Tag: Jenin

Thousands of olive trees to be planted in land day demonstrations

On Land Day, Thursday March 30, thousands of Palestinians, along with Israeli and International activists will hold a series of large-scale peaceful protests.

Demonstrations against ongoing Israeli land confiscation have been planned in the villages of Beit Sira (Ramallah area), Zabda (Jenin area), Rafat (Salfit area) and Tulkarem city (Tulkarem area) with marches alongside the annexation barrier where local residents will plant 1000’s of olive trees.

Beit Sira. Protest starts at 12.00 at village council. Since 1967 the village has lost 65% of its land to expanding Israeli settlements. As a symbolic act villagers will march carrying a coffin on their shoulders containing olive tree saplings which will be planted in the confiscated land

Rafat. 10.00am. Meeting in front of village school. 3000 Dunams out of a total land area of 3500 has been isolated from the village by the Annexation Barrier. The Israeli army has announced 300 Dunams of the remaining land are a closed military zone

Zabda. 10.00am March starting west of Yaabad. 6000 villagers are cut off from the West Bank behind the annexation barrier. Many more are excluded from their land by gates open for only 2 hours in the early morning and late evening. Out of 1722 farmers that applied for permission to access their own land 150 were granted permits

Jbara checkpoint. Meeting 10.30 am at the bus station in Tulkarm city for a March and demonstration against the wall, land-grab and collective punishment. Tulkarm has been completely closed for more than five moths as a collective punishment. In addition Many villages including Jbara are isolated by the annexation barrier.

For more information contact:
Beit Sira: Maher Ankawi: 0544-397879

Tulkarm: Abdel Karim Dalbah: 0599836783 or 0545474066
Shrif Shahrori : 0599-370445

General: ISM media office 022970824

Settlers attempt large-scale assault on Palestinian village

Settlers on Wednesday from the illegal Israeli settlement of Sanur near Jenin — due to be evacuated as part of Israel’s “disengagement” plan — attempted to launch an assault on the Palestinian village of Assa’sa, clashing with the Israeli soldiers engaged in the evacuation. The clashes were witnessed by volunteers from the International Solidarity Movement.

Around 6 p.m., a group of about 50 settlers came out onto the road to Assa’sa, and began blocking Palestinian cars. About 10 minutes later, an Israeli army jeep arrived and soldiers told settlers to leave, setting up a checkpoint to allow Palestinian cars to pass. The settlers then began attacking a nearby Palestinian gas station. More jeeps arrived, coming under attack from the settlers, as they attempted to reach the village.

The soldiers tried to stop the settlers, but were overrun by them, and were forced to call for reinforcements. A number of armored personnel carriers arrived with more troops, who stopped settlers from entering the village. The settlers then returned to the settlement. It appeared that a number of settlers were setained by the army, and later on Border Police arrived, presumably to arrest the detainees.

Despite the fact that the Sanur settlers’ 48-hour deadline to leave the settlement passed at midnight last night, it appears that no attempts have been made by the army to evict them. Some soldiers have been seen inside the settlement today, apparently talking and arguing with the settlers, but without seeking to detain or remove them. ISM volunteers estimate that around 350 settlers remain in Sanur.

The mood in Assa’sa is currently one of extreme fear, with the villagers not knowing whether and when the settlers will attack again, and whether the army will be able to stop them. Some villagers are gathering stones to defend themselves, a poor weapon against the heavily-armed settlers, but for the most part, they can do nothing but watch and wait. ISM volunteers remain in Assa’sa, alongside the villagers, and continue to monitor the situation

Threats and worry in al-Asa’asa on the eve of Israeli disengagement

by Lee

Al-Asa’asa is a village of 500 situated right next to the settlement of SaNur. Radical anti disengagement settlers from all over the West Bank, many from Hebron, have camped out at SaNur, surrounding the small military settlement with tents.

Worry and anxiety about what these 280 settlers are planning to do is growing in al Asa’asa as disengagement approaches. The settlers are committed to not leaving the land, even though the settlement of SaNur is scheduled to be removed as part of Israel’s disengagement plan. Settlers are threatening to occupy houses in al-Asa’asa. If the housing takeover fails, the campers will still get monetary compensation for the disengagement.

Yesterday, a kidnap attempt by settlers was foiled. A boy was working in the fields when the ever-watching eye of the villagers saw settler vehicles approaching. The boy managed to escape and the settlers gave up. Also yesterday, a settler had to be removed from a neighboring village by border police. Today, campers have put out a call on media outlets for other settlers to join them and help resist the disengagement.

A few days ago, a funeral was interrupted by the villagers; the man who died had to buried in another village, since the DCO said it was too dangerous to have a funeral.

All roads to the village will be closed at midnight tonight.

