Saturday 25/02/06, Tel Aviv - 150 activists demonstrated outside the Kiria army base in Tel Aviv in response to the violence of the IDF and the police in anti-wall demonstrations, as seen in the shooting of 17-year-old Anarchists Against The Wall member, Matan Cohen. Matan was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet at an anti-wall demo the previous day. Four protesters were arrested and beaten by the police. AATW is now demanding an immediate investigation into "the use of unnecessary force by the security forces on activists".
In 2003, AATW activist Gil Na'amati was shot in the leg by security forces while protesting against the wall in the village of Mas'ha. Na'amati and an American protester were shot and wounded while trying to cut a section the apartheid fence. After a lengthy investigation, none of the soldiers or commanders involved in the shooting were prosecuted.
Ed. note: Matan has had surgery to remove a blood clot from his eye. It is still unclear if he will be able to see again, or not.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Friday, February 24, 2006
Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against the separation fence continue in Bil'in, Abud, Beit-Sira 24-02-06
Because Bil'in is in the focus of media, the demonstration there was very peaceful - even more than ever. Half hearted efforts of state forces could not prevent the Israelis from arriving to the demo in Bil'in or the other villages. In Bil'in we started the march march at noon with about 100 people - 70 Palestinians, about 15 Israelis organized by the anarchists against the wall initiative, and about 15 internationals. We took the road to the less visited section of the fence where the armed forces of Israel were not expecting us. When we came near the fence route about 50 of us rushed to the fence - a minute before the running soldiers who had to come fast from the usual place we meet every Friday... Taking advantage of an Eastern wind that blew towards the state forces, we ignited many cars tiers taken from a garbage dump the heavy smoke was added to the tiredness of the soldiers.
What ever the reason, the state forces just kept us from entering the fence route, and let us bang as much as we wanted on the rails of the fence bordering the route.
After a while, we marched and banged along the route to the usual place where there is a gate and passages to the other side of the fence. There we had a low intensity confrontation with the state forces till ending the demo.
Even the traditional confrontation between the soldiers tear gas and the stone thrower youngsters was very mild: three tear gas canisters with no pursuit and no much more from the stone throwers.
In Abud and Beit-Sira the story was entirely different.
In Abud the demonstration march was of about 100 villagers and 10 Israelis and internationals. At about one kilometer from the point the works on the separation fence are done, civilian guards blocked the demo with live ammunition shooting... to whom joined very soon the state forces who did the same with the edition of tear gas and shock grenades. However, till the end of the demo there was not reported on any injury.
The inflammation occurred in Beit-Sira.
The struggle in Beit-Sira intensified last two weeks, with not just Friday demo. Yesterday, a stormy demo resulted with the injury of few Palestinians and the arrest of two Israelis. A short report of a comrade said:
"Item about the demo in Beit Sira tonight on Channel 1 (of public TV) will be broadcast on mabat (main news program), starting at 21:00. the palestinians who were wounded from rubber bullets are back home from the hospital. jonathan and kobi who got arrested were released..."
Today - Friday noon, in parallel to the demos in Bil'in and Abud, another demonstration was in Beit-Sira. About 300 people - among them 10 Israelis and internationals. Along the march to the route of the fence, state forces in cars "accompanied" the demo. People from the demo tried to block these cars which resulted with harsh response of the state forces.
When the march arrived near its destination, the state forces made a line the demo people confronted. rough pushes as the first step. Shock and tear gas grenades from one side and stones from the other. And escalation to shower of rubber bullets causing lot of damage. About 6 Palestinians and one Israeli were rushed to treatment in hospitals.
A note sent by a comrade:
"hi everybody, in case you're not updated i thought its important we'll all know: In Beit-Sira demo today Matan hakatan was shot by robber bullet both in the leg and in his eye.. At the moment he is still in the hospital and its not clear yet how bad is the damage.
The repression today included gas and rubber bullets, around 14 injured from rubber bullets and of course much more from the gas...."
What ever the reason, the state forces just kept us from entering the fence route, and let us bang as much as we wanted on the rails of the fence bordering the route.
After a while, we marched and banged along the route to the usual place where there is a gate and passages to the other side of the fence. There we had a low intensity confrontation with the state forces till ending the demo.
Even the traditional confrontation between the soldiers tear gas and the stone thrower youngsters was very mild: three tear gas canisters with no pursuit and no much more from the stone throwers.
In Abud and Beit-Sira the story was entirely different.
In Abud the demonstration march was of about 100 villagers and 10 Israelis and internationals. At about one kilometer from the point the works on the separation fence are done, civilian guards blocked the demo with live ammunition shooting... to whom joined very soon the state forces who did the same with the edition of tear gas and shock grenades. However, till the end of the demo there was not reported on any injury.
The inflammation occurred in Beit-Sira.
The struggle in Beit-Sira intensified last two weeks, with not just Friday demo. Yesterday, a stormy demo resulted with the injury of few Palestinians and the arrest of two Israelis. A short report of a comrade said:
"Item about the demo in Beit Sira tonight on Channel 1 (of public TV) will be broadcast on mabat (main news program), starting at 21:00. the palestinians who were wounded from rubber bullets are back home from the hospital. jonathan and kobi who got arrested were released..."
Today - Friday noon, in parallel to the demos in Bil'in and Abud, another demonstration was in Beit-Sira. About 300 people - among them 10 Israelis and internationals. Along the march to the route of the fence, state forces in cars "accompanied" the demo. People from the demo tried to block these cars which resulted with harsh response of the state forces.
When the march arrived near its destination, the state forces made a line the demo people confronted. rough pushes as the first step. Shock and tear gas grenades from one side and stones from the other. And escalation to shower of rubber bullets causing lot of damage. About 6 Palestinians and one Israeli were rushed to treatment in hospitals.
