Condemn the Israeli Zionist Aggression and its Anglo-US Backers!

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Bitter Fruits of the "War against Terrorism":
Condemn the Israeli Zionist Aggression and its Anglo-US Backers!

Israeli Aggression and Occupation Carried out under the Signboard of Defeating the "War of Terrorism"

The Palestinian Leadership Strongly Condemns Jerusalem Attacks Against Israeli Civilians

Palestinian Public Security Statement on the Declared State of Emergency

For Your Reference:
The Palestinian Scene

The US-backed Israeli aggression in bombarding Gaza City and Jenin with Apache helicopters and missiles demonstrates exactly what is meant by the "war against terrorism", just as the raining of bombs on the Afghan people has done. WDIE vigorously condemns Ariel Sharon’s aggression against the Palestinian territories, which has the full backing of US imperialism, and is part and parcel of the imperialist doctrine of "collective punishment".

The aggression is the bitter fruit of the Anglo-US declaration of the "war on terrorism", and is the reactionary stepping up of the suppression of the right of the Palestinian people to occupy their homeland, being carried out under the fraudulent line of "self-defence" which the White House has sanctioned.

Events are showing that the declared "war on terrorism" in the definition and the practice that the imperialists give it is leading to further bloodshed and acts of terror. It is not solving the question of the rights of the peoples, including the right to life, nor is it solving the long-standing problems of the peoples of the world that are the result and a reflection of the all-round crisis of the world imperialist system, and nor was it meant to do so. From the beginning it was a declaration that these problems would not be addressed, and that by declaration "the evil of terrorism" was to be made the overriding problem facing the world, and that a period of the darkest reaction all along the line, of aggression, attacks on rights, annexation, violation of sovereignty, imperialist predation and other dark deeds would be carried out against the peoples under this signboard.

The British government has been the ideologue of this reaction. A Downing Street spokesman allied the government with Washington and Israel by saying that "Israel is entitled to its security". While condemning the actions of the suicide bombers as beyond contempt in killing innocent civilians, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said nothing to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people, and condemn Israeli provocations and aggression, and would refer only to the suicide killings as "terrorist attacks" and "acts of extremist violence", while keeping silent about the state terrorism and extreme violence of Israel as well as the root cause of the attacks.

Indeed, if the Foreign Secretary’s logic of "failed states" which are "weak" and unable to impose their will by armed force is followed, then Israel becomes the model of a strong state, and intervention against Palestine is justified, and Jack Straw’s welcoming of the pledge by Palestinian leaders to track down those responsible for the attacks, bring the guilty to justice and prevent further occurrences of this kind of violence are ominous words. Should they not be followed to the letter, and Israel is already calling these pledges a sham, once again fascist terror will be "justified" against the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority.

The policy and climate of "no war, no peace" which Anglo-US imperialism has been fostering in the Middle East have placed a block on the problems facing this region and its peoples from being solved. The options being presented to the Palestinian people have been narrowed down, the Palestinian people have risen up in their second intifada and events have moved inexorably to the present bloody conflict, which is designed to result in the permanent occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands and turn back the clock in the Middle East. The situation is moving from "no war, no peace" to one of fascist suppression and genocide against the Palestinians, which brings with it also the denial of the rights of the citizens of Israel to decide their own affairs in a peaceful and constructive manner.

The politics of state terror and assassinations by Israel, which have the backing of Anglo-US imperialism, must be ended. WDIE calls on the British working class and all democratic people to condemn Israeli aggression unreservedly, to demand that the British government end its backing for the Zionist state as well as end its programme of "war on terrorism" which is escalating the violence and bloodshed in the world, and demand that the rights of the Palestinian people for their statehood be respected unconditionally. The working class and people must once more intensify their struggles to seize the initiative in planting and nurturing the alternative which the British government has tried to knock off course after September 11, which if they do so will also be a blow to imperialist globalisation and occupation world-wide.

