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bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
=== News Update ===
Zionist Racist
Separation among Israelis and Palestinians even in vehicles
Mon, 2007-01-15 04:17
By *Mohammed Mar'i
Ramallah, Occupied Palestine, 15 January, (Asiantribune.com): On 19
January 2007 the Palestinians in the West Bank will add another
suffering to their lives by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Beside
the Separation Wall that shatters the West Bank and more than 400
roadblocks, the (IOF) will implement the discriminatory Israeli order
which prohibits Israelis and tourists from using their vehicles to
transport Palestinians in the West Bank without an army permit.
Violating human rights and international law, Israel build the
separation Wall, prohibited Palestinian vehicles on certain roads in the
West Bank, and forbidden Israeli citizens from entering Palestinian
controlled areas to separate the Palestinians from Israelis. The new
(IOF) order penetrates into the private space of the vehicle to separate
its passengers.
Despite the fact that the order does not apply to Palestinians who hold
a permit to enter Israel or the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, to
Israeli bus drivers, Israel residents carrying Palestinians who are
first-degree relatives , such as a cousin or nephew, and soldiers and
police officers on duty, most Palestinians will suffer. Ahmed is a taxi
driver transports Palestinians from Ramallah to Qalandya checkpoint ever
day. He will not be able to transport Palestinian passengers who do not
meet the Israeli criteria in his taxi that bears Israeli license plates.
He fears to loose his job. "If they apply the order I will not be able
to meet the raising needs of my family", Ahmed said. "I hardly manage to
gain some Sheqels (Israel's currency), so how I will do when they oblige
me not to transport Palestinians in my tax", he added. Qais, a resident
from Qalandya and holder of Israeli identity card shares Ahmed his
fears. Although he will not have problems transporting his first degree
relatives, he has with others. "How I will be able to join with my
friends in the West Bank? I used to travel with them to different places
using my car. If the Israelis implement their order I will loose them"
he said. Dr. Awad, a Palestinian citizen. He is a researcher known to
international institutions concerned with internal Palestinian issues.
He used to travel with foreign diplomats, foreign journalists in the
West Bank using a vehicle bearing Israeli license plates. "From that
date, I will not be able to travel with them. I will loose most of my
monthly income" he said.
The order further aggravates the already harsh restrictions on the
freedom of movement of West Bank Palestinians. For some time, Israel has
restricted, completely or partially, Palestinian travel on major roads
in the West Bank, which have been set aside for use of Israelis,
primarily settlers. Despite these restrictions, Palestinians have been
able to travel along these roads by taxi or other vehicles bearing
Israeli license plates. The new order will close this "loophole" and
increase the discrimination between Israelis and Palestinians on certain
roads.
The order also impedes the activity of humanitarian organizations, human
rights organizations, and organizations providing assistance to the
local population, whose work entails transporting Palestinians inside
the West Bank.
The Palestinian passenger and the Israeli driver are subject to
punishment since the violation of the order is a criminal offense. The
penalties prescribed in the order are also discriminatory. Whereas an
Israeli who violates the order is tried in a civilian Israeli court,
where he will not expect a hard punishment, the Palestinian violator is
tried in an Israeli military court, where he might be sentenced up to
five years in jail and loss of magnetic card given by the Israeli
Intelligence Service (Shin Bet), thus preventing the person from
obtaining various permits from the Israeli authorities.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) said in a press
release that eight Israeli human rights groups petitioned the High Court
of Justice on January 7th, 2007 against the military order which was
issued by, the commander of (IOF) in the West Bank, Major-General Yair
Naveh On 19 November 2006. Besides ACRI, the petitioners are: Yesh Din-
Volunteers for Human Rights, Gisha, the Public Committee against Torture
in Israel, HaMoked-Center for Defense of the Individual, Machsom Watch,
Physicians for Human Rights and Bimkom-Planners for Planning rights.
Attorney Michael Sfard who represents the petitioners said the order
will "lead to a rift between Israelis and Palestinians who have
legitimate social, political and commercial ties."
The groups considered the order reminiscent of apartheid, as it
"implements an ideology of separation by creating criminal sanctions on
different peoples."
Under international law, Israel must respect the human rights of all
persons under its authority. These rights include the right to equality,
freedom of movement, maintain family ties and social ties, engage in
political activity, and the right to work and earn a livelihood. The
(IOF) ignore the discriminatory nature of the order and justify it as a
military necessity, for example, by restricting the number of
Palestinians entering Israel in Israeli vehicles without a permit.
* Mohammed Mar'i is a journalist based in Ramallah, Occupied Palestine
source:
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/4139
===
-muslim voice-
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BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW
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