UPDATES
Israeli Invasion of Nablus Continues
January 5, 2004
The West bank city of Nablus has now been under constant attack for 20 days. On Saturday, four Palestinians were killed and a fifth left brain-dead after being shot in the head with live ammunition. This brings the number of Palestinians killed in Nablus during this offensive to 14 and counting. Israeli soldiers have attacked peaceful demonstrations and even a funeral.
For the full report, please visit the Palestine Monitor: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/updates/Israeli_invasion_of_Nablus_continues.htm
Palestinian History in Nablus Bulldozed
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story.php?sid=20040104205714652
Please scroll down for the following UPDATES from the
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
1. Nablus: Contrary to how the media is reporting it
2. Update on activists arrested in Budrus
3. Update from Budrus
*Greetings from Nablus Under Siege*. (Received Saturday 3 January 2004)
Nablus has been under siege for the last 10 days while Balata refugee camp has been under siege for the last 18 consecutive days. We have just heard that every single entrance/exit to Balata has been sealed off completely.
No food or medicine is allowed in. Medical relief teams are being obstructed and at times completely prevented from passing through.
Activists from ISM (the International Solidarity Movement) were attacked while carrying out their missions to observe and bear witness on what the Israeli occupation authorities are brutalizing the Palestinian population. Beit Foreek has been completely sealed off; its mayor reports that there are signs of starvation.
Two men and a boy were killed by Israeli military fire since this morning. The first, Amjad Bilal Masri is a 15 year old boy who was shot while standing in front of his house. The sniper bullet hit Amjad in the back. He died on his way to the hospital. The second is Amer Kathym Arafat who was also shot in the back by a sniper bullet. The third is Rouhi Hazem Shouman, 25, who was also shot in the back by a sniper.
Ms. Majida Masri, spokeswomen for the Coordinating Committee of Palestinian Political Faction, called a couple of minutes ago on all Nabulis who are able to get to Rafidiya Hospital to defy the curfew and join the families of the martyrs in a collective funeral for the three.
"They were all shot in the back by cowardly snipers. Their only crime was to refuse to succumb to Israeli occupation designs to empty Palestine from its people."
Reports from Balata indicate that a deliberate starvation campaign is being carried by the Israeli military which has sealed off the Camp and refuses to allow food and medicine to get through every single allyway, formal or informal entrances. A few days ago, the Israeli military shot and injured 4 people who were walking a funeral for an old woman who passed away. No demonstrations or political events were taking place in or around the funeral.
The siege of the old city of Nablus and its neighborhoods (Yasmeeneh, Qaryoun, Habaleh) has been intensified since December 30, 2003. The Israeli military claims that they were looking for the leader of the Aksa Martyrs Brigade, Abu Sharkh. They took his brother and wife as hostages, paraded the wife in a jeep in the old city and forced her to call out to her husband over loud speakers to surrender in return for her freedom. She has been released only yesterday.
No one can get into the old city, but Dr. Ghassan Hamdan of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committee, who is in the old city has called on the whole world to immediately intervene to support the people of Nablus. He condemned media outlets for neglecting to cover what's going on, including the largest Palestinian daily, Al-Quds, which has not reported on what's going in Nablus in its front page.
Dr. Hamdan criticized the Palestinian Authority who have not done anything to aid Nablus and demanded that "Abu Alaa, the Palestinian Prime Minister, hold a ministrial meeting in Nablus to highlight the horrible conditions the city is experiencing under this brutal Israeli campaign."
We have just heard explosions in the old city. It was in Qaryoun neighborhood inside the Abdelhadi Palace that houses 75 people.
The Palace, built 400 years ago, is a waqf, endowed by Mahmoud Abdelhadi for the use of Abdelhadi women who have no place to live and no sources of income (widows, single women who do not work or have no income, and women whose main breadwinners are disabled).
The Israeli military has ordered the 75 people to vacate the palace at 3:30 in the mooring and left them out in the cold. Mr. Aslan, a neighbor, invited and took in all the 75 people and offered them hospitality and warmth. The families are scattered throughout the old city (before the more strict siege) and unable to go home.
Dr. Mahdi Abdelhadi, Director of PASSIA, has gone to the Israeli supreme court. The Court ordered an injunction against the destruction of the Palace but the military appealed the decision and received a permission from the court to destroy this historic building "if security needs call for such action." This also requires your immediate attention.
Nablus has been split again into two parts near Maha's Gate, which is named after Mrs. Maha Nimr who lived nearby and whose son has been arrested and is currently being interrogated in Ofer settlement prison (near Ramallah); no family members or lawyers are allowed to see him until the "interrogation is
completed."
"Tora Bora," as the residents call it, is the mount of dirt Israeli occupation army has compiled near the destroyed Governate of Nablus (as well as the prison that was bombed with prisoners inside in 2002 resulting in the killing of 10 Palestinian policemen who were guarding the prison).
