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.
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