Tag: Video

Support Bil’in amidst the ongoing Israeli arrest and intimidation campaign

Support Bil’in’s struggle

“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

The Israeli military’s most recent attempt to crush Bil’in village’s ongoing popular non-violent resistance campaign against the Apartheid Wall is a wave of night raids and arrests targeting protesters and the leadership of Bil’in’s Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements.

The recent raids began concurrently with the opening of a legal trial in Montreal.  The village of Bil’in has taken two companies registered in Canada (Green Park International & Green Mount International) to court for participating in war crimes by building settlements on Bil’in’s land under the 2000 Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Statute  (which incorporates both the articles of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute into Canadian federal law).

According to Bil’in’s attorney Emily Schaeffer, the judge Justice Louis-Paul Cullen is meant to give a decision very soon about whether the Canadian court has jurisdiction to hear Bil’in’s claims.

Since the trail began Israeli forces have arrested 30 people (most of which are under 18). Twenty-one residents of Bil’in remain in Israeli detention.

Through Israel’s interrogation and intimidation tactics, some of arrested youth have falsely ‘confessed’ that the Bil’in Popular Committee urges the demonstrators to throw stones. With such ‘confessions’, Israeli forces then proceed to raid the village at night , invade homes and arrest leaders of the non-violent struggle in the community.

Two of the three popular committee members who traveled to Montreal to represent the villages case , Mohammad Khatib and Mohammad Abu Rahme were arrested and have since been released on bail. (see B’Tselem report: http://www.btselem.org/english/separation_barrier/20090818_night_arrests_in_bilin.asp).

Another leading Bil’in non-violent activist, Adeeb Abu Rahme, remains in detention since his arrest during a non-violent demonstration on 10 July 2009 (see report & video: https://palsolidarity.org/2009/07/7652. Adib has been charged with “incitement to damage the security of the area.”

On 29 August 2009, two additional Bil’in houses were simultaneously raided by at least 40 soldiers, arresting Ashraf Al-Khatib (age 29) and Hamru Bornat (age 24). A local cameraman, Haitham Al-Khatib, brother of the arrested Hamru, was repeatedly forcibly moved and hit, and threatened with arrest unless he stopped filming. Soldiers declared his home a “closed military zone” but could not produce any military order.

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.

  1. Please protest by contacting your political representatives, as well as your consuls and ambassadors to Israel to demand that Israel stops targeting non-violent popular resistance and release Adib Abu Rahme and all Bil’in prisoners.
  2. 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 Palestinian village of Bil’in has become an international symbol of the Palestinian popular struggle. For almost 5 years, its residents have been continuously struggling against the de facto annexation of more than 50% of their farmlands, confiscated for the construction of the Apartheid Wall.

In a celebrated decision, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled on the 4 September 2007 that the current route of the wall in Bil’in was illegal and needs to be dismantled; the ruling however has not been implemented. The struggle of the village to liberate its lands and stop the illegal settlements has been internationally recognized and has earned the popular committee in Bil’in the Carl von Ossietzky Meda award.

Ni’lin holds Iftar in olive groves

29 August 2009

Today, the Popular Committee of Ni’lin invited members of the Popular Committee of Bil’in and international and Israeli solidarity activists to join in the breaking of the fast with the residents of Ni’lin.

The women of the village had prepared food for this occasion which the men brought to the field at sunset. Long plastic sheets were stretched out on the ground for people to sit on and to place all the delicious dishes. It was only the men, however, who were eating in the field, the women were meant to stay at home.

The atmosphere was festive. Once everyone finished eating, some of the men spoke about the situation in Ni’lin, the land lost to the Occupation and to the Apartheid Wall.

Bil’in demonstrates against the Apartheid Wall

Bil’in Popular Committee

28 August 2009

Three injured and dozens were suffocated with tear gas during their participation at Bili’n weekly demonstration against the apartheid wall and the construction of settlements on Bili’n lands. Three protesters: Rani Burnat, Omar Attamemi, and Zuhdya Alkhatib were lightly wounded. The demonstration started at the center of the village directly after the Friday prayers, with participation of international and Israeli peace activists. In addition to Qais Abu Laila (PLC member) and a number of other comrades and members of the Palestinian National Council from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Mr. Abu Laila and his comrades have met with representatives of the popular committee and listened to a clear explanation of them on the experience of Bil’in struggle during the past four and a half years. Although Ali Faysal one of the PNC members in Lebanon expressed his support to Bil’in struggle and he emphasized on the continuation of the struggle against the wall and the settlements.

On other hand, the PFLP revived the eighth anniversary of the martyrdom of the leader Abu Ali Mustafa who was assassinated by the Israeli aircraft, thus the participants raised pictures of Abu Ali Mustafa, Palestinian flags and slogans condemning the occupation. While the Comrade Khalida Jarar (PFLP member) had a speech about Abu Ali Mustafa and he stressed the need for national unity, and continuing struggle against the occupation.

