Memorandum submitted by Reverend Michael
Fryer, Mold Christian Fellowship
SUMMARISED C V OF
AUTHOR.
My name is Michael Fryer. I am a retired UK
Police Officer with 27 years Police Service, having served in
the North Wales Police Force since initiating my service as a
Cadet in September 1971. I served in uniform dealing with such
incidents as the Farmers riots of 1974; the Toxteth riots and
the Miners strike of 1984. My duties as a Community Beat Officer
also included dealing with rioting and aggressive situations involving
large numbers of youths as well as football crowds.
I later served as a Detective investigating
such offences as Child Abuse and Murder, as well as serving on
Force Drug Squad and latterly on the National Crime Squad. My
duties on the National Crime Squad involved investigating and
targeting criminals who were considered to be in the top 200 in
the UK.
I have been fully trained in and performed mobile
surveillance as well as static observations both of which involved
the logging and photographing of targets activities. I was an
expert on drugs-related matters, interviewing techniques and investigating
Sexual offences. I am experienced as a major incident exhibits
officer acting as such in murders and serious criminal offences.
During my service I was awarded with nine commendations for Good
investigative police work.
2. I am currently an ordained Minister of
Religion with Christian International Europe. I pastor a Christian
congregation in North East Wales and have done so for the last
five years. My ministry involves counselling and teaching as well
as the daily management of my Church.
RESUME
3. I have recently visited Israel during
which time I obtained in the form of film and audiotape records,
facts and opinions, which, of themselves, provide support for
the following submissions. My visit was neither supported nor
controlled by any Political or Interested groups. I acted independently
and was supported only by my own congregation. During my visit
I travelled throughout the country including Palestinian territories
observing civilians of many religions. I also spent some time
at checkpoints and other places of potential conflict. As Israel
enters it's fourth year of terrorism I was able to view many situations
first hand which has given me the ability to formulate opinions
about the conditions in the region based on fact.
4. My submission takes the form of presenting
my evidence of the events I witnessed and the attitudes and opinions
of those Israelis and Arabs with whom I met. My assessments of
certain situations and circumstances based on my experience and
my research is presented in an effort to bring an understanding
of the situation without a Political bias. The report concludes
with possible resolutions.
EVIDENCE OBTAINED
DURING MY
VISIT
5. I visited a Jewish school in Lod near
Tel Aviv. The School is in an area that is mixed, Jew and Arab.
The area is an extremely poor area and government monies that
are aimed to assist the community are simply being used to pay
the debts of local government. Misuse of drugs, suicide and criminal
activities are at high levels, indicating that poverty is a major
problem. The current Intifada is blamed for the lack of resources
to tackle these major problems, as it is clear that investment
is being diverted to areas of defence to the detriment of ordinary
people. The School targets those Jews who are living in poverty
and attempts to educate 70 young men and women in order that they
can be valuable members of the community. It has little financial
support and this is evident by the building still having an asbestos
roof, no windows and doors and substandard equipment. The staff
are highly qualified in their field and they are dedicated to
the students. They are paid little, however they do receive great
satisfaction resulting from the high standards of learning by
the students, many of whom are from dysfunctional families.
6. I spoke to volunteer workers from Ashkelon
near Gaza who are working tirelessly to feed and clothe over 150
Jewish children from the area and who are unsupported by any other
means. The current terrorist activity is blamed for taking away
the focus from the needs of these underprivileged children as
the defence budget rises in proportion with the numbers of those
who are killed.
7. I visited the National Trauma Unit (NATAL)
in Tel Aviv and interviewed staff. They spoke of the 19,000 terrorist
attacks against Israelis since September 2000 that has created
an atmosphere of fear amongst all Israeli civilians whatever their
religion. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has become such a major
problem amongst Israelis that the effects for the future cannot
even be imagined.
8. One member of staff explained that even
though one may not have witnessed a bombing or terrorist attack,
simply travelling by bus or visiting a restaurant can have traumatic
consequences. She herself is fearful of travelling by bus, eating
in restaurants and even visiting discothe"ques, all common
targets of the suicide bomber. NATAL's records show that attacks
on Israeli civilians include murder by lynching, drive by shootings,
ambushes, stabbings, shootings and, of course, suicide bombings.
