Thursday, March 31, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Media, Asira Al Shamalia, Another day - another joined demonstration 31 Mar
Today, about 200 people - Palestinians, Internationals, and Anarchists Against The Wall, demonstrated against the apartheid wall/fence at the village Asira Al Shamalia near Nablus. The army forces shoot on the non violence demonstrators tear gas and shock grenades to disperse them. As response, a group of the Anarchists Against The Wall seat on the road and blocked for a while the traffic between Asira Al Shamalia and Nablus..
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The nearly daily confrontation between the the Israeli state and the palestinians and Anarchists Against The Wall continues.
Hundreds of Palestinians, 35 Israelis, and about 20 Internationals came to day to the demonstration in Bil'in, to commemorate the "Earth Day" and in protest against the fence which disposses the vilage from its fields and orchards. After few speaches and songs, the demonstrators marched towards the route of the fence in building. Today, the army decided to stop the building, probably in order to evade direct confrontation with the demonstrators in a day the local and international media are focus on. After we created a human chain ("fence agains fence") we started with planting of olive trees on the rote of the fence. An exciting group of palestinian women of Bel'in was prominent in its persistant slogans callings agains the soldiers and even caused retreat of one of them.
After the first stones were thrown, the soldiers of the gendardia and army reservists started to "shower" us with tear gas and rubber coated bullets which injured three - one Israeli and two Palestinians. The efforts of the soldiers to arrest the Israelis colminated with the taking of Ronen to the Givat Zeev police station for testimony... This, following a complain of one of the soldiers who claimed that he was attaked or was interfered in the fulfiment his duty. At 19:00 Ronen was still held there but later the Police informed the lawyer Gabi Laski that he will be released in few minutes.till late in the evening.)
At this time, continue to stay in Bil'in Internationals and Israelis who responded of the villagers to stay nights there to harnes a bit the harasments of the Israeli army who try to use nightly attaks on the village to breack the fighting spirit of the Bil'in villagers who struggle against the fence.
Friday, there will be another joint demo in Bil'in
After the first stones were thrown, the soldiers of the gendardia and army reservists started to "shower" us with tear gas and rubber coated bullets which injured three - one Israeli and two Palestinians. The efforts of the soldiers to arrest the Israelis colminated with the taking of Ronen to the Givat Zeev police station for testimony... This, following a complain of one of the soldiers who claimed that he was attaked or was interfered in the fulfiment his duty. At 19:00 Ronen was still held there but later the Police informed the lawyer Gabi Laski that he will be released in few minutes.till late in the evening.)
At this time, continue to stay in Bil'in Internationals and Israelis who responded of the villagers to stay nights there to harnes a bit the harasments of the Israeli army who try to use nightly attaks on the village to breack the fighting spirit of the Bil'in villagers who struggle against the fence.
Friday, there will be another joint demo in Bil'in
Monday, March 28, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The daily joint struggle against the apartheid wall continues. 28 Mar
Last night the Israeli army invaded again the village Bil'in - the fourth time in a row of "night visits". The army - as the officers on the ground openly threatened, try to suppress with all means the popular struggle of the village against the separation fence that pass their fields and confiscate them. As usual, the soldiers roamed the streets of the village and threw shock grenades Since the Israeli highest court of "justice" dismissed the complain of the villagers against the fence and the new route was ratified by the Israeli government a moth ago, the village people started a mass struggle against the wall [to which they invited the Israeli Anarchists Against The wall and International activists. Ed.] Like they did with partial success in the neighbor village Budrus, so they decided to do in Bil'in - and openly claimed so.
In the demonstration of the village last Wednesday, a seven years old boy lost an eye as result of rubber coated bullet, and the border police gendarmes put an house on fire by throwing shock grenades into it.
The same day, many olive trees were uprooted and stolen from an orchard of one of the villagers by a private company of settlers. Both the Israeli civil administration and the army did not really responded. At the near by police station in Givat Zeev they even refused to register the complain of the villager on that robbery... Only after intensive pressure of Israeli activists of Women Monitors of Road Blocks they agreed to register the complain.
As part of the pressure against the Bil'in villagers, they are discriminated and held for prolonged periods in the near by Nihlin road block, and the leading activists are very often "invited" to interrogations by the general security agency.
On the coming Wednesday, "The Land's Day" (30th of March) a big demonstration is scheduled.
For more details about the the struggle in Bil'in, and how to Join contact Shai: 0545333364 and Jonathan: 0546327736
[A free translation of article by Adar Gryevsky on israel.indimedia.org by ainfos - I.S.]
PS
The villagers ask Israeli activists of the Anarchists against The Wall to be guests for the following nights in an effort to restrain the nightly wild attacks of the Israeli army.
I.
===============================
See: http://www.ainfos.ca/ainfos29664.html
(en) Israel-Palestine, Truth from the land of Israel as told by Anarchists Against The Wall people - Saffa, Billin, Deir Ballut Tel Aviv.
In the demonstration of the village last Wednesday, a seven years old boy lost an eye as result of rubber coated bullet, and the border police gendarmes put an house on fire by throwing shock grenades into it.
The same day, many olive trees were uprooted and stolen from an orchard of one of the villagers by a private company of settlers. Both the Israeli civil administration and the army did not really responded. At the near by police station in Givat Zeev they even refused to register the complain of the villager on that robbery... Only after intensive pressure of Israeli activists of Women Monitors of Road Blocks they agreed to register the complain.
As part of the pressure against the Bil'in villagers, they are discriminated and held for prolonged periods in the near by Nihlin road block, and the leading activists are very often "invited" to interrogations by the general security agency.
On the coming Wednesday, "The Land's Day" (30th of March) a big demonstration is scheduled.
For more details about the the struggle in Bil'in, and how to Join contact Shai: 0545333364 and Jonathan: 0546327736
[A free translation of article by Adar Gryevsky on israel.indimedia.org by ainfos - I.S.]
PS
The villagers ask Israeli activists of the Anarchists against The Wall to be guests for the following nights in an effort to restrain the nightly wild attacks of the Israeli army.
I.
===============================
See: http://www.ainfos.ca/ainfos29664.html
(en) Israel-Palestine, Truth from the land of Israel as told by Anarchists Against The Wall people - Saffa, Billin, Deir Ballut Tel Aviv.
