Freedom for Alan Gross

Please whoever can assist to these important events please do so, the life of a good man is in the hands of a tyranny with no respect for human rights or human life’s

Roland J Behar

Chair Hispanic Jewish Iniciative

ADL Florida RegionBoard Member

Cell:       (305) 793-0950

rjbehar1050@hotmail.com

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For Immediate Release:

September 19, 2011

In Washington DC:

Ron Halber

Executive Director

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington

W: (301) 770-0881 c: (301) 602-5709

Rev. Clark Lobenstine,

Executive Director,

Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington

w: (202) 234-6300 c: (202) 487-8635

In New York:

Michael Miller

Executive Director
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York

w: (212)-983-4800 #130 

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik

Executive Vice President

New York Board of Rabbis

Executive Vice President

w: (212) 983-3521 c: (917) 903-9111

Malcolm Hoenlein

Executive Vice Chairman

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

(212) 318-6111

Greater Washington DC and New York City Interfaith Leaders to Gather in Prayer and Solidarity Calling For Alan Gross’ Immediate Freedom from Cuba on Humanitarian Grounds

Simultaneous Vigils to Take Place at Cuban Interests Section (DC) & Cuban UN Mission  (NYC) with Gross Family

Interfaith leaders will gather in prayer and solidarity in DC and New York on Friday, September 23, at 9:30 am and call for Alan Gross’ immediate freedom from Cuba on humanitarian grounds.  The simultaneous vigils will take place at the Cuban Interests Sections in DC and in New York at the Cuban UN Mission. Members of the Gross family will participate in both vigils. At both events, event organizers plan to present Cuban authorities with the results of a national online petition drive containing over 10,000 signatures supporting Alan’s immediate freedom. The DC event will be sponsored by the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. The New York event will be sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York and the New York Board of Rabbis.

Revered Clark Lobenstine, Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, said “This cause is important to the interfaith community and all people of conscience. Alan has been a humanitarian and development worker for over 25 years, working in over fifty nations, and devoting his life to fulfilling the Jewish value of tikkun olam, repairing the world, a value that all people of faith admire. He has testified that he never meant any harm to the Cuban government or their people. He is a loving husband, father and son, and should be released immediately to allow him to be with his family for the Jewish holiday season. It is time for the Cuban leadership to let him come home.” “The painful plight of Alan Gross requires the that the moral voice of the faith community be heard now,” added Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Director of the New York Board of Rabbis.

Since his incarceration began nearly two years ago, Alan’s eldest daughter has been diagnosed with breast cancer and undergone a double mastectomy; his 89-year old mother is suffering from inoperable cancer; and his wife Judy has undergone surgery for an undisclosed medical issue. Alan has lost approximately 100 pounds since his arrest and is suffering from several health ailments.

Alan Gross, a resident of the DC area, was arrested in Cuba in December 2009 while working with the small Jewish community there to improve their internet access and to create an intranet for them.  He has been incarcerated ever since. He languished in prison for over a year until he was finally charged by the Cuban government.  He was convicted by a Cuban court of "actions against the integrity of the State," and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He subsequently appealed his sentence to the Cuban Supreme Court, and the court reaffirmed the sentence, exhausting all of Alan’s legal options. His only remaining avenue is commutation of his sentence by Raul Castro, President of Cuba. 
Alan and his supporters have fervently rejected all accusations that he did anything, or intended to do anything, to harm the Cuban government.  Quite to the contrary, his work in Cuba was only to help improve the Cuban Jewish community's ability to use the internet. The President of the United States, senior Administration officials, Members of Congress, national leaders, and newspaper editorials have all called for his immediate release. 
For additional information about Alan Gross, or to sign the petition, please visit www.jcouncil.org

# # #

Ronald Halber
Executive Directorrhalber@jcouncil.org
301-770-0881

About the Jewish Community Relations CouncilThe Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) is the public affairs and community relations arm of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington representing over 100 Jewish organizations and synagogues throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.  The JCRC focuses on government relations, Israel advocacy, inter-group relations, and social justice.

