The Gaza Freedom March that will take place in Gaza on 31 December is an historic initiative to break the siege that has imprisoned the 1.5 million people who live there. Conceived in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and nonviolent resistance to injustice worldwide, the march will gather people from all over the world to march — hand in hand — with the people of Gaza to demand that the Israelis open the borders.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the December 2008 Israeli invasion that left more than 1,400 dead, this is a grassroots global response to the inaction on the part of world leaders and institutions. More than 1,000 international delegates from 42 countries have already signed up and more are signing on every day.
Participants include Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, leading Syrian comedian Duraid Lahham, French Senator Alima Boumediene-Thiery, author and Filipino Parliament member Walden Bello, former European Parliamentarians Luisa Morgantini from Italy and Eva Quistorp from Germany, President of the US Center for Constitutional Rights Attorney Michael Ratner, Japanese former Ambassador to Lebanon Naoto Amaki, French hip-hop artists Ministere des Affaires Populaires, and 85-year-old Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein.
We also have families of three generations, doctors, lawyers, diplomats, 70 students, an interfaith group that includes rabbis, priests and imams, a women’s delegation, a Jewish contingent, a veterans group and Palestinians born overseas who have never seen their families in Gaza.
The international delegates will enter Gaza via Egypt during the last week of December. In the morning 31 December, they will join Palestinians in a nonviolent march from northern Gaza to the Erez/Israeli border. On the Israeli side of the Erez border will be a gathering of Palestinians and Jews who are also calling on the Israeli government to open the border.
Inside Gaza, excitement is growing. Representatives of all aspects of civil society, including students, professors, refugee groups, unions, women’s organizations, nongovernmental organizations, have been busy organizing and estimate that at least 50,000 Palestinians will participate. People from the different sectors will march in their uniforms — fishermen, doctors, students, farmers, etc. Local Palestinian rappers, hip-hop bands and dabke dancers will perform on mobile stages.
“Just as a simple man named Ghandi led the successful non-violent struggle in India and simple people such as Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela led the struggle for civil rights in the United States, simple people here in Bil’in are leading a non-violent struggle that will bring them their freedom. The South Africa experience proves that injustice can be dismantled.”
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu, during a visit to Bil’in on 27 August 2009
Demonstrators protest against the detention of Adeeb and other Biliners
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, a leading activist and organizer from the West Bank village of Bil’in has been held in detention since his arrest during a demonstration on 10 July 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqaO8lFYuM0). Thousands of Israeli and international solidarity activists who have demonstrated alongside Adeeb against the theft of Bil’in’s lands over the past five years can testify to his unshakable commitment to non-violence and dignified action.
Adeeb who has been detained for over three months, is not suspected of committing any violence, but was indicted with a blanket charge of “incitement to violence”. A judge had initially ruled that Adeeb be released with restrictive conditions, but an appeal filed by the military prosecution had the decision overturned, and he was remanded until the end of legal proceedings. Trials for Palestinians in Israeli military courts often last over a year. Adeeb is the sole provider for his 9 children, wife and mother.
Adeeb’s arrest is part of the Israeli military’s most recent attempt to crush Bil’in village’s ongoing popular non-violent resistance campaign. A wave of night raids and arrests targeting protesters and the leadership of Bil’in’s Popular Committee began concurrently with preliminary hearings in a lawsuit against two Canadian companies responsible for the construction of an Israeli settlement on Bil’in’s land.
On 23 June 2009, the Canadian court heard the preliminary arguments for a suit brought by Bil’in against two companies registered in Canada (Green Park International & Green Mount International). The village is seeking justice against the construction of settlements on its lands under the 2000 Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Statute.
Israeli forces have arrested 27 residents, 11 of which are under 18. Sixteen Bil’iners remain in Israeli detention, nine of which are minors. Some of the arrestees have reported being questioned about Bi’in’s lawsuit in Canada during their interrogation.
Overwhelming support and outcry from the international community have contributed to what appears to be the end of the night raids (the last raid took place on 30 September 2009). While soldiers have stopped coming to arrest demonstrators in the night, the aftermath of the raids has left Bil’in with large legal fees/bails and 16 remaining residents in Israeli detention. In defiance of the pressure from Israeli authorities, the village continues to hold weekly demonstrations. Bil’iners protested in solidarity with Adeeb Abu Rahme (https://palsolidarity.org/2009/10/9054) and recently filed an appeal in the Canadian court case (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1256037270183&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull). While they continue their struggle, they need your support.
What can you do?
Attempts to criminalize the leadership of non-violent protests where curbed in the past with the help of an outpouring of support from people committed to justice from all over the world.
