Opinion Editorials, May 2010

In the news today is that scientists were able for the first time to use genetic engineering to create a living organism.  They engineered the genetic material using computers and chemically synthesized DNA and placed it in a bacteria that has been cleaned of its own DNA (genetic material).  This essentially created a dividing bacteria that produces its proteins from the DNA sequence and divides and reproduces.   This is an amazing breakthrough.  But here in Palestine, the death and destruction machine is still in high gear. 
 
The people of Al Ma'sara participated in the weekly demonstration today. Last week we had a very successful cultural event in the presence of occupation soldiers.  The week villagers and internationals were even allowed to reach their lands.  Instead this week, they were met with a hail of tear gas, stun grenades and high velocity projectiles.  According to Mohammad Breijieh reporting from the hospital, his brother Hassan Breijieh has a critical head injury.  Another injured was Jawad Zawahra, hit in his leg.  There were also reports of two arrests: Mahmoud Abdel Karim Zawahra and Iyad Mohamed Ali, both 23 years old.  For more information on this situation please call Mahmoud Zawahra 0599586004 (English) and Mohammed Braijieh 0598371749 (Arabic).
 
Many of us felt bad for having been at another demonstration at Al-Walaja at the same time the events in Al-Ma’asara were unfolding.  In Al-Walaja, there was no army and hence no arrests and no injuries.  Now, the demonstrations are in Sheikh Jarrah where settlers have taken over Palestinian homes (and unfortunately we as Bethlehem Palestinians are denied access to Jerusalem so cannot participate).  Meanwhile, politicians like Hilary Clinton bark that there will be more consequences for Iran and North Korea.  No consequences for the rogue state of Israel for countless violations of International law.
 
Action: Join us in Al-Walaja Sunday at 9 AM (at the tent erected in the path of the wall) and in Beit Jala Sunday at 11:30 AM for demonstrations against continued apartheid policies and land confiscation.
 
Hebron Nakba march through the old city

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqXK5Vi_NXE
 
Jewish Israeli Settlers attack Palestinians (a bit dated but relevant and ongoing similar situations)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk8pFtmikx4
 
How Hitler and Zionists cooperated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KKgNToLrYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrhOmw60pNc
 
The Zionist Story 1-8

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK7JJea3Sz8
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdPOUQDiO7I
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylFVsrmmdV0
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOMaJdVqStE
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j09KMQvJuac
Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuSDl3ZeB_c
Part 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECEpZwcIw4k
Part 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7--1wBdXhPM
 
Right to Education International Student Conference
...and visits to cities in the West Bank Birzeit University, Palestine
ENG PDF: http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/downloads/pdfs/R2EConf-july10-BZU.pdf
AR PDF: http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/downloads/pdfs/R2EConf-july10-BZU-ar.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/r2e-conf-app
 

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Palestinian and Israeli security forces in Beit Jala

ACTION: Bethlehem/Haifa

We had a demonstration in Al-Walaja on Sunday morning (23 May 2010) which went smoothly.  At 11:30 we went to Beit Jala for the weekly demonstration.  Palestinian Security Forces detained children ahead of the demonstration.  Then we demonstrated at the site below with mostly internationals and Israelis.  Israelis are arrested blocking bulldozers.  One reporter is taken via ambulance having fainted from the gas.   Later some young Palestinians join the demonstration higher up the hill. After some tear gas shooting from the Israelis in area C, Palestinian security (apparently in coordination with Israeli security) beat s some youth (although these were not the two young men who threw stones earlier).  Security forces also threatened organizers. 

Previously some activists in Al-Walaja where also called for Palestinian security interrogation.

Amazing footage here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkqImIicAko
 
The attacks from the Israeli soldiers at the peaceful demonstration in Al-Masara 21 May 2010 (here no Palestinian security are allowed in the area)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJvQM7VRbvk

In bad news, Israel is still detaining and imprisoning political activists and denying them due process.  Even  Moredechai Vanunu who served 18 years in Israeli jails for exposing Israel’s nuclear weapons capability is now back in jail for three months for talking to media!. 
 
In good news “Following lobbying efforts by the Italian Coalition Against Carmel-Agrexco, two major Italian supermarket chains, COOP and Nordiconad, announced the suspension of sales of products from Agrexco, the principal exporter of produce from Israel and the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” (over 6,200,000 members and annual revenue of €11.8 billion).  And the world is holding its breath as a flotilla of ships with lots of supplied an hundreds of decent people try to break the siege on Gaza again.  See and support:  http://www.freegaza.org  http://www.flickr.com/photos/freegaza
 
ACTION:

Right of Return and One Secular Democratic State event in Bethlehem area to parallel with the Haifa conference (http://www.ror1state.org/awda/ ): In conjunction with this weekend’s Haifa conference regarding right of return and a one state solution, a two-day parallel event will be held in the Bethlehem area, May 28th and 29th.   The event, to be held at the Alternative Information Center in Beit Sahour, will feature a Friday evening link-in to the Haifa conference. A panel discussion is scheduled for Saturday (More details to be sent to those interested).  Overnight accommodations are available.  For information, contact [email protected]
 
Twilight Zone on Capitol hill (or should I say Israeli occupied Congress of the US).  Watch this groveling to AIPAC as an additional US $205 million is given to the apartheid state from US tax payers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqrKY2pPPIc

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home
http://www.qumsiyeh.org    
http://www.pcr.ps