Arrests Made At SF Protest At Jewish Community Federation

[Tom Joad]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Police arrested 14 men and women Tuesday after they blocked the doors of the Jewish Community Federation in downtown San Francisco in protest of U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts.

Bound together by ropes and metal tubing, six of the protesters sat directly in front of the building's glass doors, which had been covered by adhesive posters and handbills.
<snip>
"We're appalled by what we're seeing happening in Lebanon and Palestine," Litman said. "Killing civilians, attacking government institutions and destroying the infrastructure of modern society is an immoral course of action that will ensure security for no one."

http://www.ktvu.com/news/9720578/detail.html

And check out the photos!
http://freckle.blogs.com/

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Good!

[IntiRaymi]

21. Why is it good to arrest people engaging in typical American politics?

Can you explain that to me?

[Behind the Aegis]

23. That is not "typical American politics."

Protesting is one thing, interfering with business is another. Besides, if they want to make a political statement, stop harassing Jewish community centers and chain themselves to the Israeli embassy or consulates.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IntiRaymi]

28. Yes, this is typical american politics.

I live here, and I see this happening quite often.
In fact, businesses and organizations that engage in practices that are disagreed with are often targeted for protests.

[Behind the Aegis]

37. It is not typical.

It is illegal to block businesses. Thus, they were arrested and I say, "Good!" I live in the States as well, and am quite familiar with a legitimate protest and crap like this. They want to protest, get a permit and march. Better yet, why don't they take their butts down and protest at the Israeli consulate, as opposed to Jewish centers. What's next? Tying oneself to the doors of synagogues? I am hoping you won't find that action "typical" or legal!

[IntiRaymi]

58. It is certainly typical, and this is not crap.

I have seen people blocking, say, Gap stores for gentrifying neighborhoods. Now, if a group of people can see it fit to block a business for doing something as comparatively mild as gentrifying, then I can 100% understand the motivations of these protestors.
They are within their rights to protest whomever they damn well please.
As a bit of homework to you, read Henry David Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience.' No Cliff Notes allowed.
*****
On a related note, what is your take on Free Speech Zones?
My impression is that you are all about the sacred cows. In fact, it would appear that you are willing to place the ability of a jewish business/interest group to operate unimpeded by the opinion of the public, over that of free speech.
And that - to me - is a dangerous direction to be going in.

[Lithos]

2. Disgusting

If they are opposed, why don't they go after the Israeli embassy? A Jewish Community Federation center or a synagogue are NOT Israeli embassies. All this does is perpetuate a rather bad and bigoted stereotype.

L-

[Tom Joad]

3. Your confusing organizations. What the JCRC does.

It is not, as some might suppose, some apolitical gathering place for all Jewish people. It is very political in its orientation. Its leaders write letters to the editors (in the name of the "Jewish community", disrespecting Jewish community members who oppose current Israeli policy). It organizes rallies. It puts out press releases.
http://www.jcrc.org/israel/solidarity_rally_7_23-06.htm

All people have a right to organize politically. Including the Jewish Community Relations Center, or the local Democratic Club, the Republican club, or Lebanese folks or the Christian Coalition (imagine if someone had said protesting in front of their headquarters was "disgusting". People also have a right to oppose those who promote policies they find abhorrent, and to bring these issues to the forefront for debate and discussion.

It's not "disgusting". It's political debate.

You are not one that usually jumps to conclusions. I wished you had waited for more info.

[Tom Joad]

6. The Jewish Community Federation and the even more political

Jewish Community Relations Council share the same building. And the same goals, promoting Israeli policy, which is clearly stated on their websites, not the invention of anti-Jewish Jews or whatever might be imagined here about these folks who care about peace and justice. It can be said that the Jewish Community Federation does many good things. It can't be said that it is an apolitical organization. I probably should have made this clear to begin with. Again, the Jewish Community Relations Council purpose is to promote Israeli policy, and they certainly should be part of the debate.

It is not like protesting in front of a place of worship or simple gathering place, which would be wrong.

[muesa]

56. This kind of display only reflects poorly on American Muslims. NT

[Lithos]

9. Yes, but a couple of points

The first is that the JCRC does not claim to represent all Jewish groups. The fact that they have affiliations with 80 some odd groups they help speak for and can achieve any consensus over such a delicate issue is amazing. The consensus I see regarding Palestine is also fairly different and much more liberal than most of what I've seen in US politics and significantly more enlightened that most things I've read.

http://www.jcrc.org/issues/middle_east_2005.htm

Second, they are also one of the few groups which are actively campaigning to break some of the stranglehold the Ultra-conservative groups have over some key aspects of life in Israel. In addition, they've taken a fairly moderate approach to the I/P debate in their activism in the California area. I remember reading several years back a criticism they had of curriculum being taught which unilaterally described Zionists as terrorists and used very soft language to describe the actions of Palestinians who conducted similar style operations - the issue not being that they were defending the actions of the Zionists, but their complaint about the unilateralism of the usage.

