Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Media, Another morning of joint struggle at Bil'in route of the apartheid fence. 31 May

Tens of inhabitants of Bil'in villagers with activists of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative, and internationals, demonstrated this morning against the apartheid fence robing most of the land of the village.
The demonstrators brought with them a metal construction model of wall on which was written in English, Arabic, and Hebrew: "The wall over our dead bodies". They chained themselves to it in order to hinder the building of the fence. The army and border police arrested 3 Palestinians, an Israeli and an international activist. Report from the village say that one of the Bil'in committee against the fence was seriously harmed by beating by the army forces. The soldiers were conducting a pursuit after the demonstrators in the village - shooting tear gas and rubber bullets.

Sunday, May 29, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, Beit Surik - the daily struggle continue 29 May

Friday, the Israeli state forces "succeeded" to block a contingent of anarchists against the wall initiative who were on their way to a joint demonstration against the apartheid fence at Bil'in. The army and police detained the Israelis on their way at the Nielin road block. First, the comrades were detained for three hours at the road block on the pretext that the region was declared a closed military zone - open only for the Israeli colonialist settlers. Than they were arrested and were arrested and held two additional hours at the Givat Zeev police before being released. However, like previous times when our comrades were prevented from arriving to joint demos, round about routs were found, and so was today's Sunday. This time, to another village of the region where two monthes ago state forces masquarading as Palestinians shoot on demonstrators and arrested few of them. The nonviolent demonstration at the fence building succeeded today to stop the works.

See also

* https://israel.indymedia.org/media/all/display/1011/index.php
* https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/application/12/beit-surik.wmv

In the demonstration participated less than a hundred local villagers, Anarchists Against The Wall and internationals. However, they succeeded to prevent the army and the builders company to do preparation works for the heavy equipment and bulldozers that will be used to rob big part of the lands of Beit Surik.

The demonstration started to march from Beit Surik towards the route of the fence at 09:00 in the morning. They arrived to the vicinity of the settlement Har Adar from where the surveyors of the route were supposed to start their day work.

Five jeeps of the border police, a police car of the special forces, and a lorry with horses of mounted police arrived as a reinforcement to the builder company guards.... But all of them stayed within the parameters of the settlement and did not approach the demonstrators.

The stand still continued till noon, when the state forces and surveyors left the place, and so did the demonstrators... With no arrested or injured among the demonstrators, the works were stopped for the day.

The works on the route of the fence through the lands of Beit Surik were blocked for few months by a stay order of the Israeli pseudo "highest court of justice", which canceled it few weeks ago following a minor change in the route. The army notified the inhabitants of Beit Surik that the works will resume to day... but failed to do so.

In the previous round of demonstrations two months ago Israeli forces masquerading as Palestinians shoot on the demonstrators and detained 6 of the demonstrators, but released them when they have learnt that Israelis who were in the demo photographed their activity and delivered the material to the media.

A short video clip of that shooting is at:

https://israel.indymedia.org/media/all/display/1011/index.php

https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/application/12/beit-surik.wmv

Instructions: If it's not working, press on the second link with the right button of the mouse and then "Save target as..." (in Internet Explorer) or "Save link as..." (in FireFox)

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Israel - Ireland match provides a chance for solidarity with people of Palestine by Dermot - WSM * 25 May

A Clear Case of Off-Side In June, Israel come to Dublin to play against the Republic as part of a European group World Cup qualifiers. As much as we might seek to escape via football, football does not escape the realities of the world. Israel is a state where racism exists and is rife. We can send a message of solidarity and support to the people of Palestine on that Saturday in June Marx said that religion was the opium of the people but sport has eclipsed man's fascination with the supernatural. Football is the heroin of sport. I can remember the first time I stood with my father on a terrace and watched men chase a bag of wind around a field. I still can be found standing on those steps in all sorts of weather.

In June, Israel come to Dublin to play against the Republic as part of a European group World Cup qualifiers. You know this already! What you probably don't know is that the man who scored the equaliser for Israel in Tel Aviv is called Abus Suan, and he is subjected to racism in his homeland because he is an Israeli Arab. He plays for a team called Bnei Sakhnin, in the town of Sakhnin. This team is unusual as they have 12 Arab, seven Jewish and four foreign players and a Palestinian president. They play their games 19 miles from their town, and when they show up to other games they are subjected to chants like “death to Arabs”.

As much as we might seek to escape via football, football does not escape the realities of the world. Israel is a state where racism exists and is rife. Barriers are not broken down in this place, in fact it's busily erecting a wall around the Palestinian community there. The wall is being built with the help of the Irish Company - Cement Roadstone.

Football is supposed to be about breaking barriers down. We can send a message of solidarity and support to the people of Palestine on that Saturday in June. We can let the Israelis know that we don't have any truck with their systematic killing, torture, and oppression of the Palestinian people. We should let them know we are against the criminalisation of young people who refuse to serve in the executors of this oppression, the national army. We do not tolerate racism in our football grounds around the country, we should certainly not tolerate the inhuman attitude of the Israeli state towards Arabs.

