Methodist Ganelons' nonjudgmentalism on terror
William A. Levinson
Council of Bishops. The judgment that 9/11 was a 'shattering evil' was
cut from the final draft. 'Violence in all its forms and expression is
contrary to God's purpose for the world,' the bishops concluded. This
apparently means that both rapists and those who drive off rapists with
baseball bats are acting in an un-Christian manner. Ditto for terrorists
and those who try to stop them, sccording to the bishops." John Leo,
"Rage is not the Rage," U.S. News & World Report, 16 September, 2002.
http://www.omdurman.org/ganelon.html for more about the Methodist
church's leadership and its nonjudgmentalism on terrorism. The original
Ganelon was, incidentally, the traitor of Roncesvalles. When Roland blew
his horn as he and his companions were being overrun by militant
"Muslims," Ganelon told Charlemagne to ignore it. He told Charlemagne
that Roland was blowing his horn because he was hunting. Little has
changed, I see.
--Bill
http://www.omdurman.org/ The centuries-old threat of militant "Islam"
http://www.omdurman.org/whitslav.html Saudi Arabia holds three female
American citizens in white slavery.
http://www.stentorian.com/riaa/ Stop RIAA from searching your computer
(with the government's consent)
Not
United States Department of State on some
of the same issues as your example on rape,
e.g., rape, incest, white slavery, prostitution
and other abuse of women in Israel by Jewish
men, that the Methodist Church omitted.
-------------------------------------------
Israeli and Jewish Women Rights In Israel Today
* * *
Discrimination and societal violence against women persists, although the
Government continued to take steps to address the problems. . . .
Trafficking in women for the purpose of forced prostitution is a continuing
problem.
* * *
Orthodox Jewish religious authorities have exclusive control over Jewish
marriages, divorces, and most burials. The State does not recognize
marriages or conversions to Judaism performed in the country by non-Orthodox
rabbis. In June the Chief Rabbinate issued new regulations stipulating that
immigrants who arrived in the country after 1990 must be investigated to
confirm that they are Jewish before they can be married in a Jewish
ceremony. Many Israeli Jews who wish to marry in secular or non-Orthodox
religious ceremonies do so abroad, and the Ministry of Interior recognizes
such marriages. However, many Jewish citizens object to such exclusive
control, and it has been at times a source of serious controversy in
society, particularly in recent years, as thousands of immigrants from the
former Soviet Union have not been recognized as Jewish by Orthodox
authorities. For example, following the Dolphinarium discotheque bombing in
June, which killed 22 Israelis (see Section 1.a.), some religious
authorities questioned whether several of the young victims, who were
immigrants from the former Soviet Union, qualified for Jewish burial. One of
the victims ultimately was buried in a special part of a cemetery reserved
for persons whose Jewish identity was "in doubt." Newspapers reported that
the decision caused pain to many Russian immigrants.
Under the Jewish religious courts' interpretation of personal status law, a
Jewish woman may not receive a final writ of divorce without her husband's
consent. Consequently, there are thousands of so-called "agunot" in the
country who are unable to remarry or have legitimate children because their
husbands either have disappeared or refused to grant a divorce.
Rabbinical tribunals have the authority to impose sanctions on husbands who
refuse to divorce their wives or on wives who refuse to accept a divorce
from their husbands. However, in some cases, rabbinical courts have failed
to invoke these sanctions. In cases in which a wife refuses to accept a
divorce, the rabbinical courts occasionally allow a husband to take a second
wife; however, a wife never may take a second husband. Rabbinical courts
also may exercise jurisdiction over and issue sanctions against non-Israeli
persons present in the country.
A group of more than 100 Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform women continued
a long legal battle to hold women's prayer services at the Western Wall. In
May 2000, the High Court ruled that women could pray aloud and wear prayer
shawls at the Western Wall. In November 2000, an expanded High Court reheard
the case; a decision remained pending at year's end. Most Orthodox Jews
believe that mixed gender prayer services violate the precepts of Judaism,
and Jews generally still are unable to hold egalitarian (mixed gender)
prayer services at the Western Wall. The Conservative movement is
experimenting with conducting services at a different, recently excavated
portion of the wall. The North American Reform Movement has rejected such an
alternative.
