Rights group: 69 cases of Palestinian olive trees destroyed, but no prosecutions

So you prefer to change the subject. I would too. The Philistines came from Crete and had nothing to do with the origin of Palestinians. When Joshua led the 12 tribes of the Israelites across the river Jordan into Canaan, also known at that time as Palestine, the land was occupied by semite tribes, Hittites, Amorites and Jebusites. The Jebusites had built Jerusalem, and occupied it for 100 years after the Israelites entered Canaan.They weren't called Arabs then, and the Israelites weren't called Jews. Those names weren't known yet. There are many notable historians and scholars who maintain the Jebusites are the forebears of the Palestinians. According to the New York University School of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences, Middle East Jewish men and Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian men have the same genetic signature, different from any other non-Jews in the world. Some of those same tribes, and the Canaanites also occupied Judea and Samaria.

For starters "Where did the name Palestine come from? Photo © Jack Hazut Seashore near Rosh Hanigra Northern Israel near the border with Lebanon The name Palestine refers to a region of the eastern Mediterranean coast from the sea to the Jordan valley and from the southern Negev desert to the Galilee lake region in the north. The word itself derives from "Plesheth", a name that appears frequently in the Bible and has come into English as "Philistine". Plesheth, (root palash) was a general term meaning rolling or migratory. This referred to the Philistine's invasion and conquest of the coast from the sea. The Philistines were not Arabs nor even Semites, they were most closely related to the Greeks originating from Asia Minor and Greek localities. They did not speak Arabic. They had no connection, ethnic, linguistic or historical with Arabia or Arabs. The Philistines reached the southern coast of Israel in several waves. One group arrived in the pre-patriarchal period and settled south of Beersheba in Gerar where they came into conflict with Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael. Another group, coming from Crete after being repulsed from an attempted invasion of Egypt by Rameses III in 1194 BCE, seized the southern coastal area, where they founded five settlements (Gaza, Ascalon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gat). In the Persian and Greek periods, foreign settlers - chiefly from the Mediterranean islands - overran the Philistine districts.

I am willing to wager the land has been in his family for 100 years. It is amazing to me that your first thought, and obviously the thing most important to you, is an assumption that a weeping old man whose olive grove is being destroyed as we watch, is lying about the ownership of his land, only because he is a Palestinian. The fact that a road is being built on Palestinian land illegally occupied, a road most likely that will be off limits to Palestinians, that will lead to a settlement that is in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention, and thus a war crime. No wonder the Palestinians hate Jews. No wonder the international community is beginning to view Israel as a rogue nation.

You have a lot to say, and say it very obstreperously, but it is amazing how little you know about the history of the area. The name Palestine had nothing to do with the Romans. Palestine is where the Palestinians originated and where they belong, and they predate Jews in Canaan. When the Israelite tribes crossed into Canaan from Jordan, Canaan, also known at the time as Palestine, was occupied by semite tribes, Amorites, Hittites and Jebusites. The words Jews and Arabs weren?t known yet.The Jebusites built Jerusalem and occupied it for 100 years after the Israelites arrived in Canaan. The New York University School of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences have discovered that Middle East Jewish men have common genetic signature with Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese men, and not with any other non-Jews in the world. In the academic world, many noted historians and scholars maintain the Jebusites are the forebears of the Palestinians.

1. Please repeat the six questions. 2. I have no rights to the land and have never said I did. 3. To the best of my knowledge none of my ancestors have been within a thousand miles of Palestine so that dung comes from someone else's animals. 4. Who created Palestine is irrelevant; it was created.

I don't know which six questions you refer to. Please refresh my memory. I will say that in the past some questions you ask have nothing to do with reality, and my answering them would not make any sense. As for rights to the land, I have none, and have never claimed I did. To my knowledge none of my ancestors were anywhere remotely near Palestine, so they could not have left any thing there. Finally l never questioned that at one time the Jews had possession of Palestine. Then they left and someone else moved in. I refer you to what the world said to the Serbs when they claimed their prior tenancy of Kosovo gave them the right to throw out the current inhabitants.

