Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle start new processes in the Palestinians arena and in the Israeli left

During the week activists of the AAtW were involved with prisoners support - both Israelis and Palestinians, and Refusnics struggle. On Friday we mobilized to Bilin, Ma'asara, Nabi Saleh, Ni'ilin, and Sheikh Jarrah. Media: '“Israel recognizes the threat of the popular movement and its potential for expanding,” said Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli anarchist and spokesman of the of the (Palestinian west bank) Popular Struggle Coordination Committee. Israel tougher line: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/world/middleeast/29palestine.html'. Part of tougher line: Thursday pre-down arrest in Bil'in of Mohamed Khatib the coordinator of the Committee. On Saturday comrades accompany shepherds in confronting efforts of driving away Palestinian shepherds and farmers from their lands. in South Mt. Hebron.

BILIN

Video from Thursday pre-down raid in Bil'in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4B6X9qjIVI

This Friday state forces did not try to block our way to the demonstration against the separation fence and occupation. About 40 of us of the Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall initiative joined internationals, Palestinians who came to Bil'in (including few dignitaries) and of course increased number of the village in response to the arrest of Mohamed Khatib the day before, and international media agencies too). After the usual march we arrived at the gate of the separation fence. Short time after the speeches state force started with noise grenades, tear-gas canisters and later added rubber-coated steel bullets. As the wind this Friday was not friendly to us, the acrid tear gas forces most of us few hundreds meters back.

The state force escalated this week their new policy and crossed the fence in big number and "toured" the area on the fringe of the built area and even the main street. Tear and sound grenades were used against youth who expressed their unwelcoming by stones...

This Friday we suffered a lot from the new and intense acrid tear gas, but non was seriously wounded or arrested.

Friday 29.1.2010 video of demonstration at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8TcqyXu1yw

MA'ASARA

Previous Friday:
Interview in Ma'asara with Israeli activist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPA48zuWfm8
After Ma'asara village's weekly demonstration against Israel's apartheid wall and illegal settlements, women from the village sing about having no fear of the violence being used against them; soldiers remain on a Palestinian family's rooftop; and an Israeli activist talks about communicating with soldiers at weekly demonstrations in Palestine.

Friday

Once again Palestinian, Israeli and international activists gathered in Ma'asara for this week's Friday demonstration. Marking the anniversary to the assassination of Palestinian leader George Habash the demonstration was joint by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, including Tawfiq Tirawy.

The 70 or so demonstrators marched from the center of the village to the sound of drums, passed a lone military jeep stationed in the entrance to the village, and preceded towards the route of the Apartheid Wall. As usual they were met by barbed wire laid on the road and a raw of (mainly reserve) soldiers.

Speeches were carried in English, French, Arabic and Hebrew, and slogans chanted for half an hour. On their way back to the village demonstrators stopped in front of the lone jeep, fearing an incursion. Two more jeeps quickly joined the first one, and armed soldiers threatened the demonstrators. Choosing to de-escalate the situation demonstrators backed into the village peacefully, and the army left shortly after.

NABI SALEH

Previous Friday (22-1-10) report: In An Nabi Saleh about 100 Palestinian protestors from the village and the neighboring village Dir Nizam, as well as their international and Israeli supporters, gathered in the center of the village and started marching toward the land and water spring that are being confiscated from them by the neighboring settlement Halamish, with the support of the occupation army. While the demonstrators were still marching inside the village, IOF started attacking the demo indiscriminately from various directions shooting tear gas, terrorizing by that the remaining residents of the village, who were then destined to suffocation and closure, with no escape option. For two hours IOF attack on the village continued as some of the protesters try to push back the soldiers by throwing stones at them. One time the army shot through a cannon dozens of tear gas canisters towards the middle of the village. The army also shot rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition. 6 demonstrators were injured. The army also arrested 6 protestors, among them 3 Palestinian women and one Israeli Jew, who was released after an hour due to his privileged origin and status. One Palestinian woman was release in the morning after and the rest, as of Tuesday, are still in detention without seeing a judge.
See this too: http://hagada.org.il/hagada/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7232
Nabi Saleh on Ynet http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3839256,00.html
Video of officer cursing in Nabi Saleh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gGQP2JKR14\

This Friday

In An Nabi Salih, the neighboring village Deir Nidham was under curfew so it was not able to hold the parallel demonstration as it has in the past few weeks. The demonstration was well attended and as it started to march out of the village towards the lands it was met with several border police jeeps parked next to the last houses of the village. The marchers resisted the provocation of the invasion and sat down on the road and chanted and sang songs. Slowly the marchers inched their way towards the jeeps still only chanting and singing. At a certain point, without a single pretext give the army began to shoot tear gas at the demonstrators.

The army and border police were equipped with a variety of weapons including the multiple canister tear gas launcher, 'the skunk' : an organic compound design to have a foul odor shot through a water canon as plastic coated well as metal balls shot in place of the 'ordinary' rubber coated metal bullets.

At some point in the demonstration, the border police deliberately targeted a house close to the road which had large easy to hit windows. They shot at least one tear gas canister into the house causing about 20 people to be trapped inside without the ability to escape the gas. The victims included Young children and old women. To get away from the suffocating gas, young children were passed down from a third story window to people who climbed the side of the house. At the end of the day 8 people were taken to hospital, mostly from tear gas inhalation.

Although this Friday was only the fourth protest of its kind, Nabi Salah has fast become a hub of the popular struggle, adopting the non-violent principles of its sister movements in Bilin and Ni’lin.

Nebi Saleh video of 29-1-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCmO3nbMcFs

NI'ILIN

On 22-1-10 Friday in Ni'ilin, some 150 demonstrators marched to the route of the wall to demonstrate there against the annexation and the aggressive suppression campaign held against the village. For the last nights, some 16 of the village youth were arrested in military night raids. And yet – the villagers alongside the international & Israeli supporters who once again joined the demonstration after crossing fields by foot, went on demonstrating and resisting the soldier's invasion to the village fields for hours.

This Friday

in Ni'lin, about 150 protesters headed to the wall route after the Friday prayer. The demonstration marked prisoner day, and aside from the religious sermon, the participants heard speeches by Salah Khawaja, the Village legendary medic, and Dr. Mustafa Barghouty. The group arrived at the gate and was greeted by the soldiers guarding it with a volley of tear gas grenades. Some of the protesters then responded with stones, while others expressed their opposition to the land theft by chanting slogans against the wall and by raising posters produced by the Ni'lin Media Group. After approximately an hour and a half, a group of soldiers crossed the wall, and two soldiers, apparently from a special unit, armed with hand guns and fired in the air while they ran after the group of protesters and arrested a person visiting Ni'ilin from yabrud. The village youth continued resisting the army's invasion for another two hours, and the protest ended with no injuries recorded aside from tear gas inhalation.

REFUSNICS

On February 1st, Emelia Marcovich is going to military prison for refusing to serve in the Israeli army Because we can't understand why having a conscience is a crime, we'll be holding a demonstration in support of Emelia. Thursday, January 28th, 18:30 We'll meet in Dizengoff sq.
A simultaneous demo will take place in London:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=260824171593&ref=nf
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=442493695170&index=1

SHEIKH JARRAH

The Israeli Zionist left support to the joint struggle of the anarchists against the separation fence and occupation was for years limited to subtle activities like giving more space to our people and our activities in the media, enhancement of the "democracy for Jews", so the state will allow us access to the locations of actions, be lenient when we break their laws and will restrict the physical harm they cause us and our Palestinian partners in the joint actions.
(Till now only three of us detained to more than 40 hours and served longer time in jail - as they refused alternatives. Only 19 of our Palestinian partners were murdered - but non of the Israelis. Among the two scores of Israelis hit by rubber coated bullets and grenades only few needed hospitalization and only 3 suffered chronic health damage.)

