By Patrick Keddie
20 May 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
The three snapshots below are composed from interviews conducted whilst working for the International Solidarity Movement in the West Bank from September to December 2011.
FARCE
Rodni Jaber is a Palestinian woman who lives and works as a farmer in Al-Baqa’a, a windswept valley situated a few kilometers East of Hebron in the West Bank. Her family is regularly attacked by Israeli settlers and harassed by the Israeli military.
In 1998 Rodni’s son Raja was born. A few days after his birth, settlers … Continue reading
Occupied Palestine: farce, tragedy, travesty
Settler Attack: Palestinian man shot in head in Asira al-Qibliya
By Maria Erdely
20 May 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
Asira al-Qibliya, a village located south-west of Nablus, was attacked by illegal Israeli settlers yesterday. The attack lasted all afternoon leaving 7 Palestinians injured, of which 5 required hospitalization. Settlers fired live ammunition at the Palestinians, and one man was in critical condition after being shot in the head.
Israeli settlers arrived at Asira in the afternoon and before any Palestinians or Israeli soldiers came they began the attack by setting fire to the land. The people of Asira arrived and responded by throwing stones towards the … Continue reading
Gaza: Harvesting barley at Erez crossing amidst gun fire
By Hama Waqum
19 May 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza
Ten Palestinian volunteers harvested wheat in Gaza’s northern no-go zone on Wednesday, May 16, only 350 meters from where the Israeli Apartheid wall encircles the Gaza Strip. Two weeks ago the barley was cut and gathered and on Wednesday, volunteers loaded the harvest onto donkey carts to transport it for sorting, in the face of Apache helicopters, tanks, and F-16 fighter jets.
The work began at approximately 8:45am in northern Beit Hanoun, and immediately an Israeli tank … Continue reading
Campaign: Killing Without Consequence
May 19, 2012 | Killing Without Consequence
Killing Without Consequence is a campaign to press criminal charges against Israeli Border policeman Maxim Vinagrodov who executed Palestinian Ziad Jilani on June 11, 2010. In January 2011, the case against Vinagrodov was closed despite forensic evidence and eye witness reports.
Watch the video:
If the Israeli government is pressured to charge Vinagrodov, it will demonstrate to other soldiers that there are consequences for killing Palestinians. To help demand justice for the actions of Israeli soldiers, sign the petition. On July 11th, participate in … Continue reading
Nakba Day: Palestinian group attempts to return to 1948 territories, one arrested
By Ling Lewis
19 May 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
A Palestinian man was arrested at Ni’lin checkpoint on Tuesday, April 15 during a Nakba Day demonstration. The procession successfully crossed the checkpoint which separates the West Bank from Palestinian territories seized in 1948. They were violently forced back by occupation soldiers and police. A Palestinian woman and an international woman were also detained but released that same afternoon.
… Continue reading
Nakba anniversary message
by Mazin Qumsiyeh
15 May 2012 | Popular Resistance
On this 64th anniversary of the Nakba we mourn the ethnic cleansing that began in 1948 and that continues today with silent transfer, home demolitions, land confiscation and more. But we also celebrate an amazing resilience and success of the Palestinian endogenous people against incredible odds:
-We just celebrated the success of a hunger strike by over 1600 political prisoners despite attempts to stifle the story in Zionist dominated Western media. They succeeded in achieving a part of their basic rights including receiving family visits and ending solitary confinement.
-We are 11.5 million … Continue reading
What Thaer Halahleh’s family told me about his release brings joy, but raises troubling questions
by Lina Al Saafin
15 May 2012 | Electronic Intifada
At around 1:30am Palestine local time I was lying on my side in my bed trying to sleep and doing my best to ignore the queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as I thought about how the 64th commemoration of Nakba Day would pan out.
My phone suddenly vibrated jarringly. I grabbed it and the name of the last person I expected to call me was flashing on the screen: Abu Thaer Halahleh, the father of Palestinian hunger striker Thaer Halahleh. I immediately answered.
What I learned in the conversation was a … Continue reading
Palestinian prisoners agree to end hunger strike
by Haitham Hamad
14 May 2012 | Associated Press
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners agreed Monday to end a weekslong hunger strike after winning concessions from Israel to improve their conditions, the two sides announced.
The deal ended a strike in which prisoners had gone without food for up to 77 days, leaving several prisoners in life-threatening condition. It was the longest strike ever staged by Palestinians in Israeli custody.
With the Palestinians set to hold an annual day of mourning on Tuesday, both sides were eager to wrap up a deal to lower tensions. The Palestinians are … Continue reading
Statement No. 7 of the Strike leadership
by The Central Committee of the Leadership of the Strike
13 May 2012 | Samidoun
We have only two options: to achieve all of our demands, or to die
Free Palestinian people, masses of our nation, free people of the world….
We have entered a stage of legendary and draining human struggle, where we face real danger which threatens our lives. We are now very close to martyrdom, which is more precious and one of the best options for us.
We are now at the state of a great test of wills … Continue reading
Activists seal off settlement in solidarity with hunger strikers
13 May 2012 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee
Protesters blocked the entrance to the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, meters away from one of Israel’s main interrogation centers in the West Bank. Two protesters were arrested.
50 Palestinian, Israeli and international activists blocked the entrance of the Ma’ale Adumim settlement today, in support of the Palestinian prisoners’ massive hunger strike, now on its 27th days.
The protesters managed to halt traffic at the entrance to the settlement for about 20 minutes, before Israeli forces managed to remove them from … Continue reading
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