Today's invasion of Jericho with the tacit cooperation of the British and American governments had one predictable outcome. That is, the increase in animosity towards foreigners and the further isolation of Palestinians from the rest of the world. The Israeli government makes no secret of its wishes to isolate Palestinians and apparently they don't mind shedding blood to do so.
Those of us who have supported the Palestinian popular struggle have also felt these attempts to isolate Palestinians first hand. The army's efforts to prevent Israelis from joining Palestinians in demonstrations are another aspect of the same oppressive policy which led to the invasion. Our response to these efforts has been to continue to challenge them and insist on our right to demonstrate and our duty to support Palestinians. When we did persist we always managed to overcome the army and join the demonstrations. Our response to this latest provocation should be as always, to continue with our support, to not walk away from our partners and from our joint struggle which has been one of the few positive development of the recent years.
In addition the court cases of Bil'in against the construction of Modi'in Ilit on the village's lands will start tomorrow (Wednesday). It is important to continue the pressure while the case is in court.
Please make every effort to join the Friday demonstrations this week. Please register with us before Thursday evening.
If you are coming from Tel Aviv please call Shay From Jerusalem, call Sa'ar Thank you.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Israel, Tel-Aviv, Demonstration against Iisraeli war mongering in Jericho 14 Mar 2006
Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc) : "URGENT - demo at 7 (NOW!) Defence Ministry T-A old place Kaplan street Anarchists initiated it, Women's Coalition came up with the slogan "Kadima to War" - everybody to participate
>> [againstwall] URGENT: DEMO TODAY INFRONT OF HAKIRYA, 19.00:
Kadima to War
Olmert is leading us to another bloody war!
A Demonstration today, 19.00, infront of the ministery of defence in Tel Aviv against the IDF invaison to Jericho
for the release of all political prisoners.
for more details
Yana
Yossi
Media report:
Left activists demonstrate in Tel Aviv against the action in Jericho
Tuseday, 14 March 2006, 20:56 Walla editors tens of left activists demonstrate in front of the defence (war) compaund in Tel Aviv in protest of the activity in Jerico.
In the Kol Israel (public radio broadcasting) was reported that in parallel to them demonstrated a small group of the Baruch Marzel people (the exreme fascists racists).
>> [againstwall] URGENT: DEMO TODAY INFRONT OF HAKIRYA, 19.00:
Kadima to War
Olmert is leading us to another bloody war!
A Demonstration today, 19.00, infront of the ministery of defence in Tel Aviv against the IDF invaison to Jericho
for the release of all political prisoners.
for more details
Yana
Yossi
Media report:
Left activists demonstrate in Tel Aviv against the action in Jericho
Tuseday, 14 March 2006, 20:56 Walla editors tens of left activists demonstrate in front of the defence (war) compaund in Tel Aviv in protest of the activity in Jerico.
In the Kol Israel (public radio broadcasting) was reported that in parallel to them demonstrated a small group of the Baruch Marzel people (the exreme fascists racists).
Friday, March 10, 2006
Palestine-Israel, Media, The joint struggle against the separation fence contine - Friday 10-03-06
The joined struggle of villages popular comities and the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall initiative continued this Friday with two demonstrations: The Abud village was not included this Friday as there is in force a Highest Court stay - blocking the work of the separation fence there for two weeks. The Bil'in traditiional Friday regained the creative thema mood with a huge coffine. In Beit-Seera village the struggle continued in spite of the harsh repression applied by the state forces trying to prevent the devolopment of a second Bil'in style arena.
Following are Israeli Media on the injury of Matan Cohen* two weeks ago at the Beit-Seera Friday demo [1], and a Bannoura-IMEMC report on last Friday's tween demos [2]:
[1] Injured anti-fence 'anarchist' speaks out - ynetnews.com
Matah Cohen* has sustained eye injuries while protesting the security fence near Ramallah; Says: 'I feel like the blood of Left-wing activists is cheap'
Meital Yasur Beit-Or
Matan Cohen, 17, from Tel Aviv, and a member of the "Anarchists Against the Fence" organization, was injured while demonstrating against the security fence near Ramallah.
"My feeling is that the blood of Left-wing activists and the Palestinians is cheap," he said.
Cohen was shot by Border Police and injured in his eye, and has been hospitalized in the Tel Hashomer Medical Center since Friday.
If bleeding does not stop within 24 hours, Cohen will undergo surgery. In either case, doctors believe his eye has sustained damage. In the best case, his visual range will be affected, and in the worst case, he would lose complete vision in the eye. "Up until now I can't see out of the eye, and they'll be able to see if there's damage only in a few days. I'm worried about damage in my eye and I really hope the bleeding stops," said Cohen.
Cohen sustained an injury to his eye (Photo: Yaron Brenner)
Members of the organization have begun documenting their demonstrations due to past experiences with violence. "We have recordings of an army commander who said that he doesn't want the situation to turn violent, and who tried to calm things down, saying not to shoot. But a Border Police is also heard saying 'shoot everyone one of them with a rubber bullet.' When I was shot I was standing with three people, within around a 20 meter range from a Border Police force. We said: 'Don't shoot, we are not threatening you and we are not endangering you,' but they opened fire, and also directed it to the head, violating all of their rules of engagement. I felt the impact in the eye, and with the remainder of my strength, I managed to run from them. My entire hand and head were filled with blood," said Cohen.
'No connection to Amona'
Cohen says there is no connection between violence of soldiers against Right-wing demonstrators in Amona and Left-wing demonstrators: "In our demonstrations, they shoot live bullets in order to kill. In Right-wing demonstrations, no gas or shock grenades have ever been thrown. This is violence which is many times larger. The feeling is our blood is cheap. But violence which takes place when the life of a police officer is not under threat should be condemned, it doesn't matter from which side it occurs."
