Category: Action Alerts

Action alert: Help free 14-year-old Malak

1st February 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team  | Occupied Palestine

On January 21st, 14 year old Malak Khatib was sentenced by the Israeli military courts to two months in Israeli jails. Malak has been in Hasharon prison for over a month now as her family continues to endure the unbearable absence felt in their small apartment home in the West Bank village of Beitin.Malak was arrested by Israeli forces one morning on her way from school. Her imprisonment came based on a testimony from Israeli soldiers. Regardless of her young age, she was interrogated without legal representation or the presence of a legal guardian. Today Malak continues to remain incarcerated in Israeli jails. The court has also sentenced the family to approximately 1,500 US dollars in fines. If they are not paid her release may be prolonged by the court.

Malak Khatib, is one of 700 Palestinian children to be arrested and interrogated by Israeli forces annually. Due to the family’s inability to cover the fine’s expenses, we are attempting to raise the money in order to have Malak return home as soon as possible. Especially as more prisoners are complaining of the escalating harsh conditions in Israeli prisons.

Prior to her arrest, Malak enjoyed to play soccer outside her home and sketching. She used to walk to school every day and her favorite sweets consist of gummy worms. She is the youngest of 8 children and despite her older age continued to enjoy sitting in her mother’s lap. She found refuge in it. Paralleling to that, Malak now sleeps in a jail cell with blue barred doors and grey concrete walls.

If the fine money is not paid, Malak may continue to be held within Israeli prisons. It is essential that we put forth our efforts in order to raise the money required to have Malak return home to the arms of her family, where her main concern once more is not wanting to wake up for school or arguing with her siblings.

To donate money, please go to the ISM donation page and then send an email to palreports@gmail.com. In the subject line of your email, write: ‘Donation for Malak’. In the email itself please say how much money you have contributed.

Thank you, Ibrahim is home

23rd November 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine

The Bil’in Popular Committee would like to thank everyone who supported Ibrahim Abu-Rahma, the 15-year-old boy who was arrested  on September 14th while walking to school.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBcY-L8WYGA

A military judge ruled that he could be released on a 5000 NIS bail, and Ibrahim is now at home with his family.

ISM placed a call for donations to pay the bail, and thankfully 2100 NIS was raised. The remaining money, 2900 NIS, was lent to the family and we would like to support them in paying it back.

Bil’in village has been diligently protesting Israel’s theft of their land and the construction of settlements and the apartheid wall, for the past 10 years. All families in the village have paid a high price of resistance to a brutal military occupation. The Abu-Rahma family has lost two family members, Bassem and Jawaher, as a direct result of soldier violence. The young men and boys of the village are constantly targeted for arrests.

Any amount helps. Please donate here https://palsolidarity.org/donate/ and send an email to lumalayan@yahoo.com with “Ibrahim Abu-Rahma” in the subject line telling us the sum you have sent.

In solidarity,

ISM

Action alert: Arrested on the way to school in Bil’in

23rd September 2013 | International Solidarity Movement | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine

On September 14th at 11:00 in the morning, 15 year-old Ibrahim Abu-Rahma was walking to school with his little brother, 13-year-old Ahmed, in their village of Bil’in. An Israeli army jeep had infiltrated the village and stopped near the boys. The two ran in the opposite direction, only to run into another of the army’s infiltrating units. Ibrahim was grabbed by the soldiers and arrested.

A military Judge ruled that he could be released on bail. Now, the Bil’in popular committee need 5000 NIS to pay the bail money.

Bil’in village has been diligently protesting Israel’s theft of their land and the construction of settlements and the apartheid wall, for the past 10 years. All families in the village have payed a high price of resistance to a brutal military occupation. The Abu-Rahma family has lost two family members, Bassem and Jawaher, as a direct result of soldier violence. And the young men and boys of the village are constantly targeted for arrests.

Any amount helps. Please donate here https://palsolidarity.org/donate/ and send an email to lumalayan@yahoo.com  with “Free Ibrahim” in the subject line telling us the sum you have sent.

In solidarity,

ISM

A call from Gaza: Make Israel Accountable for its Crimes in Gaza – Intensify BDS!

5th September | BDS Movement | Occupied Palestine

From the ruins of our towns and cities in Gaza, we send our heartfelt appreciation to all those who stood with us and mobilized during the latest Israeli massacre. In the occupied West Bank, Israel has embarked on one of its largest illegal land grabs in decades by confiscating another 1000 acres of Palestinian land to expand its illegal colonies. Now, our battle to hold Israel accountable for its fresh war crimes and crimes against humanity has begun. The outcome of this battle to end Israeli impunity will determine whether Israel’s latest assault will be yet another stage in Israel’s “incremental genocide” of Palestinians or the turning point that will bring an end to Israel’s status as an entity above the law—the world’s dangerous pariah. The outcome of this battle depends on you.

Two months after its 2008-09 massacre in Gaza, Israel’s prize was an upgrade in trade relations with the European Union. By 2012, western powers in cooperation with the UN Secretary General had effectively prevented all investigation by the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the war crimes and crimes against humanity that Israel committed during the attack.

