Last Friday was a joint demonstration against the fence in the village Mas'ha. Already at the beginning of the demonstration the participants (about 400 Palestinians and 50 Israelis according to Media) stumbled on barbed wire spool which was put across the road few hundreds meters of the fence route. In front of the barbed wire stood tens of soldiers and border police personal with batons ready. Part of the demonstrators passed the barbed wire and advanced towards the fence. They got in return beaten with the batons and 4 of them were arrested - including an international female activist, who was injured and taken to hospital. Two of the others were accused of entering the occupied territories in spite of the command of the general commanding the region and was banned from entering the whole region. One member of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative (Kobi Snits) was beaten by a baton and was accused with assault of a policeman thus was held for the night in the Ariel police station and will be brought in front of a judge (at Rishon Letzion) at the end of Saturday.
The false accusation of demonstrators are part of the frantic efforts of the Israeli authorities to block the joint struggle of Israelis and Palestinians which put strict limit on the measures of repression they can apply when Israelis are participating.
Part of this efforts can be seen in the cases of the prominent activists like Jonathan Polak and Ezra Nawi who were banned from entering the whole of the occupied territories for a month.
Presence in court of people who can when Kobi will be brought before the judge will be both a worthy protest and have an influencing effect on the decision of the judge.
Every one who can come to the court house is invited to phone
Adar
=========================
See: (en) Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against the fence expand
http://www.ainfos.ca/05/jul/ainfos00173.html
Saturday, July 9, 2005
Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against the fence expand 09 Jul
After a while, Bil'in Friday joint demo of the Palestinians lost its "exclusiveness". However, it still draws most of the Israelis - Anarchist Against The Wall initiative and the wider Israely coalition against the separation fence of apartheid. This Friday, first "aniversary" for the international court in the Hague verdict against the fence we were in the demo about 300 participants including about 100 who came from Israel... Due to the simbolic day, in addition to the 60 from the Tel Aviv region, came people from Jerusalem and Haifa, including a group of Israeli Palestinian women who contributed a special content to the slogans and sctivities in the demo, and Palestinians from out of the Bil'in village.
Minor harasment on the way to Bil'in to part of the participants delayed the demo for an hour - alowing time for "socializin" of activists of all kinds. We started about 12:00 on the way to the fence building rote knowing we will be blocked at the last building of the village. At the head of the march we had a big model of the "scale of justice" in which on one side is the Israeli flag that measured as heavier than a world globus psitioned on the other side of the scale.
When we arrived at the fringe of the village, we found as usual in the last weeks, a barbed wire blocking the road, with soldiers, border police and special police personal assembled on the other side of the barbed wire.
First we sopped at the barbed wire not sure how it will develop. We shouted towards the state forces, took away the barbed wire line, and even invaded few metters beyond the forbiden line. Surprisingly, acts that started in previous Fridays assoult of the state forces and arrests of Israelis and Palestinians, caused only a lip service threats and declaration the area as closed zone for Israelis... and no one was arrested.
The demonstration was prolonged for a hour and a half - with a muslim praier in betwee while organizers succeeded to restrain the stone thrower youngsters. Afterwards, when we started to disperse in the direction of the center of the village, the youngsters started their attrition war with the state forces, who used the opportunity as excuse to harase the dispersing demonstrators. The mainly shoot at us tear gas, but added shock grenades and rubber bullets... and policeman from the elite sector "YASAM" even threw stones on Israeli demonstrators.
After about an hour of attrition war of stones against fire arms, with 5 wounded - includin one Palestinian taken in bad condition to hospital things calmed a bit, and the Israelis were assembled with people of the village commity to discuss the development of the jouint struggle in Bil'in.
=======MEDIA - Israel breaks up demos against West Bank barrier======
Fri Jul 8,10:45 AM ET
BILIN, West Bank (AFP) - Israeli soldiers broke up protests against the vast barrier Israel is building in the occupied West Bank, on the eve of the first anniversary of a world court decision against the fence.
Around 500 Israeli, Palestinian and foreign peace activists demonstrated in the northern West Bank village of Bilin, where they clashed with Israeli troops monitoring the protest, an AFP correspondent said Friday.
Soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets as demonstrators threw stones.
[The usual lie. Nearly always, the firs stone throwing and more so the attrition war between the youngsters "shabab", starts only after the state force disperce the entirely nonviolend demonstration. I.S.]
The army subsequently declared the area a closed military zone.
The huge security barrier being built around Bilin encroaches on more than two kilometres (one mile) of village land, which is home to 1,700 residents.
Further north, around 400 Palestinians joined 50 Israeli and foreign activists to demonstrate at a barrier building site in Masha village.
[Mas'ha joint camp of Israelis and Palestinians which began april 2003, built the intimate relations between the Israeli anarchists and villagers who wanted to use nonviolent struggle against the fence. It took few months till the first joint assult on the fence at Dabuba, brought the joint struggle to the lime-light. I.S]
A foreigner and a soldier were injured, with two Israeli activists arrested, as soldiers moved to break up the protest, witnesses said.
Demonstrators carried a symbolic coffin draped in the blue UN flag to mourn the "death" of last year's world court ruling against the barrier.
Israel insists the separation barrier is necessary to prevent infiltrations by West Bank militants, but the Palestinians have branded it an attempt to grab their land and undermine the viability of their promised state.
[Last round in the procession of contests of the route by Palestinians, at the "high court of justice" the Israeli state "admited" first time that the decision about the route is influenced "also" by political reasons ond not only "security". I.S]
Last July, The Hague-based International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling saying that parts of the barrier built on Palestinian land are illegal.
Although Israel has since re-routed the fence in some stretches, the government has vowed to complete the project, which is eventually expected to stretch around 650 kilometres (406 miles).
=========MEDIA: Palestinian Killed in Anti-Fence Protest=========
Jonathon Pollack of Anarchists Against the Wall told The Jerusalem Post that the demonstrations this week were meant to mark the one-year anniversary of the International Court of Justice's ruling the separation fence illegal.
