Letter written and e-mailed to Ambassador 2 January 2009
First published in Indymedia Ireland 3 January 2009
Dear Ambassador Dr. Zion Evrony,
Further to my telephone call to your office this morning I wish to reiterate some of the points which I made in the conversation with your secretary, and to elaborate on them a little further.
1. I am sick to the teeth of the lies you are telling on RTE and in the Irish media about what is happening in Gaza. Israel has killed over 400 people there on the pretext that a cease-fire had been broken unilaterally by Hamas. You know this is not true.
2. You said that Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties but that Hamas use their civilians as shields for Hamas soldiers. You know that this is not true. Gaza is smaller in area than our smallest County, Louth, and is over-populated with 1.4 million people, before your country reduced the population with murder from the sky.
3. Your Army invaded Gaza prior to an election and in the interregnum between the Presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. You kill over 400, injure over 1000 and promise more killings and injuries. And you blame Hamas for all of these killings and injuries. You know that it is not true that Hamas are to blame for your murders. You, the State of Israel and the IDF, are to blame for the people you kill and injure, no one else but you.
4. You said the upcoming elections had nothing to do with the massacre in Gaza. You know that this is not true. On the eve of the election you deliberately provoked a barrage of rockets from Hamas, even though you knew it would put Israeli lives in danger because you also knew that the Hamas response would give you a pretext to wreak havoc on Gaza and make it appear that it was Hamas' fault.
5. You and other Israeli propagandists keep repeating ad nauseam on RTE and in articles in the Irish Times the question: "What would you do, if you lived in Sderot or Ashkelon and your children had to run from constant rocket fire?" But you never ask the countering questions: "What would you do if you lived in Gaza, besieged by an Israel that denied the legitimacy of your democratically elected Parliament, and where Israel,a hostile power, has ultimate control over every aspect of your life? What would you do when this hostile power has the fourth or fifth most powerful army in the world, complete even with a nuclear arsenal, when it "agrees" to a truce (good public relations) that it breaks at will (no-one will notice the "small" incursions and killings of Palestinians)? What would you do if Israel invaded your little plot of land, murdering men, women and children, including many civilians, from the sky? Would you take your children and run to the sea (there is no other escape in Gaza) or would you think "This is a war against me and my children" and would you resist in whatever way you could?"
6. Do you think that all of the Irish people are stupid enough to believe your propaganda, no matter how often it is repeated?
7. Though not mentioned this morning, your Government has lied about the Israeli navy ramming the Dignity in international waters. The Dignity was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and had two Irish citizens on board. I protest against this action also and strongly condemn it
8. As a result of the war crimes which the IDF/Israel has committed in the Gaza Strip and in Palestine, I believe that our Government should call you in, advise you to leave and shut down the Israeli Embassy in Ballsbridge.
I have already written to Minister Mícheál Martin making this precise request.
With best personal wishes
Justin Morahan
2 January 2009
Monday, 26 January 2009
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
letter to Israel January 2009
Dear members of Israeli Government and Armed Forces
I protest against the relentless, most cruel and savage bombing and invasion of Gaza which you have carried out and continue to carry out against the will of the peoples of the world, in spite of international condemnation which is growing in intensity at every hour. At every hour too your aggression is defying all comprehension in its pure evil. Do you not even care about the children that your soldiers are blowing into pieces?
On TV and in the press you defend your flagrant killing of defenceless people in Gaza, no matter how horrendous and bloody the killing. Your spokesperson from the IDF lies through her smiling teeth after every new and fearsome atrocity. All of you are guilty of war crimes.
It is a disgrace of the highest magnitude that the Governments of the world are cosseting and pampering you while you ride roughshod over the people of Palestine whom you have divided, in order to conquer and obliterate them.
You, Ehud Olmert, you, Ehud Barak, you Tzipi Livni are all war criminals. All of those who planned and now support these horrific killings in Gaza are also war criminals. As some decent people of Israel have said, you are compelling your own young soldiers to be guilty of war crimes.
