13 December 2010 | International Solidarity Movement
Adeeb greeting friends and family in Bil'inYesterday, the 12th of December, Adeeb Abu Rahma was released after 18 months of incarceration in Ofer Military prison. Adeeb Abu Rahma, 40 years old, is a leading activist in the struggle of Bil’in. For six years, the village has been holding a weekly demonstration against the Israeli occupation, the illegal settlement of Mod’in, and the annexation wall being built through the village.
Adeeb Abu Rahma, father of nine children, was arrested July 10th in 2009 for his involvement in the weekly peaceful demonstration in Bilin. Charged with “being present in a declared military zone”, “incitement” and “activity against public order,” he was sentenced to 12 months incarceration. The sentence was extended for six extra months. Adeeb is still suspended from political activism for four years – if he breaks this condition he will be fined with 6000 NIS.
Adeeb with his familyThe whole village was in a state of euphoria and Adeeb’s release was celebrated enthusiastically despite the bad weather. The village organized a parade through the village up to the house of Adeeb where his friends and family were already waiting. For eighteen months not even Adeeb’s wife was able to get permission to visit him.
Adeeb’s welcome was ecstatic. He was greeted, hugged and kissed by the waiting crowd, and even some tears were shed. Adeeb was lifted by the chanting crowd and carried to his house, where he was able to see his wife and children for the first time in 18 months. In the street, people danced, unhindered by the strong wind. The ceremony continued in a tent, decorated for the occasion, where Adeeb made a speech. Soon after, the celebrating crowd dispersed, leaving Adeeb alone to spend the first night at home with his family in 18 months.
At 2:30 AM this morning Israeli forces entered the village of Bil’in in armored military jeeps and by foot, and proceeded to surround the home of jailed organizer, Adeeb Abu Rahmah. A group of masked soldiers forcefully entered the house without showing a warrant, and arrested Adeeb’s only son, 16 year old Mohammed. Since his father’s arrest 17 months ago Mohammed serves as the family’s sole provider.
During the raid, soldiers violently tried to prevent photographers from filming the raid, beating up local cameraman, Haitham Khatib and causing damage to his camera.
Photos courtesy of Hamde Abu Rahmah
Israeli forces arrest Mohammed Abu Rahmah
bruised Palestinian journalist from Bil’in
Israeli soldiers harass villagers
Background
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, 38, a taxi-driver and father of nine and courageous activist, was arrested during one of the weekly protests in Bil’in on July 10th, 2009. An initial decision to release him on condition of avoiding demonstrations was reversed on July 21st, 2009 when the military prosecution appealed. A judge ruled he should be kept on remand until the end of the legal proceedings against him.
Eventually sentenced on June 30th, 2010, he was convicted of “incitement” and “activity against the public order”. These broad military orders are increasingly being used by Israel to criminalize peaceful protest.
Abu Rahmah was initially sentenced to a twelve months term, which was then aggravated to an eighteen months term by the Military Court of appeals in a highly controversial ruling that won the contempt of Human Rights organizations around the world.
Amnesty International, amongst others, noted that “The broad scope of Israeli military orders mean that Adeeb Abu Rahma could be imprisoned solely for legitimately exercising his right to freedom of expression in opposing Israeli policies in the West Bank.” They added that he should be regarded “as a prisoner of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally.”
16 November 2010 | Evie Soli, International Solidarity Movement
An interview with the wives of Abdallah and Adeeb Abu Rahma
Al Eid is a holy time of the year for Muslims. Families gather and visit each other over the four holidays, which are for most a time for families to be together. When one member of the family is missing, it makes it hard to enjoy Al Eid in the same way. Thousands of families of Palestinian political prisoners are suffering because a family member is in prison. For Majida, wife of Abdallah Abu Rahma who has now been held for one year in Israeli jail under the accusation of “incitement,” every day without her husband is difficult. She expresses the pain of seeing her children missing their dad not only during Eid, but every day. Louma (8) and Layam (7) used to go with Abdallah on family visits, and are now crying when talking about their dad. His 1 and-a-half-year-old son Layath does not even remember his dad as he was only 7 months old the night Abdallah was arrested. “He says Baba when he sees Abdallah’s picture, but of course he does not know him, since he was just a baby”, Majida says. Also, for Adeeb Abu Rahma’s children, Eid is not the same without their father. Both families were hoping to have their fathers home for Eid, but the military prosecution managed to postpone the release in both cases.