Israeli occupation forces invaded the Palestinian cities of Jenin and Tulkarem and tightened their siege around Nablus, on Friday, November 30.

Israeli occupation forces re-invaded Jenin on the evening of November 30. Eyewitnesses reported that two Israeli tanks entered south Jenin City and surrounded Al-Zahraa' as well as Al-Sa'adeh neighbourhoods. They further surrounded the towns of Al-taiyeb, Rumaneh, and A'anin.

Jenin's Governor, Mr. Zuheir Al-Manassreh, said, "Israeli occupation forces have surrounded all the cities in the district, particularly Jenin City and the refugee camp. They have also blocked, with cement, all the main roads as well as earth paths".

Israeli occupation forces also invaded the town of Doura in Hebron during the early hours on December 1. Eyewitnesses stated that the undercover Israeli soldiers who carried out the operation were disguised as Palestinian civilians. They added that five Israeli tanks raided the town from different directions, accompanied by Israeli helicopters, and spread fear and terror among the residents, particularly women and children.

The undercover Israeli occupation forces, which are usually referred to as "Musta'aribin" by Palestinians (disguised as Palestinian civilians), detained five Palestinians in Hebron, four of whom are members of the Palestinian National Security Forces.

Israeli occupation authorities declared during the afternoon of December 2, that all Palestinian civilians would be barred from exiting or entering Palestinian-controlled areas. According to the Israeli media, Palestinian traffic is not to leave any Palestinian-controlled area (area A) or travel between area A and villages in areas B and C throughout the West Bank. The move effectively turns every Palestinian population centre, no matter how large or small, into a prison.

Israeli media purports that the Israeli occupation authorities have stated that travel exemptions would be permitted "in humanitarian cases only". However, such claims or announcements have been proven false on the ground on numerous occasions, often leading to deaths and health complications of Palestinian civilians in need of medical attention. The Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem has previously condemned the Israeli occupation army for obstructing Palestinian patients' passage to hospitals. According to various Palestinian sources, these draconian measures, which contravene international humanitarian law, have lead to at least thirty-three deaths of kidney patients. They have also caused at least twenty-two cases of miscarriages and labour at the various Israeli military checkpoints, in the West Bank alone.

On October 16, B'Tselem stated, "The [Israeli occupation forces] spokesperson has repeatedly stated that: The [Israeli occupation forces] has regulations whose purpose is to ensure the passage of urgent medical cases at roadblocks. The regulations may exist, but the soldiers at the roadblocks have apparently not heard about them".

Earlier in the morning of December 2, Israeli occupation authorities sealed off all passages, including the international crossing points between the West Bank and Jordan as well as between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

In their escalation of crimes against Palestinian civilians, Israeli occupation forces committed five murders in the early hours of dawn, on December 3. At the southern entrance of Jenin City, Israeli occupation forces opened fire towards four Palestinian unarmed civilians, killing them all instantly, without provocation.

Israeli occupation forces moreover killed 35 year-old Yehya Abu A'bed, while he was on his way to work near the Muthallath Al-Shuhadaa' area in Jenin. Eyewitnesses stated that Yehya, who lives in Qabattia village, was heading to his work in the early hours of the morning, when an Israeli tank opened direct fire at him, killing him instantly. Medical sources revealed that the victim was targeted, as he suffered several bullets at various parts of his body.

In another incident in Tulkarem, Israeli occupation forces killed 19 year-old Mohamed Sunjuq, from Ramin village, in the late hours of December 2. Eyewitnesses report that Israeli occupation forces opened fire towards civilians in northern Tulkarem for no reason. The victims' body has been detained. Official Palestinian spokespersons have described these killings as "crimes".

On the evening of Saturday, December 1, suicide attacks and a car bomb in Jerusalem killed at least 10 people. On Sunday, two gunmen killed an Israeli in Gaza. The suspected gunmen was pursued and killed by Israeli forces. A suicide bomber killed at least 15 on a bus in Haifa, and four Palestinians were shot dead in a gun battle in Jenin. On Monday, a fifth Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Jenin.

