Elderly Gay Couple Victimized by the County
by: Brian Leubitz Mon Apr 19, 2010
End of life situations can often be even more tragic for LGBT couples. We are far less likely to have children to care for our elderly, and the current generation of LGBT senior citizens is still dealing with a lot of entrenched homophobia from their peers. However, a recent case shows just how difficult this situation can be. Kate Kendall of NCLR wrote about the story of one Sonoma County couple that was tragically separated at the end of their lives:
Without authority, without determining the value of Clay and Harold's possessions accumulated over the course of their 20 years together or making any effort to determine which items belonged to whom, the county took everything Harold and Clay owned and auctioned off all of their belongings. Adding further insult to grave injury, the county removed Clay from his home and confined him to a nursing home against his will. The county workers then terminated Clay and Harold's lease and surrendered the home they had shared for many years to the landlord.
Three months after he was hospitalized, Harold died in the nursing home. Because of the county's actions, Clay missed the final months he should have had with his partner of 20 years. Compounding this tragedy, Clay has literally nothing left of the home he had shared with Harold or the life he was living up until the day that Harold fell, because he has been unable to recover any of his property. The only memento Clay has is a photo album that Harold painstakingly put together for Clay during the last three months of his life.
Take a moment to read the whole article, or find more information at NCLR's Elder Law Project. Basically, Harold broke his hip, and the County determined that both of them needed to go to nursing homes. They packed them off to different nursing homes that didn't respect their relationship. Furthermore, they were not granted access and the respect that they deserved, both under common decency as well as under the legal documents that they had signed.
Would such a scenario have occurred with a straight couple? It seems doubtful, and this is the crux of the problem that we face. Not only is our situation simply out of the norm for social workers, but lack of resources means that training is falling behind. There is no way to make up for such a tragedy, but Sonoma County should at the very least start with an apology to Clay and work towards helping him recover as much of his stuff as possible.
Thing is, Sonoma County was well outside of the lines of the law in this case, so legislation can only partly address the situation. The most obvious solution would be marriage equality, and the respect of same-sex marriages. But, we need to ensure that those on the front lines are adequately aware of the laws already on the books and how to treat LGBT couples. This is a shameful story that should never be repeated.
Cross posted from the Prop 8 Trial Tracker, a project of the Courage Campaign.
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Some books that you may want to read
HOPES AND PROSPECTS
By NOAM CHOMSKY
Forthcoming May 10th! Newly Released
In this urgent new book, Noam Chomsky surveys the dangers and prospects of our early twenty-first century. Exploring the growing gap between North and South, the Obama administration, the fiascos of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the recent financial bailouts, he also sees hope for the future—in the democratic wave in Latin America and in the global solidarity movements that suggest “real progress toward freedom and justice.”
» Pre-order with code "Pre20" at checkout for 20% off
THE CASE FOR SOCIALISM
By ALAN MAASS, Afterword by HOWARD ZINN
"Is socialism an impossible, discredited dream or the only realistic path for human survival? If you're not sure of the answer, or are just curious about what the left really believes in, you need to read Maass. He's the Tom Paine of the contemporary American left." —Mike Davis
"A vivid, fluent, and rare book about socialism for those uninterested in tracts and excited by new prospects" —John Pilger
'This Time We Went Too Far': A Sponsored Message from our Friends at OR Books
A must-read for anyone interested in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Norman Finkelstein’s new book, 'This Time We Went Too Far', is a timely and important study of the 2008 Gaza Invasion. As the Israeli government attempts to discredit the UN Goldstone Report on the Gaza assault, Finkelstein offers a gripping account of why Israel attacked, what happened on the ground during the invasion, and the repercussions of the attack in Jewish communities around the world.
Norman G. Finkelstein’s books include Beyond Chutzpah, The Holocaust Industry, A Nation on Trial and Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict.
AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT WWW.ORBOOKS.COM
By NOAM CHOMSKY
Forthcoming May 10th! Newly Released
In this urgent new book, Noam Chomsky surveys the dangers and prospects of our early twenty-first century. Exploring the growing gap between North and South, the Obama administration, the fiascos of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the recent financial bailouts, he also sees hope for the future—in the democratic wave in Latin America and in the global solidarity movements that suggest “real progress toward freedom and justice.”