Arrested in front of his children
Abdallah's wife Majida and daughters Louma (8) and Layam (8) during preparations for Eid.
I meet Majida and her children during the preparations for Eid. Louma and Layam are helping their mother in the house, while she is making the Palestinian dish “dawali” (rice rolled in grape leaves). She recalls the night when the family was brutally woken up by the Israeli Army breaking into their house: “I woke up by someone knocking the door 1:30am on the 10th of December (2009). Abdallah said it might be soldiers – because who else would come to pay a visit at that time?” Suddenly the door was broken down, and armed soldiers stormed the house. Abdallah was taken out in the stairway, with four soldiers blocking him from seeing his wife and children. He was not allowed to go back to say goodbye or to change his clothes, only his two daughters could pass the soldiers to see him one last time. He had to change from night clothes in the stairway. Nine army jeeps and dogs were waiting outside the house. Majida explains how the daughters reacted: “Louma asked: Am I dreaming? Did soldiers take my dad? Layam was asking the same – they both thought it was a nightmare.”
Missing their father
In the months before Abdallah was arrested almost one year ago, the army was carrying out frequent raids to look for him. The children were used to being woken up by masked soldiers entering the house at night, and were traumatized. After her father was arrested in the last night raid, 8 year old Layam told her mother that she was happy that the soldiers would not come back now. “Imagine how sad it is to hear that for a mother”, Majida says, “But now, when we speak about Abdallah, she cries. They both laugh and cry in the same time, because they miss him and they love him and remember him as a caring father and a friend. And I miss him too.”
While we are talking, Layath is grabbing a 2 meter long flagpole, saying “la, la l’jdar!” (no, no to the wall!), seeming as if he is on his way to a demonstration. “His name means ‘Lion’. He is small, but he is strong. He has to be strong” his mother says. He does not know what happened to his father, but he will when he gets older. The families of the people involved in Bil’in’s non-violent struggle against the Wall and settlements cannot sleep safely at night. Dozens of houses have been raided at night, and children are suffering from trauma after seeing fathers and brothers brutally taken away by masked soldiers. Sleep difficulties, bedwetting, and disorders are common consequences among children who have experienced Israeli soldiers storming their homes at night. Many, like Abdallah’s children, have also seen soldiers beat someone up during a raid.
“Eid is not Eid”
Three of Adeeb's children: Ahmad (10), Batoul (4) and Falasteen (8)
Five months before Abdallah was taken from his home, his cousin Adeeb Abu Rahma was arrested in a demonstration in Bil’in. His wife has only been allowed to visit him once at Ofer Military Prison where both Adeeb and Abdallah are held. Adeeb’s daughter Radja (20) has not been able to see him at all, due to what Israel calls “security reasons”. This Eid is not the same as before for the family consisting of Adeeb’s wife and 9 children, aged from 4 to 20. Radja says, “This Eid there is not happiness like there used to be in this family. In Eid our family used to be together, visiting and having guests. Our father is not here, and we all miss him. Eid is not Eid without him.”
After Adeeb’ arrest, the family hoped he would be released shortly. However, after weeks and then months of waiting, the Israeli Military Court sentenced him to 1 year, and his family hoped that they would see him soon since he had almost served his sentence. But the military prosecution appealed and now Adeeb is to be released the 12th December. Exactly 1.5 years will have passed since Radja saw her father the last time.
Struggling financially
The financial situation has been hard the last 1.5 years. There is no big brother to help support the family financially. The eldest son Mohammed is 16 years old and still in school. Two daughters are in university, and are now struggling to pay the fees. The family’s income is from their small market, but their household is suffering from the absence of Adeeb’s income as a taxi driver. Umm Mohammed is also alone in her responsibility to raise the children; though they are all helping out as best they can, most of the children are not old enough to have responsibility. She misses her husband, and has been present in every court hearing so that at least she can see Adeeb. But she has not been allowed to talk to him except for the one time she was allowed to visit. Radja explains how Batoul (4) reacted when she visited her father in prison: “She did not understand why he could not be home. At home she cried and was constantly nervous. She asked: Why did they take him? When she saw him in prison she was in shock, she would not speak. After a while, when she realized that he is not coming home, she started to talk. But what can we answer to her question? It’s clear that they took him and still are keeping him because they are afraid of the success of the non-violent demonstrations. It scares them that through the demonstrations the world can see what Israel is doing to us, so they fabricate evidence against the leaders and put them in prison. All Batoul knows is that her father is taken away from her and she does not understand why.”