A note sent by a comrade:
"hi everybody, in case you're not updated i thought its important we'll all know: In Beit-Sira demo today Matan hakatan was shot by robber bullet both in the leg and in his eye.. At the moment he is still in the hospital and its not clear yet how bad is the damage.
The repression today included gas and rubber bullets, around 14 injured from rubber bullets and of course much more from the gas...."
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Palestine-Israel: The conference in Bil'in and the strange cooperation of the anarchists with capitalist and "nationalist" ruling elites 23 Feb 2006
Though more a colonialist settler project than a normal form of colonial rule, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has some similarity with "regular" colonialism, and more so at the present stage of global capitalism and local (regional) capitalism. It is not strange that in a world of de-colonization and globalized capitalism, the last remaining colonial projects still in existence are under pressure to come to an end. It is even so in regions where, for example, the colonial aspect was, or is, mixed with nationalist repression (like in Ireland, Turkey and Israel/Palestine) and is subject more to international pressure to end when it involves settler colonialism in progress (like in Indonesia and Israel).
In the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although the settler colonialist nature of colonialism was dominant, the first step towards de-colonization was still copied from other capitalist states - compromise with the exiled leadership of the "national liberation movements".
As in other parts (and more so in Algeria, where the cost of suppressing the local uprising became too great) the co-opting of the exiled leadership seemed to be the first choice. Thus, like the French pact with the exiled leadership of the FLN, Israel tried to reach a pact with the exiled leadership of the PLO. However, the transfer of power to the leadership of de-colonized countries that worked in most places, failed in the Israeli-Palestinian case. It could not succeed here as the forces interested in the continuation of settler colonialism were not defeated completely, and the "de-colonization" steps were very limited.
It is by no means strange that there is support for the end of colonial rule from a large section of Israeli capitalists, given that it has become an economic burden for them. It is not even out of the question that this section of the capitalist elite will support/cooperate - like in other countries - with radicals who struggle against the continuation of colonial rule by their countries over other countries. It is, however, a bit strange when the cooperation/support is given in the case of Israel to an initiative by the name of "Anarchists Against The Wall" (AATW). It is even stranger when the anarchists enter into intensive cooperation with the media... which so often tries hard not to express open support for the Anarchists. And it is very strange indeed when the whole radical left follows the initiative of the Anarchists who organize the weekly struggle in the Palestinian village Bil'in together with the local popular committee.
Is not so strange, however, that the anarchists enter such cooperation when people understand how the colonialist situation, and more so the settler colonialist one, makes it hard to struggle against the "colonization" of the minds of the working people by capitalist ideology.
The struggle of anti-authoritarian anti-capitalists against the colonialism of other states by the ruling elites of their own countries is of more benefit in the de-colonization of the minds of people in their communities than in the de-colonization of the people of the colonies, by replacing external rule with that of a local elite which often make their lives worse.
And the strange situation in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle provides us with a unique opportunity to struggle for the freedom of the minds of the Israeli working people.
In a way, the strange situation is the result of the impasse in the decolonization of the Palestinian regions colonized by Israel after the 1967 war.
It is not so strange that efforts to co-opt the exiled Palestinian leadership of the PLO failed, as the de-colonization of a half-successful settler colonialist project involves much more than a shift between sections of the mainly monolithic capitalist elite.
And the process became stuck because Israel refused to give the PLO leadership enough power and resources to enable them to replace the resistance of the more radical rebels, who refuse to let go of the struggle against remnants of the settler colonial project in the regions conquered in the 1967 war. Israel refused to give the PLO the necessary resources because the change in the balance of power and interests within the Israeli elite was not radical enough - those who had an interest in seeing a continuation of as much settler colonialism as possible were still too strong.
It is no surprise that the authoritarians of the left (including Leninists and Maoists) became partners of the nationalist capitalist elite that led the "national liberation" of the colonies or in the Israeli-Palestinian case. However, what does need some explanation is the cooperation of the anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist left in Israel with willing partners in the "Palestinian national liberation" area. It started back in the '60s and continues today on a greater scale with today's anarchists (of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative).
The reason for this is not for any gut feeling of sympathy with the underdog. Nor is it based on feelings of guilt for enjoying the results of the colonial project. The reason is because we understand the negative "contribution" of the settler colonialist project to the reactionary opinions of both Israeli and Palestinian working people, and we correctly assess how such cooperation, and more so popular direct action, can undermine the nationalist ideologies of both sides.
The section of Israeli capital that has an interest in seeing an end to settler colonialism is not made up of secret anarchists... nor do they like our messages. But they are anxious enough to overcome the influence of the capitalist section of the ruling elite that still supports settler colonialism.
They have invested a lot of effort in getting a majority of public opinion to support the end of the settler colonialist project, but this majority is still fragile.
Thus, the section of the capitalist elite that wants an end to settler colonialism is investing heavily in changing public opinion through the use of the media. They are using our joint struggle to give space in the media to the discrediting of settler colonialism and "paying" us by giving space to our direct-action struggle and the anarchist way in general. In fact, we have an increasingly positive presence in the media, and its effects can be seen in the behaviour of the State forces - gradually diminishing violence. Hard as it is to believe, at least five soldiers who were on duty around the concluding meeting during our international conference came closer in order to listen to the talks being given at it...
The Palestinian ruling elite is in an even worse position.
The partial co-opting of the PLO leadership has not resulted in a stable compromise with the partial retreat of the settler colonialist project. Their "corrupt third-world social order" has failed to become strong enough to repress the more radical elements among the Palestinians. This failure has caused mounting pressure by the Israeli State on the Palestinian elite to yield results, pressure which has only led to the rise to power of Hamas. It has also caused a loss of hope among the villagers living along the route of the separation fence, that the Palestinian leaders can lead a struggle against the fence, a fact which forced them to initiate a struggle themselves.
