ISM Call to Action: Save Masafer Yatta!

 

The International Solidarity Movement is calling all activists and supporters to take urgent action against Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Masafer Yatta region in the occupied West Bank. 

 

What is Masafer Yatta?:

Masafer Yatta is a rural region to the south of Hebron along the southern border of the occupied West Bank. It is home to 12 Palestinian villages totalling about 2,800 residents. Since 1981, the Israeli army has used the land as a military training area, ‘Firing Zone 918’ which has been used as a pretext for dispossesing, evicting and demolishing Palestinian homes, making every-day life unbearable for residents. 

The current situation: 

On May 4 2022, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected appeals by residents against a series of eviction orders, giving the green light to Israeli Occupation Forces to wipe out eight villages located within the firing zone. This puts around 1,200 Palestinian residents, including 500 children, at imminent risk of eviction and arbitrary displacement, according to the UN. This process has already begun. The village of Al Mirkez has already been flattened three times and the residents are living in caves next to the rubble that was formerly their community. 

From June 20, Israeli forces will begin training exercises with live ammunition in the Masafer Yatta region. Our partners on the ground view the next 3 months as a critical period, which will determine whether their communities will survive … and we need to act now!

 

How Masafer Yatta communities are resisting: 

ISM’s friends and comrades in the region will never give up and neither should we. Masafer Yatta’s People’s Committee for Protection and Resilience, along with the Youth of Samud (whose headquarters received its own demolition order last week) have come together to use non-violent resistance to stop this ethnic cleansing. Popular resistance groups from all over Palestine and teams of activists from ‘48 [Israel] have been joining them in a united effort to save the villages. They are calling for international support and international activists to come and join the struggle on the ground.

We need volunteers to join them: 

ISM is sending volunteers to Masafer Yatta this summer. We are calling on all committed supporters of Palestine to volunteer with ISM in the West Bank, in response to calls for assistance from our partners in Masafer Yatta. ISM activists would be working in solidarity with the Masafer Yatta community to provide a protective presence in villages under threat of demolition. ISM previously supported efforts to halt the demolition of Palestinian village Khan al-Ahmar in 2018. We hope to replicate the same success in Masafer Yatta. For more information about volunteering with ISM (needed this July and August), please contact: ismtraining@riseup.net. 

 

N.B. There is an ISM training event in London scheduled for the 2nd July. We can prepare you and give you more information about what our grassroots partners need from us on the ground! To find out more and apply please contact training.ismlondon@riseup.net. 

 

Support ISM and our Partners:

If you can’t volunteer on the ground you can still help the cause! 

Donate to ISM to help us sponsor volunteers and keep us running. Alternatively you can contact us for information about grassroots groups from Masafer Yatta, who you can support with donations or in other ways.

 

Learn More:

Save Masafer Yatta – Save Masafer Yatta

Israel to begin live fire training in Palestinian community facing forced expulsion | Middle East Eye

Firing Zone 918 – An Exercise in War Crimes (btselem.org)

The occupation kills again in Dheisha refugee camp

2 June | International Solidarity Movement | Dheisha, Bethlehem

On the morning of Thursday the 2nd of June, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed Dheisha refugee camp, south of the West Bank town of Bethlehem, at dawn to arrest several residents. In the process of their operation soldiers shot 29-year-old Ayman Muhaisen with live ammunition several times, after which he succumbed to his wounds. Two other Palestinians were reportedly injured with live ammunition, according to the Red Crescent.

Poster of martyr Ayman Muhaisen

Ayman leaves behind three children, including a 7-month-old son and a daughter who had just graduated from kindergarten a day before. That afternoon, the streets of Dheisha were filled from Ayman’s home across to the cemetery by Artas as thousands came to mourn him and show their defiance in the face of yet another killing. Ayman rests in a cemetery that after the last few years is literally overflowing with martyrs since an IOF commander publicly threatened to disable every youth in the camp in 2019.

Funeral procession of Ayman Muhaisen in Dheisha, West Bank

ISM met with Naji Odeh, director of independent non-profit Laylac organisation, who spoke about the increasing frequency of such raids by the IOF, which have turned particularly deadly in the past few years: “these raids have become a normality in Dheisha, witnessing some 2-3 of these a week”. Ayman’s death exemplifies the brutality of such arrests, in which soldiers do not hesitate to use live ammunition.

A Palestinian youth called Mahmoud took ISM to the location where Ayman was shot just in front of his house, showing us where several bullets made holes in the walls and all across the residential neighbourhood. Just beside the corner where traces of his dried blood could still be seen was a mural with the names and pictures of previous martyrs killed in this area – the last of which, a blank image with a question mark with simply the word مين؟ or who? Inscribed on top. “We never know who will be next. It could be any of us”, Naji said.

