All along the week activity in support for the refugees from Darfur and other African states. Thursday critical mass against occupation in Tel Aviv. Friday the 161s demonstration against the separation fence, Um Salmune second year of struggle, and El Khader which try to follow the Bil'in persistent mode of action.... And Jafa too, which was annexed long ago to Tel Aviv and now pass a combination of gentrification and expelling the Palestinian citizens of old neighborhoods of Jafa. Saturday in Bidu, a village that was most active at the beginning of the struggle against the fence and after a long time low profile is intensifying again as a new expansion of the settlers neighborhood of Givat Zeev is done on their lands. Sunday, the traditional day of the (robbed land in process) within Israel (but now "celebrated" in the west bank too - Anarchists Against the Wall people are invited to more villages's demonstration than we can cover.
Refugees
The activity in solidarity with the refugees consist of ongoing help in finding basic needs and protection against the harassment of the immigration police who are not respecting, even the Israeli draconian laws. Many time, direct action of activists prevented the illegal harassments and promoted the media exposer.
Last week TV channels reported on the subject of refugees and the activity of AAtW in that context (claiming wrongly: "The anarchists against the wall moved from Bil'in to the refugees").
---------------
Critical Mass
The critical mass against occupation and especially the atrocities in Gaze on the evening of the last Thursday of the month become another tradition. Thursday late evening, about score of bicycle riders and dozen of non riders converged at the city square and started the riding. During 45 minutes we traveled adjacent main streets, with flags, chanting slogans, occupying one lane and distributing leaflets to the passers by. The police was too busy with the earth day happening in the city square, thus they failed to harass us during that period. At the end they did come so we moved to the pavement and continued to the near by square, were we set for a while in a circle with the police unit keeping eye on us till we dispersed.
---------------
Bil'in
At the Friday demonstrations, the most lively was as usual the one at Bil'in. After marching from the village center we arrived at the gate and fences bordering the route the separation fence run in its middle.
The state force stayed for a while on an elevated ground on the other side of the route while people made the usual challenges. Even when people threw three hooks that caught the fence and started to pull the ropes connected them the state force kept a low profile - sporadic shooting and throwing grenades of tear gas.
After the unruly youngsters start to throw stones, the state force intensified their harassment. They crossed the route and the separation fence and though their use of tear gas was limited because the wind was often blowing towards them they shoot a lot of bullets coated by rubber.
As a new tactic, a metal structure used at one of the previous demonstrations was brought and used as a shield against the rubber bullets at the gate to the route of the separation fence.
However, in spite of the persistence of the demonstrators - including a good size delegation of France activists, after about an hour and a half of confrontation most of us returned to the village.
During the confrontation 17 were injured including seven journalists including few of the Aljazeera.Net team that was broadcasting live from the scene.
The parents of Rachel Corrie, the American peace activist who was killed by the Israeli army in Gaza five years ago, took part of the Bil'in protest.
Video link to this Friday demonstration in Bil'in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI51PKXPUHA by Imad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBA3oJKDfJA by David
--------------------
Bidu
Though the new surge of straggle in Bidu is taking its time, we were invited again a joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation. Due to logistic problem we arrived half an hour later than scheduled, th local activists waited for us.
We took cars from the converging place to a road near the separation fence, and had a short march towards a gate in it. The tactic was proved as clever, as though there is a Gendarme police compound near by, they were taken by surprise.
We succeeded to force open the metal gate blocking the free movement to the route of the separation fence. We advanced fast the remaining 20 meters to the locked gate of the separation fence itself and started to shake it. Just as we broke it open, cars loaded with state force arrived.
They threatened to shoot us if we will not retreat the 20 meters to behind the metal gate to the route. When we refused, they push us, till we were behind the gate and they closed it. There we continued to shout on them for a while and than returned to the village municipality where we had a meeting, some speeches and talks.
One of the AAtW activists was injured from a blow of a rifle but while we were pushed away from the separation fence.
---------------------------
The Day of the land
Jafa (long ago annexed to Tel Aviv municipality)
The big demo opening of the day of the land was in Jafa Friday early afternoon. The choice of location was because of the new wave of Israeli efforts to robe Palestinian property. About 500 Palestinian families were issued an order to evacuate their dwelling, and the struggle against it is more than a year old - with the involvement of the AAtW with the local Palestinians comity. About 1000 people - Palestinian citizens of Israel mainly, but also many Israeli Jews too (among them Activists of the AAtW).
Most of the demonstrations of the 30th of March Land Day occurred on Sunday
Activists of the AAtW joined the one at the village Dir Khadis - we are passing every Friday on the road to the near by Bil'in.
matzpen.org
shalif.com/anarchy
http://awalls.org
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Palestine-Israel, Fourth year of Friday demonstrations in the joint struggle in Bil'in against the separation fence and occupation
It seems the Israeli state is accepting its defeat in its efforts to put end to the Friday demonstrations in Bil'in. This week we had witnessed again the continuance of the gradual de-escalation of the suppression of the Friday activity in Bil'in. We arrived in Bil'in from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, telling on the way to new comers about the long confrontations in the first years when the state forces tried to block the Israelis way to Bil'in - pointing on critical points on the way where activists of the anarchists against the wall initiative out smart them and succeeded to penetrate to Bil'in. On the way, the state force guarding the road blocks do not bother to even look at us. On the demonstration itself, the state force threatened us as usual, but they were not making too much efforts to back that by action.
When we approached the gate of the route of the separation fence we heard the usual threats about the military closed zone. When we decided to march along the northern section of the route of the separation fence - usually in the past retaliated by barge of tear gas and even shooting, we got only threats and only one warning shot.
Afterwards we returned to the open area near the gate to the route of the separation fence and the state force that even before that kept to the other side of the fence regrouped to the other side of the route.