The various local struggles that the Israeli anarchists have participated in have indeed achieved some results. The presence of Israeli anarchists at the joint demonstrations has reduced the vicious brutality of the State forces while dispersing the demonstrations. It has also drawn much greater attention from the international and Israeli media... The joint pre-Bil'in struggles of the previous year and a half at other villages succeeded in gaining publicity, obtaining results and fostering trust, and led to the initiation of the joint struggle in Bil'in. It also led to the other current joint struggles of AATW with grassroot groups of Palestinian villagers who have invited us to join them (Abud, Beit-Sira, Hebron, and more).
Over the past two days, we held an international conference in Bil'in about and in solidarity with the struggle against the fence. It was organized by the Bil'in joint project of struggle against the fence, which for the last 12 months has been carried on by the local popular committee together with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative. The ruling Fatah leadership has not promoted popular non-violent direct action and struggle against the fence, even with the upsurge in it since Israeli anarchists became involved. They had many obvious reasons for not doing so. However, little by little, they have got involved in it, even to the extent of trying to co-opt it. Indeed, just before the shift of power within the Palestinian capitalist elite, several dignitaries participated in certain ways, for example by joining in some of the weekly Friday demonstrations.
The efforts of the Palestinian elite to profit from the popular struggle against the separation fence in general, and more so in Bil'in, have gradually been mounting. They have sent dignitaries to the large demonstrations and once even held a session of their "government" in Bil'in, even though it was not their initiative and in spite of the well-known fact that it is a joint project by local committees and Israeli anarchists. In one case, a high ranking official went so far as to issue a formal letter of support to the AATW... and surprise surprise, even the local Hamas people and their regional leadership failed to keep their distance and joined in the Friday demos.
Our "tolerance" of the involvement of the more or less corrupt persons of the Palestinian ruling elite and their competitors is a must. Even the local popular committees do not seem to be too happy with it, but they understand the limits that local grassroots activists have and the "political taxes" they need to pay to the political elite in a position of power. And thus, when Israeli-Palestinian MPs and Palestinian MPs participated in our Friday demos, they got their "taxes" with microphone time.
Besides local activists and AATW activists, the conference in Bil'in included participants from many Western countries and, more importantly, from people in local struggles from the other regions of Palestine - from Hebron (Halil) in the south to Jenin in the north. It also drew dignitaries of the PLO and Fatah leadership, to get their "taxes".
Talks were given at a plenary session by PLO dignitaries (Fatah and others, past and present members of of the PNA), but also by international guests involved in our common struggle in their own countries. Grassroot activists also reported on their local struggles. The main discussions took place in workgroups, each centered on the struggle along a specific part of the separation fence. In these, some conclusions were reached about the past, and suggestions for future struggles were arrived at. Some of these were integrated into a final text of the conference.
And true to the Bil'in mode, the conference could not end without a march towards the route of the fence, which took place around noon on the second day of the conference. Surprise, surprise it met with no resistance from the State forces. We crossed the route and continued on to the Bil'in centre for joint struggle for peace which was recently built on the western side of the fence. The centre was built on a plot adjacent to the building site of a sector of the illegal settler colony, Modi'in Illit, being built on land stolen from Bil'in.
But no, the State's armed forces did not totally desert us. Though they did not try to block our march, they circled around us, putting a line of soldiers west of our meeting at the Bil'in centre, arranging it as if to block our way if we tried to rush and attack the adjacent illegal buildings in the nearby section of the Modi'in Illit settler colonialist town. (This section is currently under an injunction from the highest court, banning all construction work and occupation.)
At the meeting near the centre some more speeches were made. After the talks ended, a soccer game was played and an opportunity was given to media workers to take their photographs, videos and interviews. People then got back to Bil'in and made their way home.
Ilan S.
In the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although the settler colonialist nature of colonialism was dominant, the first step towards de-colonization was still copied from other capitalist states - compromise with the exiled leadership of the "national liberation movements".
As in other parts (and more so in Algeria, where the cost of suppressing the local uprising became too great) the co-opting of the exiled leadership seemed to be the first choice. Thus, like the French pact with the exiled leadership of the FLN, Israel tried to reach a pact with the exiled leadership of the PLO. However, the transfer of power to the leadership of de-colonized countries that worked in most places, failed in the Israeli-Palestinian case. It could not succeed here as the forces interested in the continuation of settler colonialism were not defeated completely, and the "de-colonization" steps were very limited.
It is by no means strange that there is support for the end of colonial rule from a large section of Israeli capitalists, given that it has become an economic burden for them. It is not even out of the question that this section of the capitalist elite will support/cooperate - like in other countries - with radicals who struggle against the continuation of colonial rule by their countries over other countries. It is, however, a bit strange when the cooperation/support is given in the case of Israel to an initiative by the name of "Anarchists Against The Wall" (AATW). It is even stranger when the anarchists enter into intensive cooperation with the media... which so often tries hard not to express open support for the Anarchists. And it is very strange indeed when the whole radical left follows the initiative of the Anarchists who organize the weekly struggle in the Palestinian village Bil'in together with the local popular committee.
Is not so strange, however, that the anarchists enter such cooperation when people understand how the colonialist situation, and more so the settler colonialist one, makes it hard to struggle against the "colonization" of the minds of the working people by capitalist ideology.
The struggle of anti-authoritarian anti-capitalists against the colonialism of other states by the ruling elites of their own countries is of more benefit in the de-colonization of the minds of people in their communities than in the de-colonization of the people of the colonies, by replacing external rule with that of a local elite which often make their lives worse.
