Randy Bond spoke, Wednesday, June 4, 2003 - 7PM about "Road Block to Peace" in Israel/Palestine at the Friends Meeting House, 5th and Oak Streets, Traverse City. He read an email that people requested, it can be read here.A video of his talk is in process, check back for the date it will show on tctv2 in Traverse City, MI
Thursday, May 29, 2003 - Update from MPT on Randy's meeting with Mr. Reshef Cheyne who is a member of the Israeli Kennesst (see May 14 th report below):. . . On a more hopeful note, we reported in an earlier post that MPT member Randy Bond had joined an ISM delegation in meeting with Reshef Cheyne a Knesset (Parliament) Member from the Shinue faction (party). We have since learned that this meeting resulted in the party joining a motion in favor of ISM.
Reports from Randy's trip:
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Randy's Report
Given the escalation by the Israeli occupation forces against the International Solidarity Movement, a very significant meeting took place Tuesday evening the 13th of May. Seven ISM people met with Mr. Reshef Cheyne who is a member of the Israeli Kennesst, and a leader in the fast growing Sinoi faction or party. Mr Cheyne was accompanied to this meeting by several Israeli citizens. Ghassan Andoni one of the founding members of ISM was there representing both ISM an the Palestinian non-violent community. While the Shinoi party and Mr. cheyne are clearly not liberals, they are honest in their desire to see justice done to both the Palestinians and to ISM. The main purpose of the meeting was for Mr Cheyne to talk to and get an unbiased opinion of ISM and those who volunteer with it.
He stated that the deportation of ISM people is a public relations problem for the Israelis, and he wanted to make sure that if deportation is what Israel needs to do the it is clearly necessary. Mr Cheyne and his party do not want to be seem as just rubber stamping everything the army wants. Their party is in control of the Ministries of Interior and Justice. Both of which will be instrumental in dealing with not only ISM but all NGOs in the Occupied Territories. The main stumbling block Mr Cheyne has with ISM is that ISM will not publicly condemn suicide bombings. Ghassan Andoni tried to clarify ISM position for him by saying that ISM is unequivocally opposed to violence and in no way supports or condones suicide bombing or any acts of violence from either side of the conflict. However ISM believes that the Palestinian people have a right to armed struggle against the occupation even though ISM believes that armed struggle is counter productive and the wrong approach. But ISM can not condemn those who chose this path.
I could tell from Mr Cheyne's demeanor that he was not convinced by this explanation. But as the meeting progressed and people from both the Israeli side and those of us from ISM talked about their feelings, concerns,experiences and hopes there was a change in the mans attitude towards us. Most of the Israelis who had came to this meeting with him was openly supportive of the ISM and thought deportation was a bad idea.
Mr Cheyne kept saying why don't the Palestinian people struggle in a non-violent way such as Gandhi did. It was pointed out to him by most everyone there that the Palestinians have used non-violent tactics and only get condemned for it or killed. One elderly Israeli pointed out to him that ISM is the only organization that is working with the Palestinians to move towards a non-violent struggle, and that if ISM is removed then the chances of the struggle becoming non-violent anytime soon will become zero.
By the end of what became a 3 hour dialogue I believe the man was sincerely moved to rethink his feelings about ISM and the work we do. It will remain to be seen what comes of this meeting. While Mr Cheyne is a member of Kennesst, his voice is not yet that of the majority. But everyone came away from the meeting with a sense of optimism for the future of ISM and the non-violent struggle in Palestine.
-- Peace Randy
Sunday, May 11, 2003
Randy's Report
Most violent and evil deeds are done in the darkness so no one sees. After the extreme violence of the first half of the twentieth century an attempt in the form of international law, the United Nations, and the rise in human rights NGOs was formed to keep watch and try to prevent the extreme systemic violence of the past.
We know it does not work perfectly, but it has brought light to bad situations and given the world community the opportunity to confront the violence. A very violent and evil situation is happening in the land called Palestine. International law is violated on a daily basis. Death and terror are the constant companions of the Palestinian people. And when out of desperation, they strike out against it they are labeled by the media and Israel as terrorist.
Israel along with a compliant media have blindfolded the world. For instance when word got out of a massacre in the Jenin refugee camp, Israel denied it but refused to allow the UN to investigate, thereby covering it in darkness. And the world seems happy not to know. So it falls to non-violent civilian organization such as The International Solidarity Movement to become the eyes of the world. But now with the public announcement by Israel that ISM is no longer to be allowed to operate in the illegally occupied territories, its members are being rounded up, arrested, detained without charge and then deported. They are even being called terrorist, an Orwellian statement if ever there was one.