These acts of terror are the root of the major problem of Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, which, at this moment, is measured
amongst the Israeli population at 25% but is unquantifiable for
the future. And yet, this is ignored by other Nations and organisations
within whose remit these issues fall.
9. At Isafiya and Daliat Ha Carmel both
on Mount Carmel, I photographed Christian and Arab villages that
show the potential for intercommunal prosperity and peace. At
these villages I photographed Arab homes, which were of a very
high standard and Garage Forecourts that exhibited rows of new
Mercedes motorcars and other high-class vehicles. I have examined
Web sites of property developers who are selling high-class properties
in the Palestinian controlled areas. Following on from this I
began to examine Web sites of property developers, who are selling
high-class properties in Palestinian controlled areas. For example:
http://www.aqaria.com/almashtal.htm
10. I interviewed an Arab worker in Haifa
who worked as a private security guard and general worker in the
retail car trade. He is a married man with children. He told me
that he preferred to work for the Jew he had worked for a number
of years rather than for his new Arab boss because the Jew had
been supportive of him and had paid him well and he trusted him.
He said he was very happy living under Israeli rule, which gave
him a reasonable standard of living. I spoke with an Arab waiter
in a restaurant known as Maxim's, which was co-managed and run
by both Jewish and Christian Arab families. This man was serving
and working with Jews with whom he had a loving relationship.
He, however, died when that same restaurant became the target
of a suicide bombing only two days later. Twenty-one people died
in that bombing and sixty were injured.
11. I later interviewed the injured from
that bombing at Carmel hospital Haifa and was able to record them
re-living that terrible event. I heard no cries of hate or demands
for revenge from the Jewish survivors or from the doctors who
treated the casualties, only a pleading for peace that they may
live together with Palestinians. When asked how the rest of the
world should respond to such incidents the director of the hospital
Dr. Zilberg said, "Just try to understand us". One Jewish
doctor whose parents were Holocaust survivors said that she is
working happily with Arab doctors helping both Jewish and Arab
patients. She cried out saying no one in the world wants Jews,
Israel is the only place that they can live and she simply wants
to live in peace with Arabs. Her cries of peace and offers of
reconciliation are supported by the case of Yoni Jesner, a Scottish
seminary student who was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in
Tel Aviv. Yoni's organs were donated to an Arab. I am able to
say that in Israel, Muslims, Christians and Jews take their place
on a waiting list for organ transplantation. Whoever is at the
top of the list is next to receive irrespective of religion. I
spoke with a number of doctors in Carmel hospital who treat patients
from Arab, Muslim, Christian and Jewish backgrounds all in exactly
the same manner and with the same level of care. These doctors
are simply highly motivated in saving lives and giving the maximum
level of care to whoever presents themselves for treatment.
12. Also in Haifa I interviewed an American
Philip Litle whose daughter Abigail was killed by a suicide bomber
as she travelled home from school on the number 37 Haifa bus in
May this year. Despite this terrible tragedy he displayed a concern
for both Palestinians and Jews and stated that it was a change
of heart that needed to take place rather than a just a change
of mind. He had no hate or even or even a glimmer of revenge in
his voice as he told the story of the loss of his daughter.
13. In Jerusalem I visited two soldiers,
Ahron Tsabari and Roni Gozlan who had been mutilated by the actions
of Palestinian suicide bombers. I filmed them and recorded their
desire for peace. They displayed no hate or feelings of revenge.
One of these soldiers, a father of four, saved the lives of a
large number of civilians when he prevented a suicide bomber alighting
a Jerusalem city centre bus. He is soon to have both legs amputated
resulting from this action. His wife says that the Jews feel isolated
by the rest of the world and she herself believes from reports
she sees and hears that they are hated. This is the view taken
by most of the survivors of terrorism that I spoke to.