And the strange situation in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle provides us with a unique opportunity to struggle for the freedom of the minds of the Israeli working people.
In a way, the strange situation is the result of the impasse in the decolonization of the Palestinian regions colonized by Israel after the 1967 war.
It is not so strange that efforts to co-opt the exiled Palestinian leadership of the PLO failed, as the de-colonization of a half-successful settler colonialist project involves much more than a shift between sections of the mainly monolithic capitalist elite.
And the process became stuck because Israel refused to give the PLO leadership enough power and resources to enable them to replace the resistance of the more radical rebels, who refuse to let go of the struggle against remnants of the settler colonial project in the regions conquered in the 1967 war. Israel refused to give the PLO the necessary resources because the change in the balance of power and interests within the Israeli elite was not radical enough - those who had an interest in seeing a continuation of as much settler colonialism as possible were still too strong.
It is no surprise that the authoritarians of the left (including Leninists and Maoists) became partners of the nationalist capitalist elite that led the "national liberation" of the colonies or in the Israeli-Palestinian case. However, what does need some explanation is the cooperation of the anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist left in Israel with willing partners in the "Palestinian national liberation" area. It started back in the '60s and continues today on a greater scale with today's anarchists (of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative).
The reason for this is not for any gut feeling of sympathy with the underdog. Nor is it based on feelings of guilt for enjoying the results of the colonial project. The reason is because we understand the negative "contribution" of the settler colonialist project to the reactionary opinions of both Israeli and Palestinian working people, and we correctly assess how such cooperation, and more so popular direct action, can undermine the nationalist ideologies of both sides.
The section of Israeli capital that has an interest in seeing an end to settler colonialism is not made up of secret anarchists... nor do they like our messages. But they are anxious enough to overcome the influence of the capitalist section of the ruling elite that still supports settler colonialism.
They have invested a lot of effort in getting a majority of public opinion to support the end of the settler colonialist project, but this majority is still fragile.
Thus, the section of the capitalist elite that wants an end to settler colonialism is investing heavily in changing public opinion through the use of the media. They are using our joint struggle to give space in the media to the discrediting of settler colonialism and "paying" us by giving space to our direct-action struggle and the anarchist way in general. In fact, we have an increasingly positive presence in the media, and its effects can be seen in the behaviour of the State forces - gradually diminishing violence. Hard as it is to believe, at least five soldiers who were on duty around the concluding meeting during our international conference came closer in order to listen to the talks being given at it...
The Palestinian ruling elite is in an even worse position.
The partial co-opting of the PLO leadership has not resulted in a stable compromise with the partial retreat of the settler colonialist project. Their "corrupt third-world social order" has failed to become strong enough to repress the more radical elements among the Palestinians. This failure has caused mounting pressure by the Israeli State on the Palestinian elite to yield results, pressure which has only led to the rise to power of Hamas. It has also caused a loss of hope among the villagers living along the route of the separation fence, that the Palestinian leaders can lead a struggle against the fence, a fact which forced them to initiate a struggle themselves.
The various local struggles that the Israeli anarchists have participated in have indeed achieved some results. The presence of Israeli anarchists at the joint demonstrations has reduced the vicious brutality of the State forces while dispersing the demonstrations. It has also drawn much greater attention from the international and Israeli media... The joint pre-Bil'in struggles of the previous year and a half at other villages succeeded in gaining publicity, obtaining results and fostering trust, and led to the initiation of the joint struggle in Bil'in. It also led to the other current joint struggles of AATW with grassroot groups of Palestinian villagers who have invited us to join them (Abud, Beit-Sira, Hebron, and more).
Over the past two days, we held an international conference in Bil'in about and in solidarity with the struggle against the fence. It was organized by the Bil'in joint project of struggle against the fence, which for the last 12 months has been carried on by the local popular committee together with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative. The ruling Fatah leadership has not promoted popular non-violent direct action and struggle against the fence, even with the upsurge in it since Israeli anarchists became involved. They had many obvious reasons for not doing so. However, little by little, they have got involved in it, even to the extent of trying to co-opt it. Indeed, just before the shift of power within the Palestinian capitalist elite, several dignitaries participated in certain ways, for example by joining in some of the weekly Friday demonstrations.
The efforts of the Palestinian elite to profit from the popular struggle against the separation fence in general, and more so in Bil'in, have gradually been mounting. They have sent dignitaries to the large demonstrations and once even held a session of their "government" in Bil'in, even though it was not their initiative and in spite of the well-known fact that it is a joint project by local committees and Israeli anarchists. In one case, a high ranking official went so far as to issue a formal letter of support to the AATW... and surprise surprise, even the local Hamas people and their regional leadership failed to keep their distance and joined in the Friday demos.
Our "tolerance" of the involvement of the more or less corrupt persons of the Palestinian ruling elite and their competitors is a must. Even the local popular committees do not seem to be too happy with it, but they understand the limits that local grassroots activists have and the "political taxes" they need to pay to the political elite in a position of power. And thus, when Israeli-Palestinian MPs and Palestinian MPs participated in our Friday demos, they got their "taxes" with microphone time.
Besides local activists and AATW activists, the conference in Bil'in included participants from many Western countries and, more importantly, from people in local struggles from the other regions of Palestine - from Hebron (Halil) in the south to Jenin in the north. It also drew dignitaries of the PLO and Fatah leadership, to get their "taxes".
Talks were given at a plenary session by PLO dignitaries (Fatah and others, past and present members of of the PNA), but also by international guests involved in our common struggle in their own countries. Grassroot activists also reported on their local struggles. The main discussions took place in workgroups, each centered on the struggle along a specific part of the separation fence. In these, some conclusions were reached about the past, and suggestions for future struggles were arrived at. Some of these were integrated into a final text of the conference.