* * *
There are no legal impediments to the participation of women and minorities
in government; however, the percentage of women in government and politics
does not correspond to their percentage of the population. Women hold 15 of
120 Knesset seats, compared with 9 female members in the previous Knesset.
Of the Knesset's 19 committees, 4 (including the Committee on the Status of
Women) are chaired by women. At year's end, there were 3 women in the
Cabinet and 1 Druze minister; 4 women serve on the 14-member High Court of
Justice.
* * *
The law prohibits domestic violence; however, violence against women is a
problem, despite the steps taken by the Government and other organizations
to reduce violence against women in Jewish and Arab communities.
Twenty-one women were killed by their husbands or other male relatives
during the year. According to one prominent women's group, between 150,000
and 200,000 women and girls are victims of domestic violence each year; an
estimated 7 percent of them are abused on a regular basis. According to
women's organizations, approximately 2,800 women and girls were assaulted
sexually and approximately 1,200 were victims of incest during the year; an
estimated 44 percent of them were girls under the age of 18. Only a small
percentage of the victims complained to the police. According to the
Domestic Violence Law, a district or magistrate court may prohibit access by
violent family members to their property.
Government funding to combat such violence increased significantly in 1998
but has remained level since. In 1998 the Government appointed a commission
to address the subject of domestic violence; on the basis of the
commission's recommendations, the Government allotted a supplementary budget
allocation to combat domestic violence during this year. Funds went to fund
crisis center projects, victim support programs, and education programs.
Groups that focus on domestic violence include a committee established by
the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs that includes Jewish and Arab NGO's
as well as government representatives, and a coalition of human rights
organizations; however, women's rights activists reported that most of the
groups are funded privately.
The Government provides partial funding for 12 shelters for battered women,
including 1 exclusively for Arab women and 1 for ultra-Orthodox Jewish
women. Women's rights advocates consider this number inadequate. The
Government also provides funding for 13 rape crisis centers. There are
approximately 10 hot lines and 25 domestic violence prevention and treatment
centers, which mainly are funded privately.
Rape is illegal. While sentences handed down to men convicted of rape have
increased in recent years, some women's rights activists argue that the
penalties are not sufficiently severe. In June the Knesset amended the law
to simplify the definition of rape as a crime. The Knesset also amended laws
in order to facilitate the delivery of welfare benefits to women staying in
shelters. The amendment also prohibited any employer from dismissing an
employee during that person's first 6 months of residence in a shelter.
Arab human rights advocates also have formed a coalition to raise public
awareness of so-called honor crimes, a violent assault with intent to commit
murder against a woman or girls by a relative for her perceived immodest
behavior or alleged sexual misconduct. At least 10 of the 11 Arab women
killed during the year by male relatives were killed in family "honor"
cases; families often attempted to cover up the cause of such deaths. NGO's
and press accounts reported that the Government investigated and tried the
perpetrators of so-called honor crimes.
Unlike in previous years, there were no reports that Jewish religious
extremists attacked physically women whom they considered to be dressed
immodestly in public.
Prostitution per se is not illegal; however, the operation of brothels and
organized sex enterprises is outlawed. Prostitution is a problem. NGO's
report that an unknown number, possibly between 100 and 200, of the nation's
prostitutes are under the age of 18.
Trafficking in women has become a significant problem in recent years.
According to recent studies, every year hundreds of women from the former
Soviet Union are trafficked to Israel by well-organized criminal networks to
work as prostitutes (see Section 6.f.).
In 1998 Israel adopted a comprehensive sexual harassment prevention law;
since that time, several prominent cases have increased public awareness of
the issue. For example, in July 2000, the Government lifted the immunity of
then-Transportation Minister Yitzhak Mordecai following complaints that he
had sexually harassed three women. Mordecai was convicted in January on two
of the three counts and given a suspended sentence of 18 months.
Women's advocacy groups report that women routinely receive lower wages for
comparable work, are promoted less often, and have fewer career
opportunities than their male counterparts. Despite 1996 legislation that
provides for class action suits and requires employers to provide equal pay
for equal work, including important side benefits and allowances, women's
rights advocates claim that deep gaps remained. For example, the wage gap
between men and women for year-round, full-time employment was approximately
30 percent, and only 2 percent of women serve in positions of senior
management in large companies. According to recent reports, 52 percent of
doctoral students were women, but women made up 24 percent of the senior
faculty members at universities and 10 percent of full professors.
