Photo exhibition at Huwwara checkpoint

1. Photo exhibition at Huwwara checkpoint
2. Candlelight Vigils Outside the Israel Philharmonic Concerts in Los Angeles
3. Don’t Flirt with the Occupation – February 10th Mass Demonstration Against Carmel-Agrexco in London
4. Civil Rights Lesson and Art Class at Hebron Checkpoint
5. Villager beaten and arrested at Bil’in
6. Shepherd Abducted for Nothing in Tel Rumeida
7. March against the Wall in Bethlehem Village
8. Downtown Tel Aviv blockaded again

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1. Photo exhibition at Huwwara checkpoint

Today at Huwwara checkpoint Khaled Jarrar exhibited photos depicting scenes of Occupation life at checkpoints and the Wall. At 12 noon 40 photos were hung on the chain-link fence pedestrians have to pass as they enter Nablus.

Around 100 Israelis and internationals attended the exhibition, the second event in the 30 Days Against Checkpoints campaign, organised by Nablus group HASM (Palestinian Body for Peace, Dialogue and Equality). The forecasted rain held off until 2 pm.

Occupation forces showed interest in the exhibition. One soldier exclaimed that his face didn’t appear in the exhibition whilst another claimed that Nablus belonged to Israel. A photographer was also threatened by a soldier

Mohammed Dweikat, HASM Coordinator states: “We are doing this as Nablus is the most imprisoned city in the West Bank. Since 2002 it has only been possible to enter through six checkpoints on foot. It is even more difficult to exit. Men between 16 and 45 (it varies from day to day) can only exit their city with a special permit that can be obtained only outside Nablus. Almost nightly its citizens are the victims of violent military raids and their lives have not been peaceful, or normal for years.”

In the first action at Huwwara checkpoint on January 14th Palestinian youth dressed up as Native Americans and displayed banners linking the fate of the indigenous peoples of America and Palestine.

Contact info:
Mohammed Dweikat (HASM) – 0599355286

For photos visit: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/02/03/huwwara-photos/

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2. Candlelight Vigils Outside the Israel Philharmonic Concerts in Los Angeles

Local Peace and Human Rights Group to Hold Silent Candlelight Vigils Outside the Israel Philharmonic Concerts at Disney Hall Monday, Feb. 5th, and Tuesday, Feb. 6th in Downtown LA

Women in Black-LA Join Launch of International Campaign Calling for Sanctions and Cultural Boycott to End Israeli Apartheid in Palestine Inspired by Worldwide Movement That Helped End Apartheid in South Africa

WHAT: Silent Candlelight Vigil to Support a Boycott of the Israel Philharmonic and an End to Israeli Apartheid in Palestine

WHEN: Monday, February 5th – 6:30 to 8:00 PM
Tuesday, February 6th – 6:30 to 8:00 PM

WHERE: Outside the Disney Hall
1st Street & Grand, Downtown LA

WHY: International and Palestinian human rights leaders have asked supporters worldwide to begin cultural and economic boycotts, along with divestment and sanction campaigns to end Israel’s Occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem and to end Israeli Apartheid in Palestine.

This effort is modeled after the successful worldwide boycott and divestment campaign that helped end Apartheid in South Africa.

When they learned that the Israel Philharmonic would be stopping at Disney Hall while on their U.S. tour, Women in Black-LA joined the international campaign by launching their call for a Boycott of the orchestra, after first writing a letter to the Israel Philharmonic asking them to publicly oppose the occuptation.

Nearly 1,000 groups and prominent individuals, from former government officials to artists and activists, all over the world, signed the letter.

One of the signers, Silvia Tennebaum, step-daughter of Israel Philharmonic co-founder, William Steinberg, wrote: “My hope is that the orchestra will remember the suffering endured by the Jews in Germany and Eastern Europe and, in their memory, not implicitly support an occupation that seeks to strangle and displace a whole people.”