Palestinian killed in anti-fence protest
A 17-year-old Palestinian youth was shot dead on Friday afternoon by a security guard at a security fence construction site near the village of Beit Lakiya, west of Ramallah.
The shooting came after several youths threw stones at a number of guards. The suspected shooter was arrested and his weapon was confiscated.
Palestinian hospital staff named the dead boy as Mahyoub Assi, 16, and said he was from the same clan as two 17-year-olds shot dead in May while stoning soldiers at the same spot, near the West Bank village of Beit Lakiya.
Earlier, around 300 left-wing activists and Palestinians protesting the construction of the fence in the West Bank clashed with security forces.
A policeman was wounded in the fray after a rock was thrown at his back. He was evacuated for treatment.
Soldiers fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades at the protestors, who were throwing rocks at them, Israel Radio reported.
The demonstrations were being held in two locations - in Bil'in, where they occur every Friday, and in the village of Mascha.
The demonstrators claimed that seven people were wounded in their ranks, including an Israeli hit in the ear by a stun grenade and a Palestinian shot in the head by a rubber bullet at close range. Five of the wounded were taken to nearby hospitals, according to the protestors.
Jonathon Pollack of Anarchists Against the Wall told The Jerusalem Post that the demonstrations this week were meant to mark the one-year anniversary of the International Court of Justice's ruling the separation fence illegal.
Participating in Friday's protests were a number of Palestinian officials, including presidential candidate Mustafa Barghouti, head of Hamas in the West Bank Hassan Yousef, and the Islamic Jihad spokesperson in the West Bank.
Four people were arrested in the clashes.
Minor harasment on the way to Bil'in to part of the participants delayed the demo for an hour - alowing time for "socializin" of activists of all kinds. We started about 12:00 on the way to the fence building rote knowing we will be blocked at the last building of the village. At the head of the march we had a big model of the "scale of justice" in which on one side is the Israeli flag that measured as heavier than a world globus psitioned on the other side of the scale.
When we arrived at the fringe of the village, we found as usual in the last weeks, a barbed wire blocking the road, with soldiers, border police and special police personal assembled on the other side of the barbed wire.
First we sopped at the barbed wire not sure how it will develop. We shouted towards the state forces, took away the barbed wire line, and even invaded few metters beyond the forbiden line. Surprisingly, acts that started in previous Fridays assoult of the state forces and arrests of Israelis and Palestinians, caused only a lip service threats and declaration the area as closed zone for Israelis... and no one was arrested.
The demonstration was prolonged for a hour and a half - with a muslim praier in betwee while organizers succeeded to restrain the stone thrower youngsters. Afterwards, when we started to disperse in the direction of the center of the village, the youngsters started their attrition war with the state forces, who used the opportunity as excuse to harase the dispersing demonstrators. The mainly shoot at us tear gas, but added shock grenades and rubber bullets... and policeman from the elite sector "YASAM" even threw stones on Israeli demonstrators.
After about an hour of attrition war of stones against fire arms, with 5 wounded - includin one Palestinian taken in bad condition to hospital things calmed a bit, and the Israelis were assembled with people of the village commity to discuss the development of the jouint struggle in Bil'in.
=======MEDIA - Israel breaks up demos against West Bank barrier======
Fri Jul 8,10:45 AM ET
BILIN, West Bank (AFP) - Israeli soldiers broke up protests against the vast barrier Israel is building in the occupied West Bank, on the eve of the first anniversary of a world court decision against the fence.
Around 500 Israeli, Palestinian and foreign peace activists demonstrated in the northern West Bank village of Bilin, where they clashed with Israeli troops monitoring the protest, an AFP correspondent said Friday.
Soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets as demonstrators threw stones.
[The usual lie. Nearly always, the firs stone throwing and more so the attrition war between the youngsters "shabab", starts only after the state force disperce the entirely nonviolend demonstration. I.S.]
The army subsequently declared the area a closed military zone.
The huge security barrier being built around Bilin encroaches on more than two kilometres (one mile) of village land, which is home to 1,700 residents.
Further north, around 400 Palestinians joined 50 Israeli and foreign activists to demonstrate at a barrier building site in Masha village.
[Mas'ha joint camp of Israelis and Palestinians which began april 2003, built the intimate relations between the Israeli anarchists and villagers who wanted to use nonviolent struggle against the fence. It took few months till the first joint assult on the fence at Dabuba, brought the joint struggle to the lime-light. I.S]
A foreigner and a soldier were injured, with two Israeli activists arrested, as soldiers moved to break up the protest, witnesses said.
Demonstrators carried a symbolic coffin draped in the blue UN flag to mourn the "death" of last year's world court ruling against the barrier.
Israel insists the separation barrier is necessary to prevent infiltrations by West Bank militants, but the Palestinians have branded it an attempt to grab their land and undermine the viability of their promised state.
[Last round in the procession of contests of the route by Palestinians, at the "high court of justice" the Israeli state "admited" first time that the decision about the route is influenced "also" by political reasons ond not only "security". I.S]
Last July, The Hague-based International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling saying that parts of the barrier built on Palestinian land are illegal.
Although Israel has since re-routed the fence in some stretches, the government has vowed to complete the project, which is eventually expected to stretch around 650 kilometres (406 miles).
=========MEDIA: Palestinian Killed in Anti-Fence Protest=========
Jonathon Pollack of Anarchists Against the Wall told The Jerusalem Post that the demonstrations this week were meant to mark the one-year anniversary of the International Court of Justice's ruling the separation fence illegal.
Palestinian killed in anti-fence protest
A 17-year-old Palestinian youth was shot dead on Friday afternoon by a security guard at a security fence construction site near the village of Beit Lakiya, west of Ramallah.
The shooting came after several youths threw stones at a number of guards. The suspected shooter was arrested and his weapon was confiscated.
Palestinian hospital staff named the dead boy as Mahyoub Assi, 16, and said he was from the same clan as two 17-year-olds shot dead in May while stoning soldiers at the same spot, near the West Bank village of Beit Lakiya.
