Author: ISM Media Group

Settler youth spray burning liquid at Palestinian man in Hebron

On the morning of the 24th December, a settler youth attacked a Palestinian man outside the Beit Hadassah settlement in Hebron.

The man, who works as a caretaker at the Palestinian Qurtuba School, was running an errand in to the city centre. On returning he saw a settler boy around 12 years old chatting with the soldier on duty at the checkpoint. When he passed them the kid sprayed him with some liquid from a syringe. He protected himself with a piece of paper. Despite his efforts some of it hit his face, burning it.

When we asked the soldier why he didn’t interfere, he replied, “I didn’t notice it”.

Qurtuba School in the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood is constantly subjected to violent attacks of settlers. The settlers are known for using their minor kids who don’t risk any penalties, when they attack the school, the staff and pupils. This attack occurred during the Jewish Hanukkah when the settler kids don’t go to school and therefore have more time to harass the Palestinians.

The Israeli army has declared a closed military zone around Qurtuba school, which effectively prevents international human rights observers from entering it. The activists from ISM whom keep a presence around the school work under a constant threat of being arrested.

IMEMC: Christmas tree lit in protest tent in Jerusalem

To view original article, published by the IMEMC on the 23rd December, click here

Archbishop Moneeb Younan, of the Lutheran Church in the Holy Land and Jordan, lit a Christmas tree on Tuesday in a protest tent in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem. He was joined by Jerusalem governor, Adnan Al Husseini and resident Um Kamel Al Kurd.

Al Kurd was forced out of her home by extremist Israeli settlers. Since then, the Israeli authorities have removed her protest tent a total of three times.

Archbishop Younan said that this feast should be the time that human rights are returned, and the oppressed have a taste of freedom and justice.

Dozens of residents, including children, attended the symbolic act. The children in attendance received gifts.

Governor Al Husseini gave his best wishes to the Christians celebrating Christmas, “today we celebrate the birth of Christ while his essence is passing through this historical place”. He added that the Palestinians; Muslims and Christians, are facing oppression by the Israeli occupation, and are determined to remain steadfast in their land.

On his side, Archbishop Younan said, “we are lighting this tree because we are looking towards the light of peace and justice, and we believe that peace starts in Jerusalem. Today’s symbolic act resembles the Palestinian unity, the unity of Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem for thousands of years.

Meanwhile, Um Kamel said that she will never forget this night, and expressed hopes that the coming feats for Muslims and Christians will be celebrated with prevailing peace and justice in the region.

Neta Golan released from Israeli jail

Neta Golan, arrested leaving Gaza on the 22nd December through Erez crossing, has been released today by Israeli police following her second appearance in court in Kiryat Gat.

She was not charged and was released without bail. Neta Golan was kept in isolation for the duration of her time in prison, but had this to say;

“I left Gaza under Israeli siege to another Israeli prison in Kiryat Gat. Yet in Kiryat Gat, while I did not have freedom, I was given food, including bread and dairy, and the cell I was kept in though dirty and cold had electricity. The Palestinian people of Gaza do not have these things due to the Israeli policies of collective punishment.”

After successfully breaking the blockade with the Free Gaza Movement, Neta Golan spent three days in the Gaza Strip observing the effects of the Israeli siege on Gaza. She visited schools, hospitals and farmers who’s lives have been devastated by Israel’s policies of collective punishment.

Upon being arrested Neta Golan stated;

“How can an act against the collective punishment of over 1.5 million people be a crime? The policies of the Israeli State towards the people of Gaza is the real crime”.

Neta Golan is one of the co-founders of the International Solidarity Movement which was nominated twice for a Nobel Peace prize. She has actively resisted the occupation, participating in hundreds of demonstrations against the wall and the illegal settler roads. She is married and lives in Ramallah with her Palestinian husband and two children.

Ynet: Israeli activist charged with violating disengagement order

Police claim Neta Golan, who sailed into Gaza on activists’ boat, will be charged with violating order prohibiting Israelis from entering Gaza. Meanwhile Lebanese boat prepares to sail for Strip on Jan. 3

By Tova Dadon

To view original article, published by Ynet on the 23rd December, click here

The Magistrates’ Court in Kiryat Gat on Tuesday remanded the arrest of peace activist Neta Golan, who attempted to cross into Israel after arriving in Gaza on an activists’ boat from Cyprus. She was arrested at the Erez crossing on Monday.

Police stated an indictment would be filed against Golan, charging her with the violation of the order implementing the State’s Disengagement Plan of 2006. The order prohibits Israeli citizens from entering Gaza.

Police representatives asked the court to remand Golan’s arrest in order to provide for time to prepare the indictment and to consult with the Prime Minister’s Office in order to estimate the danger of Golan’s actions.

Golan’s attorney, Adanan Aladdin, told the court that his client “may have been endangering herself by entering Gaza, but the Gazans welcomed the arrival of the boat carrying a minimal amount of medical equipment to cure the seriously ill.”

Aladdin added, “There is no criminal offense in Golan’s actions. The siege Israel is imposing on Gaza is causing a serious humanitarian crisis endangering the lives of thousands of Gazans.

“Golan was taking personal responsibility as she believed the entire Israeli public should be doing, and boarded the ship that eventually docked in Gaza, otherwise the ship would have been banned. The fact that there were Israelis on board forced the Israeli forces to allow it to dock in Gaza.”

First Lebanese boat follows suit

Meanwhile it was reported that another cargo ship will set sail for Gaza on January 3 to defy the Israeli blockade, the organizer said Tuesday. On board the ship will be Lebanese activists, journalists, and supplies. Authorities at Larnaca port in Cyprus are expected to inspect the cargo and passengers before it proceeds to Gaza.

Hani Sleiman, a lawyer and university professor, said the indirect route is designed to deprive Israel of any excuse not to allow the ship into Gaza.

Five ships carrying activists and goods have run the blockade since the summer, but it will be the first time a ship carrying people and goods from Lebanon.

A spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Yigal Palmor, said Israel will not comment prior to the event and “will react accordingly when it happens.”

AP contributed to this report

Um Kamel al-Kurd again claims her Right of Return

On Monday 22nd of December, the people of Sheikh Jarrah, together with international and Israeli activists, returned for the second time to Um Kamel’s former house in Talbieh to express her right of return.

Around 50 people took part in the non-violent demonstration at 3pm to protest in the streets about Um Kamels eviction from her house in Sheikh Jarrah.

“I have two choices, either to push for a return to my house in Sheikh Jarrah or claim my right to my land in the Palestinian neighbourhood in Talbieh. This is my right and I will claim my right”, Um Kamel said.

The demonstrations lasted an hour during which protesters displayed posters, banners and tried to reach by-passers with Um Kamel’s message. Some of the banners said; “This is our land, our home”, “No to ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem” and “End the occupation – free Palestine”. Flyers were distributed to passers-by containing information about the protest tent in Sheikh Jarrah and concerning the nature of the demonstration.

Once again Um Kamel called upon the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop the continuing colonialisation of East Jerusalem. “We are experiencing small steps forward as even the children say they want their lands back. But we still need more people to join our struggle”.

The protest will continue to take place every week from now, bringing the same message to Talbieh and the world; “It’s time for the Palestinian people to live on their own land and in peace”.