The Israeli rightwing called for the destruction of the Palestine National Authority after the attacks against Israeli civilians in West Jerusalem and Haifa on December 2. Despite the official Palestinian condemnation of the attacks, the Israeli rightwing used the opportunity to launch accusations against the Palestinian leadership, alleging that the only solution would be the absolute destruction of the Palestinian leadership and the reoccupation of Palestinian towns and cities that have been handed over to Palestinian control.

Israeli Education Minister, Limor Livnat, who is a member of Sharon's Likud party, said, "The assassinations of [terror] suspects have importance on their own, yet they are not enough". She added, "We must topple a regime that supports terrorism and allows it to operate ... First and foremost, we must understand that Arafat is the one who leads this terror. He cannot be a partner".

In addition, Israeli Infrastructure Minister Avigdor Lieberman, a renowned extremist and proponent of the idea of "transfer", called on Sharon to order severe military action against Palestinian cities with the aim of toppling President Arafat and the Palestinian leadership. On December 2, Lieberman threatened that if Sharon does not act quickly to Israel to classify the Palestinian Leadership formally as a "terror-supporting regime", his party would quit the government.

The Housing and Construction Minister, Natan Sharansky, criticised his government for "speaking with two voices" about President Arafat. "One depicts him as a negotiating partner while the other condemns him for backing terror strikes", Sharansky said.

The Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz reported on 3 December, that government ministers have started to pressure Sharon to allow for non-Muslim access to the Al-Aqsa Holy Compound in occupied East Jerusalem, Palestine's holiest Islamic site and Islam's third holiest religious site. The Israeli newspaper added that a number of Israeli Ministers like Uzi Landau, Limor Livnat, Avigdor Lieberman, and Binyamin Elon are now urging Sharon to consider this move. Challenging the status quo in the Al-Aqsa compound would be designed to anger Muslims throughout the world.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat declared a state of emergency in Gaza and the West Bank and ordered the arrest of dozens of Islamic militants following the two Palestinian suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Haifa which killed 25 people. But commentators have been saying that the Palestinian leader has never looked weaker.

Palestinian security forces are reported to have arrested over 100 militants on the West Bank and Gaza amid intense international pressure on Yasser Arafat to take decisive action against radical Palestinian groups, news agencies reported. Palestinian sources said most of those arrested belong to the militant Islamic movement Hamas, which said it carried out suicide attacks on Saturday and Sunday which killed 25 Israelis and wounded scores more. About 1,000 Hamas supporters marched through Gaza at the funeral of a Palestinian gunman on Monday, defying a ban by the Palestinian Authority. The demonstrators fired automatic weapons into the air and called for more attacks against Israel.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell reacted to the attacks by saying this is a "moment of truth" for Yasser Arafat. US President George W Bush, who met Ariel Sharon in Washington on Sunday, said Yasser Arafat "must do everything in his power to find those who murdered innocent Israelis and bring them to justice". The US did not issue its usual public appeal to Israel to "show restraint".

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said he told Mr Arafat the Palestinian leader was facing a "moment of truth" as the bombings were also attacks on his authority over the Palestinians. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said any Israeli action should be seen not as revenge, but as self-defence. The White House said on Monday that Israel had the "right to defend itself".

The bombings coincided with the visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He has returned from America, where his visit was cut short because of the attacks, with a green light to respond to the latest violence as he sees fit.

On his return, Ariel Sharon began a series of high-level meetings to decide Israel's response to the Palestinian bombings. He went straight into session with his inner cabinet at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport

In a first step, the Israeli army tightened its blockade around Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank, while the Palestinian Authority declared a state of emergency in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In continuing violence, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian near the West Bank town of Jenin on Monday morning. The army said it believed he was trying to plant a bomb, but Palestinian sources said he was a farmer going to work. Hours earlier, Israeli soldiers shot dead four Palestinians in a gun battle near Jenin. The military said the men were planning to carry out another attack in Israel.

