British student injured by Israeli army illegally firing tear gas canisters at protesters

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British student injured by Israeli soldiers illegally firing tear gas canisters directly at protesters

An Nabi Saleh, West Bank

31 July 2010

Kidd is one of many who have been injured at An Nabi Saleh where Israeli soldiers frequently flout international law by firing directly at protesters
Kidd is one of many who have been injured at An Nabi Saleh where Israeli soldiers frequently flout international law by firing directly at protesters

A British student was injured yesterday (30 July 2010) when she was hit in the leg by a tear gas projectile fired directly at her, when Israeli soldiers violently repressed a peaceful protest in the West Bank.

Ellie Kidd, 23, from North London, is currently unable to walk due to the damage inflicted by the tear gas canister fired from approximately 50 metres away.

It is illegal to fire tear gas directly at human beings but Israeli soldiers frequently ignore the requirement to fire it up into the sky, instead firing directly at groups of peaceful protesters.

Kidd had joined a protest in the Palestinian village of An Nabi Saleh, 30 km northeast of Ramallah, where residents have since January 2010 been protesting against the theft of their land by the neighbouring illegal Israeli settlement of Halamish*.

Kidd was with around 15 other international and Israeli peace activists, whose presence at other demonstrations such as Bil’in has in the past discouraged the military from using such extreme force to repress demonstrations. However protests at An Nabi Saleh have from the start been dealt with using grossly disproportionate force** and numerous people have been injured in the last six months***.

A tear gas projectile of the kind illegally fired directly at protestors at demonstrations in An Nabi Saleh and elsewhere
A tear gas projectile of the kind illegally fired directly at protestors at many demonstrations

Kidd said: “The demonstration had barely even begun when Israeli soldiers started firing tear gas canisters directly at us. I heard the first shot and turned around but there was no time to move out of the way. The Israeli army has no respect for international law, or even for Israel’s self-professed laws****, let alone respect for Palestinians who should have a right to demonstrate against the theft of their land without risking injury or death.

“I’ve seen the army fire directly at Palestinian children as young as five. It’s time the British government and the rest of the world stopped ignoring the war crimes that are committed here by Israel every day.”


For more information contact:

Israeli soldiers have viciously repressed protests at An Nabi Saleh since they began in January 2010
Israeli soldiers have viciously repressed protests at An Nabi Saleh since they began in January 2010, including firing straight at groups of children

ISM Media Office

palreports@gmail.com

0546 180 056

Notes for Editors:

* The illegal Halamish (Neve Zuf) settlement, located opposite An Nabi Saleh, has illegally seized nearly half of the village’s valuable agricultural land. In January 2010, hundreds of the village residents’ olive trees were uprooted by settlers.

** The An Nabi Saleh demonstration is routinely met with dozens of soldiers armed with M16 assault rifles, tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and percussion grenades. This is despite the fact that the District Coordination Office has confirmed that the spring which the villagers try to reach each week is on Palestinian land.

*** On the numerous injuries inflicted at Nabi Saleh, see for example:
http://popularstruggle.org/content/over-25-injured-nabi-saleh-demonstration
http://popularstruggle.org/content/six-injured-soldiers-attack-nabi-saleh-demonstration
http://popularstruggle.org/content/border-police-critically-injures-14-year-old-nabi-saleh-demonstration

**** In December 2009 an Israeli court decision awarded the property rights of the land to An Nabi Saleh residents, but this ruling has been ignored by soldiers and settlers.

Israel bombs central Gaza City: seventeen injured

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Israel bombs central Gaza City; seventeen injured

Gaza City, Gaza Strip

31 July 2010

An injured man in carried to an ambulance - Photo: TILDE DE WANDEL
An injured man in carried to an ambulance - Photo: TILDE DE WANDEL


At around 11:30pm last night (Friday 30 July 2010), ‘The Arafat Compound’ Police College in central Gaza City was bombed by Israeli F-16s, in the area of ‘Al Montada’ injuring seventeen people, three of them seriously. Three children were also among the injured.

