Let it not be said that the Israeli Shabak allows humanitarian considerations ever to trouble its deliberations when it concerns Palestinians. Several months ago Khalida Jarrar, a member of the Palestinian legislature representing the PFLP, discovered from her doctor that he detected some troubling developments in her brain. He prescribed emergency medical treatment in Amman where she could receive an advanced brain scan. She applied to the Gaza military coordinator who approved a pass for her to travel there, saying there was no security consideration that should prevent her from traveling. So far so good.
Enter the Shabak. Never one to miss an opportunity to harrass a Palestinian, especially one representing a party which is hostile to much of current Israeli policy, its minions discovered that Jeraar indeed would pose a security threat if she received such treatment, and they refused her. Of course, she had to wait hours on end at the Allenby Bridge hoping to be able to pass into Jordan and make her appointment at the hospital in Amman, before being told there was nothing to be done for her there on that day. In fact, the Shin Bet told her to return to Gaza and to the same military coordinator and apply for medical treatment in the standard way that other Palestinians do so. Gobbledy-gook naturally since there was no other medical option for her other than treatment in Amman (her Palestinian medical insurance will not cover treatment in Israel).
Amira Hass reports that the very same military coordinator replied to her that if Jarrar turns to them again with medical proof of her condition (which she had already presented to them when they approved her initially for an exit permit), that it will in turn approach the military authorities in the matter. Wasn’t that what was supposed to happen in the first place? In the meantime, a woman, a human being let us remember, stews in Gaza with a medical emergency, while the Israeli Occuaption bureaucracy attempts to determine whether she should live or die. It’s certainly a scene worth of Kafka.
Perhaps the secret police actually claims some super-medical expertise and decided that she didn’t need such treatment. At any rate, Khalida sits in Gaza waiting to see if brain cancer or some other life-threatening condition develops all because the Shabak wants to punish her for the sins of her political party. No doubt Yuval Diskin sits in his office chuckling and saying: “Serves the bitch right.”
I’m not foolish enough to think that these goons would have a conscience about such things. But perhaps there are a few decent Israelis in government or perhaps there are a few American government officials who might overlook political considerations and understand that they are potentially saving a life in pressuring the secret police to relent.
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To the Israelis, a Palestinian is a Palestinian, whether they are a politician or a farmer. A Palestinian’s life has no worth; why, then, should they lift a finger for this woman?
# Richard)
As far as I know Khalida Jarrar is a resident of the West Bank, and not the Gaza Strip. I might be wrong but I think she’s the president of Adameer (supporting political prisoners) in Ramallah. Maybe she has been expulsed to Gaza too 🙁
She is the President of Addameer and a legislator for the PFLP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalida_Jarrar
so why havent you already endorsed BDS?
For being an annoying a(^hole & asking the same question 4 times, you’re banned.
I know this is slightly off topic, but the man in the photo behing Jarrar is Ahmad Sa’adat, the leader of the Popular Front, sentenced to 30 years in prison after the assassination of the Israeli Minister of Tourism Zeevi (in which he did not participate). He has been transferred to an Israeli prison after some years in the West Bank, and has been kept in total isolation since. I’ve heard that he is very sick too. On Oct 5-15 2010 there is a international campaign to make his case known.
http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=16108
Thanks, I wrote about the astonishing Israeli military raid in which they destroyed the Jericho prison in which the Palestinians were holding him, the IDF then disrobed his guards & forced them to stand in their underwear, while it kidnapped Sadaat & forcibly brought him to Israel. This is exactly why there needs to be an international peacekeeping force to prevent such nonsense.
The PFLP is a terror organization responsible for the murder of Israelis. (According to the US as well)
Why should Israel provide safe passage and medical treatment to one of its members is beyond me..
I don’t accept the US or Israel’s definition of what a “terror organization” is, and neither does most of the world.
This person is a human being. That is why safe passage and medical treatment should be provided.
OK, so just because her highness, Mary of Lalaland(Is that where you’re from?) doesn’t accept the definition of what a terror organization is, this woman should get the treatment of a queen.
I’ll assume you’re an American/British, although it shouldn’t really matter, and ask you whether you think Osama Bin-Laden and Al-Qaida are terrorists.. (?)
If you don’t find them as such, there really isn’t a lot more to talk about.