Please protest by contacting your political representatives, as well as your consuls and ambassadors to Israel (http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Israel) to demand that Israel stops targeting non-violent popular resistance and release Adeeb Abu Rahmah and all Bil’in prisoners.
The Popular Committee of Bil’in is in desperate need for funds in order to pay legal fees both for the trail in Montréal and for representing the arrested protesters in the military courts and bail.Please donate to the Bil’in legal fund through PayPal. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation in the US or Canada contact: bilinlegal@gmail.com.
The Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements
Background
The West Bank village of Bil’in is located 12 kilometers west of Ramallah and 4 km east of the Green Line. It is an agricultural village, around 4,085 dunams (988 acres) in size, and populated by approximately 1,780 residents.
Approximately 55% of Bil’in’s agricultural land has been declared ‘State Land’ by Israel and confiscated for the construction of the settlement bloc, Modi’in Illit. Modi’in Illit holds the largest settler population of any settlement bloc, with over 42,000 residents and plans to achieve a population of 150,000.
Prior to 1948, Bil’in spanned 4,085 dunams. Starting in 1982 and again in 1991, around 1,980 dunams were taken. Another 260 dunams were taken for construction of the Wall in 2005.
In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled that the Wall was contrary to international law, particularly International Humanitarian Law. The Court went on to rule that Israel’s settlements are illegal under the same laws, noting that the Wall’s route is intimately connected to the settlements adjacent to the Green Line, further annexing 12% of the West Bank to Israel.
Despite the advisory opinion, early in 2005, Israel began constructing the separation Wall on Bil’in’s land, cutting the village in half in order to place Modi’in Illit and its future growth on the “Israeli side” of the Wall.
In March 2005, Bil’in residents began to organize almost daily direct actions and demonstrations against the theft of their lands. Gaining the attention of the international community with their creativity and perseverance, Bil’in has become a symbol for popular resistance. Almost five years later, Bil’in continues to have weekly Friday protests.
Bil’in has held annual conferences on popular resistance since 2006, providing a forum for activists, intellectuals, and leaders to discuss strategies for the non-violent struggle against the Occupation.
Israeli forces have used sound and shock grenades, water cannons, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas grenades, tear gas canisters and 0.22 caliber live ammunition against protesters (link to weapons page).
Out of the 75 residents who were arrested in connection to demonstrations against the Wall, 27 have been were arrested after the beginning of a night raid campaign on 23 June 2009. Israeli armed forces have been regularly invading homes and forcefully searching for demonstration participants, targeting the leaders of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, as well as teenage boys accused of throwing stones at the Wall. Sixteen currently remain in detention, 9 of which are minors.
In addition to its grassroots movement, Bil’in turned to the courts in the fall of 2005. In September 2007, 2 years after they initiated legal proceedings, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled that due to illegal construction in part of Modi’in Illit, unfinished housing could not be completed and that the route of the Wall be moved several hundred meters west, returning 25% of Bil’in’s lands to the village. To date, the high court ruling has not been implemented and settlement construction continues.
In July 2008, Bil’in commenced legal proceedings before the Superior Court of Quebec against Green Park International Inc and Green Mount International Inc for their involvement in constructing, marketing and selling residential units in the Mattityahu East section of Modi’in Illit.
Tout comme un simple individu nommé Gandhi a mené avec succès la lutte non-violente en Inde et de simples individus, comme Rosa Parks et Nelson Mandela ont mené la lutte pour les droits civiques aux États-Unis et en Afrique du Sud, de simples individus ici, à Bil’in mènent une lutte non-violente qui leur apportera la liberté. L’expérience de l’Afrique du Sud prouve que l’injustice peut être démantelée. –Archevêque Desmond Tutu, lors de sa visite à Bil’in le 27 août 2009.
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, organisateur et militant très actif de Bil’in, village de Cisjordanie, est en détention depuis son arrestation lors de la manifestation du 10 juillet 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqaO8lFYuM0). Des milliers d’activistes de la solidarité israéliens et internationaux, qui ont manifesté aux côtés d’Adeeb contre le vol des terres de Bil’in au cours de ces cinq dernières années, peuvent témoigner de son engagement inébranlable pour l’action non violente et digne.
Adeeb, qui est détenu depuis plus de trois mois, n’est pas soupçonné d’avoir commis un acte violent, mais a été inculpé sous une accusation de couverture d'”incitation à la violence”. Un juge avait d’abord décidé de le libérer sous conditions restrictives, mais un appel interjeté par le procureur militaire a fait renverser la décision, et Adeeb sera maintenu en prison jusqu’à la fin de la procédure judiciaire. Les procès des Palestiniens devant les tribunaux militaires durent souvent plus d’un an. Adeeb subvient seul aux besoins de ses 9 enfants, de sa femme et de sa mère.
