Kawther Salam / Sabbah.biz & Christian Peacemaker Teams – 2008-05-12 22:44:07
http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2008/05/11/video-photos-israeli-loot-girls-orphanage/
• Video and Photos: Israeli Army Raids and Loots Hebron Orphanage, Home to 110 girls
This is an update to Kawther Salam’s March 17, 2008 story about the Palestinian Orphanage in Hebron.
HEBRON (May 11, 2008) — At 1.00 in the morning on the 30th of April, the Israeli Army raids orphanage in Hebron, home to 110 girls, seizing all equipment from community sewing workshop.
The Hebron Orphanage for girls is run by the Charitable Islamic Society,(I.C.S) and houses 110 children.
Witnesses said that approximately 40 Israeli soldiers raided the sewing workshop, which is located on the first floor of a girls’ orphanage operated by the Islamic Society, at 1am on Wednesday. In the course of a two hour raid, the Israeli troops ransacked the workshop after breaking down its main gates and doors.
Israeli soldiers confiscated all the sewing machines, furniture, and clothes which were to be given to orphans.
International human rights workers with the organization Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) said: “soldiers looted the workshop of all its sewing and processing machines, office equipment, rolls of cloth, finished clothing and supplies.”
Members of CPT documented the raid, and the contents of the workshop being loaded into two forty foot tucks. (Source)
Thanks to Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), they created a blog (http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com) where you can find updateds on the story as well as pictures from different sources and videos that document this terrorist crime by the Israeli Occupation Forces:
Israeli Army Loots a Palestinian Orphanage
Kawther Salam / Sabbah.biz
(March 17, 2008) — Who creates the violence and the terror attacks on Israel, the Zionist regime itself or the charitable organizations? Who is the real terrorist and criminal: the IDF Central Command and its thugs, or the charitable organizations which supply the Palestinian orphans, the poor, and the children of poor families in Hebron?
Does Israel create peace and security for their country with the regime of continued assassinations of political activists, jailing youths, building apartheid walls, increasing the number and brutality of IDF checkpoints, confiscations of lands, murdering children, destroying Palestinian houses and closing the charities by the IDF, or is this regime just yet another one in their long series of criminal actions against humanity which bring shame and scandal to Jews everywhere?
The Israeli military Commander of Hebron Colonel Yehuda Fuchs said that “under our Laws, the military can do whatever they want. And that none of the peace agreements hinder the IDF activities in the occupied cities”.
On Tuesday, 26 February 2008, Major General Gadi Shamni, GOC of the Central Command, issued several criminal “military orders” to seize the infrastructure and all property of the orphanage and daycare center for children of the poor families in Hebron, which is financed by charitable organization and is run by the Palestinian Authority in Hebron.
The immoral, illegal and criminal orders issued by GOC Shamni was directed against the Houses for Orphan Girls and Boys, the House for Care of Babies (a daycare center), the “Cake Bakeries”, against shops which distribute clothing to the orphans and to poor families, Trade center in the city, food and flower stores, the stocks of food which are also distributed to poor families, the physical therapy institute, the barbershop, the library, Salons, a supermarket, the Islamic schools for boys and girls, and the Islamic chartable organization for youth.
According to the illegal military order, 13500 orphans, 1000 poor families, 9000 school children, 2500 children receiving care, and 800 workers should be cut off of their social and educational security, their jobs destroyed, and the properties of these charitable organizations must be transferred to the property of GOC Gadi Shamni by 1st April 2008._
On Tuesday, 26 February 2008, the thugs under order of the Hebron district Israeli military commander Yehuda Fuchs and General Gadi Shamni, proceeded to illegally appropriate eight lorries containing food and clothes destined to the orphans under care of the center. A large contingent of Israeli IDF troops raided the premises of the orphanage, ransacking all the sleeping rooms, offices, and other property belonging to the charities, and destroying everything belonging to the defenseless orphans under care of the charity. Colonel Fuchs ordered the Israeli military to steal the food and other property of the orphans, as well as those of Abed Al- Khader Al-Kaisy, a Hebron resident who lives with his two sons and their families over four shops in a building which belong to the charities which the Israeli military plans to appropriate.
The criminal commander Fuchs told Mr. Al-Kaisy: they knew that he is not a member of Hamas but they had orders to confiscate the shops. Fuchs added that under emergency law the military can do whatever they want, and that none of the peace agreements hinder the IDF activities in the occupied cities.
