza Strip. Most of Gaza has been under a 24 hour curfew since 8 December
>without a break. As a result, the economy has been completely shut down with
>lost income to the 30,000 Palestinian workers who would normally travel  to
>Israeli for work fast approaching U$2.7 million. No produce is entering or
>leaving the Strip and farmers have been prevented from harvesting the
>cauliflower, cabbage and clementine crops which are in danger of rotting under
>the winter rains. Heavy rains and storms have caused extensive flooding in the
>Jabalyia and Beach refugee camps presenting massive health risks to over
>100,000 people. In Hebron, hospital(s) report the army has refused permission
>for ambulance to operate.
>
>(abridged and updated news release)
>
>                  "BIRZEIT UNIVERSITY: NO TO MASS EXPULSIONS!
>            Immediate Enforcement of International Law Imperative"
>
>"Birzeit (17 December 1992) - Birzeit University today strongly condemns the
>Israeli Cabinet decision to expel 383 Palestinians from the Occupied
>Palestinian Territories, in contravention of prevailing international law and
>of common humanity. It urges the international community to move beyond formal
>condemnation and to take immediate and effective measures to ensure respect
>for the Fourth Geneva Convention which, under Article 49, absolutely forbids
>deportation "of protected persons from occupied territory" and to implement
>United Nations Security Council Resolution 726 of 6 January 1992, which
>unanimously rejected Israel's deportation policy and affirmed the
>applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian
>Territories.
>
>"Deportation is defined as a "grave breach" of the Fourth Geneva Convention,
>tantamount to a war crime. Birzeit University has issued numerous protests
>over the years as deportation orders took a steady toll of its faculty and
>students, beginning with the expulsion of Birzeit University President Dr.
>Hanna Nasir in 1974. Today the Israeli authorities carried out 383 war crimes;
>each not only against an individual, but against 383 families and an entire
>people. Neither peace, justice nor security for Palestinians or Israelis are
>served by Israel's deliberate and massive violation of international law and
>of the will of the international community. The mass expulsion of Palest inians
>from their homeland must be stopped".
>
>"At least seventeen Birzeit University students were among the over 1,200
>Palestinians rounded up in the past few days...."
>
>For Human Rights Information from Palestine and Israel contact:
>
>*Palestine Human Rights Information Centre*
>Jerusalem (fax: 02.287-070) or their Chicago office
>
>*Al Haq (West Bank affiliate of the ICJ)*
>Ramallah (fax: 02.955194)
>
>*Mandela Institute (human rights and prisoner support organisation)*
>Ramallah, tel: 02.955756
>
>*B'Tselem, Israeli Human Rights Organisation monitoring the West Bank and
>Gaza*, Jerusalem (fax: 02.617.946)
>
>*Association for Civil Rights in Israel ACRI*
>Tel Aviv, (fax: 03.654726)
>
>There are other human rights activists and projects (Hotline for workers,
>Human Rights Action Project, et al) but these are some of the principal
>organisations. They vary in focus and politics.
They should not have thrown away 300+ garbage;
They should HAVE thrown away 3000+
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   *   nissan reuven b'R Shami             
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       norm  "EVERYWHERE I GO, I GO TO ISRAEL!"
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