Friday, March 25, 2005
The Israeli Left* is opting for suicide; Yediot op-ed by Tanya Reinhart** 25 Mar
To judge by the political discourse, being a leftist today means supporting Sharon. Even when his government decides yet again to postpone the evacuation of the illegal outposts to an unknown future date, the pundits explain that the mere fact that he even raised the matter for discussion in the government is indicative of the seriousness of his intentions. Sharon will evacuate Gaza first, they say, and afterwards the outposts, and in the end maybe even the West Bank. And those who most believe that Sharon will dismantle settlements are the parties of the Left. On what basis?
Sharon is known as a man who has not always told the truth. At the time of the Lebanon war, he succeeded in concealing his plan even from the then-Prime Minister, Menachem Begin. He has no problem making promises and then not fulfilling. For three years now he has been promising the US that he will immediately evacuate at least the outposts that were created during his current term as Prime Minister. So what? - He can always propose a new commitment that would postpone the realization of the previous one. Why should the Gaza “Disengagement” be any different? The answer that the Right and the Left agree on is that this time Sharon has changed. That is an interesting answer in the realm of psychology. But what confirmation does it have in the realm of facts? It is much easier at the present to imagine many scenarios in which there will not be any evacuation of settlements in July, than the one in which there will be an evacuation.
Let's take for example the problem of the evacuees. That is a real problem. The Gaza Strip settlers went there at the behest of the Israeli government. They must be compensated for this dreadful idiocy, to allow them to rebuild their lives. A government that really wanted to evacuate them would have already given them the compensation, so they could leave before the evacuation. In the evacuation of Yamit, in 1982, the overwhelming majority of the residents were compensated and left before the evacuation. Those who were present in the confrontation on the scene were settler activists from the outside, with whom it is easier to deal than with families actually living there. According to Yonatan Bassi, head of the Disengagement Administration, over half of the present Gaza Strip settlers have already expressed their willingness to leave (1). So why doesn't Sharon facilitate their immediate departure? Could it be that he wants the photographs of the first attempt to evacuate them to show us entire families with their children, whose world has been destroyed, so that we will understand through empathy that it is simply impossible to evacuate?
And why this foot-dragging over the Budget? What the right-wing opponents of the Budget are demanding is a referendum. The mainstream of the settlers camp is not interested in a complete break with Israeli society. Their leaders are saying that they will be ready to accept the decision, but only if it is proven clearly that it is the will of the majority. The Likud rebels of course have their own agenda, which they hitch to this demand. But precisely on this issue, it is a simple matter to call their bluff by giving them what they demand. According to all the polls, there is a decisive and stable majority of 60%-70% in favour of the evacuation of Gaza. Even in the poll taken a couple of days after the terror attack at the Stage Club in Tel Aviv, 66% said they would have voted “yes” for the plan, had a referendum taken place that day (2). The disengagement will pass in a referendum. That is clear even to the Right. Why then does Sharon oppose it? Perhaps he does not really want the settlers to compromise and accept the will of the majority? Maybe he is afraid that if the evacuation decision passes in the referendum it will have to be actually carried out sooner or later?
All there is, then, is the faith that Sharon has changed. In its name, all the parties of the Left are obediently lined up behind him. Not only the Labour, which would be probably willing to sit in any government, even one headed by “Gandhi”*; but also Yahad and Hadash**. Sharon is submitting for approval a budget of plunder and robbery, that cuts further the surviving remnants of public services, and all the left-wing parties have to say is that we have to help him to pass it, because he said that he will evacuate settlements. Of the 100,000 people who showed up for the demonstration of the Left parties a year ago, that demanded a pullout from Gaza, 90,000 stayed home in this week's demonstration. Could it be that many of them feel in their heart of hearts that they are being deceived? The Israeli Left chose to commit suicide. It is no longer beholden to its voters. It is beholden only to Sharon.
* “Gandhi” is the peculiar nickname in Israel of Rehavam Ze'evi, a former general and politician who was assassinated in 2001 while serving as Israel's Minister of Tourism. He had a reputation as an extreme nationalist and anti-Arab chauvinist who openly supported transfer. The present Sharon- Labour government decided lately to establish a national memorial day for him, similar to that of Rabin. [M.M] ] ** Yahad is a moderate Zionist party headed by Yossi Beilin. It supports a two-state solution. Hadash is the Israeli Communist Party, headed by Muhammad Barakeh. It is a non-Zionist Jewish/Arab party. [M.M]
---------------------------
(1) “Some 800 of the 1,700 families living in Gush Katif and northern Samaria have already expressed willingness in principle to leave their homes under the disengagement plan and negotiate over financial compensation, according to Yonatan Bassi, who heads the disengagement administration. Of the remaining 900 families, he believed …[only] 300 families, the hard core of settlers opposed to the evacuation, would refuse to leave of their own accord” (Gideon Alon, Ha'aretz, March 2, 2005). There is ample information in the Israeli media regarding the frustration of the Gaza Strip settlers, who feel that the government is leaving them in the dark. Alex Fishman interviewed Itzick Ilia, deputy Mayor of the regional council of the Gaza Strip settlements, who says he represents between 70 and 80 percents of the settlers who are willing to leave. He reports a meeting where “people poured out their problems… People cried and shouted. No one talks to them. There is some new law that appeared in the internet, but people don't even know what exactly are their compensation rights” (Yediot Aharonot, Weekend Supplement, March 18, 2003).
(2) Sima Kadmon, Yediot Aharonot, Weekend Supplement, March 4, 2005, (Mina Zemach's “Dahaf”' poll).
http://www.tau.ac.il/~reinhart
Printed in the Israeli main daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot, March 23, 2005. Translated from Hebrew by Mark Marshall
==============================
* [Ed. note: The Israeli "left" is mainly the remnants of the national-socialist movement that lead the settler colonialist project since the 20s of the 20th century and in the first 29 years of Israel (till 1977).]
** [Ed. note: Tania Reinhart was a long time activist in the anti Zionist left, a professor of linguistics and a declared anarchist. She had a collumn in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.
Sharon is known as a man who has not always told the truth. At the time of the Lebanon war, he succeeded in concealing his plan even from the then-Prime Minister, Menachem Begin. He has no problem making promises and then not fulfilling. For three years now he has been promising the US that he will immediately evacuate at least the outposts that were created during his current term as Prime Minister. So what? - He can always propose a new commitment that would postpone the realization of the previous one. Why should the Gaza “Disengagement” be any different? The answer that the Right and the Left agree on is that this time Sharon has changed. That is an interesting answer in the realm of psychology. But what confirmation does it have in the realm of facts? It is much easier at the present to imagine many scenarios in which there will not be any evacuation of settlements in July, than the one in which there will be an evacuation.
