MSNBC reports hope is alive in Bethlehem as 30,000 pilgrims have travelled to the Holy Land, 10,000 more than last year, according to the BBC. Yet, nary a word on the many Palestinians who were unable to make it through checkpoints “to attend celebrations.” Then MSNBC frames the segregation wall as a thorn in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ side, pointing out to readers that Abbas is Muslim, “as are most Palestinians.” From the carefully selected remarks of Vatican envoy Michel Sabbah to its closing statement by the Pope, the rosy scenario construction urges readers to believe that the Vatican is nothing but optimistic and approving of Israel’s actions thus far and that only the terrorist Palestinians have a problem with Israel’s “virtuous” apartheid wall.
The BBC informs its readers:
Israel’s most senior Roman Catholic leader has said Bethlehem has become an “immense prison” since the erection of the West Bank barrier.
Michel Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, called for all barriers between people to be dismantled.
He was joined by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, ambassadors from several countries and thousands of Christians for Christmas Eve mass in Bethlehem.
Israel says the barrier is defensive, but Palestinians see it as a land grab.
‘Bridges of peace’
The patriarch, who is the pope’s representative in the Holy Land, called for the barrier to be removed and said “bridges of peace and love” should be built instead.
He said Palestinians had a right to their own homeland and the Israelis should have security in return.
But he said those who held power had to realise that they could not rule through violence, but only by winning the hearts of both Palestinians and Israelis.
“Nobody needs checkpoints in the Holy Land,” he said.
(from my e-mail)
Dear All,
The information below reveals that people coming to a conference on non-violence were detained with the intention of deporting them. Of course the Israeli government and military would love to detain all people coming to a “celebrate non-violence’ peace conference, especially one held in the West Bank, and particularly in Bethlehem. The Israeli government wants neither peace nor non-violence. It needs Palestinian violence as an excuse to inflict even more harsh treatment against Palestinians than usual.
Some holiday season!
Best, Dorothy
From: ism-media-group
An Italian peace activist was hospitalized Thursday after refusing to be deported from Israel.
Italian, Vittorio Arrigoni, 34, was injured yesterday evening when Israeli authorities tried to deport him and two other detained UK residents,from South Africa and Ausralia, by force, according to Israeli lawyer Gaby Lasky. Lasky added that the authorities failed to notify her or the consulate of Vittorio’s injury and originally instructed their guards not to allow the three detainees to communicate with their attorney or conciliate representatives.
Vittorio was returned yesterday to the detention centre at Tel Aviv airport. The three are being held after they were refused admission to Israel to attend a peace conference in Bethlehem. They will be spending their Christmas holidays in Israeli jail.
The three are experienced peace campaigners who were on their way to the “Celebrating Non-Violence” conference that starts on 27 December in Bethlehem. But when they tried to pass through Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on December 20, when the authorities detained them.
Only quick legal action by an Israeli lawyer prevented the three from being forcibly deported Thursday morning. They must now await the outcome of an appeal hearing, the date for which has yet to be set.
All three have worked previously as international observers in the Palestinian territories. All are members of Access for Peace in the Middle East, a pressure group that intends to challenge the criminalisation of peace workers and the deliberate isolation of Palestinians from international observation and assistance.
One of the detained activists, Robin Horsell, a UK-based South African who formerly campaigned against apartheid gave his reasons for fighting deportation: “Israel gives spurious grounds for deportation or refusal of entry. But the real reason is our support for human rights and justice. We hope this legal challenge sets a precedent that in future will allow international citizens full access to Palestinian lands.”
Many prominent peace campaigners support Access for Peace in the Middle East including Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Nonviolence International, European Jews for a Just Peace, Clare Short, George Monbiot, Angie Zelter, and Jeremy Hardy.
For more information contact:
Attorney Gaby Lasky 054 441 8988
Charlotte: +44 (0) 7768 305897 charlotte@ism-london.org
for details of the conference: http://www.celebratingnv.org
Access for Peace in the Middle East