| On the November 26, 2006 WAWA Blog, this | | | | insisting to decide that they can refuse to let him |
| reporter raised the question if Mordechai Vanunu's | | | | come back. So they are saying he must have the |
| Christian conversion could be the reason the | | | | same restrictions on him that they put on me. |
| Israeli government continues to hold him captive in | | | | But he says that if they confine him to a hotel he |
| Jerusalem, 2 1/2 years after he was released | | | | will not come." |
| from 18 years in jail for telling the world the truth, | | | | "So what is being negotiated?" |
| that Israel had gone nuclear. | | | | "We accept not to bring him, if the government |
| Reporter and full time CPT/Christian Peacemaker | | | | cancels this charge about the BBC interview. If |
| Teams volunteer, Jerry Levin, reported Vanunu's | | | | they don't take it out, we will bring him." |
| answer in a December 3, 2006 email: | | | | "Do you see an element of persecution in all this |
| Jerry: "Do you see an element of persecution in all | | | | governmental pressure?" |
| this governmental pressure?" | | | | Unhesitatingly, Mordechai answered. "There is. It is |
| Unhesitatingly, Mordechai answered. "There is. It is | | | | my Christianity that they cannot accept. That is |
| my Christianity that they cannot accept. That is | | | | the source of my problems with my case." |
| the source of my problems with my case." | | | | "All?" |
| The rest of Jerry's report follows, but first let me | | | | "Yes, because even if they understand they need |
| tell you a little about Jerry. | | | | to make justice with me and let me go and let |
| Jerry Levin, a secular Jew and CNN's former Mid | | | | me speak, they have a problem with their people. |
| East Bureau Chief in the 1980's was kidnapped by | | | | What to do about a Christian man who was born |
| the Hizbuloh in Lebanon and held for nearly a year. | | | | a Jewish man who became a Christian and who |
| Meanwhile, his wife Sis, a Christian had been | | | | received respect from all over the world. They |
| praying and persistently working for his release. | | | | don't want this man to be receiving a good image |
| On Christmas Eve, Jerry had a mystical | | | | especially with the young Israeli generation. So |
| experience of Christ and shortly thereafter | | | | that is the first point. |
| escaped unharmed. | | | | "The second point is, because Israel is a Jewish |
| Ever since, the couple have dedicated their | | | | State, the government believes they have the |
| 'retirement' years working for peace and pursuing | | | | right to have the bomb. But I am coming and |
| justice in the Holy Land. Jerry's book "My First | | | | saying they don't need to have the bomb. They |
| Noel" about that event and his hard hitting expose | | | | need to make peace. And that is another source |
| "West Bank Diary" can be purchased through | | | | of the problem for them. But even with that I |
| Hope Publishing House. | | | | don't understand why they are persecuting me. |
| I met Jerry for the first time on the third | | | | What are they afraid from?" |
| Tuesday in June 2005, when he 'shepherded' me | | | | "But they say they know what they are afraid |
| through Hebron. Hebron is where 450 Israeli | | | | from. They say you have more secrets." |
| settlers are protected by 3,000 Israeli Defense | | | | "But they know that this is blah, blah, blah, |
| Occupying Forces. I was nauseous the entire day | | | | because my secrets are twenty years old. All this |
| for the oppression is visceral and the visuals | | | | nuclear weapons has continued to develop and all |
| reminded me of every photo and movie I had | | | | what I had was published twenty years ago. |
| ever seen of the ghettos the Jews were forced | | | | There is nothing new from me. And now North |
| into during the Holocaust. The settlers [who are | | | | Korea has built the bomb. Iran is going to build the |
| are illegal colonists according to International law] | | | | bomb. So what information can I contribute when |
| spray painted "GAS THE ARABS" and Stars of | | | | it is twenty years old? Israel should let me go. |
| David upon what had once been peaceful | | | | They have had their revenge. Even killers murders |
| Palestinian homes. | | | | in Israel are released after fifteen years, |
| A main street in Hebron where the colonists | | | | seventeen years. They let them go. Run away do |
| settlers live on one side and Palestinians on the | | | | what ever they want." |
| other is connected by a thick yet deeply sagging | | | | "Are you hopeful?" |
| netting above ones head. Huge rocks, shovels, | | | | "I have my scenario that includes the hope that |
| electronic equipment, furniture and all manner of | | | | Israelis are also human beings and that one day |
| debris have been flung onto it by the settlers with | | | | they will wake up because they must wake up |
| the hope that it will give way and hit a Palestinian | | | | and become normal society. Because there still is |
| on the head. | | | | danger that what they saw in the past one |
| Jerry told me, "It gets cleaned out about every | | | | hundred fifty years, all those extreme nationalists, |
| year or so. Come back in a few months and | | | | dictators, right wings that brought tyranny to |
| there will be more. The settlers just throw what | | | | Italy, Spain, Germany, South Africa, Russia all of |
| ever they want onto the netting, they do what | | | | them collapsed because they were not normal |
| ever they want and get away with it. The CPT's | | | | society. Their people woke up because they |
| run interference by non-violent resistance, we get | | | | wanted normal society. But here we don't have |
| the children and woman to where they need to | | | | normal society. Here is Jewish religion society and |