Three soldiers and Border Police officers were injured by rocks thrown at them. One police officer was taken to hospital.
According to police, two disturbances of the peace took place on Friday in the Ramallah area, as part of protests against the construction of the security fence. Hundreds of Palestinians, Left-wing activists, and foreigners took part in the disturbances, whom entered a closed military zone. Demonstrators threw rocks at security forces, who responded with crowd dispersal means.
Cohen, who completed his high school studies, has been taking part in protests against the route of the fence for three years, and says he witnessed harsh violence on the part of soldiers and Police officers. "The approach is that it's legitimate to fire at demonstrators, even when they are nonviolent. The IDF and Border Police use live ammunition, tear gas, and rubber bullets, and hundreds of people have been injured in this period. In yesterday's demonstration another 11 Palestinians were injured, one of them was even operated on at a hospital in Ramallah," he said.
--------------------------
[2]
Residents, Israelis and International peace activists protest against the annexation Wall Saed Bannoura-IMEMC & Agencies - Friday, 10 March 2006, 19:14
Image Several residents, Israeli and International peace activists and a reporter were injured, on Friday afternoon, during protests against the annexation Wall in the villages of Beit Seera and Bil'in, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Soldiers attacked the peaceful processions in the two villages and fired rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs at the protesters before attacking them with batons.
The Maan News Agency reported that Abbas Al Momany, a local reporter working with an international news agency was hospitalized after suffering a rubber-coated bullet injury in his head.
Also, a medical source at the Red Crescent Society reported that four residents identified as Abdul-Nasser Abu Rahma, 17, Mustafa Jamil Abu Rahma, 13, Sameer Burnat, 33, and Rateb Abu Rahma, 40, were among the protesters injured during the procession.
The source added that soldiers fired rubber-coated bullets at the ambulance causing damage to its windows.
The protesters carried a symbolic 10-meter coffin wrapped with a white cloth representing the villages strangled by the Wall.
"The deceased: residents of Bil'in and villages surrounded by the Wall, Cause of death: The Annexation Wall, Time: 2006, Place; Palestine", was written on the coffin.
One of the protesters said that this coffin symbolizes the Palestinian villages that are strangled by the Wall and the residents who became isolated and unable to reach their orchards, their only source of livelihood.
"We are here to resist, and continue our resistance against this Wall that annexed 2300 Dunams of the orchards in Bil'in”, the protester stated, "They annexed 60% of our orchards and isolated them behind the Wall, they want to starve and isolate us in our villages”.
He added that the protesters want to convey a message to the world that settlements and the Wall are annexing the orchards, the only source of livelihood of the residents.
David Nier, member of an Israeli movement against the Wall, said that the Israelis who came to the protest with the residents, are here to protest against the Wall that isolated the residents and made their lives hard and bitter.
A Palestinian protester [Ranny], sitting on his wheelchair, said that he was injured and paralyzed by the Israeli army during the first Intifada, and that he came today to Bil'in to protest against the annexation wall and the Israeli policy of land grab and apartheid.
"Each time I protest I inhale gas fired by the army”, he said, “But I, as well as every Palestinian, am determined to protest against Israel's policy of segregation”.
Meanwhile, an Israeli army source claimed that six soldiers were mildly injured during the clashes.
Local, Israeli and International peace activists confirmed that troops violently attacked the peaceful protesters and attempted to bar them from reaching the construction site of the Wall.
---------------------------------------
* Matan Cohen is long time member of the Israeli Anarchists Aagainst The Wall initiative who was on a speacking towr in Europe last Summer. After his injury was all over the media he was also intreviewd in main radio and TV channels.
** Rateb Abu-Rahma is a social work and psychology professor of the Palestinian Bir Zeit university.
Following are Israeli Media on the injury of Matan Cohen* two weeks ago at the Beit-Seera Friday demo [1], and a Bannoura-IMEMC report on last Friday's tween demos [2]:
[1] Injured anti-fence 'anarchist' speaks out - ynetnews.com
Matah Cohen* has sustained eye injuries while protesting the security fence near Ramallah; Says: 'I feel like the blood of Left-wing activists is cheap'
Meital Yasur Beit-Or
Matan Cohen, 17, from Tel Aviv, and a member of the "Anarchists Against the Fence" organization, was injured while demonstrating against the security fence near Ramallah.
"My feeling is that the blood of Left-wing activists and the Palestinians is cheap," he said.
Cohen was shot by Border Police and injured in his eye, and has been hospitalized in the Tel Hashomer Medical Center since Friday.
If bleeding does not stop within 24 hours, Cohen will undergo surgery. In either case, doctors believe his eye has sustained damage. In the best case, his visual range will be affected, and in the worst case, he would lose complete vision in the eye. "Up until now I can't see out of the eye, and they'll be able to see if there's damage only in a few days. I'm worried about damage in my eye and I really hope the bleeding stops," said Cohen.
Cohen sustained an injury to his eye (Photo: Yaron Brenner)
Members of the organization have begun documenting their demonstrations due to past experiences with violence. "We have recordings of an army commander who said that he doesn't want the situation to turn violent, and who tried to calm things down, saying not to shoot. But a Border Police is also heard saying 'shoot everyone one of them with a rubber bullet.' When I was shot I was standing with three people, within around a 20 meter range from a Border Police force. We said: 'Don't shoot, we are not threatening you and we are not endangering you,' but they opened fire, and also directed it to the head, violating all of their rules of engagement. I felt the impact in the eye, and with the remainder of my strength, I managed to run from them. My entire hand and head were filled with blood," said Cohen.