» Pre-order with code "Pre20" at checkout for 20% off
THE CASE FOR SOCIALISM
By ALAN MAASS, Afterword by HOWARD ZINN
"Is socialism an impossible, discredited dream or the only realistic path for human survival? If you're not sure of the answer, or are just curious about what the left really believes in, you need to read Maass. He's the Tom Paine of the contemporary American left." —Mike Davis
"A vivid, fluent, and rare book about socialism for those uninterested in tracts and excited by new prospects" —John Pilger
'This Time We Went Too Far': A Sponsored Message from our Friends at OR Books
A must-read for anyone interested in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Norman Finkelstein’s new book, 'This Time We Went Too Far', is a timely and important study of the 2008 Gaza Invasion. As the Israeli government attempts to discredit the UN Goldstone Report on the Gaza assault, Finkelstein offers a gripping account of why Israel attacked, what happened on the ground during the invasion, and the repercussions of the attack in Jewish communities around the world.
Norman G. Finkelstein’s books include Beyond Chutzpah, The Holocaust Industry, A Nation on Trial and Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict.
AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT WWW.ORBOOKS.COM
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Pray for Peace with justice
World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel
29.05.10 - 04.06.10 Worldwide
During the week of 29 May to 4 June, church organizations, congregations, and people of faith are encouraged to make a common witness by participating in worship services, educational events, and acts of advocacy in support a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
29.05.10 - 04.06.10 Worldwide
During the week of 29 May to 4 June, church organizations, congregations, and people of faith are encouraged to make a common witness by participating in worship services, educational events, and acts of advocacy in support a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
long,sad story of largely US Jewish settlers vs. Palesintians
CPTnet22 January 2010
[ the Christian Peacemakers Team in the Hebron area has had participants from the Bay area for many years, including Lorin Peters most recently and Esther Ho in previous years. They try to restrain by their reports like these, the largely US Jews who built illegal settlements on Palestinian land and too often attack or harass the long term inhabtants, Christian and Muslim Palestinians, mainly farmers, in self righteous mission by claiming "God's promise of the Land" to them as Jews, a little late after several millennia since the original claim was made and Jews did settle Israel as part of the Middle East. But the actual historic process was peaceful most historiians claim, and not by "divine right violence"
. Modern Christian and Jewish Zionists need to rethink what they are doing agianst international law and my understanding of God's will, for peaceful settlement of disputes using neutral mediation or arbitration, not violence of any kind.. --Bob F. ]
AT-TUWANI UPDATE: October-December 2009
[Note: According to the Geneva Conventions, the International Court of Justice in the Hague, and numerous United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts are considered illegal under Israeli law also.]
SUMMARY
During this fall, Israeli soldiers and settlers continued to push Palestinians off their roads and grazing lands. Soldiers vandalized and destroyed Palestinian vehicles, invaded villages, continued to deny Palestinian children access to schools, and consistently rejected Palestinians the right to graze on their own land. Israeli occupation authorities continued to prevent development of Palestinian infrastructure in the South Hebron Hills through a policy of withholding building permits and issuing demolition orders for structures built without permits. The Israeli authorities carried out this policy to the point of confiscating Palestinian-owned materials and equipment.
Settlers also used physical violence against Palestinians and their international accompaniers. Enhancement of settler mobility continued with use of high-power all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that have frightening speed on hilly, boulder-strewn terrain. As usual, settlers were often masked and armed with guns or slingshots.
Despite these challenges, Palestinians in the At-Tuwani area continued to organize local marches, plowing actions, and joined in nonviolent actions with other Palestinian communities committed to resisting nonviolently Israeli occupation.
On team during this period were volunteersTarek Abuata, Janet Benvie, Laura Ciaghi, Jessica Frederick, Maureen Jack, Steve Heinrichs, Joshua Hough, Sarah MacDonald, Sam Nichols, Michael Sharp (intern), Ryan Shiffer and Melanie Southworth.. Members of Operation Dove (the Doves) were also in the village.
Israeli settlers continue harassment and attacks on Palestinians and internationals
Sunday, 4 October
In the morning, while two young shepherds from Tuba village were grazing their flocks in Umm Zeituna Valley, accompanied by Benvie and a Dove, a settler on a four-wheel ATV chased the shepherds and their flocks. After school, three settlers rode their ATVs on the north side of the Havat Ma'on settlement outpost, near the gate where Palestinian children were awaiting their Israeli army escort home. Three Israeli settler automobiles and an ATV came up from the settler highway, toward the children and CPTers, but turned and went southward around the outpost.