Earlier, around 300 left-wing activists and Palestinians protesting the construction of the fence in the West Bank clashed with security forces.
A policeman was wounded in the fray after a rock was thrown at his back. He was evacuated for treatment.
Soldiers fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades at the protestors, who were throwing rocks at them, Israel Radio reported.
The demonstrations were being held in two locations - in Bil'in, where they occur every Friday, and in the village of Mascha.
The demonstrators claimed that seven people were wounded in their ranks, including an Israeli hit in the ear by a stun grenade and a Palestinian shot in the head by a rubber bullet at close range. Five of the wounded were taken to nearby hospitals, according to the protestors.
Jonathon Pollack of Anarchists Against the Wall told The Jerusalem Post that the demonstrations this week were meant to mark the one-year anniversary of the International Court of Justice's ruling the separation fence illegal.
Participating in Friday's protests were a number of Palestinian officials, including presidential candidate Mustafa Barghouti, head of Hamas in the West Bank Hassan Yousef, and the Islamic Jihad spokesperson in the West Bank.
Four people were arrested in the clashes.
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Palestain-Israel, M'nazil, Bil'in, the joint struggle continue even when the anarchists are blocked 06 Jul
Five were arrested in the demonstration against the separation at M'nazil. The popular protest and struggle against the apartheid fence spread to the south of Hebron mountains region - and with it the violent suppression by the army. 5 were arrested in M'nazil Wednesday, after demonstrators mounted on a bulldozer and disturbed the works. This time, again, declaring the region as military closed area, state forces succeeded to prevent the people of the anarchists against the wall initiative from arriving.
However, the people of the tinny village with international activists did it. The small village, adjacent to the Beit-Yatir colonial settlement and to the updated and "more humanist" route of the fence is isolated from other Palestinian villages.
In spite problems, the demonstration did happened, with the participation of few international peace activists - this report is based of report of one of them. During the demonstration the people got hold of the bulldozer who climbed on it and held high flags on it. Though demonstrators did no violent act, the army used excessive violence when dispersing them. The army force arrested Abu-Hatem - one of the main activists and the contact person for the Israelis. The other demonstrators tried to de-arrest him by sitting in front of one of the army vehicles... which resulted with more arrests adding to 5 - who were taken to the police station of Kiriat-Arba - the colonial settlement at the margin of Hebron.
"Celebrating" one year since the hague wall decision by international court by Kobi Snit
July 9th is the one year anniversary of the decision of the Permanent Court of International Justice at the Hague which ruled that “Construction of the wall and its associated regime are contrary to international law.”
Almost year later, the Israeli supreme court is about to issue a fundamental decision in which it will respond to the Hague decision (Ha'aretz 5-7-05). While the court was taking its time, construction of the wall has gone causing irreversible damage. While the court might not be relied on to consider the rights of Palestinians it is quite sensitive to its own image abroad. Consequently, there is a chance that the court will issue a useful decision. At issue are planned the segments of the wall around Ariel Immanuel and Karnei Shomron. Most strikingly, the state has recently admitted in the case of the village of Azune that the construction of the wall is based on other than just security concerns. Given this admission, if the court is to be consistent with its ruling from last year it will have to rule many more segments of the wall illegal.
This is a critical time for Israelis to demonstrate against the wall. To resist Shron's attempt to draw attention away from construction in the west bank during the disengagement. To support the courageous Palestinian non violent resistance and to pressure the supreme court.
Join the people of Bil'in this Friday at 11 am. Buses leave from Tel Aviv central train station, El-Al terminal at 9:00.
Please Call Mijal Greenberg to reserve a spot on the bus from Tel Aviv (before thursday at 9 pm!) and for details about transportation from Jerusalem.
However, the people of the tinny village with international activists did it. The small village, adjacent to the Beit-Yatir colonial settlement and to the updated and "more humanist" route of the fence is isolated from other Palestinian villages.
In spite problems, the demonstration did happened, with the participation of few international peace activists - this report is based of report of one of them. During the demonstration the people got hold of the bulldozer who climbed on it and held high flags on it. Though demonstrators did no violent act, the army used excessive violence when dispersing them. The army force arrested Abu-Hatem - one of the main activists and the contact person for the Israelis. The other demonstrators tried to de-arrest him by sitting in front of one of the army vehicles... which resulted with more arrests adding to 5 - who were taken to the police station of Kiriat-Arba - the colonial settlement at the margin of Hebron.
"Celebrating" one year since the hague wall decision by international court by Kobi Snit
July 9th is the one year anniversary of the decision of the Permanent Court of International Justice at the Hague which ruled that “Construction of the wall and its associated regime are contrary to international law.”
Almost year later, the Israeli supreme court is about to issue a fundamental decision in which it will respond to the Hague decision (Ha'aretz 5-7-05). While the court was taking its time, construction of the wall has gone causing irreversible damage. While the court might not be relied on to consider the rights of Palestinians it is quite sensitive to its own image abroad. Consequently, there is a chance that the court will issue a useful decision. At issue are planned the segments of the wall around Ariel Immanuel and Karnei Shomron. Most strikingly, the state has recently admitted in the case of the village of Azune that the construction of the wall is based on other than just security concerns. Given this admission, if the court is to be consistent with its ruling from last year it will have to rule many more segments of the wall illegal.
This is a critical time for Israelis to demonstrate against the wall. To resist Shron's attempt to draw attention away from construction in the west bank during the disengagement. To support the courageous Palestinian non violent resistance and to pressure the supreme court.
Join the people of Bil'in this Friday at 11 am. Buses leave from Tel Aviv central train station, El-Al terminal at 9:00.
Please Call Mijal Greenberg to reserve a spot on the bus from Tel Aviv (before thursday at 9 pm!) and for details about transportation from Jerusalem.