L’arrestation d’Adeeb fait partie de la plus récente tentative de l’armée israélienne d’écraser la campagne de résistance non violente en cours dans le village de Bil’in. Une vague de raids nocturnes et d’arrestations visant les protestataires et la direction du Comité Populaire de Bil’in a commencé en même temps que les premières audiences d’une action en justice intentée contre deux compagnies canadiennes pour la construction d’une colonie israélienne sur la terre de Bi’lin.
En effet, le 23 juin 2009, le tribunal canadien a entendu en première audience les arguments d’une action intentée par Bi’lin contre deux compagnies enregistrées au Canada (Green Park International & Green Mount International). Le village appelle en justice contre la construction de colonies sur ses terres, conformément à la Loi canadienne sur les crimes contre l’humanité et les crimes de guerre ratifiée en 2000.
Les forces israéliennes ont arrêté 27 habitants de Bil’in, dont 11 ont moins de 18 ans. 16 d’entre eux sont toujours en détention israélienne, dont 9 sont mineurs. Certains d’entre eux ont rapporté qu’ils avaient été interrogés sur le procès de Bil’in au Canada pendant leur interrogatoire.
Un énorme soutien et un tollé général de la communauté internationale ont contribué à ce qui semble être la fin des raids nocturnes (le dernier a eu lieu le 30 septembre 2009). Alors que les soldats ont cessé de venir arrêter les manifestants la nuit, les répercussions des raids laissent Bil’in avec des honoraires et des cautions importants et 16 résidents toujours en détention israélienne.
Alors qu’ils poursuivent leur lutte, ils ont besoin de votre soutien.
Que pouvez-vous faire ?
Les tentatives de criminalisation de la direction des protestations non violentes ont été freinées par le passé grâce à un déluge d’actions de soutien de la part des gens du monde entier pour qui le mot justice a un sens.
Prenez contact avec vos représentants politiques, ainsi qu’avec vos ambassades et consulats en Israël (http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Israel) pour demander qu’Israël cesse de viser la résistance populaire non violente et libère Adeeb Abu Rahmah et tous les prisonniers de Bil’in.
Le Comité Populaire de Bil’lin a besoin de fonds pour régler les frais juridiques tant pour le procès à Montréal que pour la représentation des militants arrêtés devant les tribunaux militaires. Merci de faire parvenir vos dons au fonds juridique de Bi’lin par PayPal. Si vous souhaitez faire un don déductible des impôts aux USA et au Canada, contactez bilinlegal@gmail.com.
Le Comité populaire de Bil’in contre le Mur et les Colonies.
Contexte
Le village de Bil’in est situé en Cisjordanie, à 12 km à l’ouest de Ramallah et à 4 km à l’est de la Ligne Verte. C’est un village agricole, d’environ 4.085 dunams (1 dunam = 0,1 ha), et d’environ 1.780 habitants.
Près de 55% de la terre agricole de Bil’in ont été déclarés “Terre d’Etat” par Israël et confisqués pour la construction du bloc de colonie de Modi’in Illit. Modi’in Illit détient la plus importante population coloniale de tous les blocs de colonie avec plus de 42.000 habitants, et son projet est de parvenir à une population de 150.000 colons.
Avant 1948, Bil’in couvrait 4.085 dunams. En 1982 et à nouveau en 1991, près de 1.980 dunams ont été réquisitionnés. 260 autres dunams l’ont été pour la construction du Mur en 2005.
En 2004, la Cour Internationale de Justice a statué que le Mur contrevenait au droit international, en particulier au droit humanitaire international. La Cour a statué de plus que les colonies d’Israël étaient illégales selon ce même droit, précisant que le tracé du Mur était intimement lié aux colonies adjacentes à la Ligne Verte, annexant 12% de plus de la Cisjordanie à Israël.
En dépit de la décision consultative, début 2005, Israël a poursuivi la construction du Mur de séparation sur la terre de Bil’in, coupant le village en deux de manière à placer Modi’in Illit et sa croissance future “du côté israélien” du Mur.
En mars 2005, les habitants de Bil’in ont commencé à organiser des actions directes quasi quotidiennes et des manifestations contre le vol de leurs terres. Gagnant l’attention de la communauté internationale par sa créativité et sa persévérance, Bil’in est devenu un symbole de la résistance populaire. Près de cinq ans plus tard, Bil’in continue de manifester chaque vendredi.