| be going and back again. Sometimes the settlers | | | | even liberals here are speaking like they are |
| curse and stone us all; it keeps it interesting." | | | | dictators. |
| Now, for Jerry's report: | | | | "Israel is not like the United States. People came |
| (Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine December 3, | | | | from Europe to build new society in the name of |
| 2006) A friend responding to my latest report on | | | | freedom, liberty for all the human beings. But they |
| the trials of Mordechai Vanunu (See From The | | | | didn't respect the Indians in the beginning and the |
| Inside Looking Out report-73, December 2, 2006: | | | | blacks. But then one day they woke up and start |
| Mordechai Vanunu and the Perils of Speaking | | | | giving them rights. That is what normal society |
| English) described his travails as a "pathetic little | | | | does. But here it is not normal society. It is about |
| Kaka tale." Down home in Alabama we have | | | | religion. So my scenario is when the Israel people |
| another way of describing those ordeals, You | | | | who want normal society wake up it will be a |
| can't win for losing." | | | | total disaster for the Jewish state." |
| Take for instance his civil suit against the Israeli | | | | "Supposing five years from now when I'm eighty |
| newspaper, Yediot Aharanot. It was launched | | | | and you are fifty-five, we are still here talking |
| while he was still in prison for revealing Israel's | | | | about your situation; we are talking about how |
| secret atomic and hydrogen bomb making | | | | every year the government renews the |
| program through an article in the London Times. | | | | restrictions and the courts agree; and we are |
| "The newspaper published stories about me | | | | talking about your scenario that has stayed just a |
| saying I was sending information out how to build | | | | dream?" |
| bombs to the Hamas," said a still incredulous | | | | "I hope when you are eighty I will meet you in |
| Mordechai. "When I came out of prison the trial | | | | Washington DC. But for that to be we need to do |
| started." | | | | some extraordinary acts to get out from here. |
| "We bring to testify the head of the Shabak [Ed: | | | | "What kind of extraordinary acts?" |
| aka Shin Bet, the Secret Service, equivalent to | | | | "I can tell you this way. Israel kidnapped me from |
| the FBI in the United States]. He said that he | | | | Rome in 1986 and put me in prison. So I'm calling |
| received the information from his people and that | | | | to the CIA and to all the world to kidnap me |
| he didn't check it. And we proved that I don't | | | | from Israel." |
| know any information about how to make bombs. | | | | "Kidnap you?" |
| But a year ago they win in the court." | | | | "Yes, if some one or any organization will help me |
| "How? Why?" | | | | to try to get out from here. I will do it. And the |
| "The judge decided that the newspaper has the | | | | Israelis know it very well. I am ready to leave the |
| right to publish the story because it received it | | | | country in any way." |
| from the Shabak. Shabak is like the voice of god." | | | | "Even being spirited out?" |
| "So you lost." | | | | "Yes, because I am not allowed to go to foreign |
| "Big." | | | | embassies where I can ask for asylum. That's |
| "What do you mean, "big?" | | | | why they watch me, because they don't want |
| "Well, if newspapers publish lies about me, you | | | | me to get out from here." |
| would think I have the right to receive | | | | "You want the CIA, special forces, whatever to |
| compensation from the newspapers and they | | | | do a reverse Entebbe?" |
| would be denied to publish more lies. But the | | | | "Yes," he said with a big grin, "the Marines. But I |
| judge decided, no, I should pay Yediot Aharanot | | | | don't think your military your defense |
| $10,000.00. How can a newspaper be damaged | | | | establishment like me. Otherwise they would have |
| by publishing such stories about me? So we are | | | | helped me long ago. But the real government of |
| appealing this decision. | | | | the United States is the Pentagon. That is the |
| The hearing could be soon." | | | | power behind Israel. They give Israel two billion |
| Turning to the criminal charges against him for | | | | dollars and military power in support. And so those |
| speaking to foreign journalists, I asked if his | | | | military maybe don't like me because I am |
| defense intends to call any more witnesses | | | | speaking against nuclear weapons and I am |
| beyond the army general who signed the orders | | | | speaking for peace. So they are worried." |
| restricting his freedom of movement and speech. | | | | "What you want to do is dangerous." |
| "Yes, Peter Hounam, the reporter who in 1986 | | | | "Yes. But you have done it. So I will be happy for |
| wrote the story I give the London Times about | | | | anyone to take me out from this prison." |
| Israel's nuclear bomb program. They have | | | | When Israel became a state in 1948, it was |
| charged me that when I was released from | | | | contingent upon the upholding of the UN Universal |
| prison in 2005, he was involved in a big interview | | | | Declaration of Human Rights: |
| which I gave to the BBC. But the allegation is not | | | | Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, |
| true because the interview was done by an Israeli | | | | conscience and religion; this right includes freedom |
| journalist. But they deported him anyway. So we | | | | to change his religion or belief...Article 18. |
| are negotiating about this," | | | | Everyone has the right to freedom of movement |
| "About what?" | | | | and residence within the borders of each |
| "Well, he has accepted to come, but the | | | | state...Everyone has the right to leave any |
| government wants to complicate the case by | | | | country, including his own... |