Let's take for example the problem of the evacuees. That is a real problem. The Gaza Strip settlers went there at the behest of the Israeli government. They must be compensated for this dreadful idiocy, to allow them to rebuild their lives. A government that really wanted to evacuate them would have already given them the compensation, so they could leave before the evacuation. In the evacuation of Yamit, in 1982, the overwhelming majority of the residents were compensated and left before the evacuation. Those who were present in the confrontation on the scene were settler activists from the outside, with whom it is easier to deal than with families actually living there. According to Yonatan Bassi, head of the Disengagement Administration, over half of the present Gaza Strip settlers have already expressed their willingness to leave (1). So why doesn't Sharon facilitate their immediate departure? Could it be that he wants the photographs of the first attempt to evacuate them to show us entire families with their children, whose world has been destroyed, so that we will understand through empathy that it is simply impossible to evacuate?
And why this foot-dragging over the Budget? What the right-wing opponents of the Budget are demanding is a referendum. The mainstream of the settlers camp is not interested in a complete break with Israeli society. Their leaders are saying that they will be ready to accept the decision, but only if it is proven clearly that it is the will of the majority. The Likud rebels of course have their own agenda, which they hitch to this demand. But precisely on this issue, it is a simple matter to call their bluff by giving them what they demand. According to all the polls, there is a decisive and stable majority of 60%-70% in favour of the evacuation of Gaza. Even in the poll taken a couple of days after the terror attack at the Stage Club in Tel Aviv, 66% said they would have voted “yes” for the plan, had a referendum taken place that day (2). The disengagement will pass in a referendum. That is clear even to the Right. Why then does Sharon oppose it? Perhaps he does not really want the settlers to compromise and accept the will of the majority? Maybe he is afraid that if the evacuation decision passes in the referendum it will have to be actually carried out sooner or later?
All there is, then, is the faith that Sharon has changed. In its name, all the parties of the Left are obediently lined up behind him. Not only the Labour, which would be probably willing to sit in any government, even one headed by “Gandhi”*; but also Yahad and Hadash**. Sharon is submitting for approval a budget of plunder and robbery, that cuts further the surviving remnants of public services, and all the left-wing parties have to say is that we have to help him to pass it, because he said that he will evacuate settlements. Of the 100,000 people who showed up for the demonstration of the Left parties a year ago, that demanded a pullout from Gaza, 90,000 stayed home in this week's demonstration. Could it be that many of them feel in their heart of hearts that they are being deceived? The Israeli Left chose to commit suicide. It is no longer beholden to its voters. It is beholden only to Sharon.
* “Gandhi” is the peculiar nickname in Israel of Rehavam Ze'evi, a former general and politician who was assassinated in 2001 while serving as Israel's Minister of Tourism. He had a reputation as an extreme nationalist and anti-Arab chauvinist who openly supported transfer. The present Sharon- Labour government decided lately to establish a national memorial day for him, similar to that of Rabin. [M.M] ] ** Yahad is a moderate Zionist party headed by Yossi Beilin. It supports a two-state solution. Hadash is the Israeli Communist Party, headed by Muhammad Barakeh. It is a non-Zionist Jewish/Arab party. [M.M]
---------------------------
(1) “Some 800 of the 1,700 families living in Gush Katif and northern Samaria have already expressed willingness in principle to leave their homes under the disengagement plan and negotiate over financial compensation, according to Yonatan Bassi, who heads the disengagement administration. Of the remaining 900 families, he believed …[only] 300 families, the hard core of settlers opposed to the evacuation, would refuse to leave of their own accord” (Gideon Alon, Ha'aretz, March 2, 2005). There is ample information in the Israeli media regarding the frustration of the Gaza Strip settlers, who feel that the government is leaving them in the dark. Alex Fishman interviewed Itzick Ilia, deputy Mayor of the regional council of the Gaza Strip settlements, who says he represents between 70 and 80 percents of the settlers who are willing to leave. He reports a meeting where “people poured out their problems… People cried and shouted. No one talks to them. There is some new law that appeared in the internet, but people don't even know what exactly are their compensation rights” (Yediot Aharonot, Weekend Supplement, March 18, 2003).
(2) Sima Kadmon, Yediot Aharonot, Weekend Supplement, March 4, 2005, (Mina Zemach's “Dahaf”' poll).
http://www.tau.ac.il/~reinhart
Printed in the Israeli main daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot, March 23, 2005. Translated from Hebrew by Mark Marshall
==============================
* [Ed. note: The Israeli "left" is mainly the remnants of the national-socialist movement that lead the settler colonialist project since the 20s of the 20th century and in the first 29 years of Israel (till 1977).]
** [Ed. note: Tania Reinhart was a long time activist in the anti Zionist left, a professor of linguistics and a declared anarchist. She had a collumn in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.
Israel-Palestine, Truth from the land of Israel as told by Anarchists Against The Wall people - Saffa, Billin, Deir Ballut Tel Aviv. 25 Mar
Billin 22-3-05: facts you aught to know by kobi snitz Today's demonstration was marked by yesterdays events. First of all, at the demonstration yesterday, a young boy was hit by a rubber bullet and lost his eye. While waiting for today's demonstration to begin, 'I', one of the organizers commented, "you see, people don't come out today, when the kid lost his eye that was it for them". The other news came last night. It turns out that someone uprooted olive trees from the village lands and loaded them onto a truck. The truck was marked with the writing "Bika'a Bulldozers" but the order came from somewhere in the murky legal construct that is the civil administration that is the army that is the settlers' councils that is the state of Israel. With the help of the women from Machsom Watch, the head of the village council together with the land owner tried to file a complaint at the police station. The police refused to accept the complaint on the grounds that the uprooted trees will be returned. The representative of the civil administration protested the return of the trees "how do i know it is even his land ?" At today's demonstration, a village representative asked Oren Tibi, the border policeman in command, to pass and go examine the uprooted trees from the day before. After some consultation the request was refused. The usual legal device used to separate people from their land and from their right to demonstrate is the issuing of a "closed military zone". Today the police did not even bother with this pretext but simply announced that people will not be going anywhere. With his version of diplomacy, Oren Tibi explained to the villagers that they should have coordinated in advance so that they would have permission to go to their lands. Since military closed zones are not announced in advance and since one was not even declared this time the implication is that the villagers must by default seek permission in advance from unspecified authority every time they wish to go to their fields.
