Criminalizing Dissent In Israel:
Netanyahu's Government Its Most Extremist Ever
09 July 2012
By Stephen Lendman
Netanyahu's government is its most extremist ever.
Fundamental freedoms are threatened.
Repressive Knesset bills target speech, assembly,
association, and the right to dissent.
An earlier Haaretz editorial headlined "Free press in
Israel is in danger." It said Israeli democracy has
been imperiled for years.
Netanyahu's government assails it relentlessly.
Knesset legislation threatens press freedom. Dissent
more than ever isn't tolerated.
On June 20, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel
(ACRI)headlined "The Case of Muhammad Amirah and the
Criminalization of Protest in the West Bank," saying:
Despite committing no crime, "Amirah was charged with
incitement and support for a hostile organization and
disturbing a soldier."
During a nonviolent protest near Deir Kaddis village,
he was arrested for sitting down in front of a
tractor. At issue was stopping illegal settlement
expansions on stolen Palestinian land.
Charges against him exclude violence. He's "an
important example of the criminalization of all
political activity by Palestinians in the West
Bank...."
They face Kafkaesque justice. Military orders govern
virtually every facet of their lives. Anything Israel
wishes can be called hostile or terrorist related.
Free speech is an endangered species.
Participating in public demonstrations is deemed
disrupting public order. Pouring coffee for members of
declared illegal organizations is called supporting
terrorism.
Military regulations criminalize displaying
Palestinian flags, banners, or symbols. So is
criticizing state policy. Anyone charged is judged
guilty by accusation. Conviction is virtually certain.
"Amirah's case exemplifies the extent to which ALL
protest action - including explicitly nonviolent
actions are criminalized within the Israeli system in
the West Bank."
"Amirah was sitting on the ground in front of a
tractor repeating the phrase 'I am not engaging in
violence, I will not commit a violent deed' and was
still arrested and charged."
His case also reflects the ambiguity of the term
"legal demonstration." Israel considers all nonviolent
ones illegal. Prison terms can follow participation.
On June 28, the Palestinian Center for Development &
Media Freedoms (MADA) said Palestinian journalists
face losing media freedoms.
Frank La Rue serves as UN Special Rapporteur on the
promotion and protection of the right to freedom of
opinion and expression. His recent report highlights
the problem.
"States continue to utilize criminal laws on
defamation, national security and counterterrorism to
suppress dissent and criticism, including on
Government policies, human rights violations and
allegations of corruption," he said.
MADA Director General Mousa Rimawi paid tribute to
Palestinian journalists who won't be silent. Despite
risking freedom and safety, they keep working.
"(L)ocal journalists in violent or repressed
environments deserve special recognition because they
can experience the same violations as foreign
journalists in conflict zones, but may not receive the
same international attention," he said.
"Sadly many Palestinian journalists are threatened,
injured or arrested while simply doing their jobs and
many journalists feel pressured to self-censor."
"(J)ournalists around the world continue to be
targeted and repressed, including those using the
Internet to publish stories."
"MADA will continue to support and encourage
Palestinian journalists in their work, and to fight
for freedom of expression in Palestine."
Since occupation began in June 1967, Israel pursued a
policy of silencing Palestinian dissent. Journalists
and media institutions suffer grievously.
In the last decade, Israeli occupation forces murdered
18 Palestinian journalists and two foreign ones.
On Nakba Day 2011, Mohammed Othman was shot. He was
photographing Israeli soldiers brutalizing nonviolent
Palestinian demonstrators. He worked for Reuters and
AFP.
He witnessed dozens of injured Palestinians. "It was
bloody and got worse after live ammunition was used,"
he said.
An Israeli soldier shot him. The bullet entered his
chest and "exploded" inside. It destroyed two discs
and injured his spinal cord. As a result, he's
paralyzed. He always expected something like this to
happen, he said. He witnessed other journalists being
shot.
His colleagues expressed solidarity. They know they
could be next. Othman said he wants to do what he
loves best. Nothing ahead will be easy for him.
MADA's Rimawi said Israel targets more than
journalists. Palestinian media institutions are
threatened. Raids confiscate their equipment. Their
property and facilities are destroyed. They incur
large financial losses. Some are shut down entirely.
Israel at times bombs Palestinian and international
media facilities. Homes of journalists are demolished.
During Cast Lead, Gaza's Aqsa TV was totally
destroyed. Program director Aqsa Samir Abu Muheisen
said:
"The material losses (were) estimated at six million
dollars, five million for the price of the equipment
and furniture, and one million for the cost of the
five-floor headquarter building."
