2006-04-13
Sam Bahour
___________________________
"Israeli Unilateralism versus Palestinian Human Rights"
Mr. Raji Sourani, head of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza City and the recipient of the 1991 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, was scheduled to speak at The Palestine Center in Washington, D.C. on 28 March 2006.
That event was canceled because the U.S. Department of State refused to grant Sourani a travel visa to the United States because he had declined to fulfill the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem´s requirement that he, as a Palestinian, "obtain an Israeli police certificate" before his application could be processed. In addition to his briefing at The Palestine Center, Mr. Sourani had confirmed meetings with high-ranking officials at the Department of State, the National Security Council, the International Republican Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and with an advisor to President Bush.
The Palestine Center spoke with Mr. Sourani via the telephone from the Gaza Strip on 12 April 2006. Below is a transcript of his remarks.
The Gaza Strip 12 April 2006
Mr. Raji Sourani:
Let me begin by saying that I find it very strange that a recognized human rights activist, a recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy award in 1991, was denied a visit to the United States. The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem asked that I authorize it to get my security file from the Israelis. Of course, the Israelis are not happy with me and my record of human rights activism.
First of all, I am not an Israeli citizen. I am a Palestinian citizen living in the Gaza Strip. Second, Israel is occupying the Gaza Strip. Third, I asked if I would be able to see the file so that I would be able to defend myself. The response [from the U.S. Consulate] was no.
I knew then what the response would be to my application. It is simple. The Israelis are not big fans of mine because I am hunting Israeli war criminals all around the world-in Switzerland, in the United States and the United Kingdom. But for someone like me, a human rights activist with such recognition, to be dealt with like this is a shame. It shows how the United States deals with human rights activists and human rights issues.
The Palestinian people have three basic demands: 1) they want to get rid of the belligerent Israeli occupation. I do not think that anyone should have an objection to that. 2) Palestinians want the implementation of international humanitarian law and the human rights. Again, I do not think that anyone on earth should be against international humanitarian law and human rights. 3) If Israel does not want a bi-national state, they have to recognize our rights to self-determination and independence.
Accordingly, the Oslo process began in 1993. There was a lot of hope and specific promises that by May 1999, the sides would have concluded final status negotiations. Instead, May 1999 brought a de facto apartheid system, a state of social and economic suffocation, a zero-level of confidence, and difficulty in foreseeing any final status agreement within reach.
The two sides were on the verge of a confrontation. The second intifada erupted and Israel systematically perpetrated war crimes against the Palestinian civilian population. This is not according to Palestinian standards; this is according to international human rights standards, international human rights organizations and even Israeli human rights organizations.
From there, a vicious cycle began. The Palestinians were asked not to cry- not to say that they are the victims. Then, Israel took a decisive step when [former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon declared that [former Palestinian leader Yasser] Arafat was no longer a partner- that he was the Godfather of terrorism. That meant, by all standards, that if there is no Palestinian partner, then there is no Palestinian Authority (PA). There is no PLO. In this regard, there is no political recognition of the Palestinian side.
Immediately afterwards, Sharon and his legal advisor [Dov] Weisglass declared Israel´s policy of unilateralism- Israel will apply and implement its political solution unilaterally. Abu Ammar [the popular name for Arafat] passed away, and the Palestinians implemented a fantastic transition of power and held elections. Mr. Abbas was elected and his political program was elected. Although he was the most acceptable leader [according to] Israel and the West, Israeli still did not recognize Abu Mazen [the popular name for Abbas] as a partner and insisted on going ahead with its disengagement from Gaza unilaterally.
For those who want to really understand the Gaza disengagement, let me tell you, Gaza is completely disconnected from Israel. That means no Palestinian laborers can go to Israel; no one can use the Lod airport [also known as the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv]; and no one can use the Ashdod port [for imports and exports].
Not only that, no one from Gaza can visit the West Bank or Jerusalem. That means that Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem are completely disconnected from each other on the social, economical and political level. That is unprecedented. During the worst days of the Israeli occupation, this was never the case.
Furthermore, Gaza´s airport is not going to operate. The Gaza sea port is not going to operate. There is only one linkage between Gaza and the outside world-the Rafah crossing. Although there are Palestinian police at Rafah, Israel controls it through a video circuit through which they monitor not only the Palestinian police but also the European monitors.
To cross through Rafah, you must have what is called a Palestinian passport. You get a Palestinian passport based on your Israeli identity (ID) card. When the Palestinian terminal employee enters the ID card number [which is associated with considerable personal information], it appears in real time on a screen on the other side-the Israeli side. This is called effective control.
This disengagement from Gaza has been sold to the world as a good thing while in actuality, the occupation continues in its legal and physical form. Things have not changed. Israel controls Gaza and life in Gaza 100 percent. I assure you that nothing has changed. It is business as usual in terms of targeted killings, the bombing of residential areas, and almost no day passes without some kind of Israeli military action against Gaza. To be fair, I must say that there were 22 settlements in Gaza controlling 42 percent of the Gaza Strip, which is only 365 sq. kilometers. These 22 settlements housed 8,500 settlers. It is fantastic to see these war crimes- the settlements- removed. Other than that, I assure you that since the Israeli military redeployment from the Gaza Strip, Gaza has been in a state of social and economic suffocation.
Israel´s human rights record in Gaza is worse than anywhere else in the entire Occupied Territory. The level of crimes did not change. It was on the same level before Israel declared its unilateral plan, during in the lead up and implementation phase of the plan, and now. There are real systematic war crimes taking place.
The reason I say that the violations have been worst in Gaza is because Gaza has been subjected to incredible Israeli military incursions and raids. Apache helicopters and F-16 jets have been used on the Gaza Strip. And obviously, resistance to the Israeli occupation was stronger in Gaza. By its own admission, Israel carried out revenge attacks against civilians in Gaza.
I would like to go back to the unilateral disengagement plan. This was a strategic plan for Israel. The real intention of this plan is for unilateralism to determine the future of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and to derail any discussion on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Right now, there are things taking place that no one is talking about. Jerusalem, for example. No one is talking about Jerusalem while it is, as we speak, being annexed to Israel. The Wall, no one is talking about the Wall. There was an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice on the [illegality of the]Wall. The Wall is almost now complete; still, no one is talking about the Wall. No one is talking about settlements.
So it [unilateralism] is derailing the discussion of the issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. That is really serious. And this comes with full political and legal support from the United States and by Europe.
It does not matter who is in power in the Palestinian Authority. We had a fantastic election. By all standards, they were the best. And we are the first in the entire world to have these elections under occupation. We are now going to be punished and held accountable.
For Israel, Hamas is just an excuse. Since Arafat, this was the case. Abbas was elected, now Hamas is in power, but it is really the Israelis who are not ready. I just do not understand the actions of the U.S. and Europe. The world seems to have forgotten that human rights organization have been calling for Israel to be held accountable for war crimes and now we are being held accountable for our democratic choice.
[END OF TRANSCRIPTION]
This edited transcript is based on remarks delivered by Raji Sourani on 12 April 2006 via telephone from the Gaza Strip. The Palestine Center is the educational program of the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development. The speaker´s views do not necessarily reflect those of The Palestine Center or The Jerusalem Fund. This transcript may be used without permission but with proper attribution to The Palestine Center.
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