After the demonstration was nearing its end, the stone throwers started their action and the nonviolent demonstrators started to return to the village... But even in that stage the state force kept to the de-escalation: They used only few tear gas grenades. They were shooting from far away not trying to pursue the stone throwers kept their force on the other side of the route...
As if they are not really interested any more in the stone throwing. As if, they did not ever made their best efforts to initiate the stone throwing. (At the first months the state forces needed to send under cover provocateurs to throw stones and to incite village youngsters to do that.) Along the years, till few months ago they used to send teams of soldiers and border gendarmes to the fringe of the built area of the village to incite stone throwing. Last few months when they stopped this schedule, they still sent teams to pursue the stone throwers, to shoot them and injured in the process the retreating nonviolent demonstrators.
This Friday they did some shootings of tear gas grenades and bullets rubbed with rubber but the injuring of one of the team of medics who come regularly with the ambulance seems not by intention.
(This Friday I nearly missed the smelling of the tear gas I am nearly addicted to after 150 demonstrations.)
The joking about a future Friday demonstration the Israeli state force will fail to attend too... start to ring with true probability.
------ At the south of Bethlehem region ------
The struggle against the separation fence in the south is not collecting momentum. The hope for intense joint struggle with the villagers of the region is not matching the Bil'in tradition. Though activists from the south came to Bil'in for solidarity and for learning, and have good ties with the Israeli anarchists against the fence, in none of the villages there is a weekly demonstration with large presence of local people.
In El Hader, last few times they held if at all only a demonstration prayer, but not a march or direct action. In Um Salmuna, there was a small demonstration with participation of a very small contingent of the anarchists against the wall.
Ilan S.
When we approached the gate of the route of the separation fence we heard the usual threats about the military closed zone. When we decided to march along the northern section of the route of the separation fence - usually in the past retaliated by barge of tear gas and even shooting, we got only threats and only one warning shot.
Afterwards we returned to the open area near the gate to the route of the separation fence and the state force that even before that kept to the other side of the fence regrouped to the other side of the route.
After the demonstration was nearing its end, the stone throwers started their action and the nonviolent demonstrators started to return to the village... But even in that stage the state force kept to the de-escalation: They used only few tear gas grenades. They were shooting from far away not trying to pursue the stone throwers kept their force on the other side of the route...
As if they are not really interested any more in the stone throwing. As if, they did not ever made their best efforts to initiate the stone throwing. (At the first months the state forces needed to send under cover provocateurs to throw stones and to incite village youngsters to do that.) Along the years, till few months ago they used to send teams of soldiers and border gendarmes to the fringe of the built area of the village to incite stone throwing. Last few months when they stopped this schedule, they still sent teams to pursue the stone throwers, to shoot them and injured in the process the retreating nonviolent demonstrators.
This Friday they did some shootings of tear gas grenades and bullets rubbed with rubber but the injuring of one of the team of medics who come regularly with the ambulance seems not by intention.
(This Friday I nearly missed the smelling of the tear gas I am nearly addicted to after 150 demonstrations.)
The joking about a future Friday demonstration the Israeli state force will fail to attend too... start to ring with true probability.
------ At the south of Bethlehem region ------
The struggle against the separation fence in the south is not collecting momentum. The hope for intense joint struggle with the villagers of the region is not matching the Bil'in tradition. Though activists from the south came to Bil'in for solidarity and for learning, and have good ties with the Israeli anarchists against the fence, in none of the villages there is a weekly demonstration with large presence of local people.
In El Hader, last few times they held if at all only a demonstration prayer, but not a march or direct action. In Um Salmuna, there was a small demonstration with participation of a very small contingent of the anarchists against the wall.
Ilan S.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Palestine-Israel, another Friday of joint struggle in Bil'in
It seemed to be a quite Friday demonstration of the people of Bil'in with internationals and Israeli anarchists against the wall, against the separation fence and occupation. We marched with the usual chanting and sporadic dancing towards the route of the fence. When we arrived at the blocked gate to the rote of the fence - the electronic fence run in its middle, we started to march along the route - away from the point the soldiers were staying at (on the other side of the route of the fence. After marching for a while we were out of the sight of the soldiers (but not out of the that of the intelligence camera). There we crossed the spools of the barbed wire stretched along the fence of the route and continue marching along the fence. After a while, we arrived at the spot the fence was torn in previous Friday, a flag was hanged on the fence and we confronted verbally few of the state force who came to confront us.
When they got a reinforcement, one of them threw on us a tear gas grenade which was a sign for the stone throwing youth to start their action. This was answered with full assault of the state force on both the youth and on the nonviolent demonstration - tear gas and bullets rubbed with rubber.
As a result, few of the nonviolent demonstrators got gassed and the head of an international activist was injured. Many of us left the arena the stone throwers were confronting the soldiers and returned to the gate of in the route of the fence... but the stone throwers followed us and start again throwing stones behind our backs - giving the state force excuse to attach us again.
They even crossed the route to our side and hijacked an international activist. While doing it, they pepper sprayed his face and the face of another comrade and shoot two Israeli activists from an illegal short distance with bullets rubbed with rubber. The comrades were taken wit ambulance to Israeli hospital there they were treated and the bullet was taken out of the comrade foot.
See a video clip of the demonstration by Emad Bornat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzIAYQmIDRU
Following is a media article in the Haaretz daily website:
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/964402.html
Two Israelis wounded in clashes with IDF at anti-fence protest
By Meron Rappaport, Haaretz Correspondent
Two Israeli protestors were wounded Friday in clashes with Israel Defense Forces troops during a weekly protest against the construction of the West Bank separation fence near the Palestinian village of Bil'in.
The protesters accused IDF troops of firing rubber bullets directly at them from short range, without any provocation. Some 100 Israeli and Palestinian demonstrators participated in the protest.
