From October 14 - November 15, 2005, Palestinian Ayed Morrar from Budrus and Israeli Jonathan Pollak of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative will be touring the United States speaking about Nonviolent Resistance in Palestine. The tour will visit New York, North Carolina, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Olympia Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida and Philadelphia. Click here for a complete tour schedule. Ayed and Jonathan are friends and among the major figures in the Palestinian led nonviolent struggle against Israel's military occupation. Ayed, a community leader from the West Bank village of Budrus, and Jonathan, an activist from Tel Aviv, stand for a new vision of Palestinian/Israeli partnership based in human rights for all, regardless of race or religion.
While world leaders praise Israel's withdrawal from Gaza as a step toward peace, and demand that the Palestinian Authority harshly suppress armed resistance to Israel's military occupation, activists on the ground like Ayed and Jonathan report that Israel has stepped up its brutal repression of Palestinian and Israeli activists who are struggling nonviolently against the escalating occupation in the West Bank.
Largely unreported by the media, thousands of Palestinians and hundreds of Israelis are waging a major grassroots nonviolent campaign of resistance to the construction of Israel's Wall. Palestinian farmers, workers, mothers, and students, together with Israeli and international volunteers, are braving teargas, beatings, bullets, arrest, and even death to block the construction of the Wall with their bodies. In 2004 the International Court of Justice ruled that the Wall is a violation of international law because it cuts through the West Bank appropriating Palestinan land and destroying Palestinian villages to make way for further Israeli settlement.
Ayed led his village of Budrus in a victory for nonviolence over the Israeli military in 2003-2004. Through a campaign of 50 protests, the village of Budrus pushed the Wall's path off village land and to the Green Line. Day after day, Budrus' men, women and children blocked the destruction of their land and construction of the Wall by marching to the land, despite soldiers' attempts to stop them, and placing their bodies in front of the bulldozers.
Hundreds of residents were injured during the campaign by clubs, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Ayed was jailed for eight days by Israeli authorities, but was eventually released due to international outcry and because his only offense was organizing nonviolent protests. Two of Ayed's brothers were also arrested for organizing protests, but eventually released.
Budrus' resistance was supported by activists from ISM and from Israeli groups like the Anarchists Against the Wall. Budrus' strategy and achievements have served as a model for other Palestinian communities attempting to nonviolently resist Israel's military occupation and the confiscation of Palestinian land. Ayed continues to work with other communities and organizations to support the development of a broader strategy for Palestinian nonviolent resistance.
Jonathan was one of the first Israelis to begin protesting regularly in the West Bank with Palestinians and internationals against the construction of the Wall in 2002. He is one of the founders of the Israeli group Anarchists Against the Wall which has played a vital role in supporting Palestinians in nonviolent protest over the last two years.
Since 2002 Jonathan has participated in over 200 West Bank protests, and mobilized hundreds of Israelis to join Palestinians in resisting the Wall and the Occupation. As a result, Jonathan has been jailed repeatedly by Israeli authorities. In April 2005 during a quiet protest in the village of Bil'in he was shot in the head from 40 meters by an Israeli soldier with a tear gas canister fired from an M16 rifle. He had internal hemorrhaging and wounds requiring 23 stitches. Jonathan appears frequently in the Israeli media commenting on West Bank protests and nonviolent resistance.
Despite Israeli government efforts to stop them, Ayed, Jonathan and their Palestinian, Israeli and international colleagues remain determined to continue their joint, nonviolent campaign against Israeli occupation and the denial of rights of the Palestinian people.
The national Nonviolent Resistance Speaking Tour is organized by ISM-USA, the US network of support groups of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Palestine. ISM is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent direct action.
