1-Another article that will soon join all the other unnewsworthy stories
that I have written to date, and be forgotten. (Drew
Penland-Tulkarem-Palestine)
2-Israeli Terrorism (Kevin Clark-Nablus-Palestine)
3-Two days in Nablus (Jeremy-Nablus-Palestine)
4-Personal accounts of the villagers of Yanoun (Jermey-Yanon-Palestine)
5-Army imprisons CO Ben-Artzi AGAIN - please protest AGAIN (Gush Shalom)
1-Another article that will soon join all the other unnewsworthy stories that I have written to date, and be forgotten.
To see the article with pictures, please see: http://ender.indymedia.org/ism-vancouver/archives/000035.htm Date: January 15 2003 Area: Tulkarem Author: Drew Penland
Two youths were murdered today in my town. The first, a boy of 17 named Mohi was shot crossing the street in the wee hours of the night at the mouth of Tulkarem refugee camp. Israeli soldiers riddled his body with bullets, shooting from an armoured personnel carrier (APC). He was pronounced dead on arrival at Tulkarem hospital.
Then, this morning there was a lot of noise downtown as the occupation forces attempted to impose an illegal curfew. They tear gassed the schools and stopped people in the streets and told them to remove their clothes and lay down on the road.
The Palestinians are a people without an army, but today the youth resisted valiantly - throwing rocks and molotov cocktails in an attempt to drive these war vehicles out of this populated area. On several occasions Israeli soldiers fired automatic weapons at the youth. At one point someone called out that someone had been shot. We rushed down an alley to a place where one youth was carrying another in his arms. The shot youth, Haza, was carried to a truck and brought to Tulkarem hospital. Haza, 16, had been shot in the heart.
At the hospital I wanted to get a photo of this young boy as doctors struggled unsuccessfully to bring him back from the brink. But my digital camera had no remaining space. So, I went back through the camera's memory and was forced to delete some other photos. I deleted beautiful sunsets, children playing, kids learning at school.
I filled the space with faces, the victims of the Israeli occupation. For Palestinians it is the same. Without an end to this brutal occupation life cannot be filled with happiness. The learning, the sunsets, the playing, all the joys of life are overshadowed by those faces. One young boy out late at night crossing a road. Shot dead senselessly. Another young boy dying in defense of his embattled country. A rock thrower, yes. And a student, a son, a brother. No less a child.
After the incident, our Palestinian ISM Coordinator for the region frantically tried to contact news agencies, visibly on the edge, about this latest in the many tragedies that take place here. Time and again he was told that the killing of Palestinians was not newsworthy. In fact, very little of what is happening to Palestinians is worthy of any news media attention.
We in the West live in a time of closed ears, closed eyes, closed mouths... a time of willed ignorance. Look at these faces and tell me there is nothing wrong with the Israeli occupation. Tell me their violent deaths and their families' grief is not newsworthy. Tell me these children's lives and their senseless murders are not madness.
Drew Penland is available for interviews over the phone and via email. For information, to arrange interviews or to support ISM efforts please contact Reem Alnuweiri, ISM-Vancouver Coordinator by email at: ism-vancouver@palsolidarity.org For more information about ISM-Vancouver see: http://www.ism-vancouver.org For the latest eyewitness reports see: ender.indymedia.org/ism-vancouver =========================================================================2-Israeli Terrorism Date: January 16, 2003 Area: Nablus Author: Kevin Clark
Everyday of my stay here in Nablus has been full of contradictions. The corporate news media in the U.S. is quick to announce every "terrorist" act that Palestinians take to fight the occupation of their country by the Israeli military but that same news media turns a blind eye to the terrorism used by the Sharon regime to crush the resistance struggle. During my time here, I have personally witnessed Palestinians standing at military checkpoints for 4-5 hours at a time, ambulances with patients held for up to an hour or longer at the checkpoints, Israeli soldiers firing live rounds at stone throwing youth, people running in fear of IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces) snipers hidden on the surrounding mountains, roadblocks to make the daily struggle to exist more of a hardship and the psychological fear inflicted on the families of the Tel Aviv "suicide bombers" that wait in fear of the IOF appearing to demolish their homes in retaliation.
