Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle continue with ambivalence in both the Israeli and the Palestinian authorities.

This week we experienced again the ambivalence towards the joint struggle of both the Israeli and the Palestinian authorities. In Ni'ilin, activists of the popular struggle of the Hamas tendency were taken for interrogation in Ramalla. In Beit Jalla the whole popular comity was arrested by the Palestinian authority (rumor say it was because of threat of the Israeli authority). In the demonstrations at the various villages, the arrest of activists was minimal. There was no harassing of out of village activists on their way to the week end demonstrations. One effect of the Gaza flotilla is a "flood" of international activists coming to visit and to participate in the weekly demonstrations,

Beit Omar

The Beit Umar weekly demonstration took place Saturday July 24 on the lands of Beit Umar near the settlement of Karmei tzur. Although the settlement is surrounded by a fence and no attempt is made to break it, the soldiers nonetheless wait for the demonstration on the Beit Umar side of it. It should be pointed out that the fence surrounding the settlement also includes agricultural land belonging to Beit Umar farmers, that is, on top of the lands the settlement houses are built on. A supreme court decision was supposed to grant the farmers access to their lands but in practice the access is made so difficult by bureaucratic obstacles or the whims of settlement security, that cultivation of the land is impossible.

In recent weeks the army's strategy has been to stop the demonstration as far away from the settlement as possible. This could be motivated by settlers demands that they don't want to see the demonstrations or a new confiscation order handed down by the military and delivered to the Beit Umar city council. Apparently the army plans to fence in a further few hundred meters radium around the settlement. This would effectively confiscate another large plots of land and bring the settlement fence to within a few meters from the last houses of Beit Umar. As some of these houses are built on area C (under Israeli administrative control, and therefore impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits) their fate is also in jeopardy.

This week's demonstration was larger than usual. Unlike previous weeks, a large number of international supporters took part, as well as several women from Beit Umar. As the demonstration approached the lands near Karmei Tzur, about 100 meters from the fence, it was met with about 40 soldiers in regular army and border police units. The officer in command of the regular army was one named Amit and the border police unit was commanded by one name Yusef. The soldiers used a large number of shock grenades thrown from close distance and sometimes thrown directly at protester as projectiles. Combined with the explosive momentum they become much more dangerous when used that way. One American demonstrator was hit in the head with a shock grenade but was spared the main force of the explosion and was not seriously hurt. Apparently other army units used shock grenades in a similar way in nearby Ma'asara the day before causing activists to wonder if the grenades are on sale.

Video of 24-7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nisbw6Uf6w

Beit Jallah

Following the persistent struggle, even the Israeli high court of "justice" intervened and issued an order for state to put forward reasons why the court will not ban the present route of the separation fence that destroy the village lands.

Bil'in

Over 80 internationals and some 30 Israelis joined Bil'in residents and other Palestinians in the weekly demonstration against the occupation, land grab, and State terrorism. The merry march to the fence ended abruptly as the army started shooting gas at the demonstrators about two minutes after their arrival at the gate. The usual scenario of running away through clouds of gas while the shabab keeps the soldiers away with sling shots ensued. One demonstrator did not run away - European Parliament Member Louisa Morgantini. She was detained by the soldiers and taken away to their post. Then a few demonstrators approached the soldiers demanding Morgantini's release. The end result was that Morganitini was indeed released, but the army replaced her with Israeli demonstrator Kobi Snitz, so as not to go home empty handed.

Haitham Khatib http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57UKBbztPtE

http://awalls.org/files/images/1bilin.preview.jpg

Hebron (Al-Halil)

6 arrested, including one Palestinian, during and after an "Open Shuhada Street" Weekly Demo in Hebron - Fil Kaler video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaqBvwLcQ6Y

About 100 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters gathered next to the closed gates of the Israeli army blockade on Shuhada street in the Saturday demonstration of the “Open Shuhada Street” campaign in Hebron. After some chanting and speeches against the occupation and settlements and for freedom of movement in Hebron, the protesters headed towards one of the old city allies, blocked by Israeli soldiers. The soldiers violently attacked the demonstration and in the commotion that erupted have managed to grab into arrest 4 internationals and one Israeli protester. Due to the Israeli army's determination to end the demo, the protesters sat on the ground in front of the soldiers, continuing the demo while sitting. After a while the demo was declared over and participants started going away from the soldiers, who kept going after the retreating crowd. At a certain point one of the soldiers threw out a sound bomb.

The arrestees were then taken to interrogation in the Kiryat Arba settlement police station, where Palestinians and internationals held a solidarity demo demanding their unconditioned release. During this demo one Palestinian was arrested.

South Hebron

The settlers and the military systematically deny the residents of the Southern Hebron Hills access to their water cisterns. In recent weeks, settlers from Susya and Mitzpe Yair attempted on several occasions again to prevent the residents of Tawamin from pumping water from their cistern. The army, relying on a court ruling, determined that the pumping will continue despite the settlers' unfounded claims that the cistern is located in their private property. Our presence ensured that the army will not stop the pumping (as happened in the past)

This Saturday we will once again meet with the Palestinian residents of the Southern Hebron Hills in order to pump water from their cisterns and assert their fundamental rights.

Ma'asara

The Friday demo was unusually large than usual because a very large presence of international activists. The protesters marched to the lands of the village, calling for the liberation of Palestine and condemn the Israeli military occupation. They were accompanied by a group of drummers. At the end of the procession Basque band played.

When we reached the outskirts of the village we went down from the road trying to bypass the army that intended to block the demonstration. The soldiers also hurried down the road and attacked the demonstrators with tear gas and shock grenades without warning. International activist was injured by a tear that hit her in her ear and was evacuated to the hospital for treatment. Many demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. After the people overcome the initial chaos created by the surprise attack, a bit smaller group of protesters regrouped at the entrance to the village. The protesters sat on the ground to protest the army's violence and continued chanting, singing and drumming. Number of speeches in English and Arabic were given. Afterwards, the participants started to returning to the village chanting and drumming.

Nabi Salih

David Reeb Friday 23.7.2010 video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaD6rZ5is3U

Ni'ilin

Smaller and shorter demonstration than usual.

Silwan (Jerusalem)

Returning garbage to the police station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeuvJiKvt8g

Sheikh Jarrah

As usual, few hundred people converged in the center of the neighborhood including few dozens from Tel Aviv and activists who were at the noon demonstrations in various villages. One contingent arrived after a march from the gate of the old city. After a while, most of the demonstrators marched towards the confiscated houses but were blocked by the state forces.

Wallaje

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle expand faster than the number of Israeli AAtW activists...

The join non violent struggle against the separation fence, transfer, and other occupation atrocities expand. It include struggles of the Bedouins of the south of Israeli 1948 borders. It occur also in the central regions of Israel in Dahmash (near Ramla-Lod) and in Jaffa (annexed to Tel Aviv) and the more popular location of Sheikh Jarrah where activists involved in the struggle against settler project and progressive evictions/transfer of Palestinians during the week, and hundreds of the Israeli radical left converge each Friday. And of course the regular weekend demos in Beit Ommar, Beit Jallah, Bil'in, Hebron, Maasara, Nabi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Sheikh Jarrah, Wadi Rahal, Walaje...

Beit Ommar

There will be a demonstration again this Saturday in Beit Ommar against the Karmei Tsur settlement. In recent weeks more than 30 youth living in the area near the settlement have been arrested, most are still in prison. The National Committee and PSP would like to invite folks to come, meeting in the village at 10 am and proceeding together to the location of the demonstration. Every demonstration for the last 5 weeks has ended with at least one Israeli or international arrest so we are requesting a larger than usual presence this week.

Saturday Demonstration. Israeli soldiers arrested one journalist and injured two others at Beit Ummar’s Saturday protest calling for access to village land and the dismantling of nearby settlements. Beit Ummar is a Palestinian town located 11 kilometers northwest of Hebron. In the last years, the local Popular Commitee has organized weekly protests against the Israeli occupation and the theft of the agricultural land.

Pictures at: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1487

Bil'in

Close to 50 international and 16 Israelis joined the weekly Palestinian demonstration against the wall and the settlements in Bil'in. This week's demonstration included a strong presence of DFLP supporters, and commemorated one of the DFLP and popular struggle leaders, Khalid Al Azza, who died last month. The army attacked the demonstration almost immediately after it reached the gate. It used a large amount of gas and invaded the village with an exceptional number of soldiers (possibly expecting the mass arrest discussed in the AAtW activists list?). May be because of policy, they failed to arrest any one. After the invasion the shabab and soldiers had a long gas-stones standoff, which ended when the demonstration was declared over. When all demonstrators headed back, the soldiers shot another round of gas on their path, just to show that they can.

