A protest camp in Dir-Balut village is a joint Palestinian, Israeli, and international action against the Apartheid Wall. The protest camp was created on Friday the 19th, and will stay there till next Friday, January 2nd.
The camp is located in the yard of the newly built primary school of the village of Dir Balut. The works on the new school were stoped by the occupation authorities, as the building stands on the path of the Wall, and is now due to distruction.
The Wall will circle the village from 3 directions, will seperate it from its lands and from the road to the south (the road to the east was blocked 3 years ago, and was never opened again). The inhabitants will be pushed into a crowded enclave, a getto, together with a few nearby villages - surrownded by walls, fences, road blocks, army and settlements.
The camp is a pure grassroots activity. It was not created by any established organisation -- it is a beautifull collaboration between the local community, international volunteers, and Israeli activists.
The Israeli youth who organise the activity are a small group who work under the name "Anarachists Against the Wall". The camp has an agenda of activities -- from demonstrations, direct actions, visits to nearby villages such as Mes'ha, work with the local community and daily MAHSOM-watch (a human rights observation and presence by military checkpoints) at the closest roadblock.
Dan Shohet is a student in Tel Aviv University and a peace activist. To attend the camp, or for further information, please contact Yonatan 066-327736, or Franchesca 064-494030.
by Dan Shohet
================================
Ed. Note: During the first of two weeks' camp (till the action in Masha - their third direct action against the apartheid hall), about 1200 persons visited/participated in the camp.
See also:
English texts:
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00203.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00221.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00416.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00415.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00413.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00395.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00394.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00392.html
Portuguese, Italian, Spanish translations for some of the posts are avilable too at http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/
Monday, December 29, 2003
Sunday, December 28, 2003
Israel-Palestine, An account of the shooting of Israeli protester Gil Na'amati in the Anarchists Against The wall initiative* 28/12/03
In the early afternoon today, in the middle of a direct, nonviolent action against the Apartheid system of walls and fences in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli citizen was shot in his leg by soldiers of the Israeli army.
Gil Na'amati, whom I hadn't met until today, was on the front line of Israeli activists who went to the fence to cut it or break it down. I was a few meters behind him, watching the soldiers and helping to take care of the barrier of the road just behind the fence. 20 meters ahead of us were the soldiers, 2 or 3 military jeeps.
The rest of the protesters were 10 meters behind us, including all the Palestinian participants, who were on purpose left behind, knowing that any Palestinian presence in the nonviolent direct action, would end in a violent bloodshed, with the soldiers stopping the action in the most brutal ways there are.
Further behind us, to the east, was the Palestinian village of Mas'Ha -- where we all just came from. And further in front, behind the soldiers on the other side of the fence, were the lands of Mas'Ha, and three Israeli settlements that were built upon them, now unofficially annexed to Israel by the Apartheid wall and fence. The location of the action was a perfect example of all that is bad and racist about the separation wall/fence -- and now, that spot is also stained with the blood of an innocent young man.
We left Tel Aviv earlier in the morning, in a bus full of Israeli activists. Next to the village of Mas'Ha, we met with many Israeli and international activists, most of them coming directly from the village of Deir Balut, after staying the night in the protest camp being held there for the same reason. With them came several of Deir Balut people, including the village's mayor, in solidarity with their brothers in Mas'Ha.
After a short gathering, for the planning and coordination of the action, we met in the village center with about 100 Palestinians, and started marching towards the fence. All together, we were maybe close to 200 people.
As we reached the fence some of the Israelis and internationals went out front, trying to tear down that symbolic piece of the fence. The soldiers reacted almost immediately by shooting live bullets in the air. There was no use of tear gas, nor even a use of loud speakers to warn of shooting towards us.
None of the soldiers (or anyone else) was threatened, no violence was used by the protesters towards anyone, and the soldiers were clearly aware that there were Israelis there. Shouting and chanting in Hebrew were yelled towards them, including the chant "Refuse! Refuse!". Just a few minutes later, when the soldiers shot again, I thought it was again just shots in the air. Then I saw one of the protesters being carried back with blood covering his pants and dripping on the road. Another foreign citizen was injured in her leg, less seriously.
Some of us went backwards. Others went forwards, in spite of the shooting, and with a very effective and short effort, broke a part of the fence, opening the road to Mas'Ha land. Than all the protestors retreated to the village.
We stayed in the village for about an hour more. As we left, we heard reports from the village about military activity inside the village. Of course, the Apartheid system prevents Palestinians from crossing the fences and walls and getting out -- but does not prevents soldiers from coming in.