Tora Bora literally separates the two parts of the city and no one can come or go without risking being shot at by the Israeli military. Children (including my own nephew Ibrahim and nieces Widad, Noura, and Nada who live in the eastern part beyond Tora Bora) have been risking their lives to get to school to take their final exams. Ibrahim, 10 years old, and other kids almost got killed on December 23, 2003 as they tried to get home. He was finally able to reach his home a few hours later and only after the international media, medical relief workers, my other brother, Amer, and Amal, my sister-in-law and Ibrahim's mother risked their lives, argued with the soldiers and insisted on getting all the kids home across a checkpoint.
Mustapha Barghouti has described the bloody campaign against Nablus as a "real war on this city whose other name, the Mountain of Fire, has basis in the steadfastness of Palestinians and their refusal to allow the Israeli military to break the Palestinian collective will to continue struggling for their rights."
"There is a completely news blockage of what's going in Nablus," Barghouti added, explaining that lack of news coverage has to do with "the negligence of the Palestinian Authority, PA, to assume its responsibility for the protection
of the population."
"Instead," Barghouti added, "the PA is wasting time and energy in useless meetings with the Israeli occupation government that is intent on destroying our people's will."
Reporter's Note: This report is partly drawn from word of mouth of relatives
and friends, and partly from Radio Tariq Mahabbeh (you can listen to the
radio station at: http://www.tmfm.net ).
The People of Nablus appeal to you to declare today (Saturday, Jan. 3rd), tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 4th), and Monday, Jan. 5th international days in solidarity with the people in Nablus and Palestine.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
(1) Contact Israeli offices around the world and demand an immediate lift to the siege! For a list of Israeli embassies around the world, please see: http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/israel1.htm
(2) Call media outlets and ask why they are ignoring the news of Nablus, Balata and Beit Foreek.
(3) Organize protests outside Israeli government offices calling for an end to the occupation.
(4) Demand that governments around the world hold Israel accountable for its actions that violate every single standard of international and human rights law.
(5) Call for divestment from companies that conduct business with Israel.
(6) WRITE LETTERS!
Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister pm_eng@pmo.gov.il
Shaul Mofaz, Minister of Defense sar@mod.gov.il
Sallai Meridor, Chairman of the Executive,
World Zionist Organization/Jewish Agency sallaim@jazo.org.il
Josh Schwarcz, Secretary General, The Jewish Agency joshs@jazo.org.il
Itzhak Elyashive, Director-General, Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael info@kkl.org.il
Copy to the following UN Special Rapporteurs:
Mr. John Dugard, SR on the Situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories dtopali.hchr@unog.ch
Mr. Miloon Kothari, SR on the Right to Adequate Housing cmoller@ohchr.org
Mr. Jean Ziegler, SR on the Right to Food dbhagwandin@ohchr.org
(7) For Israeli and Jewish groups who refuse to let Israel brutalize Palestinians in their name, in particular, we send you the warmest greetings of solidarity and support. We know that you do not condone these ugly and brutal actions; we are conscious that you are not part of this racist and colonialist policy. We are not two different sides. We are rather one in our common struggle for justice in Palestine, for an end to the occupation, for peace for all. Together with all those fighting for justice everywhere, we will create a transformative world; for we dare to imagine the impossible.
In solidarity,
Rabab Abdulhadi
Rabab Abdulhadi
Nablus, Palestine
====================================================================
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
1) ISM's Laura Gordon available to speak
2) ISM Rafah's December Zine online
3) A photo exhibit about Rafah
4) Jerusalem Post on the arrest of soldier who shot Tom Hurndall
--------------------------------------
1) Laura Gordon available to speak
ISM's Laura Gordon, 21, is a Jewish American from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who has been living in Rafah of the Gaza Strip since March 18, two days after the murder of Rachel Corrie. Her reports have helped us get a bit of news from this neglected part of the world, where the Israeli military denies access to the international community while continually bombing the Palestinian civilians and denying them access to work, food, shelter, education and life. Laura is currently writing a book about her experience in Rafah, to be published in 2004.
After 10 months, Laura is set to leave the Gaza Strip soon, and will be available to speak about her experiences around the US (and perhaps internationally) beginning in mid-April. If you would like to organize an event in your area for Laura to speak about life in Rafah, please contact her at: horia@riseup.net
2) ISM RAFAH'S DECEMBER ZINE, available for downloads on Electronic Intifada, at: http://electronicIntifada.net/downloads/pdf/ISMrafahZineDec2003.pdf
3) A photo exhibit about Rafah
http://www.zonezero.com/exposiciones/fotografos/rafiqui/index.html
4) Jerusalem Post on the arrest of soldier who shot Tom Hurndall
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename==JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid= 73026144172&p= 08596981749
Jan. 2, 2004
Hurndall's mom: 'the truth needs to come out'
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
On New Years day, Jocelyn Hurndall held her son Tom's hand as he lay in a vegetative state in a London hospital and told him that the IDF soldier who shot him, had finally confessed.