6101 Montrose Road, Suite 205│Rockville, MD 20852│Tel. 301-770-0881│Fax. 301-770-7553│www.jcouncil.org
Virginia Office: c/o JCCNV, 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031-3123│Tel. 703-893-4007│ Fax 703-323-1993
DC Office: 1720 Eye Street, NW Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006│Tel. 202-552-5355 

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ROLAND J. BEHAR: Islam e islamismo - Opinión - ElNuevoHerald.com

ROLAND J. BEHAR: Islam e islamismo - Opinión - ElNuevoHerald.com

The Shark and the small fish

In his father’s billfold, in his mothers purse, on his brothers minds, on his girlfriends nightstand, in the hearts of a great number of friends and peers from school and fun times; there in a snapshot, with pain and woe one finds the profile of a lad with a boy’s face, large sad eyes and a wide smile.

So few are yet aware that when that lad was only 11 years old he wrote a book with such tenderness and ingenuity as only the pristine mind of a child can conjure. The story is about a small fish that encounters, at sea, a shark; whom he invites to play a game of hide-and-seek. They played until sundown, without incidents for the small fish and of course neither for the shark. As per the narrator, when both fish tell the story to their respective mothers, both were administered their criticism.

The sharks' mother said:

“...don't play with him anymore, the small fish are for us to feed upon”.

Accordingly, the mother of the small fish, who was horrified, recounted the horrible tales of relatives devoured by sharks, in such a way, that after that time, based on what both mothers had told them; the shark and the small fish avoided each other.

Thus a year went by, which toward the end, produced the inevitable chance encounter. The Shark said to the small fish: “You are my enemy, but we can make peace”

That story written by the child re-tells how the fish played secretly for days, weeks and months; until one day they decided to go together to tell their mothers. From that day forward, the shark and the small fish lived in peace.

Nothing stops it from being a children's story; albeit a miraculous dream if it were to become a reality in so many conflicts that humanity suffers, between enemies both definitive and habitual.

This lad, who was almost a child only four years ago, is  the victim of a medieval practice of hand changing by pirates of the latter 20^th century and, lamentably, the 21^st ; the kidnapping.

The kidnapping is one of most degrading conditions that one human being can force upon another since the victim immediately loses their value as a person and becomes an “exchangeable commodity” for material wealth or for other legal or  illegal captives.

The press informs us on a continuous basis of cases involving kidnappings of every stripe; from the jungles of Latin America to the Persian gulf, with a host of variations and backdrops that vie for the greater cruelty and foulness. A far cry from the story of the shark and the fish.

During the 2^nd year of his captivity, they allowed that lad to write a letter to his parents- to tell them how much he missed them, to what degree the extent of his suffering was physical, emotional and cerebral; to plead for a negotiated liberation and fulfill that perennial dream of his in which he finds himself free and embracing them.

Only his tormentors know in actuality what has been wrought upon him, and in what state his mind and body are. The life experience of others in similar circumstances forces us to assume the worst. That lad, before being captured, was better known for his sensitivity and wisdom than for his physical appearance; however, his mentality and courage enabled him to overcome and execute physical tasks beyond his limitations. We hope that remains so.

Those who love him have not seen him since he was 19 years old in June of 2006 when he was kidnapped while guarding a post on the frontier with the Hamas terrorists. He has himself described in one of the very rare statements the torturers have permitted, how they keep him in “an inhumane and intolerable nightmare”.

Lamentably, the role of Amnesty International and the Red Cross in Gaza have been null and void as Hamas has barred them access, while neither of those organizations have exerted a maximum earnestness to do so.

The Government of Israel has taken important steps to attain his freedom, concurrently as in previous engagements, in exchange for Palestinians convicted in a democratic state, with all of the guarantees of due process and transparency entailed therein. Everything has been insufficient for them and that lad is made to live as a martyr.

His name is Gilad Shalit and it is about time for him to go back to his home. As G-d would will it.

Roland J Behar

rjbehar1050@hotmail.com

 Conmemorating his 25th birthday

ROLAND J. BEHAR: Incógnita en la Primavera Árabe - Opinión - ElNuevoHerald.com

ROLAND J. BEHAR: Incógnita en la Primavera Árabe - Opinión - ElNuevoHerald.com

Freedom for Alan Gross

Phillip Peters, a research analyst at the Lexington Institute, told the New York Times that the key issue regarding the trial and conviction of Alan Gross was political and that the verdict of ratification of the Cuban Supreme Court showed that the case was not to be resolved in court but by diplomacy. Peters is right on the intentions of the Cuban government to solve it in this way, since the law for them is irrelevant.

