RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- An Israeli military court on Monday sentenced non-violent protest organizer Abdallah Abu Rahmah to 12 months imprisonment, with a six-month suspended sentence.
Abu Rahmah has been in an Israeli jail since December, and was convicted in August of incitement, and organizing and participating in protests in Bil'in. Ofer military court also ordered Abu Rahmah to pay a 5,000 shekel fine (almost $1,400).
So what is a Palestinian to do? Violent resistance is out of the question, legal appeals to end the occupation through international institutions are stymied by the vetoes of superpowers, the diplomatic process is a colossal failure and non-violent resistance is repressed. Abu Rahmah was not imprisoned for planting bombs, planning assassinations or throwing stones. He was imprisoned because he is helping to inspire a generation of non-violent activists who have institutionalized weekly protests against the apartheid wall as part of their lives.
If this happened in Iran, North Korea, Burma, Saudi Arabia (and it often does in these places and more) we'd surely hear condemnation from various Western governments, including the U.S. Department of State. You may recall just days ago when President Obama called on the Chinese to release a prisoner of conscience. But if you think you will hear P.J. Crowley, the State Dept. spokesman, or Secretary Clinton denounce the Israeli repression of non-violent dissent, don't hold your breath.
This is an important and often overlooked problem with U.S. Foreign Policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which underscores the hypocrisy of U.S. mediation. The United States is quick to condemn any form of violence on the part of Palestinians. At the same time, it is often defending the rights of non-violent protesters in other contexts, particularly those protesting regimes they don't like. But, Palestinian non-violence relies on global non-silence. I had written about this, and Abu Rahmah, earlier this summer. We will also be hosting a panel on non-violent resistance at our annual conference this year, which is rapidly approaching.
By failing to condemn Israel's repression of non-violent dissent, the United States amplifies the Israeli message sent to Palestinians when they arrested Abu Rahmah: The occupation is here to stay and there is nothing you can do about it.
1 comments: on "Resistance is Futile"
Kabupaten Gunungkidul Jogja yang terkenal sebagai daerah tandus dan gersang terkenal dengan tempat wisatanya yang menarik, tidak hanya tempat wisata pantai, ada juga wisata alam lainnya seperti wisata goa, wisata air terjun dan wisata budaya. Tempat wisata di gunungkidul jogja ini memang selalu menarik perhatian para traveller yang haus akan liburan. Info wisata gunung kidul, tempat wisata di jogja baca selengkapnya di tempat wisata gunung kidul jogja. Dan jika membutuhkan paket wisata untuk mengelilingi destinasi wisata yang berada di Propinsi Yogyakarta maka klik paket wisata jogja murah.
Di kota jogja sendiri banyak tempat sewa mobil yang akan mengantarkan para wisatawan ke tempat-tempat wisata populer. Tarif sewa mobil ini biasanya dihitung harian, dan harga sudah termasuk BBM dan sopir. Salah satu rental mobil di jogja adalah Njogja.co.id yang menyediakan berbagai jenis mobil yang disewakan. Baca sewa mobil ke tempat wisata di link sewa mobil di jogja.
Post a Comment