During the past few days I was busy in the Egyptian POWs website as I have found after a long search new set of Egyptian POWs photos in Magnum Photo Agency. That set of photos was new to me , I have seen most of the Egyptian POWs photos available online ; it was like a brand new discovery to me , some sort of sad scoop. These photos were taken mostly by the Israeli photographers like Micha Bar Am , they were available in the wire services at that time.
These photos have never been published in the Egyptian Press whether in the past or the Present. In the past I understand the reasons behind that ,no regime regardless of how democratic would publish the photos of its defeats or the capture or death of its soldiers in the battle field in time of war like that for fear the negative effect on the public. Yes the Egyptian regime back in time of Nasser was a dictatorship that lied to its people but these photos were part of the psychological war Israel was launching against the Egyptian army and people building its legend of the invincible army.
It was not about Nasser when you publish the photos of the Egyptian soldiers and officers wearing nothing except their underwear walking humiliated in the desert
Among the photos that made stop are the following photos :
This was taken three weeks from the 5th of June 1967 , in Al Arish beach , already you can see in the background Al Arish famous palm trees. The remaining of an Egyptian officer or solider who may have thought it was safer to take the beach way , it is horrible. Already I wonder if he was buried or he was still in his place.
This photo reminded me with the stories of Al Arish people and 1967 veterans who saw the Israeli tanks moving over the Egyptian POWs by the orders of Israeli generals and officers ,for instance like Tofaha massacre.
This photo reminded with the sad stories on how the Egyptian POWs used to be killed while blindfolded just like that in the same position leaving their bodies for birds :(
There are photos here including colored photos.
Believe it or not after more than 40 years and I am from the generation of Peace which came after victory I feel so angry when I see these photos , I feel so sad and angry from that regime that ruled us , I feel so angry from Israel and I feel so sad on my country and on those fine men who did not deserve that.
It is important to see these photos and study them , it is important because these photos remind us on how we reached to them to the bottom and hopefully we won’t reach the bottom again insh Allah.
I do not know what the reason that prevents us as citizens not as a state to go in to international courts like in EU to sue Israel for its war crimes not only in 1967 but in 1956 with the confessions of its commanders , Al Arish is full of mass graves , its people are still alive , our 1967 veterans are still alive and are ready to stand up and say their testimony in front of the world and history. Yes we have returned back our land and dignity yet those POWs killed in 1956 and 1967 were protected by international law and their rights must be back by international laws too.
Zeinobia,
ReplyDeleteI am Israeli. I was born in 1967. I do not carry any guilt for these crimes, but I think it is important that Israel as a state own up to its past, including its dark moments. It is important that Israelis of my generation see these pictures hear your words and acknowledge your pain. We have only one future, but first we need to look open-eyed at our past.
The crimes against Egyptian POWs must be investigated openly, by a trusted and impartial body.
- Yishay