Category: Reports - Page 358 - International Solidarity Movement

The ongoing trial in the murder of solidarity activist Vittorio Arrigoni

by Hussein Amoody and Radhika S.

20 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza

The military trial of the four men charged with the death of Italian International Solidarity Movement Activist Vittorio Arrigoni continued in Gaza City today.

The small courtroom was packed with friends and colleagues of Arrigoni, in addition to four or five members of the defendants’ families. All four defendants appeared unshackled behind a caged-off portion of the courtroom and remained standing throughout the trial.

The trial began today with the parties checking where they had left off on the September 22 session.

The prosecutor, dressed in olive-colored military pants and a khaki shirt, then stated that “each of the accused strangled him [Arrigoni] by plastic handcuffs,” and therefore all four were complicit in Arrigoni’s kidnapping and killing. Previously, only two of the defendants had been charged with murder; the other two were charged with aiding and abetting in Mr. Arrigoni’s kidnapping and killing, and the fourth in providing the house where his body was found hanging.

The attorney for Defendant Mohammed Salfiti then requested that the official responsible for making a video and report of the defendants’ confessions on behalf of the government appear in court so that he could be examined by the defense. The three judges, garbed in military uniform, denied the request after the prosecutor stated that “in the military we are all one unit,” and that the individual who made the report had already confirmed its accuracy.

The prosecutor then submitted into evidence a mobile phone and a laptop computer, which he stated were used in the commission of Arrigoni’s murder.

Judge Mansour held up the mobile phone and asked Salfiti if the phone was his. Salfiti stated that “I came after they kidnapped him [Arrigoni] and I recorded that video by my mobile.”

Defendant Tamar Hasasnah was then called forth from the metal cage and questioned by Judge Mansour about a how a laptop admitted into evidence was used in the commission of the crime. Hasasnah stated that the laptop was used to edit the video of Arrigoni and publish it on the internet.

After Hasanah’s testimony, the prosecutor added that Defendants “used the laptop to edit the video and publish it on the internet asking to release Hisham al-Saidany,” then described Arrigoni’s physical condition as depicted in the video. The government arrested al-Saidany, the leader of Tawhid al-Jihad – which denied any role in the murder – in March of this year.

Salfiti then testified that the laptop was his, and that it was used to publish the video of Arrigoni on the internet.

Approximately twenty minutes into the session, an argument broke out between counsel when the defense interrupted the prosecution and stated that they had not received copies of certain files with respect to the laptop, which the prosecution claimed had already been made available. The defense attorney then told the judge, “he is trying to call us liars.”

The prosecutor than asked the judge if the rest of the trial could be delayed so that he could “get other files” needed for the trial. The exact files were not specified. The Court agreed to adjourn the trial until Thursday, November 3, 2011.

An attorney with the Palestinian Committee for Human Rights (PCHR) and five volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), including one attorney, observed the trial. Arrigoni, a longtime member of the ISM, was kidnapped on April 14, 2011. Thousands of people throughout Palestine mourned his death.

Hussein Amoody and Radhika S. are activists with International Solidarity Movement.

Woman flees harvest to escape violent settlers and wild boars

20 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Early Thursday morning, a Palestinian woman in Beit Furik was picking olives when a settler began to chase her and set loose wild hogs to chase after her, causing her to fall and suffer broken bones in both her legs.

Muhaya Khatatba resting following injuries sustained as she fled from violent settlers

Muhaya Khatatba was in her olive groves with her two sons, aged 14 and 17 years old, when a settler descended from above the hill and began to chase her.

“I was with my kids picking olives, when a settler saw us, and took advantage of the fact that we were all alone,” said Khatatba.

Then the settler released wild boars after her. She beckoned to her boys to run ahead of her, and as she ran, she tripped on some rocks and broke her leg. She struggled to begin running again, using one leg, and fell again, breaking the other leg. Unable to stand, her boys ran back to pick her up and ran with her to meet other villagers. She broke one leg in three places, and the other leg at the ankle.

Khatatba says that when she saw the settlers she was very frightened because of the violent attacks on residents of Beit Furik in the past few years.

“But the fear I felt for myself is nothing compared to the fear I felt for my sons,” she says. “And I’m not concerned only for myself, but for all the people of Beit Furiq. They can’t go to their olives. We want a permanent solution. We want someone to stand by us.”

Khatatba is only thirty-five years old. Her husband cannot join them in the harvest because he is obliged to a full time job. She has never gone into her trees without permission from the Israeli authorities, and Thursday was one of the four days she was permitted.

Now her permission time has run out despite the many olive trees that are left.

Beit Furik is very close to the Itamar settlement, considered illegal by international law. Itamar has a wide history of brutal attacks and harassment of the native Palestinian population around them. The settlement was formed in 1984 and has grown from 300 residents to over 1000.

In the past, illegal, Zionist settlers have reportedly damaged Palestinian property, obstructed access to their farm land, stolen olives, attacked, and even shot at local Palestinians. In 2004 illegal settlers murdered a Palestinian taxi driver who was shot and killed. In 2007 three Palestinians were killed in their home, including a 10-week old infant.

In both cases, the settlers who committed the crimes did not serve time in prison.

Day 6: DCO overrules Qordoba school

18 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On 18^th October 2011 teachers from Qordoba school stood in protest at checkpoint 56 for a sixth day of resistance against the increased ‘security’ measures imposed upon them by the Israeli occupying forces. In the past week this peaceful protest has been met with an alarmingly intolerant – and at times violent – response from the Israeli soldiers. On the first day, nine young children were hospitalized.