In a nutshell, to attack the JCRC and to try and claim they are out of touch is a bit absurd in my opinion, but also extremely counter-productive to any real results affecting the peace process.

[Tom Joad]

11. Moderate? Supporting the killing of one thousand civilians is moderate?

Supporting the destruction the homes of tens of thousands of Lebanese is moderate? The confiscation of land in the West Bank, the bulldozing of olive trees, supporting a wall built in direct contravention of international law on confiscated Palestinian land... supporting all this is... what is called "moderate"??

That they support the "disengagement" is really not at all moderate. This will only leave Palestinians with disconnected Bantustans. The same "moderate" deal Mandela refused in South Africa, and for which he paid a heavy price.

I suppose we have different definitions, is all. perhaps in the same sense as Jessie Helms was a "moderate" as compared to David Duke. It all depends on where your standing. Outside a destroyed neighborhood in Beirut this would not be seen as "moderation".

As for perpetuating stereotypes, isn't organizing a rally for support for the destruction of much of Lebanon, as the JCRC did, really perpetuating a stereotype? And, yes, they do pretend to speak for the whole Jewish community.

I would think calling for universal justice is precisely the opposite, it is saying that all nations should be held accountable. It is saying that these crimes are not being committed in the name of all Jews. Opposing organizations that support militarism, even if they wrap themselves in the name of a nation, a people, or a flag, is a good and honorable thing to do.

[IntiRaymi]

27. Self Delete

Messaged the moderator instead.

[IndianaGreen]

4. "I am a U.S. Jew and a taxpayer and I am against the Israeli occupation"

"I am a U.S. Jew and a taxpayer," one protester yelled as police carried her into the van. "And I am against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and Lebanon."

Israel's indiscriminate and criminal bombing of Lebanon tore the carefully crafted facade of Israel as the permanent victim. A lot of Americans that had been deaf to the cries of Palestinians for justice, have suddenly seen in Lebanon what Israel has been doing in occupied Palestine for decades.

The only path is for Israel to immediately and unconditionally withdraw from all the lands taken in 1967, and the relocation of Sharon's separation wall to the 1967 borders. The Palestinians will probably have a nasty civil war of their own, while the rest of the Arab governments won't have Israel to blame for their own woes anymore.

[pelsar]

13. thats all "well and good"

but what would you suggest israel do when their "nasty civil war" spreads out to include kassams and mortars on jersualem, haifa, afula, etc....sit back and send ambulances to pick up the bodies? strike back and change the dynamics into a "all against israel"...


...i shall wait patiently for the answer......

[Violet_Crumble]

14. Here's what they could do...

Exactly what you think the Palestinian people should do when they're attacked by Israeli rockets. Or are there different rules for Palestinians and Israelis when it comes to them being attacked?

Maybe you could show a bit of concern for the many Palestinian civilians who have been killed by Israel over the past few weeks instead of doing scenarios that haven't even happened yet and might not ever happen?

on edit: sorry for sounding so crappy but I've just been wasting my breath arguing with a rather dishonest DUer upstairs and coupled with attempt v.5 to give up smoking I was in a narky sounding mood :)

[pelsar]

19. actually i believe in a single set of rules....

the basic one is: if you dont shoot at me, i wont shoot at you.

this works well with the Egyptians, works well with the jordanians, works with the Syrians.....

didnt work to well with Hizballa and the patrons the lebaneses.

didnt do so well with those in gaza.....guess they should lay off the kassams.

the westbank is a bit messier, and the settlers do one helluva lot unprovoked shooting/attacking....(.i shall leave it at that)
_______________

the thing with future scenario is thats what responsable govts do, prepare for the future. In fact Netanyo made it clear that after we left gaza we would get katushas on Askelon. The response was, we can always reinvade, etc etc etc. That scenario for the west bank will not be likely, hence one must be a lot more careful before going that far...especially if one is concerned for the palestenains. Obviously rockets coming out of Nabulus will make their lives even more miserable.....one woudnt want that so the problem is to avoid it..make sense?

______

my concern for the palestenains: complex. On the "national level" its secondary to my concern for the israelis. This is presently not a "win win situation, but a "win lose" as there is a low level war going on. Had Gaza worked out differently my opinion and viewpoint would have had a 180 degree turn. On the geographic/political level, my concern is that they have a civil rights oriented, democratic govt and not a theocratic dictatorship, which would make their lives miserable far more than it is now...On the personal level, the human level, I can read about their hardships but find over the years i've become far less sensitive, mainly due to intifada II. During intifada I i was far more involved and it was clear that our time has come to leave the westbank and gaza, they were correct in their protests..intifada II had them lose their innocence to me.

_____
you can be crappy to me.....i've learned to be the punching bag to my 15yr old girl, she has to "let it out on someone, so we ageed i'm the one....you can join the club.

