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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Life under occupation Home page  back Print  Send To friend “Occupation of the Territories” at Israel Book Week in Tel Aviv Breaking the Silence Monthly update June 2012 “Occupation of the Territories” at Israel Book Week in Tel Aviv “When you sit with the Brigade Commander with a map, it all seems very nice. `You take control of this house with a demonstration of presence, you`ll be hidden, and an armed man will come and everything will be fine and dandy.` It`s a mission that has a sort-of logic, but in actuality, you`re just abusing the population.” (Excerpt from Testimony #48) 180 testimonies told by 101 soldiers – men and women – are included in the book “Occupation of the Territories – Israeli Soldier Testimonies 2000-2010,” which highlight four principle elements of IDF operational policy in the Occupied Territories in the past decade: `Prevention`, `Separation`, `Fabric of Life,` and `Law Enforcement`. We chose these terms – part of the common military jargon, encoded by the security apparatus and ruling bodies – with the aim of deconstructing their meaning, describing the significance of the policy they indicate, and the activities they dictate, as described in the soldier testimonies. This year, for the first time, BTS is taking part in Israel Book Week, and the book is being sold at the central event in Tel Aviv, at Rabin Square. We invite those of you to come visit the stand and purchase our book. In the context of Israel Book Week, our publication has also garnered Israeli media coverage in recent weeks. Recent Educational Activity In the past 5 months, we have met with more than 2,500 Israelis in the context of 82 educational events, including lectures and tours to Hebron and the South Hebron Hills The participants during this period included a high number of Israeli university students and Israeli teachers – groups we have chosen to focus on. We look forward to summer months packed with activity and tours. If you have not yet joined one of our tours, you can find a schedule of upcoming dates on our website: www.breakingthesilence.org.il/tours Settler violence met with soldier inaction In the last two weeks, two separate incidents of settler violence – which occurred while IDF soldiers stood idly by – gained significant press coverage On Saturday, May 19, an arson attempted near the village of `Asira al-Qibliya in the Nablus region by settlers from Yitzhar, was captured on film by B`Tselem cameras. Rock-throwing escalated until a settler shot a 24-year-old Palestinian man from the village in the head, wounding him. All the while soldiers stood by, taking no action to stop the settlers. On Saturday, May 26, again settlers from Yitzhar made their way to the village of `Urif, setting fire to fields, and throwing rocks and shooting at Palestinians from the village. Soldiers stationed in the region again did not act. While the media and public were surprised by the soldiers` inaction, BTS Executive Director Dana Golan wrote a piece presenting these incidents as just a few of many like them, inherent results of the discriminatory Rules of Engagement. “This is just another example of the long-entrenched paradigm that constitutes the basis of IDF activity on the ground: We are not here to protect Palestinians.” The piece was published in English at +972 Magazine, and in Hebrew on the prominent blog Ha`Oketz. The initial findings of an investigation published this past Sunday indicate that the (civilian) response team of the settlement of Yitzhar did not act according to instructions, and took actions that were beyond the bounds of their authority. Testimony “Soldiers got hit by both sides” unit: Nahal Brigade place: Hebron period: 2002 link to full testimony: http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/testimonies/database/82159 As an NCO I slept at the quarters of one of the companies in Hebron. Since there were no girls` dorms there, I slept in one room with the guys. I recall one night, about 4 a.m., one of the platoon commanders, I think he was a sergeant, came in and sat down on my bed, waking me up. I jump up, he sits, still with his ceramic bullet-proof vest, helmet, weapons, down from guard duty this minute. I asked: `did anything happen?` He sits there, eyes glazed, and tells me: `I had a dream`. I ask: `What kind of dream?` `I dreamt Jews were beating me up and Arabs were beating me up and I was standing in the middle and couldn`t do a thing`. I asked him: `This was no dream, right? You`ve just come off your shift, and something has happened`. Then he said, `Yes`. The guy was in shick. They had just removed some settlers out of Palestinian shops in Hebron. The Palestinians came down to defend their own shops, the settlers tried to force their way in, the soldiers were there in the middle and got hit by both sides. And the soldier was simply shocked. I had to actually help him remove his helmet and vest, and go to sleep, to forget it all. He came back dazed from this situation. This is another of those things that really got imprinted in my mind. upcoming tour 21.06.12 South Hebron Hills The tour highlights the difficult situation in the region and the complex relationship between Palestinians, settlers, and the IDF. rh Links to the latest articles in this section Occupation forces injure mourners following funeral of slain infant Mohammad Tamimi Nabi Saleh village assaulted - toddler shot in the head died in hospital Palestinians in the snow: thrown from home into the snow, throw snowballs and get arrested