By guest author Dahlia Wasfi
In the early morning hours of December 12, 2012, Israeli forces raided the offices of three Palestinian civil society organizations in Ramallah in the West Bank, including the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association.
Photo by Peter used under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Addameer is a non-governmental institution that works to support Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli and Palestinian jails. Israeli soldiers confiscated four computers, a hard drive, a video camera, and an unknown amount of files and documentation. Posters of prisoners and hunger strikers were ripped down from the walls and strewn on the floor.
Addameer’s last monthly report from November 1, 2012, listed 4,520 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centers, including 156 administrative detainees, 10 women, and shockingly, 164 children.
Addameer was likely targeted by occupation forces because of its efforts to document Israel’s violations of the rights of prisoners.
These violations include:
- Systematic torture and ill-treatment
- Unjust solitary confinement and isolation
- Collective punishment
- Medical negligence
Violations of the human rights of prisoners and detainees—many of whom are held indefinitely and without charge—have driven many of those behind bars to go on hunger strike.
Like Bobby Sands and his fellow imprisoned Irish Republicans who united in hunger strike against the UK government, Palestinian political prisoners are on hunger strike demanding respect for their human rights. Some prisoners are also striking for the broader cause of ending the illegal occupation of Palestine.
Two cases that have received international attention were the hunger strikes of Khader Adnan, who protested his detention without charge or trial, and Mahmoud Sarsak, who began his hunger strike after his detention was renewed for the sixth time, without charge or trial.
Israeli officials agreed to release Adnan on the 66th day of his strike. Sarsak—a gifted soccer player who was detained in 2009 while en route from his home in Gaza to play in the West Bank–was released after 96 days without food (See Truthout article).
Thousands more, however, continue to languish in Israeli jails. Addameer reports that Israel continues to arrest an average of 11 to 20 Palestinians every day, totaling around 7,000 new detainees each year. Arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial is an unacceptable practice, as is the harassment of Addameer’s human rights workers.
The United States should suspend aid to the Israeli military until the time that compliance with international humanitarian law becomes Israeli policy.
Dr. Dahlia Wasfi
My piece should have clearly noted that the analogy to Bobby Sands and other Irish Republican hunger strikers was first made in Pam Bailey’s op-ed, “Starving for Recognition: The Plight of Palestinian Political Prisoners” (http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13353-starving-for-recognition-the-plight-of-palestinian-political-prisoners). This was my oversight, not that of Engaging Peace editors. Many thanks, Dahlia Wasfi
I’ve known of the conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians but I did not know about these things. The extent of cruelty comes as no surprise to me for all people are capable of committing horrible acts as one can see from the watching the news or reading articles such as this. I scarcely believe it can happen to all those people yet it remains true. It is shocking to me to find that many are held and treated this way without charge and even imprisoning children? No matter what an individual has done it is the job of the incarcerator to see to the welfare of their captives. The sad thing here is that now an organization working to help prisoners and improve their treatment of prisoners for both sides. Clearly the Addameer organization was a threat to the Israeli with all the information they have gathered on the ill treatment of prisoners but really they were only trying to help improve conditions. When your own prisoners go on strike you know there must be something wrong.
I agree that the US should suspend their aid till they comply with the international humanitarian law and make it policy because they should not be allowed to get away with these travesties.
Thank you for your thoughtful and heartfelt comment, Khrysteena. Your emphasis on the importance of compliance with international humanitarian law is an important one. It seems very unlikely that a country or other group of people can attain and maintain peace with their neighbors if they violate international humanitarian law when dealing with those neighbors.
Thank you for your thoughtful post, Khrysteena. The international community helped bring an end to the apartheid system in South Africa during the 1980s. Boycotts, divestment, and economic sanctions helped force the South African government to free political prisoner, Nelson Mandela, and hold elections allowing South Africans of all races to vote.
Today, comparisons have been drawn between apartheid South Africa and the racism of the Israeli state. After a trip to the Holy Land, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu described the treatment of Palestinians: “…it reminded me so much of what happened to us black people in South Africa”. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1957644.stm) There is a similar international movement for boycott, divestment, and sanctions to end Israeli apartheid. More information can be found here: http://www.bdsmovement.net/
When reading these stories, it saddens me because people are dying. Recognition should not be that important over human lives. I am hoping also that peace will continue to be the leading force within these issues. In my opinion, it is not a good place to be in. the Palestinians may have certain rights as well as the Israelis, but ending your life for the cause is not right.
Thanks for your informative post, Dahlia. For readers who are interested in learning more about how the rest of the world regards the plight of Palistinians, here is a good link: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13626-the-world-social-forum-free-palestine-the-case-for-joint-struggle-movements-for-liberation.
The article describes how groups of black, Latino, and human rights activists joined together at the World Social Forum – Free Palestine convention in Brazil in late November 2012 to express solidarity with the Palestinian national liberation movement as well as other social movements.
Thanks katheimm,
I think being a part of the world social forum will be beneficial to individuals that know about these issues and provide information to the ones that have little or no knowledge.
Dr. Dahlia Wasfi,
This is a great post regarding the Israeli force mistreatment of the Palestinian prisoners. This has been an ongoing conflict for several decades and from the looks of things it is not getting any better or it is not at least at the level it needs to be in these present times. 11 to 20 Palestinians a day is a very high number of prisoners being detained and I believe that a change needs to be made and soon before the matter becomes worse. I noticed that you say at the end of your piece that the United States should suspend aid to the Israeli military; do you think this would be an effective method or is it a possibility that it could make things worse? I believe that it would work as a temporary fix but as time goes on it might cause more conflict then before the action was taken. The implementation of making two states may be the closest means to a solution in which that direction may have its down falls as well. Getting both sides to agree on that plan has been a problem as well. Something has to take place and soon because too many people are being mistreated like animals and this needs to be the first order of business that needs to be worked on.
