In 1952, Shin Bet agents were sent undercover to spy inside Palestinian villages. Keeping their real identities secret, they married Arab women, with whom they had children. Decade later, truth came to light. ‘They tried to forget, but never could,’ mission leader says

“Your husband is not who you think he is. He is not Arab. Your husband is a Jew who was sent into your village on a mission by the defense establishment.” This was the news a few Israeli Arab women received from the head of the Mossad Intelligence Service mission in France in 1964. This was how they discovered that the fathers of their children were serving in a top secret Israeli unit sent to spy in their villages.

Ten Jewish men assimilated into Arab communities in the early 1950s, marrying local women and starting families with them, all the while serving in the Shin Bet as “mistaarvim,” (literally, masqueraders) – undercover agents posing as Palestinians.

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Written by Pasquale Navarra for Forum Palestina (translated by Mary Rizzo)

The causes and the dynamics of the kidnapping and assassination of Vittorio Arrigoni, activist and correspondent of the International Solidarity Movement with Palestine in Gaza, are at the moment being reconstructed. Some information and evaluations can nevertheless be given even now.

Vittorio was about to return to Italy so that he could collaborate with the Freedom Flotilla mission which in May was planning on breaking the siege against the Palestinians of Gaza, a siege that Vittorio had systematically denounced and for years had been documenting.

Vittorio was found already dead when the Palestinian police, helped by the local population, was able to find the place where he had been held hostage. The 30 hour ultimatum was nothing more than a pretext. The kidnappers were very young, including at least one who was a Jordanian citizen (and not Palestinian).

Click here to continue reading “We will not be stopped: Vittorio was killed to leave a message, “Stay away from Gaza and Palestine” by Pasquale Navarra.

“Three authors of Goldstone Report reaffirm their support for report’s conclusions and reject all attempts to discredit it ” via Middle East Monitor.

PRESS RELEASE

Statement Issued by Ms. Hina Jilani, Professor Christine Chinkin and Colonel Desmond Travers, Members of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission to Gaza, May – September 2009.

In recent days some articles and comments appearing in the press with respect to the report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza conflict of 2008 – 2009 have misrepresented facts in an attempt to delegitimize the findings of this report and to cast doubts on its credibility. The Mission that comprised four members, including Justice Richard Goldstone as its Chair, came to an end when it presented its report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in September 2009. The report of the Mission is now an official United Nations document and all actions taken pursuant to its findings and recommendations fall solely within the purview of the United Nations General Assembly which, along with the Human Rights Council, reviewed and endorsed it at the end of 2009.

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El activista italiano del Movimiento de Solidaridad Internacional fue asesinado ayer por la noche en una casa abandonada de Gaza

ALBERTO ARCE
15/04/2011

Vittorio Arrigoni, activista italiano del Movimiento de Solidaridad Internacional (International Solidarity Movement, ISM en sus siglas en inglés) fue asesinado ayer por la noche en una casa abandonada de la Franja de Gaza. Quizás en una de las que él mismo contribuyó, a evacuar durante los bombardeos de la Operación Plomo Fundido.

Durante las tres semanas que duró aquella operación, Vittorio vestido con un chaleco de paramédico palestino, saltaba varias veces al día al interior de una ambulancia y le gritaba a Marwan, nuestro conductor favorito, que bastante tenía con esquivar las bombas y el fósforo blanco que iluminaban el camino “Jallah, Jallah Schumacker, circula más rápido que nos esperan”. “Vik Utopía”, como le llamábamos, era el primero en salir del vehículo y ponerse a levantar cascotes, sacar fotos, ayudar a los heridos, animar a los familiares, llamar por teléfono a Italia para contar lo que sucedía, compartir tabaco con todo aquel que se lo pidiese y quejarse. Quejarse siempre y en alto. Vittorio siempre se quejaba de lo que veíamos.

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