15th April 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team| Qaryut, Occupied Palestine
The village of Qaryut, located almost halfway between Nablus and Ramallah, has been waiting for the last year to have a reliable and secure connection to Road 60. This road is essential to connect the village with the city of Ramallah, where most of the population carries out daily activities, such as working and studying.
Currently the people of Qaryut are trying to access this road through a two-kilometer dirt road that finishes directly beside Road 60. Only half of this road is properly paved, the rest of it is uneven and rocky, where vehicles need to slow down to travel safely. This dirt road was recently blocked by an earth mound, recently removed by the people of Qaryut to allow vehicles to get close to Road 60. The local Palestinian population then waits to be picked up at Road 60 by buses or taxis travelling to Ramallah.
According to Raed Muhsen (Local Councilor), this wasn’t always the case. The road was built in 1983 and the people of Qaryut could travel freely. This arrangement ceased in 1991, during the First Intifada, when Israel forces alleged “security measures” to withdraw the permits and close off the road.
Qaryut and Road 60 could be easily connected if Israeli authorities granted the permits that are requested from Palestinian local authorities. According to Mr. Muhsen, the Local Council presented all the necessary documentation to the Israeli authorities three years ago, however the Israeli legal system continues to delay the issue, claiming that there are important “security measures” to be taken into account. The permits necessary to finally establish a connection between the local road of Qaryut and Road 60 need to be granted by the Israeli Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defence and the Israeli Settlement Security Council.
Given the current situation, the local population of Qaryut has grown impatient with Israeli authorities. Mr. Muhsen states that a non-violent demonstration has begun in the last month to demand a reliable and secure access to Road 60. The last demonstration took place on the 11th of April, when people from Qaryut reached Road 60 on foot and held their ground on the road for approximately one hour. The Israeli army shot tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the demonstrators, despite the non-violent nature of the protest.
The village of Qaryut, with a population of approximately 3,000 people, is surrounded by several illegal Israeli settlements such as Eli and Shilo. Taking into account nearby Palestinian villages, it could be up to 8,000 people that are forced to find a lengthy alternative route to reach Road 60. This could be approximately 20 kilometers in length, compared to the two kilometers between Qaryut and Road 60. Such distances in case of emergencies can have a critical impact on the local population, on top of the obvious economical effects.
BDS: Bill Gates slammed over links to Israel prison torture
Palestinian human rights organisations have criticised Bill Gates after it emerged that his charitable foundation is heavily invested in G4S, a private security company that helps Israel run prisons at which Palestinian political prisoners are held without trial and subjected to torture.
In an open letter to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation published today, Palestinian human rights groups argued that the foundation was undermining international law and its stated commitment to human rights with its $170m investment in the company that makes it one of the company’s biggest shareholders.
British security company G4S has a contract with the Israeli Prison Service to run and install security and management systems at six prisons Palestinian political prisoners, including children, are routinely subjected to torture, according to human rights organisations.
“It is completely unacceptable for a charitable foundation to be investing in a company that participates in gross human rights violations against Palestinian political prisoners. The Gates Foundation talks about every life having equal value, but what about the political prisoners, are their lives not of equal value?” said Sahar Francis, director of Palestinian prisoner and advocacy organisation Addameer.
More than 500 children are ‘are arrested, detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military detention system each year’, according to Defence for Children International – Palestine. Three out of every four of child detainees face physical violence during detention and interrogation, much of which takes place in facilities G4S helps to operate.
Palestinian student and father-of-two Arafat Jaradat died in custody last year after being tortured in Megiddo Prison, a facility that G4S helps to operate.
“Bill Gates is the richest man in the world, why does his charity have to fund itself by profiting from the torture of children and the use of detention without trial?” Francis added.
Israel illegally transfers prisoners from the occupied Palestinian territories to inside Israel despite this being prohibited by Article 76 of the Geneva Convention. Campaigners argue that G4S is complicit in this violation of international law.
A petition that has been backed by 20 Palestinian organisations and more than 100 organisations from across the world has also been launched today.