Dahmash

14 Jul 2010, against all expectations, court today decided to freeze the demolition orders until October, and to reopen discussion about the building plans.

this means that the chances for full recognition have raised dramatically.

all in the village attribute this to the huge success of last nights demo and last weeks camp.

thank you so much to all of you who helped, in so many different ways!

Hebron (Al Khalil) Saturday July 17

March Blocked; One Solidarity Protester Violently Arrested, after being Wrongfully Identified, during an "Open Shuhada Street" Weekly Demo in Hebron.

About 100 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters gathered next to the closed gates of the Israeli army blockade on Shuhada street in the Saturday demonstration of the “Open Shuhada Street” campaign in Hebron. After some chanting and speeches, several Israeli soldiers attacked the demonstration and violently grabbed into arrest one Israeli protester. It was later found out that the protester was arrested after being identified by one of the soldiers in regard to last week's demo, a demo he didn't even attend. He was taken to interrogation in the Kiryat Arba settlement police station.

The demonstration continued with the usual march through the old city alleys, but without any more clashes with the army, which blocked all the alleys that are close to settlers homes, so the "distinguished" settlers won't be disturbed by the protesters' chantings. In previous demos settlers threw water, and sometimes other objects, including stones, at the march. Nevertheless, the apartheid army chose to punish and silence the Palestinian protesters and their allies by further restricting their movement in a city already cut in half by segregation.

Jaffa (Annexed to Tel-Aviv)

The struggle against Jewish gentrification of the Palestinian neighborhood continued with a Sunday demo.

Al Ma'asara

An Nabi Saleh Friday July 16

The militant Friday demonstration ended in a strange way. After the demonstration and the confrontations one of the Israeli cars failed to ignite. The soldiers who were anxious to finish their assignment and return to base, helped the AAtW activists to repair the car so the soldiers can end their mission of harassing the Israeli activists in Nabi Saleh.

Ni'lin Friday July 16

In the weekly demonstration in Ni'ilin dozens of demonstrators arrived at the huge concrete wall cutting the farmers from their lands. Some of the village youth threw stones over the wall and the soldiers used large amounts of tear gas against the demonstrators. As the demonstration didn't decline the soldiers invaded the village fields chasing the demonstrators, and managed to arrest two.

As usual a team of the AAtW activists participated in the village Friday demo. After it they continued to Nabi Saleh... and later to the Sheikh Jarrah.

Sheikh Jarrah.

More than 500 participated in the Friday demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah including an Italian delegation and other internationals.

One contingent marched with flags, posters and drummers circle from the gates of the old city to the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, but the state forces prevented them to pass through the street the main settlers project is expanding in.

After an hour of convergence in the main street, the demonstrators marched to a near by settlers project where speeches were carried.

As usual, in addition of the hundred or so Tel Aviv activists who came together to the demo, many activists who participated in Friday noon demonstrations in other places came for a second round in Sheikh Jarrah.

Israel Puterman video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4OLRsA_Zyc

Wadi Rahal Friday July 16

About 50 Palestinians, ten internationals and five Israelis marched towards the fence line and were greeted by a large arrest vehicle blocking the protesters’ way. A force of soldiers and border petrol police blocked the protesters and declared that further advance will be met with violence. Arabic and English speeches were made, as well as a promise to strengthen the resistance next week. A settler who stood by the force commander voicing his disapproval with the “soft hand” practiced by the force towards the protesters and stated on site until the end of the demonstration. After about an hour, the protesters dispersed quietly, at the discontent of the soldiers.

Al Walaje Friday July 16

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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle continue and the Israel radical left adopt the style of the AAtW

The joint struggle include now 12 regular localities of struggle and nearly half with other targets than the separation fence. Beit Jalla, Beit Ummar, Bil'in, Dahmsh, Hebron and the region south of it, Ma'asara, Nebi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Sheikh Jarrah, Wadi Rahal, Wallage... The state forces harass the Israeli and international activists on their way to the joint actions but in consistently because of media and public relations consideration. The harassment of Palestinians and others participant in the demons is inconsistent too with lot of free hands to the commanders at the locations of confrontation. There is lot of media covering which increased significantly lately with inconsistency in the truth value of reports of the Israeli media.

BEIT JALLA (a town near Bethlehem)

A group of Palestinians, internationals and Israelis demonstrate against the construction of the Wall in Beit Jala, on 11.07.2010 after Sunday Mass. The Israeli soldiers blocked their march by closing the road with barbwire. Just after a few minutes, the Israeli soldiers threw directly concussion grenades on the crowd with no apparent reasons. Israeli soldiers were also seen on top of buildings.

Six protesters were injured during the weekly protest.

Israel Puterman video Sunday 11-7-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy24OSgwhYE

BEIT OMMAR

1 Arrested, 3 Injured in Beit Ommar International Court of Justice Demonstration

10 JULY 2010

On Saturday, July 10, approximately 50 Palestinian, international and Israeli activists marched towards the fence of the Karmei Tsur settlement for their weekly demonstration against the illegal settlements and the continued confiscation of Palestinian land through settlement expansion and the Annexation Barrier. This week, the participants planned to hold their own session of the International Court of Justice, in honor of the 6 year anniversary of the ICJ court decision that declared the Annexation Wall illegal. The group approached the settlement and began reading statements as witnesses and the prosecution, condemning the confiscation of land, demanding reparations for land and lives lost, as well as injuries to internationals during peaceful protest, and an end to the construction of illegal structures of the Occupation. Almost immediately, however, the Israeli soldiers present, who were waiting for the group outside the fence, announced that the area was a closed military zone and the demonstration had two minutes to disperse. Local residents insisted on their right to remain on their privately-owned land undisturbed. When one Israeli activist attempted to argue with the soldiers, he was arrested. He was then blindfolded and held in a jeep on location before being taken to Kiryat Arba settlement and police station; he was released later in the day.

The military then violently attacked the crowd, pushing them back towards the Palestinian homes of Beit Ommar and throwing sound grenades and tear gas canisters. Sound grenades were thrown deliberately so that they would explode very close to participants, resulting in the head injuries of a twelve year-old boy and a journalist as well as another teenage boy. An ambulance and medic team treated all three on the spot.

BIL'IN

21 Israelis and well over 50 internationals joined the Bil'in locals and a delegation from Jenin refugees camp for the weekly demonstration against Israeli violations of international law and the other evils of occupation. The demonstrators received caps commemorating 6 years to the Hague International Court verdict against the wall, and wore them enthusiastically as they marched behind a huge "scales of injustice" installation tilted for Israel and against the rest of the world. The army, apparently worried about the large number of international solidarity activists, hardly waited before bombarding the demonstrators with gas and invading the village. The shabab, as usual, did a good job stalling the soldiers' advance with stones and the army's own gas canisters to allow demonstrators a safe retreat, but a couple of Israelis who did not run fast enough through the clouds of gas got arrested. Then the shabab went on using their means for dispersing Zionism for an admirably long time given the amount of gas, bush fires, and unreasonable heat. On our way back we got good views of the recently set concrete slabs of the new route of the wall, which may obey the ruling of the Israeli High Court of (in)Justice, but not the verdict of the International Court in the Hague.

As usual most AAtW activists continued for "a second show" at Sheikh Jarrah.

As usual, the arrested Israeli comrades were taken for interrogation in the police station Yad Binyamin in the occupied region north-east of Jerusalem and released few hours later after indictment and restrictions.

Israel Puterman video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMq0-zmJ2bo

Haitham Al Khatib video at: http://www.youtube.com/v/tyfiCDY_vE8

COURT SOLIDARITY

Long detention of Abedalla Abu Rahme and Adib Abu Rahme activists of Bil'in in the Ofer concentration camp with intermediate military hearings. This Wednesday too hearings and solidarity visit of AAtW activist from Tel Aviv.

The "judge" gave Adib Abu Rahme a verdict of one year prison time (the time he has already was detained till now) and one year probation. The army prosecution demanded 2 years in and appealed. Thus Adib will have to stay in till the appeal will be heard.

DAHMASH (Ramle-Lod)

On Monday was a march to the Ramle municipality in protest of discrimination planing and houses demolition threats.