[Tom Joad]

24. Israel is preparing for the future.... by building walls on Palestinian

land, that keep farmers separated from their land. Making life unlivable in the Jordan Valley and confiscating land there, herding Palestinians into small bantustans in the West Bank... planning the annexation of land in Hebron, prohibiting basic commerce for the people of Gaza or as the minister joked "putting them on a diet", declaring all the people that were left in South Lebanon to be legitimate targets for Israeli terror, destroying the homes of tens of thousands in Lebanon thereby "teaching them a lesson", littering Lebanon with cluster bombs, causing the worst oil slick ever in the Med. sea and killing off much of the the fishing industry, repeating war crimes in Qana, killing more kids in Gaza....

Israel certainly has a strategic vision!

However, i must ask, is this the legacy we want to leave our children?

[newyorican]

25. Good points..

When your policy emanates from the barrel of a gun; and you have it so the enemy can lose 100x, but you can only lose once...

At some point the balance of power will tip and if the current policy trend is adhered to, the Israeli experiment might just be a footnote in the history books.

Better to forge a lasting peace now, while the balance is in your favor. Unfortunately, recents events have made that possiblity even more remote and the current direction of policy gives no indication of striving for that goal.

[pelsar]

29. that wasnt the question asked...but i'm not surprised....

i believe in the past, when i asked (and continually do) i have never actually received a direct response....one poster, to their credit actually addressed the question, once.

If I recall correctly Mr. Tom Joad once replied that he doesn have to answer all questions, which is quite true and his right.....but i still cant figure out what so difficult to answer my question. It is after all the PEOPLE of israel would like to know about, the kids, the factory workers, the farmers, etc. I would thnk that someone is who so concerned for the working people, that they too deserve an answer.

In fact, if we are to look at Gaza, once israel pulled out, (just a reminder that Gaza and Egypt share a border, that trucks use), perhaps a suggestion to what israel should have done to respond to the kassams that flew in mass for the very first day of the withdrawl and keep hitting the workers town of sederot and the surrounding farmers (dont they count?)

so lets try to make this as simple and direct as possible:

if israel withdraws from the westbank with the PAs official approval (lebanon had the UN etc approval, Gaza had the unofficial approval during the coordination with the PA), and the kassams and mortors start flying from the couryards, backyards and fields, (which would surprise no one, given their political situation)...what would be the israeli response that a Mr. Joad would approve?

and will it stop the terrorism on the israeli population....

and will i even get a direct response?....what are the odds?

I'll set up the framework
1)
2)
3)

[Tom Joad]

32. Israel has NEVER proposed pulling out of the West Bank.

Let's deal with realism here. You wonder why not all your posts are answered? You are dealing with fantasy, or really attempting to call something it is not, echoing the governments line. That's your right of course, but do expect it is tiresome to reply to these falsehoods.

However, if you listen to Hamas, such a proposal would be greeted with much support, even among the leaders of Hamas, and probably the overwhelming majority of Palestinians.

Sadly, the only response from Israel is very limited withdraw from some areas it does not find all that useful, and making the occupation permanent in others, in effect, annexing land, making any real Palestinian state impossible.

Rather than arguing with me, why don't you make such a policy proposal a reality.

[pelsar]

33. israel also never proposed pulling out of gaza...

or leaving the sinai...yet both happened...thats reality.

which hamas are you listening too?..those from syria those from ramalla? those from gaza?...Of course an israeli with drawl would be greeted with support from the palestenains...so too was the israeli with drawl from Gaza and from Lebanon....and in their happiness they couldn't help but use their new found freedom to try to kill israelis.


my "fantasy" is precisely whats on the mind of israeli farmers, israeli factory workers, israeli citizens.....whats wrong with trying to answer whats worries them? By calling them "falsehoods' you belittle the israeli citizen and make him into a "lesser person, a sub human"..why is that?...are his or her worries to be discarded?


The israeli govt does actually listen to its citizens....as is evident by the govt changing so much...and when the israeli citizen has confidence in the Palestinians and their govt things will change: Gaza and its aftermath of internal chaos, destruction, and murder attempts across the border do not help. So too with lebanon, having hezballa take over, terrorize the locals and attempt to kill israeli workers do not help

question still stands.....what if gazas situation is copied into the west bank after israeli withdrawl.....

and why are what worries the israeli citizen is dismissed as fantasy?...(or in other words, why is the israeli citizen a "lesser human")

[Tom Joad]

34. You have good reason to worry, with Bibi about to take over.

I sympathize. Especially for the future of your young daughter.

Israel still occupies Gaza, as long as it controls its borders and ports and airways.

[pelsar]

35. Bibi was right....

he said that if we leave gaza, we'll get missles in return.....he was right.....and every single israeli that i know of expects the same out of the westbank...the second we leave if not earlier....

and i noticed you didnt answer my previous questions.....though i give you credit, you did at least answered one-sort of...(though it was rather insulting telling the israelis that what they're concerned about is mere fantasy....)

should I pass it on to my friends in Sederot that the kassams are merely figmants of their imagination?