Legislation in 1993, reinforced by a 1994 ruling of the High Court of
Justice, led to an increase in the percentage of women on the boards of
government-owned companies. Women occupied 39 percent of director slots, up
from 28.8 percent in 1997.
The adjudication of personal status law in the areas of marriage and divorce
is left to religious courts, in which Jewish and Muslim women are subject to
restrictive interpretations of their rights. Under personal status law,
Jewish women are not allowed to initiate divorce proceedings without their
husbands' consent; consequently there are estimated to be thousands of
so-called "agunot" who may not remarry or have legitimate children because
their husbands either have disappeared or have refused to grant a divorce
(see Section 2.c.).
In accordance with Orthodox Jewish law, the 1995 Rabbinical Courts Law
allows rabbinical tribunals to impose sanctions on husbands who refuse to
divorce wives who have ample grounds for divorce, such as abuse. However, in
some cases, rabbinical courts have failed to invoke these sanctions. In
addition there have been cases in which a wife has failed to agree to a
divorce, but rabbinical authorities have allowed the man to "take a second
wife;" this remedy is not available to wives. Such restrictive practices
have been used by husbands to extort concessions from their wives in return
for agreeing to a divorce. Rabbinical courts also may exercise jurisdiction
over and issue sanctions against non-Israeli Jews present in Israel
Some Islamic law courts in the country have held that Muslim women may not
request a divorce, but that women may be forced to consent if a divorce is
granted to a man.
Jewish women are subject to the military draft. While they cannot be
"placed" in combat positions, they are free to volunteer for such units. In
January 2000, the Knesset amended the Defense Service Law to state that
women have the same right as men to serve in every profession in the Israeli
military. In response to a High Court of Justice ruling, the Israeli Air
Force (IAF) since 1996 has permitted women to enter pilot training. There
are several female Air Force navigators. Women serve as flight surgeons and
flight paramedics; there are no female flight mechanics.
In March 2000, the Knesset passed the Equality of Women Law, which provides
for equal rights for women in the workplace, the military, education,
health, housing, and social welfare, and entitles women to protection from
violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and trafficking (see
Section 6.f.).
Women's groups cooperate with legal and social service institutions to
provide women's rights education.
* * *
Women are trafficked for the purpose of prostitution (see Section 6.f.)
* * *
The law prohibits trafficking in women for the purpose of prostitution;
however, it is a continuing problem. During the year, the Government
reported that it increasingly pursued legal action against traffickers.
Women are trafficked to Israel from the former Soviet Union, including
Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Lithuania; Turkey; South
Africa; Brazil; the Dominican Republic; and some countries in Asia.
According to Amnesty International (AI), every year hundreds of women from
the former Soviet Union are brought to Israel by well-organized criminal
networks and forced, often through violence and threats, to work illegally
as prostitutes. According to some local NGO's, approximately 500 women are
trafficked into the country annually. NGO's have reported that the number of
trafficked women entering the country has fallen from previous years,
partially due to increased security at border points.
Traffickers reportedly often lure women into traveling to the country by
offering them jobs in the service industry. In many cases, traffickers meet
women at the border and confiscate all of their official documents. Many
trafficked women are forced to live and work under extremely harsh
conditions and to give most of the money that they earn to their
traffickers. The women reportedly often are raped and beaten, and often are
afraid to report their situation to the police because they are in the
country illegally. According to press reports, brothels are common despite
being illegal.
Some victims have accused individual police officers of complicity with
brothel owners and traffickers.
In June 2000, the Government enacted a law that prohibits the trafficking of
persons for the purpose of prostitution. The law does not prohibit
specifically prostitution; however, the operation of brothels and "organized
sex enterprises" is outlawed, as are many of the abuses committed by
traffickers and pimps, such as assault, rape, abduction, and false
imprisonment. The Penal Code stipulates that it is a criminal offense,
punishable by between 5 and 7 years' imprisonment, to force or coerce a
person to engage in prostitution. The Penal Code also makes it a criminal
offense to induce a woman to leave the country with the intent to "practice
prostitution abroad." In March 2000, the Knesset passed the Equality of
Women Law (see Section 5), which stipulates that every woman is entitled to
protection from violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and
trafficking.