Those first at the scene described building debris scattered everywhere and burned out cars still parked on the street. One man had severe injuries to the eyes and head as a result of being hit by shrapnel from the bomb.

The enormous impact of the bomb was felt by ISM volunteers sitting in a nearby café.

Adie Mormech, a British volunteer in Gaza with ISM said: “The blast caused buildings far from the epicenter of the explosion to shake and windows were smashed. When we arrived at Shifa hospital the scene was chaos. Family members were not allowed inside to visit while the patients were being treated. Intermittently more of the injured arrived amidst a mass of waiting media.

A father carries his injured child to a hospital bed - Photo: TILDE DE WANDEL
A father carries his injured child to a hospital bed - Photo: TILDE DE WANDEL

“Others arrived at the hospital with psychological trauma caused by the enormous impact of the bomb – some were confused to the extent that they couldn’t describe whether they had an injury or not.”

One Gazan resident described the power of the bomb as a rocket weighing more than a ton, the likes of which had not been seen frequently since the horrific three week bombardment over the New Year of 2009, known as Operation Cast Lead.

For many in Gaza, last night’s attack was a traumatic reminder of the onslaught during Operation Cast Lead when three hundred F-16 bomb attacks took place during the first 2 minutes of the campaign. The operations terrorized the entire population of the Gaza Strip and killed over 1400 people, including over 400 children.
Israel’s attack late Friday night followed a rocket that landed in Askelon, Southern Israel. that caused no injuries, and is suspected to have been fired by a small militant faction in Gaza.

As well as reports of other bombings near the Gaza City port there were also rocket attacks on Deir el Belah and Rafah.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Adie Mormech, Gaza: 05977 176 96

ISM Media Office, Ramallah: 05461 800 56

palreports@gmail.com

Swedish peace activist arrested, witnesses say charge of assault is ‘baseless’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

21 July 2010

Correction, 27 July 2010: Marcus’s surname was originally wrongly spelled ‘Rednanver’ but has now been corrected.

A Swedish peace activist was arrested in Hebron last night and stood trial today in Jerusalem.

Nursing student Marcus Regnander was accused of assaulting a soldier at a peaceful demonstration in Hebron 10 days ago. Witnesses say the charge is baseless and that he has been targeted by police arbitrarily. The judge ordered that he be detained and questioned for a further two days.

At approximately 11PM last night (20 July 2010) Regnander and another Swedish man were passing a checkpoint near Tel Rumeida when soldiers forcefully detained him, confiscated his passport and called police.

Regnander was not told where he had been taken but believed it was a police station near Hebron.

Officials at the Court of Peace in the Russian Compound, Jerusalem, heard his case at 12.30 this afternoon. Following the judge’s ruling he was led wasy in handcuffs and shackled at the ankles. He told friends who attended the hearing that he had not been fed since he was arrested.

He will be released on Friday 23rd at 12 noon unless the police investigation can produce new evidence.

For more information contact:
ISM Media Office – 0545581494 or 0546180056
palreports@gmail.com

Early release of Tom Hurndall’s killer symptom of wider Israeli crimes

20 July 2010

Tom Hurndall shortly before he was shot and killed.
Tom Hurndall shortly before he was shot and killed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Correction appended

The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) condemns the early release from prison of the Israeli soldier that murdered photography student and ISM volunteer Tom Hurndall in Gaza in 2003. The Israeli press yesterday reported that Taysir Hayb will be released three years early from an already short eight-year sentence.

His murder was only a symptom of a much wider culture of impunity in the Israeli army. This early release serves to reinforce the notion that the Israeli army can continue to commit war crimes against Palestinians without fear of serious consequences.

Tom’s mother Jocelyn Hurndall told ISM London that: “this reduced sentence comes at a time when the world is becoming more sceptical about Israel’s investigations into its own actions. It’s a reminder of Israel’s disregard for international law and opinion.”

When Hayb was sentenced in 2005, human rights activist, Raphael Cohen, who was with Tom on the day of the shooting said, “On the very street where Tom was shot, two children had been shot just days before. This is why he and the rest of the group went to that spot, to protest against the shooting of children as they played outside their homes. There has never been any investigation into the shootings of those children.”