And true to the Bil'in mode, the conference could not end without a march towards the route of the fence, which took place around noon on the second day of the conference. Surprise, surprise it met with no resistance from the State forces. We crossed the route and continued on to the Bil'in centre for joint struggle for peace which was recently built on the western side of the fence. The centre was built on a plot adjacent to the building site of a sector of the illegal settler colony, Modi'in Illit, being built on land stolen from Bil'in.
But no, the State's armed forces did not totally desert us. Though they did not try to block our march, they circled around us, putting a line of soldiers west of our meeting at the Bil'in centre, arranging it as if to block our way if we tried to rush and attack the adjacent illegal buildings in the nearby section of the Modi'in Illit settler colonialist town. (This section is currently under an injunction from the highest court, banning all construction work and occupation.)
At the meeting near the centre some more speeches were made. After the talks ended, a soccer game was played and an opportunity was given to media workers to take their photographs, videos and interviews. People then got back to Bil'in and made their way home.
Ilan S.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, Abud, Beit Surik - The joint struggle continue - Friday 17-02-06 Demonstrations
The joint struggle of Palestinian villagers with the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative against the separation wall, the robbery of villages lands and the occupation collected momentum. In addition to the holding of the two "out posts" of Bil'in during the week, three joint struggles were done jointly this Friday. The small number of the activists recruited by the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative was distributed to day three ways. About 20 to Bil'in, and about ten to each of the other two villages who held the Friday demos in parallel. As usual, the state forces invested some symbolic efforts to block the way of the Israelis to Bil'in and detained two of them who were not fast enough to evade the few soldiers allocated to the mission.
In Bil'in, about 20 internationals who came to participate in the Bil'in international conference due 20th-21st February joined the 70 Palestinians and the 20 Israelis in the traditional Friday demo going on for a whole year already.
We started the demo as usual at noon with a march towards the route of the separation fence. When we arrived there we tried first to pass through the olive orchard towards the part of fence not yet finished but today, the soldiers were ready to stop us among the olive trees... so we diverted back to the road leading to the open gate in the fence - now "blessed" by the highest court of justice as opened always for passage though the armed forces make exception in the time around the Friday demo.
There we were blocked by the border police unit about 20 meters from the passage. During the usual confrontation we advanced about 2 meters - an insult to the commander at the point who took it personally. Few shock grenades and physical pushing gained the lost two meters for the state forces and the low intensity stand still continued for a while.
After a while, people tried to get down from the road to the olive orchard in order to go around the blocking border police and get nearer to the fence. Surprisingly, the police border force did not try as usual to force our people back to the road and few dozens of them did reach the fence route and started to bang with stones on the low fence of rails bordering it. A small unit of soldiers who rushed there try to disperse the people with tear gas grenades which one of them was even thrown back to them. However, it was half hearted effort that ended without success. So the banging continued for a while till the bangers got bored and returned to the main body of the demonstration.
And then the nonviolent demonstration was declared ended, with many of the people staying near by - observing the usual confrontation between the stone throwing youngsters and the tear gas shooting state forces.
Late afternoon, the Israelis of the three parallel demonstrations met again in the busses to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
In Bil'in, about 20 internationals who came to participate in the Bil'in international conference due 20th-21st February joined the 70 Palestinians and the 20 Israelis in the traditional Friday demo going on for a whole year already.
We started the demo as usual at noon with a march towards the route of the separation fence. When we arrived there we tried first to pass through the olive orchard towards the part of fence not yet finished but today, the soldiers were ready to stop us among the olive trees... so we diverted back to the road leading to the open gate in the fence - now "blessed" by the highest court of justice as opened always for passage though the armed forces make exception in the time around the Friday demo.
There we were blocked by the border police unit about 20 meters from the passage. During the usual confrontation we advanced about 2 meters - an insult to the commander at the point who took it personally. Few shock grenades and physical pushing gained the lost two meters for the state forces and the low intensity stand still continued for a while.
After a while, people tried to get down from the road to the olive orchard in order to go around the blocking border police and get nearer to the fence. Surprisingly, the police border force did not try as usual to force our people back to the road and few dozens of them did reach the fence route and started to bang with stones on the low fence of rails bordering it. A small unit of soldiers who rushed there try to disperse the people with tear gas grenades which one of them was even thrown back to them. However, it was half hearted effort that ended without success. So the banging continued for a while till the bangers got bored and returned to the main body of the demonstration.
And then the nonviolent demonstration was declared ended, with many of the people staying near by - observing the usual confrontation between the stone throwing youngsters and the tear gas shooting state forces.
Late afternoon, the Israelis of the three parallel demonstrations met again in the busses to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, One year for the joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation - Friday 10-02-06
The activity of the week end started already Thursday evening (in parallel to the preparation for the international conference in Bil'in due at 20th to 21st of February). That evening, activists of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative joined international activists and people from Bil'in to keep alive the Bil'in center for joint struggle for peace, and the new post adjacent to the piece of land confiscated for the building of a tower in service of the separation fence - both on the west side of it.
Next day, Friday morning, we marched to the village - taking advantage of the free passage through an opening in the already built part of the fence, as ordered by the highest court of "justice" to be available till the end of the deliberation about the legitimacy of the route of the fence in Bil'in area.
In the village, we joined others and prepared placards for the Friday demonstration, marking the completion of a year for the joint struggle and Friday demonstrations in Bil'in. As usual, we prepared placards in Arabic, English, and Hebrew to join previous placards and banners that survived previous Friday demonstrations.