If you had answered my six questions instead of avoiding them, you could have proven you had the rights to the land You see, our markers indicate our presence, all that your ancestors left behind was camel & donkey dung Palestine was a Roman creation

I'm willing to wager most Jews in Israel took possession of the land without their ancestors having bothered to pay for it. Why should a Palestinian have to be different?

Did he show you the deed issued by the Ottoman Empire? I'm willing to wager he took possession of the land without his ancestors having bothered to pay for it

You dont prune trees with bulldozers, and I have seen TV films several times of Israeli bulldozers knocking down Palestinian olive trees to make a road to a settlement, to build the security wall or clear property for Israeli settlement construction. How many hundreds of times has it happened? The last I saw, on CNN, showed a very old Palestinian man weeping, behind him an Israeli bulldozer was clearing land in his olive grove. The man said his family had no other source of income, and the land had been in his family for a hundred years. The bulldozer was preparing for a road to a settlement. I think you Mr. Wise Saba are a liar. Why don't you Israelis join the international community of nations and end your 42 year illegal occupation of Palestinian land? Why don't you finally conform to international law? The world is tiring of you.

"C.J. You`re concerened with Olive Trees" A symptom of a deeper mis-justice "How about the Commandment "Thou shalt not kill"? Thou shalt not "murder" "Just in case you don`t know it, Human beings are more valuable than wood" Without trees, no human beings... "If the tree is destroyed, the wood is used for sourveneirs" Live trees bear fruit for hundreds of years. "dead humans are of no use, only fit to be buried" Better they die of natural causes.

Tree killers names should be published, just as soon as the trees are able to testify in person

Viper, you have an odd sense of values You place more of a value on olive trees than you do on the lives of humans Hamas uses their civilians for human shields, you haven't said a word against it A tree or two gets damaged, you're boo hooing like all get out

How about the Commandment "Thou shalt not kill"? Just in case you don't know it, Human beings are more valuable than wood If the tree is destroyed, the wood is used for sourveneirs, dead humans are of no use, only fit to be buried

They should understand this simple LOGIC." Live and let Live ".

Fruit trees are created by GOD for Human consumption, it is said in ALL BIBLES. Why then allowed this THUGGISH behaviour to escalate year by Year.

"Attacks targetting FRUIT TREES, harvested by Palestinians has been on the R I S E in recent YEARS". So what is the Law and Order TOP officer is doing about it? Is he waiting for a RECORD this year, before acting? 1)either the Top Officer and his team are INNEFFICIENT. 2) or are AIDING and ABETTING the Law breakers. iN any DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY,in BOTH cases this officer would be called to account and REPLACED, if found innefficent/guilty,so what is the minister in charge will be doing NEXT?

#1, @VIPER, I think this is what you're looking for (from article on Bal tashkhit in Wikipedia): "Bal tashkhit ("do not destroy") is a basic ethical principle in Jewish law. The principle is rooted in the Biblical law of Deuteronomy 20:19?20. Originally, the Biblical command was limited to wartime, and it forbade only the cutting down of fruit trees. In early rabbinic law, the bal tashkhit principle was expanded to include other types of damage. For instance, the Babylonian Talmud applies the principle to prevent the wasting of lamp oil, the tearing of clothing, the chopping up of furniture for firewood, or the killing of animals.[1] In all cases, bal tashkhit is invoked only for destruction that is deemed unnecessary. Destruction is explicitly condoned when the cause or need is adequate."

Anyone harming any kind of tree deserves public humiliation. I don't care who owns the tree, this is an attack against the planet. Not only do trees make air from the carbon dioxide we breathe out, it houses ants and other creatures that are critical to human survival. Humans can't survive without ants. So whoever is doing this (on both sides)you are the lowest. Shame on you!!!!!!!! At least publish the names of the tree killers.