For your own selfish reasons, to win popularity before the forthcoming elections , you are teaching them how to murder and then forcing them to murder people who are stuck in the cage of Gaza which you have locked and sealed. There are credible reports now emerging that you had planned this atrocity for six months and that you hope it will help you to gain control over the off-shore gas belonging to Palestine. You are the real murderers. You are killing children and stealing the goodness and virtue away from the hearts of your own children.
When the Germans were murdering Jews in Europe there was no Internet and people like myself could not protest against it. Now the shoe is on the other foot, you are the aggressors, the Internet is there and I, a pacifist, a human rights activist, and above all a human being, call upon you in the name of whatever or whoever you believe in to stop murdering people. Stop murdering children, stop acting the bully, stop the massacre, stop the New Holocaust.
At the present time your apologists give the impression of supreme arrogance. They repeat the same lies, over and over again, gaining continual access almost at will to the world's media. When the lies are uncovered, they are nevertheless repeated in different parts of the world by countless spokespersons, while others of your lobby of propagandists complain and whinge, like so many Uriah Heeps, that your side of the story is not being heard.
But the lying propaganda of tyrants wins only temporary and Pyrrhic victories. Where is the legacy of Joseph Goebbels today? Your imitation of the Nazi persecutors of your fathers can only lead you and your children into a similar ignoble oblivion. Is that what you wish for yourselves and for your children?
Through this letter from one human being, I call on the Government of my own country, Ireland, to expel your ambassador, Zion Evrony. I call on all other Governments to expel your Ambassadors from their own countries and to deny you all the special privileges you have been granted until you come to your senses, look at the carnage you are creating and realize that we, the people of the world, will not tolerate the savagery of your actions against defenceless and hapless civilians.
I call on you who are still fellow humans to end this new and already infamous Holocaust of Gaza, to lift the siege of Gaza, to end your occupation of the whole of Palestine, to stop stealing land for your settlers, to recognize the rights of Palestinians to their own homeland from which you once ousted them, to treat Palestinians as humans with equal rights to yours.
I call on you to put your humanity before the politics of the forthcoming elections. otherwise, you may win the elections but lose your humanity.
If you don't care about your own humanity, have regard for the humanity of your children. Many of them, many in your own households, are crying out against your actions, your own children are calling these actions war crimes, they do not want you to murder other children. They are shouting to you, even as you throw them into jail for doing so:
"COME WHAT MAY WE WILL NEVER ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE".
Are you totally deaf to these profound words of wisdom?
With best personal wishes
Justin Morahan
Dublin, Ireland.
I protest against the relentless, most cruel and savage bombing and invasion of Gaza which you have carried out and continue to carry out against the will of the peoples of the world, in spite of international condemnation which is growing in intensity at every hour. At every hour too your aggression is defying all comprehension in its pure evil. Do you not even care about the children that your soldiers are blowing into pieces?
On TV and in the press you defend your flagrant killing of defenceless people in Gaza, no matter how horrendous and bloody the killing. Your spokesperson from the IDF lies through her smiling teeth after every new and fearsome atrocity. All of you are guilty of war crimes.
It is a disgrace of the highest magnitude that the Governments of the world are cosseting and pampering you while you ride roughshod over the people of Palestine whom you have divided, in order to conquer and obliterate them.
You, Ehud Olmert, you, Ehud Barak, you Tzipi Livni are all war criminals. All of those who planned and now support these horrific killings in Gaza are also war criminals. As some decent people of Israel have said, you are compelling your own young soldiers to be guilty of war crimes.
For your own selfish reasons, to win popularity before the forthcoming elections , you are teaching them how to murder and then forcing them to murder people who are stuck in the cage of Gaza which you have locked and sealed. There are credible reports now emerging that you had planned this atrocity for six months and that you hope it will help you to gain control over the off-shore gas belonging to Palestine. You are the real murderers. You are killing children and stealing the goodness and virtue away from the hearts of your own children.