Monday, July 4, 2005
Israel-Paleastine - the joint struggle force the subject to the public agenda 04 Jul
The morning started early for 30 persons - Anarchists Against The Wall people and few sympathizers when we came to the district court for the contest of lower court rule. About a month ago a lowest level court judge banned Jonathan Polak - the most active person in the struggle against the wall, from visiting the occupied territories. The judge annulled the garbage of the lowest level court judge, but as a compromise gave another week of "rest" to Jonathan (instead of the additional 8 of the "promised" "rest"). The media (Haaretz daily) dedicated a whole news page to the struggle against the Wall/fence. Following three articles with Editor Notes []
-----------------------------------
Allegations against Bili'in protest crumble in court By Meron Rapaport
[In the Hebrew printed edition the header was: "demonstrations against the fence - version vs. version POLICEMAN LIED IN HIS TESTIMONY AGAINST PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATOR JUDGE: THE BEHAVIOR OF THE POLICEMEN OF THE FORCE MUST BE CHECKED"]
Are the demonstrations in Bili'in against the separation fence really non-violent, as claimed by their Palestinian and Israeli organizers, or are they in fact violent protests involving the throwing of stones, as charged by the Israel Defense Forces?
As expected, ever since the demonstrations there began, both sides have offered conflicting versions on the issue. Last week, however, a military court ruled that at least in the case before it, IDF soldiers had opened fire while Palestinians and Israelis were demonstrating in a non-violent manner and had not thrown stones. Military Judge Captain Daniel Zamir called for an examination of "the actions of the troops at the scene and the use of the force at its disposal."
[The stone throwing attrition war between the state forces and the village youngsters never start before the forces stop the demonstration and start to harass the participants]
In recent months, the demonstrations in Bili'in have become the focal point of clashes between the IDF and Palestinians over the separation fence. Last Friday saw one such demonstration, with the IDF reporting that one soldier was moderately hurt and the demonstrators reporting 16 injuries, including four Israelis and one disabled individual, by IDF gunfire. A month or so ago, soldier Michael Schwartzman was struck by a rock during a demonstration in Bili'in, resulting in the loss of sight in one eye.
Last Friday, as usual, the Palestinians charged that the shooting started without any provocation on the part of the demonstrators, while the IDF claimed that the shooting began "only after the demonstrators continued to throw stones at the troops despite efforts to end the incident in non-violent ways."
Some three weeks ago, on June 17, a very similar incident took place in Bili'in. A few hundred Palestinians and Israelis began a march toward the route of the separation fence, which passes through village property and leaves some 2,000 dunams (around half the village's land) outside the fence. The Bili'in residents, who claim to be inspired by Gandhi's methods, declared the march a non-violent demonstration. The marchers were stopped by soldiers and Border Police a few hundred meters from the route of the fence.
The demonstration ended with the security forces deploying riot-dispersal means and in the arrest of a number of protesters, including Abdallah Abu-Rahma, one of the leaders of Bili'in's Popular Committee, and his brother, Ratab, a lecturer at the Al-Quds University and a member of the Seeds of Peace organization.
The indictment against Ratab Abu-Rahma was based primarily on testimony from Wahil Sabit, a border policeman present during the demonstration. Sabit testified that demonstrators started throwing stones at the security forces immediately after the area was declared a closed military zone. Sabit said he saw Abu-Rahma throw stones at the soldiers and then shot him with a sponge bullet.
Sabit was the only policeman who claimed to have seen Abu-Rahma throwing stones.
Abu-Rahma's attorneys, Tamar Peleg and Gabi Lasky, presented the court with video clips that were filmed during the incident and that show Abu-Rahma asking the demonstrators to walk "slowly, slowly." Two of the clips show the demonstrators moving the barbed wire barrier set up by the security forces, but not crossing it, only lying down on the road in quiet protest. Immediately thereafter, the soldiers are seen throwing stun grenades and tear-gas canisters toward the demonstrators, without the latter having thrown a single stone.
[As I have been lying down on the asphalt road next to Ratab and Abdallah "covered" with imitation of grave stones, I just wonder how absurd the the lies of the authorities tend to be. Even a jogger would not be able to throw stones in such position.]
Abu-Rahma is seen getting to his feet and then immediately being hit with a sponge bullet. Contrary to border policeman Sabit's testimony, Abu-Rahma is not arrested there and then, but only some time later, after the security forces apprehend his brother and begin beating him. Ratab Abu-Rahma is seen intervening in an effort to help his sibling, and also takes blows from the soldiers.
Judge Zamir upheld all the arguments of the defense, ruling that the demonstration was quiet, that no stone-throwing was seen on the videotapes, and that Abu-Rahma took a blow to his stomach without any provocation on his part. "There was no reason for the defendant's arrest; there was no reason for the shooting that wounded him or the blows he received from the soldier," concluded the judge, adding that the reality was "strangely different, to put it mildly, from the testimony of the prosecution witnesses."
Zamir ordered Abu-Rahma released on bail and advised the prosecution to reconsider its actions against him. The prosecution, however, did not capitulate, and appealed the judge's decision in a hearing on Thursday. The appeal was rejected.
It emerged during the appeal, however, that a border policeman also filmed the events. This tape has yet to be seen by the prosecution. Until such time, Abu-Rahma remains free.
[Probably the the said military court judge will not recalled again to his reserve service as military court judge....]
------------------------------------
IDF officer arrests Israeli cameraman By Meron Rapaport
An Israel Defense Forces deputy brigade commander confiscated the Government Press Office-issued press card of an Israeli journalist, informing him that he was revoking his card and ordering that he be arrested for terming him "insolent." The director of the Association of Israeli Journalists, Yossi Bar-Moha, defined the incident as severe, and as one that "can only take place in totalitarian states."
The incident occurred last Friday during a demonstration in the Palestinian village of Bili'in and involved cameraman Shai Carmeli Pollack, who is filming a documentary for Channel 8 on the protests against the fence. During the course of the demonstration, Pollack exchanged words with IDF officers about the way in which the security forces were dealing with the protesters and their demand that he refrain from filming the event.
Brigade deputy commander Shai Malka then asked Pollack if he was a journalist. On receiving an affirmative response, Malka said, "I am revoking your press card." Malka then ordered that Pollack be arrested, and seized his credentials, accusing him also of insulting a public official.
