The lesser radical Israeli left involvement in the joint struggle against the separation fence and other aspects of occupation expand - both in Sheikh Jarrah and other places. The dignitaries of the Palestinian authority do so too... but with internal conflicts. It was expressed in a few hours arrest of a leader of the popular struggle in the south by the Palestinian authority police, after a joint action at Beit Omar. More than hundred people were mobilized on Friday by the anarchists against the wall initiative to the demonstrations at Bil'in, Ma'asara, Nebi-Saleh,Ni'ilin, and Sheikh-Jarrah. Saturday and Sunday we were in south of the west bank of occupied Palestinian. Saturday at Beit Omar and on Sunday we mark the end of the weekend in a demonstration in Beit Jalla.
BEIT JALLA
Around 50 - Palestinians, internationals, and a dozen Israelis, marched chanting with flags and banners, along the road that leads to the construction of the apartheid wall in Beit Jalla. After a short distance march down the road we were stopped by about 20 IOF soldiers and a spool of barbed wire that block the way. Chants and speeches were held in Arabic, English and Hebrew, mentioning the 1948 massacre of Dir Yasin, and stressing Palestinians rights of movement and access to their land. About 20 workers of various media documented the scene. After the speeches we sat down on the road facing the spool of the barbed wire and the Israeli state forces. After a while the demo ended peacefully and protesters went swiftly away from the soldiers.
BEIT OMAR
"Israeli forces clashed with several dozen Palestinian protesters in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, arresting 14 people, the army and witnesses said.The protesters were joined by Israeli peace activists and foreigners at the rally near Beit Omar village, charging that Jews from nearby Bat Ayin settlement were farming on Palestinian-owned land.The demonstrators threw rocks and set fire to crops, the army and witnesses said."
"The march started at one o'clock this afternoon from the municipality and moved in the direction of the area where settlers had laid a foundation stone last week for a new outpost "Gav'at Ires Shlomo". The area is on top of a hill close to Khirbat Safa. Land in the area is owned by families from Beit Ummar."
"The march began to move towards the land threatened with confiscation - an area of 1200 dunums belonging to the families of Qoukas, ‘Adi and Khalil from Beit Ummar. Khirbat Safa’s 600 residents are living on this land and depend for their income primarily from livestock and agriculture in the surrounding hills."
"First reports indicate that when the area where the new outpost is to be built was reached, some of the people in the protest march proceeded to symbolically dismantle small parts of the foundations, already laid by the settlers. Initially the occupation forces present in the area did not intervene and gave the protesters a 10 minutes warning. As soon as the ten minutes period was over, so-called Israeli "border police" arrived on the scene and, according to the coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign in Hebron district, Raed Abu Ayyash, these "border police" started to attack the people using disproportionate violence. They started firing rubber-coated metal bullets, teargas and sound grenades at the people in the march and in the area of the village. This led to four injuries from rubber-coated metal bullets. Dozens of people suffered respiratory problems, among them residents of Khirbet Safa who had stayed in their homes."
"Earlier today Israeli occupation forces arrested the following five members of the local committee against the Wall and Settlements in Khirbet Safa: Younis Arar, coordinator of the Committee; Mousa Abu Maria, External Relations Officer; Mohamed Ayad Awad, Media Spokesman; Sakhr Abu Maria and Atef Abu Diya, both members of the popular committee. In addition to these five, another five international solidarity activists were arrested during the weekly march."
BIL'IN
About two dozen Israelis and two dozens internationals joined the village people to a "nice" spring day Friday demonstration against the separation fence and occupation. On the noon march from the village center to the gate in the separation fence were the usual chants and placards - including reference to the Dir Yasin massacre of 1948 day.
At the last part of the march, we could see the far away new route of the separation fence which after about two years delay in enacting the decree of the highest court, it is in the process of being moved to about one kilometer to the west.
At the gate, the more daring participants entered the route, hung flags on the electronic fence and ridiculed loudly the soldiers which were half hidden near by. After a long while the state forces started to shoot at us tear gas grenades... and got themselves a significant doze too - thanks to the changing wind and accident of theirs.
After most of the demonstrators retreated, few soldiers passed the fence to our side and arrested Haitham Al-Khatib - the village Journalist and videographer. He was released only at at night.
Friday 9.4.2010 David Reeb video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQObsY2IxHA
JERUSALEM
Sheikh Jarrah
As usual the last Fridays, the march from west Jerusalem to the east occupied one was banned by the police. The usual converging of few hundred demonstrators was allowed only on the square on the side of the main street - facing the street of the evicted houses. The usual circle of drummers was joined by the clowns' troop. Chants, calls and short speeched were carried during the 90 minutes vigil.
Many participants came from other part of Israel including people who participated at noon in demonstrations in other places.
In parallel to the demonstration at the square near the street with the transfered families houses there was a 40 people vigil nearer to these. In breach of the relevant laws the state forces forced them to move to the main body of the demonstration and arrested 4. In fear of another denunciation by the judge if held till next day court hearing, they were released on bail few hours later with ban from returning for a week only.
Keren Manor video of Sheikh Jarrah Friday 9.4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRVbKnzSmhA
MA'ASARA
Tens of soldiers invaded Ma'asara Thursday night, threatening two members of the local popular committee with arrests if there were to be "any problems" during the weekly demonstration. Soldiers made it clear that they didn't care whether the two, Hassan and Muhamad Barjia, were in any way responsible themselves to the presumed "problems".
In spite of the threats, some 50 demonstrators marched through the village Friday noon towards the soon to be stolen lands. On the main village road a similar number of soldiers waited for the march with barbed wire, and prevented the procession to proceed. Demonstrators gave speeches in Arabic, English, Hebrew and French, defying the occupation and commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the Dir Yasin massacre.
At some point demonstrators tried to remove the barbed wire, but were shoved back by soldiers. In response demonstrators sat on the ground, beat drums and sang songs. After about an hour of protest demonstrators returned to the village, promising to return in greater numbers next week, for the Palestinian Day of the Prisoner.
NEBI SALEH
Nabi Saleh, April 9th: "It is not resistance, it's our living they were targeting"
Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians and international and Israeli supporters participated in this week's demonstration against the crippling occupation and the Halamish settlement's annexation and destruction of a growing amount of land and resources from the village.
This Friday saw yet another escalation in the Israeli army's collective punishment criminal strategy against the entire village. The demo began, as always, with an unprovoked Israeli invasion and attack on a peaceful march, while protesters were even starting to sit down on the ground, to signify their will to protest non-violently. This time the Israeli army has also chosen to use its "skunk" stink-liquid cannon directly and deliberately on the village's houses, yards and main street. The track spraying the liquid even went back for a refill and then continued with its awful abuse. As one of the inhabitants of the houses targeted said: "It is not resistance, it's our living they were targeting". The stink-liquid is expected to stay and spread stink in the area sprayed for days afterwards.
The Israeli army also used a few times its jeep-installed cannon to shot barrages of tear gas canisters, as well as single high-velocity and regular canisters, on the entire village, and kept pushing the protesters back into the village's built area.
At a certain point a few protesters climbed the hill overlooking one of the village's springs, attended by provocative settlers, and as a result the Israeli army sent some of its forces to expel the settlers from the area.
For a few hours protesters refused to disperse and re-gathered again and again in protest, some of them throwing stones to ward off the army incursion, others just standing peacefully against the armed-to-the-top soldiers, documenting, or taking care of the injured from the army's aggression.
NI'ILIN
The Palestinian residents of Ni'lin were joined by a group of ten Israelis and a similar number of internationals in their weekly protest against the wall. after about half an hour of protesting near the route of the wall, with soldiers firing tear gas at the protesters, and some of them throwing stones over the wall, a group of soldiers crossed the wall and began chasing protesters through the village's olive groves. the soldiers fired test gas, and several live bullets, probably in the air. Around an hour later, the soldiers retreated to their base and the village youth returned home. No injuries were recorded, aside from some teary eyes and a flat tire in one activist car, and a ruined clutch in the other..
Friday 9.4.2010 Israel Puterman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUa1R80lL1M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W06lfCetT5E
See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle of the Israeli AAtW and the Palestinians on the Land Day week
BEIT-OMAR BIL'IN BUDRUS QARAWET-BANI-ZEID MA'ASARA NABI-SALEH NI'ILIN SAKHNIN SHEIKH-JARRAH
The joint struggle against land-confiscation of Palestinian citizens of Israel continue since 1948 war. At 1976 there was on 30/3 the first Land Day demonstrations against land grab at the Galilee. Six were murdered that day. "In the occasion of the Palestinian Land day and due to the arrests and the excessive use of force against demonstrators by the Israeli occupation army the Popular committees invite you to participate in demonstrations during this coming week." During the week we participated in Betunya Solidarity demo at the Ofer military court, and Budrus & Qarawet-Bani-Zeid Land Day demos. Friday we were at Bil'in, Ma'asara, Nabi-Saleh, Ni'lin, and Sheikh-Jarrah. Saturday we were at the Sakhnin central demo in Israel, and in Beit-Omar.
BETHLEHEM ACTION + UPDATES
Tomorrow - 31-3-10: Solidarity Demo with Jailed Peaceful Protesters
Ten demonstrators arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Bethlehem last Sunday, among them Abbas Zaki of PLO Executive committee, members of local popular committees and a journalist, are still being held at Ofer military prison, while the five Israelis arrested with them were released that same day.
What: Solidarity demo with imprisoned protesters
Where: Betunya Checkpoint, near Ofer Prison
When: Wednesday, March 31st, 10:30 AM
The al-Ma'sara Popular Committee invites all activists to show your support with the remaining ten detainees from Palm Sunday's protest who are currently being held at Ofer, while the four Israeli and one international activist, who were detained at the same protest and under the same circumstances, have already been released.
Please show your solidarity on with Hassan and Mahmoud from the al-Ma'sara Popular Committee, as well as Marwan from the Bethlehem Popular Committee and all the other detainees on Friday after the noon prayer in Al-Ma'sara. Together, we will insist that no repression can stop the demonstrations and popular resistance against the Apartheid Wall, illegal settlements and the Israeli occupation in general, and together, we will continue to demand justice and freedom.
Demonstrators Demand Prisoners' Release at Betunya Checkpoint, near Ofer Prison
Hundreds of people gathered at the Bitunya checkpoint near Ofer Military prison to demand the release of ten demonstrators arrested in Bethlehem last Sunday, among them Abbas Zaki of the PLO Executive Committee. Two demonstrators were arrested.
After a few short speeches, the demonstrators intended to continue to the Ofer military court, where the ten's hearings were scheduled to be heard. Once refused passage, protesters tried to topple the fence near the checkpoint in order to get to the court. Border Police officers responded with concussion grenades, tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets. Clashes between officers and local youth continued for about two hours before the demonstration was dispersed.
Two Palestinian protesters were arrested during the demonstration. One of them, a 16 year old, was nabbed from within his father's car, through the window, after Border Police officers broke it using a rifle butt.
The Bethlehem Ten's remand hearing, which was supposed to be held today, did not take place, and was postponed to tomorrow.
Bethlehem arrestees brought 1-4-10 to Ofer military court
Freedom march, Palm Sunday celebration in Bethlehem, Israeli occupation forces arrest 12 part 1 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/29/18643199.php
part 2 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/29/18643212.php
Video of Freedom march, Palm Sunday protest in Bethlehem, 28.03.2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1uBMnPBFCQ
Holy Fire at the "300" Checkpoint - see the photos, watch the video at:
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1342
UPDATE FOR THE MILITARY TRAIL Of THE BETHLEHEM TEN - All THE BETHLEHEM TEN PRISONERS WILL BE RELEASED. Until 1:30 the occupations military court will give a decision regarding weather they will demand 3000 shekel bail form each prisoner.
Military Judge Criticizes Police; Releases the Bethlehem Ten
Judge Dahan of the Ofer Military Court in the West Bank ordered the release of the ten peaceful demonstrators arrested in Bethlehem last Sunday, among them PLO Executive Committee's Abbas Zaki. The judge criticized the police and prosecution saying that the protest was nonviolent, and that the only force used in it was that used by police to apprehend the demonstrators.
After five long days in an Israeli military prison, the Bethlehem Ten were finally brought in front of a judge today at the Ofer military court. After hearing the arguments of both the military prosecution and the defense, the judge, Amir Dahan, decided to release all ten on bail and without posing restrictive release conditions. The judge also voiced his criticism of the police and prosecution by asserting in his decision that “There is no dispute that the march was not violent, and that no harm was done to anyone or to property, except for the force used by police officers during the arrests”.
The Bethlehem Ten were arrested together with four Israeli activists and an international activist, during a march marking Palm Sunday and the Christian tradition of pilgrimage to Jerusalem on that day last Sunday. Demonstrators hoped to highlight Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement and freedom of religion in Jerusalem. Despite having been arrested under the exact same circumstances and suspicions, the Israelis and international were released that same evening, in a clear example of racial discrimination.
“When referring to the repression of demonstrations, Israel always claims that it is the demonstrators' so-called violence that compels the Army to use such measures”, said Mohammed Khatib of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee. “But today even their own judge, in what is most clearly the court of the Occupation, acknowledged that any protest, any form of resistance, is met with an iron fist”.
The arrest of the Bethlehem Ten, especially that of Abbas Zaki, motivated the Fatah movement to declare an escalation in the use popular struggle strategies during these tense times. It has also brought hundreds of people to demonstrate at the Bitunya checkpoint yesterday, where demonstrators tried to break through the Separation Barrier in order to reach Ofer prison.
Media
reported that even the military (reserve) judge criticized the harassment and arrest of the activists and release them with no condition. Israeli TV news also showed clips of the demo at the Ofer concentration camp.
BEIT OMAR
The big village/small town is in acute struggle with the Israeli occupation forces. There are few activists which initiated along the years joint struggles with Israeli activists but most of the village activists are not joining it. Lately a renewed effort is done and we started weekly demonstrations.
"While Salam Fayyad and other PA ministers march in Bil'in and Bethlehem declaring their support of the Popular Resistance, the Palestinian police have continued to repress any such resistance that is organized outside of their control. Because of this, Mousa Abu Maria was arrested at 1:40 this morning by Palestinian police, reportedly in coordination with the Israeli military. Residents reported more than a dozen Palestinian police vehicles were involved in the operation in Beit Ommar, where they also attempted to arrest National Committee member Younes Arrar, who was not home. His family said the police had no warrant and frightened his family.
Friday:
Yesterday, a peaceful demonstration was held for the third time this month on the highway outside Beit Ommar, organized by the National Committee of Beit Ommar against continued settlement expansion on Beit Ommar land by the settlements Bat 'Ayn and Karmei Tsur. Israeli, International and Palestinian activists sat in the road, a primary highway through the southern West Bank for settlers and Palestinians.
BIL'IN
About 25 Israelis with the Anarchists Against the Wall joined a similar number of internationals and together, with Palestinians of the village and the region, marched towards the gate of the separation fence. The theme of the demo was Land Day and a resistance to the latest escalating measures, taken by the army, to repress the demonstrations by declaring the area of the demo in Bil'in and Ni'ilin as closed military zone on Friday for Israeli and internationals... However though it had been widely spread in the Israeli media it boomeranged... It got lot of negative opinions, was not enforced, and had mainly the opposite effect. May be this was the reason they used much less of the repression means at the gate of the separation route than we used to.
When we arrived at the gate, few protesters managed to get inside the buffer zone, hang a Palestinian flag on the fence, hold up a sign and chant for a while, before a suspiciously calm army threw a few gas grenades around. Then, youth threw stones at a patrolling jeep, and in a neighborly act, returned the few gas grenades the army was missing.
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=259&Itemid=1
Israel Puterman video clip of Bil'in 2-4-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryY837CPVRE
BUDRUS
"There will be a land day demonstration in Budrus tomorrow 30-3-10..." and there really was. The demonstration started at noon after the mid day prier. Hundreds of the villagers with ten of us and few internationals marched to the gate in the separation fence. There people planted trees and protested the grab of lands by the separation fence. After a while, the state forces started to use tear gas and a protracted struggle developed between the Israeli state forces and the demonstrators who refused to retreat... and youth who threw stones and used road blocks of rocks to delay the advance of the state forces.
QARAWET BANI ZEID
Several hundred Palestinians and Israelis protest in West Bank village Qarawat Bani Hassan to mark the annual “Land Day”.
Today over 200 Israelis, Palestinians and internationals demonstrated near the Ein Entweteg Spring in the West Bank village of Qarawat Bani Hassan to mark the annual Palestinian "Land Day." The solidarity protest, started at around 10 AM and lasted until approximated 12:30 PM.
Qarawat Bani Hassan is a Palestinian town in the West Bank Salfit Governorate, located thirty kilometers southwest of Nablus. The town is home to roughly 4,000 people, most of them refugees from Kufr Bara. 89% of the village's land, including the Ein Enwetef spring, is in Area C, under complete Israeli control, and is in constant threat of annexation and settlement expansion.
Israeli settlers have been building the Havat Yaair settlement outpost on a hilltop above the the Ein Enwetef spring since 2003 on land belonging to Palestinians from the village of Qarawat Bani Hassan. The Israeli settlers and military regularly prevent Palestinians from accessing the area and since December 2009 the settlers have made repeated attempts to begin construction at the site of the spring.
The Ein Enwetef spring traditionally served Palestinians residents of Qarawat Bani Hassan and neighboring villages as a source of water for both agriculture and herding. Herding, a major source of livelihood in the Salfit region for decades is threatened with extinction by limited access to traditional water sources, contamination of local springs by raw sewage dumped by Israeli settlements and restrictions on movement in the area.
Ein Enwetef is one of dozens of fresh water springs across the West Bank to which Palestinian access is denied or limited.
Tuesday March 30th 2010: Land Day: Qarawet Bani Zeid was one of the places activists of the AAtW participated in the demonstration. After it they joined us - another contingent of the AAtW in Budrus.
MA'ASARA
Demonstrators gathered today in Al Ma'asara, near Bethlehem, in commemoration of Land Day, marking the anniversary of mass confiscation of Palestinian land in 1976.