One of the reports was about a curfew declared there in the middle of the day. A group of us had decided to go back to the village, until later in the day or next morning, to make sure the army did not come back to punish the Palestinians for direct action protest by Israelis who want peace. Another group, including friends of Gil, the Israeli who was wounded, had gone to see him in the hospital. And others went back to Deir Balut, where the protest camp is based until next Friday.
Coming home, I have heard in the media several of the lies the military spokesman office had published: that the soldiers had warned us, that they were trying to evacuate us peacefully, that they had used tear gas first, and that the protesters were violent, and that the action was a "riot".
These are the exact same lies I have heard many times before, whenever the Israeli media publishes anything about the "riots" of Palestinians, or about Palestinians who were killed after "meeting the security forces". The same system that allows and encourages soldiers to commit crimes against Palestinians -- and then denies those crimes and claims they never happened -- was apparent in this case too.
Normally, this "lie and deny" policy is used after a crime towards Palestinians. But this time, after a crime towards an Israeli citizen, who was no threat to anyone in any way, I guess we Israelis can only blame ourselves for not being effective enough struggling against the oppression of the Palestinian people. After so many years of oppressing others, the Israeli regime is now clearly oppressing us too.
I talked a bit with Gil's friends later on. He is a young man, from a kibbutz in the south of Israel. He was not active before today's demo, though he always believed in peace and human rights.
From other media reports and from e-mails being passed around, I learned that Gil is still at the hospital and is regarded to be seriously wounded. Also, I know that Yonatan, one of the Israelis who coordinated the action and camp in Deir Balut was arrested later on, after giving a testimony about the shooting. How typical -- unarmed protesters were shot at, yet a protester is arrested and not the soldiers who shot or the commander who gave the order.
The struggle against the Apartheid walls and fences goes on, and will probably become bigger, stronger, and more radical. Already tomorrow at noon, Saturday, there will be a big demonstration in the town of Qalqilya, which is completely surrounded by a wall. In the evening there will be a protest in front of the ministry of "security" and army headquarters, in the Kirya in Tel Aviv, against the shooting today. And, of course, the camp in Deir Balut is still on, for another week.
by Dan Shohet
====================
* Ed. Note:
The last initiative background is years of Intifada and mild protest and other activities of the reformist Communist influenced Ta'Ayush' and the "two states" slogan shared by them and Zionist left opponents to the occupation.
Fed up with the activities of the Zionist left and authoritarian left, the Israeli anarchists organized their own initiative called Anarchist Against the wall. The present activity was an enhancement of a persistent activity of nearly a year.
The previous direct action against the wall was carried by Anarchist Against the wall initiative in Zabuba.
The present direct action was part of the two weeks international camp initiated by Anarchist Against the wall at Deir Balut.
The present activity and the big demonstration at Saturday in protest of the shooting were the first one the slogan "two states for two people" was absent.
Gil Na'amati, whom I hadn't met until today, was on the front line of Israeli activists who went to the fence to cut it or break it down. I was a few meters behind him, watching the soldiers and helping to take care of the barrier of the road just behind the fence. 20 meters ahead of us were the soldiers, 2 or 3 military jeeps.
The rest of the protesters were 10 meters behind us, including all the Palestinian participants, who were on purpose left behind, knowing that any Palestinian presence in the nonviolent direct action, would end in a violent bloodshed, with the soldiers stopping the action in the most brutal ways there are.
Further behind us, to the east, was the Palestinian village of Mas'Ha -- where we all just came from. And further in front, behind the soldiers on the other side of the fence, were the lands of Mas'Ha, and three Israeli settlements that were built upon them, now unofficially annexed to Israel by the Apartheid wall and fence. The location of the action was a perfect example of all that is bad and racist about the separation wall/fence -- and now, that spot is also stained with the blood of an innocent young man.
We left Tel Aviv earlier in the morning, in a bus full of Israeli activists. Next to the village of Mas'Ha, we met with many Israeli and international activists, most of them coming directly from the village of Deir Balut, after staying the night in the protest camp being held there for the same reason. With them came several of Deir Balut people, including the village's mayor, in solidarity with their brothers in Mas'Ha.
After a short gathering, for the planning and coordination of the action, we met in the village center with about 100 Palestinians, and started marching towards the fence. All together, we were maybe close to 200 people.
As we reached the fence some of the Israelis and internationals went out front, trying to tear down that symbolic piece of the fence. The soldiers reacted almost immediately by shooting live bullets in the air. There was no use of tear gas, nor even a use of loud speakers to warn of shooting towards us.
