Who learned how to practice tyranny in the Palestinian cities...
He will practice it somewhere else...
Who learned to harass Palestinian kids, women and men sexually...
He will harass others somewhere else...
Who learned to practice violence against Palestinians...
He will use it against his own people...

I wasn't astonished when Ronit Lev-Ari, the head of the Occupational Prime Minister's Office for the Status of Women declared on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 that one in every six women is Israel has been sexually harassed on the streets.

She said, 30% of the victims were aged between 18-24. The harassment includes attempts to touch the women, obscene verbal proposal, prolonged staring, and efforts by men to press their bodies against them...

In Hebron I used to hear obscene verbal proposals, such like, "whore, bitch, nice fucker..."

In one case an IDF soldier pressed his body against me and touched my breasts in the public in Al Shuhada street. This happened on 25th April 2000 during the peace time.

In another case I witnessed, the IDF soldiers were collecting the underwear and bed clothes of Zohoor Al Atrash, and exposed them in front of others. This happened during an operation to demolish Zohoors house during June 1998, during what was called peace.

The soldiers were dropped Zohoor in a big ground hole after they ripped off her clothes, they then brought her alternative bed clothes, a "baby doll" to put on ... The soldiers then told her, "this will look nicer on you", the other soldiers laughed ...

In yet a different case, I witnessed the IDF soldiers raising up their penis and exposing themselves in front of other Palestinian women, they were behaving in this way to prevent the women from passing through the border between area H1 and area H2 in the city of Hebron.

Sawsan Abu Turky, a nine year old girl from Hebron was attacked by the IDF soldiers on her way back home on July 5, 2001. At a checkpoint, one soldier allowed Sawsan to pass, but the other one said no, you should return. When Sawsan tried to pass anyway, the soldier pushed her on the ground and kicked her head with the butt of his rifle.

Sawsan was hospitalized for five days, but when she released she was still having pain. On September 6, 2001, Sawsan was arrested because she had tried to kill an Israeli soldier.

Sawsan was raped twice at Israeli jail on the first day of her incarceration ...

The IDF soldiers are professional killers, they are used to kill, and statements, sometimes spreading false rumors but always justifying these killings, used to be released by the IDF spokesperson after the killing, and sometimes even before the killing itself.

All the journalists working in the West Bank and Gaza Strip know that the IDF spokesperson is a big liar ... in such a position the IDF spokesperson themselves were involved in the killings.

Mr. John Hook, from the UNRWA's Jenin project was killed by an IDF soldier on Friday while he was trying to evacuate staff from the small UN compound.

The IDF spokesperson claimed that gunmen were shooting from inside the compound. The witnesses said: "Hundreds of Palestinians were throwing stones at the occupational soldiers, who then returned fire everywhere."

On March 13, 2002, the IDF soldiers killed Italian Photojournalist Raffaele Ciriello and wounded French journalist Amadeo Ricucci in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank.

Ameaeo said, he and his colleague were following Palestinian militants through the center of Ramallah, suddenly an Israeli tank appeared from around the corner and shot his friend six times without warning. There was no shooting or fighting in the area ...

The IDF spokesperson said it wasn't clear who had killed the journalist, he said there has been fire exchange several times in the same area.

Israeli Democratic Forces (occupation army) denying journalists the right to do their work.

The Palestinian journalist Ahmar Jaberi, on assignment for a U.S. TV channel, is being held by the IDF and at the same time being kicked by a settler from the democratic vanguard in the Middle East.

Palestinian journalist Tareq Al-Kayal for a german TV station and Ihmad Al-Said for Associated Press are being prevented from taking a picture of U.N. representative Terry Larson. He was stopped by orders of Colonel Noam Tivon and prevented from checking the situation at Khaled ben Al-Walid school, which had been occupied by the IDF and converted into a military post. During this incident Palestinian journalist Nasser Al-Shukhi (AP) was arrested, Kawther was beaten by the army.

Palestinian MP Abbas Zaki, U.N. representative Terry Larson and Colonel Noam Tivon. Mr. Larson was prevented by the IDF from visiting palestinian Area H2 under israeli control.

Kawther at the Halhul border post in Hebron, where a day before a child who had been involved in a car accident died. The child was being brought to the hospital when the IDFs at this post decided to "search" the car where he was being transported. After this incident Kawther and Mazen Dana (for Reuters) were arrested for troubling Shai Sanduri, the soldier in the background, who had caused the death of the child. This was in 1997 or 1998, during the peace time.

Kawther protesting against the sexual harassment she had to endure from of IDF soldiers.

Killing is killing everywhere and all the time. I don't like to hear news about killings, even if the slain one is one of my enemies.

On June 12, 2002, Colonel Dror Weinberg expelled me from my house in Hebron, which had been occupied by the IDF in 1997 during the peace time. I left Hebron without valediction. How difficult it is to leave your homeland, family and friends without words... Farewell words... Love words... Kisses and hugs ...

I still remember how the IDF soldiers denied me the right of return from Jerusalem to my home. I remember how the IDF soldiers were ready to shoot and kill me if I argued with them at the border of Gush Itzion south of Hebron.