Wednesday, 14 October
Shepherds in a valley near Tuba told accompanying CPTers, Frederick and Hough, that they had postponed grazing their usual land in Umm Zeituna Valley because recent maneuvers by settlers on ATVs had so severely affected the pregnant sheep that some had miscarried. Because many sheep were still pregnant, the shepherds chose to avoid Umm Zeituna .
Sunday, 18 October
CPTers and Doves documented more instances of shepherds retreating to avoid settlers and soldiers. They also learned that on the previous Thursday settlers had plowed fields in Umm Zeituna, which is privately owned by Palestinians from Yatta.
Wednesday, 21 October
A shepherd from Maghayir Al Abeed, accompanied by Shiffer and Nichols, was initially observed by an Israeli settler who made calls from his mobile phone, and later approached by three soldiers in a jeep. He quickly moved his flock toward home, as the soldiers watched to ensure that he left the area.
Tuesday, 27 October
For the second consecutive day, Israeli soldiers were absent for both the morning and afternoon escort of children from Tuba and Maghayir al Abeed, resulting in the students being vulnerable to settler attack. In the morning, the children, accompanied by Shiffer and a Dove, took a much longer route in an attempt to avoid settler harassment, but were nonetheless blocked by four settlers, one masked and armed with a slingshot. The children turned around and ran back to Tuba, missing school.
Wednesday, 28 October
The children in Tuba wanted to head for school at 7:00 am instead of waiting for soldiers they suspected would not come. Frederick and Nichols accompanied them from Tuba. After walking partway and seeing an Israeli settler shepherding a flock, they detoured even farther through the hills. Later, a UK television crew from SkyNews visited Tuba and walked with the children in order to create a news broadcast. This broadcast can be viewed here.[you must go to the CPT website: http://www.cpt.net/ ]
Sunday, 8 November
After the morning school escort, two CPT Doves accompanied shepherds on in Umm Zeituna Valley. Four young settlers came on a tractor, threw rocks and chased the shepherds away. Through the next several hours, the settlers plowed the large cultivable area along the bottom of the valley which is privately-owned Palestinian land. The Doves called and reported this illegal activity to Israeli police, who did not respond. (See the 9 November CPTnet release, "Israeli settlers plow privately-owned Palestinian fields; Israeli police fail to intervene.")
Thursday, 12 November
Settlers again appeared near Mashakha, where Maghayir al-Abeed and Tuba shepherds were grazing, accompanied by Ciaghi and Shiffer. The settlers phoned the settlement security guard, who drove up and scared the shepherds away.
Tuesday, 17 November
About 11:00 a.m., in a valley south of At-Tuwani where Tuba residents often pass because Israeli settlers confiscated their only road, Ciaghi and MacDonald encountered two young parents with three small children on their way home to Tuba. Because the CPTers had recently seen settlers nearby, they walked with the family. Four settlers appeared about fifty meters away, and the CPTers tried to position themselves between the settlers and the family. A fifth settler appeared and the whole group ran to encircle the family and CPTers.
When the Palestinian man told the settlers that they were only trying to go home, a settler shoved him. Ciaghi tried to intervene, but the settler pushed her down the hillside. The settlers then attacked both CPTers, dragging, hitting and kicking them, stealing their two video cameras, and finally disappearing in the direction of the outpost. The Palestinian family reached home safely.
Later, Israeli police arrived to take the CPTers' testimony. To date they have not apprehended any suspects. (See the 18 November CPTnet release, "Israeli settlers threaten Palestinian family, beat and rob CPTers")
Wednesday, 25 November
Heinrichs and a Dove went with an Israeli peace activist accompanying a Palestinian water delivery convoy to the remote village of Bir al-'Id, which is completely without water. A settler vehicle came and blocked the convoy part-way down the road, followed by Israeli soldiers and police, who delayed the convoy three and a half hours, before the Israeli DCO came and decided it could proceed. This was the first of multiple attempted convoys that have successfully reached Bir al-'Id.
Thursday 3 December
Nichols and Southworth accompanied Palestinians plowing land between Qawawis and Susiya. After a few hours of plowing, Israeli settlers from Mizpe Yair (Magen David) forcibly stopped the plowing. One settler stood in front of the tractor while the other stole its key. Shortly after the settlers made several phone calls, the military, police, and District Coordinating Office (DCO, the branch of the Israeli military which deals with Palestinian civilian affairs in Area C) arrived. The DCO prohibited the Palestinians from plowing the plot. Instead, the military allowed Palestinians to plow only a small additional portion of the field.