14. I interviewed a bereaved father in Jerusalem,
Arnold Roth, whose teenage daughter had been blown up as she was
having a meal with her friend and UK National, who also died in
the pizza restaurant. Mr Roth had been abused by the British press
and had been humiliated by European officials. Yet he maintained
his dignity and neither showed hate or retribution to either his
daughter's murderer or to those who showed him little or no compassion.
15. I visited an army checkpoint in Northern
Samaria and saw soldiers showing patience and respect when dealing
with Palestinians travelling through. One Palestinian family,
a father, mother and three-year-old boy were delayed due to father
having no papers enabling him to pass. They were allowed to walk
around despite the father being abusive to the soldiers. The heat
of the day was affecting the child and I went to my vehicle to
take my water in order to give it to the child. As I approached
the family a soldier was already giving the family a drink of
water to reduce heat, not only from the child but also the emotions
of the father.
16. I visited a family in Hermish who had
lost their 15 year-old daughter Hadas Turgeman as a result of
a terrorist entering their village and shooting her as she walked
to visit her friend. This family were living in debt due to the
lack of work in the area resulting from the Palestinian threat.
Their son has an eating disorder rooted in the fear that they
are living under and the family are consequently dysfunctional.
Mother is again pregnant. This family live in this particular
community which originally housed 80 families but due to the activities
of terrorists has now been diminished to a community of only 30.
They expressed no hatred whatsoever towards their Palestinian
neighbours, only a desire to live in peace.
17. On route to that community I had been
delayed by IDF soldiers who had discovered a bomb on the road
to the community, which they later dealt with allowing me access.
This was one of many unknown incidents that occur in such areas
without the knowledge of the rest of the world. There are between
20 to 30 such warnings per day of such bombs and unofficial figures
estimate around a dozen foiled attacks per month.
18. The checkpoint I was delayed was near
Tulkarm and was attacked the following day by a terrorist, as
a result three soldiers were injured.
19. The IDF soldiers I met are young men
and women aged between 17 years and 21 years. They are from many
backgrounds. Because of the need to defend their citizens they
are being taken away from what should be a very special period
in their lives. I also spoke to two reservists who were adult
males with families who were carrying out their annual tour of
duties. Both said their families were extremely worried about
them during this period of national service although they realised
the need to protect their nation. One of these men, a teacher,
was realistic in giving an account to me that he would rather
live in peace with Palestinians than be called away from his family,
but he said that it was the only way Israeli's could protect each
other from the onslaught of attacks. It was clear to me that these
soldiers wanted a peaceful solution that would bring an end for
the need to defend civilians in such a way.
20. I spoke to both Jew and Arab businessmen
in Jerusalem whose main trade was tourism. One Arab was closing
his shop due to huge decreases in tourism and a second was considering
doing the same if the Intifada continued to affect trade. They
both stated that terrorism was to blame for a huge decrease in
tourists. These men, who live and trade amongst Jewish businessmen
in the same area, could not understand why Palestinian Arabs could
not take up the same opportunities to live and work amongst the
Jews as they themselves do. Arabs make up 20% of the population
and have historically carried out business together. One Arab
trader recommended a Jewish business from where I should purchase
a gift that he himself did not supply.
EVIDENCE GATHERED
FROM OTHER
SOURCES
21. IMF funding intended for projects that
will enhance the quality of life for ordinary Palestinian people
has been diverted and £560 million of that funding has been
traced to accounts controlled by Yasser Arafat who has a reported
personal fortune of $300 million making him the sixth wealthiest
man in the World. These reports are supported by CBS, see www.cbsnewscom/stories/2003/11/07/60minutes/main582487.shtml
and Forbes Magazine 17 March 2003 which states the following about
the Palestinian leadership "they have feasted on all sorts
of funds flowing into the PA, including aid money, Israeli tax
transfers, and revenue from a casino and Coca-Cola bottler. Much
of the money appears to have gone to pay off others [from] payments
to alleged terrorists and $1,500 in "tuition" for security
officers, to $10 million, reportedly paid by a company controlled
by friends of Arafat, for a 50-ton shipment of weapons from Iran.