Which emergency does Fuchs mean ? Is it necessary to loot the food from the orphans, is it necessary to provoke the inhabitants of a quite city ? What emergency does this miserable and bloodthirsty thug mean, exactly, which would justify stealing food from the poorest of the poor ?
To add insult to injury. the food stolen from the Palestinian orphans went to the kitchen of the well-fed soldiers of the IDF at Colonel Yehuda Fuchs’ quarters.
Sheikh Dr. Taisir Rajab Al-Tamimi, the Chief of Judges of the Palestinian Authority and the Chairman of High Council of Islamic Law, commented on the illegal order of Shamni and the behavior of the troops under orders of Fuchs. He said that the soldiers and commanders committed uncounted crimes against humanity in Hebron and other Palestinian cities and towns every day, that they are destroying the social, the economic, industrial, and educational life in our homeland. He described the closure of the orphans houses, schools, and charities organizations as a clear violation to the fourth Geneva Convention.
According to this convention, the GOC command and the Israeli occupation authorities can not close, steal or otherwise appropriate the public or the private property of others and transfer them into their property.
Dr. Al-Tamimi clarified that the IDF order to close the schools, the charities and the orphanage houses and the theft of food, clothes, and the closure of the bakery shops is a criminal action committed by unwise commanders who are intent in seeding violence and terror actions in Palestine and causing famine among the people in the city of Hebron.
Dr. Al-Tamimi described Shamni and Fuchs as “an octopus who wants to swallow the Palestinian land and property after jailing the owners”. Yes, the Octopus Fuch stole the old city under his control and then started closing the organizations under the the PA in other parts of the city. This is Colonel Fuch, he is a real Octopus.
Mr. Abed Al-Kareem Farrah, the attorney of the Islamic charitable organization said “I would like to emphasize that our organization and our property is under control and observation of the PA, and that there is no official connection between us and Hamas. Perhaps some of our workers belong to Hamas, just as in other institutions such as the municipalities, but there is no formal connection. And our financial reports are open and transparent. We are in no way the infrastructure of Hamas“.
Mr. Farrah said that he would have been happy if the IDF explained the steps it took, and what is permitted or forbidden in terms of his organization. The movement has already hired the services of Israeli attorney Jawad Bulus, who will appeal before the attorney general on behalf of their organizations and try to overturn the evil decree and the irresponsible and criminal decision of the IDF.
On Tuesday, 11 March 2008, over 8000 angry students and Palestinian citizens representing Fatah, Hamas, Jihad, Popular Committee, National Committee, Democratic Committee, as well as PA officials demonstrated in Hebron against the Israeli Illegal decision of closing the charitable organizations which helps orphans, poor families and youths. The demonstrators affirmed their legal right to present criminal complaints against the Israeli decision at the International Criminal Court.
The direct perpetrators of this immoral crime, namely Fuchs, Shamni, the Shin Bet, the Israeli Office of the Prime Minister, the Israeli War Ministry, the Americans, should not count on the strict limitations of jurisdiction for the prosecution of genocide and crimes against humanity set by most national jurisdictions and by the ICC (for example) – there are signs that these apparently so strict limitations of jurisdiction do not hold in the special case of Israel, and there are sound legal reasons for this.
The orders issued by Shamni are proof admissible in court against him and others of grave crimes against humanity, war crimes. His orders have no basis in any law whatsoever – the so-called “British mandate” (colonial occupation) never had any legitimacy whatsoever, and their immoral “laws” expired together with the end of their occupation, in 1948.
By issuing these orders, Shamni has exposed himself and others to prosecution for imposing condition conducive to genocide on the Palestinian population of Hebron, and he should not count on the assurances of impunity by people like Beinisch, who is herself a candidate for the slammer.
The extremists and terrorists in the so-called “Civil Administration”, Shamni, Olmert, Fuchs, Barak, Dichter, Sheetrit, Livni, Diskin and the other planners, financers and perpetrators of genocide against Palestinians should judiciously study the life and demise of criminals like Ceaucescu, Eichmann, Goebbels, Goering, Pinochet, Marcos, and many others. Whatever they do to cover up their crimes, everything is coming to light, and there will be no powerful friends able or willing to provide protection.
Gadi Shamni must immediately rescind his criminal orders and restore the orphanage and all its property to the statu quo ante, the state it was in before his soldiers rampaged through the premises. He must return all stolen property, all food, clothes, and other resources, he must repair all damages done to buildings, private property, equipment of the orphanage and all the other premises ransacked by his soldiers.
Appeal to readers: Please contact the Israeli Embassy in your country and ask them to return the stolen food and clothes to the orphans of Hebron.