None of the soldiers (or anyone else) was threatened, no violence was used by the protesters towards anyone, and the soldiers were clearly aware that there were Israelis there. Shouting and chanting in Hebrew were yelled towards them, including the chant "Refuse! Refuse!". Just a few minutes later, when the soldiers shot again, I thought it was again just shots in the air. Then I saw one of the protesters being carried back with blood covering his pants and dripping on the road. Another foreign citizen was injured in her leg, less seriously.
Some of us went backwards. Others went forwards, in spite of the shooting, and with a very effective and short effort, broke a part of the fence, opening the road to Mas'Ha land. Than all the protestors retreated to the village.
We stayed in the village for about an hour more. As we left, we heard reports from the village about military activity inside the village. Of course, the Apartheid system prevents Palestinians from crossing the fences and walls and getting out -- but does not prevents soldiers from coming in.
One of the reports was about a curfew declared there in the middle of the day. A group of us had decided to go back to the village, until later in the day or next morning, to make sure the army did not come back to punish the Palestinians for direct action protest by Israelis who want peace. Another group, including friends of Gil, the Israeli who was wounded, had gone to see him in the hospital. And others went back to Deir Balut, where the protest camp is based until next Friday.
Coming home, I have heard in the media several of the lies the military spokesman office had published: that the soldiers had warned us, that they were trying to evacuate us peacefully, that they had used tear gas first, and that the protesters were violent, and that the action was a "riot".
These are the exact same lies I have heard many times before, whenever the Israeli media publishes anything about the "riots" of Palestinians, or about Palestinians who were killed after "meeting the security forces". The same system that allows and encourages soldiers to commit crimes against Palestinians -- and then denies those crimes and claims they never happened -- was apparent in this case too.
Normally, this "lie and deny" policy is used after a crime towards Palestinians. But this time, after a crime towards an Israeli citizen, who was no threat to anyone in any way, I guess we Israelis can only blame ourselves for not being effective enough struggling against the oppression of the Palestinian people. After so many years of oppressing others, the Israeli regime is now clearly oppressing us too.
I talked a bit with Gil's friends later on. He is a young man, from a kibbutz in the south of Israel. He was not active before today's demo, though he always believed in peace and human rights.
From other media reports and from e-mails being passed around, I learned that Gil is still at the hospital and is regarded to be seriously wounded. Also, I know that Yonatan, one of the Israelis who coordinated the action and camp in Deir Balut was arrested later on, after giving a testimony about the shooting. How typical -- unarmed protesters were shot at, yet a protester is arrested and not the soldiers who shot or the commander who gave the order.
The struggle against the Apartheid walls and fences goes on, and will probably become bigger, stronger, and more radical. Already tomorrow at noon, Saturday, there will be a big demonstration in the town of Qalqilya, which is completely surrounded by a wall. In the evening there will be a protest in front of the ministry of "security" and army headquarters, in the Kirya in Tel Aviv, against the shooting today. And, of course, the camp in Deir Balut is still on, for another week.
by Dan Shohet
====================
* Ed. Note:
The last initiative background is years of Intifada and mild protest and other activities of the reformist Communist influenced Ta'Ayush' and the "two states" slogan shared by them and Zionist left opponents to the occupation.
Fed up with the activities of the Zionist left and authoritarian left, the Israeli anarchists organized their own initiative called Anarchist Against the wall. The present activity was an enhancement of a persistent activity of nearly a year.
The previous direct action against the wall was carried by Anarchist Against the wall initiative in Zabuba.
The present direct action was part of the two weeks international camp initiated by Anarchist Against the wall at Deir Balut.
The present activity and the big demonstration at Saturday in protest of the shooting were the first one the slogan "two states for two people" was absent.
Israel-Palestine, Tel-Aviv, NO to the Getos! ... leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall" in demonstration 28/12/03
NO to the Getos! NO to the wall between people! End the occupation!!! - leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall" in demonstration 28/12/03
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Israel-Palestine, Tel-Aviv, NO to the Getos! ... leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall" in demonstration 28/12/03
NO to the Getos!
NO to the wall between people!
End the occupation!!!
leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall"
A leaflet distributed in the demonstration Saturday evening in front of the Israeli war office in Tel Aviv in protest of shooting a comrades during the direct action against the wall at Mesha the previous day. NO TO THE GETOS! NO TO THE WALL BETWEEN PEOPLE! END TO THE OCCUPATION Yesterday we experienced the reality of our Palestinian brothers.