She did not expect any response from Tom, 22, a British photography student, who has been in a coma since he was shot in the head on April 11, in the Rafah refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip.
Witnesses said he was pushing children out of the line of IDF gunfire, when a bullet hit him in the forehead.
"I blessed him, and I held his hand, and told him that we were very proud of him and I did tell him that the soldier who had shot him had now been arrested," she said.
Hurndall came to Israel in April to volunteer for the pro-Palestinian activist group, the International Solidarity Movement, after acting as a human shield in Iraq.
In both Iraq and Israel he was also working on a photography project for his degree course at Manchester Metropolitan University. On the day of his death, he emailed on his professors telling her how excited he was about pictures he was compiling and that he would be back in England soon.
Photographs he took in the last days of his life show children playing in the ruins of bullet riddled and bombed homes in Rafah.
Hurndall, who is clinically brain dead, is not expected to live much longer.
Since April, the Hurndall family has sought information regarding their son's death and worked to dispute initial IDF reports that their son was armed.
While in Israel, tending to Tom as he lay in a Beersheba hospital in the weeks following the shooting, the family put together its own investigation. They conducted interviews and compiled photographs as well as a ballistics and forensic report.
"These were a wide cross section of people who were present, international journalists and members of the ISM. Not a single eye witness statement said there was resistance fire in complete contrast to the original statement of the soldier," said Jocelyn.
After so much resistance and misinformation from the IDF, Jocelyn was startled, on the morning of the 31st to get a phone call from the British Foreign Office while she sat at home working on her computer informing her of the soldiers arrest and confession. The soldier said he fired in the direction of an unarmed civilian as a deterrence measure.
"It came as a surprise. It has been a very long time coming," said Jocelyn. "We are, I suppose, at least pleased that a measure of truth has begun to come out. It is an important step, but it is a first step. There is a long way to go yet, there is a lot more truth that needs to come out," said Jocelyn.
"We knew from the onset that this was unlawful killing," said Jocelyn. Still, she said, there was something about hearing the IDF's admission after all these months of claiming otherwise, that made her angry.
"It is the first day since Tom was shot that I have begun to feel anger. I have always kept myself very under control," said Jocelyn.
She can't help but note the way that the IDF treats foreigners and Palestinians compared with Israelis.
It took the IDF only 24 hours to launch an investigation into the shooting of an Israeli activist protesting the security fence last month, while her family waited many months for the army to consider that an investigation was necessary, said Jocelyn. Even worse she said, is the way the shooting of innocent Palestinians and other human rights abuses is not taken seriously.
"Palestinians are not children of a lesser God," she said.
As a British citizen, she was able to speak up and be heard, she said. "If we had not made a great deal of fuss, absolutely nothing would have been done by the IDF and we would have had to been content with a fabrication of the IDF field report," said Jocelyn.
She said she hoped that there would be a "level" of openness in the continuing investigation into her son's shooting. "We would like to see the final report. It has not been an open report to date," said Jocelyn.
She is also concerned about the punishment meted out to the soldier. On one hand she wants to make sure that it is appropriate given the fact that her son is expected to die from his injuries.
At the same time she worries that the soldier will be made a scapegoat for what she describes as a "culture of impunity" within the IDF.
"I hope that the message being given to every Israeli commander and soldier is that they can not shoot with impunity and they are accountable for their actions," said Jocelyn.
She isn't satisfied with the soldier's statement that his was a deterrence shot, given the sophistication of the telescopic lenses used by the IDF. "It is simply not credible that a shot through the center of a forehead could be mistaken for anything other than an intended shot to kill or maim," said Jocelyn.
"We believe very firmly that the soldier is just one example of an overwhelming number of examples that show that the IDF has come to believe that they can get away with shooting with impunity, that is not acceptable in any state," said Jocelyn.
It has been a hard holiday season for her family, which includes three other children; Sophie 24, Billy, 18 and Freddie 13.
"We have just had a Christmas and New Years without his [Tom's] wit, laughter and intelligence," said Jocelyn, adding that she knows they are not the only ones suffering.
"I am reminded of so many Palestinians and Israeli families who likewise have had to go through the New Year without some member of their family," said Jocelyn.
She also noted that her son is not the only British citizen harmed by IDF gunfire. Cameraman James Miller, 34 was fatally shot by IDF gunfire as soldiers responded to Palestinian gunfire in May, 2003.
In November, 2002, UN aid worker Iain Hook was fatally shot by the IDF, while they aimed at Palestinian gunmen shooting from inside the compound of the UNRWA in Jenin.
Other ISM members have also been harmed by the IDF in the last year. In March, 2003, US college student Rachel Corrie, 23, was killed while trying to stop an IDF bulldozer in Rafah. Her death was ruled, "accidental." On April 5, US activist, Brian Avery, 24, was shot in the face in Jenin by IDF soldiers. He is recovering from his injuries.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
Please also see the Palestine Monitor: http://www.palestinemonitor.org
MORE UPDATES
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
1. Nablus: Contrary to how the media is reporting it
2. Update on activists arrested in Budrus
3. Update from Budrus
==============================================
1) Nablus: Contrary to how the media is reporting it
January 4, 2004
Kelly B.