Depuis 2006, Bi’lin organise des conférences annuelles sur la résistance populaire, offrant aux activistes, aux intellectuels et aux dirigeants un forum de discussion sur les stratégies de la lutte non violente contre l’occupation.
Les forces israéliennes ont fait usage de grenades soniques et de choc, des canons à eaux, des balles caoutchouc-acier, des grenades et des bombes lacrymogènes, des balles de calibre 0.22 contre les manifestants.
Le 17 avril 2009, Bassem Abu Rahma a reçu une grenade lacrymogène à grande vitesse dans la poitrine, tirée par les forces israéliennes, et il est mort des suites de ses blessures à l’hôpital de Ramallah.
75 habitants ont été arrêtés en lien avec les manifestations contre le Mur, 27 ont été arrêtées dans la campagne de raids nocturnes qui a débuté le 23 juin 2009.
En plus de son mouvement populaire, Bil’in est allé devant les tribunaux à l’automne 2005. En septembre 2007, deux ans après avoir lancé les procédures en justice, la Haute Cour israélienne de Justice a statué qu’à cause de la construction illégale dans certaines parties de Mod’in Illit, les maisons en construction ne devaient pas être terminées et que la route du Mur devait être déplacée de plusieurs centaines de mètres à l’ouest, restituant 25% de ses terres au village. A ce jour, la décision de la Haute Cour n’a pas été appliquée et la construction dans la colonie continue.
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Supporta la lotta di Bil’in
“Un uomo semplice di nome Gandhi guidó con successo la lotta nonviolenta in India e persone semplici come Rosa Parks e Nelson Mandela guidarono la lotta per i diritti Civili negli Stati Uniti, persone semplici qui a Bilin stanno conducendo una lotta nonviolenta che li porterá alla libertá. L’esempio del Sud Africa dimostra che l’ingiustizia puo essere vinta”. – Arcibishop Desmond Tutu, durante una visita a Bil’in, 27 Agosto 2009
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, un leader del movimento nonviolento proveniente dal villaggio della West Bank Bil’in, ė stato arrestato in data 10 Luglio 2009 durante una dimostrazione ed ė tuttora detenuto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqaO8lFYuM0). Migliaia di attivisti Israeliani e internazionali che hanno dimostrato a fianco di Adeeb contro il furto delle terre di Bilin durante gli ultimi cinque anni, sono testimoni della sua costante impegno verso l’azione nonviolenta.
Adeeb, che ė in stato di detenzione da piu di tre mesi, non ė sospettato di aver commesso alcun tipo di violenza, ma ė stato accusato con una verdetto di copertura come quello “dell’incitamento alla violenza”. Un giudice aveva stabilito che Adeeb avrebbe potuto essere rilasciato con alcune condizioni restrittive, ma un appello presentato dal tribunale militare rovesció la decisione rimandando il suo rilascio alla fine del processo. I processi nei tribunali militari israeliani per i Palestinesi durano anche più di un anno. Adeeb ė il solo mezzo di sostentamento per i suoi 9 figli, la moglie e la madre.
L’arresto di Adeeb si inquadra nella strategia dell’esercito israeliano che ha come obiettivo la soppressione della lotta popolare e nonviolenta del villaggio di Bil’in anche attraverso un’ondata di raids notturni e arresti di attivisti. Nello stesso tempo, la leadership del Comitato Popolare di Bil’in comincia le udienze preliminari per un processo contro le due compagnie Canadesi responsabili della costruzione di un insediamento israeliano sulla terra appartenente al villaggio di Bil’in.
Il 23 Giugno 2009, la corte Canadese ha ascoltato gli argomenti durante le udienze preliminari per per una accusa portata dal villaggio di Bilin contro le due compagnie registrate in Canada (Green Park International & Green Mount International). Il villaggio cerca giustizia per la costruzione dei settlements sulla sua terra conformemente alla legge Canadese sui crimini contro l’umanitá e contro i crimini di guerra ratificata nel 2000.
L’esercito Israeliano ha arrestato 27 residenti di Bilin, 11 dei quail sotto i 18 anni. Sedici tra loro rimangono in stato di arresto e nove sono minori. Alcuni degli arrestati sono stati interrogati anche riguardo alla causa rivolta dal Villaggio contro le organizzazioni canadesi sopraccitate.
Il forte supporto e le proteste da parte della comunita internazionale hanno contribuito a quella che sembra essere la fine delle incursioni notturne dell’esercito israeliano a Bil’in (l’ultima incursione ė avvenuta il 30 Settembre 2009). Se i soldati hanno smesso di penetrare nel villaggio ed arrestare attivisti durante la notte, le consequenze delle incursioni hanno lasciato Bilin con delle enormi spese legali da sostenere e con 16 tra i suoi residenti ancora detenuti nelle prigioni israeliane.
