Category: Press Releases

Freedom Summer 2009: Defend the Land and Jerusalem

The International Solidarity Movement is issuing a call-out for internationals to volunteer as field activists and office workers in the West Bank, Gaza, and occupied East Jerusalem this summer.

Whether you can come for only few weeks or several months, your presence is needed to support Palestinian communities who are nonviolently resisting the Israeli occupation. Freedom Summer 2009, which will run from June 6th until August 15th, aims to challenge the continued theft of Palestinian land for the rapid expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and their infrastructure in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Volunteer training sessions will be held every week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Visit our “Join Us in Palestine” section to read more information about volunteering.

Below are some of the actions ISM volunteers can anticipate this summer:

  1. ISM volunteers will stand in solidarity with the Palestinian families of occupied East Jerusalem who face dispossession.
    International activists will join families in Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan, Shu’fat, and other neighborhoods whose residences are threatened, in resisting evictions and demolitions with non-violent, direct actions methods. ISM volunteers will also participate in demonstrations against discriminatory Israeli policies and support ongoing organization of Palestinian heritage and cultural events.
  2. In the West Bank, volunteers will join Palestinian villagers in nonviolent demonstrations against the Wall, and other apartheid infrastructure of the occupation such as checkpoint, settlements, and Israeli-only roads. Activists will be working in communities such as Ni’lin, Bil’in, Jayyous, Husan and Tulkarem to support direct actions under Palestinian popular leadership. Recently Israeli military violence during nonviolent demonstrations has escalated, making it more important that international solidarity activists are present to help deter and document the repression from Israeli forces. Additionally, volunteers will accompany farmers and shepherds to deter violence from the Israeli military and settlers. In the South Hebron hills, the army’s designation of large areas as military closed zones will be challenged.
  3. The ISM volunteers in the Gaza Strip will continue to accompany Palestinian farmers who frequently face live fire from the army as they work their land in the buffer zone. Volunteers will stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza against the crippling siege and sporadic attacks on the region. Several ISM activists will be joining the Free Gaza Movement’s Hope Fleet that will sail into Gaza’s port at the end of May. International activists will mass on the Egyptian border with Gaza between the 22nd of May and the 14th of June, in an attempt to challenging the ongoing closure and isolation of the people of Gaza. Individuals interested in volunteering with ISM Gaza must have previous experience with ISM in the West Bank.

Come to Palestine to support the Palestinian people in their struggle against occupation. Become an eyewitness to the Palestinian struggle for freedom! ISM volunteers have become better advocates for the freedom and self-determination of the Palestinian people in their home communities.

This summer, support and participate in the Palestinian non-violent resistance to the Occupation by using direct action methods to defend the land of East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Demonstrator killed in Bil’in by Israeli forces

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4BsEWiavYI&hl=en&fs=1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, 17 April 2009, Bil’in Village: A resident has been killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration. Basem Abu Rahme, 29 years of age, was shot in the chest with a high-velocity tear gas projectile. He was evacuated to Ramallah hospital in critical condition, where he died of his injury. According to eyewitnesses, Basem was on a hill with several journalists to the side of other demonstrators. Soldiers opened fire from 40 meters, aiming directly with the tear-gas projectiles.

The tear-gas projectile, labeled “40 mm bullet, special/long range” in Hebrew has also critically injured American national, Tristan Anderson at a demonstration in Ni’lin on 13 March 2009 when he was shot in the head from 60 meters.

According Michael Sfard, the lawyer representing the village of Bil’in, “The Israeli supreme court has ruled 3 times that the route of the Wall is illegal and needs to be moved. However, to date not a meter of the Wall has been rerouted.”

Basem Abu Rahme is the 18th individual to be killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration against the Wall.

December 28th, 2008:
Mohammad Khawaja, age 20
Shot in the head with live ammunition during a demonstration in Ni’lin against Israel’s assault on Gaza. Mohammad died in the hospital on December 31st 2009.

December 28th, 2008:
Arafat Khawaja, age 22
Shot in the back with live ammunition in Ni’lin during a demonstration against Israel’s assault on Gaza.

July 30th, 2008:
Youssef Ahmed Younes Amirah, age 17
Shot in the head with rubber coated bullets during a demonstration against the wall in Ni’lin. Youssef died of his wounds on August 4th 2008.

July 29th, 2008:
Ahmed Husan Youssef Mousa, age 10
Killed while he and several friends tried to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village.

March 2nd, 2008:
Mahmoud Muhammad Ahmad Masalmeh, age 15
Shot when trying to cut the razor wire portion of the wall in Beit Awwa.

March 28th, 2007:
Muhammad Elias Mahmoud ‘Aweideh, age 15
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Um a-Sharayet – Samiramis.