What had everyone in billin talking today was the news of a house being burnt by a shock grenade thrown by the border police on the previous day. In a surprising move, the border police spokesperson responded to questions about the incident saying that the the grenade was thrown from a distance and so any damage done was unintentional. Less surprisingly, it turns out that his version is pure fiction. Witnesses and photos show a border police reaching and opening a window in order to throw the grenade into the house. When asked about the grenade from the day before, Oren Tibi who coammanded the troops who burnt the house told the people on whose land he was standing that "you aught to know that when you come down here and throw stones we will respond".
A large demonstration is planned for Friday 25/03/05
See pictures at:
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/2759/index.php
--------------------------
Saffa, Billin, Deir Ballut March 24-25 2005 by kobi snitz
Pictures at: https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/2787/index.php
Saffa March 24
A crowd of about 100 villagers with several Israeli anarchists and 2005 international peace activists managed to outwit the border police troop under the command of Oren Tibi.
The demonstrators walked around Tibi's troops who were running up the hill when the demonstrators were already at the bulldozers. The Bulldozer operator fled before a well placed rock smashed the machine's windshield. A brave shabab was dancing on the abandoned Bulldozer with a Palestinian flag as the security guards arrived. These guards are employed by the private contractors and are armed with nothing but uzis, they are considered so unpredictable and dangerous that it was almost a relief when the Border Police arrived. The joy at seeing the Border Police faded quickly as they attacked the crowed with shock grenades, tear gas (some of which blew back in their faces) and rubber bullets. An Israeli woman was grabbed by the police but the village women who were present in a sizable contingent grabbed her back and released her from their clutches. However, Two Israelis anarchists were arrested nevertheless.
The demonstration at Saffa was front page news on Palestinian dailies in their March 25 edition and aired on Al-Jazeera on the evening of the 24th. When video footage of the same demonstration was presented to a producer at Israel channel 10 he rejected it without taking his feet off his desk. This producer and others like him maintain the perception in Israel that the situation is peaceful and improving. For a more meaningful political discussion than that available on channel 10, one can go to Saffa. In an open air political salon held under an olive tree after the demonstration on the 24th the conversation ranged from support for a bi national state to Silvan Shalom turning down the peace offer from the Arab summit before it was even made, to the corruption of Muammar Khaddafi. Several points were made over and over again as they have been repeated to this writer in many places in Palestine:
1) Israeli construction in Palestine is an act of aggression. 2) How can they be expected to have any faith in Israeli talk of peace after 50 years of pushing Palestinians off their lands ? 3) They will accept a peace that allows them to live decently but when offers of peace are turned down those who believe in peace made to look foolish.
4) Why is the genuine Israeli peace camp so small.
March 25th. Deir Ballut and Billin
On the 25th, two more demonstrations were held against the construction of the wall. One in Deir Ballut and one in Billin. At the demonstration in Deir Ballut about 150 villagers together with international and Israeli activists marched towards the bulldozers and were met at the exit from the village by army troops. Very quickly one of the Israeli anarchists was detained by some high ranking officer who also threatened to break his legs. To the Palestinians, the army did more than threaten. Five were hurt, three from rubber bullets and 2 from gas inhalation including an old woman who was inside her house. After praying on the land the speakers addressed the crowed and spoke of their Israeli comrade which has been detained by the army. Responding to this call and risking far more than the consequence of the arrest to the Israeli activist the young men of the village marched towards the group of 5-8 soldiers guarding their comrade and retrieved him.
The demonstration in Billin on the same day featured an appearance by Mustafa Barghouthi as well as about 100 villagers, international and Israeli activists. The night before the army raided the village at 2 am entering homes and looking for young men to arrest. A contact at Machsom Watch reported that an army officer told her that the army intends to break the village. So it was that the Border Police did not wait for the demonstration to even leave the village and simply started shooting tear gas and shock grenades as soon as the demonstration started. One man was injured by a rubber bullet, one of the Israeli anarchists was injured by a tear gas canister and another checked into hospital in Ramallah after suffering from breathing difficulties caused by tar gas.
------------------------
Trial of anti-wall activists April 4, at 8:30, 1 Weitzmann Street, Judge Tzion Kapach - by Nimrod
The accused: Roi, Nimrod Kerrett and Ariel. [I (Nimrod) am only writing first names of other since I haven't discussed this with them].
On the 21st of december, a peace activist called Itai got a rubber bullet in his eye (note: this is not the famous Gil Na'amati incident, Itai's case drew much less media attention). Here is a photo taken a few days after the incident:
https://israel.indymedia.org/media/all/display/15
He was the guy asking the army with a megaphone to stop shooting peaceful and unarmed demonstrators, as seen on the video here:
http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/93127
A few hours later, there was a demonstration in Tel Aviv (at the good old "demonstration square" across the street from the ministry of defense). Since this was the second Israeli activist being wounded by Israeli soldiers in a short period, people were quite agitated. One of the slogans I remember from the demonstration was: "First Gil, now Itai, when is MY turn?"
After a while, people started blocking the road, yet the situation never got NEAR the levels of violence you've seen lately in the pre-meditated blockades organized by the right wing (burning tires and all). It just happened (natural under such circumstances), and after a while there was a negotiation with the police and it was decided to march somewhere else escorted by lots of police cars. At the junction of Ibn Gvirol and Dizengoff, a few hundreds of meters from the initial location, something happened. Whatever it was, the indictment starts like this:
"1. On 23rd or March 2004, around 21:00, dozens of people have GATHERED AT THE JUNCTION of Ibn Gvirol and Dizengoff in order to demonstrate AGAINST GOVERNMENT POLICY"
Already a BLATANT LIE. We got there escorted with lots of police cars (which is something the police MUST have noticed), AFTER some negotiation that apparently didn't work out, AFTER a demonstration against the fact that A FRIEND OF MINE GOT SHOT IN THE EYE BY AN ISRAELI SOLDIER. (sorry for shouting. It still infuriates me :)
The rest of the indictement is just as fictional (as might be proven in court, but who knows). I (Nimrod) wasn't at the spot when it all started (I went to buy water for me and others).
All I can say is that when I got back, some of the people were arguing with the police in Ibn Gvirol Street. Before I even understood what was happening, I was strangled from behind (I never even saw my attacker, but I assume the criminal must have been a policeman since he wasn't arrested :). I've almost fainted, before policemen started to help Mr X drag me towards a police car. During that "trip" someone (Mr Y?) punched me in the eye. This time I could see the faces of the people holding my legs and from their indifferent response to the punch I got, I assume Mr Y is also a policeman.