Real participation of the Zionist left in our struggle was mainly restricted to media cover missions, and participation of thousands of them (once mainly, but few hundreds came more than once) as individuals in the Friday demonstrations against the separation fence in Bil'in (that even the Israeli highest court of "justice" decreed that it must be moved few hundreds meters to the west...)

The involvement of the Israeli Zionist left in the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah is a qualitative escalation. This time prominent members of the elite of culture like David Grosman and political left like parliament members of the Merets party sided in public and joined Sheikh Jarrah action that protest verdicts of Israeli courts.

Court blocks police bid to keep 18 protesters away http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=167195

Author David Grossman: Settlers abuse Palestinians
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1146191.html

Speaking to the protestors, Grossman said, "Sometimes, it's not possible to sit and be silent. Settlers and the political right aided by the government, the legal system, and economic powers abuse the Palestinians in 1,001 different ways."

At a morning radio program Yosi Sarid - ex-leader of the Merets party said he regret it but he will not be able to return this Friday to the demo in Sheikh Jarrah he participated the previous Friday. (Another Parliament member of this party came instead of him...)

Previous reports
Sheikh Jarrah - a look from within: http://eyalniv.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/sheikh-jarah/
Pictures and video at: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1247
Inside the SJ neighborhood during 22.1.10 demo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QkiD8IpY00
Another video of SJ 22.1.10 demo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv3gL-Y1ecg

Notice: Settlers are having some of the most extreme right wing activists staying at SJ through Saturday. (They did a counter demo Friday but it was small and ridiculous in comparison with our demo on the other side of the road.) We need people to come and hang out and stay.

Media: Police vow to squash East Jerusalem protests despite court order... http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1145875.html (but they got cold feet or strict order from above and did nothing.)

Friday

In Sheikh Jarrah there was yet another big demonstration, and for the first time in quite a while – with no arrests made at all. After several weeks of ongoing police oppression the Jerusalem court issued two rulings in support of the demonstrations, stating these were legal and that their dispersal was illegitimate. And so some 300 demonstrators gathered this Friday afternoon at the entrance to the neighborhood, including several members of Knesset, and protested against the racist house evictions. (Half, Israelis from west Jerusalem, nearly half from Tel Aviv region, Palestinians from the neighborhood, and media too... may who few hours earlier participated in other demod.) Placards, banners, and chanting were a plenty. Among the chants: "SJ protests will be the beginning of the 3rd intifada".

Opposite the demonstration stood tens of riot policemen, and five radical right-wing counter-demonstrators. A short heated debate with the fascists and a failed (by the police) attempt made by a few demonstrators to enter the neighborhood and plant flowers were the only two extraordinary events. Otherwise the cheerful and energetic demonstration went on peacefully for an hour and a half.

video-Settler Attack in Sheikh Jarrah with M-16 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_noYAfW7dm4
Sheikh Jarrah article in Walla http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/104/1638185

SOUTH OF HEBRON

In the last weeks military forces in south Mt. Hebron are constantly engaged in driving away Palestinian shepherds and farmers from their lands. In many places shepherds told us they no longer dare going to their lands without our accompaniment. They need us with them. Therefore, this Saturday, 30 January, we shall go there again to accompany shepherds in various locations in South Mt. Hebron.

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle worry the Israeli state and its repression back-fire

The weekend activity expand in spite of increased repression by state forces. Increased repression in Bil'in and She Nabi Saleh did not deter the joint struggle as it did not succeeded in Ni'ilin. In Sheikh Jarrah the transfer/eviction of Palestinian families replacing them by settlers resulted in protracted struggle in the week days for months and expanding demonstrations on Fridays. The efforts of police to put end to the Friday demonstrations back fired and even the more radical circles of the Zionist left joined us this Friday.

BIL'IN

Only 15 activists of the Anarchists Against the Wall succeeded to come to the joint Friday demonstration. The rest were detained for too long at the Ni'ilin road block. These and the majority of those arrived continued after the demo to the big Friday demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah.

Bil'in weekly demo 22.01.2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBkPep1f1O4
Bil'in 22-1-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrlrQTj49c4

JAFFA (TEL AVIV)

Following security agents attack on local Palestinian inhabitants on the slope to the sea - the AAtW was invited to send delegate to a meeting of activists to contemplate future activity.

MAASARA

Ma'asara video 15.1.10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV7FX_qS0Bw

This weeks Friday demonstration in Ma'asara celebrated the Palestinian Day of the Tree. Some 70 demonstrators, Palestinian, Israeli and international, marched from the center of the village towards the route of the Apartheid fence, carrying young olive trees to be planted in the lands near the fence. Amongst the demonstrators were Palestinian Minister of Agriculture Ismail Du'eik and other officials from the Bethlehem area.

Shortly before reaching the soldiers who awaited the demonstration demonstrators stopped to watch the minister plant two olive trees at the end of the built area in the village. The march then proceeded to meet with the larger than usual number of border policemen and soldiers, some of whom had taken over the rooftops of nearby houses, aiming guns at the demonstration. The minister and other demonstrators gave speeches in Arabic and Hebrew, and left two plants near the fence. The demonstration ended peacefully.

About an hour later, soldiers arrested one of the Palestinian demonstrators inside the village. The grounds for the arrest are still unclear, and the activist was released later that evening. Army jeeps patrolled the village for a good few hours following the arrest.

Another take:

"today, no report, but I'll forward you the Imemc article below. Today, before the demo, we had a useful and interesting workshop with a lawyer and activist, who briefed us on our rights in case of detention. He also explained that often, one tactic is to arrest (often younger) people from a village and interrogate them using pressure, informants, etc., and then collect information on the leaders of the popular resistance.

Today, after the demo - which might have been too short for the soldiers' taste as they appear to have prepared for more - soldiers kidnapped Saeed al-Brijiah. Saeed had participated at the demo, and as all returned back to the village, Saeed entered a building at the beginning of the village to by chicken. On the top of this building, soldiers had at first hidden and come into view at the end of the demo as people were working past the house.

The soldiers walked down and came out of this building just as Saeed was in the shop, and they "detained" him there. Saeed is the father of eight.

Right now, at least two military jeeps have entered the village and are seen near the house of one of the members of the Popular Committee.
We urgently ask internationals to volunteer to stay in the village at night - we still need people for the night.

And still another take:

Local Organizer Arrested Following Weekly Protest in al-Ma'sara

Today in al-Ma’sara, near Bethlehem, the weekly non-violent demonstration started at the village mosque and marched towards the land where Israel is building their separation wall. This wall is built on land owned by the villagers and annexes further territory.

Peaceful Protest in Front of Israeli Soldiers in al-Ma'sara

The protests have taken place for 3 years and the villagers are joined, in support, by anti-Zionist Israelis and internationals.

The Israeli military had blockaded the road with a barbwire barricade and as the protesters peacefully tried to pass the soldiers forced them back, using their rifle butts and batons. No injuries were reported.

