Author: ISM Media

Take Action: Verdict in Corrie Case Requires U.S. Investigation

September 19 2012 | US Campaign to End the Occupation

Urge the U.S. Government to Investigate Israel’s Attacks on Rachel and Others

Rachel Corrie Photo
Rachel Corrie

Rachel Corrie was a U.S. citizen and a human rights defender committed to ending Israel’s illegal demolition of Palestinian homes. According to the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions,Israel has demolished an estimated 27,000 Palestinian structures in Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967.

Rachel was killed by the Israeli military with a U.S.-taxpayer funded Caterpillar D9 bulldozer on March 16, 2003, in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, while seeking to protect the home of a Palestinian family from demolition.

In August 2012, a civil case in Israeli court against the Israeli military filed by the Corrie family concluded with the presiding judge not only absolving the State of Israel of any liability, but also blaming Rachel for her own death.  This is unacceptable.

Take action today by signing this petition launched by us and our friends at the Center for Constitutional Rights urging the U.S. government to conduct investigations into all cases of Israel severely injuring or killing U.S. human rights defenders.
The U.S. government has long maintained that the Israeli military’s investigation into Rachel’s death was not thorough, credible, and transparent. The Israeli court’s verdict has only reinforced the fact that Israel is incapable of investigating and holding itself accountable for killing Rachel and severely injuring and killing other U.S. human rights defenders.
Recently, member groups around the country took action during the Rachel Corrie Week of Action surrounding the verdict, focused on building the We Divest Campaign, which calls on financial giant TIAA-CREF to divest from companies involved in the Israeli occupation, including Caterpillar.On Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, activists from member group Hilton Head for Peace held a vigil to honor Rachel’s life and work for justice.In Oak Creek, Wisconsin, member group Friends of Palestine demonstrated and performed street theatre at Caterpillar’s Mining Operations Headquarter.
Other activists and member groups in Honolulu, HI; Boca Raton, FL; Houston, TX; Phoenix, AZ; Philadelphia, PA; St. Louis, MO; Eureka, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, CA; and Chicago, IL held other actions around the country outside of Caterpillar dealerships, an Israeli Consulate, TIAA-CREF offices. US Campaign members joinred others in Washington, D.C. in a demonstration outside the State Department. You can see photos of many of the actions here.Other U.S. activists focused on social media. On the day of the verdict and the day after, #RachelCorrie and #divest4justice trended among the top ten most popular hashtags. And more than one hundred individuals worldwide posted photos in solidarity with Rachel and her family on this Tumblr blog.
Whether or not you were able to take action during the Week of Action, please take action today by signing this petition calling for a U.S. investigation now.
Click here for a terrific round-up of the international Week of Action by Rochelle Gause of the Rachel Corrie Foundation, which ends with these poignant words:
“I don’t think that Rachel should have moved. I think we should all have been standing there with her,” said Cindy Corrie in response to Judge Gershon’s comment that Rachel should have moved out of the way of the Caterpillar bulldozer.  Rachel wrote from Gaza, “The international media and our government are not going to tell us that we are effective, important, justified in our work, courageous, intelligent, valuable. We have to do that for each other, and one way we can do that is by continuing our work, visibly.” May we continue to take Rachel’s words to heart, find ways to successfully mobilize ourselves, strengthen our networks, utilize new forms of communicating to affirm the just cause of the Palestinian people and stand with the movement for universal human rights in Palestine and Israel.
Together we’ll deliver the petition to the State Department next month. Help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures by signing right now and spreading the word!

Settler attack in Aqraba leaves 3 injured, 1 hospitalized

By Ben Greene and Ellie Marton

19 September 2012 | International Solidarity Movement

On Monday 17, September, six Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement of Itamar attacked three members of the Benijaber family, who were walking home to the Palestinian village of Aqraba from their olive groves.

Maher Hashem Mostafa Benijaber reported that he, his brother Omar and cousin Hafed were set upon by six men, three of whom were armed with semi-automatic rifles. The attack occurred just before 7 p.m., around 600 metres from their home. The settlers punched and kicked the three men, as well as beat them with rocks and sticks. They also tried to block the path back to the village so Maher and his family could not escape.

Omar managed to escape, calling neighbours for help. Meanwhile, the attack on Maher and Hafed continued. After the arrival of other residents, the Israeli attackers fled the scene. Maher then attempted to walk back to the village, but collapsed, lost consciousness, and had to be carried.

Maher Hashem Mostafa Benijaber in the hospital being treated for injuries after settlers attacked him on his way home.

Maher, Omar and Hafed all required medical treatment at the local clinic in Aqraba for the injuries they sustained during the beating, and Maher was hospitalized overnight in Nablus. All three men suffered injuries to their arms, head, back and legs, consistent with a sustained beating with sticks. When asked what he thought about the latest attack, Maher said, ‘if no-one had come to help, they would have killed me.’

The family contacted the Israeli army via the Palestinian Police and District Coordination Office to report the attack, however the army instead visited Yanoun village, which is also near Itamar settlement. Despite being informed that they had gone to the wrong village, they never attended the scene of the attack in Aqraba or spoke to Maher.

The attack on the Benijaber family is just the latest of many on the village of Aqraba. Four days previously, an elderly shepherd was attacked and forced to flee from his fields back to the village. The attacking settlers then stole some of his sheep. Such attacks on Palestinian villages are commonplace throughout the West Bank, and there is effectively impunity for settlers who carry them out. According to the Human Rights Watch 2012 report, “The Israeli government generally took no action against Israeli settlers who destroyed or damaged mosques, homes, olive trees, cars, and other Palestinian property, or physically assaulted Palestinians.” Illegal settlements such as Itamar continue to be encouraged to expand with the support of Israeli government and occupation forces.