Dear Tae–Thank you so much for reading this piece and sharing your thoughts. The reason that I call for the suspension of US military aid to Israel is because our financial, political, and military aid is what allows Israel to commit such human rights violations on a daily basis without accountability. Israel is illegally occupying Palestinian lands, resources, and people. This decades-old conflict (as you correctly described) is not between two equal sides. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)–and the Jewish militias they developed out of in the 1930s and 1940s–are the aggressors. Palestinians are the victims of these militias’ ethnic cleansing campaigns. Since we (the US) are aiding and abetting the aggressors, suspending aid stops our enabling of Israel’s crimes. (A good website for more information on our complicity in the occupation is http://www.ifamericansknew.org.) Furthermore, because the Israeli government and military use the arms we give them for offensive (rather than defensive) purposes, they are in violation of the US Arms Export Control Act. Our military support of Israel is in violation of this domestic law, as well as international law.
Regarding solutions, the continued stealth of Palestinian land and expansion of illegal Israeli (Jew-only) settlements has made the two-state solution impossible. (There simply is not enough contiguous land to establish a Palestinian state.) In my opinion, resolution is up to the people who live there and the refugees who have the right to return under international law (or in lieu of return, compensation for being displaced). That does not include me; however, I do think the concept of a single, secular, democratic state is a good one, and it is growing in popularity. (Here is only one site that offers information about a one-state solution: http://www.onedemocraticstate.org/.)
If I can offer more information, please let me know! Sincerely, Dahlia
Thank you very much for your reply, you made me see it in another light. Now that you have explained how the U.S. is aiding in this tragedy I agree with you on suspension of U.S. support. Another thing is there are so many solutions that other people can come up with in attempt to resolve this conflict but no matter how many solutions are found none of them will be successful unless the people who are deep down in the conflict decide they want a resolution as well. In this, both sides are required to play their part in the conflict resolution. One thing about conflict resolution it requires things from both parties in the conflict such as collective negotiation, peace building tactics, and diplomacy. Without these coming from both sides, this conflict has been for several decades it will continue for several more decades.
Hello Dr. Dahlia Wasfi,
Thank you for writing such an informative article on the cruelty of the many Palestinians that are currently in Israeli prisons. The fact that they are being treated this way is very inhumane and should be stopped. Another disturbing factor is that there are also so many children detained in these conditions is also very heartbreaking. Thank you again for the awareness.
Thank you for contributing to this blog, Genevieve. I know Dr. Wasfi will appreciate your interest. I hope you will continue to learn about the problems of Palestinians and other maltreated groups in the world today. The Season for Nonviolence begins January 30 and extends for 64 days. I hope you will think about the ways you can contribute to nonviolence and social justice.
Hello Kathiemm,
Thank you for you’re response and informing me on the season for nonviolence. I had no idea that it was an international event that many people take part of. This sounds like something that would be interesting to be involved with and also spead the word. There is so much injustice in this world that it is hard to pick just one to fight against. Often times it may be just easier to spread the peace to everyone one you encounter in order to get the complete vibe accross, and perhaps that little bit of peace will go a long way.
Thank you so much for your reply, Genevieve. I agree that it can be hard t pick just one problem to fight against, especially when there are so many in the world–including our own country.
It can be hard to pick even a bunch of problems to take on. I deal with that all the time. I also agree that choosing a general goal–like nonviolence–could be a good approach to take.
That sort of undertaking can have a very valuable ripple effect–starting with being nonviolent (physically and psychologically) in your own relationships, being a model of nonviolence in your home and community, and signing petititons for nonviolent solutions when those opportunities come your way. Good luck. I would love to hear from you again once we enter into the Season for Nonviolence.
kathie mm
This article was informative. I work with troubled kids and would not wish things like this to happen to them either. I do not like to see kids in such hardship much less adults.
Thanks for your comment, Robin. I imagine that many of the troubled kids with whom you work have seen too much violence of one form or another in the environments in which they live.
Thank you very much, Genevieve, for taking the time to read this article. For more information on how American tax dollars support the ongoing human rights violations of Israeli occupation, please visit http://www.ifamericansknew.org. If I can help you find more information, please let me know! Sincerely, Dahlia
I found your article very interesting. I guess I knew there were things like this going on in the world, I just never wanted to believe it. Seeing it in writing and just makes it more real for individuals, like myself, that do not see these type of conditions (I believe). It also breaks my heart to see that there are any children being help prisoner, let alone so many. With the laws we have in place in the United States, for prisoners, I guess I just cannot imagine seeing prisoners go without food for 96 days or more. I do not believe the United States military is going to help the way it is expected to, with Israeli’s not wanting to make the changes that we think should be implemented and will only further put the United States in debt. You cannot help those that do not want to be helped.
Thank you, Brandy, for your thoughtful response to Dr. Wasfi’s post. We ran a whole series of posts sharing her story with our readers. If you would like to learn more about her, and see a brief video of her testifying before Congress, you can google “engagingpeace.com Dahlia Wasfi” and that will bring you to a lot of her posts. She is a very impressive woman and I think you would find her story fascinating.