Palestinians, Israelis and internationals marched peacefully towards the village’s land. However, Israeli military, police and border police blocked the road with barbed wire, at which point the demonstrators stopped to chant resistance anthems and to hear speeches from representatives of the popular resistance. The soldiers then announced that the area had been declared a Closed Military Zone (CMZ), removed the barbed wire and moved on foot and in jeeps towards the protesters, throwing percussion grenades and tear gas canisters directly at them.
two persons were arrested after asking to see a copy of the CMZ order. taken to a nearby Israeli police station
Al Ma'asara has held a weekly demonstration since November 2006. The villagers are restricted from accessing their land, as it is the area in which the Israeli authorities are continuing to build the illegal separation barrier.
Video al ma'asara 02042010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YStK1Dt7I
NABI SALEH
As usual the last Fridays, Israelis with the AAtW initiative and internationals joined the people of the village in the weekly demonstration.
"Nabi Saleh: collective punishment targets entire neighborhoods
The village started this Friday mobilization with a rally commemorating Land Day. Soon afterwards, the villagers gathered to march to their lands, which are to be confiscated by the Israeli occupation. When the march reached the area near the village spring, which is to be annexed together with the land surrounding it, they found settlers guarded by the Israeli military next to the spring. When the villagers attempted to get by the Israeli occupation forces to reach their land, the military started shooting rubber-coated metal bullets in their direction from very close distance. These were followed by tear gas canisters which caused many villagers to feel sick.
The occupation forces further stormed the house of Mohammed Abdel-Hafiz at-Tamimi, overlooking the village and started shooting rubber-coated metal bullets, teargas and sound bombs at demonstrators from there. They also invaded the house of Haj Mohammad Abu Ibrahim and demanded from him to go to the demonstrators to ask them to end the march otherwise they would burn his house. Abu Asid Tamimi reported that the Israeli military fired sound bombs inside his house because some household members were standing next to the window looking towards the street."
Video clip:
David Reeb Friday Nabi Saleh 2.4.10 video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySkUpBKqaxA
NI'ILIN
Dozens protesters were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli troops attacked the anti wall protest in the village of Nil’in central West Bank. Villagers along with Israeli and international supporters conducted the demonstration that included the Muslim midday Friday prayers at lands near the Israeli built wall. Later the crowed marched towards the wall and local youth hanged the Palestinian flag on top of the wall. Troops then fired tear gas and sound bombs at the protesters, dozens were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.
SAKHNIN CENTRAL DEMO OF LAND DAY
We are calling you to join the central demo in Sakhnin tomorrow, 30.03.10 at 13:00
in commemoration of the annual Land day.
Our participation could contribute much to the struggle against the permanent land-
confiscation and the ongoing racist policy against the Arab Palestinians in the 48-
territories.
Let us join, march and say together;
No Pasaran
SHEIKH JARRAH
During the week activist tried to be present all the time in the conflict area with the settler colonialists.
"As always, this week we will demonstrate against the Settlement in Sheikh Jarrah
The demonstration will take place on Friday at 16:00 in the neighborhood
This week, during the intermediate days, you are welcome to come and visit the Palestinian families."
Friday
Approximately 200 protesters gathered in Sheikh Jarach to protest the ongoing settlement campaign in East Jerusalem. Protesters carried model homes to symbolize those that were taken from the Palestinian residents twice - in 48' and once again last year. In recent weeks the Israeli government made many announcements of new settlement plans in East Jerusalem, completely ignoring the international community and common sense. Their goal is to settle Jews everywhere as long as it's in the east: Silwan, Shuafat, Gilo, Ramat Shlomo and last but not least, Sheikh Jarach.
Construction plans for hundreds of new housing units have been approved in and around the Sheppard Hotel compound in Sheikh Jarach. It will span both the hotel and the large olive grove on the other side of the street. All Jewish, of course.
Some of the protesters marched up a few hundred meters to protest in front of the hotel, chanting and holding up signs for about half an hour. Nasser Gawi, a local resident whose home been given to extreme settlers and lives today in a protest tent, spoke about the situation and pointed out the areas threatened by construction.
The Israeli government has a clear goal - to make Jews a majority in Sheikh Jarach and separate it from the rest of East Jerusalem, by all means, legal or not, moral or not. We say - no!
See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
The joint struggle against land-confiscation of Palestinian citizens of Israel continue since 1948 war. At 1976 there was on 30/3 the first Land Day demonstrations against land grab at the Galilee. Six were murdered that day. "In the occasion of the Palestinian Land day and due to the arrests and the excessive use of force against demonstrators by the Israeli occupation army the Popular committees invite you to participate in demonstrations during this coming week." During the week we participated in Betunya Solidarity demo at the Ofer military court, and Budrus & Qarawet-Bani-Zeid Land Day demos. Friday we were at Bil'in, Ma'asara, Nabi-Saleh, Ni'lin, and Sheikh-Jarrah. Saturday we were at the Sakhnin central demo in Israel, and in Beit-Omar.
BETHLEHEM ACTION + UPDATES
Tomorrow - 31-3-10: Solidarity Demo with Jailed Peaceful Protesters
Ten demonstrators arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Bethlehem last Sunday, among them Abbas Zaki of PLO Executive committee, members of local popular committees and a journalist, are still being held at Ofer military prison, while the five Israelis arrested with them were released that same day.
What: Solidarity demo with imprisoned protesters
Where: Betunya Checkpoint, near Ofer Prison
When: Wednesday, March 31st, 10:30 AM
The al-Ma'sara Popular Committee invites all activists to show your support with the remaining ten detainees from Palm Sunday's protest who are currently being held at Ofer, while the four Israeli and one international activist, who were detained at the same protest and under the same circumstances, have already been released.
Please show your solidarity on with Hassan and Mahmoud from the al-Ma'sara Popular Committee, as well as Marwan from the Bethlehem Popular Committee and all the other detainees on Friday after the noon prayer in Al-Ma'sara. Together, we will insist that no repression can stop the demonstrations and popular resistance against the Apartheid Wall, illegal settlements and the Israeli occupation in general, and together, we will continue to demand justice and freedom.
Demonstrators Demand Prisoners' Release at Betunya Checkpoint, near Ofer Prison
Hundreds of people gathered at the Bitunya checkpoint near Ofer Military prison to demand the release of ten demonstrators arrested in Bethlehem last Sunday, among them Abbas Zaki of the PLO Executive Committee. Two demonstrators were arrested.
After a few short speeches, the demonstrators intended to continue to the Ofer military court, where the ten's hearings were scheduled to be heard. Once refused passage, protesters tried to topple the fence near the checkpoint in order to get to the court. Border Police officers responded with concussion grenades, tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets. Clashes between officers and local youth continued for about two hours before the demonstration was dispersed.
Two Palestinian protesters were arrested during the demonstration. One of them, a 16 year old, was nabbed from within his father's car, through the window, after Border Police officers broke it using a rifle butt.
The Bethlehem Ten's remand hearing, which was supposed to be held today, did not take place, and was postponed to tomorrow.
Bethlehem arrestees brought 1-4-10 to Ofer military court
Freedom march, Palm Sunday celebration in Bethlehem, Israeli occupation forces arrest 12 part 1 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/29/18643199.php
part 2 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/29/18643212.php
Video of Freedom march, Palm Sunday protest in Bethlehem, 28.03.2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1uBMnPBFCQ
Holy Fire at the "300" Checkpoint - see the photos, watch the video at:
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1342
UPDATE FOR THE MILITARY TRAIL Of THE BETHLEHEM TEN - All THE BETHLEHEM TEN PRISONERS WILL BE RELEASED. Until 1:30 the occupations military court will give a decision regarding weather they will demand 3000 shekel bail form each prisoner.
Military Judge Criticizes Police; Releases the Bethlehem Ten
Judge Dahan of the Ofer Military Court in the West Bank ordered the release of the ten peaceful demonstrators arrested in Bethlehem last Sunday, among them PLO Executive Committee's Abbas Zaki. The judge criticized the police and prosecution saying that the protest was nonviolent, and that the only force used in it was that used by police to apprehend the demonstrators.
After five long days in an Israeli military prison, the Bethlehem Ten were finally brought in front of a judge today at the Ofer military court. After hearing the arguments of both the military prosecution and the defense, the judge, Amir Dahan, decided to release all ten on bail and without posing restrictive release conditions. The judge also voiced his criticism of the police and prosecution by asserting in his decision that “There is no dispute that the march was not violent, and that no harm was done to anyone or to property, except for the force used by police officers during the arrests”.
The Bethlehem Ten were arrested together with four Israeli activists and an international activist, during a march marking Palm Sunday and the Christian tradition of pilgrimage to Jerusalem on that day last Sunday. Demonstrators hoped to highlight Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement and freedom of religion in Jerusalem. Despite having been arrested under the exact same circumstances and suspicions, the Israelis and international were released that same evening, in a clear example of racial discrimination.
“When referring to the repression of demonstrations, Israel always claims that it is the demonstrators' so-called violence that compels the Army to use such measures”, said Mohammed Khatib of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee. “But today even their own judge, in what is most clearly the court of the Occupation, acknowledged that any protest, any form of resistance, is met with an iron fist”.
The arrest of the Bethlehem Ten, especially that of Abbas Zaki, motivated the Fatah movement to declare an escalation in the use popular struggle strategies during these tense times. It has also brought hundreds of people to demonstrate at the Bitunya checkpoint yesterday, where demonstrators tried to break through the Separation Barrier in order to reach Ofer prison.
Media
reported that even the military (reserve) judge criticized the harassment and arrest of the activists and release them with no condition. Israeli TV news also showed clips of the demo at the Ofer concentration camp.
BEIT OMAR
The big village/small town is in acute struggle with the Israeli occupation forces. There are few activists which initiated along the years joint struggles with Israeli activists but most of the village activists are not joining it. Lately a renewed effort is done and we started weekly demonstrations.
"While Salam Fayyad and other PA ministers march in Bil'in and Bethlehem declaring their support of the Popular Resistance, the Palestinian police have continued to repress any such resistance that is organized outside of their control. Because of this, Mousa Abu Maria was arrested at 1:40 this morning by Palestinian police, reportedly in coordination with the Israeli military. Residents reported more than a dozen Palestinian police vehicles were involved in the operation in Beit Ommar, where they also attempted to arrest National Committee member Younes Arrar, who was not home. His family said the police had no warrant and frightened his family.
Friday:
Yesterday, a peaceful demonstration was held for the third time this month on the highway outside Beit Ommar, organized by the National Committee of Beit Ommar against continued settlement expansion on Beit Ommar land by the settlements Bat 'Ayn and Karmei Tsur. Israeli, International and Palestinian activists sat in the road, a primary highway through the southern West Bank for settlers and Palestinians.
BIL'IN
About 25 Israelis with the Anarchists Against the Wall joined a similar number of internationals and together, with Palestinians of the village and the region, marched towards the gate of the separation fence. The theme of the demo was Land Day and a resistance to the latest escalating measures, taken by the army, to repress the demonstrations by declaring the area of the demo in Bil'in and Ni'ilin as closed military zone on Friday for Israeli and internationals... However though it had been widely spread in the Israeli media it boomeranged... It got lot of negative opinions, was not enforced, and had mainly the opposite effect. May be this was the reason they used much less of the repression means at the gate of the separation route than we used to.
When we arrived at the gate, few protesters managed to get inside the buffer zone, hang a Palestinian flag on the fence, hold up a sign and chant for a while, before a suspiciously calm army threw a few gas grenades around. Then, youth threw stones at a patrolling jeep, and in a neighborly act, returned the few gas grenades the army was missing.
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=259&Itemid=1
Israel Puterman video clip of Bil'in 2-4-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryY837CPVRE
BUDRUS
"There will be a land day demonstration in Budrus tomorrow 30-3-10..." and there really was. The demonstration started at noon after the mid day prier. Hundreds of the villagers with ten of us and few internationals marched to the gate in the separation fence. There people planted trees and protested the grab of lands by the separation fence. After a while, the state forces started to use tear gas and a protracted struggle developed between the Israeli state forces and the demonstrators who refused to retreat... and youth who threw stones and used road blocks of rocks to delay the advance of the state forces.
QARAWET BANI ZEID
Several hundred Palestinians and Israelis protest in West Bank village Qarawat Bani Hassan to mark the annual “Land Day”.
Today over 200 Israelis, Palestinians and internationals demonstrated near the Ein Entweteg Spring in the West Bank village of Qarawat Bani Hassan to mark the annual Palestinian "Land Day." The solidarity protest, started at around 10 AM and lasted until approximated 12:30 PM.
Qarawat Bani Hassan is a Palestinian town in the West Bank Salfit Governorate, located thirty kilometers southwest of Nablus. The town is home to roughly 4,000 people, most of them refugees from Kufr Bara. 89% of the village's land, including the Ein Enwetef spring, is in Area C, under complete Israeli control, and is in constant threat of annexation and settlement expansion.
Israeli settlers have been building the Havat Yaair settlement outpost on a hilltop above the the Ein Enwetef spring since 2003 on land belonging to Palestinians from the village of Qarawat Bani Hassan. The Israeli settlers and military regularly prevent Palestinians from accessing the area and since December 2009 the settlers have made repeated attempts to begin construction at the site of the spring.
The Ein Enwetef spring traditionally served Palestinians residents of Qarawat Bani Hassan and neighboring villages as a source of water for both agriculture and herding. Herding, a major source of livelihood in the Salfit region for decades is threatened with extinction by limited access to traditional water sources, contamination of local springs by raw sewage dumped by Israeli settlements and restrictions on movement in the area.
Ein Enwetef is one of dozens of fresh water springs across the West Bank to which Palestinian access is denied or limited.
Tuesday March 30th 2010: Land Day: Qarawet Bani Zeid was one of the places activists of the AAtW participated in the demonstration. After it they joined us - another contingent of the AAtW in Budrus.
MA'ASARA
Demonstrators gathered today in Al Ma'asara, near Bethlehem, in commemoration of Land Day, marking the anniversary of mass confiscation of Palestinian land in 1976.
Palestinians, Israelis and internationals marched peacefully towards the village’s land. However, Israeli military, police and border police blocked the road with barbed wire, at which point the demonstrators stopped to chant resistance anthems and to hear speeches from representatives of the popular resistance. The soldiers then announced that the area had been declared a Closed Military Zone (CMZ), removed the barbed wire and moved on foot and in jeeps towards the protesters, throwing percussion grenades and tear gas canisters directly at them.
two persons were arrested after asking to see a copy of the CMZ order. taken to a nearby Israeli police station
Al Ma'asara has held a weekly demonstration since November 2006. The villagers are restricted from accessing their land, as it is the area in which the Israeli authorities are continuing to build the illegal separation barrier.
Video al ma'asara 02042010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YStK1Dt7I
NABI SALEH
As usual the last Fridays, Israelis with the AAtW initiative and internationals joined the people of the village in the weekly demonstration.
"Nabi Saleh: collective punishment targets entire neighborhoods
The village started this Friday mobilization with a rally commemorating Land Day. Soon afterwards, the villagers gathered to march to their lands, which are to be confiscated by the Israeli occupation. When the march reached the area near the village spring, which is to be annexed together with the land surrounding it, they found settlers guarded by the Israeli military next to the spring. When the villagers attempted to get by the Israeli occupation forces to reach their land, the military started shooting rubber-coated metal bullets in their direction from very close distance. These were followed by tear gas canisters which caused many villagers to feel sick.
The occupation forces further stormed the house of Mohammed Abdel-Hafiz at-Tamimi, overlooking the village and started shooting rubber-coated metal bullets, teargas and sound bombs at demonstrators from there. They also invaded the house of Haj Mohammad Abu Ibrahim and demanded from him to go to the demonstrators to ask them to end the march otherwise they would burn his house. Abu Asid Tamimi reported that the Israeli military fired sound bombs inside his house because some household members were standing next to the window looking towards the street."
Video clip:
David Reeb Friday Nabi Saleh 2.4.10 video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySkUpBKqaxA
NI'ILIN
Dozens protesters were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli troops attacked the anti wall protest in the village of Nil’in central West Bank. Villagers along with Israeli and international supporters conducted the demonstration that included the Muslim midday Friday prayers at lands near the Israeli built wall. Later the crowed marched towards the wall and local youth hanged the Palestinian flag on top of the wall. Troops then fired tear gas and sound bombs at the protesters, dozens were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.
SAKHNIN CENTRAL DEMO OF LAND DAY
We are calling you to join the central demo in Sakhnin tomorrow, 30.03.10 at 13:00
in commemoration of the annual Land day.
Our participation could contribute much to the struggle against the permanent land-
confiscation and the ongoing racist policy against the Arab Palestinians in the 48-
territories.
Let us join, march and say together;
No Pasaran
SHEIKH JARRAH
During the week activist tried to be present all the time in the conflict area with the settler colonialists.
"As always, this week we will demonstrate against the Settlement in Sheikh Jarrah
The demonstration will take place on Friday at 16:00 in the neighborhood
This week, during the intermediate days, you are welcome to come and visit the Palestinian families."
Friday
Approximately 200 protesters gathered in Sheikh Jarach to protest the ongoing settlement campaign in East Jerusalem. Protesters carried model homes to symbolize those that were taken from the Palestinian residents twice - in 48' and once again last year. In recent weeks the Israeli government made many announcements of new settlement plans in East Jerusalem, completely ignoring the international community and common sense. Their goal is to settle Jews everywhere as long as it's in the east: Silwan, Shuafat, Gilo, Ramat Shlomo and last but not least, Sheikh Jarach.
Construction plans for hundreds of new housing units have been approved in and around the Sheppard Hotel compound in Sheikh Jarach. It will span both the hotel and the large olive grove on the other side of the street. All Jewish, of course.
Some of the protesters marched up a few hundred meters to protest in front of the hotel, chanting and holding up signs for about half an hour. Nasser Gawi, a local resident whose home been given to extreme settlers and lives today in a protest tent, spoke about the situation and pointed out the areas threatened by construction.
The Israeli government has a clear goal - to make Jews a majority in Sheikh Jarach and separate it from the rest of East Jerusalem, by all means, legal or not, moral or not. We say - no!
See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
Monday, March 29, 2010
Palestine-Israel, The escalated joint struggle do not wait for the US imperial power to bring freedom
The joint struggle of Israeli anarchists against the wall initiative with Palestinian villages activists started in Masha camp - spring 2003. That summer the joint direct actions against the separation fence started in Zabuba and Mas'ha and continued in various villages for a while. February 2005 started the persistent weekly joint actions - first in Bil'in, and 3 years later in Ni'ilin, and Ma'asare region - specifically Maasara village, Beit Umar, and Beit Jalla. Nebi Saleh is enlargement of ongoing struggle to other aspects of the occupation - robbery of land and resources. Sheikh Jarrah is unique as its on going struggle is within occupied east Jerusalem and the struggle is against transfer. In parallel, we still continue with support to refugees from Africa and to our Refusnics.