"We were standing in a group of about 10 Israelis next to the fence," said one protester. "The soldiers were standing roughly 10 meters from us. They saw Us and it was clear that we weren't throwing stones or anything. Suddenly I felt a blow to my arm. I was relatively lightly hurt. The guy next to me was more seriously wounded because the bullet penetrated his thigh."
The protester did not see who fired the shots, although other protesters said they saw an IDF soldier aim his weapon directly at the group and fire, adding that he was filmed doing so.
According to IDF rules of engagement, rubber bullets are not to be fired directly at protesters from a distance of less than 60 meters, since they can cause serious injury or even death.
The IDF said in response that "some 70 protestors gathered next to the fence, attempting to damage the fence and throw stones at the security forces. The troops were forced to respond with riot dispersal methods. The methods were employed in accordance with [IDF] orders and the allowed distances, and were directed only at those who were rioting."
Related articles:
# Court orders state to alter West Bank separation fence route at Bil'in
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/900705.html
# 2 IDF officers, 16 demonstrators hurt in Bil'in anti-fence protest
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/835380.html
# 3 Palestinians, 2 border police officers hurt in Bil'in protest
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/807373.html
When they got a reinforcement, one of them threw on us a tear gas grenade which was a sign for the stone throwing youth to start their action. This was answered with full assault of the state force on both the youth and on the nonviolent demonstration - tear gas and bullets rubbed with rubber.
As a result, few of the nonviolent demonstrators got gassed and the head of an international activist was injured. Many of us left the arena the stone throwers were confronting the soldiers and returned to the gate of in the route of the fence... but the stone throwers followed us and start again throwing stones behind our backs - giving the state force excuse to attach us again.
They even crossed the route to our side and hijacked an international activist. While doing it, they pepper sprayed his face and the face of another comrade and shoot two Israeli activists from an illegal short distance with bullets rubbed with rubber. The comrades were taken wit ambulance to Israeli hospital there they were treated and the bullet was taken out of the comrade foot.
See a video clip of the demonstration by Emad Bornat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzIAYQmIDRU
Following is a media article in the Haaretz daily website:
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/964402.html
Two Israelis wounded in clashes with IDF at anti-fence protest
By Meron Rappaport, Haaretz Correspondent
Two Israeli protestors were wounded Friday in clashes with Israel Defense Forces troops during a weekly protest against the construction of the West Bank separation fence near the Palestinian village of Bil'in.
The protesters accused IDF troops of firing rubber bullets directly at them from short range, without any provocation. Some 100 Israeli and Palestinian demonstrators participated in the protest.
"We were standing in a group of about 10 Israelis next to the fence," said one protester. "The soldiers were standing roughly 10 meters from us. They saw Us and it was clear that we weren't throwing stones or anything. Suddenly I felt a blow to my arm. I was relatively lightly hurt. The guy next to me was more seriously wounded because the bullet penetrated his thigh."
The protester did not see who fired the shots, although other protesters said they saw an IDF soldier aim his weapon directly at the group and fire, adding that he was filmed doing so.
According to IDF rules of engagement, rubber bullets are not to be fired directly at protesters from a distance of less than 60 meters, since they can cause serious injury or even death.
The IDF said in response that "some 70 protestors gathered next to the fence, attempting to damage the fence and throw stones at the security forces. The troops were forced to respond with riot dispersal methods. The methods were employed in accordance with [IDF] orders and the allowed distances, and were directed only at those who were rioting."
Related articles:
# Court orders state to alter West Bank separation fence route at Bil'in
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/900705.html
# 2 IDF officers, 16 demonstrators hurt in Bil'in anti-fence protest
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/835380.html
# 3 Palestinians, 2 border police officers hurt in Bil'in protest
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/807373.html
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sweden, Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall are every where 26 May 2004
Here in Norway we had twenty-five ambulances to block the way leading to the Israeli embassy (at least a couple of times). This was one of the rather cool actions workers organized here in Oslo (the capital of Norway that is), and makes a rather powerful -though symbolic- manifestation of how the IDF are hempering the work of ambulances.
Otherwise it's mostly talking, resolusions, declerations, endorsements of demonstrations (not substanstial participation though), etc. The main workers organization -"LO"- are also delivering news -something which is actually very important!. Last but not least, LO has a humanitarian (as in filanthropic) organization which delivers aid in form of food, health personell, water engineers and more, which allieviate the usual trot for ordinary workers. Needless to point out for you: This last "action" doesn't change the development, it just relieves a minimum of hardtime, and it doesn't engage the grassroots.
The Norwegian authorities also condems the Israleli states behaviour, but continue trading weapons (actually it was Norwegian shipowners which illegaly and in secrecy supplied heavy water (a very important raw material for making Israels A-bombs!)). Of course we must keep pressure up, but declarations and stuff from the trade unions IS NOT ENOUGH! Only direct action in form of selective boycotts (we want to hurt the Israeli state, NOT our fellow workers!), strikes etc. will change the development. (Here in Norway it's mainly about the transportations of those weapons, but in U.S. it's LOTS of commodities and governmental aid to the zionist state). I wish you the very best luck!
However, we cannot totally change the palestinian challenge from the outside -the main driving force must be palestinian and israeli workers united in fight -this we should seek to alleviate.
By the way; we got a visit from a guy called Ariel from the Anarchists Against the Wall initiative a week ago. He stopped by this radical youth-subculture-squat (Blitz) to show a film screening of the actions against the wall. It was a video which indeed made me very angry and combative. You should definately show it sometime.... It seems that these people are brave people working hard -they truly deserve our support. Not only moral, but also practical, if you've got the resources.
Currently it seems they are focusing more on the acute task of saving the villages which "stand in the way" for the Racist wall (at least that's how it seems -I don't live there, and ain't got a satisfying informations). If we could make better contacts with them, maybe we could influence them to take the strictly nescessary action towards workers actions.
