Category: Press Releases

Translation of http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3098699,00.html:

After the Israeli Army forbade adults resident in the village to enter Israel in order to protest in front of the Supreme Court that has been deliberating their appeal against the building of the separation fence on their land, dozens of children were brought from the village to demonstrate. Friction was created between them and the police after the children waved Palestinian flags. One of the adults that was permitted to accompany them said: “We had hoped the children would create sympathy”.

Children’s demonstration: Dozens of Palestinian children, residents of Bil’in village that is located between Modi’in and Ramallah demonstrated today (Tuesday) in front of the Supreme Court after the army forbade the adult residents of the village from entering Israel. Light friction developed between the children and the police after the children waved Palestinian flags and the police ordered them to desist. An argument developed between Israeli and international activists accompanying the children and the police. One international activist was arrested.

Ahram Khatib is one of the adults who were permitted to accompany the children. According to him: “These children are the first to be directly affected by the wall, and we had hoped that they would create sympathy in the Israeli court system, but I am afraid the decision has been taken ahead of time”.

In their appeal, the residents of Bil’in, located east of Modi’in and adjacent to Kiryat Sefer, state that the building of the fence is confiscating more than half their lands – 2,300 dunums out of a total of 4,000.

In the appeal, it is argued that the village lands are used for agricultural purposes, including olive and almond trees. The appealers argue that the confiscation of land hurts their income as well as their dignity, and does not allow them to exist and to grow the produce on which they rely, and hence that the confiscation of land contradicts the basic law: human dignity and freedom, and also the basic law: freedom of employment.

According to Khatib, there is an additional problem with the building of the fence on village land: “They are not taking our land just to build the wall. They are building settlements behind the fence. They are building five and six storey houses, and that is for the settlements”.

Bil’in, like the other villages in the area, has stood out in the last few months in non violent struggle against the separation fence. The residents said that they want to use this struggle to highlight the damage to their lives and to recruit as many people as possible from the Israeli peace camp and international supporters.

Over the weekend, demonstrators in Bil’in used a new weapon to protest against the wall. They threw balloons filled with chicken excrement towards security forces.

Photos of children’s demo at:
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/3283/index.php

Today, Saturday June 18th, the Bil’in Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements will host a meeting of the committee of ministers against the Wall including ministers Walid Abed Rabbo, Ghassan Khatib, Khaled Kawasmi, Hind Khoury, Ahmed Majdalani, Naser El Qodwah, and Mohammed Shtayeh.

The meeting will take place in the Bil’in village council at 1 PM and will include discussion of the summer campaign against the Wall, the creation of a council against the Wall with neighbouring countries, the creation of a Land Fund, and other related issues.

http://www.btselem.org/english/

The Israeli government has proposed an amendment to the Civil Wrongs Law intended to exempt Israel from paying compensation to Palestinians injured by the security forces. The amendment applies to “residents of a conflict area” and “subjects of enemy states.” The Government has clearly stated its intention to apply the new law to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.

Today, Palestinians are not able to sue the state for damages caused by combatant activity, broadly defined as, “…any action of combating terror, hostile actions, or insurrection, and action intended to prevent terror and hostile acts and insurrection committed in circumstances of danger to life or limb.” If the Knesset passes the new amendment, it will almost completely block the ability of Palestinians to file for compensation, even for damage caused by illegal shooting, looting, negligence on training grounds, abuse and degrading treatment at checkpoints, or physical violence.

The law is blatantly discriminatory in that it denies the right to sue for compensation based on the identity of the victim, rather than the substance of the claim.

B’Tselem joined together with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, HaMoked, and the Public Committee against Torture in Israel, Adallah and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel to warn against the grave implications of passing such a law. The organizations calls on the government to remove this amendment from the Knesset docket, thereby preventing a stain upon its law books.

Urgent Action: The amendment has passed its first reading in the Knesset plenary and is now under discussion in the Knesset Law Committee. The Committee held its first discussion of the amendment on May 31, and is expected to reconvene to continue discussion shortly. Write to the committee chairman, MK Michael Eitan, calling on him to act to prevent passage of Amendment 5 to the Civil Wrongs Law.

Fax: +972-2-6496404 or
meitan@knesset.gov.il

Dear Solidarity Movement Members,
On Sunday, July 17th, Tali Fahima’s trial sessions will be continued.

On this occasion, we are calling on all solidarity movements around the world to join us and let the people of the world and the State of Israel know that the persecution and unjust incarceration of a woman who represents hope for a future of friendship and commonality between Palestinians and Israelis will not pass unnoticed.

Tali Fahima, a Jewish Israeli woman of Arab origin, has been harassed by the Israeli General Security Services for over a year now, for defying the Apartheid logic set by the Occupation Forces and showing public solidarity with the people of the Jenin Refugee Camp in their daily efforts to stay alive and resist their oppressors. Her example shows just how little the Israeli institutions (including the judicial system) tolerate camaraderie between the two peoples, and how important it is for the solidarity movements to emanate a different voice.

Spending almost a year in jail now, Tali expresses at every possible opportunity her solidarity with all political prisoners, and stresses the call for the total end of all forms of oppression of the Palestinian people. Hence, on July 17th we will be calling for the immediate release of Tali Fahima and all political prisoners held by the State of Israel.

We urge you to join the international campaign, which is an opportunity for all of us to consolidate our message regarding the reality of warfare in the region – it is neither fate nor natural disaster, but the fruit of intentional and extremely calculated policies on behalf of the State of Israel. At a time when the world seems to be overtaken with exaltation because of the Israel’s Prime Minister’s willingness to evacuate a small number of illegal settlements in order to fortify a large number of them elsewhere, the treatment of the Tali Fahima’s affair by all Israeli state institutions demonstrates as clearly as is possible just how much Israel desires living together in peace with its Palestinian neighbors.

Means of Action
Events: rallies, demonstrations, vigils and conferences

On July 17th we will be holding a large demonstration outside of the court in which Tali’s trial will be held. We will be glad to know that other events are held worldwide during this day.
We encourage and are willing to assist you in the organization of conferences dealing with Tali Fahima, political prisoners in Israel and Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian solidarity acts in general.
We will be glad if at all events consecrated to solidarity with Palestine and the Palestinian people, Tali Fahima’s case will be mentioned. Information, photos and materials of all sorts can be found at www.FreeTaliFahima.org
Letters of protest and support

Letters of protest and dismay regarding Tali Fahima’s incarceration and treatment can be sent to the Israeli general attorney, defense minister, prime minister’s cabinet and the president. Copies should be sent to Israeli ambassadors and consulates, and to your diplomatic corps in Israel. An example of such a letter and the relevant e-mails addresses and fax numbers can be found at www.FreeTaliFahima.org
Given her isolation, Tali is grateful for all the letters sent to her in jail. The prison address also appears in the website.
We thank you for propagating this call among your activists, and please do inform us about all activities.

Alternative Information Center
The Committee for the immediate release of Tali Fahima