Last evening, I along with two young "internationals”, stayed at the home of one of the Tel Aviv Martyrs’ families to protect them should the IOF appear to demolish their home. This is the same home that I have stayed in several nights and have been honored by their warmth. This morning at approximately 4AM, I had a sense that something was wrong and a few seconds later the sound of a car motor prompted me to look out the window as 6 military vehicles pulled up in front of the home. We quickly awaken the family and got them away from windows that could be shattered by bullets. The three ISM (International Solidarity Movement) volunteers took our positions in windows and witnessed the soldiers with M16 rifles enter a home across the street to arrest a young man. They took the man out to a waiting jeep with a hood over his head and handcuffs around his wrists. The family we were staying with was able to go back to bed after the IOF left the area but the lingering fear remains that they will return again on one night soon to demolish their home. ISM volunteers have vowed to maintain a presence in the home for as long as necessary.
Despite the horrors generated by the Sharon government and the IOF, I have also witnessed the incredible strength of the Palestinian people and their determination to resist this illegal occupation of their country. Old women at checkpoints confront IOF soldiers that allow them to cross in the morning but later that same day tell them they cannot return home that afternoon because the checkpoint has been closed arbitrarily. Stone throwing youth confront the heavily armed IOF with the only weapon available to them knowing that they risk death or arrest. People defying curfew to visit friends or in several instances assist ISM volunteers get from one point to another. The Palestinian people face the fourth largest military machine in the world without an army of their own but their spirit of resistance will not be broken.
As my time here in Palestine quickly ticks away, I am full of sadness at the thought of leaving the Palestinians that have treated this "American" with nothing except warmth and kindness. They, like the Vietnamese during that war, make a clear distinction between the U.S government and individual citizens. I am also sad to know that in the coming days, I will have to bid farewell to the ISM volunteers that have become comrades in the struggle. My fellow ISM volunteers are a "kick-ass" group from several countries that have made a strong commitment to stand in solidarity with the brave people of Palestine. One of my ISM co-workers will leave for Jenin tomorrow and she will be missed greatly since we developed a chemistry while working at the checkpoints that surround Nablus.
In closing, while this is my first visit to Palestine---it will not be my last. If I could find some way to stay here longer, I would jump at the opportunity. -Kevin Clark, P.O. Box 1622, Palatine, IL 60078 USA ===========================================================================3-Two days in Nablus Monday
At about 11.30, a group of seven of us arrived at Hawara checkpoint, fresh from ISM training in Betslahour near Bethlehem. Hawara is one of several checkpoints, probably the biggest, that surround Nablus. There was a queue of men and women trying with little success to get through. As the ISM had only two activists helping out, Hugh and myself volunteered to stay behind and give additional support to the Palestinians.
Most of the Palestinians had doctor’s notes, either asking the to attend a clinic or to pick up a prescription. Some had work permits for work in Ramallah or elsewhere. But the soldiers were not allowing anyone through except the old and the sick. Even then they were very selective.
Taking our cue from more experienced activists, we tried to help those who seemed particularly in need to get the soldiers’ attention and speed up the process (the soldiers would only process one at a time, claiming they were looking for terrorists). This might be successful for a few as some soldiers were more co-operative than others. Another problem was that when we did succeed, we felt we were jumping the queue and pissing off others with probably equal or even better claims for urgent help. When it got too messy we just backed off and let the Palestinians organise themselves.
Also at times the soldiers would become extremely aggressive towards us. I was told, “No! No! No! I don’t want to talk to you. You are pissing me off! Go away and take these people with you!” At times like these we backed off to see if the queue moved any quicker. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t. But overall, we felt that our presence did help speed up the process. Three or four hour waiting times were normal, nevertheless.