Thank you for the opportunity to connect with the readers of this blog.
And thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for reading the article, Brandy, and for sharing your thoughts. For more information on US support of Israel’s occupation of Palestine, please visit http://www.ifamericansknew.org. I’ve shared this link a few times on this thread, but it’s a good one. If you are interested in more information or documentaries on the occupation, please let me know! Sincerely, Dahlia
This article was an eye opener for me. I knew somethings had been going on over there, but I really did not know that things were this bad. The inhumane way that people in the prisons are being treated is so cruel. They are not even being charged for crime. Is it just because they do not want Palestinians in their country at all? Is this a possible reason for the treatment? It is just so hard for me to understand why people would do this to others. It is cruel and unusual punishment. Thank you for writing the article and helping me to understand a little better what goes on there.
Thank you for your comment, Robin. I know Dr. Wasfi will be pleased to know that her article was an eye opener for you. To learn more about what the rest of the world tends to think about the treatment of the Palestinians, you might follow the advise I provide in my comment on her article: “Thanks for your informative post, Dahlia. For readers who are interested in learning more about how the rest of the world regards the plight of Palistinians, here is a good link: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13626-the-world-social-forum-free-palestine-the-case-for-joint-struggle-movements-for-liberation.
The article describes how groups of black, Latino, and human rights activists joined together at the World Social Forum – Free Palestine convention in Brazil in late November 2012 to express solidarity with the Palestinian national liberation movement as well as other social movements.” I also suggest you read the book by former American President Jimmy Carter, Palestine: Peace not Apartheid. (There is a lot of debate about the book within the United States but that does not mean you won’t find it eye-opening too, or at least worthy of your consideration.)
Thank you for your response. I will look into those further to find out more. I am very interested in what is trying to be done to stop this kind of treatment for those people. I do not like to see anyone go through that.
I agree with you Robin, this article really was an eye opener I myself did not know the extent of this issue till I read this article. I was appalled to read some of the violations and crimes they committed against their prisoners. I was even more shocked that they kept and more than likely treated children in the same way and held people without charges. As I stated in my post, you know things are bad when the prisoners go on strike. Now the organization trying to turn the situation around is locked up. I don’t think there is and good reasons or justifications for what Israel did in this situation. They are only making themselves look worse in the eyes of the rest of the world. I just don’t understand what they are doing or why?
I think you are right, Khrysteena, that violations of human rights and inhumane behavior always make the perpetrators look worse in the eyes of the rest of the world, and one has to wonder about the long-term impact of the suspicion and distrust generated in situations like that.
One good documentary that I’ve found helpful in understanding the occupation of Palestine in the context of history is “Occupation 101″ and you can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jvXnPG9Xc
Dear Robin–
Thank you so much for reading this article and giving such thoughtful consideration to the information presented. You rightfully ask why Palestinians experience such inhumane treatment: “Is it just because they do not want Palestinians in their country at all? Is this a possible reason for the treatment?” The answer is yes. Israel exists as an apartheid state comparable to apartheid South Africa of the late 1940s through the early 1990s. There are different rights afforded to individuals based on their ethnicity/ religion/ race: Israeli Jews have more rights than Israeli Arabs; European Jews are treated differently (better) than African Jews; even under occupation, Palestinian Christians can have different treatment from Palestinian Muslims (e.g. being granted permission to travel to Jerusalem to worship). The State of Israel was established by a campaign of ethnic cleansing that began in the 1940s and continues through today. In 1948, more than 700,000 Palestinian men, women, and children were displaces from their homes in historic Palestine. A good resource for this history (just one of many) is Israeli scholar Ilan Pappe’s book, “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine.” If you would like to see any articles on the nature of apartheid in Israel, please let me know; I’m happy to post some links. Sincerely, Dahlia
I found this article interesting and informative, the article does show that the protestors have a good reason to ask for human rights. Although I believe that stopping aid to Isreal from the U.S. is not the answer, it is clear that a dedicated leader from both sides could prove to help ease the tensions on both sides. The conflict between the two have been present for some time now. It is clear that Isreal along with any one in the world should recognize human rights, even when theose humans are prisoners. The hunger stike shows the need for action to take place.
Thank you for your comment, Eddie. Your suggestion that dedicated leaders from each side work together to help ease tensions reminds me of an earlier post by Dr. Majed Ashy, in which he recommends bringing together people from around the world who are known for their wisdom: http://engagingpeace.com/?p=4907. You can read more posts by him and by Dr. Dahlia Wasfi by googling engagingpeace.com and then each of their names (in separate searches). I hope you will find more interesting and informative posts that way.
Hi Eddie–Thank you so much for reading the article and sharing your thoughts. I would like to ask you why you believe that stopping military aid to Israel is not the answer.
I agree with you that strong leadership from both sides could bring the conflict closer to resolution. However, peace talks are often mediated by the United States, which as a strong supporter of Israel is anything but an impartial third party. I believe resolution will come when respect for international law and the Declaration of Human Rights comes into play.
I look forward to your thoughts! Many thanks, Dahlia
Hello Dahlia,
Yes the United States has played the big brother when it comes to peace talks with other nation in attempt to get them to see a western view of human rights. I do find it amusing at times since we still struggle with this issue at home still. The issue with both sides is a delicate one since the conflict has been going on for so long that there is little room for either side to trust one another, Israel has been a good allies, and stopping military support I believe could be seen by different enemies of Israel as a chance to start a conflict without the U.S. ally. Then the U.S. could be in a position to not be able to help as it looks like it is supporting the wrong thing. Talks from the U.S. can help the situation as Israel might listen more to an ally then a nation it is in conflict with, although stopping any aid would not be a sound idea since I believe it could back us into a corner that would be hard to get out of.