As part of the struggle 09/07/2010 started a Summer camp.

HEBRON-HALIL (and surrounding region)

The settlers and the military systematically deny the residents of the Southern Hebron Hills access to their water cisterns, in violation of the law and court rulings. In this region, in which only settlements and outposts enjoy a regular water supply, denial of access to the cisterns during the summer is an especially brutal technique to deny the Palestinian residents the most fundamental necessities.

This Saturday, July 10th, we will once again meet with the Palestinian residents of the Southern Hebron Hills in order to pump water from their cisterns and assert their fundamental rights.

There is also a possibility to attend the weekly protest in Hebron against the settlements and in favor of opening Shuhada Street.

There is also a possibility to attend the weekly protest in Hebron against the settlements and in favor of opening Shuhada Street.

No to Settlements In Hebron, No to army and settlers' violence, Open Suhada Street!

For many years, the city of Hebron (Khalil) suffers from severe harassment by the settlers and the military.

In the past few months, demonstrations are taking place in the old city of Hebron every Saturday, demanding the dismantlement of the settlements and the lifting of all the restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the city.

The demonstrations are an initiative of the Hebron organization Youth Against Settlements, and are regularly attended by Israeli and international activists alongside Palestinians.

We invite you to join us in this demonstration, which plays an important role in the fashioning of a joint, non-violent struggle.

The demonstration will take place on Saturday, July 3rd, at 16:00. Before the demonstration we will, as usual, accompany shepherds and farmers in the South Hebron Hills

For direct transportation to the demo from Jerusalem, contact S.

Saturday

About 100 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters gathered next to the closed gates of the Israeli army blockade on Shuhada street in the July 10th Saturday demonstration of the “Open Shuhada Street” campaign in Hebron. After some chanting and speeches, 6 activists performed a dance to Kesha's Tik Tok hit, in response to an army soldiers' much publicized clip in the segregated Shuhada street, featuring the same song. In the activists version, it was a dance that ended in Palestinians getting arrested as they turned their backs to their “Israeli” counterparts.

After the dance the protesters started marching through one of the old city allies, next to settlers' homes. They were blocked by Israeli soldiers, which pushed the non-violent protesters and tried to pursue and arrest one activist unsuccessfully. Due to the army's violence, protesters set on the ground in front of the soldiers for a while and then went through another way, where the soldiers failed to stop the march. At a certain point, settlers threw water at the march and the market street. The demonstration ended peacefully shortly afterward.

MA'ASARA

Some fifty demonstrators gathered in Ma'asara this week to commemorate the sixth anniversary to the Hague High Court, which branded Israel's West Bank Apartheid Fence illegal according to international law. Demonstrators built a mock-wall, and marched with it through the village streets towards the stolen lands.

Out of the village and upon arrival at the main regional road, which serves both Palestinians and settlers, demonstrators blocked one lane with their wall, diverting all traffic to the second remaining lane. Speeches were carried and songs sang, until several army jeeps showed up. Soldiers threatened demonstrators that they will use force and declared a closed military zone, but eventually did nothing.

After fifteen minutes, the village youth decided it was about time to bring down the wall, and broke it to pieces. This had a curious effect on the soldiers, who stormed in, grabbed what was left of the wall and carried it to the side of the road. They then started shoving the demonstrators, who were already on their way back to the village anyhow. However, no one was hurt or arrested, and everybody returned home peacefully.

AAtW activists continued for "a second show" at Sheikh Jarrah

NEBI SALAH

Tuesday evening - meeting for planing the struggle about restriction of water supply.

An Nabi Saleh: the struggle continues

In the hilltop village of An Nabi Saleh around 70 Palestinian men, women and children, 10 Israeli activists and 15 internationals gathered in the main square and marched down the hill, blowing paper trumpets and waving flags, towards the Israeli soldiers who were waiting at the crossroads, where the main protest usually occurs. Following last weekend, when soldiers entered the village dressed as civilians and arrested one of the young men, many of the local youth were lying low and did not join in the demonstration.

When the group were about 10 meters away, the soldiers started throwing sound bombs, and tear gas canisters were fired directly at the group at head height. Although this is against their rules of deployment, tear gas canisters are regularly used as missiles as well as for crowd dispersal. Two internationals narrowly missed being hit, and a member of the popular committee was arrested, and his wife and four-year-old child briefly detained. Some of the demonstrators made it to the crossroads and the group (mainly women and children) stood chanting at the soldiers. Two Israeli activists were grabbed from the crowd and wrestled into jeeps, amid scuffles with female activists who were roughly pushed away by soldiers.

The demonstration continued around the village for a few hours, as soldiers and border police in five jeeps pursued the young men around the area in an attempt to arrest those they had pictures of. Their presence in the village lasted for just two hours, as the usual spirit of the children and women had been dampened by the violent repressive tactics of the Israeli army, and the young men had fled over the hills towards a neighboring village. The three men who had been arrested were released after three hours.

Protests against the theft and annexation of Palestinian land to the illegal Israeli settlement of Halamish (Neve Zuf) have taken place in the village every Friday since January 2010. Although Israel’s courts ruling that An Nabi Saleh residents owned the valuable agricultural land, nearly half of it has been seized by settlers who also uprooted hundreds of olive trees in January 2010.

During the confrontations with the state forces two Israeli activists were detained - charged with ridiculous concocted "crimes"... even the police officers at the Yad Biniamin station dismissed, and the comrades were released with "no fault", in time to join the Sheikh Jarrah demo.

NI'ILIN

The weekly protest in Ni'lin was characterized by a larger than usual number of international activists who joined the Palestinian and Israeli regulars. The demonstration made its way to the wall gate, which was sealed shut. protesters chanted anti occupation slogans, and a few threw stones at the metal gate, and at the soldiers standing guard over the wall. soldiers fired tear gas canisters. around two hours into the demonstration, soldiers crossed the wall and started after the protesters, who made their swift getaway, so as not to risk a pointless, possibly violent arrest. no injuries were recorded.

David Reeb video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IniA8S184bg

AAtW activists continued for "a second show" at Nebi Saleh.

SHEIKH JARRAH/SILWAN

Tuesday evening, demonstration in front of Jerusalem mayor house in protest of pseudo archeological garden excuse for demolition of Palestinian hoses in Silwan.

In the same week that a number of prominent lawyers, including one former legal advisory to the government, released a letter stating that police actions in Sheikh Jarrah are discriminatory and illegal – four hundred demonstrators showed up at the weekly protest to prove the letter right. The demonstrators demanded to be let in the neighborhood, something that has been denied them for months now, while right-wing settlers are allowed to have protests in the same place.

Demonstrators marched in perfect order, avoiding the road and sticking to the pavements, and asked police officers to remove roadblocks and let them in. When met with Brut force and pushed back, demonstrators raised their hands in the air as a sign of non-violence.

After about half an hour, some eighty demonstrators were able to make their way around the blockade, and started a demonstration opposite the Palestinian houses taken over by settlers with High Court backing. The police, which now had to handle a demonstration on several fronts, increased the violence, arrested ten demonstrators, and hit many more. After about an hour of intense efforts and much violence, met with passive resistance, all demonstrators were pushed back to the garden opposite the neighborhood – the only place the police allows demonstrations to take place, in spite of several court rulings.

Eventually, after more than two hours of energy packed demonstration, activists decided to leave, and marched to the Jerusalem detention center, to cheer up those arrested earlier.

Israel Puterman video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo4ZUvJ_Sc4

Lot of participants marched to the police station for solidarity with the arrested comrades who were released few hours later with two weeks restriction from future demos.

WADI RAHAL

In southern West Bank village of Wadi Rahal the protest ended peaceful after soldiers did not allow people to reach the construction site of the wall.

WALLAJE

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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com

Palestine-Israel, July 2nd, 3rd and 4th - 10 joint weekly demonstrations

From Friday to Sunday, ten locations of persistent joint struggles and demonstrations in Palestinian villages and cities. The Israeli radical left that was mainly involved with "humanistic" help to Palestinians adopt more and more the stile of the anarchists against the wall direct actions and nonviolent confrontations with the Israeli state forces - both in the occupied west bank and within Israel. After negative publicity, state forces that tried again - for a while, to block Israeli activists on the way to joint actions (mainly on the way to Bil'in), diminished their efforts and just issue warnings and threats. The Israeli activists that are detained - do not need to stay the night at jail before being released with restrictions.