While the football team of Israel is attempting to qualify for the world cup in the European qualifiers, Palestine compete in the Asian qualifiers. They have no stadium, very little money, and the players from Gaza are frequently prevented from travelling by the Israeli authorities. They were not allowed attend a training camps in either Egypt or Hungary, despite protestations from FIFA. When they make it to the playing field it is an achievement in itself. As the General Secretary of the Palestinian FA says "It is amazing to see the colours [of our flag] outside our land... It is also a great challenge for the Israelis and their checkpoints. We are saying, 'We are here, we can reach Spain, Chile, the whole world.”
------------------------------------------
This article was originally to be published in Workers Solidarity 86 but production delays mean it will not appear until after the match. http://struggle.ws/wsm
========================
* WSM is an Irish anarchist organization

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Hebron, Israeli anarchists earned an internationalist reputation 22 May

Last week, Hebron activists, in the name of the people most effected by the religio-rachist settlers hooliganism, asked for involvement of Israeli (Jewish) activists to try to deter the hooligans, or at least to draw the attention of the media. They asked especially for the anarchists from Tel-Aviv. (In addition to the general media reporting about the AATW* part in the struggle against the apartheid wall, they got probably also first hand information from the villagers of the South Hebron Mountain region, where the AATW are involved with locals in the struggle against the separation fence.) The action was carried out on Saturday afternoon. Following are comrade report and then media reports about the action:

A report of activist:

"The attempt for solidarity visit of Israelis at the Palestinian families at the Tel Rumeida neighborhood of Hebron ended with mass arrest.

Tens of Israelis are detained these minutes [at time of the report - they all were released later - Ed.] as they tried to visit Tel Rumeida. Last few weeks, the Hebron [Jewish] settlers opened a new road for their needs that was not authorized by the Israeli army. The road was built on private lands of Palestinian inhabitants of Tel Rumeida, who are suffering daily harassment [for years] from the settlers.

A group of of Israeli activists traveled to day for a solidarity visit with Palestinian families of Tel Rumeida. The aim of the visit was to meet the inhabitants and to learn the conditions there.

In spite of the fact that the planned visit was nonviolent, the police forces were organized from the morning to prevent with any means needed that visit....

Media reports:
From the web site of the main Israeli yellow daily most Israelis read::
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3088411,00.html:
Hebron: 32 leftists arrested

Left-wing activists come to neighborhood of Tel Rumeida to express solidarity with Palestinians, say settlers threw objects at them By Ali Waked and Efrat Weiss

HEBRON - Thirty-two activists were arrested Saturday afternoon by police and soldiers and are now being interrogated by Hebron district police.

The left-wingers demonstrators from several organizations* came to show support for Palestinian residents of Tel Rumeida, whom they said were suffering from harassment by settlers.

According to the Palestinians, neighboring settlers damage their cars and try to take over their homes.

When the marchers got to Tel Rumeida, soldiers told them that they could not enter the area. When the activists ignored the army and walked in anyway, settlers pelted them with rocks, bottles and eggs.

Warned by the army

One activist, Anat, told Ynetnews that the soldiers warned her not to enter the settlers? compound.

?They said it would be taken as a provocation, and we insisted anyway, they called us Nazis, and said that we deserved what the settlers would dole out,? said Anat.

Lawyer Yael Barda said, ?Some of those arrested were handed over to the Hebron police while others went to the Gush Etzion district. Still others, were arrested by the army, which if of course, very illegal.?

Barda said that the demonstrators came to visit Palestinian families after they had complained that the settlers cleared a passage for themselves, while blocking Palestinian access.

The police said, ?The demonstrators were arrested on suspicion of violating a military order by going into Area A and by disturbing the peace.?
===================
* To day Hebrew printed edition of the more "respectable" daily Haaretz reports::
"More than 30 leftist activists were arrested yesterday in protest actions at the Kasba of Hebron, and in places in town near the settlers' sections. About 70 activists - members of the "Anarchists Against The Fence" group and of other organizations, who entered during the weekend into the area under the control of the Palestinian authority in town, infiltrated through it to the Kasba, the market, the region of the "Policeman" square, and the Tel Rumeida [mini settlement in town] - [parts of Hebron that are under Israeli control]......
Near the Tel Rumeida settlement.... there were clashes with the settlers that threw on the demonstrators stones and eggs.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in struggle continues - another Friday demonstration 21 May

It started like many other actions before, by coordination between the village committee activists, and Anarchists Against The Wall (AATW). Then, among other efforts, an announcement was distributed to the wider activists scene some time called "the coalition against the wall/fence"... Just this Friday, like most others, they did not join us. So, like most other demonstrations in Bil'in, it was the Palestinian villagers, the AATW and the International ISM people. First the announcement: [againstwall] Bil'in demonstration this friday "Dear People, There will be a demonstration this friday in Bil'in against the wall which is being built on the village lands.

For background on the struggle in Bil'in see the coverage in the indymedia:

https://israel.indymedia.org/feature/display/3077/index.php

https://israel.indymedia.org/mod/search/dosearch/index.php?dosearch=1&searchtext=billin

We have been pretty successful in bringing relatively large numbers of Israelis to Bil'in in the last few weeks and getting the struggle in Bil'in noticed. Lets keep it up !

We hope to be able to get a bus from tel aviv but for that we need people to commit to coming. if you can come please call yonatan or kobi (phone numbered snipped)"

Saturday morning, about 50 of us started the travel to Bil'in. Most of us by a buss, taking a risking/gamble we will have to face an Israeli army harassment on the way, which will need some sneaking. In order to arrive in time for the demo, we started 90 minutes before the demo - a ride of 30 minutes...

We did not even tried to arrive through the straight road to Bil'in... The first harassment occurred, when stopped at a point along the road, to cross some hill by foot to Nilin village - resume the travel from there by local cabs... The army patrol on the main road detected our tactic a bit too late. We were about hundred meters forward in the hill path before they tried to stop us.

After a short and fast crossing of the hill, few cabs came to take us to Bil'in - the first one with me in it succeeded to travel the road with no problem. Two other cabs were intercepted by the army patrol, who confiscated the keys of the cars....