In addition to the blockade, the Israeli military occupied the rooftops of houses along the protest route. This recent escalation in tactics has come in the New Year, following a warning issued to the leaders of the Popular Committee against the Wall & Settlement Construction, that protests would not be tolerated in 2010.

After the protest ended peacefully, the Israeli military entered the village and kidnapped Saeed Ibrejiah from the local the Popular Committee against the Wall & Settlement Construction.

Palestinian minister for agriculture, Ismael Daik, joined the demonstration today, to show his support for the village and stand in solidarity.
category Bethlehem | non-violent action

NABI SALEH

This week after the demo in Nabi Saleh there will be a women's meeting to think about women's action/s.
Please let me know if you want to join. Thanks - E.

nebi salah video 21/01/10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7A34Y8kLrM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tHaIVogrtI

NI'ILIN

The usual Friday demonstration with media report on 70 to 170 participants and one soldier injured.

SHEIKH JARRAH

Join us this Friday to make this week's demonstration the largest in the history of the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah

Unfortunately, due to the refusal of the police to grant a permit for the weekly march from the Mashbir Plaza to Sheikh Jarrah, we will not be able to march this Friday. The arbitrary and illegal conduct of the police highlights the need to increase the protest.

Instead of the march, we will gather in Sheikh Jarrah at 15:00 And hold a legal protest watch without a permit

Friday

In Sheikh Jarrah this week the demonstration of about 500 was even bigger than those of previous weeks (including nearly 200 from the sea shore region). Few hundreds demonstrators, (Media: much more than 400) amongst them radical dignitaries: former minister and Knesset Chair Avraham Burg, former minister Yossi Sarid, MK Muhamad Barak'e, former MK Uri Avneri, and chairman of the Peace Now movement) gathered in a park near the neighborhood to protest the racist evictions taking place there in spite of intensifying police oppression of the struggle (see last week's report). Two demonstrators offered the police officer in charge, Avi Cohen, a big bouquet of flowers, thanking him for helping the struggle gain nationwide attention by arresting about 20 activists every week. Cohen refused to accept the flowers and they were left at his feet.

After about an hour of demonstrating in a tense atmosphere, demonstrators started marching towards the street where the settlers replaced evicted Palestinians families. Border and Riot policemen stopped the march, while still allowing settlers and visitors of the Shimon Hat'sadik Tomb through. After a quarter of an hour police attacked the demonstration, arresting about 12 people and beating on others. The demonstration continued for another two and half hours, with police occasionally beating people and shoving them back, but attempting to avoid too many more arrests. The day ended with 18 arrested.

During the demonstration it became apparent that settlers were attacking Palestinians inside the neighborhood, and two residents required medial care. At the same time police raided Palestinian homes and arrested people who participated in the demonstration and then went home. The demonstrators' protests outside against the police's siding with the violent settlers were met with yet more police brutality.


Shikh Jarah 22-1-2010 videos and articles from friday at SJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBnFBkhpgBE
http://josephdana.com/2010/01/sheikh-jarrah-roundup-2312010/
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/24/israel-activists-and-bloggers-protest-against-deterioration-of-human-rights/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJwBfZTDHP0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgJjvpGmp2M&feature=channel
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&story_fbid=306501236272&id=1312973882#/video/video.php?v=1308044870442&ref=mf
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147944414&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
http://www.jstreet.org/blog/?p=802
http://news.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=694308
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hJRh-bOyyNjDGbFLHvc-St_ID4hg
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelis-protest-over-fascist-jerusalem-settlements-1876417.html
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147961743&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
http://peacenow.org/entries/sheikh_jarrah_a_microcosm_of_the_conflict
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1144501.html
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/1144496.html
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147954457&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3838186,00.html

Over the last month and a half over 90 demonstrators were arrested in Sheikh jarrah - thanks to them and to the hundreds of demonstrators Sheikh Jarrah is becoming the symbol of the struggle against the occupation and against oppression

Saturday

"Tonight we will also support the arrestees during their hearing to join transportation from Tel Aviv- L."

As in previous Saturday nights few hundreds came to solidarity demonstrations till the arrestees released.
At the night court session the police asked for extended arrest time of 6 participants till end of cases.
They asked to ban the others till end of cases: from Sheikh Jarrah for these living in Jerusalem and from Jerusalem to these from out of town.

At the end of hearing all were released and are to appear in court for trial on the coming Tuesday.

Media covered the Friday demonstration and on Sunday articles can be seen in http://haaretz.com:

18 held at rally over eviction of Arabs in East Jerusalemhttp://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1144647.html

Jerusalem is starting to resemble Tehran By Yossi Sarid
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1144646.html

SOUTH HEBRON

Activists of the AAtW join other initiatives at the region during the week and on this Saturday too.

In the Saturday action two of the activist were treated locally for injuries from short rang stone throwing of settlers. Another comrade was taken to Hadasa hospital in Jerusalem for few hours treatment.

Media
On Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 6:23 PM, http://news.walla.co.il/?w=//1635285&m=1&mid=82705
Leftists videotape settler stone-throwing near Hebron

Peace activists attacked by hooded settlers while documenting what they say is illegal Jewish construction in south Mount Hebron; leftist, activist injured in altercation. 'This was a lynch attempt,' leftist says

A left-wing activist and a settler were injured Saturday during a clash near the Hill 18 outpost in the West Bank's south Mount Hebron area.


The leftists videotaped the event, saying their footage proves the settlers attacked them without provocation. The peace activists arrived at the site to document what they claim is illegal Jewish construction in the area.

Link to Video at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3838541,00.html


Left-wing activist Keren Shalom of the Ta'ayush (AAtW really) organization was struck in the head by a stone and evacuated to the hospital with mild injuries. "I arrived at Hill 18 to document illegal construction. As I was leaving hooded settlers came out of one of the structures and began throwing stones at us. A huge stone hit me in the head," she told Ynet.

"I was shocked that they did it with so much hatred. Thirteen of us arrived there, and we were attacked by four people, who were urged on by others," said Shalom, adding that security forces were late arriving at the scene, allowing the settlers to flee.

Leftist Yehuda Igus filed a complaint with the police. "They called us traitors, murderers and sons of bitches," he said, "We continued to walk without responding. Part of our ideology is not to resort to violence, and we pay a price for this."

Settlers throw stones http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/17112009/2379105/3_wa.jpg

Igus, who has been involved in several clashes with settlers, said, "This incident was the most frightening so far. Luckily, it ended without serious injuries – Keren was lucky. It's been a while since I've witnessed such a lynch attempt."

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against occupation and the separation fence expand and suppression increase

The AAtW activists were busy during the week in court solidarity in Ofer military prison and with the families of Sheikh Jarrah. Special invitation of the AAtW for this Friday five main demonstrations resulted in the more than usual mobilization to Bil'in (50) and Maasara 30 - in addition to Ni'ilin (10) and the new location Nebi Saleh (5). More than half of these 90 activists continued to the Sheikh Jarrah to join others who went directly there.) State forces seems to start worrying even more last few weeks and increased significantly the persecution of our Palestinian partners. Saturday/Sunday 20:00 - About 200 people came to a prison solidarity demonstration. About 03:30 they were released without any condition and been received warmly by the 60 who remained till the end.