Dear Eddie–I’m not sure what you mean by “a western view of human rights.” In light of European and American history of ethnic cleansing, genocide, slavery, and colonialism, we don’t seem to know anything about human rights. (Your next sentence does acknowledge that “we still struggle with this issue at home…”)
I also want to challenge the idea that Israel has been a good ally. For one example, please look into the June 8, 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty (a good documentary, “Dead in the Water” made by the BBC can be seen here: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5073.htm).
Furthermore, we are the world’s only superpower, with the world’s strongest military force. We illegally invaded Iraq without any other nation stopping us, so I disagree with the sentiment that we could be backed into a corner.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” So shouldn’t we do the right thing?
Dear Dahlia. Thank you so much for providing the link for the documentary “Dead in the Water.” We often need to go beyond the American mainstream corporate America to gain a more informative picture of the US–and, in some cases, of its allies. Thanks also for your quote from Martin Luther King on this Martin Luther King day when we mourn the loss of that great moral leader. Please check out this very brief youtube message from MLK’s daughter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjwznjQvLR8&feature=youtu.be
as well as this article from today’s Guaradian concerning MLK: http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/282-98/15646-focus-mlks-vehement-condemnations-of-us-militarism
Thank you so much for these links.
This article was very intriguing because I personally did not realize what exactly was going on, and how “people” were being treated. When you think of prisoners you think of people who have committed a crime… In this case the people who are prisoners are being detained because they decided to speak up and stand up to those being treated like animals. The prisoners are actually trying to reveal the true criminals and because they have certain beliefs and morals they are being shunned upon. The article mentioned about the soccer player on his way home and then being detained without food for months just because he is Palestinian. The Israelite’s began imprisoning political Palestinians and are now detaining anyone who comes through that may play a part in standing up against them. The end of the article mentioned that the United States should cut their ties with them but is that safe? If the US cuts ties with the Israelite that could cause the US more problems than what it is already facing.
Hi Amanda. You are right: Generally, when people hear that someone has been arrested, they think of someone who has committed a crime and is therefore a criminal. And you are right that sometimes people are arrested for speaking up against unjust institutions and power structures. Our forefathers understood this problme well and built into our Constitution a structure for maintaining a balance of power and procedures for correcting laws and practices that may be unjust. Sometimes the person committing a crime is more moral than people who go along with unjust laws. Some very famous strongly ethical people in this country have been arrested for protesting against unjust laws—think of Martin Luther King, Father Daniel Berrigan, Noam Chomsky. You might find this review about Chomsky’s new book, Occupy, of interest: http://thecoffinfactory.com/review-occupy-by-noam-chomsky/ . Chomsky devoted the book to the 6,707 people arrested as of May 2012 for their support of the Occupy movement.
In my first reply I was all for cutting support to Israel but you have a good point, that decision would be a difficult one to make. There is no telling how it will affect either side positively or negatively. But something needs to be done to stop these horrible acts against humanity and the rights of the prisoners. For every action there is a consequence whether for the good or bad, as Addameer found out the hard way. Good intentions and actions do not always receive good responses, but I’m sure Addameer knew what they were up against. One can only hope this can be resolved in a peaceful matter and no more suffering caused.
Hi Khrysteena–In case you don’t see my reply to Amanda, I want to offer you the same comparison and get your thoughts on it. I wrote to her, “To put cutting US aid to Israel in a different light, a worldwide boycott was imposed on South Africa in order to force the government to change their racist system of apartheid during the 1980s. At that time, South Africa similarly imprisoned political activists, including Steven Biko and Nelson Mandela. Today, Israel practices discrimination against non-Jews similar to the racial discrimination in apartheid South Africa. I see it as our responsibility to stop supporting such unjust regimes. Your thoughts?” I hope to hear back from you. Many thanks, Dahlia
Dear Amanda–Thank you very much for reading the article and sharing your thoughts. Just to clarify, the young soccer player was detained without charge, and when his detention was repeatedly extended, he went on hunger strike to protest the injustice of his imprisonment.
To put cutting US aid to Israel in a different light, a worldwide boycott was imposed on South Africa in order to force the government to change their racist system of apartheid during the 1980s. At that time, South Africa similarly imprisoned political activists, including Steven Biko and Nelson Mandela. Today, Israel practices discrimination against non-Jews similar to the racial discrimination in apartheid South Africa. I see it as our responsibility to stop supporting such unjust regimes. Your thoughts?
Many thanks for your consideration, Dahlia
This article is very interesting. i always hear that things are going on around the world, but we as human tend to ignore it because it is not happening in the city or state we live in. but thanks to this article one can step in those prisoner shoes and imagine what it feels like not to eat for a period of 96 days. i can not go a day without having something in my system. it is sad to hear but true that some people abuse our human rights. human rights are the virtue of being human beings. the government of that city has to put a stop, that is his job to have his city well educated and respect his citizens’ human rights.
Thanks for your comment, Michael. I particularly like your reference to putting yourself in the shoes of the hunger strikers. Putting yourself in the shoes of the other is a good step towards living by the ethic of reciprocity, which we often discuss in this blog. See, for example, http://engagingpeace.com/?p=109 and http://engagingpeace.com/?p=2208 .