'No connection to Amona'
Cohen says there is no connection between violence of soldiers against Right-wing demonstrators in Amona and Left-wing demonstrators: "In our demonstrations, they shoot live bullets in order to kill. In Right-wing demonstrations, no gas or shock grenades have ever been thrown. This is violence which is many times larger. The feeling is our blood is cheap. But violence which takes place when the life of a police officer is not under threat should be condemned, it doesn't matter from which side it occurs."
Three soldiers and Border Police officers were injured by rocks thrown at them. One police officer was taken to hospital.
According to police, two disturbances of the peace took place on Friday in the Ramallah area, as part of protests against the construction of the security fence. Hundreds of Palestinians, Left-wing activists, and foreigners took part in the disturbances, whom entered a closed military zone. Demonstrators threw rocks at security forces, who responded with crowd dispersal means.
Cohen, who completed his high school studies, has been taking part in protests against the route of the fence for three years, and says he witnessed harsh violence on the part of soldiers and Police officers. "The approach is that it's legitimate to fire at demonstrators, even when they are nonviolent. The IDF and Border Police use live ammunition, tear gas, and rubber bullets, and hundreds of people have been injured in this period. In yesterday's demonstration another 11 Palestinians were injured, one of them was even operated on at a hospital in Ramallah," he said.
--------------------------
[2]
Residents, Israelis and International peace activists protest against the annexation Wall Saed Bannoura-IMEMC & Agencies - Friday, 10 March 2006, 19:14
Image Several residents, Israeli and International peace activists and a reporter were injured, on Friday afternoon, during protests against the annexation Wall in the villages of Beit Seera and Bil'in, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Soldiers attacked the peaceful processions in the two villages and fired rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs at the protesters before attacking them with batons.
The Maan News Agency reported that Abbas Al Momany, a local reporter working with an international news agency was hospitalized after suffering a rubber-coated bullet injury in his head.
Also, a medical source at the Red Crescent Society reported that four residents identified as Abdul-Nasser Abu Rahma, 17, Mustafa Jamil Abu Rahma, 13, Sameer Burnat, 33, and Rateb Abu Rahma, 40, were among the protesters injured during the procession.
The source added that soldiers fired rubber-coated bullets at the ambulance causing damage to its windows.
The protesters carried a symbolic 10-meter coffin wrapped with a white cloth representing the villages strangled by the Wall.
"The deceased: residents of Bil'in and villages surrounded by the Wall, Cause of death: The Annexation Wall, Time: 2006, Place; Palestine", was written on the coffin.
One of the protesters said that this coffin symbolizes the Palestinian villages that are strangled by the Wall and the residents who became isolated and unable to reach their orchards, their only source of livelihood.
"We are here to resist, and continue our resistance against this Wall that annexed 2300 Dunams of the orchards in Bil'in”, the protester stated, "They annexed 60% of our orchards and isolated them behind the Wall, they want to starve and isolate us in our villages”.
He added that the protesters want to convey a message to the world that settlements and the Wall are annexing the orchards, the only source of livelihood of the residents.
David Nier, member of an Israeli movement against the Wall, said that the Israelis who came to the protest with the residents, are here to protest against the Wall that isolated the residents and made their lives hard and bitter.
A Palestinian protester [Ranny], sitting on his wheelchair, said that he was injured and paralyzed by the Israeli army during the first Intifada, and that he came today to Bil'in to protest against the annexation wall and the Israeli policy of land grab and apartheid.
"Each time I protest I inhale gas fired by the army”, he said, “But I, as well as every Palestinian, am determined to protest against Israel's policy of segregation”.
Meanwhile, an Israeli army source claimed that six soldiers were mildly injured during the clashes.
Local, Israeli and International peace activists confirmed that troops violently attacked the peaceful protesters and attempted to bar them from reaching the construction site of the Wall.
---------------------------------------
* Matan Cohen is long time member of the Israeli Anarchists Aagainst The Wall initiative who was on a speacking towr in Europe last Summer. After his injury was all over the media he was also intreviewd in main radio and TV channels.
** Rateb Abu-Rahma is a social work and psychology professor of the Palestinian Bir Zeit university.
Monday, March 6, 2006
Palestine-Israel: 3 demonstrations against the Apartheid Wall - Bil'in/Beit Sira, Abud, Tulkarem 06 Mar 2006
This Friday, 3 demos took place simultaneously against the apartheid wall. A direct action took place in Bil'in earlier in the morning where 10 activists (Palestinian/ Israeli and internationals) chained themselves to the fence until forcefully removed by the IDF.
The usual Friday protest then took place at 12 o'clock. Most of the Israeli activists were diverted from Bil'in to Beit Sira after the morning direct action with only a handful of Anarchists Against the Wall (AATW) members remaining in Bil'in for a smaller demonstration. Following the protest, as a response to the ritualistic stone-throwing of the shabab (youth), the army entered the village and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at anybody who was outside, but also into houses.
Success at Abud, where protestors took copies of the newly-issued Supreme Court cease-work order issued for the next two weeks. The soldiers reacted with tear gas but as soon as the order was shown to them they relented and made sure the fence's construction was halted.
In Beit Sira a large number of Palestinian protestors showed up, as well as 15 Israelis and members of the Bil'in village committee to face off only 30 IDF border police. Last week, the IDF violently suppressed the Beit Sira protest, shooting rubber bullets at close range (as near as 10-15m), leading to the wounding of 14 protestors including a Palestinian whose kidney was penetrated by a rubber bullet, and an Israeli who was shot in the eye. This week the army kept its cool, even though more protesters showed up than were expected, and they had to call for reinforcements from the Bil'in units. No rubber bullets were fired, but tear gas and stun grenades were used to disperse the demo. One Israeli activist was hit by a stone thrown by the shabab and received stitches.