[Tom Joad]

36. You keep on mentioning "pulling out of the West Bank" as if that were

a serious consideration. When has that been considered? Olmert never proposed it. Bibi never proposed it. Peretz never proposed it. That is part of your fantasy. All these people never proposed ending occupation.

Of course the resistance is real. And so is the occupation. So is the committment of the Israeli govt, and almost every major politician in Israel, to continue it forever.

You can't expect the resistance to end until the occupation is over, completely.

You expect flowers at your feet (like bush expected while invading Iraq) even while continuing a brutal occupation?

[pelsar]

41. EXACTLY!!

no israeli in their right mind would propose pulling out of all the westbank without some kind of answer to the potential kassams and mortors.

you propose pull out completly and then the "resistance will stop"....one simple look at islamic jihad/ hamas etc and their various sub groups and the citizens of israel know full well they will have kassams falling on their farms on their factories on their homes. You probably cant even name the various "resistance groups, their funding nor their ideologies"

your fantasy is that all of the 20+ groups will somehow stop shooting and or the PA govt will somehow be willing to go into their homes, and arrest them...(hamas or fatah?) Some of them define the occupation to include Tel Aviv..is that yours as well? (I forgot how you define the occupation)

and what if that then starts a civil war?....and the groups start lobbing mortors into afula, kassams into Jersualam.....the israeli public (which is for pulling out of the westbank) would like to know.

we expect no flowers, we expect them to stop trying to kill us.....(and we also expect them to tell their brethren in the surrounding arab states the same, and to stop with the anti semetic/israeli TV and movies as well....or is that too much to ask)


so...are you at least going to try to answer what concerns the israelis?...or keep on avoiding it...i mean your not even giving the typical israeli the minimum respect. Many israelis have lived under kassams and mortors and katushas, some since 1948....and you say its mere fantasy.......i thought you were one of those who respect all humans!

(reminds me of indonesias Global Inter-Media Dialog or ANSWERs platform: open to all except israelis

[IndianaGreen]

42. Israel is dragging America down

Time for a divorce!

American support for Israel will vanish into thin air the moment Americans begin to die in a Middle East conflict that could have been avoided had the neocons in America and Israel paid as much attention to peacemaking as they have to war making.

American support for Israel's right to live in peace ("right to exist") does not extend to Israel's denial of that same right to the Lebanese. American support for Israel is neither limitless nor unconditional, and this support will crumble as more Americans realize that many of the problems in the region are caused by Israel's refusal to leave lands she occupied in 1967.

Israel's aggression in Lebanon has shown that her claim of "right to exist" is just a slogan to justify brutal policies in Lebanon and the Occupied Territories, just as Bush's endless invocation of 9-11 is just a pretext for American war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The challenge is to recognize when Israel is responding appropriately to a security threat, as she did in June 1967 and the Yom Kippur War, and when Israel is using her security as a pretext to pummel her neighbors and gobble up additional territory.

[breakaleg]

43. It's not just about Israel pulling out., it's about doing it right.

It's about pulling out COMPLETELY, as in no settlements, not one piece of land stolen, and leaving behind enough money and resources for the citizens to have their democratically elected government reconstruct the country. They need roads, banks, water supply and everything else.

The problem is Gaza is that Israel left and left them nothing.

[pelsar]

46. explain....cause it sounds like your making it up...

what consitutes "nothing" when israeli left gaza:
roads, were intack, sewers were, electrical grid was, greenhouses were even left with manufacturing + export markets, access via Egypt to the whole world.

so what exactly means "left nothing".....

[pelsar]

49. just an interesting note:

It's about pulling out COMPLETELY, as in no settlements...

so if the PA does agree to some settlements (whatever the agreement is) and some jihadnikim dont and start with the kassams from the agreedup territory....i understand that you'll back those jihadnikim that would be acting against their own govt?

[breakaleg]

38. If Israel pulls out of the West Bank the same way it pulled out of Gaza

then they probably can expect more of the same. All we have in Gaza is that the people are locked inside like prisoners living in a dump. Did you expect them to be happy about that?

They need a viable land and they need to be connected to the rest of their citizens and some sort of infrastucture and economy.

[pelsar]

39. geography..is it so difficult for some

look on a map: gaza/Egypt ....border, trucks, road, ports, export....no israelis.....greenhouses....the only thing the palestenains were missing when israel pulled out was the initiative of their govt to stop trying to kill israelis and concentrate on their economy and export and import via egypt.

or is was there a problem with that? (beside that fact that one cant blame israel for all their woes.)

[breakaleg]

40. and the West Bank? How are they to get there?