Human Rights is one of the most important right that a human being can hold. There is nothing worst then being mistreated and disrespected by another human being. We are all human, prisoners or not, rich or poor, smart or non-intelligent; we have the right of dignity and to be treated rightfully wherever we may be in the world, in whatever situation it might be.
Very well said, Renaldo. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml) and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrights/resources/child.asp) were passed by the UN General Assembly in order to protect these rights. We have a long way to go to fulfill these rights.
I found this article to be very informative. I think it is truly sad that of those prisoners so many are children. I wasn’t aware of this issue in that area. I think that due to all the other obstacles that are happening in those areas, people/ government tend to forget about other underlying issues such as this one. This is a serious Human rights violation and hopefully it gets investigated further.
Thank you, Viktorya, for reading and for your compassion. Sincerely, Dahlia
Thank you for such an informative article! It is sad and disturbing to learn that people would treat others in such an inhumane manner, and the worst part is that children are being made to suffer the same as adults. I believe that many people are not aware of the extent of the conditions that these people and children are being put in. I would like to think that if more people in the world were made aware of what exactly is happening, there might be more of an effort to appeal to the governments around the world to take action, or cease providing aide.
Thank you for your comments, Jennifer. I don’t want to switch focus away from this critically important issue regarding the treatment of Palestinians, and in this case Palestinian political prisoners, but I think your important emphasis on making people aware of particular injustices applies to problems right here within the United States–including the ill-conceived and ill-fated “war on drugs.” I recommend your viewing the trailer for the new documentary, “The house I live in” ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0atL1HSwi8 ).
When you talked about the children being made to suffer the same as the adults it really made me hurt inside because I feel so sorry for those innocent children. Then I begin to think about how those kids (if it only goes as far as them being imprisoned and not death) this process is damaging to their social cognition and social perception. This is because through all of this their only interaction with people is the hurtful people that they are used to seeing on a daily. So these children are storing all of this information in and its causing them to develop the thought pattern that most people in the world are like these people. Now at that point their social perception has been damaged because their impressions or judgment of Israelies and other groups will be damaged for life causing a cycle of violence because when they grow up they will look to fight against the same people all of their lives.
Dear Tae. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. The connection you make to the development of social cognition and social perception is very important!
I hope you will read today’s post by Dr. Majed Ashy, in which he talks about how child maltreatment can affect the development of the brain. GIven that the brain is
the organ that allows social cognition to function, any effects of abuse on the brain are likely to affect lots of ways of thinking and feeling. There is clear evidence
of a cycle of violence in regard to abuse, but there is also very strong evidence that not everyone gets caught up in that cycle. In regard to child abuse, it seems to
be about 30% of abused children who go on to become abusers themselves. I believe that many members of hate groups have been abused as children, but even some of them
can recover from hate. Please read my post on the topic: http://engagingpeace.com/?p=5268
Thank you, Tae, for your perceptive insight about damage to “social cognition and social perception.” I want to share with you this 8 minute video from The Real News Network about the psychological impact of Israel’s recent military assault on children. “Operation Pillar of Cloud” was an eight day assault on Gaza by the Israeli military in November 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmKp58OkmUQ
I’m not sure why the Real News video disappeared. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V46LtPueEq0
Dear Jennifer–I really appreciate reading your compassionate post. Your desire to see change come reminds me of the sentiments expressed by Rachel Corrie in one of her last emails to her mother. Rachel was a 23-year-old college student who went to occupied Palestine to practice civil disobedience in defense of international law. On February 27, 2003, as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement in Gaza, she wrote the following:
“…Anyway, I’m rambling. Just want to write to my Mom and tell her that I’m witnessing this chronic, insidious genocide and I’m really scared, and questioning my fundamental belief in the goodness of human nature. This has to stop. I think it is a good idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this stop. I don’t think it’s an extremist thing to do anymore. I still really want to dance around to Pat Benatar and have boyfriends and make comics for my coworkers. But I also want this to stop…” (http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/rachel/emails)
Just over two weeks later, on March 16, 2003, Rachel stood in front of the home of a Palestinian pharmacist to prevent its demolition (with the family inside). A 60-ton militarized Caterpillar bulldozer driven by two Israeli soldiers ran over her. The soldiers kept the blade of the machine down and backed up over her again. She died hours later.
Rachel remains one of my greatest inspirations.
As I remarked earlier, what is happening to these Palistinian children and people is horrible; however, on the other side of the coin, has anyone thought of the imprisoned Israelis?This is a war between these two cultures, there is most definately Israeli PoWs being held by Palistinians as well. How are they being treated? What are their living conditions like? Are there Israeli children being held captive as well? There is always two sides to every story, and war. And in war, both sides do things that they would otherwise never conceive of doing. So does anyone know what the conditions are, and what the demographics are of the Israeli PoWs being held by the Palistinians?
There are exactly 0 (zero) Israeli prisoners detained by Palestinians. These are not two equal sides in a war. The Israelis have a very sophisticated army, navy, and air force, backed by the strongest military and superpower in the world, the United States. The Palestinians have NO army, NO air defense, not even bomb shelters. The conflict in Israel-Palestine is one of aggressor and victim. Here is a graphic and breakdown of prisoners: http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stats/prisoners.html
Thank you for the link, Dahlia. For readers who are interested, that site also has some short videos providing moving interviews with former Palestinian prisoners.
Two more political prisoners as of January 19, 2013, on of them 18 months old.
From Mondoweiss.net: “This video has become viral in the hours since it was posted yesterday by a Taayush activist named Guy.”