February 2nd, 2007:
Taha Muhammad Subhi al-Quljawi, age 16
Shot dead when he and two friends tried to cut the razor wire portion of the wall in the Qalandiya Refugee Camp. He was wounded in the thigh and died from loss of blood after remaining a long time in the field without being treated.

May 4th, 2005:
Jamal Jaber Ibrahim ‘Asi, age 15 and U’dai Mufid Mahmoud ‘Asi, age 14
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Beit Liqya.

February 15th, 2005:
‘Alaa’ Muhammad ‘Abd a-Rahman Khalil, age 14
Shot dead while throwing stones at an Israeli vehicle driven by private security guards near the wall in Betunya.

April 18th, 2004:
Islam Hashem Rizik Zhahran, age 14
Shot during a demonstration against the wall in Deir Abu Mash’al. Islam died of his wounds April 28th.

April 18th, 2004:
Diaa’ A-Din ‘Abd al-Karim Ibrahim Abu ‘Eid, age 23
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.

April 16th, 2004:
Hussein Mahmoud ‘Awad ‘Alian, age 17
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Betunya.

February 26th, 2004:
Muhammad Da’ud Saleh Badwan, age 21
Shot during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu. Muhammad died of his wounds on March 3rd 2004.

February 26th, 2004:
Abdal Rahman Abu ‘Eid, age 17
Died of a heart attack after teargas projectiles were shot into his home during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.

February 26th, 2004:
Muhammad Fadel Hashem Rian, age 25 and Zakaria Mahmoud ‘Eid Salem, age 28
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.

Israeli forces arrest a German national and an Italian national in At-Tuwani

11 April 2009

A German national and an Italian national were taken by Israeli forces while accompanying farmers at 11am. Both individuals have been taken to the police station at Kyrat Arba. Palestinian farmers in At-Tuwani rely on the presence of International and Israeli human rights workers to mitigate violence from settlers.

As soldiers in the area frequently ignore settler violence and rarely interfere to protect the farmers, international volunteers provide support for the Palestinians. The grazing action began around 8.30 am, and the German and Italian nationals were arrested at 11am.

At-Tuwani is a village of 300 Palestinians located in South Hebron Hills. Residents make their living through farming, primarily wheat, barley, olives and grazing sheep. At-Tuwani is also one of several villages under daily threat from extremist settlers living in the area. Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills are daily nonviolently resisting settlement expansion and violence at the hands of settlers and soldiers.

Internationals accompany Palestinians as they perform agricultural work on their land and in other nonviolent demonstrations. Internationals accompany Palestinians as they work their land, use video to document settlers, soldiers, and police, and intervene as Palestinians request.

Urgent action for Palestinian school children from Tuba and Maghaer-al-Abeed

Luisa Morgantini

11 April 2009

Of utmost concern for CPT and Operation Dove is the safe travel of Palestinian school children who walk from the nearby villages of Tuba and Magaher-al-Abeed to At-Tuwani’s elementary school. These school children face a treacherous daily walk past the illegal Israeli settlement of Ma’on and the illegal outpost of Havat Ma’on. For years, armed adult settlers have attacked, threatened and harassed the children along the path from Tuba to Tuwani. In 2004 the Knesset recommended that the Israeli military provide the children with an armed escort. However, since settlers constructed a gate across the road one year ago, the escort soldiers have refused to walk with the children far enough to ensure their safety.

In the past two weeks internationals working with Operation Dove and Christian Peacemaker Teams have twice witnessed settlers grazing sheep directly in the path of the children at the time they walk home from school. Because the children have been physically attacked in the past, and threatened with death by settlers earlier this school year, they are terrified by the presence of these settlers. Since an incident on March 24 in which settlers were present at the end of the children’s walk home, internationals and the children have repeatedly asked the soldiers to walk with the children until they are out of danger. On April 1 settlers again came onto the land between the outpost of Havat Ma’on and the village of Tuba while the children were walking. Members of CPT and Operation Dove were present and the children ran towards them crying and very frightened.

Internationals now request that concerned people make calls to the Communications office of the Southern District Commander of the Israeli Military. It is an Israeli phone number, (country code 972) 2 996 7200. Please ask Commander BenMoha to instruct the soldiers who perform the escort of the Tuba and Magaher-al-Abeed school children to accompany the children all the way past the Ma’on chicken barns and past any settlers present. Please stress that this is particularly necessary because of the repeated presence of settlers in this area at the time of the children’s walk home, and remind the commander that settlers used violence against the school children on fourteen occasions in the 07-08 school year and on two occasions during the current school year.

For a complete report on the school escort, including maps, photographs and interviews with the children, please see “A Dangerous Journey.”

In addition to phone calls, Operation Dove and CPT ask that people send the IDF Public Appeals office a simple message.