BEIT OMMAR

Hi Everyone,

The Friday demo in Beit Ommar this weekend will again be 10:30 am. We will be having the demonstration as planned for last week that was canceled because of the presence of Palestinian police last week (for an unrelated issue).

Bring noise-making things (ones will also be provided). Note that for people with conditions, the demonstration will not be taking place in an area of ongoing construction or military activity (there is no such place in Beit Ommar right now).

B.

BEIT JALLAH

Sunday:

Tear Gas & Sound Bombs in the Streets of Beit Jala during Demonstration against the Apartheid Wall

This Sunday, July 4th, in Beit Jala some 30 protesters marched through a street that leads to the apartheid wall's construction site. To the sound of the working bulldozers near by, the march was stopped by a group of soldiers and a barbed wire they installed earlier. The protesters demanded to go through to the Palestinian land being annexed and destroyed by the wall construction and some touched the barb wire to show their contempt to the occupying army. The soldiers soon launched an assault with sound bombs and then tear gas canisters, which were shot at the populated street far beyond the protesters. One person was treated for heavy tear gas inhalation. At a different spot the army incursion was met with stone throwers. The army then began terrorizing a main street in Beit Jala, hurting the passing by and the entire population of the area.

Please come next Sunday, July 11th to the big demo that is expected to take place in Beit Jala against the apartheid wall and for a free Palestine.

Israel Puterman video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_743eiCwszU

As usual, public media radio report on belligerent Israeli, internationals, and Palestinians, and on poor state force who had to use means for dispersing them and declare the are closed military zone.

BIL'IN

Harassment of arrested Bil'iners and especially those on trial continued. Army harassment including night intrusion in search of additional candidates for arrest continued as well.

Friday:

Abut dozen Israelis with the anarchists against the wall initiative, joined about three dozen international activists and 50 villagers in the Friday demo. When demonstrators reached the gate to the route of the separation fence, efforts were concentrated on breaking its lock. When the lock was forced open people opened the gate and the state forces responded with lot of tear gas canisters.

The demonstrators retreated, and the olive groves in the area started catching on fire. Some demonstrators tried to put out the fire, especially those fires that got into the trunks of old olive trees. It was a while before the fire fighters came to finish the job.

This Friday, participants were careful and state force less diligent, so no one was arrested.

As usual most Israelis of the anarchists against the wall initiative continued to the demo in Sheikh Jarrah

David Reeb 2.7.10 Bil'in video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v==ZgcTv4E_M0E

HEBRON (AL-HALIL)

About 150 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters gathered next to the closed gates of the Israeli army blockade on Shuhada street in the July 3rd Saturday demonstration in Hebron. After much chanting and some speeches, and while one road was blocked by dozens of soldiers, the protesters started marching through the old city allies. They were soon blocked by the Israeli soldiers, which pushed back the non-violent protesters. Since the soldiers blocked all the ways that are close to settlers residents, and due to the army violence, protesters sat on the floor in front of the soldiers and kept chanting “occupation no more!” and for freedom of movement in Hebron and throughout Palestine. The march then went through another road that led away from the segregated area and soon afterward the demonstration ended.

MA'ASARA

NABI SALEH

Friday, in a meeting before the demo of Israeli activists with comrades from Karwat Bani Zaid and Nabi Saleh, the wish to struggle together with other villages of the region in relation to the scarcity of water imposed by the Israeli occupation system. A mid week wider meeting with people of other villages of the region was decided on.

In an Nabi Saleh July 2nd Friday demonstration against the occupation and settlements protesters marched down the village towards its main junction, which was blocked by the Israeli army with several jeeps and about a dozen soldiers. After the army commander threatened to kidnap some guys into the cruel apartheid legal system, many guys kept a distance from the soldiers. The village's women then organized some chanting and tried to break through the army blockade and keep the non-violent demo alive.

Meanwhile the army was not satisfied with the guys looking at the scene from afar and started shooting tear gas canisters directly at them, in a life-threatening manner that violates even the army's own regulations. The women kept protesting, and after a while small girls and boys took the lead and surrounded the soldiers. 2 Israeli activists who were near by talking to the soldiers, got arrested. They were released a few hours later with a 15 days restraint order.

After a while, the army violence was responded by some stone throwing. Army jeeps and on-foot soldiers went up and through the village in pursue of stone throwers, though their endeavors were pretty much limited to blocking roads and civilian cars from going through the village.

Media reported on the two comrade arrested for attacking a soldiers. [As the two are of big size, if they were really attacking together some one he would surely need hospital treatment...].

Sunday

Today, at dawn the Israeli army disguised as civilians (in civil cars) has invaded Nabi Saleh. They have arrested Eyas Tamimi, one of the young activists in the village. Later, after the majority of the people were awaken by the shouting and the noise, the army force headed to other house attempting to arrest another activist. But, alerted by the noise the activist was aware that they might be willing to make more arrests, he took off and was not found at home.

This is obviously part of the new aggressive steps Taken by the army to break the struggle in Nabi Saleh After they have failed by doing so through a massive use Of Rubber coated gummy bullets, gas bombs and threats to demolish 10 houses in the village.

Last Friday, the soldiers came with an “album” full with pictures of demonstrators. moreover, they used the album in a very demonstrative way, so that the activists see the album and eventually get intimidated by this fact.

Momentarily, there are more than 11 arrestees from Nabi-Saleh, (a village of hardly 500 inhabitants!). There are even more than that figure from the surrounding villages who come to join the demonstrations of Nabi-Saleh.

NI'ILIN

The Friday demonstration in Ni'lin was short. The protesters marched to the route of the wall, carrying signs protesting the arrest of the village's popular struggle leaders. When the group of protesters reached the wall M, a leader of the village's popular committee, gave a speech in Hebrew, calling the soldiers on the other side to take off their uniforms and go back to their homes, in order to join the Israeli march in support of the release of Gilad Shalit and Palestinian prisoners. M pointed out to the soldiers that while Gilad Shalit is in jail, and they are defending land theft in the hot sun, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu is enjoying the finer things in life. A handful of protesters threw a few symbolic stones over the wall. No gas was fired, and no injuries recorded.

SHEIKH JARRAH

During the week, various activities of solidarity of Israelis went on in the neighborhood.

Friday

In Jerusalem, at around 15:00, about 30-40 people went from Bab El Amud to Sheikh Jarrah where a few hundreds have already started a peaceful demo at 16:00 as usual. after an hour or so three tours went out of the demo to three locations in the SJ - to learn more about the intended house eviction of Palestinians to be replaced by Jewish settlers in the neighborhood and to demonstrate against them. (The drummers with few others stayed to keep the presence in the main square.) At the end we all met up back in park where the demo is held, and went on with the chanting and singing till 17:45.

SILWAN

Sunday (27-6-10) late evening: 20 injuries in an eviction of a Palestinian house in Silwan. This is the house which according to the settlers used to be a synagogue.

Some activists from Jerusalem are already there and there might be a call for more. Details will be posted later.

Video of Police in Silwan East Jerusalem, 27/6/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPtoYaUCCnA&feature=autofb

During the week the pressure of the settler colonialist project in the neighborhood continued, and so solidarity activities.

"Hi, Residents of Silwan ask our presence there for few hours tomorrow [Saturday] evening, with an option to stay the night, depending on the situation. For more details call K.

A demo was planned on Tuesday evening in front of the mayor Bareket house [the other end of a small Founders road in the west of Jerusalem I was born in 73 years ago and grew up there before they established the state of Israel in 1948]

WADI RAHAL

Friday, a few dozens of Palestinians Israelis and Internationals walked today at noon from the inside of Wadi Rahal to the place where Israel wants to build the illegal apartheid wall. there was a lot of energy, chanting and drumming (both yasamba and local drummers). the army did not want to let us pass at some point, and tried to push us backwards. after a long non-violent (from our side) struggle they started shooting tear gas and stand grenades, the first landing on a little boy's leg. they arrested 2 Israelis (O. and A.) and would not let us know where they took them. the demo went on in a schoolyard near by, still with lots of energy. Later the two were released as usual after criminal files were opened.

Few participants continued to Ma'asara demo and then to Sheikh Jarrah, other stayed for a while in the village and came directly to the demo in Sheikh Jarrah.

WALLAGE

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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle in east Jerusalem resurrect the Israeli radicals

It seems that the increased number (already 10) of locations of persistent joint struggles reported in the Israeli media, and especially the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah, resurrect the Israeli radical left. The Friday joint demonstration of about 500 participants in Silwan against home demolitions was the largest one seen so far. It was a respectful addition to the more confrontational regular weekend joint demonstrations in the west bank: Beit Jala, Beit Ommar, Bil'in, Hebron, Ma'asara, Nebi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Wadi Rahal, and Wallaje.