“Reema and her 18 months old baby girl, Quamar were arrested earlier today at Umm Al Arayes, South Hebron hills, upon Reema’s arrival to cultivate her family’s land. As of now, Mother and daughter are still held at the Hebron Police Station and apparently, the station’s policemen insists on them having to spend the night in custody.” (January 19, 2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tuuC6XBkxX8
This article has my brain spinning with many thoughts regarding this apparent “never-ending” war between these two groups. Obviously the Israeli forces were following orders to invade the Palestinian civil society organizations in an attempt to hinder efforts to support the Palestinian prisoners, and to eliminate any evidence the organization had regarding the violations against human rights. This clearly shows that the Palestinian prisoners’ human rights are violated within the prison, otherwise there would be no reason for Israeli forces to try and hide it. Why is it that Israel has not been forced to adhere and conform to international humanitarian law?
Despite the obvious obedience the Israeli forces exhibit toward their command, it also appears that these forces are enjoying the destruction they cause, to Palestinian organizations and Palestinian prisoners. This is concerning considering this conflict between the Palestinians and Israeli’s has carried on for decades. At this point we are viewing the wrath of a whole new generation of Israeli soldiers. The disturbing part of this is the attitudes, judgments, and beliefs each of these groups hold for one another is a direct reflection of the socializing experiences they received from the elders within their own ethnic group. Their social cognitions are molded by the generations before them. How is it possible to resolve the conflict between the Israeli’s and Palestinians if their social perceptions of one another are not changed? What we will have is a continuous conflict that does not end until one group is completely annihilated by the other.
Is it possible that this is the reason Palestinian children are Israeli prisoners? Is it an attempt to enforce conformity and obedience to the Israeli cause by changing the social cognition of the Palestinian children to coincide with Israeli perception? Something to consider….
Thanks for your comment, Sherryl. You ask why Israel has not been forced to adhere and conform to international humanitarian law? One of the problems is that there is no effective system for enforcing respect for international law. There is an International Court of Justice, which you may want to read about further. Here is one excerpt from Wikipedia about it: “After the court ruled that the U.S.’s covert war against Nicaragua was in violation of international law (Nicaragua v. United States), the United States withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction in 1986. The United States accepts the court’s jurisdiction only on a case-by-case basis.[3″ Former President George W. Bush avoids going to a number of countries for fear of being arrested for violations of international law–particularly the role of his government in the torture of prisoners in a number of different places in the world. How do we get the United States government to conform to principles of international humanitarian law? If we can figure that out, maybe we will have a good basis for convincing other governments of the importance of those laws.
I think you are right that both Palestinians and Israelis are exposed to socialization experiences that influence how they think about each other, but it is also important to recognize the role that many of the leaders in both countries play in the development of social cognitions. It is also important to recognize that many Israelis, like many Palestinians, have moral values that support their efforts towards a just peace.
Agreed, Kathie. The US escapes accountability to international law and uses its veto power as a member of the UN Security Council to offer political protection to itself, Israel, and historically, apartheid South Africa. Here is a list of UN resolutions vetoed by the US between 1972 and 2011: http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/4237/us-on-un-veto_disgusting-shameful-deplorable-a-tra (I did not pick the title to the article, but I think the list speaks for itself.)
I completely understand what you are saying in regard to the U.S. not adhering to the international humanitarian laws. Considering that the U.S is considered a powerful nation, it makes sense that the U.S. should be a role model for other nations in that regard. Apparently we (the U.S) only adhere to international law when it is accommodating to our cause. From what I have researched, the U.S. has a “special” relationship with Israel. The U.S. government sees Israel as an essential ally in the Middle East. We currently have military command post in Israel, which gives the U.S. an advantage when it comes to conflict with other countries in that area. U.S relations with Israel are extremely important (according to Congress) to strengthen our presence in the Middle East. This is stated in the website http://www.policyalmanac.org/world/archive/crs_israeli-us_relations.shtml
It is also apparent that the U.S. believes that acquiring oil from this nation is essential as well.
I suppose that it is aggravating to me that any nation (including the U.S.) believes that they are above international law. However, as we have witnessed….this is the case.
You mentioned that the leaders of these ethnic groups play a major role in influencing the development of social cognition. I definitely agree. So how is resolution reached? What steps can be taken to change the perceptions these leaders have and create harmony among the Israeli’s and Palestinians? Honestly, I believe that it is a question, or implementation, of power. The Israeli’s want to exert power over the Palestinians by forcing them to comply by leaving their homes and moving elsewhere. The Palestinians are attempting to hold their positions (their land and homes) because it is their right. Where or how can we reach a resolution?
Great thoughts and questions, Sherryl. From here in the US, tragically, our tax dollars help fund the oppression of the Palestinian people. The US government provides Israel with around $3billion worth of hard-earned American tax dollars for military aid every year. We are violating international law by funding Israel’s illegal occupation, and we could certainly use that money here at home. One prominent group working to change our policies is the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (www.endtheoccupation.org). It’s a good starting place and source of resources and information, in my opinion. Sincerely, Dahlia
I also wanted to suggest this video. It is 28 minutes, and I am sure your schedule is very full, but I think it is an important perspective. This is an interview with Israeli Miko Peled whose father was a general in the Israeli Army. If you have time, the video (which describes his book which I think is now available) is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4ZfnpN4Dfc
Hi Dahlia
Could you repost the video? I cannot acces it.