Please answer.
Cheers.
Watch the snark & insults–a violation of my comment rules.
If you mean treating Khalida like a queen involves not compelling her to die a horrible death fr. brain cancer, then I guess that’s what I’m advocating–treat her like a queen. Allow her to get proper medical treatment. If you were a settler guilty personally of killing 10 Palestinians I’d still advocate you having the same basic access to medical care. It should be a human right unless you don’t classify Palestinians as human.
To be honest, I don’t believe you would advocate anything for the well being of the settlers. (And I’m NOT a pro-settler)
I’ve lost my hope in this when you allowed the support and some would say that you had no problem with the murder of 4 settlers, one of whom was a pregnant woman.
No matter how you spin this, those who were murdered don’t qualify as ‘paramilitary’ forces.
Now you’ve lied about my true position. That’s another comment rule violation. So you’re placed on moderation. If you attempt to publish another comment which violates the rules you’re gone.
What an utterly boneheaded response to my comment, “Roy.” For the record, I don’t believe in Osama Bin Laden or Al Qaida, but for other reasons that have nothing to do with this thread. As an activist, I am well acquainted with the People’s Party and I absolutely do not believe they are terrorists; however, it serves the occupation quite well to maintain that fallacy.
Great, so you’re a conspiracy theorist? I suppose you believe 9/11 was mastered by the Zionists etc etc? Am I wrong?
It does connect to this discussion so don’t discharge it as off topic please.
You can call them whatever you want.. “People’s Party”, “Society of the vegetarian pacifists”.. It won’t change what they’ve done and what they support.
Yo know what, I’ll make it more easy for you.. If you think Israel is a terrorist state, than you should acknowledge that the PFLP are terrorists as well, OK?
They’ve conducted attacks in areas not considered ‘occupied’, at least internationally. Murdered a lot of “non-settlers” in markets, and other fairly peaceful places.
Here’s the deal fella. You want to grandstand & score pts in an ideological battle bet. right & left, you lose. That’s not what the comment threads are here for. They’re here for real debate, not petty name calling or one-upmanship. So if that’s what you’re here for you’ll be gone in a heartbeat.
If you can talk about real issues & debate them intelligently you’ll find a place here. If not, you’re wasting everyone’s time & taking up space in the comment threads.
9/11 is completely off-topic & that is a comment rule violation. Read the rules before you comment again.
# Mary)
The PPP and the FPLP have rather different positions on various topics. The PPP was very positive towards the Oslo Accords (am I wrong on that ?) and the FPLP against. They didn’t agree to propose a common left-wing candidate for the last elections, and Sa’adat being in prison, the PFLP recommended voting for Mustafa Barghouti, a former PPP, and his National Initiative.
Anyhow, it’s the same ‘extended’ left-wing family 🙂
ROYelAL is another Hasbara-aircraft who just arrived from Ben Gourion.
I loved that image of the Hasbarachiks landing and setting off from Ben Gourion.
There’s some ‘Delta-insolence’ about this new machine, though, but maybe it’s just average Israeli chutzpah.
Come on..
Hasbara-aircraft? Really? And here I thought that just petty name calling is not allowed here..
If I’ll tell you that I do not support the settlements, would you still call me an “Hasbara-aircraft”?
Just because I do not share your opinion it doesn’t mean that I should be branded as some machine with a broken record wandering about..
When you’re willing to have a real discussion, let me know.
If you told me you don’t support settlements it would be virtually meaningless. What does this mean specifically? Are you prepared to withdraw to 67 borders? Right now? And recognize a Palestinian state? Right now? And recognize a Right of Return in some form? Right now? And accept an international peacekeeping force to keep the peace? I didn’t think so. So let’s not waste ea. others time by pretending that you’re a really really well intentioned Israeli.
You missed the reference to Ben Gurion & air flights. I said a few wks ago after banning some especially redolent hasbarist that commenters like him can & went so regularly that it was like the flight path leading into Ben Gurion. No sooner does a hasbarist land (or get banned) than another is lining up to set down on the runway.
And where did you come here from: Fresh or Rotter? Be honest.
@Deir Yassin, I was referring to the PFLP. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.
Wow – sometimes I’m simply amazed at how people like Roy come along and try to shove words in my mouth, and attribute opinions to me without my having given even the slightest hint for them to work with.