Tentativi di criminalizzare la leadeship della protesta nonviolenta sono culminate nel passato con uno straordinario supporto da parte di persone motivate al raggiungimento della giustizia in tutto il mondo.
Per favore protestate contattando i vostri rappresentanti politici cosi come consoli ed ambasiatori in Israele (http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Israel) chiedendo che Israele la smetta di reprimere la resistenza popolare e nonviolenta e liberi Adeeb Abu Rahman e tutti i prigionieri di Bil’in.
Il Comitato Popolare di Bilin necessita urgentemente fondi per pagare le spese legali sia per il processo di Montreal sia per poter rappresentare gli attivisti arrestati presso le corti militari.
Per favore donate al fondo legale di Bilin attraverso PayPal. Se volete fare una donazione esentasse negli Stati Uniti o in Canada contattate: bilinlegal@gmail.com.
Il Comitato Popolare contro il Muro e gli insediamenti israeliani
Il contesto
Il villaggio di Bil’in e situato nella West Bank, 12 chilometri ad Ovest di Ramallah e quattro a est della Linea Verde. Il villaggio agricolo ha una grandezza di 988 acri ed conta 1,780 residenti.
Circa il 55% della terra coltivata e coltivabile di Bil’in ė stata dichiarata “Terra di Stato” da Israele e confiscata per la costruzione dell’insediamento israeliano Modi’in Illit. Questo ė l’insediamento piu popolato e conta oltre 42,000 residenti e i piani israeliani sono di raggiungere una popolazione di 150,000.
Prima del 1948 Bilin contava su un estensione di 4,085 dunams. Nel 1982 e nuovamente nel 1980, circa 1,980 dinams sono stati confiscati. Altri 260 dunams sono stati confiscati per la costruzione del muro nel 2005.
Nel 2004, la Corte Internazionale di Giustizia decise che il muro ė contrario al diritto internazionale e, in particolare, al diritto internazionale umanitario. La corte stabilí inoltre che anche gli insediamenti israeliani sono da considerare illegali, sottolineando che il percorso del muro ė strettamente connesso con la posizione degli insediamenti nelle vicinanze della Linea Verde, annettendo in questo modo un’altro 12% della West Bank a Israele.
Nonostante l’opinione della Corte Internazionale di Giustizia, Israele inizió i lavori per la costruzione del muro sulla terra di Bil’in, tagliando il villaggio in due cosí da poter sistemare Modi’in Illit e la sua futura espansione sul lato “israeliano” del muro.
Nel Marzo 2005, i residenti di Bil’in cominciarono ad organizzare quotidianamente azioni dirette e dimostrazioni contro il furto delle loro terre. Conquistando l’attenzione della comunitá internazionale grazie alla loro creativitá e persistenza, Bil’in ė diventato il simbolo della resistenza popolare. Circa cinque anni dopo, Bil’in continua a organizzare proteste settimanalmente, ogni Venerdi.
Bil’in ha ospitato conferenze annuali sul tema della resistenza popolare dal 2006, mettendo a dispozione un forum di discussione per attivisti, intellettuali e personaggi influenti, per discutere le strategie della lotta nonviolenta contro l’occupazione.
Le forze di sicurezza Israeliane hanno usato sound granades (granate che stordiscono a causa del rumore) e schock granades, cannoni ad acqua, proiettili di gomma, gas lacrimogeni e proiettili di calibro 0,22 contro i contestatori.
Il 17 Aprile 2009, Bassem Abu Rahma ė stato colpito in pieno petto da un gas lacrimogeno lanciato ad alta velocitá dall’esrcito Israeliano ed ė morto a causa delle ferite nell’ospedale di Ramallah.
Tra i 75 residenti di Bil’in arrestati in relazione alle dimostrazioni contro il muro, 27 sono stati arrestati durante una incursione notturna dell’esercito in data 23 Giugno 2009.
Nonostante le sue radici popolari, Bil’in si rivolse ai Giudici alla fine del 2005. Nel Settembre del 2007, due anni dopo aver iniziato i procedimenti legali, l’alta Corte Israeliana di Giustizia stabilí che a causa della costruzione illegale dell’insediamento Modi’in Illit, la costruzione delle abitazioni non avrebbe potuto essere completata e il percorso del muro avrebbe dovuto essere deviato alcune centinaia di metri ad Ovest, restituendo cosi il 25% delle terre al villaggio di Bilin. Ad oggi, la decisione dell’Alta Corte non ha ancora trovato applicazione e la costruzione dell’insediamento continua.