BEIT JALA

The National Committee to Resist the Wall in Beit Jala invites you to the weekly demonstration this Sunday 27.6 2010 at 11:30 AM in the town of Beit Jala. Please spread the word and come join us to stop the bulldozers destroying Palestinian lands. Your presence supports the struggle for peace and justice.

Main public radio channel reported as usual about clashes between protesters and state forces with three arestees as bonus.

Around 30 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals demonstrated against the building of the Wall in Beit Jala. Israeli soldiers blocked the march with barbwire; a few people managed to bypass the Israeli soldiers but they were then violently pushed back. The Israeli soldiers violently arrested three demonstrators that refused to leave. Concussion grenades and tear gas canisters were thrown directly at the crowd and nearby houses. At distance, bulldozers were seen continuing their work, paving the route of the Wall just a few meters from Palestinian homes.

BEIT OMAR

We have been invited to a meeting in beit umar tonight (Thursday). If you can go please let me know.

The Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall (AAtW) are invited to the village of Beit Ommar tomorrow for the weekly demonstration against the wall and the occupation. The courageous people of Beit Omar request that as many people as possible will participate in the demo. If you wish to come please contact

This Saturday an expanded demonstration in Beit Ommar is planned, with a message about increasing international condemnation of Israel's Occupation, particularly regarding settlements.

Please join the National Committee of Beit Ommar, PSP and locals this Saturday at 10am (please plan on getting to the village 15 minutes early to arrange for transportation to the demonstration location). At least a car of Israelis (two would be great!) would be needed.

Last week, the group of about 30 people was prevented from even reaching the fence around Karmei Tsur, where the demonstration was to take place, and 2 Israeli activists were arrested, released after a few hours.

PLEASE NOTE: we have gone to great lengths to promote a positive image of International and Israeli activists in this relatively skeptical community. Please respect the work that has been done in this regard and dress appropriately for a Muslim village: pants that go down to your ankles and shirts that don't show your cleavage or your ass crack (it is preferred that women wear shirts with sleeves that go down to their elbows).

BIL'IN

Protest: Hotel Dan Panorama, Charles Clore Park/10 Kaufman Street, Tel Aviv Wednesday 1PM sharp.

"About 200 participants from 42 member states of the Kimberley Process Forum arrived at Tel Aviv’s Hotel Dan Panorama this morning, for the opening of the Kimberley Process Conference, hosted by Israel which holds the forum’s rotating chair position this year. In 2003, the World Diamond Council introduced a system of self-regulation called the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme to stem the flow of "conflict" or "blood diamonds." In keeping with the limited concerns of the WDC the UN-mandated Kimberly Process adopted a very narrow definition of what constitutes a conflict or blood diamond: "rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments." As a result of this tight ring-fencing, the much more lucrative trade in cut and polished diamonds avoids the human rights strictures applying to rough diamonds, provided the industry uses only Kimberly Process-compliant rough diamonds. Regardless of the human rights violations and atrocities funded by revenue from the Israeli diamond industry, governments and other vested interests party to the Kimberly Process facilitate the unrestricted access of diamonds crafted in Israel to the multi-billion dollar global diamond market. The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme strictures only apply to rough diamonds, thus allowing diamonds crafted in Israel to freely enter the market regardless of the criminal actions of the Israeli government and armed forces. The Kimberly Process is seriously flawed and is being used by the diamond industry and jewelers to pull the wool over consumers' eyes by telling them that all diamonds are now "conflict free" without explaining the limitations and exactly what that means. The high-value end of the diamond industry is the main artery of the Israeli economy, accounting for more than 30 percent of Israel's total manufacturing exports worth nearly $20 billion in 2008. By comparison, the budget for Israel's Ministry of Defense was $16 billion in 2008. Revenue from the diamond industry helps fund Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, its brutal subjugation of the Palestinian people and its international network of saboteurs, spies and assassins. None of this is alluded to in the WDC's "Diamond Facts."
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11170.shtml

Tomorrow’s protest (Wednesday) is to bring attention to the exemption of Israel in the Kimberley Process and to shame the World Diamond Council into broadening its paradigms and include this area of bloody conflict.

Friday demo

About 100 demonstrators - including Israelis of the AAtW and international activists marched from the center of the village chanting for Palestinian Resistance to occupation and the release of all prisoners, slogans condemning the aggression of settler colonialist in Jerusalem, against the policy of exclusion and deportation, and the siege on the Gaza Strip.

When the march arrived at the gate of the route of the separation fence the military force of the Israeli occupation army was waiting as usual behind the concrete blocks on the hill - some dozen meters behind the fence. (With closed gate in the barrier with barbed wire "protecting" them.) When the demonstrators tried to cross towards the land they own, behind the fence, the army fired tear gas canisters, sound bombs and coated metal bullets. Then the soldiers crossed the fence chasing the fleeing demonstrators up to the outskirts of the village, wounding a university lecturer Radwan Yassin (50 year) hand with a tear gas canister. Dozens of others inhaled high dozes of tear gas. Fires resulted from the gas canisters damaged the near by olive orchards.

Since the early morning volunteer group of young men and women within the project partnership for development cooperation with Alhadaf cultural center in Bil'in draw approximately 25 murals in the village, giving a distinctive aesthetic character of the village.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQn0VGscujk
Israel Putermam video Bil'in 25-6-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz4xyOnv4-o

EAST JERUSALEM

The weekly Demonstration moves to Silwan

Solidarity with Silwan – No to house demolitions!

This week the Jerusalem Municipality approved a plan to build a tourist site in the neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem that foresees the demolition of 22 Palestinian homes for its realisation. This project is just another way to take over Palestinian lands and to increase Jewish presence in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan.

The residents of Silwan, together with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah, decided to organize this week's demonstration against illegal settlements in East Jerusalem in Silwan. We will stand in solidarity with those whose houses are slated for demolitions and dozens of families at risk of displacement.

We will meet in Giva'ati parking lot (across the street from 'City of David') at 16:00

There will be a meeting point at the Jerusalem Cinematheque (Hebron Road) at 15:30

Transportation from Tel Aviv will leave from Arlozerov bus station at 14:30

This Friday afternoon we walked, bout five hundreds of Palestinians, Israeli (about 100 mobilized from Tel Aviv, and dozens [including me] came from earlier Friday demos), and International activists, in Silwan to protest against the decision to demolish 22 houses, and against the Israeli policy of violence and theft in east Jerusalem. The demo was very strong and powerful. Speeches have been made, slogans shouted and samba drummed. One settler threw a few small stones at us, and no one was injured.
This was the largest demo in Silwan in the last few years. And it came instead of the weekly SJ demo.

Israel Putermam video Silwan 25-6-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW70cZx5iOY

DAHMASH (between Lod and Ramle)

There was a good meeting tonight at the tent in Dahamash .
I just wanted to update that 3 major demos are planned for early July:

5.07 - in front of the district planing committee in ramle, while they will be discussing the building plans submitted by the popular committee.
10.07 - huge demo with a music event (during a very cool simmer camp we are planning these days for the Dahamash kids) against the approaching house demolitions
14.07 - in front of the court hearing on the demolitions orders

more info to come in the next days Y.

HEBRON

Hebron – Ma’an – Israeli forces forcefully shut down a protest Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, onlookers said.

Demonstrators chanting slogans in Arabic, Hebrew, and English called on Israel to reopen Shuhada Street to Palestinians.

The army prevented the Palestinian and international activists from reaching the road, which was closed for about an hour.

NEBI SALEH

David Reeb video of 27 Jun 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGE8YHHe6xg

MA'ASARA

In Ma'asara a smaller than usual demonstration of some 30 people made an unprecedented achievement, and made it all the way from the village, over the route of the wall, and onto the entrance to the illegal settlement of Efrat. At the gate, they were attacked by tens of soldiers, who pushed them all the way back to the route of the fence. Once there, and joined by twenty more people who had just finished demonstrating in neighboring Wadi Rahal, demonstrators decided to be content with what they had achieved, and returned to the village.

NI'ILIN


WADI RAHAL

Some eighty Palestinians, Israelis and internationals demonstrated today (Friday) against the fence in the village of Wadi Rahal, south of Bethlehem. The village celebrated the completion of one month of popular resistance, and is planning to proceed with the struggle.

