Dear friends,

I'm sure many of you are closely following the very dangerous deterioration of the already very dangerous situation on the ground here. As I write, Nablus, one of the largest Palestinian cities is being annihilated by the Israeli military, house by house, especially in the once beautiful old city. Almost no media are covering these Israeli war crimes. Yesterday, my Computer Technician, Wissam, a young, quiet worker didn't show up for work...he was arrested by Israelis from his home at 2:30am. He is one of the tens being quietly arrested every night in every Palestinian town. Again, no media, no due process of justice, no courts, no charges, nothing.

The article I sent out yesterday was one of a few that I feel anyone interested in this part of the world these days must read. I'm sending the other few in this mail, some via links and one attached in PDF format. I don't want to overload everyone all at once, but these are important insights, especially the attached one, which is an article in the January Tikkun Magazine titled, Human Rights, International Law, and Peace in the Middle East by Richard Cummings. If you want to understand the current effort to take Israel's building of the wall to the International Court of Justice, and the possible ramifications of such a move, please read the attached carefully. It gives a precise overview of the UN's historic role in this conflict. In short, it is a history lesson in itself.

The next important article to read is from Azmi Beshara, a Palestinian Member of the Israeli Knesset. If you read yesterday's interview with Benny Morris, this one is in the same line, albeit from a different vantage point.

A short history of apartheid
by Azmi Beshara, Member of the Knesset
Al-Ahram weekly on-line

Lastly, you'll recall the message I sent last week regarding the five conscripted Israeli Conscientious Objectors that were sentenced to an additional year in prison on top of the year they have been held for refusing to serve in the IDF. Please do not forget to sign the petition and offer them your support.

You will be pleased to know that these five are joined by many other Israelis. Below are a few examples. Interestingly, more and more this movement of Israelis refusing to be part of the occupation is making mainstream press. Your support is needed for them to continue their brave stand to end this nightmare that has been upon us for decades.

Israeli colonel resigns over army's 'immoral' actions
By Justin Huggler in Jerusalem
05 January 2004

No Exit
Harper's Magazine
Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004.

From an interview with Israeli soldiers (who are identified by pseudonyms) conducted by Israeli journalist Uri Blau and printed in Kol Ha'Ir, a Jerusalem weekly, in September 2001. Translated from the Hebrew by Tal Haran. Originally from April, 2002.

Again, I apologize for the flood of reading material all at once, but this time I felt these needed to be disseminated ASAP for those organizing in their respective cities. Consumed with the future,

Sam Bahour

P.S. Israel has started a new policy this week of prohibiting foreigners (including Palestinian like me that do not have a Palestinian I.D.) from entering the Palestinian areas (i.e. Al- Bireh/Ramallah, where our home is). More later...but for now I attach the form that they require all new entrants to sign. My older daughter Areen heard me talking about this to her mother and her knee-jerk reaction was to boldly demand that I don't leave to renew my visa ever again! deja vu!

File: Tikkun - Cummings on UN

File: New Visa Form