Hi Sherryl, sorry for the trouble. The video of Miko Peled titled “The General’s Son” can be found on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4ZfnpN4Dfc If that doesn’t work, you can find it on the right side of the page here (after scrolling down a bit): http://thegeneralsson.com/ Let me know if you still have trouble accessing it. Thank you for your interest! Dahlia
Hi Dahlia, thanks for sharing the video for Sherryl to see. I also took the time to watch the video of the interview with Mike Peled and it definitely broke my heart to hear the horrific tragedies palestinians had to and currently go through. I think that there are many people out there that do not take the time to hear what is going on in places other than our own. To just imagine what mothers had to feel and go through just to protect their children is unimaginable. Being a mother of young children I could not imagine living in such fear of their lives and not being able to keep them safe. We are to protect them but when people take that from us then how then do we make it safe for our children?
In this interview, if I understood correctly, he did make a point that people try to hang on to their way of life and are not wanting to give up their control which is why there is a lot of terrorism occuring. There is no excuse regardless but I think that violence does happen because of control and those not wanting to give it up but how does one small group such as palestinians fight a bigger group such as Isreali’s without tragedies occuring but even if they did would there be success because of the lack of army the Palestinian’s have? It also all seems like a viscious cycle. The Isreali men and women are taught at a young age through the Zionist education system that the Palestinian life is worthless, which is the reason they can be so willing to be visciously brutal even towards children. Then those children grow to be Isreali soldiers and then their children are taught the same and go through the cycle. How then do we break this or is it even possible to break the beliefs of their culture? Do we know what happens if one does go against their beliefs? I can only imagine the worst for them.
Hi Trisha–Thank you very much for your thoughtful consideration of this post and the Miko Peled interview. I think he was saying that those who live with privilege and power want to keep living with privilege and power. They want to maintain their way of life regardless of who is harmed because of it (because often, privilege and power are obtained by denying rights to others). Such privileged people–like Peled’s examples of whites in South Africa and whites in the Jim Crow South–will go to extreme lengths, often using violence, to hold on to their privilege. (Actually, I think of the same principle when I see the levels of security in Washington, DC during an anti-war protest.) Ending such unjust systems is only the beginning of the efforts towards peace. Then the really hard work begins to gain acceptance for a new, equitable way of life. But for now, you are right, Palestinians continue to be brutally victimized by Israeli occupation.
In terms of breaking the cycle of violence and dehumanization from generation to generation, I think you will very much appreciate this 8 minute clip. It shows the response of a group of Israeli teenagers to the documentary “Five Broken Cameras.”
http://www.indiegogo.com/5bcyouth
More on the documentary can be found on this Engaging Peace post: http://engagingpeace.com/?p=6000
Another example of going against the grain is the movement of Israeli youth refusing to serve in the Israeli Army. There is more on these conscientious objectors–the “shministim”–here: http://december18th.org/
Thank you for your thoughtful post, Sherryl. Here is another type of socializing experience…nightly house raids and theft of property by Israeli forces. this particular house had only women and children, since the elderly woman’s son was already detained. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7sH0vFg6eU Israeli soldiers do this to Palestinian families; there are no Palestinian soldiers; they do not exist and there are no nightly raids of Israeli homes.
Also, I see imprisonment of children as a tactic to encourage Palestinians to leave their land. If I were detained as a child, I don’t think I would embrace the paradigm of my jailers.
This video was disturbing, to say the least. Again, this is an exertion of power (in my opinion). The Israeli’s are clearly showing that they have the “power” to invade homes and steal personal property at will. This saddens me….especially for the children that were victims of this raid. This is most definitely a form of social experiences. I can only imagine what the children see when things like this take place. Soldiers dressed in full uniform (carrying assault weapons) invading their homes in the middle of the night and taking whatever they deem fit. This paints a negative image of Israeli soldiers (justly I must say) that is difficult to overcome. These children grow up remembering images such as these. I would imagine that if I were a child that endured such harassment I would veer my life around redemption or revenge. This is the problem….how can this conflict ever be resolved when things like this continue to take place. Is it possible to change the social perception these children have in regard to the Israeli’s?
I do see how the imprisonment of children could be a tactic to encourage Palestinians to leave their land. In all honesty, if my child was victim to this I would do whatever it took to get my child back!
You stated “If I were detained as a child, I don’t think I would embrace the paradigm of my jailers.” I can see this as a true statement for many children. Some of these children will hold animosity for all of their lives (and possibly forever plan revenge tactics). However, the ages of the children are important here. A child who is extremely young could be brain washed over the years to believe in the Israeli cause. This may sound farfetched but is possible….Your Thoughts?
Hi Sherryl–You wrote, “Is it possible to change the social perception these children have in regard to the Israelis?” These children face danger, humiliation, and oppression from the Israeli occupation every day of their lives, and they are often witness to the suffering and loss of friends and family members. I believe that their social perception can change when they no longer have to suffer like this. That is, their social perception can change when the illegal occupation is brought to an end and their human rights are respected. When they can meet an Israeli and be respected as an equal, the paradigm will change. For now, there is the power differential that you thoughtfully described.
I suppose it is possible that, as you wrote, “A child who is extremely young could be brain washed over the years to believe in the Israeli cause.” But I think it’s difficult to convince someone that subjugation is good for them. Palestinians living within what is officially known as the State of Israel are not afforded the same rights as Jews in Israel; Palestinians living under occupation are victimized even more.