Despite the general criteria, the exchange for the 5 Wasps spies trapped and the catch of Faget, the Alvarez, Ana Belen Montes, and more recently, Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers are not the main reason for the kidnapping of Alan Gross.

Let’s start from the beginning. For years, Cuba's government mounted an intelligence operation aimed to discredit the exile organizations that ran aid programs to support democracy in Cuba. It should be noted, incidentally, that these programs are very modest compared to what the Soviets did when, through Cuba, unlimited resources were allocated to subvert order and spread death and pain in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

In the case of these aid programs, they are intended to give economic independence to the opponents’ pro- democracy that are usually expelled from their jobs by the only employer, the government. The reality is that the opponents’ pro- democracy in Cuba, regardless of their current ideological empathies or affinities with exile’s groups, they have taken peaceful struggle as means to change the status quo to a state of law in their country. The Cuban government only uses violence in response, while the opposition is growing in number and presence.

For this operation the Cuban government used every means at their disposal. They began to puzzle through their agents within the internal opposition a very effective speech, "while you are risking your lives, liberty and the welfare of your family here, there are people in Miami who enjoy luxuries with money that belongs to you ".

The reaction was swift. Soon were heard accusing voices from Cuba, against those who until then, and for years were the moral and material support. Then, allured on by Cuban government spokesmen and agents in Miami, began the struggle between those who were not receiving funds here and those receiving funds. The scandal was heard in Washington and sparked investigations thoroughly. The corollary of the investigations was some money used for chocolates, three scarves and two Nintendo games for the children of some prisoners badly purchased according to the guidelines. They found a corrupt person who, without knowledge of his superior overcharged on the price of items sent to Cuba. No more irregularities were found worthy of scorn or imprisonment. More bark than bite.

Following these incidents, the House and Senate frozen the funds until the matter were clarified and then the U.S. government and its agencies decided to spend the bulk of the support channeled  before through the exile’ organizations, trough subcontractors more  in line and complacent to the  U.S. government.

 With the funds frozen, the Cuban government was very happy, but working through these new entities, made it more difficult for them, than to penetrate, than the Cuban exiles organizations, they realized they have lost even the possibility of receiving funding for their fake organizations in Cuba and in Miami. The Cuban government understands that this flow has to stop anyway and kidnapped Alan Gross to prevent the arrival of more uncontrollable people, unknown to them. The U.S. government misreads, reacts accordingly and suspends the plans. So, the government of Cuba is emboldened and begins to ask for more.

After the promise of Fidel Castro for the release in December of 2010 of the 5  Wasps (the five spies imprisoned in USA) embarks in a worldwide campaign for their liberation and, sotto voce, insinuates the exchange for Alan Gross, but Obama responded negatively to the offer.

When Gross landed in Havana, the dictatorship knew who he was, whom he worked for, what he brought, who was he meeting with and what his plans were. Gross went to Cuba, to do what he has been doing during his whole life, from Kenya to Palestine, to cooperate in developing democracy. His work in Cuba was trying to help peaceful people to access the internet. Gross is now known worldwide. The latest verdict of the supreme court of Cuba just transformed him from a hostage to a prisoner of conscience.

The most important Government and Jewish organizations condemned the injustice done to this peaceful man and this is just the beginning of an international campaign for his release. G–d willing Alan Gross will be free.

Roland J Behar

rbehar@live.comListen

ROLAND J. BEHAR: Nada nuevo bajo el sol - Opinión - ElNuevoHerald.com

ROLAND J. BEHAR: Nada nuevo bajo el sol - Opinión - ElNuevoHerald.com

La Esperanza y el buque

Toda negociación se aborda por el entendimiento de las partes de que de la misma pueden obtenerse beneficios y situaciones ventajosas para todos, o al menos mejores que las actuales. Los logros son a partir del convenio, no aprioris.

El Primer Ministro Israelí le ha planteado al Knesset (Parlamento Israelí) la realidad de que la mejor manera de conducir las negociaciones es frente a frente de los representantes de la Autoridad Palestina. A pesar de ello, el principal negociador palestino Saeb Erekat insiste en acusar a Netanyahu de que el impasse es debido a su negativa de aceptar como precondición el cese de las construcciones en el Este de Jerusalén, además de querer imponer como condición al inicio de la negociación uno de sus objetivos finales de la misma, que consiste en regresar a las fronteras establecidas antes de la guerra de 1967 frente de la agresión de Jordania, Siria y Egipto.