TOUR SCHEDULE
NEW YORK CITY AREA, OCT 14TH-16TH
Friday October 14th Unitarian Church of All Souls 1157 Lexington Ave at 80th Street, Manhattan 7:00 PM
Saturday October 15th Community Unitarian Church 468 Rosedale Ave, White Plains, NY 2:30 PM
Activist Ramadan Break-the-Fast Event Alwan for the Arts 16 Beaver Street, 4th Floor, Manhattan 6:00 PM
Sunday October 16th Salam Arabic Lutheran Church 345 Ovington Ave (between 3rd and 4th Ave), Bay Ridge, Brooklyn 2:00 PM
Catholic Center 58 Washington Square Park South, Manhattan 7:15 PM
Contact Email: ism_nyc@hotmail.com
--------------------------
NORTH CAROLINA, OCT. 17TH & 18TH
Monday October 17th Duke University Campus Social Sciences Building, Room 136 8:00 PM
Tuesday October 18th UNC Chapel Hill The speakers will be meeting with classes at the Unversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Contact Email: palestinesolidarity@gmail.com
----------------------------
WASHINGTON D.C., OCT 20TH & 21ST
Thursday October 20th Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies 12:00 Noon
George Washington University 8:00 PM
Ramadan Break-the-Fast event at American University Location & time TBA
Contact
Huwaida Arraf Email: huwaida@palsolidarity.org Phone: (202) 494-0112
----------------------------
CHICAGO, OCT 22ND & 23RD
Saturday October 22nd Presentation to Chicago Anarchist Network and DePaul students Site to be determined. 1:00 PM
North Park Covenant Church 5250 N. Christiana, Chicago, IL 7:00 PM
Sunday October 23rd Water Tower Park (Michigan & Pearson) Join Ayed and Jonathan at the at the weekly vigil against the occupation sponsored by Not In My Name 12:00 Noon
Potluck Dinner Fundraiser Cornerstone United Methodist Church 171 N. Cuyler Avenue, Oak Park 5:30 PM
Contact Email: ISMinChicago@aol.com
-------------------------------
LOS ANGELES, OCT 24TH - 26TH
Monday October 24th Cal State University-LA King Hall D-138 5154 State University Drive, Los Angeles 90032 7:30 PM
Tuesday October 25th Peace Center at United University Church - USC 817 34th Street, Los Angeles 90007 (Corner of Hoover and Jefferson) 7:30 PM
Wednesday October 26th Cal State University - Fullerton Langsdorf Hall 321 2555 E. Nutwood Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831 7:30 PM
Contact Email: info@iwitnesspalestine.org
-----------------------------
THE BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA, OCT 27TH - NOV 1ST
Thursday, October 27th Unitarian Church Palo Alto (time TBA)
Friday, October 28th Skyline High School (tentative) 12250 Skyline Blvd, Oakland 2:00 PM
AK Press 674-A 23rd St, Oakland 7:00 PM
Saturday, October 29th Calvery Presbyterian 2515 Fillmore Street, San Fransisco 7:00 PM
Sunday, October 30th U.S. Labor Against War SEIU Local 790, 100 Oak Street, Oakland 7:00 PM
Monday, October 31st St Ignatius School 2001 37th Ave, San Fransisco 12:35 PM
San Fransisco State University Location TBA 4:00 PM
Tuesday, November 1st Law Students for Justice in Palestine UC Berkeley, Boalt Hall 12:45 PM
St John's Presbyterian Church 2727 College Ave., Berkeley 7:00 PM
Contact Email: info@norcalism.org Phone: (510)236-4250
--------------------------
SEATTLE, NOV 3RD & 4TH
Thursday, November 3rd University of Washington Gowen Hall, Room 301 7:00 PM
Friday November 4th Event TBA
Contact Email: pl52ip@hotmail.com Phone: (206) 285 2154
------------------------------
MICHIGAN, NOV 5TH - 7TH
Saturday, November 5th Event TBA
Sunday, November 6th Event TBA
Monday, November 7th Event TBA
Contact Email: duggan@umich.edu Phone: (313) 945-9661
---------------------------
MINNEAPOLIS AREA, NOV 8TH - NOV 11TH
Tuesday, November 8th St Cloud State University St Cloud, Minnesota 2:00 PM
Thursday November 10th De LaSalle Highschool St Paul, Minnesota 7:15 AM
Human Geography Lecture University of Minnesota 11:15 AM
St Joan of Arc Church 4537 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis 7:00 PM
Friday November 11th Political Science Lecture University of Minnesota 1:00 PM
Macalester College 1600 Grand Ave, St Paul (time TBA)
Dinner Party 8:00 PM
----------------------------
FLORIDA, NOV 12TH & 13TH
Saturday, November 12th Miami event TBA
Sunday, November 13th Gainsville event TBA
--------------------------
PHILADELPHIA, NOV 14TH
Monday, November 14th Event TBA
-------------------------
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, NOV 15TH
Tuesday, November 15th Vassar College Rocky, Room 300 7:30 PM
Contact Email: mashmookler@vassar.edu Phone: (h) (845) 452-5126 Phone: (c) (610) 217-4766 ======================================= * You can find lot of references to the present struggles by doing google.com search on "Bil'in + anarchists" (17,300) and search on "Bil'in" alone (about 300,000).