Kawther Salam is a Palestinian journalist who was forced by the Israeli occupation forces to leave her home in Palestine, She fled to Vienna, Austria, where she currently live as a refugee. She started her online diary in October 2001 while still living in Palestine, where she worked as a journalist. You may write to Kawther Salam at: kawther_salam@yahoo.com
http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com/
Are Schools and Orphanages Under Threat?
Our Lawyer, Mr Jawad Bulus, An Israeli Arab, appealed to the Israeli military within the 14 day period they alloted with closure orders. On 30 th of March , Mr Bulus received the following……….
Attn: lawyer Jawad Bulus
Subject: Closure of the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron
Our Ref.: 26 0 – 24066 of 19102005
26 00 – 26246 of 9 March 2008
Your Ref: of 33 8 and at our office on 9 March 2008 and 23 March 2008
By this we declare receiving your appeal of the above mentioned subject.
In your appeal, you explained the requests of the Islamic Charitable Society (ICS) against the closure and confiscation orders of properties that were issued by the General of Command (GOC) In Judea and Samaria.
In the above mentioned appeal you stated the following:
a) The GOC has no authority to close or confiscate properties in A or B areas which are under the full responsibility Palestinian Authority (PA).
b) The ICS is not connected to Hamas.
According to what you explained, you asked the GOC to cancel the closure and confiscation orders that were issued against the facilities and properties of the ICS.
I do inform you in this regard that your appeal was proposed to the GOC who insisted to refuse it for the following reasons:
***************
28. As we mentioned earlier, we would like to inform you that the claims of your client of absence of authority in A and B areas were discussed several times before and they were rejected.
29. We would like to draw your attention, in this regard; to the military court order of appeal 2016 07 (enclosed) which explains the point.
30. To sum up, it was proved that your client (ICS) has connections with Hamas, the illegal party, and due to this there is an everlasting danger on the safety of the public, the area and the state of Israel. The GOC, therefore, decided to refuse your appeal.
31. The GOC intends to work continuously to perform the closure and confiscation orders that he signed, to close and confiscate the properties of the ICS immediately. Moreover, the GOC checks the possibility of expanding his activities against the ICS in a more effective and wider way due to the criminal acts in serving Hamas.
32. There is no need to say that the continuing work of the ICS which includes the working facilities or providing any service through it is a very dangerous violation of the law in the area. The GOC intends to take all necessary measures to stop that.
33. According to all that I mentioned, I ask you to inform your client to immediately stop all its activities. Otherwise, they will be exposing themselves to severe measures in both criminal and administrative frames.
34. As for the schools, orphanages and kindergartens mentioned in your appeal, the GOC gives himself the complete right to take all necessary measures according to the law if they continue to work in these facilities.
35. As for any future arrangements, all appeals and requests should be directed through official parties in the Palestinian Authorities – Hebron Governor- or the Minister of Civil Affair in the PA who has direct contact with Israeli Civil Administration.
With respect
Hariel, Officer- Political Advisor
Israeli soldiers raid Hebron girls orphanage sewing workshop
The International Solidarity Movement
HEBRON, (April 30, 2008) — (ISM): At 1:00 am this morning, April 30th, the Israeli Military raided the Hebron Girls’ Orphanage near the intersection of Salaam and Al Adel (Peace and Justice) Streets.
Acting on orders issued by Major General Shemni, soldiers looted the workshop of all its sewing and processing machines, office equipment, rolls of cloth, finished clothing and supplies. CPT members documented, with still photos and video, approximately 40 Israeli soldiers emptying the workshop contents into 2 – 40ft. trucks.
The estimated value of the physical material taken is $45,000 US. The cost in terms of the fear and terror instilled in the hearts of the little girls living above the workshop is much higher.
Members of Christian Peacemaker Teams and other internationals from Belgium, Britain, Canada, Germany, Holland, Scotland and the US have been sleeping in the orphanage. Their concern is for the children who live in fear of the military forcing them out of the place they’ve come to call home. Their hope last night was that their presence would forestall the army’s raid on the workshop. They hoped in vain.
CPT’s Art Arbour decried this latest effort by the Israeli military in its campaign to close the orphanages, “How can grown men do this to little children?” CPT members documented with still photos 40 Israeli soldiers clearing out the workshop.
Statements of support for the orphans have come in from former President Jimmy Carter, from EU Vice President Luisa Morgentini and from representatives of many international organizations worried about the fate of the orphans in Hebron. Please join with them in supporting the orphans.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, US Code, for noncommercail, educational purposes.