The shooting of the Israeli army on us, Israeli activists, is a crossing of a red line never crossed before, but it must remind us the daily atrocities of the army in the occupied regions. In this weekend too the killings, the closures, the strangulation, the invasion and the annexation continue. The shooting on us will not deter us from continuing actively resisting the Apartheid wall built before our eyes. Yesterday we break the gate of Mesha, but it must be remembered that all along the route of the wall the gates stay blocked and the Palestinian people remain with no access to their source of income. We will continue to try to block the occupation with our bodies, to open a breach in the wall of hatred, and to put with our actions a lively and kicking alternative to the geto policy of the Israeli government.
We express solidarity with our comrade Gil from Kibbutz Reim who was shoot at by the Israeli army just few weeks after he was released from army service. Gil was hit in his two legs by live ammunition and was taken unconscious to Beilinson Hospital diagnosed there as in serious condition. To day, Saturday Gil regained consciousness for the first time, and was able to smile and talk. The condition of his legs still not clear. We send him our wishes for his quick recovery.
We express our solidarity with our comrade Jonathan from Tel Aviv, held by the Ariel Police since the action as he refused to sign on commitment not to enter the occupied territories for three months. He is scheduled to be brought in Saturday to court in Rishon-Letsion for prolonging his arrest*. We call from here to immediate release of Jonathan.
Description of the direct action:
About 13:00 we came to the gate of the apartheid fence built between the village Mesha to the illegal settlement Elkana. In spite of the army promise all the last few weeks the gate stayed shut, and prevented the inhabitants of Mesha to reach their fields and sources of income. It was a nonviolent demonstration in which we wanted to do a symbolic act of protest against the building of the fence and the closure of the gate. To our astonishment, the soldiers started to through on us big stones, then they shoot in the air, and on the ground near us. In spite of our calls "do not shoot, this is non violent demonstration, we have no intention to heart you", and the holding high of signposts in Hebrew against the wall, after just few minutes and without warning the soldiers started to shoot with live ammunition towards the bodies of the demonstrators. From this shooting Gil's legs were hit. In contradiction to the army spokesperson, no tear gas was shoot towards us and no warnings were given by the soldiers. The have not communicate with us in any way before the shoot to hit with live ammunition.
The activity was carried as part of the protest camp against the wall started a week ago in the village Dir-Balut in Sumeria. The camp inhabited 24 hours a day by Israeli and Palestinian people is located on the route of the apartheid wall within the half built school of Dir-Balut. The building of the school was stopped after the confiscation of the land needed for the building of the wall. We invite the media who believe in the promises of the promises of the prime minister Ariel Sharon, about the so called evacuation of the illegal settlements, to come and see for themselves the project of annexation of land and the expansion of settlements that continue even these days.
For pictures and video from the action:
Daniel - ; Noa - ; Shay -
For more information:
Ury ; Ronen - ; Francesca -
--- ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL ---
[The leaflet was distributed at the Saturday demo in protest of the shooting in front of the Israeli war ministry in Tel Aviv before details of Gill injuries were known: He lost consciousness after being shot with a live bullets in his legs which one of them was brocken - and was taken by an ambulance. Everything was photographed by both still - and video camera - see addresses in the end. Next day - after his shattered knee was operated.
Jonathan who was arrested after the shooting was released and came at the of the demo.
The anarchists against the wall is not so disorganized as described in the media. They even have a declared collective named "One Struggle" with a web site in Hebrew.
Army claimed the shooting was as part of the procedure of "aresting of suspect" regulation - applied to any one who is warming the fence/wall (an exeption to the regular procedure of only shooting those who are known armed parestinians or attakers of soldiers.
Other posts on the subject:
English texts:
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00221.html
(en) Israel - Palestine, Tel Aviv - Zububa, Twenty meters of fence removed - in
joint Israeli/Palestinian action
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00203.html
(en) Israeli anarchist group - One Strle - initiated an internationalist action against the wall
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00416.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00415.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00413.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00395.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00394.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00392.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00435.html
Portuguese, Italian, Spanish translations for some of the posts are avilable too at http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/
NO to the wall between people!
End the occupation!!!
leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall"
A leaflet distributed in the demonstration Saturday evening in front of the Israeli war office in Tel Aviv in protest of shooting a comrades during the direct action against the wall at Mesha the previous day. NO TO THE GETOS! NO TO THE WALL BETWEEN PEOPLE! END TO THE OCCUPATION Yesterday we experienced the reality of our Palestinian brothers.
The shooting of the Israeli army on us, Israeli activists, is a crossing of a red line never crossed before, but it must remind us the daily atrocities of the army in the occupied regions. In this weekend too the killings, the closures, the strangulation, the invasion and the annexation continue. The shooting on us will not deter us from continuing actively resisting the Apartheid wall built before our eyes. Yesterday we break the gate of Mesha, but it must be remembered that all along the route of the wall the gates stay blocked and the Palestinian people remain with no access to their source of income. We will continue to try to block the occupation with our bodies, to open a breach in the wall of hatred, and to put with our actions a lively and kicking alternative to the geto policy of the Israeli government.