Ariel, friend and Abu-Kabir "room mate", told me that he stayed on the sidewalk (i.e. couldn't be even remotely suspected of "blocking the road in order to disturb the peace and terrorize the public" as we're all being accused of). He says he clearly told his friends he was leaving the place because he had something important to do the next day and couldn't be allowed to be arrested.
Having said that, he got dragged by a policemen to the road in order to be arrested for being there. All in one smooth move. A group of minors were also detained overnight at the minor section of Abu Kabir. I understand that their trial has already started.
"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made" -- Otto von Bismarck But if you're still curious, come see the circus. I'll be there (I HAVE to. It's the LAW ;) Peace, Nimrod
What had everyone in billin talking today was the news of a house being burnt by a shock grenade thrown by the border police on the previous day. In a surprising move, the border police spokesperson responded to questions about the incident saying that the the grenade was thrown from a distance and so any damage done was unintentional. Less surprisingly, it turns out that his version is pure fiction. Witnesses and photos show a border police reaching and opening a window in order to throw the grenade into the house. When asked about the grenade from the day before, Oren Tibi who coammanded the troops who burnt the house told the people on whose land he was standing that "you aught to know that when you come down here and throw stones we will respond".
A large demonstration is planned for Friday 25/03/05
See pictures at:
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/2759/index.php
--------------------------
Saffa, Billin, Deir Ballut March 24-25 2005 by kobi snitz
Pictures at: https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/2787/index.php
Saffa March 24
A crowd of about 100 villagers with several Israeli anarchists and 2005 international peace activists managed to outwit the border police troop under the command of Oren Tibi.
The demonstrators walked around Tibi's troops who were running up the hill when the demonstrators were already at the bulldozers. The Bulldozer operator fled before a well placed rock smashed the machine's windshield. A brave shabab was dancing on the abandoned Bulldozer with a Palestinian flag as the security guards arrived. These guards are employed by the private contractors and are armed with nothing but uzis, they are considered so unpredictable and dangerous that it was almost a relief when the Border Police arrived. The joy at seeing the Border Police faded quickly as they attacked the crowed with shock grenades, tear gas (some of which blew back in their faces) and rubber bullets. An Israeli woman was grabbed by the police but the village women who were present in a sizable contingent grabbed her back and released her from their clutches. However, Two Israelis anarchists were arrested nevertheless.
The demonstration at Saffa was front page news on Palestinian dailies in their March 25 edition and aired on Al-Jazeera on the evening of the 24th. When video footage of the same demonstration was presented to a producer at Israel channel 10 he rejected it without taking his feet off his desk. This producer and others like him maintain the perception in Israel that the situation is peaceful and improving. For a more meaningful political discussion than that available on channel 10, one can go to Saffa. In an open air political salon held under an olive tree after the demonstration on the 24th the conversation ranged from support for a bi national state to Silvan Shalom turning down the peace offer from the Arab summit before it was even made, to the corruption of Muammar Khaddafi. Several points were made over and over again as they have been repeated to this writer in many places in Palestine:
1) Israeli construction in Palestine is an act of aggression. 2) How can they be expected to have any faith in Israeli talk of peace after 50 years of pushing Palestinians off their lands ? 3) They will accept a peace that allows them to live decently but when offers of peace are turned down those who believe in peace made to look foolish.
4) Why is the genuine Israeli peace camp so small.
March 25th. Deir Ballut and Billin
On the 25th, two more demonstrations were held against the construction of the wall. One in Deir Ballut and one in Billin. At the demonstration in Deir Ballut about 150 villagers together with international and Israeli activists marched towards the bulldozers and were met at the exit from the village by army troops. Very quickly one of the Israeli anarchists was detained by some high ranking officer who also threatened to break his legs. To the Palestinians, the army did more than threaten. Five were hurt, three from rubber bullets and 2 from gas inhalation including an old woman who was inside her house. After praying on the land the speakers addressed the crowed and spoke of their Israeli comrade which has been detained by the army. Responding to this call and risking far more than the consequence of the arrest to the Israeli activist the young men of the village marched towards the group of 5-8 soldiers guarding their comrade and retrieved him.
The demonstration in Billin on the same day featured an appearance by Mustafa Barghouthi as well as about 100 villagers, international and Israeli activists. The night before the army raided the village at 2 am entering homes and looking for young men to arrest. A contact at Machsom Watch reported that an army officer told her that the army intends to break the village. So it was that the Border Police did not wait for the demonstration to even leave the village and simply started shooting tear gas and shock grenades as soon as the demonstration started. One man was injured by a rubber bullet, one of the Israeli anarchists was injured by a tear gas canister and another checked into hospital in Ramallah after suffering from breathing difficulties caused by tar gas.
------------------------
Trial of anti-wall activists April 4, at 8:30, 1 Weitzmann Street, Judge Tzion Kapach - by Nimrod
The accused: Roi, Nimrod Kerrett and Ariel. [I (Nimrod) am only writing first names of other since I haven't discussed this with them].
On the 21st of december, a peace activist called Itai got a rubber bullet in his eye (note: this is not the famous Gil Na'amati incident, Itai's case drew much less media attention). Here is a photo taken a few days after the incident:
https://israel.indymedia.org/media/all/display/15
He was the guy asking the army with a megaphone to stop shooting peaceful and unarmed demonstrators, as seen on the video here:
http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/93127
A few hours later, there was a demonstration in Tel Aviv (at the good old "demonstration square" across the street from the ministry of defense). Since this was the second Israeli activist being wounded by Israeli soldiers in a short period, people were quite agitated. One of the slogans I remember from the demonstration was: "First Gil, now Itai, when is MY turn?"
After a while, people started blocking the road, yet the situation never got NEAR the levels of violence you've seen lately in the pre-meditated blockades organized by the right wing (burning tires and all). It just happened (natural under such circumstances), and after a while there was a negotiation with the police and it was decided to march somewhere else escorted by lots of police cars. At the junction of Ibn Gvirol and Dizengoff, a few hundreds of meters from the initial location, something happened. Whatever it was, the indictment starts like this:
"1. On 23rd or March 2004, around 21:00, dozens of people have GATHERED AT THE JUNCTION of Ibn Gvirol and Dizengoff in order to demonstrate AGAINST GOVERNMENT POLICY"
Already a BLATANT LIE. We got there escorted with lots of police cars (which is something the police MUST have noticed), AFTER some negotiation that apparently didn't work out, AFTER a demonstration against the fact that A FRIEND OF MINE GOT SHOT IN THE EYE BY AN ISRAELI SOLDIER. (sorry for shouting. It still infuriates me :)
The rest of the indictement is just as fictional (as might be proven in court, but who knows). I (Nimrod) wasn't at the spot when it all started (I went to buy water for me and others).