To this day, there has still been no investigation of these deaths or of the thousands of other Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli soldiers. Only last month in Jerusalem Ziad Joulani, 41, a Palestinian shopkeeper and father of three with no criminal record or history of political activism, was killed when Israeli police opened fire as he got out of his car. [1] His killing is not being investigated.

Tom’s family had to fight hard to achieve even the eight-year manslaughter conviction that they won in 2005, against a system of Israeli obfuscation and lies, and an indifferent British government. In a statement yesterday the Foreign Office merely said: “We note the court’s decision to release Taysir Hayb and recognise the grief this decision will cause to the Hurndall family,” describing the deliberate act of murder as “a tragedy”.

Tom’s father Anthony hit back in the Guardian today, condemning this as a “weak response” by the British government, and demanding to meet with ministers. He said: “I would like them to say that this is not just a tragedy but that the Israeli government is directly responsibile for Tom’s death and should acknowledge this and take steps to put matters right by changing policies to ensure that civilians are not shot or killed indiscriminately.”

Israel did not even bother to inform the Hurndall family in advance of the news reaching the Israeli press, and Tom’s sister Sophie only learnt the news when ISM London contacted her yesterday.

Hayb shot Tom in the forehead with a high velocity bullet using a rifle with a telescopic sight, while he attempted to rescue Palestinian children in Gaza from Israeli gunfire. According to an Observer report from the 2005 trial, Hayb was “an award-winning marksman”. [2] Tom never regained consciousness, dying nine months later in a London hospital at the age of 22.

Jewish nurse and peace activist Alice Coy, who saw Tom shot, said Hayb was only part of “a culture of impunity in which generations of Israelis are taught that Arabs hate them and are subhuman. They are then given guns and they know they can get away with killing Palestinians. The occupation and aggression of Zionist policy is harming ordinary Israelis as well as Palestinians.”

Amnesty International says that: “The shocking truth is that Israeli soldiers kill civilians in Gaza with near-total impunity, week in week out” [3]

B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights organisation, report that “From the beginning of the [second] intifada, on 29 September 2000, to the end of 2008 (not including Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, which began on 27 December), [Israeli] security forces killed more than 2,200 Palestinians who were not taking part in the hostilities at the time they were killed. However, a Military Police investigation was opened in only 287 cases of suspected illegal shooting by security forces. This number includes investigations into cases in which civilians were wounded. Only 33 of these investigations resulted in the filing of indictments” [4]

Israeli human rights group Yesh Din clarifies that of these, Haib is the only soldier to have been convicted for an offence causing death: “From the beginning of the second intifada until the end of 2009, Courts-Martial convicted soldiers of offenses connected with the deaths of only four civilians: three Palestinians and one British national. One soldier was convicted of manslaughter, and he was the only one convicted of an offense of causing death. Four other soldiers were convicted of offenses of negligence.” [5]

For more information:
Alice Coy, UK: +44 7828 540512
ISM Media Office, Ramallah: +972 59 760 6276  or  +972 2 241 0604
ISM London: +44 7913 067 189

References
[1] “Family of Palestinian driver killed by police demands investigation”. LA Times online, 14th June 2010 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2010/06/israel-family-of-palestinian-driver-killed-by-police-demands-investigation.html

[2] “Parents fight to learn why Israeli sniper shot their son”. Observer, 30th January 2005 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/jan/30/israel

[3] “Hurndall case: Israeli military forces still kill civilians with ‘near-total impunity’” Amnesty International statement, 7th October 2008 http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17897

[4] “Military Police investigations during the al-Aqsa intifada” B’Tselem http://www.btselem.org/English/Accountability/Investigatin_of_Complaints.asp

REVISION, 21st July: The initial version of this press release erroneously stated that Ziad Joulani had been shot “last week”. In fact he was killed on the 14th of June, as stated in the text of our reference. This online version has been revised to read “last month”. The final paragraph with the Yesh Din figures on convictions was also added.