Demonstrators walked in the village streets chanting and calling for national unity, reviving comrades from abroad, and glorifying the memory of the martyr (Abu Ali Mustafa). Upon their arrival to the wall, a group of demonstrators who wear uniforms of workers tried to dismantle the wall, to express that the Israeli has to remove the wall and to implement the resolution issued by the Israeli Supreme Court to remove the wall. The Israeli soldiers reply was throwing gas and sound bombs, were dozens were suffocated with tear gas.

On the other side, a delegation from “The Elders” organization visited Bil’in yesterday, as they had a clear idea about the suffering of Bil’in’s people, as the Delegation has expressed its solidarity with the people of Bil’in and their rejection of the settlements on their land. The organization was founded by Mr. Nelson Mandela , as it includes a group of prominent leaders in the world, Mr.Jimmy Carter, Mr. Desmond Tutu, Mr. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Ms. Mary Robinson, and Ayla Bhatt, Gro Brundtland, the delegation was accompanied by two business men; Richard Branson, and Jeff Skoll.

The delegation visited the wall where they saw how the wall confiscates half of Bilin’s lands, although they visited the place of the weekly demonstrations at the wall area in Bil’in village, as the huge number of tear gas and sound bombs bottles were on the ground everywhere. The delegation put up a memorial on the memorial of the martyr Basem Abu Rahma.

Ni’lin demonstrates against the Apartheid Wall

28 August 2009

Around 250 Palestinian residents, alongside international and Israeli solidarity activists, gathered in Ni’lin to demonstrate against the Apartheid Wall around 12:30. Demonstrators marched towards the site of the Wall chanting slogans against the Occupation. Israeli forces used tear-gas grenades, sound bombs, tear-gas canisters and live ammunition against the unarmed protesters. Despite the excessive use of weapons from the Israeli army, no demonstrators were injured. The protest finished around 4:30.

After a prayer was held in the Ni’lin olive groves, demonstrators marched towards the Wall with tires and flags. Before reaching the Wall, Israeli forces stationed on Ni’lin’s land shot tear-gas canisters at the protesters. A smaller group proceeded to the 8-meter high concrete blocks that run the length of where the previous fence was built.

Construction of the cement blocks began less than 2 weeks ago, further disconnecting Ni’lin residents from their land. While access to the Ni’lin land past the Wall is completely blocked by Israeli occupation forces, the concrete wall prevents residents from being able to see their land in many spots along the Wall.

Several protesters placed burning tires on the foundation of the concrete blocks. One Palestinian activist, with the help of several others, climbed the Wall to place a Palestinian flag at the top. Additionally, several Ni’lin residents threw paint at the military jeeps.
While the smaller group was at the site of the Wall, the rest of the demonstrators were closer to the village in the olive groves. Israeli forces continuously shot tear-gas grenades and canisters at demonstrators. The army shot several bullets of live ammunition towards protesters.

Eventually, both groups were pushed up a hill by Israeli soldiers firing tear-gas. At around 4:30 in the afternoon, demonstrators went back to the village to prepare for the Ramadan meal, Iftar.

Israeli forces commonly use tear-gas canisters, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition against demonstrators.

To date, Israeli occupation forces have murdered 5 Palestinian residents and critically injured 1 international solidarity activist during unarmed demonstrations in Ni’lin. In total, 19 people have been killed during demonstrations against the Wall.

  • 5 June 2009: Yousef Akil Srour (36) was shot in the chest with 0.22 caliber live ammunition and pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.
  • 13 March 2009: Tristan Anderson (37), an American citizen, was shot in the head with a high velocity tear gas projectile. He is currently at Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv with uncertain prospects for his recovery.
  • 28 December 2008: Mohammed Khawaje (20) was shot in the head with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition. He died in a Ramallah hospital 3 days later on 31 December 2008.
  • 28 December 2008: Arafat Rateb Khawaje (22) was shot in the back with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition and pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.
  • 30 July 2008: Yousef Amira (17) was shot in the head with two rubber coated steel bullets. He died in a Ramallah hospital 5 days later on 4 August 2008.
  • 29 July 2008: Ahmed Mousa (10) was shot in the forehead with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition and pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.

In total, 38 people have been shot by Israeli forces with live ammunition in Ni’lin: 9 were shot with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition and 29 were shot with 0.22 caliber live ammunition.

Additionally, Israeli arrest and intimidation campaigns on West Bank villages that demonstrate against the Wall, have led to the arrests of over 76 Palestinians in Ni’lin alone as of June 2009.

Since May 2008, residents of Ni’lin have been organizing and participating in unarmed demonstrations against construction of the Apartheid Wall. Despite being deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004, the Occupation continues to build the Wall, further annexing Palestinian land.

