Tag: Gaza

Today the farmers of Beit Hanoun harvested their wheat

26 April 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza

Today the farmers of Beit Hanoun harvested their wheat. This would be unexceptional news in any other part of the world, but in Palestine things aren’t always so simple. Beit Hanoun is close to the Israeli border, a border where Israel imposes an illegal “buffer zone” in which it claims the right to shoot anyone it wishes. Israel claims the buffer zone is 300 meters wide, but farmers and scrap collectors who work along the border are often shot at at distances up to 1.5 kilometers from the border. The border is lined with massive towers containing guns, sometimes the guns fire, and people die. You won’t read about the dead in the New York Times though, they are Palestinian and their deaths are unremarkable and un-newsworthy.

In honor of the slain Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni the Local Initiative, the group that organized today’s harvest, had decided to launch the Vittorrio Arrigoni Campaign to Harvest Wheat. Today was its first action. Vittorio had often worked with farmers to plant and harvest their crops along the buffer zone, after his death we continue to harvest in his name, in his memory.

We set out to the fields at about eleven. Loudspeaker, posters, and scythes ready. We parked the van and started to walk to the fields, playing Vittorio’s favorite song, Onadeekum, over the loudspeaker. We reached the field and set to work; kneel, cut, and make a pile of freshly shorn wheat. The field we were working in is about a kilometer from the border, it doesn’t look like much is planted closer to the border than this. It is dangerous to work close to the border. After a few minutes shots ring out. They aren’t aimed at us though, at some other unseen farmer, maybe a poor man trying to collect rocks to make cement which is in critical shortage in Gaza due to the blockade Israel imposes. Back to work we go, the wheat still needs harvesting, and there is nothing to be done about unseen shooting. Perhaps later we will read about the death of somebody in the newspaper, but you can be sure that the New York Times will make no mention of the murder. We didn’t finish harvesting the wheat today, but we will back, we will continue to challenge the illegal buffer zone that Israel imposes on Gaza.

Mourners gather in Palestine and Italy for Vittorio’s funeral

25 April 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

Yesterday evening mourners gathered in Ramallah and Gaza in memorial events for ISM activist Vittorio Arrigoni. The events were planned to coincide with Vittorio’s funeral in Bulciago, Italy, which was attended by hundreds of people.

Mourners gather in Ramallah
In Ramallah, crowds gathered outside the municipality to hear speeches made by friends, politicians and fellow solidarity activists. Those who had known and worked with Vittorio, including friends from Gaza, recounted their memories of him whilst others spoke of his dedication to Palestine and the importance of the work he had been doing in the West Bank and Gaza. From the Palestinian speakers the message was clear, this was not an act representative of the Palestinian people, and Vittorio’s death was a great loss to all who will continue the struggle for a free Palestine. Mourners also sang some of Vittorio’s favourite Italian songs in his memory.

In Gaza hundreds joined together in a commemorative ceremony held in The Gallery, a cafe and social centre which Vittorio used to frequent. Here mourners shared memories of Vittorio, danced dabka and performed rap songs written about him.

Yesterday President Mahmoud Abbas also posthumously honored Vittorio and Juliano Mer-Khamis with the ‘Medal of Jerusalem’ award, saying that “crediting both martyrs the honoring ‘Medal of Jerusalem’, is the least expression of gratitude for their efforts in serving the Palestinian cause.” He too made clear that “the assassination of the two activists does not reflect the traditions, habits and morals of the Palestinian people and all humans.”

Volunteer in Gaza with the ISM

The International Solidarity Movement is appealing for activists to join our team in the besieged Gaza Strip. We are hoping that this coming month’s Freedom Flotilla along with the Italian Stay Human convoy will bring an influx of activists into Gaza who will help carry on the important work that Vittorio Arrigoni was an essential part of before his death.

After being barred from Gaza in 2003 following the murders of Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndall, ISM Gaza was reinstated in August 2008 when ISM and other volunteers traveled aboard the historic, siege-breaking voyage of the first FreeGaza Movement boat. ISM has maintained a constant presence in Gaza since that time, for over two years of Israel’s crippling siege.

