The protest's main aim was to demand our right to protest. The 2 main messages that we, the israelis, wanted to put across in this protest was one: to protest against the closed military zone that is presented to us every time we protest. This consequently makes the israelis hide from the soldiers in the fear of being arrested. The second message was to go against the political persecutions. 2 israeli activists are being persecuted for entering a closed military zone in a protest in Budrus, a few weeks ago. Ahmed Awwad, a 43-year-old high-school teacher and father of six, was arrested on October 21 in Budrus. He is in administative arrest up to this date, for no reason that is known to him or his lawyers.
We arrived at the village at different times, from 9am, to about 11 am. We were about 60 israelis and 40 internationals. We, the israelis divided ourselves into affinity groups, of between 5-12 people in a group, who's job was to look out for eachother during the protest. We all put signs on ourselves saying "I am Ahmed Awwad" in a few languages.
The protest began at 1 pm. We walked down to the land with about 100 palestinians, and arrived about 30 meters from the bulldozers, where the soldiers were. The soldiers immediately began with pushing and shoving us, and threw tear gas and shock grenades. The soldiers showed us a closed military zone order. They then decided that they would go back, and so should we, but the israelis decided not to retreat as we planned.
The soldiers retreated and tried to stop us from advancing but we held hands and managed to get to the bulldozers. When we got there I saw one israeli who was wounded in the head. I said to the soldier that she needs to get he medical treatment and he replied that it's her problem that she's here and got hurt.
The were many stunt grenades at that point, and a lot of different conforntations with the soldiers near the bulldozers. There was no attempt to stop them from working. At that time I saw the village people retreating, and the soldiers began shooting rubber bullets at them.
We saw a roller tractor coming toward us and a few people sat down in front of it. It wasn't about to stop until the soldiers made him stop, the driver swore at us, and more of us joined to sit there. I got pulled backwards very strongly by a soldier and screamed very loud, and came back to sit infront of the bulldozer when he let go.
The bulldozer finally turned around. At that point I saw someone from my group being arrested by about 7 soldiers. I found the rest of the group and we walked with him, when he was taken away to where more israelis and soldier were. We sat down and were told that we're allunder arrest. More israelis were coming on their free will to where we were and joined us. We were 34 israelis in all.
We waited for about 2 hours. We wouldn't identify ourselves, and had no I.Ds.
all of us said : "we're all Ahmed Awwad".
The blue police came as well. And all that while we heard shooting inside the village. (we were later told that the soldiers went into the village, took over the school and 3 private houses and were shooting at people on the street. One boy was injured.)
The police brought a Safari vehicle to take us. Which is only enough for 10 people, they told us not to worry, that they have enough cars to take all of us. One of the police officers recognized one of the protesters and told him he wants to take him in his jeep. We then thought that they recognize a few faces and maybe they'll only take them and leave the rest of us. We put 10 "not wanted people" on the safari and they drove off. We received a call a few minutes later that the Safari dropped them off somewhere and told them they weren't arrested. The intentions of the police were made clear by themselves a few minutes after that. They only wanted specifically 3 men and one woman and pointed them out. They gave us a few minutes to organise. We said we wouldn't let them take the targeted ones without a fight.
With about 20 soldiers around us, and the targeted sitting surrounded by all of us, the last struggle began. It took about 5 minutes for them to get the 4.
The soldiers and police went, and we walked up to the village where the rest waited for us. On the way up the village's kids were still throwing stones at the soldiers on the hill.
The 4 were released later that evening, and were paid bail for on the condition that they don't enter Budrus for 7 days.
