Israel/Palestine
Related: About this forumAfter indicting Hamas, Netanyahu declares war on all Palestinians
Reports surfaced yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering expelling Hamas leaders from the West Bank, ostensibly as punishment for the alleged kidnapping of three Jewish teenagers.
The scheme harkens to December 1992, when then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin famously banished 415 Palestinians to what was considered a no-mans-land just over the Lebanese border. Literally dumped on a hilltop and stateless, these accused members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad set up camp in the harsh winter and waited
In any case, Netanyahus threats are as yet a red herring. In an exclusive interview with The Jerusalem Post published today, former Mossad Division Head Rami Igra called Netanyahus chest-beating over Hamas premature, adding that the prime ministers accusatory rhetoric was more political than based on fact. Igras comments come a day after Netanyahu, quoted in The New York Times, said he knew for a fact that Hamas carried out the alleged kidnappings.
Never mind that all of this is playing out against the backdrop of Iraqs unraveling prompted, of course, by a war based on another unsubstantiated fact. What matters now is that Netanyahu has used his Hamas indictment to effectively declare war on all Palestinians, and the repercussions are being felt throughout the West Bank and Gaza. Dozens have been abducted by Israels occupying military, home invasions are ongoing, and Gaza has endured two consecutive nights of airstrikes.
http://972mag.com/by-indicting-hamas-netanyahu-has-declared-war-on-all-palestinians/92213/
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)Published:
17 Jun 2014
Hebron District and its 750,000 residents under third day of closure: increasing reports of property damage in arrest raids
Israeli security forces must do all in their power to locate the abducted teens, but must uphold human rights and act lawfully.
Preventing Palestinian workers from entering Israel and freezing visits to prisoners = Collective punishment As part of the efforts to locate the three abducted yeshiva students, stringent travel restrictions were imposed on the Palestinian residents of Hebron District. The restrictions went into effect on Saturday (June 14) and were stepped up the next day:
The military blocked all main entrances to the city of Hebron and stationed troops at other entrances. Any Palestinian who wants to go through the entrance must undergo an inspection.
Since Sunday (June 15), Tarqumya and Meitar Crossings have been closed to Hebron District Palestinians. Moreover, security forces do not allow Hebron District Palestinians with Israeli entry permits to go through any other checkpoints linking the West Bank and Israel. This amounts to collective punishment of many thousands of workers, each of whom has already undergone an individual security background check and who, regardless, may only enter Israel after going through security inspection.
http://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20140617_collective_punishment_in_hebron_district