At noon, in a shiny and worm weather - compensation for the previous Friday storming rain, we started the march from the center of the village towards the route of the separation fence with a hope to pass to the new outpost on the other side of it.
It was really a small one in comparison to the big thousand strong demo of three weeks ago, but still a respectable one. We were about hundred people. 70 palestinians, 20 Israelis, and 15 internationals. On the way, we were joined by a female villager who took with her two branches of olive tree and a hoe, for a symbolic planting them in the middle of the route of the separation fence in building (which she really did later with protection of the other demonstrators who blocked the objection of the armed forces).
When we approached the route of the fence, we turned through the olive groves toward the part of the fence not already completed. The state forces blocked our way in the middle of the route - preventing us from passing to the new outpost on the West side of the route. After half an hour of low intensity "nonviolent" confrontation - if you can call the brutal pushes of the state forces as "nonviolent"... part of us along the route hoping to go around to the block. Just as we arrived in a place where there was building equipment and a way to climb to the other side of the route, an armored car with soldiers arrived. They tried to force us back up the hill to where we came, and we tried to go around them. Forces were quite equal so we could not go as we wished, but they could not force us back either.
After a long draw, we decided to go back up the hill, to where the rest of the demo people remind. When we arrived we got an unpleasant surprise - the band of village youth who do not respect the nonviolent mode of struggle of the village popular comity for struggle against the fence, start their usual stones throwing on the soldiers, but also on us who were still near the soldiers. So, we had to depart fast to evade the shower of stones and the shower of tear gas and rubber bullets that came in response.
Few of us marched to the usual place of demonstration where the gate in the already built fence is located. However, the state forces did not welcome them there and detained few Israelis - to be released there some time later.
As usual, the confrontation between the youngsters and the state forces continued for another two hours - including pursue of the state forces into the village they have not done for long. Many of the Israeli activist remind near by till the confrontation ended, to ensure the state forces (who have order to be careful when Israelis are around) will not use live ammunition and other lethal activities.
Rumors say that during that confrontation, few of the soldiers were hit by stones.
Next day, Friday morning, we marched to the village - taking advantage of the free passage through an opening in the already built part of the fence, as ordered by the highest court of "justice" to be available till the end of the deliberation about the legitimacy of the route of the fence in Bil'in area.
In the village, we joined others and prepared placards for the Friday demonstration, marking the completion of a year for the joint struggle and Friday demonstrations in Bil'in. As usual, we prepared placards in Arabic, English, and Hebrew to join previous placards and banners that survived previous Friday demonstrations.
At noon, in a shiny and worm weather - compensation for the previous Friday storming rain, we started the march from the center of the village towards the route of the separation fence with a hope to pass to the new outpost on the other side of it.
It was really a small one in comparison to the big thousand strong demo of three weeks ago, but still a respectable one. We were about hundred people. 70 palestinians, 20 Israelis, and 15 internationals. On the way, we were joined by a female villager who took with her two branches of olive tree and a hoe, for a symbolic planting them in the middle of the route of the separation fence in building (which she really did later with protection of the other demonstrators who blocked the objection of the armed forces).
When we approached the route of the fence, we turned through the olive groves toward the part of the fence not already completed. The state forces blocked our way in the middle of the route - preventing us from passing to the new outpost on the West side of the route. After half an hour of low intensity "nonviolent" confrontation - if you can call the brutal pushes of the state forces as "nonviolent"... part of us along the route hoping to go around to the block. Just as we arrived in a place where there was building equipment and a way to climb to the other side of the route, an armored car with soldiers arrived. They tried to force us back up the hill to where we came, and we tried to go around them. Forces were quite equal so we could not go as we wished, but they could not force us back either.
After a long draw, we decided to go back up the hill, to where the rest of the demo people remind. When we arrived we got an unpleasant surprise - the band of village youth who do not respect the nonviolent mode of struggle of the village popular comity for struggle against the fence, start their usual stones throwing on the soldiers, but also on us who were still near the soldiers. So, we had to depart fast to evade the shower of stones and the shower of tear gas and rubber bullets that came in response.
Few of us marched to the usual place of demonstration where the gate in the already built fence is located. However, the state forces did not welcome them there and detained few Israelis - to be released there some time later.
As usual, the confrontation between the youngsters and the state forces continued for another two hours - including pursue of the state forces into the village they have not done for long. Many of the Israeli activist remind near by till the confrontation ended, to ensure the state forces (who have order to be careful when Israelis are around) will not use live ammunition and other lethal activities.
Rumors say that during that confrontation, few of the soldiers were hit by stones.
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle continue - Another outpost established in Bil'in 08 Feb 2006
Just distributed in the mailing list of the Anarchists Against The Wall (againstwall@yahoogroups.com): Another outpost is built on the the lands of Bil'in, West side of the separation fence (in addition to the one of the Bil'in Center For Joint Struggle For Peace - also on the West side of the separation fence in adjacent place to the illegal settler town neighborhood in construction). The building of this outpost was as protest to a new confiscation of land of Bil'in villagers for construction of a military post. > After being told by the civil administration today (Tuesday) that some 6.5 > dunams will be confiscated to build on the West side of the separation fence > a watch tower near the isolated house [of the village Bil'in - few meters on the > East side of the fence], a new outpost was build [by the Palestinian and the Israeli > activists - AATW], on a lot of land adjacent to the to-be confiscated lands. > It is extremely important that people come tomorrow, as the army was > pretty insistent, already today, on trying to prevent the construction. > Call Elad for more details: 052xxxxxxxx
Monday, February 6, 2006
Palestin-Israel, Invitation to a conference in Bilin 06 Feb 2006
The joint struggle and the nonviolent struggle against the wall and the occupation. an international conference in Bil'ín, Palestine, Monday Tuesday Feb 20-21 2006. This conference will bring together people who support the popular non violent Palestinian movement to take part in workshops about the history and methods of non violent resistance in Palestine. It will focus on the practical aspects of the struggle by sharing the experiences and lessons of such struggles at different locations in Palestine. The organizers are inviting Palestinians, Israelis and internationals to the conference which will be held on February 20 and 21 at the public school in the village of Bilín. The meeting will consist of a few opening presentations which will lead into workshops focusing on the the struggles at different locations. The workshops are the main part of the meeting and are where the experiences of activists will be shared and new ideas will be proposed and discussed. The focus of the discussion will be practical and the workshops should lead to a joint action being initiated by the participants in the conference.