As many of the comrades are well acquainted with the region after few months of cat-and-mouse encountered on the way to Bil'in, The comrades walked a bit by foot and then hitchhiked the few kilometers left to the village and arrived in time to take a rest before the demo - in the "guest house".

In the Guest hose, we prepared some placards and a few of us also a kind of "group theater", in which both Israelis and Palestinians put on our breasts small flags of the counties involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We crossed with black adhesive type our mouths - symbolizing the minor care of these countries.

We started the march to the route of the site of fence-in-building in which the works have already stopped for the weekend not expecting serious clash this time. The theater group was advanced to the front and we did the kilometer march to the route with hands locked while the rest of the marchers behind us.

After about 15 minutes march, we reached a point 100 meters from the route in which a chain of military and police blocked our way physically. At first, they just ordered us not to advance. Next they brought a document declaring the whole region to be a closed military zone - forbidden to the Israelis, they say they gave us 10 minutes to contemplate before starting harsher measures.

When the 10 minutes ended, we just set down on the road road - Israelis and palestinians, locking our arms, in preparation for passive resistance to arrest. The police commander who needed consultation with higher ups said that though the time limit arrived, as we were sitting nicely on the ground, he will let us stay there....

After a while, they decided on their tactics, and they called us "last chance to disperse peacefully", and as we just jeered them, they announced that all of us are under arrest and started to pull by force people from our group theater chain. When they came for picking me up, partly because Palestinian comrades held me tight, part because the soldiers were shamed by them for harassing an old man with white hairs, they left me sitting on the road and went around me to arrest younger comrades.

Some of the people arrested were just carried by their hands and feet. Some were also hit by the carriers when there was not a camera too near to them. As it was really hot, and the carrying of the snatched people was rough and slow, we decided to change tactic, and instead of resisting or dispersing, most of the Israelis decided to do solidarity arrest and we said to the policemen: "OK, you declared we are under arrest, so we go with you peacefully.... And they accompanied us the 100 meters or so to the point on the route of the fence building the previously arrested were located.

There, we all seat together on the rocks. From there, we could see the rest of the demonstration continue further from the route... and were witnesses of the undeceive of the state forces about the treatment to give to 27 arrestees at the beginning of the week end.

With a lot of confusion, the police personnel started to process us at the rout, after a conflict between the army and police forced them to send us from the route to the shade of a near by olive trees orchard (confiscated from the palestinians on the other side of the fence for the enlargement of the near by settlement.)

After a long while they started to put us on police vehicles, releasing the majority of us far away on the road system of the settlers - to find public transportation home. 9 of us, with no obvious criteria, were taken to the police station at the Pisgat Zeev big urban settlement near Jerusalem.

As they failed to bring us before judge in time (which is about 4 hours only at Saturday afternoon), they just did a superficial investigation and the arresting formalities, and after a negotiating of a bargain, they let us all go after sighing each a bail equivalent to 900.- US dollars and agreeing not to approach the area of the route where we were arrested for the following 10 days.
Ilan

Monday, May 16, 2005

Israel, Tel-Aviv, Street political art for the independance/nakba day 16 May

Graphities to commemorate the forced transfer of the Palestinians at 1948 were sprayed all over Tel Aviv, and names of streets were changed in memory of the Nakba. Tens of anarchist self labeled "the committee for the commemoration of the Nakba" roamed at night in the streets of Tel-Aviv, hanged corrected maps in which were marked the villages which were forcibly evacuated in 1948. They have also changed names of streets to these that commemorate what happened in the Nakba - the forced transfer of the indigenous Palestinian people using violence, terror and massacres, to facilitate the building of Israel as a Jewish state.

The maps also included the route of the separation wall which is built in these days, as means to continue the dispossession of the Palestinians from more lands.

Streets were changed in order to introduce the history of the Nakba to the Israeli agenda which suppress and obliterate it. For instance: Dir Yasin street [the famous village near Jerusalem more than 100 of its inhabitants were massacred in one attack], The Intifada street, etc.

The distribution of maps and the changes in names of streets were done for the Israeli "independence day" which is the day of the Nakba under the label of the anarchists for the memory of the Nakba. The group did it as an act political street art of nonviolent protest, that come to commemorate what the Israeli Jewish public make efforts to forget.

As a statement the committee declared:
"Under the celebrating flags you hold high - we still remember that 57 years ago you expelled in our name 700 thousands women, men and children [larger number than the 600 thousands Jews at the land that time] and turned them into refugees. Between the explosion of the firecrackers you shoot, we still remember that you destroyed more than 500 villages in which they lived. The smell of the animals burnt on the barbecue remind us the massacre in Dir Yasin and tens of less famous massacres.

We remember that in beginning of this month the occupation army killed two boys who play football. We came to remind all that the Nakba which started 57 years ago continue till this day.... in your name and in ours, and the resistance to it is the obligation of all of us.

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Asira Al'Shamalia, Tel-Aviv, The daily struggle continue 15 May

Palestinians, Anarchists against The Fence, and ISM dismantled two roadblocks between Nablus and Asira Al'Shamalia. 11 May 2005 In an action which 250 man and women took part in the dismantling of the roadblocks that prevented free movement of people between . Asira Al'Shamalia and Nablus.
In a common action for inhabitants of Asira Al'Shamalia, Anarchists Against The Fence and ISM people two military roadblocks which cut for the last 5 years the village from the city Nablus, where the universities, the hospitals, work places, and other vital services.

The 250 women and men marched towards the roadblocks which were not guarded at that time, and with the help of bulldozers moved the big concrete blocks, leveled the piles of earth, and reopened the road to Nablus.