On Saturday 3rd March, a few representatives of the AATW joined a small demonstration in Tulkarem against the Jbara checkpoint. The checkpoint sits on the one road which still connects a small village called Hirbet Jbara to the outside world. For a few years, the village has been completely surrounded by the wall and its inhabitants live in a literal jail.
The handful of soldiers at the checkpoint were shocked and unprepared for the demonstration. Unable to control the crowed they panicked and shot live rounds into the air. The demonstrators held their ground and after making their point for about an hour decided to head back.
Although the demonstration was small, it was significant for a few reasons. It is the beginning of a new initiative for joint popular struggle in Tulkarem inspired by the efforts of the Bil'in committee. The organizers say that there are plans to repeat it every Saturday. Most of the demonstrators from Tulkarem were from the general women's union. Given how under-represented women are in many Palestinian demonstrations, this is an important sign. The Palestinian media at least seemed quite interested in the demonstration, the Tulkarem television station aired a report on the demonstration and the Al-Ayyam newspaper wrote a story.
M.
The usual Friday protest then took place at 12 o'clock. Most of the Israeli activists were diverted from Bil'in to Beit Sira after the morning direct action with only a handful of Anarchists Against the Wall (AATW) members remaining in Bil'in for a smaller demonstration. Following the protest, as a response to the ritualistic stone-throwing of the shabab (youth), the army entered the village and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at anybody who was outside, but also into houses.
Success at Abud, where protestors took copies of the newly-issued Supreme Court cease-work order issued for the next two weeks. The soldiers reacted with tear gas but as soon as the order was shown to them they relented and made sure the fence's construction was halted.
In Beit Sira a large number of Palestinian protestors showed up, as well as 15 Israelis and members of the Bil'in village committee to face off only 30 IDF border police. Last week, the IDF violently suppressed the Beit Sira protest, shooting rubber bullets at close range (as near as 10-15m), leading to the wounding of 14 protestors including a Palestinian whose kidney was penetrated by a rubber bullet, and an Israeli who was shot in the eye. This week the army kept its cool, even though more protesters showed up than were expected, and they had to call for reinforcements from the Bil'in units. No rubber bullets were fired, but tear gas and stun grenades were used to disperse the demo. One Israeli activist was hit by a stone thrown by the shabab and received stitches.
On Saturday 3rd March, a few representatives of the AATW joined a small demonstration in Tulkarem against the Jbara checkpoint. The checkpoint sits on the one road which still connects a small village called Hirbet Jbara to the outside world. For a few years, the village has been completely surrounded by the wall and its inhabitants live in a literal jail.
The handful of soldiers at the checkpoint were shocked and unprepared for the demonstration. Unable to control the crowed they panicked and shot live rounds into the air. The demonstrators held their ground and after making their point for about an hour decided to head back.
Although the demonstration was small, it was significant for a few reasons. It is the beginning of a new initiative for joint popular struggle in Tulkarem inspired by the efforts of the Bil'in committee. The organizers say that there are plans to repeat it every Saturday. Most of the demonstrators from Tulkarem were from the general women's union. Given how under-represented women are in many Palestinian demonstrations, this is an important sign. The Palestinian media at least seemed quite interested in the demonstration, the Tulkarem television station aired a report on the demonstration and the Al-Ayyam newspaper wrote a story.
M.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Palestine-Israel: Four Anarchists Against The Wall members arrested, beaten at an anti-IDF violence demo [it] 28 Feb 2006
Saturday 25/02/06, Tel Aviv - 150 activists demonstrated outside the Kiria army base in Tel Aviv in response to the violence of the IDF and the police in anti-wall demonstrations, as seen in the shooting of 17-year-old Anarchists Against The Wall member, Matan Cohen. Matan was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet at an anti-wall demo the previous day. Four protesters were arrested and beaten by the police. AATW is now demanding an immediate investigation into "the use of unnecessary force by the security forces on activists".
In 2003, AATW activist Gil Na'amati was shot in the leg by security forces while protesting against the wall in the village of Mas'ha. Na'amati and an American protester were shot and wounded while trying to cut a section the apartheid fence. After a lengthy investigation, none of the soldiers or commanders involved in the shooting were prosecuted.
Ed. note: Matan has had surgery to remove a blood clot from his eye. It is still unclear if he will be able to see again, or not.
In 2003, AATW activist Gil Na'amati was shot in the leg by security forces while protesting against the wall in the village of Mas'ha. Na'amati and an American protester were shot and wounded while trying to cut a section the apartheid fence. After a lengthy investigation, none of the soldiers or commanders involved in the shooting were prosecuted.
Ed. note: Matan has had surgery to remove a blood clot from his eye. It is still unclear if he will be able to see again, or not.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle against the separation fence continue in Bil'in, Abud, Beit-Sira 24-02-06
Because Bil'in is in the focus of media, the demonstration there was very peaceful - even more than ever. Half hearted efforts of state forces could not prevent the Israelis from arriving to the demo in Bil'in or the other villages. In Bil'in we started the march march at noon with about 100 people - 70 Palestinians, about 15 Israelis organized by the anarchists against the wall initiative, and about 15 internationals. We took the road to the less visited section of the fence where the armed forces of Israel were not expecting us. When we came near the fence route about 50 of us rushed to the fence - a minute before the running soldiers who had to come fast from the usual place we meet every Friday... Taking advantage of an Eastern wind that blew towards the state forces, we ignited many cars tiers taken from a garbage dump the heavy smoke was added to the tiredness of the soldiers.