Lastly: I feel obliged to stress that one of the very most important regions for classwar is in US -not Israel! Use your scarce resources were you are!
Think globally - act locally!
Otherwise it's mostly talking, resolusions, declerations, endorsements of demonstrations (not substanstial participation though), etc. The main workers organization -"LO"- are also delivering news -something which is actually very important!. Last but not least, LO has a humanitarian (as in filanthropic) organization which delivers aid in form of food, health personell, water engineers and more, which allieviate the usual trot for ordinary workers. Needless to point out for you: This last "action" doesn't change the development, it just relieves a minimum of hardtime, and it doesn't engage the grassroots.
The Norwegian authorities also condems the Israleli states behaviour, but continue trading weapons (actually it was Norwegian shipowners which illegaly and in secrecy supplied heavy water (a very important raw material for making Israels A-bombs!)). Of course we must keep pressure up, but declarations and stuff from the trade unions IS NOT ENOUGH! Only direct action in form of selective boycotts (we want to hurt the Israeli state, NOT our fellow workers!), strikes etc. will change the development. (Here in Norway it's mainly about the transportations of those weapons, but in U.S. it's LOTS of commodities and governmental aid to the zionist state). I wish you the very best luck!
However, we cannot totally change the palestinian challenge from the outside -the main driving force must be palestinian and israeli workers united in fight -this we should seek to alleviate.
By the way; we got a visit from a guy called Ariel from the Anarchists Against the Wall initiative a week ago. He stopped by this radical youth-subculture-squat (Blitz) to show a film screening of the actions against the wall. It was a video which indeed made me very angry and combative. You should definately show it sometime.... It seems that these people are brave people working hard -they truly deserve our support. Not only moral, but also practical, if you've got the resources.
Currently it seems they are focusing more on the acute task of saving the villages which "stand in the way" for the Racist wall (at least that's how it seems -I don't live there, and ain't got a satisfying informations). If we could make better contacts with them, maybe we could influence them to take the strictly nescessary action towards workers actions.
Lastly: I feel obliged to stress that one of the very most important regions for classwar is in US -not Israel! Use your scarce resources were you are!
Think globally - act locally!
Palestine-Israel, another joint Friday demonstration against the separation fence and occupation in Bilin, and Um Salamuna 03 Feb 2007
At noon we started as usual - Palestinians from Bil'in and the region, international activists, Israelis from the anarchists against the wall initiative, and media workers.... The theme of the creative structure was the call for the end of killing of Palestinians by Palestinians. We marched on the road to the route of the separation fence chanting and some time even dancing... At the head of the demo was a big sign reading "the internal killings" with mock nooses tied to it, and around the necks of a few Palestinian activists. As usual we seen at the fringe of the built area gendarmes of the border police waiting as provocateurs for the kids of the village to start throwing stones on them so they will be able to retaliate with grenades and rubber coated bullets and refute the claim that the struggle in Bil'in is nonviolent. Just as the last participants in the demo exited the village, we could already hear the beginning of the confrontation between the kids and the gendarmes.
When we arrived at the blocked gate to the route of the separation fence, began the low intensity confrontation. first verbal, later the soldiers used their batons to deter the ones trying to open the gate. Some of us started to pull the razor wire spools fortifying the gate, and later at a point 50 meter away they started to pull the spools of the razor wire fortifying the fence to the route the electronic fence pass in its middle. This was too much for the soldiers who started to throw shock grenades, which did not really deterred the activity.
However, the stone throwers who accompanied the demonstration could not refrain any more from stone throwing, and thus, the soldiers moved to the second mode - throwing both shock and tear gas grenades on both the stone throwers and the nonviolent demonstrators, shooting on the stone throwers, and violently try to drive the nonviolent demonstrators towards the village... with plenty of baton work.
Part of the demonstrators regrouped to area near the blocked gate where they confronted soldiers who were brutally beating a Palestinian demonstrator, and trying to arrest him. They eventually gave up on the arrest after demonstrators piled around him. As their pride hurt, the soldiers insisted on making another baseless arrest, and after a short scuffle with Israeli anarchists who tried to stop them, dragged Farhat Burnat, a 26 year old from the village, past the gate towards the army's staging area.
Farhat was later taken to a police station in a nearby settlement, and is falsely accused of assaulting a soldier. His arrest was extended by 96 hours and he was sent to a military detention camp. Under Israeli law, the police can only hold a person for 24 hours before being brought in front of a judge. Palestinians however live under military rule, and can be held for 96 hours before being brought in front of a judge
There and then, in a rare display of emotion, an Arabic speaking soldier, apparently of Druze origin (on which there is mandatory service in the army), started crying after villagers asked him how can he come and actively banish them from their lands, while even a group of Israelis stand by them. His commanders swiftly took him back to the army's staging area, shortening the enactment of one of Israel's "enlightened occupation" myths – shooting and crying.
This phase of the struggle continued more than an hour, till all the demonstrators returned to the village - leaving behind the battle zone between the kids and the gendarmes.
This Friday, "only" five people were injured this week. Three of them by rubber coated steel bullets, and two from beatings.
See another report and pictures at: http://againstwall.org/bil_in_palestinian_demonstrator_arrested_and_sent_to_military_detention_camp
Um Salamuna
Israelis were invited to the third Friday activity in the struggle against the separation fence in the region south of Bethlehem on lands recently bulldozed for the wall.
This Friday noon there was a small demonstration. Less than a hundred people - including few international activists of the ISM and Israelis of the anarchists against the wall initiative. Contacts were established for further steps in the struggle in that region.