Since the Israeli army cut the road 5 years ago, the 10 minutes waking distance to Nablus was replaced by a more than an hour of problematic and costly round about way for the teachers, the ill, students and workers.

In the day Israel is celebrating its independent day, entirely disregarding from the Palestinian tragedy caused by it at 1948 and the occupation of 1967, we see a special importance and a unique symbolic meaning to that action.

More than the opening of the road, we are protesting by this act against the canonization policy, the closures these road blocks are expression of.

We will continue to struggle against the occupation and suppression for justice equality and freedom to all.

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, This morning, Palestinians, Anarchists and ISM fortified on the separation fence's route 15 May

The Nakba day of 15th May 1948 was commemorated in the village of Bil'in in another protest against the apartheid fence - the present link in the chain of the Zionist occupation.
At 05:00 in the morning, members of the local committee of village, Anarchists against the fence, and international activists arrived at Bil'in's work site along the route of the separation fence.
The activists fortified themselves inside iron barrels, chained themselves to each other and refused to go away. Their aim was to prevent the bulldozers from continuing in the building the apartheid fence which confiscate more than half of the lands of the village.

At 06:00 in the morning, 10 jeeps of the army, border police, and police arrived. At 07:00 6 israeli activists were detained, amongst them a photographer who was not even taken part in the action. Their excuse was it is a closed military area. At 07:30 - the time the report was written, there were still army forces there, and people worry the village will be victim of a violent suppression of the village.
Adar

Interesting pictures from the action are at:
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/3137/index.php

Electronic media of Israeli main daily:
Breaking News from http://www.ynetnews.com/

Anti-fence protesters detained
Israelis and Palestinians belonging to an anarchist group clashed with IDF soldiers Sunday morning in a bid disrupt construction work on the West Bank security fence.

During the clashes, which took place in the village of Bil'in, forces detained six protesters, the IDF said.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Canada, Film and Art at Montreal's 6th Annual ANARCHIST BOOKFAIR! (May 21, 2005) - Update 11 May

[Full Film and Art Programme included below ... Please post and forward] 10am-6pm 2515 rue Delisle (near Lionel-Groulx metro)MONTREAL, QUEBEC Free! Welcome to all.
Mainspace and 1st floor rooms are wheelchair accessible.
The bookfair is a child-friendly event. Bring your kids!
Free childcare on-site. Kids and Parents Activities.
** The largest anarchist event in North America
** Part of the month-long Festival of Anarchy (April 28-May 24)
** Followed by a full day of Anarchist Presentations and Workshops (May 22, 2005)
Some Bookfair highlights include:
* Introductory Workshops to Anarchism (Rooms 302 and 305):
Twenty-first Century Anarchisms, The History of Anarchism in Quebec, Building an Anarchist Movement: Lessons Past and Present, and more!

* Solidarity Room (Room 125):
People's Global Action (PGA) and the Campaign Against SNC Lavalin (11am); Self-determination in Haiti (Noon); The Struggles of Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk Territories) (1pm); Solidarity Across Borders: The No One Is Illegal March on Ottawa (2pm); Quebec's Student Uprising (3pm).

* Kidz Invasion! (Room 119, Cafe Mozaik, Arts and Crafts Room, outdoors, everywhere):

With Arts & Crafts, Theatre, Dance, Music-Making, Sports and Games for the kids (all ages);

And various discussions on: Deschooling: Getting Society Out of School; Television, Advertising and Kids; Pregnancy and Birth: Empowerment, Change and Action.

Including the Special Film Showing: FREE TO LEARN: The Albany Free School's Radical Experiment in Education (3pm in Cafe Mozaik) (info: http://www.freeschoolmovie.com/)

* The Bookmobile (Outdoors): A traveling collection of approximately 300 book works range from handmade and one-of-a-kind to photocopied and small press publications. http://www.mobilivre.org

* And over 75 distributors, vendors and groups at the bookfair, from Montreal, Quebec, North America, Latin America and Europe (Main Auditorium at CEDA)

For complete information, please consult our website: http://anarchistbookfair.taktic.org

::::::::::

BOOKFAIR FILM PROGRAMME -- In Room #202 of the CEDA

11:00 IT'S ALL LIES! This fascinating documentary looks at a growing and controversial movement in Israel, the Anarchists Against the Wall. Voicing their uncompromising support for Palestinian resistance against Israeli apartheid, the Anarchists Against the Wall fight empire in the belly of the beast. Hebrew with English subtitles, 32 minutes, 2004.

11:40 JALIL MUNTAQIM: VOICE OF LIBERATION. A documentary about Black Panther and Black Liberation Army Political Prisoner Jalil Muntaqim. English, 20 minutes, 2002.

12:10 BEST OF THE LUCIOLES (www.leslucioles.org). Les Lucioles ("fireflies"), an activist video collective in Montreal, has been producing socio-political films since September 2002. The films attempt to show a different reality from that portrayed by traditional media. The collective is proud to be engaged; to denonce, to propose, and to feed social debate. The shorts bring together diverse styles and content (housing crisis, non-status, gay marriage, the keeper, etc.). French, 40 minutes, 2002-2005.

1:00 LE POUVOIR EST DANS LA RUE (Power is in the streets). Alain Tanner, an anarchist film-producer, was present in Paris in May 1968. With this documentary taken on the spot, he gives voice to the street, to those who made May '68. French, 41 minutes, 1968.