Nablus
Yesterday 4 boys were killed in nablus, and one more in critical condition in the hospital.
All within an hour, Rawhi Shuman (19) Amer Arafat (26) and Amjed al-Masri (15) were shot and killed in the downtown Nablus area. Rawhi was hiding behind a taxi, waiting for soldiers to pass so that he could continue down the road. Amer was near a taxi stand, doing business and talking to customers. Friends of mine talked to him 5 minutes before he was shot; they were talking about getting a taxi. After the soldiers shot him, they gathered around the body and demanded to everyone that they show them the gun. There was no gun, or anything that would look like a gun.
Amjed was with a group of young shebab throwing stones at invading IOF jeeps.
Two hours later a shahid march went through the city. During shahid march's people carry the bodies of the deceased to the city center, to the family's home and mosque, and then to the cemetary. Amjed's cousin, Mohammad al-Masri (22) was carrying Amjed's body when he was shot directly in the head. He died shortly after. IOF forces opened fire on the demonstration, killing Mohammad and seriously injuring three more. Mohammad's sister was standing next to me during the march - she was crying but said the grief hadn't completely been realized yet. She lost her cousin and then her brother during the funeral, in a matter of hours.
Most of this is not reported in the news. Ha'aretz
< http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/378976.html > reported that four people were killed in the bloodiest confrontations in Nablus in months. They claimed that two of the killed men had pistols, and one had a molotov cocktail. According to eyewitnesses on the scene, including myself and other international colleagues, these claims are all complete fabrications. Haaretz's information is given to them by the IOF.
An AP photo on yahoo news
< http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?c==news_photos&p==nablus >
carries the caption "soldier guards another soldier who aids a palestinian medic.." Again, my friends were present at the scene. They were aiding medics who were helping the man who was shot, and the same soldiers who shot the man approached the group. The soldier looked at the body, asked where he was shot (the chest) and replied "good." He then disrupted the volunteers work and began threatening and searching everyone.
A fifth person died today - one of men that was shot during the funeral procession. He was shot in the eye, straight into the head, and died in the hospital today. I don't have words for what is happening - today Nablus continues to be under seige. In a half an hour there will be another shahid march for the two killed during the funeral procession yesterday.
kelly
2) Update on Activists Arrested at Budrus
Frederick Batzler (Swedish activist with the ISM) and Katheryn (Kate) Raphael (American activist with the IWPS) are still awaiting a deportation hearing. Frederick is being held in the Ariel Police Station and Kate in the Khadera Police Station.
Their attorney, Gaby Lasky, is currently negotiating with her clients and the state of Israel. The state attorney initiated the negotiations and told Ms. Lasky that Israel wanted to settle the activists' cases out of court.
Gustav Fridolin, a Member of Swedish Parliament and ISM activist, and Kimberley Anne Gray (American – IWPS) were also arrested with Frederick and Kate, but they agreed to return to their home countries after the state of Israel dropped the deportation orders against them. Frederick and Kate continue to challenge these deportation orders.
3) Update from Budrus, Ramallah District
The nonviolent resistance will continue against the Israeli Apartheid Wall.
Since January 1, the Israeli army has continued to send jeeps into and out of the village in order to alert Budrus to its presence and try to frighten the villagers into ending their peaceful demonstrations.
In addition to the 4 villagers, men ranging from ages 16 to 20, arrested on January 1 for unspecified connections to the protests in Budrus, two other men were arrested in the early morning hours of January 3 and 4. The army claimed they were leaders of the village and responsible for organizing the nonviolent resistance. Four other men in the village were arrested one month ago because of their (peaceful) activity in organizing against the Wall.
Construction vehicles again began work on January 4. While no further trees were destroyed, the existing road was smoothed and further prepared for the construction of the Wall. The people of Budrus, along with international and Israeli supporters, again marched peacefully to the proposed site of Wall construction until Israeli border police followed the demonstration into the village and began searching house to house for men to arrest. Rubber bullets were used to disperse the protesters, and at least 10 people were injured by rubber bullets. One British activist and one American activist sustained injuries from rubber bullets. One Palestinian protester sustained serious injuries after being taken into a jeep and beaten by Israeli border police officers.
On January 5, construction workers continued working on the road, again not destroying any more trees. The villagers made a decision to not continue the daily demonstrations unless more trees are destroyed for the construction of the Wall.