By the third day of demonstration the international press had taken up the story.

On the fourth day soldiers sought to quash the mounting pressure by using tear gas and sound grenades in the streets of Bab a-Zawyia .

The teachers are also facing pressure from the settlers. In an interview with ISM this morning, the head mistress, Ibtesam Aljondy, explained they had received warnings that if the school was left empty, settlers would occupy the buildings. This threat, coupled with the need to return to a normal learning schedule for the children and concerns for their safety, has resulted in the school being reopened during the last two days. A handful of teachers and volunteers have been holding lessons whilst up to twelve of their colleagues have continued to demonstrate. The absence of children at the demonstration has led to a significantly reduced press presence.

During the protests negotiations have been taking place between the Palestinian Authority and the District Co-ordination Office of the Israeli occupying forces. This reached an unfavourable conclusion at 5pm Tuesday, when Ms Aljondy was telephoned by the PA and told that the DCO are not willing to reverse the new measures. Under military law the teachers of Qordoba School will have to pass through the metal detectors in the checkpoint or be refused entry.

ISM volunteers spoke with a source from the PA who wishes to remain anonymous. He expressed disappointment at the situation, stating that for the teachers to be treated in this way gives the wrong impression to their students.

The protests will continue. Ms Aljondy has told ISM that each morning half the teachers will take a substantial detour to reach the school, and half will remain outside the checkpoint to highlight the issue. She has asked ISM for our continued support in this action.

In Ramallah Palestine tastes freedom at release of prisoners

18 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

It was the third time that Omar, 21, tried to write his name and cell number on a piece of paper in vain. His hands were shaking and the fingers, pale as the face, could barely hold the pen. On the fifth try he was able to write his name in capital letters. As for the mobile phone number, who noted it was his 17 year old brother, Jihad.

16 years ago one member went missing in Omar’s family, Khaled, his father. Resident from the village of Qibid, near Ni’lin in the Ramallah district, Khaled spent 16 years of his life to complete a 50 year sentence.They were preparing to return to Qibid. This time, with the father.
“It was very difficult growing up without my father,” said Omar. “I was 5 years old when he was arrested and my older brother was 11. Then came the ladder: another brother with 9 years, two sisters 4 and 3 years and Jihad. My mother raised all of us by herself, with great sacrifices,” he said.

The story, the emotion and the tears from Omar mingled with other similar stories, on the morning of Tuesday, October 18, in Ramallah.

Families were united again, after years of forced separation. All 285 children were released. Fadeleh Atuya Ajula came from Tulkarem, a new dress and posters in hand, to welcome Majdi, for more than 20 years imprisoned and sentenced to life imprisonment. Family and friends of Sana’a Sh’haded, 36, almost 10 years in jail and sentenced to life imprisonment, have now joined hands and formed a corridor for her, pale and trembling with emotion from a 20 day hunger strike, walking, supported by parents, to the grave of Yasser Arafat, where he made a prayer before going home to Jerusalem.

Civil servants collectively decided to take a day off, and schools released students to celebrate the arrival of the former prisoners.

Before nine in the morning tens of thousands of people had gathered for the festival that started at the gate of the Ofer detention center, in the Betunya area controlled by the Israeli army, and ended outside the Muqata’a, the headquarters of Palestinian National Authority (PNA), around 4 PM. In the large area in front of Ofer, trucks from Hamas, Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) played party’s anthems and songs celebrating the Palestinian struggle, serving as a stage for leaders who shouted the slogans repeated by supporters. The largest and most striking presence was that of Hamas, gathering a large audience who sang and danced.

At 11:30 AM the crowd began to move toward the Muqata’a as the Israeli Army reacted to the crowd of young men with gas bombs and canisters. Sound bombs, the metal rubber-coated bullets, and even skunk water were used against the people. Soldiers shot bullets on the ground and directly at people, which is forbidden by international law.

At the PNA headquarters at noon, Mahmoud Abbas, president of the PNA, received the 133 former prisoners from the West Bank, as their families, friends and the people who attended watched them enter Palestinian society. There, in the space reserved for public events, on the lower ground to the right of the tomb of Yasser Arafat, all were compressed in an area with capacity for 40 to 50 thousand people.
“Thank God you came back safely to their families and their homeland after this forced removal, caused by your struggle for this land. Your sacrifice, efforts and work were not in vain. You will see the result of all in the independent state of Palestine,” Abbas spoke.

He also honored leaders Marwan Barghouti (Fatah) and Ahmad Sa’adat (PFLP), who remained in prison, thanked Egypt for its mediation in the negotiations that freed the prisoners and promised to carry out the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.

While village attended funeral, Zionists stole

18 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On Tuesday, a family in Kufr Qalil cancelled all olive harvest because of the death of a family member.

While the people in the household were at the cemetery to attend the funeral, settlers from the adjacent Berakha settlement took the opportunity to visit the household’s farmland. A shepherd witnessed how the settlers stole the furniture, equipment and tools (including a chain saw) that were used by the farmers during the olive harvest.

The farmer family in Kafr Qalil has been harassed by settlers earlier. Five years ago, settlers cut down all almond trees in the yard.

The olive harvest is traditionally a joyful time in Palestine, and the oil produced from the olives is the main income for many families. Israeli occupation has however had huge impact on this practice. Many farmers nowadays have to seek special permission from Israeli authorities to harvest their trees.

Harassment by settlers and ignorance from the Israeli military make the harvest time uncertain and stressful.