Take the money out of his hands, reform a corrupt financial system
and you could reduce the violence."This report makes a very
interesting point and should make those who send funds to the
Palestinian authorities extremely hesitant about the route that
money takes. The reports that claim that Palestinian people are
living on support calculated at $2 per day do make one concerned
that either that figure is totally exaggerated or there is mass
misappropriation of the billions of dollars given in aid as since
the Oslo accords in 1993. The EU alone has given around
4 billion since that time but there is little evidence
of it being received by ordinary Palestinians.
22. There is a mass of evidence pointing
to the misappropriation of funding by those in The Palestinian
Authority such as Nabil Sha'ath, the PA Foreign Minister who installed
an expensive air conditioning system in his Ramallah home from
the funds of the Palestinian Ministry of Finance. Muntar Al-Sharif,
Deputy Minister of Health, was recently arrested on suspicion
of embezzling $500,000. Abd Al-Rahman Hamed, Chairman of the Palestinian
Energy Authority and former Minister of Housing, is involved in
the importation of equipment for a power plant, financed by European
loans. He has procured 100 dunams (Parcels of land) near Beit
Hanun, total value is estimated at $2 million.
23. Funding by organisations such as Christian
Aid who are using Non Governmental organisations as partners is
clearly being used to promulgate biased views and opinions. Such
organisations fail to take into account any of the evidence pointing
to the diminishing standards of living of the Israeli's, many
of whom as already stated are suffering from increasing poverty,
as well as rising mental health issues. Concerns such as these
are highlighted by an executive order on the financing of terrorists
number 13224 issued by President Bush on 24 September 2003. This
order requests tax exempt organisations such as charities who
partner Palestinian NGO's to include in their agreements a certification
regarding financing which would ensure that none of their funding
would be used in any way to support terrorism in whatever form
whether directly or indirectly through propaganda or education.
Palestinian NGO's have been outraged by this request, which in
light of the evidence of misuse of funds is a reasonable request
for any Government or organisation to make, and should naturally
be a condition by all parties who send or receive financial support.
24. Evidence of an increase in prosperity
amongst the Palestinian people under Israeli government as opposed
to when they were governed by Jordon is clearly shown in statistics
that infant mortality declined from 35 deaths per 100 live births
in 1968 to 18.1 deaths in 1991. The ownership of washing machines
per family unit rose from 3% in 1967 to 91% in 1992.
25. Poverty amongst the Palestinians since
September 2000 when they came under the total control of the Palestinian
Authority has increased despite world's sponsors sending them
millions of pounds worth of aid annually.
26. Israel's economy is also affected by
the current hostilities. The immediate future for the economy
appears serious. Shuki Abaramovitch, the previous chief economist
of the Israeli Manufacturers Association and currently a director
of an Investment Bank, Ilanot Bituach, stated in July 2003 that
Israel had lost some $8 billion since the September 2000. Tourism
which is a former major source of income has deteriorated to such
an extent that Hotels and businesses have been forced to close.
The World Bank noted that Israel's GDP had fallen by 9%. Many
Israeli's I spoke to state it was impossible because of financial
restraint for them to travel abroad. Statistics to date show that
fewer Israelis have travelled abroad in 2003. Imports of consumer
goods have plummeted, along with purchases. Numbers in the construction
industry have also fallen. Unemployment has risen by over 50%.
The private sector alone has laid off over 100,000 workers, especially
in the highly lucrative high tech industries.
27. Nothing justifies terrorism however
many naively claim that terrorism has its roots in poverty giving
it some validity. With this in mind I have Examined the suicide
bombers themselves, the evidence shows that motives are not isolated
to a concept of poverty and desperation, as we are led to believe
by media, Politicians and by many organisations here in the West.
For example the bomber who murdered the 21 civilians, including
a family of five of three generations in Maxims restaurant Haifa
on 4 October, Hanadi Jaradat was a trainee lawyer. Her attack
was rooted in revenge not from hunger.