The Israeli army continues to harass the people of Budrus and escalate the level of violence in the area. This is all in response to nonviolent resistance that poses no threat to Israeli security. The Wall would capture and surround Budrus and 8 other neighboring villages inside an enclave. These villages would be left without the necessary services for survival and no freedom of movement. They would be separate from the rest of the West Bank, including Ramallah, their main educational, commercial and medical center.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
Israeli Invasion of Nablus Continues
January 5, 2004
The West bank city of Nablus has now been under constant attack for 20 days. On Saturday, four Palestinians were killed and a fifth left brain-dead after being shot in the head with live ammunition. This brings the number of Palestinians killed in Nablus during this offensive to 14 and counting. Israeli soldiers have attacked peaceful demonstrations and even a funeral.
For the full report, please visit the Palestine Monitor: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/updates/Israeli_invasion_of_Nablus_continues.htm
Palestinian History in Nablus Bulldozed
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story.php?sid=20040104205714652
Please scroll down for the following UPDATES from the
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
1. Nablus: Contrary to how the media is reporting it
2. Update on activists arrested in Budrus
3. Update from Budrus
*Greetings from Nablus Under Siege*. (Received Saturday 3 January 2004)
Nablus has been under siege for the last 10 days while Balata refugee camp has been under siege for the last 18 consecutive days. We have just heard that every single entrance/exit to Balata has been sealed off completely.
No food or medicine is allowed in. Medical relief teams are being obstructed and at times completely prevented from passing through.
Activists from ISM (the International Solidarity Movement) were attacked while carrying out their missions to observe and bear witness on what the Israeli occupation authorities are brutalizing the Palestinian population. Beit Foreek has been completely sealed off; its mayor reports that there are signs of starvation.
Two men and a boy were killed by Israeli military fire since this morning. The first, Amjad Bilal Masri is a 15 year old boy who was shot while standing in front of his house. The sniper bullet hit Amjad in the back. He died on his way to the hospital. The second is Amer Kathym Arafat who was also shot in the back by a sniper bullet. The third is Rouhi Hazem Shouman, 25, who was also shot in the back by a sniper.
Ms. Majida Masri, spokeswomen for the Coordinating Committee of Palestinian Political Faction, called a couple of minutes ago on all Nabulis who are able to get to Rafidiya Hospital to defy the curfew and join the families of the martyrs in a collective funeral for the three.
"They were all shot in the back by cowardly snipers. Their only crime was to refuse to succumb to Israeli occupation designs to empty Palestine from its people."
Reports from Balata indicate that a deliberate starvation campaign is being carried by the Israeli military which has sealed off the Camp and refuses to allow food and medicine to get through every single allyway, formal or informal entrances. A few days ago, the Israeli military shot and injured 4 people who were walking a funeral for an old woman who passed away. No demonstrations or political events were taking place in or around the funeral.
The siege of the old city of Nablus and its neighborhoods (Yasmeeneh, Qaryoun, Habaleh) has been intensified since December 30, 2003. The Israeli military claims that they were looking for the leader of the Aksa Martyrs Brigade, Abu Sharkh. They took his brother and wife as hostages, paraded the wife in a jeep in the old city and forced her to call out to her husband over loud speakers to surrender in return for her freedom. She has been released only yesterday.
No one can get into the old city, but Dr. Ghassan Hamdan of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committee, who is in the old city has called on the whole world to immediately intervene to support the people of Nablus. He condemned media outlets for neglecting to cover what's going on, including the largest Palestinian daily, Al-Quds, which has not reported on what's going in Nablus in its front page.
Dr. Hamdan criticized the Palestinian Authority who have not done anything to aid Nablus and demanded that "Abu Alaa, the Palestinian Prime Minister, hold a ministrial meeting in Nablus to highlight the horrible conditions the city is experiencing under this brutal Israeli campaign."
We have just heard explosions in the old city. It was in Qaryoun neighborhood inside the Abdelhadi Palace that houses 75 people.
The Palace, built 400 years ago, is a waqf, endowed by Mahmoud Abdelhadi for the use of Abdelhadi women who have no place to live and no sources of income (widows, single women who do not work or have no income, and women whose main breadwinners are disabled).
The Israeli military has ordered the 75 people to vacate the palace at 3:30 in the mooring and left them out in the cold. Mr. Aslan, a neighbor, invited and took in all the 75 people and offered them hospitality and warmth. The families are scattered throughout the old city (before the more strict siege) and unable to go home.
Dr. Mahdi Abdelhadi, Director of PASSIA, has gone to the Israeli supreme court. The Court ordered an injunction against the destruction of the Palace but the military appealed the decision and received a permission from the court to destroy this historic building "if security needs call for such action." This also requires your immediate attention.
Nablus has been split again into two parts near Maha's Gate, which is named after Mrs. Maha Nimr who lived nearby and whose son has been arrested and is currently being interrogated in Ofer settlement prison (near Ramallah); no family members or lawyers are allowed to see him until the "interrogation is
completed."
"Tora Bora," as the residents call it, is the mount of dirt Israeli occupation army has compiled near the destroyed Governate of Nablus (as well as the prison that was bombed with prisoners inside in 2002 resulting in the killing of 10 Palestinian policemen who were guarding the prison).
