OccupationalHazard.org 07.18.01

The Occupation - 07/18/01

Isaac Saada - Man of Peace Not Terrorist

Gershon Baskin, Ph.D. - IPCRI

Yesterday our friend and colleague Isaac Saada from Bethlehem was killed by an Israeli missile fired from a helicopter. The target of the missile was Omar Saada, Isaac's brother who the Israelis claim was a Hamas terrorist. Omar Saada was killed together with two others on the impact of two rockets fired from the helicopter. Isaac ran out of his house when he heard the explosions in his bother's yard and was then killed by a third missile fired to make sure that the first two "did the job". Isaac left 11 children orphaned.
Why am I telling you this story? it happens almost every day? Isaac Saada was a teacher involved in IPCRI's Peace Education Project. Just one day before being killed, Isaac spoke to Nedal Jayousi, the Palestinian Co-Director of the Peace Education Project. Isaac asked Nedal how he could be more involved. Today at the same hour that he is being buried, Isaac was supposed to be at IPCRI participating in a joint seminar with Israeli teachers. Isaac had just completed with his Israeli and Palestinian colleagues work on a new Peace Education Curriculum on conflict resolution and negotiations for Israeli and Palestinian 11th grade classes. In fact, I have a check on my desk for him for the work he had done.
I remember sitting with Isaac over lunch at a joint teachers seminar that took place after the intifada began. Isaac was telling me the troubles he was having trying to teach his own children to love and want peace. He talked about the terrible things that his children had witnessed over the past months and some of them questioned how their father could still work with the Israelis. He told me that he was very firm with them, telling them that we had to believe in peace and that peace would eventually come. He told them that the worst thing that could happen to them and to the Palestinian people would be if they filled their hearts with hatred.
Isaac has been presented in the Israeli and International media reports as one of four Hamas terrorists killed. I am very angry at this lie. I have attempted to correct this falsehood with my media contacts. There was one short sentence in the report by Amira Haas in Haaretz today stating that Isaac was involved in meetings with Israeli teachers. Israeli TV News Channel One's correspondent Oded Granot also indicated that Isaac was involved with the Israeli-Palestine Center in peace education activities. We want the entire world to know that Isaac was not a terrorist he was a man of peace. I only hope and pray that his 11 children will not learn the lesson of revenge which is all too easy to understand. We expect and demand that the Government of Israel issue an apology to Isaac's family and a recognition of the tragic error that was committed and that the Government of Israel recognize and acknowledge that Isaac was a man of peace.
Isaac was from a poor family. He lived in a poor neighborhood of Bethlehem. He supported his wife and 11 children on the salary of a teacher in the Terra Sancta School in Bethlehem. Today there is no one to provide the few sheckels that he brought home each month.

07/18/01 alternativenews@yahoogroups.com
Israeli Cabinet Decides to Continue with Extra-Judicial Executions Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet approved an extension of the policy of "intercepting" (targeting and executing or seizing) Palestinian activists.
Israeli forces executed Omar Ahmed Sa'adeh on July 17, killing him and three of his friends and family and injuring at least ten others.
At 3.05 pm two Israeli Apache helicopters fired three rockets down at the house (located in Al Mawaleh Mountain, Bethlehem), demolishing it completely in a direct hit.
At the time of the attack, friends and relatives of the Sa'adeh family were gathered to celebrate the release of Omar's brother Khaled Sa'adeh from the Israeli Megiddo prison. While they were there, the Israeli helicopters committed their strike, with no regard for the fact that the house was full of people, including many children. Of the ten men, women and children who were injured, some are in critical condition and are expected to die overnight.
Besides Omar, the others killed were Taha Issa Al Orouj, 37, Mohammed Salah Sa'adeh, 29 and Ishaq Sa'adeh, 51.
A day latter, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet approved an extension of the policy of "intercepting" (targeting and executing or seizing) Palestinian activists.
The Israeli daily, "Ha'aretz" reports that this decision is part of an operational plan described during the meeting as "an element in the struggle against terror." The measures also include an increase in army, police and Shabak activity along the Green Line, Israel's pre-1967-war border with the then-Jordanian held West Bank.
Sharon Tuesday characterized the present policy as mounting "serious attacks on terrorists planning to attack us, while safeguarding Israel's diplomatic interests. This is tough, but it is the right course at present. "
At the end of a an assessment session in the Defense Ministry overnight, a senior security official told Israel Radio that "Israel is making do for now with massing infantry forces and tanks in the (West) Bank."
According to information gathered by LAW Society, a human rights organization based in Jerusalem, in addition to the Wednesday executions so far 19 other Palestinian activists have fallen victim to Israel's policy of extra-judicial execution:

Hussein `Abayat was killed on 9 November 2000 in Beit Sahour near Bethlehem when Israeli Air Force helicopters fired anti-tank missiles at his car. Two women standing nearby, Aziza Mahmoud Danoun Jubran (58) and Rahma Rasheed Shaeen Hindi (54) were killed. At least 3 other people were badly injured, namely Nasmi and Jamila Sh'ibat and Khaled Salahat.