G4S has already lost contracts worth millions of dollars as trade unions and universities and other public bodies in Europe and South Africa cancel their contracts over concerns about the firm’s role in Israel’s prison system.
Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson was embroiled in controversy and was eventually forced into resigning her role as an Oxfam ambassador earlier this year after she endorsed SodaStream, an Israeli company that manufactures drinks machines in an illegal Israeli settlement. Celebrities including Pink Flyod’s Roger Waters, Massive Attack’s Robert del Naja and Maxi Jazz from Faithless have backed a cultural boycott of Israel.
In April 2012, more than 2,000 Palestinian political prisoners went on hunger strike to protest conditions in Israel’s jails and the use of administrative detention, a form of detention without trial. There are currently three prisoners who remain on hunger strike, two of whom have gone without food for almost 80 days.
Palestinian human rights groups say that Israel uses mass incarceration to dissuade Palestinians from protesting against Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies. Israeli military orders make a whole range of activities illegal, including joining a political party or organising a demonstration.
There are more than 5,000 Palestinian political prisoners currently held in Israeli jails, including 183 children and 175 held under administrative detention, a form of detention without trial that Israel uses to hold Palestinians on secret information indefinitely.
Seven Palestinian prisoners continue their individual hunger strikes as prison conditions worsen. This is the highest number of strikes since September 2013.
(Art by Hafez Omar)
Earlier this week, Addameer lawyer Samer Sama’an gained access to two of the three administrative detainees who started hunger strikes in early January in protest of Israel’s policy of indefinite detention without charge or trial. The widespread practice of imprisoning Palestinians under administrative detention orders is illegal according to international law.
Adv. Sama’an was able to visit Mo’ammar Banat and Akram Fasisi about the punitive measures carried out against them in reaction to their decision to hunger strike since 9 January 2014. Banat, a 26 year-old from Arroub Refugee camp, has been held under multiple administrative detention orders since 13 August 2013. Fasisi, a 31 year-old from Ithna village who previously carried out a 59-day strike in 2013, has suffered from poor health throughout his imprisonment.
Banat and Fasisi explained that on the first day of their announced hunger strike, they were immediately transferred to cold and humid isolation cells.Despite the cold weather, all of Banat and Fasisi’s belongings and blanketswere confiscated. They were denied the right to shower for the first ten days of their strikes.
They described that their isolation cells were 2×2 meters in size, only contained a small pit in the floor for them to relieve themselves, and were monitored by Israeli Prison Service (IPS) cameras 24-hours a day. It should be noted that these cameras, along with all other surveillance equipment throughout Israeli prisons, is provided by British-Danish security company G4S.
Banat and Fasisi also told Addameer that as punitive measures, they have been denied recreational hours in the yard, family visits, the ability to purchase basic supplies and goods from the prison canteen, and have been subject to frequent night raids and searches.
Banat and Fasisi report that they were transferred to Sha’are Zedek Medical Center on the fifteenth day of their strikes along withWaheed Abu Maria and Ameer Shammas, two other prisoners who are also on strike against their unlawful administrative detention. Abu Maria, a 46 year-old father from the village of Beit Ummar, has been held illegally since October 2012. Like Banat and Fasisi, he began his most recent hunger strike on 9 January 2014. Shammas, a 22 year-old from Hebron, began his strike on 11 January 2014 to protest his administrative detainment that began in September of 2013.
Banat, Fasisi, Abu Maria, and Shammas were then taken Ramleh Prison Clinic. Although the hunger strikers have reported that they are suffering from critical health conditions, including fatigue, exhaustion, severe headaches, joint pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath, Fasisi and Banat report that all of them consistently refuse medical treatment. They describe that the IPS officers shackle the prisoners’ hands and feet to the hospital beds, and that all four of them are occasionally transferred to solitary confinement cells in Ramleh Prison Clinic as punishment for their continued hunger strike.