1:45 GRASS THROUGH CONCRETE. A 7-minute clip from a documentary about the struggle by First Nations and various Hamilton citizens to protect the Red Hill Valley (one of Canada's largest urban parks) from a four-lane expressway. Through interviews with those involved and on site footage, "Grass through Concrete" raises questions about local democracy, urban sprawl and the value of green space in modern cities. English, 7 minute excerpt.

2:00 ANARCHISM IN AMERICA. This is the Canadian premiere of Anarchism in America - a re-working of Pacific Street Film's 1980 feature-length documentary, which explores new directions in thinking, philosophy and action in North American anarchism. Includes a new interview with Murray Bookchin (25 years after the original) and other contemporary anarchists. English, 45 minutes, 2005.

3:00 GALERES DES FEMMES (Women's hardship). Fleury-Merogis is the biggest women's prision on Europe. This documentary traces the portraits of seven women during their detention and then their attempts at re-insertion. About their quest for life and liberty, solitude, anguish and difficulties. French, excerpts of 1 hour, 1993.

4:00 LEADED, UNLEADED: THE STATE UNLEASHED. This film by Indymedia Beirut documents the 2004 Beirut general strike called to protest skyrocketing prices and lack of social services. The Lebanese army opened fire on protestors in Hay el Seloum, one of the poorest working-class neighbourhoods of Beirut. Consisting of footage of the clashes and interviews, the powerful video places the protests in the historical context of Lebanese state violence. English and Arabic with English subtitles, 34 minutes, 2004.

4:40 A selection of short films, including GHOST SQUAT by Satan McNuggit (English, 6 minutes, 2005).

::::::::::

BOOKFAIR ART EXHIBITS:

The Bookfair is showing diverse works by artists from Montreal and elsewhere, focusing on issues close to anarchists and exploring themes of autonomy. The works can be found in the hallways of the first, second and third floors and on the stage in the Main Hall of the CEDA.

-> Travelling Wobbly Show Panels www.wobblyshow.org

Touring 25 cities in the US and Canada, a collection of graphics commemorating the centennial year of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

-> Celebrate People's History Poster series Josh McPhee (www.justseeds.org)

An on-going project producing and showing posters that focus on important moments in "people's history": from the Mujeres Libres to the recent Bolivian water struggle.

-> History of Street Stenciling Slide show (loop) Josh McPhee

One hundred photos of street stencils from throughout history and around the world, to convey the important role street stenciling has played in social movements.

-> Soleil Radieux and Blitzkrieg Brain Wash Acrylic on wood and mixed media; acrylic on canvas Tournesal Plante

Two works which represent our civilisation, consumption, its opulence. The city is represented as a dump, a place founded on ruins and war.

-> Three tableaus Mixed media Jocelène Jean-Baptiste

The sidewalks are overflowing with discoveries and an unlimited quantity of metal, rusted by acid rain …

-> Recess ; Satellitehead ; Asswipe and untitled Acrylic on canvas Kim Fox

The paintings are part of an ongoing study of North American culture; examining our relationships with television and relations of suppressor vs. suppressed.

-> Punk tribe, Night life, and Killing to Survive Pencil on paper Tal H

Three sketches by an Israeli artist which explore modern tribalism, urban alienation, and survival.

-> Plan Colombia Banner (recycled soda bottle fabric) Beehive Design Collective

This graphic attempts to expose the so-called "war on drugs" as a smokescreen for the interests of multinationals in the Amazon's natural resources.

-> Fight against impunity and international accompaniment in Guatemala Photos Project Accompaniment Quebec Guatemala

The exhibit is meant to raise awareness about the impact and consequences of repression of armed conflict, and about the work of Guatemalan communities and organisations for justice.

-> The Massacre of the Innocents (Guatemala) Diaoramas (wood, paper and ink) Freda Guttman (1984)

Part of a large installation work, "¡Guatemala! The Road of War" created at the height of the brutal repression of the Mayan people of Guatemala; also a homage to Goya's "Disasters of War' etchings.

-> Modern Democracies Acrylic on canvas Nidal El Khairy

Arab countries are "led" by dictatorships that rule with an iron fist, many of them US allies and serving as their local police. American "ideology" is freedom and democracy; American reality is imperialism and hypocrisy.

-> Baghdad - Jerusalem, via Montreal Photographs Ehab Lotayef

A selection of photos from Lotayef's trip to Iraq in 2003 and a few from his trip to Palestine in 2004, which bring home the resistance of daily life under brutal occupations.

-> Reading in the Ruins Diorama (cardboard and paper) Freda Guttman (2004)

Paper replica of a work in Guttman's installation, "Notes From the 20th: Walter". An inspirational confirmation of the power of words, of thinking, of the mind, of understanding and knowledge in the midst of the horror of our times.

-> Unravelling Works on cloth Romy Ceppetelli

Our bodies and their stories are tangible and ephemeral; choices that we make about what to remember and what to let go create history and new possibilities for the present and the future.

--- anarchistbookfair@taktic.org 514-859-9090 http://anarchistbookfair.taktic.org

Israel-Palestine, Tel Aviv, Media: The anarchists hit again.... May 11

At the beginning of the memorial day [late evening] Tens of extreme left activist put up posters in great Tel Aviv, as a memorial for Palestinians killed by Israeli army. The activists [Israeli anarchists adopting a nickname] members of the "anarchist committee for the obliterated memory" put up three kinds of posters. The first one was designed and printed by the villagers of Beit Lakia, in memory for the boys Jamal and Huday Asi, age 14 and 15 killed the previous week. The poster was written in Arabic, to which was added translation into Hebrew with the header "We will remember".

