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| Mid-East PR blitz heads for Hague |
| 2004-02-23 |
| EFL Dutch authorities have already made space in the city for the wreckage of the no.19 bus, destroyed in a deadly Jerusalem suicide attack last month. Exhibits will show how Palestinians cannot reach schools and hospitals. Jewish children cannot reach schools either -- they dont accept body parts. The bombed vehicle is Israel’s centre-piece in the looming battle for hearts and minds with pro-Palestinian groups in The Hague, where the International Court of Justice is on Monday to hold hearings on the legality of a barrier Israel has constructed to cut itself off from the Palestinian territories. But ministers are determined that Israel’s voice will be heard. "We probably would not have thought much about it if we hadn’t found out the Palestinians were planning on sending thousands of demonstrators. We have to make sure that Israel’s voice is heard, that our position is clear." The Israeli Government has despatched a number of officials to brief journalists covering the hearings, while the Foreign Ministry has for its part already briefed the Israeli protesters who are to join demonstrations in The Hague. The rallies themselves are being overseen by a local Dutch organisation, The Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI), in liaison with a number of Jewish and Israeli groups. Up to 1,000 protesters are expected to carry placards bearing pictures of each of the victims of suicide bombings - the reason, Israel says, that the barrier, which cuts into Palestinian territory, is necessary. The bus meanwhile, is being shipped from Israel by Zaka, an organisation that collects the remains of attack victims for burial. The wreckage has been granted a prime position outside the courthouse. Eleven people lost their lives when it was blown up on 29 January. "The bus will be very welcome indeed," says CIDI director Ronny Naftaniel." It will be a monument to evil." Great quote that! "But we have had difficulties getting the Palestinians here. Partly it’s a question of resources - we just don’t have what the Israelis have," says Mr Decurealugo. Explosives are expensive ya know! "But there have also been issues over leaving the country and entering Europe which neither the Israeli authorities nor the Dutch have been very helpful about." In a separate exhibition near the courthouse, Stop The Wall is planning to display photos which illustrate how it is not just farmers who suffer as a result of the wall, but children who cannot reach their schools and sick people who cannot reach a hospital. Will they include pictures of the body parts of innocent Israeli children as well? "The wall has dramatically changed the lives of so many Palestinians - and that’s what we are going to make clear in The Hague." Its that damn Reap what you Sow thing again..... |
| Posted by:CrazyFool |
| #9 I think that it's becoming clear: Arabs are all Major Drama Queens. Theater. Although circus, in a chaotic format, might be a better description. Re: wall... I saw this "quiz" link on Michael J Totten's site... Using border / wall as interchangeable ideas: What's the best way to stop people from illegally crossing our borders? CONSERVATIVE: Seal the borders so no one can get in. LIBERAL: Do nothing to beef up security at the borders, and offer illegal aliens a wide array of free services. LIBERTARIAN: Allow unrestricted passage across the borders. COMMUNIST: Seal the borders so no one can get out. I hate the formatting of this quiz page, but it has some very funny shit in it! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-2-23 8:27:26 PM |
| #8 The Soviets were trying to keep people in (prison) instead of keeping people out (fortress). And yes, actually, the Soviet walls worked rather well at their designated tasks. "Solved" the problem of people trying to flee Communism by making it impossible. |
| Posted by: gromky 2004-2-23 4:42:22 PM |
| #7 Deacon - the Russians (actually Soviet Union) were trying to keep the East Germans in.... Israel is trying to keep the boomers out (while allowing controlled enterances for non-boomers). This is very different from the Berlin Wall. And yes, this whole thing is a political circus so that they can condemn Israel for defending herself in a time of war. (Since Arafat's group did that bus boom in Jerusalem and he is the 'elected' Head of the PA -- that makes it an act of war in my book...). |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-2-23 4:37:30 PM |
| #6 #6 Didn't the Russians try this out in Germany? As I recall, It didn't really solve anything. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2004-2-23 3:28:52 PM |
| #5 Jon Shep---I have been thinking along the same lines. The Israelis need the world's largest curb and gutter forming machine, modified for fence duty. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-2-23 2:02:56 PM |
| #4 Ive got it, what the Israelis need is a huge say 500ton automatic wall building machine,I'm thinking a big armoured monster 100 tall that crawls along laying huge concrete walls. |
| Posted by: Jon Shep U.K 2004-2-23 12:18:43 PM |
| #3 Suddenly, the wall (for reasons best left unexplored) takes a hard left and passes straight through the middle of Yasser's Nablus "palace"... |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-2-23 12:00:57 PM |
| #2 a 'monument to evil' from the 'religion of peace' , nice gift that,lets give them a monument sculpted form a MOAB |
| Posted by: Jon Shep U.K 2004-2-23 11:43:55 AM |
| #1 Court case or political circus? Discuss. |
| Posted by: john 2004-2-23 10:39:28 AM |