======================
See also
(en) Israel-Palestine, Trial of two members of Anarchists against the wall Thursday the 9th of December 20004 at 12:30 http://www.ainfos.ca/04/dec/ainfos00078.html
(en) Palestine-Israel, Budrus, Media, Anti-fence protest detained - another take on today's demo http://www.ainfos.ca/04/dec/ainfos00114.html
Wednesday, December 8, 2004
Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Palestine-Israel, Budrus, Media, Anti-fence protest detained - another take on today's demo 07/12/04
Border Police units on Tuesday detained 41 activists at an anti-security fence protest in Budrus, west of Ramallah on the West Bank. The protesters were held for violating the closed military zone orders for the area. Military sources confirmed that the members of two Israeli left-wing organizations - 'Anarchists Against the Wall' and 'Taayush' - had obtained a permission for the demonstration*.
The IDF had agreed for the event to take place exclusively inside of Budrus on the condition that the demonstrators did not approach the fence. When activists began to approach the barrier, the army declared the area a closed military zone.
Yonatan Pollak, a member of Anarchist against the Wall told The Jerusalem Post that the activists insisted on staying within the closed military zone in order to defend their rights to freedom of expression.
Of the 150 activists involved, 41 were detained** by Border Police Units who alerted Judea and Samaria police to the situation. When police arrived on the scene they immediately released the activists that cooperated with their request to vacate the area. Four Israelis resisted orders and were subsequently arrested on charges of attacking police officers and a security fence construction worker.
=================================
* The anarchists do not ask permission for demonstrations.
** The arrested were only of the Israelis as by their presence they force the army to refrain from too harsh repression of the palestinians.
The IDF had agreed for the event to take place exclusively inside of Budrus on the condition that the demonstrators did not approach the fence. When activists began to approach the barrier, the army declared the area a closed military zone.
Yonatan Pollak, a member of Anarchist against the Wall told The Jerusalem Post that the activists insisted on staying within the closed military zone in order to defend their rights to freedom of expression.
Of the 150 activists involved, 41 were detained** by Border Police Units who alerted Judea and Samaria police to the situation. When police arrived on the scene they immediately released the activists that cooperated with their request to vacate the area. Four Israelis resisted orders and were subsequently arrested on charges of attacking police officers and a security fence construction worker.
=================================
* The anarchists do not ask permission for demonstrations.
** The arrested were only of the Israelis as by their presence they force the army to refrain from too harsh repression of the palestinians.
Palestine-Israel, Budrus, Media, 35 activists arrested 07/12/04
Israeli army and gendarmes arrested 35 israeli activists participating in peaceful [nonviolent] demonstration against the separation fence [the Apartheid Wall] - so reported public Radio station and on line daily. The demonstration was against the wall and in protest of the harsh repression of the Budrus people involved in the nonviolent demonstration against the separation fence - see (en) Israel-Palestine, A Village Stands for their Rights: Civil Disobedience in Budrus http://www.ainfos.ca/04/dec/ainfos00026.html The stated reason for arrest the authority gave was: "entrance to area disregarding the declaration by authorities that it is closed military zone." Two of the arrested are to appear Thursday in Jerusalem courthouse for the same "offense" at previous demo.
The arrested refused to reveal their names and when asked replied: "All of us are Ahmad Awad - the name of local Budrus activist in the nonviolent struggle against the Apartheid Wall, who was administratively arrested a month ago for that reason alone.
In the demonstration that started at 13:00 participated about 100 israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative and of other left organizations, 30 international volunteers and about local villagers. They approached the construction site of the fence near Budrus and stand in a vigil near the working Bulldozers. One of the activists was hit in her head by a tear gas grenade. When the report was distributed by Roiters, the army was assaulting the people and the village with tear gas grenades (including shooting an ambulance).
The arrested refused to reveal their names and when asked replied: "All of us are Ahmad Awad - the name of local Budrus activist in the nonviolent struggle against the Apartheid Wall, who was administratively arrested a month ago for that reason alone.
In the demonstration that started at 13:00 participated about 100 israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative and of other left organizations, 30 international volunteers and about local villagers. They approached the construction site of the fence near Budrus and stand in a vigil near the working Bulldozers. One of the activists was hit in her head by a tear gas grenade. When the report was distributed by Roiters, the army was assaulting the people and the village with tear gas grenades (including shooting an ambulance).
