Saturday, December 19, 2009

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle focused on Sheikh Jarah (Jerusalem) transfer

The struggle in Sheikh Jarah during the week intensify and number of participants in Friday demonstration there more than doubled... in spite of rainy whether. Other villages like Krayut, Nizaam, and Shuqba, invite us to join their struggles against aspects of the occupation. Bil'in, the prominent flag of the non violent popular struggle still suffer along the week "visits" and harassments of the various Israeli occupation forces. Ma'asara, and Ni'ilin still persist in struggle. Refusnics struggle continued too. The "hungry" settler colonialist aspect of Zionism backed by Israeli High court of "justice" protection of land ownership of pre 1948 era in Sheikh Jarah, put back on the focus of the agenda the theft of Palestinian parts and Jerusalem neighborhoods at 1948.

BIL'IN

Bil'in Raid December 18, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9woGNUOd1M&feature=player_embedded

Friday demo 18-12-2009

About 25 with the Anarchists Against the Wall initiative, and about dozen or so internationals, joined Bil'iners, and Palestinian guests, for the nearly five years ongoing and never broken chain of Friday demonstrations against the separation fence and occupation.

After a protracted confrontation with the Israeli state force who tried to disperse us, the majority of the Israelis traveled (like the previous week) to the demonstration against the transfer in Sheikh Jarrah


Video clips:
by Haitham al Katib - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyeDvIyXmi8&feature=player_embedded
by David Reeb - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbrI9I5gDE

Bil'in 18.12.2009 video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbrI9I5gDE

19.12.09 05:58 AM - hi Two houses raided in Bilin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-StkkQjxeD8&feature=player_embedded

KRAYUT

If anyone is interested in going to Krayut tomorrow 16/12/2009 to secure and help farmers while they work their land, please contact R. we are planing on leaving at 6am from Jerusalem.
there are four spots available from Tel Aviv, and maybe a small bus from Jerusalem (depend on how many people come).
M

Krayut, "settlers attack Palestinian, Police arrests the victim and offers me to become an informer http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/17/18632858.php"

MA'ASARA

"All of us are Abdallah Abu Rahmah" the Friday 11-12-09 weekly demo in Al-Ma'sara village

At 12:00 the villagers of Al-Ma'sara gathered in a protest along with Israeli and international activists. In their weekly demonstration in solidarity with the coordinator of the popular committee in Bil'in village Abdallah Abu Rahmah was was arrested two nights ago from his house in Ramallah

The protesters raised Palestinian flags and banners in solidarity with Abdallah Abu Rahamah. This protest came in the 42 memory of the Palestinian organization DFLP

The demonstrators chanted against the discriminatory policies of the occupation and called for a national unity among the Palestinians,. When the protest reached the fences that the army put on the main road of the village the protesters tried to remove it and then the solders dealt violently with the protesters.

A speech of Mohammed Banat a member of the popular community against the wall in the village talked about the Israeli behavior against the Palestinians specially these days were people living the international day of human rights.

This Friday

About 70 Palestinians, Israelis and foreigners marched in this week's demonstration against the wall in Ma'asara, in spite of hostile weather conditions. This week's protest was joined by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who came to show their solidarity with the popular struggle.

Leaving the village towards the route of the wall demonstrators were met by soldiers and border policemen, who blocked the road with barbed wire as usual. The occupiers did not present any warrant to justify their actions, and were quite determined not to talk to the demonstrators, even while these were explaining to them in three languages about the wrongs of the occupation and the alternative options they have – those of refusal and joint action.

A few children tried to pull at the barbed wire. This week the soldiers did not use much violence, and in stead simply crossed the wire and formed a line to protect it for harm. The picture was an occupation classic: soldiers protecting a fence that protects other soldiers who protect a fence. Guns and fences are all they can offer us.

The demonstration went on for another half hour, and eventually dispersed peacefully.