“Igual que un hombre sencillo llamado Gandhi lideró la exitosa lucha noviolenta en la India y gente sencilla como Rosa Parks y Nelson Mandela lideraron la lucha por los derechos civiles en los Estados Unidos y Sudáfrica, gente sencilla aquí en Bil’in están llevando a cabo una lucha noviolenta que les llevará a la libertad. La experiencia de Sudáfrica demuestra que la injusticia puede ser desmantelada.” – Arzobispo Desmond Tutu, durante una visita a Bil’in el 27 de Agosto de 2009
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, un activista principal y organizador del pueblo de Bil’in en Cisjordania, está detenido desde su arresto durante una manifestación el 10 de Julio de 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqaO8lFYuM0). Miles de activistas de solidaridad Israelíes e internacionales que se han manifestado junto con Adeeb contra el robo de las tierras de Bil’in durante los pasados cinco años pueden testificar su inquebrantable compromiso con la noviolencia y la acción digna.
Adeeb que ha estado detenido durante más de tres meses, no es sospechoso de cometer ningún tipo de violencia, sino que fue acusado por un cargo genérico de “incitación a la violencia”. Un juez había decidido inicialmente que Adeeb fuera liberado bajo condiciones restrictivas, pero una apelación presentada por el fiscal militar consiguió que la decisión fuera revocada y que permaneciera en prisión hasta el final del procedimiento legal. Los juicios a palestinos en tribunales militares israelíes a menudo tardan un año. Adeeb es el único sustento para sus 9 hijos, su esposa y su madre.
El arresto de Adeeb es parte del más reciente intento de los militares israelíes de aplastar la campaña en curso de resistencia popular noviolenta en Bil’in. Una oleada de incursiones nocturnas y arrestos de manifestantes y líderes del Comité Popular de Bil’in empezaron al mismo tiempo que la vista preliminar en un proceso contra dos compañías Canadienses responsables de la construcción de un asentamiento Israelí sobre tierra de Bil’in
El 23 de Junio de 2009, el Tribunal Canadiense escuchó las alegaciones preliminares de la querella presenta por Bil’in contra dos compañías registradas en Canadá (Green Park International & Green Mount International). El pueblo busca justicia contra la construcción de asentamientos en su tierra bajo la legislación canadiense del año 2000 de Crímenes contra la Humanidad y el Estatuto de Crímenes de Guerra.
Las fuerzas israelíes han arrestado a 27 habitantes, 11 de los cuales, tienen menos de 18 años. Dieciséis habitantes de Bil’in permanecen detenidos por Israel, nueve de los cuales son menores. Se ha informado que a algunos de los arrestados se les ha preguntado durante los interrogatorios, sobre la querella presentada en Canadá.
El abrumador apoyo y enérgicas protestas de la comunidad internacional han contribuido a lo que parece ser el fin de las incursiones nocturnas (la última tuvo lugar el 30 de Septiembre de 2009). A pesar de que los soldados han dejado de venir a arrestar a manifestantes durante la noche, las secuelas de las incursiones han dejado a Bil’in con grandes honorarios/fianzas legales y 16 habitantes todavía detenidos por los israelíes.
Los intentos de criminalizar a los líderes de las protestas no violentas fueron frenados anteriormente con la ayuda de un apoyo masivo por parte de gente comprometida con la justicia en todo el mundo.
Por favor protesta contactando con tus representantes políticos así como con tus cónsules y embajadores en Israel (http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Israel) para pedir enérgicamente que Israel deje de tener como objetivo la resistencia popular noviolenta y que liberen a Adeeb Abu Rahmah y a todos los prisioneros de Bil’in.
El Comité Popular de Bil’in necesita fondos para pagar los honorarios legales tanto del juicio en Montreal como para representar a los manifestantes arrestados ante los tribunales militares. Por favor haz tu aportación al fondo legal de Bil’in a través de PayPal. Si quieres hacer una donación deducible de impuestos en EEUU o Canadá, contacta con bilinlegal@gmail.com.
El Comité Popular de Bil’in contra el Muro y los Asentamientos
Antecedentes
El pueblo de Bil’in en Cisjordania está localizado a 12 Km. al oeste de Ramallah y 4 Km. al Este de la Línea Verde. Es un pueblo agrícola de unos 4.085 dunams (988 acres) de extensión y con unos 1.780 habitantes.
Aproximadamente el 55% de la tierra agrícola de Bil’in ha sido declarada ‘Tierra del Estado’ por Israel y confiscada para la construcción del bloque de asentamientos Modi’in Illit. Modi’in Illit tiene mayor población que cualquier otro bloque de asentamientos, con más de 42.000 habitantes con el plan de alcanzar una población de 150.000.