Sunday, December 5, 2004
Israel/Tel Aviv, Media, The yearly conference of the local business elite, the counter "conference, and the anarchists counter-counter action 05/12/04
Background: In parallel to the local "Dabos" conference of the economic elite the reformist left held its counter conference (including - as speaker the the general secretary of the general trade union - Amir Perets) whose tinny parliament party joined lately the Labor party - that carried when in power the same neo-liberal policy as the Licud party now in power. [Ed.]
Internet electronic media headlined an article on the counter conference" "Anarchists disconnected the loudspeaker when Perets gave his speech". ....During Perets speech in the "Exploited conference", activists of "Anarchists for ending the authoritarian economy" cut the lines of the loudspeakers an shouted: "No to the Licud [the ruling party], no to the Labor [working hard on joining the government] dismantle the state". So said a person of that organization to the Nana news. According to the report, the loudspeakers were cut twice during the speech, but after their reconnection Perets could finish his speech.
Internet electronic media headlined an article on the counter conference" "Anarchists disconnected the loudspeaker when Perets gave his speech". ....During Perets speech in the "Exploited conference", activists of "Anarchists for ending the authoritarian economy" cut the lines of the loudspeakers an shouted: "No to the Licud [the ruling party], no to the Labor [working hard on joining the government] dismantle the state". So said a person of that organization to the Nana news. According to the report, the loudspeakers were cut twice during the speech, but after their reconnection Perets could finish his speech.
Israel-Palestine, Trial of two members of Anarchists against the wall Thursday the 9th of December 20004 at 12:30 05/12/04
A trial against two anti-wall activists that were arrested in Budrus at Jerusalem Magistrate Court (6 Hishin st.), judge Shulamit Dotan's court room On Thursday 9.12 the trial of two members of Anarchists against the wall will begin at the magistrate court in Jerusalem. The two, Kobi Snitz and Yonatan Pollak were arrested on 21.9.04 at a demonstration against the wall at the Palestinian village of Budrus. They are accused of being in a closed military zone and causing a disturbance. Adv. Gaby Laski who represents the two, will challenge the legitimacy of closed military zones and the court's jurisdiction. The right to protest extends to the occupied territories as well and closed military zones are not protest-prevention zones.
The real offence the defendants are accused of is participation in non-violent resistance to the wall and the occupation. The aggravating circumstance are the fact that this resistance has been successful and the defendants and their comrades collaborate with a popular movement which acts democratically and non violently.
The fact that these activists are put on trial while the soldiers who shot at them with live ammunition from close range and the officers who ordered the shooting are allowed to continue to shoot at demonstrators illustrates the corrupt repressive policies of "the only democracy in the middle east".
This trial follows administrative detention of Palestinian anti wall activists, who do not even get the benefit of a trial, and the violent repression of the protests. This is a clear attempt at silencing legitimate protest. Those who repress non-violent popular resistance are guilty of fueling the violence.
It was said that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. Not the policy of repression, the violence or the legal persecution will deter us from the struggle against occupation and repression and for justice, equality and liberty for all living beingWe will be grateful to anyone who could come and show support at court.
The real offence the defendants are accused of is participation in non-violent resistance to the wall and the occupation. The aggravating circumstance are the fact that this resistance has been successful and the defendants and their comrades collaborate with a popular movement which acts democratically and non violently.
The fact that these activists are put on trial while the soldiers who shot at them with live ammunition from close range and the officers who ordered the shooting are allowed to continue to shoot at demonstrators illustrates the corrupt repressive policies of "the only democracy in the middle east".
This trial follows administrative detention of Palestinian anti wall activists, who do not even get the benefit of a trial, and the violent repression of the protests. This is a clear attempt at silencing legitimate protest. Those who repress non-violent popular resistance are guilty of fueling the violence.