"When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?" - Deuteronomy. 20:19 That only applies to pious Jews, not Settlers CJ, the Settlers KNOW that they are the chosen of the Lord and may ignore any law he has commanded for other, lesser, Jews. They believe that they have the right to do anything they wish, and abuse any man. They only read the books for what pleases them, and not for what might restrain them. Otherwise they would know: "For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts." - Amos 5:12

Jewish law forbids the destruction of fruit trees. Those committing this act are not Jews, whether they think they are nor not. We are all guardian's of these trees. They don't belong to one particular group. The perpetrators ought to hang their heads in shame, and the JNF should help protect ALL trees and those who grow them.

I've never seen a country so stupid, packed with so many idiots in it that constantly try to report to the world anything bad that their country does.

Erikn would have you think that Israel is the sole western country that has biased courts. I admit, our courts are biased. They are also misogynist, class stratified, and populated with officials who should undergo psychological testing before they are admitted to the court. However, to preach to us that "the rule of law means little to Israel these days with biased courts" shows not just your ignorance, but that you've probably never even been here, let alone stepped inside an Israeli court. As a westerner, how can we relate to you? You don't say what country your from, but I can't think of a single western country where the courts aren't biased against minorities, immigrants, or some social group. North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand - all have courts with histories of bias and worse. In many ways we're superior to you, wherever you are, because there are many cases of Palestinians indeed finding justice via the Israeli court system. Ha'aretz reports about it,

........For a "wise"Saba you sure sound like a real schmok.

#18. "you stand for an excuse for law and order." You need to go back and read my post. There is no excuse whatsover for vigilantes uprooting olive trees in Palestinian areas. None. There is no excuse for torching Palestinian cars. The extremists on BOTH sides do not want a real peace and are doing whatever they can to prevent peace but unlike the Palestinians the Israeli's do have a real government and it is morally indefensible to let the settlers destroy Palestinian property and not bring the settlers to justice. The Israeli attitude is "We know they hate us but we refuse to admit we hate them just as much and the rule of law does not apply to this conflict unless it is in Israels favor." Without the rule of law you have anarchy and when you have anarchy you have no State. It's one thing for the Palestinians to behave this way but for the Israeli government to do so as well? Without the rule of law there is only the law of vigilantees.

Joe, Zev and others who complain that Yesh Din is not impartial. I honestly know nothing about their research methods, but your arguments are pathetic. Does every pro-Israel group also talk about abuses against Pals? If not, are they completely discredited? Yesh Din are simply pointing to facts, and you should be worried about their findings. How low is Israeli society going to sink? Rule of law means very little to Israel these days with biased courts. The fact that Pal courts are crap is no excuse. As a Westerner I find it very hard to relate to Israel as an equal when the court system is ineffective, biased and discriminating

Mr Koch says" Is Israel....a Nation Of VIGILANTES", that is exactly the arguments I put through in my earlier answer. Are'nt the NGOs -of any kind- take over the actual duties to be performed by a functioning institutions of a supposedly a Liberal Democracy?!!! Look at who is more actual reduces the values of a State apparatus if not an NGOs; the state is perfectly happy to let steam of frustrutated segment of the society to let it out! There is an unfortunate inflation in the numbers of the NGOs in Israel. Just see their relative numbers in your own country. It takes the function the State relyes on and since tackling a problem with the police or the Legal system is overdue, the NGOs are a perfect cover for it (the State apparatus). You see Mr Koch your argument is patently clear, you stand for an excuse for Law and Order, you are so in love with, and don't understanding the intricacies of State Institutions in a Democracy.

Every year the same attempt to portray the olive tree as some rare, precious, slow growing specie that dates back thousands of years, a cross between a sequoia and a bonsai, the cutting of which destroys families and whole regions, bringing starvation and ruin. The truth is an olive is an aggressive bush which is found everywhere in Israel, and cutting it back only makes it more aggressive and productive, which is what is going on here. The politics are milked strictly for foreign consumption.

To worry only about Palestinian rights and totally ignores Jewish rights. If they were truly a rights group they would not discriminate.