This was Pollack's third arrest during demonstrations against the fence.
"Clearly the IDF doesn't want coverage of what is happening there," said Adi Arbel, program director for Channel 8.
[Few months ago, when the journalist/press card of his (that gives him some freedom of movement needed renewal, they took long weeks of stalling till renewal.]
---------------------------------------
Border Policeman dies during anti-fence rally By Jonathan Lis
A Border Policeman died yesterday after suddenly collapsing while policing the separation fence near Har Adar, outside Jerusalem.
Police initially said that Natan Yasais, 21, of Lod had been hit by a rock thrown by a Palestinian. However, hospital officials said they saw no signs of him having been hit by anything. They said that he arrived with a high fever and apparently died either of an existing illness or of dehydration. They added that he was in critical condition upon arrival and died very shortly afterward.
Police said they would investigate the incident to determine whether Yasais' commanders were guilty of negligence.
Police officials said they initially assumed Yasais had been hit by a rock because when he died, he was helping to disperse a violent demonstration against the fence that involved dozens of rock-throwing Palestinians. The demonstrators were eventually dispersed by means of shock grenades, the police reported.
Anarchists Against the Fence, which is involved in many anti-fence demonstrations, insisted that there was no demonstration at all in the Har Adar area yesterday, either by Israelis or by local Palestinians. They accused the police of deliberately spreading misinformation in order to "delegitimize the nonviolent demonstrations that take place in this area" - a charge that the police termed "a gross lie."
[The main radio station reported on the case - including interview of the commander of the border police of Jerusalem region. As he could not continue with the lie that the border police person died of a stone thrown on him an admit it was an accident, he took the opportunity to blame the Anarchists Against The Wall/Fence initiative for inciting the Palestinians. As if our presence is not just a limited "policy" against harsher means of suppression - used when only Palestinians are around. The state forces still remember how the Israeli public opinion - which do not care much when Palestinian demonstrators are killed, responded to a shooting of the Israeli Gill Naamaty. Public opinion even forced the highest army commander to visit Gill in hospital and apologize.
It is a well known that the state repression forces have a different routine of suppression when Israelis are present and when we are not present in a demonstration of Palestinians.]
-----------------------------------
Allegations against Bili'in protest crumble in court By Meron Rapaport
[In the Hebrew printed edition the header was: "demonstrations against the fence - version vs. version POLICEMAN LIED IN HIS TESTIMONY AGAINST PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATOR JUDGE: THE BEHAVIOR OF THE POLICEMEN OF THE FORCE MUST BE CHECKED"]
Are the demonstrations in Bili'in against the separation fence really non-violent, as claimed by their Palestinian and Israeli organizers, or are they in fact violent protests involving the throwing of stones, as charged by the Israel Defense Forces?
As expected, ever since the demonstrations there began, both sides have offered conflicting versions on the issue. Last week, however, a military court ruled that at least in the case before it, IDF soldiers had opened fire while Palestinians and Israelis were demonstrating in a non-violent manner and had not thrown stones. Military Judge Captain Daniel Zamir called for an examination of "the actions of the troops at the scene and the use of the force at its disposal."
[The stone throwing attrition war between the state forces and the village youngsters never start before the forces stop the demonstration and start to harass the participants]
In recent months, the demonstrations in Bili'in have become the focal point of clashes between the IDF and Palestinians over the separation fence. Last Friday saw one such demonstration, with the IDF reporting that one soldier was moderately hurt and the demonstrators reporting 16 injuries, including four Israelis and one disabled individual, by IDF gunfire. A month or so ago, soldier Michael Schwartzman was struck by a rock during a demonstration in Bili'in, resulting in the loss of sight in one eye.
Last Friday, as usual, the Palestinians charged that the shooting started without any provocation on the part of the demonstrators, while the IDF claimed that the shooting began "only after the demonstrators continued to throw stones at the troops despite efforts to end the incident in non-violent ways."
Some three weeks ago, on June 17, a very similar incident took place in Bili'in. A few hundred Palestinians and Israelis began a march toward the route of the separation fence, which passes through village property and leaves some 2,000 dunams (around half the village's land) outside the fence. The Bili'in residents, who claim to be inspired by Gandhi's methods, declared the march a non-violent demonstration. The marchers were stopped by soldiers and Border Police a few hundred meters from the route of the fence.
The demonstration ended with the security forces deploying riot-dispersal means and in the arrest of a number of protesters, including Abdallah Abu-Rahma, one of the leaders of Bili'in's Popular Committee, and his brother, Ratab, a lecturer at the Al-Quds University and a member of the Seeds of Peace organization.
The indictment against Ratab Abu-Rahma was based primarily on testimony from Wahil Sabit, a border policeman present during the demonstration. Sabit testified that demonstrators started throwing stones at the security forces immediately after the area was declared a closed military zone. Sabit said he saw Abu-Rahma throw stones at the soldiers and then shot him with a sponge bullet.
Sabit was the only policeman who claimed to have seen Abu-Rahma throwing stones.
Abu-Rahma's attorneys, Tamar Peleg and Gabi Lasky, presented the court with video clips that were filmed during the incident and that show Abu-Rahma asking the demonstrators to walk "slowly, slowly." Two of the clips show the demonstrators moving the barbed wire barrier set up by the security forces, but not crossing it, only lying down on the road in quiet protest. Immediately thereafter, the soldiers are seen throwing stun grenades and tear-gas canisters toward the demonstrators, without the latter having thrown a single stone.
[As I have been lying down on the asphalt road next to Ratab and Abdallah "covered" with imitation of grave stones, I just wonder how absurd the the lies of the authorities tend to be. Even a jogger would not be able to throw stones in such position.]
Abu-Rahma is seen getting to his feet and then immediately being hit with a sponge bullet. Contrary to border policeman Sabit's testimony, Abu-Rahma is not arrested there and then, but only some time later, after the security forces apprehend his brother and begin beating him. Ratab Abu-Rahma is seen intervening in an effort to help his sibling, and also takes blows from the soldiers.