All I can say is that when I got back, some of the people were arguing with the police in Ibn Gvirol Street. Before I even understood what was happening, I was strangled from behind (I never even saw my attacker, but I assume the criminal must have been a policeman since he wasn't arrested :). I've almost fainted, before policemen started to help Mr X drag me towards a police car. During that "trip" someone (Mr Y?) punched me in the eye. This time I could see the faces of the people holding my legs and from their indifferent response to the punch I got, I assume Mr Y is also a policeman.
Ariel, friend and Abu-Kabir "room mate", told me that he stayed on the sidewalk (i.e. couldn't be even remotely suspected of "blocking the road in order to disturb the peace and terrorize the public" as we're all being accused of). He says he clearly told his friends he was leaving the place because he had something important to do the next day and couldn't be allowed to be arrested.
Having said that, he got dragged by a policemen to the road in order to be arrested for being there. All in one smooth move. A group of minors were also detained overnight at the minor section of Abu Kabir. I understand that their trial has already started.
"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made" -- Otto von Bismarck But if you're still curious, come see the circus. I'll be there (I HAVE to. It's the LAW ;) Peace, Nimrod
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Israel, Youths rally in support of 2 draft resisters* 22 Mar
Fifty high school seniors demonstrated Tuesday at the army's central induction center in support of two youths who intend to refuse to be drafted. The draft resisters, Alex Kohn and Eyal Barmai, were to be part of a group of new draftees in be inducted on Tuesday. They intend to tell the Israel Defense Forces that they will not participate in what they view as an oppressive occupation of the Palestinians.
Along with Kohn and Barmai, the protestors signed a letter urging refusal to serve in the IDF, and supporting conscientious objectors already in military prison. "I will give the officers a letter I prepared, and let them know I have no intention of aiding the occupation," said Kohn. "I know that by the end of the day I will be in prison."
He does not care if he receives a non-combatant job in the military, he said. "Every job in the occupation army gives legitimacy to the army's actions in the territories," he said. "If they were to propose civil service in place of military service, I would be happy to give to society." He noted that his parents do not agree with his views, but respect his decision.
Shomri Tzameret, 21, is a veteran draft resister. Along with five others, he spent nearly two years in prison for refusal to serve, and was released six months ago. He arrived on Tuesday to encourage the younger generation continuing his path.
"I admire their initiative," he said. "The hard thing is the morning. They will wake up each morning and remind themselves why they did this. Every morning they sit there they shorten the occupation and reduce the deaths on both sides."
About 250 teenagers signed the 12th-graders' letter, which they mailed a week ago to the prime minister, the defense minister, the chief of staff, and the minister of education. The letter calls for all teenagers called up for the draft, and all Israeli soldiers, "to consider afresh if you will risk your life and take part in a policy of subjugation and destruction."
"The current policy is not a result of security requirements, but rather of a nationalist, messianic worldview," the letter continues. "Israel is wasting its resources on conducting and occupation and oppression in the occupied territories, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens live in shameful poverty. In recent years, citizens have seen a deterioriation in all public institutions: education, health care, infrastructure, pensions ... They are neglected for the sake of the settlements' continued existence."
The teenagers asked for an alternative means to help society, one "which does not include hurting people."
==========================
* [Ed. note: significant number of the new wave of 250 list of high-schooler refusnics are also involved with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative.]
Along with Kohn and Barmai, the protestors signed a letter urging refusal to serve in the IDF, and supporting conscientious objectors already in military prison. "I will give the officers a letter I prepared, and let them know I have no intention of aiding the occupation," said Kohn. "I know that by the end of the day I will be in prison."
He does not care if he receives a non-combatant job in the military, he said. "Every job in the occupation army gives legitimacy to the army's actions in the territories," he said. "If they were to propose civil service in place of military service, I would be happy to give to society." He noted that his parents do not agree with his views, but respect his decision.
Shomri Tzameret, 21, is a veteran draft resister. Along with five others, he spent nearly two years in prison for refusal to serve, and was released six months ago. He arrived on Tuesday to encourage the younger generation continuing his path.
"I admire their initiative," he said. "The hard thing is the morning. They will wake up each morning and remind themselves why they did this. Every morning they sit there they shorten the occupation and reduce the deaths on both sides."
About 250 teenagers signed the 12th-graders' letter, which they mailed a week ago to the prime minister, the defense minister, the chief of staff, and the minister of education. The letter calls for all teenagers called up for the draft, and all Israeli soldiers, "to consider afresh if you will risk your life and take part in a policy of subjugation and destruction."
"The current policy is not a result of security requirements, but rather of a nationalist, messianic worldview," the letter continues. "Israel is wasting its resources on conducting and occupation and oppression in the occupied territories, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens live in shameful poverty. In recent years, citizens have seen a deterioriation in all public institutions: education, health care, infrastructure, pensions ... They are neglected for the sake of the settlements' continued existence."
The teenagers asked for an alternative means to help society, one "which does not include hurting people."
==========================
* [Ed. note: significant number of the new wave of 250 list of high-schooler refusnics are also involved with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative.]
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Saffa demonstrations continue 17 Mar
Yesterday Media reported 5 demonstrators injured among them one "Israeli*". To day, 3 demonstrators lightly injured, in yet another demonstration against the apartheid wall in the village of Saffa. At around 9:30 around 40 palestinians, 3 iwps women, and 5 israelis who joined them, sat on the path which the buldozer had already worked on. After about half and hour, the villagers walked up to where the buldozer was working, guarded by soldiers, border police and civilian police. The demonstrators did not listen to the army's order to stop and walked right up to them. after less than 5 minuted the soldiers began with a shower of concussion grenades and the demonstrators ran downhill. 2 elderly palestinians were injured, and one israeli who was hit by the soldiers.
The army continued throwing tear gas further back, one which was thrown into the ambulance.
The demonstrators then sat further down the hill, for a few more hours, the Palestinian men held their prayers on the land, and lunch was handed out. there is also a settlement being built on the hill near the village. israelis left at around 1pm. but the palestinians stayed after.
=============================
* [Ad. Note: The persistant Israeli participants are usually of the Anarchists Against The Wall (AATW) initiative.]