Success in spite of suffering
Both Adeeb and Abdallah’s families are obviously strong, though given no choice but to manage without their husband and father. They have been waiting in uncertainty for months before the trials, and suffering severe disappointment since the appeal, which deprived the children of their fathers for another half a year. Adeeb Abu Rahma was in July sentenced to 1 year for “encouraging violence”, and another 6 months may be added on Thursday when the state prosecution appeals his sentence. Abdallah Abu Rahma was, according to the first court decision, supposed to be released this week, but his release is now postponed. Despite the frustrations and constant ache, both Adeeb’s and Abdallah’s families express hope because they know why they were arrested. Majida says:
“My husband was visible. He went to every demonstration, and spoke up against the Wall and the settlement. In spite of our suffering, and his son now growing up without knowing his father, we know that his actions were successful. Israel was so threatened by the demonstrations that they had to remove strong characters like my husband and Adeeb.”
Background
Abdallah Abu Rahmah
Abdallah Abu Rahmah has been a member of the Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements since its conception in 2004.
At 2am on 10 December 2009 (international Human Rights Day), exactly one year after Abdallah Abu Rahma received the Carl Von Ossietzky Medal from the International League for Human Rights, nine military vehicles surrounded his home in Ramallah. Israeli soldiers broke the door down, extracted Abdallah from his bed, blindfolded him and took him into custody.
After being convicted in September of incitement and organizing illegal marches, on October 12th, Abdallah Abu Rahmah was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment plus 6 months suspended sentence for 3 years and a fine of 5,000 NIS.
Following Abu Rahma’s convicition, the European Union put out a statement condemning the Persecution of Abu Rahmah. Representatives of all EU member states declared that they consider the route of the separation wall built on Palestinian land to be illegal, and that, as Abu Rahmah was “a human rights defender” participating in peaceful protests against this wall, they are concerned about his sentence of 12 months in prison by an Israeli military court.
The military prosecution against Abdallah Abu Rahmah will be petitioning to extend his detention on Thursday, November 18th, the day of his scheduled release.
Adeeb Abu Rahmah
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, a leading activist in the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, was arrested at 1:30pm on 10 July 2009 while taking part in the weekly demonstration against the wall in Bil’in.
He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for crimes of “incitement” (urging the villagers to come to the weekly protests), but the military prosecution appealed his sentence so he is still in prison after 15 months, pending the decision about the prosecution’s appeal.
Adeeb’s case relied on the forced confessions of four Bil’in youth – 14, 15 and 16 years old – arrested during a night raid by Israeli soldiers and forced to state that Adeeb told them to throw stones at the soldiers.
Adeeb Abu Rahmah (centre) during a 2009 demonstration in Bil'in. PHOTO CREDIT: Oren Ziv/ActiveStills2 September 2010
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2 September 2010
Ramallah, WEST BANK
A military court of appeal yesterday (1st Sept. 2010) rejected a petition calling for the release of Adeeb Abu Rahmah, a leading activist from the West bank village of Bil’in, imprisoned in Israel’s Ofer military detention centre since 10th July 2009.
The decision comes 8 days after the conviction of another Bil’in activist – Abdallah Abu Rahmah – on very similar charges, was openly criticized by the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton, who said the verdict appeared to be designed to “prevent him and other Palestinians from exercising their legitimate right to protest”.
Adeeb Abu Rahmah, 38, a taxi-driver and father of nine and courageous nonviolent activist (watch video here), was arrested during one of the weekly protests in Bil’in over 11 months ago. An initial decision to release him on condition of avoiding demonstrations was reversed on July 21st 2009 when the military prosecution appealed. A judge ruled he should be kept till the end of proceedings against him.
Eventually sentenced on June 30th 2010, he was convicted of “inciting violence” and “activity against the public order”. These broad military orders are increasingly being used by Israel to criminalize peaceful protest. An additional charge initially made against him for inciting others to throw stones was withdrawn following arguments and evidence put forward by his legal defense.
The appeal rejected yesterday – which had argued that his conviction was incorrect and his sentence too severe – was dismissed by the military judge on the grounds that not enough time had passed since the latest appeal was lodged. Instead he will remain incarcerated until a judge decides whether or not to grant the prosecution’s request that his sentence be increased to two years or more.