What ever the reason, the state forces just kept us from entering the fence route, and let us bang as much as we wanted on the rails of the fence bordering the route.
After a while, we marched and banged along the route to the usual place where there is a gate and passages to the other side of the fence. There we had a low intensity confrontation with the state forces till ending the demo.
Even the traditional confrontation between the soldiers tear gas and the stone thrower youngsters was very mild: three tear gas canisters with no pursuit and no much more from the stone throwers.
In Abud and Beit-Sira the story was entirely different.
In Abud the demonstration march was of about 100 villagers and 10 Israelis and internationals. At about one kilometer from the point the works on the separation fence are done, civilian guards blocked the demo with live ammunition shooting... to whom joined very soon the state forces who did the same with the edition of tear gas and shock grenades. However, till the end of the demo there was not reported on any injury.
The inflammation occurred in Beit-Sira.
The struggle in Beit-Sira intensified last two weeks, with not just Friday demo. Yesterday, a stormy demo resulted with the injury of few Palestinians and the arrest of two Israelis. A short report of a comrade said:
"Item about the demo in Beit Sira tonight on Channel 1 (of public TV) will be broadcast on mabat (main news program), starting at 21:00. the palestinians who were wounded from rubber bullets are back home from the hospital. jonathan and kobi who got arrested were released..."
Today - Friday noon, in parallel to the demos in Bil'in and Abud, another demonstration was in Beit-Sira. About 300 people - among them 10 Israelis and internationals. Along the march to the route of the fence, state forces in cars "accompanied" the demo. People from the demo tried to block these cars which resulted with harsh response of the state forces.
When the march arrived near its destination, the state forces made a line the demo people confronted. rough pushes as the first step. Shock and tear gas grenades from one side and stones from the other. And escalation to shower of rubber bullets causing lot of damage. About 6 Palestinians and one Israeli were rushed to treatment in hospitals.
A note sent by a comrade:
"hi everybody, in case you're not updated i thought its important we'll all know: In Beit-Sira demo today Matan hakatan was shot by robber bullet both in the leg and in his eye.. At the moment he is still in the hospital and its not clear yet how bad is the damage.
The repression today included gas and rubber bullets, around 14 injured from rubber bullets and of course much more from the gas...."
What ever the reason, the state forces just kept us from entering the fence route, and let us bang as much as we wanted on the rails of the fence bordering the route.
After a while, we marched and banged along the route to the usual place where there is a gate and passages to the other side of the fence. There we had a low intensity confrontation with the state forces till ending the demo.
Even the traditional confrontation between the soldiers tear gas and the stone thrower youngsters was very mild: three tear gas canisters with no pursuit and no much more from the stone throwers.
In Abud and Beit-Sira the story was entirely different.
In Abud the demonstration march was of about 100 villagers and 10 Israelis and internationals. At about one kilometer from the point the works on the separation fence are done, civilian guards blocked the demo with live ammunition shooting... to whom joined very soon the state forces who did the same with the edition of tear gas and shock grenades. However, till the end of the demo there was not reported on any injury.
The inflammation occurred in Beit-Sira.
The struggle in Beit-Sira intensified last two weeks, with not just Friday demo. Yesterday, a stormy demo resulted with the injury of few Palestinians and the arrest of two Israelis. A short report of a comrade said:
"Item about the demo in Beit Sira tonight on Channel 1 (of public TV) will be broadcast on mabat (main news program), starting at 21:00. the palestinians who were wounded from rubber bullets are back home from the hospital. jonathan and kobi who got arrested were released..."
Today - Friday noon, in parallel to the demos in Bil'in and Abud, another demonstration was in Beit-Sira. About 300 people - among them 10 Israelis and internationals. Along the march to the route of the fence, state forces in cars "accompanied" the demo. People from the demo tried to block these cars which resulted with harsh response of the state forces.
When the march arrived near its destination, the state forces made a line the demo people confronted. rough pushes as the first step. Shock and tear gas grenades from one side and stones from the other. And escalation to shower of rubber bullets causing lot of damage. About 6 Palestinians and one Israeli were rushed to treatment in hospitals.
A note sent by a comrade:
"hi everybody, in case you're not updated i thought its important we'll all know: In Beit-Sira demo today Matan hakatan was shot by robber bullet both in the leg and in his eye.. At the moment he is still in the hospital and its not clear yet how bad is the damage.
The repression today included gas and rubber bullets, around 14 injured from rubber bullets and of course much more from the gas...."
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Palestine-Israel: The conference in Bil'in and the strange cooperation of the anarchists with capitalist and "nationalist" ruling elites 23 Feb 2006
Though more a colonialist settler project than a normal form of colonial rule, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has some similarity with "regular" colonialism, and more so at the present stage of global capitalism and local (regional) capitalism. It is not strange that in a world of de-colonization and globalized capitalism, the last remaining colonial projects still in existence are under pressure to come to an end. It is even so in regions where, for example, the colonial aspect was, or is, mixed with nationalist repression (like in Ireland, Turkey and Israel/Palestine) and is subject more to international pressure to end when it involves settler colonialism in progress (like in Indonesia and Israel).
In the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although the settler colonialist nature of colonialism was dominant, the first step towards de-colonization was still copied from other capitalist states - compromise with the exiled leadership of the "national liberation movements".