At about 3.30 Ellie, and later Tom came to relieve us. We walked into Balata to dump our bags and await further requests. They came within minutes. Another checkpoint, al-Masood, was at a complete standstill and there were no internationals there to help. Hugh, Lena, Kevin and I took a taxi to al-Masoud. A by-note about Nablus. A city of around 100,000, it was under seige for about 6 months last year and is now subject to nightly curfews from 7 till 6 and checkpoints which effectively cut it off from the rest of the West Bank. There are bombed out buildings all over the place, with the smell of open sewage in some of the roads. Internal roadblocks also divide the city (which has four main areas: Balata, a bustling refugee camp; the Old City with the main mosque, wide boulevards and of course the famous 15th century Turkish baths; Ascar, a working class suburb; and a high suburb on the mountainside overlooking the old city).
The taxi took us on quite an amazing ride, including cutting through a bombed out building on the way. The driver left us just short of the checkpoint – no drivers will take you within sight of the soldiers for fear of being questioned, having their ID checked, stolen or even being detained, or arrested. And there we found about 12 women students unable to return to their village, Samal, after attending university. The soldiers – accompanied by an APC, which turned its engine every hour or so - were even worse here and refused to talk to any of us. Human rights paople were unable to help, nor were the IDF, both of whom we phoned. The students are in the middle of exams. We forced the soldiers to allow three or four men pass but not the students. Then another soldier came with a group of about 25 more students, men and women. The soldiers claimed that they were trying to cross the field without going through the checkpoint (the army has built a trench cutting three villages off from Nablus and they say it is illegal now to pass except at the checkpoint).
Now we were at a real deadlock. The students had exams at 8am and needed to get home. It was also approaching curfew (7pm). The soldiers would not listen to us and angrily chased the group of women students up the hillside telling them to go to Nablus. I put myself between the soldiers and the girls and went up with them. Most decided then to try their luck in Nablus. Thinking we were possibly preventing the soldiers from backing down, we retreated with a couple of the lads and a horse, laden with goods.
At this point, the soldiers let the remaining girls through but had a right go at the rest of the boys – about 20 in all (we had gone down with the brothers and the horse by this time). So we all went back into town, the lads and the horse (called Daywish) trying their luck in Ascar. As we arrived in Balata at about 9pm it was deserted as the curfew had began. A few lorries and street boys were hanging out in Balata, breaking the curfew. A truck driver came by and said there was a sniper on the hills exchanging fire with a resistance fighter.
Quickly Hugh, Lena, Kevin and myself decided to go up the hillside on the other side of Nablus to stay with the Noori and Hilefel families, which were targets for the army because the two Tel Aviv suicide bombers who had killed 23 Israelis last week came from there. Unbelievably a guy with a brand new sports car offered to give us a lift part way. Two others jumped on the boot for the ride.
At the Noori household Lena and Hugh got out and two young men from the Noori family gave us another lift to the Hilefel’s house further up. At the house we were greeted warmly by six members of the family (there are about 40 in all). We chatted, the youngest son in particular talking a lot to break the ice, before Kelly and Phil joined us. We then ate and played a game of chess. The young boy offered to sing for us and started saying, “Oh my God” in jest. When Phil told him off, again jokingly, a young woman translated for the mother, who then started laughing and repeating, “Oh my God!”
At night, myself and Kevin slept upstairs where we were prepared to chain ourselves to the wall in case the army came to demolish the house as a collective punishment. As it turned out nothing happened. We had a chip butty for breakfast and made our way to Balata for the morning meeting.
Tuesday
About 25 ISMers turned up for the morning meeting. We decided to unblock a road, which the army had blocked, cutting off part of the city, and then to hold a demonstration outside an occupied house near by.
Armed with shovels, picks and spades we set off in a series of taxis. At the road block we commenced our work, which was quite hard. To speed things up we worked in rotation and within a couple of hours we were ready for a test run. The car passed easily and we knew we had achieved some alleviation of the occupation. By this time we had attracted the attention of the shebab – the local kids from the school nearby. The locals were very appreciative of our work and thanked us.
Off we went, looking for the occupied house. Here we had a problem. This was potentially explosive and we didn’t want the kids getting in the way, throwing stones and getting gunfire in response. With some authoritative words we did get rid of them and walked across a field towards the house. The soldiers immediately rushed outside and demanded we stop. Suzanne led the way, just repeating, “I can’t hear you. What are you saying?” until we slowly reached the razor wire in front of the house. We immediately started chanting “End the occupation now!” and “Israeli soldiers go away! Palestinians here to stay!” But the situation was tense and the soldiers started asking for passports. We decided to quieten things down a bit.
