Archive for category Israel
Ahead of Ajami at the Oscars, Video from Yafo
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel on March 7th, 2010
Tonight, the Israeli-Palestinian film Ajami might take home an Oscar. The Palestinian co-director of the film has stated today that he “does not represent Israel” . Below is a video from Israel Puterman from last week’s protest in Yafo against police brutality.
Israelis Ready to Face Repression- ibn Ezra Team Interview in Pressenza
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on February 26th, 2010
Two weeks ago Mairav and I gave an interview to Pressenza about Ta’ayush.
Pressenza: Critics of non-violence say that non-violent methods may be morally right, but they are inefficient. Also, there always seems to be a justification for the absolute necessity of an immediate violent intervention… What is your explanation for the choice of non-violence?
MZ: In the international media the Palestinian resistance has been known to be quite violent, so we need to make our struggle more credible. Also, we are citizens of a country that claims to be democratic, so for us, unlike for the military, it is most important to uphold basic values. We have been met with a lot of verbal and physical violence, but both for your own soul when you go home at night and for the legitimacy of the opposition, it is important to remain non-violent.
JD: Ta’ayush as an organization is very non-conformist and very free form. We do not have any political stands on whether there should be one states, two states, five states, seven states…The only two things that we can agree on is that we are non-violent and that we are against the occupation. This is the foundation of our initiative, maybe as a reaction to the intensely militarized society that we live in. One of our goals is not to engage in the game of provoking and then responding to violence with violence. Also, if we were tempted to react in a violent way, we would be very quickly discredited and we would all go to jail immediately. So we have to look at the situation as pragmatically as possible.
Mass Demonstration in Bil’in
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on February 17th, 2010
This Friday!
Path of the Wall in Bil’in to Be Moved
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on February 14th, 2010
Two and a half years after an Israeli Supreme Court decision deeming the path of the Wall on the lands of Bil’in illegal, preliminary infrastructure work to reroute the barrier in accordance with the ruling has finally began. Since the ruling, the state has twice been found in contempt of the court, for not implementing the decision.
Mohammed Khatib, the coordinator of the West Bank-wide Popular Struggle Coordination Committee and a member of the the Bil’in Popular Committee, said today that “The Supreme Court had already ruled this should happen almost three years ago and it should not have taken so long. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the only reason that this is finally happening now are the five years of persistent struggle and the scarifies the people of my village have made. While we are happy for the lands that do return, we do not forget the lands and crops that remain isolated behind the Wall. Our struggle will continue until all of our lands are returned and the Occupation is over.”
Following initial construction of Israel’s wall on Bil’in’s lands in February 2005, residents organized almost daily direct actions and demonstrations against the theft of their lands. Garnering the attention of the international community with their creativity and perseverance, Bil’in has become a symbol for Palestinian popular resistance. Almost five years later, Bil’in continues to hold weekly Friday protests.
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Open Shuhada Street in Hebron
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on January 17th, 2010
Open Shuhada Street! February 25, 2010 International Day of Action from Open Shuhada Street on Vimeo.
This is a call to action for everyone who stands in solidarity with Palestinians fighting for their human rights. On February 25, 2010 activitsts around the world will participate in an international day of action to raise awareness about the issue of lack of freedom of movement in the Palestinian city of Hebron. The closure of Shuhada Street to Palestinians is just one prominent example of the policy of separation that affects the lives of Palestinians all across the occupied Palestinian territories.
Join the struggle to end the occupation and organize a demonstration in your city on February 25, 2010!!
For more information:
openshuhadastreet.org
openshuhadastreet@gmail.com
Bil’in Update from the Popular Resistance Committee
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on January 15th, 2010
15.1.10 – Demonstrators Met with Live Ammunition in Bil’in Village
Tear Gas at a Recent Bil'in Protest
Today in Bil’in village demonstrators against the apartheid wall and illegal Israeli settlements were met with live ammunition, tear gas (in both plastic and aluminum canisters), rubber bullets, and sound bombs from the Israeli army. Rubber bullets and tear gas canisters injured six demonstrators. Many suffered from sever tear gas inhalation including Fatah leader Dr. Nabil Shath. Others injured include Palestinian cameraman Fadi Aljause and reporter Haron Amira, Bassem Ahmad Yassin (leg injury), Ibrahim Burnat (rubber bullet injury), Nayif Ghazi (tear gas canister head injury), and a man from Jericho who was taken to the hospital in Ramallah (we have not received information about his current condition).
Palestinian, Israeli and International demonstrators marched to the wall with a 20 meters long Palestinian flag at which time the military immediately began firing tear gas into the crowd. The army entered the village and attempted to arrest two of the Palestinian activists. Israeli and International activists physically intervened in order to stop the arrests. Soldiers shot live ammunition into the air during the conflict in an attempt to scare and disperse the crowd. The crowd consisting of many Israeli solidarity activists did not disperse and began chanting “shame on you” in Hebrew. Mean while many soldiers were entering from another entrance point in the apartheid fence. They attempted to surround the demonstrators from three directions, but were unsuccessful.
