NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9581

Text File | 1992-12-23 | 3.6 KB | 88 lines

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From: Hank Roth <[e-mail]>
Subject: Nobel Prize Appeal
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Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 20:49:49 GMT
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  Nobel Prize Appeal

An international appeal is being prepared to nominate Abie Nathan
for the Nobel Peace Prize. You are urged to write letters to
members of parliament and Congress supporting Nathan's
nomination.

At the end of September, last year, public attention in Israel
centered upon a short but sensational trial of Abie Nathan, the
63 year old popular owner of "The Voice of Peace" pirate radio
ship. Abie was charged with twelve counts of meeting with the
PLO in contravention of the "Anti-Terrorism Act"..

Just a year earlier there was worldwide press coverage of
Nathan's public appearance at the European Strassbourg
Parliament, side by side with Yasser Arafat, as Arafat wished all
Jews  Shana Tova (which means Happy New Year in Hebrew).

The judge rejected Nathan's plea that he had conducted a
peaceful dialogue with Arafat, in the presence of the
international press, and ruled that `the publicity given to the
accused's acts only makes the offence worse, since it may
encourage others to folow him." (In 1990 Nathan had already
served a 6 month prison term for a similar crime.)

Abie declared a willingness to plead guilty to all charges,
provided the prosecturion change the wording `the accused met
with members of terrorist organizations' to `the accused met with
members of organizations declared by the government to be
terroist'. Rather than wage a long battle on the issue of "who is
a terrorist',the prosecutor agreed to the change.

Nathan was born in India, served as a combat pilot in the War of
Liberation in 1948, which he has professed included the bomving
of civilian targets; and subsequently he decided to devote the
rest of his life to peace. In 1966 on a  `peace mission' to
Egyupt, he was nearly shot down by the Egyptians and was
imprisoned first in Egypt and in Israel. Afterwards he started a
dialogue with the PLO.

Nathan said on Israeli TV, about these latest charges, that he
was "willing to pay the the price. When I get out of prison, I
will go on with my work for peace. When I see citizens, or
soldiers, or Arabs die, prison does not deter me anymore."

The day before entering prison, Nathan donated forty wheelchairs
to a hospital. He has also been trying to find new sponsors for
his radio station, since several advertisers have been boycotting
the station for political reasons. When he began his sentence on
October 10th, 6 Knesset Members and thousands of supporters
accompanied him to the prison gate.

Abie Nathan was given 18 months in Ramle Prison. Thousand of
Israelis Jews and Arabs signed petitions calling on President
Herzog to pardon Abie Nathan. In April, 1992, after 6 months
his sentence was commuted by President Herzog.

RESOURCES:

1. The Abie Nathan Nobel Prize Campaign can be reached at:
   P.O. Box 956, Tel-Aviv Israel 61008

2. Additional information about Israeli/Palestianian Peace
   efforts: Committee to Save the Peace Dialogue,
   P.O. Box 20395, Tel-Aviv Israel 61204

3. In the U.S. and Canada another resource for information is: AICIPP
   America-Israel Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, 4816
   Cornell Ave., Downers Grove, Il 60515