On Monday, Israel launched a missile attack on Palestinian-ruled Gaza City. At least ten missiles struck different sites in the hub of the Gaza Strip. The streets were thronged with civilians who fled in panic at the sound of the impact. Witnesses said missiles struck different sites in the hub of the Gaza Strip, with some falling near Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s headquarters. Palestinian officials said that he was not there at the time.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon blamed Palestinian President Yasser Arafat for a "war of terrorism" which was intended to drive the Israeli people into exile. He said that Israel would withstand the attacks and vowed to pursue those responsible.

"A war of terrorism was forced on us," Sharon said in a live televised broadcast. "If you ask what the aim of this war is, I will tell you. It is the aim of the terrorists....to exile us from here." "This will not happen," he said, adding: "We know who is responsible...Arafat is responsible for everything that is going on."

French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, said on December 1 that any Israeli action aimed at weakening the Palestine National Authority could backfire. At an annual dinner with a Jewish group in France, Lionel Jospin stated, "All action aiming to weaken the Palestinian Authority [risks] backfiring on Israel in the long run".

The French Prime Minister further urged Israelis and Palestinians to seek a balanced political solution to end the fourteen months of bloodshed rather than resorting to violence. "But, friends of Israel, I do not believe that violence is the only option, nor force the necessary response. Neither will secure real security or lead to peace", the French Minister told the group.

In addition, Lionel Jospin emphasised the importance of holding Israeli-Palestinian talks, aiming for "the coexistence of an Israeli state with guaranteed security and a viable and sovereign Palestinian state".

The Jordanian government on Sunday urged Israel and the Palestinians to show restraint Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb said that the latest US initiative unveiled by Secretary of State Colin Powell last month was perhaps "the last chance" for peace in the region and urged both the Israelis and the Palestinians to make it succeed. "Frankly speaking, this may be the last chance for this region under the current circumstances, and this opportunity should not be lost," he said.

"The latest incidents (in West Jerusalem and in Haifa) are regrettable and touch both the Palestinians and the Israelis. This issue has to be handled with the highest level of responsibility so as to surpass" possible repercussions, added Abul Ragheb.

He hailed a swift decision by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to declare a state of emergency in areas under the control of the Palestinian National Authority in the wake of the suicide attacks on Saturday and Sunday that left nearly 200 Israelis injured. "Declaring a state of emergency is a wise decision, and I hope they will succeed in controlling the situation," Abul Ragheb said. "The (Israeli) occupation will not be removed by force, and Israel will not achieve security by force. This is what the latest incidents have proven. A balanced peace equation has to prevail ... based on the principles of international legitimacy," the premier said.

We are reprinting the following statement of December 1, 2001

With great fury and anger, the Palestinian leadership received the news of the attacks that occurred last night 1 December 2001 in West Jerusalem, which targeted civilians and resulted in a number of casualties.

The Palestinian leadership expresses its deep anger, condemnation, and anguish regarding those attacks, whose initiators aim, particularly at a time like this, to cripple the American, Russian, European, and international peace efforts. They further challenge the decisions of the Palestinian leadership, the Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee, and the Fateh Central Committee, with the aim to paralyse the leadership's credibility, competence, responsibility, and the Palestinian national objectives, every time international efforts rise to the possibility of putting an end to Israeli occupation and guarantee the establishment of a Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its capital.

Those attacks, which have targeted Israeli civilians, have resulted in great damage to the image of our People in the international public opinion, despite our People's constant suffering due the brutality of occupation, settlement building, assassinations, closure, and siege for the past fourteen months.

The leadership further calls upon the international community to elevate the extent of its focus on the current crisis and bloody confrontation, and urgently send international monitors to the Palestinian Territory.

The leadership will fully uphold its responsibilities and obligations, in order to track down those responsible and those who are behind those attacks.

Finally, the leadership expresses its deep condolences to the Israeli people and the families of the victims for this painful tragedy.