Saturday 5 December
Palestinians living in Yatta attempted to plow the field between the Palestinian village of Um Fagarah the Israeli outpost of Avigail. Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, forcibly stopped the work of the Palestinians. The settlers brought aggressive dogs and ignored the Palestinians' and internationals' requests to control them. After several minutes of arguing, a soldier jumped up on the tractor and screamed orders and threats at the Palestinian driving the truck. After this incident, the Palestinians decided to return home instead of risking the confiscation of their equipment.
The same day, Palestinians also attempted to plow a valley between the Palestinian village of Shi’b Al-Butum and the Israeli outpost of Mizpe Yair (Magen David). Settlers and the outpost security guard immediately approached the farmers and remained present until a group of Israeli soldiers arrived. The soldiers immediately stopped the work, simply claiming that plowing in the area was forbidden. The soldiers refused to look at the landowner’s paperwork, which showed him to be the owner of the entire valley. Officers from the DCO arrived and spoke with the settlers and the Palestinian landowner. The DCO officers told the landowner that he could plow no closer to the outpost than he had already plowed. The landowner told CPTers that until two years ago he was able to plow all the valley, up to the outpost. The last two years, the Israeli military has prohibited him plowing all of the land that he owns.
The same DCO officers stopped another Palestinian man from plowing his land on an adjacent hillside. The DCO officer detained the owner’s son, who was driving the tractor, and threatened to arrest him and confiscate the tractor if he continued to plow. The officer chided the driver, telling the young man he did not want to be a bad boy by disobeying an officer. The officer said he was prohibiting the work was because the man was plowing on the hillside, claiming that Palestinians could only cultivate privately owned land in a valley.
Sunday 6 December
Israeli settlers plowed privately owned Palestinian land in Umm Zeituna valley. In 1999, Palestinian families living in Umm Zeituna were forced off the land by settler violence. The Palestinian landowners have been reluctant to return to their land because of continuing settler violence and harassment. The owners have filed multiple complaints to the police regarding the violence against them and the confiscation of their land. However, no legal action has been taken against the settlers.
Wednesday 30 December
An Israeli settler from the Israeli outpost of Havat Ma'on chased and attacked Palestinian schoolchildren from the villages of Tuba and Maghayir al-Abeed while the children were waiting to walk to school. Tareq Ibrahim Abu Jundiyye reported, "The younger kids started crying as we were running away because they were afraid the settler would catch them. I mean, we had to run away, if I would have stayed I would have been struck on the head by a rock." The Israeli army exposed the children to this attack by arriving more than ninety minutes late to escort them to school. (See the CPTnet release, "AT-TUWANI: Israeli army negligence permits Israeli settler attack on children" and video testimony of the incident.)
[ the Christian Peacemakers Team in the Hebron area has had participants from the Bay area for many years, including Lorin Peters most recently and Esther Ho in previous years. They try to restrain by their reports like these, the largely US Jews who built illegal settlements on Palestinian land and too often attack or harass the long term inhabtants, Christian and Muslim Palestinians, mainly farmers, in self righteous mission by claiming "God's promise of the Land" to them as Jews, a little late after several millennia since the original claim was made and Jews did settle Israel as part of the Middle East. But the actual historic process was peaceful most historiians claim, and not by "divine right violence"
. Modern Christian and Jewish Zionists need to rethink what they are doing agianst international law and my understanding of God's will, for peaceful settlement of disputes using neutral mediation or arbitration, not violence of any kind.. --Bob F. ]
AT-TUWANI UPDATE: October-December 2009
[Note: According to the Geneva Conventions, the International Court of Justice in the Hague, and numerous United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts are considered illegal under Israeli law also.]
SUMMARY
During this fall, Israeli soldiers and settlers continued to push Palestinians off their roads and grazing lands. Soldiers vandalized and destroyed Palestinian vehicles, invaded villages, continued to deny Palestinian children access to schools, and consistently rejected Palestinians the right to graze on their own land. Israeli occupation authorities continued to prevent development of Palestinian infrastructure in the South Hebron Hills through a policy of withholding building permits and issuing demolition orders for structures built without permits. The Israeli authorities carried out this policy to the point of confiscating Palestinian-owned materials and equipment.