When the Germans were murdering Jews in Europe there was no Internet and people like myself could not protest against it. Now the shoe is on the other foot, you are the aggressors, the Internet is there and I, a pacifist, a human rights activist, and above all a human being, call upon you in the name of whatever or whoever you believe in to stop murdering people. Stop murdering children, stop acting the bully, stop the massacre, stop the New Holocaust.
At the present time your apologists give the impression of supreme arrogance. They repeat the same lies, over and over again, gaining continual access almost at will to the world's media. When the lies are uncovered, they are nevertheless repeated in different parts of the world by countless spokespersons, while others of your lobby of propagandists complain and whinge, like so many Uriah Heeps, that your side of the story is not being heard.
But the lying propaganda of tyrants wins only temporary and Pyrrhic victories. Where is the legacy of Joseph Goebbels today? Your imitation of the Nazi persecutors of your fathers can only lead you and your children into a similar ignoble oblivion. Is that what you wish for yourselves and for your children?
Through this letter from one human being, I call on the Government of my own country, Ireland, to expel your ambassador, Zion Evrony. I call on all other Governments to expel your Ambassadors from their own countries and to deny you all the special privileges you have been granted until you come to your senses, look at the carnage you are creating and realize that we, the people of the world, will not tolerate the savagery of your actions against defenceless and hapless civilians.
I call on you who are still fellow humans to end this new and already infamous Holocaust of Gaza, to lift the siege of Gaza, to end your occupation of the whole of Palestine, to stop stealing land for your settlers, to recognize the rights of Palestinians to their own homeland from which you once ousted them, to treat Palestinians as humans with equal rights to yours.
I call on you to put your humanity before the politics of the forthcoming elections. otherwise, you may win the elections but lose your humanity.
If you don't care about your own humanity, have regard for the humanity of your children. Many of them, many in your own households, are crying out against your actions, your own children are calling these actions war crimes, they do not want you to murder other children. They are shouting to you, even as you throw them into jail for doing so:
"COME WHAT MAY WE WILL NEVER ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE".
Are you totally deaf to these profound words of wisdom?
With best personal wishes
Justin Morahan
Dublin, Ireland.
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
ISRAELS HEROINES AND HEROES IN THEIR DARKEST HOURS
1 THE SHMINISTIM (literallly TWELFTH GRADERS)
In the dark hours of the Israeli massacres in Gaza, it is good to know of the groups in Israel who oppose these horrific actions. Among these, pride of place in my opinion, goes to the Shministim, the young Israelis who say NO to conscription in the Israeli Army.
The Shministim are not the first refuseniks in time but they are especially inspirational.
Reading through their testimonials is a boost to any human who espouses non-violence. They suffer jail terms for their refusal. This is not easy in any country but especially so in iron-fisted Israel where the word "traitor" is easily thrown around at people who act out of conscience in a way that is not complicit with the beliefs of the IDF and the State.
These young teenagers of the Shministim are a light of hope shining in the midst of the darkness that is the State of Israel.
As an introduction please look at the video below and listen to what they say:
(there are four speakers aged 18, 19, 19, 19)
"We are Shministim ...
We are Israeli Conscientious Objectors
That means we refuse to serve in the Israeli Army
Because they are occupying another people, the Palestinians
Palestinian kids like us can't get to school because of checkpoints
Many Palestinian kids get arrested for no reason
A lot of them have been killed or their homes demolished
The Government says this policy is keeping us safe
But denying Palestinains their basic human rights put us all in danger
It's illegal
It's wrong
It's immoral
It's against my personal beliefs (x2)
It's against my basic values
It's against my values
That's why we are Conscientious Objectors (x3)
That's why I am a Conscientious Objector
We are Shministim (x3)
I am a Shministit
We are being jailed for refusing to serve in the Army
We need your support
Please sign the letter
and tell all your friends
Palestinians, Israelis, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, - everyone
We all need to stand together against violence
against oppression
no matter who does it
Take a stand with us for peace
and coexistence
and refuge for children like us everywhere
Sign the letter today (x2)
Please sign the letter today"
The names are: Sahar Vardi, Yuval Oron-Ofir, Omer Goldman and (I think) Miya Tamarin.