The second poster, designed and printed in Hebrew, with the head line "WANTED". The poster tell the story of the children of the village Bil'in, who demonstrate against the building of the separation fence at their region, against the confiscation of their lands, and against the uprooting of the olive trees orchards. The members of the committee claim that hundreds of the village inhabitants amongst them 150 children were injured from shooting of the "Israel forces of terror,".

The third poster, related also to the demonstrations in Bil'in, in which according to the demonstrators, the army started to use infiltrates masquerading as Palestinians. Under the head line of "abducted" printed a photograph of two of the infiltrates while they are abducting and arresting one of the participants of the demonstration.

Pictures of the two boys killed in Beit Lakia:

http://www.nrg.co.il/images/archive/main/302/662.jpg

"Israel is not democracy"

A member of the committee who asked to remain unanimous, said that the poster were put up especially at the memorial day to remind the Jewish population of Israel, the memory of "fallen whose names are not mentioned in the commemoration day".

It is not a provocation told one of the activists to the reporter of the daily Ma'ariv - NRG electronic. The connection between the military ethos and day of independence is non democratic in its essence, it promote a militarist society which is very far from democracy. This is why we have chosen to do that exactly in the memorial day.

The activist added: "I think that it suits exactly to the memorial day, in which it is the time to remind the true elements behind the wars of Israel for generations. A state in which 8.9 million citizens, and 3 million subjects [who are not citizens] in the occupied territories, is not a democracy".

Monday, May 9, 2005

Israel, WHY US? (On the academic boycott) By Tania Reinhart* May 9

University Teachers to boycott two Israeli universities, naturally raises a hue and cry among Israelis. Why us? And why now, “just when negotiations with the Palestinians might be renewed”? It may be worthwhile, however, to consider how the world perceives us. In July 2004, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Israel must immediately dismantle those parts of the wall that were built on Palestinian lands. We disregarded the ruling. We are turning the West Bank into a prison for Palestinians, as we have already done in Gaza in the course of 38 years of occupation, every one of which is a violation of UN resolutions. Since 1993 we have been engaged in negotiations with the Palestinians, and in the meantime we continued expanding settlements. In its judgement, the Court recommended to the UN that sanctions be imposed on Israel if its ruling is not obeyed. The Israeli reply - no need to worry! As long as the United States is behind us, the UN will do nothing.

In the eyes of the world, the question is what can be done when the relevant institutions do not succeed in enforcing international law? The boycott model is drawn from the past: South Africa also disregarded UN resolutions. At that time as well, the UN (under U.S. pressure), was reluctant to impose immediate sanctions. The South African boycott began as a grass roots movement initiated by individuals and independent organizations. It grew slowly but steadily until it finally became an absolute boycott of products, sport, culture, academia and tourism. South Africa was gradually forced to abrogate apartheid.

The international community is beginning to apply the same model to Israel in all domains, from the Caterpillar bulldozers that demolish Palestinian homes, to sports and culture. In the eyes of the international community, the relevant question is whether the Israeli Academy is entitled, on the basis of its actions, to be exempt from this general boycott. Many in the Israeli Academy oppose the occupation as individuals. But in practice, no Israeli university senate has ever passed a resolution condemning, for example, the closure of Palestinian universities. Even now, when the wall cuts off students and lecturers from their universities, the protest of the Academy is not heard. The British boycott is selective two universities were selected to signal to the Israeli Academy that it is being watched. But the Israeli Academy still has the option of removing itself from the cycle of passive support of the occupation.

One puzzle still remains Why just us? Why is Israel being singled out? What about Russia in Chechnya? What about the United States? What the U.S. did in Falluja, no Israeli general has yet dared to try. Indeed, the logic behind a boycott of Israel dictates that a boycott of the great powers is fully justified. It is only because at the moment there is a greater likelihood of success in stopping a small state, that Israel became the focus. Still, if an effort is made to save first the Palestinians and at least stop the wall, can we condemn that effort as unethical? Is it more ethical to refrain from trying to save anyone until it is possible to save everyone?

As usual, we believe that the solution lies in the realm of force. When the Valencia basketball team tried to boycott Israel in March 2004, and announced that it would not participate in the League Championship if it took place in Israel, the steamroller was set in motion; there were threats, there were mutterings about contracts, until Valencia was forced to relent and play here. Similarly, in the case of the academic boycott, the global Israeli lobby has tracked down, one by one, those who have declared support of the boycott, and have tried to make their lives miserable. The attempt by Haifa University to dismiss Dr.Ilan Pappe in 2002 was not instigated because of the Teddy Katz affair, but because Dr. Pappe openly supported the boycott and signed the original British petition calling for it.

It is possible that the bulldozer, which has come to symbolize Israel, will succeed in reversing the decision of the AUT in England. But will this prevent researchers from boycotting us quietly, without involving the media? Perhaps it would be more worthwhile for the Israeli Academy to direct its anger at the government and demand that it finally put a stop to this wall.
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Yediot Aharonot, May 4, 2005. Translated from Hebrew by Mark Marshall.
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* [Ed. Note: Professor Tanya Reinhart is a long time anarchist activist academian. She have a column in the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot most of the Israelis read.

Saturday, May 7, 2005

Israel-Palestine, Tel Aviv, Alt. media, against the apartheid wall/fence, "Killing of children, moral bankruptcy". May 7

5 Arrestrd at the end of a march after a rally

"Shortly before midnight last night the news spread fast by phone, even before the media published it. The Anarchists Against Fences who are in close daily contact with the villagers of this region got the news and immediately spread it to the other groups and suggested an emergency joint protest at the Ministry of Defence. The others - ourselves of Gush Shalom, Courage to Refuse, Yesh Gvul, Ta'ayush, Women for Peace - immediately accepted and hardly drawing breath started to spread the alarm by phone and email".