Her family praised the attack and encouraged
others to act similarly. Sixty people were injured in that attack,
two of whom I have kept contact with and who are suffering extreme
Post Traumatic stress. The perpetrator of a bombing at the Sbarro
restaurant in Jerusalem on 9 August 2001 was Iz-a-din Al-Masri,
a 22 year old Arab from Akabe in Northern West Bank. He was from
a wealthy Arab family and was assisted in the murder of 15 innocent
Israelis, mostly women and children as well as the maiming of
130 others, by three accomplices. Ahlam Araf Tamimi, now 23 years
of age, was the first female to be recruited by the Islamic Hamas
movement. She planned the bombing and escorted Iz-a-din to the
restaurant. The second accomplice was Abdullah Gamal Barghouti
a 29 years old Jordanian. The third was Mohammed Douglas 30 years
a student of Communications. Neither oppression nor poverty played
any part in these most dreadful of attacks, simply hatred.
28. I have over the last three years studied
misinformation and lies told about the Jews since 150 BC and teach
on such matters. These range from propaganda and lies regarding
the Jews religious activities to lies and misinformation regarding
current military and security matters. Blood libels that can be
traced back to England in 1,144 continue to be published in Arab
newspapers even in England today. Lies and misinformation regarding
such incidents as the battle at Jenin in April 2002 continue to
prevail in the world press and in some cases in Political circles.
That particular incident was reported amongst Politicians and
the media that between 3,000 and 5,000 innocent Palestinians had
been killed by aggressive IDF soldiers. This affected Christians
in my own circle as well as many other groups and tainted their
understanding as did the historic libels affect the people of
their own day. When the truth was known as a result of the United
Nations enquiry which proved that 52 Palestinians, mainly terrorists
had been killed, it was too late; the damage against Israel was
already done and perceptions about the IDF had been made.
29. Palestinian children are being abused
as they are subjected to misinformation of a highly political
nature within their educational system. This is illegal by UNESCO
standards. Summer school training camps for school children are
opportunities taken by the Palestinian Authority to teach hate
to the Children. The evidence of the existence of these camps
is readily available and shows abuses towards children by building
aggression and simulating the murder of Jews to the extent of
even physically abusing the child.
30. Teaching materials in schools indoctrinate
children into a belief that Israel does not exist and that Jews
are defiled and to be destroyed. The schoolbooks currently being
used are tools to inspire hate and suicide bombing as well as
misleading the child. These books are given credibility by including
within the cover of each book an acknowledgement thanking such
organisations as UNESCO and such Governments as Italy and Belgium
for their financial support in producing this material. There
are at least eleven books published in the last two years that
have been introduced Palestinian children, which teach lies and
misinformation bringing about a hatred towards their Jewish neighbours.
31. This teaching both in School and in
the camps is financed to an extent by charitable giving from the
West. It is the fuel that will keep hatred burning in the area
at least until the end of the lifespan of the generation that
is receiving it. Such is the concern throughout the world about
the financing of Palestinian education that Ron Gray the National
leader of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada has written to
his own government this month to request that no more funding
be given for education in Palestinian schools until such teaching
has ended. Canada has since 1993 given over $165 million dollars
to Palestinian education projects.
32. Terms, names and references used by
officials, media and aid organisations have an important role
to play in attitudes. The current references to the "Wall"
infer a permanence and implant such pictures as the Berlin wall
in the mind of those who read such references. The so-called wall
I saw was in fact a fence. This gave me the understanding that
this was a temporary structure and I was assured that was the
case should acts of terrorism cease.
CONCLUSIONS
33. The ordinary Arab and Jew are desperate
for peace. During the peace leading up to the beginning of these
hostilities in September 2000 these groups lived in an environment
that was ever increasing in prosperity and quality. The Arabs
and Jews living and working at peace in Israel are evidence that
this is possible even today after all the killings. Terrorism
is without doubt the sole contributor to Palestinian and Israeli
poverty.
34. Despite many of them being victims,
the Jews are not vengeful and hold no hatred towards the Arabs.
They express a desire to live peaceably in their own land alongside
Arabs. They see the fence as simply the only protection they have
against the terrorist. They do not look upon it as permanent but
a means of protection until such time as the terrorist stop their
aggression.
