Graveyard of Trees - Salem-News.Com

In addition to running an apartheid government, Israel is an environment and nature killer.

(BETHLEHEM) - An apology for writing more frequent than the usual 2-3 messages a week but our hearts broke when we arrived to find that much of the Israeli uprooting of Palestinian

olive trees was already done in Al-Walaja today.

The old farmer Mohammed Al-Atrash (Abu Wajih) was standing there in shock, speechless, wondering where humanity is on this black day.

Israeli authorities picked the day well: it was the day of returning to school and to work from the 5 day Eid (Holiday) at the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan. They brought massive forces starting at dawn and circled an area of over one square mile declaring it a closed military area.

No media presence was allowed (so much for "democracy") so that we could not even videotape the destruction as it happened, only its aftermath. Dozens of olive, almond, za'rur, and pine trees were destroyed . For pictures of the corpses, see footnote 1 below.

This despite the fact that there is a court case pending on this land to be heard at the end of this month. The villagers called for presence in the village tomorrow (Tuesday morning). Telephone for info 0522054595.

I cried for this old gentlemen, who already suffered one heart attack and who reminded me of my late father. I also cried for the apathy of so many people and for the cruelty of Israeli contractors, their (Arab) workers, the Israeli private "security" guarding the bulldozers, the Israeli "soldiers" and "border police" who reminded me of mafias and of other fascists and racists. (2)

It was uplifting to hear that Turkey is removing the ambassador and deputy of the apartheid regime. Turkey has also started treating Israeli citizens coming to Turkey like (but not as bad) as Turkish citizens traveling to Lydda (aka Ben Gurion) airport.

Some countries know what is right and what is wrong and act on this knowledge. It is a shame that Israeli ambassadors are still in Amman and in European cities. It is a shame that some Palestinians who refuse to reconstitute the PLO insist that they will continue "security cooperation" with the apartheid regime.

Some even continue to meet with Israeli war criminals. Meanwhile the US administration in Israeli-occupied Washington DC is mobilizing its diplomats to try to stall and convince Mr. Abbas to go back to "negotiations"; the same useless negotiations between a prisoner and prison guards where the guards can determine everything (3).

20 years of this "peace process" should by now have demonstrated that it is nothing but a farce. Returning to it means giving more time for colonialism to finish their ethnic cleansing and finish the walls around the remaining "people warehouses"/ghettos/Bantustans.

Al-Walaja is one such place as it will be surrounded on all sides by walls (an open air-prison). Meanwhile 1.5 million people remain in the largest concentration camp in history, otherwise known as Gaza strip subjected to an immoral and illegal blockade still with the help of Egyptian army (worried about losing US aid). Occasionally, Israel uses high tech "games" to murder the sitting ducks (oops, humans) in Gaza (4).

Also the settlers are on a rampage and today they burned a mosque in a village near Nablus while they are recruiting foreign mercenaries to serve in their ranks (5)

Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD (formerly of Yale and Duke universities) teaches at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities in occupied Palestine and chairs the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People. Professor Qumsiyeh has authored over 110 scientific papers in areas of mammalogy, biology, and medicine including mammalian biology and evolution, clinical genetics, and cancer research. He has published over 100 letters to the editor and 30 op-ed pieces in International, national, regional and local papers on issues ranging from politics to environmental issues. His appearances in national media include the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, CNBC, C-Span, and ABC, among others. He is the founder and president of the Holy Land Conservation Foundation and ex-President of the Middle East Genetics Association, and Prof. Qumsiyeh won the Jallow activism award from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee in 1998. Those are just a small list, visit Mazin Qumsiyeh's amazing and informative Website to learn more: qumsiyeh.org, and also pcr.ps.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Anonymous September 5, 2011 11:05 pm (Pacific time)

Tim, I would recommend that you simply accept or reject comments when you are busy rather than getting snippy or snarky with your readers. Dan Johnson should heed this advice as well. Just my honest, heart-felt advice from a reader that wishes the best for your endeavors.

Tim King: I appreciate your thoughts, if you saw the amount of stuff I have to filter through every day you would perhaps understand why it goes down the way it does. Anyway, there are a lot of really bad people out there trying to vent BS and ignoring it is hard sometimes. Thanks again, I will consider your thoughts, but also understand that many readers truly enjoy the reactive comment section, being different and taking some of this stuff head on is good..

Anonymous September 5, 2011 8:36 pm (Pacific time)

How have I insulted the Dr.? I think you are confusing me with the ProudAmerican. Check the IPs. I have been with you since the very beginning, Tim. I am on your side.

Editor: OK, cool thanks. It has been just jumping today with comments, my apologies.

COLLI September 5, 2011 8:12 pm (Pacific time)

To plant a tree is to give life . . . to cut down a health tree is to destroy hope . . . thus the method to this madness.

Anonymous September 5, 2011 6:51 pm (Pacific time)

If you could admit that the snide comments are unprofessional and start toning them down. My comment mentioning the nastiness that now seems to pervade the comment section was not intended to be perceived as an attack. I was hoping that it might bring an apology. Instead, it brings a retaliatory retort. Thanks!

Editor: Apologize to this great human being that you insult, Prof. Qumsiyeh, for the unspeakable things he is witnessing, all by design, by Israel.

September 5, 2011 6:31 pm (Pacific time)

I see that the new attack on anyone who disagrees with a writer or a story is to call them idiots. Low IQ, indeed! It would be better to leave the comment and its snide retort off the story than to add it and reflect the nastiness that is now so common.

Editor: OK, glad to know yours wasn't an attack, that would in effect make mine a counter-attack wouldn't it?

ProudAmerican September 5, 2011 5:32 pm (Pacific time)

Any organization that publishes writings by someone that lacks all credibility, becomes as low as the fraud they promote:

Qumsiyeh a hater of Israel, which he refers to as an apartheid state. He is also a founder of Al-Awda. Professor Qumsiyeh has recently indulged his hatred of Israel and its Jewish supporters in a manner remarkable for a university professor.

In the past Professor Qumsiyeh has railed against the an alleged "cabal" of Jews manipulating Bush administration foreign policy: "It is now clearly evident from their own documents that those who put Israel and personal wealth ahead of U.S. public interests were first to plan this war [in Iraq] over 15 years ago."

Mazin Qumsiyeh lacks credibility:

Editor: Based on what you write, you are a Genocidalist and naturally you hate this former Duke and Yale Professor because he teaches peace and that goes against the grain of apartheid Israel. Do you think Mazin is alone or unique in seeing separate roads for Jews and separate laws for Arabs as apartheid? If so your IQ is likely in the single digit category. Dr. Qumsiyeh has been a valued writer here for years and never have his stories been more important. We all look forward to Israel paying back, and even they may not ever be able to atone for the grief, evil and ungodly behavior they are responsible. Shame on all of you racists who support Zionism.

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