Two other hunger strikers in Megiddo Prison also reported horrific treatment since the start of their strikes. Husam Omar and Mousa Soufian were arrested in 2002, but were interrogated for 50 consecutive days beginning on 17 June 2013. They were presented with a new list of charges, and were placed in isolation cells on 20 September 2013 until their hunger strike. They began open hunger strikes on 25 January 2014 in protest of the isolation policy. They were also subjected to punitive measures including denial of family visits, isolation in a 2×3 meter cell, confiscation of property, and daily searches despite being in completely empty cells. Most of the raids occur between midnight and 3am, they described. In addition, Soufian has developed an unidentified lump on his neck during his imprisonment.
In recent days, other lawyers have visited the hunger strikers and informed Addameer that the men have been moved to other hospitals. Further developments will be available after 20 February 2014.
The Israeli Prison Service has recommended to the Knesset to consider new legislature that would allow for the force-feeding of prisoners on hunger strike. This bill has been widely condemned by human rights and health organizations, including Physicians for Human Rights in Israel, who describes the bill as “clearly designed to subdue the prisoners.” In light of Israel’s new policy, Addameer calls for expedited intervention from international organizations and bodies in order to protect Palestinian hunger strikers from this cruel practice.
Basic Information on the Hunger Strikers:
Akram Fasisi (31 years old, Ithna, Hebron) has been on administrative detention since 16 November 2012, and his administrative detention order has been renewed three consecutive times. He started his first hunger strike on 29 September 2013 for 59 days before ending it due to deteriorating health. He announced a new hunger strike on 9 January 2014, and is currently held in Ramleh Prison Clinic.
Waheed Abu Maria (46 years old, BeitUmmar, Hebron) has been on administrative detention since 30 October 2012, and his administrative detention order has been renewed five consecutive times. He started his hunger strike in protest of this policy on 9 January 2014.
Mo’ammar Banat (26 years old, Arroub Refugee Camp) has been on administrative detention since 13 August 2013, and his administrative detention order has been renewed twice. He started his hunger strike on 9 January 2014 in protest of administrative detention. He is currently detained in Ramleh Prison Clinic.
Ameer Shammas (22 years old, Ras Al Jora, Hebron) has been on administrative detention since 2 September 2013 and started his hunger strike on 11 January 2014. He was initially in Megiddo Prison before being transferred to Ramleh Prison Clinic and finally to Assaf Harove, where he is currently detained.
Abdul Majeed Khdeirat (45 years old, Tubas) was arrested on 15 May 2013 at a checkpoint near Nablus, after being released in the 2011 prisoner exchange deal. This is not his first hunger strike, he went on hunger strike for 95 days in 2013 in protest of his re-arrest, in which he was promised a speedy trial. He started his hunger strike on 15 January 2014 in protest of his re-arrest and the delay in his trial. He is currently being held in Ramleh Prison Clinic after being held in isolation in Megiddo.
Husam Omar (30 years old, Tulkarem) was arrested on 26 February 2002 and sentenced to thirty years. He was re-interrogated for 50 days beginning on 17 June 2013 and presented with a new list of charges. On 30 September 2013 was transferred to an isolation cell in Megiddo Prison. He started his hunger strike on 25 January 2014 in protest of his indefinite period of isolation. He is currently held in isolation in Megiddo Prison.
Musa Soufian (Tulkarem) was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life. He was also re-interrogated in late 2013 with Husam Omar and issued a new list of charges. He started his hunger strike on 25 January 2014 in protest of his imprisonment in isolation beginning on 30 September 2013. He is currently detained in Ramleh Prison Clinic.
ACT NOW!
*Write to the Israeli government, military and legal authorities and demand the release of the prisoners on hunger strike.