THE CALL

"The effort to repress the demonstrations has been increased at all of the regular centers of struggle.
At Nialin two main organizers were arrested and it is important to respond with a strong show of support.
at Maasara, the demonstration was attacked with gas and rubber coated metal bullets and the village invaded for the second week in a row, organizers have been threatened and the village invaded at night.
In Bilin, another night raid and another arrest. They village is organizing a large demonstration for this Friday and are expecting many from other villages and town in the West Bank to join them as well.
In Nabi Saleh last week's incredible demonstration was followed by settler destruction of olive trees with the help of the army. They are planning a follow up and this is a critical state for them.
Not to forget Sheikh Jarah which also needs all the help it can get.
We should be at all of these places in numbers this Friday.
Please make an effort to come out to one of the demos this Friday."

BIL'IN

More than 45 Israelis with the Anarchist Against the Wall initiative and many internationals joined local activists with lot of Palestinian from the region - including dignitaries from Ramallah.

Following is the report of Iyad Burnat- Head of Popular Committee in Bil'in:

"Today in Bil’in village demonstrators against the apartheid wall and illegal Israeli settlements were met with live ammunition, tear gas (in both plastic and aluminum canisters), rubber bullets, and sound bombs from the Israeli army. Rubber bullets and tear gas canisters injured six demonstrators. Many suffered from sever tear gas inhalation including Fatah leader Dr. Nabil Shath. Others injured include Palestinian cameraman Fadi Aljause and reporter Haron Amira, Bassem Ahmad Yassin (leg injury), Ibrahim Burnat (rubber bullet injury), Nayif Ghazi (tear gas canister head injury), and a man from Jericho who was taken to the hospital in Ramallah (we have not received information about his current condition).

Palestinian, Israeli and International demonstrators marched to the wall with a 20-meter-long Palestinian flag at which time the military immediately began firing tear gas into the crowd. The army entered the village and attempted to arrest two of the Palestinian activists. Israeli and International activists physically intervened in order to stop the arrests. Soldiers shot live ammunition into the air during the conflict in an attempt to scare and disperse the crowd. The crowd consisting of many Israeli solidarity activists did not disperse and began chanting “shame on you” in Hebrew. Mean while many soldiers were entering from another entrance point in the apartheid fence. They attempted to surround the demonstrators from three directions, but were unsuccessful.

Because of the strength tear gas, a joke was made that the army must have been using the new and improved 2010-edition tear gas. The last two weeks of the new year have been marked by an increase in arrests and harassment of Palestinian popular resistance organizers and activists in the West Bank. Last night the army invaded the village of Al Ma'asara and raided the home of Popular Committee organizers Mahmoud Zawhre and Mohammed Brijya. The previous night, the home of Nil’in Popular Committee member Mohammad Ameera was raided. And one day before that three Popular Committee members were arrested from their homes in Nil’in. On the same night as the Nil’in arrests, a Bil’in activist who had been part of Friday demonstrations was arrested. Israeli authorities have intensified their efforts at suppressing the non-violent activities and organizing of Palestinians involved in grassroots campaigns against the Barrier and settlement expansion. Despite these efforts, many people have been attending the Friday demonstrations from neighboring villages, and new popular demonstrations have begun around the West Bank.

For more information:
Bilin-ffj.org and Popularstruggle.org"

MA'ASARA

"In spite of the violent oppression, phone threats and nightly invasion of the village – the village of Ma'asara demonstrated again this Friday.

Recently the village had been suffering from increasing military violence, declared by the army as a tool to stop demonstrations as of 2010. After having invaded the village after recent demonstrations and patrolling it at night on weekdays, soldiers raided the houses of several prominent activists in the dead of night between Thursday and Friday, causing damage to property and threatening activists that if demonstrations continue – a boy might get killed in the village. Soldiers said that they believe it is what the villagers want as it would "portray" the soldiers as killers. Soldiers also threatened the villagers with arrests if demonstrations continue, and encouraged the husband of one of the main female activists to divorce her if she continues "making trouble".

But in spite of all this, a demonstration did take place in the village, thought somewhat smaller than usual. 50 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals marched from the village center towards its agricultural lands and the route of the wall. On their way they learnt that the army has sent jeeps to roam the village, and that armed soldiers were standing on the rooftops around the demonstration area.

Demonstrators still proceeded and reached the line of soldiers blocking the main road with razor wire. Demonstrators beat their drums, chanted slogans, and in their Arabic, English and Hebrew speeches pronounced their commitment to the popular and non-violent struggle against the wall, the settlements and the occupation in spite of oppression, and called upon the soldiers to cross over to the side of joint struggle, in stead of supporting the war crimes and land and water theft.

The demonstration ended peacefully."

A video from the demonstration of Friday 8.1.10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmwI8L0raaM

MEDIA

Fencing match By Avi Issacharoff http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1142715.html

BIL'IN-NA'ALIN - Friday, 11 A.M. There is another hour until the onset of the weekly ritual. The participants are in face-off mode. On the "Israeli" side of the fence, south of the village of Na'alin - a three-minute drive from the city of Modi'in, which is halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv - many Israel Defense Forces and Border Police jeeps have taken their places, along with the officers, the binoculars and the weapons. All the entrances to the village have been blocked to ensure the enemy cannot send in reinforcements....

It's January 1, 2010, the anniversary of the establishment of Fatah, and the movement has decided to mark the event at the traditional Friday demonstration in the village. Israeli intelligence forecasts a particularly high turnout.

About 10 minutes away, Mohammed Khatib, a 36-year-old father of four, is walking around near the mosque in Bil'in and smiling like a little boy. He is a member of the Supreme Coordinating Committee, the coordinating body of the popular committees - a term borrowed from the first intifada - which are responsible for organizing the demonstrations. He is about to leave the village, due to an order issued against him by the State of Israel, prohibiting him from being in Bil'in between noon and 6 P.M. on Fridays. During those hours, the order stipulates, he has to "report to the police station closest to his home."

Accordingly, Khatib, who gets legal advice from Israeli lawyers, will soon travel to Ramallah, to the Palestinian police station there. "No one ever said which police, and that is the closest station to my home," he says, still smiling.

Read more at http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1142715.html

NABI SALIH

Israeli forces must have anticipated the large response to the An Nabi Salih Popular Struggle’s callout for international solidarity in their 4th consecutive Friday demonstration on January 15th. Three International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activists were turned away from the seldom-staffed partial checkpoint of ‘Atara, between Ramallah and An Nabi Salih. Fortunately, a back route was established and the group made it to the village, joining 10 other internationals, a dozen journalists and over 100 Palestinians.
The hilltop village of An Nabi Salih has a population of approximately 500 residents and is located 30 kilometers northeast of Ramallah along highway 465. The demonstration protested the illegal seizure of valuable agricultural land and the January 9th 2010 uprooting of hundreds of the village resident’s olive trees by the Hallamish (Neve Zuf) settlement located on highway 465, opposite An Nabi Salih. Conflict between the settlement and villagers reawakened in the past month due to the settler’s attempt to re-annex An Nabi Salih land despite the December 2009 Israeli court case that ruled the property rights of the land to the An Nabi Salih residents. The confiscated land of An Nabi Salih is located on the Hallamish side of highway 465 and is just unfortunately one of many expansions of the settlement since it’s establishment in 1977.

The plan for the demonstration was to march from the hilltop village and down to the seized fields in an attempt to reach the land. Less than one kilometer into the march, demonstrators met military jeeps, Israeli soldiers and unsparing amounts of tear gas blocking the road. Occupation resisters successfully forced the military to retreat a few hundred meters and an avenue to continue the march towards the fields through a valley between the road an the An Nabi Salih village was created. Military forces defended the settler-confiscated lands from multiple points including the road leading up to the village, highway 465 and a hilltop in An Nabi Salih using tear gas, sound bombs, rubber coated bullets and live ammunition.