Mural of martyrs in Dheisha, West Bank

Naji set up Laylac with the aim of assisting, educating and providing support for young Palestinians from both Dheisha and across the West Bank who have grown up and continue to live in an environment subjected to such brutal outcomes of the Israeli apartheid regime. Reliant on completely independent funding and dozens of volunteers, Laylac has helped children from the refugee camp continue their studies as the coronavirus pandemic halted many educational systems across the West Bank. The organisation also collaborates with several local schools in organising activities from portrait classes to trips abroad to France. Mahmoud, aged 13, and who witnessed the cold-blooded killing of Ayman Muhaisen in today’s morning raid, is one of many students who will travel abroad for the first time in their lives with the help of Laylac.

Naji Odeh at the headquarters of Laylac

 

Fisherman’s union hold a sit-in at Gaza port demanding an end to Israeli abuses

Palestinian fishermen protest Israeli violence and restrictions on their livelihoods

13 July | International Solidarity Movement | Gaza

On Sunday, the Fishermen’s Syndicate in the Gaza Strip organized a protest sit-in and a press conference, demanding an end to the Israeli abuses against fishermen and the expansion of the fishing areas in the Gaza Sea.

Dozens of fishermen took part in the Gaza Port vigil under the title (a scream from Gaza fishermen). Balloons bearing photos of fishermen who were martyred by the Israeli occupation were launched into the sky during the demonstration. Protesters also raised banners in both Arabic and English calling for the re-expansion of the fishing zones and an end to the targeting of fishing boats.

Protesters attach pictures of Palestinian fishermen killed by Israeli occupation forces to balloons

The head of the Fishermen’s Syndicate, Nizar Ayyash, has stated that the Israeli occupation continues to violate the rights of fishermen in the Gaza sea, violating international regulations and laws.

At the conference, Ayyash added that these violations pose an ongoing threat to the lives of about 4,500 fishermen, whose only source of income is fishing. He urged the international community to pressure the occupation to expand the fishing area again and allow fishermen to make their living.

The head of the Fishermen’s Syndicate Nizar Ayyash

Gaza’s fishing industry has been decimated, especially in the last five years, due to increasingly punitive Israeli restrictions on where Palestinian boats can fish. Fishermen face constant harassment and violence from Israeli naval vessels. Since 2005, 14 fishermen have been killed, 32 wounded and 450 arrested, according to the Syndicate.

Ayyash called out several recent crimes committed by the occupation, including the killing of three members of the Al-Lahham family’s after an Israeli vessel crashed into their boat, and another fisherman who lost his eyesight as a result of being directly fired upon. Israeli soldiers also sank some fishermen’s boats, causing them to lose their only source of livelihood.

Protesters carry signs demanding Israel open the sea borders and cease firing on fishermen

Ayyash also pointed out that the latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza in May affected the fishermen through the loss of work equipment and nets as a result of the heavy bombing. He called for the community to stand with them.

The head of the Fishermen’s Syndicate also asked the international community and its organizations to support the fishermen of Gaza by helping put an end to the occupation’s violence against the Palestinian people in general and the fishermen in particular.

“Ridiculous, spurious, and easily disproved” – Huwaida Arraf responds to recent right-wing attacks on the International Solidarity Movement

Once again right-wing media, politicians, and even supposed academics are attacking the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) with spurious allegations that are easily disproved. This time it comes in their ongoing effort to undermine Representative Ilhan Omar, the Congresswoman from the 5th district of Minnesota.

On June 8, Rep. Omar retweeted a post by Marwa Fatafta, a well known and highly respected policy analyst and digital rights activist, that included a video watermarked with “International Solidarity Movement.” The video showed a young Palestinian boy wearing a backpack “snatched and detained by Israeli forces.” There is no timestamp on the video so we do not know when it was recorded, but we do know that this sort of violence directed at Palestinian children by the Israeli military is commonplace.

This tweet, and Omar’s sharing of it, were in response to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s June 7 testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. During that hearing, Omar asked Blinken pointed questions about where Palestinians should turn in search of justice for the abuses they suffer at the hands of Israeli forces, settlers, and the government. Blinken’s response was that they should turn to the Israeli court system. This response is ridiculous on its face, and Marwa Fatafta used this video to highlight that.

Let’s clear up some of the misleading claims made by those attacking the International Solidarity Movement, such as in this article by Fox News.