It was said that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. Not the policy of repression, the violence or the legal persecution will deter us from the struggle against occupation and repression and for justice, equality and liberty for all living beingWe will be grateful to anyone who could come and show support at court.
Friday, December 3, 2004
Palestine-Israel, Beit Ula, activity against the Apartheid Wall - December 3 2004
As they outflanked the soldiers and it became clear to the shabab that they could reach the work site, they began to run across the side of the hill and were not slowed down by the tear gas canisters that flew overhead- too far to do any damage https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/4/1263_beit-ula-03-12-04-reuters2.jpg https://israel.indymedia.org/feature/display/1263/index.php Today, the people of Beit Ula were able to stop the construction of the giant cage that the israeli government is constructing for them in the form of the separation barrier. For the second day in a row, the work was stopped and no injuries requiring medical treatment were suffered. The experience has left the village with a sense of power and a renewed determination to come back to resist the wall day after day.
At 11:30 300 palestinians, israelis and internationals gathered for "friday prayer" on Beit Ula's lands close to the work site. Unlike the day before, today's demonstration included shabab (youth) and young children. Like the day before, and unlike other villages, today's demonstration still did not include any women.
At the end of the [palestinian] prayer, the demonstrators divided into three groups, one headed to the soldiers and one on each side of them. It must have been obvious to the soldiers that they will not be able to stop the crowd so the bulldozers were withdrawn from the work site before the crowd got close. As they outflanked the soldiers and it became clear to the shabab that they could reach the work site, they began to run across the side of the hill and were not slowed down by the tear gas canisters that flew overhead- too far to do any damage. The other groups of demonstrators also streamed past the soldiers who were trying to catch up with the shabab and converged on the work site.
At the actual spot where the bulldozers tore into the hill the demonstrators decided to hold their ground. The organization was disciplined enough that the people were able to sit down when soldiers began to escalate the tension. As it was the day before, literally not a single stone was thrown, this time with the shabab present.
https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/6/1263_beit-ula-03-12-04-reuters.jpg Speeches were made by the deputy mayor Abu al Abed (translated by Billal Adam) and an Israeli activist called Abu Na'im. The deputy mayor demanded that the work be stopped until the court decided the case brought by the village against the wall. He then addressed the Druze soldiers who could understand his speech in arabic: "you must know that our actions are looked upon favorably by god, I am sure that in your heart you are ashamed of your actions... we do not wish to fight with you or even with the Israeli state, if you take the wall back to the green line you will not have this fight". The Israeli activist also spoke to the soldiers and when they told him that this is a closed military zone he replied that this is actually the private property of the people of Beit Ula.
At 11:30 300 palestinians, israelis and internationals gathered for "friday prayer" on Beit Ula's lands close to the work site. Unlike the day before, today's demonstration included shabab (youth) and young children. Like the day before, and unlike other villages, today's demonstration still did not include any women.
At the end of the [palestinian] prayer, the demonstrators divided into three groups, one headed to the soldiers and one on each side of them. It must have been obvious to the soldiers that they will not be able to stop the crowd so the bulldozers were withdrawn from the work site before the crowd got close. As they outflanked the soldiers and it became clear to the shabab that they could reach the work site, they began to run across the side of the hill and were not slowed down by the tear gas canisters that flew overhead- too far to do any damage. The other groups of demonstrators also streamed past the soldiers who were trying to catch up with the shabab and converged on the work site.
At the actual spot where the bulldozers tore into the hill the demonstrators decided to hold their ground. The organization was disciplined enough that the people were able to sit down when soldiers began to escalate the tension. As it was the day before, literally not a single stone was thrown, this time with the shabab present.
https://israel.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/6/1263_beit-ula-03-12-04-reuters.jpg Speeches were made by the deputy mayor Abu al Abed (translated by Billal Adam) and an Israeli activist called Abu Na'im. The deputy mayor demanded that the work be stopped until the court decided the case brought by the village against the wall. He then addressed the Druze soldiers who could understand his speech in arabic: "you must know that our actions are looked upon favorably by god, I am sure that in your heart you are ashamed of your actions... we do not wish to fight with you or even with the Israeli state, if you take the wall back to the green line you will not have this fight". The Israeli activist also spoke to the soldiers and when they told him that this is a closed military zone he replied that this is actually the private property of the people of Beit Ula.