Major struggles to reach the land occurred in the valley and on the lower portion of the access road to An Nabi Salih with sporadic outbreaks of force throughout the area. By 4pm, soldiers were forced into retreat to the base of the road (tear gas canisters rained intermittently until dusk) and a deal was made between the Popular Committee and the military for the release of the seven Palestinians arrested during the demonstration, three of which were woman arrested at the demonstration’s inception. Accounts of military violence during their detention at the Hallamish settlement were reported by multiple arrestees. One Palestinian resister was severely wounded by a tear gas canister resulting in a large gash in his head requiring emergency evacuation and medical attention by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
Seven International Solidarity Movement volunteers participated in the demonstration by shooting video, taking photos, offering medical aid and witnessing frontline violence and arrests.

Israel Puterman Video of Nabi Salih this Friday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5b-SBrsOSo

TV channel 10 news 11-1-10 take of Nabi Salih action/clash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gGQP2JKR14

Nabi Salih Hebrew text and Video
http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/1/1632675

NI'ILIN

Invitation to Friday 15-1-10 demonstration:

For over a year & a half the people of Ni'ilin have been demonstrating against the wall of annexation and deprivation built on the village lands

For over a year & a half the people of the village are subject to a ruthless attack:

5 murdered

Hundreds wounded

Numerous indictments

Night raids

Yesterday, the Israeli Military arrested Ibrahim Ameera (a member of the popular committee against the wall) and Zaidun Srur in a night raid, as part of the ongoing oppression campaign against the village.

The coming Friday (January 15, 2010), we will demonstrate alongside the village people against the deprivation, against the wall, against racism, and for the liberation of Ni'ilin and entire Palestine!

The Members of Ni'ilin Popular Committee Against the Wall that were detained this week will be brought to the "Ofer" Military Court Tuesday, January 19.

8.1.10 Interview with Palestinian activist Hassan Mousa at Friday's weekly demonstration against the wall and settlements in Nil'in. Mousa was arrested on 12.1.10 in an ongoing escalation of Israeli attempts to suppress the Palestinian Popular Resistance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZNmq-kqeHo

As part of the escalation against the popular struggle, the Israeli Military arrested two members of the Ni'ilin popular committee against the wall over the last week – Ibrahin Ameera and Hassan Mousa. Ni'ilin has paid a dreadful price during the year and a half of demonstrations against the wall: five demonstrators murdered (among them 2 kids), hundreds wounded, dozens arrested and trailed and many more "wanted", military night incursions, denied work permits, roadblocks & curfews – an orchestrated campaign of brutal oppression.
Nonetheless, some 150 demonstrators gathered this Friday for the weekly demonstration against the wall, and were joined by international and Israeli activists who found their way to the village through fields after all the entrances were sealed by the military. Following the prayer, the demonstrators marched to the route of the wall. On arrival, the soldiers started shooting tear gas at the demonstrators, and some of the village youth retaliated with stone throwing. Confrontations with the soldiers continued for two hours from both sides of the wall before the soldiers invaded the village fields. On entrance, they shot many rubber bullets injuring one demonstrator in his leg. In the fields too, the resistance didn't decline and for two more hours the courageous youth maintained their standing. Only late in the afternoon did the demonstrators decide to end the weekly demonstration.

Media:

....The second IDF soldier was lightly wounded by stones hurled at security forces during a protest against the security barrier at the West Bank village of Ni'lin. Some 150 Palestinians and left-wing activists participated in that protest.

Israeli group Anarchists Against the Wall organizes protests against the security barrier, such as this protest at the Palestinian village of Ni'lin [illustrative photo]:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147901990&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

OFER MILITARY JAIL-COURT

"Today at Ofer military court the testimony of two witnesses for the prosecution was heard in the trial of Addeb Abu Rahma from Bilin. He is charged with "incitement to violence" and has been in jail for six months since his arrest July 10. In fact He has been remanded until the end of legal proceedings. The Prosecution is asking for a sentence of 14-months.

The prosecution's witnesses were two boys from the village who incriminated Adeeb in signed statements extracted from them during the interrogation. The first witness denied everything that he allegedly said in the interrogation and said that he signed his name only after he was pressured to do so and without being able to read the statement since he can't read. The second witness only admitted that he said Adeeb is a member of the wall committee and said that he said it because he had a fight with him. They were then declared as hostile witnesses and cross examined by Adeeb's lawyer Adv. Gaby Lasky and by the military prosecutor. It should be noted that all of the trials of the people of Bil'in are based on the incriminating statements given by young people during their interrogations in the General Security Service facility, usually shortly after being removed from their homes at night and arrested.

The court session was a good opportunity for us to meet Adeeb. He was glad to see us, and of course happy to see his wife. During the trial he said some things which I want to forward to his many supporters: "I see the TV images from Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam, and am glad that the struggle continues and spreads to new places, despite the arrests of activists of the popular struggle. I also saw that the Israeli court decided that Route 443 should be open for Palestinians. This is a small victory, and I'm sure that we will reach many more victories. This wall will fall, in bil'in and everywhere. It's not easy for me in jail, there is no fresh air and no sunshine. I miss my wife and my nine children, but I'm strong, and will not break. The Popular struggle against the apartheid wall and occupation is also strong, and will not break".

More from the wonders of Ofer Military Court and the Israeli occupation - this morning judge's Rubinstein read his decision to hold Abdullah Abu Rahma in detention until the end of proceedings. Abdallah told us that the dozen arrests of activists against the wall only strengthen him in his faith that the popular struggle should continue. Despite my arrests, or perhaps because of my arrest, my family continues to go to the weekly demonstrations in Bilin."

REFUSNICS

Int'l Day of Solidarity with the Shministim -- San Francisco
January 9, 2009 is the International Day of Solidarity with the Shministim--Israeli youth refusing to serve in the IDF. Or Ben-David, 19, is sentenced to her third term in a military prison http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CdCeno_SnU

SHEIKH JARRAH

Friday 15-1-10: 17 were arrested when police tried to prevent the march to Sheikh Jarrah


About 03:30 in the morning all of them were released without any condition and been received warmly by the 60 of the solidarity crowd who remained till the end.

Media:

.... About 150 people took part in the protest. Police officials said the suspects were detained after ignoring police orders to disperse.

.... Police arrest CEO of Israeli civil rights group in Sheikh Jarrah

Police arrested 16 left-wing protestors in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem on Friday, among them the CEO of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Hagai Elad.

Leftist activists have held weekly demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah for the past three months, in protest of the eviction of Palestinians from their homes and their replacement with Jewish families.

According to activists, the protest that took place on Friday was not authorized, unlike previous weeks' protests. At the onset of the demonstration, police declared it illegal and threatened to arrest its participants. An eye witness reported that police began arresting the main participants, Hagai Elad and a protester waving a Palestinian flag among them.
In a statement, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel condemned its CEO's arrest. "We harshly condemn the police's suppression of the freedom of speech which had no legal grounds. The demonstration was forcefully scattered even though it took place legally, with no provocations or disruptions of public order," it was written.