To register please email the Bilín popular committee against the wall and the settlements.
bel3en@yahoo.com
or call Yuval
or Muhamad
More details will follow soon in the conference program. ' Sponsoring organizations (partial list)
BIlín popular committee against the wall and the settlements,
Anarchists against the wall,
Gush Shalom,
Coalition of women for peace,
Alternative Information center.
Rabbis for human rights.
To register please email the Bilín popular committee against the wall and the settlements.
bel3en@yahoo.com
or call Yuval
or Muhamad
More details will follow soon in the conference program. ' Sponsoring organizations (partial list)
BIlín popular committee against the wall and the settlements,
Anarchists against the wall,
Gush Shalom,
Coalition of women for peace,
Alternative Information center.
Rabbis for human rights.
Sunday, February 5, 2006
Israel-Palestine, Media, High Court: State must explain why it won't move separation fence in Bil'in 05 Feb 2006
Note: The years long struggle against the route of the separation fence that used to grab Palestinians lands in the false pretence of security for Jewish settlers got some successes. The year long of persistant joint struggle of the Anarchists Against The Wall with the Bil'in village popular commity contributed too. The folowing report in the media is one sample of the smal victories along the road. Ilan (see also http://www.ainfos.ca/06/feb/ainfos00009.html) "The High Court of Justice on Thursday ordered the state prosecutor to explain why Israel won't alter the route of the separation fence where it passes over land belonging to the West Bank Palestinian village of Bil'in.
The state was given three weeks to explain why the fence can't be moved west, toward the Upper Modi'in settlement, so that it won't pass over Bil'in agricultural lands.
The High Court issued the preliminary injunction at the request of Bil'in residents, who are petitioning the court to order the state to alter the fence route in the area.
On Wednesday, lawyer Michael Sfard told the court the current fence route was not determined by security considerations, as the state maintains. Sfard said the fence route was designed to allow the eastward expansion of Upper Modi'in.
He also said the fence route allows the building of the new Matityahu East neighborhood. As was first published in Haaretz, illegal construction, without any building permits or legal building plan, is currently underway on the neighborhood.
"We had thought that the fence administration was building a fence," Sfard said. "But now it is clear that the fence administration is building new illegal neighborhoods in settlements."
The fence separates the village of Bil'in from a large portion of its agricultural lands.
The Matityahu East neighborhood has 750 housing units and another 2,000 are planned. The lands on which the neighborhood is being constructed belong to Bil'in residents. Portions of the land were obtained using documents suspected to have been forged.
The state was given three weeks to explain why the fence can't be moved west, toward the Upper Modi'in settlement, so that it won't pass over Bil'in agricultural lands.
The High Court issued the preliminary injunction at the request of Bil'in residents, who are petitioning the court to order the state to alter the fence route in the area.
On Wednesday, lawyer Michael Sfard told the court the current fence route was not determined by security considerations, as the state maintains. Sfard said the fence route was designed to allow the eastward expansion of Upper Modi'in.
He also said the fence route allows the building of the new Matityahu East neighborhood. As was first published in Haaretz, illegal construction, without any building permits or legal building plan, is currently underway on the neighborhood.
"We had thought that the fence administration was building a fence," Sfard said. "But now it is clear that the fence administration is building new illegal neighborhoods in settlements."
The fence separates the village of Bil'in from a large portion of its agricultural lands.
The Matityahu East neighborhood has 750 housing units and another 2,000 are planned. The lands on which the neighborhood is being constructed belong to Bil'in residents. Portions of the land were obtained using documents suspected to have been forged.
Friday, February 3, 2006
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, Is the joint struggle nearing its end? Friday demo of 3-2-06
When the "theme" of the last Friday demo in Bil'in turned to be the denouncing of the Danish media for its insulting of the prophet Mohamad, few questions are alerting. Till few weeks ago, each of the Friday joint demonstrations on going for the last 12 months was around a common subject against the separation fence and occupation. The creative materialization of the theme was usually done together by people of the Bil'in popular comity and Israeli activists. The most prominent expression of the joint struggle was one of the meeting in Bil'in between the local comity and activists of The Anarchists Against The Wall initiative, that was held about a month ago, in which were decided on the activities leading towards the hearing of the case of Bil'in in the Israeli Highest court of "justice" at the 1st of february.
It is amazing how the results overtook the most optimist expectation: the wide coverage in the Israeli media of the use of the fence as a tool to rob lands of Bil'in for the high profit of the construction companies who build the settler town Modi'in Illit; the building of the Bil'in center for joint struggle for peace on the West side of the separation fence adjacent to the illegal construction site of the settler town - a structure the Israeli state found too complicated to destroy or block the activity around it...; even the intervention of the highest court that suspended the continuation of the building of the settler town district till final decision was part of achievements; and there was the huge thousand strong demonstration planed and carried out just few days before the election of Palestinian parliament and the hearing in the highest court in which 400 Israelis took part.