NI'ILIN

Ni'lin and Shuqba, 11/12/09

Around 200 men and youths from Shuqba village, fortified with activists from nearby Budrus and Ni’lin, and five Israeli activists, marched through the hilly countryside from the village center to the site of the enormous quarry built by Israel on its land. About two dozen youths entered the quarry, and manifested their discontent with the theft of the village’s resources for the benefit of the Israel’s settlement project. A small number of soldiers fired a few teargas canisters at the protesters, and called reinforcements. Approximately 10 minutes later, several army and border police jeeps arrived and the soldiers proceeded to clear the protesters off of the quarry site, and remove the flag hung by protesters on the heavy equipment in the site. A small number of the village youths, who withdrew to the hillside overlooking the quarry threw some stones at the jeeps. Soldiers fired more tear gas at the protesters, including at least one “extended range” canister, of the type that killed a demonstrator and severely injured others. The demonstration ended with no injuries recorded.

In Ni’lin, a few dozen protesters participated in the weekly protest against the wall. One protester was lightly injured by a 0.22 caliber bullet in his leg.

Mid week harassment and detention of Arafat Amira http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3821061,00.html

Regarding the raid that was in Ni'ilin yesterday (16-12-09)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmOBnE3TYnQ&feature=player_embedded

NIZAAM

The people of Dir Nizaam (near halamish) ask for people to come and join them in a demonstration and planting trees on their lands, next to the settlement of halamish
the planting will be an act against the frequent harassments by the settlers and their attempt to take over parts of the village land
the demonstration will take place at 9 am

K.

REFUSNICS

34 Days in Prison for CO Or Ben-David
Or Ben-David returns to prison after being sentenced for 34 days. This is her 3rd prison term in a row. Further information and recommended action follows.

After completing a second prison term, Or Ben-David, of the 2009-2010 high school seniors letter of refusal, was sentenced earlier today, Dec. 15th, to 34 days in prison. She will serve her sentence in the military prison for women (no. 400) in Tzrifin/Sarafand.

Or is expected to be released on Jan. 21st and is likely to be imprisoned again soon afterwards.

SHEIKH JARAH

Free the Sheikh Jarrah Six! A somewhat personal account of the Friday 11-12-09 demo

On Friday more then 150 people marched to Sheikh Jarrah, to show support and solidarity with the families who has been evicted from their houses, and those facing evictions. Upon arriving at the neighborhood, the protesters continued to the Al-Kurd’s home where settlers have taken over parts of the house, making the Al-Kurd lives a living hell.
The marchers chanted and spoke against the settlers and the protection they receive from the Israeli courts in their attempt to remove all Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Not surprisingly, the police and Israeli soldiers protected the settlers and expressed their banal and blunt opposition to the protesters in words ( “why are we suppose to be around those who are against Jews?”) and later in actions.

After an Israeli flag which represents colonialism and more then 60 year of apartheid and ethnic cleansing was removed from the stolen settler house window, the police charged the protesters, beating and arresting 23 people, three of them internationals.
Requests by some arrestees for medical attention after being pepper- sprayed and beaten were ignored by the police immediately after the arrests. While one person was lying on the ground, calling for help and expressing deep pain at the police station, the cops were watching videos taken at the protest, and talking casually between themselves. After an hour the police officers finally agreed to call an ambulance, but refused to allow medical personal to evocate the wounded person (although a medics insistence on it). He was allowed to be taken to a hospital only after the intervention of lawyers.
All the protesters were eventually taken to the main police station in Jerusalem, where they were left to stand outside in the cold night for hours. Six protesters were signaled out by the cops, deeming them to be the “leaders” and the instigators of the demonstration. Many request to see lawyers were ignored and silenced (at one point as a direct order of the police personal in charged of the investigation), and all of the arrested protesters were charged of attacking police personal, rioting, and refusing to dispersed.
The five women who were arrested were taken to the general population in a women prison and requests by one of them for medical attention were also ignored. The eighteen men were taken to the police detention center in Jerusalem. Although it is illegal to arrest a person for more then 24 hours without a judge decision, the arrestees were held for more then 36 hours before seeing a judge (and more then 12 hours without being fed). The six person who were singled out by the police at first were charged with rioting and for “putting the public at risk” with their actions. As their statement the six express their concerns at the police action and at the persecution request that they will not be allowed to enter the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood for three month. The judge who behaved very annoyingly all through the procedure, not allowing the defense lawyers to speak freely, ruled that all the six are not to enter Sheikh Jarrah for the next thirty days. While he was speaking the chants and yelling of tens of activists were heard from a demonstration held outside of the court.
The 12 persons arrested were not charged with anything, but were also ordered not to enter Sheikh Jarrah for 30 days. The three internationals were taken by the immigration police, prompting the lawyers to quit from representing their clients for the illegality of treating the three international activists differently from the rest of the arrestees (I’m not very familiar with what happened around that).
Although the police actions, supported by the court ruling were designed to discourage those who participate (or those who are planning to participate in the future) in solidarity activities, the opposite has been achieved. The police and military were exposed again for their violence and protection of Israel’s racist policies against Palestinians, and the Israeli court was exposed for its criminalization of those challenging those policies. One activist was heard yelling leaving the court “next week we will meet again in Sheikh Jarrah”. Upon their release from the police detention (some only at 4am, hours after the trial ended), the arrestees all express their intention to come back and support the just struggle of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah.