During the year, the Government opened 405 files for trafficking and related
crimes; most files dealt with multiple victims and suspects--40 of the files
specifically included trafficking as a charge. A total of 213 persons were
detained for trafficking related crimes during the year and an additional
981 interrogated; 60 persons were arrested and 39 detained until the
beginning of legal proceedings. The Government convicted 12 persons and
delivered sentences. In nine cases, the Government settled by plea
bargaining with the defendants.
Police often detain trafficked women following raids on brothels; the number
of such raids increased during the year. The Ministry of Interior has broad
powers to deport illegal aliens and to hold them in detention pending
deportation. The Ministry may issue deportation orders against any person
who is in the country without a residence permit and may hold the deportee
in detention following the issuance of a deportation order. The deportee may
appeal the deportation order to the Ministry within 3 days of its issuance.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, by July the Government had
deported 300 prostitutes, not all of whom were victims of trafficking, who
had been living illegally in the country.
The Government has provided training to immigration officials at Ben Gurion
Airport on how to detect women being trafficked into the country.
Authorities generally keep trafficked women who are arrested in a special
section of a women's prison and then deport them. Since 1997 police have
arrested and deported approximately 1,200 women who were trafficked into the
country for prostitution. Trafficked women often do not challenge a
deportation order because they do not speak the language, or are unaware of
the appeals procedure. The Government transfers women who testify against
their traffickers to a hotel or hostel and provides them with funds on which
to live. However, AI has reported that the Government also has detained some
trafficked women for extended periods of time by issuing orders requiring
them to remain in the country to testify in criminal proceedings against
their traffickers. Many women are reluctant or afraid to testify in trials
due to threats and intimidation by their traffickers. During the year, the
courts began to allow victims to submit testimony on video in order to
expedite their return home.
According to AI, women refuse to testify in court in approximately 90
percent of all the cases that are prosecuted. NGO reports and witness
testimony has indicated that the Government does not attempt to determine
whether or not a trafficked woman or girl would be at risk of abuse if she
were deported to her country of origin, even in cases in which the woman or
girl has testified in criminal proceedings.
The Government provides limited funding to NGO's for assistance to victims.
According to the Government, it finalized a plan to make a shelter available
for trafficked women; however, it had not opened the shelter by year's end.
The Government also reported that it began to provide legal representation
to some trafficked women.
The Government has acknowledged the need to educate trafficked women
regarding where to go for help and was developing such programs, but had not
finalized any plans for or begun such education programs by year's end.
* * *
Palestinian law does not prohibit trafficking in persons; however, there
were no reports that persons were trafficked to, from, or within the
occupied territories.
* * *
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/nea/8262.htm
Israel and the occupied territories
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2001
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 4, 2002
United States Department of State
torresD
William A. Levinson
torresD wrote:
> http://muqdishonet.com/asp/Palastine.htm
OK, war sucks. You'd probably find similar pictures from Dresden,
London, Coventry, Hiroshima, or Nagasaki during the Second World War. If
your Pallie friends don't like war, they shouldn't commit terrorism.
By the way, thanks for the link that shows that the Pallies are
inventing propaganda. "The soldiers fire at point blank range with their
AK47's and other weapons at the two helpless victims that they clearly
outnumber." The IDF does not use AK47s (I think they have Galils and
M16s), but the Pallies do. I'm sure the IDF killed some innocent people
by accident but, given the Pallies' propensity for lynching their own
people as "collaborators," many of these corpses could have been
home-grown.
William A. Levinson
Not wrote:
> This is not from the Methodist, but from the
> United States Department of State on some
> of the same issues as your example on rape,
> e.g., rape, incest, white slavery, prostitution
> and other abuse of women in Israel by Jewish
> men, that the Methodist Church omitted.
Don't change the subject.
William A. Levinson
"William A. Levinson" wrote:
> torresD wrote:
>
> > http://muqdishonet.com/asp/Palastine.htm
From Somalia, right, where they killed a substantial number of American
soldiers a while ago?