35. There is poverty both in Jew and Arab
communities caused primarily by the activities of the terrorists
and the resulting defence of Israel.
36. There is a culture of reporting and
publishing of opinions by media officials and certain aid organisations
in favour of Palestinians that is giving credibility to the cause
of the terrorist and thereby encouraging a prolonging of the hostilities.
Such reporting indoctrinates the reader and solidifies attitudes
against Israel in the minds of not only of those in the Middle
East but also in the West. This also causes a mentality of giving
materially only to Palestinian needs when it is clear both Israelis
and Palestinians are experiencing hardships and therefore funding
should be directed towards both.
37. Publications which are incorrect and
damaging such as the blood Libel published in Al-Riyadh on 10
March 2002, the cartoon of Mr Sharon eating a child published
by the Independent newspaper on 27 January 2003 and the articles
of mass killing in Jenin all of which are clearly wrong and misleading
are causing and encouraging world-wide hatred of the Jews.
38. The current terminology used by those
who have an interest in the region is causing suspicion and a
misunderstanding of the intentions of Israel government and its
people.
39. Finances given by both Government and
non-government organisations are being misappropriated by Palestinian
Officials in such sums that there is increasing poverty amongst
the Palestinians.
39. Finances from aid organisations who
are, in some cases, using partner organisations to deliver them,
are often diverted and are being used to fuel violence and abuse
children by incorrect and inhumane methods of teaching.
41. The teaching in the schools and particularly
in the summer camps is simply planting the seeds of hatred in
the children of a Nation and would never be accepted in Britain.
Its intention is that, for the foreseeable future, there will
be a hatred of the Jewish people by Palestinians.
42. Some of those finances are also being
used to promulgate information, which is unbalanced and favours
the Palestinians to the detriment of Israelis who are also suffering.
43. Finances from Muslim Charitable organisations
held even here in the UK are being directed towards such organisations
as HAMAS who are clearly responsible for the deaths of may innocent
Israelis.
RESOLUTIONS
44. We should understand that terrorism
is the key issue affecting poverty amongst the Palestinians and
Israeli's alike. It should be made perfectly clear that neither
suggestions of poverty or impoverishment will be accepted and
that there is no vindication for acts of hatred. The teaching
of such hatred should also be highlighted and openly condemned.
45. Both Jews and Arabs should be considered
equally by those organisations charged with the responsibilities
of helping the impoverished. To this end an enquiry should be
carried out that looks at the issues surrounding the decline in
the economy in Israel and it's effects, in order to allow organisations
to distribute finances in a more balanced and fair way.
46. All efforts should be made for monies
that have been given to the Palestinian's to help fund their needs,
but which have been misappropriated, to be recovered and reintroduced.
There should be International condemnation of the perpetrators
in an effort to deter such diversions occurring in the future.
47. There should be a close and detailed
record of the actual use of finances given to the Palestinians
by Official/Government organisations, Aid and partner organisations
to prevent monies being used for the purposes of terrorism whether
it be in training or teaching or propaganda. These finances should
not in any way be used for bias or unbalanced reporting as is
currently the case.
48. There should be tighter control on press
publications and reports from organisations that are obviously
incorrect and which stir up hatred. Every effort should be made
to establish truth before a report is published and controls should
be in place to prevent anything improper being introduced to the
general public.
49. The question of terminology should be
addressed and agreed. Terms that indicate the true situation should
be used by all organisations seeking peace in the region and not
terms that would mislead or give an incorrect impression.
50. Organisations who publish documents
and articles to attract support from the general public should
be examined regularly to ensure fairness.
51. There should be an enquiry to look specifically
at child abuse among the Palestinians especially in the education
system. The consequences of a continuance of such abuse should
be severe. Any finances whatsoever that are currently used for
Palestian education in this way should be withdrawn immediately.
Such authorities who receive charitable aid should account for
the teachings of their young people and if such teaching is found
to be harmful to the child then these finances should be withdrawn.
It may be considered that in the short term this will adversely
affect the child's material wealth but in the long term it would
ensure the child's survival and the survival of its neighbours.
November 2003
| 