Holocaust Day is not normally chosen as a day for protest demonstrations by the Israeli peace movement, though sensivity is eroding by the crude instrumentalization of the memorial events. But the timing of today's protest was none of our choosing.

In the bus on the way to the Defence Ministry, the voice of Prime Minister Sharon, radio broadcast from Poland: "From the Auschwitz Extermination Camp, I tell you: now we Jews can defend ourselves!". Maybe, the shooting down of two unarmed Palestinian boys at the village of Beit Likia last night was also part of "Jews defending themselves"?

As it gradually came out, in the late afternoon yesterday Beit Likia boys had been playing soccer at an empty field a bit outside their village. They suddenly got the urge to stage a protest at another field nearby, where the army habitually parks the bulldozers for the night - the fearsome machines which daily tear up the village fields, much of which stand to be forever alienated once the fence is set tup. The boys went to the bulldozer park, with no Israelis or internationals or even adult Palestinians present. Two of them, aged 14 and 15, did not survive the encounter with the bulldozers' guardian soldiers. (To those not familiar with the geography: Beit Likia is a few kilometres south of Bil'in, where last week's clash with the army took place).

Shortly before midnight last night the news spread fast by phone, even before the media published it. The Anarchists Against Fences who are in close daily contact with the villagers of this region got the news and immediately spread it to the other groups and suggested an emergency joint protest at the Ministry of Defence. The others - ourselves of Gush Shalom, Courage to Refuse, Yesh Gvul, Ta'ayush, Women for Peace - immediately accepted and hardly drawing breath started to spread the alarm by phone and email.

And so, there were between three and four hundred streaming to the Defence Ministry gates. The small parking lot where we often used to rally on this location has now been obliterated by urban renovators and building contractors, leaving only a very narrow strip of pavement in along which a long long picket line could spread and face the traffic with their upraised placards and banners:"Who is breaking the cease-fire?" "Who has blood on his hands?" "Sharon is no partner!" "The Occupation is killing us all". Some exchanges with passing motorists: "But they were throwing stones!" "Does that carry a capital punishment?" "Yes, if they are not settlers"...

After an hour, a shift. A large part of the crowd takes to the street, banners waving, with the repeated chant: "Mofaz, hey hey, how many kids did you kill today?" They walk over street after street, across the town, encountering not unfriendly crowds on the bustling Ibn Gvirol Street and on until the Likud Party Headquarters on King George Street. There, the seemingly inevitable conclusion: riot police charging, breaking up the lines, dragging six protesters into the waiting patrol cars to the din of "Police State!" and "Down with the occupation!" from dozens of young throats.

On TV, minor politicians still mouth clinches about the Holocaust. The dozens of protesters who intend to spend this night in solidarity outside the Harakevet Street Police Station might have learned some more essential lessons.

==== MEDIA REPORT ON THE DEMO ===

Hundreds rally in TA against IDF killing of 2 Palestinian teens By Tamar Traubman, Yoav Stern and Arnon Regular, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service

Hundreds of left-wing protesters demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening against the Israel Defense Forces' killing Wednesday of two Palestinian youths in the West Bank.

The two teenagers were shot dead near the village of Beit Likia, west of Ramallah, during a protest against the construction of the separation fence in the area.

Thursday's protest started opposite the Defense Ministry's Kirya compound in Tel Aviv and from there demonstrators walked to Likud Party headquarters on King George Street. Some 200-300 people attended the rally.

Once the protest left the Kirya compound, the police announced that it was illegal and begin arresting protesters. At least six people were taken in by police. Police said they were arrested for blocking roads.

MK Mohammed Barakeh addressed the rally and told them that "on the day of [remembrance for] the big Holocaust, we must make sure that there is no 'little holocaust' of Palestinians." He also said that the relatively large number of participants, given the short notice of the rally, proves that the "radical left is waking up."

Earliers Thursday, IDF Central Command chief Yair Naveh suspended a senior Combat Engineering Corps officer who commanded the force that shot dead the two Palestinians.

Naveh said the conduct of the deputy company commander was defined as "unreasonable."

Oudai A'asi, 14, and his 15-year-old cousin Kamal A'asi, both from the West Bank village of Beit Lakia, were shot dead while throwing stones together with dozens of other protestors at a separation fence work site next to a village north of Highway 443.

Around 6 P.M., some 200 youths arrived on the scene and began throwing rocks at bulldozers and at the five soldiers who arrived on the scene in a jeep.

Palestinians on the scene said the soldiers initially opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas grenades and at a certain point began firing live ammunition in the air.

Palestinian sources said the cousins were hit by live ammunition.

Ramallah hospital officials said Uday was hit in the hip and thighs and Kamel was hit in the chest.

One IDF soldier was lightly wounded by Palestinian stone-throwers.

Nineteen-year-old Karem Yusuf, who was near the two casualties, described the scene.

"I saw two soldiers but it is possible there were more," he said. "Near the soldiers was a group of 10 youths and around them were some 200 more. The distance from the first group to the soldiers was about 20 meters. Kamel and Uday were next to me when they were shot. A soldier fired several shots and I saw that Kamel was wounded in his chest."

============================== And another demo==========
This Friday, 6.5, there will be another demonstration in the village of Bilin, against the fence and the settlements that are being built on the villages lands. Today, wendsday, the bulldozers started the uprooting of more than 100 olive trees in order to make way for a new section of the apartheid wall.

We will also protest the arrest of the two Palestinians - Riad Mohamad Yassin and Alian Ibrahim Ahmad Abu Rachme, that were attacked and arrested by 'mistaarvim' in the big demonstration last week, and are still being held in ofer detention camp.