[Tom Joad]

44. Can they use an airport in Gaza? No, long ago bombed by Israel

Can they use ports? No, prohibited by Israel. Can they reach Jerusalem, the center of economic life for Palestine? No, prohibited by Israel. Can their families play on the beach without fear of being killed? No, that's a military target of Israel. Are they being "put on a diet". Yes, the Israeli government minister joked. Can they trade easily with the West Bank? No, banned by Israel. Why aren't the Palestinians happy with their open air prison?

But everything is supposed to be fine because *sometimes* Palestinians can use their border with Egypt, and quite often that is prohibited as well.

[pelsar]

48. ...try to stay with the subject...

ok we're going to try to stay on subject here, so i will answer you and re ask my questions to get back on topic.

1) Jerusalem is neither the center of economic nor political life for the palestenains-its spirtual as in religion. (so your simply wrong here)

2) Gaza is now in a war zone, thanks to the kassams and katushas...that is clear to every israeli. We didnt leave just to go back and kill palestenains, we left for them and us "to have a life". If the beach is dangerous, if the streets are, its probably related to the the kassams coming out of gaza.If you dont understand how the israelis in sederot see it, the farmers watching kassams falling in their fields, on their homes and schools then you obviously think they "deserve it".....

3). Who is prohibiting the palestenians from going to Egypt (previous to the latest spasm of war)?..Cant be israel as no israeli is there, no cameras are there, infact israel is totally disconnected from that border.

4). The PA is building a port, in the meantime Egypt as some nice ones that can take vegis to the world just south of Gaza,

5). No airport...but that really doesnt limit their export capabilities via egypt.

so then remind me, why did the palestenians launch over 30 kassams the day israel left, and have kept it up almost daily?
it surly couldnt be israels helicopters missles, artillary, raids..as once israel left, israel at first didnt even respond to the kassams....and they kept on coming (then israel had sonic booms, artillary in open fields...and the kassam kept on coming).
why were they doing that? (answer is.......

so lets get back to that fantasy that every israeli from the factory worker to the professor has no doubt will be the end result of a westbank pullout, in the near future, no matter what the agreement (given the present state of affairs of the palestenian internal political situation).

kassam from PA territory, not just gaza, but from Nabulus as well.....what shall we do? what are our options. A good govt does look at all the scenarios, and prepares answers, especially one that worries its citizens (you were probably pissed at bushs lack of prepardness for katrina..right?)

(and another aspect; do you even care if the palestenains have a theocratic fanatical dictatorship as in iran or the taliban or is that irrelevant to their future as well-note i am not proposing anything i am asking)

[pelsar]

47. map problem? (seems to come up often around here)

Gaza via egpt via jordan to the west bank....geography again....check out the maps

you can argue that its not comfortable, not economicaly feasable, that egypt puts restrictions etc...but please before making statements that have NO BASIS in reality, at least check it out first.

[Tom Joad]

50. Just like at the checkpoints....

Often times Palestinians are told by the Occupation troops that they can't go through the checkpoints, but they say NO PROBLEM!... all they have to do is walk around it.

'Course that often means an extra few miles to walk what used to be a 5 minute drive. But that's no problem... for the occupation troops that is.

YOu can argue till your blue in face (hey, it matches the flag) what all humanitarian groups, all human rights groups say is very much a problem caused in large part by Israeli policies.

Can you quote a human rights group saying Israel is not creating the hunger problem in Gaza. (or claim government ministers are not laughing about the "diet" they are putting the Palestinians on) I have given you long lists of groups Israeli policies are a major part of the problem... and you just live in your own reality.

[pelsar]

51. there is no checkpoints in gaza....(look at the map)

Gaza:
there sure was a lot of talk of the humanitarian crises....about the Palestinians starving....whatever happened to it?...i cant recall a single photo of a starving palestenian...and there sure are enough journalists out there.

furthermore, if there was really such a crises, why wasn't there a line up of UN trucks outside Rafah? (check the map, its on the gaza/Egyptian border)

so any pictures?....i didnt think so....what do we call accusations that cant be backed up?
I think it would be appropriate for you to prove that there actually is some kind of starving palestenians or other crises...can you?

(there was a shortage of medical supplies, that was taken care of by israel...)


and you forget to comment on the previous posts i noticed, they were just getting a bit more interesting too....or arent israeli concerns even worth commenting on?
__________



the checkpoints are a nuisance to put it mildly for the palestenains...they werent there before intifada I but thats an old arguement, the multiplied as did the suicide bombers. But they have no influence on gazas lack of economic growth, options were there, they just didnt take advantage of them...poor govt planning. And the westbank doesnt lack for anything as they import from both jordan and israel.