We express solidarity with our comrade Gil from Kibbutz Reim who was shoot at by the Israeli army just few weeks after he was released from army service. Gil was hit in his two legs by live ammunition and was taken unconscious to Beilinson Hospital diagnosed there as in serious condition. To day, Saturday Gil regained consciousness for the first time, and was able to smile and talk. The condition of his legs still not clear. We send him our wishes for his quick recovery.
We express our solidarity with our comrade Jonathan from Tel Aviv, held by the Ariel Police since the action as he refused to sign on commitment not to enter the occupied territories for three months. He is scheduled to be brought in Saturday to court in Rishon-Letsion for prolonging his arrest*. We call from here to immediate release of Jonathan.
Description of the direct action:
About 13:00 we came to the gate of the apartheid fence built between the village Mesha to the illegal settlement Elkana. In spite of the army promise all the last few weeks the gate stayed shut, and prevented the inhabitants of Mesha to reach their fields and sources of income. It was a nonviolent demonstration in which we wanted to do a symbolic act of protest against the building of the fence and the closure of the gate. To our astonishment, the soldiers started to through on us big stones, then they shoot in the air, and on the ground near us. In spite of our calls "do not shoot, this is non violent demonstration, we have no intention to heart you", and the holding high of signposts in Hebrew against the wall, after just few minutes and without warning the soldiers started to shoot with live ammunition towards the bodies of the demonstrators. From this shooting Gil's legs were hit. In contradiction to the army spokesperson, no tear gas was shoot towards us and no warnings were given by the soldiers. The have not communicate with us in any way before the shoot to hit with live ammunition.
The activity was carried as part of the protest camp against the wall started a week ago in the village Dir-Balut in Sumeria. The camp inhabited 24 hours a day by Israeli and Palestinian people is located on the route of the apartheid wall within the half built school of Dir-Balut. The building of the school was stopped after the confiscation of the land needed for the building of the wall. We invite the media who believe in the promises of the promises of the prime minister Ariel Sharon, about the so called evacuation of the illegal settlements, to come and see for themselves the project of annexation of land and the expansion of settlements that continue even these days.
For pictures and video from the action:
Daniel - ; Noa - ; Shay -
For more information:
Ury ; Ronen - ; Francesca -
--- ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL ---
[The leaflet was distributed at the Saturday demo in protest of the shooting in front of the Israeli war ministry in Tel Aviv before details of Gill injuries were known: He lost consciousness after being shot with a live bullets in his legs which one of them was brocken - and was taken by an ambulance. Everything was photographed by both still - and video camera - see addresses in the end. Next day - after his shattered knee was operated.
Jonathan who was arrested after the shooting was released and came at the of the demo.
The anarchists against the wall is not so disorganized as described in the media. They even have a declared collective named "One Struggle" with a web site in Hebrew.
Army claimed the shooting was as part of the procedure of "aresting of suspect" regulation - applied to any one who is warming the fence/wall (an exeption to the regular procedure of only shooting those who are known armed parestinians or attakers of soldiers.
Other posts on the subject:
English texts:
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00221.html
(en) Israel - Palestine, Tel Aviv - Zububa, Twenty meters of fence removed - in
joint Israeli/Palestinian action
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00203.html
(en) Israeli anarchist group - One Strle - initiated an internationalist action against the wall
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00416.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00415.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00413.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00395.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00394.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00392.html
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/ainfos00435.html
Portuguese, Italian, Spanish translations for some of the posts are avilable too at http://www.ainfos.ca/03/dec/
Israel-Palestine, Tel-Aviv, NO to the Getos! ... leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall" in demonstration 28/12/03
NO to the Getos!
NO to the wall between people!
End the occupation!!!
leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall"
A leaflet distributed in the demonstration Saturday evening in front of the Israeli war office in Tel Aviv in protest of shooting a comrades during the direct action against the wall at Mesha the previous day. NO TO THE GETOS! NO TO THE WALL BETWEEN PEOPLE! END TO THE OCCUPATION Yesterday we experienced the reality of our Palestinian brothers.
The shooting of the Israeli army on us, Israeli activists, is a crossing of a red line never crossed before, but it must remind us the daily atrocities of the army in the occupied regions. In this weekend too the killings, the closures, the strangulation, the invasion and the annexation continue. The shooting on us will not deter us from continuing actively resisting the Apartheid wall built before our eyes. Yesterday we break the gate of Mesha, but it must be remembered that all along the route of the wall the gates stay blocked and the Palestinian people remain with no access to their source of income. We will continue to try to block the occupation with our bodies, to open a breach in the wall of hatred, and to put with our actions a lively and kicking alternative to the geto policy of the Israeli government.
