NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9625

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From: [e-mail] (Workers World Service)
Subject: Palestinians Fight Expulsion
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Via The NY Transfer News Service * All the News that Doesn't Fit

Palestinians fight expulsions

By Joyce Chediac

Israel's expulsion of 415 Palestinians from their homeland has
raised the struggle there to a new high. A one-day general strike
on Dec. 22 of Palestinians inside Israel as well as in the
occupied territories was the strongest such action since the
uprising known as the Intifada began five years ago, according to
Israel radio.

The Israeli regime has only upped its repression in recent days,
killing nine more Palestinians, including several children.

Washington's public relations machine wants people to believe the
Pentagon's new role in the world is to alleviate human suffering.
They say this is why the U.S. military is in Yugoslavia and
Somalia. Yet at the same time, one of Washington's closest allies
has committed a gross violation of human rights and international
law--and gotten away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

On Dec. 17, the Israeli government of Yitzhak Rabin expelled 415
West Bank and Gaza Palestinians in the largest mass ouster of
Palestinians from their homeland in 25 years. They were
handcuffed, blindfolded and unceremoniously dumped on the border
with Lebanon, where they remain living in tents in the freezing
cold.

Even Israeli military analyst Ehud Ay'aari admits the deportees
include mosque leaders and administrators of schools and
charitable institutions.

The human rights groups B'Tselem (Israeli), al-Haq (Palestinian),
and the Association of Israeli-Palestinian Physicians for Human
Rights all confirm that there were no trials. No charges were
made against the deportees. The Palestinians were simply thrown
out of their country without a shred of due process because the
Israeli government "suspected" them of sympathizing with the
Palestinian Islamic group Hamas. Hamas has claimed responsibility
for killing several Israeli soldiers.

A CLEAR WAR CRIME

That these expulsions are illegal and in fact constitute a war
crime is not controversial. Human rights groups worldwide point
out the deportations violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva
Conventions of 1949, which forbids the "mass, forcible transfer
of people living under occupation."

The Bush administration, which has been sending troops abroad so
freely, is not rushing in to stand up for the rights of these
Palestinians. It has merely slapped Tel Aviv on the wrist.
Statements of regret by the U.S. State Department and also by
President-elect Bill Clinton were pro forma at best. This sent a
signal to Tel Aviv that the U.S. plans no stronger response, such
as canceling or postponing the $10-billion aid package it
recently approved for Israel.

On Dec. 18 a resolution condemning Israel's move was passed by
the U.S.-dominated 15-member United Nations Security Council.
However, this is serving as an excuse for no further action. The
resolution merely called for the secretary general to "consider"
sending a representative to talk to the Israeli government.

This is a far cry from the speedy UN resolutions that paved the
way for U.S. and other imperialist intervention in Yugoslavia and
Somalia. Despite all the compassionate speeches, these
interventions were never meant to help working people in those
countries. They have instead strengthened the global interests of
Wall Street and the military-industrial complex.

WEST BANK AND GAZA SEALED OFF

Getting its signal from Washington, Israel continues to bash the
Palestinian people with its iron fist. The West Bank and Gaza
have been sealed off from the outside world since Dec. 17.
Residents of the territories are confined to their homes, unable
to buy food or medicine or even take the sick to a hospital.

On Dec. 19, when the curfew was lifted for 75 minutes for people
to purchase food, Israeli soldiers in the Gaza camp of Khan Yunis
indiscriminately opened fire on demonstrating Palestinians. They
killed six, including an 8-year-old girl. There has been no
response from either Bush or Clinton to these atrocities.

Despite formidable enemies, the Palestinian people are determined
to continue the fight to achieve self-determination. They are
angrier than ever over the mass expulsions. The joint leadership
of the Intifada has called for 10 days of protest against
deportations. Progressives here can join the fight by demanding
that the U.S. government stop all economic, military and
political support for Israel.

(Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if
source is cited. For more info contact Workers World, 46 W. 21
St., New York, NY 10010; email: [e-mail]; "workers"
on PeaceNet; on Internet: "[e-mail]".)


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