Jamal Abed Al Razeq, a 30-year-old Fatah activist, was killed at the Morag Junction in the Gaza Strip on 22 November 2000. Three other Palestinians were killed during the incident, namely Awni Ismail (37), Sami Abu Laban (35) and Nael Alidawi (25), all from Rafah.

Ibrahim Bani Audi was killed in Nablus on 23 November 2000 by a bomb planted in his car by the Israeli security services with the collaboration of a relative of Ibrahim.

Anwar Mahmoud Humran was killed by Israeli army snipers on 11 December 2000 when leaving Al Quds Open University in the al Dahye quarter in Nablus.

Yousif Abu Swaye was killed on 12 December 2000 by snipers of the Israeli army just outside his father's house in Al Khader village near Bethelem.

Abas al Awiwi was killed by snipers of the Israeli army in Hebron on 13 December 2000 when he was standing in front of the shoe factory when he used to work.

Sa'ad al Kharuf, 32, from Nablus, was shot and killed on December 14, 2000, when ambushed by Israeli Special Forces near Hiwara junction south of Nablus.

Hani Abu Bakra, a 31-year-old Hamas activist, was killed at the Gush Katif junction in the Gaza Strip on 14 December 2000, when driving a minibus with passengers on board. He was stopped by Israeli soldiers who asked for his ID and then shot him in the head and the chest from short range. A 40-year-old passenger, Issa Kanan, was injured during the incident and died later from his wounds.

Dr. Thabet Thabet was killed by gunfire in Tulkarem on 31 December 2000, when reversing his car outside his home.

Masoud Ayad, 50, from Gaza. An officer in Force 17, Masoud was killed when an Israeli gunship fired three missiles on his car on February 13, 2001.

Mohammad Al Madani, 25, from Balata refugee camp, was shot by an Israeli sniper on February 19, 2001.

Mohammad Abdul Al, 26, from Rafah. He was killed on April 2 when an Israeli gunship fired three missiles on his car.

Iyad Hamdan, 24, from Araba, Jenin. Killed in a public phone blast on April 5, 2001.

Ahmad Asad, 37, from Artas in Bethlehem district. Shot dead before his house by Israeli Special Forces on May 5, 2001.

Mutasim Al Sabagh, from Jenin refugee camp. Killed on May 12, was killed when an Israeli gunship fired missiles on a car he was traveling in.

Osama Jawabreh, 29, from Nablus was killed on June 24, when a public phone he was using in the West Bank city of Nablus exploded.

Mohammad Bsharat killed on July 1, 2001.

Waleed Bsharat killed on July 1, 2001.

Samih Abu Haneesh killed on July 1, 2001.

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Isaac Saada - Man of Peace Not Terrorist
Gershon Baskin, Ph.D. - IPCRI