Jerusalem police responded, saying it was an illegal protest of anarchists and leftist activists who did not listen to police orders. Regarding the arrest of Elad, the police said that if the CEO of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel allows himself to participate in an illegal protest, he shouldn't be surprised he got arrested. "

--------------

A call:

Today 17 activists were arrested in the weekly protest in Sheikh Jarrah. They will spend the weekend under arrest and will be brought before a judge on Saturday evening.

We will not give in to the police violence and the attempt to silence our voices.

We will not stand by while Sheikh Jarrah residents are evicted and their protest suppressed.

Come to demonstrate against the ongoing suppression of the protest. -------
Police detain 13 leftist protestors in east Jerusalem.

Saturday/Sunday 20:00 - 03:30 About 200 of us came to a prison solidarity demonstration at the court and prison station of Jerusalem. Drumming circle, songs and chant were loud enough to be heard by the 17 - who few times replied us in kind along the waiting to their release.

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against the occupation expand and include more locations simultaneously

Sheikh Jarrah and other locations in East Jerusalem were in the focus: both during the week and in the Friday demons. The Friday demonstrations in Ni'ilin and Ma'asara continued in spite of Israeli state forces to smother them. In Bil'in the state forces continued their harassments of the popular comity - both with activists in jail and "visits" to the village in the week's nights. Wallaje flames rise again in response to renewed efforts to annex more lands to the expanding settlers neighborhoods of south east Jerusalem. Nabi-Saleh had another Friday demonstration in the village struggle against annexation of its lands to the adjacent Halamish settlement. In Budrus - a village that fought in the past successfully against robbery of its lands, youth are confronting the state forces.

BIL'IN

About dozen Israelis of the Anarchists Against the Wall (AAtW) initiative joined about two dozens of international activists, Palestinians of the region, and scores of the local activists, in the march towards the separation fence. When we arrived there people started the usual verbal confrontation with the Israeli state forces located on the other side of the fence... Alas, these responded with tear gas grenades. Many activists used successfully transparent plastic bags as tear gas masks substitute. As the wind was friendly to us, we kept the demonstration going longer than usual.

At one stage soldiers crossed the fence and started to arrest one of the Israeli activists... but a barrage of stones and a tear grenade returned to them, forced them to escape without taking with them their temporary prisoner... (Part of the tear gas grenades thrown at us fail to ignite. Some of them are collected and returned back later - supplying the state force with their own "medicine".)

The heads of one demonstrator and one photographer were injured lightly by plastic tear gas grenades.

Haethm Alkateeb video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4E1ENvkYMU

After the end of the demonstration many of the Israelis and the internationals continued
to the demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah.

MA'ASARA

In spite of threats made by the army recently to break the resistance in the village as of 2010, and in spite of the repression of last week's demonstration, about one hundred Palestinians, Israelis and internationals gathered after the Friday noon prayer for the weekly demonstration against the fence and the settlements in Ma'asara.. Amongst these was a massive group of internationals who have just gotten to Palestine from Egypt, where as part of the Gaza Freedom March they tried to break the siege and ran into Egyptian police in a row of Cairo demonstrations.

The procession crossed the village to the sound of Samba drums, only to find the regular bunch of soldiers and boarder policemen waiting on the road towards the agricultural lands, shutting off the road with razor wire. Speeches were carried in Arabic, English, French and Hebrew, stressing the non-violent, popular and joint nature of the struggle. Everything around was peaceful.

After an hour the demonstration ended and the marchers turned around towards the village when suddenly two stones were thrown at the soldiers. A member in the popular committee says this was likely the act of army sent provocateurs that infiltrated the demonstration.

This was used as an excuse for the soldiers to cross their fence and attack the demonstration. Activists tried to deescalate the situation, promising the soldiers that if they don't proceed and allow the demonstration to end – no harm will come to them.. Demonstrators then marched back towards the village, leaving the soldiers to themselves. However, this was not enough for the military commander, who then ordered the soldiers to proceed into the village itself, claiming the army has a right to be wherever it wants to. The soldiers charged at the demonstrators again, beating some of them and trying to arrest some.

Once already at the village the soldiers called their jeeps, and stormed into the main street with loaded guns, throwing stun grenades all over the place and into people's yards. Only after realizing that they failed to arouse the required response (more stone throwing) did the soldiers leave.

This is the second week that soldiers storm into the village, proving that they intend to make good their threats. The struggle, however, continues, and the popular committee in Ma'asara needs your help as well.

NI'ILIN

Friday, AAtW activists joined the village activists in the "regular" demonstration against the separation fence and occupation. Not the sporadic murder of demonstrators nor the concrete wall built to deter the demonstrators nor even the siege blocking access to the village could stop the joint Friday demonstrations in Ni'ilin.
Media:

Every Friday - regardless the actual happening in the demonstration in Ni'ilin, with denial of the illegal use of the .22 live ammunition rifels, it is reported on the afternoon news broadcasts:

"200 protesters clashed with security forces near the village of Nilin and threw stones at the forces, who responded with crowd control means. There were no reports of injures in either incident."

NABI-SALEH

The people of Nabi-Saleh - a village adjacent to Halamish settlement - invites us to join a demonstration tomorrow (Friday, January 8) against the creeping annexation of the village lands.

Friday

An Nabi Saleh : Illegal Settlers and Israeli military attack Palestinian non-violent demonstration against settlement expansion

On January 8, villagers from the Palestinian village of An Nabi Saleh (population approx 500), located in the north of the Ramallah district, held its third demonstration in three weeks against creeping settlement expansion and land confiscation by the illegal Israeli settlement of Hallamish (also known as Neve Tzuf).

According to the residents of the village, since the settlement was established illegally on land belonging to An Nabi Saleh in 1977, there have been repeated attempts to expand the settlement. In 2009, the village successfully challenged, in the Israeli courts, the expansion of the settlement fence to land immediately alongside settler highway 465. In the past month, however, illegal Settlers residing in Hallamish colony have attempted to re-annex the land alongside the highway, which now divides An Nabi Saleh's land. In this period, the Settlers have proceeded to build a shelter structure for the purpose of a memorial, on the land, which includes a fresh water spring used by An Nabi Saleh farmers and shepherds.

In response to the attempts by the Hallamish Settlers to re-annex the land, An Nabi Saleh residents commenced non-violent demonstrations and actions to oppose the settlement expansion in December 2009. Prior to the demonstration on 8th of January, actions were also held on 1 January 2010 and 26 December 2009. These demonstrations included the replanting of olive trees in the area annexed by the illegal settlers.

Around 120 residents of An Nabi Saleh were joined by Israeli anti-occupation activists and internationals from the International Women's Peace Service and the International Solidarity Movement in a non-violent demonstration, which marched to the land which the Hallamish Settlers have attempted to re-annex. During the course of the demonstration, the residents of An Nabi Saleh successfully blockaded 465, the illegal Settler highway, for more than two hours. Mid-demonstration, one section of the non-violent demonstration also broke off from the highway and successful reached the land re-annexed by Hallamish, tearing down the illegally built Settler structure.

Both sections of the non-violent demonstration, however, were met with force by the Israeli military, who deployed more than 17 jeeps and at least two dozen soldiers to the area. During the course of the two hour demonstration, the Israeli military proceeded to fire up to 100 canisters of teargas, as well as firing rubber steel coated bullets and live ammunition at the un-armed demonstrators. More than 20 residents of the village were injured as a result, including three who were hospitalized. Those hospitalized, included two people injured by rubber bullets, and one teenage boy who received a head injury when he was struck in the head with a tear gas canister.