Demonstrations in Wadi Rahal were launched after two years of complete stoppage of fence-construction work in the area, as suicide attacks subsided and Israeli coffers ran out. All that was left of the planned apartheid monster was a new road, meant to serve soldiers patrolling along the barrier, but now serving Palestinians of the region instead. However, recently villagers started receiving new land expropriation warrants, indicating Israeli intentions to restart construction, and leading them on to struggle.

Demonstrators marched from the center of the village to the road on the route of the wall at noon, where soldier where already waiting. The soldiers failed to stop the colorful procession, and retreated, allowing the march to proceed on the road. At some point the soldiers stopped, declared the area a closed military zone, and denied further marching. Demonstrators gave speeches in Arabic and English, in spite of threats of arrests, and eventually decided to leave peacefully, only to return the next week once more.

As of next week, the two demonstrators are supposed to be coordinated, so that the Ma'asara one will start right after the Wadi Rahal protest ends.

WALLAJE


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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com

Palestine-Israel, The joint straggle persist in the "Tsumud" mood of "we will never let go"

The "Tsumud" (persistence) is the long continuance non violence stubbornness of refusal to yield to the Zionist settler colonialist efforts to transfer the Palestinians - intensified after 1948 establishment of Israel. It was the mode of the Palestinians Israel failed to transfer out in 1947/8 atrocities who become Israeli citizens in 1948. It is the mode adopted by the Palestinians in the 1967 conquered west bank and Gaza. The joint struggle of the villagers and their popular committees against the separation fence with the Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall, expand to other aspects of this struggle. Struggles against road blocks and gradual grabbing of lands by settlers focused now on at the struggle at Nabi Salah are on going for years in the Hebron region.

BEIT JALLA BEIT OMMAR BIL'IN DAHMASH HEBRON MA'ASARA NABI-SALAH NI'ILIN SHEIKH-JARRAH WALAJE

BEIT JALLA

"Media: Israeli forces injured eight people on Sunday while breaking up a peaceful demonstration against Israel's separation wall in the West Bank village of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, according to local news reports.

Three journalists were reportedly among the injured. Palestinian academic and activist Mazin Qumsiyeh said in an email that two teenagers, Mohammed Masalma and Thaer Mahmoud, were beaten by Israeli soldiers using clubs.

Qumsiyeh also released a video showing soldiers roughly treating demonstrators, and also detonating stun grenades and tear gas. Tear gas canisters also set fire to a nearby hillside. http://www.youtube.com/v/ktDUzjnxapY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzxUGMn0eDQ
Palestinians in Beit Jala, like several other villages, hold regular demonstrations against the construction of Israel's wall, which snakes through the interior of the West Bank."

BEIT OMMAR

We need people to come to Beit Ommar this Saturday at 1:00 for the action. The destination will be determined (between Karmei Tsur and the entrance of the village, NOT blocking the street). The last two weeks an international has been arrested, both while the military was trying to arrest a Palestinian (the second time they succeeded). Those two internationals were then banned from the entire West Bank for the remainder of their visas. Because of the harsh restrictions on internationals being arrested, we are in special need of a few Israeli activists to come. It is possible to attend the Hebron demonstration afterward, they do not conflict and are close to each other.

Saturday - The weekly demonstration in Beit Ommar took place on Saturday within the agricultural lands adjacent to Karmey Tsur settlement, in itself built on the village's lands. As protesters soon found out, army soldiers prevented them from entering a cultivated land of Beit Ommar, declaring it a closed military zone. 2 Israeli protesters were arrested and taken to a police station. Unlike internationals on previous demos, they were released with a 14 day restriction from the Hebron area. Beit Ommar National Committee invites Israeli and international solidarity activists to its actions and demonstrations against the Israeli occupation, settlements, apartheid wall and the economic strangulation of the Palestinian people.

BIL'IN

About 50 Palestinians, some 20 Israelis and a somewhat larger number of internationals participated in the weekly demonstration in Bilin against the wall and occupation. Some Israeli activists were stopped at checkpoints on their way and threatened by the army, but were eventually allowed to continue. In Bil'in, the demonstrators marched chanting and singing merry folk songs. They reached the wall, and demonstrated peacefully for a few minutes, occasionally harassed by some tear gas, but not enough to scare them away. Eventually, the shabab, who had enough of the gas, expressed their dismay in the form of stones. The trigger happy soldiers then flooded the area with tear gas, forced in, and started chasing demonstrators. One British demonstrator with a bad knee who breathed in lots of gas couldn't keep up, so she was arrested along with two Israelis who came to help her. The soldiers continued chasing demonstrators all the way to the first homes of the village, but despite their tactic of trying to block the demonstrators' retreat with tear gas, were outrun by demonstrators under the cover of the gas canisters thrown back at them by the shabab. On their way back, one group of Israeli demonstrators was held at a checkpoint for two hours by soldiers who lied to them saying that they called the police to arrest them. The three arrested activists were released on the same day, after meeting with the Palestinian medics arrested in Ni'lin at the police station. Their release conditions will be set in court on Sunday.

Israel Puterman video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZQQ8DMX6XU

DAHMASH

Nissim Mossek video 13th Jun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNKCdpfRCak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43zZtPv3pVU&feature=player_embedded

Following the solidarity demonstration in Dahmash by the Sheikh Jarrah initiative, dozens of the Dahamsh people came to this Friday demo in Sheikh Jarrah.

HEBRON - South

Nissim Mossek video 12th Jun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogjwryVfw5M

Hebron Saturday

About 100 Palestinians and their international and Israeli supporters gathered next to the closed gates of the Israeli army blockade on Shuhada street in the weekly demonstration in Hebron. After much chanting and singing the protesters attempted to march through the old city allies but were soon blocked by the Israeli soldiers in a move that shows their clear siding with the settlers. The march then went through another way and at a certain point settlers squirted water on the march by a hose, to the sight of the soldiers which were tailing the march and remained still in response.

MA'ASARA

Some 20 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals marched together in the weekly demonstration against the Wall in Ma'asara. Following a long march in the summer heat through the village streets, demonstrators were surprised NOT to find any soldiers blocking the main road. Proceeding happily towards the village's agricultural lands, demonstrators were suddenly attacked by two soldiers in two army jeeps which came out of nowhere. Soldiers yelled that the area is declared a closed military zone, and started shoving people back.

Only a higher ranking officer who came after a couple of minutes was willing to listen to the demonstrators' demands. Much to their surprise, the officer decided to allow the demonstrators to march on. It's been two and a half years that the army has been stopping the marches in Ma'asara from reaching the route of the Wall, following a year during which all demonstrations took place there.

And so the march went on, walking by the main road, crossing the route of the planned barrier, and holding a small spontaneous rally with speeches on the Palestinian agricultural lands by the illegal settlement of Efrat. Speakers mentioned the uniqueness of the event, and mentioned Hassan Bargia, one of the prominent activists in the village who was arrested in last week's demonstration, and is still held by the army. Following this, demonstrators returned to the village peacefully.
http://awalls.org/files/images/IMG_4229.preview.JPG

The Israeli AAtW activists continued to the Sheikh Jarrah demonstration.

NABI SALAH

http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=288&Itemid=1

At today's protest, there was fiery resistance from the village women when Israeli Occupation Forces arrested a young man on the Orwellian accusation that he didn't prevent the shabab from throwing stones at them from his property, the arrest was fiercely resisted with palpable anger and outrage and even when the soldiers had him cocooned in a jeep prior to being carted off to detention and worse, the vehicle was physically prevented from leaving until brutality, percussion grenades and tear gas forced a way. However, there is a happy outcome to this story as the IOF released him shortly afterward to the arms of his joyous wife and villagers. Through out the West Bank and further afield, this tiny village of some 540 souls is now a symbol of awe and respect as it spearheads the nonviolent resistance to the Occupation and continuous theft of lands. Incredibly, all brutal attempts to break this butterfly of courage, this Palestinian Stalingrad on the wheel have been in vain. The latest threat to the village is the recent serving of demolition orders on ten houses adjacent to the illegal "settler" colony of Halamish by the Occupation regime so as to facilitate its cancerous, amoebic spread and eventually do what savage repression can't; break the resistance through ethnic cleansing.