[Tom Joad]

52. The checkpoints are human rights violations.

[Tom Joad]

53. Only a fool would think that you could always photograph hunger.

I have repeatedly cited studies that show the fact that many Palestinian children and adults are not getting basic nutritional needs met. Just because there are not distended bellies to photograph does not mean that it is not true. You are hoping that some people would think otherwise.

http://www.afsc.org/israel-palestine/INGO-6-27.htm

Gaza Humanitarian Crisis – Call for Action July 27 2006

International non governmental organizations providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza warn that more and more people are in need of help as hostilities between Israel and Palestinian factions continue unabated. Humanitarian access to the hardest hit communities remains difficult, and access of humanitarian staff in and out of Gaza is restricted to expatriate staff only. While global attention quite rightly focuses on the Lebanese civilians trying to escape the fighting in Lebanon, the 1.4 million people of Gaza are trapped, unable to flee from the current hostilities.

The undersigned international non-governmental organizations call upon the international community to work with all parties to:

* Adopt an immediate cease fire and seek a peaceful resolution of the crisis,

* Ensure full access to humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians living in Gaza to realize their critical needs, and

* Protect the lives of civilians in Gaza, in particular children, and the essential infrastructure that supports them in accordance with international humanitarian law.

International NGOs in Gaza are overwhelmed by calls for assistance as families struggle to cope without incomes, and without the means to ensure their families are safe and protected from the violence. For example, on Friday July 21, 2006, Fuad’s family fled in the middle of the night from the village of Shokeh in the southern part of Gaza– just like tens of other families in this village - when a military incursion supported by tanks began firing in the direction of their tin shacks. Eleven-year-old Fuad woke up terrified. He says: “We had to leave the house immediately. I don’t know how long it took us to walk to Rafah. Although we are living in a tent now, it is better for us because maybe it is safer for us here.”

As NGOs scale up their humanitarian response, they have assessed the impact of the recent hostilities on their ongoing programs. In Beit Lahia 27 greenhouses recently rehabilitated by CARE were completely destroyed and another 23 were damaged in the last month. Approximately 100 square meters of the Beit Hanoun Municipality playground, rehabilitated by Save the Children, was severely damaged and 30 meters of the playground’s wall were knocked down. World Vision's partner agency, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, reports extensive damage to their Beit Hanoun office and loss of equipment as a result of a recent incursion. Other NGOs report recent damage to project sites, delays in implementation due to lack of access, and the freezing of donor funds for certain activities.

The last six months has seen a steady deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The households hit hardest are those who rely on salaries from the Palestinian Authority. The public institutions that deliver basic services such as health, water, sanitation, and waste disposal are severely compromised as a result of the fiscal crisis. Rising costs due to fuel and commodity shortages, problems in bringing in supplies and difficulties in reaching the most heavily impacted areas, severely hampers the ability of NGOs and public institutions to monitor, assess and provide assistance to the people who need it most.

Action Against Hunger (ACH)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Campaign for the Children of Palestine
CARE International
Community Habitat Finance International (CHF)
Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI)
Italian Consortium of Solidarity (ICS)
Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
Gruppo di Volontariato Civile (GVC)
Lutheran World Federation
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP UK)
Medecin du Monde France
Medecin du Monde Greece
Medecin du Monde Spain
Medico International
Mennonite Central Committee
Merlin – Medical Emergency Relief International
Oxfam International
Palestine Group of Sweden
Relief International
Ricerca e Cooperazione
Save the Children Alliance
Solidarite Socialiste, Belgium
Swedish Cooperative Centre
Swedish Organization for Individual
Relief (SOIR)
United Nation Association International Service (UNAIS)
World Vision Jerusalem

[pelsar]

54. i dont doubt they need help....

but its hardly a problem that cant be solved:...all they have to do is stop shooting missles over the border, stop tunneling and stop trying to shoot at the IDF border patrols....whats so difficult about that?

they dont shoot, the IDF leaves them alone, the palestenains can then start importing and exporting via egypt and fix their economy, etc.

so whats wrong with that plan?
(this was the original plan btw when israel left gaza...)

i admit i'm playing your simplistic "black and white game".... Truth of the matter is that the palestenian political situation in the gaza strip is such a mess that no single group has control and no one wants to start a civil war either....so they really cant stop the missles flying over and other attempts to kill israels, to do so would ignite the civil war.

the real question i have for you, is if you actually understand that?

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cali]

30. "the brown people"

hey nothing like a little reductionist thinking.

[pelsar]

31. whats a 'brown person"

in israel we have dark brown, black, light brown, white....we have druz (dk brown), ethiopians (black), iraqis (lt brown), anglos (white) yemenites (dk brown to black), arabs from sudan, (dk brown), palestenian arabs (light brown), etc.

some of those "brown people" are high up in the govt and defense industry from the defense minister, to the past chief of staff, to various ministries...so I'm really not sure how the "brown people" arent being treated like equals.

perhaps a better definition of what that is would help.

but i did notice that the question was once again avoided

(and the kassams, i do believe they're falling on "brown people in sedrot" and some whities in the nearby kibbutzim so does that make the jihadniikim equal opportunity killer?