I still remember my hot entreat tears at Gush Itzion border ... but the IDF soldiers didn't learn any mercy or human feelings ... I used to take some pictures on their uniform with big signs of "BORN to KILL".

Colonel Weinberg brought alienation between me and myself...
Between me and my history...
Between me and my love...
Between me and my childhood...
Between me and my family...
Between me and my homeland...
Between me and my people...
Between me and my memories...

How difficult it is to express departure and strangeness feeling in such small words ... !

On Friday November 15, 2002, I was reading the fresh news, which carried the news that Colonel Dror Weinberg had been killed in Hebron. And that 12 soldiers and armed settlers had been killed with him.

Oh God, the military commander who made my life hell in Hebron was killed !

Oh God, how this happened ...
I felt scared...
Scared of the occupational soldiers and settlers acts and revenge toward my people. Who will be killed tomorrow, I asked myself. Who had killed Dror Weinberg ?

The daily murdering and killing of Palestinians in their houses and in their own homeland will never bring peace and security for the military occupation and settlers in heart of Hebron and the West Bank.

The media carries daily new Palestinians murdered and arrested. The occupation killed kids, old men, women, patients ... they even killed our hope and our human feelings. There is no future for the occupational settlers and soldiers between us in hour homeland. No Israeli accepts Arabs from Israel to live with them in Tel Aviv and ... , while they allow themselves to live in what so called Israel in the cities and villages of the Arabs everywhere !

How will the Palestinians accept the occupational settlers and soldiers to live them ?

The Israeli State is based on discrimination between even it's own citizens.
This carries an "a" I.D and live in Tel Aviv ...
This carries "b" I.D and live in other cities around Tel Aviv ...
This carries "c" I.D and live in the small Israeli villages ...
This carries "A" I.D and live in the West Bank Settlements ...
This is an Arab Israeli citizen living around Tel Aviv ...
This is an Arab Israeli citizinez living in Jerusalem ...
The Jewish immigrant are divided between a, b, c and ...
These are western immigrants,
These are Russian immigrants,
These are Flasha immigrants,
These are Arab Jewish immigrants,
These are, and these are, and ...

Israel is based on discrimination in all sectors of public life. The governmental sectors, the Public sectors and the private sectors. Even the IDF units structure is based on discrimination: Sakhlav, Kolam, Golani, Nakhol, Dovdovan, Paratroopers, Shimshoni, Giva'aty, Border police, Air force, Marine force, ...

The "Flasha" immigrants (black jews from Ethiopia) are not allowed to be in the air force units or ...

Israel is a racist society.
These are Oriental Jewish ...
These are Western Jewish ...
And both of them are separated into small communities ...

This is the reality of the Israel State ...
This is the reality of the occupational state ...
Even the Israeli civil society is a victim of the State and it's racist and fascist divisions. So how we can accept to be occupied by this racist and fascist occupation and to live with them in the middle of our cities and people in the West Bank, beyond the borders of 1967 ?

The Palestinians circle of blood, hate, and revenge will be stop when the occupation stopped. Colonel Weinberg was killed by the occupation, the occupation of the Palestinians, killing him self and his people in the West Bank...

I'm counting the days in which the media will not be not carrying any news of the killing of Palestinians and Israelis. Since over two years we hear about the daily killings and collective punshiments.

Colonel Dror Weinberg was a victim of his own support for criminals, the fanatic occupational settlers in the heart of the city of Hebron. He was a victim of his racist discrimination policy toward the Palestinian citizens in Hebron.

For over 600 days the 40.000 Palestinians lived under Colonel Wienberg's curfew in Hebron. He denied the Palestinians under the poverty line to take their own volunteers under the regular curfew. He blocked the Palestinian streets, denying them the right of free movement and to reach their houses in same city and even in the same quarter

Colonel Weinberg closed the Vegetable market, the gold market, the metal market. About 1500 shops were looted by settlers with the help of his soldiers. Thousands of dunams of Palestinian lands was confiscated for growing the Jewish settlements in the city and around it. Many Palestinians kids were killed by Colonel Weinberg's snipers on their ways to buy bread or while going to school. Thousands of families were made homeless. Thousands of military ordered from Colonel Weinberg stopped the Palestinian economical, social, cultural, and educational sectors in the city.

Hundreds of Palestinians houses became military posts and were occupied by his soldiers. The soldiers were involved in sexuallyharassing women and raping men in the city. I was a victim of Colonel Weinberg, there are thousands of other victims the same like me ...

Several time I was harrased sexually by his soldiers who were occupying the rooftop of my house. I sent hundreds of letters to this commander to please stop the inhuman harassment and the trauma they caused me. I lost my house, my family, my work and everything in Hebron under the command authority of Dror. I fled to Europe twice from the behavior of his soldiers.

This was the reality of Colonel Dror Weinberg ... and this is all made by the commander of the IDF soldiers, who was killed a couple of days ago in my homeland in Hebron.

