2005/03/28

Rabbi convicted of blocking West Bank bulldozers



Rabbi Arik Ascherman has spent years planting himself atop doomed Palestinian homes, reading extracts of international law to Israeli forces as they demolish the buildings beneath his feet.

Along the way he has been a persistent embarrassment to the Israeli government as a fervent Zionist who claims to reflect the true soul of the Jewish state by resisting its oppression of Palestinians. He has been arrested many times but this week, for the first time, the 45-year-old director of Rabbis for Human Rights was convicted for his form of resistance.

The rabbi was arrested when he objected to the Israeli security forces tying a Palestinian to the front of a jeep as a human shield against stone throwers. On other occasions he has been attacked by club-wielding Jewish settlers.

The prosecution has asked the court to sentence Rabbi Ascherman to do community service after he was convicted of obstructing the demolition of illegally built Arab homes in East Jerusalem by standing in front of the bulldozers. It is a dangerous business; an American peace activist, Rachel Corrie, was killed doing the same in the Gaza Strip.

There are people in the world that bring hope. I am thankful for the hearts of those like Rabbi Ascherman.

posted by ManicBlu @ 3/28/2005 12:27:00 am 

5 Comments:

Dianne I swear you read the same articles I do. I was going to post about this, I found it so compelling. Thank you! 

Posted by Sarah
3/28/2005 02:01:00 am  
"the Israeli security forces tying a Palestinian to the front of a jeep as a human shield against stone throwers "

I'm falling over on my ass here. This is truly exactly the Gestapo style tactics used during occupation in France in WW2.

And the fact Ark was arrested for objecting over it (!!!!) seems to indicate that, far from being an embarrassing Abu Graib style blunder, it is condoned by the Israeli gov.

Let's hope His Enormous Fat Ass Majesty Sharon gets the same treatment one day - in view of his phenomenal circumference, he'd make an ideal shield. 

Posted by WhyNot
3/28/2005 03:45:00 am  
Sarah, as I think you possess true journalistic skills I would have waited if I had known you were going to do a piece on it.

I dearly love men and women like this. They are willing to put their lives on the line for others. It's good to see that some spiritual/religious people know the true meaning of love.  

Posted by Dianne
3/28/2005 10:53:00 am  
It is good to see that there are people like this left.

He's really lucky that this  didn't happen to him. 

Posted by Arancaytar
3/28/2005 02:10:00 pm  
Arancaytar, what happened to Rachel Corrie broke my heart when I read about it...it was all over Seattle news not long after I moved away, and for me it was a defining moment. I think that was when I realized we are dealing with people who will do anything  to advance their own agenda, and protect their massive wealth. I think her parents are trying to sue Caterpillar aren't they? 

Posted by Sarah
3/28/2005 06:32:00 pm  

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