Palestinian Al-Nakba Remembered
'Palestine: 60 Years of Struggle - Al Nakba Remembered' public forum.
Sin Chew Hall, Petaling Jaya.
10 May 2008.
..Galilee October 1948, Ethnically Cleansed Palestinians on their way to Lebanon. [source]
On 14th of May, while the Israelis celebrated their so called 'independence' and 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel, the Palestinians and Muslims all over the world mourn over the Palestinian Nakba (The Catastrophe) - a mass exodus of Palestinians into neighbouring Arab countries in 1948. It would have been declared as ethnic cleansing should a similar event were to happen in the modern world.
..'Palestine: 60 Years of Struggle - Al Nakba Remembered' public forum, Sin Chew Hall, Sin Chew Daily, Petaling Jaya
In conjunction with Palestinian Nakba tragedy, the International Movement for a Just World (JUST) and Peace Malaysia organised a public forum, 'Palestine: 60 Years of Struggle - Al Nakba Remembered', last Saturday, 10th May, held at the Sin Chew Hall, Petaling Jaya. Three of the guest speakers were Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan, JUST Vice-President and History Professor at International Islamic University, Peace Malaysia Chairman, Dato' Mukhriz Mahathir, and social activist, Abdul Rahim Majid and moderated by Datin Dulcie Abraham. Special guest of the day was the Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr. Abdul Aziz Aboughosh.
I missed out the first session by Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan and a Palestinian guest, Maha Alfarra was reciting poems on Palestinian struggle when I reached the hall. Abdul Rahim Majid was the next speaker. He talked about his own personal account of visiting Al-Quds in Jerusalem, meeting Palestinians refugees in Lebanon and Syria. He described the Nakba as the "genocide of the world" and the "most tragic event". Third speaker, Dato' Mukhriz Mahathir started off by explaining the creation of Israel at the hand of the Palestinians. In that period of time, 77% of Palestinian lands were confiscated and occupied by the Jews and 1 million Palestinians were evicted and became stateless. This is a clear ethnic cleansing by the Jews. Israel's first Prime Minister, a staunch Zionist, David Ben-Gurion, was quoted as saying, "The transfer of Arabs is easier than the transfer of any other [people]. There are Arabs states around..." Click here for more 'transfer' (ethnic cleansing) Zionist quotes.
Dato' Mukhriz later explained about his meeting with a Jew rabbi who is from the Jew Against Zionist movement, in which they too protest against the Israel's celebration of its 60th anniversary.
He also highlighted about the issue of poor sewage system in Palestine. On top of that, the sewage from neighbouring Israeli settlements were systematically dumped into the West Bank and Gaza. And sometimes the solid and liquid waste goes into the Palestinian water reservoir, which could cause a serious health threat to the Palestinians.
Here's an example of how a sewage system in an illegal Jewish settlement, Beitar Illit, is being managed. It is just so sickening to read all these.
During Q & A session, Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan said that in 1948, when Swedish U.N. Peacekeeper Count Folke Bernadotte was appointed by the U.N. to bring peace to the Middle East and attempted to ammend the 'Partition Plan', he was assassinated by the Jewish terrorist group, Lehi (Lohamei Herut Israel — Fighters for the Freedom of Israel), better known as the Stern Gang, for being seen as pro-Arab. While the Israeli government condemned the terrorist attack, they did nothing to prosecute the terrorist leaders. This just goes to show that Israel doesn't recognize peacekeepers. That is why they have always refuse to allow U.N. peacekeepers being station in Palestine or in the 'Occupied Palestinian territories'.
Dr Abdullah laments the lack of action in attempting to solve the 60 year old Middle East crisis. He stated that if the Israelis were made to follow all the UN resolutions, problem would be solved. He added that when Iraq failed to adhere to the UN conventions, the consequences was - a military attack by Western coalition led by the United States, but why the same thing not being applied to Israel? The blatant double standard of the American foreign policy is just too obvious.
On the current so-called peace road map between Palestine and Israel, Abdul Rahim Majid calls it as a 'road without a map'. He added that 'good intention must be followed by tangible action'.
The last speaker of the day was the honourable Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia, Abdul Aziz Aboughosh. Abdul Aziz was full of emotion and spoke fiercely against the injustice done by the Zionist regime toward the Palestinians and the double standard practise of Western leaders. First, he brought up the issue of the uprooting of olive trees. He claimed that over 1 million olive trees have been uprooted by the Israeli army!
.."Yasmin Khayal stands chained to olive trees in the path
of an Israeli military bulldozer at work expanding the Israeli settlement
of Yakir in violation of international law and cease-fire agreements.
Yasmin was part of a protest to stop the destruction of the orchard
belonging to the Palestinian village of Dir Istya in the occupied West
Bank. For her action, Yasmin spent time in Israeli women's prison" [source]
The uprooting of olive trees by the Israelis has had a tremendous effects on the Palestinians, not only in terms of economic, but on their identity as well. It is clear that Israel intends to wipe out the the historical presence and symbol of the Palestinian out of the Palestinian lands.