When Colonel Weinberg was killed, he was leading the criminals and fanatic settlers who had organized a violent demonstration against the Palestinians citizens in Hebron. All the anti–Arab signs and official threats were scrawled on the Palestinians homes in front of him. Colonel Weinberg always used to share in the settler's violent demonstrations. The settlers bombed 10 Palestinian shops in Hebron only during April, 2001, while Colonel Weinberg gave legal backing to the settlers terrorism and their terrorists actions.

The death of Dror Weinberg should mark the end of the occupational government in the Palestinian cities. The only way to bring peace for both nations, the Palestinian and the Israeli, is to stop the settlements and the military occupation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

IDF soldiers patrolling in Al-Shalaleh street. The concrete block is the demarcation between Area H1 under Palestinian control (where the people are sitting) and Area H2 under Israeli control.

IDF soldiers in Hebron. Notice the almost new American M4 rifle held by the soldier in the foreground. The guy back left has a typical American face. In the background a metallic fence and barbed wire can be seen, separating different control zones in Hebron.

IDF soldiers in APCs at Babi Zawya, in the center of Hebron.

This woman is forbidden from reaching her home at an IDF checkpoint near the Avraham Avino settlement.

Another view of the same scene: the woman and her sister trying to argue about passage with the IDFs. The problem is that the language the IDFs use with Palestinians is reduced to insults like "sharmuta" (whore), beating and shooting. In addition to the trouble with the IDF, these women are at risk of trouble with their families for talking to strange men (the soldiers), or for not arriving at home in time.

Settlers from the Avraham Avino settlement inspecting the Vegetable Market prior to its destruction by the IDF. The settlers were interested in the area of this market as a way of passage. This was enough for them to commend the market's destruction to the IDF.

IDF soldiers destroying the Vegetable market in Hebron.

The IDF destroying the Vegetable market in Hebron.

From: charles segelbaum
To: kawther_salam@yahoo.com
Subject: IDF
Date: 14 Nov 2002 21:35:24 -0500

Dear Kawther

I had written you an angry letter a short time ago this evening, but I have just read your diaries. As much as I am a die-hard lover of Israel and would die for Israel, it pained me to read of your treatment at the hands of IDF soldiers. If possible, I would like to offer you the apologies of Israel (if, indeed I can speak for Israel ) for the behavior of a few soldiers.

However, you seem to be been talking of the same few soldiers who have been harassing you in various ways. I can truly say that this is NOT the Jewish way and that it is only a tiny percentage of the IDF that would act this way. In balance, Israeli Jews are kind and decent people who have had their own share of "stores" ( problems )

Dear Kawther, you must know that bad behavior can be a feature of Palestinians as well as Israelis. Do you think you could at least document abuses by BOTH SIDES? This would be more even -handed. Or, are you
perhaps afraid of what your Palestinian brothers might do or say to you if you reported from both sides of the fence. I mean this question seriously and in no way as a sarcasm.

Anyway, I no longer feel the hostility to you that I displayed in my first email. Please accept my apologies. I think that you are a brave ( and - dare I say it - very beautiful ) woman. Let there be shalom between our two peoples. My daughter Rochelle lives in Jerusalem and I visit once a year from Florida where I live. I would be honored to have a cup of coffee with you at the Chafe Simon if you can spare the time. In the meantime, l'hitraot,

Shalom, Salaam

From:Charles segelbaum
Date: 14 Nov 2002 20:31:41 -0500

You are a disgrace as a woman and as a writer. You CANNOT destroy the State of Israel with your anti-Jewish trash. Silly benighted cow ---- Hell is what the dirty murdering terrorists are putting Israeli women and children through. Hell is the rampant corruption and terrorism of yassir arafat .Hell ( for the Palestinian entity ) is the delicious ( for me ) fact that none of the Arab states really gives a damn about your entity. It is simply used as a distraction from their own problems.

Israel will NOT PERMIT another holocaust, even though jew haters such as yourself subtly encourage it with your hateful writings. Long live Israel forever.........oh by the way, you MUST know that there is NO SUCH PLACE as "Palestine" - never was and inshallah, never will be.
No pal.. language, no culture, no history prior to 1967 - just indigenous Arabs from neighboring countries that wish to steal all that Israel has accomplished. Keep dreaming madam - It's never going to happen.

I went with Ramin to the asylum office. Mr. Pretterebner, the asylum office director, interviewed me. It was a normal interview. Completely different from what I had heard about the asylum office in Israel and the media. I even felt comfortable during the meeting.

I was interviewed by an intelligent person, he gave me enough time to talk in my mother tongue, Arabic. An official translator translated for both of us from German to Arabic, and from Arabic to German.

I was just talking about my life under the occupation and the traditional society. I wasn't interested in spreading false rumors or inventing stories. The right way is to say the truth. My father learned me this since my childhood.

The interview went very easy. Mr. Pretterebner asked me if I would mind if he asked the Austrian Embassy in Tel Aviv to investigate some of my stories. Of course you can do this. This is your legitimate right, I said. Each country should investigate. I never heard about a country with open borders. The most important point is to say the truth all the time. After that, you shouldn't be worried.

On December 5, 2002, I received the response from the asylum office. I was granted asylum in Austria.