During the most recent massacre, on August 2nd 2014, three days after the occupation forces bombed the designated UN humanitarian shelter in Jabalya refugee camp, killing 20 civilians and wounding at least 150 people as they slept, the US Congress approved $225 million in additional military aid to Israel. The following day, the occupation forces bombed another UN shelter in Rafah killing ten civilians and injuring dozens. Also during the massacre, Germany sold Israel an attack submarine with nuclear capability, and Britain refused to freeze its arms sales to Israel. These and other forms of criminal complicity from world governments and official bodies pave the way for Israel’s ongoing genocidal attacks. It is up to people of conscience and all those who seek peace with justice worldwide to make sure this complicity ends now.

We urge you to stand with the Palestinian people in its entirety and to demand that Israel be held accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity it has committed and continues to commit against the Palestinian people everywhere. We urge you to intensify boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigns to further isolate Israel economically, militarily, academically and culturally.

Intensify BDS against Israel in all fields, including by taking the following actions:

1. Working to have arrest warrants issued against Israeli war criminals and for them to be tried before your courts.

2. Pressuring governments to impose a comprehensive military embargo on Israel.

3. Pressuring governments to suspend all free trade and bilateral agreements with Israel until it complies with international law.

4. Building effective direct action against Israel and Israeli companies, such as the inspiring Block the Boat actions that prevented Israeli ships from unloading in California and Seattle, and the occupations of Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems’ factories in the UK and Australia.

5. Working within trade unions to raise awareness about Israel’s regime of oppression and engaging in effective BDS measures such as stopping handling of Israeli goods, divesting trade union funds from Israel and complicit companies, and boycotting complicit Israel trade unions. The trade union movement has a proud history of successful campaigning against apartheid in South Africa, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions has joined Palestinian trade unions in calling for trade union action to end Israel’s impunity.

6. Holding to account those corporations and retailers that support and profit from Israel’s regime of occupation, colonialism and apartheid, including by boycotting their products and taking creative and direct action. The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) has suggested a list of corporate criminals to target: http://www.bdsmovement.net/make-an-impact.

The majority of the world’s people are waking up to the reality of Israel’s rogue regime of oppression and racism. For the rest of what is supposed to be the International year of solidarity with the Palestinian people, demand an end to Israel’s criminal impunity. Stand with Gaza, and act for freedom, justice and peace in Palestine.

Issued  the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) and the following Gaza organizations/unions:

Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions
University Teachers’ Association in Palestine
Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (Umbrella for 133 orgs)
Medical Democratic Assembly
General Union of Palestine Workers
General Union for Health Services Workers
General Union for Public Services Workers
General Union for Petrochemical and Gas Workers
General Union for Agricultural Workers
Union of Women’s Work Committees
Pal-Cinema (Palestine Cinema Forum)
Herak Youth Movement
Union of Women’s Struggle Committees
Union of Synergies—Women Unit
Union of Palestinian Women Committees
Women’s Studies Society
Working Woman’s Society
Palestinian Students’ Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel
Gaza BDS Working Group
One Democratic State Group

Action alert: Open Rafah now

18th August 2014 | Open the Rafah crossing permanently and unconditionally | Occupied Palestine

In response to calls from human rights defenders in Gaza who ask that we bring an end to the Egyptian government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide of the people of Gaza an urgent call to action was issued.

The call was endorsed by renown anti-apartheid and freedom and justice activists such as: Former Robben Island inmate, and ANC leader Ahmed Kathrada, Former ANC Minister for Intelligence Services Ronnie Kasrils, Luisa Morgantini Former Vice President of the European Parliament and Italian MEP, Richard Falk Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Breyten Breytenbach,  a South African anti-Apartheid writer, painter, novelist and icon and civil society collectives from Egypt, Palestine and around the world.

Please continue to demand that the Egyptian government open the Rafah crossing. Send us your communications with the embassy along with a photo of yourself holding a sign with a slogan such as ‘Open Rafah Now-End Egyptian complicity in Israeli Genocide’ to: openrafahnow@gmail.com

Help us spread the call from and share the following translations via social media:

Arabic, French, German, Dutch, Turkish, Italian, Norwegian and Spanish.

The pictures and communications will be posted on the Facebook page Open Rafah permanently and unconditionally.

In response to calls from our fellow human beings and comrades in Gaza who asked that we bring an end to the Egyptian government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide of the people of Gaza.

We called upon people to take action and contact their local embassy, to protest Egypt’s complicity in an illegal and inhumane siege leaving those most suffering in Gaza alone and isolated.

Despite a call from Egyptian citizens to lift the siege, the Egyptian government has instead supported the Israeli plan for return to the status quo of slow genocide. The Egyptian government claims that The Rafah Border is open but the stark reality is that the crossing remains closed to all but too few exceptions.

For 7 years Gaza has been under a suffocating, deadly siege imposed by Israel and accommodated by the Egyptian government, that severely restricts all movement of people and products.

With the wanton destruction and devastation that Israel has wrecked in Gaza over the past 5 weeks, now more than ever is it essential to demand that the Egyptian government to fully Open Rafah.

Since July 7th more than 2016 Palestinians have been killed and over 19101 have been injured. The Egyptian government’s refusal to open the border makes them complicit in Israel’s genocide of a population held captive.

Thank you for taking action! Raise your voice for the besieged people of Gaza!
Open Rafah Now!