For photo visit: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/01/31/israel-philarmonic-la/

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3. Don’t Flirt with the Occupation – February 10th Mass Demonstration Against Carmel-Agrexco in London

by Boycott Israeli Goods
http://www.bigcampaign.org/

Agrexco is Israel’s largest exporter of fresh agricultural produce. The company is 50% owned by the Israeli state. Agrexco accounts for 70% ofIsraeli fresh produce sold abroad with annual sales of $750 million in 2006. Agrexco boast of being able to get produce to European markets within 24 hours.

The Valentines Day period is one of Agrexco UK’s busiest times as the company deals with large amounts of fresh flowers from Israel and the settlements.

The Boycott Israeli Goods campaign is planning a mass picket of the depot on Saturday February 10th in opposition to the sale of Israeli goods and in support of Palestinian farmers who are not able to market their goods internationally

In the UK Agrexco is known under the Carmel, Coral and Jaffa brands. The UK is the most important foreign market for Israeli fresh produce. Agrexco exports a wide range of produce to the UK including peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, spices, flowers and avocados.

Agrexco is the largest exporter of settlement produce for sale overseas. Much of this produce comes from colonies in the Jordan Valley. Carmel Agrexco hgave had dealings with the colonies of Tomer, Mehola, Hamra, Ro’i, Massua, Patzael, Mekhora, Netiv Ha-Gdud and Bet Ha-Arava.

Palestinian workers in the settlements suffer much worse working conditions and receive half the pay of Israelis.

Carmel-Agrexco’s UK depot has been blockaded 3 times by Palestinian solidarity activists.

Palestinians are calling for the solidarity movement to take action against Carmel Agrexco. 180 Palestinian organisations and unions, in response to the Israeli onslaught, have called for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Apartheid Israel.

Meet at 11am, (Bridge Place, Behind Victoria Station, Opposite UK Passport Office, outside the Hisperia Hotel) Central London, for transport to Agrexco’s depot in Middlesex

Meet at Carmel, Swallowfield Way, Hayes at 1pm (see map) if you are making your own way there. Email boycott@palestinecampaign.org to let us know you are coming

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Click here for YNet report on Israeli flower exports: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3359169,00.html

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4. Civil Rights Lesson and Art Class at Hebron Checkpoint

Today at 2pm ISM Hebron held a teach-in at the Tel Rumeida checkpoint in Hebron. The kids learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and his successful non-violent struggle for the freedom and civil rights of black people in the United States. We compared the situation of black Americans during segregation to the lack of freedom for Palestinians, particularly in the area of Tel Rumeida where they cannot drive, or walk around freely and are subjected to ID checks and house invasions.

After the history lesson, the children were given the opportunity to create t-shirts with Dr. King’s famous quote, “Freedom is not voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed” in Arabic, Hebrew and English.

Soldiers who were observing and waving their guns around on nearby roofs were invited to join the lesson and make their own t-shirts, however none of them joined. One t-shirt was saved for a soldier but attempts to give it away to various soldiers were unsuccessful.

After the demonstration, the weekly art classes continued at the Tel Rumeida community center where the lesson and t-shirt creation was repeated. At one point soldiers drove up and ordered the kids to go back into their homes. Apparently Marin Luther King is too subversive for the Israeli Occupation Forces.

Today was the third Thursday action in Tel Rumeida. Last week a rally was held at the checkpoint and the previous week local residents attempted to walk down Shuhada Street.

For photos visit: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/02/01/tr-teach-in/

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5. Villager beaten and arrested at Bil’in

UPDATE 10.30: Farhat Burnat will be held at Ofer Military Detention Centre for another 4 days on suspicion of ‘assaulting a soldier’. Many Bil’in residents have been abducted and held at Ofer on trumped up charges only to have their cases collapse due to lack of evidence.

The theme of today’s weekly demo against the Apartheid Wall in Bil’in was the need to end the internal conflict harming the Palestinian cause. Villagers constructed a scaffold with nooses and wore sheets with slogans such as ‘Palestinian State’, ‘Palestinian Freedom’, ‘Palestinian independence’, and ‘Palestinian dream’. The scaffold bore the sign ‘internal conflict’. Around 100 villagers were joined by 30 Israeli and international supporters.