Judge Zamir upheld all the arguments of the defense, ruling that the demonstration was quiet, that no stone-throwing was seen on the videotapes, and that Abu-Rahma took a blow to his stomach without any provocation on his part. "There was no reason for the defendant's arrest; there was no reason for the shooting that wounded him or the blows he received from the soldier," concluded the judge, adding that the reality was "strangely different, to put it mildly, from the testimony of the prosecution witnesses."
Zamir ordered Abu-Rahma released on bail and advised the prosecution to reconsider its actions against him. The prosecution, however, did not capitulate, and appealed the judge's decision in a hearing on Thursday. The appeal was rejected.
It emerged during the appeal, however, that a border policeman also filmed the events. This tape has yet to be seen by the prosecution. Until such time, Abu-Rahma remains free.
[Probably the the said military court judge will not recalled again to his reserve service as military court judge....]
------------------------------------
IDF officer arrests Israeli cameraman By Meron Rapaport
An Israel Defense Forces deputy brigade commander confiscated the Government Press Office-issued press card of an Israeli journalist, informing him that he was revoking his card and ordering that he be arrested for terming him "insolent." The director of the Association of Israeli Journalists, Yossi Bar-Moha, defined the incident as severe, and as one that "can only take place in totalitarian states."
The incident occurred last Friday during a demonstration in the Palestinian village of Bili'in and involved cameraman Shai Carmeli Pollack, who is filming a documentary for Channel 8 on the protests against the fence. During the course of the demonstration, Pollack exchanged words with IDF officers about the way in which the security forces were dealing with the protesters and their demand that he refrain from filming the event.
Brigade deputy commander Shai Malka then asked Pollack if he was a journalist. On receiving an affirmative response, Malka said, "I am revoking your press card." Malka then ordered that Pollack be arrested, and seized his credentials, accusing him also of insulting a public official.
This was Pollack's third arrest during demonstrations against the fence.
"Clearly the IDF doesn't want coverage of what is happening there," said Adi Arbel, program director for Channel 8.
[Few months ago, when the journalist/press card of his (that gives him some freedom of movement needed renewal, they took long weeks of stalling till renewal.]
---------------------------------------
Border Policeman dies during anti-fence rally By Jonathan Lis
A Border Policeman died yesterday after suddenly collapsing while policing the separation fence near Har Adar, outside Jerusalem.
Police initially said that Natan Yasais, 21, of Lod had been hit by a rock thrown by a Palestinian. However, hospital officials said they saw no signs of him having been hit by anything. They said that he arrived with a high fever and apparently died either of an existing illness or of dehydration. They added that he was in critical condition upon arrival and died very shortly afterward.
Police said they would investigate the incident to determine whether Yasais' commanders were guilty of negligence.
Police officials said they initially assumed Yasais had been hit by a rock because when he died, he was helping to disperse a violent demonstration against the fence that involved dozens of rock-throwing Palestinians. The demonstrators were eventually dispersed by means of shock grenades, the police reported.
Anarchists Against the Fence, which is involved in many anti-fence demonstrations, insisted that there was no demonstration at all in the Har Adar area yesterday, either by Israelis or by local Palestinians. They accused the police of deliberately spreading misinformation in order to "delegitimize the nonviolent demonstrations that take place in this area" - a charge that the police termed "a gross lie."
[The main radio station reported on the case - including interview of the commander of the border police of Jerusalem region. As he could not continue with the lie that the border police person died of a stone thrown on him an admit it was an accident, he took the opportunity to blame the Anarchists Against The Wall/Fence initiative for inciting the Palestinians. As if our presence is not just a limited "policy" against harsher means of suppression - used when only Palestinians are around. The state forces still remember how the Israeli public opinion - which do not care much when Palestinian demonstrators are killed, responded to a shooting of the Israeli Gill Naamaty. Public opinion even forced the highest army commander to visit Gill in hospital and apologize.
It is a well known that the state repression forces have a different routine of suppression when Israelis are present and when we are not present in a demonstration of Palestinians.]
Friday, July 1, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, A new angle to the joint struggle against the fence 01 Jul
It was a quiet Friday. The state forces did not even tried to stop us - the Israelis from arriving at Bil'in. As the number exceeded the expectation the ride from Tel Aviv was crowded. We were about 45 Israelis from the Anarchists Against the Wall, People from the high school refusnics initiative, and others from the coalition against the fence. As we arrived early we had time to participate in the preparation of to day's presentation: about six people embedded in a fence with the inscription in both Arabic, English and Hebrew: "The fence is tearing us". At he usual hour - after the Friday religious ritual the demonstration started. The six of us embedded in the fence structure at the head. The others (including 150 villagers and 15 internationals behind us and the media people in front of us taking pictures and video for the TV international media channels.
And the march started... but not in the usual road to the fence we took the previous months. The army and police who were waiting us on the usual place were taking in surprise and blocked us only 100 meters from the route of the fence. There, they declared as usual that the area is military zone forbidden Israelis and gave 10 minutes before they start to disperse us. The people of the structure set down and the count down started. After 10 minutes of stand still and threats they started to disperse us. The commander ordered to arrest all the six of us embedded in the structure... but the policeman were not too diligent. The one who started to arrest me was content of detaching me from the structure and lifting me to my feet... and went away. Only two of our six were arrested.
Other three Israelis who confronted the state forces verbally were arrested too.. From the 5 Israeli detained two were released at the fence route and three were arrested and processed at the Givat Zeev police station - released few hours later on small bail and acceptance of 10 day abstaining from participation in demonstrations in Bil'in.
After the dispersing of the demonstration by tear gas, shock grenades, and the old metal bullets rubber coated and the new rubber foam bullets, the stone throwers started the ritual of attrition war with the soldiers. After short invasion of the village in the pursuit of the stone throwers, the defeated soldiers retreated and kept for a while the fight with the stone throwers on the fringes of the village.
After a while, they just retreated to their positions near the route.