The Alresalah weekly newspaper was targeted. It's
headquarters was bombed. It sustained heavy damage.
Earlier in January 2002, Israel blew up the
headquarters of Palestinian State Radio and Television
in Ramalah.
In 2012, occupation forces stormed the headquarters of
four West Bank media outlets.
On February 29, Watan TV was targeted. Equipment and
valued archives were confiscated. Its director,
Muammar Orabi said:
"The material losses, in spite of its large value and
its impact on the institution's work, can be
compensated, but the archives are priceless."
"In 2002, the occupation forces confiscated all the
television station's productions since its beginning
in 1996, and now they have again confiscated all our
archives from 2002 until the date of intrusion."
On the same day, Quds Educational TV was raided. Its
equipment and valued material were taken.
In recent months, other incidents occurred. On April
2, soldiers raided Hona Al-Quds' Jerusalem office. On
May 17, they confiscated Jenin-based Al-Aseer
channel's main transmitter.
Back-up equipment was used to keep broadcasting.
Palestinian media are monitored and targeted for
challenging Israeli authority. An Al Quds University
community center was raided.
Anyone or activity considered hostile to occupation
authority is threatened. Palestinian journalists and
media outlets are especially vulnerable. Silencing
dissent is official Israeli policy. All ways are used
to do it.
MADA said "(b)y confiscating broadcasting equipment,
Israeli occupation authorities effectively seize the
digital space and frequencies of Palestinian radio and
TV stations. In essence, they occupy the airwaves."
In 2000, Radio Bethlehem was targeted. Twice their
transmitter was seized. According to Director of
Government Media Center's Ghassan Al-Khatib:
"This is part of targeting the Palestinian effort to
build a state. The occupation's continuous targeting
of media outlets in Palestine has many reasons, chief
among them being that Israel is in a permanent media
war with the Palestinians."
"Israel seeks to reduce the impact of the Palestinian
media on public opinion and the Palestinian voice
internationally and instead impose the Israeli
narrative over what is happening in Palestine."
"Recently, Israel has been doing this for economic and
technical reasons. Some analysts have concluded that
Israel wants to retrieve certain frequencies that are
economically useful to them. They want to occupy the
digital space."
In May 2012, Al-Aseer channel's general director Baha
Khairi Mousa was arrested. His home was ransacked and
searched. He was taken to an unknown location.
Satellite transmitter equipment was confiscated.
Broadcasts continued with back-up resources.
During Cast Lead, Al-Jawharah's facilities were
bombed. Various channels use them for live TV
broadcasts. Media Group chairman Atef Isa said
bombardment came during Al-A'lam Iranian TV's live
broadcast.
At the time, 20 journalists were on the roof. Israel
was told the building is used for live broadcasts.
Assurances were given it wouldn't be bombed. Israeli
pledges aren't worth the paper they're written on.
Verbal ones have no credibility.
Abu Dhabi TV's office was shelled. Heavy damage was
sustained. It provides media services for other Arab
television channels and outlets.
Nablus' Afaq television was raided and closed. Its
equipment and furniture were confiscated. It was
targeted earlier.
Palestinian media operations are constantly threatened
with shut down. East Jerusalem's Radio FM was closed.
Its equipment was seized. Seven of its employees were
arrested. Israel falsely claimed it was unlicensed.
Its the only Palestinian English radio operation.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; this right includes freedom to hold
opinions without interference and to seek, receive and
impart information and ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers."
In 1946, General Assembly Resolution 59(I) titled
"Calling of an International Conference on the Freedom
of Information" designated media freedom as a
fundamental human right and cornerstone of all
freedoms.
In 1989, UNESCO's Article 1.2(a) reiterated its
stipulation "to collaborate in the work of advancing
the mutual knowledge and understanding of people
through all means of mass communication (and) to
promote the free flow of ideas by word and image."
Many other international laws and conventions protect
media and speech freedoms. Israel spurns them.
Speaking, writing, or demonstrating freely subjects
Palestinians to repressive crackdowns. Israel
tolerates no dissent.
Israeli Arabs also face harsh treatment. Even Jews
aren't safe. Challenging Israeli lawlessness endangers
them.
Palestinians have no rights whatever. Israeli
democracy is more illusion than real. Freedoms are
eroding on the way to ending them altogether.
Americans face the same threat. Neither country is fit
to live in. Many residents understand and leave.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached
at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is
titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War" http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished
guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the
Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central
time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs
are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
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