Settlers also used physical violence against Palestinians and their international accompaniers. Enhancement of settler mobility continued with use of high-power all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that have frightening speed on hilly, boulder-strewn terrain. As usual, settlers were often masked and armed with guns or slingshots.
Despite these challenges, Palestinians in the At-Tuwani area continued to organize local marches, plowing actions, and joined in nonviolent actions with other Palestinian communities committed to resisting nonviolently Israeli occupation.
On team during this period were volunteersTarek Abuata, Janet Benvie, Laura Ciaghi, Jessica Frederick, Maureen Jack, Steve Heinrichs, Joshua Hough, Sarah MacDonald, Sam Nichols, Michael Sharp (intern), Ryan Shiffer and Melanie Southworth.. Members of Operation Dove (the Doves) were also in the village.
Israeli settlers continue harassment and attacks on Palestinians and internationals
Sunday, 4 October
In the morning, while two young shepherds from Tuba village were grazing their flocks in Umm Zeituna Valley, accompanied by Benvie and a Dove, a settler on a four-wheel ATV chased the shepherds and their flocks. After school, three settlers rode their ATVs on the north side of the Havat Ma'on settlement outpost, near the gate where Palestinian children were awaiting their Israeli army escort home. Three Israeli settler automobiles and an ATV came up from the settler highway, toward the children and CPTers, but turned and went southward around the outpost.
Wednesday, 14 October
Shepherds in a valley near Tuba told accompanying CPTers, Frederick and Hough, that they had postponed grazing their usual land in Umm Zeituna Valley because recent maneuvers by settlers on ATVs had so severely affected the pregnant sheep that some had miscarried. Because many sheep were still pregnant, the shepherds chose to avoid Umm Zeituna .
Sunday, 18 October
CPTers and Doves documented more instances of shepherds retreating to avoid settlers and soldiers. They also learned that on the previous Thursday settlers had plowed fields in Umm Zeituna, which is privately owned by Palestinians from Yatta.
Wednesday, 21 October
A shepherd from Maghayir Al Abeed, accompanied by Shiffer and Nichols, was initially observed by an Israeli settler who made calls from his mobile phone, and later approached by three soldiers in a jeep. He quickly moved his flock toward home, as the soldiers watched to ensure that he left the area.
Tuesday, 27 October
For the second consecutive day, Israeli soldiers were absent for both the morning and afternoon escort of children from Tuba and Maghayir al Abeed, resulting in the students being vulnerable to settler attack. In the morning, the children, accompanied by Shiffer and a Dove, took a much longer route in an attempt to avoid settler harassment, but were nonetheless blocked by four settlers, one masked and armed with a slingshot. The children turned around and ran back to Tuba, missing school.
Wednesday, 28 October
The children in Tuba wanted to head for school at 7:00 am instead of waiting for soldiers they suspected would not come. Frederick and Nichols accompanied them from Tuba. After walking partway and seeing an Israeli settler shepherding a flock, they detoured even farther through the hills. Later, a UK television crew from SkyNews visited Tuba and walked with the children in order to create a news broadcast. This broadcast can be viewed here.[you must go to the CPT website: http://www.cpt.net/ ]
Sunday, 8 November
After the morning school escort, two CPT Doves accompanied shepherds on in Umm Zeituna Valley. Four young settlers came on a tractor, threw rocks and chased the shepherds away. Through the next several hours, the settlers plowed the large cultivable area along the bottom of the valley which is privately-owned Palestinian land. The Doves called and reported this illegal activity to Israeli police, who did not respond. (See the 9 November CPTnet release, "Israeli settlers plow privately-owned Palestinian fields; Israeli police fail to intervene.")
Thursday, 12 November
Settlers again appeared near Mashakha, where Maghayir al-Abeed and Tuba shepherds were grazing, accompanied by Ciaghi and Shiffer. The settlers phoned the settlement security guard, who drove up and scared the shepherds away.
Tuesday, 17 November
About 11:00 a.m., in a valley south of At-Tuwani where Tuba residents often pass because Israeli settlers confiscated their only road, Ciaghi and MacDonald encountered two young parents with three small children on their way home to Tuba. Because the CPTers had recently seen settlers nearby, they walked with the family. Four settlers appeared about fifty meters away, and the CPTers tried to position themselves between the settlers and the family. A fifth settler appeared and the whole group ran to encircle the family and CPTers.