Many of the non-violent demonstrators were also injured by rocks which were thrown by illegal Settlers from Hallamish from the hillside below the Settlement and above the demonstration. One IWPS volunteer narrowly missed being hit by one of the rocks thrown by the Settlers.

Despite a large presence, the Israeli military did little to stop the illegal Settlers' violent attack on the unarmed Palestinian demonstration. In one instance, when the Israeli military did attempt to prevent the illegal Settlers from descending the hill in order to reach the non-violent Palestinian demonstration, the illegal Settlers also attacked the soldiers. For several hours after the conclusion of the non-violent Palestinian demonstration, Settler youth repeatedly threw rocks at passing Palestinian vehicles on the road below Hallamish colony.

On 9 January, the day after the non-violent demonstration, residents of An Nabi Saleh informed IWPS volunteers that more 100 olive trees had been cut down and burnt by the Hallamish Settlers on the land that belongs to the village, which the Settlers were trying to re-annex.

Media:

"300 Palestinians and activists of the Israeli left demonstrate Friday afternoon in Nabi-Saleh - a village adjacent to Halamish settlement in Sumeria. The demonstrators protest the gaining control by the settlers on a well in ownership dispute adjacent to the village. The Palestinians say the settlers are throwing stones and the Israel state force do nothing. They add that 14 of them were already wounded by rubber coated bullets.

The army already declared the area as military closed, and use means to disperse demonstrations.

The IDF reported that soldiers in the area are breaking up the sides, but that no firing of rubber bullets was reported.

The IDF reported that five Palestinians were wounded after inhaling tear gas during a clash between settlers, Palestinians, and soldiers near Halamish in Binyamin. They were evacuated for medical attention.

The IDF emphasized that, contrary to Palestinian reports, no rubber bullets were fired at Palestinians, who were protesting against what they called "settler harassment" in the area.

Friday evening, Palestinan sources report that following the demonstration, settlers are cutting olive trees and Israeli soldiers present there fire tear gas grenades on the Palestinians and do not stop the settlers."

Israel Putermam video of Nebi salah - 8-1-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77iei8rQUCk

OFER CAMP

Ofer concentration camp and place of a military court for Palestinian got "visits" of our people. Today (January 4) the military court at the Ofer jail extended Jamal Jomah's arrest in three days, adding to the two weeks that he has already been confined at the Russian Compound in Jerusalem.

During the trial two vigils were held outside of the Ofer prison, one on the Palestinian side and one on the Israeli side of the jail. On the Israeli side about twenty people adjoined by two Israeli Palestinian parliament members. On the Palestinian side a vigil of about 50 people was present. Many representatives from foreign consulates such as the British, Spanish, Norwegian, and South African came also to attend the vigil.

Jamal Jomah is a prominent activist in the human right organization "stop the wall". "Stop The Wall" has been organizing for years a successful campaign against apartheid. His arrest is part of a wide program to silence and punish leaders of the popular struggle against the wall and occupation. In September, Mohamad Atman, another activist of "stop the wall" was arrested, and is confined to his house until now. Abdala Abu Rahma, a leader in the popular committee in Bilin, will have court day tomorrow where the persecution will ask to extend his arrest in jail until the end of his trail.

We need people to attend Abdallah's hearing on Tuesday at 10.30am. If you would like to come please let me know by tomorrow noon. I need people's names, ID / passport numbers and nationalities (if relevant).

Adeeb Abu Rahma, another activist of the popular committee in Bilin, has been jailed for the duration of his trial for the last five months. Another hearing in the trial of Adeeb Abu-Rahma [and a demo] will take place on Sunday morning, January 10.

REFUSNICS

Support the struggle against the occupation- Support the “Shministim”

"Our dear friend and sister Or Ben-David has been sentenced for 34 more days in military prison (after already serving 47 days) for refusing enlistment to the IDF (the Israeli army).

Or, like other members of the “Shministim letter” refuses to enlist because of the IDF's Brutal and illegal actions in the occupied Palestine. She, like many conscientious objectors, is willing to pay the price of her own freedom in order to struggle for freedom and justice for all.

We ask you to help us to arrange demonstrations that will take place simultaneously in different locations, including the one that will be in Israel when Or is in jail.
The demo will take place on January 9th.
We suggest non-violent protest in front of Israeli embassies and consulates in different places around the world.
If you would like to arrange such a demo, or if you know someone who will, please contact us:shministim10@gmail.com
We'll be happy to answer your questions and help you to organize."

SOUTH Mt. HEBRON

This Saturday and weekend digest: http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/1140261.html
This Saturday, 9th January, we are invited to continue work in Bir al-Eid, whose inhabitants have been given 20 demolition orders earlier this week.
for details and transportation please call S.

SHEIKH JARAKH

Every Friday for the past few weeks, there has been a march to Sheikh Jarrah to protest the eviction of Palestinian residents from their homes. The settler violence in the neighborhood is only increasing, and this week also included stone throwing and beating. The protest is growing and every week many more join the march and demonstration in the neighborhood.

This Friday - like previous ones, activists of the AAtW mobilized there. Some joined the march, others came to meeting place in Sheikh Jarrah after the other Friday demonstrations.

WALLAGE

Activists from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv mobilized for a morning demonstration in Wallage - where expansion of the Jerusalem settler building area will infringe on lands of the village. The activists were on a Friday "tour" of Wallage-Ma'asara-Sheikh Jarrah.

Some 150 demonstrators marched on the hilltops of Walaja village near Jerusalem Friday morning, protesting against initial plans to build a new settlement on their lands – Giv'at Yael. The new settlement is planned to surround the village on all sides, taking away most of its agricultural lands and establishing Israeli control on the area with a corridor of settlements running from Jerusalem to the outskirts of Beit Jala.

Palestine Israel, This week the joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation was focused on Gaza

The Gaza week started on previews Saturday demo in Jaffa, continued with Sunday march to Gaza on the shore... Tuesday in Be'er Sheva university, Thursday at Erez road block and this Saturday in Tel Aviv. As usual, in addition to the regular Friday demonstrations in Bilin, Ma'asara, and Ni'ilin, we were invited to Friday in the Bidu region and Saturday in Saffa. The Refusnics struggle continue with one of them serving another month in military jail. The authority indignation and the extreme right continue to be in the public media, with vacillating steps of authority to restrict our various actions. Part of the "left leaning media" give us exposure: "A film about our friend David Reeb, was done for channel 8, by filmmaker David Ofek. Next Friday it will be a screening in Tel Aviv Cinematheque."


BIDU

"Tomorrow - Friday, January 1st - a morning demonstration will be held with our partners from the villages of Bet-Iksa, Bet-Surik, Bidu & Bet-Duku.

Whilst Israel tries to break the West-Bank to smaller & smaller enclaves, the people of the villages choose joint action."

Friday morning, AAtW contingent was blocked on the road to the demo and continued as second choice to Bil'in's Friday one.


BIL'IN

"Some 30 Israelis and 25 internationals (including a group of Italian photography students) joined the weekly Palestinian demo against the land appropriation wall in Bil'in. This demonstration also marked the Fatah anniversary, and included a prominent presence of the Palestinian Popular struggle Front. When the demonstrators reached the gate, they found it open, and the soldiers wasted no time before they started flooding the area with tear gas. The wind made it difficult to maintain the demonstration at the gate area, and the soldiers, who slowly crept across the fence, put demonstrators who remained at the gate area in danger of arrest. The demonstration dispersed without injuries other than tear gas inhalation."