Is Israel a nation of laws or a nation of vigilantes? Palestinian cars are torched, olive groves are destroyed and the Israeli government looks the other way. The right wing in Israel do not realize or seem to care that every year support for Israel decreases because the Israeli government lets right wing extremists run amuck in Palestinian areas destroying property knowning they never will be brought to justice. Israel has become a bully, a nation of planes, tanks, & nuclear weapons that reacts to provocations by the Palestinians with an anvil and tries to paint themselves as the victims. This is not the light unto nations it once was, and Israel is losing its soul by allowing extremist settlers and religious groups to rule. It's quite telling, in a nation of immigrants from over 100 countries, that it is right wing American Olim setting the region ablaze. You never hear about sabras behaving this way. Why?

There have been hundreds of cases of Palestinians who have attacked and killed or wounded Israeli civilians. The Palestinian courts have never prosecuted a single case, nor charged any Palestinian with a crime - despite the fact that Goldstone, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have all concluded that Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians are war crimes that violate international and national laws. Yesh Din is not a "human rights" group at all, but a pro-Palestinian lobby group.

If really the Law of the Land is'nt doing its job, MK Cabel (who if he forment the attrition against IDF because some so;diers are not acting against Settlers acording to his sense of Justice, he might sworn off the day when IDF is gona to become Politically ideological)and other MKs should ask an immediate Knesset investigation on the matter. It is alright for an NGO to bring the matter once tothe media and then its up to the established structure: political and legal to deal with, and not try to absolve the duty of those instances while letting NGOs to change the structure of some Israeli instutions that have made possible for a working State of Liberal Democratic values.

Was it a toilet-papering? Did a guy took his dog for a walk and not pick up after it? Were the olives picked prematurely? What kind of accusations are these anyway?

As usual the so called Rights Group do not see the Israeli rights.

These attacks are far from lies and deception...most have been well documented not just by Yesh Din and B'Tselem...but also by the IDF and the Judea and Samaria police. There is no question whether this is "really" going on, these incidents are a fact. Without a doubt the Israeli police are lax when it comes to theft and vandalism, however I would argue that there is also a double standard...if Palestinians where doing this to settlers, there is no way it would be tolerated. It would be met with force. There are two standards for a lot of things in Israeli society.

I think Yesh din should look into the theft and vandalism of property of Jewish farmers by Palestinians. We have suffered this for years.

It is sad that, yes Arabs have cut trees planted by jewish settlers (and you know, they have been known to cut down people too!) Arabs in the area i live relate to our fields as "jewish fields from a long time ago.." since there was jewish settlement here prior to 1948..This did not give our trees any "right to exist" when a couple hundred were sawed one night. This was years ago. The lack of police action in either case is a problem..and maybe not only a lack of interest. The lack of leadership response against vandalism the "our" people perpetuate is inexcusable..

Maybe Yesha's response brings a perspective otherwise missing..BUT MOST BLATANT is a lacking of any condemnation of violence and destruction on the part of Jews. Yesha council and leadership has a moral and religious imperative to educate its society to refrain from acts of violence. Perhaps what they see as asymmetry exists..this only makes the moral imperative more challenging..not less applicable.

Ok, Yesha claims that there have been attacks on trees "owned" by Jews in the West Bank. Attacks perpetrated by Arabs. I would like to know if this is true and to what extent it has happened over recent years. Not just heresay please. Personally, I do not believe that Palestinians would do damage to trees.

The truth is that every year after the olive harvest the arabs prune their trees back & then accuse us of destroying them. This have been proven time & time again & the police know it. It is all a political game by the Israeli radical pro arab leftists to discredit the settler movement.

As a pretext to deligitimizing Israeli settlers, most claims of damaging olive tree are fabricated lies. But the truth is that the Israeli police do not have the resources or desire to investigate most crimes of vandalism and robbery. The statistics will show that here there is little discrimination. Neither Arab nor Jew can feel secure about his property.

Does it ever stop?

isn't there anything in the torah which says that destroying trees is a sin? i mean it's typical that zionists will destroy anything that can't defend itself as we've seen.