Because of the strength tear gas, a joke was made that the army must have been using the new and improved 2010-edition tear gas. The last two weeks of the new year have been marked by an increase in arrests and harassment of Palestinian popular resistance organizers and activists in the West Bank. Last night the army invaded the village of Al Masara and raided the home of Popular Committee organizers Mahmoud Zawhre and Mohammed Bornat. The previous night, the home of Nil’in Popular Committee member Mohammed Brijya was raided. And one day before that three Popular Committee members were arrested from their homes in Nil’in. On the same night as the Nil’in arrests, a Bil’in activist who had been part of Friday demonstrations was arrested. Israeli authorities have intensified their efforts at suppressing the non-violent activities and organizing of Palestinians involved in grassroots campaigns against the Barrier and settlement expansion. Despite these efforts, many people have been attending the Friday demonstrations from neighboring villages, and new popular demonstrations have begun around the West Bank.
Shocking Video Aired on Israeli Channel 10 now with Subtitles
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on January 14th, 2010
A couple of days ago, I posted a video clip from Channel 10 news here in Israel about a recent protest in Nebi Salah, West Bank. I have been trying to hard code the video with English subtitles that Didi Remez graciously provided to no avail. So I am posting Didi’s subtitles below the video. By the way, if you have not been to Didi’s site, you are missing out on one of the best sites on Israel available in English.
Transcript:
Channel 10 news, 10 January 2010 (20:04)
Or Heller: Pictures taken from a new center of violence: the Village of Nabi Salah. Protest of land seizures. Police officers react with full force; a group of settlers hurling rocks; IDF Spokesman reaction
Narrator Yaakov Eilon: Footage taken during a violent clash outside Ramallah last weekend shows settlers hurling rocks at Palestinians and army soldiers standing around, doing nothing. Furthermore, an IDF officer was filmed threatening left-wing activists who were there. Our military affairs correspondent Or Heller has the report.
Heller: A new center of violence was added last week to the regular violent spots in the Palestinian villages of Bil’in and Ni’ilin: the Village of Nabi Salah in the Ramallah area. On Friday afternoon, several dozen Palestinian demonstrators arrived there to protest the fact that lands were seized here by the nearby settlement of Neve Tzuf Halamish.
Unidentified speaker: This is my land! Why? Why can’t I? This is my land!
Heller: IDF and Border Police soldiers are seen trying to disperse this nonviolent demonstration with full force, using tear gas, stun grenade, rubber bullets fired point blank, and sometimes they even use the handle of their gun. Then, a group of settlers from Neve Tzuf Halamish joined in.
Unidentified speaker: You see? Did you see that?
Heller: They climbed on an overlooking hill and started throwing rocks at the Palestinians below. Some of them have their faces veiled for fear of cameras.
Unidentified speaker: Ohad, come here, come to me.
Heller: Rocks kept flying and the soldiers and Border Police officers — that is right — did nothing. So many committees have addressed the discrimination exercised in law enforcement in the territories. Nothing helped. The soldiers did not stop the settlers from throwing rocks and none of them was arrested when the violent events ended.
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Difficult Times in Nil’in
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on January 13th, 2010
From the Anarchists Against the Wall
Tear Gas in Nil'in
Nil’in Activist, Mohammad Amerra’s House Raided Wednesday Morning
The Israeli military invaded Nil’in village at approximately 1am on Wednedsay the 13th. Three jeeps and approximately 15 soldiers came from the check point via road 446 to the house of activist Mohammad Ameera. According to Ameera, two commanders and a group of soldiers entered his home, checked out his house and asked him general questions about his family and work for an hour. His children were awoken and frightened when the soldiers invaded their home. After questioning him they went below Ameera’s house to investigate the residence of a worker that Ameera rests to. This is the first time the military has come to Ameera’s home. This house raid happened just one day after the arrest of three members of the Nilin Popular Committee Against the Wall.
Recount of Friday’s Demonstration in Nil’in
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How Much More Do People Need To See?
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, West Bank on January 12th, 2010
This past Friday, Israeli Channel Ten aired shocking footage from the West Bank. Channel Ten is one of the most widely watched Israeli nightly news channels and so it is clear that many families across the country saw this report. The footage aired was from a non violent protest near Nebi Salah. At this protest, like others, settlers joined the army and attacked the protesters while the army protected them. Included in the report was footage of an Army captain talking about his ideas on protecting people and intentions in his position of power. The reality of the situation becomes totally clear in his cold words. The opinions expressed are shocking and the footage is upsetting. What more will it take to create a groundswell of change?
I will be working on a translated version of the video in the coming days but in the meantime.
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The Protests Are Getting More Violent
Posted by Joseph Dana in Israel, Jerusalem, West Bank on January 16th, 2010
Friday’s in Israel are now a day of protests with demos happening in Bil’in, Nil’in, Ma’asara and Sheikh Jarrah. Yesterday in Sheikh Jarrah, the Israel police arrested the head of ACRI (The Association for Civil Rights in Israel) as well as Didi Remez of Coteret for simply standing on the street and peacefully protesting the actions of the Israeli state in East Jerusalem.
Below is footage from Friday’s protest in Nebi Salah. As you can see, the protest is getting more violent with rock throwing from Palestinians and excessive violence from the IDF.
Finally, below is a report on the weekly protest in Ma’asara written by an activist that was on the ground.
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