However, at the midst of delight, doubt starts to nag.... and more so after the religious subject that had nothing in relevance to the joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation turned to be the theme of last Friday demonstration. Doubts increase as it happened on the background of the absence of the creative theme in the joint demos of the last few weeks, and the suggestion of people of the local comity to refrain in the last big demo from placards in Hebrew against the separation fence, and regard the election propaganda as sufficient.
In spite of all and the heavy rain, at noon, after the "belligerent speech" against the Danish media and the burning of Danish flags, we started towards the route of the separation fence. The heavy rain destroyed the islamic placards in arabic and extinguish the burning flags, thus saving us from the embarrassment of being seen as anarchists against the wall protesting against the insulting of Mohamad. We were about 100 of us protected by umbrellas or in cars - about 50 palestinians, 30 Israelis, and 20 internationals, persistently marching and jumping rain pools on the road till we approached the fence. When we neared the fence we turned from the road and with swift march succeeded to enter the route of construction, and many of us even crossed it to the other side.
For about an hour in which the rain gradually stooped we were in the usual push and pull struggle with the Israeli state forces who limited our movement around - though in less intense level than previous demos. The state forces missed the confrontation of tear gas with the stone throwers youngsters. Thus, when the peaceful non violent demo was declared ended, they mixed with the demonstrators who were marching back to the village to provoke the stone throwers... (with people hearing their talk among themselves that they hope the stones thrown will also hit the returning demonstrators). In order to ignite the process, they started to shoot tear gas canisters even before the first stones were thrown...
Few of the returning Israeli demonstrators tried to block the tear gas shooting. As reprisal the state forces grabbed few but only one was not unasserted, and taken for a night in jail till he will be brought before magistrate Saturday evening. One of the Israelis was even hit in the forehead with a tear gas canister and she was taken to hospital.
It is amazing how the results overtook the most optimist expectation: the wide coverage in the Israeli media of the use of the fence as a tool to rob lands of Bil'in for the high profit of the construction companies who build the settler town Modi'in Illit; the building of the Bil'in center for joint struggle for peace on the West side of the separation fence adjacent to the illegal construction site of the settler town - a structure the Israeli state found too complicated to destroy or block the activity around it...; even the intervention of the highest court that suspended the continuation of the building of the settler town district till final decision was part of achievements; and there was the huge thousand strong demonstration planed and carried out just few days before the election of Palestinian parliament and the hearing in the highest court in which 400 Israelis took part.
However, at the midst of delight, doubt starts to nag.... and more so after the religious subject that had nothing in relevance to the joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation turned to be the theme of last Friday demonstration. Doubts increase as it happened on the background of the absence of the creative theme in the joint demos of the last few weeks, and the suggestion of people of the local comity to refrain in the last big demo from placards in Hebrew against the separation fence, and regard the election propaganda as sufficient.
In spite of all and the heavy rain, at noon, after the "belligerent speech" against the Danish media and the burning of Danish flags, we started towards the route of the separation fence. The heavy rain destroyed the islamic placards in arabic and extinguish the burning flags, thus saving us from the embarrassment of being seen as anarchists against the wall protesting against the insulting of Mohamad. We were about 100 of us protected by umbrellas or in cars - about 50 palestinians, 30 Israelis, and 20 internationals, persistently marching and jumping rain pools on the road till we approached the fence. When we neared the fence we turned from the road and with swift march succeeded to enter the route of construction, and many of us even crossed it to the other side.
For about an hour in which the rain gradually stooped we were in the usual push and pull struggle with the Israeli state forces who limited our movement around - though in less intense level than previous demos. The state forces missed the confrontation of tear gas with the stone throwers youngsters. Thus, when the peaceful non violent demo was declared ended, they mixed with the demonstrators who were marching back to the village to provoke the stone throwers... (with people hearing their talk among themselves that they hope the stones thrown will also hit the returning demonstrators). In order to ignite the process, they started to shoot tear gas canisters even before the first stones were thrown...
Few of the returning Israeli demonstrators tried to block the tear gas shooting. As reprisal the state forces grabbed few but only one was not unasserted, and taken for a night in jail till he will be brought before magistrate Saturday evening. One of the Israelis was even hit in the forehead with a tear gas canister and she was taken to hospital.
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in-Jerusalem, The joint struggle against the separation fence hearing at the highest court of "justice". 01 Feb 2006
Wednesday morning, about 30 Israeli activists of the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall initiative took a bus the highest court of Israeli "justice" in Jerusalem, for the hearing of the petition of Bil'in villagers against the separation fence that is used to rob most of their land. On the way, we passed near Bil'in and joined by 20 Palestinian activists from the village Bil'in - we usually meet every Friday demonstration against the fence, who got special permit to enter to day the occupying Israel.
When we arrived at the entrance road to the court building we found there local activist and others and put up banners and placard against the robbery of lands using the separation fence, in a short vigil till the time of the hearing. When the announced time of the hearing arrived, we put down the placards and banners, but the security personal and police restricted our entrance. The last of us allowed in only just when the other hearing finished and the hearing of Bil'in petition started.
After a long hearing of the case of Bil'in the three judges said they need to ponder about it and will announce few days later if they put a temporary stay on the continuance of the building of the fence till the final verdict.
When we arrived at the entrance road to the court building we found there local activist and others and put up banners and placard against the robbery of lands using the separation fence, in a short vigil till the time of the hearing. When the announced time of the hearing arrived, we put down the placards and banners, but the security personal and police restricted our entrance. The last of us allowed in only just when the other hearing finished and the hearing of Bil'in petition started.
After a long hearing of the case of Bil'in the three judges said they need to ponder about it and will announce few days later if they put a temporary stay on the continuance of the building of the fence till the final verdict.
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