BETHLEHEM - BEIT JALLA
The march, which began after the Palm Sunday service at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, was held to protest a recent aggravation of Israeli restrictions on movement through the checkpoint. Protesters aimed to highlight restrictions on access to Jerusalem on the day marking Jesus' entrance to Jerusalem in Christian tradition.
Wow, what a day: over 100 native Palestinian Christians and Muslims and internationals including Israelis, breached the tight security separating the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem from the occupied city of Jerusalem. Donkeys and people arrested!
We were initially some 150 strong and started from the Church of Nativity at 11:45 AM carrying palm leaves an banners asking for freedom of worship and movement (as demanded by international law). The demonstration included individuals riding 2 donkeys and a horse. Appropriate since Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Like him, we knew this was not going to be an easy entry but we did believe in the goodness of humanity. We arrived at the main gate used for tourist buses at around 12:30 and decided to just keep going. The few soldiers and police at the gate tried to close it but we managed to get in and the huge 8 meter high metal gate stopped half way perhaps as a safety mechanisms since there were dozens of people passing and they could be crushed if it continued.
The Israeli security forces tried to close other fences but we kept going. As word reached their offices, the Israeli army was mobilizing its forces and soon several army jeeps arrived and blocked the road half way between the gate and Deir Mar Elias (the monastery at the edge of the city). The blocked our way. Ibrahim Salah riding his donkey was speaking to them in Hebrew and saying why can't we go to Jerusalem. It is our right to travel. He was the first to be violently knocked down off his donkey and arrested. The next was an American girl, then some Palestinians. All violently wrestled to the ground when even many were just peacefully walking back to the gates. It seemed like a calculated move to punish some of us so that others get the message not to try this again.
Some 60 of us ended up being rounded up in between a wall, a hill, a gate, and a cordon of police officers. We expected to be all arrested. The occupation soldiers instead plucked random people that they thought were the key people.
We had significant local and national and international media coverage (email us if you are a media outlet and want to do a story or receive video and and/or pictures). The people are willing to pay the price. Israeli forces released 4 Israelis and the one American student. They kept 11 Palestinians and are charging them with "incitement", "participating in an unauthorized demonstration" "entering 'Israel' without a permit (as if occupied Arab East Jerusalem is Israel)", and "interfering in police business". Lawyers will show that this is all bogus. But in any case, the popular resistance movement is growing and is willing to pay the price for such significant achievement as this.
The repression only strengthened our collective will to move forward. We were all elated at this success. We know some Israeli officers; maybe the private "security" company that is contracted by the Israeli government to manage these apartheid wall system. Entering Jerusalem beyond the apartheid wall on Palm Sunday showed what popular resistance can achieve. When I talked to one of the people they kidnapped, he indicated they were all in good spirits and were holding together.
While we hear "Arab leaders" met in Libya and issued more useless declarations, the popular resistance celebrates this victory in Bethlehem and will work to achieve others. A demonstration will be held on Monday at noon in front of the gate at Bilal's mosque/Rachel's tomb area. Hope to see those of you who can there.
Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imemc/
Published stories
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=272253
http://www.imemc.org/article/58309
http://www.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78620 (in Arabic)
Oh and yes, a donkey and a horse of Ibrahim are also held by the might army of apartheid Israel for they too need permits from the Israeli military to get in. Palestinian Christians have demanded entry to Jerusalem without the regime of special permits (apartheid system): see http://www.imemc.org/article/58203 We will continue to demand this basic human right for all Palestinians regardless of their religion. The train of freedom is on the march and we are all asked to get on board.
BEIT UMAR
"Tomorrow (Wed.) we are going to have a meeting in beit Umar regarding our activities there . if you want to go please call me"
On Saturday, a small march was marking the intention for the continuous struggle of the village against the separation fence and occupation.
BIL'IN
Friday, in heavy rain some 30 Israelis, internationals and Palestinian supporters including Mustafa Barghouti joined Bil'in locals for the weekly demonstration against the wall. Despite of the army's threats that anyone approaching the fence will "get hurt", the procession insistently reached it's destination and began the traditional ceremony of attempting to open the gate. After around 10 minutes of chanting and attempting, the army grew tiered of free speech and commenced firing gas and shock grenades at unarmed civilians. In retaliation, 2 Palestinian protesters and one Israeli, bearing Palestinian flags, decided to cross the gate. The army quickly responded and sent Sunday, 28.3.10 Israeli forces arrested 15 demonstrators, including Abbas Zaki of the PLO Executive Committee, during a Bethlehem demonstration to mark Palm Sunday and protest Israeli restrictions on movement. An AP photographer and four members of local popular committees were also arrested.
IZBAT TABIB
The municipal council of Izbet Tabib village (Qualquilia region) and the popular comity against the occupation and the separation fence of the west bank invited us to the regional convergence in Izbet Tabib to mark the Land Day on Saturday.
MA'ASARA
Call for mass demonstration and press conference in Al Ma'sara village, Friday 26 March 2010.
Please join the demonstration against the Wall and the settlements this Friday in the village of Al Ma'sara, located south of Bethlehem, followed by a solidarity lunch and press conference.
It is very important to show solidarity with the village's struggle a few days after the release of Omar Alaaeddin, an organizer of the demonstrations who was nabbed from the Container Checkpoint on Sunday the 14th by the Israeli army and was subsequently beaten and tortured at the checkpoint and then in custody. He was released on Sunday night (21th of March) with no charges pressed against him. Battered and still in shock, Omar is still under medical treatment, his back especially showing many marks of lacerated wounds and he still suffers an injury to his leg from the beating, and feels pain in his neck and head.
This is the second time this month that an organizers from Al-Ma'asara are detained and assaulted at the container checkpoint after Border Police officers recognized them from demonstrations. On March 2nd, the mayor of Al-Ma'asara, Mahmoud Zwahre was detained and beaten on his way to a meeting in Ramallah. This is part of a wave of violent repression and attempt to stop the popular resistance in the West Bank.
The demonstration, starting at 12am will be followed around 1.30 pm by a press conference and solidarity lunch during which Omar will be available for questions.
Friday
The theme to this week's demonstration in Ma'asara was solidarity with Omar Ala-Din, a resident of the village and activist in the demonstrations, that was recognized as such by soldiers two weeks ago in a checkpoint, and was therefore beaten badly and held in custody for more than a week. Some hundred Palestinian, Israeli and international demonstrators marched through the village streets in the rain, carrying pictures of Ala-Din's scars and calling for an end to the occupation. Protesters were joined by Al-Aqsa mosque high Sheikh, Taisir Al-Tamimi, and were stopped by soldiers who blocked the village exit. The Sheikh and other demonstrators called upon the soldiers in Arabic, English and Hebrew to refuse to participate in the oppression of the popular struggle, this in the same week when four teenage Palestinian were shot dead by the army.
A joint Israeli-Italian samba drumming band accompanied the demonstrators as they tried to go over the barbed wired fence the soldiers put on the road. Soldiers responded by pushing and threatening the demonstrators, claiming that if the march will go over the fence it will "cease to be non-violent". After another 15 minutes the demonstration was over, and the march returned to the village, where a solidarity visit was made to the home of Ala-Din, who told his story and promised to return to activity once healed of his wounds.
In Sheikh Jarrah some 400 demonstrators protested against the ongoing ethnic cleansing policies of the Jerusalem municipality and the Israeli government, with the proxy of violent settlers and police. Following the approval of new (Jewish) construction plans in the Shepard hotel compound about one hundred demonstrators marched to the hotel and held a parallel vigil there, after which they marched back to the central demonstration through the neighborhood. The police, which since the beginning of the protests in the neighborhood forbids demonstrators to actually enter it while settlers are allowed free access, attacked the march and threatened with arrests. However, eventually the march was freed and both parts of the demonstration were reunited in the regular location. After an hour and a half of protest, drumming and singing, demonstrators left peacefully.
Hours after the demonstration was over, police reached one of the regular activists in the struggle, Michael Solsbury, and arrested him for suspicion of rioting. This is the first time that police come to an activist's house, and make arrests outside of demonstrating hours. Solsbury was held in custody and questioned, and was finally released, but informed that charges will be pressed the next day.
Israel Puterman video of Friday 26.3.10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1403JRacvE8
NABI SALEH
Around 70 Palestinian, Israeli and international demonstrators marched on Friday in An Nabi Saleh, nearby Ramallah. Israeli soldiers besieged residents inside their homes, and used a massive number of tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets to disperse the crowd. According to local sources one Palestinian protester was injured in the foot and dozens were treated for gas inhalation.
Palestinemonitor.org - photos: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1333
NI'ILIN
We arrive in Nilin after sailing with our cars through the rivers of Palestine. Because of the heavy rain the demonstration was small than usual around 50-60 demonstrators half Palestinians and half Israeli and internationals. we marched to the wall where the gate was closed and after few minutes there the soldiers start shooting tear gas us. Few moments later the rain picked up and we had to hide beneath the olive trees, the soldiers did the same hiding in their outpost. The demonstration ended around an hour, so we went back to village wet as small puppies.
David Reeb: Friday 26.3.2010 Ni'ilin video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsY2VLaKcf4
REFUSNICS
Shir Regev, 19 years old, an Israeli anarchist, was released from his 1st prison term for refusing to serve in the Israeli army, and sentenced to a 2nd term yesterday 25/3/10, this time 10 days, which he will serve at prison 6 in Atlit.
Shir Regev's letter to the Israeli authorities follows.
Shir will be glad to receive letters. If you wish to write to him, you can send your letter to:
yeshgvul2001@yahoo.com
------------------------------
From: Shir Regev
To: Induction Bureau, Haifa
Copies : Prime Minister Netanyahu , Minister of Defense Barak
My name is Shir Regev and I have been a deserter since 1/12/09. I believe it is my personal duty to refuse and defect from an army whose main purpose is to serve as an occupation police for maintaining "Israeli order" and imposing it on defenseless Palestinians who are denied citizenship.
And what is this "Israeli order" ? It is an ongoing process, in effect over 42 years, comprising a military regime over the Palestinians, denying them access to Palestinian community resources of land, water, agricultural crops and ores. It is also entails pollution of their land and their streams, along with support for disenfranchisement by settlers who live in the same areas, under a separate system of seemingly democratic laws. And I have not even mentioned the violation of more basic Palestinian human rights, like denying their freedom of movement, and causing bodily harm, including mass killing, without due investigation of alleged criminal offenses of the gravest type. These acts may constitute war crimes under international law.
Since I have the medical profile of a "combat soldier", had I joined the army, there is no doubt I would have been sent to serve this "Mafiosi" system, which has almost nothing to do with the IDF's designated role as "Defense Forces"... This is an army that serves interests in which I do not believe.
Therefore, in the dilemma between doing such service and obeying my conscience, I have no doubt about my decision. The day will come when my decision is appreciated by people who presently deny the horrible reality which we as a society are creating for another people and the damage we are inflicting on the souls of many young Israelis who may not be aware of the moral degradation in which they take part.
Shir Regev
Yesh Gvul http://www.yeshgvul.org.il
SHEIKH JARRAH
The settlement in east Jerusalem continues. Another settlement in Sheikh Jarrah was granted a building permit. The settler organizations want to turn another site in the neighborhood, the Shepard Hotel, into a settlement. The Israeli government is leading a violent and dangerous process of Judaizing East Jerusalem whose only purpose is to prevent a future peace agreement. Israel Puterman video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDhZjSdWp24
Late evening, our Jerusalem activist Michael was arrested at his home. He is "suspected as participant in disturbances at the afternoon in Sheikh Jarrah".
Later, after our lawyer comrade threatened to call the reserve (stand by) judge from home he was released on bail and was summoned to appear in court Saturday night.
Saturday night, the police asked for 1500 shekel bail and restriction of 60 days from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The judge criticized the police for unlawful behavior and released Michael without any condition.
The report on the arrest was on the front page of the Haaretz daily.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1159593.html
BEIT OMAR - BEIT JALLA-BETHLEHEM - BIL'IN - IZBAT TABIB - MA'ASARA - NEBI SALEH - NI'ILIN - SHEIKH JARRA - REFUSNICS
BETHLEHEM - BEIT JALLA
The march, which began after the Palm Sunday service at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, was held to protest a recent aggravation of Israeli restrictions on movement through the checkpoint. Protesters aimed to highlight restrictions on access to Jerusalem on the day marking Jesus' entrance to Jerusalem in Christian tradition.
Wow, what a day: over 100 native Palestinian Christians and Muslims and internationals including Israelis, breached the tight security separating the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem from the occupied city of Jerusalem. Donkeys and people arrested!
We were initially some 150 strong and started from the Church of Nativity at 11:45 AM carrying palm leaves an banners asking for freedom of worship and movement (as demanded by international law). The demonstration included individuals riding 2 donkeys and a horse. Appropriate since Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Like him, we knew this was not going to be an easy entry but we did believe in the goodness of humanity. We arrived at the main gate used for tourist buses at around 12:30 and decided to just keep going. The few soldiers and police at the gate tried to close it but we managed to get in and the huge 8 meter high metal gate stopped half way perhaps as a safety mechanisms since there were dozens of people passing and they could be crushed if it continued.
The Israeli security forces tried to close other fences but we kept going. As word reached their offices, the Israeli army was mobilizing its forces and soon several army jeeps arrived and blocked the road half way between the gate and Deir Mar Elias (the monastery at the edge of the city). The blocked our way. Ibrahim Salah riding his donkey was speaking to them in Hebrew and saying why can't we go to Jerusalem. It is our right to travel. He was the first to be violently knocked down off his donkey and arrested. The next was an American girl, then some Palestinians. All violently wrestled to the ground when even many were just peacefully walking back to the gates. It seemed like a calculated move to punish some of us so that others get the message not to try this again.
Some 60 of us ended up being rounded up in between a wall, a hill, a gate, and a cordon of police officers. We expected to be all arrested. The occupation soldiers instead plucked random people that they thought were the key people.
We had significant local and national and international media coverage (email us if you are a media outlet and want to do a story or receive video and and/or pictures). The people are willing to pay the price. Israeli forces released 4 Israelis and the one American student. They kept 11 Palestinians and are charging them with "incitement", "participating in an unauthorized demonstration" "entering 'Israel' without a permit (as if occupied Arab East Jerusalem is Israel)", and "interfering in police business". Lawyers will show that this is all bogus. But in any case, the popular resistance movement is growing and is willing to pay the price for such significant achievement as this.
The repression only strengthened our collective will to move forward. We were all elated at this success. We know some Israeli officers; maybe the private "security" company that is contracted by the Israeli government to manage these apartheid wall system. Entering Jerusalem beyond the apartheid wall on Palm Sunday showed what popular resistance can achieve. When I talked to one of the people they kidnapped, he indicated they were all in good spirits and were holding together.
While we hear "Arab leaders" met in Libya and issued more useless declarations, the popular resistance celebrates this victory in Bethlehem and will work to achieve others. A demonstration will be held on Monday at noon in front of the gate at Bilal's mosque/Rachel's tomb area. Hope to see those of you who can there.
Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imemc/
Published stories
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=272253
http://www.imemc.org/article/58309
http://www.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78620 (in Arabic)
Oh and yes, a donkey and a horse of Ibrahim are also held by the might army of apartheid Israel for they too need permits from the Israeli military to get in. Palestinian Christians have demanded entry to Jerusalem without the regime of special permits (apartheid system): see http://www.imemc.org/article/58203 We will continue to demand this basic human right for all Palestinians regardless of their religion. The train of freedom is on the march and we are all asked to get on board.
BEIT UMAR
"Tomorrow (Wed.) we are going to have a meeting in beit Umar regarding our activities there . if you want to go please call me"
On Saturday, a small march was marking the intention for the continuous struggle of the village against the separation fence and occupation.
BIL'IN
Friday, in heavy rain some 30 Israelis, internationals and Palestinian supporters including Mustafa Barghouti joined Bil'in locals for the weekly demonstration against the wall. Despite of the army's threats that anyone approaching the fence will "get hurt", the procession insistently reached it's destination and began the traditional ceremony of attempting to open the gate. After around 10 minutes of chanting and attempting, the army grew tiered of free speech and commenced firing gas and shock grenades at unarmed civilians. In retaliation, 2 Palestinian protesters and one Israeli, bearing Palestinian flags, decided to cross the gate. The army quickly responded and sent Sunday, 28.3.10 Israeli forces arrested 15 demonstrators, including Abbas Zaki of the PLO Executive Committee, during a Bethlehem demonstration to mark Palm Sunday and protest Israeli restrictions on movement. An AP photographer and four members of local popular committees were also arrested.
IZBAT TABIB
The municipal council of Izbet Tabib village (Qualquilia region) and the popular comity against the occupation and the separation fence of the west bank invited us to the regional convergence in Izbet Tabib to mark the Land Day on Saturday.
MA'ASARA
Call for mass demonstration and press conference in Al Ma'sara village, Friday 26 March 2010.
Please join the demonstration against the Wall and the settlements this Friday in the village of Al Ma'sara, located south of Bethlehem, followed by a solidarity lunch and press conference.
It is very important to show solidarity with the village's struggle a few days after the release of Omar Alaaeddin, an organizer of the demonstrations who was nabbed from the Container Checkpoint on Sunday the 14th by the Israeli army and was subsequently beaten and tortured at the checkpoint and then in custody. He was released on Sunday night (21th of March) with no charges pressed against him. Battered and still in shock, Omar is still under medical treatment, his back especially showing many marks of lacerated wounds and he still suffers an injury to his leg from the beating, and feels pain in his neck and head.
This is the second time this month that an organizers from Al-Ma'asara are detained and assaulted at the container checkpoint after Border Police officers recognized them from demonstrations. On March 2nd, the mayor of Al-Ma'asara, Mahmoud Zwahre was detained and beaten on his way to a meeting in Ramallah. This is part of a wave of violent repression and attempt to stop the popular resistance in the West Bank.
The demonstration, starting at 12am will be followed around 1.30 pm by a press conference and solidarity lunch during which Omar will be available for questions.