The army continued throwing tear gas further back, one which was thrown into the ambulance.
The demonstrators then sat further down the hill, for a few more hours, the Palestinian men held their prayers on the land, and lunch was handed out. there is also a settlement being built on the hill near the village. israelis left at around 1pm. but the palestinians stayed after.
=============================
* [Ad. Note: The persistant Israeli participants are usually of the Anarchists Against The Wall (AATW) initiative.]
Monday, March 14, 2005
Palestine-Israel, The people of Budrus removed 150 meters of the fence which is part of Israel's separation wall by Michal 14 Mar
During a wedding at the village of Budrus- a village which has resisted the Israeli separation wall non violently for over a year, the IDF invaded the village. The army has previously threatened that it will not allow more demonstration to take place and this invasion is understood by the people of Budrus as retaliation for their demonstrations. In the course of the invasion the army used large amounts of violence, shooting continuous bursts of live fire as well as rubber bullets and tear gas. Three villagers were wounded and one was arrested. The shooting continued for a few hours and then the army left. In a spontaneous response, the people of Budrus went out of the village walked to the fence and dismantled about 150 meters of it while singing "no to the fence, yes to a free palestine". following the dismantling, the villagers marched through the village in a victory parade chanting "Budrus, we can do it!"
It is expected that the army will want to strongly retaliate for this action. Please watch for details about israeli* and international support activities in the near future.
the following day, the arested youth was released, the army and police made short incursins into the village without incident and then left.
photo credit AATW* at: https://israel.indymedia.org/feature/display/2595/index.php https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/12/IMG_187.jpg
========================
* Anarchists Against The Wall - AATW
It is expected that the army will want to strongly retaliate for this action. Please watch for details about israeli* and international support activities in the near future.
the following day, the arested youth was released, the army and police made short incursins into the village without incident and then left.
photo credit AATW* at: https://israel.indymedia.org/feature/display/2595/index.php https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/12/IMG_187.jpg
========================
* Anarchists Against The Wall - AATW
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, the first demonstration of women in the village 13 Mar
The demonstration began at around 11, at the village of bil'in. this is the first women's protest the village has organised, altought it seemed to have been organised by the men in the village. about 40 women and school girls of the village of Bil'in, accompanied by 6 israelis* and international women, and about 10 men from the village started making the way towards the buldozers, with the girls chanting: "no to the apartheid wall", aand "stop the occupation". the demonstrators were stopped about 100 meters from where the soldiers were, and stood there while the men from the village negotiated with the army. they were finally "allowed" to continue up the hill to a certain point whichover looked the buldozers. it was decided with threats from the Magav not to try and reach the buldozers. after a while the protests returned to the village. according to the border police, this is the last protest they will "allow", and next time they will put a curfew on the village. after the protests dispersed, the Shabab threw stones, and the Magav were trying to provoc more violence by advancing towards the village and shooting teargas and sound grenades.
Kerem
=================================
* [Ed. note: In most of the joint demonstrations against the fence - "the apartheid wall" the humble Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall are involved... But, even in reports of its members the credit is often missing.]
Kerem
=================================
* [Ed. note: In most of the joint demonstrations against the fence - "the apartheid wall" the humble Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall are involved... But, even in reports of its members the credit is often missing.]
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The daily struggle against the apartheid fence continue 12 Mar
Friday, 11th March, another joint demo of palestinians and Israeli activists. The demo in Bil'in (near upper Modiin) - like the others of its kind, is against the Israeli state robbery of the villagers fields and orchards for expanding the Israeli settlement Mtityahu and against the apartheid fence which separate the villages from the fields and put them in getos. About 200 participated in the demo - Palestinians, Israelis and internationalists, who arrived at the building site in order to stop the works. Private security personal of the site threatened to shoot the demonstrators with live bullets. Military forces that arrived attacked the demonstrators with tear-gas and shock grenades. about 4 palestinians and one Israeli were injured.
While escaping from the military assault, one Palestinian was injured and then was hit and kicked by female border guard soldiers and arrested by them.
During the dispersing the demonstration, the army entered as usually the village with the usual terror activities.
===============================
* At the time of the demonstration, Israeli electronic media reported: "Demonstrations against the fence near Modiin. At the building site, members of the Anarchists Against The Fence are confronting the army, which responds with tear gas grenades".
While escaping from the military assault, one Palestinian was injured and then was hit and kicked by female border guard soldiers and arrested by them.
During the dispersing the demonstration, the army entered as usually the village with the usual terror activities.
===============================
* At the time of the demonstration, Israeli electronic media reported: "Demonstrations against the fence near Modiin. At the building site, members of the Anarchists Against The Fence are confronting the army, which responds with tear gas grenades".
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Budrus, Video clip of the famous joint action of the Anarchists Against The Wall and the local Palestinian villagers 10 Mar
On December 26, 2003, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) deliberately shot at Gil Namati, a 21 year old Israeli protester that demonstrated against the separation fence/wall. Gil was shot in both legs by two live bullets. The incident created a media storm and raised many question. What would have happened if the IDF didn't lie about the shooting of Gil Namati. Would it have justified the actions taken by the security forces? Is there a difference between shooting a Jew and a non-Jew? This film is divided into three parts, the first part presents the investigation which was shown at the press conference and proved the IDF was lying about the reasons for the shooting, the second part criticizes the investigation itself and how the media reacted and portrayed the incident and the separation barrier, and the third part is a propaganda piece about the “danger” the anarchists poses in Israel.
Media File the_right_to_protest.mov
Artist/Provider David Massey
Keywords Israel, palestine, media, activism, protest, anarchy, anarchism, middle east
See also http://alllies.org/zope/home/english/video/video4
Duration 00:30:00
File Size 75MB (video/quicktime) ?
Date Posted 30 Jan 2005
Download http://images.indymedia.org/imc/washingtondc/media/video/10/the_right_to_protest.mov
Media File the_right_to_protest.mov
Artist/Provider David Massey
Keywords Israel, palestine, media, activism, protest, anarchy, anarchism, middle east
See also http://alllies.org/zope/home/english/video/video4
Duration 00:30:00
File Size 75MB (video/quicktime) ?