Though you were describing the effects on very young children, I want to share with you this article that documents the experiences of a 14-year-old and 15-year-old detained by the Israeli Army:
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/adri-nieuwhof/half-israels-palestinian-child-prisoners-are-held-illegally-outside-west-bank?utm_source=EI+readers&utm_campaign=61400b8a14-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email
I see your point.
Honestly, I do not believe that changing the social perception these Palestinian children have of the Israeli’s will be an easy task. These children experience brutality and atrocities, and witness such things done to their friends and close family members day after day. We are talking about experiences and images etched into their memories, quite possibly for life. Even after (or if) the illegal occupation of the Israeli’s in their land comes to an end, the children who were subjected to these things will harbor the horrible memories. It is possible that they may learn to forgive, but forgetting is another matter.
The article regarding the 14-year-old and 15-year-old prisoners was horrifying. They were treated worse than animals. No one should have to endure such treatment, especially not children. If they were subjected to this abuse in the very beginning of their arrest (unjust arrests) I can only imagine what they are enduring on a daily basis.
With things like this (and I am sure much worse) continuing to occur every day, how is it possible to ever resolve this conflict? Is resolution only possible through Palestinian submission? If they did submit to the Israeli cause, would the brutality against them continue?
If the powerful nations around the world stood up and demanded the Israeli’s adhere to international law wouldn’t that cause an even larger conflict?
Thanks very much for your thoughtful post, Sherryl. As Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” (Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963). I see it as our obligation to bring Israeli oppression (among others existing in today’s world) to an end, especially because we are a party to that oppression. Israeli crimes are our crimes, since we fund them with over $3 billion in military aid every year. In addition to cutting US military aid, a powerful global movement for justice in Palestine is the boycott-divestment-sanctions (BDS) movement. The BDS movement was a critical part of ending apartheid in South Africa, and it is gaining momentum to bring an end to Israeli apartheid as well. You can find out more at http://www.bdsmovement.net/ The US is a powerful nation, and in my opinion, ending injustice will bring us closer to peace, not further away from it.
Thank you, Dahlia, for reminding our readers about the role of international pressure in the end of apartheid in South Africa. Many people believed that the White majority would never hand over any power to the Black majority, but they were proved wrong. How horrifying it would be if the world just gave up everytime some nation or group said they were going to bar another group forever from their historic lands.
What is Palestine’s law on human rights violations and ill treatment of prisoners? Can you give me any information regarding other attempts by the army to harrass other organizations?
Hi Bobbie–I hope I’m understanding your first question correctly. Because the West Bank and Gaza are under military occupation, I believe that Israel’s human rights violations and ill treatment of Palestinian prisoners fall under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/full/380). This convention has clauses applying to occupied territories. Please let me know if I can clarify further or if I misunderstood.
For your second question, there are countless incidents of harassment by the Israeli military over decades of invasion and occupation. I did an internet search for “israeli army harassment palestinians” and numerous hits came up. For a more focused examination, you may be interested in a 2002 documentary by the National Lawyers Guild entitled “In the Name of Security.” This film documents harassment of the general civilian population under Israeli occupation, but as I recall, it includes documentation of harm to Palestinian civil organizations and their offices. (http://www.palestineonlinestore.com/OLD/films/inthenameofsecurity.htm)
Dear Bobbie–I just came across this recent news item describing the arrest of the “Stop the Wall” youth coordinator, Hassan Karajah, from his home in the West Bank in the middle of the night.
http://www.grassrootsonline.org/news/blog/stop-wall-youth-coordinator-arrested-repression-continues
I also wonder how any would could begin to find help for these individuals. The torture and harsh surroundings of these people is unreal. Why do we not hear more about a cause to free these children and people being tormented? I wonder if there was direct cause and demand on this nation some this would stop or if it would only cause more fighting?
Hi Tammy–Thank you for your comment and I apologize for my late reply. I think that we hear so little about Palestinian suffering because the US government is contributing to it with its financial, military, and political support of Israel. And we blindly support Israel in violation of domestic and international law because that supports our own economic “superpower” agenda. Palestinians are the largest refugee population in the world today, and a separate United Nations agency was established to try to serve their needs (UNRWA http://www.unrwa.org/). But the greatest help for Palestinians is to end the US-funded Israeli occupation and allow the refugees to return home (a right guaranteed by international law, specifically UN General Assembly Resolution 194).
This article was very interesting. I can not believe how many children are held prisoner to their own culture and countries. They are asked to fight at a young age but they have no idea why they are fighting and what they are fighting for. They are told to take a gun and shoot whomever they need to in order to survive. Why is it that at a young age children are being put in that position to do something they fully do not understand?
Thanks for your comment, Caitlin. Through much of human history, in many parts of the world, children were considered to be the property of their parents and were expected to earn their keep.
One interesting essay on child abuse throughout history was written by LLoyd deMause, and can be found at
http://www.psychohistory.com/htm/05_history.html .
We do not have such a good record on treating children well here in the U.S. (see http://engagingpeace.com/?p=5892 ) but equally shocking is the idea of training children to kill other human beings–including, some times, their own parents. The use of children as soldiers violates the United Nations’ doctrine on the rights of children, but obviously the practice persists in many areas of armed conflict. People in power who want to maintain their power at all costs often do so not just by dehumanizing the enemy but by infrahumanizing their own people, including children, viewing them merely as tools for promoting their own goals, and as cannon fodder if necessary.
Just to clarify for this particular article, Palestinian children are being detained by the Israeli occupying army. This is not an issue of children soldiers but children being victimized by Israel’s systematic oppression.