Not only is it beyond amazing and astonishing that the power of Media within the Israeli strings has managed to completely create a false image, a case for justifying the brutal invasion, aggression and occupation of an entire neighborhood in Palestinian East Jerusalem on the night of August 9, 2001, but it also managed to escape the headlines and front pages, and create a form of delusion and myth of what is constantly referred to as ISRAELI SECURITY measures.
What is flagrantly apparent is how the illegal act of aggression, harassment, brutality, and occupation of Palestinian homes and neighborhoods have managed to disguise as lawful and surpass as legal act of security arrangement and protection Recapping on the collective attack on the night of August 9, 2001, the media, press, politicians, and spokespersons have limited their reports to the political inclinations and Israeli attempts to erase Palestinian national identity in Jerusalem and have failed to recognize the basic human right desecration behind this attack. With the overwhelming POLITICAL dimensions, statements and threats, many have failed to realize that since the night of the Great Warriors’ invasion of the Orient House, families, men women children orphans at the School of Dar El-Tifil were subjected to house arrest, humiliations, abuse, harassment and terror, simply because they live in a neighborhood that seemed like an easy target for Ariel Sharon to practice security arrangements for were he believed “the Palestinian terror” has emerged.
The attack included the subjugation of an entire family of a mother, father, a 14-year-old daughter, and 21-year-old son to the horrors and brutality of a military wage, invading their home and dragging them to the street at gunshot. Awakened by his son, Taher Husseiny sprang out of bed at 1:45 am on Friday August 9, “I think it is the settlers baba, they are attacking our home.” Seconds later they were all in, hundreds just marched in as if they knew exactly were and what their target was. There it was Taher Husseiny, the son of one of the owners of the Orient House, his wife May Sara, 14-year-old daughter Hind, and 21-year-old son Firas and his sister Ruwayda. Behind further doors, were files, computers, and traditional furniture, and upstairs were yet further terrorizing threats to the National security of Israeli, more files, computers, traditional floor rugs, and some photos!
The search lasted till dawn. By then, they were well positioned all over the premises. You could see them on rooftops, inside offices, outside the front gates, and all over the garden. Outside were 13 police cars, and 3 buses that must have carried 400-500 soldiers. All along the street in front of Dar Al-Tifil, Policemen were scattered some taking naps inside their cars, others standing under the shade, others carrying their food and many just standing clueless waiting for higher orders to release them from a night, dawn and cracking morning that just seemed endless.
At the main door stood three policemen, who were guarding the door fiercely. Inside, you can see them on the grass laying down, on the rooftops, on the main stairs, around the building and on top of the cars that belonged to residents and employees of the Orient House who had parked outside since the night of the great warriors. All the photos of Abu Al-Abed were torn down as if his face reminded them of their unjust presence and historical crimes.
In lucid terms, there was nothing threatening there that required this massive war-like operation entailing hundreds of a combination of soldiers, policemen, and boarder police, mere Palestinian civilians and families.
Putting the political arguments and dimensions aside, ONE must remember on August 9, 2001 at 1:45am the private property of AL-Husseiny family, not the property of the PNA, PLO or the renting parties, was invaded illegally and occupied by 300-400 Israeli soldiers and police, an entire family was terrorized and an entire neighborhood was shut down and remains to be surrounded and bordered by the GREAT protectors of Israeli national security. A Distinction must be drawn between the closure of the Arab Studies Society, Orient House and the seizure of the Private property of the Husseiny Family. It is from that point that the real first battle starts, the battle of Palestinian ownership, rights, and PRESENCE in occupied East Jerusalem.
Somehow being consumed and absorbed by the larger political battle that is so widely publicized, we tend to overlook the meaningful battles, on the smaller and gradual scale, those that are more powerful at hand. These battles by which Israelis exercise potent ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem, confiscating property and eradicating Palestinian Jerusalemite identity and rebuffing their right to ownership and residency. This ethnic cleansing is substantial tactic to carry out their full-fledged uncontested crimes against Palestinians.
Quoting from the Jerusalem Post, ” One week after Israel took control of Orient HOUSE, and shut down PA offices operating there, Internal security Minister Uzi Landau said yesterday that Israel does not intend to hold the building indefinitely.”
Landau claims that Israel is temporarily holding the place until the owners, and authorities reach an agreement that “there will be no more political activities in the building.”
How could this be the case if the Authorities are not even communicating with the owners, are violating their basic rights, desecrating the sanctity of their homes, are invading their private property and are holding them hostage to house arrest, and leave and re-entry is through special permissions only and not allowing anyone to visit them including their own personal lawyers.