During the dispersing of the demo and the stones "festival" Israelis, Palestinians and internationals 19 people were injured. Two of them more seriously, were taken to hospital.
One soldier too was moderately injured from a stone.
Electronic media reported on the demonstration - including very short item in the main public TV evening news. Usually giving the official lies - who do not admit the stone throwing starts only in retaliation for violent dispersing of our nonviolent demonstration.
And the march started... but not in the usual road to the fence we took the previous months. The army and police who were waiting us on the usual place were taking in surprise and blocked us only 100 meters from the route of the fence. There, they declared as usual that the area is military zone forbidden Israelis and gave 10 minutes before they start to disperse us. The people of the structure set down and the count down started. After 10 minutes of stand still and threats they started to disperse us. The commander ordered to arrest all the six of us embedded in the structure... but the policeman were not too diligent. The one who started to arrest me was content of detaching me from the structure and lifting me to my feet... and went away. Only two of our six were arrested.
Other three Israelis who confronted the state forces verbally were arrested too.. From the 5 Israeli detained two were released at the fence route and three were arrested and processed at the Givat Zeev police station - released few hours later on small bail and acceptance of 10 day abstaining from participation in demonstrations in Bil'in.
After the dispersing of the demonstration by tear gas, shock grenades, and the old metal bullets rubber coated and the new rubber foam bullets, the stone throwers started the ritual of attrition war with the soldiers. After short invasion of the village in the pursuit of the stone throwers, the defeated soldiers retreated and kept for a while the fight with the stone throwers on the fringes of the village.
After a while, they just retreated to their positions near the route.
During the dispersing of the demo and the stones "festival" Israelis, Palestinians and internationals 19 people were injured. Two of them more seriously, were taken to hospital.
One soldier too was moderately injured from a stone.
Electronic media reported on the demonstration - including very short item in the main public TV evening news. Usually giving the official lies - who do not admit the stone throwing starts only in retaliation for violent dispersing of our nonviolent demonstration.
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, A new angle to the joint struggle against the fence 01 Jul
It was a quiet Friday. The state forces did not even tried to stop us - the Israelis from arriving at Bil'in. As the number exceeded the expectation the ride from Tel Aviv was crowded. We were about 45 Israelis from the Anarchists Against the Wall, People from the high school refusnics initiative, and others from the coalition against the fence. As we arrived early we had time to participate in the preparation of to day's presentation: about six people embedded in a fence with the inscription in both Arabic, English and Hebrew: "The fence is tearing us". At he usual hour - after the Friday religious ritual the demonstration started. The six of us embedded in the fence structure at the head. The others (including 150 villagers and 15 internationals behind us and the media people in front of us taking pictures and video for the TV international media channels.
And the march started... but not in the usual road to the fence we took the previous months. The army and police who were waiting us on the usual place were taking in surprise and blocked us only 100 meters from the route of the fence. There, they declared as usual that the area is military zone forbidden Israelis and gave 10 minutes before they start to disperse us. The people of the structure set down and the count down started. After 10 minutes of stand still and threats they started to disperse us. The commander ordered to arrest all the six of us embedded in the structure... but the policeman were not too diligent. The one who started to arrest me was content of detaching me from the structure and lifting me to my feet... and went away. Only two of our six were arrested.
Other three Israelis who confronted the state forces verbally were arrested too..
>From the 5 Israeli detained two were released at the fence route and three were arrested and processed at the Givat Zeev police station - released few hours later on small bail and acceptance of 10 day abstaining from participation in demonstrations in Bil'in.
After the dispersing of the demonstration by tear gas, shock grenades, and the old metal bullets rubber coated and the new rubber foam bullets, the stone throwers started the ritual of attrition war with the soldiers. After short invasion of the village in the pursuit of the stone throwers, the defeated soldiers retreated and kept for a while the fight with the stone throwers on the fringes of the village.
After a while, they just retreated to their positions near the route.
During the dispersing of the demo and the stones "festival" Israelis, Palestinians and internationals 19 people were injured. Two of them more seriously, were taken to hospital.
One soldier too was moderately injured from a stone.
Electronic media reported on the demonstration - including very short item in the main public TV evening news. Usually giving the official lies - who do not admit the stone throwing starts only in retaliation for violent dispersing of our nonviolent demonstration.
And the march started... but not in the usual road to the fence we took the previous months. The army and police who were waiting us on the usual place were taking in surprise and blocked us only 100 meters from the route of the fence. There, they declared as usual that the area is military zone forbidden Israelis and gave 10 minutes before they start to disperse us. The people of the structure set down and the count down started. After 10 minutes of stand still and threats they started to disperse us. The commander ordered to arrest all the six of us embedded in the structure... but the policeman were not too diligent. The one who started to arrest me was content of detaching me from the structure and lifting me to my feet... and went away. Only two of our six were arrested.
Other three Israelis who confronted the state forces verbally were arrested too..
>From the 5 Israeli detained two were released at the fence route and three were arrested and processed at the Givat Zeev police station - released few hours later on small bail and acceptance of 10 day abstaining from participation in demonstrations in Bil'in.
After the dispersing of the demonstration by tear gas, shock grenades, and the old metal bullets rubber coated and the new rubber foam bullets, the stone throwers started the ritual of attrition war with the soldiers. After short invasion of the village in the pursuit of the stone throwers, the defeated soldiers retreated and kept for a while the fight with the stone throwers on the fringes of the village.
After a while, they just retreated to their positions near the route.
During the dispersing of the demo and the stones "festival" Israelis, Palestinians and internationals 19 people were injured. Two of them more seriously, were taken to hospital.
One soldier too was moderately injured from a stone.
