The struggles are not only against the occupation and the separation fence on
the west bank. The last wave of high school refusnics collect momentum with
fifth female join the jail population. The struggle against the separation fence
in Bil'in, Um Salmuna and Ni'ilin continue, with expansion to the Hebron region
and other places in connection with the olive picking season and the terror of
settler colonialists against Palestinian neighbors. In Bil'in [West of
Ramallah], it was the 194th Friday demonstration since February 2005. With Rani*
Burnet on his wheel chair again in its front. In Ni'ilin's Friday it was full
confrontation again after the end of olive picking "truce". In Um Salmuna [south
of Bethlehem] this Friday was with low confrontation level as usual.
BIL'IN: link to video Friday 7-11-08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KokxMq_WiAE
HIGH SCHOOL REFUSNICS
This Monday, as we do with other high school refusnics in contact with the last
wave of refusnics initiative, we escorted our comrade Raz with our usual lively
demonstration at the entrance of the central recruiting base of the Israeli
army. (And also escorting Sahar - coming for another term of prison for
insisting on her refusals.)
We were about 70 participants (Most of them take part time and again in the
Friday joint demonstrations against the separation fence in Bil'in), with a
small rhythm band, banners and placards. Leaflets were distributed to the in and
out base passers by people. Refusnics of previous waves were seen in the crowd.
Following are excerpts from a distribution.
Raz Bar-David Varon, a signatory of the 2008 high school seniors refusal
letter, Reported yesterday (3 Nov.) at the Induction Base, declared her refusal
to serve in the Israeli military and was sentenced to 21 days in military
prison. CO Sahar Vardi, who reported at the induction base together with her,
was sentenced to a third prison term, also of 21 days.
In a brief statement made on the day of her arrest, Raz said:
Today I am about to refuse serving in the Israeli army. I have witnessed
this army demolishing, shooting and humiliating people whom I did not know, but
have learnt to respect for their ability to go on dealing with these horrors on
a daily basis. Reality is complex, of course. There's history, politics,
politicians, boarders, flags. There's supposed to be a good reason for all of
this. This reason is supposed to be my defense. I feel like screaming: 'This
does not defend me! It hurts me!' It hurts me when people, Palestinians, are
being so brutally assaulted, and it hurts me when they later turn their hatred
towards me because of it. I wasn't born to serve as a soldier who occupies
another, and the struggle against the occupation is mine too. It is a struggle
for hope, for a reality that sometimes feels so far away. I have a
responsibility for this society. My responsibility is to refuse.
The two COs were escorted to the Induction Base some 70 protesters, carrying
signs and chanting in support.
We Refuse to Be Occupiers - at the demonstration The two objectors' prison
addresses are:
Sahar Vardi
Military ID 6055780
Military Prison No. 400
Military Postal Code 02447, IDF
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-9579389
Raz Bar-David Varon
Military ID 6000383
Military Prison No. 400
Military Postal Code 02447, IDF
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-9579389
Since the prison authorities often block mail from reaching imprisoned
objectors, we also recommend you to send your letters of support and
encouragement to the imprisoned objectors via e-mail to shministim@gmail. com,
and they will be printed out and delivered to them during visits.
In addition, you may want to follow some of our recommendations for action below.
Raz is the fifth woman CO of the signatories of the 2008 high school seniors
letter to be imprisoned over the recent three months. Omer Goldman, Tamar Katz
and Mia Tamarin have finished their second prison terms and await the army's
decision in their case.
Raz and Sahar are due to be released on 21 Nov. 2008, but are likely to be
imprisoned again soon afterwards.
MEDIA HAARETZ.com ON Shin Bet [secret service] and the AAtW*
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1035176.html
IDF asks police, Shin Bet for info on left-wing figures active in W. Bank
The Israel Defense Forces has asked the Shin Bet security service and the police
to provide it with information on left-wing figures active in the West Bank so
it will be easier to issue restraining orders against them, Haaretz has learned.
Since the IDF does not gather intelligence on Israeli citizens, the GOC Central
Command depends on evaluations by the Shin Bet prior to signing restraining orders.
So far, such orders have only been issued against extreme right-wing activists
suspected of subversive activities. This time, the army has focused on a number
of activists protesting the security fence, those who help Palestinians harvest
their olives, and others.
This is apparently the first time left-wing activists have been the possible
target of such orders.
A document formulated by the IDF Central Command, entitled "Means of Operation
Against Leftist Activists in the Area of Judea and Samaria" states, among other
things, that the goal was to issue restraining orders against Israelis and
foreigners "who disturb the peace" and "lead violent activity."
To obtain the intelligence information it needs to back up the request for a
restraining order, the Central Command approached the Shin Bet and the Judea and
Samaria police districts requesting material that had been gathered on the
activists.
The police were also asked to present all information they had on these
individuals, including cases that had been closed.
The army further asked the police and the Shin Bet to keep their work on the
matter secret.
Among the activists the intelligence services were asked to provide information
about is Yonatan Pollack of Anarchists Against the Fence.
Pollack said he was not surprised the army was seeking a restraining order
against him. "On Sunday two weeks ago the Shin Bet called and summoned me to the
police station on Dizengoff Street. They said they had had enough of my
activities and if I kept it up they would take steps, either criminal or
administrative ones. I told them that all my activities were open and if there
was anything illegal, they were a matter for the police."
Pollack also said he presumed that "since there's a lot of talk now about
restraining orders against right-wingers, they would use that against us to show
balance, although there has almost never been a case of a left-wing activists
suspected of violence and certainly not of violence like that of the right-wing
activists."
The IDF spokesman's office said it works with the police to enforce law and
order in the West Bank and that "the law is enforced without reference to this
or that political affiliation." The police spokesman for the West Bank district,
Danny Poleg, said the police were "cooperating fully with the Central Command to
enforce the law in Judea and Samaria."
The Shin Bet said it does not release information on its operations.
=================================
* Anarchists Against the Wall initiative
** Rani is a Bi'lin villager in his late 20s. He was shot at by a live
ammunition in a demonstration against the occupation at 2000 in Ramallah. He is
nearly always at the head of the demonstrations in Bil'in.
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