Sample message: (no more than 75 words)

Subject: Request to Commander BenMoha
Palestinian school children from Tuba and Magaher-al-abeed must walk past militant settlers from Ma’on and Havat Ma’on to attend school in At-Tuwani. The Knesset recommended in 2004 that the IDF escort these children. Currently soldiers refuse to escort the children far enough to ensure their safety. In order to do so they must accompany the children all the way past the Ma’on chicken barns and past any settlers present.
IDF Public Appeals Fax: 011-972-3-569-9400.
IDF Public Appeals Phone: 011-972-3-569-1000.

Fourth Bil’in International Conference on Popular Nonviolent Resistance

Bil’in International Conference on Popular Nonviolent Resistance

Date: 22 April – 24 April 2009
Location: Bil’in Village, West Bank, Palestine
Registration: register online on the Bil’in Village webpage
Cost: accommodation per night is 20 Euros, plus conference registration of 30 Euros
Program:

DAY 1: Wednesday, 22 April 2009 (panels)

Welcome speeches 9:30-10:45
• Eyad Burnat head of Bil’in Popular Committee
• Salam Fayad, Prime Minister of Palestine
• Luisa Morgantini, Vice President of the EU Parlament
• Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize
• letter from Jimmy Carter, Carter

Saving Jerusalem 10:45-11:30
• Rafiq Al Hussaini, Representative of the Palestinian President’s office and Secretary general of Jerusalem Capital of Arab Culture 2009
• Atallah Hanna, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
• Um Kamel al Khurd, activist with the Sheik Jarah popular committee

Break 11:30-11:40

Panel 11:40-12:40
• 10 minutes for each of the Heads of Delegations, including Adar Grayevsky, activist from Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall

Break 12:40-12:50

Promoting a Culture of Resistance 12:50-14:35
• Zico Tamela, International Officer of SATAWU, South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Durban, SA)
• Iman Hammouri, Director of the Popular Art Center and Steering Committee Member of PNGO (Jerusalem)
• Haidar Eid, Associate Prof. of English, Al-Aqsa University, Gaza, and member of PACBI’s Steering Committee (via video conference)

Lunch 14:35-16:00

Examples on the ground of popular nonviolent resistance in Palestine 16:00-17:15
• Raid Salah, Representative of the Islamic Movement (48)
• Abdullah abu rahma, Coordinator of the Bil’in popular committee
• Ahed Al Hawaje Coordinator of the Naalin popular committee
• Mahmud Zawahre, coordinator of the Maasera popular committee
• Fathi Khderat, Coordinator of the Jordan Valley Campaign

Break 17:15- 17:30

Panel of representatives of Palestinian Political leaders on the future of Popular Nonviolent Resistance 17:30-19:30
• Rafiq al Natsha, one of the Fatah leaders
• Abed Elrahim Mallouh, Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front of Liberation of Palestine
• Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, Mubadara
• Qais Samaria (abu Leila), Secretary general of the Democratic Front of Liberation of Palestine
• Basam Salhi, Secretary General of the Palestinian Popular Party
• Samir Ghousha, Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Front

Presentation: Apartheid under Construction. The cantonization of Palestine 19:30-20:30
• Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, Mubadara

Cultural Event and Open Space for sharing materials of the organizations that are participating in the conference 20:30 -22:00

DAY 2: Thursday, 23 April 2009 (workshops & field trips)

Workshops (4 parallel workshops) 8:30-10:00
• The BDS movement: challenges and perspectives
Coordinated by: Lubna Hammad (Adalah-NY), Muhammad Jaradat (Badil), Omar Barghouti (PACBI)
•  Corporate Responsibility for Violations of International Law – Campaigns and Initiatives
Coordinated by: Shawan Jabarin, General Director, Al-Haq, Michael Sfard, Israeli legal counsel to Bil’in Village Council, Merrav Amir/Dalit Baum, Project Coordinators, Who Profits? Exposing the Israeli Occupation Industry
• Spreading and supporting the Popular nonviolent resistance (Bil’in)
Coordinated by: Eyad Morar (Abu Ahmed) Head of the popular committee of Budrus, Fathi Khderat, Coordinator of the Jordan Valley campaign
• Building an international movement in solidarity with Palestine
Coordinated by: Luisa Morgantini, Vice-President of the European Parliament

Field Trips to Locations 10:30-all day
• Hebron
• Beit Lehem
• Al Quds
• The Jordan Valley
• North West Bank

DAY 3: Friday, 24 April 2009 (reflections & action)

Presentation of the final agreements of the workshops 9:30-11:00
All the participants will have the opportunity to present their opinion and vote the conclusions of the different workshops through a participative methodology
• Spokesperson of the BDS movement: challenges and perspectives workshop
• Spokesperson of the Corporate Responsibility for Violations of International Law – Campaigns and Initiatives workshop
• Spokesperson of the spreading and supporting the Popular resistance workshop
• Spokesperson of the Building an international movement workshop
• Final discussion and agreements

Training for Internationals: preparing an action 11:30-12:30

Final demonstration against the Wall and settlements 12:30