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London, November 22, 2003 

Israel’s contempt for Tom

IF MY intelligent, courageous son, Tom, had not been left severely brain damaged by an Israeli soldier, he would have vouched for the fact that I am not prone to speechlessness. Words now fail me.

Two days ago, I received notification from my bank that the cheque sent by Israel’s ambassador, for a fraction of the expenses incurred by the family for Tom’s repatriation and for which we have had to wait five months, had not been honoured by the Bank of Israel. “Insufficient funds” was the reason given.

This is one of a catalogue of actions which can only be perceived as an illustration of the contempt shown towards the issue of Tom’s shooting.

We endeavoured for weeks, through the British embassy and the media, to have a meeting with somebody in the Israeli government who might give us some response as to what happened before we finally met representatives. Recently, the Israeli ambassador in London arranged a meeting which was subsequently cancelled without proper explanation.

As money is so tight, might it not be appropriate for Israel to channel less towards its illegal “security” fences or the development of remote control bulldozers and more towards the rebuilding of destroyed houses in Palestine and other debts, such as Tom’s repatriation?

It is a mind-numbing task to understand the morality and to use the logic of the Israeli government. What hope do Palestinians have when such profound disregard and disrespect is shown to humanity, collectively and individually?

Jocelyn Hurndall
London

Photo: John Hurndall, shot, lies on the ground
while friends shriek at the Israeli troops to cease fire

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