[News] Rice condones Israeli Kidnapping of PLC Speaker

[Anti-Imperialist News]

http://www.aljazeerah.info/7%20n/Rice%20condones%20Israeli%20Kidnapping%20of%20PLC%20Speaker,%20his%20wife%20suggests%20US%20is%20not%20interested%20in%20democracy.htm

Rice condones Israeli Kidnapping of PLC Speaker, 
his wife suggests US is not interested in democracy

PNN, (Qalqilia) Mustafa Sabre Monday, 07 August 2006

Although Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Duwaik is not the 
first elected official Israeli occupation 
terrorist forces kidnapped over the past several 
months, he is by far the most senior member.

Around midnight of Saturday and Sunday Israeli 
occupation terrorist forces stormed the home of 
Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Dr. Abdul 
Aziz Al-Duwaik. PNN spoke with his wife.

The Israeli government declared open season on 
elected Palestinian officials since they took 
office after the democratic elections brought 
them into power, going so far as to revoke 
Jerusalem identification if they did not renounce 
their membership in the winning Hamas party.

The Palestine News Network sat down with Dr. 
Duwaik’s wife to ask her what exactly occurred 
that fateful night and how she feels about the 
current state of Israeli war against the 
Palestinian government and the US support for it all.

PNN: Initially, the Palestine News Network would 
like to welcome you to this special meeting. 
Would you like to begin by telling us how the night of the arrest was?

Mrs. Duwaik: We had dinner together and then did 
our evening prayers in our modest Ramallah home 
in the Saif neighborhood. After a brief telephone 
conversation with our daughter who studies 
medicine in Britain, we heard powerful blasts at 
the door. At that moment we felt that danger had 
come. The doorbell was also ringing. Both sounds 
were coming at the same time. Shortly after that, 
it became apparent that it was the army as we 
heard a soldier shouting in cruel tones to open the door.

PNN: What did Dr. Duwaik do?

Mrs. Duwaik: Azziz did not exhibit any confusion. 
He addressed the official directly by saying, 
‘Why the uproar over this matter? It need not be 
such a huge procedure. If I had sent the request 
myself I would not need such an unwarranted 
campaign.’ The officer responded harshly, 
demanding that my husband produce his 
identification card as he was being arrested.

PNN: How did the Israeli soldiers behave?

Mrs. Duwaik: As normal, they act inappropriately 
by screaming. And a soldier was physically severe 
in a humiliating manner, intended to insult Dr. 
Duwaik in front of his family members. This was 
the general tone of all the soldiers, to humiliate and insult all of us.

PNN: What did the soldiers inside the house do with you?

Mrs. Duwaik: The barbaric behavior of the 
soldiers came through as they demanded I not 
speak, that I keep silent, but then a family 
member of the soldiers would try to talk to me 
and then beat me if I said anything.

PNN: What did they do to the home?

Mrs. Duwaik: When they entered the home they 
confiscated Dr. Duwaik’s personal computer and 
all of files that belong to the Palestinian 
people, filled with issues that need crucially to 
be addressed. They took all of the contacts for 
people involved in the issues that our government 
needs to deal with, all information on outstanding issues.

PNN: Did you expect that this arrest would come 
as the Israeli military has arrested so many 
government officials, particularly from the Hamas party?

Mrs. Duwaik: There was certainly a feeling that 
the Israeli army would not allow anyone in the 
government to be free and at large, continuing 
with their work of running the government. And 
Dr. Dweik was no exception in our minds as at the 
beginning of this arrest campaign months ago, 
Israeli forces did come to arrest him, but did not find him at home.

She added: However, the desire to work kept Dr. 
Duwaik busy continuing the necessary business of 
running a government and attending Legislative 
Council meetings, as he had no intention to 
paralyze the work of the PLC or disrupt the 
Palestinian government anymore than it already 
has been by the occupation. We know that this is 
the intention of the occupation.

PNN: How do you view Dr. Aziz Duwaik’s arrest?

Mrs. Dweik: This arrest is illegal and unlawful 
and is unacceptable as he is the elected head of 
the Palestinian Legislative Council as its 
Speaker. And everyone attests to his wisdom and 
intelligence. He is a man who understands how the 
issue of guns is divisive and was working hard to bring the Council together.

PNN: Is it possible to describe a typical work day?

Mrs. Duwaik: Dr. Aziz is one who works all of the 
time, not less than 14 hours per day before his 
arrest and at the moment of the arrest he was 
busy working on files which are the property of 
the Legislative Council for a meeting that was soon to follow.

PNN: And how did Dr. Duwaik perceive the current situation?

Mrs. Duwaik: Dr. Aziz was very optimistic and 
always says things in the direction of relief and 
solution, and trust in God, and that the great 
cause is what is fair. He advocated the idea of 
the national dialogue and helped to make it a success.

PNN: Were you contacted by the Israeli government 
or officials or forces after the arrest and did 
you contact other Palestinian government officials?

Mrs. Duwaik: I contacted MP Ahmed Bahar of Gaza 
to give details of the arrest and we all affirmed 
our solidarity with the Palestinian people, as 
Dr. Aziz Duwaik represents the pulse of the 
street as a whole. None of the Israeli forces or interrogators contacted me.

PNN: The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, 
justified the Israeli arrest of Dr. Azziz Dweik. Can you comment on that?

Mrs. Duwaik: There is no right in the world to 
arrest Dr. Duwaik. He was elected democratically 
by the Palestinian people to represent them. The 
international community was all here to witness 
just how democratic the Palestinian behavior 
during these elections was. Former US President 
Jimmy Carter condoned our democratic process, 
former presidential candidate John Kerry did the 
same, and that is in addition to the hundreds of 
international observers from the US and the 
European Union who were here along with the former US officials.

She added: I am addressing Rice­would you allow 
the American President or British Chairman of 
Parliament to be arrested by outside forces due 
to their political party? Why condone arrests of 
elected representatives who advocate democracy. 
Why are you working against them?

PNN: As of 12 May, Dr. Duwaik was permanently 
living in Ramallah? He is originally from Hebron.

Mrs. Duwaik: Yes, and he did not have a chance to 
go to Hebron, only once for one day, then he 
returned to Ramallah in order to continue the government work here.

PNN: Is Dr. Duwaik living in a big house, in a 
beautiful villa, as some claim, at the expense of the people?

Mrs. Duwaik: The house is very modest and anyone 
can be certain that it is in the Saif 
neighborhood in Ramallah. It consists of three 
rooms, a living room, a kitchen, and bedrooms, like most Palestinian houses.

She said: It is our right to have a modest house, 
and we accept it with all of its deficiencies. It 
is fine for us. Being in the government does not 
mean we live above the people, and beside, 
personally, we are satisfied with very little.

PNN: What is your educational background and where was Dr. Duwaik born?

Mrs. Duwaik: I received a Bachelors Degree in 
Mathematics. We have four boys and three girls. 
Dr. Duwaik was born in 1948 in Egypt as his 
mother was there for the birth. His father is 
from Hebron in the southern West Bank.

PNN: And finally, Mrs. Duwaik, how was the 
Doctor’s relationship with President Mahmoud Abbas?

Mrs. Duwaik: The relationship was and remains 
excellent. Although they have diverging opinions 
at times, there is a collective wisdom and 
respect that helps them to work together in 
managing the government and the day to day needs 
of the Palestinian people and the occupation we 
all live under. There is no competition between them.

PNN: Thank you, Mrs. Duwaik, for taking your time 
to speak with PNN during such trying moments.

Mrs. Duwaik: You are most welcome.


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