If Israel is allowed to end all NGOs from being in the occupied areas, then the eyes of the world will be completely plucked out. The evil will intensify as the cloak of darkness descends. It is up to the world and public opinion to stop this. We must demand of our governments to open their eyes and put a stop to this. We hear of a "Road Map to Peace", but there are large pieces of this highway to nowhere that are missing, such as "the wall".
The wall which is not even mentioned in this road map is a euphemism for walled prison, in fact three walled prisons, with all the Palestinians forced to live within its walls, and the Israeli Occupation Forces will control the only gates in and out. Sharon has his on road map he is following and it contains a dead end for the Palestinians. Without justice as the centerpiece of any peace process, it will be a road map to nowhere. Palestine is hand cuffed and gagged it can not demand anything. The world may be blindfolded, but our hands are not tied. We can remove the blindfold and see and speak for those who can not. We must do this or the word terrorism will be on our lips and in our fears for a long time to come.
Peace Randy
MPTNews
May 12, 2003
Thank you to all who have responded to the Urgent Action Alerts of the last few days. Randy and Mike remain relatively safe and are now in Jerusalem. They are working with the ISM and allies to identify the best means of moving forward. Randy was able to attend a demonstration yesterday in Tel Aviv called by Gush Shalom, Coalition of Women for Peace and Ta'ayush in support of the ISM. Included in the MPTNews today:
A report from Radhika Sainath regarding the snatching of ISM activists in Tulkarem: Israeli Forces Snatch, Beat and Arrest ISM Volunteers- Tulkaram
Radhika Sainath
11 May 03
Osama* and I headed out of our apartment yesterday at approximately6PM to take personal accounts from refugee families whose houses are frequently occupied by Israeli soldiers. As we walked we heard repeated bursts of live ammunition fire in nearby downtown Tulkaram. Concerned that Israeli Forces or the Border Police were shooting at children—as we have repeatedly witnessed in the past—we called a third ISM volunteer, Charlotte, to the scene to witness and deter any potential human rights violations.
Upon arrival to Tulkaram’s main street we viewed a burning hummer (military jeep) stuck in the middle of the road, and three armored personnel carriers (APC) and multiple jeeps wildly circling the city. However, what most concerned us was a family’s car that included three small children under the age of twelve parked meters away from the burning vehicle. The army had confiscated the car keys and instructed the family to stay inside, effectively using the father and his small children as human shields. The crying children were clearly terrified of being shot so we agreed to stay with the family and try to speak with the soldiers in an attempt to retrieve the car keys.
Two local journalists soon joined us and minutes later an army jeep started to back up in our direction. Given the Israeli Army’s recent policy of targeting and shooting internationals, I began to feel concerned for our safety. Suddenly, the back doors of the jeep opened and soldiers jumped out grabbing Osama and the journalists and shovingCharlotte to the side. Once inside the jeep Osama reported being grabbed by the commander, who beat him in the head, after which the other soldiers threw him on the floor and forced him to cover his face with his T-shirt. While putting their rifle butts on his chest, the soldiers demanded to see his videotape stating, “We will kill anyone we see on this tape.” The journalists were also beaten on their chest and neck.
While the men were in the jeepCharlotte and I spoke to the man being used as a human shield, offering to accompany his children to the hospital. As this was happening an APC approached us and I used our megaphone to ask the soldier to return the family’s car keys, as they had nothing to do with the burning hummer and were being collectively punished. Suddenly an army jeep pulled up to us, the commander opening his door politely asking “What do you want” and “Come closer, I can’t hear you.” Sensing a trap Charlotte and I decided to distance ourselves from the jeep as fast as possible, however the army jeep, joined by a large jeep roared in front of us.
A dozen heavily armed and entirely male army force surrounded us, grabbing for our cameras and violently pushing us to the ground. Several soldiers grabbed Charlotte and I--causing bruises on our arms and legs--and forced on a jeep to the Tulkaram DCO and military base. The jeep carrying Osama and the journalists arrived approximately fifteen minutes later, and Osama dropped to the ground in pain, his leg convulsing in spasms.
While Osama was taken into a military shelter two policemen arrived demanded that we go with them to Ariel. I insisted that we would go nowhere unless accompanied by a female officer as the manner of our detention by several male soldiers had already been conducted illegally. The soldier who grabbed me had said, “you are a very beautiful peace activist” and earlier that day another soldier said, “give me a kiss”, which made me feel threatened. After much debate the policeman agreed to call a female soldier who accompanied us to Ariel police station.
Osama was released, unconscious, to Thabit Thabit hospital from the DCO after an epileptic fit caused by the Israeli Army’s beatings. The journalists were released this morning. Charlotte and I were released under bail at6:30PM tonight on the condition we do not return to “Samaria” for fifteen days. We await our deportation hearing with the Ministry of Interior.
* Osama is a Palestinian volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement and a journalist. He is not involved with any political groups, but has repeatedly been harassed by the Israeli military.