We alternated chants with dialogue. One demand the family who had asked for the demo, was that the soldiers dropped their demand that the family remove their furniture – they had nowhere to store it. A number of interesting responses we got from the dialogue – some of which is captured on camera. “Geneva can go to hell!” in response to the accusation that they were exercising collective punishment; laughter at the slogan, “The Israeli state’s a racist state” followed by extreme annoyance when we suggested this was a bit ironic coming from Israeli Jews.
We felt we were getting nowhere, though one young seargent did tell me that they would not trash the joint and the furniture could stay. Could he be believed? I don’t know… After the action Hugh, Paul and myself went back to Balata, packed and had one more felafel sandwich for the journey to Yanoun. As we left the felafel stand to search for a taxi, some of the shebab started grabbing my coat and rucksack. I shook them off and then suddenly felt for my wallet. It had gone. Then I realised that they were telling me that I’d left it at the stand. As I ran back to collect it the owner was waving for me up the street. He handed it over with a smile and as I walked back to the others half a dozen people asked me on the way if I’d got my money. There must have been 500 sheckles in there and the whole camp refused to touch it and made sure I got it back. That’s the spirit of soilidarity! From Jeremy ======================================================================4-Personal accounts of the villagers of Yanoun
Adnan and Ahlem. Adnan and Ahlem were driving to Nablus at the start of the second intifada along the main highway which was acessable to palastinians at the time. It was a Friday afternoon (Sabbath) so Adnan thought that there would be no problem with settlers (road passes directly in front of Itimer settlements main gate). Suddenly a blue ststionwagon (subara, yellow plates, Israeli) appeared behind them moving fast, the car pulls alongside admen, inside was an orthodox settler, - black suit hat, white prayer shawl, etc. – preparing for Sabbath. The settlers motion for Adnan to pull over – as Adnan came to a stop the settler pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Admens head, yelling at them to get out of the car and then pulled ahead of them to stop them from driving away. As the settler steped out of his car Adnan reversed away around a corner, turning the car. Settler yelled at them to stop and got back in his car. A high speed chase ensued with Adnan zigzaging to prevent settler from coming alongside. Ahlem wanted to head for Hawarta Checkpoint, but Adnan feared they would be shot on the way. Adnan decided to risk a hairpin turn at the crossroads into Hawarta village, thinking an accident would be better than being shot. He sucessfully made the turn at the outskirts of Hawarta and the settler turned back. - threat was higher as settler was alone and the roads empty (jews are not allowed to travel after Sabbath starts. - Time was late afternoon. - Adnan has seen settler frequenty since at Huwark Mackrison. - Settler was 35 – 40. - Settlers name unknown.
Nimme Nimme is a teacher in Acriba. Settlers came outside his house with guns during the day while his wife and kids were in. After 30 mins Nimme went outside to tend sheep, his wife offered settlers tea – settlers left to Walids house but came back two months ago in the spring.
Ahmed Macmood Achmed is a sheppard, two years ago while walking sheep he was hit with own walking stick and blinded by settlers.
Ryda, Hibh, Ibrahym and their mother Earlier this year during a day’s olive harvesting, they had flares fired at them by settlers, who approached them on quads. They have also been fired on many times.
Mohammad, Ryda and his wife During September, while attempting to harvest olives they were approached by settlers on quads, who threatened that if they did not leave their own fields they would be killed, they fled. They reported this to soldiers and Tai Oosh. This year they have only been able to harvest 10 olive trees out of 400. On Sept 10 olives were still on trees. Settlers have come to village and ordered that no one is to come closer than 200m of their fence, or they will be shot. Evri and others attempted to harvest olives near fence but were shot at. They also were disturbed by settlers with guns going to every house in village looking for stolen sheep.
Ashraf His house has been hit by a tank shell. He has metal in his hand and shoulder. His friend still suffers shoulder problems. Ashraf is studying in nearby Nablus but cannot return to his village at night due to inflexable checkpoints. He is forced to remain in the town.
