Knights templars , Crusaders , richard the lion heart and all that hoo haa .
They been fucking with the arabs since the word go ....

It's a lot worse than apartheid

this story first appeared about two weeks ago. there was intervention by the knesset speaker, ordering that it stop. it is my reckoning that this is:
a) an attempt to inflame anti-israeli sentiment
b) a crude attempt at a joke
c) born out of ignorance

"this story first appeared about two weeks ago. there was intervention by the knesset speaker, ordering that it stop. it is my reckoning that this is:
a) an attempt to inflame anti-israeli sentiment
b) a crude attempt at a joke
c) born out of ignorance "

"there was intervention by the knesset speaker, ordering that it stop" which means that this practice of targeting arab-Iraelis was going on as of three weeks ago. Hmmm? Actions like these don't happen in a vacumn, it certainly would not happen here. It's quite clear that there is a dangerous racist mentality in Israel which allows for this kind of practice. Ok, now they're not putting X'x on the hard hats (as of three weeks), so what, big deal. It's the underlying racist sentiment of Israel that allowed this to happen in the first place doesn't disappear in 3 weeks!

a) an attempt to inflame anti-Israeli sentiment? I certainly hope so!
b) a crude joke? By whom? What's so funny?
c) born out of ignorance? To whom are you referring? The racist Israelis? Yes, you could make a case that racism is born out of ignorance. The ignorance of people like yourself that finds no fault with a society that is so racist that it afixes X's on the hard hats of it's minority citizens, so that their sniper can better kill them?

Yes, you might say "ignorance", but perhaps, cruel and racist would be a better description of both the Israelis and yourself for defending them.

The cross is there to indicate this man is the hod lift operator. That way the builders on the scafolding know to who to look for when topping up their materials. It is a system common in France and adopted by much of the Arab world as well as Israel.

No rascism
No discrimination

Just a common, sensible practice in the building industry

 http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=ArticlePage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article%5El3402&enZone=Politics&enVersion=0&





"Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin today issued an order to immediately end the practice of marking the hardhats of Israeli-Arab laborers at the Knesset's new wing with a red X. The marked hardhats, first reported by Maariv, drew harsh criticism from Arab MKs, who said that if they weren't removed, they would demand that they be switched to black patches with yellow stars (that Jews had to wear during the Holocaust).

"Even though Israel is dealing with various security issues vis-á-vis how to defend itself, it must not use any signs that are liable to be interpreted as distinguishing between people on the basis of race, nationality or religion," Rivlin said.

"It is the intention of the Knesset to allow all Israeli citizens to work on the national project and to use as few foreign workers as possible. The Knesset is a preferred target for terrorist organizations and the Knesset is obligated to take preventive measures. I hope that my order to avoid 'marking' will not lead to a reduction in the possibility of employing workers about whom there may be any doubt, however slight, as to their security status," he said.

According to the Maariv report, the Knesset's Security Department instructed that the Israeli-Arab workers' hardhats be marked so that it would be easier to distinguish them from other foreign workers and to keep a constant watch on their movements. The instructions were issued even though many of the workers were cleared by the General Security Service within the last month, the paper said.

Foreign workers from Romania, Bulgaria and China working on the Knesset's new wing are not required to wear marked hardhats.

According to the paper, the red X on the hardhats is explained as a target for security snipers posted on the Knesset balcony, in the event of a riot or attack.

Knesset spokesman Giora Pordes told ynet that the Knesset is a "very secure area. Our dilemma was between providing work for as many Israeli workers as possible, while maintaining high levels of security. The [Israeli-Arab] workers were accepted after a security check of one month, instead of the normal three months," he said.

"We aren't saying that there is no need for checking us," said Muhammad Hussein from Shaab, an Arab village north of Nazareth. "But why do we need to be singled out as Arabs? What is the red spray paint on our heads for? As much as I want to work, this hurts."

"I think this is a shameful disgrace for the Knesset," MK Issam Mahoul (Hadash-Ta'al) told Maariv. "This is exactly the kind of thing that creates people like Eliran Golan [who was arrested last week for bombing Mahoul's car]. I have no problem with security needs but this kind of marking is insufferable. If it isn't removed, I will insist that it be replaced with a yellow patch."

MK Mohammad Barakeh (Hadash-Ta'al) announced that he would raise the subject during a meeting of the Knesset Presidium today. "This is reminiscent of darker times and places in history. It doesn't make sense that in the Knesset, the symbol of Israeli sovereignty, Israeli citizens are singled out because of their origin."

MK Ahmad Tibi (Hadash-Ta'al) said Rivlin was surprised by the report and promised to respond. "I won't stand for it that at the place where I work, Israeli-Arabs should be marked. Someone has made a terrible mistake and tarnished the Knesset's name," Tibi said. "

 http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=printArticle&articleID=4287




“X” marks the Israeli-Arab workers at Knesset building site
Hard hats worn by Israeli-Arab builders of the Knesset's new wing marked with a red “X” -- to aid security snipers. ADL criticizes move; speaker Rivlin orders practice stopped.
Boaz Gaon
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin has instructed that the practice of marking the hard hats of Arab-Israeli laborers at the Knesset be stopped.
Earlier, Maariv reported tha the white hard hats worn by Israeli-Arab construction workers building the new wing of the Knesset have been spray-painted with a red “X”. The Security Department instructed that their helmets be marked so that it would be easier to distinguish them from other, foreign workers and keep a constant watch on their movements. The instructions were issued even though many of the workers were cleared by the General Security Service within the last month. In a story scheduled for the Hebrew magazine section of Friday’s Maariv, the X is explained as a target for security snipers posted on the Knesset balcony, in the event of a riot or attack.
“We aren’t saying that there is no need for checking us”, admitted Muhammad Hussein from Shaab. “But why do be need to be singled out as Arabs? What is the red spray paint on our heads for? As much as I want to work, this hurts”.
The distinctions between workers at the construction site aroused harsh reactions. “I think this is a shameful disgrace for the Knesset”, MK Issam Mahoul (Hadash-Ta’al) told Maariv. “This is exactly the kind of thing that creates people like Eliran Golan [who was arrested last week for bombing Mahoul's car]. I have no problem with security needs but this kind of marking is insufferable. If it isn’t removed, I will insist that it be replaced with a yellow patch”.
MK Mohammad Barakeh (Hadash-Ta’al) announced that he would raise the subject during a meeting of the Knesset Presidium today. “This is reminiscent of darker times and places in history. It doesn’t make sense that in the Knesset, the symbol of Israeli sovereignty, Israeli citizens are singled out because of their origin". MK Ahmed Tibi (Hadash-Ta’al) broached the subject with Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud), who was surprised and promised to respond. “Someone has made a terrible mistake and tarnished the Knesset’s name”, said Tibi.
The Israel Office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has also harshly criticized the practice, issuing the following statement: "While it is understandable that all workers at sensitive sites such as the Knesset have full and thorough security checks, it is both discriminatory and insensitive to visibly mark certain individuals based on race, religion or nationality, regardless of security concerns"
The ADL, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
A Knesset spokesman responded that the marking was required for security reasons and would be removed when security approval is received for each individual worker.


(2004-03-09 10:36:41.0)

It was april fools. For everyone's sake. Don't always believe what you read in the media especially Indymedia. Take it with a pinch of sugar or salt (depending on your personal tastes).

A lot of stuff appears on 1/4 every year on all news sites. You just have to ignore it if you can't think 'Oh that's just a joke'. If you don't like it, don't read it. Stop turning everything on Indymedia into a giant argument about Israel vs Palestine. Arguing on Indymedia isn't going to help.