Friday
The theme to this week's demonstration in Ma'asara was solidarity with Omar Ala-Din, a resident of the village and activist in the demonstrations, that was recognized as such by soldiers two weeks ago in a checkpoint, and was therefore beaten badly and held in custody for more than a week. Some hundred Palestinian, Israeli and international demonstrators marched through the village streets in the rain, carrying pictures of Ala-Din's scars and calling for an end to the occupation. Protesters were joined by Al-Aqsa mosque high Sheikh, Taisir Al-Tamimi, and were stopped by soldiers who blocked the village exit. The Sheikh and other demonstrators called upon the soldiers in Arabic, English and Hebrew to refuse to participate in the oppression of the popular struggle, this in the same week when four teenage Palestinian were shot dead by the army.
A joint Israeli-Italian samba drumming band accompanied the demonstrators as they tried to go over the barbed wired fence the soldiers put on the road. Soldiers responded by pushing and threatening the demonstrators, claiming that if the march will go over the fence it will "cease to be non-violent". After another 15 minutes the demonstration was over, and the march returned to the village, where a solidarity visit was made to the home of Ala-Din, who told his story and promised to return to activity once healed of his wounds.
In Sheikh Jarrah some 400 demonstrators protested against the ongoing ethnic cleansing policies of the Jerusalem municipality and the Israeli government, with the proxy of violent settlers and police. Following the approval of new (Jewish) construction plans in the Shepard hotel compound about one hundred demonstrators marched to the hotel and held a parallel vigil there, after which they marched back to the central demonstration through the neighborhood. The police, which since the beginning of the protests in the neighborhood forbids demonstrators to actually enter it while settlers are allowed free access, attacked the march and threatened with arrests. However, eventually the march was freed and both parts of the demonstration were reunited in the regular location. After an hour and a half of protest, drumming and singing, demonstrators left peacefully.
Hours after the demonstration was over, police reached one of the regular activists in the struggle, Michael Solsbury, and arrested him for suspicion of rioting. This is the first time that police come to an activist's house, and make arrests outside of demonstrating hours. Solsbury was held in custody and questioned, and was finally released, but informed that charges will be pressed the next day.
Israel Puterman video of Friday 26.3.10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1403JRacvE8
NABI SALEH
Around 70 Palestinian, Israeli and international demonstrators marched on Friday in An Nabi Saleh, nearby Ramallah. Israeli soldiers besieged residents inside their homes, and used a massive number of tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets to disperse the crowd. According to local sources one Palestinian protester was injured in the foot and dozens were treated for gas inhalation.
Palestinemonitor.org - photos: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1333
NI'ILIN
We arrive in Nilin after sailing with our cars through the rivers of Palestine. Because of the heavy rain the demonstration was small than usual around 50-60 demonstrators half Palestinians and half Israeli and internationals. we marched to the wall where the gate was closed and after few minutes there the soldiers start shooting tear gas us. Few moments later the rain picked up and we had to hide beneath the olive trees, the soldiers did the same hiding in their outpost. The demonstration ended around an hour, so we went back to village wet as small puppies.
David Reeb: Friday 26.3.2010 Ni'ilin video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsY2VLaKcf4
REFUSNICS
Shir Regev, 19 years old, an Israeli anarchist, was released from his 1st prison term for refusing to serve in the Israeli army, and sentenced to a 2nd term yesterday 25/3/10, this time 10 days, which he will serve at prison 6 in Atlit.
Shir Regev's letter to the Israeli authorities follows.
Shir will be glad to receive letters. If you wish to write to him, you can send your letter to:
yeshgvul2001@yahoo.com
------------------------------
From: Shir Regev
To: Induction Bureau, Haifa
Copies : Prime Minister Netanyahu , Minister of Defense Barak
My name is Shir Regev and I have been a deserter since 1/12/09. I believe it is my personal duty to refuse and defect from an army whose main purpose is to serve as an occupation police for maintaining "Israeli order" and imposing it on defenseless Palestinians who are denied citizenship.
And what is this "Israeli order" ? It is an ongoing process, in effect over 42 years, comprising a military regime over the Palestinians, denying them access to Palestinian community resources of land, water, agricultural crops and ores. It is also entails pollution of their land and their streams, along with support for disenfranchisement by settlers who live in the same areas, under a separate system of seemingly democratic laws. And I have not even mentioned the violation of more basic Palestinian human rights, like denying their freedom of movement, and causing bodily harm, including mass killing, without due investigation of alleged criminal offenses of the gravest type. These acts may constitute war crimes under international law.
Since I have the medical profile of a "combat soldier", had I joined the army, there is no doubt I would have been sent to serve this "Mafiosi" system, which has almost nothing to do with the IDF's designated role as "Defense Forces"... This is an army that serves interests in which I do not believe.
Therefore, in the dilemma between doing such service and obeying my conscience, I have no doubt about my decision. The day will come when my decision is appreciated by people who presently deny the horrible reality which we as a society are creating for another people and the damage we are inflicting on the souls of many young Israelis who may not be aware of the moral degradation in which they take part.
Shir Regev
Yesh Gvul http://www.yeshgvul.org.il
SHEIKH JARRAH
The settlement in east Jerusalem continues. Another settlement in Sheikh Jarrah was granted a building permit. The settler organizations want to turn another site in the neighborhood, the Shepard Hotel, into a settlement. The Israeli government is leading a violent and dangerous process of Judaizing East Jerusalem whose only purpose is to prevent a future peace agreement. Israel Puterman video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDhZjSdWp24
Late evening, our Jerusalem activist Michael was arrested at his home. He is "suspected as participant in disturbances at the afternoon in Sheikh Jarrah".
Later, after our lawyer comrade threatened to call the reserve (stand by) judge from home he was released on bail and was summoned to appear in court Saturday night.
Saturday night, the police asked for 1500 shekel bail and restriction of 60 days from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The judge criticized the police for unlawful behavior and released Michael without any condition.
The report on the arrest was on the front page of the Haaretz daily.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1159593.html
BEIT OMAR - BEIT JALLA-BETHLEHEM - BIL'IN - IZBAT TABIB - MA'ASARA - NEBI SALEH - NI'ILIN - SHEIKH JARRA - REFUSNICS
Monday, March 22, 2010
Palestine-Israel, The struggle escalate with the joint struggle not deterred by state repression
In addition to the usual Bil'in, Ni'ilin, and Maasara, and the recently added Nabi Saleh and Sheikh Jarrah, we had Beit Jalla, Budrus and Beit Omar that were very militant years ago. In addition to these joint struggles the anarchists against the wall participated in, there were additional locations of struggle with Internationals or just local Palestinians. It seems that because of media (public) protests, the state forces refrained from blocking our way to the joint struggle in Bil'in, and were unusually restrained in the confrontation with the stone throwing youngsters.
BEIT JALLA
Sunday demo in Beit Jalla was held a day after Israeli forces murdered 2 youths in Iraq Burin during a demonstration against the settlements and occupation. It was also marking the seventh anniversary of the murder of Rachel Corrie in Gaza by an IOF D9 bulldozer.
Around 50 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters marched through the road that leads to the construction of the apartheid wall in Beit Jalla. Just a few dozen meters of march were stopped by about 20 IOF soldiers and a larger-than-usual barbed wire that they installed to block the protesters from marching on. Chants and speeches were held in Arabic, English and Hebrew, stressing Palestinians rights of movement and on their land and calling the soldiers to refuse to take part in an occupying and oppressing army. Despite the demo being peaceful, the soldiers and their commanders were showing great anxiety and kept threating to use violence. Protesters than sat on the ground, to ease the soldiers' tension. After a while the demo ended peacefully and protesters went swiftly away from the soldiers.
In spite of being asked by many not to do so, few kids went forward and threw a couple of stones to the soldiers' direction. The soldiers than shot tear gas canisters at the already distant protesters and the city street was filled with gas. The clashes did not repeat as Palestinian police in the area blocked people from entering the street.
Sunday demo in Beit Jalla was held a day after Israeli forces murdered 2 youths in Iraq Burin during a demonstration against the settlements and occupation. It was also marking the seventh anniversary of the murder of Rachel Corrie in Gaza by an IOF D9 bulldozer.
Pictures: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/21/18642338.php
Or: http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/4451072128/in/set-72157623571453356/
BEIT OMMAR
video of last week demonstration (13.3.10) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIYG71GwH_8
Beit Ommar Marches In Solidarity With Jerusalem
Report by: Palestine Solidarity Project
At 13:25 Friday afternoon 8 Military jeeps and personnel carriers invaded Beit Ommar in force firing dozens of rounds of rubber coated steel bullets, stun grenades and at least 40 tear gas grenades. The town youth forced the army and Border Police to retreat to the outskirts of the town with a constant barrage of stones.
In a co-ordinated series of non-violent protests across the West Bank today thousands of Palestinians protested peacefully against the Israeli restrictions imposed on access to the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, part of a week-long clampdown on Palestinians in Jerusalem which began when the Israeli government announced the construction of 1500 new housing units in East Jerusalem.
In Beit Ommar over 100 residents marched down the main street after midday prayers to demonstrate the strength of feeling against the further violations of their freedom of movement and freedom of worship. They were met by an incursion into the town by 8 military vehicles carrying more than 35 heavily armed soldiers who attempted to disperse the protest using stun grenades and tear gas. A large number of youths began throwing stones at the vehicles and the army responded by sending 2 squads of soldiers towards the centre of the town, breaking into houses as they advanced. From behind the safety of their vehicles other soldiers launched gas grenades and fired rubber coated steel bullets at the youths. After a standoff for several hours the soldiers retreated to the watch tower at the entrance to the town firing rubber coated bullets and tear gas as they went. The situation remains tense in the town tonight with a3 military vehicles stationed at the entrance to the town and large numbers of youths gathered ready to defend against another invasion.
Popular Struggle Continues, Dozens Injured 21/03/2010
BILIN
Friday 19.3.2010 Concerned about the attempt to crush demonstrations with a highly publicized closed military zone warrant, almost 50 Israelis and over 25 internationals joined the local Palestinians for the weekly demonstration against the apartheid and land grab wall in Bil'in. Despite the facts that the warrant is not new and that warrants issued for the purpose of preventing demonstrations were declared illegal by the Israeli courts in the past, the army's publicizing of the warrants made demonstrators wonder whether they should prepare for mass arrests. Looking forward to finding out the answer in person, the demonstrators marched to the wall chanting and singing, and reached the gate, where they chanted some more, removed the closed military zone sign, and shook the fence, tearing down one of its poles. To the demonstrators' amazement, the soldiers stood by, hurling at them nothing but threats throughout the peaceful demo.
The shabab kept away from the main demonstration and protested in their own way, reciprocating stones for the gas bestowed upon them further along the fence. After the demonstration was declared over a small group of soldiers invaded the village, escalating the response of the local youth and spreading more gas along their trail. But soon enough they turned back, and all demonstrators left the scene. We are yet to see if the army's relatively "moderate" response is a new policy, a reaction to media presence on their side, or an attempt to catch demonstrators off guard next week.
David video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOVWRMge98o
Haithem video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvVN5fRnDkk
BUDRUS
Five Palestinians were injured, eight others detained when Israeli troops attacked an anti wall protest at the village of Budrus, near Ramallah city, central West Bank.
Villagers, along with their international and Israeli supporters, marched from the village towards their lands taken by Israel to build the wall. Israeli soldiers used tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and sound bombs to stop the protest.
Five residents were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets. Troops chased the people back to the village and detained eight of them. Among those detained, were two Palestinian journalists working for the Palestinian state TV.
The protest today was organized after the army informed the residents of Budrus, on Thursday, that more lands will be taken to build a watch tower for soldiers on villagers’ lands. The village lost land for the wall back in 2004.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/4449612109/
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4449612275_0a4e7018e7.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4449611817_4c49650c2a_m.jpg
Photo by: Shachaf Polakow/Activestills.org
Demonstration against the wall, Budros, Palestine 19/03/2010 by activestills.
On Friday March 19th 2010 around 200 demonstrators marched against the Israeli wall and Occupation.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/4449611639_15e1394f3d.jpg
Tear gas canister being shot by the Israeli forces.
JERUSALEM
No to the Settlement in Silwan!
Come support the residents of Silwan against the radical right that is taking over their village!
On Sunday March 21st, a radical right wing march will take place in the village. It will be led by Itamar Ben Gvir, Baruch Marzel, and MK Michael Ben Ari, and escorted by the police.
(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=silwan&itemNo=1155850)
The march is a violent act, that is a direct continuation of the ongoing violence of the "City of David" settlers over the last two decades. By taking over Palestinian property, carrying out dangerous digs that often lead to collapses, and taking over the public space using armed thugs, the settlers are attempting to force the Silwan residents to leave and Judaize the village.
Starting Thursday we will hold protest vigils against the settlement and the march in the village.
To sign up for a protest vigil on Thursday, Friday or Sunday, please contact M
Sheikh Jarrah
Last Friday after the march we tried to hold a legal protest vigil which does not require a permit near the Hannoun family house. The police ignored recent court decisions and forbade us from going near the houses, claiming we would cause public disorder. Police forces violently attempted to disperse us and arrested 8 protestors. An hour later the police permitted the settlers to enter the street. The settlers threw stones at the Palestinian residents and injured a few of them. Come protest the settler terror and the police compliance with it!
The march will start Friday at 14:00
from the Mashbir plaza, on the corner of King George and Ben Yehudah
To a demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah
that will begin at 15:30
For further information- justjerusalem@gmail.com, S
Because the police notified us at the last minute that we do not have a permit to march from west Jerusalem tomorrow, we will meet in Sheikh Jarrah at 15:30
MA'ASARA
video from al Aa'asara 12.03.2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsrJHHuMAVk
Friday 19.3.10 The demonstration that came out from the village of Ma’asra, was in mark of the anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie, who was murdered in Gaza, when hit by an IDF bulldozer while trying to prevent demolition of a house. Relatively little procession included 20 Palestinians and 20 Israeli and international activists. Occupation soldiers were waiting for the demonstrators inside the village area, and placed a wire to prevent the passage toward the village's land.
Speeches in Arabic, English and Hebrew were given. Eventually the wire breached by a herd of sheep that went out to pasture. From that moment protesters were mingled among soldiers and after a while going back, promising to continue the struggle.
A strange night raid in Bil'in http://www.youtube.com/user/haithmkatib#p/a/u/0/4J9LdZykj38
MEDIA
IDF vs. democracy and freedom of speech By Haaretz Editorial 18/03/2010 11:37
The Israel Defense Forces decision to declare the Palestinian villages Bil'in and Na'alin closed military zones on Fridays for the next six months is a serious anti-democratic move. The order issued by the GOC Central Command implementing this restriction is an act against the freedom to demonstrate.
The fact that the army issued such a sweeping order, and that it is supposed to be in effect for such a long period, requires an immediate petition to the High Court of Justice asking it to block this dangerous and damaging move, which lacks any justification. The freedom to demonstrate is a basic right and an extension of freedom of expression.
In recent years, the two villages have come to symbolize the struggle against the separation fence that separates the villagers from their lands. The struggle is legitimate. It contributed substantially to the High Court order to alter the route of the fence near Bil'in, a decision that the IDF has yet to implement - which is also a blatant anti-democratic failing.
The residents of the villages and their supporters - Jews, Arabs and foreign activists - must be given the right to protest and fight for their rights.
During the years of demonstrations in the two villages, 23 demonstrators have been killed, half of them minors; no Israeli soldiers have been killed.
The demonstrations themselves have mostly been non-violent, and it was the IDF and Border Police that often exercised excessive and unnecessary force. In spite of the inconvenience, the IDF must permit this protest. The alternative could be terrorism.
The IDF decision is grave from another perspective as well: There has never been such a radical move against rightist demonstrations or settlers in the territories. While settlers run amok, burning fields and uprooting trees, damaging property and spreading terror as part of their criminal "price tag" policy, the IDF and the police stand idly by. When the left wants to protest and demonstrate, the IDF declares the area to be a closed military zone.
In this the IDF harms not only one of the basic values of democratic rule, the freedom to demonstrate, but also discriminates in its policy, granting excessive liberty to lawless settlers while being heavy-handed with leftist protesters.
The IDF order is therefore a revolting and ridiculous act, and the defense minister, who commands the IDF, must take immediate action to void it.
NEBI SALEH
3 Arrested and Dozens Injured in Nabi Saleh, as IOF Attacks Village, Demonstration
This Friday in Nabi Saleh saw yet another escalation in the army's violence towards protesters and its collective punishment criminal strategy against the entire village, including confined targeting of non-protesters and non-violent protesters. 3 Palestinians were arrested, one of them carrying foreign/Israeli passport. The other 2 are expected to remain in custody and to face a hearing within a week in the military tribunal of the apartheid regime. Over 20 people were injured, mostly from rubber-coated metal bullets. One of the injured was shot at his forehead. Another person broke her arm from a bullet. They were evacuated to a nearby hospital.
Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians and Israeli and international supporters participated in this week's demonstration against the crippling occupation and the Halamish settlement's annexation and destruction of a growing amount of land and resources from the village. This time protesters took a different route than the usual march through the village, and marched towards the closest open area, to avoid attack on the village's main street. This helped only a little as army jeeps immediately invaded the village to confront the protesters while other soldiers approached on foot from a different direction. The area was soon covered with tear gas, pushing the protesters back into the village's built area. With extensive shooting the army managed the all time to confine the protesters close by to the village's houses, thereby attacking many non-protesting residents as well. Five times did the army use its jeep-installed cannon to shot barrages of tear gas canisters on the entire village.
Around 5:30 PM IOF soldiers invaded the village's main street on foot. In this incursion they have shot onto one of the houses, smashing its windows and roof water tank. Two of the shots also hit one of the inhabitants while staying in his house. He then showed the damage to protesters and photographers. Eye-witnesses estimate the attack is a result of confined targeting of non-protesters, aimed at dividing and repressing the village's community.
Even after sunset protesters refused to disperse and re-gathered again and again in protest, some of them throwing stones to ward off the army incursion, others just standing peacefully against the armed-to-the-top soldiers, documenting, or taking care of the many wounded from the army's aggression.
The shabab kept away from the main demonstration and protested in their own way, reciprocating stones for the gas bestowed upon them further along the fence. After the demonstration was declared over a small group of soldiers invaded the village, escalating the response of the local youth and spreading more gas along their trail. But soon enough they turned back, and all demonstrators left the scene. We are yet to see if the army's relatively "moderate" response is a new policy, a reaction to media presence on their side, or an attempt to catch demonstrators off guard next week.