Brigadier General Danny Efroni
Military Judge Advocate General
6 David Elazar Street
Harkiya, Tel Aviv
Israel
Fax: +972 3 608 0366; +972 3 569 4526
Email: arbel@mail.idf.il; avimn@idf.gov.il
Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon
OC Central Command Nehemia Base, Central Command
Neveh Yaacov, Jerusalam
Fax: +972 2 530 5741
Minister of Defense Moshe Smilansky
Ministry of Defense
37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 3 691 6940 / 696 2757
Col. Eli Bar On
Legal Advisor of Judea and Samaria PO Box 5
Beth El 90631
Fax: +972 2 9977326
31st January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Palestine
With the arrest of two international human rights activists at Salem Military Court, in Jenin district, on Wednesday 29th January 2014, the total number of arrests of activists in the past month has risen to five, and the number of deportations to four. Arrested activists have reported verbal and physical abuse while in custody. Concerns have been raised within the human rights community as to whether the Israeli military is carrying out a concerted campaign of intimidation and deportation against internationals.
Photo by ISM
Violations of due process
The most recent arrests occurred as two activists, a Norwegian and a Canadian, were attending a hearing for Ahmad Atatreh, a 20-year-old Palestinian activist who had been arrested ten days earlier at a peaceful demonstration in the Jordan Valley.
Following the hearing, which the activists had attended in solidarity with Mr. Atatreh and his family, Israeli soldiers violently dragged the defendant by his handcuffs out of the courtroom. When the internationals asked why he was receiving this rough treatment, the soldiers took the passport from the Norwegian and arrested her on the accusation of having “slapped a soldier.” The Norwegian activist has a long-standing commitment to non-violent solidarity work.
The two remaining activists and the family of Mr. Atatreh left the court facilities and were getting into a car outside when they were approached by another soldier, who subsequently arrested the Canadian, accusing him of interfering with an arrest.
The activists were held overnight in the police station in the illegal settlement of Ariel. While in custody, the Norwegian human rights volunteer was punched in her face by Israeli police.
Under Israeli law, the activists should have been taken before a judge within 24 hours of their arrest. However, as in other recent cases the police disregarded this, instead initiating deportation procedures without following due process.
In the case of Vincent Mainville and Fabio Theodule, (Swiss and Italian citizens respectively), arrested 8th January 2014 while trying to prevent Israeli soldiers from firing live ammunition at schoolchildren, although the judge later ruled that the activists had been illegally arrested, it was too late to prevent their transfer to immigration and therefore prevent their deportation. Neither man was allowed a court hearing as required by law.
“Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada,” says Neta Golan, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, “of the thousands of international human rights activists who have have been arrested, deported and denied entry, no criminal charges have been brought against any one of them. No international activist has stood trial for committing a crime. Despite this de facto vilification by Israeli authorities, charges have not once been pressed against an international human rights activist.”
Activists verbally abused, beaten while in custody
In addition to violating Israel’s due process laws, in each of these cases the Israeli military have beaten the activists in their custody. The Norwegian arrested on the 29th reports having been beaten at the police station in Ariel.
While in custody, Mr. Mainville and Mr. Theodule were dragged by their handcuffs, causing their wrists to bleed. Mr. Mainville was also kicked in his ribs and his face. After many hours of detention, Mr. Theodule asked for water and was told by a border police officer, “If you want to drink, you can drink my piss.”
While in detention, Sven W. was blindfolded and forced to kneel on the ground for more than an hour. At this time, an Israeli soldier purposefully pushed Mr. W’s face in dirty water before taking him behind a military jeep and repeatedly kicking him in the ribs.
20th January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Palestine
Photo by ISM
On Saturday 18th January during a peaceful protest in the Jordan Valley, 19-year-old Ahmad Walid Atatreh, a Palestinian activist and 24-year-old Sven W, a German activist who lives in Switzerland, were arrested and beaten after a march held in Jiftlik Adam Junction. Ahmad is a law student, studying at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem.
The march in Jiftlik was organized in protest against a legislation bill recently approved in the Knesset to annex the Jordan Valley to the current state of Israel. While the Israeli government declares that the move is purely for security reasons, the large number of illegal agricultural settlements and theft of Palestinian water rights demonstrate that the motives are largely economic.
Almost 95% of the Jordan Valley lies in Area C, under full Israeli civil and military control. Palestinian Bedouin herders suffer repeated demolitions of their homes and animal shelters, and water tanks are frequently confiscated. A large section of the area is reserved as a firing zone and residents are often forcibly removed from their homes to make way for military exercises.