You are all welcome to join the struggle of bilin against it's daily oppression.

The demonstaration will start at 13:00. We will go there by public transportation from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem at about 10:30

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, Media reports that anarchists against the wall are active again this morning 04 May

No. It is not the Makhnovitsa, nor is it the Spanish revolution... It is just the only region in the world anarchists are in nearly daily direct action confrontation with the state - in a non violent action against Israeli settler colonialism and especially against the apartheid wall/fence used for the creeping transfer of the Palestinians. This morning the main Israeli radio already reported twice about the anarchists against the wall solidarity action at the Palestinian village Bil'in, the apartheid fence is cutting its fields and orchards. The radio reports on the ongoing activity in which the anarchists chained themselves to olive trees - to hinder the uprooting of an olive orchard situated on the route of the apartheid wall/fence.

This morning, israel.indimedia.org reports: "About 100 demonstrators arrived at dawn to the lands of the village Bil'in in order to prevent the uprooting of olive trees orchard planned for today - as it was officially announced by the occupation authorities to the Bil'in village people.

Since 05:30 in the morning, the demonstrators are standing their ground by chaining themselves to trees. At about 06:00 the army and border police forces started to arrive escorting the the bulldozers which are supposed to uproot the trees.

The Israeli soldiers (licensed vandals) who invaded the village approached the trees to verify whom of the chained are Israeli citizens, in order to arrest them.

At the time of the report, the activists were still on the trees and the official Israeli terrorists are threatening that around 08:15 they will use power to arrest them".

****************************** At the 10:00 news it was announced that 5 of the activists were already arrested, but the action continue.

In the website - update report that there were already 5 anarchists and 5 internationals arrested, but the uprooting is still blocked.

At 10:20, in the morning radio program - reporter give new details: The demonstrators include Palestinians and internationals. One of the Palestinians was injured while removed from a tree.

The activists chose a strategic point in the orchard and this prevent the whole project of uprooting the orchard.

Electronic media report in the name of anarchists at Bil'in action that the injured Palestinian was severely beaten by the Israeli forces.

It also report that the anouncement of the uprooting was unlawfully delivered only a day before not enabling application for a stay to the highest court of justice.

This fence/wall structure is built by Israel to facilitate the transfer of the Palestinians from additional 10% of their lands remained from previous transfers.

These days, the Israeli media "celebrate" the 60th anniversary to the end of the Jewish holocaust. It report on tens of thousands of Israeli Jews teens marching to the extermination camps in Poland. This "educational" project serves as a preparation (and justification) for their doing few years later transfer, suppression and other horrible acts towards the Palestinian like these in Bil'in.

On 22 October 2004, about 12 cities anarchists demonstrated in solidarity with the struggle of the Israeli anarchists and the Palestinians against this Apartheid wall/fence.

(Some people say that 15th of May, the 57th anniversary of the 1948 transfer of the Palestinians and the establishment of the Israeli state is a proper date for such activity. I.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005

US, Oakland, CA. Benefit for Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall (AATW) -- advance notice 03 May

Featuring: Dalit Baum
(Dalit Baum is an Israeli feminist activist with the Coalition of Women for a Just Peace, Women in Black, and Black Laundry. During the last two years she has participated in solidarity actions with Palestinian non-violent resistance to the Apartheid Wall with Anarchists against the Wall.)
Entartete Kunst (class-consciousworker-ownedhip-hopelectronicmusiccollective) Refractors
(members of Deerhoof, Good For Cows, etc.)
Thursday, June 9, 2005 8 pm @ 21 Grand (416 25th St. Oakland, CA 94612)

$5-10/pay what you can;

No-one turned away for lack of funds.

An all ages and wheelchair accessible event.

Everything for Everyone.

For more info please contact:

dhplatform-A-yahoo.com

Monday, May 2, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The struggle against the apartheid wall continue. 02 May

On 1st of May there was another demonstration in Bil'in... does any one know the count? At the end of the day it it summed: lot of tear gas, rubber bullets, shock grenades, 12 wounded by rubber coated metal bullets, and a seriously wounded person rushed to hospital after a tear gas canister was shot to his head. Just as it was done there three weeks ago to another demonstrator*.
About 100 demonstrators could not hinder the army showering of the village with huge amounts of tear gas and rubber bullets after they failed to obtain the decree of "closed military zone" needed to remove us from the vicinity of the work site of the apartheid wall.

For sure we were in some distance of the working machinery, but who care. At the end of the day they declared curfew on the village for a while, you know, just to finish the day with the taste of more....

The two people arrested at the Thursday** demonstration are still detained at the Ofer military compound and wait to be court-martialed. All those who were in that demo is invited to help in their release.
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(en) Palestine-Israel, Bil'in-Tel Aviv, The daily struggle against the wall/fence and the war crimes continue
http://www.ainfos.ca/05/apr/ainfos00037.html (en) Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, a joint grand-demo.
http://www.ainfos.ca/05/apr/ainfos00487.html

Sunday, May 1, 2005

Israel, Jerusalem, Direct action by the anarchists May 1

For the 1st of May, the anarchist action comitee of Jerusalem, locked with advanced means the entrances of 5 locations - shops, banks and conglomerates. (Benleumy [international] bank, Leumy [Inational] bank, Discount bank, Burger king, and Castro. This, to enable the exploited workers to celebrate the workers day, and in protest against infringement on workers rights, economic exploitation, ecological disaster, the murder of joy and the spontanity, and all the other capitalist illnesses. Happy May day.