NI'ILIN
On Friday, villagers conducted midday prayers at lands close to the wall then marched towards it. Israeli troops were heavily deployed at the gate of the wall separating farmers from their lands.
The protesters instead went to a nearby location and managed to hang a Palestinian flag on the wall itself. Later, soldiers used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse the crowd. Dozens suffered from the effects of tear gas inhalation.
The nonviolent weekly protest ended with clashes between local youths and troops. Early on Friday the army sealed off Nil‘in village and did not allow international and Israeli supporters, along with journalists, to access the village. People had to use an alternative farming road to get into the village to reach the protest site.
TEL AVIV
Our comrade Samieh Jabbarin was arrested today by the evil police force in occupied Yaffa
Samiech was arrested at the end of a protest organized in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle in al quds. they falsely accuse him of organizing an illegal demonstration
you are all invited to come to his hearing tomorrow at 9 am at the "hashalom" court on waitzman street in tel aviv
After a whole day in the courthouse and under it, Samieh was released of custody but was restrained from Jaffa, where he lives and works, for 15 days.
Guest workers children
The police refused to allow us to demonstrate on Thursday,The Demonstration is postponed to this Saturday The moment we fought for has arrived!The committee that will decide about the children started to work and will come to a decision in days Demonstrating: No to the deportation of children - yes to permanent legal status!This Saturday, March 20th19:00 pm, Levinsky Garden-because the ending timing is set by the police - please be on time. This is the moment to act about the children, don't leave them alone! please spread the word about the postpone as much as you can If you have already published this event on your web site, please correct the publishing.facebook:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=387736364668
--
ISRAELI CHILDREN ----- Israeli-children.org.il
BEIT JALLA
Sunday demo in Beit Jalla was held a day after Israeli forces murdered 2 youths in Iraq Burin during a demonstration against the settlements and occupation. It was also marking the seventh anniversary of the murder of Rachel Corrie in Gaza by an IOF D9 bulldozer.
Around 50 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters marched through the road that leads to the construction of the apartheid wall in Beit Jalla. Just a few dozen meters of march were stopped by about 20 IOF soldiers and a larger-than-usual barbed wire that they installed to block the protesters from marching on. Chants and speeches were held in Arabic, English and Hebrew, stressing Palestinians rights of movement and on their land and calling the soldiers to refuse to take part in an occupying and oppressing army. Despite the demo being peaceful, the soldiers and their commanders were showing great anxiety and kept threating to use violence. Protesters than sat on the ground, to ease the soldiers' tension. After a while the demo ended peacefully and protesters went swiftly away from the soldiers.
In spite of being asked by many not to do so, few kids went forward and threw a couple of stones to the soldiers' direction. The soldiers than shot tear gas canisters at the already distant protesters and the city street was filled with gas. The clashes did not repeat as Palestinian police in the area blocked people from entering the street.
Sunday demo in Beit Jalla was held a day after Israeli forces murdered 2 youths in Iraq Burin during a demonstration against the settlements and occupation. It was also marking the seventh anniversary of the murder of Rachel Corrie in Gaza by an IOF D9 bulldozer.
Pictures: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/21/18642338.php
Or: http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/4451072128/in/set-72157623571453356/
BEIT OMMAR
video of last week demonstration (13.3.10) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIYG71GwH_8
Beit Ommar Marches In Solidarity With Jerusalem
Report by: Palestine Solidarity Project
At 13:25 Friday afternoon 8 Military jeeps and personnel carriers invaded Beit Ommar in force firing dozens of rounds of rubber coated steel bullets, stun grenades and at least 40 tear gas grenades. The town youth forced the army and Border Police to retreat to the outskirts of the town with a constant barrage of stones.
In a co-ordinated series of non-violent protests across the West Bank today thousands of Palestinians protested peacefully against the Israeli restrictions imposed on access to the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, part of a week-long clampdown on Palestinians in Jerusalem which began when the Israeli government announced the construction of 1500 new housing units in East Jerusalem.
In Beit Ommar over 100 residents marched down the main street after midday prayers to demonstrate the strength of feeling against the further violations of their freedom of movement and freedom of worship. They were met by an incursion into the town by 8 military vehicles carrying more than 35 heavily armed soldiers who attempted to disperse the protest using stun grenades and tear gas. A large number of youths began throwing stones at the vehicles and the army responded by sending 2 squads of soldiers towards the centre of the town, breaking into houses as they advanced. From behind the safety of their vehicles other soldiers launched gas grenades and fired rubber coated steel bullets at the youths. After a standoff for several hours the soldiers retreated to the watch tower at the entrance to the town firing rubber coated bullets and tear gas as they went. The situation remains tense in the town tonight with a3 military vehicles stationed at the entrance to the town and large numbers of youths gathered ready to defend against another invasion.
Popular Struggle Continues, Dozens Injured 21/03/2010
BILIN
Friday 19.3.2010 Concerned about the attempt to crush demonstrations with a highly publicized closed military zone warrant, almost 50 Israelis and over 25 internationals joined the local Palestinians for the weekly demonstration against the apartheid and land grab wall in Bil'in. Despite the facts that the warrant is not new and that warrants issued for the purpose of preventing demonstrations were declared illegal by the Israeli courts in the past, the army's publicizing of the warrants made demonstrators wonder whether they should prepare for mass arrests. Looking forward to finding out the answer in person, the demonstrators marched to the wall chanting and singing, and reached the gate, where they chanted some more, removed the closed military zone sign, and shook the fence, tearing down one of its poles. To the demonstrators' amazement, the soldiers stood by, hurling at them nothing but threats throughout the peaceful demo.
The shabab kept away from the main demonstration and protested in their own way, reciprocating stones for the gas bestowed upon them further along the fence. After the demonstration was declared over a small group of soldiers invaded the village, escalating the response of the local youth and spreading more gas along their trail. But soon enough they turned back, and all demonstrators left the scene. We are yet to see if the army's relatively "moderate" response is a new policy, a reaction to media presence on their side, or an attempt to catch demonstrators off guard next week.
David video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOVWRMge98o
Haithem video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvVN5fRnDkk
BUDRUS
Five Palestinians were injured, eight others detained when Israeli troops attacked an anti wall protest at the village of Budrus, near Ramallah city, central West Bank.
Villagers, along with their international and Israeli supporters, marched from the village towards their lands taken by Israel to build the wall. Israeli soldiers used tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and sound bombs to stop the protest.
Five residents were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets. Troops chased the people back to the village and detained eight of them. Among those detained, were two Palestinian journalists working for the Palestinian state TV.
The protest today was organized after the army informed the residents of Budrus, on Thursday, that more lands will be taken to build a watch tower for soldiers on villagers’ lands. The village lost land for the wall back in 2004.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/4449612109/
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4449612275_0a4e7018e7.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4449611817_4c49650c2a_m.jpg
Photo by: Shachaf Polakow/Activestills.org
Demonstration against the wall, Budros, Palestine 19/03/2010 by activestills.
On Friday March 19th 2010 around 200 demonstrators marched against the Israeli wall and Occupation.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/4449611639_15e1394f3d.jpg
Tear gas canister being shot by the Israeli forces.
JERUSALEM
No to the Settlement in Silwan!
Come support the residents of Silwan against the radical right that is taking over their village!
On Sunday March 21st, a radical right wing march will take place in the village. It will be led by Itamar Ben Gvir, Baruch Marzel, and MK Michael Ben Ari, and escorted by the police.
(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=silwan&itemNo=1155850)
The march is a violent act, that is a direct continuation of the ongoing violence of the "City of David" settlers over the last two decades. By taking over Palestinian property, carrying out dangerous digs that often lead to collapses, and taking over the public space using armed thugs, the settlers are attempting to force the Silwan residents to leave and Judaize the village.
Starting Thursday we will hold protest vigils against the settlement and the march in the village.
To sign up for a protest vigil on Thursday, Friday or Sunday, please contact M
Sheikh Jarrah
Last Friday after the march we tried to hold a legal protest vigil which does not require a permit near the Hannoun family house. The police ignored recent court decisions and forbade us from going near the houses, claiming we would cause public disorder. Police forces violently attempted to disperse us and arrested 8 protestors. An hour later the police permitted the settlers to enter the street. The settlers threw stones at the Palestinian residents and injured a few of them. Come protest the settler terror and the police compliance with it!
The march will start Friday at 14:00
from the Mashbir plaza, on the corner of King George and Ben Yehudah
To a demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah
that will begin at 15:30
For further information- justjerusalem@gmail.com, S
Because the police notified us at the last minute that we do not have a permit to march from west Jerusalem tomorrow, we will meet in Sheikh Jarrah at 15:30
MA'ASARA
video from al Aa'asara 12.03.2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsrJHHuMAVk
Friday 19.3.10 The demonstration that came out from the village of Ma’asra, was in mark of the anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie, who was murdered in Gaza, when hit by an IDF bulldozer while trying to prevent demolition of a house. Relatively little procession included 20 Palestinians and 20 Israeli and international activists. Occupation soldiers were waiting for the demonstrators inside the village area, and placed a wire to prevent the passage toward the village's land.
Speeches in Arabic, English and Hebrew were given. Eventually the wire breached by a herd of sheep that went out to pasture. From that moment protesters were mingled among soldiers and after a while going back, promising to continue the struggle.
A strange night raid in Bil'in http://www.youtube.com/user/haithmkatib#p/a/u/0/4J9LdZykj38
MEDIA
IDF vs. democracy and freedom of speech By Haaretz Editorial 18/03/2010 11:37
The Israel Defense Forces decision to declare the Palestinian villages Bil'in and Na'alin closed military zones on Fridays for the next six months is a serious anti-democratic move. The order issued by the GOC Central Command implementing this restriction is an act against the freedom to demonstrate.
The fact that the army issued such a sweeping order, and that it is supposed to be in effect for such a long period, requires an immediate petition to the High Court of Justice asking it to block this dangerous and damaging move, which lacks any justification. The freedom to demonstrate is a basic right and an extension of freedom of expression.
In recent years, the two villages have come to symbolize the struggle against the separation fence that separates the villagers from their lands. The struggle is legitimate. It contributed substantially to the High Court order to alter the route of the fence near Bil'in, a decision that the IDF has yet to implement - which is also a blatant anti-democratic failing.
The residents of the villages and their supporters - Jews, Arabs and foreign activists - must be given the right to protest and fight for their rights.
During the years of demonstrations in the two villages, 23 demonstrators have been killed, half of them minors; no Israeli soldiers have been killed.
The demonstrations themselves have mostly been non-violent, and it was the IDF and Border Police that often exercised excessive and unnecessary force. In spite of the inconvenience, the IDF must permit this protest. The alternative could be terrorism.
The IDF decision is grave from another perspective as well: There has never been such a radical move against rightist demonstrations or settlers in the territories. While settlers run amok, burning fields and uprooting trees, damaging property and spreading terror as part of their criminal "price tag" policy, the IDF and the police stand idly by. When the left wants to protest and demonstrate, the IDF declares the area to be a closed military zone.
In this the IDF harms not only one of the basic values of democratic rule, the freedom to demonstrate, but also discriminates in its policy, granting excessive liberty to lawless settlers while being heavy-handed with leftist protesters.
The IDF order is therefore a revolting and ridiculous act, and the defense minister, who commands the IDF, must take immediate action to void it.
NEBI SALEH
3 Arrested and Dozens Injured in Nabi Saleh, as IOF Attacks Village, Demonstration
This Friday in Nabi Saleh saw yet another escalation in the army's violence towards protesters and its collective punishment criminal strategy against the entire village, including confined targeting of non-protesters and non-violent protesters. 3 Palestinians were arrested, one of them carrying foreign/Israeli passport. The other 2 are expected to remain in custody and to face a hearing within a week in the military tribunal of the apartheid regime. Over 20 people were injured, mostly from rubber-coated metal bullets. One of the injured was shot at his forehead. Another person broke her arm from a bullet. They were evacuated to a nearby hospital.
Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians and Israeli and international supporters participated in this week's demonstration against the crippling occupation and the Halamish settlement's annexation and destruction of a growing amount of land and resources from the village. This time protesters took a different route than the usual march through the village, and marched towards the closest open area, to avoid attack on the village's main street. This helped only a little as army jeeps immediately invaded the village to confront the protesters while other soldiers approached on foot from a different direction. The area was soon covered with tear gas, pushing the protesters back into the village's built area. With extensive shooting the army managed the all time to confine the protesters close by to the village's houses, thereby attacking many non-protesting residents as well. Five times did the army use its jeep-installed cannon to shot barrages of tear gas canisters on the entire village.
Around 5:30 PM IOF soldiers invaded the village's main street on foot. In this incursion they have shot onto one of the houses, smashing its windows and roof water tank. Two of the shots also hit one of the inhabitants while staying in his house. He then showed the damage to protesters and photographers. Eye-witnesses estimate the attack is a result of confined targeting of non-protesters, aimed at dividing and repressing the village's community.
Even after sunset protesters refused to disperse and re-gathered again and again in protest, some of them throwing stones to ward off the army incursion, others just standing peacefully against the armed-to-the-top soldiers, documenting, or taking care of the many wounded from the army's aggression.
The shabab kept away from the main demonstration and protested in their own way, reciprocating stones for the gas bestowed upon them further along the fence. After the demonstration was declared over a small group of soldiers invaded the village, escalating the response of the local youth and spreading more gas along their trail. But soon enough they turned back, and all demonstrators left the scene. We are yet to see if the army's relatively "moderate" response is a new policy, a reaction to media presence on their side, or an attempt to catch demonstrators off guard next week.
NI'ILIN
On Friday, villagers conducted midday prayers at lands close to the wall then marched towards it. Israeli troops were heavily deployed at the gate of the wall separating farmers from their lands.
The protesters instead went to a nearby location and managed to hang a Palestinian flag on the wall itself. Later, soldiers used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse the crowd. Dozens suffered from the effects of tear gas inhalation.
The nonviolent weekly protest ended with clashes between local youths and troops. Early on Friday the army sealed off Nil‘in village and did not allow international and Israeli supporters, along with journalists, to access the village. People had to use an alternative farming road to get into the village to reach the protest site.
TEL AVIV
Our comrade Samieh Jabbarin was arrested today by the evil police force in occupied Yaffa
Samiech was arrested at the end of a protest organized in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle in al quds. they falsely accuse him of organizing an illegal demonstration
you are all invited to come to his hearing tomorrow at 9 am at the "hashalom" court on waitzman street in tel aviv
After a whole day in the courthouse and under it, Samieh was released of custody but was restrained from Jaffa, where he lives and works, for 15 days.
Guest workers children
The police refused to allow us to demonstrate on Thursday,The Demonstration is postponed to this Saturday The moment we fought for has arrived!The committee that will decide about the children started to work and will come to a decision in days Demonstrating: No to the deportation of children - yes to permanent legal status!This Saturday, March 20th19:00 pm, Levinsky Garden-because the ending timing is set by the police - please be on time. This is the moment to act about the children, don't leave them alone! please spread the word about the postpone as much as you can If you have already published this event on your web site, please correct the publishing.facebook:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=387736364668
--
ISRAELI CHILDREN ----- Israeli-children.org.il
Monday, March 15, 2010
Palestine-Israel, In spite of Israeli state escalation of settler colonialism the joint struggle expand.
This weekend the Israeli anarchists against the wall initiative were involved in even more struggles in more locations that become regular fronts: Beit Jalla, Bait Omar, Bil'in, Jeb Altheeb, Ma'asara, Nabi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Sheikh Jarrah. The state forces continued half heartedly to prevent the access of demonstrators to come to Bil'in and Ni'ilin but failed. Many activists continued from the noon demonstrations to the one at Sheikh Jarrah. Last night (Monday early morning) at 02:00 AM, state forces entered the village. Many copies of a document was posted around the whole village. This document declared that Israeli and international activists were strictly prohibited from entering Bil'in between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm on every Friday, the day in which the weekly demonstration takes place.
BEIT JALA
This Thursday, 11.3.10 there will be a demo in Beit Jala.
Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals met in Beit Jallah this morning to rebuild a playground that bulldozers destroyed last week while clearing the path to complete the wall near Bethlehem. 12 people armed only with pick axes and hoes, flattened out the bulldozer tracks and deep holes left from uprooted trees, reset two swing sets, and brought in sand by the bucket for the new playground. Young olive trees were replanted in place of the mature trees that were destroyed during the first days of uprooting last week. The playground is used by many of the neighborhood children, and the family who owns the land welcomes people to enjoy the shade next to their home in the heat of the summer. As people worked in the sun today, army jeeps made rounds on the road above the home, and stood watch from the road on the opposing side of the highway. One jeep came down to the playground, but people continued their work as soldiers took pictures and asked for the Palestinian participants identification cards.
video of Beit Jala actions 03/08/2010 10:18 AM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR7TWzMxEUM
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/14/18640915.php
There will be another demo in beit jalah tomorrow (Sunday).
There will be an action in Beit Jalah this Thursday 11-03-10
BEIT OMAR
Bait Omar on Saturday and tree planting near maasara on Saturday as well
Three Protesters and a Journalist Arrested During Beit Ummar Demonstration
Dozens of residents of Beit Ummar, accompanied by Israeli and international supporters, marched from the center of the village towards Road 60 that connects Jerusalem with Hebron this morning. The procession was attacked as soon as the large contingent of soldiers, which was positioned at the entrance to the village to to fend off demonstrators, noticed the marchers and without provocation.
Demonstrators continued to advance towards the road despite the attack, and managed to block it for almost an hour in response to the Army's aggressiveness, for the second time in two weeks. Two Israeli activists were arrested soon after protesters took over the road, and were taken to the Kiryat Arba police station. When demonstrators were not deterred by the initial violence, soldiers continued to target people holding a camera, arresting an AP cameraman, Nasser Shyouhi, and breaking numerous cameras. Youssef Abu Marya, the coordinator of the Beit Ummar National committee, the group that organized the protest today was also arrested.
After finally dispersing the demonstrators, who remained peaceful despite the attack on them, the Army invaded the town in large forces. Soldiers occupied at least one house in the village without showing its owner a seizure order as required by law. Following the aggressive invasion, clashes ensued between local youth who tried to ward off the incursion by throwing stones at the armored jeeps, and between soldiers who used tear-gas, stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets.
Beit Ummar is located eleven kilometers northwest of West Bank city of Hebron and is home to roughly 14,500 people.