Antes de 1948, Bil’in tenía una extensión de 4.085 dunams. A principios de 1982 y de nuevo en 1991, les fueron quitados 1.980 dunams. 260dunams más les fueron quitados para construcción del Muro en 2005.
En 2004, la Corte Internacional de Justicia dictaminó que el Muro era contrario a la ley internacional, en particular, la Ley Humanitaria Internacional. El Tribunal declaró además que los asentamientos de Israel son ilegales bajo las mismas leyes, teniendo en cuenta que el trazado del Muro está íntimamente conectado a los asentamientos adyacentes a la Línea Verde, y además anexionaba el 12% de Cisjordania a Israel.
A pesar del dictamen, a principios de 2005, Israel empezó a construir el Muro de separación en tierra de Bil’in, cortando el pueblo por la mitad para situar allí Modi’in Illit y su futuro crecimiento en el “lado Israelí” del Muro.
En Marzo de 2005, los residentes de Bil’in empezaron a organizar acciones directas casi diarias y manifestaciones contra el robo de sus tierras. Ganándose la atención de la comunidad internacional con su creatividad y perseverancia, Bil’in se ha convertido en un símbolo de resistencia popular. Casi cinco años más tarde, Bil’in sigue manteniendo sus protestas semanales cada Viernes.
Bil’in ha celebrado conferencias anuales sobre Resistencia popular desde 2006, proporcionando un foro para activistas, intelectuales y líderes para debatir estrategias para la lucha noviolenta contra la Ocupación.
Las fuerzas israelíes han utilizado granadas de sonido y de impacto, cañones de agua, balas de acero forradas de goma, granadas de gases lacrimógenos, botes de humo, y balas letales de calibre 0.22 contra los manifestantes.
El 17 de Abril de 2009, a Bassem Abu Rahma, las fuerzas Israelíes le dispararon en el pecho con un proyectil de gas lacrimógeno de alta velocidad, a consecuencia de lo cual murió de sus heridas en un hospital de Ramallah.
De los 75 habitantes de Bil’in arrestados en relación con manifestaciones contra el Muro, 27 lo han sido a partir de la campaña de incursiones nocturnas que comenzó el ejército israelí el 23 de junio de 2009.
Además de este movimiento de base, Bil’in se dirigió a los Tribunales en otoño de 2005. En Septiembre de 2007, dos años después de haberse iniciado el procedimiento legal, el Tribunal Supremo Israelí de Justicia falló que debido a la construcción ilegal en parte de Modi’in Illit, no se podía terminar la construcción de casas y que el trazado del Muro debía ser movido varios cientos de metros al oeste, devolviendo el 25% de la tierra de Bil’in al pueblo. A día de hoy, la sentencia del Tribunal Supremo no ha sido ejecutada y la construcción del asentamiento sigue.
As past experience teach us, an assault by Israel’s supporter is sure to follow immediately, and be directed at both the paper itself, its editors and the reporter.
These attacks are beyond mere nuisance – they apply real pressure on those targeted, and often dissuade major media from covering Palestinian issues in an objective and truthful manner.
Media coverage generally and articles such as this are of great importance for us here on the ground, and we would like to do everything within our power to counter the attacks that threaten them.
I urge you to dedicate just a few minutes of your time and send a supportive letter to the LA Times and to the reporter, Richard Boudreaux.
The emails to send letters to are, respectively:
letters@latimes.com and boudreaux@latimes.com
Original letters are of course better, but also feel free to use or model yours after the sample letter attached below.
Please bear in mind that letters to the editor in the LA Times have a word limit of 150, and must include your full name, mailing address, daytime phone number, and e-mail address. This information is seen only by the letters editors and is not used for any commercial purpose.
I was very pleased to see Richard Boudreaux’s article “Palestinians who see nonviolence as their weapon” in your November 4th edition.
As readers, we have gotten so used to seeing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict solely through the perspective of the barrel of a gun, that any civic engagement in it erroneously appears marginal and unimportant to most audiences.
This misguided view of the Palestinian struggle is too often the one that dominates the media’s discourse. Most Palestinians, like most people everywhere else, are not gun-toting fanatics hell bent on violence, but rather are ordinary people determined to attain freedom and justice from under an unbearable military occupation. Articles like Boudreax’s, which depicts Palestinian resistance, as it is – multifaceted and diverse – are as important as they are rare.
I hope the LA Times will continue to defy the governing notions in the media about Israel-Palestine, and publish articles true to the reality on the ground.
We as Scandinavians are very concerned about the developments in East Jerusalem. Israel is continuing a policy violating international law towards the Palestinian inhabitants of the area.