We express solidarity with our comrade Gil from Kibbutz Reim who was shoot at by the Israeli army just few weeks after he was released from army service. Gil was hit in his two legs by live ammunition and was taken unconscious to Beilinson Hospital diagnosed there as in serious condition. To day, Saturday Gil regained consciousness for the first time, and was able to smile and talk. The condition of his legs still not clear. We send him our wishes for his quick recovery.
We express our solidarity with our comrade Jonathan from Tel Aviv, held by the Ariel Police since the action as he refused to sign on commitment not to enter the occupied territories for three months. He is scheduled to be brought in Saturday to court in Rishon-Letsion for prolonging his arrest*. We call from here to immediate release of Jonathan.
Description of the direct action:
About 13:00 we came to the gate of the apartheid fence built between the village Mesha to the illegal settlement Elkana. In spite of the army promise all the last few weeks the gate stayed shut, and prevented the inhabitants of Mesha to reach their fields and sources of income. It was a nonviolent demonstration in which we wanted to do a symbolic act of protest against the building of the fence and the closure of the gate. To our astonishment, the soldiers started to through on us big stones, then they shoot in the air, and on the ground near us. In spite of our calls "do not shoot, this is non violent demonstration, we have no intention to heart you", and the holding high of signposts in Hebrew against the wall, after just few minutes and without warning the soldiers started to shoot with live ammunition towards the bodies of the demonstrators. From this shooting Gil's legs were hit. In contradiction to the army spokesperson, no tear gas was shoot towards us and no warnings were given by the soldiers. The have not communicate with us in any way before the shoot to hit with live ammunition.
The activity was carried as part of the protest camp against the wall started a week ago in the village Dir-Balut in Sumeria. The camp inhabited 24 hours a day by Israeli and Palestinian people is located on the route of the apartheid wall within the half built school of Dir-Balut. The building of the school was stopped after the confiscation of the land needed for the building of the wall. We invite the media who believe in the promises of the promises of the prime minister Ariel Sharon, about the so called evacuation of the illegal settlements, to come and see for themselves the project of annexation of land and the expansion of settlements that continue even these days.
For pictures and video from the action:
Daniel - ; Noa - ; Shay -
For more information:
Ury ; Ronen - ; Francesca -
--- ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL ---
NO to the wall between people!
End the occupation!!!
leaflet distributed by "Anarchists Against The Wall"
A leaflet distributed in the demonstration Saturday evening in front of the Israeli war office in Tel Aviv in protest of shooting a comrades during the direct action against the wall at Mesha the previous day. NO TO THE GETOS! NO TO THE WALL BETWEEN PEOPLE! END TO THE OCCUPATION Yesterday we experienced the reality of our Palestinian brothers.
The shooting of the Israeli army on us, Israeli activists, is a crossing of a red line never crossed before, but it must remind us the daily atrocities of the army in the occupied regions. In this weekend too the killings, the closures, the strangulation, the invasion and the annexation continue. The shooting on us will not deter us from continuing actively resisting the Apartheid wall built before our eyes. Yesterday we break the gate of Mesha, but it must be remembered that all along the route of the wall the gates stay blocked and the Palestinian people remain with no access to their source of income. We will continue to try to block the occupation with our bodies, to open a breach in the wall of hatred, and to put with our actions a lively and kicking alternative to the geto policy of the Israeli government.
We express solidarity with our comrade Gil from Kibbutz Reim who was shoot at by the Israeli army just few weeks after he was released from army service. Gil was hit in his two legs by live ammunition and was taken unconscious to Beilinson Hospital diagnosed there as in serious condition. To day, Saturday Gil regained consciousness for the first time, and was able to smile and talk. The condition of his legs still not clear. We send him our wishes for his quick recovery.
We express our solidarity with our comrade Jonathan from Tel Aviv, held by the Ariel Police since the action as he refused to sign on commitment not to enter the occupied territories for three months. He is scheduled to be brought in Saturday to court in Rishon-Letsion for prolonging his arrest*. We call from here to immediate release of Jonathan.