Peaceful action broken up by Israeli Occupation Forces violence
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/14/18640932.php
BILIN
Some 25 Israelis, over 30 internationals, Palestinian supporters, a DFLP delegation and the Palestinian Minister of Culture joined Bil'in locals for the weekly demonstration against the wall. Demonstrators carried posters of Tristan Anderson, who was hit in his head a year ago by a gas canister in Ni'lin, and is still in critical condition.
This time the army decided to set a "honey trap" for the protesters. The gates in the fence were left open for them to charge through, while soldiers without protective gear (so they can run faster) hid on the Palestinian side of the fence, waiting to charge the protesters from behind and make arrests. The local shabab, however, quickly picked up the soldiers in hiding, and stormed forward despite the showers of gas canisters and rubber bullets that injured two youths. The soldiers retreated back behind the fence, and the shabab celebrated by charging to the fence. Soon enough, the organizers took over, restrained the local youth, and led some 30 protesters to the fence for a peaceful demonstration. As the wind was favorable and the soldiers slightly less trigger happy than usual, an Israeli recovered ex-soldier took advantage of the opportunity to preach to the soldiers, urging them to recognize their exploitation by Israeli politicians and contractors and to cross over and join the Palestinians demonstrating against occupation.
Haitam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGsXZJcqFYE
A strange night raid in Bil'in http://www.youtube.com/user/haithmkatib#p/a/u/0/4J9LdZykj38
At 2 AM on this night, Bil'in was once again raided by the Israeli Army. A document was posted around the whole village of Bil'in. This document declared that Israeli and international activists were strictly prohibited from entering Bil'in between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm on every Friday, the day in which the weekly demonstration takes place. Every Israeli and international activist must leave the village during this time, or else he or she will be deported or arrested by Israeli soldiers. The head of the police, Benjamin, ordered that this action be taken. The permit declares Bil'in to be a closed military area until August 17th. This is an attempt to stop Israeli and international activists from supporting the popular struggle of Bil'in, and is therefore just another action to repress and destroy the village's resistance against the occupation and also against the annexation of it's land.
Also, earlier in the day, Iyad Burnat, the head of the Popular Committee, received a phone call by the 'shabak.' He was ordered to report to an office tomorrow for questioning.
JEB ALTHEEB
20 people joined the Bethlehem Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in what has become a weekly work-day in Jeb Altheeb. Last week the group of Palestinians, Israeli, and International activists build a rock wall to mark the boundaries of the farmers land near the road. Settlers destroyed the wall during the week, but it was rebuilt today. Neither army nor settlers were present.
Jeb Altheeb is a small village south-east of Bethlehem (near Herodion) which is flanked by the Nokdim settlement (where Avigdor Liebermann lives). Since around 5 years, the village is directly neighbored by an outpost with seven settlers who are continuing to curb the ongoing dispossession of the village's land. In recent weeks, the settlers have prevented the farmers and shepherds from working on the remaining land of the village and grazing their sheep.
In the last few weeks lawyers were brought to the village and confirmed the legal right of the villagers to the land and its use, and a court case will be opened. Nonetheless, settlers frequently appear and harass as soon as farmers and shepherds try to work on their remaining lands.
MA'ASARA
A smaller than usual weekly demonstration in Ma'asara, no more than fifty people strong (of different nationalities), was met after marching in the heavy heat through the village streets by a larger than usual combined army and border police force. Soldiers set up near the first houses of the village, deeper than ever before, and prevented the demonstration from proceeding towards the village lands.
After giving speeches in Arabic, English and Hebrew, a small group of demonstrators went through the barbed wire set on the road, and was pushed by the soldiers who also threatened activists will be arrested as the area is a closed military zone. Demonstrators on both sides sat on the ground, beat drums, sang songs, and called upon the soldiers to abandon the oppression of the popular struggle and join it in stead. The soldiers, already with stun and tear gas grenades at hand, were somewhat taken aback faced with this act of non-violent resistance and the many cameras documenting all over the place. And so, with nobody arrested and no attack on the demonstrators, activists eventually decided to leave willingly and escape the burning sun, promising to return next week as well.
NABI SALEH
This week's demonstration at Nabi Saleh faced severe repression. Even before the march from the village started, some activists tried to talk soldiers out from staying on one of the hills of the village and serving an occupying army. The soldiers responded with violence, throwing stun grenade directly at activists' feet.
Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians, Israelis and internationals participated in this week's demonstration against the crippling occupation and the Halamish settlement's annexation and destruction of a growing amount of land and resources from the village. The march from the village encountered immediate attack by the army, deep inside the village's main street, as the march was just forming. The army invaded the village and shot barrages of tear gas canisters through a cannon at the marching protesters and effectively almost the entire village population. It then continued the assault shooting rubber coated bullets indiscriminately at protesters. As the protesters gathered back, the army once again used its cannon to shot barrages of tear gas canisters on the entire village.
Eventually protesters did manage to take the demonstration to various directions, some of them outside the village's populated area. One group went on a hill top of one the village's springs, where settlers defiantly swam and stayed around. As a result of the approaching protesters, witnessing the scene from a safe distant, the army very kindly managed to convince the settlers to leave the area, and against those who refused - it persisted in verbal anti-Jewish dispersing techniques. The settlers than moved to another spring, the one threatened by growing annexation of the settlement, but were again asked kindly to leave by the army, who on the other hand, shot some tear gas canisters at two of the witnessing protesters who descended closer down the hill. The group then proceeded to join other scenes of protest.
Up until sunset protesters refused to disperse and re-gathered again and again in protest, some of them throwing stones to push back the attacking army, others just standing peacefully against the armed-to-the-top soldiers, documenting, or taking care of more than a dozen of wounded from the army's aggression.
Friday 12.3.2010 Nabi Saleh video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJcmc9_-7HM
NI'ILIN
Hundreds of people from the town and surrounding villages of Ni’lin gathered on the threatened land, where they affirmed the need to resist the aggressive policies of occupation. Villagers were accompanied by their animals, a symbol of their age old connection with the land that they have farmed for generations. Images and posters of Tristan Anderson were prevalent, the American ISM activist now in a coma after being struck with a tear gas canister during a demonstration.
Nil’in resident Salah Amira and an unnamed Israeli activist were arrested during clashes that lasted late into the afternoon. Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd, but no serious injuries were reported.
Press Release: Family Appeals Decision to Close Investigation on Shooting of US Citizen Tristan Anderson
http://popularstruggle.org/content/family-appeals-decision-close-investigation-shooting-us-citizen-tristan-anderson
Two Arrested During Demonstration
Ni'ilin demo - 12-3-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMvlFq53ufc
SHEIKH JARRAH
The mass protest that took place last Saturday was a huge success and constituted a breakthrough for the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah. But the struggle over the neighborhood is far from over. During the last week the settlers and their political supporters have been attempting to take over the street and set facts on the ground. On Tuesday the deputy Mayor David Hadari toured the street of the disputed houses, and declared that "this neighborhood is 'Simon the Righteous' not Sheikh Jarrah", and that he intends to open a municipality office in the neighborhood.
Come again this week to stand in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah! The march will start Friday at 14:00
from the Mashbir plaza, on the corner of King George and Ben Yehudah to a demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah in which begin at 15:30
Friday, Around 200 protestors marched from Hamashbir square, without letting offensive and fascist remarks from passersby to interrupt them along the way. 50 others joined them when they got to Sheikh Jarrah. High presence of Yassam (Police Special Patrol Unit) in the area was noted. The protestors tried to make their way to the house of one of the evicted families, where they intended to hold a protest vigil. They were blocked by police-officers that decreed the protest illegal. After several minutes of negotiation, the officers, breaking supreme and district court rulings, started to forcefully shove the protestors to the other side of the road, arresting two of them in the process. Moving the demonstration to the garden didn't suffice to the police officers, and they maintained their violent attacks on the protestors. Later on, small groups of demonstrators that made their way back to the family house, also were brutally dispersed, some of their members arrested, as well. In total, 11 activists were illegally arrested during the demonstration. After a few hours, all of them were released, after signing a restraining order for 15 days from the neighborhood, which is currently under discussion in the district court.
Meanwhile in the neighborhood, after the demonstration dispersed, settlers violently assaulted the Palestinian dwellers and Israeli activists that remained in place. The settlers threw stones at people and cars, some of which were damaged. Needless to say that none of them was detained or arrested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy7nWppt5nM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou7SLQl0s4I
See previous reports at:
http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
BEIT JALA
This Thursday, 11.3.10 there will be a demo in Beit Jala.
Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals met in Beit Jallah this morning to rebuild a playground that bulldozers destroyed last week while clearing the path to complete the wall near Bethlehem. 12 people armed only with pick axes and hoes, flattened out the bulldozer tracks and deep holes left from uprooted trees, reset two swing sets, and brought in sand by the bucket for the new playground. Young olive trees were replanted in place of the mature trees that were destroyed during the first days of uprooting last week. The playground is used by many of the neighborhood children, and the family who owns the land welcomes people to enjoy the shade next to their home in the heat of the summer. As people worked in the sun today, army jeeps made rounds on the road above the home, and stood watch from the road on the opposing side of the highway. One jeep came down to the playground, but people continued their work as soldiers took pictures and asked for the Palestinian participants identification cards.
video of Beit Jala actions 03/08/2010 10:18 AM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR7TWzMxEUM
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/14/18640915.php
There will be another demo in beit jalah tomorrow (Sunday).
There will be an action in Beit Jalah this Thursday 11-03-10
BEIT OMAR
Bait Omar on Saturday and tree planting near maasara on Saturday as well
Three Protesters and a Journalist Arrested During Beit Ummar Demonstration
Dozens of residents of Beit Ummar, accompanied by Israeli and international supporters, marched from the center of the village towards Road 60 that connects Jerusalem with Hebron this morning. The procession was attacked as soon as the large contingent of soldiers, which was positioned at the entrance to the village to to fend off demonstrators, noticed the marchers and without provocation.
Demonstrators continued to advance towards the road despite the attack, and managed to block it for almost an hour in response to the Army's aggressiveness, for the second time in two weeks. Two Israeli activists were arrested soon after protesters took over the road, and were taken to the Kiryat Arba police station. When demonstrators were not deterred by the initial violence, soldiers continued to target people holding a camera, arresting an AP cameraman, Nasser Shyouhi, and breaking numerous cameras. Youssef Abu Marya, the coordinator of the Beit Ummar National committee, the group that organized the protest today was also arrested.
After finally dispersing the demonstrators, who remained peaceful despite the attack on them, the Army invaded the town in large forces. Soldiers occupied at least one house in the village without showing its owner a seizure order as required by law. Following the aggressive invasion, clashes ensued between local youth who tried to ward off the incursion by throwing stones at the armored jeeps, and between soldiers who used tear-gas, stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets.
Beit Ummar is located eleven kilometers northwest of West Bank city of Hebron and is home to roughly 14,500 people.
Peaceful action broken up by Israeli Occupation Forces violence
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/14/18640932.php
BILIN
Some 25 Israelis, over 30 internationals, Palestinian supporters, a DFLP delegation and the Palestinian Minister of Culture joined Bil'in locals for the weekly demonstration against the wall. Demonstrators carried posters of Tristan Anderson, who was hit in his head a year ago by a gas canister in Ni'lin, and is still in critical condition.
This time the army decided to set a "honey trap" for the protesters. The gates in the fence were left open for them to charge through, while soldiers without protective gear (so they can run faster) hid on the Palestinian side of the fence, waiting to charge the protesters from behind and make arrests. The local shabab, however, quickly picked up the soldiers in hiding, and stormed forward despite the showers of gas canisters and rubber bullets that injured two youths. The soldiers retreated back behind the fence, and the shabab celebrated by charging to the fence. Soon enough, the organizers took over, restrained the local youth, and led some 30 protesters to the fence for a peaceful demonstration. As the wind was favorable and the soldiers slightly less trigger happy than usual, an Israeli recovered ex-soldier took advantage of the opportunity to preach to the soldiers, urging them to recognize their exploitation by Israeli politicians and contractors and to cross over and join the Palestinians demonstrating against occupation.
Haitam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGsXZJcqFYE
A strange night raid in Bil'in http://www.youtube.com/user/haithmkatib#p/a/u/0/4J9LdZykj38
At 2 AM on this night, Bil'in was once again raided by the Israeli Army. A document was posted around the whole village of Bil'in. This document declared that Israeli and international activists were strictly prohibited from entering Bil'in between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm on every Friday, the day in which the weekly demonstration takes place. Every Israeli and international activist must leave the village during this time, or else he or she will be deported or arrested by Israeli soldiers. The head of the police, Benjamin, ordered that this action be taken. The permit declares Bil'in to be a closed military area until August 17th. This is an attempt to stop Israeli and international activists from supporting the popular struggle of Bil'in, and is therefore just another action to repress and destroy the village's resistance against the occupation and also against the annexation of it's land.
Also, earlier in the day, Iyad Burnat, the head of the Popular Committee, received a phone call by the 'shabak.' He was ordered to report to an office tomorrow for questioning.
JEB ALTHEEB
20 people joined the Bethlehem Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in what has become a weekly work-day in Jeb Altheeb. Last week the group of Palestinians, Israeli, and International activists build a rock wall to mark the boundaries of the farmers land near the road. Settlers destroyed the wall during the week, but it was rebuilt today. Neither army nor settlers were present.
Jeb Altheeb is a small village south-east of Bethlehem (near Herodion) which is flanked by the Nokdim settlement (where Avigdor Liebermann lives). Since around 5 years, the village is directly neighbored by an outpost with seven settlers who are continuing to curb the ongoing dispossession of the village's land. In recent weeks, the settlers have prevented the farmers and shepherds from working on the remaining land of the village and grazing their sheep.
In the last few weeks lawyers were brought to the village and confirmed the legal right of the villagers to the land and its use, and a court case will be opened. Nonetheless, settlers frequently appear and harass as soon as farmers and shepherds try to work on their remaining lands.
MA'ASARA
A smaller than usual weekly demonstration in Ma'asara, no more than fifty people strong (of different nationalities), was met after marching in the heavy heat through the village streets by a larger than usual combined army and border police force. Soldiers set up near the first houses of the village, deeper than ever before, and prevented the demonstration from proceeding towards the village lands.
After giving speeches in Arabic, English and Hebrew, a small group of demonstrators went through the barbed wire set on the road, and was pushed by the soldiers who also threatened activists will be arrested as the area is a closed military zone. Demonstrators on both sides sat on the ground, beat drums, sang songs, and called upon the soldiers to abandon the oppression of the popular struggle and join it in stead. The soldiers, already with stun and tear gas grenades at hand, were somewhat taken aback faced with this act of non-violent resistance and the many cameras documenting all over the place. And so, with nobody arrested and no attack on the demonstrators, activists eventually decided to leave willingly and escape the burning sun, promising to return next week as well.
NABI SALEH
This week's demonstration at Nabi Saleh faced severe repression. Even before the march from the village started, some activists tried to talk soldiers out from staying on one of the hills of the village and serving an occupying army. The soldiers responded with violence, throwing stun grenade directly at activists' feet.
Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians, Israelis and internationals participated in this week's demonstration against the crippling occupation and the Halamish settlement's annexation and destruction of a growing amount of land and resources from the village. The march from the village encountered immediate attack by the army, deep inside the village's main street, as the march was just forming. The army invaded the village and shot barrages of tear gas canisters through a cannon at the marching protesters and effectively almost the entire village population. It then continued the assault shooting rubber coated bullets indiscriminately at protesters. As the protesters gathered back, the army once again used its cannon to shot barrages of tear gas canisters on the entire village.
Eventually protesters did manage to take the demonstration to various directions, some of them outside the village's populated area. One group went on a hill top of one the village's springs, where settlers defiantly swam and stayed around. As a result of the approaching protesters, witnessing the scene from a safe distant, the army very kindly managed to convince the settlers to leave the area, and against those who refused - it persisted in verbal anti-Jewish dispersing techniques. The settlers than moved to another spring, the one threatened by growing annexation of the settlement, but were again asked kindly to leave by the army, who on the other hand, shot some tear gas canisters at two of the witnessing protesters who descended closer down the hill. The group then proceeded to join other scenes of protest.
Up until sunset protesters refused to disperse and re-gathered again and again in protest, some of them throwing stones to push back the attacking army, others just standing peacefully against the armed-to-the-top soldiers, documenting, or taking care of more than a dozen of wounded from the army's aggression.
Friday 12.3.2010 Nabi Saleh video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJcmc9_-7HM
NI'ILIN
Hundreds of people from the town and surrounding villages of Ni’lin gathered on the threatened land, where they affirmed the need to resist the aggressive policies of occupation. Villagers were accompanied by their animals, a symbol of their age old connection with the land that they have farmed for generations. Images and posters of Tristan Anderson were prevalent, the American ISM activist now in a coma after being struck with a tear gas canister during a demonstration.
Nil’in resident Salah Amira and an unnamed Israeli activist were arrested during clashes that lasted late into the afternoon. Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd, but no serious injuries were reported.
Press Release: Family Appeals Decision to Close Investigation on Shooting of US Citizen Tristan Anderson
http://popularstruggle.org/content/family-appeals-decision-close-investigation-shooting-us-citizen-tristan-anderson
Two Arrested During Demonstration
Ni'ilin demo - 12-3-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMvlFq53ufc
SHEIKH JARRAH
The mass protest that took place last Saturday was a huge success and constituted a breakthrough for the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah. But the struggle over the neighborhood is far from over. During the last week the settlers and their political supporters have been attempting to take over the street and set facts on the ground. On Tuesday the deputy Mayor David Hadari toured the street of the disputed houses, and declared that "this neighborhood is 'Simon the Righteous' not Sheikh Jarrah", and that he intends to open a municipality office in the neighborhood.
Come again this week to stand in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah! The march will start Friday at 14:00
from the Mashbir plaza, on the corner of King George and Ben Yehudah to a demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah in which begin at 15:30
Friday, Around 200 protestors marched from Hamashbir square, without letting offensive and fascist remarks from passersby to interrupt them along the way. 50 others joined them when they got to Sheikh Jarrah. High presence of Yassam (Police Special Patrol Unit) in the area was noted. The protestors tried to make their way to the house of one of the evicted families, where they intended to hold a protest vigil. They were blocked by police-officers that decreed the protest illegal. After several minutes of negotiation, the officers, breaking supreme and district court rulings, started to forcefully shove the protestors to the other side of the road, arresting two of them in the process. Moving the demonstration to the garden didn't suffice to the police officers, and they maintained their violent attacks on the protestors. Later on, small groups of demonstrators that made their way back to the family house, also were brutally dispersed, some of their members arrested, as well. In total, 11 activists were illegally arrested during the demonstration. After a few hours, all of them were released, after signing a restraining order for 15 days from the neighborhood, which is currently under discussion in the district court.