# Roy)
I called you a “Hasbara-aircraft” because lots of very agressive Israelis have been around recently, mostly banned within 2-3 days, all of them with the same ‘pro-peace’ discourse, but, in fact, right-winged propagandists, and Mr Silverstein had this great metaphor of aircrafts setting off and landing at Ben Gourion. But you certainly did read his comment on that, didn’t you ? If you already know how everybody thinks, you must have been following the blog for a while, isn’t that right ?
“When you are willing to have a real discussion, let me know”
Nope, someone who is capable of adressing Mary by ‘Mary of Lalaland’ has no place on my agenda. You are not an IDF-soldier talking down to Palestinian civilians at the Qalandiya check-point here, but addressing equal human beings, so I’m not going to waste my time trying to educate you.
Have a good holiday.
I find this comment to be monstrous. Consider yrself warned & subject to subsequent restriction of yr comment privileges. Provide a single shred of evidence that she personally has been guilty of any offense against any Israeli law. Or are you claiming that if any Israeli political party contains any leader guilty of any crime that all other leaders of that party are equally guilty of the same crime & should be punished accordingly? Is that yr argument??
First of all, I find it completely monstrous as well and totally hypocritical that you’re denying my right to free speech in here.
As an advocate of those basic rights, you should know that even if the opinions of some people may seem illogical and even radical to you, those people still have the right to express their thoughts.
Secondly, considering that she is a member of an organization recognized as a terror organization by Israel, the US(!), and others, she doesn’t have to be personally pulling the trigger in order to be labeled as a terrorist, or at least a terrorist supporter.
I’ll ask you the same question I have asked Mary.. Do you consider Al-Qaida terrorists? And if so, do you consider Osama as one, as well? I mean, its not like he personally crashed those planes..
Oh, I’m not even going to argue over such bullshit. Simply put, if you want to tell a woman with a serious brain disease that she should rot in hell you won’t do it here. I don’t give a flyin’ fig what you whine about. It simply doesn’t interest me.
Your opinions aren’t “illogical,” they’re deeply & downright immoral & offensive. There are plenty of places like Rotter where you can say that w. abandon & find plenty of friends to give you a pat on the back for it. Say that dreck there. Not here. You follow the rules as everyone else does (even those who support a right wing view of Israeli politics) or out you go. Yr choice.
You don’t get the privilege of asking me questions. I don’t parlay w. swine like you.
Jesus, Richard.
We haven’t started talking and you already threw curses at me.. Breaking your own rules, aren’t you? “not petty name calling”.. Surprise surprise..
Now, I have never been to rotter, and don’t plan on spending time there.
Secondly, it seems its you who doesn’t follow the rules, ironically.
And why can’t you answer my questions? What’s wrong with them? And why does one needs a special privilege in order to ask you questions? Aren’t you supposed to advocate those basic rights?
You know.. Freedom of Speech and Expression?
If what I said to you already are curses then yr command of English is faulty or you have a very very low threshhold for give & take. If I’d wanted to throw curses at you, believe me you’d know.
I merely set down the rules so you can understand them very clearly. If you want to go histrionic & shrey about curbing yr free speech & throwing curses, again be my guest. I have no interest in delving into such complaints. You either follow the rules & participate or you don’t & you go.
When you show respect to me and other commenters & show you’re here for a discussion or debate but not to score pts or grandstand then we can talk about yr questions & answer them. Freedom of expression gives you the right to ask the questions but doesn’t compel me to answer unless I choose to.
And btw, the answer to most questions can be found if you do a site search using Google. It will save us all lots of time if you do such a search before asking any questions. Not only will you learn about what my views & those of others are on the subject of yr question, you’ll avoid forcing me to answer a question someone like you has invariably asked already & prob. more than once.
So let me understand: are you conceding that Mossad is a terrorist organization or merely pretending to do so in order to ape what you believe our views to be? If the latter, then once again you’re grandstanding, slummin’ your way through the left demi-monde. I can’t tell you how much I frown on that sort of thing.
@ Roy
“The PFLP is a terror organization responsible for the murder of Israelis”.
Yeah, or maybe it is the other way around. When the Mossad blew up Ghassan Kanafani, a founding member of the PFLP, in Beirut together with his 17 years old niece on July 8 1972, he had never hold a gun other than his pen.