Ni’lin will lose approximately 2,500 dunums of agricultural land when construction of the Wall is completed. Israel annexed 40,000 of Ni’lin’s 58,000 dunums in 1948. After the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, the illegal settlements and infrastructure of Kiryat Sefer, Mattityahu and Maccabim were built on village lands and Ni’lin lost another 8,000 dunums. Of the remaining 10,000 dunums, the Occupation will confiscate 2,500 for the Wall and 200 for a tunnel to be built under the segregated settler-only road 446. Ni’lin will be left with 7,300 dunums.

The current entrance to the village will be closed and replaced by a tunnel to be built under Road 446. This tunnel will allow for the closure of the road to Palestinian vehicles, turning road 446 into a segregated settler-only road . Ni’lin will be effectively split into 2 parts (upper Ni’lin and lower Ni’lin), as road 446 runs between the village. The tunnel is designed to give Israeli occupation forces control of movement over Ni’lin residents, as it can be blocked with a single military vehicle.

Soldiers use ‘sarukh’ against Ni’lin demonstrators

21 August 2009

Around 12:30 on Friday, 140 Ni’lin villagers, together with international and Israeli solidarity activists, gathered after the prayer to demonstrate against the Apartheid Wall. The march went through the fields of Ni’lin and reached the wall site without incident. The Wall was finished in May 2009 as an electric fence with video cameras and a road where the army patrol. Although it seems finished, last Monday Israeli forces began adding 8 meter high blocks of concrete. Right after the demonstrators have reached the wall, several army jeeps started shooting, using the multiple tear gas machine. Israeli soldiers kept shooting tear gas grenades from the road at the demonstrators and eventually they came into the fields through a Wall gate and threatened the protesters with live ammunition guns. All internationals and Israelis left around 5pm, although the demonstration went until 7pm. During the time that there were just Palestinians in the fields, Israeli soldiers used the high velocity tear gas projectile and live ammunition. The high-velocity tear gas canister was not used in Ni’lin since the end of May when Basem Abu Rahme, a Bil’in demonstrator was murdered with one.

Israeli forces commonly use tear-gas canisters, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition against demonstrators.

To date, Israeli occupation forces have murdered 5 Palestinian residents and critically injured 1 international solidarity activist during unarmed demonstrations in Ni’lin. In total, 19 people have been killed during demonstrations against the Wall.

  • 5 June 2009: Yousef Akil Srour (36) was shot in the chest with 0.22 caliber live ammunition and pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.
  • 13 March 2009: Tristan Anderson (37), an American citizen, was shot in the head with a high velocity tear gas projectile. He is currently at Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv with uncertain prospects for his recovery.
  • 28 December 2008: Mohammed Khawaje (20) was shot in the head with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition. He died in a Ramallah hospital 3 days later on 31 December 2008.
  • 28 December 2008: Arafat Rateb Khawaje (22) was shot in the back with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition and pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.
  • 30 July 2008: Yousef Amira (17) was shot in the head with two rubber coated steel bullets. He died in a Ramallah hospital 5 days later on 4 August 2008.
  • 29 July 2008: Ahmed Mousa (10) was shot in the forehead with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition and pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.

In total, 38 people have been shot by Israeli forces with live ammunition in Ni’lin: 9 were shot with 5.56mm caliber live ammunition and 29 were shot with 0.22 caliber live ammunition.

Additionally, Israeli arrest and intimidation campaigns on West Bank villages that demonstrate against the Wall, have led to the arrests of over 76 Palestinians in Ni’lin alone as of June 2009.

Since May 2008, residents of Ni’lin have been organizing and participating in unarmed demonstrations against construction of the Apartheid Wall. Despite being deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004, the Occupation continues to build the Wall, further annexing Palestinian land.

Ni’lin will lose approximately 2,500 dunums of agricultural land when construction of the Wall is completed. Israel annexed 40,000 of Ni’lin’s 58,000 dunums in 1948. After the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, the illegal settlements and infrastructure of Kiryat Sefer, Mattityahu and Maccabim were built on village lands and Ni’lin lost another 8,000 dunums. Of the remaining 10,000 dunums, the Occupation will confiscate 2,500 for the Wall and 200 for a tunnel to be built under the segregated settler-only road 446. Ni’lin will be left with 7,300 dunums.

The current entrance to the village will be closed and replaced by a tunnel to be built under Road 446. This tunnel will allow for the closure of the road to Palestinian vehicles, turning road 446 into a segregated settler-only road . Ni’lin will be effectively split into 2 parts (upper Ni’lin and lower Ni’lin), as road 446 runs between the village. The tunnel is designed to give Israeli occupation forces control of movement over Ni’lin residents, as it can be blocked with a single military vehicle.