Meanwhile in the neighborhood, after the demonstration dispersed, settlers violently assaulted the Palestinian dwellers and Israeli activists that remained in place. The settlers threw stones at people and cars, some of which were damaged. Needless to say that none of them was detained or arrested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy7nWppt5nM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou7SLQl0s4I
See previous reports at:
http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Palestine-Israel, The joint popular struggle expand and worry Israeli authorities
In spite of increase of state forces harassments the struggle expand. In addition to the "regular" Bil'in, Nabi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Ma'asara, and Sheikh Jarrah, Beit Omar seems to join the weekly schedule. Beit Jalla that seems to be less in the focus lately, got a regional convergence this week. Jafa (annexed to Tel Aviv) had this Saturday another joint struggle - this time around escalation in repression of Palestinian citizens by police. during the week we had prison/court support actions for Israeli activist (contesting a verdict of one month in jail for bogus assault on gendarmes in a joint action) and with Bil'iners held in the Ofer concentration camp for bogus claim of incitement and collecting military means (used grenades thrown at us in demonstrations).
BEIT JALLA
The first week of March - weekly demonstrations and more
05/03/2010
In the early morning on March 2, 2010, Israeli bulldozers started uprooting ancient olive trees in the garden of a Palestinian family in the town of Beit Jala, North-West of Bethlehem, in order to make room for the construction of yet another section of the Apartheid Wall. Wednesday morning, the family, which had already lost a significant portion of its lands when Israel seized them to build the “by-pass road” 60 that connects the equally illegal settlements, found the little playground for the children in the garden destroyed and three olive trees directly in front of the house chopped off. A red cross was painted two meters away from the front door to signal where the Wall is designed to pass. The remaining olive trees had been marked with yellow-tags, to be uprooted another day.
More markings on remaining trees and on the ground announce that soon, the family might lose the rest of its remaining land including the sight of its destroyed playground, and live immediately facing the massive gray concrete Wall.
Between March 2 and March 3, the bulldozers uprooted an overall of 70 olive trees on the lands of the family and their neighbors, rapidly creating facts on the ground before lawyers could challenge the most recent of a series of confusing orders designed to “legalize” the ongoing land theft under Israeli law. According to Israel’s most recent plan, this section of the Wall would seize another 280,9 dunams of Palestinian land on the property of 35 families.
On March 3, the al-Ma’asara Popular Committee and the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem mobilized a group of Palestinian, international and Israeli activists to attempt to physically stop the bulldozers from continuing their work.
"Today, the Israeli authorities have uprooted more trees to build yet more of the Apartheid Wall. Tomorrow morning, we would like to meet early and stop the bulldozers.
Please, be on time at the Orthodox Club (up in Beit Jalla).
For more information or directions, call M"
"Dozens of soldiers, security personal and border police officers spent two hours pushing and dragging the activists up the hill and away from the operating bulldozers, and finally produced an order to arrest anyone remaining on the family’s land after 9a.m.
On March 4, a group of activists was again mobilized to arrive in the early morning hours to protect the remaining olive trees. One activist chained himself to an ancient tree marked for removal, while others formed clusters around this and other trees. As soldiers and police officers gathered on the scene, activists chanted slogans against the Wall and the occupation and replanted two uprooted trees.
After a few hours, the activists learned that a legal decision had been reached that effectively prohibits any further uprooting until the next court order is ruled. Expecting this impending order, activists continue to prepare for further intervention in case that the bulldozers resume their work.
Beit Jala, March 4 2010Beit Jala, March 4 2010
Already when driving on route 60, we saw the intimidating bulldozers riding on the side of the road on their way to another day of "putting facts on the ground" as chiefs of the Israeli government call it. As we arrived in Beit Jalla, a heart-breaking scene came into view - a huge pile of sawed trees and olive and lemon branches spread all across the yard of the house next to the wall's path. A yard it cannot really be called anymore - the grass is turned over, two children's swings were uprooted and put aside, and the only thing left standing is a brick oven, with mounds of dirt and mud all around it. 10 olive trees were cut down here already yesterday. A red X on the front floor of the house marks the path of the wall to pass here, which will seize the whole yard area and cut the only access driveway to it. It's hard to imagine how life would look like in this place in a week or two.
We were 45 protesters - 25 Palestinians, 15 international activists and 4 Israelis. We descended to the works path trying to stop the bulldozers. A group of twenty soldiers prevented us from doing so, and began pushing us up the hill without showing a closed military area order as they are required. While the bulldozer's claws were uprooting trees one after the other, we explained to the officers that their actions violate numerous international laws, as well as the fact that they may not tell us to move without the order. We were pushed up the hill a few more meters to where we sat on the ground demanding to see a printed order before we move any further. At 08:53 they brought the papers and the officers declared the area will become a "closed military zone" within 7 minutes. One of them held two stun grenades with a nasty grin on his face. We reminded them again that constructing the wall on West Bank lands is a crime according to international law, as well as the settlers-only road which it "protects" and that they still may put down their guns and join us. A bearded IDF captain told us that the only law he follows is the biblical law. Rabbai Arik Ascherman referred him to to read the chapter in the book of Deuteronomy which refers to uprooting of fruit trees.
At 09:00 precisely they started pushing and dragging us up the hill again. 2 Israelis and one international activist were detained for a few minutes and were released shortly thereafter. Two Arab TV network reporters stationed on the upper road to report the events. Two young women from Beit Jalla were prominent among the protesters. As one of the officers told on of them them "Min fadlak, ruch min hon" (Please go away from here), she replied wisely "Min fadlak, ruch le-Israil" (Please, go back to Israel), with her finger pointing north-west.
When we left, the bulldozers were still working with all their might.
Tomorrow another group will go there. For details call Y."
REPORT:
Below, please see Shai's report about today's action against the resumed construction of the Apartheid Wall on the lands of 35 families in the Palestinian town of Beit Jala. When constructed, the Wall will seize 280,9 dunums of land owned by families of the Beit Jala municipality. Today is the second day that Israeli bulldozers uprooted olive trees to make way for the Wall. The bulldozers started their work only a day after a list with the names of the affected families was released, not respecting the 40 period that is due, according to the municipality's lawyer, to appeal the order.
For more information, including on tomorrow's action (3/4/10), call Mahmoud or Mar.
For pictures of today's action, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills (turn on the info-option to see the explanations).
For more information, also see these two articles:
http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=265693
http://imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=58119
http://www.youtube.com/v/Uss76bDKimw
BEIT OMAR
Bait Omar Weekly Demo Against the Occupation and The Apartheid Wall
On Saturday, March 6th, about 40 Palestinians, Israelis, and Internationals protested in Bait Omar (West Bank) against the Israeli occupation and Apartheid Wall. This weekly demonstration was held in opposition to the decision of the Israeli government to declare the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron and Belal mosque in Bethlehem Jewish National Sites.
The demonstration, organized by the Bait Omar National Committee, started at Bait Omar and proceeded to block road 60, the main route that connects Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Hebron. Participants also removed parts of a wire fence, that allows the IOF to impose curfews, and limit the movement of Palestinians in and out of Bait Omar.
Lot of pictures at: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/07/18640096.php
BIL'IN
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1153275.html
IDF keeping tabs on Israelis protesting separation fence
By Amira Hass
The Israel Defense Forces says it is using information on Israelis who
demonstrate against the separation fence in a bid to deny them entry at
nearby checkpoints. Israelis and others demonstrate every Friday at the
villages of Bil'in and Na'alin.
Friday
We were about 20 Israelis by the Anarchists Against the WAll initiative, a dozen or so internationals, a contingent from West bank Jinin city, dozens of Bil'iners, and few of the neighborhood. We marched at noon as usual from the center of the village towards the gate in the separation fence. Three protestors appropriately dressed up and with makeup represented Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela to commemorate their nonviolent creativity against occupation, oppression and colonialism. The struggles of Gandhi against oppression and occupation in India , Martin Luther King, Jr. against racism in the USA and Mandela against the apartheid in South Africa are all similar to Bili’n’s ongoing struggle against occupation here.
At the gate, as usual, the tear gas grenades were thrown on us immediately when people started to shake the gate.
Due to unfriendly wind direction we had to withdraw fast to a distant point near the road.
About 20 of us - Israelis and internationals, continued to the Demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah.
Gandi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela, in Bil'in Friday demonstration.
Haitham video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VB2w3Y4XiM
Israel video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kujBajYgfo0
"This week's demonstration in Bil'in marked the Global Week against racism in the world and coincided with many popular events against racism and oppression against the peoples and territories - in particular the Palestinian people. The demonstration begun after Friday prayers and marched from the center of the village, then continued to the western gate of the wall. Over one hundred people participated in the march, including a group from the PFLP (The Popular front for the Liberation of Palestine) and a delegation from the Freedom Theater in Jenin. The demonstration was headed by people dressed up as three prominent figures in the global struggle against racism and occupation: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Palestinian flags were raised as the participants chanted slogans condemning the wall and the occupation.
As the march reached the wall it was met with a shower of tear gas, rubber bullets and sound bombs, then clashes broke out between demonstrators and occupation soldiers. The demonstration lasted for hours as troops deliberately fired tear gas towards crews of journalists from Palestine TV and other stations to discourage the footage from the International Week Against Racism -and the Popular Committee's condemnation of Israel's racist and immoral practices- from being broadcast. In response, the Popular Committee stressed the need for cohesion, national unity and solidarity and highlighted that it was in the public interest for everyone involved in anti-racist struggles to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other."
--------------------------------
Court house support
We shall meet at court on Wednesday 3-3-10 at 12:30 for Ezra Nawi's appeal against his conviction of a fictitious claim of assaulting a officers and taking part in a riot during a joint action. The hearing is by the judges Ben-Ami, Mintz and Rapoport, at the Jerusalem District Court (Salah Adin St.). A protest vigil will be held outside the courthouse from 12:00.
Background:
In October 2009, judge Eilata Ziskind found activist Ezra Nawi guilty of attacking police officers and participating in a riot during the demolition of a shack belonging to Palestinian farmers in the West Bank, back in 2007. The whole scene was captured on video. The police officers claimed that Ezra attacked them during the 10 seconds that he ran into the shack. What happened inside the shack was not filmed, but the judge decided to believe the police officers and convict Ezra.
Ezra was sentenced to one month in prison and six more on prohibition for a period of three years
------------------
Abedalla and Addib still in the concentration camp
There will be many court hearing at Ofer on Wednesday for our partners in the struggle. Amongst them Abdallah Abu Rahme and other Bil'iners and Ni'liners.
If you can make it please send me your id (or passport) number and I will ask for entrance permits.
dear all,
there will be many court hearing at Ofer on Wednesday for our partners in the struggle. Amongst them Abdallah Abu Rahme and other Biliners and Niliners.
If you can make it please send me your id (or passport) number and I will ask for entrance permits.
JAFA
Saturday, a demonstration against the mounting brutality of state force against the Palestinian citizens of Jafa-Tel Aviv was held by locals and drew solidarity participation of the radical left.
Israel video of Yafa 6-3-10 - Demo against police violence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAyzdg6fEeU
MAASARA
"The Popular Committee (al-Ma'sara) and others call on all internationals to meet us tomorrow morning at 7a.m. for a protest action in Beit Jalla"
Friday demonstration in Ma'asara
Some twenty Israeli and international activists joined fifty Palestinians in this week's Friday demonstration against the Wall in Ma'asara. Demonstrators marched through the village towards the route of the wall, and were stopped by an army reserves unit which blocked the road with barbed wire several hundred meters deeper into the village than usual. The group composed mostly out of officers presented a closed military zone order, barring the march to pass the wire. Several demonstrators crossed the line anyway, but decided not to try and push further in an attempt to avoid the violent army attacks which have become common in these non-violent demonstrations lately.
And so, standing by the barbed wire, demonstrators carried speeches in Arabic, Hebrew and English. Amongst the speakers was Fatah Central Committee member Abu-Zaki. The Samba band played its new drums, sent in solidarity from their Turkish counterparts, and slogans were chanted in defiance of the occupation and in favor of the un-armed and united Palestinian struggle.
The demonstration ended after about an hour, with no unusual events. Earlier in the week, however, a prominent member of the popular committee of the village was attacked upon reaching a military checkpoint. Mahmud Zwahre was beaten by soldiers, and told that demonstrations must cease.
NABI SALEH
This week, another 150 people strong demonstration marking international Women's Day and protesting ongoing land grab was held in Nabi-Saleh. The demonstration was attacked by the Army with tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets while still inside the village and from great distance for no apparent reason. Nine other people were injured, including two journalists and an eighteen year old woman who was hit in the neck with an aluminum-made tear-gas projectile.
Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010 Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010
Ehab Fadel Barghouthi (14) was shot with a rubber-coated bullet that struck him in the forehead above his right eye and entered his skull. He was shot by Border Police officers who took over the rooftop of a house in the outskirts of the village and were in no immediate danger. According to eye witnesses, the boy was standing twenty meters away from the house when he was shot, after which he immediately collapsed. He was evacuated to the Salfeet hospital unconscious, and from there transferred to the Ramallah hospital. Numerous eyewitnesses confirm stone-throwing did take place at the time of the shooting, but all affirm Barghouthi did not partake in it.
Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010 Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010
The village is home to some 500 people. Since demonstrations in the village began, nine of its residents, roughly two percent of the Nabi Saleh's population, have been arrested on protest-related suspicions and dozens were injured.
NI'ILIN
In Ni'ilin, some 100 demonstrators marched from the village to the wall. The march was led by demonstrators holding signs condemning the Israeli government's decision to declare the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron and Belal mosque in Bethlehem Jewish National Sites. After failing to convince the soldiers at the gate to allow the village farmers to reach their lands, confrontations between some of the village youth and the soldiers erupted. The soldiers kept firing tear gas projectiles but did not manage to suppress the demonstration. After less than an hour of such confrontations, more than 20 soldiers invaded the village fields chasing the demonstrators closer to the village. The soldiers stormed the fields shooting tear gas projectiles, and occasionally 0.22 live rounds. After confrontations continued at the village border for several hours, the demonstration was declared over.
SHEIKH JARRAH
Video of invitation for the 6-3-10 demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQb2CRObiUY
An International call to action (see below) has gone out asking for global solidarity with the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem on Saturday March 6th, 2010. If you are planning solidarity actions or demonstration and would like accesses to high quality photographs of the Sheik Jarrah community, settler violence, house evictions, demonstration, etc. to use for posters or presentations see:
PHOTOS:
Activestills' Photostream on Flicker :
http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=20409489%40N00&q=east+jerusalem&m=text
For higher quality images contact:
activestills@gmail.com
VIDEO:
For videos of recent events in Sheik Jarrah see:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ISMPalestine
Settler & IOF Violence in Sheikh Jarrah 2/25/09
http://www.youtube.com/user/ISMPalestine#p/a/u/1/9ImVh2Uyiu4
11.12.09 Sheik Jarrah Demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHUsDf4H3bw
---------------------
CALL TO ACTION!!
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Committee and Just Jerusalem call on you to join our struggle against the occupation of East Jerusalem. Please circulate this call and help organize solidarity protests throughout the world:
WE WILL NOT BE STOPPED!
On Saturday March 6th please join us in our protest to stop the Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem.
At 7:00 PM we will be holding a mass rally in Sheikh Jarrah against:
· The forced eviction of the Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah
· The Jewish settlement of East Jerusalem
· The undemocratic attack on political protest
50 Palestinians have already been evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Another 500 are threatened. If the settlers and their government allies succeed, all Palestinians in East Jerusalem are threatened. If we stop them in Sheikh Jarrah, we can stop them elsewhere.
We call on all groups who support the struggle for Palestinian rights and for a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinian, to hold solidarity protest vigils on March 6 near Israeli consulates and embassies abroad.
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Committee
Just Jerusalem – the Israeli Coalition for a just solution in Jerusalem
For more information on the struggle see our blog:
http://www.en.justjlm.org/
justjerusalem@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Information and pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=329504821033
Sheikh Jarrah is a unique community in East Jerusalem. The plight of this community is emblematic of the larger Palestinian struggle for Justice. The Palestinians of Sheikh Jarrah enjoy no respite from settler harassment. There is no settlement in the distance creeping towards a Palestinian village. The settlers have evicted the Palestinians and now occupy their homes.
This is a call for global direct actions. The organizers of the weekly demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah are asking for global solidarity as they plan for massive demonstrations in Jerusalem and wider Israel. They are calling for demonstrations and vigils at Israeli consulates and embassies abroad.
The Global Intifada has put out a modified call. As many of you may not have access to Israeli consulates and embassies, we ask you to occupy everything. If you're a student, occupy your administrative offices and demand divestment from any company who profits from the occupation in conjunction with demanding justice for Sheikh Jarrah. If you're not a student, occupy any and all halls of governance. Demand that they pass resolutions of condemnation of the occupation of Palestine and promise to withdraw support for it, in conjunction with demanding justice for Sheikh Jarrah. If you are unable to occupy anything, get out of the sidewalks and into the streets. Demand Justice for Palestine and Justice for Sheikh Jarrah. If you are afraid of the streets, let loose your barbaric yawp from the corner and tell people of the injustice that pervades the lives of Palestinians and those living in Sheikh Jarrah
In August 2009, the Al-Ghawis were evicted from their home after the Israeli court accepted forged Ottoman-era land claims from a right-wing Zionist settler organization. The land claims cited that Jewish people owned the land in the late 19th century and therefore should legally be in possession of people with a Jewish heritage.
The Al-Ghawis have lived on the street opposite their home. The family lives on a tent on the sidewalk, watching settlers enter and exit the house they called their home for nearly fifty years. The live in their tent in act of protest and are determined to stay there until they are allowed to return to their home.
The Al-Kurds have had the front partition of their home annexed on the First of December 2009. The back partition of their home is set to be usurped in the following weeks. 22 other families are facing illegal eviction the coming months.
Despite this horrendous attempt to ethnically cleanse Sheikh Jarrah, there is resistance. Israeli activists commenced weekly demonstrations in the community. In the beginning they mood was jubilant; drums and chanting which called out the racism and injustice of the settlers actions. But these demonstrations were escalated by police violence. Over 100 people have been arrested demonstrating or participating in acts of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience.