Tora Bora literally separates the two parts of the city and no one can come or go without risking being shot at by the Israeli military. Children (including my own nephew Ibrahim and nieces Widad, Noura, and Nada who live in the eastern part beyond Tora Bora) have been risking their lives to get to school to take their final exams. Ibrahim, 10 years old, and other kids almost got killed on December 23, 2003 as they tried to get home. He was finally able to reach his home a few hours later and only after the international media, medical relief workers, my other brother, Amer, and Amal, my sister-in-law and Ibrahim's mother risked their lives, argued with the soldiers and insisted on getting all the kids home across a checkpoint.
Mustapha Barghouti has described the bloody campaign against Nablus as a "real war on this city whose other name, the Mountain of Fire, has basis in the steadfastness of Palestinians and their refusal to allow the Israeli military to break the Palestinian collective will to continue struggling for their rights."
"There is a completely news blockage of what's going in Nablus," Barghouti added, explaining that lack of news coverage has to do with "the negligence of the Palestinian Authority, PA, to assume its responsibility for the protection
of the population."
"Instead," Barghouti added, "the PA is wasting time and energy in useless meetings with the Israeli occupation government that is intent on destroying our people's will."
Reporter's Note: This report is partly drawn from word of mouth of relatives
and friends, and partly from Radio Tariq Mahabbeh (you can listen to the
radio station at: http://www.tmfm.net ).
The People of Nablus appeal to you to declare today (Saturday, Jan. 3rd), tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 4th), and Monday, Jan. 5th international days in solidarity with the people in Nablus and Palestine.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
(1) Contact Israeli offices around the world and demand an immediate lift to the siege! For a list of Israeli embassies around the world, please see: http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/israel1.htm
(2) Call media outlets and ask why they are ignoring the news of Nablus, Balata and Beit Foreek.
(3) Organize protests outside Israeli government offices calling for an end to the occupation.
(4) Demand that governments around the world hold Israel accountable for its actions that violate every single standard of international and human rights law.
(5) Call for divestment from companies that conduct business with Israel.
(6) WRITE LETTERS!
Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister pm_eng@pmo.gov.il
Shaul Mofaz, Minister of Defense sar@mod.gov.il
Sallai Meridor, Chairman of the Executive,
World Zionist Organization/Jewish Agency sallaim@jazo.org.il
Josh Schwarcz, Secretary General, The Jewish Agency joshs@jazo.org.il
Itzhak Elyashive, Director-General, Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael info@kkl.org.il
Copy to the following UN Special Rapporteurs:
Mr. John Dugard, SR on the Situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories dtopali.hchr@unog.ch
Mr. Miloon Kothari, SR on the Right to Adequate Housing cmoller@ohchr.org
Mr. Jean Ziegler, SR on the Right to Food dbhagwandin@ohchr.org
(7) For Israeli and Jewish groups who refuse to let Israel brutalize Palestinians in their name, in particular, we send you the warmest greetings of solidarity and support. We know that you do not condone these ugly and brutal actions; we are conscious that you are not part of this racist and colonialist policy. We are not two different sides. We are rather one in our common struggle for justice in Palestine, for an end to the occupation, for peace for all. Together with all those fighting for justice everywhere, we will create a transformative world; for we dare to imagine the impossible.
In solidarity,
Rabab Abdulhadi
Rabab Abdulhadi
Nablus, Palestine
====================================================================
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
1) ISM's Laura Gordon available to speak
2) ISM Rafah's December Zine online
3) A photo exhibit about Rafah
4) Jerusalem Post on the arrest of soldier who shot Tom Hurndall
--------------------------------------
1) Laura Gordon available to speak
ISM's Laura Gordon, 21, is a Jewish American from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who has been living in Rafah of the Gaza Strip since March 18, two days after the murder of Rachel Corrie. Her reports have helped us get a bit of news from this neglected part of the world, where the Israeli military denies access to the international community while continually bombing the Palestinian civilians and denying them access to work, food, shelter, education and life. Laura is currently writing a book about her experience in Rafah, to be published in 2004.
After 10 months, Laura is set to leave the Gaza Strip soon, and will be available to speak about her experiences around the US (and perhaps internationally) beginning in mid-April. If you would like to organize an event in your area for Laura to speak about life in Rafah, please contact her at: horia@riseup.net
2) ISM RAFAH'S DECEMBER ZINE, available for downloads on Electronic Intifada, at: http://electronicIntifada.net/downloads/pdf/ISMrafahZineDec2003.pdf
3) A photo exhibit about Rafah
http://www.zonezero.com/exposiciones/fotografos/rafiqui/index.html
4) Jerusalem Post on the arrest of soldier who shot Tom Hurndall
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename==JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid= 73026144172&p= 08596981749
Jan. 2, 2004
Hurndall's mom: 'the truth needs to come out'
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
On New Years day, Jocelyn Hurndall held her son Tom's hand as he lay in a vegetative state in a London hospital and told him that the IDF soldier who shot him, had finally confessed.