Hanee Three years ago he was shot in the wrist. Settlers threatened to kill him if he harvested olives from top of hill. He was shot 200m away from his own house by one of six settlers in a van who claimed olives were theirs. This was wittnessed by whole village.
Yahya Yhaya was attacked in Lower Yanoun at the beginning of December 2002. Two settlers drove by Yahya in a quad. The driver held a gun pointing at him while the other got out and beat him before they both drove off. The settler with the gun also poked Yahya with a rifle in the stomach and the knee. Yahya reported the incident to the police and the doctor. The police have kept a record of the incident. But Yahya did not keep the doctor’s papers.
Khadher Solayman Two settlers shot 12 sheep, 9 of them dead, while Khadher was walking the sheep. This happened in October 2002. There is a veterinary record but Khadher did not tell the police. In November 2002, seven or eight soldiers searched Khadher’s house claiming he was a member of Hamas. For half an hour they ransacked the house, spilling parafin and breaking things. This happened in the afternoon. Khadher ran away while his wife and children stayed in the house.
Adnan Adnan, a chemical engineer, says that he has been lucky regarding his encounters with the settlers. In autumn 2002 four settlers asked him for his ID. They argued and Adnan was threatened.
Yosef In the summer of 2002, Adnan’s family left Yanoun for a friend’s funeral. Yosef was alone with the children when seven settlers came by. Three of them entered the courtyard. Yosef was hit in the head with the butt of a gun and a fight broke out. Yosef shouted the names of his brothers. The settlers thought the family were around and left. Yosef did not tell the police, neither did he go to the hospital.
Khadher (brother of Adnan) and Yahgea Khadher and Yahgea were by the well in Upper Yanoun. 12 settlers came by and started an argument. Settlers: “Whose tractor is this?” Khadher: “It’s mine.” Settlers: “No. You are a thief. It’s mine.” They continued to argue. Six of the settlers had guns with them. Children were also accompanying them. A 14-year-old was one of the ones holding guns. Finally one of the settlers said, “I’m the police. You stole it.” Khadher then went and brought the papers proving his ownership of the tractor. He also brought his brother Acmed with him back to Upper Yanoun. The settlers checked the papers and left.
Two men from Acrobar These men had their tractors burnt in Lower Yanoun in May 2002. The settlers took the two to Hawara checkpoint and to the Commanding Officer. We need to check whether there exists an army report of this.
The olive harvest There were many attacks, every day during the olive harvest. According to a Swiss man, two settlers came by in a quad and took pictures of Yahgea. They were the same men that beat him two months earlier (see above). The settlers asked Suede, “Why are you here? Who injured you? My God!” The settlers stole olives after they were picked and sent their goats down to eat the olives off the villagers’ trees.
Ibrahym and Hibh Four settlers came by with lots of dogs with them as Ibrahym and Hibh were on their way back from school on the road from Acrobar. Ibrahym and Hibh hid behind the trees as they were scared. This happened in November.
Musala Adel Rachid Musala is a member of the Benijaba family. He now lives in Aqriba with his wife and six children. His house in East Yanon was bombed 10 years ago by soldiers. The soldiers stayed one year. He suffered extreme injuries, losing one eye and spending a year in hospital. In November Musala was beaten by eight settlers - with stones and guns - while he was shepherding in East Yanon. This time he spent two weeks in hospital.
Basam Basam saysthe name Yanon comes from the Latin, Ya-no, meaning quiet place. Ten years ago there were 500 people living in Yanon. In East Yanon alone there were 10 families, numbering 34 people. Now it is just rubble, and Basam himself lives in Aqriba. Basam was shot in the stomach three years ago by soldiers while he was praying. It was a mass prayer attended by 1,000 people from villages all around. Three people were shot.
Ashraf Ibrahym Ashraf was shot in September 2002 on the edge of western Lower Yanon. He is not sure from where the shot was fired. He says that 13 years ago three families lived in West Yanon.