NI'ILIN

Ni'lin's weekly protest included around 100 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals. Protesters expressed their anger at the theft of their land, some by chanting anti-occupation slogans, and others by throwing stones over the concrete wall. Soldiers fired tear gas canisters at the protesters. Following around two hours of this protest, soldiers crossed the wall and proceeded to arrest five medics belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, and a Palestinian video cameraman. One of the soldiers punched the cameraman and a medic, and another threw a large rock at a radio receiver belonging to the medics. The arrestees were taken to the Shaar Binyamin police station. Two of them were accused of assaulting the police, and four were released. There are several videos of the incident proving that the soldiers were the only violent part of this incident, and these were used when the arrestees were brought to court Sunday, which led to their release.

"It always strikes me how well Israeli activists drive. Of course, there is good reason to be afraid that every minor traffic violation could result in arrest because of political activities. Despite that the car travel to the villages in the West Bank, where the Israeli armed forces routinely fire tear gas and rubber bullets at us, is always the safest part of the journey.

http://josephdana.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Nilin-Nabi-Salih-18-6-2010-76-of-829-300x200.jpg

The protests in Nil’in are getting smaller. Five people have died, countless injured, the village is routinely raided by Israeli armed forces looking for children that throw stones and there have been hundreds of arrests. On top of all this, the village has a concrete wall in the middle of their olive and farm grove. While the protest is losing numbers it does continue. On this past Friday, the normal procession of prayers and chants lead to the wall. The first hour was routine with lots of tear gas and some stone throwing. The protest moved along the route of the wall to the edge of a wadi where the wall goes from concrete to barbed wire fence. Groups of Palestinians run after tear gas canisters and try to stop them from discharging. The reusable tear gas canisters are collected and ultimately thrown back over the wall to the great excitement of the Shabab (Arabic for the Palestinian youth stone throwers).

On this day, one of the tear gas canisters thrown back across the wall started a large brush fire. After the fire, the soldiers entered the village with guns draw under the cover tear gas. The protesters had already retreated from the area of the wall leaving only the Red Crescent medical team and one photojournalist slowly making their way back to the village. The soldiers quickly surrounded the medical team with guns pointed at their heads. One soldier took an orange medical stretcher from the hands of a medic, hit him with it and slammed it to the ground destroying it. The camera of a Palestinian photojournalist was destroyed and everyone was handcuffed and lead to the Israeli side of the wall. We learned later that the army is charging the medical staff with assault and as of this writing they are still in an Israeli jail. The IDF has also argued that the medical staff was not clearly marked from the protesters. Yet another surreal observation by the army as the medical were dressed in a full white Red Crescent uniforms and carrying a stretcher which the soldiers used to beat them.

After reviewing the footage from Nil’in in the village we made our way to Nabi Salih to join the weekly protest that has been taking place for the past six months."

David Reeb video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijgrudXagEY


SHEIKH JARRAH

In Sheikh Jarrah some 350 demonstrators gathered for a festive demonstration against the ongoing home evictions in the neighborhood. The Irish singer Tommy Sun-dance sang his folk songs, local drummers chanted slogans to the Samba beat, and several die-hard football fans sounded the annoying South-African plastic trumpets. Meanwhile, an Italian photographer took portrait pictures of demonstrators, and the a group of residents from Dahamash, a village near Ramle in threat of demolition, came to show their support in the struggle, after Sheikh Jarrah people came to their demonstration in the beginning of the week.

After an hour of fun, the demonstration took a serious turn. The masses started marching towards a new house whose residents received an eviction notice. As the house is in the opposite direction from the ones the police is safeguarding, the march went on peacefully, until police realized what was going on and sent the riot unit to stop the march. After a tense stand off, demonstrators found a way around the police blockade through the narrow paths, and made it to the house, holding a rally there. After this success, the demonstration ended peacefully.

Israel Puterman video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM5Oan48o9I

WALAJE

Meeting today al-walaje
There will be a meeting today (Monday 14-6-10) at 20:00 in the village council of all those who want to take part in organizing demos direct action etc. if you're interested text me

Friday Demonstrations also took place in Wallaje, and Wad Rachal
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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle expand

The joint struggle of the anarchists against the wall and others of the Israeli radical left and international activists continue. In spite continued harassment of the Israelis - the participation in the various joint struggles increase: Beiteen, Beit Umar, Beit Jalla, Dahamash, Hebron, Ma'asara Nebi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Sheikh Jarrah, and even Tel Aviv, and court solidarity never stop.

BEITEEN

Stand Up…and Break the Siege

Call for participation and Support
You are all invited to participate in the first event of the Beiteen Road Campaign. This campaign aims to raise awareness on the Beiteen Road-and eventually open the road- that was closed by Israel. As a result of this closure, thousands of Palestinians are forced each day to take a much longer path to get to their schools, work, hospitals…and are humiliated by occupations’ unjustified and unjust policies.
When? The launching event will take place on Friday June 11th, 2010 after Friday prayer
Where? Deir Dibwan - Beiteen Junction (the original road junction)

A press conference will take place at the meeting point

Your participation is highly essential to voice out our demands and to confront the brutal policies of occupation against our people.
Stand Up…and Break the Siege

BIL'IN

http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=284&Itemid=1

11th June 2010-Demonstrators in Bili’in today formed their own Palestine national football team, coinciding with the start of the World Cup, to highlight their right to be an independent nation. The players, together with dozens of other Palestinian, Israeli and international activists, marched to the annexation barrier at the edge of the village, where a goal was constructed and a game was begun. Several footballs were kicked over the separation fence onto land once owned by the village. Israeli soldiers responded to this entirely non-violent activity by firing volleys of tear gas at the participants. They then came through the gate in the fence, and arrested 6 journalists, four of whom were soon released. Two – one Palestinian and one international – remain in detention at the time of writing.

The tear gas canisters fired also caused large fires on the dry ground around the olive trees. Soldiers fired more canisters, aiming for the groups of villagers attempting to put out the flames.

COURT SOLIDARITY

AAtW activists "visited" Ofer military court for solidarity with Adib Abu Rahma and others detained for months as part of the efforts to stop the joint nonviolent struggle against the separation fence in Bil'in and other locations, and occupation.

Hebron

Many Palestinian, Israeli and international protestors gathered Saturday for the weekly demonstration organized by Youth Against Settlements. The demonstrations call for freedom of movement for Palestinians in Hebron, generally, and specifically for the opening of Shuhada St. The protest began at the Hebron municipality and marched to one end of the closed Shuhada St. At the barrier, participants chanted and held signs in solidarity with the Palestinians living in Hebron.

During the protest, settlers gathered to harass and provoke the demonstrators. One settler even approached the barrier to further provoke, warning that there would be another Baruch Goldstein. Baruch Goldstein was an American doctor from Brooklyn, who, in 1994, went into Ibrahimi Mosque during prayers, and massacred twenty-nine people inside the mosque, then went outside to continue the slaughter.
After the massacre inside the Ibrahimi Mosque, Shuhada St. was blocked off to Palestinians completely. In 2000, the street was closed for the “security of the settlers”, including around 500 shops in the middle of the city. After this, due to a lack of traffic, more than 1000 shops were closed. Since then, more than 100 checkpoints have been installed, while settlers not only enjoy the freedom of movement, but also have full protection of the Israeli Military. These settlers have completely changed the lives of some 200,000 Palestinians, reducing their lives to enough of a living hell for roughly 1000 families to abandon their homes.

The protest went from the Shuhada St. closure through the Old City, and met with soldiers, then continued back to the Shuhada St. closure where the protest ended. The spokesperson for Youth Against the Settlements called on the people of the Old City to join in the protest, and thanked all demonstrators for their show of support. As usual, participants were urged to continue the struggle against the divisions of Hebron, as well as the occupation of Palestine.

Over 70 demolition orders have been issued in the Palestinian village of Dahamash, located within Israel's 1948 borders

Dahamash

Sunday evening, two hundred Palestinian, international and Israeli activists demonstrated against the demolition order of 70 houses in the village of Dahamash. Demonstrators marched from the village to the main adjacent road where they concentrated and chanted, demanding the recognition of the village and a stop to the demolition orders.

Residents from Sheikh Jarrah and international and Israeli activists rallied for an hour in solidarity with the villagers of Dahamash. Speeches were given by Nasser Gawi of Sheikh Jarrah and leaders of Dahamash’s community, denouncing the Israel’s racist policy towards Palestinians and claiming their right to live on their lands. In a jovial atmosphere, the internationally-famous Palestinian hip hop group, DAM, gave a concert in which they showed their solidarity with the people of Dahamash, Sheikh Jarrah and all Palestinians.