Bil'in 29 12 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3-VlGTDBXw
Haethm Alkateeb video 01.01.2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYwSWCCPYjA

GAZA

Gaza week started in 26-12-09 500 joint demonstration in Jaffa. It continued on Sunday with shore walking of AAtW initiative demonstration south of Zikim towards Gaza with 16 detained for few hours. See: demonstrators try to break the blockade on Gaza - 27-12-09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt3BWnf9Pc

It continued 29-12-09 in Be'er Sheva university entrance:

"As part of the events marking a year following Israel's brutal attack on Gaza, a small demonstration was held today in Be'er-Sheva, near the Ben-Gurion University. The demonstration called for the end of Israel's occupation and the prolonged siege on Gaza and had about 20 participants, palestinians and Jews. 30 minutes before the time scheduled for the demo we were shocked to see that vast amounts of police forces where already near the university gates. There were 4 large 'Transits', 2 of them were 'Yasam' (riot police), 2-3 police cars and about 20 police officers and 15 'Magav' personnel (border police). This amount of police is unheard of for such a small demo. The chief of police on the scene informed us that our demo is illegal (which is of course untrue) and that he was already authorized to disperse us and make arrests. Eventually we managed to have held our demo – with the police promise that next time they will arrest us."

Gaza march: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/12/2009123061947605152.html

"More than a thousand Palestinian and Jewish Israeli citizens from all over the country participated Thursday in a demonstration at the Erez checkpoint on the Gaza border. The demonstration, organized by the Supreme Committee of Israeli Palestinians and joined by the Coalition against the Siege, was part of the international week of action against the siege, marking one year to the Israeli attack on Gaza, and was coordinated with a similar demonstration on the other side of the wall – in Gaza itself."

Israelis had their part in the international demo day for Gaza at the Erez road / block terminal Thursday. Erez checkpoint - 31-12-09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgYhz46NUgQ

Along the week were preparations and posters hanging for the demo of the wide coalition of the left to be held in Tel Aviv Saturday evening 2-1-10

Saturday evening, about 1000 participated in the coalition march from city square towards a meeting at the museum square with banners, placards and the samba circle. Slogan were shouted on the way - Speeched were carried at the long meeting.

"End the Siege of Gaza!" -
Demonstration in Tel Aviv January 2, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjS32CTSTRs

MA'ASARA

The commander of the Israeli state forces at the last demo of the 2009 year warned the organizers that on the coming year the suppression of the Friday demos in Ma'asara will intensify.

"1-1-2010 Friday Al Masara Demonstration
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=234&Itemid=1

"Over 300 protested today in al-Masara - including Israelis, internationals and activists of neighboring villages, against the construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlements on the lands of the nine intertwined villages to the South of Bethlehem.

Protesters walked through the villages towards the construction site of the wall, but as every Friday for the past few years, they were intercepted by dozens of soldiers who had again cut off the main road with a barb wire fence. Protesters waved flags and chanted slogans through a mobile sound system, while some accompanied the demonstration on horses in an expression of pride of the ongoing popular resistance in the face of increasing crack downs.

Women from the villages held posters of their imprisoned sons and detained activist from the Bethlehem district and lead in chants demanding the release of all political prisoners. Senior Palestinian officials, including Minister Maher Ghneim, gave speeches expressing their support for the Popular Committees commitment to resisting Israels colonial policies and its success in mobilizing continuous support from local, international, and Israeli activists.

Todays demonstration, which commemorated the foundation of the Fateh movement, comes following threats issued two days ago to the Popular Committee warning that its members would be blacklisted and arrested if the protests in al-Masara continued in 2010.

Therefore, the soldiers, who had taken position behind the barb wire, appeared more tense than usual. One soldier repeatedly aimed his weapon at the protestors from a hill overlooking the street. At one point, soldiers pushed into the crowd, when children attempted to remove the barb wire. As the aggression increased, the Israeli army fired tear gas and sound bombs at the crowd and five military vehicles entered deep into the village of al-Masara. Soldiers continued to shoot teargas for an hour and remained at the entrance of the village until 15h. One child was hit by a sound bomb and had to be carried away while soldiers were still shooting. Several protestors suffered gas inhalation, and other injuries were reported. Al-Ma'sara Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements".

Link to videos of 1-1-10 demo in Ma'asara http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y3VJpgFBXI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVm5tuAzRWM

NI'ILIN

Friday 25.12.2009 Ni'ilin video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjEiSAOExw8

"Dear All, The Ni'ilin demonstration tomorrow (1/1/10) is the central demonstration commemorating the 45th Fatah movement anniversary. The people of the village hope to see our massive attendance."


"Friday 1-1-10 ןn Ni'ilin too, nearly 300 demonstrators gathered to commemorate the Fatah's movement 45th anniversary. After the prayer, the demonstrators went marching & chanting to the route of the wall. On arrival, the large number of youth divided to a few groups, each confronting the soldiers and the roaring jeeps at a different location. After an hour & a half of such confrontations, the soldiers invaded the village fields in large numbers – to be confronted with the tireless youth there. Today, in a "brilliant" maneuver, managed a group of soldiers to surprise a group of demonstrators standing on a hill watching, and stormed them whilst shooting rubber coated steel bullets directly at the fleeing demonstrators. This new method of crowd control leaded to two injuries – on young boy hit in his head with a rubber bullet, and one of the paramedics in his leg. Furthermore, one of the demonstrators failed to escape the storming soldiers and was arrested by them. Only till sunset did the last confrontations fade away."


REFUSNICS

"Support the struggle against the occupation- Support the “Shministim” We ask you to help us to arrange demonstrations that will take place simultaneously in different locations, including the one that will be in Israel when Or is in jail.
The demo will take place on January 9th.
We suggest non-violent protest in front of Israeli embassies and consulates in different places around the world.
If you would like to arrange such a demo, or if you know someone who will, please contact us:shministim10@gmail.com
We'll be happy to answer your questions and help you to organize."

SAFFA

"There will probably be a tree planting day on Saturday at Saffa. if you can come please let me know. The more people we have the faster it will go."

On Saturday morning 20 Ta'ayush and anarchist activists participated in the planting of trees in the rarely accessible lands.

SHEIKH JARRAH

demo at Sheikh Jarrah Dec. 25. 2009 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/29/18633771.php

Arrests and vandalism at Sheikh Jarrah 12/28/2009
http://www.youtube.com/user/TaayushHebron#p/a/u/0/sHxCdYKrOk4

12/28/2009 Parade to Sheikh Jarrah http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7598N8lXrQs

Weekly Protest March from the Mashbir plaza to Sheikh Jarrah 1-1-10 Join a march from West to East Jerusalem in protest of the injustice committed against the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. The march will end in Sheikh Jarrah with a protest against the settler enterprise in the neighborhood and the suppression of the Palestinian opposition.

The march will start Friday at 13:30
from the Mashbir plaza, on the corner of King George and Ben Yehudah
To a demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah that will begin at 15:00

AAtW people continued to the demo after the Friday demonstrations in Bil'in and Ma'asara.

Few hundreds participated in the march and the meeting in the main street of the neighborhood. The state forces prevented the demonstration in the street the transfer is progressing. After the demo finished few walked to the forbidden street.

Sheikh Jarrah 1-1-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZSHwQaCtIM