[E-rundbrief] Info 432 - Avnery: Kana Massacre - Protests in Isarael

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 432 -Uri Avnery (Israel): The Kana Massacre - A 
War Crime! Manifestations of peace-activists in Israel against the 
bombing of the libanesian village Kana.

Bad Ischl, 31.7.2006

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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"THE KANA MASSACRE -- A WAR CRIME!"

Uri Avnery

31.7.2006

Immediately after the news about the Kana Massacre became known today 
(July 30), spontaneous protest demonstrations started near the 
Ministry of Defense compound in Tel-Aviv. In the evening, a larger 
demonstration was held. In spite of the fact that there was hardly 
any prior notice, more then 200 demonstrators gathered, including 
activists of Gush Shalom, Hadash, Anarchists Against Walls, Ta'ayush 
and other organizations.

This time, a group of Meretz member, who rebelled against their party 
leadership, was also present. They included former Meretz MKs Ya'el 
Dayan and Naomi Hazan. Also present were Hadash MK Dov Hinin and 
former MK Tamar Gojansky.

Conspicuous by its absence was Peace Now. The director of this 
organization, which has ceased to exist as an active peace movement 
years ago, appears now in the Media as one of the most enthusiastic 
supporters of the war. When a journalist wrote by mistake that Peace 
Now had taken part in a demonstration, the director denied it vigorously.

Meretz leaders Yossi Beilin, Haim Oron and the others, except MK 
Zahava Galon, also publicly supported the war.

"Peretz, Peretz, don't worry / Bush will meet you at The Hague!" 
shouted the demonstrators through their megaphones, which could be 
clearly heard in the ministry compound. The Hague, of course, is the 
seat of the International Criminal Court. "Peretz, you have promised 
education and pensions / all you gave us is tanks and dead bodies!" - 
"Children want to live / both in Beirut and in Haifa!" - "Killing 
Children is a war crime!" - "Labor in government / brings only war!" 
- "Olmert's agreement with Bush: / War and occupation!" (All these 
rhyme in Hebrew.)

"It is rank hypocrisy to assert that the Kana inhabitants have been 
warned to leave their homes," former MK Uri Avnery said. "From the 
first day of the war, our army has bombed the roads and whole 
families were killed on the way. They have concluded that it is safer 
to stay in a shelter at home than to move on the roads." Avnery added 
that a commander who bombs and shells an inhabited area must know 
such disasters are bound to happen."

"The criminal returns to the scene of the crime," commented Gush 
Shalom spokesman Adam Keller, referring to the massacre that happened 
in Kana in 1996, when Shimon Peres started a war in Lebanon. "That 
massacre compelled Peres to break off his war. The conclusion is that 
we must stop this war at once, before it is too late."

Opposite, a small counter-demonstration took place. Usually, the 
fascists of the Kahane group play this role, but this time they were 
Labor Party members, who support the war completely.

In the course of the demonstration, a special unit of the riot police 
appeared and for a moment it seemed that they were about to attack 
the protesters, but they only drove them off the road.

After two and a half weeks of suppressing every voice against the 
war, this demonstration was covered on TV and the radio.

At the same time, demonstrations were held around the country, mostly 
by of Arab citizens.

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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
     Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
     Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
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     fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
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