After reaching the gate in the Wall and chanting anti-Occupation slogans, some villagers separated from the main group to try and dismantle the razor wire forming the first barrier in the Wall. Soldiers responded with the new type of sound bomb that explodes in the air and tear gas.

Meanwhile up by the gate soldiers beat and abducted Farhat Burnat, 26, who managed to get over the gate. He remains in captivity. They assaulted and tried to abduct other villagers but supporters managed to de-arrest them.

The IOF also made liberal use of the aerial exploding sound bombs and tear gas against the peaceful protesters to make them disperse. Some dispersed suffering from the effects of the tear gas but others remained near the gate and resisted the military violence.

One soldier approached a Palestinian and asked him to hold out his hand before throwing a sound bomb at him, which hit his chest before detonating. Altogether five people suffered light injuries from rubber bullets and beatings.

A representative from the German Consulate visited the village and was told about the difficulties resulting from the theft of over half the village’s land.

For photos visit: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/02/02/bilin-2-2-7/

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6. Shepherd Abducted for Nothing in Tel Rumeida

Yesterday shepherd Bilal Il Qadi was abducted from his home in Tel Rumeida at around 2pm by the IOF after a sheep had been seen in an olive grove on CCTV. The sheep was seen in an olive grove belonging to the Abu Haykel family, which is frequently used to graze animals and as a thoroughfare for local residents. Bilal didn’t appear on the CCTV as he wasn’t in the olive grove at the time anyway. Soldiers took him to the IOF post at the top of Tel Rumeida street.

International human rights workers (HRWs) and a lawyer arrived at the post at 2.50pm and asked why Bilal was being detained. They were told there was a sign in the olive grove saying it was forbidden for Palestinians to be there – when investigated this was found to be untrue. When the police arrived they handcuffed and blindfolded Bilal before taking him to the police station. He was released after having spent two hours in captivity.

Bilal was told that he wasn’t allowed to be in the olive grove and that if he went there again he would be shot. At the same time as Bilal’s abduction, local children were being given a lesson on Martin Luther King and the US Civil Rights Movement.

For photo visit: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/02/02/tr-shepherd-arrest/

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7. March against the Wall in Bethlehem Village

Today around 100 residents of Umm Salamuna, Wadi Annis and neighbouring villages were joined by international and Israeli supporters in a prayer and march on their bulldozed land. Following the midday prayer villagers marched up the hill to a site overlooking land where work on the Apartheid Wall was being carried out.

700 dunums will be annexed by the Wall in Umm Salamuna and 270 dunums will be taken for its footprint. In addition, the Wall will prevent easy access from the village to the main Jerusalem to Hebron road, turning a 7km trip to Bethlehem into a 20km one.

According to Khalid Al Azza, head of the Popular Committee for Land Defense in Bethlehem, villagers from the 10 south Bethlehem villages affected by the Wall have vowed to continue the weekly protests until construction of the Wall stops. They are currently appealing against the Wall in Occupation courts.

Today was the third Friday protest against the Wall on the razed land of Umm Salamuna and Wadi Annis.

For photo visit: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/02/03/umm-salamuna-02-02/

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8. Downtown Tel Aviv blockaded again

In a replica of an action on December 28th, Israeli activists brought part of downtown Tel Aviv to a standstill this afternoon. This time they struck on Rothshild Street, where they speedily blockaded the road with razor wire from the Apartheid Wall. As last time, they hung a sign from the Wall that reads in Arabic, Hebrew and English: “Mortal Danger-Military Zone. Any person who passes or damages the fence endangers his life”. The activists managed to escape before the police arrived.

click here for video footage of today’s action: http://awalls.org/Rothschild_video

click here for Haaretz coverage: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/821331.html
click here for YNet coverage: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3360417,00.html
click here for photos: https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/02/03/ta-blockade-03-02/

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