Link to sign the letter: http://december18th.org/
G
In the dark hours of the Israeli massacres in Gaza, it is good to know of the groups in Israel who oppose these horrific actions. Among these, pride of place in my opinion, goes to the Shministim, the young Israelis who say NO to conscription in the Israeli Army.
The Shministim are not the first refuseniks in time but they are especially inspirational.
Reading through their testimonials is a boost to any human who espouses non-violence. They suffer jail terms for their refusal. This is not easy in any country but especially so in iron-fisted Israel where the word "traitor" is easily thrown around at people who act out of conscience in a way that is not complicit with the beliefs of the IDF and the State.
These young teenagers of the Shministim are a light of hope shining in the midst of the darkness that is the State of Israel.
As an introduction please look at the video below and listen to what they say:
(there are four speakers aged 18, 19, 19, 19)
"We are Shministim ...
We are Israeli Conscientious Objectors
That means we refuse to serve in the Israeli Army
Because they are occupying another people, the Palestinians
Palestinian kids like us can't get to school because of checkpoints
Many Palestinian kids get arrested for no reason
A lot of them have been killed or their homes demolished
The Government says this policy is keeping us safe
But denying Palestinains their basic human rights put us all in danger
It's illegal
It's wrong
It's immoral
It's against my personal beliefs (x2)
It's against my basic values
It's against my values
That's why we are Conscientious Objectors (x3)
That's why I am a Conscientious Objector
We are Shministim (x3)
I am a Shministit
We are being jailed for refusing to serve in the Army
We need your support
Please sign the letter
and tell all your friends
Palestinians, Israelis, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, - everyone
We all need to stand together against violence
against oppression
no matter who does it
Take a stand with us for peace
and coexistence
and refuge for children like us everywhere
Sign the letter today (x2)
Please sign the letter today"
The names are: Sahar Vardi, Yuval Oron-Ofir, Omer Goldman and (I think) Miya Tamarin.
Link to sign the letter: http://december18th.org/
G
The Sickening Murders in Gaza
For the past three days the Israeli Army has been murdering people in the Gaza strip.
I am sick and tired of their excuses for these multiple murders and as a pacifist I have been wondering what non-violent people can do to stop such brutal aggression so far away from the scene of the heinous action.
With the remembrance of the US bombing of Iraq burned in my mind, the monster demonstrations worldwide that tried but failed to stop it, the millions of words spoken and written, the non-violent direct actions resulting in protracted court appearances and imprisonment for so many brave people, still ongoing after all these years, I was looking for some faltering request from people in Gaza. Something that would say "This is what you can do. This will help us." I have heard their cries and to some extent felt their pain but I was hoping for a request from them that might be possible to fulfill and that might help to stop their suffering.
Two hours ago a heart-rending e-mail came from a non-violent group not in Gaza itself but in Palestine.
Here is the e-mail
"To all free people of the world,,, to all who call for freedom and Justice……
To all who have a living conscience,,, to all who love Peace,
The hearts of the children of Palestine are calling to you, the screams of the bereaved mothers are calling your consciences.
We are wondering how the world sleeps while the children of Palestine are been cut into pieces, forgive us, our eyes are full of tears and our hearts are saddened by the criminal actions of the Israeli occupation that are beyond our imaginations.
It is also hard to see the support of the governments of the world for such war crimes, which are giving permission to Israel to commit more crimes.
We are calling upon you all on the following:
1- To continue your demonstration in front of the Israeli embassies and your parliaments not just as an emotional reaction
2- A serious boycott to Israel at all levels and work to ask the Israeli ambassadors to leave your countries
3- To work towards having the Israeli war crimes put before war crime courts
4- We call upon all popular committees in Palestine to organize more demonstrations on a daily basis
5- We call upon the Israelis who refuse the occupation to demonstrate in front of their war ministry"
Maybe some answers lie in there
I am sick and tired of their excuses for these multiple murders and as a pacifist I have been wondering what non-violent people can do to stop such brutal aggression so far away from the scene of the heinous action.