[IntiRaymi]

55. It is a useful mental tool.

In the USA, for instance, there is much racism directed at poor black people. They are considered human garbage at so many different levels, yet there is...Colin Powell...Condoleeza Rice, and others.
When I was in the military (US Army), the black soldiers who made it into leadership were of the highest caliber. But, none of this erased the racism contained in their troops, who by and large came from the lower white strata.
And you will notice that I am inserting notions of class into this, because this is, at some level, the source of the mindset that permits the average israeli (that actually does, since there are those enlightened folk who happen to place their belonging to humanity over that to a mere nation) accept, condone, and encourage these outrages.

I still remember a poster who compared palestinians and lebanese to 'rats scurrying about in the night.' Disgusting.

[pelsar]

57. stop projecting...

just because you see americans as racist ("white trash")..hardly means that other western style democracies have similar notions.

in fact the more that i think about it, you just made it up. You have no idea how the "brown people" of sederot think (the ones that came from arab countries) or the black (economically0 poor Ethiopian IDF soldier, or the white kibbutznikm or pilot....do you?.

you seem to think that because one is at war, (and here i am guessing) it means that one must believe the "other" is a lesser person. Well just because your culture says so, hardly means others do....seems to me the bigot here is one who assumes they "know" how a different culture is. (bigotry? ignorence? egotistical?..which, you tell me)

in fact, every hear/read what Nisralla thinks about the jews and israelis?.....seems to me the "brown" people are the israelis (all of them from poor to rich, black to white)

[Tom Joad]

5. Press release for demo. Bay Area Jews Stage Die-In....

BAY AREA JEWS STAGE DIE-IN IN TO PROTEST JEWISH INSTITUTIONS’ SUPPORT OF ISRAEL; 14 ARRESTED

Condemning Continued Israeli Military Aggression in Lebanon and Palestine, Jewish Americans Say to JCRC and JCF: “You Don’t Speak for Us”
Coordinated Actions Carried Out in NYC, Los Angeles and Philadelphia

SAN FRANCISCO Fourteen Jewish Americans were arrested today in downtown San Francisco for participating in a nonviolent civil disobedience in front of the building that houses the Jewish Community Federation (JCF) and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). The protestors were drawing attention to the role that JCRC and JCF play in rallying unconditional political support and financial aid for Israel and defending Israel’s attacks against Lebanese and Palestinian civilians. Coordinating with the group in San Francisco, Jews in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia staged similar events throughout the morning.

“JCRC and JCF use expensive PR campaigns and scare tactics to equate Jewishness with the uncritical support of Israel,” explained Dr. Susan Greene of San Francisco. “We are here to say loud and clear that the JCRC and the JCF do not speak for us. There are hundreds of thousands of silent Jews who believe in justice and oppose Israeli policies and it's time we stand up and speak out. If 5000 Israelis can demonstrate against Israel’s policies, so should I.”

With a recent raid by Israel inside Lebanon this weekend, and hundreds of cluster bombs scattered in civilian areas, it has become clear that Israel is not abiding by the cease-fire.

“Israel has already violated the U.N. cease-fire resolution and continues to violate international law and basic human rights on a daily basis in Gaza and the West Bank,” said Micah Bazant of Oakland. “As American Jews of conscience, we cannot stand by silently as crimes against humanity are perpetrated in our name. We call on U.S. Jewish Institutions to stop funding Israeli terror and start funding the rebuilding of Lebanon and Gaza.”

Protestors were a multi-generational group of more than thirty Bay Area Jewish-Americans including Americans with strong family ties to Israel and those speaking out against Israeli military action for the first time. Echoing a similar protest that took place in Boston, MA on August 1st, protestors staged a “Die-in”, lying down on the ground, creating a harrowing scene reflecting the large civilian death toll in Lebanon and the aftermath of war. Six of the protestors sat down in front of the JCF building and literally locked themselves together, blocking entrance to and exit from the building. The 14 total protestors who were arrested were with charged with misdemeanor counts of trespassing and resisting arrest.

“Killing civilians, attacking government institutions and destroying the infrastructure of modern society is an immoral course of action that will ensure security for no one,” said Samantha Litman of San Francisco, “Israel is unsuccessfully challenging a simple truth: no one is secure while others live in terror.”

Participants expressed outrage at JCRC and JCF’s support of what whey believe is a failed and immoral Israeli policy backed by the U.S. in Lebanon and Palestine. The JCF reports giving $2 million in aid so far to Israel for their 2006-2007 campaign. The burden of Israel’s U.S.-funded Israeli military action has fallen overwhelmingly on civilians and civil society, with over 1,000 Lebanese and 175 Palestinians killed since June 28 and over $3.5 billion worth of damage to Lebanese infrastructure.
###
The press release was not copyrighted.

[Jim Sagle]

7. Once again some targets of the world's hate internalize it.

The ghetto mentality, indeed.