Exporting the intifada: ISM activists Ryan Olander & Bridget Chappell vs. Europe

International Solidarity Movement activists Bridget Chappell and Ryan Olander are raging through Europe! Speaking in cities across Europe about their experiences and observations from their time working with the ISM on the ground in occupied Palestine, their mission is to spread the message of worldwide, popular resistance to the Israeli occupation and incite others to action through direct action, boycott and solidarity with the Palestinian people.

23 June FALUN, SWEDEN
6:00 @ Left Youth Center

1 July OSLO, NORWAY
18:30 @ Blitz

12 July BOCHUM, GERMANY
19:30 @ Langendreer Bahnhof

13 July KAMEN, GERMANY
19:00 @ Gesamtschule

14 July KARLSRUHE, GERMANY
19:00 @ Ver.di-Haus

15 July HEIDELBURG, GERMANY
19:00 @ Karlstor-Bahnhof

17 July PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
18:00 @ Klub v Jelení
[ +Palestinian food, poetry, music & party]

19 July OLOMOUC, CZECH REPUBLIC
19:00 @ Galerie u Mloka

20 July PARDUBICE, CZECH REPUBLIC
18:30 @ NZDM Free Klub

21 July BRADÝS NAM LABEM, CZECH REPUBLIC
18:30 @ Knihovna Eduarda Petišky

22 July BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC
19:00 @ Mistogalerie na Skleněné Iouce

25 July BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
16:00 @ A4
[ +Palestinian food, film screening, music & party]

26 July VIENNA, AUSTRIA
19:00 @ Amerlinghaus

28 July BUDAPEŠT, HUNGARY
19:00 @ Budapešt Infoshop

30 July SWANSEA, UNITED KINGDOM
19:30 @ the Environment Centre

31 July BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM
18:00 @ Black Kitten Radical Info Shop

2 August LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
19:30 @ School of Oriental and African Studies

4 August BRIGHTON, UNITED KINGDOM
16:00 @ Cowley Club

6 August OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM
19:00 @ St Michael at the North Gate Church

9 August CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM
19.30pm @ Emmanuel United Reformed Church

23 August BARCELONA, SPAIN*
*Time/venue to be announced.

Further dates in United Kingdom & France to be announced – keep checking this page for updates!

Hailing from the northern wilds of the United States, Ryan Olander decided to halt his complicity in the Occupations of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. He achieved this aim through his cessation of work for money in the United States thereby freeing his labor from funding such vile acts of the country in which he was born.

However, alleviating himself from complicity was not enough amidst the atrocities and human rights abuses visited upon Palestinians by Israel. He decided to use his life to physically stand with the Palestinians in their plight for liberation and justice.

In November 2009 he began working with the International Solidarity Movement. He spent last 4 weeks in Ramle Givon Detention center fighting illegal deportation, which he would win some months later. After his release from prison he was unable to return to Sheikh Jarrah (where he had been working with families struggling against illegal home evictions), so he coordinated media for ISM, attended demonstrations in the west bank, participated in direct actions against the construction of the Wall and taught English in the East Jerusalem community of Silwan. Alas, after nearly 6 months in Palestine Ryan’s process was over and he had to leave so ISM could retrieve the 10000 shekel bail that was paid in his name.

Spurred on by the shocking images of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead, Bridget Chappell left Australia last August to join the popular struggle against the illegal occupation of Palestine. Her work as international co-ordinator and in the Nablus area of the West Bank brought her to focus on the annual olive harvest, settler and military violence, demonstrations and steadfast resistance. She was arrested by the Israeli military in an illegal night raid operation in February this year, as Israel’s crackdown on popular resistance surged. Determined to fight her deportation order, she managed to remain in Palestine a further four months before heading to Europe to continue cultivation of the new global intifada.

Follow the event on Facebook here, to see updates to the tour and new dates added.

If you are interested in having Ryan and Bridget to speak in your city, please contact projectbridget@gmail.com or dfedwing@yahoo.com