The Munich-tragedy was a response to his assassination.
You should read some of his novels. I recommend “All that’s left” which is a selection of his novels, or the famous “Men in the Sun”, but I guess you’re not interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghassan_Kanafani
PS. On my private terror-list are present; Likud, HaAvoda, Herut, Kadima . . . who did I forget ??
I didn’t know Kanafani was PFLP. But don’t ya know that the spokesperson for a terror group is as fair game as the trigger men. So would that justify someone taking a shot at Mark Regev sometime (just a rhetorical question mind you)?
In the Land of Sad Oranges (that’s the title as I remember it from reading it 30 yrs ago or so) is good as well.
‘In the Land of Sad Oranges’ is in the collection of novels called ‘All that is left’ or maybe ‘All that remains’ in English. It includes ‘Back to Haifa’ ‘Aprilflowers’ and some others of his most famous novels.
By Mark Regev, do you mean this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMd_js_oQAk
or maybe rather that one
They had me rolling on the floor, esp. the 2nd video. I love David Frost being made to say to Mark Regev:
Priceless.
Wait, so if one side commits an act of terrorism the other is OK in doing exactly the same in response?
You know what, fair enough. The Mossad are terrorists.. If you consider them as such, than logically you must consider the PFLP as such as well..
Unless of course you advocate terrorism in response to terrorism.. In that case you just won’t be any better than the brutal Mossad, right?
Consider that Palestinian terrorism has always been in response to illegal, brutal and violent Israeli occupation. Remember Plan Dalet in 1948. It all began there. Israel reaps what it sows.
Yes, Israel is a terrorist; a terrorist is an organization, individual or other entity who targets civilian victims with acts of violence in hope of effecting political change. Operation Cast Lead ring any bells?
Its all good, but you didn’t answer my questions..
Do you or do you not advocate terrorism in response to terrorism? So because one side commits a terror act the other gets a free pass to do the same?
And there were a lot of hostilities before 1948, including terror attacks by both sides.
“a terrorist is an organization, individual or other entity who targets civilian victims with acts of violence in hope of effecting political change.” – Fits right in with what Hamas and PFLP are doing and had done, no?
That’s YOUR definition of terrorism, so I hope you’ll stick to it..
According to you, Israel’s acts fit right under that definition.. So why don’t Hamas’ and PFLP? How are their acts different than what Israel is doing? Is murdering innocent civilians OK if you do it in response to the other side’s terrorism?
Think about it and let me know, please.
Cheers
Roy, you ask me whether or not I advocate terrorism, and then end your comment with “cheers?” In fact, the question is so obscene that I’m not going to dignify it with an answer.
As Deir Yassin said, if you want to have a “real discussion,” then fine. But if all you’re trying to do is antagonize and provoke meaningless squabbling, you won’t get it from me.
I’d like an apology for the La-La Land remark, and for the obscene query.
Mary, I’ve seen you avoid answering that question a couple of times already. Mind you, I’m not being judgmental, I’m merely curious about your answer. It’s a fundamental position that would greatly affect your opinions and viewpoint.
*I’m posting a new comment as it seems I can’t respond directly to your’s*
@Richard
-“Are you prepared to withdraw to 67 borders? Right now? And recognize a Palestinian state? Right now? And recognize a Right of Return in some form? Right now? And accept an international peacekeeping force to keep the peace?”
I’m willing to say ‘Yes’ to all of those, if a proper agreement will be reached that ensures the security of Israel and its citizens. Surprised?
You know nothing about me, Richard.
-“You missed the reference to Ben Gurion & air flights. I said a few wks ago after banning some especially redolent hasbarist that commenters like him can & went so regularly that it was like the flight path leading into Ben Gurion. No sooner does a hasbarist land (or get banned) than another is lining up to set down on the runway.”
After reading my recent comments, do I really fit under the definition of an Hasbarist?
Come on, Richard.
-“And where did you come here from: Fresh or Rotter? Be honest.”
None. And I’m honest.
I got here when the Anat Kam case burst out, because I’ve read in some news site that a scan of one of the documents leaked by Kam was published here.
I’ve been surfing here every now and then ever since, and decided to try and have a go in the comments section.
And again, I’m honest in every post I make.
Cheers