Free the Sheikh Jarrah six!

Support the Palestinian struggle in Sheikh Jarrah against forced removal!

Unity in struggle,
M

Video of 11-12-09 demo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxulvckyAI
Another video from last week in Sheikh Jarrah http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm6VAYllFEA

A huge thank you for all the people that came and stood all these long hours in the freezing cold outside of the police station .

It meant so much to hear you all singing and making noise and even better was to sit in court and see the judge shivering every time you shouted : "The Fascism shell not pass " . It's just made the long hours so much easier.
Thank you again B.

Media: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1135709.html

This Friday


Around 300 protesters participated in yesterday's demo in Sheikh Jarah, marching from Hamashbir Plaza towards the neighborhood.

As early as the initial gathering, the police began to arrest demonstrators, claiming that the event is illegal, and by the end of the demonstration 27 people were detained. None of those detained resisted arrest. Quite a few of them were arrested when they were simply drumming or performing as dressed up clowns.

In spite of our legal team's attempt to have the detainees brought to an immediate hearing to set terms for their release, the police has decided to punish the detainees to the extent permitted by the law. Therefore, they will be brought to the hearing only after the end of Sabbath.

The detainees will probably be brought at 19:00 to Hashalom court in the Russian compound, where we will be demonstrating in solidarity with them starting at 20:00. According to last week's detainees, we know for a fact that our calls and our chanting penetrate the walls of the court, and can encourage and empower the detainees after long hours in their detention cells. Please make an effort to be there.


Seikh Jarah Friday demo - 18-12-09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIsvt4W4nGU

MEDIA

http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/1136103.html

25 leftists arrested in east Jerusalem --- Police forces detain activists for refusing to end rally against Jews inhabiting houses in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. One of protestors tells Ynet, 'The police's conduct resembles a military regime. This neighborhood cannot be under Jewish control' ---- The police arrested twenty-five Palestinians and left-wing activists in Sheikh Jarrah on Friday afternoon for refusing to end a rally against Jews inhabiting houses in the east Jerusalem neighborhood. The protestors were removed from the area with the help of mounted policemen.

Time table:

14:43 So far about 30 people arrested in sheikh jarrah, and counting.
almost all the drummers of the Samba circle were arrested + all the clowns... of the clowns troupe.

17:35 Hi, just on break from the police station at Migrash Hrosim. 30 people arrested, some even before reaching SJ. police tried to prevent people from coming, block all the entrances to the SJ street. people managed to get in anyway. police used violence.
we had about 350-400 people at the demo. right now we have about fifty people outside of the police station. many left back to SJ b/c 100 settlers are right now at SJ doing their Friday prayer.
listen to the radio, it said that a demo of Anarchists and leftist activists was dispersed by the police. M.

Final numbers:
27 people arrested. All will be held for 24 hours. We managed to pass some food and warm clothing to some of them. They will be brought before judge tomorrow evening.

We will hold a solidarity demonstration by the court. 20:00 at the Russians compound!

2 kids injured by stones thrown by settlers, after the demonstration, and taken to the hospital by ambulance.

there is going to be a demo tomorrow (Saturday) at 8pm at the same spot that it was last week.
27 people were arrested in another attempt by the Israeli police and military to shot down the demos in sheikh jarah.
please come,
M

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