Doha, east of Yanon Doha lies in a very green valley, where the six families, consisting of 20 people, live in tents. 14 years ago 600 people lived here. It lies very close to an Israeli farm and there is no fence separating the two. Settlers come to take pictures, kill sheep, attack and steal sheep. They have guns and one of them can talk.
Sami-ghaleb Mahmood-shear Morah Sami-ghaleb is a shepherd. He was born on 23.12.80. In 2000, Sami-ghaleb was in lower Yanon with Rami and Rasan when he was attacked and beaten by a group of 25 settlers (led by Victor Evri) for two hours before he was saved by people throwing rocks at the settlers. Sami-ghaleb has hospital papers and Palestinian police papers, which are held in the appropriate offices. Rasan also has papers and the relevant dates.
Abdel Latif On 3.11.01 30 settlers came to Abdel’s house. There were 4 villagers inside. Abdel was beaten along with his brother and father. The hospital report is available but the police report rests with the Israeli authorities. The attack lasted 15 minutes.
Palestinian not from Yanon A Palestinian said that one settler was stabbed in 2000 and that two armed Palestinians killed 10 s ettlers six months ago. He also says that sheep were stolen from Lower Yanon three years ago in revenge. ========================================================================6-Army imprisons CO Ben-Artzi AGAIN - please protest AGAIN
hursday Jan. 16, CO Yoni Ben-Artzi entered the military prison for the seventh consecutive time for a term of 35-days. Ben-Artzi's renewed imprisonment was the culmination of more than a week of what seemed a hestitation and equivocation on the army's part. This time, he and other CO's were not immediately imprisoned upon the end of their previous terms - but were invited to speak with numerous officers and officials. Various possibilities, such as a psychiatric discharge from the army, had been held out to them -only to be withdrawn again. Mention was made of a high-level miltary commission to be appointed of which apparently nothing came.
At the end of his new prison term Yoni Ben Artzi (who happens to be the nephew of Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu) will have spent 196 days in jail with no end in sight - for him or for Uri Ya'akobi, Dror Beumel and an increasing number of Israeli youths who refuse service in the Israeli army and are one by one passing the 90 day mark, which was until recently the maximum. Of the growing number of draft resisters part objects to military service in general, others oppose to being part of an army of occupation.
Jonathan Ben Artzi's (or Yoni as his friends know him) first experience with the Israeli justice system was a positive one. As a student at an elite Jerusalem prep school, he found that he could no longer bear the militaristic atmosphere or the overt role the military played in his education. When his class was bussed to a military training center for an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) orientation as part of his school program, Yoni refused to go. He also insisted that his parents be refunded for this "course," and that the fees be returned to his sole Arab classmate, who was literally taken off the military bus. Yoni simply felt that a school should prepare its students to be better citizens-- not soldiers. But this position, which for many may seem rather commonsensical, is considered extremely radical in Israel. The high school, for its part, retaliated by preventing Yoni from graduating and denying him his diploma.
It took a year and half of an uphill legal battle for this decision to be overruled by an Israeli court. But that was years ago. Yesterday, Ben Artzi was once again faced with the choice: "Enlist or go to prison!". Col. Deborah Chassid, who had previously sentenced the CO's, this time told Ben Artzi she was washing her hands of him and his friends and passing the matter off to her superiors. (This may not be unconnected with the thousands of protest letters and faxes which poured into her office from all over the world in the past month).
In the end, Ben Artzi was sentenced by General Gil Regev in person - member of the General Staff in charge of manpower, just one rank below the top of the pyramid. Ben Artzi had told the general (as he reported a few minutes later, just before his mobile phone was taken away): "Unless you find a way through your own bureaucratic procedures and release me from the army, you will have to see me here again and again - for there is no way I am going to enlist". Ben Artzi also reminded General Regev that he had been recognized as a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International. He remarked that if it is possible for thousands of ultra- Orthodox to be granted an exemption from military service, it is not more than fair aalso to exempt the Conscientious Objectors. (Many of the religious are not at all opposed to violence or occupation - on the contrary.) The general had only one answer: "You have appealed to the Consicence Committee and it rejected your offer." (The committee rejects virtually everybody regardless of his arguments.)
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