Answering a question from the floor on the conflict between Hamas and Fatah, Abdul Aziz said that differences between political leaders happens everywhere in the world and that both of them are fighting against a common enemy - Israel. He also spoke of the undemocratic coup d’état launched by the democratically elected Hamas to gain control of Gaza. He clearly stated that any issues must be solved through democratic means.
On the role of United Nations in solving the 60-year-old long Middle East crisis, Abdul Aziz said that a total of 82 U.N. resolutions on Israel have been passed at the U.N. General Assembly, hundreds of resolutions submitted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Arab League, but where is the support? Where are the implementations of these resolutions?
Lastly, he reiterates that, "No statements or resolutions needed. We have enough of these.."
..New York Times best seller, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid
I just bought Jimmy Carter's new book (above). Hopefully it's a good reading. Though I don't agree with the peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt in 1979, which President Carter played an instrumental role, I think, at least he is much smarter than the current President, George Bush. And Carter definitely understand the situation in the Middle East better than some of the previous American presidents. Bush is probably the dumbest and the most ignorant US President in history.
Related Information and Sources
1. Redress Information & Analysis, "Beitar Illit settlers release sewage on Palestinian Wadi Fuqeen village farmlands", 19 April 2008
2. 'Transfer' (Ethnic Cleansing) Zionist Quotes
3. Donald Neff, "Jewish Terrorists Assassinate U.N. Peacekeeper Count Folke Bernadotte" Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, September 1995
4. Atyaf Alwazir, "Uprooting Olive Trees in Palestine", November 2002
5. Guardian: Hamas takes control of Gaza
Sin Chew Hall, Petaling Jaya.
10 May 2008.
"No statements, resolutions needed (referring to OIC,Arab League etc). We have enough of these..
..where are the implementation of these resolutions?"
- Mr. Abdul Aziz Aboughosh, Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia. (Abdul Aziz was previously the Assistant Secretary of OIC for 16 years)
"..If Israel were made to follow all UN resolutions, problems would be solved.." - Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan, JUST Vice-President.
..Galilee October 1948, Ethnically Cleansed Palestinians on their way to Lebanon. [source]
On 14th of May, while the Israelis celebrated their so called 'independence' and 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel, the Palestinians and Muslims all over the world mourn over the Palestinian Nakba (The Catastrophe) - a mass exodus of Palestinians into neighbouring Arab countries in 1948. It would have been declared as ethnic cleansing should a similar event were to happen in the modern world.
..'Palestine: 60 Years of Struggle - Al Nakba Remembered' public forum, Sin Chew Hall, Sin Chew Daily, Petaling Jaya
In conjunction with Palestinian Nakba tragedy, the International Movement for a Just World (JUST) and Peace Malaysia organised a public forum, 'Palestine: 60 Years of Struggle - Al Nakba Remembered', last Saturday, 10th May, held at the Sin Chew Hall, Petaling Jaya. Three of the guest speakers were Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan, JUST Vice-President and History Professor at International Islamic University, Peace Malaysia Chairman, Dato' Mukhriz Mahathir, and social activist, Abdul Rahim Majid and moderated by Datin Dulcie Abraham. Special guest of the day was the Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr. Abdul Aziz Aboughosh.
I missed out the first session by Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan and a Palestinian guest, Maha Alfarra was reciting poems on Palestinian struggle when I reached the hall. Abdul Rahim Majid was the next speaker. He talked about his own personal account of visiting Al-Quds in Jerusalem, meeting Palestinians refugees in Lebanon and Syria. He described the Nakba as the "genocide of the world" and the "most tragic event". Third speaker, Dato' Mukhriz Mahathir started off by explaining the creation of Israel at the hand of the Palestinians. In that period of time, 77% of Palestinian lands were confiscated and occupied by the Jews and 1 million Palestinians were evicted and became stateless. This is a clear ethnic cleansing by the Jews. Israel's first Prime Minister, a staunch Zionist, David Ben-Gurion, was quoted as saying, "The transfer of Arabs is easier than the transfer of any other [people]. There are Arabs states around..." Click here for more 'transfer' (ethnic cleansing) Zionist quotes.
Dato' Mukhriz later explained about his meeting with a Jew rabbi who is from the Jew Against Zionist movement, in which they too protest against the Israel's celebration of its 60th anniversary.
He also highlighted about the issue of poor sewage system in Palestine. On top of that, the sewage from neighbouring Israeli settlements were systematically dumped into the West Bank and Gaza. And sometimes the solid and liquid waste goes into the Palestinian water reservoir, which could cause a serious health threat to the Palestinians.
Here's an example of how a sewage system in an illegal Jewish settlement, Beitar Illit, is being managed. It is just so sickening to read all these.
