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The arrests come at a time of heightened racism against other Arab citizens. As a result, Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations, working on behalf of political persecution victims, are being targeted for their work.
In His Own Words
On May 6, Ameer Makhoul's Electronic Intifada article headlined "Israel's repression of its Palestinian citizens unites us in struggle," saying:
In April, when trying to travel abroad, "Israeli border police prevented me from leaving my country," prohibiting him for two months, subject to renewal. He called it "part of an increased campaign to intimidate and to spread fear among Palestinian civil society. The repression is meant to divide us, but it has had the opposite effect. We Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and the diaspora are only more determined and united to claim our rights and to build a nation where we can live in freedom and have equal rights."
"Since 1948, Israel imposed a policy of control under the guise of security. (However, in) 2007, Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin introduced a new policy targeting the whole Palestinian community as a security risk to thwart democratic efforts," including their vision of one "state for all its citizens."
Since then, "Repression has increased dramatically....(Israel) applies a multi-track approach....repress(ing) and persecut(ing) Palestinians while they prohibit foreign solidarity activists, organizations and journalists from visiting the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip." Settler violence and propaganda intensify the effort, while civil society protests are repressed.
"The attacks that are meant to divide us have had the complete opposite effect. Injustice unites us; we are all together in this struggle," with growing people of conscience numbers globally.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also 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.
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