I found this shocking story about a young Palestinian football player on Gilad Atzmon's website: Mahmoud Sarsak Palestinian International Footballer Mahmoud was 21 years old, at the start of a playing career which had already seen him being recognised as one of the best young prospects in Palestine, already a regular for the Palestinian National side. He had an invitation to play for a football team in Nablus in the West Bank. This meant that he had to ask for permission from the Israelis to cross from Gaza through Erez crossing into Israel in order to travel on to the West Bank. .... However when he got to Erez at 9am on the 22nd July 2009 his whole world changed. He was arrested and taken to a Police Station, from here his family were called and informed that he was being taken to Ashkelon Jail. He was made to take off his clothes and change into overalls. For the first 18 days he was tied to a chair with his eyes covered, the only times he was untied was when he was given food and they untied his hands, or when he was allowed to go to the toilet when his legs were untied. During this time he was kept awake, not fed properly and questioned daily, every 4 days he was taken to a court where a judge gave permission for him to be held for a further 4 days. This treatment he says wasnt so bad in comparison with what was to come although I think that most people would call it torture. At the end of that 18 days he was taken to a Military Jail in the South where he was kept for 6 days and his treatment became much worse. He was beaten regularly and was put in what he described as a fridge, he also had very hot and very cold water put under his feet. During all of this time in both places he was questioned, his interrogators were wanting him to say that he had been involved in activities against Israel. He didnt understand what they meant by this, he was a footballer, he had not been involved in anything else and so refused to make things up to make his interrogators happy. He had no idea why he had been arrested. At the end of these 6 days he was taken back to a civilian jail for another 11 days where suddenly things got much better. He was fed and allowed to sleep properly, his captors became very friendly offering him his freedom, a new house, a salary, a car, access to proper training facilities to help his playing career and foreign travel. All he had to do was become a collaborator. He refused, which provoked many serious threats from his Israeli interrogators. They told him that they would burn his family home down, attack his family and kill his brothers. He continued to refuse to collaborate. He had absolutely no contact with anyone but his jailors and interrogators, occasionally his lawyer. The court had said he was going to be released. Instead he was told by a Military Officer that he was now being held under The Law of An Illegal Fighter and that they no longer needed to go to court to ask permission to keep him. He was then taken to Kitseot Jail near Bersheva where at least he could see other prisoners and his time of interrogation was over. ...When he was finally allowed access to his lawyer and was able to ask him what this law meant, he was told that it was a law that the Israeli authorities use when they have nothing against you but they want to hold onto you. He had no rights under this law and could be held as long as the Israeli Military wanted to keep him. Mahmoud thinks that because he had no rights he was put in a cell which was 2m x 1m for his time in Kitseot, this cell had only a mattress and toilet in it and he developed chest, skin and back problems while there. ...He was allowed out of his cell for 1 hour a day for exercise. On the 22nd of February 2010 Mahmoud was taken to Tel Aviv for a court hearing to extend his imprisonment... The journey to court and between jails is in, what the prisoners call, a post bus which is a metal bus with steel compartments in which you are jostled and hit off the steel walls. .... On the 23rd of August 2011 he was told that he was going to be released. He was taken by post bus to Erez, his hands and legs were not tied as they usually were, the window was open and when he got there they opened the door of the prison van and the guards moved away talking among themselves. He stayed where he was as he didnt know what was happening and he didnt want to be shot if they thought he was trying to escape. He called to the guards to ask what was happening and they told him they were taking him back to jail, he wasnt being released. He said that he was later told about another prisoner who had been taken to Erez and left in an open post bus with his legs untied in the same way. He had gone to the door to look out and been instantly shot in the leg and accused of trying to escape. ... When he was taken to this jail he was given another 6 months but his lawyer was promised that he would be released when this time ended on the 23rd of February 2012. The 23rd of February came and went, 10 days after this he was taken back to court, he had decided that this time, if he wasnt released, he would go on hunger strike and stay on hunger strike until they promised in writing that he would be released. When he was told that he was going to be imprisoned for another 6 months, he prepared himself for 10 days, eating less each day and gradually reducing his physical activity. On the 15th of March 2012 he started his hunger strike. He only took water and sometimes a little salt in order to prevent his stomach from beginning to rot. 7 days after he started they began to move him from jail to jail before putting him in Nafha Jail which meant he was put in with the Israeli criminal population. Then he was put into isolation for a spell followed by hospital in Bersheva for 2 days tied to his bed, then back to Nafha. From here he was sent to Eshel jail where he was put in isolation again and became very sick. ... After 35 days of this the Doctor in Eshel refused to continue to be responsible for him and he was taken to the Prison hospital in Ramle jail where he was with another 5 Palestinian hunger strikers. He refused treatment here and was put back into isolation, a cell with no windows. After 47 days on hunger strike he began to have serious problems with his stomach, he couldnt even drink water without vomiting. First white then black then brown vomit. They took him back to Ramle Prison hospital then and gave him antibiotics. On the 15th of May he was told that, if he would break his hunger strike he would be released on the 23rd of August. He insisted to have the promise in writing signed by a senior Judge and a Minister from the Israeli Ministry of the Interior. He was also told that he would not be allowed to return to Gaza, he had to choose between Germany, France or Norway which he also refused to accept. At this time he finally began to get International Committee of the Red Cross visits twice a week and he was asked daily to break his hunger strike, he continued to refuse until he got it in writing that he would be released back to Gaza and that he would be properly monitored by a committee of doctors when he started eating again. Eventually, on the 18th of June 2012 