She did not expect any response from Tom, 22, a British photography student, who has been in a coma since he was shot in the head on April 11, in the Rafah refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip.
Witnesses said he was pushing children out of the line of IDF gunfire, when a bullet hit him in the forehead.
"I blessed him, and I held his hand, and told him that we were very proud of him and I did tell him that the soldier who had shot him had now been arrested," she said.
Hurndall came to Israel in April to volunteer for the pro-Palestinian activist group, the International Solidarity Movement, after acting as a human shield in Iraq.
In both Iraq and Israel he was also working on a photography project for his degree course at Manchester Metropolitan University. On the day of his death, he emailed on his professors telling her how excited he was about pictures he was compiling and that he would be back in England soon.
Photographs he took in the last days of his life show children playing in the ruins of bullet riddled and bombed homes in Rafah.
Hurndall, who is clinically brain dead, is not expected to live much longer.
Since April, the Hurndall family has sought information regarding their son's death and worked to dispute initial IDF reports that their son was armed.
While in Israel, tending to Tom as he lay in a Beersheba hospital in the weeks following the shooting, the family put together its own investigation. They conducted interviews and compiled photographs as well as a ballistics and forensic report.
"These were a wide cross section of people who were present, international journalists and members of the ISM. Not a single eye witness statement said there was resistance fire in complete contrast to the original statement of the soldier," said Jocelyn.
After so much resistance and misinformation from the IDF, Jocelyn was startled, on the morning of the 31st to get a phone call from the British Foreign Office while she sat at home working on her computer informing her of the soldiers arrest and confession. The soldier said he fired in the direction of an unarmed civilian as a deterrence measure.
"It came as a surprise. It has been a very long time coming," said Jocelyn. "We are, I suppose, at least pleased that a measure of truth has begun to come out. It is an important step, but it is a first step. There is a long way to go yet, there is a lot more truth that needs to come out," said Jocelyn.
"We knew from the onset that this was unlawful killing," said Jocelyn. Still, she said, there was something about hearing the IDF's admission after all these months of claiming otherwise, that made her angry.
"It is the first day since Tom was shot that I have begun to feel anger. I have always kept myself very under control," said Jocelyn.
She can't help but note the way that the IDF treats foreigners and Palestinians compared with Israelis.
It took the IDF only 24 hours to launch an investigation into the shooting of an Israeli activist protesting the security fence last month, while her family waited many months for the army to consider that an investigation was necessary, said Jocelyn. Even worse she said, is the way the shooting of innocent Palestinians and other human rights abuses is not taken seriously.
"Palestinians are not children of a lesser God," she said.
As a British citizen, she was able to speak up and be heard, she said. "If we had not made a great deal of fuss, absolutely nothing would have been done by the IDF and we would have had to been content with a fabrication of the IDF field report," said Jocelyn.
She said she hoped that there would be a "level" of openness in the continuing investigation into her son's shooting. "We would like to see the final report. It has not been an open report to date," said Jocelyn.
She is also concerned about the punishment meted out to the soldier. On one hand she wants to make sure that it is appropriate given the fact that her son is expected to die from his injuries.
At the same time she worries that the soldier will be made a scapegoat for what she describes as a "culture of impunity" within the IDF.
"I hope that the message being given to every Israeli commander and soldier is that they can not shoot with impunity and they are accountable for their actions," said Jocelyn.
She isn't satisfied with the soldier's statement that his was a deterrence shot, given the sophistication of the telescopic lenses used by the IDF. "It is simply not credible that a shot through the center of a forehead could be mistaken for anything other than an intended shot to kill or maim," said Jocelyn.
"We believe very firmly that the soldier is just one example of an overwhelming number of examples that show that the IDF has come to believe that they can get away with shooting with impunity, that is not acceptable in any state," said Jocelyn.
It has been a hard holiday season for her family, which includes three other children; Sophie 24, Billy, 18 and Freddie 13.
"We have just had a Christmas and New Years without his [Tom's] wit, laughter and intelligence," said Jocelyn, adding that she knows they are not the only ones suffering.
"I am reminded of so many Palestinians and Israeli families who likewise have had to go through the New Year without some member of their family," said Jocelyn.
She also noted that her son is not the only British citizen harmed by IDF gunfire. Cameraman James Miller, 34 was fatally shot by IDF gunfire as soldiers responded to Palestinian gunfire in May, 2003.
In November, 2002, UN aid worker Iain Hook was fatally shot by the IDF, while they aimed at Palestinian gunmen shooting from inside the compound of the UNRWA in Jenin.
Other ISM members have also been harmed by the IDF in the last year. In March, 2003, US college student Rachel Corrie, 23, was killed while trying to stop an IDF bulldozer in Rafah. Her death was ruled, "accidental." On April 5, US activist, Brian Avery, 24, was shot in the face in Jenin by IDF soldiers. He is recovering from his injuries.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
Please also see the Palestine Monitor: http://www.palestinemonitor.org
MORE UPDATES
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
1. Nablus: Contrary to how the media is reporting it
2. Update on activists arrested in Budrus
3. Update from Budrus
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1) Nablus: Contrary to how the media is reporting it
January 4, 2004
Kelly B.