When the Palestinian man told the settlers that they were only trying to go home, a settler shoved him. Ciaghi tried to intervene, but the settler pushed her down the hillside. The settlers then attacked both CPTers, dragging, hitting and kicking them, stealing their two video cameras, and finally disappearing in the direction of the outpost. The Palestinian family reached home safely.
Later, Israeli police arrived to take the CPTers' testimony. To date they have not apprehended any suspects. (See the 18 November CPTnet release, "Israeli settlers threaten Palestinian family, beat and rob CPTers")
Wednesday, 25 November
Heinrichs and a Dove went with an Israeli peace activist accompanying a Palestinian water delivery convoy to the remote village of Bir al-'Id, which is completely without water. A settler vehicle came and blocked the convoy part-way down the road, followed by Israeli soldiers and police, who delayed the convoy three and a half hours, before the Israeli DCO came and decided it could proceed. This was the first of multiple attempted convoys that have successfully reached Bir al-'Id.
Thursday 3 December
Nichols and Southworth accompanied Palestinians plowing land between Qawawis and Susiya. After a few hours of plowing, Israeli settlers from Mizpe Yair (Magen David) forcibly stopped the plowing. One settler stood in front of the tractor while the other stole its key. Shortly after the settlers made several phone calls, the military, police, and District Coordinating Office (DCO, the branch of the Israeli military which deals with Palestinian civilian affairs in Area C) arrived. The DCO prohibited the Palestinians from plowing the plot. Instead, the military allowed Palestinians to plow only a small additional portion of the field.
Saturday 5 December
Palestinians living in Yatta attempted to plow the field between the Palestinian village of Um Fagarah the Israeli outpost of Avigail. Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, forcibly stopped the work of the Palestinians. The settlers brought aggressive dogs and ignored the Palestinians' and internationals' requests to control them. After several minutes of arguing, a soldier jumped up on the tractor and screamed orders and threats at the Palestinian driving the truck. After this incident, the Palestinians decided to return home instead of risking the confiscation of their equipment.
The same day, Palestinians also attempted to plow a valley between the Palestinian village of Shi’b Al-Butum and the Israeli outpost of Mizpe Yair (Magen David). Settlers and the outpost security guard immediately approached the farmers and remained present until a group of Israeli soldiers arrived. The soldiers immediately stopped the work, simply claiming that plowing in the area was forbidden. The soldiers refused to look at the landowner’s paperwork, which showed him to be the owner of the entire valley. Officers from the DCO arrived and spoke with the settlers and the Palestinian landowner. The DCO officers told the landowner that he could plow no closer to the outpost than he had already plowed. The landowner told CPTers that until two years ago he was able to plow all the valley, up to the outpost. The last two years, the Israeli military has prohibited him plowing all of the land that he owns.
The same DCO officers stopped another Palestinian man from plowing his land on an adjacent hillside. The DCO officer detained the owner’s son, who was driving the tractor, and threatened to arrest him and confiscate the tractor if he continued to plow. The officer chided the driver, telling the young man he did not want to be a bad boy by disobeying an officer. The officer said he was prohibiting the work was because the man was plowing on the hillside, claiming that Palestinians could only cultivate privately owned land in a valley.
Sunday 6 December
Israeli settlers plowed privately owned Palestinian land in Umm Zeituna valley. In 1999, Palestinian families living in Umm Zeituna were forced off the land by settler violence. The Palestinian landowners have been reluctant to return to their land because of continuing settler violence and harassment. The owners have filed multiple complaints to the police regarding the violence against them and the confiscation of their land. However, no legal action has been taken against the settlers.
Wednesday 30 December
An Israeli settler from the Israeli outpost of Havat Ma'on chased and attacked Palestinian schoolchildren from the villages of Tuba and Maghayir al-Abeed while the children were waiting to walk to school. Tareq Ibrahim Abu Jundiyye reported, "The younger kids started crying as we were running away because they were afraid the settler would catch them. I mean, we had to run away, if I would have stayed I would have been struck on the head by a rock." The Israeli army exposed the children to this attack by arriving more than ninety minutes late to escort them to school. (See the CPTnet release, "AT-TUWANI: Israeli army negligence permits Israeli settler attack on children" and video testimony of the incident.)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Israel keeps more people out of occupied Palestine
. Israel Bars American Working With Lutheran World Federation in Bethlehem
Faith Rowold, a U.S. volunteer for Lutheran World Federation, was denied re-entry into Israel January 14 when she attempted to return from a vacation. Faith had been working as a volunteer on a religious worker visa in Bethlehem.
