1st February 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Occupied Palestine
On January 21st, 14 year old Malak Khatib was sentenced by the Israeli military courts to two months in Israeli jails. Malak has been in Hasharon prison for over a month now as her family continues to endure the unbearable absence felt in their small apartment home in the West Bank village of Beitin.Malak was arrested by Israeli forces one morning on her way from school. Her imprisonment came based on a testimony from Israeli soldiers. Regardless of her young age, she was interrogated without legal representation or the presence of a legal guardian. Today Malak continues to remain incarcerated in Israeli jails. The court has also sentenced the family to approximately 1,500 US dollars in fines. If they are not paid her release may be prolonged by the court.
Malak Khatib, is one of 700 Palestinian children to be arrested and interrogated by Israeli forces annually. Due to the family’s inability to cover the fine’s expenses, we are attempting to raise the money in order to have Malak return home as soon as possible. Especially as more prisoners are complaining of the escalating harsh conditions in Israeli prisons.
Prior to her arrest, Malak enjoyed to play soccer outside her home and sketching. She used to walk to school every day and her favorite sweets consist of gummy worms. She is the youngest of 8 children and despite her older age continued to enjoy sitting in her mother’s lap. She found refuge in it. Paralleling to that, Malak now sleeps in a jail cell with blue barred doors and grey concrete walls.
If the fine money is not paid, Malak may continue to be held within Israeli prisons. It is essential that we put forth our efforts in order to raise the money required to have Malak return home to the arms of her family, where her main concern once more is not wanting to wake up for school or arguing with her siblings.
To donate money, please go to the ISM donation page and then send an email to palreports@gmail.com. In the subject line of your email, write: ‘Donation for Malak’. In the email itself please say how much money you have contributed.
23rd September 2013 | International Solidarity Movement | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine
On September 14th at 11:00 in the morning, 15 year-old Ibrahim Abu-Rahma was walking to school with his little brother, 13-year-old Ahmed, in their village of Bil’in. An Israeli army jeep had infiltrated the village and stopped near the boys. The two ran in the opposite direction, only to run into another of the army’s infiltrating units. Ibrahim was grabbed by the soldiers and arrested.
A military Judge ruled that he could be released on bail. Now, the Bil’in popular committee need 5000 NIS to pay the bail money.
Bil’in village has been diligently protesting Israel’s theft of their land and the construction of settlements and the apartheid wall, for the past 10 years. All families in the village have payed a high price of resistance to a brutal military occupation. The Abu-Rahma family has lost two family members, Bassem and Jawaher, as a direct result of soldier violence. And the young men and boys of the village are constantly targeted for arrests.
Aftermath of Israeli airstrike on Palestinian home in Gaza.
Gaza Calling: All out on Saturday 9 August Day of Rage
Join the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions Movement today. Demand Sanctions on Israel Now.
As we face the full might of Israel’s military arsenal, funded and supplied by the United States and European Union, we call on civil society and people of conscience throughout the world to pressure governments to sanction Israel and implement a comprehensive arms embargo immediately.
Take to the streets on Saturday 9 August with a united demand for sanctions on Israel.
From Gaza under invasion, bombardment, and continuing siege, the horror is beyond words. Medical supplies are exhausted. The death toll has reached 1813 killed (398 children, 207 women, 74 elderly) and 9370 injured (2744 children, 1750 women, 343 elderly). Our hospitals, ambulances, and medical staff are all under attack while on duty. Doctors and paramedics are being killed while evacuating the dead. Our dead are not numbers and statistics to be recounted; they are loved ones, family and friends.
While we have to survive this onslaught, you certainly have the power to help end it the same way you helped overcome Apartheid and other crimes against humanity. Israel is only able to carry out this attack with the unwavering support of governments – this support must end.
This is our third massacre in six years. When not being slaughtered, we remain under siege, an illegal collective punishment of the entire population. Fishermen are shot and killed if they stray beyond a 3 km limit imposed unilaterally by Israel. Farmers are shot harvesting their crops within a border area imposed unilaterally by Israel. Gaza has become the largest open-air prison, a concentration camp since 2006. This time, we want an end to this unprecedented crime against humanity committed with the complicity and support of your own governments!
We are not asking for charity. We are demanding solidarity, because we know that until Israel is isolated and sanctioned, these horrors will be repeated.
Take action this Saturday
Make boycotts, divestments and sanctions the main message at every protest around the world. Take banners and placards calling for sanction on Israel to every protest. Tweet them using the hashtag #GazaDayofRage. Email us your pictures and action details to GazaDayofRage@gmail.com.
While news of all the mass protests outside Israel’s embassies around the world have given us hope, after weeks of protests, we urge you to intensify your actions. Occupy Israeli embassies, challenge Israeli officials (and others) supporting the current aggression against Gaza whenever they appear in public and stage sit-in in government buildings.
Boycott all Israeli products and take action against corporations profiting from Israel’s system of colonialism, occupation and apartheid. March to boycott targets in your city and educate the public about companies complicit in Israel’s ongoing military assault and illegal siege of Gaza.
Palestinian trade unions are calling on our brothers and sisters in the trade union movement internationally to stop handling goods imported from or exported to Israel. The trade union movement has a proud history of direct action against Apartheid in South Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions has joined us in the call for direct action to end Israel’s impunity.