Monday, October 17, 2005
Israel, Jerusalem, 2nd Street performance against the annexation wall* 17 Oct
The 2nd street performance on Saturday night, the 8th of October was a success, a group of activists gathered in Emek Refaim St. in Jerusalem, protesting the construction of the separation wall which is being currently being built on seized land in occupied Palestinian territory. Our preparations included an aged West bank resident walking along the track of the wall, ‘stop signs' which read “wall in front of you” and a poem pointing out many of the serious problems with the new security wall including the elderly man who was barred from his home. “ The elderly man approaches the wall, his back bent over, the hour is six, the solider at Azon gate finishes his shift and closes the gate, what does he care where the elderly man sleeps?” Our mission was to inform the general public to the realities of the “security” wall, and the negative consequences it will have on both the Israeli and Palestinian people. We also worked to recruit people to the joint Israeli-Palestinian struggle against the wall. Anyone with some artistic skills who can coordinate the preparation of materials (the reconstruction of the wall model, preparation of banners etc.) is invited to be in contact with Mor at 050-5784081. We also need volunteers for the following: - actors and actresses (Palestinians) in the performance - a Greek chorus, which will accompany the performance and will give more information on the wall - this doesn't necessarily involve singing! - People to explain the issues to people in the area - people to move the wall model -photography, so that we can publicize the performance on the internet later. The next performance is set to take place on Thursday the 27th of October. Any one interested in joining or learning more is welcome to be in contact with us. Mor Dolev Ariella
picture: Activists reciting the text to the public.
----------------------------
Pictures at: https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/3809/index.php
Related http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ActQuds/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/againstwall/
==========================
* By people of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative
picture: Activists reciting the text to the public.
----------------------------
Pictures at: https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/3809/index.php
Related http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ActQuds/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/againstwall/
==========================
* By people of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative
Friday, October 14, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The joint Friday demonstration of 14-10-05 - a military experimental site again 14 Oct
The Friday demons of today started earlier than usual as the noon prayer the joint demonstration start after ended at noon because of the Ramadan day time fasting. Because of that and because of the stricter blockade of the army which hinder the travel of Israelis to Bil'in, only 10 of the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall initiative were at the beginning of the Demo. About 100 of us - including about 20 internationals, started the march towards the separation fence building route with the creative presentation of the week at the front. Like their new habit the army did not prevent us from reaching a point few meters from the fence route. There, like all along the march, people continued the sounds, the calls and the slogans that were the "music" along the march. We added to them the derogatory calls towards the soldiers and the border policemen about their presence in the occupied territories on the robed lands of Bil'in villagers.
We stayed there about an hour, but near the beginning when the youngsters found there is not going to be there any confrontation, they left the main body of the demo and spread in the olive orchards on the two sides of the road - ready for confrontation with the soldiers if the will invade the ground of the village that were not already confiscated.
However, the army commanders had different plans. The higher level commanders had not come to observe a low intensity demonstration as it was the last few weeks. This Friday demo was intended to show their new tactics and to test the new bullets for dispersing crowds.
Fearing that the village youngsters will not "cooperate" if the army will not attack first the non violent demo or invade the village lands, a group of 7 plain clothes soldiers masquerading as Israeli demonstrators infiltrated among the dispersing village youth. At the proper moment they tried to incite the village youth to start throwing stones on the far away soldiers... and when they failed - they started to throw stones themselves giving the soldiers "justification" to attack and to "arrest" two of the plain clothes soldiers.
And thus, the expected two hour battle of attrition between the stone throwing youth started. This enabled the army to test the new bullets and the new tactic of showering big areas with shots of tear gas canisters. As part of the experiment, and in contradiction with their now defunct strategy of the past, the did not use the start of the stone throwing as a pretext to attack the nonviolent demonstrators.