Date Posted 30 Jan 2005
Download http://images.indymedia.org/imc/washingtondc/media/video/10/the_right_to_protest.mov
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Israel, Media, Investigation For Incitement Against "Indymedia" (Israel*) Closed Mar 8
The investigation was opened by [former legal advisor of state] Rubinstein following publication of a picture of Sharon kissing Hitler The state announced yesterday (Tuesday) the closure of the investigation case for suspected incitement against the internet site "Indymedia" (Israel). With that, the Assistant State Attorney for Special Tasks, Attorney Shai Nitzan, stressed that he does not view the steps being taken against web-sites as detracting from the freedom of expression but rather as a tool in the struggle against racism and violence. The investigation against the site's administrators was opened in December 2003, by order of the former Attorney General legal Elyakim Rubinstein, following publication of a caricature by a user from abroad, in which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is seen kissing with Hitler. Shortly following the opening of the investigation the Association for Civil Rights Attorney Avner Pinchuck contacted Rubinstein and called on him to drop the investigation against the administrators of the "Indymedia" web-site.
Attorney Pinchuck claimed that Rubinstein's orders to open the investigation contradict the recommendations of the Spanic Committee (a committee established at the Ministry of Justice, chaired by Attorney Tana Spanic, to analyze electronic trade), that internet service providers should not be held responsible for publications that are not their own in regards to everything relating to damage claims or copyright laws. "The investigation and the manner in which it has been carried out threatens to choke the public space offered by the internet and the public discourse occurring within it", wrote Pinchuck to Rubinstein.
Attorney Nitzan announced in a letter to the Association for Civil Rights, that after analyzing the finding of the investigation against "Indymedia" he decided, on the decision of the Attorney General Meni Mazuz and the State Practitioner Eran Shender, on dropping the case. This, even though the site did not go off-line, but moved to the global "Indymedia" web-site and appears under the link Israel.
With that, Nitzan stressed that opening a criminal investigation against the administrators of internet sites for incitement doesn't contradict the recommendations of the Spanic Committee that refer to civil responsibility only. In that, Attorney Nitzan denied the latest publications that the Ministry of Justice has lately contacted site administrators and demanded them to be more prudent about editing inciting and violent comments by users. According to him, there were individual cases where the Legal Department contacted site administrators following specific publications.
original publication in ha'aretz.co.il
============================
* Ed. note: http://israel.indymedia.org is administered mainly by people of the Tel Aviv anarchist scene which include the core of the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall/fence initiative]
Attorney Pinchuck claimed that Rubinstein's orders to open the investigation contradict the recommendations of the Spanic Committee (a committee established at the Ministry of Justice, chaired by Attorney Tana Spanic, to analyze electronic trade), that internet service providers should not be held responsible for publications that are not their own in regards to everything relating to damage claims or copyright laws. "The investigation and the manner in which it has been carried out threatens to choke the public space offered by the internet and the public discourse occurring within it", wrote Pinchuck to Rubinstein.
Attorney Nitzan announced in a letter to the Association for Civil Rights, that after analyzing the finding of the investigation against "Indymedia" he decided, on the decision of the Attorney General Meni Mazuz and the State Practitioner Eran Shender, on dropping the case. This, even though the site did not go off-line, but moved to the global "Indymedia" web-site and appears under the link Israel.
With that, Nitzan stressed that opening a criminal investigation against the administrators of internet sites for incitement doesn't contradict the recommendations of the Spanic Committee that refer to civil responsibility only. In that, Attorney Nitzan denied the latest publications that the Ministry of Justice has lately contacted site administrators and demanded them to be more prudent about editing inciting and violent comments by users. According to him, there were individual cases where the Legal Department contacted site administrators following specific publications.
original publication in ha'aretz.co.il
============================
* Ed. note: http://israel.indymedia.org is administered mainly by people of the Tel Aviv anarchist scene which include the core of the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall/fence initiative]
Saturday, March 5, 2005
Palestine-israel, Dir Balut, The daily struggle continue by Shai 05 Mar
About 300 people from the village Dir Ballet and other villages of the region, together with Israeli* and "International" activists participated in a demo against the fence at Dir Balut. The villages Dir Balut, Rafa, and Z'awia are located at the base of a "finger" that will be annexed to Israel to connect Ariel settler city [And cut the Palestinian territories to fragments.]
Inhabitants of the villages and the Israeli and foreign activists converged at the center of the village Dir Balut and around 11:00 the demonstration march started. "Three kilometer march bring us to the fence building site.
Though since July 2004 stay of the works, the rote was changed a bit, still 70% of the villages fields will be on the other side of the fence when completed. at
The march include old folks and children as well. The going towards the bulldozers is not simple. There is no clear path and there is need to jump between rocks. The view is wonderful. The fence pass in a green ravine with Spring flowers of all colors all around. The ugliness created by the fence is just unbearable.
Because of the rough topography, the demonstrators scatter all around the hill that border on the ravine the works are done in. Part of the demonstrators call towards the soldiers, some are arranging a prayer, and part - mainly children and the youngsters throw stones in the direction of the Border Police located in the too far ravine.
The Border Police reply with shots of tear gas canisters.... but the wind (and justice) Cray it back towards them.
Around 14:00 we start to return to the village as it is Friday and late regretfully we [the Israelis] have to sadly decline the invitation to a meal as we have to catch the last buss home.
============================
* [Ed. Note: The main electronic media still report on each demonstration along the fence Israeli activists participate in. They lately do not stress every demo that the Israeli Anarchist Against The Wall/Fence initiative are involved.]
Inhabitants of the villages and the Israeli and foreign activists converged at the center of the village Dir Balut and around 11:00 the demonstration march started. "Three kilometer march bring us to the fence building site.
Though since July 2004 stay of the works, the rote was changed a bit, still 70% of the villages fields will be on the other side of the fence when completed. at
The march include old folks and children as well. The going towards the bulldozers is not simple. There is no clear path and there is need to jump between rocks. The view is wonderful. The fence pass in a green ravine with Spring flowers of all colors all around. The ugliness created by the fence is just unbearable.
Because of the rough topography, the demonstrators scatter all around the hill that border on the ravine the works are done in. Part of the demonstrators call towards the soldiers, some are arranging a prayer, and part - mainly children and the youngsters throw stones in the direction of the Border Police located in the too far ravine.
The Border Police reply with shots of tear gas canisters.... but the wind (and justice) Cray it back towards them.
Around 14:00 we start to return to the village as it is Friday and late regretfully we [the Israelis] have to sadly decline the invitation to a meal as we have to catch the last buss home.
============================
* [Ed. Note: The main electronic media still report on each demonstration along the fence Israeli activists participate in. They lately do not stress every demo that the Israeli Anarchist Against The Wall/Fence initiative are involved.]
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