Nablus
Yesterday 4 boys were killed in nablus, and one more in critical condition in the hospital.
All within an hour, Rawhi Shuman (19) Amer Arafat (26) and Amjed al-Masri (15) were shot and killed in the downtown Nablus area. Rawhi was hiding behind a taxi, waiting for soldiers to pass so that he could continue down the road. Amer was near a taxi stand, doing business and talking to customers. Friends of mine talked to him 5 minutes before he was shot; they were talking about getting a taxi. After the soldiers shot him, they gathered around the body and demanded to everyone that they show them the gun. There was no gun, or anything that would look like a gun.
Amjed was with a group of young shebab throwing stones at invading IOF jeeps.
Two hours later a shahid march went through the city. During shahid march's people carry the bodies of the deceased to the city center, to the family's home and mosque, and then to the cemetary. Amjed's cousin, Mohammad al-Masri (22) was carrying Amjed's body when he was shot directly in the head. He died shortly after. IOF forces opened fire on the demonstration, killing Mohammad and seriously injuring three more. Mohammad's sister was standing next to me during the march - she was crying but said the grief hadn't completely been realized yet. She lost her cousin and then her brother during the funeral, in a matter of hours.
Most of this is not reported in the news. Ha'aretz
< http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/378976.html > reported that four people were killed in the bloodiest confrontations in Nablus in months. They claimed that two of the killed men had pistols, and one had a molotov cocktail. According to eyewitnesses on the scene, including myself and other international colleagues, these claims are all complete fabrications. Haaretz's information is given to them by the IOF.
An AP photo on yahoo news
< http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?c==news_photos&p==nablus >
carries the caption "soldier guards another soldier who aids a palestinian medic.." Again, my friends were present at the scene. They were aiding medics who were helping the man who was shot, and the same soldiers who shot the man approached the group. The soldier looked at the body, asked where he was shot (the chest) and replied "good." He then disrupted the volunteers work and began threatening and searching everyone.
A fifth person died today - one of men that was shot during the funeral procession. He was shot in the eye, straight into the head, and died in the hospital today. I don't have words for what is happening - today Nablus continues to be under seige. In a half an hour there will be another shahid march for the two killed during the funeral procession yesterday.
kelly
2) Update on Activists Arrested at Budrus
Frederick Batzler (Swedish activist with the ISM) and Katheryn (Kate) Raphael (American activist with the IWPS) are still awaiting a deportation hearing. Frederick is being held in the Ariel Police Station and Kate in the Khadera Police Station.
Their attorney, Gaby Lasky, is currently negotiating with her clients and the state of Israel. The state attorney initiated the negotiations and told Ms. Lasky that Israel wanted to settle the activists' cases out of court.
Gustav Fridolin, a Member of Swedish Parliament and ISM activist, and Kimberley Anne Gray (American – IWPS) were also arrested with Frederick and Kate, but they agreed to return to their home countries after the state of Israel dropped the deportation orders against them. Frederick and Kate continue to challenge these deportation orders.
3) Update from Budrus, Ramallah District
The nonviolent resistance will continue against the Israeli Apartheid Wall.
Since January 1, the Israeli army has continued to send jeeps into and out of the village in order to alert Budrus to its presence and try to frighten the villagers into ending their peaceful demonstrations.
In addition to the 4 villagers, men ranging from ages 16 to 20, arrested on January 1 for unspecified connections to the protests in Budrus, two other men were arrested in the early morning hours of January 3 and 4. The army claimed they were leaders of the village and responsible for organizing the nonviolent resistance. Four other men in the village were arrested one month ago because of their (peaceful) activity in organizing against the Wall.
Construction vehicles again began work on January 4. While no further trees were destroyed, the existing road was smoothed and further prepared for the construction of the Wall. The people of Budrus, along with international and Israeli supporters, again marched peacefully to the proposed site of Wall construction until Israeli border police followed the demonstration into the village and began searching house to house for men to arrest. Rubber bullets were used to disperse the protesters, and at least 10 people were injured by rubber bullets. One British activist and one American activist sustained injuries from rubber bullets. One Palestinian protester sustained serious injuries after being taken into a jeep and beaten by Israeli border police officers.
On January 5, construction workers continued working on the road, again not destroying any more trees. The villagers made a decision to not continue the daily demonstrations unless more trees are destroyed for the construction of the Wall.
The Israeli army continues to harass the people of Budrus and escalate the level of violence in the area. This is all in response to nonviolent resistance that poses no threat to Israeli security. The Wall would capture and surround Budrus and 8 other neighboring villages inside an enclave. These villages would be left without the necessary services for survival and no freedom of movement. They would be separate from the rest of the West Bank, including Ramallah, their main educational, commercial and medical center.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org