The state forces who tried to force the called demonstration further from the usual place near the street entrance the occupied houses are on (not allowed to get nearer) got a back fire from the highest court of justice. The court ordered the police to allow the demonstration in the usual place and in addition 300 demonstrators were to be allowed a short visit into the street itself.
6-3-10 20:00-21:00 TV news on all 3 channels:
Thousands demonstrators at Sheikh Jarrah reportage
Up to 3000 participants are reported by various media...
NEBI SALEH
See Pictures at http://awalls.org
Previous reports: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
BEIT JALLA
The first week of March - weekly demonstrations and more
05/03/2010
In the early morning on March 2, 2010, Israeli bulldozers started uprooting ancient olive trees in the garden of a Palestinian family in the town of Beit Jala, North-West of Bethlehem, in order to make room for the construction of yet another section of the Apartheid Wall. Wednesday morning, the family, which had already lost a significant portion of its lands when Israel seized them to build the “by-pass road” 60 that connects the equally illegal settlements, found the little playground for the children in the garden destroyed and three olive trees directly in front of the house chopped off. A red cross was painted two meters away from the front door to signal where the Wall is designed to pass. The remaining olive trees had been marked with yellow-tags, to be uprooted another day.
More markings on remaining trees and on the ground announce that soon, the family might lose the rest of its remaining land including the sight of its destroyed playground, and live immediately facing the massive gray concrete Wall.
Between March 2 and March 3, the bulldozers uprooted an overall of 70 olive trees on the lands of the family and their neighbors, rapidly creating facts on the ground before lawyers could challenge the most recent of a series of confusing orders designed to “legalize” the ongoing land theft under Israeli law. According to Israel’s most recent plan, this section of the Wall would seize another 280,9 dunams of Palestinian land on the property of 35 families.
On March 3, the al-Ma’asara Popular Committee and the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem mobilized a group of Palestinian, international and Israeli activists to attempt to physically stop the bulldozers from continuing their work.
"Today, the Israeli authorities have uprooted more trees to build yet more of the Apartheid Wall. Tomorrow morning, we would like to meet early and stop the bulldozers.
Please, be on time at the Orthodox Club (up in Beit Jalla).
For more information or directions, call M"
"Dozens of soldiers, security personal and border police officers spent two hours pushing and dragging the activists up the hill and away from the operating bulldozers, and finally produced an order to arrest anyone remaining on the family’s land after 9a.m.
On March 4, a group of activists was again mobilized to arrive in the early morning hours to protect the remaining olive trees. One activist chained himself to an ancient tree marked for removal, while others formed clusters around this and other trees. As soldiers and police officers gathered on the scene, activists chanted slogans against the Wall and the occupation and replanted two uprooted trees.
After a few hours, the activists learned that a legal decision had been reached that effectively prohibits any further uprooting until the next court order is ruled. Expecting this impending order, activists continue to prepare for further intervention in case that the bulldozers resume their work.
Beit Jala, March 4 2010Beit Jala, March 4 2010
Already when driving on route 60, we saw the intimidating bulldozers riding on the side of the road on their way to another day of "putting facts on the ground" as chiefs of the Israeli government call it. As we arrived in Beit Jalla, a heart-breaking scene came into view - a huge pile of sawed trees and olive and lemon branches spread all across the yard of the house next to the wall's path. A yard it cannot really be called anymore - the grass is turned over, two children's swings were uprooted and put aside, and the only thing left standing is a brick oven, with mounds of dirt and mud all around it. 10 olive trees were cut down here already yesterday. A red X on the front floor of the house marks the path of the wall to pass here, which will seize the whole yard area and cut the only access driveway to it. It's hard to imagine how life would look like in this place in a week or two.
We were 45 protesters - 25 Palestinians, 15 international activists and 4 Israelis. We descended to the works path trying to stop the bulldozers. A group of twenty soldiers prevented us from doing so, and began pushing us up the hill without showing a closed military area order as they are required. While the bulldozer's claws were uprooting trees one after the other, we explained to the officers that their actions violate numerous international laws, as well as the fact that they may not tell us to move without the order. We were pushed up the hill a few more meters to where we sat on the ground demanding to see a printed order before we move any further. At 08:53 they brought the papers and the officers declared the area will become a "closed military zone" within 7 minutes. One of them held two stun grenades with a nasty grin on his face. We reminded them again that constructing the wall on West Bank lands is a crime according to international law, as well as the settlers-only road which it "protects" and that they still may put down their guns and join us. A bearded IDF captain told us that the only law he follows is the biblical law. Rabbai Arik Ascherman referred him to to read the chapter in the book of Deuteronomy which refers to uprooting of fruit trees.
At 09:00 precisely they started pushing and dragging us up the hill again. 2 Israelis and one international activist were detained for a few minutes and were released shortly thereafter. Two Arab TV network reporters stationed on the upper road to report the events. Two young women from Beit Jalla were prominent among the protesters. As one of the officers told on of them them "Min fadlak, ruch min hon" (Please go away from here), she replied wisely "Min fadlak, ruch le-Israil" (Please, go back to Israel), with her finger pointing north-west.
When we left, the bulldozers were still working with all their might.
Tomorrow another group will go there. For details call Y."
REPORT:
Below, please see Shai's report about today's action against the resumed construction of the Apartheid Wall on the lands of 35 families in the Palestinian town of Beit Jala. When constructed, the Wall will seize 280,9 dunums of land owned by families of the Beit Jala municipality. Today is the second day that Israeli bulldozers uprooted olive trees to make way for the Wall. The bulldozers started their work only a day after a list with the names of the affected families was released, not respecting the 40 period that is due, according to the municipality's lawyer, to appeal the order.
For more information, including on tomorrow's action (3/4/10), call Mahmoud or Mar.
For pictures of today's action, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills (turn on the info-option to see the explanations).
For more information, also see these two articles:
http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=265693
http://imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=58119
http://www.youtube.com/v/Uss76bDKimw
BEIT OMAR
Bait Omar Weekly Demo Against the Occupation and The Apartheid Wall
On Saturday, March 6th, about 40 Palestinians, Israelis, and Internationals protested in Bait Omar (West Bank) against the Israeli occupation and Apartheid Wall. This weekly demonstration was held in opposition to the decision of the Israeli government to declare the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron and Belal mosque in Bethlehem Jewish National Sites.
The demonstration, organized by the Bait Omar National Committee, started at Bait Omar and proceeded to block road 60, the main route that connects Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Hebron. Participants also removed parts of a wire fence, that allows the IOF to impose curfews, and limit the movement of Palestinians in and out of Bait Omar.
Lot of pictures at: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/07/18640096.php
BIL'IN
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1153275.html
IDF keeping tabs on Israelis protesting separation fence
By Amira Hass
The Israel Defense Forces says it is using information on Israelis who
demonstrate against the separation fence in a bid to deny them entry at
nearby checkpoints. Israelis and others demonstrate every Friday at the
villages of Bil'in and Na'alin.
Friday
We were about 20 Israelis by the Anarchists Against the WAll initiative, a dozen or so internationals, a contingent from West bank Jinin city, dozens of Bil'iners, and few of the neighborhood. We marched at noon as usual from the center of the village towards the gate in the separation fence. Three protestors appropriately dressed up and with makeup represented Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela to commemorate their nonviolent creativity against occupation, oppression and colonialism. The struggles of Gandhi against oppression and occupation in India , Martin Luther King, Jr. against racism in the USA and Mandela against the apartheid in South Africa are all similar to Bili’n’s ongoing struggle against occupation here.
At the gate, as usual, the tear gas grenades were thrown on us immediately when people started to shake the gate.
Due to unfriendly wind direction we had to withdraw fast to a distant point near the road.
About 20 of us - Israelis and internationals, continued to the Demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah.
Gandi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela, in Bil'in Friday demonstration.
Haitham video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VB2w3Y4XiM
Israel video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kujBajYgfo0
"This week's demonstration in Bil'in marked the Global Week against racism in the world and coincided with many popular events against racism and oppression against the peoples and territories - in particular the Palestinian people. The demonstration begun after Friday prayers and marched from the center of the village, then continued to the western gate of the wall. Over one hundred people participated in the march, including a group from the PFLP (The Popular front for the Liberation of Palestine) and a delegation from the Freedom Theater in Jenin. The demonstration was headed by people dressed up as three prominent figures in the global struggle against racism and occupation: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Palestinian flags were raised as the participants chanted slogans condemning the wall and the occupation.
As the march reached the wall it was met with a shower of tear gas, rubber bullets and sound bombs, then clashes broke out between demonstrators and occupation soldiers. The demonstration lasted for hours as troops deliberately fired tear gas towards crews of journalists from Palestine TV and other stations to discourage the footage from the International Week Against Racism -and the Popular Committee's condemnation of Israel's racist and immoral practices- from being broadcast. In response, the Popular Committee stressed the need for cohesion, national unity and solidarity and highlighted that it was in the public interest for everyone involved in anti-racist struggles to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other."
--------------------------------
Court house support
We shall meet at court on Wednesday 3-3-10 at 12:30 for Ezra Nawi's appeal against his conviction of a fictitious claim of assaulting a officers and taking part in a riot during a joint action. The hearing is by the judges Ben-Ami, Mintz and Rapoport, at the Jerusalem District Court (Salah Adin St.). A protest vigil will be held outside the courthouse from 12:00.
Background:
In October 2009, judge Eilata Ziskind found activist Ezra Nawi guilty of attacking police officers and participating in a riot during the demolition of a shack belonging to Palestinian farmers in the West Bank, back in 2007. The whole scene was captured on video. The police officers claimed that Ezra attacked them during the 10 seconds that he ran into the shack. What happened inside the shack was not filmed, but the judge decided to believe the police officers and convict Ezra.
Ezra was sentenced to one month in prison and six more on prohibition for a period of three years
------------------
Abedalla and Addib still in the concentration camp
There will be many court hearing at Ofer on Wednesday for our partners in the struggle. Amongst them Abdallah Abu Rahme and other Bil'iners and Ni'liners.
If you can make it please send me your id (or passport) number and I will ask for entrance permits.
dear all,
there will be many court hearing at Ofer on Wednesday for our partners in the struggle. Amongst them Abdallah Abu Rahme and other Biliners and Niliners.
If you can make it please send me your id (or passport) number and I will ask for entrance permits.
JAFA
Saturday, a demonstration against the mounting brutality of state force against the Palestinian citizens of Jafa-Tel Aviv was held by locals and drew solidarity participation of the radical left.
Israel video of Yafa 6-3-10 - Demo against police violence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAyzdg6fEeU
MAASARA
"The Popular Committee (al-Ma'sara) and others call on all internationals to meet us tomorrow morning at 7a.m. for a protest action in Beit Jalla"
Friday demonstration in Ma'asara
Some twenty Israeli and international activists joined fifty Palestinians in this week's Friday demonstration against the Wall in Ma'asara. Demonstrators marched through the village towards the route of the wall, and were stopped by an army reserves unit which blocked the road with barbed wire several hundred meters deeper into the village than usual. The group composed mostly out of officers presented a closed military zone order, barring the march to pass the wire. Several demonstrators crossed the line anyway, but decided not to try and push further in an attempt to avoid the violent army attacks which have become common in these non-violent demonstrations lately.
And so, standing by the barbed wire, demonstrators carried speeches in Arabic, Hebrew and English. Amongst the speakers was Fatah Central Committee member Abu-Zaki. The Samba band played its new drums, sent in solidarity from their Turkish counterparts, and slogans were chanted in defiance of the occupation and in favor of the un-armed and united Palestinian struggle.
The demonstration ended after about an hour, with no unusual events. Earlier in the week, however, a prominent member of the popular committee of the village was attacked upon reaching a military checkpoint. Mahmud Zwahre was beaten by soldiers, and told that demonstrations must cease.
NABI SALEH
This week, another 150 people strong demonstration marking international Women's Day and protesting ongoing land grab was held in Nabi-Saleh. The demonstration was attacked by the Army with tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets while still inside the village and from great distance for no apparent reason. Nine other people were injured, including two journalists and an eighteen year old woman who was hit in the neck with an aluminum-made tear-gas projectile.
Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010 Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010
Ehab Fadel Barghouthi (14) was shot with a rubber-coated bullet that struck him in the forehead above his right eye and entered his skull. He was shot by Border Police officers who took over the rooftop of a house in the outskirts of the village and were in no immediate danger. According to eye witnesses, the boy was standing twenty meters away from the house when he was shot, after which he immediately collapsed. He was evacuated to the Salfeet hospital unconscious, and from there transferred to the Ramallah hospital. Numerous eyewitnesses confirm stone-throwing did take place at the time of the shooting, but all affirm Barghouthi did not partake in it.
Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010 Nabi-Saleh, March 5 2010
The village is home to some 500 people. Since demonstrations in the village began, nine of its residents, roughly two percent of the Nabi Saleh's population, have been arrested on protest-related suspicions and dozens were injured.
NI'ILIN
In Ni'ilin, some 100 demonstrators marched from the village to the wall. The march was led by demonstrators holding signs condemning the Israeli government's decision to declare the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron and Belal mosque in Bethlehem Jewish National Sites. After failing to convince the soldiers at the gate to allow the village farmers to reach their lands, confrontations between some of the village youth and the soldiers erupted. The soldiers kept firing tear gas projectiles but did not manage to suppress the demonstration. After less than an hour of such confrontations, more than 20 soldiers invaded the village fields chasing the demonstrators closer to the village. The soldiers stormed the fields shooting tear gas projectiles, and occasionally 0.22 live rounds. After confrontations continued at the village border for several hours, the demonstration was declared over.
SHEIKH JARRAH
Video of invitation for the 6-3-10 demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQb2CRObiUY
An International call to action (see below) has gone out asking for global solidarity with the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem on Saturday March 6th, 2010. If you are planning solidarity actions or demonstration and would like accesses to high quality photographs of the Sheik Jarrah community, settler violence, house evictions, demonstration, etc. to use for posters or presentations see:
PHOTOS:
Activestills' Photostream on Flicker :
http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=20409489%40N00&q=east+jerusalem&m=text
For higher quality images contact:
activestills@gmail.com
VIDEO:
For videos of recent events in Sheik Jarrah see:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ISMPalestine
Settler & IOF Violence in Sheikh Jarrah 2/25/09
http://www.youtube.com/user/ISMPalestine#p/a/u/1/9ImVh2Uyiu4
11.12.09 Sheik Jarrah Demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHUsDf4H3bw
---------------------
CALL TO ACTION!!
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Committee and Just Jerusalem call on you to join our struggle against the occupation of East Jerusalem. Please circulate this call and help organize solidarity protests throughout the world:
WE WILL NOT BE STOPPED!
On Saturday March 6th please join us in our protest to stop the Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem.
At 7:00 PM we will be holding a mass rally in Sheikh Jarrah against:
· The forced eviction of the Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah
· The Jewish settlement of East Jerusalem
· The undemocratic attack on political protest
50 Palestinians have already been evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Another 500 are threatened. If the settlers and their government allies succeed, all Palestinians in East Jerusalem are threatened. If we stop them in Sheikh Jarrah, we can stop them elsewhere.
We call on all groups who support the struggle for Palestinian rights and for a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinian, to hold solidarity protest vigils on March 6 near Israeli consulates and embassies abroad.
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Committee
Just Jerusalem – the Israeli Coalition for a just solution in Jerusalem
For more information on the struggle see our blog:
http://www.en.justjlm.org/
justjerusalem@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Information and pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=329504821033
Sheikh Jarrah is a unique community in East Jerusalem. The plight of this community is emblematic of the larger Palestinian struggle for Justice. The Palestinians of Sheikh Jarrah enjoy no respite from settler harassment. There is no settlement in the distance creeping towards a Palestinian village. The settlers have evicted the Palestinians and now occupy their homes.
This is a call for global direct actions. The organizers of the weekly demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah are asking for global solidarity as they plan for massive demonstrations in Jerusalem and wider Israel. They are calling for demonstrations and vigils at Israeli consulates and embassies abroad.
The Global Intifada has put out a modified call. As many of you may not have access to Israeli consulates and embassies, we ask you to occupy everything. If you're a student, occupy your administrative offices and demand divestment from any company who profits from the occupation in conjunction with demanding justice for Sheikh Jarrah. If you're not a student, occupy any and all halls of governance. Demand that they pass resolutions of condemnation of the occupation of Palestine and promise to withdraw support for it, in conjunction with demanding justice for Sheikh Jarrah. If you are unable to occupy anything, get out of the sidewalks and into the streets. Demand Justice for Palestine and Justice for Sheikh Jarrah. If you are afraid of the streets, let loose your barbaric yawp from the corner and tell people of the injustice that pervades the lives of Palestinians and those living in Sheikh Jarrah
In August 2009, the Al-Ghawis were evicted from their home after the Israeli court accepted forged Ottoman-era land claims from a right-wing Zionist settler organization. The land claims cited that Jewish people owned the land in the late 19th century and therefore should legally be in possession of people with a Jewish heritage.
The Al-Ghawis have lived on the street opposite their home. The family lives on a tent on the sidewalk, watching settlers enter and exit the house they called their home for nearly fifty years. The live in their tent in act of protest and are determined to stay there until they are allowed to return to their home.
The Al-Kurds have had the front partition of their home annexed on the First of December 2009. The back partition of their home is set to be usurped in the following weeks. 22 other families are facing illegal eviction the coming months.
Despite this horrendous attempt to ethnically cleanse Sheikh Jarrah, there is resistance. Israeli activists commenced weekly demonstrations in the community. In the beginning they mood was jubilant; drums and chanting which called out the racism and injustice of the settlers actions. But these demonstrations were escalated by police violence. Over 100 people have been arrested demonstrating or participating in acts of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience.
The state forces who tried to force the called demonstration further from the usual place near the street entrance the occupied houses are on (not allowed to get nearer) got a back fire from the highest court of justice. The court ordered the police to allow the demonstration in the usual place and in addition 300 demonstrators were to be allowed a short visit into the street itself.
6-3-10 20:00-21:00 TV news on all 3 channels:
Thousands demonstrators at Sheikh Jarrah reportage
Up to 3000 participants are reported by various media...
NEBI SALEH
See Pictures at http://awalls.org
Previous reports: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
