Israeli arrested ROS YOUNG looks at a serious attack on anti-zionists right to organise in the Israeli state. culated in the occupied territories. The third charge refers to Michel giving orders for the typing and duplicating of leaflets for (unspecified) 'prohibited organisations; and fourthly, that he had in his possession leaflets, newspapers and other material belonging to the PFLP and other 'terrorist organisations' which are not named. All the publications referred to in the charges are claimed to be organs of the PFLP although none of this is proved. He has also been accused of allowing the centre to be used by a
Despite the charges being laughable -quite clearly he and the centre are being framed — the implications are very serious indeed. If convicted, Michel could face ten years imprisonment and the centre could remain closed. The closure of the AIC and arrest of Michel is not only a massive attack on the freedom of expression and freedom of the press in the Israeli state, but also on the
The AIC has contributed enormously in the last few years to exposing Israel's 'iron fist' policy of repression in the occupied territo-
Founded at the end of 1984 (and registered with the Ministry of Interior -therefore it is 'legal') the AIC provided independent information and analysis on political and social developments in Israel and the occupied territories. In January 1985 they launched a fortnightly bulletin News from Wi-
, produced weekly reports and since 1986, daily news bulletins on attacks against Palestinians. All its publications were submitted to the Israeli censor and News from Within was a registered publication. The cen-
Israeli and foreign journalists and typesetting and translating facilities (in Hebrew, Arabic and English) to a wide range of organisations, including Palestinian trade unions and women's groups.
In the pages of News from Within in recent months there have been reports on the military and economic cooperation between Israel and South Africa, the activities of the Shin Bet and the secret trial of Mordechai Vanunu — the former worker in Israeli's secret nuclear installation in the Negev desert. In fact, a week before the raid, the AIC organised a demonstration and petition demanding an open trial for Vanunu and an end to the secrecy surrounding Israel's nuclear capability which is 'in the hands of a government whose sense of responsibility for the lives of the people living in this region, including
Jews, has never been one of its strong points'. Doubtless these are contributing factors to the recent clampdown on the AIC.
Attacks on freedom of expression and the press is certainly no new development in Israel where Palestinians are concerned. While Israel has kept up a facade of democracy (for Israelis), much-vaunted by the zionist lobby in the west, since 1948 (and since 1967 in the occupied territories) it has systematically denied Palestinians freedom of expression — political, social and cultural. Since 1981 no less than five Palestinian newspapers and one press agency have been permanently closed down. Al Fajr, Al Sha'ab and Al Quds have been temporarily closed on many occasions, Palestinian journalists have been arrested frequently, and recently ram Hanniye (editor-in-chief of Al Sha'ab) was the latest journalist to be deported from the land of his birth. The mainstream Israeli press, silent for so long about these attacks, have been jolted into protest at the closure of the AIC; the more astute among them doubtless realise they may well be next. The closure has produced an outcry in Israel among journalists, academics, civil rights organisations and both zionist and anti-zionist politi-
'the closure and arrests are a massive attack on the freedom
of expression in the Israeli
The closure of the AIC, in a period of escalating violence against the Palestinians in the occupied territories, will seriously affect the availability of accurate accessible information to the outside world. And to single out Michel Warschawsky for what could turn out to be a show trial may not solely be related to his work at the AIC. As a leading member of the Revolutionary Communist League (Israeli section of the Fourth Internation), Michel has been active in many coalition groups against the occupation and inva-
He was imprisoned for refusing to participate in the Israeli invasion
The work of the AIC and comrades like Michel has to continue which means building support in the international labour movement for them and all Palestinians and anti-zionist Israelis struggling for an end to Israel's expansionism and war-mongering O • For more information contact the Committee for the Freedom of Expression of Palestinians and Israelis (CFEPI), BM 9585, London WCIN 3XX. Donations are urgently needed to help replace the stolen equipment, as well as messages of protest calling for all charges to be
Labour's impasse The general election approaches with Labour apparently unable to voting on the part of the large sections of the Tory vote, but more seven years of Thatcherite austerity and class war politics, has the Labour Party and trade union leadership failed so miserably to take
Pritchards — one of many contractors doing very nicely out of the privatisation of council services 8
Thatcher's