As in other parts (and more so in Algeria, where the cost of suppressing the local uprising became too great) the co-opting of the exiled leadership seemed to be the first choice. Thus, like the French pact with the exiled leadership of the FLN, Israel tried to reach a pact with the exiled leadership of the PLO. However, the transfer of power to the leadership of de-colonized countries that worked in most places, failed in the Israeli-Palestinian case. It could not succeed here as the forces interested in the continuation of settler colonialism were not defeated completely, and the "de-colonization" steps were very limited.
It is by no means strange that there is support for the end of colonial rule from a large section of Israeli capitalists, given that it has become an economic burden for them. It is not even out of the question that this section of the capitalist elite will support/cooperate - like in other countries - with radicals who struggle against the continuation of colonial rule by their countries over other countries. It is, however, a bit strange when the cooperation/support is given in the case of Israel to an initiative by the name of "Anarchists Against The Wall" (AATW). It is even stranger when the anarchists enter into intensive cooperation with the media... which so often tries hard not to express open support for the Anarchists. And it is very strange indeed when the whole radical left follows the initiative of the Anarchists who organize the weekly struggle in the Palestinian village Bil'in together with the local popular committee.
Is not so strange, however, that the anarchists enter such cooperation when people understand how the colonialist situation, and more so the settler colonialist one, makes it hard to struggle against the "colonization" of the minds of the working people by capitalist ideology.
The struggle of anti-authoritarian anti-capitalists against the colonialism of other states by the ruling elites of their own countries is of more benefit in the de-colonization of the minds of people in their communities than in the de-colonization of the people of the colonies, by replacing external rule with that of a local elite which often make their lives worse.
And the strange situation in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle provides us with a unique opportunity to struggle for the freedom of the minds of the Israeli working people.
In a way, the strange situation is the result of the impasse in the decolonization of the Palestinian regions colonized by Israel after the 1967 war.
It is not so strange that efforts to co-opt the exiled Palestinian leadership of the PLO failed, as the de-colonization of a half-successful settler colonialist project involves much more than a shift between sections of the mainly monolithic capitalist elite.
And the process became stuck because Israel refused to give the PLO leadership enough power and resources to enable them to replace the resistance of the more radical rebels, who refuse to let go of the struggle against remnants of the settler colonial project in the regions conquered in the 1967 war. Israel refused to give the PLO the necessary resources because the change in the balance of power and interests within the Israeli elite was not radical enough - those who had an interest in seeing a continuation of as much settler colonialism as possible were still too strong.
It is no surprise that the authoritarians of the left (including Leninists and Maoists) became partners of the nationalist capitalist elite that led the "national liberation" of the colonies or in the Israeli-Palestinian case. However, what does need some explanation is the cooperation of the anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist left in Israel with willing partners in the "Palestinian national liberation" area. It started back in the '60s and continues today on a greater scale with today's anarchists (of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative).
The reason for this is not for any gut feeling of sympathy with the underdog. Nor is it based on feelings of guilt for enjoying the results of the colonial project. The reason is because we understand the negative "contribution" of the settler colonialist project to the reactionary opinions of both Israeli and Palestinian working people, and we correctly assess how such cooperation, and more so popular direct action, can undermine the nationalist ideologies of both sides.
The section of Israeli capital that has an interest in seeing an end to settler colonialism is not made up of secret anarchists... nor do they like our messages. But they are anxious enough to overcome the influence of the capitalist section of the ruling elite that still supports settler colonialism.
They have invested a lot of effort in getting a majority of public opinion to support the end of the settler colonialist project, but this majority is still fragile.
Thus, the section of the capitalist elite that wants an end to settler colonialism is investing heavily in changing public opinion through the use of the media. They are using our joint struggle to give space in the media to the discrediting of settler colonialism and "paying" us by giving space to our direct-action struggle and the anarchist way in general. In fact, we have an increasingly positive presence in the media, and its effects can be seen in the behaviour of the State forces - gradually diminishing violence. Hard as it is to believe, at least five soldiers who were on duty around the concluding meeting during our international conference came closer in order to listen to the talks being given at it...
The Palestinian ruling elite is in an even worse position.
The partial co-opting of the PLO leadership has not resulted in a stable compromise with the partial retreat of the settler colonialist project. Their "corrupt third-world social order" has failed to become strong enough to repress the more radical elements among the Palestinians. This failure has caused mounting pressure by the Israeli State on the Palestinian elite to yield results, pressure which has only led to the rise to power of Hamas. It has also caused a loss of hope among the villagers living along the route of the separation fence, that the Palestinian leaders can lead a struggle against the fence, a fact which forced them to initiate a struggle themselves.
The various local struggles that the Israeli anarchists have participated in have indeed achieved some results. The presence of Israeli anarchists at the joint demonstrations has reduced the vicious brutality of the State forces while dispersing the demonstrations. It has also drawn much greater attention from the international and Israeli media... The joint pre-Bil'in struggles of the previous year and a half at other villages succeeded in gaining publicity, obtaining results and fostering trust, and led to the initiation of the joint struggle in Bil'in. It also led to the other current joint struggles of AATW with grassroot groups of Palestinian villagers who have invited us to join them (Abud, Beit-Sira, Hebron, and more).
Over the past two days, we held an international conference in Bil'in about and in solidarity with the struggle against the fence. It was organized by the Bil'in joint project of struggle against the fence, which for the last 12 months has been carried on by the local popular committee together with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative. The ruling Fatah leadership has not promoted popular non-violent direct action and struggle against the fence, even with the upsurge in it since Israeli anarchists became involved. They had many obvious reasons for not doing so. However, little by little, they have got involved in it, even to the extent of trying to co-opt it. Indeed, just before the shift of power within the Palestinian capitalist elite, several dignitaries participated in certain ways, for example by joining in some of the weekly Friday demonstrations.