Yesterday our friend and colleague Isaac Saada from Bethlehem was killed by an Israeli missile fired from a helicopter. The target of the missile was Omar Saada, Isaac's brother who the Israelis claim was a Hamas terrorist. Omar Saada was killed together with two others on the impact of two rockets fired from the helicopter. Isaac ran out of his house when he heard the explosions in his bother's yard and was then killed by a third missile fired to make sure that the first two "did the job". Isaac left 11 children orphaned. Why am I telling you this story? it happens almost every day? Isaac Saada was a teacher involved in IPCRI's Peace Education Project. Just one day before being killed, Isaac spoke to Nedal Jayousi, the Palestinian Co-Director of the Peace Education Project. Isaac asked Nedal how he could be more involved. Today at the same hour that he is being buried, Isaac was supposed to be at IPCRI participating in a joint seminar with Israeli teachers. Isaac had just completed with his Israeli and Palestinian colleagues work on a new Peace Education Curriculum on conflict resolution and negotiations for Israeli and Palestinian 11th grade classes. In fact, I have a check on my desk for him for the work he had done. I remember sitting with Isaac over lunch at a joint teachers seminar that took place after the intifada began. Isaac was telling me the troubles he was having trying to teach his own children to love and want peace. He talked about the terrible things that his children had witnessed over the past months and some of them questioned how their father could still work with the Israelis. He told me that he was very firm with them, telling them that we had to believe in peace and that peace would eventually come. He told them that the worst thing that could happen to them and to the Palestinian people would be if they filled their hearts with hatred. Isaac has been presented in the Israeli and International media reports as one of four Hamas terrorists killed. I am very angry at this lie. I have attempted to correct this falsehood with my media contacts. There was one short sentence in the report by Amira Haas in Haaretz today stating that Isaac was involved in meetings with Israeli teachers. Israeli TV News Channel One's correspondent Oded Granot also indicated that Isaac was involved with the Israeli-Palestine Center in peace education activities. We want the entire world to know that Isaac was not a terrorist he was a man of peace. I only hope and pray that his 11 children will not learn the lesson of revenge which is all too easy to understand. We expect and demand that the Government of Israel issue an apology to Isaac's family and a recognition of the tragic error that was committed and that the Government of Israel recognize and acknowledge that Isaac was a man of peace. Isaac was from a poor family. He lived in a poor neighborhood of Bethlehem. He supported his wife and 11 children on the salary of a teacher in the Terra Sancta School in Bethlehem. Today there is no one to provide the few sheckels that he brought home each month. 07/18/01 alternativenews@yahoogroups.com Israeli Cabinet Decides to Continue with Extra-Judicial Executions Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet approved an extension of the policy of "intercepting" (targeting and executing or seizing) Palestinian activists. Israeli forces executed Omar Ahmed Sa'adeh on July 17, killing him and three of his friends and family and injuring at least ten others. At 3.05 pm two Israeli Apache helicopters fired three rockets down at the house (located in Al Mawaleh Mountain, Bethlehem), demolishing it completely in a direct hit. At the time of the attack, friends and relatives of the Sa'adeh family were gathered to celebrate the release of Omar's brother Khaled Sa'adeh from the Israeli Megiddo prison. While they were there, the Israeli helicopters committed their strike, with no regard for the fact that the house was full of people, including many children. Of the ten men, women and children who were injured, some are in critical condition and are expected to die overnight. Besides Omar, the others killed were Taha Issa Al Orouj, 37, Mohammed Salah Sa'adeh, 29 and Ishaq Sa'adeh, 51. A day latter, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet approved an extension of the policy of "intercepting" (targeting and executing or seizing) Palestinian activists. The Israeli daily, "Ha'aretz" reports that this decision is part of an operational plan described during the meeting as "an element in the struggle against terror." The measures also include an increase in army, police and Shabak activity along the Green Line, Israel's pre-1967-war border with the then-Jordanian held West Bank. Sharon Tuesday characterized the present policy as mounting "serious attacks on terrorists planning to attack us, while safeguarding Israel's diplomatic interests. This is tough, but it is the right course at present. " At the end of a an assessment session in the Defense Ministry overnight, a senior security official told Israel Radio that "Israel is making do for now with massing infantry forces and tanks in the (West) Bank." According to information gathered by LAW Society, a human rights organization based in Jerusalem, in addition to the Wednesday executions so far 19 other Palestinian activists have fallen victim to Israel's policy of extra-judicial execution: Hussein `Abayat was killed on 9 November 2000 in Beit Sahour near Bethlehem when Israeli Air Force helicopters fired anti-tank missiles at his car. Two women standing nearby, Aziza Mahmoud Danoun Jubran (58) and Rahma Rasheed Shaeen Hindi (54) were killed. At least 3 other people were badly injured, namely Nasmi and Jamila Sh'ibat and Khaled Salahat. Jamal Abed Al Razeq, a 30-year-old Fatah activist, was killed at the Morag Junction in the Gaza Strip on 22 November 2000. Three other Palestinians were killed during the incident, namely Awni Ismail (37), Sami Abu Laban (35) and Nael Alidawi (25), all from Rafah. Ibrahim Bani Audi was killed in Nablus on 23 November 2000 by a bomb planted in his car by the Israeli security services with the collaboration of a relative of Ibrahim. Anwar Mahmoud Humran was killed by Israeli army snipers on 11 December 2000 when leaving Al Quds Open University in the al Dahye quarter in Nablus. Yousif Abu Swaye was killed on 12 December 2000 by snipers of the Israeli army just outside his father's house in Al Khader village near Bethelem. Abas al Awiwi was killed by snipers of the Israeli army in Hebron on 13 December 2000 when he was standing in front of the shoe factory when he used to work. Sa'ad al Kharuf, 32, from Nablus, was shot and killed on December 14, 2000, when ambushed by Israeli Special Forces near Hiwara junction south of Nablus. Hani Abu Bakra, a 31-year-old Hamas activist, was killed at the Gush Katif junction in the Gaza Strip on 14 December 2000, when driving a minibus with passengers on board. He was stopped by Israeli soldiers who asked for his ID and then shot him in the head and the chest from short range. A 40-year-old passenger, Issa Kanan, was injured during the incident and died later from his wounds. Dr. Thabet Thabet was killed by gunfire in Tulkarem on 31 December 2000, when reversing his car outside his home. Masoud Ayad, 50, from Gaza. An officer in Force 17, Masoud was killed when an Israeli gunship fired three missiles on his car on February 13, 2001. Mohammad Al Madani, 25, from Balata refugee camp, was shot by an Israeli sniper on February 19, 2001. Mohammad Abdul Al, 26, from Rafah. He was killed on April 2 when an Israeli gunship fired three missiles on his car. Iyad Hamdan, 24, from Araba, Jenin. Killed in a public phone blast on April 5, 2001. Ahmad Asad, 37, from Artas in Bethlehem district. Shot dead before his house by Israeli Special Forces on May 5, 2001. Mutasim Al Sabagh, from Jenin refugee camp. Killed on May 12, was killed when an Israeli gunship fired missiles on a car he was traveling in. Osama Jawabreh, 29, from Nablus was killed on June 24, when a public phone he was using in the West Bank city of Nablus exploded. Mohammad Bsharat killed on July 1, 2001. Waleed Bsharat killed on July 1, 2001. Samih Abu Haneesh killed on July 1, 2001.
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