Thus, the road itself remained a "safe zone" and surprisingly, the soldiers fighting the youngsters did nothing to us (who were watching the on going fight) even when passing one meter near us.
The long nonviolent demonstration and the two hours fight between the soldiers and the village youth enabled the 40 Israelis delayed by the road blocks to arrive in time to have at least part of the activity.
After about two hours of the fight of stones against tear gas and the new bullets, the direction of the wind changed. The huge amount of tear gas showered that was before with no real effect started to move towards us the observers and towards the stone throwers. In addition, after a massive attack of the soldiers on the stone throwers pursuing them up to the building area of the village, they just stopped and went away... so the fun of action was over and we regrouped to the village.
After additional hour during which the it was cleared that the 4 arrested on the way to Bil'in were freed, and that the condition of the two Palestinians and an Israeli injured was found not serious, it really ended.
Part of the Israelis returned to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, while the other part continue to the next mission - protecting the next day(s) Palestinians doing olive picking from harassment by soldiers and settlers.
We stayed there about an hour, but near the beginning when the youngsters found there is not going to be there any confrontation, they left the main body of the demo and spread in the olive orchards on the two sides of the road - ready for confrontation with the soldiers if the will invade the ground of the village that were not already confiscated.
However, the army commanders had different plans. The higher level commanders had not come to observe a low intensity demonstration as it was the last few weeks. This Friday demo was intended to show their new tactics and to test the new bullets for dispersing crowds.
Fearing that the village youngsters will not "cooperate" if the army will not attack first the non violent demo or invade the village lands, a group of 7 plain clothes soldiers masquerading as Israeli demonstrators infiltrated among the dispersing village youth. At the proper moment they tried to incite the village youth to start throwing stones on the far away soldiers... and when they failed - they started to throw stones themselves giving the soldiers "justification" to attack and to "arrest" two of the plain clothes soldiers.
And thus, the expected two hour battle of attrition between the stone throwing youth started. This enabled the army to test the new bullets and the new tactic of showering big areas with shots of tear gas canisters. As part of the experiment, and in contradiction with their now defunct strategy of the past, the did not use the start of the stone throwing as a pretext to attack the nonviolent demonstrators.
Thus, the road itself remained a "safe zone" and surprisingly, the soldiers fighting the youngsters did nothing to us (who were watching the on going fight) even when passing one meter near us.
The long nonviolent demonstration and the two hours fight between the soldiers and the village youth enabled the 40 Israelis delayed by the road blocks to arrive in time to have at least part of the activity.
After about two hours of the fight of stones against tear gas and the new bullets, the direction of the wind changed. The huge amount of tear gas showered that was before with no real effect started to move towards us the observers and towards the stone throwers. In addition, after a massive attack of the soldiers on the stone throwers pursuing them up to the building area of the village, they just stopped and went away... so the fun of action was over and we regrouped to the village.
After additional hour during which the it was cleared that the 4 arrested on the way to Bil'in were freed, and that the condition of the two Palestinians and an Israeli injured was found not serious, it really ended.
Part of the Israelis returned to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, while the other part continue to the next mission - protecting the next day(s) Palestinians doing olive picking from harassment by soldiers and settlers.
Monday, October 10, 2005
US, NYC, Invited for Dinner with a Palestian & Israeli Anarchist - This Saturday 10 Oct
[!!!Please Forward!!!] Don't Miss this Chance!
Come Eat Dinner with Palestinian activist and Israeli anarchist!!
Where: Alwan Center for the Arts 16 Beaver Street, 4th floor. Manhattan
When: Saturday, October 15 6:00pm --- Cost: Free!!
Come hear inspiring stories of resistance and watch footage of actions against the Israeli military shown for the first time in New York City. Ayed Morrar, an activist from the West Bank town of Budrus and Jonathan Pollack, an anarchist from Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall, are going to be in New York to talk about the on-going resistance in Palestine against Israeli occupation.
This is your chance to share in a Ramadan break-the-fast feast with activists who put their lives on the line everyday.
Ayed was active during the 1988 intifada, and was later imprisoned for 6 years for his participation. In 2003, he, along with the other residents of the small village of Budrus, became the first Palestinian town to stop the construction of The Wall and move its path using direct action.