With the remembrance of the US bombing of Iraq burned in my mind, the monster demonstrations worldwide that tried but failed to stop it, the millions of words spoken and written, the non-violent direct actions resulting in protracted court appearances and imprisonment for so many brave people, still ongoing after all these years, I was looking for some faltering request from people in Gaza. Something that would say "This is what you can do. This will help us." I have heard their cries and to some extent felt their pain but I was hoping for a request from them that might be possible to fulfill and that might help to stop their suffering.
Two hours ago a heart-rending e-mail came from a non-violent group not in Gaza itself but in Palestine.
Here is the e-mail
"To all free people of the world,,, to all who call for freedom and Justice……
To all who have a living conscience,,, to all who love Peace,
The hearts of the children of Palestine are calling to you, the screams of the bereaved mothers are calling your consciences.
We are wondering how the world sleeps while the children of Palestine are been cut into pieces, forgive us, our eyes are full of tears and our hearts are saddened by the criminal actions of the Israeli occupation that are beyond our imaginations.
It is also hard to see the support of the governments of the world for such war crimes, which are giving permission to Israel to commit more crimes.
We are calling upon you all on the following:
1- To continue your demonstration in front of the Israeli embassies and your parliaments not just as an emotional reaction
2- A serious boycott to Israel at all levels and work to ask the Israeli ambassadors to leave your countries
3- To work towards having the Israeli war crimes put before war crime courts
4- We call upon all popular committees in Palestine to organize more demonstrations on a daily basis
5- We call upon the Israelis who refuse the occupation to demonstrate in front of their war ministry"
Maybe some answers lie in there
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Vanunu July 8 Appeal against 6 month sentence heard
News from Jerusalem is that Israeli whistleblower, Mordechai Vanunu, had his appeal heard today against a six month sentence that had been handed down for speaking to foreign journalists. Mordechai, who spent nearly twelve years in solitary and six more years in prison for revealing Israel's nuclear secrets was "released" over 4 years ago on 20 April 2004 from Ashkelon prison in Israel.
Immediately, the harshest of sanctions were placed on him. Among these, he was forbidden to approach the immediate vicinity of Israel's borders or foreign embassies,forbidden to leave Israel, forbidden to speak to foreigners or foreign journalists, and he had to report any change of residence to the authorities. Over these past four years he has been arrested several times, had his living quarters raided, had property confiscated, was held overnight and by day for questioning, prevented physically from attending Christmas night Mass in Bethlehem, and harassed generally.
Today's court appearance is one of many dozens of such appearances. Today, it appears that the three judges showed a certain amount of openness and sympathy to the lawyers who robustly criticised the inhuman conditions placed on Vanunu's freedom. However, it will be their judgement in September that will be of import, rather than their apparent attitude in the court.
If they do not grant his appeal, Mordechai faces another six months in prison on top of all that he has suffered to date.
He has another appeal lodged in the Supreme Court against the sanctions that have been renewed by Israel year after year since his release. This case will not be heard for a month or two.
Immediately, the harshest of sanctions were placed on him. Among these, he was forbidden to approach the immediate vicinity of Israel's borders or foreign embassies,forbidden to leave Israel, forbidden to speak to foreigners or foreign journalists, and he had to report any change of residence to the authorities. Over these past four years he has been arrested several times, had his living quarters raided, had property confiscated, was held overnight and by day for questioning, prevented physically from attending Christmas night Mass in Bethlehem, and harassed generally.
Today's court appearance is one of many dozens of such appearances. Today, it appears that the three judges showed a certain amount of openness and sympathy to the lawyers who robustly criticised the inhuman conditions placed on Vanunu's freedom. However, it will be their judgement in September that will be of import, rather than their apparent attitude in the court.
If they do not grant his appeal, Mordechai faces another six months in prison on top of all that he has suffered to date.
He has another appeal lodged in the Supreme Court against the sanctions that have been renewed by Israel year after year since his release. This case will not be heard for a month or two.
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