A number of U.S. citizens have been denied entry or face deportation recently. An American journalist Jared Malsin, who works for the Palestinian news agency Maan, also was detained and denied entry into Israel last week.
According to Haaretz, the Israeli "Interior Ministry has stopped granting work permits to foreign nationals working in most international nongovernmental organizations operating in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem." Now the ministry is granting NGO employees tourist visas only, which bar them from working.
A Washington Post article reports that "Since the summer, dozens of Palestinian and Israeli activists have been picked up…"
--this news item from Churches for Middle East Peace email today, Jan. 22,2010
Faith Rowold, a U.S. volunteer for Lutheran World Federation, was denied re-entry into Israel January 14 when she attempted to return from a vacation. Faith had been working as a volunteer on a religious worker visa in Bethlehem.
A number of U.S. citizens have been denied entry or face deportation recently. An American journalist Jared Malsin, who works for the Palestinian news agency Maan, also was detained and denied entry into Israel last week.
According to Haaretz, the Israeli "Interior Ministry has stopped granting work permits to foreign nationals working in most international nongovernmental organizations operating in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem." Now the ministry is granting NGO employees tourist visas only, which bar them from working.
A Washington Post article reports that "Since the summer, dozens of Palestinian and Israeli activists have been picked up…"
--this news item from Churches for Middle East Peace email today, Jan. 22,2010
Saturday, September 26, 2009
local Muslim doctor's views of healh care reform
The Helping Hands of the Community for the Poor
by Dr. Amer Araim,
President of the Islamic Community Outreach of California.
The current debate on health care for all should avoid accusing or labeling those concerned about the poor and needy as "socialist". In all faith traditions, which preceded the socialist thoughts that have emerged in Europe and the United States since the eighteenth century, there has been and is still emphasis on the the responsibility of the community to take care of the poor and the needy. While for some, the charity and alms giving are considered personal or private initiative, in Islamic tradition they are both a private responsibility of the individual before Allah as well as it is the responsibility of the community. Therefore in Islam alms giving is called Zakat, which means purification of the wealth by sharing it with the poor and the needy. The Quran (the Holy Scripture of Islam) commands Muslims that there is an obligation toward the poor and the needy as in the following text: "There is a known right in their wealth for the needy both for those who asked and those who do not ask." The Prophet of Islam Muhammad took care of the slaves, the poor and the needy and established the tradition for the community to do so. He said " The best among the people are those who benefit other people the most." The term people describes all people and on non-discriminatory basis. The Rightly Guided caliphs who followed Prophet Muhammad maintained that tradition of helping the poor and the needy.
Today, there are accusatory voices trying to prevent the government from proceeding with health care reform and other social programs by labeling such initiatives as socialist or aiming at eliminating private ownership or private initiative. For me the issue is how to take care of the poor and the needy. All the proposals on the table are not aiming at harming medical practices. On the contrary, these proposals particularly "the public option" are providing insurance coverage for more than forty million Americans who are without insurance today. This will enhance medical practice and relieve the burden from the local authorities. More than sixty percent of physicians approve "the public option."
As I stated before we established the Islamic Community Outreach of California to help the poor and the needy and to cooperate with members of the community to achieve that goal.
We hope that debates on economic and social issues avoid labeling others. Such debate should concentrate on the best ways to serve the community.
by Dr. Amer Araim,
President of the Islamic Community Outreach of California.
The current debate on health care for all should avoid accusing or labeling those concerned about the poor and needy as "socialist". In all faith traditions, which preceded the socialist thoughts that have emerged in Europe and the United States since the eighteenth century, there has been and is still emphasis on the the responsibility of the community to take care of the poor and the needy. While for some, the charity and alms giving are considered personal or private initiative, in Islamic tradition they are both a private responsibility of the individual before Allah as well as it is the responsibility of the community. Therefore in Islam alms giving is called Zakat, which means purification of the wealth by sharing it with the poor and the needy. The Quran (the Holy Scripture of Islam) commands Muslims that there is an obligation toward the poor and the needy as in the following text: "There is a known right in their wealth for the needy both for those who asked and those who do not ask." The Prophet of Islam Muhammad took care of the slaves, the poor and the needy and established the tradition for the community to do so. He said " The best among the people are those who benefit other people the most." The term people describes all people and on non-discriminatory basis. The Rightly Guided caliphs who followed Prophet Muhammad maintained that tradition of helping the poor and the needy.