When we arrived at the blocked gate to the route of the separation fence, began the low intensity confrontation. first verbal, later the soldiers used their batons to deter the ones trying to open the gate. Some of us started to pull the razor wire spools fortifying the gate, and later at a point 50 meter away they started to pull the spools of the razor wire fortifying the fence to the route the electronic fence pass in its middle. This was too much for the soldiers who started to throw shock grenades, which did not really deterred the activity.
However, the stone throwers who accompanied the demonstration could not refrain any more from stone throwing, and thus, the soldiers moved to the second mode - throwing both shock and tear gas grenades on both the stone throwers and the nonviolent demonstrators, shooting on the stone throwers, and violently try to drive the nonviolent demonstrators towards the village... with plenty of baton work.
Part of the demonstrators regrouped to area near the blocked gate where they confronted soldiers who were brutally beating a Palestinian demonstrator, and trying to arrest him. They eventually gave up on the arrest after demonstrators piled around him. As their pride hurt, the soldiers insisted on making another baseless arrest, and after a short scuffle with Israeli anarchists who tried to stop them, dragged Farhat Burnat, a 26 year old from the village, past the gate towards the army's staging area.
Farhat was later taken to a police station in a nearby settlement, and is falsely accused of assaulting a soldier. His arrest was extended by 96 hours and he was sent to a military detention camp. Under Israeli law, the police can only hold a person for 24 hours before being brought in front of a judge. Palestinians however live under military rule, and can be held for 96 hours before being brought in front of a judge
There and then, in a rare display of emotion, an Arabic speaking soldier, apparently of Druze origin (on which there is mandatory service in the army), started crying after villagers asked him how can he come and actively banish them from their lands, while even a group of Israelis stand by them. His commanders swiftly took him back to the army's staging area, shortening the enactment of one of Israel's "enlightened occupation" myths – shooting and crying.
This phase of the struggle continued more than an hour, till all the demonstrators returned to the village - leaving behind the battle zone between the kids and the gendarmes.
This Friday, "only" five people were injured this week. Three of them by rubber coated steel bullets, and two from beatings.
See another report and pictures at: http://againstwall.org/bil_in_palestinian_demonstrator_arrested_and_sent_to_military_detention_camp
Um Salamuna
Israelis were invited to the third Friday activity in the struggle against the separation fence in the region south of Bethlehem on lands recently bulldozed for the wall.
This Friday noon there was a small demonstration. Less than a hundred people - including few international activists of the ISM and Israelis of the anarchists against the wall initiative. Contacts were established for further steps in the struggle in that region.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Palestine-Israel, The "tsumud" (persistence) of the joint struggle in Bil'in against the separation fence and occupation Mar 7 2008
This Friday joint struggle was in the shade of the shooting in the educational center of the national-religious ideological core of the settler colonialists in Jerusalem. Other joint demonstrations were canceled due to the fear of Israeli state force harsh suppression expected... but not in Bil'in. In spite (or because) of the shooting during the week of Wa’am Burnat*, age 18 as he was working in his family’s olive groove near the separation fence, the Friday noon demonstration was not in question. At noon, local villagers enforcement by Palestinian Democratic Federation Party (Fida), internationals, Israeli anarchists against the wall and media marched towards the route of the separation fence cutting half of the village lands on its western side.
The joint struggle in Bil'in against the separation fence and occupation that started three years ago was not initiated or promoted by the various political organizations or the Palestinian authority. However, once the struggle in Bil'in became a focus of regional and international media, they found it hard to resist the temptation to come and share with the fame. The Bil'in arena (mainly the Friday demonstration) became a visiting location for Palestinian parliament members, ministers and even the whole government. Palestinian parties came with their contingents at election time and other special dates....
Political organizations not only joined to share with the fame, as even the national leadership intervened in favor of the joint struggle in Bil'in when local reactionaries distributed leaflets calling to put end to the cooperation with the Israeli Jews.
This week it was "the turn" of the Palestinian Democratic Federation Party (Fida) who came to celebrate the eighteenth anniversary of the party.
When we reached the foot of the hill the gate in the separation fence is located on its top (a point we were usually blocked at for months till few weeks ago) we converged there and a leader of the Fida gave a speech. When it ended we went to the near by section of the separation fence. As the state force were in small number due to their deployment to the Jerusalem crisis, we were not attacked at once. Activists even succeeded to cut an entrance in the fence protecting the route of the separation fence the electronic fence run in its middle, before they started to attach us.
First the state force shoot one round of bullets coated with rubber and a tear gas canister. Gradually, when the stone throwing youth started their activity the intensity of state force fire increased.
Gradually the participants of the nonviolent demonstration left the arena and returned to the village.
=============================
* http://www.imemc.org/article/53281e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF3TQLxlU9o
The joint struggle in Bil'in against the separation fence and occupation that started three years ago was not initiated or promoted by the various political organizations or the Palestinian authority. However, once the struggle in Bil'in became a focus of regional and international media, they found it hard to resist the temptation to come and share with the fame. The Bil'in arena (mainly the Friday demonstration) became a visiting location for Palestinian parliament members, ministers and even the whole government. Palestinian parties came with their contingents at election time and other special dates....
Political organizations not only joined to share with the fame, as even the national leadership intervened in favor of the joint struggle in Bil'in when local reactionaries distributed leaflets calling to put end to the cooperation with the Israeli Jews.
This week it was "the turn" of the Palestinian Democratic Federation Party (Fida) who came to celebrate the eighteenth anniversary of the party.
When we reached the foot of the hill the gate in the separation fence is located on its top (a point we were usually blocked at for months till few weeks ago) we converged there and a leader of the Fida gave a speech. When it ended we went to the near by section of the separation fence. As the state force were in small number due to their deployment to the Jerusalem crisis, we were not attacked at once. Activists even succeeded to cut an entrance in the fence protecting the route of the separation fence the electronic fence run in its middle, before they started to attach us.