Settlers hold Palestinians hostage as Northern West Bank pullout deadline looms

Hundreds of pro-settlement Israelis have flocked to the area around Jenin to protest the dismantling of four small settlements scheduled to be part of Israel’s disengagement plan for the northern part of the West Bank. Not exactly what you’d call a peaceful demonstration.

The group, numbering in the hundreds are flocking to settlements that have been mostly empty or home to small groups of people. Sanur, previous to this week, had a population of a little more than a dozen people. Now that it has been added to Sharon’s dismantlement list, there are reportedly about 450.

About 150 others have pitched tents to camp out near the small Palestinian village of Suweitat and have taken to throwing stones at villagers and stopping a family from holding a funeral at the village cemetery. At least one Palestinian has reportedly been kidnapped by the group. Israeli police were called in and after negotiating with the pro-settlement group for three hours, were able to free the Palestinian and get him back home.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s disengagement plan mostly focuses on settlements and the military presence in Gaza. However, four small settlements in the West Bank near Jenin (Ganim, Kadim, Homesh and Sanur) along with a nearby military camp are scheduled to be removed as well.

Long ignored by most, Israeli’s anger over Sharon’s plan has sent people in support of these often ghost town-like settlements scurrying out to the occupied territories in order to keep a foothold for what they see as an eventual expansion of “Greater Israel.”

“Masses of people will come,” pro-setttler spokesman Yossi Dagan said in in one report on the situation. “People are already familiar with the routes. When there will be tens of thousands of people here it would be impossible to deport them forcefully…. The prime minister will fail here. The Jewish people will come and prevent it.”

Meanwhile, roads in and out of Jenin have been shut by checkpoints, keeping many Palestinians there from being able to get to jobs, schools or to their family’s homes.

These four tiny settlements have as much legal standing as the ones in Gaza. However, Ariel settlement and all the others scattered around the West Bank also lack the legal standing to exist and are only in place because an Israeli military force keeps them there.

These token steps, taken in the West Bank are meant to distract from the massive land grab currently under way. While a few hundred supporters of “Greater Israel” work to keep in place what are essentially some squatter trailer parks, the thousands of Israelis living illegally on Palestinian land in the permanent colonial structures don’t seem to be in too much worry about having to pack their bags.

Trio of protests against the wall set for communities across the West Bank

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A trio of demonstrations are planned for Friday in villages and cities around the West Bank. If the Israeli military’s history is any
indicator, violent response to the peaceful protests is expected.

I. PROTESTING THE “BARRIER” IN JENIN:
Israel’s illegal barrier near the northern West Bank town of Jenin consists of a patrolled labyrinth of chain fences. At noon Friday, residents of the town will be joined by several organizations and foreign activists as they head toward the barrier which cuts across agricultural land to protest the lack of access to their own territory.

People will gather at the city center of Jenin at 10 a.m. to travel to the nearby village of Zububa, which is close to the green line, the Israeli/Palestinian border that was stipulated in 1967. At noon, the demonstration will begin with a prayer in the agricultural fields near the fence. Following that, participants will march toward the fence to display banners and Palestinian flags. In the past, protesters approaching the fence have met with a violent response from Israeli soldiers.

II. REMOVING ROADBLOCKS ON THE ROAD TO ASIRA:
Peace activists are planning to remove roadblocks from the road directly connecting Nablus to the small farming village of Asira on Friday. The road has been blocked since the start of the Palestinian uprising against the occupation. The Popular Committee of Asira has requested the presence of Israeli peace activists.

The Israeli military has been paying close attention to the roadway, and anyone venturing near is immediately subjected to response from Israeli soldiers.

The people of Asira are prevented from farming even their land that has not been confiscated by Israel. The road from the village to the land has been blocked with an earth mound by the Israeli army. Five families live outside of this block and are unable to reach their homes by vehicle. Israeli army jeeps regularly patrol the area and prevent people from accessing their land. Students, workers and the sick are all adversely affected. Even ambulances are not allowed a quick passage to the village.

Last Friday, as villagers demonstrated to demand their freedom of movement, the army cracked down on the protest with an assault that progressed from concussion grenades and teargas, to rubber bullets and live ammunition. The Army also invaded the village and confiscated cameras and film from demonstrators.

Seven Israeli activists were arrested on the way to the village, and international activists and the press were detained on their way from Nablus.

Contact: Mohammed Ayyesh (ISM Nablus) at 052-222-3374 or 054-621-8759

III. SURPRISE THEME FOR BIL’IN PROTEST AGAINST THE “BARRIER”:
A nonviolent protest against the building of the illegal separation barrier near Bil’in is set for Friday at 1 p.m.

Residents of Bil’in will be joined by Israeli and International peace activists in the latest of a series of creative protests against the
building of the illegal barrier that has occurred near Bil’in.

The protests are known for their nonviolence and dramatic themes. Last Friday, a group of villagers wore masks of U.S. President George W. Bush and Condoleeza Rice. This Friday’s theme has not been announced.