We strongly urge our politicians to put pressure on the Israeli Government to end settlement expansion and annexation of Palestinian land and property.
In the case of Sheikh Jarrah two families were recently evicted from their houses and are now in a status of refugee for the second time since the 1948 war between Israel and Palestine. The Ghawi family have been living in a tent in front of their own house since the forced eviction.
Forced displacement affects Palestinian families in many neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, including Silwan and the Mount of Olives, which together with Sheikh Jarrah form part of the Holy Basin surrounding the Old City. From January to July 2009, at least 194 people, including 95 children, were forcibly displaced and another 107, including 46 children, were affected as a result of house demolitions ordered or carried out by the Israeli authorities in East Jerusalem. According to conservative estimates, there are currently over 1,500 pending demolition orders in East Jerusalem alone, potentially affecting several thousand Palestinian residents.
We strongly urge our politicians to put pressure on the Israeli Government in accordance to the following statements (as recommended by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs):
• Prevent the displacement of Palestinian families and communities by putting an immediate stop to forced evictions and house demolitions.
• Facilitate the return to their homes of families that have been displaced as a result of forced evictions and house demolitions in East Jerusalem.
• Protect the rights of Palestinian residents to land and property and ensure respect for international law, including human rights and humanitarian law.
On September 22, Mohammad Othman was arrested by soldiers on the Allenby Bridge Crossing, the border from Jordan to Palestine. He is now being held in Huwara prison as a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for his human rights work.
Mohammad, 33 years old, has dedicated the last ten years of his life to the defense of Palestinian human rights. He has campaigned with the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign against the dispossession of Palestinian farmers and against the involvement of Israeli and international business in the violations of Palestinian human rights.
His village, Jayyous, has been devastated by the Apartheid Wall and Zufim – a settlement, built by Lev Leviev’s companies. These companies are facing a successful boycott campaign because of their violations of Palestinian rights.
Mohammad was returning from one of his trip to Norway, during which he met with senior officials, including Norwegian Finance Minister Kristen Halvorsen. Norway’s national Pension Fund recently announced that it had divested from Elbit, the Israeli company which provides both Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other military technology for Occupation forces, as well as security systems for the Wall and settlements.
This is not the first time Palestinian human rights defenders have been arrested after trips abroad. Recently, Muhammad Srour, an eye witness at the UN Fact Finding Mission on Gaza, was arrested on his way back from Geneva. This arrest was a clear act of reprisal against Srour for speaking out about Israel’s violations of international law. Arresting Palestinians as they return from travel is yet another Israeli tactic to try to silence Palestinian human rights defenders. It complements the overall policy of isolation of the Palestinian people behind checkpoints, walls and razor wire.
We call on international solidarity and human rights organizations to act immediately to bring attention to this case and advocate for the release of Mohammad Othman by:
Recommended Actions:
• Encourage others to join this campaign through petitions, demonstrations and / or letter writing / phone calling. Please provide them with contact information and details;
• Urge your representatives at consular offices in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem/Ramallah to demand the immediate release of Mohammad Othman. (For your consular contacts, see: http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-in/Israel#11725)
• Let the Israeli Embassy in your country know that you are campaigning for Mohammad’s release and for a just and lasting peace based on international law
• Sign the online petition for Mohammad on: http://www.petitiononline.com/stopwall/petition.html
• Bring the case of Mohammad to the attention of local and national media outlets;
• Follow the blog and facebook to free Mohammad Othman to see the latest updates and action alerts.
Blog: http://freemohammadothman.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36429272741&ref=ts
Mohammad Othman represents only one of the 11,000 Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. More than 800 are being held in “administrative detention”, meaning that they are imprisoned (indefinitely) without charge. International solidarity and governments have to hold Israel accountable and achieve an end to the large scale repression and mass imprisonment of Palestinians as part of their efforts to bring about an end to the occupation and the restoration of Palestinian rights.
Sample letter to embassies and foreign ministries:
Dear x,
I am writing to you to express my deepest concern about the detainment of Mohammad Othman on, September 22, at the border between Jordan and the West Bank. He was returning home after a visit in Norway.
I fear that the detainment of Mohammad Othman is a result of his peaceful criticism of violations of international law by Israeli authorities. The charges against him have not been made clear, but there is reason to believe that he is a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for his human rights work through legal organizations.
I ask you to take all appropriate measures, including official inquiries and protests, to ensure Mohammad’s immediate and unconditional release. Furthermore, whilst being held, he should be protected from any form of torture or ill-treatment, and the conditions of his detention should fulfill the requirements of international law.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