First the state force shoot one round of bullets coated with rubber and a tear gas canister. Gradually, when the stone throwing youth started their activity the intensity of state force fire increased.
Gradually the participants of the nonviolent demonstration left the arena and returned to the village.
=============================
* http://www.imemc.org/article/53281e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF3TQLxlU9o
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Palestine-Israel, My report about the main activities of the anarchists against the wall last week of february.
All along the week, activists were involved with the wave of the refugees from Africa and the new wave of repression of them; Thursday evening was the last of February - the critical mass against occupation and the atrocities in Gaza strip. Friday was the busiest; In the morning - together with others, activists participated in the joined weekly vigil at the occupied Silwan district (Jerusalem); Towards noon activists participated in the demonstrations against the separation fence at Um Salmuna and Al Khader (south of Bethlehem) and of course in the 158th Friday demonstration against the separation fence and occupation at Bil'in; Saturday noon activists traveled again to Beit Umar (south of Bethlehem) to protest the mounting repression of the community which is struggling both against the new expansion of the near by settler colonialist Karmey Tsur; Saturday afternoon and evening, we had an "organizational meeting" as dissatisfaction with the present level was expressed by participating in our last "non regular" meetings of activists in Tel Aviv.
The critical-mass
Like in previous months, the initiative for the evening of the last Thursday of the month took place. At the beginning of the monthly initiative, the police tolerated our action in spite some obstruction to the traffic. Last three times the police harassed us and even arrested few participants. This Thursday the police tried to disrupt again the critical mass but even after arresting 6 participants the riding continued. When the six were brought to court the next morning, the police got a surprising disappointment. The judge dismissed the case condemned the police for false arrest. It seems the democracy for the Israeli Jews within the old pre 1967 war borders is still in power...
Silwan (Jerusalem)
The Jewification of the Palestinian villages and neighborhood annexed to the Israeli Jerusalem have lately a pick in Silwan. In response, the initiative in Jerusalem of the coalition against occupation - our activists participate in, started a weekly vigil in a critical tourist point, to show our indignation about the mounting atrocities.
Background:
Elad association has been working to cleanse the neighborhood of Wadi Hilwe in Silwan from it's Palestinian inhabitants for over a decade. The association uses different means for its objectives: buying out houses legally or by forgery and deceit, utilizing a network of collaborators which destroys the community from within, and mainly using the archaeological excavations and growing tourism as means to oust the local residents.
The state of Israel has given the full responsibility and control over the archaeological sites in Silwan to Elad, which in turn created a method of expelling citizens from their properties, appropriating public areas, enclosing these lands with fences and guards, and banning the entrance of the local residents. Elad monitors and executes aggressive archaeological excavations which are conducted secretly and illicitly, while violating international codes of ethic and under the protection of a private security force. Elad has managed to put its foothold in all the authorities and committees that are relevant to its cause: the Jerusalem municipality, national state committees, the antiquities authority, the nature & national parks protection authority, and the custodian for absentee property. Any attempt by the local residents to stand up against Elad, is met by a swift operation of the Israeli police and security services (shin-bet).
Hundreds of thousands of visitors a year are led through the excavation site in Silwan, and are brainwashed with a biased narrative told by Elad, under the charm of the national parks and antiquities authorities. The distortion of facts and the oppression of the local residents must come to light, and especially to those who visit the site.
South of Bethlehem Friday demonstrations against the separation fence and occupation.
About a year ago, the building of the separation fence reached the south sections. The villages of the region their land is robbed by this war crime activity started demonstrations and other direct actions - invited the anarchists against the wall to participate in the planing and enacting of activities. At the completion of the year of persistent activities, a new local popular comity of the Al Hader village decided to start regular Friday demonstration. Activists of the AAtW initiative and others from Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv join these activities.
This Friday, a minibus with activists from Jerusalem was intercepted on its way to Um Salmuna. This was one of the reasons the demonstration was very short.
This Friday, the Israeli state forces made special efforts to prevent the continuance of the demonstrations in Al Khader. Two military cars with soldiers invaded the village before the convergence of the villagers for the demonstration. They confiscated the communication equipment used to summon the villagers to the demo. They also hit the organizer and charged them with incitement to disturbance of the social order. The AAtW activist confronted the state force regarding the harassment and the confiscation of equipment - extracting a promise to return it later. On the way home from the canceled demonstration information was received that the equipment was indeed returned.
Beit Umar
Beit Umar planed the demonstration on this Saturday - like in few previous ones, so it will not compete with the other Friday demonstrations in the region. Thus, we traveled this Saturday too to Beit Umar for the early afternoon demonstration.
Background:
In response to the intensification of the struggle of Beit Umar against the separation fence and the expansion of the near by Karmei Tsur colonialist settlement, the Israeli state force took special measures to harass the village.
Following are excerpts from report on this activity and the resistance to it:
"Tonight, sometime around 01:00, the army invaded Beit-Umar with more then 100 soldiers. The soldiers are doing house to house searches, and more then 50 people been arrested. There is a full curfew on the village, and the army is blocking the entrance to the village.
It's already the fourth night in a row that Israeli Occupation Forces occupy one of the homes deep in the village at sunset. The family is concentrated in one room after (telephones) communication devices are taken from them. The aim of occupying the house - a lookout on the area around the house in order to locate stone throwers.
Three Israeli activists rode tonight to visit the family living in this house. Following a polite knock on the door, it opened by no other than the folks of the terrorist organization the IDF, armed from head to toe. The soldiers, according to procedures, let the activists into the house in complete shock from the surprise visitors.
The activists were concentrated in the guest room. The house owner was held in a room with his family under the watch of two soldiers.
