[After a 3-week visit to the Holy Land, the representatives of a group of Christian relief agencies have issued a report sharply criticizing the Israeli government for its treatment of Palestinian civilians. The text of the group's statement follows.]
>From September 27 until October 16, 2000, we-- the Middle East representatives of Bread for the World (Germany), Christian Aid (UK), Church of Sweden Aid, DanChurchAid (Denmark), EZE (Germany), ICCO (Netherlands) and InterChurch Action (Canada)-- visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
We visited the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Arab-populated areas in Israel and spoke extensively with partner organizations, members of churches and church-related organizations, members of Palestinian and Israeli human- rights organizations, medical personnel who were eye-witnesses to the violence, as well as victims of the violence.
The most vivid impression was the fear we observed in ordinary Palestinian people. They fear the excessive violence of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and they fear violence from armed Israeli settlers and civilians- under the protection of the Israeli army and border police-- directed not against street protests but against people going about their daily lives.
We witnessed the impact of the violence on Palestinian children-- not only numbers of children killed or injured-- but also the psychological after- effects. Many of our partners are preparing counseling sessions for children to cope with nightmares and traumatic experiences.
The portrayal of these events in the media fails to reflect many aspects of what we witnessed and heard. By demanding a "cease-fire" the impression is created that there are simply two armed parties that receive orders to fight and that can also be ordered to stop. This is not the case, on one side is the sophisticated Israeli army and on the other, predominantly Palestinian civilians and some police and militia members with small arms.
However, partners also expressed their concerns about some specific acts of violence carried out by Palestinians, specifically the destruction of Joseph's Tomb and the mob deaths of two soldiers in Ramallah. Partners highlighted the negative impact such actions have on world opinion, making it possible for the media to talk about violence on both sides and equate what has happened to the Israelis with the vastly greater violence done to Palestinians.
We met with Israeli partners who are committed to peace, equality, and justice.We stand by them at a time when they are facing isolation within Israel and even direct threats against them.They are encouraging us to take an active role in advocacy to promote the idea that peace can only be achieved through respect for international law.
We share with our partners their uncertainty for the future of their ongoing economic and social development work. Once again long-term programs aimed at improving the lives of those most in need of new prospects and stabililty have been thwarted by yet another crisis. We must remain open to providing support as it is most needed by local partners as they adapt to the present situation, including providing emergency funds, changing project goals or redirecting resources.
In our view, the present events mark a turning point in terms of the peace process. It will be impossible to return to the Oslo framework. We are convinced that at the core of a just peace must be self-determination and independence for all Palestinians. We also stress the need to continue working alongside our Jewish and Palestinian Israeli counterparts as they work to build a more equitable democratic state.
Findings:
Since the violence began, the IDF has been deploying excessive and totally disproportionate force against street demonstrations comprising mainly unarmed Palestinian civilians. The IDF crossed the line from controlling demonstrators-- for which it could have used tear gas, water canons, or avoiding direct confrontations to prevent violence-- to waging war using sharpshooters, tanks, helicopter gunships, and naval bombardment.
The most urgent need is to stop the killing and give protection to the Palestinians. The unequal forces involved are reflected in the number of deaths and injured on both sides. While a total of 5 Israelis have died in the violence-- 4 of them soldiers-- as of October 19, a total of 97 Palestinians were killed, including 29 children under the age of 15, and 4,044 injured including 1,148 children. Most casualties have injuries to the head and other upper parts of the body, demonstrating a "shoot-to-kill or do maximum harm" policy of the Israeli army. Many of the injuries are serious, involving the loss of eyes and limbs and brain damage.
A further dangerous escalation of the violence is the attacks being carried out by armed Jewish settlers and Jewish-Israelis on Palestinian homes and Palestinian civilians including children. Several Palestinians have been killed by Jewish settlers. The perpetrators are Israeli citizens and the Israeli government should be held accountable for their actions.
Palestinians in the occupied territories are asking for a normal life and freedom from fear. The seven years of the Oslo process have not brought this normality. Israel has continued to dominate in most spheres of life and to impede freedom of movement. Only 11 per cent of the West Bank and 60 percent of the Gaza Strip have been transferred to full Palestinian control. Since 1993, Palestinians have witnessed the inexorable expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. As of last year, there were 158 settlements in the West Bank, at least 16 in East Jerusalem and 19 in Gaza with a total population of 364,000.
In the current crisis, every village and town has been cut off, making travel between regions impossible. This closure has a severe impact on the health system, the transport of food and other supplies, and exacerbates the high unemployment and economic stagnation that already characterize the territories.
Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up 20 percent of the total population, have reacted with the shock and bewilderment at being fired on by their own police force, leaving 13 dead and over 500 injured. They have also been attacked by armed Jewish Israeli civilians. There have been hundreds of arrests of Palestinian citizens who are being held without charge or bail.
Palestinians everywhere have responded to this crisis with an increased show of unity, and especially greater mutual support between Palestinians in the occupied territories, inside Israel and in Lebanon. This has become an uprising for Palestinian independence, the implementation of the right of return for Palestinian refugees and the creation of a Palestinian state comprising of all territory of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Conclusions
Frequent visits to the region and discussions with our partners over the years since 1993 led us to warn that the Oslo process was fatally flawed and that it failed to address basic issues necessary to achieve a just peace. The Palestinian people have expressed once again their frustration over the ongoing occupation. The recent events have hardened the view among Palestinians that all Israeli settlements must be completed dismantled.
A major danger is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over land and peace could turn into a broader Western/Israeli-Palestinian/Arab/Muslim conflict or even war over religion that neither side could win, and that would result in further and more widespread bloodshed.
The international community including Canada, the European Union and its member-states must share responsibility for the failure of the Oslo peace process. They have allowed Israel to continue with its settlement policy and have failed to put pressure on Israel to implement UN resolutions 194, 242, and 338.
Palestinians genuinely desire peace but a new and broader framework for negotiations is needed.This includes a much more prominent political role for the European Union and Canada since the US cannot be considered an 'honest broker' between the parties. The negotiations should focus on how to implement UN resolutions and the outcome should not be dependent on the balance of power between parties to the negotiations.
CWN - Catholic World News
1. november 2000