Jonathan and other Israeli anarchists have participated in over 200 anti-Wall actions, putting their lives on the line time and again in one of the only areas in the world where anarchists are consistently (some months, daily) in direct confrontation with the state and have been for over 2 years.
Because Ayed will be fasting for Ramadan, dinner will start as soon as they arrive, so don't be late!!
**Food brought to you by Tamales for the Revolution
Directions to the space:
Take the 4/5 train to Bowling Green.
Walk North on Broadway, and right onto Beaver St. The space is between Broadway and Broad St. at 16 Beaver St. 4th Floor. You can also take the J/M to Broad St. and walk south to Beaver St.
For more information contact ism_nyc@hotmail.com
International Solidarity Movement-NYC
Come Eat Dinner with Palestinian activist and Israeli anarchist!!
Where: Alwan Center for the Arts 16 Beaver Street, 4th floor. Manhattan
When: Saturday, October 15 6:00pm --- Cost: Free!!
Come hear inspiring stories of resistance and watch footage of actions against the Israeli military shown for the first time in New York City. Ayed Morrar, an activist from the West Bank town of Budrus and Jonathan Pollack, an anarchist from Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall, are going to be in New York to talk about the on-going resistance in Palestine against Israeli occupation.
This is your chance to share in a Ramadan break-the-fast feast with activists who put their lives on the line everyday.
Ayed was active during the 1988 intifada, and was later imprisoned for 6 years for his participation. In 2003, he, along with the other residents of the small village of Budrus, became the first Palestinian town to stop the construction of The Wall and move its path using direct action.
Jonathan and other Israeli anarchists have participated in over 200 anti-Wall actions, putting their lives on the line time and again in one of the only areas in the world where anarchists are consistently (some months, daily) in direct confrontation with the state and have been for over 2 years.
Because Ayed will be fasting for Ramadan, dinner will start as soon as they arrive, so don't be late!!
**Food brought to you by Tamales for the Revolution
Directions to the space:
Take the 4/5 train to Bowling Green.
Walk North on Broadway, and right onto Beaver St. The space is between Broadway and Broad St. at 16 Beaver St. 4th Floor. You can also take the J/M to Broad St. and walk south to Beaver St.
For more information contact ism_nyc@hotmail.com
International Solidarity Movement-NYC
Saturday, October 8, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The joint Friday demonstration continue 08 Oct
In spite of the stricter blocking of the roads to Bil'in, the Israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative, and the increased numbers of the wider coalition against the fence and others who join us, succeed to arrive at Bil'in. This Friday, from about 70 Israelis, only 3 were blocked at the road blocks and detained so they could not make it to the demo. Most of the rest, succeeded to enter the region through "unauthorized" entrance and march of about hour or so through the hills.
After a short rest at the house that host us when we are in Bil'in, the early afternoon demonstration was started. With few placards demanding the freedom for the Israeli refusnics, and lot of Palestinian flags intended to be tied to the new metal structure bordering the route of the separation fence, about 200 villagers and Israelis marched to the less visited part of the fence route.
Either because they were caught in surprise, or because the change in policy, they let us reach the metal structure along the route of separation fence. First, the had a line of about 100 soldiers and border police preventing us from touching the massive structure. Later they retreated behind it, with a tacit not declare "agreement" that as long as we do not tie the flags to the structure and only bang on it with not too big stones, the "happening" can continue.
And for nearly an hour, about hundred people - the more "musically" oriented, bunged the long metal structure rising a hell of a noise.
Some time kids and even adults will pick up a real big stones to bung on the structure and were immediately threatened by state force people to stop it or being grabbed. Some times, a verbal confrontation and other "mischievous acts" resulted with detaining of people. A bigger group of about 10 people was detained when one of us was suspected of damaged lightly a part of the structure and the rest tried to prevent his arrest.
Afterwards we started to move slowly along the route - changing the bunging points. This and a verbal communication resulted in the detaining of Mohammed Hatib of the village comity for nonviolence struggle against the fence.