"The authorities in the illegal Jewish settlement of Beitar Illit, which is built on stolen Palestinian land, regularly open their sewage tanks on to the farmlands of the Palestinian village of Wadi Fuqeen, ruining crops, contaminating the water table and posing a serious health threat to villagers.
At least twice a month, starting on Friday afternoons and continuing for a large part of the following day, the authorities in the illegal Jewish settlement of Beitar Illit, which is built on land stolen from the neighbouring Palestinian village of Wadi Fuqeen, near Bethlehem, open their sewage tanks on to the farmlands of the village. As the video shows (link below), the sewage, which runs through specially-built pipelines that open on to the slopes leading to Wadi Fuqeen, accumulates on the Palestinian farmlands, poisoning crops, contaminating the water table and posing a serious health threat to villagers." - [Redress Information & Analysis, 19 April 2008]
Video of illegal Israeli settlers releasing sewage on Palestinian farms
During Q & A session, Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahsan said that in 1948, when Swedish U.N. Peacekeeper Count Folke Bernadotte was appointed by the U.N. to bring peace to the Middle East and attempted to ammend the 'Partition Plan', he was assassinated by the Jewish terrorist group, Lehi (Lohamei Herut Israel — Fighters for the Freedom of Israel), better known as the Stern Gang, for being seen as pro-Arab. While the Israeli government condemned the terrorist attack, they did nothing to prosecute the terrorist leaders. This just goes to show that Israel doesn't recognize peacekeepers. That is why they have always refuse to allow U.N. peacekeepers being station in Palestine or in the 'Occupied Palestinian territories'.
Dr Abdullah laments the lack of action in attempting to solve the 60 year old Middle East crisis. He stated that if the Israelis were made to follow all the UN resolutions, problem would be solved. He added that when Iraq failed to adhere to the UN conventions, the consequences was - a military attack by Western coalition led by the United States, but why the same thing not being applied to Israel? The blatant double standard of the American foreign policy is just too obvious.
On the current so-called peace road map between Palestine and Israel, Abdul Rahim Majid calls it as a 'road without a map'. He added that 'good intention must be followed by tangible action'.
The last speaker of the day was the honourable Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia, Abdul Aziz Aboughosh. Abdul Aziz was full of emotion and spoke fiercely against the injustice done by the Zionist regime toward the Palestinians and the double standard practise of Western leaders. First, he brought up the issue of the uprooting of olive trees. He claimed that over 1 million olive trees have been uprooted by the Israeli army!
.."Yasmin Khayal stands chained to olive trees in the path
of an Israeli military bulldozer at work expanding the Israeli settlement
of Yakir in violation of international law and cease-fire agreements.
Yasmin was part of a protest to stop the destruction of the orchard
belonging to the Palestinian village of Dir Istya in the occupied West
Bank. For her action, Yasmin spent time in Israeli women's prison" [source]
The uprooting of olive trees by the Israelis has had a tremendous effects on the Palestinians, not only in terms of economic, but on their identity as well. It is clear that Israel intends to wipe out the the historical presence and symbol of the Palestinian out of the Palestinian lands.
Answering a question from the floor on the conflict between Hamas and Fatah, Abdul Aziz said that differences between political leaders happens everywhere in the world and that both of them are fighting against a common enemy - Israel. He also spoke of the undemocratic coup d’état launched by the democratically elected Hamas to gain control of Gaza. He clearly stated that any issues must be solved through democratic means.
On the role of United Nations in solving the 60-year-old long Middle East crisis, Abdul Aziz said that a total of 82 U.N. resolutions on Israel have been passed at the U.N. General Assembly, hundreds of resolutions submitted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Arab League, but where is the support? Where are the implementations of these resolutions?
Lastly, he reiterates that, "No statements or resolutions needed. We have enough of these.."
..New York Times best seller, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid
I just bought Jimmy Carter's new book (above). Hopefully it's a good reading. Though I don't agree with the peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt in 1979, which President Carter played an instrumental role, I think, at least he is much smarter than the current President, George Bush. And Carter definitely understand the situation in the Middle East better than some of the previous American presidents. Bush is probably the dumbest and the most ignorant US President in history.
Related Information and Sources
1. Redress Information & Analysis, "Beitar Illit settlers release sewage on Palestinian Wadi Fuqeen village farmlands", 19 April 2008
2. 'Transfer' (Ethnic Cleansing) Zionist Quotes
3. Donald Neff, "Jewish Terrorists Assassinate U.N. Peacekeeper Count Folke Bernadotte" Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, September 1995
4. Atyaf Alwazir, "Uprooting Olive Trees in Palestine", November 2002
5. Guardian: Hamas takes control of Gaza
Comments
whatever that reminds them of the land rightful origins, they'll chop it down. But there's one type of trees, I still can remember the name, that is said to be beneficial to the israelis. When the table is turned and the jews are running for shelter,they'll hide in that tree.
waalahu taala a'lam