  1. The video was not “produced” by ISM; rather it was one of countless egregious abuses committed by Israeli soldiers that was captured on video by an ISM volunteer. Unfortunately, volunteers witness far more Israeli abuses than they’re able to capture on video.
  2. ISM is not anti-Israel; it is, however, anti-racist, anti-occupation, anti-colonization, anti-apartheid, anti-oppression. The Anti-Defamation League and Fox News translate this to being anti-Israel.
  3. That the ISM was “investigated by the FBI” is yet another blight on the agency, which spent years and scarce resources on a fishing expedition that revealed nothing but First Amendment-protected activity campaigning for Palestinian human rights and freedom. The ISM’s statement on this “investigation” can be read here. The investigation lasted for years and targeted ISM activists in 11 U.S. cities, myself included. No evidence of wrongdoing was ever found, according to the FBI.
  4. As for being identified by the ADL as one of the top 10 anti-Israel organizations, see #2 as to why the ADL labels the ISM as “anti-Israel.”
  5. ISM is proud to be listed amongst incredible human rights defending allies like Jewish Voice for Peace, the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Friends of Sabeel – North America, Students for Justice in Palestine and others.
  6. The ADL itself is a deeply problematic organization. It describes itself as a “leading anti-hate organization,” but has a history of supporting racist-policing, surveillance, colonialism & apartheid, as detailed in a letter signed by over 100 human rights organizations.
  7. In May 2021, five progressive civil society leaders resigned from the Civil Society Fellowship (CSF) over the group’s connection to the ADL. Read their statement here.
  8. Most recently, long time national director of the ADL (1987-2015) Abe Foxman went on a tirade against the New York Times for printing names and faces of more than 65 Palestinian children slain in Israel’s May 2021 onslaught on Gaza. According to Foxman, humanizing Palestinians is “blood libel”.
  9. The ADL, like the entire Zionist project, is built on the propagation of Jewish supremacy, the vilification and erasure of Palestinians, and the defamation of anyone advocating for Palestinian freedom.
  10. The second half of the Fox News article is devoted to quoting Prof. David Bernstein, whose relationship with facts & truth is tenuous, at best. I responded to a libelous 2015 Washington Post piece by Bernstein that can be read here.
  11. Bernstein told Fox News that he “doesn’t believe ISM has ‘been very active lately.’” This is simply wrong. ISM activists are currently on-the-ground in occupied Palestine continuing to report, document rights abuses, and support popular resistance to colonialism & apartheid.
  12. ISM activists also continue to be active around the world, organizing with allies against the forces that oppress Black, Brown, indigenous & poor peoples. We’re marching, engaging in BDS, #BlockTheBoat, #ShutElbitDown, all towards a #FreePalestine and a more just world for all our children.

The one and only thing Bernstein was correct about is that the video in question is a few years old. Sadly, however, there are many more recent videos of Palestinian children being abused, arrested and terrorized by Israeli soldiers. The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem hosts an entire video library of them here. Learn more about human rights violations against Palestinian children here.

Lastly, the Fox News article states at the end: “Neither Omar’s office nor ISM immediately responded to Fox News’ requests for comment.” For the record, ISM received no request for comment from Fox News.

Webinar: International Solidarity & Resisting Colonization

WEBINAR: Palestine On The Ground: International Solidarity & Resisting Colonization

Saturday, December 19
11 AM PST – 2 PM EST – 7 PM UTC – 9 PM Palestine (EEST)
Register online to join the event: https://bit.ly/palestinewebinar

Join ISM Northern California for a webinar next Saturday, December 19, 2020 to learn about the current situation on the ground in Palestine, grassroots resistance and the work of the International Solidarity Movement. Hear from Palestinian rights defenders and international volunteers on the front lines of popular struggle in Palestine and learn more about how you can get involved.

Join us next Saturday, December 19th!

Speakers will include:

Abdel Karim Dalbah – Palestinian journalist, field researcher and human rights defender. An ISM coordinator for almost two decades and an educator in nonviolent resistance, Abdel has been campaigning for human rights and Palestinian emancipation since the 70’s.

Edmond Sichrovsky – Edmond is an ISM activist of Jewish origin, currently based in northern Europe. In the summer and fall of 2019 he volunteered with ISM in Palestine, taking part in solidarity actions in East Jerusalem, Hebron, and the Jordan Valley. Banned by the Israeli government from returning, he now works to advocate for Palestine locally and in media.

Sophie – International Solidarity Movement volunteer from Spain.

Organized by the International Solidarity Movement – Northern California
https://ism-norcal.org/
solidarity@ism-norcal.org