Category: Press Releases

Free Gaza: Can unarmed seaborne civilians break the siege of Gaza?

A press conference at The Journalists’ House, Nicosia

At RIK / CBC Avenue 12, Nicosia
Monday, 4th August, 2008 at 10.00 a.m.
[Camera crews to come early, please, for set up]

Inaugurating The Free Gaza Movement Sailing to Gaza

DESTINATION: GAZA PORT

In August, unarmed Palestinians, Israelis and internationals will sail directly to Gaza without going through Israeli territory or seeking permission from Israeli authorities. They include an 81-year-old Catholic nun, an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor, Palestinians from Gaza, 17 nationalities, four major religions and the international press (including Tony Blair’s journalist sister-in-law, Lauren Booth).

On Monday, August 4, 2008, the Free Gaza Movement publicly introduces its international team that will take volunteers from Cyprus to Gaza in popular solidarity with Palestinian human rights. From that day, any attempt to damage the project will be considered an act of aggression against a nonviolent international human rights mission.

Media places on the boat are taken. Since there are many journalists on a short list, we suggest journalists work together to find a separate press vessel, and we are prepared to help network those interested.

At the press conference in Nicosia (see above address and scheduled time), participants will be available for individual interviews.

For more information go to www.freegaza.org where the actual voyage can be watched in real time, by video streaming from the satellite broadcasting on board. Since this [non-violent/entirely peaceful] voyage is being funded by private donation, Free Gaza Movement welcomes donations online at its website.

For more information contact:
Greta Berlin, +357-990 81767 (iristulip@gmail.com)
Angela Godfrey-Goldstein: +357-990 75194 (angela@icahd.org )

Angela Godfrey-Goldstein (Action Advocacy Officer)

The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)

Bil’in Supreme Court hearing on 3rd August

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On Sunday 3rd August Israel’s Supreme Court will decide if the State of Israel is in contempt of court regarding the withdrawal of the Apartheid Wall from the village of Bil’in.

Bil’in is a small village close to Jerusalem near the illegal Israeli settlement of Mod’in Illit. The Apartheid Wall skirts around this
illegal settlement and cuts off much of Bil’in’s agricultural land. The wall, which is a quadruple fence and military road in this area, left plenty of space for the settlement to expand; the planned “Mod’in Illit B” building project.

On September 4, 2007, the Supreme Court ordered the Israeli authorities to redraw the path of the wall because the current route was deemed “highly prejudicial” to the villagers of Bil’in. The judgement set out four conditions for a new route for the wall, which must:

– Leave the land for the planned expansion of the settlement on the Palestinian side of the wall.

– Take a minimum of Bil’in’s cultivated land.

– Be built as much as possible on illegal settlement land, rather than Bil’in’s land.

– Leave 5 areas of Palestinian land currently within the settlement ‘outside’ and back on the Bil’in side of the wall.

After months of inaction, and facing a legal challenge for not enforcing the court’s judgment, the authorities finally submitted a
new plan for the wall at Bil’in in July this year.

The proposed new route returns a mere 26 hectares to the village out of approximately 200 hectares taken by the exiting route. Of these 26 hectares, about 14 hectares were devastated by the old route, and the remaining 12 hectares are planted with olive trees. The new route will take almost 15 hectares densely planted with olive trees and destroy them completely. In other words, the village will lose even more land if the revised plan is accepted.

Michael Sfard, the atterney who acts on behalf of Bil’in, will argue that this new proposal for the route of the wall meets none of the criteria and that the proposal constitutes contempt of court.

Bil’in has become famous for holding a protest march against the apartheid wall every Friday afternoon for past three and a half years. In that time the Friday march has attracted world famous artists, celebrities and politicians. They have been joined by a wide variety of international and Israeli pressure groups.

For further information contact:

Bil’in’s Popular Committee:

Abdullah Abu Rahme : 054-725-8210
Mohammed Khatib : 054-557-3285
commit…@bilin-village.org

ISM Media Office: 02 297 1824.

Palestinian teenager brain dead after being shot by Israeli army in Ni’lin

A Palestinian teenager, Yousef Ahmad Younis Amira, was shot in the head with rubber coated steel bullets by Israeli forces in the Palestinian village of Nil’in.

Photos courtesy of Activestills

According to ISM volunteers staying in the village, approximately 200 boys and young men from the village protested against the military presence in the afternoon. The army responded using sound bombs, rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas. At around 7:30 pm, Yousef Ahmad Younis Amera was shot in the head by two rubber coated steel bullet. Eyewitnesses claim that Yousef was shot at a distance of ten meters from inside a military jeep that drove up towards him. He was taken to Ramallah Hospital where an ECG scan showed no signs of brain activity. One bullet penetrated the head while the other is stuck inside. He is now kept alive by respirator.