Description of the direct action:
About 13:00 we came to the gate of the apartheid fence built between the village Mesha to the illegal settlement Elkana. In spite of the army promise all the last few weeks the gate stayed shut, and prevented the inhabitants of Mesha to reach their fields and sources of income. It was a nonviolent demonstration in which we wanted to do a symbolic act of protest against the building of the fence and the closure of the gate. To our astonishment, the soldiers started to through on us big stones, then they shoot in the air, and on the ground near us. In spite of our calls "do not shoot, this is non violent demonstration, we have no intention to heart you", and the holding high of signposts in Hebrew against the wall, after just few minutes and without warning the soldiers started to shoot with live ammunition towards the bodies of the demonstrators. From this shooting Gil's legs were hit. In contradiction to the army spokesperson, no tear gas was shoot towards us and no warnings were given by the soldiers. The have not communicate with us in any way before the shoot to hit with live ammunition.
The activity was carried as part of the protest camp against the wall started a week ago in the village Dir-Balut in Sumeria. The camp inhabited 24 hours a day by Israeli and Palestinian people is located on the route of the apartheid wall within the half built school of Dir-Balut. The building of the school was stopped after the confiscation of the land needed for the building of the wall. We invite the media who believe in the promises of the promises of the prime minister Ariel Sharon, about the so called evacuation of the illegal settlements, to come and see for themselves the project of annexation of land and the expansion of settlements that continue even these days.
For pictures and video from the action:
Daniel - ; Noa - ; Shay -
For more information:
Ury ; Ronen - ; Francesca -
--- ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL ---
Israel, Tel-Aviv, A demonstration in front of the war office in protest of shooting Gil during the Anarchists Against The Wall action 27/12/03
A quick organization of demonstration in protest of the shooting to hit of direct action against the apartheid wall brought few hundreds participants. Anarchists, libertarian communists, other antiauthoritarians and other opponents of the wall assembled in front of the war office compound in Tel Aviv. The more militants blocked the road for about two hours. After it was in the main media and police arresting few people from the road block, about hundred made a march through the city to the police station in solidarity action.
After a stand still and negotiation, police accepted to release the arrested on condition we disperse and the arrested commitment not to return to demo in front of the war office for two weeks.
After a stand still and negotiation, police accepted to release the arrested on condition we disperse and the arrested commitment not to return to demo in front of the war office for two weeks.
Friday, December 26, 2003
Israeli anarchist seriously injured and ISP one moderatly in activity against the aparthide wall 26/12/03
In activity against the apartheid wall an Israeli anarchist was seriously injured by Israeli forces live ammunition and an internationalist by rubber bullet. They were shot at as 100 activists have damaged the wall near the village Mesha.
The activity initiated by the Anarchist Movement against the Wall (The One Struggle collectiv)* Israel occupation soldiers shot and wounded two people during a demonstration against the West Bank security fence Friday. An Israeli anarchist - Gil Naamaty of Kibbutz Nirim sustained serious live ammunition wounds, while International Solidarity Movement comrade was moderately wounded by rubber bullet.
The incident occurred close to the Palestinian village of Mahase, east of Rosh Ha'ayin, while protesting against the construction of the security fence.
During the protest, troops used live ammunition shooting to hit. At a later stage, the ISP activist was wounded by a rubber bullet. Gil, whose friends said was hit by two bullets, and the ISP volunteer were evacuated to Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva.
The troops involved in the incident are from a Golani company stationed in the area. According to military sources, known lately for their lies, said one live shot was fired in the direction of the demonstrators, who were attempting to cut through the security fence with wire cutters. One demonstrator was hit in the leg by the shot, the sources said. "The shot was fired in accordance with regulations," the sourcesinsisted.
One of the demonstrators, Jonathan Faulk, told Haaretz that a group of soldiers opened fire in his direction, from a distance of several meters. Faulk said that there was no warning before the shots were fired, and that "the soldiers' lives were never in any danger."
* See:
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00221.html
(en) Israel - Palestine, Tel Aviv - Zububa, Twenty meters of fence removed - in
joint Israeli/Palestinian action
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00203.html
(en) Israeli anarchist group - One Strle - initiated an internationalist action
against the wall
The activity initiated by the Anarchist Movement against the Wall (The One Struggle collectiv)* Israel occupation soldiers shot and wounded two people during a demonstration against the West Bank security fence Friday. An Israeli anarchist - Gil Naamaty of Kibbutz Nirim sustained serious live ammunition wounds, while International Solidarity Movement comrade was moderately wounded by rubber bullet.
The incident occurred close to the Palestinian village of Mahase, east of Rosh Ha'ayin, while protesting against the construction of the security fence.
During the protest, troops used live ammunition shooting to hit. At a later stage, the ISP activist was wounded by a rubber bullet. Gil, whose friends said was hit by two bullets, and the ISP volunteer were evacuated to Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva.