ISM volunteers refused to leave when Israel began bombing Gaza in December 2009. During the devastating 23-day assault, activists accompanied ambulances and provided vital testimony to the international media.

Daily life in Gaza is a harrowing struggle. Israel’s siege has made rebuilding bombed structures virtually impossible, and thousands of Gazans continue to live in tents. The siege deeply restricts Gaza’s food supply, but Israel also prohibits Gazans from producing their own food. In stark violation of international law, Israel enforces a three-nautical-mile fishing blockade. The Israeli-imposed ‘buffer zone’ swallows up a third of Gaza’s farmland, which lies along the Israeli border. Farmers are routinely shot and killed simply for working their land well inside Gaza’s borders.

ISM Gaza volunteers accompany farmers and demonstrators in the ‘buffer zone’, as well as working to strengthen the link between Gazan students and the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Visit https://www.palsolidarity.org/main/category/gaza/ to watch videos and read reports by ISM Gaza.

As the international community becomes more critical of Israel’s policies, it is vital to have individuals on the ground that can attest to the conditions inside the open-air prison of Gaza. Their voices lend strength to efforts abroad, as BDS campaigns gain momentum and freedom flotillas become pandemic.

Those interested in joining the ISM Gaza team are required to attend a preliminary training in their home country and have communicate with the volunteers in Gaza prior to arrival. Entering Gaza is an arduous process that requires some time to be spent in Egypt.

Also recommended:
– Previous experience with organizing / activism, preferably in the Middle-East
– A historical understanding of the Palestine and some knowledge of the current political situation
– Arabic language skills
– respect for Palestinian traditions and values
– Ability to stay in Gaza for an extended period of time (over a month)

For more information about where to attend a preliminary training or other questions, please email gazaism@gmail.com

International convoy to Gaza

English – Italian

Let’s go to Gaza!

On the 21st April, a meeting regarding the discussions and reflections on the murder of Vittorio Arrigoni was held in Rome amongst different activists. From the gathering, the need to organize a convoy to Gaza through Egypt was decided.

Let’s start this process by sharing those points:

– We want to go to Gaza through Rafah Border Crossing with all in the world that need to say aloud what Vittorio used to say: Stay human! We want to do it from Egypt because, in the post Mubarak era, that border must be opened to break the siege imposed for too long on the people in Gaza.
– We want to be in Gaza on the 15th May which is the 1 month anniversary of Vittorio’s death. It will be also Nakba day, when thousands of young Palestinians, as already announced, will go back to the street all over the world to ask for the end of the occupation and also, a new unity and the end of the internal division within the Palestinian authorities.

We want to go to Gaza for different reasons:

– Although Vittorio was killed, it has to be clear that they can not stop the international support for the Palestinian people. Also thanks to him now the international support is much stronger and united against the occupation both of Gaza and of the West Bank.
– We want to give voice and continuity to the work that Vittorio, together with palestinian men and wemen was bringing forward. Partucularly the independent information that he managed to pass to the world from the besieged gaza strip. For this reason, we will bring materials, tools and all we need to give life to a Media Center dedicated to Vittorio.
– The Freedom Flotilla will soon sail towards Gaza. Even though the two initiatives are organised separately, the two journeys, both via land and via sea, could reinforce each other to break the siege of Gaza.

Further info:
– The convoy will last six/seven days in order to give the possibility to participate for as many people as possible.
– It will take place between the 11th and 19th May.The exact dates will be agreed in few days with the people in Gaza that will host us.

So, lets start to get ready!
– It will cost around 450/500 Euros all included. And depending on the number of participants, it might be cheaper.
– For any question and to join the caravan please contact us using this e-mail vik2gaza@autistici.org or this phone number
+39-3333666713.These contacts will be running from monday 25th of April.
– We are opening a website called ‘vik2gaza’ to publicise information.
– We will activate a bank account where we will start to collect feas for accommodation and transport costs and the visas from Egypt.
– We will need some personal preparation to engage in this trip.