Maher’s room at Rafidia Hospital happens to be across the corridor from Akram Taysir Daoud, who suffered a similar attack in the village of Qusra on 15th September and remains in hospital. Report at: www.palsolidarity.org/2012/09/qusra-man-left-for-dead-after-settler-attack/

 

Ben and Ellie are volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (names have been changed).

 

Freedom for Jalaal

By Anna Conroy

18 September | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Jalaal and his family expressed their desire to thank everyone who has donated through ISM. (photo credit: Ellie Marton)

On Saturday 15th September a group of four internationals from ISM joined the Daraghmah family at their home in al Luban to celebrate son Jalaal’s release from prison. Thanks to many generous donations ISM was able to pay the five thousand shekel bail ($1300) and co-ordinate Jalaal’s release after he had spent 17 days in Israeli jail. Jalaal was arrested for trying to protect his family when 30 settlers invaded their property, destroying their car and beating his two young brothers and his mother. Following the attack, none of the settlers were questioned or detained, yet Jalaal who acted in self defense when he hit one of the intruders with a gardening pick, was arrested at the scene – see previous ISM report here: https://palsolidarity.org/2012/08/child-wounded-by-settlers-my-brother-was-arrested-for-protecting-my-mother/

Despite the recent trauma that the Daraghmah family has gone through, they welcomed the ISM volunteers to their home, sharing tea and fresh produce grown in their garden.  Jalaal’s two younger brothers (Mu’min, 13, and Nour al-Deen, 9) who were so badly beaten in the attack that they had to be hospitalised, displayed incredible trust and affection through their interaction with the volunteers.

Jalaal and his family expressed their desire to thank everyone who has donated through ISM. They are relieved and happy that Jalaal has returned home and are consoled by the fact that their family’s ordeal has been voiced internationally.

Yet for the Daraghmah family this was not an isolated incident but rather one in a series of attacks upon the family and their property. It is for this reason that International volunteers from ISM are striving to maintain a night time presence in the property in an effort to deter groups of Israeli settlers from neighboring hilltop settlements from trespassing on the land. Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories are illegal under international law and violate the Fourth Geneva Convention.

While Jalaal’s release is a cause for celebration, the Daraghmah family remain concerned for their future safety in their home. The family remain at risk of hostility from the settlers and at being penalized by Israel’s two tier judicial system, which seeks to collectively and disproportionately punish the Palestinian people.

Anna Conroy is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed)

 

Movements restricted for Askar refugee camp

by Eva Smith

16 September 2012 | International Solidarity Movement

The main street from Askar Refugee Camp leading to Nablus is closed off three times every week by the Israeli army as around 1,000 illegal settlers make their way to “Joseph’s Tomb.” Each time, the street is closed for up to seven hours, leaving the camp essentially under curfew, unable to leave or enter the area.

Some of the surrounding illegal Israeli settlements are visible from the edge of the Askar Refugee Camp, as well as the road that is closed off three times a week. (photo credit: Ellie Marton)

Joseph’s tomb in Nablus has been a source of controversy since its discovery, as many Palestinians assert that it is in fact the tomb of an Islamic patriarch due to its Islamic architecture.

In the camp there are three checkpoints, which are often arbitrarily closed by the Israeli military. The refugee camp, in which 6,000 people live in one kilometer space, is technically under international legislation; however, armed Israeli soldiers still patrol the road closures and have been known to arrest residents. There are one hundred and five people from Askar Camp in Israeli jails today. This includes children as well as adults.

Eva Smith is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed)

Qusra man left for dead after settler attack

By Ellie Marton

17 September 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Akram Taysir Daoud from the Palestinian village of Qusra, was beaten unconscious on Saturday 15,September by Israeli settlers from the illegal outpost of Aysh Kodesh. He sustained extensive injuries, including a broken arm and major damage to his eye and face.

Akram’s sister Sanora reported that the family had been farming their land, which is on the outer edge of the village of Qusra, when they heard shouts and threats from settlers. Akram urged his family to go back to the house, leaving him alone. In response to a shout in Arabic, Akram moved to a more isolated area, not realising the call had come from settlers. It was at this point that the settlers attacked him.

Akram Taysir Daoud sits half-conscious in his hospital bed

Akram’s injuries are consistent with his report of a sustained beating with sticks and rocks by three settlers, after which he fell unconscious and was left for dead. After 15 minutes, Akram regained consciousness and was able to call his brother and identify his location over the phone. He was found in one of his fields and taken by car to Rafidia hospital in Nablus.

Around twenty further settlers reportedly then arrived, clashing with villagers who had come to protect Akram and his family, after having heard about the attack. Israeli military also arrived at the scene, but took no action to halt the extremist settler attack – instead reportedly shooting tear gas and rubber bullets at the Palestinians. This is the third attack of a similar nature in 3 weeks on the village of Qusra, and according to Akram, last week settlers directly threatened to kill him.

Illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank often attack Palestinians with impunity, with the Israeli army standing by or even amongst settlers during attacks, or reacting violently when Palestinians act to defend themselves. When attacks and injuries occur, it is often difficult for ambulances to reach villages like Qusra, due to Israeli roadblocks and checkpoints, so despite the additional dangers of transporting injured people by car, it is often necessary in the West Bank.

Ellie Marton is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).