Four soldiers that were in the entryway - second lieutenant Ehud (commander of the force), Nati, Masi, and Israel (Shrul) entered the guest room and began demanding the cell phones. "For What?" the activists asked and were answered that phones are taken from there so that they won't communicate with the outside world and will report about operation activities. The activists inclined their request and passed their cell phones. The video camera with them didn't stop recording for a moment since they had entered the house. The activists tried to find out if the soldiers had an order or something allowing them, just like that, to invade someone's house an push it's residents into a room. After a few minutes the soldiers also notices the camera and demanded to take it. The tape was ejected and the camera passed along. The soldiers, that decided that the tape was also important to them, demanded the cassette. The answer they got was no. "The tape cannot record without the camera" the activists answered and put the tape in a pocket. The soldiers didn't like the idea and started demanding, assertively, the tape. In a place where words failed, the soldiers started to push and bend the activists' hands. The tried again and again to get to the tape, but didn't manage.
One of the activists began feeling ill. He coughed heavily and breathed deeply. The activists asked the soldiers to retreat and let him breath. Even this thing cost a few pushes, but when the soldiers understood it was serious they regained composure tenfold. One of the soldiers took care to organize the teddy bear and heart collection that had fallen during the struggle over the cassette. Boy, what an enlightened army.
The family, despite their being locked in a room, sent their guests water and tea. The activist who felt bad sipped water and tea and reclined under a pile of blankets and coats.
The soldiers began withdrawing from their aggressive behavior and went out of the room as each time they leave one soldier for watch. A the intended hour (around 23:00), the soldiers closed the room doors. The friends came down from the roof of the house and left the residents. The doors opened and the house residents were released from their jail (that hours ago had been their home) went out to meet the visitors who had come from afar.
Good and all ending. A few kids with traumas, terrified parents without ability to provide security to their children, and neighbors that can't really help.
And the soldiers? The coin hasn't dropped. Tomorrow, so it seems, their will occupy another home temporarily"
Bil'in
This Friday demonstration theme was the mounting repression in Gaza. We marched from the center of the village to the gate in the separation fence to the western lands of the village. In addition to the chants, we carried a symbolic "corps" of a baby in a funeral like box, and a huge black flag of two by twenty meters.
When we arrived at the route of the separation fence, we forced open the external gate and one comrade brought the symbolic coffin up to the electronic fence, retreating fast backwards to where the other demonstrators stood. In retaliation, a bullet was shot by the Israeli state force and one comrade was seriously wounded.
Before that, in parallel to it and all along the demonstration, an ex-Israeli activist involved with our struggle played his instrument wit music appropriate to the occasion.
At some moment, a tear gas grenade exploded where the state force were posited behind the rote of the separation fence. They were forced to escape from there and as a way to vend their humiliation they crossed the route to our side and started to push us down the hill - ordering us to return to the village.
Though the soldiers were many, not all of them were enthusiastic about that, and we resisted the order in the usual persistence. Thus, after arresting one activist and harassing others, the soldiers lost their energy and we regrouped half the way down the hill.
The soldiers then change their focus toward stone throwers youth located among the near by olive trees, sooting them and throwing on them tear grenades.
After a while, we returned to the village leaving the arena to the main band of stone throwers who waited till our non violent demonstration finished.
Link: to photographs of an American activist who was shot in the head in Bil’in in a below a video clip of the previous three years anniversary demonstration
http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2008/02/25/american-activist-shot-in-the-head-in-bilin/
Video of David Ribb on the 3 years anniversary Fridays Bil'in demonstration at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwVcGmULeog
Following are links to video clips of this Friday demonstration in Bil'in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy8-oxnZQJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz7j8TpjPtY
The critical-mass
Like in previous months, the initiative for the evening of the last Thursday of the month took place. At the beginning of the monthly initiative, the police tolerated our action in spite some obstruction to the traffic. Last three times the police harassed us and even arrested few participants. This Thursday the police tried to disrupt again the critical mass but even after arresting 6 participants the riding continued. When the six were brought to court the next morning, the police got a surprising disappointment. The judge dismissed the case condemned the police for false arrest. It seems the democracy for the Israeli Jews within the old pre 1967 war borders is still in power...
Silwan (Jerusalem)
The Jewification of the Palestinian villages and neighborhood annexed to the Israeli Jerusalem have lately a pick in Silwan. In response, the initiative in Jerusalem of the coalition against occupation - our activists participate in, started a weekly vigil in a critical tourist point, to show our indignation about the mounting atrocities.
Background:
Elad association has been working to cleanse the neighborhood of Wadi Hilwe in Silwan from it's Palestinian inhabitants for over a decade. The association uses different means for its objectives: buying out houses legally or by forgery and deceit, utilizing a network of collaborators which destroys the community from within, and mainly using the archaeological excavations and growing tourism as means to oust the local residents.
The state of Israel has given the full responsibility and control over the archaeological sites in Silwan to Elad, which in turn created a method of expelling citizens from their properties, appropriating public areas, enclosing these lands with fences and guards, and banning the entrance of the local residents. Elad monitors and executes aggressive archaeological excavations which are conducted secretly and illicitly, while violating international codes of ethic and under the protection of a private security force. Elad has managed to put its foothold in all the authorities and committees that are relevant to its cause: the Jerusalem municipality, national state committees, the antiquities authority, the nature & national parks protection authority, and the custodian for absentee property. Any attempt by the local residents to stand up against Elad, is met by a swift operation of the Israeli police and security services (shin-bet).
Hundreds of thousands of visitors a year are led through the excavation site in Silwan, and are brainwashed with a biased narrative told by Elad, under the charm of the national parks and antiquities authorities. The distortion of facts and the oppression of the local residents must come to light, and especially to those who visit the site.
South of Bethlehem Friday demonstrations against the separation fence and occupation.