After another hour the demonstration was declared finished and we started to return to the village.... But persistent habits are hard to change... A small group of the state forces entered one of the olive grove of the village as a provocation against the stone throwing youngsters who till that moment have not thrown even one stone. And still, though verbally confronting the force, they did not through any stone. So, a tear gas canister was shot in their direction to remind them their role in the ritual... And it did. So, a short confrontation did started, with lot of tear gas used and even rubber bullets were shot - injuring lightly two youngsters.
Using it as excuse, the army shot a huge volley of tear gas canisters on the main body of the departing people of the demonstration who were watching the some what far confrontation with the youngsters... but we were too far from them and the wind refused to carry the tear gas to our direction.
When the short confrontation ended, we returned to the host house and after 17 of the 18 detainees were released we started the voyage home - Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and some other smaller cities.
One of the Israeli detainees was arrested and was taken to the regional police station at Givat Zeev.
-------------------------------------
A follow up from the againstwall mailing list of late Friday evening:
Hi everybody,
Eli that was arrested today in Bil'in is spending the night in Beit El. They are accusing him of disrupting an investigation and misleading a policeman. The officer in the police station told me they will take care of his vegan needs, quote: "you anarchists - you don't eat anything, from where do you get all this energy to demonstrate?"
He will be brought in front of a judge tomorrow night in the peace court in Jerusalem, in the russian compound (migrash harusim yaani)
Moral support will be most needed. Yossi promises that everyone who comes will be aloud to enter the hall, and will not suffer from the jerusalemite cold. For details about the court hearing call Yossi 052-........ Layla tov or good morning, depends... & forgive my english, I blame the occupation...
A.
After a short rest at the house that host us when we are in Bil'in, the early afternoon demonstration was started. With few placards demanding the freedom for the Israeli refusnics, and lot of Palestinian flags intended to be tied to the new metal structure bordering the route of the separation fence, about 200 villagers and Israelis marched to the less visited part of the fence route.
Either because they were caught in surprise, or because the change in policy, they let us reach the metal structure along the route of separation fence. First, the had a line of about 100 soldiers and border police preventing us from touching the massive structure. Later they retreated behind it, with a tacit not declare "agreement" that as long as we do not tie the flags to the structure and only bang on it with not too big stones, the "happening" can continue.
And for nearly an hour, about hundred people - the more "musically" oriented, bunged the long metal structure rising a hell of a noise.
Some time kids and even adults will pick up a real big stones to bung on the structure and were immediately threatened by state force people to stop it or being grabbed. Some times, a verbal confrontation and other "mischievous acts" resulted with detaining of people. A bigger group of about 10 people was detained when one of us was suspected of damaged lightly a part of the structure and the rest tried to prevent his arrest.
Afterwards we started to move slowly along the route - changing the bunging points. This and a verbal communication resulted in the detaining of Mohammed Hatib of the village comity for nonviolence struggle against the fence.
After another hour the demonstration was declared finished and we started to return to the village.... But persistent habits are hard to change... A small group of the state forces entered one of the olive grove of the village as a provocation against the stone throwing youngsters who till that moment have not thrown even one stone. And still, though verbally confronting the force, they did not through any stone. So, a tear gas canister was shot in their direction to remind them their role in the ritual... And it did. So, a short confrontation did started, with lot of tear gas used and even rubber bullets were shot - injuring lightly two youngsters.
Using it as excuse, the army shot a huge volley of tear gas canisters on the main body of the departing people of the demonstration who were watching the some what far confrontation with the youngsters... but we were too far from them and the wind refused to carry the tear gas to our direction.
When the short confrontation ended, we returned to the host house and after 17 of the 18 detainees were released we started the voyage home - Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and some other smaller cities.
One of the Israeli detainees was arrested and was taken to the regional police station at Givat Zeev.
-------------------------------------
A follow up from the againstwall mailing list of late Friday evening:
Hi everybody,
Eli that was arrested today in Bil'in is spending the night in Beit El. They are accusing him of disrupting an investigation and misleading a policeman. The officer in the police station told me they will take care of his vegan needs, quote: "you anarchists - you don't eat anything, from where do you get all this energy to demonstrate?"
He will be brought in front of a judge tomorrow night in the peace court in Jerusalem, in the russian compound (migrash harusim yaani)
Moral support will be most needed. Yossi promises that everyone who comes will be aloud to enter the hall, and will not suffer from the jerusalemite cold. For details about the court hearing call Yossi 052-........ Layla tov or good morning, depends... & forgive my english, I blame the occupation...