Dahamash is a small unrecognized village between Lod and Ramlle that existed since before 1948 and was built on privately owned Palestinian land. The state of Israel refuses to recognize the village, claming the land is agricultural land, while in adjacent Jewish villages land is rezoned for building. Now that the Municipality of Ramlle is building a new Jewish neighborhood adjacent to the village, the mayor believes the new Jewish residents will prefer not to have Dahamash residents as neighbors and so has issued 70 demolition orders for houses in the village. If the demolitions proceed, 600 men, women and children will lose their homes.

MA'ASARA

Some Thirty Palestinians, with Israelis and internationals participated in this week's demonstration in Ma'asara. The marry little bunch marched from the village center towards the stolen lands, and was surprised not to find any soldiers on its way. Passing the regular location of the blockage, demonstrators got closed and closer to the lands, until the first army jeep stormed in and blocked the way. More soldiers and border police soon showed up, and attempts to pass them and move on were frustrated.

One of the members of the popular committee gave a speech against Israeli colonialism, after which soldiers jumped on him and arrested him, then proclaiming the area a closed military zone. After negotiations, demonstrators agreed to take 15 meters back in exchange for the release of the detainee. Surprisingly, the soldiers didn't keep their word. In stead they started proceeding, pushing demonstrators forcefully back into the village, then surrounding them with barbed wire. The demonstrators said they won't leave so long as their friend isn't released, and after another half hour the army took away the wire, and left with the detainee. Several soldiers remained in the area to see the march won't started again, and as the demonstrators realized it would help their friend most if they start taking care of the legal aid, the demonstration ended.

NABI SALEH

New house demolition threats in Nabi Saleh

In a clear attempt to punish popular resistence in the village or to threat with such punishment, the Israeli army informed to 10 families in Nabi Saleh that their houses are selected for demolition due to "lack of permit". This is a bogus excuse as the houses were built even prior to the beginning of the Israeli 67 occupation and is a clear criminal act of collective punishment. The entire village consists of 87 hosues so this would amount to a destruction of more than 10% of the village!

The orders are said to be executed on the begining of next month.

Join us tomorrow to protest the new threats on activists such as Nariman, Basem, Murad and others.

For rides from Tel Aviv call A.

SHEIKH JARRAH

In Sheikh Jarrah some three hundred demonstrators gathered once again this Friday afternoon. Half arrived directly at the demonstration park, and half got there after marching through Jerusalem and passing through the neighborhood itself. After two hours of drumming, singing and drinking fresh orange juice to break the Jerusalem heat – the demonstration ended peacefully.

Nissim Mossek video of 11-6-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yefVf4Bxdc0

Sheikh Jarrah in Solidarity with Dahamash

Together against oppression and racism

Dahamash is a small unrecognized village between Lod and Ramlle that existed since before 1948 and was build on privately owned Palestinian land. The state of Israel refuses to recognize the village claming the land is agricultural land, while in adjacent Jewish villages land is rezoned for building.

Now that the Municipality of Ramlle is building a new Jewish neighborhood adjacent to the village, the mayor believes the new Jewish residents will prefer not to have Dahamash residents as neighbors and so has issued 70 demolition orders for houses in the village. 600 men women and children of Dahamash are going to loose their homes if we don't act to stop this!

Like in Sheikh Jarrah, the establishment's discrimination and blunt racism of the government and "justice" system is screaming to the sky in Dahamash.



This Wednesday (13.6) at 5:30 PM we, residents and activists of Sheikh Jarrah, will join the people of Dahamsh in a demonstration ending with a concert of the Palestinian band DAM.
Transportation will leave Jerusalem at 16:00 from the bell garden (Gan Hapa'amon).

TEL AVIV

Tel-Aviv Fountains Colored with Blood.

11/06/2010

During the night, three fountains in Tel-Aviv were colored with bright red color. The Committee Against the Siege who organized the action says: "We made it to remind people in Israel that the siege-policy is only causing bloodshed"

Shocked from the military attack on the civilian flotilla and the murders of at list 9 of its members, activists from the Committee Against the Siege raided three central fountains in Tel Aviv and painted their water blood-red. Next to the fountains, Graffiti was made in protest of the deadly siege on the Gaza Strip.

The Committee Against the Siege reports that: "Since the last four years of the Siege more then 2,600 Palestinians were murdered by the Israeli army, in Bombardments from the sky sea and land. Last week we witnessed how the Israeli army also stretches its hand toward civilian ships in international waters, and also there do not hesitate to kill civilians. The people of Gaza suffer since years from extreme violence and heavy restriction on their freedom of movement. They also lack basic products as wheel chairs, paper and school books, Gasoline for Power-Plants, building materials for the restructuring of the ruins caused by the Israeli attacks and much more. The only solution for the end of this bloodshed is the lifting of the blockade and the end of the occupation through negotiations and not unilateral acts. Tonight we made this action, to remind the public in Israel that in sea or on land, the siege-policy is full of blood.

WALAJE

The army is going to uproot about 60 trees around Abu-Nidal's house in Al-Walaje, including his ancestors' burial area, to clear the way for the Wall.
We need people for the following days (Tuesday to Thursday) both for actual shifts at the place and for standby - people who will be able to get there in about half an hour through SMS call, both in the hours 7:00-13:00.
We need as many people as we can get.
Contact Y

Urgent update 06/08/2010 10:23 AM: the demolition has started about an hour ago, there are some people on their way but if anyone can join them, please let yotam know.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we'll be leaving from Tel-Aviv for a morning shift.
Let me know if you want to join

There will be a meeting this eve 9pm in center west Jerusalem to discuss tomorrow (wednesday) morning's plans, for details or to arrange a ride from Jerusalem in the morning contact y.

This morning, 06/09/2010 09:51 AM during a direct action in al Walaje, two Israeli activists were arrested. As everyone was walking away after the action, a border police officer who knows Mazin and has been harrassing him, singled him out and arrested him. All three are now being held behind the Wall Checkpoint (checkpoint 300) in Bethlehem.

Lawyers are contacted, but Mazin is a Palestinian citzizen who also has US citizenship. If you are a US citizen, please call the US consulate to inquire on his behalf.
For more questions, contact his wife

A group of over 30 demonstrators came to Al-Walaja today at 7am to obstruct the path of a bull dozer working on the construction of the separation wall. Three demonstrators were arrested during the action; the legitimacy of two of the arrests remains in question. Amongst, the arrested was former Yale Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh.


The activists stopped the bulldozer while a few of them chained themselves to it halting work for an hour.

Qumsiyeh was arrested after the demonstrators decided to disperse upon being notified that fellow Israeli activist Yotem Wolfe would not be released. Wolfe had been arrested after being forcibly removed from a bulldozers to which he was chained by the neck. Qumsiyeh, the only Palestinian present at the action, was pulled aside, arrested and taken in for interrogation under the unspecified pretense that he was considered a “security threat.”


Israeli activist Shay Halatzi was also arrested under the allegation of “being rude” by insulting the unit as he protested Dr. Qumsiyeh's detention.


Both arrests occurred after the morning demonstration was over and activists were being forced to leave the area. The soldiers threatened the entire group with arrests, after the group had dispersed from the area where the activists had interrupted the work of the bulldozers for approximately 40 minutes by chaining two activists to the apparatus.


At one point during the demonstration, the Israeli contractor in charge of the site attempted to attack the demonstrators and had to be forcibly restrained by the military.



After being forced by soldiers onto the village roads, the crowd then staged a peaceful sit down demonstration with soldiers not permitting demonstrators to move.


Mazin was released at 14:00 at 300 checkpoint and the Israelis at 16:30 with conditions of restriction from a 500 radius of the wall's construction sites.


This is another stage in the construction of the wall that will completely surround al-wallje. passing up to 5 meter from the houses the wall will separate the village from Jerusalem leaving one exit via tunnel to beit jalla.

we, Israeli ,Palestinian and international activists active in sheikh jarrah, and across Jerusalem and the bank will stand together with the people of the village to fight the land theft and suffocation of the village.

the claim that the wall is a security one was refuted when the person that was in charge with drawing the route-retired colonel Dani Tirza-was hired by the "Givat Yael" company that is planning to build a 14,000 housing units settlement around the village.

Tirza criticized the route writing it takes lands from the planed settlement and that there is no security need for it.

Material with workable links at http://www.qumsiyeh.org/rightsblog2010/
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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com