Following the Palestinian leadership's declaration of a state of emergency on December 2, the Palestinian Public Security issued the following statement:

Based on the Palestinian leadership's decision to declare a state of emergency throughout the Palestinian Territory since 2 December, the following has been decided.

1- Any violation of the leadership declaration is prohibited, and whoever does not comply with the cease-fire declaration will be punished.
2- All demonstrations without an official authorisation are banned.
3- Carrying weapons is restricted to national security forces, the police, and other security bodies.
4- Any form of hindering of the educational process, leading it to positions contrary to its intended goals, or incitement of students to leave their schools, universities, or institutes, is not permitted.
5- The use of mosques and other houses of worship for political propaganda is strictly illegal.
6- The use of loudspeakers and microphones for provocation or any illegal action is forbidden.

Our great People, we look to your sense of national commitment and responsibility to guide you to comply with these decisions and measures in order to maintain our national unity and consolidate our domestic front so we can collectively achieve our objectives of establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and the fair implementation of resolution 194.

· Events of December 2, 2001:

Jenin: Israeli occupation is still shelling the surrounds of Jenin Refugee Camp, Jenin and Saylat al-Dhaher village. Last night, the Palestinian child Muhammad Rateb Shahlah, aged 10, was announced as martyr during the fierce shelling by Israeli tanks against Wadi Burqin neighbourhood to the west of Jenin Refugee Camp. Israeli tanks also opened fire towards Palestinian passing cars through Jenin – Nablus Road causing the martyrdom of Rami Musa As’ous, 20, of Jenin. Israeli occupation forces invaded seven meters of lands under Palestinian control in Jenin.

Jerusalem: the three explosions, which took place in Jerusalem left 10, killed Israelis and more than 170 others injured including 11 in serious conditions. Two youths committed suicide attacks in West Jerusalem while the third explosion resulted from a booby-trapped car.

Following the attack, Israeli occupation forces raided Abu Dis village at 4:00 a.m. this morning and imposed a curfew on the village. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces raided residencies of Palestinian students in Abu Dis College of Science and Technology.

There are also reports on the arrest of the entire family of Mahmoud Amer Halabieh.

Gaza: One settler killed and five injured during an infiltration attempt by a group of militants against Eli Sinai Settlement in the Gaza Strip about twenty minutes ago.

The Preventive Security Apparatus in Gaza Strip arrested yesterday evening Dr. Mohammed al-Hindi, one of the leading figures in the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine. Deputy head of the Apparatus Col. Rashid Abu Shbak said the arrest of al-Hindi came upon an arrest warrant issued against him and that he is detained now at one of the detention centres of the Apparatus. Abu Shbak said the arrest of al-Hindi came after reaching an understanding between al-Hindi and the Apparatus without any clashes. A large force has arrived to the house of al-Hindi to arrest him but some citizens and several armed men from Islamic jihad Movement rushed to the scene after they heard the appeals launched by citizens through loudspeakers in the mosques. Meanwhile, an official in Islamic Jihad Movement said the Palestinian police arrested more than ten activists of the Movement in the West Bank. The official said the arrests took place in the cities of Ramallah, Jenin, and Hebron.

· Political Developments:

The Palestinian Leadership received the news of the bombings in Jerusalem yesterday that targeted Israeli civilians with anger and rage. The Palestinian Leadership expresses its deep anger and condemnation and pain regarding the operations whose perpetrators and planners wanted at this particular timing to sabotage and blow up the US, Russian, European and international peace and in blatant violation to the decisions of the Palestinian Leadership and the PLO executive Committee and Fatah Central Committee in order to strike the credibility and responsibility of the leadership and the PNA and in order to strike the Palestinian national project whenever an international opportunity emerges to end the Israeli occupation and secure the establishment of the Palestinian state with al-Quds as its capital. These operations which target Israeli civilians incurred great damage on the image of the Palestinian people in front of the international public opinion despite the sufferings of people from the barbarism of occupation, settlements, assassinations, and closure for 14 months in a row. The Palestinian Leadership calls on the international community to upgrade its level of attention and interest in this conflict and bloody confrontations and send international observers immediately to the Palestinian lands. The Leadership will take all necessary measures in terms of commitments and responsibility of tracking down the planners of these operations. The Palestinian Leadership extends to the state and people of Israel and to the families of the injured its deepest condolences regarding this tragic event.