The troops involved in the incident are from a Golani company stationed in the area. According to military sources, known lately for their lies, said one live shot was fired in the direction of the demonstrators, who were attempting to cut through the security fence with wire cutters. One demonstrator was hit in the leg by the shot, the sources said. "The shot was fired in accordance with regulations," the sourcesinsisted.
One of the demonstrators, Jonathan Faulk, told Haaretz that a group of soldiers opened fire in his direction, from a distance of several meters. Faulk said that there was no warning before the shots were fired, and that "the soldiers' lives were never in any danger."
* See:
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00221.html
(en) Israel - Palestine, Tel Aviv - Zububa, Twenty meters of fence removed - in
joint Israeli/Palestinian action
http://www.ainfos.ca/03/nov/ainfos00203.html
(en) Israeli anarchist group - One Strle - initiated an internationalist action
against the wall
Israel-Palestine, Anoncement by ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL 26/12/03
[The following message was distributed before details of Gill injuries were known: He lost consciousness after being shot with a live bullets in his legs which one of them was brocken. - and was taken by an ambulance. Everything was photographed by both still - and video camera - see addresses in the end.]
No to the ghetto that's being built by Jews!
No to walls between people!
Stop the occupation!
Israeli, Palestinians and international activists Bringing down the apartheid wall in mash'a In this moment, friday afternoon {seventh candle of hanuka} dozens of activists are tearing apart and breaking down the gate of the apartheid wall which is also known as the "separation fence", to enable a free passage for the people of mas'ha to their lands. The activists, equiped with tools, are breaking the gate that has remained closed since the wall was built two monthes ago.
The farmers, whose land is on the other side of the fence were told that they would be able to cross through the gate to work their lands. That promise turned out to be a methodical, crude and cruel lie. All throughout the suffocating wall the gates are remaining blocked and the Palestinian residents remain with no access to their only source of income.
The army is present - at the Mas'ha village gates which are located next to Elkana settlement - and yet, its not clear how will the confrontation between the army and the activists will end. The activists are calling for a joined active resistance of Israelis and Palestinians toward the ghettoizing policy that the Israeli government is issuing.
The action is being held as a part of The Alternative Protest Camp Against The Apartheid Wall that started a week ago in Deir Balut. The camp is hosting Israelis and Palestinians, and located on the path of the Apartheid Wall, on the land of the village's elementary school. (The building of the school was stopped due to the land being confiscated for the building of the wall.)
We invite the media that follows Ariel Sharon's promises, for the so called evacuation of he settlements, to come and see for them selfs the land confiscating and settlement expansion operation that is operating this days. Deir Balut protest camp and other protest actions that take place and that will take place in the future will set a live and kicking alternative to the occupying, stealing and confiscating actions that the Sharon government and the Israeli army are responsible for.
For more details and for pictures and video footage from the action:
Liad:067-724519
Jonathan:066-327736
Franceska:064-494030
ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL
No to the ghetto that's being built by Jews!
No to walls between people!
Stop the occupation!
Israeli, Palestinians and international activists Bringing down the apartheid wall in mash'a In this moment, friday afternoon {seventh candle of hanuka} dozens of activists are tearing apart and breaking down the gate of the apartheid wall which is also known as the "separation fence", to enable a free passage for the people of mas'ha to their lands. The activists, equiped with tools, are breaking the gate that has remained closed since the wall was built two monthes ago.
The farmers, whose land is on the other side of the fence were told that they would be able to cross through the gate to work their lands. That promise turned out to be a methodical, crude and cruel lie. All throughout the suffocating wall the gates are remaining blocked and the Palestinian residents remain with no access to their only source of income.
The army is present - at the Mas'ha village gates which are located next to Elkana settlement - and yet, its not clear how will the confrontation between the army and the activists will end. The activists are calling for a joined active resistance of Israelis and Palestinians toward the ghettoizing policy that the Israeli government is issuing.
The action is being held as a part of The Alternative Protest Camp Against The Apartheid Wall that started a week ago in Deir Balut. The camp is hosting Israelis and Palestinians, and located on the path of the Apartheid Wall, on the land of the village's elementary school. (The building of the school was stopped due to the land being confiscated for the building of the wall.)
We invite the media that follows Ariel Sharon's promises, for the so called evacuation of he settlements, to come and see for them selfs the land confiscating and settlement expansion operation that is operating this days. Deir Balut protest camp and other protest actions that take place and that will take place in the future will set a live and kicking alternative to the occupying, stealing and confiscating actions that the Sharon government and the Israeli army are responsible for.
For more details and for pictures and video footage from the action:
Liad:067-724519
Jonathan:066-327736
Franceska:064-494030
ANARCHISTS AGAINST THE WALL
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