Thursday, December 2, 2004
Israel-Palestine, A Village Stands for their Rights: Civil Disobedience in Budrus 02/12/04
Over the last year, thousands of Palestinian villagers have been demonstrating against the fencing works that are closing in on their villages, confiscating their lands and livelihood, and threatening to turn them into prisoners in their own home. Their demonstrations and attempts to stop the bulldozers with their body are encountering brutal violence from the army and the Frontiers Patrol. Apparently, what frightens the Israeli government the most is the development of a Palestinian popular, non-violent struggle. It is much more convenient for Israel to deal with those represented as terrorists and "human beasts".
The village of Budrus has been at the center of the "Fence Intifidah", and is now the target of ample oppression. Hundreds of Israelis have already visited the place to express peace and solidarity, and have been welcomed by the inhabitants. One of the leaders of of the civil protest in Budrus, Ahmad Awad, has spent the last few months in administrative detention, without facing charges or standing trial.
Ta'ayush, Anarchists Against Fences and Hakampus Lo Shotek Tel Aviv invite you to hear about the activities of Ahmad Awad and the village of Budrus, about the Apartheid Fences and their danger, about the non-violent resistance to the Occupation and the chances that resistance hold, if we will manage to protect it.
Monday, December 6th, 18:00
Tel Aviv University, Gilman, room 326
Participants:
Tamar Peleg
A filmed interview with A'ed Murar, Budrus
Shai Pollack
Hana Amuri
Einat Podjarny
--------------------------------
A call for direct action
call for direct action in budrus December 7 for over a year the joint israeli- palestinian non violent struggle has been waged with remarkable success. The ocupation authorities have responded by increasing the number of indightments against political activists for participating in demonstrations against the wall.
political repression of the people of Budrus has for some time now included harrasment of the entier village, night-time house searches and arrests. likewise, their fellow israeli activists are being put on trial for their support of the Budrus struggle.
join us for a solidarity direct action for the people of Budrus, the israeli activists and for the right of each and every one of us to protest, demonstrate and struggle jointly
The village of Budrus has been at the center of the "Fence Intifidah", and is now the target of ample oppression. Hundreds of Israelis have already visited the place to express peace and solidarity, and have been welcomed by the inhabitants. One of the leaders of of the civil protest in Budrus, Ahmad Awad, has spent the last few months in administrative detention, without facing charges or standing trial.
Ta'ayush, Anarchists Against Fences and Hakampus Lo Shotek Tel Aviv invite you to hear about the activities of Ahmad Awad and the village of Budrus, about the Apartheid Fences and their danger, about the non-violent resistance to the Occupation and the chances that resistance hold, if we will manage to protect it.
Monday, December 6th, 18:00
Tel Aviv University, Gilman, room 326
Participants:
Tamar Peleg
A filmed interview with A'ed Murar, Budrus
Shai Pollack
Hana Amuri
Einat Podjarny
--------------------------------
A call for direct action
call for direct action in budrus December 7 for over a year the joint israeli- palestinian non violent struggle has been waged with remarkable success. The ocupation authorities have responded by increasing the number of indightments against political activists for participating in demonstrations against the wall.
political repression of the people of Budrus has for some time now included harrasment of the entier village, night-time house searches and arrests. likewise, their fellow israeli activists are being put on trial for their support of the Budrus struggle.
join us for a solidarity direct action for the people of Budrus, the israeli activists and for the right of each and every one of us to protest, demonstrate and struggle jointly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