on the 96th day of his hunger strike a Minister from the Israeli Ministry of the Interior came to see him with the signed paper that he had been asking for stating in writing that he would be released on the 20th of July 2012. The Minister asked him if he would now please give up his hunger strike and he agreed. The Minister asked him to drink a glass of milk in front of him so that he could confirm and report that he had indeed broken his hunger strike which he did although he immediately vomited this back up. His stomach couldnt cope even with milk after such a long time with no more than water going into it. He said that even though his stomach rejected this cup of milk his whole body felt as though it had drunk and felt relieved. I asked if he was allowed any visits from his family during his time in jail. He replied that because he was given no rights under the Law of An Illegal fighter he was not only denied visits from family but was not even allowed the 6 monthly letters delivered to his fellow prisoners by the Red Cross. He wasnt able to write to them either, not even one short note. At no time during Mahmouds entire incarceration was he actually accused of anything other than being asked to admit to the vague term activities against Israel and he was never charged with anything. All Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza who are arrested by Israel are dealt with under Military Law not Israeli Criminal Law and therefore it is not necessary for Israel to ever bring charges against them. Many who are prosecuted are those who have signed false confessions under torture and are not able to retract them afterwards. I asked Mahmoud if he was back in training for football and if he thought that it would be possible for him to return to his playing career. He said that finally he had managed to attend 3 training sessions and was hoping to be able to return to the team at some point in the future once he was back to full fitness. Now we know what a beacon of democracy Israel really is! http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/a-n...ite-for-free-gaza-scotland.html#entry32707393
Afterword to above post: This has to be one of the clearest examples of why the BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions) campaign should be supported by everyone and why Israel should be barred from participating in International Sporting events. Currently the 2013 UEFA U-21 Championship is scheduled to be played in Israel. How can this be allowed when they can treat a Palestinian International Player like this? Not to mention that they bombed the only 2 football pitches in Gaza during Operation Pillar of Cloud as well as destroying many local playing areas in the West Bank over the years. I saw several during my visit there in 2004 including one in Ramallah which had been bulldozed. Mahmoud told us that the other prisoner who had stayed on hunger strike with him, Akram Al Rihawy, had spent his whole sentence in hospital due to his medical problems. His reason for being on hunger strike was not for release but for proper medical treatment. He stopped his hunger strike after being told that he was going to be released on Wednesday the 23rd of January 2013. Yesterday, on the 25th of January 2013 we were told that he was not released as promised and that he is now back on hunger strike. To join the campaign against Israel hosting the 2013 UEFA U-21 Championship go to the following link and get involved: http://redcardapartheid.weebly.com/ For the Scottish readers of this article, I showed the film Trish from maryhill made of the protest at the Women's international to Mahmoud. His comment was beautiful with a wide grin of appreciation and amazement. Thank you, Gilad, my favorite Jew, for bringing this heart-gripping story of Mahmoud to my attention.
Shimon Peres Calls on Football Association to Stop Racist Chants. Peres strongly condemned the Football Association for not taking action against racism and incitement by fans. Haha... what sort of racism does he think his country is daily engaging in? I bet he will have an excuse and that excuse will be a lie!! He acts like a bully! "Recent events at a game of Beitar's are worthy of every condemnation. Racism is something which has struck a fatal blow to the Jewish people more than any other nation in the world. And it is up to all the authorities to nip it in the bud." That trusty old club is coming out of his sack... that will do it! http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164695#.UQhSzfIkKSo
Israel is the most racist state in the industrialized world. Racism and deep social gaps are serious problems that have existed in Israel from its earliest days until now. By Sami Michael http://972mag.com/author-sami-micha...cist-state-in-the-industrialized-world/52602/ a good link to read.
Hmmm.... I guess the only thing you failed to mention was that he was, indeed, a member of Islamic Jihad who was accused of attacking Israelis... Mahmoud Sarsak On July 10, 2012, Israel released Sarsak from prison. On his arrival in Gaza, he was greeted with a welcoming ceremony, at which dozens of members of Islamic Jihad fired rifles in the air. Senior Islamic Jihad members were present at the ceremony, and Nafez Azzam, one of the group's leaders, described Sarsak as "one of our noble members." Women also waved black Islamic Jihad banners from nearby homes.[13] Streets were decorated with huge photos of Sarsak, and after emerging from his car, Sarsak was hoisted up on shoulders and kissed and embraced by friends and family.[4] Sarsak stated, "This is a victory for the prisoners and I thank all the Palestinian, Arab and international bodies and people who stood up for me".[14]
BS. Nothing was found that he had done wrong. Only alleging he threw a bomb. As his lawyer said, if they have nothing against you, they classify you as an unlawful combatant. You stating he was a member of the Jihadists means nothing! I am a member of the choir!!
Now, here is something of interest. I never thought that's what the aid is for... to keep them quiet. In other words - aiding Israel in its terror activities against the Palestinians. Are the Western states afraid of Israel? I have no other explanation. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/humanitarian-hush-money.premium-1.501672
NGO Hush Money: Trading Silence for Access and Privilege Get this... Talk about humiliating the Palestinian Leader! But he is luckier than thousands of other Palestinians who get no permits at all, or even with a permit are subjected to harassment and arrest... like Mahmoud, the footballer. Haha...technical error! Read all here: http://www.thinkir.co.uk/ngo-hush-money/ http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-vips-hush-money-1.407887 I have decided not to visit Israel or what is left of Palestine!!
Indeed, you are; Koolaid and everything! And, of course you are correct. The FACT that Islamic Jihad welcomed him as ""one of our noble members." really doesn't mean anything. The Islamic Jihad was lying... Of course! That's the ticket! Their lips were moving and they were firing their guns, ergo - they must have been lying. Thank you for clarifying that.