CO.R.UM.- Convoglio Restiamo Umani – Stay Human Convoy

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

ANDIAMO A GAZA!

A Roma il 21 Aprile si è svolta una assemblea cittadina frutto delle discussioni e delle riflessioni scaturite dopo l’assassinio di Vittorio Arrigoni. Dall’assemblea è uscito un largo consenso e una ferma convinzione della necessità di andare a Gaza adesso, passando dall’Egitto.

Iniziamo questo processo condividendo i seguenti punti:

– Vogliamo andare a Gaza passando dal valico di Rafah con tutti e tutte coloro che nel mondo condividono l’urgenza di gridare forte e chiaro quello che la voce di Vittorio ci ha detto tante volte: Restiamo Umani! Lo vogliamo fare dal confine egiziano perché reputiamo nell’era post Mubarak che quel valico deve aprirsi per rompere un assedio a cui la Striscia di Gaza è ormai da troppo tempo costretta.

– Vogliamo stare a Gaza il 15 maggio, ad un mese dall’uccisione di Vittorio, il giorno della nakba, quando migliaia di giovani palestinesi hanno annunciato che torneranno in piazza in tutto il mondo per chiedere la fine dell’occupazione ma anche una nuova unità e la fine delle divisioni interne all’Autorità Palestinese.

Vogliamo entrare per diversi motivi:
– Perchè anche se hanno ucciso Vittorio deve essere chiaro che non possono fermare la solidarietà internazionale verso la popolazione palestinese e che grazie a lui è ancora più forte e unita control’ occupazione di Gaza e della West Bank.

– Perchè vogliamo continuare a dare voce ai percorsi che Vittorio, insieme agli uomini e alle donne palestinesi, stava portando avanti, soprattutto quel lavoro di informazione indipendente che Vittorio aveva saputo trasmettere da una Gaza continuamente assediata. Per questo porteremo giù le nostre attrezzature per dar vita ad un Media Center dedicato proprio a lui.

– A breve partirà anche una Flottilla internazionale alla volta di Gaza e le due iniziative via terra e via mare, anche se diverse e organizzate separatamente, si possono rafforzare a vicenda per rompere l’assedio.

Alcune informazioni pratiche per iniziare:

– la durata del convoglio sarà di circa 6/7 giorni per poter dare modo a tante persone di organizzarsi con cosi poco anticipo.
-il periodo sarà incluso tra l’11 e il 19 maggio, le date saranno definite in maniera più dettagliata entro pochi giorni. Intanto
cominciate a tenervi liberi e libere!
– il costo di tutto il periodo sarà di circa 450/500 euro, sperando di abbassare la cifra con il crescere delle persone.
– stiamo aprendo un sito internet per raccogliere tutte le informazioni necessarie si chiamerà vik2gaza
– abbiamo attivato una e-mail (vik2gaza@autistici.org) e un numero di telefono (+39-3333666713) per raccogliere le adesioni.
– stiamo attivando un conto presso il quale sarà possibile versare una quota di partecipazione per organizzare gli spostamenti e i
pernottamenti.
– saranno necessari dei momenti di preparazione per poter affrontare nel migliore dei modi questo viaggio.

Gaza children draw to honor slain activist

24 April 2011 | Ma’an News Agency

Children in southern Gaza spent Saturday drawing pictures to honor slain Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni.

Over a hundred children and their mothers participated in the memorial event, organized by a charity in Khan Younis.

Children also wrote letters expressing their condolences to Arrigoni’s mother. The letters would be sent by email, and would include an invitation to the activist’s mother to visit the coastal enclave “and see how the people love and appreciate her son,” organizers said.

“We wanted to tell, through drawings, that we are a people who love peace and what happened was nothing to do with our religion or morals,” 11-year-old Tasneim Al-Farra said.

“I cried after I learned that the man had abandoned his homeland and came to defend us. He deserved to be honored, not murdered,” she added.

Asmaa Khalafallah, 12, said she would never forget Arrigoni, and that he would “live forever in the minds of Palestinian people.”