About a year ago, the building of the separation fence reached the south sections. The villages of the region their land is robbed by this war crime activity started demonstrations and other direct actions - invited the anarchists against the wall to participate in the planing and enacting of activities. At the completion of the year of persistent activities, a new local popular comity of the Al Hader village decided to start regular Friday demonstration. Activists of the AAtW initiative and others from Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv join these activities.
This Friday, a minibus with activists from Jerusalem was intercepted on its way to Um Salmuna. This was one of the reasons the demonstration was very short.
This Friday, the Israeli state forces made special efforts to prevent the continuance of the demonstrations in Al Khader. Two military cars with soldiers invaded the village before the convergence of the villagers for the demonstration. They confiscated the communication equipment used to summon the villagers to the demo. They also hit the organizer and charged them with incitement to disturbance of the social order. The AAtW activist confronted the state force regarding the harassment and the confiscation of equipment - extracting a promise to return it later. On the way home from the canceled demonstration information was received that the equipment was indeed returned.
Beit Umar
Beit Umar planed the demonstration on this Saturday - like in few previous ones, so it will not compete with the other Friday demonstrations in the region. Thus, we traveled this Saturday too to Beit Umar for the early afternoon demonstration.
Background:
In response to the intensification of the struggle of Beit Umar against the separation fence and the expansion of the near by Karmei Tsur colonialist settlement, the Israeli state force took special measures to harass the village.
Following are excerpts from report on this activity and the resistance to it:
"Tonight, sometime around 01:00, the army invaded Beit-Umar with more then 100 soldiers. The soldiers are doing house to house searches, and more then 50 people been arrested. There is a full curfew on the village, and the army is blocking the entrance to the village.
It's already the fourth night in a row that Israeli Occupation Forces occupy one of the homes deep in the village at sunset. The family is concentrated in one room after (telephones) communication devices are taken from them. The aim of occupying the house - a lookout on the area around the house in order to locate stone throwers.
Three Israeli activists rode tonight to visit the family living in this house. Following a polite knock on the door, it opened by no other than the folks of the terrorist organization the IDF, armed from head to toe. The soldiers, according to procedures, let the activists into the house in complete shock from the surprise visitors.
The activists were concentrated in the guest room. The house owner was held in a room with his family under the watch of two soldiers.
Four soldiers that were in the entryway - second lieutenant Ehud (commander of the force), Nati, Masi, and Israel (Shrul) entered the guest room and began demanding the cell phones. "For What?" the activists asked and were answered that phones are taken from there so that they won't communicate with the outside world and will report about operation activities. The activists inclined their request and passed their cell phones. The video camera with them didn't stop recording for a moment since they had entered the house. The activists tried to find out if the soldiers had an order or something allowing them, just like that, to invade someone's house an push it's residents into a room. After a few minutes the soldiers also notices the camera and demanded to take it. The tape was ejected and the camera passed along. The soldiers, that decided that the tape was also important to them, demanded the cassette. The answer they got was no. "The tape cannot record without the camera" the activists answered and put the tape in a pocket. The soldiers didn't like the idea and started demanding, assertively, the tape. In a place where words failed, the soldiers started to push and bend the activists' hands. The tried again and again to get to the tape, but didn't manage.
One of the activists began feeling ill. He coughed heavily and breathed deeply. The activists asked the soldiers to retreat and let him breath. Even this thing cost a few pushes, but when the soldiers understood it was serious they regained composure tenfold. One of the soldiers took care to organize the teddy bear and heart collection that had fallen during the struggle over the cassette. Boy, what an enlightened army.
The family, despite their being locked in a room, sent their guests water and tea. The activist who felt bad sipped water and tea and reclined under a pile of blankets and coats.
The soldiers began withdrawing from their aggressive behavior and went out of the room as each time they leave one soldier for watch. A the intended hour (around 23:00), the soldiers closed the room doors. The friends came down from the roof of the house and left the residents. The doors opened and the house residents were released from their jail (that hours ago had been their home) went out to meet the visitors who had come from afar.
Good and all ending. A few kids with traumas, terrified parents without ability to provide security to their children, and neighbors that can't really help.
And the soldiers? The coin hasn't dropped. Tomorrow, so it seems, their will occupy another home temporarily"
Bil'in
This Friday demonstration theme was the mounting repression in Gaza. We marched from the center of the village to the gate in the separation fence to the western lands of the village. In addition to the chants, we carried a symbolic "corps" of a baby in a funeral like box, and a huge black flag of two by twenty meters.
When we arrived at the route of the separation fence, we forced open the external gate and one comrade brought the symbolic coffin up to the electronic fence, retreating fast backwards to where the other demonstrators stood. In retaliation, a bullet was shot by the Israeli state force and one comrade was seriously wounded.
Before that, in parallel to it and all along the demonstration, an ex-Israeli activist involved with our struggle played his instrument wit music appropriate to the occasion.
At some moment, a tear gas grenade exploded where the state force were posited behind the rote of the separation fence. They were forced to escape from there and as a way to vend their humiliation they crossed the route to our side and started to push us down the hill - ordering us to return to the village.
Though the soldiers were many, not all of them were enthusiastic about that, and we resisted the order in the usual persistence. Thus, after arresting one activist and harassing others, the soldiers lost their energy and we regrouped half the way down the hill.
The soldiers then change their focus toward stone throwers youth located among the near by olive trees, sooting them and throwing on them tear grenades.
After a while, we returned to the village leaving the arena to the main band of stone throwers who waited till our non violent demonstration finished.
Link: to photographs of an American activist who was shot in the head in Bil’in in a below a video clip of the previous three years anniversary demonstration
http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2008/02/25/american-activist-shot-in-the-head-in-bilin/
Video of David Ribb on the 3 years anniversary Fridays Bil'in demonstration at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwVcGmULeog
Following are links to video clips of this Friday demonstration in Bil'in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy8-oxnZQJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz7j8TpjPtY
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