Adeeb, like Abdallah Abu Rahmah, is well known as a committed non-violent activist.
Amnesty International amongst others called the Israeli court not to convict him, saying that: “The broad scope of Israeli military orders mean that Adeeb Abu Rahma could be imprisoned solely for legitimately exercizing his right to freedom of expression in opposing Israeli policies in the West Bank.” They added that he should be regarded “as a prisoner of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally.”
The conflict between the Israeli military and security and the popular non-violent Palestinian resistance is reaching a crisis – in large part a tribute to the worldwide credibility and admiration the resistance is steadily winning.
Today in Palestine, such resistance is breaking out in larger towns, small villages, Bedouin encampments, in both Christian and Muslim areas. People are marching, chanting and singing, carrying signs, and often using very funny or touching street theatre. Palestinians are calling for their rights, joined and assisted by international and Israeli volunteers in a new model of friendship and brotherhood that offers hope for the future.
This movement has terrified the Israeli establishment, especially as the usual techniques have failed to stop its momentum. Arrests, serious and crippling injuries, deaths, and destruction of property (the ability to earn a living), have all made huge and painful inroads into people’s lives and hopes. Despite this, resistance continues.
Widespread sentiment is that this is the last chance, that no-one can stop now if they ever wish to gain their freedom and the justice that has been denied them.
A perfect symbol of this conflict is Adeeb Abu Rahma from Bil’in: one of the most charismatic, courageous, creative and at times hilariously funny activists.
Adeeb has been convicted for crimes of “incitement” – that is, urging the villagers to come out on Fridays to join the weekly protest – and for belonging to the Bil’in Popular Committee. These manufactured “crimes” apply to all the leaders and most of the participants of all the nonviolent movements in all the towns and villages of Palestine. If they are determined by the Israeli military to be illegal in Palestine, and a heavy sentence applied, then the entire resistance movement is threatened. Which is, of course, the point.
Adeeb is due to be sentenced in a few days. International law specifically recognizes the right of occupied people to resist occupation – that these people have chosen to do this in a nonviolent way shows great wisdom and restraint. This choice should be welcomed rather than criminalized by Israel if they have any intention of living here in peace with their neighbors.
Join us to support Adeeb:
Please contact your Embassies and Consulates in Jerusalem (http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-in/Israel) to ask for their help in preventing an act that will hurt both sides as they search for a way to live together in peace.
Dear Ambassador/Consul,
I/we are writing to ask for your help in preventing a miscarriage of justice in the case of Adeeb abu Rahma, who has been convicted in military court of “incitement” (that is, encouraging people from his village to take part in the weekly demonstrations against the illegal wall that confiscates most of the village land), and of belonging to a Popular Commitee in his village of Bil’in.
Lengthy efforts to convict Adeeb of stone throwing or other violent acts have failed, and so the government is attempting to criminalize acts of non-violent resistance. Such resistance is clearly defined in international law as being a legal right for anyone under occupation (1977 Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts, Article 1, Paragraph 4).
When Israel was suffering from suicide bombing attacks, prominent Israeli figures asked loudly and often, “Where is the Palestinian Gandhi; where is a resistance that does not involve terror?” Now that Israel faces such resistance, with leaders who are willing to talk to them as equals, they are using every weapon at their disposal to intimidate, discourage, wound and even kill both those who lead it and the ordinary Palestinians who take part. Does Israel want to force Palestinians back to a more violent path? This the time for Israel to come to terms with the reality of Palestinian rights and needs, and to begin to reason their way forward to a future where both peoples can live in this land without fear of the other.
The case of Adeeb abu Rahma is a symbol of this struggle. Israel now has a choice in his sentencing to send a signal that it wants to crush nonviolent initiatives, or to find more creative and hopeful ways to move toward the future. Adeeb has served over a year, with constantly shifting charges, and should be released for time served, with an apology and hopes for a better future.
Sincerely,
Adeeb’s daughter Raja:
We also ask your support for Adeeb’s daughter, Raja. Though from a simple family, Raja has won extremely high marks in the nationwide high-school exam scores, and she is now studying medicine at Bir Zeit University. Adeeb drives a taxi, and fees and other expenses would never have been easy for him, but his beloved daughter’s education has always been his priority. Since his imprisonment, friends of Adeeb have donated to allow Raja to continue her studies. She now needs $1500 for next semester’s fees, and we hope that supporters of Bil’in and of Adeeb can help her to realize her dreams and those of her father.