Approximately 60 people gathered in the Jordan Valley and began a protest holding banners and chanting against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. As the march ended, Israeli forces invaded the area and began to arrest Palestinian demonstrators. Sven W and a British volunteer succeeded in stopping the detention of a Palestinian youth and in the process were both arrested by the Israeli army.
The two international activists were violently pushed to the ground by an Israeli soldier and handcuffed. The British activist managed to escape detention, whilst Sven was blindfolded and forced to kneel on the ground.
One Israeli soldier purposefully pushed Sven’s face in dirty water before taking him behind a military jeep and repeatedly kicking him in the ribs. Ahmad was also beaten after his arrest and received injuries to his knee. The British activist received a similar assault before escaping detention.
During the arrests, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition into the air, and on several occasions pointed their rifles at protesters’ faces.
Sven and Ahmad were blindfolded for 3 hours and were driven to an Israeli military base. While they were blindfolded, Israeli forces attempted to intimidate and frighten the activists by pointing guns in their faces.
At the military base Sven was told he was a “terrorist” and was arrested because he “threw stones”.
Sven is committed to non-violent resistance and during this particular demonstration, no stones were thrown.
Both activists were taken to a ‘medical’ room in the military base where their blindfolds were briefly removed, although their handcuffs remained. Sven told the Israeli soldiers that he had a headache after being unable to see for such a long period of time, and also that his ribs were sore due to the beating he received after his arrest. According to Sven this information was noted down although Israeli forces did nothing to assist with his pain. During this time in the medical room, many Israeli soldiers entered and took pictures of both Sven and Ahmad using their mobile phones.
Ahmad and Sven were then blindfolded again and driven to a police station in the illegal settlement of Ariel, neither activist was given any information with regard to where they were being taken or allowed to contact legal representation. During this drive Israeli forces stopped the car, tightened Ahmad’s blindfold and stole a camera from Sven’s bag, using it to take pictures of the two blindfolded men.
When they arrived at Ariel, Sven was finally informed of the three charges against him, assaulting an Israeli soldier, attempting to steal a rifle from a soldier and blocking a highway and therefore ‘”endangering” lives (however at no moment was anyone blocking the main highway, activists were gathered at the side of the road). The same charges were also given to Ahmad and are completely fabricated for both activists.
Sven and Ahmad spent the night in Ariel police station along with five other Palestinian prisoners. The light was kept on all night with Israeli forces constantly entering the cell, ensuring that none of the prisoners were able to sleep. At one point Sven was woken by a police officer and told he would have court in the morning.
Under Israeli law internationals must be taken before a judge within 24 hours.
In the morning of the 19th, Sven repeatedly asked when he would be transferred for his court hearing and he was ignored by Israeli police. At this point neither Sven nor Ahmad were allowed to contact legal representation. Ahmad also requested to speak to his lawyer and was told that unless he gave information about the demonstration he would not be allowed to contact anyone.
At 5pm, Sven was transferred from Ariel police station to a terminal at Ben Gurion airport. He was never taken before a judge and was instead asked to sign a piece of paper saying he agreed to be deported to Germany, although he has been living in Switzerland for the last 4 years.
Sven refused to sign unless he was allowed to speak to legal representation. Finally he was allowed to make a phone call, though was unable to get through to his lawyer and therefore unwilling to sign the document.
Sven was transferred to a prison in Ramle, near Tel Aviv, which is where he currently resides. He is expected to be deported on Thursday. When Sven left the illegal settlement of Ariel, Ahmad was still imprisoned. He has now been transferred to Hadarim prison in Netanya and should attend Salem court within the next few days. However he has still not been allowed to contact his lawyer, the first time Ahmad will speak to him will be when he is taken before a judge.
When Sven is deported this week, he will be the third international activist in less than two weeks to be arrested and deported by Israeli forces. Vincent Mainville and Fabio Theodule were arrested on the 8th January and deported a week later. Their arrest was ruled illegal by an Israeli court in Jerusalem, although this did not stop their transfer to the immigration center.