The efforts of the Palestinian elite to profit from the popular struggle against the separation fence in general, and more so in Bil'in, have gradually been mounting. They have sent dignitaries to the large demonstrations and once even held a session of their "government" in Bil'in, even though it was not their initiative and in spite of the well-known fact that it is a joint project by local committees and Israeli anarchists. In one case, a high ranking official went so far as to issue a formal letter of support to the AATW... and surprise surprise, even the local Hamas people and their regional leadership failed to keep their distance and joined in the Friday demos.
Our "tolerance" of the involvement of the more or less corrupt persons of the Palestinian ruling elite and their competitors is a must. Even the local popular committees do not seem to be too happy with it, but they understand the limits that local grassroots activists have and the "political taxes" they need to pay to the political elite in a position of power. And thus, when Israeli-Palestinian MPs and Palestinian MPs participated in our Friday demos, they got their "taxes" with microphone time.
Besides local activists and AATW activists, the conference in Bil'in included participants from many Western countries and, more importantly, from people in local struggles from the other regions of Palestine - from Hebron (Halil) in the south to Jenin in the north. It also drew dignitaries of the PLO and Fatah leadership, to get their "taxes".
Talks were given at a plenary session by PLO dignitaries (Fatah and others, past and present members of of the PNA), but also by international guests involved in our common struggle in their own countries. Grassroot activists also reported on their local struggles. The main discussions took place in workgroups, each centered on the struggle along a specific part of the separation fence. In these, some conclusions were reached about the past, and suggestions for future struggles were arrived at. Some of these were integrated into a final text of the conference.
And true to the Bil'in mode, the conference could not end without a march towards the route of the fence, which took place around noon on the second day of the conference. Surprise, surprise it met with no resistance from the State forces. We crossed the route and continued on to the Bil'in centre for joint struggle for peace which was recently built on the western side of the fence. The centre was built on a plot adjacent to the building site of a sector of the illegal settler colony, Modi'in Illit, being built on land stolen from Bil'in.
But no, the State's armed forces did not totally desert us. Though they did not try to block our march, they circled around us, putting a line of soldiers west of our meeting at the Bil'in centre, arranging it as if to block our way if we tried to rush and attack the adjacent illegal buildings in the nearby section of the Modi'in Illit settler colonialist town. (This section is currently under an injunction from the highest court, banning all construction work and occupation.)
At the meeting near the centre some more speeches were made. After the talks ended, a soccer game was played and an opportunity was given to media workers to take their photographs, videos and interviews. People then got back to Bil'in and made their way home.
Ilan S.
In the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although the settler colonialist nature of colonialism was dominant, the first step towards de-colonization was still copied from other capitalist states - compromise with the exiled leadership of the "national liberation movements".
As in other parts (and more so in Algeria, where the cost of suppressing the local uprising became too great) the co-opting of the exiled leadership seemed to be the first choice. Thus, like the French pact with the exiled leadership of the FLN, Israel tried to reach a pact with the exiled leadership of the PLO. However, the transfer of power to the leadership of de-colonized countries that worked in most places, failed in the Israeli-Palestinian case. It could not succeed here as the forces interested in the continuation of settler colonialism were not defeated completely, and the "de-colonization" steps were very limited.
It is by no means strange that there is support for the end of colonial rule from a large section of Israeli capitalists, given that it has become an economic burden for them. It is not even out of the question that this section of the capitalist elite will support/cooperate - like in other countries - with radicals who struggle against the continuation of colonial rule by their countries over other countries. It is, however, a bit strange when the cooperation/support is given in the case of Israel to an initiative by the name of "Anarchists Against The Wall" (AATW). It is even stranger when the anarchists enter into intensive cooperation with the media... which so often tries hard not to express open support for the Anarchists. And it is very strange indeed when the whole radical left follows the initiative of the Anarchists who organize the weekly struggle in the Palestinian village Bil'in together with the local popular committee.
Is not so strange, however, that the anarchists enter such cooperation when people understand how the colonialist situation, and more so the settler colonialist one, makes it hard to struggle against the "colonization" of the minds of the working people by capitalist ideology.
The struggle of anti-authoritarian anti-capitalists against the colonialism of other states by the ruling elites of their own countries is of more benefit in the de-colonization of the minds of people in their communities than in the de-colonization of the people of the colonies, by replacing external rule with that of a local elite which often make their lives worse.
And the strange situation in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle provides us with a unique opportunity to struggle for the freedom of the minds of the Israeli working people.
In a way, the strange situation is the result of the impasse in the decolonization of the Palestinian regions colonized by Israel after the 1967 war.
It is not so strange that efforts to co-opt the exiled Palestinian leadership of the PLO failed, as the de-colonization of a half-successful settler colonialist project involves much more than a shift between sections of the mainly monolithic capitalist elite.
And the process became stuck because Israel refused to give the PLO leadership enough power and resources to enable them to replace the resistance of the more radical rebels, who refuse to let go of the struggle against remnants of the settler colonial project in the regions conquered in the 1967 war. Israel refused to give the PLO the necessary resources because the change in the balance of power and interests within the Israeli elite was not radical enough - those who had an interest in seeing a continuation of as much settler colonialism as possible were still too strong.
It is no surprise that the authoritarians of the left (including Leninists and Maoists) became partners of the nationalist capitalist elite that led the "national liberation" of the colonies or in the Israeli-Palestinian case. However, what does need some explanation is the cooperation of the anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist left in Israel with willing partners in the "Palestinian national liberation" area. It started back in the '60s and continues today on a greater scale with today's anarchists (of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative).
The reason for this is not for any gut feeling of sympathy with the underdog. Nor is it based on feelings of guilt for enjoying the results of the colonial project. The reason is because we understand the negative "contribution" of the settler colonialist project to the reactionary opinions of both Israeli and Palestinian working people, and we correctly assess how such cooperation, and more so popular direct action, can undermine the nationalist ideologies of both sides.
The section of Israeli capital that has an interest in seeing an end to settler colonialism is not made up of secret anarchists... nor do they like our messages. But they are anxious enough to overcome the influence of the capitalist section of the ruling elite that still supports settler colonialism.
They have invested a lot of effort in getting a majority of public opinion to support the end of the settler colonialist project, but this majority is still fragile.
Thus, the section of the capitalist elite that wants an end to settler colonialism is investing heavily in changing public opinion through the use of the media. They are using our joint struggle to give space in the media to the discrediting of settler colonialism and "paying" us by giving space to our direct-action struggle and the anarchist way in general. In fact, we have an increasingly positive presence in the media, and its effects can be seen in the behaviour of the State forces - gradually diminishing violence. Hard as it is to believe, at least five soldiers who were on duty around the concluding meeting during our international conference came closer in order to listen to the talks being given at it...
The Palestinian ruling elite is in an even worse position.
The partial co-opting of the PLO leadership has not resulted in a stable compromise with the partial retreat of the settler colonialist project. Their "corrupt third-world social order" has failed to become strong enough to repress the more radical elements among the Palestinians. This failure has caused mounting pressure by the Israeli State on the Palestinian elite to yield results, pressure which has only led to the rise to power of Hamas. It has also caused a loss of hope among the villagers living along the route of the separation fence, that the Palestinian leaders can lead a struggle against the fence, a fact which forced them to initiate a struggle themselves.
The various local struggles that the Israeli anarchists have participated in have indeed achieved some results. The presence of Israeli anarchists at the joint demonstrations has reduced the vicious brutality of the State forces while dispersing the demonstrations. It has also drawn much greater attention from the international and Israeli media... The joint pre-Bil'in struggles of the previous year and a half at other villages succeeded in gaining publicity, obtaining results and fostering trust, and led to the initiation of the joint struggle in Bil'in. It also led to the other current joint struggles of AATW with grassroot groups of Palestinian villagers who have invited us to join them (Abud, Beit-Sira, Hebron, and more).
Over the past two days, we held an international conference in Bil'in about and in solidarity with the struggle against the fence. It was organized by the Bil'in joint project of struggle against the fence, which for the last 12 months has been carried on by the local popular committee together with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative. The ruling Fatah leadership has not promoted popular non-violent direct action and struggle against the fence, even with the upsurge in it since Israeli anarchists became involved. They had many obvious reasons for not doing so. However, little by little, they have got involved in it, even to the extent of trying to co-opt it. Indeed, just before the shift of power within the Palestinian capitalist elite, several dignitaries participated in certain ways, for example by joining in some of the weekly Friday demonstrations.
The efforts of the Palestinian elite to profit from the popular struggle against the separation fence in general, and more so in Bil'in, have gradually been mounting. They have sent dignitaries to the large demonstrations and once even held a session of their "government" in Bil'in, even though it was not their initiative and in spite of the well-known fact that it is a joint project by local committees and Israeli anarchists. In one case, a high ranking official went so far as to issue a formal letter of support to the AATW... and surprise surprise, even the local Hamas people and their regional leadership failed to keep their distance and joined in the Friday demos.
Our "tolerance" of the involvement of the more or less corrupt persons of the Palestinian ruling elite and their competitors is a must. Even the local popular committees do not seem to be too happy with it, but they understand the limits that local grassroots activists have and the "political taxes" they need to pay to the political elite in a position of power. And thus, when Israeli-Palestinian MPs and Palestinian MPs participated in our Friday demos, they got their "taxes" with microphone time.
Besides local activists and AATW activists, the conference in Bil'in included participants from many Western countries and, more importantly, from people in local struggles from the other regions of Palestine - from Hebron (Halil) in the south to Jenin in the north. It also drew dignitaries of the PLO and Fatah leadership, to get their "taxes".
Talks were given at a plenary session by PLO dignitaries (Fatah and others, past and present members of of the PNA), but also by international guests involved in our common struggle in their own countries. Grassroot activists also reported on their local struggles. The main discussions took place in workgroups, each centered on the struggle along a specific part of the separation fence. In these, some conclusions were reached about the past, and suggestions for future struggles were arrived at. Some of these were integrated into a final text of the conference.
And true to the Bil'in mode, the conference could not end without a march towards the route of the fence, which took place around noon on the second day of the conference. Surprise, surprise it met with no resistance from the State forces. We crossed the route and continued on to the Bil'in centre for joint struggle for peace which was recently built on the western side of the fence. The centre was built on a plot adjacent to the building site of a sector of the illegal settler colony, Modi'in Illit, being built on land stolen from Bil'in.
But no, the State's armed forces did not totally desert us. Though they did not try to block our march, they circled around us, putting a line of soldiers west of our meeting at the Bil'in centre, arranging it as if to block our way if we tried to rush and attack the adjacent illegal buildings in the nearby section of the Modi'in Illit settler colonialist town. (This section is currently under an injunction from the highest court, banning all construction work and occupation.)
At the meeting near the centre some more speeches were made. After the talks ended, a soccer game was played and an opportunity was given to media workers to take their photographs, videos and interviews. People then got back to Bil'in and made their way home.
Ilan S.
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