H.E. President Arafat received yesterday at dawn a phone call from US Secretary of State Powell; the phone call focused on the latest developments following the operations that took place in Jerusalem and targeted Israeli civilians. The phone call also discussed the US efforts exerted by the US envoy General Zinni to salvage and protect the peace process.

Washington refrained from making any comments yesterday afternoon following the incursion of ten Israeli tanks inside the city of Jenin in the territories under the PNA control.

(source: Ministry of Planning and International Co-operation)

Israeli Acts of Aggression

Following is a list of the Israeli breaches of the cease-fire on 29 and 30 November.

Gaza District:
Israeli occupation forces:

1. Israeli tanks shelled Palestinian homes in Al-Namsawi refugee camp in Khan Younis with heavy machinegun fire.
2. Carried out an incursion in Al-'Ajen area, north of Khan Younis.
3. Shelled a number of Palestinian homes in Al-Mighraqa, south of the Gaza Strip.
4. Targeted a French delegation, which was visiting Khan Younis.

Bethlehem district:
Israeli occupation forces:

• Shelled Palestinian homes in Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem City.

Jenin District:
Israeli occupation forces:

• Detained three Palestinian civilians from Al-Romana village and took them to unknown location.

Ramallah District:
Israeli occupation troops:

• Injured 23 Palestinian civilians after targeting a peaceful demonstration in Al-Balou' area with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets.

Following is a list of the Israeli breaches of the cease-fire on 1 December.

Jenin District:
Israeli occupation forces:

1. Killed 10 year-old Mohamed Shahla by fatally shooting him in the head as a response to throwing stones at the Israeli tanks that had invaded the Muthalath Al-Shuhada area, south of Jenin City.
2. Killed 18 year-old Rami A'sou'ssi as he was on his way home south of Jenin City, minutes before the time for breaking the fast.
3. Invaded and reoccupied Al-Jabiriyat area, south of Jenin City, with a number of tanks.
4. Detained more than seventy Palestinian children for hours after shooting at their school bus in Al-Zababda village, near Jenin City.

Hebron District:
Israeli occupation forces:

• Arrested a number of Palestinian civilians from the town of Dura, south of Hebron City.

Following is a list of the Israeli breaches of the cease-fire on 2 December.

Occupied East Jerusalem:
Israeli occupation forces:

1. Killed 22 year-old Mazen Al-Nabilsi while he was trying to enter the Israeli Hapoalim Bank in Occupied East Jerusalem.
2. Imposed a curfew on the town of Abu Dis before detaining more than twelve of the town's residents.
3. Carried out a huge search operation in Beir Nabala village, north of the occupied City.

Israeli armed settlers:

• A group of armed Israeli settlers, protected by Israeli occupation troops, attacked Hezma Village, south of Occupied East Jerusalem.

Nablus District:
Israeli occupation forces:

• Raided Salem Village after targeting a number of the villagers' homes with machinegun fire.

Jenin District:
Israeli occupation forces:

1. Israeli tanks targeted the Palestinian homes in the western and eastern parts of Jenin City with heavy machine guns.
2. Injured 26 year-old Ahmad Shalabi when Israeli tanks shelled the Palestinian homes in Burqin Village with heavy machine guns.

Bethlehem District:
Israeli occupation forces:

• Shelled Palestinian homes in the A'ida refugee camp with machinegun fire.

Gaza District:
Israeli occupation troops:

• Israeli tanks, positioned at the illegal Israeli settlement of "Neveh Dekalim", shelled Palestinian homes in Al-Namsawi refugee camp, west of Khan Younis.

(source: Palestine Media Centre-PMC)