A.
Saturday, October 1, 2005
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in - 30/9/05 - a successful Friday joint demonstration 01 Oct
The continuos and persistent joint struggle of Israelis and Palestinians, its persistence, and wide Israeli and international exposure brought fruits - at least in the behavior of the Israeli state forces. "Rumors" say that the replacement of the battalion and regiment commanders contributed to that change. (Reminder, about a month ago the chief Israeli commander of the region declared that there will not be any more joint Israeli and Palestinians demonstrations in Bil'in. For two weeks the confrontation was intense - including one Friday of curfew and one of "only" lot of suppression efforts - meaning tear gas, shock grenades and arrests.. But instead of preventing the demos it drew lot of Israelis to Bil'in and lot of media cover not friendly to the state forces. Then the demonstrations resumed with much less repression than before.)
Though the intensive efforts to prevent Israelis from arriving to Bil'in Friday demos continue, the behavior of the state forces seems to be milder.
Some of the "outsiders" - Israelis and spanish guests, came already Thursday night to be sure that at least few of us will be in the joint demo and to not need to march through rough terrain around state forces road blocks.
At Friday, most of the Israelis were blocked on entering to the region but long marches enabled most of us to arrive at Bil'in in time before the demo started. Even the less lucky rest arrived in time to participate in the prolonged demonstration.
The demonstration started as usual from the center of the village just after the noon prayer at the mosque - a march through the village main road towards the route of the fence building.
As usual, in the front lead the creative design structure of the week - to make the week after week demos more lively and catch the interest of the media. After it - about 200 people, the usual people - Palestinians from the Bil'in village (more than 10% of the adult males of the 1700 inhabitants), few people from neighboring villages, internationals of the ISM, Israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative together with others of the broader coalition against the fence - from both the Jerusalem and the greater Tel Aviv regions.
When we arrived to the fringes of the village built are, we had a big surprise. The road block and the Israeli state forces that used to block us there every Friday for many weeks, was not there. So we continued our march along the road leading to the fence building site - where the state forces were waiting for us.... but half way there we gave them a big surprise - we spread widely and continue to march through the olive orchards towards the building fence rout, but a bit to the North.
The half hearted efforts to block the demonstration failed, and many of us continued with the momentum to a hill on the other side of the route. After a long stand still, the demonstrators regrouped on their own initiative to the shade of the olive trees adjacent to the fence route on the Bil'in side.
And thus, the demonstration continued for long with light hearts so even the late comers could participate in it.
As the demonstration was not blocked at the margin of the village built area, and as there was not any act of state forces to suppress the demonstration, the attrition fight between the village youth (stones) and the state forces (tear gas and shock grenades, and rubber bullets) did not happened.
It was a bit strange to the persistent participants of the Friday demos in Bil'in to have a demo that got nearly free access to the route of the fence in building, with the whole of it without any grenade or a shot... and without any one arrested or even detained.
The anxious few new comers Israelis experienced the lack of tear gas and shock grenades as bordering on disappointment ('=)
In the early Friday evening radio news they reported - probably from the "proud" army spoke person, that the demonstration in Bil'in passed peacefully as the "demonstrators behaved peacefully".
(Of course a big lie as all the 70 or so Israelis were trespassing on a declared military zone forbidden for us - mostly out foxing heavy patrols preventing our access, and the demonstration participants disregard the state force protests and pushing and "tramped" on the forbidden building route of the fence... But it was a way to satisfy the broad media and people who object to the previous high handed suppression of demonstrations.)
As no one was detained or arrested, we even got home an hour earlier.
Though the intensive efforts to prevent Israelis from arriving to Bil'in Friday demos continue, the behavior of the state forces seems to be milder.
Some of the "outsiders" - Israelis and spanish guests, came already Thursday night to be sure that at least few of us will be in the joint demo and to not need to march through rough terrain around state forces road blocks.
At Friday, most of the Israelis were blocked on entering to the region but long marches enabled most of us to arrive at Bil'in in time before the demo started. Even the less lucky rest arrived in time to participate in the prolonged demonstration.