Today, there are accusatory voices trying to prevent the government from proceeding with health care reform and other social programs by labeling such initiatives as socialist or aiming at eliminating private ownership or private initiative. For me the issue is how to take care of the poor and the needy. All the proposals on the table are not aiming at harming medical practices. On the contrary, these proposals particularly "the public option" are providing insurance coverage for more than forty million Americans who are without insurance today. This will enhance medical practice and relieve the burden from the local authorities. More than sixty percent of physicians approve "the public option."
As I stated before we established the Islamic Community Outreach of California to help the poor and the needy and to cooperate with members of the community to achieve that goal.
We hope that debates on economic and social issues avoid labeling others. Such debate should concentrate on the best ways to serve the community.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
BAy area observeer Lorin P, observes Israeli skirmish with Palestinians
CPTnet 21 August 2009 AL-KHALIIL/HEBRON:
Israeli settlers plant trees on Palestinian land
by Aida Hayes
On 7 August 2009, for the second Friday morning in a row, Israeli settlers planted trees in the Beqa'a Valley near Hebron on land belonging to a Palestinian family.
About 10:30 a.m., a Palestinian farmer in the Beqa'a called the team to say settlers were on his family's land. Aida Hayes, John Harris, and Lorin Peters arrived just as the last three police officers were leaving. The head of the Palestinian family recounted the following events:
An Israeli Defense Force (IDF) jeep came at 3:00 a.m. and took some photos, then returned about 6:00 a.m. and sat waiting at the junction of the village road with Bypass Road 60. Forty or fifty settlers arrived between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m., accompanied by about twenty IDF soldiers in six or seven jeeps.
Settlers planted about sixty pine seedlings, each about seventy-five cm in height and with a cone-shaped root ball, on the third terrace directly above the family's home. The Israeli army protected the settlers and prevented the Palestinian family from talking to the settlers. The settlers left about 11:00 a.m.Â
A representative of the Civil Administration (the Israeli military administration of the West Bank) reportedly told the family that the settlers should not be planting trees there. The family was just finishing uprooting all the trees up when CPT arrived. They said settlers had done the same thing the previous Friday.
When asked why the settlers were planting trees there, one brother in the family said, "First they plant trees. After awhile, they put up a hut. After another while, they bring in caravans (mobile homes). Then they build a settlement."
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CPT's MISSION: "Getting in the Way." What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war? Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks to enlist the whole church in organized, nonviolent alternatives to war and places teams of trained peacemakers in regions of lethal conflict.
COMMENTS: To ask questions or express concerns, criticisms and affirmations send messages to peacemakers@cpt.org.
Israeli settlers plant trees on Palestinian land
by Aida Hayes
On 7 August 2009, for the second Friday morning in a row, Israeli settlers planted trees in the Beqa'a Valley near Hebron on land belonging to a Palestinian family.
About 10:30 a.m., a Palestinian farmer in the Beqa'a called the team to say settlers were on his family's land. Aida Hayes, John Harris, and Lorin Peters arrived just as the last three police officers were leaving. The head of the Palestinian family recounted the following events:
An Israeli Defense Force (IDF) jeep came at 3:00 a.m. and took some photos, then returned about 6:00 a.m. and sat waiting at the junction of the village road with Bypass Road 60. Forty or fifty settlers arrived between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m., accompanied by about twenty IDF soldiers in six or seven jeeps.
Settlers planted about sixty pine seedlings, each about seventy-five cm in height and with a cone-shaped root ball, on the third terrace directly above the family's home. The Israeli army protected the settlers and prevented the Palestinian family from talking to the settlers. The settlers left about 11:00 a.m.Â
A representative of the Civil Administration (the Israeli military administration of the West Bank) reportedly told the family that the settlers should not be planting trees there. The family was just finishing uprooting all the trees up when CPT arrived. They said settlers had done the same thing the previous Friday.
When asked why the settlers were planting trees there, one brother in the family said, "First they plant trees. After awhile, they put up a hut. After another while, they bring in caravans (mobile homes). Then they build a settlement."
----------------------------------------------
CPT's MISSION: "Getting in the Way." What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war? Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks to enlist the whole church in organized, nonviolent alternatives to war and places teams of trained peacemakers in regions of lethal conflict.
COMMENTS: To ask questions or express concerns, criticisms and affirmations send messages to peacemakers@cpt.org.
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