[Tom Joad]

8. Or maybe they just hate injustice and oppression and feel "Never Again" is

for everybody.

[Hardrada]

10. Good point.

Such actions are necessary in the present climate of distortion and MSM propaganda.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[msmcghee]

16. Hello Hirsh . .

Welcome to DU. :hi:

That's how I see this mess too. What does anyone expect them, to do? What would we expect our government to do if we were being attacked by an extra-legal group lined up in bunkers at the border with Mexico, firing Kassams into San Diego and Tuscon - all with the tacit approval of the Mexican government?

Some here ask - "Moderate? Supporting the killing of one thousand civilians is moderate? Supporting the destruction the homes of tens of thousands of Lebanese is moderate? The confiscation of land in the West Bank, the bulldozing of olive trees, supporting a wall built in direct contravention of international law on confiscated Palestinian land... supporting all this is... what is called "moderate"??

Yes, I'd say that is a very moderate response. No western or european nation that I can imagine would stand for missiles being fired across its borders killing its citizens - without going into a full state of war and destroying the areas where those missiles were fired from and all supporting infrastructure. And the rest of the western world be generally outraged and would support them.

As everyone here knows but some will never admit:

If Israel's enemies put down their weapons today, there would be no war. No more dead civilians or dead children on either side.

If Israel out down her weapons today there would be no Israel.

That fact is why there is no moral equivalency in this matter - and those who claim that there is are simply partisans in this war, hiding safely behind their keyboards - and are happily urging the continuation of the hostilities until hopefully their side wins.

That is what is disgusting to me.

[MrPrax]

17. I can think of one...

No western or european nation that I can imagine would stand for missiles being fired across its borders killing its citizens

Nicaragua? Remember Negroponte...he's still active behind the scenes doing the same thing...low-intensity warfare fought by death squads and black ops.

Please note also that western and Europeans backing proxies to do EXACTLY what you said is common as well...

Want another?

Iraq? Remember we bombed them a lot in the 90s because of weapons of mass destruction...where were the terror teams or 'bombs' from either of these countries...?

You seem to forget that the 'western or european nations' have an extensive array of intelligence, NGOs, battle plans, documents like Northwood strewn about their archives and histories.

Need another?

Cuba...the US is currently protecting a terrorist accused of bombing airplanes in Latin America. Being protected by the same people that let off a car bomb in front of the White House in 1976 so they could kill Orlando Letelier, Allende's Ambassador to the US?

But we know...so long as they are stamped 'moderate' by people in power, then who's to complain...they are our terrorists...

[msmcghee]

18. I don't condone much of US foreign policy since WWII.

I protested the Viet Nam war and I am totally against the US attack of and presence in Iraq. I think the RW in the US has done many terrible things in our name (even the left sometimes). That's why I'm fighting to take our government back to a rational, not ideological, basis - centered on a human rights perspective.

That doesn't mean that I think Arab states are kind and benevolent rulers of shepherds and farmers - who only want to get along with their neighbors - if we'd just let them.

PS, Mods - I see a deleted message above (not one of mine). But I'm curious. It would be a learning experience when it isn't obvious, to mention which rule they might have violated. Just a suggestion.

[Englander]

15. Kudos to these protesters.

If the Jewish Community Federation in downtown San Francisco is going to support the illegal actions
of Israel, then they should be made aware of what it is they're actually supporting. I think that
should be apply to all unquestioning supporters of Israel, supporting Israel today means supporting
war crimes.

[IntiRaymi]

22. Kudos indeed.

Protesting where it matters.
Any barriers to free speech should be wiped away, and the reactions to these protesters, from various posters, appears to indicate that for them the Bill of Rights stops at the door to Israeli policies.
To me this is unacceptable, since so much of my tax money is going to support this country, whose actions appear to be harming our nation abroad.

[Tom Joad]

45. Coverage of protest in local Jewish weekly.

http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/30120/format/html/displaystory.html

Locked out, locked in

Jewish protesters lash selves to the doors of JCF building

...The noontime demonstration caught Santis and other staffers of the Jewish Community Relations Council (which is housed in the JCF building at 121 Steuart St.) off guard; members of multiple newspapers and radio and television stations, however, had been invited to the proceedings via a widely circulated press release.

Between 30 (according to the JCRC) and 50 people (according to the demonstrators) showed up to protest Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon and what protesters describe as the JCRC’s unconditional support for the Jewish state. One of the afternoon’s many chants was “JCRC don’t you see? You do not speak for me,” and a banner reading “U.S. Jews say to JCRC: Stop defending Israel” was unfurled across the building’s blockaded entrance. Fourteen demonstrators — all Jews, according to organizers — were arrested....

“We are saying loud and clear do not represent us and many Jews who have been silent out of fear of being alienated and outcast from the community. In Israel, 5,000 people demonstrated and I think it is our Jewish responsibility to stand up for justice in this case,” said Samantha Litman of San Francisco, one of the protesters.