The demonstration started as usual from the center of the village just after the noon prayer at the mosque - a march through the village main road towards the route of the fence building.
As usual, in the front lead the creative design structure of the week - to make the week after week demos more lively and catch the interest of the media. After it - about 200 people, the usual people - Palestinians from the Bil'in village (more than 10% of the adult males of the 1700 inhabitants), few people from neighboring villages, internationals of the ISM, Israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative together with others of the broader coalition against the fence - from both the Jerusalem and the greater Tel Aviv regions.
When we arrived to the fringes of the village built are, we had a big surprise. The road block and the Israeli state forces that used to block us there every Friday for many weeks, was not there. So we continued our march along the road leading to the fence building site - where the state forces were waiting for us.... but half way there we gave them a big surprise - we spread widely and continue to march through the olive orchards towards the building fence rout, but a bit to the North.
The half hearted efforts to block the demonstration failed, and many of us continued with the momentum to a hill on the other side of the route. After a long stand still, the demonstrators regrouped on their own initiative to the shade of the olive trees adjacent to the fence route on the Bil'in side.
And thus, the demonstration continued for long with light hearts so even the late comers could participate in it.
As the demonstration was not blocked at the margin of the village built area, and as there was not any act of state forces to suppress the demonstration, the attrition fight between the village youth (stones) and the state forces (tear gas and shock grenades, and rubber bullets) did not happened.
It was a bit strange to the persistent participants of the Friday demos in Bil'in to have a demo that got nearly free access to the route of the fence in building, with the whole of it without any grenade or a shot... and without any one arrested or even detained.
The anxious few new comers Israelis experienced the lack of tear gas and shock grenades as bordering on disappointment ('=)
In the early Friday evening radio news they reported - probably from the "proud" army spoke person, that the demonstration in Bil'in passed peacefully as the "demonstrators behaved peacefully".
(Of course a big lie as all the 70 or so Israelis were trespassing on a declared military zone forbidden for us - mostly out foxing heavy patrols preventing our access, and the demonstration participants disregard the state force protests and pushing and "tramped" on the forbidden building route of the fence... But it was a way to satisfy the broad media and people who object to the previous high handed suppression of demonstrations.)
As no one was detained or arrested, we even got home an hour earlier.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
France: Video showing and debate with "Anarchists Against the Wall", Dijon 1-10-05 [fr] 29 Sep
As we have just learned that 2 militants from the Anarchists Against the Wall initiative (who do direct actions against the "Apartheid Wall" and the Israeli occupation in Palestine) will be passing through Dijon, the "Collectif PASSION & Affinités" invites you to a meeting at the Local Libertaire, 61 Rue Jeannin in Dijon on Saturday 1st October 2005. The evening will begin at 7.00pm with an aperitif and toast. Our two guests will then give a short history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and then provide us with an account of their direct experiences in the struggle against the separation wall, and give us an up-to-date acount of the situation, from their unique perspective.
They will also be showing a video documentary, which shows a direct action by the "Anarchists Against the Wall" against the separation barrier, during which the [Israeli] army shot at Israeli demonstrators with live ammunition for the first time ever, seriously injuring one.
Obviously, this evening will be an excellent opportunity to find out more and we hope there will be a lively debate!
A poster for the evening can be downloaded at: http://brassicanigra.org/infos/ACLM-Dijon-20051001-poster.pdf
--
brassicanigra.org
archiving & documentation on libertarian struggles in Dijon
List: http://brassicanigra.org/mailman/listinfo/brassicaliste
From: brassicanigra.org
To: a-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Translation by nmcn/ainfos
They will also be showing a video documentary, which shows a direct action by the "Anarchists Against the Wall" against the separation barrier, during which the [Israeli] army shot at Israeli demonstrators with live ammunition for the first time ever, seriously injuring one.
Obviously, this evening will be an excellent opportunity to find out more and we hope there will be a lively debate!
A poster for the evening can be downloaded at: http://brassicanigra.org/infos/ACLM-Dijon-20051001-poster.pdf
--
brassicanigra.org
archiving & documentation on libertarian struggles in Dijon
List: http://brassicanigra.org/mailman/listinfo/brassicaliste
From: brassicanigra.org
To: a-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Translation by nmcn/ainfos
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