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Friends United Meeting |
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March/April 2006
CPT Letters
Our group (pastoral group from FUM) visited the Hebron Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) and was detained for over an hour by the Israeli military before we were allowed to go into the Old City and see the work they are doing. A description of their apartment search is on the opposite page. Below is a letter from the Baghdad, Iraq team to the four captured CPTers who are still missing.
IRAQ: Message to missing CPTers
from the Christian Peacemaker Team in Baghdad
3 January 2006
Dear Harmeet, Jim, Norman and Tom,
Happy New Year! We are sad that you weren’t here to celebrate with us. Some of us stayed up and watched the fireworks from the roof. We hope you are well.
Norman, we’ve been especially concerned about you. We hope you are getting your medicine. We are also hoping that all of you are getting outside a bit to enjoy the sunshine. Max heard a bird today while sitting on the roof, and hopes that you might hear some of those sounds of nature where you are.
We noticed that we missed your birthday, Jim. Mabrook on another year. When you return we’ll have cake, and you can have your present. We’re not telling what it is--you’ll have to come and see for yourself.
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. We light four candles every morning during worship, and you remain with us in our hearts throughout each day.
Much love to you,
Your teammates
HEBRON: Israeli military invades
CPT apartment,
arrests team; team computers
stolen
8 January 2006
At dusk Thursday, 29 December an Israeli military patrol invaded the Christian Peacemaker Team’s (CPT) Hebron office and apartment for the fourth time in three weeks. Following their search, they had the Israeli police arrest all five CPTers present. In the 90 minutes after the CPTers were removed from the apartment, the office was forcibly entered and four computers, one videotape, two cameras and three cellphones were taken.
Throughout the month of December, the team had been documenting and filming home invasions by this six-man Israeli military patrol. Each time CPTers filmed the Israeli military patrol in a Palestinian home in the old city of Hebron, soldiers subsequently invaded and searched their apartment.
CPTers repeatedly asked to see the written orders for these searches, but soldiers never produced any. The Israeli soldiers gave conflicting answers to questions about whether they were invading the home on their own initiative or if they had orders to do so. Their responses included, “We are looking for terrorists/guns,” “You disturbed us yesterday,” and “Because we can.” CPTers reminded the soldiers that CPT has demonstrated an absolute commitment to nonviolence over ten years in Hebron, and that they would be welcome to come any time without their weapons. When soldiers still insisted on entering with weapons in hand, CPTers videotaped the searches.
Walking around the apartment, the soldiers showed interest in a bowl of old sound grenades, used tear gas canisters, rubber-coated bullets and shells that CPTers picked up from the streets in the past. The soldiers passed these items around, and then one decided that the two or three dented cartridges constituted weapons. He explained that possession of weapons in this part of Hebron is prohibited, but when questioned by a CPTer the soldier corrected himself that Israelis are permitted to carry weapons in this part of Hebron. CPTers pointed out that it would be dangerous or impossible to place those bullets into a gun.
A second patrol of six Israeli soldiers, including the captain, arrived. The captain collected the passports of all five CPTers present, and called the Israeli police. The police collected the display casings, shells and bullets and arrested John Lynes, Sarah MacDonald, Rich Meyer, Grace Pleiman and Harriet Taylor. When they left the apartment, CPTers locked the doors. As Meyer called a friend to tell her that the CPTers were all being removed from the apartment, the captain interrupted to assure Meyer there was nothing to worry about at the apartment; no one would enter.
On the way to the police jeep, the soldiers carrying the material in question showed the collection to several other soldiers who handled the items and discussed when different types of ammunition had been used in Hebron.
Ninety minutes later, while the five CPTers who had been arrested were still being held at Kiryat Arba police station, CPTers Art Gish and Kathie Uhler arrived at the apartment and found the street door open, the office door forced, and items removed. An Israeli soldier was posted on the roof of the house across from the buidling the entire time, and would thus have witnessed an intrusion.
One hour later the five CPTers were released on their own recognizance and returned home.