About 50 Israeli soldiers then attacked using sound bombs, rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas. At around 7:30pm, Yousef Ahmad Younis Amira, 17, was shot in the head by a rubber coated steel bullet. He was taken to Ramallah Hospital where an ECG scan showed no signs of brain activity.

There are reports of two other men suffering head injuries from a rubber coated steel bullets, but these injuries are not thought to be life threatening. A total of 17 people are thought to have been injured in today’s fighting.

Emotions have been running high in the village since the funeral of 10 year old Ahmed Husan Yousef Mousa earlier today. Ahmed was shot dead by an Israeli soldier yesterday (29th July)

Mourners to protest murder of 10 year old boy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A mass demonstration is planned on Wednesday for the funeral of Ahmed Husan Yousef Mousa, who was shot dead by Israeli forces at approximately 6:00pm today.

The funeral procession and protest will start at Ramallah Hospital at 10am and make it’s way to Ni’lin, the village where Ahmed lived. People will meet at the hospital at 9:30am

Ni’lin is currently under siege with the main entrance to the village sealed off by the Israeli military. The mourners intend to defy the military blockade and bring Ahmed home.

Please Contact – ISM Media Office (English):(970)-2-2971824.
Salah (Arabic): 0599288124

———-
According to eye witnesses a group of youths attempted to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village. Without warning,
they were fired upon and Ahmed was killed. Israeli newspaper Maariv reported in March that the Israeli authorities have given a new order to border police operating along the apartheid wall surrounding Jerusalem. They can now open fire directly on Palestinians who try to demonstrate near the barrier. But sniping is forbidden if there are Israeli or foreign citizens amongst the demonstrators.

Demonstrations have been held almost every day for the past few weeks in Nil’in against Israel’s Apartheid Wall, declared illegal by the International Court in the Hague in 2004. The wall will deprive the village of almost 2,500 Dunums of agricultural land, and puts the existence of the entire community in doubt.

At least 11 other Palestinians have died protesting against Israeli’s apartheid wall. Their names are:

Mohammad Fadel Hashem Rayan, age 25.
Zakaria MaHmud Salem, age 28.
Abdal Rahman Abu Eid, age 62.
Mohammad Daud Badwan, age 21.
Diaa Abdel Karim Abu Eid, age 24.
Hussain mahmud Awwad Aliyan, age 17.
Islam Hashem Rizik Zhahran, age 14.
Alaa Mohammad Abdel Rahman Khalil, age 14.
Jamal Jaber Ibrahim Assi, age 15.
Odai Mofeed Mahmud Assi, age 14.
Mahayub Nimer Assi, age 15.

10-Year old shot dead at Nil’in

A 10 year old boy called Ahmed Ussam Yusef Mousa was shot dead at approximately 6pm near the Palestinian village of Nil’in. He was shot once in the head at close range with live ammunition.

Pictures courtesy of Activestills

According to eye witnesses a group of youths attempted to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village. Without warning, they were fired upon and Ahmed was killed. Israeli newspaper Maariv reported in March that the Israeli authorities have given a new order to border police operating along the apartheid wall surrounding Jerusalem. They can now open fire directly on Palestinians who try to demonstrate near the barrier. But sniping is forbidden if there are Israeli or foreign citizens amongst demonstrators.

Demonstrations have been held almost every day for the past few weeks as near Nil’in against Israel’s Apartheid Wall, declared illegal by the International Court in the Hague in 2004. The wall will deprive the village of almost 2,500 Dunums of agricultural land, and put the existence of the entirely community in doubt.

The Israeli Army and Border Police have been increasingly ill-disciplined and violent in response to the demonstrations. News came this morning that Israeli Battalion Commander Lt. Col Omri, had been sent on 10 days compulsory leave as a punishment for his conduct at Nil’in. Omri held a 27 year old Palestinian detainee Ashraf Abu Rahma by the shoulder while one of his men shot Abu Rahma with a rubber coated steel bullet at very close range. Abu Rahma was blindfolded and his hands were bound when he was shot in the foot.

At least 11 other Palestinians have died protesting against Israeli’s apartheid wall. Their names are:

Mohammad Fadel Hashem Rayan, age 25.

Zakaria MaHmud Salem, age 28.

Abdal Rahman Abu Eid, age 62.

Mohammad Daud Badwan, age 21.

Diaa Abdel Karim Abu Eid, age 24.

Hussain mahmud Awwad Aliyan, age 17.

Islam Hashem Rizik Zhahran, age 14.

Alaa Mohammad Abdel Rahman Khalil, age 14.

Jamal Jaber Ibrahim Assi, age 15.

Odai Mofeed Mahmud Assi, age 14.

Mahayub Nimer Assi, age 15.

To date, none of the soldiers who killed demonstrators has been prosecuted.