Nadie sabe en qué modo se logrará el sueño de ambos pueblos de vivir en paz uno junto al otro, ni cómo se han de delimitar sus fronteras, tampoco qué tiempo demorará el proceso. Lo que todos saben es que hay que empezar y hay que lograrlo por el futuro de los niños israelíes y palestinos. Es posible que dichas negociaciones comiencen cerca del final de este mes o a principios de Agosto

Israel ha demostrado que, a pesar de la escasez de su superficie, no ha sido parco en entregar territorios ni edificaciones luego del conflicto o a través del dialogo. Como ejemplo, la devolución total del Sinaí de miles de kilómetros de extensión a Egipto, o el sinnúmero de edificaciones como escuelas, casas, granjas, hospitales y centros de investigación entregados, intactos, a la Autoridad Palestina en Gaza y que fueran luego destruidos por Hamas.

Hay buenas noticias. Es conocido de viejo los movimientos dentro de la sociedad civil de Israel por la negociación y la creación de los dos estados. Lo novedoso es el resultado de algunas encuestas recientes realizadas por el Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo del Mundo Árabe radicado en Ramallah entre palestinos residentes en 16 poblaciones. Estas arrojan que, a pesar de que aún una buena parte no apoya el diálogo directo con Israel, sin embargo la mayoría rechaza la renovación de la violencia y más de dos tercios de los encuestados considera que Hamas debe prolongar el cese al fuego y que deben cesar los ataque de misiles contra la población israelí.

Otro dato positivo es que los dos candidatos con más probabilidades de suceder a Mahmud Abbas son dos civiles sin nexos aparentes con el terrorismo como Saeb Erekat y Salam Fayyad ambos con varios títulos universitarios occidentales tanto estadounidenses como europeos. Cualquiera de los dos se convertiría en el gobernante árabe más culto de su tiempo. Sin duda esto es positivo.

Por otra parte, aunque no se han resuelto aún las diferencias entre los gobiernos de Turquía e Israel, estas no se han incrementado en dirección de la ruptura de relaciones.

En cuanto a la embarcación Al-Amal de matricula moldova y bajo bandera griega, capitaneada por un cubano y tripulada por haitianos, indios y sirios que partió llevando “activistas” libias con ayuda humanitaria para Gaza, ha sido invitada por el gobierno israelí a desembarcar en Ashdod donde podrían ser inspeccionados o seguir rumbo al puerto egipcio de El-Arish con el mismo objetivo.

El gobierno de Israel mantiene su política, modificada luego del incidente de la flotilla: en vez de permitir la entrada de un número determinado de artículos, ahora existe una lista bastante breve que especifica lo que no puede entrar, como lo son armamentos o materiales de combate. Todo lo que no aparezca en dicha lista, es permitido. De hecho, Israel transfiere alrededor de ochocientos camiones semanales a Gaza con un peso de carga superior a las quince mil toneladas.

Todas las medidas diplomáticas posibles se han tomado:

El sábado 10 de Julio se coordinó entre el Ministro de Defensa Israelí, Ehud Barak, y el Director General de los Servicios de Inteligencia Egipcios, Omar Suleiman, la recepción de la mercancía en el Puerto egipcio de El-Arish (Esperanza).

El Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Israel, Avigdor Liberman, ha sostenido múltiples conversaciones con sus homólogos griegos y moldavos, recibiendo por parte del agente de la embarcación y de Grigoris Delavekouras, ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Grecia, seguridad de que el barco sería desviado de su ruta para evitar el conflicto además de que el ministro confirmó, públicamente, sus conversaciones con el gobierno libio y el agente naviero.

Por otro lado, el embajador de Israel ante la ONU, Gabriela Shalev, se reunió con el Secretario General Ban Ki-moon para discutir acerca del barco subvencionado por Libia y, asimismo, envió cartas al respecto al Secretario General y al Presidente de le Consejo de Seguridad y al Presidente de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas dando garantía del envío seguro de la ayuda humanitaria a través de los canales establecidos.

De cualquier modo, dado el motivo y carácter provocativo de los organizadores de la empresa, Israel pide a la comunidad internacional que ejerza su posible influencia sobre el gobierno de Libia y a demostrar responsabilidad evitando que la embarcación intente desembarcar en el Puerto de Gaza.

Que D-os así lo quiera.



Roland J Behar

Rjbehar1050@hotmail.com