Electronic media reported on the demonstration - including very short item in the main public TV evening news. Usually giving the official lies - who do not admit the stone throwing starts only in retaliation for violent dispersing of our nonviolent demonstration.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Imneizil & Bil'in, The joint struggle against the apartheid wall continued on Monday June 27th
The ruthless repression of the Israely state forces are restrained when Israeli activists are participating in the non violent actions against the apartheid fence which robe Palestinian lands. It is well known they have two specific sets of orders about which means of dispersing to use: i.e. what kind of amunition to use and whether to use live amunition or not, the Imneizil people invited the Anarchists Against The Wall (AATW) to join them. The Monday 27th demo was not the first act of struggle against the wall. It was however one of the most successfull. On Monday, villagers from Imneizil in South Hebron district (who was not reinforced that day by people of the AATW initiative as they were blocked by the Israeli army) brought the Occupation bulldozers to a halt.
Palestinian flags adorned the bulldozers which have razed 400 dunums of land here in the last week as villagers took back their confiscated land. Two Palestinians were injured as the Occupation Forces spent several hours pushing and beating demonstrators back.
Protestors assembled in the afternoon from the small village of Imneizil in South Hebron and marched to the hills and the worksite of the Occupation Forces and their machinery.
Villagers blocked the path of the bulldozers bringing their work to a standstill. Demonstrators rejoiced as they mounted the bulldozers and took back their land which has been confiscated for the Apartheid Wall and the expansion of the settlements.
Occupation Forces beat villagers forcing them back into the village where they will be ghettoized by the Apartheid Wall. There were two injuries as the Occupation deployed its standard violence and brutality.
So far around 400 dunums of fertile land has been destroyed and several hundred trees uprooted for the Apartheid Wall. Farmland containing grape, olive and almond trees - and which yielded the life source for the village - has been destroyed. The Wall will isolate land that is expected to be annexed into the nearby settlement of Metzadot Yehuda, immediately to the south of the village. One of the village's main water wells will also be isolated behind the Wall.
Water shortages are becoming an increasingly dire problem in Hebron district as the Wall's route has been planned to isolate many of the local natural water resources. A settler bypass road is also under construction, parallel to the Wall, which will pass just 15 metres from the village school. Located between the Apartheid Wall and settler roads, villages across Palestine are being turned into disparate and miserable ghettos, cut off from land and life.
See pictures at: http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/948.shtml
***
================= BIL'IN ===================
Bil'in, the joint struggle of the villagers continue, togather with the Israli anarchists and the wider coalition against the wall/fence. The struggle in Bil'in continues with determination and creativity. Every week for the past few months the people of Bil'in have demonstrated against the construction of the wall and the expansion of settlements on their confiscated lands.
During these months the people of Bil'in have become the symbol of non-violent resistance in Palestine; incorporating into they actions an extensive repertoire of creative elements in accordance to their commitment to direct action. Every week the people of Bil'in invented new and creative ways that included placards, art effects and communicates of political and humanist messages.
The suppression of the army try to deny the human nature of the Palestinians but the they succeed to counter act this and keep their humanity and dignity.
Last week, a segment of the fence - closest to the Bil'in - was cut by a group of young people from the village. There is a real danger that the military will retaliate against this action with severe force, using collective punishment against the local residents. This, according to the high rank commander Tsahy Segev who admitted to Miron Rapoport of Haaretz daily when he revealed to him his mode of opperation in Bil'in
In light of these developments -the presence of Israelis is needed more than ever to support this inspiring struggle.
This Friday there will be another demo in the village. All of you are most welcome.
For transportation from Tel Aviv call Yonatan
For transportation from Jerusalem call Amnon
Palestinian flags adorned the bulldozers which have razed 400 dunums of land here in the last week as villagers took back their confiscated land. Two Palestinians were injured as the Occupation Forces spent several hours pushing and beating demonstrators back.
Protestors assembled in the afternoon from the small village of Imneizil in South Hebron and marched to the hills and the worksite of the Occupation Forces and their machinery.
Villagers blocked the path of the bulldozers bringing their work to a standstill. Demonstrators rejoiced as they mounted the bulldozers and took back their land which has been confiscated for the Apartheid Wall and the expansion of the settlements.
Occupation Forces beat villagers forcing them back into the village where they will be ghettoized by the Apartheid Wall. There were two injuries as the Occupation deployed its standard violence and brutality.
So far around 400 dunums of fertile land has been destroyed and several hundred trees uprooted for the Apartheid Wall. Farmland containing grape, olive and almond trees - and which yielded the life source for the village - has been destroyed. The Wall will isolate land that is expected to be annexed into the nearby settlement of Metzadot Yehuda, immediately to the south of the village. One of the village's main water wells will also be isolated behind the Wall.
Water shortages are becoming an increasingly dire problem in Hebron district as the Wall's route has been planned to isolate many of the local natural water resources. A settler bypass road is also under construction, parallel to the Wall, which will pass just 15 metres from the village school. Located between the Apartheid Wall and settler roads, villages across Palestine are being turned into disparate and miserable ghettos, cut off from land and life.
See pictures at: http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/948.shtml
***
================= BIL'IN ===================
Bil'in, the joint struggle of the villagers continue, togather with the Israli anarchists and the wider coalition against the wall/fence. The struggle in Bil'in continues with determination and creativity. Every week for the past few months the people of Bil'in have demonstrated against the construction of the wall and the expansion of settlements on their confiscated lands.
During these months the people of Bil'in have become the symbol of non-violent resistance in Palestine; incorporating into they actions an extensive repertoire of creative elements in accordance to their commitment to direct action. Every week the people of Bil'in invented new and creative ways that included placards, art effects and communicates of political and humanist messages.
The suppression of the army try to deny the human nature of the Palestinians but the they succeed to counter act this and keep their humanity and dignity.
Last week, a segment of the fence - closest to the Bil'in - was cut by a group of young people from the village. There is a real danger that the military will retaliate against this action with severe force, using collective punishment against the local residents. This, according to the high rank commander Tsahy Segev who admitted to Miron Rapoport of Haaretz daily when he revealed to him his mode of opperation in Bil'in
In light of these developments -the presence of Israelis is needed more than ever to support this inspiring struggle.
This Friday there will be another demo in the village. All of you are most welcome.
For transportation from Tel Aviv call Yonatan
For transportation from Jerusalem call Amnon
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