From occupied and besieged Gaza
Signed by
Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions
General Union of Palestinian Women
University Teachers’ Association in Palestine
Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (Umbrella for 133 orgs)
Medical Democratic Assembly
General Union of Palestine Workers
General Union for Health Services Workers
General Union for Public Services Workers
General Union for Petrochemical and Gas Workers
General Union for Agricultural Workers
Union of Women’s Work Committees
Pal-Cinema (Palestine Cinema Forum)
Youth Herak Movement
Union of Women’s Struggle Committees
Union of Synergies—Women Unit
Union of Palestinian Women Committees
Women’s Studies Society
Working Woman’s Society
Palestinian Students’ Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel
Gaza BDS Working Group
One Democratic State Group
Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions National Committee (BNC)
BNC includes: Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine, Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), Palestinian National Institute for NGOs, Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition, Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS (PTUC-BDS), Federation of Independent Trade Unions, General Union of Palestinian Workers, Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, General Union of Palestinian Women, Union of Palestinian Farmers, General Union of Palestinian Teachers, General Union of Palestinian Writers, Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE), Union of Professional Associations, General Union of Palestinian Peasants, Union of Public Employees in Palestine-Civil Sector, Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW), National Committee for Grassroots Resistance, Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba, Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, Coalition for Jerusalem, Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations, Palestinian Economic Monitor, Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps, Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Initiative
4th August 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Gaza, Occupied Palestine
UPDATED:
Thanks to all the people who contacted their representatives and the foreign offices of the UK, Sweden, and the USA! The Palestinian human rights defenders, joined by international volunteers, safely delivered mattresses, food, and water to citizens in Rafah today.
Photo by Charlie AndreassonPhoto by Charlie AndreassonPhoto by Charlie Andreasson
*******
Call your representatives and the foreign offices of the UK, Sweden, and the USA to inform them that citizens of these countries are travelling to Rafah to deliver aid. Demand that Israel cease targeting medical personnel rescue teams and civilians, and immediately provides an evacuation route to transfer humanitarian aid to Rafah and to evacuate patients to other hospitals in Gaza for treatment.
Some contact information is provided below.
Palestinian human rights defenders, joined by international volunteers, are now travelling to western Rafah with a Red Crescent truck to deliver food, mattresses, and water.
“The situation in Rafah cannot continue, people are left with nothing. There is a small window of time, that will dissolve in two hours, and then no one knows what will happen to all the civilians- the families- who need support. That’s why we’re going with mattresses, water, and food, these supplies are desperately needed right now.” Stated Swedish International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteer, Charlie Andreasson.
The group of international volunteers, including Swedish, U.S and UK citizens, are travelling from Jabalya down the Beach Road to western Rafah, with supplies donated by al-Fatiha Global and Project Akhirah.
Arwa Wael, resident of western Rafah, spoke to the ISM and stated that, “thousands of people were forced to leave the eastern side of Rafah travelling to what they thought to be the safer western side, taking shelter in UNRWA schools, in relatives and friends homes. In spite of this, these places were attacked by Israeli warplanes and many people were killed in a very short period of time, including ten members of the Zorad family. Now we are without electricity, without water and without food. Due to the shelling of the Abu Yousef hospital, the patients were evacuated to two clinics, one of which is also in the western part. The clinic doesn’t have a morgue, so ice-cream and vegetable fridges are being used to hold the dead bodies, generators are powering these fridges and are swiftly running out of fuel.”
A press release issued by the Gaza Ministry of Health on August 3rd reports that at least 170 people have been killed and dozens injured in Rafah in recent days. The two maternity hospitals in Rafah, the Kuwaiti Maternity Hospital and the Emirati Red Crescent Maternity Hospital, are not equipped to deal with the large number of wounded and dying people, and there is no safe evacuation route to transfer patients to other hospitals in Gaza for treatment.
Protests are being organized in cities around the world to respond to the ongoing assault on Palestine and the Palestinian people, including the murders of Palestinians (including 16-year-old Muhammad Abu Khdeir, murdered brutally by Israeli settlers), the bombing of Gaza, the mass arrests of over 600, and the raids, attacks, tear-gassing, invasions and closure that Palestinians are being subjected to. If a rally you know of is not listed, please email samidoun@samidoun.ca to have it posted!
Chicago, IL, US Saturday, July 5
3:00 PM
Water Tower Park, Chicago, IL
Protest organized by Students for Justice in Palestine’s Chicago network, and co-organized with local chapters of American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, Jews for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestine Solidarity Group, the US Palestine Community Network, International Socialist Organization, ANSWER Chicago, and the Anti-War Committee.
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1479409155627269/
Glasgow, Scotland Saturday, July 5
1:00 PM
Buchanan Street at Gordon Street, Glasgow City Centre
Initiated by Glasgow Stop the War Coalition
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/691236754277161/
London, England Saturday, July 5
2:00 PM
Israeli Embassy, 2 Palace Green, London
Called by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al-Aqsa, London Palestine Action, British Muslim Initiative, Palestinian Forum in Britain, CND
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1644051615818961/
The Hague, Netherlands Saturday, July 5
1:00 PM
Den Haag Plein tegenover 2e kamer
Organized by the Palestinian Prisoners Society Netherlands
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/641611065922896/
Cleveland, Ohio, US Saturday, July 5
3:00 PM
Public Square, Superior Avenue E, Cleveland, OH
Called by Al-Awda Cleveland
New York, NY, US Wednesday, July 9
5:30 PM
East 42nd St and 2nd Ave, Israeli Mission to UN, New York, NY
followed by 6:30 PM March to News Corp Building – 48th St and 6th Ave
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/662450663849851/
